Free Republic

It took until the end of February but Bryce Harper finally has a team. He has reached an agreement with Philadelphia Phillies. Jon Heyman says the deal is for $330 million. The length of the contract is pretty incredible too: 13 years. There are no opt-outs either. The match was a long in the making. When the offseason began the Nationals were reported to have made Harper a $300 million offer to return, the White Sox expressed considerable interest and the Phillies — openly crowing about their plan to spend “stupid money” — were thought the most likely landing spots...

Attorney general announces legal action in UPMC-Highmark dispute PITTSBURGH - Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro filed a petition to stop UPMC and Highmark from a complete separation – which was set to happen this summer. #BREAKING: Shapiro says court order would ensure that UPMC abides by its charitable contribution obligations to Pennsylvania “Given the effect this dispute between UPMC and Highmark is having on Pennsylvanians, and the imminent expiration of the existing consent decree, we are asking the court to take action,” said Shapiro. “These changes are absolutely necessary to prevent UPMC from inflicting further harm on the public by...

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commerce Department are investigating Boeing Co.’s relationship with a satellite startup backed by a Chinese government-owned firm, following an article by The Wall Street Journal on the matterIn a letter to the Los Angeles-based startup Global IP, the SEC requested that the company retain all documents about its work with Boeing and a number of other individuals and entities, including state-owned Chinese lender China Orient Asset Management Co. The letter said the SEC believes the Los Angeles company possesses “documents and data that are relevant to a matter under investigation,” and asked...

The caucus of black New York state lawmakers run a charity whose stated mission is to empower “African American and Latino youth through education and leadership initiatives” by “providing opportunity to higher education” — but it hasn’t given a single scholarship to needy youth in two years, according to a New York Post investigation. The group collects money from companies like AT&T, the Real Estate Board of New York, Time Warner Cable, and CableVision, telling them in promotional materials that they are “changing lives, one scholarship at a time.” The group — called the Association of Black and Puerto Rican...

It’s four more days until the big Democratic primary in New York, and gubernatorial candidate (and actress) Cynthia Nixon is pulling out all the stops. In an interview this week, she returned to one of the favorite talking points of Democratic socialists these days, Medicare for all. Speaking with the New York Daily News, Nixon was adamant that lawmakers should move forward and pass “her plan” rather than listening to Governor Andrew Cuomo who has managed to resist the idea so far. And how will New York pay for this massive show of generosity to its residents? Nixon openly...

Following the most recent school mass shooting – this time in Santa Fe, Texas, where 10 students and teachers were killed and 10 were wounded Friday – family members, friends and investigators find themselves searching for illusive answers. Why did this happen? How do you make sense of such a senseless tragedy? Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pointed out that unlike other recent mass shootings, “there were not those types of warning signs. The red-flag warnings were either nonexistent or very imperceptible.” The accused shooter’s parents said the media reports of the shooting seemed “incompatible with the boy (they) love,” and...

Hillary Clinton headlined her first post-2016 fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee this week, which should help the DNC pay its bills to . . . her. Clinton, you see, is insisting the Democratic Party pay her group, Onward Together, $1.65 million for access to the Hillary for America email list, voter data and software from the 2016 campaign. And that, The Intercept reports, is on top of the more than $700,000 the DNC has already paid to rent the list. Indeed, the Republican National Committee notes (meow!) that Clinton only did this first fundraiser after the DNC stopped its payments to...

Full Title: Obscure pre-WWII law allowed Alabama sheriff Todd Entrekin to LEGALLY pocket at least $750,000 in taxpayer funds GADSDEN, Ala. — An Alabama sheriff legally used more than $750,000 of funds meant to feed inmates to purchase a beach house. Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin told The Birmingham News he follows a state law passed before World War II that allows sheriffs to keep “excess” inmate-feeding funds for themselves. Entrekin reported on state ethics forms that he made “more than $250,000” each of the past three years through the funds. The sheriff’s annual salary is more than $93,000. He...

The Seven Deadly Sins: Greed Msgr. Charles Pope • February 22, 2018 • One of the more underreported sins is greed. It is easy to conclude that greed is something manifested by “that other person,” who has more than I do. Yes, that rich guy over there, the one who earns a dollar more per hour than I do; he’s greedy, but I’m not.Honestly, does any one of us ever come to a point in our life when we say, “I earn more than enough money. I’ll just give the rest away”? Not on your life!Almost never would such...

And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to...

Twitter has joined Facebook and YouTube in restricting social media accounts of popular dissident Chinese businessman Guo Wengui, in the face of intense Chinese pressure. Guo, a New York-based billionaire and critic of corruption among senior Chinese leaders, said several Twitter accounts he used to reach more than 700,000 followers had been suspended. A Twitter spokeswoman declined to comment citing a policy of not commenting on individual accounts. Earlier, YouTube restricted Guo's live streaming from his widely-watched channel used to post hour-long videos revealing tantalizing details of high-level corruption among Chinese leaders. Guo spent 28 years as an entrepreneur in...

French President Emmanuel Macron and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar say they are ready to discuss the contentious issue of taxing internet giants after a meeting in Paris. Macron is leading the tax charge in Europe, saying it’s not fair that internet companies don’t pay taxes where they make most of their money. Countries that serve as tax shelters for companies like Apple, including Ireland, have resisted the proposed measure. …

Corny Capitalism: This is one campaign promise we wish President Trump would break. But alas, he just told his EPA to give up any thought of cutting back on the federal government's anti-consumer, anti-environment ethanol mandate. Sad. The story begins in 2005, when President Bush approved the Renewable Fuel Standard program as part of an energy bill, which required oil refiners to blend in predetermined amounts of "biofuels" into their gasoline, starting at 4 billion gallons in 2006. A revised version of the RFS, which Bush signed in 2007, expanding the program, requiring ethanol levels to climb steadily to 36...

The Obama Presidential Library revealed that it won’t be providing any original documents written by Obama. Instead of having the former president’s manuscripts, documents and letters from his tenure in office—items presidential centers around the country all have—the Obama Library will have space for outdoor functions and picnics, a basketball court, recording studio, sledding hill, children’s play garden, and more. The decision has scholars puzzled and disappointed. University of Chicago Professor of Black Studies Richard Buttkiss could hardly contain his dismay that “the written words of the greatest man to ever walk the Earth will not be available for historians...

SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) — California Gov. Jerry Brown warns that catastrophic wildfires will keep ripping through the state as the climate warms. **SNIP** He said a warming climate has contributed to catastrophic wildfires. “That’s the way it is with a warming climate, dry weather and reducing moisture.” said Brown. “These kind of catastrophes have happened and they’ll continue to happen, and we have to be prepared to do everything we can to mitigate.” The governor has positioned himself as a leader in the fight against climate change.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, accompanied by three Miami Dolphins players, visited a middle school in North Miami to lead a discussion on anti-bullying and community policing... ....Goodell, who spoke out against NFL players protesting during the national anthem, was joined by the Dolphins players, all of whom who have either kneeled during the anthem or skipped the singing of the anthem....

Greed: A Meditation on an Underreported Sin Msgr. Charles Pope • July 20, 2017 • One of the more underreported sins is greed. It is easy to conclude that greed is something manifested by “that other person,” who has more than I do. Yes, that rich guy over there, the one who earns a dollar more per hour than I do; he’s greedy, but I’m not.But honestly, does any one of us ever come to a point in our life when we say, “I earn more than enough money. I’ll just give the rest away”? Not on your life!Almost...

Amazon (AMZN) may be in hot water with consumers over the price of water. Some are reporting sharply higher prices for bottled water on Amazon as Hurricane Irma approaches Florida. Customers there were reporting packages of Nestle water selling for $25 on Amazon, yet prices for those in the Northeast showed a 24-case pack of Nestle water selling for $18.50. Amazon uses so-called "dynamic pricing," also known as surge pricing. In this model, items that are in demand receive price tweaks, thanks to Amazon's pricing algorithms. As demand spikes, prices go higher.

Imagine that you were elected to a federal office several years ago and had a safe seat with all the perks attached, including salary, expense account, and influence with corporate CEOs and other titans of industry.  Suppose further that you knew that the future would be prosperous when you left office because the connections you made would make you a fortune as a lobbyist.  Moreover, since unseating an incumbent is a herculean task, you felt that you were set for life.  In fact, as soon as you got elected, you began raising money and preparing for re-election.  Governing and legislating...

RUSH: Those of you driving a Prius, those of you who have ordered a Tesla, those of you who think that you are saving the planet before it climate change or other horrible acts of nature because you are purchasing an electric car, which means that you are engaging in sustainable, renewable energy, this story is for you. ItÂ’s from the U.K. Daily Mail. Now, weÂ’re gonna link to this story at RushLimbaugh.com, and I want those of you out there to pass this story on to everybody you know that drives an electric car or a hybrid. I donÂ’t...