Free Republic

Video of the violence with communist and palestinian flags flying from the Red-Green alliance. French police unable to control the mobs.

Scientists are as prone as anyone else to groupthink, and stifling dissent often produces disaster. Three of the costliest policy failures in recent decades—the 2008 financial crisis, the Covid lockdowns and the campaign for rapid decarbonization—share a pathology we call the Consensus Trap. Problems began with the output of complex, unvalidated models presented as facts. Institutions and public figures under pressure to appear authoritative ignored uncertainties. Along with the press, these institutions and people became arbiters of truth, amplifying the declared consensus rather than critically assessing the evidence. Once “the science” was declared, dissent was treated as misconduct. In all...

Imagine your mom and dad intentionally sent you to a bad school. How would you respond? Some 11 years ago, parents Faraji and Nikole Hannah-Jones dropped their daughter off at school for the first time. Because of New York City’s novel Pre-K for All program, they could apply for any of the 1,800 options across the city. Instead of choosing the school that was best for their daughter, they deliberately sent young Najya to a school they knew was subpar. Now they’re left wondering if that decision was a mistake. On Sept. 20, Nikole Hannah-Jones released an essay examining all...

The European Commission proposed measures on Tuesday to prepare the EU to take in countries such ​as Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova in coming years while trying ‌to reassure existing members about potential political and economic costs. The proposals by the European Union’s executive body reflect a renewed interest among EU members in expanding the 27-nation bloc, driven ​largely by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Kyiv’s desire to ​join the bloc as part of a peace settlement. The proposed ⁠reforms include a measure to allow other EU countries to suspend a ​new member's voting rights during the first 15...

The situation in France appeared to be escalating Monday as viral video showed a burning school with staff, students, and journalists barricaded inside. The scene, ripped right from the medieval crusades or the Jacobins’ 18th-century Reign of Terror, occurred at Nicolas Louis Vauquelin vocational high school, located in the 13th Arrondissement in southeast Paris. The spot is roughly three miles from tourist-heavy spots like the Notre Dame Cathedral, which itself was reopened in December 2024 after six years of restoration following a devastating fire, reportedly caused by an electrical short-circuit or discarded cigarette. It was not immediately apparent whether the...

President Trump’s executive order allowing a more widespread use of tax-exempt red-dye diesel is meant to lower the cost burden on Americans – but it may not help prices at the pump much, according to experts. Long-haul drivers could save a substantial amount of money using the cheaper fuel, potentially passing those savings along to groceries – but there are several roadblocks standing in the way. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, estimated that few truckers – perhaps just one in 100 – will actually be able to take advantage of the tax-exempt fuel because it’s not...

Israel's Consul-General in New York, Ofir Akunis, invited New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday evening to view the 47-minute film documenting the October 7 massacre, which will be screened in New York to mark three years since the attack. Akunis extended the invitation to Mamdani during a memorial ceremony held by the Israeli Consulate in the city, attended by some 1,000 people, and simultaneously sent him a formal letter. "In less than 48 hours, on October 7, we will screen in New York City the 47-minute atrocity film produced by the IDF," Akunis said in his speech. "I invite...

President Donald Trump weighed in on France's ongoing school protest controversy on Tuesday, saying that the unrest reflected broader concerns about immigration and integration in the country. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "What's happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration. This isn't about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!" The president's remarks came as protests and political debate continue in France over education and immigration-related issues, with the dispute drawing international attention and fueling broader arguments about migration policy in Europe. Trump has frequently criticized...

Explanation: Have you ever seen a complete auroral oval? You can't see one from the ground because it makes too large a circle around one of Earth's magnetic poles. But spacecraft high above the Earth can see them. The featured video from ESA and CAS's robotic SMILE spacecraft shows not only a full auroral oval, but using ultraviolet light, one that occurred during the day. The time-lapse covers about an hour in late July and shows visually how variable and turbulent auroras really are. The points of light on the sides are distant stars that appear to move only because...

PepsiCo just made a huge recall of its popular sports drink Gatorade. The FDA announced PepsiCo recalled nearly 122,000 cases of Gatorade over “undeclared dyes.” The FDA further noted that the exposure to the recalled drinks could result in “temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.” CBS News reported more on the recall and revealed what states have been impacted: PepsiCo has recalled roughly 122,000 cases of Gatorade sold across the U.S. because the product contains undeclared dyes, the Food and Drug Administration said in a notice. The recall affects cases with 28-ounce bottles of Gatorade Lemon Lime, Gatorade Lemon...

The brand might be decades old, but Aunt Bessie has never looked more youthful thanks to a 'glow-up' that has seen the traditional logo replaced with a younger woman. Gone are Aunt Bessie's apple cheeks and the large bowl of batter she is holding in favour of a 'more contemporary' and 'welcoming' character with open arms.Aunt Bessie's, originally operating under the William Jackson Group brand, rose to prominence in the 1970s with its frozen Yorkshire puddings produced for Butlins Holiday Camps. In 1995, the company began producing the puddings for supermarket chains under the Aunt Bessie's label, before expanding into...

The top Republican super PAC involved in Senate races is planning to spend $5 million in South Carolina, a source familiar with the spending confirmed to NBC News on Tuesday. The injection of funds from the Senate Leadership Fund, a group aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., is the latest sign that the race between GOP Sen. Darline Graham and Democratic pediatrician Annie Andrews is competitive. The outlay was first reported by Axios. It comes as the Senate map is shifting further in Democrats’ favor, putting Republican-leaning states increasingly in play with less than a month remaining until...

PARIS — At long last, the Palestinian people finally have a land to truly call their own. After decades of war, strife, and refusing other offers for sovereign territory, a new nation for Palestinians was at last established within the country formerly known as "France." "What a remarkable moment for the Palestinian people, seeing their flag raised over the Arc de Triomphe, knowing this land belongs to them," said Middle East policy expert Gerard Rousseau. "They may have traded the Jordan River for the Seine, but the Palestinians finally have a homeland. It has been so gracious how quickly the...

This is long, but I think it is important. We are fighting Leftists in the government and media who exclaim the virtues of Socialism, but we forget that there are legions of young people that the Left has been mercilessly (and without consequence to them) indoctrinating young people for decades without any countervailing information. This encounter I detail in this thread shows just how much and how prevalent this is. It was (for me) my first chance to drill down on young people to see just how deep and fervent their indoctrinated beliefs are. Last Saturday we had a festival...

For centuries, whisky makers have relied on time, patience and oak casks to craft the perfect dram. Now scientists want to speed things up by doing something no distiller has ever attempted before – ageing Scotch in space. Scotland’s national drink will be matured in orbit for the first time as part of an experiment which will also measure how the spirit develops in the harsh environment beyond the Earth's atmosphere. Engineers in Scotland and Japan are planning to put Scotch on a rocket in 2028, sending a satellite containing samples of whisky and its base ingredients on a five-year...

The two thugs accused in the cowardly slashing of an off-duty NYPD detective are both illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic who snuck in under former President Joe Biden, according to sources and reports. Police Detective Jose Mercedes was grabbing items out of the trunk of his car at Rochambeau Avenue and East 208th Street in Norwood in The Bronx around 1:45 p.m. Friday when the brazen pair pulled up on an e-bike. The criminals tried to snatch the cop’s gold chain, but Mercedes tried to fight back and was slashed seven times by the violent muggers, who sped off...

Freddie Jackson, the R&B singer responsible for hits like “You Are My Lady” and “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake),” has died. He was 69 years old.Jackson’s death was announced via his Instagram account on Tuesday, October 6. He died Monday night, October 5. An official cause of death has not yet been released. “It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Freddie Jackson,” the statement read. The statement continued, noting that Jackson loved his fans, family, friends, and, of course, music. Jackson died just three days after his 69th birthday.

David Ellison’s $81 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery officially closed Tuesday, creating a new media behemoth known as Skydance – and execs are already hinting at layoffs. The combined company will include two historic film studios and their Hollywood lots; major streaming services HBO Max and Paramount+; CNN and CBS News; live sports channels including CBS Sports and TNT Sports; and thousands of iconic movie titles. Ellison and Ynon Kreiz, his new co-CEO who was previously at Mattel, reportedly gestured at layoffs in a memo to employees Tuesday morning. “Integrating two companies will bring change, including difficult...

Even when I was a child, I was taught about the revolution. "They taught me how to recognize an undercover cop and an FBI agent in a crowd, how to speak in code on the phone - it was all a game to me." Zaid Ayers Dorn did not have an ordinary childhood. There were no Disney characters on the walls of his children's room. Instead, he was watched from a poster by Che Guevara and Ho Chi Minh. He could not go to kindergarten for years. The family outings were not organized for a picnic, but to observe the...

A whistleblower who exposed U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's links to Jeffrey Epstein has died by suicide. Yes, Simon Andriesz has died by suicide. Here is Simon on X back in August: I am the British whistleblower who reported evidence concerning Howard Lutnick, his links to Jeffrey Epstein, and Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC to the FBI in 2020-21. Listen to the BBC File on 4 documentary about my whistleblower story: Here's that documentary link on Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1zCMgqyTB3GQMmSHoVwVEk?si=ExdEGQFVTwCIBDUdDpm19g&utm_source=copy-link&nd=1&dlsi=ef02f04d3d624121 More from Simon's X post: I later shared evidence with the House Oversight Committee, which subsequently questioned Lutnick behind closed doors. My disclosures...