Free Republic

The United States has been consistently gobbling up new territory for the last 241 years. Ever since the founders declared the 13 colonies independent from Britain, the US has acquired its 50 states through clever land deals and plunder. The current US map does not even include the 16 territories and hundreds of military bases spread throughout the world. With its extreme propensity for growth, the US has undoubtedly amassed the largest empire known to man. However, the US empire has hit its peak and is now unraveling quickly. For more detail on why this is the case, you can...

>Russian officials have backed the idea of a rail tunnel linking Russia and the US. It would run under the Bering Strait for 105km (65 miles) - twice the length of the UK-France Channel Tunnel. The tunnel itself has been estimated to cost $10-12bn and to take 10-15 years to build. But an additional 4,000km (2,485 miles) of new track would be needed to link it to Russia's rail network, plus another 2,000km (1,243 miles) to connect to existing services on the US side.

The new bishop of Arkansas has a strong message for Roman Catholics: Christmas is an immigrant’s story. "Does Jesus find a warm welcome in our communities?" writes Bishop Anthony B. Taylor, a Fort Worth native, in a pastoral letter read last Sunday in parishes across Arkansas. "What changes do we need to make here in Arkansas in order to ensure that today’s Marys and Josephs — today’s Marias and Joses — receive a warm welcome truly worthy of the Savior?" Taylor, 54, was resting this weekend far from the ensuing political firestorm. Here to see siblings in Fort Worth, he...