Free Republic

In tough economic times, countless businesses have shut down across the US. But, some entrepreneurs are trying to think outside the box to stay afloat. Jill Anne, a store owner in New York City pole dances in her store and claims business is better than ever. In a small room in lower Manhattan, the boots come off, the pole is prepared, the music comes on, and the show begins. The place is far from a strip club or porn shop. Anne is a greeting card store owner. While countless businesses in the US have been dying off and shutting down...

A used truck dealer in Sanford has a Veteran's Day promotion that it hopes will spark sales. It's giving away free AK-47 rifles. But some of you think it goes to far. "I was just taken back," said Tom Bartlet. He said his 19-year-old son came to him Thursday morning asking him to co-sign for him. "They're going to give me an AK-47 if I buy a truck," the son told the father. Bartlet says he owns shotguns for hunting and is a strong believer in the Second Amendment. "But an AK-47, just the connotation of that weapon... it doesn't...

The Navy wants to judge sailors by the color of their skin, not the content of their seamanship. The latest national security leak is a shocking e-mail from a Navy admiral on "Diversity Accountability." The message, sent to a list of other flag officers, notes that "a change in focus of this year's diversity brief is the desire to identify our key performers (by name) and provide insight on each of them." Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, who apparently originated this order, "is interested in who are the diverse officers with high potential and what is the plan...

FARGO, N.D., March 22, 2010 – A visit by North Dakota’s adjutant general to the emergency operations center yesterday set up for flood response at the North Dakota Air National Guard base here came with a surprise for one Guardsman. Army Master Sgt. Traver Silbernagel, left, and North Dakota Adjutant General Army Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk listen to Air Force Capt. Jennifer Silbernagel, on screen, a deployed North Dakota Air National Guard officer. The captain, based in the United Arab Emirates, witnessed her husband's surprise promotion via Skype. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp  (Click photo...

he city of New Haven, Connecticut, will promote 14 firefighters who were involved in a workplace discrimination case that worked its way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The firefighters were among the New Haven 20 -- one Hispanic and 19 white firefighters -- who fought the city after it threw out the results of a 2003 firefighter promotion exam that left too few minorities qualified for promotions. A U.S. District Court issued a judgment finding the city violated the civil rights of a group of the white firefighters when it threw out the exams in 2004, according to Jessica Mayorga,...

The Economic Club of Southwest Michigan is using Sarah Palin's name to promote an event to which it hasn't yet even invited her to attend. But what can we expect from an outfit that considers left-wing columnist Tom Friedman to be a "world-renown leader"?  From The Herald-Palladium: In announcing its 2009-10 speakers lineup Friday, the club offered the teaser that former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin might speak to the club. Palin, who recently resigned as Alaska's governor, has not begun accepting speaking invitations. But when she does the club will invite her, said Club President Michael Cook. If she...

5/7/2009 - LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- Staff Sgt. Daniel Acosta woke May 7 thinking he was a senior airman. He was surprised to discover that he was promoted to staff sergeant without his knowledge. Lt. Col. Michael Glass, 59th Medical Support Squadron commander, advised Sergeant Acosta that Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, deputy chief of staff for Manpower and Personnel, approved the promotion with an effective date of Nov. 1, 2008. "I am really happy and excited about this promotion," said Sergeant Acosta. "It was such a surprise." Sergeant Acosta, an explosive ordnance technician from Hill Air Force...

This was why many Army officers were excited when Petraeus was appointed to chair this year's promotion board. Rarely, if ever, had a combat commander been called back from an ongoing war to assume that role. It almost certainly meant that McMaster would get his due. (Some referred to the panel as "the McMaster promotion board.") McMaster did get his star—but so did many others of his ilk. That's what makes this list an eyebrow-raiser. Among the 40 newly named one-star generals are Sean MacFarland, commander of the unit that brought order to Ramadi; Steve Townsend, who cleared and held...

A rookie cop - the son of a highly respected New York City detective - has been stripped of his badge and gun after being caught on video viciously attacking a bicyclist who was part of a Times Square demonstration.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Christian Stephenson has bided his time as a finance noncommissioned officer. Stephenson, who has been in the Army for eight years, was promoted to sergeant four years ago and became promotable to staff sergeant three years ago. “I’ve had 720 (promotion) points for a long time, in five years (the points to staff sergeant) have never gone below 775,” said Stephenson, from Emerald Isle, N.C. “It was frustrating working so hard to get those points but never making the cutoff. It had been at least six months since I’d even checked the scores when...

I don't care how many pens, pencils, t-shirts or whatever you give to a Democrat with your Republican campaign logo on it ... the truth is, if they're a die-hard Dem, they aren't going to vote for you. Problem is, when you're walking a parade route or working a fair booth, you don't know who's a Republican and who's not. And if your list totally sucks you don't know the dem houses from the Republican houses. (In which case you need a list guy that can create effective walk lists for you.) So you end up wasting your money on...

On Oct. 23, the day of FEMA's now infamous phony news conference, the agency's former external affairs chief, Pat Philbin, announced plans to promote a number of people in the shop as part of an effort to build a "new FEMA." Cindy Taylor, deputy director of public affairs, was to become head of a new Private Sector Office, Philbin said in his e-mail to staff members. And Mike Widomski would move up to replace Taylor as deputy director of public affairs. Loop Fans might recall that both of them, posing as reporters, asked questions of acting Deputy Administrator Harvey Johnson....

So you think your boss is inept, arrogant or just plain lazy? You're not alone. A recent Gallup Poll found that a bad relationship with the boss was the No. 1 reason people gave for leaving their jobs. But if you want to keep moving up the corporate rungs, you better make nice. Having an antagonistic relationship with your supervisor is a career killer, says Cynthia Shapiro, author of the book "Corporate Confidential." "No matter how skilled you are, if you don't have a good relationship with your boss, your job is not secure," warns Shapiro... ...So how can you...

Bad bosses get promoted, not punished Fri 03 Aug, 2007 04:32 By Rachel Breitman NEW YORK (Reuters) - How do people get ahead in the workplace? One way seems to be by making their subordinates miserable, according to a study released on Friday. In the study to be presented at a conference on management this weekend, almost two-thirds of the 240 participants in an online survey said the local workplace tyrant was either never censured or was promoted for domineering ways. "The fact that 64.2 percent of the respondents indicated that either nothing at all or something positive happened to...

Haagen-Dazs treats guests to concert in bed to promote new ice cream People relax on beds and listen to music while tasting ice cream during the event in Tokyo. About 80 people relaxed on expensive beds to enjoy a classical music concert and ice cream promotion event organized by Haagen-Dazs Japan at Laforet Harajuku's museum in downtown Tokyo.The major ice cream company held the event on May 8 to celebrate its new product, "Dolce."Guests relaxed on expensive beds -- that costs about 330,000 yen each -- while listening to classical music performed by internationally known violinist Mariko Senju. (Mainichi)...

My grandson made Sgt. in jr ROTC. I reminded him that he had a great uncle who made sgt. 9 times.

The captain of the USS Cole, who saved his ship from sinking after an al-Qa'eda suicide attack by speedboat, has lashed out at senior Pentagon staff blocking his promotion because of allegations that he could have done more to protect the ship. Commander Kirk Lippold, who now serves behind a desk at the Pentagon, accused the head of the navy, Admiral Mike Mullen, and the navy secretary of "over-riding the judgment" of officers who had recommended his promotion. He complained he was the only officer being held to account for the attack in Aden harbour six years ago. The Cole...

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Army has promoted Sgt. Keith “Matt” Maupin, the only U.S. soldier listed as captured in Iraq, for the third time since he went missing after his unit was ambushed April 9, 2004. Maupin, who is known as Matt because Keith is also his father’s name, was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant as of Aug. 3, 2006, according to an Army announcement released Tuesday.

Marine receives Time Square promotion Submitted by: New York City Public Affairs Story Identification #: 2006529181437 Story by Cpl. Lameen Witter NEW YORK (May 28, 2006) -- In the midst of Time Square’s bright lights and heavy traffic, a few Marines came together to celebrate what is said to be the best time in a Marine’s career May 28. Reserve Cpl. Jose A. Maldonado, was promoted to sergeant 9 months after he came off active-duty status. The New Jersey native said he wanted to have his ceremony in New York’s famed square in keeping with the spirit of Fleet Week,...