20080619 “Blue Balled” by “Truth through Action”

20080619 “Blue Balled” by “Truth through Action”

“Blue Balled” by “Truth through Action”

A 4 minute and 30 second short film about a young lady who abandons a late night encounter when she discovers her date’s undisclosed secret. The film was shot in Manhattan over two nights in April. (See footnote 1.)

Retrieved June 19, 2008: http://truththroughaction.org/media-gallery/film/blue-balled/

http://youtube.com/watch?v=15zSYa1_7J0

June 19, 2008 - - At my advanced age I can easily recognize political silliness when I see it and I refuse to be distracted.

Nevertheless, from an artist’s point of view – as someone who really enjoys edgy videos and the use of cutting edge art to promote (advertise) a particular agenda, this video is kinda cool. I liked it…

However, the purpose of commercials and advertising is compel and persuade a person, who is not particularly predisposed, to purchase a product – or in this case, vote a certain way.

I can’t imagine this video being persuasive to an independent or least of all a conservative. It seems to be an artistic endeavor in search of meaning. (And I can’t really throw stones at that when I look back at some of my political advocacy in the past…)

This video, with its high production values and artistic accomplishments, is only appealing to the choir – and if anything, may very well persuade an independent or conservative to shy away from the frivolous and superficial values presented.

To state the obvious, I certainly know of few folks who ever utilized a person’s party affiliation in choosing a partner for life – or an evening.

The country is full of husbands and wives who cancel each other’s vote at the voting booth during presidential elections…

Nevertheless, this video is out there in the pop culture overlay that is being promoted by supporters of presumptive Democrat presidential nominee, Barack Obama.

Moreover, in all candor, I’d like to see more of the edgy, artistic approach to political advocacy from both sides of the aisle and I’ll look forward to more of the work of New York filmmakers Joshua Sugarman and Brandon Yankowitz of YaSu Media.

However, one can easily agree with ABC News writers, Susan Donaldson James and Cloe Shasha, when they observed in a thoughtful analysis on June 11 in “Dems Use Edgy Films to Rally Youth Voters”:

“The video, created by the new political organization TruthThroughAction.org, is one more affirmation that the Internet is a central character in the 2008 presidential race.

The blue-leaning nonprofit was founded by New York filmmakers Joshua Sugarman and Brandon Yankowitz of YaSu Media, who are producing a series of short films and online videos. The "527" group is, unlike political action committees, exempt from contribution limits.

[…]

… "Our products have a message but are also entertaining as film projects, and we don't think anybody else is doing the same thing."

Like the "Obama Girl" video, which spread virally last year, "Blue Balled" is intended to rally the indie community and young political activists to support the Democrats in November…

[…]

"I thought it was brilliant," said Andrew Rasiej, co-founder of TechPresident, a group blog that covers how the 2008 presidential candidates use the Web.

"It clearly taps into the fact that the election has captured the imagination of the youth of our country and reinforces a message that any political organization for a candidate would want to associate with -- hip cool and passionate," he told ABCNEWS.com.

"It clearly takes advantage of the atmosphere of young people paying attention to the election and using their language and their medium to convey the message," he said. "It's very shrewd."

[…]

Jeff Everson, an economics major and football player at Middlebury College, was not impressed with the Democrats' video. "I thought that as a political tactic it wasn't effective," said Everson. "But at the same time I found it funny. The concept of this video sort of separates the country, which seems counterproductive."

Everson, a McCain supporter, agrees that the Republicans need to find new ways to reach young voters.

"One of the mistakes that McCain made was not utilizing technology like YouTube," said the 20-year-old. "The Democratic Party has done a better job of encouraging young people to vote."

Whether the message of these clips fits with Barack Obama's strategy is anybody's guess.

A film that includes copious amounts of alcohol, sex and near nudity may not fly with the group of young evangelicals Obama is now targeting.

"Anytime any organization tries something new, there will always be people who don't agree," said filmmaker Sugarman. "What the Democratic Party and anyone involved in politics are starting to realize is that we need a new way to get in touch with people beyond the traditional means of political communication."

The complete article by ABC News writers, Susan Donaldson James and Cloe Shasha, is worth a good read. Please find it here: “Dems Use Edgy Films to Rally Youth Voters.”

Related: View Political Monogamy

Kevin Dayhoff

www.kevindayhoff.net

_____

Footnote 1:

Written and Directed by Josh Sugarman

Presented and Produced by Brandon Yankowitz

Produced by Brigitte Liebowitz

Starring Michelle Galdenzi and Bryan Dechart

Featuring Steven Berrebi and Elo Santana

Music by Shanna Zell and J. Chris Griffin

Crew

Duke Greenhill, 1st AD

Jason Pritzker, 2nd AD

Apryl Richards, Script Supervisor

Mike Bozzo, DP

Joel Knutsen, 1st AC

Ian Swanson, 2nd AC

James Leonzio, Steadicam Operator

Havi Elkaim, Production Designer

KD, Key Hair Stylist

Allison McCrudden, Key Makeup

JD Hartman, Gaffer

Sean Hutcheon, Key Grip

Matt Jensen, Grip

Joshua Hilson, Sound Mix

Alan Tansey, Boom Operator

20080618 Recent Westminster Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

20080618 Recent Westminster Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

Recent Westminster Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

June 18, 2008

Kevin E. Dayhoff Sunday, June 18 Why I can't say the 'S' word Friday, June 20 is officially the first day of summer and, for those of us who like it hot, it doesn't come a day too soon.
In recent years, summer months are as busy as the rest of year. Gone are the lazy southern Carroll County summers.
However, growing up in Carroll in the 1950s and '60s, sum... [Read full story]


Paul Causey was the mortar that built many lives in Carroll On May 25, folks filled Grace Lutheran Church in Westminster to say good-bye to one of our community's unsung heroes, Paul Causey. Like Mr. Causey, the folks who came to celebrate his life of 81 years are the foundation of our community.
Mr. Causey would have been annoyed over all the fuss and att... [Read full story]


Food, canning history and eating my way across Westminster On May 3, 1946, a newspaper article carried a story that Carroll Countians opened "approximately 3,163,000 cans of food É annually."
"Citizens of Carroll County can anticipate dramatic developments in canned foods during 1946, many of these products having first been packaged for the armed forces... [Read full story]


Pecoraro makes 'superdelegate' stand in advance of convention Political and presidential historians are often quick to point out that the Democratic Party is the oldest political party in the Unites States.
However, many folks may not be aware that much of the roots of the party are arguably in Maryland.
The U.S. Democratic Party, and specifically, the Ma...[Read full story]


Pictures are worth a thousand words, but not the whole picture Last Wednesday, the Humane Society of the United States released videotape of an "undercover investigation" which claimed to show the "shocking abuse of 'downer' cows occurs not just at slaughter plants but É at livestock auctions and stockyards around the country," according to the humane society p...[Read full story]


More Headlines

For this year's prom, 'Come as you are' ... and stay a while

College may be expensive, but the experiences are priceless

Rhodes offers a helping hand to those in need

Dr. Herlocker set a pace in more ways than one

Days of bicycles, playgrounds, swamps and turkeys

Jeff Morse incident is a lost opportunity

Inns and hotels important in the early history of Carroll County

Hypocrisy and poor money management plague client No. 9

Beet juice, Romeo and Juliet and the 1856 Guano Islands Act

Trouble with trash is nothing new, but the technology may be

Don't let 'wrap rage' leave you in stitches

Looking at Bowling Brook one year later

'Tech Tax' will have crippling impact on Carroll

It's easy to demonstrate for peace; harder to work for it

How culture and song can save a nation

Dr. Martin Luther King's enduring words

Courthouse history seems to match theatrical flair of current case

Something we really must talk about


http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?NPV2Datasource=mywebpal&pnpid=978&show=newscast&CategoryID=18317

20080612 Jim McKay

Jim McKay

Thursday, June 12, 2008 © by Kevin Dayhoff

Author’s note: A shorter version of this column appeared in The Tentacle on June 11, 2008…

I finally got an accompanying YouTube video up. Find it here:

20080607 NBC's Bob Costas pays tribute to Jim McKay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoAatCui6zw

Last Tuesday morning the spotlight of the sports world was focused on the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore as folks came together to pay their last respects to Maryland’s own Jim McKay.

Mr. McKay passed away last Saturday on his horse farm in Monkton, in northern Baltimore County. He was 86 years-old.

For many of us who grew up watching early television, Mr. McKay was one of the first recognizable television celebrities in our lives.

One of the driving forces of television in its infancy was sports programming and many a youngster learned manners, poise, integrity, and speaking skills from Mr. McKay.

Much has been written about the socializing affect television can have on young impressionable minds. Of course, in recent years, much of the conversation has centered on the concern over the terrible impact the manners and behavior and violence displayed on television are having on today’s young children.

We may not have known at the time that we were learning to be gracious ladies and gentleman – but learning social skills is exactly what was happening.

We just thought we were watching sports.

(For many baby-boomers, the example set by folks like Mr. McKay may very well be one of the reasons that we are so disillusioned with Hollywood, television, and sports celebrities of the last decade or so.)

Mr. McKay was always very knowledgeable, well spoken, and gentlemanly as compared with television and sports of today which frequently appears to emphasize empty glitz, pizzazz, and mindless, banal banter over depth, talent, and integrity.

Mr. McKay was born James Kenneth McManus on Sept. 24, 1921 in Philadelphia. His family moved to Baltimore when he was 15 years-old, according to a definitive article written last Sunday by Baltimore Sun reporters David Zurawik, Tom Keyser, and Justin Fenton.

Running nearly 3,000 words in length, it is must reading for anyone who really wants to gain insight into the life and times of Mr. McKay – and why so many of us came to admire him as one of the truly great gentlemen of our time.

For the seasoned newspaper reader, one subtle tribute stands out. The AP stylebook now has folks simply referred to by their last name after they are introduced in an article. Unfortunately not many newspapers use a modified AP style that allows a writer to refer to a person by “Mr.” or “Mrs.” or “Dr.” after they are first mentioned.

In the article which appeared in the Baltimore Sun last Sunday, Jim McKay is referred to as “Mr. McKay.” It is one of the first times in recent memory that I can remember such respect for the subject of a Baltimore Sun news story.

As it should be, Mr. McKay began his career as a police reporter for Baltimore’s Western District, in 1946, for The (Baltimore) Evening Sun.

Dan Rodricks proudly pointed out in his column from last Sunday, that “Jim McKay had once been one of us. (So had his wife, Margaret; so had Louis Rukeyser of Wall Street Week, the author William Manchester, CBS reporter David Culhane, to mention a few.)”

Before Mr. McKay joined the paper, he graduated from Loyola High School and Loyola College where he “was sports editor of the college paper and … the public address announcer at basketball games. He was president of his senior class, and president and star of the drama club, which abruptly altered the course of his life,” said the Baltimore Sun.

“After graduating from college, Mr. McKay served 3 1/2 years in the Navy during World War II, mostly on escort duty in the South Atlantic aboard minesweepers.”

In 1947, A. S. Abell Company, the publisher of the Baltimore Sunpapers at the time, started the 11^th television station in the country, WMAR – TV.

Last Sunday’s article noted that Mr. McKay did not understand why he was being recruited for the brand new medium. He was told, “(D)idn't you say you were president of the dramatic society at Loyola College? That's good enough for now.”

The television station began on Oct. 27, 1947 with a live broadcast of “two horse races at Pimlico.” The article noted “the first words heard on television in Baltimore were spoken by Mr. (McManus) McKay: “This is WMAR-TV in Baltimore, operating for test purposes.”

He changed his name in 1950 to Mr. McKay after he was recruited that year to work for CBS - TV. His first program was “The Real McKay.”

Many of us remember Mr. McKay for different reasons. In his long and storied career, he broadcast 25 Kentucky Derbys beginning in 1978.

He was the first host of the “Wide World of Sports” in 1961 and over the next four decades, he introduced many different sports to the American living room other than the traditional fare of baseball, football, or basketball. Many will remember the iconoclastic opening for each episode: “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”

He reported upon the Olympics for the first time in 1960 and went on to cover a total of 12 Olympics throughout his career.

For many folks, who are not sports enthusiasts; his place in history occurred when he anchored the live coverage, for 16 hours straight, of the terribly tragic 1972 Munich Olympics when 11 Israeli athletes were senselessly murdered by Palestinian terrorists.

History will forever remember Mr. McKay’s concluding remark when the ordeal was over: “When I was a kid, my father used to say our greatest hopes and our worst fears are seldom realized. Our worst fears have been realized tonight. They have now said that there were 11 hostages. Two were killed in their rooms this morning -- excuse me, yesterday morning. Nine were killed at the airport. They're all gone.”

He is the only sportscaster to win an Emmy for news coverage - for his reporting at those 1972 Olympics.

In 1968, he was the first sports broadcaster to win an Emmy for sports coverage – his first of 13 Emmys. He received a lifetime achievement award in 1990. In 1995, he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

In a statement released by President George W. Bush, he said: "For a generation of Americans, Jim was more than the much-honored host of Wide World of Sports and ABC's Olympic coverage. He was a talented and eloquent newsman and storyteller whose special gift was his ability to make the viewers at home genuinely care about more than just who won or lost.”

His death marks the end of an era. He leaves behind a legacy of sharing, with several generations, a life known for the thrill of victory.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

http://www.youtube.com/kevindayhoff

http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

http://gizmosart.com/dayhoff.html

Kevin Dayhoff’s Facebook photo album

Kevin Dayhoff’s Facebook page

Blog Net News Maryland: http://www.blognetnews.com/Maryland/feed.php?channel=33

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed

“When I stop working the rest of the day is posthumous. I'm only really alive when I'm writing.” Tennessee Williams

20080614 Flag Day

Flag Day

The long version of Sunday Carroll Eagle column for Sunday, June 8, 2008

by © Kevin Dayhoff (1,089 words)

Related: 20080606 Presidential Proclamation: Flag Day and National Flag Week

Tomorrow is the 231^st birthday of the United States Flag. For the past 92 years we have observed June 14^th as Flag Day.

Hopefully, you and your family will display the Old Glory for Flag Day.

Please take a moment to reflect upon the flag that has steadfastly stood for America’s strength, unity, and liberty for 231 years.

The flag has remained a constant reminder of the sacrifices that have been made to maintain the freedoms, liberties, and way of life in this great experiment; we call the United States of America.

When we display the flag, our community also expresses our gratitude to the men and women who have gone before and fought to ensure that the many blessings and freedoms we enjoy will continue for many generations to come.

Flag Day was established by President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916. On August 3, 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress that designated June 14 as National Flag Day.

Also this Saturday we celebrate the birthday of the United States Army. It was two years before the Flag Act of 1777; on June 14, 1775 that Congress established the United States Army. Ten companies of "expert riflemen" were originally authorized - approximately 800 soldiers.

On June 15, 1775, George Washington was chosen to head the Continental Army. The delegate to the Second Continental Congress who nominated George Washington was Thomas Johnson, from Frederick.

While we are on the subject of birthdays, this year is also the occasion of another milestone in United States military history; the 100^th birthday of the U.S. Army Reserve.

The origins of the Army Reserve began in April 1908 with a group of doctors being designated as the Medical Reserve Corps, which could be called to active duty in an emergency. Today there are more than 200,000 “citizen-soldiers” in what we now know as the U.S. Army Reserve.

The origins of Flag Day go back to the Second Continental Congress, which met from May 10, 1775 to March 1, 1781. It passed the “Flag Act of 1777” on June 14, 1777.

Originally, the purpose of the Second Continental Congress was to hopefully continue negotiations with Great Britain over the “Intolerable Acts.” The First Continental Congress drafted the “Articles of Association,” in 1774, in a furtive attempt to mitigate England’s policies towards the colonies. Severing the relationship with England was not part of the plan at the time.

Nevertheless, by the time the Second Continental Congress had convened in Philadelphia, on May 10, 1775, the American Revolution had begun. The Battles of Lexington and Concord, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay had taken place just a few weeks before on April 19, 1775.

Quickly, things weren’t not looking good for the home team. Instead of conducting economic negotiations with the most powerful nation on the planet at the time, the Second Continental Congress found itself at war; equipped with a non-existent army, no money, and the support of about one-third of the population, on a good day.

One of the immediate challenges for General Washington was to negotiate with a congressional committee in September 1775 for more soldiers, equipment, and supplies.

Factionalism plagued congress and regionalism challenged the military and the agreement reached with congress was ultimately not satisfactory.

According to Volume I of the U. S. Army’s “American Military History,” edited by Richard W. Stewart: “A Continental Army had been formed, but it fell far short of the goals Washington and Congress had set for it. This army was enlisted for but a year, and the whole troublesome process would have to be repeated at the end of 1776. The short term of enlistment was, of course, a cardinal error; but in 1775 everyone, including Washington, had anticipated only a short campaign.”

A representative from New Jersey, Francis Hopkinson is accepted by history to have been the designer of the first flag. He was a poet and an artist who began serving on the “Continental Navy Board” in November 1776. It was in this capacity that Congressman Hopkinson began work on “admiralty colors.”

Tradition has it that a Philadelphia flagmaker by the name of Betsy Ross was also involved in the design and manufacture of one of the first flags. The May 29, 1777 minutes of the “Board of War” meeting reads: “... an Order on William Webb to Elizabeth Ross, for fourteen pounds, twelve shillings, two pence for making ships colours & put into William Richards' stores.”

Hopefully she got paid.

Congressman Hopkinson billed the “Board of Admiralty” in 1780 for his work on “‘the flag of the United States of America’ as well as several ornaments, devices, and checks appearing on bills of exchange, ship papers, the seals of the boards of Admiralty and Treasury, and the Great Seal of the United States. Hopkinson had received nothing for this work, and now he submitted a bill and asked "whether a Quarter Cask of the public wine" would not be a reasonable and proper reward for his labors.”

A congressional committee was appointed to investigate Congressman Hopkinson’s request for payment. It summoned witnesses and took testimony. However, “the men of the Board of Treasury ignored the summons. In its report to Congress, the committee recommended that the present board be dismissed.”

The more you read about the behavior of Congress in the early days of the Republic, the more one wonders if we were at war with Congress– or Britain.

On August 23^rd, 1781, congress passed a resolution that the Congressman, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, be paid. Ultimately he was never paid, not because it was disputed that he did the work, but because his political adversaries prevailed in denying him payment.

Bear in mind, while all this is taking place - there is war going on; a war that never really went well.

Objective history that is ambivalent as to whether the American colonies won the war or Great Britain got tired of the hassle and expenses and walked away. At the time, members of congress and a congressional committee were haggling over whether Congressman Hopkinson should be paid or not, the final military maneuvers of the war were being conducted in Virginia.

It was around August 23, 1781 that French Admiral de Grasse arrived from the Caribbean, blockaded the Chesapeake Bay, and pinned British General Cornwallis down at Yorktown. General Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781.

Only by the Grace of God did our nation survive, in spite of ourselves – in spite of Congress.

When he is not preoccupied with reading Revolutionary War trivia, Kevin Dayhoff can be reached at kdayhoff AT carr.org.

20080614 Flag Day

20080607 C'est un jour parfait à donner des sédatifs

20080607 C'est un jour parfait à donner des sédatifs

20080607 It is a Perfect Day to be sedated

N’est pas VL WAB?

It’s been a long week.

Lou Reed Perfect Day

http://youtube.com/watch?v=q_WEvqxxQiU

The Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8FxaJKm9sdI

20080607 C'est un jour parfait à donner des sédatifs

20080606 D-Day, Carroll County, and the famed 29th Division

D-Day, Carroll County, and the famed 29^th Division

(c) By Kevin Dayhoff

29^th Div shoulder patch: Nicknamed "Blue and Gray,” the division's motto is "29, Let's Go!" The shoulder patch is a half-blue, half-gray Chinese taijitu; this patch was approved December 14, 1917 and was designed by Maj. James A. Ulio.

Writer’s note: Excerpts of this column appeared in my column in The Sunday Carroll Eagle on June 1^st, 2008

Today is the anniversary of “D-Day.” It was at 6:30 in the morning on June 6, 1944 that Allied forces began the campaign to retake Europe from Nazi Germany.

The D-Day campaign began with what historians consider to be one of the largest single-day military operations in history. Over 130,000 troops landed on five beaches along 50 miles of Normandy coast between the Cotentin Peninsula and the Orne River with the support of approximately 196,000 Allied navy personnel.

The amphibious landings portion of D-Day was given the codename “Operation Overlord.” It was divided into five operational zones which were identified by the codenames Gold, Juno, Omaha, Sword, and Utah.

American troops landed on the two western beaches, Utah and Omaha. British and Canadians landed at Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches.

Many Carroll countians fought with the 29th Division, who along with V Corps and the 1st Infantry Division made up the total of 34,250 troops, 3,300 vehicles, who landed at “Omaha Beach.” They were backed-up with naval support provided by two battleships, three cruisers, 12 destroyers and 105 other ships.

The Omaha operation was subdivided into ten sectors, which were named, from west to east: Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog Green, Dog White, Dog Red, Easy Green, Easy Red, Fox Green, and Fox Red.

The 29th Division’s responsibilities were the Able, Baker, Charlie, and Dog Green sectors the western half of the five-mile long beach on the northern coast of France, which stretched from Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to Vierville-sur-Mer.

According to numerous historical accounts, assessments of the defenses located in the Omaha field of operation were incorrect and for a number of reasons, nothing went as planned at the Omaha beach landing and the results were disastrous.

One account of the events indicate that Company A of the 116^th Regimental Combat Team comprised of approximately 240 soldiers had 50 percent casualties within 15 minutes of landing at Dog Green and were almost hopelessly pinned down at the water’s edge.

Several hours later the assessment of the operation was so dire that the First Army commander, Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley actually considered withdrawing the soldiers off the beachhead.

Valor and heroic action on the part of the Carroll countians who fought that day prevailed. The beach that stretched before them was at the most, 200 yards wide but was mined, and fenced with multiple lines of barbed wire, among many other deadly obstacles.

At the other end were steep banks from anywhere from 100 to 170 foot tall, upon which the German defenders manned machine gun nests which dominated the beachhead with interlocking fields of fire.

The 29^th Division went on to see 242 days of combat as they progressed from Normandy, crossed the Elle River, engaged in combat from hedgerow to hedgerow to overtake St. Lo, fought across the Rhineland and into Central Europe.

As a result, two soldiers in the 29^th Division were awarded the Medal of Honor, 44 were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, one Distinguished Service Medal, 854 Silver Stars, 17 Legion of Merit, 24 Soldier’s Medal and 6,308 Bronze Stars.

After the war, the 29th Division finally returned home on January 4, 1946.

One column certainly does not do justice to the storied history of the 29^th Division. More of the origins and history of the 29^th Division can be addressed in later columns. Meanwhile, we’d like to hear from veterans who served in the 29^th Division. If you or someone you know served; please be in touch so that we may include your stories in later columns…

Carroll County can be proud of our native sons who were among the 29^th Division -and all the men and women who served our country during World War II, in the face of horrendous circumstances. They served so that we could remain free and enjoy our quality of life. We owe them a debt we can never repay.

*****

20080606 D-Day, Carroll County, and the famed 29^th Division

20080606 A lesson to be learned from Ford versus Toyota

A lesson to be learned from Ford versus Toyota

Hat Tip: Grammy June 6, 2008

I received this allegory in an email. It was simply too true to not pass on and post…

A Japanese company (Toyota) and an American company (Ford) decided to have a canoe race on the Missouri River. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race.

On the big day, the Japanese won by a mile.

The Americans, very discouraged and depressed, decided to investigate the reason for the crushing defeat. A management team made up of senior management was formed to investigate and recommend appropriate action.

Their conclusion was the Japanese had 8 people rowing and 1 person steering, while the American team had 8 people steering and 1 person rowing.

Feeling a deeper study was in order, Ford management hired a consulting company and paid them a large amount of money for a second opinion.

They advised, of course, that too many people were steering the boat, while not enough people were rowing.

Not sure of how to utilize that information, but wanting to prevent another loss to Toyota, the Ford rowing team's management structure was totally reorganized to 4 steering supervisors, 3 area steering superintendents, and 1 assistant superintendent steering manager.

They also implemented a new performance system that would give the 1 person rowing the boat greater incentive to work harder. It was called the' Rowing Team Quality First Program,' with meetings, dinners, and free pens for the rower. There was discussion of getting new paddles, canoes, and other equipment, extra vacation days for practices and bonuses.

The next year the Japanese won by two miles.

Humiliated, the American management laid off the rower for po or performance, halted development of a new canoe, sold the paddles, and canceled all capital investments for new equipment. The money saved was distributed to the Senior Executives as bonuses and the next year's racing team was out-sourced to India.

Sadly, The End

Here's something else to think about:

Ford has spent the last thirty years moving all its factories out of the US , claiming they can't make money paying American wages.

TOYOTA has spent the last thirty years building more than a dozen plants inside the US The last quarter's results for 2007:

TOYOTA makes 4 billion in profits while Ford racked up 9 billion in losses.

Ford folks are still scratching their heads.

IF THIS WEREN'T TRUE, IT MIGHT BE FUNNY

(I drive a Prius.)

####

20080606 A lesson to be learned from Ford versus Toyota

20080507 Art in the Park June 7 2008 Media Release

MEDIA RELEASE: Art in the Park June 7 2008 Media Release

May 7, 2008

For Immediate Release

Contact: Sandy Oxx

sandyoxx1 AT earthlink.net

410/848-7272

“Art in the Park 2008”

Art in the Park has been a Carroll County tradition for more than 25 years. This year’s events will be held, rain or shine, on Saturday, June 7 from 10 am – 5 pm on the grounds of Westminster City Hall. It is free to the public.

More than 75 artists will be participating in this juried art show with many of them also providing live demonstrations of their work. On display will be paintings, drawings, collage, photographs, fine prints, sculpture, and stained glass. Visitors will enjoy live demonstrations of wood carving, pottery wheel, screen painting, and cartoon illustration.

Entertainment will be provided by a dozen roaming musicians who will perform on dulcimer, banjo, flute, harp, accordion and voice to delight the crowds. A drum circle and a belly dance troupe will perform during the festivities. Actors from Theatre on the Hill’s upcoming production of Pump Boys and Dinettes will be there in costume to sing some of the musical numbers from that show. As always there will be free craft activities for kids to inspire artists of the future!

The event is located at the intersections of Locust, Longwell and Key Streets in downtown Westminster, just 2 blocks northeast of the intersection of Maryland Routes 32 and 27. Festival patrons are encouraged to park free in the parking garage adjacent to the park.

The event is sponsored by Target Stores, the Carroll County Times, Carroll County Recreation & Parks Department and the City of Westminster.

For more information, call 410/848-7272 or visit www.carr.org/arts.

Annual Art in the Park, Art Carroll Co Arts Council Art in Park, Carroll Co Community Events, Westminster File community events

http://www.kevindayhoff.net/, http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/, http://www.westminstermarylandonline.com/

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/)

20080530 Historical Society of Carroll County Calendar of Events

Historical Society of Carroll County Calendar of Events

June 6, 2008

Please contact the Historical Society at (410) 848-6494 for information about the many events offered during the year.

TUESDAY, JUNE 10

Glimpses of the Civil War

Nearly 1,000 Carroll County men served in the military (on both sides) during the Civil War. Others who passed through during those trying times returned to call the county home. Mary Ann Ashcraft and Ned Landis tell the stories of some of these men and their lives during and after America’s great conflict. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.

FRIDAY, JUNE 13

Bus trip - A.R.T. Research Enterprises (fine art foundry) and Ephrata Cloister
You've probably been to Lancaster before but you’ve never seen it like this! Learn to “Think Sculpture” during a unique visit to one of the largest fine arts foundries on the east coast. A.R.T. Research Enterprises has produced sculptures and memorials for locations from New York to Pittsburg to Washington to Detroit to Chicago to Tampa and places in between. This rare tour will provide the opportunity to see new art works being produced using the lost wax method and older pieces being restored to their original appearance.

After our artistic morning, we’re off to the Green Dragon in Ephrata. Since 1932, over 400 local growers, merchants and craftsmen have gathered on this 30-acre site, creating one of the largest farmers markets on the east coast. There will be time to explore the market and to find lunch on your own at one of the five sit-down restaurants or eleven snack shops. Lunch is not included in the price of the trip.

After lunch we’re off to a unique historic site, the Ephrata Cloister. One of America's earliest religious communities, the Ephrata Cloister was founded in 1732 by German settlers seeking spiritual goals rather than earthly rewards. Gathered in unique European style buildings, the community consisted of celibate Brothers and Sisters, and a married congregation of families. At its height in the 1740s and 1750s, about 300 members worked and worshiped at the Cloister. The Society declined after the American Revolution and by 1800 the celibate orders were practically. Many of the buildings remain including the Sisters’ House, Meetinghouse, Bake House, Print House and Solitary House. We’ll have a guided tour and time to explore the other buildings and the grounds.

The bus leaves from the parking lot on Ralph Street, behind the Church of the Ascension at 8:30 a.m. Cost for the trip (includes transportation and admissions) is $65 for Society members and $75 for non-members. Reservations are required by June 2. No refunds can be given for cancellations made after the reservation deadline. To reserve your seat, contact the Society at 410-848-6494.

TUESDAY, JULY 8

The Routes West: The National Road and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
Two 19^th century civil engineering projects - the Historic National Road and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad - opened up a major section of America for commerce, settlement, industry and leisure travel. Paul Bridge examines the common roots of these projects, how Marylanders were deeply involved and their legacies that are visible today. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12

Good Sports

Don Haines, author of a new book on Carroll County athletes, discusses how he became involved in the project, the selection of athletes for inclusion in the book, how he researched his subjects, the choice of a publisher, the cost of the project and some of his favorite stories. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Fearless and Bold: The history of McDaniel College, 1866-2002
McDaniel College historian James Lightner will describe the seven-year process of researching and writing this extensive history of the local college, read some short excerpts from the book, answer questions and debunk some myths about the school’s history. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Antiques Appraisal Day
Bring your family treasures and join HSCC for this annual event. A panel of nationally-known and certified appraisers will be on hand to examine items and provide an identification and verbal estimation of value. Watch for details.

Thursday, September 18
Bus trip - Green Mount Cemetery and Hampton National Historic Site

Join HSCC as we travel to Baltimore and visit two extraordinary historic sites. First is Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore's first garden cemetery and one of the earliest in the nation. Dedicated on July 13, 1839, Green Mount represented a new type of burial ground. Until this time burials were in churchyards which presented death as a terrifying passage to an unknown future and their grim appearance discouraged people from visiting them. By contrast, garden cemeteries reflected the Romanticism of the mid-19^th century, showing death as a benign "falling asleep," glorifying nature by their landscaping and encouraging visitation. Built on the former country estate of merchant Robert Oliver, Green Mount encompasses 68 hilly acres with a long central plateau. Among the more than 78,000 graves at Green Mount are those of at least eight governors of Maryland (including Carroll County’s own Frank Brown), philanthropists Johns Hopkins and Enoch Pratt, Betsy Patterson Bonaparte, John Wilkes Booth and his father Junius Brutus Booth. A guided tour by historian Wayne R. Schaumburg will introduce us to some of the cemetery’s famous residents, with an emphasis on Union Bridge native William Henry Rinehart whose works and grave are in Green Mount.

Lunch will be at the Valley Inn. Watch for details on lunch choices.

After lunch we’re off to Hampton National Historic Site, home to the Ridgely family from 1695 to 1979. Between 1783 and 1790, Captain Charles Ridgely built a magnificent house on his 24,000 acre property. When completed, the house would be the largest in the United States. Hampton reflects classic Georgian symmetry with a large three-story structure connected to smaller wings on either side by hallways. The exterior is constructed of stone quarried on the property, stuccoed over and scored to resemble blocks of limestone. The large and lavish rooms reflected the Ridgelys’ taste for the styles of ancient Greece and Rome. Italianate gardens set on terraced earthworks were in place on the south side of the mansion by 1802 and on the north side was an English-style landscaped park. In the 1830s and 1840s, John and Eliza Ridgely carefully enhanced the "natural" landscape with exotic trees. The house was at the center of a financial empire that included ironworks, grain crops, beef cattle, thoroughbred horses, coal mining, marble quarries, mills, and mercantile interests. After a guided tour of the mansion, there will be time to explore the grounds and outbuildings.
The bus will leave from the parking lot on Ralph Street, behind the Church of the Ascension at 9:00 a.m. and will return to Westminster at 5:00 p.m. Watch for details on reservation deadline and pricing.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14

A Healthy Endeavor

For nearly half a century, Carroll Hospital Center has been providing quality medical care for the communities it serves. Founded by a group of forward-thinking community members, Carroll Hospital Center opened it doors as Carroll County General Hospital in 1961. Staff from the hospital offer insights about the people and events that have shaped the organization into the thriving medical center it is today. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11

Tours of Duty: Carroll County and the Vietnam War
Hundreds of Carroll County residents served in the military during the Vietnam War. Carroll County native Gary Jestes (a Vietnam veteran) and Jay Graybeal (Chief Curator at the Army Heritage and Education Center) tell the stories of some of Carroll’s soldiers - before, during and after the war - and of the twenty-one men who never returned home. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9

Hail to the Chiefs: Presidential Visits to Carroll County

From 1791 through the middle of the 20th century, Carroll County played host to five American presidents. Historical Society Curator Catherine Baty examines the who, when and why of these memorable days. Noon to 1:00. Admission is free for HSCC members; $3.00 admission for non-members. At Carroll Post, American Legion, corner of Green and Sycamore Streets in Westminster. Bring a lunch, dessert and beverages provided. Or buy lunch at the Legion. Lunches must be ordered by 11:30; call the Legion at (410) 857-7953 for selections and to place an order.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11

Holiday bus trip to Washington, D.C.

If your holidays are hectic, take a break and spend the day in Washington with the Historical Society of Carroll County.

We’ll be dropped off at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, the first national museum in the country dedicated exclusively to Native Americans. The building, with its distinctive textured golden-colored limestone exterior was designed in consultation with many Native Americans. Approximately 8,000 objects from the museum’s permanent collection are on display in the exhibitions including Our Universes, Our Peoples, Our Lives, Window on Collections and Return to a Native Place.

Across the street is the United States Botanic Garden, located on the U.S. Capitol Grounds campus. The building includes a large Lord & Burnham greenhouse and is divided into separate rooms, each one simulating a different habitat. Noted for its displays of holiday plants, the Garden is the perfect spot to escape the winter chill. Feel free to spend your time in one museum or take the opportunity to visit both.

Everyone is free to enjoy lunch on their own. The Mitsitam Native Foods Café in the Museum of the American Indian is highly regarded and features Native foods found throughout the Western Hemisphere, including the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Meso America and the Great Plains.

After lunch we’re off to The Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. Located in the Patent Office Building, the Center is home to two wonderful museums. The National Portrait Gallery portrays the men and women who have made significant contributions to the history and culture of the United States through its collection of paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and photographs. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is dedicated to the art and artists of the United States.

The bus leaves from the parking lot on Ralph Street, behind the Church of the Ascension at 8:00 a.m. Cost for the trip (includes transportation and admissions) is $45 for Society members and $55 for non-members. Reservation required; watch for reservation deadline. No refunds can be given for cancellations made after the reservation deadline. To reserve your seat, contact the Society at 410-848-6494.

Last updated: May 30, 2008
Historical Society of Carroll County
210 East Main Street, Westminster MD 21157
(410) 848-6494

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/) http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/

20080605 “Pretty in Pink” and Massive Attack’s “Teardrop”

Untold - A Pretty in Pink Trailer

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5dSFgY7ro4Y

For fans of the movie, “Pretty in Pink,” this YouTube is a video about “Pretty in Pink,” with Massive Attack’s “Teardrop,” for the soundtrack.

The poster, fayzabeam wrote:

This is DEFINITELY the last Pretty in Pink video for the time being! I wanted to experiment with using some dialogue from the film in a video, to see if it actually was possible to represent a slash subtext using the actual script. I had to be creative here, but I think it works! The song, whilst not contemporary to the film, works well as a backing track; the footage itself was built around one long, slow clip of James Spader that I'd forgotten to include in the previous videos and I desperately wanted to give a home to! Oh, one thing - there is some *strong* language in this video, because it has dialogue - consider yourself warned!

####