Thursday, February 17, 2011
Caught in The Act
Patricia A. Kelly
What’s worse? Being caught with your pants down, or letting them down in the first place? This is the situation in which the United States finds itself as the drama of the Egyptian revolution unfolds.
Chris Cavey
Why is Presidents’ Day weekend the best time to buy a mattress? Back in the day, when we were kids February was one of the best months. The shortest winter month was always good for a snow day or two, plus we got two days off (unless on a weekend) to celebrate birthdays for Presidents Washington and Lincoln.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
In The Line of Fire…
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Less than a month after it was reported on TheTentacle.com that deaths of on-duty law enforcement officers in 2010 spiked, comes the news that 11 police officers were killed in the line of duty in January.
Tom McLaughlin
Kuching, Malaysian Borneo – I read with great concern the statements by Frederick County Commissioners Kirby Delauter and C. Paul Smith about their views on the role of mothers in society. They seem to feel that by cutting Head Start funds, mothers will be forced to stay home with their children and society will be better.
Norman M. Covert
Having the right of way doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply the brakes to avoid a collision. Such is the case of this writer’s commentaries here at www.thetentacle.com regarding Fort Detrick’s Area B groundwater remediation controversy. Editorial license requires caution in discussing personalities, hence the need for brakes and arresting gear.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Egyptian Ennui
Roy Meachum
In recent days, endless chatter and opinions about Egypt’s future induced in me a condition known as ennui, defined in Merriam Webster: “feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction.”
Nick Diaz
Now is a good time to give our local community colleges another look. No longer are they the equivalent of “13th grade,” or the sole life raft of marginal students.
Shawn Burns
The time has come for our local newspapers to evaluate and re-evaluate their role in our community. Recent current events – and the embarrassingly lack of adequate reporting by our newspapers – raise serious doubts about their usefulness and effectiveness in our community.
Monday, February 14, 2011
When $74 Billion Just Isn’t Enough
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
Last week, Rep. Harold Rogers (R., KY), the chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, announced the Republican spending cuts to President Barack Obama’s 2011 budget. The sweeping GOP spending cuts lop off over $74 billion of programmed spending by the Obama Administration, and gut hundreds of programs popular with Democrats, inner city voters, and liberal special interests.
Steven R. Berryman
When I was growing up in Rockville in the 60’s, a hijacking was what happened to unfortunate commercial airliners, bound for Miami but violently diverted to the Communist Cuba of Fidel Castro.
Michael Kurtianyk
Well, it was another interesting week in Frederick County. The week began with Super Bowl festivities. Many here gathered around their bowls of chips and HDTVs, all wanting to see what would happen this year – with the commercials.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
“Egypt is free!”
Roy Meachum
After waiting long hours, the huge crowds in Cairo and Alexandria were on their way to Friday evening prayers when Hosni Mubarak’s recently selected vice president announced, in a single sentence, the regime was dead.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Middle East Paranoia
Roy Meachum
After keeping the protestors in Tahrir Square and all over Egypt waiting all Thursday evening and amid rampant speculations that he would step down, Hosni Mubarak refused to budge. Newly appointed vice president Omar Suleiman confirmed his boss was not leaving.
Joe Charlebois
The Tunisian spark that lit the powder keg on January 25th has been roundly praised throughout the Western world as a revolution that will bring the end to the 30-year autocratic and repressive regime of President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.
Norman M. Covert
One can’t help but cogitate on when and where justice might be served for the Frederick Yellow Cab driver who was robbed by a shotgun-toting juvenile. His age notwithstanding, Ideres Terral Barker is a full grown man at 16, fully capable of making bad decisions. This time he won’t be headed to the school prom.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Stop The Nonsense – Cooperate
Joan Marie Aquilino
Same ole song, different year! Will there ever be a new tune? After 20 years of the same, I seriously doubt it. Pick a year and run a continuous loop and no one would know the difference except for graying hair and different styles.
Amanda Haddaway
State Sen. David Brinkley (R., Frederick/Carroll) has introduced his medical marijuana bill again this year. At cursory glance, this might not seem like a big deal. The senator makes an impassioned plea that he’s trying to help people who are suffering from cancer and other debilitating illnesses by easing their pain.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Veteran Foreclosures – A National Disgrace
Kevin E. Dayhoff
The Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act (SSCRA) of 1940 was passed into law just prior to World War II to provide certain legal protections for members of the military in such matters as civil actions, foreclosures, and bankruptcy caused by lengthy absences from home while on duty.
Tom McLaughlin
Kuching, Malaysian Borneo – I guess being a father at age 60 is like having a grandson except the child never leaves. Dzul, sleeps, eats and poops around here all the time, morning, noon and night. I really don’t mind because my wife has the equipment to feed him so I am relived of sterilizing bottles.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Addressing School Needs vs. Development
Farrell Keough
A great treat exists for you people this week – please avail yourselves of the opportunity! At The Buzz, (Green Valley Center in Monrovia) you will be able to enjoy the Farrell Keough sam’ich! Earl 'Rocky' Mackintosh
On January 30, Jennifer Dougherty, a former mayor of the City of Frederick (2001-2005), offered a commentary in The Frederick News Post entitled Uni-Gov — a great option for Frederick County. She seems to suggest that we skip the county's effort to consider a charter home rule form of government and jump right to "dissolve county government and create a Unified Government" with the City of Frederick. *****
With violence in Egypt currently at the front of many people’s minds due to the horrific attack on CBS’Lara Logan in Cairo, GQ’s interview with Fox News correspondent Greg Palkot seems more relevant than ever.
