Poppinjay

Was there ever a travel section of TFP?

Anyways, I will likely interview for a position in Baltimore. This would require knowledge of Maryland's issues, as well as Balto issues. I currently live a mile from Maryland, in Virginia.

I was a finalist for this position once before, but the person I would be working for told me a long time Maryland resident just edged me out with her knowledge of the issues.

So, anybody from Baltimore, can you help me? I'm really up to date on Chesapeake Bay issues, government deficit issues....

And that's about it. Any scientific or medical research out of Johns Hopkins that's making news would be helpful.

Thanks! I'll remember you in my will.

__________________
I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

Dammitall

All I know is that we've gotten lost pretty much every single time we've driven into downtown Baltimore, so I'm probably not the best source of information. That wouldn't be the case if I were there more than once every three months.

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If one million people replaced a two mile car trip once a week with a bike ride, carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 50,000 tons per year. If one out of ten car commuters switched to a bike, carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by 25.4 million tons per year. [2milechallenge.com]

dc_dux

You might browse through the site of the Maryland Municipal League which represents cities/towns in MD on state legislative issues....

Maryland Municipal League - The Association of Cities and Towns

...particularly the Legislative Advocacy link.

Or look for the Maryland chapter of a national association that deals specifically with issues related to the job.

__________________
"The perfect is the enemy of the good."
~ Voltaire

CinnamonGirl

They have an awesome Borders that is THREE STORIES. Srsly, I drooled.


Sorry, that probably wasn't much help. I spent a few days there, but it was because I was stranded at the airport (on two separate occasions...yay!) The train/tram/whatever from the airport to downtown was nice.

__________________
"...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world."


"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Vigilante

I think baltimore is a funny city. This is why, and it's the only thing I know about baltimore LOL

__________________
We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.
-Winston Churchill

uncle phil

i spent 8 miserable years in that god-forsaken hell-hole...

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"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
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"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
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never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.

BadNick

Edgar Allan Poe died in Baltimore.

Poppinjay

Hence the Ravens.

It's a beautiful place, it's a god-forsaken hell-hole. Sounds like the conversations I have with people about eastern North Carolina.

I live a mile from the MD state line, so I should know more about Baltimore just from the media alone, but DC TV pretty much focuses on crime.

__________________
I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

laudanum

Lets not forget that The Wire, which is loosely based from experiences of a former Baltimore homicide detective.

jewels

The crabs, all kinds, are some of the world's best!

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We are always more anxious to be distinguished for a talent which we do not possess, than to be praised for the fifteen which we do possess.
Mark Twain

BadNick

ahhh yes...Maryland crab cakes, or any kind of crabs (i.e., the edible varieties) from Baltimore/Maryland are simply scrumptious, one of my favorite foods in this universe.

Also, I would say that of all the sea world and aquarium type places I've ever seen, the Baltimore Aquarium is tops.

djtestudo

Actually, it's both.

Downtown is gorgeous, and the surrounding neighborhoods are in their gentrification stages, but there are areas where you REALLY don't want to make a wrong turn. And it's worse at night.

I don't know what you are really looking for as issues. Really, its the same as most big cities.

- Crime and drugs, and the interrelation of the two.
- Urban poor vs. gentrification and redevelopment. Plus, the racial issues from one group being largely black and the other largely white.
- Increasing traffic and the lack of any decent mass transit (did you know Baltimore has a subway? Most people don't, because if you look it up, it's a single essentially worthless line.)
- Environmental issues, especially with so much of not just the economy but the very soul of the region based on the Chesapeake Bay.

Plus, there is a very heated political debate right now over the constitutional amendment on this year's ballot legalizing slots.

The city itself might have the best hospitals in the world (keep your violence jokes to yourself, please ); Johns Hopkins is the most well-known, but University of Maryland MC is great and others always end up on the top lists.

Johns Hopkins University (not affiliated with the hospital, which most don't realize) is a top college, and all of the UM's professional schools are in the city.

Not sure what else you want to hear

I wish you luck. This really is a nice city, and I can try to answer questions if you have them.

__________________
"Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen."
--Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun

matthew330

I grew up in the suburbs of DC, and moved up here after college. City wise, I love Baltimore. It's got the convenience of living in the city without the city mentality, and if you live near DC you probably know what I'm talking about.

I lived in right downtown for three years and walked everywhere at all hours. Generally, the bad spots are pretty obvious. That's not to say the occasional machete attack on the "good side" of Patterson park doesn't happen, but generally speaking you know where to go and where not to. It's very compartmentalized. The inner harbor, little italy, fells point and canton - all completely different and with the exception of canton you could walk in 20 minutes to the corners of each. A few blocks north of the inner harbor where Johns Hopkins University is (the name isn't coming to me but around 36th street), has a totally different feel that's kept it's history, has the same baltimore mentality but not as many tourists. Great bars. Be careful drinking the Resurrections at the Brewers art. I recommend that place, really romantic overpriced restaurant upstairs that feels like you just stepped into an 18th century mansion, and a dark dirty couch infested bar downstairs with some mean unforgiving local beers

The only really bad thing I can say about Baltimore....a lotta liberals here. But don't let that keep you away., they're really harmless! Come on up!!

djtestudo

Baltimore Sun reported today that (thanks to Baltimore and the DC suburbs, though that wasn't in the article ) there are over a million more Democrats registered to vote in the state than Republicans (something like 1.9 million to 900K). And, "harmless" isn't the word I would use

By the way, you might want to check your distances for JHU, unless by a few "blocks" you meant "miles" But you are right about the area. If I went there even though I'm close enough to commute I would want to live there.

__________________
"Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen."
--Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun

matthew330

yeah right. I guess I meant 33 blocks, 33 long long blocks if your walking it. You'd never make it past Baltimore street if you tried that though, aint that right DJ (you know what I mean).

skizziks

Baltimore is a pretty cool town, and Edgar Allen Poe is buried there. Weather is nice, there are some great restaurants, Its touristy, but not disneylandish, there is really lots to do.

BadNick

Having grown up and lived in Philadelphia for well over 50 years now, and having visited Baltimore many times on business and just for fun, I really like Baltimore a lot. It feels a bit smaller than Philly, a bit more "Southern"...I believe it is below the Mason-Dixon Line. I like these "old city" towns WAY more than some urban/suburban stripmall hell hole or more recently planted "city" with no soul or history. Baltimore's got history and soul.

Poppinjay

You don't really get southern until you're deep into Virginia. NoVa feels anything but southern. Baltimore has always struck me as a decidedly northern city in tempermant, accent, and attitude.

matthew, DJ, your info is very helpful. Living in the DC area and coastal VA, I'm very aware of the Ches. Bay issues. I didn't know the the JH hospital was not affiliated with the school.

The place is on North Charles street. It looks pretty hit or miss to the south and east, but JHU is just a little to the north. From looking around the city, it seems to be at least a little better than many of the DC neighborhoods (motto: crime is the new peace!).

Even if I get the job, we'd live somewhere in between since my wife works in DC.

__________________
I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

stellabella1978

I had to go there for a seminar, once. Baltimore has great bookstores and coffee shops. It also has a really good art museum.

djtestudo

Hmm...didn't catch the response here

The area around Hopkins is pretty nice, especially if you do manage to stay right around Charles Street. I wouldn't go more than a couple blocks east or west, though.

If your wife works in DC you may want to look for a place, even to the north or north-east, that is close to one of the MARC lines or to the light rail (which can get you to either MARC line).

__________________
"Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen."
--Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun