Free Republic

Conservative opponents of the Obama administration are urging supporters to resist the upcoming US census, saying it asks too many questions and reflects increasing government intrusion into private matters. The census, held every 10 years since 1790, is becoming a focal point for the growing anti-government movement in the US. The government will endeavour to count every person living in the US, regardless of legal, immigration or citizenship status. The count, which helps determine political representation and the distribution of hundreds of billions of dollars in government funds, is mandated by the constitution. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, a virulently conservative, anti-Obama...

Mayor Daley has argued that security and terrorism won’t be an issue if his Olympic dreams come true because, by 2016, there will be a surveillance camera on every street corner in Chicago. But even before that blanket coverage begins, the "Big Brother" network is being put to better use. Call takers and dispatchers now see real-time video if there is a surveillance cameras within 150 feet of a 911 call, thanks to a $6 million upgrade to the city’s “computer-aided dispatch” system. When live video appears, call takers can pan, tilt and zoom those cameras to get the best...

On Wednesday, Toronto smokers will be forced off the minuscule pieces of public real estate to which they still have access: designated, separately ventilated smoking rooms, cigar bars and, to most everyone's surprise, many outdoor patios. The Ontario-wide legislation expanded last month to include the great outdoors, making it one of the most aggressive anti-smoking laws in Canada. Smoking will be prohibited on patios with any sort of awning, any kind of built-in overhang (even when it is a permanent feature of the building), or even when patio umbrellas are deemed to be too close together. Bar owners, let me...