Free Republic

It sounded like a historical moment was in the offing. For the first time, Europe’s finance ministers were seriously planning on publicly denouncing tax havens by presenting a black list of countries that lure companies through tax-saving schemes. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the countries on the list were “not doing enough to fight tax evasion.” Fellow Frenchman Pierre Moscovici, the European Union’s commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, called for vigorous sanctions. […] That was one and a half years ago, and that momentum has largely disappeared. This is partly because the black list had several fundamental...

How often can I be right? As much as President Trump said Americans will win. As France burns from years of socialist rule, America goes through a Renaissance. The difference is America elected a real leader and not a chump. We watched for 8 years as our black version of Emmanuel Macron ruined the country. Over $8 trillion worthless dollars printed then pumped into an anemic economy, and the black Boy Wonder felt like a rock star. As one comedian put it, “We told you Obama was Superman, but we forgot to tell you he didn’t know how to fly.”...

Just want to post a celebration thread! Another Campaign promise Kept and wow are the libtards andf globalists pissed off! The more they whine the more we shine, a shining smile! Post your favorite Trump You tube video of picture or whatnot! AMERICA FIRST!

Italy, France and Germany said on Thursday they regretted U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord and dismissed his suggestion that the global pact could be revised. "We deem the momentum generated in Paris in December 2015 irreversible and we firmly believe that the Paris Agreement cannot be renegotiated, since it is a vital instrument for our planet, societies and economies," the leaders of the three countries said in a joint statement. Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron urged all their allies to speed up efforts to...

EU could BREAK UP the US: Juncker in jaw-dropping threat to Trump over support for Brexit EUROPEAN Union boss Jean-Claude Juncker this afternoon issued a jaw-dropping threat to the United States, saying he could campaign to break up the country in revenge for Donald Trump’s supportive comments about Brexit.

Before things got hot, a Kameraden was doing FID missions on the Dark Continent. At an embassy meet and greet, there was (as he described) a piece of female Eurotrash, part of some NGO. She knew what he was, but was insistent, as the type are, on pontificating on things of which they’ve no clue. On and on, about what a wonderful world it would be, if only there were no guns. She was allowed to spew nonsense for awhile. When enough was enough, my friend put down his drink, looked her in the eye, and said: Go ahead. Ban...

"As religion has declined in Europe there has also been an increase in acceptance of personal autonomy on issues concerning sexuality and family. Each generation is more liberal on these issues than the one before. In contrast, we find no evidence that moral values have become more self-interested or anti-social." The research also found that religious people are slightly less self-interested on average, but this can largely be accounted for by their age. This is because the average religious person is older than the average nonreligious person, and older people, whenever they were born, are less likely to justify self-interest...

Actor Liam Neeson, known for his roles in popular action flicks, has recorded a new ad for Amnesty International which calls on Ireland to legalize abortion. The European nation is staunchly pro-life and prohibits killing babies in abortions in virtually every circumstance. Amnesty International is helping lead a pro-abortion push to repeal the 8th Amendment in Ireland, which has provided legal protection for unborn babies for years. Amnesty International Ireland recruited Neeson, an Irish actor, to do a voice-over for its commercial, which appears below. In the ad, Neeson essentially says laws protecting babies from abortions are antiquated and should...

LONDON (Reuters) - With his distressed hairstyle, voluptuous female companions and love of the media spotlight, U.S. tycoon Donald Trump is no stranger to people on this side of the Atlantic. But his bid to become president of the United States has got people scratching their heads. Seen by many as a kind of cartoon character despite his business successes, "The Donald" has baffled and angered in equal measure with a series of controversial comments. His remarks that many Mexican immigrants were rapists were widely reported in Europe and generally considered beyond the pale.

German rapper turned Islamist militant killed in Syria suicide attack BEIRUT // A German former rapper who joined jihadists fighting in Syria has been killed in a suicide bombing carried out by rival fighters. Denis Mamadou Cuspert, who rapped under the name Deso Dogg but took on the name Abu Talha Al Almani in Syria, was reported to have been killed in a suicide attack on Sunday in an eastern province. He was a member of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and was reportedly killed in a double suicide bombing carried out by Al Nusra Front,...

Dutch BDS Twitter Account Using Image of Anne Frank in Keffiyeh A Twitter account belonging to “@BDSAmsterdam“ is using an outrageous image of Anne Frank dressed in a red keffiyeh, Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported on Thursday. As part of an ongoing campaign to portray Israel as an apartheid state, a Netherlands-based branch of the anti-Israel BDS (‘Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions’) movement, which tweets from the handle, is warping the iconic image of one of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust in order to forward its political aims, Ma’ariv said. An active Twitter page, @BDS Amsterdam is refreshed every...

1910 circa - Rosendaal bij Arnhem - Kettingbrug - historical zombie A vintage photo (postcard) from 1910 of a purported "zombie" shambling across a bridge in Arnhem, Netherlands.

Institutions Worthy of Our Parties: Should the U.S. Switch to a Parliamentary System? Efforts to curb legislative partisanship have weak track records, so maybe we should consider changing the other side of the equation in order to establish a government that can actually get things done. Rick Hasen has a really interesting paper up discussing partisan polarization and the possibility of changing the Constitution to deal with it. (And you should really read Jonathan Bernstein’s response, too.) Hasen starts off by asking whether we should be considering moving toward a more parliamentary style of government. It’s a fair question. We...

Marilyn Manson is the latest musician tapped by mega fashion brand Saint Laurent to star in their newest ad. Creative Director Hedi Slimane chose Manson to star in the brand’s newest menswear campaign. Slimane seems to have an obsession with selecting edgy singers from the ‘90s to front his ads... The eerie ad is comprised of a close-up shot of Manson featuring the singer in thick eyeliner, black lipstick and a shiny leather jacket. Goth-grunge is hot right now... Although a bit surprising seeing Manson star in a fashion ad, his sinister look perfectly accentuates the French fashion line’s dark...

One in 29 French people don't take a shower even once a WEEK - while 13% do not wash their hands after using the toilet One in 29 people in France only take a shower once a week, according to a new survey. The study into French washing habits also found that one in five do not shower every day. On the other end of the scale, 11.5 per cent of French men and women shower several times daily. Hand washing, too, is ‘not always a priority for the French,’ said pollster BVA, which was commissioned to carry out the...

Mass killer's Norwegian prison cell has treadmill, computer access Accused mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik's Norwegian prison cell is more spacious than most New York City apartments. The confessed killer, who will receive his sentence Friday for killing 77 people in a bombing and shooting rampage at a youth camp, was transported Wednesday to Norway's Ila Prison, just outside Oslo. The high-security prison offers Breivik not one, but three 86-square-foot cells. One cell functions as a bedroom, another as an exercise room, complete with treadmill, and the third is a study, where Breivik can use a laptop computer. Officials at...

PARIS — The call to Vincent Grandil’s Paris law firm began like many others that have rolled in recently. On the line was the well-paid chief executive of one of France’s most profitable companies, and he was feeling nervous. President François Hollande is vowing to impose a 75 percent tax on the portion of anyone’s income above a million euros ($1.24 million) a year. “Should I be preparing to leave the country?” the executive asked Mr. Grandil. The lawyer’s counsel: Wait and see. For now, at least. “We’re getting a lot of calls from high earners who are asking whether...

French admit they are 'rude, stroppy, and slothful' The French have admitted they are "rude, stroppy, and slothful" in a new survey about what they think of their own behaviour. The poll revealed 97 per cent of Paris public transport users believed fellow travellers were "ill-mannered" and lacked civility. The biggest gripe was people forcing their way onto trains before other passengers had got off. Other irritations were passengers talking too loudly on mobile phones, and people sprawling over two seats in packed carriages. Also included in the list of annoyances were queue-jumping at ticket counters, leaping over barriers without...

Welcome To The World's Nicest Prison BASTOY, Norway (CNN) -- Jan Petter Vala, who is serving a prison sentence for murder, has hands the size of dinner plates and shoulders like those of an ox. In an alcoholic rage, he used his brutish strength to strangle his girlfriend to death a few years ago. On a recent Thursday, however, at this summer-camp-like island prison in southern Norway, where convicts hold keys to their rooms and there are no armed guards or fences, Vala used those same enormous hands to help bring life into the world. The 42-year-old murderer stood watch...

The couple chose an idyllic resort in the Maldives as the perfect place to renew their marriage vows and pledge everlasting love. But their happiness has turned to humiliation after the wedding video was posted on YouTube and subtitles disclosed that their "Islamic blessing", which was conducted by a hotel employee in the native Dhivehi language, was in fact a stream of insults. "You are swine. The children that you bear from this marriage will all be bastard swine. Your marriage is not a valid one," he intoned as the couple held up their hands in prayer, blissfully unaware of...