20070725 This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

July 25, 2007

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Viva la bicyclette!

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Today, as you are reading this, over in France and a small portion of Spain, the 94th Tour de France is in Stage 16.

Connections: We all have them

Patricia A. Kelly

As defined in the Random House College Dictionary, connection implies link, association or relationship. It could mean a circle of friends or associates, or a member of such, a relative, or a group of persons connected by a political or religious tie. It could mean a transfer from one airplane to another. It could mean an illegal drug dealer!

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Tuesday, July 24, 2007

$660 Million for Vatican Myopia

Roy Meachum

Those inclined to sympathize with Cardinal Roger Mahoney's $660 million pay out to sexual assault victims should look again at what he and his fellow prelates did to the Catholic Church. Their numbers include Baltimore's William Keeler.

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Monday, July 23, 2007

Illegal Immigration: The New Battleground

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

Sure, you'd think Texas, New Mexico, or maybe even Arizona, right? Not even close. The latest skirmish in our most challenging public policy battle is in Georgia, at least a thousand miles from the U.S.-Spanish border.

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Friday, July 20, 2007

Off with My Head

Roy Meachum

George W. Bush cannot be blamed. The Iraq report failed this week to live up to his expectations. He advised the American people to wait until October. We don't really have a choice. In the coming three months, hundreds of U.S. soldiers and thousands of Iraqi men, women and children will die or be mangled.

Will Al Gore Run?

George Wenschhof

With voters donating money to Democratic candidates in record numbers and Republican President George Bush's approval ratings falling below 30 percent, it is remarkable that no current Democratic candidate has emerged as a clear favorite.

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Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Wrong Direction

John W. Ashbury

Revisionist history curdles the mind. Examples of how we interpret our past in the mindset of today are so very numerous because "political correctness" has invaded our society to the point of being ridiculous.

Waxing Poetic

Chris Cavey

The past two weeks seem to have been devoted to taxes. Property tax bills filled the carts, bags and trucks of mail carriers. Rumors out of Annapolis, gibberish from the Internet and speculation by the media have also been filled with tax increase speculation.

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Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Three-Time Loser: Part II

Roy Meachum

Accompanied by her palm-weaving claque singing hosannas, Jennifer Dougherty ascended to the ante-bellum (barely) former courthouse and proceeded to act as if she had been - like many third world leaders claim - elected for life. That was January, 2002.

Lady Bird Johnson - Steel Magnolia

Kevin E. Dayhoff

A week ago today, Lady Bird Johnson, the celebrated wife of former President Lyndon Baines Johnson, passed away at age 94.

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Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Three Time Loser: Part One

Roy Meachum

Politicians' mentalities can amuse. I do not mean the basic conceit. After all, someone must win. Why shouldn't it be me, they say. I applaud that approach. Indeed, why not? The lottery's millions can be attributed to the basic notion. Why not me? I whole-heartedly cheer risk takers.

The Growing Chasm

Farrell Keough

Our "smart growth" Board of County Commissioners is at it again. Rather than a thorough and thoughtful approach, the heavy hand of government approach is once again the chosen tool of enforcement.

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Monday, July 16, 2007

Taxes, or Cuts and Slots

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

Last Tuesday, Gov. Martin O'Malley rolled out his proposed budget cuts. They are designed to ease the $1.5 billion structural deficit facing Maryland in the next budget.