Free Republic

Jakarta/Hong Kong (CNN) — Indonesia's controversial sex laws will not affect foreign tourists visiting Bali, officials have confirmed in a statement issued Monday. "Based on the provisions of the new Indonesian criminal code, visitors who visit or live in Bali would not need to worry," said Balinese governor Wayan Koster, adding that there would be "no checks on marital statuses at tourist accommodations like hotels, villas, guest houses or spas, or inspections by public officials or community groups." Like most major tourism hotspots around the world, Bali suffered vast economic turmoil during the Covid-19 pandemic. International travelers have been returning...

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol is increasingly turning to the Department of Justice as a potential partner for carrying out its mission once the panel sunsets. The two investigative teams have at times been at odds over the last year and a half, with the panel rebuffing a request from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to share transcripts of its interviews in May. But as it stares down an end-of-the-year deadline, the committee’s tune is changing toward something reminiscent of a high school yearbook: Let’s keep in touch. “If they would want to...

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A woman shot and killed a suspected carjacker in self-defense in Nevada, according to police, and another suspect has since been arrested.

If an owner notices or smells smoke around the dashboard or driver's foot well, they should shut off the engine and call a dealer or roadside assistance. DETROIT — Subaru is telling the owners of nearly 272,000 SUVs in the U.S. to park them outdoors due to the risk of a fire. The company is recalling the 2019 through 2022 Ascents after getting reports of two fires. There were no reports of injuries. The company says a bolt that holds the ground terminal of a heater may not have been fastened properly during assembly. That can cause the terminal and...

RICHMOND, Va. (WVIR) - Richmond’s last remaining Confederate monument is set to come down this week. The removal of the Gen. A.P. Hill statue should begin on Monday. Hill’s remains have been at the site for more than 130 years. They will be reinterred at a cemetery in Culpeper. Plans call for moving the monument to a Black history museum, though Hill’s indirect descendants want it relocated to a former Civil War battlefield. Richmond, the onetime capital of the Confederacy, began removing its Confederate monuments in 2020 amid nationwide racial justice protests.

Elections, like corporations, have books everyone can see to make an election or investment decision… Republicans don’t understand that there are two sets of books…The hidden set of books contains the ballot and phantom and address inventory. These three ingredients win elections… There are great databases out there — for free. When cross-searched at silicon speed, they give a multidimensional view of every address and most people on the voter rolls… There may be two sets of books, but now the good guys can read them both.

Chevron Corp. turned out to be one of the top performing assets David Root included this year in the workplace retirement portfolios his firm manages for companies that offer employee 401k plans. And he makes no apologies for the investment. “If you didn’t have energy as part of your portfolio this year — which averaged 35% to 40% returns — you had no chance of outperforming the S&P 500,” said Mr. Root, CEO of DBR & Co., Downtown. Some fund managers guided by their environmental, social and governance values rather than pure financial considerations might have ruled out an investment...

They just can’t quit Kyle Rittenhouse. Forget the guy was arrested, charged, stood trial, and was found innocent by a jury of his peers … no no, since he’s a straight, white, conservative male he will forever be the ‘villain’ to ignorant people who care more about politics than reality and facts. Like Soledad O’Brien. We’re pretty sure she didn’t think this tweet through though. But then again, does she ever? Just take a look at her timeline. *************************************** Soledad O'Brien @soledadobrien · Follow For killing people. Yes. Kyle Rittenhouse @ThisIsKyleR People need to start being held accountable. 9:25 PM...

In case you hadn't noticed, it's cold at the moment in the UK. Very cold. Parts of the UK are blanketed in snow as temperatures hover only a few degrees above freezing in many places. But many are wondering how it can be cold enough for snow - and for the snow to last - even though the planet is heating up. The UK is already about 1°C hotter on average than in the 1950s. That shows in the fact we are getting less frost and snow. Cold spells are also becoming shorter and less frequent and they are on...

* Hundreds of migrants were filmed crossing illegally into El Paso, Texas from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico on Sunday night * It had been a busy weekend for CBP officials with reports by El Paso sector of more than 2,600 crossings in the 24 hours between Friday and Saturday * Ahead of the mass crossing, Mexican police brought 20 buses full of migrants back across the border into Ciudad Juarez, the city across from El Paso * It's thought many of those who were brought back into Mexico simply repeated the journey in crossing the Rio Grande river which separates the...

They are not elected to any office. But in the fight against global warming, the world’s billionaires have more influence than many heads of state. As government struggles to move quickly to contain greenhouse gases, ultrawealthy investors and philanthropists are increasingly grabbing the reins, using their fortunes to guide the transition to cleaner energy toward their favored projects and market strategies. They are men with household names like Jeff Bezos (net worth: $114 billion, according to Forbes), Mike Bloomberg ($77 billion) and Bill Gates ($106 billion), along with other billionaires who have lower profiles but equally large climate ambition. Their...

The final count is in: Republicans will hold a slim 222–213 majority in the House of Representatives, giving whoever lands the terrible job of speaker a four-seat cushion on any floor vote. That’s the exact margin that outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi has worked her formidable magic with for two years. Pelosi, however, had two things that her Republican counterpart will not: a caucus full of mostly sane team players, and a policy agenda less radioactive than graphite from an exploded nuclear reactor. It’s not like this is a new problem for the GOP. But previously, when House Republicans held majorities...

A retired U.S. Navy SEAL, who became famous after coming out as transgender, has announced he has “detransitioned” while revealing that going trans has “destroyed my life.” Chris Beck, formerly known as Kristin Beck, made headlines nearly 10 years ago after coming out as transgender. Beck’s story was celebrated by the liberal corporate media and used as “woke” propaganda to push for transgenders in the military. However, Beck now says the move was a big mistake and he’s calling on Americans to “wake up” about how transgender health services are hurting children. “Everything you see on CNN with my...

Governor of Luhansk region said Ukrainian forces attacked a hotel in Kadiivka Serhiy Gaidai said survivors face inadequate medical services to treat them Ukrainian officials also claim up to 200 Russian troops were killed in Melitopol But President Zelensky said situation 'remains very difficult' in frontline cities Serhiy Gaidai (pictured), the governor of the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, told Ukrainian television that Ukrainian forces have attacked a hotel where members of Russia's brutal private Wagner military group were based Ukrainian forces have attacked a hotel where members of Russia's brutal private Wagner military group were based, killing many, a local leader...

Holiday shopping could extend another month for Twitter's biggest fans. In mid-January, the social media giant will auction off some of the surplus office items at its San Francisco, California, headquarters — including statues, kitchen items, furniture and more. Along with standard office furniture, the auction will include some more advanced technology, such as smart TVs, mobile media centers and digital whiteboards, as well as commercial kitchen supplies, including ice machines, a heavy-duty griddle and espresso machines. Some of the most unique items available, however, represent Twitter itself – a more than 3-foot tall Twitter bird statue and a massive...

The Pentagon has given its tacit endorsement of Ukrainian attacks inside Russian territory and no longer fears such operations could lead to a “dramatic” Russian escalation, The Times reported on Friday, citing unnamed US defense officials. The US position appears to only be based on the fact that up to this point, Russia hasn’t responded to attacks on its territory with nuclear weapons or by attacking NATO countries. The Times report reads: “Moscow’s revenge attacks have to date all involved conventional missile strikes against civilian targets. Previously, the Pentagon was warier of Ukraine attacking Russia because it feared the Kremlin...

The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare for the District of Columbia and other major cities that public transit was a lifeline for essential workers and that even modest fares could be a burden to them. So the nation’s capital is introducing a groundbreaking plan: It will begin offering free bus fares to residents next summer. Other cities, including Los Angeles and Kansas City, Missouri, suspended fare collection during the height of the pandemic to minimize human contact and ensure that residents with no other travel options could reach jobs and services at hospitals, grocery stores and offices. But D.C.‘s permanent free...

NATIONAL AMBROSIA DAY Right in the middle of the holiday season, National Ambrosia Day brings a refreshing salad to the celebration table. On December 12th, bring ambrosia to your holiday dinner or celebration and go home with an empty bowl. #NationalAmbrosiaDay Ambrosia, according to Greek mythology, is the nectar of the gods, endowing strength and immortality to those who eat it. The term itself can mean something especially delectable to taste or smell. The earliest recipes for ambrosia salad appeared around the 1800s. The recipes called for citrus fruit, coconut, and sugar. However, those who find coconut disagreeable leave it...

The administration is aiding and abetting an invasion of the Southern border. Our rights are being stripped away. We are at war and the enemy is within. In response to this existential threat, we’re told that we need to entrust a congressman previously recognized as the “tech industry’s best friend” as our leader. That’s boneheaded. Kevin McCarthy is not the right leader for the moment. Fortunately, enough Republicans recognize that and mean to stop him from being the next Speaker of the House. Five House Republicans, including myself, have announced that we will not vote for McCarthy during the January...

Fun week ahead. US inflation numbers are out on Tuesday (forecast? CPI YoY = 7.3%, Core CPI YoY = 6.1%) and The Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee (FOMC) rate decision is on Wendesday. So, where are we sitting on Monday? First, the US Treasury 10Y-2Y yield curve has been inverted (a precursor to recession) for 116 straight days). Second, the likelihood of recession in 2023 is 100%. Third, with the forecast of core inflation at a still numbing 6.1%, The Fed seems dead set on raising their target rate by 50 basis points to 4.50% on Wednesday. dddd So, as...