Kevin Earl Dayhoff Art One-half Banana Stems

Kevin Earl Dayhoff Art One-half Banana Stems - www.kevindayhoff.com Address: PO Box 124, Westminster MD 21158 410-259-6403 kevindayhoff@gmail.com Runner, writer, artist, fire & police chaplain Mindless ramblings of a runner, journalist & artist: Travel, art, artists, authors, books, newspapers, media, writers and writing, journalists and journalism, reporters and reporting, technology, music, culture, opera... National & International politics www.kevindayhoff.net For community: www.kevindayhoff.org For art, technology, writing, & travel: www.kevindayhoff.com

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Explore Carroll: American Legion Boys State program taps leadership lesson at McDaniel College

Explore Carroll: American Legion Boys State program taps leadership lesson at McDaniel College

http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5498/american-legion-boys-state-program-taps-leadership-lesson-mcdaniel-college/

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(Enlarge) Students in this year's Boys State march around at McDaniel College in formation. The annual summer camp focuses on leadership and government education. (Photo by Kevin Dayhoff)

For those who may have noticed groups of young men marching around McDaniel College’s campus this week in formation and chanting, rest assured that it’s not a new approach to freshman orientation.

It’s Boys State.

The annual American Legion-sponsored summer program aimed to expose rising high school seniors to the intricacies and working of the federal, state, and local government, came to Westminster this week for its annual session.

During the week, the young future leaders attend hours of classroom instruction, lectures, group discussion and physical training.

This year, 160 boys from throughout Maryland — and three from Germany — are attending the summer residence program on The Hill at McDaniel College. The camp runs June 19-25... http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5498/american-legion-boys-state-program-taps-leadership-lesson-mcdaniel-college/

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My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Kevin Dayhoff The Tentacle: Boys State and Helmet Laws

June 22, 2011

Boys State and Helmet Laws
Now how’s that for a combination. Allow me to explain. Today I will be part of a team, at the annual, weeklong American Legion Boys State 2011 citizenship-training event at McDaniel College, facilitating a discussion on the pros and cons of mandatory motorcycle helmet laws.

Perhaps when Dr. Herb Smith, my former political science professor at McDaniel, first asked me if I could once again participate in helping out at Boys State, I should have run for the hills or asked for second prize.

However, I cannot turn Dr. Smith down. Not only was he an invaluable professor for a number of great classes at McDaniel, then Western Maryland College, he has since become a good friend and colleague along the way.

I’m looking forward to participating in Boys State. I have been asked to help off-and-on for years. I’m in good company – with the likes of Maryland State Sens. Joe Getty (R., Carroll/Baltimore Co.) and David Brinkley (R., Frederick/Carroll)...  http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=4473

Kevin Dayhoff The Tentacle: Boys State and Helmet Laws http://tinyurl.com/67y6dxx
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Would the Wizard of Oz have been less special if Dorothy were played by W.C. Shirley Temple instead of Judy Garland?


Would the Wizard of Oz have been less special if Dorothy were played by W.C. Shirley Temple instead of Judy Garland? Well, it almost happened. What if the patriarch of the Corleone family had been the buffoonish mastermind from McHale’s Navy and not legendary thespian Marlon Brando? That was almost the case as well. We’ll never know for sure whether these memorable movies and TV shows would have had the same spark with different actors in the critical roles, but we can still imagine what we missed out on with stars who lost out on iconic roles — and how different movie history would have been.

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Walking on the wild side for God

Kevin Dayhoff - Soundtrack: Business Profile: Gizmos Art and more from Westminster Patch

Kevin Dayhoff - Soundtrack: Business Profile: Gizmos Art and more from Westmin...: " 80° Editor Kym Byrnes : He Business Profile: Gizmos Art Business owner and community volunteer, Lyndi Stewart McNulty, tells Patch about..."

The Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 engine 33 was once again headed to Pleasant Valley in the early hours on Thursday, June 16, 2011.  Units arrived to find a two-story vacant house well involved.  Photo from Guy Garheart, courtesy of the Westminster fire department.

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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Explore Carroll: BETTER: My own summer blockbuster: Raiders of the Lost Band-Aids

Explore Carroll: BETTER: My own summer blockbuster: Raiders of the Lost Band-Aids

The History Channel should probably consider airing a reality show called “Suburban Archeology.”

Most of us have ancient artifacts, priceless and otherwise, buried in our closets and drawers, refrigerators and pantries.

Getting ready to go on a dig, I always prepare like a real archeologist by tucking my pant-legs into my socks in case of snakes. (We live in the woods.)

Then, I gather the tools of the trade — rubber gloves, trash bags, new contact paper — and set off to discover what valuable relics I can unearth.

Sometimes I find treasure, such as the earring I thought I’d lost. Other times I locate only a limp stalk of celery, which I destroy immediately, lest a random lightning strike bring it to life like some vegetable Frankenstein.

Heck, even real archeologists strike out sometimes, right?

Once I hit upon an old, old bottle of molasses in the pantry...
http://www.explorecarroll.com/opinion/5491/my-own-summer-blockbuster-raiders-lost-band-aids/

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Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Stephen Colbert 2011 Commencement Speech at Northwestern University

Stephen Colbert 2011 Commencement Speech at Northwestern University

http://youtu.be/m6tiaooiIo0



Dr. Paul Lockhart: The Whites of Their Eyes - Bunker Hill: History and Myth


June 15, 2011

Bunker Hill: History and Myth
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last week I picked-up a copy of “The Whites of Their Eyes,” by Dr. Paul Lockhart, a highly readable and entertaining socio-political – and military – study of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first American army, and the emergence of George Washington.

Although I am behind in my summer reading, my first selection was well worth the wait.

To add to my anticipation of diving into new insights, research and scholarship on the first major political–military engagement of the American Revolution, last week I was fortunate to be able to attend a presentation on the topic by the author.

Dr. Lockhart, a noted historian, discussed his just-released book in Williamsburg, VA, in which the author debunks much of the folklore and legendary mythology over this episode of the American experience.

His evening presentation came on the heels of a long week of record hot temperatures in the muggy tidewater environs of colonial Williamsburg, setting the stage perfectly as he took his audience back to one hot afternoon on June 17, 1775, on a hill in Charlestown, near Boston.

He then explained that what is arguably “the first honest-to-goodness battle of the revolution” did not take place on Bunker’s Hill, but on a nearby redoubt called Breed’s Hill.

The battle, in the chaotic aftermath of the unplanned skirmishes of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, took place in the larger context of the siege of Boston and has since reserved its place in American history as the “truly iconic battle of the American Revolution,” Dr. Lockhart noted.

In his book, he observes that the Battle of Bunker Hill two months later “simply would not be forgotten. And that is very curious. Bunker Hill … doesn’t enjoy any special tactical or strategic significance.”

The battle on the Charlestown peninsula, “was not decisive, nor was it an American victory. We often forget that Bunker Hill was, in fact, a British victory and a significant one at that.”

“It was small even when compared to other battles of the Revolutionary War and laughably puny when compared to lesser-known battles in Europe… There is no earthly reason, no logical reason at least, that Bunker Hill should be so famous, and yet it is…”

It was at that juncture that Dr. Lockhart’s talking points reminded me of the conversation on the topic of American Exceptionalism which Steve Berryman, Pattee Brown, and I had with WFMD listeners just the other weekend...  http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=4459

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This week in http://www.thetentacle.com/

This week in The Tentacle


Friday, June 17, 2011

Paris in My Youth
Roy Meachum
Little changed in Paris between the World Wars: when I first went there sidewalk cafes still adorned the Champs Elysees, as they had when composers Igor Stravinsky and George Gershwin waved from tables to their strolling friends.

How “Free” is Your State?
Joe Charlebois
For those who are of the opinion that the country has morphed into one big overpowering federal conglomerate, there is hope. There are still 50 different states with 50 different and distinct governments.


Thursday, June 16, 2011

Miss Manners, I’m not, but….
Joan Marie Aquilino
My intent is not to call anyone in particular out but rather raise an awareness that I hope others will note and change. There has been a steady decline in the decorum being presented in our county meetings.

Election 2012 Must Do’s
Amanda Haddaway
The media has already started gearing up for Election 2012 and we’re still more than a year away from the actual vote. It seems that the hype around who’s running and who’s not starts being broadcast earlier and earlier each election season.

A Modest Amnesty Proposal
Blaine R. Young
Everywhere I go these days someone wants to talk about illegal immigration. It is definitely a hot button, and I am convinced it will be one of the top issues (after the economy) in the 2012 election campaign.


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Bunker Hill: History and Myth
Kevin E. Dayhoff
Last week I picked-up a copy of “The Whites of Their Eyes,” by Dr. Paul Lockhart, a highly readable and entertaining socio-political – and military – study of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first American army, and the emergence of George Washington.

Box Seats & Hesitation Pitches
Norman M. Covert

I confess it has been a long hiatus from watching Frederick Keys baseball at Grove Stadium. All it takes, though, is the grandson’s cajoling to spring for box seat tickets – and a Keyote tee-shirt – near the visitor’s bullpen and third base.

Foul Odors and Sweet Sights
Tom McLaughlin
Mulu, Borneo – After a refreshing drink and rest at the jungle station, we walked a further kilometer to the first cave. Lang Cave, a small non-descript cavern which snaked back into the mountain.


Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Celebrity and Sex
Roy Meachum
The media flurry over New York Rep. Anthony Weiner barely ruffled a hair in my beard. The pregnancy of his high-profile wife might save his seat in Congress, at least at this writing. National commentaries exercise themselves violently over a victimless “crime.”

The Power of Power
Earl 'Rocky' Mackintosh
Is there an epidemic of power addiction among the politically powerful? For many Americans the recent rash of political sex scandals leaves them – once again – baffled by the incredible foolishness of powerful men, asking “what were they thinking?” Throughout the media we hear and read differing opinions.

No Winners in This Battle
Farrell Keough
Recent events have been used to portray the county commissioners as not caring about seniors or small towns. Why should the truth get in the way of a good story?


Monday, June 13, 2011

Packing or Unpacking Politically?
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
So, the county commissioners want to examine privatizing services. Nothing new here, governments at all levels have looked to shift certain services from the public to the private sector for decades.

QE-2 Runs Out of Gas…
Steven R. Berryman
No, not the ocean going cruise liner, I’m talking about the bail out of Wall Street called “Quantitative Easing Part 2,” likely about to end.

On Wegmans
Michael Kurtianyk
So, have you been to Wegmans yet? If you haven’t, then you have missed quite a bit, actually.


Friday, June 10, 2011

Heat in My Childhood
Roy Meachum
Is there any other topic? Yesterday’s forecast promised a hundred degrees and with humidity to match. Knowing I was brought up in New Orleans, people sometimes ask, “Does this make you homesick?” The unequivocal answer? No, not hardly.

Disrespecting Special Olympians
Joe Charlebois
The Special Olympics, which was born in the backyard of Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s Maryland home, is a thriving success nearly 50 years after starting as a novel summer camp for those with intellectual disabilities.

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