Sorry We Missed the Parade...

Because it sounds as if there were more fireworks from the parade than the show later. It reminds me of Monty Python and Michael Palin yelling, "Help, help I'm being repressed!"
The Dagger has Del. McDonough's sign saga, but we just received an e-blast from Rick Impallaria about his own signage issues. Here is part of the blast:

"At the Bel Air Parade, however, my supporters and I were attacked by Mr. Michael Blum, the parade marshall, for carrying signs which clearly expressed the theme of the parade -- Patriotism Then and Now.

If there truly had been objectionable material in anyone's signs, the proper place for removal would have been the staging area, before appearing in public. But Mr. Blum stopped us on the parade route, ripping the "Support the Tea Parties" sign off our lead motorcycle, then stripping signs away from children as young as eight years old. Fortunately, my one niece, who is a true patriot, hid her sign, and for the remaining route we were left with "Stop the Taxing."

As Mr. Blum and his cohort attacked the members of my group, the spectators were outraged at what they saw, and started booing Mr. Blum, calling him a "sign Nazi" and "a Communist", and yelling "This day is all about patariotism and free speech." It was obvious that the spectators were not offended by the signs, but were offended by Mr. Blum's censoring of them.

Then, like true Nazis or Communists, they not only prevented my free speech, they attempted to confiscate my private property by refusing to return the signs. I was not about to stand for this. I repeatedly demanded they place the signs in my vehicle, and they repeatedly refused. All this was taking place in public, which was an embarassment to me, my family, and my supporters. When the van driver, my brother, got out and joined me, they realized that, in the famous words of Martin Luther King, Jr., "We shall not be moved," and the parade would be held up even further, they finally returned the signs.

As one blogger put it, "he is sick and tired of *&%^ politicians walking in the parades." I 100% agree with him, and that is exactly why we carried those signs. I believe it is the right of the people to know exactly what their elected officials stand for. If they do not support what I stand for, it is their option to boo or ridicule me. If they do, they have the right to support me for my representation of them.

Mr. Michael Blum's actions are a total disgrace. He owes a public apology to every true American who believes in freedom of speech. He should also attend classes on the Constitution given by the Institute on the Constitution which are held at Boyle Buick. Or, he should just openly admit to his fascist/community beliefs which he so clearly demonstrated at the Bel Air Parade.

As for my family, my supporters and myself, we stand 100% behind the positions we have taken, and we proudly say that we will continue to support the patriots of the past by doing all we can to be patriots of the present."

It's Crazy Out There

I made the rounds this morning doing some last-minute shopping and it seems that most of Harford County shared that thought. Festival was especially crazy, with Constant Friendship a close second.
Thanks to Bel Air News and Views for the mention and the item about the child getting hit in front of Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, I'm not surpised at all. (Is anyone?) I am always yelling at my kids not to hang on the front of the cart and if you see a crazy mother pushing her cart while clinging to her children -- that's me.
The 4-year-old was hit in the crosswalk! Instead of greeters, Wal-Mart needs a traffic patrol.
This can happen anywhere. This a.m. I was almost taken out by an Escalade while I was trying to get into Coffee! Coffee! By the way, that Starry Night blend is absolutely delicious.
On a happier note, people not in their cars were dare I say it -- friendly! A woman in BJ's I moved just slightly for told me to have a "Blessed Day and Merry Christmas" and the Target cashier wished me "a great Christmas!"

Plumtree/24 Rezoning

After a little digging, we found what the rezoning signs were about on Rte. 24 near Plumtree Road. It was called to our attention by an advertisement in The Aegis, placed by the Klein Family, owners of the Klein's Family Markets, stating that they had no zoning responsibility about this 52.392 acre parcel. It helpfully added a a rezoning case number.
The ad said that the hearing was scheduled for Nov. 7, but it's apparently been moved to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19. This is what I found on the county Web site:

CASE NO. 170:
KLEIN / TURNER LIMITED JOINT VENTURE - 1921, 2001 & 2014 Emmorton Road, Bel Air
Rezoning, proposed for the First Election District, 1921, 2013 & 2014 Emmorton Road, Bel Air, BY KLEIN / TURNER LIMITED JOINT VENTURE (PROPERTY OWNERS: 1921 EMMORTON ROAD LLC; 2001 EMMORTON ROAD LLC; AND EVERGREEN BUSINESS TRUST) (CONTRACT PURCHASER: EVERGREEN DEVELOPMENT LLC). Appealed because rezonings, pursuant to Section 267-12A of the Harford County Code, to rezone 18.46 acres from B2 Community District to R3 Urban Residential District, rezone 30.45 acres from R4 Urban Residential / B3 General Business District to B3 General Business District, and rezone 3.482 acres from R4 Urban Residential District to B3 General Business District, requires approval by the Board of Appeals.

This wasn't really an answer to my question, but it appears that something's coming.

Speeding - Part 2

Reader Holly on my previous post about driving fast mentions an accident last night on Rte. 24 in Bel Air. I was wondering if anyone had any information about it. I can't find anything about it online.
A few days before I wrote the original post about speeding, in the space of about half a mile I saw the aftermath of two accidents on Tollgate Road -- at the first entrance of Crisfield Drive and another at Sunray Court. The Crisfield/Tollgate accident had three cars involved. Looking at the vehicles I tried to decipher how it could have happened. I guess that was on my mind with the tailgater behind me a few days later. If I had stopped short with someone pulling out in front of me it would have been a three-car pileup -- with my car in the middle.
I've tried -- without success I might add -- to get drivers to slow down in my neighborhood. One similarity I've noticed when talking with people -- they don't think they're the ones responsible -- even though when I see many of these people driving down my street, they're driving well over the posted 25mph.
Instead of yelling at people to SLOW DOWN, I've now tried waving to people. This has been more effective, because even people I don't know will slow down to see if they recognize me. As one of my neighbors pointed out, this will probably only be effective for a short time, but I'll take it while it lasts. And it feels more neighborly.

Black Friday on Saturday

Festival in Bel Air was mobbed with shoppers on Saturday morning. The apparent cause was Kohl's early bird sale. Checkout lines on both sides of the store snaked back with at least 20 deep. Someone behind me commented that it looked like Black Friday instead of the first Saturday in November. And it did.
This answered my previously posed question about recession in Harford County. If Kohl's can bring out that many people on a cold Saturday morning, it certainly makes the Christmas season look more optimistic.
Also, driving through the parking lot in Festival while always a challenge, was even moreso with all the bargain hunters (and the ambulance in front of Kohl's where a woman was taken to the hospital). I guess a lot of people were overly anxious to get to those sale prices by the driving methods on display. Honking and lewd hand signals were thankfully missing, however. But I guess maybe drivers were saving those for Black Friday.

Halloween fun

For some Halloween fun check out Bel Air News and Views blog. Bel Air News and Views
And yes, I do remember dancing to this one.

Flu Shots in Harford County

Just in case you're worried about the flu:

Harford Co. Health Dept. will hold clinics on the following dates and times for the general population. Cost is $20

Oct 25 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Ripken Statdium (rain date 11/2)
Oct 27 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Bel Air Middle School
Nov 1 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Fallston High School
Nov 14 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM Edgewood Middle School
Nov 16 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM North Harford Elementary
Nov 30 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Level Fire hall