Free Republic

You might remember Jussie Smollett. He was the guy who staged a racist and homophobic attack on himself in 2019. Chicago police say they're investigating a suspected racist and homophobic attack of Jussie Smollett by two masked men which happened at about 02:00.They say the actor was punched in the face, had an "unknown chemical substance" poured on him and a rope wrapped around his neck.Jussie Smollett tells police the two attackers also made reference to MAGA (make America great again) - the slogan often used by then-President Donald Trump and his supporters.He goes to a doctor and police describe...

Europe's ExoMars lander apparently crashed on the Red Planet, and an orbiting NASA spacecraft has spotted its grave, European Space Agency (ESA) officials said. The lander, named Schiaparelli, stopped communicating with mission control about 1 minute before its planned touchdown on Mars Wednesday morning (Oct. 19). Newly released photos of the landing site by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) seem to confirm what ExoMars team members had suspected — that Schiaparelli died a violent death. The photos show a bright feature consistent with the lander's 39-foot-wide (12 meters) parachute, as well as a 50-by-130-foot (15 by 40 m) dark patch...

Relax, parents. Nude slumber parties full of 15-year-old girls are not "all the rage these days," as seen in the Ann Landers column of May 16. Nor were they when the letter first appeared in print in 1995. Landers is the latest of several prominent advisers to receive -- and answer -- the letter from a "Baffled Mom in Burlingame," troubled that her daughter wanted to attend one of the parties. Dear Abby received a very similar letter three weeks ago and didn't bite. "I think it's a hoot. I dismissed it as a young boy's prepubescent fantasy," said Jeanne...