Items of local interest to the four-state area (Western Md, Southern PA, Northern VA, and Eastern WV).
I know, I know – Father’s Day was this past Sunday (but my publishing day is Monday, so I’m going to talk about it anyway). Often overlooked and underappreciated, I hope you all took the time to raise a glass in honor of Dad this past week. Fathers do so much – and are often more than happy to perform their duties under the radar. Whether it’s figuring out how to pay for college, mowing the lawn, changing the burnt…
If you’ve ventured outside recently in the four-state area, then you’ve probably been greeted by the loud and rhythmic buzzing of cicadas. It’s the return of “Brood X” – the largest group of cicadas that make an appearance every seventeen years in the Central-Atlantic states along the Eastern seaboard. For the next few weeks, millions of these insects will emerge after their long slumber – and for a month or so they will molt, eat, mate, and then drop dead,…
While this holiday weekend is being mark by cookouts, yard sales, graduations, and serves as the “unofficial” kick-off of a mask-less summer (if you’ve been vaccinated), it’s good to stop and take a moment or two to understand and think about what the Memorial Day holiday is all about. Unlike Armed Forces Day (May 15th) or Veteran’s Day (November 11th), Memorial Day is reserved to remember those men and women who served their country and are no longer with us. …
You can’t watch the news or surf the internet without someone eventually talking about the newest financial buzzword – cryptocurrency. You’ve probably heard of some of the bigger names (Bitcoin, Etherium, Dogecoin, etc.), but what exactly are they? How do they work? Most importantly – should you invest in them? First, let’s take a look at what cryptocurrency actually is. Well, to put it in the simplest of terms, it’s a form of digital currency (usually tokens) that can be…
You’ve seen the headlines. You may even have panicked and topped off your gas tank this past week (yeah, I saw the lines at Sam’s Club – you freaks) – but what really happened at the Colonial Pipeline Company that caused gasoline to stop flowing in its massive pipeline which traverses the East Coast of the United States (and provides gasoline and other fuel to the entire southeastern corridor)? Let’s start with some definitions here. First, it’s important to understand…
I’m a simple man, just trying to make my way in this life. I’m not looking for trouble and I’m all about letting people go their own way. If you want to make questionable life decisions – as long as they don’t impact me, I say go for it. You want to ride a motorcycle without a helmet? Be my guest. Want to own forty-five firearms? As long as you’re not shooting them off in town at 3:00 AM after…
June is fast approaching, and that means that thousands of local high school seniors (including my youngest daughter) will soon be completing their studies and walking the stage to receive their hard-earned diplomas. It’s been quite a journey for these young men and women, but has it been a memorable one – or one that they’d just as soon forget? It’s been a very unique time for the class of 2021 (and for that matter, the class of 2020 as…
As we are moving into the warmer months of spring and summer, I am beginning to see American flags once again adorn porches, yards, and businesses. It’s a great way to show one’s patriotism and love of country, but as much as I enjoy seeing a street full of flags on holidays like Memorial Day or Independence Day, many people still don’t seem to realize that there are some rules and guidelines that should be followed when deciding to display…
If you’re a frequent reader of this blog, you’ll remember that last year I spent some of my COVID isolation planting a garden, utilizing a plot in my town’s local community garden. It was a great way to get some exercise, see if I would enjoy digging in the dirt, and also allowed me to undertake a hobby that provided some relevant feedback on success or failure. I have to say that although I’m not a newly converted and rabid…
I recently had the good fortune (please read that with intense sarcasm) of having to interact with the Department of Motor Vehicles, an organization who’s very name screams “painful experience” and “test of will”. I was there to obtain historic tags for my 1999 Toyota Camry (nicknamed “Stan”) who – yes – is still on the road after all of these years, but is only driven occasionally by my youngest daughter (this disclaimer is provided to assure the DMV that…