Free Republic

In preparation for the massive snowstorm that hit much of the country in the past few days, many people made runs to their local grocery stores to stock up on basic essentials like canned food and bottled water. But during that shopping blitz, some social media users noticed that though every other water brand sold out, one remained nearly untouched. Based off its reputation, I bet a few of you know exactly which one it is. According to photos posted to Reddit, Dasani, the bottled water everyone loves to hate, seems to have never left many store shelves. (Aquafina is...

Bills advancing in multiple states could see 'thousands' of America's favorite candies, snacks and sodas banned in their current form. Last October California approved a historic 'Skittles ban' that outlawed four food additives linked to cancer and fertility issues. Now, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois have advanced similar measures, targeting a total of 13 additives that are already banned in some European countries over alleged health risks. New Jersey and Missouri are also considering the bans. If passed, they would force companies to change their recipes or face legal action. And experts say the moves could change the look, taste...

I took a boat through 96 million black plastic balls on the Los Angeles reservoir to find out why they're there. The first time I heard about shade balls the claim was they reduce evaporation. But it turns out this isn't the reason they were introduced. Huge thanks to LADWP for arranging this special tour for me. Next time let's put the GoPro on the submersible! The balls are made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) which is less dense than water so they float on the surface of the reservoir even if they break apart. They are 10cm (4 inches)...