A lot of real-estate types seem focused on getting me into a
gated community.  Two old friends of mine are hunkered with
their wives in New Jersey cocoons complete with gatehouses and
those railroad-crossing-style gates at the entrances.  Ah, the
appearance of safe harbor sells, especially to older and
presumably more vulnerable folks.  I'm of a certain age where a
gated community would make some sense, if I believed they were
safe havens. I do not, unless the property is entirely
surrounded by a very high chain-link fence topped with
concertina wire and has roving police patrols, and even then the
alleged security can be breached.  Given the terror events in
Boston, finding a place to hide in this post-9/11 world is
pretty much impossible. Hiding way down the rabbit hole is
hardly a way to live, but is taking your shoes off at the
airport, either?  There is no safe place, but some places are
safer than others, at least if you'd rather exit this world by
being smacked in the forehead by the left-rear hoof of