Free Republic

...Beginning by setting parameters to strip away ideologically driven answers, Smith asked Grok to apply only strict logic, mathematical probability, and observational science in its answers....

A day care worker in Georgia was arrested earlier this week following a report of alleged child abuse. Bainbridge police say Yvette Thurston, 54, was taken into custody Monday and faces charges of first-degree aggravated battery and three counts of first-degree child abuse. Thurston’s bond was set at $44,000 for all four charges, according to Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Emmons.Thurston was identified as an employee at Little Blessings Child Care, where the reported incident allegedly took place. A boy’s father, Cory Weeks, has shared images of his toddler since the alleged treatment happened while his child was attending the child...

A Lithuanian same-sex couple has been declared a legal family by a court in Lithuania, a historic victory for LGBTQ+ people in the Baltic nation. The two women in the couple, whose identities have not been made public, were living together and wanted to have their cohabitation recognized by the government as a form of partnership. The Vilnius City District Court agreed and ruled that the state should create a way for them to register their relationship. The Lithuanian constitution bans same-sex marriage, and the country’s Civil Code also bans the recognition of same-sex relationships as civil partnerships. Nevertheless, the...

The price of joining a college sorority is climbing nationwide, with some recruits paying tens of thousands of dollars for coaching, outfits, registration fees and housing to vie for spots in the country's most coveted chapters. As Rush Week kicked off this month, the recruitment process is drawing renewed attention, fueled by the viral "RushTok" trend on TikTok and pop culture portrayals of Greek life, including the HBO documentary "Bama Rush" and Lifetime’s "A Sorority Mom’s Guide to Rush!" "Costs and expectations have increased with the viral exposure coming from TikTok, TV shows and documentaries," said Michael Ayalon, CEO and...

There’s no better example of how little faith Americans have that government officials will tell the truth than the public’s blasé reaction to UFO announcements. In the last ten years, The New York Times has run stories about secret Pentagon programs tasked with retrieving alien craft. Members of Congress have held hearings on “mysterious orbs” and invited government witnesses to testify about black budget projects supposedly reverse-engineering alien technology. Secretary of State Rubio and director of National Intelligence Gabbard have both suggested that the UFO issue is serious. Yet eight billion people around the world collectively shrug. Can you imagine...

Tokyo — McDonald's Japan has canceled a Happy Meal campaign that came with coveted Pokemon cards, apologizing after resellers rushed to buy the meals and then discarded the food, leaving trash outside stores. The meals, called Happy Sets in Japan, were meant for children. They came with a toy, such as a tiny plastic Pikachu, and a Pokemon card. They sold out in a day, according to Japanese media reports. Mounds of wasted food were found near the stores.

The Talk ShowsAugust 17th, 2025 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows:FACE THE NATION (CBS): Margaret Brennan anchors: Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska); Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) … former U.S. National Security Council official specializing in Russian and European affairs Fiona Hill (whose sole purpose is to tell Margey that Trump just sold Ukraine out). FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Anchor Shannon Bream: Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.); Special envoy Steve Witkoff. Panel: Michael Allen, Mary Katharine Ham, Hans Nichols and Whine Williams.MEET THE dePRESS (NBC): Hosted by Kristen Welker: Secretary of State Marco...

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin flew to Alaska to meet with President Trump in an effort to resolve the long-running war with Ukraine. (Too many geographically handicapped people believed SNL’s skit deriding Sarah Palin, asserting that she had said she could see Russia from her home, and they were surprised to learn how short an eastward trip from Russia is to the United States.) For a long time, corporate media largely has framed the war as one of an innocent party viciously attacked by a big neighbor, one that is worthy of unending military and financial support. As Trump...

Sometimes you can’t help but marvel at how much we’re all willing to pay for the illusion of “green progress.” New Jersey decided—like half the country—that climate purity would be achieved by wind turbines, solar panels, and endless press conferences declaring victory against bad old fossil fuels. But someone forgot to run the numbers, and now the bill arrives, with a little note attached: “Due immediately. No refunds. See: your monthly utility statement.” Let’s start with the latest funhouse mirror: PJM’s capacity auction. You’ll see the acronym “PJM” all over any story about electricity markets, grid drama, and ratepayer headaches...

“‘But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast’” (Matthew 9:15). Fasting is meaningless if done merely from habit and if it doesn’t derive from a deep concern over some spiritual need. And as we saw yesterday, even the best and most foundational spiritual practices, if not done with sincere motives and right purposes, are only hypocritical and pretentious. Jesus was obviously referring to His crucifixion when He said He would be taken away from the disciples. From that time on, it would be fitting to fast and mourn. Fasting naturally...

The most complicated situation has been reported in the city of Valjevo, Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic saidBELGRADE, August 17. /TASS/. Mass riots took place late on Saturday night in a number of cities in Serbia, rioters attacked police officers, set fire to and destroyed offices of government agencies and political parties, Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated. According to the minister, the most complicated situation has been reported in the city of Valjevo, where up to 4,000 people participated in protest actions. The offices of the Serbian Progressive Party were vandalized and set on fire. "Fortunately, there was no...

We take our stand without qualification on the gospel platform that the death of Jesus Christ provides the sole propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2; 4:10); that there is salvation through no other means or medium, and no other name by which we may be saved (Acts 4:12); and that the shed blood of Jesus Christ alone brings remission for our sins (Matt. 26: 28). That is foundational. Further, we hold to the recognized principle that no cardinal doctrine or belief should be based primarily upon a parable or type, but upon the clear unfigurative statements of Scripture, and...

Newsdump Alert: Trump Seeks Peace Agreement In Ukraine War Following Putin Meeting... Newsdump Update: Jihadist Attack In Iran... Support Free Republic... Your host with another attempt at media excellence powerless over Jewish women at times in my life so... Does God have a sense of humor Helen Shapiro sang this 'corny' hit song in the recording studio in London back in the early 1960's... "We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds. You say, "I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity'" Psalm 75:1-2 NIV Bible......

Cambodian monks say thank you to President Trump for ending war between Cambodia and Thailand

Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie's political fortunes have shifted dramatically, with new polling showing a steep drop in support after an aggressive MAGA-backed push to unseat him. According to a new internal poll by McLaughlin and Associates, posted by Donald Trump on his Truth Social account, Massie's favorability rating dropped from 54 percent in June to 43 percent this month, while his unfavorability rating rose to 54 percent from 40 percent. His overall job approval slipped from 52 percent to 39 percent. The poll attributed Massie's falling support to a barrage of ads from MAGA Inc, a pro-Trump super PAC...

Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., are floating the possibility of introducing a bill in the Senate that, if passed, could designate Russia and Belarus as state sponsors of terrorism over the kidnapping of Ukrainian children, a source familiar with the bill tells NBC News. The bill cites media reports and estimates from the Ukrainian government that show that Russia and Belarus have taken or displaced tens of thousands of Ukrainian children since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. "The Russian Federation has kidnapped, deported, or displaced Ukrainian children as young as a few months to 17-year-olds, according to...

City officials are crowing over gains on the 2025 reading and math exams, but the state lowered the passing benchmarks for some students — raising questions about boasts of substantial academic progress, experts told The Post. The tests, given statewide to NYC public school kids in grades 3 through 8, required third graders to get just 57% of questions correct on the English Language Arts exam to pass, down from 60% last year. Fourth graders had to get 56% right, down from 65%, and 6th graders had to answer 57% correctly, down from 63%, according to a stunning analysis by...

Two juveniles are facing serious charges after taking a train engine for a joyride, which ended in a derailment. The minors, who learned how to start the train engine online,(youtube) drove three locomotives around a yard and onto the rail line before crashing into parked cars. The reckless stunt caused significant damage and could have had deadly consequences. Authorities are warning of the dangers of tampering with railroads and the severe risks involved in such dangerous actions.

France has pulled its military out of former colonial territories in Africa's Sahel region asked to do so by new governments friendlier to Russia than France. But in the nation of Mali this week the military government saying a group receiving 'help from foreign states' were seeking to 'destabilize the institutions' of the country... This week the prosecutors office in Montpellier suggested arson in last week's wildfire that scorched 17,000 hectares over 40,000 acres in the Aude department of southwestern France... Video this afternoon from Paris of a protest... "a serious violation of international law" That's part of a statement...

BAINBRIDGE, Ga. - A day care worker in Georgia was arrested earlier this week following a report of alleged child abuse. Bainbridge police say Yvette Thurston, 54, was taken into custody Monday and faces charges of first-degree aggravated battery and three counts of first-degree child abuse. Thurston’s bond was set at $44,000 for all four charges, according to Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Emmons. Jail records show that Thurston has since bonded out of the Decatur County Jail. Thurston was identified as an employee at Little Blessings Child Care, where the reported incident allegedly took place. A boy’s father, Cory Weeks,...