Free Republic

Red Simple NOW THAT THE CHURCH has closed the joyous period of her forty days of Christmas, and is putting us through a course of meditations on subjects which are to excite a spirit of penance within us, each of the saints’ feasts must produce an impression, which shall be in accordance with that spirit. From this day till Easter, we will study the saints, as they come to us, in this special light: how much they labored and suffered during their pilgrimage of life, and what was the plan they took for conquering the world and the flesh....

Mr. Beck. You found Zuck and Company cordial--they just find you useful In the wake of reports that Facebook censors conservative voices, media figure Glenn Beck met with company chairman Mark Zuckerberg and emerged from the meeting, as he put it, “convinced that Facebook is behaving appropriately and trying to do the right thing.” Nothing to see here, move along. Unfortunately, this is nonsense. Beck admits in his article on this subject, “I am not an expert on data or AI or algorithms.” Neither am I. But the Facebook censorship in the news isn’t about artificial intelligence but human intelligence—and...

Blase Cupich is the very model of the Novus Ordo prelate: studiously caring and compassionate, politically correct, not too hung up on doctrine or liturgy (but fanatical about having altar girls), eager to surround himself with women in the Chancery, and tolerant of everything except traditional Roman Catholicism. In short, the perfect promoter of “the Francis effect,” which has earned Cupich’s boss something completely unprecedented for a Pope: endless praise from the entire world. Being “the Francis effect” in action, Cupich is not too hung up about abortion either. Like Francis, Cupich is not “obsessed” with the murder of children...

Fire engulfs Shanghai high-rise, five deaths reported via AP - people reported jumping from the building.

(AP)— A longtime suburban mayor was arrested Thursday on federal charges of steering business to a friend's insurance agency in return for bribes over almost two decades. Nicholas Blase, mayor of Niles for 45 years, was arrested as he left his house on his 78th birthday. According to court documents, Blase threatened to withhold liquor licenses and business licenses from restaurant owners unless they bought insurance from the agency once owned by his late friend Ralph Weiner and now run by Weiner's sons. The fraud began at least 17 years ago, an FBI affidavit said. "Businesses were being pushed to...