Free Republic

Actor George Clooney said Wednesday on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” that he was worried about being targeted by President Donald Trump. Cooper asked, “Do you worry about, I mean, personally being targeted by the administration?” Clooney said, “Sure. Everybody worries about it. But, you know, if you spend your life worrying about things, then you won’t do things. You know, we have a we like everybody, have a family and we have a life and we try to, you know, live and do the things as the best example for our kids. And I want to be able to look...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis voiced skepticism about President Trump’s negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, arguing that the theocratic regime can’t be trusted. The Sunshine State governor warned that “trying to cut a deal with Iran” is “hazardous,” and emphasized that Tehran is “not a traditional country” that can be treated in a “traditional way.” “I don’t see them as being good faith actors and in any way, shape or form. And the reality is they cannot be allowed to enrich uranium, period. End of story,” DeSantis told conservative radio host Mark Levin. “They are a militant Islamic government....

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- For more than half a century, chilling questions have lingered: Were there more victims of Houston's notorious "Candyman," Dean Corll, the serial killer whose crimes predated even the term "serial killer" and if so, who are they? On a recent Tuesday night, family members, friends, and true crime enthusiasts crowded into Murder By The Book bookstore to get answers. "There's still a reason to tell this story because there are still people like this out there, and teenagers need to know," said investigative journalist Lise Olsen in an interview prior to the launch of her new...

President Donald Trump’s deputies should stop talking about the apparent criminal record of the deported Salvadoran illegal migrant, says Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). “Don’t put everything out on social media” about deported migrant Kilmar Abrega Garcia, Van Hollen told ABC’s This Week show on April 20. The issue should be decided by judges, he said, adding: The Trump administration is trying to change the [Democrats’ lnarrative]. They’re trying to distract attention. Here’s where they should put their facts: they should put it before the court. They should put up or shut up in court [under] Judge Xinis, who’s the...

It goes without saying that, after Donald Trump’s bombshell 34-count guilty verdict, we are sailing in uncharted political waters. We’ve never been here before. And nobody — nobody — knows how this is all going to turn out. There’s no doubt, however, that the Trump verdict and the Republican Party’s reaction to it, have demolished two long-held political tenets. One, oft-cited by political cynics: “There’s no real difference between the two major parties.” If that were ever true, it’s no longer the case. There’s no way the Democratic Party would ever nominate a convicted felon for president — and, even...

There is clear evidence that COVID-19 is on the rise in New York City, the U.S., and other places around the world, but the late-summer surge in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths is so far more like an uptick than a wave, and those numbers remain low. There’s also a new highly mutated variant called BA.2.86 on the scene and a newly updated COVID booster shot on the horizon. Below is what to know — and why not to panic — about the state of COVID as we head into the first fall and winter since the official end of the...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said he worries about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), asserting that the Sunshine State’s leader is a “bully.” Newsom traveled to Texas — notably one of the states subject to California’s ban on “state-funded and state-sponsored travel” — over the weekend, speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin where he further expressed his newfound obsession with disliking DeSantis.

Every year, I look for important themes in sustainability that will have lasting impact on society, from glaring evidence of global megatrends to inspiring stories of corporate action. The year 2018 brought extreme change — in weather and environmental ecosystems, in political winds and power, and in the expectations of business. It also brought incredible clarity about the scale of our challenges and opportunities. So let’s start with the big picture before moving to some corporate success stories. The world’s scientists sound a final alarm on climate We have about 12 years left. That’s the clear message from a monumental...

My FreeRepublic born on date is 20 years old today, may FR last another 20 years!

TAIPEI iPhones might one day soon carry "Made in America" labels. (full article available at link, not copied because it requires setting up an account)

Israeli historian Yaacov Lozowick is in favor of continuing the settlement freeze that’s set to expire later this month — as long as the freeze is only in West Bank settlements that are actually up for discussion and that might plausibly be dismantled in a future peace deal with Palestinians. “Not in Modi’in Illit,” he said, referring to an ultra-Orthodox settlement immediately adjacent the Green Line, “which will remain in Israel no matter what, and certainly not in any part of Jerusalem.” Israel annexed all of Jerusalem decades ago. And while very few Jews move to and build in Arab...

In a video hitting the blogosphere today, real ordinary citizens tell their side of the Gulf oil crisis. Project Shining City has created the thirty-two minutes long video. Embedded inside it are shocking revelations about how the Obama administration and BP are ignoring a hurting people. As this film was created around Day 81, BP had not completed the capping of the well. Even though the cap appears to be holding today, the devastation of 87 days of spewing oil will have repercussions for the entire U.S. and for years to come. Highlights of the interviews: One man talks about...

The following are 50 random facts that show just how dramatically America has changed..

WASHINGTON — The prospect that U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal may ask for as many as 45,000 additional American troops in Afghanistan is fueling growing tension within President Barack Obama's administration over the U.S. commitment to the war there. On Monday, McChrystal sent his assessment of the situation in Afghanistan to the Pentagon , the U.S. Central Command, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and NATO . Although the assessment didn't include any request for more troops, senior military officials said they expect McChrystal later in September to seek between 21,000 and 45,000 more troops. There currently are 62,000 American troops...

Freemasons open a lodge at Buckingham Palace... but the Queen isn't amused By SARAH OLIVER - More by this author » Last updated at 23:59pm on 8th March 2008 Comments A Royal Mason: The Duke of Kent is the organisation's Grand Master A branch of the Freemasons secret society is being formed by members of the Royal Household and police who protect the Royal Family. And their decision to call it The Royal Household Lodge has put them on a collision course with Buckingham Palace – as has their plan to co-opt the royal cipher – EIIR – for their...

Hi all, My brother Lucas, (Age 25) had a seizure today while just sitting and talking with my mom and grandmother. He's never had a case of seizures before, his blood sugar was normal, the bloodwork test came out normal, the cat scan showed nothing wrong with his brain. tomorrow he goes in for an EEG. None of this makes sense. He has been under a lot of preasure lately with studying at school and his job. and he has complained about feeling a bit light headed lately and had a couple of fainting spells last week. I'm asking for...

What the US knows about visitors The US has data on all passengers 15 minutes after take-off European and US officials have been holding last-minute negotiations to renew a deal on the transfer of airline passenger data before it runs out on Saturday. There have been warnings of chaos if agreement is not reached. Airlines would face massive fines if they flew to the US without supplying the data - and they could be prosecuted under European data protection laws if they did. It is likely there would be huge queues at US immigration, as officials scrutinised the tickets of...

A man accused of plotting to detonate bombs in Britain acknowledged talking about blowing up the Houses of Parliament, but said the suggestion was meant as a joke. Omar Khyam, 24, who is standing trial along with six others, denies conspiring to cause an explosion. He told jurors at London's Central Criminal Court that, while watching Prime Minister Tony Blair take questions in the House of Commons in "we just made a comment 'Can you imagine if you dropped a bomb right there and then? You would take out all the MPs (members of Parliament)." Khyam confirmed it was he...

Sky Lights: Confused About Your Direction? If you lack a sense of personal trajectory, astronomers can help. By Bob Berman DISCOVER Vol. 27 No. 09 | September 2006 | Space Throughout most of history, humanity hasn't had a clue about where it's going. The idea that we're all being whisked through space aboard a spinning Earth was alien even to brilliant thinkers like Aristotle and Pythagoras. The first to argue that our planet is in motion was Heracleides, who in 350 B.C. maintained that Earth turns on an axis. A century later, Aristarchus of Samos earned a lot of laughs...

JOKES about Jews and the Holocaust have become increasingly common at the Edinburgh Fringe as comedians tackle one of the last taboos. Some think that controversy over Israeli attacks on Lebanon have made Jewish history and beliefs worthy topics for stand-up routines. But one comedian has apologised after his outburst offended Jewish comedians and audience members. Steve Hughes, an Australian stand-up, told The Times that he regretted describing Richard Perle, an advisor to President George Bush, as “that f***ing Jew Richard Perle”. The comment, in his show The Storm, offended audience members including Jamie Glassman, a Jewish comedy writer. Glassman...