Free Republic

Oh, how delightful! Barn owl babies experiencing new sounds and sensations can be quite a fascinating sight. Thunder can indeed be a significant event for them, as it introduces a loud and booming sound they might not have encountered before. Barn owls, like many birds, have highly sensitive hearing. They rely on their acute auditory abilities to locate prey, navigate their surroundings, and communicate with their fellow owls. Therefore, a sudden and intense sound like thunder can be quite surprising for a young owl. Upon hearing thunder for the first time, a barn owl baby might display various reactions. Some...

by Jason DeWittBen Stiller took a stand on the controversial 2008 film "Tropic Thunder" Tuesday, responding to a tweet alleging he had apologized to the "woke" cancel culture mob for participating in the film."I make no apologies for Tropic Thunder. Don’t know who told you that. It’s always been a controversial movie since when we opened. Proud of it and the work everyone did on it," Stiller tweeted.The post came in response to a conservative user named Benny S. after left-wing users blasted the film, and demanded it be removed from streaming services.He wrote, "@BenStiller Please stop apologizing for doing...

Just perfect timing for the communist MayDay holiday release. What a surprise.

Spring is in full swing, and like the weather, so are the thunderous weather-themed proverbs. As we start April, you may have not heard these next two weather proverbs, but they still ring true today. "If it thunders on All Fools' Day, it brings good crops of corn and hay," and "The first thunder of the year awakens all the frogs." The thunder and frogs -- called "spring peepers" -- officially sound the trumpets of spring. These lesser-known proverbs proclaim the beginning of the season and the effects that April's first thunderstorms have on farmers across the world, pointing to...

The Thunder currently sit at 26-16 and third in the Western Conference playoff picture. Some people are saying Paul George is having an MVP caliber season and is a legit candidate to win the award. But can we consider the Thunder to be a legitimate threat to win the NBA championship? Let’s take a closer look. Only eight of the 26 wins are against teams over the .500 mark. They are 8-7 against current playoff teams.

Common sense is the complete stranger from whom we’ve grown apart. This week, perhaps the same as you, I learned something I never before considered, let alone gave a first thought: The expression “cotton pickin’" — as in “wait a cotton pickin’ minute” — is racially insensitive, if not a free-standing racist expression. Having never before considered that, it makes sense as black slaves served as America’s cotton pickers. I don’t recall ever speaking or writing the expression, but I’m now sensitive to the good idea that I never should.

Thunder Center Enes Kanter has been disowned by his family for his political beliefs. Kanter is a supporter of the Gulen Movement which tried to impose Martial Law on Turkey in July. His Father, Mehmet Kanter, who supports Turkish president Recep Tayyip, told the Daily Sabah, “His statements and behavior trouble our family. I told Enes we will disown him should he not change his course. He did not care.” The elder Kanter added, “I would not have taken Enes to the U.S. for the basketball camp where his talent was discovered had I known that it would come to...

Apparently, the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA has a player named Cam Payne. In this political season, that made me laugh. What an appropriate name!

Michael F. Haverluck, writing for OneNewsNow, notes that, "Women and men in the city of Cleveland will soon be charged with $1,000 criminal fines for voicing a problem or discomfort about a person of the opposite sex using their restrooms. This also goes for businesses that express customers’ uneasiness over a person of the opposite sex visiting the inappropriate (or non-traditional) restroom. Cleveland schools must abide by the ordinance. Cleveland’s recently proposed and reviewed “transgender-inclusion bathroom and locker room ordinance” is not the first of its kind, as Houston and numerous other cities have also visited or enforced measures that...

SAN ANTONIO -- With another lopsided victory in the books, the Spurs are beginning to look like they will power their way to the fifth title of the Tim Duncan era. Wednesday's result was the most vicious yet. The 35-point victory margin was the largest of San Antonio's postseason; the Spurs have now won their last six home playoff games by a staggering average of 23 points. The defeat was also the worst playoff loss for the Thunder since they relocated to Oklahoma City, and it seems cruel to ask any team to "adjust" its way out of that type...

Thunder forward Kevin Durant has been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the first time during his seven-year career. Durant, 25, finished second to Heat forward LeBron James in the 2012 and 2013 MVP votes. The five-time All-Star emerged as the MVP favorite this season by averaging a career-high 32 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from deep. Durant led the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating, Win Shares, minutes played, points, field goals, field goal attempts, free throws, free throw attempts and usage rate. The Thunder star...

Kevin Durant, the 24-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder star forward, recently shared his love for Jesus Christ and baptism story at Hillsong Church in New York City. Durant may play basketball in Oklahoma City, but the basketball star revealed why he wanted Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz to guide him spiritually. Durant admitted that he was drawn to Lentz because of the way he treated people and liked the fact that the pastor was unfazed by his celebrity. "I thought you were weird first of all," Durant said while visiting Hillsong and speaking at the service last Sunday. "Where I come...

OKLAHOMA CITY - Police have arrested a man in connection with the shooting. Rodney Dewon Hill, 19, was arrested Tuesday afternoon on eight complaints of shooting with intent to kill, police said. An arrest warrant filed Tuesday at the Oklahoma County courthouse said Hill was identified by one of the victims of the shooting after the Oklahoma City Thunder's Monday night game. According to the affidavit, Hill, two other men and a woman were involved in an altercation with several of the shooting victims before one of the men pulled a gun and started shooting into the crowd. A pregnant...

Eight people were shot Monday night just blocks from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City as large crowds were leaving the playoff game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, police said. Authorities were trying to determine what led to the shootings that occurred at about 11:35 p.m., said Capt. Dexter Nelson of the Oklahoma City Police Department. Of the victims, one was in critical condition and seven suffered less severe injuries, Nelson said. Also, a woman was injured when she was punched and kicked in the crowded streets, authorities said.

RealClearScott Scott Conroy Just confirmed: Todd is gonna drive a motorcycle himself & Sarah is gonna ride on one. Everybody freak out! 26 minutes ago

 But, about midway down her article titled "Palin Not Invited to Rolling Thunder" there is this:"Mike DePaulo tells NBC News he had a standing offer for her to ride with them from the Pentagon across the bridge to D.C....""He coordinated it with a friend of his, Joe Fields, of the Alaska Veterans' Advisory Council, who had worked with Palin when she was governor."[Rolling Thunder: Palin Invited]["...a standing offer for her to ride with them..."--sounds like an invitation.]"A spokeswoman for Rolling Thunder says they frequently invite celebrity guests to ride with them." [ "....they frequently invite celebrity guests to ride with them."-Now why throw something...

The ThunderCats are back! Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network have teamed up to create an updated version of the series, based on the late-1980s animated classic, set to debut later this year.

A great explosion is about to come , Destroying things not of my kingdom , Prophecies told about to unfold , Things new wiping out the old , The storehouses of God's lightning released , Disturbing things now resting in peace , Ancient walls suddenly cut down , Nothing left but burnt glass on the ground , As paper mache burnt and blown away , A prophecy of the past happening in one day , A blink of the eye and nothing left to see , Yet all the nations witnessing God's majesty , A turning point in a war...

Both Men Arrested During 'Operation Rolling Thunder' SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Spartanburg County Sheriff called a week-long special traffic enforcement effort named Operation Rolling Thunder a success. Spartanburg County was just one of several agencies from across the state that took part in the week-long enhanced traffic effort along I-85 and I-26. Some of the people pulled over during the effort were wanted on serious charges.

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2009 – Pam Crane sat peacefully in a patch of freshly mowed grass along Highway 27 here in the nation’s capital, remembering her husband, his patriotism and his cause. Bikers from all across the country pull into the Pentagon's north parking lot May 24, 2009, to participate in the 22nd Annual Rolling Thunder rally in Washington, D.C., to remind the nation that many American servicemembers who were prisoners of war or missing in action are still unaccounted for. DoD photo by Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. She...