Free Republic

For mouthless, lungless bacteria, breathing is a bit more complicated than it is for humans. We inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide; Geobacter — a ubiquitous, groundwater-dwelling genus of bacteria — swallow up organic waste and "exhale" electrons, generating a tiny electric current in the process. Those waste electrons always need somewhere to go (usually into a plentiful underground mineral like iron oxide), and Geobacter have an unconventional tool to make sure they get there. "Geobacter breathe through what is essentially a giant snorkel, hundreds of times their size," That "snorkel" is called a nanowire. Though these tiny, conductive filaments...

A giant cloud of superheated gas 6 million light years wide might be formed by the collective sigh of several supermassive black holes, scientists say. The plasma cloud, detailed in April 10 issue of Astrophysical Journal, might be the source of mysterious cosmic rays that permeate our universe. “One of the most exciting aspects of the discovery is the new questions it poses,” said study leader Philipp Kronberg of Los Alamos National Laboratories in New Mexico. “For example, what kind of mechanism could create a cloud of such enormous dimensions that does not coincide with any single galaxy or galaxy...

LifeNews.com Note: Matt Abbott is the former executive director of the Illinois Right to Life Committee and the former director of public affairs for the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League. He is a Catholic journalist and commentator.Post-abortion e-cards are in the news.Thanks to Exhale — which "believes abortion can be a normal part of the reproductive lives of women and girls" — you can now send a woman (or girl) who procured an abortion a nice, supportive e-card.Ain't that sweet?Post-abortive women can also call Exhale's "After-Abortion Talkline," which "is available to women and girls who have had abortions and to their...

Group Launches Post-Abortion E-Cards   Nonprofit's E-Cards Aim to Let Friends and Family Show Support After an Abortion   By LISA LEFF  SAN FRANCISCO Mar 13, 2007 (AP)— A nonprofit organization has unveiled a series of electronic greeting cards that concerned friends and relatives can send to a woman after she chooses to have an abortion. Like Exhale's confidential talk line for women who have had abortions, the six e-cards available on the group's Web site were designed to be nonpartisan and encompass the range of someone's potential responses to going through an abortion. "Women having abortions are calling our line because...

I'm so angry. I found out (by Googling Mehlman+gurley) that Dan Gurley, National Field Director for B/C04, and Jay Banning, CFO for Republican fundraising, are publicly "outed", and future RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, "all but" (no pun intended). Has the President and the RNC turned their backs on us? Why is this just now coming out? I feel betrayed. The government and public service should be off-limits to moral degenerates. Is this why the RNC supports useless marriage amendments instead of the REALLY necessary banning of these "people" from teaching in public schools, the civil service, etc? WHAT GIVES?? I...

Are You Going To Get Mad? It is now about as clear as it's going to get that Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction. Secretary of State Colin Powell even contradicted himself (in his U.N. speech) by admitting recently that there is no evidence of any link between Saddam and al-Qaida. Prior to the Iraq War, the Bush administration asserted as fact that Saddam had huge quantities of chemical and biological weapons and was actively pursuing nuclear weapons. Administration members ridiculed people who expressed any doubts. Today, after spending millions of dollars looking for the weapons, they haven't...

<p>Okay, so I thought that I could at least have civil debate with INTELLIGENT conservatives, but after posting under a different name, not only were the responses the equivellant of "UH-UH," but I was denied my rights as a citizen of this great country. It appears to me that Free Republic is not interested in FREE SPEECH! I do love the U.S., I just disagree with the jingoism that followed 9/11. I disagree with our leaders purposfully lying to their citizens in order to go to war. I disagree with going to war against the express directions of the UN which was made to council the nations on these issues. I disagree with the nation's presidency being stolen from the rightful owner, the man who truly won the election. I disagree with that stolen presidency being handed to a C average student who has a criminal record and went AWOL when he was supposed to be serving in the military. I disagree with corporations running the government in the new era of pay to play politics. I disagree with the same corporations that run the country, run the news media. I disagree with conservatives instead of listening to what a liberal has to say, they resort to attacking them with (sometimes) drastic immaturity. I disagree with using religion to get votes. I disagree with religion. I disagree with history being written by the victors. I disagree with with the USA PATRIOT Act not only because anyone can be detained for any reason for any amount of time without a trial with a jury of twelve peers. I disagree with the fact it is called the "Patriot Act" and yet there is nothing patriotic about it. I DO agree with the quote "If you are willing to sacrifice freedom for for security, you deserve neither." I disagree with the civilians in this country not standing up and calling for an impeachment for a president that has done far worse than getting a blow job in the oval office. He has LIED, CHEATED, AND MURDERED. I disagree with everyone being angry at Bill Clinton for smoking marijuana but no one criticizes George W. Bush for DRUNK DRIVING and COCAINE use. I disagree with George W. Bush saying in a nationally televised broadcast, "If you aren't with us, you're with the terrorists." This hurt the feelings of about 60% of New York citizens because they not only lost friends and family in the World Trade Center on 9/11, but they also opposed going to war with Iraq. You can imagine the deranged ultimatum this put on those poor Ameericans who had to choose between those who killed their friends and family and the their better judgment to wait for a UN resolution. I disagree with a $350 billion tax that goes directly to the 1% minority of the wealthy. I disagree with the "No Child Left Behind" policy. Standardized tests don't teach children anything but how to memorize test questions. As a teacher, I can only describe it as leaving every child behind. I disagree with arch conservatives on this website saying that I have AIDS because I am liberal and am into homosexual activites. To clear up your mislead statements of slander. I am heterosexual, I do not have AIDS. I have two healthy children that are beautiful and will be entering school in a year. I love my wife and my country. I don't agree with you...but that doesn't mean I hate you or your thoughts. I encourage them. But please stop reacting to someone that you disagree with in an angry passion of blind ignorance. It doesn't solve anything.</p>