Free Republic

Who Is to Say Flora Don't Have Feelings? Figuring Out What Wheat Would Want ZURICH -- For years, Swiss scientists have blithely created genetically modified rice, corn and apples. But did they ever stop to consider just how humiliating such experiments may be to plants? That's a question they must now ask. Last spring, this small Alpine nation began mandating that geneticists conduct their research without trampling on a plant's dignity. [Beat Keller] Beat Keller "Unfortunately, we have to take it seriously," Beat Keller, a molecular biologist at the University of Zurich. "It's one more constraint on doing genetic research."...

OCALA - As many as 100 horses died at a farm outside Summerfield during the past 10 days after the animals became ill, littering the farm's pastures. The death toll is unprecedented, say state veterinary officials. The cause of the illness, so far, remains a mystery. Owners of EquiTransfer, Jose Davila and his wife, Francis Ramirez, both veterinarians, had to euthanize the horses after the animals showed neurological problems and began collapsing. The couple say they think the cause of the illness was contaminated hay that wreaked havoc on the animals' nervous system

the sub-prime crisis as called by two stuffy brits one year ago. ;^) monty python has been resurrected in these two individuals. after about two minutes or so, these two cut to the chase. enjoy...

BEIJING (Reuters) - The toll of Chinese children ill from toxic milk formula may have nearly doubled since the Health Ministry's last public count, local media reports show, but an official said on Wednesday the number of new cases was falling. Beijing is struggling with fallout from adulteration of milk with the industrial chemical melamine. At home four babies have died, and thousands of infants fell sick, while around the world products made with Chinese milk have been recalled. The government has not updated figures issued on September 21, when it said that 12,892 infants were in hospital, 104 with...

Haggis is at risk of dying out due to of global warming. The meat pudding is known to children as a rare tartan creature found only in the Highlands but the rise of the common parasite lung worm, which is thriving due to global warming, is putting it at risk. Haggis is made from a sheep's stomach, which is stuffed with oatmeal and minced intestines. But butchers are finding it more and more difficult to get hold of the principle ingredient of sheep's lung, as so many are infected with lung worm. Dr Sandy Clark, the vetinary centre manager at...

An endangered moose died as a result of a fall from a helicopter sling, the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources says. Department spokesman Dan Davis said veterinarians have confirmed the moose died of blunt force trauma. "It fell to the ground from the helicopter netting," Davis told CBC News Monday. "We don't know exactly how that happened. But we know there was an equipment malfunction, and that's being investigated. We just want to make sure that such a thing doesn't ever happen again." The moose, one of only about 1,000 in mainland Nova Scotia, died Thursday while wildlife officers...

Owners of an Upperco farm that had introduced Maryland to pig mud wrestling at their farm stand have decided to cancel the event after just one week of competition. Stan Dabkowski said that while last Saturday’s event had a great turnout, he has received numerous threatening phone calls and complaints from animal rights activists who disagree with the practice. Dabkowski said he does not believe the 90-second round between four people and a pig in a muddy pen was dangerous or cruel to the animal, but he decided the negative reaction was not worth the effort. As a result, the...

Police in Middletown made a rather bizarre arrest Monday night, taking into custody a woman dressed in a cow suit who was seen acting erratically. Michelle Allen of Middletown was arrested on one count of disorderly conduct for allegedly getting in the way of traffic on Wilbraham Road and chasing children in her cow suit. She also urinated on a neighbor's front porch, police say. According to police, Allen talked back and threatened to cause problems in the jail if she was arrested. Allen appeared in court Tuesday morning dressed in the suit. It is not clear why she was...

Although many people don't improve from one year to another, pomegranates have. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev horticultural researchers have developed new types of the royal, crowned red fruits that taste better, are more vividly colorful inside and out and ripen in July and August instead of September and October. Prof. Ze'ev Wiesman of the plant oil biotechnology lab heads a team that has worked to improve the genetic makeup of pomegranates - whose use is most popular on Rosh Hashana because of the notion that each fruit has 613 seeds, the number of the commandments in the Torah. Recent...

When Cherida Cannon's labrador Teal chased and killed a hare, she set about preparing it for the pot. But there was a surprise in store. The hare turned out to be pregnant, and its unborn baby's heart was still beating. A frantic rescue mission was launched -- and today the tiny, helpless creature has grown into a bounding tame hare called Miracle. Describing the moment when Teal brought her his prey, Mrs Cannon, of Alton, Hampshire said: "The hare was so beautiful, I just couldn't bare to throw her away. I thought she'd make a nice meal so started gutting...

Mood moosic to get cows going   Calm ... Graham VallisSOUTH WEST NEWS SERVICE   By JOHN COLES Published: 20 Sep 2008     FARMERS are being encouraged to MOO at their cows — to boost milk production. It came after a dairy farmer reported getting six times more milk by mimicking his herd’s sound. Graham Vallis, 48, does meditation-style mooing for five minutes before milking — and said his cows fall into a relaxed state. Now the Federation of Organic Milk Groups is urging its 450 members to do the same. Graham, of Bradninch, Devon, said: “I often...

Call it bovine intervention: Authorities have found the owner of a cow that had to be lassoed, "Bonanza"-style, after running loose through Ho-Ho-Kus last night.Peter Bossart, of Saddle River, said he didn't know the cow had high-tailed it until he got a phone call this morning from his brother-in-law, who read about it in The Record. Dr. Peter Bossart and his wife, Virginia, are glad to have their heifer back. Bossart said he brought Shorty, who belongs to his granddaughter, to his home to chew down the grass on his property. He has no other animals there, although he...

Three Somerset County residents have learned firsthand the dangers of picking and eating wild mushrooms. The trio from Franklin Township have been hospitalized with liver toxicity; one is in critical condition and may need a transplant. Bruce Ruck, director of drug information and professional education at the New Jersey Poison Control Center in Newark, identified the victims as a mother and her daughter and son-in-law, all Asian Indians. The mother is in critical condition and being evaluated for a liver transplant at University Hospital in Newark; the other two are at Princeton University Medical Center. "They picked and ate wild...

Excellent interview with Sarah Palin about domestic drilling. She's very straight forward, she's very clear about opening domestic drilling. And discusses changing John McCain's mind about opening up domestic drilling. Excellent interview if you are interested in Sarah Palin's position on energy for the USA.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A simple and cheap technique of applying fertilizer in small doses at the right time can double wheat crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa and feed millions of people, agronomists said in a report. < > He said they are shown that only six grams of fertilizer per plant is enough, and that small holes dug in the dry ground and filled with manure before the rainy season will hold water for a longer time. When it starts to rain, a micro-dosis of fertilizer and a plant are placed in each hole so roots can spread quickly an...

ATHENS (Reuters) - Fuelled only by used cooking fat, eight teams completed a 2,500-mile car rally from London to Athens on Wednesday in a bid to promote awareness of cheap and environmentally-friendly bio-fuels. The "Grease to Greece" race, the brainchild of 34-year-old Londoner Andy Pag, took the teams on a 10-day mission across Europe in which they begged oil to fuel their cars from restaurants, motorway cafes and fast-food joints along the way. < > An experienced eco-traveler, Pag drove to the desert town of Timbuktu in Mali last year using a truck powered by waste chocolate. His next scheme...

It's the little cow with a big future. Rising supermarket prices are persuading hundreds of families to turn their back gardens into mini-ranches stocked with miniature cattle. Registrations of the most popular breed, the Dexter, have doubled since the millennium and websites are sprouting up offering “the world’s most efficient, cutest and tastiest cows”. For between £200 and £2,000, people can buy a cow that stands no taller than a large German shepherd dog, gives 16 pints of milk a day that can be drunk unpasteurised, keeps the grass “mown” and will be a family pet for years before ending...

Hey what is up? The house Of Taz (diamonds) came to our area and no longer carry Blue Diamonds. I did a search of Blue Diamonds and get Topaz or other. Do we have a Gem in oligist who can explain to me why I have been told no more Blue Diamonds in the US?

The smallest species of snake ever discovered lives on the Caribbean island of Barbados. The new species is called Leptotyphlops carlae. It may look like a little worm, but a newly discovered creature has earned a spot in the record books: It is the smallest species of snake known on Earth.

A small group of unassuming mid-westerners has discovered what could be a complete game-changer for the global biodiesel industry. Their new system makes biodiesel in mere seconds, creates a product that costs half the price, produces no waste, and can use any animal fat or vegetable oil as a feedstock.

BOTUCATU, Brazil (AFP) - Brazilian biofuel, already available for nine out of 10 cars on the roads, is also keeping a small but growing fleet of aircraft aloft, the company making them says. Some 200 single-engine, single-seat Ipanema planes made by Neiva, a subsidiary of Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer, are now burning cheap ethanol made from sugarcane for their crop-dusting and public health missions. < > Brazil is the second-biggest producer of ethanol in the world (again, after the United States), generating 18 billion liters last year, of which around 17 percent was exported.

I have been cultivating a Rose Hedge, the roses are doing well but I need some advice on training and pruning.

In this transmission electron micrograph of the mesoporous nanospheres, the nano-scale catalyst particles show up as the dark spots. Using particles this small (~ 3nm) increases the overall surface area of the catalyst by roughly 100 times. Nanoscale catalysts could tap syngas as cheap source of ethanolAMES, Iowa –Say the word “biofuels” and most people think of grain ethanol and biodiesel. But there’s another, older technology called gasification that’s getting a new look from researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and Iowa State University. By combining gasification with high-tech nanoscale porous catalysts, they hope to create ethanol...

When it comes to artistic carving and sculpting at the Indiana State Fair there is no doubt who is considered the big cheese. It’s the Cheese Lady, Sarah Kaufmann, creator of her third giant cheese sculpture masterpiece. The sculpture is commissioned by the American Dairy Association of Indiana and Monday a large crowd witnessed the 2nd unveiling of the new State Fair covered bridge. This one though, is 2,000 pounds of cheese. “When I did the bridge, I was carving the bridge, making the windows,” Sarah told us. “People were intrigued. But when I started doing the Gouda cows that...

The Douglas fir has earned a towering reputation for its ability to soar higher than most trees. But there's a limit to how tall it can grow, and a new study explains why: If it grows too tall, a tree cannot transport water to the highest leaves. This study showed that somewhere between the height of a 30- or 35-story building, Douglas firs can't transport water any higher. This predicted range corresponds with the world's tallest Douglas fir, standing in at 326 feet. (The world's tallest tree is a California redwood, which stands 379 feet.)

A hotel manager paid about £14 for each grape in the 1 1/2 pound bunch of Ruby Romans, a newly developed variety. "We believe the price was probably a record high," said Hirofumi Isu, a local agriculture official. "They're delicious — sweet but fresh at the same time, very well balanced." The tomato-colored grapes made their debut at an auction in Japan's northwestern Ishikawa prefecture, where they have been under development since 1994 in a state-led project. The bunch that fetched the top price had about 35 grapes, each slightly smaller than a pingpong ball, Isu said. The average price...

A bull has been rescued from a swimming pool by firefighters after it escaped from its enclosure and charged into the water. The animal broke out of its paddock and found its way to the private pool on Kinaldy Farm three miles away near St Andrews, Fife. The bull was rescued after firefighters drained the pool and

It used to be that marijuana came to the Bay Area from the legendary back country of Humboldt County or the desert fields beyond Tijuana. Now the fields are in the Bay Area, and everywhere else in the state. Marijuana is one of the top cash crops in California, NBC Bay Area's Mike Luery reported. Many of the fields are located next to popular trails and in the middle of state parks. A fierce battle is being waged in our own back yard to remove the pot groves. They are hidden in brush so thick that specially trained officers must...

Hotness has got a new definition, courtesy a curry called 'Satan's Ashes', which requires its makers and staff to wear masks and rubber gloves to handle it. Touted as the hottest in the world, the dish contains the Naga Morich chilli, which measures 953,721 on the Scoville heat scale. If this was not hot enough, the dish also contains the Bhut Jolokia, which has been registered at a sweat-inducing 1,001,304. And to get a spoonful of this sadistic dish, one has to visit Cumbria, where it is prepared, reports News of the World. Now, Ged Fowler, of the Chilli Pepper...

Ideas Planted in Darwin's Time In the nineteenth century, scientists were already observing that plant roots naturally seek out the wetter regions in soil. Although the phenomenon is well documented, scientists until recently had no clue as to how the mechanism worked, or how to make it better. New insights from the Tel Aviv University study could lead to plants that are super water seekers, say researchers.

This amazing image reveals what our world looks like when it is stripped bare - shorn of all its plants, soils, water and man-made structures. This, and other never-seen-before images of the Earth, were unveiled at One Geology - the world's biggest ever geological mapping project. The project hopes to do for the ground beneath our feet what Google has done for the Earth's surface with its Google Maps, Earth and Street utilities. Inner space: What the Earth looks like shorn of its surface structures But unlike the centralised information server that holds Google Maps, individual countries will be responsible...

Varroa on bee pupae One of the biggest world wide threats to honey bees, the varroa mite, could soon be about to meet its nemesis. Researchers at the University of Warwick are examining naturally occurring fungi that kill the varroa mite. They are also exploring a range of ways to deliver the killer fungus throughout the hives from bee fungal foot baths to powder sprays. It well known that bees world wide are suffering serious declines and one of the causes of that decline is the varroa mite, Varroa destructor. Varroa mites feed on the circulatory fluid of honey bee...

Grazing advocates teach how to do more with less BY SCOTT F. DAVIS Northwest Arkansas Times Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 Email this story | Printer-friendly version Rising fuel and grain prices create hard times for cattle ranchers, but several heard on Saturday about some ways to increase production without spending much money. About 25 farmers heard ways to better manage their resources during a grazing conference hosted by the Grassroots Grazing Group on Saturday at the Pauline Whitaker Center in Fayetteville. The group includes producers, researchers and educators working together to manage pastures for profit through rotational grazing....

For years, cheap imported garlic has been cutting into the bottom line of Gilroy's signature crop. Now one entrepreneur has come to the Garlic Capital of the World to grow the key ingredient in tequila, agave. Grower Frank Leal has made an award-winning winery business in the hills above Hollister. Planting 10 acres of blue agaves, he has set his sights on being the first to bottle California's take on tequila. Our video report has more (Link)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Disease spread to wild bees from commercially bred bees used for pollination in agriculture greenhouses may be playing a role in the mysterious decline in North American bee populations, researchers said on Tuesday. < > "All of the different species of bumblebees that we sampled around greenhouses showed the same pattern: really high levels of infection near greenhouses and then declining levels of infection as you moved out," said Michael Otterstatter of the University of Toronto, one of the researchers. < >

Your owner does it. And you do it too. If you deny it, I’m going to say that you are the one that supplied it. Have you figured out what I’m talking about? That’s right, I’m talking about air poopies or, what many of you know it better as, farts. “Bo, why must you bring this up in a family oriented blog?” my readers will ask. To which I must respond, “Because farts make me laugh.” (Experts said the slow digestive system of cows makes them a key producer of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that gets far less public...

How Gilroy turned a potent Italian bulb into a culinary staple and the country's biggest and smelliest food festivalTHIRTY YEARS AGO, a group of American food writers trooped into a packing shed at Gilroy's Christopher Ranch off Highway 101. Greeted by the pungent aroma of millions of garlic cloves being processed in the building, the journalists sat down for a garlic-laced lunch that included scampi, calamari, pasta and pepper steak. Together with the Fresh Garlic Producers Association, an industry trade group, Christopher Ranch founder and former president Don Christopher hosted the journalists to showcase Gilroy garlic. Gilroy was then the...

A vintner is alleging that the man who wants to open a retail wine store on North Santa Cruz Avenue in Los Gatos told him "God will punish" him if he spoke out against the application. Entrepreneur Rahul Ravulapati, who owns a winery in Livermore, says he never threatened anyone and accused the vintner, Fred Faltersack, and other Los Gatos wine makers of discrimination. "These people are blackmailing me," Ravulapati said after the July 9 planning commission meeting, where commissioners unanimously recommended against approving the permit. The dispute started last month when Ravulapati called local vintners to ask if they...

Who said sheep are just followers, never making their own way in this big, bold world. Check out this story about Nick Boing, the sheep that rules his owner’s home. (The animal, named Nick Boing, has a purpose-built bungalow in the back garden, but prefers to spend his evenings watching television in the family home.

Tastiota, Mexico-A few miles inland from the Sea of Cortez, amid cracked earth and mesquite and sun-bleached cactus, neat rows of emerald plants are sprouting from the desert floor. The crop is salicornia. It is nourished by seawater flowing from_a_man-made_canal. And if you believe the American who is farming it, this incongruous swath of green has the potential to feed the world, fuel our vehicles and slow global warming. He is Carl Hodges, a Tucson-based atmospheric physicist who has spent most of his 71 years figuring out how humans can feed themselves in places where good soil and fresh water...

Dakota tribal wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. However, in business we often try other strategies with dead horses, including the following:

McALLEN - Barack Obama's statements that he would consider renegotiating the decade-old North American Free Trade Agreement are drawing criticism from Rio Grande Valley business leaders. The treaty, which removed most trade and investment barriers among the United States, Mexico and Canada, has quickly turned into a point of contention between Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and his Republican counterpart, John McCain, whose pro-free trade stance calls for even more NAFTA-like trade blocs - specifically with Colombia and South Korea. Obama has routinely denounced the treaty as a deal that "put special interests over workers' interests," as he said...

While Minnesota families are paying more for just about everything, the Minnesota State Fair is asking all food and non-food vendors not to increase their prices this year. "We know how the economy is and we know that the costs of doing business are rising," said Brienna Schuette of the Minnesota State Fair. In a letter to vendors the fair suggests boosting profits by offering "family pricing" for multiple items, and even offering smaller portions. "Some of us might appreciate because we do so much eating at the fair," said Shuette.(sic) George Wozniak has co-owned the French Fry stands at...

July Fourth is a celebration of outdoor cooking, as well as our nation's birthday. It's time to brush off the barbecue and throw masses of processed meat on the grill. As we all stand around waiting for the fire to die down so that we can make s'mores, it's also a time to ponder the notion that the barbecue is a ritual 700,000 years old or more, and it might have something to do with our big brains.

Record Report Statement as of 4:30 am CDT on July 4, 2008 ... Record cold high temperature in Springfield on July 3... The high temperature in Springfield yesterday was only 69 degrees. This is the coldest high temperature on record for July 3. The old record of 70 degrees was set in 1892. The normal high temperature for the date is 86 degrees.

NORTH CANTON, Ohio — A simple change to the design of the gallon milk jug, adopted by Wal-Mart and Costco, seems made for the times. The jugs are cheaper to ship and better for the environment, the milk is fresher when it arrives in stores, and it costs less. What’s not to like? Plenty, as it turns out. The jugs have no real spout, and their unorthodox shape makes consumers feel like novices at the simple task of pouring a glass of milk. “I hate it,” said Lisa DeHoff, a cafe owner shopping in a Sam’s Club here. “It spills...

A University of Chicago expedition at Tell Edfu in southern Egypt has unearthed a large administration building and silos that provide fresh clues about the emergence of urban life. The discovery provides new information about a little understood aspect of ancient Egypt—the development of cities in a culture that is largely famous for its monumental architecture. The archaeological work at Tell Edfu was initiated with the permission of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, headed by Zahi Hawass, under the direction of Nadine Moeller, Assistant Professor at the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago. Work late last year revealed details of seven...

COLLEGE STATION -- A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine’s Day. That’s because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido. “The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station. “We’ve always known that watermelon is good...

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Extreme weather has virtually wiped out Door County’s cherry crop for this year, which not only means slim pickings in orchards that attract thousands of tourists each summer, but also a loss of an estimated 350 to 400 seasonal jobs for workers who harvest and process the iconic scarlet fruit. At a time when epic rains and flooding have wiped out berries and vegetables in other parts of the state, Door County’s loss may seem surprising because it is attributed to an opposite extreme: a three-month drought last summer, followed by a January that brought rain and wild temperature fluctuations....