Free Republic

Home to an expanding light-rail system, a thriving bike culture, a citywide recycling program, and a large number of LEED-certified buildings, Portland, Oregon, has long been known for its green sensibility. So it seems fitting that a government building there may soon be sheathed in a 200-foot-high living wall that would be visible from miles away.The vegetated facade is part of a roughly $135 million overhaul planned for the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building.  SERA Architects, a local firm, is working with the General Services Administration on retrofitting the building to make it more energy efficient. The 18-story structure was...

A clever burglar is using potted plants to help plan break-ins in the Lakewood area, according to a media report. hat a burglar is targeting residents while they are on vacation. The burglar determines whether the resident is home by moving large potted plants around the house. If the potted plants remain undisturbed from the move, then the burglar knows the homeowner is away.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- A bloody brawl erupted outside a tavern after one customer thought another failed to wash his hands after using the bathroom, police said. One man was hospitalized with stab wounds. Another was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to a police report, the fight broke out Thursday after Eric Jennings Kisiah, 27, became upset about a customer's apparent hygiene failure at the Tumbleweeds Sports Bar. Witnesses told police Kisiah confronted the customer and two of his friends, calling them names, telling them they were dirty and threatening to "slash their throats."...

I did it!!! For years I have been tying to post an article during normal freeping hours that nobody would comment on for over an hour. It is quite a challenge really. FR has a wide range of interests, and if an article is too weird, then people will comment on its weirdness. Anyway, every few weeks I have been trying to find an article just so totally boring that there would be no reason for anyone to comment on it, and at the same time not be too weird as to merit a comment based on its weirdness. I...

"This is a robbery!" warns man armed with tree branch LISBON (AFP) - A 46-year-old man armed with a tree branch robbed just over 1,000 euros (1,260 dollars) from a customer at a bank in suburban Lisbon but was forcibly subdued by other bank clients before he could escape, it was reported. The man pressed the branch against the back of the customer on Monday and shouted "This is a robbery!" before grabbing the cash which the bank client had just withdrawn, a police source told daily newspaper 24Horas. But as the assailant attempted to flee, he was grabbed and...