Lars, I just re-read your post. I really like you & this statement didn't register at first... "...but I imagine that there were a lot of people from out of town there." Were you implying that, as the other team, there were many Bostonians & New Englanders there & that if THEY would have rioted you wouldn't have been surprised? I hope that's not what you meant...'cause while I wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise, New England has lost their reputation as "long-suffering losers" & have some experience nowadays with winning championship games without doing tens of millions of dollars in damage to Boston or somebody's else's town. New England Patriots: 2002, 2004, & 2005 (Super Bowl Champs) Boston Red Sox: 2004 & 2007 (World Series Champs) Boston Celtics: 2008 (NBA title champs) Boston Bruins: 2011 (Stanley Cup) We surely understand how Vancouver feels. The Red Sox, the Bruins and the Patriots delivered many calamities but zero championships for a LONG TIME. But this city has ridden an unprecedented wave of success over the past decade. The Bruins' victory in the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday night made Boston the first city to win championships in all four major sports within a 10 year span. Like the other trophies, the Stanley Cup will go on "tour" throughout New England so all the loyal fans can touch it & snap a picture. Yesterday, it was pushed through the streets of Boston in a baby carriage so fans could admire. :) It's been a LONG time since Boston's won the Stanley Cup & they were the last of our four teams to get their championship...they knew New England was counting on them to deliver. Fans were too happy to destroy anything. They were too busy kissing people they'd never met before! :) /tricia

I contacted several places---Humane Society/college with a vet tech program and an adoption service/local shelters to see if I could actually bring Max for a meeting. Since Max(not the first guard dog I have owned/trained) is not neutered---all of those agencies would NOT even consider any such thing. Molly( as any other dog I own) was neutered within a week of her inclusion to our family. Finally, a city shelter in a neighboring city agreed to my request. We took Max to the shelter, and as he exited the van, his hackles came up, he began to crowl, went into the stalk mode and began looking for prey---he could hear dogs, but not see them. I took him for a short walk---to calm him and that is part of his training to negate the aggressiveness out of the yard. He calmed down and in we went. The staff came to greet us and immediately picked up on his mood. I told them to just ignore him until he relaxed---which took about five minutes. At which point, anyone could---and did---pet him. We then selected three females for his reaction, and actually brought them, one by one, into the same room----keeping a distance of about 20 feet. Number one was a black lab who was a real sweetheart---so eager to please it was heart wrenching. His reaction---nothing. At all---no reaction at all. The second girl got a growl before she got completely through the door. Molly was filthy, covered in urine since she cowered in the back corner in her own excretement, scared so bad she was locked up---would not walk, had to be literally drug across the floor. Gotb through the door and Max's tail began to wag. Not much more reaction than that. I had sort of rescued Max from the family who had him before---he was so Alpha, they could not control him and the city police were processing a Dangerous Animal warrent against them. So I had admired him and saw the potential---from a safe distance and took him. We had a very uneasy relationship until I convinced him I was more Alpha than he. In doing so, I never touched him for correction, never yelled, never even spoke other than a negative grunt and body language correction. Backing him into his room, and towering over him until he relaxed. So, from working with him for the four years prior to his meeting Molly, I knew a lot about his reactions and actions. I was shocked---and thet is not something that happens to me often. The staffer was watching me and asked, "You ok?" I remember saying, "This is a Cesar moment!" She looked confused and I pointed at Max, whose tail was still wagging slowly---20 feet away. She said, "I guess that is a good sign." I nodded, "He likes her. That is what I was hoping would happen---he would like one." I would not have picked Molly to rescue. Too many issues---most severe being the total lack of self confidence and abject fear of almost everything. Working with a dog so aggressive that he was dangerous was apple pie easy compared to rehabilitating Molly. Her progress is more than i expected just 10 months later---partially to our willingness to adapt our daily life to include many of her needs and some due to Max. I do have to kennel her when we are gone for more than an hour, and during the night. She is a young energetic dog and needs lots of exercise(whippet mix) and I am 62 and have trouble walking any distance. But, turns out she loves to chase soccer balls---so I kick them from one side of the yard to the other several times a day, which gives her the opportunity to reach full speed running. And Max sometimes looks oddly at me when I talk to her, since he gets spoken to like I would speak to an employee---and I need to pump her up daily. But, he really likes her, tolerating much more than I ever imagined. Sometimes reminds me of a wildlife film i once saw about the way lion cubs torment the pride leader.

ditto what sjerin said. If you're in the US you should be covered. Granted, maybe it will take longer for someone to get to you but there are some basic coverages that everyone should be entitled to. The government needs to set up municipalities to cover everywhere. (I can understand where some remote areas may also do a volunteer dept but it shouldn't be based on payment). Fire services should not be something a person chooses to buy or not.... Will the police go out there if needed, or do they need to pay a fee for the police too? Will FEMA venture out there if there is a natural disaster? I thougth fire personnel were public servants like police, and military...I didn't think anyone had to directly pay for their specific services. What if I am traveling in this county in a mobile home and it catches on fire...they just won't help? I'm not upset at the firemen and I understand their position in this case. I just don't think they or the home owner should ever have been put in this predicament. Government needs to account that many people are idiots and won't fork out money for fire protection. Neighbors shouldn't be allowed to put other neighbors in this danger. Government should control this...not allow individual stupid (possibly poor) and selfish homeowners make these decisions that can effect the public. And, again, what exacly would have happened if there was a child in the fire/house?

I record all of the RH shows and I watch them all. If you ever want to dish about the episodes for any of the franchises, I'm your girl. #noshame #loveandy Love, love, love Jennifer Welch (and Team and Pumps). There's a consistency to her style yet it's not the exact same thing over and over. So not like Joanna Gaines' regurgitated farmhouse. I mean there are only so many ways you can spin a wagon wheel on a ship-lapped wall, people. I see some depth, range, diverse aesthetic with JW and I think she has killer (expensive) taste too.