Appeals Court Strikes Down Law Barring Gun Sales to Adults Under 21

There's a federal law that bans the sale of firearms to persons between the ages of 18 to 20 years of age.

A federal Appeals Court in New Orleans ruled that the law is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.

MSN reported:

A U.S. appeals court on Thursday struck down a long-standing federal law barring the sale of firearms to adults under 21 after deeming it unconstitutional.

The U.S. Appeals Court for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, which has a conservative majority, said in its ruling that the law, which prohibits the sale of firearms to 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds, is inconsistent with the Second Amendment.

 To read more, go here.

Police Probe: Are The New Years Terror Incidents Related?

Above, the Las Vegas Trump Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Investigators are looking into the terror incidents on New Years to see if they are related.

It seems quite possible since they came within hours of each other.

According to the BBC:

Police in the US are investigating whether an explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas is linked to the deadly car-ramming attack in New Orleans.

The driver of a Tesla Cybertruck was killed and seven other people were injured in Las Vegas after the vehicle - filled with fuel canisters and firework mortars - exploded. Officials said all injuries were minor.

In the New Orleans attack, a 42-year-old US citizen is believed to have driven a pick-up truck into a crowd on a busy street, killing 14 people and injuring 35, before being shot dead by police.

President Joe Biden said investigators were looking into whether the two incidents were linked, but "thus far, there is nothing to report".

To read more, go here. 

Terror Attacks Add Urgency To Trump's National Security Priorities

 

New Year’s Day terror attacks add urgency to Trump’s plans to reprioritize national securityhttps://t.co/C9VwrZsfjD pic.twitter.com/ZN6o877F4H

— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) January 3, 2025

The New Orleans Mint

Above, the 1883-o Morgan Silver Dollar reverse. The mint mark is
 between and above the "D" and "O". Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the National Money Show last weekend, I purchased an 1883-o Morgan Silver Dollar. The "o" indicates that the coin was minted at the U.S. Mint in New Orleans, Louisiana.

This got me curious enough to want to learn more of the New Orleans Mint.

About the New Orleans Mint: 

New Orleans was the largest of the early mints. The reasons for this are suggested by its location at a major port of entry to the United States and the fact that the city was known as the emporium of the Great Valley, with considerable quantities of gold coming from Mexico. Furthermore, as one scholar notes, "The Southern mints were the result of [President Andrew] Jackson's long war with the Bank of America and paper money". Jackson had considerable personal ties to New Orleans, as well.

During the Civil War the Mint was occupied by Confederate forces and produced coins for the Confederate States. Coining for the United States resumed in 1879 and continued until 1909, when other mints, such as San Francisco, rendered the New Orleans facility obsolete. An assay office operated in the building until 1931 when it was converted to a prison to handle Prohibition violations. In 1934 the prison was shut down and the Coast Guard took over the building. Finally, in 1979 the building was transferred to the State of Louisiana for use as a museum.

Above, the obverse of the 1883-o Morgan Silver Dollar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, the New Orleans Mint building is home of the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

Music-Themed Vacation Destinations

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who are music-minded, a vacation trip to music-themed places is an ideal choice.

SeattlePI has an article with music-themed destinations.

They include New Orleans (Jazz), Nashville (home of the Grand Ole Opry and Dollywood), Fort Lauderdale (music-themed resorts) and Memphis (Graceland).

The article begins with:

Spring is in the air and music is all around — if you know where to find it.

That’s exactly where these great musical getaways come into play. Whether your preference is good old rock ‘n’ roll or country vibes or smooth jazz, there’s a dreamy destination perfect for exploring your love of music culture and history.

Unfortunately, while the writer (Lori A. May) discusses Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis, she neglects to mention that music lovers would also enjoy the blues-oriented Beale Street and Sun Studios, where Sam Phillips first discovered and recorded Elvis Presley.

Despite my above quibbles, the article is still worth a read.

To read more, go here.

Next Year's Trip?

Above, The Beast at the Elk City, Oklahoma KOA. It would be along the way home. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since this year's long trip will be going north to see the eclipse in Idaho, I am already thinking about next year's trip.

I was reading an article at Do It Yourself RV on Fort Wilderness at Walt Disney World in Florida and that started me thinking.

They wrote:

Disney World’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground in Orlando, Florida might be one of the most unique places to camp in the U.S. Not only is this resort massive (it takes up more than 700 acres of the park), but it’s close to all the action while feeling like it’s in the middle of a pine forest, complete with non-animated deer and raccoons. 

The campground has private sites and features all the amenities of most resorts, as well as a few Disney specialties. This includes two heated pools that are open 24 hours a day, rental cabins, several restaurants and stores, a marina, playgrounds, tennis courts, horse and pony rides, a petting zoo, fishing, bike rentals, private carriage rides, and even Segway tours.

Actually, I started thinking about going there about a year or so ago. But situations change, along with travel focusing.

In looking over the map book, I figure on heading east along Interstate 10 with stops along the way including Carlsbad Caverns National Park, San Antonio (to see if there's a basement at the Alamo) and New Orleans (to try out some good Cajun foods) before reaching Florida. There seems to be a lot of nice RV parks along the way to enjoy.

For the return trip home, I will probably take Interstate 40 and see some attractions along that route including Atlanta, Nashville, Memphis (this time to see the new entertainment complex at Graceland) and Tombstone (I was last there around 1989).

Since I won't be in a hurry, I plan to confine each day's drive to around 350 miles or less as much as possible.

I have a while before deciding. 

Brian Williams Going "On Leave"

There's an old saying:

Confession may be good for the soul, but it's very bad for my reputation.

Such is the case of embattled NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, who confessed that he made up the story that the helicopter he was flying in Iraq was under fire.

Williams has announced that he is taking a leave of absence from his duties as news anchor for an unspecified number of days.

According to the Hollywood Reporter:

Brian Williams is stepping away from NBC Nightly News for a number of days. 

The anchor sent a note to the show's staff, announcing that Lester Holt is replacing him for an unspecified amount of time. The news comes as Williams is embroiled in a scandal surrounding his story about being a passenger in a helicopter that took fire in Iraq in 2003.

Frankly, I can't see how he can survive this scandal without having to resign or be fired from his positions as news anchor and managing editor of the NBC Nightly News. His credibility is in tatters.

Along with the Iraq story, people are questioning his claim that he saw a body floating face down in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. The area where Williams was at the time was not flooded, according to news sources. That and other claims Williams has made are being investigated.

Jokes about Williams are being widely circulated on the Internet such as the one pictured at top.

To read more, go here.

Roger Moore Makes His 007 Debut 40 Years Ago

Today (actually yesterday, but I started this before midnight) marks 40 years since the U.S. premiere of Live and Let Die. The movie was Roger Moore's debut as James Bond 007. It premiered on June 27, 1973.

Moore was tapped to play Bond after Sean Connery bowed out from the role after a one-picture deal which resulted in 1971's Diamonds Are Forever.

The Ian Fleming novel was the second Bond novel (it followed Casino Royale) published (April 5, 1954).

The movie was set in New Orleans and along with Moore, it featured Jane Seymour, Gloria Hendry, David Hedison and Yaphet Kotto.  It was directed by Guy Hamilton. The script was by Tom Mankiewicz.

Paul McCartney and Wings performed the title song, which was produced by George Martin.

For more on Live and Let Die, go here.