This concerns a subject brought up on this List before; namely the
'ability' of classical music to deter youths of a certain demographic
or lifestyle, when played on public address systems near businesses.

On a blog that I read, this story from The Economist was excerpted:

   "Co-op, a chain of grocery stores, is experimenting with playing
   classical music outside its shops, to stop youths from hanging
   around and intimidating customers. It seems to work well. Staff
   have a remote control and 'can turn the music on if there's a
   situation developing and they need to disperse people', says
   Steve Broughton of Co-op.

   The most extensive use of aural policing so far, though, has
   been in underground stations. Six stops on the Tyneside Metro
   currently pump out Haydn and Mozart to deter vandals and loiterers,
   and the scheme has been so successful that it has spawned
   imitators. After a pilot at Elm Park station on the London
   Underground, classical music now fills 30 other stations on the
   network. The most effective deterrents, according to a spokesman
   for Transport for London, are anything sung by Pavarotti or
   written by Mozart."

Which brought this response in the comments section of the blog:

   "They tried this at a local gourmet grocery store a while back.
   At first, the teenagers dispersed to find louder and hipper
   muzak. But then a new crowd began to assemble - silver-haired
   hooligans in black turtlenecks with their blue-haired bitches,
   stock brokers out to steal some free culture, granola gangs and
   their Volvo-chicks. Soon, turf wars erupted between the Mo's and
   the Lud's over the primacy of Classical symponic repertoire
   vs.19th century German romanticism. It got real ugly, and a lot
   of pate and assertive young Shiraz was spilled.

   Luckily the owners of the store reverted back to the usual dreck
   and the teenagers came back and scared off the classicists. I
   don't know where this wild bunch eventually ended up but everyone
   keep an eye out in your own neighborhoods. If you notice a copy
   of "Town & Country" on the front seat of a Lincoln Town Car in
   the mall parking lot, dial 911, before it's too late."

Submitted without comment.....

Bill H.