Free Republic

US thermal coal exporters recorded more than $5 billion in overseas sales in 2023, shipping upwards of 32.5 million metric tons of the high-polluting power fuel, according to Reuters, citing data from ship-tracking firm Kpler. These coal export earnings were the second highest since 2017, trailing only behind 2022's $5.7 billion. This comes as US utility coal usage for electricity generation tumbles to the lowest in this century. Reuters points out diverging trends between sliding domestic coal use at power plants and a surge in coal exports. They called this "hypocrisy, given the country's ambitions to become a global leader...

The Israel-Palestine conflict is the latest narrative in the war of stories and is serving multiple strategic purposes. Aside from fueling the war economy, this conflict is having a particularly divisive effect on America. It is also being used as a pretext to bolster the Western censorship regime. It is obvious that establishment forces want you hungry for this war; they might not even care which side you are on so long as you do pick a side. This article suggests that there is an alternative option, and it is one that the deep political establishment does NOT want you...

Boston radio host Kevin Karlson has died unexpectedly, 100.7 WZLX announced Friday morning. Karlson was a staple on the classic rock station for almost two decades. He was a host on the morning show with Pete McKenzie and Heather Ford. Karlson reportedly passed away in his sleep at home. He was 59. “It is with great sadness that 100.7 WZLX shares news of the unexpected passing of our friend, Kevin Karlson,” 100.7 WZLX posted on Friday. “For almost 20 years, Kevin helped wake up Boston with humor and classic rock,” the rock station added. “We invite you to share your...

Black Mirror has finally returned to Netflix after a hard-to-believe four year hiatus sparked in part by COVID delays, but still, that’s an extremely long time. Now it’s returned with five new episodes and I’m going to do something I haven’t done in well, four years. Rank them. There is no good way to do this without some level of spoilers, so I would save reading this until you’ve watched them. However, if you want to skip the bad ones and watch the good ones, this may be helpful if you at least just glance over the ranking order.

Crime Former school official accused of embezzling $1.5 million worth of chicken wings January 31, 2023 / 7:27 AM / CBS News A former official in a school district in the Chicago suburb of Harvey is accused in a bizarre scheme involving more than $1 million worth of stolen chicken wings, CBS Chicago reports. Vera Liddell is the former director of food services at Harvey School District 152. The Cook County State's Attorney's office alleges that Liddell launched an embezzlement scheme that resulted in the theft of wings that cost more than $1.5 million in taxpayer money. The alleged scheme...

Let’s get right to the crux of one of the worst sporting tragedies in recent memory and especially so given the context of a highly anticipated Monday night NFL game, which is averaging 14.8 million viewers in 2022: If Damar Hamlin were NOT vaccinated/boosted for COVID-19, it would be plastered all over every newscast and newspaper in America. But that is NOT not the case. What does that tell us? It says that what they’re not saying speaks volumes. I was reminded of this by longtime Moonshine contributor, Wall St., who sent me this message in-part: “I learned from listening...

It sounded like a dream come true, complete with a handsome prince riding to the rescue: the construction of 109 new, sustainable, flood-proof and affordable houses in New Orleans’s Hurricane Katrina-ravaged Lower Ninth Ward, all thanks to movie star Brad Pitt. But the houses that were built fell far short of Pitt’s 2006 promises: they were plagued by mold, electrical fires and unclean water. On Tuesday, 13 years after Hurricane Katrina victims started moving into the buildings, Pitt and his foundation agreed to a settlement that will pay $20.5m to homeowners whose properties began to deteriorate almost as soon as...

Welcome to Vacationland Wondering where this column was last week? Sorry. I forgot to say I’m taking two days off. My computer’s exhausted. I went to Maine. Why? I’m a world traveler. Done Cambodia, Indonesia, most of South America, Fiji, Kabul, Kathmandu, Beirut, Siberia, India, Outback, Galapagos, Iran, Iraq, Laos, the whole Caribbean, all Europe, Fiji, Samoa, New Guinea, China, Japan, Taipei, Alaska, Hawaii, Himalayas, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Guam, etc — but Maine? Not. I’ve also not seen Oklahoma — but who cares? Longtime friends whose ancestors founded the state of Maine in the 1800s and are in its museums...

MANCHESTER, N.H. — New Hampshire officials are warning residents to prepare for higher utility bills, with electricity rates expected to rise this year and one utility proposing more than a 100% increase. According to the Office of the Consumer Advocate, several factors are at work in driving up energy costs. One is that New England heavily relies on natural gas, which means our electric bills in the region are tethered to the global market, which has been shaken by the war in Ukraine. "Unfortunately, I have to deliver the bad news that consumers can expect some pretty drastic increases in...

This Walmart job starts at $95,000 a year Walmart (WMT), one of the few retail chains that runs its own trucking fleet, said it's raising the average starting salary for first-year drivers from around $88,000 to a range of $95,000 to $110,000. Walmart needs drivers to deliver goods to stores and e-commerce warehouses, as well as meet growing demand for customers' online orders. Walmart added more than 4,500 drivers last year, a record hiring spree for the company, which employs around 12,000 truck drivers. Walmart is also trying to hire new drivers internally. It started a three-month development program for...

MANCHESTER, N.H. — New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed an executive order Saturday directing the state Liquor and Wine Outlets to remove Russian-made and branded spirits. Sununu said the move is mainly symbolic, but the Russian liquor industry could be impacted if other states follow New Hampshire's lead. "We see whats happening. People are losing their lives," Sununu said. "It's unprovoked aggression, and if we can get New Hampshire to do their part and take these products off of the Russian shelves—I dont know anyone buying that garbage right now, frankly—its a good thing and its a step we can...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears asked a judge Wednesday to end the court conservatorship that has controlled her life and money since 2008. The dramatic request at a Los Angeles hearing came with her first words in open court in the conservatorship during its 13-year existence. Spears called the conservatorship “abusive,” and condemned her father and the others who have controlled it. “I want to end this conservatorship without being evaluated,” Spears said by phone in a long, emotional and sometimes profane speech, in which she condemned the legal arrangement and her father, who has controlled it for most...

Whidbey Island is a lovely place about 30 miles north of Seattle on the Puget Sound. Most days the tranquil sounds of rolling waves and chirping birds provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. But these days, all is not so serene. Residents are complaining about the ruckus created by humongous container ships anchored off their shore. "We've never seen them this close before," a Whidbey Islander told a local news station. "We're hearing the throbbing noise at night. ... It's a nuisance." The noise has been so loud that residents have been complaining to the...

Increased range, reduced production costs. As the race to embrace electric vehicles heats up, manufacturers are looking for ways to gain an advantage over competitors. From Gogoro’s swappable battery network to Kawasaki patenting electric-hybrid tech, brands continue innovating in an attempt to shape future electric vehicle development. Now, apparently BMW and Ford have teamed up to champion solid-state battery technology. The two automotive juggernauts are enlisting the help of Colorado-based solid-state battery startup Solid Power to integrate the technology into their lineups by 2030. The $130 million investment will produce 100 Ah solid-state batteries for testing in 2025 before the...

A new paper presents a stable lithium-metal battery design for the first time. Lithium-ion batteries have flaws that lithium-metal batteries could fix. This new battery adds a self-healing technology that will close cracks where dendrites form. Lithium-ion batteries are the backbone of most of today’s electronic devices, including electric vehicles. But for all of their game-changing benefits, the batteries still have an inherent flaw: dendrites. These thin, snaking, tree-like pieces of lithium form sharp points and end up piercing the battery, causing short circuits and other problems. This ultimately shortens the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries, and leaves major room for...

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire is ending its participation in the federal pandemic unemployment program that gave unemployed workers an extra $300 each week and introducing a bonus for people who return to work. Gov. Chris Sununu said the additional federal benefit will end June 19. There's a 30-day notice requirement, and Sununu said he contacted the Department of Labor on Tuesday morning to say that New Hampshire would leave the program. Sununu said the state's unemployment has nearly fallen to what it was before the pandemic forced many businesses to close or reduce operations. He said more jobs are...

Wind turbine maker Vestas (VWS.CO) unveiled new technology on Monday which it says enables wind turbine blades to be fully recycled, avoiding the dumping of old blades. Turbine blades are set to account for 43 million tonnes of waste in 2050, according to a 2017 University of Cambridge study. Most blades end up in landfills, because they are hard to recycle. The new technology will "be a significant milestone in enabling a future where landfill is no longer required in blade decommissioning," Allan Poulsen, Vestas' head of sustainability and advanced materials, said in a statement. Turbine blades are made by...

ALFRED, Maine — A man charged with fatally beating his son's mother at Short Sands Beach in York is set to make his first appearance in court Tuesday. Jeffrey Buchannan, 33, of Bedford, Massachusetts, is charged with killing Rhonda Pattelena, 35, in a public attack that police described as a case of domestic violence. The horrific scene unfolded behind a rock on the beach, prompting multiple 911 calls to York police on Friday. Video surveillance footage from a nearby business appears to have recorded the alleged assault. Pattelena was already dead when police arrived; an autopsy concluded she died from...

Nearly five years after one of the worst rail disasters in Canadian history, a small town at the centre of the tragedy is still grappling with the aftermath. When Tom Harding walked out of the courtroom after being acquitted of criminal negligence causing death, he didn't speak. The former train driver instead ducked away from the news cameras, overcome with emotion. His one-time colleague, Richard Labrie, did have something to say. "Could you back up a little bit so I can look at my paper? Because my eyes are full of tears," the ex-rail worker urged media crowding around him....

Privacy Notice MILFORD, N.H. — Milford police are trying to track down whoever is behind a series of letters that were sent to supporters of President Donald Trump threatening to burn down their homes. Kelly, a Milford resident who asked to be identified only by her first name, said she received one of the letters. "Dear neighbor," the letter read. "You have been identified by our group as being a Trump supporter. Your address has been added to our database as a target when we attack should Trump not concede the election." The anonymous author went on to say Kelly...