Free Republic

US President Joe Biden has announced a ban on imports of Russian diamonds, seafood and vodka in the latest response to Russia's war in Ukraine. He also said Western allies plan to revoke Russia’s status as an equal trade partner, paving the way for further economic punishment. The moves add to sanctions that have isolated Russia economically since the invasion. Its currency has collapsed, while global firms rush to exit the country. Russian President Vladimir Putin has likened Western sanctions on banks and oligarchs to a declaration of war. Moscow has also threatened to nationalise production plants or factories where...

Researchers say they've recovered a mineral from deep inside the Earth — one they thought would never see the light of day. Scientists at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, named the mineral "davemaoite," after Ho-kwang "Dave" Mao, a retired experimental geophysicist whose influence on the field is still felt today. "It's an opportunity to give him credit for his big contributions," said Oliver Tschauner, a mineralogist who led a study of the rare mineral, in an interview with NPR's Morning Edition. No one ever expected to see the mineral on the Earth's surface. That's because deep-Earth minerals like davemaoite...

Dame Shirley Bassey lives a solitary, almost mysterious life of luxurious semi-exile, earned over six decades of stardom, and sweetened by a rare ability to speak out when it matters. Last week, Shirley’s attention was caught by the phenomenon of female singers wearing revealing outfits at galas and premieres. The Dame did not approve

. Florida Republicans and Tea Party Conservatives … Defeat “Barack Hussein Obama”, and Mitt Romney and his GOP E-RINO Gang of "Usual Suspects" (incluing Tampa's WFLA Todd Schnitt) and reclaim America for George Washington, Thomas Jefferson ... Neil Armstrong, and the Heroic Challenger and Columbia Men and Women ! Newt Supporters: Send this Free Republic link to Your Family, Friends across Florida and America ... Let American Voters hear Newt's message directly ! Contact "CEAI@Engineering-Excellence.US" for an e-mail version of this Free Republic post that you can personally forward to your Family and Friends ... Nancy Reagan (1995) : Ronnie...

GOP New Hampshire primary debate tonight on ABC at 9pm ET By Nate, on January 7th, 2012 Tonight will mark the first of two debates this weekend focused on the New Hampshire Republican primary. This evening's debate will take place at Saint Anselm College and is sponsored by ABC News, Yahoo! and WMUR. Sunday morning will feature a GOP debate broadcast on NBC at 9am ET (yes, am) but look for more details on that later today. Air Time: Saturday, January 7th at 9pm ET / 6pm PT on ABC Live Stream: WMUR and Yahoo! News Participants: Santorum, Romney, Paul,...

The Kazanjian Red Diamond, one of the most spectacular gemstones ever discovered, goes on display today at the American Museum of Natural History. Red is the rarest color in diamonds — less than 20 are known to exist in the world today. What’s more, the Kazanjian Red Diamond has an amazing back story. The gem was discovered in the 1920s in Litchenburg, South Africa. When found, it was a hefty 35 carats uncut. A diamond broker paid a modest eight pounds per carat for it. It was later sent to Amsterdam to be cut and polished by the Goudiv brothers....

Oceans of liquid diamond, filled with solid diamond icebergs, could be floating on Neptune and Uranus, according to a recent article in the journal Nature Physics. The research, based on first detailed measurements of the melting point of diamond, found diamond behaves like water during freezing and melting, with solid forms floating atop liquid forms. The surprising revelation gives scientists a new understanding about diamonds and some of the most distant planets in our solar system..

July 5, 2006 - Penn State University researchers investigating storage of hydrogen from anthracite coal found that while they were at it, they had created diamonds. Angela D. Lueking, an assistant professor of energy and geoenvironmental engineering, said that as another fortunate byproduct they found that the process produced -- as well as stored -- hydrogen. Hydrogen is a hot topic at the moment because of its possible use as an alternative to oil for energy. Lueking said her group was exploring whether anthracite would substitute for graphite in a storage process. Like coal and graphite, diamonds are carbon, although...

A Minnesota woman has honored her late husband by turning his cremated remains into a yellow diamond so she could always keep a part of him with her. Nancy Wodziak wanted to honor her husband Richard in a special way after he died from a brain tumor last October. So, she became the first person in the state to turn a loved one's remains into a diamond. Wodziak received her brilliant,half-carat yellow diamond after eight months of waiting. "This certainly seems like a neat idea as far as diamonds are forever," Bradshaw Funeral and Cremation Services spokesman Justin Bradshaw said....