A little Independence Day quiz: 1) Name the country from whom the United States declared independence 234 years ago; 2) Name the original thirteen states represented by the stars of this flag; and 3) Name the person who designed this flag. (No fair googling or binging.)

If you got all three, congratulations! You are smarter than the average American.

P.S. Please celebrate responsibly. Try not to fondle too many soldiers.
 

Supreme Court limits local gun bans

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that the Constitution’s “right to keep and bear arms” applies nationwide as a restraint on the ability of the federal, state and local governments to substantially limit its reach.

By a 5-4 vote split along familiar ideological lines, the nation’s highest court extended its landmark 2008 ruling that individual Americans have a constitutional right to own guns to all the cities and states for the first time.

In doing so, the justices signaled that less severe restrictions could survive legal challenges. The ruling involved a 28-year-old handgun ban in the Chicago area.

The ruling was a victory for four Chicago-area residents, two gun rights groups and the politically powerful National Rifle Association.

It was a defeat for Chicago, which defended its ban as a reasonable exercise of local power to protect public safety. The law and a similar handgun ban in suburban Oak Park, Ill., were the nation’s most restrictive gun control measures.

Monday’s decision did not explicitly strike down the Chicago area laws, ordering a federal appeals court to reconsider its ruling. It left little doubt, however, that they would fall eventually.

Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the court, said the Second Amendment right “applies equally to the federal government and the states.”

It is interesting that federal law trumps state law when it comes to gun ownership, but the reverse is true when it comes to such a fundamental right as getting married.
 

Rush Limbaugh Weds for 4th Time, and Elton John Sings

Talk about an odd couple: conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh and outspoken gay-marriage advocate Elton John.

But, according to a News Corporation (which owns Fox News) wire report, the Rocket Man, 63, serenaded the 400 guests Saturday night to celebrate the marriage of Limbaugh, 59, to Kathryn Rogers, 33, in the Ponce de Leon ballroom of Florida’s fabled Breakers hotel in Palm Beach. Sir Elton’s fee: $1 million, the report notes.

So the going price for a person’s soul these days is a million bucks. Good to know.

The article linked to and quoted from above goes on to list some of the other guests present:

…former Bush adviser Karl Rove; actor-politician Fred Thompson; former Kansas City Royals slugger George Brett; Fox News commentator Sean Hannity; former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft; former Clinton adviser James Carville and his wife, GOP analyst Mary Matalin; and golfer Tom Watson. A wedding guest also tells PEOPLE that among the others was Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas? Really? I’m actually surprised that Roberts, Scalia and Alito were not also on the guest list.
 

Do something nice for Earth today… like try to get your plastic water bottle actually inside the trash bin when you throw it away.

Thanks.

If the call is really that important, pull over to the side of the road. Please.
 

Best ad:

(How it came together.)

P.S. Two hours before the game, President Obama sat down for a pre-game interview with Katie Couric…

I liked the shirt.
 

Hello everybody. Tonight, as Americans across the country gather with family and friends, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.

This is always a hopeful time, as we celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another. And while 2009 was difficult for many Americans, we must also look back on this year with the knowledge that brighter days are ahead of us – that although our challenges are great, each of us has the courage and determination to rise up and meet them.

It is that spirit that has kept the American Dream alive for generations, and it is that spirit that will keep it alive for generations to come. Happy New Year, everybody.

Audio only:

Here’s wishing you a happy and prosperous new decade. May it be all you want it to be and may all your wishes come true. (Unless you’re one of those hateful extremist conservative Republican types, because I really, really, really do not want to live in your world. Sorry.)

P.S. Please don’t be drinking and driving. It’s really your business if you want to splatter yourself all over the road, but me and mine will be out and about tonight. We’d really rather you not splatter us. Thanks.
 

(Click to enlarge.)
 

I had the pleasure of watching The CBS Evening News this evening. Their lead story was about a pampered billionaire who threw a tantrum at oh-two-thirty in the morning and ran his 2009 Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant and a tree in his neighbor’s yard. Their second story was about four police officers who were gunned down execution-style as they sat in a coffee shop on a Sunday morning preparing to begin their shifts.

It is good to see that we have our priorities in order, isn’t it?