Free Republic

Even though a permit is not required to have one, I admit to not carrying a pocket knife until 2015. I had realized that I became part of a generational sea change on this item, which I now view as being much more than just a male accessory choice.It all started when I was at a Garden Center store looking for a trellis, but when I found one, it was bound to several others by nylon zip-ties. I knew I couldnÂ’t saw it free with my keys, so I started to look for some help. I soon saw an old...

The nation’s transgender community, after a year of tremendous opposition from state legislatures and the president, is rejoicing Tuesday over the election of Andrea Jenkins, who gender advocates say has made history as the first openly transgender black woman elected to public office in the United States. Jenkins, who has been elected to the Minneapolis City Council, became the second openly transgender candidate to win a race Tuesday night. Democrat Danica Roem is poised to be the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature in the country, beating a 13-term Virginia incumbent who called himself the...

Just about four years ago we published a post on 15 Manly Smells. The article received a ton of comments from folks who wanted to add their own favorite manly smells to the list, and the other day I found myself lost in enjoyment reading over them all again. So many of the additions were so great and evocative and so worthy of mention, and as the first post was one of my all-time favorites, I couldn’t resist compiling another edition. Enjoy and add your still unmentioned favorites to the comments!Black Coffee “My favorite scent, not just manly scent,...

In 1960, only 10% of children were raised without a father in the home.Today, 40% are.There are many reasons behind this sobering statistic. The clichéd case of a man knocking up a woman, and then leaving town never to return certainly still occurs.But sometimes a man’s ex-wife petitions for primary custody of their kids, and sympathetic family courts unjustly grant this request about 80% of the time.And there is an increasing number of women — who for various reasons cannot or do not want to raise their children with a boyfriend or husband — who intentionally choose to become...

This post is brought to you by Dockers®. What’s this? Father’s Day is next week. It’s a day to remember dad and tell him thanks for all the things he’s done for you. If you’re a dad, it’s a time to remember the important role you have in your children’s lives.We often celebrate Father’s Day by getting dad a nice gift — a fishing pole, a tie, maybe an awesome power drill. While such a gesture shows your thoughtfulness and will likely be much appreciated by Dad, the most precious gift you can give can’t be wrapped up in...

When I was growing up, I noticed that my father kept his car well-stocked with supplies. A lot of the equipment was for his job busting poachers as a game warden, but most of the things were for emergency situations that could happen to anyone. And there were plenty of times when my dad was able to put those supplies to work.Be it a maintenance issue or a snowstorm, keeping the following items in your vehicle can save you time and discomfort, and perhaps even your very life, should an emergency arise. Obviously, the necessity of some items depends...

A naked man caught on video spraying a Houston police officer with pesticide and then slapping him in the face before being Tasered has been arrested. Keith Dean, 49, had earlier been spotted wandering the streets stark naked. A Good Samaritan offered him a towel to cover himself but the suspect instead demanded the man's watch before fleeing into the Metro Fannin South Transit Center as police responded to the scene, ABC13 reported. Video taken by witness Ben Marquina of the June 6 incident shows the train doors opening and Dean spraying pesticide at the officers before slapping one of...

This guy is freaking out.  Too funny.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS89Osy0Ook  

VATICAN CITY, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Monday extended indefinitely to all Roman Catholic priests the power to forgive abortion, a right previously reserved for bishops or special confessors. Francis, who has made a more inclusive and forgiving Roman Catholic Church a characteristic of his papacy, made the announcement in a document known as an "apostolic letter" after Sunday's close of the Church's "Holy Year of Mercy". He said he wanted to "restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life" but "there is no sin...

In the creation God spoke everything into existence- “Let their be Light…let the seas teem with life…let the waters be divided above and below,,,” and because God said it, it came to pass. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth… Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.(Psalm 33:6-9)But when God created man, he used his own hands- and in a...

The Soberanes Fire — which continues to burn throughout California’s Monterey County — is officially the most expensive in the United States’ history, with costs topping $208.4 million, the Associated Press reports. California already sustains the highest annual wildfire costs of any state. And, as KPCC reports, this year’s fire season as a whole—which has included scorchers like the Blue Cut, Soberanes, and Sand Fires — could prove to be the most expensive for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) since 2000. The Soberanes Fire, which began on July 22nd after an illegal campfire, is only 71 percent contained, according to the...

A New Jersey man picked a fight with his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son, telling the defenseless toddler to put up his dukes before beating him to death. Zachary Tricoche, 24, of Pennsauken was arraigned Tuesday in Camden County Superior Court on murder charges after his pathetic attempt at a boxing match with little Jamil Baskerville Jr., who weighed a mere 29 pounds.Tricoche was then transferred to Camden County Jail, where he’s being held on $1 million cash bail. Just prior to the Saturday night attack, Tricoche had gotten into a heated argument with his girlfriend over food she had purchased that...

Hmmm. Reggie Love sent out this bizarre fundraising email Tuesday night. There have always been fringe rumors about a romantic relationship between Reggie and Barack. This email doesn’t help. Reggie even emphasizes his position as Barack’s “body man” in the email.

The European Union has slapped its biggest ever cartel fine, worth $3.24 billion and twice the previous record, on several of Europe’s top truck producers for colluding to keep prices artificially high at the expense of consumers. EU Antitrust Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said EU-based MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and DAF “colluded on the pricing and on passing on the costs for meeting environmental standards to customers.” Germany’s Daimler received the biggest fine of €1 billion ($1.1 billion), followed by €752 million ($832 million) for DAF of the Netherlands, €670 million ($741 million) for Volvo/Renault and €494 million ($546 million) for...

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts over the years, while I’m not the handiest or craftiest guy, I do make an effort to expand my DIY skills when I can. One thing that often leaves me scratching my head is purchasing lumber whenever I take on a project that requires it. You’d think lumber would be simple; it’s just going and buying a piece of wood, right? But it’s surprisingly complex. There are so many choices that, even with a supply list in hand, I often find myself wandering the lumber section at the home improvement store for 20 minutes...

It’s been fodder for many a heated debate among men for centuries.What skills should every man know?A vast amount of ink and e-ink has been spilled on the subject. But why?Part of being a man is being competent and effective in the world. To do that, you’ve got to have skills. A man wants to know (or at least feel like he knows) that no matter what situation he’s placed in, he’ll be able to handle himself — to act rather than be acted upon. Hence our incessant drive to figure out what skills we’ll need to know in...

Have you ever met one of those families that just seem to have it all together? Maybe you knew such a family growing up and loved hanging out over at their house – there was such a great atmosphere there that you kind of felt like you were coming home whenever you stopped over. The parents were happy. The kids were all well-adjusted and generally did the right thing. Everyone in the family seemed to genuinely love, respect, and care about each other. They all truly enjoyed each other’s company and had a blast doing things together. Sure, they...

First Lady Michelle Obama hosted children from across the country to harvest the White House Kitchen Garden today -- and it was hard work.The first lady joined students in gathering nutritious items like kale, fennel and turnips from the garden, all to be prepared into a fresh meal minutes later. When she finished, she jokingly flexed her muscles. “Folks across the country are starting to do what we're doing here at the White House, and it's really helping a lot of kids eat better,” the first lady told the children. “You guys are champions in that effort.” The White House...

This is ridiculous! New York City now recognizes 31 forms of gender dysphoria.PDF file (363KB download) h/t to a New Jersey friend.

The U.S. Justice Department is putting the feelings of transgenders -- men who think they are women and women who think they are men -- above the privacy rights of the vast majority of people who don't contest the biological facts of who they actually are. "And what we must not do, what we must never do, is turn on our neighbors, our family members, our fellow Americans for something that they cannot control and deny what makes them human," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Monday. "[N]one of us can stand by when a state enters the business of...