On the ground, Citizen, and don't give me any crap about the law.

Jeff  Soyer at Alphecca.com has the word on repeal of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in the city of Philadelphia. The process was quite efficient. It did not require the untidy business of lawyers, courts, legislatures, or even rational thought. All it took was a few senior cops deciding to make it difficult to impossible for a  citizen to carry arms openly. Never mind that open carry is legal  those parts.

Philadelphia cops pointed a gun at the citizen's chest, ordered him to his knees, and held him for 45 minutes before reluctantly letting him go on the trivial grounds that he had committed no crime. But in part because they found a small recorder when they searched him, they decided to cite him for disorderly conduct and reckless endangerment, and he's scheduled to go to trial on that charge this summer. None dare call it harassment.

The root of this incident was a set of cops who hadn't the faintest notion about what the law actually said. It isn't  the first time police have decided to enforce what they think the law should be. 

Barry O'Bama and Paddy Flynn walk into this bar...

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Well blow me down

On this date in 1819 the  side-wheel Savannah tested her engines at sea and a week later set out to become the first steamer to cross the Atlantic. She made it, and in 1933 Congress took a break from making the Great Depression worse and declared May 22 National Maritime Day.

So honor the nation's Shellbacks by thinking a nautical thought or two today. Thank ee kindly, Mate.

Daniels Geronimos -- Iowa Caucuses 2012

Scratch Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. He claims he's out of the GOP nomination  run.  Wants to spend more time with his family, donchaknow.

The GOP smoke-filled rooms liked his Washington experience and on-the-surface economic conservatism, and he would have been one of the better-financed and  promoted candidates.  His bailout suggests he thinks the odds of winning the nomination and then beating HIs Obamaness are too slim to justify his bother.

Also gone from the list is South Dakota Senator John Thune. He said a couple of months ago he wouldn't run, but he used enough weasel words I didn't believe him. He's been quiet and absent from the early caucus skirmishes since then, however, so maybe he meant it.

Your  indispensable guide to the presidential caucuses is down to 14 actives and semi-actives and has been updated.

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