Free Republic 3rd Qtr 2024 Fundraising Target: $81,000 Receipts & Pledges to-date: $66,435
82%  
Woo hoo!! And we're now over 82%!! Thank you all very much!! God bless.

Hobbies (General/Chat)

Brevity: Headers | « Text »
  • Pretty cool video on a murmuration

    03/08/2014 10:35:54 AM PST · by A Cyrenian · 7 replies
    My wife sent me this link to watch. I don't care for starlings but they are fun to watch. Starling gathering in England
  • Couple spend £40,000 transforming the first floor of their terraced home into a Boeing 737

    03/07/2014 4:40:45 PM PST · by EveningStar · 29 replies
    The Daily Mail ^ | March 7, 2014 | Emma Glanfield
    Two up in the air, two down? Couple spend £40,000 transforming the first floor of their terraced home into a Boeing 737 aeroplane…and it has got so big they are moving it to an industrial unit A couple who are obsessed with aeroplanes have spent £40,000 turning the upstairs of their terraced home into an exact replica of a Boeing 737. Steve and Vicky Everson, from Bacup, Lancashire, transformed the first floor of their house into an aeroplane complete with a cockpit and flight deck. Their passion for aviation started around five years ago after they redesigned the spare room...
  • Chrysler orders 93 rare, early Vipers to the crusher

    03/06/2014 3:06:01 PM PST · by perfect stranger · 2 replies
    yahoo ^ | 3/06/14 | Justin Hyde
    The original Dodge Viper revealed in 1992 was a beast of a machine — an attempt by then-Chrysler exec Bob Lutz to revive the spirit of the Shelby Cobra and give Chrysler a world-class sports car. Powered by a massive V-10 with 400 hp, the early Viper's brute force overwhelmed many drivers. Today, the power that made the Viper a legend appears to be at the heart of an order from Chrysler to dozens of trade schools, demanding the immediate destruction of some 93 early Vipers, including a preproduction model that could likely fetch a couple hundred thousand dollars at...
  • Chrysler orders 93 rare, early Vipers to the crusher

    03/06/2014 1:17:21 PM PST · by Doogle · 61 replies
    Yahoo auto ^ | 03/05/14 | justin Hyde
    The original Dodge Viper revealed in 1992 was a beast of a machine — an attempt by then-Chrysler exec Bob Lutz to revive the spirit of the Shelby Cobra and give Chrysler a world-class sports car. Powered by a massive V-10 with 400 hp, the early Viper's brute force overwhelmed many drivers. Today, the power that made the Viper a legend appears to be at the heart of an order from Chrysler to dozens of trade schools, demanding the immediate destruction of some 93 early Vipers, including a preproduction model that could likely fetch a couple hundred thousand dollars at...
  • Straight Men in San Francisco are Desperate for Dates

    03/06/2014 1:13:10 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 44 replies
    SF Weekly ^ | Wed., Mar. 5 2014 | Mollie McWilliams
    Are San Francisco straight men that hard up for a date that they need women to be flown in from elsewhere? Apparently, according to one dating site: the Dating Ring. Currently still in the fundraising stage (Really, we're fundraising for dating sites now?), a post on SFGate notes "Love-lorn young ladies can reserve a spot on the trip by simply anteing up $1,000, which will net them a flight, housing, three dates and two parties." Don't make us gag. Judging from the comments on our recent post disputing NerdWallet's findings that San Francisco is the best place to be a...
  • We're Seeing It Everywhere: Smoked Beer

    03/04/2014 7:34:33 PM PST · by DemforBush · 11 replies
    Yahoo ^ | 3/4/14 | Rachel Tepper
    Man has brewed beer for more than a millennium—perhaps even since the Neolithic period—but the stuff we drink today tastes very different from the brews our ancestors drank...
  • Real Live Battlefield: Video Game ‘Map’ Mirrors Ukraine Tank Depot, Pits Russia vs. USA

    03/03/2014 2:11:25 PM PST · by dynachrome · 14 replies
    shtfplan.com ^ | 3-3-14 | Mac Slavo
    The new Battlefield 4 video game from Electronic Arts, in which fictional forces from the United States, Russia and China go to war with each other features a curious, perhaps coincidental, new ‘map’ that is an almost exact replica of a massive ‘secret’ Ukranian tank depot. The map, dubbed Zavod 311, engages players from around the world in various scenarios that feature tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters, foot soldiers, and a host of weaponry with the goal being “conquest and control” of specific targets on the map. Up until recently it was just another map to play. But a report from...
  • What Meatballs Are Like Around the World

    03/03/2014 12:23:06 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 31 replies
    Fox News ^ | February 18, 2014 | Erik Mathes
    If you polled a large group of international eaters on what makes the perfect meatball, chances are you’d get more impassioned answers than you ever imagined. Whatever meatball criteria you held sacred before posing this query will undoubtedly be called into question, as you’ll have hordes of enthusiasts riled up trying to convince you that their take on the savory morsels deserves permanent placement at the pinnacle of mythical Meatball Mountain.
  • 12-year-old boy snags 114-pound catfish (breaking nine-year record)

    03/03/2014 7:29:28 AM PST · by JoeProBono · 33 replies
    upi ^ | March. 2, 2014 | DANIELLE HAYNES
    Twelve-year-old Louisiana boy catches 114-pound catfish. (Facebook) MONROE, La., March 2 (UPI) -- A 12-year-old boy caught a record 114.1-pound catfish in the Mississippi River in Louisiana. Lawson Boyte, of Oak Grove, La., was on a family fishing trip on the river when he caught the huge catfish using shad bait, KNOE-TV, Monroe, La., reported. The fish broke the previous record of 110.19 pounds in 2005.
  • Sheperdswell metal detector Greg Sweetman finds valuable Anglo-Saxon artefacts

    03/02/2014 10:28:27 PM PST · by Jet Jaguar · 5 replies
    Kent online ^ | March 03 2014 | by Emily Stott
    A rare collection of Saxon artefacts has been found by a man from east Kent. The Anglo-Saxon findings could be part of a grave date back to the sixth century and are said to be worth more than £40,000. Two Saxon pins, part of a buckle or belt and seven brooches were found on land next to the A20 towards Maidstone. Greg Sweetman, of Westcourt Lane, Shepherdswell, was the first person to find one of the brooches when metal detecting. Mr Sweetman, 40, said that he was very lucky to find something so rare. He said: "It's a day I...
  • Burning Man Gone: 38K Tickets Sold in 44 Minutes

    03/01/2014 2:10:58 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 22 replies
    NBC Bay Area ^ | Saturday, Mar 1, 2014 | Chris Roberts
    The popular counter-cultural event in the Nevada Desert burned through its 38,000 tickets in 44 minutes this week, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. The $380 tickets went on sale on Wednesday with little issue, the newspaper reported. They are being relisted online at places like StubHub for up to $1,545. If you missed the Burning boat, fear not: Another 1,000 tickets will go onsale on Aug. 6. A record-breaking 68,000 people went to the playa last year.
  • Thermal Imaging Gets More Common But The Courts Haven't Caught Up

    02/27/2014 3:54:22 PM PST · by Theoria · 16 replies
    NPR ^ | 27 Feb 2014 | Katie Barlow
    Thermal imaging devices have been available for sale online, relatively cheaply, for at least a couple of years. But now, an iPhone attachment will let you carry a thermal imaging camera in your pocket. FLIR Systems, a specialized camera company, plans to release its thermal camera and app for iPhone for less than $350 this spring. These devices — which show you the image of what you are looking at but with colors highlighting heat levels from objects — are getting easy to own and use. And that means consumers could use them to spot a water leak in the...
  • Couple Stumbles Upon $10 Million in Rare Coins

    02/26/2014 5:52:38 PM PST · by aMorePerfectUnion · 25 replies
    ABC News ^ | February 26, 2014 | By JOHN ROGERS
    A Northern California couple out walking their dog on their property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree. Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them. Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to more than $28,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1 million apiece. [continued at link]
  • Calif. couple strike $10 million gold-coin bonanza

    02/25/2014 2:15:04 PM PST · by Theoria · 62 replies
    AP ^ | 25 Feb 2014 | John Rogers
    <p>A Northern California couple out walking their dog on their property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree.</p> <p>Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them. Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to about $27,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1 million apiece.</p>
  • Nevada and Delaware sign iPoker compact

    02/25/2014 11:32:58 AM PST · by C19fan · 8 replies
    ESPN ^ | February 25, 2014 | Andrew Feldman
    Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada and Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware signed an agreement Tuesday that would allow poker players from both states to participate in a combined player pool -- potentially the first step in recreating a true American online poker market. The legislation allows the two states, which currently offer limited potential player pools, the ability to create a larger marketplace and add to the player liquidity that online poker sites rely on for continued success.
  • WEBSITE OF BITCOIN EXCHANGE MT. GOX OFFLINE

    02/24/2014 11:02:26 PM PST · by Jet Jaguar · 16 replies
    AP ^ | February 25, 2014
    The website of major Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox is offline amid reports it suffered a debilitating theft of the virtual currency. The URL of the Tokyo-based outfit returns a blank page Tuesday. Separately, several Bitcoin exchanges released a joint statement saying they are working to reassure customers that funds under their control are held securely. The statement says Mt. Gox should not be considered a reflection of the value of Bitcoin or the digital currency industry. A "crisis strategy" report shared widely online that purports to be an internal Mt. Gox document says more than 740,000 Bitcoins are missing from...
  • 5 Random Coincidences That Invented Modern Pop Culture

    02/24/2014 2:17:10 PM PST · by EveningStar · 4 replies
    Cracked ^ | February 24, 2014 | B.T. Doran
    The ancient Greeks believed that inspiration came from the Muses, goddesses who came down from Olympus to help common mortals create great works of art. But nowadays we know that creative minds get their ideas from pretty much whatever random s*** comes their way.This even goes for some of the most famous characters in recent pop culture history ...
  • GLOCK 42 vs The World [video only]

    02/24/2014 8:43:52 AM PST · by servo1969 · 39 replies
    YouTube.com ^ | 2-23-2014 | Iraqveteran8888
    Even if you are not shopping for a Glock 42, this is still an excellent comparison of many single stack pistols on the market. There are almost an overwhelming number of options for a .380 or 9mm concealed carry weapon. Hopefully this video helped you glean some information.
  • Boating Safety Tips: Boater Education & Resources for Safe Family Fun[tee-hee]

    02/22/2014 7:58:24 AM PST · by VRW Conspirator · 16 replies
    Discover Boating ^ | Don't Know | Staff
    1.Be Weather-wise Always check local weather conditions before departure- TV and radio forecasts can be a good source of information. If you notice darkening clouds, volatile and rough changing winds, or sudden drops in temperature, play it safe by getting off the water. 2.Follow a Pre-Departure Checklist Proper boating safety means being prepared for any possibility on the water. From compliance with fire safety regulations to tips for fueling up, following a pre-departure checklist is the best way to make sure no boating safety rules or precautions have been forgotten. 3.Use Common Sense One of the most important parts of...
  • Fantasy Baseball Openings

    02/21/2014 4:59:27 PM PST · by newbie 10-21-00 · 9 replies
    2/21/14 | That annoying guy?
    Sorry for the vanity. I am the current commish of a Freep league that will be starting its 14th season. It's a 12 team roto scoring league (standard 5X5) that is short two teams. The first team available came in third place and the likely six keepers are Kershaw, Fielder, V Martinez, A Sanchez, C Lee and Werth. The other team came in 8th, has a boatload of closers and likely keepers Felix, Elsbury, Adam Eaton, Belt, Chapman and Hardy. The draft is Monday 3/17 at 6:30 pm PST with keepers locked down a few day before that. freepmail me...