Free Republic

SAN FRANCISCO - Scientists announced Monday the discovery of a rare — and stinky — orchid species that flourishes only in the wet meadows of a beloved portion of Yosemite National Park. Botanist Alison Colwell said the species' minute, tennis-ball yellow flowers weren't what first led her to it, but rather the smell of sweaty feet that the Yosemite bog-orchid emits to attract pollinators. "I was out surveying clovers one afternoon, and I started smelling something. I was like, 'Eew, what's that?'" said Colwell, who works for the U.S. Geological Survey in El Portal. "It smelled like a horse corral...

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad When Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad got an anonymous text message suggesting he didn't wash enough, he did not take it lying down. He fired the president of the phone company, had four people arrested, took other legal action and accused those involved of conspiring with the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad, according to the Iranian opposition website Rooz Online. The website says Ahmadinejad, known throughout the world as a hard-liner who has threatened Israel with destruction and questioned the Holocaust, is the target of many barbs among the populace in his country.

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- New York City firefighters investigated a gas odor in Lower Manhattan Wednesday morning, that apparently came from a New Jersey plant. Fire officials were notified of the gas odor at about 10:20 a.m. A couple of buildings were evacuated for a short time in the area of Water Street and Pearl Street in the Financial District. 1010 WINS reporter Stan Brooks was on Hanover Square following the story. Listen to Stan's report. New York City's Office of Emergency Management reports the gas smell came from a Duke Energy in Linden, New Jersey. Officials said the...

President Bush and some of his advisers received worst-acting nominations for their appearances in news and archival footage in Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," which assails Bush for his actions surrounding the Sept. 11 attacks. Bush was nominated for worst actor, while Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice got a nomination for worst supporting actress and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for worst supporting actor. Wilson said that while "Fahrenheit 9/11" was a piece of anti-Bush propaganda, the president and his associates earned their Razzie nominations on their own. "It wasn't Mr. Moore's editing," Wilson said. "It's the raw footage of these people...

http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/midiman/xmas.HTML MIDI - JINGLE BELLS Dashing through the sand in their camouflage Humvees They were on the move...the 4th Infantry They felt it was big...something's in the air They're steadfast and they're loyal...guess who they found hiding there Jingle bells, Saddam smells, in his spider hole It got worse, his Depends burst...he had no bladder control Jingle bells, Saddam smells, in his spider hole It got worse, his Depends burst...he had no bladder control They all had focused well...there's a mission to complete In their language there is no word "defeat" They bagged the ace of spades...in the deck...

There’s a direct connection between one’s age and how soon Christmas gets here. For children, it’s excruciatingly slow in arriving. The week before Christmas is the longest time of the year. Little wonder so many succumb to the temptation of cracking open a gift or two and oh-so-carefully rewrapping them. For adults, Christmas comes much too soon. There’s not enough time, and at the last minute we remember something we should have done but now it’s too late and we pledge to be better organized next year. For most of us, this is an annual vow. I’m one of those...