Free Republic

Many of you haven't heard what Afghanistan is like, and it shows. snip InfantryDort, one of the largest veteran accounts on X, decided to use the moment to share, in detail, what things American troops saw when they were in Afghanistan to help Americans understand, perhaps once and for all, that not all cultures, practices, and beliefs are equal.

Why is this demon still working at the DOJ? Why was she not cut loose? Why is she not being prosecuted? Jocelyn Ballantine was one of the Department of Justice attorneys assigned to Michael Flynn’s prosecution. The Department admitted altering evidence in the case following a reprimand from the judge. She called this an inadvertent mistake at the time. Ballantine also provided altered documents to Sidney Powell, and submitted an FBI interview report with redactions to information that was crucial to the case, according to En-Wikipedia. When the US government threw out the case against General Flynn, Ballantine declined to...

The car world is taking a long look at its EV offerings as major brands decide to kill off some of the very models that, just a few years ago, were touted as the way forward for automakers. With a new administration, slashed tax incentives for EVs, and wonky pricing, tariffs, and inflation, some surprising cuts are being made. Checking in on the state of EVs with Art Wheaton, automotive expert and director of labor studies at Cornell University ILR School in Buffalo, New York, he confirmed in a recent call, “It’s a brutal market. And the current administration isn’t...

Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren blasted Netflix's planned acquisition of Warner Bros. and HBO on Friday, saying the deal "looks like an anti-monopoly nightmare." Warner Bros. Discovery announced Friday it has agreed to sell its streaming and studios assets to Netflix in a deal valued at $82.7 billion, setting the stage for one of the most sweeping and consequential mergers in modern Hollywood history. "A Netflix-Warner Bros. would create one massive media giant with control of close to half of the streaming market — threatening to force Americans into higher subscription prices and fewer choices over what and how they...

Legal conservatives find themselves in an unusual position: originalism has reached unprecedented acceptance within the judiciary and the bar. A majority of Supreme Court justices—including at least one appointed by a Democratic president—identify as originalists, or at least strive toward originalism. Guided by the original understanding of those who ratified the Constitution and the Reconstruction Amendments, the High Court has overruled Roe v. Wade, ended the use of race in higher education, and recognized the individual right to own firearms. But some find these successes disorienting. Originalism’s victories have triggered an important debate among conservatives. Some wonder if originalism is...

Explanation: Fifty three years ago, in December of 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent about 75 hours on the Moon exploring the Taurus-Littrow valley, while colleague Ronald Evans orbited overhead. This snapshot from another world was taken by Cernan as he and Schmitt roamed the lunar valley's floor. The image shows Schmitt next to the lunar rover parked along the south rim of Shorty Crater. That location is near the spot where geologist Schmitt discovered orange lunar soil. The Apollo 17 crew returned with 110 kilograms of rock and soil samples, more than was returned from...

A holiday gathering in the coastal town of Sainte-Anne turned tragic Friday evening when a vehicle barreled into residents preparing for Christmas festivities, killing at least 10 people and injuring 19 more in the French Caribbean overseas region.The collision occurred at Schoelcher Square, directly opposite the town hall and local church, where families and volunteers were assembling for upcoming celebrations, according to reports. Firefighters, paramedics, and police converged rapidly on the scene, treating the wounded and cordoning off the area. Sainte-Anne’s mayor arrived shortly after the incident and activated a municipal crisis unit to coordinate victim support and crisis response....

Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands announced their withdrawals Thursday from next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after organizers decided that Israel will be allowed to compete. Organizers of the pop music spectacle, which draws millions of viewers globally, met earlier Thursday to discuss Israel’s participation, amid calls for the country to be excluded over the war in Gaza and threats from some members to boycott. An independent United Nations inquiry concluded in September that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and that the country’s top leaders have incited genocide. The Israeli government has maintained it is conducting the...

A suspect has been charged in the Friday stabbing on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to police. Oscar Solarzano, 33, has been charged with five counts including attempted first degree murder, assault with deadly weapon serious injury and carrying concealed weapon, according to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. The male victim was found with a stab wound just before 5 p.m. near North Brevard Street and East 22nd Street, where the train appeared to have stopped between stations, Charlotte ABC affiliate WSOC reported. The victim was transported to Novant Health Presbyterian with serious injuries but is...

This is a small documentary of my county's biggest city, Eureka California. If I were to do a full essay it would require pages of the problems. So I won't. If you live in California this can be any big or small town. https://youtu.be/ouW1rHtCXGw?si=IuN9BLhZx7wGYHMd

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has rocked Alaska on Saturday, Dec. 6, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake occurred in northeast of Yakutat, Alaska, the USGS said. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Yakutat had a total population of about 657 in 2020 and 332 housing units in 2023. Yakutat is over 300 miles from Anchorage, where the earthquake was also felt, the USGS's interactive map shows.

Bambas candidly told Weidenhofer about how the bills piled up when his wife was really sick. He said he lost his pension and healthcare coverage. The elderly Army veteran said he had to sell the house to make it through the tough times. His wife passed away 7 years ago and he visits her grave every day. Bambas said he works 5 days a week, 8 hours a day – a full time job – at 88 to make ends meet.

What to know about the $82.7-billion Netflix-Warner Bros. deal that will reshape Hollywood Netflix and Warner Bros. announced early this morning a blockbuster $82.7-billion deal for the TV streamer to acquire Warner Bros. film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO. Here’s what we know so far. The takeover would give Netflix such beloved characters and franchises as Batman, Harry Potter and “Game of Thrones.” Netflix’s cash and stock transaction is valued at about $27.75 per Warner Bros. Discovery share. Netflix will take on another $10 billion in Warner Bros. debt. Warner’s cable channels, including CNN, TNT and HGTV, are...

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is set to meet with Netflix as theater owners call its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery an “unprecedented threat” to the movie business. “The news that Netflix had secured exclusive rights to negotiate for WBD [Warner Bros. Discovery] raises significant concerns for the DGA,” the labor union said in a statement to TheWrap. “We believe that a vibrant, competitive industry — one that fosters creativity and encourages genuine competition for talent — is essential to safeguarding the careers and creative rights of directors and their teams,” the guild said in a statement,” the DGA...

Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis commended President Donald Trump for leading the world into a “more peaceful and prosperous future,” making the remarks during an interview with Breitbart News Washington Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle at the Doha Forum. During the event, taking place in Doha, Qatar, Boyle asked Gerapetritis about Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s correct prediction that the European Union and United States would reach a mutually beneficial, win-win trade deal. “Your thoughts, you know, looking back on those historic moments about the U.S.-EU relations and Greece’s role in predicting this?” Boyle asked. “I have to tell you that...

“ A man in a bulletproof vest with a firearm was detained on Friday night after police said he appeared to be following a congressman along a Christmas parade route. The unidentified man was detained and questioned by officers after exhibiting concerning behavior at the Stuart parade, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office. Congressman Brian Mast attended the parade, and his personnel alerted the sheriff's department and Stuart Police to the man's 'alarming behavior.'”

A year and a half after the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals knocked down the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine's original and revised COVID-19 vaccine mandates for discriminating against students and employees seeking religious exemptions, the school has paid an "historic" settlement to the 18 plaintiffs, their lawyers said this week. The $10.3 million settlement in damages, tuition, and attorney’s fees is one of the few nationwide, in challenges to government COVID vaccine mandates, to pay money damages to plaintiffs suing for their First Amendment rights, the Thomas More Society said. The taxpayer-funded school was spooked into...

With its officials facing personal liability for violating "clearly established" rights, University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine throws in the towel while still falsely claiming COVID vaccines can stop infection and transmission. A year and a half after the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals knocked down the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine's original and revised COVID-19 vaccine mandates for discriminating against students and employees seeking religious exemptions, the school has paid an "historic" settlement to the 18 plaintiffs, their lawyers said this week. The $10.3 million settlement in damages, tuition, and attorney’s fees is one of...

Kīlauea volcano, Hawaii (east Halemaʻumaʻu crater)

Over the past few months, I’ve spoken with hundreds of senior executives at America’s largest trucking companies. Nearly all say they only recently discovered the massive influx of foreign drivers and motor carriers. Most assumed the trend was gradual; none realized it was exponential. Few had ever heard the term “non-domiciled CDL” until this summer or understood how many drivers with little or no real training have flooded the industry. They failed to understand that despite their own investments in upgraded training and compliance efforts in recent years, that the smallest operators had been handed a massive gift: the ability...