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The Fourth of July is the premier American summer holiday, and the day is filled with family, friends, fun, food, and fireworks. Of course, every great party needs a fabulous drink or two, and these patriotic cocktails and mocktails are sure to impress. Loaded with the summer's freshest fruits, lots of flavorful spirit, and brilliant shades of red, white, and blue, the recipes are simple to mix up and an absolute delight to drink. American Collins Independence Day Mojito Kentucky Kiss Broad Stripes and Bright Stars Red, White & Blue Shooter UV Liberty Lady Liberty Sapphire Alpine Cocktail Virgin Miami...

People also often try to simply change the topic of conversation. Image credit: zeljkodan/Shutterstock.com ================================================================== Eating too much meat is bad for you, bad for the environment, and fatal for the animals involved. Those are straight facts, indisputable and proven through years of study. But counterpoint: have you considered that vegans are annoying? If the comments section under just about any media promoting a vegetarian or vegan diet is anything to go by, the answer to that question is probably “yes”. And, in any case, what about all the poor plants, huh? You okay with murdering them, IFLScience? The blood...

The MONTHLY Gardening Thread is a 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 the...

A Minnesota homeowner was left searching for answers after a neighbor's construction had a devastating effect on a tree on their property that had stood for over a century. One Redditor explained their story and provided a photo of the 150-year-old oak tree that was damaged by their neighbor's carelessness in the r/treelaw subreddit recently. The neighbor began construction and excavated for a "massive, side-by-side duplex they're building." While the user was fine with the trimming of a large branch on their tree, they noted that the neighbor "also excavated out approximately 1/3 of its root system." The destruction of...

Tiang, an African antelope, migrate across the Badingilo & Boma National Parks in South Sudan. Image credit: ©Marcus Westberg Around 6 million antelope have been recorded on a trek across East Africa, marking the world’s largest land mammal migration ever recorded. The scale of the Great Nile Migration recently became apparent through an ongoing project between African Parks and the Government of South Sudan. Between April 28 and May 15, 2023, after the first rains of the season, planes were used to carry out an extensive aerial survey of the Boma Badingilo Jonglei Landscape in the east of South Sudan,...

The government has warned livestock farmers in Denmark they will be taxed on the amount of farts and burps from their cows, sheep, and pigs. From 2030, farmers will be taxed for their fatulent (sic) livestock, becoming the first country in the world to do so as it targets methane emissions to fight climate change. Taxation Minister Jeppe Bruus said the aim is part of the globalist push to supposedly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent from 1990 levels by 2030. Danish livestock farmers will face a punitive financial imposition of 300 kroner ($43) per ton of carbon dioxide...

Whether it's freshly diced, sprinkled, or infused in oil, regularly adding some garlic to your diet has been found to keeps both blood sugar and cholesterol in check. A meta-analysis of 22 previous studies that included 29 randomized, controlled trials conducted by researchers from Southeast University and Xizang Minzu University in China confirms the consumption of garlic is linked with lower levels of glucose and some types of fat molecule. Glucose and lipids are key nutrients for the body, providing energy and the basis of a wide variety of building blocks. Modern diets can often lead to too much of...

Vandals uprooted the fungus-resistant Arborio rice, which was being tested in the country’s first ever field trial of a CRISPR-edited crop ================================================================== Researchers arrived at a site near Pavia, Italy, on 21 June to find their crops uprooted and mown down. VITTORIA FRANCESCA BRAMBILLA ================================================================ Italy’s first field trial of a gene-edited crop is in tatters, after vandals completely destroyed a test plot of experimental rice near the northern city of Pavia. No one has claimed responsibility for the destruction. The small field trial of Arborio rice altered to make it more resistant to a common fungus was the country’s...

NATIONAL CATFISH DAY In the United States, National Catfish Day on June 25 each year to celebrate the value of farm-raised catfish. Dive in with us as we explore some interesting facts you may not have known about catfish. #NationalCatfishDay A diverse group of ray-finned fish, catfish are named for their prominent barbels, which resemble cat whiskers. These nocturnal swimmers don't have any scales. Their smooth flesh makes it difficult for anglers to clean. In the United States, the most commonly eaten species of catfish are the channel catfish and blue catfish. They are also a good source of Vitamin...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released an advisory about shellfish harvested from Oregon and Washington, as they were found to have elevated levels of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) Saxitoxin, a naturally occurring neurotoxin produced by algae, can be harmful to human health as it damages nerve tissue Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) include numbness of the mouth and lips, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and nausea, dissociation and respiratory paralysis Apart from toxin-contaminated shellfish, radioactive fish may also soon find its way onto your dinner plate, as the U.S. government recently endorsed the consumption of seafood harvested off...

Another polar air mass is forecast to hit parts of south-east Australia in the coming week.. Parts of south-east Australia have recorded their coldest start to winter in decades and another polar air mass will arrive during the coming week, promising to bring strong winds, showers, small hail and alpine snow. In the meantime, a cold and showery weekend is already underway across southern Western Australia and the New South Wales coast, while frost has returned to the south-east inland after an icy week that brought subzero temperatures as far north as central Queensland. Adding to the wintry systems, a...

Well, now we know how they are going to get us to eat ze bugs – and (they hope) take the drugs. They are going to use the excuse of “containing” the bird flu to kill the birds – chickens – and cattle, too. In this way, they’ll have succeeded in reducing the “emissions” of carbon dioxide emanating from the animals we eat – without having to convince us to stop eating meat. There just won’t be any to eat. Not for us, that is. The “elite” – as the agglutinators of power who like to use it to...

Cheese is a wonderful thing. Recently linked to healthy aging, it dates back to at least the Ancient Egyptians, has been a symbol of socioeconomic status, and flavoring human lives for thousands of years, in which time we’ve come up with all sort of curious curdled creations, from rainbow colors to 3D sculptures. Where we’ve been arguably less explorative is in our species selection when it comes to cheese production, which is mostly limited to cows, goats, sheep, and buffalo. Could we not, at least theoretically, branch out among the milk-producing mammals? What we’re really trying to ask is… Can...

NATIONAL WAGYU DAY June 21 is National Wagyu Day on the National Day Calendar® to celebrate the delicacy of Wagyu and spread awareness about the rigorous authentication process taken for Wagyu. For an entire day, we are celebrating alongside steak and beef enthusiasts, plus encouraging everyone to experience the delicious taste of the finest beef in the world. #NATIONALWAGYUDAY National Wagyu Day invites seasoned Wagyu connoisseurs as well as first timers to celebrate the delicacy of Wagyu. In addition, to make the distinction between Japanese, American, and Australian Wagyu known. Also, the authentication process. Authenticating Wagyu, especially authentic Japanese Wagyu,...

Yoshiharu Watanabe earned a Guinness World Record by growing a 63-leaf clover. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ June 20 (UPI) -- A Japanese man borrowed some of the luck of the Irish and broke a Guinness World Record by growing a 63-leaf clover. Yoshiharu Watanabe, 45, started cross-pollinating clovers at his Nasushiobara home in 2012 with an aim toward breaking the world record. "Since the number of leaves has increased year by year, I have been aiming for the Guinness World Records title ever since," he told Guinness World Records. Watanabe said he used a combination of letting...

Researchers at McMaster University have created smart packaging that detects spoilage, potentially reducing global costs by minimizing waste and illness. Despite its benefits, adoption faces hurdles due to cost concerns and regulatory challenges. A team of researchers from McMaster University has invented a suite of tests for food packages that can indicate if the contents are contaminated, aiming to reduce food waste and prevent illnesses. They are now focusing on integrating this smart packaging technology into commercial products by engaging with producers and regulators. Cost Considerations and Industry Adoption Although each test would add only a few cents to the...

I'm beginning to think we are being gaslighted again. We've heard all year how the Ukraine/Russia situation was going to drive the price of wheat up so much that a loaf of bread would cost $10. Well folks, it didn't happen. I sold my Oklahoma wheat this morning for 5.72/bushel, which is down from 7.80/bushel last year. It's a big drop, but not as big as I've seen over the years. However, last year was a bad year for wheat nationwide, and I think that's what drove the price of wheat up. This year, we had a great crop, so...

Researchers created a strong, plastic-free, eco-friendly leather alternative from pineapple leaf fiber and natural rubber, outperforming other plant-based leathers and even mushroom leather in strength and sustainability. In a significant breakthrough in sustainable materials science, researchers have developed a plant-based leather alternative using pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) and natural rubber (NR). This eco-friendly material promises to revolutionize the leather industry with its impressive strength and sustainability. The process begins with the extraction of pineapple leaf fiber from waste pineapple leaves through a mechanical method, showcasing a clever use of agricultural waste. The extracted fibers are then divided into two categories:...

Granted, huitlacoche may look horrible. After all, it's a fungus that grows on corn. It's also known as Mexican truffles, corn mushrooms or “corn smut.” Wyoming chef Petrina Peart says the $50 per pound delicacy is hard to get but fun to try. (Cowboy State Daily Staff) Call them Mexican truffles, corn mushrooms or, if you’re a farmer, the much less appealing “corn smut.” Whatever you call this funky-looking fungus that grows on ears of corn, huitlacoche (pronounced wheat-la-KOH-chay) is a delicious, prized ingredient across Mexico that’s been catching on with gourmet chefs around the world. In Wyoming it’s much...

After days of intense flooding in Florida, that state and many others are bracing for an intense heat wave, while the Pacific Northwest will experience unseasonably cold weather and the potential for late-season snow in the Rocky Mountains early next week. The chaotic weather map includes the potential for severe thunderstorms developing in between the hot and cold fronts. Forecasters said the colliding fronts could lead to areas of flash flooding between eastern Nebraska and northern Wisconsin on Saturday night, as well as strong storms across parts of eastern Montana into North and South Dakota. Meanwhile, a plume of tropical...