Baltimore Sun Op-ed: Righting the CIA by Melvin A Goodman

Baltimore Sun Op-ed: Righting the CIA by Melvin A Goodman

Righting the CIA by Melvin A. Goodman Published on Friday, November 19, 2004 by the Baltimore Sun

President Harry S. Truman created the Central Intelligence Agency in 1947 to coordinate the various assessments of the intelligence community and to place the CIA outside the policy community. In this way, Mr. Truman wanted to encourage competitive analysis within the intelligence community and to make sure that policy-makers did not tailor intelligence to suit their interests.

Over the years, there have been many attempts to politicize intelligence. But no government has been so blatant as the Bush administration, which used phony intelligence to justify the war against Iraq and has introduced a new director of central intelligence, Porter J. Goss, to conduct a political housecleaning at the highest levels of the agency.

I joined the CIA in 1966 during the Vietnam War and witnessed a major campaign to ensure that intelligence supported the Johnson administration's troop buildup in Southeast Asia. Working-level analysts correctly estimated the size of the Viet Cong forces and even predicted the Tet offensive in 1966, but time and again, senior officials caved in to Pentagon demands to limit the order of battle for irregular forces and to downplay the strength of Vietnam's military capabilities. After Tet in 1968, the CIA made honest efforts to accurately assess the capabilities and strengths of the enemy.

We are witnessing a similar phenomenon today, with agency analysts trying to improve their Iraqi intelligence reporting after tailoring intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and links to terrorism prior to the war.

[…]

I resigned from the CIA in 1990 because of the politicization of intelligence on the Soviet Union, which was championed by CIA Director William J. Casey and his deputy for intelligence, Robert M. Gates. The overestimates of the strength of the Soviet Union in the 1980s meant that the policy community was completely surprised by the Soviet collapse and missed numerous negotiating opportunities with Moscow.

[…]

Read the entire opinion piece here: Righting the CIA by Melvin A. Goodman Published on Friday, November 19, 2004 by the Baltimore Sun

20041119 Baltimore Sun Op ed Righting the CIA by Melvin A Goodman

20041124 Happy Thanksgiving WA

Happy Thanksgiving WA

Westminster Advocate

“Happy Thanksgiving”

November 24th, 2004 by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff (528 words)

Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Birthday Carroll Arts Center. The 850 seat, air conditioned, art deco “Carroll Theatre”, ancestor of the Carroll Arts Center, opened Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1937 near “The Forks”.

Admission to the Carroll Theatre in 1937 was 25 cents for adults and fifteen cents for children. The 10,500 sq. ft Carroll Arts Center is a great example of the adaptive re-use of one of only two existing examples of art deco architecture in Carroll County. Groundbreaking to renovate the old Carroll Theatre was held on a cold February 11th, 2002. The Carroll Arts Center opened April 4th, 2003.

Thanks to Jay Graybeal, I am able to explain more about “The Forks”. Graybeal explained in a 1999 Carroll County Times article, that after the Civil War, Westminster was “divided” into three distinct settlements known as “Dead End,” “The Forks,” and “Irishtown.”

The east end of town was referred to as “Dead End”. “Dead End”, the original Westminster [was formed by combining five villages: “Town of Winchester” laid out in 1764, New London, Winter’s Addition to Westminster, Bedford and Logsdon’s Tavern. In 1768 the Maryland General Assembly changed the name to Westminster. Westminster was in Frederick County until Carroll County was formed in 1837.]

On the west end, “The Forks” was formed near Pigman’s Addition by the road built to Chambersburg, Pa. and another road built to Taneytown.

Graybeal wrote that “[t]he extreme west end of Westminster received the name of “Irishtown” because prior to the Civil War three brothers, Dennis, James, and Terence Boylan, who came here from Ireland and helped build the Western Maryland Railroad from near Glyndon to Westminster, built themselves modest homes on the then sparsely settled part of what is now Pennsylvania Avenue.”

In addition to being thankful to the leaders that founded our community; we are also quite thankful for the artistic and cultural soul of our community centered at the Carroll Arts Center. The vibrancy of the arts and culture is often an important factor used by businesses in their decision to locate in Carroll County.

The power of art to strengthen our community is beyond measure. For not only does a strong and vibrant arts and cultural presence strengthen Westminster spiritually and philosophically – it also strengthens us financially and economically.

We are thankful for the vision and leadership provided by the Westminster City Council and staff, Carroll County Government, Maryland State Government, the Carroll County Arts Council, the private-public partnerships and many individual dream keepers and visionary community leaders who have brought forward this vital economic and cultural contribution to our community.

In addition to our families and our health, we have so many things to be thankful. As we begin the holidays, let our Thanksgiving also be revealed in the compassionate support our community renders to citizens who are less fortunate.

Let us reach out with care to those in need of food, shelter, and words of hope. May we remember our men and women in uniform, who are in harm’s way, defending our freedoms. As we gather with our families over a Thanksgiving meal, may we ask for patience, resolve, and wisdom in all that is to come.

© Kevin Dayhoff

October 2004 Maryland Municipal League Fall Conference

October MML Fall Conference

November 3^rd, 2004 by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff (528 words)

Labels: Maryland Municipal League see MML, MD MML Muni League Disclosure, MD Municipal League qv MML, MML, MML Municipal League

By the time you read this, the 2004 Presidential election will be over and hopefully, if there is a merciful higher being, we will have a clear cut winner.  Hopefully you voted.  Hopefully, it is now safe to watch TV again without getting an instant migraine.  Now that it is over, continue the aspirin therapy until the flashbacks of the obnoxious TV coverage of ugly charges and counter charges and counter-counter charges are over.  Can you say “Where’s the beef?”

Getting back to local matters, on October 21-23, I had the privilege to join Carroll County leaders such as Suzanne Albert, Laurell Taylor, John Medve, Haven Shoemaker, Jim McCarron, Frank Johnson, Bob Flickinger and Wendy Peters at the Maryland Municipal League’s (MML) Fall Conference.  While the MML’s legislative agenda for the upcoming Maryland General Assembly remains a priority, the conference has been greatly expanded in recent years. 

This year, over 225 elected officials from 70 municipalities, joined statewide leaders such as Congressman Roscoe Bartlett and Lt. Governor Michael Steele in an agenda that included nine workshops that touched upon issues that are affecting citizens today, including everything from environmental issues, growth and development to the Main Street program.  The main issues were growth and planning issues, and that five letter word: ‘water’.  The issue just doesn’t seem to go away.  Local officials, John Medve and Steve Horn gave excellent presentations on planning issues. 

Each year, the MML chooses several priority issues that directly affect the well-being of Maryland’s municipal citizens.  The MML then ushers these issues through the legislative process.  This year's legislative platform addresses public safety, restoring municipal resources and electric aggregation.

All three issues greatly impact the lives of local citizens, with the biggest priority being the issue of restoring funds that have been lost over the last three years because of problems in the state budget.  For the FY 2005 budget, approximately 36% of Maryland’s municipalities instituted or increased cost recoveries or user fees, 45% laid off employees or eliminated cost of living salary increases, 46% delayed construction projects and capital purchases, 48% used money from their savings accounts to pay operating expenses, and 18% increased property taxes. 

The most hotly debated issue was municipal electric aggregation.  The 1999 electric deregulation legislation specifically did not allow municipalities a reasonable opportunity to pool our citizens’ electric bills in an attempt to minimize the impact of electric deregulation and rising electric bills. The General Assembly has consistently said that it will not even entertain MML legislation to remedy this situation until 2006 at the earliest. 

Understanding this, the MML leadership wanted to change the Electric Aggregation Priority to request a Taskforce, instead of remedial legislation.  After a floor fight conducted by about 60 mayors, who dusted the cobwebs off the deep arcane corners of Roberts Rules and went on a parliamentary procedure safari trading motion and counter motion for 30 minutes, it was decided to attempt the legislation with a fall back position of a Taskforce.  Can you say – more aspirin please? 

The conference was time well spent.  We learned a lot about cutting edge challenges and creative solutions.  It is certainly a never-ending learning curve. 

20041103 

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*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

20041019 BRF Other Voices Working for the Bay cct

Working to help the bay

By Kevin Dayhoff, Other Voices
Carroll County Times
Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Last Wednesday, I attended the first meeting of the Bay Restoration Fund Advisory Committee. Gov. Robert Ehrlich appointed me to the committee to represent Maryland's 157 municipalities.

My first reaction after learning of the appointment was what have I gotten myself into? Paying more fees or taxes isn't necessarily popular with me or among us Carroll countians. Let's face it - being on the rules committee to advise MDE as to how to collect and administer Ehrlich's Bay Restoration Fund initiative, which will cost us more money out of our pocket, is not necessarily winning first prize.

But wait a minute, a portion of the revenue flow created by the Bay Restoration Fund is earmarked for four of our Sewage Treatment Plants in Carroll County, directly affected by federal regulations and it is important that Carroll County have a voice in this matter. Odd thing about these regulations is that they were not funded. They make the rules - we pay the bills.

For Westminster alone, the cost of implementing the recent spat of environmental regulations for our Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Plants could cost $11 million. The total cost of the upgrades necessary for the four Sewage Treatment Plants in Carroll County as identified in this fund - Freedom District, Taneytown, Mt. Airy and Westminster - is over $9 million, with the other plants in the county to be considered for funding later. Now just how are we supposed to pay for this?

In the coming years, one of the most important challenges to our quality of life will be the availability of quality drinking water. It is a well accepted goal that improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay is important for its scenic and recreational value, but the health of the bay also has an enormous economic impact on all of us, and not just in the cost of crabs and seafood, but in jobs and economic development.

The piece that has been missing after many years of talking about the problems of water quality and availability and the bay is how provide the resources to meet these challenges. Yes, what we are talking about here is how are we are going to pay for the upgrades to the 66 major sewage treatment plants throughout the state. And, just as importantly, how is accountability going to be established for the money collected and the implementation of the upgrades.

Did the Bay Restoration Fund initiative make everyone happy? Certainly not. The legislation was the subject of heated debate and discussion throughout the 2004 General Assembly session. Often the right thing to do is not always popular. I personally applaud Ehrlich for having the leadership to not just talk about the health of the Bay, the environment and the quality of our drinking water, but to actually do something about it.

It has been identified that upgrading sewage treatment plants is necessary in order to improve the health of the bay and protect our drinking water supplies, and this is one of Ehrlich's top environmental priorities. However important the quality of drinking water is to all of us, the Bay Restoration Fund wasn't easy or necessarily the popular thing to do, but it is a small price to pay considering the value we will get for our money.

For once we have a governor who is aware that the map of Maryland goes from Ocean City to Western Maryland and all points in between, including Carroll County. It's nice to be on the map again.

The Bay Restoration Fund fee will appear on a water and sewer bill coming to your house after Jan. 1. Remember that the money is going to benefit Carroll County, jobs and economic development, your drinking water, the environment and the Chesapeake Bay. In the long run, $30 a year is probably less than what it would cost if local government had to raise water and sewer bills in order to pay for the federal and state unfunded mandates. By working together we can all do better.

Kevin Dayhoff is Mayor of Westminster. To submit a piece for Other Voices consideration, send it to: Other Voices, c/o Carroll County Times, 201 Railroad Avenue, Westminster, MD 21157.

20041011 An evening with Ana Marie Cox

An evening with Ana Marie Cox

October 11, 2004

Wonkette In The Flesh: An Evening with Ana Marie Cox transcript of interview at Columbia Journalism School, October 2004

http://spj.jrn.columbia.edu/wonkette.html

---

Wonkette In The Flesh: An Evening with Ana Marie Cox
A political blogger visits Columbia Journalism School and the students survive. Sort of.

TRANSCRIPT: Columbia's SPJ chapter hosted Cox on Monday, Oct. 11, from 6-7 pm.

About 60 students attended as their classmate, Richard Morgan moderated the discussion.

Photos by Rebecca Castillo .

Also see a blog's version of the event.

More – much more…

20041007 Looking at a change in our county government by Mike Zimmer

Looking at a change in our county government

Oct. 7, 2004 Michael Zimmer

Are five heads better than three? Delegate Don Elliott sure thinks so. He spoke forcefully and passionately in favor of the ballot initiative to change our form of county government at the September meeting of the South Carroll Republican Club.

The Elliott plan would both expand the number of Carroll Commissioners from three to five and also change our current at-large voting system to running and voting by district. Both the pro and con sides of the argument are starting to gear up for the debate of this question. I have started seeing vote 5 signs around the county in support of the initiative. Maybe the con side will sport signs saying, "Three is enough!"

I can see good points and negative points on both sides of the question.

[…]

I can see some advantages in adding two Commissioners.

[…]

On the con side, I'm concerned with the district system. I don't object necessarily to running by district but voting by district worries me a little. In some counties you run for a district seat but the whole county votes for you. This forces candidates to focus on the good of the whole county not merely look to their own area.

[…]

I wonder if Delegate Elliott or his colleagues gave any thought to a blend between countywide and district? For example, we could have four Commissioners elected by district. We have two single member delegate districts, which could each have a Commissioner. Delegate District 5A has two seats and could have two commissioners. This would solve the difficult challenge of drawing district lines. The fifth Commissioner would be elected at large. This person would be uniquely charged with looking out for the big picture and would serve as President to the Board. Well if this year's plan goes down in flames, maybe my suggestion will be the next alternative we will consider some years down the road.

Read the entire column here: Looking at a change in our county government

20040924 Halloween Trick or Treating memo for October 31, 2004 in Spanish

Westminster Halloween Trick or Treating

MEMORANDUM – Septiembre 24^th, 2004

Para: Miembros del concilio

Thomas Beyard

Laurell Taylor

Jeff Spaulding

Joe Urban

John Walsh

Carroll County Times

Westminster Advocate

Westminster Eagle

The Baltimore Sun - Carroll County

WTTR Radio

Tema: El día de la víspera de Todos los Santos “HALLOWEEN (TRICK OR TREATING)”

Cada ano, El Alcalde y los miembros del concilio designan una noche como el día de la víspera de Todos los Santos o Halloween (Trick or Treating). Conforme a su aprobación en la reunión del concilio de Septiembre 27, 2004, Yo quisiera recomendar que el día de Halloween (Trick or Treating) se tome acabo en la tarde de la noche del Sábado, Octubre 31, 2004.

El “Trick or Treating” deberá de conducirse durante las horas de la atardecer y las 8:00 p.m. y deberá ser restrictivo a los niños entre las edades de 12 anos y menos acompañados por los padres o guardianes que les acompañen. Los residentes los cuales quieran participar proveyendo los dulces a los niños deberán de encender las luces de afuera. Los niños deberán de vestirse en ropa de colores claros, para así poder ser más visibles por los conductores de vehículos y deberán de visitar solo las casas en sus vecindarios cercanos y solo aquellos con luz encendida. Los conductores de vehículos deberán de mantenerse particularmente con mucho cuidado en esta tarde/noche de Octubre 31, como muchos niños estarán caminando por las calles de la cuidad.

KEVIN E. DAYHOFF

Alcalde de Westminster

20040924 Halloween Trick or Treating memo for October 31, 2004

Halloween Trick or Treating

MEMORANDUM – September 24^th, 2004

TO: Council Members

Thomas Beyard

Laurell Taylor

Jeff Spaulding

Joe Urban

John Walsh

Carroll County Times

Westminster Advocate

Westminster Eagle

The Baltimore Sun - Carroll County

WTTR Radio

SUBJECT: HALLOWEEN TRICK OR TREATING

Each year, The Mayor and Council designates a night for Halloween Trick or Treating. Pursuant to your approval at the Council Meeting of September 27^th, 2004, I would like to recommend that Halloween Trick or Treating take place on the evening of Sunday, October 31, 2003.

Trick or Treating should be conducted between the hours of dusk and 8:00 p.m. and be restricted to children age 12 and under plus accompanying parents or adult guardians. Residents who wish to participate by providing treats to the children should turn on their outside light. Children are advised to wear some light colored clothing so as to be more visible to motorists and to go to homes in their immediate neighborhoods with lights. Motorists should pay particular care on the evening of October 31^st with so many children walking around City streets.

KEVIN E. DAYHOFF

Westminster Mayor

Kevin Dayhoff in group photo in the Riigikogu chambers

Kevin Dayhoff in group photo in the Riigikogu chambers

September 21, 2004

Kevin Dayhoff (back row - center left) with the Maryland Army National Guard - Maryland partner city mayors visit to Estonia. This group picture was taken in the Estonian Parliament chambers, the Riigikogu, on September 21, 2004.

(20040921 Parliament 3 KED)

KED EE Visit 2004 Sept 17-23

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

20040920 Affect of the sound of jackhammers on the unborn

Affect of the sound of jackhammers on the unborn

Roanoke Times, Monday, September 20^th, 2004

Melissa Williamson, 35, a Bullitt Avenue resident, worries about the effect on her unborn child from the sound of jackhammers. Roanoke Times, Monday, September 20^th, 2004.

Off-beat news, Humor, Medicine and Health, Medicine and Health Smoking, Art Absurd Funny Photos

The patrons at the bar at Schiphol Airport

“The patrons at the bar at Schiphol Airport”

Amsterdam, The Netherlands by Kevin Dayhoff September 18, 2004

[20040918 002 Amsterdam KD.JPG]

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

Sunrise in Amsterdam

Sunrise at the airport in Amsterdam

Schiphol, Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands 

Photo by Kevin Dayhoff September 18, 2004.

[20040918 001 Amsterdam Sunrise KD]

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

20040914 Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

20040914 Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

September 14, 2004

City officials approved the purchase of two properties on Union Street to be rehabilitated.

The duplex, located at 45 and 47 Union St., will be sold to low or moderate income families to promote homeownership, said Karen Blandford, the city's housing and community development manager.

The city housing department hopes to change the balance between renters and homeowners in Westminster, Blandford said.

The houses will be sold in a shared equity program, Blandford said, which will allow the city to maintain a share in the appreciation of the property. The program also guarantees that the home will not be sold as a rental unit.

In other business:

Council approved the appointment of Calvin Wray Mowbray Jr., to the Carroll Regional Airport Technical Advisory Committee.

Mowbray is a pilot with a background in management and marketing.

Mayor Kevin Dayhoff issued a proclamation for Constitution Week for the week of Sept. 17-23.

Dayhoff also issued a proclamation recognizing Disabled American Veterans Forget-Me-Not Month.

- Greg Guenthner

Westminster Mayor 200105 200505 Kevin E. Dayhoff proclamations, Westminster Housing initiatives, Carroll County Regional Airport, Westminster Scrapbook Union St., Media journalists Guenthner - Greg Guenthner

My Thoughts on the Five-Commissioner form of government by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff

My Thoughts on the Five-Commissioner form of government by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff

Proposed Five Commissioner Form of Government

September 4th, 2004 / October 31st, 2004

Kevin Dayhoff, Westminster mayor

Five regionally elected Commissioners makes government closer to the people.  Increased representation increases the collective experience and intellectual abilities of the Board working for us. 

The services and additional representation required of well managed growth and progressive government will cost more money.  Additional representation will give us valuable return for our money that will justify the expense. 

Ultimately, I will respect the judgment and wishes of Carroll Countians on November 2nd, 2004. 

_________________________________________

I see no substantive downside to Five Commissioners, only benefits.  A regionally elected Five Member Board of Commissioners makes government closer to the people. 

It is a reality that the county has grown, and recognizing that reality there is an appropriate need for additional representation.  Increased representation increases the collective experience and intellectual abilities of the Board working for us. 

The services and additional representation required of well managed growth and progressive government will cost more money.  Hopefully, it is not the additional money we spend, it is the additional return for our money that will justify the expense. 

No one wants to see government cost more but everyone wants the additional services and there has been a consistent clamor for additional representation for many years. 

Our current form of government of three commissioners was essentially formulated in 1851.  In 1851, the population of Carroll County was less than 16,000 (and less than 1,400 in Westminster. 

Westminster also had a Commissioner and Burgess form of government until 1856.)  Today, it is more than ten times that number.  There were no public schools in Carroll County in 1851.  There were only 9 election districts in Carroll County.  The County budget was less than $20,000.  (As a point of comparison to today’s budget: The 1853 budget for Carroll County was $19,019.57.  That figure included: $3,062 for supervisors of roads; $1,052.07 for county commissioners; $254 election expenses; $166.86 for sheriff; $56 for wood; $343.78 for jail expenses and $1,530.30 for roads and bridges among numerous other miscellaneous items.)

Ultimately, I will respect the vote of Carroll Countians on November 2nd, 2004.  I trust and respect the voters judgment and wishes.

20040904 My thoughts re Proposed Five Commissioners

http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/search/label/Carroll%20Co%205%20Commissioner%20Dist%20plan

Labels: Carroll Co 5 Commissioner Dist plan, Carroll Co Delegation to Annapolis, MD Gen Assembly 2008 425, Police Carroll Co Police Dept

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

20040829 MD Gov Bob Ehrlich at MD State Fair

Maryland Governor spends the day at the Maryland State Fair

Sunday, August 29, 2004

A picture of Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, who spent the day with his family at the Maryland State Fair Sunday on August 29, 2004. The other pictures are a few general scenes from a day at the fair…

Kevin Dayhoff

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20040829 MD Gov Bob Ehrlich at MD State Fair

Maryland Governor spends the day at the Maryland State Fair

Sunday, August 29, 2004

A picture of Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, who spent the day with his family at the Maryland State Fair Sunday on August 29, 2004. The other pictures are a few general scenes from a day at the fair…

Kevin Dayhoff

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20040827 “Bring it on John” by Oliver North

Bring it on, John

Blogger note: Col. North’s column is reprinted here in its entirety. It is a must read – comprehensively.

Oliver North (archive)

August 27, 2004

"Of course, the president keeps telling people he would never question my service to our country. Instead, he watches as a Republican-funded attack group does just that. Well, if he wants to have a debate about our service in Vietnam, here is my answer: 'Bring it on.'" -- Sen. John Kerry

Dear John,

As usual, you have it wrong. You don't have a beef with President George Bush about your war record. He's been exceedingly generous about your military service. Your complaint is with the 2.5 million of us who served honorably in a war that ended 29 years ago and which you, not the president, made the centerpiece of this campaign.

I talk to a lot of vets, John, and this really isn't about your medals or how you got them. Like you, I have a Silver Star and a Bronze Star. I only have two Purple Hearts, though. I turned down the others so that I could stay with the Marines in my rifle platoon. But I think you might agree with me, though I've never heard you say it, that the officers always got more medals than they earned and the youngsters we led never got as many medals as they deserved.

This really isn't about how early you came home from that war, either, John. There have always been guys in every war who want to go home. There are also lots of guys, like those in my rifle platoon in Vietnam, who did a full 13 months in the field. And there are, thankfully, lots of young Americans today in Iraq and Afghanistan who volunteered to return to war because, as one of them told me in Ramadi a few weeks ago, "the job isn't finished."

Nor is this about whether you were in Cambodia on Christmas Eve, 1968. Heck John, people get lost going on vacation. If you got lost, just say so. Your campaign has admitted that you now know that you really weren't in Cambodia that night and that Richard Nixon wasn't really president when you thought he was. Now would be a good time to explain to us how you could have all that bogus stuff "seared" into your memory -- especially since you want to have your finger on our nation's nuclear trigger.

But that's not really the problem, either. The trouble you're having, John, isn't about your medals or coming home early or getting lost -- or even Richard Nixon. The issue is what you did to us when you came home, John.

When you got home, you co-founded Vietnam Veterans Against the War and wrote "The New Soldier," which denounced those of us who served -- and were still serving -- on the battlefields of a thankless war. Worst of all, John, you then accused me -- and all of us who served in Vietnam -- of committing terrible crimes and atrocities.

On April 22, 1971, under oath, you told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that you had knowledge that American troops "had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the country side of South Vietnam." And you admitted on television that "yes, yes, I committed the same kind of atrocities as thousands of other soldiers have committed."

And for good measure you stated, "(America is) more guilty than any other body, of violations of (the) Geneva Conventions ... the torture of prisoners, the killing of prisoners."

Your "antiwar" statements and activities were painful for those of us carrying the scars of Vietnam and trying to move on with our lives. And for those who were still there, it was even more hurtful. But those who suffered the most from what you said and did were the hundreds of American prisoners of war being held by Hanoi. Here's what some of them endured because of you, John:

Capt. James Warner had already spent four years in Vietnamese custody when he was handed a copy of your testimony by his captors. Warner says that for his captors, your statements "were proof I deserved to be punished." He wasn't released until March 14, 1973.

Maj. Kenneth Cordier, an Air Force pilot who was in Vietnamese custody for 2,284 days, says his captors "repeated incessantly" your one-liner about being "the last man to die" for a lost cause. Cordier was released March 4, 1973.

Navy Lt. Paul Galanti says your accusations "were as demoralizing as solitary (confinement) ... and a prime reason the war dragged on." He remained in North Vietnamese hands until February 12, 1973.

John, did you think they would forget? When Tim Russert asked about your claim that you and others in Vietnam committed "atrocities," instead of standing by your sworn testimony, you confessed that your words "were a bit over the top." Does that mean you lied under oath? Or does it mean you are a war criminal? You can't have this one both ways, John. Either way, you're not fit to be a prison guard at Abu Ghraib, much less commander in chief.

One last thing, John. In 1988, Jane Fonda said: "I would like to say something ... to men who were in Vietnam, who I hurt, or whose pain I caused to deepen because of things that I said or did. I was trying to help end the killing and the war, but there were times when I was thoughtless and careless about it and I'm ... very sorry that I hurt them. And I want to apologize to them and their families."

Even Jane Fonda apologized. Will you, John?

Oliver North is a nationally syndicated columnist, host of the Fox News Channel's War Stories and founder and honorary chairman of Freedom Alliance.

©2004 Creators Syndicate, Inc.

20040827 “Bring it on John” by Oliver North

20040825 WA History of Belle Grove Square in Westminster

Pictured above is the B. F. Shriver Company plant on Liberty Street, Westminster, Maryland, at what is now known as the “Stone Building” around 1885. The Stone Building is now the home of O’Lordans Irish Pub. This photo is from page 89 of “The Building of Westminster,” by Christopher Weeks, produced for the City of Westminster in 1978. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 78-74177. I cannot find an ISBN number – but to the best of my knowledge the book is out of print, however, copies on CD can be purchased from the City of Westminster. (updated March 7th, 2007 KED)

History of Belle Grove Square in Westminster

The 111^th Annual Community Demonstration in Belle Grove Square

Westminster Advocate

August 25^th, 2004 by Kevin Dayhoff, Westminster Mayor (528 words)

This Sunday, Westminster will hold its 111^th annual community demonstration in Belle Grove Square. A tradition that began in 1893. It all began during the years following the Civil War when civic minded public improvements and amenities, such as gas lights, water systems, paved roads and concrete sidewalks were important public issues discussed in Westminster.

The coming of the railroad to Westminster in 1861 and the National Banking Act of 1864, accelerated Westminster's process of residential and commercial annexation and mercantile expansion, a process as old as the city itself. Westminster’s first annexation occurred in 1788, just 24 years after the City’s founding in 1764.

In the 1870s, Westminster annexed a residential development by George W. Matthews, which included the area around Belle Grove Square. (Mr. Matthews was part owner of the Wagner and Matthew's Foundry and Machine Shops, where “The Stone Building” is on Liberty Street.) In a tradition and practice carried on to this day; as part of the residential development, Mr. Matthews donated Belle Grove Square (named after his daughter - Carrie Belle) to be a community green space on May 8^th, 1877.

Belle Grove Square was one of the first known deeded green spaces in the City. Belle Grove Square was restored by the GFWC Woman's Club of Westminster in 1976. The Club’s demonstrated civic minded generosity continues as it tends to the gardens to this day. In an interesting twist of historic fate, George W. Matthews’ son, George E. Matthews was the Mayor 60 years later in 1937, when the Westminster Playground was dedicated – the same year Carrie Belle died. (Mayor Matthews was elected in 1926 and died in office in 1938. He was also concurrently the Chief of Police.)

One such civic minded project, in 1893, was the fountain for Belle Grove Square. The cost of the fountain was $398.37. Just as with many other successful community improvements in Westminster, it was entirely paid for with contributions from the private sector, much of which was raised by having a festival. The festival raised $252.64 for the Belle Grove Square Fountain. Compare that to Westminster’s present day Fallfest, which began in 1978, and last year attracted over 40,000 visitors and raised over $25,000 for local charities. Fallfest will be held this year on September 23^rd through the 26^th, 2004. Civic-minded generosity and public demonstrations of coming together as a community have long been a part of Westminster.

The festival that raised money for the fountain in Belle Grove Square was held in 1893, which is also the year to which the Westminster Municipal Band traces its origins. That tradition of coming together in a public demonstration of celebrating community at Belle Grove Square has continued every year for 111 years. Other examples of local celebrations are the Flower and Jazz Festival in May; Celebrate Local Heroes in August, organized by Lori Graham in Dutterer Park (another example of civic minded generosity by another venerable family in Westminster – the Dutterer family) and Fallfest. Won’t you come out and join us for a great demonstration of community on Sunday evening, August 29^th, 2004 and enjoy the annual Westminster Municipal Band concert in Belle Grove Square.

20040813 Rabid Rebeccably Numb

Rabid Rebeccably Numb

- Going Rebecca -

August 13th, 2004

Did you feel for the Westminster Mayor when he was tied down and had the Rabid Rebecca attack dog baying and chewing at him at every Council Meeting and street corner in Westminster?

Did reading the Carroll Sun’s shallow and content-less stories and hearing the rumor mongering make you sick?

Or were you like most folks – engaged by the drama, entertained by the scent of scandal, yet comfortably numb about the whole thing? If you have a version of this story – well, then you are part of this story. What did you care – it wasn’t you that she was going after – it was someone else.

Many have replaced empathy with an “I”-centered sentimentality.

What is in this community for me?

Feeling has been turned on its head: caring is now a means not for taking action, but for feeling better about oneself or getting attention as long as we can explain it away as “politics.”

We ride the emotional dramas in the Carroll Sun tabloid, wear colored ribbons, and express our love for God and country.

May we all now bow our heads and say “the Lord’s Prayer”. Now we can all enjoy the twice monthly soap opera that the meetings of the Westminster Common Council have degenerated into – and perhaps, even keep score. It’s funny – like watching a bus accident.

Meanwhile, we take no action – at least none driven by empathy. Besides – it wasn’t you that she was going after – it was someone else.

Empathy is how we respond to the plight of humanity. It is the bedrock of our moral sensibility that allows us to feel for others, to put ourselves in their place. If you cannot feel, how can you act outside your own wants and desires?

To many today, it seems easier to just deny feelings of empathy, to react to them “rationally” as a weakness in this hard and fast world. Anyway - it wasn’t you that she was going after – it was someone else.

But this has a cost. Losing feeling for others, or never developing the capacity to feel deeply at all, means closing off a fundamental part of being a community.

On a global scale, we feel less not just about the millions of innocent people killed by traffic accidents and drugs and violence in the past decade, or the thousands of deaths portrayed on the television.

We have also become desensitized and numb about our own partners, neighbors, community leaders or parents. We joke about concepts such as “No good deed goes unpunished.”

Hey, whatever, it wasn’t you that she was going after – it was someone else.

What most folks have not understood is that Rabid Rebecca is a virus in our community and like mad cow disease – ‘Going Rebecca’ is a plague upon our community.

Rabid Rebecca Disease is a virus that cares not about its host organism.

When the Westminster Mayor continued to Zen the Rabid Rebecca – he denied her the very food that an hysteric virus feeds upon – reaction and words.

Fed by others who enjoyed her theatrics and enabled her, she then, in the famous words of Abigail Adams, became the famous well fed snake that turned to bite the very folks who had fed her. Tis a pity. Oh well, anyway, let’s hope that is not you that she is going after.

It can now be understood that a major attribute of Rabid Rebecca Disease, otherwise known as Councilmatic Disorder is that the person Going Rebecca sees a vast difference in the reality that is based on what the afflicted sees, hears, and feels - and the conditioned reality of what the afflicted has been socialized to understand – as fed by the snake-feeders.

The virus infected mind is driven towards the delusional based on the afflicted’s perception of reality. The afflicted is driven to shorten the gap between his or her perception of their concept of the delusional truth - and conditioned reality. When the gap becomes too great the afflicted will see the conditioned reality as beyond repair and he or she endeavors to destroy it. But certainly it not you that she is attempting to go after, or is it?

In the process of feeding Rebecca, one becomes less human. The snake feeders explain it away as politics. They care not becomes of the community left moribund as a result of her behavior because they do not care about the community – only about themselves or what benefit they chance to gain as a result of their parasitic behavior towards the community.

As this happens, the parasitic snake feeders not only stop feeling the pain of others, they become proscriptive and only more capable of inflicting it. This is the darkest side of empathy’s erosion. If feelings underlie an empathic response, numbness makes brutality viable. Thus, as you happily switch off from humanity, you become a threat to it.

We were comfortably numb about the attempted torture of the Westminster Mayor, and so were the Council members and other interested parties that facilitated the behavior and fed this snake-virus in our community. Those who have participated won’t say they are sorry because they don’t feel sorry.

Simple as that. After all, you don’t have any feelings – it’s only politics.

And if we ourselves, can’t feel for the community and others, who will feel for us?

Perhaps this is part of the general worsening of mental well-being. As a recent World Health Organization study shows, there’s a near-perfect correlation between the rise of alienation in the modern world and the decline of people’s mental states, with mental dysfunction growing globally.

As empathy falls, behaviors predicated on its lack have been pathologized, like narcissistic and antisocial personalities. But these are not symptoms of organic disease. Instead, it is the social system that is in need of radical treatment. “It’s only politics and it is not me that she is going after” is a social disease, often the victim does not know that they have it.

Medicating our numbness, by explaining that it is only politics is one thing, with a long and lonely history. But a culture medicating itself into comfortable numbness and explaining away politically motivated apotheosis patheosis is something else. Fortunately there is an anecdote – allow the Rabid Rebecca to feed herself to the point that she explodes.

The only part left to this Kabuki Morals play is to watch the very persons who created this monster now portray themselves a victim of the monster and heroically place themselves in the position of coming to the rescue of the very community that they continue to parasitically victimized.

KED / August 13th, 2004

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"Voce Viaggio" The Power of Partnership By Diane Jones

The Power of Partnership

By Diane Jones, Other Voices Carroll County Times

Monday, August 09, 2004

"Voce Viaggio" of the Children's Chorus of Carroll County is back from a highly successful first trip abroad.

Undoubtedly there will be those who say, "Oh no, not the Chorus again," and that would be understandable since we have recently gotten such great press coverage. Please bear with me briefly so I can report a few of the benefits of our trip and extend a partial thank-you for the ground-swell of support we received.

We traveled to Finland, Sweden and Estonia and enjoyed the sights, the sounds, the foods and all of the sensory experiences of European travel.

However, the heart of our endeavor was the day we spent in a rather small town in Estonia named Paide, Westminster's Partner City. We had been in Helsinki with its Rock Church and Scandinavian intrigues; we had been in Tallinn with its medieval charm; we were in Stockholm with its cultural and architectural sophistication, but Paide captured our hearts and imaginations.

This is where we sang and danced with children who had awaited our visit as much as we looked forward to seeing them. This is where both the Estonian hymn and the Star Spangled Banner were sung and citizens from opposite sides of the world were moved to tears. This is where children from both countries sang in Estonian and English and even incorporated sign language into their presentation.

This is where our children learned Estonian folk dances and the Estonians learned the macarina in an impromptu gathering on the street in front of the town church. This is where e-mail addresses and gifts were exchanged with promises of seeing one another again. This is where friendships and the beginnings of international relations began. And this is where international peace was reinforced through learning to delight in the differences and commonalties of others.

Voce Viaggio has been the beneficiary of a successful series of partnerships that enabled us to make our dream a reality. The Westminster - Paide Partner City Program captured our imagination and provided our goal. Thomas Beyard, Kevin Dayhoff, Audrey Cimino and other Westminster - Paide Committee members supported us by networking within the community to raise funds and give our trip visibility.

Many organizations and individuals partnered with us, sharing our vision and helping make our trip possible. And of course, there are our Estonian friends, our new partners, with whom we have begun friendships with the promise of more personal and cultural exchanges.

This was more than just a trip to Europe with performance opportunities. In Estonia, the struggle between tyranny and freedom is very immediate and tangible; not one of us will be the same after experiencing this post-Soviet culture.

For example, our sense of materialism is put into perspective after being in a place where the standard of living is much simpler, but happiness comes from more fundamental sources, such as friendship and nature. The blessings of the United States are highlighted as we hear first-hand accounts of women and children being deported to Siberia just because they weren't Russian. Our own national anthem takes on greater significance as we meet Estonians who were forbidden to enjoy their national hymn or cultural heritage for 50 years.

The 24 students and the adults who traveled will be forever changed, their knowledge base and sensitivities having been greatly expanded. Sincere thanks to those of you who helped make this possible. It will be exciting to see where our partnerships take us next.

Diane Jones, of Westminster, is director of the Children's Chorus of Carroll County.

20040809 The Power of Partnership Jones
Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/