Free Republic

Over the last decade, an array of local and state agencies have missed opportunities to fund a flood warning system intended to avert the type of disaster that swept away dozens of youth campers and others in Kerr County, Texas.KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Over the last decade, an array of Texas state and local agencies missed opportunities to fund a flood warning system intended to avert a disaster like the one that killed dozens of young campers and scores of others in Kerr County on the Fourth of July. The agencies repeatedly failed to secure roughly $1 million for a...

PHOENIX — A West Phoenix taco shop owner is in federal custody following a series of coordinated raids by federal agents on Tuesday, part of an ongoing investigation into suspected human smuggling and harboring of migrants in the country illegally. Multiple sightings of undercover agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were reported across the Valley Tuesday, culminating in the arrest of Vlademir Angulo, the owner of El Taco Loko. The small but well-known local chain operates a restaurant near 67th Avenue and Indian School Road, a food truck in Southwest Phoenix, and a bus-style...

He has no experience of elective office. He won by the narrowest of margins, and hasn’t even spent much of his recent career in his own country. Canadians took a huge leap of faith yesterday in voting for Mark Carney as their next prime minister at a moment in their history when the American president Donald Trump has imposed huge tariffs on their country and even threatened to annex it. Still, at least they can reassure themselves that Carney’s vast experience as Governor of the Bank of England means he is a safe pair of hands. But there is one...

We don’t usually think of anger and resentment the way we think about drugs or alcohol. But growing evidence suggests that, for many people, the craving for revenge follows the same patterns as substance abuse and addiction, triggering powerful biological urges that can spiral out of control and destroy lives. Recent neuroscience discoveries show that your brain on revenge looks like your brain on drugs. Real or imagined grievances (perceived mistreatment, humiliation, shame, victimization) activate the anterior insula — part of the brain’s “pain network.” In response, your brain activates its reward circuitry, causing dopamine to flood your brain, producing...

One additional note on the news that the FBI has opened criminal investigations into former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA chief John Brennan. Many are speculating on social media that FBI Director Kash Patel dropped a hint when he appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience a month ago, on June 6th: PATEL: Think about this: me, as the director of the FBI, the former Russiagate guy, when I first got to the Bureau, found a room that Comey and others hid from the world in the Hoover building, full of documents and computer hard drives that no one...

A distraught Florida mother screamed at the top of her lungs and swore at a judge for nearly four minutes after her son's killer was handed a shockingly light sentence. Deidre Wade jumped out of her seat in a West Palm Beach courtroom on June 16 after Circuit Judge Richard Oftedal sentenced Cemari Daniels, 23, to 12 years behind bars for fatally shooting her 17-year-old son Jaleen Snead. Daniels faced life in prison, but jurors chose to convict him of manslaughter instead of murder. Daniels shot and killed Snead in the backseat of a car at an apartment complex on...

It’s not just arguable — it’s undeniable — that the American people now, more than ever, have far more questions than answers about what really happened to Jeffrey Epstein. The government’s attempt to shut down that speculation with this so-called surveillance “proof” hasn’t just failed — it’s backfired spectacularly. Rather than restoring confidence, the video has ignited a firestorm of new doubt, outrage, and scrutiny. Instead of putting the matter to rest, it has become Exhibit A in a growing case that the truth about Epstein’s death remains buried under layers of contradiction, concealment, and institutional deflection. This isn’t closure....

As the flood in Texas continues, the Austin fire chief Joel Baker has been accused of delaying help for Kerr County during this dire situation. He faced a 'No Confidence' vote against him by the Austin firefighters union due to his delayed response. The Austin Firefighters Association posted about Baker on their Facebook page, calling it "absolutely outrageous" and an "egregious dereliction of duty" and calling for Baker to be held accountable. AFA says that on Tuesday, July 8, Austin firefighters plan to start a vote of no confidence on Baker. The Austin Fire Department responded to the accusation with...

Six agents were suspended by the U.S. Secret Service for failures connected to last year's attempted assassination of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, an official told ABC News. The personnel moves were confirmed four days shy of the anniversary of the July 13, 2024, shooting incident that left Trump's ear bloodied. Corey Comperatore, a firefighter attending Trump's campaign rally that day, died in the attack. Countersnipers in Trump's Secret Service who were on-site killed the shooter, identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. In the aftermath of the shooting, an independent review by the Department of...

Why is President Trump escalating a trade war that had seemed dormant, threatening high tariffs on major trading partners, imported copper, and pharmaceuticals? A better question is "why not?" The big picture: Economic, market, and policy developments have been a wind at the president's back in the last two months. The threatened downsides of an erratic policy process have not materialized, and economic naysayers — for the moment, at least — look silly. This backdrop helps explain why Trump feels empowered to follow his instincts, which have long tilted toward aggressive use of trade barriers. Flashback: Three months ago, stock...

The mother of 11-year-old Jayden Perkins, who was fatally stabbed while trying to protect her from a violent attack by her just-paroled ex-boyfriend, is calling out Illinois politicians for using her son’s name for political gain while fighting her civil lawsuit against the state behind closed doors. Laterria Smith, who was also seriously injured in the March 2024 attack, released an open letter to Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday. In it, she accuses his administration of publicly invoking Jayden’s name to promote changes to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, even as state lawyers move to dismiss her negligence suit tied...

A Toronto police officer suggested that residents leave their car keys by the front door to avoid a home invasion, seemingly to let criminals steal their vehicle if they break in, leave and avoid injuries. The Toronto Police Service issued a statement Wednesday confirming that an officer made the remarks at a recent community meeting. The officer suggested “that people leave the keys to their vehicle in a faraday bag by the front door,” the statement said. “While well meaning, there are also other ways to prevent auto theft motivated home invasions,” it continued. Faraday bags block signal-duplicating devices used...

Kamala Harris gave an interview before the presidential election that was so “confusing and weird” that she and the host mutually agreed not to air it, a social media personality recently revealed. The former Democratic presidential candidate’s appearance on “Subway Takes,” a popular online series hosted by Kareem Rahma where guests admit their favorite hot take, was filmed in Summer 2024 but never saw the light of day, the presenter said. “Her take was really confusing and weird, not good, and so [we] mutually agreed we shouldn’t publish it,” Rahma told Forbes reporter Steven Bertoni in an interview posted on...

A Texas summer camp had a state-mandated emergency plan in place before devastating flash floods took the lives of dozens of campers and staff, state records confirm. A state health report dated July 2 — two days before the flooding emergency began — showed Camp Mystic passed its annual inspection to maintain its state youth camp license. Inspectors in Texas visit licensed camps annually and check for a variety of health and safety measures, from first aid kits and flotation devices, to staff background checks and the sanitation of kitchens and bathrooms. On July 2, a state health inspector on...

YouTube has announced it will stop monetizing content featuring AI-generated videos starting July 15, 2025. This bold policy update is designed to address growing concerns about the authenticity, quality, and ethical implications of synthetic media on the platform. The rise of generative AI tools has made it easier than ever to create convincing videos with minimal human input. While this technology has enabled creativity and accessibility, it has also led to a flood of low-quality, misleading, or entirely fabricated content. Advertisers and viewers alike have raised concerns about the potential for misinformation, copyright violations, and brand safety risks. According to...

Hyland claimed his shop was the target of a social media prank ahead of the holiday weekend. However, he said these people’s pursuit of social media clicks could have taken a dangerous turn. “We didn’t know if they were grabbing stuff and stealing it or just filming a prank,” Hyland said. According to Hyland, this all started when two guys walked up to the repair shop. “They were making accusations or threats that they were sent here to take over the business,” he said. Hyland said everyone in the shop was confused. That’s when a van full of people pulled...

The REAL Superman Movie is on now. An American clasic, bo loud story, no cgi. Just a pure American Clasic. Never been topped.

“This Trial should not be taking place,” Trump wrote in the letter posted on Truth Social. “It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!”President Donald Trump singled out Brazil for import taxes of 50% on Wednesday for its treatment of its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, showing that personal grudges rather than simple economics are a driving force in the U.S. leader's use of tariffs.Trump avoided his standard form letter with Brazil, specifically tying his tariffs to the trial of Bolsonaro, who is charged with trying to overturn his 2022 election loss. Trump has described Bolsonaro as a friend and...

~ The FReeper Canteen Presents ~ ~ Remembering Our Troops!! ~ Don’t Drop It! Pow! An EC-225 Super Puma helicopter connects to an ammunition crate on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during a munitions transfer. Nimitz is in U.S. 7th Fleet conducting routine operations. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Tang) Canteen Mission StatementShowing support and boosting the morale ofour military and...

It finally happened. “Rush Hour” — yes, the 1998 Jackie Chan–Chris Tucker buddy cop comedy — has been deemed too problematic for modern audiences. USA Network recently aired the film with a trigger warning slapped on before the opening credits. The message read: We all love our buddy comedies … but this movie was created in a different time. FYI certain depictions, language and humor may seem outdated and at times offensive We’ve entered an age where satire, and even just broad comedy from a pre-social media era are being flagged like hazardous material. “Rush Hour,” with its broad humor,...