Antonin Scalia, 1936 — 2016

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died today on a ranch in West Texas. He was out West doing the thing he loved second best, playing with guns. What did he love best? The sound of his own voice.

A stunned nation mourns the learned jurist who brought “jiggery-pokery,“ “somersaults of statutory interpretation,” and “pure applesauce“ to the High Court. Justice Scalia also brought George W. Bush to the White House, and willful misinterpretation to the Constitution.

 He was less “Originalist” than an “original.” We’ll not see his like again. With any luck.

Inauguration ‘Refresh’

One DC Inaugural Weekend event seems rather … effervescent; even a bit … gassy. It’s the Refresh the World Symposium  on January 19th, presented by Spike Lee, Howard University and PepsiCo.

The event at historic Cramton Auditorium (2455 Sixth Street, NW) is free to college students, and features Spike Lee (natch) with fave celebs Rev. Al Sharpton, Bay Buchanan, Sean Combs, Arianna Huffington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, Queen Latifah, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Michelle Rhee, Dr. Cornel West, and more. Pepsi says topics will include the economy, education, race, gender, hip-hop, carbonated beverages, and other vital national issues.