Check out Annie Oakley -- the real one, not the one in the musical comedy. She was five feet tall and began shooting to supply food and money to her family. Born in 1860 she died in 1926. The time between was and is part of "the American Way."

Here's my "American Way" so far today:

Awakened too early at 0544, picked up and turned on my cell phone, did a finger stick for blood sugar, ate breakfast, went downstairs to my office and checked my email, the weather, the news, and MC. Came back up, gathered the trash and put it out for collection. Got my clothes ready, took a shower, brushed my teeth, shaved, dressed, and drove to work; on the way my wife called from Back East In Philadelphia. Called a guy about the external design for the bookmobile we'll be getting soon, then had a meeting with three of staff and asked them to design the design.

So far today I haven't raped, burned or pillaged even though I'm a veteran; I haven't had any shoot-outs in the streets and high noon is reserved for lunch (IF I'm out of the dentist's office by then); apart from stepping on an ant when I took out the trash I haven't rampaged through the environment any more than I do any other day.

Home, work, maybe church you believe in that sort of thing, a bit of shopping, perhaps some television....

And the paper said this morning that the Court has put a temporary stay on the temporary stay which put the 114 people out of work, saying that it would cause "unnecessary economic hardship at this time."

I've never figured out "the American Way" and I've been in 47 states during my 64 years. I guess it's whatever you want it to be.