Free Republic

The economy's growth has never before been so driven by real estate. Now that engine is sputtering. Jiany Massad isn't quite ready to throw in the towel on his fledgling career as a Miami real-estate tycoon. But if the local housing market continues to head south, the 30-year-old real-estate broker is already making alternate plans. "I might restart my old business," he says of a home decorating company that specialized in high-end window treatments. "At least it's real-estate-related." With home sales down by nearly a third in Florida last quarter, thousands of those who hoped to cash in on the...

Unfortunatley you have to click on the PDF link in the Fox article to get the results on the congressional elections, since the rest discuss Cuba, Castro, Israel and other issues. It claims that Dems are leading Republicans 48% to 30% and that the Republican party is viewed unfaborably by 51% and favorably by 38%.

Went into Kmart yesterday. Purchased my item. Walked to the door and a clerk wanted to go through my bag. Her position is called 'loss prevention' Is This Illegal Search and seizure??? When I have purchased something, it is paid for put in a bag, is it not considered then my personal property? Then why am I subject to having that purchase inspected upon leaving the store??? this practice is expanding. It started at Costco, many years ago, and now it is at many discount stores. Is this actually illegal search and seizure? Do I have a right to refuse...

Janarury 1/ 2oo6 New yok city Im in the "Big Appel'' to ring in the new year by protestign aganst the war and what beter place to doit than Times sqare! Myself and some fellow protsters arrived and set up our posters and stuff ouitside a bar that our frind Jim owns. Wow, Ive never seen so many peolpe and the response we got was awesome! Jim brought us some drin ks and even some sandwishs to snack on and we really enjoyd ourslves/,. Asthe nite went on we met alot of rally nice peple who hate Bush as much...

LEAWOOD, Mo., Nov. 15 (UPI) -- The mayor of Leawood, Mo., has apologized for a "dead pool" by eight employees to guess the number of homicides in Kansas City, Mo., this year. Reading from a prepared statement Monday night, Leawood Mayor Peggy Dunn described the betting pool as "totally unacceptable and completely inappropriate," the Kansas City (Mo.) Star reported. Eight Public Works Department employees were suspended for the "dead pool" that would have awarded the winner $30. Seven employees were suspended for a week without pay while the eighth worker, who held the jackpot, and a Public Works supervisor who...

For those of you who are wondering why a former "Clown" with a bad reputation for bashing FReepers would want to come back here with his original screen name, I largely came back to FreeRepublic because of exposure to three websites together with the passage of the recent San Francisco handgun ban. These websites are: www.jpfo.orgwww.jpfo.netinnocentsbetrayed.com/index2.htm If any FReeper has any friends who are even remotely on the "gun grabber" side of the Gun Rights issue he or she should be exposed to these websites. They are a goldmine of information about the DEADLY side of "Gun Control". One hundred...

The White House Correspondents Dinner might sound like a gray and boring journalistic event, but for Washingtonians, it's becoming Hollywood Night. Among the celebrities attending this year's D.C. dinner were Richard Gere, Elisabeth Shue, Dennis Hopper and Jane Fonda. First Lady Laura Bush drew rave reviews from the pundits for her comedic routine playing on ABC's trashy new hit "Desperate Housewives." Mrs. Bush joked that she not only watched the show, but she was a "desperate housewife" who took Mrs. Cheney, Condoleezza Rice and Karen Hughes to see male strippers at Chippendales, where they stuff dollar bills in the dancers'...

Most of Mrs. Bush's humor at the correspondents' dinner was just right: Edgy but not over the edge. But I think the stripper and horse jokes were totally beneath her. Just put it to the other-shoe test: If it were Teresa Heinz Kerry standing up on the dais telling the same jokes, the conservative commentariat would be buzzing for the rest of the year about what a tasteless skank she is.

There will be no knee jerk republicanism from HundredPercenter. In front of a traitorous crowd, Laura Bush managed to embarrass herself, husband and the office of the President, and was cheered by the libs for doing it. In addition to that, her humorous belittling of a war time President gave America's serious enemies propaganda material. It's not a laughing matter. Please don't offer me the standard "lighten up- it was only a joke" excuse for what many boring--yet serious conservatives deem as poor conduct by the First Lady, especially during a time of war. You know damn straight that if...

President Bush is squeezing in some campaigning before the political spotlight turns to next week's Democratic National Convention in Boston. Bush's twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, were to accompany him Tuesday. It's the first time they have made joint appearances with their dad on the campaign trail, although they each have traveled separately with him on other outings. The twins also will take part in an online chat Friday on Bush's re-election Web site. Bush flies to re-election rallies in Iowa and Missouri, toss-up states that he and Democratic rival John Kerry are fighting hard to win this year. Bush...

A 23-year-old female teacher in Tampa, Fla., was arrested Monday for the second time on charges of having sex with a 14-year-old male student. Debra Lafave, (pictured, left) was accompanied by her new attorney, John Fitzgibbons as she surrendered to Marion County deputies in Ocala. Lafave, who is married, is a reading teacher at Greco Middle School in Temple Terrace, just northeast of Tampa. The new charges accuse Lafave of pursuing the 14-year-old student to Ocala, Fla., while he was visiting his 15-year-old cousin. Detectives said Lafave had sex with the student twice in Ocala - once in the back...

DERRY, N.H. -- Moments after praising his opponents in the Democratic presidential race as worthy running mates, Wesley Clark said, in no uncertain terms, how he would respond if they or anyone else criticized his patriotism or military record. "I'll beat the s--- out of them," Clark told a questioner as he walked through the crowd after a town hall meeting Saturday. "I hope that's not on television," he added. It was, live, on C-SPAN. The campaign's traveling press secretary, Jamal Simmons, was with Clark at the time. "If anyone tries to question Wes Clark's character, integrity or his commitment...

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- A 22-year-old man was charged with impersonating a sheriff's deputy after he pulled over a pickup truck and then called for assistance when the occupants fled. It appeared that Jeremy Lepianka of Syracuse had been posing as a Onondaga County Sheriff's deputy for about two years and had stopped motorists - and lectured them - on other occasions, police said. "He told investigators he had been working as a volunteer deputy for about two years. He said traffic violations were his main thing. Hopefully, it didn't go beyond that," Lt. Joe Cecile, a Syracuse police spokesman,...