Free Republic

NEW YORK -- Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a candidate for the Republican nomination for president, has a book coming out next year on the legacy of a GOP hero — former President Ronald Reagan. Threshold Editions, a conservative imprint at Simon & Schuster, announced Tuesday that it will publish “What Would Reagan Do?: Life Lessons from the Last Great President" on Feb. 6. “It's amazing what how much Reagan was able to achieve by sticking to his principles and connecting on a human level with those around him,” Christie writes in the introduction. “Each chapter of this book...

The U.S. economy added 311,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate rose to 3.6 percent, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department. Economists had been expecting around 225,000 jobs to be added in February and for the unemployment rate to remain at 3.4 percent. Despite the strong headline jobs gain, the report showed signs labor market may finally be buckling under the pressure of eight consecutive interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. Average hourly earnings—a measure of wages—rose 0.2 percent in February to land at a 4.6-percent annual increase, falling below expectations. That means wage pressures...

Germany could be completely out of gas by February, the country’s gas agency has said, with some experts saying that the country needs to cut consumption by 30 per cent to make it through the crisis intact. A reduction in gas consumption of up to 30 per cent may be required if Germany wants to make it through the coming winter intact, some experts have claimed, while the country’s gas agency has expressed concern that the nation could run out of the hydrocarbon by February.

VIDEO Not only were liberals downplaying the threat of the outbreak in February but some of them were even spreading misinformation about it. Also note that both China and the World Health Organization slammed travel restrictions such as that put in place by President Trump in order to contain the outbreak.

June may be more famous for nuptials, especially outdoor ceremonies. However, February is hands-down the most marriage-and-romance-centric month. It’s National Wedding Month, has National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14), and, of course, Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14). So, break out the roses and chocolate. Valentine’s Day is named after a Christian saint who was most probably martyred on Feb. 14, 269 A.D. for marrying Christian couples in defiance of a Roman government edict, and for assisting persecuted Christians. Today, as with many traditions in Western culture that had a Christian origin, Valentine’s Day has broadened into a secular festivity, boosted by major...

I’m very sorry to be late with this monthly post; I’ve lost an old, very longtime friend over the past week; am dealing with a household issue; and am temporarily out of ideas. I’m tired of everything I cook; so I thought I’d open this February post up to the folks, to post their favorite recipe. Any – especially fresh, healthy – ideas? We lost someone else, last month, too. Many of you will remember Phyllis Stokes, whose recipes and videos we’ve often posted/discussed here. Phyllis passed away in late January, and her son posted this tribute and update: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJkP-eSyHbA...

Chinese authorities have decided to suspend trading on the nation's two major stock exchanges. This comes after fears of a coronavirus crash. Chinese authorities have announced that stock markets in Shanghai and Shenzhen will remain closed until next Monday as fears over coronavirus continue to swirl. But it may not be enough to stop a selloff once markets reopen next week.| Image: shutterstock.com Chinese authorities have decided to suspend trading on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges.This move comes as the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak grows in size and severity.The government is kicking the can down the road. Investors can expect a...

Professor Donald Harris, Kamala’s Jamaican father, has taken offense at statements made during his daughter’s interview on the Breakfast Club radio show last week, specifically attributing her support for smoking marijuana to her Jamaican heritage. Professor Harris responded to the interview in a statement to jamaicaglobalonline.com: “My dear departed grandmothers(whose extraordinary legacy I described in a recent essay on this website), as well as my deceased parents , must be turning in their grave right now to see their family’s name, reputation and proud Jamaican identity being connected, in any way, jokingly or not with the fraudulent stereotype of a...

I’m publicly asking the Washington Post to please either confirm or debunk PJ Media’s “evidence” that Ilhan Omar married her brother in order to commit immigration fraud PJ Media is a right wing website. It’s not considered to be part of the mainstream media, and you certainly can’t cite it as a source when adding content to wikipedia.That being said, I am a long term reader of PJ Media, and I tend to view most of what it publishes as being credible. I certainly don’t have anything against the website.PJ Media has published what it claims are photographs, school records, and...

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore was an unwitting participant in a November anti-Trump rally that was allegedly organized by the Russians indicted last week for meddling in the 2016 presidential election.According to the indictment of 13 Russian nationals released Friday by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the defendants and their co-conspirators tried to sow discord in the U.S. political system by organizing dueling rallies for and against then-President-elect Donald Trump in New York City on Nov. 12, 2016.One of those rallies, called “Trump is NOT my President,” was promoted on social media and MSNBC by Mr. Moore, who has routinely accused...

February of 2018 has National Instant background Check System (NICS) numbers a little higher than February of last year. 2017 was the second highest year on record for NICS checks. There were 2,333,193 checks done in February of 2018. That is 104.4% of the 2,234,817 checks done in February of 2017. February 2018 is the second highest February of NICS checks on record. The highest was in February, 2013, when severe infringements on gun purchases seemed likely under the Obama administration. In 2013, it was fear that pressure from President Obama and a Republican Congress fearful of the intense...

Egyptian soldiers and police personnel operating in the Sinai Peninsula have killed 105 terrorists since the start of an operation in February, a spokesman for the Egyptian army said Thursday, according to the Al-Ahram newspaper. The spokesman, Tamer Al-Rifai, said that the forces are performing their duties “with high morale”, adding that there is no time limit on the operation and it will conclude when it achieves its goals. Operation Sinai 2018 was launched on February 9 in the Sinai Peninsula, where Egypt has been fighting an Islamic State (ISIS) insurgency for several years. Most of the attacks in the...

For all their faults, Democrats have always been far more astute at the long game. Sadly, Steve Bannon was effectively fired in February. Bannon’s long road to exile began on December 29 last year, when Michael Flynn had an innocuous conversation with the Russian ambassador eavesdropped on and unmasked by Obama officials. After leaks to the Washington Post (probably from the recently fired Sally Yates or her cohort), Flynn resigned as National Security Advisor. Trump needed to fill the position quickly, with someone Democrats calling for Flynn’s scalp wouldn’t object to. He reached into the swamp, and pulled out Army...

Meet Dr Matt Barrett - the rock behind Leo Varadkar as he strives to become leader of Fine Gael. Although the pair have been an item for the last 18 months, they have so far shunned the spotlight - although that could change should Mr Varadkar become Taoiseach. The couple have holidayed together, met each other's families and even shared a joint birthday bash. As chaos continues within the Government about Enda Kenny's resignation as Taoiseach, attention has turned to Mr Varadkar as a future leader. As tensions rise, Mr Vardkar is seen to have a strong partner by his...

U.S. factories cranked out more autos, steel and computers in February, the sixth straight monthly increase in manufacturing output. Factory production rose a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent last month from January, the Federal Reserve said Friday. That followed another 0.5 percent gain the previous month. Factories are benefiting from greater consumer and business optimism since last fall’s presidential election. Companies are spending more on big-ticket items such as industrial machinery, and Americans are buying cars at near-record levels. Overseas growth has spurred more exports. Mining output rose 2.7 percent in February, spurred partly by more oil and gas drilling. Utility...

Bashing white America and stirring the pot of racial discord has become in vogue all year round. But every February, the usual suspects (race profiteers and America haters) use Black History Month to double down on their rhetoric. Their operatives who control our public schools lay guilt trips on white students for being white while teaching blacks kids to feel victimized and resentful. White America is once again beat over the head with slavery as liberals argue the need for federal government payback (reparations). In a nutshell, the Left's annual message is America is still racist and owes blacks, big...

President Obama warned Saturday that automatic spending cuts known as the sequester threaten to stifle the surge in job growth the nation saw in February. Switching from the adversarial tone he has used to pressure Republican leaders in recent weeks, the president appealed to what he called the vision both parties share for the country. “As Democrats and Republicans, we may disagree on the best way to achieve our goals, but I’m confident we can agree on what those goals should be,” Obama said in his weekly address. He cited a vibrant middle class, an education system that gives more...

Shares of Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) fell 3 percent on Friday after Bloomberg quoted a mid-level executive's email as saying the world's largest retailer had the worst sales start to any month in seven years in February. Wal-Mart executives blamed the poor sales performance on increased payroll taxes as well as delayed tax returns, Bloomberg said. Higher payroll taxes this year are seen as a potential problem for Wal-Mart and other discount retailers that try to attract lower-income customers who have less disposable income. "In case you haven't seen a sales report these days, February (month-to-date) sales are a total...

Why Black History Month? If a people has a past worth learning about, they also must have a future worth caring about. Irvine, CA - When I was a child, Black History Month, which since 1976 has been celebrated in February each year in the United States, used to mean something. Perhaps it was because I lived in the New York Metropolitan area in the still race-conscious 1970s and 1980s, but during February it was hard not to get at least a hint of an education about African American history and its contribution to the larger American mosaic, whether it...

If grocery bills seem higher, you’re not imagining things. Thanks mostly to a sharp increase in fuel prices, the cost of food rose faster in February than in any month since November 1974 — not coincidentally, during a previous energy crisis: Wholesale prices jumped last month by the most in nearly two years due to higher energy costs and the steepest rise in food prices in 36 years. Excluding those volatile categories, inflation was tame. The Labor Department said Wednesday that the Producer Price Index rose a seasonally adjusted 1.6 percent in February — double the 0.8 percent rise in...