Free Republic

BISBEE — A case of dog hoarding had a positive outcome Thursday when the owner agreed to voluntarily relinquish 37 of her 63 dogs, who all appeared to be healthy and well-socialized according to representatives from the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, which took the dogs to be checked out, neutered and spayed and then adopted. Kelly Galligan, president of Friends of Bisbee Animal Shelter, helped coordinate the effort after talking with the woman at her home in Bisbee Junction last month, where she was keeping 62 shih tzus and a one-eyed poodle. “Kelly reached out to me and said...

A message Japan began delivering Monday is a bit unusual, but true enough: Don’t wait until it’s too late to think about toilet paper. The government and paper companies kicked off a “Let’s stockpile toilet paper!” campaign to mark Disaster Prevention Day, warning of a possible crisis because nearly half of the supply comes from one of Japan’s most earthquake-prone areas. Officials said people immediately think of food and water as emergency supplies, but easily forget toilet paper, and get desperate when it’s too late. …

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has responded to a letter dated November 13, 2012 from Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) regarding the agency's ammunition purchases. Sen. Coburn published the response on the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs website yesterday, April 1, 2013. The response, dated February 4, 2013, says that DHS buys ammunition in bulk to "significantly lower costs."

Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about the risks of dependence on foreign resources that will come with the “green” energy revolution, at least in the direction favored by the Obama administration. Elements required for critical components such as lithium batteries for electric cars cannot be found in massive quantities within the US, and a number of the rare-earth elements needed for these components are mainly found in China — which can be fairly described as an economic competitor of the US at the very least. Today’s report from the Financial Times should drive that point home and send...

The staggered phase out of energy-wasting light bulbs begins on Sept. 1 in Germany. The unpopularity of the energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs that will replace them is leading consumers and retailers to start hoarding the traditional bulbs. As the Sept. 1 deadline for the implementation of the first phase of the EU's ban on incandescent light bulbs approaches, shoppers, retailers and even museums are hoarding the precious wares -- and helping the manufacturers make a bundle. The EU ban, adopted in March, calls for the gradual replacement of traditional light bulbs with supposedly more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL). The...

More than 100 cats have been seized from a woman's home in Duluth's West Duluth neighborhood. The Duluth Animal Control and Animal Allies are asking for the public's help in finding homes for the cats. There are too many to be housed at the local animal shelter. People can adopt the cats or be foster owners until space becomes available at the shelter. Authorities say the cats seemed to be OK and had enough food and water. The woman living with the cats was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Authorities seized the cats after a complaint by the...