Baltimore Sun 48-year columnist submitted his final column yesterday, Sunday, January 12.
I’ve always appreciated his take on things, even if I didn’t always arrive at the same conclusions. You can tell he loves his town, tells the story of the everyman, and was always looking for ways to help encourage the positive.
Although I’ve only been a follower for the last 6-7 years, thank you for your unique personality and perspective that you brought into the paper each day - You’ll be missed.
(The Editor-in-Chief’s salute.)
There’s just something about a winterscape - it’s stark and bleak, but somehow also pregnant with a life of its own.
Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal
The best oatmeal you ever will have - Gentle on the stomach, smooth taste, pairs well with a cold morning (and honey stirred in). 🍯👍🏼
It seems we’re at that special time of year: the baseball solstice ⚾️☀️ —> Half-way between the last pitch of the Fall Classic and the first pitch of Spring Training.*
(*Note: I have not verified the math, but seems about right.) ;)
From this year’s Christmas haul:
-
“The Good, the Dad, & the Punny” by Logan Lisle of Dock Tok fame
-
A Teflon “bone folder” from the folks at Dry.Inc
-
MLB.tv subscription for next year ⚾️
😀
Merry Christmastide to all! - Let’s keep the celebration going all 12 Days! 👶🏽🌟🎄
“Who are you when you do not exist?
“… When the question presents itself as an alien chill, it is saying something important: it is an accusation. It is telling me I am too concerned with trivialities. That life is losing itself in trifles which cannot bear inspection in the face of death. That I am evading my chief responsibility. That I must begin to face the deepest of all decisions — the “answer of death” — the acceptance of the death sentence – and with joy, because of the victory of Christ.
—Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander
Not the news wanted for this area:
‘An 80% drop in multifamily transactions in these counties, while investment in northern Virginia up 155%’ … Remains to be seen how permanent or temporary, but clearly a shift.
Insurance and Taxes Now Cost More Than Mortgages for Many Homeowners
In September, 32% of the average single-family mortgage payment went to property taxes and home insurance,
Kirby Ferguson’s (of Everything is a Remix fame) list of apps he uses, a.k.a. “Tools of the Trade 2025”
Includes things like free video editors, notation app, affordable image editors, favorite niche browser, YouTube video downloader, and more.
If you’re looking to do something you can’t do now, this can be a good place to check. :)
How Maryland found its way into a $3 billion budget crises via Baltimore Sun
Comes down to:
- Bluerprint for Maryland’s Future unfunded for 2028 - 2030
- Other spending commitments: $1b in public school construction, $1.2b in stadium renovations, $400m into Pimilico & training grounds
- Increase in costs, especially Medicaid program, prison health care, childcare, & developmental disability programs
- No new revenues other than digital advertising taxes (which under judicial review)
- Lagging state economy (e.g., 1.6% from 2016 to 2023, compared to 13.9% nationwide), including lagging labor force participation
- Over dependence on federal workforce, federal contractors without incentives around private industry
Missed this one the first time around: The Minimum Wage Loses via WSJ
California, yes California, voted 51% against increasing the minimum wage from $16 to $18/hr. (This arising from a period Sep 2023 through Apr 2024 [when the change went into effect] where fast-food prices climbed more than 10% and the industry lost more than 4,400 jobs since January.)
And Massachusetts, yes, Mass., 64% voted against switching tipped workers (at $6.75) to match that of nontipped workers ($15) by 2029 – primarily due to the opposition from the workers themselves.
Interesting.
Md. Comptroller Liermann shares that Md.’s state revenue is upwards of 10% tied to federal workers, federal pensioners, federal contractors, and more – The final figure could be even 20-30%. Definitely impacts for state budget resilience.
Had a friend recommend the UFL’s DC Defenders as a very reasonably-priced way to get to see a football game 🏈 – around $20 a ticket (and perhaps a way to actually afford to get a family there).
He also shared that for the WWE matches in Vegas, the front row of seats go for something like $40k each and the 8th row is something like $10k each. Still trying to figure out in which world that makes sense. 🤪
The Great Evernote Reboot with David Pierce of Verge and Federico Simionato, lead developer at Evernote.
Good to see innovative and fresh life breathed into this app – I know my use of it has resurged this year as I take advantage of new features and updated old ones that make the app a great side-kick to wrangling everyday life. :)
“… local assemblies of citizens constitute the strength of free nations.” - Alexis de Tocqueville in his book Democracy in America, 1841
New FTC rule banning fake reviews took effect this past Monday.
A variety of scenarios are covered, like:
- AI-generated fake reviews,
- Did not have actual experience with the business or its products or services,
- Prohibits businesses from buying reviews,
- And more.
Here’s hoping this makes a difference to the growing amount of “noise” online in this arena (which seems to be outnumbering the legit reviews).
“Many forms of government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and war. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” — Winston Churchill
“Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.“ – George Bernard Shaw
Dan Rodricks: ‘Kind of fantastic,’ lightning bugs to come alive in Reservoir Hill mural
(via Baltimore Sun)
Jon Batiste, Für Elise - Batiste 🎶
From his new album titled, “Beethoven Blues”, a re-imagining of Beethoven with a New Orleans twist.
My first reaction: Someone who’s mastered both classical and improvisational genres, having fun combining both. :)
(Seriously checking out this vinyl.)
“Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings”
I’d backed away from Marvel overload in recent years (and since story lines started to feel duplicative & without much depth), but occasioned on this one and really enjoyed the first act plus appreciated the creativity of the second act. Good dialogue moments, plot development, acting, cultural insight, etc.
If you find in your algorithm (or maybe even lookup) ;), would recommend checking out.
