20070523 This Week in The Tentacle

This Week in The Tentacle

May 23^rd, 2007

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Gates Encourages Public Service

Kevin E. Dayhoff

In his keynote graduation address Sunday, U. S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates challenged the 2007 graduates of the College of William and Mary to serve the greater good of the nation by voting, volunteering, and participating in public service.

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Tuesday, May 22, 2007

State GOP "Sulking"

Roy Meachum

One-time U.S. Senate candidate and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele used the S-word. It happened Saturday night in Annapolis. Before about 200 of the Republican faithful, the Washington Post reported; he declared:

Send More Cash or Trim The Fat?

Farrell Keough

In April, I wrote an article on the state's budget and slots, (Robbing Peter to Pay Paul). I recently referenced that article on a forum where the discussion of slots came up. I was rightly asked, "Well smarty-pants, we know what you don't like. What would you suggest to fill this $1.5 billion dollar shortfall?"

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Monday, May 21, 2007

Old Soldiers Don't Fade Away

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

George W. Owings, III, was relieved of his duties as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs by Gov. Martin O'Malley on May 7. Secretary Owings was not dismissed for any reason other than he had been appointed by former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.

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Sunday, May 20, 2007

A Summer Off

Tom McLaughlin

My best-laid plans for the summer crashed and burned the other day. The person I had relied upon to take care of my Alzheimer's patient father became unavailable. I won't go into the details. Suffice it to say she was a lover. It was because, well, there was violation, not of the sexual kind, but of trust. I had to ask her to leave.

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Friday, May 18, 2007

Moral Majority's Medicine Man

Roy Meachum

Founder Jerry Falwell was found on the floor in his offices at Liberty University. Initial guesses about his death settled on a heart attack. His apologists would have a hard time blaming "liberals," but they could still try.

Unchartered

Edward Lulie III

Charter government! Will it come to Frederick at long last? My own fearless prediction is that it is, once again Dead-on-Arrival.

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Thursday, May 17, 2007

A Penny Saved Isn't Necessarily

Tony Soltero

The late Dave Berg was one of the 20th Century's great American satirists. His work tends to be unduly overlooked by many, because the primary canvas for his work was the kid-oriented Mad Magazine.

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Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Hate Crimes' Slippery Slope

Kevin E. Dayhoff

On May 3rd the U. S. House of Representatives voted 237 to 180 to pass H.R. 1592, the "Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act."

The Lake Reflection

Patricia A. Kelly

I'm putting away my grandmother's dishes. There aren't many of them left, but, when I touch them, I can still see them in her kitchen and remember her "new" house and these "new" dishes. I'm at the lake, again.

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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Ailing Sport of Kings

Roy Meachum

Growing up in New Orleans horse racing simply could not be avoided. The bangtails ran for their prizes from about Thanksgiving until spring signaled colder climes were in the process of thawing out.

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Monday, May 14, 2007

Political Winners & Losers (Part Two)

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

In last Monday's entry, we analyzed federal and state politicos and organization on the winning and losing sides of the electoral and ideological battlefield. This week, in addition to a few statewide stragglers, we bring the focus a little closer to home.