Bummer: Chuck Thompson Has Passed On

I'm saddened to read that Chuck Thompson has died (Yahoo! News - Hall of Fame Sportscaster Thompson Dies). Chuck Thompson was the Voice of the Orioles on the radio and, along with Jon Miller, talked me through my introduction to Baseball and helped make me a fan of the Orioles. I'm still looking forward to the start of the season, but there's a hole now.

Irony, Anyone?

I've been enjoying the on-going story of dissension in the ranks of the Delaware GOP following the last election. Not because I am a democrat, I am (and a liberal one), but because it seems to highlight some of the things that drive me crazy about both major parties: mostly that sense that party members have to toe the line regardless of common sense or regardless of what may be best for their constituents.

Terry Strine, the current head of the Delaware republican party, is being challenged in his bid for reelection to the post in part because of charges that he, or at least his family, supported democrat candidates in some downstate races. Those charges come from, among others, Jud Bennet, from my home town, who lost his race for County Council by only 3 votes.

Most recently, a small stink arose at the state GOP Committee's annual dinner, which featured Bob Elder of the infamous "Swift Boat Veterans," when an e-mail criticizing Mr. Strine was sent out by a group calling itself "Swift Boat Republicans for Truth." ('Swift Boat' group criticizes GOP chair, from the 3/5/05 News Journal)

That raised a few hackles.

With an election for a new party chairman just weeks away, Delaware GOP National Committeewoman Priscilla Rakestraw said the e-mails violate the party tenet that members should not speak badly of one another.

"There are people who are out to destroy our party," Rakestraw said in a quick speech before Elder took the stage at the Dover Sheraton. "There are people who are using the Swift Boat name to advance their own political agenda. If we're going to have a campaign, let's campaigning on the issues - not engage in smear campaigns."

Yes. Let's do stop resorting to all the smear campaigns, shall we?

By the way. Everyone seems to be wondering just who these "Swift Boat republicans" might be. Let's see, who do we know in this whole mess that has some tie-in with boats? May I quietly point out that Mr. Bennett was a Delaware Bay Pilot?

Heavens! Is It That Time Almost?

The other day, I was having lunch with a colleague in Dover. It was one of those places with several television sets posted high up on the walls around the dining room. My eye was caught by a flash of green on one of the screens, a glow of light, white lines and men in uniforms. I turned to look and saw one of the first games of spring training from Florida. It was the Yankees playing the Pirates.

Spring training baseball games are like little packets of summer that you can open when it's in the mid-20's and snow is in the forecast.

I know that the season is still well down the road, but I can't help but have a little hope when I see baseball, even pre-season baseball, on the tube again!

In Other Words, He's Not Even Willing To Listen

Delaware State Representative Gerald Hocker has strong feelings about gay rights. So strong, in fact, that he has publicly declared in today's Cape Gazette newspaper (Sussex County is divided on gay rights legislation) that it's not worth anyone's time to try to get him to consider legislation banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Rep. Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View, said he does not need to be lobbied, despite a new repackaging of the bill with limiting language about the legislative intent.

“I hold my ground against the bill. It is a completely antibusiness piece of legislation, and I do not think it is needed,” Hocker said.

The bill is a watered-down (at least in my view) version of legislation that passed the House last session but was sat-upon by a right-wing committee chair in the Senate.

Opponents worried that the bill would open the door to same-sex marriages (gasp, shudder). So the new version was re-written to say that that is not the intent of the bill.

Representative Hocker is not convinced. Or rather, he's not even willing to discuss the issue. I guess that's what bugs me. I don't mind if I lose an argument; if I can even have the argument.

What's Up With All The Jumping?

Is it just me? I've noticed lately that all the band photos in the paper always seem to include someone jumping. Take Omnisoul, for example:

This photo appeared in the February 26 News Journal in a story on the band (Local band lands sweet record deal).

Jumping. There's always someone jumping.

I blame Love Seed Momma Jump, who made it big with a promo picture some years back in which the band members were ... jumping.

Book Tag

Here's one of those viral blogger games. I found it on Becky's Extreme Dating blog.

Instructions:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

OK. From A Pictorial History of Lewes, Delaware (1609 - 1985), from the Lewes Historical Society:

Matthew Wilson was no exception. During the struggle for independence, Wilson refused to drink tea and advocated a list of 17 plants and herbs that he advised using as tea substitutes.
Matthew Wilson's Presbyterian church was three blocks away from the center of town. (Figure 1) Several private schools in Lewes attracted students from as far as Philadelphia, only one day away by a fast sailing ship.

Next?

The Day After A Snowfall...

...when the sky dawns clear and blue, showing the white of the snow to its best advantage.

A residential street in Dover. Softened by an almost-spring snowfall.

Another Snow Day

What may be the last coastal snow storm of the season is blanketing Delaware today. Snow started falling this morning and is expected to keep coming down through this evening.

The kids had the whole day off. They let state employees go at noon. It's seemed odd to be home; the snow is wet and heavy but hasn't been sticking on the roads.

My guess is that the school folks wanted to not take any chances and the government shut down early to get the afternoon rush hour cleared out early.

As the sun sets and it gets colder the roads will probably get icy, and if there are not many cars out and about the plows and slat trucks will have an easier time.

Heavy snow, sticking in the trees.