As I was packing up to leave camp I was informed that David Tyurin, our male Super Camper, won the 2026 Chess Tournament. I had a couple snapshots of the tournament board as it was progressing. Here is my attempt to reconstruct the results. I would have liked to get this in the newspaper, however, time did not allow. Congrats to David and all 16 of our contestants.

2026 Champion: David Tyurin

As is our custom, the 2026 Pictures and Video were added to the Camp Archives. Feel free to download and view/print in color these photos that are available from 2009-2026.

You can reach the picture albums from the website by selecting “Camp Items|Camp Pictures”. Once there,  you will have access to all the photos and video.

I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane.  — MJA

As is our custom, the 2026 Newspapers were added to the Camp Archives. Feel free to download and view/print in color the newspapers that are available from 2009-2026.

You can reach the archives from the website by selecting “Camp Items|Camp Archive”. Once there, select [Camp Journal Archives] and you will have access to all the newspapers.

Hope you enjoy the stories, jokes, quotes, pics and puzzles. — MJA

The Camp Constitution photos for 2025 have been uploaded. You can obtain your copies by using the Camp Items Menu on the home page and select “Camp Pictures”. Once there, click the “Camp Constitution 2025 Photos”. You’ll find 11 categories of photos and videos from which to choose. You can play each category as a slide show or you can browse them at your leisure. Each slide frame allows you to download the original or you can share photos on X (formerly twitter) and there is also an email option. You will notice all the old archives going back to 2008, so if you have attended a previous camp, you can still view those photos as well.

Your Editor,

Mark Affleck

The Camp Constitution Journal Volume 17 Issues 1 – 5 (Camp 2025 Newspapers) have been uploaded in full color. You can obtain your copies by using the Camp Items Menu on the home page and select “Camp Archive”. Once there, click the “Camp Journal Archives link”. You’ll find all the surviving Camp Newspapers back to the first year. In the right most column at the bottom are the 5 most recent issues.

Your Editor,

Mark Affleck

PS: I am working on the Camp Photos and should get them published soon.

Campers:

It was a great week. I was glad to see all our returning campers and it was a pleasure to meet soooo many new campers. We had quite a talent pool at our campfires this past week and much of it was captured in video and in pictures. You will be glad to know that all those shared photos and videos were uploaded to the archives.

Use the Camp Items Menu->Camp Pictures or this link to visit the archive.

Also, the newspapers from last week are avail under the Camp Items Menu->Camp Archives. Once there choose the Camp Journal Archives link or use this quick link to get there.

Keep in mind, if you are a repeat camper or parent of several campers, all the surviving photos and newspapers are available going back to the beginning in 2009.

Have fun revisiting past camps and I hope to see you all next year!

Members of Congress have introduced a resolution to call an Article V Constitutional Convention, or Con-Con. If enacted, this would decimate the Constitution and the God-given individual liberties that it protects. Deceptively, the resolution aggregates old, rescinded, and unrelated state legislative applications to Congress for a convention.

House Concurrent Resolution 101 (H.Con.Res.101) is sponsored by Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) and cosponsored by Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.). If passed by the House and Senate, it would call “a Convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States,” and require Congress to “set the date and place for the Convention to occur” within 180 days after the U.S. Archivist certifies that at least 34 states have applied for a Con-Con.

Importantly, H.Con.Res.101 deceptively reaches the 34-state threshold for calling a convention by aggregating “Balanced Budget Amendment” (BBA) applications with unrelated — and in many cases, centuries-old — applications for a plenary convention. The resolution states:

Whereas congressional and State records of purported plenary applications for amendments on any subject and applications for single subject Fiscal Responsibility Amendments compiled by the Article V Library list 42 total applications over time, 39 active applications in 1979, 40 active applications in 1983, and at least 34 active applications in many years thereafter[.]

Read more here: https://jbs.org/alert/stop-con-con-aggregation-scheme-in-congress-h-con-res-101/

Prior Warning here: https://thenewamerican.com/new-aggressive-scheme-exposes-article-v-convention-lobby/

Pictures from last weeks camp have been added to the camp archives. You can navigate there from the homepage by hovering over the “Camp Items” menu and selecting “Camp Pictures”. There you will find pictures for all the camps from 2009 though 2022. Of course, photos are much more readily available today with practically everyone having a cell phone capable of taking hi resolution photos, but that was not always the case. As such, you will find less photos in some of the older collections. Alternatively, you can click here to visit the Archive. If you run a slideshow and find that the images are too large for your screen resolution, there is a control that has arrows pointing to the lower left and upper right. If you click that, the images will be shown in a 1:1 format that should fit the browser screen. You may down load any of the images in original hi resolution.

Also, the camp newspapers have been uploaded. You can navigate there from the homepage by hovering over the “Camp Items” menu and selecting “Camp Archive”. Once there, select “Camp Journal Archives”. There you will find all the newspapers I could obtain from 2009 through 2022. I also have uploaded the old camp schedules as well. If anyone has hard copies of missing items, please let me or Hal know as we would love to preserve them and upload them to the archive. Alternatively, you can click here to visit the Journal Archive.

According to a press release dated Wednesday, April 13, 2022, Frank James, the accused NYC Subway shooter is being charged in Federal Court.

“Today Frank James has been charged by complaint in Brooklyn Federal Court with one count of violating 18 U.S.C. 1992(a)(7), which prohibits terrorist and other violent attacks against mass transportation systems. Once apprehended, and if convicted, he will face a sentence of up to life imprisonment.”

The question immediately arises as to why the criminal prosecution of this particular crime has been usurped by the Federal Government from local authorities. The immediate response to such a question is sure to claim that the person violated federal law, however, Our Constitution only provides for a very small number of federal crimes:

Article I Section 8 grants Congress the power:

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the Law of Nations;

Article 4 Section 3:

The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.

The Constitution plainly defines the jurisdiction of criminal offenses:

Article III Section 2

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

Amendment VI (ratified December 15, 1791)

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

Now, some will argue that 18 U.S.C. 1992(a)(7), defines the district of the offense as a federal district. Clearly, New York has laws against murder and attempted murder. Why would the US statutes and laws take precedence over the State and the plainly worded constitutional provisions of our Founders? Which is worse, attempted murder or “attacks against mass transportation systems”? How would that even be defined?

In my mind, there are two distinct possible answers. One, the Federal Government, for purely political reasons is flexing its muscles, or two, there are facts in this case which require “management” by a party of interest at the federal level.

In other words, let me come straight out with my accusation. If no federal agencies or officers are involved in any way with the incident involving this defendant, then the best way to demonstrate that, would be to allow the State of New York, Kings County handle the arrest and prosecution. Furthermore, I would argue that the rights of this defendant are being abused by moving the jurisdiction of this case to the federal level. While I am sure there are not many who sympathize with the accused – and rightly so if I may add; all citizens need to understand the potential ramifications to future cases involving other defendants. This type of abuse has been going on so long now, that no one seems to even realize that we are moving towards a nation where all crimes will one day be considered “federal”.