Free Republic

Newest Additions to TomTom’s Voice Library from Nickelodeon Make Family Adventures More Enjoyable CONCORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TomTom, the world’s leading provider of location and navigation solutions, today announces that the official voices of Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants are now available for users of TomTom devices. The new voices incorporate dialogue from the Nickelodeon show characters with TomTom device voice commands to help safely and efficiently guide TomTom users to their destinations. Dora the Explorer delivers navigation instructions for the eager explorer, such as, “We need to exit left ahead. ¡Vámonos! We're getting closer!” and “Adventures are better with...

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- After rising in March and April, the Leading Index for Indiana (LII) fell in May. "Amidst troubling economic events like the Gulf oil spill and a more than 10 percent drop in the stock market, the LII retreated in May," observed Timothy Slaper, director of economic analysis at the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. "The LII's reversal suggests that the economic recovery will continue to be slow. "Much of the LII's pullback, however, can be attributed to investor jitters over the economy both domestically and in the European Union, signaling that...

My oldest cousin's 21 year old daughter gave birth to her first son 10 days ago, then was diagnosed with advanced non-Hodgskins Lymphoma the next day. Christina lives in Boston area, and will immediately begin both radiation and chemotherapy in an attempt to stop the advance of the cancer. Your prayers in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

What is your evaluation of President Obama's first Oval Office Address? President Obama blew me away with his brilliant presentation. President Obama reaffirmed my faith that he is a strong leader. President Obama's speech was adequate, but uninspiring. President Obama's speech was mediocre at best. President Obama's speech was a rare miss; I was disappointed. President Obama proved once again that he does not know what he's doing. President Obama gave a speech?

For the seventh month in a row, the price of construction materials and supplies increased in May, rising 0.7 percent, according to the June 16 producer price index report by the U.S. Labor Department. Prices are 5.9 percent higher from May 2009. (See Analysis below)

What happened to Wall Street? Before Congress and the eyes of the world the executives of financial giant Goldman Sachs admitted that they bet against America. They created financial instruments that they compared with manure so that they and their clients could place big bets on mortgages and housing. For the winners there were fortunes to be made, even if our financial system was taken to the point of destruction and our children handed a debt burden of unimaginable proportions. In his latest best seller "The Big Short" author Michael Lewis tells the stories of others who made the same...

Washington, D.C. -- The Federal Communications Commission today released a comprehensive white paper which provides the capacity analysis behind the National Broadband Plan recommendations for the deployment and operation of a nationwide 4G wireless public safety network that allows first responders to seamlessly communicate across geographies and agencies, regardless of devices. The white paper, titled: “The Public Safety Nationwide Interoperable Broadband Network, A New Model For Capacity, Performance and Cost”, shows that the 10 MHz of dedicated spectrum currently allocated to public safety will provide the capacity and performance necessary for day-to-day communications and serious emergency situations. One study cited...

What about the TEA party demonstrations, if anything, is not being covered by the media? The TEA Party protesters are not causing violence. The White House has orchestrated counterprotests and inflitration of the TEA Party events. The media is not reporrting the true numbers; far more people attend than have been reported. The media has be thorough in its coverage of the TEA Party events The TEA Party people are violent thugs who should be stopped. The TEA Party people want to overthrown the government. The TEA Party events are a grassroots movement with a goal of letting the government...

WASHINGTON, D.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The International Cruise Victims Association (ICV) applauds Senate passage today of a measure ensuring the safety of cruise ship passengers on the high seas. ICV, with members and friends in more than 20 countries, represents victims of crime on cruise ships, their families and friends, and individuals concerned about the problems of victimization and disappearances on cruise ships. The Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act of 2009 requires cruise lines to report all crimes aboard cruise ships plus take other actions to protect the victims of crimes on cruise ships. The first measure of its kind, the approval...

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--THE LAW GROUP, LTD. announces today that it is investigating the first Statewide Class Action against Subway Restaurants, on behalf of all residents of Illinois who allegedly sustained injuries associated with Salmonella bacteria after eating a Subway sandwich. “Our investigation reveals that between May 11, 2010 and May 25, 2010, Illinois Subway restaurants, owned by Connecticut based, Doctor’s Associates, Inc., sold sandwiches containing a dangerous strain of Salmonella bacteria known as Hvittingfoss,” said Chicago attorney, Kenneth B. Moll. Attorney Moll has represented claimants in several high profile product cases including the 2000 Sara Lee litigation which involved hundreds of...

Will legislation on carbon and greenhouse gas emissions have a positive impact on the United States and the World? Yes, we have to face facts and stop global warming now. Yes, the US needs to step up to the plate and take a leadership position on this issue. Yes, we only have one earth, and if we don't protect it, we will die! No, global warming is a myth, with faulty science at best. No, the proposed legislation will destroy an already fragile economy. No, carbon dioxide is part of the food chain, and this legislation could actually hurt that...

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--An international consortium of researchers working under the auspices of Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, has announced new genetic discoveries from the second phase of its collaborative study: the Autism Genome Project. The results were published June 10, 2010, in the journal Nature, one of the world’s most respected peer-reviewed scientific publications. The Autism Genome Project (AGP) (www.autismgenome.org) consists of 120 scientists from more than 60 institutions representing 11 countries. Included in the consortium were scientists from Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford University. Joachim Hallmayer, M.D., associate professor of Psychiatry, and...

You never heard of the world’s greatest -- and most unlikely -- environmentalist, Mike Duke. See? Told you. While Senators Lieberman and Kerry ponder what to do about carbon in our atmosphere, Duke has done more to take more carbon out of more lives than any person on the planet. And in the next five years, he will do even more. Right behind Duke are Bob McDonald and Stuart Woolf, and hundreds of others who are hardly household names. All warriors in the fight for renewable and sustainable energy.

Which Republican Candidate would most like to see face Barrak Obama in 2012? Mike Pence Mike Huckabee Sarah Palin Mitch Daniels Eric Cantor Bobby Jindal Newt Gingrich Mitt Romney Gen. David Petraeus Rudy Guiliani Jeb Bush Not listed here.

BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The China Beijing Environmental Exchange (“CBEEX”) and VantagePoint Partners, a global leader in CleanTech investing, today launched the first Chinese low carbon equity index. The China Low Carbon Index (“the Index”) is the first index to track China’s CleanTech sector and the first RMB-denominated low carbon index. The China Low Carbon Index was officially announced at the Earth Temple Forum being held in Beijing. The Index will provide investors with valuable insight into Chinese CleanTech companies, which have often outperformed their peers in other markets: VantagePoint’s research and analysis of China’s CleanTech sector found that the market capitalizations of...

Should the Federal Government step in to rescue the Journalism industry? Yes, changes in technology require government involvement Yes, the government is the only means of saving a vital part of our society. No, government involvement is unconstitutional. No, we don't need another bailout. Who reads newspapers? Why not? Everyone else is getting a bailout.

Jason Stverak, President of the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a national leading organization on nonprofit journalism, released the following statement concerning the Federal Trade Commission releasing a 47-page staff discussion draft purposed for “reinventing journalism.” The draft discussion entitled "Potential Policy Recommendations to Support the Reinvention of Journalism," outlines major government intervention to help the struggling newspaper business.

"A combination of factors, including still tight credit and high commercial vacancy rates, conspired to reverse what had been growing construction employment momentum." —ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu Employment in the nation’s nonresidential construction industry fell by 4,200 jobs in May after an across-the-board jobs gain the previous month, according to June 4 employment report by the U.S. Labor Department. Since May 2009, the nonresidential building construction sector has lost 55,400 jobs, or 7.5 percent, and the employment stands at 684,300.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A new type of membrane that separates oil from water developed by Purdue University material engineers may be used to clean up oil spills such as BP's massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Jeffrey Youngblood, a Purdue assistant professor of materials engineering, has created technology that could eventually be used to help with environmental cleanups. The technology could be used for a variety of other applications, including water purification and industrial uses.

The attempted car bombing in Times Square has penetrated the nation’s consciousness, awakening fear and uncertainty as people go about their daily lives. While police, Federal and State governments are working hard to keep us safe, it’s paramount that each and every one of us – whether we are in the heart of the Big Apple or in a rural area – be aware that if we “see something, say something.” Everyone needs to be vigilant, take notice of their surroundings, and report suspicious items or activities to local authorities immediately. In the case of the alleged Times Square terrorism...