Hixter

They're dead now, but up until a few years ago my grandparents survived on no income other than Social Security. I never said that I was well off, I never condemned anyone and I never said that everyone had to be like me. Why make up stuff like that? It's money that's been taken from me involuntarily for the last 35 years with the promise that it'll be there for me when I retire. That's why.

I didn't see it as cold. Self-reliance is always a good thing. In the event of a natural disaster, I'm going to take care of myself and not count on the government to take care of me. If they eventually do, great, but I won't bet my life on it. The same goes for Social Security: I'm going to try to pave the way for a comfortable retirement. If the Social Security funds I've been promised materialize they'll be icing on the cake. (It won't surprise me if Uncle Sam tries to take my icing and give it to someone else.)

I'd reckon it's very close to 100% in my neighborhood. Hell, it's probably close to that for the entire state. Every new firearm sold is subject to a background check. Much fuss has been made about the so-called 'gun show loophole.' Most people who advocate closing it don't even understand what they're talking about. Could you explain it accurately? For what it's worth, the government did a study of criminals -- guess how many of them purchased their firearm at a gun show. The answer is 0.7%. Do you understand that the very term 'high-capacity magazine' is something invented by the anti-gu

Sales spiked several months ago and the surge continues. You can't really find an AR-type rifle or most calibers of ammunition and, if you do, they're selling for 3x the normal price. An 'assault' rifle ban passed before, so there's no reason it couldn't pass again. The NRA is upset that the term is being applied to even more rifles than in the past. Add a folding or adjustable stock to your grandfather's hunting rifle and it becomes a banned 'assault' weapon. The same goes for adding a bayonet lug -- not an actual bayonet, just the mount for one. Wrap a piece of fiberglass around the barrel

I don't recall seeing anything like that posted here.

Thanks. I'm pretty good at proofreading my writing (I spent a few years on the copy desk of a newspaper) but sometimes things slip by. I think charities and non-profits should be required to offer an opt-out for further mailings and pleas for cash. I could live with a single "it's been a year since you donated -- would you like to donate again?" letter; the money they spend on mailings must really eat into their funds.

I join the NRA whenever anti-gun politicians start making noises about bans. I joined a few months ago for a reduced price of $25. They threw in a $25 Bass Pro gift card, so it was essentially free. I wish they didn't send me so many mailings asking for more money. I really hate it when organizations do that.

I think that's already in the cards. What about those of us who gave several years of our lives to military service?

You mean corporations like Apple, Google and Amazon? They are big donors to Obama and other Democratic Party candidates and they want to hold on to their money just as much as rich Republicans do.

Say no more.

Speaking of English fondness for the Alamo, perhaps the foremost expert on the subject is none other than Phil Collins. He became enthralled by Disney's depiction of Davy Crockett as a child in the UK and now has an outstanding collection of memorabilia and recently penned a book about the Alamo. I think he still flies into town every year on the anniversary of the battle. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-phil-collins-on-his-alamo-obsession-retirement-20120531

What's wrong with toting guns and waving flags? I think it's a matter of your perception; you might be seeing what you want to see. 43% of Texans voted for President Obama, so you're overlooking the fact that nearly half the state isn't what you think they are. The nation as a whole is pretty evenly divided between liberals and conservatives, Republicans and Democrats, whites and non-whites, men and women, the religious and the non-religious. There's room for everybody here and I don't see much use in trying to label and pigeonhole people or states. I've always been a "live and let live; do

I suspect the FBI has a LOT of clues and a suspect or two in mind. That said, knowing who did it doesn't mean squat until they can be located. Where did you hear that they'd been machine gunned? I haven't read that anywhere.

It seems to be a Texas tradition to photograph your babies and small children in the middle of a field of bluebonnets. People will just pull over to the side of the road and start taking photos of their offspring. I can only imagine that many bee stings result.

Texas is 800 miles across -- even with the 80 MPH speed limits it's tough to make day trips to most of the state -- so I'll just make a list of things I've enjoyed over the last 6 years within 100 miles of San Antonio. San Antonio: The Alamo. Duh. The Riverwalk. Mostly a touristy place to bring visitors, but there are some good restaurants and museums along the way. Schilo's Deli. Great sandwiches and homemade root beer. Tower of the Americas. Fine dining in a revolving restaurant high above downtown San Antonio. Magnolia Pancake Haus. Best breakfast in town. Natural Bridge Caverns. We live

I know the mayor across the river is on an anti-obesity kick, but resorting to cannibalism seems a bit rash.

It's a big deal, but not something to panic about. I doubt it's cartel-related, so the likely suspects are the Aryan Brotherhood. They're pretty much all convicts and ex-convicts and the prisons do a good job of tracking inmates' gang ties, so I'm sure a list of suspects is already in hand. I expect them to find the perp before too long.

I lived in Indianapolis from 1966 through 1973.

It's not really unprecedented, as I can remember 2 or 3 prosecutors being shot in my little hometown in Florida about 30 years ago. I kind of doubt it's the cartels. They're pretty good about keeping most of their violence south of the border; they know that escalating attacks on Americans would probably result in a few thousand of our soldiers pouring across the border to hunt them down.

As far as I'm concerned, every state in the nation is filled with natural beauty and wonderful cities and trying to compare them is a waste of time. Yosemite is breathtakingly beautiful -- and clogged to the gills with people. Myself, I'd rather seek out a small state or national park that's less crowded. Los Angeles is a fantastic city, but it also features brown air much of the year and the traffic is soul-crushing. I can get just as much enjoyment out of walking around a tiny country town of 3,000 people.

It's been my experience that Texans are proud of their state and their residency, while Californians think they live in the best state but don't advertise it all that much. It's just a given for them

I think you meant to type 'California.' I spent nearly a decade there and was thrilled to leave both times. Great weather, though. Not a proponent of capital punishment in most cases, but I don't lose a lot of sleep over it. Oooh, the dreaded and deadly carbon dioxide. The same stuff you and I are exhaling at his very moment. I hate going to the beach, so no great loss for me. I also dislike seafood, golf, amusement parks, humidity, cockroaches and grumpy retirees, so I can't say that I miss Florida all that much.

I lived in Florida for almost 30 years before eventually moving to Texas and I find the Lone Star State to be superior in almost every category.

You made baby Nels cry. Better?