Many Marylanders were beside themselves with premature irrational exuberance at the rumor – which briefly circulated last month – that U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D., MD) would finally retire.

Yesterday we discussed some of the background of the current 2nd Amendment case before the Supreme Court of the United States – McDonald v. City of Chicago.

Pontianak, Borneo Island, Indonesia – Pontianak translates to vampire or ghost in Indonesian. According to local lore, the Sultan of Sambas was riding a horse through his kingdom and saw a lady with a hole in her back. This was at the time the area was a snake infested lowland swamp, like Washington is today. He then named the area for vampires.

The world was warned that results of the Sunday Iraq elections will be along when they’ll be along: in days or in weeks; the way things go in that part of the world. Everything, they believe, depends on the One God, a literal translation of Allah.

There is a new argument before the Supreme Court of the United States – McDonald v. City of Chicago. The arguments hinge on keeping the status quo versus integrating an “innovative” approach which could have far reaching effects on both state and national laws.

Wednesday, March 3 – I had the good fortune of being in Winchester Hall for the swearing-in ceremony of Blaine Young as commissioner for Frederick County. I sat next to my friend Jay Geiser, the owner of Doc Geiser’s Carryout and Catering. The room was packed, and I understand that there were even more people in an overflow room, watching the ceremony on television monitors.

On Wednesday The Washington Post published: “A defiant D.C. Council Member Marion Barry told a packed Baptist church in Southeast Washington on Tuesday night that despite the decision of the City Council to censure him and strip him of his committee chairmanship, he doesn’t plan to fade away…,’’ the former mayor told several hundred supporters. “They may take my committee chair. They can’t take my dignity.”

As secularists worldwide continue their battle against religion, their successes may or may not have an absolute effect on our First Amendment.

It is probable that the G-Men of the U. S. Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation are content, sleeping well tonight. One might observe that Mrs. Diane Ivins and her family have been denied such slumber. Dr. Bruce Ivins is surely in the care of his Father in Heaven.

A column yesterday morning in The Frederick News Post by Marta Mossburg of the Maryland Public Policy Institute inspired me to look around and see what’s happening in government.

As a columnist it is an honor and a privilege to share my respective views. It can be rather difficult sometimes to articulate them, putting pen to paper. One could say it would be easier to express opinions via another medium.

Yesterday was the 107th birthday of Theodor Geisel from Springfield, MA. I say with a smile, my little crocodile, you may know him better as an early trendsetter, as the good Dr. Seuss, you may deduce, because I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. To you I’m so faithful one-hundred percent.

Ngabang, Landank, Indonesia – Panning for diamonds? I had heard of panning for gold but never for diamonds. This I had to try!

New Orleans detectives rode Aunt Kate and me to a restaurant where crabs and oysters were free for anyone buying beer. In my case, it was Barque’s root beer, once a local drink made and bottled on the Mississippi Gulf Shore. (The Coca Cola Corporation did me and all the other displaced coonasses a great favor when it bought Barq’s lock, stock and barrel of caffeinated root beer.)

Enough with this “bipartisan” nonsense. Enough about “divisiveness.” Let’s go back to 2004, an election year.

A friend of mine has a home on the corner of a busy road. Because of this, he is able to sell a myriad of things in his front yard – from cars to lawn mowers to any number of items.

There is no doubt that global climate change is an issue. Scientists might argue about the differences between cyclical changes and man-made forces as the principal accelerant behind the changes, but there are definitely verifiable changes.

February 22, 2010 – Spent two hours discussing charter form of government in Frederick County with people who’ve gone through the experience in Maryland. I must say that this issue, historically, has been broached by many people through the years.