53 beers on tap

The Elkridge Cluster-you-know-what continues!

So it looks as if CSX and the state Department of Transportation is trying to foist the new CSX intermodal transfer facility upon the HFC, and specifically the fine residents of Elkridge.  Read more about the project here.

To say that this thing looks like the fix is in is an insult to things that are fixed.  It's apparently been determined that building the facility at the Elkridge site would be cheaper than the other options.  Therefore, so as has been costed out, so shall it be!

Only problem is, that the fine folks of Elkridge really would rather not have the thing there.  And they have a point.  Their community is not the most industrialized of those under consideration.  And add to this the fact that many Elkridge residents, especially longtime ones, find themselves with a perception that Elkridge is the ugly stepchild of the county-- the repository for all things unwanted.

It would be nice if we saw our local and state representatives either work with CSX, the Department of Transportation, and the community to make this project a win all around, or do everything they can to kick this proposal into the circular bin.  So far it looks like Senator Ed Kasemeyer is on the forefront of that.

A Super Easter Basket?

The machinery for the Howard County Public School System's superintendent search is cranking up.  This article describes the still-nascent process.

Although no date is given as a deadline by which a new superintendent will be named, given as interviews are likely in March, and Sydney Cousin is stepping down in June, it would make sense that there be a new superintendent-designate in place say, April time frame?

So, forget about thinking about Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, or even Valentine's Day.  Let's go straight to Easter!  Dye your eggs and break those ears off your chocolate bunnies.  Because there's going to be a new super in the HFC's Easter basket!

Related to this, the search firm is still in process of soliciting community input for the new superintendent.  Thankfully, there is a guarantee that the search firm will be getting input from a high enough quotient of sane people.  I can only imagine what we'd get as a superintendent if the search firm listened to the HFC's contingent of fruits and nuts (aka, the Dyerians).  Probably something looking like this guy.

Text me! Notify me! Make me eat my vegetables!

So I have signed up for the "NotifyMeHoward" service.  For those of you not in the HFC, you can learn more about the service here.

I admit to being impressed at the number and range of updates that someone who signs up to the NotifyMeHoward service can receive.  The list of selections when I signed up totalled 39.  I signed up for all of 5, in the areas of weather updates, general HFC government news, recreation and parks, and the Howard County Library.  I decided to eschew all the updates from Montgomery County (just what I need!), CNN, and spanish language updates, among others.

I did receive a very cheery, welcoming text and e-mail upon signing up-- I am going to be interested to learn just how obtrusive this text and e-mail service is.  Especially going to be interested to see how the service is used over time.

And for my next trick...

In my post about the Mobbie awards the other day I forgot to mention the venue.  It is a unique one of it's kind in the area and a lot of fun.  I certainly recommend it to anyone out there in the viewing public!

Illusions Bar and Theatre is located in Federal Hill at 1025 South Charles Street.  At least on Friday and Saturday night, the bar features an hour long comedy-magic show.  The bar is open Wednesday through Saturday, 5pm-1am, and is owned and managed by a father-son team, Ken and Spencer Horsman.  Spencer is also the magician.

He did what I assume to be an abbreviated version of his show Tuesday evening and I'm looking forward to going back there for the entire act!

HoCo speed cameras-- this time it's PERSONAL!

Doing my part to spread the word aabout Howard County's speed camera program.  Starting today (Wednesday), not more warnings for those running afoul of the rotating speed cameras.  Now, that speeding's gonna cost you 40 smackeroos.

A link to a PDF with the possible locations of these cameras through the week of November 28th can be found here.

So apparently, for the four week warning period of the program, about 650 citations were issued.  That would mean $26,000 worth of citations.  Over the 9 1/2-month school year, we're talking about approximately a quarter million dollars' worth of revenue for county coffers.

True believers, we have started to venture down the slippery slope!  Why do I think that soon, there will be some other public safety need for the speed cameras that will necessitate their installation 12 months a year?  Like, setting up speed zones near public pools?  Or construction/ road repaving areas?  I'm sure someone will think of something.

Thank you!!!

OK, so as everyone has seen by now, I did win the 2011 Baltimore Sun Mobbie award for best Howard County blog.

I accept this honor with humility, but of course, I also accept it with all the attitude and machismo that the Marshmallow Man can offer!  So this post will try to straddle the fine line between the two.

Note that the award is a popularity contest on the Sun's web site.  Here was the finishing order for the award:

1. 53 Beers on Tap

2. HowChow (who won the Mobbie for best food blog)

3. Tale of Two Cities

4. Well and Wise

5. HoCo Rising

6. Sarah Says

7. Columbia 2.0

8. Rocket Powered Butterfly

9. HoCo Connect

10. Green Business Matters

11. HoCo Politico

 

So, what are the Mobbies?  Well, they're unscientific, as I've mentioned.  They're the Baltimore Sun's awards for Maryland's Outstanding Blogs.

Do I think my blog is outstanding?  I think it's pretty damn good.  Do I think I'm Howard County's best blogger?  I think I'm pretty damn good.  I think we're blessed with a lot of great writers in the local blogosphere-- Dennis Lane, Tom Coale, Sarah Hussain, Maureen O'Donnell, and many others are fantastic writers.

My blog, I think, is solid.  I don't go out looking for news; rather, I prefer to comment on the news that's presented.  I may not be the best writer, but my English teacher at Howard High School, Virginia Pausch (mother of Randy of "Last Lecture" fame) didn't educate any idiots.  Well... maybe a couple.  : )  But she did teach me to be a good writer.  Yes, I use language therein that is provocative.  And I'll use language that will needle.  But I am not accusatory. 

So how do I attribute this victory?  Other than some Facebook posts I never actively campaigned for this.  And several of the blogs in Howard County that were nominated (even a couple that were not) would be worthy to be called the Best Howard County blog.

 As Blanche DuBois would say, I rely upon the kindness of strangers.  I thank all my friends, near and far, for making this victory possible.  I certainly thank the consumers of the local blogosphere for recognizing that this blog has credence, beneath the bluster and occasional (?) pedagogy. 

As to the next year-- of course, The Beers will go to new levels that were heretofore thought to be the realm of legend-- indeed, the province of the gods.  If you all thought I was bad now--- whoo-hoo, you ain't seen nothing yet!

Thanks again for the award, true believers!  I will ensure that I will be a worthy recipient of this honor!  Be afraid, be very afraid.

Marshmallow Man wins a Mobbie TONIGHT!!!

OK, so I don't know if I'll actually win a Mobbie tonight.  But, Walt Disney said that if you can dream it, you can achieve it, so dammit, I'm dreaming it!

This is a shameless shill for tonight's Mobbie party at the Federal Hill bar Illusions from 5:30-7:30pm this evening.  The Mobbie award winners will be announced, and I for one am hoping for a dose of the bar's signature magic acts.

I am hopeful that many of my HFC compadres will join me!

A HFC match made in heaven... in Baltimore County

All of us who ball so hard in the HFC know well the roles of General Growth Properties and Kimco in Columbia and Howard County land use.  Kimco is the owner and operator of many HFC commercial properties, including most of Columbia's village centers.  And GGP of course controls the Mall and the air in Columbia.

Across the border, those two are getting together, and chances are they'll create stormy weather.  This article describes how the two are teaming up to redevelop the Owings Mills Mall property in Baltimore County.  Though not mentioned in the article, it is believed that the actual redevelopment won't begin until 2013.

Despite what some in the HFC may claim, I do feel that GGP and Kimco can do redevelopment right.  The article lists several interesting options being explored to breathe new life into that property, and they sound interesting.  It'll be interesting to see what emerges, and to see what can be applied to Columbia redevelopment, if anything.

Splitting the redistricting baby

Article here in today's Sun about bones of contention in the Council redistricting map.

So there are two areas of contention in the map.  Only two?  I'm amazed that some dumbass who lives in Owen Brown didn't show up, angry that he can't vote in Council District 5, because he thinks Greg Fox is just neat-o.   But again, the changes we are talking about here are not as wholesale and frankly questionable as those imposed upon the will of voters in the Congressional redistricting map, so suck it up, HFC buttercups!

My thoughts on the two areas of contention:

Moving the Wheatfield and Long Gate areas to District 2 instead of keeping the area in District 1: I support this change.  This area has more in common with the other non-Columbia areas of District 2 than with many Ellicott City areas of District 1.  And "keeping Ellicott City together" is a specious argument.  Ellicott City hasn't been incorporated for 80 years, and what's called "Ellicott City" in this county stretches from Worthington to Turf Valley.  The entire community will benefit by being in both districts.  This is a case of addition by division.

Keeping Dorsey Hall in District 4 vs. moving it to District 1.  As Dr. Evil would say, "Throw a guy a bone!"  I think Dorsey Hall has more in common with the adjoining District 1 community than the District 4 community to its south (which includes Marshmallow Man's Fortress of Solitude).  As much as I'd hate to lose them, I can be OK with waving them bye-bye.

More about livin in the HFC!

Can not believe the traffic Thursday's post received about the HFC.  That would be Howard F------ County for those of you who aren't caught up and are so Tuesday.

Clearly, there is a nerve that has been struck.  I sense that there were a lot of nods in agreement at computer screens across the metroplex when the post was read.  And that suggests that there would like to me more fleshing out of what living in Howard F'n County really means.  What is it like to live in the HFC?

In the HFC, lots are given because lots are expected.  You better have it going or else you're gonna fall behind, then down, and nobody's gonna pick you up.   That's just a start.

To really be feeling everything the HFC is, You have to bring it.  Each and every day.  You've gotta bring it hard.  Just like the Ravens' Terrell Suggs.  Just don't ball, and don't simply ball hard.  Ball SO hard.  In fact, word's on the street that the institution of higher education on Little Pax Parkway's looking to be renamed Ball So Hard Community College.

To attain full-HFC ness, in order to understand all of that Howard F'n County is... it's not just enough to ball so hard locally, you gotta do it 24/7, wherever and whenever you are in time and space.  And to that, I present the wise words of Mr. Jay-Z and Mr. Kanye West.

I hope that this overview gives you a better picture of the philosophy behind the HFC, and what we gotta do in order to bust slobs all over the Mid-Atlantic.  I promise you, the campaign for the HFC will not conclude until the County Executive drinks Hennessy at the State of the County address!