Free Republic

DEVELOPING: ‘Mass Casualty Incident’ reported following explosion at metal manufacturing plant in Bedford, Ohio; massive response underway DEVELOPING: At least 12 people have been severely burned following explosion at I Schumann & Co manufacturing plant; additional ambulances requested to the scene

2023-02-20Mon -72,9231 10 minutes later: 2023-02-20Mon -74,765

As Republicans rubbed their eyes on the morning of November 9, it became painfully clear that the much-predicted red wave had turned out to be a mirage. A slew of unremarkable Republican candidates lost their bids to unseat Democratic congressmen, and prominent “MAGA-style” Trump-backed candidates lost as well. Both groups within the GOP blamed the other, with MAGA Republicans saying that the establishment GOP was milquetoast, and mainstream Republicans criticizing the crass populism of many Trump candidates. In spite of rampant inflation and general economic anxiety, Republicans only nar­rowly reclaimed the House of Representatives and failed to take the U.S....

“I am honored to be welcomed again in Kyiv,” Biden, 80, wrote in the message, which he left for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the guestbook at Ukraine’s Royal Palace. “I stand in solidarity and friendship with the freedom loving people of Ukraine. Mr. President, please accept my deepest respect for your courage and leadership. “Slava Ukraini!” Biden concluded, deploying the rallying cry that means “Glory to Ukraine!” Accompanying an image of the letter, Biden tweeted: “Kyiv has captured a part of my heart. I knew I would be back.

Republican lawmakers from the House and Senate criticized President Biden's unannounced trip to Kiev, Ukraine, on Monday and said it shows Biden is more interested in Ukraine than the crisis at the border or the release of toxic chemicals into the air and water in East Palestine, Ohio. "When our border is in crisis, Joe Biden goes home to nap in Delaware. When Ohio burns with toxic chemicals, Biden’s admin says everything is fine," Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. told Fox News Digital in a statement. "So on Presidents Day, I’m not surprised that Biden is ditching America for Ukraine. He...

This collage shows six planetary radar observations of 2011 AG5 a day after the asteroid made its close approach to Earth on Feb. 3. With dimensions comparable to the Empire State Building, 2011 AG5 is one of the most elongated asteroids to be observed by planetary radar to date. It looks like a whitish, long lumpy shape against darkness. Six radar views of asteroid 2011 AG5 after its close approach to Earth in early February 2023. NASA/JPL-Caltech When I think of asteroids in the abstract, I tend to imagine them as big roundish balls of rock dashing through space and...

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida on Monday downplayed the threat Russian President Vladimir Putin's military poses on the world during an appearance on Fox & Friends "The fear of Russia going into NATO countries and all of that and steamrolling...That has not even come close to happening," DeSantis said. "I think they've shown themselves to be a third-rate military power. I think they've suffered tremendous, tremendous losses."

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) praised President Biden’s surprise visit to Ukraine on Monday, saying the trip to the war-torn country was “the right signal to send at the right time.” “I am very pleased that President Biden took the time and effort to visit Ukraine, and meet with President Zelensky,” Graham said in a statement. “This was the right signal to send at the right time. A presidential visit to Ukraine, along with the statements made by Vice President Harris at the Munich Security Conference that Russia is committing crimes against humanity in Ukraine, are a powerful combination.” Graham referenced...

Do you want the opposite sex in any restroom with you? Dads: When will you care enough about your daughters to stand up? Males competing against them in sports wasn’t enough? It looks like Witness Slips can not be filed. How low will Illinois go? I doubt this is the bottom! Legalizing phedophilia can’t be far off. https://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1286&GAID=17&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=143396&SessionID=112&GA=103 Synopsis of HB 1286 in the Illinois House Amends the Equitable Restrooms Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, any multiple-occupancy restroom may be identified as an all-gender multiple-occupancy restroom and designated for use by any person of any gender....

The U.S. dollar enjoys the world reserve currency status due to numerous factors. Legal and investor security, an open and transparent market, as well as independent institutions with checks and balances that limit political power and strengthen the country’s currency in relative terms. No, a country does not have a world reserve currency due to military power. No one accepted the kopek when the Soviet Union ruled half the world. For a fiat currency to be a world reserve it needs to be widely accepted as unit of measure, method of payment and reserve of value. The problem is that...

Liz Wheeler @Liz_Wheeler This is actually the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen. These are the steps child sex predators use to groom children juxtaposed against… a groomer. My skin is crawling.

Vice President Kamala Harris posed next to a masked-up little girl in a photo shared to social media in which she offered a message to “Black women and girls everywhere.” “My message to Black women and girls everywhere: Never ask for permission to lead,” Harris said on Sunday, sharing an image of herself bending down and holding the hand of a little black girl who was wearing a mask covering half her face. Harris is not wearing a mask in the image: My message to Black women and girls everywhere: Never ask for permission to lead. pic.twitter.com/vimjDeItFG — Kamala Harris...

New Mexico prosecutors have downgraded felony charges against Alec Baldwin and the armorer in the fatal “Rust” shooting, removing the threat that either could spend years in prison. Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed were charged last month with two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the Oct. 21, 2021, death of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie’s set south of Santa Fe.

[Catholic Caucus] Today, Francis received Cardinal Arthur Roche in audienceAudiences, 20.02.2023This morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience:- His Eminence Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

Three students praised the University of Austin's inaugural summer program for fostering civil discourse and open dialogue around subjects that might be considered taboo through its dedication to free speech. The University of Austin — established as a free speech alternative to other colleges — over the summer offered its "forbidden courses," which were intended to allow students to "inquire openly into vexing questions" about controversial subjects "with honesty and without fear of shame," the university's website states. The classes covered topics ranging from feminism to the history of the Black male experience since the nation's founding.

Our Solar System is a pretty busy place. There are millions of objects moving around – everything from planets, to moons, to comets, and asteroids. And each year we're discovering more and more objects (usually small asteroids or speedy comets) that call the Solar System home. Astronomers had found all eight of the main planets by 1846. But that doesn't stop us from looking for more. In the past 100 years, we've found smaller distant bodies we call dwarf planets, which is what we now classify Pluto as. The discovery of some of these dwarf planets has given us reason...

THE STATE RELIGION: Some Observations on the Globalist CultTHE STATE RELIGIONSome Observations on the Globalist CultIt forced all the people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave,to be given a stamped image on their right hand or forehead.No one could buy or sell except for those who had the stamped image,that is, the name of the beast or the number that corresponds to his name.Rev 13:16-17In an interesting interview on Fox News titled The Church of Environmentalism (here), journalist Tucker Carlson has brought to light a contradiction that may have escaped the notice of many people but which...

US R&B great Chuck Jackson has died. The singer was born in North Carolina, performing in local gospel groups before moving to Pittsburgh as a teen. A member of key doo-wop group the Del-Vikings, Chuck Jackson went solo to great acclaim, scoring a string of emphatic hits. Songs such as ‘Any Day Now’ remains peerless greats in the evolution of soul music, injecting gospel passion into the lust go R&B. With lyrics by Bob Hillard and music by Burt Bacharach – another music great who recently passed away – it changed the course of Chuck Jackson’s career and set him...

Who was the better President? Bush 41 or 43? Reason I ask is I posted a thread today about Bush 43 and it got a lot of responses back.. I would say Bush 41 got more done in one term then his son in two terms. End the cold war and Iraq.

For the 2018-2019 school year, the U.S. ranked a very impressive 4th when it came to per student public funding of K-12 education, but it only ranked a very abysmal 26th when it came to average student performance in math and readingBy Daniel Alman (aka Dan from Squirrel Hill)February 20, 2023I asked ChatGPT the following:The 2018-2019 school year happened before COVID-19. For that particular school year, to the best of your knowledge, please list every OECD country, in order of the per student public funding for K-12 education. Please list the public funding per student, for each country, in U.S....