This week in The Tentacle for Wednesday, January 21, 2009

This week in The Tentacle for Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The Tentacle: A Tale of Two Inaugurations Wednesday, January 21, 2009 by Kevin Dayhoff http://tinyurl.com/7ou85e

A Tale of Two Inaugurations
Kevin E. Dayhoff
By the time you read this column our nation will have witnessed the inauguration of our nation's 44th president. Today is the first day for President Barack Obama and it marks the merciful end of the 78-day transition period.


Casting Off the New Year
Norman M. Covert
Age and infirmity played a minor role in my kicking off the can’t-miss, spectacular “Age of Obama,” by going to sleep a few seconds before the Waterford® Crystal Sphere dropped at Times Square on New Year’s Eve. The arms of Orpheus obscured the weariness of 2008 with its cast of buffoons in government, entertainment, sports and New-Look Journalism.


Tuesday, January 20, 2009
"Eyeless in Gaza"
Roy Meachum
God willing, the so-called cease fire held through last night. And Israel and Hamas limited themselves to the minor infractions that have consistently occurred since they stopped shooting. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared victory and began to pull his armed forces out. Hamas claims it won by surviving. They both are right. And wrong.


Dumbing Down Mathematics – Part II
Nick Diaz
In my last article for www.thetentacle.com, I described the goals and strategies used by so-called “reform” educators in their pursuit of mediocrity in American mathematical education.


Monday, January 19, 2009
General Assembly Journal 2009 – Volume 3
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
The 426th Session of the Maryland General Assembly opened at noon last Wednesday. The normal pomp and ceremony seemed somehow muted, likely due to the budget storm clouds on the Annapolis horizon.


So Far No Change
Steven R. Berryman
The observable operating philosophy of President-elect Barack Obama thus far comes to us in the form of a television situation comedy, as in an “Obama Knows Best.” It comes off as the blind requirement of our total trust.


Friday, January 16, 2009
Sore Losers
Roy Meachum
No one probably remembers I called for peace when Jennifer Dougherty and George W. Bush first took office. I suggested they be given the chance to do their jobs before judgment was passed. I supported their rivals in the elections.


An Ironic Abomination
Joe Charlebois
George Mason, the "father" of our Bill of Rights, was instrumental in securing our rights by refusing to sign on to the Constitution without the protections for the individual citizen.


Thursday, January 15, 2009
Three Blind Mice
Chris Cavey
The culture of corruption in Maryland Democrat politics has twice reared its head within a fortnight. Sadly few citizens have been shocked. Sadder still, the two elected officials indicted didn't even realize what they did was outside the guidelines of business as usual.


The Reality of Trust
Joan McIntyre
Trust a word with a million personal definitions. Here is just one: "assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something."


Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Barack Rhymes With Tupac
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Noticeable, yet relatively underreported in the scandal-filled rhetoric that passes for meaningful political commentary these days, is the passing of an historic era that will occur when President George W. Bush takes off in the presidential helicopter after President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office next week.


From The Desk of the Publisher:
John W. Ashbury
Tom McLaughlin, whose column normally appears on The Tentacle every Wednesday, has extended his travels into the Internet void known as the interior of The Far East. So, for the present, his wi-fi connection has been disabled. However, we can expect several fascinating pieces about the wilds of interior Borneo – and what the people he encounters think about the “West” – when he returns to civilization.


Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Celebrate and Enjoy Next Week
Roy Meachum
It's easy to remember my first day on The Washington Post. It was January 20, 1953. Ike's first Inauguration found me as the Post copy boy assigned to carry the paper's chief photographer Arthur Ellis' camera equipment; news photogs still toted around Speed Graphics. I loved being an insider in the big event.


Missed Opportunities? Perhaps!
Farrell Keough
If you wake up tomorrow and go out to warm up your car before leaving for work – you could be facing a $60 fine and one point on your driving record. This is yet another sign of not actually thinking through an idea, and what unintended consequences are.


Monday, January 12, 2009
General Assembly Journal 2009 – Volume 2
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
You stand at the base of the impressive marble steps and gaze up at the Georgian-era brick edifice to state governance laid out before you. This building, the Maryland State House, has served as the home of the state legislature since 1772.


The Benefits of Bottoming Out
Steven R. Berryman
Not all progress is linear in nature. As in mountain climbing, sometimes one has to travel down to get up. A glacial valley can lead to a better summit trail.

20090121 This week in The Tentacle
Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/