"The theme is the way Bob ran his administration and tried to deal with things," Rew said. "Just, like, an update of where things are headed, what polls look like ... and how many people seem to be very disgruntled with the tax increase and shenanigans down in Annapolis. ... He's just kind of touching base with everybody."
There was no talk of letter-writing or call-in campaigns, Rew said. In fact, Rew wasn't even sure why they were called the Theme Team.
"I guess they had to call the group something," he said, chuckling.
The retired BGE dispatcher figures Ehrlich might not need grass-roots communications help. After all, he has his own radio show these days.
"My impression is, he wants his people to hear it straight from him."
Just keep quiet and sit up straight
As a member of the University of Maryland's Board of Regents, David Nevins got to go to Tokyo last month to take part in a commencement ceremony for U.S. servicemembers graduating from UM's overseas University College program.
He couldn't say enough about the grads, who'd managed to earn degrees while working day jobs in war zones. He gushed about the ceremony, especially moving because family members had flown in.
Then he got to the really good part, about his close encounter with the Cal Ripken of sumo wrestling.
Hawaiian-born Akebono, the first non-Japanese sumo grand champ, is married to the University College registrar, Christina Rowan. She persuaded her husband, whose American name is Chad Rowan, to give Nevins a behind-the-scenes sumo tour.
Nevins' girlfriend, Susan Schapiro, and his 12-year-old son, Jake, got to tag along. (Hold the scandal; Schapiro and Jake did not travel to Japan on UM's dime.)
Akebono took them to the "stable" where wrestlers practice. Seated on floor pillows with the now-retired champ, they watched about 20 wrestlers practice for a couple of hours. They were the only spectators.
"It was fascinating," Nevins said. "They were huge men slamming their huge bodies together, and he explained to us the whole sport."
Akebono is revered in the country, the "Cal Ripken of Japan," Nevins called him. But the outing was no day at the ballpark.
"There was total silence," Nevins said. "You're advised to sit up straight. One time I leaned a little bit, and he sort of motioned to me -- nicely -- to sit up straight."
There's more money and a bigger boat
Couple of points of clarification on that pirate ship I wrote about the other day.
Urban Pirates will pay the city of Baltimore about $1,400 a month for the right to dock the ship at South Ann Street, where it will offer cruises to tourists. I wrote that the firm would pay that much for the whole season, from May through October.
The Sun and this columnist in particular regret the error.
I described the ship as 48 feet long, but it is 52 feet long. No regrets on that one. I got the 48-foot figure right off the Urban Pirates Web site.
"The ship was originally supposed to be 48 feet long, but the boat builder made it 52 feet instead," said Urban Pirates partner Erin Tschantret. "We will change it [on the site] right away." The overachieving shipbuilder and inattentive Web master regret the error.
