| The 2008 Forecast: Cloudy, With Intermittent Sun
Another new year is upon us and it begins with degrees of apprehension in various quarters. Sales in the residential housing market have slowed to a crawl, credit is tight, and home fuel and gas prices have shot up sharply in the last year, fueling rumbles about a possible national recession.
While that information has been tough to digest, there are other positive notes to consider, such as employment levels remaining steady. And even if the economy dips, the Corridor area enjoys what might be considered blanket protection due to the overwhelming presence of that ultimate corporate headquarters, the federal government - which will soon dump even more jobs into the region when the effects of the much anticipated Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) start shifting.
To gain keener insight, The Business Monthly asked business and government leaders in the Corridor and the state for their thoughts about 2008:
Walt Townshend, president, Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber
In a word, the first half of 2008 will be ...
Masonry downtown needs massive upgrades
Most of the downtown buildings have to be torn down because of earthquake compliance," said Buck Kamphausen, who owns several buildings downtown. "They're a disaster waiting to happen. I've been through the retrofit process with four buildings downtown and there's no economic return. You're just kidding yourself with those buildings." The buildings that have not been retrofitted are likely to rain debris or come down entirely in an earthquake, he said. West's characterization differs some from Kamphausen's. "Some of the buildings probably should come down, but others are historically or architecturally significant and worth saving," West said. "Most downtown buildings are safer than they were. All are either reinforced or that work is under way. The rest are unoccupied.
Love Letters: If you can't say something nice ... wait, he did
And it was only Part I of a Three-Part Trilogy of columns I was intending -- Part I to contrast Cooperstown and the Barry Bonds* Watch (and as such, to point out that while there is plenty of deserved hostility toward Bonds, it isn't as if others are perfect, either); Part II essentially chronicled how classy both Gwynn and Ripken are; and Part III, written the day of the induction, set the scene of what a great tribute the weekend turned out to be -- especially the crowd of 75,000 -- to two true Hall of Famers. Last thing I meant to do was a cheap shot on either. As you read through the weekend, the three pieces should have combined to provide perspective on Gwynn and Ripken, Bonds and Cooperstown. I think those of you who were patient and didn't jump to knee-jerk conclusions got it.
Father staying the course to honor late daughter
David was scheduled to introduce a short video that tells the story of Sally's Y. He wanted to speak then sit there, watch the video filled with pictures of Sally, see the reaction in the room and feel her presence again. But Clark signaled a friend on the dais and excused himself to a hallway outside the ballroom. His friend, Greg Currie, followed him. With the muffled sound of Jo Dee Messina's song, "Heaven Must Have Needed A Hero" coming from the big room, Clark stood in the hallway and cried on his friend's shoulder. `You're trying to find traction' Jo Clark was 15 when she met her husband and many of their first dates consisted of them going to Cowans Ford Country Club in Stanley, where she would watch David hit golf balls on the practice range.
Eddie and Tracey: Game over
You've heard of dog years, right? Well, let's just go ahead and say this item happened in celebrity years, as in, when you're famous, life takes place at about 250 times faster than normal. Which is why Eddie Murphy and brand new bride Tracey Edmonds have called it apparently quits after only a couple weeks. The comedian and actor issued a statement to several online media outlets, including People.com and TMZ.com, which reported the breakup on their sites. The couple wed in Bora Bora after a six-month engagement, but the ceremony was symbolic, and Murphy and Edmonds did not pursue a legal ceremony. "After much consideration and discussion, we have jointly decided that we will forego [sic] having a legal ceremony as it is not necessary to define our relationship further," the statement read.
Spectranetics Announces Clinical Data From Cello Trial
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Spectranetics Corporation (NASDAQ: SPNC) today announced the presentation of results from its CELLO (CLiRpath Excimer Laser System to Enlarge Lumen Openings) clinical trial, at the nineteenth annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium in Washington, D.C. The study was a prospective, non-randomized trial designed to provide clinical data on the reduction of arterial blockage in above-the-knee arteries following use of the Spectranetics TURBO-Booster(TM) product for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). TURBO-Booster received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2007 following the conclusion of the trial, which enrolled 65 patients at 17 hospitals in the United States.
Questions for Ron Paul Supporters
OpEdNews is seeing a lot of new visits from Ron Paul supporters and a growing number of our old-timers are supporting him too. At the same time, Paul's extreme libertarian positions raise great concern among progressives-- for good reason. Here are some questions I'd like to have answers to. :::::::: First, do me a favor and let the Paul campaign know I'd like to interview Ron Paul. I've put in a request, but have not heard back. Maybe if a number of supporters put in the message, they'll get it. How, here are some questions I'm very curious about. WHen you comment and answer, please disclose your leaning-- republican, democrat or independent. 1-If paul does NOT win the primary, and does not run as an independent, will you support a democrat or republican, if there is no third party candidate? Please state whether, before the Paul phenomenon, you were D or R.
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