From today’s b, the paper

It seems as though the presidential race has been going on for about seven years. So for those of you (i.e. most) with ADD, b wants to help. Here’s our look at the A-Z of the 2008 election, from the ACORN controversy to the zzzzz’s most Americans were letting out during the first two presidential debates. Just call us the Webster’s of democracy.

A — ACORN:
Short for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, the liberal group, founded in 1970, hired more than 13,000 part-time workers to register voters in minority and poor neighborhoods in 21 states. AP reports some of the 1.3 million registration cards submitted to local officials used the names of cartoon characters or pro football players, leading to allegations of widespread misconduct. Must avoid urge to make blind squirrel joke …

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From today’s b the paper:

•••• Mad River Bar & Grille, 1110 S. Charles St., Federal Hill, hosts a happy hour 6-9 p.m. Thursday to benefit Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland. $10 admission covers one drink and $1 off subsequent drinks until 9 p.m. Contact Debbie Brown, 443.573.0929 or events@mowcm.org
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Fall colors in Hunt Valley {thanks, The Baltimore Sun}

Crowds have dissipated. The sun is still warm, even though the air is crisp. The cultural-events season commences, and festivals flourish, celebrating flora, foliage, fall harvests and more.

Best of all, the Mid-Atlantic region produces some of the most spectacular fall foliage in the nation. We’ve found five fabulous fall destinations, all no more than five hours from Baltimore.

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From today’s b, the paper:

•••• The city seeks volunteers for the Fall Harvest Cleaning & Greening starting 8 a.m. Oct. 18. Neighbors should choose an alley, lot or illegal site that needs cleanup; the city will provide brooms, rakes and bags. Sign up by Friday. Call 311.

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Workers prepare the stage for the VP debate {AP Photo}

I’ll be tap-tap-tapping away on the typer, live blogging the VP debate from my working man’s castle in North East Baltimore beginning at 9 p.m. EST.  Drink ‘em if you’ve got ‘em.  The rules are simple:

1. Every time Palin gives a response that sounds like it was run though a free online language translator, I’m going to have myself a sip of a crisp, refreshing adult beverage (from the Land of Pleasant Living).

2. Every time Biden harps on the Alaska governor’s lack of experience, I will also take a nip.

It’s a good old-fashioned debate party, friends, and you’re invited. But remember: the first rule of Debate Party is, you do not talk about Debate Party…without a beer in your hand.  Let the bloodletting begin.

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It’s official. The levels of blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay have dwindled to into a disaster.

That’s according to the U.S. Commerce Department, as the Virginian-Pilot reports. It’s the first time such a declaration has been made.

Disaster declarations are made, among other reasons, to free up federal funds for those affected by the disaster. (Well, that is, if the federal government has any funds left available to even free up.) According to the article, local government officials estimate the economic hit on the crab industry to be as much as $15 million over the next three years.

Many crabbers still hold fast to the idea that the decrease in the crab population is due to some sort of cyclical nature of the crab population.

No, seriously.

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From today’s b, the paper

At Goucher College, where students sip from cups made of cornstarch bioplastic and add to compost piles around campus, going green is less a slogan and more a part of daily life.

And Goucher is one of many Maryland schools to take a larger step to heal the environment. In July, Goucher signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, a nationwide program with a goal of carbon neutrality.
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Here are just a few options for volunteer opportunities in the coming weeks:

•••• Patapsco Valley State Park seeks volunteers to join its Trail Crew in improving and upgrading its trail system. Work days are Saturday (National Public Lands Day) and Oct. 25. Times are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sign up in advance for each particular date; e-mail lmartin(at)dnr.state.md.us

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Call the “hockey mom” the “hockey grandmamma.”

The presidential horse race is officially off and running — get used to daily bombshells such as yesterday’s news: that Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s unmarried, 17-year-old daughter is five months pregnant. There’s a reason political groups in other countries pay Americans good money to act as their election consultants, CIA-esque manipulation aside. We campaign better than anyone else.

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One of the really cool things about Virgin Fest is its goal of being a “zero waste” event. Enter the Green Spot.

KT Tunstall did a walk-through of the display, to which we, the privileged media folk, got to sit in on. The microphone she used was powered by a dude on a bike, and she talked about how she was inspired by the efforts of artists such as Radiohead and Bonnie Raitt in reducing her “carbon footprint” for live shows.

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