Tom McCann

Yesterday, I ribbed my friend, Tom McCann, about a plumbing project that went a muck. He had tightened a bolt on a toilet (of all things) too tight which caused the base to crack. I added my two cents by informing him that porcelain isn't very flexible. Other friends joined in on the ball-busting session via Tom's Facebook post.

This morning, I was shocked to see people posting condolences on Tom's Facebook page. I didn't quite comprehend it at first. I thought that maybe it was just someone's idea of a twisted joke. Sadly, it wasn't....

I was officially informed a short time later that Tom had suffered a heart attack and passed away last night. It's roughly 12 hours later and I'm still trying to absorb it.

I first met Tom in the halls of Cardinal Gibbons High School back in the early 80's. He was always a quirky guy, but very likable. We developed a friendship that lasted for over thirty years. We kept in contact through emails and with spontaneous phone calls. Tom would sometimes call me and lay out his dilemma du jour. Whether it was a problem with his computer or a personal issue, I would listen and try to give him whatever advice I could. We would always end the conversation on an upbeat note.

Years ago, when I played in band, Tom would occasionally join in on our jam sessions. Many of you might not know that Tom was a singer. Well, sort of......You see, what Tom lacked in vocal talent, he more than made up with stage presence. Using a baseball analogy, there are pitchers and there are throwers. When it came to singing, Tom was definitely a thrower. But oozing with confidence, he certainly didn't let it discourage him. Literally bouncing off the walls in his signature camouflage t-shirt, Tom would enunciate the lyrics to a Judas Priest tune like a Starbucks poet. It wasn't always pretty but it was definitely entertaining.

More recently, Tom would occasionally trek over to my house in Pasadena to join us for a Raven's game. He would always worry about getting back to south Baltimore in time to get a parking place. I would try to persuade him to move to the suburbs where we basked in the glory of off-street parking. But Tom would just shake his head and affectionately flip me off.

Tom would sometimes tag me in a Facebook post and encourage me to elaborate. Of course, they were often politically charged stories, so I knew I was walking into a hornet's nest. Although I would sometimes scratch my head and try to figure it out what he was dragging me into,  I was always grateful that he thought so much of my opinion.

Tom served his country in the United States Navy. He was so proud of his military service. But nothing made him more proud than his son, Matthew. My heart goes out to Matt and the entire McCann family during this difficult time.

It's sad to think that I'll never again get to trade stories with my friend. But I'm grateful for the times we had.

Tom, no doubt, you were a unique individual. But more importantly, you were a good man and I will truly miss you....

kw

City Dirtbike Park Marches On

The geniuses in Baltimore City are now on a "fact-finding" mission to try to set up a safe place for law-breaking dirt-bikers to safely ride their motor bikes. Of course, this latest push comes shortly after Ravens' cornerback, Tray Walker, was killed in a dirt-bike accident in Florida. (I feel bad that the guy died. But WTF was he thinking? Riding a dirt bike on a city street with no lights and wearing dark clothes....that's a disaster waiting to happen.)

So, the search for a dirt bike park continues. One of the more "compelling" reasons that the park needs to be built is because outlawing the riding on city streets hasn't worked. One of the dirt-bikers explained that the bikers want "a safe place to ride without being chased".*

The leadership of Baltimore is laughable at best. Instead of cracking down on bad behavior, they're choosing to reward it. This is just another example of why Baltimore is a lost cause. Crime will continue to spiral out of control because laws have been reduced to mere suggestions. Further emboldening the criminals, the cops in the city have been vilified by the very "leaders" who are supposed to support them.

With this type of mentality, you have to wonder what's next. Will city "leaders" designate certain street corners as drug-friendly zones where drug-slingers can distribute their product without fear of "harassment" by the police? And depending on who wins the next mayoral election, maybe they'll open a safe place where you can redeem stolen gifts cards?

Baltimore has truly become a place where the inmates are running the asylum. While most find the idea of a bike park ridiculous, the city "leaders" will beat their chests and move forward as if they'll doing something productive for the community. What do you think will become of the bike park? Does anyone really think that this will curb the reckless disregard for the law? Hell, no. But still, they'll march forward with the "build it and they will come" illusion.

kw

* http://www.wbaltv.com/news/baltimore-group-visits-pa-dirt-bike-parks/38602382

Trump - Ruffling Feathers

As the campaign progresses, Donald Trump continues to ruffle feathers on both sides of the aisle. The liberal protests are being fueled by the endless media coverage while the Republican establishment searches for a way to derail the Trump Express. So far, neither side seems to be having much success.

First, let's take a look at the protests......

I consider these guys more instigators and agitators than actual protesters. Traditional protesters would stand outside of a venue and/or event with signs and chants. Their goal was to be seen and heard. However, the Trump protesters take things to another level. As we've seen in some of the Black Lives Matter protests, they like to poke the proverbial finger-in-the-chest of their opposition. For instance, blocking traffic has become one of the go-to tactics of the left. While they have every right to protest, I'm not sure why they're continuously allowed to shut down public streets. Some people might celebrate this kind of thing, but it's quite abrasive to many others. If the goal is to piss off as many people as possible, I guess they've accomplished their mission.

We've seen some protesters actually enter the venue where Trump rallies are being held. In these cases, the protesters attempted to disrupt things with verbal outbursts and, on at least one occasion, try to storm Trump's stage. 

And yes, things have escalated at times. The old man sucker punching the Trump protester as he's being escorted out the arena has earned double-time on all of the news networks. Since the old man was white and the protester was black, it's inevitable that an racial element will factor in. Did the old man hit the guy because he was black? Or did he hit him because he knowingly came into an emotionally-charged lion's den spewing incendiary remarks?

Whatever the case may be, I think it's unfair to label all Trump supports as racists. I've seen just as many "peaceful" protesters with fists-a-flyin'. With that being said, Trump hasn't helped these matters with some of his comments. And he certainly didn't try to "reach across the aisle" when he offered to pay the old man's legal fees. But in a twisted way, this is precisely what many people like about Trump. He says and does things things without a filter and then refuses to apologize.

This leads us into the Republican disdain for Trump......

For years, many card-carrying Republicans have complained about how complacent the party has become. With a Republican controlled House for the past five years, many voters feel that the GOP did too little to derail Obama's agenda. So, like the goon in a hockey game, Trump comes along and says what many Republicans think but are afraid to say. I don't think anyone really expected Trump to have the success that he's had, so they dismissed him in the early stages. The general feeling was that he would inevitably implode at some point. Now, that it's very possible that he could be the nominee, establishment Republicans are in a frenzy tying to figure out out to stop him.

In a nutshell, the Republicans have created a beast. The big question is how they'll deal with it. If Trump gets the GOP nomination, will they sit out the election (like they did in 2012) and hand over another term to the Democrats. Or will they fall on their sword and line up behind their "fellow" Republican? You can almost cut the drama with knife.

It gets more interesting by the day.....

kw

The State of the GOP Campaign

Well, a few more Republican primaries are now in the book and the drama continues to unfold. First off, Donald Trump had a really good night. Yesterday's biggest victory was undoubtedly Florida where Trump beat Marco Rubio in his home state by nearly two to one. With his win in the Sunshine State, Trump picked up 99 delegates while delivering the the coup de grace for Rubio's campaign. I have to admit, Rubio was my guy when all of this started. I really thought he would have had better numbers at this stage. Rest assured, this won't be his last presidential run.

Trump also picked up victories in North Carolina, Missouri (by a very narrow margin over Ted Cruz), Northern Marianas (it's not technically a state but it does count for 9 delegates), and perhaps somewhat surprising, Illinois. If you remember, Trump's campaign rally in Chicago was cancelled last weekend due to potential "unrest" from protesters. But after the votes were counted, Trump ultimately had the last laugh.

The one state that Trump did not take last night was Ohio. It wasn't too big of a surprise that John Kasich won Ohio. After all, it is his home state. After his victory, Kasich gushed like Sally Field at the '85 Oscar Awards. I guess he might as well enjoy it while it lasts because there's no way he's gonna be the party's nominee. It will be interesting to see how long he'll hang around after the beer is gone from the Ohio celebration.

With a little over half of the nation's primaries already in the books, Trump now has 673 of the necessary 1237 delegates to win the automatic nomination. Ted Cruz is still within striking distance with 411 votes. Although Ted Cruz did not win any of yesterday's contests, he will likely benefit from Rubio's withdrawal. Keep in mind, California alone carries 172 delegates. So, if Cruz can stay somewhat close to Trump and then take California on the final primary day of June 7, it could very possibly keep Trump under the 1237 mark.

Should Trump miss the magic number, the politicking will go into overdrive at the Republican convention. The candidates who dropped out will have an opportunity to steer their delegates in the direction of their choice. And let's face it, Donald Trump hasn't made a whole of friends on that debate stage during this campaign. So, don;t expect anyone to direct any delegates over to him. This is why I think it's absolutely crucial for Trump to get to the 1237 mark. If it goes to the convention, I don't see the GOP making him the nominee.

The GOP will likely nominate someone whom they think has the best chance of beating Hillary Clinton in the general election. However, if they do this, it could actually backfire on them as many Trump supporters have been making rumblings that they'll sit the election out. Of course, this could also set up a scenario for a third party candidate (Although I'm not really sure what the rules are concerning deadlines to register as candidate). As I've said before, the GOP is walking on thin ice. Let's say Trump finishes in first (after the primaries) with 1200 votes. The GOP is going to be between a rock and hard place.

As always, stay tuned. We've only just begun..........

kw

I Survived The Hanover Street Bridge

For years, I've been expecting to hear that the Hanover Street bridge (in Baltimore) has fallen into the Patapsco River. Well, this morning it got one step closer to getting there. Lanes were temporarily closed while workers repaired a 2-foot hole in the bridge. That's almost large enough to swallow a Smart Car.

The 100-year-old bridge is so battered and beaten that I'm surprised the city doesn't required a mandatory flotation device when driving over it. It's only a matter of time before something falls through. Road crews are constantly trying to stay ahead of the spontaneous cracks and potholes. If they stay away for a week or two, the road surface begins to look like a piece of Swiss cheese.

The city recently paid a group of consultants $1.8 million to determine whether the bridge should be replaced. Really? They thought it was necessary to pay almost $2 million for this??

While some may still view it as a bridge, I see more as a thrill ride... 

Recently, Tina and I were visiting a relative at Harbor Hospital Center. After our visit, we decided to grab a bite at Nick's Crab House which is just on the other side of the bridge. Channeling my inner Speed Racer. I fell into a daydream.....

I gunned the engine of my Honda as I approached the foot of the bridge. You could hear the ominous rumbling of the concrete below. I accelerated to a high rate of speed as the bridge began to crumble behind me. Just my luck! They were raising the drawbridge! Wiping the sweat from my brow, I pressed the gas pedal to the floor. I cleared the drawbridge in a flash and became airborne. Sailing through the Baltimore sky, I carefully scanned what was left of the road below. If we didn't hit a stable piece of the bridge, we would surely plunge directly into the river. Thinking about what lurked in that filthy water frightened me even more. What would Speed Racer do?? My heart was beating like a double-bass drum! I FINALLY came down with a violent thud.....

Of course, the "violent thud" was just another real-life pothole that absolutely ruined my daydream. So, now we're back to reality....

Aside from some possible alignment issues with my front end, we made to Nick's unscathed. I wiped the sweat off of my brow realizing what we had just accomplished. No, it wasn't as dramatic as my daydream. But it was still quite scary.  As the waitress welcomed us, I joked, "Thank you. And, I'll have you know, we survived the Hanover Street bridge to get here."

Just then, a light bulb went off!

What a great idea for a marketing campaign. I could get t-shirts (and other things) made with the slogan "I Survived The Hanover Street Bridge". This would be the biggest catch phrase in these parts since the "Ohhhhhhh" became part of the National Anthem.

I'm going to put my slogan on t-shirts, coffee mugs, refrigerator magnets, bumper stickers, you name it. This is going to be bigger than the "Shit Happens" craze. I need to talk to a printing company to get things rolling. But this is official notice that I'm coining the phrase "I survived the Hanover Street Bridge".

kw

Super Saturday & The Future of the GOP

So "Super Saturday" is now in the books. Donald Trump split the four states with Ted Cruz. Trump took Kentucky and Louisiana while Cruz won easily in Kansas and Maine. Breaking it all down, Cruz made out a little better as he picked up a few more delegates than any of the other Republican candidates.

Cruz now trails Trump by only 82 delegates. So, more pressure is being put on Marco Rubio and John Kasich to drop out of the race. Of course, this won't happen until the March 15 elections in Florida and Ohio.

John Kasich's campaign is currently running on life support. But a win in Ohio would act as the defibrillator that he desperately needs. I don;t expect Rubio to go away anytime soon. With the strong possibility of a brokered Republican convention, he could still get the nomination.

The Republicans are still circling the wagons as they attempt to derail Donald Trump. I can't remember the last time there was such disdain for a candidate within their own party. Of course, many people will say that Trump is a RINO (Republican In Name Only). Considering some of the people he's supported in the past (i.e Hillary Clinton), this claim seems legitimate. However, Trump continues to kick the GOP establishment in the nuts with his unfiltered comments.

Earlier this week, former GOP presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, came out of the establishment-woodwork to do some Trump bashing. His fiery comments were in direct contrast of what Romney said about Trump just four years ago, Back in 2012, Romney welcomed Trump's support endorsement of his own campaign. He gushed all over Trump as he described the great businessman. Now, he describes Trump as a phony and a fraud. In my opinion, Romney shot himself in the foot with his latest comments. He comes out as looking like a bitter "has-been". Of course, it's all being spun to suggest that Romney is trying to save the Republican party from disaster. Well, Romney blew his chance at saving the party when he gave Obama a second term.

Appearing at the Washington Ideas Forum back in September, Romney said that he would support the Republican. whomever that happened to be. I wonder if he'll stick by his promise even if that person turns out to be Donald Trump?

The Republicans are walking a dangerous line right now. There is an obvious effort to undermine Trump. While a lot of conservatives are on board with it, there are plenty of others who disapprove. It's still anyone's guess who would be the best candidate to run against Hillary in the primary. The bottom line is that the RNC had better make sure that know what they're doing. Derailing Trump and ultimately giving the nomination to Cruz or Rubio creates a do-or-die scenario, in my opinion. If Hillary goes on and wins the presidency against either of these candidates, there will be a lot of backlash and second-guessing among many card-carrying Republicans.

The past two presidential elections were very winnable for the Republicans. But they failed to secure either one and gave two terms to perhaps the most liberal president in our history. As a result, if a Republican wins the White House this year, he will likely spend a good part of his first term trying to undo what Obama has already done. And if they screw this one up and don't win, it could be the end of the Republican party as we know it....

kw

If Trump Was a News Anchor

Donald Trump has certainly made his share of headlines this campaign season. To say that he has a way with words would be quite the understatement. Watching him in last night's debate, I felt like I was watching a Saturday night Live skit. I actually laughed out loud a few times! As my mind drifted, I imagined what Donald Trump might be like as a Baltimore news anchor......

Good evening, folks. Welcome to the evening news. I'm Donald Trump....

Tonight, we start with breaking news from west Baltimore where news crews are on the scene of a deadly accident. I have to say, west Baltimore is a very dangerous place. Very dangerous. Trust me, you don't want to be passing through that part of town unless you're accompanied by the National Guard. By the way, I love the National Guard. They're fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. But if anyone tells you that Baltimore is safe, they're lying like Ted Cruz.

Anyway, back to that accident.....From what we understand, a Ford F150 and a Toyota Pruis met head-on while traveling along North Avenue. I tell you folks, a Prius might save you a few bucks at the gas pump. But in this case, you definitely want to go with the pick-up truck. I've met many of the fine folks who make these vehicles and I can tell you, they are good people. Wonderful people, those Ford pick-up guys. Anyway, we'll update this story when we get more details. But, I can tell you, that guy in the Prius is having a very bad day. Very bad.....

Also today in the city, there was a double shooting. Well, I can't say that I'm surprised. Like I said earlier, Baltimore is very dangerous. If I was Mayor of the city, I can tell you this.......things would be much, much different. You see, the reason that this stuff goes on is that no one cooperates with the police. And by the way, I love the police. They're wonderful people. I love black cops, white cops, Hispanic cops. I love the Hispanics. I've got many, many Hispanic friends. And this I can tell you....they are wonderful people. Like I said, if I was mayor, things would be much different. It would be so great. People would call me on the phone and tell me how great it is.

Now, let us take a look at the weather. Today, it's 75 degrees and sunny. It's absolutely beautiful folks. I don't want to sound conceited, but I must say, it's very Trump-like. I took a walk through the park at lunchtime today. After a few minutes, I have to tell you, I was sweating like Marco Rubio. Now, there's a guy who knows a thing or two about perspiration. Trust me folks, it's warm out there.  

Moving on to sports........I must tell you, I love sports. I am actually a very good athlete. You name it, I can play it. Big balls, little balls, hard balls, soft balls, it doesn't matter. Put 'em all in my hands. I can catch it, hit it, shoot it, dunk it, whatever. It's an awesome thing to see. People are always so impressed. By the way, have you seen the size of my hands. Are you kidding me?  

Yep, it would go something like that......

kw

Super Tuesday - The Postmortem

Super Tuesday is now in the rear-view mirror. On the Democratic side, Hillary did very well, winning seven out of eleven states yesterday. Although Bernie Sanders did win four states (included his home state of Vermont), Hillary is pulling away from him in the overall delegate count (1052-427). It seems pretty clear to me at this point that Hillary will get the Democratic nomination.

As for the Republicans. Donald Trump continues to mystify. He won big again yesterday, taking seven states. Ted Cruz took Alaska, Oklahoma and his home state of Texas. In my opinion, Texas was absolutely crucial for Cruz. Texas comes in second to only California in it's number of delegates (155), so there's a lot at stake there. Additionally, if Cruz couldn't win his home state, it would paint a dismal picture for his Presidential bid.

Marco Rubio took only one state, Minnesota, in last night's contest. Similar to Cruz and Texas, Rubio is going to face a very important primary in Florida. If he loses Florida (99 delegates), he's going to have an uphill battle for the rest of the campaign. Personally, I think he almost has to win Florida if he has any chance of toppling Trump.

Ben Carson is all but done. He announced today that he won't participate in tomorrow's Republican debate. He's getting pressure from his campaign supporters to stay in it. Carson is an honorable man and probably feels obligated to comply. But at some point, he's going to have to face the fact that he has absolutely no chance to get the nomination.

And the same thing goes for John Kasich. I think would make a good President, but the stars just didn't line up for him this time. The only state that he has a chance of winning is his home state of Ohio. This will serve as a consolation prize for Kasisch while taking 66 potential delegates away from Trump. Expect to see Kasisch throw in the towel after Ohio.

If Carson and Kasich drop out, it will definitely make things a little more interesting. As a result, Trump will be the one who probably feels most of the pain. The "new" votes will most likely wind up in the pocket of Cruz or Rubio. However, the only sure-fire way to defeat Trump would be for either Cruz or Rubio to drop out. If Trump runs head-to-head against either of those guys, I think he's in hot water.

Personally, I see Rubio having the better chance of beating Trump in a one-on-one match. But the Sunshine State is absolutely key for him. If Rubio loses to Trump in Florida's upcoming primary (March 15), he might have to do some serious soul searching. Rubio, in my opinion, is presidential material.  And I predict that he will be in the White House one day. But if he fails to take Florida, would he be willing to take one for the team and let Ted Cruz run head-to-head against Trump?

At this stage, the delegate count is as follows:

• Trump - 319
• Cruz - 226
• Rubio - 110

So, although Trump has taken most of the state's, the actual delegate count is still well within reach. 1237 delegates are need to secure the Republican nomination. And since Trump hasn't taken more then 50% in any one state, it seems logical that a one-on-one against either Cruz or Rubio would be up for grabs.

kw