Free Republic

It might look and smell like McDonald's but now it's Vkusno & tochka. A new era for Russia's fast-food and economic scene dawned on Sunday, as McDonald's (MCD.N) restaurants flung open their doors in Moscow under new Russian ownership and with the new name, which translates as "Tasty and that's it". The unveiling of the rebranded outlets, more than three decades after the American burger giant first opened its doors in Moscow in a symbolic thaw between East and West, is once again a stark sign of a new world order. The reopenings took place on Russia Day, a holiday...

A survey of computer operating systems market share shows an uncanny resemblance to the Democrat-Republican election map from 2004. Too bad only Democrats see the Mac OS as a superior computer platform! Click on the top map below from Market Share by Net Applications or check out the results here. Distribution of computer OSes. Darker means more Macs.Last Presidental Election Results

Paris – As debate intensified in France’s referendum campaign on the European Union constitution last week, the voters were invited to consider an unusual question: should they try to be more like the British? Strange as it may seem, the complex exercise of trying to imagine Europe’s future has led to Britain becoming the focus of the May 29 referendum. Back in 1957, when French and German politicians created the old European Community, France’s European dream consisted essentially of constructing a bigger version of itself. Now many seem to think it is turning into a bigger version of Britain and...

Texas longhorn If you ever have to “grab a bull by the horns” try a Texas longhorn. Considering that my first post was critical of SF Chronicle's depiction of USMC General Mattis – but somehow got into a vanity section – I wouldn’t be surprised that this too gets reclassified the same way. According to some members here, I invited the Wrath of Gods upon myself on account of: a) being new – not knowing the ropes b) having posted a vanity as my first article c) me being a pink, pro-communist, liberal threat to security of the United States...

Kidney donor pushes his altruism to the extremeBy Stephanie StromThe New York Times PHILADELPHIA — Having given one kidney to a total stranger, Zell Kravinsky was sipping an orange-mango Snapple and, unprompted, making a case for giving away his other one. "What if someone needed it who could produce more good than me?" Kravinsky said last week. "What if I was a perfect match for a dying scientist who was the intellectual driving force behind a breakthrough cure for cancer or AIDS or on the brink of unlocking the secrets of cell regeneration?" The consequences of Kravinsky giving away his...

Landscaping most freeways part of Super Bowl plan It was just three words in a 2,500-word essay in The Economist magazine a couple of years ago, but to Charles McMahen they still sting: "Houston is ugly." Though the article about the city was largely positive, and the ugly reference was aimed broadly at Houston's sprawl, lack of zoning and other issues, McMahen cites the sentence when talking about an initiative to improve the city's gateways. "Clearly, 59 North, the Hardy Toll Road and 45 North are really in need of some work," said McMahen, chairman of the Quality of Life...

Americans who value the Constitution should stand with Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., and oppose George Bush's attempted power grab in conjunction with establishing a Department of Homeland Security. The Bushies are trying to frame the debate as either protecting bureaucracy or providing security for Americans. In fact, the debate is about preventing an authoritarian president from sacrificing the Constitution in the name of providing security. Let me remind you that those who prefer security to freedom will lose both. Bush wants to be able to disregard labor contracts and civil-service rules, as well as move money within the department as...