Free Republic

Rebels on a lightning advance through Syria said on Saturday they have begun to encircle Damascus as government forces denied they had withdrawn from areas near the capital. "Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital, Damascus," said rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani, with the Islamist-led alliance that launched the offensive. The defence ministry flatly denied the army had fled positions near the city. "There is no truth to news claiming our armed forces, present in all areas of the Damascus countryside, have withdrawn," it said. Earlier, a war monitor and Abdel Ghani said rebels were within...

Murder, Inc. - Experts say Whitey could cash in on his brutal bio [taxpayers to pay legal bills] "If convicted, accused mass murderer James “Whitey” Bulger could make a killing selling his blood-soaked biography to a publishing house or Hollywood studio, experts say, thanks in part to state lawmakers, who for years have refused to bar cons from cashing in on their crimes." "With no notoriety for profit law on the books, it’s not just Bulger’s secrets from 16 years on the lam that are potentially worth big bucks. ... Notoriety for profit laws have been adopted by Texas, California,...

While many were celebrating his death, at least one person was not, using graffiti to honor Osama Bin Laden. The memorial to the slain terrorist was first reported by the Orange County Register. It was found early Monday along the 405 Freeway, just south of the Springdale exit in Westminster. The graffiti read, “R.I.P. Osama …Forever,” accompanied by an upside down American flag and the word, “un-American.” The message was removed Monday morning by Caltrans.