Baltimore, my Baltimore...

Six of the eight "Breaking News" stories flashing along the top of this morning's Baltimore Sun webpage were negative, bad or actually awful ("State police arrest Howard man on child porn charges").

A little digging, however, managed to produce some good news from the depths of the Sun's news sections. I was first directed to the site by the Boston Globe, which noted the movie "The Social Network," based on the creation of Facebook, is being filmed at Johns Hopkins next Monday and Tuesday. Based on the birth of the brainchild of Harvard student Matt Zuckerberg, the film uses JHU as a stand-in for those hallowed ivy walls and will employ local movie crews. This also explains why I was stuck in Harvard Square last week while big trucks moved lots of movie equipment around...

Once navigated onto the newspaper's homepage, I saw the word "Flamingogate" and had to investigate further. Having attended the Hon Fest three years ago, I had an inkling of what this story was about. Cafe Hon owner Denise Whiting declared victory over the Baltimore City Council when the cost of the permit for her enormous flamingo statue outside her restaurant was halved. Originally estimated at $800 a year, the city dropped it to $400 and agreed to put up signs on the highway promoting the neighborhood of Hampden where Cafe Hon is located.

Finally, another symbol of the city of Baltimore received a boost with the announcement AirTran Airlines, which has a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), has painted one of its planes with a Baltimore Ravens motif. Feted by the Ravens cheerleaders, the band and either Edgar, Allan or Poe (the story was not specific), Ravens 1 is the second of three NFL-themed jets rolled out by the discount carrier. Already flying the somewhat-friendly skies is Falcons 1 (after AirTran's hometown team), and an Indianapolis Colts-themed plane will complete the set. A lot of companies do sports marketing that makes absolutely no sense for either side in the deal, but this is actually very smart. AirTran is strengthening an already good relationship with the NFL, and since the plane will fly to all 60 carrier destinations all over the US, the visibility of the Baltimore Ravens should rise nationally.

Fun in the sun...

Recently I was trying to explain a uniquely Baltimore concept to someone who had never been there - "Hons." I eventually had to show the movie "Hairspray" to help illustrate my point. But that "hon" discussion led to a chat about Baltimore accents with examples. The one I have actually been guilty of, despite never having lived in "Bawlmer" proper, is telling someone I'm "goin' downy ocean." 

So I was delighted this morning to read a story in the Baltimore Business Journal on Ocean City, Maryland having its largest-ever May crowd. I have many fond family vacation memories of the real OC - take that California and New Jersey! It is terribly kitsch and probably bordering on seedy in some parts, but I used to love goin' downy ocean with all my family for a week.

Something I have been dragged - often kicking and screaming - into doing since moving to New England is going hiking. Despite being an athlete, I have never been what you call an "outdoorsy" girl. I am a country girl at heart, but I like me some 600 thread count sheets, unlimited hot water and central AC. Don't get me wrong; I love the outdoors. But I like to love them from a chaise with an umbrella drink in my hand, preferably brought and made by someone else. However, in the past two summers I have been guilted or cajoled into going hiking in and around the area, so when I saw in the LA Times the national parks will be free for three weekends this summer, I was tempted to search a little deeper to see if any of them included parks around my area. I then concluded that I would simply mention this to my hiking friends and let them do the "leg" work. : ) 

The last story has absolutely nothing to do with summer activities, but was just too darn cute to pass up. MSNBC.com had a story about an Australian Shepherd in South Dakota who took over mothering duties for four newborn kittens after their kitty-mom was struck by a car and killed. The seven year-old dog feeds and bathes the kittens, and, in an example of her dog heritage shining through, tries to herd the itteh bitteh kitteh committeh around the house.

(Photo credit: msnbc.com)

Monday Morning Potluck...

All of the stories I found on this lovely, if chilly, late spring morning are in no way connected to each other, but they are all fun in different ways.

Cnn.com reports that the state of Maryland "hired" 40 bearded goats to work for the state highway administration, trimming grass along the highways in an effort to make the MD bureaucracy more green and to save the bog turtles who live in the area and are listed as a threatened species. 

English businessman Jeremy Taylor foiled a robbery attempt on his own lumber company over the weekend. What really makes this unusual is that he did it in a helicopter. The AOPA Online website states Taylor had just taken off in his private craft when he spotted the robber leaving his lumber yard. Taylor flew after it and enlisted family help in trailing the van. The robber was eventually caught and punished. 

Last but not least, when I saw the headline of this next story I could not resist clicking on it - "Netherlands to close prisons for lack of criminals." NRC Handelsbad relates the story of how just 20 years ago the Netherlands had a shortage of prison cells, but now, due to a trend of declining crime, the Dutch will be closing eight prisons. And this is the country that legalized prostitution and marijuana...hmmm. :-P

(Photo credit: cnn.com)