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Alan Gura: "Heller and the Triumph of Originalist Judicial Engagement"
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"Writing in the Virginia Law Review last fall, conservative federal appeals court Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III took aim at the Supreme Court's landmark gun rights opinion in District of Columbia v. Heller. According to Wilkinson, 'Heller encourages Americans to do what conservative jurists warned for years they should not do: bypass the ballot and seek to press their political agenda in the courts.' ..."

"Is Judge Wilkinson right? Should the courts practice judicial restraint when it comes to Second Amendment rights? Alan Gura, the brilliant attorney who argued and won Heller before the Court, thinks not. In a compelling and carefully researched new article ... Gura explains why the Heller Court got it right. ..." ...

The Brady Campaign to create 'gun crime'
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"I don't like the term 'gun crime'--crime is crime, and while crimes, of course, vary in heinousness, that variance is not a function of the criminal's equipment. The term is useful here, though, because today's discussion is about 'crimes' that are only 'criminal' due to the fact that guns are involved."

"An example is perhaps called for. Take, for instance, laws--such as California's--prohibiting faux 'assault weapons.' A violator of such a law need not do any harm--need not, indeed, intend any harm, but intent to do harm is irrelevant to the forcible citizen disarmament lobby--all that matters is that the violator is a 'gun criminal.'" ...

Barrett elected to NRA board of directors
Submitted by: NYSRPA-PVF
Website: http://www.nysrpa-pvf.org

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"Murfreesboro businessman and firearms manufacturer Ronnie G. Barrett was elected to the Board of Directors for the 4.5 million member National Rifle Association. The founder and CEO of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing took the oath of office during the NRA annual meeting in Phoenix, which attracted over 65,000 NRA members, becoming the largest convention in Arizona history."

"As one of the top vote getters in the membership balloting, Barrett has been a gun enthusiast for almost all his life, and has been an advocate for the Second Amendment for many years, appearing on national radio and television programs and quoted in major publications." ...

How well does the government protect us?
Submitted by: Anonymous

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"The previous article examined a case where the criminal justice system failed to protect the citizens of Gaffney, South Carolina, from Patrick Burris. Now let's place that discussion into context: When it comes to fighting crime, the criminal justice system (CJS) can only do so much."

"This is not necessarily a bad thing. If our legal standards were similar to many other countries, where the accused is guilty until proven innocent, more habitual criminals might remain behind bars, but at the expense of incarcerating more innocents. Please view the following discussion from a Constitutional perspective, rather than affixing blame. ..." ...

Sotomayor rejects Second Amendment rights
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"Despite repeated assurances from Barack Obama during last year's presidential campaign and since the inauguration that he 'supports' the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, the new president's first nomination to fill a pending vacancy on the Supreme Court belies his words."

"Second Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor has clearly indicated hostility to the notion that American citizens enjoy a fundamental individual civil right to own and possess firearms. A federal judge who only accepts 90 percent of the Bill of Rights cannot be allowed to become a Supreme Court justice for life." ...

Ted Nugent Slams Gun Control (Video) Submitted by: Brian Carey	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
A fairly enjoyable rant.

New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Urges Supreme Court to Hear NRA Second Amendment Incorporation Case
Submitted by: NYSRPA-PVF
Website: http://www.nysrpa-pvf.org

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"The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association is spearheading an effort organize over two dozen state firearms owners' associations to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case of National Rifle Association v. City of Chicago and hold that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Private firearms ownership is an essential component of the free society that the framers of the Constitution envisioned and that right remains integral to the fabric of the United States to this day. The fundamental right of self-defense must be respected by every jurisdiction throughout the country." ...

Judiciary Panel Releases Witness List for Sotomayor Hearing
Submitted by: NYSRPA-PVF
Website: http://www.nysrpa-pvf.org

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"The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday issued a list of the witnesses lined up to testify at the confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor, which begin on Monday."

"Among the witnesses are a few surprises. David Cone, the former pitcher, presumably will echo President Obamas claim that Judge Sotomayor saved baseball when she ended the 1995 strike. And the Republicans have lined up Frank Ricci himself, the firefighter from New Haven, Conn., who just won a discrimination case in the Supreme Court, when it overturned a ruling by a panel of judges including the nominee." ...

"For the Republicans:"

"... Sandy Froman, the former president of the National Rifle Association; Dr. Stephen Halbrook, lawyer and gun-rights advocate

Millions Of Gun Owners Reject Sotomayor
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"Please join me, Sandy Froman the former President of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the national leaders listed below urging the Senate not to confirm Sotomayor. We have signed the following letter supporting Second Amendment gun rights and need you to add your name to the list and immediately fax your letters to the Senate." ...

"Like all other threats against our freedoms, we must rise and defeat this nomination, slap it down hard."

"To stop Obamas backdoor anti-gun nomination and hold him to his promise that he would not try to take away anyones firearms -we need to let the U.S. Senate know with thousands of faxes telling them to leave guns alone." ...

Two-thirds of State Attorneys General File Amicus Brief Supporting Second Amendment Incorporation
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"The [NRA] is reporting that two-thirds of the nation's attorneys general have filed an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to grant certiorari in the case of NRA v. Chicago and hold that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment."

"This bi-partisan group of 33 attorneys general ... along with the Attorney General of California in a separate filing, agrees with the NRA's position that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental individual right to keep and bear arms in the home for self-defense, disagreeing with the decision recently issued by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit." ...

Praxis: "The Switch to Local Manufacturing"
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"Also from John Robb's newsletter. Three Percenters need to be thinking about this stuff NOW and get in on the ground floor of a trend that will critical for their own survival. Comments?"

"Mike
III" ...

"Here's a think piece that you may find of value:"

"It is likely that by 2025, the majority of the 'consumer' goods you purchase/acquire, will be manufactured locally. ..." ...

"Local fabrication will get cheap and easy. The cost of machines that can print, lathe, etch, cut materials to produce three dimensional products will drop to affordable levels (including consumer level versions). This sector is about to pass out of its 'home brew computer club phase' and rocket to global acceptance."

The County Sheriff - America's Last Hope
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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... "The County Sheriff: America's Last Hope is a book aimed at concerned citizens and fellow law enforcement officers, especially our sheriffs. Mack explains our political system and how it can be used to correct the problems facing our country, even if we can't get the politicians in Washington to pay attention to the desires of their constituents back in district."

"The County Sheriff is the highest law enforcement officer in the County. Federal agencies only have power in your county to the extent the sheriff grants them. And the sheriff is elected by the people. Mack argues that the sheriff not only has the ability to protect you from an out of control government, but a sworn duty to protect you. ..." ...

IA: Gun control group disbands after losing funding
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"An Iowa group once active in lobbying for gun control has disbanded after losing a major grant. The November 1st coalition began after the November 1, 1991 shootings on the University of Iowa campus and was later renamed Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence." ...

"Honey says most recently the group has relied on volunteers to lobby the legislature. 'There was a grant with the Joyce foundation for a period of close to a decade from the mid 90s well into this decade, and that funding did end,' Honey said."

"'That meant we could no longer hire staff, so everything was done on a volunteer basis.' The organization recently helped stop a bill to loosen restrictions on county officials who issue gun permits." ...
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H/t to David Codrea.

LA: Attempted robbery leads to deadly shooting
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

Police say a deadly shooting on Alliquippa Street in Baton Rouge was apparently the result of an attempted robbery gone bad.

They say around 2:00 Wednesday morning two men rushed into a home attempting to rob the people inside.

Police say an 18-year-old inside the home grabbed his gun and started shooting, but so did a 38-year-old robber.

The robber died at the scene, while the 18-year-old remains hospitalized fighting for his life.

The second suspect ran off. If you can help police find him, call Crime Stoppers at 344-7867.

LA: Business owner foils robbery try
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"A business owner who fought back foiled a robbery try early today and may have wounded one of the men who tried to rob him, Shreveport police say."

"At around 12:15 a.m., Shreveport police patrol officers were sent to Mitchell's Transmission in the 3100 block of Morningside Drive after getting reports of an attempted robbery there. Officers learned that three men wearing ski masks, one armed with a sawed-off shotgun, had tried to rob the owner as he closed the business. The business owner said he pulled out his handgun and fired two shots at the robbers, who ran off. The business owner was not injured." ...

LA: Clerk shoots suspect during armed robbery
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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FULL TEXT BELOW:

A suspected robber is being treated at a local hospital after being shot by a store clerk, and his accomplice is in police custody.

It happened about 7:25 a.m. at Cherokee Park Grocery store in the 300 block of North Thomas Street, north of downtown Shreveport, said Cpl. Bill Goodin, police spokesman.

Police say a clerk fired shots at two black males who entered the store with handguns and took some merchandise. One of the men was shot in the hip, Goodin said.

He is being treated at LSU Hospital in Shreveport with non-life threatening injuries. The other is being questioned by detectives.

TX: Intruder Shot North Of Whitney
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"An apparent ongoing dispute led to an intruder being shot after he forced his way into a Whitney area home late Saturday, July 4."

"Hill County Sheriffs Office deputies had been to a residence in the 300 block of Timberline Street off Farm Road 1713 earlier in the evening."

"The shooting was called into authorities at 11:53 p.m. after the victim forced open a door at the home to gain entry."

"The 46-year-old Whitney man struggled with the 43-year-old homeowner before he armed himself with a .22 caliber pistol."

"One shot was apparently fired, striking the older man in the abdomen." ...

GA: Homeowner Exchanges Gunfire With Would-Be Robber
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"A quiet night in front of the television ended with a shoot-out in southwest Atlanta. A homeowner was in the hospital Thursday morning as police searched for the would-be robber." ...

"The homeowner told Channel 2 Action News her husband was in the living room watching television when he heard a noise outside the house. He grabbed his gun to check it out and that's when the gun battle erupted."

"The husband was shot once in the right ear and was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital."

"Crime scene investigators found several bullet casings and a gun."

"'The guy dropped the gun that was shooting at her husband,' said Holliman." ...

FL: Man Shoots Intruder In Self-Defense
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"William West was asleep in his bed when he got an unusual call from his neighbor at 4:30 in the morning."

"'I called him back, and he was like, 'Somebody in your house right now. How asleep is you? They in your house right now,' West's neighbor said."

"That's when West said he got up and armed himself with a 12-gauge shotgun, taking matters into his own hands."

"'I didn't really have time to think, you know what I'm saying,' West said. '... I just know I had to try to protect myself. That's it.'"

"West said he shot the intruder who was later identified as 25-year-old Gerald Wright."

"... Wright came in through West's window armed with a silver handgun and was standing in his living room." ...

OH: Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family
Submitted by: Larry

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"Akron police say they aren't ready to call it a hate crime or a gang initiation."

"But to Marty Marshall, his wife and two kids, it seems pretty clear."

"... Marshall, his family and two friends were gathered outside a friend's home in South Akron."

"Out of nowhere, the six were attacked by dozens of teenage boys, who shouted 'This is our world' and 'This is a black world' as they confronted Marshall and his family."

"The Marshalls, who are white, say the crowd of teens who attacked them and two friends ... numbered close to 50. The teens were all black." ...

"The Marshalls ... are considering arming themselves, but they're concerned about the possible problems that come with guns." ...

Amendment Revising Federal Switchblade Act Introduced
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"We're going to ask you to write yet again, because your letters and emails and faxes are WORKING. You are the ones who have made this happen."

"While our primary focus had been on stopping funding for Customs relating to their proposed rule, another track was being worked in the background that would permanently solve the problem. It was initially conceived as a follow-up to the urgently required need to stop Customs ... giving us time to work on a more permanent solution. Late Tuesday evening, even as we were marshaling support for the Cornyn-Wyden stop funding amendment, we received an amendment introduced by Senators Pryor (D-AR) and Hatch (R-UT) that would revise the Federal Switchblade Act ..." ...

House Panel Adopts Amendment Allowing Guns in Public Housing
Submitted by: NYSRPA-PVF
Website: http://www.nysrpa-pvf.org

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"Gun rights advocates scored a victory Thursday as the House Financial Services Committee adopted an amendment to allow guns in public housing projects."

"The amendment, offered by Tom Price , R-Ga., would bar any housing authority from restricting legal ownership of guns. It was adopted by 38-31, as the committee continued its markup of a housing bill (HR 3045) the panel is expected to approve next week."

"While the Department of Housing and Urban Development does not have a specific policy concerning guns in public housing, several local agencies have banned them in an effort to reduce violent crime in housing projects." ...

NY: Lawmaker Perry now against periodic pistol-owner checks
Submitted by: NYSRPA-PVF
Website: http://www.nysrpa-pvf.org

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"Bowing to pressure from her district's residents, St. Lawrence County Legislator Laura J. Perry, D-Hopkinton, had a change of heart about supporting a state proposal requiring repeated background checks for pistol permit holders."

"'It turns out this is a very important issue to my constituency. I heard from them a lot about this,' she said at Monday's Legislature meeting. 'This doesn't address my concerns in checking on people's mental and physical well-being. It's more of a paperwork and fee issue.'" ...

MA: Massachusetts Newly Proposed Bona Fide Firearms Collector Regulations
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"The Patrick Administration through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security has proposed yet another change in regulations regarding firearm issues. ..." ...

"While the intentions of the newly proposed regulations are not spelled out, what is clear is that they will further restrict machine gun license holders."

"Comparing the current regulations and the newly proposed, the ... new language also adds the ability of licensing authorities to establish restrictions on the license and set further conditions on the actual licensing. This is the same abused authority that is currently given to local licensing authorities over Licenses to Carry." ...

Summer visitor fights Tennessee gun law
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"Why is Tennessee Republican Adam Dread, a gun-owning, card-carrying member of the National Rifle Association, working so hard to fight a bill supporters say will protect the rights of gun-owners in his home state?"

"Because, says Dread a long-time summer visitor [to Nantucket] who in his younger days tended bar on the island he's also a former restaurant worker, father, and an otherwise 'intelligent human being' who sees nothing but trouble in the recently-passed law allowing Tennessee gun-owners to bring their firearms into restaurants that serve alcohol unless expressly forbidden by the individual establishment to do so. And in Tennessee, where all bars must also serve food, that means bars and nightclubs as well." ...

NJ: SPCA Investigating Police Dog's Death
Submitted by: jac

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"A three-year-old K-9 veteran of the Mount Holly Police department died on Wednesday."

"Patton, a dog specially trained to detect explosives, died after being left in a hot car for an extended period of time ..."

"The New Jersey SPCA is investigating."

"'We'll draw some type of conclusion concerning the dog's death,' said SPCA spokesman Matt Stanton."

"The SPCA plans to interview Officer Kara McIntosh, Patton's handler, about the dog's death. ... She would often take Patton home with her, even when she was off-duty ..."

"The four-year old Golden Retriever was worth over $100,000 because of his training and the specialized vehicle used to transport the K-9 officer and the dog ..." ...

NY: City sets Aug. 15 for gun buyback
Submitted by: Ryan

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... "Mayor Byron W. Brown announced that this year's 'no questions asked' buyback will occur Aug. 15." ...

"[People] will receive prepaid bank cash cards that range from $10 to $100, depending on the type of gun. ..."

"The first two buybacks resulted in 1,601 guns being surrendered ..." ...

"Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson said he believes previous buybacks played a role in reducing homicides and other violent crimes." ...

"'[Taking] 1,600 guns off the streets are 1,600 weapons less that are capable of taking the life of someone else,' said Gipson." ...
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KABA Note: So this police cheif thinks that the sole purpose of a gun is to take a life? When is he disarming his officers?

NY: ATF Shares 2008 NY State Crime Gun Data
Submitted by: NYSRPA-PVF
Website: http://www.nysrpa-pvf.org

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"Ronald B. Turk ... of the [ATF] New York Field Division today releases aggregate trace data for crime guns recovered in New York State for calendar year 2008."

"A complete review of ATF firearms trace data compiled from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2008, from a data set run on 2/12/09, for several regions in New York State reveals the following:"

"9,558 firearms were submitted to ATF NY to be traced - 6,764 handguns and 2,659 long guns."

"Statewide, handguns outnumbered long guns by more than 2 to 1.
54% of all firearms recovered were in NY City." ...

"As noted previously, a key component of ATF's enforcement mission is the tracing of firearms on behalf of thousands of Federal, State, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies

NY: Gun buyback program in Buffalo
Submitted by: NYSRPA-PVF
Website: http://www.nysrpa-pvf.org

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"Buffalo's Mayor is trying to get guns off Buffalo's streets. Mayor Byron Brown announced another gun buyback program at a press conference Wednesday."

"On August 15, several locations around Buffalo will be accepting guns, no questions asked, in exchange for pre-paid credit cards."

"Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced his Administration's third 'No Questions Asked' Gun Buyback Program will take place on Saturday, August 15, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at seven drop-off sites across Buffalo." ...

PA: NAACP to governor: Declare martial law
Submitted by: JarheadSgt

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"An NAACP official has demanded the governor of Pennsylvania call out the National Guard, suspend civil liberties and impose martial law to deal with a recent wave of shootings."

"Stanley Lawson ... urged Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell deploy the National Guard for at least one month and enforce a curfew after more than a dozen shootings rocked the city ..."

"Many of the shots were fired during daylight hours, and one man was killed at a busy intersection in the middle of the afternoon June 24."

"'The Guard is for floods and natural disasters. I don't know any more of a natural disaster than of our young people being killed,' he said at a June meeting at Capitol Presbyterian Church." ...

MI: A stand for principle on gun rights
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"The Free Press editorialized Wednesday -- 'Your taxes at work for the NRA (and Cox)' -- against my filing of a legal brief with the U.S. Supreme Court that supports the National Rifle Association's challenge of a Chicago ordinance banning the possession of most handguns."

"My support for this challenge to the Chicago gun ban is rooted in Michigan's own Constitution, which states: 'Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the defense of himself and the state.'"

"My defense of this constitutional principle is longstanding. In 2007, I filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in opposition to the District of Columbia's drastic ban on guns ..." ...

CA: Anaheim police chief's gun disappears. Twice.
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"The first time Anaheim police chief John Welter's gun went missing was in 2006. It was stolen from his car - along with other stuff - while parked in front of his Anaheim Hills home."

"The weapon eventually surfaced in Whittier ..."

"Peace officers apparently lose their guns so infrequently that official-types don't even keep track of the phenomenon on a statewide basis. So, it could be considered a strike of very bad luck when, earlier this year, Welter's gun went missing again."

"This time, the chief was in San Diego ... The weapon was apparently found in the street by a young person - luckily, one without much of a penchant for mischief - who handed it off to official-types, who got it home to Anaheim." ...

CA: LAPD's public database omits nearly 40% of this year's crimes
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"The LAPD's online crime map intended for public use has failed to include nearly 40% of serious crimes reported in the city ..."

"The omissions, which date back at least six months, include thousands of crimes known to LAPD officials and are included in their official crime statistics."

"Among the 19,000 incidents between Jan. 1 and June 13 that do not appear at lapdcrimemaps.org:"

"* 26 homicides

* 137 rapes

* 10,766 personal, vehicle or other nonviolent thefts"

"In one of those rapes, a man hid in the back of a woman's car, forced her to drive to an abandoned North Hollywood apartment and assaulted her. It was the kind of incident that residents ... would have wanted to know about." ...

CA: Lunches ordered from Wrightwood fuel Jackson memorial controversy
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"Feeding the controversy over taxpayer costs for the Michael Jackson memorial, officials disclosed Wednesday the city paid nearly $50,000 for box lunches from an upscale market 80 miles north of Los Angeles for police who worked the event."

"An outraged City Controller Wendy Greuel, whose office is responsible for paying city bills, said her staff researched the expense and found that 3,500 box lunches ordered from local Subway shops in Los Angeles would have cost only about $17,500."

"'There are many troubling issues that are raised by this expenditure,' Greuel said in a letter to Jim Featherstone, general manager of the Emergency Services Department." ...

LA: Concealed weapons permits explode in LA
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"Louisiana State Police report the rate of applications for concealed weapons permits has doubled this year. Last year, 4,130 first-time permits were issued, but halfway through this year the number of new permits has already exceeded that. When you add in renewals, it almost doubles."

"As American citizens, it is our Second Amendment right to bear arms. Judging by the number of permits issued this year more people in Louisiana are legally carrying concealed weapons. State police keep track of who's buying the permits. 'We're not going to randomly issue concealed handgun permits to the general public,' said Sgt. Markus Smith with Louisiana State Police. 'We do have a very rigorous background check that's done ...'" ...

UK: Gang jailed for murder of innocent teenager Shaquille Smith
Submitted by: Bruce Krafft

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"Six members of a teenage knife gang were branded arrogant cowards by a judge yesterday as he jailed them for life for murdering an innocent schoolboy."

"Shaquille Smith, 14, the youngest of 22 teenagers to be killed in a spate of stabbings in London last year, was attacked by members of a gang called the London Field Boys."

"The group rode around the streets of Hackney, East London, on bikes and wearing hoodies, intimidating and harassing anyone who crossed their path."

The promising student and Army cadet was targeted after the gang decided they wanted to attack someone in August last year." ...