Free Republic

...Mitt Romney is basing his campaign on his superior business savvy. Good thing, since we would not want to look too closely at RomneyCare in Massachusetts. It not only embraced the unconstitutional individual mandate, but it extended coverage for abortion in the Bay State. Romney says he does not want to sign the Susan B. Anthony pledge to defund all outfits that kill the unborn. Why? Because that would cut off federal funds to hospitals that do abortions. Yet, he doubtless believes he can sell us on "building a culture of life." That lovely phrase from the late Pope John...

Just in time for Sunday's Super Bowl game, Monroe-based La-Z-Boy Inc. has unveiled its newest and ultimate recliner, the ‘Chill' chair... Also at Big Chill Chair Runs at $850.

Click here to find out more! When asked about the significance of her daughter, Chelsea, marrying Marc Mezvinsky, who is Jewish, and thus being married in an interfaith union, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded, “Over the years, so many of the barriers that prevented people from getting married, crossing lines of faith or color or ethnicity have just disappeared.” True, the barriers have disappeared, but serious difficulties remain. While some scholars argue that mixed-faith unions “serve as a refiner’s fire” that make the relationships stronger, the statistical evidence indicates this is all too frequently not the outcome. The American...

BERKELEY, Calif. - Quick, what's the third-largest beer retailer in the U.S.? Chances are you didn't know it's 7-Eleven. Now, the convenience chain is getting a step closer to the suds it sells, rolling out a store-brand beer billed as a premium brew at a budget price. The launch, happening this month at stores nationwide, aims to take advantage of the current economic downturn — a long, cold one for beer sales. "We're really working back from the customers' needs," said Dan Skinner, 7-Eleven category manager for alcoholic beverages. "They're looking for exceptional quality at a value price."

Traveling just got complicated again, for me and many others ... Clear Lanes Are No Longer Available. At 11:00 p.m. PST on June 22, 2009, Clear will cease operations. Clear’s parent company, Verified Identity Pass, Inc. has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continue operations.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – As Islam makes inroads in the United States, American Muslims are setting up mega-mosques that combine religious tradition with typical American convenience. Modelled on the huge, non-Catholic churches that offer their congregations of at least 2,000 members several different sites for worship, US mega-mosques have become a necessity in some places. "Frequently, we have buildings designed for the Friday prayer, which is the largest, for 1,000 people and you have 2,000 to 3,000 show up," said Corey Saylor of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). To accommodate the overflow, which also results in traffic jams when...

I can't say I'm much of a gardener. It's all a bit too much like hard work, especially wasting hot summer days mowing the lawn into neat little lines - I'd much rather get the deckchair out and crack open a can. And now I can - and get the lawn cut with the Automower from Husqvarna. It's a gardener's dream, cutting grass automatically without being pushed or guided - even if there's a tree or two to negotiate. Use the perimiter wire to cordon off flower beds, young trees, ponds and swimming pools and automower does the rest. As...

While US airlines cut and slash service -- care and feeding -- of their travelers, the Asian airlines have been buying new planes, installing elaborate entertainment systems, and allowing passengers in-flight e-mail and web surfing options. Add to that plush seats and meals created by celebrity chefs, and the result is that America doesn't know service. Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines services beat all American carriers, hands down. On the long-haul flights, choices of movies, frequent meals (America doesn't need this) -- Western or Asian style -- and friendly service are the standard. Not only are the US airlines behind,...

Online learning will continue to grow for several reasons. The first reason is because of the advent of high-speed Internet. Anybody with a home PC can now take a course online. If you have a laptop, you can take your course online and take it with you to the coffice (coffee house/office). That is where I am writing this. PCs and Macs are also becoming more affordable. For the price of one credit hour at some schools, a student can now buy a good desktop Dell or Gateway PC. There is no more driving to school, finding a parking place,...

Two questions were under discussion with merchants in the neighborhood: When is inexpensive and disposable stuff junk? And, just because something is inexpensive and disposable, should we call it junk even when it is very useable and quite handy? Nonetheless, "junk" was the first impression most of us had as we read over the information I researched for this new product. At least, that was our impression until we thought about it for a while. Most of my adult life was spent tethered to a beeper and/or cell phone. Now, in semi-retirement, I adamantly refuse to carry either again. The...