Scott Wilmot: Thanks Dave, you bring to heart the meaning of this day.

Your story brings to mind these great words from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address:

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

God Bless you and all who have served our country in the Armed Forces.

Happy Memorial Day from Jakarta! · _{11 minutes ago}

HeartofAmerica

Dave,  sorry...my first comment regarding Atchison/Weston was directed at Flownover, who lives relatively close to me.

But the BBQ comment was directed to you. If you find yourself heading back this way, there are a few Ricochetti in the general area and we'd love to meet up if you pass through here again. · _{39 minutes ago}

HeartofAmerica

...

We were up close to your neck of the woods this morning decorating graves in Weston and Atchison. My husband's great-great-grandfather was in the Union army so we always visit his resting place in Weston.

I think Flownover and I could have found some time to spare and some BBQ to share with you Dave....next time give us a heads up! · _{42 minutes ago}

10 cents: Dave, if you are like me you find people fascinating. Excluding Larry Koler and myself the people on Ricochet are all a cut above.

One question how could Larry snag such a lovely wife? Was it me are was there a halo around her to have this much love? · _{11 minutes ago}

OkieSailor: Dave, I can't imagine that you'd worry about the meetups being illegal but remember what Twain said about bad habits, "It's important to have a few bad habits. Whenever you go to a doctor he always tells you to give something up. If you don't have anything to give up, you can't get well."

May you never have to give this one up and may you always be well. I enjoy all your posts immensely. · _{45 minutes ago}

10 cents: RushBabe49,

...

It was awful nice to take in that wrinkled shirted homeless trucker. He looks like he could use the good meal. I wonder why his wife said, "Hit the road, Jack."? · _{2 minutes ago}

Tom Meyer

I'm loath to defend the president, but I think he's entirely right.

If we time-traveled back ... and told our past selves that under the next president's watch, the United States would suffer three large-scale attacks:

"Well, in one incident, a lone soldier shot nine of his comrades dead and wounded another 32.  In another, our ambassador to a country we invaded was assassinated, along with two of his security staff.  In the third and worst, two brothers killed three and wounded 280 with a pair of bombs, and then murdered a police officer before one was killed and the other was captured."

"Those sound horrible," I bet they'd say, "But we thought you said these were major attacks." 

Stephen Hall

I would like to propose a higher accolade. You are a modern day Edmund Burke. · _{24 minutes ago}

Edited 24 minutes ago

Illiniguy: Randy Barnett wrote in an article in the Tennessee Law Review that (in the context of advocating the repeal of the 16th and 17th Amendments):

...

[T]the courts allow Congress to exercise unchecked power over the national economy and everything that may affect it, limited only by the express guarantees of the Bill of Rights.... The original scheme of islands of federal powers in a sea of liberty has been transformed into a regime of islands of rights in a vast sea of national power."

Federalist 84 argued against a Bill of Rights, saying that:

"They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and, on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted... [I]t is evident that it would furnish, to men disposed to usurp, a plausible pretense for claiming that power."

Our liberty hangs on a slender thread. · _{14 minutes ago}