■ Police in New Haven, Conn., frightened a pair of suspected car thieves into surrendering by barking at them like dogs. The two masked men had holed up in an abandoned house, where police surrounded them and threatened to unleash their canine units. But since there were no police dogs available, officers woofed like angry German shepherds. The suspects quickly […]
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■ When Phoenix police officer Natalie Simonick saw 18-year-old Christian Felix out after dark in March, she suspected he was violating curfew. But Felix told her he was walking six miles home from his job at McDonald’s, as he had missed the bus and didn’t own a bicycle. Simonick was so impressed with the teen’s work ethic that she decided […]
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■ Louisiana lawmakers are considering legislation that makes the Holy Bible the “official state book.”The legislation was opposed by some Democrats—not because it suggests the state’s endorsement of one religion, but because it originally specified the King James version, which some Christians do not use. “Why not put all versions of the Bible?” suggested state Rep. Robert Billiot.
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Budapest Power grab: In the face of mass protests and international condemnation, the Hungarian parliament has overwhelmingly passed 15 pages of amendments to the country’s 1-year-old constitution that practically abolish all judicial checks on the government. The amendments retroactively restore a number of controversial laws that were passed by the right-wing Fidesz government but subsequently ruled unconstitutional by the courts. […]
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■ Georgia police have charged a man with carrying out several burglaries while wearing nothing but a cowboy hat. Johns Creek City Councilwoman Cori Davenport called 911 when she allegedly found nude thief Ashdon Gibbs, 21, in her home. “They’re like, ‘What was he wearing?”‘ she said. “And I’m like, ‘Absolutely nothing—a cowboy hat.’” Police say Gibbs ran off and […]
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What’s the most forbidden topic in America? asked Timothy Egan. It’s not sex or religion. It’s gun violence. We are “the most armed society in the world,” with more than 300 million guns in private hands, and 9,146 gun homicides in 2009—a rate nearly 20 times higher than that of other supposedly civilized countries. “But don’t bring that up.” Sports […]
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