Ride the Wave to the White House

FREE PARTY.....as in Democratic Party....this Sunday.... September 28th 3-5 pm, Port Annapolis Marina, 7074 Bembe Beach Road......this is not an endorsement..... but my favorite political party is the American Let's Party... So Let's Party Now!!!

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A beauty queen/sports reporter who stumbled into small-town politics, and who is now on the verge of stumbling into, or upon, world history

By now, we've had a chance to learn a few things about Sarah Palin. While McCain, Obama and Biden have had years of public exposure, Palin is pretty much new to the world...unless you're from Alaska. Saturday Night Live skits aside, even ignoring her horrible performance in interviews with Charles Gibson and Katy Couric (softballs from lightweights if there ever were any...) I have been reading and searching for the most engaging and insightful essay about the Alaska Governor to share with readers.

I think I found it.

Sam Harris, author of "The End of Faith" and "Letter to a Christian Nation" (see the previous post) has hit the nail on the head with an essay in Newsweek. Calling Palin "A beauty queen/sports reporter who stumbled into small-town politics, and who is now on the verge of stumbling into, or upon, world history" Harris is concerned Palin has captured the attention of Americans who feel that she is a regular person rather than an elitist, or some such thing. Well, I for one, don't feel qualified to be mayor or governor, much less president, so these folks who feels she is one of "us", must ask themselves if they feel qualified to be president.

Harris writes:

"Palin's most conspicuous gaffe in her interview with Gibson has been widely discussed. The truth is, I didn't much care that she did not know the meaning of the phrase "Bush doctrine." And I am quite sure that her supporters didn't care, either. Most people view such an ambush as a journalistic gimmick. What I do care about are all the other things Palin is guaranteed not to know—or will be glossing only under the frenzied tutelage of John McCain's advisers. What doesn't she know about financial markets, Islam, the history of the Middle East, the cold war, modern weapons systems, medical research, environmental science or emerging technology? Her relative ignorance is guaranteed on these fronts and most others, not because she was put on the spot, or got nervous, or just happened to miss the newspaper on any given morning. Sarah Palin's ignorance is guaranteed because of how she has spent the past 44 years on earth."

Right on.

Harris is at his best when he discusses faith and religious ideology, but try this one on for size:


"Ask yourself: how has 'elitism' become a bad word in American politics? There is simply no other walk of life in which extraordinary talent and rigorous training are denigrated. We want elite pilots to fly our planes, elite troops to undertake our most critical missions, elite athletes to represent us in competition and elite scientists to devote the most productive years of their lives to curing our diseases. And yet, when it comes time to vest people with even greater responsibilities, we consider it a virtue to shun any and all standards of excellence. When it comes to choosing the people whose thoughts and actions will decide the fates of millions, then we suddenly want someone just like us, someone fit to have a beer with, someone down-to-earth—in fact, almost anyone, provided that he or she doesn't seem too intelligent or well educated."

Remember that she went to six schools to finally get a degree in journalism and McCain only got into the Naval Academy because of family connections--and then barely managed to graduate. On the other hand, Obama, the child of adversity, graduated first from Harvard Law School! Yet Palin made fun of him for having been a community organizer, snidely saying to the nation, "whatever that means."

Sarah Palin disgusts me for so many reasons, but nothing disgusts me more than the contempt the Republican leaders have for this country and the world, by choosing a vp candidate based solely on her ability to help bring votes on November 4th from one extreme end of their party--the soft underbelly of America, known as the "God, guns and Gay bashers". They should have been concerned about November 5th, and the next day, and the next day. They did a similar thing with Dan Quayle and Bush number one, but Quayle seems like a wise, veteran public servant when compared to Palin.

Thursday night will be fun. Maybe Biden will tell her, "I knew Dan Quayle. And you are no Dan Quayle."

See the Newsweek piece here Harris on Palin


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Iran....the biggest threat to global security

Yeah, this is a locally-oriented blog, but I believe in thinking globally and since I have written about the threat of global warming, I will now turn our attention to Iran, whose actions I believe, may have global consequences, equally if not more dire.

As readers know, CP hates few things more than organized religion, and Iran is the prime example today of how religious despotism, what some call Islamofascism, has created a truly dangerous theocratic state. Theocracy is government by religion. This is why I recently expressed contempt for the prayer meeting in Arnold elementary and the absurd faith-based writings of a science teacher at Annapolis High School.

What does this have to do with Iran?

The big challenge is that Iran may be nearing nuclear offensive capabilities. As author Sam Harris wrote in The End of Faith, few things are more dangerous than weapons of mass destruction in the hands of apocalyptic true-believers. www.samharris.org. The nations of the world need to unite to stop this from happening. The US may or may not able to do it alone, but we have seen how the last eight years of misguided (if not almost fascist and theocratic policies) actions on the part of our own government have diminished our power, our relevancy, our stature, our economy and our ability to influence world events.

A good place to start learning more is from this non-partisan group
www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/. Take the time to see the brief video. Then think seriously about which team of presidential/vice presidential candidates will be more likely to present a face to the world that is likely to encourage and engender global cooperation, rather than unilateral military action. Which team is more likely to try the hardest and prevail with effective non-military strategies? Which team is most likely to appoint reasoned and capable men and women to positions of power to respond to such threats?

As I've written before, John McCain says he "knows how to win wars." I think his experience tells us otherwise--in Vietnam and Iraq, where he says "we are winning." (Of course we "won" in Vietnam too...?) Besides, as I have also written before, I'd rather have a president that keeps us out of wars rather than one who sees military options as an early, rather than last step of action.

If the US is to remain relevant, vital and powerful, it is essential that we have the cooperation and respect of other nations and other leaders. I think it is important that we not allow our leaders to respect any religious faith or to allow creeping theocracy to seep in....whether they can see Russia on a clear day or not.

Incidentally, Harris has a new book out called Letter to A Christian Nation.

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Annapolis..."Spare No Expense on Anything"

As part of an occasional series on exploring what others in the blogosphere are writing about Annapolis when they visit, I came across the sailboat cruising notes of some folks from Maine. Obviously they are focused more on sailing and exploring than they are on writing about the places they visit, for they came to America's Sailing Capital and managed barely more than a paragraph, which I supply for your reading pleasure:

"Sorry I didn't take any pictures in Annapolis. Nice city, a lot of municipal construction projects going on. The State House was closed due to major refit. Representative of a very wealthy state. Spare no expense on anything, sweeping up leaves, repairing sidewalks, spic and span."

I liked that part about being "Representative of a very wealthy state." They don't know about our budget situation nor the fact that we don't even have commuter buses from our State Capital to its largest city.

As noted, we do have a lot of municipal projects going on...and a lot of lawsuits about them as well. They apparently missed that we did successfully renovate the entire City Dock area. Of course, they failed to notice the failed Market House, nor would they have any idea about our crumbling water infrastructure. I am glad they think our sidewalks are in nice shape, but they again have no idea about the story behind that.

If these folks are cruising on a budget, it's a big one. They went out to lunch at Pussers. Ignorance is bliss. They pretty much say as much elsewhere in their journal. I wonder how much I miss..we all miss, when we sail into another city?
See: Odyssey South


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A Novel Idea for the Market Space...temporarily

We all know how the Market House is almost empty and with the Boat Shows approaching and we know there is a huge lawsuit about that underway. We also know that renovation of the police headquarters is years behind as well, and apparently with another lawsuit. One of the many reasons the police building is taking so long is because parts of the building are occupied around the clock for business. So here is one idea...it may be crazy...it may not work, but....here goes

Why don't we just move those offices and employees that get displaced from construction down to the Market House??? Is this possible? Would it not be worth a try??? Maybe it will have a positive impact on law enforcement as well? And for the Boat Shows, why not at least have the visitor's center kiosk by the Harbormasters Office (which closes for the shows and for the season) set up shop in the Market House as well???? Any thoughts?

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This is Not Watergate....I'm Not Woodstein...and you're no Deepthroat

Question: How much of our taxpayer's dollars are going to the mayor so she can travel to conferences? Do you think this is a legitimate question to pose to the city's Public Information Officer (actually the mayor's press secretary?) Do you think he should know the answers to these questions?...read on...

An anonymous tipster used to write CP with all kinds of not-so-nice things about our mayor. CP was uncomfortable using such gossip and rumor without verification. CP repeatedly asked the writer, who claimed to be someone in the know, to identify him or herself. CP promised that his/her identity would remain confidential but journalistic standards necessitate substantiation. He/she used a pseudonym. This writer refused, accused CP of being afraid and unwilling to stand up (me? really?) and got angry. Recently the writer has written CP again--unedited:


"Where was the mayor when the last murder occurred in Annapolis on September 13? She was on her way to Tarrytown New York for a conference on "Climate Communities" and out of the office for a week. She got back in time for City Council before leaving today.

Now a storm is bearing down on City Dock and flooding is expected, she's on a slow train to Santa Fe, for another conference on "Creative Tourism" that will keep her out until the second week of October. She is touring the southwest at taxpayer expense.

Climate Communities? Creative Tourism? What about staying at home and paying attention to the crime and money pit market house? And who's paying to transport her and her skanky boyfriend all over the country? The taxpayers, thats who.

If you don't believe me, call Ray Weaver. He covers her ass, but doesn't lie for her. He'lll tell you.

Shes a disgrace..... Look into it, CP."

My slightly edited letter back to the writer:

"Thank you very much. Sad but true, and nothing surprises me anymore. She has become irrelevant. I intend to post this as a guest column tomorrow. I would like to speak with you and will do what I can to continue to express our collective disappointment.

I am looking into your claims. It is not a matter of believing you or not. It is a matter of journalistic standards. Yes the conference of which you write is about to take place in Santa Fe but I found only a vague reference to a possible conference in New York on climate communities. Any thing else you can provide will be helpful. Thank you."


The letter I received back would need such heavy editing to maintain any sense of anonymity, and decency, that I omit it. But I did write back, again asking for substantiation and identification and promising that his/her anonymity would be protected. In the meantime, I did get a response from Mayor Moyer's Public Information Officer Ray Weaver in my efforts to verify the letter writer's claims. Mr Weaver's answer was immediate and while it was not 100% helpful, it sheds the mayor's slant on the issue-which after all, is his job to do (CP notes in bold):

Mr. Foer,

The Mayor did attend the Climate Communities event, and she is on her way to the Creative Tourism Conference. There is money set aside in her budget for travel representing the City. I am not sure how these trips are being funded, but it seems to me that representing one of the most environmentally sensitive Cities in the country at a Climate Conference makes sense. Ditto for attending a conference on tourism while Mayor of a town that welcomes 4 million visitors each year. It is always curious to me that some local folks seem so against the idea of our representatives tackling big issues and appearing and being recognized on the larger stage. Other towns and cities take great pride at their elected officials larger accomplishments. (I agree, but how much travel is appropriate?

I have no idea of the costs of the Mayor's travels. (Why not? Who pays for this? And is she not on salary when doing all of this?)

As to her preferred travel methods, I know she likes to drive. As to her phobias, I have no clue. (Really? No clue? Since she travels so much, maybe we should know since it has an obvious impact on speed, thus the amount of time being away. And so our great global warming leader and clean air advocate "likes to drive" rather than take a less polluting method of travel. Interesting.)

You can probably check with the Mayor or her scheduler for any future travel plans. And I don't know how many days she has traveled this year. In my case, it is like she is still right down the hall because the phone never stops ringing and her emails never stop coming. Where ever she may be, you can rest assured she is in constant contact. (There may be some truth to that but seriously, she needs to be here. This is why we elected her and pay her. ALl elected officials are subjected to this level of scrutiny. When away, the mayor is unable to exercise as much control or have as much direct knowledge of or involvement in city affairs as when she is here. You should know how many days she has been away. Why should I have to check with others for this information? It is your job.)

(NOTE: I also asked Mr Weaver about the status of the city attorney position)

I have no information on the status or history of Steve Kling. My understanding is that Anndreeze Williams was promoted from Assistant to Acting City Attorney when Mr. Spencer left. I issued a press release to that effect, and I have heard nothing to the contrary. Perhaps someone in Law could better answer your questions about Mr. Kling's status. ("Your understanding"??? Again, why no further information on such an important position? Again, you are the PIO. Why should I have to go to the office of law?)

Those are the answers to your questions that I can supply.


CP NOTES: And so it goes.....I am pleased we take a leadership role in climate issues, environmental protection and tourism, but does the mayor have to be away all the time in order for us to do this? Do we get anything for these meetings and this travel? Why don't we get a simple answer to how much it all costs? Maybe the mayor should also be going to conferences on law enforcement and municipal markets and lawsuits--or maybe just a class on executive leadership. And finally, does she now know or not care that we are really fed up with her attitude, her behavior, her indifference and her disengagement enough to know why so many of us are concerned that she is off going to more conferences? When I was the assistant to the director of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office, he told me point blank not to be going off to too many meetings as I would develop a reputation of nothing more than a meeting-attendee. Mayor Moyer ought to think about that.

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Big Storm On The Way Today!!!!!

City Dock is expected to get flooded. Batten down the hatches. Brace the yards. Man the pumps.....and keep reading Capital Punishment...darn....I've got an engagement in Baltimore this evening....take the slicker.

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Organized School Prayer....Creeping Around A Flagpole Near You

"SPEAK, for your servant is listening"

As reported in today's Capital....."An annual prayer event around school flagpoles this morning drew ire from some parents at an Arnold elementary school, where a brochure promoting the event was sent home with students as part of an official information packet."

(LEFT: From religionfacts.com Could this be the scene one day at our public schools? Would organized Christian school prayer be any different than what occurs in Muslim sharia-ocracies?)

Good grief! It was promoted by the school, on school property, just before school hours. The mullahs and Ayatollahs must love it. The parent who organized the event was apparently so upset by the uproarious reaction of other parents that she pulled her children out of the school. Fine. There are plenty of private, religious schools for her children to attend. Let's hear it for uproarious parents. This prayer gathering was one of many across the nation organized by thr See You At the Pole movement: POLE

See the Capital's article at:

School Prayer

According to The Capital, the principal allowed the promotional letter but a School Board spokesperson said she was wrong. Oooh. Will she be sent to the Supe's office?

Hellfire and damnation. I mean damn nation. I think we ought to hold a See You At the Polls event and be sure we elect leaders who will ensure the Constitutional dictate to keep church and state separate. Maybe we should organize a national See You in The Pool campaign with a wet tee shirt contest or maybe a See You On A Pole--dancing...in which students will compete for sexiest pole dance. Of course I am not serious (did I have to tell you that) but really, we may be about to elect a weirdo Pentecostalist vice president who believes it is God's will to build a gas line in Alaska....so, this prayer thing may not seem like a big deal, but it is a slippery slope toward theocracy or what might properly be labeled "Christo-fascism." If they wish to pray in the name of Jesus Christ at school, they can freely choose to go to a Christian school, but keep it out of our public schools...PUHLEEZE! See you at the polls.

And thanks to the Arnold parents who protested.

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Top Ten US "Sustainable Cities"...with a big surprise

David Letterman would be proud. A new survey has come up with the top-ten most "sustainable cities" and CP has been fortunate enough to have visited each and every one of them, mainly in my role as a consultant, speaker and trainer on transportation systems. Here is what SustainLane writes about its study:

"The rankings explain how people’s quality of life and city economic and management preparedness are likely to fare in the face of an uncertain future.These indicators gauge, for instance, which cities’ public transit, renewable energy, local food, and development approaches are most likely to either limit or intensify the negative economic and environmental impacts of fossil fuel dependence."

You'll find the usual suspects on the list such as Portland, Oregon at number one followed by San Francisco and Seattle. In the last year, CP visited these three top cities, some for the third time, enjoying all the multi-modal and efficient transportation systems, including taking the inaugural ride on opening day of the new South Lake Union Trolley (yes...I rode the SLUT) in Seattle.

Another top-rated city is Minneapolis, where CP was working with its DOT to help transit systems improve their marketing and build ridership. Oakland, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and New York are revered for their walkability, architecture, their intensity of transit, and to one extent or another, their historic resources. But you will probably be surprised by which large city makes number ten. It's not far from Annapolis and it's not Philadelphia as mentioned already, so might it actually be.....???....of course actually getting from here to there by transit, well, that is a different story. (Hint/spoiler...it aint DC....) CLICK HERE---Sustainable Surprise

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More Hypocrisy from A Politician

And this time it's a Democrat, but it's not about some sexual thing, it's drinking and driving or DUI. Perhaps we should call it being a Delegate Under the Influence. But, as we find it repulsive when a lawmaker rails on about sexual depravity and then is caught being depraved, this one was a leader against alcohol abuses. According to The Capital, and of course other news sources Montgomery County Delegate Herman Taylor Jr., "who called for "DUI" license plates that would be issued to people convicted more than once of drunken driving has been charged with driving under the influence himself." An officer found him asleep at the wheel in a parking lot. Pity the poor Delegate Taylor.

Here are a few things that the House of Delegate's web-site says about him (bolding is my emphasis):

Member of House of Delegates since January 8, 2003. Member, Economic Matters Committee, 2003- (banking, economic development, science & technology subcommittee, 2003-06; business regulation subcommittee, 2003-; alcoholic beverages work group, 2003-06; public utilities work group, 2003-;

Okay. So we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He pulled into a parking lot and passed out. At least he did not slam into a school bus. We expect our elected officials to be honorable, moral and law abiding citizens. Actions such as this, by Democrats or Republicans, strike another nail into the coffin of cynicism and disdain for politics. It is especially bad, such as with Republican Delegate Tony McConkey, when they violate laws for which they voted. I hope Taylor has the cajones to come out honestly about this, apologize, get some counseling and NEVER do it again! He is scheduled for trial on October 24.


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Feds Say Keeping Bush in Office May Be Only Way to Revive Economy

Buck Fush! Okay, it's just another rip-roaring piece from The Onion. Enjoy:

Economists Warn Anti-Bush Merchandise Market Close To Collapse

CP NOTE: Linking to this piece is not intended in any way to suggest that CP is dissatisfied with the Bush Administration.

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More Reasons To Subscribe to The Crime Watch Reports...and to wonder about Carl Snowden

From our Police Dep't:
Date: September 24th, 2008 Wednesday NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH POLICE REPORT

These crime reports from APD have been edited and excerpted for brevity and emphasis. Now if only Carl Snowden had been around to defend the rights of these trespassers on public housing property, our police might have thought twice before doing their job to protect the public. Carl, speak up!

1. DRUG ARREST: On September 23rd at 4:35 PM, an officer on routine patrol noticed two suspicious men standing near a vehicle in the 200 block of Croll Drive......A check revealed that both men had previously been banned from Housing Authority property. They were arrested for Trespassing. During booking procedures, approximately 7.1 grams of crack cocaine were recovered The other man was charged with Trespassing. (08-006032)

2. TRESPASSING: On September 23rd at 7:42 PM, an officer saw a suspicious man loitering around 1014 President Street. He had previously been banned from Housing Authority property. He was arrested and charged with Trespassing. (08-006039)

3. DRUG ARREST: On September 24th at 12:37 AM, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH reported drug activity centered around a vehicle parked near 1165 Madison Street. Officers found a man sitting in the back seat. The name he gave did no match any records. When a female arrived and identified herself as the driver of the car, she told the officer that the male’s name was different than the one he had given to the officers. The man got out of the car, and she was allowed to leave. A passerby told the officers that he knew the suspect as yet another name than the two that had already been stated. The suspect was arrested for Trespassing. He had previously been banned from Housing Authority property. He was charged with Trespassing and Making a False Statement to Police. (08-006091)

9/22 11:40 AM ....a traffic stop was made due to a car being driven with expired tags...A check revealed that the driver did not have a license. She was charged with Driving Without A License. (08-006008)

CP Notes-How about this one--a success story for a new technology:

9/22 11:53 PM 1000 block of Spa Rd. - a tag reader alerted on a 2003 Ford Truck, showing that the registered owner had a suspended driver’s license. It was stopped and the suspension was confirmed, and he was accordingly charged. (08-006020)

As CP has repeatedly done by excerpting items form the crime watch reports, we can see how important it is to allow our police to arrest people for trespassing on public housing property AND that seemingly minor or routine traffic violations are anything but minor or routine....

Contact the police at:
apdcommunityservices@annapolis.gov

Follow The Money....

While home sick with a cold, CP started perusing the campaign finance reports for city officials/candidates. I am just pulling out a few observations, so don't expect a full blown report. Neither you nor my sponsors pay me enough for that service. It is all available on the city's web site.
A few things jump out, namely that both current office holders and some non-office holders are raising money. What for? I've asked that a lot. Are they declared or not? It's just that I am bothered by this constant fundraising. Mayor Moyer has a lot of cash on hand, and you may notice the chicken-scrawled handwriting on her reports. Why does she need this money? I've asked this before. I think the reason is so she can continue to have influence. Duhh...d'ya think? So why would anyone continue to give money to this highly unpopular lame duck on her way out? Duhh...d'ya think?
Then there is Trudy McFall, who has been raising big bucks--mainly in large chunks and almost all from people out of the city. Frank Flyntz who IS running for mayor and has a web-site, did not file a report back in June.
Again, this is not a scientific study but merely some observations.
Dick Israel, a putative mayoral candidate has a donor list that reads like a who's who of Ward One, and mainly in smaller denominations, suggesting strong local support. Sheila Finlayson and Classie Hoyle both manage to pull in big bucks from outside the city, and Hoyle's list is conspicuously populated by businesses, law firms and developers. Similarly for Zina Pierre, another putative mayoral candidate, who paid over $3000 for a web-site...but where is her site? Has she declared? Does she really live on McGuckian St. or is she in Mitchellville as other official web documents purport?
Candidates give back and forth to each other, and it's normal. Candidate A sends $100 to candidate B or to official C who sends $100 to candidate A or B or whatever. That's a bit of a revolving door but it does not seem inappropriate--or doers it? If I give to Candidate A to elect him or her, do I want him to give to Candidate B to elect him or her? It's a scratch my back kind of thing--and CP benefited from such support from others when he ran for alderman. However I sought and received only a small amount of money for very specific campaigning purposes and when the campaign ended, it had all been expended as such and I closed the account. This business of building "war chests" is questionable (war chests?).
Free State Press, a printing business on West Street is the beneficiary of much of the campaign expenditures. Owner Jim Martin, a peripatetic and visible civic activist for Green and Democratic candidates and many community issues no doubt has attracted a loyal following due to his activism, having a union shop--as well as being a fine printer.
See follow the money to find what is of interest to you. Look at the average and the largest donations, see who and where they originated. Look at the ratio between candidates of local donors versus out of city donors. See if you recognize the names. Make out of it what you can.
And then look at what they spend, and for what. Alderwoman Hoyle for example has given some campaign money to scholarships and for expressions of sympathy. I think that she come from her personally. And again... Duhh...d'ya think? But is this right? If I gave money to a candidate, I would want it to help them get elected....oohhh...duhh...d'ya think? So that's why she sends expressions of sympathy from her campaign funds.
So we need to know what are the restrictions on how candidates spend their money. And finally, in nearly every report, almost every candidate has some anomaly or omission, and usually it's a minor thing such as filing a few days late or a mathematical error or a miscoding. The outside accounting firm just mentions and then brushes them off. Alderman Shropshire apparently has not yet filed his report, now many months overdue. This is because his basement was flooded while he was away, but, he still is required to have this filed. While I sympathize with his situation, I must ask if this excuses it or keeps him from some sort of chastisement or penalty? I think the answer is no, it does not. Perhaps if his records had been in plastic bags instead of just on paper, this would have been averted.

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John McCain...temperamental, irrascible, hotheaded, petty.....but Palin???

The questions about McCain's character continue to cause me more than a few palpitations. See some of these links for news articles about the legendary Navy pilot and ex-POW.

A few incidents where he displayed his bad temper: temper

A few incidents where he displayed his bad temper...again:
more temper

Read this about his Senate experience with technology:
no geek here

Now that we are embroiled in an economic gloom and doom situation, and the Senator likes to place blame for this on his presidential opponent, let us not forget his role in The Keating Five S and L debacle or his long Senate career where he has triumphed the "free market" and deregulation.

But as bad as McCain may be, I still feel he was enough of an independent and a bi-partisan to warrant serious consideration. However, all that withered away when he caved into Republican pressure to pick the notoriously under-qualified and questionable Sarah Palin and advance the God, guns and gays mentality of the hyperconservatives in the GOP. Speaking of Palin, who only last year got her first passport (although she can see across the water to Russia...), she visited the United Nations where her handlers made sure that news media coverage was limited only to cameras for a photo-opportunity. Seems that her handlers know that she doesn't know much about anything and is as dumb as a bowl of cold oatmeal on drywall. Yes, in their never-ending quest to dupe the American public and get elected at any cost, they have shown their true disdain for American values. While she makes fun of Obama for being a community organizer "whatever that is", we know that the GOP's only concern is November 4th. As for November 5th, well, they'll deal with that when the day comes. And if McCain is elected (and watch out for voting fraud...again)to expand the failed and horrible Bush years, we can only hope that the now 72-year old McCain does not die in office, leaving this nation in the hands of a basically uneducated Pentecostal pit bull with lipstick.


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Crime....bad?....getting worse?...getting better?

CP received this from an anonymous resident and felt it was important enough to post alone here rather than just as a comment. I want to personally thank the writer and please ask him or her to communicate with me directly. I will not post or release your identity if you wish to remain anonymous. Here goes, followed by a few comments:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "More Murder...in Eastport Again":

I am new to this blog, and I came across it as I was researching neighborhood watch programs in Eastport. See, I am new to Annapolis, and frankly I am shocked and saddened at the amount of crime I have experienced in the past 6 months. I didn't move here from a small community, I lived on the West Side of Chicago and I have never experienced as much fear than here in Annapolis. Since buying my house here, I have had it broken into in the middle of the night, my car vandalized, last night I had 6 cop cars chasing a car which finally stopped. I am not sure the cause of the chase, just that the man was having trouble understanding the police because he did not speak English. Two weeks ago there were these shootings a couple blocks away, there was another car chase last week where the non English speaking folks got out and started beating some others up with a bat.

I live on a block in which the neighbors have lived here for 40 years. After last nights episode they are ready to pack up and leave. Nobody wants their kids around such crime, this isn't a community it is a crime zone. It is also pathetic that as a city we are so worried about hurting peoples feelings in regards to them not being citizens, when all the while Annapolis doesn't seem to worried about the good abiding residents who have been here for 40 years and watching them move away. If that happens, you better be sure that it is going to get worse unless Annapolis puts a stop to all this! It is out of control.

I do have to say that the policeman who assisted me when I was broken into were wonderful!

Dear Anonymous:

Please don't pack up and leave--yet. There is crime everywhere and while things seemed to be going from bad to worse here during the failed Moyer/Chief Johnson Administration, there appear to be many positive steps taking place with the new police chief. I called for the former chief to resign. I have called for a massive overhaul of public housing. I am trying to build community and interest in our collective future by writing this blog.
I am pleased to hear that you were appreciative of the police officers' efforts. We have many excellent and dedicated officers--and a few bad apples and clockwatchers, but we all must work together to build strong communities and fight crime. We must find ways to work with and assist our police and especially to create opportunities for youth and jobs for all! We do not fight crime simply by barring our doors, adding police, getting tougher judges and building prisons. Yes, this is a part of the solution, and while there may always be "bad" people who do bad things to others, I believe that criminals are mainly bred, not born.
We live in a society that is no longer focused on working to provide equal opportunity and justice for all but is further splitting into haves and have-nots, into owners and renters, masters and slaves. We seem to accept having the super rich and the super poor. We can't find enough for our schools but we bail out banks and create a welfare system for the military industrial complex. I don't know if you agree with my analysis or see it as relevant to our local concerns, but that is how I feel, and I have two children in local public schools. We have been the victims of crime as well.

Please don't get discouraged. We can continue to improve our community. You may also wish to visit the Anne Arundel crime blog. Thank you.

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West Indian Girl Goes to West Point(e)..or so she thinks, and finds Naptown "picturesque and muggy"

In my ongoing quest to explore how people in the land of blog-believe perceive Annapolis, I have come across this little nugget from westindiangirl.com. Mariqueen Maandig, the singer in the band West Indian Girl performed at the Rams Head in Annapolis in July, 2005 (I stand corrected by an alert reader...it is that other place near Ram's Head...see comments below) and this is what she wrote:

The City: annapolis is, like most of the cities and towns we’ve visited thus far, picturesque and muggy. the one thing that sets annapolis apart from the others is that it is the home of west pointe and therefore, super duper republicanish. whatever, i don’t know if that’s a good thing or not for any of you readers so i’m not going to get into it. let’s just say i’m super liberal but my parents are republican and i love them with all my heart.

Whew! The previous shows were in NY, Boston,San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Austin, Dallas and Los Angeles so I guess Annapolis really was "like most of the cities and towns we’ve visited thus far..." Huh?..and it gets better:

i didn’t see much to do besides play the show, shop for lingerie and hang out at a cool little internet cafe. but you know what? i am not complaining one bit. i really dug the city and hope that next time we come around i get a chance to go sailing.

Speaking of picturesque and muggy, I find Westindiangirl's mug to be picturesque. Too bad she did not meet CP who would have taken her sailing....after shopping for lingerie! Hey-watch it...this is a family blog. Maybe next time we'll take in the Army-Navy game and both get totally confused since West Point(e) is in Annapolis--right?.

If you look carefully--you can see she is at our popular local watering hole and performance venue--Ram's Head Tavern. Shameless product endorsement alert. I prefer the Hellas Lager. Note to Ram's Head:
please advertise heer
so I can buy more beer


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Like Avis.....We Try Harder...(though some think this blog will always be a number two...)

Did anybody notice that for all of last week, CP was rated as the second most influential political blog in Maryland by Blognetnews.Maryland.com?....hulloa...please say yes. You did? You did not? Wuddevuh. Anyhow I was away on business that week and thus could not bask in this local glory. We will be returning to Ahh Coffee this Thursday and hope you will join us. It looks as if in a couple of weeks we may have an honored guest attend--a Republican no less! What is the world coming to?

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"Who’s Élite now, Bullwinkle?"...and other stories of lipstick on...whatever

Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat....ROAR...wooops, guess I didn't know my own strength...

I just can't get enough of this Sarah Palin. As if it were not bad enough that readers have been sending me clips and I have been referring you lately to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, along comes an alert reader who sends me a link to The New Yorker. The New Yorker! I guess that sometimes the Capital just will not suffice...so if you want to read a rip-roaring, lip-sticking piece by George Saunders about Sarah Palin visit:PALIN

Warning. This is written for an elite, eastern, cosmopolitan, hi-falutin audience probably composed of Ivy League snobs. You may not understand it. But that's not your fault. Sarah will change all of that. She is one of us. She is like us. That is why I did not understand the New Yorker. But what do those snobs know?

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Josh Cohen for Mayor? The Straight "Poop"...as it were

While the Republican s--- about Sarah Palin continues to stink like a load of diapers, and her large and growing family--out of wedlock or otherwise--suddenly becomes a badge of courage to Republicans when at any other time (or to a Black woman or a Democrat)it would have been a mark of shame...if not disqualification for consideration of the veep spot, it seems that here at home, diapers may be causing one popular elected official to think twice..or thrice...about campaigning for another elected office. When CP got wind of a rumor (spread by an Alderman) about County Councilman Josh Cohen making a run for mayor, I was shocked. Based on previous conversations, CP did not think such a move was of interest to Cohen. And from where I stand, it might be a step backward in a bright political career-especially if we change to a city manager form of government.....but I digress....CP asked Cohen point blank if he is in fact a candidate for mayor. Cohen responded (in italics):


With respect to the mayoral race, according to your blog I thought you were going to puke if anyone talked about it this early!! Seriously, it's true that several people have asked me to run in recent weeks. While I'm not ruling it out, my focus is and has been to continuing serving and to run for re-election to the County Council. Lesley and I had our second baby girl 7 weeks ago and frankly in this haze of diapers and burp cloths we're in no position to seriously consider another campaign right now.

Yes, I did have to write about the mayoral race...I am not puking yet....but I may need some diapers...So, there you have it. Two children and their diapers will likely keep Cohen out of the running for re-election to City Council, but it takes vastly more s--- than that to keep Palin in Alaska. By the way, Cohen sits on the council representing a county with almost as many people as in Alaska..and when he was alderman, there were almost as many people in Ward Eight as there are in Wasilla....

Of course, that makes me think of Cohen's role in the Maritime Republic of Eastport and our own Eastport-Spa Creek "bridge to nowhere" and our attempt to secede....ooh this is getting too weird...On the other hand, from where we sit in Eastport, not to be "over-Bering" but we can see all the way across the Gulf of Eastport to the foreign nation of Annapolis...Josh please keep doing what McCain and Palin claim to be doing--fighting Republicans and reforming the system...

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Say It Aint So Joe....

Last time I used this expression, it was about the infamous Joe Gross, who I don't have to kick around anymore. This time the Joe is Joe Biden and just to be fair, since I've made fun of Sarah Palin, I am sharing this piece from the Wall Street Journal. The Journal or WSJ is an excellent newspaper...if you can somehow handle their warped Weltanschauung, which I cannot...no surprise there. Anyhow, alert reader Julie Mussog brought this to CP's attention...so enjoy their take on some recent Biden quips. Well, I still prefer him to Palin....any place, any day, any time, for any reason...unless I need to skin a moose.(Actually I am just sharing this to score points with the hyperconservative bloggers.....NOT!) See the WJS at Joe and God

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It's Almost Boat Show Time!!!

THIS IS NOT POLITICAL...although I must admit that a "blue" state just sounds much more inviting to boaters than does a "red" state...but this is not political...It's just a reminder that the US Sailboat Show, followed by the US Powerboat Show returns to Annapolis in a couple of weeks. Even if you've seen enough boats, the seminars are worthwhile...and don't forget all the good beer and roast beef at the Fleet!

Here are this year's schedules:

SAIL:
Thursday, Press/Trade/V.I.P. Day, Oct. 9, 2008 10 am - 6 pm
Friday, General Admission Day, Oct. 10, 2008 10 am - 7 pm
Saturday, Sunday Oct. 11-12, 2008 10 am - 7 pm
Monday, Oct. 13, 2008 10 am - 5 pm

POWER:
Thursday, Press/Trade/V.I.P. Day, Oct. 16, 2008 10 am - 6 pm
Friday, General Admission Day, Oct. 17, 2008 10 am - 7 pm
Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008 10 am - 7 pm
Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008 10 am - 6 pm

For information, visit boatshows

And please, please come and spend lots of money...or at least get a parking ticket. NOT! (Plenty of parking and shuttles from the stadium...or walk...or ride your bike...)

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Another McJuicey Find About McAnnapolis In McBlogland

A couple of weeks ago, CP enjoyed slinging barbs at one self proclaimed "preppy" who extolled the virtues of preppydom in Annapolis. I just came across "storeadore" which is another blog-worshipper of conspicuous consumption with an overarching fascination with apparel. On the one hand it's good to promote and patronize Annapolis--hey we all need the business. Yet somehow, there is something disturbing about shopaholics in general and especially those who view our city as simply a shopping experience in a historic, waterfront setting. Preppy-publisher and clothes horse McLean Robbins (yes that is her name..like the toothpaste from my childhood) writes "In the past two years, this sleepy waterfront town has transformed from a tourist destination to a shopping mecca rivaling the boutiques of nearby Georgetown and Bethesda."
The past two years? Under what rock has she (I assume McLean is a she) been hiding? Did anybody else notice this transformation? We are no longer a tourist destination but a shopping mecca? Tell that to downtown merchants. Hey--we now rival Georgetown and Bethesda! I guess McLean missed the Market House.
I do like the fact that McLean promotes the walkable atmosphere of our town--thank you! However, she describes Maryland Avenue as a "small side street" which has "St. John’s College on one end and the gates of the Naval Academy on the other." Uhhh...I think McLean mistook that large domed building on the hill known as the State House for McDowell Hall. Yikes! Honey--how will you ever find your way around the mall?
Okay, 'nuff said. See for yourself and be sure to vote in McLean's fall wardrobe poll at storeadoretheshoppingwhoreinNaptown

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New York Times Takes a Look at the Academy

James Traub, author of “The Freedom Agenda: Why America Must Spread Democracy (Just Not the Way George Bush Did)” visits The Naval Academy, asking questions about how it has changed since John McCain's time and how those changes reflect greater social changes as well. CP recommends this piece for anyone interested in global political and military issues or just wants to learn more about our local institution. Visit It's Academic
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