20070423 Welcome to the Carnival of Maryland 5

Welcome to the Carnival of Maryland 5

April 23rd, 2007

Welcome to the Carnival of Maryland 5 or what I have come to perhaps understand as the bi-weekly Maryland Blogger Alliance magazine of the mind.

All the articles are great and we’re sure that you will enjoy the variety and talent in each piece.

Table of Contents:

Article No. 1: “Delmarva Shorebirds 2007 home opener,” by Michael Swartz writing on “Monoblogue,” Saturday, April 14^th, 2007

Article No. 2: “Three gentleman ducks” by The Ridger writing on “The Greenbelt,” Sunday, April 8^th, 2007.

And a bonus feature, a sequel from The Ridger’s article on Carnival Of Maryland 4 hosted by W. Crodhil on “Politics, Hon,” on April 8th, 2007: “The Redwings in the Park,” on April 2nd, 2007. The sequel is titled, “Nature Red in ... Beak and Shoulder?” which is dated April 11^th, 2007.

Article No. 3: “Baltimore's inner harbor” by Soccer Dad, writing on the web site, “Soccer Dad,” on Wednesday, April 18^th, 2007.

Article No. 4: “Guns guns guns…” by Robert C. Carter writing on the web site, “Escape from Pianosa,” on Saturday, April 21^st, 2007.

Article No. 5: “Maryland Voters Officially Irrelevant” by W. Crodhil, E.I.C. writing on “Politics, Hon,” on Wednesday, April 11, 2007.

Article No. 6: “20070422 Media Smackdown” by Kevin Dayhoff writing on “Kevin Dayhoff – Soundtrack Division of Old Silent Movies,” on Sunday, April 22^nd, 2007.

Sports Section:

Article No. 1: “Delmarva Shorebirds 2007 home opener,” by Michael Swartz writing on “Monoblogue,” Saturday, April 14^th, 2007

Mr. Swartz introduces the article by saying; “Just a slice of life on the Eastern Shore. Politics gets sort of boring after awhile, and I'm a big fan of my adopted hometown team!”

“… I had a good time watching the opener and getting back to baseball again. I also rectified an oversight from last year, now I’m a paid member of the Shorebirds Fan Club…”

Read the entire article here: Delmarva Shorebirds 2007 home opener. Enjoy the pictures and the enjoyable commentary…

Nature Section:

Article No. 2: “Three gentleman ducks” by The Ridger writing on “The Greenbelt,” Sunday, April 8^th, 2007.

And a bonus feature, a sequel from The Ridger’s article on Carnival Of Maryland 4 hosted by W. Crodhil on “Politics, Hon,” on April 8th, 2007: “The Redwings in the Park,” on April 2nd, 2007. The sequel is titled, “Nature Red in ... Beak and Shoulder?” which is dated April 11^th, 2007.

In the “Three gentleman ducks,” we’re introduced to three gentleman mallards, who are possible named Ping, Pong, and Po? “So here they are, Three Gentleman Mallards who hang out together in the park.”

One can only imagine what they were discussing?

See the pictures here: “Three gentleman ducks”

On April 2, we learned that “Last year there was a pair of redwings nesting in the cattails. This year - this past week - I've seen three males, chasing each other at times. Today, two of them were sitting in trees next to each other calling loudly, and the females were there…” In “Nature Red in ... Beak and Shoulder?” we learn that “the redwings have a winner ... he got the prime real estate ...”

The Ridger then introduces us to “a duel between cardinals.”

Catch the great pics here: “Nature Red in ... Beak and Shoulder?”

Travel Section:

Article No. 3: “Baltimore's inner harbor” by Soccer Dad, (“With something like a 10-60 record as coach of my children's soccer teams why do I do it? Because I'm Soccer Dad!” – He can coach my nieces and nephews anytime – Winning may or not be everything but values are forever…) writing on the web site, “Soccer Dad,” on Wednesday, April 18^th, 2007.

In his article he has posted a number of pics “of Baltimore's Inner Harbor” from a “recent trip to the Maryland Science Center…”

And for a bonus Soccer Dad threw in a Westminster image, in a Brechtian mode of ironic distance, which is of “Ansel Adams meets Rainer Werner Fassbinder” quality. It is a must see photo (scroll to the bottom of the post…) – although it may take a few sessions with the GEICO Cavemen’s therapist to understand it.

[My favorite recent post by Soccer Dad is here: “My blog as refrigerator.”]

Political Commentary section:

Article No. 4: “Guns guns guns…” by Robert C. Carter writing on the web site, “Escape from Pianosa,” on Saturday, April 21^st, 2007.

Mr. Carter writes, in part: “…in the wake of the horror at Virginia Tech this past week, I’ve been reading a lot about what people have to say about guns… A no-guns allowed policy doesn’t guarantee a killing spree, but it certainly makes it easier…”

Mr. Carter, a “a student, writer, satirist, webTV creator, photographer, athlete, thinker, traveler, blogger and improv comedian,” obviously put some time in his commentary…

Read his entire thought-provoking essay here: “Guns guns guns…”

Article No. 5: “Maryland Voters Officially Irrelevant” by W. Crodhil, E.I.C. writing on “Politics, Hon,” on Wednesday, April 11, 2007.

Mr. Crodhil laments “With the signing of the so-called "popular vote" bill this week, MD Governor Martin O’Malley has in essence, deemed the votes of every single Marylander completely, and totally, irrelevant on the national level.”

Read his thought-provoking explanation here: “Maryland Voters Officially Irrelevant” (And he calls to our attention that Pillage Idiot and Pubcrawler also have thoughts on this matter…)

Media Commentary section:

Article No. 6: “20070422 Media Smackdown” by Kevin Dayhoff writing on “Kevin Dayhoff – Soundtrack Division of Old Silent Movies,” on Sunday, April 22^nd, 2007.

Last week was a long and hard week for our nation and by the end of the week I had “had it” with the media coverage of the tragedy at Virginian Tech and I had been reduced to a NJ Turnpike toll collector stare.

As an uncle, I already have a Doctorate in Modern Anxiety with a minor in ennui… when it comes to being concerned for the next generation. I have three members of my family in college, two that just graduated, and two that will enter college shortly – all nieces and nephews.

I love talking with them as they are arguably some of the neatest folks on the planet. But the idea of some of the slobbering, feckless, pandering media-types interviewing the students at Virginia through the cracked mirror by which much of the media views its navel, got burdensome.

I was impressed that the Virginia Tech students consistently presented with poise and outclassed the media hacks.

Another thing for certain, in today’s obsessive media, last week proved once again, that the media certainly have been well trained to bark on cue…

The other day, I had but only minutes to stop for a moment and catch-up with the news and all I got were psychologically violent images of “the killer” and the media “interviewing the ghost.” Unhappy, I made, what turned out to be, one too many cups of coffee and turned to my local newspaper…

I opened the paper – “and lost it.”

“Why anyone would want to trivialize the tragedy at Virginia Tech by taking the opportunity to promote a political agenda is beyond comprehension.

Right now I have no time for folks who wish to ride their favorite political hobbyhorse on the back of what is otherwise an enormous human tragedy.

What we need right now is the steady glow of a prudent and human response and not a series of blinking lights.

Read the rest of my “media commentary” (rant) here: “20070422 Media Smackdown.”

Oh yes, I’m feeling a little better today. Thank you for asking.

_____

Thank you for joining us for Carnival of Maryland 5 – the Maryland Blogger Alliance bi-weekly magazine of the mind. It’s been a pleasure hosting this great event. For more information on the CoM, click here.

If you’re a MD blogger, and you’d like to join the Maryland Blogger Alliance (MBA), you can contact the Pillage Idiot’s Attlia at- pillageidiot -at- hotmail -dot- com.

If you have not had a chance to read our previous four Carnivals, please take this opportunity to review some of the best that the Maryland blogosphere has to offer:

Carnival of Maryland #1 - 2/25/2007 was hosted by Bruce Godfrey on “Crablaw Maryland Weekly” on February 25, 2007.

Carnival of Maryland - second edition hosted by Attila of the Pillage Idiot on March 11, 2007.

Carnival of Maryland #3 was hosted by The Ridger on “The Greenbelt” on March 26^th, 2007

Carnival Of Maryland 4 hosted by W. Crodhil on “Politics, Hon,” on April 8^th, 2007.

For more simply great reading, click on any of the following web sites that belong to the mid-Atlantic’s premier blogger collective:

Members of the Maryland Blogger Alliance are:

Pillage Idiot (Rockville)

Soccer Dad (Baltimore)

Maryland Conservatarian (Baltimore)

The Baltimore Reporter (Baltimore)

The Sun Lies (Baltimore Area)

The Not So Free State (Woodlawn)

monoblogue (Salisbury)

Crablaw (Reisterstown)

Kevin Dayhoff (Westminster)

Politics, Hon (Baltimore)

blogger1947 (Gwynn Oak)

Jousting for Justice (Owings Mills)

The Voltage Gate (Frostburg)

Howard County Md. Blog (Ellicott City)

The Hedgehog Report (Columbia)

Rockin' Catoctin (Frederick)

The Pubcrawler (Gaithersburg)

C. Dowd's Blog (Lansdowne)

Oriole Post (Silver Spring)

Escape from Pianosa (Baltimore)

Maryland Politics Today (Laurel)

The Greenbelt (Laurel)

Snail's Tales (Germantown)

Leviathan Montgomery (Silver Spring)

Going to the Mat (Frederick)

The AT Wire (Cumberland)

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20070422 A Jimi Hendrix guitar

Jimi Hendrix

April 22, 6:21 PM

“A guitar owned by Jimi Hendrix was sold for …”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nayarBrD6mk

jimi hendrix plays piano and violin rare footage 1967

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Bonus video: 20070422 A Jimi Hendrix guitar...

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20070422 A Jimi Hendrix guitar ...

Jimi Hendrix

April 22, 6:21 PM

“A guitar owned by Jimi Hendrix was sold for …”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nayarBrD6mk

jimi hendrix plays piano and violin rare footage 1967

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aUDVpHxw9c

Jimi Hendrix All Along The Watchtower

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20070421 Pandering Hillary

Pandering Hillary

April 23, 2007

Captain’s Quarters has a post that caught my eye in the latest example of “Hillary will say anything” to be president.

The more we learn about the Rutgers team – the more we learn that they are certainly poised and classy. Good for them.

The more we continue to learn about New York Senator Hillary Clinton, the more we learn that she is an empty, unprincipled political hack. What a shame. A little depth and integrity would go a long ways at this point if she is to ever rescue her bid to be president. That is, if her effort can be rescued.

What a world we live in when the likes of an Al Gore running for president for the Democratic ticket is starting to look like a reasonable alternative. At least he knows the ropes. Senator Barack Obama is a clueless neophyte; way out of his element and Hillary seems to have forgotten that she is actually bright and has some depth – if she could ever do something about her perceived character, integrity and the perception that she is a pandering political pariah.

______

Hillary Pandering To The Pimp Culture

http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/009752.php

April 21, 2007

Hillary Clinton takes two shots over her involvement in the degrading language of gangster rap. Last night, the women's basketball team at Rutgers blew off a meeting with their neighboring state's Senator, claiming Imus fatigue and a renewed sense of perspective on victimhood after the Virginia Tech shootings.

This morning, Colbert King blasts Hillary for taking almost a million dollars from a fundraiser hosted by a man who gets rich on lyrics that would make Don Imus blush.

First, the Rutgers team passed on a chance to meet with Hillary and hear her sympathy for their victimhood:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton finally dropped by Rutgers to meet with the school's women's basketball coach -- but the players themselves skipped the half-hour meeting, citing their studies and Imus fatigue.

[…]

King has Hillary pegged. She can't castigate Imus for talking about women in the same language as Timbaland while taking almost a million dollars from the rapper. The fact that she tried to wheedle her way into a meeting with the target of Imus' insult while getting funding from Timbaland makes her the worst kind of hypocrite -- the kind that makes money on the practices she derides.

[…]

UPDATE: Bruce Kesler has further thoughts.

UPDATE II: Adjoran had prior thoughts at Wizbang.

Read the entire post here: Hillary Pandering To The Pimp Culture. The post has more good links and be sure to read the comments. For a refreshing change, many of the comments actually add value to the post as opposed to the usual cringe worthy drivel found in way too many comment sections…

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20070423 Westminster Council Meeting Minutes

Westminster Council Meeting Minutes

City Council

Minutes of City Council Meetings | Agenda for next City Council Meeting

Minutes of City of Westminster Council Meeting

April 23, 2007

QUORUM:

A meeting of The Mayor and Common Council was held in City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, on the evening of April 23, 2007 at 7:00 P.M. Council President Chiavacci; Council Members Albert, Wack, Utz, and Pecoraro; City Administrator Wolf; Acting Director of Planning and Public Works Glass; Chief Spaulding; City Treasurer Unger; City Attorney Walsh; and City Clerk Taylor were present.

On behalf of United Way of Central Maryland, Ms. Linda Knott presented Council President Chiavacci and Ms. Wolf a “Company that Cares” award.

Council President Chiavacci read a Mayoral Proclamation declaring the week of May 6-12, 2007 as Goodwill Industries Week.

MINUTES:

Mrs. Albert moved to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 9, 2007. Mr. Pecoraro seconded and the Motion passed unanimously.

BIDS:

Mr. Glass presented staff’s recommendation that the Common Council accept a proposal from East Coast Liner Co. Inc. to replace the floating cover at the Clear Reservoir for $33,199.83. The funding source is a specific $40,000.00 line item in the current water budget. The existing cover was installed in 1989 and had a 15-20 year life expectancy. The reservoir will be removed from service for approximately two weeks during the installation. Upon Motion of Mr. Pecoraro, seconded by Mr. Utz and unanimously passed, the proposal was accepted.

REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES:

Mr. Pecoraro reported that the intersection of Green and Bond Streets would be closed for work on the West Green Street Project. He advised that the intersection would be posted in advance.

Mr. Pecoraro noted that the Growth and Annexation Committee would hold another meeting in the near future.

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:

Mr. Walsh and Mr. Unger summarized Ordinance No. 764, which would levy municipal taxes for Fiscal Year 2008. Mr. Unger advised that the tax rate would remain the same as that for Fiscal Year 2007. Mrs. Albert moved to introduce the Ordinance. Dr. Wack seconded and the introduction was unanimously approved.

DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS

Chief Spaulding reported that a new officer would being working on April 24, 2007 and that the Department would be fully staffed. He further reported that Cadet Workman is doing well in the Police Academy.

Council President Chiavacci noted that he and the Chief were serving on an ad hoc committee to develop interior and exterior enhancements for the Westminster Branch of the Carroll County Public Library.

Ms. Wolf distributed materials from her recent attendance at the Maryland City/County Management Association spring meeting. She reported that the General Assembly was expected to take up a regional planning initiative in the next session. She also reported that concern exists that the State might change its formula for distributing monies for parks. Finally, Ms. Wolf noted that revenue bills had all been shelved during the last General Assembly session.

Dr. Wack complimented Officer Angela Anderson on her assistance with a matter that resulted in an emergency room visit the preceding Saturday. He requested the Chief to convey his appreciation.

Mr. Schroers reported that his department recently received two awards from the Recreation and Parks Association. Council President Chiavacci asked Mr. Schroers to congratulate his staff on behalf of the Council members.

Mr. Schroers advised that the State had fully funded the Program Open Space for the upcoming fiscal year.

CITIZEN COMMENTS:

City resident Rebekah Orenstein requested that a tree be planted in memory of the husband of Administrative Assistant Marianne Sheehan, Grant, who passed away in March. Ms. Orenstein also expressed concern about a collapsed fence near her house. Ms. Wolf advised that she would look into both matters.

Council President Chiavacci adjourned the meeting at 7:32 P.M.

Laurell E. Taylor

City Clerk

20070423 Carnival of Maryland 5 will be posted later in the day

Carnival of Maryland 5 will be posted later in the day

April 23, 2007

UPDATE on Maryland Blog Carnival

Hosted by members of the Maryland Blogger Alliance.

The Maryland Blogger Alliance (MBA) “Carnival of Maryland 5” will be posted later in the day.

The wheel is still turning but the peripatetic gerbil that powers this blog juggled a few too many balls in the air this past weekend and has “crashed.”

If you have not had a chance to read our previous four Carnivals, please take this opportunity to review some of the best that the Maryland blogosphere has to offer:

Carnival of Maryland #1 - 2/25/2007 was hosted by Bruce Godfrey on “Crablaw Maryland Weekly” on February 25, 2007.

Carnival of Maryland - second edition hosted by Attila of the Pillage Idiot on March 11, 2007.

Carnival of Maryland #3 was hosted by The Ridger on “The Greenbelt” on March 26^th, 2007

Carnival Of Maryland 4 hosted by W. Crodhil on “Politics, Hon,” on April 8^th, 2007.

Meanwhile, if you’re a MD blogger, and you’d like to join the MBA, you can contact the Pillage Idiot’s Attlia at- pillageidiot -at- hotmail -dot- com.

Attila, pictured above with Katie Couric, wrote on March 11, 2007: “The Carnival was the brainchild of members of the Maryland Blogger Alliance (see sidebar). You don't have to be a member to contribute to our Carnival, but we strongly urge you to join if you're a blogger in Maryland. There's really no downside to it. We're an eclectic bunch. We have no political litmus tests for membership, and an increasing number of our members don't focus on politics at all.”

Members of the Maryland Blogger Alliance are:

Pillage Idiot (Rockville)

Soccer Dad (Baltimore)

Maryland Conservatarian (Baltimore)

The Baltimore Reporter (Baltimore)

The Sun Lies (Baltimore Area)

The Not So Free State (Woodlawn)

monoblogue (Salisbury)

Crablaw (Reisterstown)

Kevin Dayhoff (Westminster)

Politics, Hon (Baltimore)

blogger1947 (Gwynn Oak)

Jousting for Justice (Owings Mills)

The Voltage Gate (Frostburg)

Howard County Md. Blog (Ellicott City)

The Hedgehog Report (Columbia)

Rockin' Catoctin (Frederick)

The Pubcrawler (Gaithersburg)

C. Dowd's Blog (Lansdowne)

Oriole Post (Silver Spring)

Escape from Pianosa (Baltimore)

Maryland Politics Today (Laurel)

The Greenbelt (Laurel)

Snail's Tales (Germantown)

Leviathan Montgomery (Silver Spring)

Going to the Mat (Frederick)

The AT Wire (Cumberland)

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20070417 A CC grand jury has indicted six Bowling Brook employees

A Carroll County grand jury has indicted six Bowling Brook Preparatory School employees

April 17, 2007 – Posted April 22, 2007

Bowling Brook Preparatory School administrator, Brian Hayden released a statement after the grand jury’s decision was announced. Please see it pasted below.

For additional information about the Bowling Brook matter please refer to:

"The high cost of twin tragedies at Bowling Brook" March 14, 2007 Westminster Eagle column

Bowling Brook Preparatory School web site

Bowling Brook: A Sad Tale The Tentacle March 13, 2007

“Community Rallies behind Bowling Brook” Westminster Eagle Winchester Report March 13, 2007

“Soundtrack” blog posts and information about support for Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy, Keymar, Carroll County MD.

Ari Natter, writing for the Carroll County Times and Greg Garland, writing for the Baltimore Sun, both have articles about the Carroll County grand jury bring charges of “reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine,” (Six Bowling Brook employees indicted.)

“Those indicted, all of whom (Carroll County State's Attorney Jerry F.) Barnes said took part in restraining (Isaiah) Simmons, were Michael Paul Corradi, 31, of Middletown, Pa.; Jason Willie Robinson, 25, of Westminster; Mark Richard Sainato, 36, of Keymar; Brian Gerard Kanavy, 31, of Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Dennis Harding, 31, of Baltimore; and Shadi Sabbagh, 33, of Keyma,” (6 indicted in death at Bowling Brook.)

Neither paper uses permalinks – so if you are accessing this post at a later date and the links are dead, e-mail me at kevindayhoff AT gmail DOT com and I will update the post…

Time has not been my friend this week, however, I am writing an update to the Bowling Brook matter as both articles, albeit good articles, are lacking in a few details that are critical for the reader to comprehensively understand the Bowling Brook issues. I will be building upon two previous pieces: Bowling Brook: A Sad Tale The Tentacle March 13, 2007 and “Community Rallies behind Bowling Brook” Westminster Eagle Winchester Report March 13, 2007

There continue to be too many logical flaws – too many questions - as to why the storied institution was closed…

But first, for balance – read the commentary on the web site, “Chronicles of Dissent:” “Another needless and tragic death from prone restraint” “20070324 More questions than answers persist about Bowling Brook”

Statement by Bowling Brook Preparatory School Regarding Completion of Grand Jury Proceedings in the Death of Isaiah Simmons

Keymar, MD - April 17, 2007 - The Office of the Carroll County State's Attorney has announced completion of the grand jury proceedings investigating the death of Isaiah Simmons. The entire Bowling Brook community continues to grieve over the loss of Isaiah, and we are disappointed to learn that our former employees will face criminal charges following this unfortunate and tragic loss. Bowling Brook maintains that this incident was unintentional and that these gentlemen have always had the utmost concern for the well being of all of our students without exception throughout their employment.

Bowling Brook administrator Brian Hayden offered the following, "All Bowling Brook team members have always kept the health and welfare of our students at the forefront of our mission to challenge young men to change their behaviors and lead positive and productive lives, and these gentlemen are no exception."

Hayden added, "Hopefully, the truth will bear out through the criminal proceedings and these gentlemen will be found innocent of all charges. We remain in full support and our prayers will be with them and their families throughout the difficult time ahead."

During the past 50 years, Bowling Brook, a nonprofit organization, has achieved an exemplary record of success while serving young men.

Specifically:

79% of students earned their high school diploma while attending Bowling Brook.

In 2006, 159 (89%) of Bowling Brook students successfully graduated from our school. Of these graduates, 49% were accepted to college or technical school, 35% were employed, and 16% transitioned to community-based educational and apprenticeship programs.

In 2006, Bowling Brook students performed over 40,000 hours of

community service across Maryland and 63 students earned Presidential Gold Service Awards for completing over 250 hours of community service.

Bowling Brook closed its doors in early March of this year, but the nonprofit's board of directors and management team remain committed to continuing to fulfill the school's mission in the future. As its path into the future is developed and implemented, the school will update all of its graduates, former employees, and the enormous contingent of supportive community members on its plans.

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20070422 Media Smackdown

Media Smackdown

April 22nd, 2007

As last week’s horrific events unfolded at Virginia Tech I became quickly exhausted with the media coverage. Yeah, like many I continued to read a few columnists but even that got tiresome and cringe worthy.

Towards the end of the week I became more interested in the commentary on the media coverage – or the criticism of the media, to be more exact.

Just when I thought it was safe to open a newspaper and not be assaulted by yet another banal out-of-context analysis of the tragedy - - along comes Michelle Jefferson’s “Gun laws aren't the answer,” in the Carroll County Times on Friday, April 20, 2007.

I’ve always been a 2nd Amendment advocate in the face of unwarranted intrusions by big government. But right now is not the time to start gazing at your navel and talking about gun control – for it or against it.

A responsible discussion on the part of today’s society as to what is the most responsible approach to the possession of a firearm is appropriate and I defend the right of those who are 2nd Amendment advocates to promote their position as much as I defend the right of those who advocate strict gun control.

But I’ve winced as the usual liberal suspects have started running off at the mouth about whether or not the tragedy would have occurred if it had not been for “this” or “that.” But the Left's drivel ad nauseum can easily be dismissed as the answer of background noise to a question the likes of which has never been determined.

However, as the week drew to a close, perhaps it was this op-ed from a conservative voice that really pushed me over the edge of disgust with the pundit’s coverage of the tragedy: Gun laws aren't the answer:

[…]

There was a moment at Virginia Tech when this kid had to reload. That would have been more than enough time for a professor to shoot back. Or if the professor who had the courage to hold the door to allow his students to escape would have had the same courage to shoot instead of holding the door, he and his students might still be alive.

[…]

You can read the rest of her column here: “Gun laws aren't the answer.”

That is – unless, you too are tired of the media pandering and coverage … Whatever.

The thought of most college professors possessing a sidearm in the classroom is something only Monte Python could do justice. Heckfire, I’m reluctant to give many liberal professors a piece of chalk much less a deadly weapon.

Why anyone would want to trivialize the tragedy at Virginia Tech by taking the opportunity to promote a political agenda is beyond comprehension.

Right now I have no time for folks who wish to ride their favorite political hobbyhorse on the back of what is otherwise an enormous human tragedy.

What we need right now is the steady glow of a prudent and human response and not a series of blinking lights.

Getting back to what initially set me off… was NBC’s sensationalization – if not romanticisation of the killer and the coverage of Fox News...

Of all the mainstream media; as much as I was flabbergasted at NBC utilizing the event to prop up their flagging ratings by sensationalizing the killer’s “multi-media manifesto” mailed to the network – I turned off Fox News quickly as the speculation, hyperbole, and sensationalization quickly reached unbearable levels.

Read: Backlash Leads to Pullback on Cho Video by AP television writer David Bauder. Or - The Media, The Killer & The Video by Washington Post Staff Writer Howard Kurtz – dated April 20th, 2007.

Also read Editor and Publisher’s take on the media coverage published on April 19th, 2007: “Flak Over Killer's Video Spilling Onto Newspaper Pages Too.”

By the time I read Michelle Jefferson’s op-ed piece in the Carroll County Times the other day – I just wanted to scream.

I turned off the salacious, hyped-up major news media coverage of the tragedy at Virginia Tech several days after the event - after I learned the identity and some of the background of the person who perpetrated the heinous crime.

I was extremely impressed to see the Virginia Tech community come together with class and dignity after the main stream media wanted to start pointing fingers and cause additional trouble by playing armchair critic of the folks who actually lived the nightmare and responded the best way they could.

When college students start defending a college president and the campus chief of police and tell the media to go away, ya know for sure, the media has crossed the line.

Read: Virginia Tech Students Return to Campus :

[…]

Students say they welcome the outpouring of support they have received, but they have grown noticeably weary of the news media. The Student Government Association asked reporters to leave by the start of classes Monday.

[…]

Students interviewed by The Associated Press on campus in recent days say they and everyone they know intends to return.

``This is the best school around,'' said Steven Mason, a senior from Appomattox. ``As far I'm concerned, they did everything they could.''

Said Cheryl Gambardella, Brittany Gambardella's mother, as she helped her daughter unload the car: ``We love this school. You always have concerns, but not because it's Virginia Tech. It could happen in a shopping mall.''

Read the entire article here: Virginia Tech Students Return to Campus

The job of our nation is support the greater Virginia Tech community if help is asked for and the job of the media is to stop harassing the college students and the university.

And don’t lecture me about the rights of the free press. With those rights comes a collective higher moral and philosophical responsibility. And if the media cannot live up to their responsibilities - that we can exercise our rights and responsibilities and turn the channel and not read the paper of those institutions that want to continue making a spectacle of a horrific human tragedy.

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20070421 News from the Middle East

News from Task Force Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot 15 - 21 APRIL 2007 WEEK 41

“CSM Beyard presents CSM Boles of the 401st AFSB with a framed certificate…”

April 22, 2007

“Right, from left: CSM Beyard presents CSM Boles of the 401st AFSB with a framed certificate, a TF AVCRAD coffee mug and a TF AVCRAD challenge coin in appreciation for his work in ensuring that all TF AVCRAD Soldiers who were detailed to assist his unit with various missions were well cared for, properly equipped and supervised and treated professionally. COL Gowen echoes his thanks as well.”

For other posts about CSM Beyard, click here: T. B. Beyard

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0

20070422 Baltimore Premiere of “Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater” at the Charles

Cinema Sundays Spring 2007 Series 39 at the Charles Theatre

Baltimore Premiere of “Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater”

Sunday, April 22, 2007

The other day I called Jonathan Palevsky at the Charles Theatre ever so slightly too late…

He had called and left a message asking me to be the presenter this Sunday for the “Baltimore Premiere of Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater. Directed by Julie Anderson. Starring Barry Goldwater, James Carville, Walter Cronkite, John Dean, John McCain, the Goldwater Family, and almost every other figure who was ever involved in American politics.”

I would have loved to do it as I have done a great deal of research on the incredible career of Barry Goldwater.

Nevertheless, the person who called Mr. Palevsky back before I did is probably much more eminently qualified to speak on the topic of Senator Goldwater – Barry Rascovar, the pre-eminent Gazette columnist.

Mr. Rascovar, retired from the Baltimore Sun in August 2001 in one the many awkward decisions made by the paper since it was purchased by Tribune a number of years ago. Moves which many of us feel has caused the paper to shift precipitously to the left as nowadays, the paper is often considered to be the unofficial web site for the liberal point of view and the Maryland Democratic Party…

But I guess that matter is well beyond the scope of this post. And, after-all, it all worked out as Mr. Rascovar was quickly picked up by Gazette…

Meanwhile, Mr. Palevsky e-mailed me the following information…

Cinema Sundays at the Charles Continues its 39th series on April 22nd with the Baltimore Premiere of Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater. Directed by Julie Anderson. Starring Barry Goldwater, James Carville, Walter Cronkite, John Dean, John McCain, the Goldwater Family, and almost every other figure who was ever involved in American politics.

2007 USA Rated R for Republican. 90 minutes.

Synopsis

Barry M. Goldwater, rose from being a local businessman in Arizona (which was not yet a state when he was born) to become a hugely influential U.S. Senator whose 30-year career reached a crescendo with his ill-fated run for President in 1964.

The film follows that tumultuous year, as well as others in a career that encompassed numerous political and ideological triumphs. Though he never achieved the ultimate prize, the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 vindicated the conservative agenda Goldwater had long championed.

Ironically, in later years, Goldwater's support of issues like abortion and gay rights were diametrically opposed to those of the "new conservative" leadership, underscoring both the distance the country has traveled in the last 40 years, as well as the dogged independence Goldwater embodied up to his death in 1998.

At the height of his power, Goldwater was the symbol of conservatism, denouncing Liberals and Communists while advocating limited government, free enterprise, separation of church and state, and a strong defense.

But because of his unequivocal opinions, Goldwater was vulnerable to attacks that labeled him pro-war and anti-Civil Rights. Those perceptions, coupled with JFK's death a year before the election, undermined Goldwater's presidential hopes, though he remained a strong and influential Senate voice for 23 more years.

In addition to detailing Goldwater's rise in politics, Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater includes a myriad of anecdotes and insights about Goldwater's private and public life. Identified as much with his home state of Arizona as JFK was with Massachusetts, Goldwater was, according to George Will, "not just from Arizona .... he looked like Arizona."

In an era when JFK became the first Catholic ever to be elected President, Goldwater was in fact half Jewish. Remembers Robert MacNeil, "He often told the story about being born of a Jewish father and an Episcopalian mother. He would say things like, 'I went to a golf club where they wouldn't let Jews play, and I said, "I'm only half Jewish. Can I play nine holes?'"

Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater includes interviews with Senators Edward Kennedy, Hillary Rodham Clinton (a onetime "Goldwater Girl") and John McCain (who succeeded Goldwater in Arizona); former TV anchorman Walter Cronkite; humorist Al Franken; TV correspondent Robert MacNeil; former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee; author George Will; 60 Minutes' And y Rooney; CBS News' Bob Schieffer; White House reporter Helen Thomas; political consultant James Carville; former White House Counsel John Dean; Goldwater's brother, Bob; sons Barry, Jr. (a onetime House Representative from California) and Michael; daughters Joanne and Peggy; and others.

Click here for official site and trailer!

http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/mrconservative/index.html

Ladies and gentlemen. I promised you a documentary and by gosh we have one. I was hoping to book The Romance of the 7 Tractor Drivers…a seven hour epic about life on the collective farm but sadly the 14mm print wasn’t available from Belarus films. Instead we have what should be a fascinating look at one of the most interesting and enduring figures of American political life.

Our speaker for this week is Barry Rascovar who writes for The Gazette, is featured on WYPR’s Inside Maryland Politics and is also a political commentator for WBAL TV. His own persona l take on Barry Goldwater should prove most interesting.

I want to thank our speaker from last week Joseph Schaub for his work on Fracture, I know we all appreciated his insights.

I am so looking forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Jonathan Palevsky Jpalevsky AT aol.com

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If you’ve never been to Cinema Sundays before, see below for our stimulating yet official description.

So what exactly happens at Cinema Sundays…Well, Here’s everything you’ve always wanted to know about Cinema Sundays but were afraid to ask.

Doors open at 9:45 There’s hot coffee, fresh bagels, (including my favorite the crunchy sunflower) and a discreetly hidden penguin in the post modernist ecologically vegan friendly industrial lobby of the Charles. Moderate bagel consumption takes place until 10:30 (after which we adjourn to the Dada era screening room for some introductory remarks by the host and the guest speaker. After the movie is screened (completely devoid of rude people talking during th e film or using their cell phones) the post screening discussion, will be moderated by the guest speaker, with Jonathan and Jerry on the mics fielding questions from YOU, the audience.

Please feel free to visit us at… Http://www.cinemasundays.com

Tickets: $15 at the door.

Or buy a mini-membership.

1711 N. Charles St.

410-727-3464

info: Karen AT cinemasundays.com

20070417 Woodbine farmer caters to horse farms

Woodbine farmer caters to horse farms

Carrie Ann Knauer, the Dean of the Carroll County Times’ newsroom is pictured above on March 14th, 2007, at her desk at the Carroll County Times. She has been writing for the newspaper since February 2002. She received her BA in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park, in December 2001. She has made her home in Westminster and may very well be the longest serving Times reporter at this point. (c) Picture by Kevin Dayhoff 03/14/2007 www.kevindayhoff.net

Woodbine farmer caters to horse farm by Carroll County Times writer Carrie Knauer.

Posted April 21, 2007

I was tickled to be roaming through the Examiner and coming across a piece by Carrie Knauer, who writes for the Carroll County Times; that had been picked up by the Associated Press and published by the Examiner.

Woodbine farmer caters to horse farms

Apr 17, 2007 2:27 PM By CARRIE ANN KNAUER, AP

WOODBINE, Md.

When John Paul Harrison's grandfather, John Stanley Harrison, ran the family farm, he was managing 3,000 acres and had eight to 10 employees.

But John Paul, 32, is a one-man farming operation, renting 100 acres from his grandmother now that his grandfather is deceased, and renting another 300 acres between Md. 27 and Md. 97 in South Carroll.

Specializing in hay and custom farming for about a dozen horse farms, John Paul carries on the family tradition of farming, but in a new way.

John Paul grew up on the family farm and started with farm chores while still in elementary school. He grew up in 4-H and showed pigs and cattle at the fair, as well as hay and grain.

[…]

And all the while he's hauling truckloads of hay to his customers in Carroll, Frederick and Howard counties as they need it. While residential development may make large scale farming operations more difficult, many of the homes built in South Carroll are on lots big enough for families to have a few horses, sheep, goats or alpacas, making his hay, straw and wood shaving delivery business even more in demand, John Paul said.

"Around here you don't have a hard time selling hay," he said. "I could raise more if I wanted to, probably. This is the emptiest my "hay building has been in years."

The price of hay is controlled by supply and demand, John Paul said, and right now he's averaging $5 a bale. The lowest he'll go is $2.50 for rough hay, and there have been times when he's sold his best stuff for $8 a bale.

Most of his customers have found him through the county department of economic development's agricultural Web site, http://www.carrollag.org, John Paul said. The Web page has particularly helped him find people looking for someone to do custom farming for them - usually people with several acres of land and a few horses that don't have the equipment to make hay themselves.

Read the entire article here: Woodbine farmer caters to horse farm

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20070421 New Taliban Video Shows Young Boy Beheading 'American Spy'

New Taliban Video Shows Young Boy Beheading 'American Spy'

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,267654,00.html

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Chilling Images and not just images of Senator Harry Reid declaring defeat…

New Taliban video shows 12-year-old boy beheading 'an American spy'

KILI FAQIRAN, Pakistan — The boy with the knife looks barely 12. In a high-pitched voice, he denounces the bound, blindfolded man before him as an American spy. Then he hacks off the captive's head to cries of "God is great!" and hoists it in triumph by the hair.

A video circulating in Pakistan records the grisly death of Ghulam Nabi, a Pakistani militant accused of betraying a top Taliban official who was killed in a December airstrike in Afghanistan.

[…]

Read the rest here: New Taliban Video Shows Young Boy Beheading 'American Spy' - - if ya wanna get an idea as to what it is that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants to surrender… More here.

Harry Reid: the war is lost…

“The war in Iraq "is lost" and a US troop surge is failing to bring peace to the country, the leader of the Democratic majority in the US Congress, Harry Reid, said Thursday.

"I believe ... that this war is lost, and this surge is not accomplishing anything, as is shown by the extreme violence in Iraq this week," Reid told journalists.

The “Harry Reid surrender speech” can be found heard here … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYZEGot-xU4

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20070420 FNC’s Wallace’s Bulldog Style of Interviewing

“Let’s look at the record.”

April 20, 2007

Hat tip: TVNewser

The Virginian Pilot has a piece up on the Sunday morning news “talking heads” programs…

TVNewser says…

"Wallace's bulldog style of interviewing should make his father, Mike Wallace, proud. At times, he'll plunge into an interview by saying, 'Let's look at the record.'”

[…]

Also: TV Guide has a Q&A with Wallace...

______

Sunday morning brew

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=123246&ran=135848

Also take time to review an good synopsis of The Sunday morning news lineup

By LARRY BONKO, The Virginian-Pilot

© April 22, 2007

What's Sunday morning like in your house?

A lazy day of sleeping late, devouring the Sunday paper, munching on toast and sipping coffee, followed by "Meet the Press" on NBC at 9, followed by "Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace" on Fox at 10, followed by "Face the Nation" on CBS at 10:30, followed by "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" at 11:30 on ABC?

If you watch these four shows on a regular basis, you are a certified news and public affairs junkie.

Chris Wallace loves you for it.

He's been at the helm of "Fox News Sunday" since 2003. The program celebrated its 11th anniversary last Sunday, and Wallace talked about how the cable upstart has become a force.

"Fox News Sunday" preceded the start-up of the Fox News Channel by seven months in 1996.

[…]

Who could forget…

Clinton wagged his finger in Wallace's face as he scolded him. He poked at the notes that Wallace held.

"I got the full Clinton treatment," said Wallace.

[…]

Clinton supporters called it a conservative hit job.

Wallace left ABC News after 15 years to join Fox News four years ago. ABC was prepared to extend his contract by three years when he left for Fox.

"I'd love to say that I helped build Fox News and the Fox News Channel into what it is today, but by the time I made the switch, Fox was No. 1 in cable news. As I looked across the television landscape, I saw that Fox News was still growing and expanding. I came to the conclusion that its best days were still ahead."

In the coming months Wallace and his "power panelists" on "Fox News Sunday" - including Brit Hume, Fox News Washington, D.C., bureau managing editor; William Kristol of The Weekly Standard; and Mara Liasson of National Public Radio - will spend much time discussing the run for the White House in 2008, which is well under way.

[…]

Read the entire piece… It is well worth the time. You can find it here: Sunday morning brew.

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20070420 Beach Boy McCain Tells Critics to Get a Life Over His Joke

John McCain Tells Critics to 'Get a Life' Over His Joke About Bombing Iran

April 20th, 2007

The only thing that makes me sad about this is that MoveOn doesn’t spend much more.

My favorite YouTube version has the embedding feature disabled…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6eVMkd9GHQ

John McCain bomb bomb Iran song beach boys style

WASHINGTON — Republican White House hopeful John McCain fired back at critics to "lighten up and get a life" for his joke about bombing Iran.

The liberal group MoveOn.org announced plans on Friday to launch an ad campaign against McCain because America "can't afford another reckless president."

McCain's campaign responded quickly to MoveOn.org's criticism.

“It comes as no surprise that America’s most liberal interest group would attack John McCain’s belief that we cannot allow Iran to destroy Israel,” said spokesman Matt David.

“After all, MoveOn.org posted ads comparing President Bush to Hitler during the last presidential election.”

[…]

"Please, I was talking to some of my old veteran friends," McCain said. "My response is, 'lighten up and get a life.'"

The group plans to spend about $100,000 to air a commercial on network and some cable television stations in Iowa and New Hampshire, states that hold early contests in the presidential nomination process, spokesman Alex Howe said Friday.

[…]

Read the rest of the article here: John McCain Tells Critics to 'Get a Life' Over His Joke About Bombing Iran

… and consider getting in touch with MoveOn and encourage the august organization to up the ante. The more MoveON campaigns for Senator McCain – the better.

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