Free Republic

LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Halloween lovers hoping to create the perfect jack-o-lantern might want to shop carefully this year because of a pumpkin fungus that has put a dent in some crops. Two types of fungus or rot have affected crops from the Midwest to New England, causing pumpkins to develop mold in some spots and then begin decomposing, said Daniel Egel, a Purdue University Extension plant pathologist. The entire inside of the pumpkin eventually rots until the shell falls apart. A combination of high temperatures and record rain in August has helped the fungi flourish, Egel said. Nina Kent, co-owner...

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) -- Dave Iles watched expectantly Tuesday night as his massive pumpkin was lifted onto the scale. The numbers just rolled by: 400 pounds, 500, 600 ... 700 ... finally coming to a rest at 752 pounds. At first he thought there was something wrong with the scale. He thought his pumpkin would be maybe 540 pounds, tops. But 752 pounds and a new state record? He couldn't believe it. "That's the first pumpkin I've ever grown," Iles said, who also broke the state record this year with a 60-pound marrow zucchini and holds a world record for...

DULUTH, Minn. - Something about Sen. John Kerry's darker appearance has caught Lynne Cheney's eye. During a campaign stop with her husband, a group of volunteers moved into the crowd with microphones for the question-and-answer period. Vice President Dick Cheney told supporters to look for the people with dark orange shirts. When Cheney paused as if searching for the words to describe the shade of orange, Lynne Cheney said, "How about John Kerry's suntan?" The remark drew a big laugh from the crowd and the vice president. Responding to her comments, Kerry campaign spokesman Bill Burton said, "Is Mrs. Cheney...

'Orange' you glad you're not this guy?  Sept. 28, 2004... Looking suddenly very orange, John Kerry's new look just prior to the debate is more than a little too.... fake. As in spray tan fake. Not that the presidential candidate will ever admit such an attempt at insta-tanning -- his suddenly gone facial wrinkles earlier this year prompted cries of "BOTOX!", which Kerry denied too.   This is an email-able, copyright-ready cartoon you can use in emails, on blogs, in flyers, on posters... anything that's noncommercial.