pnotto, granted, a horrible way to die, so unexpected, while fighting for life from another disease, but there is so much in life we have no control over. Today I found out that a good friends wife, both of whom I have known forever, passed away, from a form of leukemia, AML; sixteen days from healthy and diagnosis, to death, including 7 days of 24hr/day chemo; no time to prepare yourself and family, no time to get your affairs in order, no time for anything but shock. She didn't even get to join her husband in retirement. I was saddened beyond words. I guess it's true that we should live our lives as if each day is our last.

Raymond, my first permit amendment took one week, my second five weeks, and of course we all know why. I'm sure that the wait now is much longer, so I may wait a bit before my next purchase. The ladies at the Schenectady County Clerks office that I have dealt with are the best; when I called for an appointment, they returned my call posthaste, and explained the circumstances of the delay. When I showed up a tad early for my appointments, there was never a problem, I was ushered right in. They are personable, courteous, and deserve our respect for doing a job that has recently become considerably more difficult. Kudos to them!

Alan, You are right on the mark; it's too bad that people won't wake up and see what BO's 'rule' is doing to us, just the same with the Prince and his suck-ups here in NY. There as too many of our supposed 'representatives' that think that their s..t doesn't stink! The time is coming.

Silver's actions aren't as bad as Lopez's? Well, I guess that an apology squares everything! Silver's been suckling at the tit of the taxpayers for way too long, with his self-important sense of power and entitlement. He's a legend in his own mind! We hold our elected officials to a higher standard, and instead we get no standard. It's always about me, me, me. The Legislature policing itself? Please!! As for the Prince, maybe he can shush everybody like he's trying to do with the Sheriff's and their public criticism of the UNSAFE Act.

Damn, he could have killed two more people! Yikes! What absolute crap!

Bruce, Well put, but I don't think society will realize that anytime soon, at least not in what remains of my lifetime. Government has always been about controlling our lives, telling us what's good for us, and what isn't, what we can do, and what we can't, because it, of course, knows all these things, because it is so much smarter than the common man, which is us. Those in power do not have us in mind, they only have their own agendas; they are in politics for the power, entitlements and perks, and whatever they can get for themselves; a huge pension when they retire, no healthcare costs, etc. Our elected 'representatives' have been sucking at the tit of the American taxpayer for way too long. But I digress.
Take a look at Wounded Knee, the governments first attempt at gun confiscation; how'd that work out for the Native Americans? It can't happen again? Right.
Or take a look at the recent vote on the UN Small Arms Treaty, when 46 of our Senators voted to give away our 2nd Amendment rights.
Political expediency reigns, and to hell with common sense. Will we ever wake up?

After reading so many of these letters re: the firearms issue, it's obvious that we all have our own opinions, as I do. I believe that it is our God-given right to protect our families, our property, ourselves. NO ONE, not any individual, not any group, not any political party, not any government, has the right to limit, curtail, circumvent, or otherwise abolish our inherent rights and personal freedoms. If you believe, like the 46 Senators (including both NY Senators) who voted to give away our rights on the UN Small Arms Treaty, that this is not true, then woe is you. But this is only my opinion.

The genuine article; an exceptional person and performer; one of the many, many great stories that arose from Woodstock (and there was only one Woodstock!); RIP Richie, you have your 'Freedom' now!

Oh, boy, an on-time budget! I suppose our legislators want a pat on the back for actually spending time in Albany doing their jobs; must be time for a recess!

wmarincic, we're with you all the way! Hitler, Castro, Stalin, Lenin; they say it can't happen here, in the good old US of A! Wake up and smell the coffee, it already is, and we sit idly by, content in our belief that our elected 'representatives' will do the right thing. If people believe that, we are in bad shape.