Free Republic

CAIRO (Reuters) - A massive statue of one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, Ramses II, rolled through the streets of Cairo to a new home near the Pyramids on Friday to escape the corrosive pollution of its former spot in a crowded transit hub. Tens of thousands of people lined the streets to bid farewell to the 3,200-year-old red granite statue, which weighs 83 tons and was wrapped in plastic and thick padding for the painstakingly slow 35 km (21 mile) journey, which took 10 hours. Only the face was visible. "We are going to miss you. Cairo will never be...

CARACAS, Venezuela - Opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez are demanding further investigation of what they call gross irregularities in the voter registry, pointing to a western state where 1,921 people by the name of Gonzalez are listed with an identical birthday. The electoral council, which is independent but faces accusations that it is pro-government, insists the lists are sound, and plans to release an external audit Tuesday as it prepares for December presidential elections. The case of the many Gonzalezes in Zulia state was reported by Roberto Ansuini, an opposition-aligned researcher and former member of the National Electoral Council...

Galveston County Democratic Party Chairman Lloyd Criss issued a news release this week saying he had asked for a list of voters whose addresses have been called into question. “One of the primary reasons I have requested the list of suspended voters is because I want to know if the preponderance of those suspended reside in Democratic precincts,” he wrote. Tax Assessor-Collector Cheryl Johnson, whose office is responsible voter registration, said she’d be glad to provide the list to anyone who asked, but she said she was offended by the implication that she might play politics with the voter rolls....

NEW YORK, Nov. 11, 2005 – Active supporters of U.S. servicemembers rolled down historic 5th Avenue here today in the city's Veterans Day parade, riding on a float for the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program. The parade capped off DoD's commemoration of World War II's 60th anniversary and was billed as "The Nation's Parade." America Supports You showcases what Americans are doing around the country to support military members and their families through it's the program's Web site at www.americasupportsyou.mil. The America Supports You float featured members of various grassroots-level organizations affiliated with the DoD program. Organizations featured included:...

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2005) -- The thunder rolled as Marines and Sailors here waved the North Carolina Rolling Thunder through the Station gates Sept. 10, and even though the personnel may not have seen the group, they did hear them. All five chapters of the North Carolina Rolling Thunder, a motorcycle group dedicated to remembering servicemembers who are prisoners of war or missing in action, hosted their yearly picnic at the Station Marina. Personally welcoming the group, Station Commanding Officer Col. Stephen L. Forand spoke to the group during the table ceremony. Forand welcomed...

<p>Washington, DC, Jun. 28 (UPI) -- The Republican National Committee Monday announced its initial line-up of nine speakers for the presidential convention, scheduled for late August.</p> <p>Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, are scheduled to speak, along with first lady Laura Bush.</p>

Bush rolls out big gun to keep heartland happy By Alec Russell in Sioux Falls (Filed: 29/03/2004) Outside America, Vice-President Dick Cheney is widely seen as a shadowy front man for corporate interests and an arch, even sinister, hawk. This view was reinforced last week when he led a full-frontal assault on Richard Clarke, President George W Bush's former counter-terrorism adviser, who had challenged the administration's record against al-Qa'eda. Dick Cheney is being used by Bush to batter opponents With controversies brewing over Mr Cheney's old company, Halliburton, which the Pentagon has accused of overcharging for supplies in Iraq, Democrats...

U.S. Mint Rolls Out New Nickels By JEANNINE AVERSA ASSOCIATED PRESS Today: March 02, 2004 at 15:35:41 PST WASHINGTON (AP) - Millions of shiny nickels sporting their first new look in 66 years are being shipped to the Federal Reserve, the supplier of the nation's cash, officials of the U.S Mint said Tuesday The new nickels - which honor the 1803 Louisiana Purchase on the back but retain Thomas Jefferson on the front - should start showing up in cash registers in several weeks, Mint officials said. A total of 180 million new nickels have been sent to the Federal...

ROLLS-ROYCE, the aeroengine manufacturer, is on course to win a £3 billion contract to refit the US fleet of B52 bombers. The company confirmed yesterday that it has put forward two plans for updating the engines of the aircraft after being approached by Boeing and the US Air Force. The B52s, which were used extensively in the Iraq war, are central to America’s bomber force but they are still powered by engines designed in the 1950s. The US Air Force has 85 in its active fleet and nine in reserve, each with eight engines. Analysts said the contract could be...

DENVER (AP) -- A government-access television station wasn't allowed to tape a City Council discussion of the city's budget crisis Wednesday because a councilwoman said she didn't want the group to be shown eating the cinnamon rolls she brought to the meeting. Council President Elbra Wedgeworth confirmed that Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz requested on Saturday that Channel 8 not broadcast the meeting. "It's not a big deal because the meetings still go on; they're still public," Wedgeworth said. "We rarely do something like this. It was a one-time request." Faatz did not return a phone call seeking comment. Nine members attended...

"Heck...Let's ROLLLLLL!!" (To be sung to Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll") It's been a long time since Right rock an' rolled. It's been a long time since Right won the War!! Ooh, help US get it back, help US get it back, help US get it back, Mmmm-Patriots, let's whup Left's SCUM!! It's been a long time, gotta show some spine, been too long... Lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time!! Yes it has... It's been a long time since Right whupped Left's SCUM!! Right must reverse the Fears of Left's Blight, that's not love. FReepers, Let's Act!! FReepers Must Act!!...

First BMW Rolls Royce breaks down on test drive The first Rolls-Royce to be made by new owners BMW has broken down while on a test drive in Germany. The car was painted battleship grey for the test and had to be towed 100 miles to Munich. The firm said the car's fan belt had snapped. The vehicle sent to tow the stranded Rolls was itself reported to have been BMW's secret X3 four-wheel drive The £200,000 Rolls is capable of 150mph and is due in showrooms in January. The Sun quotes the German newspaper Bild saying: "Now the English...