Free Republic

WHEN the sun sets over Angeles City, the neon glow from a single street illuminates everything around it. Set away from the smoke-filled traffic jams of the city's main thoroughfares, Fields Avenue comes alive after dark. This dusty street, which stretches for a kilometre, is lined on both sides with bars and nightclubs, each attempting to out-do the other with gaudy lights and tasteless names. Outside each bar stand groups of up to 10 girls. Their job is a straightforward one: they must encourage passing tourists to come into their premises for a drink. Once inside, the tourist will encounter...

Original Title: FEARLESS HUMILITYEnglishman Michael in the Siberian village of Dubinka                        "You journalists are a strange lot! A sick man came here from England. A drunk. Married another drunk and had kids. You need to see this foreigner, drive on over to Bolotnoye. There's a Kurd working there who'll show you the way," said the provincial official.        After I had left, he followed me outside: "If there was any rain, you'll never make it there. There's really no road there, you won't make it through."                I memorized the Kurd with the Armenian name, but the Englishman stuck...

Britain will collect gay population data Tue Aug 13,10:50 AM ET Gay.com U.K. SUMMARY: The government body responsible for collating national statistics will ask questions about sexuality in its surveys for the first time. The government body responsible for collating national statistics will ask questions about sexuality in its surveys for the first time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), the body responsible for the census, among other surveys, will be collecting data to help estimate the budget impact of extending pensions and benefits rights to gay and unmarried partners. It will be the first time Britain's gay community has...