As defined by CBS News in 2010, ‘There is no greater symbol of the American presidency than the Oval Office. It’s used to address the nation about only the most momentous of events and most critical of issues.’

BACKLASH AGAINST FOREIGN POLICY
OF  CHENEY, BUSH  AND  RUMSFELD
SPARKS NEW ANTIWAR MOVEMENT

Prime-time announcement on TV
that America  will go to war
is relic  of  times past

KERRY NEGOTIATES SYRIA SOLUTION
 
By David Maril
 
In the good old days, if the President of the United States was about to order a significant military procedure, he would make a prime-time announcement on the major television networks.

The commander-in-chief, sitting in the White House Oval Office, would begin, “My fellow Americans,” and then explain, in confident, serious but reassuring terms, what was going to take place.

However in recent years, launching invasions and military strikes no longer seems to be considered a big deal.

Back in 2011, for example, the news gradually dripped out over the Internet and cable TV that the U.S. was, at least temporarily, taking the lead on creating a no-fly zone over Libya. However as Americans learned the news, casually getting brought up to speed, President Barack Obama was in the midst of a goodwill trip touring Brazil, Chile and El Salvador.

Apparently at that point in our history, dropping bombs on another country, whether one thought it was called for or unjustified, was no longer considered by our leaders to be a big deal. Instead of an address to the American people, we received a few vague, contradictory statements about how Muammar Gaddafi must go, but that he wasn’t the actual target of our attack.

We were reassured, indirectly through Obama spokespeople, that our troops were only going to be leading these bombing patrols for a few days, or the first week at most.

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Police cordon off area surrounding Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse in downtown Baltimore after bomb scare Thursday afternoon.  (VoB Photos/Veronica Piskor)

Blast in a trash can
under monument

TRUCKS COLLIDE ON JFX
 
Streets surrounding the Clar- ence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse in downtown Baltimore were cordoned off by Baltimore police Thursday afternoon following reports of a small explosion in a trash can.

Calvert, Lexington and Fayette Streets have been closed to traffic as a result of the blast, which occurred on the Calvert Street median strip known as Battle Monument Square between the main courthouse and Courthouse East, apparently beneath the Battle Monument (with the Lady Baltimore statue at its apex), which is currently under repair. As of late afternoon police and hazmat crews were still on the scene searching for suspicious devices.

No injuries have been reported.

Editor’s Note:  VoB photo looks north on North Calvert Street from East Baltimore Street. The Battle Monument, in scaffolding, can be seen behind green Fayette Street sign, between traffic lights.

In other news, two tractor trailers collided just before rush hour on the southbound side of the Jones Falls Expressway adjacent to the entrance ramp from West Northern Parkway, backing up traffic on the JFX and Northern Parkway in both directions.

VoB photographer Veronica Piskor was on the scene and posted this exclusive photograph:

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Holly Walter won the ‘Voice of Baltimore 2013’ competition with this performance at Padonia Station July 15. Leroy Laws was the male winner. (VoB Photo/Debi Fowler)

For Walter, victory was bittersweet:
it was her third consecutive year
in the Padonia Station contest

FIRST-EVER DUAL MALE/FEMALE WINNERS
 
By Sara Heilman
 
As her mother claims, Holly Walter is a “late bloomer.”

After entering Padonia Station’s “Voice of Baltimore” competition for a third consecutive year, Walter was finally crowned 2013’s female winner. She took the grand prize of $300, along with a recording session at Sheffield Institute, and landed a guest spot on WNST Sports Radio (AM1570).

Leroy Laws was named the first-ever male winner of the contest. It was the first time the popular Timonium sports bar and restaurant featured both a male and female winner.

According to Debi Fowler — who has been organizing the contest at Padonia Station for the entire 12 years of its existence — the change was made because male vocalists are limited when it comes to singing songs originally done by women. Fowler explained that male performers don’t have as many options when it comes to spicing-up their appearance.

Having dual winners this year was argued to be both a good and bad change to the competition.

According to Walter, the contest is not about money or winning, but rather about charity. Its primary purpose is to raise money for the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation, a charity for abused, neglected and at-risk children.

Walter agreed with Fowler, saying that the male performers do not get the same recognition as the women because females have more vocal range and that men are limited to the appearance they can present when on stage.

On the other side of the issue, former contestant and one of this year’s judges, Kim Yates of Kim’s Krypt, disliked the dual-winner change to the competition. Yates claims that “the sex of a person makes no difference when it comes to talent” and that “if you can ‘rock’ the stage and have it all, [then] you will win.”

Walter and Laws certainly rocked the stage on the final night July 15. All competitors were required to sing two songs that night, being judged on their appearance, performance and vocals.

Laws returned to the contest after taking two years off to enjoy the karaoke scene. He said that after singing in the competition for a few consecutive years, he realized some of the judges have certain expectations of performers, which is why he took the break.

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MARC train with bi-levels on the Penn Line at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.

An objective, rational evaluation
is  needed  to  find  the  answer

MLK JR’S ‘I HAVE A DREAM’
 
By David Maril
 
While wondering why it has taken so long for Maryland to expand MARC service between Baltimore and Washington to weekends, it’s interesting to note the following:

  Reasonably priced train service from Baltimore to the nation’s capital on weekends should become a popular way to travel.

Working commuters utilize the service heavily during the week and there’s no reason why families, tourists and leisure travelers going back and forth between the two cities shouldn’t enjoy the convenience on weekends.

Who wouldn’t want to avoid trying to navigate Washington’s maze of one-way and detour-dominated streets? Amtrak, a decent solution for longer rail trips to New York or Philadelphia, is way too pricey to entice local Washington-Baltimore passengers. MARC is a terrific short-travel option.

  Here’s hoping Baltimore or the State of Maryland creates an objective outside investigative committee to fairly evaluate how much revenue, after expenses, the Grand Prix of Baltimore actually brings to the city.

A comprehensive impact study is needed to measure what the overall effect is on hotels, restaurants and all the other related businesses in the downtown and Inner Harbor areas. There’s way too much hype and rhetoric on both sides.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has invested a lot of her political support in the project and is too big an advocate to objectively determine its value.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF

A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond.   Your weekday morning look  (with links)  at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may be on Friday:

Lines at Hooters Inner Harbor Restaurant spilled out the door as Keith Urban performed on a floating stage in place of Ravens’ home opener.

•  DISASTER IN DENVER:  BRONCOS DESTROY RAVENS IN SEASON OPENER AS HOOTERS OVERFLOWS

Hooters at the Inner Harbor had a line out the door from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday as country singer Keith Urban soothed Ravens fans, whose home opener was moved to Denver because of a scheduling conflict. But it wasn’t enough to keep quarterback Peyton Manning from tying an NFL passing record and the Broncos from scoring the most points ever allowed by the Baltimore team with a 49-27 win. The Orioles won though, 3-1.

Read More at:  Baltimore Sun | Washington Post

•  MARYLAND CASINOS BRING IN $71 MILLION IN AUGUST

Maryland’s four casinos raked in $71 million in August, nearly three-quarters of it from the largest casino on the East Coast, Maryland Live! The Arundel Mills hotspot brought in $53 million for the month, $20 million more than in August 2012.

Read More at:  WBAL-TV Channel 11

•  BALTIMORE POLS SEEK $3 MINIMUM WAGE HIKE

Raising Maryland’s minimum wage by nearly $3 an hour will be Baltimore’s top issue at next year’s General Assembly session, the chairman of the city delegation said at a news conference Thursday at City Hall.

Read More at:  Baltimore Sun

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