Remove At Your Own Risk: Can you get in trouble for taking the tag off a mattress?

Got a question burning a hole in your brain? If so, you’re in luck. Here’s your chance ask ‘Ask a Smartass.’ Urban legend, true mystery or idiotic pondering, I will attempt to tackle anything. So, without further ado, I kick off this column with a question most people should be familiar with:

Can you really get in trouble with the law by removing a mattress tag?

The answer to this is simply: Yes! In fact, this is one of the longest standing and most strictly enforced laws to be established since this great nation was born. The punishment for this infraction has varied throughout time. And now, in these “times of terror,” the government isn’t playing around. Continue reading Remove At Your Own Risk: Can you get in trouble for taking the tag off a mattress?

Of Civil Unions and Civil Rights: Gay Fathers Testify in Annapolis

A cold wind whips through Annapolis on a Monday night, but the crowd is untouched. Several hundred people gather next to the Governor’s Mansion for a demonstration. Every ten feet or so someone holds up a sign with a district number. Police orbit the crowd waiting for trouble, but mostly giving directions.

It looks like any rally you’d see during legislative session in Maryland, until you notice the two young men in business attire clutching each other close to get warm. And the signs that read, “I Love My Two Gay Dads.”

It’s the movement for same sex marriage and tonight they are going to see their representatives in Annapolis. What only a few years ago seemed a wild dream has become a movement. And it’s a movement that appears to be getting stronger by the day.

Continue reading Of Civil Unions and Civil Rights: Gay Fathers Testify in Annapolis

Harford Votes: Picks Obama and McCain for President, Eaves for Judge and Harris for Congress in Icy Election

About 41 percent of those registered to vote in Harford County’s 2008 Primary Election did so in the freezing rain Tuesday, choosing Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama over Sen. Hillary Clinton by fewer than 100 votes, overwhelming electing Harford County Circuit Court Judge Angela Eaves to the position she was appointed two months ago and helping propel state Sen. Andy Harris to his upset victory over longtime U.S. Congressman Wayne Gilchrest.

On Tuesday, about 48,000 voters of the 118,000 registered to participate in Harford County’s election did so, but Democrats voted more proportionally than Republicans. Forty-five percent of Harford County Democrats voted Tuesday (26,817 out of 59,552 registered) compared to only 36 percent of the county’s Republicans (21,351 out of 58,870 registered).

Even though the registration figures show a virtual dead heat between Dems and Repubs in Harford, the majority of Dems tend to vote GOP - as demonstrated in recent local Republican tides that have helped carry Bob Ehrlich and anyone holding onto his long coattails into office. Does this low Republican turnout mean Sen. John McCain isn’t going to be as successful motivating his base GOP votes or just that Harford voters knew he had no real challenge from Gov. Mike Huckabee? Continue reading Harford Votes: Picks Obama and McCain for President, Eaves for Judge and Harris for Congress in Icy Election

A Warning and a Reprimand: Aberdeen Council President Elliott is Scolded in Ethics Violation

Updated with response from Council President Elliott

Nine months after it was filed, the results of an ethics investigation initiated by one Aberdeen City Council member against another are in and the ruling is that city councilwoman Ruth Elliott violated provisions of the City Code by divulging the contents of confidential internal emails to the city’s opponents in an ongoing lawsuit.

In short, Elliott, who broke ranks with the city’s former mayor and city council to oppose the proposal to annex the Wetlands Golf Course properties, appears to have forwarded a series of emails, which were originally sent from a city attorney to city manager Doug Miller relating to existing litigation between the city and a group of city taxpayers, to members of the group engaged in the lawsuit with Aberdeen.

The complaint was filed by former city councilman David Yensan in May, about six months before he lost his seat in the city’s November election, but the Aberdeen Ethics Commission didn’t reach its findings until late January. Elliott, who won her re-election bid and currently serves as Aberdeen City Council president, was particularly outraged that Yensan, in one of the privileged emails, refers to a “demented old woman.” Yensan later apologized for his statement, but clarified the comment was not directed toward Elliott. Continue reading A Warning and a Reprimand: Aberdeen Council President Elliott is Scolded in Ethics Violation

“A Republic, If You Can Keep It” - Part II

You have to wonder what Del. Mary-Dulany James and Del. Dan Riley really think about the people they represent. Maybe we could get them on “Moment of Truth”, that new reality show where people are hooked up to a giant lie detector and then asked embarrassing questions such as:

Do you think your constituents are incapable of electing their own board of education?

That would be one way to get at the truth. Or we could just take a look at HB 806, the legislation James and Riley put together to thwart the elected school board bill being sponsored by the rest of the Harford County delegation. Continue reading “A Republic, If You Can Keep It” - Part II

Taking on Gangland: Using money and politics to get tough on Edgewood

Tired of watching the unstemmed blood flowing from Edgewood? So too are a contingent of elected officials who let loose this week with a flood of proposed legislation, millions of dollars in federal funding and renewed resolve to wash Edgewood and Harford County clean of its gang infestation.

But can this latest attempt to flush out Edgewood’s growing number of Bloods and Crips, of which the state now says there are more than 300 members in Harford County, succeed where so many others have failed (see: Harford County Sheriff’s Office Southern Precinct, Guardian Angels patrol, Community Watch program, State Police Activity League Center, etc)?

A series of eight separate bills introduced within the last week by state Sen. Nancy Jacobs aim to hit gangs where it hurts - seizing their property, charging their young members as adults rather than juveniles and stretching out the sentences of gang members convicted of crimes - while a new Gang Elimination Task Force, created with nearly $3 million in federal funding, was also announced this week. Continue reading Taking on Gangland: Using money and politics to get tough on Edgewood

One in a Billion: What happens in Vegas…can be utterly embarrassing

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Almost 2 years to the day I was back here in Las Vegas for the CES, The Consumer Electronics Show, the World’s Largest Trade Show (140,000 attendees and 1.8 million square feet of exhibit space with over 2,700 exhibitors).

Now the CES is THE center of the Universe for 4 days every January. This is where the new technology of consumer electronics is introduced and hyped. Many of the gizmos and gadgets trotted out at the CES in January make their way to market sometime in the months that follow.

Because the CES is such a big deal it is the place to see and be seen. Celebrities galore are there either as spokespeople for the various companies or as attendees themselves. In years past I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Joan Jett, David Ortiz, Michael Irving, Randall Cunningham, Marcus Allen, Jackie “The Joke Man” Martling, Mathew Polk, Michael Douglas, Donny Osmond, Jon Anderson of Yes, Little Steven, Todd Rundgren, Cal Ripken Jr., Brian Williams, Yoko Ono, Herbie Hancock, Gallagher, Roger Staubach, Gene Simmons, Snoop Dog, Tommy Shaw, James Young, Darryl “DMC” McDaniel, Jane Wiedlin, Terry LeBonte and Sinbad to name a few. Continue reading One in a Billion: What happens in Vegas…can be utterly embarrassing

Smooth Transition? Inside the Aberdeen Report

Despite a bitter internal feud, no review of the Aberdeen Police Department is needed. Despite being severely fined and penalized in the past, the city should once again pursue sucking more water from Deer Creek. Despite its being in day-to-day control of the city’s multi-million dollar budget, direct observation of the day-to-day operation of the city’s Finance Department is needed.

These are just a few of the highlights from a report on the City of Aberdeen’s operation and health, as conducted by the 28-member Transition Team formed to help new Mayor Mike Bennett transition into office.

The report was unveiled to the public Monday night - nearly three months after Bennett’s November election to office. Put another way, one-eighth of Bennett’s two-year term in office has already been spent compiling this report and it will probably take the remaining seven-eighths of his term to implement its recommendations.

Continue reading Smooth Transition? Inside the Aberdeen Report

The Commissioner of Talk-Radio: Ed Norris

Ed Norris, the former police commissioner of Baltimore, is angry. Seated, leaning forward with his elbows resting on the console of Baltimore’s 105.7 FM WHFS studio, he’s listening to callers to his mid-day talk-radio show. The big story this scalding August day is the fire bombing of the house of a woman in Waverly after she called the police to report drug dealers loitering by her porch. A caller is venting, incensed by the lawlessness. Leaning forward, closer to the microphone, Norris says, “I hear you buddy. Thanks for the call.”

Norris pauses a moment. The dead air trails off abruptly as Norris inflates his lungs and shouts, “I sound like a lunatic but 200 people killed already this year, witness’s fire bombed. What’s going on here? People just say, ‘Well, that’s Baltimore.’ It’s outrageous. People need to get fired up, refuse to accept it, hold the mayor and the leadership of the city accountable. It’s like the people who run this state get away with murder and nobody cares. I care and I know some people care but it sometimes feels like most of the city’s residents just accept it. I’ll tell you what I’d do if I were still running things. The whole force on overtime, nobody selling drugs would be able to breathe today. And if one of ‘em pulls a gun on a cop and gets shot, oh well, that’s just too damn bad. I don’t want to hear the mother bitching about the police. What’s your kid doing with a pistol?” As Norris unloads, his right hand chops the air and his temples pulsate like a belly dancer beneath his headphones. Continue reading The Commissioner of Talk-Radio: Ed Norris

Super Bowl Sunday: Music, Food, Celebrities and, yes, even a little Football

Not a fan of the Patriots? Not a fan of the New York football Giants? Maybe football is just not your thing? Surely you know by now that there are other reasons that people tune in to the ‘big game,’ which airs Sunday on Fox at precisely 6:17 pm. Here is a sampling of some of my faves:

- First and foremost, I have to tell you about one of the greatest days that my husband, Neil, and I shared together. We were fortunate enough to be at the dance when the Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Giants in Tampa at Super Bowl XXXV. Let me tell you something: watching the half-time show was impressive. The performances were good, yes, but what I am really referring to is the construction and deconstruction of the stage on the field and how quickly they got it done.

That year MTV was responsible. After the first half convened and the players went to their locker rooms, the mammoth stadium screens came on and Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler and Chris Rock did pre-recorded skits with some of the musicians featured in the show. This bought time for the stage to get set. The field was dark. We could see all kinds of goings-on (when we weren’t watching the skits). It was amazing because once the show started: lights, camera, action! It was a full-scale production going on. Those girls and guys who worked diligently behind the scenes deserve major props. Continue reading Super Bowl Sunday: Music, Food, Celebrities and, yes, even a little Football

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