Free Republic

Used lithium-ion batteries taken from carmaker Audi’s electric vehicles (EVs) have been repurposed into a ‘second-life’ stationary energy storage system by energy company RWE at a project in Herdecke, Germany. RWE has deployed the system, which has a capacity of around 4.5MWh, at the site of its pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) plant at Hengsteysee reservoir in the North-Rhine Westphalia region of north-west Germany. The decommissioned batteries are taken from development models of Audi’s e-tron EVs, which have a maximum range of 252 miles when used for transport. They still had about 80% of their residual capacity remaining when taken...

Under the pretext of public health, the soul of what is known as the Free West has left most Western countries. Looking at the government overreach and abuses of power in virtually every other Western nation, one can only conclude that America truly is the last free man standing. Here is a rundown of the suppression of liberty in major Western countries. CANADA Let's start with our neighbor to the north. Canada is one of the least free countries in the Western world. In some ways it is the least free. In every area of life, including freedom of speech,...

There’s a joke in media about any story that involves the phrase “Florida man” because the stories that do are generally insane. Seriously, just do a quick search on it and see what comes up – it’ll be something crazy about a shopping cart, an alligator, meth, fighting a snake, or something else likely to play a role in the next Indiana Jones movie. But when it comes to how liberals talk about the Governor of the state, Trump Derangement Syndrome has a new variant, a deadlier one for which there is no treatment: DeSantis Insanity Disorder. If you watch...

By some historical accounts Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig bears the distinction of WWI’s worst general. He rose to Commander of British Expeditionary Forces and led Allied armies during the slaughter and futility at the battles of the Somme and Passchendaele. Known for his self confidence and inflexibility, he repeatedly ordered soldiers over the top to “no man’s land” and into the path of German machine guns. No number of casualties or unachieved objectives could dissuade him from his singular approach to combat. Nigel Davies, historian and educator, points out that General Haig was emblematic of the chateau general -...

Comparing the Kim Potter and Alec Baldwin cases is a powerful illustration of the missing element in our criminal justice system. Prosecutors are granted broad discretion in who they charge, so that they may consider the totality of circumstances and provide something that the literal interpretation of laws can’t -- justice. But the Potter and Baldwin cases show just how far astray from that goal our systems have wandered. The key events in both cases are remarkably similar. In both cases a human being was accidentally shot and killed with a firearm. The facts in both cases are undisputed. Both...

For much of the past forty years and more often at government expense, Phil Murphy has surrounded himself with a well-armed and trained private and public security force, first as a bigwig with Goldman Sachs, then as U.S. ambassador to Germany for Barak Obama, and now as governor of the deep blue Garden State that narrowly elected him to a second term amidst an unforeseen red wave of discontent at the ballot box. Along the way, his dogma evolved from boardroom idealism to political progressivism, an evolution familiar to those of moneyed privilege and far removed from the trials of...

FCSO says the Fresno Police Department was trying to arrest someone wanted for violent felonies like domestic abuse and weapons charges. As they were trying to pick him up, officers asked the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office for a K-9 unit to help out.The Sheriff’s Office says the man they were after ran away when they tried to arrest him, so they sent a K-9 after him. The K-9 took him down, but the man stabbed the dog at least three times.Then, the Fresno Police Department shot the man.

[H/T BenLurkin]One Rhode Island health care worker said, 'We have no choice'After implementing a coronavirus mandate for health care workers this fall, Rhode Island has now opened an option for COVID-positive health care workers to continue working if their facility is facing a staffing crisis. "Also, facility administrators should be using their clinical judgment in making staffing decisions. For example, a facility may opt for a COVID-19 positive worker to only care for COVID-19 positive patients," Joseph Wendelken, a spokesperson from the department of health, told the Providence Journal on Saturday. A memo was sent to employees of state-run Eleanor...

January 4th, 2021 Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Houston, TX Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White The readings shown here are for places where the Epiphany is celebrated on Sunday 2 January.Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst reading1 John 4:7-10 ©Let us love one another, since love comes from GodMy dear people,let us love one anothersince love comes from Godand everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,because God is love.God’s love for us was revealedwhen God...

There would be no life if the bees die’: Beekeepers protesting with beehives in front of Chile's presidential palace said their demonstration was to highlight the drought in the Colina commune that was killing the local bee population.

Molly and Beth Davis agree that mother knows best. That includes when it comes to finding a man for daughter Molly — even if it takes a billboard in Times Square. Last week, mom Beth did just that, when a 47-foot-by-25-foot ad went up at the crossroads of the world, right above Tonic. “Date my daughter” it reads, with a photo of 30-year-old Molly and the URL for her dating profile. It’s all part of Beth’s quest “to know I am leaving her in good hands.” Beth, a 61-year-old from Boston, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and...

On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said that the federal government hasn’t given Florida the monoclonal antibody treatments it needs and governors can’t get supplies on their own due to the federal government taking control of the supply and the lack of monoclonal antibody treatments “is absolutely leading to people dying.” DeSantis stated, [relevant remarks begin around 2:15] “I think with the monoclonals, that is absolutely leading to people dying. Because we saw when we put in our sites this summer in Florida to deal with the Delta wave, we kept tens of...

"Jill Haliburton Su, a wealthy, white woman who spent her spare time reading to the blind and doing charity work, was found tied up and stabbed to death in her home in 2014. Dayonte Resiles stood trial in December of 2021. His DNA was found on the knife used to kill her and elsewhere in Su’s home. Three members of his jury refused to convict him because they didn’t “want to send a young black male to jail for the rest of their life or have him get the death sentence.” Resiles’ retrial began Monday. Let’s face it, the left...

"President Biden is yet again facing backlash over the FDA’s booster approval process, which recommended boosters for children this week without convening a panel of advisors to weigh in on the matter. "Dear President Biden, FDA is bypassing it's scientific advisors to authorize boosters for all kids 12-15 next week. This is unconscionable – undermines the integrity of the FDA's standard process! Please require FDA to put this authoriz [sic] before the VRBPAC advisory comm for a vote!" Dr. Marty Makary, chief of the Johns Hopkins Islet Transplant Center and Fox News contributor, tweeted Saturday. ..."

Duane Bailey’s brother Bill Bailey was one of the victims in the April 2019 crash. Bailey said Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, the defendant, misrepresented his experience on his job application and "exaggerated job titles," "He’s testified he’s panicked. Who wouldn’t be? But, he put himself in that position. It wasn’t an accident," he said. He called Polis a "despicable human being" for not allowing a new sentencing hearing take place on Jan.13 and accused the governor of using the tragic fires to distract the public from his decision. Aguilera-Medros, 26, testified that he tried to slam on the brakes to stop his...

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson provided a glimpse Sunday into the direction of the House investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, saying it involved a “coordinated effort” by some perpetrators and refusing himself to rule out a criminal referral against former President Donald Trump.Nearly a year after the attack, the probe’s point man said the crowd that marched to the Capitol was a combination of disheartened Trump supporters and organized instigators bent on undermining the 2020 presidential election.“Obviously, some people came upset with what happened in the November election,” Mr. Thompson, Mississippi Democrat, said on NBC’s “Meet...

"Some women who have received positive pre-natal results for these rare disorders have aborted their pregnancies because of these genetic tests. The New York Times reports that five prenatal tests for rare genetic disorders are wrong most of the time, with some tests achieving 93 percent inaccuracy. These pre-natal test results have led expectant mothers to abort their healthy pregnancies. In these five tests, the Times reports, "positive results are often wrong." The tests are those for DiGeorge syndrome, which affects 1 in 4,000 births, which has an 81 percent rate of being wrong. The test for 1p36 deletion, common...

Desperate hospitals battling to cover shifts just months after forcing hundreds of unvaccinated nurses out of work over mandates New South Wales has invited fully vaccinated Covid-positive nurses to work in hospitals, but continues to ban Covid-negative unvaccinated staff. The bizarre scenario that appears to defy logic has been caused by severe staff shortages. Not only has New South Wales sacked (or forced the resignation) of unvaccinated staff after a mandatory vaccination health directive was issued, thousands of fully vaccinated staff are now in isolation due to Covid infections. Recalling Covid-positive nurses to work remains a breach of the New...

"A report last year revealed that the state underreported deaths in nursing homes by as much as 50% The Manhattan district attorney's office is closing its investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's handling of nursing home COVID-19 deaths without bringing charges against Cuomo, according to the former governor's attorney. "I was contacted today by the head of the Elder Care Unit from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office who informed me they have closed its investigation involving the Executive Chamber and nursing homes," Elkan Abramowitz, a former federal prosecutor who had been hired to represent Cuomo, said Monday. "I...

“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding” (Proverbs 4:1 KJV).