Free Republic

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. | A section of Interstate 44 in southwest Missouri was closed for several hours after a tractor-trailer crashed and spilled its load, creating a giant slick of mayonnaise. Springfield police closed the eastbound lanes of the interstate near U.S. 65 for several hours Saturday night as crews cleaned up debris including about 40,000 pounds of mayonnaise. Lt. Scott Leven told The Springfield News Leader that the truck driver lost control, taking the rig through a cable guard and into the median. He said walking on the spilled mayo was like walking on ice. No injuries were reported, and...

DESTIN - As Dill Beaty approached his Bent Arrow Road residence Tuesday evening, he noticed something peculiar — flashing lights and “at least a dozen” emergency vehicles blocking off access to his home. “All of the vehicles were converged right at my driveway,” he said. Beaty was stopped from going to his home and a police officer questioned him about who lived in the neighboring residence. Beaty answered the questions and asked if his wife should evacuate their home next door. The officer knocked on Beaty’s door and when his wife answered, “they told her to grab what you need...

A recent article in the UK Telegraph offered insights into the many ways that Islamists in Baghdad are making life, by increments, miserable for citizens of the city. Ice producers, crucial in helping people survive in Iraq’s 115 degree summer heat, have recently suffered several murders from their ranks. The reason: Their product was not available during the time of Mohammed. Street venders who sell the popular Middle Eastern food falafel have also lost two of their own in the past few weeks, with other venders now closing their stalls. The same reason is offered by the Islamists, namely, that...

The highest court in France on Wednesday rejected a bid by George Soros, the billionaire investor, to overturn a conviction for insider trading in a case dating back nearly 20 years, leaving the first blemish on his five-decade investing career. The panel, the Cour de Cassation, upheld the conviction of Soros, 75, an American citizen, for buying and selling Société Générale shares in 1988 after receiving information about a planned corporate raid on the bank. Ron Soffer, his lawyer, said Soros planned to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights, saying that the length of the proceedings...

Fresh from rehab, Rep. Patrick Kennedy said yesterday he wants to be treated like an African-American from Washington if and when he gets charged for crashing his car on Capitol Hill. Denying that he was drunk and or that he asked the Capitol Police for preferential treatment, Kennedy, a Rhode Island congressman, said he's prepared "in terms of bookings, in terms of mug shots, fingerprints, whatever they might have me do." "It's what anyone else would have done to them if they were an African-American in Anacostia," Kennedy said in a shaky voice, referring to the mostly minority neighborhood in...

Spencer, Iowa (AP) -- A man who police say showed up at a sandwich shop wearing nothing but a ski mask will face several charges once he's released from the hospital, police said Thursday. Mathias Kout, 55, of Spencer, walked into a Subway about 11 p.m. Wednesday without any clothes on — except for the mask. He didn't stay long and he didn't order anything, Police Chief Mike Lashbrook said. A woman was working at the counter when Kout walked in, Lashbrook said. Not long after, the woman's boyfriend walked in and Kout left, he said. Police spotted a pickup...

Why is the Right afraid of imposing a military draft? The number of troops in Iraq is below what is clearly needed. Additionally, many troops have had second and third tours of duty. A tired and disillusioned force is dangerous for all concerned. The National Guard troops are in great need of relief. The training most have received is minimal, at best. If the War on Terrorism is such a threat to America and our way of life the implementation of a military draft makes the most sense. Many from the right and left have compared the "War on Terror"...