Free Republic

Never, in the 20-plus years it had been issuing outlooks, had the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted so many tropical storms to develop in the Atlantic hurricane basin, with conditions across thousands of miles of ocean aligned perfectly. “That’s the highest forecast that we’ve had,” Ken Graham, National Hurricane Center director, announced at the annual preseason media briefing in May. NOAA seconded the motion in its Aug. 7 update with a warning that the 2024 season “could rank among the busiest on record.” Every other major forecasting service was on board.

Ukrainian media reports that Ukrainian Army's Air Defense systems, likely US-supplied Patriots and German-supplied IRIS-T SLM SAM systems, are engaged on targets over the capital Kiev's getting a serious arse-pounding....

Coverage of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza is mostly dominated by talk of weapons. Reporters and analysts focus on suicide drones, on shell deficits, on targeting algorithms. But for all the attention devoted to modern weapons and munitions, both conflicts are proving that modern war still comes down to people.... ... Before Covid, fewer than 3 in 10 Americans in the prime recruiting demographic — ages 17 to 24 — were eligible to serve in uniform. Those numbers have shrunk further since the pandemic began. Only 23 percent of young Americans are qualified to enlist without a waiver.... In...

The tragic news broke Saturday night that the Israel Defense Forces had recovered six bodies of hostages executed by Hamas. One of them was a 23-year-old American named Hersh Goldberg-Polin. But leave it to CNN to add another entry into the "you can't hate the media enough" files, because their headline initially stated that Goldberg-Polin had "died." Of what? A disease? An accident? They didn't say. This is why so many people no longer trust the corporate—lamestream, mainstream, whatever you want to call it—media because, quite simply, they lie. In this case, you could argue that they didn't technically lie...

A question about eBay shipping: I was in the process of making up a listing to sell a small, light weight item on eBay, yesterday, and I was looking for the cheapest way to ship it. Small packages are just ridiculously expensive to ship now: Off eBay, instead of getting a 1st Class rate on a small box weighing 13 oz. or less, there is now a minimum "package" rate which will run you about $5. If you want to send, say, a standard calendar to a relative, that's pricey too. However, eBay shows an option for a "large envelope"...

During the DNC, the Democrats bumped Biden’s speech, as the New York Post put it, “past his bedtime” but Biden managed to read the boilerplate composed by his woke-left-globalist handlers. He did the same on September 1, 2022, backdropped in blood red, with U.S. Marines at the ready, like something staged by Nazi cineaste Leni Riefenstahl,. .... As a student, Joe Biden was a bottom feeder and even hagiographical hooey like Mark Bowden’s 2010 Atlantic profile conceded that Biden was a semi-literate plagiarist. As a senator, the Delaware Democrat was a consort of segregationists and Ku Kluckers like Robert Byrd....

A federal appeals court rejected an appeal by pro-transgender advocates, allowing Alabama to keep protecting children and youths from transgender advocates. The good news was matched by other events in Texas, Virginia, and Missouri where judges and university officials rejected demands from transgender advocates seeking to minimize the public’s recognition of the two male and female sexes. The United States 11th Circuit Court of Appeals released a divided 173-page decision in which ten out of 11 judges took part, according to the Alabama Reflector. In the decision from the court, there were five dissenting opinions and a concurrence written by...

“The mainstream media hasn’t caught up with the science, but the science is out there now and it’s devastating.” “Yesterday, the chief attorney for FDA admitted, because he lost a case in court against a doctor, that there was no reason to discourage people from taking Ivermectin. Ivermectin was a very devastating cure for Covid. It literally obliterated Covid. By depriving people of Ivermectin, millions of people around the globe died. There were cures for Covid from day one … but they didn’t want that, they wanted the vaccine only. There’s a little-known federal rule that they were all aware...

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz munched on a pork chop on a stick and washed it down with a vanilla shake as the Minnesota governor and his family visited his home state fairDemocratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz munched on a pork chop on a stick and washed it down with a vanilla shake Sunday as the Minnesota governor and his family visited his home state fair. Flanked by his wife, Gwen, and their daughter, Hope, and with a security detail trailing behind, Walz eyed rows of food vendors offering all manner of fair delicacies, many served on...

Sinwar's deputy: "Without an Israeli withdrawal from the Philadelphi Axis, the Netzarim Corridor, and the Rafah crossing - there is no agreement." THIS IS THE PRICE OF A DEAL - FULL SURRENDER Channel 12 has published a document found in a Gaza tunnel where Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar had been located. The document contains guidelines for Hamas officials and operatives: - Increase the production of photos and video clips showing the hostages in order to create psychological pressure (on Israel) - Do everything to increase the psychological pressure on (Israeli Defense Minister Yoav) Gallant - Push the line of thinking...

No matter the outcome of the November elections, it is urgent that there be a widespread recognition that American democracy is in danger and that reforms are essential. No form of government lasts forever, and it would be foolhardy to believe that the United States cannot fall prey to the forces that have ended democracies in many other countries.

George Clooney: “The person who should be applauded is the president, who did the most selfless thing that anybody’s done since George Washington,” Clooney said in a nod to the nation’s first commander in chief, who stepped aside after his second term, when asked about his Times essay during an interview at the Venice Film Festival.”

Kara Welsh was a national champion and two-time All-American for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnastics team. Welsh, 21, of Plainfield, Ill., was shot and killed late Friday night inside an apartment on W. Whitewater St. A 23-year-old man was arrested Saturday in connection with the case. In remembering Welsh Sunday, UW-Whitewater Athletics called her "a true Warhawk." "To put into words the impact Kara had on the Warhawk community is impossible," said Coach Jen Regan. "A powerful athlete, dedicated teammate, and the light in everyone’s dark days, Kara truly lifted each and every one of us up in her time...

CNN — The bodies of six hostages held by Hamas have been recovered in an underground tunnel in Gaza, Israel’s military said Sunday. The captives, including an Israeli American, were among the more than 200 people taken by the militants into Gaza following their deadly cross-border rampage on October 7. Five of them were taken from an Israeli music festival where hundreds were killed and dozens more were kidnapped by Hamas fighters. The sixth was captured from a nearby farming community, according to the Hostages Families Forum, which has coordinated efforts to highlight the plight of the captives and their...

Imagine running for President of the United States and not speaking with anyone. Not “to,” you have to do lots of “speaking to” people, but “with,” as in having a conversation, an exchange. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz have been trying that for the past month and a half but finally caved to the reality that they would have to speak with someone and choose the softest target they could find that the public would accept. And the whole thing went about as well as you’d expect when the candidates hold the public in complete contempt. Yes, that’s right: Kamala...

The far-right Alternative for Germany won a state election for the first time Sunday in the country's east, and was set to finish at least a very close second to mainstream conservatives in a second vote, projections showed. A new party founded by a prominent leftist also made an immediate impact, while the parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's unpopular national government obtained extremely weak results. Projections for ARD and ZDF public television based on exit polls and partial counting showed Alternative for Germany winning 32-33% of the vote in Thuringia — well ahead of the center-right Christian Democratic Union, the...

Legendary NFL quarterback turned FOX broadcaster Terry Bradshaw officially switched political parties a couple of years ago. Bradshaw, a Hall of Fame quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers, hasn't shied away from voicing his opinion on controversial topics over the years. The former Steelers great turned NFL broadcaster admitted to switching political parties back in 2020. He was formerly a registered Republican. However, he's since switched to being a registered independent. "I've been a Republican, but now I'm a registered independent. I don't want to alienate anyone, and the minute you say, “I'm a Democrat” or “I'm Republican,” you're kicking off...

There's no doubt that things can get physical in the WNBA, and Caitlin Clark can be the first one to attest to that. In her rookie season with the Indiana Fever, she's hit the floor several times, and some have come as flagrant fouls against the opposing teams. An interesting stat came up on a Caitlin Clark stats page on X, formerly Twitter, that could shock some people who watch her. “Interesting stat: 17% of the WNBA’s flagrant fouls this season have been committed against Caitlin Clark. The Chicago Sky were responsible for 80% of the flagrants committed against Clark,”...

The FReeper Canteen Presents...Happy Labor Day! September 2, 2024 HISTORYLabor Day is a national legal holiday that is over 100 years old. Over the years, it has evolved from a purely labor union celebration into a general "last fling of summer" festival. It grew out of a celebration and parade in honor of the working class by the Knights of Labor in 1882 in New York. In 1884, the Knights held a large parade in New York City celebrating the working class. The parade was held on the first Monday in September. The Knights passed a resolution to hold all...

Long-snapper Taybor Pepper was shocked and dismayed that he was attacked on social media over the weekend after posting a comment expressing relief that Ricky Pearsall was OK after being shot during an attempted robbery attempt on the 49ers rookie. “Cannot believe I had to mute replies to my last tweet,” Pepper posted to social media following an early message of support for his teammate. Pearsall was shot when a 17-year-old attempted to rob him of his Rolex using a gun and the rookie fought back, leading to multiple shots going off one of which struck him in the chest....