Two days before Newtown, we had a shooter at one of our local malls. Everyone I talk to is nervous to go out to the malls right now. I work for the State, and I worry about nuts coming into our building and firing off shots. There is a young man who claims to have a CCW and he allegedly drew a bead on the mall shooter, claims to have made eye contact but he didn't shoot because there were other people near by. Then the story goes on to say that after that the shooter killed himself. I say this is 'allegedly' because law enforcement has given some conflicting reports. Regardless, if he did or didn't, the mall is posted as a Gun Free Zone...so that didn't stop a CCW carrier. I don't think these assassins chose gun free zones for that reason, they go where they KNOW they're going to be able to cause mass casualties. Another thing I try to point out is that very, very few people posess the absolute control that a tactically trained person has. All these shooters wear body armor, therefore it'd require a sniper kill shot to the head to take them out. Good luck getting some weekend paper target shooter to make a shot like that, much less someone who rarely, if ever draws a weapon. We all like to think we will be in command if an emergency crisis occurs, but it's just not in our nature! Having to kill someone is not something the majority of citizens has ever had to comprehend in real time. And to have the ability to identify a danger and act? Yeah right. My very first instinct would be to take cover and run, get to a safe place and then, and only then, take offensive measures. I think everyone who thinks they should walk around with a gun on their person try this experiment. Go into a public place with a friend, one that is well populated. Instead of your gun, have a rubber band shooter or some other non-lethal 'gun'. Have your friend shout out KITTY CAT! and turn to point to a 3rd person who is wearing a clown wig and has a similar 'gun'. That person is a shooter. Now, whip out your 'gun' and 'shoot' the shooter. Of course, it's going to be at a random point in time, you're in on this...but you don't know when or where it'll happen. Now, lets time your reaction and see if you actually hit the target and/or were YOU or someone else hit. A non-lethal exercise to gauge just what a Dirty Harry you are. I hate that people need to have a gun in the home for protection, but in some cases it is needed, if you live in a rural area where law enforcement is far away. In that case, I'd certainly hope you have a couple of big, loud dogs as an early warning system. But if you have a gun in the home, why does it have to be a weapon capable of shooting more than 6 bullets at a time? Really, if you're in a situation where an intruder has a semi-auto-chances are you're already going to kiss your hind end goodbye.

Well, I just read an article from a Chicago newspaper. Seems that although they are not closing the Chicago plant they are eliminating 600 of the 1200 jobs from the Chicago plant and moving them to Mexico where they said it is cheaper to make the cookies. BOOOOOO! Will still be boycotting Oreos. I long for the days when things said "Made in the USA". FYI, I also boycott Hobby Lobby. EVERYTHING in that place is made in China. I do have a few principles:/. Darn!

phoggie - so sad to read this! it will be long and never ending trauma for that family. Out here people drive like crazy. i don't even like to drive anymore. big trucks and SUVs just race around other cars. I've had a few close calls lately. one was a PU truck that forced his way thru a light that turned red as i turned - he was behind me and he fish tailed all over the lane to the right of me. i thought for sure he'd hit the back end of my car - I sped up to get away from him. And I've been wanting to get a newer car - but am so reluctant to give up my old buick wagon - with it's big front end! so many newer cars hardly have any front end on them. that scares me with the monster vehicles out here in AZ. prayers for your gd and family and the family of the friend. It'll be a tuff road ahead for them. God be with them.

Henry and others who are not located in a HOT ZONE-- If you live in an area where RRD is running rampant the odds of the distorted growth symptoms being the result of Roundup or similar is nothing but wishful thinking. When it hits us, we all wish... but in our heart we know. The key is to remove fast to prevent loss of healthy roses and killing the mite if you approve of spray. Any article written later than last year is partially or completely out of date; so In researching RRD be sure to check the date. This is similar to the AID's epidemic when it first raised its head, old news is old news and ill informed. Do not mean to put down your post, please do not take this in that way. I