20060710 KDDC Of Free Speech and Personal Security

Of Free Speech and Personal Security

Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that someone isn’t really out to get ya

July 10^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

In an ideal world, the Blogsosphere would be the perfect vehicle to realize a great democratizing-leveling of intellectual and respectful dissent, discussion and dialogue about the challenges we face in the new millennium.

What a great sentence. What a great ideal.

If only it were true.

For us geeks who were around in the beginnings if the internet, many shared a renewed sense of utopian hope for the great futures that could be provided by this new technology.

Especially for those of us who hold so dear the concepts of Jeffersonian direct participatory democracy in which all citizens may have a direct say in how government governs. In the beginnings of our great country, when, to state the obvious, the population was not as large, we could actually get together physically in a “town meeting” and have our voices heard.

That’s obviously not possible now that we want millions of folks to participate as opposed to several hundred… From an historical perspective, the internet and blogs have certainly been timely. Now, more than ever, the “town meeting” is facilitated by blogs.

Fortunately a great deal of the internet represents the best of our greater community.

However, as with all great things, there is a “but’ required…

And that is – BUT unfortunately, as it has painfully developed, the Blogsosphere is also a reflection of a not-so-pretty picture of the unpleasant soft underbelly of our society. That is the part about people behaving badly.

It is enough to make you despair – and worry about one’s livelihood, safety and of the well-being of your family simply because someone out there forgets to take their medication and wants to “visit you” either metaphysically as in examples of “DDOS” (Distributed Denial Of Service attack) or actually behave in a threatening manner. Certainly one can disagree with a position without discussing or disclosing a debate opponent’s home address.

Some bloggers have chosen to write under a non de plume, for various reasons. Some of us, from the more idealistic set, write under our real names and are nevertheless careful not to give out too much information as to locational whereabouts out a sense of responsibility for our families and for our own safety.

Great examples of which are not only the recent Kabuki Morals play acted out for “Protein Wisdom,” but also played out in “20060421 Support Your Local Michelle Malkin” or here, here, “Taking down a blogger,” “Post Turns Comments Off,” “Crossing a Line” – and Mr. Goldstein’s response at: “Inside Higher Ed: “We are as fair as we can bring ourselves to be”

Michelle Malkin has been at the forefront of much the responsible debate as to what to do and she has called to our attention a really remarkable discussion on “NZ’s Desk” at “The Truth Laid Bear.” Please find that discussion here. It is a fascinating read.

Ultimately we all need to “harden the infrastructure,” because if the past is prologue, we will be dealing with folks attempting to silence our voices for quite some time. Apparently some folks find conservative bloggers fairly threatening.

Hats off to Michelle Malkin for helping to facilitate this important discussion.

We can’t make a difference if we have no voice and that would appear to suit many liberals just fine.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

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20060710 KDDC Time for Japan to Re -Arm

Time for Japan to Re-Arm?

July 10^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

A Yahoo News video report this morning says, “‘Japan Considers Strike Against North Korea.’ Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary says his country is looking at whether a preemptive strike against North Korea's missile bases would be allowed under their constitution.”

Additionally, Yahoo News is carrying an Associated Press article by Mari Yamauchi this morning that certainly begins to put the crisis over North Korea’s rouge state behavior in another light. (“Japan may postpone North Korea resolution”)

That is, if the world and the United Nations won’t live up to its responsibilities, perhaps Japan needs re-arm and take matters in its own hands.

Meanwhile, where is China and Russia on this, besides sitting on their hands?

Okay, asking Russia to act responsibly may be a stretch, but certainly China, who wishes so assiduously to assume a leadership role in world events must realize that it has quite a stake in this unfolding drama.

Gee, if this isn’t déjà vu all over again.

When President George W. Bush was attempting to reign in Iraq’s rouge state behavior under Saddam Hussein, the United States could not get any cooperation from Germany, Russia and France.

Well, duh, the reason we could get no cooperation out of the French, Germans and Russians was simple. They were making too much money off of Saddam Hussein. Oh never mind that he was a weapon of mass destruction all by himself, as long as they were making money, what the heck. Besides, the United States will clean up the mess, after France, Germany and Russia had made enough money off the tortured and dead Iraqis left in the wake of the mad-man reign of Saddam Hussein.

Japan did send some non-combatant troops to Iraq, but didn’t they bug-out recently, leaving us holding the bag.

In a case of situational ethics, Senator Hilary Clinton has said that the president’s policy on North Korea has failed because he insists on working with our partners in the United Nations to come to a consensus as to how to go about reigning in North Korea’s behavior which is threatening the tranquility and stability of Asia.

What was it that she said, that the president was outsourcing United States foreign policy. Oi gevald!

But other liberals have criticized the president for acting unilaterally in Iraq.

My moonbat decoder ring is not helping me at the moment as to just what the liberals would want us to do with North Korea. Be sure to keep reading the New York Times, as are the North Koreans, to see what secret plan the president may ultimately have in mind.

Maybe it is time that Japan spend some of its GNP on arming itself and looking after its own interests, instead of the United States being the big brother for everyone in the world – at our expense.

Won’t China, Russia and Korea, North and South Korea, for that matter, find Japan re-arming “quite special?” After-all, throughout history, they have always had a "special" friendship. NOT.

Okay Russia and China, if you don't want Japan to re-arm, how about stepping up to the plate and having a meaningful conversation with your buddy in North Korea.

For a reality check, any pre-emptive strike against North Korea may need to be carefully thought out. North Korea does have a million troops 30 miles from Seoul, South Korea.

And oh, I did decide to somewhat ignore the issue of one wonders what all the moonbat, “cut and run” anti-military folks in California think of the current sorry state of affairs now that North Korea is trying to plug in the coordinates of San Francisco into their rockets.

So far, the only folks in peril from the North Koreans are fisherman in the Sea of Japan, however, that could change.

One wonders which side of her mouth California Senator Dianne Feinstein or Representative Nancy Pelosi is currently using - now that it may settling-in on her that Cindy Sheehan or Michael Moore are no match for the North Koreans.

And also remember, it is a San Franciscan city councilmember that questions why the United States should even maintain a military.

It’s time, for some other nations and American elected officials to take on a renewed sense of responsibility in these matters. Perhaps that time is now. /Kevin Dayhoff

_________________

Japan may postpone North Korea resolution

By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press Writer 52 minutes ago

TOKYO - Japan said Monday it was considering whether a pre-emptive strike on North Korea's missile bases would violate its constitution, signaling a hardening stance ahead of a possible U. N. Security Council vote on Tokyo's proposal for sanctions against the regime.

The vote itself could be delayed for several days, a news agency reported.

China asked Japan to postpone the vote until later this week and Japan is prepared to accept, Kyodo News agency said.

Japanese officials had earlier vowed to push ahead with a resolution that would impose sanctions on North Korea for its missile tests last week, but said Tokyo would not insist on a Monday vote.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters his government wants a vote on the measure "as soon as possible."

"I think we must send a message that's as clear as possible" to North Korea, he said.

Japan was badly rattled by North Korea's missile tests last week and several government officials openly discussed whether the country ought to take steps to better defend itself, including setting up the legal framework to allow Tokyo to launch a pre-emptive strike against Northern missile sites.

"If we accept that there is no other option to prevent an attack ... there is the view that attacking the launch base of the guided missiles is within the constitutional right of self-defense. We need to deepen discussion," Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said.

Japan's constitution bars the use of military force in settling international disputes and prohibits Japan from maintaining a military for warfare. Tokyo has interpreted that to mean it can have armed troops to protect itself, allowing the existence of its 240,000-strong Self-Defense Forces.

Read the rest of the Yahoo News article here.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

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20060710 KDDC Incoming Airborne Terrier

Jack Russell Terrier and the Ball
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
July 3rd, 2006

While visiting friends recently, their neighbor's Jack Russell Terrier came bounding over to say hello. What a hoot! This dog was so friendly and had tons of energy, it made me tired just watching it. It could play with a tennis ball for hours.

And every once in awhile, as if it were washing the ball off, it would place the ball in the fishpond. Well, that was also too much fun. Of course, one only knows what the goldfish thought of that. They may still be in counseling.

There is lots of information on the internet on Russell Terriers. One of the other places I read for additional information was here.

I was first introduced to Jack Russell Terriers by a running buddy, Gary Horst. His dog, also a wonderful delight, is named "Jazz." Perfect name as it seems a dog of this breed must certainly jazz-up one's life.

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20060709 KDDC A cartoon about the NYTimes you can just love

Mike Lester: "I hate getting American Soldiers' blood on my fingers"
July 9th, 2006

Oh, I've been wanting to post the above cartoon by Mike Lester for several days.

OMG - I Love it!

Read what "Darly Cagle's Professional Cartooon Index" has to say in his July 7th, 2006 post" "ANOTHER CARTOON CONTROVERSY."

Today's cartoon controversy comes from our own Mike Lester of the Rome (GA) News-Tribune. This controversy grew out of an editorial in the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper which ran Mike's cartoon at he right; the editorial led to a story by Romanesko on the Poynter.org site, a must read for journalists, and that, in turn, led to a story on Editor & Publisher, the journal of record for the journalism business.

Frankly, I don't see that this cartoon should be controversial. There are so few conservative cartoonists that when when strong conservative cartoons come up, newspapers get unusual responses from liberal readers...

Read the rest here.

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20060709 KDDC Italy wins the World Cup

Italy wins the World Cup
July 10th, 2006

For all the rabid soccer fanatics out there. Italy has won the World Cup. I’m just happy it wasn’t the French.

MSNBC has posted an Associated Press story:

Italy beats France for title on penalty kicks

Italians hit all 5 shots, claim 4th World Cup; Zidane ejected for head-butt

BERLIN - Italy let France do nearly anything it wanted Sunday, except win the World Cup. That belongs to the Azzurri, 5-3 in a shootout after a 1-1 draw.

Outplayed for an hour and into extra time, the Italians won it after French captain Zinedine Zidane was ejected in the 107th minute for a vicious butt to the chest of Marco Materazzi. It was the ugliest act of a tournament that set records for yellow and red cards, diving and, at times, outright brutality.

Read the rest of the story here and: Italy-France box score; Zidane ejected from final for head-butt and Sound off on soccer discussion boards.

Also:

• Italy beats France on PKs for 4th title

• Zidane gets red card, ejected | His legacy?

• Best XI: top players, your picks for World Cup

• From the Fan: What a long, strange trip it was

• Slide shows: Hairdos | Damsels | Beckham

• Today's scores | Schedule | Discuss | Vote

• Images: Highlights, more | MORE COVERAGE

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20060708 KDDC An analysis from AP on the current Gaza standoff

An analysis from AP on the current Gaza standoff

Updated: 3:48 p.m. ET July 8, 2006

MSNBC is carrying an analysis of the current standoff between Isreal and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip over the recent capture of 19-year-old Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit:

Gaza: A tale of lost opportunity, angry reprisals

Already troubled area to suffer far-reaching setbacks from abducted soldier

It is worth the read. As much as I support the Isreali response... the analysis puts some things into perspective that I had not considered. For example:

"Shalit was seized June 25 in a cross-border raid by Hamas-linked militants, who have demanded the release of some of the 9,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

That demand has widespread support among ordinary Palestinians, which cuts to the heart of the stalemate. Hamas could be finished politically if it gives up Shalit without a prisoner swap, and Israel fears that caving into militant demands would only encourage more attacks."

The analysis begins by saying:

"JERUSALEM - Gaza’s transformation into a battlefield is a tale of lost opportunity and ill-fated visions.

The capture of a young Israeli soldier and Israel’s tough response have threatened Israeli support for withdrawal from the West Bank, exposed rifts among the Islamic militants of Hamas and rendered the Palestinians’ moderate president irrelevant.

Expectations that Palestinians would begin building their own state following Israel’s historic withdrawal from the impoverished Gaza Strip last year have given way to despair and escalating bloodshed."

Read the rest of the analysis here.

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20060708 KDDC Contact

"Contact"

(c) Kevin Dayhoff
July 8th, 2006

20060708 KDDC Committee Presentation of the Declaration of Independence

"Committee Presentation of the Declaration of Independence"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
July 8th, 2006

20060708 KDDC Old Car Gas Pump and Tree

"20060707 Old Car Gas Pump and Tree"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
July 7th, 2006

20060708 KDDC la ministra de Asuntos Exteriores de Austria, Ursula Plassnik

El primer vicepresidente y ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Samuel Lewis Navarro y la ministra de Asuntos Exteriores de Austria, Ursula Plassnik, durante la IV cumbre de Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno América Latina y Caribe-Unión Europea que se celebra en la capital austríaca del 11 al 13 de mayo de 2006.

www.mire.gob.pa/noticias.php?id=1646


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20060708 KDDC Austria's Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik

Ursula!

"Serbia's President Boris Tadic (R) welcomes Austria's Foreign Minister and President of the EU Council Ursula Plassnik before their meeting in Belgrade June 30, 2006. REUTERS/Marko Djurica (SERBIA) Hat Tip:Princess Sparkle Pony's Photo Blog.

And yes, she is 6' 3" tall!

Read more about Bundesministerin Dr. Plassnik here and here and here and here.

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20060708 KDDC Hastert and Bush caption contest

"Dennis Hastert and George Bush, seen here today in Chicago" in a July 7th, 2006 AP photo.
July 8th, 2006
Hat Tip: Wonkette.

This has caption contest written all over it.

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20060708 KDDC President Bush Discusses Immigration

President Bush Discusses Immigration

July 8th, 2006

From the other day... July 5th, 2006... The president visited a Duncan Donuts to make some great points about how diversity makes our country strong.

I sure wish he would also find an agriculture operation in which he could visit and also make the point that the "guest worker" program and immigration reform is crucial to agriculture in our country.

Please see my May 31st, 2006 Tentacle column: "The Great Mexican Maginot Line."

I wholeheartedly support the president's position on immigration.

From the White House web site:

President Bush Discusses Immigration in Alexandria, Virginia
Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins
Alexandria, Virginia
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 5, 2006

Fact Sheet: Basic Pilot: A Clear and Reliable Way to Verify Employment Eligibility
In Focus: Immigration

THE PRESIDENT: I just had a really interesting conversation. First of all, this business is owned by two Iranian American brothers. They are small business owners, they are entrepreneurs, they are employing people. And then I met with the district manager, who works with the two Iranian American brothers, happens to be a Guatemalan American citizen. She is learning business. She is taking on additional responsibility. Then I talked to the store manager, who was a Salvadoran American.

These people remind me that one of the great features of our country is that people are able to come here and realize dreams. One of the problems we have because our economy is strong is that small business owners have trouble finding workers. People come here to work.

And one of the things we've got to do is to make sure that they have a verification plan that will enable them to determine, as they hire new workers, whether or not the workers are here illegally. See, it's against the law to hire somebody who is here illegally. And we intend to enforce that law. Part of a comprehensive immigration plan is to give employers the tools necessary to determine whether or not the workers they're looking for are here legally in America. And we've got such a plan -- Basic Pilot, it's called. It's working.

Please read the rest of the White House piece here. Also, be sure to watch the video.

Immigration Reform

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org

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20060708 KDDC Immigration Test: Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes to become a citizen?

July 8th, 2006

MSNBC lists some questions from the test given to folks who want to become U. S. Citizens.

They introduce the list of questions by saying:

When immigrants want to become Americans, they must take a civics test as part of their naturalization interview before a Citizenship and Immigration Services officer.

The questions are usually selected from a list of 100 sample questions (see at http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/services/natz/English.pdf ) that prospective citizens can look at ahead of the interview (though the examiner is not limited to those questions).

Some are easy, some are not. We have picked some of the more difficult ones.

Should you be welcomed immediately to the Land of the Free or sent home for some more homework? Find out!

(PLEASE NOTE: These questions are as asked on the official United States Immigration and Naturalization Services Web site. Candidates are not given multiple choices in the naturalization interview, which is conducted orally.)

The "test" can be found here. Tell us how well you do.

Immigration Reform

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org

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20060708 KDDC Random House asked to investigate Coulter plagiarism allegations

Random House asked to investigate Coulter plagiarism allegations

July 8th, 2006

In a story posted on Media Matters on July 7, 2006, the watchdog organization that self-descibes itself "a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media," has asked Random House to investigate allegations of plagiarism in Ann Coulter's latest book, "Godless."

I guess this was to be expected. When you are a lightning rod like Ms. Coulter, one needs to understand that the left will leave no stone unturned in an attempt to disqualify her.

In a statement on their web site, Media Matters said,

"Coulter has exhibited a pattern of behavior suggesting that Godless itself may include other examples of plagiarism beyond those Barrie has already identified. ...Coulter's unethical conduct, as evidenced through the instances of plagiarism identified in her columns, and manifested in the book itself, does not only tarnish Coulter; if immediate action is not taken, it will soon reflect poorly on Random House."

Read More = Media Matters asks Random House to investigate Coulter plagiarism allegations. Media Matters also called to the reader's attention: Crown responds, Random House mum; Coulter dodges CNN cameras; More coverage of Ann Coulter.

Meanwhile, Tina Constable, Vice President, Executive Director Publicity, The Crown Publishing Group, responds:

We are in receipt of your e-mail to us and wanted you to have our statement on the matter you bring to our attention.

"We have reviewed the allegations of plagiarism surrounding Godless and found them to be as trivial and meritless as they are irresponsible. Any author is entitled to do what Ann Coulter has done in the three snippets cited: research and report facts. The number of words used by our author in these snippets is so minimal that there is no requirement for attribution. As an experienced author and attorney, Ms. Coulter knows when attribution is appropriate, as underscored by the nineteen pages of hundreds of endnotes contained in Godless." --Steve Ross, Senior Vice President and Publisher, Crown Publishing Group and Publisher, Crown Forum imprint."

Be sure to review the video found at: Coulter dodges CNN cameras. Watch the entire video.

Having had a little experience in reporting on allegations of plagaiarism, (see: "Who is Max Cleland?" ,) my view is that I sure wish that Ms. Coulter had properly attributed the passages in question. First off, she is a lawyer. Second, she sure should've known that the left was going to throw everything, including the kitchen sink, at her. Third, proper attribution is the right thing to do. Ms. Coulter needs to set a high standard of being an example.

Yes, Crown makes a good point, never-the-less, a bit of personal responsibility on the part of Ms. Coulter could go a long way. Future copies of the book could be corrected to reflect proper attribution.

At this point, it may be safe to say, that even the most careful writer is going to make a mistake and the emphasis ought to be properly addressing the mistake and moving on.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

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20060708 KDDC Wray's Place

"Wray's Place"
(c) Kevin Dayhoff
July 7th, 2006

A group of former Carroll County Bank and Trust Company employees got together Friday evening, July 7th, 2006, at Frisco Pub in Westminster, to celebrate a recent promotion in Chip Stocksdale's career.

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20060707 KDDC Recent MGA actions on Electric Dereg will hurt Marylanders

Recent General Assembly actions on Electric Deregulation will hurt Marylanders

July 7, 2006

In light of Maryland's Court of Appeal's decision today to halt the General Assembly's firing of the Public Service Commission, you may want to be sure to read an Op-Ed column in today’s Baltimore Sun as to how the Maryland General Assembly’s approach, in the long and short run, will hurt Marylanders in the future electric market.

It is written by Ray Gifford, president of the Progress and Freedom Foundation, is a former chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission:

From the Baltimore Sun

Assembly's BGE stance will hurt Marylanders

By Ray Gifford

July 7, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Maryland will suffer for some time because of the General Assembly's poor, populist choices about electricity.

As expected, the legislature overrode Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s veto of a bill that limits Baltimore Gas and Electric's rate increases and eliminates all of the current members of the Public Service Commission. The bill is a travesty for Maryland consumers and good regulation.

By repealing the rate increases, the legislature effectively denies BGE the ability to pay the competitive price for electricity. While this is hailed as a populist victory over corporate greed, no one has made an effective case that the PSC's determination of the need for an increase was wrong or overestimated BGE's costs. Instead, the legislature chooses to defy simple regulatory math; an electric utility must be able to charge what electricity costs or it will provide too little or slowly go out of business.

Read the rest of the column here.

20060707 KDDC Latest edition of the Westminster Main Street News is now available

Extra! Extra! Read all about it. The latest edition of the Westminster Main Street News, by Westminster Economic Development Administrator Stan Ruchlewicz.

Always informative and well written - click here: "Downtown Westminster Main Street News!"
to download the latest edition.

20060707 KDDC MD Court puts canning the PSC on hold

July 7th, 2006 at 1:55 PM.

Tom Stuckey, writing for the Associated Press reports that the MD Court of Appeals has put a temporary stop on the Maryland General Assembly firing the Public Service Commission.

Maryland State lawyers say that the Maryland General Assembly has the power to not only replace the Public Service Commission, but the august body even has the power to replace the replace judges of the Court of Special Appeals if it didn't like a ruling; saying: "As unpalatable as if may be, the legislature has that power," Berman replied."

The AP piece was placed on the Baltimore Sun's web site at 1:26 PM:

Md. court temporarily halts plan to fire PSC

Appellate judges say law cannot be enforced pending further order

By Tom Stuckey

The Associated Press

Originally published July 7, 2006, 1:26 PM EDT

"The five members of the Public Service Commission won a temporary reprieve today when the Court of Appeals issued an order enjoining the enforcement of sections of a bill passed last month to replace the current commission with new appointees.

The court's decision came in a two-paragraph order prohibiting replacement of the commission members "pending further order of this court."

Be sure to find the time to read the ENTIRE article. In a precious exchange, at the end of the article:

"Assistant Attorney General Michael Berman told the judges that the legislature has inherent authority to replace state employees. That power can only be limited by the state constitution, and there are no constitutional restrictions that would apply in the case of the Public Service Commission, he said.

"The General Assembly was addressing a problem, and the problem required ending the terms of the commission," Berman said.

Berman was questioned closely on how far the power extends to replace employees.

Could the General Assembly replace judges of the Court of Special Appeals if it didn't like a ruling, Bell asked.

"As unpalatable as if may be, the legislature has that power," Berman replied. (my emphasis)

He said if the legislature went too far in exercising its power, it could be reined-in by voters at the next election."

Read the rest of the article here.

Gee, if we could only get the all-powerful Maryland General Assembly to use that power for public good instead of serving themselves. Ah, for starters, perhaps they would consider replacing North Korean communist leader Kim Jong Il.

The opera that we know as the Maryland General Assembly continues to entertain.

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20060706 KDDC Aunt Kay Birthday Cake and the Commissioners

July 6, 2006

Carroll County Commissioners Julia Gouge, Dean Minnich and Perry Jones surprise Carroll County Office Building receptionist Kay Church with a birthday cake for her birthday.

How old is she, you ask? Well, here at kevindayhoff.com, we are not in the business of devulging state secrets, that's the job of the New York Times. However, we'll give ya a hint: she's the same age as President George W. Bush.

People Carroll County, Carroll County Commissioners, Carroll County Government News

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20060706 KDDC Blog mentions my April 12 Tentacle column

The Sun Lies mentions my April 12 Tentacle column

July 5^th, 2006

The blog, “The Sun Lies,” refers to my column in The Tentacle on April 12, 2006.

The Sun Lies post can be found here.

A list of my columns in The Tentacle can be found here.

If you are not familiar with “The Sun Lies,” you ought to remedy that right away. In a massive undertaking of keeping the Baltimore Sun honest about its biased, agenda driven reporting, The Sun Lies gives one the rest of the story.

It’s actually a shame. The talent at the Baltimore Sun is simply enormous. If they channeled that talent to being fair, balanced and accurate in their reporting, the subscription rate would be on the increase.

Meanwhile, the stock of the owners of the Baltimore Sun continues on a downward freefall. Many folks are beginning to whisper about the ultimate fate of newspapers in general and the Baltimore Sun, in particular.

As it is, the venerable old paper is on the ropes and quickly losing its status as the heretofore “paper of record.” That role is quickly being taken over by The Gazette – and the Washington Post.

For those of us who grew up reading the Baltimore Sun, the sadness is profound as in article after article, one picks up another newspaper or reads a blog, only to find out that any given Baltimore Sun article, simply gives slanted view, which often allows the reader to be ill-informed, if not misinformed.

Many folks blame the lost focus and misdirection by the Baltimore Sun on the takeover of the paper by Tribune, a number of years ago.

For the moment, the Baltimore Sun continues to arrogantly brush off protests that the paper is ipso facto the website for the Maryland Democratic Party and continues to believe that it is unaccountable for its collective lack of journalistic integrity.

This is a disservice to the many talented individuals and professionals who work at the paper and strive to get it right and ultimately, a profound breach of public trust.

Until things get turned around, most political reporting by the Baltimore Sun can be taken with a grain of salt and everything you read must be “fact-checked” by reading the Washington Post, The Gazette and the Sun Lies.

_________________

The Sun Lies’ complete post is pasted here:

Going Back A Little Bit, Dan Rodrick’s Logic Examined

July 5th, 2006

Governor Crothers, Meet Dan Rodricks

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks wrote a remarkable column that may earn itself an Olympic honorable mention in the annals of populist political propaganda: “Legislators grabbed power to put public back in Public Service Commission (PSC).”

Mr. Rodricks’ erudite moment in journalistic rhetoric highlighted cherry picked, out-of-context tidbits of 1910 Maryland history in order to historically legitimatize the Maryland General Assembly’s sacking of the current Public Service Commission for following regulations promulgated by a previous slate of Democrat-appointed PSC commissioners, at the behest of a law passed by the Maryland General Assembly.

Huh?

All right, let’s try and explain it this way. Let’s start at the beginning.

One of the main architects of the 1999 electric industry deregulation legislation was Senate President Thomas V. (Mike) Miller (D. Anne Arundel). Seven years later, legislation that was once thought of as brilliant – has failed miserably. Stuff happens.

So, you are Senate President Miller. What do you do?

One option is to say: “Hey, it unexpectedly went south on us, but we are going to roll up our sleeves, work together and make it right.”

That would have been the statesman-like thing to do.

Or, are you going to triangulate and blame something – or someone – innocent, which has a relative inability to defend itself?

Hey, it’s Maryland; the party in power is a propaganda machine of unlimited supremacy along with the allied political writers of Baltimore’s Sun, which has approximately 1.2 million readers at its disposal.

Eureka. Let’s blame it on the PSC. Its role in this matter is little known or understood and its function is complex. We’ll reduce this to the simplistic and blame it.

The first act in this opera is for The Sun to introduce the PSC to the public and demonize it and its five commissioners.

Piece of cake: character assassination is a cottage industry with the political writers of The Sun. (”The PSC and the Office of the People’s Counsel are set up to be independent agencies,” Speaker of The House of Delegates Michael Busch {D., Anne Arundel} said. “And this dialogue from a lobbyist from the utilities company and the constant inferences to the administration continues to bring into question the agency’s independence.” March 18: “Schisler, industry advocate exchanged e-mails last year,” The Sun) {Editor’s Note: Kenneth Schisler is the chairman of the PSC.}

The next act is to verbalize that the PSC is to blame and to repeat it so often so that it has the imprimatur of actually being true. (“’The customers have to feel, however the rates are being set, that they are getting a fair shot and have confidence in the people who are setting the rates,’ said Sen. Paula C. Hollinger, a Baltimore County Democrat who sponsored the bill.” March 28: “Panel acts to oust PSC members,” The Sun.)

Act 3 came April 6, when Dan Rodricks keyboards into gear with historical context to further legitimatize the blame-game, by invoking the name of “a progressive Democratic governor (from 1910) … named Austin Crothers.”

The final act is for The Sun to follow-it-up until it sticks. (“But Miller said Maryland residents ‘have no confidence in the PSC,’” April 9: “Leaders dispute news of BGE pact,” The Sun)

All brings to mind the introduction of Volume 1 of the “Tercentenary History of Maryland,” which says: “History is not an exact science and cannot be. Man simply does not know enough to tell everything about anything… Documents do not necessarily tell the whole story about anything, or even the truth about it… Strangely enough, a great deal of the most sedate American narrative is unconsciously but none the less thoroughly permeated with the heroics of a past emotionalism…”

And so it is with Mr. Rodricks’ use of Maryland Gov. Arthur Lane Crothers (1908 to 1912.)

For decades before the 1907 election of Governor Crothers, Maryland was ruled by a ruthless Democrat political machine. That rule, considered at the time to be among the most powerful in the United States, essentially ended with the deaths of the Maryland legislature boss, Arthur Pue Gorman on June 4, 1906; and Baltimore City boss Issac Freeman Rasin in 1907.

It was in the resulting power vacuum – the duopoly bosses’ deaths – that Mr. Crothers was chosen as a compromise candidate for governor, chiefly because of the powerful Eastern Shore Senator John Walter Smith.

During the reign of this “progressive Democrat political machine,” Maryland resisted many of the social and regulatory reforms that were sweeping the country.

As far as Governor Crothers’ reforms, Robert J. Brugger, author of the same history of Maryland cited by Mr. Rodricks, writes, “… Crothers as a reformer profited from circumstance.”

When Mr. Rodricks refers in his column, to “The General Assembly of 1910 kept it simple and put “public” and “service” in the name from the start,” he fails to mention just which members of the public the Maryland Democratic machine had in mind at the time.

Oh, that’s right, Mr. Rodricks failed to mention the other “legacies” of the “progressive Democrats” at the time: the “Poe Amendment” and the “Digges Amendment.”

These two initiatives attempted to systematically and methodically disenfranchise African-Americans of their right to vote. They were both explored extensively on the same pages (420-426) in which Dr. Brugger also discusses Governor Crothers in his history of Maryland, cited by Mr. Rodricks.

Oops!

Even Dr. Brugger remarked: “It testified to the ambiguity in Maryland that the Crothers administration both emitted the Digges amendment and left behind a series of important reform acts.”

Back to the future; if the Democratic leadership disagrees with the law, rules and regulations put into place, that the PSC followed in making the decisions of which the same leadership disagrees, then change the law.

Sacking the PSC is not the way to do it. One can imagine that unambiguous history will not be too kind to the 421st session of the Maryland General Assembly, no matter what has transpired in this opera, by the time you read this.

And, oh – after the turmoil of the Democratic machine years and the Crothers administration, a progressive Republican governor, (Phillips Lee Goldsborough,) was elected. Conventional wisdom is that history will repeat itself.

Isn’t that special?

http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=1552

We’d particularly highlight Mr. Dayhoff’s point that The Sun was setting the stage to demonize the PSC on behalf of a certain political agenda they have been pushing. Now is a good time to also suggest reviewing our PSC commentary such as happy endings’ and other demonstrated bias by The Sun in their coverage. If The Sun will not monitor its own bias then those of us in the blogging community will.

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North China Restaurant July 6, 2006

North China Restaurant

July 6, 2006

Miss Caroline and I had dinner Thursday evening at North China Restaurant in the Cranberry Square Shopping Center in Westminster. (Many folks are not aware that the Cranberry Square Shopping Center is owned by the Maryland Pension System…)

I had Sushi, of course. (Top picture.) Lui, the North China Restaurant sushi chef always makes me whatever he wants… I figure that he’s the artist, so just let him be as creative as he pleases and I’m never disappointed…

Miss Caroline had the Crispy Sesame Eggplant, Hunan Style.

If you haven’t had a chance to have dinner at the North China Restaurant, give it a try the next chance you get. The host’s name is Jack. Tell him “the chairman,” as he refers to me, sent you.

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20060706 KDDC North China Restaurant

Food, Food Chinese, Restaurants Carroll County, Restaurants Westminster, Restaurants, Restaurants Chinese, Restaurants North China, World China, 

20060706 KDDC Baggy Pants and Crime Prevention

Baggy Pants and Crime Prevention

The July 6^th, 2006 Carroll County Times has a story by Ari Natter, entitled, “Carroll rated Md.'s second-safest county.” This is good news for Carroll countians and it affirms one of the main reasons we like living in Carroll County – overall quality of life.

A big hats off goes to all the various law enforcement agencies in Carroll County that work tirelessly for our safety.

The beginning of the story reads: “Despite a 7.7 percent increase in the county's crime rate last year, Carroll County remains the second-safest county in the state, according to an annual statewide crime report released last month by the FBI. Only Garrett County, with a rate of 1,742.8 victims of crime for every 100,000 people, had a lower crime rate than Carroll, which totaled 1,897.6 victims of crime per 100,000 people.”

For the rest of the story, click here.

But perhaps one thing missing in the story is the untold story - and that is; one thing that continues to work to our advantage is the dynamic that most criminals aren’t very bright.

ABC carried a story on June 20th, 2006 that helps shed some additional light on crime prevention: “Baggy Pants Can Trip Up Criminals, Say Police.”

I kid you not, next time you see some young men attempting to walk in the fashion craze that requires them to wear their pants around their knees – looking, like, totally ridiculous, smile, knowing that the stupid fashion is a great crime-fighting tool.

No word as to whether or not this has contributed to a lower crime rate in Carroll County. But we’re on the trail of this breaking story…

Meanwhile, the ABC story leads-off to say: “Any plumber could tell you droopy drawers tend to trip you up, but apparently a lot of crooks fail to listen. Loose-fitting, baggy jeans have been in fashion for years, but police officers say they can also help fight crime.

"When they run, it makes our job easier," said Jim Matheny, a lieutenant with the Stamford, Conn., police department. The 41-year-old told ABC News he has no trouble chasing down suspects who wear low-hanging pants.

"They go to take off and either they have to use their hands to hold their pants up or several times the pants just fell down around their knees and they had to stop running," Matheny said. "They spend all day thinking of ways to beat the police and then they go and put these pants on. It really handicaps them."

Matheny said that those considering a life of crime might want to take a look at their wardrobes first.

"It's hilarious to me if you think about it," he said. "This is what they do for a living. It's like when the big thing was not tying your shoes and we had kids running out of their shoes."Read the rest of the story here.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

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20060706 KDDC A Picture of Community Policing in Westminster

A Picture of Community Policing in Westminster
July 7th, 2006

This is what community policing is all about. Westminster Police Sergeant Tom Kowalczyk stops for a moment to chat with Caroline Babylon and her Dad (my father-in-law,) David S. Babylon, Jr., at the May 20^th, 2006 Willis Street “Tag Sale” neighborhood event. Former Westminster Common Council President Babylon was a member of the Westminster Common Council from 1964 to 1989. © Kevin Dayhoff

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