Packin’ Iron
Admin’s upset about something, not sure what. “No surprise that the New York Times is against the Supreme Court’s Second Amendment decision this week. But how can they say it ‘disregarded the plain words of the Second Amendment’?”
“Do we really have to do this?” says Spence.
“Let’s take a look at that amendment.”
“Good grief.”
“Which says: ‘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.’ What’s the first thing any copyeditor would do?”
“Start getting rid of commas.”
“Exactly. But evidently the founders didn’t have a good copyeditor. If they had, it would look like this:
‘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.’ The meaning is plain, all right, but exactly the opposite of what the Times wants. ‘A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State’ is a subordinate clause expressing cause. In other words, because a well regulated Militia is necessary yada yada. The main clause says ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.’ It doesn’t say the militias have the right to keep and bear. It’s the people. You can’t have the tail of a subordinate clause wagging the dog of the main clause.”
I opened my eyes. Tails wagging dogs? Admin hasn’t been himself lately. Poor guy. Maybe working too hard. I gave myelf a nice big stretch, the kind where my paws quiver at the end. Ah! Does it get any better than this?
Tags: second amendment, stretching
This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 9:17 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
4:29 am on June 30th, 2010
Uh oh!… I think we need an English teacher to unpack Packin’ Iron for us this morning…. snort!… Ohhhh Stover!
Crap!…Still no quiz results… grump! … I need some coffee!…growl!
4:33 am on June 30th, 2010
What about those pesky commas? Yes, we have an English teacher right here. How handy is that.
4:34 am on June 30th, 2010
Oh no, another 24 hours of anguish, waiting, waiting. We are not good at this. We thought for sure the winner would be announced this morning. Could the winner be announced during the day, by chance, or is this just a once a day thing? Maybe Chet will give us a hint. Maybe since they are making us wait so long they will award more than 1 prize. How about business cards for all of us faithful fans?
4:39 am on June 30th, 2010
MagPie!… We already have business cards!… snort!… I’ve got my eye on the big prize!… gruff!… This is sheer torment by golly …. grump!
4:58 am on June 30th, 2010
You have a business card, but we do not! We saw yours with the pic of Mother Bogar. Showoff!
4:59 am on June 30th, 2010
Anyone else having problems with the web site this morning?
5:14 am on June 30th, 2010
This is really a fun post!!
My first problem is that I don't know what NYTimes piece Admin is referring to. It sounds like an editorial. I thought that the Supreme Court decision was that the Second Amendment applies not only to Federal law, but to state and local gun control laws as well.
Possibly Admin's problem (and perhaps the NYTimes has the same problem) is not with commas but with word meaning. When the Second Amendment was written "militia" referred to citizens not to the vast military complex that we have today. Thus, the subordinate clause and main clause in effect say the same thing: The people have the right to bear arms so that they can form a militia to protect the security of the free state.
Does this explanation make sense?
5:16 am on June 30th, 2010
The more everyone complains about not have quiz results, the longer it will take to get them back. One of the perversities of the quiz giver is that (s)he likes to watch the quiz takers squirm.
Barb&Maggie: Yes, I am having trouble with the web today.
5:17 am on June 30th, 2010
MagPie!… Yes, I am having trouble with this website today… snort!…It keeps losing the connection…grunt!…You guys must have started visiting here after Chet offered to send business cards to anyone who wanted them…sneeze!
5:27 am on June 30th, 2010
We kept clicking on submit, then losing the connection. Glad the same post didn't show up 3 times. Do you think Chet would send us a card if we groveled at his feet and whined a little? (That would be Maggie's job).
5:37 am on June 30th, 2010
MagPie!… If I were you, I would email him – the same email as you sent your quiz answers to….snort!…Beg him for some cards and be sure to give him your mailing address!…grunt!
5:45 am on June 30th, 2010
Mom put Chet and Bernie's business card on the desk in our kitchen. When my aunt came over she saw it and said, "Oh my dear, what do you need a private detective for?"
5:57 am on June 30th, 2010
There actually was a very good mystery novel written just a couple of years back about this very subject (the meaning of the Second Amendment as possibly illuminated by a lost, annotated draft of the Constitution). The book is called The Lost Constitution by William Martin. In addition to being a pretty good mystery, albeit a bit convoluted at times, it also provides considerable insight into the socio-economic history of New England from Revolutionary times to the early 20th Century and a decent philosophic discourse on the Constitutional issues underlying the Second Amendment debate. It is kind of long (about 500 pages) and at times is almost two novels in one — the first set in contemporary times and the second set back in history — but definitely worth the effort. Wookie the book critic
6:19 am on June 30th, 2010
Quiz!… I’m not saying another word about the quiz…grunt!… Not ever. Never! Someone would have to torture me to get me to say anything more about it. …wheeze!…And that’s final.
6:23 am on June 30th, 2010
Guns!… We don’t have a gun in our home… snort!… We do have a big heavy Cricket bat by the bed though…grunt!…What good that would do is beyond me if someone decided to break in and murder us in our sleep… grump!
6:31 am on June 30th, 2010
I spent the last 15 minutes looking up 1770's punctuation. Whew. My eyes are crossed! Not knowing the names of all them (snicker) clauses, and reading some dude's diary from the 1770's, this is what I have come up with.
Commas are weird in the 1770's. Use them for what ever you want or don't use them. . .
Now getting back to our 2nd Amendment issue . .
Having just read a mess of 1770's comma uses and finding this statement in the Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), "SEC. 13. That a well-regulated militia, or composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power."
So here's what it says in our 2nd Amendment:
‘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.’
So MY opinion is . .
"A well regulated Militia , made up of the people and trained for defense, is necessary to the security of a free State. Because of this, those in the militia have the right to keep and bear Arms."
But that's just me. I also feel that people should be allowed to hunt and put food on their tables, but to me, you don't hunt with handguns or automatic machine guns.
I also think that some bullets should be outlawed.
6:38 am on June 30th, 2010
What if they gave a war and nobody came.
6:39 am on June 30th, 2010
And stop worrying about commas. The only really bad comma usage is if you have two sentences "spliced" by a comma, meaning instead of using a period you have used a comma.
6:48 am on June 30th, 2010
Huh, after telling me that the server won't work, there I am. Hope it doesn't do all the times I tried to put that sucker up.
6:56 am on June 30th, 2010
IT Guy!…Mike Baker needs to fix something!…snort!…Oh, and he needs to get our Avatars working too!…snort!…Now I will hit submit and will be disconnected to this website ….grump!…Then I will have to re-open the browser to get back here…grrrr!
7:31 am on June 30th, 2010
What if we're having this digital wackiness because the avatar part of the software is being put into use.
7:45 am on June 30th, 2010
Molly!… You must be an extreme optimist…heh!
8:36 am on June 30th, 2010
From admin: is there some technical trouble happening today? If so, please describe it, somebody, and we'll inform Mike B.
8:52 am on June 30th, 2010
Admin!… When I hit the “Submit Comment” button, the comment is posted, but then the website seems to disconnect from the server…snort!…Do you need to see the error page?
8:53 am on June 30th, 2010
Admin!… Here is the error message I get right after I submit a comment…snort!
Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage
Most likely causes:
You are not connected to the Internet.
The website is encountering problems.
There might be a typing error in the address.
What you can try:
Check your Internet connection. Try visiting another website to make sure you are connected.
Retype the address.
Go back to the previous page.
More information
9:04 am on June 30th, 2010
Facinating subject to bring up on the blog today, and we love the title, Packin' Iron. We have guns…5 out of 6 houses on our street have guns. My folks and neighbors go out to the shooting range to practice sometimes. I can't go because "it would hurt my ears". Mom's 357, her favorite, goes everywhere in the truck with us. That is legal in this state.
This is still the Wild Wild West, I guess.
9:08 am on June 30th, 2010
I had the same exact thing happen that Rio describes above.
9:15 am on June 30th, 2010
Rio, the Rockies are playing an afternoon game today.
9:21 am on June 30th, 2010
OMG!… Thank you for reminding me!…WOOOO!… do you know what time it starts?…snort!
9:24 am on June 30th, 2010
1:35 our time
9:45 am on June 30th, 2010
I think everyone who is posting is having the same problemo.
9:59 am on June 30th, 2010
I had the same problem too when I posted earlier. On anything like this, my mom says to blame it on Bill Gates. Wookie
10:14 am on June 30th, 2010
Slower!… It sort of takes the fun out of the Rapid-Fire posting technique I like to use….snicker!
10:30 am on June 30th, 2010
Ah Ha…Stover made using commas simple. Her explanation, I can probably remember.
10:44 am on June 30th, 2010
On Facebook Spence said that we may have the quiz winner announced "possibly tomorrow."
10:50 am on June 30th, 2010
Possible, not probable.
Crapola! Darn Twins beat the Tigers again. Take-backs on that "sucking hind teat" remark yesterday.
Rio: Tigers and Twins will be playing another 3 day series in one week then we don't play again until August 31.
10:57 am on June 30th, 2010
Dawson, Can you explain that "sucking hind teat" phrase to us, since you brought it up. That is supposed to be bad, right? But with dogs at least, the back ones always are the fullest, so they would be the best. What are we missing?
11:09 am on June 30th, 2010
Barb and Maggie: Oh. Sucking hind teat is supposed to be a disadvantageous position presumably because the front teats have more milk. The person who coined this phrase must have not owned lactating dogs. Like me. I'm sucking front teat as far as my teams baseball standings against Staff's. She is sucking hind teat, darn it.
12:15 pm on June 30th, 2010
Grump!….This afternoon game is NOT going the way I want it to… doggonit!
12:20 pm on June 30th, 2010
Double grump
12:28 pm on June 30th, 2010
We will try our luck at posting a picture and see if it goes. This is Lily and Peaches. Lily is Barb's granddaughter who likes to visit the farm. I love, love, love Lily, and Peaches isn't too bad for a chicken.
[img ]http://www.chetthedog.com/wp-content/uploads/1277933296-Lily and Peaches (Small).jpg[/img]
12:41 pm on June 30th, 2010
Barb and Maggie: Lily is very lovable looking and looks like she loves Peaches so Maggie, leave Peaches alone. I'd like to eat some of the eggs she lays.
To those who care: Triple grump.
12:43 pm on June 30th, 2010
Magpie, that's not one of the chickens you chase is it?
Okay B. Stover, I understand how you feel about the dreaded "Pop Quiz."
Heh, heh,
Story about a not "Pop Quiz." As a teacher I wrote an weekly list on the things we were going to do on the board with dates.
One day, the kids wanted a YSAS story. He was just two then and since he was ADHD, I had a lot of stories I could tell. So after the first one, they wanted a second, then a third and so on.
I was having a blast! But 30 minutes in to the hour class, the kids just had to tell me that they had succeeded in keeping me from teaching for 30 minutes.
I just pointed to the board. On that day's entry was "Review for test."
They never did that again.
1:03 pm on June 30th, 2010
That was a good one Melanie!
1:14 pm on June 30th, 2010
Dawson and Melanie, You can't tell from the picture, because Peaches is all fluffed up, but she only weighs about 1 1/2 lbs. Sort of snack size, if you get my drift. Considering the "hind teat" I would be sucking if I touched 1 feather on little Princess Peaches, the answer is no I don't chase her. MagPie, Chicken Herder Extraordinare, AKA Bunny Buster
1:14 pm on June 30th, 2010
Back!! I just had a very long walk with Megan! After the long walk, I accidentally got out of my harness again, but man did I run! Megan had to chase me, crying bloody murder, after that long talk! 2 guys came out and helped her, so I got caught. And I'm also in trouble now. But, whatever.
I just love walks with Megan.
And at some times, I have also experienced technical difficulties with this site, too! Sometimes, after I post a comment, it says YOUR COMMENT IS WAITING MODERATION for the whole damn day! I'm like GRR and GRRR!!!
Tailwags and licks. Lexi-a punished pup.
1:16 pm on June 30th, 2010
Now, after every comment I make, it brings me to this page that says CANNOT DISPLAY PAGE and I have to go and type in the URL again to see if my comment even made it onto the blog. Are my comments even making it onto the blog? Do you guys see them?
Tailwags and licks. Lexi-a confused and still punished pup.
1:18 pm on June 30th, 2010
What is your punishment Lexi?
1:31 pm on June 30th, 2010
Lexi, your harness is too big. I know because I've done that too. I even chewed through my harness once while we were waiting in a store. But now they got me a harness that's like a little jacket. It can't be chewed and I can't get out. They think I look real cute in it too. Tell Megan about this – it's for your safety.
2:12 pm on June 30th, 2010
Both the blog's princesses need strait-jackets?
2:15 pm on June 30th, 2010
When Patsy was little (er), a young disabled woman wanted to see one of the Pack up close. So I put Patsy on a leash and we went out so Patsy could meet her and get petted. After awhile we just stood there and talked. I was so proud of Patsy, no lunging to get away even when a dog went by: she was a perfect angel.
The young lady left and Patsy and I turned to go back in. That's when I discovered that while waiting Patsy had eaten completely through the leash.
She's almost eight now. We have three of her pups that live with us; Franklin, Katie and Grace.
2:16 pm on June 30th, 2010
Lexi, the same thing is happening to me. One time this afternoon, it didn't.
2:16 pm on June 30th, 2010
Siber-H, ha ha laff laff. You are too funny. But on the other hand, it is like a strait jacket. Maybe it's little Princessy dogs like Lexi and me that can get out of harnesses.
I do prefer to chew my way out.
2:19 pm on June 30th, 2010
MagPie! Don't show any more adorable chicken pictures! Now Mom wants one.
2:34 pm on June 30th, 2010
Sam, I know some huskies that could really use a strait-jacket. The young ones that have had absolutely no leash training. The word, focus, is not in their vocabulary.
Me too, I want a chicken.
3:00 pm on June 30th, 2010
Mollypop, If you want, I could send you some of her eggs to hatch out. Mom probably won't let me send you Peaches.
3:11 pm on June 30th, 2010
Riö, a group picture of the play YSAS's going to be in.
YSAS is upper left on the fence!
I'm still looking for a close up.
[img ]http://www.chetthedog.com/wp-content/uploads/1277943108-LLL_1.jpg[/img]
3:27 pm on June 30th, 2010
Neat picture Melanie. For some reason it reminds me of old photos of West Side Story.
3:38 pm on June 30th, 2010
Hey Barb & Magpie! Well, he has to sing, but he doesn't have to dance!
3:54 pm on June 30th, 2010
MagPie! Thanks but no thanks. No eggs, except to eat. Mom does NOT need to have a chicken. It's tough living here. She sees the Newf puppies and wants one. She sees Peaches and now she wants a chicken. This has got to stop!
5:47 pm on June 30th, 2010
SiberH. Didn't realize that you wanted a chicken too. Will make you the same offer as made to Molly-P. Can offer fertile eggs, but Mom won't part with Peaches. Mom would be in big trouble with Lily.
Is Rio MIA?
5:59 pm on June 30th, 2010
Thanks Maggie…the truth is that mom wouldn't let me have a chicken. What I want and what I get sometimes are two different things.
Rio probably went to visit family this evening. There is no baseball game tonight so he timed this visit perfectly. I hope he is having a good visit to make up for the massacre of the Rockies this afternoon.
6:39 pm on June 30th, 2010
Goodnight all. Going to bed. Have to make a trip to Wisconsin tomorrow, so hitting the sack early.