Free Republic

If you pay for car insurance, you’ve probably noticed that rates are really high lately. You’re not alone. Last week’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) report — the government’s method for tracking what people are paying for goods and services and how that’s changing over time — noted that the price of car insurance was up more than 20 percent over the same time last year. What’s particularly painful is that rates were already rising: CPI reports have shown that, overall, car insurance rates are up more than 38 percent since January 2020. What’s going on? The big insurance companies have...

Bill Clinton was so distracted by Monica Lewinsky, he lost track of Osama bin Laden. That’s according to a new book claiming the scandal that plagued the then-president haunted him to the point that he wasn’t 100% in the game — which allowed for the al Qaeda terrorist to orchestrate the attacks of 9/11. Doug Schoen, a campaign consultant and political adviser who worked on both Bill and Hillary’s presidential campaigns, made the stunning claim that Clinton let bin Laden get away in Power: The 50 Truths, which hits shelves on Feb. 14. While Schoen calls Clinton “the most accomplished...

The 20ft tall (6m) sculpture, called The Kiss, was positioned at Salisbury Cathedral, inviting people to walk in-between the wrists. But it has been shifted off North Walk as a decision was taken that it was not well enough illuminated in the dark. Artist Sophie Ryder wrote online that people were "walking through texting". Some had "bumped their heads", she said.

How the heck did I not see this before? The Looking Spoon is a conservative humor/satire/art/commentary blog, visit www.thelookingspoon.com to see more posts and art

Several studies have shown that distractions while driving, such as using cell phones or texting, can be dangerous. New research confirms these findings among teens. The study of 21 teens in a driving simulator found that while texting or searching their MP3 music players they changed speed dramatically, wove in an out of their lanes, and, in some cases, ran over virtual pedestrians. Similar studies have found that adults who talk on cell phones while driving in simulators perform as dismally as drunken study participants. Studies from the University of Utah show that hands-free devices do not make it safe...

Texting behind the wheel impairs driving skills more than being drunk or high on drugs, according to new research. Reaction times deteriorated by over one-third, which was worse than alcohol at the legal limit or driving under the influence of cannabis.

Despite attempts by Democrats to stifle free and open discourse, "The Path To 9/11" aired last night, and again last night. Instead of succumbing to threats from Democratic senators and President Clinton, ABC allowed Americans to make up their own minds about 9/11. Some Democrats feel that the mini-series unfairly blamed the Clinton administration for allowing Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda to fester unchecked. But the shrill tone of Democratic objections to the docudrama belies Freudian under-currents of very real fear that Americans might know the truth: The Clinton administration was too distracted to take action against al-Qaeda -- too...

Allen Park Officer Hit In Crash Caused By Text-Messaging DriverPOSTED: 9:57 am EDT August 28, 2006 A suburban Detroit police officer was injured in an accident caused by a teenage motorist sending a text message on his cell phone. Michigan State Police said a 17-year-old male driver hit the rear of an Allen Park police car, which was policing an earlier crash Sunday afternoon. The crash caused the police car to spin around and hit the officer, who was thrown into the air on an Interstate 94 ramp. The teenage driver, who told police he was text-messaging on his cell...

What's the deal with all the dead scientists?

MERIDEN, Conn., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- According to an analysis by Response Insurance of their national driving survey, people who use cell phones when driving are more likely to be distracted from the road even when they are not talking on a phone. The results indicate there may be a "distracted-driver personality" type behind the wheel. The Response Insurance National Driving Distractions Survey compared attentiveness of cell phone users to non-users when not talking on a phone. When asked a series of questions about different topics that might take their attention from the road, people who use cell phones were...