Better than a 30 second commercial

      How many times have we heard someone say "It doesn't make any difference who I vote for because there isn't any difference in the political parties--they are both alike."  This year there is a dramatic difference in the positions of the Republican and Democrat parties when you look at their party platforms.  Even though some people say that they don't necessarily reflect the positions of the candidates running this year they do show the direction of the the party faithful.    Don't vote based on the 30 second commercials for each candidate but on the platforms.  I wish everyone would take the time to read each one.  Link to the Republican platform.  Link to the Democratic platform.

Allview: The new Howard County before Columbia

    I have been doing some door to door canvassing for Equality Maryland this past week in Allview.  This community has always been a favorite place for me to run and bike. Bounded by the Patuxent River and watershed running along the eastern side and Beaver Creek, which runs along the southern border, U.S. 29 to the west and Broken Land Parkway to the north. Allview has always seemed to be the anti-Columbia place by its diversity of housing.  But this past week I have also had a chance to meet many of the residents of this community and its diversity makes this a fascinating place.  The two pictures above show this diversity.  From Edwin Gould pictured above whom I blogged about last year to the home with the "don't tread on me" flag you can see this diversity of residents.  Liberal to conservative.  I met a number of Applied Physics Lab employees and military personnel.  I wasn't surprised by the APL employees (and retirees) because of its closeness to APL and the fact that Allview was developed in the 19950's and 1960's, by local developer Henry Witt, around the time that APL moved to Columbia from Silver Spring.  What did surprise me with the military personnel was that they didn't all work a Ft. Meade.  I met one that worked at Andrews, Bolling and even one that worked at Ft. Belvoir.  Seems like the word about Howard County schools is well known and shared among the military at all these bases.  Their commute is worth it to have their children in Howard County schools.

    You can't help but notice the diversity of housing styles in Allview.  It is not like much of Columbia with builders offering only 4 or 5 styles.  Add to that is that many of the homes have been renovated and modernized that adds to the diversity.  You can find a small early 1960 style rancher next to a large modernized 5000 sq. ft home.  I don't know how you do comp values for homes in Allview as they are so diverse.
     The Allview Area Civic Association holds a Fourth of July parade and annual house tour.  The community does have its own community pool.

P.S.
I have to admit that I turned the channel to the Democratic Convention after the Orioles blew a 5 run lead in the 8th inning last night to the hated Yankees.  I figured I would read this morning of how the Orioles blew the game.  I should never give up on this Oriole team.  Was delighted to read and watch how they roared back in their half of the 8th inning.  Something about this team does inspire you.

 P.S. 1
Video this Friday is how I feel being at the beach this week.

When 25 miles is "a bridge too far"

       Columbia is 25 miles "as the crow flies" from the White House in DC but you would never know it by how Columbia and Maryland are ignored by the presidential candidates.  Not being a swing state in the electoral college system means we are taken for granted.  You have to be "purple" to matter.  Our 6 million residents are certainly not alone in this situation.  California's 37 million residents and New York's 20 million residents must wonder why they are ignored while the 3 million residents of Iowa get multiple visits from the candidates.  Of course we all realize that this situation is because we still have an archaic Electoral College system.  It gets even more ridiculous when you realize that in the swing states the candidates are fighting over 3-5 percent of the voters in those states.
       Maryland will also never hope to have a presidential convention because of not being a swing state.  Trivia question.  What city has hosted the second most presidential conventions? Baltimore.  The last in 1912 in the Fifth Regiment Armory.
      After the craziness of the 2000 election where a few hundred votes in Florida and one vote on the Supreme Court determined the election by the Electoral College and with the candidate gaining the most popular votes losing you would have thought we would come up with a better system for the 21st Century.  After all until the early 20th Century we still had senators chosen by state legislatures instead of by popular vote.  My dream outcome for this year is that Romney wins the popular vote and Obama wins the Electoral College because until each party has this happen nothing will change.

P.S.
From Howard County Parks and Rec:

Preschool Crafts & Fine Arts

To sign up for Preschool Crafts & Fine Arts classes click here.

Youth Crafts & Fine Arts

To sign up for Youth Crafts & Fine Arts classes click here.
KidzArt Afterschool Programs:

• Atholton ES 
• Bellows Spring ES 
• Centennial Lane ES 
• Fulton ES 
• Northfield ES 
• Pointers Run ES 
• Rockburn ES 
• Roger Carter Recreation Center 

Teen Crafts & Fine Arts

To sign up for Teen Crafts & Fine Arts classes click here.

Adult Crafts & Fine Arts

To sign up for Adult Crafts & Fine Arts classes click here.

• Anna Tai Suppy List, click here
• Brenda Kidera Supply List, click here 
• Cher Compton Drawing Class Supply List, click here 
• Cher Compton Painting Class Supply List. click her

Columbia BikeAbout

Columbia BikeAbout is Saturday, September 15, 2012

Staggered Start – 9:30 – 10:30 am

Ride Begins and Ends at Columbia Downtown Lakefront

The Columbia Association’s (CA) annual BikeAbout will be held on Saturday, September 15, starting between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., with riders beginning at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront. The free, 13-mile, history-filled ride through Columbia is a self-paced ride that utilizes Columbia’s paths and (when necessary) street connections.

The annual event highlights the history, art and culture, and environmental features found in Columbia while introducing new ways to make the connections between villages.
This year’s BikeAbout route will take riders through parts of Oakland Mills, Long Reach and Town Center. Features on the BikeAbout will include:

• Blandair Park: Phase 1 is open — what’s next?
• Woodlawn Slave Quarters: CA’s sensitive restoration helps interpret Howard County history
• Oakland Ridge Industrial Park: Columbia’s first industrial area has become a hidden marketplace
• Thunder Hill: From Sleeping Dog Lane to Soaring Hill, the story behind the street names
• Jackson Pond: From farm pond, to experimental storm water retention, to neighborhood amenity
• Symphony Woods and downtown redevelopment: past, present and future

Pre-registration for the BikeAbout is encouraged. Registration can be done online at bikeabout.eventbrite.com. Forms are also available at Columbia Archives, located at 10227 Wincopin Circle in the American City Building, or at the front desk of the Columbia Association headquarters, located at 10221 Wincopin Circle.

For more information, go to ColumbiaArchives.org, send an email to Columbia.Archives@ColumbiaAssociation.org or call 410-715-6781.

 
P.S.
This says it all!

 P.S. 1
 The Mind of Leonardo da Vinci at Miller Library

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Dr. Jonathan Pevsner, Associate Professor of Neuroscience with Johns Hopkins Medicine, harbors a passionate interest in the work of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), painter of the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. The ultimate Renaissance man, da Vinci was a brilliant artist, scientist, engineer, anatomy pioneer, and inventor. Dr. Pevsner explores this remarkable life to gain an understanding of the nature of his creativity and integrated approach to the arts and sciences.

Date	Time	Branch	Register
Thursday, September 20	7:00 PM	Miller Branch	Register for this event

Does Howard County have an identity?

       Quick, when you think of Howard County you think of ____________________?  Choose Civility? High median income suburb?  Like most suburban communities Howard County has a problem with defining itself as more than a bedroom community.  When Columbia was first being developed the Rouse Company advertised Columbia as "The New America."  Why are cities and states better at having an identity?  Remember Kurt Schmoke's Baltimore theme of "Baltimore Reads?"  Austin's great theme is "Keep Austin Weird."  "Maryland is for crabs", "Virginia is for lovers", Missouri is the "Show Me State." Any good marketing campaign has to have a focused theme that gives the product its identity.  For a community it can clearly identify where it wants to put its energy to improve.

     What would you suggest as Howard County's marketing theme? Here's some examples but I encourage you to come up with some more.
"Greenest community in America"
"Celebrating diversity"
"Where green meets hi-tech"
"America's most livable community"