Free Republic 4th Qtr 2025 Fundraising Target: $81,000 Receipts & Pledges to-date: $37,559
46%  
Woo hoo!! And now only $511 to reach 47%!! Thank you all very much!! God bless.

Chit/Chat (General/Chat)

Brevity: Headers | « Text »
  • Today's Cryptogram

    11/18/2025 4:45:32 AM PST · by Lonesome in Massachussets · 4 replies
    KSKZTVGK ME WGMFWK. DVJLBZK GVI TVWZEKHO RMIQ BGTVGK KHEK HKEI TVW ELVMH AVU'E DWZZMDWHWJ. -- YBBH EQKJ IVS
  • MASSIE: Trump comments about my wife 'Beyond the pale' but that's OK...

    11/17/2025 9:54:36 PM PST · by RandFan · 71 replies
    X ^ | Nov 18 | Rep. Thomas Massie
    MASSIE on the Epstein files: "The Speaker, the Attorney General, the FBI Director, the President, and the Vice President could have saved us all this time and embarrassment, frankly, for our own party if they'd just done the right thing four months ago."
  • Costco’s Kirkland tequila at center of class action suit

    11/17/2025 7:08:17 PM PST · by Rio · 41 replies
    OregonLive ^ | Nov. 17, 2025 | Tribune News Service
    Some Kirkland tequila brands that claim to contain only alcohol distilled from the blue agave plant actually include other, lesser-quality alcohols, according to a suit filed Friday on behalf of 13 aggrieved tequila drinkers in Washington and eight other states. Tests found that some of the Kirkland-brand tequilas were so adulterated they didn’t even qualify as tequila under Mexican law, according to the suit, which was filed in federal court in Seattle.
  • Michelle Obama at 61: ‘I feel as free now as I did when I was a kid’

    11/17/2025 6:05:00 PM PST · by simpson96 · 58 replies
    The Times ^ | 11/15/2025 | Pandora Sykes
    Michelle Obama may have left the White House eight years ago, but she has retained the allure of an international rock star. And so it is more than a little surreal to be speaking to her on Zoom — glossy and gorgeous in a stripy blue shirt from Gap, with a chunky silver necklace, her hair in a flicky blow-dry — about something she spent a very long time not talking about: fashion. Her new book, The Look — about her most renowned outfits and the stories behind them — is written in collaboration with her stylist, Meredith Koop. “What...
  • Stephen A Smith calls out AOC, Schumer, Newsom for ignoring invitations to his show

    11/17/2025 5:39:14 PM PST · by MinorityRepublican · 16 replies
    New York Post ^ | Nov. 17, 2025 | Lindsay Kornick
    Podcast host Stephen A. Smith claimed that high-profile Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have been ignoring invitations to appear on his show. During his show on Friday, Smith addressed the backlash he’s received from close friends over his critiques of Democratic politicians like Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett. He stood by his comments and claimed that he had invited several Democrats, like Crockett, AOC, and Newsom, along with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to appear on his show, only to be met with silence. “Jasmine Crockett has been on this air — invited on this show...
  • Dave Portnoy Blasts Democrat Party for Marking 'White Dudes' America's 'Bad Guys'

    11/17/2025 4:13:45 PM PST · by MinorityRepublican · 26 replies
    Breitbart ^ | 17 Nov 2025 | Warner Todd Huston
    Barstool Sports chief Dave Portnoy says that he fully turned against the Democrat Party — especially during the Biden era — because the party decided that white people are evil. In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning on Sunday, Portnoy admitted to growing up in a liberal Democrat family, but has become thoroughly disenchanted with the party of the left, Mediaite reported. Portnoy tried to explain why the Democrats are losing young male voters. “People often think I have the answer… My nutshell [answer] is, generally, they were very anti-normal guys, like,” he told CBS reporter Tony Dokoupil. Dokoupil attempted...
  • Trump reveals when ‘moderate income’ Americans can expect to get $2,000 tariff dividend checks

    11/17/2025 2:48:29 PM PST · by V_TWIN · 98 replies
    nypost.com ^ | Nov. 17, 2025 | By Josh Christenson and Caitlin McCormack
    “We’re gonna be issuing dividends later on, somewhere prior to — the middle of next year, a little bit later than that,” he said, noting it would include “Thousands of dollars, for individuals of moderate income.” [Scott] Bessent also floated a rough income limit of $100,000 that would disqualify higher income families from receiving the dividend.
  • ‘Excessive' travel spending doubled at Chicago Public Schools post-pandemic: OIG

    11/17/2025 1:13:53 PM PST · by V_TWIN · 7 replies
    nbcchicago.com ^ | November 12, 2025 | By Courtney Sisk
    For nearly two years the Office of Inspector General investigated travel spending at Chicago Public Schools. The report found 'questionable, excessive and even exorbitant' travel spending across the district. Inspectors say it's fueled in part by federal COVID relief money and a broken travel expense process with no official oversight, according to a new report. The report found eight schools used more than $142,000 of CPS funds to pay a vendor for 15 staff trips to Finland, Estonia, Egypt and South Africa. However 13 out of the 15 trips were not pre-approved as required. One trip was even rejected, but...
  • 4 men accused of trying to cash stolen $27M US Treasury check

    11/17/2025 11:35:16 AM PST · by V_TWIN · 39 replies
    actionnewsjax.com ^ | November 17, 2025 | By Bob D'Angelo Cox Media Group National Content Desk
    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Four men are accused of attempting to cash a U.S. Treasury check worth more than $27 million, authorities said. They were arrested at a South Florida restaurant on Nov. 10 after they unwittingly included an undercover officer in their scheme. According to a federal criminal complaint, agents arrested Carlos Manuel Villaneuva, 37, of Hialeah, Florida; Eric Renard Bedford, 44, of Houston; Jorge Cruz Garcia, 30, of Katy, Texas; and John Ryan Boxie, 43, of Houston. The four men face one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of theft of government property....
  • When is the Epstein files vote - and what happens next?

    11/17/2025 10:51:19 AM PST · by RandFan · 10 replies
    BBC ^ | BBC
    US President Donald Trump has urged Republicans in Congress to vote to release more files relating to Jeffrey Epstein - a sudden reversal in his position after having previously opposed efforts to make the documents public. Trump had been facing a potential revolt this week after a growing number of Republicans signalled they would vote in favour of releasing the files despite his opposition. While the measure is likely to pass in the House of Representatives, it is far from certain that it would pass in the Republican-controlled Senate. And even if it does pass in the Senate, it remains...
  • What Barron Trump said to Biden during his dad’s inauguration revealed

    11/17/2025 9:46:12 AM PST · by V_TWIN · 23 replies
    nypost.com ^ | Ryan King
    WASHINGTON — First son Barron Trump was “very respectable” when he crossed paths with former President Joe Biden at the Capitol Rotunda for his father’s inauguration in January, according to his older brother Eric. Eric, 41, finally shed light on his brother’s viral interaction with the 46th president, while speaking to podcast host Megyn Kelly during an interview in Miami last week. “One night I call Barron and I go ‘Buddy, what did you actually say?’ And it was something so polite I almost wouldn’t even get it right,” Eric recounted to Kelly. “But like, ‘Congratulations, and best of luck...
  • Warriors' Draymond Green confronts fan teasing him with 'Angel Reese' chants

    11/17/2025 8:01:39 AM PST · by V_TWIN · 9 replies
    foxnews.com ^ | November 17, 2025 | Ryan Gaydos Fox News
    Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green had a face-to-face confrontation with a New Orleans Pelicans fan on Sunday night during the team’s 124-106 win. The incident occurred in New Orleans with about two minutes to play before halftime. The fan, who was identified as Sam Green, was standing and cheering after Green was called for a foul on Pelicans forward Herb Jones. The NBA player, instead of going to line up for the free-throw attempts, strolled to the sideline and stood in front of the fan. The man stood up and held his arms out to the side as the...
  • Making SNAP a four-letter word

    11/17/2025 6:51:37 AM PST · by DIRTYSECRET · 33 replies
    Asking people to reapply is exactly what needs to be done.
  • Today's Cryptogram (FRESH!)

    11/17/2025 6:50:03 AM PST · by Lonesome in Massachussets · 8 replies
    IM XMJ OZ OCDDAZI MCJ ML QMCV BMFFMX NZXNZ OQ JYZ NKZBAEDANJ; JHM JM MXZ, YZ AN E KZIEXJ. -- MDAUZV HZXIZDD YMDFZN NV.
  • Thomas Massie Helped Force a House Vote on the Epstein Files. He’s Not Done.

    11/17/2025 6:34:53 AM PST · by RandFan · 68 replies
    TIME ^ | Nov 17 | TIME
    Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky went against the most powerful leaders of his party to push forward with a vote to release more Jeffrey Epstein investigation files. That vote is expected to happen this week. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who for months has sought to avoid the politically charged issue, only agreed to schedule the vote after Massie helped lead a bipartisan coalition of House members to force his hand. The vote will be the culmination of months of growing demands from the public and within Congress demanding transparency about the disgraced financier’s ties to powerful figures. Trump himself...
  • Five Guys Now Offering 50-Year Burger Financing

    11/17/2025 6:20:13 AM PST · by V_TWIN · 35 replies
    babylonbee.com ^ | Nov 14, 2025
    ALEXANDRIA, VA — Inspired by the Trump White House's move toward 50-year mortgages, popular burger chain Five Guys announced it would be addressing the ongoing "Five Guys Affordability Crisis" with convenient 50-year burger financing. "We get it. Things are expensive, especially our burgers," the company said in a public press release. "But new burger financing options make our menu more accessible to the average consumer than ever. Sign up for 10-year, 30-year, or even 50-year financing options. No credit check required!" Economists urged customers not to sign up for Five Guys' burger financing program, warning that the interest alone will...
  • Today’s Cryptogram

    11/17/2025 1:42:07 AM PST · by Apple Pan Dowdy · 7 replies
    VM OGIH AJMASJ WZDIC WZGW VMUDGS VWXYDJV GIY KJDFY SJVVMIV DI VMUDGS VWXYDJV, WJGUZDIR CDYV DI GOJFDUG GFJ PGY, DV DW WZJ FJVXSW MB UMOOMI UMFJ? GIY DW'V IMW. DW'V IMW. UMOOMI UMFJ YMJV IMW YJGS KDWZ VMUDGS VWXYDJV. DW'V PGVDUGSSH KFDWDIR GIY OGWZ. — OJRHI CJSSH
  • Styx’s Dennis DeYoung slams ‘shameful’ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in scathing post

    11/16/2025 4:23:18 PM PST · by DallasBiff · 46 replies
    New York Post ^ | 11/16/25 | Eric Todisco
    Styx musician Dennis DeYoung is dragging the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The singer-keyboardist, 78, shared a scathing Facebook message on Thursday where he blasted the organization for waiting too long to induct iconic musicians as new members. “It’s a shame that Bad Company had to wait so long to get in that it rendered Paul Rodgers unable to perform due to health concerns,” DeYoung wrote. “Bollocks!! I would have liked to have seen him perform years ago to demonstrate how one of rock’s premiere singers ACTUALLY ROCKS.”
  • Here’s how much rain the atmospheric river has dumped on Southern California…so far

    11/16/2025 3:22:12 PM PST · by DallasBiff · 43 replies
    KTLA via Yahoo ^ | 11/16/25 | Will Conybeare
    The National Weather Service released updated rain totals on Sunday morning after a major atmospheric river storm drenched Southern California this weekend, and the storm is not over just yet. NWS officials’ most recent data was put out just after 8 a.m. Sunday. As of that time, it was still raining in much of SoCal, meaning that rainfall rates will likely rise as the day goes on.
  • Dog Chewing Back Paw - Looking for Suggestions

    11/16/2025 1:52:37 PM PST · by Mean Daddy · 57 replies
    My yellow lab has been obsessive about chewing the top portion of his back, right paw. The only thing working is a cone with a 3" extension but he keeps plowing into things. We've tried bandaging, salmon oil on his food, probiotics, topical creams, wipes etc. but nothing outside of the cone is working on keeping him from getting at his back foot.