Free Republic

The selfie nabs one more victim. A Japanese tourist has died after attempting to take a self-portrait at the Taj Mahal’s Royal Gate. The 66-year-old man fell down the stairs and suffered head injuries, losing consciousness and leading to his death. One of his friends also fractured a leg in the fall. It’s a sad story, and what’s even sadder is that it’s not the only one. As if you needed additional proof that people need to be much more aware of their surroundings and much less focused on themselves: In May of this year, a 21-year-old accidentally shot herself...

<p>Just saw on MLB.TV that Yogi Berra has passed away at age 90.</p>

They may be man's best friend, but dogs have little to thank humans for it seems. Research suggests the domesticated pets can't solve problems as well as their wild cousins because living with us has made them 'incapable of thinking for themselves.' In tests, experts presented a 'puzzle box' containing food to a group of dogs, and a group of wolves and while the wolves were capable of breaking inside, the dogs looked to humans for help.

The Colorado Department of Corrections has notified the Colorado Springs Police Department of two sexually violent predators. Michael Anthony Trujillo also known as Michelle Trujillo and Jerrell Jamil Evans will be on supervised release and parole in Colorado Springs. ... Trujillo’s criminal history reveals that she was convicted in 2003 of Sexual Assault on a Child-Position of Trust-Attempted in El Paso County. Trujillo has also been convicted of Escape-2001, Attempted Escape-2006, 3rd Degree Assault-2009, Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance-2009.

I am the one who had to go through incapable government procedures to become legal resident of this magnificent country - the (former) beacon of freedom and justice in the world. I see talking heads, professors and government geniuses analyzing and trying to "comprehensively" fix the problem of illegal immigration, illegals crossing of borders, overstaying visas, people trying to share the American Dream. Talking about the problem, but not fixing it, making it worse. Result of the typical government bureaucracy incapable of running anything right. What is the problem? President Reagan realized that there is an immigration problem and he...

No link, Rush just said it. He said he hears that iCarly has been given the assignment by the RNC to take down Trump. Presumably in the CNN debate tomorrow. That's the reason she was added to the program at the last second. Rush meandered in to this after talking about Prince Rebus and how he doesn't even know the RNC Chairman.

OPEC on Monday predicted higher demand for its crude oil next year, sticking to its view that a strategy of letting prices fall will tame the U.S. shale boom and cut a global surplus. The monthly report from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries also said a weaker outlook for China would contribute to slower global oil demand growth next year. "U.S. oil production has shown signs of slowing," OPEC said in the report. "This could contribute to a reduction in the imbalance of oil market fundamentals, however, it remains to be seen to what extent this can be...

It seems like everywhere we look things are getting worse. Christian values are being replaced by values of the secular world. The American flag is being replaced by the rainbow flag. Europe is getting overrun with Muslim migrants and USA is getting overrun with third World immigrants. Fewer and fewer American young know what right the Constitution guarantees, and few care. It seems hard to find things that might actually be getting better. In your opinion, in what areas in the world and the USA are things getting better?

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above.Honoring those who have served before. FReeper Canteen Just Hangin' Cafe Come on in, we're open Need a place just to hang out? This is it. We serve coffee, tea,or maybe a tall brew? Topped off with great conversation and music. No worries in the FReeper Canteen Just Hangin' Cafe. Grab a glass and start a conversation. You never know who you might meet in the Cafe. Our AWESOME military, our AWESOME allies, and their families...

People on twitter are saying that Hillary's hacked e-mails are out on the web now. This guy, Ben Hamner, appears to have them available on his site: https://twitter.com/benhamner I'm not computer savvy enough to attempt to download them. I hope it's the real deal!

Yes there are many issues and they are ALL important But I believe this is America's most important issue. Since it is, IMO, the one with the most potential to destroy the country in the shortest amount of time. The political process is already poisoned with it, and unless something is done the stituation will only get worse. It's hard to tell which candidate believes exactly what, and whether they can be trusted, or are they just posturing. Maybe people could post here about which candidates have what positions. And whether they are sincere.

A dissociative disorder whereby a wealthy and special person of the Elite Class truly believes that he/she does not own a gun, while at the same time owning an armed security detail. Great 'gotcha question' for Bloomberg or others.

In honor of Labor Day, tell us a little bit about your first job.

On Sept. 9, Queen Elizabeth II will become the longest reigning British monarch, surpassing the record held previously by her great-great grandmother, Victoria, who reigned for 63 years, 216 days. Victoria became Queen June 20, 1837 and died Jan. 22, 1901. Allowing for leap years and the time of day at which each monarch was told of the death of their predecessor, it has been calculated that Queen Elizabeth will pass that landmark time at around 5:30 p.m. in the U.K. — or 12:30 p.m. EST. Elizabeth II became queen on the death of her father, George VI, Feb. 6,...

An agreement by federal party leaders to steer clear of Blue Jays games until Canadians vote on Oct. 19 drew giggles and guffaws from baseball fans after Sunday’s game. “I guess they’re bad luck,” Taylor Marr, 25, said with a laugh. The Grimsby man was surprised to hear the Jays had lost recently in games when Tom Mulcair, Stephen Harper, and Justin Trudeau were in the stands. “That’s crazy, they always win now; they never lose,” he said, shaking his head. But if keeping the Jays winning means Harper, Mulcair, and Trudeau have to avoid the stadium, so be it....

THE BIG PICTURE: A PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE OF FIRST PRINCIPLES I’ve always been a “big picture” kinda guy. I would rather read a general overview of history rather than a detailed analysis of the Battle of the Bulge. I would prefer reading a concise, insightful summary of human nature rather than the most in-depth study of child development. I would prefer watching a Discovery Channel program on The Big Bang than one on the solar system. For me, the Big Picture is just more fun to think about than the little stuff. My approach to the presidential debates is no different....

These great photos and statement out of HAL today on the LCH's progress, including hot & high tests in Ladakh. Here's what they sent out: HAL successfully carried out the hot and the high-altitude trials of indigenously designed, developed attack chopper Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) at Leh recently. “These seasonal trials - including cold weather trials carried out at Leh during February this year - have been completed as part of the certification process. The flight trials at Leh have established hover performance and low speed handling characteristics of the helicopter under extreme weather conditions at different altitudes (3200...

Taylor Swift's latest music video is being battered by critics who claim it is racist and pandering to 'rich white fantasies' from a colonial era. The video for Wildest Dreams, which was revealed during the MTV VMA Awards coverage on Sunday, has a mainly white cast and revolves around two 1950s-era movie stars - played by Swift and Gran Torino actor Scott Eastwood - filming in Africa. There are only two black actors, who play soldiers, and they appear in the background. The mock film crew are white. Director Joseph Khan insists the video is a 'love story' and has...

This is something that has been bugging me for years. Why should English speaking children be held back because the powers that be insist on forcing non-English speaking kids into a class they are nowhere near ready for thereby holding all those who are ready for it; back. It defies common sense. Is there any reason these non-English speaking children cannot go to a separate school for a year or more until they learn English well enough to go to an American school even it takes them more than a year or two to catch up? It's NOT the kids...