FBI Says Gangs Infiltrating the US Military

The U.S. military is facing a "significant criminal threat" from gangs, including prison and biker gangs, whose members have found their way into the ranks, according to an FBI-led investigation.

Some gang members get into the military to escape the streets, but then end up reconnecting once in, while others target the services specifically for the combat and weapons training, the National Gang Intelligence Center says in a just-released 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment/Emerging Trends.

Whatever the reasons, it's a bad mix.

""Gang members with military training pose a unique threat to law enforcement personnel because of  their distinctive weapons and combat training skills and their ability to transfer these skills to fellow gang members," the report states. Gang members have been reported in every branch of the armed forces, though a large proportion of them have been affiliated with the Army, the Army Reserves or Army National Guard, it says.

Thousands of Detroit students without books for months

The 2011-2012 Detroit Public School year started on Sept. 6, with thousands of homes and streets all over the city adorned with signs that had the two-word slogan "I'm In" everywhere. Nearly two months into the school year, the one thing that is not in a lot of Detroit Schools right now are books.

"I know there is a shortage and there is an order and they are still sharing books," said Andrew Hayes, whose son is a third-grader at Fisher Magnet Elementary on the city's east side. "There are a lot of frustrated parents. They want the kids to have what they are supposed to have. At the beginning of the year, we were told that every student would have the textbooks. It's seven weeks into school."

Black Christians often lack Halloween spirit

Contractors Hired Goons To Beat, Pour Acid On Disgruntled Workers

A New York contractor working on a Brooklyn affordable housing project hired goons to pour acid and beat workers who blew the whistle on a kickback scheme, where a city official was indicted court papers show.

According to the New York Daily News, Bogdan Starzecki, head of MCR Restoration Corp., bribed his way into city contracts to get a piece of a $13 million public housing project in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

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Does Will Smith want 'Independence Day' sequels to be family affair?

According to Film-News, insiders said that Fox is willing to make the movies without Will, if necessary, it's complicated because where and how [Smith] wants to shoot; he wants to be close to home, to the kids." There have also been comments from Smith stating he wants to include Jada and possibly his daughter Willow in the movie.