Free Republic

Travelling around the world is an adventurous trip in itself. During this time, one meets people from different cultures and traditions and becomes aware about their food habits and other routines. To understand the culture of a place, nothing is better than trying the delicious food of the place. The food habits of a place mainly depend on environment, the resources, climate and standard of living of people. For anymore, food is one of the basic needs. Also, it is a part of the tradition. Like, Sushi has become the famous food of Japan, Chips are associated with Britain. Also,...

“Are you a male or a female? A Muslim or a nonbeliever? If you are a nonbeliever, raise the index finger of your left hand. If you are a Muslim, raise the index finger of your right hand!” Sheikh Abu Harith screamed the words in Ghada’s ear as she lay in one of the beds in his clinic. He was talking to what he thought was a djinn, a supernatural creature in Islamic tradition, which was possessing her. Summary⎙ Print A teenage Palestinian girl has died while undergoing an exorcism, a widespread practice in Gaza's environment of poor government control...

On the off chance you might encounter people who don't understand why George Soros and Monsanto might want the Ukraine.... The official title of the tsars was "Tsar of all the Russias", meaning primarily 'Great Russia' (Russia), 'White Russia' (Belorus), and 'Little Russia' (Ukraine). That is the heart of the Slavic Orthodox world and Ukraine is the breadbasket of that world. The Ukraine could feed everybody from the Volga to the Atlantic and that in fact was Hitler's plan; the idea was to build a super-gauge train to haul foodstuffs from Ukraine to Europe and, as I read it at...

A transgender man is suing a strength competition for $2.5 million after CrossFit denied him the right to compete against women. Chloie Jonnson, who was born male, wants to test his brawn against female athletes in the CrossFit Games, a grueling series of contests designed to find the world's most fit competitors. When a female rival raised questions about Jonnson being considered a woman, CrossFit said he must compete as a man. Jonnson had a sex-change operation in 2006 and is legally recognized in the state of California as a woman. Incensed, he filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against the...

Zumhofe was known for lugging a boombox to the ring. He was a star in Minneapolis for the AWA and had a few cups of coffee with the WWF. Yesterday, former AWA star and WWF wrestler "Rock n' Roll" Buck Zumhofe was convicted of 12 felony counts of criminal sexual conduct. The charges stemmed from allegations he sexually abused his daughter 1,800 times between 1999 and 2011, when the woman, now age 29, finally left his Cyrus, Minnesota, home. THE BACKSTORY: Zumhofe allegedly sexually abused his daughter between 1999 and 2011 Zumhofe, 62, will be sentenced today. He'll likely spend...

When Robbie Mullen planted an innocent peck on his girlfriend’s cheek over Sunday lunch, he never imagined it would see him bundled into a police van and warned about his behavior. Mr. Mullen’s romantic gesture offended one diner so much that she complained to staff, who then asked the civil engineer and his partner Natalie Potter to move tables. When he refused, the 43-year-old said he was “shocked” to see four police officers arrive and march him outside where he was told he was not welcome in the restaurant. …

The New Jersey teenager who sued her parents to pay for college is the alleged victim of a Facebook hoax that appears to be fanning the flame of public disgust aimed at the teen. Rachel Canning woke up to a new round of outrage Friday morning. But, according to her attorney, she had no hand in it. "This page is a hoax," attorney John P. Inglesino said in an email to the Los Angeles Times on Friday morning. He was referring to this Facebook page. He, as well as some media outlets, say Canning is being pranked through social media...

A 71-year-old woman and three firefighters Friday were recovering at a Riverside County hospital after they were attacked by thousands of killer bees. The incident happened around 4:40 p.m. Thursday in a gated community on Lucerne Drive in Palm Desert, CalFire said. The woman suffered 1,000 stings and looked like she was wearing a “suit of bees” when firefighters found her, Battalion Chief Mark Williams said. She was quickly put into an ambulance and taken to a local hospital with major injuries. The woman went into shock, but is expected to recover. Five firefighters suffered stings to their faces and...

Families in Westchester said they are breathing a sigh of relief following a kidnap attempt Wednesday. The families are crediting an employee of T2 Tacos, a restaurant in the 7100 block of Manchester Drive, for being the hero who stopped the kidnap attempt. Residents told KCAL9′s Brittney Hopper that a nanny was walking with a 4-year-old boy Wednesday afternoon — in broad daylight — when a man attempted to steal the child. The employee — a man named Jesus Delgado – intervened, stopped the man and held him until authorities arrived. (The suspect has been arrested and charged with kidnapping.)...

The King of Pop allegedly fathered a secret son with a DNA test claiming to give the truth Michael Jackson is alleged to have a lovechild after DNA evidence claimed to prove the superstar had a secret son - but who is he? Brandon Howard is a 31-year-old singer, songwriter and producer who goes by the stage name of B Howard. He's the son of 53-year-old singer Miki Howard, whom Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson represented back in the 1980s. Miki met Jackson in 1982 and her son was born soon after. In 2010 Brandon released his debut album Genesis...

Sweden said Wednesday it would stop development aid payments to Uganda “because of the anti-gay legislation” passed in late February. “The government reaffirms its strong condemnation of the Ugandan legislation that violates the fundamental rights of homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people,” International Aid Minister Hillevi Engström said. […] Other European nations, namely Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands, announced on the very same day that they would freeze their aid to the Ugandan state or redirect it towards private sector initiatives, aid agencies and rights organizations. …

Vladimir Putin, tired of being labeled as a "bully" by media left and right, held a press conference in the Kremlin earlier today, offering a completely new angle to his case for the seizure of the Crimean Peninsula and the possible invasion of Ukraine: the presence of a Tea Party element at the Maidan in Kiev. "The Ukrainian nationalists have historically been a grave threat to peace in Eastern Europe, indeed, the whole planet and possibly the solar system," the Russian President said through an interpreter. "They were likened to Nazis by the previous Soviet government, which was universally esteemed...

Tameshia Brown took out the ad in a Sabine County newspaper.Perhaps the pen really is mightier than the sword. A Texas woman got back at her husband for apparently cheating on her with another woman by taking out an ad in a local newspaper in Sabine County. Tameshia Brown’s congratulatory message starts off nice enough -- until she puts her signature on it. “I would like to say congratulations to Shara Cormier and Patrick Brown. They are expecting a baby. Hope you both are really in love and I hope it works out. Always, Patrick’s wife, Timeshia Brown,” the ad...

No longer just a thing of questionable meat byproducts and discarded parts, hot dogs have gone gourmet, and the results are as delicious as the meat choices are surprising. As home of the Sonoran dog, Arizona is an inventive place for hot dog toppings. Needless to say, you won't find salsa or avocado on this list. Instead, these dogs feature foie gras, peanut butter, turducken, poached egg, potato pierogi, and more. Here are 10 truly delicious yet totally bizarre hot dogs you'll want to track down. The Dog: Jackalope Where to Get It: Frank Restaurant (Austin) You'll think the mythical...

A routine flight from Calgary to Victoria was marred by a passenger who apparently didn’t appreciate having his flight captained by a woman. CTV Toronto: Pilot shocked by nasty note Instead of thanking the female pilot, a passenger left an angry note behind on a napkin. Colin D'Mello has the story. Canada AM: Passenger leaves sexist note for pilot A WestJet passenger has caused an uproar after he left a note for a female pilot that said the cockpit was no place for a woman. A female WestJet pilot says she was in “shock” after a passenger left behind a...

Richard Hammond, the host of the world’s leading motoring show Top Gear UK, enjoyed a unique ride, test-driving the brand new Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6 at Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s first mega waterpark. A media statement said that Top Gear chose Yas Waterworld as the venue to host an exceptional underwater adventure and put the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6 through its paces in the Yadi Yas Wave River, an over one metre-deep ride with steep curves and an exciting course. Yas Waterworld’s showcase on Top Gear, which recently aired on BBC UK, showcased its range of adventure and...

<p>You're a 16th century German prince plotting to crush a peasant rebellion, or perhaps you're leading an army against the Ottoman Empire or looking to settle the score with a rival nobleman. What's a guy looking for a tactical edge to do?</p> <p>Bring on the rocket cats!</p>

Detroit News Hilarious Citizen signs....[12 photos] .....;

So you're lying in bed, waiting for the alarm to go off, when you start sniffing a wonderful aroma, that of bacon sizzling in a pan. A little strange, since you're the only one home, but totally pleasant nonetheless. How is it possible? With a new mobile device from the creative minds at the Oscar Mayer Institute for the Advancement of Bacon. The Wake Up and Smell the Bacon device plugs into the headphone jack of an iPhone, and when it's activated, the device emits a small puff of the scent of bacon, with the accompanying sizzle sound. Bacon lovers...

Gobekli Tepe Summary In 1994, almost forty years after The Urantia Book’s 1955 publication, excavations began at the Gobekli Tepe archaeological site in Turkey. The Gobekli Tepe site already reveals 50 engraved stone monoliths, some of them dating back to 12,000 years ago, that are at least 6,000 years older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. A full excavation to the bottom of the site has not yet occurred, and only a small percentage of the site has been uncovered. The evidence suggests that the complex of round rooms with two especially large pillars in the middle were built for...

Dear Mr. Thank you for contacting me. I appreciate hearing your views. I am a proud conservative. If you examine my record, you will find that I am fiscally responsible and have consistently fought against Washington pork barrel politics. I believe in tax reform and in deep tax cuts for the American people. I also believe in the need to allow Americans to invest a portion of their Social Security in private accounts as well as school choice that allows parents to free their children from failing schools. I remain a strong supporter of our Armed Forces, a national missile...

[video] DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Three children -- ages 5, 7 and 10 -- were rescued from a minivan that was driven into the Atlantic Ocean off Daytona Beach. Onlookers pulled the children from the vehicle, which was being buffeted by waves as it drifted deeper into the surf Tuesday. A woman driving the van escaped unharmed. Beach Safety Capt. Tammy Marris said the woman was already driving on the beach, where cars are allowed, when the vehicle entered the water. The South Carolina family of four was taken to Halifax Hospital. Once the children are released, they will be...

Full Title - "Lawyer on Chris Christie’s SCHOOL FUNDING task force is bankrolling teen suing parents for college cash" The prominent New Jersey attorney who is funding the legal costs of 18-year-old Morris Catholic High School senior Rachel Canning in her lawsuit against her own parents serves on Gov. Chris Christie’s School Funding Task Force. The attorney is John P. Inglesino, the managing partner at Inglesino, Wyciskala & Taylor, LLC, a 10-attorney firm in Parsippany, N.J. Gov. Christie’s School Funding Task Force exists to eradicate abuse and fraud from New Jersey’s education system, explains the Common Sense Institute of New...

She's asking for money to fight the NRA and blah blah blah. I'm pretty sure a co-worker signed me up for their propaganda to be mailed to me. It came with a pre-paid return envelope. What should I send back? (it sure won't be money)

'More beautiful than women, horses and all other animals': Welcome to the Arab beauty contest where million-dollar CAMELS with false eyelashes and lip filler compete for huge prizes • Visitors trek across desert for lavish event in Liwa, United Arab Emirates • Men happily declare they prefer camels to their wives - and all other women • Prize camels can change hands for as much as £1.8million at all-male event • Festival also features camel races and milking competitions Thousands of men leer on, playboys skid around outside in expensive cars, and top models command fees reaching into the millions...

If Charlie had not been in the line of fire, bullets may have struck one of the family's children, the dog's owner saysA dog who faced intruders and took two bullets for her family is recovering from surgery at home thanks to a shelter's crowdfunding campaign. Charlie, the now-three-legged dog, had to have a leg amputated after stepping in to save her family last weekend. Charlie was at her Los Angeles home with her two pup siblings and family when two people broke into the home. The three dogs chased the intruders into the street. One of the intruders fired...

Led Zeppelin 2012 720p

SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com) — Thousands of pieces of mail went up in flames early Tuesday morning after a United States Postal Service truck caught fire in Orange County. The fire, which fully engulfed the big rig, started just after 1:30 a.m. near North Lamber Road on the 57 Freeway in Santa Ana, the California Highway Patrol said. Witnesses said the truck appeared to “explode” as it was traveling down the freeway.It took firefighters about an hour to get the fire under control. No injuries were reported and it was unclear how the fire was sparked. The big rig was not...

Community Connect is working with Planned Parenthood's National Office on a new Affordable Care Act (ACA) Outreach Campaign. Community Connect in support of this work is launching a dynamic operation to reach, engage, and educate women and help them begin the process of obtaining health coverage. Community Connect is looking to hire Canvassers for the campaign that will be responsible for executing the robust door to door canvass program to educate the local community about the ACA, assist them through the initial steps of the enrollment process and register residents to vote.

The new Battlefield 4 video game from Electronic Arts, in which fictional forces from the United States, Russia and China go to war with each other features a curious, perhaps coincidental, new ‘map’ that is an almost exact replica of a massive ‘secret’ Ukranian tank depot. The map, dubbed Zavod 311, engages players from around the world in various scenarios that feature tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters, foot soldiers, and a host of weaponry with the goal being “conquest and control” of specific targets on the map. Up until recently it was just another map to play. But a report from...

Like in horror movies, swarms of bats attacked a Saudi village and caused panic among its residents, who said they were even more frightened by the birds’ screams. Residents of the village in the southern Saudi province of Jazan near the border with Yemen said some of the birds attacked children and other people outside their homes. “The residents said they are frightened to leave their homes after the bats attacked some of them,” Sabq Arabic language daily said. “They said they were even more frightened by the bats’ screams, which they described as horrifying. They called on authorities to...

Crocodiles have a fairly fearsome reputation in the wild, including via videos of them eating unsuspecting buffalo, fighting with sharks and even grappling with sharks. But this weekend it was time for another representative of the animal kingdom to fight back. Onlookers in Australia’s Outback were shocked to witness a 10ft snake, believed to be a python, strangle a crocodile for five hours and then devour it in one piece. ‘It was amazing,’ Tiffany Corlis told the BBC. ‘We saw the snake fighting with the crocodile – it would roll the crocodile around to get a better grip, and coil...

Man sentenced to 3 years for holding up bookies with cucumber hidden in sock Gary Rough claims he was 'only joking' when he tried to rob the Ladbrokes in Glasgow, England, with a cucumber hidden inside a sock, which he tried to play off as a sawed-off shotgun. Rough was given 40 months jail time for the incident. A British robber has been jailed for holding up bookies with a cucumber. Gary Rough, 28, stuffed the lengthy vegetable into a black sock to try and make it look like a sawed-off shotgun. He then demanded cash from terrified staff at...

Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Or so we once thought. America's schoolyards were tough places to play in the old days, where kids settled their arguments with skinned knuckles, bloody noses and a minimum of grown-up interference. But that was when the well-prepared scholar arrived for the first day of school with a Big Chief tablet, a clutch of Eberhard Faber No. 2 pencils, a bag lunch (if he could avoid the lunchroom), and an apple for the teacher. Now it's against the law to bribe a teacher, an iPad mini has...

Vandals targeted the former Brooklyn home of director Spike Lee days after a video of the director ranting against gentrification went viral. The vandals sprayed “Do The Right Thing,” on the front of the brownstone home in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn. The message is the title of one of Lee’s best-known movies, which tackles the subject of racial tension in a Brooklyn neighborhood. Lee’s former home had part of the title written on the side of its stoop. …

The BBC drama controller has said there are not enough gay characters on TV. Ben Stephenson, who is himself gay, called on writers to come forward with more stories which focus on homosexuality. The comments were made during the BBC’s Reflect and Represent talk at New Broadcasting House on Monday which aims to discuss the Corporation’s future vision. …

It’s become a health hazard to be a banker. What evil lurks beneath the pile of bodies?In growing numbers, the bodies of bankers are piling up in the streets — at least eight global financial types in recent weeks (and five others in the past year). And a financial reporter for The Wall Street Journal walked out of his house and mysteriously hasn’t been seen or heard from in weeks.So what gives? Three of the bankers worked for JPMorgan. One worked for Deutsche Bank AG. Others for companies not so prominent, i.e., not “too big to fail,” but possibly...

Nadia Verdoni, 42, was charged with DUI manslaughter, leaving the scene involving death and tampering with evidence.A Pompano Beach woman was arrested after she struck and killed a motorcyclist Friday, then fled and tried to cover up the evidence, deputies said. Nadia Verdoni, 42, was charged with DUI manslaughter, leaving the scene involving death and tampering with evidence, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office. Deputies said Verdoni turned left from North Federal Highway onto Northeast 4th Street on a solid green light and struck 30-year-old Benjamin Piorsky who was traveling southbound on a motorcycle. Piorsky had attempted to brake, but...

His balanced diet is the secret to his longevity and health, he claimsThe 35th National Masters Athletic Championship held in South India saw an unbelievable record being created. Dharampal Gujjar cleared 200 meters in 46.74 seconds and won the 400 meters. Now, if that’s no great task, then the winner is 116 years old, according to a report in NDTV. Standing 6-ft tall, Gujjar, has participated in several marathons. If his voter card is to be believed, then he, indeed, is the oldest person alive in the world. He has not sought funds from the government. His co-workers help him...

The Ohrt family in Victoria, Texas, gunned down an unidentified beast in their backyard over the weekend. The mangy beast looks like a Coyote with big teeth and long legs. Although the Chupacabra's existence has yet to be confirmed, that hasn’t stopped rumors of possible sightings.A south Texas family claims that they killed the mythical Chupacabra in their backyard. Doug and Lucy Ohrt of Victoria proudly displayed the slain beast that their grandson gunned down on their property last weekend. “My grandson ran and got the gun and shot it at 240 yards, and my grandkids said, ‘Oh that's a...

Now that the big game is over it is time to rethink professional football. Many young progs are running around claiming “team ownership”, touting that it is “their” team is the best. The ugly truth is that the teams are owned by some bourgeois one percenter and they owe you, the fans, nothing. They are exploiting you and getting rich as a result. Football is a business and you have been tricked into buying branded items to advertise for them with no compensation! Stop being exploited! The last big game also showed disparity in awarding points. Denver worked so hard...

Blind woman suing nudist community that told her to get rid of service dog In 2011, a medical condition caused Lutz, Florida woman Sharon Fowler to lose her vision. Legally blind, she had to acquire a service dog, named Laura. Ms. Fowler and her husband, Craig, moved into the Paradise Lakes Condominiums complex in 2012 with Laura. However, after they had settled in, Sharongot a letter from the property’s management that was very upsetting, as WTSP 10 News reports. She was told that because Laura, a black Labrador, was over the 25-pound weight limit, she needed to go. This, despite...

Play an accordion, go to jail. The recent controversy surrounding Frank Lima, aka The Great Morgani, appears to support Freud’s assertion that a grain of truth resides at the core of every joke. Fortunately, the irony is not lost on the iconic Santa Cruz street performer. “I might have to develop a sacrificial lamb costume if this continues,” Lima, 71, says with a laugh. “But seriously, the key is to remain calm and respect all sides. There is no bad guy here.” For the past 17 years, the stockbroker-turned-street busker has beguiled weekend visitors to Pacific Avenue with his virtuoso...

The last thing you expect to find within a body bag in a funeral home is a living person. But that’s exactly what happened at the Porter and Sons Funeral Home in Lexington, Mississippi, when Walter Williams woke up – hours after being declared dead. In fact, funeral workers were getting ready to embalm him when he began to move. The coroner had checked his pulse at roughly 9pm on Wednesday, declaring him deceased, but at 2.30am embarrassed workers had to tell his nephew that his uncle was still alive. ‘I stood there and watched them put him in a...

Claudia says 'He asked if he could hire me for a dinner for a million pounds. I declined – and some other supermodel took it' Supermodel Claudia Schiffer reveals how she once turned down an offer of £1million to spend the evening with an Arab prince.The German beauty says being a catwalk queen and one of the world’s most photographed women has led to a number of unusual propositions. She says: “I’ve had loads of weird ones but the strangest was from an Arab prince. “He asked if he could hire me for a dinner for a million pounds. I...

Ukranian model Valeria Lukyanova, who lives her life as a 'human Barbie' has revealed she doesn't consume food or water anymore. Some have said she uses plastic surgery and Photoshop to create her doll-like image, but her impossibly thin waist could actually be down to not eating for weeks. The model, 23, has said she is now converting to 'Breatharianism' - training herself to live off only light and air. 'In recent weeks I have not been hungry at all; I'm hoping it's the final stage before I can subsist on air and light alone,' she has said. The model...

LEXINGTON, Miss. - Workers at a Mississippi funeral home say they found a man alive and kicking when they opened a body bag. Holmes County Coroner Dexter Howard calls it a miracle that 78-year-old Walter Williams is alive. The coroner was called to Williams' home in Lexington, a community north of Jackson, where family members believed he had died. Howard says Williams had no pulse and was pronounced dead Wednesday at 9 p.m. Early Thursday, workers at Porter and Sons Funeral Home were preparing to embalm Williams when he started to kick in the body bag.

As you read the following, keep in mind that this happened three weeks ago. The only reason I know about it is because Glenn Reynolds linked to it this morning.WXIA in Atlanta, Feb. 5: The FBI says a Georgia Tech graduate student was burned by a Molotov cocktail at his apartment in the 200 block of 10th Street, not far from Piedmont Park. Atlanta police spokeswoman Kim Jones said Saamer Akhshabi suffered third-degree burns over 90 percent of his body. Lighter fluid and a charred pillow and mattress were found inside the apartment, along with the Molotov cocktail and several...

A Florida woman was arrested for battery after striking her 25-year-old daughter in the face with a used diaper. Police report that victim Jessica Caldwell returned Monday to her Bradenton home and discovered “her mother became intoxicated while caring for her 2-year-old daughter.” A verbal argument allegedly turned physical when Christine O’Keefe, 53, “threw a used diaper at the victim, striking her in the face,” according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report. During the subsequent mother-daughter scuffle, Caldwell struck her mother in the right brow. O’Keefe, however, was the only one arrested--for misdemeanor battery. Seen in the adjacent mug...

The Paula Deen Comeback Spectacle continues: The latest development, a People cover story in which the celeb chef compares herself to Michael Sam, the former University of Missouri football player who famously came out as gay in advance of the NFL Draft. Here's how the Wrap quotes her from the story: I feel like ‘embattled’ or ‘disgraced’ will always follow my name. It’s like that black football player who recently came out… He said, ‘I just want to be known as a football player. I don’t want to be known as a gay football player.’ I know exactly what he’s...