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Poll results: The experts you'd like to question [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-07-05T06:07:59-07:00

I'm thinking of lining up some expert-types willing to do live (or email) Q&As with you folks. When I mentioned that last week, I asked you to choose the sorts of experts you're most interested in questioning.

The results of the multiple-choice poll:

Housing-market forecaster got the most interest, with 19 votes. Not surprising, since the direction of prices and sales is always a hot topic among commenters here.

Close behind was appraiser -- also not surprising, what with recent debate about the effectiveness of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct.

After that, in order of popularity:

Mortgage originator

Credit-score expert

Real estate agent (a few of you offered specific suggestions -- thanks!)

And with one vote each: home stager, successful investor and flipper. (The last two were write-ins.)

Now, here's the thing: Housing forecasters -- good ones, at least -- have plenty of opportunities to appear in the national media. I don't want to convince one to free up a half-hour to an hour for a live chat and then have no one show up to ask questions. They'll never do it again -- ya follow?

So here's the deal: I'll look for a knowledgeable local appraiser willing to give this a go, and you be ready to pepper him or her with great questions. If that goes well, I don't see why we can't do this with a forecaster next, and then a mortgage originator and so on down the line.

Does that sound like a plan?

In secondary poll results, I asked you if you'd like to see fewer polls. (Yes, a poll about polls. Oh the irony.)

Almost half of you say you like the weekly polls and to keep doing them. Twenty-seven percent of you have no opinion one way or the other. Nineteen percent of you say less frequent polls would be preferable.

Of the remaining two voters, one of you opted for the choice to stop the polls altogether, and the other wrote in this suggestion: "how about doing some REAL reporting?" (Er -- you do realize you don't have to read this blog if it annoys you, right?)

I think Wonk reader MrRational's recommendation could make most folks happy: "Having polls is a great feature; but don't feel obliged to create one because of a schedule." So I'll still aim to do regular polls, but if nothing suggests itself in a particular week, I won't sweat it.

What happened to all the French restaurants? [Dining@Large]

2009-07-05T05:24:33-07:00

I know we still have French restaurants, although I don't think we have enough any longer to make a Top 10 out of them. (Maybe I should try.)

And, of course, we have some good ones: Petit Louis, Tersiguel's, Crepe du Jour, Cafe de Paris.

But how did Italian food take over French as Most Popular, Most Sure-Fire Bet for a Successful Restaurant and so on? ...

Space Station flyover Monday night [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-07-05T05:01:28-07:00

Space Cadets! There will be an unusually nice opportunity Monday evening to watch the International Space Station fly by on its way from the Louisiana coast to the Canadian Maritime provinces.

If skies are clear, we'll pick it up at 10:43 p.m. EDT, rising out of the southwest as it passes over northern Alabama. Look for a bright, star-like object hustling toward the northeast, rising about halfway up the northwestern sky by 10:46 p.m. At that moment, it will be somewhere over central Pennsylvania, about 280 miles from viewers in Baltimore, moving northeast at 17,500 mph.

From there it will pass through the handle of the Big Dipper and race off toward the northeast, disappearing from view at 10:49 p.m. as it flies over New Brunswick, Canada.

Sure, it's a bit late. But hey, it's summer. Take the kids outside with you and let them try to be the first to spot the station. That's their money up there, too. Here's more on what they're doing up there.

Orioles: Halfway home [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-05T03:43:47-07:00

The Orioles just reached the mathematical halfway point in this transitional season, so I wrote a column on it for your reading enjoyment...or disdain. If you want to take a look, it's right here. If you don't want to take a look, it's right here anyway.

Edge’s injury: What now? [Ring Posts]

2009-07-05T01:08:43-07:00

I’m assuming that most people reading this already know by now that the injury Edge suffered at a WWE house show Friday night in San Diego was a serious one. According to pwinsider.com, Edge has a torn Achilles tendon, which could keep him out of the ring until early next year. Obviously, losing one of the best all-around performers in the business for a significant length of time is horrible news for WWE. Edge joins Batista, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels on the list of Hall of Fame-caliber WWE stars who are either injured or on hiatus.

Saving The Catcher in the Rye [Read Street]

2009-07-04T22:03:39-07:00

Bravo for Deborah Batts.

Last week, the federal judge barred U.S. distribution of an unauthorized sequel to The Catcher in the Rye. Her ruling was a victory for 90-year-old author J.D. Salinger, who for decades has jealously guarded his privacy — and his words. The courthouse battle in Manhattan focused on 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye (read a review here), which tells the story of Holden Caulfield as a senior citizen. The book, written by a Swedish author, already is available in Europe and was scheduled for a summer release here.

Authors have lots of leeway to parody other works, as anyone who ever read Mad or National Lampoon knows. But Salinger’s lawyers argued that he retains an interest in Caulfield — 57 years after the classic was published — and called the new book a “ripoff.”

Judge Batts (Radcliffe, Class of 1969; Harvard Law, 1972) rejected claims that 60 Years was a critical examination or parody of the original, according to news reports. The literary battle may continue; Judge Batts’ order is a stopgap measure until a trial is held.

But her ruling doesn’t address a larger issue: Is Catcher still relevant? Last fall, Oberlin professor Anne Trubek argued that the book is past its prime. “I think that most American teenagers will find it rather tame and sort of laughable the things that were once considered so controversial,” she said on NPR.

Certainly, today’s teens shouldn’t be fed a steady diet of books featuring angst-ridden white prep school boys — A Separate Peace; Good Times, Bad Times; etc. — as I was.

There are too many newer authors such as Junot Diaz and Toni Morrison who can offer a broader look at the world.

Yet Catcher remains a classic on the theme of searching for identity and meaning. That theme resounds today, just as it did 50, or 100, years ago. Consider the musical “Spring Awakening,” a recent Tony-winner adapted from a 19th Century German novel; it takes all of its power and energy from those universal themes.

And if kids can waste time watching “Gossip Girl” or “90210,” there must be a place for Salinger’s simple, powerful story.

Wake up call for Brian and Nick [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T21:39:35-07:00

Jeez, just when I think I'm about to get Burt and Bob off my case about Brian Roberts, he teams up with Nick Markakis on one of the worst defensive gaffes of the year in the seventh. Roberts jogged back on what was supposed to be an inning-ending pop up by Juan Rivera. Markakis jogged up and waited for Brian to catch a ball that should be the province of the right-fielder. I mean, why would you bust it on a play like that? It's only the go-ahead run. No excuse for that. The ball was ruled a hit, but it was a routine play that absolutely has to be made. Brian already had an error in the game, which cost the Orioles a run during the Angels' three-run comeback in the fifth. Throw in the slow reaction of Melvin Mora on an important play at third in the eighth, and you have to wonder just what's going on with some of these guys. "There were breakdowns in various areas and we paid the price for them,'' Dave Trembley said after the game. The O's were coming off an uplifting victory on Friday night and had a chance to secure a split of a very tough four-game road series with a chance to take three of four with a victory tomorrow. Guess that wasn't enough motivation. Frankly, I know the emotions that bubbled up after the bullpen collapse against the Red Sox on Wednesday, but this comeback galls me even more than Boston's four-run ninth. Sometimes, you just get beat. In this game, the Orioles volunteered to lose.

Still speechless [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T20:30:14-07:00

If you're wondering why I haven't weighed in on the Steve McNair tragedy, it's because I wouldn't know where to start. McNair was a terrific quarterback who led the Tennessee Titans to the Super Bowl and the Ravens to a memorable season in 2006. Had nothing but positive experiences covering him as a Raven. Can't even grasp what the families of both victims are going through right now. God rest their souls.

Sympathizing with Berken, but... [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T20:27:52-07:00

...you have to wonder how much longer he will be able to hold his place in the Orioles rotation. He gave up only two earned runs over four-plus innings, but needed 85 pitches to get 12 outs and left before becoming eligible for the victory. He's still 1-5 and his ERA improved only slightly to 6.25. Apparently, I'm not the only one who is wondering if the Orioles are getting closer to bringing up Chris Tillman to replace either Berken or Rich Hill. O's beat reporter Jeff Zrebiec weighed in on this subject from Anaheim before tonight's game. Take a look at his Orioles notebook right here.

The Comment of the Week [Dining@Large]

2009-07-04T13:48:04-07:00

I decided not to go to the parade today, which might take too much energy, but instead to lie on my bed under the slowly revolving ceiling fan and read all the comments of the past week.

I found I couldn't decide on just one for Comment of the Week, so instead I'm going to declare a winner of the four-word review contest (all of which were great, by the way, if you missed them). This one made me laugh out loud. ...

Born on the 4th of July [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T12:06:49-07:00

Let's all wish each other a happy Independence Day and reflect on what a truly great country we live in. It's not without its faults -- NFL instant replay stands out for me -- but a lot of people made a lot of sacrifices to make it the beacon of freedom for the past couple of centuries, so Happy Birthday to us all. On that subject, you might enjoy Candus Thomson's story about three prominent Marylanders who were born under the fireworks -- Peter Angelos, tennis star Pam Shriver and former Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. There are some interesting quotes from Angelos, who waxes a bit philosophical about turning 80 on the day the nation turns 233. Take a look. Baltimore Sun photo

Another solid Smackdown, but … [Ring Posts]

2009-07-04T11:45:28-07:00

Smackdown has been such a strong show as of late that it’s usually difficult to find fault with anything on the program. However, while Friday night’s episode was good, I do have a couple of nitpicks in regard to the booking. Having The Hart Dynasty lose to Cryme Tyme in their Smackdown debut just seems ridiculous to me. The problem, which I noted in a post earlier this week about the WWE trade, is that Cryme Tyme is the only babyface tag team on Smackdown for THD to feud with, and I guess for it to be a true feud, the same team can’t win every time they meet.

Edge’s injury [Ring Posts]

2009-07-04T10:34:13-07:00

Pwinsider.com is reporting that Edge suffered an ankle injury after landing badly during his match with Jeff Hardy at a WWE house show Friday night in San Diego. There’s no word yet as to how serious the injury is, but he did have to be helped to the back. If Edge is out for a significant length of time it obviously is a big blow for WWE, which just put the unified WWE tag team title on Edge and Chris Jericho last Sunday. Note: Check back later for my thoughts on Friday night’s episode of Smackdown. I hope everyone is having a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Mustard or ketchup on a hot dog? [Dining@Large]

2009-07-04T09:53:12-07:00

Under an earlier post, a lively discussion developed about what condiments were proper for a hot dog. As if "proper" and "hot dog" belong in the same sentence. (Don't get me wrong; once in a blue moon I crave a good hot dog, and I indulge that craving.)

Anyway, Voodoo Pork once sent me an e-mail saying I should write a post about this very subject and I would get 100 comments. I thought that was the dumbest thing I'd ever heard, but now I think he may have been right. Who knew? ...

Another place to watch the fireworks tonight [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-04T07:28:44-07:00

When I compiled the list of the best places to watch the fireworks tonight, outside of the crowded Inner Harbor pavilion scene, I left one great spot out: Tabrizi's, (500 Harborview Dr.). I don't know why I didn't include Tabrizi's in the list ...

Update on the vacation food situation [Dining@Large]

2009-07-04T06:05:10-07:00

This has been such a good vacation that I haven't been food once, which is some sort of record here. Not for a mosquito, deer tick, chigger, spider or copperhead.

Actually we had lunch at the Blue Chair yesterday, and I had a hard time choosing between these two items on the menu:

Maryland Crab Cakes -- handmade wild-caught crab claw cakes served with red pepper ranch and capers $10

and

Lunch Croissant -- ham or peppered turkey with cheddar and dijonnaise on a plain bagel, multi-grain toast or croissant $6

Tougher times for renters, landlords [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-07-04T04:10:02-07:00

We all hear that layoffs and salary reductions are bad for homeowners and will probably keep foreclosure numbers from dropping anytime soon. But the cuts aren't good for renters, either. And what's not good for renters -- in this case -- is bad news for landlords.

Half of U.S. property managers are having more trouble filling their units with "qualified renters," according to a new TransUnion survey. Eight out of 10 say they're worried about how the rest of the year will go. (TransUnion, a credit-information company that sells renter-screening services, said it surveyed more than 870 property managers last month.)

But what about the people who got foreclosed on? Aren't they in need of a place to rent? As it happens, only half the surveyed property managers reported an increase over last year in applicants leaving foreclosed properties. TransUnion speculates that "many consumers coming from these circumstances are moving in with family members or friends to share expenses."

Local landlords, how are things going for you? (Come on, now. I know some of you are reading. Well -- maybe not on the Fourth of July, but I'll wait.)

Renters, have you needed to make a change -- moving to a cheaper apartment, bringing in a roommate, going back to live with parents -- to deal with tighter finances? (Or are things going so well that you're moving to a nicer place?)

ESPN Interview: Palmeiro sticks to his story [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-04T03:54:23-07:00

Former Oriole Rafael Palmeiro is sticking to his original alibi for the positive steroid test that soiled his reputation in 2005. He told ESPN's Pedro Gomez that he got some tainted B-12 and that there was no reason for him to turn to steroids at that late stage in his career. Palmeiro was speaking before his induction into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, TX yesterday. Here's the link. If you've been reading me on this subject over the years, you'll remember that I was very hard on Palmeiro at the outset, largely because he was so squirrelly in his initial media conference. Later, when Miguel Tejada's name started to come up in the steroid conversation, I had to concede that it gave Palmeiro at least a modicum of plausible deniability. Don't know if that will be enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. The thing that made it hard for Palmeiro to convince anyone of his innocence was the previous reference to him in Jose Canseco's first steroid expose. Maybe it was just a coincidence, the the substance that Canseco claimed that Palmeiro was using was the same substance that showed up in his 2005 urine sample. Now that you've had four years to digest it, do you think he was a villain or a victim? Associated Press photo

Sherrill bounces back [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-03T22:12:55-07:00

George Sherrill didn't make it look easy, but he got it done. He was 0-2 on all three hitters in the ninth inning, but gave up a leadoff single and a pretty hard-hit ball for the game-ending double play. Both Sherrill and Jim Johnson had to battle tonight in the first game the two of them were reunited since Wednesday's ninth-inning collapse. In both innings, the Angels were one swing away from tying the game, but the O's held on to even the four-game series at a game apiece. For those fans who wonder whether Brian Roberts wants to play, there were a couple of situations where it was pretty obvious he wanted this game. He scored from first on that long single by Nick Markakis and almost did a somersault to get his hand on the plate. He also decoyed baserunner Bobby Abreu on that big chopper that Johnson fielded acrobatically and flipped to second for a huge force out.

Michael Lewis' Home Game: comic fatherhood [Read Street]

2009-07-03T22:03:50-07:00

The Baltimore Sun's Joe Burris spoke with Michael Lewis, whose books have examined Wall Street avarice, a Silicon Valley crash and the Oakland Athletics' scouting system. Here's Burris' take: So what’s it been like for the man who recently crafted Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood to take readers to the changing table? “It was the first time I had to worry if my wife was going to let me get away with it,” said Lewis, whose latest book is a collection of a series of journal entries from Slate magazine. He’s perhaps best known for such works as Liar’s Poker, which chronicled his years as a bond trader on Wall Street, and Moneyball: The Art of Winning An Unfair Game, which dealt with the Oakland Athletics’ struggles to compete with major market teams.

But he’s also struck chords with Home Game, as he looks at how today’s fathers cope with being more involved with the everyday trials and triumphs of parenting. Lewis offers some colorful but poignant anecdotes on how he anticipated a plethora of joyful, father-knows-best moments, only to be awash with mixed emotions about the role.

He says it’s not surprising that men still struggle to find their way in the parenting landscape despite playing a more active role for years now. He says that women have experienced liberation from their former roles as mothers and home makers and added that many are conflicted about it. Why should men be any less conflicted about their roles, he asks. Here’s more from Lewis about his book and his view on parenting:

How much do you compare, as a father, to your father? “My father once watched me with a kind of detached pity as I struggled to dress our baby. Finally, he said, ‘You know, I didn’t talk to you until you went away to college.’ His experience of fatherhood was so different to mine that, at least in the first few years, it was completely useless to me. And yet he was, and is, a terrific dad. But there’s no way, if he landed the job today, he could get away with his approach."

What kind of responses have you received from other fathers about your book? “I’m sure there are fathers who take offense at my view of the role but I haven’t heard from them. Most of the response has been from women, who say something like, ‘It’s nice to know that my husband was actually thinking what I thought he was thinking.’ From men I tend to hear something like, "Dude! I can’t believe your wife let you get away with writing this!’"

When you felt the need to discuss difficult parenting moments with others, whom did you turn to? “I never felt that need. Or, if I did, I turned to my journal. My wife, on the other hand, had about 6,000 new mothers with whom to commiserate. New mothers gather; new fathers roll themselves up into a tiny ball in the corner of the room until the pain subsides.”

In what way do you believe that parenting resources serve fathers? “If by ‘parenting resources’ you mean the parenting books and birthing classes and so on: very little, in my experience. For a start, there’s the near total absence of the comic sensibility in them, when what they are describing is inherently a comic role. Each time my wife and I attended birthing class -- and we went to them before the birth of each of our three children -- there came a moment when the group split, and the women went into one room, and the men into another. The moment the men were alone the tone changed. In the presence of their wives and the instructors the men were serious and concerned; left to their own devices what they really wanted to do was joke about the absurdity of the enterprise. We had no real role to play except to pretend that we had a role to play.”

Hernandez: Early hook? [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-03T21:26:41-07:00

If you're going to say Dave Trembley just took out David Hernandez too soon, I suggest you do it right now, because I'm not accepting any second-guesses after Jim Johnson finishes the inning (or doesn't). You don't get the benefit of hindsight this time. Hernandez was right at about 100 pitches and he walked Chone Figgins with two outs and Bobby Abreu coming up. The change was automatic, but we'll see how it turns out. Instant update: That was quick. I'm wondering why Mike Scioscia went to the hit and run in that situation, if that was what it was, because Matt Wieters' great throw cost the Angels a chance for their hottest hitter to put a big dent in the three-run lead against a setup guy who might be little tentative after Wednesday's ninth-inning collapse.

Hernandez: Poised under pressure [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-03T21:15:02-07:00

Sometimes, I think you learn more about a pitcher during his more vulnerable moments, and I think that might have been the case tonight in the fourth inning after he faltered briefly with a 6-0 lead. It was an important juncture in the game, especially in the wake of two disappointing losses in a row. Hernandez was cruising before Juan Rivera's two-out double. He quickly walked Kendry Morales and then gave up his first run of the game on a flyball double by Macier Izturis. Right there, the game was hanging in the balance. If Hernandez wilts and the Angels get one more hit to cut the six-run lead in half, the shift in momentum would have been dynamic. Instead, he made a very good 1-0 pitch to Jeff Mathis to get out of the inning. He showed some toughness there and he has been better than his numbers so far this year. Late to the party: I didn't tune into this game until the third inning because I went to see the new gangster flick Public Enemies. It was fun and Johnny Depp's take on Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger was interesting, but I was a little disappointed that the movie focused so heavily on Dillinger, who has been portrayed in several previous films. The book that the screenplay was based upon was a far more wide-ranging look at the high-profile outlaws of that time. I wish this new take on the era would have developed those characters a little more.

Baltimore on Top 10 lists [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-07-03T18:06:27-07:00

And now for something completely different: top 10 lists that Baltimore graces.

As the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore points out, the city (or metro area) has appeared on at least three "best of" lists recently.

Next Generation Consulting names Baltimore seventh on its list of large cities it believes are "the best places to live and work for young professionals." The factors it looked at -- based, it said, on 11 years of studying "residential and relocation patterns" of 20- to 40-year-olds -- are "Earning, Learning, Vitality, Around Town, After Hours, Cost of Lifestyle, and Social Capital."

Forbes includes Baltimore on its list of "Best Cities to Get Ahead" -- though by dint of being part of Greater Washington. The mega metro area, it says, has "one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country and a high median household income."

And The Nielsen Co. thinks Baltimore is one of 10 cities with the "greenest automotive potential." It says Baltimore households are 22 percent more likely than average to buy a green car, based on its analysis of ownership rates of high-mileage vehicles. That ties Baltimore with Los Angeles for ninth on the list.

There are a lot of best-of lists out there. (Forbes seems to have a new one every day.) Do you think they can influence people's buying or moving patterns? Or do they at least reflect those patterns accurately?

Hey there, underwater borrowers: Want a refi? [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-07-03T18:04:49-07:00

HUD announced this week that the Home Affordable Refinance Program will now accept borrowers who aren't behind on payments but are up to 125 percent underwater -- people who aren't going to find anyone else offering them a refi. Originally, program eligibility was limited to borrowers whose mortgages totaled no more than 105 percent of their home values.

You still need a loan that was bought or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. (Don't know if it was? Ask your lender. Or check here for Fannie and here for Freddie.)

Zillow, the real estate information site, estimated yesterday that 29 percent of Baltimore-area homeowners are prime candidates for the program because they owe between 80 percent and 125 percent of their homes' value on their conforming first mortgages. That's 151,000 homeowners. But Zillow can't say how many meet the Fannie/Freddie requirement. (That's not publicly available information, the company says.)

These figures are up from the 113,000 (or 22 percent) of metro-area homeowners with conforming mortgages who owe between 80 and 105 percent of their home values.

The number of potentially eligible folks is higher nationwide: 36 percent of conforming-loan borrowers now and 26 percent under the original rules, Zillow estimates.

But apparently-eligible and actually-eligible are very different things, as the original rules of the program prove. Bloomberg reports that Fannie and Freddie have refinanced 80,000 mortgages under those guidelines, a tiny fraction of the participation the feds hoped for. And 60,000 of those had loan-to-value ratios of 80 percent or less. Mortgage professionals say it's tough for borrowers to qualify.

Has anyone out there tried to refinance under the older rules? I'm curious to know how it went.

Instead of new homes, these folks got heartache [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-07-03T18:04:29-07:00

If you put down a deposit on a new home, you expect to get a new home. But whenever you hand over a chunk of change for something in return down the road, there's always an opportunity for something to go horribly wrong.

Example one:

Two business-partner siblings who registered a homebuilding company with the state near the beginning of the housing boom pleaded guilty this week to misusing deposits from 22 couples and individuals. I reported the story for today's paper -- you can read more about it here, but here's a taste:

Walter Osborne Ely Jr. and Kimberly Zahrey started JAE Developers in 2002 and collected between $1,000 and $50,000 in upfront payments from prospective home buyers, according to Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler's statement of fact submitted to Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Vicki Ballou-Watts. Instead of putting the money in escrow accounts as required, the two quickly spent it. Some of the money went to business expenses that had nothing to do with building the customers' homes, the state said. Some of it Ely and Zahrey spent on themselves, the state said.

Meanwhile -- example two -- the state attorney general announced Wednesday that a Garrett County homebuilder also failed to build homes for several customers or return their money.

This comes on the heels of Lorraine Mirabella's stories about Altieri Homes, which the state has charged with "failing to start or finish construction of at least 20 homes in Harford and Howard counties after taking deposits and payments." Owner Greig Altieri said in a story last month that the tough economy put him out of business.

This story makes me feel itchy [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-07-03T18:03:26-07:00

The City Paper's Edward Ericson Jr. has a story that will send a chill down the backs of homeowners and renters alike: Bed bugs are an increasing problem in parts of Baltimore. (There's a map here showing the location of bed-bug-related 311 calls.)

He writes, "They are fiendishly hard to eradicate, tougher than roaches, silent as a draft."

Just the thought of them makes some of the people interviewed in his story start "involuntarily" scratching. Many of the readers probably have, too.

Real estate for the Facebook crowd [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-07-03T18:03:07-07:00

Sawbuck.com has updated its real estate information site with a nod to social media, including a news feed of home listings that's a lot like the friend status updates on Facebook. Choose Baltimore as your city of search, and you'll see this compilation of new listings and price changes. (You can see sales and contracts, too, but only if you register.)

The Sawbuck site also offers its take on housing-market health, rating Baltimore a 58 -- "Not Healthy," though closer to "Barely Healthy" (60-69) than "Deteriorating" (40-49). The scale runs from 0 to 99.

Market activity varies from neighborhood to neighborhood, of course -- that's true nationwide. How would you rate the housing-market health in your neighborhood? (I realize this is tricky because "deteriorating" in a seller's mind might be "improving" from a buyer's perspective. Hmm: Maybe choose a number from 0 to 99 with 0 being a market where buyers can get homes for nothing and 99 where sellers can successfuly demand a buyer's first-born child in exchange for accepting their offer?)

Baltimore's new-construction tax credit [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-07-03T18:01:42-07:00

The clock starts today on that second chance for people who qualified for Baltimore's new-construction tax credit but didn't apply in time (it's a short window after buying). Here are the details on the amnesty approved by the City Council:

If you went to settlement on a new home after Oct. 1, 2004, you can apply for the city’s new-construction tax credit through Aug. 28, when the amnesty period ends. Homeowners in properties that were substantially rehabbed after being vacant may also be eligible.

You can find more details from the city Department of Finance, including the application form, in this PDF document. (You can also read my original post on the topic here.)

Why should you care, you ask? Because the credit reduces a homeowner’s property tax bill by half and then phases in the full amount over a five-year period. Yeah. That's why.

The City Council also changed the process going forward so new-home buyers have two windows to apply: within 90 days of settling and within 90 days of getting the first tax assessment notice.

Where the name slider comes from [Dining@Large]

2009-07-03T15:11:31-07:00

It never occurred to me to wonder where the name "slider" came from until I got an e-mail from a reader asking me.

What I do remember is that when they first started to appear on restaurant menus I was surprised that it was a name everyone had heard of for mini-burgers except me.

So I looked it up on the Internet and here's the explanation I found:

In 1994 White Castle was granted a U.S. trademark on the term "slyders" which derived from the way the burgers slide out of their cardboard boxes. ...

There’s no quit in Jeff Jarrett on TNA Impact [Ring Posts]

2009-07-03T14:42:09-07:00

I want to preface this entry by saying that I like Jeff Jarrett as a performer. While there are many “smart” fans who think he’s overrated and that his pushes have been more about politics than ability, I actually think he gets a bad rap. Jarrett has always been a good worker, and while he has never been a huge box office draw, he is a star. With that being said, however, Jarrett gave those who criticize him for using his position as TNA founder to excessively push himself plenty of ammunition on Thursday night’s episode of Impact.

Reimold Rookie of the Month [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-03T12:59:31-07:00

Congratulations to Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold for being named Gillette American League Rookie of the Month for June, a month in which he batted .320 with four home runs, nine RBI, 13 runs and 13 walks. He also impressed with a .520 slugging percentage and a .420 on-base percentage. Despite his delayed arrival in the majors this season, Reimold is considered a top early candidate for AL Rookie of the Year honors, and might be going head-to-head with teammate Brad Bergesen, who also joined the team after Opening Day. If you want an early favorite for next month's rookie award, Bergesen might be a good bet, since he opened the month on Wednesday with that impressive eight-inning, four-hit performance against the Red Sox.

CM Punk keeps his eye on the prize on WWE Superstars [Ring Posts]

2009-07-03T11:33:45-07:00

So was world heavyweight champion CM Punk’s left eye partially closed at the end of Thursday’s episode of WWE Superstars because it was injured, or was he really winking at us because he had just pulled another fast one? Punk, who suffered the (kayfabe) eye injury at last Sunday’s Bash pay-per-view, aggravated it during his non-title match with Edge Thursday. After Edge raked his eyes, Punk told the referee that he couldn’t continue, and Edge was awarded the match via forfeit.

Weekly recruiting roundup [Recruiting Report]

2009-07-03T07:38:10-07:00

While the Maryland staff continues to focus its attention on the 2010 recruiting class, there could be a last-minute addition to the 2009-10 UM roster. InsideMDSports.com reported that Matt Pilgrim, a junior power forward from Kentucky, was planning an official visit to College Park this week. Pilgrim, 6 feet 8, spent his first two years of college at Hampton before transferring to Kentucky last year. After sitting out the 2008-09 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Pilgrim would have been eligible to suit up for the Wildcats this coming season. When John Calipari was hired to replace Billy Gillispie in Lexington, Pilgrim -- according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal -- was told there wouldn’t be a scholarship available for him at UK. According to a source close to the situation, Calipari and Josh Pastner are working together to bring Pilgrim to Memphis. Calipari, the source said, will support Pilgrim's case to the NCAA. Though Pilgrim said he probably wouldn't make a commitment until he sits down with his family, he acknowledged the urgency of picking a new school so that he can start the appeal process. Pilgrim has also visited Oklahoma State. Here’s a quick video clip of Pilgrim playing with Hampton against, coincidentally enough, Maryland in the 2007 CBE Classic at Comcast Center. The Terps edged Pilgrim’s Pirates, 70-64. Pilgrim finished with 11 points, five rebounds, three steals, two blocks and two assists. Check out Testudo Times for more on Pilgrim. • Former Maryland shooting guard target Lance Stephenson has finally found a home. The five-star prospect committed to Cincinnati on Tuesday. "We are very excited about Lance's decision to become a Bearcat," head coach Mick Cronin said. "Lance has terrific talent as a basketball player and is also a fierce competitor on the court. His desire to win will help us compete for a Big East Championship. "As a big guard, Lance brings playmaking ability and versatility to our team, along with his talent for scoring. We look forward to getting Lance here for summer school and building our team for the upcoming season." • Terps point guard commitment Terrell Stoglin has fared well in the Tucson (Ariz.) Summer Pro League, according to league director and former Arizona player Corey Williams. "I don't really follow high school basketball at all," he said. "There's some good, talented kids in town. It's been surprising to me to see these kids come out and play very well against grown men." Over three games, Stoglin has scored 32 points on 56 percent shooting. • Maryland power forward targets C.J. Leslie and Terrence Jones stood out at Nike’s Vince Carter Skills Academy in Orlando last weekend. ESPN.com’s Paul Biancardi listed Leslie as the No. 3 best scorer in camp. Leslie is an explosive, active athlete who is a big-time finisher when he gets in the paint. He has a quick first step to the basket; he stays low on the drive to finish high above the rim. He gets points from finishing dump-off passes from his teammates' penetration along with climbing on the offensive glass. Jones checked in at No. 1 on Biancardi’s best slasher list. This lefty is a physical specimen who drives the ball with explosive strength and overpowers defenders on his way to the basket. A good percentage of his points come from the free throw line because he is so strong and attacks the basket on the drive and from the post. • MaxPreps.com ranked Terps power forward target Tobias Harris No. 8 on its list of New York male athletes of the year. The 6-8 forward missed most of the first half of his junior season with a severe ankle injury but returned with a vengeance to lead the run to a victory over Triche and Jamesville-DeWitt for the Federation Class A crown. Harris averaged 23.5 points and 11.5 rebounds after arriving at Lutheran as a summer transfer. College suitors -- and just about anybody that matters would like to recruit him -- will find Harris back at Half Hollow Hills West, where he averaged 29 points as a sophomore on a 22-2 season; Harris transferred back there during Easter break. Football recruiting • Maryland defensive back recruit Avery Graham has been named The Gazette’s boys track Athlete of the Year. Outstanding at Class 2A state meet, scoring or contributing to 40 of team's 76 points. Captured gold medals in 100, 200, two sprint relays, lifting Clarksburg to first state team title. • The Washington Post’s Recruiting Insider reports that Friendship Collegiate (D.C.) offensive tackle Earl Johnson was offered a scholarship by Maryland last week. While he'll likely need to add plenty of weight to transition to a college tackle, Johnson also plays defensive end for Friendship, which has sent several players to low-level Division I programs the past couple of years, but hasn't been able to attract the attention of larger schools like Maryland. • The Terps lost out on offensive guard Daquan Jones earlier this week when the three-star prospect committed to Penn State. Jones (6-4, 300) is from Johnson City, N.Y. He also had offers from Pitt, Boston College, Syracuse, Maryland, Illinois, Rutgers and Connecticut.

The smoked elk hot dog [Dining@Large]

2009-07-03T07:26:25-07:00

I was thinking of doing a post asking everyone to tell us how you're celebrating the Fourth. But frankly, I don't think yours could compete with guest poster Bucky's. EL

Tomorrow is Independence Day, and this year we will engage in one of our semi-traditional activities, going up into the mountains to have lunch at the Coney Island Boardwalk Hot Dog Stand in Bailey, Colo. ...

Baltimore schools and colleges [InsideEd]

2009-07-03T07:00:00-07:00

Baltimore schools chief Andres Alonso proudly presented a group of high-achieving students going off to the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, College Park at a board meeting recently.

It was an honor for the students, who are among a smaller-than-usual pool who had been accepted at those schools through special programs.

In recent years, Hopkins and College Park have attempted to boost the number of city public school students who were able to attend their institutions – among the most prestigious in the state – by getting rid of one of the most difficult barriers: money.

Why would I possibly care? [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-03T06:59:00-07:00

As a journalist, I get all sorts of weird e-mails from attention-seeking press agents. But I think this has to be one of the most random ones I've gotten in a while:

BEE GEES HONORED WITH POSTAGE STAMPS IN THEIR BIRTHPLACE
Issued Today, Isle Of Man's Eight-Stamp Set Salutes Hitmaking Native Sons

Umm ... OK ...

Freebie Friday [Read Street]

2009-07-03T06:39:53-07:00

Happy Freebie Friday, all!

It's my birthday, as well as July 4th weekend, so I'm just going to get right down to business.

Congratulations, Lindsey: You've won I Am Not Sidney Poitier! And the next time I'm in a Cormac mood, the Border trilogy is the way I'm going.

And next up, Seen The Glory: A Novel of The Battle of Gettysburg, by John Hough Jr. The battle, which ended on this date in 1863, was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. So if you're looking for something to do today, check out Gettysburg! It's beautiful country, with plenty of history for all.

So let us know what you're reading, and the book could be yours!

Meanwhile, everyone have a Happy Fourth! I'm going to go rustle up some cake.

Steamed crab etiquette [Dining@Large]

2009-07-03T05:13:36-07:00

Just in time for my vacation, I got an e-mail from Crabby Crab Host that makes an excellent guest post. I wish I'd raised some of these issues before, only I thought it was just me being greedy. EL

Living in a crabcentric (pretty good word, huh?) town presents us with a unique set of problems. Fortunately you are here to assist with our most pressing needs -- finding the best steamed crabs, crab cakes, and settings. However, a real dilemma reared its ugly head the other evening -- steamed crabs etiquette. ...

Conversation from the front porch [Dining@Large]

2009-07-03T04:18:32-07:00

Brother Bim: Would you like a glass of Trader Joe's shiraz?

Me: No.

Brother Bim (reading the label): It's a very interesting vintage. March.

Big weekend for canned beers [Kasper On Tap]

2009-07-03T04:03:25-07:00

There are going to be a lot of get-togethers at the swimming pool this weekend and during the rest of the summer. Pool parties call for canned beer.

Bottles and any other glass containers are banned at most pools and other spots where folks run around in their bare feet.

It used to be that the selection of canned beers was pretty dismal. But now with the Oskar Blues lineup of canned beers from Colorado in this market , you can have your canned beer and quality, too.

My favorite is their Dale's Pale Ale at 6.5 percent ABV. Their other canned beers, Gordon at 8.7 percent, the Old Chub at 8% and Ten Fidy at 10 percent, are too a bit much for me when I am wearing a swimming suit and am reminded of my ever-expanding middle.

From time to time, I have seen Pilsner Urquell in cans as well.

Guinness and other stouts come in cans, but they don't strike me as pool beers.

Stephen Beaumont named his top 5 canned beers on Epicurious. They are Fuller's London Pride, Sly Fox Pikeland Pils, Young's Double Chocolate Stout, Gordon and New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale. Of that group, only the pils strikes me as beer to drink in your swimming suit. Drinking a Fat Tire would encourage too many unpleasant references to the waist line.

What is your favorite canned beer?

What is your strategy for carting beverages into a glass-free setting?

I pour wine, for my wife, into empty club soda bottles, and cart them to the pool.

Photo: Getty Images

Father's Day Friday: Don't let mom stand in for you [Charm City Moms]

2009-07-03T03:31:53-07:00

Joe Burris is here on Father's Day Friday:

Recently my 3-year-old daughter Onalenna’s day school announced its pre-Father’s Day celebration for all the students' dads. Accompanying the announcement was the message that dads who couldn’t attend should get their wives to stand in.

I didn’t bother to ask my wife if she and other mothers got a similar message on Mother’s Day. And I don’t know if the school’s intention was to embarrass dads into coming (I get the feeling that most of us would have come anyway), but the turnout was great. In a room with about a dozen children, of different ages, races, backgrounds and professions, all but two kids’ fathers showed up.

I think that it was not only great for us to be there for our children, but we all delighted in seeing so many of us present. Even in an age where dads are more available for involvement with their children inside and outside the home, they’re often difficult to come by at such events -- even those where they are celebrated.

I must say, however, that the visit came with a bit of trepidation. During the Mother's Day event, the kids presented moms with handmade flower plots and grew plants inside _ but someone forgot to tell them that they would have to forever part with their creations. My wife says as the mothers departed, the kids reached for the gifts, and the room was filled with shouts of “Mine! Mine!”

We dads were more fortunate. We were presented with handmade greeting cards and travel mugs with their drawings and were allowed to keep them when we departed. We all got big kisses and hugs and goodbye waves that made me feel as if we had done something magnificent, just by being there.

I’m already looking forward to next year.

What's Scioscia thinking? [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-02T23:43:14-07:00

Angels manager Mike Scioscia just removed John Lackey from the game after eight innings, even though Lackey had given up just four hits and struck out seven. That's pretty much the same pitching line that Brad Bergesen had in Wednesday's game -- 8 IP, 4H, 6K -- and a lot of people here think Dave Trembley should have been fired for making essentially the same decision Scioscia just made. Okay, I'll give you this. Lackey had thrown 11 more pitches than Bergesen, but he disposed of the Orioles in short order in the eighth. I'm sure the Orioles were happy to see him go, though closer Brian Fuentes is no slouch. Bonus gripe: By the way, if I hear another replay of Gary Thorne saying "Look what I found" and "Lucky Lackey" after that line drive by Adam Jones, I'm going to kick my TV. That wasn't a lucky play. That was a great reflex play by Lackey. The ball obviously came back near where his glove stopped at the end of his delivery, but he reacted and moved the glove into position to make the catch. The Angels played terrific defense all night long. The Orioles played good defense, too, but they lost the game because they were unable to station an outfielder in the second row of the right field bleachers.

Cub fan hungers for win streak [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-02T23:41:24-07:00

Just when I thought Orioles fans were getting a little too emotionally involved with the team, this story surfaced about a Cubs fan who has announced he will go on a 500-calorie-per-day diet until the lovable losers from the Windy City reel off a five-game winning streak. It's not exactly a hunger strike. The guy, 53-year-old Daniel Kamen of Buffalo Grove, Ill., can probably squeeze a couple of Lean Cuisine frozen entrees out of that 500-calorie limit, but it's the thought that counts. The Cubs need a little extra motivation. They're sitting right on .500 (38-38) in the wide-open NL Central, which may have something to do with the number of calories Kamen will allow himself until the Cubs win five straight or the season ends. Of course, it's a lot easier to lose weight when you're an Orioles fan. You just watch a game like the one on Wednesday and you don't feel like eating for a week.

Does Michael Bisping have a shot against Dan Henderson? [MMA Insider]

2009-07-02T23:26:59-07:00

The consensus seems to be no. He’s the biggest underdog of the three main fights at UFC 100 (according to Vegas) and most pro fighters are taking Hendo in that fight. I think Henderson has been less than impressive in his last two bouts. The nicest moves he had against Rich Franklin were illegal (eye poke, head butt) and even that was a controversial win. And he’s no spring chicken at age 39.

Bisping has good stand-up and has never been stopped. His only loss is a split-decision to Rashad Evans. Of course, there’s also the phantom win over Matt Hamill, which should’ve been a loss. Still, he's a younger guy with a promising future. He should be a good threat for Henderson, right?

When you compare the resumes of the two it’s not even close. Henderson’s reads like a who’s who of MMA legends. Just in the UFC he’s fought Anderson Silva, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Rich Franklin. Three legends in four fights and if you go back to his PRIDE days the list goes on and on and on.

I think you can make a case for Alves. I think you can make a case for Mir (although not as much as some think). So, maybe it does make sense that Bisping is the biggest underdog of the three.

(Dan Henderson photo courtesy of Zuffa, Inc.)

Guthrie gives in [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-02T20:38:56-07:00

Well, what exactly did you expect? Jeremy Guthrie has been extremely vulnerable to the long ball this year, and Bobby Abreu apparently has his number. It would have been nice, however, if Guthrie had changed speeds just once in that at-bat, which almost certainly cost the Orioles this game. He threw Abreu two fastballs outside to get ahead 0-2 on the count, then came inside with a third straight fastball and it got the NASA treatment for the second time in the game. The pitch was right where Matt Wieters asked for it. It was right where Guthrie wanted it. Abreu put a great swing on it. That happens, but when it happens this much to the same guy, it's fair to ask why it keeps happening.

'So You Think You Can Dance': Top 14 cut to 12 [Reality Check]

2009-07-02T20:00:13-07:00

My favorite part of the So You Think You Can Dance results show is almost always the group dance.

Tonight's number -- a Broadway routine to "Brand New Day" from The Wiz choreographed by Tyce DiOrio -- is no exception. So good, so fun, and amazing costumes. (I am, however, as usual, distracted by some of the manic camerawork that makes it tough to actually see the dancers' movements.)

Host Cat Deeley gets right to the results: Karla and Vitolio and Evan and Randi are called to the stage. The quick step still might be the kiss-of-death dance, as it turns out the Karla and Vitolio are in the bottom three couples.

After the break, three more judges are on the stage. Janette and Brandon find out they are safe. Kayla and Kupono are in the bottom three couples, and Melissa and Ade are safe. Mia Michaels says she is shocked about Kayla and Kupono because she thinks they were the best performance of the night. Kayla actually cries because she's so overcome.

That leaves two couples: Caitlin and Jason and Jeanine and Phillip. (Members of Caitlin's family, including her mom and her aunt, are there dressed similarly to her crazy costume from last night, with a sign that says "Aliens for Caitlin.") Caitlin and Jason are safe (and shocked), and Phillip and Jeanine are in the bottom three.

The evening's professional dance performance is an amazing ballet by dancers Desmond Richardson and Patricia Hachey from Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

Then, solos: Karla looks remarkably comfortable and strong on stage tonight. Vitolio dances to "Here Comes Goodbye," which seems like a bad choice of song. His solo is a little disjointed and off the cuff. Kayla gives an energetic and emotional but more controlled performance than her last time in the bottom three, when she was accused (unfairly, I think) of cramming too much into the solo. Kupono exudes a lot of emotion in his solo, joy and hope and just wanting to be there, I think. Jeanine finally gets to dance her style on this stage, and she is so good. Last is Phillip, who gets to show off what he does best, his crazily unique popping and locking and limb-wrenching.

Kelly Clarkson comes out to sing "I Do Not Hook Up" while the judges deliberate. She sounds great, and she looks better than when she was on Idol last season, but she still needs her stylist to work a little bit harder on her behalf.

The judges are back with the results, women first. Nigel tells Jeanine that she had the strongest solo of the evening and is safe. He tells Kayla that she is a favorite of the judges and the choreographers, but they found her solo to be very "static" and not dancing from the heart. They say that Karla is a very good dancer, but she hasn't quite shown the star quality they saw in her at first, so she is out. So Oxon Hill, Md., dancer Karla Garcia is going home. She says she will remember all her friends and dancing her contemporary routine.

They are unanimous with the guys, too. They tell Phillip he is unique and superb, but they thought he overworked his solo. Still, they are keeping him. Nigel says Vitolio has great presence and presents himself well, but he doesn't deliver. Kupono is told that his solo was weak and didn't show much passion, but they hope to see more from him in the future. So Vitolio is out as well.

Guess the quick step really is the kiss of death! Yikes.

The streak ends [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-02T19:53:40-07:00

Robert Andino's third-inning single ended a string of 32 straight outs by the Orioles offense, or the equivalent of a 10 2/3-inning perfect game since Ty Wigginton homered to open the fourth inning yesterday. Angels starter John Lackey looks nasty, but so does Jeremy Guthrie, whose breaking stuff is pretty sharp. He just completed his third scoreless inning, but it remains to be seen if he can stare down Lackey into the late innings.

What's up with Melvin? [The Schmuck Stops Here]

2009-07-02T18:21:38-07:00

Dave Trembley is sitting Melvin for the second straight game after replacing him with Oscar Salazar, who pinch hit for him on Tuesday night and hit a game-changing home run. I don't think anything's up with Melvin, other than the fact that he hasn't hit a home run since May 7 and has just six extra-base hits since then...all doubles. Ty Wigginton has been more productive of late and the Orioles are going to need all the offensive punch they can muster in the four-game series against the Angels that starts tonight in Anaheim with a matchup between Jeremy Guthrie and John Lackey. The big question, really, is how Melvin is going to handle this. He can't be happy to get benched, and I wouldn't be surprised if Trembley sends Wigginton out there a lot more regularly over the next few weeks. This is a difficult situation that could get a lot more difficult in the near future. Stay tuned. Tonight's game is a gut check for a lot of people, especially Guthrie. The Orioles need to rebound quickly from Wednesday's horrible loss, and the first-place Angels aren't likely to be very cooperative. Meanwhile, in the Sports section: My latest "News item" column went up a little while ago and you can read it here. I managed to get soccer into the first item, which should pique everybody's interest. Getty Images

Gary Williams and Tiger Woods [Tracking the Terps]

2009-07-02T17:59:58-07:00

Any basketball player can miss, say, nine shots in a row. What sets the good ones apart is that they don't unravel. They compose themselves and find the confidence and focus and fortitude to convert the 10th if the situation demands it.

That ability -- to regain one's footing, to stay in the moment -- is the essence of one of the questions Gary Williams was asking Tiger Woods the other day.

Williams and Chick Hernandez had the opportunity to question Woods on Comcast SportsNet at the AT&T National.

Said Williams: "In basketball, you have to move on to the next play. You can yell at a referee -- every once in awhile I'll do that. But the next play is happening while you do that."

Woods said he'll look at the scenery, gauge the wind and begin assessing the next shot. The key is not to get stuck reliving a difficult moment.

Williams said he heard that Woods' father told his son he had 12 steps to forget a botched shot.

Said Woods: "It was his way of saying, 'Get over it.'"

Handout photo courtesy of Comcast SportsNet.

Richard's review of Tahina [Dining@Large]

2009-07-02T16:41:33-07:00

I want to give you a link to Other Reviewer Richard's review of Tahina in Owings Mills today before I go down to cut up apples and peaches to put in the pitcher of sangria I plan on making.

I have to admire Richard's ability to turn this into a full review. Tahina sounds like one of those places that are worthy of a review, but it would definitely have been easier for him to write a four-word review of it.

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Sun photographer)

Helpful advice from the front porch [Dining@Large]

2009-07-02T16:18:04-07:00

The best thing to do with cheap wine is make sangria with it.

In case you missed it: Ring Posts Q&A with Torrie Wilson [Reality Check]

2009-07-02T15:34:55-07:00

If you'd like some insight on what it was really like on I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here, check out Kevin Eck's interview with Torrie Wilson, who finished second, over at Ring Posts.

Especially interesting, I thought, was Torrie's take on Spencer Pratt:

At first I thought for sure Spencer was doing his rant for the cameras, but the longer I was around him the more I thought, maybe because he’s been on a reality show for so long that he’s started to let it blend into his real character. I don’t really know him personally so it was hard for me to differentiate, but it seemed like much of what they were doing – all of them – was very close to their true personalities.

But there's a lot more to read there, so go on, click above and read the whole thing!

Photo: Getty Images

Simplicity crib recall: spread the word [Consuming Interests]

2009-07-02T13:57:08-07:00

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the voluntary recall of 400,000 Simplicity Drop Side cribs sold between January 2005 and June 2009, according to the Associated Press.

As the picture from the CPSC shows, the drop side can detach when the hardware breaks, allowing a child to become trapped and potentially suffocate.

One child died as a result of entrapment, and there are 25 other reports of the drop side detatching, according to the CPSC.

Stores will provide refunds or store credit for the cribs.

Unfortunately, this is a familiar problem ...

... because 600,000 cribs were recalled last year, and 1 million cribs recalled in 2007, for similar problems.

The CPSC recommends that parents "should immediately stop using the recalled cribs and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby."

More details, including the model numbers, are available in the CPSC's Simplicity crib recall announcement.

Maryland State Board takes on job of vetting candidates [InsideEd]

2009-07-02T13:42:28-07:00

The Maryland State Board of Education has decided to take on some of the role of vetting candidates for the city school board. In my story today, I detail the questions the board is now asking candidates who apply for the job. It seems they are trying to prevent a repeat of the Brian Morris problem. Morris, the former city school board chair, was found to have a long history of financial problems.

One of the questions on the candidate questionaire asks if there is anything in the candidate's background that would be potentially embarrassing to the citizens of Baltimore if it came out. State school board president James DeGraffenreidt said the school board expects to "conduct more detailed inquiries concerning the qualifications and backgrounds" of the candidates. In other words, the state will be doing its own background checks.

Q&A with Torrie Wilson [Ring Posts]

2009-07-02T13:10:38-07:00

I conducted a phone interview Wednesday with former WWE diva Torrie Wilson, who talked about her runner-up finish last week on the NBC reality show I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, as well as her negative experience doing the divas battle royal at WrestleMania XXV last April. So, what’s the first you did when you got back home after three weeks or so in the jungle in Costa Rica? When I arrived at my house I had a very small party with my closest friends and family and I ate some vanilla cake. I’m sure it tasted good to you. Man it was delicious. What was the toughest part about being in the jungle and what was the toughest challenge that you had to do? I think the toughest part about being there was that some of the personalities were clashing, so it was difficult at times to get along with everybody. And, of course, the eating was really difficult. The hardest challenge – there was one where we stuck our head in something [a glass case filled with snakes]. I was really glad I didn’t get the tarantulas. Spencer and Heidi Pratt and Janice Dickinson came off as incredibly annoying. What was it like being in the jungle with them?

Yearning for Marconi's [Dining@Large]

2009-07-02T11:11:49-07:00

I'm not, but some people still are and are still commenting on an old post about where to get the Maison Marconi chopped salad recipe, which led to this joke from Bucky:

Q: How many Baltimoreans does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: All of them. One to put in the bulb, and the rest to talk about how much better the old bulb was.

How true. I don't know how many comments the Top 10 Locations We Miss Terribly got, but I remember it was a ton.

Here's the caption for the photo:

Oct 1, 1998-- Marconi's on 106 W. Baltimore St. offers French and Italian (Continental) Cuisine. The restaurant opened in 1920 and the owner claims it is the oldest restaurant in Baltimore. The owner (proprietor) Ilene R. Booke loves the color green so when she renovated the front dining room, she painted it pale green. It has European touch in the room. It's signature dishes are Lobster Cardinale, Oysters Pauline, and Softshell Crab as well as homemade chocolate dessert dish. It opens for lunch and dinner from Tuesday through Saturday. Photo by Chiaki Kawajiri/staff

Oh, heck. While I'm at it, maybe I'll reprint my whole review, which this photo illustrated. Although it makes me a little sad to read it, because Doug H. died in a car accident not too long after. It was his daughter whose wedding we attended in Argentina this Christmas. If you aren't into nostalgia, don't bother to click "Continue reading..."

Marconi's closed in 2005. ...

Kids in hot cars: balancing safety with reality [Consuming Interests]

2009-07-02T11:04:00-07:00

How much is an investment in safety worth?

Because, even though you think you wouldn't leave an infant or a toddler locked in a car, it has already happened to 15 families. Tragically, 15 babies have died of hyperthermia in 2009 after being left in a car. An Ellicott City family's 23-month-old daughter died last week after she was locked in a car for nine hours.

I don't think any of the parents or caregivers would ever say they intended to do it. Safety experts and advocates say people get distracted and make a mistake.

Kids and Cars, a group which advocates for prevention of non-traffic related injuries to children by cars, has frightening statistics that lay out a pretty clear correlation about why it happens, though. After rules banned children riding in the front due to airbag injuries, deaths due to hyperthermia grew.

What does it take to prevent calamities such as these? Acknowledgment that it's possible, as Dr. Laura Jana, an Omaha-based pediatrician who speaks about injury prevention for the American Academy of Pediatrics, said:

"It's the last thing you ever want to imagine happening, and we push it away as if 'it could never happen to me,' said Jana, author of Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality and the mother of three.

"I don't think our brains want us to be able to imagine us doing something like that to our child," "Denial is a very powerful thing."

The pediatrician pointed out that we create failsafe measures to prevent ourselves from forgetting other important tasks. You wouldn't lock your car doors without checking to see if you have your car keys first ... so don't walk away from your car without looking at the front and back seat.

Parents could also leave a a reminder in the front seat to alert them that the child is present (diaper bag makes sense to me) or they could leave their purse or briefcase in the backseat to remind themselves to go back there, she said.

It's a no-brainer to advocate for these types of precautions ...

... because, frankly, they don't cost any money, unlike a back-up camera for an SUV or minivan that costs $500, Jana said. But thousands of kids die every year when drivers back up over them, according to Kids and Cars. Even car seats can cost a lot, too, especially if you have multiple small chlldren.

It's hard enough to convince people to wear seat belts, when they justify such risky behavior by saying they will drive carefully, that they're only going a short distance, that it couldn't happen to them.

But, it does. So: walk around your car before getting in to ensure you won't run anything over. And check the backseat before you leave to make sure you haven't left a kid.

Live chat on Bernie Madoff and other things on your mind [Consuming Interests]

2009-07-02T10:51:38-07:00

Hey, gang, I’m having a live chat on noon Tuesday at this site to discuss finding a trustworthy financial adviser after the Bernie Madoff scandal.

Or, we can discuss anything else on your mind.

Tune in at noon for the half-hour chat. You can also submit questions in advance and we’ll address those on Tuesday.

Cheers, and Happy Fourth. Eileen

Monroe discusses Maryland pledge [Recruiting Report]

2009-07-02T10:23:16-07:00

After Maryland wrapped up its 2009 recruiting class, one of the Terps’ first junior scholarship offers went out to St. John’s College (D.C.) defensive tackle Andre Monroe. The 5-foot-11, 290-pounder thought about making an early commitment, but decided to go through the recruiting process for a little while. That ended Tuesday night, when Monroe committed to the Terps. “It feels great knowing that I’m committed and they were at the top of my list the whole time,” Monroe said. “It feels great and I feel relief, getting it out of the way before the season so I can concentrate on my senior year.” After Maryland offered, New Mexico, Akron, Bowling Green, Miami (OH) and Ohio followed suit with scholarships of their own. Other major schools expressed interest, and Monroe took visits to Pittsburgh, Duke and North Carolina. But the Terps remained his only BCS-conference offer. St. John’s coach Joe Patterson thinks there’s a simple explanation for Monroe’s relatively low-profile recruitment. “[Monroe’s height] was the only thing you ever heard anyone talking about ... as far as any issues he may have had,” Patterson said. “If he had been a couple of inches taller, I’m sure he would’ve been a national recruit.” The Maryland staff first saw Monroe at a summer football camp before his sophomore year. Whenever a Terps coach went to a St. John’s game last season to check out offensive line recruit Pete White, Monroe inevitably played his way into their consciousness. Patterson said Monroe’s junior film led to the early UM offer. “Andre is as productive as anyone I’ve ever had,” Patterson said. “Teams had to scheme around him. ... He reminds me, as far as being a playmaker, of Tony Tucker, who’s a defensive end for Pittsburgh. I think Andre brings a whole different range of skills just because he has such a tremendously low center of gravity and he uses his body so well. And he’s got incredibly strong legs. That package [is tough to come by].” Monroe and White used to car-pool together to St. John’s, and the two are admittedly close. But Monroe said his former and future teammate never put pressure on him to commit to the Terps. “He threw his input in there,” Monroe said. “But he wasn’t trying to do it really hard like all the coaches were. He explained to me that he went through the process, too. He showed me how sometimes the pressure can get to you, and he didn’t want [me to go through] some of the things that happened to him.” When Monroe arrives in College Park in 2010, he’ll have a chance to go up against White in practice again on a daily basis. Monroe said he’s excited to suit up for the program that believed in him from the start. For the rest of the summer, he’s committed to making his senior season a memorable one. “Right now I’ll keep working out and continue to get better, spend more time with my teammates to make sure we’re together to have a successful season and win a championship.”

Feel like a kid again at Kings Dominion [Consuming Interests]

2009-07-02T09:33:30-07:00

That may not be possible with those creaky knees, but at least your wallet won't squeak thanks to the Virginia theme park's July special: every Sunday adults get in for the price of a child's ticket. That means you pay $31.99 instead of $44.99. Regular admission is $54.99, but it gets you two days. This deal is for a single-day admission only. There's a catch (always is) - you can only buy the tickets online. This deal is not available at the gates.

Book It: July 4th edition [Read Street]

2009-07-02T09:03:19-07:00

You just have to get through the second half of the workday, and it's holiday weekend for you!

Along with the fireworks, here are a few events you can enjoy this week, both patriotic and downright bookish.

Tonight, Ukazoo Books holds their monthly forum, an open mic in which poets, playwrights, authors and musicians come together and share their art. You can sign up in advance by e-mail or call 410-832-BOOK.

Tomorrow night, Cyclops Books hosts "For Crying Out Loud: Born Free." There will be many artists, and a birthday party, as writer Fernando Quijano III, whose work you may remember from Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! celebrates his 40th year with free drinks and snacks for all. Happy birthday, Fernando!

Saturday is the best holiday of them all! What, you think Thanksgiving and Christmas are good? I prefer my holidays with fireworks and air conditioning, thanks. So everyone do me a favor, and have a safe, happy Fourth of July.

My list of offbeat Inner Harbor spots to watch the 4th of July fireworks [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-02T09:00:00-07:00

Thanks again for posting your suggestions for offbeat places to catch Saturday's downtown fireworks display.

I came up with about a dozen options outside of the Inner Harbor.

They include (but aren't limited to) Bo Brooks, Tide Point Waterfront Park, Canton Waterfront Park, Shuckers, the Bay Cafe and more.

Here's a link to the piece, which ran in today's paper.

(Baltimore Sun archive photo)

Another week of cooler-than-normal temps [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-07-02T08:52:18-07:00

You could almost call it a "cool wave." But "cool" is probably not the best word to describe the slightly-lower-than-normal highs and lows in the NWS forecast for the next seven days. A "mild wave," maybe? Or a "pleasant wave"?

Whatever. It's welcome and it's saving us all money.

The real weather news is that we've slipped into this pattern of what meteorologists out at Sterling are calling "troughiness," as in, persistent low pressure to our north that is sweeping disturbances through the region, giving us plenty of clouds, with daily chances for scattered showers and thunderstorms.

And that seems to be keeping the temperatures in check. Highs for the next week will stall out in the low- to mid-80s. And the overnight lows will sink into the low- to mid-60s (maybe even some 50s in some places) - good sleeping weather if the humidity doesn't bother you. That's all a few degrees below the long-term averages for this time of year in Baltimore, which are in the 86/87-degree range on the top end, and 65/66 at night.

Baltimore seems to have been the focus of last night's rainstorms. One city church was struck by lightning. We could hear the thunder from the WeatherDeck in Cockeysville, but only received a bit of the water. Here at Calvert & Centre streets, however, The Sun's weather instruments picked up 0.92 inch of rain. (The station was down for a few hours this morning after some computer reconfiguration. Should be back shortly.)

And that was close to the most reported anywhere in the metro area. Hamilton reported 1.13 inches to the CoCoRHaS network this morning. Towson reported 0.92 inch. Kingsville, in Harford County, had 0.86 inch. St. Mary's County also got a good deal of rain, though probably from a separate storm cell. BWI reported only 0.37 inch up until midnight yesterday.

Sunday still looks like the best weather day of the long weekend for Central Maryland, with no rain chances in the forecast, partly sunny skies and a high near 84. The 4th comes with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, starting after 2 p.m. and continuing into the evening.

(SUN PHOTO/ Mauricio Rubio/Cooler-than-normal bagpipers in Catonsville parade 2008)

New version of A Moveable Feast [Read Street]

2009-07-02T08:36:31-07:00

Read Streeter Gail Farrelly asked recently whether authors should get a chance for a do-over. Well, Ernest Hemingway is getting the chance for an unusual, posthumous do-over: Scribner's release of a revised version of A Moveable Feast.

The book, a memoir of Paris' ex-pat society after World War I, has always had a ghostly quality. It was assembled from Hemingway's writings after he committed suicide in 1961, even though he did not consider the works finished. In a story about the re-release, the New York Times notes that he wrote a letter to his publisher, Charles Scribner, that “it is not to be published the way it is and it has no end.”

The differing versions highlight the problem of having an editor with a personal stake in the writings, the Times article points out. Hemingway's fourth wife edited the original, creating a final chapter on the dissolution of his first marriage and the start of his relationship with Pauline Pfeiffer (pictured here). Now Seán Hemingway, a grandson of Hemingway and Pauline, has re-edited the material. He removed part of that chapter and placed it in an appendix, while adding passages from Hemingway’s manuscript that Seán believes paint his grandmother in a more sympathetic light.

If only Papa could get his hands on the material himself.

Are you ready for some sour? [Kasper On Tap]

2009-07-02T08:31:51-07:00

Interesting piece on sour beer in the Los Angeles Times yesterday.

Joshua Lurie writes about beers that he acknowledges can "smell like a barnyard." But, he adds, these beer usually taste better than they smell.

Most of these beers are unblended lambics that ferment in oak barrels.

They present some challenges.

First you have to get past the aroma and get to the taste. Even the fans of sour beers admit that this can be a leap. Lurie quotes Mark Jilg of Craftsmen Brewing Co. describing sour beer's bitter notes as "the final frontier of the palate experience."

Brewing a sour is tricky, the article points out. The fermentation can be long and expensive. Moreover, the microbes that essentially make the beer are aggressive and unpredictable. Sometimes they become sour quickly, sometimes not, one brewer told Lurie.

Then there is the acidity. Sour beers, like Deschutes Brewing Co.'s The Dissident, which I tasted at Savor event in Washington last May, can really make you pucker. I was not wild about it. But the tasting group I was a part of rated it as their fave.

I did appreciate the sour that Ben Schwalb of Severna Park served at the SPBW home brewers crab feast last fall.

Where do you stand on sour beers?

Are they all about the brewing mystique?
Just because they are difficult to brew does that make them good?

Any brewers have tales to tell about trying to make a sour?

Or do sours deliver unique, acidic flavors, harkening back to the beers that brewers made centuries ago?

Photo: Los Angeles Times

What I want to eat, drink, and listen to right now [Dining@Large]

2009-07-02T08:25:32-07:00

As I'm reading this fantastic Funtastic Thursday guest post from Owl Meat, I'm trying to decide what I want for dinner, drink and music.

This would be the music for some reason, maybe because I'm on vacation, and the food would be straight picnic fare, but including cucumber sandwiches, with iced tea for a drink. Here's Owlie. EL

You are stranded on the proverbial desert island. You find a lamp. You rub it and a genie appears. He says that you can have any food, beverage and music for dinner. What do you ask for? It isn't your last meal. It's just what you want today.

Over the past few weeks I polled people for their choices. I also included one of my own. I'm sure you can guess from the photo what my wish was. I was a little surprised by how quickly people answered the question. ...

Cheap wedding dresses: something old, something new-with-tags [Consuming Interests]

2009-07-02T08:19:41-07:00

Cheap wedding dress bargains are available to brides who start early and do their research.

As a bride-to-be actively avoiding many decisions about my own pending nuptials (despite the many excellent cheap and frugal wedding tips shared by Consuming Interests readers months ago), let's talk about how an organized non-procrastinator should search for a gown.

First, consider what you're paying for. Check out what the authors of the Bridal Bargains book had to say about wedding dresses -- given the price range, you'd expect things like high-quality fabric and materials such as lace, right?

At the very least, you'd want properly sewn seams. A good friend of mine recently ordered a dress from a popular retailer and found multiple problems: an exposed metal zipper instead of the covered, hidden one pictured in the catalog, poorly stitched seams that bunched in the back and even an unevenly cut hem.

Next, think about how long you'll wear this dress. I like to justify expensive purchases by dividing the price by the number of times I'll wear an item. That won't work for wedding gowns.

Wedding dresses are also cumbersome heirlooms. Some people may preserve their gowns in acid-free boxes, which is a nice tradition if you live in a home with lots of storage, that you never plan to leave. Otherwise, it will be one more thing to carry around as you move through life. And forget about saving it for your kids. Your offspring may not fit into yours or may prefer a different style for their gown.

Finally, don't get pressured into making a deal. With all the pressure to find the "perfect" dress, it's not uncommon for women to find themselves buying more than one, because the style of the dress doesn't match their venue or because they make a hasty decision at a sale that they regret later.

With that in mind, here's some great options for purchasing an inexpensive wedding dress that you will love:

Start early. (And be more decisive than I am). If you’re ordering from a store, they often require more than four months to get the dress, and then at least two months alterations. Order with less time to spare and you may get hit with rush charges even though your event is still months away.

And if you're considering alternative sources I'm suggesting below, the hunt may take more time.

Pick your venue and wedding date BEFORE you buy a dress. You might have to alter any Cinderella fantasies depending on your wedding location. For a beach wedding on a Caribbean island, you might not want something with a cathedral-length train. Or, if you're getting married in the winter, you might consider a down quilted dress or one lined in fleece (kidding, kidding). P.S. No matter where you're getting married, don't pack a wedding dress in your checked luggage, as one bride learned the hard way.

I've also heard some ceremony sites place restrictions on what is appropriate attire for a wedding (for the bride and groom, at least). I don't know of any that do that, but it's worth checking before you plunk down a deposit on anything risque.

Consider some alternative sources of wedding attire, including:

* Sales in retail shops. Most bridal salons only carry a few samples of the dresses from the lines they carry. If you have at least a vague concept of the style of dress you want, check for trunk shows, where designers come to a store with more examples that you can often purchase at a discount on that day.

Sometimes stores also sell the samples themselves, which is fine if the dress is within alteration-range of a perfect fit. Check for stains, rips or other wear-and-tear problems --- if it's something minor it might still be worth it.

* Check department stores and other unexpected sources. A good tip for destination wedding dresses that can travel well, or others looking for more modern or non-traditional styles: check out special occasion dresses at department stores such as Bloomingdale's or Neiman Marcus. Also, some bridesmaid's dresses can be ordered in wedding colors such as white or off-white, but designers might charge a special fee for that privilege. Rrr!

Unfortunately, Isaac Mizrahi no longer designs wedding dresses for Target. Ann Taylor sells bridesmaid dresses and accessories, but a spokeswoman told me they may offer "wedding dress alternatives" in the future.

* Consider "pre-owned" dresses. The Wall Street Journal had a recent story about bargain-hunting brides buying their gowns from preownedweddingdresses.com. Now, "pre-owned" is a big category, which includes not only dresses that have made it down the aisle at least once, but also some brand new dresses that are new-with-tags (NWT).

Take advantage of others' indecision. Classifieds at sites such as Weddingbee.com, Encore Bridal or smartbride.net are full of stories from "two-dress brides" (and even three-dress brides) who changed their minds and found a different dress. You can also buy wedding dresses on Craigslist and bid on wedding dresses on eBay. (Remember how we showed you how to set up an RSS feed for a Craigslist search?)

I recently talked to a woman who purchased a dress at the Filene's Basement Running of the Brides, where dresses cost between $250 and $699. She ended up buying a different dress that she felt was more appropriate for her reception location -- and is now looking to unload her lovely ballgown before she moves.

Goodwill stores were a good wedding dress source for one Boston Globe reporter. I checked out a number of local Goodwills and was impressed by the extent of the formal wear selection, although there were fewer recent wedding dresses than I had hoped. I'm guessing it's luck of the draw --- the best dresses probably sell quickly.

The savvy shopper at Good Morning America also recommended going to thrift stores and consignment shops for wedding dresses. The Surprise Shop in Towson, which raises money for Trinity Episcopal Church, now has a number of wedding dress samples available on consignment for a third of their original price, as well as accessories such as gloves and veils. Newbury and Smith in Mount Washington had two wedding dresses when I visited, and Regal Rags in Annapolis had a few, too.

Other options: Anyone with experience ordering direct from manufacturers in China, renting a dress or having a dress made, please share advice below. You could also look at wedding gowns on Etsy. One bonus: if you have a dress made to your measurements, then hopefully you save on alterations down the road.

(photo: Patrick Smith/Baltimore Sun)

You still haven't guessed the latest Name That Bar [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-02T08:12:00-07:00

I already gave one hint:

Here's another: The first letter of the name of this one-word spot is in the second half of the alphabet. The prize for guessing the Mystery Bar is getting better and better by the day. I can't believe it's taken you guys so long. I know more than a few of you have been here.

Not a good thing [Jay Hancock's blog]

2009-07-02T07:31:36-07:00

Mike Allen reports:

For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post is offering lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and the paper’s own reporters and editors. The astonishing offer is detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he feels it’s a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its “health care reporting and editorial staff."

Federales to open in Federal Hill [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-02T07:05:00-07:00

A new upscale Mexican eatery named Federales is coming to Federal Hill, a source told me.

If all goes as planned, Billabong, the Australian themed pub on East Cross Street, will close, and the liquor license will be transfered to the building at 1100 S. Charles St. (where Dinner at Your Door once was).

The new owners are going to build an outdoor terrace in the adjacent parking lot.

According to my source, Federales is going to be a cross between Rosa Mexicano and Don Pablo's. It will serve tacos and burritos to go at the Charles Street entrance ...

The end of the Born Ready saga [Tracking the Terps]

2009-07-02T06:41:27-07:00

Schools were once dazzled by Lance Stephenson, New York State's boys career scoring leader. Maryland took a long, hard look. So did many others.

But, one by one, schools pulled out of the running. The Baltimore Sun reported on June 15 that Maryland was no longer recruiting him.

Colleges were wary of the recruit in part because of an Internet reality series called Born Ready. Some schools worry the NCAA may question an athlete's involvement with such a site. There was also concern about a misdemeanor sexual assault charge.

But there will always be a suitor for a basketball talent as enticing as Stephenson. And yesterday, Stephenson found his match. He will play for the University of Cincinnati.

"We are very excited about Lance's decision to become a Bearcat," Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said in a written statement. "Lance has terrific talent as a basketball player, and is also a fierce competitor on the court. His desire to win will help us compete for a BIG EAST Championship."

More from Cronin: "As a big guard, Lance brings playmaking ability and versatility to our team, along with his talent for scoring. We look forward to getting Lance here for summer school and building our team for the upcoming season."

Four-word restaurant reviews [Dining@Large]

2009-07-02T05:05:33-07:00

Have you seen the site Four Word Film Review? Some of them are very clever. I picked out a food-oriented movie we've discussed here and looked up the reviews to give you some examples.

For instance, for Waitress: "Keri Russells up pies." Although that's not really a review. If you've seen the film, you'll understand why this is both more clever and a review: "Quirky Romantic Comedy Pie."

It's harder than it looks, especially when you apply it to a restaurant review. ...

Let's talk about Lady Gaga for a second [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-02T04:41:00-07:00

Why? Because it's my blog and I'll write about Lady Gaga if I want to.

Lady Gaga makes me giggle.

She's saturated with sexuality. Her wardrobes are so over the top. Her image is pure plastic.

But I can't imagine that she takes herself seriously. She's got to be in on the joke. Right?

Look at this photo of her. She's wearing some kind of cyborg spacesuit dress, she's got what appears to be a cutesy blonde wig draped over one eye, and then the kicker: She's rocking a keytar.

Awesome!

Unfamiliar with the keytar? Witness this.

Awesome!

...

Fourth of July weekend family activities [Charm City Moms]

2009-07-02T03:26:02-07:00

With Friday being a holiday for lots of working folks, this weekend is all about Independence Day, all the time. We have a few activities not related to the holiday, but much of what you'll find here has an element of flag-waving fun.

Our roundup includes the more kid-friendly Fourth of July displays, parades, etc. For a more complete list of holiday events, please visit our entertainment page.

Thanks to intern Kayla Cross for her contributions:

Thursday, July 2:

Creating Magic and Stuff: Kids under age 6 can learn magic tricks and comedy at the North Point Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library at 2 p.m. Free.

Anime Drawing: Teens 11-17 can learn how to draw anime characters at 7 p.m. at the Towson Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library. Bring your own paper and pencil. Free.

Friday, July 3:

African-American Heritage Festival: The annual festival of African-American history and culture at Camden Yards Sports Complex features a children's corner with youth-oriented performances. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday. $5; children 12 and under free.

Saturday, July 4:

4th of July Family Jump Time: Pump up the Fourth of July family fun at the Owings Mills Pump It Up Inflatable Party Zone. Bring your own socks and enjoy jumping on the inflatable houses, obstacle courses and more. This event is free for parents, but costs $8 per child, and lasts from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Limited to 50 children.

Fort McHenry: An old-fashioned Fourth of July Weekend at Fort McHenry runs from noon-4:30 p.m. Saturday. There won’t be any fireworks, but there will be a cannon firing, a musket salute, period dancing and a public reading of the Declaration of Independence at 3 p.m. Fort McHenry is at 2400 E. Fort Ave. Free. Call 410-962-4290.

Towson: The Fourth of July Parade in Towson starts at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Bosley Avenue and Towsontown Boulevard and includes clowns, bands, military units and floats. Fireworks are over Loch Raven Academy, 8101 LaSalle Road, at dusk. Free. Call 410-832-2190.

Catonsville: Catonsville hosts a full day of events on Saturday. Starting at 9:30 a.m., enjoy children’s games and races followed by live music, a grand parade at 3 p.m. and fireworks at 9:15 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., watch the 1st Annual Catonsville Hot Dog Eating Contest to see who earns the title of "Catonsville Biggest Weiner." Fireworks at Catonsville High School, 421 Bloomsbury Ave. Free. Call 410-744-9655 or go to catonsvillecelebrations.org.

Bel Air: The Bel Air Independence Day celebration takes place at Shamrock Park Saturday. The flag raising and the blueberry pancake and sausage breakfast take place at Bel Air Middle School. Other events include a hamster race, a turtle derby, a frog-jumping contest and children’s games. At 6 p.m., the parade will begin at the intersection of E. Gordon Street and North Main Street and will continue down North Main Street. Free. Go to belairjuly4.org.

Havre de Grace: The Independence Celebration and Carnival runs through Sunday. The parade takes place on Sunday at 2 p.m. on Union Avenue. A concert is at 7 p.m. and fireworks start at 9:15 p.m. The carnival runs from 6-10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for individual rides. Other activities are free. Call 410-939-4362.

Columbia: Catch some fireworks choreographed to patriotic music from 5-10 p.m. The event includes live bands and a children’s entertainment area at the Columbia Lakefront, 10221 Wincopin Circle. Free. Call 410-313-4452.

Sunday, July 5:

Stars of Japan: The Walters Art Museum will be celebrating the Japanese Festival of Stars with poetry paintings, streaming stories, wishing stars and other activities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free.

(Photo by Baltimore Sun photographer Doug Kapustin)

'So You Think You Can Dance': Top 14 perform [Reality Check]

2009-07-01T21:03:54-07:00

On tonight's So You Think You Can Dance, Mia Michaels is one of the guest judges. As you might recall, she was really hard on dancer Brandon, and host Cat Deeley refers to this when she asks whether her opinion on anyone had changed.

Mia says, that, without naming names, it has changed for the better. So she regrets being so horrible to Brandon? Nigel asks if she is talking about a "small, male dancer," and she says yes.

Speaking of Brandon, Janette and Brandon are first, and they relive their highs and lows, which means that they recap the past three weeks in their own words. They are doing the cha-cha with Jean-Marc Genereax. The dance is very fast and sexy and fun, and they kill it. Janette is obviously in her element, but Brandon stays right with her. Nigel Lythgoe calls it "the best damn cha-cha I have ever seen on this show ever!" He praises Brandon's articulation of his feet in particular. "I can't even begin to describe how good this was," he goes on. Mary Murphy calls Janette amazing, pointing out that salsa technique and cha-cha technique are very different, and she did a great job. And, of course, "two first-class tickets on the hot tamale train [SCREEEEEEEEEEEECH]!" Mia acknowledges that she has probably scared Brandon, but says that she is the hardest on her best students and that that's where it's coming from. She makes Brandon cry. "You are going to love me and hate me on this journey. ... You are ... you're amazing. Janette, you've been on fire since day one, and today is no exception."

Midweek update on the vacation [Dining@Large]

2009-07-01T17:02:24-07:00

I would be writing more about the restaurant meals I've been having on my vacation in Sewanee, Tenn., except that this year all the restaurants seem to have closed or burned down.

My brother arrived with a box from Trader Joe's, which he said contained the two major food groups. I looked in and it was filled with bottles of two-buck chuck, except that two bottles were missing, and two cans of tennis balls were in their place.

Here's how my days have been going so far: ...

Court blocks "sequel" to Salinger's Catcher in the Rye [Read Street]

2009-07-01T14:23:52-07:00

Score another courthouse victory for J. D. Salinger in his battle to stop U.S. distribution of an unauthorized sequel to The Catcher in the Rye. (Here are court filngs for the curious.)

A federal judge ruled today that the novel, 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye, which is available in Europe, cannot be published here. U.S. District Judge Deborah Batts rejected claims by the Swedish author that the book was a critical examination or parody of character Holden Caulfield, the Associated Press reported.

The book was scheduled to be published in the United States late this summer. Batts' ruling is a temporary order meant to remain in place until the case can be aired at trial, the AP said. But the judge said Salinger was likely to succeed on the merits of his lawsuit.

Fireworks fear [Charm City Moms]

2009-07-01T13:58:54-07:00

Not everybody loves fireworks, do they? I'd forgotten until somebody mentioned it here, but they can be downright scary to little children.

I'm lucky that my kids always seemed to love watching fireworks displays from a distance. I never had to stay home on the Fourth of July because I knew they'd have a bad time watching the Inner Harbor display, as we often do with friends.

But what do you parents do when kids are afraid of fireworks? Do you try to coax them out of it? Wait until they grow out of it? Accept that you'll need to find other kinds of Fourth fun?

My colleague Susan Reimer is doing a story on the subject and would love to hear from you. If you're willing to talk to her, please shoot her an e-mail at susan.reimer@baltsun.com.

(Photo by Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press)

Storm risks decrease after tonight [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-07-01T13:51:30-07:00

Looks like the long holiday weekend will carry a risk of showers and thunderstorms clear through Saturday night, with a 30 percent risk that storms will impact the fireworks. Sunday's forecast, for now, comes with no mention of rain, so if the pyrotechnics are postponed, Sunday should be ideal. (That's what happened in 2007. Sun outdoors writer Candus Thomson snapped the pic at left at the Inner Harbor on the 5th. Amazing.)

But the highest chances for thunder and lightning come tonight, rated at a "likely" 70 percent. So far, all the convection on radar appears to be well to our west, just beginning to move into western Virginia at 4 p.m. But forecasters out at Sterling seem pretty confident things will fire up around the I-95 corridor by 8 p.m. EDT, and cross the Chesapeake by 10.

After tonight, rain chances diminish to the 20-30 percent range, save for 50 percent tomorrow night. That should allow us some sunshine, at least, and time to enjoy the mild, low-80s temperatures over the holiday weekend.

Headed for the beaches? Here's the Ocean City forecast. Looks like folks headed east will have fine weather after Thursday night. No rain in the forecast at all for the weekend, with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s. Perfect.

Going west? The forecast for Oakland, in Garrett County looks a bit wetter and grayer. But Independence Day itself looks good. Rain chances return for Sunday. Bring a book.

Rough start for new-look ECW [Ring Posts]

2009-07-01T13:47:46-07:00

With Jack Swagger, Evan Bourne and The Hart Dynasty having graduated with honors from ECW, a new class of young talent debuted on the show Tuesday night. Four performers from the Florida Championship Wrestling developmental territory – Yoshi Tatsu, Abraham Washington, Sheamus and Tyler Reks – appeared on the program. It’s always exciting to see fresh faces, but it may have been too much to throw at the audience all at once. The combination of all the unfamiliar characters, a train wreck interview segment and a stupid booking decision regarding Shelton Benjamin made for one of the worst episodes of ECW in quite a while.

Mount Vernon's lost restaurants and Top 10 Wednesday [Dining@Large]

2009-07-01T13:28:54-07:00

I was tearing my hair out while I was writing today's Table Talk column.

The news had just broken about the Brass Elephant being for sale, but it wasn't clear whether the Sun was going to write a news story about it or wait until there was some real news, like a buyer. So I didn't know how much to say in my Table Talk lead. (The food section prints on Monday, and I knew I wouldn't be around on Monday to make any last-minute corrections.) ...

What's the best neighborhood bar in Federal Hill? [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-01T13:10:00-07:00

We've done Canton. We've done Hampden. We've done Fells Point (and what a doozy that was).

Now, let's tackle Federal Hill.

What is the best neighborhood bar in Federal Hill? And why?

The "why" is crucial.

Oh, and by the way, I've come up with a name for this little series: the Midnight Sun Commenters' Choice Awards. I might even make awards for the winning bars, and give them out at the next Shindig.

To jog everyone's memories, this is what I mean by neighborhood bar ...

The best neighborhood bar in Fells Point is ... [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-01T10:29:00-07:00

Bad Decisions!

Big surprise, eh? Hee hee.

Sorry it took me so long to post this -- it took quite a while to go back through all 135ish comments and tally the votes.

But as you can see from this highly scientific chart, Bad Decisions was the clear winner, with 45ish votes.

Hey, I'm a journalist, not a mathematician!

Thankfully, parachuting marine soldier toy was there to keep watch over the vote tallying. Fairness is most important when it comes to such a prestigious award.

Here are the runners up ...

FTC announces crackdown [Consuming Interests]

2009-07-01T09:56:35-07:00

The Federal Trade Commission announced a crackdown on companies that allegedly have used the economic downturn to prey on consumers desperate for work or needing relief from debt.

Along with the FTC, the Department of Justice, 13 states and the District of Columbia were involved in the sweep called “Operation Short Change.”

The FTC’s David Vladeck said in a news conference today: “Thousands of people have been swindled out of millions of dollars by scammers who are exploiting the economic downturn. Their scams may promise job placement, access to free government grant money, or the chance to work at home. In fact, the scams have one thing in common--they raise people’s hopes and then drive them deeper into a hole.”

Read more about the crackdown and the schemes the FTC says it has uncovered.

Small tremor jiggles Delaware Bay [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-07-01T09:23:52-07:00

The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a small earth tremor at about 9:45 a.m. EDT this morning, measured with a magnitude of just 2.8. That's not likely to be felt by many, but is enough to detect and report.

The center of the shaking was pinpointed in southern New Jersey, on the eastern shore of the Delaware River near Pennsville, NJ, about 8 miles south southeast of Wilmington, Del.

The quake was centered about 3 miles deep. Here's a map. Anyone feel anything?

Baltimore 'Clean House' episode to air ... finally [Reality Check]

2009-07-01T09:04:00-07:00

Remember back a few months, when the Style Network's Clean House came to Baltimore and picked things up for James Buechler and Jennifer "Jiffy" Boehles? (See more pictures of the taping here.)

And then James and Jiffy weren't totally thrilled about how their house looked afterward in the places not covered by the cameras?

And then the show was scheduled to air May 27, but was pulled?

Just heard that the episode is now supposed to air at 8 tonight. And that Clean House: Messiest Home in the Country special airs at 9.

(Baltimore Sun photo by Chiaki Kawajiri/Feb. 7, 2009)

Friedgen, Franklin and the $1M Promise [Tracking the Terps]

2009-07-01T09:02:26-07:00

I have a story today about how long Ralph Friedgen might remain as head coach – and how his current thinking squares with the school’s “coach-in-waiting” agreement with offensive coordinator James Franklin.

There is a bit of a discrepancy here – which is one reason I wrote the story (i.e., to try to make sense of the situation).

Fridge says he’s not trying to set a record for coaching longevity. He says he won’t be Joe Paterno. But he doesn’t seem to want to be limited to three years. He talks generally about coaching three to five more years. He says he might be tempted to stay past 2012 if the Terps go to the Orange Bowl in, say, 2011.

But Maryland has a contract with Franklin that says the university is liable to Franklin for $1 million if Friedgen remains head coach beyond Jan. 2, 2012.

So how do you reconcile these two things?

One way would be for Franklin – who has passed up opportunities in the NFL and at other colleges -- to simply remain as offensive coordinator if Fridge stays on and therefore not exercise his right to claim the $1 million. Another way would be for Friedgen and Franklin to agree to amend the timetable, provided the school’s administration agrees.

Here’s a quote from Athletic Director Debbie Yow that didn’t appear in the story about the $1 million promise to Franklin:

“We have a legal obligation at this point in the document to (pay) that. If Ralph wanted to have that conversation with him, that has to be an agreement they would have that changes the document.There could always be a conversation – of course – between the two of them.,” Yow said.

Melissa Rycroft is engaged [Reality Check]

2009-07-01T08:53:56-07:00

It's true: Jilted Bachelor "winner" Melissa Rycroft is engaged, and no, not to that toad Jason Mesnick, who humilated her on national television.

But hey, Melissa went on to great success on Dancing With the Stars, and now she's engaged for real this time. So who's laughing now?

You can read more here.

May, June without 90s ... Cool summer ahead? [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-07-01T08:28:04-07:00

June ended at midnight last night without having delivered a single day in the 90s. May ended the same way. Baltimore - or BWI at least, the station of record for the city - has had just three days in the 90s so far in 2009, all of them in April.

So, does that mean we're in for a "cool" summer ? "Maybe," said Steve Zubrick, the science and operations officer for the National Weather Service's Sterling forecast office. He's been crunching the numbers for the past few months, and found the following:

1. June 2009 had the fewest 90+ days (zero) since 1979. That's only happened six times since they began keeping official records for the city - in 1886, 1903, 1916, 1972, 1979 and 2009. The average number of 90+ degree days in June in Baltimore is 5.7. Last year we had nine. The record is 18, in 1943.

2. May passed without any highs in the 90s, too. The last time May and June both stayed out of the 90s was in 1979. That's only happened four times: in 1979, 1972, 1886 and 2009.

3. So how do summers with no 90-degree weather in June turn out? Zubrick said the coolest three-month (June-August) summer period on record for Baltimore was in 1903, which saw no 90-degree weather in June. The summer of 1886 was the 6th coolest, and also had no June days in the 90s. The summer of 1912 was the 12th coolest on record, and likewise had no June days in the 90s.

4. On the other hand, that latest long-term forecast for Baltimore for this summer, issued at the end of May, called for a cooler-than-normal June, but above-normal temperatures overall for the 90-day summer period. If they're right, we're in for a hot July and August.

5. As for rainfall, April, May and June together produced 19.74 inches of rain at BWI. That ranks as the second-wettest April-June period on record for the city.

For Zubrick's complete (unofficial and preliminary) report, read on.

(SUN PHOTO/John Makely 2006)

O'Malley's doublecross of Constellation [Jay Hancock's blog]

2009-07-01T08:26:34-07:00

Today's column begins:

You don't need to be a lawyer to understand how Gov. Martin O'Malley's Public Service Commission is flouting the law. Rarely is the difference so bright between what is permitted and what is perpetrated. The law, signed by O'Malley in April 2008, lets the commission review deals by electric utility owners only if a transaction would give somebody at least a fifth of the shares or a fifth of the board seats at the owner corporation. The red, octagonal "STOP" sign at the end of my street is a similar example of clear legal language. But the commission claims the power to reject Electricite de France's plan to invest in BGE parent Constellation Energy even though the French company would get only one out of more than 10 board seats and owns fewer than 10 percent of the shares. The decision demonstrates stunning bad faith by Maryland as well as O'Malley's increasing desperation to be seen as keeping campaign promises to lower electric prices.

Here is the relevant language from the law. Like I said, clear as day:

FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBSECTION, A PERSON MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED TO HAVE ACQUIRED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, THE POWER TO EXERCISE ANY SUBSTANTIAL INFLUENCE OVER THE POLICIES AND ACTIONS OF A GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY IF THE PERSON: (I) AFTER ANY ACQUISITION OF VOTING INTERESTS OF A COMPANY THAT OWNS OR CONTROLS A GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OWNS, CONTROLS, OR HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE, OR DIRECT THE VOTING OF, NOT MORE THAN 20% OF THE OUTSTANDING VOTING INTERESTS OF A COMPANY THAT OWNS OR CONTROLS A GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY; AND (II) DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DESIGNATE MORE THAN 20% OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR OTHER GOVERNING BODY OF A COMPANY THAT OWNS OR CONTROLS A GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY.

Authors behaving badly [Read Street]

2009-07-01T08:23:40-07:00

By now, everyone's heard of Alice Hoffman's Twitter rant. Hoffman has since apologized, but that outsized reaction to a bad review has overshadowed one I find even more amusing and immature: Alain de Botton's comment on a book reviewer's blog, in which he writes:

"You have now killed my book in the United States, nothing short of that. So that's two years of work down the drain in one miserable 900 word review. ... I will hate you till the day I die and wish you nothing but ill will in every career move you make. I will be watching with interest and schadenfreude."

Talk about bitter! Hatred and eternal bad will for a review in the New York Times Sunday Book Review which pretty much guarantees that everyone will hear about The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, even if they don't immediately buy it.

I guess Botton's not a member of the "no such thing as bad publicity" camp. And now? There are people swearing never to read the book simply because of his reaction to the review. Talk about backfiring!

So how should author's respond to a bad review? The Guardian suggests writing a nasty journal entry, and then destroying the evidence, which does make sense in a writer's state of mind. But I'm wondering why the authors, in both cases, couldn't have simply written a private message to the reviewer.

And I guess this is my plea: Authors, if I anger you, just shoot me an e-mail. I'm sure we can discuss this like rational adults and not enraged elementary school kids at recess.

Ain't the beer cold? Sipping at Camden Yards [Kasper On Tap]

2009-07-01T08:21:06-07:00

Yes, I was at Camden Yards Tuesday night , sipping beers as the Os battled the Red Sox. Yes, I left before the comeback.

Early in evening, when the Red Sox built a big lead, the only joy was in the beer drinking.

Started with a Wild Goose IPA, moved on to a Flying Dog Old Scratch.

Somewhere along the way, a wad of chewing gum landed on my seat in the right field bleachers.

The gum then got on the seat of my pants.

An usher tried to remove the gum from the bleacher seat. She failed but summoned a seat maintenace crew. They worked hard, using a substance I was afraid to apply to my pants. The usher found me another seat. I was still gummed up, and the Os were getting pasted.

Then the rain came.

It rained hard enough to scare Noah.

My buddies and I took shelter in the Bud Lite Warehouse. I sipped a Stella Artois.

It rained even harder. The Os were behind 10- 1. After one beer in the warehouse, we punted and headed home.

Later at my home, I listened to the Os dramatic comeback as I worked on removing the gum from my pants, ironing it onto a piece of cardboard.

As midnight approached, the Os won 11-10, with Brian Roberts scoring the winning run, and my pants were gum-free. Life was good.

The beer is pricey, $6.75, at the ballpark. But it is flavorful.

Anybody else drink beer and run last night? What do you drink at the ballpark?

What's on the seat of your pants?

Photo: Baltimore Sun

Offbeat places to watch the fireworks? [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-01T07:29:00-07:00

I'm writing a nightlife column about some spots to watch the fireworks -- outside of the sure-to-be-swamped Harborplace. Right now, I've got Tide Point Waterfront Park, Bond Street Wharf, Bay Cafe, Bo Brooks and Shucker's. Got any other ones for me?

Protect yourself from scams: Consumer Web site of the Week [Consuming Interests]

2009-07-01T07:01:08-07:00

"Knowing is half the battle" was a lesson instilled in me after every episode of G.I.Joe that I watched as a small child.

Now that I'm somewhat older, I can see how knowledge can innoculate us against a variety of ills, including the fraud perpetrated by the nefarious types who send out fake checks for sweepstakes prizes, work-at-home schemes or Craigslist purchases.

That's the message imparted by this terribly sad Wall Street Journal story about a man who repeatedly fell prey to con artists ...

... despite his education and professional past (via Consumerist). And the worst part is that the names of folks who fall for these games often get sold to other crooks as easy marks that will be a sure thing for future scams.

Don't think it couldn't happen to you. So how do you protect yourself and those you love? Education.

We told you about fakechecks.org, which is run by the National Consumers League. Learn about different types of scams at AARP's Fraudfighters site, designed to educate seniors who are often targeted by swindlers out to take advantage of those who might be lonely or on a fixed income (although expenses often continue to go up).

Then fight back by reporting attempts to bilk you. You can file complaints at the Federal Trade Commission's fraud site. You can also forward suspected mail fraud to the Postal Inspector General. And, you can volunteer at the AARP's Fraud Prevention Call Center in Baltimore to inform others about the risks. Call 1-202-434-2197 for more info.

Atholton's Robinson talks Terps commitment [Recruiting Report]

2009-07-01T06:23:47-07:00

In June 1999, Derry (Pa.) Area offensive lineman Kyle Schmitt landed a scholarship offer from the Maryland football program and promptly accepted. Ten years later, Atholton wide receiver-defensive back Matt Robinson found himself in a similar position as Schmitt -- his new coach -- once did. On Monday, Robinson decided to follow in Schmitt’s footsteps and commit to the Terps. “It just feels good to know where I’m going,” Robinson said. “I’ve been following the team for awhile. They’ve always been a big school in my mind that I wanted to go to.” As a junior, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Robinson was a first-team All-Howard County selection after catching 15 passes for 210 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, he recorded 74 tackles, six pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Despite Robinson’s best efforts, Atholton struggled to a 3-7 season. When Atholton decided to make a coaching change last spring, the 27-year-old Schmitt was tabbed for the job, fresh off a two-year stint as a Maryland graduate assistant. While Schmitt’s Maryland ties run deep, the former UM offensive line stalwart stayed impartial throughout Robinson’s recruitment. “I didn’t try to sway him in any way,” Schmitt said. “Me being a Terp player and former coach, I didn’t want that to come into play. Obviously, I’m glad Matt chose Maryland. I think it’s a great program. But I’m happy he’s close to home. His family can see him play, and that’s why I’m thrilled with Matt. He’s ready to do it.” For the past four months, Robinson’s received a free preview of what football might be like in College Park. Schmitt has adopted many of the Terps’ coaching and training methods in his brief tenure with the Raiders. “It’s been really good,” Robinson said. “We’re running all the same stuff Maryland does, really. We’ve got this whole new workout plan. It’s really legit.” It’s likely that Robinson will start his college career as an H-back, though there’s also the potential for him to play safety. Schmitt thinks that versatility is one of Robinson’s greatest strengths. “Right know he’s open to playing anywhere, and I think that’s what Maryland liked about him, and that’s what I love about him,” Schmitt said. “I think he could grow to 230, 240 pounds. He’s one of the top five hardest workers on our team right now. ... I think Matt’s best football is in front of him; it’s not even close. Maryland saw that as well. The unknown with Matt might be his best quality. There’s a lot of potential there that’s untapped right now.” With offers from Fordham, James Madison, Massachusetts, Old Dominion and Stony Brook, it’s safe to say Robinson floated under the radar of most college football recruiters. Schmitt, however, cautions Maryland fans to overlook recruiting rankings when it comes to Robinson’s game. “I told Matt, ‘Maryland knows you better than any school in the country.’ ... The more they saw him, the more they liked him. ... He makes plays, he’s got excellent ball skills for a guy his age and he’s a smart player. Matt’s going to be a productive player. There’s no doubt in my mind.” Robinson’s similarly confident that he’ll live up to the Maryland staff’s expectations. “I work hard and I can bring a lot to the table,” Robinson said. “I never quit.”

Get Your Cash for Clunkers Updates [Consuming Interests]

2009-07-01T06:08:23-07:00

As reported this morning, the Cash for Clunkers program, which under the law is supposed to apply to new car sales starting today, is a bit delayed.

The government must get the rules drawn up and have until July 24 to do so.

Meanwhile, you can sign up for email updates at http://www.cars.gov/- that's the official government site for the program. Also, you can check the fuel economy of your old vehicle at another government site.

Some news, some notes, some whatnots [Midnight Sun]

2009-07-01T05:20:00-07:00

You know, most days when you see the 7 a.m. time stamp on a post, I'm actually up that early blogging.

But I won't touch Midnight Sun without a large cup of hot, tasty coffee. That's my only prerequisite (a big word for 7 a.m., I know).

A brief tangent: Anybody know a local spot or distributor that carries really good coffee? Like, this stuff? I'd love to get some without paying an arm and a leg for shipping from Costa Rica.

If you notice, Midnight Sun (and the rest of the Sun blogs) got a minor face lift earlier this week.

I lobbied hard to have the blog search bar bumped up from the very bottom of the sidebar almost all the way to the top. That way, it's easier to find previous posts. At least, that's what I'm hoping.

I also created a Name That Bar category, which will (soon) have all the previous Name That Bar contests and winners, just for kicks. And I'm going to add a category titled All the Essentials (or something like that), and put some background posts about me and Midnight Sun in it ...

Beer drinking co-pilot "waters" a tree and is grounded [Kasper On Tap]

2009-07-01T04:48:35-07:00

A Japan Airlines co-pilot who Hawaiian police caught relieving himself behind a tree ended up causing the cancellation of flight from Hawaii to Toyko.

The Japan Times reported yesterday that an unnamed 53-year-old co-pilot was detained for urinating in a public place. The co-pilot said he had downed about 5 small bottles of beer at a restaurant near his hotel on the night before the scheduled flight.

He then took a walk outside the hotel, felt the urge and relieved himself behind a tree.

He was then arrested, underwent a brief trial and was fined $25

Since his detention made the co-pilot unable to show up for the flight , it was canceled, affecting 297 passengers.

The co-pilot did not violate the airline's regulation that bans drinking 12 hours before flying. But the airline said it is considering disciplinary measures.

Does this prove that you don't buy beer, you just rent it?

What is your advice to someone caught in the great outdoors with a full bladder?

Ever got in trouble for "watering" the landscape?

Photo: AP

Is reading easier than writing? [Read Street]

2009-07-01T03:15:14-07:00

Read Streeter Patrick Lackey, who always has an interesting thought about the process of reading, is our guest poster today. Patrick's question (followed by his response): Which would you say is easier, reading or writing?

Many would answer, reading, of course, because not everyone can write, but practically everyone can read. I'd call it a tie.

The relationship of a writer to a reader is like the relationship of a lead dancer to a follow. The one gives directions or sometimes just clues; the other responds. If you've ever done ballroom or swing dancing, you know that following is every bit as difficult as leading, if not more so.

For one thing, the lead in dancing does moves he knows. The follow may know moves the lead doesn't, but that doesn't matter. The follow has to respond to what the lead suggests. Similarly, the writer does what he can do and goes where he can go, using the words he knows. T.C. Boyle doesn't ask himself which words the readers know. He searches his brain for words he knows. The reader may know words Boyle doesn't, but that doesn't matter. The reader has to know all the words Boyle does.

Even as the lead dancer is the choreographer, the writer is a kind of cartographer, leaving the reader to attempt to follow his maps, often an arduous task. The writer, of course, maps territory familiar to him. The reader frequently finds himself in territory that's entirely strange.

The writer rewrites, even as a lead dancer practices a move till he has it mastered. The dance follower does not have that luxury, since she doesn't know what's coming next. The reader could reread every sentence three times, but that would make reading a lot less fun and destroy the pace of the book.

I've both written and read, and I've noticed that I can write tired better than I can read tired. Writing builds up its own momentum. Reading requires an instant alertness that's difficult to maintain when fatigued.

One difference between a reader and a writer is that a remainders table cheers the former and horrifies the latter. Another difference is that the writer, in effect, performs for the public while the reader succeeds or fails in private. A third difference is that readers may be in awe of writers, but writers, while dependent on readers, do not look up to them.

Who can say who's to blame when the attempted communication between writer and reader fails. Henry Kissinger once was asked about the effects of his newfound fame. He responded that now when he was boring at parties people thought it was their fault. Similarly, writers usually get the benefit of the doubt when communication fails, leaving readers to chastise themselves for not getting it.

To me, good reading and good writing are equally hard. What do you say?

In any case, the future of books lies more with readers than with writers. We'd better wish both good health.

Bison burgers [Charm City Moms]

2009-07-01T02:50:07-07:00

Today is the first in a two-part Dinner Together series on super-easy, family-friendly meals on the grill.

One sure-fire way to please my daughter is to feed her a hamburger. (You may remember that this interfered with her vegetarian phase.) But, of course, we worry about serving ground beef, with its high saturated fat content, too often.

The answer for us sometimes is ground bison, which you can now find in most grocery stores. (If you want to stay local, Eddie's of Roland Park stocks bison from the Gunpowder Bison & Trading in Monkton.) It's lower in fat and saturated fat than most beef you can find. It is more expensive, but the other good part is that the taste is very close to beef.

And, we discovered, it performs very well on the grill, using this anti-flaring method my husband John came up with...

Bison Burgers

Serves 4

1 pound ground bison meat

4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

Tomato, onion, and/or avocado for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Form bison into four patties. (If the patties are mushy, place on a plate and put in the freezer for 20 minutes before grilling.) Heat a grill, heaping charcoal predominantly on one side. Place patties on the grill, over the hot coals, until cooked almost to desired doneness. (If burgers flare, move patties to the cooler side of grill.) Remove burgers to a plate, cover with foil and rest 10 minutes. Garnish as desired and serve on buns.

Per burger (including bun but not garnishes): 342 calories, 23 grams protein, 18 garms fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 22 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 71 milligrams cholestero, 273 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Mary Mullen.

(Photo by me)

Thoughts on the WWE trade [Ring Posts]

2009-06-30T19:43:31-07:00

Here are my takes on each brand’s acquisitions in the 15-wrestler trade that WWE announced Monday. RAW Evan Bourne (from ECW): The good news for Bourne is that he’s now on WWE’s top-rated show. The potential bad news is that he could get lost in the shuffle with so many big names on the roster. He may have been better off spending another year on ECW and possibly getting a title run there. A program with The Brian Kendrick could be interesting (if Kendrick can get back on television).

Russian eruption triggers volcanic sunsets [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-06-30T15:30:08-07:00

A tremendous eruption by Russia's Sarychev volcano, in the Kuril Islands, on June 12 is causing strange and beautiful violet and lavender sunsets around the northern hemisphere this week. The astronauits aboard the International Space Station shot some amazing video of the eruption as they flew over.

The sunset colors occur when fine particles of ash and sulphur dioxide blasted into the stratosphere by the eruption begin to scatter blue light. Mixed with the reddish colors of a normal sunset, they produce the purplish hue.

Photographers in northern countries have been taking remarkable pictures of the sunsets. I'm not sure whether the particulates have made it as far south as Maryland, but it's worth watching the sunsets this week.

In addition to the unusual colors, some photos show high clouds, bright yellow bands called a "twilight arch," and tall crepuscular rays fanning out from the western horizon. Here is a gallery showing some of these phenomena.

The eruption on the remote island in the Kuril chain northeast of Japan smothered half the island in lava. Here (below) is a photo of the island, snapped today by NASA's Terra Earth-observing satellite. The gray color on the northwestern side is lava. The red in the false-color image is actually green vegetation.

For a comparison shot, showing what the island looked like before the eruption, click here.

State school board member Blair Ewing dies [InsideEd]

2009-06-30T13:20:41-07:00

Anyone who was a frequent visitor to state school board meetings over the past year knew that when Blair Ewing raised his hand to ask a question, it was time to perk up and listen because you knew he was likely to get straight to the heart of the issue. He was always a gentleman, polite and respectful, but he could also boil down all the education jargon to ask simple questions that exposed the core of a problem. He didn't mind putting the staff of the state department on the spot and more than once asked for more information or suggested a different course of action. Lately, he had taken a great interest in finding a way for students in Maryland to take an international test that would expose how well they compared to those in other countries.

Ewing, who lived in Montgomery County and served on the school board there for many years, died today. He had been active on the state board through May. I asked the chair of the board for his thoughts. Here is what James DeGraffenreidt said: "Personally, I enjoyed the fact that he exhibited such a consistent, positive tone even when there were substantive disagreements over major policy issues. The fact that he always prepared well and listened to everyone's point of view made the state board more effective. We certainly will miss him and express our deepest sympathy to his family."

The skinny on the remaining Virgin Mobile FreeFest tickets [Midnight Sun]

2009-06-30T13:20:00-07:00

In case you're just tuning in, there are close to 3,000 tickets left to this year's Virgin Mobile FreeFest at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia. (Backstory here).

To get one of 2,400 general admission tickets, you have to volunteer for an act of community service -- giving blood, cleaning up parks, etc. -- through this Web site.

The initiative, called the Summer of Service, is being spearheaded by Howard County Executive Ken Ulman.

The sign-up for volunteering starts at noon Thursday. Volunteers must be 18 and older. In the coming weeks, the volunteering will be expanded to include other counties throughout the state.

But wait, there's more ...

Should the Meyerhoff foundation help city schools? [Charm City Moms]

2009-06-30T12:52:46-07:00

Our editorial board is working on an editorial that local parents are likely to have an opinion on, and you can weigh in -- before they finish it!

You may recall that the local Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds recently announced plans to shift its focus to Baltimore's middle class, with the aim of keeping such families in the city by helping with college tuition, shoring up city parks and improving computer access at the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

The editorial board is arguing that the best way for the foundation to keep middle-class families here would be to dedicate money to improving the Baltimore city public school system.

You can add your comments by following the link above or sending an e-mail to talkback@baltimoresun.com. The best comments will be published alongside the editorial in the print edition.

Many college refs not paid in 2009 [Re: Lax]

2009-06-30T11:47:15-07:00

When the firm that assigns and pays referees for a large portion of college lacrosse games defaulted on payments to the officials this spring, it wasn’t an issue that reached the fans or the media. In early June, the season was over, but John Powers of the Boston Globe broke the story, directly affecting about a dozen schools in the paper’s coverage area. I started calling around to see if the refs were paid and which schools were affected locally. The company that owns the AssignByWeb service is called PaymentsFirst. They are in Philadelphia and serviced many schools and conferences in many sports for five years before 2008. Some of their reported customers are/were Quinnipiac, MIT, Mount St. Mary's, York, Johns Hopkins, Amherst, Colby, Army and Navy. They had a contract with conferences like the ECAC and even the college lacrosse oversight body, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. More than 50 lacrosse-playing schools had paid in advance but were, in fact, not paying the referees that called the games. The USILA has used the AssignByWeb service for a few years. As you can see in this excerpt below from the USILA Web site, the proposed services were valuable and less expensive that previous methods of assigning and paying lacrosse’s college referees. Section II. On-Line Services - The USILA has contracted with assignbyweb.com to provide online services. 1. Services include: A) Posting all game assignments by date and school B) Posting all post game officials evaluations C) Posting all costs associated with officials fees and travel 2. This replaces the ECAC Program used in 2004 & 2005, at savings of over $15, 000 per year. 3. This new system will allow DAA's to precisely judge officials' travel to allow scheduling to be done with school expenses in mind. The system was working. AssignByWeb was paid in advance by the schools to administer and pay the referees who officiated their lacrosse games. By the way the story goes, the company was paying out to each season with the fees from the next season. When they hit the summer season with no college sports going on, they ran out of money and the spring referees did not get paid. In fact, referees in winter sports stopped getting paid in January when the problem was reported to the ECAC and the USILA along with the individual colleges in many cases. Powers reported that the USILA “alerted the Athletic Directors of its member schools in mid-April, telling them that it was clear they couldn't expect payment from the company and asking them to pay the officials directly.” College referees make between $150 and 250 per game plus mileage. And many of them did. Many of the schools were horrified that the refs were not paid and felt swindled by the company that had their money and would not release it to the referees. Many of the schools started paying the referees the wages they were owed and then manually for the games remaining in 2009. They were back to cutting checks and assigning refs and out the $5,000 or more they each had to deposit with AssignByWeb for the services they did not receive. Roy Condon, USILA's district assigner for New England told Powers that "at least a third [of the schools] have already paid. Another third are sending out W-9s [tax forms]. And probably another third are awaiting a legal response." As it turns out, PaymentsFirst was not authorized by the state of Pennsylvania to transmit money and has been prohibited from operating until it receives a license, according to Powers. I have copies of some of the e-mails flowing back and forth between schools and referees and have seen evidence of schools attempting to pay the referees promptly, but others have claimed that payment would be forthcoming but they do not know when. They have mentioned possible litigation against PaymentsFirst and have noted the inconvenience this has caused all of the parties. The only problem with the wait-and-see approach is that the referees don’t work for PaymentsFirst and should have been paid immediately after the situation was brought to the attention of the schools. In some cases, the schools kept requesting referees after the problem surfaced and still did not promptly pay them. If the school knows at some point that the ref is not being paid and still assigns the ref without making some other arrangement for payment, then they are somewhat complicit in the offense against the referee, regardless of their initial victim status. I should have to explain this to institutions of higher learning? I won’t name the schools that I’ve been told have not made payments even now, as we end the month of June, but fully expect them to do the right thing.

Name That Bar, vol. 8 [Midnight Sun]

2009-06-30T11:27:00-07:00

You know the drill.

The first person to name this bar wins a prize. Simple as that.

Go!

(Photo by Alexander D. Mitchell IV)

Does Lesnar cheapen UFC 100 for purists? [MMA Insider]

2009-06-30T11:14:09-07:00

The UFC has been building up UFC 100 for months. It’s a topic that was on the minds of fans and media members for months before. It’s being billed by the UFC as the biggest event they have ever had.

So, with that in mind, how much does it offend MMA purists to see Brock Lesnar in the main event of this card? With his pro wrestling background and the fact that he got a title shot after going 1-1 in his first two UFC fights, he had his haters from the beginning.

Is this just more salt in the wound, having a former pro wrestler with less than 10 MMA fights headlining the biggest card in UFC history as the heavyweight champ? Or have fans finally accepted Lesnar?

It’s hard to deny he’s one of the top fighters in the division after his destruction of Randy Couture, so maybe fans have finally accepted that Lesnar is here to stay. The guy is still raw in a lot of areas but he’s got amazing strengths in his game as well. There’s no denying he’s good for the sport, as he’s a huge PPV draw.

After the UFC was forced to move the Mir-Lesnar fight, it was just smart marketing to put it at UFC 100. With Mir coming off a big win and with the revenge factor surrounding this fight for Lesnar, it’s got to be one of the easiest main events to market.

At the same time, though, you’ve got Georges St. Pierre fighting Thiago Alves for the welterweight championship. The GSP bandwagon has been growing exponentially and it looks like St. Pierre could be the new face of the UFC after Liddell’s fade from the limelight.

What better way to reaffirm that then to make his fight the main event at UFC 100? Alves is a more than worthy contender and that should be a heck of a fight. Lesnar’s fight will be interesting as well, but that’s more because we’re still trying to find out what holes Lesnar has in his game -- not because it’s a fight between two guys near their primes as fighter.

I don’t think the Lesnar main event cheapens UFC 100, but I am curious what the purists think on the topic.

(Photo courtesy of Zuffa, Inc.)

Buy three, get two free at the Homestead [Consuming Interests]

2009-06-30T10:21:55-07:00

If you're a golf or history fan, or simply enjoy being pampered, the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va., has a terrific, but limited offer: buy three nights and get two free. Sounds good to me. I've never stayed at The Homestead but I've read good things about it. The resort is set against a backdrop of the Allegheny Mountains and has been welcoming guests since before the American Revolution. That's good enough for me.

A classic room is $200 per night plus a 15% daily resort charge, covering internet access, gratuities, etc. Tax is additional. So the savings are about $400. The deal is only good if you book in the next 7 days or by July 6. Call 800-838-1766. You can also book online here.

Life insurance: what to do if your company goes under [Consuming Interests]

2009-06-30T10:00:48-07:00

Insurance is what you rely upon in case of disaster. However, with the downward spiral of the economy comes increased claims and diminished investment returns --- and less stable firms might not be able to weather the storm.

I didn't know much about the mechanics of life insurance before reading a column about understanding what happens when your life insurance company fails by the Kathy M. Kristoff in the Los Angeles Times. Don't get caught unawares --- see how much protection is available for your coverage, no matter what calamities might befall your company.

Calvert Hall's Jackson headed to Navy [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-30T09:11:02-07:00

The odds were stacked against Donya Jackson from the start. That the Calvert Hall small forward is still in high school, let alone excelling on the court and off, is an unbelievable achievement. That the 6-foot-4, 200-pound rising senior is going to college, let alone an institution like the Naval Academy, is borderline miraculous. Jackson, who committed to Navy two weekends ago, was born in Baltimore, spent several years in New York and returned before middle school to the Pumphrey section of Anne Arundel County and later South Baltimore. As a seventh grader at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Brooklyn, Jackson said he was skipping school and staying out late. “All the guys in my family have went to jail or sold drugs,” Jackson said. “A lot of women in my family used drugs. ... Right now I should be somewhere dealing drugs or in jail, because that’s the path that was set up for me.” In Jackson’s seventh-grade year, a chance meeting changed everything. William Russell, the basketball coach at Benjamin Franklin (now called Masonville Cove Community Academy), saw Jackson in a sparsely attended middle school play. The two met after the show and struck up a friendship. Russell invited the 5-7 Jackson to join his team. “It was the first time he ever played. He couldn’t dribble the ball and he couldn’t shoot,” Russell recalled with a laugh. Jackson bought in to Russell’s philosophy and made his mark early on defense. Off the court, Russell began to discover the harsh realities of Jackson’s upbringing. At the time, Jackson was living in Brooklyn with his aunt. Russell offered to take the 12-year-old Jackson into his home. The arrangement suited both parties well, and Russell adopted Jackson the following year, subsequently changing the course of his life. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do right; it was that I didn’t have anyone pushing me, somebody with their foot in my butt,” Jackson said. “When I went with my father, he had a lot of structure. There was no coming home in the wee hours of the night. He had to know where I was, who I was with, when I was there. He had to know everything. ... So going with him helped me a lot. The will to do right was always there. I just needed someone to guide me on the right path.” Jackson spent his freshman year of high school at Northwestern, where he played on the junior varsity team. He transferred to Calvert Hall the following year. As a junior, Jackson averaged 11.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. He was honored as the Baltimore Catholic League’s Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts. Loyola and St. Francis (Pa.) offered scholarships, while Mount St. Mary’s, UMBC, Quinnipiac, Niagara and several others were interested, according to Russell. Navy, meanwhile, was always involved. At a team camp earlier this summer, Russell said Jackson connected with Midshipmen guards Jordan Sugars and Romeo Garcia. Father and son “fell in love with the style of play,” Russell said. “We were actually at a regional track championship, and Donya said, ‘Pop, I’ve been thinking a lot about Navy. Nobody’s going to offer me what Navy can offer me.’ And I said, ‘You’re exactly right, son.’ He’s going to have a career after basketball, and that’s what has been important to us.” Said Jackson, “At first, I was kind of scared going to Navy because of the war going on right now. I’m really not a military guy, but when I sat back and looked at the whole picture, the education that I will get when I’m there is tops in the country, I’ll graduate an officer in the Navy and I’ll get to choose any field I want to be in. Me and my father sat down and talked about it, and he said ‘you’ll go there, and doors will open.’” From a basketball standpoint, Calvert Hall coach John Bauersfeld thinks Jackson and Navy are a perfect match. Jackson’s improved shooting and defensive intensity make him an ideal player for the frenetic pace of Navy’s system. “It’s a great fit and it’s 100 percent his decision,” Bauersfeld said. “Nobody pressured him in any way to go there. He said it was the right place for him. ... They’re very excited to have a kid with the quality of character and also the talent and tremendous upside Donya has. They’re very excited to have him.” Before middle school Jackson had never played organized basketball. Now he’ll receive a free education because of the sport. Russell said Jackson’s hard work and dedication to the game made this all possible. But Jackson says his father is the one to thank for his good fortune. “He’s just been so happy,” Jackson said. “I actually just got him a card because we had a little argument and I didn’t get my way and I acted like a brat. I wrote him a big apology in the card because I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for him. All of this is because of him. I look at him and he’s so happy and proud of me because I’m doing the right things. And I have to think about all of that. But he’s definitely extremely happy. I can see it in his face every time he looks at me.”

Home security system sales: Naughty Businesses of the Week [Consuming Interests]

2009-06-30T08:34:34-07:00

Learn a lesson from Mildred Jones.

The Pasadena resident got a visit last month from a person who said he was from the marketing department for a home security system company.

He wanted to put his company's sign in her yard and to install a security system in their house for free to attract sales from her neighbors. All she and her daughter would only be responsible for the monthly payment for the security service.

The salesman also mentioned that there had been several break-ins just a few blocks away.

Ms. Jones and her daughter talked it over and decided to sign up, after the representative said they could cancel the contract within a month. He reviewed the contract with them, and although there was a clause referring to locking in a price for 60 months, he reassured them that that just meant if they kept with the product. The equipment was installed that evening.

Fast forward a few weeks, and Ms. Jones and her daughter learned the truth:

... that in Maryland, you can only cancel a contract signed in the home after three days, not three weeks or a month as they were told.

"He ... answered all the questions but every answer was a lie," Jones said.

In Maryland, door-to-door salesmen have to be licensed, and they are supposed to produce it when you ask, said Raquel Guillory, spokeswoman for the Maryland Attorney General's office.

But you should never sign anything that doesn't match what you've agreed to, she added. Here are more tips for buying a home security system.

"You're going to have to prove they lied to you and it's your word against theirs," she said.

Angie Barnett, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland, offered these tips:

1. Free alarm system usually isn’t free – the equipment/install may be free but there is always a monthly monitoring fee and contract.
2. Review contract for length of time, billing cycle, monthly price, stipulations for what happens with contract if you move, responsibility for false alarms, registering your system with local enforcement, notice (call you first or police first).
3. If any points from sales presentation are critical or not included in contract, have sales rep write them down/add to contract or else verbal is usually not binding.
4. Ask for all company procedures in writing of what they do when alarms sounds, order, and how/when you are notified.
5. Find out your local law enforcement registration policies/charges for false calls.
6. Don’t be pressured into buying something. A reputable company will let you check out their offer and compare to others. If they force you to buy then, then walk away.
7. Make sure the company system you purchase is the same company who will monitor your system.
8. Company/Door-to-door sales reps are to be registered with Maryland State Police. Ask for badge and inquire with company (before you buy) that the sales reps are actually employed by the company.

A recent Consumer Reports blog post about burglar alarm scams says it's a common practice to offer a "free" system in exchange for the monthly service fees. They also warn customers to take the time to comparison shop when considering a security system just the way they would for any product or service.

UPDATED: The Jones family was able to talk their way out of the contract, but you may not be as lucky. Better to understand the terms of any deals before you sign --- and have your sales representative change the contract to reflect the pitch, if necessary (as well as initial any changes).

(photo: ScottD_Arch/Flickr)

Moby Dick? Insert change here [Read Street]

2009-06-30T08:28:47-07:00

I buy Coke and Mounds candy bars from a vending machine (don't let my wife see that), so why not Moby Dick or Tom Sawyer? That day is closer than we think. A New York-based company called On Demand Books is marketing the Espresso Book Machine, which can access books from an online database, print and bind them on demand. Consider it Amazon minus FedEx.

This Boston Globe story (and video) looks at Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vt., the first independent bookstore in the United States to install the machine. Employees there have nicknamed the ungainly machine “Lurch.’’ On Demand Books has started a pilot program making 85,000 book titles from major publishers available; the machines can also access thousands of titles in the public domain and available on the Internet, the Globe reports.

The Espresso offers indies such as Northshire a chance to fight back against fierce competition from Amazon and other online retailers. The machines also are a boon to self-publishers. Of course, there's the issue of cost -- recouping thousands of dollars in investment for the machine (that's a lot of Tom Sawyers). Some libraries such as the University of Michigan's also have bought the Espresso to boost offerings to borrowers. Michigan prices books less than 150 pages at $6 and books from 151-440 pages at $10.

High tides on the Eastern Shore [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-06-30T08:08:31-07:00

Charlie, on the Eastern Shore, left a comment here this morning asking why the rivers and creeks over there have been experiencing unusually high tides in recent days:

"I wanted to ask if you have any idea why we seem to be having a month's worth of very high tides here on the Upper Choptank and Tuckahoe Creek. Its been going on day after day, super high tides one after the other. What gives? Thanks. Charlie"

Well, he's right about the tides. Below is a graph of the tides at Cambridge over several recent cycles. You can see that water levels (red lines) have been running a foot or so above predicted levels for several days - at least four high tide cycles are captured on this graph.

The Western Shore has been seeing the same thing. Annapolis and Solomons Island are also running about a foot high. The NWS says the next several high tides will also be a foot or two above predictions. Here's this morning's tidal discussion from Sterling:

"EARLY MORNING TIDES WERE RUNNING 3/4 TO 1 FOOT ABOVE NORMAL. WATER
LEVEL AT ANNAPOLIS CRESTED JUST BELOW THE LOWEST THRESHOLD LEVEL FOR
MINOR TIDAL FLOODING AT 2.5 FEET. POSITIVE ANOMALIES SIMILAR TO
THOSE OCCURRING EARLY THIS MORNING WILL LIKELY CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT
COUPLE OF HIGH TIDE CYCLES. WILL MENTION TIDES UP TO 1 FOOT ABOVE
NORMAL IN CWF PRODUCT. MINOR TIDAL FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED DURING
THE AFTERNOON HIGH TIDE WHICH IS THE LOWER OF THE NEXT TWO.
ANNAPOLIS WILL GET TO 1.9 TO 2.0 FEET. HOWEVER...THE FOLLOWING HIGH
TIDE CYCLE OVERNIGHT BEARS MORE WATCHING. 1 FOOT ABOVE ASTRONOMICAL
PREDICTIONS WOULD PUT ANNAPOLIS JUST ABOVE 2.5 FEET."

The blue arrows on the next graph down show wind direction. And they also reveal a persistent component out of the west or southwest. That would tend to blow water up into the Bay, and hold more of the water in at low tide.

The next chart down shows atmospheric pressure, which has been trending low in recent days. Tides tend to run higher under low air pressure.

There is also the moon to consider. The moon was "new" on the 22nd, and that would have exerted an extra tug on the tides for several days, making the highs higher and the lows lower last week. The astronomical, or lunar component, however, would have been weakening in recent days, leaving the winds as the dominant factor. The moon will become a bigger factor closer to the full moon in another week - on July 7

The persistent winds would seem to be the result in part of low pressure systems that have been lingering off the New England coast, and the Great Lakes for several weeks.

That's my take on it, anyway. Anyone else? Take any good high water photos? Email them to me at frank.roylance@baltsun.com

Drinkers to recession: We don't care [Kasper On Tap]

2009-06-30T07:43:07-07:00

Drinkers don't seem to care that there is a recession.

That is what a recent Gallup Poll on the nation's drinking habits says.

"The recession may give people more reasons to drink, but less money to do it with," the Gallup pollsters report. To the extent this is true, the effect seems to be a wash. Gallup finds no major changes in the percentage of Americans who drink alcohol (now 64%), in how much drinkers consume, or in their preferred drink -- which, by a modest margin, continues to be beer."

Other interesting findings ...

1. Beer continues to rule. It is the favored alcoholic beverage. Four in 10 drinkers say they prefer beer, compared with 34% naming wine and 21% liquor, the poll reported.

2. Beer is the preferred beverages of men, especially young men. The majority of men (54 percent) say they most often drink beer; half of women choose wine. There is also a significant generational difference in preferences, with younger men strongly favoring beer: 66 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds prefer it. This compares with 46 percent of men over 50 who list beer as their preferred drink.

3. Younger women like beer more than older women. Twenty-five percent of women 18-49 say beer is their preferred alcoholic beverage, while only 15 percent of women over 50 list beer as their No. 1 choice. In both age groups, wine beats beer as women's top choice.

4. 64 percent of America's adult population drinks alcohol. This percentage has remained virtually unchanged since 1947, Gallup says.

5. People told the pollster that the average number of drinks they consumed in the past week was 4.8.

Do any of these poll results surprise you?

How do you consume .8 of a drink?

In your experience, does the gender divide hold? Or as the Gallup folks put it, "On Mars, They Drink Beer; on Venus, Wine." True or not?

Graph courtesy of Gallup

More Michael Jackson tributes planned in Baltimore [Midnight Sun]

2009-06-30T07:04:00-07:00

The wave of Michael Jackson tributes isn't over yet.

Last night, radio station 92Q held a Jackson candlelight vigil outside its offices. Hundreds of MJ fans turned out to show their support for the late pop star.

Here are some photos from the vigil.

Thursday, Bourbon Street (316 Guilford Ave.) is throwing a College Night Thriller party, complete with Jackson videos and music.

Anyone that shows up wearing a white glove will be eligible to win door prizes, bar tabs, etc. ...

Guys read! This Web site says so. [Read Street]

2009-06-30T06:41:58-07:00

Do any of you remember The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales? How about The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs?

My teacher read both in elementary school, and they quickly became class favorites. And it never really hit me then, but the best part was that everyone -- boys and girls alike -- agreed that they were just plain funny.

So I guess it wasn't too surprising to find that the mastermind behind Guys Read, a literacy program decided for both young and older boys, was author Jon Scieszka himself.

Maybe today's grown men are a lost cause for reading, but Scieszka is here to make sure that we don't lose another generation of potential readers. So if there's a boy in your life who needs a little guidance in the book department, I suggest you check out the Guys Read site for suggested readings, such as The Adventures of Sparrowboy, Bunnicula and Ender's Game.

There's also a list of authors, titled "People who Inspire Guys to Read," including Avi, Tom Clancy, S.E. Hinton and Shel Silverstein.

I'm just going to ignore the fact that I find those authors to be gender-neutral, and celebrate the fact that Scieszka has taken the time to put this comprehensive list together in the first place.

So ladies AND gentlemen: Get reading!

(Baltimore Sun photo)

Deciding when to refinance [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-06-30T06:02:00-07:00

Let's say for argument's sake that you know you could refinance if you want to (no sure thing for a lot of homeowners today) but you're not certain if you should.

Enter "A Financial Analysis of Consumer Mortgage Decisions," a new report by the Research Institute for Housing America and the Mortgage Bankers Association. It discusses various mortgage choices and when it makes sense to get what, including a refinancing.

The authors' advice: Don't just consider interest rates. Look sharp at the closing costs.

Play around with this "Optimum Mortgage Refinancing Calculator," noted in the report, and you'll see how cosing costs can make a difference.

Say you've got a 6 percent interest rate on a mortgage with a balance of $250,000. You're contemplating a refi into a loan that has a 5.5 percent interest rate and 1 discount point.

If your closing costs add up to $2,200 and you roll that into your new mortgage along with the point, you'll save $137 a month over your old loan.

But what if you have $5,000 in closing costs, at the higher end of what LendingTree says the range can be?

Then your monthly savings are $121. That's $192 less a year than the savings with the cheaper closing costs.

Ah, you say, but a savings is a savings. Who cares about the closing costs if you can roll them into the mortgage amount and still pay $121 less a month?

Because, the authors say, you want to think about the "opportunity cost" of refinancing now only to see rates fall further. If you refinance now, it might not be in your best interest to refinance later as well.

"If closing costs are significant, say 3 percent of the remaining principal, and you refinance every time there is a 50 basis point drop in rates, you may never fully recover the cumulative closing expense incurred," they write. (And meanwhile your principal keeps growing. That's why the "serial refinancing" encouraged by some -- ah -- "helpful" folks in the mortgage industry isn't a good idea for a typical borrower.)

The mortgage calculator I linked to above attempts to take all this into account and tell you whether -- given your potential interest rate and costs -- it's a great, OK or bad idea to refinance. Its opinion on the refi opportunity with $5,000 in closing costs: Pass. It dubs the one with $2,200 in closing costs "OK, But Not Optimal." (What would be optimal in this case? Closing costs under $1,250. Or $2,200 in closing costs with a 5.4 percent interest rate rather than 5.5 percent.)

The authors dub this "refinancing efficiency."

What do you think of this way of looking at refinancing options?

And something to consider in today's environment: Does it make sense to hold off refinancing on the chance that rates could go lower when the prevailing expectation is for increases?

Virgin Mobile FreeFest tickets are still available -- for a good deed [Midnight Sun]

2009-06-30T05:10:00-07:00

Still looking for a ticket to the Virgin Mobile FreeFest? It's going to cost you some community service.

This morning, festival organizers and Howard County officials are expected to unveil the Summer of Service, a program that trades volunteer work like giving blood and cleaning parks for a much-coveted ticket to this year's FreeFest. Nearly 2,500 tickets will be available as part of the initiative.

The festival, which features headliners Blink-182, Weezer and Public Enemy, is being held Aug. 30 at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Here's a link to a piece in today's paper with more details about the Summer of Service.

Chris Turner's "legacy" [Tracking the Terps]

2009-06-30T05:00:22-07:00

Quarterback Chris Turner says he wants to leave a "legacy" at Maryland. He wants to be remembered -- to stand out.

It's always good to aim high, and Turner is doing that. It's not easy to rise into a group that includes Boomer Esiason, Frank Reich, Stan Gelbaugh, Neil O'Donnell, Shaun Hill and others.

Turner knows he'll need a big senior season to end his career where he and the Terps want to be.

Entering the season, Turner ranks fourth on Maryland's career completion percentage list and seventh in career passing yards. He's seventh in total offense, fifth in completions and tied for 11th in touchdown passes.

Turner knows there's room for improvement. Here's an analysis of his game:

Assets: Poise, smarts, toughness. Turner is at his best in big games. Maryland says he has led the Terps to six wins in seven games against Top 25 teams in the AP poll. Among the most memorable came when he entered after Jordan Steffy suffered a concussion in Turner's sophomore season and helped beat No. 10 Rutgers.

Needs to work on: Arm strength, mobility. Sure. Maryland would love to have a quarterback making plays with speed and moves when the pocket collapses. That's not going to happen much with Turner.

I almost fell out of my seat in the press box last season when Turner took off and ran on fourth-and-five from North Carolina's 32, giving the Terps a criticial first down near the end of a tight game.

He's a good college quarterback. He's a bit streaky -- he calls himself a "rhythm" passer. He was picked off twice in each of last season's final two regular-season games. But he doesn't quit when things go poorly. His coolness can be mistaken for apathy. Truth is, he cares a lot.

I think he'll have an excellent senior season if the offensive line -- last year's wild card -- provides him ample protection and a consistent running game.

In the land of Arlo Guthrie, a great beer. [Kasper On Tap]

2009-06-30T04:06:49-07:00

I saw Arlo Guthrie this past weekend. He was one of a crew of talented performers who appeared on Garrison Keillor's A Prarie Home Companion radio show at Tangelwood in Lennox, Mass.

It was quite a lineup. In addition to Arlo, Steve Martin was there playing his banjo, and Martin Sheen did several hilarious sketches.

Arlo sounded terrific, his voice is even richer and more textured in person than in recordings.

He lives in the area and his famous song, "Alice's Restaurant," was inspired by an incident at Trinity Church in Great Barrington. Arlo does not own a restaurant in the area, but he did buy the church. Called The Guthrie Center, it functions as a social center for the community.

There is no Alice's Restaurant in the area, but there is Cafe Adam in Great Barrington.

There during a Sunday brunch with relatives, I had a terrific pale ale, Berkshire Steel Rail EPA.

The EPA stands for extra pale ale. This beer, at 5.3 percent ABV, is unpasteurized and unfiltered.

It is made by Berkshire Brewing Co. in South Deerfield, Mass., in a building that used to be a cigar factory.

Great stuff, but unlike Alice's Restaurant, where as Arlo says, "You can get anything you want," here in Maryland we can't get Berkshire beers. Their distribution is confined to New England.

Has anyone else enjoyed this brewery's beers? Anyone else a fan of Arlo?

Photo: AP

When your tween is bigger than you are [Charm City Moms]

2009-06-30T03:20:29-07:00

Liz Atwood is here with Tween Tuesday:

In the grand scheme of being a parent, this is a small matter. It's not as serious as dealing with illness, a call from the principal, or a bad grade on the report card. It's not like dealing with rudeness, a broken curfew or a broken heart. But this summer my 12-year-old son has passed a milestone. He now is taller than I am.

Of course, we've seen this coming for a while. In the last couple years, he's enjoyed measuring himself against me and gauging how much longer it would be before he would be taller than I was. And now that day has arrived. He enjoys calling me shorty. I remind him I'll always be his mother.

I want my boys to grow up to be tall, handsome men. But it is a little unsettling when your baby is bigger than you are. Has this happened to you? Does looking up to your son or daughter change the relationship you have with them?

Some things change on Raw, some don’t [Ring Posts]

2009-06-30T01:14:39-07:00

Realizing that the rosters needed shaking up -- especially Raw’s -- despite having a draft just two and a half months ago, WWE moved 15 wrestlers to different shows Monday. Judging by Monday night’s episode of Raw, the landscape may have changed, but in some regards it’s the same old story. The big news coming out of the show is that Mark Henry appears to be getting a major babyface push on Raw. The former ECW champion was the third man in a three-on-one-gauntlet match against Randy Orton, and “The World’s Strongest Man” scored a clean victory over the WWE champion.

New chance to get Baltimore new-construction tax credit [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-06-29T16:55:29-07:00

Long before there was an $8,000 income tax credit for new buyers, there was Baltimore's property tax credit for newly constructed homes. It makes a real bottom-line difference for buyers, who get their property tax bills phased in. First year, half off. The amount due rises to 60 percent the second year, 70 percent the third, and so forth, which means it's not until year six that someone with the credit is paying the full amount.

Unless the new buyer didn't apply for the credit within 90 days of purchase.

You can imagine how some residents felt when they found out -- too late -- that they had been eligible for a substantial discount on property taxes in the jurisdiction with the state's highest rate.

Now you folks have a second chance.

The City Council has just passed a bill, signed into law Tuesday by Mayor Sheila Dixon, that offers a "one-time amnesty period." It's for people who would have been eligible in 2005 or later had they met the original application deadline. (There's a gray area there, thanks to the law's use of the word "eligible": Certainly you would have been eligible if you bought Jan. 1, 2005. But you also would have been eligible if you bought in the 90 days before that date.)

The amnesty lasts 60 days, and it's up to the city finance director to set the procedures. I called Baltimore's Department of Finance and was told that the clock starts June 30, and the staff there hopes to update this document about the program (with details, instructions and application form) by then. (You might also check the Finance Department's homepage in case the link ends up changing.)

If you apply, keep in mind that you'll get your normal tax bill in July. If you're approved for the credit, you'll get a new, revised notice in the mail.

Thanks to Wonk reader Matt Gonter for noticing this law change was in the works.

Other notable things about the revamp:

--It gives buyers two windows to apply, either within 90 days of settling on the home or within 90 days after receiving the first assessment notice.

--It extends the life of the credit program. The program was set to expire at the end of the month, meaning no new applicants. City leaders pushed that back to June 30, 2014.

Like the homestead credit, this tax break is only for owner-occupants. Though the credit refers to "newly constructed dwellings," you might also be able to get the credit if you bought a "substantially rehabbed" home that was previously cited by the city as vacant and abandoned.

Avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-06-29T16:55:11-07:00

Liz Kay's story today about five Essex residents hospitalized with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning is a sober reminder to us all that it's not a bad idea to know the warning signals. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says an average of 170 people die in the United States each year from carbon monoxide produced by things other than cars and trucks -- furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters and the like.

Three residents of the Cove Village townhouse complex in Essex died in 2005. That's the same neighborhood where the recently hospitalized people live.

So what should you watch out for? Here's what the Environmental Protection Agency says:

At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated, or faint. You can even die if these levels persist for a long time. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea, and mild headaches, and may have longer term effects on your health. Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food poisoning, or other illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause.

Carbon monoxide is odorless, so don't wait around for a funny smell.

If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, go outside right away -- fresh air helps -- and get to an emergency room.

The EPA says the quality of carbon monoxide detectors varies quite a bit, so you'll want to do some research if you're planning to buy one. Even if you're satisfied with the one you get, the EPA says, "don’t let buying a CO detector lull you into a false sense of security."

The agency offers a checklist of ways to avoid problems in the first place, such as having your fuel-burning appliances checked at the start of each heating season and never idling your car in the garage.

Report: Expect significant drop in Baltimore home prices [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-06-29T16:54:37-07:00

Deutsche Bank economists think the country as a whole has already ridden out the majority of the home-price decline it's going to see. But most of Baltimore's price drop, they believe, is yet to come.

A June forecasting report by the company lists us as one of the metro areas with the "largest expected future depreciation." It projects that Baltimore prices will drop almost 29 percent from the beginning of this year to the "trough," whenever that might end up being. That puts us No. 6 on the biggest-expected-drop list, after New York, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Salt Lake City and Miami.

Add in the drops the Baltimore area has already seen, and the economists expect a total price decline of about 37 percent.

Why? "Affordability is the main factor that puts Baltimore on this list," the economists write. They say Baltimore is one of the relatively few metro areas in which prices are still too high for typical family income.

By contrast, the economists project a 14 percent drop for the United States from the beginning of the year onward, for a grand total (peak to bottom) of about 42 percent.

The report considers affordability first and also looks at the amount of distressed property for sale, at unemployment, at the change in unemployment and at "home price momentum" -- that is, which direction (and how quickly) prices are moving. "Home price trends are highly self-perpetuating — downward movement begets more downward movement, and vice versa when prices are increasing," the economists write.

So, even though many metro areas are as affordable now as they ever have been (thanks in part to low interest rates), Deutsche Bank doesn't think the housing market has hit bottom yet:

Unfortunately, affordability is no longer the driving issue in the housing market, and we believe prices still have a ways to fall in many areas before home prices reach their trough. The bottom is getting closer, but we are not there yet. ... Foreclosures are still running at a very high pace. The U.S. unemployment rate is now 9.4%, and Deutsche Bank economists see that rate exceeding 10% by early 2010. While home sales activity has picked up in some regions, much of it reflects clearing of distressed inventory and is accompanied by falling prices.

Have you seen other recent home-price forecasts? Let me know so I can share them with everyone.

The Deutsche Bank economists also address an issue that several of you have been chatting about here in recent days: What impact do mortgage rates have on price?

Clearly, higher mortgage rates will reduce affordability; for markets that are only barely affordable now, the rate increase could put downward pressure on prices.

Home appraisal "code of conduct" under fire [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-06-29T16:53:49-07:00

Inflated home appraisals were one ingredient in the toxic stew that overflowed onto our economic stove, if you'll permit me a Dave Barry-like analogy. Enter the Home Valuation Code of Conduct, New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo's plan to change the process using the heft of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The code, which went into effect last month, prohibits "lenders and third parties from influencing or attempting to influence the development, result, or review of an appraisal report," at least if they want to sell to mortgage giants Fannie and Freddie. The idea is that appraisals will more likely reflect true value if lenders, brokers, agents, etc., aren't suggesting to Joe Appraiser that $504,999 is an excellent number for anyone who intends to do any business with them again.

But many industry folks -- including appraisers -- aren't happy about the rules. As The Wall Street Journal reports:

The code bars loan officers, mortgage brokers or real-estate agents from any role in selecting appraisers. This has encouraged lenders to outsource the selection to appraisal-management companies, or AMCs, which take a sizable cut of the appraisal fee. As a result, appraisers are under pressure to "do it faster, do it cheaper," said Bill Garber, a spokesman for the Appraisal Institute, a trade group.

The National Association of Realtors' Lawrence Yun says "stories of appraisal problems have been snowballing from across the country with many contracts falling through at the last moment." The National Association of Mortgage Brokers proclaims, "Tens of thousands of consumers have already been robbed of their opportunity to enjoy historically low rates by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s rule." The appraisal management companies, critics say, don't seem to care if the appraisers they pick know anything about the neighborhoods in question.

News that U.S. Reps. Travis Childers (D-Miss.) and Gary Miller (R-Calif.) are co-sponsoring a bill to put the Home Valuation Code of Conduct on an 18-month moratorium was met with some loud cheers Friday. (You can follow some of the chatter here, at Mortgage News Daily.)

But though it doesn't think the code is "ideal," the Appraisal Institute is not amused by all the talk of faulty appraisals. It issued a press release after the NAR blamed appraisers for lower-than-expected May sales numbers:

Bill Garber, Appraisal Institute Director of Government and External Relations, said: "We take offense with the notion that the appraisal is only good if it happens to come in at the sales price. That mentality helped cause the mortgage meltdown to begin with. The fact that the appraisal does not match the sales price is not the fault of the appraisal but a fault of the market today.”

Have you had personal experience with the appraisal process since May 1 as a buyer, homeowner or industry pro? Let me know what you think of it, and of the bill to put the code on ice.

John & Kate Plus 2 take a break [Charm City Moms]

2009-06-29T14:35:29-07:00

After their big divorce announcement last week, Jon & Kate Plus 8 are on hiatus, with a recap show scheduled for tonight. In the meantime, USMagazine.com reports, they're planning a media blackout to focus on their family.

In that spirit, John & Kate Plus 2 will also take a J&K-watching break to focus on their family. OK, maybe just on the laundry to start.

Michael Jackson's kids: Where will yours go if you die? [Charm City Moms]

2009-06-29T12:55:25-07:00

AP is reporting that Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, has filed for guardianship of the late singer's three children. The biological mother of two of them, Debbie Rowe, may want her children back, though, and the mother of his third -- who hasn't been publicly identified -- may surface as well.

This line from the story leapt out at me: "If he did indicate a preference, that will be given great weight, but that will not be determinative," said Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred. "Children are not property, they cannot be willed to another person."

I'm not sure what directions Jackson left behind, or how legally binding they were -- apparently his affairs will take a while to sort out. In the meantime, though, his death should remind those of us of more modest means that we should take steps now to plan for our children's care if the unthinkable happened. This primer from NPR lays out some of the issues and steps to take when you are planning for your children.

UPDATE: Katherine Jackson was awarded temporary guardianship of the children by a judge today.

(AP Photo/Robyn Beck, 2005)

Prepare for an avalanche of Michael Jackson books [Read Street]

2009-06-29T12:49:04-07:00

Disasters such as high-seas piracy or a Hudson River jet landing might inspire publishers to rush a book into print, but when the King of Pop dies? Get ready for the sounds of a hundred rumbling printing presses. Among the books being scheduled or considered:

-- Transit Media, a small Montreal publisher, plans this week to start printing a hardcover biography by Ian Halperin. The company's president said the book had been prepared in the run-up to Jackson's series of London concerts. The book had already been titled Michael Jackson: The Last Days.

-- Independent publisher John Blake has commissioned a new biography, Michael Jackson – King of Pop: 1958-2009 by long-time fan Emily Herbert. It's scheduled for release August 24, according to The Bookseller.

-- A reprint of 85,000 copies of J. Randy Taraborrelli's Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness.

-- Omnibus Press may release a "memorial" edition of Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary of Jackson by Adrian Grant. Omnibus is considering reissuing "two or three" other books on the singer, The Bookseller said.

-- Random House's Vintage/Anchor Books has ordered another 20,000 copies of On Michael Jackson by Pulitzer Prize-winnning critic Margo Jefferson, says Publisher's Weekly.

PW also notes that while Jackson's tunes were huge sellers last weekend, there hasn't been a huge run on books. The most popular titles about him on Amazon were Michael Jackson Conspiracy by Aphrodite Jones (sales rank 228) and Michael Jackson: For the Record by Chris Cadman (298).

2008 hurricane season ... set to music [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-06-29T12:18:31-07:00

It doesn't have to take six months to watch a hurricane season unfold. NASA has strung together orbital imagery of the 2008 season into a brief animation and set it all to a nice island beat.

You can find the download links here. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait and witness the 2009 season in real time.

"Eggs Benedict" [Midnight Sun]

2009-06-29T11:48:00-07:00

Take a look at this painting.

It took me a few seconds to even notice that Jesus is holding a small frying pan with an egg in it.

The name of the piece? "Eggs Benedict." Hee hee.

"Eggs Benedict" was done by a Baltimore-based artist named Emily Uchytil (dig her site).

I first saw Emily's work hanging in the Idle Hour (201 E. Fort Ave.) a couple months ago. I sent her an e-mail asking her more about her work, but never heard back.

Either way, I really like this piece.

Great stuff, Emily.

How do I dig up dirt on somebody? [Jay Hancock's blog]

2009-06-29T11:38:37-07:00

Nexis, the news and legal database company (to which The Sun has a subscription) has helpful hints! Under the category, "How Do I Find Negative Information in the News?", Nexis says to enter the name of a person or company and then try the following search terms. (The "!" sign is a wildcard for truncation searches. For example "investigat!" hits on investigated, investigation, investigate etc.):

Enter abus! or accus! or alleg! or arraign! or arrest! or assault! or attack! or bankrupt! or beat! or breach! or brib! or ( chapter pre/1 7 or 11 ) or charg! or conspir! or co-conspir! or convict! or corrupt! or court! or crime or criminal! or critici! or deceiv! or decept! or defendant or defraud! or denied or deny or disciplin! or discrim! or distort! or embattled or fraud! or guilt! or harass! or illegal! or incriminat! or indict! or inside! info! or insolv! or investigat! or judgement or judgment or launder! or liquidat! or litigat! or manipul! or misappropriat! or misconduct or misdeme! or mismanag! or misrepresent! or negligen! or offen! or probat! or prosecut! or racketeer! or revocation or revoke* or risk! or sabotag! or sanction! or scam! or scandal! or separat! or steal! or stole* or sued or suing or suspen! or terroris! or theft or threat! or unlawful! or verdict or violat! or violen! in the blank search field directly below the previous drop-down boxes

They left out scumba! and slimebuck! and sleaz!

The high cost of credit cards [Consuming Interests]

2009-06-29T11:25:05-07:00

Card companies don’t nickel and dime you. It’s more like $10 or $30.

Bankrate.com released its first Credit Card Study that looks at the terms offered by major credit card issuers.

Among the findings:

— Late fees averaged from a low of $20.70 to as much as $38.50

— Go over your limit and pay an average fee of $32

— You’ll pay at least 3 percent on cash advances, or more if your card comes from Bank of America, Wells Fargo or US Bank

— If you talk to a human while making a payment over the phone, you’ll pay $10 to $15

— Grace periods now run from 20 to 25 days

Makes you want to use cash.

Your car can become an oven in 10 minutes [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-06-29T11:15:16-07:00

You'll only be a few minutes, you think. Just long enough to run in for a box of diapers or a carton of milk. Surely you can leave the kids, or the dog in the car that long without worrying about them.

Well don't. Emergency room physicians are reminding us that our cars can become hothouses, even 130-degree ovens in as little as 10 minutes when outside temperatures are as pleasant as 80 degrees.

Such temperatures can quickly be deadly to children and pets. And it happens every year. Harried grownups are sure their errands will be quick, but they're not. Or worse, they forget the kids are even in the car, and they park for work, only to realize too late that they forgot to drop them at day care.

UPDATE: A local example of exactly this phenomenon occurred recently in Ellicott City, when a 23-month-old child was left in the family car, in the driveway, all day. She died of heat stroke.

UPDATE 2: The state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is also reporting the death of an elderly Prince George's County man, found inside a dwelling where the temperature had climbed to 99 degrees. His death was complicated by cardiovascular disease, health officials said.

A study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2005 found that even when it was 72 degrees outside, the temperature increase inside the car can put children at risk for hyperthermia, reaching 117 degrees. And "cracking" the windows 1.5 inches made no significant difference, either in the speed of the temperature increase or the final temperature.

Here's more from Dr. Nick Jouriles, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.:

“Putting it bluntly, leaving your child in a hot car is like leaving your child in a lit oven,” he said. “The most important thing to know is that it does not have to be brutally hot outside for it to be brutally hot inside the car. Be especially careful if you are sleep deprived or experience changes in your schedule or your child is in the back seat, making it more difficult for you to see.

"A vehicle’s window will act like a greenhouse, trapping sunlight and heat inside with no ventilation. A car parked in direct sunlight can reach up to 131 degrees inside while the outside temperature is a tolerable 80 degrees. Also, it’s very important to note that this isn’t a gradual, but rather a rapid increase in temperature. In warm weather, a vehicle can reach dangerous, life-threatening conditions in only about 10 minutes.
"A child’s body temperature can go as high as 106 degrees Fahrenheit in that time and it often is fatal. Specifically, these extreme conditions can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs, as well as heat stroke, dehydration, and seizures among other things."

Was Billy Mays victim of a bad flight? Autopsy says no [Consuming Interests]

2009-06-29T09:39:12-07:00

TV pitchman Billy Mays died Sunday at his home in Tampa after complaining to his family that he didn't feel well. The day before Mays was on a US Airways flight from Philadelphia that had a rough landing in Tampa. By rough I mean the the tires blew out and, according to passengers including Mays, items fell from the ceiling. Some passengers had bumps or bruises, but the airline said there were no serious injuries.

Mays said in an interview that something hit him in the head. He wasn't specific, but frequent fliers know how overcrowded the overhead bins can get. Getting them to close sometimes requires brute force. Still, Mays told a local TV station that he had a "hard head," so he probably didn't think too much about it. But then he didn't wake up the next morning. (Brings to mind Natasha Richardson.)

The infomercial celeb was 50 years old so there are many natural causes of death out there and an autopsy is scheduled. For the sake of the airlines, I hope his death had nothing to do with a head injury.

UPDATE: Autopsy results apparently show Mays died of heart disease. There was no head trauma. Whew.

AP Photo

Why I'm a bad book blogger today [Read Street]

2009-06-29T08:37:19-07:00

I didn't get a lot of reading done this weekend, and this is why.

His name is Murphy, and he is the most wonderful puppy ever. Even my Kindle loses some of its allure when he's in the room.

But I promise, Margaret Atwood, I will return to your delightful book as soon as possible.

Questions, comments and your own puppy stories and suggestions are welcome!

(Photo courtesy of Pat Knight)

Weekend wrap — Regan makes his choice [Recruiting Report]

2009-06-29T07:36:18-07:00

One week after attending the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp in Charlottesville, Va., Will Regan decided to make that location his home for the next four years. The Buffalo, N.Y., power forward committed to Virginia this weekend. Regan’s other finalists were Arizona State, Maryland, Providence and Stanford. "The coaching staff made the basketball side a good fit beyond being in the ACC," Regan said. "I was basing my decision first on academics and they have a really good business school, so that's a huge attraction to me." • Former Maryland target Lance Stephenson could be close to finally picking a school. The Brooklyn (N.Y.) Lincoln shooting guard took a visit to Cincinnati over the weekend, according to Adam Zagoria. “Word is Lance is signing with Cincinnati,” one Big East assistant coach said. “I think he will on Tuesday from what I’m being told.” Stephenson’s legal troubles could be resolved today. The five-star prospect will appear in a Brooklyn court room as part of his sexual assault trial. He and Lincoln teammate Darwin (Buddha) Ellis were charged with groping a 17-year-old female student outside Lincoln High.

Ghetto loans [Jay Hancock's blog]

2009-06-29T07:22:06-07:00

From Julie Bykowicz's story on the Wells Fargo case. Nice.

Two former Wells Fargo employees have claimed in depositions that the company's prime loan officers reaped rewards for steering customers who qualified for regular lending to subprime loans. Tony Pachal, a loan officer from 1997 to 2007, also said employees used racial slurs to describe minority customers and referred to subprime loans as "ghetto loans."

Invest in the stock market again: Consumer Sundays [Consuming Interests]

2009-06-29T07:06:37-07:00

With the stock market up 30 percent compared to its lows earlier this year, more investors are wondering whether it's time to invest in stocks again, wrote personal finance columnist Eileen Ambrose in her Sunday column.

But that's the wrong question, she says ...

... because you shouldn't try to "time the market." It's too unpredictable. While it might be up now, it could be back down in a few weeks.

Instead, decide whether you can handle that level of volatility with your hard-earned cash. If seeing red ink on your balance statements upsets you, choose something more conservative. However, younger investors saving for retirement can take advantage of the swings because they're not going to cash in for a long period of time, advisors suggest.

Are you risk-averse or a nervous nellie? What percentages have worked for you?

(photo: Wagner T. Cassimiro "Aranha"/Flickr)

Gorgeous [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-06-29T05:57:43-07:00

It will be hard to find anything negative to say about the weather today. Blue skies, low humidity after the dampness from overnight showers dries up, and temperatures near seasonal averages should make just about everybody happy.

We can thank low-pressure systems to our north. They're drawing air in from the west, and it's being dried and warmed as it comes over the mountains. That will keep skies mostly clear today, with highs in the mid-80s. Might be a bit breezy this afternoon, but that's just going to keep us comfortable in the sunshine.

It won't last, of course. Winds will shift tonight more to the south, bringing in higher humidities. And that will increase our clouds and our chances for showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday. The clouds and showers will keep temperatures comfortable - in the low 80s for the latter part of the week.

Shower risks will stick with us Thursday night into the holiday on Friday. But the 4th itself, and the rest of the weekend will be rain-free with highs in the 80s if the current forecast holds up.

Milwaukee man drinks 10 beers, drives golf cart home [Kasper On Tap]

2009-06-29T04:00:14-07:00

Milwaukee natives are known for their fondness for beer. They once were the center of America's brewing universe. They named their professional baseball team The Brewers who play in a new ballpark called Miller Park .

In the old ball park when a member of the home team hit a home run Bernie Brewer, the team's mascot. used to celebrate by sliding into a mug of beer. He also outruns sausages as the video shows.

But recently another Milwaukee beer drinker appears to have set a record for the longest drunken drive in a golf cart.

According to the Associated Press, a South Milwaukee man was accused of driving drunk last week after trying to use a golf cart to drive home nearly 40 miles away from the golf course where he had been drinking beer.

The man told police that his relatives had left him behind at the golf club.

So he got in a golf cart and headed home down Highway 167 .

When the sheriff caught up with him, the man said he had drunk about 10 beers, but did not consider himself intoxicated.

The 10 beers might explain why his relatives ditched him.

But this leads to other questions. Is it true that Milwaukee, as Forbes magazine said in 2006 article, is America's drunkest city ?.

Anyone have tales of drinking beer with the natives of Wisconsin?

Is their capacity exceptional?

Could this golf cart incident have happened anywhere other than Milwaukee?

Newsome eventually wants to return to Alabama [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-29T04:00:00-07:00

Ozzie Newsome will likely determine when his run as Ravens general manager ends. When it does, Newsome is looking to return to Alabama, where he grew up and played college football. “At some point I’m coming back home," Newsome told the Tuscaloosa News during his ninth annual golf tournament there. "I’m coming home. And what I do when I get here, I don’t know. But I am coming home." There has been speculation for years that Newsome would go back to become Alabama's athletic director. The Crimson Tide's current athletic director Mal Moore has come under scrutiny lately, which has caused some to wonder about Newsome's return. "I always allow the information to help me make a decision,” Newsome said when asked about the athletic director job. “There is a lot of information that I would need to get before I could even entertain something like that. "I probably get asked that question once a day. I always say, ‘I know the NFL. That's what I do.' " Newsome, 53, is considered one of the top decision-makers in the NFL. He has been in charge of the Ravens' personnel moves since the team relocated to Baltimore in 1996 and was officially named general manager in 2002, becoming the first African-American to receive that title in the NFL.

Redirecting a 5-year-old's rage [Charm City Moms]

2009-06-29T03:25:57-07:00

BBC Mom asked for help redirecting her 5-year-old's anger. "His instinct is to hit, but I'm having trouble coming up with an alternative that clicks with him -- blowing out a deep breath, saying, "Pickles!" or "I'm frustrated" -- none of that seems to stick," she wrote.

Susan Parks, director of Kennedy Krieger Institute's Behavior Management Clinic, sent this reply:

"Answering the question of how to re-direct a 5-year-old's "rage" may seem simple and straight forward on the surface, but in fact could be complicated depending on the severity and intensity of the behavior and how well-established the pattern. Unlike "tantrums," which are developmentally typical among 2- and 3-year-olds (where a child becomes easily upset and show anger by crying and striking out) behavior labeled as "rage" may indicate a more intensive expression of anger and could even be associated with more severe mood dysregulation.

"Developmentally, we would expect to see 4- and 5-year-olds beginning to exhibit better control of their emotions than younger toddlers. Hence, "rage" episodes at age 5 that are intensive, lengthy, and include high rates of disruptive behavior (such as physical aggression, property destruction, hard crying and screaming) may require professional advice and counsel.

"If on the other hand, such events are mild in nature (e.g. short lived, minor disruptions) parents should attempt to discern the underlying function or purpose of the behavior. Does the child want attention, access to preferred items or wish to escape from unwanted demands? The parent can then respond accordingly, ignoring disruptions fueled by attention, withholding tangibles in the face of disruptive behaviors, and preventing escape from directives following crying jags.

"Instead, caregivers should consistently remain calm, wait quietly until the child regains composure, specifically label and praise desired behavior, and redirect and attend to appropriate behavior or suitable alternatives (e.g. self-quieting, using words rather than lashing out physically). Physical aggression, specifically, may require other planned interventions (e.g. time-out) and may require consultation with a child mental health professional to assure the procedure is implemented appropriately."

Photo of child hiding her face courtesy of Mel B's photostream on Flickr via Creative Commons

On book club etiquette [Read Street]

2009-06-29T03:10:28-07:00

I'm not a huge reader of Ask Amy or other advice columns (though I do completely order my life according to the daily horoscope). But I was drawn to this recent topic about a book club member who used the group's email list to drum up business for her husband.

Is this an isolated problem, or have others suffered such bad behavior? Now's the time to discreetly suggest to wayward members that some behavior modification is in order.

For the record, here's Amy's column: Dear Amy: I have a neighbor who is part of our book group. She doesn't often come to the meetings, but she has used our e-mail addresses to promote her and her husband's businesses and a student-exchange program. I only e-mail my neighbors about the next meeting. I am uncomfortable about this and would like to address the issue with her. Any suggestions?

Dear Concerned: In situations such as this, it is best to ask oneself, "What would Jane Austen do?" An Austen character would no doubt dispatch this issue with her customary rapier wit, all the while creating something of a commotion, which would be nicely and neatly resolved in about 200 pages.

Receiving a group e-mail three times over six months sounds tolerable to me, though it's obvious that you don't like it. Bring up these solicitations at your next book club meeting. If there is a consensus within your group, send your neighbor a group generated e-mail reminding her that these are private e-mail addresses, not to be used for sales purposes.

Otherwise, if you are on your own in objecting to this, reply to your neighbor yourself, asking her to please remove your e-mail address from her group e-mails. You needn't go into chapter and verse about her infractions and how they affect you -- keep it simple.

The Bash thoughts [Ring Posts]

2009-06-29T03:07:25-07:00

When critiquing a wrestling pay-per-view, ultimately only one question is relevant: Was it worth the money? With regard to Sunday night’s WWE pay-per-view, The Bash, the answer is no. That doesn’t mean it was a bad show, it just means it wasn’t worth $40 in my opinion. The Bash had its moments, including another terrific Rey Mysterio-Chris Jericho match and a heated CM Punk-Jeff Hardy contest, but there wasn’t anything on the show that you’d be kicking yourself for if you missed it.

Real estate poll results: Government intervention [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-06-28T16:24:56-07:00

I asked you a week ago what you all thought about federal government efforts to support the housing market via spending. Good idea? Bad? Good idea badly executed?

Seventy percent of the folks who took the poll say "bad idea." (One of you suggested Uncle Sam would be better off giving good borrowers low-cost refi's.)

Nineteen percent say "good idea badly executed," including the reader who wrote in "good idea in theory but bad in actuality," which seems like basically the same point to me.

That leaves 11 percent who say "good idea" without the "but."

I asked people to identify whether they're renters or homeowners. Would renters disagree with taxpayer spending on the housing market (most would-be buyers prefer lower prices) while homeowners, concerned about their property values, offer three cheers?

Nope: A majority of homeowners and renters who took the poll think it's a bad idea. But more homeowners than renters do think it's a good idea, or a good idea badly executed. Sixty-three percent of homeowners say "bad idea," compared with 80 percent of renters.

Does this match the thinking of Marylanders in general, let alone Americans? No idea. This poll might have been open to anyone, but I can't imagine the demographics of poll-takers magically worked out to be a random sample.

New real estate poll: Ask the experts [The Real Estate Wonk]

2009-06-28T16:24:41-07:00

I'm thinking of lining up various experts willing to answer your housing-related questions. But it's only worth doing if there's enough interest from you, the potential question-askers.

So weigh in below. Which of the following Q&As would you want to participate in? (You can pick as many as you want.)

Have a particular expert you'd like to see answering the Q's? Comment below. (Thanks to Kevin R for offering the first suggestion.)

And now, because two Wonk commenters think weekly polls are a bit much: another poll! (Stay with me here.) I've been putting up a poll every weekend, but there's no reason to continue if it leaves most of you cold:

The Bash preview [Ring Posts]

2009-06-28T10:50:56-07:00

Predictions for tonight’s WWE pay-per-view: WWE champion Randy Orton vs. Triple H in a Three Stages of Hell Match: In this two-out-of-three-falls contest, the first fall is a straight wrestling match; the second is falls count anywhere; and, if necessary, the third is a stretcher match. I’m predicting – and hoping for – an Orton victory. The title has changed hands too many times as of late and Orton is the guy who should be champion going forward. A 14th title reign for Triple H is the last thing the Raw brand needs right now. Whatever the outcome, this feud has overstayed its welcome and needs to end tonight. The problem is that because Raw’s talent roster is so thin at the top, there doesn’t appear to be any logical new opponents for these two.

The Match: teed up for hyperbole [Read Street]

2009-06-28T03:09:31-07:00

As someone how has played baseball, golf and tennis for decades, I have a soft spot for sports books. And as a long-time editor, I have little tolerance for hyperbole. So, as I noted last week, I was torn while reading The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever, which recounts a wager on a 1956 golf match between two young amateurs and pro legends Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan. Although I liked author Mark Frost's story-telling, I was irked by the subtitle.

I recognize that certain moments — D-Day, 9/11, Waterloo — changed or accelerated historic trends, at least for a time. But the "pivotal moment" theme ought to be retired. (Hey, maybe then I could write a book on The Read Street Post that Changed the Publishing Industry.) It has been used to tout books on topics ranging from battles to plagues to the 1960 Olympics to Galileo’s telescope. Another example: Sealing Their Fate: The Twenty-Two Days That Decided World War II, in which author David Downing argues that the German failure to take Moscow, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the British launching of Operation Crusader in North Africa established the conditions for Axis defeat.

Maybe it’s just a way to start an argument, like a guy in a bar saying Cal Ripken shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame. As for The Match, a strong argument can be made that nothing changed on that day. The intriguing competition occurred as market forces were boosting the popularity of pro golf, and gentleman amateurs were vanishing. But the match decided nothing, and the hype sapped some enjoyment from an interesting book.

And don’t even get me started on books that promise “The Untold Story... .”

Team USA dethrones Australia [Re: Lax]

2009-06-27T13:50:09-07:00

I really enjoyed watching the women’s World Cup championship Saturday morning on the webcast from Prague in the Czech Republic. I spoke to a few college coaches who were watching the same way this week. The U.S. women held the Aussies to a low scoring output with a dominant defense, anchored by Devon Wills in the goal. Colorado’s Caroline Cryer exploded on offense with three goals in the 8-7 win. I am not one to boast but I once said, in this blog, that for the U.S. to win Cryer would have to be the MVP. She was edged out by Wills for the honor. I am also not one to dwell on my lesser moments, but I also wrote, just last week, that the Aussies would be too much for the Americans in the final, even after the U.S. “upset” the Australians in the round robin game. I really thought the Aussies had another year in their “dynasty”, while, with the loss, they have no dynasty at all, just a great win in 2005. In fact, I think what we witnessed in the earlier matchup between these finalists, was the shift from Australian domination, up 9-4 at halftime, to the youthful and talent-rich Americans, who won that game patiently 10-9, completely stopping the Australian juggernaut. The U.S. just finished the Aussies off today in the final with patient offense, great coaching, perfect defense and special performances by Wills, Cryer, Kristen Kjellman -- who may be the best player in the world -- and Michele Dejuliis, the leader of Sue Heether’s American squad. Team USA led throughout the second half after a 3-3 intermission. The Australians attempted a comeback with three straight goals, but Wills stopped the tying shot with less than a minute left. The U.S. was the better team, both days. We likely also witnessed the end of the career of Sarah Forbes, and the end of domination by the world’s previously number one player, Jen Adams, who, could not, as I asserted the other day, score a goal at will, or at least not on Wills. Congratulations to Team USA, the Czech hosts and the FIL for what looked like another set of great games!

John Morrison breaks through on Smackdown [Ring Posts]

2009-06-27T11:54:31-07:00

At some point after I began writing this blog a little over two years ago, I stopped reading spoilers on the Internet. I did so because I want my first impressions of matches and angles on taped shows to truly be first impressions, and I also want the opportunity to be surprised when the unexpected occurs. When I sat down to watch Smackdown Friday night, I had no idea that world heavyweight champion CM Punk was going to wrestle John Morrison in a non-title bout. Once the match was announced on the show, however, I was certain that I knew the finish: Punk, wrestling most of the match on the defensive and on the verge of defeat, would take advantage of one mistake by Morrison and pull out the victory.

New "Translation" for Proust at Artscape [Read Street]

2009-06-27T03:08:52-07:00

Artists competing for this year's $25,000 Janet & Walker Sondheim Prize at Artscape have found artistic potential in dirt, recycled materials, barren parking lots and a polar bear’s heart rate, says Baltimore Sun reporter Tim Smith. One entry really caught my eye: Molly Springfield's reconsideration of Marcel Proust. Here's how Smith (who also writes the Clef Notes blog) describes it in a story about the six finalists:

Proust’s multivolume novel À la recherche du temps perdu — commonly known in English as Remembrance of Things Past or In Search of Lost Time — is daunting enough to read. Consider what Springfield has done in a 28-drawing art work called “Translation.” The 31-year-old D.C.-based artist gathered copies of the existing English editions of the first book in the Proust series, Swann’s Way, and photocopied the first chapter of each one, two pages at a time.

“Then I put together my own translation,” Springfield says. Mixing the photocopies from the various editions, she painstakingly re-created those pages by hand in graphite, like a monk copying a book in the Middle Ages. Each distinctive typeface is captured; underlining or notes penciled in the margins by Springfield in any of the books used before the photocopying are, in turn, reproduced again in the final art work.

“I tried to create the actual experience of recollection, in the way the novel does,” the artist says. “Repetitions and omissions that happen from page to page parallel the experience of remembering.”

The winner of the Sondheim Prize will be named by a jury on July 11. The finalists' works are on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art now through Aug. 2

Baltimore Sun photo by Lloyd Fox

Two killed when storm drops tree on van [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-06-26T20:46:50-07:00

Montgomery County authorities reported around 7:30 p.m. Friday evening that a large tree had fallen on a minivan at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and East West Highway in Chevy Chase. Three people were reported pinned in the vehicle.

A technical rescue team rushed to the scene to free the people in the van. Two did not get out alive. Here's the Associated Press story that moved last night:

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — Montgomery County fire officials say two people were killed when a part of a large tree fell on a minivan in Bethesda.

It happened about 7:20 p.m. Friday in windy and rainy weather on southbound Connecticut Avenue near East-West Highway.

Capt. Oscar Garcia of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue says part of the tree, about two and a half to three feet in diameter, fell on the minivan, which had eight occupants.

Garcia says an adult and a child were killed. He said another child sustained serious, life-threatening injuries.

Suggs on new deal: "We're getting close" [Ravens Insider]

2009-06-26T14:42:17-07:00

Although it has been presumed that Terrell Suggs would play this season under the franchise tag, the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker said Friday that he is nearing a long-term deal with the Ravens. The deadline to reach a new contract with franchise players is July 15. If no deal is struck, Suggs will play his second straight season under the tag, earning $10.2 million this year. “I feel like we’re getting close,” Suggs told the team’s Web site. “Negotiations are going on with the Ravens. Fans can be optimistic that I’ll be [at training camp].” It is believed that the Ravens have offered Suggs a contract that would make him among the highest-paid defensive players in the league. But there have been indications that Suggs is still leaning toward testing the free-agent market in March. Because he has yet to sign his contract, he missed all of the offseason minicamps without any discipline from the team. He also would likely miss training camp like he did last year. Suggs, 26, is considered one of the rising defensive stars in the NFL. He led the Ravens with eight sacks and finished third on the team with a career-best 102 tackles. There has been speculation that Suggs is looking for a contract similar to the one given in 2007 to the Indianapolis Colts’ Dwight Freeney, whose six-year, $72 million deal made him the highest paid defender in league history at the time. “I just hope we can get it done in time for training camp,” Suggs said. When the Ravens used the tag on Suggs in February, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said, “You have to look at it as an opportunity for us to enter into a long-term deal.” Suggs couldn't be reached for comment.

'I'm a Celebrity ...': It's finally over [Reality Check]

2009-06-26T13:53:30-07:00

Fabulous guest-poster Bucky is back, wrapping up I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here for us. Thanks again, Bucky!

So, to close the loop on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here here’s what happened leading up to the finale:

We left off in the last recap with Janice and Holly having been voted off, leaving Lou, John, Steven, Sanjaya, Patti and Torrie as potential King or Queen of the Jungle. Sanjaya and I are both sad because Holly is gone. John is happy because Patti is still there, even though they are only “friends.”

Stephen is … well … at wit’s end, for some reason. He was fine during one segment and melancholy the next. He decides to bug out. He says he is sure all of the strong friendships he had built will result in the other campers being understanding about his decision. HAHAHA … they talk trash about him from the minute he leaves camp. So much for understanding.

And then … AND THEN … a twist: because Stephen bugged out, another camper gets to return. Janice and Holly are made to grovel in front of the other campers, pleading their case for wanting to come back. Janice, of course, has had an epiphany and says she is a better person who wants to redeem herself in everyone’s eyes (and hearts). Holly pretty much says she wants to come back and canoodle with Sanjaya some more. (That’s not a direct quote, but it is what she meant.) The campers have a lengthy discussion about who they want to come back (Holly, because we all love Holly. No, really, we do) and who they think they can beat the easiest (Janice because she is, in the end, just another creepy Costa Rican critter who can be swatted away). They agree they need to make the strategic move, not the emotional one and … cut to the obnoxious Wal-Mart commercials.

Severe storms possible as front approaches [Maryland Weather blog]

2009-06-26T13:25:51-07:00

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Storm Watch for the entire region this afternoon and into this evening as an approaching cold front begins to kick off some thunderstorms. The radar loop above was valid at 3:45 p.m. EDT

Here are the counties covered by the watch. Baltimore City is also included:

ALLEGANY             ANNE ARUNDEL        BALTIMORE
CAROLINE             CARROLL             CECIL
FREDERICK            HARFORD             HOWARD
KENT                 MONTGOMERY          PRINCE GEORGES
QUEEN ANNE`S         TALBOT              WASHINGTON

A Severe Storm Warning was issued at 3:44 p.m. for parts of Washington and Frederick counties. We can expect more as the front moves closer.

The good news is that the passing front will take the sizzle out of this little heat wave, dropping high temperatures tomorrow back into the mid-80s, near the long-term averages for this time of year. It should also lower the humidity a bit, swinging the winds around from the west (which generally brings high temperatures at this time of year) to the north.

A second cold front due through here on Sunday could generate a few more storms, but by next week we should be enjoying pleasant highs in the mid-80s, with some sunshine and more showers possible around mid-week. Good for the garden.

Speaking of sizzle, we're reading 92 degrees as I write here at The Sun's Weather Desk. We touched 93 degrees a little earlier this afternoon. It's 90 at Dulles Airport in northern Virginia, and 87 at Reagan National.

Out at BWI-Marshall, the high so far looks like 88 degrees, a shade cooler than Thursday's high of 89. The BWI record for this date is 99 degrees, reached most recently in 1954.

Samoa Joe sells out on TNA Impact, but I’m not buying [Ring Posts]

2009-06-26T13:04:13-07:00

The performances by Sting and Kevin Nash during the closing segment of Thursday night’s TNA Impact involving The Main Event Mafia were so good that they almost made up for a preposterous story line. Almost. The explanation that TNA came up with for Samoa Joe’s heel turn at last Sunday’s Slammiversary pay-per-view was that he did it for the money (Jenna Morasca footed the bill, apparently).

End-of-year message from Dr. Alonso [InsideEd]

2009-06-26T13:00:00-07:00

Here is the text of the end-of-year-message Andres Alonso sent out today. What do you think about what he says?

June 26, 2009

Dear City Schools Colleagues, Staff, Partners and Friends,

Next week we begin the 2009-10 fiscal year, and I want to thank you again for your part
in making this past year a tremendous one for our students and schools.

This time a year ago I wrote to you about changes we were implementing throughout
Baltimore City Public Schools to allow us, together, to build a system of great schools. It
was a time marked by uncertainty, but also by hope and imagining what could be.

Then, throughout the 2008-09 year, we saw those possibilities take root and begin to
become reality. We saw record and historic student achievement gains; the first
enrollment growth in four decades; a brand-new level of family and community
engagement in our schools; and elected officials, partners and friends rallying around our
students like never before. We saw what can happen when the work of a city and its
school system is all about what is best for kids, staying true to that focus and being
accountable for our students’ success. We saw not only that great things can happen in
City Schools, but that great things are happening in City Schools.

The transformation of City Schools is under way. And I’d like to share with you a few
things about the past year that give me cause for such confidence.