Free Republic

It seems like San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has already found a new job in the offseason. Fans need not be concerned -- Purdy's contract runs through next year -- but he is trading his uniform for a vest and a plaid long sleeve shirt for his new gig. Purdy was spotted on a commercial shoot in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood Thursday morning alongside 49ers offensive tackle Colton McKivitz. A massive John Deere tractor was unloaded off a flatbed truck and parked steps away from Bernal Heights Park, the cityscape in the background. Crewmembers told a member of...

Cotton is one of the most valuable crops grown in the U.S., with a harvest value of some US$7 billion yearly. It is cultivated across a crescent of 17 states stretching from Virginia to California and is used in virtually every type of clothing, as well as in medical supplies and home goods such as upholstery. Cotton grows inside a hard, fibrous case called a boll. About 100 days after planting, the bolls mature and split open, revealing thousands of fluffy white fibers inside. Each boll contains 20 to 40 seeds with fibers attached to them, which is why the...

All 10,000 gallons of milk in the truck spilled into the roadway, along with diesel fuel from the truck, according to the Auburn Fire Department A tanker truck full of milk has rolled over in Auburn, Massachusetts, causing major traffic delays. The crash occurred on Route 12 westbound at Interstate 90, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said. The ramp from Route 12 to I-90/I-290 was closed. All 10,000 gallons of milk in the truck spilled into the roadway, along with diesel fuel from the truck, according to the Auburn Fire Department. Drivers are urged to seek alternate routes.

Recent research challenges the traditional view of early human diets in the Andes, suggesting a shift from “hunter-gatherers” to “gatherer-hunters.” The study, analyzing remains from the Wilamaya Patjxa and Soro Mik’aya Patjxa sites in Peru, reveals an 80 percent plant-based and 20 percent meat diet among early Andeans. This finding, based on isotope chemistry and statistical modeling, contradicts previous beliefs and influences current perceptions of diets such as the Paleodiet. It also indicates a need to reassess archaeological frameworks globally. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The commonly used term “hunter-gatherers” for describing early humans should be revised to “gatherer-hunters” in the context of the...

A Wakhi woman and her yak in Avgarch Village, one of the oldest settlements of Hunza Valley that’s only accessible by foot. Photo: Samantha Shea ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In a little-known mountainous area called Hunza Valley, located far north of Pakistan, people seem to defy all medical odds. It is primarily home to the Burusho and Wakhi people, who for centuries have survived and thrived in remote villages — with minimal amenities and rudimentary health facilities. Studies have found that the average life expectancy here is around 100 years. My husband was born and raised here, and is from the Burusho indigenous...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

Founded in 2019 by National Day Calendar® and Tillamook. NATIONAL CHEDDAR DAY National Cheddar Day adds some cheesy goodness on February 13th! #NationalCheddarDay Grilled cheese would be buttered bread without melt-able slices piled high; burgers would be lackluster without a perfect ooze; mac & cheese would just be…mac, to be frank. So many of our iconic American dishes simply wouldn’t be the same without a slice of cheddar’s deliciousness. CHEDDAR HISTORY There’s some history to this love of cheddar as well. How exactly did cheddar become a staple in so many of our favorite foods? Let us tell you! Cheddar...

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, stores are relying on procrastinating romantics to make a last-minute dash in stores and online to help clear out the supply of the special-occasion candy. If you’re among them, don’t be fooled by the smorgasbord of cutely packaged candy adorned with hearts and cupids in all shades of rosy hues. Those sweet treats might leave a bitter taste if you do some math on how much more you’re paying for them. Some special Valentine’s Day editions of popular candies, such as Sour Patch Kids, Jolly Ranchers and Haribo appear to be priced higher than the...

A team of scientists from the University of Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences says they have finally solved the millennia-old mystery of why blueberries are blue. The answer, they say, lies in tiny crystalline structures hidden within the berry’s wax outer coating that reflects light in a specific way to make them appear blue as opposed to the reddish color of the pigments found in their fruit skin. This also applies to other blue foods like damsons, sloe, and juniper berries. The same research team also says they have been able to reproduce the blue-light-reflecting crystals outside of the berry....

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

A breakthrough moment for sustainable aviation fuel / Depositphotos A simple, cheap pretreatment promises to radically cut the price of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from waste wood biomass – potentially making it cost-competitive with fossil-based jet fuel, while cutting down emissions by up to 80%. SAF isn't a perfect green solution to aviation – indeed, no perfect solution exists at this point. Running SAF instead of jet fuel still produces carbon dioxide – but it's a higher-purity fuel, producing up to 3% more energy while burning cleaner, with heavily reduced sulfur and particulate emissions. It eliminates the entire emissions...

Like a real-world Dr. Doolittle, researchers from Dalhousie University say they are using cutting-edge technology to decode the complexities of chicken communication. The potentially breakthrough method, which employs AI to detect patterns in massive amounts of data, appears poised to offer previously unavailable insights into the everyday lives and challenges of these flightless fowl and may even lead to methods to communicate with a wide range of non-human animals. “Chickens are quite the communicators — their clucks, squawks, and purrs are not just random sounds but a complex language system,” the Dalhousie University researchers behind the novel endeavor explain in...

The CEO of McDonald's admitted Monday that the sales for the fast food giant have dipped amid increased menu prices that have not gone unnoticed by customers. The Chicago-based chain has taken heavy criticism over its Big Mac combo that is priced at nearly $18, among other menu hikes, and has promised to focus on affordability, the New York Post reported. "I think what you’re going to see as you head into 2024 is probably more attention to what I would describe as affordability," McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said on an earnings call with analysts. Some global same-store sales grew...

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

In early 2020 in the midst of the covid lockdowns, blue states run by leftist governors pursued mandates with extreme prejudice. In red states like Montana, after the first month or two most of us simply ignored the restrictions and went on with life as usual. It was clear that covid was not the threat federal authorities made it out to be. However, in states like Michigan the vice was squeezed tighter and tighter under the direction of shady leaders like Gretchen Whitmer. Whitmer used covid as an opportunity to institute some bizarre limitations on the public, including a mandate...

Tomatoes could help fight off bacterial infections in your gut, a new study has found. One of the world's most widely consumed vegetables (or perhaps fruit?), they are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and other compounds – two of which scientists at Cornell University in the US have identified for their potent bacteria-killing properties in a series of cell experiments. The research team, led by Cornell microbiologist Jeongmin Song, was interested in Salmonella, a genus of enteric bacteria that invade the intestine, often causing food poisoning. Specifically, the team focused on one typhoidal serotype of Salmonella, Salmonella enterica Typhi, which lives...

Jan. 31 (UPI) -- A 285-year-old lemon found in the back of an old cabinet drawer was auctioned for $1,780 in England. Brettells Auctioneers in Shropshire said a 19th century cabinet was brought to the auction house by a family who said it had belonged to a deceased uncle. A specialist was photographing the cabinet for sale when the lemon was discovered in the back of a drawer. The fruit was inscribed with the message: "Given By Mr P Lu Franchini Nov 4 1739 to Miss E Baxter." The auction house decided to attempt to sell the aged lemon, and...

A large fire broke out at a Texas chicken farm this week, and firefighters are expected to tackle the blaze for several days. The massive fire broke out at Feather Crest Farms fire in Kurten, Texas, roughly 100 miles north of Houston, in Brazos County. KXXV-TV reported that no workers or other people were injured or killed in the incident. So far, the cause of the fire is unknown. Watch: VIDEO AT LINK................ Firefighters from multiple local departments have been battling the blaze since Monday. “Upon arrival there were two buildings on Feather Crest Farms property,” Jason Ware, deputy emergency...

how best to proceed to buy a small farm or farm land? i am looking in south central tennessee. i would prefer a south slope, with 4 season stream. no agent if i can help it (what are the dangers?) this would be a lazy farm, maybe a few chickens, ducks, hay, a dog or three. maybe i could park a trailer on the property until i could build a home.

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...