Free Republic 1st Qtr 2026 Fundraising Target: $81,000 Receipts & Pledges to-date: $27,746
34%  
Woo hoo!! And now only $604 to reach 35%!! Thank you all very much!! God bless.

Travel (General/Chat)

Brevity: Headers | « Text »
  • Deer Skull Headdress Highlights Neolithic Community Exchange

    02/19/2026 6:21:03 PM PST · by SunkenCiv · 15 replies
    Archaeology Magazine ^ | February 10, 2026 | editors / unattributed
    Live Science reports that excavations at an ancient farming village near Eilsleben in northern Germany have uncovered intriguing new evidence about interactions between the region's preexisting hunter-gatherers and Europe's earliest farmers. Archaeologists believe the site served as a kind of frontier outpost for the first wave of Neolithic agriculturists who migrated to central Europe from Anatolia and established the site around 5375 b.c. Recent fieldwork has uncovered houses, burials, pits, and cultural material belonging to the so-called Neolithic Linear Pottery culture, or LBK. However, archaeologists were also surprised by the presence of patently Mesolithic objects, including a deer skull headdress,...
  • Malibu sues LA, California over Palisades fire — saying they prioritized ‘plants over human lives

    02/19/2026 3:36:40 PM PST · by Libloather · 11 replies
    California Post ^ | 2/19/26 | Ross O'Keefe
    The city of Malibu slapped Los Angeles and the state of California with a lawsuit over the devastating Palisades fire — saying officials didn’t do enough to stop the deadly blaze that “hollowed out” the oceanside community. Malibu said the city’s “entire character changed” when the wildfire swept through and that it is “still reeling from the destruction it left in its wake,” according to the suit. The 66-page complaint seeks to “recover significant financial losses” resulting from the devastating fire. “This decision was not made lightly,” Malibu Mayor Bruce Silverstein said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. “The City...
  • Bruce Meyer elected MLBPA's interim executive director (Clark quits)

    02/19/2026 7:49:46 AM PST · by Libloather · 20 replies
    ESPN ^ | 2/18/26 | Jeff Passan
    The Major League Baseball Players Association unanimously elected Bruce Meyer as its new executive director Wednesday night, replacing Tony Clark the day after he resigned amid scandal less than a year before the expiration of MLB's collective bargaining agreement. **SNIP** Clark resigned Tuesday following an internal investigation that revealed an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, whom the union had hired in 2023. A federal investigation into the MLBPA concerning questions about its finances and governance prompted the union to hire an independent lawyer, whose inquiry exposed the inappropriate relationship. Player leaders had been girding for Clark's departure, though the timing...
  • Illegal Alien Semi-Truck Driver Runs Red Light, Kills Elderly Man in Indiana

    02/18/2026 11:08:13 PM PST · by Morgana · 43 replies
    Gateway Pundit ^ | February 18, 2026 | Cristina Laila
    An illegal alien semi-truck driver ran a red light and killed an innocent man in Hendricks County, Indiana, on Wednesday. The identity of the illegal alien has not been released. The accident happened around noon in Avon, according to Fox 59. The driver of the semi-truck ran a red light and crashed into a Chevrolet pickup truck. The Chevrolet truck then collided with a Chrysler Sebring. The driver of the Chevrolet, 64-year-old Terry Schulz, died at the scene. In a heartbreaking development, a witness to the accident who was almost struck by the semi-truck said she got out of her...
  • Paleolithic Teenager Likely Died in Bear Attack

    02/18/2026 6:53:52 AM PST · by SunkenCiv · 23 replies
    Archaeology Magazine ^ | February 13, 2026 | editors / unattributed
    A Paleolithic teenaged boy whose remains were discovered in northwest Italy's Ardene Candide cave in 1942 immediately earned the nickname Il Principe, or "the Prince," because of the richness of the grave goods found in his 27,500-year-old burial. Researchers noticed that he had also suffered traumatic injuries to his upper body, but at the time they were unable to establish exactly what had happened to him. According to a statement issued by the University of Montreal, an international team of researchers has finally determined that the young man was likely attacked by a bear. The team reexamined the boy's skeletal...
  • Iron Age hoard to go on public display this summer

    02/15/2026 10:10:15 PM PST · by SunkenCiv · 6 replies
    BBC ^ | Fiona Callow
    A collection of more than 800 Iron Age artefacts found in a North Yorkshire field will go on public display for the first time.The Melsonby Hoard is believed to be one of the UK's largest finds from the period, and, following a fundraising campaign, was acquired by the Yorkshire Museum.The collection, which features chariot wheels, cauldrons and spears, will displayed in an exhibition at the museum in York from May onwards.The items were first uncovered in Melsonby, North Yorkshire, by metal detectorist Peter Heads and excavated with the help of Durham University.The discovery was reported to the authorities in December...
  • Traces of Roman Cologne Uncovered

    02/15/2026 11:01:11 AM PST · by SunkenCiv · 23 replies
    Archaeology Magazine ^ | February 12, 2026 | editors / unattributed
    Finestre Sull'Arte reports that during new construction work for MiQua, the future LVR-Jewish Museum currently being built near the city's historic center, excavations revealed several important and well-preserved structures associated with the site's early Roman settlement. These include an exceptional second-century a.d. lararium, a type of domestic shrine dedicated to protective household deities known as Lares. This altar was located in the area of the former Praetorium, which served as the palace for the Roman governor, and is the first of its kind ever found north of the Alps. The archaeological team also uncovered the remains of a fourth-century a.d....
  • Kentucky woman arrested after drugs concealed in Lego pieces at airport

    02/15/2026 10:20:43 AM PST · by simpson96 · 18 replies
    WKRC ^ | 2/14/2026 | Staff
    LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WKRC) - A Kentucky woman was arrested after federal agents intercepted a package from Poland containing what investigators said were OxyContin pills hidden inside Lego pieces. Agents with the Department of Homeland Security contacted local police Feb. 5 after seizing a package at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, per WLKY. Court records state the package, addressed to Amber Back, 41, contained 100 OxyContin pills concealed inside Lego pieces, reports WAVE. That package was destined for her home in Mount Sterling. Police said an officer delivered the package to Back’s address Feb. 6 before detaining her and taking...
  • Why is liquid hydrogen so challenging ... ?

    02/15/2026 5:12:06 AM PST · by TomEd · 36 replies
    Quora ^ | 2/13/2026 | James Cobban
    James Cobban Space Nerd since 19569h Why is liquid hydrogen so challenging to handle when fueling rockets, and what special techniques are used to prevent leaks? The most effective way to avoid the challenges of using liquid hydrogen is to not use liquid hydrogen. There is no galactic police officer holding a phaser forcing NASA to use liquid hydrogen. There is no law of physics which says rockets must use liquid hydrogen. What.there are is a bunch of collosally ignorant politicians being bribed to insist that NASA piss away billions of tax dollars on technology which killed fourteen American heroes....
  • White House unleashes at Gavin Newsom’s European ‘vanity project’ – as Gov makes shocking claim about auto industry

    02/15/2026 4:49:27 AM PST · by Libloather · 33 replies
    NY Post ^ | 2/13/26 | Annie Gaus, Josh Koehn
    For the second time in three weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom has abandoned California to fly to Europe and schmooze with world leaders at the Munich Security Conference. The White House and the governor’s political adversaries have brutally dismissed Newsom’s three-day trip as wasteful showboating. Newsom has been accused of ignoring California’s growing list of problems to peacock around at the talkfest being held in two five-star hotels in Munich – while bashing America and President Trump. “Gavin Newscum’s travels to Davos and Munich would be considered a vanity project if anyone there actually knew or cared who he was,” White...
  • The Discovery of Seneca the Elder's Lost Roman History [3:08]

    02/14/2026 9:33:11 AM PST · by SunkenCiv · 25 replies
    YouTube ^ | February 13, 2026 | Secrets of the Dead PBS
    Researcher Valeria Piano employs two different technological methods to decipher a carbonized scroll from Herculaneum. First, she uses a microscope to examine the texts, and then she studies images of the scrolls produced with infrared light. Her work has brought to light a history of Rome written by Seneca the Elder, long thought to have been lost forever. The Discovery of Seneca the Elder's Lost Roman History | 3:08 Secrets of the Dead PBS | 12.7K subscribers | 3,726 views | February 13, 2026 YouTube transcript reformatted at textformatter.ai follows.
  • Free Buses, Real Costs. Inside Mamdani’s Socialist Dream to Shakeup Transit for New Yorkers

    02/14/2026 7:19:26 AM PST · by Libloather · 58 replies
    Fox News ^ | 2/14/26 | Nikolas Lanum
    New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has made "fast and free buses" a defining promise of his administration, framing the proposal as both an affordability measure and a long-overdue fix for a bus system that advocates say has been neglected for decades. But his big swing seems poised to collide with the political realities of New York City. Supporters argue fare-free buses would reduce conflict, improve safety, and offer immediate relief to riders who depend on buses the most. Skeptics, including on-air pundits and transit organizations, warn the idea risks creating a major funding gap for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority...
  • Roman military helped bring cats to Europe

    02/13/2026 3:32:26 PM PST · by SunkenCiv · 46 replies
    Popular Science ^ | December 1, 2025 | Laura Baisas
    Initially, archaeologists believed that humans began to live with cats about 9,500 years ago in... parts of the present-day eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. This timeline coincides with the beginning of the Neolithic era, when agriculture started to spread. The grains used in farming attracted rodents, which then enticed the wildcats to come and eat the rodents. Neolithic humans then likely kept the wildcats around to keep the rodents away, paving the way for domestication. Cat remains dating [circa 9500 years ago] have been discovered in present-day Cyprus, indicating that the animals were a part of daily life by then.Cats...
  • Pompeii's ruins challenge Rome's famous concrete recipe

    02/13/2026 6:28:16 AM PST · by SunkenCiv · 45 replies
    Popular Science ^ | December 9, 2025 | Andrew Paul
    For once, new research on the ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii is not focusing on the destructive aftermath of the infamous Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 CE. Instead, it centers on the creative acts preceding it. After taking a closer look at the city's construction projects, a team from MIT believes that ancient Rome's legendary concrete recipe might need a major historical revision.When ancient Roman architecture comes to mind, the columns and coliseums are generally the first things that pop into your head. These structures were often built using Roman concrete -- and that material traces back to...
  • Slade Drummer Recalls Life-Changing Car Accident: ‘I Died Twice’

    02/12/2026 11:16:47 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 6 replies
    UltimateClassicRock ^ | February 12, 2026 | Corey Irwin
    Slade drummer Don Powell has shared insight on his life-changing car accident. It was the early morning of July 4, 1973 when the rocker was severely injured in a crash near his home in Wolverhampton, England. At the time, Slade was the biggest band in Britain, having scored five No. 1 singles on the U.K. chart. Powell and his fiance were both ejected from the vehicle in the accident. She died instantly, but the drummer miraculously survived. “I've still got no idea what happened,” Powell confessed during a recent appearance on the Rockonteurs podcast. “We were both, myself and my...
  • Italian Police Stop Dramatic Highway Robbery Attempt

    02/12/2026 10:50:49 PM PST · by nickcarraway · 3 replies
    Euroweekly News ^ | 10 Feb 2026 | Molly Grace
    Italian authorities successfully foiled a dramatic armed assault on an armoured cash transit vehicle along a major highway in the Puglia region on Monday February 9. The attack involved explosions, firearms and blocked vehicles, creating a tense and dangerous situation for motorists travelling along the motorway. Police and emergency services responded quickly, ensuring no one was injured despite the severity of the incident. The assault occurred on the Lecce–Brindisi motorway, a key route in southern Italy, and left drivers shocked as they witnessed masked attackers using vehicles and explosives to halt traffic. Eyewitnesses described seeing thick smoke rising from the...
  • San Francisco Bay Area sees 600 private jets leave the city after Super Bowl LX

    02/12/2026 5:40:25 PM PST · by MinorityRepublican · 22 replies
    HITC ^ | Tue 10 February 2026 | Aaditya Krishnamurthy
    The San Francisco Bay Area experienced a sharp spike in private jet departures in the immediate aftermath of Super Bowl LX. Hundreds of aircraft left regional airports within hours of the game ending at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. The scale of the post-game exodus highlighted the intense travel demands created by the NFL’s biggest event. Flight tracking data showed roughly 600 private jets departing the Bay Area following Super Bowl LX. The surge represented an increase of more than 1,100 percent in departures across five regional airports compared to the previous Sunday. San Jose Mineta International Airport served as...
  • Don’t bother visiting Rome: If you must go, see the Pantheon and then get out

    02/11/2026 8:38:54 PM PST · by SeekAndFind · 71 replies
    The Spectator ^ | 02/11/2026 | Ross Clark
    As a general rule, once a city erects turnstiles to tourist attractions which were once free to visit, it is time to go elsewhere. Never more so than in the case of Rome. Last week the Italian capital introduced a €2 charge to visit the Trevi Fountain. Tight-fisted tourists like me will still be able to see the Trevi from a distance – it happens to stand in a public street. The charge will be only for sad Instagrammers who want to get close enough to chuck their coins in the water. The city’s tourism department has suggested the fee...
  • Inside the extraordinary rewrite of the Palisades Fire report — read the draft the public never saw

    02/11/2026 2:07:29 AM PST · by Libloather · 15 replies
    California Post ^ | 2/10/26 | Jamie Paige
    The full extent of the Palisades Fire report cover-up has been revealed. The California Post has obtained the first draft of the Palisades After-Action Fire Report — before it was quietly altered and released to the public. Newly uncovered edits show sweeping changes to the 92-page document that was meant to deliver a warts-and-all account of the disaster, putting more pressure on Mayor Karen Bass to explain whether her office played a role in softening the language to blunt criticism of the city’s response to a fire that killed at least 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures. Mayor...
  • Linguistic evidence supports date for Homeric epics

    02/10/2026 6:18:07 PM PST · by SunkenCiv · 21 replies
    Bioessays ^ | May 2013 | Eric Lewin Altschuler, Andreea S Calude, Andrew Meade, Mark Pagel
    AbstractThe Homeric epics are among the greatest masterpieces of literature, but when they were produced is not known with certainty. Here we apply evolutionary-linguistic phylogenetic statistical methods to differences in Homeric, Modern Greek and ancient Hittite vocabulary items to estimate a date of approximately 710-760 BCE for these great works. Our analysis compared a common set of vocabulary items among the three pairs of languages, recording for each item whether the words in the two languages were cognate - derived from a shared ancestral word - or not. We then used a likelihood-based Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure to estimate...