Free Republic

A police officer has been fired after allegedly losing his temper at a cook-off and throwing a tear gas grenade at a rival team - many of whom were military amputees. Mike Hamby, 52, could face criminal charges for the drunken attack, which happened at this year's Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo BBQ Cook-Off in Texas. Several members of the team were left vomiting and with burning eyes after Hamby, an officer with 30 years service, allegedly flung a military-style 'clear-out' grenade into their tent. Hamby, who was off-duty, had been drinking before the incident in February, according to police...

Omaha's riverfront hosts chili cookoff The World's Championship Chili Cookoff comes to the Omaha riverfront Friday through Sunday. About 400 cooks fire up their stoves and simmer fiery chili peppers and chili powder to see who can make the best bowl of chili. The audience gets to participate, too, tasting the chili, voting for people's choice chili awards and joining on-stage competitions. Most of the action is Saturday and Sunday at Lewis & Clark Landing, where tents will shelter the cooking stations and regional bands on stage. Area restaurants get in the spirit with a cooking competition of their...

The third annual Live Oak County Area Go Texan Barbecue Cook-off/Benefit Auction will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Swinney Switch Grill in Swinney Switch. The IBCA-sanctioned event is open to the public and proceeds will benefit the Live Oak County Area Go Texan Scholarship Fund. Cooking categories include one-half jointed chicken, pork spare ribs (not baby back ribs) and beef brisket. A total of $2,100 in prize money will be awarded to the top three places in each meat category. First place will earn $400; second, $200; and third, $100. Jackpot entry divisions include beans and pan de...

This is from today's (6/22/2004) chat with Mrs. Bush at GeorgeWBush.com Question: Would you ever condider debating Mrs. Kerry? I guarantee with your class and intelligence, you would win hands down. Mrs. Laura Bush answered: Thanks for your kind words, but fortunately, Mrs. Kerry and I don't have to debate. Our husbands will be doing plenty of that. I think the only debating we'll be doing is over who bakes a better cookie! Family Circle magazine is running a contest to see who has the best cookie recipe. Go to www.familycircle.com to vote for my Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies. They...

The Swinney Switch Volunteer Fire Department and Ladies Auxiliary are sponsoring their 12th annual Wild Hog Cookoff on Saturday, April 17. The cooking competition will have monetary prizes and trophies for first, second and third place in three categories: Wild Hog, Beans and Pan de Campo. There are also trophies for Showmanship and a new category, Exotic. Any person interested in the the cooking competition can call (361)547-3481 for more details. The annual barbecue will be served at the fire station, all-you-can-eat BBQ brisket and chicken with all the trimmings for only $6. Last year the group served 560 plates,...

Chili chefs everywhere are reeling at the news -- who could have imagined a chili crook among chili cooks?It started as a prank, said Don Eastep, an Illinois retiree. When his brother Larry couldn't make the International Frank X. Tolbert-Wick Fowler Memorial Championship Chili Cook-Off in Terlingua, Texas, Eastep, 64, went under his brother's name. But he had no chili. So on cook-off day, he scooped up spoonfuls of chili from some of the 80 or so contestants' pots and entered the mishmash in his brother's cup.He figured he had no chance, but the judges loved it. And when he...

OXFORD, Miss., Oct. 21 — This was no everyday summit conference. For a start, there were a lot more bluejeans than pinstripe suits.There were dire predictions, of course, and the requisite amount of pointing with alarm. But instead of conference rooms perfumed with cigar and cigarette smoke, there were tents perfumed with oak and hickory smoke, and instead of a final communiqué full of dependent clauses, there was a final speech by Calvin Trillin of The New Yorker, full of one-liners.More than 300 people, mostly Southerners, some more knowledgeable than others, gathered on the campus of Ole Miss last weekend...