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13-Year-Old Girl Had Feet Chopped Off On Superman Ride; 8 More Rides Shut Down Six Flags and another company shut down eight more thrill rides Friday around the country, including a ride at a North Carolina amusement park, after a teenage girl had her feet chopped off at the ankle on a Superman Tower of Power. State inspectors, meanwhile, returned to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, where the accident happened, to examine the ride, which lifts passengers 177 feet straight up, then drops them nearly the same distance at speeds reaching 54 mph. It was unclear at what point during the...

I don't watch too much television, but one of my favorite shows is Supernatural on the CW. So, I was just curious about what other Freepers like to watch.

My wife, Gretchen, is fond of saying that my last words on this earth will be something akin to, "hey y'all, hold my beer and watch this!" Well, I have outdone myself once again. No doubt you will see this true story chronicled in a LifeTime movie in the near future. Here goes. Last weekend I spied something at Larry's Pistol and Pawn that tickled my fancy. (Note: Keep in mind that my "fancy" is easily tickled). I bought something really cool for Gretchen. The occasion was our 14th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for...

As gasoline prices remain high, consumers are wondering what they can do to improve their gas mileage. Although there are practical steps you can take to increase gas mileage, the Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be wary of gas-saving claims that empty your wallet, instead of saving you fuel. Many Web sites make unbelievable claims for various aftermarket automotive devices (fuel-line magnets, air bleed devices and retrofit gadgets) and oil and gasoline additives that supposedly increase gas mileage for automobiles. The Federal Trade Commission found many of these claims to be either false or overly exaggerated.

.357 MAGNUM: This is the powerful Smith & Wesson like the one carried by accused cop killer Steven Armento (above) on the night of the slaying. Cops say a .357 was used as the murder weapon. January 11, 2006 -- An actor's accused cop-killing cohort brazenly bragged to police that he outgunned the gutsy officer — comparing his powerful .357 Magnum to the cop's measly department-issued Glock, his written statement reveals. Steven Armento, 48, said his firearm sent Officer Daniel Enchautegui flying though the air in the Bronx killing. "He flew about 10 feet," Armento boasted in a two-page written...

The war between Pinnacle Armor and the Army went nuclear this week as NBC News claimed that Pinnacle's innovative "Dragon Skin" armor is far superior to the vest the Army currently issues to Soldiers. The report shows test conducted by NBC that seem to prove the vest - as its proponents have claimed over the last several years - can take many more rifle shots than the Army's Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts. But Army officials disclosed to Military.com that in a series of tests conducted by the service in May of last year, the Dragon Skin vest failed to...

Whenever the president travels, security is a prime consideration. Motorcade routes are kept secret, and premature release of information about a presidential trip aboard one of the twin Air Force One planes can result in the Secret Service canceling a visit. Thus, the Air Force reacted with alarm last week after The Chronicle told the Secret Service that a government document containing specific information about the anti-missile defenses on Air Force One and detailed interior maps of the two planes -- including the location of Secret Service agents within the planes -- was posted on the Web site of an...

Mythbusters investigate the source of the diet cola/Mentos reaction. Also, try to confirm/bust postage stamp on helicopter blade myth

Twenty-five years ago, the Ridley Scott film Blade Runner became an instant science fiction classic. Set in a sodden, squalid Los Angeles of 2019, the neo-noir masterpiece influenced a generation of filmmakers and video-game designers. Long before I teamed up with Jamie Hyneman to form the MythBusters, I was a special-effects modelmaker, and Scott's cyberpunk gem almost instantly became the most important film in the canon of movies I love. I'm still such a big Blade Runner fan that I watch it at least once every 18 months. I also own pretty convincing replicas of the "blade runner blaster" wielded...