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Cuz’n Ed weighs in.

 …with this perspective on our Founding Fathers’ grant of the inalienable right to bear arms: They didn’t have assault rifles in 1791 when the 2nd amendment was passed.  Arms – specifically, guns – as they existed at the time of the ratification: Guns in 1791 WOULD* …be made by a gunsmith.* …have rudimentary rifling.* …be single-shot weapons.* …be loaded through the muzzle.* …fire by means of a flintlock. Guns in 1791 WOULD NOT* …have interchangeable parts. (Popularized in 1798)* …be revolvers. (Invented in 1835)* …be breachloaded. (Popularized in 1810)* …use smokeless powder. (Invented in 1885)* …use a percussion cap, necessary for modern cartridged bullets. (Invented in 1842)* …load bullets from a clip. (Invented in 1890)  
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Earl

 My dark passenger, Earl the Black Pearl, is still quiet.  I’ve been pain-free for two weeks now.  We’re not lulled into a sense of security though.  We know he’s still in there. It has been a long time waiting to see the urologist, but we finally saw him on Wednesday.  It was interesting.  We got to see the DVD of the CAT scan from April 1st.  From the chest down, every few millimeters, we got to see me in slices (cross-sections).  Earl is an 8mm stone trying to get through a 2mm passage.  He’s blocking the right ureter as best he can. We discussed options, and settled on something other than pain and narcotics.  We can go in there and get him.  It will involve a surgery or two, and take weeks or months altogether, but eventually we should be able to blow him up with an ultrasound beam (from outside) or a laser beam (from inside).  I’ll still have to pass him, but hopefully passing him in pieces will be more manageable than what I’ve experienced so far. We’ll do a CAT Scan tomorrow to find out exactly where he’s hiding now.  In another week or so, they’ll put in a stent to allow normal kidney function on the right side for a while. Stay tuned…