Free Republic

Beijing, China : The endangered pangolin may be the link that facilitated the spread of the novel coronavirus across China, Chinese scientists said Friday. At least 31,000 people have been infected and 630 killed by the virus, which has spread to two dozen countries. Researchers at the South China Agricultural University have identified the scaly mammal as a "potential intermediate host," the university said in a statement, without providing further details.

Singer-songwriter Barbra Streisand said she’s considering a move to Canada if Democrats are unable to retake control of the House in next week’s midterm elections. “I want to sleep nights, if we take the House I’ll be able to sleep a little bit better,” she told the New York Times. If Democrats can’t retake the majority — they need to gain 23 seats to do so — she’s weighing a move. “I’ve been thinking about, do I want to move to Canada? I don’t know. I’m just so saddened by this thing happening to our country. It’s making me fat,”...

There are no ants in Angela Goodwin's pants... because she keeps a pair of anteaters in her washing machine. The 37-year-old bought Pua seven years ago and Aurora in 2011 to keep her company. And now the nocturnal pair are never happier than when they're curled up in her washer during the day or when they're roaming the house at night - keeping it free from pesky ants.

Who’s Your Daddy? Archie the giant anteater may have a hard time answering that question. Born to mom Armani at the LEO Zoological Center in Greenwich, Connecticut, Archie seems perfectly normal except for one small detail: Zookeepers have no idea how he came into being.Armani had previously given birth to a baby named Alice after a romantic rendezvous with Alf, a male anteater also at LEO. But this wasn’t an episode of Leave it to Beaver. Male anteaters are known to kill and eat their offspring, so the zoo’s staff kept Alf separate from Armani and Alice for several months....

Here are some pictures my brother snapped in Estabrook Woods* in Concord Massachusetts in May. He did it freehand with a 2005-ish stock digital camera. From Wikipedia; *"The Estabrook Woods is a wild tract of more than 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) of woodland, hills, ledge, and swamp two miles (3 km) north of the Town of Concord.[1] It is the largest contiguous and undeveloped woodland within thirty miles of Boston"

Russell Crowe, the Gladiator star, has sparked outrage after describing circumcision as barbaric in an angry four-letter outburst on the social networking site Twitter. The Oscar-winning actor laballed the practice “barbaric and stupid” during a row with his Twitter followers, telling them to “f--- off” if they disagreed with him. The 47-year-old engaged in an angry exchange with one follower, whom he branded a “moron”, before imploring Jewish people to “stop cutting your babies”. The debate followed a question by one of his fans called @picknic11 who asked him: “My son is due soon. Do you think I should get...

Democratic Party fat-cat-songbird Barbra Streisand is calling for President Bush to be impeached because he "deceived" the country about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. In the latest Streisand "Truth Alert" posted to her web site, the Democrat diva declares: "If there was ever a time in history to impeach a President of the United States, it would be now. In my opinion, it is two years too late. "We were clearly deceived by this administration and now we find ourselves fighting a war under false pretenses . . .

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU SEPT 26, 2002 14:09:27 ET XXXXX STREISAND MEMO TO GEPHARDT: 'TAKE THE OFFENSE!' Barbra Streisand has reminded Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt in a blistering memo: "Sadam Hussein did not bomb the World Trade Center." The Streisand memo, released by adviser Margery Tabankin, warns Democrats to "get off the defensive and go on the offensive." The singeractressdirectorproducer took time out from rehearsals for a performance she's giving on Sunday for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to remind Gephardt [spelled "Gebhardt" in a faxed memo obtained by DRUDGE] not to "ignore the obvious influence on the Bush...