Diana with Kent Brewster in Monterey. This is why Diana has been smiling a whole lot this past month. Diana feels pretty damn lucky lately.

Well, I got a pretty fair number of responses to yesterday's quiz, though for a while I was wondering if it was going to be only women writing in. I didn't get any entries from men until this morning. Actually, I was impressed to see that most people were able to name the 13 colonies without too much trouble. The Bill of Rights was where most people fell down. As of last night Linda Dunn was in the lead, with 12 colonies and over half of the amendments. This morning, however, there were a few more entries (the men finally showed up!), but still no one was able to get the entire bill of rights. And then, an email squeezed into my In Box, with the correct listing of the colonies (and a nifty mnemonic to remember them!) and the bill of rights in its entirety.

And so, though I know I am going to get accused of rampant favoritism here, I must hereby announce that the winner of The Diana's Smart Peoples Contest#2 (#1 was the Clash question. Remember?) is: The Amazing and Nifty Kent Brewster.

I promise. He really did get them all right!

So, here is his cool little mnemonic (three of them, actually):

New York (New York) cut (Connecticut) roast is (Rhode Island) much (Massachussets) nicer hot (New Hampshire).

Green (Georgia) salad (South Carolina) doesn't (Delaware) need (North Carolina) vinegar (Virginia).

Meat (Maryland) needs Java (New Jersey) pepper (Pennsylvania).

My mother wrote me with a nice breakdown of the Bill of Rights, as well as other important amendments that we ought to be aware of:

I: Freedom of speech, religion, press, right to assemble, and right to petition the government for redress of grievances.

II: "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."

III: No quartering of soldiers in houses without the consent of owner, even during time of war.

IV: No unreasonable search of seizures of people, their house, persons, papers, and effects. Sworn warrant necessary, describing what is to be searched and what may (persons or things) may be seized.

V: Can't be held for a capital or infamous crime except on indictment of a Grand Jury. No double jeopardy. Can't be required to testify against oneself, nor be deprived of lefe, liberty, or poperty without due process of law. Private property can't be taken for public use without just compensation.

VI: Right to a speedy trial, and to have assistance of counsel for defense.

VII: Jury trial in lawsuits where value is more than twenty dollars.

VIII: No excessive bail, nor cruel or unusual punishments.

IX: Just becasue a right is not listed in the Constitution doesn't mean that it is denied.

X: Powers not given to the United States, nor prohibited by it to the states, and reserserved to the States or the people.

These became effective December 15, 1791.

Others of note:

12 changes the way the vice president is elected..It began without the concept of the party system, and the guy getting second most votes in the electoral College was Veep. By Jefferson's time (3rd prez) distinct party philosophies were developing, and Jefferson's vice president was Aaron Burr, of opposite political persuasion. (Burr, you will recall, killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Hamilton is buried in the Trinity Church cemetery in New York, near Wall Street. I [editor's note: I=Diana's mother] used to eat lunch in the churchyard when I worked nearby.) This one was ratified in 1804.

The next batch came after the Civil War. 13 bans "involuntary servitude" except when someone has been convicted of a crime.

14 is know as due process, guaranteeing equal protection of the laws. It is also the first part of the Constitution to differentiate between males and females, referring to denial of vote to male residents (with suitable qualifications) resulting in decreased representation. And 15 is the one guaranteeing the vote no matter what color or position of previous servitude.

16 is your very favorite in April--Income tax. 17 is direct election of Senators. 18 is prohibition, 19 saying vote can't be denied because you aren't a male. 20 moves inauguration day to January, 21 repeals prohibition.

22 limits presidential terms (this finally passed in 1951) 23 gives D.C. electors in the Electoral College. 24 says poll (meaning head) tax can't be a requirement for voting in any election for national office. (1964)

25 is the revised presidential succession, including the process for appointing a new vice president.

26 says 18 year olds can vote. (1971)

And then her question for the masses was to name the President who was never elected to a national office.

Thanks to Tamela, Vera, Caroline, Linda, Petra, Clark (he got the bill of rights, but admitted looking it up), and John for entering. Consolation prizes will be handed out at the door.

Okay, enuff history for today. Tomorrow I think I'll go back to whining about writing. ;-)