Free Republic

Dark earth, the strange patches of black soil rich in nutrients that cause plants to grow at accelerated rates, while also capturing unusually high amounts of carbon from the air, is one of the Amazon rainforest’s greatest mysteries. Since these patches of dark earth were first discovered by European colonizers in the 1880s, debate has raged over their origins, with ideas ranging from the natural to the artificial. Variants of this dark, nutrient-rich soil have been found in a range of locations around the world, and are most often associated with the accumulation of materials in soil after long periods...

High-ranking unit in the Russian navy is reeling after experiencing significant losses in a recent offensive. The 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade was involved in Wednesday attack on a Ukrainian military garrison in Pavlivka, a town southwest of the recently annexed Donetsk region, according to The Moscow Times on Monday. The offensive intended to give Russian forces access to a key supply line in the area. In the wake of the offensive, the elite naval unit is reportedly pointing the finger at "baffling" leadership decisions that led to the loss of roughly 300 men. These complaints were made in a...

Tom Leonardis has been Whoppie Goldberg's producer for about 19 years. Tom is also president of Whoopie Inc., her largest fan club. He admits to being frustrated and confused as to why Ms. Goldberg has never, ever been asked to host the Saturday Night Live entertainment show. "Whoopie has won an Oscar, she has hosted the Oscars, she won Emmys, Gramy and Tony awards as well, she even runs The View, Barbara Walters' Crown Jewel of a show, a couple times a month. So you tell me, what does it take for one of the most successful black comics to...

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Congressman John Sullivan has checked himself into the Betty Ford Center in California to treat an alcohol addiction. "To ensure my success in this fight, I've decided to take a temporary leave of absence from Congress," he said in a statement. "I value my relationship with the citizens of Oklahoma's First Congressional District, whom I am privileged and honored to have served for the past eight years. So, I wanted to be open and honest on this tough situation. "I ask for your continued support and prayers as I face the challenges that lay ahead. I...

LOWER BURRELL, Pa. -- A Lower Burrell school student is facing a three-day suspension for sharing gum with a classmate. Jolt chewing gum has caffeine and ginseng. The Lower Burrell school superintendent said consuming and passing out the gum violates the school's drug awareness policy. That's because caffeine is considered a stimulant. Parents told Channel 11 they did not understand the suspension. Resident Elizabeth Grombacher said, "I think it's stupid. Everything's getting too politically correct it's so wrong." "It's probably just like Mountain Dew or something like that. If it's got a lot of caffeine in it and they probably...

In Albany, Rape, Punch-Outs, and Shutdowns Are All a Baffling Blur Fri Jun 27,12:24 PM ET By Wayne Barrett Village Voice Writer Lost in the media bombast about the Albany rape arrest of Michael Boxley, chief counsel to Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver, were the surprising comments of state Democratic chair Denny Farrell, who also heads the powerful Assembly Ways and Means Committee. In an appearance on NY1 on June 12—a day after the arrest—Farrell tried to parrot the silver line, insisting that he "shouldn't be making any comments" and that this was now in the hands of the criminal justice...