20061007 O’Malley questions Hampstead By-pass

O'Malley questions priorities by Justin Palk of the Carroll County Times

Posted by Kevin Dayhoff October 10^th, 2006

Last week, Carroll County Times writer, Justin Palk, picked up the story of the Democratic Maryland gubernatorial candidate criticizing the Hampstead by-pass.

It is a classic case of over-playing one’s hand. To be sure, there must be a road project or two that warrants some Monday-morning quarterbacking.

But the Hampstead by-pass ain’t it. Especially with appropriate land-use measures put into place to not facilitate sprawl in the future.

Quintessentially, this was economic and community infrastructure necessity as Hampstead was getting choked with standstill traffic every morning and evening and there was no way to widen the road through town…

The Hampstead by-pass has been discussed since the 1960s and under the leadership of Hampstead Mayor Haven Q. Shoemaker, his talented town councilmembers, the Carroll County Commissioners and the Carroll County Delegation to Annapolis - - and Governor Ehrlich; it is now finally happening.

In The Carroll Record on March 23, 1972, the by-pass was discussed.

Yes, you read that correctly – 1972.

An article that appeared in The Carroll Record said:

State Asked To Accelerate Route 30 By-pass — The County Commissioners have asked a one-year acceleration in right-of-way purchases for the proposed Route 30 by-pass around Manchester and Hampstead. In a request to the State Highway Administration, the commissioners asked that $198,000 be shifted from the 1973-77 projections for work on Route 32 and be designed for the Route 30 by-pass.Under its present 5-year plan, the state agency would spend $91,000 for preliminary engineering and $413,000 for right of ways, during fiscal 1973. In the following four years $328,000 and $163,000 is planned for right of ways. Construction funds are presently ear-marked for 1975 and 1976. (The Carroll Record, March 23, 1972.)

It is also important to remember, that Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich took office, the state budget had a huge shortfall, a structural deficit and the transportation trust fund was essentially depleted.

Getting around to all the transportation needs of the state took some time and some difficult prioritization decisions as very finite resources had to be allocated as best as possible.

My previous post about this matter can be found here.

Anyway, I have always appreciated Mr. Palk’s work and I was happy that he looked into this story.

I have pasted below, for your convenience, Mr. Palk’s complete story, but anytime you get a chance, go to the Carroll County Times on-line and take a additional moment to seek out his work…

_____

O’Malley questions priorities

By Justin Palk, Times Staff Writer

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Few people in the Hampstead area would argue against building the bypass now being constructed around the town, said Haven Shoemaker, the town's mayor.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Martin O'Malley, however, thinks it's an example of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s lack of vision for transportation in Maryland, said Rick Abbruzzese, a spokesman for O'Malley's campaign.

Not that that means the bypass is a bad project, Abbruzzese said.

O'Malley included the bypass in a list of items Ehrlich had spent state transportation dollars on rather than Baltimore's Red Line for mass transit when responding to a questionnaire from the Baltimore Transit Alliance.

Also in the list were an expansion of I-95 and Ehrlich's using Transportation Trust Fund dollars for non-transportation projects.

If O'Malley doesn't believe that the Hampstead bypass is a necessary project, he should try sitting on Md. 30 during rush hour, Shoemaker said.

"I think we've thrown more than enough money at mass transit," he said. "I think it's high time we receive funding for projects like this, particularly given the fact that we've been waiting for 45 years."

The Hampstead bypass is an $85.2-million project that will divert traffic off Md. 30, which runs through downtown Hampstead and carried approximately 19,000 to 24,000 vehicles a day through town in 2004, according to the State Highway Administration.

Construction workers broke ground on the project this year, and it is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2008.

The Red Line would be Baltimore's first east-west rail line, part of a comprehensive expansion of mass transit in Baltimore that has a total cost estimated at $10 billion, according to the Maryland Transit Administration.

The list was only intended to show Ehrlich's overemphasis on roads and a lack of a statewide transit plan, not to criticize any particular project, Abbruzzese said.

"[Transportation planning] needs to be more than one road in one county," he said.

In his fiscal year 2007 transportation plan, Ehrlich included $7 million for ongoing planning for the Red Line, and projected spending money on engineering and right-of-way acquisition in fiscal year 2008, with construction to start in 2010.

On his Web site, Ehrlich lists several road projects among his transportation accomplishments, but also cites planning for new transit lines in and around metropolitan Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, and laying additional tracks for light rail service in Baltimore.

In the remaining weeks before the election, Abbruzzese said, the O'Malley campaign will be releasing a comprehensive transportation plan for the state, although no details are available yet.

Reach staff writer Justin Palk at 410-751-5909 or jpalk@lcniofmd.com.

20061010 New web site for Mike Maloney

New web site for Mike Maloney

Posted by Kevin Dayhoff October 10, 2006

My good friend in Westminster and fellow artist, Mike Maloney has put up a great web site: http://maloney-violin-studio.com/ for his music. Check it out when ya get a chance. Thanks

Kevin

20061010 Streisand goes emo at Madison Square Garden concert

“Streisand Has Outburst at NYC Concert”

Posted by Kevin Dayhoff, October 10^th, 2006

Barbra Streisand bellows at concert-goer, "Shut the f**** up. Later apologizes.

Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin: “Babs: ‘Shut the (expletive) up!’” In this post Ms. Malkin has called to our attention an AP piece being carried by Breitbart: Barbra Streisand shows her class.

In Breitbart’s post, Barbra Streisand shows her class, we learn:

Streisand Has Outburst at NYC Concert Oct 10 10:07 AM US/Eastern

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY AP Music Writer

NEW YORK

It was an evening that elicited tears, standing ovations, raucous laughter and shouts of joy from the audience _ and was just in the first few minutes.

Yes, Barbra Streisand's return to touring after a 12-year absence was the extravaganza that it promised to be. Monday night's show at Madison Square Garden was the third stop of a 20-city jaunt across the nation _ a virtual lovefest between the ultimate diva and an adoring, sold-out, celebrity-dotted crowd.

Streisand effortlessly crooned through a select repertoire of the hits she's amassed during her four-decade-plus career. But night's most riveting moment came during what was perhaps the only unscripted _ and truly uncomfortable _ episode in the three-hour show.

There was Streisand, enduring a smattering of very loud jeers as she and "George Bush" _ a celebrity impersonator _ muddled through a skit that portrayed the president as a bumbling idiot.

Though most of the crowd offered polite applause during the slightly humorous routine, it got a bit too long, especially for a few in the audience who just wanted to hear Streisand sing like she had been doing for the past hour.

"Come on, be polite!" the well-known liberal implored during the sketch as she and "Bush" exchanged zingers. But one heckler wouldn't let up. And finally, Streisand let him have it.

"Shut the (expletive) up!" Streisand bellowed, drawing wild applause. "Shut up if you can't take a joke!"

With that one F-word, the jeers ended. And the message was delivered _ no one gets away with trying to upstage Barbra Streisand, especially not in her hometown.

Once the outburst (which Streisand later apologized for) was over, Streisand noted that "the artist's role is to disturb," and delivered a message of tolerance before launching into a serenely beautiful rendition of "Somewhere." That put the focus back on what the audience came for _ her voice, one of the greatest female instruments of her generation.

Streisand's voice, at once soaring and soothing, doesn't seem to have been affected much by her long layoff from performing. Earlier in the evening, she seemed to fall short of her full potential _ moments where she once belted a tune she now seemed to simply sing at a steady register. But once the evening progressed, she got stronger, such as for her performance of one of her biggest hits, "People."

_________________

I got a chuckle when Ms. Malkin wrote: “Maybe she'll end up with a guest lecturer position at Columbia University.”

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20061010 Man killed in vehicle accident with deer

Carroll County Sheriff’s Office NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT Lieutenant Phil Kasten, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office

“Westminster man killed during multiple vehicle collision with deer”

Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, October 10, 2006 ----

At approximately 7:05 am, Deputy Jonathan Berry was patrolling Route 97 when he discovered a motor vehicle collision with a deer that had just occurred.

Stopping to investigate, Deputy Berry learned that Michelle Lee Becker aged 36 of Sykesville had been traveling North on Route 97 approaching Route 32 when her 1996 Volvo Sedan struck a deer entering the road.

The force of the collision propelled the deer into southbound traffic where it struck the drivers side windshield and roof of a 2005 Ford Van, forcing it into the guardrail.

The deer struck the van, which was operated by Michael Anthony Croker aged 37 of Westminster with such momentum that it shattered the windshield and crushed the roof over the driver’s head.

Paramedics pronounced Croker dead at the scene; his body was transported to the State Medical Examiners Office for Autopsy.

Becker was not injured during the collision and was able to drive the Volvo from the scene. Route 97 was closed for approximately two (2) hours while Sheriff’s Investigators collected evidence at the scene.

The Sheriff’s Office is conducting a detailed investigation and reconstruction of the accident, which could take several weeks. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to telephone Corporal Mike Zepp of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office at 410-386-2900, or the toll free anonymous TIPS Hotline at 1-888-399-TIPP (8477).

The Sheriff’s Office reminds motorists to be alert for wandering deer during those hours surrounding dusk and dawn over the next several months. The investigation continues…

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20061009 The PNC Financial Services Group to Acquire Mercantile

The PNC Financial Services Group to Acquire Mercantile

Monday, October 9, 2006

Pasted below is the press release posted on PNC's web site early this morning. Read it carefully. I think that it was written by George Orwell.

________________

Merger will speed expansion in Mid-Atlantic region Adding highly profitable commercial banking and wealth management franchise
PITTSBURGH and BALTIMORE, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The PNCFinancial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC) and Mercantile BanksharesCorporation (Nasdaq: MRBK), today announced that they have signed adefinitive agreement for PNC to acquire Mercantile for $47.24 per share, orapproximately $6.0 billion in stock and cash.

Mercantile is a $17 billion asset banking company that provides bankingand investment and wealth management services through 240 offices inMaryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, Delaware and SoutheasternPennsylvania. The transaction enables PNC to significantly expand itspresence in the Mid- Atlantic region, particularly the attractive Baltimoreand Washington, D.C. markets.

"Mercantile is a storied franchise and a perfect fit for PNC," saidJames E. Rohr, chairman and chief executive officer of The PNC FinancialServices Group. "Its location, wealth management business andrelationship-based banking model will add to PNC's strengths and ability togrow profits."

"This transaction is about the growth of two companies that fittogether exceptionally well. Our strong performance over the last severalyears has resulted in an attractive premium for our shareholders," saidMercantile Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Edward J. (Ned)Kelly III. "The combined company will have greater scale and scope toinvest in the future and create even more opportunities for our employeesand the communities we serve."

PNC Bank Executive Vice President Joseph Rockey and Mercantile ChiefAdministrative Officer and Deputy General Counsel Michael Paese areexpected to oversee the integration process. Rockey had day-to-dayresponsibility for PNC's successful 2005 integration of Riggs NationalCorporation and 2004 integration of United National Bancorp. Paese executedall of Mercantile's acquisitions since 2003, including the purchases of F&MBancorp, Community Bank of Northern Virginia and James Monroe Bancorp, Inc.

PNC anticipates that the transaction will be accretive to earnings pershare in 2008, and that it has an estimated internal rate of return ofapproximately 15 percent.

The acquisition of Mercantile is expected to make PNC a top-10 U.S.bank holding company by market capitalization and the 11th largest U.S.bank by deposits.

Under terms of the merger agreement, which has been approved by theBoards of Directors of both companies, Mercantile will merge into PNC.After closing, PNC intends to merge Mercantile's banking affiliates intoPNC Bank. Based on PNC's closing NYSE stock price of $73.60 on October 6,2006, the transaction values each share of Mercantile's common stock at$47.24. The aggregate consideration is composed of a fixed number ofapproximately 52.5 million shares of PNC common stock and $2.13 billion incash. Mercantile shareholders will be entitled to 0.4184 shares of PNCcommon stock and $16.45 in cash for each share of Mercantile.

Two Mercantile directors will join the board of the combined company.

Kelly will be appointed a PNC vice chairman upon close of the transaction.The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2007.

The merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatoryapproval and the approval of Mercantile's shareholders. After closing,Mercantile affiliate offices will assume the PNC Bank name.

The transaction is expected to result in the reduction of more than$100 million of operating expenses through the elimination of operationaland administrative redundancies.

PNC will donate $25 million to a charitable foundation dedicated toaddressing the needs of the greater Baltimore area. This first stepunderscores PNC's commitment to strong and active involvement inMercantile's community.

Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking and Goldman Sachs acted asfinancial advisers to PNC, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as itslegal adviser. Sandler O'Neill + Partners, L.P. acted as financial adviserto Mercantile and Davis Polk & Wardwell and Venable, LLP acted as its legaladvisers.

CONFERENCE CALL AND SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Rohr, Kelly and PNC Chief Financial Officer Richard J. Johnson willhold a conference call for investors at 9 a.m. Eastern Time today regardingthe announcement of the acquisition. Live webcast and telephone conferenceoptions are available.

Internet access to the webcast, which includes audio(listen- only) and presentation slides, will be available on PNC's Web siteat http://www.pnc.com/ under "About PNC - Investor Relations." Access to theconference call by telephone will be available by calling 800-990-2718(domestic) and 706-643-0187 (international). Investors should call 5-10minutes before the start of the call.

Presentation slides and appendix,which includes significant financial information that will be discussed onthe conference call, will be available on PNC's Web site under "About PNC -Investor Relations" prior to the beginning of the conference call. A replayof the webcast will be available on PNC's Web site for thirty days, and ataped replay of the audio portion of the conference call will be availablefor one week at 800-642-1687 (domestic) and 706-645-9291 (international),conference ID 8500781.

The conference call may include a discussion of non-GAAP financialmeasures, which, to the extent not so qualified during the conference call,is qualified by GAAP reconciliation information that will be made availableon PNC's Web site under "About PNC - Investor Relations." The conferencecall may include forward-looking information, which along with thepresentation slides and this news release, is subject to the cautionarystatements that follow.

Mercantile Bankshares Corporation (http://www.mercantile.com), with more than $17 billion in assets, is a regional multi-bank holding company with headquarters in Baltimore. Its member banks serve communities in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, the Delmarva Peninsula and southernPennsylvania from a network of 240 branch offices and 250 ATMs. The Investment & Wealth Management division has assets under administration in excess of $47 billion, with management responsibility for more than $20 billion of these assets.

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (http://www.pnc.com) is one of thenation's largest diversified financial services organizations providingretail and business banking; specialized services for corporations andgovernment entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance andasset-based lending; wealth management; asset management and global fundservices.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding ouroutlook or expectations with respect to the planned acquisition ofMercantile, the expected costs to be incurred in connection with theacquisition, Mercantile's future performance and consequences of itsintegration into PNC, and the impact of the transaction on PNC's futureperformance.

Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risksand uncertainties, which change over time. The forward-looking statementsin this press release speak only as of the date of the press release, andeach of PNC and Mercantile assumes no duty, and does not undertake, toupdate them. Actual results or future events could differ, possiblymaterially, from those that we anticipated in these forward-lookingstatements.

These forward-looking statements are subject to the principal

risks anduncertainties applicable to the respective businesses of PNC and Mercantilegenerally that are disclosed in the 2005 Form 10-K and in current year Form10-Qs and 8-Ks of PNC and Mercantile (accessible on the SEC's website athttp://www.sec.gov/ and on PNC's website at http://www.pnc.com/ and on Mercantile's website at http://www.mercantile.com/ respectively). In addition, forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to the following risks and uncertainties related both to the acquisition transaction itself and to the integration of the acquired business into PNC after closing:

Completion of the transaction is dependent on, among other things,receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals, the timing of which cannotbe predicted with precision at this point and which may not be received atall. The impact of the completion of the transaction on PNC's financialstatements will be affected by the timing of the transaction.

The transaction may be substantially more expensive to complete(including the integration of Mercantile's businesses) and the anticipatedbenefits, including anticipated cost savings and strategic gains, may besignificantly harder or take longer to achieve than expected or may not beachieved in their entirety as a result of unexpected factors or events.

The integration of Mercantile's business and operations into PNC, whichwill include conversion of Mercantile's different systems and procedures,may take longer than anticipated or be more costly than anticipated or haveunanticipated adverse results relating to Mercantile's or PNC's existingbusinesses.

The anticipated benefits to PNC are dependent in part on Mercantile'sbusiness performance in the future, and there can be no assurance as toactual future results, which could be impacted by various factors,including the risks and uncertainties generally related to PNC's andMercantile's performance or due to factors related to the acquisition ofMercantile and the process of integrating it into PNC.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and Mercantile BanksharesCorporation will be filing a proxy statement/prospectus and other relevantdocuments concerning the merger with the United States Securities andExchange Commission (the "SEC"). WE URGE INVESTORS TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE MERGER OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Investors will be able to obtain these documents free of charge at theSEC's web site (http://www.sec.gov). In addition, documents filed with the SEC by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. will be available free of charge from Shareholder Relations at (800) 843-2206. Documents filed with the SEC by Mercantile Bankshares will be available free of charge from MercantileBankshares Corporation, 2 Hopkins Plaza P.O. Box 1477, Baltimore, Maryland21203, Attention: Investor Relations.

The directors, executive officers, and certain other members ofmanagement and employees of Mercantile Bankshares are participants in thesolicitation of proxies in favor of the merger from the shareholders ofMercantile Bankshares. Information about the directors and executiveofficers of Mercantile Bankshares is set forth in the proxy statement forits 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC onMarch 29, 2006. Additional information regarding the interests of suchparticipants will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus and theother relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available.

SOURCE PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

20061006 Gazette endorses Ehrlich

Gazette endorses Ehrlich

A colleague e-mailed the Gazette endorsement below, with the following preface… Since he said it much better than me, I’ve pasted his words of wisdom below. The entire Gazette endorsement is also pasted below.

ENDORSEMENTS

Governor Ehrlich picked up significant endorsements this week including the Maryland Farm Bureau, Maryland Fraternal Order of Police, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and the Gazette newspapers.

As Blair Lee described on WBAL Radio yesterday, the Gazette editorial is especially noteworthy: (1) it was unexpected because the Gazette editorial board traditionally endorses liberal Democrats; (2) the Gazette covers a broad segment of high population counties with both Democrat and Republican majorities (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Frederick and Carroll counties as well as Southern Maryland); (3) the editorial was printed early in the endorsement cycle meaning that the editors expect that it will have significant impact (in the Primary, the Gazette came out early for Ike Leggett in the Montgomery County executive race and Leggett won by a 2 to 1 margin); and (4) it is a detailed and well-reasoned editorial that references the strengths and weaknesses of both candidates. The link and text are pasted below:

Gazette endorsement editorial:

http://www.gazette.net/stories/100606/poliiss160939_31958.shtml

Gazette.Net – Maryland Community Newspapers Online

A second term for Governor Ehrlich

It was former Democratic Gov. Parris N. Glendening who often referred affectionately to politics in Maryland as a contact sport. If so, the current race for governor would be no exception.

As the ever-tightening race enters the home stretch, the campaigns of Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., the Republican incumbent, and Democratic challenger Martin O’Malley, the mayor of Baltimore, have traded so many charges and countercharges, the voters are ready for the game to be over.

Their records have become blurred in the dust kicked up in the campaign ruckus, with both sides running fast and loose with interpretations of their opponent’s stances on everything from crime fighting to educating children.

After the dust settles, the central question remains: Which individual possesses the right balance of integrity, experience, substance and leadership to govern Maryland?

In our judgment, Maryland is best served by the continuity and the stewardship that would come from re-electing Governor Ehrlich to another four-year term.

To serve as a Republican governor is to serve under siege. After all, the Democrats held the top spot in the state for 40 years prior to Ehrlich’s election and control the legislature.

Regrettably, Ehrlich at times takes the bait, and partisanship rules Annapolis in a most unhelpful manner.

But in the end, when one examines the record, Ehrlich has matured in office, has exhibited the willpower to make difficult decisions and has learned something about moving toward the middle ground.

O’Malley, on the other hand, seems to have been preening for governor since before his tenure as Baltimore’s mayor and has not adequately proven a case for unseating Ehrlich. He is a reformer without a cause with a script better suited for running for the White House than leading the state.

After an unimpressive beginning, his performance as mayor has improved, but he overstates his accomplishments in managing the difficult problems of cleaning up crime, turning around the schools, making city government efficient and bringing real economy to Baltimore. Nobody expected miracles, but O’Malley would have us believe he has delivered them.

His knowledge and solutions for statewide issues make for better sound bites than public policy. For example, his idea of offering $200,000 signing bonuses for principals in low-performing schools typifies the kind of short-sightedness and subtle values conundrum that is O’Malley.

Ehrlich has done a respectable job of spelling out priorities and the ways and means to achieve them.

His record, while not unblemished, has been fair and centrist in the key areas of budget, transportation, economic development, growth management, education, crime and justice and the environment.

On most budget matters, he has been a moderate. Maryland’s governor has considerable sway in shaping the budget and Ehrlich’s approach has been sound, helped by a stable economy and soaring property values.

Ehrlich has also kept an eye on Maryland’s economic future with the Department of Business and Economic Development under the leadership of Aris Melissaratos. With military base expansions throughout Maryland, along with the growth of government-related businesses in the Washington suburbs, the prospects for the state could not be better.

Of note in the traffic-clogged Washington suburbs, Ehrlich held true to his word and got the derailed Intercounty Connector project back on line. The multi-billion-dollar highway, linking Interstates 270 and 95 near Gaithersburg and Laurel, is an essential part of the plan to ease congestion.

Still, the problem of transportation transcends the ICC and Maryland lacks a comprehensive answer and a financing instrument for projects in the pipeline — from the proposed Purple Line rail link, to the Waldorf bypass and the Corridor Cities Transitway, which some day might extend to Frederick.

On environmental issues, his ‘‘flush tax” was a bold stroke to continue efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, and Ehrlich worked for tighter restrictions on power-plant emissions.

The governor took a responsible position opposing legislation that would require certain private employers, specifically, Wal-Mart, to provide health insurance. After the legislature overrode his veto of the bill, a federal court struck down the law.

While steadfastly supporting law enforcement, Ehrlich also quietly exercised his powers to pardon nearly 200 convicts, far more than Glendening.

There have been rough patches and inconsistencies. Ehrlich’s decision to cut funding to state colleges forced tuition increases — by as much as 40 percent. Yet he supported expansion for the University of Maryland’s Shady Grove campus and later OK’d spending increases for the university system.

Attempts to reform a juvenile justice system with chronic problems that Ehrlich inherited have been less than stellar.

Administration efforts to fire political appointees in state offices, holdovers from previous Democratic administrations, drew cries of foul, but a legislative investigation has so far uncovered no evidence of wrongdoing.

In four years, Ehrlich has carefully sculpted a moderate image that is fiscally and socially responsible, and demonstrated he is up to the task of leading a changing Maryland for another term.

Copyright © 2006 The Gazette - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

20061006 Lunch at the Greenleafe Café

Lunch at the Greenleafe Café in Williamsburg, VA.

Kevin Dayhoff October 6^th, 2006

20061005 Red Hot and Blue

Red Hot and Blue

http://www.redhotandblue.com/ 10/05/2006 Kevin Dayhoff

For dinner on Thursday, Oct. 5^th, 2006, we went to Red Hot and Blue in Williamsburg.

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20061006 Congressman Bartlett announces 100M in Federal Funding for 6th Dist. and MD

20061006 Congressman Bartlett announces 100M in Federal Funding for 6^th Dist. and MD

For additional information please Contact: Lisa Wright 202-225-2721

October 6, 2006

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett Announces Nearly $100 Million in Federal Funding That He Secured for Projects for District Six and Maryland Companies in FY 2007 Defense Legislation

Washington, DC - Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, Maryland’s only Member of Congress on an Armed Services Committee, served a vital role shaping defense legislation this year as Chairman of the Projection Forces Subcommittee as well as a Conferee to the Fiscal Year 2007 National Defense Authorization Act (FY07 NDAA). Along with securing $532.8 billion for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines and ensuring America’s continued naval superiority in the FY 07 NDAA, Congressman Bartlett also secured nearly $100 million dollars in federal funding in the FY 07 Defense Appropriations legislation for companies in the Sixth District and Maryland statewide. The funds will continue development of innovative technology and equipment providing the men and women in the Armed Forces with the best tools to complete their missions and win the war against terrorism.

“Our men and women serving in harm’s way deserve to bring only the best in technology and equipment to the fight so they can complete their missions and come home safe,” said Congressman Bartlett. “Each year I am grateful that I can apply more than twenty years of engineering and patenting experience along with my fourteen years on the House Armed Services Committee to make sure current and future generations of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are equipped with the best defense in the world. I work very hard to help our Armed Forces identify and acquire the capabilities to overcome any threat and I couldn’t be more proud of our Maryland companies who make such significant contributions to keeping Americans safe at home and abroad.”

In the FY07 NDAA, Congressman Bartlett advanced development of the Navy’s future fleet by funding the lead replacement amphibious assault ship and the dual lead DDG-1000 destroyers, while also providing advance procurement funds for the next generation aircraft carrier. It also continues to build-out the fleet of Virginia class attack submarines, San-Antonio class amphibious ships and Littoral Combat Ships and provides funds for the modernization of the Navy’s Arleigh Burke class destroyers and the Air Force's fleet of strategic airlift and bomber aircraft. These actions will ensure U.S. Navy will acquire the capabilities needed to meet future threats. Steps were also taken to ensure that current capabilities are not retired prematurely by requiring for the Department of Defense to maintain a minimum strategic airlift force structure of 299 aircraft and limiting retirements of KC-135E aerial refueling aircraft and B-52 bombers.

FY 07 Defense Appropriations Funding Secured by Congressman Bartlett

Maryland 6^th District Subtotal: 34.1M (M=millions)

Maryland Statewide Subtotal: 63.5M

Maryland 6^th District and Statewide Total: 97.6M

FY 07 Federal Defense Appropriations Funding Secured by Congressman Bartlett in Maryland’s 6^th District

Mack Truck/Volvo, Hagerstown, MD 3M

This $3M will accelerate Mack Truck’s development of an innovative hybrid electric powertrain for heavy-duty trucks for the military with potential for commercial applications. The new powertrain will reduce fossil fuel consumption; reduce maintenance costs and reduce emissions below 2007/2010 EPA standards. A first generation hybrid electric vehicle has been delivered to the Air Force for testing. Funds requested in FY07 will be used to improve the electrical system to deliver a better than 40% improvement in fuel efficiency.

Alliant Tech Systems, Rocket City, WV 12M

Though this plant is in West Virginia, most of the company’s employees live in Maryland’s 6^th district. This $12M is for Ballistic Trajectory Extended Range Munition (BTERM). BTERM provides a ballistic trajectory, Global Positioning System and Internal Navigation System guided solution to the Navy's requirement for affordable, long-range, precise fire in support of ground maneuver warfare and expanded littoral war fighting capability. Its optimized full system solution allows lower Average Unit Production Cost and higher reliability reducing life-cycle cost for Naval Surface Fire Support.

Northrop Grumman, Hagerstown, MD 5.6M

This $5.6M supports the production of the Advanced Surface Radar Technology (ASuRT) program within Northrop Grumman. The program will focus on the development and adaptation of electronic components to new form factors for application in the Navy’s next generation surface ship radar systems. These new innovations are promising lower cost modular surface ship radar designs that can be quickly and economically scaled to meet the Navy’s needs.

Invitrogen, Frederick, MD 1.1M

This $1.1M for immunoarray technology will provide the Defense Department’s biodefense program with a flexible analytical tool to support force protection,

FY 07 Federal Defense Appropriations Funding Secured by Congressman Bartlett in Maryland’s 6^th District

(continued from p. 1)

intelligence/threat assessment, and non-proliferation compliance monitoring. This technology will allow for rapid and inexpensive characterization of new and novel

pathogens, expedited development of countermeasures (vaccines and therapeutics) to biological threats, and provide a core technology for improved detectors and diagnostics.

Research Acquisition Building, Fort Detrick, MD 12.4M

This $12.4M will reduce a critical shortfall of administrative space at Fort Detrick. Two Fort Detrick activities have conducted operations out of substandard WWII wood facilities and trailers for more than 10 years. Funding this project now will synchronize construction activities with building demolition requirements and provide existing administrative facilities that do not have office, conference, or administrative support space the infrastructure they need to work effectively in a clean safe environment.

FY 07 Federal Defense Appropriations Funding Secured by Congressman Bartlett for Companies in Maryland

Smith Industries, Edgewood, MD 13.1M

$6.6M will go to the Army National Guard (ARNG) so Guard Members can be equipped with the same modern equipment used by Active Duty units. The ARNG has a requirement for over 18,000Automatic Chemical Agent Detection Alarms and has only 3,733 in inventory leaving an ARNG shortage of over 14,000 units. This will help fill that shortage and expedite equipment delivery to our troops. $6.5M will acquire Profiler equipment which provides critical meteorological information required for accurate artillery fire and optimizes the performance of both current and future artillery weapon systems. The Army National Guard readiness is compromised because of a critical equipment shortage in Profiler technology. This funding helps eliminate that shortage providing Maryland Guard members deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan with the most effective solution for artillery fire.

BD Technologies, Hunt Valley, MD 1.9M

This $1.9M supports research within the Defense Technology Objective for Alternative Delivery Methods for Recombinant Protein Vaccines program to protect military personnel deployed all over the world. It will be used to develop novel vaccine-delivery device combinations to improve the performance of biodefense vaccines. This funding will allow expanded clinical testing of vaccine/device products and continued development of scaleable technologies to produce powder biodefense vaccines.

Chesapeake Sciences, Annapolis, MD 1.3M

This $1.3M will accelerate development of the Navy’s TB-33 Fiber Optic Towed Array to field common Twinline thinline capability for submarine and surveillance platforms. Funding will allow for additional enhancements to the baseline TB-33 design that are

FY 07 Federal Defense Appropriations Funding Secured by Congressman Bartlett for Companies in Maryland

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required to establish a fiber optic approach that provides array architectural flexibility to meet both littoral and deep ocean operational needs providing fleet life-cycle cost savings

exceeding $200M over the life of the program when compared to conventional technologies.

Martin State Airport, Middle River, MD 8.8M

This $8.8M will support national defense and Maryland homeland security missions. It will provide a Fire and Rescue Station to support a fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II and 8 C-130J Hercules aircraft and possible future Cargo Aircraft producing jobs and enhancing the safety of airport operations. Funding for this facility is two-fold: not only will this Fire Station serve the Martin State Airport, but it will also serve as the unique hazardous materials firefighting capability for both Baltimore and Harford Counties. This funding will support the local economy, Warfield Air National Guard base, and Martin State Airport, keeping the active Air National Guard(ANG) flying capability in the Baltimore area. It will sustain over 1,500 military positions and up to 500 full-time personnel.

Thales Communications, Clarksburg, MD $11.3M

This $11.3M combines three separate efforts by Congressman Bartlett to upgrade equipment for our soldiers. The President’s Budget had included $19.1M to procure upgrades to Special Operations Command’s (SOCOM’s) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) as well as $7.7M in research and development funding for the radio system. Some Members of Congress proposed eliminating this $19.1M. Congressman Bartlett made it a priority to help restore funding for future advances in innovative software-based radios that Special Forces soldiers reported are vital to successful missions. $9M was restored to research and development. A second effort for Thales by Congressman Bartlett was for the Tactical Automated Security System (TASS) which is the primary physical security system used by the United States Air Force on expeditionary missions. This $1M integrates existing JTRS technology with the TASS’s Advanced Communications Module (ACM) to improve bandwidth, reduce obsolesce, and eliminate the need for a stand alone portable device for intrusion detection. Third, was $1.3M for range extension for the JTRS Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR) considered vital by Special Forces soldiers to the successful overthrow of the Taliban in Afghanistan. The increased ranged performance will allow the warfighter to communicate over obstructions that would normally inhibit communication through a series of repeaters.

AAI Corporation, Hunt Valley, MD $1M

This $1M provides funding to develop Lightweight Small Arms Technologies to reduce the weight and size of both weapons and ammunition carried by infantry soldiers and marines by 30-40% compared to current systems. This technology will be a lightweight machine gun, which will be assessed versus the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (5.56mm). The objective is a "clean slate" approach that will yield weapons and ammunition that are reproducible in quantity, robust, easy to operate and maintain, and stay reliable under all conditions.

FY 07 Federal Defense Appropriations Funding Secured by Congressman Bartlett for Companies in Maryland

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DRS Technologies, Bethesda, MD $15M

This $15M will complete the development of the Permanent Magnet Motor System (PMMS) to enable it to be tested and possibly installed on the next generation destroyer DD-1000 or cruiser CG(X) warships. Activities to be completed include incorporation of changes resulting from Land-Based testing, repackaging of PMMS design to reflect the changes in DD-1000 requirements, and performance of shock analysis to demonstrate requirement fulfillment. The PMMS has been demonstrated to be much more efficient, smaller and lighter than other motor technologies, including the induction motor that is the current baseline motor on the DD-1000. This lighter propulsion system will increase future warship operational capability by allowing for carrying additional weapons and equipment, extending fuel range, and increasing fuel efficiency.

Beamhit, Columbia, MD $1M

This 1$M expands the existing, highly successful Laser Marksmanship Training System (LMTS) Naval Reserve program to help provide equipment to all Naval Reserve Centers. This funding will provide effective small arms training for over 1000 Navy Reservists. The LMTS is a proven laser-based marksmanship training system engaging various types of targets using a sailor’s own assigned weapon without the use of live ammunition. LMTS supports individual marksmanship from the first stage through the advanced sniper skill level. LMTS is the only basic rifle marksmanship system that can be used indoors, in a regulated confined environment, or outdoors, in realistic weather and light conditions. This system contributes to individual sailor and unit readiness, improves skill retention, better prepares for unit mobilization, greatly reduces unit-training costs and achieves environmental cost avoidance associated with traditional live fire training. Most of all, it effectively prepares our reservists for small arms precision when deployed in hostile envionments.

Titanium Powder, Baltimore, MD $4.5M

This $4.5M will allow for Titanium Powder, a company from Illinois, to procure facilities in the Baltimore area to begin mass production of titanium in powder form using its ‘Armstrong Process.’ This will significantly reduce costs for U.S. production of this vital metal. Titanium, is highly valued because it is lighter and stronger than steel.

Wesley Brown Field House, Annapolis, MD $5.6M

This $5.6M to the United States Naval Academy restores funds to a $26.7M project for the Navy midshipmen. The $5.6M had been taken out of the overall project putting its completion in jeopardy. Congressman Bartlett ensured the $5.6M was restored maintaining the integrity of the project so it may be completed for the overall welfare and fitness of our Navy’s future officers.

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20061005 Professor Simon Stow at William and Mary

Professor Simon Stow at William and Mary

Posted by Kevin Dayhoff October 5^th, 2006

Posted above is a photomontage from the class I observed Thursday, October 5^th, 2006 at the College of William and Mary. For more explanation, please see my previous post: “Breakfast and a class at William and Mary.”

I attended a Government 303 class: “Survey of Political Philosophy – Ancient Political Thought, Fall 2006.

Today’s lecture was on Plato’s Republic, Books III-VI.

I did not take my laptop to class. I wanted to quietly observe in the back of the room and I was concerned that bringing a laptop would attract undue attention.

I was incorrect in that assumption. Out of about 40 students in the class, 7 took all their notes on a laptop.

And for another even greater reason that I was wrong; the students in the class were very focused and could have cared less nor have noticed that an aging political scientist was in the back of the room taking notes. I could have taken a clanky typewriter to class and I don’t think anyone would’ve noticed.

I’m not in a position to keyboard much more this evening as I am on deadline for my next Westminster Eagle column…

But I was very impressed with the class and the professor - although, of course, drawing conclusions from one brief experience may be erroneous. Then again, I have had a good opportunity to take many classes and observe many professors and I liked this professor.

Indeed, I have been very impressed with William and Mary and the students who attend.

But getting back to the class I observed; ‘Ancient Western political theory and thought’ is a very difficult class to teach. Professor Stow really brought Plato’s Republic to life. The professor was animated, engaging and he successfully brought the Republic to the today with contemporary references and examples of relevancy.

I'm a big fan of Plato's Republic as it is the basic foundation of all western government and a political scientist will draw upon it throughout a professional life and the students in this class have a great opportunity with this professor to learn, what is otherwise dry and difficult material.

I took many pages of handwritten notes; however, a nice William and Mary student e-mailed me electronic notes from the class… (A big thank you.) I’ve pasted a sampling of the major issues discussed in the class below, from the students notes...

Stowe’s Recap- Glaucon missing the point of the ideal city; too many details

Socrates- justice nothing to do with laws- cutting the head off of a hydra 104 426c

Diodotus says the same in Thucydides- he took from that that laws aren’t enough, led to might becomes right; Not what Socrates was saying, he’s saying it’s who you are, not what you do

Objective= fixed standards; Subjective=contextualized/Arbitrary; Intersubjective= grey area- widely shared values

Justice is about who you are-

Why is Socrates claiming agent based case?

About training the soul to become more just

In an era when many pundits are busy at the keyboard writing about examples of left-wing professor’s running amok on today’s college campuses. I have not seen too many examples in what I have observed at William and Mary and McDaniel College in Westminster.

To be sure, I can only imagine that examples exist to perpetuate passages such as this one I read recently: “Sadly, in regard to extreme liberalism being force fed to our children, many colleges and universities are still, as they were in the 1970s, havens for professors who profess politically correct, virulent anti-American thinking.”

I’m back to work on my next Westminster Eagle column.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org http://www.thetentacle.com/ Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/ www.kevindayhoff.com has moved to http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

20061005 Williamsburg from the back deck

The plantation from the back deck
Well sorta, kinda...
Williamsburg Oct. 5, 2006