Free Republic

President Obama signaled Congress this week that he is planning on providing Moscow with US missile defense secrets. The Washington Times reported: President Obama signaled Congress this week that he is prepared to share U.S. missile defense secrets with Russia. In the president’s signing statement issued Saturday in passing into law the fiscal 2012 defense authorization bill, Mr. Obama said restrictions aimed at protecting top-secret technical data on U.S. Standard Missile-3 velocity burnout parameters might impinge on his constitutional foreign policy authority. As first disclosed in this space several weeks ago, U.S. officials are planning to provide Moscow with the...

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Jose Guerena Ortiz was sleeping after an exhausting 12-hour night shift at a copper mine. His wife, Vanessa, had begun breakfast. Their 4-year-old son, Joel, asked to watch cartoons. An ordinary morning was unfolding in the middle-class Tucson neighborhood — until an armored vehicle pulled into the family's driveway and men wearing heavy body armor and helmets climbed out, weapons ready. They were a sheriff's department SWAT team who had come to execute a search warrant. But Vanessa Guerena insisted she had no idea, when she heard a "boom" and saw a dark-suited man pass by...

As Cyber Monday draws near and debate continues about the Stop Online Piracy Act, the U.S. government has again seized a bevy of domain names it says belong to Web sites that deal in counterfeit goods. Blog TorrentFreak ran a list of more than 130 domains it said were seized by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security's Immigrations and Customs Enforcement division as part of "Operation in Our Sites." TorrentFreak called the move the largest such round of seizures to date.

Is it me or are we really going to hell in a hand basket? I'm sick of of all the BS and why don't we all do TAKE BACK AMERICA rally in the the October 2012 time frame? Seriously.. We had the Tea Party, we had gathering of Eagles, we had the Glen Beck, rally, why noy a SERIOUS TAKE BACK AMERICA RALLY in October 2012? Bring the silent majority to the front, HAMMER the opposition just before the elections?

As every major developed economy hits Bass's Keynesian Endgame, the status quo is set to change dramatically. Nowhere is this climax playing out louder than in Europe and the implicit solution of Germany-uber-alles (while seemingly inevitable though nevertheless lengthy in execution) is likely to not sit well with many of the EMU nations. To wit, The Telegraph today reports that Britain's Foreign Office is advising its overseas embassies to draw up plans to help expats should the collapse of the Euro turn explosive. Almost incredibly, a senior minister has revealed that Britain is now planning on the basis that a...

Around the country, night workers at Walmart stores are being told to come in five hours early ON Thanksgiving. After having work until 7am that morning, they must get whatever sleep they can and then reutrn to work at 5pm for a 12 hour shift. How much time does this leave for them to spend the holiday with their family? Walmart wants to call their employees associates. No, they are just workers.

􀂃 In the Republican race for the presidential nomination, Newt Gingrich’s support continues to slowly grow, and he is now tied with Mitt Romney for second place, while Herman Cain just edges both of them out for the top spot. Both Cain and Romney have lost support since late October. 􀂃 61% of Republican primary voters say the sexual harassment accusations against Cain won’t make any difference in their vote, but 30% say the charges make them less likely to back him, and that rises to 38% among women. Cain has lost support among women since last month – from...

What is everyone's favorite Thanksgiving Recipe and/or Tradition?

MARKETS DESTROYED AROUND THE WORLD: Here's What You Need To Know Joe Weisenthal Sep. 22, 2011, 3:59 PM But first, the scoreboard: Dow: -387.37 NASDAQ: -79.69 S&P 500: -36.19 And now, the top stories: * The "day" really started yesterday around 2:20 when the FOMC released its highly anticipated "Operation Twist" announcement. Markets were already down modestly heading into that, but the selloff got serious after that, and stocks really fell out of bed. To some extent, the selling was a "sell-the-new" kind of thing, and perhaps to some extent some were disappointed that Bernanke didn't go further. Alongside the...

Fires broke out across Central Texas Sunday. The hot, dry, windy conditions made the job that much harder for firefighters. Authorities say 14,000 acres have burned in Bastrop, destroying 300 homes. The fire is near FM 1441 and Highway 21. People in the areas of Wilderness Ridge, Cedar Creek and Alan Creek were evacuated. Four shelters have been set up in the Bastrop area for evacuees. An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 acres of 6,500-acre Bastrop State Park have been burned in the ongoing Bastrop County wildfire. Another fire on Griffin League Ranch is moving south and forced the evacuation of...

how did you convince your spouse to be a prepper? (and not think you're nuts) Post your interesting , amusing , and/or somber antecdotes here. IE: I convinced her the money saved on growing food could be used for some killer pedicures.

Editor's Note: The writer is the author of "A Time to Betray," a book about his double life as a CIA agent in Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Iran is warning Israel that its citizens should flee the Middle East or face annihilation. The chief commander of Iran's Basiji forces, Brig. Gen. Mohammad-Reza Naghdi, recently stated that Iran has no option but to destroy Israel. Ratcheting up the war of words, Naghdi is now threatening Israelis in the "occupied lands" that they are surrounded by mujahedeen of Islam bent on their destruction. "I quote our supreme leader, Imam Khamenei, who clearly stated...

FULL TITLE: Moving on and out: Anthony Weiner and pregnant wife Huma finally sell Queens apartment as they prepare for first child As the Weiners try to put the year's events behind them, it was only natural their marital home - Anthony Weiner's former sexting headquarters - should be one of the first to go. Thankfully for the couple, after putting their Queen's two-bedroom apartment back on the market - after quietly taking it off during the scandal - they have finally found a buyer. Their 875-square-foot home on Ascan Avenue was listed at $449,000 in June.

NASA head Charles Bolden issued a weekend statement through the NASA Headquarters of Emergency Operations advising employees and their families to prepare for unforeseen emergency and/or disasters. Some key excerpts from the video statement follow: They've given me a few minutes just to talk to all of you in our NASA family about emergency preparedness. NASA recently participated in a FEMA exercise called Eagle Horizon that was a part of a continuity of operations of government exercise that we do annually, and I became aware of some things that concerned me about family preparedness... ... So, what I'm asking all...

In 2006, I examined a series of surveys we conducted nationwide and then predicted a collapse of the housing market. Plenty others followed with similar forecasts and postmortems over the following months and years. But my column was among the first. I've made predictions about other slowdowns in the American economy. I've been mostly correct, although in 2010, I suggested that the stock market ultimately would plunge. Turned out that it climbed instead of descending. The fact is that it's easier to predict the weather next month than to get an accurate read on the future of the stock market....

That birds fly and pigs don't is a consequence of laws of nature governing physics and biology. Nothing that transpires on physical planet Earth is any different: the laws of nature are inviolate. Always. [1] This is a truism, and should be readily apparent, as it indeed often is in indigenous cultures where people are entirely dependent on natural forces and what is close at hand. But this truism is rendered invisible by technological and bureaucratic power, the delusional quality of human exceptionalism, and the complexity of civilizations, especially but not exclusively of recent industrialized civilization. That is, we have...

Democrats are preparing a spirited defense of the healthcare law in the face of Republican efforts to dismantle it. Statements from lawmakers, advocates and the administration reveal a multi-pronged strategy as Democrats prepare to deal with a new Republican-controlled House that has made repealing the new law a top priority. Democrats say they'll use the repeal debate to detail what they call the law's benefits, while simultaneously attacking Republicans for wasting time — and money — refighting old battles and pushing back on court rulings against it. Ways and Means health subpanel Chairman Pete Stark (D-Calif.) unveiled

Those nagging whispers warning that the United States is heading for an Argentina-like currency crisis are getting louder. The prospect of a prolonged devaluation of the US dollar is just one more challenge in what has already been a difficult period for savers and investors. Have we really reached the point where the greenback is in danger of becoming an “also ran” currency? (Snip) This correction has already started as millions of unemployed Americans can attest. The Federal Reserve has conceded that unemployment will remain elevated through 2011.

Passengers aboard a British Airways flight were stricken with fear after hearing a false announcement warning them their flight to Hong Kong from London was going to crash. As the flight flew over the North Sea on August, 24 passengers heard this message echo through the cabin: “This is an emergency. We may shortly need to make an emergency landing on water.” Reports the Sun newspaper of London: Michelle Lord, 32, of Preston, Lancs, said: “People were terrified, we all thought we were going to die. They said the pilot hit the wrong button because they were so close together.”...

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del., March 9, 2010 – Army Sgt. 1st Class Jimmy Toro slides ribbons onto a rack, then clips the rack onto a brand-new dress uniform, the finishing touch on a lengthy process to ensure the proper medals and decorations are in place. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jimmy Toro measures the distance between an insignia and ribbon rack while preparing a uniform at the uniform shop of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Feb. 23, 2010. Toro prepares uniforms for fallen soldiers’ remains. DoD photo by Elaine Wilson  (Click photo for...

3/2/2010 - HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- Holloman Air Force Base Airmen began the movement of approximately 150 truckloads of assets that will directly support joint and coalition forces in Afghanistan Feb. 24 here. Members of the 49th Materiel Maintenance Group, the Air Force's only Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources base, have been working countless hours to prepare the equipment for movement since they were notified of the tasking in December 2009. BEAR base is supplying 480,000 square feet of AM-2 matting that will be used to expand the expeditionary aircraft operations throughout Afghanistan. The amount of AM-2 matting...

In 2008, as the U.S. economy teetered under the weight of years of reckless credit expansion, the Bush administration decided against proposals to sweep out the bad debts from the banking system and then fix the regulatory structure—an approach based on tried and tested models from the S&L crisis and other financial crises. We will pay the price for this decision in 2010. That's because the Obama administration and the Federal Reserve are plowing forward with Plan B: Nationalize credit creation and "stimulate" the private sector by spending in its stead.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq, Dec. 17, 2009 – With Iraq’s national elections approaching, U.S. soldiers are preparing to support the Iraqi army and police while remaining in the background. Four women from Najaf, Iraq, walk down the street as U.S. soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, drive past during a reconnaissance mission, Dec. 3, 2009. The soldiers were checking out polling sites in the area for Iraq’s upcoming elections. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Natalie Hedrick  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The soldiers of the 3rd Infantry...

Heat kills boy, 11, lost with his mother in Death Valley The two were stranded for days in a remote area. The child's mother is being treated for severe dehydration. Associated Press August 7, 2009 An 11-year-old boy died in the intense heat of Death Valley National Park after he and his mother became stranded and survived for several days on bottled water, Pop-Tarts and cheese sandwiches, authorities said Friday. Alicia Sanchez, 28, of Las Vegas was found severely dehydrated and remained hospitalized in that city a day after being found with her dead son, her dog and a Jeep...

Given our current situation, anti-Semitism is not just our right, but it is the duty of every Hungarian homeland lover, and we must prepare for armed battle against the Jews." This quote appeared in a newsletter published by an organization calling itself "The trade union of Hungarian police officers prepared for action". Hungarian law allows police officers to organize in trade unions of their own. The union - by its own definition - aims to protect the professional interests of those unionized, and not to partake in political activity. However, the law does not prevent the union from distributing a...

"I refer to myself as a modern survivalist, which means I don’t do without," Spirko explained. "I have a nice TV; I have nice furniture. We are not living in the sticks, but I take all of these things very seriously."

Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive order Friday directing state agencies to study the effects of global warming and recommend how the state needs to adapt to such changes in land use planning and building new infrastructure. "Given the serious threat of sea level rise to California's water supply, population and our economy, it's critically important that we make sure the state is prepared," Schwarzenegger said in a written statement. The executive order was signed after a conference Friday in Long Beach on global warming and water infrastructure that was sponsored in part by the state Department of...

TOKYO (AFP) — North Korea has ordered its diplomats overseas to get ready for an "important announcement" that may be related to the health of its reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il, a Japanese newspaper said on Saturday. Pyongyang has told diplomats around the world to stay in one place and refrain from travelling, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported, quoting several unnamed sources familiar with North Korean issues. The sources speculated the message could be related to North Korea's relations with South Korea or the health of Kim, Japan's best-selling daily said, adding that the announcement was expected in a few days.

FORT LEWIS, Wash., Aug. 31, 2007 – There’s a sense of giddiness here as families prepare for their “Arrowhead Brigade” Strykers to return home after a 15-month deployment to Iraq. An advance party from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) is slated to arrive at neighboring McChord Air Force Base on Sept. 3, finalizing groundwork for almost 4,000 more troops to fly in beginning Sept. 11. Jubilant and frequently tearful reunions will play out again and again over the next week to 10 days, as one plane after another touches down to bring the full...

London - US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said in an interview published on Friday that cyber attacks, such as the one unleashed on Estonia this week, will "become more of an issue" in the future. Estonia had urged its allies in the European Union and Nato to take firm action against the cyber attacks that have hit the Baltic state amid a bitter row with Russia over a Soviet war memorial. "We need to prepare ourselves because this is likely only to become more of an issue in the future," Negroponte told the Financial Times and other European...

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - When the aliens finally invade Earth, you may wish you had listened to Travis Taylor and Bob Boan. And if the invasion follows the plot of a typical Hollywood blockbuster, they might also be the guys called in at the last minute to save the day. After all, they have written "An Introduction to Planetary Defense," a primer on how humanity can defend itself if little green men wielding death rays show up at our cosmic doorstep. And yes, they're serious. "The probability really is there that aliens exist and are old enough to have technology...

SYDNEY (AFP) - Western nations must prepare for a future dominated by China and India, whose rapid economic rise will soon fundamentally alter the balance of power, former World Bank chief James Wolfensohn has warned. Wealthy countries were failing to understand the impact of the invevitable growth of the two Asian powerhouses, Wolfensohn said in the 2006 Wallace Wurth Memorial Lecture at the University of New South Wales at the weekend. "It's a world that is going to be in the hands of these countries which we now call developing," said Australian-born Wolfensohn, who held the top job at the...

Gaza militants 'prepare for showdown' By Harry de Quetteville in Jerusalem (Filed: 28/09/2006) Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip are rearming and retraining for an imminent military showdown with the Israeli army, intelligence sources disclosed yesterday. Yuval Diskin, the head of Israel's intelligence service Shin Bet, said 19 tons of explosives had been smuggled into Gaza in the past year. Other senior Israeli officials indicated that Palestinian fighters were acquiring more effective weapons. Palestinian militants at a news conference in Gaza on Sunday It is understood that Israel may use the unresolved kidnapping of a soldier in June as an...

Kyoto isn't working, prepare for climate change, say scientists By Roger Highfield, Science Editor (Filed: 04/09/2006) The Kyoto agreement to cut greenhouse emissions is "ineffectual" and the world should prepare for the effects of climate change, the nation's biggest general science meeting will be told tonight. Developing drought-tolerant crops, constructing flood defences, improving building insulation or banning building close to sea level are as important as cutting emissions, according to Frances Cairncross, the president of the British Association and chairman of the Economic and Social Research Council. "We need more sheltered public spaces. It is going to be either sunnier...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2006 – Troop-support volunteers in Milwaukee are gearing up for the city’s first Freedom Walk, a local organizer said today. Emily Lindeman, Operation Homefront’s chapter president for southeastern Wisconsin, said Milwaukee’s two-mile-long Freedom Walk is scheduled Sept. 11 starting at 9 a.m. at the city’s War Memorial. “We’re going to be walking through Veterans’ Park, which is a park right behind the War Memorial,” Lindeman said, noting there will be a 9/11 memorial service before the walk. Lindeman said Operation Homefront, a co-sponsor of Milwaukee’s Freedom Walk, is a national nonprofit volunteer group that provides emergency support...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Aug. 28, 2006 -- As members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit here make last-minute preparations for their upcoming deployment, Staff Sgt. Danny Sava and his family are getting their own affairs in order so they’re ready for another long separation. Marine Staff Sgt. Danny Sava, his wife, Julia, son, Anthony, and daughter, Alyssa, stroll past a sign at the top of a stairwell in the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s command headquarters that marks the days until Sava’s upcoming deployment. “E-22” marks “Embarkation minus 22,” or 22 days until Sava and 2,300 fellow...

(PRWEB) July 8, 2006 -- As Independence weekend celebrations spread throughout the United States, V.I.P. Promotions Founder/CEO Tommy Nero interviewed U.S. Army Captain James Van Thach while he was spending his July 4th, weekend deployed to Baghdad, Iraq on his first overseas tour of duty. "It's so unusual these days, Captain Thach, to find young people even thinking about devoting their lives to something greater than themselves May I ask why you volunteered to join the Infantry after finishing Touro Law School?" "Mr. Nero, there are higher callings in life than just focusing on building a very comfortable lifestyle for...

6/26/2006 - CAMP AL RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq (AFPN) -- In order for coalition troops to leave Iraq, the Iraqis must first be prepared to take over operations from the coalition. Part of accomplishing that task involves coalition forces training and validating the new Iraqi military. Four Airmen assigned to a small forward operating base about 10 miles outside Baghdad are responsible for that training. "Our job is to train, advise and mentor the Iraqi force to help them transition to taking over their country and getting coalition troops back home," said Maj. Derek Jenkins, the senior military adviser from the Coalition...

AL ASAD, Iraq (June 6, 2006) -- Sipping on bottled water, rifle in hand and wearing a good 60 pounds of body armor on this sprawling U.S. military airbase, Lance Cpl. Emanuel Cantu says he doesn’t mind training for combat in Iraq’s blistering 110-plus degree temperature. In fact, he says he loves it. After all, four months of serving in Iraq as part of a quick reaction force has helped the 31-year-old Marine lose more than 20 pounds, but more importantly, he says he’s found his niche in the Marine Corps – training to save lives. “I feel like I’m...

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2006 – Spending Mother's Day thousands of miles away from their kids is going to be no picnic for more than 7,400 military moms deployed in support of the war on terror. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Christine Buckley, deployed to Djibouti with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, has been home only twice to celebrate Mother's Day with her sons, ages 8 and 6. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert S. Taylor, USN  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Many say they're planning their own celebrations thinking of their children and calling home,...

FORT HUACHUCA — It’s early in the morning, the sun has yet to start its rise in the east and the only lights breaking the darkness on this Southern Arizona Army post are the soft orange illuminations from street lamps. But already there are stirrings as GIs begin to awake, stretching their muscles, yawning and occasionally growling their discontent knowing ahead of them will be chow, physical exercises, training and duty before the work period ends. It’s a routine part of a soldier’s day. And in today’s Army, a sense of security is also part of soldiers’ lives, developed through...

What You Should Do to Prepare for an EpidemicStock Up on Essentials and Have an 'Outbreak Plan'How To Protect Yourself Bird Flu How Would You Know If You Had Avian Flu?A Bit of Context on the Bird Flu Threat How To Protect Yourself By LARA SETRAKIAN March 12, 2006 — Will there be an outbreak of avian flu that threatens humans? Many experts disagree on when or if a human pandemic will occur, but do say there is a chance that the virus could mutate, leading to widespread infection. In that case, the best thing you and your family can...

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 1, 2006 – Defense Department officials are working to create a pandemic influenza plan in time for the Department of Homeland Defense's end-of-March deadline, a DoD medical official said Feb. 27. The plan will lay out the department's roles and responsibilities in varying stages of an avian influenza -- or "bird flu" -- outbreak, both at home and overseas, said Ellen Embrey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for force health protection and readiness, during a Joint Operations Medical Managers Course in San Antonio. DoD's work is a coordinated, integrated effort to ensure the department is...

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (Feb. 1, 2006) -- Every day, service members in Iraq put on their gear and prepare for battle in the war on terror, but one day a year the two top teams in the National Football League suit up and battle to see who will be the next Super Bowl champion. In Iraq, fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks hope their schedules will allow an opportunity to watch the game and support their team. They may not be home with their immediate family to watch the game, but from thousands of miles away a few...

AL ASAD, Iraq (Jan. 25, 2006) -- The Banshees of Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 1 are preparing to return home after six months of duty in support of Operation Iraq Freedom at Al Asad, Iraq. The EA-6B Prowler squadron based at Marine Corp Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., recently completed its mission of electronic warfare in support of II Marine Expeditionary Force and was relieved by VMAQ-2. The Banshees logged more than 800 flight missions, or sorties, which added up to more than 3,000 flight hours. "This was a very successful deployment for us," said Maj. John D. Thurman,...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif (Jan. 25, 2006) -- As another rotation of Marine forces are deploying to Iraq, Marine reserves from around the country will be filling the ranks and heading to combat operations with their active-duty counterparts. One such group of Marine reservist from the 4th Landing Support Battalion gathered on Camp Pendleton recently to familiarize themselves with some of the weapons and gear they will carry during their upcoming deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Approximately 100 members of the 4th LSB traveled from cities like Seattle, Savannah, Ga. and Charleston, S.C., to cross-train in...

Under the watchful eye of Mark Atwood, a Department of State trainer, Gen. Siafullah Hakem, the local immigration chief, and his Afghan Border Police colleagues, reviews the monitor of the Rapidscan x-ray machine at Kandahar International Airport. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Lum Afghan Border Police Prepare Airport for Hajj Afghan Border Police are receiving important airport screening training as the Kandahar International Airport prepares to open to Afghan nationals before the Hajj. By Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Lum 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Nov. 29, 2005 — Afghan Border Police are receiving...

A U.S. soldier assigned to the 84th Engineers Battalion helps guide a scraper to the loading dock so it can be lifted into the cargo ship Tayrona Princess at Ford Island, Nov. 10, 2005. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Juan Jimenez 84th Engineers Prepare for Iraq Deployment Soldiers, sailors and civilians worked to load 190 pieces of heavy equipment on board a cargo ship to support the engineers' second deployment to Iraq. By U.S. Army Spc. Juan Jimenez Hawaii Army Weekly FORD ISLAND, Hawaii, Nov. 28, 2005 — The Tayrona Princess, a 450-foot cargo ship from the Philippines, arrived...

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (NNS) -- Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40, deployed to the Gulf Coast region in support of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita relief efforts, are helping a private school here to recover from damage caused by the hurricanes. Students at Saint Louis King of France Catholic School are on schedule to meet their self-imposed Oct. 10 deadline to be back in the classroom, thanks to the Seabees. “The hurricane affected everybody, and that includes the [repair] contractors,” said Pam Schott, Saint Louis King of France’s principal. “So there’s no one here to help us get...

I can't think of a better place with better people to start a discussion on recommendations for survival preparedness. A list of items that people here find necessary to survive during a disaster. As we've all seen this is our personal responsibility. I'm sure there are sites all over the internet with this information but Freepers are the best...so have at it.