Free Republic

The arrival of the Long Island Rail Road’s newest train has been quickly followed by commuter complaints, ranging from a lack of Wi-Fi, insufficient leg room at some seats, and the peculiar location of one of the trains’ most anticipated features — electrical outlets. “As soon as we saw it, we said that was not functional. You’re either going to have the people who are sitting in the windows using both of them, or someone wanting to stretch their wires from the outside across someone’s lap, which no one’s going to want,”

Supreme Court confirmation battles usually involve excavations of the nominee's judicial opinions, legal briefs and decades-old government memos. Harriet Miers is the first nominee to hit trouble because of thank-you letters. Miers's paper trail may be relatively short, but it makes plain that her climb through Texas legal circles and into George W. Bush's inner circle was aided by a penchant for cheerful personal notes. Years later, even some of her supporters are cringing -- and her opponents are viciously making merry -- at the public disclosure of this correspondence and other writings from the 1990s. Bush may have enjoyed...

He is paying the back tax after rules change; now Hill Country property brings scrutiny WASHINGTON - Presidential adviser Karl Rove may live in Washington. But in his heart — and for voting purposes — he remains a Texan. Which means he is not legally entitled to the homestead deduction and property tax cap he's been getting on his Washington home for the past 3 1/2 years. Last week, the District of Columbia tax collector was alerted to the problem. And Rove agreed to reimburse the District for an estimated $3,400 in back taxes, city officials said. But now some...

The two suspects arrested in connection with the disappearance have just been charged with murder, homicide and kidnapping leading to homicide.