Hook

If the federal government really wants to help American citizens get affordable health care, why not regulate the pharmaceutical companies so that people can get the medicine they need without taking out a second mortgage? Oh, yeah -- I forgot -- that would involve lowering the income of multi-billion dollar corporations. Silly me!! Tony Seitz, Glen Burnie

Vice President Joe Biden, speaking Tuesday at an event in Baltimore, said he was unsure whether there is enough support in the Senate for what would be the biggest change to federal gun laws in decades. "We may not get it this week, but we will prevail," Biden said of the bill, which senators will vote on Wednesday. Sixty votes are needed to pass the measure. Police closed city streets and increased security at nearby Penn Station in anticipation of Biden's arrival at an event to preview the University of Baltimore's new law center.

On January 1, 2004, HELEN (nee Lanocha) beloved wife of the late Jabez E. Hook; devoted mother of Jabez M. Hook of Somervill, NJ and Frances E. Avallone of Forest Hill, MD; dear mother-in -law of Carol Hook and Richard Avallone; loving grandmother of Laura and Luis Mercado, Natalie and Joshua White and Amy Avallone; loving great-grandmother of Daniel Jabez Mercado; dear sister of William Lanocha, Anna Colley and Irene Hunter. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends are invited to call at the Schimunek Funeral Home of Bel Air, Inc., 610 W. MacPhail Rd, (at Rt 24)

Last summer, Anna Estremsky competed in the first-ever Youth Angler of the Year contest hosted by the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association. In the association's seasonal magazine, Tidelines, Anna was pictured with a 37-pound rockfish and the caption "Way to go, Anna!" Her parents, Gary and Sherry, left an open copy of the magazine on a coffee table in their Edgewater home. Anna liked the picture, and she liked the fish, but she felt bad because the magazine also listed the contest's standings, and she was in last place.

On April 28, 2005, FRANKLIN "Frank" O. HOOK, beloved husband of Mary Louise Hook, devoted father of William Hook and Patricia Keller, cherished grandfather of Brian Hook, Amy Porach, Krista Hook, Alan Keller, and Lisa Hoffer, dear great-grandfather of William "Billy" Hook and C.J. Little, caring brother of Edwin and Leona. Friends may call at the family owned Evans Chapel of Memories - Parkville 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. Sunday. A Funeral Service will be held 10 A.M. Monday. Interment Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

On February 24, 2003, RICHARD WATTS HOOK, JR. beloved husband of Catherine "Lucille" (nee George) Hook; devoted father of Michael C. Hook and Nancy L. H. Parks; dear brother of Marilyn Williams and Bruce Hook. Also survived by four grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Services and Interment will be private. Memorial donations may be made in Richard's name to the American Cancer Society, 8219 Town Center Dr. Baltimore, MD 21236.

Suddenly on June 16, 2007, LOUIS W. HOOK, SR., age 77, retired Navy medic in Korea, beloved husband of Nancy (nee Scharmann) Hook, father of Louis W. Hook, Jr. and his wife Teresa and Michael A. Hook and his wife Theresa; grandfather of William and Allen Hook; brother of Gertrude Klos and Helen Beale; also survived by other nieces and nephews. Visiting at Lassahn Funeral Home, Inc., 7401 Belair Road (Overlea) on Friday 7-9 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, July 6, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.

On July 5, 2003, TERESA ANN PATTON HOOK, beloved wife of Steve Hook, devoted daughter of Charlotte A. Patton and the late Richard C. Patton, sister of Mike, Rick and Jay Patton, aunt of Ricky Patton and Sarah Tilotta. Funeral Services will be private. Arrangements by E.F. Lassahn Funeral Home, P.A., 410-592-6100.

On June 20, 2003, C. EDWARD W. HOOK; loving husband of the late Charlotte C. Hook; devoted father of Carole Gore, Jeanne Townsend and Beth Strott. The family will receive friends in the LEMMON FUNERAL HOME OF DULANEY VALLEY, INC., 10 W. Padonia Road (at York Road), Timonium-Cockeysville, on Tuesday, June 24, from 5 to 7 P.M., at which time a memorial service will begin. Interment private.

On February 24, 2005, THOMAS S. HOOK, beloved father of the late Evan Shipley and Thomas Shepherd Hook III; he is also survived by his good friend Patience Fritz and her family. A Memorial Service will be celebrated in the University Baptist Church, 3501 N. Charles St., Baltimore, on Saturday, March 5 at 1 P.M. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be directed in Mr. Hook's name, to Washington & Lee University, Development Office-Memorial Gift, Lexington, VA 24405.

Given the lack of interest in Congress in protecting children from guns, it was nice to hear a grown-up in Washington speak on behalf of kids, any kids - in this case, the nearly 40,000 kids who live with same-sex parents in California. "They want their parents to have full recognition and full status," Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said during Tuesday's hearing on Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that banned gay marriage in California. "The voice of those children is important in this case, don't you think?"

From Washington to Annapolis to Hartford, Conn., wherever new gun restrictions are being debated, it's important to remember Sandy Hook. That's not a plea to the emotions. That's a plea to human decency and common sense - a reminder of the personal pledges we made to do something about the dangerously easy availability of assault weapons in a society that claims to be civilized. On that Friday in December, the nation howled, "Enough," and after years of doing nothing, elected officials are trying to do something to turn back the violence that rages due to the mixture of guns, criminality and madness.

No network midseason show has generated more buzz than "The Following," which premieres Monday night on Fox. There are three reasons for that: First, Kevin Bacon is the star, and he's better than most network television actors. Here he plays an angry, burned-out ex-F.B.I. agent with a drinking problem who is called out of retirement when a serial killer escapes from prison. Second, because the serial killer worships Edgar Allan Poe, the series is drenched in all things Poe. Baltimore, being filled with Poe Lovers, is a prime target for the Fox publicity campaign.

When Sandy Hook Elementary students resumed classes today in a repurposed school in a neighboring town, craft snowflakes from around the globe greeted them, adorning hallways, staircases and classrooms . The Connecticut PTSA wrote on its website that people sent enough snowflake greetings to "blanket the community of Newtown" and pointed well-wishers to other means of showing support. The creators of Sykesville-based children's games site Kneebouncers , who each grew up within about a half hour of Newtown, are offering their own way with an interactive website where users can create and view virtual snowflakes with personalized messages.

Remember all the big, high-sounding media talk right after the massacre at Sandy Hook about how maybe now we will have a "national dialogue" about guns? Remember how many members of the media vowed to put aside their own little, selfish, partisan agendas and get serious about making this a safer and saner country for our children? Well, here we are 12 days out, and what's that big media conversation on guns about? Whether or not "Meet the Press" host David Gregory broke a law by waving an empty ammunition clip on the air Sunday during an interview with the NRA's Wayne LaPierre and how many people have signed petitions to deport CNN talkshow host Piers Morgan for verbally insulting any gun advocate foolish enough to come on his joke of an interview show.

What a perverse country we live in. We spend $2 billion on an election where people in this country actually think we are better off with a huge percentage of our population not having health care. Mental health issues are swept under the rug and underfunded and people who make over a million dollars a year in income assert they cannot afford to pay higher taxes. We argue whether or not gay marriage is acceptable and people spend millions still arguing where our president was born - not to mention the plethora of social and religious issues that rip our nation apart and waste our collective time and energy while therealissues that cripple our great country are never discussed due to a fear that campaign donors' checkbooks will close.

On February 7, 2007, DENNIS H. HOOK of Pasadena, loving son of Evelyn A. (nee Markley) and Clarence H. Hook; dear brother of Kenneth J. Allen and Sharon Schwoerer. Also survived by an uncle and many aunts. Friends may call at the family owned Kirkley-Ruddick Funeral Home, P.A., 421 Crain Highway, S.E., Glen Burnie, MD, on Friday from 3-5 and 7-9 P.M. Services will be held Saturday at 11:00 A.M. Interment will be at Glen Haven Memorial Park.

What an ignorant, dishonest and pathetic response to Sandy Hook today from the National Rifle Association. As a media critic, I will limit myself to the disingenuous attack on the media from Wayne LaPierre, chief executive of the organization. Of course, it's a shameless attempt to avoid accepting any responsibility by his organization. But in the interest of a sane discussion about media violence -- rather than the demagogued, crazy-right-wing-paranoid speechifying of LaPierre -- some social science research, facts and context need to be presented.

As the nation continues this week to deal with the grief and heartache left behind by the murder of 26 children and adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School last Friday, let there also be a moment set aside for exultation. Let a banner be raised for the heroes of Newtown, Conn.: the educators who sprang into action to protect the young students in their charge. We don't know how many lives were saved by the alert and brave actions of the faculty and staff at Sandy Hook, but we suspect they were many.