Showing posts with label Journalists Berryman Steven. Show all posts

Monday, March 07, 2011

Steve Berryman - The Tentacle: Absent a "Balance of Power"

Steve Berryman's latest column, (originally for and declined by The Frederick News-Post) ...... is on TheTentacle today: http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=4267

March 7, 2011

Absent A “Balance of Power”

Steven R. Berryman

Is the Middle East on fire with revolution simply as a domino effect born of circumstances? Are public labor unions suddenly at odds with their government simply because of some newly empowering force? There are greater, overarching factors in play in both cases, not fully recognized.

Just as nature abhors a vacuum, the world misses the yin and yang of a past-polarized world with two recognized “superpowers.” The sides were fairly matched, a polarized world largely kept peace with itself, known as détente, as nations were all on one side – and beholden to – or the other.

At the same time, big-labor unrest was kept in check as money flowed as freely as promises to future generations; unions were awarded raises, adjustments, and pensions without examination on spreadsheet, or in any other way for that matter. Current dollars flowed, and satisfaction was maintained between union bosses getting what they wanted and a government maintaining its constituency by mortgaging future office holders.

The phrase “kicking the can down the road” works.

Balance of power concerning labor relations was easily kept harmonious for years until the money ran out. In Wisconsin, it has been often reported that public workers now easily out-earn their private sector counterparts; this circumstance will surely not be allowed to endure in the current declining economy as forces balance out with reality... http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=4267

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Saturday, March 05, 2011

Steven R. Berryman Professional Resume -seeking employment

Steven R. Berryman

http://www.stevenrberryman.blogspot.com/

Resume: Seeking a Commercial Construction Project Development-Estimating / Project Management position in a thriving company. Previous focus has included Big Box Retail Senior Management positions in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Steven R. Berryman

Professional Resume1732 Dearbought Drive
Frederick, Maryland 21701
srbmgr@comcast.net
240-446-0835

Director - Facilities Development - Fitness First Clubs - Sept. 2010-January 2011

[On a consulting basis]

7430 New Technology Way, Ste. B, Frederick, MD. 21703 301-963-1500

Responsible for all aspects of Club Maintenance, Interior Construction, Subcontracting of trade specialists, and related internal staff for a leading Health Club with 17 locations, 900 employees, and $24,000,000. in annual revenue.

See: http://www.fitnessfirstclubs.com/

**********************************************************
Commercial Construction - September 2001 to September 7, 2010

Office Walls & Ceilings, Inc.
402 Main Street, Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Steve@OfficeWalls.US
301-258-3450

Senior Estimator / Bid preparation / Project management
Drywall / Acoustical / Metal framing

Responsibilities include -

GC relations and pre-construction services

Contract negotiations

Production of budgets, space plans, and unit pricing

Production of forecasting, phasing, and time-line considerations

Market and sales data analysis

Production of competitive bids and alternates

Maintain IT and software for On Center programs including:

On Screen Takeoff (OST) version 3.7.0.12 2010
Quick Bid (QB) version 4.9.0.22 2010

Develop contingencies for value engineering and LEED construction

Maintain multiple source material pricing and databases

System configuration of Network, PCs and large scale printers

***********************************************************
Steven R. Berryman

Big box Retail Management - July 1992 to August 2001 2 of 2

Target - Frederick, MD.
Executive Team Leader
Direct supervision of 30-150 associates and managers.
Responsible for sales, training, recruiting, stocking, operations, and ordering for Softlines in a $25,000,000 "big box" retailer.

Exceeded sales goals, supervised grand openings in Dover, DE and Frederick, MD.

The Sports Authority - Lancaster, PA.
General Store Manager - full budget and P&L responsibility
Direct supervision of 80 associates and department heads, including the managers of
departments, logistics, stocking, receiving, and recruiting operations.

Managed construction, set up, stocking, and grand opening of the Lancaster, PA store.
Managed the set up of the Frederick, MD store.

Montgomery Ward (Wards)
General Store Manager - full budget and P&L responsibility
Reading, PA, Ithaca, NY.
Operations Manager/Electronics Appliance Manager -
Springfield, VA, Wheaton, MD.

Selected to be a corporate trainer and liaison for the companies reporting systems project.

************************************************************
Career highlights - Construction - include:

*Bid, negotiated, and was awarded Medimmune Offices & Labs, Gaithersburg, Blds. 1, 2, & 3 with Hitt Contracting GC, and Ho+K Architects. All drywall package included for the Core, Shell, and exterior light gage. Project managed and procured materials. 2002

*Jury's Hotel - Washington, DC. Bid, negotiated and was awarded 9 floors of a complex
renovation for Forrester Construction. Project included full renovations of the interior,
and a completely new top (9th) floor with all exteriors features, and LG structural features of sofits and balconies. Multiple phases, multiple crews. Performed the liaison with Adtek Engineers. 2008

*Bid, negotiated, and was awarded Medimmune FP-37 ceiling replacement package
with Coakley Williams. Conducted original survey and produced complex phasing
plan, procured materials. Difficulty factors included: 50k SF ACT, Biotech air locks,
off hours, multiple sites, multiple buildings, phased, same day completion of each
section with multiple crews. 2009

*Clearchannel Communications 6th Consolidation, Rockville, MD - Full floor interior fitout package of sound studios and offices. Full sound and ISO acoustical insulation package including hangers. Forrester Construction GC, 2007

*Bid, negotiated, and was awarded Scitor Corporation Ph. I & II 9th - Full floor interior fitout package of SCIF compartments and metal mesh assemblies. Coakley Williams, 2006

*********************************************************

Additional information:

*My employment history includes professional presentation skills
as a sales trainer, including subjects from "information management," "time management," and "diversity training."

*Vice President, Dearbought Home Owner's Association, Frederick, MD.
...the largest in the City of Frederick. - past 5 years, and currently.

********************************************************

*****

Westminster Maryland Online http://www.westminstermarylandonline.net/ http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

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My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/

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Sunday, January 09, 2011

MediaHooker: Predictions 2011

Predictions 2011 by Steve Berryman http://mediahooker1.blogspot.com/2011/01/predictions-2011.html

[This column was intended for the Frederick News-Post, and they dropped it without explanation at the 11th hour. You decide why!]

Predictions 2011

Steven R. Berryman

Readers have my sincere apologies in advance; I can’t resist the seasonal urge to prognosticate happenings for this year. You can say you heard it here first.

Being the first to know is not always an advantage to the receiver, but this may afford ME some future bragging rights!

*The City of Frederick will hire an assistant to the assistant of the lead executive assistant working under Mayor Randy McClement. This will afford the further insulation of any position, and facilitate the tamping down of “news.”

*The Frederick County Board of County Commissioners will press hard for consensus on “Charter Government.” This in no way is impacted by anyone’s quest for the consolidating of power, but seeks to emulate the widely touted success by County Executive Ike Leggett of Montgomery County.

*The Frederick County Board of Education will open up the private bathroom upstairs in the penthouse level of the “Taj Mahal” building, aka their new offices. All administrative positions paying over $74,997 will now have to justify themselves to others making less than that.

Softball then becomes the official board sport during recess.... http://mediahooker1.blogspot.com/2011/01/predictions-2011.html

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Monday, December 06, 2010

Steve Berryman Accountable slate Originally published December 03, 2010

Steve Berryman Accountable slate Originally published December 03, 2010 http://www.fredericknewsp

Steve Berryman

Accountable slate

Originally published December 03, 2010

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_comments_columnist.htm?section=sBerryman&storyID=113236#postComments

At Wednesday morning's swearing-in ceremony at the Null Building of the Frederick Fairgrounds, a willing slate of four, led by Blaine Young, began their reign as our new Board of County Commissioners.

Among those choosing not to affiliate, only David Gray remained to make five.

This minority voice -- although Republican otherwise -- can be one of good conscience, but was he odd-man-out on this one. On a positive note, the incumbent pledged to hold open town-hall-type meetings on any subject requested, and this at floating locations.

Even with the potential... http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_comments_columnist.htm?section=sBerryman&storyID=113236#postComments

Tags: frederick co issues, journalists berryman steven, md co frederick co commissioners

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Monday, November 22, 2010

Recent columns by Steve Berryman in the Frederick News-Post

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/search/results.htm?query=Berryman

Choosing your news
| Steve Berryman | By: | 11/19/10 | 571 words

The Washington Post

Interconnectedness
| Steve Berryman | By: | 11/12/10 | 559 words

I will adopt his jumping-off point as my own here, having been personally warned during a conference long ago, led by prognosticating writer John Naisbitt, peddling his book "Megatrends" at the time.

Teens
| Steve Berryman | By: | 11/05/10 | 464 words

They pretend that they're not listening; who do they think they're kidding!

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/search/results.htm?query=Berryman

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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Steve Berryman: The 'new normal'

Steve Berryman

The 'new normal'

Originally published August 27, 2010

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_columnist.htm?StoryID=109077

Which way is up these days? Forget about waiting for things to return to some bygone day when you had a reasonable expectation of anticipating the future. The "new normal" is that the unpredictable rules, as history provides no road map showing us where we are -- or clues on best directions.

Well, with the notable exception of the U.S. Constitution, at least as far as directions go.
The new normal for many politicians is to fight for you by reducing your expectations. I decry that notion as defeatist, and implore you to fight back by aligning with those politicians who identify themselves -- in your mind -- as winners with the spirit to rebuild a foundation for our growth.
Beware excuse makers and revisionists!
[...]
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_columnist.htm?StoryID=109077

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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Steve Berryman, Frederick News-Post: Enigmatic Frederick

Steve Berryman
Enigmatic Frederick
Originally published July 09, 2010

To have ventured downtown to Frederick 's celebration of Independence Day was to become enmeshed with real Americana, despite your political bent. To call it the Fourth of July celebration is to embrace political correctness, in my humble opinion.Giant American flags hung from the world's most expensive construction cranes and firetrucks, but my gut tells me that there was no incurred expense in that, as to be patriotic in display

[...]

Chief of Police Kim Dine personally patrolled on his two-wheeled Segway scooter. Mayor Randy McClement was found at the most critical juncture of the event, judging WFMD's chili cook-off along with some city aldermen, including Kelly Russell and Michael O'Connor.

[...]

Strategically situated between the band's high "db" harangue at the main stage, the chili, and the Marines' beer garden I found colleague Rick Weldon, city administrator. He was in a most philosophical mode, as we spent a few moments solving the region's problems, and enjoying our common ancestry writing for the Web journal The Tentacle.

The free-form style and "anything goes" nature of the most respected Tentacle site had gotten Rick into some hot water of late, as his opportunistic critics had cried foul over some obviously sarcastic commentary

... http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_comments_columnist.htm?section=sBerryman&storyID=107098#postComments

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Steve Berryman: Just getting started

Frederick News-Post Steve Berryman: Just getting started

Best wishes go out to my fellow Tentacle colleague, Steve Berryman, who is “Just Getting Started” with a weekly column every Friday in the Frederick News-Post.

The column may be found here:. http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_columnist.htm?StoryID=102092

If one cruises through the comments that accompany his column on the News-Post web site, you will realize that this is going to be fun. It appears that there are many folks out there who are quite threatened by the mere idea that Mr. Berryman will be sharing his point of view in the Frederick news and commentary scene.

All the while, please understand that his initial toe-in-the-piranha filled waters that pass for meaningful commentary in central-Maryland these days, hardly states a position. Yet the personal attacks quickly began.

Not much in the way of counter-point or meaningful and welcome fact-filled disagreement. Just hate-filled venomous commentary.

Whatever.

Mr. Berryman begins his column with:

“As we are all in this together, it is my pleasure to write you my introductory column. Mea culpas in advance as this is meant to be explanatory, and not "ruthless self-promotion"! Aspects of my activist roles have made that necessary in the past.

"Each Friday my regular musings on this opinion page will usher in a weekend for you and, I hope, find you then better informed, possibly more enlightened, and certainly more awake for the reading.

"As a citizen-journalist, being selected to have a recurring voice was an honor, and a bit of a surprise, as in the past I have to admit to being something of an "equal opportunity provocateur" in my relations with The Frederick News-Post. Seems they were listening!

"My comments have appeared in many a columnist's and story writer's in-basket through online capabilities in the electronic versions of this newspaper. Please note that almost all of these comments clearly included my name, as I believe that anonymity confers a certain disrespect for civility..."

[…]

Read his entire column here: Frederick News-Post Steve Berryman: Just getting started - http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/opinion/display_columnist.htm?StoryID=102092 Originally published March 05, 2010

civility anonymous comments, Journalists Berryman Steven, Journalists Tentaclers, Newspapers Frederick News-Post, Politics Civility

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/03/steve-berryman-just-getting-started.html

http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/305804.html

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Sunday, January 03, 2010

Steve Berryman argues with himself

The Tentacle www.thetentacle.com writer, Steve Berryman, http://www.thetentacle.com/author.cfm?MyAuthor=53, argues with himself at The Tentaclers’ (January 2nd, 2010) monthly get together breakfast at The Buzz, http://www.thebuzzgreenvalley.com//index.html, and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monrovia-MD/The-Buzz/85435613015?v=wall, 11801 Fingerboard Rd, Monrovia, MD, 21770

Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/wgrmu or here: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/314053458/the-tentacle-www-thetentacle-com-writer-steve

[20100102 TentaclerThe Buzz20dBerryman] Journalists Berryman Steven, Journalists Tentaclers, Media The Tentacle, Restaurants The Buzz

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/01/steve-berryman-argues-with-himself.html

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Friday, November 06, 2009

The Steve Berryman Tentacle digest Dec 2007 to present

The Steve Berryman Tentacle digest Dec 2007 to present

November 2, 2009
Voting My Conscience
Steven R. Berryman
The City of Frederick elections are now upon us, so it’s time to get your voting strategy together. Those stuck at simply “voting the party line,” will be at a distinct disadvantage in our municipal election tomorrow.

October 26, 2009
Tang and Teflon
Steven R. Berryman
With scientists as the new high priests of the 1950s we officially entered the “Space Age” in 1958 with the launch of the satellite Sputnik by our archrival in the world, the U.S.S.R.

October 19, 2009
The Heavy Time
Steven R. Berryman
Boundless optimism toward future prospects and possibilities used to mark the American Spirit. Now, we make zero-sum choices in our lives, sometimes with no good outcomes, and are lead by a president who would have us borrow wealth instead of creating it.

October 12, 2009
Manipulation Nation
Steven R. Berryman
The control of your future behavior on an epic scale is the goal by some that will make us “The Manipulation Nation.”

October 5, 2009
It’s “The Message,” Stupid
Steven R. Berryman
Freedom of speech may be relegated to the past, if the voices of our Founding Fathers are not re-remembered, and quickly. Some attempts to exercise our First, and most valuable amendment to the Constitution, upon examination, are really attacks on the message itself.

September 28, 2009
The Politics of Fairness
Steven R. Berryman
The greatest lie propagated on our children in public education today is that “fairness” will be a guiding principle in life.

September 21, 2009
Grass-Roots Betrayed
Steven R. Berryman
Much has been said on all sides in evaluating recent protestors in Washington, as well as in Frederick. Just what is a legitimate “grass-roots” uprising, anyway?

September 14, 2009
9/11 Rally Meets the Tea Party
Steven R. Berryman
The convergence of local politics with national is impossible to escape now, even to the casual observer. With the timeframe overlap between the newest “Tea Party” style rally, the observances of 9/11s “Patriot Day,” and municipal primary elections tomorrow in Frederick, the relationship between party and constituent becomes even more blurred.

September 7, 2009
Time Management
Steven R. Berryman
Should you not have time to read my columns, then make an exception and read this one now. “I just don’t have the time” sounds like a personal problem to me, and that attitude will not advance your ability to get things done in our zero-sum time of “no time.”

August 31, 2009
Plowing the Crowded Field
Steven R. Berryman
One reason for the poor turnout at municipal elections is a perceived lack of differentiation between the candidates. This year we also suffer the fog of a large field of aldermanic candidates for the City of Frederick.

August 24, 2009
Twitter Primer
Steven R. Berryman
The Twitter.com phenomenon is not understood. It has nothing to do with text messaging, and more to do with poetry and “forced pithiness.”

August 17, 2009
The Long Reach of the Tentacles
Steven R. Berryman
Having been on my “staycation” last week, I did not present my usual column last week. With so much transpiring in the meantime, here come some mini-Tentacles in an effort to catch up and to make up!

August 3, 2009
More-on Medicine!
Steven R. Berryman
Call me crazy, but I want to live longer, and into a fruitful old age. All events surrounding healthcare reform convince me of the opposite!

July 27, 2009
Why Take Back America?
Steven R. Berryman
To the uninitiated, the very concept of a “meet-up group” can be worrisome, and a bit unsettling. With much curiosity about our local splinter organization emerging from the original “Tea Party Movement,” I jumped into the fray last Friday night at the Hampton Inn’s meeting room.

July 20, 2009
Nags Head Vacationing Past
Steven R. Berryman
Forgetting politics and current events for a time, vacation is on my mind. One must only notice the missing traffic from Interstate 270 southbound in the mornings to fully realize this!

July 13, 2009
Vigilance Is Our Saving Grace
Steven R. Berryman
I deny that I wrote this column. The problem is that the technology exists today to record electronically the very keystrokes emanating from my wireless keyboard, and – that as it happens – in “real time!”

July 6, 2009
The Take Back America Rally
Steven R. Berryman
It was my honor and pleasure to bear witness to the first annual rally in front of the Frederick County Courthouse on the 4th of July. Not a “tea party,” it was about taking back America.

June 29, 2009
Cap and Traitor
Steven R. Berryman
The House of Representatives barely passed the first stage in President Obama’s “Cap-and-Trade” energy/ecology legislation late Friday 219-212. This, with the help of eight Republican traitors crossing over to vote, and having not read the bill, hundreds of pages of which only just became available at 3 A.M. on the day of the vote.

June 22, 2009
And Hippocrates Wept
Steven R. Berryman
The final form of changes to our current healthcare system, as is being pressed by our President Barack Obama, is still under wraps. A rational discussion of the ramifications for all concerned – including you – is an essential exercise now.

June 15, 2009
Stereo Daze
Steven R. Berryman
As complex as life and electronics are these days, I cannot help but look back fondly to my first big job and the consumer world of the 1970s, before computers, cell phones, and even home theater and large screen televisions.

June 8, 2009
Just Get Over It!
Steven R. Berryman
Finally, some answers to persistent probing questions as to what is apparently the death of the old two-party political system, and the promised bipartisanship of our Messiah-president. As stunningly simple as it sounds, no matter the issue or facts at hand, get used to “We won, you lost; just get over it!”

June 1, 2009
Not about Judge Sonia Sotomayor
Steven R. Berryman
Today you will be happy to note that I did not fill this space with the abundant fodder falling out from the nomination of 2nd Circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the upcoming vacancy on the United States Supreme Court.

May 25, 2009
Toward a Workable Hair Care System
Steven R. Berryman
Government economists, in conjunction with the Obama Administration, have now decided we must tackle the struggling hair care industry immediately, even if this requires full nationalization of assets, as it is “too big to fail.”

May 18, 2009
Death by Technology Dependence
Steven R. Berryman
How do civilizations die? How do cultures die? How do people die?

May 11, 2009
Anticipating the Air Show! – 2009
Steven R. Berryman
Time to break with your hibernation from the winter blahs; stop getting upset about the politics of Democratic deconstruction and more illegal immigrants for a time. Andrews Air Force base, in nearby Prince George’s County offers the best air show in the region once a year, and it’s this coming weekend!

May 4, 2009
If TheTentacle.com were Facebook
Steven R. Berryman
Not being in the mood to write, blog post, or comment, I started to consider some plausible excuses for skipping my Monday Tentacle column for this week.

April 27, 2009
While you were out…
Steven R. Berryman
If you blinked at the wrong moment over the last few weeks, and rely solely on one part of the media paradigm for your news, you may have missed any of these following items. Not necessarily because of media-bias, but simply because we only have so much time and tolerance for added information in our lives:

April 20, 2009
Because Hope is not a Method
Steven R. Berryman
My name is Steve, and I’m a “right-wing extremist.” That’s how I would start an “AA” meeting if those letters stood for “activists anonymous!”

April 13, 2009
About the Net
Steven R. Berryman
What the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), once contrived to connect university research scientists to each other in the course of their daily work, has now become the world’s greatest tool, toy, and liability – our Internet.

April 6, 2009
Our ‘Apologist-in-Chief”
Steven R. Berryman
News of the demise of America has been greatly exaggerated. Alas, one would never know it, though, as President Barack Obama disgorged his political capital recently on the tail end of the G20 economic summit.

March 30, 2009
Print News and Information Wars
Steven R. Berryman
Printed newspapers are under attack. Many will not make it. The “gray ladies,” now printed expensively in color, are ending up still plastic-wrapped in your recycle bucket.

March 23, 2009
As the Worm Turns
Steven R. Berryman
Last week marked a watershed in the recent history of our newly transforming “Obamanation.” The anecdotal evidence was everywhere, although highly disparate, that what had once been hope, born of its own sake, was being replaced by a more healthy skepticism.

March 16, 2009
Where’s the “Ownership,” Mr. President?
Steven R. Berryman
During the election cycle of 2008 it became the standard rhetoric for candidate Barack Obama and his wife to distance themselves from the elements of what it meant to “be American.”

March 9, 2009
Twitter Me This!
Steven R. Berryman
In an age when the president is only now just picking up on the notion that his public statements and the stock exchange fluctuations are related and important, why is he inviting a business-celebrity from the social networking website, www.twitter.com to the White House for cocktails?

March 2, 2009
The Hijacked Presidency
Steven R. Berryman
“Now is not the time to be making a profit” was a line from a speech from President Barack Obama that included disgracing corporate CEOs for being successful. The arbitrary “Maginot line” of selfishness had now been placed at a half million-dollars in salary.

February 23, 2009
On Writing
Steven R. Berryman
Having many writers in the family, both close and distant, I have begun to wonder whether the urge to put pen to paper is an inherited trait, or a learned one.

February 16, 2009
What’s in it for me?
Steven R. Berryman
In my efforts at ever expanding personal open-mindedness, the other morning I went straight for The Washington Post to learn the well-camouflaged details of the final $787 billion dollar spending package, called “The Porkulus” by Rush Limbaugh, and “The Spendulus” by Laura Ingraham.

February 9, 2009
Big Lies
Steven R. Berryman
Famous lies of our time include: “The check’s in the mail,” “The computer is down,” and, “You can trust me.” The smaller lies – and, thus, easier to verify – are the hardest to tell and to maintain.

February 2, 2009
When the “Have Nots” Rule
Steven R. Berryman
With 40 percent of America having now achieved entitlement-class status, it stands to reason that the burden of supporting our welfare country is born by the remaining 60 percent of the citizens.

January 26, 2009
Theater of the Absurd
Steven R. Berryman
For those feeling unsteady and questioning their own sanity of late, fear not, as you are truly living through an experience akin to watching Doug Adam’s movie, “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” while listening to a Pink Floyd album.

January 19, 2009
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.

January 12, 2009
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.

January 5, 2009
This Shakeout Year
Steven R. Berryman
There is really nothing overtly negative about encountering an economic shakeout period such as the one we have entered. In fact, what we will discover this New Year is that long-term national prosperity for America herself depends on a boom and bust cycle.

December 29, 2008
What’s in and What’s out for 2009
Steven R. Berryman
Every year we have major shifts in trends, policy, attitudes, and happenings. The 2008 / 2009 transition is no different, and is more important than usual.

December 22, 2008
Shopping and related thoughts…
Steven R. Berryman
What are you doing reading this column when you could be out Christmas shopping?

December 15, 2008
When American Cars Were King
Steven R. Berryman
American cars manufactured by the big three automakers are case studies of what not to do in a competitive environment. When engineering creativity and innovation fall by the wayside, what you get is a “car by consensus” aimed at the widest possible audience that – in the end – satisfies nobody.

December 8, 2008
Conversational Items
Steven R. Berryman
In absolutely no particular order, here are some hot items for your reading pleasure, just in time for that water cooler conversation or company holiday party.

December 1, 2008
Never Cool
Steven R. Berryman
As usual, family gatherings over the Thanksgiving weekend allowed for more personal interactions. I have three wonderful teenagers and have confirmed that the scrutiny and evaluation that befall parents at this critical juncture are surely unimaginable to anyone not experiencing it first hand.

November 24, 2008
A Saturday with the Sheriff
Steven R. Berryman
On Saturday I found myself waiting outside the Church of the Brethren for Chuck Jenkins, sheriff of Frederick County. He was late, but I don’t blame the man, as he is in highest demand during these troubled and newly formative days.

November 17, 2008
Befuddled in Frederick
Steven R. Berryman
What strange days we are living in. My sympathy goes out to those whose intellectual process it is to attempt to make sense of the world around them.

November 10, 2008
Election Post Mortem
Steven R. Berryman
Election 2008 is over. America now has a new president-elect, and an opportunity to evaluate just what Barack Obama’s victory means. Here are some lessons learned along with some 20/20 hindsight.

November 3, 2008
Predicting The Result
Steven R. Berryman
I have no crystal ball, but considering the events upcoming on Election Day, I feel compelled to prognosticate aloud. John McCain and Sarah Palin will be your next president and vice president of the United States of America. And here’s why:

October 27, 2008
House of Cards Burning Down
Steven R. Berryman
What had been “supply side economics” and the economic school of “rational expectations” is now both an experiment gone bad and a “Ponzi Scheme” exposed.

October 20, 2008
Voting Strategy for President
Steven R. Berryman
How can pollsters possibly get it right? Sampling and trend analysis, and picking the correct “target groups” would seem to be impossible efforts, based upon my informal surveys.

October 13, 2008
The Beginning at The End
Steven R. Berryman
This is The End. Not in the way the iconic 70’s rock group The Doors mean it. Not in a “depressing” way, but in another. This is not the beginning of “The End,” but the end of the beginning of a world economic reshuffling.

October 6, 2008
The People’s Will Not Done
Steven R. Berryman
The People to the government: “A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part!” Or does it?

September 29, 2008
Three Blind Mice
Steven R. Berryman
What do the president’s speech to the American people on Thursday, and the performance of both the Democratic and Republican candidate at the first presidential debate in Oxford, Mississippi, have in common? Answer: None of them acted with full candor and in a bipartisan way, as advertised.

September 26, 2008
Don’t Panic!
Steven R. Berryman
…With those words, and the threat of bipartisan congressional intervention, you may wish to do exactly that. Any rush to solution is certainly against the best interests of the citizens of the United States of America.

September 22, 2008
You Bet Your Life…
Steven R. Berryman
The market psychology of the financial investment world has now changed forever. What had been betting essentially on the fortunes of businesses will at least – for the short term – be replaced by betting on how we suspect the rules of the game will change.

September 15, 2008
A Bias About Media Bias
Steven R. Berryman
Last Saturday my attention was taken from Tentacle scribing and also from my other compulsion, posting comments to www.FrederickNewsPost.com, by their Ask the Editor feature, “The dark secrets of our political bias,” by Comfort Dorn.

September 8, 2008
Dressing the Moose
Steven R. Berryman
I’m loving the political jokes now: What’s the experience difference between Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama? Answer: Not much when taken in aggregate, but Governor Palin is a better ice hockey player and can shoot straight…

September 1, 2008
Waiting for the President
Steven R. Berryman
At least the conventions are a stepping-stone along the road to electing a new president, but here we sit, waiting. We wait for a president to solve our problems for us, as is human nature. Surely they will, as their speeches tell us so.

August 18, 2008
Counting Students
Steven R. Berryman
The argument continues: Let’s count the children who are from families that are not paying into Frederick County Public Schools so that we can get our arms around the problem of looming budget deficits.

August 11, 2008
T. Boone & Slim Pickens
Steven R. Berryman
What does a famous Texas oil baron do to ensure some personal legacy at age 80? He becomes an alternative energy activist, and starts a web site with a link to his own MySpace page, of course!

August 4, 2008
“Mega Trends” Become Non-Sequiturs
Steven R. Berryman
Seems like chaos rules anymore when analyzing the changing trends in world happenings and trying to make things make sense. Much of it just doesn’t follow, as in non-sequiturs. There are just too many data points now for old method.

July 28, 2008
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.

July 21, 2008
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.

July 7, 2008
Firearms Clutching in Maryland
Steven R. Berryman
Having grown up with guns, little did I know that the politics surrounding them packed more energy than a .44 Magnum “wheel-gun.” Of course, that was when television came in over an antenna, was black and white, and afforded four stations of programming.

July 4, 2008
Modifying Lady Liberty’s Invitation
Steven R. Berryman
In search of straight talk about immigration law reform, happenstance found me at yet another “Maryland Thursday Meeting” in Annapolis. Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center For Immigration Studies (CIS) was the headline speaker.

June 30, 2008
A NAC for Social Progress
Steven R. Berryman
Last Thursday The Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) Area 5 meeting for the residents surrounding the West End of Frederick, known as the “Golden Mile, headlined an appearance by the sheriff of Frederick County, “Chuck” Jenkins.

June 23, 2008
Ear to the Ground
Steven R. Berryman
Once again, awash in too much real news, here is a smorgasbord of the events I witnessed last week. You may call it “Short Takes 2,” as I keep my ears to the ground for The Tentacle and Frederick County.

June 16, 2008
The Unbearable Lightness of Being Russert
Steven R. Berryman
The loss by heart attack of Meet The Press host Tim Russert, especially after an excellent stress test recently, reminds us of our “unbearable lightness of being” on this earth. Friday the 13th, the date this shocked us, will have new meaning now and forever.

June 9, 2008
Dangerous Days
Steven R. Berryman
The anecdotal evidence has been building for many months. Now two top men are forced from positions of power in the United States Air Force for convenient reasons. Is our target Iran?

June 2, 2008
The Age of Online Animosity
Steven R. Berryman
The more that I follow the divisive issues of our day, the more I feel we are in “The Age of Online Animosity.” Righteous indignity is having a field day, and there is far more posturing than productive discourse floating about. This is especially evident on the Internet.

May 26, 2008
Short Takes
Steven R. Berryman
Here are some short takes on happenings and observations from the last few weeks. From a Diversity Festival, to an Air Show, to English as a national language, to the proposal for 2300 new Beazer “green” homes, things are happening at a fast and furious pace!

May 19, 2008
Energy Absurdities
Steven R. Berryman
How does one gage the pain level of rising energy prices on a household budget? When the price at the pump for gas at Sheetz hits $3.79 for unleaded regular, does that do it?

May 12, 2008
Anticipating the Air Show!
Steven R. Berryman
Time to break with your hibernation from the winter blahs, stop getting upset about the politics of Democratic deconstruction and more illegal aliens for a time. Andrews Air Force base, in nearby Prince George’s County offers the best Air Show in the region once a year, and it’s this coming weekend!

May 5, 2008
Our 10 Most Dangerous Concepts
Steven R. Berryman
It has been said many times over the last week that before we can solve a problem, we first must be able to identify it; and thus get our arms around it. In many instances, by the simple act of stating the outline correctly, one can be drawn to solutions.

April 28, 2008
Free Money!
Steven R. Berryman
Congratulations for being smart enough to be in the United States of America. Everything is free here. And when you run out of money to spend, we’ll give you some of that, too. In Frederick County, if you can’t read this, I’ll bet there will be a sign on a bus in Espanol repeating it soon.

April 22, 2008
This is NOT a Test! – Part 2
Steven R. Berryman
Now that you have been exposed to the various levels of potential hazards hanging over us all like Damocles’ sword in Part 1 on yesterday’s TheTentacle.com, the onus to take action now lies squarely on you.

April 21, 2008
This is NOT a Test! – Part 1
Steven R. Berryman
Your radio or television begins the strange squealing, coded sounds you have heard so often before. “Here we go again” is the first thought that comes to mind. Programming is instantly interrupted. In disbelief, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) continues with “This is NOT a Test!”

April 14, 2008
Charlton Heston: A Commentary
Steven R. Berryman
I would never pretend to write a biography or obituary for Charlton Heston, and certainly have nothing first hand to offer as does The Tentacle’s Roy Meachum, but I have been affected by his life and his death. And his work.

April 7, 2008
“1984” Predicts 2008
Steven R. Berryman
Enabling legislation passed by our Maryland General Assembly will allow Frederick to use red light cameras for law enforcement. Frederick is now one small step closer to becoming Montgomery County. Your accuser may be “Big Brother” instead of a police officer. Beware the trend.

March 31, 2008
The Semantic War 4000
Steven R. Berryman
Survey says: You don’t want to hear it. The 4,000 war-attributed deaths in combat were reported as a “milestone” event last week in our Iraq War. Why did one have to turn to page A-3 in many papers to read the story? Strange, as we are told by President George W. Bush’s administration that this is the defining issue of our day, even in light of the “recession.”

March 24, 2008
The Dilution of our Citizenship and Branding of America
Steven R. Berryman
Membership has its rewards! Just ask major credit card providers. Citizenship in America is much the same way. When we “brand” America, in the demographic sense, citizenship should be the upgrade, and it should not be provided with no strings attached!

March 21, 2008
The Importance of Being Obama
Steven R. Berryman
The media fanfare trumpeted the coming of candidate Barack Obama’s urgent speech on race relations. Surely he could turn the audacious comments of his own Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright to make political hay, or at least defray the intense criticism of him and mitigate the close connection.

March 17, 2008
Political Pornography
Steven R. Berryman
Just imagine that – in 10 years or so – you will be reminding yourself of just where you were and what you were doing when Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D., N.Y.) abruptly resigned his sacred office. Not!

March 10, 2008
Casa de Illegals
Steven R. Berryman
Historians contend that “Nero fiddled while Rome burned.” While The Maryland General Assembly is allowing time for debate on key issues such as the protection for “Doo-Wop” singers against copyright infringement, consequential issues like the current illegal immigration disaster fall by the wayside. Do we really want to hold a nationally infamous title as a “Sanctuary State?”

February 25, 2008
Words, Just Words
Steven R. Berryman
A presidential primary campaign is upon us now, much earlier in impact than in years past. The issues that are forced “off the table” are, in some cases, the ones that should be the defining ones. Shame on us for not forcing them back into the light of day for our proper examination.

February 11, 2008
Activist Frederick County
Steven R. Berryman
Great news! The System works. Activism is alive and well and living in Frederick County, Maryland. Where the system fails to work, it is fixing itself; and isn’t that what the system really is?

February 4, 2008
John McCain Facing Forward
Steven R. Berryman
The Florida Republican Primary contest is now behind us and it certainly was a watershed event. John McCain won large. Rudy Giuliani bowed out afterward despite having wagered heavily in that state, chock-full of retirees from New York. This may have been the arena where McCain’s age was a trump card. What does he face going forward?

January 21, 2008
From Walkersville With Bias
Steven R. Berryman
Advice from the publisher of The Tentacle, John W. Ashbury given to me recently correctly told me that “A pancake, however thin, always has 2 sides,” in reminding me to consider the aspects of perspective and fairness in my columns.

January 14, 2008
Lessons Learned
Steven R. Berryman
I consider myself fortunate to have witnessed the quasi-legal proceedings of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Inc.’s (AMC) hearings to obtain approval of a special exception that would allow them to build a 43,000 square foot convention building in Walkersville.

December 31, 2007
Citizens For Walkersville – Part 1
Steven R. Berryman
The true story of how a small agricultural town came together against a ridiculous land use proposition. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Inc., (AMC) chose my town of 5500 residents to build their International Convention Center, and upset our way of life.

December 17, 2007
Homeland Security Fails I-270
Steven R. Berryman
Commuters traversing the Frederick to DC highway corridor via Interstate 270 suffer the agony still falling from the 1956 Defense Highway Act. The overcapacity delays cause average speeds to be reduced during rush hour to 30 M.P.H., costing a total of six entire man-years of time to be wasted every day.

December 10, 2007
Jingoist Bells, Jingoist Bells…
Steven R. Berryman
…Jingo all the way. When did patriotism become a negative attribute of Americans, and why isn’t Pat Buchanan running for president in 2008? The advanced press for his new book, Day Of Reckoning, reads more like a campaign platform than it does a plot; his compilation of issues and proposed solutions leaves one feeling a patriotic sense of hope for us all again, so long as his warnings are positively received.

December 3, 2007
Side-Arms Showdown in DC
Steven R. Berryman
By upholding a lower court ruling, the District of Columbia gun ban could well be overturned with finality by the U.S. Supreme Court next spring. You might ask why this bothers both the NRA and The Brady Campaign.

20091102 sdosm Berryman Tentacle digest Dec 2007 to present

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