Free Republic

Please join Governor Sarah Palin for a Road to Victory Rally in Jefferson City, MO on Monday November 3rd. Doors open at 8:00 a.m.

Obama's "Truth Squads" are just another name for the "Thought Police" as portrayed in Orwell's prophetic novel 1984. See link below He is a truly scary individual... My new name for him is... THE BIG BROTHER http://www.kmov.com/video/index.html?nvid=285793&shu=1

The planned expansion of the Wood River refinery suffered a setback this week as a federal appeals board granted a partial victory to environmental groups that challenged a crucial air permit granted last year to ConocoPhillips.

SANDOVAL, Ill. — Sometimes civil action begins in a rural bar called Fat's, where an ashtray sat on every table and the smoke hovered wall to wall. About 200 people including bar owners, VFW members and patrons filled Fat's on Monday night for a tavern-hall meeting to discuss overturning or amending Illinois' statewide smoking ban established this year. -snip- Bar owners here reported Monday that revenue is down between 30 and 50 percent. The casino industry claims the ban already has caused at least a 17 percent drop in Illinois gaming business after just six weeks.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois' statewide smoking ban is barely a month old and opponents already are trying to relight the debate. With the General Assembly scheduled to return to Springfield this week, various Illinois interests — casinos, bars, veterans' organizations — are preparing to push state lawmakers to carve out exceptions for various types of facilities from the sweeping ban that went into effect this year in all indoor public places. "I'm a dedicated nonsmoker, but the hair on the back of my neck stands up" at some of the freedom-of-choice issues created by the ban, said state Rep. Bill...

METROPOLIS, Ill. -- Officials of Harrah's Metropolis riverboat casino claim Illinois' new smoking ban has resulted in the layoff of about 30 jobs at the casino. Casino officials claim guests are spending less on entertainment and making fewer trips because of the ban and the casino suffered a drop in visitation compared to the previous six-month average.

After months of protesting Columbia’s smoking ordinance and spearheading a failed campaign to have it repealed, Joel Thiel, co-owner of Otto’s Corner Bar & Grill, said he decided this week to close doors for good. Julia Robinson photos Above, Brett Wisman, left, and Kristal Allen smoke cigarettes after dinner last night at Otto’s Corner Bar & Grill in downtown Columbia. Below, Otto’s co-owner Joel Thiel works yesterday in the restaurant. Otto’s will close next week, a move Thiel blamed on the city’s smoking ban. He said sales have been down 30 percent since the ban took effect in January. "Our...

Ballwin — An early-morning fire that destroyed the Seventh Inn restaurant in Ballwin was an accident, officials said Monday afternoon. "There was no malicious intent. It was not a set fire," said Michael Thiemann, spokesman for the Metro West Fire Protection District. "It was accidental, and apparently started in the lounge area."

A proposed smoking ban on the Kirkwood ballot on Tuesday is setting a fire under the electorate, business groups and politicians. The Kirkwood Smoke-free Workplace Initiative would eliminate smoking in all indoor public places, including bars and restaurants and places of employment. The measure would allow smoking in private homes, private vehicles and outdoor areas away from enclosed or semi-enclosed structures.

The matter of the malevolent robin is no longer a federal case. U.S. District Judge William D. Stiehl on Tuesday dismissed a Centreville woman's suit alleging that a bird attacked and seriously injured her while she was shopping at Lowe's Home Center in Fairview Heights.

A former San Diego police officer convicted of making and possessing child pornography was placed on five years' probation yesterday and ordered to stop operating an Internet-safety Web site. Brett Kenneth Hensley pleaded guilty in June to one felony count of using a minor in the making of child pornography and three misdemeanor counts of possessing child pornography. Hensley, a 12-year veteran who resigned in June 2004, surrendered in court Jan. 18. A search warrant had been executed nearly a year earlier at his Sabre Springs home by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and San Diego police. Soon after...

ST. LOUIS -- When it mattered most, Chris Carpenter was at his best.

There are a lot of candidates for biggest misuse of tax-increment financing. Enter a new contender: the pending approval of a TIF to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter and a Lowe's in Belleville. It's bad enough that the world's largest retailer argues that it needs a tax break or it won't build. It's worse when a city, now dependent on Wal-Mart's sales taxes, feels that it can't turn down the request.

Did I just hear on TV that the NHL lockout is over? I hope so.

The results are in from the Annual Imports Auto Show in Paris, France. The new C4 Coupe built by Al-Queda won rave reviews for style, handling, fuel economy and reliability. The C4 has an estimated Highway Milage of over 80 miles per gallon and can go from 0 - 60 in 4.5 seconds. Experts predict excellent sales throughout the European nations and Asia, however they warn that sales are expected to be anemic initially in the United States.

We're having four couples over for beef tenderloin over the holidays. My question is: Is Kobe beef all that they claim it is? I don't mind paying more if it really is much better. Help, please?

Cards, Dodgers celebrate together Teams shake hands on field after series finale

Vice President Cheney's speech last night seemed to contain some information, when pieced together, present an interesting possibility. First he spoke of Iraq's prior use of WMD and the ability to make them. After making some other points regarding Iraq, he pointed out something that happened approximately 5 weeks after the overthrow of the Hussein government in Iraq. Namely, Libya agreed to dismantle "it's" nuclear program and submit to UN/US inspections. There was much talk of Saddam moving his arsenel prior to the start of the war...most of the focus on Syria and Iran. Might Saddam have moved these weapons...

Sorry if repost, but it wasn't posted while I was filling in the blanks.

Since the fall of Baghdad, "live" coverage of the war in Iraq been sporadic, at best. Freepers, is there somewhere I can get a streaming site or digital media of what's going on over there? TIA