Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween

Daily Photoblog October 28, 2008 Kevin Dayhoff

I saw this on a PFG Carroll County Foods truck while driving through Westminster on October 28, 2008. Too funny.

20081028 Happy Halloween

Election Day Food Drive to support Carroll County Food Sunday

Election Day Food Drive to support Carroll County Food Sunday

PRESS RELEASE October 8, 2008 – Posted October 31, 2008

For Immediate Release
Contact: Martin Radinsky
443-520-7750
Carroll County Democratic Central Committee

Election Day Food Drive to support Carroll County Food Sunday

Westminster, MD - October 8, 2008 - The Carroll County Democratic Central Committee will be conducting and "Election Day Food Drive" during the upcoming Presidential Election in support of Carroll County Food Sunday.

Our goal is, with volunteer support, to have manned collection boxes at the polling places, respecting all electioneering laws. The community service event will be conducted in a non partisan fashion and volunteers will be asked not to engage in political activity while collecting for Carroll County Food Sunday. We welcome the support from all organizations, political clubs, and political parties in helping to feed our neighbors in need in Carroll County.

Should you wish to volunteer to assist in this community service project please email Martin Radinsky at maradinsky@comcast.net or call 443-520-7750. Carroll County Food Sunday will offer "Community Service Hours" for any student wishing to volunteer their time.

**********

Carroll County Food Sunday distributes from the following county sites - WESTMINSTER: from 10 to 11:15 am and 1 to 2:15 pm, Tuesday through Thursday, and 9 am to 11:30 am, Saturday at 10 Distillery Drive (ground floor). TANEYTOWN: from 9:30 to 11:15 am, Thursday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 44 Frederick Street. SYKESVILLE: from 10 am to noon, Wednesday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Freedom Avenue and Liberty Roads. This organization is run by volunteers, and is always in need of additional volunteer help. Donations of money and/or food are gladly accepted.


20081008 Election Day Food Drive to support Carroll County Food Sunday

Landmark suspends sale of assets, but not the Pilot

Landmark suspends sale of assets, but not the Pilot

By Philip Walzer The Virginian-Pilot © October 30, 2008 NORFOLK

Related:

Locally, Landmark owns the Carroll County Times in Westminster Maryland.

20080104 Company looks into sales scenarios by Carrie Ann Knauer

Landmark considers possible sale of Pilot, Weather Channel (Jan. 3, 2008)

Weather Channel's profitability is behind sale, says Landmark executive (Jan. 10, 2008)

Arkansas company scouts The Virginian-Pilot, other papers (June 29, 2008)

Weather Channel deal sealed for $3.5 billion to NBC group (July 7, 2008)

Sale of Landmark TV station in Nashville falls through (Oct. 15, 2008)

Full archive on the Landmark Communications sale

Landmark Media Enterprises LLC, citing the "credit crisis," announced Wednesday that it has taken most of its properties, including Dominion Enterprises, off the market. But the company is continuing negotiations to sell The Virginian-Pilot.

"We are having discussions regarding The Virginian-Pilot Media Companies with an interested buyer," Landmark's vice chairman, Richard F. Barry III, said Wednesday. "The buyer is encouraged about obtaining financing."

He declined to identify the prospective buyer or say when he expected the sale to be completed.

The Virginian-Pilot and its affiliates employ about 1,260 people, mostly in Hampton Roads. The Pilot's associated businesses include Web sites such as Pilotonline.com and more than a dozen specialty publications, such as Link, Port Folio Weekly, Inside Business, and newspapers on military bases.

[…]

Newspaper-industry analyst John Morton said he wasn't surprised that Landmark was dropping its plans to sell most of its businesses. He noted that other newspapers remain on the market, including most of Cox Enterprises' publications and the San Diego Union-Tribune.

"The market is awash in sellers and no buyers," said Morton, who is based in Silver Spring, Md. "Right now it's the credit, but it wasn't happening before the credit tied up. People are very leery. They're not sure what they should pay or how well the newspapers are going to come out of the recession they've been in."

Facing steep market declines in advertising revenue and circulation, newspapers have lost more than half of their value since 2002, he said.

Landmark officials announced in January that they were looking to sell all of the businesses owned by the privately held media company. They did not offer a reason.

In September, Landmark completed the sale of its most profitable business, The Weather Channel Cos., to NBC Universal and two private-equity firms. The sal e price was not disclosed, but people close to the parties said it was about $3.5 billion.

Two weeks ago, however, Landmark announced that the planned sale of its Nashville television station to Bonten Media Group Inc. of New York had fallen through because of credit-market problems.

Landmark's businesses, minus The Weather Channel Cos., have combined revenues exceeding $1 billion a year, Barry said.

[…]

Read the entire article here: Landmark suspends sale of assets, but not the Pilot

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/10/landmark-suspends-sale-most-assets-not-virginianpilot

20081030 Landmark suspends sale of assets but not the Pilot

Carroll County Times Newspapers In Education Fundraiser November 6 2008

Carroll County Times Newspapers In Education Fundraiser November 6 2008

Friday, October 31, 2008 by Kevin Dayhoff

I used the Newspapers in Education curriculum for a “Community Learning Center” after school program I taught for students at risk in 2007.

I taught students to collage their own newspaper by using the print editions of the Carroll County Times.

Don’t tell the students but they did not know that they were being taught remedial reading in the process.

In the past I have supported the program by donating art for the annual auction fundraiser – which this year will be held on November 6th, 2008. See below for more details.

Yesterday, I dropped off art for my contribution for this year.

For more information, call 410-857-8554 and ask for Gwen Welty and tell her that I asked you to call…

This community initiative by the Carroll County is worthy of your support:

Each year the Times holds several major fundraisers to support the NIE program. The largest is the annual Newspapers in Education Holiday Auction in the fall. Gift certificate block sales may be held throughout the year.

Newspapers in Education Holiday Auction

Newspapers in Education Holiday Auction
Thursday, November 6, 2008

B and D Auctions (formerly O'Farrell's Auctions)
435 Sullivan Road
Westminster, MD 21157

Preview and silent auction begins at 5 p.m. Live auction begins at 6 p.m.Hundreds of items and gift certificates will be on the block to benefit local students. Refreshments will be available. Click here to preview a list of auction items.

For information on how to donate to the auction, contact the NIE coordinator at 410-857-8554 or gwen.welty@carrollcountytimes.com.

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and checks payable to Community Foundation of Carroll County/NIE will be accepted. For more information contact the NIE Coordinator at 410-857-8554 or gwen.welty@carrollcountytimes.com.

20081031 CCT NIE Fundraiser Nov 6 2008

http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/info/nie/fundraisers/

Thank Goodness Its Friday: David Bowie in the man who fell to earth part 1

Thank Goodness Its Friday: David Bowie in the man who fell to earth part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0-8SY7DVNo

May 28, 1976 by Nicolas Roeg

The novel was written by Walter Tevis in 1963. The screenplay adaptation was written by Paul Mayersberg.

The music was by John Phillips (Yes that John Phillips of “The Mamas and the Papas,”) and Stomu Yamashta.

Starring David Bowie.

20081031 19760528 David Bowie in the man who fell to earth part 1

Vote “NO” on Early Voting

Vote “NO” on Early Voting

By Kevin E. Dayhoff The Tentacle Wednesday, October 29, 2008

On Election Day November 4, there are two statewide questions on the ballot to amend the Maryland constitutional. I will be voting NO on both questions.

Question 1 would amend the state constitution to allow early voting in Maryland and Question 2 will amend the Maryland Constitution to allow slots.

Let’s take a look at Question 1. This was placed on the ballot as a result of the passage of Senate Bill 1 during the 2007 session of the Maryland General Assembly.

Read the entire column here: Vote “NO” on Early Voting

http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=2844

20081029 Vote No on Early Voting by Kevin Dayhoff in The Tentacle

Forget it, old people. No more TV for you starting in 2009.

Forget it, old people. No more TV for you starting in 2009.

Hat Tip: B5

Cable PSA

Talkshow with Spike Feresten

value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/sHvYdduH4i5nXRdHvmWJVA">

20081030 Forget it old people No more TV for you

Vote No on Question 1 by the Joint Republican Caucus

VOTE NO ON QUESTION 1

House and Senate Republicans Oppose Early Voting Amendment

October 29, 2008

The Joint Republican Caucus comprised of legislators in the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates are urging citizens to vote against Question 1 - a constitutional amendment that would authorize early voting in Maryland.

“Until Maryland requires that a voter present a photo identification card at the polls, early voting should be rejected because it opens the door to greater election fraud in our state,” said Senate Minority Leader Allan Kittleman. “When organizations like ACORN create the fraudulent voter registrations throughout our country, there is no checks and balances on a voter’s identity under any early voting system.”

Ballot Question 1 authorizes early voting up to 10 days prior to Election Day, allows people to vote outside of the district and precinct they are registered, and authorizes absentee balloting on demand. The Democratic leadership in Maryland has repeatedly rejected legislation that would require voter identification at the polls as a safeguard against voter fraud.

“Early voting without the appropriate safeguards threatens the legitimacy of our elections,” said House Minority Leader Anthony O’Donnell. “This amendment not only authorizes early voting but also allows people to vote anywhere in the State, regardless of where they were registered. Given that Maryland does not require photo identification for voting, this provision is ripe for fraud. We call on the citizens of Maryland to protect the integrity of their elections and reject this constitutional amendment.”

The Maryland General Assembly passed provisions for early voting during the 2005 and 2006 legislative sessions. The early voting statutes were challenged on constitutional grounds in Lamone v. Capozzi and were overturned by Maryland’s Court of Appeals. Currently, the only way early voting can be authorized in Maryland is through a constitutional amendment.

“Maryland does not need early voting,” said Minority Whip Christopher Shank. “We already have provisions for absentee balloting. If you are unable to vote at the polls on Election Day you may request an absentee ballot and mail in your vote. This makes the entire early voting system both duplicative and unnecessary.”

“Early voting will push another unfunded mandate on local governments, requiring higher staffing and operational costs to open polling places for up to ten days prior to Election Day,” said Senate Minority Whip Nancy Jacobs. “As we saw in February’s Primary Election, local election boards are already having major difficulties finding election judges for a single Election Day. How are they going to be able to find them for additional days?”

20081029 Vote No on Question 1 by the Joint Republican Caucus

Vote Against Question 2!

Vote Against Question 2! BY Anthony J. O’Donnell – House of Delegates Republican Leader and Christopher B. Shank – House of Delegates Republican Whip

October 29, 2008

Over the last few months, the citizens of this state have been bombarded with a variety of myths regarding the slots constitutional amendment. There have been radio and television ads that warn ominously of tax hikes and cuts to education and public safety if slots are not authorized. This fear-mongering ad campaign is financed by a handful of individuals who will make a tremendous amount of money if this plan moves forward. Members of the Democratic leadership have made not-so-subtle threats to unions, community organizations, and other interest groups bullying them into supporting the amendment. Those voicing opposition to the amendment have been demonized. Even if you are in favor of slots coming to Maryland, when you push past the layers of rhetoric and look at this constitutional amendment in its entirety, it is clear that this is not the way slots should be authorized in this state. The House Republican Caucus opposes the slots constitutional amendment because it is a bad deal for the citizens of Maryland and does nothing to address the root causes of our fiscal problems. The House Republican Caucus has a slots plan ready to introduce that does not require a constitutional amendment and allows market forces and local input, rather than political favors and back room deals, to determine the locations.

The first myth that needs to be addressed is that Question 2 is a referendum on slots. Maryland does not have a provision for referenda. Question 2 is not an up or down vote on slots and voting against it does not prevent the authorization of slots in the future. Question 2 is an amendment to Maryland’s Constitution, the primary governing document of the State. This amendment not only authorizes slot machines but authorizes them in specific locations throughout the state. The locations and beneficiaries of the proposed slots plan were decided in a back-room closed process, with no consideration for market forces or the concerns of local governments. Once authorized, any changes to the slots program will require a constitutional amendment. There will be no way to address unforeseen problems that require changes, such as a problem with a particular location, until an election year when the citizens can vote to approve the changes. There is no need to authorize slot machines with a constitutional amendment and failure of this amendment does not mean that the General Assembly cannot come back in January and authorize a slot machine plan that benefits all of Maryland.

The second myth that needs to be addressed is that if the constitutional amendment fails, the only option will be more taxes and draconian cuts to deal with the $1 billion deficit we face in FY 2010. Another myth is that education funding will be enhanced or jeopardized depending on the passage or failure of this amendment. The truth is the constitutional amendment does not bring in significant revenues until 2012. The revenues that will be dedicated to education will be used to supplant monies already spent on education, not to increase overall education spending. The message being sold to the citizens by the Democratic leadership is slots OR taxes – the fact of the matter is, the economic situation, the current deficit, and the unwillingness of the majority to restrain spending will lead to slots AND taxes. In contrast, our slots plan will generate an immediate $850 million in upfront revenue in FY 10 that will fill a significant portion of the structural deficit. Our plan will bring in more revenue overall than the constitutional amendment. The House Republican slots plan, in combination with our budget proposal will not only eliminate any need for tax increases, but will allow for a repeal of the historic tax increase passed in 2007.

What the citizens of Maryland need to know is that this constitutional amendment is a bad deal for the taxpayers. It gives away slots licenses well below their market value to a handful of wealthy, politically well-connected individuals. In these tough economic times, and in the wake of the largest tax increase in Maryland’s history, that is grossly inappropriate and should not stand. The constitutional amendment will do nothing to address the $1 billion deficit and will not prevent new taxes. It allows the Democratic leadership in Annapolis to continue to recklessly spend money with no control or accountability. The taxpayers of Maryland do not have that luxury and neither should their elected leaders. It is time for the citizens of Maryland to say NO to Martin O’Malley, Mike Miller, and Mike Busch. No unjust enrichment for political patrons, no more reckless spending, no more threats, no more fear. The best option for our citizens is to vote AGAINST Question 2!

20081029 Vote Against Question 2

This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Vote “NO” on Early Voting
Kevin E. Dayhoff

On Election Day November 4, there are two statewide questions on the ballot to amend the Maryland constitutional. I will be voting NO on both questions.

Question 1 would amend the state constitution to allow early voting in Maryland and Question 2 will amend the Maryland Constitution to allow slots.

Let’s take a look at Question 1. This was placed on the ballot as a result of the passage of Senate Bill 1 during the 2007 session of the Maryland General Assembly.

Read the entire column here: Vote “NO” on Early Voting

http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=2844


To Thine Own Self Be True
Tom McLaughlin
I am a Democrat and support Jennifer Dougherty and Barack Obama. I would support the Democratic ticket if the devil himself were on it. I am sure there are Republicans who feel the same way.


Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Election Worry
Roy Meachum
Readers may recall I take a certain pride in making up my mind well in advance about election personalities and issues. Not always, helas! This resolution on slot machines remains unresolved for me. I suspect I'm not alone. Please allow me to point out personal problems.


Unqualified To Be President – Part 2
Maude Franceschina
In yesterday’s column, I recited a litany of reasons Sen. Barack Obama is unqualified to be President of The United States. Today I’ll expand on that.


Monday, October 27, 2008
Commissioners’ Pie-In-The-Sky
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Leaves reflect the autumn color palette in the Catoctin Mountains, a brisk fall breeze sends people scurrying along Market Street in downtown Frederick, and General Assembly members start thinking about making hotel arrangements in Annapolis.


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


Unqualified To Be President – Part 1
Maude Franceschina
Okay, I have had enough. I would like to know how the majority of Americans are missing what is as plain as the nose on their faces.



Friday, October 24, 2008
Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan
Roy Meachum
Read the name again: Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan. General Colin Powell did, carefully. He noticed on the corporal's Arlington Cemetery marble grave marker the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. There were also the crescent moon and the star, sacred to Islam.


Beyond The Racial Divide
Derek Shackelford
Well, it is almost upon us. Everything that has been said and conjured up will come to a screeching halt on November 4th. That is when the real politics will begin.


Thursday, October 23, 2008
Down The Trodden Path
Chris Cavey
Election Day is two days short of two week away and the candidates are coming down the home stretch of the oddest presidential race in history. Do the two presidential candidates drive these oddities, or does the current situation of our economy?


Teaching Teachers A Little Respect
Joan McIntyre
Teachers, what do I say? I'm sorry you didn't get everything you wanted? I'm sorry you didn't get it the way you wanted? At this point, not so much anymore.


Wednesday, October 22, 2008
McCain for America – First
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Election Day is less than two weeks away. On November 4, I will be voting for the Republican Party nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and his vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.


Nobel Prize, The Economy & McCain
Tom McLaughlin
Once again it is time for my yearly commentary on the Nobel Prize in Economics. Here, I try to make some sense of this award.


Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Fortnight Off
Roy Meachum
Unless you join the apparent throng voting early, the presidential election takes place two weeks from today. A fortnight, as the British sometimes portray the time. With that in mind, I turned on the last presidential "debate." I should have read a book instead.


Walking The Economic Line
Farrell Keough
Times are tight and even the government is recognizing the need to cut back – or at least, appear as if they are making budget cuts.


Monday, October 20, 2008
The Road Less Traveled
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
The esteemed publisher of The Tentacle has asked regular contributors to offer some words reflecting their preference for a particular presidential candidate over the other. The condition for submission was that the piece was supposed to reflect why we support our guy, not our critique of the opponent.


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

20081029 This week in The Tentacle

Washington Post editorial says No to slots … and so do I

Washington Post editorial says No to slots … and so do I

Sunday, October 19, 2008 – October 27, 2008

Hat Tip: Delusional Duck Maryland Southern Maryland

The Washington Post published an editorial on Sunday, October 19, 2008 that argued “No” to slots in the upcoming referendum to be held in Maryland on November 4th, 2008.

I think this is how I will be voting also. In spite of personal reservations about slots; I believe that I could’ve supported some of the formulations offering slots in Maryland under the previous administration.

At least I could’ve closed my eyes, held my breath, pinched my nose, and pushed the green button.

I happen to be old enough to remember slots and members of my family viewed them as harmless entertainment – and by and large, it was just that.

I never saw the ills that slots created for society and yet as I grew older I began to see that slots are a huge potential for harm to the fabric of the community.

Earlier proposals had more benefits than harms. I liked the revenue for agriculture and education and I certainly liked the jobs creation.

However, the current proposal is not very attractive in that there is not enough upside to the proposal to overcome the downside.

Overlooking for the moment that it places slots in the Maryland constitution where it does not belong; it appears that little of the revenue will go to help agriculture, or more specifically, the horse industry; way too little goes to education and too much goes to the general revenue fund coffers of Maryland state government.

Maryland state government already has a pathological spending addiction and the current legislation only fuels the problem as opposed to what a dedicated fund for ag and education would provide.

And there’s the rub.

Anyway, the Washington Post says: No on Maryland Slots:

Voters should oppose a referendum that would bring the machines -- and a host of maladies -- back to the state.

Sunday, October 19, 2008; B06

ON JULY 1, 1968, the last slot machines were wheeled out of the taverns and diners that dotted a stretch of Southern Maryland known as Little Vegas. Maryland banned the machines because they fostered crime and corruption and drained money from the poor. In the 40 years since, the lever on the side of the machine has given way to a button on the front, but the scourges ushered in by slots are the same.

Supporters of a Nov. 4 referendum that would restore slots to Maryland paper over these memories with dollar bills. Slots, they promise, will plug Maryland's $430 million budget gap, revive the faltering horse-racing industry and inject needed cash into schools. Marylanders shouldn't fall for this neon mirage.

[…]

Maryland had the good sense to rid itself of the machines 40 years ago, and voters should continue to resist the glow of slot machines and the false promise of pain-free revenue they represent.

[…]

Read the entire editorial here: No on Maryland Slots

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/18/AR2008101801534.html

20081019 Washington Post editorial says No to slots

Police prevent more Md. pro-lifers from sharing message

Police prevent more Md. pro-lifers from sharing message

Related: 20081027 Group files free speech lawsuit against Westminster Schelle

Home > ADF News Center > Press Release

ADF attorneys file suit against city of Westminster for demanding permits to exercise free speech

Friday, October 24, 2008, 8:12 AM (MST)

ADF Media Relations 480-444-0020

Related Links

Permit requirement for pro-life signs suspended in Harford County, Md.

BALTIMORE — Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys filed a lawsuit Thursday against the city of Westminster on behalf of pro-life organization Defend Life. Police insisted that participants in Defend Life’s “Face the Truth” 2008 tour needed permits to peacefully share their pro-life message along a public street.

“Pro-life advocates shouldn’t be penalized for expressing their beliefs. The government can’t require them to obtain permits to exercise their First Amendment rights,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Joel Oster.

In June, Defend Life Director Elizabeth Walsh and volunteers contacted the Westminster Police Department more than two weeks before their planned demonstration—making sure it was in adherence to the law. Police told them that they needed permits from the city and the Maryland State Highway Administration, as well as permission from the owner of a nearby shopping center. Subsequently, a police captain told Defend Life that its permit requests would be denied and refused to provide an explanation.

“Pro-lifers shouldn’t be denied their free speech rights simply because some people don’t approve of their message. That’s a textbook violation of the First Amendment,” said ADF-allied attorney Owen M. Taylor, who is assisting with the case.

Defend Life held its “Face the Truth” tour this summer throughout Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Northern Virginia. Participants wore pro-life T-shirts, held signs, and occasionally shared their message verbally along the road to motorists.

A copy of the complaint filed in the lawsuit Walsh v. City of Westminster is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/WalshComplaint.pdf.

On Sept. 3, ADF attorneys filed a separate lawsuit on behalf of three young women who were arrested, jailed, shackled, and strip-searched after demonstrating on the last day of the Defend Life 2008 tour. A federal judge approved an agreement on Oct. 10 that prohibits enforcement of a permit requirement involved in that case while the court considers its constitutionality (www.telladf.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4708).

ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith. Launched in 1994, ADF employs a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family.

www.telladf.org

Note: Facts in ADF news releases are verified prior to publication but may change over time. Members of the media are encouraged to contact ADF for the latest information on this matter.

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/pressrelease.aspx?cid=4721

20081024 Police prevent more Md pro lifers from sharing message

Group files free speech lawsuit against Westminster by Charles Schelle

Group files free speech lawsuit against Westminster by Charles Schelle

10/27/08

Attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund last week filed a suit on behalf of a pro-life group, Defend Life, against the City of Westminster contending that the city violated the group’s First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

The disagreement is over a planned demonstration on July 30, 2008, by Defend Life as part of its “Face the Truth” tour to spread a pro-life message.

Defend Life is a non-profit, pro-life organization based in Baltimore. The group is seeking to get the city to change the wording of its ordinance regarding demonstrations, and also any damages prescribed by the court.

According to a copy of the lawsuit, filed Thursday, Oct. 23 in the District Court of Maryland, Elizabeth Walsh of Owings Mills, director of Defend Life’s tour, said the Westminster Police Department told the organization they would have to have permits from the city, State Highway Administration and permission of a shopping center located near the intersection of Route 140 and Englar Road in order to stage a demonstration.

However, the lawsuit contends that the SHA does not require such a permit, and the city did not grant the group a permit.

Defend Life says the requirements “chilled” the group’s free speech and equal protection rights.

[...]

Read the rest of Mr. Schelle’s article here: Group files free speech lawsuit against Westminster by Charles Schelle

20081027 Group files free speech lawsuit against Westminster Schelle

Westminster Mayor and Common Council Meeting of October 27, 2008

Westminster Mayor and Common Council Meeting of October 27, 2008

Home >> City Government

City Council

City Council Members Minutes of City Council Meetings

CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND

Mayor and Common Council Meeting of October 27, 2008

City Hall Coucil chambers- 1838 Emerald Hill Lane

AGENDA

1. CALL TO ORDER – 7:00 P.M.

Reappointment of Richard Wilbur to Tree Commission

2. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF OCTOBER 13, 2008

3. CONSENT CALENDAR

September 2008 Department Operating Reports

Identity Theft Protection Program

4. BIDS

Concrete Slab at Westminster Skate Park - Ron Schroers

Backhoe for Utility Maintenance - Jeff Glass

5. REPORTS FROM THE MAYOR

6. REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES

7. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

Adoption of Ordinance No. 788 - Recordation Limits and Phasing - Thomas Beyard

Adoption of Ordinance No. 789 - Political Signs - Thomas Beyard

Suspend the Rules of Order and Procedure to Introduce and Adopt Ordinance No. 790

and Accompanying Decision in Sectional Map Amendment Case No. SMA 08-2 to Rezone

103 South Center Street to the Compatible Neighborhood Overlay Zone - Thomas Beyard

Resolution No. R08-12 - Community Legacy Funding Application - Thomas Beyard

8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

a. Report of the Finance Committee on Recommended City Fees and Charges

9. NEW BUSINESS

a. None as of October 23, 2008

10. DEPARTMENT REPORTS

11. CITIZEN REPORTS

12. ADJOURN

20081027 Mayor and Common Council Meeting of Oct 27 2008

McCain the Stalwart by Charles Krauthammer Friday, October 24, 2008

McCain the Stalwart by Charles Krauthammer Friday, October 24, 2008

Related: My endorsement for the Arizona Sen. John McCain for president can be found here in The Tentacle: McCain for America – First by Kevin E. Dayhoff:

Election Day is less than two weeks away. On November 4, I will be voting for the Republican Party nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and his vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Read my entire column here: McCain for America – First

Meanwhile Dr. Charles Krauthammer has also endorsed Senator McCain here - McCain the Stalwart by Charles Krauthammer:

WASHINGTON -- Contrarian that I am, I'm voting for John McCain. I'm not talking about bucking the polls or the media consensus that it's over before it's over. I'm talking about bucking the rush of wet-fingered conservatives leaping to Barack Obama before they're left out in the cold without a single state dinner for the next four years.

[…]

First, I'll have no truck with the phony case ginned up to rationalize voting for the most liberal and inexperienced presidential nominee in living memory. The "erratic" temperament issue, for example…

[…]

McCain the "erratic" is a cheap Obama talking point. The 40-year record testifies to McCain the stalwart.

Nor will I countenance the "dirty campaign" pretense. The double standard here is stunning.

[…]

The case for McCain is straightforward. The financial crisis has made us forget, or just blindly deny, how dangerous the world out there is. We have a generations-long struggle with Islamic jihadism. An apocalyptic soon-to-be-nuclear Iran. A nuclear-armed Pakistan in danger of fragmentation. A rising Russia pushing the limits of revanchism. Plus the sure-to-come Falklands-like surprise popping out of nowhere.

Who do you want answering that phone at 3 a.m.? A man who's been cramming on these issues for the last year, who's never had to make an executive decision affecting so much as a city, let alone the world? A foreign policy novice instinctively inclined to the flabbiest, most vaporous multilateralism…

[…]

Read Dr. Krauthammer’s entire column here: McCain the Stalwart by Charles Krauthammer

20081024 Charles Krauthammer: McCain the Stalwart

Jump on the new media bandwagon by Richard Simon, Multimedia Reporter

Jump on the new media bandwagon by Richard Simon, Multimedia Reporter

“On the Record”

October 24, 2008

Richard Simon has an interesting post about the new social media on the web site “On the Record”

I’ve been pretty positively impressed with Facebook for keeping track of friends and colleagues who are now spread throughout the far corners of the globe…

Meanwhile Mr. Simon writes:

When I was in college four short months ago, almost everyone I knew had a Facebook or MySpace account. If you didn’t have one (I was in this camp for a little bit), you felt like you were out of the loop on so many issues. Little did I know that outside of the land of academia, this still holds true.

Last night, Warschawski, a Baltimore public relations firm, hosted a “Martini Marketing Event” at Luckie’s Tavern in Power Plant Live, where social networking guru Peter Shankman spoke about the current state and future of social media.

If you’re not familiar with Shankman’s work, he is the founder and CEO of The Geek Factory and a go-to guy on marketing issues for CNN, Fox News and MSNBC.

The lecture was pretty eye-opening as Shankman talked about how prevalent social media has become. At one point, Shankman said “social media is life.” He asked the attendees to raise their hands if they had a Facebook account, and almost every hand went up.

[...]

Read Mr. Simon’s entire post here: Jump on the new media bandwagon

20081024 Jump on the new media bandwagon by Richard Simon

Carroll County Times Other Voices: Medevac system necessary By Thomas Scalea

Carroll County Times Other Voices: Medevac system necessary By Thomas Scalea, Other Voices Saturday, October 25, 2008

Dr. Thomas Scalea, Chief at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, has written a short, but nevertheless compelling and persuasive for the Maryland State Police Medevac system, which has been brought into question as a result of a recent tragedy.

I cannot agree with Dr. Scalea more…

Related: On October 10, 2008 I wrote about The Future of Maryland Medevac in The Tentacle:

The recent tragic crash of the Maryland State Police aviation command Medevac helicopter has unfortunately developed a subplot for those who wish to further a debate about the future of the vital air rescue service.

The debate began before grieving co-workers, friends, and family hardly had a chance to say goodbye to the three rescue workers and one patient who died.

Much can be said about the inhumanity of state elected leaders who would use such a tragedy for political expediency; however, for those who have observed Maryland politics for many decades, there is very little that can surprise any longer.

We live in a state with a national reputation for politicizing everything from algae to windmills – with all the accompanying mediocrity that is associated with the enormous egos of politicians who are rarely held accountable for their mendacious, meddlesome behavior.

Ever since Maryland modeled its Medevac rescue system from the lessons learned on the battlefields of the Vietnam War, it has been copied all over the world with varying success, although arguably, the Maryland system remains the premier service.

Read my entire column here: The Future of Maryland Medevac

Meanwhile, Dr. Scalea wrote…

In the aftermath of the Maryland State Police Medevac helicopter crash, some have called the use of helicopter transports to bring critically injured patients to trauma centers into question.

As the Chief at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, I have a particular perspective. Residents of Carroll County, where trauma patients are generally evacuated to trauma centers in Baltimore, also have a real stake in this discussion.

[…]

Trauma professionals across the state are determined that this recent tragedy will have some positive outcome. We will embrace whatever lessons we can learn. We have a responsibility to assure the public that the Medivac fleet is equipped with the finest technology available and that our protocols are grounded in good science. Above all, we absolutely reject the notion that it is acceptable to let people die to save money. The public needs to know that the system is working, that it is safe, and that it remains the best in the nation and the world.

Thomas M. Scalea, MD, FACS, is Physician-in-Chief at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Francis X Kelly, Professor of Trauma Surgery and Director, Program in Trauma, University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Read Dr. Scalea’s entire piece here: Medevac system necessary By Thomas Scalea

20081025 Carroll County Times Other Voices: Medevac system necessary By Thomas Scalea

Westminster Fire Department Open House on October 25, 2008

Westminster Fire Department Open House on October 25, 2008

Join us for our Open House to celebrate our 10 years at 28 John Street and 185 years of service. Our station will be open from 11AM to 3PM. We will have raffles, fire prevention material, and Sparky for the kids.

Stop in for a visit. Also, don't forget, change your batteries in your smoke detectors.

20081025 Westminster Fire Department Open House on October 25 2008

The New York Times is junk

The New York Times is junk

Hat Tip: Don Surber: No time

October 24, 2008

My heart is breaking.

We maybe not so much.

Perhaps if Illinois Senator Barack Obama is elected president, he will add an extra-dedicated tax to go directly to support the New York Times.

After all; if he is successful on November 4th, 2008 – he will owe a great deal of his election victory to the New York Times, which has steadfastly carried the water for him at the cost of the further erosion of any credibility – and it’s heretofore legitimacy.

Mr. Surber suggests that the New York Times’ bond rating is not a reflection of its content and I’m not sure that I totally agree.

The New York Times, a member of the Lumbriculidae family of biased media, is at this point, a “Tempest Prognosticator” for a portion of the old-formerly elite media that lost its moorings and credibility during the 2008 presidential campaign. Other examples are NBC, MSNBC, and CNN.

A certain portion of its economic demise of the New York Times is a direct reflection of the fact that it has counted on surviving the fast-evolving changes in media by becoming a biased mouthpiece for limousine liberals, who only support their own care and feeding.

After it is used up, liberals will discard it just as they did Cindy Sheehan.

Nevertheless, ultimately I have no glee over the slow and painful demise of the paper. The New York Times has become the poster boy for everything that has gone wrong with the print media in the last decade and it has given all of us in the print media a black eye.

The only silver lining is that small community-oriented newspapers that are accountable, and have been flexible and adaptive, are seeing a resurgence.

Anyway, Don Surber said…

Bond raters: NYT is junk.

Standard & Poor has lowered NYT’s rating to BB-minus. In corporate bond trading that is junk, making the parent company of the New York Times a subprime borrower.

Moody’s said it will follow in dropping the rating.

[…]

The Reuters report.

Read the rest of Mr. Surber’s post here: No time

20081024 Don Surber Bond raters The New York Times is junk

Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights? By Orson Scott Card

Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights? By Orson Scott Card

When I wrote Journalistic Bubble Wrap in The Tentacle on October 15, 2008 -

One of the hottest subplots to the 2008 presidential campaign is how would the contest, the polls and the final outcome have looked if the “old – elite” media had not been so biased towards the Democratic Party in general and specifically the Democrat nominee, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

I wish I had written it as well as when Orson Scott Card wrote Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights?

Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights?

October 5, 2008 - Featured on Rush Limbaugh 10/22/08

http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2008-10-05-1.html

Editor's note: Orson Scott Card is a Democrat and a newspaper columnist, and in this opinion piece he takes on both while lamenting the current state of journalism.

An open letter to the local daily paper — almost every local daily paper in America:

I remember reading All the President's Men and thinking: That's journalism. You do what it takes to get the truth and you lay it before the public, because the public has a right to know.

This housing crisis didn't come out of nowhere. It was not a vague emanation of the evil Bush administration.

It was a direct result of the political decision, back in the late 1990s, to loosen the rules of lending so that home loans would be more accessible to poor people. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were authorized to approve risky loans.

What is a risky loan? It's a loan that the recipient is likely not to be able to repay.

The goal of this rule change was to help the poor — which especially would help members of minority groups. But how does it help these people to give them a loan that they can't repay? They get into a house, yes, but when they can't make the payments, they lose the house — along with their credit rating.

They end up worse off than before.

This was completely foreseeable and in fact many people did foresee it. One political party, in Congress and in the executive branch, tried repeatedly to tighten up the rules. The other party blocked every such attempt and tried to loosen them.

Furthermore, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were making political contributions to the very members of Congress who were allowing them to make irresponsible loans. (Though why quasi-federal agencies were allowed to do so baffles me. It's as if the Pentagon were allowed to contribute to the political campaigns of Congressmen who support increasing their budget.)

Isn't there a story here? Doesn't journalism require that you who produce our daily paper tell the truth about who brought us to a position where the only way to keep confidence in our economy was a $700 billion bailout? Aren't you supposed to follow the money and see which politicians were benefiting personally from the deregulation of mortgage lending?

I have no doubt that if these facts had pointed to the Republican Party or to John McCain as the guilty parties, you would be treating it as a vast scandal. "Housing-gate," no doubt. Or "Fannie-gate."

Instead, it was Senator Christopher Dodd and Congressman Barney Frank, both Democrats, who denied that there were any problems, who refused Bush administration requests to set up a regulatory agency to watch over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and who were still pushing for these agencies to go even further in promoting sub-prime mortgage loans almost up to the minute they failed.

As Thomas Sowell points out in a TownHall.com essay entitled "Do Facts Matter?" ( http://snipurl.com/457townhall_com] ): "Alan Greenspan warned them four years ago. So did the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers to the President. So did Bush's Secretary of the Treasury."

These are facts. This financial crisis was completely preventable. The party that blocked any attempt to prevent it was ... the Democratic Party. The party that tried to prevent it was ... the Republican Party.

Yet when Nancy Pelosi accused the Bush administration and Republican deregulation of causing the crisis, you in the press did not hold her to account for her lie. Instead, you criticized Republicans who took offense at this lie and refused to vote for the bailout!

Read the rest here: Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights?

20081005 Would the Last Honest Reporter Please Turn On the Lights? By Orson Scott Card

This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

McCain for America – First
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Election Day is less than two weeks away. On November 4, I will be voting for the Republican Party nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and his vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.


Nobel Prize, The Economy & McCain
Tom McLaughlin
Once again it is time for my yearly commentary on the Nobel Prize in Economics. Here, I try to make some sense of this award.


Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fortnight Off
Roy Meachum
Unless you join the apparent throng voting early, the presidential election takes place two weeks from today. A fortnight, as the British sometimes portray the time. With that in mind, I turned on the last presidential "debate." I should have read a book instead.


Walking The Economic Line
Farrell Keough
Times are tight and even the government is recognizing the need to cut back – or at least, appear as if they are making budget cuts.


Monday, October 20, 2008

The Road Less Traveled
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
The esteemed publisher of The Tentacle has asked regular contributors to offer some words reflecting their preference for a particular presidential candidate over the other. The condition for submission was that the piece was supposed to reflect why we support our guy, not our critique of the opponent.


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


Friday, October 17, 2008

"Significant" Pushkin Day
Roy Meachum
Exactly 10 years ago today Pushkin walked into my life. Correction: the 20-pound black-and-white butterball waddled down North Market Street. I was sitting on the porch of the house that many people think I still live in; waiting for Sharon and others to pack up antiques for Lady on Skates' Richmond operation.


Thursday, October 16, 2008

Registration Fraud v. Election Fraud
Tony Soltero
Democracy works best when the voting franchise is as wide and as open as possible. That's why voter-registration drives are so important – and that's why democracy-haters are always trying to find a way to undermine them.


Family Reunion – Traditional Values
Patricia A. Kelly
I had been to a funeral there just a week ago. Doris Grossnickle, a lovely woman, hard working, devoted to her family and her God, had died. She was 89 years old and had worked, helping her son with a painting job, and then cooking him dinner, on the day of her sudden death. The last time I saw her she was standing on the porch roof of a house in the city, helping him then, too.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Journalistic Bubble Wrap
Kevin E. Dayhoff
One of the hottest subplots to the 2008 presidential campaign is how would the contest, the polls and the final outcome have looked if the “old – elite” media had not been so biased towards the Democratic Party in general and specifically the Democrat nominee, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.


“Oddball” Roscoe Bartlett
Tom McLaughlin
In a secret snap poll conducted by the Maryland Democratic Party, Jennifer Dougherty is within six points of overtaking Roscoe Bartlett. This does not include a fair number of people who are undecided, or the 18-24 year old vote.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Filthy Politicking
Roy Meachum
One week ago in this space ("The Republic in Danger") I wrote: "With the core of the nation's financial structure in shambles, at stake these next four weeks is the very governmental itself. Never have these United States needed strong leadership more."


Memory: The Forgotten Art
Nick Diaz
Ah, Mnemosyne, daughter of Gaia and Uranus, and mother, by Zeus, of all the Muses! Poets and kings reputedly receive their gifts and powers of authoritative speech from their personal relationship with Mnemosyne. How precious is the gift of memory – yet how maligned it has become over the past 30 years, especially by trendy math educationists.


Monday, October 13, 2008

A Treatise on Partisanship
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
The defense of partisanship, by either one of the two major political parties, amounts to nothing more than the defense of an outmoded system of governance that has consistently failed to meet the expectations of voters.


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


Bad Habit, New Downright Joy
Roy Meachum
Kvetching remains part of reading these reviews. After some 40 years on the aisle, I do not expect to change soon. On the other hand, there still exists insufficiency of downright joy on stage; I'm not talking about giggles and guffaws, but evenings (and matinees) that send people dancing and singing into the good nights.

20081022 This week in The Tentacle

My three part series on the current economic mess in The Tentacle

My three part series on the current economic mess in The Tentacle

Folks have been asking where they can find my three-part series on the current economic mess in The Tentacle from October 1, 2 and 3, 2008.

They may be found here:

October 3, 2008
Congress and The Rattlesnake – Part 3
Kevin E. Dayhoff
On May 13, 2008, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama compared the current housing crisis in the U.S. to the Great Depression in a campaign stop in Missouri.


October 2, 2008
Congress and The Rattlesnake – Part 2
Kevin E. Dayhoff
For several weeks the nation and the world have been watching the financial news emanating from Washington and Wall Street with that “deer in headlights” look as everyone holds their breath in disbelief and worries another shoe will drop.


October 1, 2008
Congress and the Rattlesnake – Part 1
Kevin E. Dayhoff
In response to the increasing wrath of the American voter, the U.S. House of Representatives came to its senses on Monday and voted 288 to 205 to kill the rash and ill-conceived proposed $700 billion bailout of Wall Street.

20081003 My three part series on the current economic mess in The Tentacle

Among my most prized possessions are words that I have never spoken

Among my most prized possessions are words that I have never spoken

October 23, 2008
I’m not sure when Orson Scott Card said this; however the following quote ought to be an everyday mantra for anyone in the public spotlight.

It is certainly a thought that many in the blogosphere ought to take to heart…

It reminds me of the great admonition that I often repeated to myself when I was an elected official – although critics will suggest that I, all too often did not follow my own advice enough: “Never miss an opportunity to sit down and shut up.”

"Among my most prized possessions are words that I have never spoken." Attributed to Orson Scott Card

20081023 Among my most prized possessions are words that I have never spoken

http://www.ornery.org/

Carroll County Board of Education to meet with Delegation Wednesday October 22 2008

Carroll County Board of Education to meet with Delegation Wednesday October 22 2008

Tuesday October 21, 2008

The Board of Education will meet with members of the State Legislative Delegation to review their Legislative Position Statements.

The breakfast meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. at the Carroll County Career and Technology Center.

20081021 Carroll County Board of Education to meet with Delegation

TimesWatch Tracker for October 20 2009

TimesWatch Tracker for October 20 2009

Documenting and Exposing the Liberal Agenda of the New York Times

TimesWatch Tracker: Our Latest Analysis Monday, October 20, 2008

Conservatives Brook No Dissent While Ignorant Evangelicals Ruin Movement

Why the conservative crackup? Reporter Patricia Cohen cites evangelicals: "...the disillusioned commentary of credentialed conservatives like Mr. Will, Mr. Buckley and Mr. Krauthammer may be the sound of a movement splintering at its foundation -- a movement whose intellectuals have long been uneasy with, for example, the rising power, in the Bush years, of evangelicals, with their categorical faith in creationism and distrust of scientific reason."

Columnist Blow Would Bet His Life on Obama Win

Charles Blow (pictured) is mightly confident in a Barack Obama victory: "If I'm wrong, I'll take my crow with a six pack of Liquid-Plumr."

Public Editor Admits Times Reporters Are More Liberal...

..but Clark Hoyt then cited a report saying "a link between reporters' political beliefs and news coverage has never been convincingly established."

NYT Trolls Teens on Facebook for Hit Piece on Cindy McCain

Reporter Jodi Kantor aimed for a hit piece on Cindy McCain, but fawned over Michelle Obama.

Check out our website today at www.timeswatch.org!
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20081020 TimesWatch Tracker for October 20 2009

Jewish Press: John McCain For President

Jewish Press: John McCain For President

http://www.jewishpress.com/

Related: Radical Days: Obama's Funding of Anti-American Extremists by Stanley Kurtz Oct 22th 2008: It looks like Jeremiah Wright was just the tip of the iceberg. Read Article All Articles By This Author

John McCain For President

Date: Wednesday, October 22 2008

The Jewish Press heartily endorses John McCain for president of the United States.

Senator McCain has long been the poster boy for what's made America great. He heroically served our nation in the Vietnam War, doing what he was called on to do and going well beyond, incurring great personal suffering and deprivation he could have avoided simply by trading on his family connections. For five years he famously declined to abandon his fellow prisoners and end his travail. In a time of political pandering and rank opportunism, Sen. McCain's courage, integrity and fortitude are traits to be treasured in a national leader.

And in a period of corrosive inter-party political strife, Sen. McCain offers a solid record of bipartisanship. Indeed, his failure to regularly follow the Republican Party line often drew the ire of President Bush and Republican congressional leaders.

Plainly, Sen. McCain has demonstrated he has the leadership skills key to lead our nation at a time of great testing. He is also persuasive on the issues and was actually highly thought of even in Democratic circles until Barack Obama made it the linchpin of his campaign to try to persuade voters of a direct link between Sen. McCain and the policies of President Bush - particularly with regard to the war in Iraq and the current economic crisis - and therefore a shared responsibility.

The New York Daily News, even while endorsing Sen. Obama, heaped great praise on Sen. McCain, calling him an "outstanding" senator, a man of character, a man of "courage in the face of torture," "dead on" right on Iraq, the soul of bi-partisanship, and "tough minded" on foreign affairs and military issues.

But while the paper acknowledged "there is no question [Sen. McCain] would bring change," it lamented that "McCain's misfortune is that he is the standard bearer of a party whose leadership, starting at the top, ran the U.S. onto the rocks."

But let's look at this notion of shared responsibility.

Sen. Obama makes the point that Sen. McCain supported the invasion of Iraq while he himself spoke out against it from the beginning. Yet whatever one thinks of President Bush's foreign policy, including the war in Iraq, the fact is there has not been another terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Yes, there have been more than 4,000 American deaths in Iraq, and each loss is a great tragedy in itself, but there were nearly 3,000 deaths on 9/11.

Without question the war in Iraq, which drew Al Qaeda into an arena where America's military power could be most effectively deployed against the terrorist infrastructure, palpably disabled the ability of Islamic extremists to coordinate large-scale attacks on the American continent. And it should not be forgotten that Sen. McCain had long criticized President Bush for not putting enough American power on the ground.

Sen. McCain is also being linked to the current economic downturn, again because both he and President Bush are Republicans. But as documented by the release of Sen. McCain's correspondence file on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, it was Sen. McCain who had long been drawing attention to the excesses of the two agencies which contributed so greatly to the current economic meltdown.

More pointedly, consider the following excerpts from a front-page story in Sunday's New York Times about the role of Henry Cisneros, President Bill Clinton's secretary of housing and urban development, in the mortgage debacle:

As the Clinton Administration's top housing official in the mid-1990's Mr. Cisneros loosened mortgage restrictions so first-time buyers could qualify for loans they could never get before.... While Mr. Cisneros says he remains proud of his work...[he] acknowledges that "people came to homeownership who should not have been homeowners...."

Homeownership has deep roots in the American soul. But until recently getting a mortgage was a challenge for low-income families. Many of these families were minorities, which naturally made the subject of special interest to Mr. Cisneros, who, in 1993, became the first Hispanic to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He had President Clinton's ear.... [Emphasis added]

If anything, President Bush inherited a mess left by President Clinton. By what stretch does one then lay this on Sen. McCain simply because he is a Republican?

But it is not only Sen. McCain's positives that commend him to voters as their choice on November 4. Unfortunately, there is also the matter of Sen. Obama's glaring negatives, some of which are quite alarming.

As The Jewish Press and others have pointed out, there is a rather disturbing dimension to Sen. Obama. Although he has succeeded in denying public access to much of his past relating to his work as a community organizer and his connection to the radical advocacy ACORN group, what we do know speaks volumes of where his views are grounded.

For more than 20 years he turned to the virulently anti-American and anti-Israel churchman Reverend Jeremiah Wright for counsel and advice. He has explained away Rev. Wright's diatribes as an understandable reaction to the black experience in America.

He also worked closely for years with the notorious William Ayres, Jr. on reforming educational policy, though Mr. Ayres's stated mission is to employ education to cleanse America of its many alleged sins.

From where we sit, Sen. Obama emerges as a representative of the radical left, which does not accept the notion of American exceptionalism and the presumptive validity of American tradition. We recall his gratuitous ridicule of those middle Americans who, supposedly out of frustration, "cling to their religion and their guns."

We fear Sen. Obama is not intent on merely changing this or that policy but the system in its entirety.

This strain emerges also in the area of international affairs. His observation that the leaders of Hamas support him because they expect him to abandon President Bush's "cowboy diplomacy" reflects the view that perhaps our enemies have a point and America is to be blamed for most of the world's problems. This was underscored when he said he would negotiate with such leaders as Iran's Ahmadinejad "without preconditions."

And then there are the insults to our intelligence he regularly delivers. When he immediately backtracked from his declaration that he supported an "undivided Jerusalem" as the capital of Israel, he explained that he only meant it shouldn't be divided by fences. He has also regularly played the race card by asserting that Sen. McCain would resort to claiming that he, Sen. Obama, doesn't look like others who have run for president.

To criticisms of his relationship with Rev. Wright, Sen. Obama claimed he wasn't present on those occasions when Rev. Wright spilled his venom. He initially said of his contacts with William Ayres that they were minimal, and later that he thought Mr. Ayers had "been rehabilitated" - despite the fact that Mr. Ayres regularly bemoans his failure to have planted more bombs during his terrorist heyday.

Perhaps among the most troubling things about Sen. Obama was his recent comment to the now famous "Joe the plumber." When "Joe" asked him why he planned to raise taxes on him, Sen. Obama responded: "It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody that is behind you, that they have a chance for success too. I think that when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

This a radical departure from mainstream thinking in our country. It is one thing for the government to provide for the less fortunate and for those in dire need. It is quite another to embrace a scheme to arbitrarily redistribute the wealth from the get-go in order to institutionally equalize the situation of all Americans.

In addition to the concerns we have as Americans about Sen. Obama's decidedly leftist predilections, those of us with a particular interest in Israel are troubled by the prospects of an Obama presidency. His political bent, facile changes of position and overall failure to stick to his word make us leery of the reliability of his oft-stated commitment to the Jewish state. We have no such hesitancy about Sen. McCain.

Copyright 2008 http://www.jewishpress.com/

http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/3/John_McCain_For_Pres.html

20081022 Jewish Press: John McCain For President

New York Times Op-Ed Contributor: “Buy American. I Am.” by Warren E. Buffett

“Buy American. I Am.” by Warren E. Buffett

New York Times Op-Ed Contributor October 17, 2008 Omaha

THE financial world is a mess, both in the United States and abroad. Its problems, moreover, have been leaking into the general economy, and the leaks are now turning into a gusher. In the near term, unemployment will rise, business activity will falter and headlines will continue to be scary.

So ... I’ve been buying American stocks…

[…]

A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful…

[…]

A little history here: During the Depression, the Dow hit its low, 41, on July 8, 1932. Economic conditions, though, kept deteriorating until Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in March 1933. By that time, the market had already advanced 30 percent. Or think back to the early days of World War II, when things were going badly for the United States in Europe and the Pacific. The market hit bottom in April 1942, well before Allied fortunes turned. Again, in the early 1980s, the time to buy stocks was when inflation raged and the economy was in the tank. In short, bad news is an investor’s best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America’s future at a marked-down price.

[…]

Read Mr. Buffet’s entire Op-Ed here: “Buy American. I Am.” by Warren E. Buffett

Warren E. Buffett is the chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, a diversified holding company.

20081017 New York Times Op-Ed Contributor: “Buy American. I Am.” by Warren E. Buffett

Newsweek: “Kill Him” rumors false

Newsweek: “Kill Him” rumors false

Monday, October 20, 2008

Many of us – especially those of us who have served in public office or have suffered indignities while campaigning – were upset to learn that folks at the Democrat presidential nominee Illinois Senator Barack Obama’ rallies were saying things such as “Kill Him,” or “terrorist.”

If you do not support Senator Obama, that’s fine, vote against him; vote for the Republican presidential nominee Arizona Senator John McCain; wave a McCain sign or whatever – but leave the threatening epitaphs at home or better yet, flush it.

Now we hear, according to a post on Townhall by Matt Lewis that “Newsweek Debunks "Kill Him" Rumors; Obama Knew They Were Bogus Before Debate.”

Newsweek reports that not only were the reports that folks attending a McCain rally yelled "kill him" likely false -- but also that Obama knew these reports were false before using them in last week's debate:

"During a heated moment in his final presidential debate with Sen. John McCain, Sen. Barack Obama noted the anger of some supporters at rallies for McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. "All the public reports suggested," Obama said, that people shouted "things like 'terrorist' and 'kill him'."

[…]

This, of course, is merely the latest example of Obama's willingness to inaccurately portray himself as a victim and flagrantly gin up sympathy votes, while simultaneously, ignoring the really, really objectionable behavior his own supporters engage in (viewer discretion advised).

Read Mr. Lewis’ entire post here: “Newsweek Debunks "Kill Him" Rumors; Obama Knew They Were Bogus Before Debate.”

And if you decide to check out the latest in Palin Derangement Syndrome here: ignoring the really, really objectionable behavior his own supporters engage in (viewer discretion advised). Trust me, before you go there, please understand that it is quite offensive.

Perhaps the Obama campaign may want to denounce this approach…

20081019 Newsweek: Kill Him rumors false

Baltimore Sun Sells Out Maryland On Slots

Baltimore Sun Sells Out Maryland On Slots

www.MarylandersUnited.com

For Immediate Release: Contact: Bridgett Frey

October 17, 2008 Phone: 202-510-0632

Baltimore Sun Sells Out Maryland On Slots

Buckles to Pressure and Reverses Decade Long Opposition to Slots

Baltimore, MD – Slots opponents today accused the Baltimore Sun, the state's largest newspaper, of buckling to corporate pressure and selling out Maryland on slots in its editorial endorsement of the November gambling referendum.

Their support of Question 2 is a complete turnaround on an issue the paper has consistently opposed for decades, having written more than 75 editorials opposing slots over the past 10 years alone – and comes at the end of a week in which the University of Maryland, Baltimore County released a report showing that the costs of slots could, in all likely hood, offset the benefits, and the legislature's nonpartisan research staff concluded that even with slots the state faces a structural deficit through fiscal year 2014 and beyond.

Slots are not only not the cure pro-gambling advocates claim, they're more of the problem.

"The decision by the Baltimore Sun today to endorse the slots referendum represents the kind of reversal of course that raises more questions than it answers. It is frankly a slap in the face to the voters of Maryland and an abdication of its editorial integrity," said Scott Arceneaux, Senior Advisor of Marylanders United to Stop Slots.

"The board's endorsement of Question 2 does not represent what is best for Maryland - it represents the gambling industry's penetration not just into Annapolis, but into the editorial boardroom of the largest paper in the state."

The Sun has written over 75 anti-slots editorials in the last 10 years. For example, the Baltimore Sun's editorial board has said:

"Unrestricted slot-machine gambling is an invitation to corruption and addiction. Putting video poker in neighborhood stores can destroy families and do infinite harm to a community's sense of value. It is an evil that government should not tolerate - in South Carolina, in Maryland or anywhere else." [Baltimore Sun, 10/17/99]

"Like most things that are too good to be true, the gambling prophecy is a false one, laden with potential disappointments and - worse - real financial and social costs that proponents conveniently ignore" and "You simply can't gamble your way to fiscal heath" [Baltimore Sun, 12/17/02].

Described slots as "a robbing of Peter to pay Paul that would disproportionately cannibalize and cut jobs at nearby restaurants and retailers." [Baltimore Sun, 2/26/04]

"Once again, Maryland school children get to witness their future held hostage to gambling." [Baltimore Sun, 08/27/06]

"The constitutional amendment doesn't require more money to be spent on education this year, next year or any year slots revenue might be available. A governor could just as easily redirect general fund money that would ordinarily be spent on education for other purposes and thus make the impact of slots revenue on schools meaningless." [Baltimore Sun, 08/20/08]

"Even if approved, slots won't be riding to the rescue" of the state's budget crisis. [Baltimore Sun, 10/12/08]

On Tuesday, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County released as report which found that the pro-slots campaign has grossly overestimated the revenue from slots, with the actual dollars for the state probably coming in at closer to half that projected, or $333 million, and an amount half of that the gambling industry has "guaranteed" voters for education. The report also found that the social costs, which have been systematically ignored by Annapolis insiders and the gambling industry desperate to pass slots, will be astronomical and have not been factored in to state's estimates. All told, the costs to the state could be as high was $627.5 million – exceeding the potential benefits. And finally, the UMBC study found that slots could easily create almost 100,000 new pathological and problem gamblers in the state of Maryland, and money spent on slots will simply be a substitution of dollars from other purchases, which will have a negative impact on the business community, and mean less sales tax revenue for the government and less lottery revenue.

"The Baltimore Sun should now be called the Chicago Sun since it appears the editorial decisions are being made by corporate suits in Illinois, the Tribune Company, and not by the independent editorial board here in Maryland," said Arceneaux.

"What is particularly troubling about this endorsement is that it comes on the heels of UMBC and the Department of Legislative Services making clear that slots will not solve Maryland's budget problems; in fact, slots will only make them worse.

Readers have a right to know if this is a Tribune Company corporate decision from Chicago or a decision made by a real independent editorial board, that has been consistent for 10 years, in Baltimore? The history of the Sun on this issue and the circumstances demand answers."

In a briefing to legislators earlier this week, the General Assembly's Department of Legislative Services reported that even if slots are approved in November, Maryland will still have a structural deficit of around $1 billion in fiscal year 2014, when the slots program will be fully operational.

Marylanders United to Stop Slots is a broad-based coalition of community, business and labor leaders, clergy, Republicans, Democrats and citizens from across Maryland. The coalition is undertaking an ambitious grassroots campaign to stop a large-scale commercial gambling referendum in November that would amend Maryland's Constitution, while doing nothing to cut taxes and ease the financial burden working families are experiencing. For more information visit www.marylandersunited.com.

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20081017 Baltimore Sun Sells Out Maryland On Slots