Free Republic

It is hard to believe that barely one year ago, Joe Biden self-immolated on a debate stage in Atlanta. His cringeworthy meltdown set off a chain of events that led to the most dramatic—and exciting—presidential election in U.S. history. What transpired after the evening of June 27, 2024 is a timeline even the best fiction writer could not have imagined. A near-fatal assassination attempt against Donald Trump; the replacement of Biden with Kamala Harris; another assassination attempt against Trump. 8x ===== SNIP! ===== X8 Every day created a rollercoaster-like atmosphere—and ended with the greatest political comeback in U.S history when...

Being cool is a state of mind, but you also need to know what you're doing so you don't end up looking like a total dork. Take smoking a cigar for example. If done correctly, you're the coolest guy in the room, but if you don't pull it off, everyone will think you're a loser. Thankfully, The Babylon Bee is here to explain how to smoke your cigar in a way that will keep anyone who sees you from rolling their eyes or laughing at you. Just follow these helpful tips: Bite off the tip, then swallow it: This is...

Archaeologists uncovered a testicle-shaped dagger buried at the ancient Gullberg fortress, and experts believe the dagger, with two round testicle-like decorations on the hilt, was worn, well, where you’d think it would be worn. Arkeologerna announced the find—via a translated statement—that occurred at the Gothenburg-area fortress, which was built in the 14th century A.D., initially as a simple blockhouse surrounded by a palisade wall. The fortified site on a cliff overlooking the Göta River was likely in response to the nearby Danish-Norwegian castles on Hisingen. The site continued to expand and was used as a fortress for centuries until eventually...

Škoda is a well-known carmaker, but many may be unaware of the brand’s two-wheeled roots. The 130-year-old Czech company started out as a bicycle and motorcycle maker – and it looks like it might just get back to that. Škoda has just unveiled a sparkly new concept, called the Slavia B, reviving one of its first two-wheeled models from 1899 with a futuristic twist. It's part of the company's "Modern Solid" design research initiative, which aims to demonstrate how traditional designs could be modernized for contemporary times. Created by Škoda’s in-house external designer, Frenchman Romain Bucaille, the cafe racer concept...

Now is the time for all good FReepers to post photos of their present/past rides. You know the drill.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is warning about a risk to their data from a company that recently reported it was in financial distress. According to the Attorney General’s office, 23andMe said in security filings that there is “substantial doubt” about the genetic testing-focused company’s future. Bonta advised California residents of their right under the Genetic Information Privacy Act and California Consumer Protection Act to request their data held by companies be deleted and genetic materials be destroyed. “California has robust privacy laws that allow consumers to take control and request that a company delete their genetic data,” Bonta said....

Previous thread HEREBACKGROUND: Mozilla, maker of Firefox browser and Thunderbird e-mail client, had long claimed that it "never has, never will sell" users' personal information In late February, Mozilla changed its policies to delete that assertion and made other confusing changes to its ToUs that tended to indicate going forward, Mozilla would "sell" its users' personal data that was entered in the Firefox browser. These murky changes ignited an uproar among Mozilla's user base NOW (condensed version): Mozilla asserts that it had to delete the assertion that it "never has, never will sell users' personal information" because of broad definitions...

As noted a few months ago, Mozilla -- maker of the Firefox browser and Thunderbird e-mail client -- is facing an 80% revenue drop due to investigations into its “revenue-sharing” deals with Google. That revenue drop is apparently prompting Mozilla's all-out search for alternate revenue streams. Mozilla's changes last week to the Firefox browser's privacy notice and usage terms indicate that users' privacy may be sold out. Specifically, Mozilla's new use terms provide: “When you upload or input information through Firefox, you hereby grant us a nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use that information to help you navigate, experience, and...

Scientists are on a quest to chart a comprehensive map of the vagina — namely, an atlas that catalogs the diverse range of microorganisms that live there. These microbes are collectively known as the vaginal microbiome, and they include bacteria, fungi and simple organisms called archaea, along with viruses, although viruses are not technically "alive." Shifts in the abundances of these microbes, especially the bacteria, have been linked to various health conditions, including pregnancy complications, such as preterm birth; chronic diseases, like endometriosis; and infections, including urinary tract infections (UTIs) and human papillomavirus (HPV). 8< SNIP! >8

Ugly-ass new logo Mozilla earned approximately 80% of its income through “revenue-sharing” deals with Google, pushing Google’s search engine as Firefox’s default choice. Now that Google faces antitrust investigations for this practice, Mozilla and Firefox may suffer a concomitant reduction in revenues. So what does Mozilla do? They “rebrand” themselves as “advocates” and “activists,” fighting “misinformation.” Among other marketing gobbledygook at this website, Mozilla’s rebranding director describes her client as “a trailblazing, activist organization in both its mission and its approach…. The new brand presence captures this uniqueness, reflecting Mozilla’s refreshed strategy to ‘reclaim the internet.’ The modern, digital-first identity...

Seen last week in Lost Wages

For many years, I've been describing what my first act would be should I ever be elected President of the United States. Granted that's unlikely in the extreme; as someone once said, "If nominated, I will not run, if elected, I will not serve." I don't want the job, but were I somehow thrust into it, my first act would be this: Visit every office, every agency, every anteroom that contained employees that report to the Executive Branch. I would ask every employee therein, from directors to janitors, two questions: "What is your purpose here?" "What are you doing right...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbXZoMocpM8

The governor said last week on his Politickin' podcast that he had attempted to reach out to President-elect Donald Trump after the election but did not get a response. Newsom confirmed to KCRA 3 Thursday that he still had not heard from him.

In preparation for today's secret U.S. Senate vote for the next Majority Leader, I wrote to my state's two senators -- Tom Cotton and John Boozman -- and politely urged them to vote for Florida's Rick Scott, the least objectionable of the three choices. Cotton -- best known for a pissy demeanor and ability to snipe low-hanging political fruit -- has so far only responded with a mechanical "thanks for writing" e-mail. Boozman -- with a "D" Liberty Score from Conservative Review -- responded with the following bland and non-committal answer (emphasis mine): Thank you for contacting me regarding the...

One singer's rocky performance of the national anthem had her asking for a do-over in the middle of the song. Singer Loomis performed “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Free & Equal Elections Foundation presidential debate featuring third-party candidates on Oct. 24. Loomis' performance kicked off the live taping. She successfully belted out the first few lines of the song but appeared rattled once she got to a higher note and her voice cracked out of pitch. After struggling to sing, "And the rockets’ red glare," Loomis said into the mic, “I f---ed it up. I f---ed it up. Can...

Bandit9’s EVE Odyssey V2 looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. With a top speed of 68 mph and fuel efficiency of 156 mpg, it is compact, efficient, handcrafted, and... Probably about as comfy whichever way you sit on it. In the realm of custom bikes, Bandit9 Motors has carved out a distinct identity for itself since it was established in 2009. Under the direction of Daryl Villanueva, the company continues to explore the limits of motorcycle innovation. Over the years, we've enjoyed several Bandit9 pieces, including the insane supermarine motorcycle and a liquid-metal-electric scooter shaped like a...

Lynchburg mayor shuts down critics, exerts ‘chilling effect on free speech’ amid controversy At an explosive city council meeting last month, Mayor Stephanie Reed called for the press to be shut out.

Dems return to Tammany Hall tactics with backroom dealings to boot Biden Smoke-filled Rooms? Should Biden opt to step aside, it is far from certain that Vice President Kamala Harris would be the automatic stand-in on the party ticket. As Democratic powerbrokers attempt to pressure President Joe Biden into bowing out of reelection, his departure could set up a messy selection process for his replacement that circumvents the primary electorate and threatens to send the party back to the days of Tammany Hall. Biden, 81, has faced calls to step aside as the party nominee in the wake of his...

"har-dee-har-har! just a fictionalization!"