MENU

Sections

More

December 16, 2025

Cambridge Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Cambridge

00 Post to Chestertown Spy 3 Top Story Point of View Jamie

Snow Daze By Jamie Kirkpatrick

by
Leave a Comment

 

Well, we’ve broken the seal on this winter’s snowfall. It was hardly a blizzard—a mere frosting, in fact—but enough to whet our collective appetite for the white stuff. Our friends to the north and west may feel otherwise, but here on the Eastern Shore, winter’s first official snowfall was genteel, polite. There’s surely more to come, but right now, I feel I might be able to make friends with snow.

This morning, my wife is in the kitchen making chili. Not chilly like it is outside, but the warming kind that we’ll consume in front a cozy fire this evening. I’m in the living room, thinking about all those hard-working Somali immigrants up in frigid Minnesota who are wondering if they made the right decision while trying to learn a language in which “chili” and “chilly” are not only different parts of speech, but also sound exactly the same even though spelled differently and have completely different meanings. Welcome to the wonderful world of ESL, my Somali friends, and while we’re on the subject, watch out for ice and ICE!

There was a time when snow meant sledding and snowballs and big rubber galoshes that snapped shut. We bundled up with scarfs, clip-on mittens, and hats with ear flaps and we couldn’t get enough of the white stuff. Years later, in my schoolteacher life, snow meant something more: a two-hour delay, or, even better, a day or two off. Then there was the year we got dumped on, and by the third or fourth day of containment, I had a bad case of cabin fever and an aching back from all the shoveling I had to endure. (OK, that last part isn’t true: I was fortunate to live on my school’s campus, and the maintenance crew—most of whom came from Central America—kept my sidewalk snow-free.)

Anyway, it’s still early in the season and snow isn’t yet a nemesis. In fact, for reasons I still can’t explain, in a few days, I’ll get on a plane and head off to Montana for a “ski” vacation with twenty-three (I think) other family members. I put “ski” in quotations marks in the previous sentence because I’m the only one who doesn’t ski, but no matter: there’s an enormous stone fireplace in the lodge and my Kindle will be loaded with all manner of good reading material. At night, when all the skiers are back in the nest, I’ll be more than content to hear about what transpired on the mountain. I’m an expert vicarious skier!

I’m sure there will come a day in February or March when I’ll scream if I see one more snowflake falling out of a cold, gray sky, but for now, this snow is still mesmerizing, lovely. And it’s not just snow’s visual impact, but also the muffled silence that comes with it that soothes my noisy soul. When I awoke this morning, I peered out on a thin blanket of snow. Nothing was moving; it was as if the whole world had rolled over and gone back to sleep. So I did just that.

In the opening line of William Shakespeare’s play “Richard III,” the evil protagonist Richard of Gloucester muses about “the winter of our discontent.” Despite the fact that the War of the Roses is ending and the House of York is ascendent, when we meet Richard on stage, he is grousing about his own physical deformities and plotting all manner of villainy including murder against his brother, the “sun of York,” King Edward IV. In the centuries since Richard first uttered his morose monologue, it has taken on a more collective meaning, one that captures all manner of social and political malaise. Sound familiar? But no; let’s not go there today. Let’s just stay in this present snowy moment.

The snow that fell overnight is just vanilla frosting on winter’s cake. Enjoy it while you can; there’s surely more to come…

I’ll be right back.

Jamie Kirkpatrick is a writer and photographer who lives on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. His editorials and reviews have appeared in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Washington College Alumni Magazine, and American Cowboy Magazine. His most recent novel, “The Tales of Bismuth; Dispatches from Palestine, 1945-1948” explores the origins of the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is available on Amazon and in local bookstores. His newest novel, “The People Game,” is scheduled for publication in February, 2026. (It’s available for pre-order now on Amazon.) His website is musingjamie.net.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

I Long for Subtlety, Simplicity, Warmth, Class. and Quiet Sophistication By Maria Grant

by
Leave a Comment

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about exactly when such qualities got put on the back burner or perhaps shoved out the door. 

In the last several weeks, I’ve seen photos of the White House Press Secretary and her friend posing in string bikinis; a photo of Gwyneth Paltrow posing in a garden nude to celebrate her 50th birthday; at least 10 photos of Lauren Sanchez clothed in extremely suggestive outfits, including at formal events  such as White House dinners; Jennifer Lopez in sheer see-through garb; Hailey Bieber in what could charitably be described as a bikini; Madonna with rollers in her hair posing half-naked while sitting on a toilet; Sabrina Carpenter’s album cover which depicts her on her hands and knees while a man pulls her hair; and Halle Berry posing naked in bed while drinking a cup of coffee. 

Don’t get me wrong, in terms of those women who are older, I think it’s great that so many of them look fantastic. But one can celebrate such great looks in a tasteful and discrete fashion, which can often be even more attractive. 

In the past few months, the leader of the free world has called various female reporters little piggy, stupid, horrible, obnoxious, nasty, ugly both inside and out, and more. He has called Somalians garbage. He has called some African countries “shitholes.” He has called immigrants rapists, murderers, and crooks. He has called others “low I.Q. individuals,” and filthy, dirty, disgusting losers.”  

No warm and cozy feelings are emanating from this administration this season. Even Melanias’s holiday decorations, though somewhat less harsh than last time around, don’t smack of inviting. Some “Be Best” themed trees are decorated with bright blue butterflies. No menorahs are in sight anywhere. New York magazine described the vibe as, “Darth Vader surveys progress on the second Death Star.” 

Couple that with the far from quietly sophisticated décor that one used to see in the oval office, now overrun with over-the-top glitz and gold, ornate décor, gold figurines–even gold coasters and gold trim on crown moldings. The quiet subtle charm of the “people’s house” is long gone.

According to articles I’ve read recently, people who lack subtlety, class, and sophistication display some of the following behaviors. They constantly interrupt others. They are unkind to service staff. They gossip about others. They lack gratitude. They make fun of others. They brag loudly. And they treat people differently based on their status. Any of this sound familiar? 

 I find this current mindset extremely depressing. So, why is this happening? What’s going on with all this cruelty, coldness, and lack of discretion?

Sociologists claim that the lack of sophistication and kindness derives from intensified individualism, economic pressures, valuing achievements over character, political polarization, and the isolating effects of technology which lead to decreased empathy, and a focus on self-interest over community. There is also a fear of vulnerability which can lead to less compassion and more rudeness.

So, what can be done to curb some of these traits and replace them with more positive ones that lean towards kindness and empathy, gratitude, and respect, listening more than speaking, and valuing the differences in people?

Here are some suggestions from the experts.

Focus on cultivating intellectual depth—read widely on various subjects which encourages engaging in thoughtful conversations.

Refine your communication skills. After listening carefully, speak thoughtfully and articulately, rather than impulsively.

Pay attention to presentation. Focus on good grooming and appropriate attire for the occasion, rather than shocking and provocative choices of clothing. Maintain poise and a tasteful appearance. 

Develop cultural awareness. Study art, music, history, and customs of various cultures, which not only will make you a more interesting person but also help you navigate diverse social situations gracefully. 

Mind your manners and etiquette. Learn and practice social graces, demonstrate empathy and consideration for others. 

To promote kindness in our society, we can all focus on practicing active listening, offer thoughtful gestures, use courteous language, volunteer, and be generous with our time. 

I am heartened when I witness thoughtful people help elderly people cross the street, or carry their groceries, or do an errand for them. These acts of kindness make their days and give them rays of hope for meaningful days to come.

It’s sometimes difficult to set a good example and do the right thing when those at the top of the heap are anything but role models. But I believe it’s just such a time when the rest of us must rise up and become “better angels.” 

Let’s not forget that quiet sophistication is about understated elegance, finding strength in silence, and clarity through simplicity. The holiday season is a great time to reflect on these truths and renew our efforts to focus on kindness, empathy, and getting back to basics. 

Here are some quotes that promote those traits. 

Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.”  Coco Chanel 

“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.” Francis Bacon

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci

Simplicity. Silence. Sophistication. Some things to think about. 

 

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, bicycling, and nature.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Thoughts on Maryland State Budget Deficits by David Reel

by
Leave a Comment

Governor Wes Moore recently spoke to elected and appointed county officials from across Maryland at a conference of the Maryland Association of Counties (MaCO). Moore shared his thoughts his version of a proposed state budget that he must present to the General Assembly no later than January 24, 2026. The General Assembly must approve their version of the state budget and return it to the governor for final approval no later than midnight on April 3, 2025.

A reporter from Maryland Matters wrote that Moore said, “Budget decisions in front of us won’t be easy or simple.” Moore’s Acting Budget Secretary said much the same with, “The choices in front of us are difficult.” Both observations are huge understatements.

Current projections are a $1.5 billion budget deficit for the next fiscal year, despite news last week that projected revenue for next year has been increased very slightly by $9.1 million.

At MaCO, Governor Moore proclaimed, “We cannot – and will not – balance our budget on the back of Marylanders. This is not a year where we anticipate tax increases.” His comments were echoed by House Majority Leader David Moon, who said, “Tax increases are unlikely in the upcoming session.”

The key words in both comments made by Moore and Moon are “anticipate” and “unlikely.”

What they did not say was more telling than what they did say.

Neither said there would not be approval of new taxes, tax increases, new fees, fee increases, spending cuts, and withdrawals from the state budget reserve (rainy day) fund next year to achieve a balanced budget as mandated by the state constitution.

These omissions are reminiscent of a period before and during the 2025 General Assembly session, when Governor Moore repeatedly stated that he had set a very high bar for considering tax increases to address a previously projected budget deficit.

We now know Moore decide that high bar had been reached as he and the super Democratic majorities in the state House and state Senate agreed to address that deficit with a wide range of new state taxes, tax increases, new state fees,  fee increases, and transfers from the state budget reserve (rainy day) fund, which now has a balance of between $ 2.3 to $2.4 billion, and relatively modest spending cuts.

Those actions were heralded at the time as a means of achieving a $300 million surplus for the next budget. Instead, Maryland is again facing a large deficit that could grow larger.

At MaCO, Moore also declared that he will right-size programs that, in his words, “need to be made more sustainable.”

He did not provide details on which programs may be considered, how he will evaluate more sustainability, or the total potential savings on state spending from program right-sizing.

In any event, that observation will surely catch the attention of a large number of progressive lawmakers in both the state House and state Senate who will strongly oppose any effort to reduce state funding for already approved progressive initiatives, especially, but not limited to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Education, also known as The Kirwan Plan.

Kirwan is projected to require at least $30 billion in funding over the first ten years to fully implement the plan.

Will history repeat itself in the upcoming 2026 regular General Assembly session?

Most likely yes, unless there are radical and long-overdue changes in how Maryland’s governors and a majority of legislators make decisions on state budgets in Maryland.

One change that merits consideration is in Richmond, the state capital of Virginia.

There, the governor and the legislature worked together to approve state budgets that resulted in $10 billion in surplus revenue over the four years ending in Fiscal Year 2025.

Some will say Virginia has not faced the same negative impacts of federal job losses as Maryland has.

Not so, based on research done by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. That research concluded that between January 2025 and May 2025, Maryland lost 5.4 percent of its federal workforce and Virginia lost 4.8 percent of its federal workforce, a difference of 0.6 percent.

Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin has predicted Virginia will continue to see balanced or surplus state budgets and revenue growth, despite any federal headwinds. I suggest that is because Virginia has been successful at attracting economic development and adding private-sector jobs before and after Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term.

Prior to the start of, or early on in, the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session, the governor and legislative leaders should meet with their counterparts in Virginia.

The meeting goal is to explore how the Virginia governor and legislature have worked together to have Virginia be ranked “Americas Top State for Business” last year by CNBC, expanded their tax base, and consistently achieved balanced state budgets with surpluses.

Otherwise, I predict Maryland taxpayers will continue to endure a never-ending cycle of state spending increases followed by a never-ending cycle of new taxes, tax increases, new fees, fee increases and transfers from the rainy-day fund until that fund is drained to the point where a minimum balance of 5% of the previous year’s general fund revenues is no longer in place.

That, in turn, will accelerate the rate of Maryland businesses and residents moving to other states.

David Reel is a public affairs and public relations consultant. He is also a consultant for profit organizations on governance, leadership, and management matters. He lives in Easton.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

The False Nostalgia of Movie Theaters by Hugh Panero

by
Leave a Comment

The battle over Netflix’s bid to buy Warner Bros. has triggered fears that it will mean the end of the movie theater. The reaction is based on nostalgic feelings people have for the movie theater experience growing up, which ignores the bad and focuses only on the good. 

First, the good. I have funny memories of going to the movie theater. I once convinced my mother to drop my brother Doug and me off at a local movie theater to see what I thought was a Flash Gordon sci-fi action movie. I was wrong. It was an R-rated sci-fi sex comedy called Flesh Gordon (1974), and somehow we got in. We realized something was wrong when Flash (or Flesh) fought large monsters that resembled a well-known male body part. We laughed through the movie and never told our mother about our R-rated experience. 

I once took a date to see The Exorcist, famous for its terrifying scenes. The theater was located in the Marble Hill section of the Bronx. The smart-ass neighborhood kids would loiter outside by the venue’s metal fire exit door. On cue, precisely timed to coincide with a terrifying scene, they would bang on the metal door, producing a thunderous sound that made everyone leap out of their seats in terror. I never went to another scary movie after that. 

After completing a stressful work project, I left work early and needed something mindless to do, so I bought a ticket to an afternoon showing of Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) at a sketchy midtown Times Square theater near work. The sparse crowd included prostitutes, drunks, and me. I guess everyone needs downtime. Several minutes into the movie, Rambo began killing people, and the crowd started to count out after each kill loudly: ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, and eventually TWENTY TWO, TWENTY THREE, and so on. After the villain killed Rambo’s love interest, one drunk patron stood up and yelled, “NOW YOU’RE GOING TO GET IT SUCKER!!” and the counting continued NINETY SIX, NINETY SEVEN, with each Russian soldier fatality until the end of the movie when the crowd stood and broke into applause.     

My funniest movie theater moment happened at a screening of The Mambo Kings (1992), based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. It starred a handsome Armand Assante and young Antonio Banderas, who played Cesar and Nestor Castello, Cuban musician brothers trying to break into the music business.

The theater was dead silent until Armand Assante made a stunning, sexy, cinematic entrance onto the big screen, provoking a primal sound from my wife seated next to me. Spontaneously, she had yelled out, “OH MY,” upon seeing him. Everyone in the audience laughed, especially the other women, who had a similar feeling but managed to keep their hot flash moment to themselves. I quickly turned to my wife and said, “Mary Beth, I am sitting right here,” to which she amusingly responded, “Oops!” My wife is hilarious. 

Setting aside these funny, nostalgic memories, the hard truth is that the movie theater business has been dead for a very long time. It just does not know it. There was a time when theaters were the only way to see movies. A recent WSJ article mused that in 1929, “an average of 95 million people, or nearly four-fifths of the U.S. population, saw a film every week, how things have changed. In 2019, the year before the Pandemic, ticket sales numbered 1.2 billion, and last year only 760 million. Ticket prices have gone up over the years to offset lower attendance. Studios increasingly rely on international theatrical revenue, which accounts for over 50 percent of ticket sales.

There was a time when studios owned the content, the movie theaters, and had actors, writers, and directors as contract employees under the studio’s dominant control. In 1948, the government sued the studios in a landmark antitrust case. The Supreme Court ended the studios’ monopolistic control over the industry, forcing them to sell off their movie theaters.

What is killing theaters is that the business model and the consumer experience stinks (except for IMAX). Studios control the content, and when the product is bad, fewer people show up to buy tickets and food. Studios also take 90 percent of a blockbuster film’s ticket revenue for a set period at the beginning of its theatrical run, when it is heavily promoted and in high demand. Therefore, theaters must rely on concession sales to make a buck. This is why popcorn costs $20, candy $15, and you’re forced to sit through 30 minutes of annoying paid advertising before the movie begins. When studios have a few bad years at the box office in a row, it can nudge theater chains into bankruptcy.

New technologies have been a persistent competitive challenge for theater owners. It began with the introduction of TV, then cable & satellite TV, home video, video-on-demand, Pay TV, the internet, and now premium streaming services. Theater owners have always reacted slowly to combat new technology. Theater chains have spruced up some venues, adding assigned seating, better food options, liquor, and comfy reclining chairs, but it’s too little, too late. 

For decades, studios managed new technology by controlling a film’s release schedule across distribution platforms, a practice called windowing. The first window, movie theaters, set the film’s value based on its box office performance; several months later, after milking theatrical, the film would sequentially move to video rentals, then video on demand, pay TV (HBO), and finally to cable channels, and so on. This disciplined control was disrupted when studios, now part of large, vertically integrated media giants, entered the direct-to-consumer streaming business as traditional middlemen distributors like cable TV faded. To attract subscribers, studios funneled their hit movies to their exclusive streaming platforms. They also spent billions producing exclusive original content that bypassed theaters or had only a brief theatrical run to qualify for awards. Studios were now competing directly with their theater distributors for consumer attention and dollars.

Blockbuster Marvel superhero films were a shot in the arm for theater owners, driving millions of fans into their multiplex venues. It kicked off with Iron Man (2008), leading to multiple franchises and the Avengers, which dominated the box office for years. However, these films became increasingly expensive to make, requiring stronger box-office performance. Unfortunately, the superhero genre became oversaturated, and quality suffered as a result.

This turned off consumers who could skip the movie theater altogether and wait for films to hit their streaming services, then watch them at home on their big-screen TVs—no babysitters, parking, bad food, dirty theaters, or long bathroom lines.

I admit I have not had as many funny moments watching popular streaming movies at home, mainly because my wife and her best friend, Sue, like to talk during the film, a violation of one of my core movie-viewing rules, which they ignore. Movie theaters will hang on for a while as a way for parents to entertain young kids on a rainy day, as an occasional date night activity, and as a place where teenagers can hang out and canoodle away from the prying eyes of protective parents.

Eventually, the movie theater business will shrink further and become a boutique, nostalgic experience, much like shopping for records at a vinyl record store. 

Hugh Panero, a tech and media entrepreneur, was the founder and former CEO of XM Satellite Radio. He has worked with leading tech venture capital firms and was an adjunct media professor at George Washington University. He writes about Tech, Media, and other stuff for the Spy.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

“Character Is Destiny” by Al Sikes

by
Leave a Comment

My Dad was a retailer in a small town in Southeast Missouri. Name: Kendall Sikes. In my youth, Dad and his brother had a store that, among other things, sold toys. In our family, Christmas was a really big deal—earthly and beyond.

Beyond the transcendent part, our Church was important. Mom, Marcia Sikes, was the organist at the Church, and I heard Christmas songs being practiced by her every day for well over a month. The melodies were layered with lyrics of love, joy, kindness—the fruit of the faith.

Back then, there were radio stations that broadcast church services on Sunday morning and then reverted to regular programming by the afternoon. During the holidays, regular programming often meant Christmas music, and quite a bit of it recalled biblical stories related musically. The song, “Mama Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” was still decades off.

My job at the store included re-shelfing. Dad knew most of the customers and if, for one reason or another, they had to return items, he accepted them and I put them back on the shelf. It was, he said, “the right thing to do.” Those little episodes of life linger.

We are now in what the Christian faith calls the Advent Season; the dawn before the sun comes up, as I think about it. The staging before the main event, the birth of a baby, the world calls Jesus.

But the main Christmas event now, for most, is a variation on Kings (wise men from the East) bringing gifts to celebrate Jesus’s birth.  Gift buying and giving are the propulsive features of the season.

And gift giving, I know from my broadcast days, results in peak advertising in the fourth quarter. A recent report found a 20% quarter-over-quarter increase in overall digital advertising in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Today a popular social media descriptive is “Influencer”. Merriam-Webster defines an influencer as: “one who exerts influence: a person who inspires or guides the actions of others.” And that is just the way people in the media business, old and new, see themselves—especially in podcasting and social media.

Media salespeople, a part of the mix, are “influence advocates”. They talk in impressions per thousand of people reached. They can tell you about repetition, specifically, how many impressions each person will hear or see. Somewhere along this line of ad creation, volume, and repetition, companies, agencies, and media prevail. Compromised on a societal level are the transcendent messages of “love, joy and kindness.”

We, the collective, are coming around. Social media is providing searing lessons. Many schools, for example, are taking cell phones away as classes begin. There is, at least I hope, a 21st Century understanding that turning kids over to various media, social and legacy alike, is harmful. While this has always been true, we are now in an age when performative outrage used to break through media noise compounds the problem.

But back to lessons and going outside the family. The Pledge of Allegiance, with its transcendent message, for example, is absent in many schools today. A 1943 Supreme Court ruling said that requiring students to recite the Pledge violated their First Amendment rights.

It is, of course, impossible for me to know what ultimate effect my Mom’s rendition of sacred holiday music had on my young mind and its lingering effects. But it was not nothing, and society’s swing to intense consumerism and, more recently, increased creative noise and profanity is also not nothing. When the prevailing culture finds God an irrelevance, the Judeo-Christian moral codes follow.

It is easy to blame parents or schools or politics for societal breakdown. Let me add to the list—not at the adornment level, but at the foundation one—when the profane transcends the sacred, trouble is the offspring.

Thank you, Mom and Dad.

Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Write the Damn Book By Laura J. Oliver

by
Leave a Comment

Twenty-three years before Tom Clancy would die of congestive heart failure at the age of 66, and at the height of his skyrocketing publishing career, he agreed to address the Maryland Writers’ Association. He peered into the darkened auditorium that evening from behind huge, 1980s-style glasses, as unpublished writers, and I was one of them, listened for words of wisdom, our longing, a palpable energy. We wanted Clancy to share his formula for success, his mojo–his secret for having gone from the obscurity of an ordinary insurance salesman, to the fame and fortune that came with the publication of “The Hunt for Red October.”

He had wanted to write a book for a long time, Clancy explained, but he continued to sell insurance. He had had a great idea for years, but had continued to sell insurance.  “What I did,” Clancy said, “was waste all that time.” The big glasses turned my way. “All that time, I could have been enjoying the success I have now. All the years I could have been a best-selling author with a book translated into 20 languages, I spent selling insurance.” 

I’m sorry, I mouthed helplessly. Stop looking at me.

And Clancy didn’t know, as he berated himself for lost time and opportunity that night, that he would not live to be an old man. Nor did we know that some of us who sat listening would be gone too soon as well. Beth died in an airport on her birthday. Carolyn is gone now, too.

“You probably have ideas for a memoir or novel,” he said. “So, what are you waiting for? Write the damn book.” 

Memory is fallible, but the message is verbatim, and here’s what I know. By “you” he meant us. And by “book” he meant all of it—stop waiting to be happy, to be rescued, to be fixed. 

Life is the book you are writing, so write what wants to be written and do it now. 

Raising kids? Write the damn book.

Selling stocks? Teaching? Repairing cars? Write the damn book.

I can hear Clancy saying from wherever he is at this moment, what he said that night about our excuses.

“Cry me a river. Just write the damn book.” 

So, in the years that followed, I wrote, but not because I thought I had been forestalling fame, but because he was right about time. 

Everything has an expiration date. No matter what we do to preserve our planet’s diverse species, find renewable sources of power, and end reality television… in 4.5 billion years, our star will run out of hydrogen. At that moment, she will balloon towards the planet, dry our oceans, blow off our magnetic field, and in a last violent expenditure of energy, carry us back into the embrace of her collapse. 

So, no matter what we do, this fragile planet that so graciously carries us around the sun once every 365 days will not exist someday. And I can’t quite take this in—that all the love, all the longing, the ancient mountain ranges thrust skyward as continents crashed– won’t exist forever. 

These are facts I recognize intellectually—like I recognize my great grandchildren will not know my name, that the dog I so love must one day die–but these are facts I can’t make sense of emotionally. So, I write.

Not that I think writing will preserve anything, but because writers are observers, always trying to make sense of the incomprehensible. You should be careful around us. We’re always taking notes. 

I wrote The Story Within to reach out to the people I will never meet. To put my work on a shelf, in a bookstore, between two covers, while the opportunity still exists. The world of publishing is changing at an alarming rate. I don’t know how long bookstores are even going to be around.

So I have to confess: for years I’d visit my book at Barnes and Noble—I’d take its picture like it was one of my children—as if it too, had left home to find its destiny, to make its fortune in the world. 

I hope it outlives me. I hope it inspires some good stories to be written—maybe yours—because our stories are the gravity that holds everything with mass together. They shine like facets from a single jewel. Our stories are what connect us. 

And maybe, in my heart of hearts, I do think sharing them will preserve something of this world. Maybe in ways we can’t understand (yet), our stories will save us. 

Laura J. Oliver is an award-winning developmental book editor and writing coach, who has taught writing at the University of Maryland and St. John’s College. She is the author of The Story Within (Penguin Random House). Co-creator of The Writing Intensive at St. John’s College, she is the recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award in Fiction, an Anne Arundel County Arts Council Literary Arts Award winner, a two-time Glimmer Train Short Fiction finalist, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her website can be found here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

“Fail First” is a Failure Always Ali Asghar Kassamali

by
Leave a Comment

Imagine walking into a health care clinic only to find that our loved one cannot receive the medication their doctor recommends, not because it is unsafe or unproven, but because their insurance requires them to “fail first.” This practice, known as step therapy, forces patients to try cheaper medications before gaining access to the treatments their physicians know are most effective. In theory, it is meant to control costs. In reality, it delays care, worsens disease outcomes, and undermines medical judgment. 

Step therapy places bureaucracy above medicine. It compels patients to take medications that may be ineffective or even harmful, prolonging suffering and increasing the risk of irreversible complications. Worse still, protections against this practice are inconsistent across states and insurance types. As a result, many of us face uncertainty each time we switch jobs, plans, or providers, never knowing whether we will be forced to “fail first” again. 

The solution lies in passing the Safe Step Act, a bipartisan bill currently pending in both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. The act would create a standardized process for step therapy exceptions nationwide, allowing physicians to override fail-first requirements when medically appropriate. Through this reform, patients would gain faster access to the treatments they need, doctors would face fewer administrative burdens, and insurers would ultimately save money by treating illnesses correctly the first time. 

This reform is not just practical; it is urgent. According to the Patient Access Network Foundation (2024), one in six adults in the United States reports being forced by insurance to try and fail on a cheaper medication before obtaining an effective one. Even more troubling, one in five of these patients ends up in the emergency room or hospitalized as a direct result. The American Medical Association (2024) has found that prior authorization and step therapy delay necessary care 94 percent of the time, lead to hospitalization in 19 percent of cases, cause serious adverse events in 13 percent, and even result in permanent disability, birth defects, or death in 7 percent. These are not abstract statistics. They represent real people whose lives are endangered by policies that prioritize savings over safety. 

Consider Sofia, a woman living with severe psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and a rare form of blood cancer. After years of pain, her doctors found a medication that controlled her skin and joint disease without worsening her cancer. She finally returned to work and regained her quality of life. 

But when she changed insurance plans, her new insurer refused to cover the medication that had restored her health. Instead, they forced her to retry a drug that had already failed. For six months, Sofia endured excruciating pain, sleepless nights, and social isolation. The damage she experienced could have been entirely prevented. Her story is one of many that show why reform cannot wait. 

If we do nothing, the consequences will deepen. More patients will suffer unnecessary harm, healthcare costs will continue to rise due to preventable hospitalizations, and trust in our healthcare system will erode further. Patients should never be collateral damage in a cost-saving experiment. 

But if we act now and pass the Safe Step Act, the outcome will be transformative. Patients will gain consistent protections across all states and insurance plans, ensuring they receive the treatments their doctors prescribe without unnecessary obstacles. Physicians will regain autonomy to make decisions in the best interests of their patients, reducing moral distress and burnout. Employers and insurers will benefit as well. When patients receive effective treatment early, they stay healthier, miss fewer workdays, and require fewer hospital visits. Preventing disease progression is not only humane; it is economically wise. 

The path forward requires unity. We, as physicians, patients, advocates, and citizens, must raise our voices together and send a clear message that every patient deserves timely, effective care, free from arbitrary barriers. This is more than a policy debate; it is a moral imperative. Passing the Safe Step Act will protect people like Sofia, ensure that future generations receive the care they need, and reaffirm that compassion, not cost-cutting, belongs at the heart of American medicine. 

We cannot allow suffering to continue when the solution is already within reach. It is time for us to act, to speak, and to demand that Congress pass the Safe Step Act so that no one has to endure preventable pain while waiting to “fail first.”

Ali Asghar Kassamali is a senior at Johns Hopkins University, where he majors in Natural Sciences. His research has been featured in scientific and medical publications across the United States. He writes from Baltimore. 

 

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

From and Fuller: The Trump 2026 Election Strategy and FIFA Peace Prize

by
Leave a Comment

Every Thursday, the Spy hosts a conversation with Al From and Craig Fuller on the most topical political news.

This week, From and Fuller discuss President Trump’s first political speech of the 2026 election and his strategy for a highly competitive midterm Congressional race. Al and Craig also compare notes on the president being awarded the FIFA Peace Prize at the Kennedy Center a few days ago.

This podcast is approximately 16 minutes long.

Background

While the Spy’s public affairs mission has always been hyper-local, it has never limited us from covering national, or even international issues, that impact the communities we serve. With that in mind, we were delighted that Al From and Craig Fuller, both highly respected Washington insiders, have agreed to a new Spy video project called “The Analysis of From and Fuller” over the next year.

The Spy and our region are very lucky to have such an accomplished duo volunteer for this experiment. While one is a devoted Democrat and the other a lifetime Republican, both had long careers that sought out the middle ground of the American political spectrum.

Al From, the genius behind the Democratic Leadership Council’s moderate agenda which would eventually lead to the election of Bill Clinton, has never compromised from this middle-of-the-road philosophy. This did not go unnoticed in a party that was moving quickly to the left in the 1980s. Including progressive Howard Dean saying that From’s DLC was the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.

From’s boss, Bill Clinton, had a different perspective. He said it would be hard to think of a single American citizen who, as a private citizen, has had a more positive impact on the progress of American life in the last 25 years than Al From.”

Al now lives in Annapolis and spends his semi-retirement as a board member of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University (his alma mater) and authoring New Democrats and the Return to Power. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins’ Krieger School and recently agreed to serve on the Annapolis Spy’s Board of Visitors. He is the author of “New Democrats and the Return to Power.”

For Craig Fuller, his moderation in the Republican party was a rare phenomenon. With deep roots in California’s GOP culture of centralism, Fuller, starting with a long history with Ronald Reagan, leading to his appointment as Reagan’s cabinet secretary at the White House, and later as George Bush’s chief-of-staff and presidential campaign manager was known for his instincts to find the middle ground. Even more noted was his reputation of being a nice guy in Washington, a rare characteristic for a successful tenure in the White House.

Craig has called Easton his permanent home for the last eight years, where he now chairs the board of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and is a former board member of the Academy Art Museum and Benedictine.  He also serves on the Spy’s Board of Visitors and writes an e-newsletter available by clicking on DECADE SEVEN.

With their rich experience and long history of friendship, now joined by their love of the Chesapeake Bay, they have agreed through the magic of Zoom, to talk inside politics and policy with the Spy every Thursday.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Flying Dogs By Angela Rieck

by
Leave a Comment

I headed south for the winter this week. The cold weather let me know that it was time. When I travel to Florida, I fly with two sweet little dogs. Small dogs are allowed to fly in the cabin, under the seat, but American Airlines has a very strict policy of a 20-pound weight maximum (including the crate). The dogs must remain in their carriers through the duration of the flight. Since our flight was delayed by several hours it was a lot to ask of these poor little guys.

Watching them and marveling at how well they behaved (okay one had to be medicated, but the other was flawless), I wondered how their cousins, the wolves, would have handled this.

Recent research has discovered that almost two-thirds of modern dog breeds have some wolf ancestry from breeding within last few thousand years. Wolves and dogs genetically split around 20,000 years ago. But 61% of all dogs contain enough wolf DNA to reveal that they have bred with wolves since the split. The obvious ones with greater wolf DNA are shepherds, sled dogs, hunting dogs, huskies, and malamutes. However, the chihuahua also contains some recent wolf DNA. Researchers found that 264 modern dog breeds have wolf ancestry from an average of 2,600 years ago. 

There are also some ancient breeds that broke from the family tree of dogs very early that do not have wolf DNA, some should be familiar to you. Probably the best known is the Basenji which has the most ancient lineage and is at the very base of the dog family tree. It is more related to “primitive” dogs like the Dingo and African Wild Dogs. Genetically distinct from other dogs, Basenjis diverged early from the wolf ancestor. The Basenji was a pack hunter and watchdog of native tribes in Africa. It’s thought that Egyptian Pharaohs owned Basenjis. 

The Pharaoh Hound is another ancient breed, and has been hardly altered in the last 5,000 years. With features similar to the dogs seen across Egyptian and Greek art, the Pharaoh Hound is a medium-sized breed with a long, lean body and a short coat that is colored tan or chestnut. Pharaoh Hounds were bred to hunt rabbits in North Africa.

The Xoloitzcuintli (pronounced shoh-loyts-kweent-lee), also known as the “Mexican hairless dog,” dates back to the time of the Aztecs (3500 years). The Xolo has made a bit of a comeback since the 1950s. 

Another ancient breed is the Saluki. The Saluki can be traced to early Egypt, where it was used to run down foxes, hares, and gazelles in the desert. Salukis are beautiful, graceful, and fast. They are known for endurance and strength, which allowed them to hunt in deep sand or rocky terrains. 

Greyhound-like dogs are depicted in hieroglyphs from Egyptian, Greek, and Roman times. The ancient greyhound breed became popular with the English. Known for their ability to run after and catch game at a very quick pace, Greyhounds sadly became racing dogs in America in the 1900s. Despite their racing credentials, greyhounds are calm and well behaved.

Many of the ancient breeds are known for being aloof, loyal, and sometimes difficult to train. But my little poodle and Maltese mixes clearly have no wolf DNA, nor do they have the characteristics of an ancient breed. My little guys are likely a modern breed, bred only to be cute, to snuggle, and demand lots of attention. Which is what they are getting now after their tiresome flight.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Maryland Caucus with Foxwell and Mitchell: An Annapolis Future with a Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk

by
Leave a Comment

Every Wednesday, but this week on Friday,  Maryland political analysts Len Foxwell and Clayton Mitchell discuss the politics and personalities of the state and region.

This week, Len and Clayton discuss the probable selection of Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk to become the state’s new Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates. 

This video is approximately eight minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.