Bits

• The brother of Delegate Anthony Brown from Prince George's County said that he believes that the reason his brother volunteered for a tour of duty in Iraq was politically motivated. I sure hope that is no the case here.
  
  
• Maybe the price of gas isn't so bad when adjusted for inflation.
  
  
• I would be a very happy Orioles fan if the team would release Sosa, Palmeiro, and Ponson. Today.
  
  
• It did not take the media long to start with Katrina and the Waves jokes in regards to Hurricane Katrina.
  
  
• I would be willing to bet that the voting participation rate to name the new panda will exceed the voting participation rate in next year's Maryland General Elections.
  
  
• How many Republicans will really wind up running for President? So far there are at least a dozen candidates not just whispering about running, but actively taking steps to explore a run. So how many of the group (Allen, Tancredo, Gingrich, Giuliani, Pataki, Huckabee, McCain, Hagel, Brownback, Santorum) will make it to New Hampshire? And will they be joined by other potential candidates?
  
  
• Regardless, I think that Marylanders have a few other important elections to make it through first..
  
  
• To tie those two thoughts together, will there be more Republican candidates for President in 2008, or Democratic Candidates for the U.S. Senate in Maryland in 2006? Every other day, it seems like more candidates actively talking about enetering the race. The common wisdom was that after Van Hollen skipped the race, it would be primarily a Cardin vs. Mfume affair. Now, with more and more names looking at the race, it seems like the Democratic Primary could became as unpredictable as once thought.
  
  
• And will there be more candidates for U.S. Senate or for Cardin's now vacant 3rd District Congressional seat?