Prince - A Giant Performer

Yesterday, I was talking to my friend, Fran, about the passing of Prince. She asked me if I had planned on writing anything on the subject. I really hadn't planned on it. But after discussing his musical significance on our generation, I decided to should share a few of my thoughts.

First off, no one can deny the talent of Prince. When it came to writing and performing, he was in an elite class.  While many people can write a decent song, it takes a special person to bring the song to life. Prince had that unique ability. Through his dynamic vocals and electric stage presence, he was able to squeeze every drop of energy out of his songs. And, for a performer, that's about as good as it gets.

But before I go any further, I need to say a few words about this....

Last May, Prince announced an impromptu show at Baltimore's Royal Farms Arena. The concert, which was called "Rally 4 Peace", was supposedly organized in an effort to help the city heal after the recent "unrest" surrounding the death of Freddie Gray. Many excited fans lined up to buy their tickets to the much-anticipated show. However, the superstar's trip to Charm City also proceeded to anger many others. Although the concert was said to promote unity, some saw it as Prince taking sides with the protesters and casting unfair judgment on the police department.

Prior to the concert, Prince wrote a song, appropriately called "Baltimore". The song includes the familiar protest mantra "If there ain't no justice, there ain't no peace". There's also a line which says "Let's take all of the guns away". Not surprising, many people saw this as Prince taking a political stance instead of bringing people together. 

But to be fair, Prince made a plea to the youngsters in the crowd with the following statement: "The system is broken. It's going to take the young people to fix it this time. We need new ideas, new life...The next time I come to Baltimore, I want to stay in a hotel owned by you." 

On a lighter note, I used to be really jealous of Prince. And it wasn't because he was a great musician or that he had a really bad-ass looking guitar. You see, I used to have a big celebrity crush on actress, Kim Basinger. So, when I heard that Prince was going out with her, I become quite envious. (Of course, when she later married Alec Baldwin I was absolutely crushed. But that's another story..)

And remember when Prince "changed" his name to "the artist formerly known as"? Of course, most people thought he had lost his mind. But he actually had a pretty good reason for doing it. You see, although the singer was born Prince Rogers Nelson, the record company owned the rights to market the name "Prince". So, in effect, the singer felt like he had lost his identity. So, when he refused to use the name "Prince", it was his way of taking a jab at his record company.

The thing that I found so intriguing about Prince's music is that is was uniquely diverse. It had elements of rock, pop, funk and R&B. There really wan't anything else that you could compare it to. You could almost recognize his songs from the first few notes. He put his virtual signature on almost every tune. 

Prince also wrote (or co-wrote) huge hits for other artists such as Sinead O'Conner (Nothing Compares To You), Stevie Nicks (Stand Back), The Bangles (Manic Monday), Sheena Easton (Sugar Walls) and Chaka Khan (I Feel For You).

Prince may have only stood at 5'2" but he was a giant on stage. During a conversation last night over a few beers, I mentioned that Prince was one of the greatest live performers of our generation. Although I received a few raised eyebrows, I also said that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Elvis and Michael Jackson. His ability to connect with a live audience was something really special . When he took the stage, he absolutely owned it. Price's performance at the 2007 Super Bowl is ranked as the greatest halftime performance ever. In the pouring Miami rain, Prince made everyone forget that there was still 30 minutes of football left to be played.

As a tribute to the Minneapolis native, many places around the world were showered in "purple rain". This is a visual representation of the impact that his music had on people everywhere. While many of his most devoted fans are still in shock over his untimely death, they can rest assured that Prince's music will live on forever.....

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

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

Elderly Siblings Gunned Down in Baltimore

The shootings just never seem to stop in The City That Bleeds. This afternoon, a brother and sister were gunned down while standing at a west Baltimore bus stop. Daily shootings have almost become synonymous with Baltimore. But the most compelling thing about this particular shooting is that these two siblings were 82 and 90 years old.

As Baltimore rolled through January with murders "on the decline", I remember hearing the city reps talking about how things were moving in the right direction. What kind stuff are these guys smoking? After a record-setting year for murders in 2015, they're now going to give each other high-fives because "only" fourteen people were murdered in the first month of 2016? Anyone who thinks that Baltimore's getting safer is showing clear signs of brain damage from having their head buried up their ass. Come out for air before it's too late!

Anyone with any information regarding today's shooting is being asked to call Baltimore Homicide detectives. But, as senseless and outrageous as this is,  I really wouldn't expect the phones to be ringing off the hook anytime soon. In fighting violent crime in the city, Baltimore cops have been given a monumental task with little or no support from the community. Additionally, the war on police, which has been fueled by reckless assholes like Beyonce, has done nothing but exacerbate the issue. As a result of this, when the police attempt to find the shooters on any given day, the community usually refuses to cooperate. Many of them protect the thugs because they view the police as the "enemy". Others remain silent because they're afraid of retaliation from the thugs. And as a result, people are allowed to get away with gunning down senior citizens on bus stops.

According to reports, it is believed that today's elderly victims were not the intended targets. Wow, that really comforting, isn't it? You're standing there, minding your own business, when you're caught in a hail of gunfire from a sideways Glock. Unfortunately, you got hit with a stray bullet and are now bleeding profusely. But no need to upset, you weren't even the target. 

All of this would seem to be a good reason for a protest. But for some odd reason, we haven't heard a peep from the usual suspects. A career drug-slinger gets shot, the city burns. An elderly couple gets shot, crickets. Hmm.....

The only positive thing about today's session of cap-popping is that is that both of the victims are expected to survive. I certainly wish them the best.

kw

Blizzard of 2016 - The Postmortem

A week after life was predicted to end for the Mid-Atlantic masses, things are now pretty much back to normal. So, what should we attribute to this miraculous survival story? For many, perhaps it was the piece of mind that came from having an abundance bread in the pantry. Others may have rode the storm by basking in the comfort of knowing that there were six full gallons of milk in the Fridge. Whatever the case, somehow we made it.....

During the past week, I've observed a few things. For instance, the first establishments to declare themselves open for business were the local bars. And no matter how treacherous the roads might have been, there will be no shortage of people who risked it all to get there. Of course, come Monday morning, these are the same people couldn't make it to work because the roads were too bad.

I have to admit, the road in front of my house was pretty bad. Even with our SUV, the snow was too high to drive. By Monday, my neighbors and I gave up hope on the likelihood of seeing a snowplow any time soon. So, we all did what we could to create a drivable path to the main road. And wouldn't you know it? Shortly after we finished, a snow plow came rolling around the corner. Funny how that happens, huh?

The one thing that drives me crazy after a snowstorm is a dirty car. For the past few days, every time I look at my salt-encrusted exterior, I have the impulsive urge to fire up the garden hose. Of course, I can't do that because the hose is frozen solid. My only salvation is the freeze-resistant wiper-fluid that cleans the windshield. However, the life of a clean windshield is inevitably cut short by random sprays of dirty road juice. I frantically pump the wiper handle to keep the washer fluid flowing. By the time I get to my destination, I feel like I have carpal-tunnel syndrome.

And don't you just hate it when you realize that you're down to your last drop of wiper fluid? You can feel the anxiety kick in as you attempt to squeeze out those last few drops. Eventually, the well runs dry and your windshield gradually takes on the look of dirty chalkboard. Feeling like Stevie Wonder, you squint and bob your head as you try to find any hint of transparency. You're soon forced to roll down the window and drive with your head exposed to the elements. Your face gets peppered with road salt as you desperately search for a gas station or drug store where you can buy an overpriced jug of fresh fluid. Sound familiar?

Okay, enough of my problems, let's take a trip to the city......

I hear things are really heating up in Baltimore in the aftermath of the storm. Countless cars are still being held hostage by the mounds of heavy snow. And people remain stranded in their homes as they angrily await the arrival of the snow plow. The road crews are challenged with finding a place to put the snow. They've been loading a lot of it up and dumping it at Camden Yards. With the way they're piling it up, they'll be lucky if it's melted by Opening Day.

There's also an uproar over the city's decision to fine people who haven't cleared their sidewalk. Residents are arguing that that the roads aren't even plowed yet, so therefore they shouldn't be expected to clear their sidewalks. What kind of logic is that? Unless you're elderly or disabled, there's no excuse to not have your sidewalk shoveled a week after the snowstorm. I guess they're waiting for the government to come and shovel it for them? The mayor has even tried to guilt these people into doing it by using the "do it for the children" mantra. (Like the kids are going to leave the warmth and comfort of their PlayStations to venture out in the snow....)

I'd be willing to bet that before long, the city will start supplying snow shovels to "needy" residents. The city "leaders" will perpetrate the myth that "a shovel in every home" will magically translate into snow-free walkways. But what they fail to comprehend is that, in order to operate effectively, snow shovels require human intervention. The reason that that people don't shovel their sidewalks isn't because they don't have shovels. It's because they're inconsiderate, lazy assholes.

But there is one bright spot to the heavy snowfall in Baltimore. I was recently told that there were no murders in the city over the weekend. What? How is this possible?? Instead of passing more gun laws, maybe Al Gore should organize a "snow dance" between the Eskimos and polar bears to make it snow on Baltimore year round!


kw

Sugary Warning Labels

There is now legislation being pushed by Councilman Nick Mosby in Baltimore City that would require businesses that sell sugary drinks to post warning signs about the "dangers" of the products.* The signs would warn potential consumers that drinks such as Coke, Pepsi and Gatorade contribute to obesity, tooth decay and diabetes.

Now, on the surface, I won't deny that these warning signs would be somewhat truthful. It probably is unhealthy for someone to drink a dozen Cokes in a day. But do we really need a warning sign to tell us this? Are the people in Baltimore City really this stupid? Well, the City Council sure seems to think so...

The City Health Commissioner also supports the proposed legislation. She points out that sugary drinks are leading contributor to childhood obesity. I beg to differ with the commissioner. I think the leading cause of fat kids is inactivity. And if you want to want tangible scapegoat, you can start with cell phones and video games. Bottom line: Kids today spend way too much time on their ass!

Are the diets of today's kids and the kids of yesteryear really that much different. Hmm, I don't think so. Back in the day, I remember every kid routinely walking around with a Coke or Pepsi in their hand. Keep in mind, I grew during the time when 7-11 introduced us to Big Gulp. And there were a lot of kids walking around with those things too. And most of them were not overweight. By the way, the only diet soda back in the day was Tab. But it tasted like battery acid, so no one ever drank it.

I can speak from first hand experience on this. You see, I grew up as one of the "fat kids" in my neighborhood (although I always preferred the term "husky"). My childhood dentist can attest that I had the biggest sweet tooth west of the Chesapeake. Along with soda, I used to tear up a box of Mike & Ike's (which were basically sugar-filled gel-caps). And, I'm not making this up....my mom would have to hide the Tastykakes in my house because if I found the stash, I would put away a half-dozen Tasty-Klairs in one sitting. She would keep changing the hiding place to stay one step ahead of me. So, it was like an Easter egg hunt everyday in our house. Now, I was indeed overweight, but I wasn't morbidly obese. You know why? Because I frequently moved my husky ass.

This might come as a surprise to some of you youngsters but once upon a time, kids used to walk from point A to point B. And they used to actually play real ball in a real park instead of playing a virtual version in front of a big screen TV. And we weren't even Amish!

But in today's world of "it's never my fault", it's much more convenient to blame Coke or Pepsi for the childhood obesity problem.

Soft drinks have been around for over a hundred years. Now, all of a sudden, we need warning labels? And let's say the legislation passes and the warning labels eventually find their way to a 7-11 near you. Do you really think kids will pay attention to them? From the high school drop out rate in Baltimore City, a lot kids probably won't even be able to read the signs. Hey maybe we can pass even more legislation that will require a picture of Mr. Yuck on every soda bottle. It wouldn't surprise me at all....

kw

* http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-sugary-beverages-20160111-story.html

Avoiding The Rough Ride

Earlier today, I was reading about Baltimore's latest lottery winner. In this case, the Board of Estimates awarded a 28-year-old woman $95,000 for a "rough ride" courtesy of the BCPD. Of course, this settlement comes not long after the $6.4 settlement that was awarded to Freddie's Gray's family. In an effort to strike while the iron is hot, can we expect to see more "rough-riders" coming out of the woodwork in the upcoming months? Keep in mind, this latest payout stems from a 2012 incident.

So, let's try to answer a few questions. First off, do these rough rides really exist? I have to believe that they do. But my follow up question is....what leads up to a rough ride? After all, if you punch a cop or spit in his face, do you really think that it's going to be a smooth ride to Central Booking? Human nature would dictate no....

Hey look, I'm not advocating police brutality. But certain actions can bring a predictable reaction. And sometimes, the reaction isn't so pleasant.

Let's look at it another way. When I occasionally find myself passing through the seedier parts of Baltimore, I sometimes see some rather rude and unpleasant people. Just recently, I saw a guy walking down the middle of Lexington Street with his d*ck in his hand pissing over anything within watering distance*. My first thought was to yell, "Hey asshole, do you think you're f*cking cat? Put your d*ck away before I get out of my car and crack you in the nuts with my Day-runner!"

However, possessing just enough common sense, I chose not to say anything. Because, I knew that if I did, there was a good chance that I'd receive a beat-down (or worse!) by the nearby disenfranchised youth who had already been shooting me dirty looks. It didn't matter who happened to be right or wrong. What did matter is that I assessed the situation and determined that no positive outcome was going to come from me running my mouth. I was vastly outnumbered and unarmed. Plus it was lunchtime and I was in a hurry to get to Chick-fil-A.

This same assessment should be used in these police confrontations. If you are compliant or perhaps even polite to the police officer, the odds of a wooden shampoo or rough ride go way down. So, if you're ever in a situation like this, you have to ask yourself if it's worth the consequences. But on second thought, with all of these large settlements coming down the pipe, maybe it is.......

kw

* http://kensmouthpiece.blogspot.com/2015/08/its-raining-on-eutaw-street.html

The Paper Route - A Defunct Youth Passage

Delivering newspapers used to be a rite of passage for neighborhood youths. Growing up, almost all my friends had a paper route at some stage of their young lives. Earning our own "paycheck" gave us a sense of pride and introduced us to the "workforce". It also taught us a bit about responsibility. After all, we had people who looked forward to reading their daily newspapers and it was our job to deliver the goods.

Back in the day, Baltimore had two rival newspapers, The Sun and The News American. Additionally, at the time, The Sun had both, a morning and a evening edition. The three combined editions of the two newspapers presented plenty of opportunities for kids to land their own paper route.

Personally, I delivered the The Evening Sun. After getting home from school each day, the first thing that I did (after woofing down a Tasty-Klair, of course) was to prepare my 40 or so newspapers. They were dropped off earlier in the day and bundled up and waiting for me on my doorstep. I would have to fold them up and put rubber bands around them. After they were all folded, they would go into my canvas Baltimore Sun bag. I always thought it was crazy that I had to buy this bag. You would have thought that the newspaper company would throw a kid a bone or in this case, a free carrying bag. They also charged us for rubber bands and plastic bags.

Loaded up with newspapers, I would throw the canvas strap around my shoulder and jump onto my bike. I would peddle down the neighborhood street tossing a banded edition of The Sun onto the doorstep of each of my customers. As crazy as it sounds, it was quite satisfying and gave a me a feeling of accomplishment.

Probably the worst part of the job came on Sunday mornings. I would have to get up at 5:30 am to prepare the Sunday editions of The Sun. Each newspaper weighed about ten pounds due to all of the sales circulars that were stuffed inside. My cargo was much too heavy for my carry-bag, so I had to incorporate the use of a shopping cart. I can remember some mornings, pushing this shopping cart around in the pouring rain. It was miserable but I had a job to do.

At the end of the month, I would have to go around the neighborhood and collect money from my customers. The good news was that I often received tips. For a 13-year-old back in the 70's, a dollar was a respectable amount of money. By the time I finished collecting, I might have $200 or more in my pocket. Now, keep in mind, it was a different time back then. We didn't really have to worry about getting robbed. We pretty much knew all of the kids in the neighborhood, so if someone decoded to jack any us us up, it wouldn't take long to figure out who did it. Plus, even at those early ages, we all had a degree of respect for one another. Today, that seems to be lost among most youngsters...

When my "boss" eventually came around to pick up my collections, I was usually left with about $50-60. This was for a whole month of delivery newspapers. No, it certainly doesn't sound like much money today but like I said, it was a different time back then. A kid could do quite a bit with fifty bucks.

Now, my paper route days came to an abrupt close when, one particular month, several of my customers moved out without paying me. Unexpectedly, the bossman told me that this money would be deducted from my "paycheck". I explained to him that it wasn't my fault that these people moved out. It didn't matter, they were still taking it out of my check, he told me. It was at this time, that I told him that I was quitting. I may have been 13-years-old but I certainly was a complete idiot. I wasn't going to work for free, especially for a rag like The Baltimore Sun (I just had to work that dig in there.)

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

Today, kids no longer deliver newspapers. For all of my adult life, my newspaper has been delivered by another adult. There are plenty of excuses why kids don't perform this task anymore. Some would say that it's too dangerous. I guess there's some truth to that. But, in reality, I don't see many 13-year-olds today wanting to earn their own money. Why would they want to work for $25 a week when they can get it for free from Mom & Dad. Plus, delivering newspapers would require sacrificing valuable time away from the X-box.

When I had my paper route, I got to know most of my customers, who were also my neighbors. I enjoyed the trivial banter with these folks. Not only did I learn things, but it also ingrained a sense of community for me. Since I've been a homeowner (and newspaper customer), I have never even met my mail "person". I have seen the various paper carriers from time to time. It's usually a middle aged person in an old station wagon who has no time nor interest in trivial banter. My newspaper is tossed out of the window and left abandoned at the far end of my driveway. And when it rains, I can almost guarantee that I'll retrieve a soppy wet, unreadable edition of the MD Gazette. That would have never happened back in the day. Even as young teens, we knew that a wet newspaper was totally unacceptable. Yep, things were sure different back then..........

kw

An Evening With Judas Priest

Last Friday evening, an energized crowd shuffled into the concert pavillion at Pier Six in downtown Baltimore. Consisting largely of middle-aged "metal-heads", the attendees anxiously made their way to their seats. They knew that it was just a matter of time before Judas Priest would be taking the stage and unleashing their rock and roll beast.

When Priest eventually took the stage around 9 pm, the crowd went absolutely nuts. The sight of Rob Halford and the boys taking their familiar positions instantly transported the crowd back to 1983. And although they started with a "non-classic" and lesser-known song off of the new album, the crowd didn't seem to mind at all. But when they followed up with the more widely recognized "Metal Gods" from the British Steel album, a chorus of ear-splitting whistles and cheers filled the pavilion.

Perhaps the most anticipated moment of the evening came a little earlier than expected. There was a brief pause as the band prepared to launch into their fourth song. A moment later, the silence was shattered as the classic dual-guitar intro from "Victim of Changes" echoed across the Inner Harbor. As the band transitioned into the signature power chords of the song, the crowd responded as if it had been hit with a defibrillator. This, of course, paved the way for Halford's powerful vocals. As the Metal God belted out the familiar lyrics, Pier Six was rocking like a hurricane. Seeing Judas Priest perform this song alone was worth the price of admission. The hair on my arms was standing up when they went into the bridge ....

Once she was wonderful
Once she was fine
Once she was beautiful
Once she was mine.......

Wailing like a harmonic banshee, Halford closed down the song like only he could. All I could say was, "Wow!" As I scanned the crowd, everyone else appeared to have the same reaction.

Photo courtesy of John Dixon 

They played a few more songs from the new album and mixed in a few classics. "Beyond The Realms of Death" from the Stained Class album was a pleasant surprise. As they prepared to play the final song of the set, the distinct roar of a Harley Davidson engine blasted through the pavilion. And anyone who's ever been to a Judas Priest show knows what that means. Rob Halford cued up the band by driving his famous motorcycle onto the stage. The twin guitars launched into the beginning riff of "Hell Bent For Leather" and the crowd went crazy. Like the band members themselves, this song never seems to get old.

They followed up with a couple of encores which consisted of "You've Got Another Thing Comin", "Livin' After Midnight" and "Defenders of the Faith".

As satisfied as I was, I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed that they didn't do "Green Manalishi" or "Diamonds and Rust". In my opinion, these are two of the best covers ever. Most Priest fans know that "Diamonds and Rust" is an old Joan Baez folk song. Yeah, I know, hard to believe, right? But many fans might not know that "Green Manalishi" was originally done by Fleetwood Mac. OK, that's enough trivia.

I can remember practically wearing the vinyl off of my "Unleashed In The East" album. To me, it was the ultimate live record and I couldn't get enough of it. I saw Judas Priest several times through the years and they have always delivered the goods. Although the core members (Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton and Ian Hill) are all in their mid-60's now, age doesn't really seem to be slowing them down.

To sum it up, Judas Priest still kicks ass and that's exactly what they did on Friday night. I'm not sure how much longer these guys can do it. But as long as they do, there will be no shortage of fans who want to see them.....

kw

Is Baltimore Really Getting Safer?

Over the past week or so, the city of Baltimore has resembled a war zone with roughly 40 separate shootings taking place. It's quite amazing to me that this kind of thing still goes on in a "civilized" society. We can point the fingers and try to come up with the reasons why, but it doesn't change the fact that people continue to bleed on the streets of Baltimore almost daily.

I find it almost laughable when I see city "leaders" get in front of the TV cameras and attempt to feed us a line  of bullshit about how violent crime is down. During a recent community walk through east Baltimore, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told us that "violence is slowing down and we continue to make progress". She can't possibly be serious. Can she?

Washington DC, once called the "Murder Capital of the US", has reported 40 murders so far this year. By comparison, with roughly the same population, Baltimore's murder total is 117. So, Baltimore has almost three times as many murder victims as the "murder capital of the US". But we're being told that the violence is "slowing down"? And take New York City, which has a population of roughly 8.3 million people. Although NYC's population is over ten times greater than Baltimore's, it's murder rate is only slightly higher at 154. Kind of put things in perspective, doesn't it?

To be fair, Baltimore's "leaders" will sometimes acknowledge that there is indeed a major crime crime. But it's often followed by a bunch of lame excuses or even worse, a political agenda. I've heard some of these folks get up on their soapboxes and tell us that "gun violence" is the problem. Wow, what a f*cking revelation! Of course, this is usually followed up by a call to get guns off the street. And then the politicians will pass sweeping gun control laws to prevent people like you and me from protecting ourselves from that very same gun violence. Of course, the same assholes that pass these laws are often accompanied by their own armed security people. Kind of funny how that works.

I have driven through parts of Baltimore at various times of the day and I can tell you firsthand that is not a safe place. I used to think that the tourist areas, like the Inner Harbor, were off limits to the criminal element. But those places have proven to have their own issues over recent years. I started to walk through the Inner Harbor area after a concert at Pier Six a couple of years ago. I wound up turning around as I approached what looked like a group of young gang members. There is no way this should ever happen in the "bread and butter" district of a major city.

And just last year, a young tourist was robbed and knocked unconscious by a group of young thugs right in front of one of the downtown courthouses near City Hall. As the victim lay on the ground, the group robbed him off his wallet, car keys and i-Pod. If that wasn't bad enough, they further humiliated him by stripping him of his clothes, recording it and then posting the video online. That should really make people want to come to "Charm City", huh? The police commissioner quickly dismissed any allegations of a "hate crime" even though the victim was white and all of the attackers happened to be black. He then went on to candy-coat this brutality by describing it as "drunken, opportunistic criminality". With idiotic comments like that, is there any wonder why crime is out of control in Baltimore?

kw

Baltimore - The Worst Drivers in the Nation?

Ironically, as Baltimore hosts it's first Grand Prix race this Labor Day weekend, a report was released that ranked Baltimore drivers as the second worst in the nation (the top honor went to nearby Washington DC).

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2011/09/01/report-baltimore-d-c-drivers-worst-in-the-u-s/

According to the recent Allstate report, Ft. Collins, Colorado has the best drivers in the country. Having been to Ft. Collins, I can see why they claimed the top prize. The roads are spacious and people just seem to be a lot more courteous. And although Colorado gets it's share of snow, the drivers there don't panic at the sight of the first snowflake. In the Baltimore area, the mere mention of a snowfall creates pandemonium as people risk life and limb to score bread, milk and toilet paper at the local grocery stores.

But is Baltimore really deserving of having the worst driver label? Although you could possibly interchange various East Coast cities, I would say that Baltimore does indeed have it's share of brain-dead motorists. In my opinion, there are are several reasons for this. Let's look at a few......

First off, even though it is against the law to talk on a cell phone while driving (without a hands-free device), most Baltimore drivers still do it. Take a look around the next time you're driving around the city. It's not uncommon to see a woman yapping on a cell phone while she argues with her kids in the back of the minivan. I see this scenario all the time. Texting while driving is also illegal, but it doesn't stop people from doing that either.

I have also seen Baltimore drivers:

• Eating their lunch while steering with their elbows
• Shaving
• Putting on make-up
• Having an intimate afternoon delight at 50 mph
• Watching a movie

And Baltimore drivers have absolutley no patience. Any traffic back-up has the potential to send Baltimore drivers over the edge. This sometimes spills over into an all-out episode of road rage.

And drivers in this area love to lay on the horn. I've seen drivers lose it in the McDonald's drive-thru because they didn't think the line was moving fast enough. As if sounding the horn is going to make their Quarter Pounder with Cheese cook a little faster. Sometimes, it turns into a chain reaction and you'll have a whole sympathy of car horns. And if you happen to be sitting at a red light and don't step on the gas the instant the light turns green, expect to get blasted by the driver's horn directly behind you.

With all of this being said, I believe there are some obstacles that Baltimore drivers do have to contend with....

For instance, all of the red light and speed cameras around Baltimore certainly have to have some impact on driving statistics. Obviously, the number of traffic citations goes up. Of course, government officials claim that these cameras are "for our safety". Personally, I think the officials are full of bullshit. People will slam their brakes in order to avoid receiving a phantom ticket. And this always creates the potential for a rear end collision. But, it's all for safety, they tell us. Yeah, right!

The countless potholes around the city is another source of driving contention. After all, it's kind of tough to steer you vehicle when a pothole just swallowed one of your front tires!

You'll often see panhandlers walking through busy city streets. If you're distracted, by texting for example, you could easily mow one of these familiar Baltimore landmarks over. Along these same lines, there's been a recent rash of hit and run accidents where in at least two cases, people have died.

The only good thing about being worst is that there's always room for improvement. If you find yourself driving around Baltimore, beware and be careful.....

kw