20061110 Happy Birthday USMC

Happy Birthday USMC

November 10^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff (909 words)

November 10^th is the birthday for the United States Marine Corp.

Yes the Marine Corps was born in a bar. It was on November 10, 1775, that the Continental Congress commissioned Samuel Nicholas to raise several Battalions of Marines. Nicholas established a recruiting station at “Tun Tavern” in Philadelphia.

Carroll County has a role in Marine Corps history. It was on June 11, 1898, according to local historian Jay Graybeal, that United States Marine Sgt. Charles Hampton. Smith from Smallwood was killed during the capture of Guantánamo Bay in the Spanish-American War.

In a 1996 published account, Mr. Graybeal wrote that Sgt. Smith was born near Smallwood, Carroll County on January 15, 1867. He had left the county and joined the Marine Corps in 1893 after a brief stint with a Baltimore insurance firm.

Dr. Milton D. Norris, who maintained a medical practice in Eldersburg for so many years, also served as “Acting Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Volunteers, during the Spanish-American War. Another “Acting Assistant Surgeon,” John Blair Gibbs was killed on June 11, the same night that Sgt. Smith was killed. Marine Privates William Dumphy and James McColgan, along with Sgt. Smith were the some of the first U. S. casualties of the war.

Another Carroll Countian, Harry Huber, “dubbed “Westminster’s Sailor Boy,” by the Democratic Advocate, according to Jay Graybeal, participated in the Spanish-American War. On May 14, 1898, the paper published two letters detailing his participation in naval engagements at the beginning of the war.

The Marines refer to a portion of the military actions to capture Guantánamo Bay as the “Battle for Cuzco Well,” and the battle is commemorated every year to this day at the sprawling American Guantánamo Bay military base in Cuba

On the base at McCalla Hill, there is a monument dedicated to the Marines that died, including Carroll Countian Sgt. Smith. The accompanying picture was taken from the June 16, 2006 Guantánamo Bay Gazette which covered this year’s observances. Mr. Graybeal has reported that the “monument consists of a captured bronze cannon and a bronze plaque bearing the names of the five Marines and the Navy surgeon killed in action.”

It was in April 1898 that the tension between the United States and Spain over the fate of Cuba erupted into the Spanish-American War. A revolution had broken out on the island of Cuba in 1895 and President William McKinley was under great pressure to defend the 50 million dollars' worth of American investment in Cuba, primarily in the sugar, tobacco, and iron industries. A very young Winston Churchill traveled to Cuba in 1895 to observe the fighting.

Originally President McKinley (R) was against the war. He was supported by the Speaker of the House, Thomas Reed (R.) But in March of 1898, Democrats, religious and business groups joined forces with a changing mood in Congress and demanded action on humanitarian grounds, which at the time, was a unique departure for countries to go to war.

In an April 19, 1998 article in the Carroll County Times, Jay Graybeal wrote that in Carroll County, “local reformer” Mary B. Shellman, Georgia Buckingham and Denton Gehr promoted the cause of “Free Cuba” in 1898 “in a play at the Westminster Odd Fellows Hall.”

The very first ground military action occurred on June 10, 1898 as Marines were sent in to establish a base at Guantánamo Bay. It was on the second day of military operations that Carroll Countian Sgt. Charles H. Smith was killed. Total combat casualties for the United States were 379 troops lost however, over 5,000 American military personnel dies from disease.

The Spanish-American War is often referred to as the first “media war.” Newspapers owned by Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst had agitated for war for quite sometime in an effort referred to by history as “yellow journalism.”

Additionally, it was in 1898 that the very first use of film as propaganda was used. A ninety second film was produced in 1898. Entitled, “Tearing Down the Spanish Flag;” it was a rudimentary propagandist film developed for the purpose of inspiring patriotism and hatred for the Spanish.

The Spanish-American War is also significant as it marked the arrival of the United States as world power. Spain, which had been in economic chaos before the war, never recovered and after three centuries of world influence, the war ended its role as a super-power. The 1898 war helped avert a civil war in Spain at the time, only to see the country deteriorate into a disastrous civil war in the 1930s.

For the Americans, most of the combatants were sons of northern and Confederate soldiers of the American Civil War. The 1898 war helped with a difficult reconciliation process that had only begun to take place in the early 1890s.

Not often reported is the fact that 33 African-American seaman died in the destruction of the USS Maine on February 15, 1898. In the subsequent military actions, African-Americans gained a great deal of respect among military elite, for their conduct and valor during the war.

Since 1775, Marines have been involved in every armed conflict in American history. There are many Marines in Carroll County and of course we understand that, as was the case in the Spanish-American War, the Marine Corps was established to always faithfully be available to show the way and pull the Army and Navy’s behind out of the fire.

Happy Birthday Marines. For Corps and Country, Semper Fidelis.

20061110 Today of the birthday of the United States Marine Corps

Today of the birthday of the United States Marine Corps

November 10, 2006

I appreciated Crablaw’s post observing the USMC’s 231^st birthday. You can find his post here on his construction site.

Here at Soundtrack Division, we have been able to obtain the a copy of the e-mail from the Continental Congress authorizing the establishment of the United States Marine Corps. I have pasted it below.

I also appreciated the tip about the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
The last time I was on the Marine Base at Quantico was 1972…

For Corps and Country,

Kevin

From: continentalcongress@equusdeliverysystems.com (mailto: info. continentalcongress@equusdeliverysystems.com)

Sent: (Philadelphia) Friday, November 10, 1775 4:24 PM

To: afewgoodmen@semperfidelis.org

Subject: Congressional Act Resolution Establishing the Continental Marines

Congressional Act Resolution Establishing the Continental Marines

(Philadelphia) Friday, November 10, 1775

Resolved, That two Battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one Colonel, two Lieutenant Colonels, two Majors, and other officers as usual in other regiments; and that they consist of an equal number of privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken, that no persons be appointed to office, or enlisted into said Battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea when required; that they be enlisted and commissioned to serve for and during the present war between Great Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress: that they be distinguished by the names of the first and second battalions of American Marines, and that they be considered as part of the number which the continental Army before Boston is ordered to consist of.

Ordered, That a copy of the above be transmitted to the General.

Feeling tired and hungry? Need a good job with plenty of travel and adventure. See Samuel Nicholas at “Tun Tavern” in Philadelphia. You’ll be glad you did.

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20061110 Is it time for Charter government in Frederick County?

Is it time for Charter government in Frederick County?

And for that matter, Carroll County too?

November 10th, 2006

In Thursday’s November 9^th, 2006 edition of the Gazette, there is an article by Sherry Greenfield, “Brinkley pushes for alternate form of county government;” which reports that Maryland State Senator David R. Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) of New Market is taking a hard look at the form of government in Frederick County.

This is significant for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that members of elected delegations to Annapolis have been historically reluctant to embrace such changes as it has been perceived in the past that it diminishes their power.

One could argue that position; however, these days there are plenty of pressing statewide issues for which state elected officials to focus their time.

Senator Brinkley however is not known for short-sighted approaches to what is in the best interests of the citizens he serves. For Senator Brinkley it seldom is about himself and it is consistently all about what is in the best interests of Maryland, Frederick County – and Western Maryland.

I served on the Committee for Charter Government in its beginning exploratory stage, in Carroll County in the late 1980s and although that effort may have been, in hindsight, a bit premature, the time will come, and not in the too far distance future, that Charter Government will be what is best for Carroll County also.

I remember well the discussions in 1967 that led to Code Home Rule being put on the ballot in 1968. That effort was defeated and yes - Code Home Rule is not Charter Government, but amazingly, many of the issues that were brought forth in 1967 are still issues today. (Anyway, after a great deal of study, I have determined that Code Home Rule is not the answer. Charter Government is the answer...)

Certainly the time for Charter Government has come for Frederick County - and in Carroll County it would be wise to start taking a hard and intelligent look at Charter Government for future serious consideration..

On the bigger picture, this last election has seen folks get elected to the Maryland General Assembly that will, if you can believe it, take that august body much further to the left.

In the last several sessions there has been a serious erosion for “local courtesy” and the time may be just on the horizon when that august liberal body will be increasingly intolerant of the needs and wants of the counties in the state that need to take local lawmaking to Annapolis.

Numerous examples are available. One awkward moment came in the last session when the Maryland General Assembly played games with a bill brought forward by the Carroll County Delegation to Annapolis over designation of the five districts for which to elect five commissioners. The bill never passed.

Although this delighted Carroll County Democrats and various moderate Republicans - - and gave them wonderful sound bites for the election as to the degree of capability and effectiveness of the delegation; it is a slippery slope that may come back to haunt all of us.

It was very bad precedent for all commissioner forms of government counties throughout the state. It was particularly interesting to see folks who complained in the past of local citizens going to Annapolis to encourage the Maryland General Assembly to not pass certain legislation; do the very same thing with the “five district” legislation…

The Gazette has been consistent as to matter of Charter Government in Frederick County. See here to read the paper’s July 28th, 2004 editorial advocating for a change: “20040728 Time to change Frederick county government gazed.”

Another interesting read is Frederick and Washington County Delegate Richard B. Weldon Jr.’s Tentacle column from October 16, 2006: “The Case for Charter:”

“The debate about the form of governance employed by Frederick County has raged back and forth for decades. Voters have weighed in several times, always voting to retain the current form, the Board of County Commissioners.”

Read the rest here.

Meanwhile Frederick County has changed a great deal in the last 100 years. Just before World War I - in 1900, the county had a population of 51,920. Agriculture was king and Frederick County led the state in the production of wheat and corn. The county economy was good and local jobs plentiful with 353 manufacturing industries, but there was never-the-less, a clamor to attract more local jobs and industry.

In light of today’s computer technology, almost fifty years after a commissioner form of government was established in Frederick County, the first typewriter made it into the Commissioners’ office in 1898. In 1917, the first auto theft was recorded in the county.

Just before World War 1, one of the biggest citizen complaints was the road system. Alright, perhaps some things have not changed… The tax rate in 1903 was 87 cents; however the 1909 to 1911 Board of Commissioners raised the rate to $1.18.

Since World War 1, the form of government in Frederick County has changed several times.

From 1748 to 1851, the form of government was a Levy Court appointed by the governor every year. In 1851, it changed to five commissioners elected every two years. In 1934 the number of commissioners changed to three, only to be changed back to five in 1974, where it has remained to this day.

Considering the increase in population since 1974, not to mention, the increase in the complexity of the challenges facing local government these days, perhaps it is time to change the form of government again to join the other eight counties in Maryland who have Charter government.

Ms. Greenfield begins her Gazette article:

State Sen. David R. Brinkley wants the new Frederick Board of County Commissioners to consider changing the county’s form of government.

Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) of New Market, is interested in changing from the current commissioner form of government to a charter, which calls for local voters to create and approve a document that describes how the government will be run.

‘‘I’m encouraging them to get the ball rolling, so if there is a change that has to take place [the Frederick delegation] can be there to help them do it,” Brinkley said.

The idea that the county should change its form of government has been batted around for some time. The current boom in population has spurred it along further.

In the late 1950s and again in 1991, county residents voted down a charter. In 1991, 67 percent opposed a charter government.

‘‘There has always been discussion of changing our form of government,” Brinkley said. ‘‘...There are those that claim they don’t want to go through the delegation and they want a single person at the top running things.”

Read the rest of her article here.

And stay tuned for the rest of the “Charter Government” story as it continues to unfold, as I have it on good authority that this story is not going to go away anytime soon for either Frederick County or Carroll County.

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

20061110 How to make a dead skunk stop smelling

How to make a dead skunk stop smelling

November 10^th, 2006

By Kevin Dayhoff

New administration personnel changes or how to make a dead skunk stop smelling

Do not miss an article in today’s Gazette article by Staff Writers Kevin J. Shay, Steve Monroe, Douglas Tallman, Chris Yakaitis and David J. Silverman of the Capital News Service: “Bracing for a post-election shakeup.”

It is a definitive piece on the upcoming personnel shake-up that occurs when a new governor and administration takes office in Annapolis – especially when there is also a party change.

In days gone by, this transition was relatively unreported upon; however, the Baltimore Sun and the Maryland Democratic leadership politicized it ad nauseam in the days of the Ehrlich Administration and it may have been a dead skunk that should have been left alone.

Nowadays, even the most uninitiated citizen knows about staffing changes that accompanying administration changes.

I had a particularly candid conversation with a friendly liberal elected official in July 2005, just after “an inquiry into the personnel polices of the Ehrlich administration,” was announced.

According to Tom Stuckey of the Associated Press, on July 8, 20006:

“House Speaker Michael Busch today appointed a committee of four Democrats and two Republicans to join six state senators in an inquiry into the personnel polices of the Ehrlich administration. Democratic legislative leaders agreed last month to create a special committee to probe allegations that the rights of career civil servants were violated when they were summarily fired after Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. was elected in 2002... While aides to Ehrlich and Republican lawmakers said they fear the investigation will turn into a witch hunt...”

The inquiry turned into a witch-hunt. See my Tentacle columns of July 25th, 2005: “A Skunk by Any Other Name Still Stinks.”

I began the column by saying:

If there was ever proof that evolution can go in reverse, it is the news that House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., have actually (for real, I’m not making this up) appointed a committee of inquiry to look “into the personnel polices of the Ehrlich administration.”

I read in an Associated Press article the other day, that Speaker Busch has named a Un-Maryland Activities Committee “of four Democrats and two Republicans to join six state senators…” Ya Da Ya Da Ya Da.

Good grief.

Memo to Speaker Busch: “The more you run over a dead skunk, the flatter it gets and the more it stinks.”

The elected official, with whom I spoke, prophetically observed that Maryland Democrats should think past their noses about making so much fuss about staffing changes. That it was that elected official’s desire to have a Democrat elected to the Maryland State House - - in the election that how now transpired.

That once that occurs, the new Democratic governor will want to replace many folks and the residual hyper-scrutiny will be unwanted.

That said, it will interesting, to say the least, to see how much scrutiny the Baltimore Sun and Democratic leadership pays to how many folks from the Ehrlich Administration go to the unemployment line.

Many folks are doubting that there will be that much scrutiny. Thoughts are that the Baltimore Sun will give Gov.-elect O’Malley a pass.

As much as I agree with that analysis, the Gazette already seems to be on the story. And one can only imagine that the Gazette, or the Washington Post, the Frederick News-Post, the Hagerstown Herald Mail, the Annapolis Capital Gazette, the Washington Times will not give the Gov.-elect a pass. And certainly the Maryland blogosphere will not give the Gov.-elect a pass.

The blatantly partisan personnel inquiry certainly poisoned the waters between the Dems and republicans in Annapolis; not to mention that it cost Maryland taxpayers an enormous amount of money – and angered many folks to boot. It is an anger and a stench that will not go away anytime soon.

In the Gazette article, Gov.-elect “O’Malley said there will be no wholesale firing of political appointees from the Ehrlich administration. Ehrlich drew criticism for allegedly (my emphasis) seeking to identify and fire Democrats.

‘‘I am going to go after professionalism, and we’re going to recruit the most professional people we can find,” O’Malley said.

The operative word in the proceeding was “allegedly.”

Memo to the Gov.-elect; the election is over. You won.

Enough with the implied slights on Maryland state employees already.

They are, for the most part, quite professional, talented and committed to doing a good job, whether it be for you or the previous administration. They are actually flesh and bones people and not political rhetoric concepts. They have feelings and families and the rule of thumb is that the classier practitioner of politics does not politicize subordinates, kick folks when they are down and certainly does not malign them when they cannot defend themselves.

My ear to the ground indicates that many state employees are not taking too kindly to the unprofessional remarks. Even the ones who are looking forward to working, once again, with a Democrat are starting to feel some unease and dyspepsia.

The State workforce includes 80,000 employees. Approximately 7,000 of the employees are at-will. That is, they serve at the pleasure of the governor.

It will be interesting to see just how many employees get the pink-slip from Governor O’Malley.

As an elected former chief executive officer, there can be nothing more important than having folks on your team that are willing to roll up their sleeves and move heaven and earth for your agenda - - the agenda for which you were elected. In Westminster there are no at-will employees and I gotta tell ya, it does make one’s life quite interesting.

Governor O’Malley has the right to put in place as many of his folks as he sees fit to move his agenda forward and having worked with many of them in my capacity as the former mayor of Westminster, I have first-hand knowledge that if he takes some of his team from the City of Baltimore, they are quite talented, knowledgeable and capable.

According to a Washington Times article on May 25th, 2005, by S. A. Miller; “Lawrence J. Hogan Jr., the governor's secretary of appointments, said the Ehrlich administration in three years has fired 280 of its 7,000 at-will workers.

Mr. Ehrlich's Democratic predecessor, Gov. Parris N. Glendening, fired 309 at-will workers in a single year from the Department of Transportation alone…”

Paul E. Schurick, the governor's communications director, said it better than I could in a June 3rd, 2005 Gazette article by Thomas Dennison: "The double standard is as gross and as egregious as I have ever seen. The fact of the matter is, dozens of legislators have made a career of trying to influence the hiring and firing of state employees."

I will withhold judgment, but I can only imagine that there will be little attention paid to how many leave – as the double-standard will arrive at no greater heights in the coming months.

I certainly look forward to the thoughtful and well-measured Mayor O’Malley coming back now that the election is over. In consideration of the challenges that the State of Maryland faces, we are in for some rough years if the “challenger for the governor’s office” mouth and behavior continues. Now is the time for statespersonship.

Meanwhile that dead skunk still stinks. It would wise for the Gov.-elect to put some distance between himself and that dead skunk and working for the best interests of all Marylanders and taking care of the 80,000 state employees – including the 7,000 at-will employees that you will need to make it happen for you.

Just trying to help. Meanwhile, I guess we’ll be watching…

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/

20061109 The Town of Mount Airy grieves for Travis Norwood

Mr. Travis Norwood, Mount Airy historian

November 9^th, 2006

Mr. Travis Norwood, who passed away recently, was a family friend, one of my Mom’s Mount Airy High School classmates and fellow historian. With his passing, much of Mount Airy’s history goes to the grave with him. He was a perfect delight and a magnificent gentleman and he will be incredibly missed.

I just came across a wonderful letter to the editor in the Gazette paper, which has words better than I could write and we owe Carol and Pete Bowlus a debt of appreciation for putting them together for us.

The Town of Mount Airy grieves

http://www.gazette.net/stories/110906/carrope200037_31939.shtml

Thursday, Nov. 9, 2006

By Carol and Pete Bowlus, Mount Airy

He was known as Mr. Mount Airy, the town’s historian, the consummate volunteer, but this plain, soft-spoken, unassuming man showed us all how to live by his love for his family, his church, his country and his community. And the town of Mount Airy grieves.

He lived his entire life in this town that he loved and he gave of himself every day through his many acts of volunteerism. And his legacy will live on.

He felt it was so very important to preserve the history of our community for our children and grandchildren, so he founded the Mount Airy Historical Society and Museum.

He understood the desire of the past graduates of Mount Airy High School to maintain ties with one another throughout the years, so he began the Mount Airy High School Alumni Association and organized and planned their annual banquet.

For these two things alone he will be greatly missed. And the town of Mount Airy grieves.

The community is grateful for the 50-plus years of dedicated service he gave to the Mount Airy Fire Department and his 40-plus years of stewardship at Pine Grove Chapel and Cemetery. And the town of Mount Airy grieves.

And now it is time to bid farewell to our dear friend, Travis Norwood. This community will not be the same without him. And the Town of Mount Airy grieves.

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20061110 Happy Birthday USMC

Happy Birthday USMC

See also:

20061110 Today of the birthday of the United States Marine Corps

November 10^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff (909 words)

November 10^th is the birthday for the United States Marine Corp.

Yes the Marine Corps was born in a bar. It was on November 10, 1775, that the Continental Congress commissioned Samuel Nicholas to raise several Battalions of Marines. Nicholas established a recruiting station at “Tun Tavern” in Philadelphia.

Carroll County has a role in Marine Corps history. It was on June 11, 1898, according to local historian Jay Graybeal, that United States Marine Sgt. Charles Hampton. Smith from Smallwood was killed during the capture of Guantánamo Bay in the Spanish-American War.

In a 1996 published account, Mr. Graybeal wrote that Sgt. Smith was born near Smallwood, Carroll County on January 15, 1867. He had left the county and joined the Marine Corps in 1893 after a brief stint with a Baltimore insurance firm.

Dr. Milton D. Norris, who maintained a medical practice in Eldersburg for so many years, also served as “Acting Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Volunteers, during the Spanish-American War. Another “Acting Assistant Surgeon,” John Blair Gibbs was killed on June 11, the same night that Sgt. Smith was killed. Marine Privates William Dumphy and James McColgan, along with Sgt. Smith were the some of the first U. S. casualties of the war.

Another Carroll Countian, Harry Huber, “dubbed “Westminster’s Sailor Boy,” by the Democratic Advocate, according to Jay Graybeal, participated in the Spanish-American War. On May 14, 1898, the paper published two letters detailing his participation in naval engagements at the beginning of the war.

The Marines refer to a portion of the military actions to capture Guantánamo Bay as the “Battle for Cuzco Well,” and the battle is commemorated every year to this day at the sprawling American Guantánamo Bay military base in Cuba

On the base at McCalla Hill, there is a monument dedicated to the Marines that died, including Carroll Countian Sgt. Smith. The accompanying picture was taken from the June 16, 2006 Guantánamo Bay Gazette which covered this year’s observances. Mr. Graybeal has reported that the “monument consists of a captured bronze cannon and a bronze plaque bearing the names of the five Marines and the Navy surgeon killed in action.”

It was in April 1898 that the tension between the United States and Spain over the fate of Cuba erupted into the Spanish-American War. A revolution had broken out on the island of Cuba in 1895 and President William McKinley was under great pressure to defend the 50 million dollars' worth of American investment in Cuba, primarily in the sugar, tobacco, and iron industries. A very young Winston Churchill traveled to Cuba in 1895 to observe the fighting.

Originally President McKinley (R) was against the war. He was supported by the Speaker of the House, Thomas Reed (R.) But in March of 1898, Democrats, religious and business groups joined forces with a changing mood in Congress and demanded action on humanitarian grounds, which at the time, was a unique departure for countries to go to war.

In an April 19, 1998 article in the Carroll County Times, Jay Graybeal wrote that in Carroll County, “local reformer” Mary B. Shellman, Georgia Buckingham and Denton Gehr promoted the cause of “Free Cuba” in 1898 “in a play at the Westminster Odd Fellows Hall.”

The very first ground military action occurred on June 10, 1898 as Marines were sent in to establish a base at Guantánamo Bay. It was on the second day of military operations that Carroll Countian Sgt. Charles H. Smith was killed. Total combat casualties for the United States were 379 troops lost however, over 5,000 American military personnel dies from disease.

The Spanish-American War is often referred to as the first “media war.” Newspapers owned by Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst had agitated for war for quite sometime in an effort referred to by history as “yellow journalism.”

Additionally, it was in 1898 that the very first use of film as propaganda was used. A ninety second film was produced in 1898. Entitled, “Tearing Down the Spanish Flag;” it was a rudimentary propagandist film developed for the purpose of inspiring patriotism and hatred for the Spanish.

The Spanish-American War is also significant as it marked the arrival of the United States as world power. Spain, which had been in economic chaos before the war, never recovered and after three centuries of world influence, the war ended its role as a super-power. The 1898 war helped avert a civil war in Spain at the time, only to see the country deteriorate into a disastrous civil war in the 1930s.

For the Americans, most of the combatants were sons of northern and Confederate soldiers of the American Civil War. The 1898 war helped with a difficult reconciliation process that had only begun to take place in the early 1890s.

Not often reported is the fact that 33 African-American seaman died in the destruction of the USS Maine on February 15, 1898. In the subsequent military actions, African-Americans gained a great deal of respect among military elite, for their conduct and valor during the war.

Since 1775, Marines have been involved in every armed conflict in American history. There are many Marines in Carroll County and of course we understand that, as was the case in the Spanish-American War, the Marine Corps was established to always faithfully be available to show the way and pull the Army and Navy’s behind out of the fire.

Happy Birthday Marines. For Corps and Country, Semper Fidelis.

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20061108 Mike Zimmer declared the winner after absentee ballots counted

Mike Zimmer declared the winner
after absentee ballots counted

6:47 PM Thursday, November 9th, 2006

I have just received word that Carroll County Commissioner candidate Mike Zimmer has won the third seat in the Carroll County Commissioner’s office, by approximately 1400 votes after the counting of the absentee ballots.

At the end of a long day last Tuesday, incumbent Republican County Commissioners Julia Gouge, Dean Minnich and challenger Michael Zimmer were the top three vote-getters. However only 500 votes separated Republican Zimmer and Democrat challenger Dennis Beard, with over 6000 absentee ballots to be counted.

After a day of counting, the absentee ballots now confirm the winner to be Mike Zimmer.

Congratulations Commissioner Zimmer.

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20061109 Happy birthday Spiro Agnew

Happy birthday Spiro Agnew

Hat Tip: Alaska Billy-Jack

November 9, 1918 is former 39th vice president of the United States, 1969-73 and 55^th governor of Maryland, 1967-69, Spiro Agnew’s birthday.

Mr. Agnew passed away on September 17, 1996.

The picture probably belongs to AP, via adn.com?

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20061108 Ole Luke, Get used to this face and now what?

Ole Luke, Get used to this face and now what?

November 8^th, 2006

Get used to this face. Hat Tip: Kujanblog

And one face that you will not be seeing much of…

He won't seek the minority leader post. Hat Tip Breitbart.com and Michelle Malkin.

Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., stepping down is another step in the correct direction for clearing the decks to work with the Democratic majority in Congress.

For a conservative political columnist, the next two years will be a field day. I’ve already looked into purchasing a larger hard drive for my laptop.

Sooooo - now that the Dems are in power, it will be interesting to see what they will do with their new-found responsibilities.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said the outcome of the elections, in which Democrats were projected to win control of the House and pick up several Senate seats, was "not what we would've hoped."

"But it also gets us to a point: Democrats have spent a lot of time complaining about what the president has done. This is an opportunity for them to kind of stand up," Snow said. (Reuters. Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.)

I love to tell the story of once, as a young lad, I was riding around the farm with my Grandfather – “Pop-Pop,” in an old blue Chevy pick-up truck. Ole’ Luke, the family farm dog was running along the truck and raising a ruckus.

All of the sudden, Pop-Pop stopped the truck. I asked Pop-Pop: “Why are we stopping?”

At that, Pop-Pop responded, “I want to show you what a farm dog will do when he catches a truck.”

Ole’ Luke circled the truck several times, barking and barking the entire time. Then Luke sniffed the tires. Then he peed on the tires and walked away.

We certainly hope that the Democrats will do better than Ole’ Luke – or do we?

As we turn our attention to the 2008 presidential elections, the Dems may consider a thoughtful approach. Hearing and hearing after hearing, sprinkled with tax increases, will set the Republicans up for a great chance at the White House in 2008.

So just what will the Democratic priorities be in the upcoming session of Congress?

The Associated Press gives us the following glimpse. Hey – AP, the campaign literature office of the Democrats, ought to know… So, consider this to be straight from the source.

Hat Tip: Breitbart.com and Michelle Malkin

Democratic Priorities in Congress
Nov 08 2:12 PM US/Eastern

By The Associated Press Some priorities set by Democrats in Congress:

_Military: Force an immediate drawdown of troops in Iraq and conduct oversight hearings on missteps on the war. The announcement Wednesday that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was resigning met Democratic demands that he step down to take responsibility for the situation in Iraq.

_Intelligence: Increase attention given to emerging terrorist threats in Africa and Southeast Asia and devote more resources to North Korea and Iran. More oversight of terrorism and government surveillance.

_Homeland security: Boost security for rail and mass transit systems. Tougher oversight of the Department of Homeland Security, potential restructuring of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

_Judiciary: Conduct oversight hearings on treatment of terrorism detainees, domestic surveillance programs and President Bush's use of "signing statements" affecting some requirements in the laws he signs.

_Minimum wage. Pass legislation to raise the minimum wage from the current $5.15 an hour to $7.25.

_Veterans affairs: Increase oversight with detailed budget accountings. More funding for veterans' health care, including additional mental health counseling for vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

_Health: Allow the Medicare program to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower prices. Pass a vetoed embryonic stem cell research bill again. Require insurance companies to provide benefits for treating mental illnesses equal to other medical and surgical benefits.

_Transportation: Consolidate air traffic control facilities. Allow more foreign control of airlines. Limit the number of Transportation Security Administration airport screeners to 45,000. More oversight hearings on the Federal Aviation Administration.

_Taxes: Increase education-based tax breaks. Close the so-called $345 billion tax gap, the estimated amount that people and companies owe but avoid paying each year.

_Trade: Let a law expire that forbids Congress from amending trade agreements negotiated by the president. Create a chief enforcement officer in the office of the U.S. trade representative.

_Energy and environment: Increase incentives for biodiesel, ethanol and other alternative fuels as well as wind, solar, geothermal and other sources of alternative energy. Renegotiate oil and gas leases that waived royalty payments to the government. Impose a national cap on industrial carbon dioxide emissions. Resist Bush's efforts to open more public lands to oil exploration.

_Agriculture: Increase conservation programs and require more corn- based ethanol in motor fuel blends.

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

20061108 Congratulations Governor-elect O’Malley and Lt. Gov.-elect Brown

20061108 Thank you Governor Ehrlich and Secretary Cox

20061108 Thank you Mr. Steele

20061108 ScrappleFace says Pelosi will let president keep his wife

ScrappleFace says Pelosi will let president keep his wife

November 8^th, 2006

Go here to subscribe to ScrappleFace updates. You’ll be glad that you did.

Meanwhile, conservatives across the nation are happy that the presumptive Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, will let the president keep his wife, in return for the resignation of the Secretary of Defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Sources reveal that when delivered the ultimatum, from soon-to-be Speaker Pelosi - the “uniter, not a divider;” the president did not hesitate to say that he wanted to keep his wife.

Scott Ott weighs-in here:

Rumsfeld Quits, Pelosi May Let Cheney, Laura Stay

by Scott Ott

(2006-11-08) — President George Bush today, in an effort to find common ground with presumptive House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, accepted the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, but said he has no immediate plans to replace either Vice President Dick Cheney or First Lady Laura Bush.

“The people have spoken,” said Mr. Bush, “they want a new direction for America. Don Rumsfeld is a friend, and an excellent Secretary of Defense, but he’s old. So he’s gone. I hope this appeases Speaker Pelosi..cause I’d sure miss Cheney and Laura.”

The president named Texas A & M President Robert Gates to replace Mr. Rumsfeld, but White House officials were tight-lipped about who might be on the short list of potential replacements for the vice president or First Lady.

20061108 GOP officials Rumsfeld stepping down

GOP officials: Rumsfeld stepping down

November 8^th, 2006

MSNBC just flashed on their web site that according to the Associated Press, the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, is stepping down.

The copy reads:

Defense chief has been a prime target of war critics in midterm elections

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, a key target of Iraq war critics, is stepping down, Republican officials said on Wednesday.

And that is all that was reported – at this time…

In spite of what I wrote in The Tentacle today, “Rumsfeld must stay” – Secretary Rumsfeld, our 21^st Secretary of Defense, stepping down is the right thing to do in light of the results of yesterday’s elections.

Word is that Dr. Robert Michael Gates has been recess-appointed to take Secretary Rumsfeld’s place.

It would appear that the Bush administration did their homework in anticipation to yesterday’s elections as this has all transpired less than 24 hours since the election results.

Hopefully it will be accepted as an olive branch to the Democrats who were so victorious in the mid-terms…

It is also smart politics for President George W. Bush. The president now needs to work with the Democratic majority in Congress and hanging to Secretary Rumsfeld would just be an albatross around the Bush Administration’s neck.

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

20061000 Meet the AK Gov.-elect Sarah Palin Family

Meet the AK Gov.-elect Sarah Palin Family

November 8th, 2006

On Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006, former small-town Wasilla, AK Republican mayor Sarah Palin, 42, bucked the national trend of “Black Tuesday” for Republicans to successfully be elected to be the next governor of the AK. This introduction to Mayor Palin’s family is one of the commercials that helped put over the top.

It's Governor Palin

Candidate of change resonated with voters

By KYLE HOPKINS, TOM KIZZIA and BRANDON LOOMIS
Anchorage Daily News

Published: November 7, 2006
Last Modified: November 8, 2006 at 05:53 PM

Voters chose change over experience Tuesday night, making Republican Sarah Palin Alaska’s next governor and the first woman to hold the job.

On a night of political upheaval across the country, Democrat Tony Knowles couldn’t stop the wave of anti-­establishment momentum that carried Palin from her small town roots in Wasilla, past incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski in the primary and into Alaska government’s top job.

With 98 percent of the precincts counted this morning, Palin had clinched the race with 48.7 percent of the vote to Knowles' 40.5 percent. Independent Andrew Halcro had 9.6 percent.

Palin, 42, claimed victory late Tuesday.

Read the rest of the article here.

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