Ed Norris

INSIDE TODAY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING TODAY'S SUN COLUMNISTS And off they go ... Mayor Sheila Dixon and Ed Norris head off to Hunt Valley to talk crime. Who knew that the ex-con ex-commish would be game after a city snub at last week's TV "town hall" meeting on crime? BLOGS BLOGS.BALTIMORESUN.COM Greenout -- Congressman Elijah E. Cummings wants us to unplug and observe One Green Hour tomorrow.baltimoresun.com/bayblog Market meditators -- Jay Hancock says the stock market meditators in Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa have some explaining to do after Thursday's market slump.

HOLIDAY SPECTAC-U-THON: Trixie Little & the Evil Hate Monkey do back flips (both literal and figurative) to try to restore their Christmas spirit. For this holiday burlesque, they're joined by Miss Astrid, Dr. Lucky, DJ Momo Taro, Chicago's Michelle L'Amour and some Hanukkah bushes. Catch the striptease spirit at the Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., at 7 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $18 general and $16 members and students. Go to creativealliance.org. COME TOGETHER III: The Cheaters, Brickfoot, Flipside, Baltimore School of Rock, The Mobtown Saints, Mad Planet and other Baltimore bands come together to perform Beatles hits at Recher Theatre, 512 York Road, at 8 p.m. Maynard of "The Ed Norris Show" hosts and proceeds benefit the Dave Tieff Foundation and Amnesty International.

When I used to appear for a regular segment on "The Ed Norris Show" -- before it switched to a sports format -- one of my favorite parts of the program was the daily "Shovel of Wisdom," given to the person in the public eye that day utterly lacking in common sense. In this space, I'd like to introduce a similar feature. We'll call it the "Wile E. Coyote Anvil of Reason" award for the person who most needs a dose of brutal cartoonish enlightenment. Our first winner is a very deserving candidate.

Three weeks after resigning as mayor in a cloud of scandal, Sheila Dixon was back in the spotlight Wednesday night. Speaking at a panel discussion sponsored by the Investigative Voice Web site, Dixon promoted some of her pet causes - gun control, the environment, prenatal care - and her accomplishments in office. "Part of what I was attempting to do was to focus on those systemic issues," said Dixon. "So when we talk about cleaner, greener, healthier, safer cities, it wasn't just buzz words."

Baltimore sports talk station 105.7 The Fan unveiled a reshuffled weekday programming lineup Monday, and the biggest change was the absence of Bruce Cunningham. Cunningham, who had been with the station since its debut in 2008, resigned and has been replaced in the early afternoon slot by Bob Haynie. In an email to The Baltimore Sun , Cunningham said that it was his decision to walk away from his weekday show. "I resigned, pure and simple. I had worked 70 hour weeks for the last two and a half years, and simply wanted my life back," said Cunningham, who is also the weekday sports anchor for FOX45.

I am a huge supporter of Pat McDonough and The Sun is ripping him apart for the truth he states ("Baltimore and bigotry," May 18). I read another article recently in your paper that now after Mr. McDonough brought this situation out in the open, MayorStephanie Rawlings-Blakeis going to add additional police officers to the area ("Mayor has a look as police presence rises in downtown," May 20). At least the city is now taking action by adding more police. I will not go to the Inner Harbor area anymore - last time was about five years ago, and I know it's worse than it was then.

The University of Maryland has been crowing all week about some professor who got a phone call from Sweden. Well, they're missing the really big deal. "I tell you what, there was a time in my life when I played a lot of poker," he said. "It was a long time ago, during the [second World] War. I was living in Santiago, Chile, and I had a job as night watchman in the U.S. embassy." (Night watchman? Shouldn't this guy have been cracking codes?) "I worked Friday nights. I'd sleep Saturday mornings, and as soon as lunch was over, we'd clear the table and get out the cards and play poker until nine the next morning.

Former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick appeared on “The Norris and Davis Show” on 105.7 The Fan on Tuesday to talk about Baltimore's chances of advancing to the Super Bowl in Indianapolis next month. Those chances are very good, said Billick, who predicts that the Ravens will play the Green Bay Packers for the title. “We're making a,” Billick said, realizing he said “we” then restarting his sentence. “The Ravens are making a championship run and they are in the think of it. I've got the Ravens going to the Super Bowl.

Mixed Martial Arts has come to Bel Air. Ground Control – Bel Air, an MMA training and fitness center, is celebrating its official grand opening and open house on Saturday, March 9 from 1 to 5 p.m. The new facility is at 305 S. Atwood in Bel Air. The afternoon will feature professional fighter seminars and training sessions, autographs sessions, local celebrities, select vendors, music, food and many give-away items, including tickets to an...