You may have supposed it was impossible for communications; especially emergency response systems, to stop merging into mighty conglomerates. The craze started after 911, when all of a sudden conventional wisdom was ignored, and folks were told one could best fight terrorists by putting all eggs in one basket. Well, the Blowing Rock Town Council voted against merging its 911 response system with Watauga County’s. Advocates for the merger are undaunted, supposing it won’t be long before Blowing Rock is financially squeezed into it.