Free Republic

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Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is touting his state's seaports as a solution to help ease America's ongoing supply chain crisis, offering them as an alternative to the overwhelmed ports in other parts of the country. In a Tuesday press conference at the Port of Jacksonville, known as JAXPORT, DeSantis pointed to backlogs such as those currently happening in California, where the ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach both had a record number of ships waiting to unload the day before. Last week, the White House said LA's port had vowed to start opening 24 hours a day, but...

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The NFL is spending $6.2 million to help expand programs to prevent or treat problem gambling across the country. The league is launching a responsible betting initiative aimed at getting fans to set limits on their wagers, understand the risks of betting, and know where to get help if things get out of hand. It is partnering with the National Council on Problem Gambling to improve the group’s nationwide help line, create new treatment programs and expand existing ones, and educate football fans who gamble on how to do so responsibly. A three-year effort will...

The Nation’s education system has become a major factor in the Va gubernatorial election since McAauliffe has never hidden his presidential ambitions. In the planning stage for ages.......sexual assaults in schools were NOT REPORTED FOR FEAR OF HURTING MCAULIFFES POLITICAL AMBITIONS. ..................................................... Control freak Democrat McAuliffe has launched a “War on Parents” <><> he emphatically said, “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.” <><> “I’m not going to let parents come into schools and actually remove books." <><> "I’m not going to let parents make their own decisions about their children." Black parents should be...

Now, this seems berry ridiculous. A new lawsuit is claiming that the strawberry filling in Pop-Tarts — the sugary breakfast pastry from Kellogg’s — apparently has very few actual berries. The food corporation is being sued in a new class-action suit, according to TMZ, over claims that they’re misleading buyers about what’s in the pastry. Elizabeth Russett, a woman from New York, is leading the charge against the company, TMZ reported, and alleged that the fruit filling in the Whole Grain Frosted Strawberry Toaster Pastries is mostly comprised of other fruits. The suit claims that the sweet filling of the...

The Trump Organization will face a criminal investigation regarding its financial dealings surrounding a New York golf course. The Westchester County district attorney's office has subpoenaed records from Trump National Golf Club Westchester and the town of Ossining, which determines property taxes for the course, The New York Times reported. The Times reported that the investigation will focus on whether the Trump Organization misled officials regarding the course's value in an effort to pay less taxes on the property.

A Navy report has concluded there were sweeping failures by commanders, crew members, and others that fueled the July 2020 arson fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard, calling the massive five-day blaze in San Diego preventable and unacceptable. While one sailor has been charged with setting the fire, the more than 400-page report, obtained by The Associated Press, lists three dozen officers and sailors whose failings either directly led to the ship's loss or contributed to it. The findings detailed widespread lapses in training, coordination, communication, fire preparedness, equipment maintenance, and overall command and control. “Although the fire was...

Until, two weeks ago, that is, when Armstrong broke his silence to update the world on how the company’s no-politics experiment was going. In a word: swimmingly. On October 1, Armstrong posted a tweet thread revealing that, contra prophecies that his company would face a mass exodus and public shunning over the ban, Coinbase has instead gained new staff comprised of professionals eager to work in an environment dedicated to clear corporate goals rather than murky outside social agendas. “We have a much more aligned company now, where we can focus on getting work done toward our mission,” Armstrong shared,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Anonymous sources are reporting heightened stress in the hallways of the White House. One source close to the Biden family revealed that the supply chain crisis currently gripping our nation has now reached the home of the Commander-In-Chief. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a White House staff member charged with stocking the East Wing with everyday necessities like tissues, toilet paper, young girls, ice cream, and underwear featuring maximum absorbency and a bold, masculine design for a smooth, sleek fit, has been having trouble finding that last item on the list. “When I told the First Lady store...

The microtubule network (green) re-organizes at the muscle lesion and attracts myonuclei. Credit: William Roman, iMM ===================================================================================== Muscle is known to regenerate through a complex process that involves several steps and depends on stem cells. Now, a new study led by researchers at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM; Portugal) and the University Pompeu Fabra (UPF Barcelona; Spain) and published on October 15, 2021, in the scientific journal Science describes a new mechanism for muscle regeneration after physiological damage relying on the rearrangement of nuclei. This protective mechanism opens the road to a broader understanding of muscle...

Democrats in Florida are a minority and it may only get worse after the GOP-controlled legislature begins its redistricting process later this year. This is going to make it even more difficult for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to keep her iron grip on the U.S. House. Florida House Democratic co-Leader Evan Jenne is already sounding the alarm about the Florida Legislature’s 2022 session, where they will discuss and make moves on redistricting. “A lot of people’s political careers will hang in the balance of what comes out of those redistricting subcommittees and the Legislature as a whole,” Jenne said. “It...

Nearly 1,900 Washington state employees have either quit their jobs or been fired for failing to comply with Gov. Jay Inslee’s (D) coronavirus vaccine mandate. In a statement, the state’s Office of Financial Management said that over 63,000 employees, are in compliance with the mandate as of Tuesday afternoon, which is 92 percent of employees. Of this, 89.4 percent of employees have verified that they are vaccinated, and 3 percent have an accommodation.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s top official on Wednesday exhorted the bloc’s 27 member nations to wean themselves off natural gas not only to speed the transition to clean energy but also to make the bloc a more independent player in the world. On the eve of an EU summit centering on the energy crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told legislators that since the bloc imports 90% of its gas — much of it from strategic rival Russia — “this makes us vulnerable.” As a result she wants the EU to double down on a swift...

Food prices climbed 4.5% last month, the sixth consecutive month of increases, according to the Consumer Price Index for Food. The increase was led by the meat sector, with the “meat” basket of goods up 12.6% from a year ago while the poultry index was 6.1% higher. The September data, generated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, follows a 3% gain in August and 2.6% gain in July. The surge marks the fastest level of growth since March 2009. The rapid increase in food prices has many meat industry analysts worried about the impact on beef demand. The Livestock...

When Washington state representative Jim Walsh went to his office in Olympia on Tuesday, he found himself on the outside looking in. His ID badge, which acts as a keycard for state government buildings, didn’t work. It wasn’t a mistake or technical glitch. The rules committee for the House made an “interim rule” banning entry to anyone who doesn’t present their Covid-19 injection papers, including elected officials. Walsh, who has opposed Governor Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandates, was furious that the governing body he was elected to work in and represent his constituents was not only failing to counter the Governor,...

Severe thunderstorms hit parts of Queensland, Australia on October 18 and 19, 2021, bringing heavy rain, giant hailstones, and tornadoes. The largest hail was reported in Bloomsbury and Yalboroo, north of Mackay in North Queensland on October 19. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Shane Kennedy said they've seen some convincing images of hail up against a tape measure of 16 cm (6.29 inches). The Australian record is around 14 cm (5.5 inches) mark, Kennedy said, adding that it looks like they have a new Australian record for hail.1 Hail that size has a terminal velocity of well over 100...

The Website provides information about current geographical positions of ships as well as other related information, whenever available, such as ships’ details, their destination, estimated time of arrival, photographs, port traffic statistics, weather conditions, points of interest, etc.

A 19-year police veteran in the ICU after receiving the J&J shot on Friday. Fellow officers say they are more fearful than ever over Charlie Baker’s Oct. 17 mandate to be vaccinated or face being fired. “Several state troopers are concerned,” said attorney William Gens, whose Boston law firm was hired to represent a group of state police. “This is a highly disturbing incident.” Gens said the vaccine mandate has left the troopers with no choice but to be a “lab rat” and take the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. A trooper said the sick sergeant is “a gentleman. A...

Lake Tahoe’s water level dropped to a four-year low on Tuesday as gusty winds and the impacts of California’s devastating drought hit the popular tourist destination. After days of high winds increased evaporation rates, water levels fell to the basin’s natural rim for the first time since 2017, the end of the state’s last drought. The lake normally sits above the rim, which allows for water to flow into the Truckee River. Levels will probably continue to drop, receding below the rim this week, sooner than expected. Though the lake’s water levels have fallen to this point several times in...

The Maryland couple accused of trying to sell secrets about US nuclear submarines — using a peanut butter sandwich to hide an SD memory card — were worried about their finances and were furious when Donald Trump was elected, friends and co-workers said. Navy nuclear engineer Jonathan Toebbe, 42, and his teacher wife, Diana, 45, were indicted in West Virginia on Tuesday on espionage charges. The couple is due back in federal court Wednesday for a detention hearing.