Misanthrope

Keyword Relevancy Addition to Board Rules & Guidelines? I recently became aware of the importance of composing topic titles and descriptions in a manner conductive to attracting new members via internet search engines by fully maximizing Keyword Relevancy. As it turns out, composing topic descriptions with the intent of attracting new members from search engines is an ?extremely high priority? at this forum, even higher than getting hits from current members viewing the last topic list. Yet no mention of the term Keyword Relevancy (that I can find) is shared with members on Trap 17?s Board Rules or Readme. Nothing here specifically addresses the fine art of maximizing Keyword Relevancy, and the infinite examples of un-optimized titles and descriptions further drive home this point. As an example, one of the topics I initiated was chosen for modification as the keywords were apparently not relevant to the content of the post. After some discussion, a much longer title/description that contained several keywords designed to garner increased hits off Google & Yahoo was accepted. The logic being attracting fresh members/advertisers supports uninterrupted free hosting at Trap 17, which of course makes perfect sense. What doesn?t make sense are the absence of guidelines to support this goal. Trap 17?s Readme emphasizes the import of creating topics that produce long discussions, as well as composing newsworthy titles utilizing limited words. These guidelines worked well for me in the past, as enough latitude existed for creative license to play some role. But I also find these instructions somewhat contradictory to the goals of Keyword Relevancy, as limited title keywords equal less internet hits. And composing catchy titles that encourage long discussion on this forum can certainly conflict with this goal as well. Or at least that?s how my domineering left cerebrum processes all this. I, and I suspect others of the non-techy bent, am confused by this disparity and need clear guidelines on how? exactly? staff would like titles and descriptions composed. As Keyword Relevancy in topic titles and descriptions plays an extremely vital role to Trap 17?s continued success, it would only make sense to share instructions with all members. Please consider providing clear, specific guidelines in Readme, preferably with some examples on how best to optimize Keyword Relevancy.

Refreshing topic (pun intended).1. I make it a point to drink at least one beer a day, especially before getting behind the wheel of an automobile (with several passengers), operating heavy machinery, or of course, posting at the Trap. 2. 'Round these parts we go to Costco to get good deals on cases of beer, which run around $22. 3. I used to enjoy Samuel Smith before discovering the Brits pollute their beer with fluoride. Now I drink Sierra Ale which hales from California and sports it's own, private water source devoid of toxins and the usual maladies infesting municipal water. Bottoms up!

I believe youre right. Nepotism involving close friends and relatives is considered corruption and therefore illegal within government entities to the best of my knowledge. Unfortunately, the practice itself is not yet illegal in the private sector, but the results of its practices can certainly be. Discrimination, wrongful termination suits and so forth can be filed against such employers. As previously mentioned but a small percentile at any given time are willing to take on corrupt entities, hence their continued proliferation. But oft times a relative handful is all it takes to bring on change, as was evidenced by the American Revolution in which only 5% of the population stood up against England. But Manifest Destiny prevailed and we have the heroes who fell within that tiny sector to thank for the freedom we in the United States of America currently enjoy. Nor would I discount the power one individual have can have on the course of history (think Ghandi, Martin Luther, etc..). Apparently, John falls within that tiny percentile who is not intimidated by the man. I suppose having an attorney in the family doesnt hurt matters, but still, its the rare personality who chooses the high road over blind complacency. The latest is that hes received two solid job offers and has transferred his pension options to an external investment firm, so at this point hes not concerned about possible retaliation at exposing the scum. In fact, he fully expects corrupt response from the corrupt CEO and his crony mouthpiece. Knowing him, intimidation from high places will have the opposite effect it has on most, and will make him all the stauncher in his conviction. He has been advised to stay the course until hes good and ready to do otherwise, and to document all response from the lofty chambers of corruption. Thank the fates for that tiny percentage, John among them, who are willing to stand up for the rest of us!

I?ve absolutely no doubt nepotism and it?s related afflictions stem from the most base animal survival mechanism, so there will be no argument from me there. On the contrary, my resigned acceptance of this truism, that being man?s proclivity toward resisting his higher nature in favor of tribal impulse, is the very thing fueling my pursuit of this topic (among other things). Nations advance toward a state of progressive civility only at the expense of wanton, nepotistic instinct. And while my sister's in-law's quandary may skim the surface of this broad reaching subject, I believe focusing solely on his specific situation does disservice to the discovery that might ensue if the topic is allowed to continue without biased censorship. Not that I am accusing anyone to this end, but the unusual response does seem to be leaning in that direction. One post appears based on the assumption my sister?s brother-in-law (John) is somehow vying for promotion, when in fact he already holds a position in upper management. I apologize for not making that clear in the starter post. From what I gather his main concern is the current CEO has, on at least two occasions, excluded management in the hiring deliberation process, thereby setting himself up as a sort of dictator. Secondly, he?s been on the receiving end of the CEO?s wrath for daring to breach the topic in meetings. And last, he is witnessing the stifling effect on productivity this man?s draconian policies are having on the staff and fears the possible outcomes. John strikes me as a level headed guy who carefully weighs the pros and cons, yet is also willing to risk his own neck to accomplish what others are either to ignorant or fearful to attempt. A dangerous balancing act yet? Yes- but the fact he?s successful in life leads me to believe egocentricities are not a motivating factor, else he would have fallen by the wayside long ago. In this case, he appears moved by a desire to maintain some semblance of a healthy work environment for he and his staff and a hope to see justice done. While he certainly doesn?t need anyone?s advice, it doesn?t surprise me he?s soliciting opinions at this point. And besides, the Enlightened Misanthrope is always looking for good stuff to write about.

Notice From the Enlightened Misanthrope: The original title, "Nepotism in the Workplace....It Vexes Me Terribly," has been edited. While the title fell fully within Trap 17 ReadMe guidelines, the revised title adheres to the obscure "Keyword Relevancy" policy which remains un-posted (that I can tell) for member viewing. If anyone should happen upon it, please share it's finer details with all of us. At any rate, enjoy the post and it's curious response! Nepotism in the Workplace It Vexes Me.......Terribly! Have you ever been passed up for a job promotion only to lose out to someone who was less qualified? Imagine your ire at discovering your competitor happened to be a very close friend or relative of the boss. Then imagine your boss enabling your competitor?s bad behavior and poor work ethic, while you?re still expected to follow protocol and grovel before your feudal master. You?ve just become another casualty of nepotism in the workplace. Welcome to the slippery world of nepotistic hiring practice and blatant favoritism. Chances are, you were infinitely more qualified than your boss?s friend, but your boss was lacking in the brains and ethics department and chose favoritism over scruples and common sense. Frankly, I?m sick and tired of seeing qualified folks lose out to complete idiots. Are you with me yet? If not, let me just throw out a loose definition of the word: In a nutshell, nepotism is simply the act of hiring, promoting, or rewarding an individual with no regard to his actual qualifications. Of course, this implies the skills of persons who are actually qualified are not factored into the deliberation process. Usually, the management/supervisor/person-in-power makes a conscious decision to overlook the qualified candidate(s) because he already knows whom he wants for the position. This person may be a close friend, relative, or in some cases - someone who meets his personal ethnic, racial or gender preference. Outside of the small family business, all of the above practices are inappropriate, unethical and oft times grounds for workplace discrimination. In my book, using one?s position of power to benefit friends and family at the expense of the customer (or society) is nothing short of corrupt and contemptible behavior. I raise this topic after a conversation regarding my sister?s brother-in-law, who works in the accounting department of a tech company. Apparently, there have been some disturbing hiring trends at this company as of late, starting with the unexpected promotion of a con artist who just happens to be a close friend of the CEO. For the sake of this topic we?ll refer to this irritating individual as ?Windbag.? Windbag had no experience as a supervisor, but the CEO made the ill-fated decision to assign him this position based on their personal relationship. This, of course, led to a fair amount of discontent amongst management, who were not invited to sit on the hiring panel to help choose the best candidate. Nor did it go over well with other employees, who feared what effect the tiniest semblance of power would have on this frail, insecure charlatan. As could have been expected, this new, completely unqualified supervisor made a series of very bad choices, including sexually harassing female employees with his new found ?power,? lying about his credentials, and generally casting a very bad light on the company by creating a hostile, fearful environment. To add insult to injury, the CEO proceeded to reward Windbag?s bad behavior by promoting him to director of a satellite venture, rather than demote or otherwise penalize his behavior, as any ethical boss would have done in the same situation. I wonder if he dared consider what sort of precedent this would set for the rest of the staff? Talk about lowering the denominator on common decency. You?d think the CEO might have commenced ethical hiring protocol after this sour experience, but the insanity continued. Not long following this fiasco did another completely unqualified person magically appear on the scene as a supervisor ? once again bypassing management input. And for good reason! Had the CEO even whispered of his plans to promote this low-grade moron to accounting supervisor (we?ll refer to her as ?Despot?), management would have immediately protested at the mere mention of such a heinous plot. You see, Despot was not the sharpest tool in the shed. Dearth of accounting experience aside, her meager grasp of basic grammar was such her memos appeared written by a drunken sixth grader. Juvenile sensibilities coupled with narcissistic personality disorder did not endear this idiot to an otherwise bright (and weary) staff. Morons relish their petty power, and this moron proved to be no different when given a supervisory role. Fair and democratic process conveniently disregarded, the CEO promoted Despot to supervisor based on the fact she was a girlfriend of his best friend, the details of which are quite boring but perhaps the subject of another thread. This time the CEO attempted to keep his relationship to the new hire under wraps, but my sister's in-law deduced Despot had indeed been promoted based on her personal relationship to him after dissecting one of her one inane memos. Easily intimidated by those possessing more grey matter between the ears, it wasn?t long before Despot began lashing out at anyone who threatened her fragile, insecure ego. Her fascist, adolescent attempts to enforce tyrannical rules pulled out her backside won the instant disrespect of peers, and contempt of her staff. Poor language comprehension led to a series of embarrassing misunderstandings over the most basic terminology. But co-workers were soon to become aware of something even more disturbing: Despot had been shorting specific employee paychecks based on her personal dislike of these individuals. A peculiar brand of irrational indignation ensued upon her discovery, empowered further by a suddenly aloof CEO. In both of the above cases, the CEO was made painfully aware of all issues yet did nothing to reprimand either Windbag or Despot. On the contrary, he rewarded them with praise and promotion, chastised those who sought justice, and expected his management staff to abide by his faulty, corrupt sense of logic. And needless to say, the situation has done nothing but lower morale for my sister?s brother-in-law and co-workers. Personally, I don?t see how the company can survive if these unscrupulous practices continue. Nepotism is bad business, plain and simple. Having said that, I feel persons in positions of power should take heed of the following maxim: ?As above, so below.? Or, in more modern terms, if you set a poor example in your lofty chambers by exercising corrupt, tyrannical policies ? how can you possibly expect any better from the employees and constituents you expect service and loyalty from? My brother-in-law is asking the family for advice and I think it?s best that he start looking for work somewhere else. What do you think? Now that I?ve vented, it?s your turn to expound on similar situations you?ve experienced in the workplace, at school, or anywhere you?ve encountered nepotism/favoritism. How did it affect you, your peers, and your environment? Notice from BuffaloHELP: Do remove moderator's note tag. If you wish to please PM the moderator who left the note tag. *Curious*

Independence Day is hell on animals, especially dogs. This would be the one day of the year I would leave the precious pooch in the safety of your locked bathroom, because as you say, there's no way a dog will build up a tolerance to something that only happens once a year. Further, there are simply too many unknowns. She could get so spooked you lose control of her, with pooch ending up lost and at the mercy of the fates. Why put her through the torture and yourself through the potential loss of a beloved pet when you can take a very simple step to prevent it? The temptation to share this holiday with your pet must be tempered with common sense. I've been in your position before and believe me, it's better safe than sorry. The experts back up this sentiment. Visit the Humane Society for more on this timely issue.

Sounds like you've got your hands full with your Komondor! I've personally never seen one in action, but it must be quite the site. I ended up buying some broccoli starts due to plain laziness on my part. I should have started them around the same time I started the peppers but I kept procrastinating until it was too late, and the plants I bought from the nursery didn't work out at all. They ended up bolting early which makes them pretty useless now, unless someone out there knows a way to salvage bolted brocolli. Still, what meager parts of the plants I was able to harvest tasted heavenly sauteed in olive oil, garlic, and hot pepper flakes. I re-started some watermelon that died to due to me putting it out in the garden too early, but this second batch isn't looking very good either. They're in a new bed with crappy, clay soil that doesn't drain well with lots of rocks and pebbles thrown in for good measure, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Chili reno's, eh? Now you're talking! Don't forget the beer and tequila...

That's quite the lovely canine you've got there. I've always been a Pit Bull fan - I admit more for their looks than anything. They're just the right size, with short coats that don't need expensive grooming, and a strong, stout build. Once you get past their beautiful appearance, they reel you in with their warm, loyal personalities. It saddens me the entire breed has suffered a bad reputation at the hands of a few idiots who put the dog's best interest aside in favor of cruel (and illegal) activities. Left to it's own devices, the breed makes a wonderful family dog, as your situation obviously attests to. But people are easily hood winked by the media which has done nothing but perpetuate senseless fear of the Pit Bull - hence you're need to constantly explain yourself. I was once in a similar situation with a Rottweiler I owned for several years, bless her soul. She only had one eye, which didn't help folks get past their irrational fear of her. She was an excellent guard dog who kept an "eye" on the place, but overall was a great big clown that got along well with everyone. Other than foster dogs, I still haven't found a permanent replacement for her. I don't know where the rat attraction comes from, but my sister keeps them as pets too. I suppose they're ok if you can't keep a dog or cat for whatever reason, but they're personally not my cup of tea. She even goes so far as to cremate them as soon as they die, which happens after a few years, and no sooner are they cold than she goes out and purchases another one. Photographs of said rats are framed and hung on the walls, and urns of their created remains adorn her mantle. Perhaps she was a rat in a former life?

At last, a thread worthy of response from an admitted obsessive-compulsive Misanthrope! From day one, I have been obsessed with germs/bacteria/disease and the avoidance thereof, and this compulsion has only become more pronounced as emerging viruses converge on a public more concerned with Paris Hilton's jail term than personal hygiene. Not to mention the distressing fact that all manner of diseased individuals are being allowed entry, albeit illegally, into the United States. This as opposed to legal immigrants who undergo at least some degree of health screening, though still not satisfactory by pre-Bush standards. Thanks to these lax policies on illegals, we now have leper colonies in the United States. Americans need to know that diseases previously eradicated are making a comeback due directly to the HUGE influx of illegals from Mexico and other nations. In addition to leprosy, illegals come bearing gifts of TB (tuberculosis) and polio. Health officials believe America could be on the verge of a leprosy epidemic, so yes, I am quite obsessive regarding hygiene and avoiding population centers where these diseases are already endemic, like New York City. In my own backyard, I wash my hands frequently when out and about, and if possible, wear gloves in public places. That isn't so difficult in the winter, but in the heat of summer, I tend to garner funny looks pushing my shopping cart whilst donning gloves. Perhaps they wouldn't caste those sideways glances if they could only see the swarming teems of vile bacteria infesting their own shopping carts. One of the stores I shop at has started providing sanitizing toilettes to wipe off cart handles before usage, and they even dispense plastic gloves in their bulk food isle. But everyplace else, I wear gloves of some sort another. If by some cruel quirk of fate I forget my gloves, I just take every opportunity to wash my hands - even going so far as to return to the store after loading up my groceries in my car to wash them. Under no circumstances do I ever touch a public door handle with my bare hand. If I don't have gloves on I'll use part of my shirt to grasp the handle with, often wrenching myself into a queer looking position to do so. Yes, people stare at that too, but oh well. I'm not the one returning home with a newly acquired cold virus. I'm happy to say I haven't had one for several years due these obsessive tendencies. And I'm not going to let them inject me with the plague, either! Another little hygienic trick I've picked up heralds from the distant land of India, and involves cleaning out your nostrils after exposure to the public. It can be as simple as blowing the snot out of your nose or using a device called a "neti" pot. It amounts to snorting some salt water up your nose and blowing out viruses that may have lodged in your nasal passages while out fraternizing with the diseased populace. There are times, however, when nothing short of total fumigation (for the body) and exorcism (for the soul) can completely do the trick where this is concerned. Who is this infidel who dares discount the use of natural substances to care for the body? Lemon juice sounds like a superior (and cheaper) alternative to "strips," and I plan to give them a try as prescribed by the Master.

Infinite blessings for bestowing these precious gifts of knowledge upon your faithful minions, oh incarnation of Pure Evil. I especially like the keyboard shortcuts for scrolling up and down, and I mean to look into lowering RAM usage as well. I like Firefox, but it sure is a memory hog on this lame Dell of mine. Sadly, I am one of the unfortunate few not on broadband, so I can't take advantage of the boosted speed option. Oh, sad days of woe, misery and shame! Still, Firefox rules compared to the competition. All these excellent features makes one wonder why anyone would suffer with Windows Explorer if they didn't have to.

No problem! They have a catalog available too. Unfortunately, their stuff isn't cheap, but the cages do hold up over time. We've had ours for a couple years and keep it out in rain, snow, or shine and it's held up fine. One thing we add is a piece of plywood over the top to ensure the critter stays dry and/or shaded overnight, which is usually when they get trapped. Then we check it every morning, but it's easy to forget. We have to make a conscious effort else the critter end up stranded in the cage any longer than necessary. I have to admit that's a concept I'm real familiar with, other than the so-called "working" breed label attached to German Shepherds, Rotts and the like. But I know these breeds definitely need something to do or they go crazy. At least a walk with their owners. I was thinking "Kom" was the dog's name but apparently it's a breed I've never heard of. Where did that breed originate, and how do you train them to herd goats and all that good stuff? In our neck of the woods Australian Shepherds seem pretty popular for that sort of thing. I'm not real crazy about the heel nipping, though. I almost forgot: did you restart any peppers? Can't go through summer without any peppers!

"I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow-creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." - Stephen Grellet, 1773-1855 (French-born Quaker Minister)

As a matter of fact, I do have a link for Aces. Here it is: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ They have all manner of traps including large sizes for big dogs like Komondor. I wonder if it's possible at this point in her life to socialize her? So far my only experience with that sort of thing has been with cats, and the dogs I've fostered were domestic to start with. I'm pretty sure we have packs of wild dogs running around these hills, though. We saw one that looked like it was probably a wolf hybrid. Why people continue to breed the hybrids is beyond me, as they really have a hard time adapting to either domestic or wild habitat. I guess some people think it's macho to own a "wolf dog." Usually, the wolf is too much to handle and ends up being put down or if it's lucky, placed at one of the few hybrid sanctuaries around the country. True enough. I haven't seen a Californian or anyone located in prime growing regions chime in on the gardening threads so far. On the contrary, most are either located at higher altitudes or live on gravel pits. Must be our stubborn tenacity!

I know what you mean. It's all so overwhelming sometimes I wonder how anything gets accomplished. I don't think people have any idea how much work goes into maintaining a farm and homestead, not to mention the monetary expense. Knowing how much work one dog can be I can't even imagine how much energy the kennel must consume. But as you say, when they control the food supply, they control us. I'd like to putter away the time on more frivolous pursuits, but I know what's coming down the pike, and it ain't pretty. You're not paranoid - your awake! We ordered our trap from ACES, and it's got a movable panel that allows the vet to restrain the kitty on one end of the trap for sedation. Then kitty can be safely removed from the trap for altering. If you ever think you might be interested in doing this, be sure to find a vet who's willing to do the alterations at a discount and is flexible on receiving feral kitties. Alley Cat Allies is a great rescue group that can point folks wanting to get involved in the right direction. Yeah, but terracing is such a chore . Up here they want $65 an hour to do back hoe work. Then the further you dig down, the crappier the soil is. Not like our soil is great to begin with. Like yours, it's mostly rock, and we have lots of clay too so we have to bring in sand to so it actually drains. But here's the funny thing: I've noticed that people who have challenging climate/conditions usually produce the best gardens!

It's easier to sweet talk a skunk than a tomcat, that's for sure! Thankfully, the trap is small enough to simply pick up and take to the vet. We usually cover it with a blanket to keep the poor little things from stressing anymore than necessary. After being altered the vet will cut a small notch off the ear to identify it as a sterilized feral cat. This is really important. I once made the mistake of bringing in what I thought was an unaltered male to be spayed. This particular vet actually cut into the poor thing to perform the spay surgery before realizing that "she" was actually a he - and he had already been nuetered! Needless to say I felt horrible. At any rate, they've actually coined the phrase, "Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) to describe the whole process. Poor mama cat - they don't live long out in the wild. Hopefully another kitty will grace you with it's presence soon. Heck! Why didn't I think of that? I'll have to wear them next time I get invited to some tedious affair. Thankfully, that doesn't happen very often as I've pretty much limited my social interaction to family and unseen entities in cyber-space. Must be that whole misanthropic thing.... Are you going to get into doing an earth sheltered greenhouse? Sounds time intensive but the rewards would be great, I'm sure. I'd love to get into that some day. Actually, what I'd really like is some flat property to do some large scale gardening. Our little garden doesn't produce near what I'd like it to.

Whoever coined the term, "youth is wasted on the young" certainly knew a thing or two about human nature! Why, in my day, folks would take smart talkin' little whipper snappers and give 'em a good whip off old Betsy, then see what they prefer: Betsy or playing in dirt... Oh, never mind the rantings of crazy ol' Misanthrope. Fact is, I never much cared for gardening either when I was young and stupid. Back then, I was more interested in the man-made, artificial trappings of this world. But then something amazing happened: I grew up and realized that by taking part in the growing of things, I was participating in something much bigger than myself; something magic and beautiful. And I dare say....something holy.

Indeed! Why limit the topic of gardening to a mere three months a year? I've googled the subject in the past, and yes - most of the topics do seem to cater to a certain, uhmm...subculture. Guess they figure most people won't bother to go to all the trouble and expense unless the promise of a big, non taxed payoff awaits. They forget about those of us who would highly value a home grown, non-medicinal tasting tomato in the dead of winter. Yeah, they always propose something that on the surface sounds quite benign. Admittedly, we have a serious problem with pet overpopulation, but this law (if it becomes one) will not stop scum bags from allowing their pets to run loose and indiscriminately breed, or the assorted scum who breed for dog fights, research labs, etc. As usual, the law abiding citizen will be targeted; in this case, the legitimate breeder and responsible pet owner. Kinda reminds me of the lame gun laws they keep imposing on law abiding citizens, while criminals wreak havoc virtually unchecked. Rather than enforce laws/ordinances/statutes already on the books, they keep looking for ways to eliminate what few rights we have left. And you're dead on regarding the food supply. Thankfully, there's a movement to perpetuate heirloom seeds and all things "slow food." Ahhh, that old familiar smell.. Don't you just wish you could bottle up that wonderful stench and dish it up for "special" occasions? I've got a pair of pants that have taken on a new, and apparently permanent odor after an unfortunate meeting with a skunk. I admit it was my fault, as I had the little guy cornered after he took the bate for what was meant for a feral cat. We've got a stray cat problem here and I've got a serious soft spot for felines. People like to dump their kitties and they form colonies, so I trap them, get them fixed and release them. If they're young enough, they can be adopted out, but the older ones have to be put back in the environment they came from. Anyway, it's not uncommon for skunks to get caught in the trap, and usually they behave quite well when I use soft, dulcet tones on them. But last time I was in a hurry and the little guy let loose a little spray - not even directly on me, but it was enough to stink me up pretty good. He waddled off and I took off for the shower....a very, very long shower. I must have washed those pants a dozen times and the smell lingers to this day. I guess I've been pretty lucky with them so far, other than this one occasion. Yes, we see a lot of skunk road kill here too. Not sure why it's so hard to avoid hitting them. It's not like they just dart out in front of cars like deer. Some idiot hit a moose last winter. The idiot lived, but poor mama moose died. I was kind of hoping it would have turned out the other way around.

Heck yeah I caught it! Excellent analogy, by the way. Our country has literally been sold out from under us, and the public concerns itself with Paris Hilton and the like. Meanwhile, Bush and his corporate puppeteers push for "amnesty" for millions of illegal aliens. Yes, Kookifornia seems to be the testing ground for all things draconian and anti-American, I've noticed. Last place in the country (short of Florida) I'd ever live. I imagine it's just a matter of time before that state bans gardening as well. Monsanto (the seed Nazis) might not want the public propagating any "dangerous," non-hybrid seed that they can't control. They only have our best interest at heart, ya understand. Interesting. I wonder what causes it, though? In Sheepdog's case, all the seed was affected even though she took all the standard precautions. I've thought about getting into hydroponics to support a more self sufficient lifestyle. In a time or war or disaster, food shipments to grocery stores could cease for days, weeks, or months on end. On the other hand (this is my lazy side talking), I kind of like the respite winter provides from summer's gardening toil. More time for sitting on my butt, reading, writing and drinking Tequila. I'd sure be interesting in hearing more about hydroponics, though. At least no weed pulling is involved!