Free Republic

He was known as the most charismatic and consequential president of the post-war 20th century. His contagiously positive demeanor, moral resoluteness, and clear focus, as well as his ability to radiate hope, optimism, and an ambitious “let’s get this done” attitude, though commanding, pragmatic, and firm when he needed to be, enabled him to take on the threat of the most dominant and occupying force in the world since the beginning of that century; The Soviet Union. As communism spread throughout the world not only in the Soviet Union, but in Cuba and other parts of the world as well,...

NATIONAL HOT PASTRAMI SANDWICH DAY Pastrami lovers across the country look forward to their favorite sandwich on January 14th as they recognize National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day. #HotPastramiSandwichDay Popular delicatessen meat, pastrami is usually made from beef. Others make their pastrami sandwich with pork, mutton, or turkey. Before refrigeration, butchers originally created pastrami as a way to preserve meat. To make pastrami, they placed the raw meat in brine. Then they partially dried it and seasoned it with various herbs and spices to be smoked and steamed. A wave of Romanian Jewish immigration introduced pastrami (pronounced pastróme), a Romanian specialty,...

If you have expertise in reading cursive, then there’s an opportunity that might peak your interest. The National Archives is looking for someone who can transcribe (or classify) more than 200 years’ worth of U.S. documents. Which historical documents must be transcribed? A team within the federal agency is looking for volunteers to read and transcribe records from Revolutionary War pension records that include applications and other records related to claims for pensions and bounty land warrants. Other historical materials include immigration documents from the 1890s and Japanese evacuation records. What they're saying: Suzanne Isaacs, a community manager with the...

The new study, led by Kirsten Bos and Johannes Krause of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, analyzed ancient DNA from skeletal remains in Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and Chile. Using state-of-the-art paleopathology techniques, the researchers reconstructed five genomes of Treponema pallidum, the bacterium responsible for syphilis and its related diseases, yaws and bejel. These genomes date back as far as 9,000 years, predating Columbus's voyages."We've known for some time that syphilis-like infections occurred in the Americas for millennia, but from the lesions alone, it's impossible to fully characterize the disease," explained Casey Kirkpatrick, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max...

PPresident Joe Biden is the second-worst president in American history, a Gallup poll found Tuesday. Biden and his aides are trying to make the case that he will be remembered as one of the greatest presidents of all time, but that does not appear to be supported by data. Fifty-four percent of Americans say Biden will be remembered as a “below average” (37 percent) or “poor” (17 percent) president. Only 19 percent say he will be remembered as “outstanding” (6 percent) or “above average” (13 percent). Twenty-six percent think he will be regarded as “average.” Compared with nine recent presidents...

NATIONAL BEAN DAY Green, red, kidney, lima, or soy are just a few of the different kinds of beans recognized on National Bean Day on January 6th. #NationalBeanDay This day celebrates the bean in all sizes, shapes, and colors. We've been cultivating beans (legumes) since the early seventh millennium BC. And today, just as throughout the Old and New World history, beans provide a significant source of protein. Not only are beans an exceptionally healthy meal and snack choice, but they supply an excellent source of fiber. They are low in fat and are high in complex carbohydrates, folate, and...

In this Behind-The-Scenes video from Star Trek (The Original Series - TOS), we learn how The U.S.S. 1701 Enterprise flies in space, which is reminiscent of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Song, Californication, which lyrics say, "Space may be the final frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement..." Seriously, this takes place at Desilu Studios, and we learn the Bluescreen techniques used with front lighting, back lighting, rear lighting, and how intricate it was. (All of these Star Trek scenes are from The Roddenberry Vault Blu-Ray Set). Enjoy.

As an amateur historian -- and probably not a good one -- I go nuts when I see amateurish fictions tendered as core premises. This is no more frequently found than in Hollywood; but do not kid yourself, it is not confined to Hollywood. The following famous movie scene (based on the play) is a case in point, one worse than most: Camelot is unique. And we have, by far and away, the most equitable climate in all England -- Camelot (1967)A) The King Arthur stories hail back to the collapse of Celtic Briton, after the Roman garrison left in...

A new report released by the Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight into the January 6 pipe bomber shows the FBI stopped looking for the suspect in 2021 and covered up evidence. The FBI is now refusing to cooperate with Congressional investigators. In September, former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino said according to a whistleblower, after the pipe bombs were found at the RNC and DNC headquarters, “assets on the ground, including a whistleblower, was briefed about the pipe bombs the next day and show a picture of a guy in a hoodie.” However, according to the whistleblower, the...

Having officially claimed 7 million lives worldwide, Covid-19 has become a less serious disease, even if it remains more deadly than the flu. It was a lighting, global spread rarely seen in recent human history, comparable in scale to the Spanish flu of 1918. Since December 31, 2019, the date of the first reports of the first cases of viral pneumonia in Wuhan, China, a large part of the human population has been contaminated with Covid-19, a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), of the 776.8 million cases officially recorded over five years...

One of the defining moments of Jimmy Carter’s presidency was the Iran hostage crisis. Retired Army Col. Chuck Scott was one of the 52 hostages held in Iran for 444 days. In an interview with Channel 2 Action News, he said Carter got a lot of blame he did not deserve. “People say, ‘Yeah, he really screwed up the hostage crisis.’ But how do you know? You weren’t there,” Scott said. The crisis would overshadow many of the accomplishments during President Carter’s one and only term. “We looked like idiots. Here we were, the most powerful nation in the world...

BACON DAY On December 30th each year, bacon lovers celebrate one of nature's favored gifts on Bacon Day! The day reminds us that bacon is not just for breakfast and encourages us to test out various ways to enjoy this culinary marvel. #BaconDay Everything is better with bacon, so someone said once. And our research shows very little to dispute this assertion. The United States and Canada make bacon from the pork belly. Other countries around the world use the side and back cuts of pork. The meat is cured in either a salt brine or a salt pack. It...

On the far eastern edge of Yemen, far from any cities or well-traveled roads, there's a black mark in the desert, like a giant eye peering up from the earth. Regardless of how uncanny it looks from above, it is a natural phenomenon, a perfectly round and profoundly deep sinkhole called the Well of Barhout, or the "Well of Hell." It's easy to see why. Without the help of wings or long ropes, anything that disappears into this 367-foot-deep hole is not going to come out.For centuries, sinister legends have swirled around the Well of Barhout. It's said that visiting...

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) will celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25, instead of Jan. 7 for the second year after transitioning to the Revised Julian Calendar. Since Sept. 1, 2023, Christians of the Eastern Rite in Ukraine have been using the Revised Julian Calendar. This calendar shifts certain fixed-date religious celebrations 13 days earlier compared to the "old style." While the OCU allowed parishes to choose their preferred Christmas date during a transitional period, the majority of believers embraced the new calendar.

On this Chanukah, menorahs will be lit not only in the land of Israel, from Jerusalem to Gaza, but in Lebanon and on the heights of Mt. Hermon overlooking Syria. Vacationing families will visit the waterfalls of the Hermon Stream in the Golan Heights from which the Syrian Greek armies had descended thousands of years ago to conquer Israel leading to the events of. Chanukah. The lights of the menorahs over darkness are a reminder that miracles can still happen here. The Syrian Greeks had called the area Paneas after their god Pan and the Arab Muslim conquerors had retained...

It is crucial to understand how so-called "priorities" and "guidelines" have been used to hobble Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and Border Patrol agents in their attempts to enforce the immigration laws...What follows is a brief history of such non-enforcement...going back five administrations.

2000 Year-old Scrolls Read With Scanner 10 Billion Times Brighter Than The Sun | 10:41Secrets of the Dead | PBS | 1.34M subscribers | 52,406 views | December 22, 2024

A shipwreck dating to the sixth or fifth century b.c. has been discovered near Sicily along with a collection of ancient anchors, according to a report from CBS News. The wreck was found buried under sand and rock 20 feet underwater off Santa Maria del Focallo, at the southern tip of the island. The excavation was carried out by underwater archaeologists from the University of Udine in collaboration with Sicily's superintendent of the sea. Researchers determined that the ship's hull was built using a simple early shipbuilding technique known as "on the shell." Further study of the wreck may help...

December 17, 1903 Three days later, they were ready for the second attempt. The 27-mph wind was harder than they would have liked, since their predicted cruising speed was only 30-35 mph. The headwind would slow their groundspeed to a crawl, but they proceeded anyway. With a sheet, they signaled the volunteers from the nearby lifesaving station that they were about to try again. Now it was Orville's turn. Remembering Wilbur's experience, he positioned himself and tested the controls. The stick that moved the horizontal elevator-controlled climb and descent. The cradle that he swung with his hips warped the wings...

Senator Mitt Romney (R-MA) said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that January 6, 2021 will be seen “as a very dark day in American history.” Host Jake Tapper said, “Four years ago next month you were running for your life from the mob on January 6. And now the person that you said was responsible for that day is about to return to the White House. He says he’s going to pardon a lot of the people that have been convicted for the crimes committed on that day. What do you think the legacy of January 6 will...