[Lee'sGhost]

Admittedly. I grew up in Small Town, USA .... but no way in hell would I let my kids wander freely these days, even there.

I really do not understand.

[the invisib1e hand]

the fact that you are posting on this thread proves that neighborhoods work, even in the big bad city. This horrendous event is nearly unheard of, even in the big, bad city.

On the other hand, I raised my kids in semi-suburban/semi-rural florida and I wouldn't let them out of my sight for one moment.

I wouldn't do it here, either, because that's the way I am.

But the point was that this place is made up of neighborhoods. The only place where it's really not is where it's infested with college students and interns -- the sort of people who come here to be bad boys and girls for two years on dad's dole, puke all over the sidewalks every Friday and Saturday night, and then move on.