There was grand battle in my living room this past Friday that rolled over into Saturday morning. It was EPIC - in every sense of the word. I had such fun watching and listening to it all.
At play, running throughout my entire main floor, were a 7-year old girl and an 8-year old boy (one borrowed from a friend, the other from next door). They are new friends and fast friends. Two very smart young minds with energy and rapidly switching priorities that somehow manage to keep up with each other.
I listened and watched raptly as they choreographed and narrated the battle on the fly. Pantser, the both of them. I can imagine great D&D games in their future. It would not surprise me one bit if one, or both of them, become writers in the future. This is the most imaginative play I have seen since my siblings and I were kids.
My nephews didn't play like this, they're more rough and tumble, sports-oriented boys. Although when they weren't playing they could be found glued to some electronic device like so many of today's younger generations.
My Little Ponies were at the core of this epic battle, along with Equestrianas (I sure hope I got that straight), there were hidden relationships - "Rarity, I am your Mother!", "Pinkie, I adopted you after having Rarity" worthy of Star Wars and Shakespeare's tragedies.
At risk were the ponies lives and homeland, requiring some of the ponies to travel thru time, going back through the Roman Empire, glancing in on a gladiator fight, back to Ancient Eygpt, were a special magically amulet would bring an assassinated pony back to life (only to find out the resurrected pony's arch enemy was none other than it's birth mother). Lives were lost, resurrected and lost again. Unicorns were sacrificed to save ponies, and many wardrobe changes for the Equestiranas were needed.
During a lull in the battle, a game of Disney Trivia was started up and during another lull Battleship was broken out (the manual kind, not electronic). Rules were modified to make them "speed' games, which was just as fun to watch as the entire battle.
I'm looking forward to the next epic battle they chose to start up. What will they think up next?
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Mad Hatter Haunted Tea Party
A friend of mine posted this question on Facebook today:
So what would a Haunted Tea Party, thrown by the Mad Hatter, for his daughter look like?
First, my version of the Mad Hatter looks very much like Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. The large eyes, crazed with the agony the Red Queen put him through. His hair is more a silvery grey though, his over-sized top hat a battered crushed velvet in deep purple. The velvet is worn in places and he has a piece of tattered, yellowed lace as a hat band. His coat used to be a bright Kelly green, but it has faded with time, the elbows are worn through, the collar and hemmed edges are raveling a bit. His pants are also tattered, black, a bit too short, and shiny with wear. His shoes are over-sized wing tips, one is black, the other brown. His nails are bitten down and there is dirt until the very short nails. He has a threaded needle holding a dead rose boutonniere on his lapel. His grin is rather schizophrenic, with crooked yellow teeth. But he is happy, after all his daughter is alive!
Next, there's the white rabbit. His fur has dirty spots, one of his ears hangs down while the other is straight up through his top hat. The hat is a glossy black, while his vest is a deep forest green with black embroidery used to depict a scary forest scene of dead trees with reaching, leafless limbs. His pocket watch is tucked safely in a small pocket on the vest, the watch fob is a tarnished gold that attaches to his paw. His eyes occasionally go in different directions as he laughs in a psychotic fashion.
The door mouse is simply adorable, with the plain brown fur of a field mouse. His hat is a teapot lid, his only clothing a black lacy tutu. He holds the teeniest tea cup I've ever seen in his paw. It's chipped on one side, covered in an intricate, yet tiny depiction of lilacs. The saucer is a mismatch, bright red with cobwebs hanging from one side.
Tea is set on a large, uneven, wooden table. Large black spiders are at the corner of every table leg (there are six), most are working on their webs or winding up their prey. The largest is sitting in the middle of her web watching the going-ons. Treats are scattered about on plate stands holding anywhere from three to eight plates. Tiny sandwiches are scattered across those plates, some showing definite signs of mold, some with ants and cockroaches crawling over them, others draped in cobwebs.
Additional treats include cupcakes topped with crunchy crickets and spiders, candies in bright primary colors are scattered across the table top, all guarded by an army of somewhat friendly scorpions. A variety of teapots, many being held to the table by yet more cobwebs, are all filled with varieties of tea. Some have tea bag tags hanging out the side, others have metal chains showing from the diffusers hidden inside them.
I am fascinated with the teapots. Each has it's own pattern. A yellow one has depictions of the Red Queen playing croquet with a flamingo, beheading a peasant, and petting the Jabberwocky. A beautiful silver one has airy pictures of the White Queen working on various potions and healing an injured citizen. A blood red teapot has dancing skeletons across the entire body of the pot. An ivory colored teapot shows pictures of a little girl, her chest pierced by a sword, blood dripping down her white lace dress. On the opposite side is the same girl, sword in hand, piercing the Jabberwocky's chest with a triumphant smile on her face. Tea cups are scattered about, none with matching saucers, all showing signs of wear and damage, most are covered in flowers, one is covered in spiders.
Trees ring the entire scene, their leaves are either gone or shades of red and orange. The sky is a gloomy grey, bits of grass stick up between the leaves on the ground. A light breeze makes the air feel more chilly than it is. A few of the trees have bits of fabric blowing from their branches, as if they were banners announcing some big event.
A sweet, heart shaped faced, young girl sits at the head of the table. The adorable door mouse is to her left, the White Rabbit to her right. The Mad Hatter is at the other end of the table, smiling broadly as he sings an unrecognizable song. She smiles and the scene is less gloomy. Sun seems to peek through the clouds. Her dress is a bright red lace overlay, a black shift underneath. The blood red sash at her waist is tied in large bow on her back.
Her honey colored locks lift lightly in the breeze. She has a very pale face, tinged with grey and with large inset deep green eyes. She has smudges of dirt on her cheeks, her hands are clean, but her fingernails are still dirty as if she just dug herself out of the grave. Scuffed Mary Janes are on her feet, her anklets are mismatched, one black with black lacing edging the top, the other a dirty white with red lace on top. She swings her legs casually underneath her too-tall chair as she hums along with her daddy's uneven song, clearly enjoying herself.
In the clearing Alice appears, Cheshire cat in tow. They wave hello to the odd conflagration at the table. Smoke from the catepillar's hookah pipe swirls up among the tree branches. Just another Halloween in Wonderland.
If the Mad Hatter was throwing a Haunted Tea Party for his daughter what would it look like?An image immediately popped into my head and I knew there was no way I could describe it in the mere space of a Facebook comment. If I had my aunt's artistic talents I would have immediately drawn it up, but alas, I don't have those skills.
So what would a Haunted Tea Party, thrown by the Mad Hatter, for his daughter look like?
First, my version of the Mad Hatter looks very much like Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. The large eyes, crazed with the agony the Red Queen put him through. His hair is more a silvery grey though, his over-sized top hat a battered crushed velvet in deep purple. The velvet is worn in places and he has a piece of tattered, yellowed lace as a hat band. His coat used to be a bright Kelly green, but it has faded with time, the elbows are worn through, the collar and hemmed edges are raveling a bit. His pants are also tattered, black, a bit too short, and shiny with wear. His shoes are over-sized wing tips, one is black, the other brown. His nails are bitten down and there is dirt until the very short nails. He has a threaded needle holding a dead rose boutonniere on his lapel. His grin is rather schizophrenic, with crooked yellow teeth. But he is happy, after all his daughter is alive!
Next, there's the white rabbit. His fur has dirty spots, one of his ears hangs down while the other is straight up through his top hat. The hat is a glossy black, while his vest is a deep forest green with black embroidery used to depict a scary forest scene of dead trees with reaching, leafless limbs. His pocket watch is tucked safely in a small pocket on the vest, the watch fob is a tarnished gold that attaches to his paw. His eyes occasionally go in different directions as he laughs in a psychotic fashion.
The door mouse is simply adorable, with the plain brown fur of a field mouse. His hat is a teapot lid, his only clothing a black lacy tutu. He holds the teeniest tea cup I've ever seen in his paw. It's chipped on one side, covered in an intricate, yet tiny depiction of lilacs. The saucer is a mismatch, bright red with cobwebs hanging from one side.
Tea is set on a large, uneven, wooden table. Large black spiders are at the corner of every table leg (there are six), most are working on their webs or winding up their prey. The largest is sitting in the middle of her web watching the going-ons. Treats are scattered about on plate stands holding anywhere from three to eight plates. Tiny sandwiches are scattered across those plates, some showing definite signs of mold, some with ants and cockroaches crawling over them, others draped in cobwebs.
Additional treats include cupcakes topped with crunchy crickets and spiders, candies in bright primary colors are scattered across the table top, all guarded by an army of somewhat friendly scorpions. A variety of teapots, many being held to the table by yet more cobwebs, are all filled with varieties of tea. Some have tea bag tags hanging out the side, others have metal chains showing from the diffusers hidden inside them.
I am fascinated with the teapots. Each has it's own pattern. A yellow one has depictions of the Red Queen playing croquet with a flamingo, beheading a peasant, and petting the Jabberwocky. A beautiful silver one has airy pictures of the White Queen working on various potions and healing an injured citizen. A blood red teapot has dancing skeletons across the entire body of the pot. An ivory colored teapot shows pictures of a little girl, her chest pierced by a sword, blood dripping down her white lace dress. On the opposite side is the same girl, sword in hand, piercing the Jabberwocky's chest with a triumphant smile on her face. Tea cups are scattered about, none with matching saucers, all showing signs of wear and damage, most are covered in flowers, one is covered in spiders.
Trees ring the entire scene, their leaves are either gone or shades of red and orange. The sky is a gloomy grey, bits of grass stick up between the leaves on the ground. A light breeze makes the air feel more chilly than it is. A few of the trees have bits of fabric blowing from their branches, as if they were banners announcing some big event.
A sweet, heart shaped faced, young girl sits at the head of the table. The adorable door mouse is to her left, the White Rabbit to her right. The Mad Hatter is at the other end of the table, smiling broadly as he sings an unrecognizable song. She smiles and the scene is less gloomy. Sun seems to peek through the clouds. Her dress is a bright red lace overlay, a black shift underneath. The blood red sash at her waist is tied in large bow on her back.
Her honey colored locks lift lightly in the breeze. She has a very pale face, tinged with grey and with large inset deep green eyes. She has smudges of dirt on her cheeks, her hands are clean, but her fingernails are still dirty as if she just dug herself out of the grave. Scuffed Mary Janes are on her feet, her anklets are mismatched, one black with black lacing edging the top, the other a dirty white with red lace on top. She swings her legs casually underneath her too-tall chair as she hums along with her daddy's uneven song, clearly enjoying herself.
In the clearing Alice appears, Cheshire cat in tow. They wave hello to the odd conflagration at the table. Smoke from the catepillar's hookah pipe swirls up among the tree branches. Just another Halloween in Wonderland.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
The Drop heard around the World
I am admittedly not an Apple
Fangirl/Fanboi/Fanatic. Decades ago I applauded Apple for daring to challenge
IBM in the realm of personal computing, that has changed since Apple has stayed
with a proprietary hardware platform.
That said, I still had to
laughingly groan with the unlucky soul in Perth, Australia, who - in his
eagerness to show off his "score" - dropped his just acquired iPhone
while trying to show it off to the media. He hadn't even taken the plastic off
the face of it yet. A worldwide groan went up from the Apple fan base over that
one.
Still...it's a PHONE. It's not a
God, demi-God, shapeshifter, or answer to all your prayers. I will never
understand waiting in line for days to get a phone that will be outdated in a
year or less (actually, it's already outdated, Samsung, HTC and LG beat Apple
to the size boost, chip speed, and display quality at least 2 years ago).
There isn't any technology, game,
or other item that will convince me to give up my comfy bed to stand in a line
to obtain it. I prefer to think I'm "too sane" to do that, but
really, it's because I work in tech all day and don't want to deal with it when
I'm home. Unless I'm writing, or killing alien creatures on alien worlds with
really cool alien weaponry.
Now, if the next iPhone comes with
a cool shapeshifting feature where it can become a cup of coffee, a handgun, a
baseball bat, or a studly baseball team sans shirts then maybe, just maybe I'll
get one. In the meantime, I'll get the least expensive smart phone that I can
find and ignore the fan-person zealotry.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Found It!
For some time I've been testing out handguns and borrowing a idea from Laurell K. Hamilton (of Anita Blake fame) and carrying a few different handguns around to see how they feel and fit in my hand. All of this has been done for several of the characters in the Jess Barker Mystery series I'm trying to finish up and get out there.
I started with the idea that Jess would need to carry something for her own protection, but learned that due to regulations in Texas she most likely would be denied a license. She ends up with something else to protect herself with, but I don't want to spoil the fun. Cora (aka Molly - I'm still vacillating on changing her name) and Maggie will both end up carrying a gun, but in different books. I'm still not sure what model is right for each of them.
Then there's Matt. Matt, is a friend of Jess's and has a large presence in all of the books I have mapped out so far. Matt is a large guy and can hold his own in a fight. He's also the most likely to carry on a regular basis given his job. But, I hadn't been actively searching out his gun. Until last night.
What was special about last night? Well, my favorite shooting range and training center was having a big sale. I was checking out several guns, one of which is a great carry option for the girls, but too small for Matt. There was a Stage Coach rifle that I really wanted to get my hands on for myself. It's nice, but I need more training on long guns before I decide to spend that much money. Plus, I haven't received an invite to go hunting with anyone this year, so I don't really need it. Even if it is really pretty.
As usual I was drawn to the Smith & Wesson and Ruger cases. They fit my hands the best and Jess and Maggie have assured me that if a gun fits my hand, it will fit for them. Nothing really grabbed my eye in the Ruger case but I saw a large .45 in the S&W case that caught my attention. Way too large for my hands, but a nice size for a big guy.
And then I saw it.
A twinkle at the corner of my caught my attention. I swear the gun really did "twinkle" at me. The second I saw it I had to hold it. It felt right in my hand and I knew right then and there that this was going to be Matt's concealed gun. He'll get the big gun too for work, but this little gem will be stuffed in one of his boots on a regular basis.
Want to see it? Here's a picture I lifted from the Smith & Wesson page:
I really, really like it's weight and how it felt in my hand...as it if simply belonged there. It's really well balanced and small enough to not be annoying in a holster; it also fits easily in a purse. That's something I don't hear people talking about a lot when it comes to concealed carry. What it's really like to wear a holstered gun isn't discussed much.
Here's a tip - if you're a chunky, cranky old broad like me, having a holster on the inside of your pants can be very uncomfortable, regardless of what's in the holster. It'll poke you in the side, assuming you can get it inside your waistband, and drag your light weight pants down. Good, solid belts are a must with a holster. It's more comfortable to have it shifted around toward your back, and Matt assures me that when he carries it that way he doesn't notice it much. (How he knows without me actually walking around with it I'm not certain).
Chances are it won't fit well on your thigh either - assuming you can find a holster big enough - and down at your ankle isn't all that ideal. (For one thing it may slip down and rest oddly on the top of your foot). That being said, if you are in amazing shape like one of my favorite instructors, a gun on your thigh is amazingly easy to hide.
A shoulder holster may be a better option, but I'm still holding out hope that the Double Diva's girls will make a trip to my town and I can get them to make me a custom bra to hide a gun in. They've done it once already for a buxom police officer, maybe they can figure one out for me.
Yesterday I saw an awesome concealed carry corset. A CORSET! And with two pockets no less. What an awesome idea...it will work great for Maggie as she's the perfect build for it. The demo video showed a young lady in great shape carrying two guns, one on each side of the corset. I admire her, I would love to be that coordinated to be able to handle two guns at once.
So, I finally found at least one fit. Now to narrow it down for the girls. Maggie really liked a little red .380 Ruger, Cora was leaning toward a purple one. I'll have to rent those along with Matt's guns to get a good idea of the kick so I can accurately describe the feel of shooting them should they ever need to. At this point in the story lines the only shooting that is done is for practice and only paper zombie targets have been harmed.
In case you're curious, you can find the info on this particular handgun at Smith & Wesson's website: S&W 1911 Pro Series - Matt's carry gun
I started with the idea that Jess would need to carry something for her own protection, but learned that due to regulations in Texas she most likely would be denied a license. She ends up with something else to protect herself with, but I don't want to spoil the fun. Cora (aka Molly - I'm still vacillating on changing her name) and Maggie will both end up carrying a gun, but in different books. I'm still not sure what model is right for each of them.
Then there's Matt. Matt, is a friend of Jess's and has a large presence in all of the books I have mapped out so far. Matt is a large guy and can hold his own in a fight. He's also the most likely to carry on a regular basis given his job. But, I hadn't been actively searching out his gun. Until last night.
What was special about last night? Well, my favorite shooting range and training center was having a big sale. I was checking out several guns, one of which is a great carry option for the girls, but too small for Matt. There was a Stage Coach rifle that I really wanted to get my hands on for myself. It's nice, but I need more training on long guns before I decide to spend that much money. Plus, I haven't received an invite to go hunting with anyone this year, so I don't really need it. Even if it is really pretty.
As usual I was drawn to the Smith & Wesson and Ruger cases. They fit my hands the best and Jess and Maggie have assured me that if a gun fits my hand, it will fit for them. Nothing really grabbed my eye in the Ruger case but I saw a large .45 in the S&W case that caught my attention. Way too large for my hands, but a nice size for a big guy.
And then I saw it.
A twinkle at the corner of my caught my attention. I swear the gun really did "twinkle" at me. The second I saw it I had to hold it. It felt right in my hand and I knew right then and there that this was going to be Matt's concealed gun. He'll get the big gun too for work, but this little gem will be stuffed in one of his boots on a regular basis.
Want to see it? Here's a picture I lifted from the Smith & Wesson page:
Here's a tip - if you're a chunky, cranky old broad like me, having a holster on the inside of your pants can be very uncomfortable, regardless of what's in the holster. It'll poke you in the side, assuming you can get it inside your waistband, and drag your light weight pants down. Good, solid belts are a must with a holster. It's more comfortable to have it shifted around toward your back, and Matt assures me that when he carries it that way he doesn't notice it much. (How he knows without me actually walking around with it I'm not certain).
Chances are it won't fit well on your thigh either - assuming you can find a holster big enough - and down at your ankle isn't all that ideal. (For one thing it may slip down and rest oddly on the top of your foot). That being said, if you are in amazing shape like one of my favorite instructors, a gun on your thigh is amazingly easy to hide.
A shoulder holster may be a better option, but I'm still holding out hope that the Double Diva's girls will make a trip to my town and I can get them to make me a custom bra to hide a gun in. They've done it once already for a buxom police officer, maybe they can figure one out for me.
Yesterday I saw an awesome concealed carry corset. A CORSET! And with two pockets no less. What an awesome idea...it will work great for Maggie as she's the perfect build for it. The demo video showed a young lady in great shape carrying two guns, one on each side of the corset. I admire her, I would love to be that coordinated to be able to handle two guns at once.
So, I finally found at least one fit. Now to narrow it down for the girls. Maggie really liked a little red .380 Ruger, Cora was leaning toward a purple one. I'll have to rent those along with Matt's guns to get a good idea of the kick so I can accurately describe the feel of shooting them should they ever need to. At this point in the story lines the only shooting that is done is for practice and only paper zombie targets have been harmed.
In case you're curious, you can find the info on this particular handgun at Smith & Wesson's website: S&W 1911 Pro Series - Matt's carry gun
Monday, August 25, 2014
It's Never Done Is It?
I'm beginning to think that a book is never truly done. As evidenced by my current re-working of a cookbook. I had it all self-pubbed, thought it was all wrapped up until I looked at the paperback copy one more time and realized there was a mistake - a big one - with the table of contents.
I hadn't caught it in previous reviews, why I have no idea. I know what I meant for it to have and for some reason read it that way. Lucky, only a few of these got out into the general public.
Here's the good news: I figured out the formatting on my own and due to the kindness of one of my photographers, I'll be getting another section picture to add to the book.
Still reformatting and repaging the file, which takes time. But I'm on vacation...so far I've been cleaning the house in between working on this book. I want it done, like now, because I really, really want to get back to the Jess Barker series. New ideas have popped up over the past few days, all to be fed into the second thru fifth books in the series.
I really need to win a lotto so I can retire from my full time gig and just get to play with my characters and books.
I hadn't caught it in previous reviews, why I have no idea. I know what I meant for it to have and for some reason read it that way. Lucky, only a few of these got out into the general public.
Here's the good news: I figured out the formatting on my own and due to the kindness of one of my photographers, I'll be getting another section picture to add to the book.
Still reformatting and repaging the file, which takes time. But I'm on vacation...so far I've been cleaning the house in between working on this book. I want it done, like now, because I really, really want to get back to the Jess Barker series. New ideas have popped up over the past few days, all to be fed into the second thru fifth books in the series.
I really need to win a lotto so I can retire from my full time gig and just get to play with my characters and books.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Interesting Question on Ferguson Protests
My friend Jenny Trout from GRRWG posed an interesting question on Facebook regarding Ferguson and it had nothing to do with race. I had a fairly quick response, but have been thinking about it, so here's my longer answer to her question.
First, what Jenny asked was along the lines of Second Amendment supporters always bring up the point that we need to continue to hold onto our rights in order to fight against our government if it becomes too militarized. So why weren't they in Ferguson helping fight against the police? That's a paraphrase, and I may have paraphrased her incorrectly, but that's the jist I got, and that's what I'm responding to.
I think there are several reasons there wasn't a "Second Amendment" response to the unrest in Ferguson. One, it was an "isolated" response. Similar events seem to happen in Los Angeles on a frequent basis and ever since Rodney King the community tends to protest more peacefully, rather than ransack their own neighborhoods. In fact, there was a protest in Los Angeles while Ferguson was in an uproar. Unfortunately, the LA protest was overlooked by the media, even though it involved another unarmed, young black male. I don't remember if the race of the officer was called out in the blurb I'd run across about it, but for those that don't know California has been having issues with the police departments in several large cities, but we aren't seeing the rioting and looting we used to.
Second, the vast majority of conservative supporters of the Second Amendment were already aware of the militarized police presence. I've known about it for several years already, so it was no surprise to me that these tactics would be used by the local PD. My larger concern is whether or not the police in that small department had proper training on those tools and why the hell didn't the Governor get the National Guard down there right away? I think that a response from the National Guard would have had a better effect in calming things down, with less damage/harm/injury (take your pick) to the under-served black community there.
Third, by the time the media got the word out, most of the streets into Ferguson were already blocked. The few that may have already been there were probably standing with their neighbors to protect their businesses or families as the police had basically stopped responding to the looting due to being outnumbered.
Don't get me wrong, we need to take a close look at the Ferguson PD, how they've been treating the minorities (racial or economic) in town, and their use of military force - as we need to do across the country. I think it's wrong for local Police Departments to have this much force, that's what the National Guard is there for, and that's where the equipment should go.
I feel bad for the residents of Ferguson, there's a lot of damage to repair there and it's something I'm not really used to. Originating from the West Coast I hadn't been exposed to such blatant racism (on both sides) in many decades. It's really disheartening to see the country going backwards on this issue.
The worst part is that there will never be any real justice. The media has already tried and skewered the officer involved without knowing or presenting all the facts. Just as the video shown of the robbery that may or may not have started this all has put a stain on Michael Brown's legacy. A young man is dead before his life could begin and the officer involved cannot go back to a "normal" life.
We have forgotten an important fact: we are fortunate in America to be legally considered Innocent Until Proven Guilty. That goes both ways, for Michael Brown and for the officer involved. Our media seems to have convinced the vast majority that the media knows "everything", when in reality, our media no longer holds to the original ethics of journalism. It's all about what sells, damn the facts.
I pray that Michael Brown's family will find some peace and a way to allow their community to help them heal as the community heals.
There is one good thing that came of this though. If it weren't for Michael Brown, I don't believe that the militarization of our police force would have been so readily addressed or pointed out by our media. I only hope it brings about a positive change and raises the awareness of our representatives in Washington, DC who don't come home to see what's happening often enough.
First, what Jenny asked was along the lines of Second Amendment supporters always bring up the point that we need to continue to hold onto our rights in order to fight against our government if it becomes too militarized. So why weren't they in Ferguson helping fight against the police? That's a paraphrase, and I may have paraphrased her incorrectly, but that's the jist I got, and that's what I'm responding to.
I think there are several reasons there wasn't a "Second Amendment" response to the unrest in Ferguson. One, it was an "isolated" response. Similar events seem to happen in Los Angeles on a frequent basis and ever since Rodney King the community tends to protest more peacefully, rather than ransack their own neighborhoods. In fact, there was a protest in Los Angeles while Ferguson was in an uproar. Unfortunately, the LA protest was overlooked by the media, even though it involved another unarmed, young black male. I don't remember if the race of the officer was called out in the blurb I'd run across about it, but for those that don't know California has been having issues with the police departments in several large cities, but we aren't seeing the rioting and looting we used to.
Second, the vast majority of conservative supporters of the Second Amendment were already aware of the militarized police presence. I've known about it for several years already, so it was no surprise to me that these tactics would be used by the local PD. My larger concern is whether or not the police in that small department had proper training on those tools and why the hell didn't the Governor get the National Guard down there right away? I think that a response from the National Guard would have had a better effect in calming things down, with less damage/harm/injury (take your pick) to the under-served black community there.
Third, by the time the media got the word out, most of the streets into Ferguson were already blocked. The few that may have already been there were probably standing with their neighbors to protect their businesses or families as the police had basically stopped responding to the looting due to being outnumbered.
Don't get me wrong, we need to take a close look at the Ferguson PD, how they've been treating the minorities (racial or economic) in town, and their use of military force - as we need to do across the country. I think it's wrong for local Police Departments to have this much force, that's what the National Guard is there for, and that's where the equipment should go.
I feel bad for the residents of Ferguson, there's a lot of damage to repair there and it's something I'm not really used to. Originating from the West Coast I hadn't been exposed to such blatant racism (on both sides) in many decades. It's really disheartening to see the country going backwards on this issue.
The worst part is that there will never be any real justice. The media has already tried and skewered the officer involved without knowing or presenting all the facts. Just as the video shown of the robbery that may or may not have started this all has put a stain on Michael Brown's legacy. A young man is dead before his life could begin and the officer involved cannot go back to a "normal" life.
We have forgotten an important fact: we are fortunate in America to be legally considered Innocent Until Proven Guilty. That goes both ways, for Michael Brown and for the officer involved. Our media seems to have convinced the vast majority that the media knows "everything", when in reality, our media no longer holds to the original ethics of journalism. It's all about what sells, damn the facts.
I pray that Michael Brown's family will find some peace and a way to allow their community to help them heal as the community heals.
There is one good thing that came of this though. If it weren't for Michael Brown, I don't believe that the militarization of our police force would have been so readily addressed or pointed out by our media. I only hope it brings about a positive change and raises the awareness of our representatives in Washington, DC who don't come home to see what's happening often enough.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
To Trust or Not Trust the Internet
Because I work in IT, I instinctively (and with good reason) do not trust references on the internet as 100% factual. This is due in large part to the fact that Wikipedia is so often used but it is not fact checked. Which led me to pulling out a volume from the encyclopedias I inherited from my grandparents.
These are not 1970's encyclopedias, which is why I decided to go with them. The volumed I pulled is from 1939, a much closer date to the subject I'm researching, so far better to being closer to the truth. But as I read the little article and it's note to check another topic, I did a bit more digging through the giant web of computer networks and will now need to locate a book from 1922. Sure, there's a reprint via Amazon, but I don't trust that to be correct, nor do I trust Google Books. A visit to University of Michigan may be in order, but I will call first.
The subject of my research is Margaret Sanger. She may play an integral role in my series The Scot, but I need to verify some information first. I know she was into Eugenics, but I'm unclear as to how much of it is true and if she really did agree with the Nazis and Hitler. I prefer to read her own words first before manking a final judgement.
In the meantime, here's the excerpt from my handy physical encyclopedia. Surprisingly, there are no page numbers in this book.
Source: Sanger, Margaret, (1939) in The Standard American Encyclopedia, Vol XI, REM-SIG.
Sanger, Margaret, an American advocate of birth control; born in 1882. Through her work as a nurse and social worker, she became convinced that large families with inadequate means of support offered one of the greatest problems of social progress. After studying with Havelock Ellis in London (1914-15), she became, in association with Dr. Marie Stopes, an active advocate of birth control. She founded the American Birth Control League in 1917 and opened its first clinic in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1921. The establishment was closed by police order, and its founder was sentenced to prison for 30 days. The case was finally brought before the Court of Appeals, which ruled that it was legal for physicians to give contraceptive information to protect the health of clients. In 1923, Mrs. Sanger opened the first permanent clinic in New York City. Many others soon sprang up all over the country. The International Union on Population was organized at a meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1927. See EUGENICS, Birth Control.
These are not 1970's encyclopedias, which is why I decided to go with them. The volumed I pulled is from 1939, a much closer date to the subject I'm researching, so far better to being closer to the truth. But as I read the little article and it's note to check another topic, I did a bit more digging through the giant web of computer networks and will now need to locate a book from 1922. Sure, there's a reprint via Amazon, but I don't trust that to be correct, nor do I trust Google Books. A visit to University of Michigan may be in order, but I will call first.
The subject of my research is Margaret Sanger. She may play an integral role in my series The Scot, but I need to verify some information first. I know she was into Eugenics, but I'm unclear as to how much of it is true and if she really did agree with the Nazis and Hitler. I prefer to read her own words first before manking a final judgement.
In the meantime, here's the excerpt from my handy physical encyclopedia. Surprisingly, there are no page numbers in this book.
Source: Sanger, Margaret, (1939) in The Standard American Encyclopedia, Vol XI, REM-SIG.
Sanger, Margaret, an American advocate of birth control; born in 1882. Through her work as a nurse and social worker, she became convinced that large families with inadequate means of support offered one of the greatest problems of social progress. After studying with Havelock Ellis in London (1914-15), she became, in association with Dr. Marie Stopes, an active advocate of birth control. She founded the American Birth Control League in 1917 and opened its first clinic in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1921. The establishment was closed by police order, and its founder was sentenced to prison for 30 days. The case was finally brought before the Court of Appeals, which ruled that it was legal for physicians to give contraceptive information to protect the health of clients. In 1923, Mrs. Sanger opened the first permanent clinic in New York City. Many others soon sprang up all over the country. The International Union on Population was organized at a meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1927. See EUGENICS, Birth Control.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Dreaming of Cathy
Last night, I saw my sister. Some
people may be thinking “So why is that special?”. Why was that
special? Because my sister died on 11.12.13 from pancreatic cancer.
It is not unusual for me to see my
relatives that have passed on, beginning with my great-grandmother
who came to let me know she was leaving me the night she died. From
time to time I will reach out across the ether and demand that my
grandfather come to visit. I miss him most, plus he's got all my
critters rounded up with him on the other side.
My grandmother finally came through
several years after she passed, finally in a place she remembered, at
my grandfather's orange grove. She was looking for Pop and still a
tad confused, but she finally had realized she was dead. She was
waiting there for him to come get her, and my dog Kodi was with her,
keeping guard until Pop arrived. When Grandma died she was in the
early to mid stages of Alzeheimer's. She had more good days than bad,
but when she passed she was in an unfamiliar place and confused as to
why she was there. It took her sometime to shake off that confusion.
Nearly a month to the day before seeing
my sister, Grandma came to me again. She was young, looking like a
picture that was taken when she was about 20 – she was gorgeous –
and rolling around on my bed with our cat Phred. Grandma didn't
tolerate animals in her house, she'd only liked one of my cats who
was so smart she got Grandma to follow her to her food bowl and
understand she needed food. Grandma fed her because she was so smart.
Bomber, the cat, did the same thing to Pop less than an hour later
and when Grandma learned of it she laughed at Bomber's brilliance.
(No wonder the cat was fat.)
Grandma had come to tell me she'd found
Pop and that Cathy was ok, not to worry. I asked her why she was
playing with Phred since she didn't like animals. Grandma's response
was “I don't have to clean up after them over here.” And she
laughed. A wonderful laugh that we didn't hear often growing up, but
I had heard after Pop had a massive heart attack and Grandma had
slipped into an Alzheimer's fueled regression to their early
courtship. I laughed with her as she gave Phred once last pat before
popping back to Pop.
Seeing Cathy was more chaotic and a bit
confusing. Cathy was in a house, somewhat similar to the first house
she and Greg (my brother-in-law) had when they first moved in
together. It wasn't decorated like Cathy would have, it was spare, a
bit spartan in design and layout and felt very much like a rental
house and not a true home. The walls were white, floors a light tan
carpet, with boring linoleum in the ktichen and plain bathrooms. Not
a lot of windows, but the light was good. There just wasn't much
color and whenever I think of Cathy's homes they were always full of
color, life and plants; this place had none of that.
Cathy was sitting down in a chair, her
arms across her lower abdomen and rocking slowly forward, as if she
was having bad cramps. She had a wound she wouldn't let me see, told
me to not worry about it, and that I had to go by 6:00. It wasn't
clear at the time, but I kept feeling as if she meant early evening,
not morning.
She was working on cleaning the house
and was repainting when I arrived. Cathy was putting the finishing
touches on the place before she moved; she was prepping the house
for the next people. It didn't surprise me at all that she looked
like she did in college, not like she did the last time I'd seen her
– well, except for the tan and lack of glasses. I picked up a
roller to help her finish the bedroom walls she was working on. I
heard the crackly of the plastic paint cloth beneath our feet as we
worked and was a bit surprised at how fast we were done.
In a kitchen, I found my nieces and my
sister-in-law. At least that's who I though they were. They had to
make cupcakes for a bake sale and the girls were demanding that I
make them my famous muffins because they “hadn't had them when they
were alive”. That made me do a double take because I knew all three
of them were alive and healthy. Confused I suggested we work on the
cupcakes first. Sandy, my sister-in-law, insisted that I help with
the cupcakes, but said making muffins would mean I'd have to wash
more pans. Cathy interrupted to say I couldn't possible bake anything
as I had to go by 6 and that would be too many pans for me to be
washing in between to leave on time. The girls pouted,, and again I
felt a tad confused as they didn't exactly look like my nieces,
although they were clearly family. I never got to see Sandy's face,
just the back of her head and I had simply assumed it was Sandy I was
talking to as the voice was familiar.
I followed Cathy back to bedroom where
there was now an adjustable bed, one where the foot and head of the
bed could be moved. She sat in a chair next to the bed, her arms
across her lower abdomen again and she bent forward as if she had
really bad cramps. I could see blood coming from somewhere high up on
her thigh and insisted on looking at it. She refused saying it would
take me too long and mentioned again
that I'd have to go by 6. I continued to insist and she finally let
me look at it. But she controlled what I could see, so while I could
see the deep wound I couldn't really tell where on her body it was.
It was a bad cut, so I stitched it up (I was a vet tech in high
school, I was taught to stitch beautifully.) By the time I was done
stitching it up, it was well on it's way to being healed over.
My nephews and Greg stopped by, with
the nephews arriving later in one group. Greg wanted me to fix an
issue with their wireless network. Cathy insisted he not bother me,
that I wasn't there to work and had to leave by 6. While I identified
the male as Greg, again it didn't look exactly like him. The boys
stopped in to ask me to cook for them since Cathy was dead and
couldn't do it. Again Cathy told them to not ask me to work and that
I had to leave at 6.
I was a bit surprised to hear her
telling family to not make me work. That tends to be all I do when I
visit family. And when I went to see her in May before she died, I
baked and cooked every day I was there. She and I knew in May I would
never see her alive again, even if she didn't want to openly admit it
and I didn't want to say it because I know that the fight with cancer
is 70% spirit and I didn't want her to lose the will to fight. Even
if we didn't admit it, we knew.
After the boys left, Cathy told me to
lay down on the bed because she knew my back was bothering me and it
would make me feel better. (I slipped a disc and while I was visiting
had to do exercises that looked funny to help slip it back in place
after standing the wrong way.) Before I did though I insisted on
checking her wound again to make sure she hadn't popped any stitches
while she'd continued to putz around the house when the boys stopped
by.
She showed me the wound again, which
was now completely healed. I pulled the stitches out for her and she
was all smiles and laughter. Making jokes about our work for the
local vet (she passed out when watching a surgery, I got too involved
in what he was doing). I finally climbed onto the bed and laid down
on it. It was soft, comfy and my back felt the best it had in a few
years. It was heaven and I wanted to stay there for awhile.
Cathy climbed in next to me and started
playing with the controls, first putting the foot up at a comfortable
level, then putting the head up a bit. She started moving the
controls faster, making me laugh as my legs went straight up in the
air, then she folded me in half like in old cartoons. We were
laughing and playing around like we did when we were kids (and not
annoying each other – for once). She finally turned me into a
pretzel of sorts and reminded me again that I had to leave by 6. She
straightened the bed up and gave me a hug, whispering goodbye.
That's when I woke up. Right at 6:00
a.m. I was surprised. It was the first time I'd seen her since she
passed and none of my other visitors ever mentioned that I needed to
leave by a certain time. She had visited a cousin, but none of our
immediate family had seen her. I figured she had some things she was
working on and wasn't strong enough or ready to visit me yet, but
that she'd come when she was ready.
I called my mom to tell her I'd seen
Cathy and let mom know she was ok and moving on. I mentioned that I
never really got to see Sandy, I'd just assumed she was Sandy, and
that the girls didn't really seem to be my nieces although they were
clearly family. I told mom what the Big Guy told me when I told him
about seeing Cathy, and the girls who may have been my nieces.
He had suggested that they were babies Cathy had lost, which really
makes more sense as the girls looked more like Cathy than our
brother. It wasn't until after talking to my mom though that I
realized the woman I thought was Sandy was probably my sister
Christina. I never saw Christina, she only survived a few hours after
being born early in a facility without the equipment needed to keep
her weak lungs going. But it made sense, as Christina would have been
just a few years older than brother.
And the man I thought was Greg could
have actually been Greg's dad, Richard, who passed away a few years
ago. Greg's had a lot of loss in his life, having also lost his first
wife unexpectedly. He didn't deserve to lose my sister at the point
in their lives when the kids were grown and it would've soon been
just the two of them – for the first time.
Now that I have everyone from her visit
sorted out, I'm looking forward to seeing them all again. Hopefully
next time I see Cathyshe will be in her new place, hopefully with no
more wounds. It must have been a wound I created, or one that was
created by both of us that had to be healed by both of us before she
could move on. Either way, she's moving on and will find all that
have gone before her soon enough. I really hope she's moving into the
house that I helped create for her that had the aquarium that went
throughout the entire house. It really is a spectacular achievement,
that is reminscient of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Pop put a lot of
work into that place and Dearie (our great-grandmother) had left her
a fresh loaf of homemade bread on the kitchen counter.
There's nothing better in this world,
and the next, then coming home to freshly made bread, unless it's
coming home to Dearie's homemade bread. I hope I get such a
homecoming when it's my turn.
Friday, June 6, 2014
Switching Genres
I had a surprise last weekend. I learned that I may have a future in erotic romance. It was unplanned and completely caught me by surprise.
GRRWG has a Winter NaNo challenge. It's like our own mini-NaNo event that we use as a motivation to write as well as a fund raiser. If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, it's National Novel Writing Month, affectionately known as NaNo. Basically, you write a 50,000 word (or longer) novel. But it happens in November when most of our writer's are extremely busy. So we do it later, after the holidays.
Anyway, this year I entered, not sure what I was going to write, but used the results of an writing exercise we'd done for that month's meeting as a starting point. Set in Grand Rapids, Michigan (that was a surprise, I tend to write in the SouthWest and East Coast), it started out pretty straightforward as a story about a business consultant. I just let the character take me where she wanted to go, no plotting for me, I'm a total pantser.
Imagine my surprise when other characters popped in that are more like the characters that two of my fellow GRRWG writers, and dear friends tend to have. Pretty soon my straight-laced, independent, strong willed, smart business woman was losing her clothes and getting naked with not just her boyfriend, but her BFF as well. Pretty soon another male jumped and there were naked bodies and naughty characters everywhere.
This really caught me by surprise and I keep telling the Big Guy what my naughty characters were up to and wondering where they heck they came from. I don't normally read romance, unless it's the sarcastically funny and foul mouthed characters that come from MaryJanice Davidson (I simply ADORE Betsy!) or occassionaly something from a fellow GRRWG member, like Simone Anderson, Suzanne Graham, and Jenny Trout.
(Seriously, if you like romance or erotica check out our GRRWG members at grandrapidsregionwritersgroup.blogspot.com).
As a result, I simply don't have the vocabulary built up for all the necessary euphemisms (I mean really, how many times can you reuse the clinical terms for human genitalia without sounding like a medical textbook?) and was sure I was writing something as badly written as 50 Shades of Grey. Yes, I did try to read that book but couldn't get past the horrid writing of the first chapter. If you want kink, I can point you in the direction of better writers than that.
Certain that I had written the worst romance since 50 Shades, I had three people who read and write romance read a few scenes from the verbal vomit I had spewed into the electrons on my laptop's hard drive. I was shocked that not only did they like it, they assured me I wasn't as bad as 50 Shades.
I'm writing up the ending to the book (last I'd left them, all four were naked and doing naughty things on their friend's living room floor). Suzanne Graham is willing to read it, tell me if it is salvagable enough to publish, and - hopefully - co-author it with me since she has all the vocabulary to turn the story around. Only time will tell.
Still, color me surprised!
GRRWG has a Winter NaNo challenge. It's like our own mini-NaNo event that we use as a motivation to write as well as a fund raiser. If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, it's National Novel Writing Month, affectionately known as NaNo. Basically, you write a 50,000 word (or longer) novel. But it happens in November when most of our writer's are extremely busy. So we do it later, after the holidays.
Anyway, this year I entered, not sure what I was going to write, but used the results of an writing exercise we'd done for that month's meeting as a starting point. Set in Grand Rapids, Michigan (that was a surprise, I tend to write in the SouthWest and East Coast), it started out pretty straightforward as a story about a business consultant. I just let the character take me where she wanted to go, no plotting for me, I'm a total pantser.
Imagine my surprise when other characters popped in that are more like the characters that two of my fellow GRRWG writers, and dear friends tend to have. Pretty soon my straight-laced, independent, strong willed, smart business woman was losing her clothes and getting naked with not just her boyfriend, but her BFF as well. Pretty soon another male jumped and there were naked bodies and naughty characters everywhere.
This really caught me by surprise and I keep telling the Big Guy what my naughty characters were up to and wondering where they heck they came from. I don't normally read romance, unless it's the sarcastically funny and foul mouthed characters that come from MaryJanice Davidson (I simply ADORE Betsy!) or occassionaly something from a fellow GRRWG member, like Simone Anderson, Suzanne Graham, and Jenny Trout.
(Seriously, if you like romance or erotica check out our GRRWG members at grandrapidsregionwritersgroup.blogspot.com).
As a result, I simply don't have the vocabulary built up for all the necessary euphemisms (I mean really, how many times can you reuse the clinical terms for human genitalia without sounding like a medical textbook?) and was sure I was writing something as badly written as 50 Shades of Grey. Yes, I did try to read that book but couldn't get past the horrid writing of the first chapter. If you want kink, I can point you in the direction of better writers than that.
Certain that I had written the worst romance since 50 Shades, I had three people who read and write romance read a few scenes from the verbal vomit I had spewed into the electrons on my laptop's hard drive. I was shocked that not only did they like it, they assured me I wasn't as bad as 50 Shades.
I'm writing up the ending to the book (last I'd left them, all four were naked and doing naughty things on their friend's living room floor). Suzanne Graham is willing to read it, tell me if it is salvagable enough to publish, and - hopefully - co-author it with me since she has all the vocabulary to turn the story around. Only time will tell.
Still, color me surprised!
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Signers of the Constitution
For comparison's sake.
G°. Washington
Presidt and deputy from Virginia
Gunning Bedford jun
John Dickinson
Richard Bassett
Jaco: Broom
Dan of St Thos. Jenifer
Danl. Carroll
James Madison Jr.
Richd. Dobbs Spaight
Hu Williamson
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney
Pierce Butler
Abr Baldwin
Nicholas Gilman
Rufus King
Roger Sherman
David Brearley
Wm. Paterson
Jona: Dayton
Thomas Mifflin
Robt. Morris
Geo. Clymer
Thos. FitzSimons
Jared Ingersoll
James Wilson
Gouv Morris
G°. Washington
Presidt and deputy from Virginia
Delaware
Geo: ReadGunning Bedford jun
John Dickinson
Richard Bassett
Jaco: Broom
Maryland
James McHenryDan of St Thos. Jenifer
Danl. Carroll
Virginia
John BlairJames Madison Jr.
North Carolina
Wm. BlountRichd. Dobbs Spaight
Hu Williamson
South Carolina
J. RutledgeCharles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney
Pierce Butler
Georgia
William FewAbr Baldwin
New Hampshire
John LangdonNicholas Gilman
Massachusetts
Nathaniel GorhamRufus King
Connecticut
Wm. Saml. JohnsonRoger Sherman
New York
Alexander HamiltonNew Jersey
Wil: LivingstonDavid Brearley
Wm. Paterson
Jona: Dayton
Pennsylvania
B FranklinThomas Mifflin
Robt. Morris
Geo. Clymer
Thos. FitzSimons
Jared Ingersoll
James Wilson
Gouv Morris
Friday, April 11, 2014
Constitution of The United States of America
This is SO much prettier in it's original form; they had such beautiful handwriting back then.
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.
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.
Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.
When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.
The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.
Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.
Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.
Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.
No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.
No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.
No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.
The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.
The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.
No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.
The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
The Word, "the," being interlined between the seventh and eighth Lines of the first Page, The Word "Thirty" being partly written on an Erazure in the fifteenth Line of the first Page, The Words "is tried" being interlined between the thirty second and thirty third Lines of the first Page and the Word "the" being interlined between the forty third and forty fourth Lines of the second Page.
Attest William Jackson Secretary
done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independance of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,
G°. Washington
Presidt and deputy from Virginia
Gunning Bedford jun
John Dickinson
Richard Bassett
Jaco: Broom
Dan of St Thos. Jenifer
Danl. Carroll
James Madison Jr.
Richd. Dobbs Spaight
Hu Williamson
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney
Pierce Butler
Abr Baldwin
Nicholas Gilman
Rufus King
Roger Sherman
David Brearley
Wm. Paterson
Jona: Dayton
Thomas Mifflin
Robt. Morris
Geo. Clymer
Thos. FitzSimons
Jared Ingersoll
James Wilson
Gouv Morris
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.
Article. I.
Section. 1.
All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.Section. 2.
The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.
Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.
When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.
The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
Section. 3.
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.Immediately after they shall be assembled in Consequence of the first Election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three Classes. The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the Expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall chuse their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United States.
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
Section. 4.
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
Section. 5.
Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller Number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.
Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such Parts as may in their Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and Nays of the Members of either House on any question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those Present, be entered on the Journal.
Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
Section. 6.
The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the Emoluments whereof shall have been encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.
Section. 7.
All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.
Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States; and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
Section. 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section. 9.
The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.
No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.
No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.
No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.
No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
Section. 10.
No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress.
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
Article. II.
Section. 1.
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as followsEach State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.
The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.
The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be encreased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them.
Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Section. 2.
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
Section. 3.
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.Section. 4.
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.Article III.
Section. 1.
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.Section. 2.
The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;—to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;—to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;—to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;—to Controversies between two or more States;— between a State and Citizens of another State,—between Citizens of different States,—between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
Section. 3.
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
Article. IV.
Section. 1.
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.Section. 2.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.A Person charged in any State with Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having Jurisdiction of the Crime.
No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.
Section. 3.
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.
Section. 4.
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.Article. V.
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.Article. VI.
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
Article. VII.
The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.The Word, "the," being interlined between the seventh and eighth Lines of the first Page, The Word "Thirty" being partly written on an Erazure in the fifteenth Line of the first Page, The Words "is tried" being interlined between the thirty second and thirty third Lines of the first Page and the Word "the" being interlined between the forty third and forty fourth Lines of the second Page.
Attest William Jackson Secretary
done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independance of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,
G°. Washington
Presidt and deputy from Virginia
Delaware
Geo: ReadGunning Bedford jun
John Dickinson
Richard Bassett
Jaco: Broom
Maryland
James McHenryDan of St Thos. Jenifer
Danl. Carroll
Virginia
John BlairJames Madison Jr.
North Carolina
Wm. BlountRichd. Dobbs Spaight
Hu Williamson
South Carolina
J. RutledgeCharles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney
Pierce Butler
Georgia
William FewAbr Baldwin
New Hampshire
John LangdonNicholas Gilman
Massachusetts
Nathaniel GorhamRufus King
Connecticut
Wm. Saml. JohnsonRoger Sherman
New York
Alexander HamiltonNew Jersey
Wil: LivingstonDavid Brearley
Wm. Paterson
Jona: Dayton
Pennsylvania
B FranklinThomas Mifflin
Robt. Morris
Geo. Clymer
Thos. FitzSimons
Jared Ingersoll
James Wilson
Gouv Morris
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