Leprechaun

Truly rotten movies can be somehow liberating. One is soon freed of the responsibility of paying attention to the story or the actors and one's mind and attention may wander unfettered through the information on the screen, looking for oddities.In "Leprechaun," for example, I soon noticed that everybody in the movie except for the title character and a very boring hero who looks like John Davidson before puberty, has a similarly shaped head. They all look like slightly melted M&Ms, with tiny little foreheads and beady little eyes distending almost triangularly into a wider, flabbier lower face.

Occasionally this column takes a look at what happened to a person or thing that was a memorable part of Laurel's past. This month it looks at two Laurel icons from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Laurel High coach set the standard Laurel High School was never known for fielding excellent football teams. Ron Ladue changed that. Ladue inherited a football program that was not expected to win. But Ladue's teams did win and changed the expectations for Laurel High.

If your thoughts are turning to shamrocks, leprechauns and mulligan stew in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday, try this simple family activity and enjoy the carefree spirit of the celebration.Welcome a leprechaun to your home. Adults or older children can leave evidence of an imaginary visit from one of the "wee folk" around the house.To create the visit, cut green construction paper or shiny green foil paper in the shape of small boot prints. On the back side of the cutouts, write short messages that reflect the visiting leprechaun's compliments or humorous observations about your family life.

In case this cruel and unusual four-week break has left you totally baffled on what's going on and who's zoomin' who and what Sue's up to …. here's what you missed on Glee! So the newest Glee addition is Rory the faux leprechaun (and in case you were worried, like I was, the fake leprechaun is substantially less offensive than the girl with fake Asperger's) who is definitive proof that McKinley is the most unreal high school of all time. Seriously, coast to coast in any 100 percent red-blooded American school, the new Irish exchange kid would pretty much be Prom King by default.

Post-season NCAA basketball will begin today, and continue tonight, on CBS. Other stations prefer to spend some time observing St. Patrick's Day -- although Showtime's prime-time showing of the horror film "Leprechaun" is hardly what you'd call getting in the proper spirit of the holiday.* NCAA basketball tournament (noon-5 p.m., 8 p.m.-conclusion, WBAL, Channel 11) -- Eight hours of basketball, and this is only the first day of the championship. That's the way the ball bounces. CBS.* "The Simpsons" (8-8:30 p.m., WBFF, Channel 45)

In case this cruel and unusual four-week break has left you totally baffled on what's going on and who's zoomin' who and what Sue's up to …. here's what you missed on Glee! So the newest Glee addition is Rory the faux leprechaun (and in case you were worried, like I was, the fake leprechaun is substantially less offensive than the girl with fake Asperger's) who is definitive proof that McKinley is the most unreal high school of all time. Seriously, coast to coast in any 100 percent red-blooded American school, the new Irish exchange kid would pretty much be Prom King by default.

St. Patrick's Day Parade Celebrate the luck of the Irish Sunday at the 46th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Baltimore. Beginning at 2 p.m., tip your hat to about 100 bands, marching units, leprechauns and floats, including the Baltimore Marching Ravens, the Monumental City Ancient Fife and Drum Corps, the Washington Scottish Pipe Band, the McKean Highlander Marching Band and the Chesapeake Caledonian Pipe Band. The parade steps off at Centre and Charles streets, proceeds south along Charles to Pratt Street, turns left and disbands at Market Place.

Irish eyes will truly be smiling this weekend as the St. Patrick's Day festivities get under way. From the city's big parade on Sunday to the parties at neighborhood saloons, revelers will paint the town green. Here are a few of the events planned:Baltimore's 36th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will commence Sunday at 2 p.m., featuring lifelong city resident and Irish community member, Leo Welsh as grand marshal. This year's parade, which includes the Baltimore Colts Band, boasts more than 22 bands and 69 marching units in what is believed to be the city's largest parade of the year.

IT'S NOT YET the Fourth of July and sparks are flying. But not in a good way. Teen-agers trying out a new kind of jumbo sparkler legally available for the first time in Maryland aren't taking the time to read the instructions. And the consequences have been significant: An Abingdon house was set ablaze and destroyed, a front porch in Hagerstown burned, a barn in Cecil County caught fire. Kids are lighting the sparklers while riding in cars and then tossing them out the windows. But these big sparklers are ground-based fireworks, which means you're not supposed to hold them -- or throw them.

Irish eyes will truly be smiling this weekend as the St. Patrick's Day festivities get under way. From the city's big parade on Sunday to the parties at neighborhood saloons, revelers will paint the town green. Here are a few of the events planned:Baltimore's 36th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will commence Sunday at 2 p.m., featuring lifelong city resident and Irish community member, Leo Welsh as grand marshal. This year's parade, which includes the Baltimore Colts Band, boasts more than 22 bands and 69 marching units in what is believed to be the city's largest parade of the year.

Go out for a brew tomorrow and you are bound to hear this conversation at least once: "Dude, I've been drinking since 6 a.m.!" "Yeah, man, me too!" "It's only noon, and I'm exhausted!" "Yeah, man, me too!" From Guinness breakfasts to green beer and the inevitable Irish jig, St. Patrick's Day brings out the sloppy side in plenty of people. After all, it's hard not to party when there are so many options citywide. Here are some of the bigger throwdowns around, by neighborhood: With radio personalities, tons of live music and leprechaun look-alike contests, the Party on the Point starts tomorrow and also spans all day Saturday.

IT'S NOT YET the Fourth of July and sparks are flying. But not in a good way. Teen-agers trying out a new kind of jumbo sparkler legally available for the first time in Maryland aren't taking the time to read the instructions. And the consequences have been significant: An Abingdon house was set ablaze and destroyed, a front porch in Hagerstown burned, a barn in Cecil County caught fire. Kids are lighting the sparklers while riding in cars and then tossing them out the windows. But these big sparklers are ground-based fireworks, which means you're not supposed to hold them -- or throw them.

St. Patrick's Day Parade Celebrate the luck of the Irish Sunday at the 46th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Baltimore. Beginning at 2 p.m., tip your hat to about 100 bands, marching units, leprechauns and floats, including the Baltimore Marching Ravens, the Monumental City Ancient Fife and Drum Corps, the Washington Scottish Pipe Band, the McKean Highlander Marching Band and the Chesapeake Caledonian Pipe Band. The parade steps off at Centre and Charles streets, proceeds south along Charles to Pratt Street, turns left and disbands at Market Place.

There's plenty to do for St. Patrick's Day this weekend, whether you're looking for the traditional corned beef and cabbage and pints of green beer or a chance to dress like a leprechaun. Regardless of how you choose to celebrate the holiday, remember that on March 17, everyone is Irish.Baltimore gets into the St. Patrick's Day spirit with a parade this Sunday starting at 2 p.m. The annual event is usually Baltimore's biggest parade of the year. This year, more than 120 marching units, bands and floats will make their way through the streets of Baltimore starting at Mount Vernon Place and proceeding south on Charles Street, then on to Pratt Street to Market Place.

Post-season NCAA basketball will begin today, and continue tonight, on CBS. Other stations prefer to spend some time observing St. Patrick's Day -- although Showtime's prime-time showing of the horror film "Leprechaun" is hardly what you'd call getting in the proper spirit of the holiday.* NCAA basketball tournament (noon-5 p.m., 8 p.m.-conclusion, WBAL, Channel 11) -- Eight hours of basketball, and this is only the first day of the championship. That's the way the ball bounces. CBS.* "The Simpsons" (8-8:30 p.m., WBFF, Channel 45)

Truly rotten movies can be somehow liberating. One is soon freed of the responsibility of paying attention to the story or the actors and one's mind and attention may wander unfettered through the information on the screen, looking for oddities.In "Leprechaun," for example, I soon noticed that everybody in the movie except for the title character and a very boring hero who looks like John Davidson before puberty, has a similarly shaped head. They all look like slightly melted M&Ms, with tiny little foreheads and beady little eyes distending almost triangularly into a wider, flabbier lower face.

There's plenty to do for St. Patrick's Day this weekend, whether you're looking for the traditional corned beef and cabbage and pints of green beer or a chance to dress like a leprechaun. Regardless of how you choose to celebrate the holiday, remember that on March 17, everyone is Irish.Baltimore gets into the St. Patrick's Day spirit with a parade this Sunday starting at 2 p.m. The annual event is usually Baltimore's biggest parade of the year. This year, more than 120 marching units, bands and floats will make their way through the streets of Baltimore starting at Mount Vernon Place and proceeding south on Charles Street, then on to Pratt Street to Market Place.

Go out for a brew tomorrow and you are bound to hear this conversation at least once: "Dude, I've been drinking since 6 a.m.!" "Yeah, man, me too!" "It's only noon, and I'm exhausted!" "Yeah, man, me too!" From Guinness breakfasts to green beer and the inevitable Irish jig, St. Patrick's Day brings out the sloppy side in plenty of people. After all, it's hard not to party when there are so many options citywide. Here are some of the bigger throwdowns around, by neighborhood: With radio personalities, tons of live music and leprechaun look-alike contests, the Party on the Point starts tomorrow and also spans all day Saturday.

NEW YORK -- Emotion filled the voice of a sentimental leprechaun -- John Francis Cashen, by name -- as he came to the microphone. The city of New York was honoring one of its favored adopted sons, a man who resuscitated the New York Mets. Family, friends and associates were present, making for a glorious occasion.Jerry Hoffberger, who had hired Cashen to help run the Baltimore Raceway harness track in 1960 and ultimately named him general manager of the Baltimore Orioles, was on the dais.

If your thoughts are turning to shamrocks, leprechauns and mulligan stew in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday, try this simple family activity and enjoy the carefree spirit of the celebration.Welcome a leprechaun to your home. Adults or older children can leave evidence of an imaginary visit from one of the "wee folk" around the house.To create the visit, cut green construction paper or shiny green foil paper in the shape of small boot prints. On the back side of the cutouts, write short messages that reflect the visiting leprechaun's compliments or humorous observations about your family life.