http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/chat-forum/ en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:19:02 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051814/posts It took animal rescuers, neighbors and a concerned pet owner 15 days — and one trip to the psych ward — to save a 7-year-old kitty that was trapped in a narrow shaft in a Carroll Gardens apartment building. The part-Persian, part-American short-haired cat — named Rumi in honor of the famed Middle Eastern poet — owes it all to Chris Muth, the man who actually ended up in a mental hospital during the ordeal. He has the “bizarre delusion [that he] was trying to ‘save’ a cat of his friend,” medical records show. This story was bizarre, but the... The Brooklyn Paper http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051814/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:19:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051812/posts Excerpt - On Thursday afternoon, several hours after I’d gotten my final “Steve’s health is a private matter” — and much to my amazement — Mr. Jobs called me. “This is Steve Jobs,” he began. “You think I’m an arrogant [expletive] who thinks he’s above the law, and I think you’re a slime bucket who gets most of his facts wrong.” After that rather arresting opening, he went on to say that he would give me some details about his recent health problems, but only if I would agree to keep them off the record. I tried to argue him... The New York Times (excerpt) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051812/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:13:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051796/posts Property assessments questioned By Tabatha Hunter Staff Writer // tabathah@nwanews.com Posted on Saturday, July 26, 2008 URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/64125/ BENTONVILLE — Benton County Assessor Bill Moutray met with local legislators Friday morning to discuss the property assessments his office recently sent out to Benton County property owners. Many of the assessments showed dramatic increases in value despite a sluggish economy, increasing foreclosures and $ 4-a-gallon gasoline. “ I believe personally that these assessments are wrong, and I want to know what we can do to fix it, ” said state Sen. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette. “ It is not right, and it... NorthWest Arkansas Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051796/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:09:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051787/posts Mick Jagger, the snake-hipped, rubber-lipped frontman of the Rolling Stones, celebrates his 65th birthday Saturday but shows no signs of slowing down, despite officially becoming an old age pensioner. At an age when most British men are retiring from work and claiming state pensions, Jagger is dating a woman some 25 years his junior -- stylist L'Wren Scott -- counting his millions after the Stones' record-grossing "Bigger Bang" tour and branching out into film production. His behaviour may not be as hellraising as that of fellow Stone Ronnie Wood, who last week entered rehab to receive treatment for alcohol abuse... AFP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051787/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:52:04 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051768/posts More News on the Tolkien vs. New Line Lawsuit July 20th, 2008 by Altaira Thanks again to Voronwe_the_Faithful for posting another update on the Tolkien vs. New Line Lawsuit on our message boards: The plaintiffs filed a First Amended Complaint last Monday (which I believe was the last day for them to do so). They have dropped the fiduciary duty cause of action (as expected), but they have asserted new allegations to support the fraud cause of action. They added more specific claims as to how they contend that New Line misrepresented the amount of expenses that it had in... TheOneRing.Net http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051768/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 17:50:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051767/posts A Levy County man accidentally shot his wife Friday morning when he tried to fend off a fox that had attacked the woman, deputies reported. The animal was killed and will be tested for rabies due to its unusual behavior, said Levy County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Evan Sullivan. Test results won’t be available until next week, but authorities are advising anyone who comes in contact with a wild animal exhibiting strange behavior to leave it alone and contact law enforcement. Officers were called to an accidental shooting in the 3000 block of SE 18th Ave. in the Morriston area... Gainesville Sun http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051767/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 17:46:23 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051731/posts please the experienced and very serious shooters may add to the list of ultimate handguns in 1911 out of there knowledge and experience.(it would be more help full that if you recommend one gun onlyalong with its manufacturers name and specific model repectively). slightly compact models will be more appreciated(for concealed carry but without in any way compromising accuracy and durability). thanks zeeshan http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051731/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:45:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051730/posts "My dear, let us hope that it isn't true!" the wife of the bishop of Worcester is reputed to have exclaimed 150 years ago, on hearing that human beings might be descended from apes. "But if it is true, let us hope that it doesn't become widely known!" When it comes to sociobiology - better known these days as "evolutionary psychology" - the bishop's wife has modern counterparts: The religious right and the secular and supposedly scientific left are remarkably on the same page, both sides inclined to dispute or misrepresent the relevance of evolution to human beings. The former,... The Baltimore Sun http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051730/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:41:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051719/posts Spectators cheer as they watch Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., leave a hotel in London, Saturday, July 26, 2008. yahooooo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051719/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:42:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051707/posts The District will use a $7.5 million education reserve fund to pay for the seven former Catholic schools slated to reopen as secular charter schools next month, and it will be able to find more money if necessary, officials said this week. The D.C. Council allocated $366 million in May for 63 charter schools as part of its fiscal 2009 budget. Financing for the Center City Public Charter Schools was omitted, officials said, because Center City's application was not approved by the charter school board until June 16.The Catholic school conversions are unusual, they said, because most charters spend 12... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051707/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:05:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051706/posts OK. I had a few small like hills in my backyard where moles (moles? gophers? chinese miners?) had dug up I guess for air or whatever. No biggie, really. Never had the problem when I had a dog, maybe getting another dog would be the ultimate solution. But this morning I go out there and there are SIX of these large hills, with the opening very clear and visible, no doubt the little bastids did a lot of work! While I applaud their tenacity and dexterity, enuff is enuff. So I have this stuff called "Critter Ridder". It is a... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051706/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:57:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051699/posts This video is arranged with a short instrumental medley of hymns, “Softly and Tenderly” and “Lord, I’m Coming Home”, with a flowery hummingbird scene. YouTube http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051699/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:31:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051690/posts By usual measures of student progress, America's high school career academies have been a failure. One of the longest and most scientific education studies ever conducted concluded they did not improve test scores or graduation rates or college success for urban youth. People like me, obsessed with raising student achievement, saw those numbers and said: Well, too bad. Let's try something else. And yet, because the career academy research by the New York-based MDRC (formerly known as the Manpower Demonstration Research Corp.) was so detailed and professional, we have just learned that the academies accomplished something perhaps even better than... The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051690/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:02:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051681/posts Ads That Might Make You Forget What They're Selling 55KRC http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051681/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:31:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051679/posts Matthew Nuti finished 10th grade at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology with much to be proud of. He excelled in oratory on the Model United Nations team. He was a starting lineman in junior varsity football. His English teacher complimented his classroom wit. Like virtually all students at the very selective public magnet school in Fairfax County, he scored near the top on the Virginia state Standards of Learning exams. Oh, and he had a 2.8 grade point average for the school year. At most schools, that would be a B-minus, not too bad, but at Jefferson... Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051679/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:29:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051677/posts ...Karin Miller, 43, a stay-at-home mother during the school year with a doctorate in psychology, who is redefining the role of camp counselor. She counsels parents, spending her days from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. printing out reams of e-mail messages to deliver to Bryn Mawr’s 372 female campers and leaving voice mail messages for their parents that always begin, “Nothing’s wrong, I’m just returning your call.” Jill Tipograph, a camp consultant, said most high-end sleep-away camps in the Northeast now employ full-time parent liaisons like Ms. Miller......The liaisons are emblematic of what sleep-away camp experts say is an increasing... The New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051677/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:16:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051674/posts His dad made it big in politics, but Andrew Giuliani’s dreams veer toward a career as a professional golfer, he explained as he smacked golf balls Thursday on Randalls Island, which is one reason, he said, that he sued Duke University and its head golf coach for pushing him off the varsity team this spring... ...In the lawsuit, he acknowledged that he may have misbehaved in February when he tossed an apple in a teammate’s face, flipped his putter a few feet, threw and broke a club and gunned his engine in a parking lot......An e-mail message to Andrew Giuliani... The New York Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051674/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:06:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051664/posts The final chance (most likely) for the riders to shake up the GC. A 32 mile Individual Time Trial. Nice and flat: LeTour http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051664/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:45:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051652/posts Central IC 1805 Credit & Copyright: Keith Quattrocchi Explanation: Cosmic clouds seem to form fantastic shapes in the central regions of emission nebula IC 1805. Of course, the clouds are sculpted by stellar winds and radiation from massive hot stars in the nebula's newborn star cluster (aka Melotte 15). About 1.5 million years young, the cluster stars appear on the right in this colorful skyscape, along with dark dust clouds silhouetted against glowing atomic gas. A composite of narrow and broad band telescopic images, the view spans about 15 light-years and includes emission from hydrogen in green, sulfur in red,... NASA http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051652/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:59:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051633/posts Welcome to the weekend thread.Crude oil prices went down.Starting in September, the NFL will stream Sunday night football. Various News Sources and FRee Republic Members http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051633/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:48:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051619/posts A proposal before the Texas Board of Education calls for including the "strengths and weaknesses" of evolution in the state's science curriculum. This initiative is understood by supporters and opponents to be a strategic effort to get around First Amendment restrictions on teaching religion in science class. The proposal is a new round in an old debate, and, if it fails, creationists will innovate once again, just as they have since the 1920s. The Washington Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051619/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 09:32:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051587/posts The Weekend YouTube Music Video Thread http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxzJAF1BxP4&feature=related Pancho & Lefty The Weekend YouTube Music Video Thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051587/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:41:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051577/posts Three men looking to party with three females in a Calimesa motel instead found themselves ripped off by the trio after the victims removed their clothing, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Press Enterprise http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051577/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:54:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051572/posts An ancient Viking burial stone kept in a south Wirral church... the Church of St Mary and St Helen, in Neston town centre... has been broken over time prior to its discovery, clearly depicts a man and a woman with an angel flying overhead... The stone depicts a warrior and a woman who -- say orthodox archaeological interpretations -- are a couple, with the stone possibly marking their joint burial site. But Mr Olly insists the woman depicted on the ornately carved stone is actually a Valkyrie, which would make this already unique artefact even more intriguing... Wirral Viking specialist... Liverpool Daily Post http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051572/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:22:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051560/posts FRIDAY, July 25, 2008, 11:49 a.m. By Crocker Stephenson Man charged with shooting lawn mower Keith Walendowski is charged with shooting a lawn mower. A 57-year-old south side man, who might have been struggling with a hangover, is charged today with shooting his lawn mower with a sawed-off shotgun. "I'll tell you the truth," a criminal complaint quotes an apparently inebriated Keith Walendowski. "I got pissed because my lawn mower wouldn't start, so I got my shotgun and shot it. "I can do that. It's my lawn mower and my yard, so I can shoot it if I want," Walendowski... Milwaukee Journal Sentinel http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2051560/posts#comment Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:21:21 GMT