U.S.A. -- How much honor is in a flag?

In the aftermath of the recent tragic killings at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina there has been much attention given to a flag used by the Confederacy during the Civil War.  You know the flag -- a blue "X" containing thirteen white stars displayed on a field of red.

This flag is central to the story of what happened in that church.  It is in that role because of its history. 

Have you noticed that the reports on this flag identify it as a "battle flag" of the Confederacy?  That is correct; it was not the national flag of the Confederacy.  What does this mean?

SCOTUS and the ACA: Entertaining dissent, Justice Scalia, but we deserve a better explanation from you

Today the Supreme Court of the United States -- SCOTUS -- released its decision in the case of King vs. Burwell.  Once again, the Affordable Care Act has been upheld by the nation's highest court.

It wasn't even close.

It was a six-to-three decision.  Typically conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justice Kennedy, joined the four liberal justices -- Kagan, Breyer, Ginsburg and Sotomayor -- to form the majority.  Roberts wrote for the majority.  Justice Scalia wrote for the minority, which included the reliably-conservative Justices Thomas and Alito.