Pennsylvania mini-market robbery: "Gunfire rang out during a Friday night robbery at the Mangat Mini Market on West Orange Street, but nobody was struck or injured, according to city police and the store's manager. The manager, David Mangat, and a fleeing robber fired a shot each with their handguns after the robber grabbed some cash. Mangat, 23, of Lancaster, said he was behind the counter of the market at 629 W. Orange St. when a man wearing a long dark coat entered the store at about 11:45 p.m. "He reached under his coat and came out with a handgun. Then he told me to put the money in the bag," said Mangat. "I started talking to him. I wanted to create a diversion so I could get to my gun," said Mangat. "I asked him if he wanted more money. He said 'yes,"' That gave Mangat the chance to reach into the area where he kept his weapon. The manager came up holding his own handgun instead of more bills. When the robber saw the gun, he turned and started running toward the door. But before leaving the store, he turned and fired one round that struck a wall inside the store, Mangat and police said. Mangat said he fired one shot at the robber, but missed... The robber was not found. Police were told he was a black male with a medium build who wore a long black coat. This morning, police were trying to see if surveillance cameras in the area caught the robber or any part of the holdup on film."


Texas: Home intruder shot, killed: "A homeowner shot and killed a man as he forced his way into a home in Copperas Cove on Friday afternoon, police said. Police were called to 2204 Boland St. after shots were fired inside the home. They discovered a man who had been shot several times in the upper torso, Copperas Cove police said in a statement. Through the investigation, police learned the man was an intruder who had “entered the residence unlawfully and apparently used physical force against the homeowner,” police said. The intruder was taken to Darnall Army Hospital where he died from his injuries. The man’s identity was not released pending notification of family, police said."


What's it gonna take?: "A police officer once informed me loftily that civilization has to be maintained by authoritarian managers because individuals in general are selfishly uninterested in doing the hard work of maintaining it themselves. Unsurprisingly, after I pointed out that when individuals become interested in maintaining civilization -- by voting down bond issues, treating teachers and administrators like the hired hands they are, or carrying self-defense weapons that demonstrably make society safer -- they're either told, not so very politely, to go away, or they get arrested, he didn't have a whole lot to say, because he knew that it's true."