Free Republic

This figure shows the energy density and the power density of nano vacuum tubes in comparison to other energy storage devices. Credit: H?bler and Osuagwu. (PhysOrg.com) -- Physicists theorize that quantum phenomena could provide a major boost to batteries, with the potential to increase energy density up to 10 times that of lithium ion batteries. According to a new proposal, billions of nanoscale capacitors could take advantage of quantum effects to overcome electric arcing, an electrical breakdown phenomenon which limits the amount of charge that conventional capacitors can store. In their study, Alfred Hubler and Onyeama Osuagwu, both of the...

The spread of tuberculosis may have killed off leprosy in Europe in the Middle Ages, according to research published in the latest issue of the Royal Society Proceedings B. A collaborative study led by University College London (UCL) scientists, following the discovery of a shrouded body in a sealed chamber overlooked by tomb robbers, found evidence of both diseases in a range of archaeological remains dating from the 1st to the 15th centuries. An initial examination of the body, currently under analysis in Israel, revealed signs of co-infection of TB and leprosy in the bone tissue. The collaborative team, led...

Find out why bees never crash land, and how their technique could help engineers to design new aircraft.Whether landing on a picnic table, underneath a flower petal, or on a wall of a hive, bees always manage to touch down without crashing or tumbling. Now, for the first time, scientists have figured out how these insects maneuver themselves onto all sorts of surfaces, from right side up to upside-down. The bees' technique, which depends mostly on eyesight, may help engineers design a new generation of automated aircraft that would be undetectable to radar or sonar systems and would make...

For almost 50 years, astronomers have puzzled over the youthful appearance of stars known as blue stragglers... They shine brightly, they are older than they appear, and they have, disconcertingly, gained mass at a late stage of life... Now, Mathieu and Wisconsin colleague Aaron Geller, writing Dec. 24 in the journal Nature, show that blue stragglers, in most if not all cases, steal that mass from companion stars and that they sometimes do so by crashing into their neighbors, a scenario once thought far-fetched by astronomers. In the new Nature report, Geller and Mathieu show that the mass-gathering ways of...

An ancient dwarf whale unearthed in southeastern Australia captured its prey by slurping up mouthfuls of mud, a new study says. The fossil whale, thought to between 25 and 28 million years old, hints that mud sucking might have been a precursor to the filter feeding used by today's baleen whales... The newfound fossil whale, which measures just nine feet (three meters) long, shares the same distinct jaw and skull structures as today's baleens. But the tiny whale also had teeth, said study author Erich Fitzgerald, a paleontologist at Museum Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. The odd combination suggests that the...

The ancient Mayans may have had enough engineering know-how to master running water, creating fountains and even toilets by controlling water pressure, scientists now suggest... Scientists investigated the Mayan center at Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico. At its height, this major site, inhabited from roughly 100 to 800 AD, had some 1,500 structures -- residences, palaces, and temples -- holding some 6,000 inhabitants under a series of powerful rulers. The center at Palenque also had what was arguably the most unique and intricate system of water management known anywhere in the Maya lowlands. These involved elaborate subterranean aqueducts to deal with...

The entire grove of trunks is in fact one plant, a newly discovered Palmer's oak (Quercus palmeri) that researchers estimate is over 13,000 years old, making it one of the oldest plants on Earth... none of its 70 stems get more than a few feet tall, and it grows in a boulder pile that doubles as shelter from the area's buffeting winds. At first glance, the scientists thought it was an isolated grove of trees, but something didn't add up: None of them produced fertile acorns, so the plants couldn't reproduce... Genetic analysis confirmed their suspicion. Each of the 70...

This is to Jim Robinson and all members of Free Republic. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The team who worked on the Stonehenge Riverside Project in 2009 are to return to their findings to explain the eating habits of the people who built and worshipped at the stone circle over four thousand years ago... the new 'Feeding Stonehenge' project will analyse a range of materials including cattle bones and plant residue... Initial research suggests the animals were brought considerable distances to the ceremonial site.. The original Stonehenge Riverside project, which strengthened the idea that nearby Durrington Walls was part of the Stonehenge complex, yielded a surprisingly wide range of material ranging from ancient tools to animal...

Prof. Epstein's focus is very different, and a heartening reminder for capitalists in the age of Obama. Drawing on the Bill of Rights protections against takings without just compensation and deprivation of property without due process of law, and on the Supreme Court's rate-regulation jurisprudence, Epstein concludes that the Constitution assures that "any firm in a regulated market be allowed to recover a risk-adjusted competitive rate of return on its accumulated capital investment." (Citing the Supreme Court's decision in Duquesne Light Co. v. Barasch (1988)) Applying these principles, Epstein concludes: The Reid Bill emphatically fails this test by imposing sharp...

My wife and I, and our two teenagers are off on a well-earned vacation to Mittersfeld (Black Forest/Bavaria) and Salsberg on Christmas Day thru New Years. I'd appreciate any feedback from my second family as to what to see (or don't bother to see), as well as some out of the way places to visit.

Here's what we still don't understand about Google's Google Phone (Nexus One) strategy: How is Google planning to deal with the obvious partner conflict?By most accounts, the Nexus One is a better phone than the "Droid" that Motorola and Verizon are currently spending untold amounts of money advertising. The Motorola and Verizon advertising is unquestionably helping Google, by selling Android phones and raising awareness of Android. And now Google's distribution of its own phone to employees has completely stolen the thunder from the Verizon ad campaign. "Droid Does"? Who cares? All anyone wants to know about right now is what...

New Direction for any war: Send Service Vets over 60! I am over 60 and the Armed Forces thinks I'm too old to track down terrorists. You can't be older than 42 to join the military. They've got the whole thing ass-backwards. Instead of sending 18-year olds off to fight, they ought to take us old guys. You shouldn't be able to join a military unit until you're at least 35. For starters: Researchers say 18-year-olds think about sex every 10 seconds Old guys only think about sex a couple of times a day, leaving us more than 28,000 additional...

The parents who pulled the balloon boy hoax in hopes of landing a reality TV show were sentenced to jail Wednesday — 90 days for him, 20 days for her — and barred from profiting from their newfound celebrity status for the next four years. Choking back tears, Richard Heene apologized in court for the frenzy he caused when he claimed his 6-year-old son Falcon had floated away in a giant helium balloon shaped like a flying saucer. "I'm very, very sorry. And I want to apologize to all the rescue workers out there, and the people that got involved...

Here is the Pledge (If it is so adopted): "I xxxxxxxx, to filibuster and otherwise obstruct any modification to the Health Care Reform Act of 2009 no matter how slight the change. The passing of this bill in such a partisan manner can't be fixed, it can only be retired so that we may start a new. So help me God."

DURANT, Okla. -- The Oklahoma State Health Department is preparing to test a 60-pound beaver for rabies after it bit a small boy outside an apartment complex in southern Oklahoma. Tammy Lane said her 5-year-old son went outside to get the family cat on Saturday. But instead of finding a feline, he was attacked by a beaver after trying to pet the animal, according to KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. "I heard screaming. I went to see what was happening. His leg was pretty bad," Lane said. She rushed her son to a local hospital and called police. "They didn't believe...

Most have a signature after their screen name in their posts. I can't figure out how to do this and I am not new to forum formats and basic computer skills, but I must admit that FreeRepublic is unique. Can someone please tell me how to do this... 3boysdad (signature line here) ?

Who do you believe could mount an effective challenge to Mitch McConnell for minority leader? Have you heard any chatter about a challenge. What do think is the likelihood? Could activists make a difference with calls, faxes, emails, etc...? Your thoughts.

It drives them crazy.

The camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr. is claiming Manny Pacquiao is declining Olympic-style drug testing for their tentatively scheduled March 13 megafight, with Mayweather representatives going as far to say that one of the richest bouts in boxing history is in "jeopardy" because of Pacquiao's stance. Pacquiao has communicated that he'd be willing to give a blood sample only at the kick-off news conference 60 days before the fight, and after the bout, Mayweather representatives claim. Mayweather's father, Floyd Sr., stated publicly earlier this year that he'd discourage his son from fighting Pacquiao because he suspects the Filipino superstar is...

Inside a secured room at the Eagan Police headquarters is the charred and shredded evidence of a near fatal crime. There's not much left of a winter jacket, worn by a 33-year-old St. Paul man. The alleged copper thief was burned by 69,000 volts of electricity, creating a flash of light in the early morning sky. "There were also calls of a large flash of light seen from several miles away and a large boom," Eagan Officer Danielle Anselment said. Police and paramedics responded to several 911 calls of a man who was on fire at the Dakota Electric power...

Apparently, when the President was in South Korea, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak handed him a dobok (Taekwon-do outfit) and presented him with a blackbelt. This is an honor that takes the average student at least a year and a half. It took me around two years for my first degree of blackbelt and ten years to achieve my current rank of fourth degree blackbelt. The original Taekwon-do started by General Choi splintered into two main groups: the World Tae Kwon Do Federation(WTF) and the International Tawkwon-do Federation (ITF). I belong to the ITF, which is the traditional group and...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Tidal forces parallel to a segment of the San Andreas Fault in central California may be causing non-volcanic tremors that could help predict earthquakes, researchers said on Wednesday. Low-level tremors have long been associated with volcanoes, because they often warn of impending eruptions. A study published in the journal Nature says these tremors beneath the San Andreas Fault could provide similar clues about earthquakes. The researchers say the faint tug of the sun and the moon on the fault causes tremors well below the level where earthquakes occur. The finding suggests that rock far underground is lubricated...

Very nice photo compilation, with appropriate music

Guy has a pretty darn good collection and looks to be a good shot!

Sheriff's office broken into over the weekend An investigation is underway after someone broke into a Kentucky sheriff's office. Sometime over the weekend…someone entered the Whitley County Sheriff’s Office office….and police say a crime was committed. (My emphasis) “We got the call yesterday that the Whitley county Sheriff’s office had been burglarized,” said KSP Trooper Don Trosper. The question remains how the thief or thieves got past the courthouse’s main entrance…through the door into the department…and then into Sheriff Lawrence Hodge’s personal office. “It’s ongoing….Det. (Billy) Correll began the investigation yesterday..so it’s still in its infancy,” said Trosper. Detective Correll...

NEW YORK (AFP) – Tiger Woods's cheating was no secret to other golfers, Swedish LPGA star Helen Alfredsson said Wednesday, while Golf Digest announced it was putting the 14-time major winner's advice column on ice. Alfredsson became the first professional golfer to say she had heard stories about Woods cheating on his Swedish wife Elin, the New York Daily News reported, citing her interview with Swedish television station TV4. "I heard it last summer during the British Open," Alfredsson said, describing Woods as "cold" and saying there was "something odd about him" that belied the clean image he enjoyed until...

I just have two simple questions. 1) What Civil/Criminal Lawsuits are ready to go to halt this unconstitutional law. 2) Where do I sign up to be a complaintaint. As just about every knows, this "Reform" is anything but reform, it is a simple blatent takeover of our economy and health by anti-american socialists who care for the power they will hold over our heads then they care about getting re-elected. This is our "Tea Party", this is our Alamo. We must stop this before it leads to a real and hot Civil War.

Ben Nelson of Nebraska switched during the roll call on earmark vote-trading, he was for it before he was against it. Also this from Demint, "Senate Democrats Vote to Continue Earmark Vote-Trading" ttp://demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=bd71448a-b030-dfb5-7be8-1c5493413dc8

BEER-SHEVA, ISRAEL -- December 23, 2009 -- A new study conducted at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) reveals that Celebrex and other anti-inflammatory coxib medications may counter the positive effects of aspirin in preventing blood clots. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), indicates that people who are taking aspirin and coxibs together are in fact inhibiting the aspirin's effectiveness in preventing heart attacks and strokes. "This finding strongly suggests that humans who are consuming coxibs and a low dose of aspirin simultaneously are exposed to a greater risk of cardiovascular events," said...

Do employers currently list the healthcare benefits paid to an employee on their W2s? Trying to clarify an arguement. Thank you in advance. PS, I hope I put this thread in the right place.

Tiger Woods' fellow golfers knew he was catting around - but kept their mouths shut. Golf pro Helen Alfredsson became the first of Woods' peers to breach the green wall of silence Wednesday when she revealed it was common knowledge on the circuit that he was cheating on wife Elin Nordegren. "I heard it last summer during the British open," Alfredsson told Sweden's TV4 station. That Woods managed to keep his womanizing under wraps for so long clearly galled Alfredsson, who is Swedish, like Nordegren. "In the quietest water swims the ugliest fish," she said. Alfredsson, 44, called Woods "cold"...

Looking back is easy. Hindsight can easily tell us who some of the best athletes were, but figuring out who they are going to be is the tough part. Just look at ESPN's NEXT issues. For every one they get right, they get two horribly wrong. That same kind of difficulty applies in figuring out who the hot athletes will be. There are so many, but it's almost impossible to figure out just who will blow up and who will be a name only hardcore fans know. That's why I'm here. This list is composed of names you may not...

ATLANTA (AP) -- Former President Jimmy Carter is offering the Jewish community an apology for any of his "words and deeds" that may have upset them. Carter writes in an open letter to the Jewish community this week that he hopes the new year will bring peace between Israel and its neighbors. He says "we must not permit criticisms for improvement to stigmatize Israel." He adds: "I offer an Al Het for any words or deeds of mine that may have done so."....

Waiting for Santa

Romanian revolution and the execution of President Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena on Christmas day. Operation Just cause in Panama Former Yankees Manager Billy Martin dies after his car hits an ice patch

One of Hollywood's most enduring relationships has ended – Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins have broken up after more than two decades together, PEOPLE has learned exclusively. "Actress Susan Sarandon and her partner of 23 years, actor Tim Robbins have announced that they separated over the summer," her rep Teal Cannaday tells PEOPLE in a statement. "No further comments will be made."

Federal regulators under President Barack Obama have sharply shifted course on long-standing policy toward pharmaceutical residues in the nation's drinking water, taking a critical first step toward regulating some of the contaminants while acknowledging they could threaten human health. A burst of significant announcements in recent weeks reflects an expanded government effort to deal with pharmaceuticals as environmental pollutants:

Columbus-Bound Flight Delayed By Otters Wednesday, December 23, 2009 6:23 AM Updated: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 7:10 AM Video Print Story E-mail Story COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Continental Airlines flight from Houston to Columbus was delayed for more than an hour Tuesday night after otters making the trip in the plane's cargo hold escaped their cages and made a break for freedom. The otters were apparently being unloaded from the plane in Houston when they managed to get loose. "People thought it was a joke at first, I think," a passenger said. Another passenger said an otter made its way...

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- The parents who carried out the balloon boy hoax were sentenced to jail Wednesday and given strict probation conditions that forbid them from earning any money from the spectacle for four years. Richard Heene was sentenced to 90 days in jail, including 60 days of work release that will let him pursue his job as a construction contractor while serving his time. His wife, Mayumi, was sentenced to 20 days in jail.....

I saw a video of a muppet look alike in a video. I can not find it. It was a little gross. He was singing F**K IT! It was really funny and I deleted it. Now I can not find it. Can anyone help me?

High-school kids in France are fighting for their right to wear revealing clothing to school. Apparently some schools have new dress codes that ban things like short skirts, piercings, and low-slung pants. At one school last week, a chick managed to convince 300 of 2,100 students to come to school dressed in violation of the new code. This meant revealing shorts or minis for girls and board shorts for guys. Their new headmaster was trying to ban skirts above the knee and clothes with holes in them. The protest organizer got in trouble, obviously. Her actions led to a three-day...

Green Bay's junior hockey team, which had a home game interrupted by a flying bat that met its demise after it was swarmed by former Edina star Anders Lee and other stick-swinging players, is seizing on the incident to raise money for a wildlife sanctuary. In response to criticism of the bat's public and immediate death last week, a "Bat Trick" promotion will be staged starting with the team's game Dec. 31. Resch Center fans will be able to buy a toy bat in the team store for $2. All of the proceeds will go to the Bay Beach Wildlife...

Teens who listen to music that mentions marijuana are significantly more likely to use the drug, a new study finds. The research was based on surveys with 959 ninth-graders. "Students who listen to music with the most references to marijuana are almost twice as likely to have used the drug than their peers whose musical tastes favor songs less focused on substance use,"... "Interestingly, we also found that exposure to marijuana in music was not associated with other high-risk behaviors, such as excessive alcohol consumption," Primack said. "This suggests that there is a real link between the marijuana lyrics and...

Despite reports that the Obama White House Christmas Tree is festooned with decorations of Chinese Communist leader Mao Tse Tung and a drag queen, those with a knowledge of dendrology believe the story to be Christmas Fool’s joke on conservatives. News of the Obama Administration’s White House Christmas Tree decorated with Communist and alternative-lifestyle ornaments has been carried by conservative media outlets Big Government and Fox News. The fact that Simon Doonan, who has used the famous Christmas window at Barney’s New York to make his left-wing political feelings known, was chosen to decorate the White House tree this year...

A little more than a year ago, Dave Clifton, president and co-owner of Rational Radio (1360 on Your AM Dial), told Sam that his left-leaning station would be a success, no doubt about it: "More than half of the people who vote are on my side of the political fence, and they have very little to support their views on the radio." But that was before what Clifton now calls "The Great Bank Heist" of 2008 and '09 -- before, as he puts it this morning, "radio stations lost a lot of their value because the advertisers quit advertising." Clifton,...

Washington Square, Music Video by Chris Isaak Worth a listen and viewing. Merry Christmas

Now it's Christmas. We have numerous nativity sets we've collected over the years - one special one we bartered for outside Bethlehem in the mid-60s. There's another one given us by Tanzanian missionaries - soapstone figurines. And so forth and so forth.