Stankass Says

Whoa Nelly, the fruit for sale in these parts is deplorable. Can't remember when I had me one of them real crisp Granny Smith apples that didn't cost me a buck a piece.
A pint of blueberries for almost 4 singles?! Are We kiddin'! Worst part is you check the bottoms of these lil crates and that fruit is goin' bad - see blueberries, strawberries, raspberries...I've been to Giant, Safeway, Food Lion in my area and it is really really a bad situation. Anybody out in the NW area of Bawlmer Co have any options? The roadside places are real scattered these days...C'mon can a guy get an orange?...
Stanakass out...

Funny as we get older we have those times we remember from way back as if they had occurred only yesterday. As a young lad I would go to Baltimore Colts games with my dad (see earlier posting). The Baltimore Colts Marching Band would line up at the goal line to a drum beat and then this man ...this tall man wearing a Colts Marching Band uniform would take these e-nor-mous high steps and lead the band into the Colts fight song. In what looked to me to be only three large steps this giant of a man had moved from the goal line to mid-field (or so it seemed). That giant was Mr. Richard Otto, the Colts Marching Band drum major. Didn't know this man and never got to meet him, but I gotta tell you - I'll never forget him as he was an integral part of my Sunday afternoons at the ballyard with my dad. I saw that Mr. Otto had passed on Tuesday the 21st of February in this year 2006. As I read his obituary the vision of Mr. Otto leading the marching band played through my mind just like it was Sunday at 100pm on 33rd Street and the Colts (the real Colts)were preparing to battle ...
Stankass out...

Hey folks, bit nippy here in ole Bawlmer the last few days. Must say it has had it's effect on the behavior of folks in these parts...let's see -
Bawlmer was acquirin' homicides like El Master Robber Baron eats up small bus'ness in his way. The cold put the 'kaibash' on that there bit of abhorrent behavior.

Ventured up to Bill Bateman's Bistro in Reistertown yesterday afternoon to grab some wings to go. Got them atomic ones that are sure to make you remember'em the next day. (wings - 4 Melvins) Anyhoo me and my darlin' had to sit at the bar and wait for'em to get cooked so we decided on a coupla cold ones. She - Rolling Rock bottle, Me - Killian's draft (beer...real cold - 4 Melvins). But you know what? The beer better be cold...it was Antarctica inside that place. Sure nuff they had signs posted regarding renovations, but gosh darn couldn't they see the new not so completed door had app 1-2" gap at the bottom. Folks that weren't no draft! Everybody had a coat on in the joint even the Martin Short lookin' guy who looked toasted. Hope that gets fixed soon.

Hey hope to see them UMBC undergrads and potents at the Humanities alumni affair March 1st at Harbor Hall on the campus...supposed to be rememberin' and talkin' up the joint.

Phew... can't get this Dennis Yost and the Classics IV tune outta my head. I was readin' where some feller said that he has all these songs trapped in his head that he can't get rid of and they play over and over - he called it a twisted form of Tourette's syndrome. That's gotta hurt - imagine being awakened at 3am by "My name is Luka...I live on the second floor..."

Have you picked up the Parade magazine in your Sunday paper? The cover story is a must read. Andrew Vachss discusses the evils of child pornography and what YOU can do about it. For more information check out:

www.vachss.com......www.protect.org

Back here in Bawlmer, Murderland the race for the gubernatorial seat is heating up. The campaigns are startin' to get that gossipy...he said..she said thing goin' which folks really seem to thrive on. The big story the past week or so has been whether ole Mayor Martin So You Wanna Be a Rock Singer O'Malley has been cooking the books to report ultra low crime stats. Crime will be a big issue in this race for the big house. Fellers these folks should take a long deep look within and check the crime comin' out of the political rodeos we got roustin' here. Man do we pay some taxes here. I got friends who are movin' south at retirement takin' their pension and scarfin' up homes like mansions - it's all about taxes and cost of livin' - and Murderland is HIGH HIGH gonna take you HIGHER...If you move to PA, DE, NC, even GA you do well with your MD pension...why should that be?

How's the weight thing goin'? Gotta admit it's a slow arduous process, but it's comin' along...gets a little warmer I'll be workin' a wee doggie bit harder. It's nice to wear some of those clothes that have been catchin' 40 winks in the closet.

Currently reading a couple of things - All We Need of Hell by Harry Crews and Marley and Me by John Grogan...I'll let ya know...

Hey I'll be talkin' to undergrads at a UMBC ALumni function March 1st...someplace called Harbor Hall on that everchanging campus...has to do with Humanities majors and such...maybe I'll see some of y'all there...
Stankass out...

Hello Folks...hard to type with a cat on your lap - now he is a rapscallion...
imbibing on a nice velvety pinot noir Diamond Collection from Coppola...real nice
the Boys in Blue in Baltimore can't buy a break - would love to come to there defenses, but alas this problem with corruption is too widespread...it is reassuring to know that my time is close to the end and well "this craziness weren't a part of 'our thing'"...that's right - lawman - doncha know'it...
been diggin' all day on some great tunes - Sly & the Family Stone GH,
Dennis Yost and the Classics IV GH, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons 2 cd GH...yesssir...
hey y'all get that nasal thing?...y'know stuffiness, sneezin' and such? man they got us, don't they? you can go OTC and make Vicks, Afrin, Sudafed and Tylenol rich (er) - or - see the Doc and get the Doc a new boat and the make the Rx companies luv ya! Ya know Pfizer, Aventris, Nasa this and that...Weeee doggie...
man...this sure is some nice pinot...salud!
Stanakss out...

These days it seems like society's just brimmin' over with stories of atrocities against our future - our children. Like we've had some sort of outbreak. I reckon the truth to the matter is that statement aint all true. The media, internet and folks like Mr. Andrew Vachss have forced this issue to the forefront from the corner of the basement where it had been hidden for generations. Still a lot of work to be done on this front. Talkin' about it is good, but taking action is the key folks. Gotta save our kids like our life depends on it - and it does.

Wanna get involved check out these sites -
www.vachss.com
http://www.protect.org

Stankass out...

Attended me one of them homeowners association meetings the other day. My neighbor with the pits is still crappin' on my parade and gosh darn it is gettin' a bit dismaying because it seems like nothin' is gettin' done (see Jan 18th entry). Well after a hour or so the business of this neighbor was presented to THE BOARD and gosh darn it sounds like they are going to move on this issue. As an aside I called the Health Dept. folks the next day and after a bit of bureaucratic shenanigans I finally was hooked up with some one who took my complaint. Response to the complaint?

So my fellow oenophiles - that's wine lovers - gotta admit I've tasted a few Spanish
offerings lately and I am impressed. Reds or whites doesn't matter. The more impressive issue with Spanish wines is the cost - you can obtain some really special wines for less than $10. Currently, the Iron Bridge Wine Company in Clarksville has some real nice bargains. Picked up a delightful tempranillo at Discount Liqours (Joppa and Loch Raven).

Anybody try the new Lean Cuisine micro sandwiches - not too shabby...

y'all enjoy the Super Bowl...Me thinks I'll catch a flick...
Stankass out...

Forget the Indy version - the real Colts - the only Colts were here in ole Bawlmer.
I got hooked on football when I was a real young'un thanks to my pa. My ma and pa had season tickets to Colts home games at Memorial Stadium for a lot of years - right up to the end. Back then a season ticket might run about $7-8. Anyhoo the location of the seats was about the 20 yard line at the open end side of the stadium on the Colts side. Awesome! When I hit about 8-9 I was attending the games! Awesome! Awesome!...

Have a photo old b/w taken at Goucher College during training camp sitting on the knee of #89 DE HOF Gino Marchetti...I guess I was 4-5?...
I used to marvel at the folks who tried to catch the extra points / field goals that were kicked into the open end temporary stands...most left the game in police custody or bloodied and battered...
We would park at the Waverly Shopping Center on Greenmount, grab a slice of pizza at the Pixie Carryout and then walk through the neighborhood to the game with hundreds of other folks...imagine that? (if you're from Bawlmer you know what I'm talking about)...
the folks who sat behind us had a son who attended the games who was blind and would listen to the game as described by Chuck Thompson - I still vividly recall his chant "Kill Bubba Kill!"...
John Mackey catches a crossing route at the 40 or 50 and proceeds to run for the goal - at about the 10-15 yard line NOT 1, NOT 2, but 3 Chicago Bears try to bring him down...he drags all 3 into the end zone with him - RIGHT in front of us .... Colts win 21-20...
Unitas lofts a pass for the closed end visitors side end zone to #28 Jimmy Orr - it's Orrsville!How many TDs did he catch in that same spot?...
Long before there was Jamal Lewis following J.O. - there was Lenny Moore bustin' tail behind the best tackle in NFL history - Jim Parker...
Who can forget Mike Curtis' open field tackle of the stupid fan who tried to run off with the football? Ouch!...
Stan White blindsides Joe Willy Namath on a blitz...he leaves - returns - I think the Colts lost that day...
the aerial assault Namath and Unitas hook up for a lot of passing yards and a lot of TDS...
Bert Jones connects for 17 straight completions against Shula's Miami Dolphins...
Unitas comes on for one play when Marty Domres goes down...he connects on a 60+ pass for a TD to Eddie Hinton...
Stormin' Norman Bulaich runs for 196 against the Jets on a rainy muddy day...
Don Nottingham "The Bowling Ball" who got so low...so low...so low...
Ray Berry...
Lenny Lyles, Bobby Boyd, Rick Volk, Preston Pearson, Dennis Gaubatz, Louuuuu Michaels, Art Donovan, Tom Matte, Ray May... The Stork...Ehrrmann...Braase...Big Daddy...Shinnick...Shula...
What about - Jim Plunkett...O J...Joe Willy...Willie Lanier...Colts lose in OT to the Raiders - Casper catches the winner...Joe Kapp...Jurgensen...Norm Snead....
there's just too much...too much...
Stankass out...