Free Republic

Happy 25th Anniversary on FreeRepublic to me! (It blew right past me. The date was actually Nov. 3, 2000) This is a great place.

Today is my 25th anniversary here on FR! Thanks to all of you -- and a posthumous thanks for all those FReepers who have passed on -- who have made this such a remarkable 25 years. I joined here in early November of 2000 while living outside the U.S. -- just to stay on top of breaking news and insights regarding the aftermath of the chaotic (and sometimes comical) 2000 election. It's been an interesting, informative and fun 25 years, folks. Another quarterly contribution will be coming shortly!And just for some FR history, I've gone back and posted as many...

Tucker Carlson has crossed the line, but is he taking conservatives with him?...

Monday marks the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a tragedy on Lake Superior that claimed the lives of 29 men. In the days following the calamity, songwriter Gordon Lightfoot read about it in Newsweek and immediately put his God-given gifts to their highest and best use.

All politics is local, the saying goes. The same applies to washrooms. When you need to go, all that really matters is the state of the nearest washroom. And in southwestern Ontario’s Waterloo Region, where I live, something very peculiar is happening to the local washrooms. Case in point is Kitchener’s Centre in the Square, the area’s premier soft-seat performance venue that hosts a wide range of popular musicians and other acts. Prior to renovations in 2023, the 2,000-seat facility had eight washrooms serving patrons on the auditorium’s main and balcony levels – four men’s and four women’s. Following a...

Harrowing video footage shows the moment a Russian helicopter smashed into a pier and bashed its tail off — with the pilot then bizarrely choosing to fly out to sea before losing control and crashing. Five senior members of a Russian defense manufacturer were killed in the crash. The dramatic clip reveals a badly botched landing in Russia’s Republic of Dagestan region on Nov. 7 After clipping off its tail, the helicopter then drifts along the Caspian Sea — possibly searching for somewhere else to land. Separate CCTV footage reportedly shows the Ka-226 utility copper smashing into a residential building...

TUCKER, Ga. — A transgender woman said a DeKalb County Police officer accosted her after she used the women’s restroom at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library. The police department has opened an Internal Affairs investigation into the incident, according to a police spokesperson. “Because the investigation is ongoing, we are unable to share additional details at this time,” the spokesperson said. “The department remains dedicated to treating all members of our community with dignity, respect, and professionalism.”

While Trump is arguing for his levying of tariffs at the Supreme Court level, the President has decided what he wants to do with that money in the mean time. This morning, President Trump announced a $2,000 dividend for all Americans from the tariff surplus. - "People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS! We are now the Richest, Most Respected Country In the World, With Almost No Inflation, and A Record Stock Market Price. 401k's are Highest EVER. We are taking in Trillions of Dollars and will soon begin paying down our ENORMOUS DEBT, $37 Trillion. Record Investment in the...

Since everyone is narcissistic these days, I thought I'd post my 70 year old weird ideas. I don't use chatgpt-just an open Bible for my information I don't use any internet chat rooms (except this one!) I prefer talking over the fence to my neighbor I don't trust most politicians (especially those with slicked back hair! The only transpeople are know are in the trucking industry I think nose rings are to prevent rooting and tattoos are used for police identification For breakfast I like bacon and eggs not humus and tofu The only compensation a college athlete should get...

President Donald Trump’s retribution campaign against his political adversaries could soon hit the Senate — and lawmakers are already bracing for impact. After securing the indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, Trump has his sights set on Sen. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who as a member of the House managed the president’s first impeachment trial. If Schiff ends up indicted on allegations of mortgage fraud — a charge he has vehemently denied — or for any other claim, it would mark an unprecedented escalation for Trump to target an outspoken political...

YIEIQL, EJA KAYG’M DYME, DSWADBAME MQBDA. —TBDDBYQ X. HGKYLE

The White Gaslight Growing up as the youngest of five kids in a happily married family during the 1970s and 1980s, I had what many would call a quintessential American childhood—albeit one on the move. My father served in the Air Force, so we bounced around the country, living on bases from California to Florida, with stints in between. I attended a dozen different schools by the time I graduated high school, rubbing shoulders with kids from every walk of life: Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, you name it. We played kickball on dusty fields, shared lunches, and formed friendships...

Introduction The age-old debate of dogs versus cats often sparks passionate arguments. While both pets offer unique joys, dogs hold distinct advantages rooted in their evolutionary history, social nature, and ability to enhance human well-being. This article explores 10 science-backed reasons why dogs are better than cats, addresses common questions, and provides insights for prospective pet owners. 1. Dogs Are Socially Attuned to Humans Dogs have evolved alongside humans for over 15,000 years, developing an unparalleled ability to read human emotions and gestures. Studies show they can interpret facial expressions, understand pointing cues, and even sense mood changes—traits cats lack....

"You must be a cat lady, Ms. Kaytee," the student said to me through laughter. I was working in a school, and had popped into one of the classrooms to assist with a project. This student who had just met me seconds ago assumed that I "must be" a cat lady. At the time I laughed: I had one cat, yes, but would hardly call myself a "cat lady." I also had a guinea pig, after all. Maybe this was some new Gen-Z slang that I didn't understand? Maybe "cat lady" means "an adult who is super cool"? (One can...

A Virginia woman is in a whole lot of trouble with the law after she allegedly harassed the White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor, Stephen Miller, and his family. The woman reportedly distributed flyers in their neighborhood that labeled him a "Nazi," causing the Millers to move into military housing for protection. But wait, you haven't heard the best part. It turns out this woman, Barbara Wien, is a retired university professor of peace studies. Yes, you read that correctly.(snip) According to court documents, Wien allegedly posted fliers in Miller's neighborhood that included not...

Michelle Obama has outdone herself. While Americans are caught in the middle of a government shutdown worrying whether their SNAP benefits will arrive and if they can put food on the table, the former First Lady took to a podcast with Jamie Kern Lima to promote her new book and complain about how hard her life was in the White House, with people waiting on her hand and foot. (snip) During her conversation with Lima, Obama had the audacity to describe her “glam team” as not as a luxury, but as a necessity. Instead of acknowledging what an incredible privilege...

They're from the government, and they're here to help: 'Friendly' San Diego city officials are set to send teams of inspectors to dig through people's trash cans looking for recycling violations. Nicely, of course. They plan to issue 'oops' citations to scofflaws who throw the wrong stuff in the wrong trash bins. In San Diego, we put trash in one of three bins -- generic trash (black can), recycle trash (blue can), and organic trash such as food scraps and lawn clippings (green bin.) (snip) Oh, it's not because they want to go through our trash, they say. Ostensibly, it's...

It’s the weekly errand we all love to hate: grocery shopping. From not being able to find a perfectly ripe avocado to juggling your list, keys and coffee while simultaneously pushing a cart, it can be a tough task to tackle. But fortunately, there’s an app for that, and we’ve rounded up our top 12 tech faves below. Thanks to these shopping apps, you can say goodbye to that dreaded moment when you get to the store and realize you left your list at home. (We’ve all been there!)

Crowe shows us why he’s one of the last great movie stars as well as a brilliant performer, settling into the high-powered character actor phase of his career. Like Gene Hackman in his greatest ’80s and ’90s performances, Crowe has such a regular-guy energy that on those rare occasions when Göring is thwarted or disappointed and we get a glimpse of his capacity for overwhelming violence, it somehow comes as an unsetting surprise within the context of the scene, even though we know the man’s a killer.

An NYPD exodus is already underway, with a surge of officers quitting in the month leading up to anti-cop socialist Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win — and more might go if Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch exits, according to data and department sources. The NYPD saw a 35% hike in cops of all ranks leaving in October – 245 police officers compared to 181 in the same month last year, according to Police Pension Fund data. “Morale is down because everyone is concerned about the policies Mamdani wants to put in place,” said Detectives Endowment Association President Scott Munro. “You have a...