Joni Mitchell sang, “They paved paradise & put up a parking lot”… condo, town house, mini-mall…..    

Yeah – I can play the “I remember when” game when it comes to Delmarva.  I remember when I was a kid when there really wasn’t anything much north of 33 Street except the Carousel Hotel.  I remember when Route 1 in Delaware was pretty much two lanes and bumper to bumper traffic – well some things never change.  But tell me – when did Ocean City turn from a place I used to love to go to as a kid and a teenager – to one pretty ugly town?   There’s development and then there’s development gone wild.  I know folks in Sussex County say development is out of control, but there are development districts in the county – where development is allowed (like it or not) and other places where there’s no infrastructure to support development – and you can’t develop those areas.  In Ocean City – it seems the entire town is one ginormous development district – and if there’s not the space to build – they’re filling in the bayside wetlands to create more space to pave over!   There’s so little green in Ocean City today – about all that’s left are the ball parks at 3 Street and Northside Park.  Much of the rest of Ocean City today is tar and concrete.                                     I was watching a DVD recently by an aerial photographer, Jim Whaley.  While his “A Bird’s Eye View” DVD has some spectacular shots of the resort I spent at least part of every summer in since I was a kid – it also made me realize just how “developed” Ocean City has become since I first saw it as a child – and ugly.  When the condo my parents live in was built in 1975, it was one of the tallest buildings in the lower part of town (basically south of 33 Street).  Height variances had to be obtained to build as high as they did – 11 stories – with a parking garage at the ground level (so 12 stories actually).  There was nothing taller to the south.  Not any more.  While Mayor Cropper dreamed in the 1960s of developing Ocean City to the state line, I don’t know if that dream included what has come to be.  Some of the ugliness can be attributed to a handful of people – like Buddy Jenkins who started filling in the bayside wetlands to develop 28 Street bayside and gave others the idea to fill in the other bayside wetlands – like Charles Holland – who’s new Sunset Island at 66 Street is one of the ugliest creations I’ve seen.  Those are only 2 examples – there are many.  Of course all that wouldn’t have been possible without the approval being granted for all these projects by the Ocean City planning & zoning commissions and the town councils through the years. Condo Row in North Ocean City was inevitable, but the bayside was supposed to stay less developed with smaller buildings – like single family homes or town homes.  Even the high density mobile and manufactured home developments like what’s mostly at 94 Street and Montego Bay, while pretty ugly – at least allow for something green – like a lawn.  Not multi-level monstrosities like Rivendell at 81 Street.  A high rise condo on the bayside that was, oops, built taller than what was approved, but the town council has not said – “oh well – it’s already there, so it can stay.  Besides they’re going to pave the sidewalks and powerwash the neighboring buildings as a consequence for being too tall.”  Right now the centerpiece in the current crop of OC ugly is the monstrosity that’s being erected at 48 Street and the ocean.  The Gateway Grand - a 16-story, 196-unit, oceanfront luxury condominium.  What was wrong with the old Gateway?   Oh – I get it – a motel just doesn’t generate the revenue that these condos will bring in - prices range from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000+.  Just how many Bill Gates and Warren Buffetts do they expect to be moving to town?  The Gateway Grand is just too – everything.  Too big, too tall, too out of scale to the rest of the area and too UGLY (of course that’s totally my opinion).  Of course it also brings up the questions everyone asks – there’s someplace to house all these folks – but there’s no place for them to go.  Coastal Highway can’t handle the traffic, there’s no where to shop because they’re closing many of the stores to build more housing (45 Street Village), grocery stores are far and few between.   And you just can’t have EVERYONE in town head to the second main attraction in town – the Boardwalk – all those people & their cars just won’t fit.  You just can’t pour a gallon of water into a pint bottle. At the rate that Ocean City is being developed – both up and out, it’s a wonder they haven’t decided to just fill in the bay and become one with Bishopville, Ocean Pines and Berlin. I think I’ll stay in Delaware – compared to Ocean City – even eastern Sussex County is the wilderness! Photo credits - Jim Whaley’s “A Bird’s Eye View” DVD and the GatewayGrand.com

Bill O’Reilly had a familiar ‘local’ face and voice on the O’Reilly Factor last night—-Republican strategist Christine O’Donnell, on the issue of cloning. Is cloning monkeys morally wrong? You can read the transcript here:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,311946,00.html

There is also a video available:

http://www.foxnews.com/oreilly/index.html 

I came across an interesting article and perspective on the issue of global warming—”The Bible and ‘global warming’” from WorldNetDaily:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58513

It makes sense. Who is Al Gore, and who is man to think that we can somehow control the universe and future of this planet—apart from the one who created all things? Is there any reaction to this–or reaction from Christians who may preach, teach, or believe in global warming?

Judson Bennett sent a letter to his Coastal Conservative Network, after one of our talk show hosts resigned his position at WGMD.  His letter fueled all sorts of crazy conspiracy theories and predictions of the financial demise of Resort Broadcasting Company.  The wacky theories about “why Randy left” were wrong, and I’m happy to report so were the predictions of our doom.  Today, Jud sent this letter, reprinted here with his permission. 

Dear Dan,

Judson Bennett

Shaun Rieley is in Iraq fighting for you.  Wish him a happy birthday and say thank you…

 

shaun.rieley@us.army.mil

Global warming is not only the issue of the year, but it’s also the debate of the decade. Every time I listen to a talk show, there is almost always something about global warming. As soon as I turned the radio on today, the first words were “global warming.” There are those who say the world is just going to continue to go on the same as it is now, and that we’ll never have to worry about any consequences of climate change. I’m not sure that’s exactly an accurate assessment, but then you have the other side that attributes everything that happens to global warming; every hurricane, every disaster, every storm, every wildfire, every heat wave– every time something melts. Did anyone catch Rush’s segment on global warming and 1936? From the Rush Limbaugh show recently…

“Though California wildfires make worldwide news as the latest natural disaster to befall the state, experts say they have been occurring regularly since before the region was settled by Europeans. ’It’s a natural phenomenon, just part of Mother Nature’s way of cleaning out the forest,’ California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant said. ‘Sometimes we hear, “This is the worst fire season ever.” But it’s really an ongoing thing.’“Now, if there was a worst fire season in the last century or so, Berlant said, it would probably be 1936 — when flames swept across more than 1,250 square miles of California, an area roughly the size of Rhode Island.”  So all these people out there trumping global warming as the cause of this, it’s absurd. It’s asinine: 1936 was the hottest year on record, and also the worst fire season on record in California.  Flames swept across more than 1,250 square miles.  So 1936, hottest year on record — some a little hotter that year, man’s ego a lot smaller in 1936.

But despite all of the controversy, should action be taken now—and what action should be taken—to reduce any threat that might emerge as a result of global warming?  Senator Tom Carper had this to say about what would happen to Delaware if action isn’t taken soon:

“The highest point in Delaware is a bridge. To the extent that we continue to have climate change– global warming– with the ice caps melting and the glaciers melting, we’ll end up with sea level rise, and before long the state of Delaware is going to be under water.” 

Senator Carper stresses though that first, we need to make sure that the air we breathe is clean and free of mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which can be harmful to the health of unborn babies, newborn babies, children and adults as well. He said this week that much work needs to be done on what he considers meaningful, global warming legislation. These are critical issues of course, but assuming there is at least some kind of natural cycle– what impacts, if any, could global warming have on Delaware and the rest of the East coast in terms of freak weather? Is Delaware destined to go under? Or will Delaware just see more coastal flooding, more heat waves, an increased risk of landfalling hurricanes, and freak tornadoes? Maybe we’ll just see a few extra thunderstorms and a few more hot days—or perhaps nothing at all.

Alot of press has been made about WBOC’s blocking out of certain programming. Here’s the message on my TV today when I accidentally tried to watch Seinfeld. Oh well, guess I’ll have to find something better to do with myself. Actually, just had the TV on in the background and noticed sound stopped coming from it.

So, instead of watching Seinfeld out of Fox in Philly, I guess you have to watch it on Fox 21 Delmarva. Eh, who cares? Let’s get some locally produced content on our local channels. Any Ideas? Dan and I liked Judge Infante, a judge type show where Frank Infante plays Mediator.

Anyway, The Fox 29 station isn’t being blocked completely, therefore, local cable companies do have the ability to just block certain shows (as the message says). Seacrest Out.

Above TV Screen Message reads: In compliance with the FCC syndication exclusivity regulations, this program is blocked out. Local TV stations are allowed to protect their exclusive rights and cable operators are required to block out any duplicate programming. Normal programming will resume once the protect programming has concluded.

Well, we’ve all done some stupid things. Some of those, for some, include the use of illegal or prohibited substances. But, today I read a press release from the Collier’s County Sheriff’s Office that had me scratching my head and holding onto my $1.50 egg and cheese biscuit. I’ve read about and talked to a lot of people who have put some strange substances into their body…but, this takes the proverbial ice-cream cake, my friends. I actually felt like I should go to snopes and uncover this as a lie. Snopes.com, a site that investigates urban legends, labeled jenkem’s use in America as “undetermined.” (ref: fox news)

Calling Dr. Jenkem, Dr. Fine. Dr. Howard.

From Wiki: Jenkem or jekem is an inhaled gas which can result in dissociation and hallucinations. It is made from fermented sewage. According to Fountain of Hope, a nonprofit organization, Jenkem is used by street children in Lusaka, Zambia as a substitute for ordinary inhalants such as glue or petrol. According to anecdotal sources and still unconfirmed media reports, Jenkem is as of November 2007 in the process of attaining a foothold among US teenagers.

Oh sweet Uncle Charlie…No! What? Really? Inhaled gas from fermented sewage??? Yeah, as it turns out…it’s homemade sewage? Yeah it turns out, like some pee-wee version of Howard Hughes, they capture their own human waste in a plastic bottle, let it ferment in the sun, (this is some serious moonshine.. umm.. sunshine)…then inhale the fumes. Reporters liken the “high” to that of cocaine.

Wanna see the press release?

Here’s a report called “Jenkem Madness.”

This is something I’d like to discuss on the air…but the “human waste” aspect plus the “but, you’re giving kids ideas” argument makes me pause…well, at least now at 7:41 in the AM. We’ll see what happens around 10:35.

Add the escheat scandal to the growing heap.  It follows the psych center as the latest exhibit of incompetence and arrogance emanating from the office of the Governor.  Don’t give me any talk back about how she isn’t responsible.  The buck stops at her desk and when it comes to scandal, theft and rape there is a strange silence from Dover.  In old English Common Law silence equaled consent.  We must assume Ms. Minner wholeheartedly approves of patient abuse and stealing of unclaimed funds.

The only serious response, to date, from Minner’s minions is the one echoing about the news media hurting the feelings of the dead weight collecting pay, benefits and pensions from the taxpaying public.  How disappointing it must be for the regressive party to see its traditional allies in newsrooms do a pirouette and bite the hands of fellow travelers. 

Governing is serious business and apparently much more so when public servants can enrich themselves and treat public office as private property.  It isn’t just Governor Minner wearing blinders.  The state’s number two would like your blessing for order of succession.  Instead all he talks about is how he’ll make healthcare free.  Well, not exactly free, but don’t ask any questions involving use of the word how.  And please ignore the scandal a day from the government with which he currently serves.  Otherwise he’ll take you for a long ride over a bridge he and his liege can’t complete.

My criticisms will be dismissed by this crowd as the ranting of a shock jock or enemy combatant but what you need to recognize, as taxpayers and voters, is that these issues individually are embarrassments not easily dismissed but as pattern you could argue insurrectionists looking to destabilize a state would take such a path.  Since even the worst critics of the Minner Administration concur malice wasn’t the starting point the only conclusion left is the one that says these people can’t shoot straight.  It’s government by the stupid.  You drop off a few gallons of liquor in a few select Wilmington neighborhoods the weekend before an election and this is the outcome.

What Delaware needs is someone on the order of Ronald Reagan.  Someone dressed in an attitude willing to say no booze for you and willing to backhand a few career bureaucrats currently getting the free ride.  A bracer, really, to clarify that these people work for you and me and we demand efficiency, fairness and the truth and won’t settle for anything less.  Is there anyone with the boldness of a Reagan or a Thatcher on the state scene?  I’m impressed by people who can take a small business and turn it into a massive business but we’ve seen too often to our dismay that public employee unions and the career bureaucrats connive to cut such a candidate off at the knees.  There are, from my perspective, just a handful of methods for counter attack.  One, a great deal of money would need to be spent to cut through the lies big labor and the lazy class would use as smokescreen.  Beyond personal fortunes such money may be in short supply in a small state.  Another needed plus is name recognition.  Sadly, it appears for the time being it’s the exclusive province of the current regressive political class.  

So what we’ve found are politics as Samuel Beckett play.  It may be a long wait but my Bible tells me that human history offers the occasional deliverer.  American history tells me a good crisis promises a deliverer.  Among you is there a personality willing to deliver?

It seems like video games are getting more and more violent and graphic. There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding the new “Manhunt 2″ game, which contains a great deal of carnage. You can see a few photos of the game by clicking on this link:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jpQ_GJJuBYfnoVDvsl3urbnEJThgD8SLNSH00

The cover of this video game says it all. Real obvious is the demonic image that depicts the kind of evil that is being instilled into the minds of young people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhunt_2 

What is actually included in the game has sparked outrage. Players can use any item in the environment to take people out. The game allows players to set people on fire, stab them in the eye with pens, and choke them with wire. There are dozens of different ways to kill people, each with realistic blood and sound effects. In the game, the player guides two people who scape from an insane asylum and go on a killing rampage with a variety of weapons, including axes. The intro scene opens into thunder-storm-inspired chaos and is described as incredibly cinematic with screams and cries emanating from the halls and doctors being dragged off and beaten by NPCs. A new feature regarding executions in the game are the environmental kills, which can be used to eliminate an opponent. For example, you can push an enemy face-first into a live fuse box, use telephone cords to strangle an enemy or you can beat the dude to death in a toilet.

Despite the extreme bloody violence, ”Manhunt 2″ is going to keep its mature rating. The Associated Press reports that there were calls to give it an adults-only rating, after hackers defeated some of the steps that were taken to blur some of the game’s violence. But the board that assigns the age ratings to video games says it will stay where it is. The game went on sale in the U.S. this week for PlayStation and Wii platforms.

If you are a parent, how do you feel about your teenager playing this game? I believe these types of games can affect the minds of young people. Also do any of these ratings set by the Entertainment Software Rating Board mean anything? Does the rating lessen the impact on the individual? Perhaps you are one of those who doesn’t see anything wrong with this. You might say (and a 17 year old kid might say), “Come on, it’s only a game.” But is this something you really want to get your son for Christmas?