Free Republic

A deeply divided contingent of more than 1,200 Republicans has gathered at a Sparks casino to elect delegates to the national convention in Tampa, Fla. Within an hour of the convention being gaveled open, accusations of fake ballots, scuffles over seating and brief disagreements over rules erupted. Overall, however, business proceeded rather smoothly with a delegation that seemed tipped toward Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who is scheduled to speak this afternoon. Josh Romney, whose father Mitt Romney is the presumed GOP nominee, gave a brief speech to the crowd, focusing his attacks on President Barack Obama. “This is a very...

Microsoft Corp. said it hired a former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executive to help the company open its own retail stores, a strategy shift that borrows from the playbook of rival Apple Inc. The Redmond, Wash., company said it hired David Porter, most recently the head of world-wide product distribution at DreamWorks Animation SKG, as corporate vice president of retail stores for Microsoft. In a statement, Microsoft said the first priority of Mr. Porter, who is also a 25-year veteran of Wal-Mart, will be to define where to place the Microsoft stores and when to open them. A Microsoft spokesman said...

George Chandler’s not sure how it happened. Maybe he stood up at the wrong time, or maybe his friend lost his balance. What he knows for sure is that one minute he was installing lattice for his wife’s trailing wisteria, and the next minute he had a two-inch nail from a nail gun embedded in his skull.

BELOIT, Wis. - A roofing company billionaire listed as the 91st richest man in the United States has died after a fall from a roof at his home. Police say 66-year-old Ken Hendricks was checking construction on a garage roof at his home in Rock, Wisc., on Thursday night when he fell through. His company, ABC Supply, says he suffered massive head injuries. Police say Hendricks' wife called authorities and attempted CPR, but her husband was pronounced dead after being transported to Rockford Memorial Hospital in Winnebago County, Illinois. Hendricks was the founder, chairman and CEO of ABC Supply, the...

LOS ANGELES - Actress Jenna Elfman, who starred in TV's "Dharma & Greg," is expecting her first child, her spokeswoman said Friday. Elfman and her husband, actor Bodhi Elfman, have been married for 16 years and are "elated about the impending birth," publicist Jenni Weinman said in a statement. "Jenna looks and feels amazing. She is certain to be one hot mama!" Weinman said. Elfman, 35, played free-spirited Dharma Finklestein Montgomery in the odd-couple comedy "Dharma & Greg," which ran from 1997-2002 on ABC. She recently starred in the CBS comedy "Courting Alex." Her screen credits include 2005's "Touched" and...

MARCH 24--Meet Natalie Peterson. The 23-year-old Utah woman was arrested yesterday afternoon when she showed up naked to take a shower in a stranger's home. According to cops, prior to Peterson wandering into the home in Roy, she had been in an argument at a relative's house. There, she stripped off her clothes and jumped into her '98 Ford Escort and drove off. A half mile away, Peterson walked into a house occupied by three young siblings, who she ordered to leave "her home." Peterson told the trio she was going to take a shower and headed for the basement....

Man accused of trying to arrange hit on wife  Friday, July 16, 2004 Associated Press   A Fayette County man allegedly tried to hire his neighbors to kill his estranged wife around Halloween and suggested they rent an ape costume to make it easier, authorities said. Randolph Murphy, 48, of Dunbar Township, was jailed yesterday on charges he had tried to persuade his neighbors to murder his wife for half of a $100,000 life insurance policy, according to state police in Uniontown. Murphy and his girlfriend, 31-year-old Michelle Hall, were charged with criminal solicitation to commit homicide and conspiracy to solicit...

Trucker who changed sexes can't change license Friday, November 22, 2002Associated Press BEDFORD, Pa. -- Ellen can go by Daniel if he wants, but changing the sex listed on a birth certificate is outside the jurisdiction of the Common Pleas Court, a judge ruled. Truck driver Daniel Gryphon MacNeal, formerly Ellen Bernadine Thompson, underwent a sex change last year and wanted to change his birth certificate -- and consequently his driver's license -- to reflect the change. "Every time I get stopped for safety checks or whatever, if it's a super cop, they pick up on the fact that my...