Free Republic

"It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning," publicist Yvette Noel-Schure said.

CDOT: I-70 reopening delayed until at least SaturdayA tractor-trailer got caught in a rockslide Monday along I-70 in Glenwood Canyon in Colorado. Photo courtesy of the Colorado DOT UPDATE: Thursday, Feb. 18, 3:30 p.m. Central: I-70 through Glenwood Canyon is likely to remain closed at least until Saturday, CDOT says, as inclement weather has created delays in crews’ progress bringing additional rocks down onto the highway and restoring safety. The opening time and day will be dependent on CDOT’s ability to complete mitigation and clear the roadway with the current weather conditions. UPDATE: Thursday, Feb. 18, 9:40 a.m. Central: The Colorado...

Where's my present?

History is being made tonight in the Northeast Pacific as Hurricane Patricia churns about 200 miles off the coast of Mexico, south-southwest of Manzanillo. With its 11 pm EDT Thursday advisory, the National Hurricane Center upgraded Patricia to Category 5, with top sustained winds of 160 mph and a central pressure of 924 millibars. Hurricane warnings are now in effect for the coast from San Blas to Punta San Telmo, including Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, with a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning eastward to Lazaro Cardenas. Update: Late Thursday night, an Air Force Hurricane Hunter flight captured some of...

Donald Trump will not be our next president. Neither will Bernie Sanders, Jeb Bush, nor Hillary Clinton. How can I say this with such confidence? Because none of these people have beards. And that was supposed to be the style for US presidents by now. At least according to one random magazine from 1966. The November 1966 issue of The American Legion magazine proclaimed that the American president of 2016 would be sporting a beard. And yes, I know that the next president won’t be sworn in until January 2017, but we’re just going to assume that they meant...

Legendary soul singer Percy Sledge has passed away at the age of 73. He was best known for recording the classic 1966 power ballad When a Man Loves a Woman. East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana Coroner Dr. William 'Beau' Clark confirmed to The Associated Press that Sledge died early Tuesday morning.

After being cared for by ASPCA since being rescued on May 6, King is ready for a home. The cat captured the hearts of animal lovers when he was seen on video being punted like a football by a heartless man in Bedford-Stuyvesant. The 1-year-old male cat that survived a brutal kick from a heartless perp outside a Brooklyn housing project last month is ready to be adopted. The ASPCA has been caring for King since a group of animal rescuers captured the skittish gray kitty on May 6. “King suffered tissue injuries as a result of the trauma, and...

SYDNEY — The last known combat veteran of World War I was defiant of the tolls of time, a centenarian who swam in the sea, twirled across dance floors, and published his first book at 108. He also refused to submit to his place in history, becoming a pacifist who wouldn't march in parades commemorating wars like the one that made him famous. Claude Stanley Choules, a man of contradictions, humble spirit and wry humor, died in a Western Australia nursing home on Thursday at the age of 110. And though his accomplishments were many — including a a 41-year...

International Tobacco Growers' Association Exposes the Likely Loss of Millions of Jobs Due to WHO Proposal on Tobacco Ingredients WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) expressed outrage today at the devastating impact that the latest set of recommendations from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) would have on the jobs and livelihoods of millions of tobacco growers around the world. “In some parts of the world, entire communities depend on the tobacco growing sector. I want to know what these bureaucrats have to say to the people whose lives they are going to ruin...

BrewDog said Sink the Bismarck would be sold online A controversial Scottish brewery has said it has reclaimed the title of the world's strongest beer from German rivals - with Sink the Bismarck at 41%.BrewDog, of Fraserburgh, made headlines last year when it unveiled a 32% beer called Tactical Nuclear Penguin. However, Schorschbrau released the 40% strength Schorschbock. BrewDog said its newly released 41%, Sink the Bismarck, would cost £40 for a 330ml bottle and would only be sold online.

German band, The Scorpions hanging up their hats after 40 years of rock In this Feb. 21, 2009 file photo, the German rock band The Scorpions arrives for the Echo 2009 music award ceremony at Berlin, Germany. The band, known for its early 1990s hit "Wind of Change" among others, said on its Web site Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010, that "we agree we have reached the end of the road." (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File) Before Germany's current most successful rock band, Tokio Hotel, hit the charts—long before—there was The Scorpions. The German export was not only one of the most...

10. YUNG BERG Berg’s chain wasn’t the worst looking one around, but I just don’t understand why this guy has a Transformers symbol around his neck? Was he in the movie? I used to like to watch The Flintstones but I also have a grip on reality and don’t need an iced out Barney. If you love a certain cartoon tell people on Facebook…not your neck. 9. YUNG JOC Yung Joc’s chain says “Hustlenomics.” It could also seriously injure a baby. The worst thing about this chain is just how big and terrible it looks…kinda just like a hunk of...

ROSIE MORTIMER: My friends would ask, 'Why is your Dad so old?' It wasn't easy for a 10-year-old to answer By Rosie Mortimer Last updated at 1:47 AM on 22nd March 2009 When I told him I was getting married, my father John was as thrilled as any other proud parent. Dad was 84, frail and wheelchair-bound. The wedding was at least a year away but he was very much looking forward to the big day. While friends and relatives asked if I was planning to wheel Dad down the aisle, I wondered if it might be easier and less...

Zimbabwe's inflation is running at over 13 billion per cent per month and may soon have the highest inflation ever recorded. People have taken to the streets in silent protest against the government amid claims of abductions. The BBC is prevented form operating freely in Zimbabwe, but Karen Allen has been in the country to see the situation for herself. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7791016.stm

London's Cafe Royal, a place once favoured by Oscar Wilde, Brigitte Bardot and even Princess Diana, is closing after 143 years. The historic venue is being shut as part of a redevelopment project in the Regent Street area. More than 120 items of memorabilia from the club, including a gilt chandelier and the cafe's original boxing ring, are being auctioned.

In a stunning upset, Republican Ahn “Joseph” Cao, a Vietnamese immigrant with no political experience, has defeated Democratic incumbent William Jefferson for the U.S. House of Representative’s seat of the 2nd District of Lousiana. Ahn Joseph Cao Ahn “Joseph” Cao will represent the 2nd District of Lousiana in the new Congressional term after defeating William Jefferson. Cao, an immigration attorney, is a newcomer to politics and will be the first person of Vietnamese descent to become a representative in Congress. His opponent William Jefferson was plagued by allegations of corruption throughout his campaign and is currently facing federal indictments related...

OCTOBER SURPRISE: ALIEN ENDORSES MCCAIN! Posted on Monday, November 3rd, 2008 By Reginald Cunningham III WASHINGTON, DC - In a shocking reversal, the Alien has switched his endorsement from Barack Obama to John McCain.With major implications for the U.S. presidential election, political kingmaker the Alien has changed his endorsement amid furor. Both political camps are buzzing about the implications, as the Alien has correctly predicted the winning president in every election for the past 28 years. Ongoing investigation points to Cindy McCain as being the cause for this historic shift in allegiances.Uncovered photos suggest that in a last ditch effort...

Winemakers in France's Languedoc region, which has suffered a reputation of being the 'poor relation' to its Bordeaux and Cote du Rhone cousins, have called their latest product 'Vin de Merde'.

A once-secret 1940s tunnel complex under the centre of London that housed military intelligence and linked the cold war hot line phone between Washington and Moscow has been put up for sale. Former state telephone monopoly BT says the one mile long network of tunnels below Chancery Lane underground station is now surplus to requirements. The complex was dug in 1942 as a bomb shelter for 8,000 people during the Second World War, but was taken over by military authorities as a communications and intelligence centre.

HALF MOON BAY, CALIF. -- It's midmorning of a cool May day on the California coast. Standing amid rolling fairways and tightly trimmed greens, entrepreneurs Jared and Brooke Zaugg are basking in the glory of their creation, not a golf tournament but a celebration of machinery. Today the Ocean Course links, wrapped around the Ritz-Carlton hotel at Half Moon Bay, are home to the third annual Legend of the Motorcycle Concours d'Elegance.Undeterred by the overcast sky, fans stream across the 18th fairway to get a close look at hundreds of antique bikes that have been polished and primed by their...