Wings

Friday's game Wichita Wings (1-4) at Blast (7-0) Site: 1st Mariner Arena When: Friday, 7:35 p.m. Video: mislnation.com Outlook: After opening the season with four impressive wins at home, the Blast hit the road and won three straight to take early hold of first place in the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team is doing everything very well with a balanced offense, responsible defense and sensational play in goal from rookies William Vanzela and Troy Hernandez.

Much ink has been spilled in recent weeks criticizing the Republican Party and its failed presidential candidate for a lack of compassion and obvious antipathy toward "47 percent" of the electorate (if not a bit more), so it was reassuring to see two of its more prominent leaders offer a message of inclusion and uplift at a Jack Kemp Foundation dinner on Tuesday. Too bad that on the same day, Republicans were reverting to form in the Senate chamber. There, the late Mr. Kemp's 1996 top-of-ticket running-mate, Bob Dole - recently released from hospital care and assisted by wheelchair - was unable to coax sufficient GOP support for what should have been a no-brainer for members of a truly compassionate party: the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities.

Watch out, folks, this could get bumpy. With the release Monday of a proposal, or something approximating one, from House Republican leaders on a way to avert the "fiscal cliff," we now have the opening positions from both parties, neither of which has any chance of becoming law. That is to be expected; no deal is going to be accomplished without a lot of political posturing from both sides and without some serious deadline pressure. But despite what in some respects is a step forward, there is real reason now to think that we will, at least briefly, go over the cliff.

Et cetera Big second quarter propels perfect Blast past Wings, 15-8 In the first part of a two-game Thanksgiving weekend road trip, the Blast defeated the Wichita Wings, 15-8, on Friday to improve to 6-0 in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Leading scorer Machel Millwood led the way with two goals. The Blast struck first when Pat Healey (Towson University, Calvert Hall) knocked in a goal in the third minute of the game, but the Wings tied it at 2 late in the first quarter on a power-play goal by Freddy Moojen . Max Ferdinand Adauto Neto After a one-goal third quarter, the teams combined for five goals in the final quarter, including a goal from Bryan Perez that cut the Blast lead to 8-6. Blast captain Mike Lookingland sealed the victory with a three-point goal late in the fourth quarter.

President Obama's re-election has caused right-wingers to become completely unhinged. They are purple-faced and apoplectic, convinced that an ignorant horde of government-dependent social leeches have destroyed traditional America and banished God from the country. The craziest comments came from certifiably loony celebrities. Gun-crazy rocker Ted Nugent tweeted that "Pimps whores and welfare brats and their soulless supporters hav (sic) a president to destroy America," while former "Saturday Night Live" goofball Victoria Jackson let loose a series of tweets, saying in part, "Thanks a lot, Christians, for not showing up. You disgust me ... In the Good vs. Evil battle, today Evil won. " Egomaniacal rich guy Donald Trump simply called for a revolution.

Next weekend, visitors to the Baltimore Art Museum's newly renovated Contemporary Wing may find themselves staring up at a hole in the ceiling, their mouths gaping open like fish. They'll have been hooked by a central feature of the $6.5 million building project - artist Sarah Oppenheimer's playful, gravity-defying illusion with the enigmatic name "W-120301. " And who would blame them for staring? How often can we watch someone appear to walk up a wall? Oppenheimer knocked holes in walls and cut through ceiling to change the architecture of the Baltimore Museum of Art . And, that's not a bad metaphor for museum director Doreen Bolger's goal to knock down the walls between the museum and the community.

Wings are football food. There's no denying it. But they're certainly not health food. This recipe gives your arteries a bit of a break because the chicken is roasted instead of fried. There's no loss in flavor, though, thanks to a sweet and tangy glaze made with soy sauce, sugar and balsamic vinegar. They're sticky, for sure, but it's worth it. Just bring napkins (and maybe wet wipes) along with the wings for the game-day festivities. Balsamic soy-glazed chicken wings 4-5 pounds chicken wingettes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.

The Wings of Freedom tour - a display and exhibit of vintage World War II bomber and fighter aircraft - is scheduled to make its annual visit to Carroll County from Friday through Monday, Oct. 12-15, at the Carroll County Regional Airport, 200 Airport Drive, Westminster. Planes slated to be on display - with some even available for pre-scheduled rides - include a B-17, B-24 and P-51 Mustang. The weekend event will include re-enactors displaying WW II-era military equipment, special guests and food vendors.

Is there a better Baltimore corner bar (actually located on a corner) than Kisling's Tavern? It's the type of bar Baltimoreans will always love - unassuming, no frills, just delicious, greasy bar food and an ample beer selection. Walk into the Canton spot on any given night and you'll likely see a mix of social sports league teams, old-time regulars and satisfied chicken-wing lovers. Kisling's takes its wings seriously, offering more than a dozen flavors, ranging from Asian Ginger to Honey Dijon.

Though his daily job responsibilities include sumo-wrestling 300-pound defensive linemen and banging facemasks with blitzing linebackers, Matt Birk side-stepped an open-ended question. Asked to evaluate how the Ravens offensive line fared last season on the long road to the AFC championship game, Birk first pointed to the team's 13-5 record, including the playoffs. He talked about the high standards that he and his fellow linemen have set for themselves. And he acknowledged the scrutiny that comes with doing that unheralded dirty work, especially when a missed block or a blown assignment results in your quarterback getting slammed to the turf.