Free Republic

Lock-picking enthusiasts are cracking the 'uncrackable' in increasingly creative ways. And locksmiths aren't happy about it. Patrick White reportsYou won't be kicked off a car lot for asking about horsepower or ousted from a bar for asking about booze. But apparently, you can be tossed from a locksmith shop for asking about locks.

For many college-bound students, choosing just the right school can be even more stressful than taking the SAT exam. How do you choose, from among more than 3,500 American colleges and universities, the place where you'll live and learn for four years? Beyond that, how do you find the school you love -- and can also afford? Savvy students and parents should start by pinpointing what they most want and need in a college. Make your own customized list or check a few Internet sites for ideas. Specifications for schools Some sites, such as The Princeton Review, allow you to...

Men accused of violating storm curfewFour suspects also could face trespassing charges after being found gathering mushrooms in a field, authorities said Wednesday, July 13, 2005 By DAVID FERRARA Staff Reporter BAY MINETTE -- Baldwin County sheriff's deputies arrested at least four men in the final hours of a countywide curfew issued to keep residents safe during Hurricane Dennis and while many homeowners remained away from the county in the storm's wake, authorities said Tuesday. The men were first spotted shortly before 11 p.m. Monday in a farming area near Baldwin County 49, just north of Gulf Shores, according to...

WASHINGTON -- California's taxpayers have gotten shortchanged by the federal government for the 18th consecutive year -- and by a growing margin, a study released Friday shows. The report by the California Institute, a Washington-based think tank, found that Californians paid $235 billion in federal taxes during 2003 -- about $50 billion more than they got back in grants, contracts and other federal programs. That amounts to a 79-cent return for every tax dollar Californians send to the feds -- and 2 cents less than in 2002, according to recently released figures from the IRS. The California Institute had previously...