For some reason, I’m “defending” ol’ Caitlen’s indefensible act. The surrounding, if not quite “mitigating” factors: (a) the stabbing occurred as the space-snagger tussled with Caitlen’s boyfriend, who was driving the car Caitlen was in — and eventually the girl was punched, too; (b) the space-snagger was apparently known to Caitlen and her boyfriend — not just a random stranger; (c) much can be learned of the stabbing victim by consulting his record in the Sex Offenders List posted by the Greene County Sheriff’s office; (d) one thing learned from the Sheriff’s website is that the victim weighed at least twice as much as the girl; (e) icepicks are carried to clean the sort of mini-pipes Caitlen and her boyfriend are fond of displaying on their MySpace pages.

The greatest moral of this holiday news bite may be that eighteen-year-old potheads should choose their acquaintances — and their hillbilly grudges — carefully.

My sympathy to you regarding the TJ Maxx incident.