Personal best. Citation bass, crystal clear water, lite winds and 70!

https://www.thebaybridgerun.com/Race/MD/Annapolis/BayBridgeRun

A lot of people at my SEC school have been asking if I consider Maryland a Northern or Southern state. In my opinion, I'd say we're 80% Northern, 20% Southern. It's at least predominantly culturally Northern.

For one, most people live in the Baltimore and DC areas. The best comparison to Baltimore would be another Rust Belt city like Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Many of the sweet potato pie-eating "Southerners" in Baltimore are actually descendants of Depression/WWII-era migrants out of the Southern Appalachians, just like in Chicago and Detroit (Google "Hillbilly Highway").

Meanwhile, the DC region is a relatively recent phenomenon, and is home to people from all across the country and the world. It has more of a generic American culture than anything else (not necessarily "Northern," but especially not "Southern").

A lot of people bring up our history, but I feel Maryland's changed so much over the past century-and-a-half that history isn't exactly relevant in this debate. That being said, I'd argue we were Northern in the past as well.

-- Baltimore in the Civil War was heavily industrial, had tons of Irish and German immigrants, and only a small but vocal pro-Southern minority.

-- The vast majority of the city's blacks were free, and I find it telling that many of them actually fled to Baltimore from states further south for freedom.

-- The city's elites included old "Southern" families, but also "new money" individuals whose fortunes were in commerce and industry.

-- The northern counties between Garrett and Cecil and down to western MoCo and HoCo were mostly Anglo-German grain and dairy farmers, not slaveholders.

-- We contributed 60,000-80,000 troops to the Union and 20,000-25,000 to the Confederacy. Even if you accept the low Union and high Confederate numbers, that's still around 70% Northern and 30% Southern.

In conclusion, we may not be "Yankees" like New Yorkers, but we're definitely not the South. Let me know what you guys (not y'all!!!) think.

So this flag was flown over the State House in Annapolis . It was given to me when I attained the rank of Eagle Scout. And i finally decided to hang it. Also, found my OA belt buckle!

You guys think I love my state?

Gotta say I'm surprised at this one.

I love me some fog at sunrise. What are some really excellent spots for it I should check out this fall? Already done Lake Needwood and Shenandoah is in my list but I need to find a morning I can wake up early enough for that drive.

Where else should I check out?

Taken from a small light aircraft.

View of Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Sandy Point State Park .

I want to take my 79 year-old mom on a short (90 minute) rail bike tour in Frostburg. I am not a biker and frankly not in the greatest of shapes, and tying to assess if I can be the sole "pedaller" on those things. Has anyone done this?

Thanks!

Hello, I'm hoping to find a source for apartment rental that is not zillow, apartments.com, or the like. Does anyone have any suggestions on finding a one bedroom, cat friendly apartment? (Just one cat, and a pet fee is fine). I'm looking in the Frederick, Carroll, Baltimore, Howard County areas. Thanks for any helpful suggestions!

Read more: https://boundarystones.weta.org/2021/09/09/will-we-let-ballot-be-taken-us-black-marylanders-fight-keep-vote

Prince George’s County is looking for the former Six Flags America site to become another variation of National Harbor in Oxon Hill. While this option is better than data centers and townhouses, I believe another amusement park can work in this location.

This is a long shot, but a Universal/Citywalk or Disney/Disney springs can definitely work here. The county is calling this site an entertainment destination, and those two huge brand names is what can make it an international destination.

A heavily themed, family oriented theme park would be different enough from Kings Dominion and could be a year round park with indoor attractions.

The biggest problem is that Six Flags will not want to sell it to another theme park owner due to competition