Free Republic

- Fanklin Roosevelt going on TV after the crash of 1929! - No Coal for you, Pennsylvania! - Obama ad not fair to McCain, oops I forgot I was on the ticket! Bill said that Hillary wasn't interested in Veepee, so my question is, If Joes leaves then who?? "Stand up, FDR!"

A GUEST at a Dutch hotel found a live, 2.5 metre python in the toilet, alerting authorities who arrested four people for illegally trading in rare animals, it was reported today. In yesterday's incident the snake is believed to have slithered up the drain from a room below, where authorities discovered about 30 exotic animals, ANP reported, quoting the police. The animals included snakes, geckos, frogs, salamanders and a baby crocodile.

NEW YORK - Should this world ever cease to exist, Stephen Colbert will live on. "I am thrilled to have my DNA shot into space, as this brings me one step closer to my lifelong dream of being the baby at the end of 2001"

Chelsea Clinton. The former First Daughter is also starting a master's program at Columbia, majoring in public health policy, according to a source.

can't post, have to link

Court grants injunction to stop woman cutting off man's penis A MAN was yesterday granted a court injunction to stop a woman trying to cut off his penis. Tony Goodchild was granted the domestic violence order against his former girlfriend. He told Darwin Magistrates Court the woman was trying to hunt him down and threatening to "cut his penis off''. The unusual application caused laughter in the courtroom. But the Northern Territory News reported Mr Goodchild -- who was shaking and carrying two backpacks during the hearing -- said he had been in hiding in the long grass from his...

Brazilian Grooming Trend Popular With Young Girls Last Edited: Tuesday, 22 Jul 2008, 11:41 PM EDT Created: Tuesday, 22 Jul 2008, 11:41 PM EDT Spa Waxing On the scale of uncomfortable subjects, this story is off the charts, but it's extremely important for all parents to hear. Fox 8's Suzanne Stratford has news about a Brazilian grooming trend that young girls are having done.

London: The saying love is blind really did turn out to be true for 16-year-old Jessica Anderson, for she’s getting set to exchange wedding vows with her 50-year-old boyfriend Clive Richards. Richards, a grey-haired father of two, left his third wife Julia for deputy head girl Anderson six months ago. Anderson, a schoolgirl, set up house with Richards, a teacher, and is waiting to become his fourth wife, in September next year, when she turns 18. More offbeat stories | Science updates “Despite common predictions we’re still together and very happy,” the Sun quoted him as saying. “I am frustrated...

LISTEN ONLINE ON KFI IN LOS ANGELES Okay, tonight we hear about a rock discovered in Roswell. Is it extra-terrestrial? Let's find out.

A SWISS man died when he fell from a hotel balcony during a spitting match with a friend, a Swiss newspaper has reported. The daily Blick said the 29-year-old man took a run-up from inside the room so he could spit further, but lost his balance and plummeted 6.4m to the street below. He died in hospital. The man had suggested the contest when he and two friends returned from a disco to their hotel in Cadempino in Switzerland's Italian-speaking Ticino canton in the early hours. One of the men went to sleep, but the two others decided to see...

Someone sent the link above to my attention and I've been trying to figure out what message this is conveying. No need to click the link, it says,"ABORshun." Aside from the ebonics, what's with this? Pro-life? Pro-choice? Who'd wear this?

March 3, 2008 Jilted lover uses eBay to hit back at Wikipedia guru After being dumped by Jimmy Wales on his own website, Rachel Marsden put his clothes up for auction on eBay Philippe Naughton As of midday today, $102.50 could buy you a little piece of internet history: the T-shirt that Jimmy Wales was wearing when he met Rachel Marsden for what he insists was their one and only night of passion. There's nothing special about the T-shirt, except for a couple of stubborn stains that even Tide extra-strength could not remove. But it's not every day that a...

A bevy of busty Swedish blondes will soon take up residence in a Los Angeles mansion for a new reality television series. The series is set to kick off with a launch party at the mansion on March 1st.

13-month-old a finalist in TV hunt for beautiful baby Wednesday, February 13, 2008 By Troy Reimink The Grand Rapids Press ROCKFORD -- Every parent thinks his or her child is the most beautiful in the world. Now Stephanie and Samuel Starkey, of Rockford, have credentials to back that up. Their 13-month-old son, Corbin, has been named by "Live With Regis and Kelly" as a top five finalist in the show's Beautiful Baby Search. "I just happened to watch the show one day, and they mentioned to send in a picture of your baby if you think they would have a...

Video of libertarian Penn Gillette doing an experiment -- can he get liberals to sign a petition banning water? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yi3erdgVVTw

For weeks, Patriots fans have been charting the team's "path to perfection," conveniently leaving out the role that cheating played in their success. * * * . . . The Post has attached an asterisk to the Patriots so-called perfect record, a shameless distinction that doesn't seem to bother anyone in Boston.

I have a serious question. We live on a bay on the Oregon Coast and this time of year the rats want in really bad. I can D Con in the Garage because I can hide it behind the tool bench where they follow along the wall. I cannot D Con around the house because we have 3 Labs and sometimes the other Labs in the area sneak away and come visit our home ( I don't encourage them). So I am looking at these plug in the wall sonar rat repellants. Do they work? Can I plug them inside...

Pioneering research into a "gay bomb" that makes enemy troops "sexually irresistible" to each other has scooped one of this year's Ig Nobel Prizes. Other winners included work on treating hamster jetlag with impotency drugs, extracting vanilla from cow dung, and the side-effects of sword swallowing. The awards, founded in 1991, mark achievements that "first make people laugh, and then make them think". The prize ceremony took place at Harvard University, US. Genuine Nobel Laureates handed out the much-coveted awards to the winners, who took away no cash, but instead received a hand-made prize, a certificate, and, of course, the...

(WCCO) St. Paul A St. Paul man has been charged with robbery after police say he robbed a woman of her keys and cell phone then took off her shoes and licked her toes. According to the criminal complaint, Carlton Jermaine Davis, 26, approached a woman who was leaving work around 1 a.m. Saturday. He said to her, in a very demanding voice, "put your cell phone and purse inside the bag". The complaint said that the 24-year-old woman was frightened so she complied. After giving Davis her belongings he demanded she take her shoes off. She complied and Davis...

That's not ratatouille: Utah woman finds rodent head in her can of green beans By Brianna Lange The Salt Lake Tribune Article Last Updated: 10/02/2007 07:10:41 AM MDT Click photo to enlargeMarianne Watson, of Lehi, found a rodent head in a can... (Danny Chan La/The Salt Lake Tribune)«1»If Marianne Watson follows Wal-Mart's advice, she might be keeping what could be a rodent head frozen in her freezer for the next two years. The Lehi resident found the remnant Sunday in a can of green beans that she purchased from a Wal-Mart in American Fork. Watson, 49, was preparing lunch for...

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- A Triad man who was trying to rid his home of pesky yellow jackets is now looking for a new home. Authorities said Hugh Williams sprayed insecticide in a hole next to the St. Andrews Road house on Sunday, but that didn't kill the bugs. He then stuck paper in the hole and lit it, but the fire spread into the house and the attic, authorities said. The home on Monday was draped with a blue tarp, and the chimney was bruised with fire soot. "We certainly do not advocate the burning out of these insects, although...

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Picked on for years, the Cleveland Browns finally gave a black eye to one of the NFL's biggest bullies. Derek Anderson threw two touchdown passes, Jamal Lewis ran for one against his former team and the Browns, considered the 98-pound weaklings of the rugged AFC North, surprised the Baltimore Ravens 27-13 Sunday. With their second win over a division opponent this month, the Browns (2-2) looked nothing like the inept team that was embarrassed 34-7 in their home opener three weeks ago by Pittsburgh. Instead, Anderson, who has had a tendency to make poor decisions, made mostly...

A week ago I chuckled while reading the Pennsylvania Game Commission's helpful tips on dealing with black bears. It had to do with avoiding problems should one of the bears get too close and personal with a human. Having spent a good deal of time in bear country over the years and having watched, admired and, yes, hunted them, I don't know if there truly is any good advice save for the standard, "Don't put garbage in easy-to-open trash cans outside your house because it will attract bears." Don't laugh. It can happen fairly close to Washington in nearby Loudoun...

I love FR. I like the fact that the user interface remains clean and that the pages load fast. I can use it from the big screen on my desk, the small screen on my desktop, or even from my cell phone; on fiber or DSL or dial-upfrom Timbuktu.. But I have a suggestion that would make it easier to use for me, and maybe for some other folk. What I'd like to see is a "My recent threads" red-text up where the posts to/from and the new mail are. Here's how I use FR: First thing I do after...

Madonna toasted the Jewish new year with President Peres of Israel and declared herself an "ambassador for Judaism," local newspapers reported yesterday. The singer, who is not Jewish, arrived in Israel Wednesday on the eve of Jewish new year to attend a conference on Kabbalah or Jewish mysticism.

Amid a lineup of what ought to be called "big government conservatives," Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul stands out like the Lonesome End on Army's 1950s football teams. Asked his policy on U.S. troops fighting in Iraq, the Texas congressman, now serving his 10th term, replies: "I would get them home as soon as possible." And U.S. troops in Europe? "I would get them home," Paul said in an interview Tuesday. "Having them stationed abroad doesn't serve our national interest, and that goes for forces in Japan and Korea. "We should only send U.S. forces abroad when our security is...

Jay Levy and his family took their iPhones on a Mediterranean cruise. Now the Hewlett Harbor entrepreneur feels as if he got taken for a ride, receiving a 54-page monthly bill of nearly $4,800 from AT&T Wireless. (SNIP) The iPhone regularly updates e-mail, even while it's off, so that all the messages will be available when the user turns it on. (SNIP) The 6,707-word terms and conditions document on the AT&T Web site says: "Substantial charges may be incurred if phone is taken out of the U.S. even if no services are intentionally used."

<p>What is with all the Ron Paul threads? Am I missing something here? Ron Paul has zero, no I shoulda said ZERO chance of going anywhere. so what up with the posts like he is a legit candidate?????</p>

Environmentally friendly cars might be popular with Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Leonardo Di Caprio, but they certainly have failed to impress Yoko Ono. The widow of late Beatle John Lennon feels that environmentally friendly cars are not as comfortable as her Bentley.

PARIS (AFP) - Scientists in France and Italy have deciphered the complete genetic code for the plant producing wine grapes, according to a study published Sunday. While the findings will do nothing to enhance the mystique of winemaking, they could pave the way for gene-based manipulations to boost flavour and improve resistance against disease. Dozens of researchers analyzing the Pinot Noir varietal of Vitis vinifera, the core species from which virtually all grape wine is made, found twice as many genes contributing to aroma than in other sequenced plants, suggesting that wine flavours could be traced to the genome level....

The "hot doughnut experience." That's the difference between Krispy Kreme and other large doughnut chains. Dunkin' Donuts may be bigger (at least in the East), but nothing stirs the soul like the neon "Hot Doughnuts Now" sign that lights up when Krispy Kreme's famous Original Glazeds come rolling off the line. If you've ever had a doughnut hot out of the fryer, you know how tough it is to stop at just one. Just what we need: an irresistible food that's made of sugarcoated white flour fried in trans-fat-laden oil. Doughnuts are a phenomenon. Fortune magazine recently named the rapidly...

All right Al Gore III, you're still the tops when it comes to speeding in a Prius - but not by much. Steve Wozniak is right behind you. And when I say speeding, man o' man, do I mean speeding. You probably remember when the son of the former vice president was caught going 105 mph in Southern California last month. Well, a mention of that in a recent Roadshow column led a buddy of Wozniak's to check in, claiming that the co-founder of Apple Computer was ticketed for going 105 mph on Interstate 5 earlier this year. Whoa. Mr....

THE September issue of Vogue arrives on newsstands today, clocking in at a record 727 advertising pages. That “extra-extra large!” size, as the cover proudly proclaims, is more than 100 pages fatter than last year and seems to provide evidence of a healthy appetite for print advertising in the fashion industry. Most of those pages were sold with the added value of an Internet feature that Vogue is introducing today: a broadband channel that aims to serve as both an entertainment destination and a shopping Web site. The feature, ShopVogue.TV, offers links to purchase the products featured in the magazine’s...

Some home and office laser printers pose serious health risks and may spew out as much particulate matter as a cigarette smoker inhales, an Australian air quality researcher said Tuesday.

ASHLAND, Ky. — Laughter might be unexpected in a liquor store where a robbery just occurred. But that's how employees responded to the "Duct Tape Bandit" who hit Shamrock Liquors in Ashland and fled nearly empty handed. A man who had his head wrapped in duct tape to conceal his identity walked into the store last Friday, Ashland police said. Store manager Bill Steele had some duct tape of his own, but his was wrapped around a wooden club that sent the robber fleeing, according to a report by WSAZ-TV in Huntington, W.Va. Store employee Craig Miller said he chased...

TULSA, Okla. -- Canada's biggest golf tournament will have its biggest star. Mike Weir was added to the Presidents Cup team as a wild-card pick by International team captain Gary Player on Monday, giving the event a boost as it goes to Canada for the first time. Player also used a captain's pick on Nick O'Hern, the only player to beat Tiger Woods twice in match play. U.S. captain Jack Nicklaus took Lucas Glover, who was bumped out of the top 10 in the standings when Woody Austin finished second at Southern Hills; and Hunter Mahan, who has not finished...

Bring up the Big Ten this off-season and you’ll get two topics of discussion: the schedules and the perceived lack of speed. While it might be the granddaddy of the conferences, it has a lot to learn from the younger, hipper leagues when it comes to scheduling, and to some, fielding teams with fast players. Schedule-wise, forgetting the mega-gap between the end of the Big Ten season and the bowls (Ohio State beat Michigan on November 18th and didn’t play Florida until January 8th), the league that can’t add up its own teams continues to have a big problem with...

Last season was a body blow for all the Big East detractors who felt the league had no business getting a highly-coveted automatic BCS bowl berth. Almost half of the conference’s members finished the season ranked in the top 12 and it left a lasting off-season impression with a 5-0 bowl record. With the returns of Heisman contenders Brian Brohm, Steve Slaton, Pat White and Ray Rice, prepare for an encore performance. Forget all the talk about the demise of the Big East. It’s over, as long as no more schools bolt for greener pastures. The league has two budding...

China's hairiest man, a wannabe pop star who calls himself King Kong, wants to carry the Olympic torch on its journey to Beijing in 2008. Yu Zhenhuan, from the northeastern province of Liaoning, told the Xinhua news agency that his fame and extreme hirsutism qualified him to be one of the 21,880 people who will carry the torch on its roundabout, 85,000-mile voyage next year. "It would be a great honour to join the Olympic torch relay," said Mr Yu, a 30-year-old rock singer who was recently deposed as the world's hairiest man by a pair of Mexican brothers. "The...

Conductor Tossed Kids For Disorderly Conduct, Amtrak Says TAOS, N.M. -- Four children, ages 12 to 15, were removed from an Amtrak train in the dark, 600 miles from home, after accusations that one of them stole an iPod. No charges were filed against any of the children, who spent the night at the Kingman, Ariz., police station after Amtrak put them off the train at 2 a.m. Saturday as they returned home from California. Police let the four stay in the conference room until a parent retrieved them. Zackary Sharfin, 13, and his 12-year-old brother Christopher had traveled with...

Miss New Jersey can keep her crown despite photos that show her acting "not in a ladylike manner." Hours after a nervous Amy Polumbo went public Thursday with photos of herself that had been sent anonymously to pageant officials, those officials decided the pictures did not merit stripping her of the title. Related Stories Miss New Jersey USA Reportedly ResignsMiss New Jersey Receives 2nd PackageTop Entertainment stories Holy Hogwarts! 'Potter's' Box Office RecordWanted: Virgins for NYC Play PremierePHOTOS: Summer Lovin' H'wood Style "I'm very happy about this decision, and I look forward to resuming my agenda as Miss New Jersey,"...

LONDON (Reuters) - Manners aside, getting cows to burp less can help reduce global warming. Using modern plant-breeding methods to find new diets for cows that make them belch less is a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, scientists said on Monday. The key is developing new varieties of food that are easier for cattle to digest and also provide a proper balance of fiber, protein and sugar, said Michael Abberton, a scientist at the UK-based Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research. This could open up plant-based solutions as alternatives to reducing stock as farmers look for ways to cut...

They're flush with pride in Chongqing, where a recently opened porcelain palace features an Egyptian facade, soothing music and more than 1,000 toilets spread out over 30,000 square feet. Officials in the southwestern Chinese city plan to ask Guinness World Records to have the free four-story public bathroom listed as the world's largest, state-run China Central Television reported Friday. "We are spreading toilet culture. People can listen to gentle music and watch TV," said Lu Xiaoqing, an official with the Yangrenjie, or "Foreigners Street," tourist area where the bathroom is. "After they use the bathroom they will be very, very...

Mr. Ducklips’ In the News!Scientists have published a report that some species of mosquitoes can acquire athlete’s foot.My heart swelled when I read this. It’s time that those prehistoric flying bastards got back some of what they dish out. If I read that some species of prehistoric crawling cockroach bastards get athlete’s foot too, I’d feel even better. And if I read that some of both species get jock-itch and crotch-rot, I’d be happy as punch. * * * * A Florida woman was still getting to know her pet camel when it killed her Sunday. The camel kicked her,...

I would hate to have been the guy whose job it was to round up and herd a couple of T. rexes onto the ark. This Memorial Day weekend marks the opening of the new Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., which purports to tell the history of the world based on creationism instead of evolution...

Paris Hilton is "emotionally distraught and traumatized" over her 45-day jail sentence and isn't capable of testifying in a civil lawsuit against her, the socalite-reality TV star's psychiatrist said. Dr. Charles Sophy has been seeing Hilton, 26, for the past eight months and has talked with her several times since her May 4 hearing for violating the terms of her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case, according to court papers. Sophy said Hilton needs time to recover from the shock of receiving jail time before testifying in a civil case brought against her by actress and diamond heiress Zeta...

Bikini-Clad Firefighter in Mason Park Stephen Cole has been placed on administrative leave. By 700WLW News Thursday, April 5, 2007Cincinnati, OH:A Wayne Township firefighter is headed to court, charged with drunken driving and disorderly conduct. Police found Stephen Cole wandering in a Mason park Tuesday evening, wearing a wig, a bikini and sandals. Officers also found go-go boots and other women's clothing in his truck. They say his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.

Like to read your thoughts/opinions one why the secret service men did what they did in this fascinating video...