Carroll Creek Algae Options

The City of Frederick Maryland's Carroll Creek is going to have algae

...in it weather we choose to recycle it or not.

"Tapping ancient sunlight" VS. Constructive use of what we have no choice but to put up with.

"Algoil"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKlf8pBUuc4

I've been doing some online research into options the City of Frederick might be able to do with the festering green slime that collects off East Patrick St, within view of our Amtrack station.

From what I've been able to discover, we have at least a couple of options with finding a productive use of what Frederick is going to have weather we do anything or not.

"Make Biodeisel out of Algae"

Algae comes in different forms apparently, if the type of algae we have in Carroll Creek is from the Closterium Genus, then possibly we can make biodeisel out of our algae, according to these folks from Hiroshima, Japan

One possible downside is it the process described requires bleaching the algae, and I'm not sure that's going to be cost effective.

Biodeisel is actually non food grade vegetable oil. First you turn the algae into vegetable oil, then process that vegetable oil into something combustible, something we can simply pump in our fuel tanks and go.

Since everything I've seen to date claims that "we're not there yet" and "it's not quite cost effective" this next alternative seems more promising:

"Making Paper out of Algae"

These kids in Romainia suggest making paper out of the algae that collects on the shore of the Black Sea
http://www.youngreporters.org/article.php3?id_article=885

Making paper out of algae, leaves and old paper is a very efficient way of reducing waste. To obtain a modeling paste you can use old paper alone but the quality of the product (color, flexibility) increases if you add a 15-30 percentage of leaf flour or 10-15 percentage of algae flour. You can create numerous objects from the manufactured paper (supports, boxes, etc).

AlgaeJetFuel?

http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/007945.html

Virgin Atlantic thinks it can green commercial aviation with biofuels:
When a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 took off for a 40-minute flight from London to Amsterdam Feb. 24, it represented an aviation breakthrough. For the first time a commercial airliner took aloft on other than fossil fuels. One of the plane’s four engines was fired on a 20 percent biojet fuel blend. The aim of the test flight was to explore how a biofuel performs in high altitude cold temperatures...
The next test aims to validate sustainability. When the Air New Zealand test takes place, it will be with a second generation feedstock. Of the possibilities, two are worth noting: algae and jatropha. Both grow on non-agricultural land. Algae can employ saline water, and jatropha grows in dry conditions on degraded lands, in fact helping accumulate carbon in the soil. There are solid indications that biojet from jatropha or algae could provide massive amounts of fuel, and at costs lower than petroleum-based jet fuel.

Boeing’s own presentation on alternative fuels shows that land use issues are part of the sustainable biojet program’s DNA. “If the world airline fleet used 100% biojet fuel from soybeans, it would require 322 billion litres,” the presentation says. At 560 liters of oil per hectare that would require 5,750 million square kilometers, about the size of Europe. But algae could produce up to 94,000 liters per acre, shrinking land requirements to 35,000 square kilometers, about a Belgium’s worth of land.

Issue #25

November 28, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Almost got snow in Frederick last night

Did you see the flurries last night?

I live in Robin Meadows and here in the Southern part of Frederick County it got cold. Not as cold as it was a few weeks ago, but cold enough.

The wind knocked over our patio umbrella... which woke the dog up... which woke up my grand daughter, I'm enjoying being 'extended family' so much I even started a blog about it!

I've spent the last 3 days and nights signing up for every WEB2.0 service under the sun, MyBlogLog calls it's list "Blogging Profile ZEN"!!

I'm publicizing this blog and doing the work behind the scenes to get it to rank even higher in Google...

My grand daughter just woke up again... will post back soon

Issue #24

November 18, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Issue #23

November 18, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Taxpayers spent $10,200,000 for this?

This stinks, literally, right now it doesn't (it's too cold), let it get hot outside again...



I really did hope to post a link to a 'hi tech' solution that somehow our over worked and under paid public servants simply missed, but sadly...

Oil from algae

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_yield.html#alg

Algae yield is not included in the yield tables because, in spite of all the hype about yields of 20,000 gallons of oil per acre and even 100,000 gallons per acre and so on, biodiesel from algae is still something of the future, not of the present.

As of mid-2008, there is no such thing as biodiesel from algae apart from a few laboratory samples. There are some hopeful signs, but technical obstacles remain, pilot projects are not yet feasible for production purposes, and the claims made for high yields have never been demonstrated and remain theoretical.

No doubt that will change, but it's been "just around the corner" for years. When it does emerge, it's very likely to be in the form of high-tech industrial-scale solutions, not for backyarders or farms or villages.

We're sad to be so negative about it, but there's a lot of confusion about biodiesel from algae.

On a brighter note, this guy's site is chock full of alternative fuel "How To's"!
And full to the brim with footnotes and geek speak.
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

I'm not a biodiesel scientist but I did stay at a Holiday Express last night"
Does that count?



Issue #22

November 16, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Employment Opportunities in Frederick MD

Economic Downturn or no...

There still are lucrative employment opportunities in and near Frederick Maryland!

Hi Tech Jobs, Hi Tech Careers with in 30 miles of Frederick Maryland.

Fort Detrick is Frederick Maryland's largest employer.

8000 Employees and 1300 Service Men & Women stationed here make the US Army a substantial part of the local Frederick County Maryland's economic vitality.


I culled this current list from a site called TalentZoo.com

Note: most of these recent listings of high tech jobs are in the computer programming industry, a few are in PR, Public Relations... one of them is even something that interested ME (SEO equals search engine optimization) hmm, enticing!

This is NOT the entire listing of good paying careers available close to Frederick Maryland, I picked through the listing and selected jobs near Montgomery Counties RT 270 Technology Corridor to ensure that the list I published here is of careers suitable to pay a mortgage in Frederick MD.

For the less techy minded job seekers, well seekers of jobs within Frederick County Maryland, I included Yahoo's Hot Jobs

11/11/2008 Senior Flash Developer Hirshorn Zuckerman Design Group Rockville, MD

11/14/2008 Senior Marketing Research Analys... Bae Systems (BAE Systems)Rockville, MD

11/11/2008 Java Software Engineer - NLP - A... CyberCoders (CyberCoders)Derwood, MD

11/08/2008 Senior Level Electrical Avionics... CDI (Beyond.com) Hagerstown, MD

11/14/2008 Communications & Media Coordinat... Assoc. for Research in Vision and Oph... Rockville, MD

11/14/2008 Public Relations & Media Service... Manpower (Net Temps) Gaithersburg, MD

11/12/2008 SEO COPYWRITER 123 Print, Inc (CareerBuilder) Frederick, MD

11/14/2008 PR Pro Association for Research in Vision &... Rockville, MD

11/07/2008 Java/Business Objects Web Develo... Akimeka LLC (Dice) Frederick, MD

11/13/2008 Marketing Intern AGV SPORT (ActiveHire) Frederick, MD

11/13/2008 Web Developer Internship AGV SPORT (ActiveHire) Frederick, MD

11/14/2008 NFS Design and Construction Proj... Kaiser Permanente (Kaiser Permanente)Rockville, MD

11/14/2008 Mechanical Design Engineer Digital Receiver Technology, Inc (Dic... Germantown, MD

11/11/2008 Java Developer General Dynamics Information Technolo... Frederick, MD

11/12/2008 Senior Software Engineer (Java) SRA Int'l Inc. (SRA Int'l I... Frederick, MD

11/14/2008 Senior Web Application Developer Data Tree Inc (washingtonpost.com) Gaithersburg, MD

11/12/2008 Global Design Firms seeks Senior... Confidential (EngineeringJobs.net) Frederick, MD

11/11/2008 Fashion Design Internship AGV Sports (InternJobs) Frederick, MD

11/11/2008 Web Development AGV Sports (InternJobs) Frederick, MD

11/13/2008 Web Designer / Developer (ShareP... First Data Corporation (First Data Co... Hagerstown, MD

11/11/2008 Sales/Marketing Internship AGV Sports (InternJobs) Frederick, MD

11/11/2008 Junior Public Relations Specialist Manpower (NewYorkJobs.com) Gaithersburg, MD

11/14/2008 Java Developer/Consultant ? Java... J.R. Associates (HotJobs) Rockville, MD

11/13/2008 JAVA J2EE Developer Anthem Tech Inc (Dice) Rockville, MD

11/13/2008 Java Front End Developer Inscope Solutions (Dice) Rockville, MD

Issue #21

November 14, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Train a comin?

train a comin?, originally uploaded by k2ski.

This breath taking photo is near Buckyestown off Rt 85, not far from my house.

This picture is so good, it looks like a painting, but it's really Frederick MD.

Frederick is an amazing place to live... as I say:

"Close enough to the wealth of Montgomery County MD for me to make a living and low enough cost of living for me to be able to afford to live here.

Great Shot was taken by http://www.flickr.com/photos/k2ski/

There are quite a few Washington county residents that work in Frederick County.

Why do they do that?

Because the cost of living is lower in Hagerstown and the rates of pay paid by Frederick County employers is higher that's why.

Planing on moving somewhere where you can afford to live and have it be close enough to a high paying job to commute?

Relocating & looking at Hagerstown

Planning on moving to Hagerstown Maryland?

Read some apparently very honest pros and cons about your planned move to historic Hagerstown Md on this site that comes up in the search engines:

Excerpted from: http://www.city-data.com/forum/maryland/6177-moving-hagerstown.html

The closer you get to Frederick, i.e., the closer to DC, the worse the prices and traffic.

I'd recommend moving up the line ten miles into Greencastle, PA, a neat little town with the old N&W still running through it. Not sure how near you are to retirement, but there is no state income tax in PA on most retirements, a little-known but very important fact.

As we were planning for retirement, we looked at houses around Greencastle and there was much to pick from. If you are now in Cumberland, you can be there in an hour. Make it a point to eat dinner at Mrs. Gibbles for really good food; just google up her website to check days/hours and menu. My favorite is fried chicken livers, one of her specialties. She's part of the potato chip family of the same name, and also runs a chocolate shop next door. Cool place.

There are tons of small towns up in PA that have great quality of life and are within the 30 minute/mile range of Hagerstown. MD is a bit of a high tax state and parts of PA can be, you gotta check carefully with the realtor. I'm not a realtor, nor associated in any way with the industry, but realtors cost you nothing and can do a great job finding exactly what you need, on price and on schools and sports for the youngsters. You also can get a feel for the area by using the realtor site to drill down on the map of an area to see what's for sale and at what prices. Armchair shopping at it's best. The real estate market has softened a lot in past 8-10 months, a lot of inventory is for sale and moving slowly, so you should be able to drive a harder bargain these days than a year ago, when the market was red hot.

Issue #20

November 12, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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GEORGE WASHINGTON TRAVELLED THIS ROAD

GEORGE WASHINGTON TRAVELLED THIS ROAD, originally uploaded by FREDERICKPHOTOGRAPHER.

More Frederick Maryland History, right across from the C. Burr Artz Library (Frederick County Public Library's HQ) rear facing Carroll Creek is a marker stating that then Lieutenant George Washington and future rival General Braddock stayed at a tavern near that marker.

At the time founding father George was a junior officer in the British Army fighting the French in the French & Indian War.

Issue #19

November 12, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Update Your Resume

Update Your Resume
Did you know that employers are more likely to look at recently updated resumes?

Login and refresh your resume today to keep it at the top of the list.

f you haven't uploaded your resume, today is the day. Gain access to the best industry jobs by uploading your resume now .

Useful links for resume building:

From Wikipedia:

In many contexts, a resume or CV is short (usually one page), and therefore contains only experience directly relevant to a particular position. Many resumes contain precise keywords that the potential employers are looking for, make heavy use of active verbs, and display content in a flattering manner.

Many people (including myself) are viewing Social Networking Sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook as resumes.

I've been delving heavily into MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook and see certain differences in each:

• MySpace perhaps the original social networking site still seems populated by kids just "messin around". I use mine only because MySpace tends to rank very high in Google
• Facebook is perhaps the best all around useful social networking site with many business people using it for contacts. IMHO facebook is better suited for a resume than MySpace
• LinkedIn is from what I can see all about business. LinkedIn seems as if it was built from the ground up to BE a resume. Best thing I like about LinkedIn is that people on it tend to be very, VERY selective who they allow to be associated with.

Issue #18

November 18, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Frederick Trivia I didn't know

I'm finding so much cool stuff about Frederick that I didn't know I thought I'd share some of it with you:

The Barbara Fritchie House ... Here it stands, this hallowed Civil War monument to a patriotic old lady's defiance of the Southern rebels. It never happened... the whole thing was hyped up by Fritchie's niece added the story to embellish her aunt's reputation

Maryland was first to enact Workman's compensation laws in 1902.

Mount Airy is unique because two counties, Carroll and Frederick, divide it.

The Community Bridge Mural Project in Frederick transformed a plain concrete bridge into the stunning illusion of an old stone bridge. The entire structure was painted by hand by an artist and his assistants, using advanced trompe l'oeil ("deceive the eye") techniques.

Issue #17

November 11, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Circuit City Just Filed for Bankruptcy - bargains anyone?

This just in, about an hour ago...

Circuit City just filed for bankruptcy




My daughter was just in the Frederick Circuit City and she saw about 20 employees just milling about, with nothing to do?

I smell BARGAINS, do you?

Christmas is coming and none of us have as much to spend as we did last year...

I got this tidbit from Yahoo: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081110/circuit_city_bankruptcy.html?.v=2

Actually someone on Twitter posted it and I just happened to spot it, what caught my attention is that one of my daughter's computers hard drive failed and I just suggested that she go to the Frederick Maryland Circuit City to price a new one, We don't have a CompUSA in Frederick?

http://twitter.com/frederickwebpro

The company said it decided to file for bankruptcy protection because it was facing pressure from vendors who threatened to withhold products during the holiday period. The company also said it cut 700 more jobs at its headquarters, after announcing a week ago that it would close 20 percent of its stores and lay off thousands of workers.

Circuit City filed for Chapter 11 protection, which will allow it to hold off creditors and continue operations while it develops a reorganization plan. Its Canadian operations also filed for similar protection.

Doing so "should provide us with the opportunity to strengthen our balance sheet, create a more efficient expense structure and ultimately position the company to compete more effectively," James A. Marcum, vice chairman and acting president and chief executive, said in a statement.

Issue #16

November 10, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

Email David Bruce at davidbrucejr@frederickwebpromotions.com

City of Frederick Gets International Award!

In a press release found in the official City of Frederick Website:

Frederick, MD -- The City of Frederick's Carroll Creek Park was recognized this week by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as one of the best Neighborhood Development initiatives in the United States. IEDC awarded the City of Frederick Department of Economic Development with its Neighborhood Development Initiatives award on Tuesday at its Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Way to go... that is cool.

I've only lived here in Frederick since 2006, I didn't know there was a horrific flood in 1976 and over 100 acres of Down Town City of Frederick was under water!

I recently learned that back then the city sought "fix" Carroll Creek for $6,000,000 and the Army Corp of Engineers said they could completely redo the creek and turn it into an aqueduct and a "River Walk" like we have today.

Here's some more Frederick Trivia that I didn't know, I got this from the City of Frederick's DED site (Department of Economic Development)

More than 200 eclectic retailers, restaurants and antique shops line the main retail corridors of Market, Patrick and East streets. 1.4 million tourists visited downtown in 2006, drawn by the fine dining, shopping and cultural experiences offered. Downtown’s Theater District offers regular performances at the Maryland Ensemble Theater, Weinberg Center for the Performing Arts and the Cultural Arts Center.

Downtown Frederick is also home to 600 businesses and organizations totaling nearly 5,000 employees. A growing technology sector can be found in downtown’s historic renovated spaces, as well as in new office buildings located along Carroll Creek Park. The links below provide access to various reports and more information on downtown Frederick.

===============================

Ok, enough about downtown... just look at this photo and tell me that Frederick County isn't beautiful:




Here's a list of stuff I didn't know about the extremities of Frederick County MD:

Brunswick Railroad Museum

The Brunswick Railroad Museum is located at 40 West Potomac Street in Brunswick near Frederick. Built in 1910, this museum was once home to the laborers who worked in Brunswick´s thriving railroad community. The museum features an early 1900's lifestyle and a HO model train layout. The museum is open Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 - 4 p.m., with hours on Thursdays and Fridays during warmer months. Call (301)834-7100

the Museum has preserved the history of Brunswick. Known during the Civil War as Berlin, this small town along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was incorporated as Brunswick in 1890. That same year the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad began construction of the 5 mile rail yard that would reshape Brunswick into a company town with a population of over 5000!

Catoctin Furnace

Catoctin Furnace is located on U.S. 15 and Route 806 in Thurmont, just north of Frederick. Built in 1774 by Governor Thomas Johnson´s family, the furnace produced iron for Revolutionary and Civil War arms. This site is part of Cunningham Falls State Park. For more information call 301-271-7574

Prospect Hall Mansion (circa 1803)
889 Butterfly Lane
Frederick, MD 21703
301-662-4418

Built on the highest elevation in Frederick City, Red Hill, this historic mansion has hosted many popular visitors, among them Harry Truman. It was the site of General Meade's takeover of the Army of the Potomac immediately before the Battle of Gettysburg. The mansion is now home to St. John's Catholic Prep, Frederick Maryland's Roman Catholic high school.



John Hanson resided in Frederick when he was elected the first President of Congress from Maryland to serve under a fully ratified Articles of Confederation in 1781.

Who was Thomas Johnson?
Frederick resident Thomas Johnson became Maryland´s first duly elected governor of Maryland, in 1777. Then, as associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, in 1792, he penned the first written opinion in court reports. And we have a high school named after him, my youngest daughter went there :)

Issue #15

November 9, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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View from Creekside Plaza

New header graphic: Carroll Creek in the City of Frederick, the view from Creekside Plaza.
I wish I'd taken this photo... but I'd have to be a resident of Creekside Plaza to pull that off.

There are lots of reasons to move to Frederick County, I live within the City of Frederick, so most of my focus in on happenings within city limits.

In future posts I'll talk more about Frederick County Maryland... I promise.

According to WTOP radio, the economic downturn is not going to impede the planned development of Carroll Creek Park!

There is more than $150,000,000 in private investment renovating the historic areas of Carroll Creek, including new development.

I for Dewey Jordan last year building the highway interchange from MD Rt 85 and MD 355 and new asphalt has been laid leading right up to East Street and South Street, which leads right into Carroll Creek and Creekside Plaza.

Quoting from the City of Frederick's Economic Development website

Creekside Plaza, a 90,000 sf office/commercial/residential building on the northeast corner of Court Street along Carroll Creek is bustling with activity. Located in the heart of historic Frederick, this building is home to The Green Turtle and Wachovia Bank on the first floor, three floors of office space which is home to Warner Construction, R&J Builders, America East Mortgage, United Title Services, LLC. and, Real Estate Teams. The top two floors house 11 residential condominiums, with 5 of those spaces still available.

Things are definitely looking up in Frederick!

Issue #14

November 7, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Frederick's own Bargain Chaser Website

I once viewed this local Frederick Blogger as competition but now that I've subscribed to Tracy's blog I see BargainChaser.com as a resource to share with Frederick residents... I'm a big fan of Frederick Maryland and all things Frederick, including this nifty site that publishes Bargains available to us local Frederickians.

I found Bargain Chaser by researching sites extolling the quantity of life in the City and town that I've come to love.

What is Bargain Chaser?

excerpted from her About Me page:

Spread the word to friends, colleagues, family members, and co-workers. The more subscribers we have, the more eyes and ears we have searching for bargains for all of us to enjoy.

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Issue #13

November 6, 2008
Life in Frederick Maryland

Find a job in Frederick Maryland

Frederick County Government is offering a free resume clinic November 6 at the
Frederick County Workforce Services, located at the Business and Employment Center on 5340 Spectrum Drive, Suite A, in Frederick, Maryland.

I wish I'd seen this earlier because it looks like in order to attend this free resume clinic they require as a prerequisite that you've already taken another free class on 'selling yourself on paper' (I couldn't find a link to that course?)


What does the Frederick County Workforce Services attempt to do?

From their official website:

Intended outcome for Job Seekers using FCWS in 2006:

Reduced the skill shortage faced by Frederick County's high-demand industries by providing career training scholarships to one-third of all registered job seekers.

Of the job seekers who received training and/or job placement services:

98% re-entered the workplace
96.5% earned a credential
90.9% remained in their new positions for at least one year.
Provided comprehensive outplacement services to 1,194

Intended outcome for Businesses seeking quality employees in 2006

Supported Frederick County businesses in the retention and growth of their workforce by approving training for 106 employees at various companies via the Maryland Business Works program. Of these employees, 82% received a recognized industry certification, such as SQL or Six Sigma Black Belt.

Taught professional development classes to 2,697 workers at over 50 businesses in partnership with FCC, resulting in increased staff knowledge, skills and overall productivity.

A total of 232 businesses listed 5,404 jobs in the Maryland Workforce Exchange (www.mwejobs.com), resulting in measurable recruitment cost savings and access to 2,600 active job seekers in Frederick County.

For a complete list of services offered by FCWS to job seekers click here

They are open on Monday through Thursday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Ok, now for some less than bright news about people wanting to work for Frederick County:

Hiring Freeze for the County of Frederick in Effect as of October 21, 2008

http://www.co.frederick.md.us/jobs.asp
The County Commissioners have instituted a temporary "Hiring Freeze" that initially affects all vacant positions with Frederick County Government.
Each Division's vacant positions will be assessed, and the County Manager will determine whether each of those positions will or will not be eligible for hire at this time.

Human Resources will contact each applicant for previously advertised Frederick County vacancies (by letter) to advise their status as soon as decisions are made regarding the status of each hiring process that has been affected by this Hiring Freeze.

Any positions that are approved for advertising and hire during this Freeze will be announced and advertised by Human Resources in the customary manner, using the Job Opportunities page on the Frederick County Government website (www.co.frederick.md.us/jobs rel="nofollow"), Frederick cable television (channel 19) and local newspaper advertising.

Issue #12

November 6, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners try for Fort Detrick Contracts

This is from the Frederick News Post, I didn't write it, but the subject is exactly what I want to do with this blog... so hats off to the Frederick News Post:

600 get lessons in contracting at Fort Detrick
Originally published November 01, 2008


By Ed Waters Jr.
News-Post Staff


About 600 entrepreneurs and small business owners turned out Friday to learn how they might get contracts with companies and agencies at Fort Detrick.
Representatives from agencies, financial sources, business incubators and military organizations discussed how to enter the process of seeking business with Uncle Sam.

The program, SMARTPROC 08, was coordinated through the office of Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-6th.

In one session, which drew about 50 attendees, Bryan Patchan, executive officer of the Frederick County Builders Association, moderated a panel of guests who handle construction of buildings and residences at military bases.

Patchan said the Army Corps of Engineers has set a standard equal to the silver level of the Leadership in Energy Efficiency Design program.

"You can build to those specifications other ways, but it is usually just as convenient to follow LEED and get certified," he said.

Like any government contract, Patchan said, a potential bidder has to be checked out ahead of time to ensure the company can handle the project and there has no legal or other problems connected to the firm.

Another session brought representatives from business incubators in the region together to discuss how they could help start-up firms.

"Getting into an incubator is no golden key or a pass, but it does open doors in Maryland," said Larry Brown, president of Sensics.

His firm started at an incubator in Baltimore, which has led to a successful business.

Mike Dailey, executive director of the Frederick Innovative Technology Center Inc., said entrepreneurs are the "engine that drives economic and social development throughout the world. You might start out with a small business that one day becomes a Microsoft."

Money is always a key issue for any new business.

"I've never met a company that did not need money coming to the incubator," Dailey said.

Chris Marschner, director of Hagerstown's incubator, said his goal is to keep businesses in Washington County.

He said human resources is paramount for a company.

"A business needs to be sure it has enough people to handle the job when it goes for a government contract," he said.

A lot of entrepreneurs who go through an incubator find the graduation a traumatic experience. The firm no longer has the low rent, full support and other benefits of an incubator when it ventures into the real world.

Joseph Hoffman, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a professor at Frostburg State University, said the program there is a bit different.

Entrepreneurs, while getting similar support in some areas, must work with the college, using interns or becoming involved in educational programs. He noted that Allegany County was once a prosperous area with large manufacturers and coal mine revenues.

Today the emphasis is on high-tech careers for students, though Cumberland has become a city recognized for its efforts in arts and tourism.

"Twenty percent of the 1,000 graduates each year at FSU at in high-tech fields," Hoffman said.

Allegany and Garrett counties are in "Hub Zones," which give preference to federal contracts, said Lydia Reiser of the Garrett Information Enterprise Center. A Hub Zone is an area the federal government views as an underutilized business district.

The $2 billion National Interagency Biodefense Campus at Fort Detrick will provide ample opportunities for small firms to sell their wares or services.

Mike Jewett of the U.S. Army Garrison, and other speakers, used illustrations to show the ongoing construction of the biodefense center and a new building for the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Detrick.

Patricia Nelson, subcontracts manager for Battelle National Biodefense Institute, said the bioforensics focus of the center could have helped with analysis of evidentiary material for biocrime and bioterroism.

"It would have been used to study the anthrax case at Detrick," she said.

The institute, which targets 23 percent of its contracts to small and disadvantaged businesses, provides a twice-yearly assessment to the president on the bioterroism threat.

Issue #11

November 2, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Officer Richard Mark Bremer

City of Frederick Police Officer Richard Bremer Died early Thursday morning on October 23, 2008 I'm sorry to have to share that with you...

Cause of Death: Vehicle pursuit

Officer Richard Bremer was killed in an automobile accident while pursuing a suspected drunk driver who refused to stop. He was pursuing the suspect down West South Street, shortly before midnight, when dispatchers lost radio contact with him.

Responding officers located his wrecked cruiser minutes later. The suspect he was attempting to stop was located at a nearby hotel and arrested on outstanding warrants.

Officer Bremer had served with the Frederick City Police Department for 5 years. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Mark Bremer Memorial Fund
Fraternal Order of Police FSK Lodge 91
P.O. Box 808
Frederick, Maryland 21705
Attn: Charlie Snyder

Issue #11

November 2, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

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Civil War History of Frederick MD

Frederick Maryland Civil War History

Frederick played a pivotal part in the War Between the States.


Both the City of Frederick and Frederick County MD is rich with Civil War history.


Civil War Facts about Maryland:

62,000 Marylanders fought for the North and 22,000 fought for the South.

More casualties occurred in Sharpsburg in a single day then in the entire history of the US Military... this includes D Day in WW2!

Since then, the long march of Irish, German, Hungarian, Scandinavian and Russian immigrants through the Port of Baltimore and steady flow of African-Americans from Southern States has made Maryland a state where stereotypes and assumptions are as fragile as a steamed crab's shell.



Facts about The Battle of the Monacacy

When you cross the bridge going South on MD 355 leaving Frederick and going towards Urbana right there is where the battle was fought on July 9, 1864

From the official US Park Service website:

Monocacy National Battlefield
If judged by its consequences rather than its size, the Battle of Monocacy ranks among the important battles of the American Civil War. Here, July 9, 1864, on a checkerboard of gold wheatfields and green cornfields just outside Frederick, Maryland, Confederate forces under General Jubal Early defeated Union forces under General Lew Wallace. The battle cost Early a day's march and his chance to capture Washington, DC. Thwarted in the attempt to take the capital, the Confederates turned back to Virginia, ending their last campaign to carry the war into the North.

Even more impressive is Wikipedia's account of The Battle of the Monacacy:

The Federals fought fiercely to hold position, but it was only a matter of time before the superior force—about 14,000 Confederates—gained control.

By late afternoon the Federals were retreating toward Baltimore, leaving behind over 1,294 dead, wounded, and captured.[1] Later, General Wallace gave orders to collect the bodies of the dead in a burial ground on the battlefield where he proposed a monument to read: "These men died to save the National Capital, and they did save it."
Monocacy cost Early a day's march and his chance to capture Washington. Thwarted in the attempt to take the capital, the Confederates turned back to Virginia, ending their last campaign to carry the war into the North.

So the North lost 1300 men and the South lost 900 men...

I never knew this all the times I crossed that bridge or when I fished under that bridge.

Issue #10

October 13, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

Email David Bruce @ davidbrucejr@frederickwebpromotions.com

RV owners club meets at Frederick Fair Grounds

Every year the Great Frederick Fair fairgrounds fills with RVs. Recreational vehicles of every shape and size, from luxury RV's to pop up trailer campers.





I got curious, they meet directly across the street from my office, so I strolled on over to investigate. I've begun to look at Frederick more like a reporter than merely a resident.

It turns out all those campers belong to a RV Owners Club. They call themselves The "Good Sam Club" (don't yet know why the silly sounding name, but I'll post again when I learn more, these guys n gals are right outside my window every year)

An official description from the Good Sam Club website:

"The Good Sam Club was founded in 1966 and is widely recognized as an essential part of owning an RV. By delivering value to members through information, support and benefits, including 10% discounts at more than 1,700 RV parks across the U.S. and Canada, we help members save money, come together to share experiences and more thoroughly enjoy RVing."


www.goodsamclub.com/RVCentral/RVNews.aspx

Issue #9

November 1, 2008

Life in Frederick Maryland

Email David Bruce Jr @ davidbrucejr@frederickwebpromotions.com