Today is the 30th Anniversary of the King, Elvis Presley.  Do you know where you were when you heard?

I was sitting in a green Ford LTD outside Cherry's Inn on Middletown Road with my cousin Todd when we heard the news. My uncle was in Cherry's enjoying a beer -- as was his custom -- while we waited outside listening to the radio.

Earlier that day, whilst bailing hay, my eight year old cousin was driving the tractor, when he took the turn a little too tight, flipping the wagon, its load, and several us to the ground.  He also bent the tongue to top it off.

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The attack of Jarritt Sybert in Willards last week has ignited a new mini-controversy in Wicomico County over the issue of animal control and liability.  There is apparently an issue over whether dogs (in particular) can be automatically seized and destroyed after inflicting a vicious attack.  A number of solutions have been proposed, but I don't think any adequately address the issues AND provide an effective deterrent to dog owners to keep their animals secured.

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Imagine my surprise this morning when I log on to baltimoresun.com, and I read a well-balanced and informative article on the Governor's plan to increase Medicaid funding for adults.  As I read Andy Greene's article, I thought I had stepped into the twilight zone. 

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This week marked the end of an era.  My great uncle on my father's side, Jack Dickson, passed this week after complications from a fall.  He was 96.  He was smart, intelligent man who lived every second of every day with an aggressive gusto.

When I was a much younger boy -- and not long after he finally retired -- he and his wife (my Aunt Myrna) travelled the world.  I still have the many postcards, stamps, and mementos they sent back from their journeys.

We had the opportunity to see him on Father's Day Weekend before his fall.  My niece and nephew met him for the first time, and I was struck by how much he had changed since the first time I remember meeting him when I was five.  Back then, he was still of the mind that children were meant to be seen and not heard, and so after brief introductions and a visit, I was sent to the den to occupy myself with my Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars.  But this time, he was engaging and approachable to a very precocious three year old and very cute and curious one year old.

I've posted his obituary below.  One thing it doesn't mention, he was the son-in-law of Arch Everson, former Executive Director of the New Jersey Republican Taxpayer's Association and plaintiff of Everson vs Ewing Township.

Rest in peace Uncle Jack.  I am sure Debbie has the single malt poured and waiting.  

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The Calvert Street Communist Party Newsletter is reporting that Mayor Sheila Pratt Dixon -- who will oversee the first 300-count murder year in Baltimore since Kurt Schmoke was mayor -- is launching a new $2 million anti-littering campaign.

So, on a day where Baltimore recorded its 192nd murder of the year, the city wants to spend $2 million on litter?  Is Sheila Pratt Dixon crazy, dumb, or stupid?

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With the fatal stabbing of a Gwynns Falls woman today, that makes it 192.  Way to go Baltimore!  You just gotta believe!

You have reached 191 murders for the year!

Can't you just BELIEVE!  Aren't you the City that Reads?  Isn't that so Charming?

Do you realize that you are far deadlier than even New York City at this point-- a city of 8 million people that in 2005 had just 539 murders.

The greatest shame, of course, is that city voters will vote for more of the same stupid failed policies that have marked the current mayor's administration. They always do. Baltimore City voters are lemmings.

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With a growing amount of content (and traffic), I've decided to lighten up the site design a little.  More changes to come as I have time.

Well, we knew it would only be a matter of hours before the "blowback" on the Minnesota bridge collapse would start.  And now, just a mere 48 hours since the collapse, we are seeing it in two forms:

A.  The bridge collapse was the result of George W. Bush and the Iraq War.

B.  We need to raise taxes in Maryland because we have $40 billion in backlogged transportation projects.

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Runaround Sue today made a factually false claim today (I know, big surprise).  Commenting on this post in his typical whiny, self-serving, testicular-deficient manner, Runaround Sue claims "80% of everything you post is about Joe Albero, from what I can tell".

Well, obviously Runaround Sue hasn't used either the "Archive By Month" or the "Archive by Category" features of this site to read much.  I did a quick little full text search of the posts, and I only come up with 11 posts (not including this one) out of 143.  That's less than 10%.  Let's figure my net needs to be widened, and I was off by a factor of 100%, and that is still less than 20% of my posts focused on Runaround Sue.

I possess neither infatuation or obsession for Runaround Sue.  I think he is actually a worthless little troll that has to contribute anything to the quality of life of the Lower Eastern Shore in particular or the world in general.  He operates in a world of half-truths, innuendo, and hype that would make the FUDsters at Microsoft proud.  He threatens people constantly with bogus claims of defamation, and often tosses veiled physical threats at folks.  I think he should be confronted when he violates the societal norms of reasonable debate -- like threatening to show naked pictures of Mike Dunn's wife to the public.  I think he should be confronted, and when necessary, shouted down.

When necessary, I will continue to do so.  Runaround Sue and his threats and his bullshit do not scare me.  And if he ever wants to join in a real battle of wits, he should come heavy.

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