Charmed in Baltimore

Back in the Saddle

2009-03-05T13:44:00.001-08:00

It is time to get back in the habit of writing, so I will try to get back in the blogging saddle. This is my first post through my handy dandy Iphone (yes I know you are jealous) so it SIMM not include the lovely links that you are accustomed to.

So, I think I will try posting a deep thought/question of the day.

How long will it take before we start adding jobs to our economy?

You are out of order

2008-04-18T06:42:00.001-07:00

You have to love it when local government meetings descend into chaos, and usually composed persons show their other sides. This was in full view during a recent Detroit city council hearing. What makes it even funnier is that the councilwoman is the wife of Rep. Conyers of Michigan. I guess when you have a mayor this is under investigation for lying to law enforcement about an affair with his assistant, you can't expect more from your council.

Looking for Someone to Blame

2008-04-14T04:22:00.001-07:00

It looks like Alan Greenspan is going to be thrown under the bus. Apparently his monetary policies while head of the Fed had a little something to do with our housing market bust right now. While the Fed plays a major role in this debacle, I think it is still up to the consumer to make sure they aren't removing what little equity they have in their homes to spend on things we don't need.

Senator Webb looking out for the Veterans, Senator McCain: Not so Much

2008-04-09T15:23:00.001-07:00

(Picture: Virginia Pilot)
I don't cover the Presidential race that often, because I often feel like I am taking crazy pills when it comes to the Presidential race. That being said, I want to say kudos to Senator Webb who introduced, shortly after he was sworn in, the Post- 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007. In short, it would inject a large amount of funds into the monies the GI Bill pays out to veterans who have served for specific periods of time, post 9-11. He campaigned on it, and has been a vocal supporter of it. He has fifty some senators, including Senator Warner, soon to be replace by another Warner. You would think this would be a no brainer issue, since we all support the troops and want to provide them with the same opportunity as our WWII veterans. But, the administration and Department of Defense have pushed back, claiming it will cost too much, and we can't "encourage some people to go to college rather than stay in uniform, but
payments to people with critical skills would be lower under the
proposal than what is available today." Read the Army Times article here. Sen. Webb is putting the pressure on SecDef Gates as well, and Sen. Warner is certainly backing him up, both having served in the Marine Corps, and realizing the debt we owe veterans. What surprises me is that for all of the cheer leading many in the Republican party do for the military, there hasn't been much support for it in the Senate. Sen. Webb has specifically focused on Sen. McCain, who you would assume would be behind this legislation. I would like to know his reasoning as to why not. I don't think any argument relating to costs would be a valid one, considering we are spending several billion a month in Iraq and Afghanistan, and this program is predicted to cost $2.5 billion a year.

Bonnie and Clyde without the Guns

2008-04-09T10:32:00.001-07:00

I read a story about these two jokers a couple of months ago, but it wasn't as in depth as this Rolling Stone article. These two cats bilked unsuspecting people out of a couple hundred thousand dollars, so they could travel and shop. I don't mean traveling to Disney world, like your normal American aspires to do, I mean going to Paris, Morocco, and other exotic locations. What kills me is they put all of this stuff on their Facebook pages, and the guy was passing as some sort of investment banker. Apparently Penn just doesn't push out very annoying rich people like the Donald, but they turn out tools that like to steal your money as well. Check out the pictures that are posted along with the story, and you can see how these two crooks were living. To bad they are going to be living in 8 x 10 rooms for a decade or so, talk about an exotic location.

Don't Mess with Her

2008-04-06T07:37:00.001-07:00

One would think that after living in Baltimore, you would slowly become desensitized to the enormous amounts of drugs, addicts, and violence that seems to ooze out of this city. Why only yesterday a heroin addict was stumbling down the street, in the throws of her high, and as some out of towners were watching in sheer disbelief, I could only shake my head. Or, when I was walking past McDonald's and one of the cooks was smoking his joint out front like it was nobodies business. At least he had a easy supply of food to satiate his munchies. Anyway, this front pager from the Sun still gets me. This woman is as ruthless as her male compatriots and holds no remorse for her actions. Charged with murder and a sundry list of other charges, I would have no problems throwing the key away on a person like this.

Rock Hall Rocks!

2008-03-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

If you know anyone in college, you probably know they were on Spring break this week. I still pine for those days of having a week off to let my brain vegetate, and just read for fun. While I can enjoy a week respite from classes, my much better half did get the week off. So we decided to turn eastward and make our fortunes outside of Baltimore this weekend. After many hours of research and with an ever helpful Google by my side, I found this little gem of a bed and breakfast, in Rock Hall, which is in Kent county. Huntingfield Creek was about a two hour drive from Baltimore, and well worth the drive. You get to see rolling fields of green, which do not naturally occur in Baltimore, that put your mind at ease, and help you realize there is something more than asphalt and concrete. Anyway, this place is set on an enormous estate that abuts the bay, and is good for taking a long walk. Make sure you bring the very friendly dogs along, you can see them in my slide show below. Directly south from Huntingfield Creek is the smallest national wildlife refuge in the country, according to our gracious innkeeper. Eastern Neck wildlife refuge is a tiny island, but it is home to our national symbol, the eagle, which we saw several of. I was able to take a picture, but it just appears as a black speck, oh well. But, there are trails and it offers an amazing view of the bay, including Baltimore off in the distance. I have been told that a ferry used to bring people out to Rock Hall for crab feasts, but they were discontinued. As far as culinary options, for a place as small as Rock Hall, there are several options. We chose the Bay Wolf, and dined on a delectable dish of Wienerschnitzel, which I was told was comparable to anything being served in Vienna. But, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the mouth watering breakfast that is served. There is plenty, and the sticky bun con sausage was unique and provided a great juxstaposition of sweet and salty. All in all, it was a weekend that should be replicated, and if you get a chance, you should stay with Jim and Joanne.

Rock Hall

Relationships

2008-03-20T11:32:00.001-07:00

There is a little bit of truthiness in this video.

The Sad Truth About Relationships

Protest This Tibet!

2008-03-17T18:33:00.001-07:00

The Chinese government does an excellent job at shutting down any dissent. Tiananmen Square was an excellent example of this. Nothing says loving like getting run over by a T-35. So you have the Tibetans, who are currently having a little rebellion of their own. With crowds, chants, and the occasional severe beating by overzealous Chinese authority types. I mean, these people were only their own country before the hoards from China decided to extend their domain into Tibet. So some of these Tibetans are chaffing from the yolk and acting out. The Chinese response, was typical, but it is getting more attention than normal, with the Olympics so close. I like the fact they have shut down media coming out of Tibet, going as far as blocking YouTube. I don't care what kind of repressive communist regime that you are, YOU DO NOT BLOCK YOUTUBE! That and the fact that the Dali Lama is not inclined to tell his countrymen to stop their protest either, speaks to the importance of this event.

So the U.S. government has sternly rebuked the dragon from the East, for kicking out foreign journalist. Not that they are letting any of the journalists that are there actually report on anything of substance. As far as the Olympics go, the EU has already said it would not boycott the games. But, where does the U.S. stand? There have been reports that at least one hundred people have been killed by the authorities, and I am sure the count is much higher than that. Does the U.S. responsibility to make a stronger stand that just feigning outrage, or do the economics outweigh wholesale slaughter? Time will tell. Meanwhile, good luck you crazy Tibetans, don't let the Chinese keep, I mean beat you down.

It takes a Ninja to kill a Ninja

2008-03-13T07:52:00.001-07:00

I first heard this saying from my brother, and while it is funny, in the case of cancer it is deadly serious. These scientist are using a virus to kill cancer cells. If this breakthrough translates to other forms of cancer, we don't necessarily need a cure, because we can destroy the cancer. This is the type of scientific discovery I am looking forward to seeing more of, so kudos to this super smart scientists.

Trimming the Fat or Cutting Dead Weight, Choose your Metaphor

2008-03-11T19:53:00.001-07:00

I pay attention to politics in D.C., because it is fun and I am familiar with the scene. So when I saw this article in the Sun today, I had to laugh. Last week the chancleor of D.C. schools did the same exact thing. She got the power to fire, and classify central office employees as at will, and got rid of their asses. Many say it was because they were underperformers, she says it was to give more money to the schools. For whatever reason they give, getting rid of all the redundant and wasteful central office jobs, can only help. Mr. Alonso is going to cut $110 million from the central office budget and redistribute $70 million. I am sure some people are going to whine about jobs, but when the money is going to the kids, there is only so much whining that can be done. I think this is a good move, considering how poor the schools in this city perform. But, we all know that simply throwing money at the problem will not work, you have to have students who want to be there an want to learn. Let's hope they keep the number of administrators down, so they can focus on giving the kids the resources they deserve, and not the shortchanging they have received thus far.

In a Womb Far Far Away . . .

2008-03-10T04:58:00.000-07:00

A love quirky little articles about the most cutting edge science, and how it affects society. While the science in this article isn't cutting edge, the entire concept behind surrogate wombs is fascinating. Here you have a couple, somewhere in the world, who is a paying an Indian woman to carry their future child. These women are apparently paid several years wages for this service. While the article says this practice has been banned in several countries, India has seemingly done well in regulating the practice. I guess the country figures there are so many people living in abject poverty, the mental strain caused by this practice is outweighed by the financial benefit. I just don't understand how these women could give up a child that is technically half theirs. I can't argue for people who want to bring a child into this world, but the means are questionable.
(Photo Stephanie Sinclair/VII Network/ N.Y. Times)

Sore Thumb

2008-03-08T12:20:00.000-08:00

I tend not to complain too much, especially when it isn't worth wasting my time. But, there are occasions when I think it is warranted. I don't necessarily view this as a complaint, more of a criticism of sorts. So I was walking down Pratt street this morning, and see they are almost finished with the exterior of the new Convention Center Hilton. When I first saw the silver siding, I thought it was nothing more than a base layer. That is not the case, almost the entire building will be that silver color. Not that I have anything against the color, but when you compare it to the surrounding environs, you see that it doesn't fit in with the brick motif of the ball park, or the rest of the buildings in that area. One would think that if you are going to build a building, you would have it fit in with the motif, which in Baltimore is red brick. I can understand if they are trying to save money on the cost of materials or the labor it takes to install the brick, but that place sticks out like a sore thumb, and and ugly one at that! Check out the slide show below so you can see what I mean.

Do Not Follow the Leader

2008-03-06T04:47:00.000-08:00

England has been the leader in keeping track of its citizens. They have cctv cameras seemingly growing out of the wood, in order to keep their citizens safe. There are doubts as to whether they actually work, but once a government gets a big brother program like this going, it would take an act of god to stop it. Next comes their national ID with bio-metric data. Which is to include your address, finger prints, and retinal scan. This is certainly comparable to the U.S. Real ID, and what our law makers are pushing on us. We shouldn't have to walk around with our iris scan and finger prints just to prove who I am. I think a picture works just fine. Both the U.S. and English governments are claiming this will increase our safety, but if they can't get the big issues right, how can we expect them to carry this out with any bit of competency?

Deaf, Dumb, Blind and Stupid

2008-03-05T13:44:00.000-08:00

I guess that is how you could characterize the United States' policy with regard to Palestine. We want to promote democracy, but we cut them off when they elect Hamas. I don't know if you can blame people for wanting to boot the corrupt acolytes of former PLO head Arafat. This article from Vanity Fair just goes to show you that we still aren't playing with a full deck when it comes to handling situations in the Middle East. Instead of building up a government, we forced a reactionary coup, that left both sides worse off, and the extreme elements in a better position. Three cheers for Condi and her crew!

Recent Additions

2008-02-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed, there are two new widgets on my blog, or blogito as some refer to it as. The first, is my GoodReads book shelf. It shows you the most recent books that I have read, so that you can peer into my literary world. Second, and I just did this for fun, is the Google CrandCentral button, at the bottom of my page. GrandCentral, invite only or if you use Blogger, gives you a central phone number that you can give to everyone, and route calls via the nets. Anyway, if anyone wants to leave me a message, or an invite, just say so.

Getting them off the Streets, and Behind Bars

2008-02-26T04:49:00.000-08:00

This front page story from the Sun is very heartening. I wish we could wipe the gangs off of the streets, because they are such a destabilizing force in the communities. On the second page of the article, an older gang member start philosophizing on how gangs actually helped their communities. If by help you mean murder, intimidate, sell drugs, and generally lower the quality of life, you are doing an excellent job for your community! I wish I could say keep up the good work .

Saturday Sillines

2008-02-23T13:14:00.000-08:00

This kid is going to be a rock star, or at the least very good at karaoki.

Wine and Internets, who Could ask for anything more?

2008-02-21T06:34:00.000-08:00

Hear ye, Hear ye, attention to all of the oenophiles of the great state of Maryland. Two of your state senators have seen the light, and are proposing legislation that would allow you to purchase wine over the internets! Montgomery County senator Jamie Raskin, with a co-sponsor have put forth a bill that would repeal that old prohibition era law that prevents wine from being ordered outside of the state. Apparently all of those snobby Montgomery county liberals couldn't find their Merlot at the local liquor store, so they annoyed their elected representatives to do something about it. I mean who ever heard of ordering things over the internet?

They had a hearing in Annapolis, where the liquor lobby was up in arms over this bill. Mr. Bereano, who represents them said "[w]hat is so sacrosanct about wine? . . . You can get drunk on a bottle of wine just as easily as scotch or vodka." They also argue that persons under 21 will run to their computers, so they to can partake in the alcoholic sacrament. I have a feeling their argument will fail, when you consider that so many other state allow these types of sales. But, they are going to try and protect their market the best way they see fit, and if it means denying you your favorite vintage, so be it.

As a disclosure, I have to say that I have a quasi-interest in this issue. I happen to know and individual who produces and sells a wine. This was without a doubt one of the best wines that I have ever tasted, and you can purchase it online. Unfortunately, you have to either live in D.C. or Virginia to get it. If you do, check it out because you won't be disappointed.

Kick the Bum Out

2008-02-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

It appears as if Musharaf will be going down to a major defeat. I have a feeling he will find himself living in exile, for fear of reprisals. My, how much difference an election can make.

Your Doctor, Our Spy

2008-02-15T04:14:00.000-08:00

Like many of you out there, I feel like I am paying way too much for my insurance. Not that I really pay attention to how much I am paying, but I am sure it is far beyond what I should be paying. Seriously, those of us who do have insurance are grateful to have it, because if the time arises to use it, we don't have to worry about racking up thousands in medical debt. When you switch carriers, you usually have to list any preexisting conditions, so the insurer knows what it will have to pay for in the future. Out in California, Blue Cross, which is the largest insurer in the state sent out a letter to doctors asking them to basically spy on their patients. If the patients fail to disclose any preexisting conditions, they can be dropped by the insurer. If anything was found by the doctor, it was to "be reported to Blue Cross immediately." Needless to say that would be a serious breech of trust between the patient and doctor. The letter has been subsequently revoked by Blue Cross, but that was not enough for the state of California. The lawmakers there have proposed legislation to put and end to this practice.

Chicken Hawks Indeed

2008-02-10T18:10:00.000-08:00

Great article by Taibbi. The Democrat leadership talks a good game, but in the end, they still walk around with their tails behind their legs when it comes to ending the Iraq war.

Six Word Memoirs

2008-02-10T07:51:00.000-08:00

I thought you might enjoy this on a Sunday. Sometimes, less is so much more.

You Can't Sit Here

2008-02-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

It was only a matter of time before those far left liberal legislators would try to dictate where you could eat. First it was banning cigarettes, forcing all of those smokers out into the cold. Now those of you with bulging waistlines, and bursting bellies may have to suffer a setback when it comes to satisfying your culinary urges. The State of Mississippi , has three lawmakers that have proposed a bill that would "allow health inspectors to revoke the licence of any restaurant that "repeatedly" feeds extremely overweight people." Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on where you stand on this issue, the bill was killed in subcommittee. The authors did say however, "Anybody with any sense knows it's not going to happen, not going to pass,". Apparently they just wanted to bring to light the problem of American obesity. Next question I have is this, how much do these gentlemen weigh, and what are their BMIs?

A Convincing Appeal

2008-02-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

I enjoy watching Professor Lessig's presentations because they are simple, and very effective. The word prompting actually makes you think of what he is talking about. This appeal to vote for Obama is very evocative, and deserves a watch.

Lip Service to Democracy

2008-01-31T06:18:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan, almost seven years after we invaded, has made some progress. They have a quasi-democratic government, an economy that is sort of stable, and very few suicide bombs. Granted their economy is almost entirely based on opium, which is controlled by feudal warlords who are at war with each other on a constant basis. What I do not understand, and will never understand, is their attempt at justice and administering the rule of law. Apparently, under their version of Islamic law, it is a capital offense for someone to disrespect the Koran, by questioning someone's warped interpretation of it. This student was trying to understand an issue, and bring it up for discussion and what will he get? Read the article, and maybe you will have another reason to question why we are pouring billions of dollars into this country to promote democracy. This is not the kind of democracy that I stand for.

Hairball in our Collective Throats

2008-01-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

Many Americans are swimming in debt. Whether it is mounting credit card debit from buying all of those big screen TVs, or upgrading to that McMansion they have always wanted. To avoid the current economic crisis, the government has decided it will print some money for us to go out and jump start this economy. I agree with this article from Time, this ideas is far too short sighted, and will not change the structural problems of American debt and how it effects our economy.

Erase this

2008-01-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

I feel sorry for this company, at the same time if they were stupid enough to not have backup tapes, they deserve it. Ms. Cooley believed that she had been fired, in turn goes to her office, and deletes a boatload of her employer's information. Moral of the story, check to see if the picture in the help wanted poster is actually you.

You had a Bad Day

2008-01-24T20:05:00.000-08:00

We all have had situations at work that we are not proud of. You make promises you can't keep, you sabotage your officemates, so on and so forth. Well this Frenchman is probably going to take the cake for the next century. Daneil Bouton, some sort of investment banker lost his employer $7 billion dollars. That's right, this dude just lost the GDP of some small countries. What does he say? "The result was a considerable loss." What do you do with this guy? He didn't kill anybody, but I am sure that all sorts of people would like to introduce him to a wonderful French device called a guillotine.

And the Hits Just Keep on Coming

2008-01-23T06:40:00.000-08:00

Not to put a damper on this lovely Wednesday, but once again our electricity rates will be increasing. The hit isn't as bad this time, but a 5.5% increase still sucks. From the looks of things, we haven't seen the last rate hike.

It will keep getting worse," said Skip Trimble, a senior energy consultant with South River Consulting in Baltimore. "Demand is outstripping supply ... but nobody is building anything new.

From O'Connell to Cruise

2008-01-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

You have to wonder if Tom sees this parody and realizes that he is bat shit crazy. Because this video with Jerry O'Connell is less disturbing than the original one.

Market Woes

2008-01-22T13:53:00.000-08:00

I love this editor's disgust at American dogs getting mortgages. You know how those dogs are always lying about how much they take home!

A New Product at the Market

2008-01-18T08:04:00.000-08:00

It was probably only a matter of time before the Al-Qaeda surrogates in Iraq started cultivating poppies in Iraq. It is easy to grow, and it can survive in very harsh environments (see Afghanistan). The Independent has insightful article on this new front of the war in Iraq. Al-Qaeda has been able to use opium to its advantage in Afghanistan as a source of funding, and will undoubtedly use this business model in Iraq. Given the higher cost of living, post-invasion, I can see why farmers are turning to the most lucrative product. At the same time the social costs of heroin are enormous. What the U.S. military needs to do is wipe these operations out post haste, and reclaim the land from the terrorist/farmers.

Everyone Can be a Millionaire

2008-01-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

While America may be going through a bit of a slump, we can't even hold a candle to Zimbabwe. This country has been in the economic gutter for the past couple of years, and it is in large part due to their fearless and aging leader Robert Mugabe. This guy has been the leader since the country's independence, and he has done a bang up job. He instituted a redistribution of farm land which has been a disaster, does not allow political dissent, and what is his most recent economic reform? The ten million dollar banknote! That's right, hyper-inflation be damned they need money and they need it now!

Mortgage Market Mania

2008-01-17T11:56:00.000-08:00

In recent weeks investment banks such as Citigroup, JP Morgan, and Merrill Lynch have announced massive write-offs with respect to their exposure to their sub-prime loan investments. Citigroup is going to write down $18.1 billion and has cut their dividend by 41%. If I was an investor in Citi, I would be furious and calling for the CEO’s head on a stick. It is bad enough they are paid exorbitant salaries, but the fact that heads haven’t started to role is a shame. Well I guess if the CEOs are not losing their jobs, it is made up for by the fact that Citigroup is going to fire 4,200 of their employees.

What have these banks done in order to cover these losses? They have now put their hands out to foreign investors to buoy them. At least these foreign firms still see value in investing in the American economy, even when the President and the Federal Reserve are considering a massive stimulus package to avoid a Recession. There are other international side effects, the Australian market has taken a heavy hit, and that probably will not be the last.

Pay your Bill or National Security Suffers

2008-01-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

So the government is determined to siphon all phone calls and internet traffic, in order to better protect/monitor us, now you have to wonder about this story. The telecoms are willing to comply with what could be illegal wiretaps but the government has got to pay up or they turn the spigot off. I mean, these companies have some scruples, making money is what they do. It reminds me of that famous line from Good Fellas.

Mortgage Meltdown and Fire Sale

2008-01-11T06:16:00.000-08:00

As a result of extraordinary loses from their sub-prime mortgage lending, Countrywide mortgage is going to be acquire by Bank of America. In the NY Times story, BofA justifies this acquisition as "a rare opportunity for Bank of America to add what we believe is the best domestic mortgage platform at an attractive price". In other words, Countrywide has lost so much money and the stock price is so low, you can't afford to pass up on this. This Bloomberg article has more on the financial impact of this deal. This deal will have national implications, and this consolidation could have an upside of cleaning up some of the sloppy lending practices.

Freakonomics on The Wire

2008-01-10T06:18:00.000-08:00

I loved this article about what the "real" thugs think about the Wire, and its characters. But, do New York thugs even compare to Baltimore thugs? Now that is a round table that should be in the works. The author of this article is author of two books on urban crime, and specifically gangs. Check his two books out.

A Warm Welcome in the Holy Land

2008-01-10T06:07:00.001-08:00

With President Bush in Isreal, it is interesting to read the papers from that region. The Jerusalem Post had this story about some interesting signs that had been posted prior to Bush's visit. Apparently they were hung by a nationalist group that doesn't want to see the halt to Israel's settlements in the disputed Palestinian territories. I think what the President is doing over there is a smart, pragmatic, and strategically beneficial move. I just wish he would have focused his efforts on this problem versus Iraq. I believe the settlements issue is the key to this problem. If the Palestinians feel like Israel continues to expand into their territory, they will continue to use violence as a means to make themselves heard.

Prime Time Show down

2008-01-09T06:46:00.000-08:00

The city of Baltimore is the first city in the nation that is going to sue one of the huge sub-prime lenders. The city claims that Wells Fargo has used deceptive/predatory practices when it comes to the African American consumers of their loan products. With record numbers of foreclosures in this city, I think you will find many Baltimore residents sympathetic.

Politics with a Purpose

2008-01-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

I am getting back into the swing of things after a long holiday break. After spending the past two weeks on a primary crack binge, I need to take a break. If you caught the Simpson's this weekend you will have to appreciate Ralph Wiggum's campaign commercial. Let's all hope we can pick a winner like this kid can.

Protect your Country, Forget your Family

2007-12-24T08:41:00.000-08:00

The words reason and logic do not often apply when you talk about the military. This '>story from the Chicago Tribune certainly exhibits that. I love the fact that this soldiers emergency didn't "rise to the level of emergency leave." So this guy is in Iraq, protecting our country, but when it comes to his family well that is just ridiculous to think he might want to see his newborn through a rough birth. Oh well, I guess he is better off getting shot at in Iraq.

You are how old?

2007-12-20T12:02:00.001-08:00

The picture above was taken by Stephanie Sinclair in Afghanistan. It was deemed picture of the year by UNICEF. This picture is meant to bring to light the issue of child brides throughout the world. I understand preserving your culture, but when it comes to destroying a young girls life, I don't think you can make an argument for it.

Stop Snitching: It's New but in no way Improved

2007-12-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

The culture of crime in Baltimore sometimes never ceases to amaze me. This city is a host to a number of problems: unemployment, vacant housing, drugs, and crime. All of this issues are interrelated, and solutions to these problems are tied to the economics of a city in change. It used to be a blue collar city, with a large manufacturing base. Baltimore is now trying to attract a new breed of urban professional into the newly developed/ing inner harbor. I think the first thing you have to do in order to draw in this crowd is by assuring their safety.

Having said that, I was rather disturbed when I was made aware of this campaign in Baltimore called "Stop Snitching". In essence, don't report crime that you witness because it somehow goes against code of the hood. 60 Minutes did a segment with rapper Cam'ron, where he was very explicit in his disdain for snitches. What did this stem from? I would assume a distrust of law enforcement in low -income neighborhoods that have been ill treated by law enforcement at some point in time. But does it justify what you see in the video below?

I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or hit someone. The Sun and ABC here in Baltimore have more on it. What it comes down to is respect for the law, and criminals don't respect the law and they are trying to force law-abiding citizens to turn away from it. Here's a link to a local Fox report on the newest DVD.

Losing the Lieutenants

2007-12-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

If you want to read an excellent article about long-term effects the Iraq war is having on future military leadership, read this article for the Washington Monthly. While he focuses on the Army, this situation is going to play out across all of the U.S. Armed forces. With attrition rates as high as they are, it will prove very difficult to reload our forces, or grow them as some war hawks suggest.

Paging Dr. Paul

2007-12-17T11:00:00.001-08:00

Ron Paul, Presidential candidate, congressman, doctor, could he also be the next coming? Dr. Paul raised over six million dollars yesterday, in commemoration of the Boston Tea party, which was the biggest one day pull of all time. He previously raised over four million, which puts him at the head of the pack for Republicans. What impresses me even more is the fact that the people that organized this, and the majority of his other events are independent of his campaign. His revolution is drawing a wide swath of individuals from all walks of life. He isn't a populist, or an interventionist, or any other ist you could come up with. He is a hands off, small government, low to no taxes libertarian. While I don't agree with his whole gold standard monetary policy. I do agree with his foreign policy, specifically with respect to Iraq. He wants to pull out or troops,and tramp down on the rhetoric against Iran. Now tell me why ideals such as that don't have a fair shot in the Republican race? Check out this video below, it is from Google's speaker series, and it is just Mr. Paul telling it like it is.

Bupe on the Streets

2007-12-16T11:08:00.001-08:00

News flash: A legal drug being used by addicts illegally. This hits Baltimore pretty hard, because a good number of addicts here use heroin. The Sun has continuing coverage of this new version of hill billy heroin.

A Great Landmark

2007-12-14T20:44:00.000-08:00

We went to the new Landmark theater tonight and saw Ian McEwan's Atonement. First to the movie. Very true to the book, I suggest you read it, and was worth seeing. The theater itself is very swank, it has a bar and all of the accouterments that a discerning movie goer desires. The leather seats are a plus as well. It is right in the middle of several restaurants, including my favorite, Lebanese Taverna.

Travel by Trolley

2007-12-14T13:42:00.001-08:00

I recently received a online survey about the proposed trolley service along the Charles Street corridor. The Charles Street Development Corporation is a major force behind this, and on its face it appears to be a good idea. Public transportation in this city is spotty, according to the two people I know that use it on a regular basis. There is no central hub of activity, unless you consider that stop right outside of the First Mariner arena.

Baltimore is trying to draw a young, urban professional class, back to downtown. The first thing they have to do is provide an easy to use, and accessible form of transportation to the business district. Let's hope that it won't take years for this to come to fruition. Check out the proposed map.

Friday Fun

2007-12-14T13:18:00.000-08:00

So picture yourself on a plane, in route to a wonderful European destination. You got to the airport five hours early, you made it through security (no thanks to the idiot ahead of you who decided to carry on his hunting knife), and you have a great playlist to rock out to on the plane. You have reached your cruising altitude and all electronic devices have been approved for use, so it is time to just sit back and relax. Think again, because this dude just decided to freak out, more accurately he thinks he is going to die. Needless to say, he probably won't be allowed on a plane anytime soon. Can you imagine having to sit next to this nutjob throughout the flight.

Flesh Eating Rats

2007-12-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

Now that we are getting close to the Iowa primaries, candidates are starting to get personal. But I am glad there are individuals that still have a sense of humor, check this spoof ad out.

Mighty Mouse

2007-12-12T19:03:00.000-08:00

Scientist in Japan have engineered a mouse that does not fear its mortal enemy, the cat. You have to see the video to believe it. What will they come up next, cats that love dogs, or that glow in the dark?

Econmist's call

2007-12-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

The speech Mitt Romeny gave last week was telling. In it he said: “freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom…freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone.” So the proposition is if you don't have religion, you can't have freedom. I think this article from the Economist does much better in explaining this.

P.S.
Mitt picked up a big endorsement from The National Review, read it because it makes a good case for him being the best qualified Republican candidate. I think the Huckaboom will happen sooner or later, and the Republicans will step in line behind Mitt.

Hazed and Confused

2007-12-11T16:17:00.000-08:00

With this weird weather, I thought I would take a photo. This one came out pretty cool, and it is out of my window. Eat your heart out Sullivan!

Torture is Torture is Torture

2007-12-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

Today a subcommittee for Senate Judiciary held a hearing on detainee treatment and trial procedures. Most of the debate swirled around the inability for the current system to try the detainees that are being held in Guantanamo. To date, there has only been one person tried, and Mr. Hicks has been sent back to Australia, to serve a ninth mont h sentence. During the questioning, the democrats focused on detainee rights with respect to haebeus, and the use of evidence that wouldn't be used in a American court of law.

One person that was missing from this hearing was Colonel Morris Davis. Col. Morris who was until recently the Chief Prosecutor of military commission at Guantanamo, but resigned when he became frustrated by ineffective system, lack of progress, and political pressure. He was invited to participate in a panel, but was ordered by the Secretary of Defense to not go. His point of contention was the use of torture in providing evidence against the the detainees. Listen to this interview from today on Canadian radio, click on Part II. I like when the interviewer asks why he was allowed to talk to her, but not with the senate. You be the judge.

What this debate comes down to is torture and its legality in the pursuit of information. Specifically the use of "enhanced" techniques such as waterboarding and stress positions. I think Andrew Sullivan said it well today when he spoke about the breaking of human will. Even though people have been debating this subject, I think you should see what it looks like, the video is graphic so you have been warned. Yes, this is from Al Gore's Current tv network, but I think it is an accurate representation.

Music Musings

2007-12-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

I just ran across Paolo Nutini while listening to Lastfm. It is a good music streaming service, and of course they are always recommending similar artists and the like. I got his live EP from the Isle of White Music festival, and it is exceptionally good. The song below is the big single, and soulfully catchy. I am sure they will be pushing him here in the states before long, so be on the look out. For those of you who are not YouTube masters, you can click on the little menu button, and see video associated to him.

If You Build it, They Will Come

2007-12-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

I have been following politics since I was a babe. I love political season, the crisp autumn air, the millions of dollars raised, and the inevitable character assassination that we have all come to love . The ads can be terrible/election losers, so so, funny, or brilliant (very few fall in the last category). The ad for Barrack Obama below is one of the best I have ever seen. No matter your political persuasion, you have to admit it is evocative and makes you want to wave the flag! It isn't trying to scare you with mushroom clouds, terrorist, and WWIII which is always nice.

Someone shrank B-More

2007-12-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

I know that I don't often portray this city in a great light, but even the doll makers have a great view of the city.

Radiohead changing the rules of the game

2007-12-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago, Radiohead released their most recent record, In Rainbows. I am not the biggest fan of Radiohead, but I am a fan of how they were able to sell the cd. They are no longer affiliated with a record label, so they recorded, and produced the album, and put it up on a website, and you choose your own download price. Of course you have those people out there that paid the $0.00 amount, but other groups in support actually paid a boatload for it. I am sure it is easy for a band with the huge commercial success of Radiohead to do something like this, but I think it is a great initiative. It takes out several layers of the music industry, bringing down the cost of the music for the customer. I am all for that. The record itself is pretty good by the way.

One Religion to Divide them All

2007-12-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Mitt had to give the speech that I am sure he has been dreading. The "My religion doesn't disqualify me from being President" speech. To be truthful, I don't care what religion the person is, as long as they can carry out the duties of the President, and protect the ideals of the U.S. Constitution. Having said that, the cartoon comes from my home town editorial cartoonist Jim Borgman. I do like what Fred Thompson said about this subject. Essentially, I only do the church as a pro forma thing, but don't question me because I am not going to talk about it. Although when you can use the religion issue to divide and conquer, I guess the other candidates figure why not? And, if you want to hear what Hitchens has to say, which I agree with, check it.

The Wire in the Early Days

2007-12-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

My only knowledge about Charm City before moving up here came from The Wire. Hands down, one of the best television shows I have ever seen. It really puts you there on the streets, in the police precints, and local government. The characters are all so very flawed, but you are still rooting for some of the bad guys in the end. They just finished shooting their fifth and final season for HBO, and I have no doubt it will be worth seeing. I was trolling the nets, and found these links off of Metafilter, some earlier views of three of the main series characters: Prop Joe, Young Omar, and Bunk & McNulty. They take you to Amazon, but the videos are right there.

Memo to the President

2007-12-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

For a time, I was a big fan of Thomas Friedman. He reads easily, and his use of analogy helps people understand what is going on in the Middle East. I lost a bit of respect for him once he caught his case of six monthitiss. His predictions always took place six months in the future, and they typically didn't come to fruition. Having said that, I like this little memo he sent to the President on behalf of the Iranian president. It makes sense, and there are no six month predictions.

Baltimore vs. Rio: A tale of two cities

2007-12-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

It wasn't until I moved to Baltimore, that I realized what a demoralizing factor crime can be in a city. Back in the VA, I didn't worry about walking down a dark street or ally. The only time I saw homeless person is when I went to D.C. for work. Now I can't go that far without watching someone who is either high, coming off a high, or looking for a high. The drug trade in this city is ridiculous, and if the blue cameras are any indication of this, it won't be going away anytime soon. The drug trade brings the violence, and if you haven't been keeping track of the number people murdered in the city, you can always check here.

I thought this city was semi-hopeless, then I saw this article on Rio de Janeiro. If we thought crime was bad in our fair city, we don't hold a candle to this city. While it is a city of several million, the poverty, corruption, and crime. The police are fighting the drug gangs, and seem to become more of a terror, than a barrier to it. Check out the article, and if you want to see a movie about corruption in Brazil check out Manda Bala. Although Rio is much better looking, hands down!

First they came for the VFW, then they will come for You!

2007-12-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

Having lived with a libertarian for a couple of years, I came to realize that classic liberalism is not the answer to everything. I even adopted some of the states rights views that libertarianism holds dear to its heart. Let us not forget that this great country of ours was founded by a Union of States, and not by the Federal government. Once and a while I would pick up my room mate's Reason magazine, and find myself agreeing with some of the stuff they were saying. Non-interventionist foreign policy, small federal government, and states rights issues. This was all the good stuff our founding fathers loved, minus the whole slavery part. Anyway, I like to hit up Reason's blog, and they also have this project with Drew Carey, where he talks about these issues anecdotally. Watch below, and if you think the actions of the Dallas police department were unjustified, maybe you have a little libertarian living inside of you!

Oh Wolfy, I missed you So

2007-12-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

The State Department, and specifically Madam Secretary Rice have yet to learn one of the great lessons of life. Learn from your mistakes, and you won't end up repeating them. But, it looks like Condi couldn't help herself, and needed to bring one of her buddies back into the sweet folds of the State Department. Mr. "I got my girlfriend a raise" Wolfowitz has been selected to serve on State's International Security Advisory Board who's job is to " advise[] Rice on disarmament, nuclear proliferation, WMD issues and other matters." I am sure he will provide an unvarnished and objective opinion of what is going on around the globe, and maybe kick off another invasion, who knows when Wolfy is involved? Is it better or worse that he replaced Senator Fred Thompson, you be the judge of that one.

War on Drugs: Is Victory Possible?

2007-12-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

In Ben Wallace Wells' article from Rolling Stone, he analyzes the cost and benefits of America's thirty year war on drugs. No matter where you stand on the issue of drug legalization, the drug war in my has been a catastrophic failure, and a fiscal boondoggle. In the article he recounts how this country has spent almost a half-trillion dollars in an effort to eradicate drug use and cultivation. Where are we thirty years later? The article speaks for itself. Check out this aggregation website that displays some fun facts on money spent and citizens incarcerated.

Verizon to Open its Carrier Busom to more cellphones

2007-11-27T11:10:00.000-08:00

If you are like a significant number of people living on the east coast, you are probably walking around with a phone with the verizon logo emblazoned upon it. I can't really complain about their service, although I still think my bill is too high, and that is probably due to all those damn commercials they run showing the thousands of people that support my network. Anyway, Verizon made a huge announcement today, that is sure to make other carriers question their own practices. Verizon will, starting in 2008, allow cellphones that are not purchased from Verizon to be used on their network. If you want to read about the implications check here and here.

Needless to say, Verizon doesn't want to be left in the dust, and have some other carrier make the first move. I am sure it will make some extra money for the big V, and if anything create a more open cell phone market in the U.S. If you look to Europe they are already have a similar system, whereby you can buy the phone from one carrier, but the laws their prohibit the customer from having to sign a contract with the same carrier. It seems to have one drawback though, because Verizon and the other carriers us the subsidized cellphone with contract to get you hooked. In some of the European countries that are carrying the gadget of the year I-phone, they are paying some serious dough for it.

The next big event on this whole wireless front will be the UHF spectrum auction that is set to take place next year. That is when the internet giant Google will makes its move into the cellphone market, then all hell shall break loose.

Getting Personal

2007-11-22T13:12:00.000-08:00

The video above comes from the NPR and Slate collaboration, that interviews random individuals on the street. They came to Baltimore sometime this summer, and just interviewed people over at the Inner Harbor. Alex Chadwick, from NPR just lets people tell there story. In it the truck driver tells the story of giving a dead fellow truck driver one last ride. These are the type of stories that you may have never heard without our lovely internets, good for your internets! There are plenty more interviews like these over at Slate, so check them out.

Turkey on my Mind

2007-11-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

It is know throughout the world that turkeys are winged beasts with a chip on their shoulders. They roam the streets, preying on small animals and children and in the most extreme cases cars! That is right, the turkey whom we thought was simply put on this earth for Thanksgiving day consumption, is a bird without pity. So on this holiday of glutenous consumption be sure that you aren't walking down the street on your own, for you might find yourself pecked to death.

On a more uplifting note, a friend of mind has a gig with History channel, doing little video bits on holiday foods. The Thanksgiving seleciton is about our favorite dessert this time of year, pumkin pie. His name is Dave, and he has a blog, as well as a eating tour that he runs through New York. You should check out the video, and if you are really bold, and love good food, check out his eating tour as well. Have a great Thanksgiving.

Death in the Office

2007-11-19T17:19:00.000-08:00

While I have been in the workplace for a couple of years, I haven't had to endure what is known as "death by power point" too many times. I tend to think the simple presentations are the best, and this post from LifeHacker illustrates that. Check out this presentation they have up, and I am sure you will find yourself agreeing with most of it.

| View | Upload your own

Corrupt and Contrite and the fall of Bromwell

2007-11-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

Letter-writers voice support for Bromwell
I am always amazed at what people will do once they get into office. As the old saying goes "Absolute power corrupts absolutely", and this was no different for the former state senator from Baltimore County Thomas L. Bromwell. This guy received hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to steer some construction contracts to a local company. I guess he was correct when he referred to himself as a "whore", while being secretly taped by FBI agents. What is even more galling to me is the fact that you have people out there willing to attest to how great this guy is. Here you have a person in a position of great power, sitting on the Finance committee, and all the while raking in the bribes. Why should I be sorry for him or his wife? You do the crime you have to do the time. I seriously doubt this will be the last time I write about corruption in Maryland politics.
(Image courtesy of the Baltimore Sun)

Reading is FUNdemental

2007-11-10T06:12:00.000-08:00

On a cold and dreary Saturday morning I like to unplug from the internets, and read a good book. But what is better than reading a great book, than sharing that book with a friend? I have come across several social book sites that allow you to keep track of everything you have ever read, and allows you to share your views on the book. I have been using GoodReads for a couple of months, and it is great. So if you have a couple of hours (it is a huge time suck) to catalog all of the books you have ever read you will find it quite enjoyable. Then you can have all your literati friends join your reading circle.

Bhutto released from house arrest in Pakistan

2007-11-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

Bhutto released from house arrest
The situation in Pakistan right now seems to be reaching a boiling point. One one side you have Musharaf, who took power through a coup back in 1999. Then you have Ms. Bhutto, who fled the country amid allegations of corruption, after being prime minister for two terms. The former is a military leader, who is also the President of Pakistan, and has been an ally in America's war of terror, the later is seen as a progressive/moderate who could keep Pakistan from slipping into chaos.

The recent actions taken by Musharaf as of late give me cause for concern. He has suspended the constitution, dismissed all of the Supreme court justices, and jailed hundreds of protesters. Now that the country is living under martial law, and citizens don't have the right to protest. How can we prop up a leader that has taken away such basic rights, with billions in aid. I guess the administration prefers the strong man, in the case of Pakistan, instead of lawlessness that could ensue if he was deposed. We have to remember that Pakistan does posses nuclear bombs, and has been known to let technology "leave" the country.

Ms. Bhutto would like to sweep in from the wings, and resume her role as prime minister. Or at least as was first proposed, share power with Musharaf. But talks broke down, her welcome home bus was bombed, and general unrest has taken over. While her appearance does give promise of a more democratic system returning to Pakistan, I have a feeling we will continue to support Mr. Musharaf.

I guess we will see in the elections that are supposed to be held in February. If Ms. Bhutto is able to create the sort of groundswell we saw with the attorneys in that country, we could see a change in administration sooner than we think.

Rendition: This is not a flight you want to take

2007-11-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

FRONTLINE/WORLD . Coming Soon . Extraordinary Rendition | PBS
This is going to be a very interesting episode of Frontline, well all of them are interesting but this one has a little more relevance. Today, the Senate Judiciary decided to forward Mukasey's nomination along to the full Senate. Although he says torture is illegal, he was still unwilling to classify water boarding as torture. I wonder what he would think about the techniques that are used by the allies that we render our prisoners to? My only consolation is that he can't be any worse than his predecessor.

Slots to Save the Kids and Ponies

2007-10-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

One of the most contentious issues being debated in Maryland, has been the issue of slot machines. The previous governor, Erlich, tried to get them but was thwarted by the democratic legislature. Now, our current governor and former mayor O'Malley is trying to resurrect the issue. The Sun has several articles worth reading on the subject.
The main goal of the slot proposal by the governor is twofold. First, shore up $555 million of $1.7 billion dollar budget shortfall. Second, to protect the horse racing industry here in Maryland. The government's argument being, too many people are running to PA ad WV with their gambling dollars, and they leave the local tracks high and dry.
The opposition, which includes the state comptroller has said slots would only be the begining and "slots in a neighborhood near you" would be right around the corner. But, as I see it, if the state budget is going to have such a massive deficit, why not try to recoup some of the money being lost outside of the state? That way the lawmakers won't have to make the cuts in the essential services such as health care, education, etc.

But, in the end it is the age old fight of vice versus virtue. I can see that with gambling comes addiction and crime . O'Malley has proposed a set aside to fund treatment of the by products of gambling.

A Thorn in the Side of Secrecy

2007-10-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

Seymour Hersch is one of the preeminent investigative reporters of our times. Starting with his Pulitzer prize winning journalism, that exposed the massacre in the Vietnam village of Mia Lia. He continues to produce some of the most well researched and thoroughly sourced pieces about America's military and intelligence services. I started reading his articles in the New Yorker after I got back from Iraq. His reach is unparalleled, and his articles are prescient.

More recently the focus of his articles have been Iran (1,2,3,4). More specifically, our administrations slow creep in the instigation of a war with that country. He recently sat down with his editor from the New Yorker, during their annual festival, to discuss his coverage of the administrations fixation on Iran. The first money quote is after the editor asks him how do we deal with Iran, other than militarily, and Hersh responds "there is only one way. . .he wants to do it." It is apparent from what Sy says, is that Bush & Co. are still focused on going into Iran. They are not interested in a diplomatic solution that would necessitate us sitting down with one of the axis. Which is ironic, considering we have just cut a deal with the North Koreans concerning their nuclear program. Wherein they have agreed to halt their weapons production, and the international community will supply amongst many things fuel oil. The fact that North Korea already has the reactor and the weapons technology, and we could still negotiate with them seems more than hypocritical.

I believe it is incumbent upon a responsible citizen to read these articles. This slow creep in the escalating bellicose rhetoric of our administration is frightening similar to the lead up to Iraq. I have increased faith that our media is more on guard against the type of hype that surrounded the run up to the Iraq war, but not in the decision making apparatus at the highest levels of our civilian leadership, either for fear of bucking the "war on terrorism" fight, or from those who are hell bent on regime change in Iran.

Regrets and Rememberances

2007-10-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

I often dwell on the issue of Iraq for several reasons. First, I spent several years in the military, and was part of the initial invasion force that went into Iraq. I can remember it as if it were yesterday driving in the back of a dust filled humvee (no armor), crossing into Iraq. Those first couple of weeks, I was hopeful but confused at the same time. We had been told to expect some sort of chemical attack, from the non-existent weapons I suspect. But I was hopeful that we could still make a significant contribution to the first Arab democracy. Years later, I see we were sadly mistaken, and were mislead by an administration hell bent on toppling a malevolent dictator.
Having said that, I was interested in Peter Baker's article in the Washington Post today. He has interviewed several of the former key administration staffers that have left the White House recently. It appears that bridges were burned, and friendships were torn asunder because some of these staffers "drank the kool-aid" according to Joe Klein of Time magazine. He was talking specifically of Peter Wehner, who was the White House director of strategic initiatives until August. He says that "The fact that [the Iraq war] didn't go so well is something you struggle with." He struggles with it? I am glad he has to at least "struggle" with being apart of such a strategic policy blunder, it will take decades to redeem our status, if it is even salvageable at this point.

But I have much harsher criticism for Mehgan O' Sullivan, who until recently was deputy national security adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan. She came over from the State Department and was involved early in Iraq with the CPA. She actually makes an appearance in the book by Trainor and Gordon, Cobra II, which deals with pre-Iraq planning. In it, she was actually opposed by the Bush White House because she was a realist, and wanted to actually plan for insurgency situations instead of the Vice President's most famous of assessments. She was later brought into the White House, and appears to have consumed some of the strongest Kool Aid they had to offer. She was seen by many on the ground in Iraq as wielding "the [...] 7,000-mile screwdriver", which is indicative of the way this war has been run. The statement that troubles me the most is her rhetorical "Is it worth it?" If someone still has to ask themselves this, they have many more fundamental questions to asks themselves.

On a more somber note, I would like to bring your attention to the anniversary that should be remember by all persons who enjoy an open media, no matter you political bent. Ms. Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian journalist, was murdered a year ago in a gangland style slaying, that shocked all of Russia. You can read more about the murder and investigation here, here, and here. I wanted to mention her, because it speaks to a much larger issue. The flow of the information,and truth is a vital part of an open society. Without it, we are uninformed and left in the dark about the atrocities that Ms. Anna Politkovskaya reported on in Chechnya. While Russia remains a nominal democracy, we have begun to see a clamp down on the truth telling that can occur in this country, and the recent actions by President Putin don't lend me to believe their country will continue its progression towards an open society, but just a rendition of what happened in the old Soviet Union.

Lexington Market: A Microcosm of Baltimore

2007-10-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite and more interesting places to visit is Lexington Market. I should correct myself, the "The World Famous Lexington Market", because that is what the sign says out front. You can see the sign on the adjoining parking lot, because it looms large on the West Side. The Market has so much to offer, I am not sure where to start. First, there is the food which is in abundance. From fresh seafood to produce, you can do some serious shopping here. It is a major depot for lunch goers during the week, and the food isn't bad. When I first moved here, I was introduced to one of the major delicacies of Baltimore which is the Berger cookie. It is cookie Nirvana if you ask me, but you can be the judge of that. There are sweets shops a plenty, so if you do have a hankering for chocolate covered pretzels, get them there.

What is amazing about this place are the people . There are tons of people there, just hanging out all day. Even better, there are places that serve alcohol. People are there eating and drinking earlier in the morning and until the place shuts down! But, even if you never make your way into the Market, you will certainly be effected by the traffic out front. If you are traveling along Eutaw st., be careful. The people that are coming and going into the Market pay no heed to the traffic lights. If they see a chance to make it across the street, even if you car is barreling at them, they will take it. I find myself drawn into extreme cross walking, when I go to the Market, so beware!

2007-10-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

I think some explanation is in order when it comes to this whole "Charm City" issue. When I first moved here, a little over a year ago, I was bombarded by the second name for our fair city. For those of your who are native Baltimorians this will be a bit repititous, but here goes. So it appears that are several stories as to where this nickname comes from, but it remains ironic either way.

A Shot Across the Bow

2007-10-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Since this is my first posting, I assume it should be some great polemic that gives you some great understanding of who I am. Unfortunately, my writing is rusty and my creative writing skills are woefully lacking. Please stayed tuned for insightful analysis of worldy as well as local events. Living in Baltimore does has its benefits, one being I am reminded what blue color working folk are like. Living in D.C. for a couple of years helps you forget that. However, it would be wrong if I don't introduce you to our beloved Mayor Sheila "E" Dixon. She doesn't play the drums though.