Free Republic

Jimmy Kimmel and the Long Tradition of Television Censorship by NetworksWhen Disney pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the air after affiliate stations refused to run it—and Kimmel refused to apologize—many framed the moment as a free speech issue. But in reality, this is not a new phenomenon. Kimmel is merely the latest in a long line of television personalities to discover that while free speech is protected from government interference, it does not shield individuals from the consequences imposed by employers, advertisers, or the broader marketplace.The tension between individual expression and corporate image has shaped the entertainment industry for decades....

Leopard tooth marks were found on this Homo habilis jawbone. Image credit: Vegara-Riquelme et al., Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2025) Around 2 million years ago, prehistoric humans in East Africa turned the tables on the carnivores that had previously terrorized them, learning not only to fend off these predators but also steal their kills, thus replacing them at the very top of the food chain. Generally, the ancient species Homo habilis is credited with making this trophic leap, yet new research suggests that this extinct hominin was actually hunted by leopards and may therefore have been...

If you’ve never seen HBO’s “Succession,” I highly recommend it. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I found it to be a fascinating blend of fine writing, interpersonal drama, and cutthroat, high-stakes corporate maneuvering. The series was reportedly based on Rupert Murdoch, his family, and his News Corp.-Fox News empire.Murdoch’s family has no shortage of its own theatrics, as we have written about, but on Monday, many questions about the future of the conglomerate were answered:The Murdoch family on Monday resolved the legal battle over control of its media empire, which includes Fox Corp. and News Corp, the company...

The best reggae singers range from the soul- and gospel-influenced to unique voices that could only come from within. Here are 20 of the greatest.From versatile voices such as Bob Marley’s, to the soul- and gospel-tinged style of Toots Hibbert and the fully committed, utterly convincing messaging of Winston Rodney, the best reggae singers of all time are a varied bunch proving that the music has much more to offer than the obvious stereotypes. Whether they fronted bands or made a name for themselves as a solo artist, here are the 20 best reggae singers of all time. Bob...

A technology company in southern China is developing a humanoid robot equipped with an artificial womb, designed to carry and give birth to human children. The project, announced by Kaiwa Technology and expected to debut by 2026, marks a significant step in artificial gestation. As China develops a pregnancy robot capable of full-term human reproduction, experts are closely watching the ethical and scientific implications. Guangzhou-based Kaiwa Technology revealed that the robot will be capable of carrying a fetus through a ten-month gestation cycle and assisting in childbirth. The company says it plans to sell the product for under 100,000 yuan,...

The question of whether a public official in the United States can undermine the U.S. Constitution without violating their oath of office is complex, as it hinges on the nature of the oath, the definition of “undermine,” and the legal and practical mechanisms for assessing violations. Drawing on your prior questions about the oath of office (specifically in Indiana), socialism, communism, abortion, and ballot access, this response analyzes the issue through constitutional principles, legal standards, judicial precedents, and practical considerations. The answer will clarify whether actions that undermine the Constitution inherently breach the oath and under what circumstances they might...

From Fiat Everything to Real EverythingThe infrastructure is now visible to those willing to see it. The systematic replacement of natural systems with artificial ones has reached into every domain—money, food, health, education, information. What began as isolated changes has revealed itself as a coordinated operation: the complete substitution of reality with decree, ownership with access, competence with credentials.The mathematical engineering of ownership out of reach becomes clear—from 52% of 30-year-olds owning homes in 1950 to a projected 13% by 2025. Extraction was rebranded as liberation—the subscription economy that converts your $3,000 monthly into someone else’s equity while you build...

President Trump’s upcoming summit in Alaska with President Putin will be a defining moment not just in U.S. relations with the Russian Federation, but also for the safety and survival of the world. I do not believe that most Americans fully understand the gravity of the situation. My personal assessment is that if these two leaders cannot reach an agreement this weekend, then the chances increase dramatically that events could spiral out of control, leading to an unthinkable catastrophe. Zelensky appears to be trying to box in President Trump by his trip to Germany to continue funds flow to him...

Connecting The Dots: A Comprehensive Advanced AI Analysis Of The Declassified Durham Annex And Its Criminal ImplicationsExecutive Summary The following is a lengthy AI conversation I had with Perplexity Pro AI discussing the details of the recently declassified documents released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. It consisted of open-ended questions based specific linked stories in the news, where the AI then gathered its own citations before forming its response to me. The portion of the conversation that I’m including here is from the end of the conversation; I’m not including some of the earlier Q&A that laid the...

Despite grappling with fears for a son held hostage in the middle of a deadly war zone, Yehuda Cohen still holds onto hope. "I have three children, I'm going to have three children until the last day of my life," he said. "Nimrod will come back and complete our family." It is a sentiment which is obviously fuelled by a father's love, but it is also borne out of necessity — a sense of purpose, even as the window of opportunity for his family to be reunited with one another seems to be getting narrower by the hour. A photo...

While the study is intriguing, additional observations will be essential to verify or challenge its findings. Astudy analyzing JWST observations of the early universe has uncovered an intriguing mystery: most galaxies appear to be rotating in the same direction. This unexpected pattern, which defies current cosmological models, has led the study's authors to propose a bold possibility: that our universe might exist inside a black hole. The JWST has allowed astronomers to peer back further into the past than any other infrared or optical telescope, seeing infrared light that was emitted by distant galaxies just 300 million years after the...

Leaked files reviewed by The Grayzone expose the covert war waged by British intelligence against Russia in the Black Sea, outlining Ukrainian “honey trap” plots along with blueprints for blowing up the Kerch Bridge. Sensitive documents reviewed by The Grayzone indicate that the United Kingdom is the central architect behind Ukrainian military operations targeting Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Among other explosive findings, the files reveal high-ranking British military and intelligence figures drew up detailed plans to “maximize attrition of [Moscow’s] Black Sea Fleet,” plotted to blow up the Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea to mainland Russia with fertilizer bombs, and even...

A Colombian radiology specialist says a mysterious metal orb discovered in his country is an unidentified flying object (UFO) of extraterrestrial origin, though experts remain skeptical of the claim. Jose Luis Velasquez, the radiology specialist, determined the extraterrestrial origin after inspecting the object and finding no marks indicating the metal orb had been welded together or contained joined parts in any way, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter, from a creator who labels their content as entertainment. The object - known as the "Buga Sphere" - was discovered in Buga, Colombia earlier this year, according to video in...

Transcripts. Meet the Press – May 18, 2025 Fmr. Vice President Mike Pence, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Andrea Mitchell, Amna Nawaz, Stephen Hayes and Ashley Etienne. May 18, 2025, 11:49 AM EDT. KRISTEN WELKER: This Sunday: out of office. My exclusive interview with former Vice President Mike Pence. FMR. VICE PRES. MIKE PENCE: I've never been a fan of American presidents criticizing America on foreign soil. KRISTEN WELKER: His thoughts on the second Trump administration and the direction of the Republican Party. FMR. VICE PRES. MIKE PENCE: There's no question in this administration that he is...

I asked Grok: Donald Trump was convicted of 34 felonies for trying to cover up his extramarital affair. Bill Clinton lied under oath to try to cover up his extramarital affair. Please compare and contrast these two things. Also, other than their own respective families, were their any real victims to these crimes? I’m a libertarian, and I believe that if there’s no real victim, it shouldn’t be a crime. Also, I think it’s extremely important to hold the left and the right to the same set of standards. It seems to be that there are people on both political...

Reality is absolutely downstream from fiction. Did the creators of South Park predict the future in their 1999 comedy film? I think we’re all suddenly realizing that prognostication is easy – Simply imagine the most absurd scenario possible and eventually it’s going to come true because we’re living in clown world.A war between Canada and the US opening up a portal to hell might be a bit of a stretch, but recent events lead me to believe that there are very real ingredients coming together that could trigger an active conflict with our neighbors to the north. Furthermore, these factors...

Hat Tip very dear friend of the Treehouse, Zurich Mike.Switzerland is in a conundrum. More specifically, the Swiss National Bank is stuck betwixt two points that are also playing out in other stable western countries. Exports to the USA account for over ten percent of the Swiss manufacturing base.The Trump tariffs are putting pressure on Switzerland to drop the value of their currency as an offset to retain competitive pricing. However, simultaneous to the tariffs, the Swiss Franc is being purchased by global investment groups and sovereign foreign countries as a safe harbor due to the stability of the currency,...

Only President Trump could get the Canadians to vote for an exit to the USMCA, and he did it brilliantly.To understand President Trump’s position on Canada, you have to go back to the 2016 election and President Trump’s position on the NAFTA renegotiation. If you did not follow the subsequent USMCA process, this might be the ah-ha moment you need to understand Trump’s strategy.During the 2016 election President Trump repeatedly said he wanted to renegotiate NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. Both Canada and Mexico were reluctant to open the trade agreement to revision, but ultimately President Trump had...

The bottom line is Jerome Powell has screwed up. No, that’s not from President Trump. That comes from legendary investor Louis Navellier.In yesterday’s Special Market Podcast in Growth Investor, Louis weighed in on President Trump’s attacks on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell:The latest criticism is, President Trump wants to get rid of Jerome Powell. Ok, well, unfortunately, I have to agree with him because Powell is fighting a mythical inflation that hasn’t occurred yet.We’re not going to have more tariffs other than the Chinese tariffs because everybody is caving. Everybody is meeting with the administration; everybody is dropping their barriers....

Well, the end of the war in Ukraine could be very near—and for the first time since this whole expensive nightmare started, there’s an actual adult in the room. And that’s because President Trump is back in the White House. The truth is, Ukraine has always been one of the most corrupt countries in the world—and their leader is leading the pack. OCCRP: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his partners in comedy production owned a network of offshore companies related to their business based in the British Virgin Islands, Cyprus, and Belize. Zelensky’s current chief aide, Serhiy Shefir, as well...