Turkey

There is peace on Lake Kittamaqundi. The teenage brothers who write the entertaining 2 Dudes Who Love Food blog posted all the way back in early February about their visit to Rudy's Mediterranean Grill & Diner. The newish big-menu serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week but things really get interesting after 4 p.m., when Rudy's rolls out its Turkish menu. The 2 Dudes had traveled to Turkey last year, and they were pretty pleased with what they found at Rudy's.

As an American of Turkic descent, I am outraged Gov. Rick Perry's response to Brett Baier's Turcophobic and twisted question about Turkey ("Turkey rejects Perry comments," Jan. 18). Gov. Perry made a disastrous mistake by saying that Turkey is governed by terrorists, that it shouldn't receive U.S. foreign aid and that its membership in NATO should be questioned. Turkey is the only country in the Middle East whose government is democratically elected by full participation of all of its citizens.

Ravens cornerback Chris Carr is everywhere, all at once. He had played in 97 straight games before being injured in this year's season opener, where he was part of a defense that forced a franchise-record seven turnovers in a 35-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the field, Carr is praised for his initiative, versatility and camaraderie with his teammates. Off the field, he's spent time interning at a law firm, a profession he plans to pursue after football. Last winter, the engaging political science major from Boise State was presented with the media's Good Guy Award for his accessibility and candor.

FRIDAY'S TELEVISION HIGHLIGHTS M. bask. Florida@Syracuse ESPN7 Cincinnati@Georgia ESPNU7 Vanderbilt@Louisville ESPN9 Auburn@Seton Hall ESPNU9 Washington@Nevada ESPNU11 Bask. NBA D-League: L.A.@Sioux Falls NBA8 Boxing Anthony Dirrell vs. Renan St-Juste SHOW11 C. foot. Clemson@Virginia Tech (T) ESPNU10 a.m. Ohio State@Michigan (T)

In a letter to the editor, the Laurel Boys and Girls Club thanks the National Basketball Players Association and Wizard Andray Blatche for partnering with the club in giving away more than 1,100 turkeys to families in the greater Laurel area. The Laurel Boys and Girls Club would like to thank the National Basketball Players Association and Wizard's own Andray Blatche for partnering with the club in giving away more than 1,100 turkeys to families in the greater Laurel area. Many of the families really appreciated the gratitude of the turkey giveaway.

Just six days after suffering one of the most emotional defeats of his high school career, Calvert Hall quarterback Thomas Stuart on Thursday returned to the place it all went down -- with one more chance to make it right. Playing on the same Towson University field where his No. 2 Cardinals last week fell to Gilman in double overtime of the inaugural Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title game, Stuart threw for 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns, helping No. 2 Calvert Hall score the game's final 13 points in a 34-17 win over Loyola in the 92nd Turkey Bowl before an announced 10,080.

While some Calvert Hall fans had butterflies in their stomachs before Cardinals kicker Austen Strachan's first point-after try against archrival Loyola in the 92nd Turkey Bowl, coach Donald Davis was the picture of confidence. He had faith in the junior from Lutherville, who missed an extra-point attempt in a 34-32 double-overtime loss to Gilman in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship game last Friday that denied the Cardinals a chance to win in regulation.

C.J. Williams doesn't come off the field much when Calvert Hall plays a big football game. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound running back-linebacker is critical to the No. 2 Cardinals on both sides of the ball. So, chances are the senior won't sit much in Thursday's 92 n d annual Turkey Bowl against Loyola at Towson University's Johnny Unitas Stadium. In Friday night's inaugural MIAA A Conference championship game, Williams, 18, scored the second touchdown to give the Cardinals a 14-0 jump on No. 1 Gilman, but the Greyhounds came back to win 34-32 in double overtime.

On Thursday afternoon, as most of America fusses over basting and trussing, Tracey Despeaux will be pulling into Ravens stadium with a movable feast. From the back of her purple-painted bus, she'll unload turkey, yams, string beans and corn, pies, ham, rolls and potatoes. She'll arrange the bounty around festive dried husks and pumpkin-scented candles. Then she and the rest of the Pasadena Ravens Roost will gather round fold-out tables to enjoy Thanksgiving. "Everybody sitting down together," Despeaux says.

So it's Thanksgiving Day, and if you are a football fanatic lucky enough to have a ticket to the Ravens game tonight, as well as a pass from Grandma, you may well be having your Thanksgiving feast in the parking lot at M&T Bank Stadium . Undoubtedly, there will be tailgaters out there cooking up traditional Thanksgiving fare like whole turkeys and ham, firing up their grills and deep fryers outside of the stadium. If, however, deep-frying or grilling a whole bird in the parking lot feels bit daunting, why not consider making a big pot of turkey chili or something as simple as turkey burger sliders?