Free Republic

DENVER (AP) — It was lunchtime on a mild day in the sprawling Denver suburb of Aurora when a truck full of teens pulled into a high school parking lot where students were gathered, and gunfire rang out. Three were wounded as others ran in fear. One of the boys charged in the Nov. 19 shooting later told investigators he brought his armed friends to an expected gang fight because “it’s the way it is in this town,” court documents said... ...Aurora has seen an increase in Black and Latino families and immigrants from around the world as Denver has...

This week, the McDonald’s location at Main and Gray got some extra special attention for a sign at its side entrance imploring those sliding in for burgers and fries to pull their pants up. It’s been there for weeks but the right person must have just seen since it’s right up there next to the government shutdown in everyone’s mind. The same sign is up at the McDonald’s at Westheimer and Kirkwood too. And hey, it looks like Happy Meals are $1.99 on Tuesdays now. I know where I’m going after happy hour. “No one wants to see your underwear,”...

(Newser) – An Atlanta teen who wanted to leave a gang was shot 15 times—and survived. The 19-year-old "told the other members of the gang, 'Hey, look, I want to go straight, be law-abiding,' and they weren't happy with it," says a US marshal, adding, "Never since I've been in law enforcement have I seen someone shot 15 times and live." The teen was left for dead, but was helped by people who saw him crawling and heard his moans; they're now in protective custody, Fox Atlanta reports. A relative says he is recovering after surgery. Authorities have arrested...

In following up on some research into anarcho-capitalism (how a society with a free-market economy can function with little or no government), I ran across this paper that contains some interesting facts that might provide useful references and quotes. As usual, the facts are quite at odds with what is commonly held to be true. From: An American Experiment in Anarcho-Capitalism: the Not So Wild, Wild, West by Terry L. Anderson and P.J. Hill, Department of Economics, Montana State University PDF of article: http://mises.org/journals/jls/3_1/3_1_2.pdf from page 6: In his book, Frontier Violence: Another Look, W. Eugene Hollon stated that the...

LOS ANGELES - Two men and a woman arrested in connection with the beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow outside Dodger Stadium on opening day were identified today, although police still refused to confirm the arrests or provide an update on the investigation. Louie Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30, were each being held in lieu of $500,000 bail following their arrests on suspicion of committing mayhem; while 31-year-old Dorene Sanchez -- believed to be Louie's sister and the wife or girlfriend of Norwood -- posted bail after after her arrest on suspicion of being an accessory after...

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Wednesday that they hired former Los Angeles Police Department chief Bill Bratton to assess policies and procedures regarding security and fan services at Dodger Stadium. The move comes a week after a San Francisco Giants fan was badly beaten by two men wearing Dodgers gear after the season opener. The victim remains hospitalized in critical condition. Bratton, who will work in a consulting capacity, will also develop a best practices security plan that extends to both the stadium and parking lots Bratton and his Kroll security consulting team will begin immediately, according to a Dodgers...

NEW YORK -- About a minute or two before the Knicks-Nuggets brawl erupted Saturday night in Madison Square Garden, New York coach Isiah Thomas mentioned to Denver star Carmelo Anthony that it wouldn't be a good idea to go anywhere near the paint, according to a member of the Denver Nuggets organization. The message was unmistakable: A hard foul was coming. And when it came, the NBA had its first full-scale fight of the 2006-07 season. As it tries to stay in the race in the Western Conference, Denver now has a huge question to ponder: How long will Anthony...

DENVER -- Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony is featured in an underground DVD that is circulating in his home town of Baltimore, Md. The DVD is called "Stop Snitching" and shows alleged drug dealers talking about what happens to people who cooperate with the police, and Anthony is standing next to one of them. He is also seen on the DVD talking about his Olympic bronze medal and saying that he threw it in a lake. The man he stands next to later goes on to tell how he would take care of snitches by "putting a hole in their...

Joshua Ray Juarez A 17-year-old Kingwood man has confessed to stabbing his next-door neighbors to death after the daughter and her elderly mother repeatedly complained about his pit bull puppy, the Houston Police Department said. Joshua Ray Juarez was charged with capital murder Friday in the deaths of 53-year-old Deborah Maloney, and her mother, Lucy Maloney, 83, who were found slain in their Kingwood home in the 3100 block of Silver Falls on Wednesday afternoon by police. After being taken into custody, authorities said the teen told investigators he and the daughter had ongoing problems concerning his pit bull puppy...

NEW ORLEANS - Five people ranging in age from 16 to 19 were killed in a street shooting early Saturday, the most violent crime reported in this slowly repopulating city since Hurricane Katrina hit last August. All were believed to have been gunned down while inside a sport utility vehicle that was found rammed against a utility pole in the Central City neighborhood just outside the central business district. Authorities said they were looking for one or more suspects but did not elaborate. Capt. John Bryson said police think the shootings were either drug-related or some type of retaliation attack....

Bill Cosby didn't waste a second Saturday afternoon giving an almost entirely black audience at the Georgia World Congress Center exactly what they probably expected, which, in the comedian's words, was a "whuppin'." "It has come to this," Cosby said, reprimanding his hosts and the audience as he took the podium, following civil rights leader Andrew Young at the 20th Annual 100 Black Men of America convention. "Who would think that Andy Young would be sitting and I would be standing last to be the keynote speaker? Either they [the sponsors of the event] don't know. Or they tend to...

Poor neighbours fall prey to US gang culture Central America counts cost of deadly export from Los Angeles Rupert Widdicombe in Managua and Duncan Campbell in TegucigalpaTuesday May 27, 2003The Guardian The signs of the influence of the United States on Central America are everywhere: McDonald's and KFC, movies and sportswear. Less easy to spot is one export which has a devastating effect on the region: gang culture. Six years ago, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act was introduced in the US, which allowed the "expedited removal" of immigrants who had committed crimes. This has led to the...