But, they beat the Wahoos every now and then

This post about the litigation between the University of Louisville and Duke over the cancellation of some football games raises some questions on the issue of what college football teams are of "similar stature" to the generally lousy Blue Devils.

And, the answer viewed one way is, Duke's no good so all are of "similar stature" or better, or viewed another way, Duke's no good and so few are of "similar stature" or worse.

Rick Sincere reports again from Monticello

Here is this year's report from Rick Sincere on the W.D. Va.'s naturalization ceremony at Monticello, attended today by President Bush.

Good one, gang

As Jerry Fuhrman points out here, it would appear that whoever wrote (or edited) the editorial on July 4th in the Bristol paper cannot subtract 1776 from 2008. My computer says the difference is 232.

The editorial begins: "At the ripe old age of 222 years, our great country remains more united than divided. That’s a pretty amazing feat – given the high-decible shouting in this election year."

The Boston Herald did the same thing, as it says here: "Even those for whom citizenship is not an immediate option, come here each year for the economic opportunities provided by this nation where for 222 years “all men” have been declared “created equal” and “endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”"

Perhaps some truths are less self-evident than others.

No incorporation of Second Amendment in Fourth Circuit?

"It is well settled law in this circuit that the Second Amendment does not apply to the States. Edwards v. City of Goldsboro, 178 F.3d 231, 252 (4th Cir. 1999). Because the Second Amendment does not apply to the States, neither a state law nor a local ordinance can run afoul of any right guaranteed by the Second Amendment."

Judge Morgan of the E.D. Va., in Szymecki v. City of Norfolk, Docket No. 2:08cv142, Opinion and Order of June 27, 2008.

A while back, Timothy Sandefur had this post on incorporation, one of several. The concept always makes me think of Abe Fortas played by Jose Ferrer arguing the right to counsel before the Supreme Court in the movie version of Gideon's Trumpet.

He said it

Rich Lowry, on Justice Kennedy:

"[T]he Supreme Court is divided between four liberals, four conservatives and one self-important man who can't differentiate between his inner compass and the nation's fundamental law."

Chief Judge Jones dismisses several counts in Dr. Shelburne case

In U.S. v. Shelburne, Chief Judge Jones of the W.D. Va. struck several of the counts of which Dr. Shelburne was convicted earlier at trial, in a case related to "a scheme to defraud Medicaid by submitting bills for services that were not performed, were paid for by others, or were not medically necessary."

Part of the opinion involves the application of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding what are the "proceeds" of illegal activity for purposes of money laundering, in United States v. Santos.

The Church where I was married

When I got married at the Holy Trinity Church in Georgetown, the Jesuit priest (who is no longer a priest) suggested privately that he would not be too strict about who took Communion.

The same church is where the funeral mass for Tim Russert was held. The Post reporter Sally Quinn has drawn fire for taking communion there on that occasion.

Before our wedding I told one of my relatives, who was concerned about alcoholic beverages, that not only were the Southern Baptists not required to drink wine at a wedding mass, but they weren't allowed to have any.

More pro se litigants?

The Norfolk paper has this article on the perceived rise in the number of litigants representing themselves.

On the voters of Appalachia

Here is a pointless piece from Newsweek, a guy named Steve who grew up in Western Virginia and later was a student at the College of William & Mary. (If you can imagine such a person.) Is some of it missing, or is it sort of a parody? I wonder.

It says in part, "In a close election come November, the difference between President McCain and President Obama could come down to me and my people: a bunch of ornery, racist, coal-minin', banjo-pickin', Scots-Irish hillbillies clinging to our guns and religion on the side of some Godforsaken, moonshine-soaked ridge in West Virginia."