Free Republic

Have you ever thought about using an extra thumb? Perhaps you could play the guitar faster, or hold an extra tool as you continue to work? Well think no more, as Dani Clode has invented just that. We took a trip down to the University of Cambridge, where she collaborates with neuroscientist Tamr Makin to unravel the mysteries of how this extra thumb influences the brain. Dani envisions a future where augmentation becomes a reality and the third thumb serves as a tool to enhance the capabilities of regular individuals. She also explores the impact this additional thumb can have...

Expelled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., on Wednesday told followers on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that his successor in Congress would either be a Democrat or a "Democrat in Republican skin."But "The level of corruption is so insane that this is what they wanted … remove me the most conservative member of the NY delegation and replace me with another Dem or RINO," Santos said. A litany of Republican candidates are running against Sapraicone, including Nassau county lawmaker Maxi Pilip, Jan. 6 rioter Sean Grillo and war veteran Kellen Curry. Tom Suozzi is likely to be the Democratic...

Water Heater Saving Project. I've moved into a new home in a retirement community and don't want big bills to replace my Water Heater down the line. I also don't like the idea that my energy bills may go up significantly with the global climate change policies that many are embracing. What can I do? Powered Anode (With LED) - $99 Amazon. $10 - Water Pressure gauge Home Depot. $5 Meat Temperature gauge. Plumber $89. First: High Water Pressure and High water Temperatures kill Water Heaters prematurely (as low as 5 years). Over 80 PSI or over $180, I consider...

Still, some Trump-skeptical Republicans in the Senate continue to hold on to the idea that he can be stopped. Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said he was “not ready to draw” the conclusion that the primary is basically over. Thune, who had endorsed Scott, told Punchbowl News this week that he has been “impressed” with Haley’s debate performances. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who had previously expressed interest in DeSantis, said she felt that presidential polls “feel less reliable.” “To me, it doesn’t feel locked down,” Lummis added of the GOP race. “I do...

With the holiday season in full swing, most Americans are not paying close attention to the latest UN climate change conference -- COP 28 -- which is currently taking place in Dubai. I get it; the vast majority of Americans are busy preparing for family gatherings, shopping for presents, and attending holiday festivities. They have neither the time nor the energy to follow the daily happenings at a climate change conference halfway around the world. However, the American people must be made aware of what exactly is occurring at COP28 simply because the ideas and policies being espoused by the...

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion, men ages 18 to 60 were forbidden from leaving the country. Some of those seeking to escape hire guides to lead them through the mountains. Others make the risky trip alone. At least 25 men have drowned while crossing the Tysa River separating Ukraine from Moldova and Romania. Many rely on fake documents to slip out of the country. Men have squeezed themselves into secret compartments in vehicles, posed as clergy members and dressed as women to sneak past border checkpoints, said Andriy Demchenko, a spokesman at the headquarters of the State Border Guard Service. Interviews...

"Music video by Yo-Yo Ma;Alison Krauss performing The Wexford Carol. (C) 2008 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT"

Geddy Lee surprised a venue full of Rush fans on Thursday by marching out old friend and longtime band mate Alex Lifeson to help him traverse back through decades of shared memories. It was a rare opportunity to see the progressive rock legends in a semi-causal setting, sans guitars but armed with many punchlines, as the bassist closed out the North American leg of his "My Effin' Life" book tour at Massey Hall in Toronto. "Don't make me cry before I get started," he pleaded with Lifeson shortly after the Rush guitarist was revealed as the other half of the...

In a key procedural vote on Wednesday, Senate Republicans blocked passage of a bill providing more military aid for Ukraine after Democrats at the last minute scuttled talks to include border security measures in the package – knowing full well that their refusal to compromise would doom the legislation. In doing so, congressional Democrats unintentionally revealed that maintaining an open U.S.-Mexico border is even more important to them than defending Ukraine against Russia. In late October, President Joe Biden sent a supplemental funding request to Congress asking for $105 billion to help Ukraine and Israel in their respective conflicts with...

DIY (Do It Yourself): Furnace Air Conditioning Saving Project. I've moved into a new home in a retirement community and don't want big bills to replace my furnace A/C down the line. I also don't like the idea that my energy bills may go up significantly with the global climate change policies that many are embracing. What can I do? DIY (easy): Powered Furnace Filter - $149 Amazon. Improves air flow by 30% (lower heat/cooling bills), captures much finer/more particulate matter saving the furnace A/C down the road. DIY (Moderate): Nest 3rd Generation or equivalent Wi-Fi Thermostat - $206 Amazon....

The press conference began like many LIV Golf press conferences, with a moderator issuing an introduction. But this wasn’t any LIV presser — this was a Zoom call. Just a bunch of faces and names in little neat boxes. About one minute in, one of those boxes flipped from a blank screen to show the face of Jon Rahm, the No. 3 player in the world, wearing a black LIV Golf letterman jacke

After being left alone for the holidays, eight-year-old Kevin McCallister famously went grocery shopping in the 1990 classic "Home Alone," purchasing a large haul of food and everyday household items for under $20. With today's prices, however, McCallister would need a lot more in his piggy bank and Americans are taking notice. Items including a half gallon of milk, a half gallon of orange juice, a TV dinner, bread, frozen mac and cheese, laundry detergent, cling wrap, toilet paper, a pack of army men and dryer sheets cost the character, played by Macaulay Culkin, $19.83. Last year, the same grocery...

The mayor of Westbrook says he will not run for another term and, in fact, will never run for public office again. Michael Foley, who was just elected last year, tells Maine's Total Coverage he has been harassed, including receiving threatening emails and phone calls related to a recent holiday lights controversy. Earlier this month, the city removed a Star of David from its Riverwalk light display and replaced it with a dreidel. The star is a historic religious symbol in Judaism. Foley says it was removed based on legal requirements that prevent government entities from appearing to endorse a...

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The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office arrested hundreds of suspects accused of ripping off retail chains in a massive anti-theft operation, including disrupting a likely international gift card scam the office has never seen before. "Retail theft in Sacramento County is out of control. Over the course of seven days, sheriff's detectives conducted an operation targeting thieves and large retailers throughout our region. This operation was an overwhelming success, but we can't fight this alone," Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper said in a video of the operation. The sheriff’s office carried out "Operation Bad Elf" to curb retail theft at big...

Last Friday the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), a repo rate serving as the Fed’s new target reference rate , jumped 6 basis points (6 bps, 0.06) to above the Fed’s target range. SOFR measures (www.newyorkfed.org/markets/reference-rates/sofr) the median cost of Treasury repo borrowing. The jump not only caught most people off guard, but got eerily little attention. It likely reflects several market factors and a little bit of unfortunate timing (not unlike September 2019), but to the former New York Fed group officer Mark Cabana (now at BoA), the context is simple:

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U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona took a swipe Thursday at Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ parental rights law. Cardona took a trip to Iowa to visit the Perry Community School District and the Des Moines Area Community College to learn about the college's teacher apprenticeship and pipeline program. Before discussing the state of rural education in the Hawkeye State, Cardona had an interview with the Des Moines Register to talk about Reynolds' parental rights law. "What I'm seeing here in Iowa, what I'm seeing in other places, is an overreach of state government," the Education Secretary told the...

A trio of companies, including Ford, have iced plans for a large electric vehicle plant in Turkey, citing cooling demand. The news (also involving LG Energy Solution and Koç Holding) is a blow to innovation and investment momentum happening among some of the largest automakers around the world. Why is it important? Widespread EV use is a key part of reducing planet-warming air pollution. With no tailpipe emissions, EVs produce less dirty air during the vehicle’s lifetime than gas-powered vehicles, even when considering pollution generated from battery manufacturing, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The typical gas-powered passenger vehicle...

"Squad" Democrats gathered on Capitol Hill to call for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza on Thursday, doubling down on accusations that Israel is targeting civilians and committing "genocide." Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., held the press conference alongside Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. They also invited members of the Doctors Without Borders organization, which provides humanitarian aid in Gaza. Bush had vicious words for Israel during her opening remarks. "When we hear genocidal rhetoric, when we witness devastation and mass murder, when we finance the bombs being dropped, when we intentionally disregard the suffering, we allow the people...