Free Republic

The orthodox free-trade view of most pundits holds that if Mr Obama accepts the recommendation he will fail the free-trade test. In fact, the truth is just the opposite. Not to accept the tariff recommendation would be a severe blow to open trade and globalisation as well as to America’s future economic health.

WASHINGTON (AFP) — After errant bankers and humbled insurers, the turn came for ratings agency bosses to receive a verbal lashing from US lawmakers investigating the meltdown of the financial system clip At one point, a panel member produced a message from an employee of leading agency Standard & Poors in the structured finance division who complained that deals "could be structured by cows and we would rate it." clip

In a campaign where Sarah Palin's encouragement of wolf hunting receives more press attention than Barack Obama's fictitious promise of a "net spending cut," the need for more balanced coverage of the vice presidential candidate is obvious and urgent. Joe Hilley's biography helps out with a wealth of neglected information, particularly concerning her motives and intentions.

striking new collaboration between ex-Zep singer Robert Plant and bluegrass star Alison Krauss is not as unlikely as it seems, as they tell Neil McCormick Free download: Get 'Killing the Blues' from the new album 'Raising Sand' Robert Plant picks up my recording device, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "I have one of these for vocal ideas," he says. "But I never use it." And now for something completely different: Plant and Krauss So what do you do? "I just wait until the tape starts running and then go, 'Oh baby, baby…'?" Plant sang the word "baby", or variations...