Justice Scalia’s opinion stressed that the Court was not casting doubt on long-standing bans on carrying a concealed gun or on gun possession by felons or the mentally retarded, on laws barring guns from schools or government buildings, and laws putting conditions on gun sales.

In District of Columbia v. Heller (07-290), the Court nullified two provisions of the city of Washington’s strict 1976 gun control law: a flat ban on possessing a gun in one’s home, and a requirement that any gun except one kept at a business must be unloaded and disassembled or have a trigger lock in place. The Court said it was not passing on a part of the law requiring that guns be licensed. It said that issuing a license to a handgun owner, so the weapon can be used at home, would be a sufficient remedy for the Second Amendment violation of denying any access to a handgun.

Justice Scalia’s recitation from the bench of the majority’s reasoning continued for 16 minutes. Justice John Paul Stevens followed, for seven minutes, summarizing the reasons for two dissenting opinions his and one written by Justice Stephen G. Breyer.

The decision was the final one of the Term and, after issuing it, the Court recessed for the summer, to return on Monday, Oct. 6.

Bob Keck CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation resigned suddenly Wednesday after the board fired two other senior officials with the organization. The NWTF Website is mum about the firings of Carl Brown, the former COO and Dick Rosenlieb the former Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Both their pictures have been removed from the Meet the Leaders page. However, their pictures were a part of the page when cashed by Google on Mar 19, 2008 at 18:02:57 GMT.

According to SouthernSporting.Com, sources said a move was made last October during the fall board meeting to oust Brown and Rosenlieb, but Keck threatened to resign should the Board go through with the firings of his long time senior staffers. Keck’s move apparently stalled the 18 member Board until last week.

The NWTF has issued a press release about Keck’s resignation. According to this release; Rob Keck has decided, for personal and family reasons, to step aside from his duties with the Federation as of June 1, 2008.

The NWTF has grown into one of the nation’s leading nonprofit conservation organizations with more than 550,000 members in 50 states, Canada, Mexico and 14 other foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting and education as a traditional North American sport.

An email Friday from NWTF president Peggy Anne Vallery credited Keck for much of the organization’s growth. He worked for the group 30 years, 27 of those as CEO.

Several interesting comments came from Tammy Sapp, the group’s vice president for communications. According to an AgustaChronical.Com article, Ms. Sapp said:

The dismissal of chief operating officer Carl Brown and senior vice president Dick Rosenlieb occurred after a board inquiry into management practices.

Sapp would not elaborate, but said no allegations of criminal activity have been made.

The group maintains the highest rating (excellent) given by Charity Navigator, America’s premier independent charity evaluator. The excellent rating is described as exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause.

The NWTF has not only been spectacularly successful in the restoration, expansion of and education about wild turkeys. The organization has also grown into other areas with programs to encourage women, youngsters and disabled outdoorsmen to spend more time outside.

They’ve also given money freely to state and federal departments of natural resources, whose meager budgets are often gutted by politicians and to smaller non-profits, such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Only time will tell if this fine organization will continue its legacy. I for one am very hopeful the vision will be maintained.

What do you think?

And don’t forget to pray for our troops.

“Five years into this battle, there’s an understandable debate over whether the war was worth fighting, whether the fight is worth winning, and whether we can win it. The answers are clear to me”

One afternoon the farmer decided to take a walk. To make better use of his walk, he grabbed a five gallon bucket to bring back wild blue berries he knew he would find growing along his intended route.

As he approached the swimming hole, he heard water splashing, laughter and raised voices. As he came closer still, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond. He cleared his throat to make the women aware of his presence and they promptly fled to the deep end.

One of the women shouted, “We’re going to come out until you leave!” The old man frowned, “I didn’t walk all the way down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond.” Holding the bucket up, he said, “I’m here to feed the alligators.”

This story once again proves – the skill and cunning of old age trumps the enthusiasm and impulsiveness of youth. The farmer even mentioned just how enthusiastic those young women were when they ran past him.

We as American’s are blessed to live in the very best of times. Today is eclipsed only by the promise of an even better tomorrow. I’m very thankful we, as a culture treasure both the wisdom of age and the enthusiasm of youth.

Here’s wishing you the very best of everything in 2007.

Wesley Slade

A mid November botched kidnapping In Wichita Kansas, ended with one of the assailants shooting himself in the groin. The man in question had just stuck his gun back into his waistband when it accidentally fired, shooting him in the left testicle. He cringed (no surprise there), causing his gun to fire again striking him in the left leg. When the shooting barrage ended, the 23-year-old injured man still managed to walk into a nearby hospital and requested treatment.

Instead of treatment, the injured individual and his two accomplices, ages 18 and 20, were arrested for aggravated attempted kidnapping and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The men were attempting to kidnap a teen over a dispute about stereo speakers, police said.

[Editor's Note: In this case, the gene pool is much better off at the lowered possibility for procreation! If this guy could buy or steal a gun, why couldn't he get a holster to match?]