Still wondering what I want to be when I grow up.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

US citizen? Go. Read. Remember.

Worth Protecting.

The conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added.

The Bill of Rights:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment VII

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Originally published at Jen's Corner. You can comment here or there.

It is important to remember that Roe v. Wade did not mean that abortions could be performed. They have always been done, dating from ancient Greek days.

What Roe said was that ending a pregnancy could be carried out by medical personnel, in a medically accepted setting, thus conferring on women, finally, the full rights of first-class citizens — and freeing their doctors to treat them as such.

( Article under the cut )

Originally published at Jen's Corner. You can comment here or there.

I made this graphic, just for fun. I don't know why. :D

Originally published at Jen's Corner. You can comment here or there.

Messing with my 'blog again. Upgraded to WP 2.5. Changing themes. Trying to make the photos look right. Trying to make it so that I don't hate it. Need to get new header images. Need to figure out the difference between "categories" and "tags". Need to finish importing all my LJ crap. Need to figure out if I'm staying with GoDaddy for hosting. Need to write more often. It'd be good for me, and all that "Twittering" stuff is appalling. Need to start using del.icio.us links again. Need to go to bed.

Originally published at Jen's Corner. You can comment here or there.

Wow.

I just finished the most amazing book - Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell. I found this book when I asked a guy at BookPeople for a dystopia, and I can't recommend it enough.

It's a nested set of matryoshka dolls in front of a mirror; six separate stories woven together from the 1850s to a post-apocalyptic future and back again. Each could stand on its own, yet when taken together are glorious.

Here's some thoughts I had while reading it:

About 10 pages in: Hmm. This doesn't seem much like a dystopia. Oh well, it's ok so far.

About 40 pages: WTF?

Another 40 pages: WTF???

Later: Wow, this is good! Hey! Wait! I needed more about that guy, you can't just leave it hanging...

Still later: Holycrap this is good, but if all these threads don't wrap up some how I'm gonna be pissed!

End: Wow. What a rush.

Can't really say much about the stories, because really, you just have to see for yourself. Anything I could say would be a spoiler, so I won't go there. This is one trip worth taking.

Originally published at Jen's Corner. You can comment here or there.

I got to school on Monday and found out that my History teacher died over spring break. She'd had some upper respiratory crud going on the week prior, and apparently it turned into pneumonia and it killed her.

The disturbing part, besides someone I know however superficially dying without warning, is that she was just 42.

For those of you keeping score, I'm 41. I also, if I get sick, tend to get a horrendous cough that hangs on for weeks.

So yeah, it's a little disconcerting.

Originally published at Jen's Corner. You can comment here or there.

Neat!

I discovered this place through hillarygayle, and decided to snag an invite code. Thanks larian! I remember when the Other LJ had invite codes. :D

Anyway, simple, clean layout, low user numbers, servers not in the states... Hmm. Maybe this'll be The Place. We'll see.

So. My bio pretty much sums it up, but let's see what else I could say. I'm going back to school at the moment (community college), theoretically for an Associates in History. If that goes well, I'll consider transferring to University of Texas for my bachelor's degree. At the rate I'm going, however, it'll probably take me almost 6 years to get the associates. ;) Ah well - I'm enjoying myself.

I love taking pictures! You can find my stuff over at flickr - some of it's even good. Some, not so much. :D In addition to the history degree path, I'm also thinking of picking up a "Photographic Artist certificate" - whatever that means. For me, it just means some photography and photoshopish classes.

I post sporadically, usually about stuff going on (duh), some pictures (most under a cut - I hate when a picture stretches my flist sideways), blathering about my cats, and occasional political ranting. You know, the usual. :)

Hello LostJournal!