Free Republic

A sophisticated Manhattan-based prostitution ring that offered "one-stop shopping" and delivered both drugs and debauchery was sacked just days before the Super Bowl. "Always a treat and always fast to your door," Asian Wave Escorts promised in sexy come-ons broadcast on public access TV, sources said. The ring was headed by a middle-aged madam named Hyun Ok Yoonung, a 41-year-old Korean immigrant who officials said is something of a legend in the flesh-peddling business. "She was really the leader," Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Thursday. "This is someone we've heard of from other criminals, really sort of admiring the scope...

The U.S. economy continues along about the same modest pace as seen in August, according to a report Wednesday summarizing information from contacts used by the Federal Reserve to measure the strength of the economy. The economy was expanding, although many areas described the pace of growth as “modest” or “slight.” “Contacts generally noted weaker or less certain outlooks for business conditions,” the report said.

Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2002 July 2 The Average Color of the Universe Credit: Karl Glazebrook & Ivan Baldry (JHU) Explanation: What color is the universe? More precisely, if the entire sky was smeared out, what color would the final mix be? This whimsical question came up when trying to determine what stars are commonplace in nearby galaxies. The answer, depicted above, is a conditionally perceived shade of beige. To determine this,...