Clayton Moore, left, and Jay Silverheels as The Lone Ranger and Tonto in 1950s TV series based on the radio show and book by Fran Striker.

When you comin’ back, Lone Ranger?
— with apologies to Red Ryder
 
By David Maril
 
While wondering if the 40 percent increase in Baltimore water rate fees over three years would have been necessary if the more than $10 million still owed the city by some businesses, nonprofits and government offices had been collected, it’s interesting to note the following:

  It’s hard not to believe that the tax and fee hikes Marylanders will be facing this year, including gasoline and stormwater, would be lower, or even unnecessary if finances were managed more responsibly and agencies supervised more stringently. No matter how much more revenue is generated out of the pocketbooks of taxpayers, it will never be enough if the elected politicians don’t manage the finances better.

  Have the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives ever had two more ineffective leaders at the same time than Harry Reid and John Boehner? Reid, abrasive and condescending, has all the charm of a telemarketer. Boehner is in over his head and can’t keep his party in line.

  How skewered is our financial structure when signs of a better than expected economic recovery cause a dip in the stock market because of the fear that if things improve quickly there will be less control over interest rates by the feds?

  The way things are done in Washington, it’s surprising that Congress, which refuses to address the U.S. Postal System’s growing deficit by dropping costly Saturday delivery, doesn’t counter by demanding seven-day-a-week service.

  The big news coming out of the Whitey Bulger trial in Boston isn’t about the conduct of the alleged mob boss and murderer. Bulger is not really on trial. Everyone assumes, even before the verdict is delivered, he’s guilty. The big story is that this case puts the FBI on trial and under the microscope. The level of corruption in the law enforcement agency’s dealing with Bulger is the interesting part of the case. It wouldn’t be surprising if there are many in the FBI who hoped Bulger would never be caught and all this unsavory information would have disappeared with him.

U.S. secrets leaker Edward J. Snowden is believed to be hiding out at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, from which he hopes to obtain safe transport to a country, most likely Ecuador, that will agree to grant him political asylum.

  Columnist David T. Mindich raised an interesting point in the Saturday New York Times when he revealed that under Abraham Lincoln, the government took control of the telegraph system and officials were reading all the telegraphs sent. The government was also quite active in trying to control the media and a number of reporters were arrested on flimsy charges. Mindich does, however, make the point that this was under war-time conditions and when the war ended these government controls were halted. The question with our current situation is, What factors determine the need for war security conditions? and Will there ever be a time where the tightened government surveillance ends?

  When we hear the bombastic outrage being expressed by European countries over our alleged spying at International meetings, it’s hard not to think of Claude Rains, as Captain Renault in “Casablanca,” exclaiming shock at gambling going on at Rick’s Café as he stuffs his winnings in his pocket.

  The mostly lukewarm reviews the “Lone Ranger” movie is drawing should come as no surprise to those of us who can only accept Clayton Moore as the masked lawman and Jay Silverheels as Tonto.

  To hear some airline passengers whine about not having access all the time to their computer devices, you’d think they were being prevented from breathing or talking during flights. What a sacrifice not being able to send trivial messages back and forth for a short period of time.

  How loud will the howling be when the use of all communication and computer devices by car, bus and truck drivers is banned? This type of rule is long overdue. When they start compiling statistics on accidents caused by distractions from the use of these devices, it will be a no-brainer. Too many drivers are already hazards trying to drink coffee and eat while carelessly steering through traffic.

Kojo Uehara, now a relief pitcher for the league-leading Boston Red Sox, played for the Baltimore Orioles between 2009 and 2011.

  While there is a concern among Baltimore fans about leads in tight games being blown, the Orioles’ recent struggles are more about a temporary offensive slump. While the team has impressive power statistics on the season, it went into a skid scoring runs. The team’s pitching depth is better than most people realize. This is especially true when you take into consideration the Orioles have had starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen out for much of the season and saw Jason Hammel and Miguel González forced to miss some starts.

  The funny part about the Orioles’ broadcasting roster is that backup TV man Jim Hunter’s detailed play-by-play is better suited for radio while radio announcer Fred Manfra’s conversational style is even better on television. Mike Bordick, TV colorman, should be encouraged to talk more about his experiences as a major league player. Surely he has some interesting accounts from all the years he was a shortstop playing for colorful Tony LaRussa.
 
davidmaril@hermanmaril.com
 
Editor’s note:  As Dave Maril was composing his “Inside Pitch” column for Voice of Baltimore at his Provincetown, Mass. retreat during the July 4th weekend, Secretary of State John Kerry was not far away on his yacht at Nantucket, despite angry denials by the U.S. State Department that he was “on a boat.”

On Sunday afternoon Kerry’s wife, Heinz Ketchup heiress Teresa Heinz Kerry, 74, was rushed from their Cape Cod getaway to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in critical condition, where she remains Monday. According to the Associated Press, she showed “symptoms consistent with a seizure.”

However the bigger story this week in Massachusetts is the murder and racketeering trial of James J. “Whitey” Bulger, the accused Boston mob boss who was formerly on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

Kojo Uehara, a Baltimore Oriole between 2009 and early 2011, is a relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.  Johnny Depp, who plays Tonto in the current heavily criticized film, “The Lone Ranger,” justifies playing John Reid’s “faithful Indian companion” by claiming that he, Depp, is of limited Cherokee ancestry, although neither U.S. nor Cherokee censuses bear that out.
 
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