Free Republic

President Donald Trump approved a declaration of a “major disaster” in California over the weekend, freeing up federal funds for flood relief in several rural counties in response to requests from Governor Jerry Brown and local residents. In a press release on Sunday, the White House stated: Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump declared a major disaster exists in the State of California and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, flooding, and mudslides during the period of February 1 to February 23, 2017. … Federal funding is available...

Before you begin to mention the grandiose gains in the stock market since Obama took office, bear in mind a few things. 1. The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to zero percent, making bonds and interest bearing accounts untenable for retirees, effectively forcing people into stocks. Also, the Fed's balance sheet went from ~$750b to $4.5t over that time frame -- rigging both equity, currency, and bond markets over Obama's entire 8 year term. {..snip..}

Three months after leaving the White House in 2001, former President Bill Clinton arrived in India to cheering throngs to help those who had just lost a million homes in the aftermath of a massive earthquake that killed 20,000 and injured 166,000. In classic Clinton style, he solemnly promised that his new nonprofit — called the American India Foundation (AIF) — would rebuild 100 villages. Rajat Gupta, his millionaire co-chairman, pledged $1 billion for the victims. It never happened. Years later, AIF’s annual reports were reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation and show only seven villages were partially rebuilt...

The Russians hacked the Oscars causing Warren Beatty to be the patsy in the rigged vote.

President Trump approved Tuesday disaster relief for California, putting an end to speculation that the bad blood between the White House and Gov. Jerry Brown would jeopardize the state’s plea for emergency aid. The Federal Emergency Management Administration announced that the assistance would be provided “due to the emergency conditions resulting from the potential failure of the emergency spillway at Lake Oroville Dam beginning on February 7, 2017, and continuing.” Mr. Brown, a Democrat who called Mr. Trump a “fraud” during last year’s presidential campaign, made the request for federal help Friday after heavy rainstorms inundated Northern California, flooding creeks,...

While initial reports indicated that the smell originated from a chemical plant, the source has yet to be definitively determined.

This memorial of the USS Forrestal,CVA 59; it will be 50 years ago this July 29-Th; has actual pictures and the voice of Captain John K. Beling at the time of the fires.

This memorial of the USS Forrestal,CVA 59; it will be 50 years ago this July 29-Th; has actual pictures and the voice of Captain John K. Beling at the time of the fires. The Hymn played is, Pass Me Not Oh Gentle Savior, with mandolin and verse sung was covered by me, o7jimmy – (Revski).

The world-renown MD Anderson Cancer Center has announced a workforce reduction by 1,000, the CEO of the center said on Thursday. The cancer hospital has had $110 million in operating losses from September through November this year, reported the Houston Chronicle. [Snip] The local publication reported that the financial problems began in the spring when the hospital implemented a new electronic medical-record system. Doctors and staff members at the center spent a great deal of time getting up to speed in using the program and that took time away from their patients.

Obama and Clinton loyalists have praised the president—but for most Americans, such gains are nowhere to be found. As Barack Obama’s presidency comes to an end, his administration continues to disappoint many progressives still expecting the hope and change promised during his 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. In many areas where Obama had the opportunity to deviate from the status quo, he fully embraced it instead. Under his presidency, the United States maintained an interventionist foreign policy spearheaded by Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. During Obama’s first five years as president, the U.S. exported $30 billion more in weapons...

“A dull muffled roar gave but an instant’s warning before the top of the tank was blown into the air,” The New York Times wrote in 1919. “Two million gallons of molasses rushed over the streets and converted into a sticky mass the wreckage of several small buildings which had been smashed by the force of the explosion.”

To watch Barack Obama's pathetic final non-victory lap around the world this past week, one can't help but recall his stomach-churning "Apologize for America Tour" at the start of his administration. You'll recall that in April 2009, he went to Europe, which we sacrificed tens of thousands of American lives to liberate 70-plus years ago, and informed Europeans that America "has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive" of Europe. Last week, Mr. Obama could not resist the urge to dis his country once again, telling the "global community," again from a foreign shore, that in the age of the...

The whole nation joined a tiny Welsh village for a minute's silence - to remember the lives of the 144 people who died when a rock slide hit Pantglas Junior School For an entire generation, the word Aberfan instantly evokes heartbreaking memories of one of the worst disasters in British history. The small Welsh village will on Friday mark the tragic events of 50 years ago which wiped out a generation of children in a matter of minutes.

In a 2009 email recently declassified and released by Citizens United, longtime Hillary Clinton aide and confidante Huma Abedin told a Clinton Foundation executive that there was an unspecified “disaster” involving the then-Secretary of State. ‘Where are you,” read the subject line of an email from the foundation’s Doug Band. “I’m with her, we had a disaster,” Abedin emailed back. “U?”(continued)

Oscar winners, sports stars and Bill Gates are building lavish bunkers — with amenities ranging from a swimming pool to a bowling alley — as global anxiety fuels sales and owners "could be the next Adam and Eve."SNIP Adds Mike Peters, owner of Utah-based Ultimate Bunker, which builds high-end versions in California, Texas and Minnesota: "People are going for luxury [to] live underground because they see the future is going to be rough. Everyone I've talked to thinks we are doomed, no matter who is elected."

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called for the withdrawal of U.S. military from a restive southern island, fearing an American troop presence could complicate offensives against Islamist militants notorious for beheading Westerners. Duterte, who was in the spotlight last week over his televised tirade against the United States and President Barack Obama, said special forces now training Filipino troops were high-value targets for the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf as counter-insurgency operations intensify. "These special forces, they have to go," Duterte said in a speech during an oath-taking ceremony for new officials. "I do not want a rift with America....

Between ISIS attacks, Russian aggression in Syria and Ukraine, and Brexit, it can feel a lot like the world has been falling apart these past few years. So it’s surprising — and perhaps a little disconcerting — to learn that Susan Rice, President Barack Obama’s national security adviser, is actually optimistic about the state of the world right now. "This is a much more hopeful and positive period in history than we have seen certainly in our lifetimes," she told me in early August when I sat down with her in the White House to talk about the Obama administration’s...

So a giant, rent-seeking insurance company is accused of having threatened to leave Obamacare's health insurance "marketplace" if the government didn't approve its giant merger. If true, this would be the least surprising development in the past six years of Obamacare fiascos. Any giant regulatory scheme bringing together big business and big government inevitably leads to cronyism and corruption. Not long after the Justice Department blocked Aetna's merger with Humana, the company announced it would be scaling back participation in Affordable Care Act exchanges. Now, Obamacare consumers in 11 states won't be able to keep their insurance, even though, one...

The White House said Mr. Fugate “briefed the president on the resources that have been provided to support the response and recovery.” Mr. Obama directed FEMA to use “all resources available” to help in the recovery. But there were no changes in travel plans announced for the president, who is scheduled to stay on the island until Sunday.

CNN)A flash flood emergency has been issued for portions of the Baltimore, Maryland, area, with the National Weather Service citing "severe" flooding and warning people to get to higher ground. "Move to higher ground now. This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation," the weather service said in a warning issued at 10:40 p.m ET. "Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order."