Free Republic

Could Russia crash the ISS? Nearly three decades of close collaboration in space between Russia and the western world seems to be coming to an end. With increasing tensions over Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, Russia has arguably threatened to crash the International Space Station and refuse to launch satellites for western countries. A few months ago, Russia blew up one of its own defunct satellites, creating space junk that threatened the safety of astronauts at the ISS. So how is the war likely to impact on operations in space going forward, and what are the consequences? Aggression in...

Last month the Military Health System put out a release that helped justify my father’s reasoning for ignoring my ongoing pleas for a Nintendo Entertainment System during my formative years – video games make you lazy. Granted, he was also worried about us monopolizing the TV in the living room, but his approach does reinforce the concerns in the release – namely that new recruits are struggling with initial entry training, or boot camp, because their bodies are just too weak.Quoting the release, “Today’s recruits are coming from a far more sedentary lifestyle, making their skeletons more prone to injuries...

When The Washington Post does a front page story on myriad heart problems plaguing people who recovered from COVID infection, it is big news. Cardiology practices across the country are being overwhelmed by post-COVID heart patients. "Long" COVID has been getting increased attention. Huge numbers of people are suffering long after getting through the initial infection.What is important is the lack of attention to what research has found to be an important impact of spike proteins, namely micro blood clots. Toxic spike proteins invade bodies from COVID infection and also the major COVID vaccines. Those spike proteins can cause widespread...

f my eyes were closed, I would think this was President Trump!

With gas prices at record highs across the U.S., an increasing number of governors and state lawmakers are calling for the suspension of gas taxes to provide relief to motorists who are facing the prospect of even higher pump prices as the country cuts off Russian oil imports. Proposals for a “gas tax holiday” to counter inflation had been moving slowly in Congress and state capitols before Russia invaded Ukraine, but they have gained momentum this week amid surging prices that averaged $4.25 a gallon on Wednesday, according to AAA. Republican legislative leaders in Michigan and Pennsylvania announced proposals Wednesday...

As gas prices continue to notch new record highs on a daily basis, the culprit couldn't be more clear. No, it's not Putin's fault, despite President Biden and his administration's efforts to blame Russia's invasion of Ukraine for spiking prices at the gas pump. The White House is using Putin as a scapegoat and hoping Americans go along with their narrative despite the fact that the average price for a gallon of gas in the United States increased more than $1 during the first 13 months of Biden's time in office. And while Putin's aggression has caused chaos in Europe,...

Reporters revolted and protested in the White House after Press Secretary Jen Psaki pulled the plug early on a briefing before others had a chance to ask questions. The press briefing lasted 40 minutes, but most of that time was taken up by just a few reporters in the first two rows who were allowed to ask Psaki multiple questions and follow-ups. During the Monday briefing, Associated Press reporter Josh Boak signaled to Psaki that time was up. “Thanks, Jen,” Boak shouted out as a reporter asked Psaki a question about whether the U.S. intended to get oil from Venezuela.

Huge signs were erected this week all over Damascus, the capital of Syria, as a sign of support for Russia and the war against Ukraine. Alongside huge pictures of Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin read "Truth Will Win" and "Victory for Russia"pic.twitter.com/y06Dng72mo— Gal Aharonovich (@GalAharonovich) March 9, 2022Getty

Do you ever look at the original Ford Mustang and find yourself wishing it had a little more — maybe a little spark? Well good news, engineers in the UK have heard your prayers and fixed the Mustang by giving it electric power. And, I love everything about it. This magical new creation comes from a small engineering firm called Charge Cars. It seems like the firm has seen your bloated Mustang Mach-E and decided we all need this absolute stunner instead. Called the Electric Mustang by Charge Cars, the new EV uses an “official licensed” shell that the firm...

Entrenched out of touch political groups lose touch with people and then lose elections. Goldwater shook up the Republican liberals. Ross Perot then hit the GOP again from a different place. Hillary Clinton suffered it twice first from Barak Obama and then Donald Trump. Clive Palmer is shaking the tree in Australia. He swung the 2019 election from the Australian Labor Party's Union heavyweight to proud Christian Scott Morrison. In 2022 he is giving non political young libertarians like Becky Spelman a chance to compete. This looks good to me.

The ABC, CBS and NBC evening news shows buried a report showing that most Americans currently live paycheck to paycheck as the cost of living continues to skyrocket. Fintech marketplace bank LendingClub released a report March 3, which stated that “[t]he number of consumers living paycheck to paycheck has increased steadily since April 2021 and was 64% in January 2022 – 12 percentage points higher than April 2021.” It got worse: “The data show[] that 48% of consumers earning more than $100,000 per year reported living paycheck to paycheck in January 2022 — up from 42% in December 2021.” Of...

David Bennett, the world’s first human to receive a genetically modified pig heart, has died just two months following the historic transplantation. Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where the surgery was performed, announced his passing Wednesday morning. At this time, the cause of death is reportedly unclear. Bennett, 57, received the heart on January 7, which was announced by the University of Maryland three days later. He had been diagnosed with a terminal heart condition and bedridden for months, but his severe arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat that can predispose people to heart attack or other cardiac illness)...

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... The monumental decision to walk away from the $8 billion project came at a devastating cost to communities that pinned their hopes and investments on the success of the massive venture. South Dakota hotel owner Laurie Cox, who bought a two-story hotel in Midland and housed pipeline workers before the project was pulled, said that although it's exciting to think about the pipeline coming back, it's hard not to see the writing on the wall. She recently drove past some of the man camps built to accommodate thousands of skilled workers hired to build the pipeline. The mostly abandoned...

Russia’s war on Ukraine is continuing to boost food prices. While the US and European countries are engaged in economic warfare against Moscow, it appears Russia’s turn to strike back has emerged. On Thursday, Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov said Russia decided to suspend fertilizer exports. This comes when global food prices are at record highs, and European fertilizer makers are struggling to produce nutrients ahead of the spring growing season, increasing global food inflation risks. President Vladimir Putin said the fertilizer export ban was a move to ensure stable domestic food prices. This is another sign...

<p>The drag queen invited to perform for congressional Democrats during their policy retreat referred to President Joe Biden as "senile" and a "white supremacist" and called his voters "dim-witted."</p><p>Lady Bunny, an "iconic drag queen" scheduled to perform on Wednesday during the Democratic retreat in Philadelphia, has spent much of the last year criticizing virtually every aspect of Biden's agenda and some congressional Democrats as well. On Feb. 19, for example, Lady Bunny said Biden's "word, especially on foreign policy, is worth nothing."</p>

LONDON (Reuters) - Russia on Thursday shifted its stance over the bombing of a Ukrainian hospital in the city of Mariupol, with a mix of statements that veered between aggressive denials and a call by the Kremlin to establish clear facts.Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy said three people including a child had been killed in the bombing on Wednesday, and rejected Russian assertions there had been no patients there."Like always, they lie confidently," said Zelenskiy, who has accused Moscow of waging genocide in the war it launched two weeks ago.In the face of worldwide condemnation there were rare signs of inconsistency...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Beloved feminist icon and 2024 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has announced she will be joining efforts to halt Russian aggression. Starting this week, she has promised to stop importing dossiers from Russia. "For a long time, I have relied on Russian intelligence as a prime source for phony dirt on my political appointments," said Clinton as she adjusted the scope on her high-powered sniper rifle. "Starting today, I will refuse to import my disinformation or even my hitmen from Russian sources—that is, unless it's absolutely necessary." Sources in Russia say this will cost the Russian economy over 3,000 jobs,...

Congress should use the omnibus to vacuum up its unnecessary spending, to control both our national debt and runaway inflation. Yeah, right. News flash from Washington: Congress is rushing to pass a bill it hasn’t read, full of earmarks and special favors for campaign donors. Where have we heard that before? The House introduced the omnibus bill after midnight Tuesday, and it’s a whopping 2,741 pages. A combination of poor planning, Democratic delusions, and an upcoming vacation (seriously!) have Congress rushing to ram through a bill totaling thousands of pages, and trillions of dollars, in a matter of hours. Again....

Members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) have been plotting to assassinate John Bolton, former national-security adviser in the Trump administration, says a Justice Department official with direct knowledge of the government’s investigation of the suspected plot. That is according to Tom Rogan, who reported the development in the Washington Examiner on Monday.