Friday, June 30, 2006
Big Feet, Long Toes
Last night at the softball game the woman next to me commented on her big feet. Knowing she was from the Eastern Shore of Virginia it gave me a chance to expound on my theory of evolution of big feet and long toes on people from the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Simply put, people from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and some parts of Dames Quarters, have larger feet with longer toes than people farther up the Delmarva Peninsula. My theory is that over the last three centuries people in order to survive had to have big feet with long toes in order to make it across the mud flats and marsh quickly to a higher, drier tump of land when the tide was coming in. It simply a matter of survival, if you could outrun the tide you lived, if you didn't you drowned. Those long toes allowed them to really dig in to make the run to land. This theory has not yet been accepted by the academic world.
In addition, the longer toes were useful in clamming as you could feel the clams and flip them up to you just using your toes, no rake needed.
For those of you who may doubt me, pony penning is coming up, when you go down to it look at the toes of the locals.
Simply put, people from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and some parts of Dames Quarters, have larger feet with longer toes than people farther up the Delmarva Peninsula. My theory is that over the last three centuries people in order to survive had to have big feet with long toes in order to make it across the mud flats and marsh quickly to a higher, drier tump of land when the tide was coming in. It simply a matter of survival, if you could outrun the tide you lived, if you didn't you drowned. Those long toes allowed them to really dig in to make the run to land. This theory has not yet been accepted by the academic world.
In addition, the longer toes were useful in clamming as you could feel the clams and flip them up to you just using your toes, no rake needed.
For those of you who may doubt me, pony penning is coming up, when you go down to it look at the toes of the locals.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Temco Tigers are the Champs
Tonight the "Temco Tigers" won the playoffs. They played the Mardela "Chimmey Chicks". The "Chicks" primary pitcher pulled a shoulder muscle and was taken out of the game. Losing a member of the team made them one short in the outfield. This allowed the "Tigers" to win 2 to 1.Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Wind, Rain and Clean Up
Well after the rain and the wind the yard looks a mess. I have been picking up sticks and branches in the yard. A number of smaller sunflowers had their stems broken. Any tall plant seems to be flopped over and beat into the ground. The grass has grown a foot.
While looking over the damage in the garden I found two snakes resting in my tomato cages. I hate that. You see one or two and you don't know how many are out there that you don't see. You could be reaching for a squash and pull and out a snake. I know snakes in the garden are not unusual. The snakes and I have an unwritten rule, they stay hidden so I don't see them and life for both of us continue as normal. If they show themselves I go running out of the garden screaming like a 6 year old girl and once I recover I have to hunt them down. Nothing either side want to have occur.
Over the years of living in Delmar I have had deer in the backyard and the usual assortments of rabbits, possums, racoons, groundhogs, and some small furry creatures that I don't know what the hell they were. It's like living in a damn zoo at times. With a couple of housecats and a dog you would think they would run them off but they seem to have a live and let live policy.
While looking over the damage in the garden I found two snakes resting in my tomato cages. I hate that. You see one or two and you don't know how many are out there that you don't see. You could be reaching for a squash and pull and out a snake. I know snakes in the garden are not unusual. The snakes and I have an unwritten rule, they stay hidden so I don't see them and life for both of us continue as normal. If they show themselves I go running out of the garden screaming like a 6 year old girl and once I recover I have to hunt them down. Nothing either side want to have occur.
Over the years of living in Delmar I have had deer in the backyard and the usual assortments of rabbits, possums, racoons, groundhogs, and some small furry creatures that I don't know what the hell they were. It's like living in a damn zoo at times. With a couple of housecats and a dog you would think they would run them off but they seem to have a live and let live policy.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Good eye Good eye
The never ending girl's softball mantra of Good eye, Good eye, continued tonight as the Temco Tigers played Direct Furniture. Direct Furniture played a good game tonight. They were relaxed and seemed to have fun enjoying the game. The saving grace for the Tigers was an outbreak of rain from God in the last inning causing the Furniture Outlet pitcher to be unable to effectively pitch the ball due to it being wet. After she walked 4 players the Tigers won 3 to 2. The sideline coaching of Teresa Vincent helped the Tigers greatly. Between God and Teresa the Tigers pulled off the win.
Football
I watched the FIFA World cup game of Ghana vs Brazil today. Brazil won 3 to 0, but I felt the losing team played better football. The Ghana team had really good footwork, but just could not get the ball in the goal. Their own Goalie, Kingston, play so far out in front of the goal that the Brazilian team was able to go around him to score. Of course he should have been backed up by his team members.
Bob Culver
Bob Culver is running for Wicomico County Executive. He had a nice writeup on Monoblogue. I have not found a blog or website that he has. Both Ron Alessi and Larry Dodd have websites that are impressively designed. Also a number of the Sheriff candidates. Monobloque has the links to their websites if anyone wants to go there and access them.
Delmar Joint Council Meeting of June 26th
The Delmar Delaware and Maryland councils had a joint meeting last night. A number of council people on both sides were missing or showed up late.
The Delmar police department said they had a check for over $9,000 from the auction of the abandon cars, bikes and other items. The check is to be turned over to the Town Manager.
The owner of 204 East street wants to tear the structure down and rebuild a new house.
Delmar Medical Ventures (Delmar Professional Center) did not follow their landscaping plan as approved by Planning and Zoning. The Town let them do as they wanted.
A representive from Delmar Commons (the new Shopping center with Happy Harrys) requested to move ahead on his project in spite of not being able to remove the billboard that he promised would be removed. The Town tabled his request until next month. The representive was not happy. For once the town did not cave into to the developer altho Mayor Outten did put a motion out to approve the Delmar Commons request, neither Buckley or Figgs would second the motion so it died. Diane Buckley talked about the fact the sign advertised the Canton Inn which she felt did not represent the morals of the town. The Delmar Commons representive said it would violate freedom of speech for him to tell the owner of the sign to change it. (I don't see anything wrong with the billboard. It is just another ugly billboard. The Canton Inn is a legal business and there is no reason why they shouldn't advertise. Who is to decide the content of a billboard, if it was Midway Slots or The Delaware Lottery would it be any better?)
The Delmar Dinner wants to be annexed into town.
There will be a meeting of the Council and police department following next month's police commission meeting.
The Delaware Solid waste wants to have a presentation at the next Joint Meeting concerning the town government request for Delmar to begin recycling.
Diane Buckley said the Day in the Park was tentatively rescheduled for August 26th. She also announced her engagement to John Johnson.
In public comments Holly Lake Estates residents were there to complain about the activities of the Saturn dealership. Holly Lake estates is not part of the town but the Saturn Dealership is part of the town. They say the dealership is too noisy and has too much traffic.
Woodcreek residents complained about parking and the fact the town had said it would not approve any changes for the developer of Wood Creek until the parking was resoved but did turn around and approve a change the developer requested at Planning and Zoning.
(It would be interesting if the Town acted on the non residents complaint from Holly Lake Estates but continued to do nothing for the residents of Delmar Maryland in Wood Creek.)
The meeting went in to exective session at 8:30
The Delmar police department said they had a check for over $9,000 from the auction of the abandon cars, bikes and other items. The check is to be turned over to the Town Manager.
The owner of 204 East street wants to tear the structure down and rebuild a new house.
Delmar Medical Ventures (Delmar Professional Center) did not follow their landscaping plan as approved by Planning and Zoning. The Town let them do as they wanted.
A representive from Delmar Commons (the new Shopping center with Happy Harrys) requested to move ahead on his project in spite of not being able to remove the billboard that he promised would be removed. The Town tabled his request until next month. The representive was not happy. For once the town did not cave into to the developer altho Mayor Outten did put a motion out to approve the Delmar Commons request, neither Buckley or Figgs would second the motion so it died. Diane Buckley talked about the fact the sign advertised the Canton Inn which she felt did not represent the morals of the town. The Delmar Commons representive said it would violate freedom of speech for him to tell the owner of the sign to change it. (I don't see anything wrong with the billboard. It is just another ugly billboard. The Canton Inn is a legal business and there is no reason why they shouldn't advertise. Who is to decide the content of a billboard, if it was Midway Slots or The Delaware Lottery would it be any better?)
The Delmar Dinner wants to be annexed into town.
There will be a meeting of the Council and police department following next month's police commission meeting.
The Delaware Solid waste wants to have a presentation at the next Joint Meeting concerning the town government request for Delmar to begin recycling.
Diane Buckley said the Day in the Park was tentatively rescheduled for August 26th. She also announced her engagement to John Johnson.
In public comments Holly Lake Estates residents were there to complain about the activities of the Saturn dealership. Holly Lake estates is not part of the town but the Saturn Dealership is part of the town. They say the dealership is too noisy and has too much traffic.
Woodcreek residents complained about parking and the fact the town had said it would not approve any changes for the developer of Wood Creek until the parking was resoved but did turn around and approve a change the developer requested at Planning and Zoning.
(It would be interesting if the Town acted on the non residents complaint from Holly Lake Estates but continued to do nothing for the residents of Delmar Maryland in Wood Creek.)
The meeting went in to exective session at 8:30
Monday, June 26, 2006
Temco Tigers in Playoffs
The Playoffs have started and the Temco Tigers played the Redman Lady Dragoons again. The Tigers won 6 to 1.
Delmar Utility Commission Meeting of June 26th
The Delmar Utility Commission held their monthly meeting on Monday June 26th. Only two members showed up; Diane Buckley and myself. Due to the lack of a quorum no decison was made on any item.
Jim Hitch of 704 East Street attended to complain about the inability of Public Works to locate the existing sewer line to his property.
Bert Saylor attended to request sewer and water hookup to a new house he is planning to build at 500 East Street.
Jim Hitch of 704 East Street attended to complain about the inability of Public Works to locate the existing sewer line to his property.
Bert Saylor attended to request sewer and water hookup to a new house he is planning to build at 500 East Street.
Animal Blogs
There are several blogs or websites based on animals that I enjoy. First is "stuff on my cat" in which people send in photos of their cat with stuff stacked on it. the address is
The second is "Bee Dogs" in which some poor dog is dressed up as a bee and the photo is sent to the site. The address is
The third is Hitler Cats. Photos of black and white cats with a black mustache are sent in to the site. Strangely when I was growing up we had a black and white cat with a mustache named "Hitler". The address is
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Flooding in Seaford
My wife had the misfortune to be in Seaford this morning when the rain came. Her van flooded out on Stein highway and she had to be pushed off the road to a parking lot. She left the van there to dry out all day and tonight when she drove it home it ran like crap. She said Walmart parking lot and most of Seaford was flooded.
Racial Slurs
Cayman Island Blog Man had an interesting post on racial Slurs. For some reason in Blogger my link to his blog appears at the very bottom of this page. Oh well. The address for those who cut and paste is http://cayblogger.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Christina School District
As I have said in a prior post I was looking at some of the information regarding the Christina School district financial mess. The Christina School district has a deficit of $12 million to $15.5 million this year and is expected to have a $20 million deficit next year (fiscal year 2007). This sounds like the Baltimore Maryland school system under Carmen V. Russo several years back. No, not the Carmen Russo who was a naked news broadcaster, this Carmen V. Russo generated a $30 million deficit for the Baltimore school system. . In the Delaware case the school superintendent was Joseph Wise. Mr Wise has taken off to greener and sunnier pastures as Duval County Florida School supertintendent. Of note he also carried with him to Florida David Sundtrom and Theresa Giles from the Christina school district. Like Charlene Cooper Boston they always move on to a similar high paying job, there seems to be no justice in the world for tax payers. It would seem in order to improve the Christina school system he hired a number of high paying people and did some illegal transfers of funds. People in a lesser position would go to jail for that.
These items have been backed up by an audit from Tom Wagner office of Auditor of Accounts for Delaware. Now it is my opinion that Tom Wagner's office is at times politically motivated in the audits they do. Over the years I have emailed him items I thought were wrong in the way the Town of Delmar handled certain things (executive sessions, animal control, etc)and have had no reply from his office. I can only hope the outcome of the Christina audit was impartial.
Lets face it nothing will be done to anyone connected to the Christina school district. Mr. Wise and company are one issue but the real incompetents here are the Delaware Department of Education and the Christina school board, who approved the spending and did nothing rein him in. The very people you expect to safeguard you are the ones who partipate in this kind of thing. Yet they continue to draw a paycheck and not be held responsible.
These items have been backed up by an audit from Tom Wagner office of Auditor of Accounts for Delaware. Now it is my opinion that Tom Wagner's office is at times politically motivated in the audits they do. Over the years I have emailed him items I thought were wrong in the way the Town of Delmar handled certain things (executive sessions, animal control, etc)and have had no reply from his office. I can only hope the outcome of the Christina audit was impartial.
Lets face it nothing will be done to anyone connected to the Christina school district. Mr. Wise and company are one issue but the real incompetents here are the Delaware Department of Education and the Christina school board, who approved the spending and did nothing rein him in. The very people you expect to safeguard you are the ones who partipate in this kind of thing. Yet they continue to draw a paycheck and not be held responsible.
