Free Republic

Stocks, bonds, gold and bitcoin — pretty much everything but the U.S. dollar — soared Friday when Fed Chair Jerome Powell not only declared that the time has come for policy to adjust but that further increases in the unemployment rate would be unwelcome. Markets looked set for a calmer session Monday, a period of tranquillity that may run until Nvidia reports its results on Wednesday. In the meantime, it’s worth looking at food prices, which have become a potent political issue in the presidential campaign. Vice President Kamala Harris outlined a plan, still lacking many concrete details, that would...

A recent study by Stockholm University has provided a new interpretation of the runic inscription on the Forsa Ring, an ancient ring that dictated fines for specific offenses. The reinterpretation positions that ring as the oldest documented value record in Scandinavia and reveals how the Vikings handled fines in a flexible and practical manner. The research was recently published in the Scandinavian Economic History Review.The Forsa Ring (Forsaringen in Swedish) is an iron ring from Hälsingland, dated to the 9th or 10th century. The runic inscription on the ring describes fines for a specific offense, where payment was to be...

The Harris-Walz campaign did not immediately respond to any of my questions about its chai strategy. How many people did they send the $`18-$36-$54-$72 solicitation to, and how did they know those people were Jewish? Was it the brainchild of Harris’ Jewish husband, Doug Emhoff? Do Jewish recipients like this subtle “I see you” messaging — or find it a bit creepy? And, most importantly, how much did it bring in? I also reached out to the Trump campaign to see if they’re also asking Jews for multiples of chai. No immediate answer from them either. Halie Soifer, CEO of...

Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Japan scrambled fighter jets after a Chinese military plane, for the first time, violated the island nation's airspace, the Japanese government confirmed Monday. According to Japan's Defense Ministry, a Y-9 intelligence-gathering plane at about 11:29 a.m. local time flew over the East China Sea near the Danjo Islands off the southwestern prefecture Nagasaki for roughly two minutes. The incursion prompted the Air Self-Defense Force to scramble its fighter jets, defense ministry officials said. The Y-9 reportedly circled above the water southeast of the islands multiple times before it entered Japanese airspace and before flying back toward...

Bacteria can synthesize metal nanoparticles as a detox method, converting metal atoms into nanoparticles to protect themselves from poisoning. Researchers have proposed a method using bacteria to extract rare metals essential for the development of green technology. A team named The Horsfall Group at the University of Edinburgh aims to use microorganisms to extract lithium, cobalt, manganese, and other minerals from old batteries and discarded electronic equipment. Several bacteria are able to decrease metal cations and generate precipitates of zero-valence, pure metals as a survival strategy against dangerous concentrations of metal cations.

Feta cheese is the “white gold” for Greece, said President of the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (NUAC) Pavlos Satolias. Satolias said in an interview with Peloponnisos newspaper that exports of the famous Greek cheese increase each year. At the moment, 65 percent of feta produced in the country is exported. The king of Greek cheeses has opened many markets around the world and can be found in every European country and Australia, as well as others in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. “In the balance of current transactions in the agri-food sector, feta has contributed 1 billion euros to...

(Based Underground)—In a strategic move to circumvent U.S. export restrictions, Chinese AI developers are tapping into global computing resources, bypassing the need to import high-end American chips like those from Nvidia directly into China. This workaround involves collaborating with brokers to access computing power abroad, often under the cover of anonymity techniques borrowed from the cryptocurrency sector. The U.S. has imposed stringent export controls on advanced chips, particularly Nvidia’s powerful H100 chips, aiming to curb technological advancements in China that could have military applications. However, the demand for these chips in China remains high, leading to innovative solutions like those...

Former President Donald Trump received a rowdy reception when he walked into a Vietnamese restaurant in northern Virginia on Monday. The 45th president visited the Truong Tien Vietnamese Restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, along with Virginia U.S. Senate candidate Hung Cao. The Naval Academy graduate and combat veteran is running to replace incumbent Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine. “In Florida, we go down and we have large groups of people, always dressed perfectly, with the red and the silver. I say, ‘You’re the most beautiful dressers I’ve ever seen,'” he added. Trump then turned to the senate candidate and said, “I...

Mariah Carey’s mother Patricia and sister Alison both died on the same day, the singer said Monday. “My heart is broken that I’ve lost my mother this past weekend. Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, my sister lost her life on the same day,” the Grammy-winning singer said in a statement. “I feel blessed that I was able to spend the last week with my mom before she passed,” the statement continued. “I appreciate everyone’s love and support and respect for my privacy during this impossible time.” Further details about their causes of death were not immediately available. People...

After four days of long-winded speeches and non-stop Trump-bashing, the Democratic National Convention is finally over. The DNC saw speeches from the Clintons, Obamas, and, of course, Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz. It was the antics away from the main stage, however, which captivated conservatives across social media. While Edwin the Venezuelan alien was kept away from the convention, conservatives who managed to sneak into the DNC caused chaos among the Democratic attendees. One incognito activist was Matt Walsh, the conservative children’s author who’s risen to fame for his efforts against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies across...

Bet you didn't see this coming.Leftover Pickle Brine Is Liquid Gold — Here’s How to Use It, According to a Pro Pickler and Chef Chick-fil-A reportedly has a brand-new product coming out. And it has nothing to do with chicken. Reports began to surface on Thursday night that the fast-food chain is working on a new streaming entertainment venture and will create multiple original shows to debut later this year. According to Deadline, which broke the story, Chick-fil-A is specifically working with studios on "family-friendly" content, including unscripted reality shows, and is in the process of licensing and acquiring new...

Currently there are 6 cruise missiles from the previous launch over western Ukraine.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's office has been working behind the scenes to get House conservatives to drop their demands that a short-term funding bill include an immigrant voting crackdown, Axios has learned. Why it matters: A GOP showdown is brewing ahead of the Oct. 1 government funding deadline. Conservatives have shown a willingness to flirt with shutdowns to push their priorities, which McConnell's team wants to avoid. In a recent meeting with other GOP offices about a short-term spending bill strategy, top McConnell staffers argued that adding a non-citizen voting bill would backfire.

Are you ready to “eat the bugs”? For a long time, we have been told that “eating the bugs” is just a “conspiracy theory”, but as you will see below more than 2 billion people around the world already eat bugs on a regular basis. More than 2,000 types of edible insects are being consumed, and bug ingredients are increasingly being used in common foods that we purchase in the grocery stores. In fact, you could potentially be consuming products that contain insect ingredients without even realizing it. So anyone that tries to tell you that “eating the bugs” is...

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media.This is the confidence we have in approaching God: That if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14)Religion Forum threads labeled *Prayer* are closed to debate of any kind.1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true...

Before you turn your nose up at the sweet and spicy combination, consider its roots in the country’s post-World War II food cultureIn Sweden, a popular pie is topped with bananas, cheese, curry and salty ham. Jessica Kelly I had no idea banana curry pizza even existed in Sweden until I saw a piece of pizza art from Cities by the Slice on Instagram. On the account, illustrator Dan Bransfield highlights the foods of different cities, and when I saw his pizza print featuring slices around the world, with a Swedish slice topped with bananas, I was intrigued. Weeks later,...

Democrats seem poised to do whatever it takes to stay in the White House. That alone wouldn’t worry me so much, but they’re not the only ones with skin in the game. Corporate media, most in Big Tech, and foreign influences also seem willing to lie, cheat, and steal to prevent a second term for Donald Trump. But what if it’s just not enough? What if massive, widespread voter fraud using their 2020 tricks combined with the border invasion of imported Democrats just won’t do the trick? They’ll know. Their internal polling is exponentially better than the public polls. We...

There is a lot to criticize about America’s current military – and I’ve criticized it – but there’s another problem no one seems to want to talk about. It’s scary as hell. The United States is not ready for the kind of war we are seeing played out in Ukraine, a peer-to-peer conventional fight that is rewriting the rules of what we thought war was supposed to be. And, with leadership in the White House sitting in a rocker staring slack-jawed at Matlock reruns, we are not in a position to fix what will mean defeat in our next real...

The Nicaraguan newspaper Confidencial reported on Sunday that Russia established a spy center in one of Nicaragua’s military bases under the auspices of the country’s communist regime. Confidencial, citing unnamed sources in the Nicaraguan military, warned in its report that the communist regime uses the spy base’s systems to monitor embassies and detect possible “traitors” of dictator Daniel Ortega.

When a military sniper makes an accurate shot from an extremely long distance, they need more than a spotter and a rangefinder. They need to take into account things such as wind direction, wind speed, air density and even the Earth's rotation. Amid all that, they might be making those calculations while enemy troops are actively trying to find and kill them.