20070906 News Clips

News Clips

Sept. 6, 2007

STATE NEWS

House to look for solutions to $1.5 billion budget shortfall

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.busch06sep06,0,1681219.story

House Speaker Michael E. Busch says leaders in his chamber will hold briefings over the fall on tax proposals and slot machine gambling in an effort to find solutions to Maryland's projected $1.5 billion budget shortfall. The Anne Arundel County Democrat said he remains opposed to handling the budget problems in a special session, which Gov. Martin O'Malley and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller support. He said he is opposed to legalizing slots but will listen to the O'Malley administration's proposals on the issue.

O'Malley legal counsel to be insurance chief

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.tyler06sep06,0,4555628.story

Gov. Martin O'Malley plans to make one of his closest advisers the new insurance commissioner, a job that could play an integral role in efforts to expand health insurance coverage and maintain the availability of property coverage in risky coastal zones. O'Malley will appoint Ralph S. Tyler III, a former Baltimore City solicitor who is now the governor's legal counsel, officials said.

Del. Warren E. Miller, a Howard County Republican, said that if the commissioner sides too heavily with consumers, insurance companies will stop writing policies in the state. "I hope we don't go back to the days where the regulator was wanting something for free," Miller said. "You have to be fair and balanced."

Rare mosquito-borne virus found on Shore

Risk to humans low because insects feed mostly on birds, official says

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal-mosquito0905,0,4820979.story

A rare mosquito-borne virus that infects birds, horses and humans has been found in an Eastern Shore swamp, its first appearance in Maryland in four years, state agriculture officials say. Risk of the virus remains low for humans and horses because the infected mosquito species, Culiseta melanura, feeds primarily on birds. Reported cases are extremely rare. There have been 250 cases nationwide since 1964, and only four since then in Maryland, according to the CDC.

Blacks in suburbs failing Md. exams

Poor results at some high schools called surprising

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-te.md.tests06sep06,0,6220406.story?page=1&coll=bal_tab02_layout

When Maryland's top school officer proposed that the state back away from its tough high school testing program last week, one reason might have been the troubling performance of some suburban schools. An alarming pattern of failure is surfacing: Minority students, especially African-Americans, are struggling to pass the exams in the suburban classrooms their families had hoped would provide a better education.

"It's inexcusable," said Ella White Campbell, a retired city educator and executive director of the Liberty Road Community Council. "You can't say it's income that's the problem. And education levels are very high. ... The disconnect is in the fact that you have an educated community that has not realiz ed kids are not getting the basics."

"It is shocking, in the sense that these children should be achieving at a higher level," said Jack Jennings, president of the Center on Education Policy, an organization that has studied high-stakes testing across the nation.

But after several years of enforcing tests for graduation, Jennings said, high percentages of students are usually passing. The question, he said, is whether Grasmick and the state board can muster enough legislative support to keep the standard intact. "Now you can see the motivation," he said, for Maryland School Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick to propose that students who repeatedly fail tests have an opportunity do a senior project instead. The State Board of Education will consider the plan next month.

Electronic message signs bill wallows in debate despite no adoption in sight

http://www.examiner.com/a-919067~Electronic_message_signs_bill_wallows_in_debate_despite_no_adoption_in_sight.html

Anne Arundel County Councilman Jamie Benoit knew his signs bill would not get any love. He didn't get support from the county administration, and 11 of the 12 people who testified at Tuesday's council meeting opposed the bill.The bill did get the most attention of any bill, as council members devoted more than an hour to debating a bill that many knew wouldn't pass.

Benoit cited safety issues, claiming the signs are a big distraction for drivers. Cohen said he sponsored the bill mainly for the aesthetic issue, saying the electronic signs damage the county's image. The new law could create an "enforcement nightmare" and overburden county employees, said Alan Friedman, director of governmental affairs for County Executive John R. Leopold.

Solar water heating system affordable with tax credits

http://www.examiner.com/a-919057~Solar_water_heating_system_affordable_with_tax_credits.html

Energy-efficient home improvements can have long- and short-term cost effects for Marylanders. There are federal, state and, in some cases, local tax credits available to people who pay for energy-saving home improvements, said Bob Cassel, director of tax services for Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisers. "I'm not sure how many people are aware of these credits," Cassel said. "They get to upgrade their home at a low cost and those changes are saving them money in the long run."

Through the state's Solar Energy Grant Program, which went into effect in January 2005, the Maryland Energy Administratio n issues grants to residents who choose solar water heating for their home. Homeowners may receive back 20 percent of a system's cost or a maximum grant of $2,000.

Miller urges special session

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20070906/METRO/109060057/1004

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. is telling chamber leaders to prepare for a special General Assembly session by next month to resolve a state budget crisis, charging ahead with plans regardless of House leadership opposition and further widening the rift between the state's "Two Mikes."

Mr. Miller, Southern Maryland Democrat, has told Senate budget committee members that they will meet through the month to prepare for a special session at the end of October, said Senate Minority Leader David R. Brinkley, a Frederick Republican on the chamber's Budget and Taxation Committee. "What Miller is doing is trying to cast light on the indecisiveness," Mr. Brinkley said yesterday. "He wants to see some movement one way or the other."

The Choice of the Maryland GOP: Ron Paul

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2007/09/the_choice_of_the_maryland_gop.html?nav=rss_blog

A curious thing happened this year at the Maryland Republican Party booth at the State Fair: A GOP presidential straw poll was won by Ron Paul, the idiosyncratic congressman from Texas who is a fierce critic of the Iraq war.

All told, nearly 1,000 people cast ballots in the Maryland GOP's first-ever presidential straw poll at the Fair. The party said the straw poll was open everyone of voting age, regardless of party affiliation, who stopped by the GOP booth.

"The final vote showing Ron Paul won is a lesson for all campaigns of how grassroots politics can make all the difference," said Chris Cavey, first vice chairman of the Maryland Republican Party and co-chairman of the party's State Fair Planning Committee. "The Paul campaign repeatedly e-mailed their base of support to turn out at the State Fair to cast a vote for Dr. Paul, and in doing so, demonstrated that a small organized operation can beat the odds."

County Schools Face Test of the State's Making

Even as Class of 2009 Posts Strong Results, Exit Exams Have Yet to Achieve a Passing Grade

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090501133.html

Montgomery County's Class of 2009 has attained pass rates near 90 percent on each of the High School Assessment exams that all students must take to graduate.

But while the pass rates are relatively high on each of the biology, English, algebra and government exams, officials don't yet know how many students have passed all four tests. Tension is mounting across the state over the exams, which place Maryland among a growing number of states -- about half -- that require students to demonstrate basic skills in return for a diploma.

Education leaders say they support the notion of an exit exam but feel Maryland's test could rob worthy students of a chance to graduate if, for example, they lack adequate English skills.

To allay such fears, state Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick last week proposed an alternate route to a diploma for students who fail exit exams but still want diplomas: a portfolio of academic projects that demonstrate mastery of the subject.

More county students taking SAT, but scores decline
School officials applaud increase, say improved curriculum will raise scores

http://www.gazette.net/stories/090607/prinnew150913_32361.shtml
The number of Prince George's County students taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test, a college entrance exam, has increased, however, overall test scores declined this year. involve more children in taking the test," said Owen Johnson, chairman of the county school board. ''It just indicates that we're doing what we need to do to prepare those kids for college. That means that people are paying attention to it ... and that's great news for us." County school officials said the lower scores could be attributed in part to the increase in test takers, including those who would not have considered taking the SAT in previous years but were encouraged by teachers and administrators.

Frederick commissioner wants county to lead legal challenge
Jenkins' proposal challenges 1982 decision that public schools must educate illegal immigrants

http://www.gazette.net/stories/090607/carrnew63425_32356.shtml

Frederick County Commissioner Charles A. Jenkins said Tuesday that he wants the county to lead the way in a legal challenge to a 1982 Supreme Court decision that forces schools to enroll illegal immigrants. In order for parents to enroll their children in Frederick County Public Schools, they must prove residency in the county, their child's date of birth, and vaccinations.

Jenkins (R) is proposing legislation that would require all agencies that receive county money - which includes schools - to verify that the people they help are in America legally, before the funding is provided. Jenkins believe s the federal government has failed to protect the U.S. border, and he wants to submit a bill to the Maryland General Assembly that would set up a challenge to the Supreme Court's 1982 decision.

State Horse Park Is Up for Discussion in Howard

Site Could Generate $9 Million in Tax Revenue, Study Estimates

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090500153.html

Howard County officials might consider whether they want to pursue a state horse park that encountered local opposition in neighboring Anne Arundel County.

County Council member Greg Fox (R-Western County) was scheduled to introduce legislation this week that would create a task force to study whether the county should proceed with a state facility sought after for several years by Maryland equine enthusiasts.

A state feasibility study last year estimated that spending by horse park visitors could total more than $122 million and generate more than $9 million annually in state and local tax revenue.

EDITORIALS/OP-EDS

Close that loophole

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.taxes06sep06,0,2475514.story

The average taxpayer should be fuming over the recent legislative audit of the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. Not because of the various oversights or recordkeeping problems the auditors uncovered. Those are correctable. Not so the legal loophole that has allowed owners of multimillion-dollar commercial properties to dodge taxes that the rest of us routinely pay. And the problem is getting worse.

Gov. Martin O'Malley says he wants to close the loophole, and the House of Delegates has voted to do so in the past. The chief obstacle is the state Senate, where members seem to prefer racetrack owners to homeowners. It's time those who own the state's most valuable commercial properties paid their fair share. Before the legislature raises any taxes or fees to close the state's projected $1.5 billion deficit, it should make sure the existing ones are being applied equitably.

We're wealthiest on the backs of others

http://www.examiner.com/a-916855~Editorial__We_re_wealthiest_on_the_backs_of_others.html

Maryland edged New Jersey to win the wealthiest state in the country label according to recent U.S. Census statistics.

Many economic development officials gushed about the result - showing the state's median income reaching $65,1 44 in 2006 - saying it signified the strength of Maryland's economy and the quality of its work force.

But the reason Maryland holds that position is in large part because it siphons tax dollars from other parts of the country in the form of high paying federal government jobs and positions created by federal government contracts. That is not a stable foundation on which to build a strong economy long term.

NATIONAL NEWS

House votes to rename I-395 in Ripken's honor

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.ripken06sep06,0,7771229.story

On the 12th anniversary of Cal Ripken Jr.'s record-tying 2,130th consecutive game, the House of Representatives voted yesterday to rename a section of Interstate 395 after the former Orioles star.

"He inspired the people of Baltimore every season with his quiet and unassuming dedication to his work and continues to do so in retirement through numerous charitable works and his youth baseball foundation," said Rep. John Sarbanes, a Baltimore County Democrat who sponsored the measure.

The rest of Maryland's House delegation co-sponsored the bill, as did Reps. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania and Joe L. Barton of Texas, managers, respectively, of the Democratic and Republican congressional baseball teams.

Bartlett's suit against county sent back to district court

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=64691\

An appeals court overturned a U.S. District Court judge's dismissal of a lawsuit brought against Frederick County by a developer and Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-6th, and his wife.

The lawsuit accuses the county of breach of contract by denying a public water and sewer request for a proposed nursing home and retirement community on the Bartlett's Buckeystown property. The suit will be sent back to district court in Baltimore.

####

20070906 Tributes continue for Coach Jack Molesworth

Tributes continue for Coach Jack Molesworth

September 6^th, 2007

I was delighted to receive an e-mail earlier today from Coach Jack Molesworth’s son, John Molesworth.

Mr. Molesworth called to my attention that the Baltimore Sun had a write-up about Coach Molesworth in the Wednesday, September 5, 2007 edition of the paper. And that “Paul Gordon is writing a piece in next week's Frederick Gazette.” We’ll look forward to Mr. Gordon’s story…

I played football for Westminster High School from 1968 to 1971 and would attend an occasional then-Western Maryland College football game during Coach Molesworth’s tenure there. Although I only knew him well enough to exchange hellos, I was always impressed with the high regard for which he was held in the community.

Fortunately there are many folks in central Maryland who have worked hard and touched many lives. However Coach Molesworth was one of those rare individuals who leave an enduring legacy preparing many young men and women for a future of accomplishment.

Meanwhile, if you are not familiar with the life’s work of Coach Molesworth, be sure to read Fred Rasmussen’s piece in the Baltimore Sun.

I have been a fan of Mr. Rasmussen’s stellar writing for many years and he comprehensively captured the essence of this amazing individual. But then again, we would’ve expected nothing less from Mr. Rasmussen.

The story can be found here:

John Molesworth

[ Age 80 ] Former director of Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association also coached college football.

By Frederick N. Rasmussen | Sun reporter, September 5, 2007

John E. "Jack" Molesworth, former executive director of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association and a Western Maryland College football coach, died Friday at Frederick Memorial Hospital of complications from a fall. He was 80.

[…]

In 1948, Mr. Molesworth enrolled at Western Maryland College, where he played center for the Green Terrors football team and boxed.

"He was tall and lanky and always played with a lot of heart. He was also a member of our 1951 undefeated football team," said Victor J. Makovitch, a teammate who became a Carroll County school principal.

"He also ran a successful college catering business with Leroy Merritt, his roommate," said his college sweetheart and wife of 55 years, the former Nancy Walker, a retired Frederick County teacher. "They cooked and delivered hot dogs to students in the dorms."

After earning a bachelor's degree in history in 1952, Mr. Molesworth was a teacher and assistant football coach at Mount Airy High School, St. Paul's School and Westminster High School…

From 1957 to 1966, he was head coach and director of athletics at Frederick High School and worked in a similar capacity at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School from 1966 to 1971. In 1971, he was appointed vice principal of Westminster High School, which opened that year…

[…]

"He was the consummate professional," said Sam Case, a retired Western Maryland provost. "He believed in the educational process and always put his kids and players first. In his coaching, he always exhibited the highest ideals in integrity and sportsmanship."

Rick Carpenter, a sports psychologist and a former athletic director, described Mr. Molesworth as a "role model for the men he coached. He was the type of coach every parent would want their son to play for."

Read the entire article here: John Molesworth

Also, be sure to read: “Molesworth had impact on sports by Stan Goldberg”

Originally published September 03, 2007, By Stan Goldberg Fredrick News Post Sports Editor

FEW PEOPLE HAVE had as great an impact on Maryland high school sports than Frederick County's Jack Molesworth, who died on Friday at the age of 80. People in the county who knew him mainly think of Molesworth as the head football coach at Frederick and then Thomas Johnson high schools. But it was his work with state high school sports in the 1970s that may well be his greatest legacy.

Read Mr. Goldberg’s entire piece here: m“Molesworth had impact on sports by Stan Goldberg”

Another good read is that penned by my Tentacle editor, John Ashbury on September 6^th, 2007: “R.I.P. Jack Molesworth”

William Shakespeare once wrote "The evil that men do lives after them, / The good is oft interred with their bones." That won't be the case with Jack Molesworth.

When he passed away last week from complications from a fall in which he broke his neck, the outpouring of affections was nearly overwhelming. But that came from friends and relatives who knew him best.

[…]

For generations of young men and women, his legacy will remain with them for the rest of their lives. For thousands who never met him, his accomplishments in training those who were struggling to reach adulthood will remain a quiet heritage. He helped shape their lives in ways foreign to most of them. But it worked wonders.

The news of his passing was followed by newspaper articles and commentaries which - for the most part - listed the facts of his life, but failed to provide the flavor of this man who dedicated his long life to the betterment of the society into which he was born.

Read the rest here: “R.I.P. Jack Molesworth”

Indeed.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

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

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com and Winchester Report.

20070906 Jack Molesworth passed away August 31 2007

Jack Molesworth passed away August 31 2007

Mr. John Molesworth

September 6^th, 2007

As originally published, in its entirety on Sunday, September 2, 2007 in the Frederick New-Post.

John E. "Jack" Molesworth died on August 31, 2007 at Frederick Memorial Hospital of complications from a fall. He was 80 years old.

Born on April 3, 1927 in Baltimore, Jack was the only son of the late John R. Molesworth and Margaret Burgee Molesworth of Monrovia. He graduated from Frederick High School in 1944, then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served with the second Marine Division in the occupation of Japan. After completion of his service Jack attended Western Maryland College, where he boxed, played football and, along with his roommate, ran a successful student catering business.

After graduating in 1952, Jack held positions as a teacher and assistant football coach at Mount Airy High School, Saint Paul's School in Baltimore and Westminster High School. Jack became head coach and Director of Athletics at Frederick High School and then Gov. Thomas Johnson High School, where he coached championship teams.

In 1971, Mr. Molesworth took the position of vice-principal at the new Westminster High School, where he stayed briefly due to being offered the position of executive director of Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association for the Maryland Department of Education. Molesworth held this position for 10 years until his retirement in 1981.

After retirement, Jack took his dream job as head football coach at his alma mater, Western Maryland College, where he stayed for five years. During his career, Jack also served for twelve years on the National Federation Football Rules Committee and two years on the National Federation of High School Athletic Associations Executive Council.

Active in the Frederick community, Molesworth was a member of the Frederick Rotary, V.F. W. Post 3285, the Elks Club, the American Legion and was a communicant at Calvary Methodist Church. His national affiliations include Lifetime Membership in the American Football Coaches Association and the National Football Foundation. Mr. Molesworth's honors include Hall of Fame induction in the Alvin Quinn Y.M.C.A. Sports Hall of Fame, the Maryland High School Athletic Directors Hall of Fame and the Maryland High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

More important than his professional accomplishments, Jack was most proud of his role as mentor to generations of young men in the Frederick community that he coached and taught. Jack was an avid reader, history buff and golfer.

Mr. Molesworth is survived by his wife of 55 years, Nancy Walker Molesworth, two daughters, Janet Hough and husband Terry of Ocean City, Jean Molesworth Kee and husband Edward of Alexandria, Va. and a son, Dr. John Molesworth and wife Debbie of Frederick. Jack is also survived by grandchildren Sarah, Ted, and Caroline Kee, and Laura, Jack, and Kelly Molesworth; and step-grandchildren Coby Hough and Julie Hough Keefer.

The family will receive friend from 3 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4 at the Keeney and Basford P.A. Funeral Home, 106 East Church Street, Frederick. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 5 from Calvary United Methodist Church, corner of Bentz and West Second Streets, Frederick. His pastor, the Rev. Kenneth R. Dunnington, will officiate. Interment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Frederick.

Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Jack Molesworth to the Frederick Memorial Hospital Emergency Department Fund, Frederick Memorial Hospital, 400 West 7th St., Frederick, MD 21701.

Online condolences may be expressed with the family at http://www.keeneybasford.com/.

×PaperDate 9/2/07

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/local/obit_detail.htm?obitID=22370

Also see:

Molesworth had impact on sports
| No writer | By: Stan Goldberg | 09/03/07 | 671 words

Molesworth was the Executive Secretary of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association from 1971 to 1981 years and also the state supervisor of physical education the first seven of those years. His responsibilities got so big the job was split into two positions the final three years.

Molesworth is in critical condition
| Sports | By: Sarah Fortney | 08/30/07 | 255 words

Jack Molesworth, 80, was put on life support at Frederick Memorial Hospital after he fell Aug. 22, his son John Molesworth said.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

R.I.P. Jack Molesworth

John W. Ashbury

William Shakespeare once wrote "The evil that men do lives after them, / The good is oft interred with their bones." That won't be the case with Jack Molesworth.

20070905 Mattel Recalls More Toys Made in China

Economy: Mattel Recalls More Toys Made in China

September 6^th, 2007

This is a “story” that is getting old…

Mattel Recalls More Toys Made in China

by Adam Davidson

Morning Edition, September 5, 2007 · Mattel Inc., the world's largest toy maker, was forced to announce another recall of products made in China because of excessive amounts of lead paint, dealing a blow to its reputation on the eve of the critical holiday season.

The recall of some 800,000 toys in the Barbie, GeoTrax and Bongo Band lines was announced late Tuesday.

It covers 675,000 Barbie accessories sold between October 2006 and August of this year. No Barbie dolls were included in the action.

The recall also included 90,000 units of Mattel's GeoTrax locomotive line and about 8,900 Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band toys, both from the company's Fisher-Price brand. The Big Big World products were sold nationwide from July through August of this year while the GeoTrax toys were sold from September 2006 through August of this year.

Mattel's last recall, announced on Aug. 14, covered about 19 million toys worldwide. They included Chinese-made toys that either had excessive amounts of lead paint or had small magnets that could easily be swallowed by children.

[…]

With more than 80 percent of toys sold worldwide made in China, toy sellers are also concerned shoppers will shy away from toys this year's holiday season.

The sector has struggled for years to maintain market share as children abandon toys at a younger age in favor of electronic products such as computer games, MP3 players, etc.

Coupled with recalls, the toy industry comes under greater strain.

[…]

Read the rest: Mattel Recalls More Toys Made in China

Related NPR Stories

Sep. 5, 2007

Safety of Chinese Goods at Issue for U.S.

Aug. 15, 2007

Recalls Don't Cut Demand for Chinese Products

Aug. 14, 2007

What Can Parents Do to Avoid Dangerous Toys?

Aug. 14, 2007

Mattel Recalls 9 Million Toys Made in China

Aug. 14, 2007

Safety Concerns Prompt Massive Toy Recall

Aug. 2, 2007

Mattel Recalls Fisher-Price Toys Made in China

Aug. 2, 2007

Big Bird, Elmo Hit in Latest 'Made in China' Recall

June 22, 2007

Thomas Tank Engine Toy Recall Angers Parents

####

20070906 Thompson announces on Leno

Thompson announces on Leno

September 6^th, 2007

I watched Senator Fred Thompson announce on Leno…

From an historian’s point of view, I’ll be very curious as to the impact the longest presidential campaign in the history will have on the country… Above and beyond the tedious partisan politics, anyone have any thoughts?

Thompson announces on Leno

From the Los Angeles Times

Former Tennessee senator declares his presidential bid while opponents debate in New Hampshire.

By Michael Finnegan and Mark Z. Barabak

Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

September 6, 2007

Fred D. Thompson formally launched his presidential bid Wednesday night on a late-night talk show as eight rivals for the Republican presidential nomination hashed out their differences across the country in a New Hampshire debate.

"I'm running for president of the United States," the former Tennessee senator told a cheering crowd on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

Read the rest here: Thompson announces on Leno

Related:

- Fred Thompson was boosted by first in-laws - Thompson's shadow hangs over GOP debate - Democratic donor skips day in court - Is Clinton's candidacy blocking 'Path to 9/11'? - Democratic donor skips day in court

20070903 Chinese military hacked into Pentagon

Chinese military hacked into Pentagon

September 5^th, 2007

Hat Tip goes to the Duck. Thanks for calling this to our attention. It is getting increasing coverage…

By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington – Financial Times

Published: September 3 2007 19:00 | Last updated: September 3 2007 20:53

The Chinese military hacked into a Pentagon computer network in June in the most successful cyber attack on the US defence department, say American ­officials.

The Pentagon acknowledged shutting down part of a computer system serving the office of Robert Gates, defence secretary, but declined to say who it believed was behind the attack.

Current and former officials have told the Financial Times an internal investigation has revealed that the incursion came from the People’s Liberation Army.

One senior US official said the Pentagon had pinpointed the exact origins of the attack. Another person familiar with the event said there was a “very high level of confidence...trending towards total certainty” that the PLA was responsible. The defence ministry in Beijing declined to comment on Monday.

Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, raised reports of Chinese infiltration of German government computers with Wen Jiabao, China’s premier, in a visit to Beijing, after which the Chinese foreign ministry said the government opposed and forbade “any criminal acts undermining computer systems, including hacking”.

Read the rest here: Chinese military hacked into Pentagon

20070905 Song of the South: No grits, no glory

Song of the South: No grits, no glory

Note: This column first appeared in the Westminster Eagle on August 1^st, 2007. Since it ran I have had several requests for copies… This is a longer version of that column. It is cross posted on my Westminster Eagle blog. "The Winchester Report":

Winchester Report: Song of the South: No grits, no glory

(Also see: “20070802 Welcome to the Outer Banks Grits Grill”)

Please enjoy.

08/01/07 – September 5^th, 2007 By Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently, my family ventured on our annual sojourn south. It's a combination family reunion and vacation, as folks rendezvous from literally all over the world to a house with its very own ZIP code in Nags Head, N.C.

Many are aware of North Carolina's Outer Banks as a family values-oriented destination of sun, beach and unhurried afternoons reading a book -- not to mention the leisurely romantic walks on the beach at sunset.

But of course, the real reason I like to go is to watch the Tour de France and the readily-available access to the most northern reaches of the "Georgia Ice Cream" belt ... which runs from Louisiana to North Carolina.

What's that, you ask? What is "Georgia Ice Cream?" Honey child, I am so glad you asked. It's perhaps the most misunderstood of Southern delicacies: grits.

Many folks from Carroll County are not familiar with grits -- and that's a crying shame. The South is known for its gentile politeness and friendliness, and there's little doubt that there's direct cause and affect between being accommodating and friendly and the consumption of grits.

Indeed, the state of South Carolina decreed grits its "state food" in 1973. The reverential state declaration proclaimed, in part, that, "grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this state, but also the world."

You may very well consider standing, placing your hand on your heart, and re-reading the previous sentence.

In the past, northerners have come up with many well-documented ways of annoying southerners. Lengthy historic and economic dissertations will give the uninformed a certain insight that disagreements over the manufacture and distribution of grits could be considered one of the causes of the “War of Northern Aggression.”

But one of the best sure-fire ways of having “Fort Sumter moment” is to suggest, gasp, that grits is somewhat akin to cream of wheat. Not.

In 1952, the Charleston News and Courier proclaimed that grits, "an inexpensive, simple and thoroughly digestible food, should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of (grits) is a man of peace."

The singular noun, "grits" has its roots from the Old English word, "grytta" meaning a coarse meal of any kind.

Native Americans introduced ground maize -- grits -- to the early English settlers many hundreds of years ago when the colonists were illegal aliens and did not speak the language of the land.

Outside the South, folks attempt to make the word "grits" plural. Not so. Consider the word, spaghetti, which is considered to be plural in form but takes a singular verb. (One does not, for example, write "spaghetti are.") Anytime you hear "grits are good," that is a sure-fire sign you're dealing with a Yankee who is not properly schooled in the fine art of grits.

According to one of my holiest Outer Banks destinations, the Grits Grill: "There are two basic types: corn grits and hominy grits. Corn grits (is) made from dried, milled corn kernels. Hominy grits (is) made by soaking corn in lye water for several days and then dried."

Of course, it's worth mentioning that the Grits Grill also serves another Southern delicacy, Krispy Kreme Donuts.

Many folks consider grits to be solely a breakfast food. Wrong. Grits is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In the traditional South, grits automatically comes with breakfast. Once while traveling in the South, I specifically asked for an order of grits. The waitress glanced at me sideways and chewed her gum at a faster pace as she decreed, "Honey, grits just comes."

Many folks simply eat grits with a touch of salt and butter. Of course the real grits aficionado eats 'em smothered with bacon grease with their pinkie finger extended. I like grits mixed lightly ... with steak and eggs over-light. Please consult your cardiologist for additional consumption instructions.

As you can now easily understand, in a world pre-occupied with conflict and environmental perils, if more grits were served at mealtime, this food of love and peace could very well save the planet.

The Carroll County commissioners should consider passing an ordinance requiring, at a minimum, grits be served in all county restaurants for six months prior to all elections. They should certainly be served at all public hearings.

The Maryland General Assembly might consider going one-step further than South Carolina and passing legislation requiring grits to be a mandatory menu item in all state restaurants.

No grits, no glory.

Have you ever heard of folks arguing while sharing a meal of grits? I rest my case. At the Westminster Eagle, all we are saying is:

Give grits a chance.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster, and welcomes recipe ideas for grits.

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

http://www.kevindayhoff.net/

His columns appear in The Tentacle, http://www.thetentacle.com/; Westminster Eagle Opinion http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/ and Winchester Report.

20070905 Harford County News Briefs

Harford County, Maryland News Briefs

September 5^th, 2007

Bill vetoed to increase fines for false alarms

5 days ago - Harford County Executive David Craig halted plans to increase fines for false fire alarms tenfold this week, saying he felt the higher penalties were too punitive.

County SAT scores drop

6 days ago - Harford County high school students’ SAT scores dropped this year in reading, math and writing, according to test results released this week.

Farmland-preservation plans would save 1,500 acres

12 days ago - About 1,500 acres in Harford would be preserved as farmland under a proposed $19 million expansion of the county’s farmland-preservation program.

Police ID body found in motel room

14 days ago - Police in Harford County on Tuesday identified the body found Saturday in a motel room outside Aberdeen as 26-year-old Robert Donte Hemphill.

Harford detention center set to expand

14 days ago - The Harford County Detention Center is set to begin a $29 million expansion to ease overcrowding.

Body found in Route 40 motel

16 days ago - Harford County suffered its second homicide in two weeks and its third for the year with the discovery of an unidentified man’s corpse Saturday night in the Keyser Motel just outside Aberdeen.

Shelter's progress draws support

18 days ago - Harford’s Humane Society insists conditions and care for animals have improved at its Fallston shelter after complaints of sick and dying animals there.

Ban sludge spreading in park, county lawmakers tell state

19 days ago - Harford County lawmakers are demanding the state stop allowing sewage sludge to be spread at Susquehanna State Park so residents can use the area again.

Animal hoarder to get psychiatric evaluation

20 days ago - Donna Bell couldn’t turn away desperate animals.

Five Harford schools fail federal tests

20 days ago - Four of nine Harford County middle schools and one of 32 elementary schools failed to meet federal reading and math goals this year, according to state data released Wednesday.

20070604 Study Chickens beat Columbus to America

20070604 Study Chickens beat Columbus to America

Study: Chickens beat Columbus to America

Mon Jun 4, 2007

Why did the chicken cross the ocean? To get to America before Columbus — and from the other direction — according to a new report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Many scholars had thought chickens arrived in the New World with the early Spanish or Portuguese explorers around the year 1500.

When Juan Pizarro arrived at the Inca empire in 1532, however, he found chickens already being used there, raising the possibility they had been around for some time.

[…]

Read the entire saga of “Why did the chicken cross the ocean?” here: Study: Chickens beat Columbus to America

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/fowl_finding250;_ylt=Ao9xK.EJFWoRhOVp6C35VaFvaA8F

On the Net:

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: http://www.pnas.org

Update:

September 23, 2008

Someone recently called to my attention that the yahoo.com link was dead. I’m sorry about that. Here’s the rest of the story…


And now, researchers led by Alice Storey at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, report finding evidence that may ruffle some scholarly feathers. They found chicken bones of Polynesian origin at a site in what is now Chile.

Radiocarbon dating of chicken bones at the site on the Arauco Peninsula in south central Chile indicated a range of A.D. 1321 to 1407, well before the Spanish arrival in the Americas.

The researchers were able to obtain DNA from some of the bones of these early birds, and found they were identical to ancient chicken bones previously found in Tonga and Samoa.

Chicken had been used in the Pacific for at least 3,000 years, spreading eastward across the region as Polynesians gradually populated the islands.

The DNA from these chickens also shared some unique sequences with modern Araucana chickens from South America and some current chicken types in Hawaii and Southeast Asia, the researchers found.

___

20070905 AP: Ohio congressman found dead in apartment

Ohio Rep. Paul Gillmor

Ohio congressman found dead in apartment

Associated Press – Last Updated 10:18 am PDT Wednesday, September 5, 2007

WASHINGTON - Ohio Rep. Paul Gillmor was found dead in his apartment Wednesday, a Republican leadership aide said.

The aide said the body of the 68-year-old Republican was found by staff members who went to his apartment after he failed to show up for work. There was no immediate word on the cause of his death. Gillmor's office did not respond to a reporter's call.

Gillmor, who represented Ohio's 5th District in the Bowling Green area of the state, was first elected to Congress in 1988.

[…]

Read the rest here: Ohio congressman found dead in apartment

20070831 Golfer Gary Brewer has died

Golfer Gary Brewer has died

http://www.newsday.com/

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/sns-2007-deaths-pix,0,5859368.photogallery?coll=ny_wire_promo

August 31, 2007

Golfer Gay Brewer, the 1967 Masters champion who won 10 times on the PGA Tour, died on Aug. 31 at his home in Lexington, Ky., after a fight with lung cancer.

He was 75. Brewer, who retired from the senior Champions Tour in 2000, had been battling cancer since October. (AP)

20070905 This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

September 5^th, 2007

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Mount Airy: The Little Town That Could

Kevin E. Dayhoff

In the early morning hours of last Sunday, the town of Mount Airy was rudely awakened just past 4 A.M. to a three-alarm fire. Hardly anything strikes fear in the heart of a community as does a major fire.

The Great Barrier Reef

Tom McLaughlin

Cairns, Australia (pronounced cans), is located at the very top of the eastern coast also known as the Gold Coast. A resort town, it is the jumping off point for explorations on the Great Barrier Reef or "the reef" as known there.

---

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

And Still They Go

Roy Meachum

Writing two weeks ago I listed the more prominent departures from the White House, but I strongly pointed out the men and women should not be compared to "rats deserting a sinking ship." I may have been wrong.

The Path to Change

Farrell Keough

The paradox of white blindness and an inability to acknowledge minorities as people is one of the real life problems set forth in the book White Guilt - How Blacks & Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era by Shelby Steele.

---

Monday, September 3, 2007

Breaking Ground

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

Last week's mail included an invitation to a ground-breaking ceremony. This isn't a small event. This ceremony, designating the beginning of a major construction project, signals the most significant change in the history of my hometown.

The Barber of Seville

Tom McLaughlin

It's like the Grand Canyon, the Sistine Chapel, or the Madonna. You just have to see it. You can't describe it, put it on postcards or watch it on television.

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Friday, August 31, 2007

Kuzemchak's Not Listening

Roy Meachum

All the sound and fury coming out of City Hall these days belong to a single alderman. Donna Kuzemchak obviously wasn't listening to voters in the last election.

City Charter revisions - An Ambitious Task

George Wenschhof

The decision by Mayor Jeff Holtzinger to review the 20-plus articles that make up the Charter of City of Frederick is a worthwhile and much needed endeavor. A regularly scheduled interval for future comprehensive charter reviews should also result from this action.

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Thursday, August 30, 2007

The 126th Annual Maryland State Fair

Chris Cavey

The best 11 days of summer 2007 are upon us and that means just one thing - The 126th Annual Maryland State Fair. For those of us who "work" the Fair, it means meeting and greeting the public while "selling your wares" in the main Exhibition Hall. My sale is, as always, The Maryland Republican Party.

WE GET LETTERS!

A reader in Emmitsburg takes issue with Tony Soltero's column of last week on the need to raise taxes. CLICK HERE!

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

"The Crocodile Dundee Factor"

Kevin E. Dayhoff

September 15 is fast approaching. That's when Gen. David H. Petraeus will give his report to Congress on the progress in the war in Iraq.

Senator Clinton: A Gambling Woman

Katie Nash

Sen. Hillary R. Clinton (D., NY) and her staff are working hard to portray her as a centrist, with their eye on the prize of 2008. This strategy was successful for her husband, but can a centrist win in the Democratic primary election? It appears the Clinton machine is going for double or nothing.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

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

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com and Winchester Report.

19410502 Rashid Ari Rebellion and the Battle of Habbaniya

What was the Rashid Ali Rebellion and the Battle of Habbaniya and why it is important

September 4, 2007

In a brief discussion with a colleague about my Tentacle column from Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 about the upcoming Petraeus Report and the work of Dr. David Kilcullen, ("The Crocodile Dundee Factor" [1]) I mentioned that the British – and the Australians et al are all too familiar with Iraq.

What many Americans are not aware is that the British had indeed fought the Turks in Iraq in WWI - and the Iraqis at the beginning of WWII in a battle at Habbaniya - et sequentia during the Rashid Ali Rebellion.

Very simplistically:

For some contemporary context, Habbaniya is currently a U. S. base of operations called Al Taqqadum, west of Baghdad.

An historian could pick any of the major battles in the Middle East as symbolic of the complexities of the region. I just happened to have landed on the Battle at Habbaniya… However, one could pick the Arab loss to the Iranians at the Battle of the Bridge in 634 or the British loss to the Turks in the Siege of Kut, 1915 – 1916 or when the Shi'ites and Kurds fought the British for independence in 1920.

After WWI the British were given a League of Nations’ mandate on November 11, 1920, to govern portions of the former Ottoman Empire, which included what we now know as Iraq. Iraq was given independence around 1930.

This area of the Middle East was carved up, without any regard to the boundaries of the prevailing sects and religions - or ethnodemographics of the indigenous population of the region… according to the secretly negotiated Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 between Britain and France. This arbitrary drawing of the boundaries is, to a great extent, the causality of much of the current conflict in the area.

This period between 1915 and 1922 is extraordinarily complex with claims and counter claims, secret negotiations, atrocities and counter atrocities, and abrogated agreements resulting in the Arabs distrusting the West to this very day.

For further research, it involves T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), The Balfour Agreement of 1917, the 1915 and 1916 Hussein-McMahon Correspondence, the 1917 Russian Revolution, the April 1920 San Remo conference, the League of Nations, the 1920 et sequentia rebellions in which the Shi'ites and Kurds fought the British for independence, and finally the 1922 Winston Churchill protocols. The discovery of a large amount of oil in Kirkuk in 1927 raised the stakes considerably.

Once some working knowledge of this era is achieved, folks will gain a greater understanding of the mess that is today, the Middle East, and why the various factions in Iraq are extremely sensitive about anyone “occupying” their country “for their own good.”

I do not know whether or not American men and women in uniform are given a primer in the complex history of the region before they are deployed. Hopefully they are. Nevertheless, any study of the region’s history exacerbates why a working understanding of Dr. Kilcullen’s work would be quite helpful as a methodology of approach in having the tools to engage, adapt and overcome.[2][3]

To which D9000 responds:

September 5th, 2007

A reply to your hopes, no soldiers are not given the historical background of why Iraq is carved up with so many different religious, ethnic, and political factions.

Most don’t know that the Kurds actually reside in Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and Syria.

The Turks like to mass their troops on the northern border of Iraq and threaten the Peshmurga (Kurdish freedom fighters/militant wing of the PUK/PDK) on a regular basis.

You could probably set your watch to this event just like the overthrow of a regime in Haiti. However like i said, good junior officers and senior NCO's are reading about these things and passing the knowledge down to lower levels.

As for the Battle of Habbaniya, during the Anglo-Iraqi War - the Rashīd `Alī al-Gaylānī Rebellion (April 18 to May 30, 1941) Habbaniya was the site of a battle between the British and German supported Iraqi forces, in which by the end of hostilities, the German Luftwaffe (and to a lesser degree, the Italian air force) got involved.

The short-lived Rashid Ali rebellion was a coup d'etat which brought to power a pro-German (anti-British to be exact) former prime minister by the name of Rashīd `Alī al-Gaylānī on April 2, 1941.

A series of disagreements between the subsequent pro-German Iraqi government and the British forces at the large RAF base at Lake Habbaniya deteriorated into open hostilities on May 2, 1941.

The British prevailed and a series of quick British victories led the British to occupy Fallujah by May 19th and Baghdad days later. The Rashid government quickly fell and by the end of May 1941, the British militarily controlled the country.

Iraq was then used as a base of operations to invade Syria and then Iran with a joint Russian-British effort. The Allied military occupation of Iraq lasted until October 26, 1947.

One account of the “Iraqi Revolt” can be found here: http://www.geocities.com/acrawford0/revolt.html

Also q.v.: the RAF Habbaniya Association.

According to “Hitting Metal with a Hammer:”

“The Commonwealth War Cemetery of Habbaniyah, Iraq, is the final resting place of 289 Commonwealth Servicemen and civilians, including women and children. 257 of them are from WWII.”

“During the intervening years, unlike most other War Cemeteries, Habbaniyah was both neglected and deliberately vandalised. A group of Ghurkas and US servicemen under former Sgt Maj Terry Pearson QO Highlanders, have been restoring Habbaniyah Cemetery.”

Also see some additional commentary and a series of photographs of the Commonwealth War Cemetery of Habbaniyah on Michael Yon’s web site here: “The Ghosts of Anbar, Part 1.”

**Photo credit: the RAF Habbaniya Association.

####
[1] "The Crocodile Dundee Factor":

September 15 is fast approaching. That’s when Gen. David H. Petraeus will give his report to Congress on the progress in the war in Iraq.

General Petraeus has become a household name in America as the military mind tapped to head-up President George W. Bush’s new way forward – or “surge” initiative announced January 10, 2007.

Even though most folks are well aware of General Petraeus, one wonders how many are aware of the work of Dr. David Kilcullen?

Any definitive discourse as to why the current military efforts in Iraq are successful must include some knowledge of Dr. Kilcullen, an Australian counterinsurgency expert.

[2] In reference to Dr. Kilcullen’s work, a colleague – a war in Iraq veteran said:

Kilcullen is absolutely right by D9000

August 27, 2007

This is a fight that cannot be won at brigade or battalion level. This is a fight that junior officers and their supporting NCOs have to win. I am glad they are finally encouraging these concepts are learned down to the lowest levels.

Fortunately for myself, my company commander overseas believed in these practices and we implemented them daily.

By using all of these 28 articles (not that we knew anything about this essay at the time) we reduced the crime rate in our area of operations, reduced roadside bombing and helped build trust through security and building of infrastructure to give them a physical acknowledgement of our dedication to make this mission and their country a success.

The fact of the matter however, is that our basic training and officers training schools are still behind the ball in training these tactics and practices. These operations are not solely the domain of special operations forces anymore and training the conventional force should now reflect that.

Many junior officers are facing the fact that senior officers don’t understand this fight, and don’t want "their" army to change its ways.

Killing the terrorists is a primary objective, but there is so much more that should be going into this mission. Facing this, many junior officers train themselves through self-study and analysis of the contemporary operating environment, and similar historical accounts, such as the Philippines and Algiers.

The biggest factor that will contribute to successful implementation of these 28articles is soldier autonomy. Leadership has to let soldiers make decisions and be able to communicate that information to higher at a very rapid pace.

Giving soldiers at the team level this ability will create a soldier who can think through situations for himself and not just be an order follower.

[3] For more information about my colleague – read my Tentacle column from December 20, 2006: “An Uneasy Truce” – “Christmas is within a week and my thoughts and prayers go out to the men and women in uniform who are deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq…”

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
www.kevindayhoff.net
E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr DOT org or kevindayhoff AT gmail DOT com
His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com and Winchester Report.