For three nights this week I worried about putting my best friend “down.” Since we two live alone behind downtown’s yellow door, this would have left me grief-struck and bereft. But Pushkin recovered from whatever “ailed” him.

I own stake in 458 companies. It wasn’t by choice and I expect to lose a great deal of money in the coming decade as my proxy is having a difficult time unloading my shares in these poorly performing companies.

While many are intrigued by the upcoming presidential election and perplexed as to why The Sixth Congressional District is gathering so many Republican candidates, a less publicized decision loses its fizz. The Dream Act, which sought an overwhelming majority of distaste, has been shoved into the background.

Pet peeves, we all have them. This week something has just been driven home with me and I can’t ignore it, or sweep it under the carpet any longer.

Although we’re only two weeks into this year’s state legislative session, a trend is already emerging with our governor. When Martin O’Malley’s mouth is moving, he’s talking about taking more money from our pockets.

We are reading and hearing a lot these days about pension plans, particularly public employee plans. We all know that the local, state and the national governments have problems with their old fashioned defined benefit pension plans and retire health care plans.

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley’s fiscal year 2013 state budget, released a week ago, is a full menu of difficult choices. However, one of the most troubling is the lack of funding for police protection and highway user revenue for municipalities.

The locker room echoed with praise for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and it was almost with disdain that my friend and former colleague spat out the name of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. How quickly the room emptied and the showers came on.

Kuching, Malaysian Borneo – I am really not that concerned about these reptilian serpents or any of the other 12 animals that glide by every Chinese New Year. However, living here, one cannot help but join in the festivities.

Democratic candidate Tom Hattery’s mean attitude had much to do with pushing him away, from me and the electorate; that was 20 years ago when the thought of Beverly Byron losing was almost unthinkable. Mr. Hattery’s primary win was at least shocking to many.

I guess one can call it "Straight Jacket Approval" in that – once approved – public charter school start ups have to enter the cold cruel world of real estate.

The truly memorable moment of the South Carolina primary debate last Thursday night occurred within the first 10 minutes.

Before we get all warm and fuzzy over Education Week reporting Maryland is ranked the #1 school in the nation, take a closer look at the list of criteria to get that #1 ranking.

In comic book lure and during the Golden Age of radio, Lamont Cranston was a wealthy young man in New York City who was known as “The Shadow.” The radio broadcasts began with that famous question: "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"

Reporter Katherine Heerbrandt earned my professional admiration over the long years in Frederick; we were colleagues on the local newspaper. Her most recent journalistic coup must not pass unremarked upon.

How does President Barack Obama expect to get re-elected? He has consistently stated throughout his three years in office that "My administration will not rest until every American who is able and ready and willing to work can find a job.” Is he serious?

George W. Wireman died last week. He was known as the train man, and so much more. He was a polio survivor, rejected by the Army because of his deformed feet and legs, who walked and hiked everywhere, and visited all 50 states, including Hawaii four times – and he never had a driver’s license.

It has been an interesting week for the Republican Party since the Mitt Romney rout in the Granite State. So, for those of you who have been living in a hole, or perhaps just returned from another dimension within the past seven days, here are some random observations to ponder.

I thought it must have been a dream – actually, a nightmare – because I certainly never believed that in the current economic times someone would propose to raise yet another tax for the purpose of raising money to build something that the market has said repeatedly is not needed and likely will not be successful.