Free Republic

Freeper Petronski has passed on from this mortal coil. Over the years and from time to time, he and I have engaged in witty reparte and fun exchanges. He is survived by his wife cyborg, among others. He will be missed. Godspeed, FRiend.

Even as congressional Democrats hang tough on their demands for an Obamacare subsidy extension deal before they’ll agree to a reopening of the federal government, one of their most conspicuous allies in this standoff, the American Federation of Government Employees, has asked them to call it all off. AFGE is the largest federal employee union, representing approximately 820,000 workers across many agencies. This is not the first time AFGE has called for an end to the government shutdown, but it is the first time the union has backed the approved GOP avenue for getting out of the mess: a “clean...

Hospice care aims to bring comfort, peace, and dignity to patients at the end of life. Yet for the growing number of Americans with dementia who enter hospice, their course is often long and unpredictable—making it especially important to ensure treatments align with each person's goals and stage of illness. A new study published finds that medications commonly prescribed to ease symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, and delirium—benzodiazepines and antipsychotics—may carry major unintended risks for people with dementia receiving hospice care. Among more than 139,000 nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias enrolled in hospice between 2014 and...

Around 4,500 years ago, while the stones of Stonehenge were still in their quarry, another monument was already standing in the north -- taller, stranger, and far less understood. The Devil's Arrows at Boroughbridge are among the most remarkable prehistoric megalithic monuments in Britain, yet they remain largely unknown and unstudied. In this video, we'll look at what we actually know about them: their enormous scale, unusual form, and the effort required to move and raise them. We'll explore their archaeology, possible Neolithic origins, and their link to other ancient sites like the Thornborough Henges. Were they markers, monuments, or...

A research team has discovered that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a major omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, directly relaxes smooth muscle in the male reproductive tract by blocking specific calcium channels. The findings may help explain DHA's broader health benefits and suggest potential new approaches to treating male infertility. The team studied how DHA affects the vas deferens, a muscle that propels sperm during ejaculation. Normally, the hormone noradrenaline causes this muscle to contract strongly. DHA was found to significantly reduce these contractions by inhibiting TRPC3/6 channels, which allow calcium ions to enter muscle cells and trigger tightening. Interestingly,...

Let's go back to churches helping. Government surplus cheese, corn, etc. #! expenditure for SNAP = soft drinks. Cut that out. Candy is top 20. As are 'bag snacks' like potato chips. Cut that out. Need to make the downsizing of the federal government permanent. We will also save on health care costs as the number one symptom of poverty these days is obesity. This also explains why Walmart heirs are giving big money to Democrats - to keep the bad health gravy train going. Other benefit of the continued shut down is people will downsize voluntarily from the federal...

A new study estimates that nearly one in five urinary tract infections may be caused by E. coli strains transmitted through contaminated meat—and pose a hidden foodborne risk to millions of people. The study also found that people living in low-income neighborhoods are at the greatest risk. Said Lance B. Price, "This opens up new avenues for prevention, especially for vulnerable communities that bear a disproportionate burden. This is why we should be investing more, not less, in research into the social determinants of health. Your risk of infection should not depend on your ZIP code." UTIs are among the...

A local LGBTQ+ activist in Prattville was arrested on Tuesday for chemical endangerment of a child after a naked toddler was found wandering alone in downtown Prattville. Adam Hunt, the president and co-founder of Prattville Pride, was one of three people arrested by police on Tuesday. According to a press release by Prattville Police, a “citizen was traveling down East Main St. at the intersection of Adell St. in Prattville when he noticed an unattended, unclothed, male toddler, walking in close proximity and in the direction of Main St. Main St. is one of the busiest streets in Prattville, which...

Shield AI's X-BAT designed to counter China's strategy of destroying American aircraft before they leave the ground Analysts say China has developed a chilling strategy for fighting a war with the United States: destroy America’s fighter jets before they ever leave the ground. In nearly every modern conflict, disabling enemy aircraft on the ground has been the first move. When Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites earlier this year, it began by destroying Iranian runways — grounding Tehran’s air force before it could take off. Russia and Ukraine have done the same throughout their ongoing war, targeting airfields to cripple enemy...

Late in World War 2, in the European theater, the Germans hit the Allied air forces with something new: Jet fighters. Chief among them was the Messerschmitt Me-262, a big, brutal twin-engine beast packing four 30-mm cannons. It was considerably faster than the American P-51 Mustang, generally considered the best piston-engine fighter in the air at the time. It was near-impossible to defeat in the air, but it was slow and cumbersome on taxi, vulnerable during takeoff and landing, and required a long runway. So we went after them when they were on the ground, destroying aircraft and bases alike....

Quote of the week: “Inflation is when you pay fifteen dollars for the ten-dollar haircut you used to get for five dollars when you had hair. “ - Sam EwingThe ‘debasement trade’ has been gathering momentum all year, but it's really gathered momentum in the financial media lately. And then just to keep everyone on their toes, the gold price took a tumble on Tuesday. So what is the debasement trade? Is it real, and should you be following it?In this piece, we’ll unpack what debasement really means, why it’s driving markets today, and how to think about real assets,...

A study has revealed that gluten sensitivity, which affects approximately 10% of the global population, is not actually about gluten but part of the way the gut and brain interact. The findings are expected to set a new benchmark for how gluten sensitivity is defined, diagnosed and treated. The research review examined current published evidence for non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) to better understand this highly prevalent condition. People with NCGS experience symptoms after consuming gluten but do not have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease triggered by gluten. Common symptoms include bloating, gut pain and fatigue. Lead researcher Jessica Biesiekierski said...

Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok Fake News MSNBC: "I don't think any Democrat has called Trump Hitler..." Here are two minutes straight of Democrat leaders comparing Trump to Hitler and Nazis 👇

One aspect of the government shutdown that probably wasn’t anticipated by Chuck Schumer and other Democrats, is that it has revealed to the public just how many people receive food stamps. Years ago, when the program was still called ‘food stamps’ it was seen as something that struggling families might use temporarily to get through a hard time. Then it was re-branded as the ‘SNAP’ program and destigmatized. People were encouraged to enroll. Now there are many more people using the program, many who probably don’t even really need it. The longer the shutdown goes on, the more reports there...

President Donald Trump’s privately funded plan to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom has Democrats like Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren fuming about “luxury” while they’ve shut down the government. Presidents have remodeled the White House for over a century—from Harry Truman’s gut renovation to Barack Obama’s basketball court—yet only Trump gets scorn. Victor Davis Hanson breaks down the hypocrisy on today’s episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words.” “Do we really want to know what belittles the White House? I mean, we're just coming off the Biden administration, where cocaine was found in a carrel in the West...

Mark Carney has delivered a sharp insult to Donald Trump after trade negotiations were canceled over an ad featuring former president Ronald Reagan slamming tariffs. Trump hit Canada with an additional 10 percent tariff and terminated crucial trade talks last week after he was upset by the commercial which aired during the first two games of the baseball World Series. The tariff commercial used an excerpt of a speech given by Reagan in 1987 to criticize US tariffs during Friday and Saturday's match ups between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays. Speaking about Trump's spat at the ASEAN...

Whales are great security, but it’s not always the gentlest rescue. Image credit: Andrea Izzotti / Shutterstock.com ========================================================== While filming on location off Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, whale scientist Nan Hauser was swimming towards two humpback whales when one of them started charging at her. When it approached, it started moving as if it were trying to tuck her under its fin – not a very comfortable maneuver for a human being hugged by a multi-ton giant with razor-sharp barnacles on its fins. Fearing for her life, things only got scarier as the humpback whale hoisted her out of...

“PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Oregon Republican Christine Drazan is making another run for governor. The Statement of Organization for Candidate Committee for the 2026 Primary Election for Governor was made public on Monday. Drazan, R-Canby, held a press conference on Monday at Gunderson Marine & Iron to “announce future plans," which included her officially announcing her run for governor.”

U.S. President Donald Trump meets Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo, featuring a welcoming ceremony at 0030 GMT, bilateral discussions at 0045 GMT, signing ceremony at 0120 GMT, and lunch at 0130 GMT, followed by a visit to Yokosuka Naval Base at 0645 GMT to inspect the USS George Washington and address U.S. troops. DRM News provides live coverage, expert analysis, and real-time updates on Indo-Pacific security. Watch now for key alliance developments! Trump Takaichi meeting, US Japan bilateral 2025, Sanae Takaichi Trump, Tokyo Tower view, Japanese PM welcoming ceremony, US Japan signing ceremony, Yokosuka naval base visit,...

A passenger jet was bathed in blood after it hit a flock of birds while flying out of Algiers over the weekend. Video shows a plane identified by Air Live as a Saudia Boeing 777-300 plowing through the birds as it began its ascent Saturday The airliner’s nose, front fuselage, landing gear, wheel wells and wings were reportedly impacted by the collision. The flight crew opted to continue to its destination in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the plane landed safely. No injuries were reported