The song is called "Everyday" by Carly Comando.

http://www.myspace.com/carlycomando

I have to agree with Rossindetroit: Intent is irrelevant. If I discharge a dangerous weapon in a public space with no intent of killing or injuring someone but do so anyways, I'm in trouble. And stupid.

Besides, if he really wanted to scare it, what's wrong with running up to it, waving your arms and yelling? Much less lethal.

Next week: Watch as TSA officials rip out stitches from a recent surgery patient. "We had to confirm that they didn't have a bottle of water stashed where her appendix used to be," officials said. "Her screaming was very upsetting to our agents, and we feel she is clearly in the wrong."

This is completely reasonable. If we don't stop hugging, what's next? You know what's next: Dirty, dirty, unprotected ear sex. Only a Communist would advocate for such behavior.

Here's my grumpy old man contribution to the discussion: Everybody should be required to take their driving tests on manual transmissions. If you can't count to 5 while driving, then you're too stupid to drive.

(I think manuals are here to stay for a while anyway, though, in sports cars if nothing else. Still better gas mileage, too. They're also easier to get deals on, since fewer people know how to drive them.)

Johnny Teapot, thanks for the posts. It may seem like missing the point, but I find myself fascinated by the logistics of this. I think someone already asked, but I'll repeat it: Did they spend evenings there, and if so, did they have to be particularly stealthy to use the restrooms and such while the mall was closed?

I'm probably going to get flamed righteously for this, but I'm going to step in and defend (some of the) book publishers.

I've worked for several textbook publishers, most of them not-for-profit organizations and university presses, and the picture of wild makrups run amok that BCrowell prsents in #13 just isn't accurate. Does it cost $50 to buy the raw materials and put a book on press? Sure, that's pretty accurate. But it's like arguing that a car should only cost $75 because that's all that the raw materials cost. Books and cars aren't put together by magic--a lot of work goes into them. Just one example: A hard science book can have 100s or 1000s of illustrations--the publishers have to pay somebody to create those from what the authors submit. Even scanning in the author's hand drawn art would cost a ton of money.

The other thing to remember is that a large number of the books that these publishers put out are for tiny print runs and a very small market. The senior-level circuit design class needs textbooks, but it's tough to make any money off of just a small market, and it's your big books (intro chem, calculus, what have you) that pick up the slack and allow the publishers to even print their smaller list titles. Does it suck that they cost so much, and at least part of the burden is shifted from one book buyer to another? Yes, it certainly does. But the idea that most textbook publishers are sitting around, lighting their Cuban cigars with $100 bills is just ridiculous. I should know, because they certainly paid me and my fellow coworkers and editors squat. (We do it because we love books, not money.)