Funny how your opinions change according to your politics...

Scalia, arguing against granting the writ of habeas corpus argued that this decision:

"...will almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed."
and
“The Nation will live to regret what the Court has done today.”

While when you're talking about the DC gun ban, there doesn't seem to be a problem with striking down a popular law (which will also almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed). I just think that Scalia wrote the previous statement to be inflammatory and so that he could rub that in others' faces when an inevitable attack comes; and act he was so smart to predict and if we had done what he wanted, we could have prevented it. Basically I think Scalia is an egomaniacal twit; who, like every other person out there, has an opinion and is able to pick and choose the evidence to support his belief. All the while ignoring evidence (case law and crime statistics), that points to the contrary.

On a side note, I'm not a constitutional scholar/lawyer, I don't care for guns, and never plan to own a gun; but I certainly see where you can end up with the conclusion that there is an individual write to bear arms. My personal favorite logic, which is revolutionary in nature, is that if the people are armed they can rise up to overthrow a government that oppresses the people. Any government with a constitution that incorporates the mechanism for which its people can subvert itself is outstanding in my book. I don't think this is the original intent (most likely has to do with a regulated militia for defense against foreign enemies), but I enjoy that interpretation conceptually. Let's hope that one will never have to be put into action.

Fun with Google Maps Street View...

I don't know about everyone else, but a few months ago, the Street Maps option on Google Maps started to include many streets in Philadelphia. While I do think it is a little helpful for some confusing intersections, I have been frustrated more with it's strangely addictive nature. The other day, I saw this on a website:

and I thought moving away from Louisville would cure my urban cowboy problem.

Also, interestingly, I found this at my neighbor's house:

Nothing funny about that, right? Well, that scooter was stolen sometime last summer, at night, when everyone had their windows open. No one heard a thing. So we have an idea on when this picture was taken.

Anyway, I'm going explore Route 66.

...Obama's refusal of Public Financing

So yesterday, Obama decided to forgo public financing for the general election. The first time ever for a president. Basically, by doing so he's saying he thinks he can easily and less restrictively raise more than the roughly $85M that the government would provide.

Conceptually, I'm pretty annoyed by this. I largely believe that all the money involved politics is part of the problem and this just feeds into that. I know that many (somewhere over 1M donors) and giving less than than $250 a piece. So it's not necessarily a smaller group of politically connected corporations and individuals, but more of an upper middle class grass-roots movement that are more true believers. But still, this will just further damage public financing, although the possible positive outcome it might lead to actual reforms to improve the system. Ideally a bill that actually forces broadcast stations free airtime to candidates (preferably for even minor party candidates, but that will never happen).

In the end, it's not a deal breaker for me (not with the importance of supreme court appointments being so prominent in the recent habeas corpus case that was narrowly, and correctly, decided by a 5-4 margin (Suck it Scalia!)), but it's disappointing. Especially if there are no positive changes as a result.