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 Media Blogosphere qv Blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Media Blogosphere qv Blog. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Andrew Breitbart at the Republican National Convention


Andrew Breitbart, September 1, 2008 at the Republican National Convention Photo by Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net

September 1, 2008


On opening day of the Republican National Convention I took the opportunity to visit the print media news centers. They were large and complicated partitioned beehives of activity with what seemed to be miles of wires everywhere. When I stopped by the Washington Post news center, I found well-known blogger Andrew Breitbart (
www.breitbart.com) and his business partner Larry Solov.

Mr. Breitbart was in make-up getting ready for a guest appearance on a Post news video… He was quite friendly and talkative and appeared to having the time of his life.

*****
The Transom - The New York Observer: Andrew Breitbart Loves a Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy by Spencer Morgan

Andrew Breitbart Loves a Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy by Spencer Morgan September 2, 2008

Tags:
Convention, Style, Andrew Breitbart

ST. PAUL—His name may sound unfamiliar, but Andrew Breitbart has built a career helping to create the Drudge Report and the Huffington Post, while also overseeing his own news-aggregation site breitbart.com—and becoming prominent in a largely underground movement of conservatives in Hollywood. Next week he plans to launch a new site (
www.breitbart.com/bighollywood) that will give voice to this rogue community in the entertainment industry.

[…]

We had just left the National Review party and were headed to the National Journal party. At both events, the Los Angeles-based Mr. Breitbart, who is 39 and the father of four children, was the only person not wearing a blazer. “No matter how hard I try, I don’t fit in at these things.”

So he claims. Before we left, the pundit Jonah Goldberg accused him of being the most popular guy in the room.

At the National Journal party, publisher David Bradley was delighted to finally put a face to the name. “That’s Andrew Breitbart?” he exclaimed. Walking into the Weekly Standard party, a friend from L.A. greeted him. “Have you had a chance to take a shower yet?” joked Steve McEveety, who is Mel Gibson’s producing partner.

Read the rest of the article here:
Andrew Breitbart Loves a Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy

20080902 The Transom NY Observer Andrew Breitbart
20080901 Andrew Breitbart at the Republican National Convention

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The MSM’s Latest Embarrassment by Jennifer Rubin

20080810 The MSM’s Latest Embarrassment by Jennifer Rubin

Did ya notice: “Commentary” – “Contentions” -
The MSM’s Latest Embarrassment by Jennifer Rubin - 08.10.2008?

The MSM’s Latest Embarrassment

When John Edwards admitted Friday that he lied about his affair with filmmaker Rielle Hunter, a former employee of his campaign, he may have ended his public life but he certainly ratified an end to the era in which traditional media set the agenda for national political journalism.

Read the rest here: The MSM’s Latest Embarrassment

http://www.commentarymagazine.com

Commentary” – “Contentions” -

20080810 The MSM’s Latest Embarrassment by Jennifer Rubin

Saturday, June 21, 2008

20080613 Facebook No Longer The Second Largest Social Network


Michael Arrington, TechCrunch.com Friday, June 13, 2008

It was sort of inevitable given Facebook's monster growth over the last few years, but April 2008 was the milestone: Facebook officially caught up to MySpace in terms of unique monthly worldwide visitors, according to data released by Comscore and shown above. Both services are attracting around 115 million people to their respective sites each month.

Most of Facebook's user growth, however, has been in international markets - MySpace is still dominates Facebook in the U.S. market, with 72 million monthly uniques. Facebook has 36 million monthly uniques, up from 23 million a year ago.

Read the rest of the article here: Facebook No Longer The Second Largest Social Network

Sunday, June 15, 2008

20080615 Creating a Jubilee County: 35th Blog Carnival of Maryland & Happy Father's Day!

Creating a Jubilee County: 35th Blog Carnival of Maryland & Happy Father's Day!

June 15, 2008

"Creating a Jubilee County: Prince George's Co., MD"

has posted:35th Blog Carnival of Maryland & Happy Father's Day!


Carnival of Maryland Hosted by Maryland Blogger Alliance of which this blog is a part.

My post from Prince George's County for this article is Change is in the air... something you can always count on. Changes include Jews & Muslims finding common ground, other local news stories, an upcoming national March for Change, and an alternative to driving with these higher gas prices. Feel free to check this entire blog while you're visiting by clicking on [info]prince_georges. Here are the entries for today's carnival:

Check it out here: 35th Blog Carnival of Maryland & Happy Father's Day!
And also check out her work at: http://uu-mom.livejournal.com/ and her video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wezp1W2HKlU


Tags:, ,

20080615 Creating a Jubilee County: 35th Blog Carnival of Maryland & Happy Father's Day!


Monday, June 09, 2008

20080608 Doug Ross reveals that the Official Obama blog explains how the Jewish Lobby Works



Obama web site on “How the Jewish Lobby Works.”

June 8th, 2008 - Doug Ross reveals that the Official Obama blog explains how the Jewish Lobby Works

On Sunday morning, June 8, 2008, Doug Ross posted: “Official Obama blog explains how the Jewish Lobby Works

“Now that's change we can believe in!

Update: Lest one think this is some sort of anomaly, the Obama campaign blogs of Dewan Karim

("In collaboration with the Clintons, they [the Jewish Lobby] dispatched a number of "candidacy assassinators" including former Clinton special counsel, Lanny Davis, Florida congress woman, Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, California congress man, Brad Sherman, CNN news anchor, Wolf Blitzer [vis-a-vis Lou Dobbs], Independent Senator, Joseph Lieberman, the far right crippled Washington Post Journalist, Charles Krauthammer and others to torpedo Obama's nomination bid.")

and Elaine Kelley

("Senator Obama is for real change or just business as usual. I'd like to know why Sen. Obama started to speak the truth about Palestine/Israel, then did a 90-degree right turn. I want to believe he stands for change we can believe in. But can anyone run for high office in this country without being raked over by AIPAC?") are sufficient evidence otherwise.

Update: Fausta has a good summary of this and other controversial posts hosted by the brilliant, uber-Internet-savvy Obama campaign (via Larwyn).

Linked by: LGF, Gateway Pundit, Protein Wisdom, American Thinker, Atlas, Carl in Jerusalem, and Memeorandum. Thanks!

Little Green Footballs picked up the story by 10:13 AM: “Searching Obama's Site for 'Jewish Lobby'

“A search of the official my.barackobama.com site for “Jewish Lobby” reveals an enormous amount of antisemitic hatred being posted. This is really shocking stuff, and shows beyond any doubt that this is no fluke.”

By 5:22 PM “Israel Matzav” picked it up and posted “Obama explains how the 'Jewish lobby' works,” which is where I found it…

“Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama's official web site has provided seemingly unlimited blogging space for anti-Semites of every race, color and creed to spit their venom about Israel and Jews. Doug Ross has discovered yet another blog on Obama's official web site that explains how the 'Jewish lobby' works. The blog has been around since at least April.”

Stop The ACLU” picked it up from the “Israel Matzav” site later and posted: “Obama Site Scrubbed of Anti-Jewish Stuff

Newsbusters: Will the media ignore this? Absolutely.

Doug Ross, Protein Wisdom, Rezko Watch, Powerline, Atlas Shrugs, Rhymes With Right, LGF, Michelle Malkin, Macsmind, and Hot Air have details and screenshots.

Original report from Israel Matzav.

[…]

No wonder he was endorsed by Hamas!

{A commenter on “Obama Site Scrubbed of Anti-Jewish Stuff,” Angie noted on June 8th, 2008 10:52 pm - PS: The Google cache on this is still available:

http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:URodhaDcfJgJ:my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/juancarloscruz/gG5BSr+site:barackobama.com+socialist+jewish-lobby&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us}

An excerpt from the “Post from Socialists for Obama”

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/juancarloscruz/gG5BSr

… read before it was deleted:

NO LOBBY IS FEARED MORE or catered to by politicians than the Jewish Lobby. If a politician does not play ball with the Jewish Lobby, he will not get elected, or re-elected, and he will either be smeared or ignored by the Jewish-owned major media.

All Jewish lobbies and organizations are interconnected and there are hundreds upon hundreds of them. The leaders of the numerous Jewish Lobby Groups go to the same synagogues, country clubs, and share the same Jewish investment bankers. And this inter-connectedness extends to the Jews who run the Federal Reserve Bank, US Homeland Security, and the US State Department.

In other words, “Jews stick together.” Americans must know how extremely powerful the Jewish Lobby is and how it operates to undermine America’s interests both at home and abroad. At home - by corrupting America’s political system, and abroad - by dictating American Foreign Policy against America’s best interests.

*****

My initial reaction was that the post in question, “How the jewish[sic] lobby works,” was found on the community, user-generated page of the presumptive Democrat presidential candidate’s site and that policing a national site must be difficult.

That because the post appears on his site in the “Community Blog” section may represent the views of Senator Obama supporters, it certainly doesn’t necessarily represent the views of the Democrat candidate.

As I have said before, as much as questions continue about the fact that the Senator sat in the pews for twenty years, it does not necessarily mean that he agreed with Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

However, this revelation is yet another paper cut in shark-infested waters as concern grows about his approach to foreign policy, national security matters, and his positions on supporting Israel.

All this said, perhaps, Little Green Footballs was reading my mind, when it wrote:

“By the way, it is absolutely no excuse to say that “anyone can post a blog there.” Barack Obama isn’t running a Blogspot blog, he’s running for president of the United States, and his official web site is full of hatred and antisemitism.”

Folks – it is going to be a long summer…

Thursday, January 03, 2008

20080102 Fragmentary patchworks


Fragmentary patchworks of autochthonous and foreign elements.

January 2nd, 2008 by Kevin Dayhoff

Happy New Year Mr. Isaac Smith. Thanks for the mention - The List (No, Not the Washington Post's). [Free State Politics Maryland's online progressive community.]

Michael Swartz's list of local blogs to watch in 2008 is pretty good. It is missing a few good blogs of note, however…

As much as I agreed with most, but not all, of Mr. Swartz’s list, your list is right on the money. I also miss Stephanie Dray’s Jousting for Justice. And I am very happy that Crablaw's Maryland Weekly is back…

And thanks for calling to our attention the Washington Post’s list: Year in Review 2007 - “The List: What's In and Out for 2008” BY HANK STUEVER - WASHINGTON POST STAFF WRITER - – what a hoot. (And don’t miss giving The Year That Was 2007 by Brian Griffiths a good read. He obviously spent some time thinking about it…)

Your post could not have been timed better as it came shortly after a conversation with a dear colleague who said they like my blog – although I’m too liberal.

Ay caramba - whatever.

Along that thread, another colleague said “Dayhoff … your problem is that you like everybody.”

To that I plead guilty – life is way to short. Then again, maybe not – I don’t like mean people; and that personality defect occurs in folks from all political persuasions.

I simply do not allow politics to dictate my friends - - and I don’t like folks who do pick their friends based on politics. (I’ll be having lunch later in the week with a dear friend with whom I disagree about everything when it comes to politics.) I can disagree with folks about issues, but more often than not – I like the person…

As far as your observation: “… his actual blog hard to read -- its look is extremely busy and most of the posts are just link aggregations…” Hey, you oughta be in my head…

At least with the blog, there is an attempt at organization… I also find my blog “hard to read” and try as I might, after blogging for a number of years, it is still way too busy.

Perhaps my blog is a manifestation of being a hypergraphic attention deficit disorder hyperactive dyslexic. Maybe – just maybe, one day I’ll figure out what I’m doing. Being a technology geek – one would’ve thought blogging would be easy for me. It is not.

At this point, on the blog evolutionary scale, my blog is a monkey on roller skates. The monkey may or may not be wearing a pink tutu - this is for you to decide.

Years ago, I thought blogging would be easy for a columnist and short story writer. It has not been the case. And within the last number of months, I picked up a third (newspaper) column every week; which just proves the “Peter Principle” is real. I’m now way beyond my intellectual and cognitive abilities.

Heckfire – some days, I’m proud to have even found the time, much less the cognitive abilities - to post “link aggregations.”

Meanwhile, I am painstakingly determined to promote constant attention on current procedures of transacting business focusing emphasis on innovative ways to better, if not supercede, the expectations of quality. What I really need in order to navigate the treacherous waters that lie ahead is a list of specific unknown problems I will encounter.

Always remember, the purpose of my blog is to discuss fragmentary patchworks of autochthonous and foreign elements as juxtaposed by the undeniable command mortality of insignificant self-inflicted syntactic semiotic economics which sometimes may cause irreproducible results unless there is a pre-emptive digital fallibility matrix which would require an integrated third-generational triangulated refinement of indefinite managerial potential.

As I wax philosophic with metaphysical postulations, incomplete aphorisms and inconsistent sophism that allows me to conclude, more and more sure, that the only true thing about anything is nothing.

Now I know you believe you understand what you think I just said but I am sure that you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

As always, your thoughtful consideration is appreciated regardless of the outcome on any particular issue. Whether we agree or disagree, always find my door open for friendly civil and constructive dialogue.

Pray for my wife.

Best wishes for a great 2008.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

Friday, November 02, 2007

20071101 Robert Farrow: Remember When Sen. Reid Suddenly Closed The Senate Last Year?

Robert Farrow: Remember When Sen. Reid Suddenly Closed The Senate Last Year?

Subtitled: Baltimore Reporter - Robert Farrow watch: See at the bottom of the post for other content rich material…

Yet another in a long list of “must reads” from Robert Farrow over at “The Baltimore Reporter”:

11/1/2007

Remember When Sen. Reid Suddenly Closed The Senate Last Year?

Filed under: General

Robert Farrow @ 8:50 pm

Crossposted from Flopping Aces

Last year, Senator Harry Reid ordered the senate [closed to discuss](http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/01/senate.iraq/) classified matters.

When closed, he ranted and raved and complained that the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) hadn’t released its vaunted “Phase II” report concerning pre-war intelligence on Iraq compared to pre-war statements about that intelligence…

[…]

Read the rest here:

Several other of my favorites on his site, among many, are:

More Time Spent Wasted By Democrat Controlled Congress

Hillary Clinton Wins the I Hate Bush Debate

Here Come the Catches

Good news from Iraq

Bush to Pelosi: Your House is a Mess

And not to be missed is another post I wanted to call to the readers’ attention the other day: Edwards Demands Student Remove Video From Youtube (video)

John Edwards attempts to kill story filed by a journalism student at UNC.

Here, I’ll post the YouTube video, but go here for additional insights and commentary by “The Baltimore Reporter,” here: Edwards Demands Student Remove Video From Youtube (video)

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

20070924 Teen Finds Her Flickr Image On Bus Stop Ad


File under “Oops.”

Teen Finds Her Flickr Image On Bus Stop Ad

Dallas Family Sues Virgin Mobile Over Unauthorized Use Of Girl's Image In Australian Ads

(CBS/AP) DALLAS, Tex., Sept. 25, 2007

Photo credit: Through the magic of the Internet, a photo of Texas teenager Alison Chang ended up on a bus stop advertising mobile phone service in Adelaide, Australia (inset). Virgin Mobile said that it was within their rights to use the original photo posted on Flickr without authorization. (CBS/Justin Wong, Brenton Cleeland)

DALLAS, Tex., Sept. 25, 2007


(CBS/AP) An American family has sued Australia's Virgin Mobile phone company, claiming it caused their teenage daughter grief and humiliation by plastering her photo on billboards and Web site advertisements without consent.

The family of Alison Chang, who lives in Texas, says Virgin Mobile grabbed the picture from Flickr, Yahoo Inc.'s popular photo-sharing Web site, and failed to credit by name the photographer who took the photo.

Chang's photo was part of a Virgin Mobile Australia campaign called "Are You With Us Or What?" It features pictures downloaded from Flickr superimposed with the company's ad slogans.

The picture of 16-year-old Chang flashing a peace sign was taken at an April church car wash by Alison's youth counselor, Justin Ho-Wee Wong, who posted it that day on his Flickr page, according to Alison's brother, Damon.

The commercial use was discovered when Brenton Cleeland, a photographer in Australia, noticed a bus stop ad in Adelaide featuring Chang, with a line on the bottom of the ad saying the image had been taken from www.flickr.com/photos/chewywong.

[…]

Associated Press Writer David Koenig contributed to this report.

Read the entire article here: Teen Finds Her Flickr Image On Bus Stop Ad

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/24/tech/main3290986.shtml

Related: Flickr On The Fly

Internet Fraud: Figures from the FBI on various forms of Web deceit.

####

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

20070911 David K Kyle and Brian Griffiths

David K. Kyle and Brian Griffiths

September 11th, 2007

Pictured above is David with his old girlfriend, Madonna, in his pink Yugo era.

And featured below is a video of Brian and David from an earlier time. What folks may not be aware is that Brian and David are the original “Pet Shop Boys.”

As you can read here, the split has been less than kind. Brian has drowned himself in blogging. Madonna left David and now he just mopes about listening to Johnny Cash.

They had lost track of each other only to re-discover each other on BNN.

PS: Brian, you may have to turn up the volume…

Go West Young men – Go West

####

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

20070717 Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer has a blog


Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer has a blog

July 17, 2007

Thanks for the Hat Tip from Maryland Politics Today (Mayor Moyer Is Now A Blogger)

… we learn that Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer has a blog. Friday, July 13, 2007 - Ellen Moyer's Bio

A blog is perfect for a mayor or any elected official for that matter. It facilitates getting your message out directly to your constituency and unfiltered…

How many times have ya heard an elected official say, gee, I wish that the paper would cover this or that event or initiative? If you mess-up, and that will happen, the paper will be sure to cover that – all the while overlooking all the positive things that are going on.

And if ya have the time, a blog can be helpful for the inevitable rumor control…

Good for Mayor Moyer…

And thanks again to Maryland Politics Today

####

Thursday, July 12, 2007

20070711 Welcome to the Maryland Blogosphere to “Maryland Politics”

Welcome to the Maryland Blogosphere to “Maryland Politics

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

A hearty Welcome to a new web site on the Maryland blogosphere-landscape goes out to “Maryland Politics.”

http://redmaryland.blogspot.com/2007/07/welcome.html

Welcome to Maryland Politics at redmaryland.blogspot.com.

Maryland Politics is devoted to politics within the Free State from a conservative and/or Republican point of view. Participation is open to all but this is primarily a site for we conservatives and Republicans living a minority existence in the state of Maryland.

Read the rest of the introductory post here: Maryland Politics

… and be sure to add a link on your web site – or a bookmark on your internet browser…

####

20070711 Senator Pipkin: “MACo E-Mail Shameless Blueprint To Force Local Tax Increase Support”


Senator Pipkin: “MACo E-Mail Shameless Blueprint To Force Local Tax Increase Support”

July 11th, 2007

Following on my earlier posts about the Maryland state budget matter: 20070703 the Maryland Municipal League discussion of the “Doomsday” budget and 20070705 MACo Exe. Dir. Bliden requests Md counties support tax increases and 20070709 Senator Pipkin This is Fiscal Magic at its Clumsiest.

Senator E. J. Pipkin has weighed-in on the budget discussions:

Senator E. J. Pipkin (R. Upper Shore 36) voiced outrage at “fear and strong-arm tactics to force counties to support tax increases.” He pointed to an e-mail, prompted by the O’Malley administration and sent on July 5 by the Maryland Association of Counties’ (MACO) chief lobbyist, Dave Bliden, to various county leaders to motivate local government support of impending tax increases.

Please see his entire statement pasted at the end of this post.

[It would appear that Senator Pipkin has “discovered” the power of the Maryland blogosphere… (On January 6th, 2006, thanks to the Westminster Eagle and Patuxent Publishing Co, I may very well be the first blogger to be credentialed in Annapolis. – See: 20060106 Security Badge) This analysis would be totally in keeping with the Senator’s modus operandi as he has consistently been an out-of-the-box thinker – and is definitely his own man… For an interesting read on Senator Pipkin by one of the best political minds in the business, Tom Dennison, who unfortunately is no longer writing for the Gazette, read: 20060331 Maverick Pipkin pulls no punches by Tom Dennison]

If you would like to listen Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s Maryland Municipal League speech click you may find it here. (Please be aware of my Disclosure.)

Or click on Audio: Maryland Municipal League Keynote 6.27.07 . June 27 Governor O'Malley Delivers Address to Maryland Municipal League.

Meanwhile, a few municipal officials who did not want their fears attributed – for fear of retribution - understood that what Governor O’Malley was saying, in essence, is that if the local governments do not support tax increases that the next budget will “retaliate.”

Apparently this is also Senator Pipkin’s take…

When the budget was being debated in January 2005, when then-Governor Robert L. Ehrlich was facing a difficult budget, the Baltimore Sun ran an analysis… See: 20050121 Baltimore Sun: Democrats see budget retaliation.

For some an in-depth look at how this pending budget is shaping-up, hopefully David Nitkin, Andrew A. Green, and Ivan Penn will do a similar look as they did on January 21, 2005 when they wrote:

[…]

Launching a review of the governor's budget proposal with eyes that may be jaundiced by recent battles, Democrats in the General Assembly say they see signs of retaliation in the $25.9 billion spending plan released this week.

[…]

Maryland governors have long used their budgetary authority - considered by experts to be the strongest in the nation - to reward friends and punish enemies. Ehrlich's predecessor, Gov. Parris N. Glendening, was considered a master at using the tool to maximum advantage.

[…]

Others say Democrats are being too sensitive, and deny that Ehrlich is trying to punish the opposing party. "They are looking at the bogeyman that doesn't exist. Or to put another way, maybe they are running a little scared and overreacting," said Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the House minority whip, whose Southern Maryland district includes parts of Calvert County.

Getting back to the future, over at Monoblogue, Michael Schwartz has some excellent analysis. Click on More Maryland budget grousing. While you are on his site, you should also see Celebrities in Crisfield?

The Howard County Maryland Blog, David Keelan also has some excellent analysis. Read Tax Increases Being Prepared…

For some additional context read Delusional Duck’s post O’Malley budget cuts OK’d by public works board

In a previous post, the MML had mentioned: “The product of that analysis was released under the title 'Balancing the State Budget Without New Revenues' and can be accessed through the General Assembly's website under the heading of budget information: http://mlis.state.md.us/#budg.”

I have been asked just what information can be found there. See pasted here:

Budget Information

The budget bill is introduced in both chambers. The House will move the bill in the 2007 Session.

Bond Bill Submissions - For guidelines to applicants seeking State grants through the submission of individual bond bills, click here.

June 27, 2007 Fiscal Briefing:

Maryland's Fiscal Structure and the Deficit Within

Mandated Appropriations in the Maryland State Budget

Balancing the Budget Without New Revenues

Appendices

Spending Affordability Committee:

Briefing: December 5, 2006 (PDF)

Briefing: November 15, 2006 (PDF)

2006 Committee Report: December 2006 (PDF)

Effect of Long-term Debt on the Financial Condition of the State:

Report: December 5, 2006 (PDF)

Analysis of Supplemental Budget No. 1, Presentation to the House Committee on Appropriations, March 7, 2007 (PDF)

Analysis of Supplemental Budget No. 2, Presentation to the House Committee on Appropriations, March 8, 2007 (PDF)

Analysis of Supplemental Budget No. 1, Presentation to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, March 12, 2007 (PDF)

Analysis of Supplemental Budget No. 2, Presentation to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, March 12, 2007 (PDF)

_____ _____

July 11, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PIPKIN – “MACO E-MAIL SHAMELESS BLUEPRINT TO FORCE LOCAL TAX INCREASE SUPPORT”

Senator E. J. Pipkin (R. Upper Shore 36) voiced outrage at “fear and strong-arm tactics to force counties to support tax increases.” He pointed to an e-mail, prompted by the O’Malley administration and sent on July 5 by the Maryland Association of Counties’ (MACO) chief lobbyist, Dave Bliden, to various county leaders to motivate local government support of impending tax increases.

Pipkin characterized the e-mail as “an end-run around most local elected officials which resembles the type of arm-twisting used by Tony Soprano and his ilk.”

Referring to Josh White, the Governor’s Intergovernmental Relations Chief, the e-mail said, “Josh is interested in coordinating a message for the Governor as he goes on roadtrips to the counties. He (Josh White) is looking for not just the property tax equivalents, but real vignettes of the county ‘doomsday budgets’…like closing libraries, reductions in deputies, larger class size, no support for volunteer firefighters. I (Bliden) suggested a goal of 10 examples for each county, if the proposed State ‘doomsday budget’ comes to fruition…..”

Bliden goes on to say, “the Gov could be visiting the counties during the next weeks, which presents an opportunity to deliver. And, with a good product, we could share with the other counties to get them motivated. Something for discussion at our July 13 meeting.”

“It boggles the mind that such terms as ‘opportunity to deliver’ and ‘good product’ would be used to bamboozle Marylanders into handing over more of their hard earned money to the state,” said Pipkin.

Bliden continued, “Another good perspective would be having interested constituencies there to show their interest, e.g. the volunteer ff’ers (firefighters).”

Pipkin said, “I thought I was beyond shock and outrage until I read about using volunteer firefighters to help beef up the propaganda campaign to get locals to rally behind the state tax increases. The e-mail lays out an arrogant and shameless blueprint for getting locals to back tax increases. As Bliden says, the next few weeks of gubernatorial visits to the counties ‘is a good opportunity to make a case, and, even more important to convince the Governor we (the counties) are there 100% to help him help us.’”

“Absolutely shameless!” said Pipkin.

0000000000000


Tuesday, July 10, 2007

20070709 Armed Liberal’s personal note

Armed Liberal’s personal note about his son joining the army

July 9th, 2007

Hat Tip: Patterico’s Pontifications: Armed Liberal’s Son Joins the Army

Marc Danziger, who writes under the nom de plume “Armed Liberal” on the web site “Winds of Change” has written a personal note that his son, a graduate of the University of Virginia, has joined the army.

If you are not aware of “Armed Liberal,” Austin Bay wrote on April 3rd, 2007 that he self-describes himself:

"As most of you know, I'm a liberal Democrat (pro-gay marriage, pro-choice, pro-progressive taxation, pro-equal rights, pro-environmental regulation, pro-public schools) who supported and supports the war in Iraq. As I tell my liberal friends, "Did I miss the part where it was progressive not to fight medieval religious fascists?"

Read “Armed Liberal’s” poignant post here: A Personal Note.

Join me in best wishes and Godspeed for both son and father.

####

Thursday, May 24, 2007

20070523 Baltimore Reporter: A Picture Worth a Thousand Words


A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

Hat Tip: BlogNet News Maryland - A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

submitted by James L This amazing picture has drawn a lot of comments from readers of the Nashville paper, The Tennessean. See Jay’s letter below. Dear Tennessean: The Tennessean’s April 5 photograph of young Christian Golczynski accepting the American flag from Marine Lt. Col. Ric Thompson is one of the most moving and [...]

Read more: A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

http://www.baltimorereporter.com/?p=3991

_____

Military Memorial Day

Iraq War

####

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

20070416 Local Blog Dispute Resolved Without Suit

Local Blog Dispute Resolved Without Suit

April 17, 2007

Local Blog Dispute Resolved Without Suit, Attorney Confirms

[see: 20070412 Local Bloggers Post Generates National Firestorm]

Submitted by MBA News on Mon, 2007-04-16 23:00. :: MBANews

Jared Allen wrote in The City Paper Local blog dispute resolved without suit, attorney confirms [Dead Link]

“Attorneys for JL Kirk & Assocs. contacted Media Bloggers Association attorney Ronald Coleman shortly after receiving his letter stating that the MBA was representing me in this dispute on Thursday afternoon,” Coble wrote Monday.

####

Monday, April 16, 2007

20070412 Local Bloggers Post Generates National Firestorm

Local Blogger's Post Generates National Firestorm

April 15th, 2007

Submitted by MBA News on Thu, 2007-04-12 23:00:

MBANews [Media Bloggers Association]

WKRN Nashville Tennessee reported Local Blogger's Post Generates National Firestorm

Coble has now decided to retain a lawyer with the counsel for the Media Bloggers' Association. They are taking on her case for free. Regardless of the outcome of the threatened lawsuit, many bloggers

_____

“Local Blogger’s Post Generates National Firestorm”

A firestorm has started in Nashville after JL Kirk Associates, a Brentwood-based employment agency, threatened to sue local blogger Katherine Coble.

Coble shared her observations about the job placement company, most of which were negative, on her blog, Just another Pretty Farce .

[…]

A little over a month after her blog post, Coble received a certified letter on behalf of JL Kirk Associates.

The letter stated that unless Coble removes the blog postings about the agency on or before April 13, 2007, Friday, JL Kirk Associates intends to sue for damages due to "false and defamatory statements."

Coble posted about the lawsuit threat on her blog. Her readers became outraged and began posting about the threat on their own sites.

Bloggers said they thought Coble was being bullied.

The world according to Tiff Sniff blogger said, "Writing about your personal experience and opinion in a public forum can't possibly translate into tortuous interference… that's a hell of a lot to prove."

Soon after, popular Web site[s] like [http://www.instapundit.com/] began posting in support of the threatened blogger, causing the story to be seen by thousands.

[…]

Read more: “Local Blogger’s Post Generates National Firestorm”