Free Republic

Coca-Cola says Philadelphia’s new tax on sweetened drinks is seriously hurting their business in the city. According to a story on the beverage company’s website, the company’s volume in Philadelphia is down 32 percent from a year ago. Fran McGorry, president and general manager of the local bottler known as Philly Coke, says because of the lost sales, the company’s workforce has been reduced by about 40 positions. The company has more than 700 workers in the region. …

A DC airport ticket agent offers some examples of 'why' our country is in trouble! 1. I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman (Carol Shea-Porter) ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window. (On an airplane!) 2. I got a call from a Kansas Congressman's (Moore) staffer (Howard Bauleke), who wanted to go to Capetown.. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information, and then he interrupted me with, ''I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts .'' Without trying to...

The squeaky wheel gets the ... Crisco? As the wrangling over ways to fill a $3 billion hole in the state budget gets under way in Harrisburg, some lawmakers are hoping to make a little noise about home-baked pies.

SAN FRANCISCO -- A 920-foot container ship, heading out of the San Francisco Bay from the Port Of Oakland, collided with a supporting tower of the fog-shrouded Bay Bridge early Wednesday, damaging its hull but it was not known if it caused any damage to the vital traffic artery. The collision happened at about 8:15 a.m. during the morning commute but did not disrupt traffic on the bridge.

In a 5-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled people convicted of crimes overseas can own guns in the United States. U.S. law bars felons who have been convicted in "any court" from owning guns, but Justice Stephen G. Breyer, writing for the majority, reasoned the law should not apply to foreign convictions because courts abroad often have fewer procedural protections for defendants. Breyer was joined by Justices John Paul Stevens, Sandra Day O'Connor, David H. Souter and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He wrote, "We have no reason to believe that Congress considered the added enforcement advantages flowing from inclusion...

Tigers, snowmobiles, Sudafed: There oughta (not) be a law Sunday, January 23, 2005 By Bill Winter Here's the best legal advice you'll get in 2005: Don't let your pet tiger drive a snowmobile across a not-quite-frozen lake and then buy three packages of Sudafed at a drugstore. If you do, you'll get into hot water. Which is defined as water that's at least 120 degrees. In Louisiana, anyway. If that doesn't make any sense, you haven't been following news reports about all the state laws that went into effect on Jan. 1. That's right. Laws regulating pet tigers, snowmobiles, cold...

24th August 2004 Defense Minister slams opposition for reverting to populist tactics over Iraq From Poland A.M. Following a tragic week for the Polish army in Iraq where three soldiers were killed, the leader of the Polish Peasants Party (PSL) Janusz Wojciechowski swore that he will make sure the government will withdraw the army from the war, stating that Polish men are dying in the name of American interests. "This is obvious populism and childish behavior. We are in Iraq, as Mr. Wojciechowski did not realize, on the power of the resolution made by the UN. Not only Poland is...

<p>Calling the cities' arguments "nonsensical" and "ahistorical," a federal appeals court has thrown out a lawsuit filed by Rocklin and Roseville against the wildly successful Thunder Valley Casino in Placer County. The 3-0 vote Friday by a U.S. Court of Appeals panel in Washington, D.C., almost certainly ends the cities' costly legal quest to thwart the casino, which is owned by the United Auburn Indian Community.</p>

Dear Friend, Oh Brother... It's Big Brother!! America's 24 million SUV owners are under attack again. A pair of liberal, U.S. Senators has fallen in lock step with the extremists who are dead set on dictating what kind of vehicle you drive. And they have your SUV on the most wanted list. California's Sen. Diane Feinstein and Illinois' Sen. Richard Durbin are licking their liberal chops at the prospect of passing amendments to the Energy Bill that would essentially force SUVs, pickups and minivans to meet standards equal to cars. We all want better mileage but unrealistic government mandates will...