Thursday, June 15, 2006

20060615 KDDC Ehrlich announces Public Hearing on GA Electric Rate Leg

Governor Ehrlich announces Public Hearing on General Assembly Electric Rate Legislation

Thursday June 15 2006 3:50 pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Governor’s Office

Thursday, June 15, 2006 Henry P. Fawell

(410) 974.2316

Governor Ehrlich Announces Plan to Hold Public Hearing on General Assembly’s Electric Rate Legislation

ANNAPOLIS – Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. today announced he would hold a public hearing on the Maryland General Assembly’s attempt to mitigate rising electricity costs for Baltimore Gas & Electric customers. The Governor will schedule the hearing for early next week.

“Lawmakers had two obligations in the special session: adequately protect BGE customers and toughen penalties on sex offenders who prey on our children,” said Governor Ehrlich. “We agreed on a comprehensive sex offender initiative, but lawmakers fell short of their obligations to BGE customers. I have grave reservations about a plan that forces one million Marylanders to pay $109 million in interest while giving back to BGE $220 million that I had secured for customers. I look forward to a thoughtful, dignified and informative discussion next week with the citizens effected most by the General Assembly’s actions.”

Governor Ehrlich will release a schedule and further details later this week.

###

For some additional perspective read:

Consumers resent interest charge
By Tricia Bishop

Sun reporter

Originally published June 15, 2006

"Consumer anger that forced alternatives to the proposed 72 percent increase in electricity bills was rivaled by perhaps only one other sentiment: not wanting to shell out extra money in the form of interest payments to Baltimore Gas and Electric."

Read the rest here.

And read the Baltimore Sun's angle on developing events:

Assembly passes rate bill
Veto-proof votes in House, Senate enact limit on BGE increases, fire PSC; Ehrlich plans to hold public hearing on plan next week

By Andrew A. Green and Jennifer Skalka

Sun reporters

Originally published June 15, 2006, 3:40 PM EDT

Read the article here.

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20060615 KDDC Mayor Frank Johnson and Deja Vu

Mayor Frank Johnson and Deja Vu all over again

June 15^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

Several folks have called this to my attention: "Frank Johnson named Senior Assistant County Attorney/Legislative Director," posted on the Carroll County Government Web site on June 13th, 2006. You can go here and read it.

I have also been reminded of an editorial by the Carroll County Times pertaining to the matter of Mayor – then Council President Johnson, holding two public positions concurrently.

I have found the editorial in my archives. The editorial was written on February 9^th, 2003 and it was entitled: “A problem of wearing many hats.”

Since the Carroll County Times does not use permalinks, I will paste the editorial, in its entirety, below.

With respect to the Mt. Airy Ethics Commission; one wonders how it is that the commission was able to make a determination as to whether or not Mayor Johnson holding two positions of public trust and profit simultaneously was an impropriety - and keep matter the confidential.

Although my ear to the ground never indicated that the information was leaked by anyone associated with the commission; it has been persistently alleged to be an open secret that nothing is confidential in Mt. Airy.

In the previous Mt. Airy town administration, it seemed that many confidential memos were alleged to have been immediately leaked to advocacy groups, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners and the press.

Deja vu seems to be the operative word in Mt. Airy government. It has been suggested in many circles, that immediately after taking office, just several weeks ago after the May 1^st, 2006 municipal election; Mt. Airy officials held an unannounced meeting with MDE officials over the status of Mt. Airy's water situation – the Friday before Memorial Day.

Although such meetings may be appropriate, if not necessary, meetings such as this were characterized in the press, among advocacy groups and in the May 1^st, 2006 election as inappropriate.

A community certainly has a right to determine for itself what meetings are to be public and not public as long as such determinations are consistent with current Maryland and municipal law.

So what has changed - except perhaps, the folks involved in the current meetings? Hmmmm?

Back in March 2006, I wrote a piece on the open meetings issue, or rather the suggestion that “secret” meetings were taking place in Mt. Airy and did not post it on my web site or run it as a column. Perhaps there is no better time to dust it off and post it.

As far as Mayor Johnson holding an appointed position in County government and being the mayor of Mt. Airy; I’m not sure that I have a problem with that as long as adequate disclosures are made and Mayor Johnson appropriately recuses himself when matters may arise in which there may be a perception of conflict.

Mayor Johnson’s sense of public service to our greater community is to be admired.

However, I believe that I read where he said that he was going to resign from his county position, if – or upon his election as mayor. I just did a quick search of my archives and I cannot find where it is that I read that information. Perhaps a kind reader may have the cite and forward it to me?

The problem appears to be one of consistency. It is a problem that frequently presents itself with legislative bodies and elected officials. It certainly has raised its ugly head in Westminster in the past year and for the past four years in Annapolis - - and now appears to be an issue in Mt. Airy.

The other challenge called to my attention in Mt Airy seems to be the matter of the “town administrator” position that has quickly been raised since the election. This issue has also been a hot potato in Westminster.

Perhaps, if a candidate for the position of mayor, has in mind that they want to hire a town administrator to do their job after they are elected, maybe they ought to disclose that to the voters before the election and let the voters decide if that is how they want their town run.

In Mt. Airy, the concept of having a town administrator run the town appeared out of nowhere immediately after the election. When folks said, hold on here, let’s talk about it, the mayor and some members of the Mt. Airy replied, what do ya mean, talk about it? We have decided that it is a good idea and now we are going to move forward.

The very same folks who suggested that this was the approach of the previous administration, are the ones leading the way. What has changed? What is different? It certainly does not meet either the optics test or the smell test and to be perfectly blunt, appears to be situational ethics.

Mayor Johnson said in a letter to the editor in the Carroll County Times, earlier today, June 15^th, 2006: “A few days ago, the Times excoriated me for asking the town council to approve a town administrator at the June council meeting rather than tabling the idea… This decision was not made behind closed doors. The proposal was on the pre-announced public agenda for the council meeting, and it was openly discussed. In fact, I answered more than a dozen specific questions. The town council took public comment on the proposal. Even if one takes umbrage at my request for a decision, this all occurred in an open meeting to which the public was not only invited, but in attendance.”

(For more background: Editorial for Thursday, June 8, 2006: “Campaign promises apparently mean nothing to the newly elected mayor and council members of Mount Airy. At Monday's council meeting, Mayor Frank Johnson refused to postpone a vote on his personal proposal to add a staff position, saying waiting to get...” Read the rest of the editorial here.)

This response, although certainly plausible for this columnist, was not acceptable for issues in the previous administration. There’s the rub. What has changed? What is different? Why were these things unacceptable in the previous administration, but perfectly fine now?

Read the rest of his letter to the editor, “Government is open in Mount Airy,” here.

Things just get curiouser and curiouser in Mt. Airy and there is no end in sight.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

For additional background:

State refuses to help in Mount Airy ethics leak investigation: “The state prosecutor's office has refused to help investigate an alleged leak of confidential information regarding a pending ethics investigation in Mount Airy, and the town's mayor said there are no plans to pursue an investigation…

_________________

Open-government mayor stops taping meeting Publish Date: 06/08/06; By Katie E. Leslie News-Post Staff: “MOUNT AIRY -- Minutes into Monday's public hearing about a new downtown zoning classification, Mount Airy Town Council Secretary Peter Helt realized the meeting was not being recorded.

When he asked newly elected Mayor Frank Johnson why, Mr. Johnson said he made the decision to stop taping after a conversation with town attorney Lynn Board, who was hired by the council following Mr. Johnson's inauguration.

Mr. Helt appeared stunned….”

Read the rest here.

_________________

Mt. Airy council resumes taping, Jun. 9, 2006: “After a two-week hiatus the Mount Airy Town Council will resume tape recording council meetings. When a citizen expressed concern about an unrelated proposed ordinance during a public hearing at Monday night's meeting, councilman Peter Helt asked why...” Read the rest here.

_________________

“Two public hearings not taped” Thursday, June 8, 2006 by Carolynne Fitzpatrick, Gazette Staff Writer “Mayor decides not to record hearings; reverses decision after realizing it violated town code:” “The public will not have a chance to review the tapes of two hearings that took place on Monday, after Mayor Frank Johnson decided not to continue taping public meetings — a decision that was revoked after council members discussed it….” Read more here.

_________________

Carroll County Times Editorial for Feb. 9, 2003

A problem of wearing many hats

Mount Airy Town Councilman Frank Johnson has been wearing a lot of different hats lately, but the time has come for him to step back and make some realistic decisions about where he believes he can do the most good.

The councilman was instrumental in rallying support and bringing together a Council of Governments in Carroll at a time when communication between the county office building and Carroll's municipalities was sorely lacking. He remains a vocal advocate and is actively involved as the organization gets up and running.

Johnson also took a job as assistant to County Commissioner Julia Walsh Gouge. And while he and others have said there is nothing legally wrong with collecting paychecks from both the Town of Mount Airy and the county, there likely is an ethical issue involved.

That issue is compounded by Johnson's other involvement in Mount Airy, where he serves as zoning administrator and is the council's liaison to the planning commission.

At the very least, Johnson has spread himself too thin to be entirely effective in any one of the positions. And because his many positions span from Mount Airy to Carroll's municipalities to county government, that means the impact is being felt everywhere in the county.

Johnson owes it to the people of Mount Airy, owes it to the towns, cities and organizations that make up the Council of Governments and owes it to taxpayers who pay his salary as Gouge's assistant to step back from some of these responsibilities.

He must assess where he believes he can be most effective, and then concentrate on those areas.

Wanting to help out in as many different ways as possible is an admirable trait, but it does no good if the person is running in so many different directions that it takes away from all of his various jobs and duties.

©Carroll County Online 2003

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20060615 KDDC Mayor Frank Johnson and Deja Vu

http://www.kevindayhoff.com/2006/06/20060615-kddc-mayor-frank-johnson-and.html

20060614 KDDC Dinner at Harry's Main Street Grille

"Dinner at Harry's"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
June 14th, 2006

Harry's Main Street restaurant

Harry's Main Street Grille
65 West Main Street
Westminster, MD 21157
410-848-7080
Closed on Sunday
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/search/label/Restaurants%20Harry%27s%20Main%20Street

Planning a pathway in Carroll County from 1961 into the future

Planning a pathway in Carroll County from 1961 into the future
June 14, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff (639 words)

As the work continues on an update of the Carroll County Comprehensive Plan - Pathways to Carroll’s Future Landscape, it is a good time to reflect on some of the history of master planning in Carroll County and some of the past community leaders who worked hard to provide us with the firm foundation we have today, which allows us to confidently plan our future.

The methodology of developing our “Pathways” plan and the emphasis on community involvement and consensus building are once again highlighting Carroll County in a groundbreaking and leadership position throughout the state.

Then again, when it comes to master planning, leadership is something that comes quite naturally to our county. We have a history of excellence.

In November 1961, the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission issued the first Carroll County Master Plan, entitled “Agriculture.” The report was developed under the visionary leadership of George A. Grier, the planning director for Carroll County at the time.

Community leaders serving on the 1961 Planning Commission were Chairman E. Miller Richardson, Russell Royer, Walter Harner, and Clarence Shaw. The Agricultural Advisors were Chairman John Bixler, Frank Bushey, Jonathan Dorsey, George Tracy, and Lloyd Wilhide.

The 1961 Carroll County Master Plan was the inspiration of Mr. Grier who began his tenure with county government in 1959. He was the county's first planning director. He later served as the county administrator. Mr. Grier retired in 1983 after almost 25 years of public service.

Before Mr. Grier, a Harford County native, came to Carroll County, he was working as the Harford County planning director. However, he is another of the many examples of leadership attracted to Carroll County as a result of McDaniel College.

Carroll County was not new to Mr. Grier when accepted the commissioners’ offer of employment. He had attended, then – Western Maryland College, for three years, before he served our country in World War II.

The 1961 plan was only 54 pages, but it was an innovative approach to planning in the state in the early 1960s and many folks credit our “Master Plan” approach as the model for the Maryland Planning Act of 1992.

Once again, yesteryear’s trauma is today’s routine. .The concept of doing a master plan for the county was extraordinarily controversial in 1961. Now, state law mandates that local governments develop and update a master plan every six years.

When it comes to planning, to give folks, who have moved to Carroll County in recent years, some perspective when they complain to my generation about congestion and a loss of quality of life in Carroll County - - when folks from my generation joke that when we grew up in Carroll County, there were more cows than people, we aren’t kidding.

In November 1961, there were 48,274 head of cattle, plus 19,193 milk cows, 21,222 hogs, 333,546 chickens, 1,762 sheep and 1,045 horses. The population of the county in 1961 was 52,785.

In 1961, Carroll County was ranked number one or two in the state for land in farms; total number of cattle, hogs, and chickens; production of wheat, barley, hay, and sweet corn; and total number of tractors, grain combines and corn pickers. 77.5 percent of Carroll County was farmland.

Page 42 of the 1961 report contains a series of recommendations that are amazingly just as relevant today. In a future column we will review those recommendations and compare them to the current goals of the Pathways’ plan.

Meanwhile, we no longer have more cows that people in Carroll County. The need for careful land use planning is more important than ever.

Growth and development are some of the most difficult and challenging issues of our time. If you care about our county’s future, make time to visit the “Pathways” website at www.carrollpathways.org. Please get involved and be part of the solution.

20060614 SDOSM WE Planning a pathway in CC from 1961 p1.doc

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/
Kevin Dayhoff Art: www.kevindayhoff.com
Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: www.westgov.net

20060615 KDDC Goodbye Dan Rather and good riddance

Goodbye Dan Rather and good riddance
June 15th, 2006

Captain's Quarters said it best of the idol of the left: "Has there ever been a major journalist as egotistical and hypocritical as Dan Rather?" (Posted by Captain Ed at March 13, 2006 07:31 PM)

Then again, perhaps Mr. Rather did us all a favor. His bias, liberal and agenda driven reporting is partially responsible for the backlash and subsequent evolution of conservatives demanding a voice in information dissemination. He was quite instrumental in proving that the "MSM-Big 3" could not be counted on to give us fair, accurate and objective news.

Howard Kurtz, writing for the Washington Post brings us up to date on the future of Dan Rather.

Stopwatch Ticking for Dan Rather

CBS to Drop Ex-Anchor From '60 Minutes'

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 15, 2006; Page C01

NEW YORK -- CBS executives have decided there is no future role at the network for Dan Rather, making it certain that the man who sat in the anchor chair for 24 years will depart by this fall.

Read the rest of the story here.

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20060614 KDDC Dinner for Butterflies

Dinner for Butterflies
(C) Kevin Dayhoff
June 14, 2006

20060614 KDDC Lights Out, the second shoe

Lights Out, the second shoe

If you have not had a chance to read Jamie Smith Hopkins' article in the Sun the other day; find time to read it. She covered how this Maryland General Assembly continues to be disastrious for Marylanders.

Jamie Smith Hopkins continues to be one of the Baltimore Sun's best writers.

Much of Maryland's "industry" and employment is government. However, not eveyone can work for the government. Governmant pays no taxes, it only consumes taxes.

So who is left to pay the bills? The answer is you and me. And if Maryland continues to perpetuate its anti-business reputation, "you and me" are going to only have to pay higher and higher taxes as business continues to flee of find somewhere else to establish and grow.

Legislature makes businesses uneasy

Business leaders are concerned that lawmakers keep doing things to create an unfriendly climate

By Jamie Smith Hopkins

Sun reporter

Originally published June 14, 2006

Be sure to read the rest of Ms. Hopkins' article here.

The piece in the Wall Street Journal, to which Ms. Hopkins refers has been hard to find for me. However, I did manage to find it on the "Howard County Blog." I have pasted below the Howard County Blog's entry from April 18th, 2006:

Lights Out In Maryland

I share with you, dear reader, a perspective (that I happen to share) from the Wall Street Journal.

Lights Out in MarylandApril 15, 2006; Page A6

No homeowner would be overjoyed to hear that his electric bill is going up by 72% on July 1. In an election year, that just might make him mad enough to blame the politicians seeking his vote.
So it goes in Baltimore and surrounding areas in central Maryland, where 1.2 million homeowners were informed recently that they would have to shell out an average of $743 more a year for electricity, and where the Governor and every member of the state legislature are up for re-election in November.

But if lawmakers are worried, they have only themselves to blame. In 1999 the assembly imposed price controls as part of legislation deregulating the state's electrical power industry. Hoping to avoid taking political responsibility for that decision, the legislators froze residential rates at 1993 levels minus 6.5%. Seven years later that political bill is now coming due.
The legislature's ire has focused on Constellation Energy Group, parent of Baltimore Gas & Electric Co., the state's largest electric utility. In an effort to blackmail the utility into agreeing to below-market rates, it tried to block a planned merger between Constellation and Florida Power & Light that has nothing to do with the rate increase. Not only was this probably unconstitutional — the U.S. Constitution protects interstate commerce — it was arguably illegal under state law. The assembly wanted to bypass the Public Service Commission, the regulatory body created nearly a century ago with the specific aim of insulating public utilities from politics. The commission is currently evaluating the proposed merger.

But the politicking didn't stop there. Legislation passed both houses requiring the merger to be studied by Attorney General Joseph Curran Jr. Mr. Curran happens to be the father-in-law of Martin O'Malley, the Democratic Mayor of Baltimore running for governor against Republican incumbent Robert Ehrlich. The legislation called for Mr. Curran's office to report back in January — a convenient two months after the election.

The effort fell apart last week when the Governor vetoed the legislation as well as a second bill stripping him of the power to appoint members to the Public Service Commission. The Governor then worked out a deal with the House to reintroduce price caps (with moderate increases) until 2009. But the Senate wouldn't go along so neither the compromise bill nor an override of the vetoes passed before the legislative session expired on Monday. Governor Ehrlich is now trying to work out a deal for lower rates with Constellation, while also considering calling the legislature back to Annapolis. But why bother? The longer the legislature stays out of session the safer everyone is.

Constellation is the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in Baltimore. It employs hundreds of people at an energy trading floor downtown — jobs that could easily be moved to a friendlier state. After this experience, it's not hard to understand why Constellation might want to do just that.

This episode is just one more example of how Maryland is developing a reputation for being a bad place to do business. Within the past year, the legislature has increased the minimum wage and foisted a new health-care tax onto Wal-Mart. During his four years in office, Governor Ehrlich has had to beat back $7.5 billion in tax hikes in a state with a budget of about $29 billion. The message being sent to job creators is clear: Lights out.
April 18th, 2006

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006

20060614 Microsoft sucks

In Humiliating Microsoft, Apple's Simply Charming
Posted June 14, 12:21 AM

Many folks have been in touch about the new Apple TV ads. They are a hoot. Bob Garfield, who writes a column, "Garfield's Ad Review," for "Advertising Age," has just published a fun review of the ads:

In Humiliating Microsoft, Apple's Simply Charming
New Ads Skewer Windows' Various Shortcomings

By Bob Garfield
Published: May 14, 2006
Apple is one weird company. It makes great products and bizarre decisions. But above all, in all its stubborn Jobsian iconoclasm, Apple is consistent. You know what it means, what it stands for and what it will always stand for.

Namely: Microsoft sucks.

Read the rest here. The article has available the ad, if you have not seen it.

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20060614 KDDC A surprise for WH Press pool

Will your spouse miss you for a couple of days?
Posted June 14th, 2006 2:15 AM

It seems like a plot from the TV series "West Wing."

"Editor and Publisher" has a story about coordinating the press in the secret plans to fly President George W. Bush to Iraq. It is very interesting read.

Surprise for Reporters: Bush to Baghdad

By By E&P Staff

Published: June 13, 2006 10:00 AM ET
NEW YORK President George W. Bush, seeking to bolster support for Iraq's new government and the U.S. war effort at home, made a surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday to meet Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Read the rest here.

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20060614 KDDC A surprise for WH Press pool

Will your spouse miss you for a couple of days?
Posted June 14th, 2006 2:15 AM

Surprise for Reporters: Bush to Baghdad

By By E&P Staff

Published: June 13, 2006 10:00 AM ET
NEW YORK President George W. Bush, seeking to bolster support for Iraq's new government and the U.S. war effort at home, made a surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday to meet Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Read the rest here.

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20060614 KDDC The problem with cows

This just in from "Regret the Error."
Posted June 14th, 2006 1:45 AM

Corrections and clarifications

Monday June 12, 2006
The Guardian

In an article Is it OK ... to drink cow's milk? (Ethical living, page 26, G2, June 6), two mistakes were introduced in the editing. Comments which were made by by an unnamed former dairy worker, whose mother runs an animal sanctuary, were mistakenly attributed to Gordon Tweddle for which we apologise. We also caused the writer to say that cows are responsible for "19% of global warming". In fact cows are responsible for 20% of methane gas, and methane gas accounts for 19% of global warming.

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20060613 KDDC Microsoft sucks

In Humiliating Microsoft, Apple's Simply Charming
Posted June 14, 12:21 AM

In Humiliating Microsoft, Apple's Simply Charming
New Ads Skewer Windows' Various Shortcomings

By Bob Garfield
Published: May 14, 2006
Apple is one weird company. It makes great products and bizarre decisions. But above all, in all its stubborn Jobsian iconoclasm, Apple is consistent. You know what it means, what it stands for and what it will always stand for.

Namely: Microsoft sucks.

Read the rest here. The article has available the ad, if you have not seen it.

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Monday, June 12, 2006

20060612 KDDC 2006 1st Special Session hearing information

2006 1st Special Session hearing information current as of June 9, 2006 - 9:22 a.m.

June 12, 2006 5:16 PM

The following information - pasted below - is from the Maryland General Assembly web-site and can be found on the web here. Be sure to go the link to get the rest of the hearings schedule... And check this pagetomorrowto see if they have the Senate and/House agenda posted.

COMMITTEES HOLDING HEARINGS ON JUNE 13, 2006
HOUSE ECONOMIC MATTERS	SENATE FINANCE

JUNE 13, 2006

HOUSE ECONOMIC MATTERS

                                 10:00 A.M.     Joint Hearing Room
                                            Legislative Services Building
                                            Annapolis, MD


Subject:  - Electric Restructuring Legislation
         - Joint with the Senate Finance Committee

NOTE:  Members of the Senate Special Commission on Electric
      Utility Deregulation Implementation are invited to attend.

SENATE FINANCE

                                 10:00 A.M.     Joint Hearing Room
                                            Legislative Services Building
                                            Annapolis, MD


Subject:  - Electric Restructuring Legislation
         - Joint with the House Economic Matters Committee

NOTE:  Members of the Senate Special Commission on Electric
      Utility Deregulation Implementation are invited to attend.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

20060610 KDDC Aunt Caroline and the Goats

Aunt Caroline and the Goats

Aunt Caroline, who may be the best aunt in the world, helped our niece Saturday morning with her 4-H goat project…

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20060610 KDDC Graduation Party

Graduation Party

Caroline and I had the opportunity to attend a wonderful graduation party Saturday afternoon.

I have written it before and I will write it again that we are very fortunate to have many fantastic young adults making their way up the leadership ranks these days.

We met many wonderful folks and neighbors at one of Westminster’s finer homes. The food was marvelous. My only remark on the food, is that for a family with so many traditional southern traits – where were the grits? After-all, grits goes with everything.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

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Saturday, June 10, 2006

20060610 KDDC The Airstrike meets the Beastie Boys

The Airstrike remix by Allahpundit

(Note - To see the video released by Centcom on You Tube, go here. "Zarqawi Airstrike: CENTCOM-released video of the strike that got Zarqawi.)"

To see the remix with the Beastie Boys, "Sabotage" overlaid - go here.

I found this by way of Michelle Malkin, Hot Air and You Tube. Unless you are registered with You Tube, don't go to that web-site for 'Beastie Boys remix' video, it has been flagged. I'm registered - it does not take that long nor is it difficult, I'm just still at the stage where registering for all these web-sites is a hassle...

This video is done by Allahpundit.

Hot Air inroduces it by saying:

Video: The airstrike remix

posted at 1:44 pm on June 8, 2006 by Allahpundit

Dedicated to all the brothers and sisters at Yearly Kos, who I know would enjoy this little bit of triumphalism as much as I do.

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20060609 KDDC NYTimes: I Saw a Deadhead Sticker on a Bentley

I Saw a Deadhead Sticker on a Bentley
New York Times

By HEATHER TIMMONS

Published: June 9, 2006

HERTFORDSHIRE, England, June 8 — Jerry Garcia must be spinning in his grave.
This week, on spacious lawns surrounding a turreted, gargoyle-encrusted mansion north of London, thousands of hedge fund managers and the bankers and lawyers who love them gathered for their own alternative festival, called Hedgestock.

Read the rest here.

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20060609 KDDC Southern California Barbeque

"Southern California Barbeque"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
September 18, 2005

As much as we have enjoyed the unusually mild, pleasant and cool Maryland spring. Caroline and I are looking forward to summer cookouts. Pictured above is a great cookout that Caroline and enjoyed while we were visiting San Diego last September. The hot dogs were superb.

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20060609 KDDC Women’s Club Basket Bingo fundraiser

The Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Department social hall was the place to be this Friday evening as about 200 basket bingo-ers were out in full force.

They all came out to support the Westminster Women’s Club’s fundraising event to purchase defibrillators for the Carroll County Agriculture Center’s Shipley Arena.

Caroline, Grammy and I attended. I enjoyed chowing down on the food provided by the Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.

Hat’s off to the Westminster Women’s Club and everyone who worked hard to make this event a success.

If you would like to make a donation to help the Carroll County Agriculture Center purchase defibrillators, please make a check out to: Westminster Woman's Club, P.O. Box 242, Westminster, Md. 21158. For more information, contact Jo Harp Past -President at chinookersmom@yahoo.com.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

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20060609 KDDC Rare Car Spotted in Westminster

"Rare Car"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
June 9, 2006

20060609 KDDC Horse and rider at Belmont Park

I found this great picture on the BBC.

The caption read: "A horse and rider on the track at sunrise at Belmont Park in Elmont, N. Y., U.S.A. Photo: Ed Betz/AP"

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Friday, June 09, 2006

20060608 KDDC rock, paper, scissors

Rock, paper, scissors

This was dinner conversation this evening with friends at Johansson's in Westminster. I found it via Wonkette... which led me to "Under Their Robes," a blog which features "News, gossip, and colorful commentary about the federal judiciary." Please enjoy.

Oh - Under Their Robes is a fun site also. You may wanna bookmark it.

Be sure to read this.

I'll go ahead and paste a copy of the order at the bottom of this post.

The teaser pasted below came from the New York Sun:

June 08, 2006

The Wisdom of Solomon?

"Faced with the inability of two bickering attorneys to resolve even the most innocuous scheduling questions without his intervention, a Florida federal judge yesterday ordered the two to meet on the steps of the federal courthouse and resolve their latest quarrel by playing 'one game of 'rock, paper, scissors,'" Fortune reports. Underneath Their Robes (via Wonkette)"is nothing short of awesome."

Posted by Daniel Freedman at June 8, 2006 10:18 AM

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA ORLANDO DIVISION

AVISTA MANAGEMENT, INC., d/b/a Avista Plex, Inc.,

Plaintiff,

-vs-

WAUSAU UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE COMPANY,

Defendant.

______________________________________

ORDER

This matter comes before the Court on Plaintiff's Motion to designate location of a Rule 30(b)(6) deposition (Doc. 105). Upon consideration of the Motion – the latest in a series of Gordian knots that the parties have been unable to untangle without enlisting the assistance of the federal courts – it is

ORDERED that said Motion is DENIED. Instead, the Court will fashion a new form of alternative dispute resolution, to wit: at 4:00 P.M. on Friday, June 30, 2006, counsel shall convene at a neutral site agreeable to both parties. If counsel cannot agree on a neutral site, they shall meet on the front steps of the Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse, 801 North Florida Ave., Tampa, Florida 33602. Each lawyer shall be entitled to be accompanied by one paralegal who shall act as an attendant and witness. At that time and location, counsel shall engage in one (1) game of "rock, paper, scissors." The winner of this engagement shall be entitled to select the location for the 30(b)(6) deposition to be held somewhere in Hillsborough County during the period July 11-12, 2006. If either party disputes the outcome of this engagement, an appeal may be filed and a hearing will be held at 8:30 A.M. on Friday, July 7, 2006 before the undersigned in Courtroom 3, George C. Young United States Courthouse and Federal Building, 80 North Hughey Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32801.

DONE and ORDERED in Chambers, Orlando, Florida on June 6, 2006.

Copies furnished to: Counsel of Record
Unrepresented Party

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20060608 KDDC Feeding the TRP Horses

Feeding the TRP Horses

Now that the spring riding season is over for the 4-H Therapeutic Riding Program of Carroll County, we all took turns feeding the horses for a short period before the horses go on summer vacation. Knowing that there are some folks out there who like pictures of the horses, when Caroline and I fed the horses on June 1, 2006, I brought my camera along and took the above photos. Please enjoy.

If you would like to know more about the 4-H Therapeutic Riding Program of Carroll County or make a donation please contact:

Program Coordinator: Karen Scott: trp4h@adelphia.net or Peggie Roland: peggier@att.net.

Oh - the top collage came off the 4-H TRP web-site. I wish it were mine, however, I'll bet Karen and Harold Scott did it... or maybe Peggie Roland?

Kevin Dayhoff - kdayhoff@carr.org

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Thursday, June 08, 2006

20060607 KDDC Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is reported to have been killed

The Associated Press is reporting that terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has been killed.

Jun 8, 3:48 AM EDT
Iraqi PM: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed

By PATRICK QUINN
Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press is reporting that terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has been killed.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida-linked militant who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings, kidnappings and hostage beheadings in Iraq, has been killed in a U.S. air raid north of Baghdad, Iraq's prime minister said Thursday.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said al-Zarqawi was killed Wednesday evening along with seven aides.

Read the rest of the AP story here.

According to Wikipedia:

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (October 20, 1966 – June 7, 2006) was a Salafi muslim militant, a guerrilla leader, and the self-proclaimed leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. One or more individuals identifying themselves as Zarqawi took responsibility, on several audiotapes, for numerous acts of violence in Iraq, including the killing of civilians and the taking of hostages. He was also allegedly responsible for many other acts of violence, including the beheading of hostages in Iraq.

As an Islamist militant, Zarqawi opposed the presence of U.S., Israeli and Western military forces in the Islamic world. In September 2005, he reportedly declared "all-out war" on Shia Muslims in Iraq ^[1], and is believed responsible for dispatching numerous Al-Qaeda suicide bombers throughout Iraq, and especially to areas with large concentrations of Shia civilians.

Zarqawi, believed to be a long time ally of Osama bin Laden, was a high-ranking member of bin Laden's Al Qaeda network, and since October 2004 had referred to his own organization Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, or Monotheism and Holy War Group, an insurgent network operating in Iraq, as "Al-Qaida in Iraq". On October 21, 2004, Zarqawi officially announced his allegiance to Al Qaida; on December 27, 2004, Al Jazeera broadcast an audiotape of bin Laden calling Zarqawi "the prince of al Qaeda in Iraq" and asked "all our organization brethren to listen to him and obey him in his good deeds." ^[2]

Zarqawi was the most wanted man in Jordan and Iraq, ^[3] having participated in or masterminded a number of violent actions against United States and Iraqi targets. The U.S. government offered a USD$25 million reward for information leading to his capture, the same amount offered for the capture of bin Laden before March 2004. On 15 October 2004, the U.S. State Department added Zarqawi and the Jama'at al-Tawhid wal Jihad group to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations and ordered a freeze on any assets that the group might have in the United States. On February 24, 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice's FBI also added al-Zarqawi to the Seeking Information – War on Terrorism list, the first time that he had ever been added to any of the FBI's three major "wanted" lists. ^[4]
One alias, Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh, is believed to be his real name. The surname Zarqawi literally translates as "man from Zarqa". Zarqawi is a native of the Jordanian town of Zarqa, located 30 minutes northeast of the capital Amman.

20060607 KDDC Pix: Visiting the St. John Carnival June 1

Pictures from visiting the St. John Catholic Church carnival on June 1, 2006. So, who's the babe in the yellow t-shirt?

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20060605 Susie visits the rabbits

Susie visits the rabbits.

The other day Susie visited the rabbits. The rabbits were delighted. The neighbors did not seem to mind.

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20060607 KDDC Who is this community leader?

"20060606 LM"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
June 6th, 2006

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

20060607 KDDC Scrappleface Satire Isn't Far From The Truth

Scrappleface Satire Isn't Far From The Truth

*I do not recall where it is that I found the photoshop of the NYTimes. I did not do it - although I sure wish I had. If someone recognizes it and knows who the rightful owner is - e-mail me and I will be happy to credit it properly.

I found the material pasted below on Wiz Bang:

Scott Ott often writes satire that gets mistaken for real news because he skirts incredibly close to the truth, while pushing just enough over the top to make a point.
I found the following offering to be a particularly good example. (Hat tip to Betsy Newmark who described the piece as "satire so accurate it hurts.")

(2006-06-03) -- The American Society of Professional
Journalists today said it would offer major news organizations like CNN and the
New York Times a "core values" training course in the wake of an incident in
Haditha, Iraq.

The journalist training comes as the Pentagon offers its
own brand of values reinforcement for U.S. troops.

"We're just going to cover the basics," said an unnamed
trainer, "We'll reinforce the bedrock values that 99.9 percent of journalists
already live by, but may not always remember under the stress, fear and
isolation of war."

The following is a partial list of topics from the "core
wartime values" course for journalists:

-Hold the presses! Innocent until accused.
-How to use the word "alleged" and still get your point across.
-Finding a quotable Congressman to say what you mean.
-Top-notch news analysis in a word: Vietnam.

By: Lorie
Byrd

20060606 KDDC Uncle Kevin

"20060606 Uncle Kevin"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
June 6th, 2006

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

20060605 KDDC Spaghetti at Tony’s

"Spaghetti at Tony's"

20060605 KDDC 20060530 Sanctuary photoshop: Temper Fi

Temper Fi

posted 5/30/2006 8:58:45 PM by Bryan
Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin: "Incident at Haditha, Pt II." May 30th, 2006.
and Hats off to Sanctuary for an excellent photoshop that tells a story better than a page full of words.