Free Republic

Bernie Sanders offered a bizarre defense for using private jets while traveling the country to speak on his 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour, during which he slammed billionaires. The democratic socialist and environmental campaigner said he should not be expected to 'wait in line' for commercial flights. Sanders, 83, a longtime Vermont senator and two-time presidential candidate, said he made 'no apologies' for the trips. He told Fox News that 'you run a campaign, and you do three or four or five rallies in a week, the only way you can go around to talk to 30,000 people,' is by private jet....

President Donald Trump is strongly considering installing Fox News host and former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. The potential selection comes as Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Thursday that Ed Martin, who is currently serving as D.C.'s interim top prosecutor, would not be taking the position permanently after losing support among top Republicans in the Senate. An announcement about a new interim U.S. attorney could come as soon as Thursday, sources said. Sources caution that plans could always change and a decision is...

Cameron Hamilton, who had been acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was fired Thursday, a day after telling Congress the agency should not be disbanded, putting him at odds with President Donald Trump's suggestions that FEMA be downsized or dissolved. The change at the top of the agency that coordinates federal disaster relief comes a few weeks before the start of of hurricane season on June 1. “Cameron Hamilton is no longer the Senior Official Performing the Duties of Administrator,” Julia Moline, the acting chief of staff, wrote in an email to all employees Thursday that was reviewed...

In 1953, Solomon Pottesman held what appeared to be an ordinary, albeit very old, manuscript in his hands. As he carefully undid the wrappings on "Certaine sermons", which was published in 1637, two leaves of tattered parchment fell out.Pottesman, an eccentric and prolific book collector known in the trade as "Inky", immediately knew that something exciting was afoot. The yellowed pages were scribbled from edge to edge with florid, archaic handwriting – rows of book titles, with crossings out and lines drawn across whole sections, as though the writer were making an informal list. On closer inspection, that is exactly...

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church does not get paid what many consider a traditional salary. Instead, the Vatican provides for the pontiff's needs, from housing, food, transportation and other expenses in the form of stipends and allowances. The Vatican, referred to as "the world's smallest country," is sustained by "an economy that relies on a combination of donations, private enterprises, and investments to generate revenue," according to Investopedia. Pope Francis declined any sort of salary when he took office in 2013, The Economic Times reported back in February, adding that the pontiff at the time had a net...

It’s not uncommon for Bravolebs to push back against the establishment when they leave the Bravoverse. Whether it is by firing or by their own choice. Many before Hannah Berner have burned bridges. But the Summer House star is more than willing to open up about how reality TV is “rampant with misogyny.” After her great success at the Festival of Books, touring with Paige DeSorbo, the comedian sat down to chat with The Hollywood Reporter about her experiences in reality TV. And it turns out that Hannah doesn’t have the stomach for those types of shows anymore. She shared,...

President Donald Trump said Thursday he would pull Ed Martin’s nomination to be U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and would soon announce a replacement for the embattled pick. The shift comes after a monthslong fight in the Senate to confirm Martin, who currently serves in the role on a temporary basis. Earlier this week, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a key vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he would oppose Martin’s confirmation to the post. At the committee, Martin faced hundreds of written questions from senators about his past advocacy for participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack...

The daughter of a man killed this week in a Brentwood paving accident described how heartbroken she is that her father is no longer with her. Salma Torres of Petaluma identified her late father as Telesforo Torres López, in a GoFundMe post. The 54-year-old was pinned by a large piece of machinery involved in a paving job at Dainty Avenue and Walnut Boulevard on Monday afternoon, according to family and police. It's unclear just what happened and Cal-OSHA is investigating. Salma Torres said her dad "was our everything" who put the needs of others above his own. For example, she...

Nathaniel 'Nate' Pelletier of Hallmark's hit TV series When Calls The Heart - which stars Lori Loughlin and Jack Wagner - tragically passed away suddenly last month at the age of 53. The star - who appeared as a taxi driver in multiple episodes of the show - died at home. But he was best known as a member of the show's transportation department and was responsible for caring for and driving the show's old-fashioned vehicles. He passed away on April 11, in his home in Langley, British Columbia, as marked by his obituary. Martin Cummins, who plays Henry Gowen...

VATICAN — In an aerial display that delighted millions, the Vatican conclave released a bald eagle firing an AR-15 into the air to signal that an American pope had been selected. Sources say the crowd roared as the majestic eagle soared across the sky and the sweet sounds of 5.56 ammunition cracked in the air. "Yee-haw! We got ourselves a new Pope!" said thousands of Americans, who were also shooting their AR-15s into the air. "USA! USA! USA!" Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who presided over the conclave, said the epic display was mandated by Pope John Paul II in 2002 to...

Explanation: Cataloged as M1, the Crab Nebula is the first on Charles Messier's famous list of things which are not comets. In fact, the Crab Nebula is now known to be a supernova remnant, an expanding cloud of debris from the death explosion of a massive star. The violent birth of the Crab was witnessed by astronomers in the year 1054. Roughly 10 light-years across, the nebula is still expanding at a rate of about 1,500 kilometers per second. You can see the expansion by comparing these sharp images from the Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope. The...

President trump is sending armored vehicles and active duty troops to build a 'border base' which will cover 100k miles of US territory... Hellish - Cushy Journalistic report. Includes news footage and commentary.

Laura Michelle Owens filed a paternity claim against Season 26 star Clayton Echard, who celebrated the woman's indictment: "This nightmare is over."An Arizona woman lied about becoming pregnant with "The Bachelor" Season 26 star Clayton Echard, using a fake ultrasound image and a "fabricated ... pregnancy video" to make the bogus claim, authorities said Tuesday. A seven-count indictment accuses Laura Michelle Owens, 34, of Scottsdale, of false testimony that she was pregnant by Echard, prosecutors said. From May 2023 to June 2024, "Owens altered an ultrasound image, fabricated a pregnancy video, and lied multiple times under oath," the Maricopa County...

Russia and China warned on Wednesday that Donald Trump’s proposed “Golden Iron Dome for America” missile defense system would destabilize global security and turn outer space into a new arena for armed confrontation. “The recently announced large-scale ‘Golden (Iron) Dome for America’ program is deeply destabilizing,” the two sides said in a joint statement during a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow. The U.S. plan “explicitly provides for a significant strengthening of the arsenal for conducting combat operations in space,” it added. -snip- Moscow and Beijing claimed nuclear states must “reject Cold War mentality” and avoid seeking military...

Melania Trump brutally snubbed by unlikely member of the Bush family. The most prominent living member of the Bush family will not be on hand when first lady Melania Trump holds an event announcing a new Barbara Bush commemorative stamp. Former President George W. Bush is not expected to attend the event. Nor is former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush expected. Instead, Doro Bush Koch, the daughter of President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush will be there, according to an announcement by the office of the first lady. A spokesman for the former president didn't respond to inquiries,...

Germany has sacked a top NATO general after he reportedly made a rape joke in front of a female British army officer. Major General Hartmut Renk, 62, was dismissed from his role as deputy commander for Ukraine support in the alliance after he was heard saying: 'If rape is inevitable, then relax and enjoy,' during a meeting. The offensive comment reportedly sparked outrage in the room, where a number of NATO colleagues were said to be present. The British military officer then lodged a formal complaint, prompting an urgent investigation by Germany's defence ministry. According to German news website Der...

A home depot was recently raided by a joint team of homeland security and border patrol agents... Journalistic report. Includes news footage and commentary.

One of the most prominent religions in ancient and medieval China was Taoism, or Daoism. This is completely unrelated to Christianity, an Abrahamic religion related to Judaism and Islam. For this reason, it might be surprising to learn that some medieval Daoist texts include brief Christian prayers that were used as spells. The writings of Lu Dongbin Lu Dongbin was born in China in the eighth century CE. He was a prominent scholar and poet, alleged to have performed miracles. His poems are collected in The Complete Works of Lu Yan or The Complete Book of Ancestor Lu. The overwhelming...

Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur and prominent supporter of President Trump, has set her sights on Dr. Casey Means, the physician-turned-wellness influencer who Trump tapped as his new nominee to be U.S. surgeon general on Wednesday. In a series of posts on social platform X that began shortly after Trump’s announcement, Loomer accused the president’s advisers of poor vetting and attacked Means’s background. This is honestly insane,” she wrote in one post Thursday morning. “I do not believe for one second that Donald Trump made this decision. I refuse to believe it.” Loomer went on to label chronic-disease entrepreneur Means,...

If you have an ounce of historical awareness (and basic empathy), the name “Guantánamo Bay” triggers images of torture and pain. It’s a site where the deprivation of the powers that be has been on full display. But what if Guantánamo wasn’t such a downer? What if it became a “prosperous charter city”? That’s the proposal coming from the most recent group of libertarian tech weirdos trying to rebrand Guantanamo with the help of a little modern-day slave labor. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has been courted by several groups proposing “charter”, “startup”, or “freedom” cities in the United...