Most young men in Latin America live only for today.
There's little planning, no forward-thinking and plenty of daredevil maneuvers.
Survival, let alone success, is difficult; thus illegal activity is viewed as a legitimate way to achieve financial freedom.
After all, they conclude, desperate times call for desperate measures.
Latin America is home to only 8% of the world's population but represents over 33% of its homicides.
It should come as no surprise that a skinny 25-year-old Dominican named Rolfa Ferrera Cruz is being charged for the attempted murder of former Major League Baseball star David Ortiz.
Nine others, most involved with a Dominican gang known for drug-selling and contract killing, also were arrested.
Why 10 arrests?
That's how police agencies outside the United States operate.
Arrest every person in the criminal's inner circle and then use prison time as leverage to gather more information about the crime.
Melvin Flores, a native of Honduras now living here in Costa Rica, offered insight on police enforcement and justice systems in different jurisdictions.
"The presumption of innocence exists in perception, not reality. That's the case everywhere in the world including the United States."
"In many third-world countries, the cops are corrupt. They are partners with the bad guys and drug lords. That's why you see so many wealthy Americans in foreign countries hiring their own security detail."
"Here in Costa Rica, a rookie cop is going to make about $800 a month. Do you think he's going to risk life and limb to save someone? Highly doubtful. And I don't blame him."
David Ortiz was not protected by a security force last Sunday night at Dial Bar and Lounge on the gritty east side of Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic.
The baseball hero nicknamed "Big Papi" is a man of the people and he unwisely assumed the people would protect him.
Then again, there's no defense against a gunshot to the back in an ambush attack.
Last week's assassination attempt on the life of Ortiz sent reverberations through the high-profile world of sports and the low-level field of criminal activity.
New details are being uncovered daily.
Cue Melvin Flores.
"Believe me, this story will die without the actual details coming to light. Happens all the time in places like the Dominican Republic."
Flores continued, "The authorities will arrest the underlings but fail to capture the people who ordered the hit. They may report the arrest of a kingpin, but it's likely fake news. And in a strange twist, it's possible the surviving victim (Ortiz) may not want the facts to be revealed either."
Flores is a no-nonsense talker who speaks in perfect English despite his Honduran upbringing.
He hails from San Pedro Sula, an area recognized as the most dangerous city in the world outside a war zone.
He once served time for peddling drugs in New York, spending eight years in federal prison there.
"After the World Trade Center bombings in 2001, things got tough for ex-convicts from foreign lands. They revoked my green card so I'm not allowed to go back to the United States."
Flores then offered insight on the current immigration problems in the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
"When Trump came into power, he deported a lot of gang members loyal to Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) and Barrio 18. They all headed back home to Honduras and El Salvador and now they're wreaking havoc with the local population. And that's why good people, innocent people, are fleeing to the United States."
MORE POLITICS.....The 2020 presidential election is 499 days away and Democrats are holding their first primary debates later this month in Miami.
The debate field of 20, reminiscent of the Kentucky Derby, will be split into two groups of 10, reminiscent of the Hambletonian.
However, there is no also-eligible list, much to the dismay of Steve Bullock, Seth Moulton and Wayne Messam.
The first group of 10 will debate on June 26 and the second 10 will appear the following night.
Like the Hambletonian, why not bring back the debate winners, as judged by an independent panel of experts, for a third heat?
The competition for the June 27th debates appears stacked compared to the first division.
Four of the top five choices to win the Democratic presidential nomination, including the three betting favorites, will take the stage on the second night in Miami.
The fearsome foursome include Joe Biden (+153), Pete Buttigieg (+456), Bernie Sanders (+485) and Kamala Harris (+686).
Elizabeth Warren (+645), who promotes a plan for everything, drew the weaker group.
Lester Holt will serve as lead moderator for NBC's coverage which will last two hours in prime time on consecutive weeknights (Wednesday and Thursday).
One sleeper candidate who is drawing attention in some betting markets is former tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
Surprisingly, he is listed as the sixth choice to win the Democratic nomination at only 18-1.
Yang supports a form of Universal Basic Income (UBI) by way of a $1,000 "Freedom Dividend" awarded every month to U.S. citizens over the age of 18.
My question for Yang on the debate stage: "Will I be able to request a direct deposit of the $1,000 monthly check to my Pinnacle betting account?"
MONDAY'S BEST BET.....Play 973-974 Houston Astros-Cincinnati Reds UNDER 8.5 runs (-105) widely available.
Wade Miley versus Luis Castillo.
Looks like the 32-year-old Miley could become one of those late-developing lefties in the mold of a Jamie Moyer or Rich Hill.
Miley has been dubbed "Keuchel Light" in Houston this season and he's performed well in trying to replace 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, who recently signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Atlanta Braves.
Live bullpen arms are ready to support Miley's effort after five or six innings.
Will Harris, Hector Rondon, Ryan Pressley and closer Roberto Osuna have not appeared in a game since last Wednesday.
Cincinnati's Castillo is not only the team's ace, but also one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.
He's sporting a 6-1 record on a team that's seven games under .500.
He has 96 strikeouts in only 81 innings of work and the Astros whiffed nine times yesterday in a 12-0 home loss to Toronto.
Castillo should record plenty of strikeouts at Great American Ballpark with no DH for Houston and Miley swinging wildly (11 K's from 28 plate appearances last season in Milwaukee).
But the key to the bet is Wade Miley's pitching performance.
If Miley records a quality start, as he has in eight of 14 starts this season, we should cruise to an easy win.
There's little planning, no forward-thinking and plenty of daredevil maneuvers.
Survival, let alone success, is difficult; thus illegal activity is viewed as a legitimate way to achieve financial freedom.
After all, they conclude, desperate times call for desperate measures.
Latin America is home to only 8% of the world's population but represents over 33% of its homicides.
It should come as no surprise that a skinny 25-year-old Dominican named Rolfa Ferrera Cruz is being charged for the attempted murder of former Major League Baseball star David Ortiz.
Nine others, most involved with a Dominican gang known for drug-selling and contract killing, also were arrested.
Why 10 arrests?
That's how police agencies outside the United States operate.
Arrest every person in the criminal's inner circle and then use prison time as leverage to gather more information about the crime.
Melvin Flores, a native of Honduras now living here in Costa Rica, offered insight on police enforcement and justice systems in different jurisdictions.
"The presumption of innocence exists in perception, not reality. That's the case everywhere in the world including the United States."
"In many third-world countries, the cops are corrupt. They are partners with the bad guys and drug lords. That's why you see so many wealthy Americans in foreign countries hiring their own security detail."
"Here in Costa Rica, a rookie cop is going to make about $800 a month. Do you think he's going to risk life and limb to save someone? Highly doubtful. And I don't blame him."
David Ortiz was not protected by a security force last Sunday night at Dial Bar and Lounge on the gritty east side of Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic.
The baseball hero nicknamed "Big Papi" is a man of the people and he unwisely assumed the people would protect him.
Then again, there's no defense against a gunshot to the back in an ambush attack.
Last week's assassination attempt on the life of Ortiz sent reverberations through the high-profile world of sports and the low-level field of criminal activity.
New details are being uncovered daily.
Cue Melvin Flores.
"Believe me, this story will die without the actual details coming to light. Happens all the time in places like the Dominican Republic."
Flores continued, "The authorities will arrest the underlings but fail to capture the people who ordered the hit. They may report the arrest of a kingpin, but it's likely fake news. And in a strange twist, it's possible the surviving victim (Ortiz) may not want the facts to be revealed either."
Flores is a no-nonsense talker who speaks in perfect English despite his Honduran upbringing.
He hails from San Pedro Sula, an area recognized as the most dangerous city in the world outside a war zone.
He once served time for peddling drugs in New York, spending eight years in federal prison there.
"After the World Trade Center bombings in 2001, things got tough for ex-convicts from foreign lands. They revoked my green card so I'm not allowed to go back to the United States."
Flores then offered insight on the current immigration problems in the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.
"When Trump came into power, he deported a lot of gang members loyal to Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) and Barrio 18. They all headed back home to Honduras and El Salvador and now they're wreaking havoc with the local population. And that's why good people, innocent people, are fleeing to the United States."
MORE POLITICS.....The 2020 presidential election is 499 days away and Democrats are holding their first primary debates later this month in Miami.
The debate field of 20, reminiscent of the Kentucky Derby, will be split into two groups of 10, reminiscent of the Hambletonian.
However, there is no also-eligible list, much to the dismay of Steve Bullock, Seth Moulton and Wayne Messam.
The first group of 10 will debate on June 26 and the second 10 will appear the following night.
Like the Hambletonian, why not bring back the debate winners, as judged by an independent panel of experts, for a third heat?
The competition for the June 27th debates appears stacked compared to the first division.
Four of the top five choices to win the Democratic presidential nomination, including the three betting favorites, will take the stage on the second night in Miami.
The fearsome foursome include Joe Biden (+153), Pete Buttigieg (+456), Bernie Sanders (+485) and Kamala Harris (+686).
Elizabeth Warren (+645), who promotes a plan for everything, drew the weaker group.
Lester Holt will serve as lead moderator for NBC's coverage which will last two hours in prime time on consecutive weeknights (Wednesday and Thursday).
One sleeper candidate who is drawing attention in some betting markets is former tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang.
Surprisingly, he is listed as the sixth choice to win the Democratic nomination at only 18-1.
Yang supports a form of Universal Basic Income (UBI) by way of a $1,000 "Freedom Dividend" awarded every month to U.S. citizens over the age of 18.
My question for Yang on the debate stage: "Will I be able to request a direct deposit of the $1,000 monthly check to my Pinnacle betting account?"
MONDAY'S BEST BET.....Play 973-974 Houston Astros-Cincinnati Reds UNDER 8.5 runs (-105) widely available.
Wade Miley versus Luis Castillo.
Looks like the 32-year-old Miley could become one of those late-developing lefties in the mold of a Jamie Moyer or Rich Hill.
Miley has been dubbed "Keuchel Light" in Houston this season and he's performed well in trying to replace 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, who recently signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Atlanta Braves.
Live bullpen arms are ready to support Miley's effort after five or six innings.
Will Harris, Hector Rondon, Ryan Pressley and closer Roberto Osuna have not appeared in a game since last Wednesday.
Cincinnati's Castillo is not only the team's ace, but also one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.
He's sporting a 6-1 record on a team that's seven games under .500.
He has 96 strikeouts in only 81 innings of work and the Astros whiffed nine times yesterday in a 12-0 home loss to Toronto.
Castillo should record plenty of strikeouts at Great American Ballpark with no DH for Houston and Miley swinging wildly (11 K's from 28 plate appearances last season in Milwaukee).
But the key to the bet is Wade Miley's pitching performance.
If Miley records a quality start, as he has in eight of 14 starts this season, we should cruise to an easy win.
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