Free Republic

NEW YORK — She’s a Florida girl who’s comfortable in a bikini, and now 19-year-old model Kate Upton is on the cover of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. She wears a tiny red-and-brown, sparkle-covered string bikini with a view of the waters of Australia behind her as she poses for the magazine cover, which is scheduled to be unveiled on TV Monday night on “Late Show with David Letterman” on CBS.

Just throwin' it out there... =)

Despite an upside down approval rating, President Barack Obama leads the Republican frontrunners in the crucial swing state of Ohio. According to a Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday, Ohioans would choose Obama over leading Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney by 45 percent to 41 percent, and has a wider lead over candidates Herman Cain and Rick Perry. He leads Perry by an 11-point margin (47 percent to 36 percent) and Cain by 8 points (47 percent to 39 percent). Obama has widened his lead over Romney and Perry since last month, and this is the first time Quinnipiac has pitted him...

Take it for what you will...posted on Mark's page just now: BREAKING: GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN TELLS MARK LEVIN SHE IS NOT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 2012.

A significant change Thursday in the vote count in a Wisconsin Supreme Court election raised the incumbent into the lead, in a race that some see as a referendum on the state's Republican governor.

MONTGOMERY -- Republicans on Tuesday appeared to take control of the Alabama Legislature, with top Republicans claiming to have close to 60 seats in the 105-member House of Representatives and perhaps 22 seats in the 35-member Senate.

Scarlett Johansson is joining the superhero set. Her rep confirms that the actress has signed on to play Black Widow in the Iron Man sequel opposite Robert Downey Jr. The deal was signed this afternoon. "Scarlett is thrilled to be a part of Iron Man," her rep, Marcel Pariseau, tells me. Meanwhile, after months of negotiations...

(excerpted)... According to NFL VP of Officiating Mike Pereira, the replay official upstairs did see the play clearly. “We confirmed it was a fumble,” said Pereira. “The replay assistant in the replay booth saw it was clearly a fumble. The ball got knocked loose and was rolling in his hand before it started forward. He has to have total control.”

1. Alabama 2. Oklahoma 3. Texas 4. Florida 5. USC 6. Utah 7. Texas Tech 8. Penn State 9. Boise State 10. Ohio State

The United States Secret Service has dispatched a protective detail to assume the immediate protection of Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., a source tells ABC News, indicating in all likelihood that Biden has been officially notified that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, has selected him to be his running mate. Sources also tell ABC News that two others said to be finalists for the position of Obama's running mate -- Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and Virginia Gov Tim Kaine -- have been told they have not been selected to be Obama's running mate. Kaine flew to Denver earlier today, is in Denver...

Boy, after scanning some FR threads over the past few days, there are a LOT of candidates actually running for the GOP nomination! Some I had never even heard of. But I'm glad I did, so I got everyone straight. But here's what I think happens today in Iowa: I think Precious Willard wins tight over Hucksterbee, with McQueeg third. RuPaul could surprise and finish fourth, even ahead of Dead Thompson, with Julieannie next, a bit ahead of Duncan Heinz. I like Cheese. :)

Guess who's back, baybeeeeee? :)

SEATAC, Wash. — The Christmas trees are going back up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Port of Seattle officials had ordered the trees taken down over the weekend after a local rabbi threatened a lawsuit if a menorah wasn't also displayed at the airport. Airport officials say they took that action out of concern that if they allowed the addition of a menorah, they would also have to display symbols of other religions and cultures, which was not something airport workers had time for during the busiest travel season of the year. Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky says he never asked that the...

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez turned down Alabama on Friday, telling his players that he'll be back for his sixth season with the Mountaineers. RodriguezRich Rodriguez has guided West Virginia to three Big East championships and four straight New Year's Day Bowl games, including the 2007 Toyota Gator Bowl vs. Georgia Tech. A loud applause could be heard from inside the Milan Puskar Center at Mountaineer Field after Rodriguez told his team he would be staying at his alma mater. "I fully respect his decision and wish him the best," Alabama athletic director Mal Moore said in...

I thught Max Burns and Mac Collins had a chance to take away two Dem House seats in Georgia. Last I saw, Burns had fallen behind a bit but Collins was still ahead. Any FReepers in GA have up-to-date info? Just a quick response will be fine, many thanks.

...I am happy to say that I just voted in State College (central PA) with no problems. :) No line outside of the church to get in, short wait inside while the friendly poll workers showed people how to use the touchscreen machines, voted (Santorum, Swann, Peterson, Corman, Spencer) and walked out amidst smiling, happy people. :) Shook hands with a couple of the candidates who were outside, and left. Starting to rain. Whole process took about 15 mins. I was #462 to vote today.

Just saw it while watching HEROES...it has ACTUAL TAPE FOOTAGE of the ABSCAM undercover sting...a meeting in a hotel room with JOHN MURTHA, who can be heard clearly saying "IT'S A G**D*** DEAL!" on the tape!! Anybody else see this? Incredible ad!

...IF the Dems do take the House by, say, 1 or two seats (maybe they get 218 or 219)...what are the odds that some of the more moderate/conservative Southern Dems might reject Pelosi as Speaker and vote for Hastert? Like Reps. Gene Taylor (MS) or Charlie Melancon (LA)? Both would have supported a Missourian like Gephardt, but a San Franciscan like Pelosi? Just a thought...

Just headline for now...

VIENNA, Austria — An eight-legged invasion is giving some Austrians the creeps. The venomous yellow sack spider, whose painful bite can cause headache and nausea, has become the talk of the town since several people were bitten earlier this summer. Reports of spider sightings have dominated local media, triggering hundreds of calls to a Vienna poison hotline and prompting the government to issue a plea for calm. "The bites of a yellow sack spider are indeed painful but not deadly," Health Minister Maria Rauch-Kallat said in a statement. "If you are bitten, please don't panic and in case of discomfort...