How much can you carry?

Authorities in Florida said they arrested a man accused of shoplifting $820.20 worth of groceries, including meat, beer, champagne and 12 rolls of toilet paper.

Police in Tennessee said workers at a funeral home called 911 when they discovered two men sleeping in caskets in a storage area. Investigators said the workers discovered the men sleeping at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and the suspects fled through a window when they learned officers were on the way. Police said the men were arrested on charges of burglary and vandalism over $1,000.

The funeral home said the men caused more than $9,000 in damage to the casket.

Gold prices plunged 5.6 percent Wednesday as investors grew more confident about the global economy. Gold dropped $104 to finish at $1,757.30 an ounce. It was the steepest percentage drop since March 2008. Gold is still up 24 percent for the year.

Investors have been buying gold because of concerns about economic weakness in the United States and Europe as well as a stretch of severe volatility in financial markets that began in early August.

The improvement in economic news, combined with higher stock prices this week, eased investors' jitters. In the past two days investors have sold gold following its recent run-up.

I think it was all of seven or eight days ago when I wrote "I should have bought gold." The economic news is terrible they said. The economic news is improved they now say. I really don't feel bad about my lack of understanding economics. Does anyone? anywhere?

Further proof that prices have gone up. Just a few years ago a good thief could count on stealing, at best, three or four hundred dollars worth of goods from the local grocery store. Today it's over eight hundred.

I wonder how much a casket costs if sleeping in it causes nine thousand dollars of damage?

Nothing new and exciting going on today. I was reading about all the ribbing and ridicule us "west coasters" heaped on the east coast people. One comment I read said a 5.8 quake was just stirring our coffee. I remember the '89 earthquake very well and would not want to go though that again. It's another reminder of how poorly we are prepared for an emergency.

Maybe that's why the guy took all that toilet paper? "Hey Mr. Fredrickson, do I dig the hole before or after?"