Free Republic

I love Detroit. Although that’s a minority opinion of late, it’s as true today as it was when I was growing up there. I never knew a vibrant, thriving Detroit, but I’ve heard the stories and seen the pictures. Now it’s broke and desolate, looking for a way out, or at least a way back to even. In that quest, many are turning their heads east, looking to Washington for a bailout, either in full or in part. The case they make is rife with moral hazard but steeped in emotion. Ignoring the horrible precedent and future liabilities it would...

Thames Town looks a lot like your average historic English village. There are lush green squares, classic brick homes, and even red telephone booths. But Thames Town is not nestled in the British countryside; it's located in the northeast corner of China in Songjiang, near Shanghai. And it didn't grow gradually over hundreds of years; it sprang up in 2006 as part of Shanghai's "One City, Nine Town" initiative, an attempt to decentralize the city. The city is a virtual ghost town, with empty shops and unused roads. It's a popular destination for wedding photos, according to Racked, which has...

Oldsmobile fans rejoice! (Or revolt—we suspect most will choose revolt.) Your brand lives again, and you’ll never guess how. Nearly four years to the day that the final Oldsmobile rolled off the assembly line in Lansing, Michigan, comes word that Oldsmobile is back. More startling than the announcement itself is its origin—not from Lansing, not from Detroit, not from Michigan, not even from anywhere in North America. A statement from Tokyo, of all places, reports that Toyota has secured rights to the Oldsmobile name. Asked for comment, GM is remaining extremely tight-lipped on the issue at the moment while presumably...