Corn; Rogue Horses; Voting Rights; Obits; Piel Column; Immigrant Kids; Crime; Guns; Rogue Wife; Nuclear Weapons; Pinkwater and the BMW

Nice warm Summer day.. with lots of sun.


Signboard:  "The trouble with doing nothing is, its hard to  tell when you're finished."
First Church of God (Carroll County Maryland)


01.  Corn is up.


The Carroll County Times reports that corn is now 80" tall and has finished "silking." (Whatever that means.. I'm a city boy, you see.)  Also, a surplus of water is on the fields, and that is good for the corn, but not as good for vegetables.


02.  Rogue Horses


Apparently, jealous of the good time that the runaway cows had recently in Westminster, a bunch of horses decided that it was their turn to have fun. State Police officers and the owner spent the wee hours of last night trying to round them up. 


03.  Voting  Rights .. another Setback in the South


On Friday, a Federal judge in North Carolina rejected efforts by the Justice Department and various civil rights groups to block the application of a  new state law that cuts back on early voting and other ways for residents to cast ballots.  ("Johnny Reb" is trying to reassert his "superiority." )


04.  Obits .. Well Known People


This was a bad time for those professional people with Carroll County, Maryland roots.  Three of them died this week.


Reverend Harry Lee Hoffman .. aged 87 .. Episcopal Priest in Relay, Maryland
Dr. Harold Weinberg .. aged 93 .. Ear, Nose and Throat in Finksburg, Maryland
Dr. Renzo Ricci .. aged 75 .. Family Physician in Finksburg, Maryland


05.  *Religion .. *Immigrant Kids .. Lou Piel's Column


Reverend Lou Piel discussed the Immigrant Kids problem in his column today.  I always enjoy what he has to say because it makes me think, and I like how he said this:


"... it was some of our elected officials who were the problem, not our people, who are caring and compassionate..."


Amen, brother Lou.  Of course, now you have opened yourself to some "hate mail" by those few in Carroll County who are not caring and compassionate.


06.  *Religion ..  Holy Book Bag, Batman!


When I saw the following title in the Carroll County Times, I shook my head:  "Book Bags to be Blessed at Mt. Zion UMC" ..  But then I read the article and found out that people who bring book bags to the church on Sunday, August 17th, will, besides having them blessed, have them filled with needed school supplies, and that's a good thing.


I'm often reminded of Reverend Ike and his pitch to his TV flock to send him money, to have it blessed by him.  For this gift of money, he would return, not the blessed money, but instead, a blessed coin with his picture on it.   Nice scam.  Remember Ike's motto:  "I've got what it takes, to take what you got!"  I loved his show.


07.  *Crime .. Crime Wave in Massachusetts


The New Yorker reports:  (From the Falmouth, Mass., Enterprise)  "A ...resident reported at  10:02 AM that his unlocked car had been broken into sometime during the night and six pens, six pencils, and a pastry brush had been stolen."


08.  *Crime .. Canadian Guns?


A Canadian man shot and killed three police officers.  This is very unusual for our neighbors to the North.  This guy must have been watching American TV and got the idea.


09.  *Crime ..  Jim Brady  ..  Homicide


Jim Brady's death this week has been deemed a homicide by a Virginia medical  examiner. You remember the deranged murderer.. you know.. that John Hinckley guy who tried to assassinate President Reagan.. the guy who is now granted outside familial visitation rights.


10.  *Crime ..  Hell hath no fury..


Another young (24 years old) Carroll County Maryland lady got mad and raised havoc before and after she was arrested.  After she was released from custody, she went right back and continued to smack and push her husband, in violation of a "stay away" order.  When police returned, she was still carrying on and yelling profanities.  Even while under custody, she tried to break the window on the patrol vehicle.. several times.. whew!   Hey, Guys.. think about this case if you ever get the urge to cheat on your wife. 


11.  *Crime ..  Nuclear Weapons


What bigger crime could there be than destroying the lives of thousands of people with one bomb drop, even though to have done so, is said to have saved millions.  I don't know.


Today, in Frederick, Maryland, hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will speak and try to teach young people about what happened in 1945.. and show them horrific pictures of the carnage.. and thereby the horror of nuclear war.


I was 9 years old when the first bomb was dropped and I suddenly grew up and had an insight about the stupidity and inhumanity of war.  (Will "they" ever learn?)


12.  Click and Clack .. Daniel's New BMW


Humorist Daniel Pinkwater phoned in to the Tappet Brothers today to let them know about his recent automobile experiences.  His last car was purchased from five brothers, all named: Mike.  But he was not happy with it because he is circumferencely challenged, and to get into the car, he had to get a running start and squeeze his way in.  So, he traveled to Connecticut to see if he could get a good used car from those rich folks up there.  He ran into Professor Moriarty who sold him a diametrically-friendly BMW, one of the most expensive ones.  It even has wood paneling and a cookoo clock.


But the feature this BMW has that others do not, is its usage manual, which advises its owners on exercise and nutrition, so that they will look good while driving and not shame the grandeur of the
German-engineered motoring marvel.  Nice.


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