Free Republic

Waymo's fleet of autonomous robotaxis can navigate city streets and compete with human taxi drivers, but they become stranded when a passenger leaves a door ajar -- prompting the company to pay tow truck operators around $20 to $24 through an app called Honk just to push a door shut. The owner of a towing company in Inglewood, California, completes up to three such jobs a week for Waymo, sometimes freeing vehicles by removing seat belts caught in doors. Another Los Angeles tow operator said locating stuck robotaxis can take 10 minutes to an hour because the precise location isn't...

Europeans can be so stupid on this: 1. “What about the Russians?” We are not allied with Russia. We have a wide variety of sanctions against them. We have long supported Ukraine in the current war. At least Putin doesn’t whine. 2. “We are democratic!” No. Europe is bureaucratic with many layers separating voters from policy. Plus you regulate media and control information so your voters are badly misinformed. 3. “We support free speech!” No you don’t. Either you think we’re stupid enough to believe that or you’re stupid enough to believe it. This whole conflict is driven by your...

Looks like Santa’s sleigh is running on plastic. A new holiday spending survey finds parents are shelling out more than ever to fill stockings — and nobody’s splurging like New Yorkers, who plan to blow a whopping $732 per child on Christmas gifts this year, the highest in the nation. Nationwide, parents expect to drop an average $521 per kid — up 13% from last year — turning holiday cheer into what feels like a second rent payment, according to CouponBirds’ annual Christmas Spending & Savings Survey of 2,500 parents. To afford it, families are charging first and worrying later....

A 43-year-old man in West Palm Beach, Florida, is now facing felony charges classified as a hate crime after allegedly attempting to run over members of a local LGBTQ+ running group. Last month, Night Runners WPB, a local running group, was gathered at Howard Park in Palm Beach for an 8 pm run when Ihab Mustafa El Mahmoud “purposely drove his car towards the victims and the group of people,” according to the West Palm Beach Police Department. El Mahmoud was reportedly upset after a member of the group made a passing comment to him. In response, he accelerated his...

A Muslim who trained in Somalia, Cholo Abdi Abdullah, was sentenced to life in prison for conspiring to commit a 9/11-style terrorist attack in the U.S. United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, and Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, made the announcement on Monday. He was convicted for multiple crimes that included conspiring to provide—and providing—material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and conspiring to murder U.S. nationals, commit aircraft piracy, destroy aircraft, and commit acts of...

"Next time, I'm going to kill them," she said. "Don't come back. Don't come back to my house." A Los Angeles mother — on the road and speaking on the phone with her mother, who suddenly started screaming in fear — raced home and rammed a car being used by burglars, video of dramatic confrontation showed. The woman had just gone out to grab coffee at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday and was on the phone with her mother when two masked burglars appeared outside the back sliding door of their house in Sherman Oaks, the family said. "My mom is...

Problems in the last 24 hours in Morgan Hill, California The chart below shows the number of PG&E reports we have received in the last 24 hours from users in Morgan Hill and surrounding areas December 25: Problems at PG&E PG&E is having issues since 09:20 AM EST.

https://nypost.com/2025/12/24/us-news/times-square-billboard-proclaiming-jesus-is-palestinian-slammed-by-holiday-tourists-a-divisive-message/

DIGITAL ID CARDS: "France and Germany have digital IDs, and they have record immigration" (Dr Renee Hoenderkamp) ⛔️NO to compulsory Digital ID - not in your manifesto and not wanted A national digital ID system, pushed using the excuse of "immigration control," threatens everyone’s freedom, privacy, and safety

A new law allowing parents to designate someone to care for their child in the event they are detained or deported by federal immigration authorities will soon take effect in California. Starting Jan. 1, the Family Preparedness Plan Act expands the type of relative who can qualify as a “caretaker” and creates a process by which a parent may nominate a caretaker to be a “temporary joint guardian” through probate court. ... Parental rights advocates earlier this year who said the bill could endanger children by allowing strangers to falsely sign an affidavit claiming a child is under their care,...

Yesterday, the Secretary of War authorized the activation of up to 350 Louisiana National Guard members on Title 32 status through February 28, 2026. These National Guard troops will support federal law enforcement partners, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, as they enforce federal law and counter high rates of violent crime in New Orleans and other metropolitan areas in Louisiana. Operating under Governor Landry's command and control, this mission will directly enhance the safety of Louisiana's residents and the enforcement of federal laws – reaffirming the Department of War's commitment to supporting our interagency...

Data this week showed that the American economy is growing at its fastest pace in two years — and yet polling shows the mood on Main Street is grim. It’s almost hard to believe we’re talking about the same economy. But the metrics offer another reminder that two seemingly diverging trends can simultaneously be true. An economy that’s growing rapidly doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is feeling it. Yes, gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the US economy, heated up this summer to a sizzling annualized pace of 4.3%, far outpacing economists’ expectations. But the booming GDP did not...

Fool's Ball, Week Pigskin Pickem Thread, Week 17 Your home for all things Fool's Ball! In Memoriam Danny Lee (BENDER2)

From “Damn Lie to Egregious and Unforgivable Lie,” here are my picks for the biggest lies of 2025 (in no particular order): 10. Trump is in the Epstein files in a negative, damaging way 9. Joe Biden was “sharp as a tack.” 8. There was no collusion among drug manufacturers to hide vaccine threats and ineffectiveness. 7. Israel is the aggressor in the Middle East, and Muslims never invaded and slaughtered anyone on October 7, 2023. 6. Islam does not want to conquer the world, especially America. 5. Trump is using Nazi and Stormtrooper tactics to clean up crime 4....

President Donald Trump used a Christmas message on Wednesday to tout recent economic data and broader policy outcomes, using the holiday to frame what he described as national strength and progress under his administration. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly." He went on to list a series of economic and policy outcomes he said reflect success. "We no longer have Open Borders, Men in Women's Sports, Transgender for Everyone, or Weak Law Enforcement," he wrote. "What...

A man who transported patients to medical appointments is suing his former employer, alleging he was unlawfully fired after failing a criminal background check despite — he says — years on the job without incident. The backstory: James Blakney says he was abruptly fired last year after working for nearly three years transporting patients to and from medical appointments. According to a lawsuit filed in D.C. federal court, Blakney had passed three criminal background checks during his employment. Blakney does have a criminal record, including what appears to be a 2007 felony conviction for heroin distribution — based on FOX...

Boiling lobsters while they are alive and conscious will be banned as part of a government strategy to improve animal welfare in England. Government ministers say that “live boiling is not an acceptable killing method” for crustaceans and alternative guidance will be published. The practice is already illegal in Switzerland, Norway and New Zealand. Animal welfare charities say that stunning lobsters with an electric gun or chilling them in cold air or ice before boiling them is more humane. A ban would build on a law introduced by the Conservatives in 2022, which stated that invertebrates including octopus, crabs and...

🚨 HOLY CRAP! President Trump could now deploy the MARINES to Chicago after Democrats brought the case up to SCOTUS "The unintended consequence here might be POTUS has to call the 82nd Airborne, or the Marines, or the 101st Airborne Division, like President Eisenhower did after Brown v Board." "Trump might have to do that first to protect federal buildings and ICE agents. THEN, if they fail, he can then call out the National Guard." HUGE BACKFIRE! DO IT!

U.S. — CBS News has descended into turmoil after new Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss asked the journalists employed there to do journalism. Internal memos show widespread outrage in response to Weiss's request, with many journalists threatening to resign rather than be forced to do journalism. "I'd rather die than do journalism," said journalist Matthew Donalds. "If doing journalism is where this station is headed, count me out. I refuse to be a part of asking questions about current events and then reporting what happened. Weiss has crossed the line." Weiss has reportedly made several harsh demands of CBS News employees, such...

A little boy in Texas was the only member of his family to survive a horrific car crash caused by an alleged drunk driver. Nearly all members of the Contreras family were killed in Fort Bend around 2am on December 20, while driving home from a Christmas party, according to the Fort Bend Sheriff's Office.