Free Republic 2nd Qtr 2026 Fundraising Target: $81,000 Receipts & Pledges to-date: $41,900
51%  
Woo hoo!! And now only $220 to reach 52%!! Thank you all for your continued support!! God bless.

Forum: General/Chat

Brevity: Headers | « Text »
  • Hundreds of grown adults lined up for hours just to buy a $2.99 Trader Joe’s tote bag.

    06/18/2026 4:49:12 AM PDT · by dennisw · 2 replies
    X ^ | Jun 18, 2026 · 44.1K Views | CW
    Hundreds of grown adults lined up for hours just to buy a $2.99 Trader Joe’s tote bag. Maybe I’m getting old, but I genuinely don’t understand this. What am I missing?
  • This is a sh*t deal. Vanity.

    06/18/2026 4:12:17 AM PDT · by fruser1 · 22 replies
    Self ^ | 6/18/2026 | Self
    I'm pretty much a hawk on Iran and certainly don't trust them to hold their part of any deal. Putting that aside for a moment... Note, numbered paragraphs below are not meant to correspond to MOU numbering. 1 - Why do we even need a deal? If, for whatever reason, the US doesn't want to fight anymore, we can stop and leave without ceremony. Let them wonder if we'll hit them again. They know what prompted our attack. The US doesn't owe them a written apology. Iran misbehaved, we b*tch slapped them, so now -Bye! What's wrong with that? Worried...
  • Today's Toons 6/18/26

    06/18/2026 3:46:46 AM PDT · by pookie18 · 1 replies
    The Right Reasons ^ | 6/18/26 | pookie18
    Click on link
  • Today's Cryptogram

    06/18/2026 3:02:39 AM PDT · by Lonesome in Massachussets · 8 replies
    NWBH OKE JFB TKHCBHC CK IB AXZLGO OKEFABGY JHV VKH'C TKZLJFB KF TKZLBCB, BMBFOIKVO NXGG FBALBTC OKE. GJK CUE. Clue: Change N to W
  • Artifacts Recovered in The Netherlands

    06/18/2026 1:51:06 AM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 3 replies
    Archaeology Magazine ^ | June 11, 2026 | editors / unattributed
    According to a report in the , more than 3,000 artifacts were recovered during environmental work in the Nieuwe Drostendiep stream valley in the northeastern section of the Netherlands. The objects include tools from the Paleolithic period and the Bronze Age; medieval jewelry and jewelry dated to the second century B.C.; and materials from the Eighty Years' War, fought in the sixteenth century, and World War II. In particular, archaeologists found a gold ring dated to the third or fourth century A.D. and a fibula dated to the tenth or eleventh century A.D. "We are proud of the rich history...
  • Viking Coins Found in Denmark Were Minted With Islamic Silver

    06/18/2026 1:39:57 AM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 12 replies
    Archaeology Magazine ^ | June 17, 2026 | editors / unattributed
    Live Science reports that a new study of Viking coins from the Damhus hoard, a cache of 226 pennies unearthed in Denmark near the site of the Viking town of Ribe in 2018, suggests that they contain silver recycled from Islamic coins. The 1,000-year-old coins, known as pennies, bear a face on one side thought to represent the Norse god Wodan or Odin, with a stag on the reverse. Thomas Birch of the National Museum of Denmark said that each coin would have been enough to buy ale, bread, or simple tools. Analysis of the coins also shows that when...
  • Polls set to open in Makerfield by-election (Photo ID REQUIRED)

    06/17/2026 10:49:58 PM PDT · by RandFan · 10 replies
    bbc ^ | June 18 | bbc
    People living in the Greater Manchester constituency of Makerfield will shortly head to the polls to elect their new MP. More than 30 polling stations across the parliamentary constituency will open at 07:00 BST and close at 22:00, after which the count will take place. The result is expected early on Friday. There are 14 candidates standing in the by-election, which was triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Josh Simons. It is one of three Westminster by-elections taking place, with voters in the Scottish constituencies of Arbroath and Broughty Ferry and Aberdeen South also heading to the polls after...
  • The New Retirement Math: Why $1 Million Isn’t What It Used To Be

    06/17/2026 9:44:32 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 18 replies
    Global Market News ^ | 06/17/2026 | David Clemen
    For decades, “The Millionaire Next Door” wasn’t just a book title; it was the ultimate retirement goal. If you could hit seven figures in your 401(k), you were set. You had “made it.” But as we move through June 2026, that legendary $1 million milestone is starting to look less like a finish line and more like a checkpoint.According to the latest Northwestern Mutual 2026 Planning & Progress Study, the average American now believes they need $1.46 million to retire comfortably. That’s a significant jump from just a few years ago, and it signals a massive shift in how we...
  • Gas Prices: How are they by you?

    06/17/2026 8:05:45 PM PDT · by usconservative · 62 replies
    Self ^ | 06/17/2026 | USConservative
    So, how are gas prices where you are?Two weeks ago in my part of S.E. Tennessee: $4.49 - $4.69/gal Today? I filled up at $3.29/gal as I'm going to my good friend Lazamataz's house in Georgia, and we're going to take in an Atlanta Braves v. San Francisco Giants game tomorrow in a Corporoate Suite.
  • Mystery Potato Hovering Over Colorado Is Reported in Latest U.F.O. Files

    06/17/2026 7:41:34 PM PDT · by Beowulf9 · 43 replies
    https://www.nytimes.com ^ | June 13, 2026 | Danny Hakim
    The giant potato was sighted at 9:35 a.m. hovering over Cheyenne Mountain. The year was 2022. It was mid-February, about 50 degrees. The sky was blue. The flying spud, or what looked like one, was sighted by an Army intelligence officer and four members of his unit from Fort Carson in Colorado, according to documents that were among a new tranche of U.F.O. files released by the Trump administration on Friday.
  • Teenage tourist dies as horse-drawn carriage overturns in NYC’s Central Park

    06/17/2026 7:33:59 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 15 replies
    NY Daily News ^ | June 17, 2026 | Rocco Parascandola, Colin Mixson, Evan Simko-Bednarski, Kerry Burke
    MANY PICTURES AT LINK.................... A family of tourists’ picturesque outing in a Central Park carriage turned into a nightmare Wednesday when an 18-year-old from India died after an out-of-control horse pulling the carriage he was riding in suddenly bolted, sending the carriage careening onto its side as onlookers watched in horror. The precise circumstances of the 2:47 p.m. crash at Cherry Hill near Bethesda Fountain were still coming into focus late Wednesday. Early reports indicated the 18-year-old was in the carriage when it flipped over, but another source familiar with the situation told The News he fell out as the...
  • Israel must overhaul trauma care for 50,000 former IDF soldiers, defense committee urges

    06/17/2026 7:15:38 PM PDT · by CondoleezzaProtege · 7 replies
    Jerusalem Post ^ | June 7, 2026 | Yonah Jeremy Bob
    A government panel called for a new independent authority to handle tens of thousands of IDF trauma and PTSD cases. Unlike in past wars, where emotional traumas made up about 15% of claims filed, since 2023, nearly 50% of the war claims filed have included emotional trauma such as PTSD. About 25,000 claims have been filed relating to wars since 2023. One major change the committee recommended is financing a weekly emotional trauma visit instead of once every two to three weeks. In addition, the ministry would provide an IDF representative whenever a harmed soldier appears before the committee, submitting...
  • Tourist stabbed in the stomach at NYC subway station

    06/17/2026 7:12:41 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 23 replies
    NY Post ^ | June 17, 2026 | Amanda Woods, Joe Marino and Zoe Hussain
    A Florida woman was stabbed in the stomach after a heated argument inside a busy Manhattan subway station on Wednesday afternoon, authorities and sources said. An unidentified individual plunged a knife into the 32-year-old tourist on the platform of the 42nd Street-Bryant Park station around 4 p.m., according to the NYPD and sources. A 32-year-old tourist from Florida was stabbed inside the 42nd Street-Bryant Park station on Wednesday. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, cops and sources said. A dispute sparked the stabbing, but it’s unclear whether the victim and attacker knew each other, sources added.
  • Study Reveals Optimal Number of Daily Steps to Offset Sitting Down

    06/17/2026 6:41:06 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 48 replies
    Science Alert ^ | June 18, 2026 | Jess Cockerill
    You've probably heard that adults should aim for 10,000 daily steps. This one-size-fits-all approach provides a clear message, though it doesn't consider how varied human lifestyles and bodies are. In 2024, an international team of researchers found that even the most sedentary among us could ward off the harmful effects of sitting by incorporating more steps into our day. Sedentary lifestyles are increasingly common, and we know they're linked to higher odds of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD), greater risk of cancer and diabetes, and a shorter lifespan. Those risks are lower for people with higher step counts and faster-paced...
  • Silicon chip creates 64 DNA sequences in parallel using electric currents and water

    06/17/2026 6:30:36 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 3 replies
    Interesting Engineering ^ | June 17, 2026 | Neetika Walter
    A semiconductor chip produced 64 DNA sequences in parallel using a water-based enzymatic process. Researchers at Harvard University have developed a semiconductor chip that can synthesize 64 different DNA sequences in parallel using electric currents and a water-based enzymatic process, potentially offering an alternative to conventional DNA manufacturing methods. The chip uses localized electrical control to trigger DNA synthesis at selected sites on its surface. The team says the approach avoids the solvent-heavy phosphoramidite chemistry widely used to produce synthetic DNA today. Synthetic DNA is a key tool in modern biotechnology, supporting applications ranging from diagnostics and genome engineering to...
  • All Aboard: Google Earth Has Just Made Its Flight Simulator Freely Available On Desktop...Buckle up for some turbulence.

    06/17/2026 6:12:44 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 27 replies
    IFL Science ^ | June 16, 2026 | Tom Hale
    A cruise over the Grand Canyon using Google Earth's Flight Simulator, screenshotted shortly before crashing. Image credit: Google Earth (data: Google, Landsat/Copernicus / Airbus Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO / LDEO-Columbia, NSF, NOAA) ============================================================================ Google Earth has just made its "Flight Simulator" freely available in web browsers for everyone. Here's how you can use it in just a few clicks. Launched on June 12, the tool allows anyone with access to Google to control a plane from a cockpit-view over the 3D landscapes and cityscapes of Google Earth. The simulator was previously hidden inside the downloadable Google Earth...
  • Owner James Dolan says the Knicks are going to the White House:

    06/17/2026 5:55:44 PM PDT · by SmokingJoe · 6 replies
    X ^ | 06/17/2026 | New York Basketball
    Owner James Dolan says the Knicks are going to the White House: "We just received an invitation which we've accepted, still have to figure out the details…I've known the president 30 years and I'm very proud to bring the team to the White House"
  • ‘Ted Cruz Is Lying Thru His Teeth’: Don Jr. Unloads on Father’s Ally

    06/17/2026 5:48:33 PM PDT · by Miami Rebel · 46 replies
    Mediaite ^ | June 17, 2026 | Kathryn Wilkins
    On Wednesday via X, Donald Trump Jr. alleged that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) — an ally of President Donald Trump — is “lying thru his teeth” with his recent comments on the administration’s memorandum of understanding with Iran. Speaking with The Daily Wire on Wednesday, Cruz said of the deal to end the conflict in the region: What has been released so far suggests that, unfortunately, the president is getting, I think, very poor advice when it comes to this deal. History teaches that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is a bad idea....
  • Sickening new video shows Culver City [CA] driver turning to mow down pedestrians

    06/17/2026 4:49:03 PM PDT · by BenLurkin · 8 replies
    ny post ^ | June 17, 2026, | Ross O'Keefe
    The police footage shows a white car speeding away from cops until veering into a 19-year-old crossing the street. Juan Luis Estrada, 45, of Perris allegedly struck eight pedestrians as he fled officers on Tuesday, before he crashed in a McDonald’s drive-thru and cops nabbed him. [T]he suspect hit one person following a report of a hit-and-run crash around 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Cops were able to find the man after he tried to fill up at a gas station and hit three other pedestrians. As police chased the man, he collided with four other pedestrians. Victims from the driving...
  • When Schools Try to Cover Up Their Failures

    06/17/2026 2:48:46 PM PDT · by E. Pluribus Unum · 8 replies
    The Wall Stree Journal ^ | June 16, 2026 5:19 pm ET | Jason L. Riley
    Social promotion and efforts to ban standardized tests are ways of shielding adults from accountability.If you stare really hard—and maybe squint—at last week’s federal report on long-term K-12 education trends in the U.S., there is some good news. Math and reading scores among 9-year-olds have improved a little since 2022, and most of the gains were driven by struggling students. It’s a signal that those in the youngest cohort of test takers are recovering from the disastrous pandemic school closures. The good news pretty much ends there. Among 13-year-olds in nearly every demographic group, test scores in math and reading...