Buzz

Head over to Harbor East and you may find the gentle cadence of a Baltimore accent overwhelmed by those of our neighbors to the north. The Boston Globe featured Harbor East as a travel destination in Sunday's paper.

Here's an excerpt:

"As recently as a decade ago, if you asked a Baltimore resident directions to Harbor East, you were likely to get a puzzled "where?''

A trail running through Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia has been designated as a National Scenic Byway by the Federal Highway Administration.

Here's an excerpt:

"The Journey Through Hallowed Ground, a historic driving route that meanders 180 miles through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, has been named a National Scenic Byway.

Victor Mendez, head of the Federal Highway Administration, made the announcement Friday in Washington, D.C.

The Federal Highway Administration created the National Scenic Byways Program in 1991 to recognize roads with unique archaeological, cultural, historical, natural, recreational and scenic qualities. It has since designated 125 such roads, including five in West Virginia, two in Maryland and one each in Pennsylvania and Virginia."

Read the full article here.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will make a stop in Baltimore on Thursday, Oct. 22. She's giving a speech at the University of Maryland School of Law.

Here's an excerpt:

"Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State (1997-2001), will give the Norman P. Ramsey Lecture, "The Role of Law in World Affairs-2009," at the University of Maryland School of Law's Westminster Hall at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22.

Secretary Albright's public lecture is the keynote address of the International & Comparative Law Program Conference, "Multilateralism and Global Law: Evolving Conceptions of International Law and Governance."

Due to the overwhelming interest in Secretary Albright's lecture, all seats have been reserved. However, you may still view her lecture on a simulcast in the Law School's Ceremonial Courtroom, and attend the post-lecture reception and book signing with Secretary Albright. You also will have the opportunity to be seated in Westminster Hall if any reserved seats become available on, or prior to, Oct. 22.

Click here to add your name to the overflow seating list, and you will be notified if a spot becomes available in Westminster Hall."

Read the full post here.

The Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore zine, published by Eight  Stone Press, caught the eye of the Utne Reader staff who gave it props for its prose.

Here's an excerpt:

"William Patrick Tandy, editor of the zine Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore, recounts a recent night he lay awake in bed listening to the all-too-familiar sound of gunshots ringing out in his neighborhood. A frequent reader of the police blotter, Tandy notes that single gunshots are relatively common and go unreported, but on this particular night, he ruminates on an even more unsettling experience..."

Read the rest of the post here.

Our Baltimore twibe was busy last week with GBTC Tech Nite, Adopt a dog month, iparticipate week and other worthy causes.


@vincebuscemi was taking in the view as he was "Settling into the new @Mindgrub offices in Catonsville. I can see Baltimore from my office window!! Day 1 of the next Chapter has begun!!"

@prattlibrary has something for anyone who wasn't able to make their last lecture, "Missed our LETS TALK ABOUT RACE lecture w/ Ben Jealous? The video is now online. http://bit.ly/2Z6BRu Next Lecture Nov 2 http://bit.ly/UDYN8."

@NahImBrian passed this tidbit along, "In Honor Of Adopt A Dog Month--PGAMG Dog Fee Discount In Oct! http://bit.ly/49PrRi (via @LastChanceMD)"

@VolunteerMD wants to "Welcome to iParticipate Week! All week, service & entertainment come together. Sat it culminates on Make a Difference Day."

@JimDoran shows us why we spent all that time in math class. So we could figure out, "Mathematical model determines who wins - zombies vs. humans http://bit.ly/26ADAR This guy needs to study Zombies vs. Vampires next."

@kshaffer has "Signed the promise to end fat talk and celebrate the things in life that have nothing to do with looks. Join me http://tinyurl.com/yjztcoy"

@EmmiAgency puts the quest to join the music world in perspective in a way sure to resonate with teens, "Rappers are like sperm trying to get to one egg. Please think of those chances. 'City is a pity. Half of ya'll won't make it.'"

@wjznews offers this fun but ultimately useless info, "Did you know that earthworms have 5 hearts? That a blink lasts approximately 0.3 seconds? Here are more useless facts: http://bit.ly/2a9ufW"

GBTC Tech Nite 2009 was a big hit among Baltimore's technorati:

@natemook says  he "Had a great time at #technite09 last night. Good discussions with @garyvee (who crushed it) @davetroy @technotheory @robertdwray etc."

@davetroy winner of the Innovator of the Year award says, "Thank you so much; so many tweets I am really overcome. @garyvee is right: follow your passions. Honored to do that w/all of you!!!"

@subelsky says, "Congrats to my mentor and friend @davetory for winning the Connector award at #technite09! And to Neil Davis for being nominated!"

@bhivebmore, says "Thanks to @mddailyrecord for recognizing the Hive as an Innovator of the Year. We are humbled and honored!"

@SeanBreeze is a fan of the city, saying "@BmoreFab I Was #justsayin u know I got plenty of love for Bmore and its smart people and great business climate."

If it's good Peruvian grub you want, @in_asia has this recommendation. "Highlandtown 's Chicken Rico gets mentioned a lot when the conversation turns to Baltimore's best chicken place.. http://bit.ly/RrDH4"

@BaltoMoto says "I luv how Baltimore takes old buildings [and] makes them fun & interesting again. Bagby Furniture, Silo Point, Clipper Mill, etc."

@CenterdinBmore wonders, "What's your favorite thing to do in Baltimore? Tweet us at #centerdinbmore. #baltimore"

Synergics Roth Rock Wind Energy is one step closer to winning state regulatory approval to build a wind turbine farm in Garrett County. The company has sought a thumbs up for the project since 2003.

Here's an excerpt:

"The Annapolis-based company plans to construct a 20-turbine facility on Backbone Mountain. The project has hit many roadblocks along the way, including angry neighbors who do not want the company to build the 262-foot-tall power generators.

Representatives for Synergics said before the Public Service Commission Wednesday that the company should not need to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity, the state's approval needed to build any type of generation facility.

Maryland lawmakers passed legislation in 2007 so renewable energy projects that produce less than 70 megawatts of power a year do not need to secure that approval, to increase the state's renewable power production. Instead, projects need to qualify for exemption.

The 50-megawatt Synergics project meets the generation requirement, and the conditions that the turbines will not harm the electricity grid and that the company notifies the PSC two weeks before it exports any power. One megawatt of wind energy powers about 1,000 homes for a year."

Read the full article here.

If you're wondering where to go for a romantic date, Kristin Kizer has come up with a list of the city's most romantic destinations. On the list are the Senator, Fells Point and any of the city's parks.

Here's an excerpt:

"One of Baltimore's Parks -- Is there anything more romantic that a picnic in the park with your loved one? The city of Baltimore features about 6,000 acres of parks and public spaces for people to enjoy. There are large parks with wide open spaces for a game of Frisbee or ambling about, there are smaller wooded walks with trails for strolling through, there are lakeside parks where you can watch the wildlife, and there are even parks with public golf courses for the couple who likes to hit the links together."

Read the full blog post here.

Baltimore's Comic Con, held last weekend at the Convention Center, was a big hit among the comic book crowd. This post notes that despite the economic downturn fans continued to spend their hard earned dollars.

Here's an excerpt:

"The Baltimore Comicon is the strongest example this year of the "fantasy economy" prevailing in economic lean times. While Baltimore retains it charm, quirkiness and access to fresh, delicious crabs, signs of the recession are everywhere. Parts of the city only blocks from the convention center consist of blocks of boarded up buildings � last year it was a Rite-Aid.

Despite this, the show yesterday was JAMMED. People were spending money carefully, no doubt, and overall purchases may have been down, but the crowd bustled, many in costume. In fact, entire families came in costume � dad's hobby is turning into a family affair, and the families are not being forced into it. There was an adorable little girl dressed as Captain America � Cap is an aspirational model for everyone.

Next year's dates have been announced � August 28 and 29th, which takes it out of the busy October season and may be just far enough away from SD that people are recovered enough for a leisurely one."

Read more here.

This South Florida blogger traveled to Charm City to attend Comic Con. His reaction? "[It] was great!"

Here's an excerpt:

"As the title says, Baltimore Comic Con was great!!! I will get into more detail when I get back to South Florida. But now having seen the con, I will be coming back next year. It had a LOT of guests who I go to spend a lot of time with and even make a business deal with. More to come. Talk to you later..."


Read more here.

This blogger on a quest to run 50 marathons in 50 states, added another notch to her running shows after participating in the Under Armour Baltimore Marathon on Saturday. Though she found her results disappointing, we're just impressed that she finished it.

Here's an excerpt:

"Unsuccessful. No Boston qualifying time...not even a respectable time. I was running almost 60 miles a week by the end of my training, and I just died halfway through. I need to go through a few things and see where I went wrong...my time was 4:08:52. However, lets compare apples to apples. Baltimore goes in the same category as San Francisco - looking at an elevation chart of the SF run, Baltimore is actually worse. SF is flat, flat, flat then a few enormous hills, followed by flat, flat, flat. The hills are in the middle and though they are steep, they are not as bad as Baltimore. In Baltimore, the hills were long and never ending. Halfway through the race, there was a 7 mile hill. Seeing as I finished SF in 4:52, finishing Baltimore in 4:08 is actually an accomplishment. I think my next goal is to try to finish all marathons under 4 hours, even if it is in 3:59. Now, in San Antonio, it is flat and I think I will try for a BQ time again...hope it actually happens."


Read more here.

That's the question. Check out this site's video for the answer.


Watch the video here.

With a freshly paved parking lot as their canvas and chalk as their medium of choice, artists from around the world converge on The Marketplace in Bakersfield for the four day Via Arte Italian Street Painting festival every year.

"Michael Kirby is the featured artist at this year's Via Arte. He is based in Baltimore, Maryland, and travels around doing both street painting and public art installments such as murals and statues. His chalk drawing is a fantastical depiction of two lovers kissing, enveloped by a dragon and framed by a castle that seems to be rising up from he ground."


Read more and see the chalky creations here.

Was Kraftwerk the most important band ever? Tim Mohr, a former Berlin DJ thinks so and takes readers through a history of the group's impact on electronic music since its first album hit in '70s. Among those influenced by Kraftwerk are members of the Baltimore club music scene who's unique take...well, here's an excerpt.

"What U Gon Do," by Lil Jon
The Atlanta-based King of Crunk juiced another electro descendant--Miami Bass--to create a distinctive sound exemplified by this 2004 track. Combined with more Daft Punk tech and heft, crunk also contributed to the mix that became Baltimore club music, which is poised to become the next big thing thanks to MCs like Rye Rye and the Get 'Em Mamis and producers including Aaron LaCrate and Tittsworth who head a list of B-more producers currently much in demand.

Read more and watch the video here.

Every successful business begins with a good idea, however, sometimes its tough for an entrepreneur to come up with the big idea. Enter universities and their seeming limitless supply of innovative new ideas. In this Business Week article Kristin Appel. founder of Maryland-based Encore Path, is an example of how tech transfers are done right.

Here's an excerpt:

"If you just can't come up with a great idea for your next venture, you can shop for one. So-called technology transfer lets you license existing technology from a university or federal laboratory and then use your own resources to commercialize it. These sorts of programs can be great options, but they're very risky. And it can take years before a product derived from the technology starts to bring in cash....the ideal candidate is an experienced entrepreneur with a solid understanding of the technology they'll be bringing to market. That's not to say newcomers can't make a go of it�if they can find a way to fill that knowledge gap. Kris Appel was with the National Security Agency for 17 years, but she always wanted to be an entrepreneur. In 2005 she saw a flyer for a program at the University of Maryland that helps women entrepreneurs exploit technology-related opportunities. "I never would have tried this without the program," Appel says.

That program connected Appel with two researchers at the University of Maryland who had developed a device to improve arm function in stroke patients. It also helped Appel evaluate the product's market potential and gave her access to an attorney whose analysis convinced her that the patent on the device was solid.

Read more here.

Free is always good and this extensive list offers a host of possible activities from day trips to pet-friendly jaunts to activities for those 55 and older or those seeking a more spiritual experience.

Here's an excerpt:

"The best things in life are free, but one might think that's not true in Howard County, an affluent bedroom community of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, MD, ranked as the third richest county in the nation (according to the 2006 U.S. Census) with an average household income of more than $100,000, and a perennial on Money magazine's "Top Ten Best Places to Live in America."

While Howard County offers a healthy share of upscale amenities and experiences to fit the richest of lifestyles, it also has countless activities, events and attractions that are absolutely free. Even those not trying to pinch a penny, will want to take part in these 50, sure-to-please, FREE ways to explore the wonders of Howard County."

Day Trips

Bob's Vintage Museum at Bob's BMW Motorcycles
Bob's Vintage Museum in Jessup features a one-of-a-kind exhibit of 30 vintage motorcycles, ultra rare accessories and side car exhibits, original posters and literature, a gift shop, snack shop and free coffee. For hours of operation or additional information, visit www.bobsbmw.com or call 301-497-8949.

Spirituality & Healing

Centennial Peace Garden At Bon Secours Spiritual Center
Located in Marriottsville, the gate of this garden serves the same purpose as the great doorways in medieval cathedrals - it marks the transition from the everyday world to a place of peace and harmony. Immediately inside the gate there is a dry landscape garden with benches. The small wooded slope on the right is enhanced with a series of boulders, spaced to form natural rooms, which also may be used as seating. Open daily from dawn till dusk. For additional information, visit www.bonsecoursspiritualcenter.org or call 410-442-1320.

Kids

Clark's Elioak Farm
Treasures wait in Ellicott City at this fun petting farm, home to many authentic figures rescued from the Enchanted Forest. While modest admission and activities fees apply, infants 12 months and under can enjoy free hayrides. For hours of operation, prices or additional information, visit www.clarklandfarm.com or call 410-730-4049.

History & Heritage

Benjamin Banneker Historical Park & Museum
While not technically in Howard County (it's just over the Baltimore County line in Oella), the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park & Museum is home to an impressive collection of artifacts and exhibits dedicated to the life and times of "the first African-American man of science" and has excellent birding trails and a garden as well. For hours of operation or additional information, call 410-887-1081."

Read more here.