A Thanksgiving Story - 2014

First off, I'd like to wish all of my family and friends a very Happy Thanksgiving. I am very grateful and perhaps more appropriately for this day, thankful, for having all of you in my life.

With that being said, I feel compelled to touch base on all of the Black "Friday" nonsense that has somehow infringed on our traditional family holiday. I had a couple hours to kill  in Annapolis yesterday, so I decided to venture over to the mall for lunch. After finishing my overpriced plate of Chinese food, I decided to walk over to Macy's. Since my waistline is expanding faster than the speed of sound, I figured I'd better by a couple of "new and improved" (aka larger) pairs of pants. So, as I'm paying for my new Dockers',  made small talk with the cashier. She appeared to be in her early 60's.

The store had a smaller crowd than I expected, so I said, "I guess this is kind of like the calm before storm. This place will probably be a mad house on Friday, huh?"

The cashier forced a smile and replied, "Oh, it won't take that long. It's going to be crazy in here tomorrow as well. And I'll be in here for all the fun."

I impulsively scratched my head and said, "Wait a minute, tomorrow's Thanksgiving. You mean to tell me you guy's are open?"

She answered, "Yes, indeed. I'll be in this very spot tomorrow afternoon."

I know I should expect this by now, but for some reason it really ticked me off. Instead of spending a day with her family, this woman was going to be standing behind a cash register on Thanksgiving. How long before Macy's starts selling goods directly from the floats in the Thanksgiving Day Parade?

And I know there will be some "essential" people who don't have a lot of sympathy for the lady at Macy's. After all, there is no day off in hospitals, police/fire departments, military, etc. I get that. These are, no doubt, essential jobs and I respect the people who "hold down the fort" on, not on the holidays. but also on everyday in between. However, is it really essential for someone to work on Thanksgiving just so we can get a killer deal on a new coat?

Here are some other retailers who decided to put profits over people by opening on Thanksgiving: Target, Best Buy, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Kohl's, H.H. Gregg, Sears, Sports Authority, Dick's Sporting Goods, Old Navy, Walmart and Radio Shack. Actually, Radio Shack, in a lame attempt to appear sympathetic, decided to close between the hours or noon and 5 pm to allow their employees to spend some time with their families. By the way, does anyone even shop at Radio Shack anymore?

Ok, I've gotten that off my chest. Let's move on......

If you're fortunate enough to have the day off today, please take a moment to think about what's really important. Material things are no match for the people in your life.

And as you prepare to break bread at the dinner table today, please keep those in mind who are working hard to keep the wheels turning. The police departments around the country have been dealing with a lot lately. May they have a safe day. And as always, God bless the troops for all that they do.

Wishing all of you a great day and memorable Thanksgiving.....

kw

A Hot Verdict In Ferguson

Ok, so as everyone knows by now, the verdict is finally in on the Michael Brown shooting and Officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted. I've had a full day to absorb the different opinions surrounding the outcome. So, here is my slightly edited two-cents.....

First off, the protesters demanded and ultimately got a Grand Jury to hear the evidence. After several months of sifting through countless pieces of evidence and testimonies, the Grand Jury did not find enough probable cause to indict Wilson. So, in a more perfect world, this would seem sufficient and everyone would accept the outcome for what it was. But, of course that's not the case here....

From the beginning, the protesters, instigators and race-baiters were not going to accept anything less than an indictment and ultimately a conviction. So, when the word came down about the Grand Jury's decision, the shit really hit the fan. Buildings in Ferguson, Missouri were burned and looted, shots were fired, vehicles were vandalized and people in the streets acted like a pack of uncivilized hoodlums.

And what exactly is any of this supposed to accomplish?

By the way, did you know that the majority of those businesses that these "peaceful protesters" destroyed were minority owned?* What did any of these business owners have to do with the shooting? What sense does it make to destroy their property? People bust their asses for a piece of the American dream just so a bunch of clueless thugs can burn it down in an instant. I'd like to hear what Reverend Al has to say about that.

And speaking of Reverend Al, why is this race-hustling prick even allowed into these situations? This guy couldn't care less about racial harmony in this country. If we fulfilled Rodney King's wish and somehow "all got along", the alleged Reverend would be out of job. He only fans the flames of racism and continues to divide people. He's an total obstacle when it comes to accomplishing anything productive.

Every night, in places like Baltimore and Chicago, young black men are gunned down by other black men. If assholes like Reverend Al really want to make a difference in the black community, this would probably be a good place to start. But, of course, they ignore this and pretend that it's actually the cops who are the real enemies.

This morning, I saw a news interview with the president of the NAACP. He was upset about the "mountains of evidence" that was dumped on the Grand Jury. WTF? So now, there's a such thing as too much evidence? Good to know....

Listening to all of these protesters bitch about the Grand Jury's decision reminds me of watching a football game. Whenever a call doesn't go your team's way, it's a bullshit call and the ref is an idiot. In the Ferguson case, we now hear that the Grand Jury dropped the ball, the justice system failed us and, last but not least, the DA is a dickhead. Of course, if Officer Wilson had been indicted, we would have been hearing about how great the system worked.

By the way, where were all of these protesters after OJ was acquitted? Remember all of the riots, looting and all-out lawlessness after that one? Yeah, me neither.

So now, we're back to the old "No Justice No Peace" mantra which translates into the protesters taking out their frustrations on people that had absolutely nothing to do with the issue at hand. I was amazed today when I heard so-called community leaders making excuses for the violence (or "civil unrest" as it's now called). Uh huh, that's right, if things don't go our way, we'll act like a bunch of two-year-olds and break shit. That should really accelerate the healing process......


kw



* http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/11/25/Most-Businesses-Destroyed-in-Ferguson-Minority-Owned

The Art Of Looking Busy

I first discovered the art of looking busy when I worked at a manufacturing plant many years ago. My job, at the US Gypsum Corporation, required me to monitor the levels and adjust, if necessary, the ingredients of the newly made Sheetrock. It was a pretty boring job and required very little physical labor. However, when the "bosses" were around, especially on the day shift, you were supposed to "look busy". This was easier said than done because the bulk of my work consisted of taking a sample of the "mix" every 30 minutes and recording the results. This took all of about 2 minutes.

So, when I would see one of the big bosses walking towards me, I would instinctively grab an adjustable wrench off of my desk. With the wrench confidently displayed in my left hand, I would approach the bossman and engage in a trivial conversation. The wrench, acting as my prop, gave the appearance that I had just completed or was about to do some work. Now, I have to admit, I was always a little worried that one the bosses would one day ask, "So Ken, what are you planning to do with that wrench?" I would have probably said something brilliant like, "Wrench? What wrench?" But, fortunately, it never went there.

Yes, it sounds crazy, but as Andre Agassi once said, "Image is everything." I didn't have to be busy nor did I have to actually look busy. I just had to project the impression that I had been or was about to be busy. Are you following me so far?

These "looking busy skills" can also be very useful when dealing with uninvited guests. For instance, every now and then, the doorbell will ring and I'll inevitably be confronted by a salesmen or a Johavah's Witness. If I enter this situation empty-handed, I will likely have to waste an infinite amount of time by having these folks blow smoke up my ass about my drafty windows or the benefits joining of the Kingdom Hall. So, to head this off, I pick up a phone as I'm walking to the door. I open the door and let them commence their sales pitch. After about 15 seconds, I'll pretend to talk into the phone and say, "Yeah, yeah. Hey, wait a minute, I've got someone at my door."

The clueless schmuck at the door will then resume by saying something like, "Sir, I can see you're busy today, so I'll be quick...."

At this point, I'll hold up my index finger and give him the "wait a second" sign. Again, I pretend to talk to someone on the other end of the phone....

 "Ok, look I hear what you're saying but....Can you just wait a minute, I've got someone at the door."

If I'm lucky, I'll shake my uninvited guest on this second pass. But, with some of the more persistent ones, I might have to repeat the previous steps multiple times. On a rare occasion, I might even have to sprinkle some harmless profanity into the mix. No doubt, these simple but highly effective tactics of looking busy always work.

We have all seen the road crews where one guy is working while a dozen co-workers stand around and watch him. However, if one of those coworkers happens to have a shovel in his hand, it changes things quite a bit. He doesn't have to be using the shovel. He just has to be touching it. Even if he's leaning on it, people will be inclined to think that he has been busy at some point.

Politicians often use similar tactics to give the appearance that they're actually useful. For example, let's say that we're dealing with a major snow storm in my home state of Maryland. After the countless people have busted their asses all day, we'll inevitably see Governor Owe'Malley in front of the TV cameras with his sleeves rolled up and tie unbuttoned. This, of course, is to give the appearance that he has been in trenches working hard with the rest of the troops. However, it's more likely that he had his feet kicked up all day in front the fireplace while dreaming a way to tax the snow. But the image is what sells and many unsuspecting people buy it.

You now have the basic knowledge that you need to look busy in various situations. Additionally, as a result of my revelations, you will be more likely to recognize when others are trying to look busy. I'm always happy to help.....

kw

Rip's 50th Birthday Roast

We are gathered here today to celebrate what my humble friend, Rip, used to refer to as “National Greatness Day”. Now, I'm not trying to say that Rip is arrogant or anything, but he also used to refer to himself as "The Ultimate Man". When we used to play softball together, on the back of Rip's jersey, it simply said "The Man". Can you imagine carrying a head that big for 50 years?

I can say these things because I have known Rip longer than most people. I think we first met about 40 years ago. We grew up within a couple of blocks of each other in Brooklyn. We played football together in Garrett Park and baseball against each other at the old 6th Street ball fields. And then we became best friends a few years later when we attended Cardinal Gibbons High School together.

("Yeah, yeah, tell us some stories, Ken!”)

Ok, since you insist…....

Like I mentioned, Rip and I went to high school together where he was somewhat of a legend. For example, I think Rip still holds the all-time record for total days spent in detention by a single student. It was a rare occasion when Rip joined the rest us on the bus stop immediately after school. The reason for all of the detentions could be summed up in two words....his mouth. He would never miss an opportunity to make a wisecrack in the middle of class and this would almost always translate into an extended school day.

Rip's high school fashion statements are also worth mentioning. You see, we went to a private school where we were required to wear ties. Well, Rip, was always trying to push the envelope with this. He would wear a bright plaid shirt and then accent it with a striped tie. Just the sight of it was enough to give you a migraine. But to take it even farther, he would make this huge knot in the tie which caused the tie to only hang down a little past the collar. He would come strutting down the hall in this ridiculous looking combination, saying, "That's right. Uh-huh, I'm the man." The teachers would see him passing by and they would just shake their heads.

("Was Rip very competitive back in the day?")

Yes, yes he was.... 

Rip and I used to play different sports together. And yes, Rip was always very competitive. Losing was never an option for him. Now, that's not to say that he never lost. He did.....quite often. And that's when the fun would start. When things didn't go his way, Rip would often take his frustration out on random objects.

("Can you give us an example?")

Yes, I sure can......

I can remember one night, we were playing softball. I believe that it was at Latrobe Park in South Baltimore. Well, Rip comes up to bat and ultimately winds up striking out. So, feeling the need to take out his frustration on something, he walks up to a nearby electrical panel and punches it. Well, the next thing you know, all the lights go out. Everyone was wondering what happened as they stood on the dark field. I guess Rip figured that if he couldn't see the ball, no else was going to either.

("Ken, are there any other sports stories?")

Yes, there are......thanks for asking.

There was another time when my son, Kenny Jr., was about 10 years old and we were heading out to play a round of miniature golf. Rip happened stop by as we were heading out the door. Going against better judgment, I invited him to join us. As we played the first few holes, Rip was having an off day (which was kind of normal). Anyway, Kenny and I were ridiculing him the whole time which was really starting to get under his skin. Well, after missing shot after shot, Rip eventually reached a boiling point. Extremely frustrated, he swung at the next ball extra hard and finally hit it squarely. The ball left his club at about 150 mph and, as luck would have it, hit a cinder block behind the hole. As if he wasn't having a bad enough day already, the golf ball bounced off of the cinder block and came back and cracked Rip in his bottom lip. But even a high-speed golf ball is no match for Rip's mouth. He kept bitching and complaining but was determined to keep playing. However, the sight of blood squirting from his bottom lip was major distraction. Plus, it was really starting to scare the nearby kids. He eventually wound up having to go to the ER to get it stitched up. So, there you go, the first person ever to wind up in the emergency room after a round of putt-putt golf. 

We also used to play tennis together. Rip would often get frustrated which always had the potential to lead to a John McEnroe-like tirade. On one of these occasions, Rip hurled his tennis racket and it wound up in a nearby tree. As we were standing around looking up at the racket, which was about 30 feet up, people were walking by asking, "How did that get all the way up there?" I would just shake my head.

I understand that Rip has recently graduated from putt-putt golf to grown-up golf. He must be like the Happy Gilmore of Compass Point. I can see all other golfers ducking and running for cover every time Rip takes a swing. I’m told that Rip has the unique ability to transform a golf ball into a scud missile. He’s always bugging me to go golfing with him. But the mere thought of this guy swinging a long metal club scares the hell out of me.

When I heard they were going let Rip carry a gun, I hid under my bed for three days…..

(Hey Ken, is Rip a cop or something?)

Well, that's a tricky question. You see, Rip doesn't like for people to know that he’s a cop. He prefers to keep things "undercover". But it always seems to trickle out somehow. For instance, if a waitress isn't fast enough with Rip's beer, he'll tell her, "Hey, I'm getting thirsty over here. Don't make me get out my nightstick and give you a wood shampoo!"

Gee, I wonder what he does for a living.....

Of course, I'm just having some fun at my friend's expense. The truth of the matter is that Rip is actually a really good guy. But yes, he's very opinionated and can be somewhat abrasive at times. And to people who don't really know him, this can be a bit confusing. So, through the years, I have often found myself defending him. And trust me, it’s not always easy.

("Ken, can you give us an example?")

Of course, I can...

Just the other day, I was having a conversation with a local priest. At some point, Rip's name got brought up. The priest says to me, "But Ken, I hear that this Rip guy is an asshole." So, feeling the need to defend my friend once again, I explain, "Yes, father. But he's a good asshole." No one, not even a priest, is going talk crap about my buddy.

 ("Hey Ken, I hear Rip is quite the karaoke singer!")

That’s putting it mildly.

(“Can you tell us about it?”)

Absolutely….

Several years ago, Rip and I were having a few beers at local bar where it happened to be karaoke night. Well, I thought it would be funny to fill out a slip and put Rip's name on it. I had to make sure it was special song that Rip could really relate to. So, I picked "I Am Woman" by Helen Reddy. When the DJ picked up the song slip, a puzzled look instantly appeared on his face. And then, he announced, “OK, this one is going to be good. Please welcome Rip up to the stage." Of course, by this time we were three sheets to the wind, so Rip just shrugs and walks up to meet the DJ who then hands him a microphone. Rip, at this point, still has no idea what song I've picked out for him. When they song titled finally pops up on the karaoke monitor, Rip started to laugh hysterically. I really thought that this was as far as the joke would go. But, Rip being Rip, decided to take it to the next level. As the song began, Rip proudly belted out the lyrics like only he could. About three octaves out of key, he sounded like a wounded wildebeest during mating season. Everyone in the bar eventually stopped what they were doing and gave Rip their full attention. It was perhaps the most compelling performance since The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. My ears were practically bleeding but I couldn’t turn away. It was one of the funniest things that I’ve ever seen. For those three minutes on that karaoke stage, Rip was woman and damned proud of it!

..........................................................................................................................

I tell these stories because, number one, they're funny. And number two, as competitive as Rip can be, he also has a great sense of humor and I knew he wouldn't object to me throwing him under the bus for your entertainment. However, there are many stories that I won't tell you tonight. These are the stories where Rip stepped up, time after time, to do the right thing. As crazy as it might sound, these are the stories that would actually embarrass him. Rip is the type of guy who will do something really nice and then keep quiet about it. If word ever got out that Rip was a nice guy, he would be absolutely devastated. So, since it's his birthday, I won’t embarrass him by exposing all of his good deeds. I will simply say that Rip is a class act.

Rip and I often find ourselves sharing laughs and reliving the old days through our countless memories together.  The bond that we have is something that I will always value. I'll wrap this up by saying that I feel privileged to call Rip a friend. I look forward to many more adventures with him in the upcoming years. However, don’t expect to see me on the golf course with him anytime soon!

I would like everyone to now raise their glasses and toast our friend, Rip....one of the most interesting people that I've ever met.

An Unpleasant Saint

As to be expected, yesterday was loaded with plenty of action around the NFL. However, the story that seems to have gotten the most attention is something that happened in the stands in New Orleans. After Cincinnati Tight End, Jermaine Grenshan, scored a touchdown, he noticed two women (Christa Barrett and her sister, Cara Meadows) in the stands wearing Bengal jerseys. So, he tossed them the football. However, while the ball was in mid-air, a disgruntled Saint's fan, Tony Williams, stepped in front of Barrett and intercepted the toss. Barrett wound up taking an elbow from Williams in the process, but no yellow flags were thrown.

Barrett, understandably shocked at the man's actions,  pleaded with him to give up the ball. But he continued to act like a total dickhead and sat there with his arms tightly wrapped around his stolen property.

Now, I know there will be some football fans that will say, "Hey, they're Bengal's fans in the Saint's 'house'. Screw 'em!"

Really?

I'm not buying it. Apparently, a lot of other Saint's fans weren't either. Many New Orleans' fans in that section of the Superdome began chanting "Give them the ball!" But the guy turned a deaf ear and clenched his hands around the ball even tighter.

It's one thing to cheer and defend your team, but it's another thing to be a total asshole. Why would this guy even want the ball? After all, it was a Bengal who scored the touchdown with it. I wouldn't have even had that big of an issue with him if he would have tossed it back onto the field. Hey, they do it all the time in baseball when an opposing player hits a homerun. No doubt, stealing the woman's footballs and tossing the football back onto field would not be the nicest thing to do. But at least it's understandable it to some degree. People sometimes get caught up in the emotion of the game and do some not-so-nice things. But for this curmudgeon to sit there with his arms wrapped around the ball while the women begged was a pathetic sight.

From what I've read, Williams has had this particular seat near the end zone since the Superdome opened. He also said that he has never gotten a game ball before, so therefore there was no way he was giving it up. He's kidding, right? How old is this guy? He sounds like a spoiled three-year old. The bottom line is that the Cincinnati player clearly wanted the two Bengal fans to have his touchdown ball. After the game, the Cincy Tight End summed up his feelings by saying, "He (Williams) should be ashamed of himself and you can put that on the record."

I would have thought that, at some point, Williams' conscience would have gotten the better of him and he would have just handed the ball over. But that never happened. Instead, a representative from the New Orleans Saints eventually intervened and presented the woman with another game ball. Definitely a classy move by the Saint's organization. Yeah, it's pretty bad when your own team acknowledges that you're an asshole in front of 50,000 fans. I sure hope that football was worth it.

By the way, I find it bit ironic that this guy is a "Saint". According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a saint is defined as a person who is very good, kind or patient. Williams displayed none of the above.

Hopefully, karma will bite him in the ass for being such a classless jerk......

kw

Maryland - A New Sheriff In Town

The dust has finally started to settle on the election results from Tuesday. Democrats are slowly clearing the cobwebs and trying to figure out exactly which elephant ran them over.

Anyway, here are a few of my local observations....

First off, congrats to Larry Hogan on becoming Maryland's next Governor. Hogan, who many people didn't give a snowball's chance in hell, will become only the second Republican to occupy the State House in the last 40 years. His opponent, Anthony Brown, was clearly hobbled by his association with current Governor, Martin Owe'Malley. Maryland residents are fed up with the Owe'Malley/Brown tax hikes over the past several years and they showed it at the polls on Tuesday.

Now, one of the things that I found intriguing about Brown's campaign was that I kept hearing, "Let's make history by electing Maryland's first African-American Governor". I can't help but wonder who in the hell they were referring to? Brown's father was Jamaican and his mother was Swiss. So, how does that make him African-American? Am I missing something here? I think we all know that this was just another attempt by the Dems to use race as a weapon. Apparently, it didn't work this time....

Not surprising, Brown took the majority of the vote in Montgomery and Prince Georges counties, as well as Baltimore City. These heavily Democratic voting areas, are usually all that a Democrat would need to win the overall election in Maryland. But Larry Hogan, with the exception of the big three and St. Mary's County, won every other county in Maryland. In the end, Hogan won by approximately 76,000 votes.

Interestingly enough, the voter turnout was below 40% in Montgomery and P.G. Counties and likewise in Baltimore City (actually, no county was over 50%). So, in effect, Hogan won by default as the majority of the voters sat this one out. I don't understand why people wouldn't exercise their right to vote. But that's another story. Nonetheless, if I were Antony Brown, I would be pissed. He spends endless hours campaigning and people can't get off of their asses to cast a vote? That's got to be beyond frustrating.

With that being said, I breathe a sigh of relief seeing Hogan heading to Annapolis instead Brown. I have nothing person against the man. I just feel like Brown would have essentially been a third term of Owe'Malley and ultimately more tax hikes. By the way, don't you find it ironic that Maryland is called "The Free State"? If it's so free, why does it cost me money every time it rains?

Speaking of Owe'Malley, did you notice how he was visibly absent when his Lieutenant Governor was giving his concession speech? I'll bet that if Brown had been giving a victory speech, Owe'Malley would have been on the stage with his sleeves rolled up and tie undone. It would been such a nice photo-op for his upcoming Presidential run.

Anyway, with Larry Hogan, perhaps Maryland can move into a new direction.....a land where people aren't taxed on the rain and a place where businesses can thrive instead of having their pockets picked by an insatiable tax-and-spend government. When businesses pack up and move out of state, there is no tax revenue. How much sense does that make?

The people spoke. They wanted change. Now, let's see how it works out.........

kw

The Young Man at the Market

Last week, I had some business at a downtown office building in Baltimore. It was located at an intersection near Lexington Market. Although a large sign described the market as being "world famous", I've never met anyone outside of Baltimore who knew about it.

Anyway, as I circled the market in search of a parking place, I nearly ran over no less than 10 pedestrians. The hoards of people scattered around the market seemed to be oblivious to the passing motor vehicles. Although there were designated crosswalks, no one seemed to care. Instead, they preferred to randomly dart into oncoming traffic in the middle of the block.

With my eyes on the road in front of me and scanning the sidewalks with my peripheral vision, I slowly made my way to the market parking lot. As I began to turn into the lot, a young woman walked right in front of my car, causing me to slam on the brakes. Then, while standing directly between my headlights, the woman stopped and gave me an angry stare for a few seconds.

I eventually made it to a vacant parking space on the lot. As I gathered up my things from my car, I could hear loud, animated conversations all around me. The f-bomb was being being dropped as freely as a set of ta-tas at a Mardi Gras parade. Although this is high crime area, I didn't see any police presence, which made me a little nervous. Walking through the area with a laptop bag on my shoulder made me stand out like a sore thumb. So, in an attempt to strengthen my appearance, I put on a pair of shades. In the past, I've been told that I "look like a cop". I was really hoping that this crowd would think the same thing. And then again, this was Baltimore, where cops are not really perceived as "Officer Friendly" these days....

As I began to make my way to my destination, I heard someone call me from behind.

"Excuse me, sir. Did you see this?", asked a young black man as he touched my windshield with his index finger.

The guy, who appeared to be in his early twenties, was dressed in a pair of khakis and polo-type shirt with a company logo embroidered on the left breast. I figured I was either in for some type of sales pitch or a scam attempt.

I turned around and said, "I'm sorry, bud. What are we looking at here?"

He pointed out that I had "ding" in my windshield. He was pretty confident that this ding would eventually spread out and transition into a full crack across the entire windshield. I explained that this thing had been there there for two years and it hadn't spread yet, so I was willing to roll the dice on it. He pressed on a little more. I explained that I really had to get going. I told him that I appreciated his offer but I wasn't planning on having the windshield repaired today.

As I began to walk away, the young man said,"Ok, sir. Have a nice day. And thank you for not being a jerk."

This intrigued me enough to turn around and ask, "I'm sorry, my man. Why would you think I would treat you like a jerk?"

He explained to me that he was just a young man trying to make an honest living in a shitty neighborhood. He then went on to tell me how many windshields he can do on a good day. He told me that most people callously tell him to "F*ck off" when he offers his services. He also told me that the local black men tell him that he's an asshole and wasting his time "working for peanuts". They tell him that he would be better off slinging drugs on one of the corners and that he'll never get out of this shit-hole.

"These guys who are telling you this....They're the real assholes", I told him.

We talked for another ten minutes and I really developed a liking for the young man. I told him to keep working hard and better days would find him. I also told him not let these losers on the drug corners discourage him. I explained to him that his work ethic and likable personality had the potential to open up countless doors. I encouraged him to keep educating himself because that was something that no one could ever take from him. As our conversation progressed, at times, I could almost see the kid's eyes welling up.

When we wrapped things up, the young man shook my hand and said, "Thank you, big brother. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. It really means a lot to me."

As I walked away, I realized that he called me big brother. And that really meant a lot to me.......

kw

Maryland Voting - Fraud or Fiction?

With Maryland's Election Day right around the corner, it's no surprise that we're hearing about voting controversies already. The biggest news this year centers around electronic voting machines where several voters have reported that their Republican votes were being changed to Democrat. We've been told that that this "glitch" is being investigated. Call me skeptical, but when I hear that it's being "investigated", it sounds more like, "Ok, you caught us. Now, we'll fix it."

Although we're in the age of modern technology, I have always been a bit suspicious of electronic voting devices. We regularly hear about cyber-security breaches involving credit cards and identity theft. So, how hard would it be for a high-level hacker to manipulate an electronic voter database? Hanging chads and all, maybe the old traditional paper ballots might be our best bet to keep things on the up and up.

Maryland, who is no stranger to voter fraud allegations, certainly hasn't helped it's reputation. For instance, a recent law that allows illegal immigrants to obtain a Maryland driver's license paves the way for these law-breaking folks to vote. The Maryland Highway Safety Act*, as it's called, is much more likely about securing the Hispanic vote for Democrats than it is about safety. According to a recent study conducted by two Old Dominion University professors, 80% of "non-citizens" vote for Democrats**. So, is there any wonder why Maryland Democrats would feel compelled to cozy up to illegal immigrants (or "new Americans" as Maryland's Governor Martin Owe'Malley likes to call them)?

Although it's a federal crime to vote if you are not legally eligible to do so, I believe that it's also a crime to enter our country illegally. But when does that that ever stop anyone? If our "new American" neighbors want to vote, do you really think that there will be any real effort to stop it?

And here's something that I don't quite understand. Maryland will casually hand over driver's licenses and ID cards to illegal immigrants. However, it doesn't require you to show an ID when you go to the voting booth. We are often told that a Voter ID law would be discriminatory against minorities, especially to those in the lower income group. Really? Unless you're trying to hide something, why would producing a valid ID at the polling place be an issue?

There are also roughly 12,000 dead voters registered to vote in Maryland***. Yes, that's right, dead as in no longer living. I wonder how many of these corpses will make their way to the Maryland polls this year?

While I'm not saying that Democrats are the only culprits when it comes to voter fraud, they certainly seem to have the upper hand in Maryland. In a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans roughly 2-to-1, it would seem that the GOP would actually be more inclined to find a way to get an "unconventional" edge. But dead voters, electronic glitches and illegal immigrants.....yeah, they seem to lean a certain way here.

While voter fraud should not be tolerated under any circumstances, we can expect to hear more allegations as the election draws nearer. In what's shaping up to be an unexpected tight race between Gubernatorial candidates Anthony Brown (D) and Larry Hogan (R), it would be a shame to see this one come down to the wire only to be scrutinized over alleged voter fraud. Hold onto your hats Maryland, we might be in for a wild ride.......

kw

*http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/maryland-law-expanding-drivers-licenses-for-illegal-immigrants-takes-effect-on-wednesday/2013/12/31/81cf605c-7245-11e3-8def-a33011492df2_story.html

**http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/10/24/could-non-citizens-decide-the-november-election/

*** http://townhall.com/tipsheet/heatherginsberg/2014/04/23/cantor-goes-negative-in-ad-against-primary-opponent-n1828238