Free Republic

President Donald Trump is pausing plans for a major attack on Iran, he announced on Saturday with the hopes of reviving an agreement with the country. The president was mulling whether or not to hit areas that would impact foundational elements of the Islamic Republic’s grid, as well as infrastructure, according to Axios.“The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern...

‘Super Freak’ propelled its creator to iconic status and cemented him as the king of funk ‘n’ roll.Despite its cultural ubiquity, Rick James’ bawdy single “Super Freak” was by no means an overnight hit. By 1979, James had more than earned his due with a series of professional accomplishments under his belt. While he achieved success as a songwriter for Motown (as well as with gold and platinum solo albums) he hadn’t yet hit the heights of celebrity, when he embarked on his headlining tour for his third album, Fire It Up. All that was soon to change. James could...

On July 14, the State Leadership Initiative was honored to host the Florida DOGE team and their tech partners, Vulcan, Echelon, and DigiBuild, for the Florida DOGE Showcase in Washington, D.C. Spearheaded by Governor Ron DeSantis, the state has become the leader for providing accountable and efficient governance to its citizens.Since its creation in 2025, the Florida DOGE team has identified nearly $1 billion in waste and abuse at the local government level and sent over $878 million back to the federal government. But the team's work extends beyond fiscal savings and budgetary cuts - it also includes auditing university...

California, the most populous U.S. state and the one with the largest economy, ranked as the 35th best state in a new ranking published by U.S. News on July 28.South Orange County communities near Laguna Beach, Calif., on Oct. 15, 2020. John Fredricks/The Epoch TimesUtah ranked as the best state, followed by South Dakota, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Nebraska.The ranking was based on scores in eight categories such as education, healthcare, economy, and fiscal stability, and it was weighted by survey opinions.Despite a median income of more than $100,000 compared to the national average of $81,600, California ranked last in...

A newly published investigation highlighted issues that have long been overlooked — namely, that deals forcing Israel to release hundreds of terrorists and the unending Palestinian Authority (PA) pay-for-slay program fueled more terrorism, including the Oct. 7 atrocities. Over 650 jihadis with ties to the Oct. 7 atrocities reportedly received "pay-for-slay" payouts, while over 150 terrorists released through the U.S.-brokered Gaza "peace deal" became automatic millionaires through the same means. But years before that 2023 day when Palestinian jihadis raped, murdered, tortured, and kidnapped 1,200 innocents to enthusiastic support from Gazans, pay-for-slay was funding multiple generations of terrorists. And we’re...

The West has sleepwalked into mass migration for more than a decade. Will a glaring breach of its borders jar it awake?The images were unforgettable. More than 60,000 migrants entered the tiny Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco over the course of 24 hours.It’s arguably the most vivid illustration we’ve ever seen of the migrant crisis that has transformed the face of Europe in one decade and that continues to consume the continent’s politics. And no one saw it all coming more clearly than our own Douglas Murray. His 2017 book, The Strange Death of Europe, chronicles the errors of...

By Dr. John BergsmaHoly Mother Church serves up a rich fare for us in the Liturgy of the Word this week. We begin with one of the most striking prophecies of the Book of Isaiah: First Reading: Isaiah 55:1-3Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare....

Donald Trump says he has cancelled strikes against Iran provided a deal was struck "rapidly" with the country. In a post on Truth Social, the US president wrote that he had decided to "cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL" - which would include the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to "Iran's nuclear threat". Trump said the decision had been taken alongside Israel. The announcement came amid US media reports that Washington might have been planning new, intense strikes on Iran over the weekend. Tehran earlier accused the US of...

Stoners these days aren’t only smoking joints in cars like in “Dazed and Confused,” though that habit certainly hasn’t disappeared. Now, it’s increasingly popular to enjoy cannabis-infused beverages, which include seltzers, teas, lemonades and mocktails with varying blends of THC and CBD depending on the desired vibe (social, relaxation, sleep, focus). Cannabis gummies are all the rage for young people, offered in fun colors and flavors reminiscent of Sour Patch Kids. Gwyneth Paltrow, Seth Rogen, Mike Tyson and other celebrities have invested in products or launched their own. Some fitness gurus promote microdosing to enhance the workout experience. But advocates...

TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Twin Falls neighbors lined up overnight to be among the first customers at the new Canyon Rim In-N-Out Burger, which opened Friday morning just off the Perrine Bridge. Sam Sapolsky was first in line, arriving Thursday afternoon — more than 14 hours before the doors opened. "Oh, since 4 pm yesterday – so that's going on 14 – 16 hours ... something like that," Sapolsky said. Sapolsky said the opening felt personal. "I've loved In-N-Out my whole life, and it's now right in my backyard – I had to come and show support," Sapolsky said. Around...

Say hello to Bryan Axel Ramirez Gomez and, while you’re at it, go ahead and say good-bye, because young Mr. Gomez shuffled off this mortal coil in February, after deciding to start a shootout with police in Elkhart, Indiana, which lasted only three seconds. What do you notice about the photo of Gomez? Does that jersey signify that he was a fan of the Chicago White Sox? Well, Elkhart is only 112 miles from Chicago, and I suppose it’s possible that Gomez was a White Sox fan, but a quick Google search indicates that wearing White Sox regalia is common...

George Soros and his son Alex donated more than $400,000 to the Democratic National Committee during the 2018 midterms. They gave more than $1 million during the 2022 midterm election cycle, campaign finance records show. This year, they have yet to give the DNC a dollar. The Soros’s aren’t alone—other high-profile donors have given little or no money to the Democrats’ central committee this year. Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, wrote steady checks to the DNC for years but during the midterms has yet to give money. In a sign of the party’s challenges, a running joke among some...

Stuck in the August Rain (2006 Remaster) | 4:06Jethro Tull | 357K subscribers | 65,750 views | January 18, 2017

From Caesar to Eisenhower, 25 verified military quotes that captured courage, command, sacrifice and the chaos of war in a single line.“Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.”Sun Tzu“I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.”Queen Elizabeth I“I came, I saw, I conquered.” (Veni, vidi, vici)Julius Caesar“War is a mere continuation of policy by other means.”Carl von Clausewitz

In April 2026, the Russian military lost 116 km²: this is the first monthly decline recorded by the Institute for the Study of War since the summer of 2023, when the territory controlled by Moscow had reached an all-time low of 26,573 km² following Kyiv’s counter-offensive

Axon Lightpost is a fixed, infrastructure-mounted intelligent ALPR camera designed to transform existing streetlights and outdoor infrastructure into real-time vehicle intelligence tools. Lightpost delivers automated license plate recognition (ALPR), vehicle attribute recognition (VAR), and livestreaming video seamlessly into the Axon public safety ecosystem with minimal physical footprint. Built in collaboration with Ubicquia, Axon Lightpost installs quickly on existing light poles without trenching or new pole infrastructure, dramatically reducing deployment complexity and cost. Once powered and network-connected, Axon Lightpost begins autonomous operation with no daily user interaction, providing continuous detection and secure data upload to Axon Evidenceand Axon Fusus. SNIP

THE KEY TO FAILURE I recently read a devotion in God's Little Devotional Book for Women, which really touched my life. This book was copyrighted in 1996 by Honor Books, Inc. in Tulsa Oklahoma. The story on pages 98 and 99 tells of a painter who wanted to produce one work which would please everyone. So she painted a picture, and hung it in the public marketplace. She posted directions for people to mark the places they did not like with a small paint brush. She was surprised when she returned to find her picture was just a blob....

Caffeinated drinks aren’t just for mornings any longer. But do you know how much caffeine you’re getting when you drink coffee, tea, sodas or energy drinks? Experts say up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day may be safe for most adults. But if you get headaches or are restless or nervous after having caffeine, you may want to rethink how much caffeine is right for you. Also, people who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding should talk with their healthcare professionals about limiting caffeine. Check the charts to see how much caffeine is in popular drinks....

Disgraced ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell’s zombie campaign is continuing to still cover legal fees with donors’ money as he prepares for potential court battles over sexual misconduct allegations that ruined his political career. The former California gubernatorial candidate reported paying around $150,000 in campaign funds to the law firm Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP between May 17 and June 30, according to financial disclosures filed Friday. He had already shelled out $50,000 to the firm before May 16, the Post previously reported. The law firm declined comment to media outlets, but Swalwell has used the firm for legal guidance since...

Multiple houses reportedly on fire as fast-growing Old Trails Fire pushes east into city of Spokane, Washington state