This week in The Tentacle – July 30th, 2008

This week in The Tentacle – July 30th, 2008

July 30, 2008

Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Obama Phenomena
Kevin E. Dayhoff
With less than 100 days to go before the November presidential election, both presumptive candidates for the Oval Office continue to look for a key – knock-out – issue that will put them over the top.


Oh, Canada!
Tom McLaughlin
There are a many similarities between North Ontario, Canada and Western Maryland. One of the most obvious is the bears. Both areas must bow to what the residents consider regulations promulgated by a foreign government.


Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Graveyard of Armies
Roy Meachum
Both presidential candidates are in agreement: We are losing the war in Afghanistan. That's not what they say of course: We must shift troops from Iraq to take care of unfinished business in Afghanistan. I hope I managed to get that straight.


To Implement Justice – or Not
Farrell Keough
A recent conversation on the radio piqued my interest. A regular Tentacle columnist and our 3-B delegate to the General Assembly, Rick Weldon, talked about the decision facing Gov. Martin O’Malley on the death penalty.


Monday, July 28, 2008
Seniors and the Silent Treatment
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
2005 was a big year in Maryland for advocates for senior citizen issues. Maybe a more accurate way to say that is that 2005 should have been a big year for senior citizens.


Windows Vista and Beyond
Steven R. Berryman
When my kids convinced me that computers and the Internet were here to stay, I invested some time, mostly via trial-and-error, to set up a system of my own. Recently I sat back and took stock of what had eventually become the cyber-center of my organizational universe.


Friday, July 25, 2008
All the City Government Goofed
Roy Meachum
Fortunately for me, the state of county and city remained tranquil for months; only minor whoopdeedos. County Commissioner President Jan Gardner deserves praise for her good job keeping John "Lennie" Thompson from mucking up the public order. And that's great news.


Thursday, July 24, 2008
Living Full Out
Patricia A. Kelly
I was reading The Frederick News Post a few days ago when I came across some fascinating stories. The first was about U.S. Olympic swimmer Dara Torres. She’s 41!


Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Fetching Food and Politics
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Every third Wednesday in July the Maryland State Capital, if not the center of the Maryland political universe, moves from Annapolis to Crisfield for the annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake.


Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Cartoons Capture Cinema
Roy Meachum
As readers know, Bob Miller has me on his Morning News Express (WFMD*930AM) to talk about films and plays. We chat every Friday shortly before nine, when his program ends. This is why I can be spotted hanging around movie theatres.

Ireland or Bust
Nick Diaz
My wife and I are leaving for Dublin tomorrow. No, not Dublin, Virginia, nor Dublin, Ohio. Not even Dublin, California.


Monday, July 21, 2008
Building Community Capacity
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
How do we measure the health of a community? Is it wealth-based? Maybe a healthy community is one wherein there are enough jobs paying a sufficiently high wage to sustain a family.

The Enemy Within
Steven R. Berryman
Vacationing in Bethany Beach, Delaware, took me past the iconic sub-watch towers, still positioned as they were during World War II, standing guard at the shoreline. These fortified cylindrical monoliths at one time dotted the East Coast from Maine to Florida, protecting our borders from invasion.

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