20070219 Back in Frozen North

Back in Frozen North

February 19^th, 2007

No better opportunity to feature a YouTube video I came across the other day for Valentines Day, “Chasing Cars”[1] by one of my current favorite indie bands, “Snow Patrol.”

Click here for the “Snow Patrol” web site.

“Chasing Cars” is off their May 1, 2006 album release, “Eyes Open.”

Snow Patrol is an indie rock band from Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The band was formed in Scotland by vocalist/guitarist Gary Lightbody and bassist/keyboardist Mark McClelland. Achieving sudden success after years of obscurity in much the same way as Pulp, Snow Patrol mix Coldplay-style indie, and alternative rock to create tasteful tales of relationships good and bad.

Originally formed in late 1994 as "Shrug", the band started by performing gigs at Dundee University and the surrounding pubs before changing their name to "Polar Bear" (or "Polarbear") in late 1995.

Read more here.

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Snow Patrol - Chasing cars

Snow Patrol - Set The Fire To The Third Bar

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[1] 20060501 Chasing Cars lyrics

We'll do it all

Everything

On our own

We don't need

Anything

Or anyone

If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don't quite know

How to say

How I feel

Those three words

Are said too much

They're not enough

If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told

Before we get too old

Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time

Chasing cars

Around our heads

I need your grace

To remind me

To find my own

If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told

Before we get too old

Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am

All that I ever was

Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where

Confused about how as well

Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

20070220 How bad was last week’s snowstorm

How bad was last week’s snowstorm in Westminster Maryland?

Daily Photoblog: February 20th, 2007

While I was in Key West Florida last week, I would call the Westminster Street Department and Carroll County PIO, Vivian Laxton, W.A.B. as often as possible and raze them that I was in 90-degree weather and they were in temperatures in the single digits.

They were in the ice and the snow at all hours of the night and day, plowing snow and chipping ice and I was sitting on my back balcony strategically positioned with my laptop overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

They vowed to get me back.

Well, they did.

Pictured above is the igloo they made of my house with tons of snow which greeted me upon my arrival late Monday afternoon, February 19th, 2007.

Not to worry. I simply went inside and made a fresh cup of tea, hooked up the laptop and raised my office window just far enough that did not let too much cold air into the house, but my wife could still hear me as I cheered her on - - while she shoveled us out.

Man ole’ man was it hard work watching my wife do all that shoveling. Oh – she was happy to do it. You see, for Valentine’s Day I had purchased her a new snow shovel.

My wife is super. I’ll think I’ll keep her.

As for the Westminster Street Department; oh, I’ll get them back. Journalists in the print media may purchase ink by the barrel, but bloggers have an infinite amount of “ones” and “zeros” at their disposal. And me, I have the ink and the 1s and 0s.

Kevin
02/20/2007

20070220 Senator Hillary Clinton sports new look

Senator Hillary Clinton sports new look[1]

February 20th, 2007

Senator Hillary Clinton sports new look – wants to stop by and talk with you.

New York Senator Hillary Clinton, seen here emerging from a tattoo parlor and hair salon on the Air Force Hillary One while sitting on tarmac at LAX, remarks, “What good for Britney is good for me. She’s got no more family values than me and after all, I’m much more shallow that Britney any day of the week.”

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Hillary Clinton Watch, Humor Political, Presidential election 2008

[1] Darn it, I had worked for much of the morning with the idea of satirizing Senator Hillary Clinton with material from Britney Spears’ latest life-drama. I went out to lunch and had pancakes with Mom for Shrove Tuesday and came back and there, as big as life was the Scott Ott piece. Well, in all candor, Mr. Ott did a better job – and besides I went ahead and copied his bald-headed Senator Clinton and placed it on a Britney Spears photo. I had been in a slightly different direction, but this turned out better, thanks to Mr. Ott. So, with all respect to Mr. Ott, here is the direction in which I was going. For Mr. Ott’s excellent satire – go here or here.

20070216 Resolution Passes House

House Roll Call Vote on resolution disapproving Iraq surge

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll099.xml

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 99

(Republicans in roman; Democrats in italic; Independents underlined)

H CON RES 63 YEA-AND-NAY 16-Feb-2007 3:22 PM

QUESTION: On Agreeing to the Resolution

BILL TITLE: Disapproving of the decision of the President announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq

_____

246-182, Resolution Passes House

Posted by: Mary Katharine Ham at 4:29 PM

http://www.townhall.com/blog/g/fbd6c4f8-1fd7-46bf-874d-81581d61156e

Here's the roll call.

There were 17 squishy Republicans at last count.

Victory Caucus has all their info.

Huge thank you to Jim Marshall of Georgia and Gene Taylor of Mississippi-- Democrats doing the right thing.

Read the rest of her post here.

20070216 County responds to major storm

County responds to major storm

Carroll County, Maryland, USA

February 16^th, 2007

While I was on the phone with Vivian Laxton, W.A.B., the public information officer for Carroll County; the picture above was my view from my office in Key West.

Ms. Laxton, please enjoy the picture and please know that the wind has picked up down here and the skies have become overcast. So much so that while I was talking with you on the phone, I had to put on a long sleeved shirt.

The bottom photo is from when I was I was talking with the Westminster Police Chief, Jeff Spaulding and Ashley Reams, a reporter with the Westminster Advocate, earlier in the day.

Yeah, I’m thinking of all of ya. We’re roughing it down here – and I know you care. I guess the temperature has dipped to the high 70s.

Anyway, now where was I? Oh, that’s right, the press release from Ms. Laxton, W.A.B., P.I.O. for Carroll County”

CARROLL COUNTY a great place to live, a great place to work, a great place to play

News Release

For more information, contact: Vivian D. Laxton, W.A.B., Public Information Administrator.

For Immediate Release

County responds to major storm

http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/releases/stormtotals.pdf

February 15, 2007 - Carroll County's Department of Public Works employees spent approximately 6,160 man-hours clearing 973 miles of county-maintained roads during and after the winter storm that moved through the area Tuesday and Wednesday, February 13-14.

Crews began treating roads at 4 a.m. on Tuesday and continued well into Thursday. One to 3 inches of snow fell during the day Tuesday. Between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, another 6 to 7 inches of sleet fell over much of the county. When rain began to mix with sleet early Wednesday, the sleet soaked up the moisture like a sponge. The extreme weight of the
precipitation made it difficult for plows to move.

With approximately 110 employees clearing 50 snow plow routes, usually streets can be cleared of 6 inches of snow eight hours after the storm ends. Because of the heavy accumulation, the Valentine's Day storm took twice as long to clear. About 2,500 tons of salt were used by county crews. Sixty-two pieces of equipment, including 55 trucks, six motor graders and a rubber tire loader, were utilized by the county and its contractors to plow.

In addition, the county's Department of General Services had crews working from midnight Monday through Thursday to clear ice and sleet from parking lots at Carroll Community College, the Circuit Courthouses, senior centers, libraries, Carroll Area Transit Service, Board of Education, and county offices.

Approximately 51 employees worked to clear the lots and 2+ miles of sidewalks, half a mile of ramps and steps, and 15 trucks and numerous heavy-duty shovels and ice chippers. Two front-end loaders were rented to push the snow off the lots and to clear drains. The Bureau of Fleet Management worked 12-hour shifts to keep county trucks operating, fixing hydraulic lines and pumps, transmissions, rear axles, windshield wipers, and welds on plows.

The Office of Emergency Management continuously monitored conditions throughout the storm. The only major incident reported was a roof collapse at a barn in New Windsor. None of the 25 head of cattle inside was injured.

Because most businesses closed and residents stayed off the roads, the number of traffic accidents was kept to a minimum. Law enforcement agencies reported a total of 70 weather-related incidents through the duration of the storm, not counting in Westminster City.

# # #

20070216 A Meaningful Job

A Meaningful job

February 16th, 2007

In my search for meaningful employment, I may have stumbled upon something. I could clean the seaweed off the beaches in Key West.

I’m perfectly qualified and I would perform the task with enthusiasm and gusto.

Whadda ya think?

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20070216 Nice T shirt

Nice T-shirt

February 16^th, 2007

H/t: CJ

An election campaign salute to NY Senator Hillary Clinton

CJ writes, “Where can I get one of these?”

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20070215 Louie’s Back Yard

,

Louie’s Back Yard Key West

February 15th, 2007

http://www.louiesbackyard.com/

20070215 License Plate spotted in Key West

License Plate spotted in Key West

(I photoshopped two of the letters/numbers out of the plate...)

February 15th, 2007

“billoreilly.com… The Spin Stops Here!”

Mr. O’Reilly would be proud.

(Picture of Mr. O’Reilly from http://www.billoreilly.com/)

20070215 Key West Key Lime Pie

Key West Key Lime Pie

February 15th, 2007

Apparently the Key Lime Pie maven in Westminster is the Westminster City Clerk, Laurell Taylor. This post and photographs are in her honor.

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20070215 Sippin at Java Joe’s in Key West

Daily Photoblog: Sippin at Java Joe’s” in Key West

Traveling away from home usually two issues quickly arise; one, internet access and two, good coffee.

For this visit to Key West I have excellent internet access, so that leaves the issue of coffee to be solved. That was quickly remedied by “Sippin at Java Joe’s.”

Sippin @ Java Joe's
http://www.sippinatjavajoes.com/
424 Eaton Street - Key West, Florida

20070214 Key West The Day in Pictures

Key West - The Day in Pictures

February 14^th, 2007

Top to bottom:

Key West Light House

Ernest’s Café

Do Not Feed the Chickens

A friendly chicken near Mallory Square

A Key West door

Mallory Square

Cayo Hueso Habana sign in Mallory Square

Sculpture in front of the old Custom’s House

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20070207 Eye for Art Ruchlewicz an avid photographer by Lyndi McNulty in The Advocate

Eye for Art: Ruchlewicz an avid photographer

by Lyndi McNulty in The Advocate

February 7, 2007

http://westminsteradvocate.com/

http://westminsteradvocate.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=75&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=1783&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1322&hn=westminsteradvocate&he=.com

07.FEB.07 Eye for Art: Ruchlewicz an avid photographer

Stan Ruchlewicz is the administrator of Economic Development for the City of Westminster, and he has an artistic side, too. Ruchlewicz is an avid photographer.

He said his first love is teaching and judging high school marching bands and drum and bugle corps.

Through traveling as a judge, he said he visited many interesting places.

“So, I took pictures,” Ruchlewicz said. “Back in the dark ages, I was using a small Instamatic. Eventually, I grew out of the Instamatic into a 35mm camera.”

In 1989, Ruchlewicz was hired in Havre de Grace as director of Planning. He was also appointed to the governor’s Save the Lighthouse Commission.

“Then, I really needed to get a good camera to take pictures since we toured the various Chesapeake Bay lighthouses on our annual visits,” he said,

Also at that time, Ruchlewicz began to take photographs of downtown buildings, streetscapes and events for promotional and reference materials for his job, he said.

Later, his financee, Pat Miller, converted him to go digital.

“Now, I can take hundreds of photographs at a time and not worry about printing costs since I can view the shots on the computer and choose to print only the best,” he said.

Ruchlewicz and his fiancee both take photos.

“I do the large scale photos, such as buildings, landscapes and event crowds, while she enjoys doing architectural details, like gargoyles and grotesques and individual people,” he said. “Grotesques are the funny little guys that are on old buildings but don’t put out rainwater like gargoyles do.”

Today, Ruchlewicz is still shooting buildings and street scenes along Main Streets, events in downtown Westminster, lighthouses and his world travels.

“A lot of the photos I take are of streetscape features such as signage, trash cans, benches, streetlights, window displays, storefronts and building facades,” Ruchlewicz said. “I use them as examples of how to improve local buildings and to give local store owners new ideas on how to improve their businesses.”

Casey Willson, retail industry manager for the Maryland Small Business Development Center, uses some of Ruchlewicz’s pictures for his presentations to small business owners around the state.

Ruchlewicz’s work is everywhere in town.

The postcards of downtown Westminster, such as the view of Main Street from the roof of the old fire house, the downtown mural, the McDaniel College entrance, City Hall and the train passing in front of Johannson’s are all his work.

The postcards are all copyrighted by the City of Westminster under the Downtown Westminster Main Street Program.

Ruchlewicz’s photographs also appear in the new Westminster brochure, and recent Hickory Stick and ArtWorks billboards used his photographs, too.

Additionally, his photos from the Corbit’s Charge event can be viewed on the Pipe Creek Civil War Round Table Web site at http://www.pccwrt.addr.com.

“The most utilized image of mine is of the old clock tower in Westminster that is currently the symbol of our town. It is being used as a brand for people to remember us when they visit,” Ruchlewicz said.

Ruchlewicz’s newest project is converting his photographs into digital art.

“For example, I take photos of England and convert them into images that resemble old etchings and engravings from the 19th century,” he said. “Besides creating art, it also helps me learn how to use some of my new computer features.”

In the future, Ruchlewicz said he would like to put his photographs in an art show and perhaps sell some commercially.

And his travels continue.

“I plan to go to Budapest in the spring to continue my photographic adventures and to bring some new ideas back to Westminster’s downtown,” he said.

— Lyndi McNulty owns Gizmos Art in Westminster.

Art – Eye for Art by Lyndi McNulty in The Advocate

20070214 Southernmost Point

Southernmost Point – Key West

February 14th, 2007

20070214 Gauging A Presidential Legacy

20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy

My Tentacle column for this week is up: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Pictured to the left is the executive director of the Little White House Museum, in Key West Florida, Robert J. Wolz on February 12, 2007

February 14, 2007

Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently political pundits have spent a great deal of effort pondering the legacy of President George W. Bush. Of course, those of us who consider ourselves to be students of history understand that history needs much more time and distance in order to accurately gauge the legacy and historical impact of any particular president.

Yet, uncannily, there are many parallels shared in the legacy of our 33rd president, Harry S Truman and President Bush, our 43rd president; and it is only understandable that the comparisons persist.

I took the opportunity Monday to tour President Truman's Key West White House, known as the "Little White House," in order to re-acquaint myself with the great legacy of the now-legendary president.

After the tour I interviewed the executive director of the Little White House Museum, Robert J. Wolz, at great length. The tour guide, David Lynch and Mr. Wolz are both walking encyclopedias on the life and times of President Truman.

Mr. Wolz says, with a certain "I told you so" confidence, that it is "remarkable that President Truman has gone from the least popular president of all time to the fifth most successful."

President Truman first arrived in Key West in November 1946, just days after the majority party in Congress had changed in the mid-term elections. In his case, Republicans reclaimed Congress for the first time since the administration of Republican President Herbert Hoover, the man who had immediately preceded President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Read the rest here: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

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Florida Key West, President George W. Bush, President Harry S Truman, The Tentacle, History American Presidents

20070214 Greetings from Key West

Greetings from Key West

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine’s Day
Around lunchtime, when I took the picture above, I got a phone call from WJZ reporter Mike Schuh[1]. He was in Westminster tracking down a snow story.

For twenty years as an elected official, I got to work with many great journalists from the print, radio, and TV media. Mike Schuh is one of the best of the best. Always pre-occupied with getting it right and reporting relevant and community-oriented news – he is “real people.”

For more on Mr. Schuh – go here. And be sure to read his “A Bakers Dozen of Sensible Schuh's.”

Later – I checked in on how Mr. Schuh was making-out getting the story in Westminster. I was at Southernmost Point at the time… I’ll post that picture separately…

















UPDATE: For Mr. Schuh’s reporting of the snow event in Westminster go here: http://wjz.com/video/?id=24955@wjz.dayport.com

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[1] Mike Schuh, WJZ Channel 13 Reporter

February 14th, 2007

http://wjz.com/bios/local_bio_053095449

Mike Schuh joined WJZ Eyewitness News as a general assignment reporter in April, 1993. In 2002 Mike won a Regional Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting. During his career at Eyewitness News he has also earned 7 Emmy Awards for Hard News Investigations, General News Reporting and Features Reporting.

Mike came to WJZ after reporting for other television stations in Indianapolis, Louisville, Missouri and Illinois. In 1983 he received his B.S. Degree in News Reporting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mike lives near Towson with his wife and one very, very energetic daughter.

20070214 Our Home away from home in Key West

Our Home away from home in Key West

February 14^th, 2007

Of course, we’re roughing it down here in Key West. Today it was in the 80s, the sun was out and it was another gorgeous day.

We ate lunch at a Cuban restaurant at Mallory Square, slipped down to Southernmost Point for a quick photo and then toured Hemingway’s house at 907 Whitehead Street.

Folks have asked where we are staying, so we thought that we show ya a picture of the place.

Yeah, it’s kind of ostentatious but we love it.

Yes, those are our chickens. They are quite friendly.

Okay, I thought I would wash the windows, feed the chickens and spruce the place up a bit. I’ll write more later.

Kevin and the Math Potatoes.

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20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy

20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy

My Tentacle column for this week is up: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Pictured to the left is the executive director of the Little White House Museum, in Key West Florida, Robert J. Wolz on February 12, 2007

February 14, 2007

Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently political pundits have spent a great deal of effort pondering the legacy of President George W. Bush. Of course, those of us who consider ourselves to be students of history understand that history needs much more time and distance in order to accurately gauge the legacy and historical impact of any particular president.

Yet, uncannily, there are many parallels shared in the legacy of our 33rd president, Harry S Truman and President Bush, our 43rd president; and it is only understandable that the comparisons persist.

I took the opportunity Monday to tour President Truman's Key West White House, known as the "Little White House," in order to re-acquaint myself with the great legacy of the now-legendary president.

After the tour I interviewed the executive director of the Little White House Museum, Robert J. Wolz, at great length. The tour guide, David Lynch and Mr. Wolz are both walking encyclopedias on the life and times of President Truman.

Mr. Wolz says, with a certain "I told you so" confidence, that it is "remarkable that President Truman has gone from the least popular president of all time to the fifth most successful."

President Truman first arrived in Key West in November 1946, just days after the majority party in Congress had changed in the mid-term elections. In his case, Republicans reclaimed Congress for the first time since the administration of Republican President Herbert Hoover, the man who had immediately preceded President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Read the rest here: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

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Florida Key West, President George W. Bush, President Harry S Truman, The Tentacle, History American Presidents

20070213 Thai Cuisine in Key West Florida

Thai Cuisine in Key West Florida

February 13^th, 2007

For dinner this evening we ate at a Thai restaurant, “Thai Cuisine,” at the corner of Greene and Ann Streets.

Just as we sat down at our table, the Westminster, Maryland acting director of planning and public works, Jeff Glass called.

The picture of the old Key West City Hall was the view I had from my seat as I chatted with Mr. Glass at several minutes past 7 PM Tuesday evening, February 13^th, 2007.

Of course in Key West, the outside is blurred with the inside - - and what is inside is outside and what is outside is inside. We had a table that was under-roof, however, it was as much outside as it was inside.

Gee, that sounds like a keen observation of the “Math Potatoes,” Pi, Algebra (Al), Geometry (Geo) and Isosceles.

Mr. Glass was the focus of my last column in the Westminster Eagle – last Wednesday, February 7^th, 2007: “Westminster is great, even if it does get your goat .”

In Key West, as I chatted with Mr. Glass, the temperature was in the 80s and it was simply a beautiful evening. In Westminster, it was well below zero and they were in the middle of a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain.

I had called earlier to how the guys in the Street Department were making out. They have been putting an incredible amount of hours in the last several weeks. As much as I feel guilty about being in Key West while the folks in the Street Department are fighting with frozen equipment, slippery and treacherous roads, long hours and the cold - - I have come to simply hate the cold, snow and ice of winter and I am very happy to be in Key West.

The Westminster Street Department is the focus of my column in the Westminster Eagle that will be coming out tomorrow, Wednesday, February 14^th, 2007.

This is a great group of professionals that are a key part of why we have such a high quality of life in Westminster. It is my view that they don’t get enough credit.

Meanwhile, our dinner at the Thai restaurant was exquisite. I had a large selection of sushi. The service was prompt and courteous and as much as everything in Key West is expensive, at least I felt that we got value from what we spent.

The doggie with the sunglasses was a hoot and I couldn’t resist taking the dinner guest’s picture. Chickens, cats, and dogs are frequent dinner guests in many of the restaurants in Key West… Just part of the quirky charm.

Kevin

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20070213 Rooftop Gardens in Key West

The Rooftop Gardens above the Whiskey Bar on Duval Street in Key West

February 13th, 2007

20070213 Key West Door

Key West Door
February 13th, 2007

20070213 The Yellow Bicycle

The Yellow Bicycle

February 13th, 2007

20070213 Key West Sign

Key West Sign

Tuesday, February 13^th, 2007

Garden of Eden Clothing Optional Bar

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20070213 Key West Coast Guard Boat

Key West Coast Guard Boat

February 13^th, 2007

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20070213 Good Morning Key West