Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label Dayhoff writing essays Economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dayhoff writing essays Economy. Show all posts

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Eagle Archive: Budget and the economy were worries in 1837 ... and still are

Eagle Archive: Budget and the economy were worries in 1837 ... and still are

by Kevin Dayhoff

This is the time of the year when many citizens turn their attention to the budget processes of Carroll County government and its eight municipalities. No matter where you live in Carroll County, money matters.

Statewide, Gov.Martin O'Malleyhas announced that on Monday, May 14, the General Assembly will get together for a couple of days to raise taxes and enact more laws, rules and regulations. (For more on this read, "Delegation says county stands to lose $1 million in special session," on ExploreCarroll.com.)... http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/carroll/opinion-talk/ph-ce-eagle-archive-0513-20120509,0,1799107.story

Monday, May 07, 2012

Delegation says county stands to lose $1 million in special session By Jim Joyner, Carroll Eagle


Delegation says county stands to lose $1 million in special session


Carroll County's Delegation to Annapolis said this past week that the county would be better off under the state's "doomsday" budget, and stands to lose some $1 million in state funding in a special session of the Maryland General Assembly.

In a May 3 meeting with the Board of County Commissioners in Westminster — one day before Gov. Martin O'Malley announced a special session to convene May 14 — members of the delegation said the "doomsday" budget actually represents one that they feel is more fiscally responsible ... and winds up better for the county.

"I challenge that moniker ... it's not a doomsday budget," said Sen. David Brinkley (R-Dist. 4). "Frankly, the budget still goes up by $700 million, and I think the citizens are expecting us to live within our means as they are having to do so."

Legislators said even with cuts under the "doomsday" budget, Carroll County would actually be better off under that scenario than if a special session happened.



State Sen. Joe Getty (R-Dist 5), who chairs the Carroll delegation, said that because certain elements of the budget didn't pass in the 2012 General Assembly stalemate, Carroll County wound up with more money than it's likely to get if the General Assembly takes another run at a budget reconciliation… http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/carroll/news/ph-ce-delegation-joint-meeting-0505-20120506,0,2867218.story

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Update: see also


by Kevin Dayhoff


This is the time of the year when many citizens turn their attention to the budget processes of Carroll County government and its eight municipalities. No matter where you live in Carroll County, money matters.

Statewide, Gov. Martin O'Malley has announced that on Monday, May 14, the General Assembly will get together for a couple of days to raise taxes and enact more laws, rules and regulations. (For more on this read, "Delegation says county stands to lose $1 million in special session," on ExploreCarroll.com.)... http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/carroll/opinion-talk/ph-ce-eagle-archive-0513-20120509,0,1799107.story


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2012 Meets "1984"

TheTentacle.com The 2012 Maryland General Assembly special session meets Orwell's 1984 By Kevin E. Dayhoff http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=5111



Amid rancorous opposition from Republicans and rising discontentment among segments of the ruling Democrats, the curtain rose Monday for an attempt at a carefully choreographed special – 431th – session of the Maryland General Assembly opera.

It was on May 4 that Gov. Martin O’Malley announced that the legislature would get together for a couple of days to raise taxes and enact more laws, rules and regulations in Maryland.

Paradoxically, Jim Joyner wrote in www.ExploreCarroll.com on May 6 that the Carroll County delegation observed that “the county would be better off under the state's ‘doomsday’ budget, and stands to lose some $1 million in state funding in a special session of the Maryland General Assembly…

“‘I challenge that moniker ... it's not a doomsday budget,’ said Sen. David Brinkley (R., Carroll/Frederick). ‘Frankly, the budget still goes up by $700 million, and I think the citizens are expecting us to live within our means as they are having to do so.’ ”… http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=5111

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Related:





Bryan Sears - Patch: Busch, O'Malley Call For Budget Compromise

Busch, O'Malley Call For Budget Compromise


Budget bill must be passed by midnight or General Assembly will extend its session. By Bryan P. Sears Email the author April 9, 2012 http://belair.patch.com/articles/busch-o-malley-call-for-budget-compromise


Gov. Martin O'Malley and House Speaker Michael Busch called on the Senate to compromise on a state budget in time for the General Assembly to end its session at midnight.

"The one constitutional obligation we have is to pass a balanced budget," said Busch, adding that House members assigned to the conference committee were prepared to complete negotiations.

"Because one chamber has an obsession with a certain issue, that they do not want to concur on the budget until that issue is resolved does not initiate any responsible stand for us not to deal with the budget that is in front of us," said Busch, speaking of a Senate effort to expand gambling to include table games and a sixth casino location in Prince George's County.

"They have 11 hours to comply and get the bill through the Senate and to the House or we do not meet our constitutional obligation," said Busch.

"This budget should have been passed three days ago," Busch said.

O'Malley seconded Busch and asked for both chambers to resolve their differences…http://belair.patch.com/articles/busch-o-malley-call-for-budget-compromise

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Blair Lee: Who won, the House or the Senate? How do you pick a winner when there's no final score yet? http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2012/05/blair-lee-who-won-house-or-senate-how.html



How do you recap a baseball game that's still in extra innings? How do you pick winners and losers when there's no final score yet?

Right now, the House and Senate teams are tied at the top of the 10th with House Speaker Mike Busch pitching to Senate President Mike Miller who's behind, 0 and 2, with two outs and nobody on. Gov. Martin O'Malley is doing TV interviews in the press box where, asked which team he's backing, replies, “Who's playing?”

In this high-profile, high-stakes showdown the smart money says Miller blinks first. Not because he can't take the heat (which has reached the boiling point), but because the only thing more precious to Mike Miller than gambling legislation is protecting his position as president of the Senate.

The heat on Miller has grown merciless: the media, labor unions, the state employees, Busch, O'Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot, etc., all blame Miller for triggering the so-called doomsday spending cuts by holding an income tax bill hostage until he gets his gambling bill (a new P.G. County gaming casino and table games for all six gambling venues).

Miller loves playing hardball; he started in the State House as a page back in 1966. So attacking Miller is a waste of time. But attacking his senators is how to make Mike Miller fold… http://www.gazette.net/article/20120420/OPINION/704209696/-1/blair-lee-who-won-the-house-or-the-senate-how-do-you-pick-a-winner&template=gazette

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Gazette - Danielle E. Gaines: With two special sessions possible, groups want their bills considered http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2012/05/gazettenet-with-two-special-sessions.html


Leaders want second gathering to focus on gaming

by Danielle E. Gaines, Staff Writer Friday, April 27, 2012


As the clock struck midnight on Sine Die, many Annapolis insiders were struck by the number of significant bills, most notably the budget, that failed to pass both chambers.

With Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) indicating this week that he could call two special sessions — one in May to pass a revenue bill to accompany the budget and one later in the summer to consider an expansion of gaming in the state -— the door has been opened to lobbyists, interest groups and lawmakers looking to reintroduce old measures or new legislation altogether… http://www.gazette.net/article/20120427/NEWS/704279642/1122/blizzard-of-beats/With-two-special-sessions-possible-groups-want-their-bills-considered&template=gazette


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Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Eagle Archive: Shopping for a silver anniversary present for TownMall

Eagle Archive: Shopping for a silver anniversary present for TownMall





It was Wednesday, March 4, 1987, at 12:45 p.m. that Cranberry Mall — now known as TownMall of Westminster, on Route 140 at Center Street — held its much-anticipated grand opening.

"Cranberry Mall was a long time in coming to Carroll County," recalled a story in the Baltimore Sun in 2000. "A sign planted in farmland flanking Route 140 had boasted that a shopping center was coming soon, but for 15 years nothing happened."

Then it was in 1985 that a New York-based developer bought the land and broke ground for the shopping center, according to newspaper accounts.

Construction continued in earnest in 1986 on the $36 million, 428,392-retail square foot facility. The March 4, 1987, edition of the Gettysburg Times reported that the mall created "close to 1,000 jobs ... (and) generated $9 million in local contracts. Projected tax revenues include $2.6 million in sales taxes, $1.6 million in income taxes and $543,000 in property taxes." … http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/carroll/opinion-talk/ph-ce-eagle-archive-0311-20120307,0,6391220.story




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I’m a newspaper reporter. I’m pushy, inconsiderate and I do not respect boundaries.
Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoffTwitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff
Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net

Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/
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Sunday, March 25, 2012

TownMall of Westminster celebrates its 25th birthday By Kevin Dayhoff March 11, 2012


On Friday afternoon, March 2, 2012, local community leaders, led by Bob Mathers of WTTR got together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the TownMall of Westminster.

Westminster Mayor Kevin Utz and police chief Jeff Spaulding joined Carroll County Commissioners Robin Frazier, Dave Roush, and Haven Shoemaker for the celebration.

Also participating in the event was Julianna M. Albowicz, a representative of U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, Carroll County Chamber of Commerce President Mike McMullin and the TownMall General Manager Robyn Clark.

Older folks in the greater Carroll community can still remember the excitement when, on Wednesday, March 4, 1987 at 12:45 p.m. the Cranberry Mall, now known as the TownMall of Westminster located on Route 140 at Center Street in Westminster, held a long awaited – and much-anticipated grand opening.

On March 4, 2000, Baltimore Sun writer Jennifer McMenamin reported, “Cranberry Mall was a long time in coming to Carroll County -- a sign planted in farmland flanking Route 140 had boasted that a shopping center was coming soon, but for 15 years nothing happened.

“When a New York-based developer bought the land in 1985 and broke ground for the shopping center, local economic development officials heralded it as a regional attraction that would bring 1,000 jobs and generate $2.6 million a year in sales taxes.”

According to Commissioner Shoemaker, 12,000 tons of steel from South Carolina, 65,000 sq. ft. of marble tile from Italy for the floors, and 50 miles of electrical cable, were used in the $36 million spent on the construction and development of the mall.

On behalf of the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, Commissioner Shoemaker read a county proclamation and shared a few personal observations; including the point that the TownMall also serves as a social gathering place for older folks and not just teenagers…

The mall has seen many changes since it opened as the first and to this day, the only fully enclosed shopping facility in Carroll County.

It was also that year that Carroll County celebrated its 150th anniversary with a schedule of festivities that lasted throughout the year and included a visit by Roy Rodgers on May 30.

In hindsight, as I can best remember, the opening of the regional mercantile center was not necessarily part of the Carroll County birthday festivities that year, although it should have because it actually fits well in the history of county.

In the second-half of the 1700s, especially after the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, Carroll County and the Westminster area quickly gained importance in the central-Maryland and mid-Atlantic area as a regional mercantile center – in particular for pioneers headed west to the then-frontier of western-Pennsylvania, Ohio and beyond.

According to numerous history accounts, including the March 4, 1987 edition of the Gettysburg Times, the grand opening celebration continued until Saturday, March 7 and included entertainment and guest appearances by local community leaders and elected officials.

In 1987 the mall was the first and - twenty-five years later – the only fully enclosed regional shopping center in Carroll County.

Construction had begun in earnest in 1986 on the $36 million, 428,392-retail square foot facility located on Center Street at the intersection of Routes 27 and 140, in the northern end of Westminster. It was reported at the time that it was the sixth mall built in Maryland by the New York-based Shopco Group.

The Gettysburg Times reported that in 1987 the mall created “close to 1,000 jobs … and … generated $9 million in local contracts. Projected tax revenues include $2.6 million in sales taxes, $1.6 million in income taxes and $543,000 in property taxes.”

In March 1987, the mall was built to accommodate 89 stores. At the time of the grand opening, 35 stores were open for business, “with about 60 percent of the space (in the mall) currently leased… including two of the three anchor stores, Caldor and Leggett,” according to the Gettysburg Times.

The third anchor was to have been Hutzler’s department store, which had leased space before the mall opened, but then, unfortunately, it went bankrupt.

However, the space that had been set aside for Hutzler’s was quickly snapped-up by Sears that opened shortly after the opening.

Five-years later, Kerry O’Rourke reported for the Baltimore Sun on March 15, 1992, “Cranberry Mall celebrates its fifth anniversary this month with 94 percent of its space leased and retail sales on the rise. Sales at the shopping mall increased 3 percent from 1990 to 1991, a year when other Baltimore-area centers saw a decline, an industry spokesman said.

“The opening of Montgomery Ward & Co. -- the mall's fourth anchor store -- in November 1990 was a boost for the center... About 2,500 people visit Cranberry Mall on a typical day… The 525,000-square-foot center employs 500 to 600 people… Cranberry Mall is owned by Shearson Shopco Malls Limited Partnership, based in New York. The owners paid $444,759 in property taxes for 1991-1992, county records show… Mall receipts -- excluding sales at the anchors -- were about $30 million last year…”

However the decade of the 1990s were not kind to regional malls and the TownMall was not spared from the vagaries of a changing marketplace. It was important that the mall change with the times.

When I took office as a Westminster councilmember in May 1999, vacancies at the TownMall, according to old mall file documents, had climbed to 25 percent in 1999 after Caldor closed in the 1998-1999 time period. Two years later, in 2001, Montgomery Ward also closed adding to a feeling of ‘emptiness’ at the mall…

A March 19, 2003 article in the Baltimore Sun reported, “The mall has lost major tenants such as Montgomery Ward, Caldor and CVS Pharmacy within the past five years. It lost more than $20 million in value when Cranberry Properties MM Corp. purchased the 525,000- square-foot mall at Route 140 and Route 27 in April 2000 from Shopco Regional Malls for $33.5 million. Shopco (Shearson Shopco Malls Limited Partnership,) had bought the mall in 1988 for $53.8 million.

In the late summer of 2001, the city of Westminster was approached by mall’s representatives to discuss revitalizing the shopping facility. Part of the proposed revitalization required certain zoning changes.

The city of Westminster responded quickly. On November 27, 2001, the management company for the mall thanked the city “for unanimously approving text amendments (for the) TownMall of Westminster’s zoning regulations. Indeed, it is rare for a local government to respond in such a swift manner, which demonstrates the City’s collective vision for revitalizing (the) TownMall. As you know, these text amendments are vital to securing prospective tenants…”

The next spring, on May 9, 2002, it was announced that Boscov’s would take over the area vacated by Montgomery Wards. A May 10, 2002 Baltimore Sun article reported, “The Pennsylvania-based department store will tear down the existing structure and start from scratch, adding a second floor -- and the mall's first escalator -- to become the mall's premier retailer at 178,545 square feet… while creating at least 400 jobs. The mall has 54 tenants besides Boscov's…”

In comparison, the Sun noted, “Sears stands at 70,060 square feet and Belk (Leggett’s) at 65,282 square feet.” The March 19, 2003 Sun article noted that at 178,545 square feet, size of the new Boscov’s store is - almost a third of the mall.

The grand opening for Boscov’s was held on April 6, 2003.

In recent years, as the economy has faltered and retail marketing has been challenged, the worldwide management firm of Jones Lang LaSalle has been called upon to lead the TownMall into the next twenty-five years.

Adapting to constant change has been a persistent marketing necessity in recent years as consumer expectations have changed as quickly as market conditions and the weather.

At celebration ceremonies last Friday, Robyn J. Clark, the mall’s longstanding general manager observed, “Over the years, TownMall has gone through some changes.”

Now that was an understatement. Yet as a testimony to the approach of Ms. Clark, the mall’s leadership and management team, and Jones Lang LaSalle, “The mall currently has 85 merchants and 20 of them were here back in 1987… Zales, American Greetings, Belk, Boardwalk Fries, Claire’s, Deb Shop, Foot Locker, FYE, Gordon’s, Hair Cuttery, Littman’s, Payless Shoes, Piercing Pagoda, Radio Shack, Regal Cinema, Ritz Camera, Sterling Optical, Subway,  Things Remembered & Villa Pizza…”

In recent years, according to the mall’s website, “A 2006 interior and exterior renovation included a new inside color scheme, new mall entrances and in 2007 new pylon and exterior signage and in 2010 the addition of Dick's Sporting Goods.

“Anchored by a two-story Boscov's, Belk, and Sears, TownMall is also complemented by Regal Cinemas, a renovated food area and Dick's Sporting Goods.

“Key retailers at TownMall of Westminster include PacSun, Bath & Body Works, rue21, Christopher and Banks, New York & Company, F.Y.E., Journeys and The Children's Place.”

Today, the TownMall employs over 500 workers – in addition to providing a place for older senior citizens like Commissioner Shoemaker, to have a place to mall-walk, no matter what the weather is like outside.

When he is not hanging-out at the mall with Commissioner Shoemaker and listening to Led Zeppelin, Ozzie Osbourne, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, and Carrie Underwood on his iPod, Kevin Dayhoff may be reached at kevindayhoff@gmail.com.

Kevin Dayhoff also spoke at the March 2, 2012 event. In full disclosure, Dayhoff served on several Carroll County development, agriculture and environmental committees during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, when the TownMall was being developed – and as a Westminster Common Council member from 1999 – 2001 and the mayor of Westminster from 2001-2005.

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I’m a newspaper reporter. I’m pushy, inconsiderate and I do not respect boundaries.
Kevin Dayhoff is an artist - and a columnist for:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoffTwitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff
Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net

Tumblr: Kevin Dayhoff Banana Stems www.kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/
Smurfs: http://babylonfluckjudd.blogspot.com/
Google profile: https://profiles.google.com/kevindayhoff/

E-mail: kevindayhoff(at)gmail.com
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

My recent columns in The Tentacle on the economy by Kevin Dayhoff


My recent columns in The Tentacle on the economy by Kevin Dayhoff

May 13, 2009

On January 24, 2009 I posted “My recent columns in The Tentacle on the economy by Kevin Dayhoff.”

Recently several folks have asked that I update the list. Here you go:

May 6, 2009
Planned obedience…or else
Kevin E. Dayhoff
As of last week it appears that a marriage between Chrysler and Fiat SpA may eventually happen; this in spite of the few reports that surfaced recently that the marriage was off once Fiat realized the extent that Chrysler’s labor contracts were, how shall we say politely, less than helpful. Gee…

April 8, 2009
Thanks, but no thanks
Kevin E. Dayhoff
An opinion piece appeared in The Wall Street Journal last Sunday, relatively unnoticed except by economics geeks, citing the growing trend among banks that accepted Troubled Asset Relief Program –TARP – money who are begging the government to take the money back.

April 1, 2009
And Atlas Wept
Kevin E. Dayhoff
In a move that has given many pause, last Sunday the administration of President Barack Obama ventured boldly into the latest worrisome intrusion into the nation’s private sector by firing Rick Wagoner, General Motors’ chief executive officer.

March 18, 2009
Think Globally, Bank Locally
Kevin E. Dayhoff
If you are banking with any of the ginormous intergalactic financial institutions that are at the center of the current financial crisis, then you are part of the problem.

February 11, 2009
Political Heresy and Unvarnished Truth
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Yesterday, in 1899, the future 31st president of the United States, Herbert Clark Hoover, married Lou Henry in Monterey, CA. Happy anniversary, Mr. President.

February 4, 2009
When Stimulus Ain’t
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed its $819 billion version of the economic stimulus package by a vote of 244 to 188. Not a single Republican voted for the measure – for good reason.

And on January 24, 2009 I posted:

My recent columns in The Tentacle on the economy by Kevin Dayhoff: http://tinyurl.com/c9tqrh

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.


November 5, 2008
It’s the Congress, Stupid!
Kevin E. Dayhoff
When historians look back on the 670-day, $2.5 billion 2008 presidential campaign, the observations, analysis, second-guessing, and finger pointing will fill volumes. In the end, it was once again, “the economy, stupid” that ruled the day.


November 19, 2008
Rewarding Bad Behavior
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Instead of tooling down the highway in the fast lane, two months after General Motors celebrated its 100th Birthday on September 16, it found itself huddled over at an intersection with fate, harassing passers-by with a tin pan in hand.


November 26, 2008
“The Eight Years War”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
At high noon on Monday, amid cries of alarm that this is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, President-elect Barack Obama rolled out his all-star economic team and a call for an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $1 trillion.

20090124 my recent columns in The Tentacle on the economy

Kevin Dayhoff
E-mail him at: kevindayhoff AT gmail DOT com
His columns appear in The Tentacle,
www.thetentacle.com;
The Westminster Eagle /Eldersburg Eagle The Sunday Carroll Eagle - Opinion:
http://explorecarroll.com/opinion-talk/

www.kevindayhoff.net
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My recent columns in
The Tentacle on the economy by Kevin Dayhoff: http://tinyurl.com/c9tqrh

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-recent-columns-in-tentacle-on.html

20090513 SDOSM My recent columns in TT on the economy by KED
Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack:
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Thursday, May 07, 2009

This week in The Tentacle


This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Planned obedience…or else
Kevin E. Dayhoff
As of last week it appears that a marriage between Chrysler and Fiat SpA may eventually happen; this in spite of the few reports that surfaced recently that the marriage was off once Fiat realized the extent that Chrysler’s labor contracts were, how shall we say politely, less than helpful. Gee…

Swine Flu – Protection and Precautions
Michael Kurtianyk
As of this writing there are over one thousand confirmed cases of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, commonly known as Swine Flu (more on this gentle misnomer later). The majority of the cases are in Mexico and the United States.

Alfred Wallace and Me – Part 1
Tom McLaughlin
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia – The monsoon season had settled in and my exploring the nearby rain forest had come to a halt. Blinding 24-four hour rains and muddy, slippery paths drove me indoors searching for activities. It was time to pursue my interest in Alfred Russell Wallace.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009
My Kind of Chief
Roy Meachum
Kim Dine was a stranger until ex-Mayor Jennifer Dougherty hired him to run the Frederick Police Department. We did not rush into each other's arms. I was a noted critic of his new boss. After experiencing predecessor "Ray" Raffensberger's need to manipulate, I took a wait and see stance.

'...and awaaaaaay we go!"
Farrell Keough
"I guess there is nothing that will get your mind off everything like golf will. I have never been depressed enough to take up the game, but they say you can get so sore at yourself that you forget to hate your enemies." - Will Rogers

Monday, May 4, 2009
Rebranding the Grand Old Party
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Last week, Eric Cantor (R., VA) the Republican Whip in the U.S. House of Representative, spoke to the Republican faithful in Frederick. Congressman Cantor, arguably the fastest GOP rising star in the House, laid out a cogent argument for sticking to the core principles of the party and denying the clamor for fundamental, structural change.

If TheTentacle.com were Facebook
Steven R. Berryman
Not being in the mood to write, blog post, or comment, I started to consider some plausible excuses for skipping my Monday Tentacle column for this week.

Friday, May 1, 2009
Sunrise Without Lennie?
Roy Meachum
Former colleague Katherine Heerbrandt hit John "Lennie" Thompson a mighty whack in her Wednesday News-Post column. At the same moment she was feeding the county commissioner's constituency their favorite dish: Publicity.

Specter Defector
Joe Charlebois
Growing up just north of Pittsburgh, I had the opportunity to have Sen. Arlen Specter as my senator from the time I could vote until 1992 when I left the Commonwealth.

Thursday, April 30, 2009
Health Care Reform – Part 2
Patricia A. Kelly
While campaigning for the presidency, President Barack Obama came up with a health care reform plan, a public private partnership that he believes will help to clean up the present mess and provide closer to universal coverage in the United States. He has now asked Congress to work out the details, but his plan included the following elements:

And to the victor…
Michael Kurtianyk
As a member of the Fredericktowne Rotary, I am proud of the work our international organization has done since its inception in 1905. Its mission is to provide service to others, to promote high ethical standards, and to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Mockingbird’s Song
Kevin E. Dayhoff
The reclusive and enigmatic childhood friend of Truman Capote, Harper Lee, celebrated a birthday yesterday. She was born Nelle Harper Lee on April 28, 1926, in Monroeville, Alabama.

Malaysian Wedding – Part 3
Tom McLaughlin
Seremban, Malaysia – I returned to the groom’s home after a refreshing sleep. To my surprise, a ceremony was in progress. I thought I had it down about Malay weddings, but this part was not in my file.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Overwhelming Majority
Roy Meachum
At the end of his first 100 days on the job, a significant poll indicates President Barack Obama receives approval from an overwhelming majority of his fellow Americans. Sixty-three percent voted in his favor, 36 percent did not, in a survey paid for by The Washington Post and ABC-TV.

Advice from The Voice of Experience – Part 3
Nick Diaz
Alas, my third installment on buying a used motorcycle, one of my favorite activities. Buying a used motorcycle, as I’ve mentioned before, is much more fun than selling one.

Monday, April 27, 2009
General Assembly Journal 2009 – Volume 12-Part 2
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Last week, we started a review of the fallout from the just completed General Assembly session. Let's pick up where we left off.

While you were out…
Steven R. Berryman
If you blinked at the wrong moment over the last few weeks, and rely solely on one part of the media paradigm for your news, you may have missed any of these following items. Not necessarily because of media-bias, but simply because we only have so much time and tolerance for added information in our lives:


20090506 SDOSM This week in The Tentacle

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Recent The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff


Recent The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

April 8, 2009
Thanks, but no thanks
Kevin E. Dayhoff
An opinion piece appeared in The Wall Street Journal last Sunday, relatively unnoticed except by economics geeks, citing the growing trend among banks that accepted Troubled Asset Relief Program –TARP – money who are begging the government to take the money back.

April 1, 2009
And Atlas Wept
Kevin E. Dayhoff
In a move that has given many pause, last Sunday the administration of President Barack Obama ventured boldly into the latest worrisome intrusion into the nation’s private sector by firing Rick Wagoner, General Motors’ chief executive officer.

March 25, 2009
Spellbound by Salvador Dali
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last month I enjoyed a bit of respite from Maryland’s winter by visiting Florida. Finding myself within reasonable driving distance of St. Petersburg, I jumped at the chance to visit the Salvador Dali Museum.

March 18, 2009
Think Globally, Bank Locally
Kevin E. Dayhoff
If you are banking with any of the ginormous intergalactic financial institutions that are at the center of the current financial crisis, then you are part of the problem.

March 11, 2009
The Dangerous Diplomacy of Pandering
Kevin E. Dayhoff
I recently had the delightful opportunity to go to Washington and have lunch with a member of the Estonian Parliament, Tõnis Kõiv.

March 4, 2009
The Great Man Theory of History
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Even before his election to the office of the president last November, many in the liberal chattering class were already using hype and hyperbole that then-Senator Barack Obama was destined to be one of our country’s greatest presidents.

February 25, 2009
Pulling The Plug
Kevin E. Dayhoff
One of the key talking points of the new Obama Administration is its commitment to lead our nation by maximizing technology. Yet within a few scant weeks, the new kids in the Oval Office have endured their fair share of glitches, error boxes and system crashes.

February 18, 2009
Repackaged Isn’t Change
Kevin E. Dayhoff
In the end, the economic stimulus legislation signed yesterday by President Barack Obama, only garnered a total of three Republican votes from all of Congress, and, while traveling the yellow brick road on the way to Oz, the legislation lost the vast majority of public support.

February 11, 2009
Political Heresy and Unvarnished Truth
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Yesterday, in 1899, the future 31st president of the United States, Herbert Clark Hoover, married Lou Henry in Monterey, CA. Happy anniversary, Mr. President.

February 4, 2009
When Stimulus Ain’t
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed its $819 billion version of the economic stimulus package by a vote of 244 to 188. Not a single Republican voted for the measure – for good reason.

January 28, 2009
The 2009 Intergenerational Theft Act
Kevin E. Dayhoff
As you read this column Congress is attempting to put the finishing touches on an $825 billion economic stimulus package – otherwise known as the 2009 Intergenerational Theft Act.

January 21, 2009
A Tale of Two Inaugurations
Kevin E. Dayhoff
By the time you read this column our nation will have witnessed the inauguration of our nation's 44th president. Today is the first day for President Barack Obama and it marks the merciful end of the 78-day transition period.


January 14, 2009
Barack Rhymes With Tupac
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Noticeable, yet relatively underreported in the scandal-filled rhetoric that passes for meaningful political commentary these days, is the passing of an historic era that will occur when President George W. Bush takes off in the presidential helicopter after President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office next week.

January 7, 2009
Pallywood – When Pictures Lie
Kevin E. Dayhoff
After Hamas, the terrorist organization that has controlled the Gaza Strip since June 2007, unilaterally broke a cease-fire on December 19 and resumed shelling southern Israel, Israeli warplanes sprang to Israel’s defense December 27 by attacking Hamas throughout Gaza. Hamas responded immediately with “Pallywood.”

20090408 recent The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

http://www.thetentacle.com/author.cfm?MyAuthor=41

http://www.thetentacle.com/

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Sunday, April 05, 2009

The Tentacle: And Atlas Wept by Kevin E. Dayhoff April 1, 2009


The Tentacle: And Atlas Wept by Kevin E. Dayhoff April 1, 2009

In a move that has given many pause, last Sunday the administration of President Barack Obama ventured boldly into the latest worrisome intrusion into the nation’s private sector by firing Rick Wagoner, General Motors’ chief executive officer.

This is but one of a series of troubling events that paint a bleak picture. The Obama administration has no fear whatsoever of solving the nation’s economic woes by reckless profligate spending, protectionism, strengthening efforts to unionize workers and further introducing government control of private sector enterprise and our nation’s means of production.

All the more disconcerting is the dynamic that the firing of Mr. Wagoner has been roundly cheered by our populist comrades as the populist rhetoric assailing our nation’s financial sector has continued to spiral out of control.

For those who may cheer the exit of Mr. Wagoner, please put this incident into the larger context of the government seizing control of several of our nation’s financial giants.

It was just last week that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner unveiled plans that facilitate the draconian regulation and ultimate seizure – or nationalization – of financial institutions as deemed by the government to be necessary, or in the national interest.

He said that the nation's economic crisis demands bold action. Hmmmm, this appears to be a recurring theme.

[…]

To understand all of this much more thoroughly, it may be helpful to read Yaron Brook’s Wall Street Journal essay from March 14, “Is Rand Relevant?”

Mr. Brook reminds us that it was in Ayn Rand’s classic “Atlas Shrugged,” that she told the “story of the U.S. economy crumbling under the weight of crushing government interventions and regulations. Meanwhile, blaming greed and the free market, Washington responds with more controls that only deepen the crisis. Sound familiar?”

[…]

If Ayn Rand were to alive today, her sequel would be titled “And Atlas Wept.”

Read the entire column here: http://tinyurl.com/c46dm8 The Tentacle: And Atlas Wept by Kevin E. Dayhoff April 1, 2009

http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=3092

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Thursday, March 19, 2009

This week in The Tentacle for March 19 2009


This week in The Tentacle for March 19 2009

Thursday, March 19, 2009
Jennifer Again?
Patricia A. Kelly
I can’t believe she’s back – yet again. She says she’s running because she loves Frederick. A lot of us love Frederick, and we love it a lot more when she is not mayor.

Imitating a Junta…
Tony Soltero
Back when I was a child, my parents once took a long, ambitious vacation to South America. When they got home they brought back countless little treasures from the countries they visited, an album's worth of beautiful photographs, and plenty of gripping stories to share. My brothers and I couldn't get enough of them.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Think Globally, Bank Locally
Kevin E. Dayhoff
If you are banking with any of the ginormous intergalactic financial institutions that are at the center of the current financial crisis, then you are part of the problem.

Budget Cuts Affecting Local Arts Scene
Michael Kurtianyk
If current legislation is passed by the General Assembly, funding to the Maryland State Arts Council would decrease from $16.6 million to $10.6 million. This is on top of the 14 percent cut last year, used to balance the budget.

A $40 Million Ruse
Tom McLaughlin
Batam Island, Indonesia – The islands were calling me and with rhythms of music from South Pacific flowing in my mind, I elected to visit a couple of them about an hour boat ride off the coast of Singapore.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Pushkin's Winter of Discontent
Roy Meachum
Mother Nature and government frequently disagree. Washington told us clocks must be turned back February's last weekend. A sure sign of Spring? The season doesn't begin until three weeks later.

Exhibiting America’s Traits
Nick Diaz
There was a time when one, in the world of machines, could hardly hear two dirtier words than “Planned Obsolescence.” The very idea that a complex mechanical object should have a deliberately abbreviated life expectancy was nothing less than a kind of mortal sin against proper engineering.

Monday, March 16, 2009
General Assembly Journal 2009 – Volume 8
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Granting Personhood! Yes, I know what the editor is saying. What a terrible example of poor grammar in an opening. Unfortunately, I don’t make this stuff up, I just write about it!

Where’s the “Ownership,” Mr. President?
Steven R. Berryman
During the election cycle of 2008 it became the standard rhetoric for candidate Barack Obama and his wife to distance themselves from the elements of what it meant to “be American.”

Friday, March 13, 2009
"Pope Admits Mistake"
Roy Meachum
That semi-apology appeared in The New York Times. The rest of the headline narrowed the impact considerably; the admission came "In Letter to Bishops."

I Still Pledge My Allegiance
Joe Charlebois
Sarah Norris, a columnist for The Frederick News-Post, on February 28 submitted a column which gave us an insider’s view of early morning at a Frederick County high school. Ms. Norris describes the scene of fellow students ignoring the morning ritual of patriotic recitation that American students have recited for decades – the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thursday, March 12, 2009
Waking Up The Populace
Joan McIntyre
Are we about to see cracks in the glass ceiling in the world of our Frederick County Board of Education and Frederick County Public Schools? Will the Sacred Cow called the public schools system be held accountable?

REVIEW – Riverdance" Has It All!
Roy Meachum
While being amazed in Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre Tuesday night, the thought occurred: In my 40-plus years reviewing I've never seen a smoother musical show. Put simply: "Riverdance" has it all!

True Measure of Success
Chris Cavey
Our society has many ways to gauge the success or failure of those involved in the political world. One unique measurement of judging those who have mounted the national platform of “being someone of note” is to be a host or to be lampooned on Saturday Night Live. Last Saturday Michael Steele made it.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Dangerous Diplomacy of Pandering
Kevin E. Dayhoff
I recently had the delightful opportunity to go to Washington and have lunch with a member of the Estonian Parliament, Tõnis Kõiv.

The Weavers and the Money
Tom McLaughlin
Lombok, Indonesia – We had finished our visit with the stump tailed Macaques and the use of my teaching techniques on the troop. Our next stop, a small enterprise, located only through a side road, winding through a housing estate filled with homes (we would call them shacks) constructed of wood.

Bobby Fischer: Genius or Madman?
Michael Kurtianyk
It has often been said that there’s a fine line between genius and madness. Think of some people whom you consider to be geniuses? Does Albert Einstein come to mind? Thomas Jefferson? Benjamin Franklin?

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
GOP Spitting Contest
Roy Meachum
As a non-Republican, I find amusing the recent rhubarb within the GOP party over Michael Steele.

Misinformation and Playing Politics
Farrell Keough
Some interesting events have occurred over the last few weeks that are seemingly disparate, but in fact, have many commonalities. The main connection is the discussion of the Waste To Energy (WTE) plant.

20090319 This week in The Tentacle for March 19 2009

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

In the 1920s, somebody was going to go hungry by Kevin Dayhoff

In the 1920s, somebody was going to go hungry by Kevin Dayhoff

Published February 25, 2009 by Westminster Eagle

On Feb. 4, 1921, the now defunct Union Bridge Pilot newspaper carried an article titled, "Road Building to Begin Soon." The article was published at...

Read the entire column here: http://tinyurl.com/c2bvgk

http://explorecarroll.com/opinion/2400/1920s-somebody-was-going-go-hungry/
20090225 SDOSM snippet WE Somebody was going to go hungry weked

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Recent The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff


Recent The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

February 11, 2009
Political Heresy and Unvarnished Truth
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Yesterday, in 1899, the future 31st president of the United States, Herbert Clark Hoover, married Lou Henry in Monterey, CA. Happy anniversary, Mr. President.

February 4, 2009
When Stimulus Ain’t
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed its $819 billion version of the economic stimulus package by a vote of 244 to 188. Not a single Republican voted for the measure – for good reason.

January 28, 2009
The 2009 Intergenerational Theft Act
Kevin E. Dayhoff
As you read this column Congress is attempting to put the finishing touches on an $825 billion economic stimulus package – otherwise known as the 2009 Intergenerational Theft Act.

January 21, 2009
A Tale of Two Inaugurations
Kevin E. Dayhoff
By the time you read this column our nation will have witnessed the inauguration of our nation's 44th president. Today is the first day for President Barack Obama and it marks the merciful end of the 78-day transition period.

January 14, 2009
Barack Rhymes With Tupac
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Noticeable, yet relatively underreported in the scandal-filled rhetoric that passes for meaningful political commentary these days, is the passing of an historic era that will occur when President George W. Bush takes off in the presidential helicopter after President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office next week.

January 7, 2009
Pallywood – When Pictures Lie
Kevin E. Dayhoff
After Hamas, the terrorist organization that has controlled the Gaza Strip since June 2007, unilaterally broke a cease-fire on December 19 and resumed shelling southern Israel, Israeli warplanes sprang to Israel’s defense December 27 by attacking Hamas throughout Gaza. Hamas responded immediately with “Pallywood.”

December 31, 2008
Obsession In Washington
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Obsession, the new fragrance from the elite media for 2009… As we await the dawn of a New Year, we look forward to many questions and challenges. However the subplot for 2009 has got to be how long the obsessive, passionate love affair between the press and President-elect Barack Obama will last.

December 24, 2008
Keeping Christmas
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Tomorrow we celebrate Christmas. The pageantry, art, decorations, traditions, and music of the season – especially the music – have all the ingredients for great family memories.

December 17, 2008
Time flies like an arrow
Kevin E. Dayhoff
As I’ve grown older, the joy of the Christmas season has slowly but surely become overshadowed with pressure and chaos. Certainly not to be overlooked is the emphasis on the materialism and over-consumption that has insidiously eroded the joys of the season.

December 10, 2008
In Your “Koobface”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last week I had all the pleasure and honor to be among the 120 million users of the social networking web site “Facebook” who were targeted by a computer virus known by the unusual name of “Koobface.”

December 3, 2008
When cupcakes grow on trees
Kevin E. Dayhoff
It was serendipitous Monday evening, the day that President-elect Barack Obama unveiled his national security team, that I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Melvin A. Goodman, a former CIA analyst, discuss his latest book, The Failure of Intelligence: The Decline and Fall of the CIA, during the ninth annual Resnick Lecture at McDaniel College.

November 26, 2008
“The Eight Years War”
Kevin E. Dayhoff
At high noon on Monday, amid cries of alarm that this is the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, President-elect Barack Obama rolled out his all-star economic team and a call for an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $1 trillion.

November 19, 2008
Rewarding Bad Behavior
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Instead of tooling down the highway in the fast lane, two months after General Motors celebrated its 100th Birthday on September 16, it found itself huddled over at an intersection with fate, harassing passers-by with a tin pan in hand.

November 12, 2008
The Incredibly Shrinking Republican Party
Kevin E. Dayhoff
The ink is hardly dry on the “historic” election of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and already those with 20/20 hindsight are dissecting and revising the two-year ordeal, known as the 2008 presidential election, with the conviction of someone who has just seen a flying saucer land in the backyard.

November 5, 2008
It’s the Congress, Stupid!
Kevin E. Dayhoff
When historians look back on the 670-day, $2.5 billion 2008 presidential campaign, the observations, analysis, second-guessing, and finger pointing will fill volumes. In the end, it was once again, “the economy, stupid” that ruled the day.

20090211 Recent The Tentacle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/