Free Republic

The MONTHLY Victory Garden Thread is a gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack...

Unlicensed food trucks have taken over prime spots around the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and this problem persists at the Great American State Fair. A small group of operators runs most of these illegal trucks as a coordinated network, Washingtonian reported. Longtime licensed food truck operator Zack Graybill walked around the National Mall during the fair with reporter Jessica Sidman and observed illegal trucks blocking traffic and hydrants, creating fire hazards, charging high prices and intimidating legal vendors through turf wars. “For all the people eating food right here? The food isn’t being refrigerated. That’s f'ed up. That’s gross,”...

When Americans think of the beverage that fueled the American Revolution, they usually picture black tea — but it turns out that green tea was just as popular. The Founding Fathers and their contemporaries drank both types of tea, Bruce Richardson, the Kentucky-based founder of Elmwood Inn Fine Teas, told Fox News Digital. British subjects “were as likely to be drinking green tea as black tea, whether you were in Jane Austen [era] England … or you were in colonial Boston,” he added. “There were five teas, all from China, because that was the only country that was exporting tea,”...

The parents of a 7-year-old boy who died weighing 255 pounds have been charged with murder following a case of suspected neglect near Flint, Michigan. Damien and Jessica O'Brien are charged with second-degree murder, torture and child abuse, according to authorities. First responders were called to the O’Brien’s' home in November after their son, Casper, stopped breathing, according to a report from affiliate FOX 2 Detroit. The young boy was bedridden, unable to speak and living in filth, according to the report. He ultimately died at the hospital from a heart muscle disease compounded by morbid obesity. Genesee County Prosecutor...

Red and green chile peppers are more than just ingredients in New Mexico; they’re a way of life. The question “Red or green?” is one you’ll hear at restaurants across the state. For the indecisive or adventurous, there’s always “Christmas,” a mix of both. Red chile comes from ripened New Mexican chile peppers that are left on the plant longer, allowing them to deepen in color and develop a rich, earthy flavor. As they mature, these peppers take on more natural sugars, which contribute to the velvety depth of red chile sauce. Green chile peppers are a cornerstone of New...

You thought munchies came after getting high? Think again! In Florida, you can do both at the same time. Apparently smoking weed and eating Doritos is too complicated for the youth of today so they had to combine them. pic.twitter.com/98KJIpTwPi— Branch Floridian (@JackLinFLL) June 23, 2026Duuuuuuuude. From Local 10: Homestead police officers seized more than 70 pounds of marijuana, nearly 1,000 vape cartridges, and drug-laced gummies and snacks after an undercover bust. Homestead detectives said a 'trap house' in a residential neighborhood was at the center of a setup for the illegal sale of drugs. What was most disturbing about...

Three Wendy's employees in South Carolina were arrested after allegedly pulling food from the trash and spitting on it before serving it to a customer who had complained about her initial order. Aaliyah Shuntai Sanders, 23, Trinity Lashell Rice, 19, and Shadela Crystal Holley were all charged with tampering with a human drug product or food item following the incident at a Wendy’s in the city of Union. Fox Carolinas reported that all three suspects were arrested separately between June 16 and June 22. The incident occurred on May 31 when a customer ordered from the drive-thru but encountered an...

(WASHINGTON, D.C., June 24, 2026) — Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the annual Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rates (PER), which measure how accurately states determine who is eligible for SNAP and how much they should receive. The national payment error rate for fiscal year (FY) 2025 is 10.62%, far surpassing the congressional threshold of 6%. FY 2025 National and State Payment Error Rates While this is a modest decrease from FY 2024, the FY 2025 rate still shows significant waste at the state level. Including both overpayments and underpayments, this year’s rate represents a...

Freddy, the World Cup tourist from Germany, is giving us a grand tour of our country just in time for our 250th birthday. When last we left them in the saga, Freddy was in Michigan. He'd just had a great visit to Niagara Falls, saw the fireworks, with a patriotic light show of red, white, and blue over the falls. On top of that, he got a great invitation to have a special "treat" from Chef Gordon Ramsey when they reach Boston, their ultimate destination for the Germany game on Monday. However, rather than driving straight from Niagara Falls to...

Eggs are a dietary staple for millions worldwide, known for their flavor and nutritional value. In the United States alone, per capita egg consumption reached 281.3 eggs in 2023, with projections suggesting it will rise to 284.4 in 2024, according to Statista. Yet, eggs have long been at the center of debates about their effects on cholesterol and heart health. In a groundbreaking experiment, Nick Norwitz, a Harvard student and Oxford-trained physiologist, consumed 24 eggs a day for 30 days, challenging conventional beliefs about dietary cholesterol. His unexpected results have sparked renewed discussions about the role of eggs in a...

Animal rights activists documented the beginning of the Yulin Lychee and Dog Meat Festival on the summer solstice Sunday – a gory sight in which the Chinese city is taken over by rows of tables featuring the open-air slaughter and butchering of thousands of animals. Yulin, a city located in far-south Guangxi province, has hosted an annual event beginning on the first day of summer since 2010, meant to boost local sales of dog meat. In the past decade, the horrific spectacle has attracted international attention, particularly from celebrities tied to animal rights causes, prompting the Chinese Communist Party to...

A federal judge on Monday shut down the Trump Administration’s pilot program restricting the purchase of soda and junk food with SNAP benefits. US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, an Obama appointee, said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins applied the wrong law in approving a pilot program for states that wanted to restrict junk food purchases. 23 states applied for the pilot program in an effort to limit the purchase of soda, candy and other junk food. Plaintiffs in five states filed the lawsuit against Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. Judge Berman Jackson’s ruling applies to five states: West Virginia, Tennessee,...

Whether you relate more to the allure of the green M&M or the charisma of the red one, you can rest easy in the fact that both of those colors are here to stay—which sadly can’t be said for all of the M&M’s colors you’ve come to know and love. That’s right, the popular chocolate candy brand is doing away with two of its iconic colors, but not without good reason. Mars, the maker of M&M’s, is phasing out synthetic food dyes, and M&M’s is slated to go au naturel come August. Currently, the small candy-coated chocolates come in seven...

A massive warehouse fire that erupted in Boyle Heights, California, on Wednesday is still burning six days later, prompting a state of emergency declaration from California Governor Gavin Newsom. The city has also issued shelter-in-place orders and a particle pollution advisory. The warehouse is being used as a cold-food storage facility by a company called Lineage, and the fire is believed to have originated from solar panels on the building's roof. “We are the tenant-operator of the warehouse building and lease the roof to a third-party solar company, which is responsible for operating and maintaining the array," Lineage said in...

ET: The Extraterrestrial, the titular alien is seen eating and drinking all manner of human foods and beverages from chocolates to tins of beer. In reality, however, it is unlikely that an entity that lived and evolved on another world would be capable of consuming and digesting the same types of foods as we are. Professor Jose Miguel Soriano del Castillo of the University of Valencia ,,,argues that dining on the same foods that humans eat would be highly risky for a visitor from another world and that their best bet would be to instead seek out the individual nutrients...

TALEA Beer Co used molasses-based recipe from Washington's Seven Years' War notebook to craft historic brew VIDEO AT LINK....... The New York Public Library (NYPL) is giving visitors a chance to "taste history" by recreating George Washington's beer recipe from the first president's 1757 military journal, which is housed in the library's research collections. The library collaborated with New York City-based TALEA Beer Co. to recreate the brew, along with a Liberty Lager to appeal to modern palates. "The initial response to [the library] reaching out was obviously awe," LeAnn Darland, TALEA co-founder and co-CEO, told Fox News Digital. "Just...

Scandal-scarred Rep. Ilhan Omar and her hubby have gone from the penthouse to the poorhouse. The husband of the Minnesota “Squad” firebrand — who once valued his venture capital and wine empire at up to $30 million — now claims to be pocketing as little as $200 a year. The embattled socialist claimed hubby Tim Mynett made no income last year from his main business, Rose Lake Capital, according to her newly released 2025 financial disclosure report. The only money Mynett — who has nearly two decades of experience in DC — earned last year is a meager $200 to...

HOUSTON - The world's biggest soccer tournament has officially turned the United States into a giant cultural exchange program. As thousands of international fans travel across the country for FIFA World Cup matches, many are documenting their first encounters with uniquely American experiences — from massive Buc-ee's stores and Texas barbecue to mechanical bulls and Walmart. The result? A steady stream of viral videos showing visitors experiencing parts of American culture that many locals barely think twice about. Here are some of our favorite reactions so far. International fans enjoy the U.S. 1. A Japanese Fan Discovers Whataburger For Texans,...

I don't know why this is so funny to me. MANY MANY REPLY MEMES AT LINK............... Yeah, uhh... Tourists are so infatuated with American food — and will be so obese when they leave our country — that the TSA is actually reminding them to pack ranch dressing in their checked luggage. I repeat, our government is reminding World Cup tourists to pack ranch dressing — the most delicious American concoction known to man — under the plane so they can get it home safely and continue their weight-gain into the following weeks. The comments on this were about as...

A major meat supplier is shuttering two US plant locations, and experts say it’s bad news for carnivores. JBS USA, a meat-processing company that supplies Costco and BJ’s, as well as grocers such as Food Lion, Weis Markets, WinCo, and Stop & Shop, announced this week that it is closing its operations in Philadelphia and Memphis, eliminating a total of 2,000 jobs. “These decisions are never easy because they directly affect our team members and the communities where we operate,” said Wesley Batista Filho, CEO of JBS USA. “We are deeply grateful to the team members at these facilities for...