Free Republic

Over the course of a single week, 17 convenience stores were robbed at gunpoint in the Democrat-run city of San Diego, which sits in the Democrat-run state of California. “San Diego Police said that over the past six weeks, several armed ‘take-over style’ robberies have occurred around the county,” reports San Diego 7. “Police believe that at least 10 of those robberies are committed by the same group and say the same group may be responsible for other robberies.” hat group is a gang of five thugs who flood the store in ski masks brandishing guns. “Police describe the suspects...

REDDING, CA—Local man Terry Cleanmanson wore a surgical mask to Walmart yesterday, not because he was afraid of a deadly pandemic but because he was going to Walmart. "Something happens to the people that go there; they lose any concept of personal space...everyone's a walking biohazard. And don't get me started on cross-contamination. I once saw a gallon of milk sitting between two throw pillows—in the garden section!" wrote Cleanmanson for a Walmart Customer Experience Survey. "Walmart is a nightmare machine," he continued. "I don't know why anyone's frightened of the 'Rona when these bio-hazard zones are in every city."...

As gas stations go, there are few chains that have managed to capture the attention of travelers — and eaters — like Buc-ee’s. The Texas-born chain is a highway oasis, boasting a slew of clean bathrooms, a dizzying array of snacks and prepared foods, and tons of merch emblazoned with the chipper face of its mascot, a beaver named Bucky. [...] Founded in 1982, the chain slowly built a local cult following and in 2001, owner Arch “Beaver” Aplin expanded the convenience store into a full-fledged travel center in Luling, Texas. More locations popped up across the state in the...

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is seeking answers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Anthony Fauci about funding that was provided for experiments on beagle puppies. Twenty-four members of the House of Representatives signed a letter to Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of NIH. The letter was prompted by the nonprofit group White Coat Waste which obtained documents under the Freedom of Information Act that appear to show NIAID spent $1.68 million in taxpayer money for experiments on beagle puppies in a lab in Tunisia. Those...

In the 1960s, Milton Friedman reportedly visited a construction site in a foreign country. To his surprise, the canal builders used no heavy machinery and instead armed thousands of men with shovels. He questioned the bureaucrat about this odd choice and the bureaucrat responded that it was a jobs program. “Oh, I thought you were trying to build a canal,” Friedman said. “If it’s jobs you want, then you should give these workers spoons, not shovels.” Friedman’s absurd proposal illustrates the absurdity of make-work bias—the belief that conserving labor makes us poorer. Make-work bias was particularly popular during the Industrial...

Colleen McNicholas, who performs abortions at the Reproductive Health Services Planned Parenthood center in St. Louis, told members of Congress during a hearing this week that “abortion is moral. Having a baby is a stressful experience. No woman should be forced to endure that experience if we have the means to save her from it. Abortion is that means. Implementing it is her right.” Podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey called McNicholas’ argument “appalling. It’s like a professional hitman justifying murder as a legitimate service because it helps solve a problem for his customer. The ‘hits’ put on babies by abortionists...

The newest addition to Yesway, industry veteran Derek Gaskins is part of a growing number of senior leaders who are switching from other convenience retailers or other industries. Count Derek Gaskins among the deepening pool of senior professionals who are finding new niches in the convenience store industry. As the new senior vice president of merchandising and procurement for BW Gas & Convenience, d/b/a Yesway, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, Gaskins acknowledges that he brings a wealth of experience and industry knowledge to the newly created role. He also reflects a growing number of senior leaders who are either transitioning...

Hillary Clinton spent yesterday doing damage control after the release of the Inspector General report on her use of a secret e-mail server exposed her continuous stream of lies over the last 15 months on the topic. As part of that effort, Hillary called into Meet the Press Daily, where Chuck Todd took a skeptical view of the spin coming from Team Hillary, as Leah Barkoukis notes at Townhall. Todd zeroed in on one statement from the IG report in which Hillary refused to use an official State Department e-mail. Until yesterday, Hillary claimed she wanted one system for “convenience,”...

Hillary Clinton: "I thought using one device would be simpler; obviously it hasn't worked out that way" Hillary Clinton has told reporters she used private emails out of "convenience" during her time as secretary of state. But Mrs Clinton said it "would have been better" to have two accounts to separate work and personal emails. The issue of whether Mrs Clinton breached federal records rules has gained attention as she is expected to announce a run for president. She is seen as a top contender for the 2016 Democratic nomination. Mrs Clinton had planned to spend March talking about women's...

BAYTOWN, TX (KTRK) -- Baytown police were investigating a shooting at a convenience store Saturday. The store at Alexander Food Store on North Alexander has been robbed before and it's why the clerk was prepared with a gun. Police say a confrontation between the gunman and a female store clerk around 11am ended with the alleged gunman in the hospital. "We heard, 'Pow! Pow!'" witness Christina Odom said. "He just fell backwards like that." Baytown police say a man in his 40s ran into the food mart, wearing a mask, brandishing a handgun and demanding money. "The clerk, in fear...

...Mitt Romney is basing his campaign on his superior business savvy. Good thing, since we would not want to look too closely at RomneyCare in Massachusetts. It not only embraced the unconstitutional individual mandate, but it extended coverage for abortion in the Bay State. Romney says he does not want to sign the Susan B. Anthony pledge to defund all outfits that kill the unborn. Why? Because that would cut off federal funds to hospitals that do abortions. Yet, he doubtless believes he can sell us on "building a culture of life." That lovely phrase from the late Pope John...

Just in time for Sunday's Super Bowl game, Monroe-based La-Z-Boy Inc. has unveiled its newest and ultimate recliner, the ‘Chill' chair... Also at Big Chill Chair Runs at $850.

Click here to find out more! When asked about the significance of her daughter, Chelsea, marrying Marc Mezvinsky, who is Jewish, and thus being married in an interfaith union, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded, “Over the years, so many of the barriers that prevented people from getting married, crossing lines of faith or color or ethnicity have just disappeared.” True, the barriers have disappeared, but serious difficulties remain. While some scholars argue that mixed-faith unions “serve as a refiner’s fire” that make the relationships stronger, the statistical evidence indicates this is all too frequently not the outcome. The American...

BERKELEY, Calif. - Quick, what's the third-largest beer retailer in the U.S.? Chances are you didn't know it's 7-Eleven. Now, the convenience chain is getting a step closer to the suds it sells, rolling out a store-brand beer billed as a premium brew at a budget price. The launch, happening this month at stores nationwide, aims to take advantage of the current economic downturn — a long, cold one for beer sales. "We're really working back from the customers' needs," said Dan Skinner, 7-Eleven category manager for alcoholic beverages. "They're looking for exceptional quality at a value price."

Traveling just got complicated again, for me and many others ... Clear Lanes Are No Longer Available. At 11:00 p.m. PST on June 22, 2009, Clear will cease operations. Clear’s parent company, Verified Identity Pass, Inc. has been unable to negotiate an agreement with its senior creditor to continue operations.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – As Islam makes inroads in the United States, American Muslims are setting up mega-mosques that combine religious tradition with typical American convenience. Modelled on the huge, non-Catholic churches that offer their congregations of at least 2,000 members several different sites for worship, US mega-mosques have become a necessity in some places. "Frequently, we have buildings designed for the Friday prayer, which is the largest, for 1,000 people and you have 2,000 to 3,000 show up," said Corey Saylor of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). To accommodate the overflow, which also results in traffic jams when...

I can't say I'm much of a gardener. It's all a bit too much like hard work, especially wasting hot summer days mowing the lawn into neat little lines - I'd much rather get the deckchair out and crack open a can. And now I can - and get the lawn cut with the Automower from Husqvarna. It's a gardener's dream, cutting grass automatically without being pushed or guided - even if there's a tree or two to negotiate. Use the perimiter wire to cordon off flower beds, young trees, ponds and swimming pools and automower does the rest. As...

While US airlines cut and slash service -- care and feeding -- of their travelers, the Asian airlines have been buying new planes, installing elaborate entertainment systems, and allowing passengers in-flight e-mail and web surfing options. Add to that plush seats and meals created by celebrity chefs, and the result is that America doesn't know service. Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines services beat all American carriers, hands down. On the long-haul flights, choices of movies, frequent meals (America doesn't need this) -- Western or Asian style -- and friendly service are the standard. Not only are the US airlines behind,...

Online learning will continue to grow for several reasons. The first reason is because of the advent of high-speed Internet. Anybody with a home PC can now take a course online. If you have a laptop, you can take your course online and take it with you to the coffice (coffee house/office). That is where I am writing this. PCs and Macs are also becoming more affordable. For the price of one credit hour at some schools, a student can now buy a good desktop Dell or Gateway PC. There is no more driving to school, finding a parking place,...

Two questions were under discussion with merchants in the neighborhood: When is inexpensive and disposable stuff junk? And, just because something is inexpensive and disposable, should we call it junk even when it is very useable and quite handy? Nonetheless, "junk" was the first impression most of us had as we read over the information I researched for this new product. At least, that was our impression until we thought about it for a while. Most of my adult life was spent tethered to a beeper and/or cell phone. Now, in semi-retirement, I adamantly refuse to carry either again. The...