During General Petreaus' testimony before the United States Senate, Senator Hillary Clinton claimed that listening to the general's testimony required a "willing suspension of disbelief".

This is code.  What that phrase means is that Senator Hillary Clinton believes that the general is lying.

Takes one to know one.

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While Governor Nero fiddles, and the state starts to burn, believe it or not, the itty-bitty Republican caucus has in fact come up with an alternative budget plan.

Here is a PowerPoint presentation of the plan.

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This post is about the most recent hog-trough debacle in the United States Senate.  It is rated TV-MA or "for mature audiences only."  You have been advised.

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Over at the Salisbury Daily Crimes, the editorial page is pleading with people to "not ignore warnings" from weather forecasters and meteorologists.

Tomorrow's editorial, according to our crack electronic eavesdropping sources from the Nursing Home:  Please flush the toilet when you are done taking a pee.

My favorite line though-- which shows a complete detachment from the reality of hurricane forecasting:

"a bit of a practice run for the hurricanes likely to come this season"

Why does the editorial page assume that an East Coast hurricane is likely to come this season?  Given that the forecasts for both 2006 AND 2007 have been wildly wrong to date -- mostly due to El Nino and La Nina influences in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans-- it seems a little presumptuous for the Daily Crimes to predict "likely" East Coast hurricanes.

This isn't to diminish the importance of preparation.  In fact, the entire area is well prepared.  After all, hurricanes are nothing new to the Eastern Shore.

Rather, it is to question if such editorial space couldn't be put to better use.  For example, pushing for greater accountability in Salisbury City Government finances.  Especially given the recent discovery of an additional $5 million in the water and sewer fund.

Or asking why Gary Mackes had to be embarrassed into finding a more responsible and cheaper alternative to full replacement of the civic center roof.

Or maybe a full investigation into allegations that the designation of certain historical districts is what keeps those neighborhoods in the grips of crime and destitution.

Or looking into how the Wicomico Neigborhood Congress may -- or may not -- improve citizen involvement in County government.

Or any of 1000 other issues that the Daily Crimes should be covering in far more depth than they already do.

Freedom of the press is important.  But with that freedom comes a very important responsibility to cover issues of the highest importance to their readership.  And there are a lot of important issues on the Lower Eastern Shore that the Daily Crimes should covering much better and in much better detail.

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If you are going to be in the Cockeysville area on October 12th, you should plan to attend the Anderson/Snyder Memorial Fund Bull Roast at Martin's Valley Mansion to raise money for the Anderson/Snyder Memorial Fund.

Lance Corporal Normal "Wally" Anderson III and Corporal Joshua David Snyder were both graduates of Hereford High School, class of 2002, and United States Marines killed wihin a month of each other in 2005.

For more information on the Bull Roast, click here.

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I want to tip my bourbon tonight to Outback Steak House, who helped sponsor a great fundraiser for the 2nd Annual 9/11 Remembrance Dinner at Hereford Volunteer Fire Company this evening.

Why Outback?  It's pretty simple.  Outback provides 500 FREE full dinners served buffet style.  The fire company charges $15 a ticket-- and they keep every dime.  It's a great fundraiser that goes a long way to insure quality fire coverage in rural northern Baltimore County.  HVFC -- Company 440 -- has one of the highest response rates of any volunteer company in Maryland, and is able to provide great coverage to the "Hereford Zone" because of fundraisers like this.

So, say thanks to Outback by visiting their local restaurant in Hunt Valley!

By the way -- Saturday Pit Beef at HVFC this Saturday from 10am to 2pm, and the Ladies Auxiliary Spaghetti Dinners kick off again on September 19th from 4-7pm.

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Baltimore holds their primary elections on Tuesday, September 11, 2007.  Of course, since Baltimore is the ultimate one-party town, this really amounts to the primary election and general election all rolled into one.

So who do I think should win?

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Well, not really.  Be warned:  Runaround Sue is not covered by the shield law for journalists in this state.  But worse, he is none too bright when it comes to cleaning up source emails.

I refer, of course, to his post "The Following Message Was Sent To Me & Not Verified……….".

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It turns out that Runaround Sue-- aside from being a "recognized" expert in flourescent light condoms and ultra-violet light -- is now an expert in crisis management.

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Exxon/Mobil is now up to FOUR stations in Nothern Maryland that have had serious problems pouring MTBE into the ground.

First, there was the Exxon in Upper Crossroads (MD 165 and MD 152) outside Fallston. 

Second, there was the 26,000 gallon gas spill in Jacksonville at Four Corners.    Jacksonville thought they had it bad when the US Army virtually destroyed the underground water supply when Nike Missile Fuel was spilled.  That was peanuts compared to the 26,000 gallon leak that was "discovered" last Winter.

Third, the Parkton Exxon closed this winter after the MTBE levels got too high and Exxon said "to hell with it".

The fourth station in the list -- another Meadowcroft station, by the way, just like in Parkton -- is the Hereford Exxon on Mt. Carmel Road.  The station will close in a couple of weeks for almost three months as tanks are replaced as a result of the MTBE leaks.

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