Beatle George Harrison was pigeon-holed as the "Quiet Beatle‚" but the youngest member of the Fab Four had an acerbic‚ dry sense of humor that was as sharp as the rest of his bandmates.He gave great performances in the musical comedy classics‚ "A Hard Days Night" and "Help!" while holding his own during The Beatles' notoriously anarchic press conferences. After he left the band in 1970‚ in addition to his musical career‚ he would produce the 1979 Monty Python classic‚ "The Life of Brian."Harrison clearly didn't lose his sense of humor for the rest of his life. Shortly before his death in 2001‚ he played an elaborate prank on Phil Collins that shows how the "Here Comes the Sun" singer would go the extra mile for a laugh.In 1970‚ Harrison was recording his first solo record and arguably the best by a Beatle‚ "All things Must Pass." The session for the song‚ "The Art of Dying" featured former Beatle Ringo Starr on drums‚ keyboard legend Billy Preston on keys‚ virtuoso Eric Clapton on guitar‚ and was produced by the notorious Phil Spector.Harrison wanted a conga player for the session‚ so Ringo's chauffeur reached out to Phil Collins' manager. At the time‚ Collins was a relative unknown who was about to join Genesis‚ a band that would bring him worldwide stardom.The 18-year-old Collins was starstruck playing on a session with two former Beatles‚ so he played extra hard in rehearsals‚ resulting in blood blisters on both hands."Anyway‚ after about two hours of this‚ Phil Spector says‚ 'Okay congas‚ you play this time.' And I'd had my mic off‚ so everybody laughed‚ but my hands were shot‚" Collins told Express."And just after that they all disappeared – someone said they were watching TV or something – and I was told I could go‚" after that‚ Collins was relieved of his duties and told to go home. A few months later‚ Collins bought the massive triple album in the record shop and was devastated to learn he'd been edited out of the song."There must be some mistake! Collins thought. "But it's a different version of the song‚ and I'm not on it."Some thirty years later‚ Collins bought the home of Formula One driver Jackie Stewart‚ a close friend of Harrison. Stewart mentioned to Collins that Harrison was remixing "All Things Must Pass" for a rerelease."And he said‚ 'You were on it‚ weren't you?' And I said‚ 'Well I was there‚"' Collins recalled.Two days later‚ a tape was delivered from Harrison to Collins with a note that read: "Could this be you?" Collins continued: "I rush off and listen to it‚ and straight away I recognize it." It was a recording of "The Art of Dying.""Suddenly the congas come in – too loud and just awful‚" Collins was devastated‚ then as the end of the take‚ Harrison can be heard saying‚ "Hey‚ Phil‚ can we try another without the conga player?"Collins was devastated‚ to say the least.A while later‚ Stewart calls Collins and puts Harrison on the line. "'Did you get the tape?' Harrison asked. "I now realize I was fired by a Beatle‚" Collins sighed. The two changed the subject‚ but a few minutes later‚ Harrison couldn't stop laughing."Don't worry‚ it was a piss-take. I got Ray Cooper to play really badly and we dubbed it on‚" Harrison admitted. "Thought you'd like it!" So‚ Harrison had an entire recording session with a conga player who he asked to play poorly‚ just to pull one over on Collins.If you're in the mood for another of rock's greatest pranks. The story of "The Ring" told by Beastie Boys' Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz shared in "Beastie Boys Story" is another great example of someone going to incredible lengths just for a laugh.The story revolves around the late Beasties' rapper Adam "MCA" Yach‚ his bandmate Horovitz‚ and a very creepy ring given to him by a fan backstage at a concert.This article originally appeared on 12.01.21

In 1997‚ ecologists Daniel Janzen and Winnie Hallwachs approached an orange juice company in Costa Rica with an off-the-wall idea. In exchange for donating a portion of unspoiled‚ forested land to the Área de Conservación Guanacaste — a nature preserve in the country's northwest — the park would allow the company to dump its discarded orange peels and pulp‚ free of charge‚ in a heavily grazed‚ largely deforested area nearby. One year later‚ one thousand trucks poured into the national park‚ offloading over 12‚000 metric tons of sticky‚ mealy‚ orange compost onto the worn-out plot.The site was left untouched and largely unexamined for over a decade. A sign was placed to ensure future researchers could locate and study it.16 years later‚ Janzen dispatched graduate student Timothy Treuer to look for the site where the food waste was dumped.Treuer initially set out to locate the large placard that marked the plot — and failed."It's a huge sign‚ bright yellow lettering. We should have been able to see it‚" Treuer says. After wandering around for half an hour with no luck‚ he consulted Janzen‚ who gave him more detailed instructions on how to find the plot.When he returned a week later and confirmed he was in the right place‚ Treuer was floored. Compared to the adjacent barren former pastureland‚ the site of the food waste deposit was "like night and day.""It was just hard to believe that the only difference between the two areas was a bunch of orange peels. They look like completely different ecosystems‚" he explains.The area was so thick with vegetation he still could not find the sign.Treuer and a team of researchers from Princeton University studied the site over the course of the following three years.The results‚ published in the journal "Restoration Ecology‚" highlight just how completely the discarded fruit parts assisted the area's turnaround.The ecologists measured various qualities of the site against an area of former pastureland immediately across the access road used to dump the orange peels two decades prior. Compared to the adjacent plot‚ which was dominated by a single species of tree‚ the site of the orange peel deposit featured two dozen species of vegetation‚ most thriving.In addition to greater biodiversity‚ richer soil‚ and a better-developed canopy‚ researchers discovered a tayra (a dog-sized weasel) and a giant fig tree three feet in diameter‚ on the plot."You could have had 20 people climbing in that tree at once and it would have supported the weight no problem‚" says Jon Choi‚ co-author of the paper‚ who conducted much of the soil analysis. "That thing was massive."Recent evidence suggests that secondary tropical forests — those that grow after the original inhabitants are torn down — are essential to helping slow climate change.In a 2016 study published in Nature‚ researchers found that such forests absorb and store atmospheric carbon at roughly 11 times the rate of old-growth forests.Treuer believes better management of discarded produce — like orange peels — could be key to helping these forests regrow.In many parts of the world‚ rates of deforestation are increasing dramatically‚ sapping local soil of much-needed nutrients and‚ with them‚ the ability of ecosystems to restore themselves.Meanwhile‚ much of the world is awash in nutrient-rich food waste. In the United States‚ up to half of all produce in the United States is discarded. Most currently ends up in landfills."We don't want companies to go out there will-nilly just dumping their waste all over the place‚ but if it's scientifically driven and restorationists are involved in addition to companies‚ this is something I think has really high potential‚" Treuer says.The next step‚ he believes‚ is to examine whether other ecosystems — dry forests‚ cloud forests‚ tropical savannas — react the same way to similar deposits.Two years after his initial survey‚ Treuer returned to once again try to locate the sign marking the site.Since his first scouting mission in 2013‚ Treuer had visited the plot more than 15 times. Choi had visited more than 50. Neither had spotted the original sign.In 2015‚ when Treuer‚ with the help of the paper's senior author‚ David Wilcove‚ and Princeton Professor Rob Pringle‚ finally found it under a thicket of vines‚ the scope of the area's transformation became truly clear."It's a big honking sign‚" Choi emphasizes.19 years of waiting with crossed fingers had buried it‚ thanks to two scientists‚ a flash of inspiration‚ and the rind of an unassuming fruit.This article originally appeared on 08.23.17

If you look at a map of the 13 colonies‚ you may notice something rather odd. Between New York and New Hampshire‚ there is a sliver of land that wasn’t included. It looks like Vermont was simply not invited to the party — but that’s not exactly what happened. To understand why Vermont got left out‚ you have to find a map from 1777. Fortunately‚ we have plenty of them (the colonists were quite interested in cartography)‚ and William Faden’s map works quite well. Just north of New York‚ there’s a large yellow block of land named “New England.” It’s the modern home of many of our small states on the eastern seaboard — and a way for Faden to ignore the politics of the day. (READ MORE from Aubrey: The Hero of America’s Forgotten War) On Jan. 15‚ 1777‚ 72 men met in the town of Westminster. Revolution was in the air around them and they had a choice. They could join the colonists in the South‚ declare independence from Great Britain‚ and send their militia to join George Washington’s forces; but there was a rather large problem with that option. Both New York and New Hampshire believed Westminster and the land around it was their territory. These men wanted to be considered part of a separate state‚ something the 13 colonies would never recognize. So they didn’t join the 13 colonies. They declared independence from Great Britain and also from New York and New Hampshire and‚ feeling creative‚ they named their new colony “New Connecticut.” That name lasted all of six months. When they reconvened in June in Windsor‚ they decided it was time to adopt a constitution‚ create an independent republic‚ and name their sliver of land Vermont. (READ MORE: How Best To Fulfill King’s Aspirations) There was a bit of plagiarism going on in Vermont. The constitution was closely modeled on Benjamin Franklin’s constitution for Pennsylvania. It abolished slavery‚ extended voting rights to males who didn’t own land‚ and established a currency‚ a postal service‚ and a public school system. The new country also benefited quite a bit from the American Revolution. Great Britain was more concerned about the large mass of land it was losing than it was about a tiny sliver of land that both New York and New Hampshire claimed. Meanwhile‚ the colonies themselves were distracted by their efforts to get the British troops to leave and were not as concerned by the tiny revolution happening around Lake Champlain. But when the British had gone home‚ Vermont became an issue again. The Continental Congress simply refused to recognize that there was an independent country between New York and New Hampshire — as far as they were concerned‚ the land was part of New York. Vermont’s government‚ apparently feeling threatened‚ turned back to Great Britain and asked to be readmitted as part of Canada. That did the trick. (READ MORE: The Martin Luther King Jr. That Liberals Hate) In 1790‚ New York swallowed its pride and consented to drawing a boundary through the middle of Lake Champlain for $30‚000. A year later‚ Vermont finally joined the Union (its anti-slavery position made it a political counterweight to Kentucky) and got the recognition it wanted. This article originally appeared on Aubrey’s Substack‚ Pilgrim’s Way‚ on Jan. 15‚ 2023. The post The Colony That Wasn’t Invited appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Fondue makes a fantastic centerpiece for a dinner party‚ but gravy fondue turns a dinner party into a night to remember. Here's how to try it for yourself.

UFC light heavyweight fighter Anthony Smith recounted how mother suffered stroke in days following Covid-19 booster vaccination that proved to be fatal. An MMA fighter blames Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for causing the death of his mother‚ who died from a stroke shortly after receiving a booster jab. Speaking to the Believe You Me podcast‚ UFC light heavyweight fighter Anthony Smith recounted how his mother suffered a stroke in the days following a Covid-19 booster vaccination that proved to be fatal‚ and that he himself – a completely healthy athlete at the top of his game – also developed a blood clot after taking a shot. MMA fighter Anthony Smith says his mom passed immediately after getting her booster &; he got blood clots from the Covid vaccine he got to keep his job.They were discussing a young fighter who had recently had a heart attack during training which lead to brain injuries. pic.twitter.com/1fhytHBNWC— An0maly (@LegendaryEnergy) July 2‚ 2023 Smith was discussing another young person’s heart attack with show host Michael Bisping when he noted‚ “I mean anytime there’s a young person that has any kind of heart problems or strokes or things like that‚ I kind of point in one direction…straight to vaccinations every time.” Encouraged to continue going down the Covid vaccine rabbit hole‚ Smith detailed‚ “So you know when my mom passed‚ right? It was she got sick immediately after getting her booster. Like‚ she was fairly healthy‚ but she got sick immediately after that.”URGENT! Keep Alex Jones in the fight against the NWO! Please pray &; contribute at DefendJones.com today! “So she got her booster and was in a coma in like two weeks‚” he said‚ adding‚ “So‚ I’ve always kind of thought like‚ I don’t know‚ it just doesn’t make any sense. Like that was really weird‚ right?” Smith went on to say he suspected Pfizer could be behind his mom’s untimely demise after studies showed the shots were causing strokes in elderly people. “And then recently Pfizer came out and said in people over 60 on their final booster‚ they had to come out and say that there was a higher risk of stroke. Well‚ that’s essentially what ended up happening to my mom. So I’ve always connected those two things‚” he said. Smith went on to say he believes the entire vaccine campaign “was absolute bullshit now‚” and added he too suffered an adverse reaction following a jab. “And listen‚ I’ll be the first to admit. And I’m vaccinated‚ and then I end up with a blood clot. What are the chances of that? Like…I’ve never had any issues at all. I’m really‚ really healthy. And then‚ you know…” Despite the Covid vaccine rollout being a monumental failure‚ succeeding only in harming and killing people‚ the global cabal behind the nefarious jabs continues to push them on the unsuspecting public with the help of the media and corporate establishment. It’s up to us‚ the informed‚ to help others wake up. The globalists are increasing their attacks on Infowars and the stakes have never been higher! Please consider donating and visit InfowarsStore.com for merch‚ nutraceuticals and survival gear. Follow the author on X‚ Facebook‚ Gab‚ Minds‚ Truth Social and Gettr.

Ministry of Defense's military scenario claims Russian "hybrid" attack on NATO will spark global conflict. The German military is apparently preparing for an attack by Russia following the 2024 election that may escalate into a wider global conflict. A classified Berlin Ministry of Defense document obtained by Bild‚ called “Alliance Defence 2025”‚ details a timeline of escalating conflict with Russia following its “hybrid attack” on NATO’s eastern flank. According to the “training scenario” document‚ the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) are preparing for a Russian attack on Eastern Europe this February. The document claims United States financial aid for Ukraine drying up will embolden Russia to mobilize 200‚000 troops and launch a “spring offensive” against Ukrainian forces in tandem with “severe cyberattacks.” From there‚ the document lays out how the conflict will escalate month by month‚ culminating into a direct confrontation between Western and Russian forces.Save 40% on DNA Force Plus NOW! Try it today and see why so many listeners have made it an essential part of their daily routine! From Pravda: Russia’s at first covert and then increasingly overt attack on the West begins in July. Cyber attacks and other forms of hybrid warfare are anticipated‚ primarily in the Baltic states. Clashes occur‚ which Russia uses as an excuse to initiate large-scale military exercises on its territory and in Belarus.According to the scenario‚ this situation could escalate in October if Russia deploys troops and medium-range missiles to Kaliningrad. From December 2024‚ an artificially induced “border conflict” and “clashes with numerous casualties” unfold in the vicinity of the Suwalki Gap (Suwalki Corridor).At a moment when the United States may be without a leader for several weeks after the elections‚ Russia‚ with the support of Belarus‚ repeats the 2014 invasion of Ukraine but on NATO territory. In May 2025‚ NATO decides on containment measures‚ and on D-Day‚ NATO deploys 300‚000 military personnel to the eastern flank‚ including 30‚000 soldiers from the Bundeswehr. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the Bild report but suggested the outlet is “fake news.” “I would not comment on this Bild report‚” Peskov said. “Recently‚ this newspaper has regularly stooped to publishing various fake news items and canards.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly outlined his country’s military and political objectives related to its special military operation in Ukraine since 2022‚ specifically emphasizing that Russia will not expand its invasion to other European countries. But that hasn’t stopped Western leaders like Joe Biden from baselessly claiming Russia will invade NATO allies and threatening to deploy US troops to fight Russia unless Congress authorizes more financial aid for Ukraine. “If Putin takes Ukraine‚ he won’t stop there‚” Biden said in December. “If Putin attacks a NATO ally — if he keeps going and then he attacks a NATO ally — we’ve committed as a NATO member to defend every inch of NATO territory‚ and we’ll have something that we don’t seek and that we don’t have today: American troops fighting Russian troops.” Swedish Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin also warned last week at a “People and Defense” conference that “there could be war in Sweden.” However‚ this comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signaled he wants to end the war with Russia after asking Switzerland to organize a “high-level peace conference” on Monday. “I confirmed that Switzerland is ready to organize the conference‚” said Swiss President Viola Amherd at a joint press conference. “We agreed that the details of the further approach will be looked into in depth in order to make this peace process a success.” Follow Jamie White on X | Truth | Gab | Gettr | Minds

Watch and share this exclusive interview with the popular GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy joins Alex Jones live via Skype to discuss the 2024 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses‚ and how he or Trump must beat Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis.

from The Conservative Treehouse: I hate to be captain obvious again‚ but maybe people have not noticed this story.  Something isn’t right and just doesn’t add up.  The events took place last Thursday‚ the comments by National Security Council spokesman John Kirby are today. Look at the contrast between what U.S. Central Command put out -vs- the first […]

by Michael Snyder‚ End Of The American Dream: All of the plastic that we have surrounded ourselves with is slowly killing us.  The UN estimates that we produce 430 million tons of plastic each year‚ and approximately two-thirds of that plastic is only used for a short period of time.  Just think of all the plastic wrappers […]