Free Republic

Sorry folks, other than meritocracy is not acceptable in a society where we routinely use -- and rely on -- things that are dangerous. If you'd like to go back to the 5th Century or so, then its fine. Which is where we're headed if we don't cut it out. Personally, I prefer not to get there by being poisoned due to a train derailment or freezing to death when its -5F outside. RTWT

22 February 2023 Ash Wednesday St. Philip's Martyrion, Pamukkale, modern Turkey Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: A(I).First readingJoel 2:12-18 ©Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn‘Now, now – it is the Lord who speaks –come back to me with all your heart,fasting, weeping, mourning.’Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn,turn to the Lord your God again,for he is all tenderness and compassion,slow to anger, rich in graciousness,and ready to relent.Who knows if he will not turn again, will not relent,will not leave a blessing as he passes,oblation and libationfor the Lord your God?Sound the trumpet...

A giant metal ball, around 1.5 metres in diameter, has appeared on a beach in Japan, astounding officials, residents and online spectators. . Picture: NHK World News ******************************************************* The giant metal ball, around 1.5 metres in diameter, appeared on a beach on Japan's south coast, astounding officials, residents and online spectators. After the ball was reported to authorities by a local resident on Tuesday morning, explosive experts quickly dismissed any immediate threat that it could be a mine, but are yet to uncover what the ball could be. Police closed off the area on Enshu beach in Hamamatsu city while...

The grisly scene where a top Bill Clinton adviser was found hanged from a tree with a gunshot wound to his chest has finally been revealed nine months after he took his life. But the sheriff's report into Mark Middleton's death raises more questions than answers as it shows his death was ruled a suicide – but the weapon that killed him was nowhere to be found. Middleton, 59, was found dead last May at the Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas, an hour west of Little Rock.

The most rigorous and comprehensive analysis of scientific studies conducted on the efficacy of masks for reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses — including Covid-19 — was published late last month. Its conclusions, said Tom Jefferson, the Oxford epidemiologist who is its lead author, were unambiguous. “There is just no evidence that they” — masks — “make any difference,” he told the journalist Maryanne Demasi. “Full stop.” But, wait, hold on. What about N-95 masks, as opposed to lower-quality surgical or cloth masks? “Makes no difference — none of it,” said Jefferson. What about the studies that initially persuaded policymakers...

Moderate Muslim Raheel Raza published a heartwarming story in Canada’s National Post Monday, entitled “I’m a Muslim and I love Israel. Here’s why.” In it, she notes that “every moment of my first trip to the Jewish state was an awakening about the misinformation I had been fed.” Raza tells numerous stories about the kindness shown to her by Jews and Israelis, and in this torn and weary world, that is heartwarming indeed. In the course of her lengthy article, however, she writes: “Hate is a terrible ideology, and it feeds antisemitism, which is rampant in some parts of the...

I get a strange error while I'm at Gateway Pundit The story of Tucker Carlson getting the 41000 hours of video from J6 gathering pulls up fine, but when I try to back out my browser go to a 'Sorry you have been blocked.' window. It's firefox browser. Anyone else get this, or know why it happens?

The 116th governor of South Carolina entered the race for the Republican presidential amid 4% enthusiasm among party voters in the polls. She trails Mike Pence but is ahead of Mike Pompeo. However, she may split the South Carolinian vote with Tim Scott who is polling at 1%. USA Today reported, “Asked by Fox News’ Shannon Bream why voters should pick her over other GOP candidates, Nikki Haley responded, ‘Why not me?’” Well, the answer is long and it begins with the question, what did she accomplish as governor? Politico listed 55 things you need to know about Nikki. She...

The FBI maintains it hasn’t and isn’t targeting parents or investigating speech at school board meetings. ... U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona have until March 1 to turn over documents to the House Judiciary Committee about alleged FBI investigations into parents attending school board meetings in response to a memo Garland issued 17 months ago. Since October 2021, Republican members of the committee have sent over 100 letters to Biden administration officials “requesting answers about how the Administration used federal counterterrorism resources against American parents,” the committee said in a news...

Briahna Joy Gray and Robby Soave react to news that a train that was carrying hazardous materials was derailed near Detroit.

A growing number of office landlords are defaulting on loan payments as the rise of remote work causes more corporate tenants to rethink long-term leases... The delinquency rate on office loans increased by a quarter percentage point to 1.83% last month .. While the number is still relatively low, the increase was the sharpest of its kind since December 2021. ... The shift away from traditional offices has impacted major firms. Brookfield Asset Management recently disclosed a default on more than $70 million in debt on two office towers in Los Angeles. In Manhattan, real estate firm RXR is reportedly...

The left often attacks Tucker Carlson as a demagogue, but I find that he is mostly on target. This infuriates the Left, as his audience dwarfs their mainstream media outlets, including the sought-after younger viewer demographics. This spells trouble for Democrats, who have been able to pull the wool over the eyes of younger voters for decades (myself included, in my teens and 20s, with a very brief relapse 10 years ago). Most young, college-educated people haven’t experienced the real world of taxes, inflation, affirmative action, and other challenges of adult life. The Biden administration’s incompetence and wokeness at all...

(Daily readings from the USCCB)Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.” Matthew 6:1One thing that offers us worldly satisfaction is public praise. We often want others to notice us for what we have accomplished. We want to be admired and can often go out of our way to let others know how much good we are doing. How about you? Do you regularly seek to elevate yourself in the eyes of others?In the Old Testament, the seeking of...

A GROUP of conservative Primates declared on Monday that they no longer recognised the current Archbishop of Canterbury as the de facto leader of the Anglican Communion. A statement, issued on Monday morning on behalf of a dozen Primates connected to the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA), says that the Church of England has “chosen to break communion with those provinces who remain faithful to the historic biblical faith” by allowing blessings for same-sex couples (News, 9 February). The statement follows a virtual meeting chaired by the Archbishop of South Sudan, the Most Revd Justin Badi, last week....

ormer President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, but a compliment he paid to a Democrat in a message about DeSantis upset some of his supporters. In two posts on his Truth Social platform, Trump railed about the coverage DeSantis recently received on Fox News during the former president's recent trip to New York City. One of the messages included an aside about Charlie Crist, who ran on the Democratic ticket against DeSantis in Florida's gubernatorial race last year. "Florida was doing GREAT long before Ron DeSanctus got there. People are fleeing from New York...

Pray For The Peace of JerusalemMark 6Jesus Sends Out the TwelveThen Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake...

Well-known political scientist Sergei Markov in his Telegram channel said that Zelenskyy will prepare a gift for Putin on the anniversary of the start of the NWO. It is assumed that the capture of the armed forces of Transnistria will take place on February 23, the day of the Soviet army. “And massive crackdowns on supporters of Russia. They have nowhere to run – they are surrounded. Apparently, all this has already been agreed with the United States and Moldova. And everything was approved today at a meeting in Warsaw with the participation of Biden and Sandu. And this is...

The men and women who were headed for the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 1 and 2) loved Jesus dearly. They had been taught in the school of Christ by the Lord himself. Some had performed miracles, healed the sick and cast out demons. They were compassionate and soul-loving, but they weren’t yet qualified to be his witnesses. They had been nearby when he sweat drops of blood, seen him hanging on the cross, and stood at his empty tomb. They had even watched in awe as he ascended into heaven! Yet they still were not...

"Having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:11). Bearing spiritual fruit is the acid test of a true believer. After facing life-threatening situations, people often say, "I saw my entire life flash before my eyes." That's the picture we get in Philippians 1:11. "The fruit of righteousness" refers to what is produced in you as you operate in love, pursue excellence, and maintain your integrity. It includes every attitude and action consistent with God's standard of what is right. "Having been filled" speaks of something that happened in the past with continuing results....

CNN - Something to consider as you search for happy hours to celebrate National Margarita Day: The delicious concoction’s main ingredient is threatened by changing weather and new strain on the agave plant’s vital pollinator – the bat. Agave-based liquor like tequila and mezcal was the fastest growing spirits category in 2022, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the US. Analysts even say it might soon surpass vodka as the best-selling liquor in the country. But scientists from around the world have made it clear that climate change-fueled water shortages will continue to put enormous pressure on food production....