Free Republic

Mums help chicks if dad was ugly 29 September 2006 From New Scientist Print Edition. Evolution holds hope for ugly males. Females appear to invest extra energy in getting their poorer-quality offspring off to a good start, at least among house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus). Female birds can deposit different amounts of health-promoting compounds in their eggs, depending on social and environmental conditions. Previous studies on zebra finches showed that females were more likely to invest in eggs fertilised by high-quality males. Kristen Navara, now at Ohio State University in Columbus, expected to see the same pattern with house finches, in...

Drug can help cut diabetes risk, say researchers By Nic Fleming, Medical Correspondent (Filed: 16/09/2006) A drug that improves the body's ability to turn sugars into fuel can substantially reduce the chances of people at risk of Type 2 diabetes developing the disease, according to research published yesterday. In a large international trial volunteers with "pre-diabetes" taking rosiglitazone, sold under the brand name Avandia, were 60 per cent less likely than those on placebos to develop the full disease. The drug, already prescribed to those with Type 2 diabetes, was also found to help patients return to normal blood sugar...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2006 -- Next time the munchies hit, Americans in some parts of the United States only need to look for the red, white and blue bag asking shoppers to “Support Our Troops.” Lowes Foods stores in North and South Carolina and Virginia have recently started carrying Support Our Troops tortilla chips. The chips are packaged in red, white and blue bags and percentage of the proceeds from the sales benefits local Operation Homefront chapters. The chips run $1.99 to $2.59 a bag. Courtesy photo  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The bags of Support Our Troops...

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, Sept. 14, 2006 -- A disease has robbed 23-year-old Jenni Craig of her hair, her health and, possibly, her future. But the one thing Jenni and her husband, Army Spc. William Craig, refuse to let go of is hope. Jenni Craig and her husband, Army Spc. William Craig, check for updates on the Jenni Renee Foundation Web site. Despite Jenni’s own health struggles, the couple started the foundation to educate people about Gardner’s Syndrome and to raise money for sufferers unable to afford health care. Photo by Elaine Wilson  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available....

RADWANIYAH — As efforts continue to return normalcy to Iraqi citizens around the country, security often takes center stage. However, ensuring safety is only one part of delivering Iraq from decades of repression and stagnation under Saddam Hussein. Coalition forces are also working to empower Iraqis to take part in the economic restoration of their country. On Sept. 2, Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and local Iraqi staff celebrated the grand opening of the al-Bashair Center for Micro-Finance at the Radwaniyah Civil Military Operations Center. The center’s opening was the culmination of an 11-month project under the combined efforts of...

Freeper Maria Bush's husband is in the hospital. He requires tranfusions.

I have a virus. I managed to run my norton which found and quaranteened a virus. But it still acts as if there is a virus. If the computer sits for any periof of time the virus takes over. Help!!

Does anyone out there know "spaxebg.exe"? I found this in my Windows system files, running, and tried to google it but came up empty. That shocks me, since I don't think google has ever failed to produce such a thing.

Where: Walk starts at City Building located at 400 S. State and will end at Liberty Park. When: September 11, 2006 - 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Please bring a donation that can be distributed to the children in Iraq and Afghanistan by the troops. A list of gift suggesions can be found below or at Operation GiveThere will be FREE music, entertainment, short program, speakers, and military support and show. The Department of Defense organized the first America Supports You FREEDOM WALK in 2005 as a tribute to the Pentagon victims and their families, Pentagon employees and volunteers...

Mrs. F. received this largeish piece of jewelry from a relative for her birthday (that'd be the jewelry there on the left, wisenheimer). Long story short, the donative relative has no idea what kind of stone or setting this is.

I need to ask a question about excercising and weightlifting. I have been hitting the treadmill for about two months. I have just started light workouts involving lifting weights trying to tone up. I lost about 110 pounds and I want to keep it off. I have not changed my diet. I am very careful about what I eat. My question is why am I gaining weight? It is not very much and I could stand to gain a couple of pounds anyway.

Hello everyone !!! I hope everyone is enjoying the week. The month of September is going to be one busy month for us and I am going to need everyone's help. On Saturday September 9th we will be walking for our friend Mike Wasserman in Los Gatos we will be walking for him from 9am-1pm then after the walk we will be heading over to the Santa Clara County Republican Rally with WITH SPECIAL GUEST ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER Governor of California. The event will be starting one pm and it will end around three. I will be sending you the location...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Aug. 28, 2006 -- As members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit here make last-minute preparations for their upcoming deployment, Staff Sgt. Danny Sava and his family are getting their own affairs in order so they’re ready for another long separation. Marine Staff Sgt. Danny Sava, his wife, Julia, son, Anthony, and daughter, Alyssa, stroll past a sign at the top of a stairwell in the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s command headquarters that marks the days until Sava’s upcoming deployment. “E-22” marks “Embarkation minus 22,” or 22 days until Sava and 2,300 fellow...

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 28, 2006 -- Staff Sgt. Chris Salgado, a California Army National Guard member based here, remembers his wife calling him to the television set Aug. 10 to see news reports about a terrorist ring unearthed in London that was planning attacks on U.S.-bound airliners. Spc. John Rivera from 40th Special Troop Brigade, foreground; Spc. Gabriel Gambone from the 670th Military Police Company, background; and another California National Guardsman work side by side with officials from the Transportation Security Administration at San Diego International Airport to enforce airport security. Photo by Cherie Thurlby  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution...

HELP! I went into work for a short while this afternoon. When I came out of the office there was a parakeet hanging around the door. I caught it and got a cage and food on the way home. He dove into the food like a starving tiger and ate for 10 minutes before I got concerned that he would explode and get feathers all over the house so I took the food away from him. The band on the leg may help find the owner but until then I can use all the help I can get. Will these...

I have just spent two hours on line and combing through a Children's Poetry book for inspirational poems which could be used in the classroom. I have a list of ONE!!! Does anyone else have an idea for a poem other than "If" which can be used?And PLEASE don't suggest those vapid, nonsense works from Shel Silverstein. Thanks to all who wish to make a contribution.

My wife's dad just passed away over in Taiwan. She needs to get her passport renewed. The State Department's expedited service takes 2 weeks, but I see lots of commercial services on line promising 24 hour service, for a fee, of course. Can anyone tell me if these are reliable? Thanks very much.

Hey y'all...happy Saturday to you. :) I am in need of some help with my FReeper page, specifically, how to place something on it. I'd like to know...how do I place a running timer or countdown on my FReeper page? How do I get the Amber alert banner to display real-time information as their website says we can do? Are we able to post a visitor counter on our FReeper pages? These are some of the things I've attempted to do in the past, but haven't been able to figure out. Can anyone help me? Thank you for your help...

BAGHDAD, Aug. 24, 2006 -- In response to recent bombing and gas explosions in the area, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers joined Iraqi police and local officials in providing humanitarian aid Aug. 22 to displaced citizens in Zafaraniya. Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers, Iraqi police, and community and tribal leaders unload humanitarian aid items Aug. 22 at the Zafaraniya government center. U.S. Army photo   '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, and 801st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, provided rice, beans, cooking oil, canned fish, blankets, vegetables, assorted...

Wednesday, 23 August 2006 By Staff Sgt. Kevin Lovel 363rd MPADCapt. Eric Fedak, civil affairs team leader, Company B, 414th Civil Affairs Battalion, talks with residents in Ghazaliya Thursday about their essential service concerns, such as water, electricity, sewage and trash pickup. Department of Defense photo by Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Lovel, 363rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. BAGHDAD --U.S. Soldiers from the 412th and 414th Civil Affairs Battalions coordinated, supervised and checked on the progress of essential services projects Thursday in the Baghdad neighborhoods of Ghazaliya and Shula.After monitoring the progress of contractors’ trash cleanup efforts in the two economically...