HoCo Connect

So what is behind the debt issue?

2012-03-01T04:14:00.002-05:00

As we see the debt issues on a global scale with Greece and Italy, on a state level with governors and legislatures struggling to balance budgets, we also have seen how personal debt has exploded with credit cards, home equity loans and student loans. According to a report from a Bankrate survey, " Many Americans live in a constant state of financial ignorance or denial. About 75% of respondents, for example, claim they don't make any major purchases on credit cards unless they can pay them off immediately. But 74% say they are concerned about being able to pay their credit card bills every month. And if people's claims about themselves are deceptive, their take on their fellow consumers is beyond cynical. Fifty-eight percent of respondents claimed to pay off their credit cards in full every month -- a marked contrast to studies that show that number closer to 40%. But remarkably, only 3% of respondents believe that most other people pay off their cards in full."

Are savings, layaway and delayed gratification things of the past? In conjunction with National Consumer Protection Week, County Executive Ken Ulman and the Howard County Council have declared next week to be “Consumer Protection Week” in Howard County! As part of our celebration, the Office of Consumer Affairs will be hosting an informational seminar at the East Columbia Library on the services provided by the Office of Consumer Affairs and on “Dealing with Debt Collection.” The seminar will be at 7pm on Wednesday, March 7.

During Howard County’s Consumer Protection Week, residents are encouraged to visit OCA’s website at http://consumer.howardcountymd.gov or check out their Twitter and/or Facebook page (/HoCoConsumer), for helpful tips on how to make smarter decisions in the marketplace, spend and manage one’s money more wisely, and what to do if you believe you have been the victim of a scam. OCA also mediates disputes that arise between consumers and merchants, landlords, creditors and other businesses.

For more information about Howard County’s Office of Consumer Affairs or “Consumer Protection Week,” visit their website or contact the Office at 410-313-6420. For more information about National Consumer Protection Week, visit www.consumer.gov/ncpw

P. S.
With yesterday's leap day it reminded me of the rules on leap years that are more complicated than just adding a day every 4 years. When do we skip the rule of adding a day every 4 years? We have all experienced this exception but just to remind everyone here is the rule.

Blogging reflections from my first year of blogging

2012-02-29T04:19:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was my one year anniversary of doing the HoCo Connect blog. I have posted 347 times in that period and have had over 31,000 views. Most days over 100 people view the blog. Not close to being in the newspaper but not too bad for the first year. Getting mentioned in How Chow or in the Baltimore Sun's blog posts is good for an extra 100 people.

Doing a daily blog is like keeping a daily journal and sharing it with the world. When I started the blog I talked with Tom Coale of HoCo Rising about what was important in doing a blog. His suggestions were to post regularly and have a theme to your blog. I have kept to the first suggestion better than the second. Most bloggers who post infrequently wonder how it is possible to have something to blog on everyday. This can be a problem and I admit that I simply “cut and paste” information some days from information I have learned from other organizations. I have heard the complaint that I “cut and paste” too often. I have also heard the complaint that my formatting is a problem some days with the cut and paste. Cutting and pasting information does lead to some weird formatting issues that I can’t always straighten out.

In doing this for a year I have found myself having too many potential blogs---- not too few. I tend to think and observe my daily activities as “potential blogs.” I have developed a blogger mentality. This is not difficult as someone who is curious about the many things that I experience or observe during the day.

Early on I decided that I had to have a change of pace for the weekend blogs. I wanted them to be more fun and to explore my other interests of food and travel. I know some people ignore the weekend posts as off topic but I enjoy them greatly. My experiments with food are fun to share even when they don’t work out (i.e. doing a pizza on a Weber grill).

One of the unexpected benefits of doing this blog has been the opportunity to meet other bloggers. We can all thank Jesse Newburn for organizing the blog parties where we can talk with each other about blogging. Jesse has been very helpful to me with her suggestions on how to make my blog better. Thanks Jesse for all that you do for the blogging community. Like some much of Howard County we have probably one of the best blogging communities in the country. If you can’t find something to interest you in Howard County you aren't looking hard enough.

I hope that the information I have tried to pass along and share in this blog has been useful to folks that have read the blog. I know that I have probably gaimed more out of doing this blog than most readers. I have met many interesting people like Barbara Kellner at the Columbia Archives, reporters from the Patch network and many others from agencies and organizations around the County.

A year ago I just wanted to reconnect with people and activities in Howard County after having been focused outside the County in my work for the previous 8 years. I found that blogging gave me that opportunity in a very tangible way. We are really fortunate to live in a vital community like Howard County. I wish it was more affordable for people of more limited economic means and have blogged on that reality often. You shouldn’t have to have a six figure income to enjoy the wonderful assets of our County. And yes I have heard the complaints that Jim Rouse's vision (one that I share) for Columbia doesn’t have to forever define our community. Times change and yes we need to recognize that fact. But I will remain one of those “true believers” that communities can embrace diversity and strive to make our community as livable and “people friendly” as possible. Jim Rouse was unique as a developer in recognizing that communities are people first and not just buildings and roads. And yea I still do miss Mrs. Z’s!

P.S.

A recent article reported that home sales in the Baltimore metro region dropped in January. Sales in one county in the State, however, show a bright spot in the market. According to figures from market research firm Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc., Howard County had 154 home sales in January, an increase of 8 percent over last year. The average sold price was down 1 percent to $384,627. What does this mean? In a tough economy, homes in Howard County are becoming more abundant and more affordable.

The Howard County Housing Fair on Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Long Reach High School, 6101 Old Dobbin Lane in Columbia will provide a one stop place to learn about the different housing in Howard County. The event is the only place where home buyers can get everything they need to know about buying and living in Howard County. It is completely free and open to the public, and features more than 45 real estate specialists, mortgage lenders, homebuilders & remodelers, as well as narrated bus tours and the popular Housing Lottery.

Howard County launches tax program for income eligible citizens

2012-02-28T04:10:00.002-05:00

           Tax time doesn't have to be confusing with a new program launched in the County this year. Howard County’s first Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site will be open throughout the 2012 tax season. Like other VITA sites across the country, the Howard County site will offer free tax assistance preparation to most taxpayers who earned up to $49,000 in 2011. In addition to free tax return preparation, the site will offer free electronic filing. Individuals taking advantage of the e-file program receive their refunds in half the time compared to returns filed on paper — even faster, when tax refunds are deposited directly into a bank account.
WHERE:
     Howard County VITA
     North Laurel Community Center
     9411 Whiskey Bottom Road
     Laurel, MD 20723
WHEN:
     January 18 to April 14, 2011
HOURS:
     Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 8 pm
     Saturdays from 9am to 3 pm
PAPERWORK NEEDED:

Photo IDs for taxpayers
Social Security cards for taxpayers and all depdendants
Last year’s Federal and State tax returns
All W2s, 1099s (interest, dividends, pensions, IRA disbursements, stock sales, etc.)
Social Security or Railroad Retirement statements
Alimony received or paid for the year
If Married Filing Separately, spouse’s SSN ( you must also know whether your spouse is itemizing deductions)
Concise list of expenses if you wish to itemize
Property tax records
Estimated tax payments (Federal and State)
If you were a 1^st-time home buyer in 2010, you will need to know the purchase price and date of purchase.

Please note: Our tax counselors are volunteers who are trained only to do simple returns for those with low to moderate incomes. We will not be able to prepare returns involving businesses with employees, complicated K-1s, rentals, or an extensive list of stock sales.
Appointments are encouraged! Please call 410-313-0386 to make, change or cancel an appointment; or to learn more about VITA.

P.S
For seniors over the age of 60 most senior centers in Howard County offers tax preparation in partnership with AARP. Contact your local senior center for more information.

P.S. 2

Celebrate with the film, Green Fire, and a walk at the Robinson Nature Center.

Sunday, March 4, at 1 pm.

Sponsored by the James and Anne Robinson Foundation.

Here’s your chance to see the award-winning first documentary film ever made about legendary conservationist Aldo Leopold. Green Fire features readings from Leopold’s masterpiece, A Sand County Almanac, and stunning historical photos dramatizing his pioneering career in the early Twentieth Century.

Perhaps even more important, the film introduces viewers to Leopold’s children, grandchildren, researchers, and advocates, who are extending his legacy on behalf of the land and everyone who depends upon it. Leopold's vision of an ethic that respects people and wild nature informs and inspires a growing international community, innovators who are applying Leopold’s vision to environmental challenges we face today.

Following the film, naturalist Jo Solem will lead interested participants on a walk along the wooded trails surrounding the Nature Center. Please dress accordingly; the walk will be canceled in case of inclement weather.

Refreshments will be provided by the Robinson Foundation.

Pre-registration is strongly recommended.

DATE: March 4, 2012

TIME: Film at 1 pm; walk at 2:45 pm

LOCATION: James & Anne Robinson Nature Center

ADDRESS: 6692 Cedar Lane, Columbia, MD 21044

TICKETS: Film and walk free with paid admission to the Center or RNC Annual Pass

PREREGISTRATION: Please contact the Robinson Foundation info@robinsonfoundation.org or 240-755-0124

P.S. 3
According to HowChow
"R&R Taqueria segments on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" airs tonight at 10 pm. Check your listings for the Food Network. Guy Fieri and the Food Network came through town last fall to film at R&R Taqueria in the Shell Station on U.S. 1 in Elkridge. "

First Visit to the new International Market in Long Reach

2012-02-27T04:05:00.004-05:00

I finally got over to the new international supermarket in Long Reach yesterday. I mistakenly started out with a hand basket which I had to switch after about 10 minutes to a regular grocery cart as I had already picked up too many items to carry in the hand basket. The supermarket is heavily oriented to Asian food and carries many of the same items as the Korean supermarket on Route 40.

The other concentrated food items were Hispanic. The one difference and a bit of a disappointment was the produce section which carried the same produce that you would see in a Giant supermarket. The Route 40 supermarket carries more Asian produce items.

The diversity of people shopping there was amazing. The variety of races and nationalities reflects the changing face of Howard County. For those of us that have campaigned for a village center to embrace the international model Long Reach seems to be headed in that direction. I have blogged on how the Safeway never seemed to have many people doing their weekly shopping when I had been there. With the new market it was amazing how many cars were in the parking lot. The supermarket was as busy as any Giant in town. Bon Appetit, the Korean bakery, has a presence in the supermarket which gives me a closer location for all of their delicious red bean donuts that I craze. I think I will be gaining weight from what I bought at the bakery yesterday.

Now to the food.

I have become addicted to the aloe drink that you see at many grocery stores these days. But here they had the regular drink but also had the drink with mango and peach. I bought the aloe mango and it is fantastic. I even added half milk to the drink and a little sweetener and it made a good smoothie in a blender with some crushed ice.

They carried the Bulgogi sauce and Korean BBQ sauce that is used with many meat dishes in Korean restaurants. Lime teriycki made a great dipping sauce when mixed with a little balsamic vinegar. Mango pickle relish had a somewhat bitter (tart?) taste and not what I expected. I could see it going well when mixed with another condiment to temper the bitterness. Kiwi juice was another unusual item that could be a unique flavor when added to a Coke instead of a lime or lemon. Custard dumplings and mocha peanut dough balls are addicting.

Better work extra hard today during spinning class!

P.S.

Something to put your day in perspective

From Trip Advisor: Things to do in Columbia

2012-02-26T07:27:00.003-05:00

I have always used Trip Advisor to guide me when I visit a new city. It is generally a good guide to hotels, restaurants and things to do in the city. After looking for information on a recent trip I was curious to see what was on Trip Advisor about Columbia. I was discouraged to see that there were only 3 things listed to do. Merriweather Post Pavilion was rated as number 1, Earth Treks number 2 and Robinson Nature Center number 3. I wonder why more wasn't listed. Are we that limited? Maybe we do miss the old Visitor's Center to tell us about Columbia and its features.

Homewood Suites by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn were rated number 1 and number 2 for hotels. The Sheraton came in number 6. For restaurants the Royal Taj was rated number 1. I have never been there and think it is relatively new. Stanford Grill was ranked number 2, Bon Fresco number 3, Pho Dat Thanh number 4 and Sushi Sono number 5. If you polled locals on the best restaurant the only one from this list mentioned would probably be Sushi Sono. I wonder if the selections are all from visitors and not locals. On Yelp Sushi Sono was rated number 1, Hunan Manor number 2 and Red Pearl rated number 3. Most out of towners would probably not be aware of HowChow for picking a restaurant but it is always my choice to learn about a restaurant.

P.S. Late Flu Season
Lately I have been wondering what has happened to our flu season this year. By this time most years we are hearing reports about the prevalence of the flu and knowing people who have had the flu. But this year seems to be different. According to AccuWeather the flu season will still occur but later than normal and come with the Spring allergy season:
The flu season could be off to a slow start because people are more likely to spend time outdoors — instead of indoors sharing their viruses with each other. As a result, people have been healthier this winter. "Being outside more in the winter has two benefits," according to Alex Sosnowski, expert senior meteorologist for AccuWeather.com. "The time in the sunlight can boost the level of vitamin D a person takes in and the fresh outdoor air is less likely to spread flu germs."

P.S. Maryland Public TV show of the week
MPT: Tuesday, Feb. 28, 8pm
also: February 29 at 12:01am,3am
MPT2: Sunday, Mar.11, 4pm
THE AMISH: American Experience

In an extraordinarily intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life, American Experience questions why and how the insular religious community has thrived within open, individualistic American society. Discover how, despite their ingrained submissiveness, the Amish have successfully asserted themselves in resisting the encroachments of modern society and government. With unprecedented access to the Amish over the course of a year, the film deeply penetrates and explores this profoundly attention-averse communal culture

Great Harvest Bread

2012-02-24T22:54:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered the Great Harvest Bread store on Centre Park Drive near the Bangkok Delight restaurant. Even though they specialize in whole grain breads that they make with flour they grind in the store I opted to the Challah bread that I like to use to make french toast.

They also make cookies, pies, muffins, scones and cakes. The sour cream fruit pies are also great.

Did you know that almost half of us will use a hospice service in our lives?

2012-02-24T04:16:00.002-05:00

        Hospice services are a relatively new service that began to be developed in Europe in the 1950's and 1960's. The United States really began to look at this type of service with the "On Death and Dying" book by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. I was fortunate to have had an opportunity to attend an all day training given by Kubler-Ross in DC in 1973. She spoke of her experiences working with dying patients and how that experience had changed her perspective on dying and how we treated dying patients so poorly. Her tales of people who described experiencing another world resembled what people who have experienced a "near death" experience have described.

       The first hospice services developed in this country were generally not in medical settings but were trained volunteers providing emotional support to the dying individual and their family. Health insurance didn't reimburse for this type on non medical service. This was the way that hospice services started in Howard County in the 1980's. Hospice Services of Howard County was an organization that used primarily volunteers supervised by Elaine Patico, the Executive Director.

      What changed this service was that Medicare starting to fund hospice services that were provided within a health care setting. This has pushed private health insurers to also pay for hospice services and suddenly hospice services moved from trained volunteers to paid professionals. While much of hospice services are still provided in home many hospice programs have affiliated with medical facilities to provide an inpatient component.

         I had a personal experience with hospice services this past December with my Father. Entering the hospital with pneumonia after Thanksgiving and not responding to treatment the recommendation was to move him to hospice care. Even though this was provided in a hospital setting it was the appropriate way for him to live his final few days. While a difficult process to experience the way the hospice nurses, social workers and chaplain supported my family was wonderful. I was glad that this was available to us at that time.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Gilchrist Hospice Center in Columbia and talk with Cliff Hughes the Development Associate. While we might not like to think of hospice services and the fact that most of us will need this type of service in our final days it is comforting to know that we have a hospice center that is everything you would want in this type of facility.

What impressed me was that everything is designed to meet the needs of the dying individual and their family. Each room opens to an outside area that permits the dying individual to be outside in good weather like yesterday. The door leading to the outside from each room is wide enough to roll out the hospital bed if the person is bedridden.

A family lounge and chapel room are available to the family. Each room has a computer for use by the families and a private bathroom. There is a stocked kitchen for family to use and the smell of chocolate chip cookies welcomed everyone to the facility yesterday. There is even one room designed for terminally ill children.

As they describe their services:

Gilchrist Center Howard County (GCHC), a much-needed and greatly-anticipated 10-bed acute care inpatient hospice center in Columbia, began accepting its first patients during the week of May 23, 2011.

Located in the Howard County Health Park off Cedar Lane, the 8,600 square-foot center, which provides care for both adult and pediatric patients, is the culmination of an intensive study of how best to meet the needs of our patients and families who reside in Howard County. It is Gilchrist's second hospice center dedicated to providing the highest quality acute inpatient care for terminally-ill patients in Central Maryland.

To date, Gilchrist has raised more than $1 million to benefit the new center; our goal is $2.5 million to help pay the $1.7 million in one-time construction and capital costs associated with GCHC, as well as the recurring costs of approx. $800,000 providing acute inpatient services that exceed insurance reimbursement.

Designed to mirror the warmth and comfort of the original Gilchrist Center in Towson, the rooms at GCHC, which look out on beautifully-landscaped gardens, have individual verandas with doors wide enough to push a hospital bed through. Much of the evidence of medical care is hidden within the room's design. And the hallways and doors to the rooms reflect warm colors, unlike those in many health care facilities.

The center itself is devoted to ensuring that its patients are able to approach the end of life in comfort and with dignity, surrounded by those they love. As such, families are encouraged to visit at all hours, to bring visitors of all ages, as well as beloved pets, and to use the community areas, including a chapel and family rooms, to gather and reflect.

In the nearly eight months since its opening, more than 250 patients have benefitted from the compassionate, specialized care that has quickly become a hallmark of GCHC. The vast majority resided in Howard County; others came from nearby communities in adjacent counties or sought out GCHC because their loved ones live close by.

Most of the patients spent a very short time at the new center - less than a week. But we know, anecdotally, that their time with us, though brief, was meaningful and that GCHC gave them and their families the chance to savor their last moments together in a center devoted to comfort and peace, located close to home."

P.S
This Sunday 2:30 p.m. the Howard County Historical Society is hosting a program at the Miller Library "NEW THOUGHTS ON OLD THINGS: A Preliminary Reassessment of Howard County’s Historic Architecture PART 2 ”

Join them for the second half of this very popular illustrated lecture and discussion about Howard County's historical architectural gems presented by Howard County's pre-eminent Architectural Historian, Ken Short. Free and open to the public but small donations are very much appreciated.

How do you find out about childcare?

2012-02-23T04:29:00.005-05:00

Did you know that the capacity of the brain to absorb new learning peaks at age 3? Scientists have learned that a toddler’s brain develops over one hundred trillion brain synapses. A brain synapse is the "wiring" between two brain cells that grasps new learning. The more the synapses, the more your brain will learn. It is during this time that the human brain has the highest potential for new learning in its lifetime.

With the cost of child care often being the same as sending a child to college it is important to be knowledgeable about the your choices for childcare. This task is made easier by the one stop shop event hosted by the Howard County Office of Children's Services.

Howard County’s Department of Citizen Services, Office of Children’s Services has announced a new date for their annual Preschool/Child Care Information Fair, “Children On Board,” which was postponed earlier this month due to inclement weather. The rescheduled event will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2012, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Ten Oaks Ballroom, 5000 Signal Bell Lane in Clarksville, Md. Admission is free; however, attendees are asked to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the Howard County Food Bank.

“Children On Board” will provide parents, guardians, grandparents and child care personnel with “one stop shopping” for information on child care and pre-school programs, as well as the opportunity for personal contact with teachers and program directors. Representatives from community service organizations that offer programs and services to Howard County’s young children will also be on hand to provide information to interested parents.

For more information about the Fair, contact the Office of Children’s Services at either 410-313-1940 or via e-mail at childcare@howardcountymd.gov.

P.S.

The Office of Children's Services is also looking to honor people who have made a positive impact on the lives of children in Howard County. Plan to nominate them for recognition at the 13^th annual "Celebrating Successes for Children" ceremony hosted by County Executive Ken Ulman and the Howard County Office of Children's Services. The awards honor people, programs or businesses that make a difference and serve children in one of the following categories:

Categories include:

Infants and Toddlers (0-3 years) Preschool-Age Children (3-5 years) Elementary-Age Children (Kindergarten through 5^th) Middle School-Age Children (6^th through 8^th) High School-Age Children (9^th through 12^th)

Mixed Aged Group (person or program that works with children of different ages) Outstanding Youth Award (an individual under age 18 who has made a difference for children)

• Family-Friendly Business Award (a Howard County business - NOT child care - that stands out because of its policies or services to children and families)

While an individual nominee does not have to be a resident of Howard County, he or she must serve Howard County children; however, program or business nominees must be located in Howard County. To request a nomination form, contact the Office of Children's Services at 410-313-1940 or e-mail Priscilla Kung at pkung@howardcountymd.gov. Nomination forms are also available on line at www.howardcountvmd.gov/CelebratingSuccesses.htm. All nominations must be e-mailed, faxed (410-313-1430), delivered or postmarked by Friday, March 16.

P.S.

Women's Giving Circle Announces Events for Girls in Howard County

2012-02-22T04:12:00.002-05:00

In yesterday's blog I highlighted the Women's Giving Circle on the "Gift of Giving." Today I want to highlight some of the activities for girls that the Circle is currently hosting .

WGC Hosts 'Cover Girl Culture' Movie
The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County and the Howard County Library present the film “Cover Girl Culture: Awakening the Media Generation” on Thursday, March 15, from 7-9 p.m., at the Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Road in Ellicott City - Ellicott City Patch, January 30, 2012

STEM Careers Expo for Girls, March 11, 3-5 PM
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, with support from the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County, Maryland Space Business Roundtable and Multinational Development of Women in Technology, is holding “Girl Power: Reach For the Stars,” a free introduction to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for middle and high school girls - Columbia Patch, January 24, 2012

Journey 2012 Accepting Applications for Summer Program
The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is accepting applications for its residential summer camp, Journey 2012. The camp will include 25 girls entering 8th -9th grade in the fall of 2012. Maryland Leadership Workshops, Inc. (MLW) will operate Journey, as it has since its inception. Applications must be postmarked by March 30, 2012. For further information, contact office@mlw.org

The Gift of Giving

2012-02-21T04:11:00.001-05:00

    When most of us think of philanthropy we think of wealthy individuals who donate large amounts of money to build a new wing on a hospital or college building. But all of us could become philanthropists if we just donated whatever money we had after meeting our basic needs. If we were to "network" our giving with others we too might be able to have a greater impact in our giving. This is what "giving circles" are all about.

      Here in Howard County we have some good examples of this. The Women's Giving Circle gives to women and girls in need in Howard County. Another giving circle is the Twentyfivefortyfive which is a group of persons between the ages of 25 and 45 that use their joint funds in this community.

      An easy way to become a philanthropist is to establish a "fund" with the Columbia Foundation. There are many ways to set up these funds. Some do a family fund that encourages family members to jointly contribute money to their charitable fund from which they can jointly give out grants. Other funds allow the Foundation to use the money in the fund for designated purposes such as scholarships.

      Finally giving doesn't have to be through anything as formal as a fund. I know of one person this past Christmas who gave each of his grown children the money he would have spent on their gifts to be given to someone they identified as having a need. Each of his children on Christmas then shared who they had helped and what they had used the money for. His said this was a more meaningful way to experience the holiday than to sit around opening gifts that they didn't really need. He told them he was planning on doing the same thing every year and they could be thinking of who they would give the money to during this year. It was more meaningful than just giving to a charity.

P.S.
Sometimes the gift of time is even more valuable than a monetary gift. Becoming a Pets on Wheels volunteer, a Neighbor Ride volunteer or a volunteer with Voices for Children would be three ways that you might consider volunteering.

Cultural Connections--Upcoming Events

2012-02-20T08:41:00.012-05:00

        I am back from vacation (hard to return from 80 degree temps to the 40's of Howard County) and wanted to highlight some events that show the diversity of our County.

              The Chinese Language School of Columbia is hosting a forum for Board of Education candidates on Sunday, March 18, from 1:45 pm to 3:45 pm. This forum will be held at the cafeteria of Howard High School in Ellicott City. If you would like to submit questions for the candidates in advance, please email them to Bianca.chang@clscweb.org.

     The Latino Health Fair is being held on Saturday, March 10, from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm, at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center in Columbia. A number of screenings will be offered, including blood pressure, colorectal cancer, glucose, and cholesterol. There will be health information and educational materials in Spanish.

       The Columbia Association and the Howard County Library System is presenting the Asia Culture Café, which will be held on Sunday, March 25, from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, at the library’s Miller Branch, 9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City. This is a free event that will offer displays, performances, and activities.

FIRN is hosting a Fabulous February Fundraising event at the Asian Palace Fusion restaurant on Tuesday, Feb. 28th any time between 11:30 am and 9:30 pm. Out of gratitude to FIRN, the restaurant's owners are donating 15% of all sales on that day to FIRN! No coupons will be honored that day.and see first-hand the success of one of FIRN's former clients. A teen-age immigrant from Vietnam in the 1980's, the family found initial housing and employment through FIRN, that provided the foundation for future success.

What's on your IPod?

2012-02-17T08:47:00.006-05:00

      This week I have had an opportunity to read the biography of Steve Jobs and all of its 571 pages. Sometimes I wish books could be condensed to a more manageable length. More than the Reader's Digest but a manageable 100-150 pages.

   The book highlights how the quality that set Steve Jobs apart from other techies was his appreciation of aesthetics in designing the Apple products. This was contrasted with the other great tech creator Bill Gates. This provided Jobs an ability to relate to other artists particularly in the music world. He formed a bond with Bono and Dylan that was important in getting the rights to sell music on ITunes which sold the IPods. Bill Gates would not have been able to move in that artist world.

   The other difference between Apple and Microsoft was Jobs being unwilling to have others, who didn't have his appreciation for quality, access to Apple codes. Closed access was Jobs way to insure quality. Microsoft followed the open access model that permitted others to develop software that worked with its operating system. This has carried forward to apps sold on ITunes to be downloaded to IPhones which have to be approved by Apple first. Google with its Android phones allow any app to be downloaded without any pre-authorization.

   So to the title of this blog. Learning the songs on a person's IPod is the latest form of a Rhoshock test. I was surprised how varied Jobs music taste was. The music of Dylan and Bono are not surprising or the number of Beatles songs. As a member of the Baby Boomer generation the transition from Rock and Roll to the Beatle invasion played a big role in his music selection. Johnny Cash, Jefferson Airplane, Rolling Stones, the Doors and even the Monkees had a place on his IPod. One genre that didn't make it was Hip Hop. Yo- Yo Ma was such a favorite that Jobs asked him to play at his funeral, which he did.

   Couldn't help but wonder what music Bill Gates listens to??

P.S
One quality that Bill Gates had that Jobs never had was an interest in philanthropy. Might be the saving grace for Gates in any comparison with Jobs.

P.S. 2

Southeast Volunteers Sought for 2012 Community Leadership Academy

The Horizon Foundation has opened registration to the Community Leadership Academy to provide training for local volunteers and emerging leaders. Participants will be limited to residents in the Southeast area of Howard County who are 21 years or older. Academy attendees will meet March 10 and 31, April 21, May 12, June 2 and 16, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the North Laurel Community Center. Breakfast will be provided.

The mission of the Community Leadership Academy is to empower individuals to create vibrant communities. It is designed to provide current and aspiring leaders the opportunity to sharpen skills in facilitation, conflict resolution, consensus building, planning and evaluation. The training will be led by Griff Hall, who led the first Community Leadership Academy last winter. Seventeen Southeast area community leaders finished the program in 2011.

Focus on community leadership is one of the key elements in the Southeast 2015 initiative, a 5-year effort by the Horizon Foundation and other partners to enhance the health and wellbeing of the North Laurel-Savage community and its individual residents.

Participants in the Community Leadership Academy will be selected on the basis of interest in community leadership and service. Efforts will be made to include a diverse selection of residents with regard to age, gender, ethnicity, race and location of residence within Southeast Howard County. Applicants selected to participate in the 2012 Community Leadership Academy will receive full scholarships from the Horizon Foundation. A maximum of 20 people will be selected.

To acquire an application, contact cathyvsmith@verizon.net, 410-461-1035.

P.S.3
HC DrugFree Presents Programs for Parents and Teens

HC DrugFree, a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower the Howard County community to raise drug-free teens, will present a series of free programs to help parents and teens make healthy decisions about alcohol and drug use.
Parent 2 Parent will feature a panel of parents who will describe their experiences with children who abused substances and how they handled the challenges caused in their families. Following the panel discussion, a substance-abuse counselor will answer questions from the audience and discuss what parents should look for and do. Cheri Carroll, ordained minister, certified rape crisis counselor and support group facilitator, will be the guest speaker. Parents and teens with an adult may attend.

                When?                 Wednesday, Feb. 22, from 7 to 8 p.m.

                Where?                Centennial High School
                                                4300 Centennial Lane
                                                Ellicott City, Md.

Senior Week: Staying Safe in Ocean City will offer advice to parents and high school seniors considering visiting Ocean City, Md., during senior week, which attracts crowds of teenagers and can lead to risky and illegal behavior. The Ocean City Beach Patrol crew chief and a local police officer will offer their advice and expertise to help high school seniors stay safe.

                When?                 Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m.

                Where?                River Hill High School
                                                12101 Clarksville Pike
Clarksville, Md.

                When?                 Tuesday, March 27, at 7 p.m.

                Where?                Wilde Lake High School
                                                5460 Trumpeter Road
                                                Columbia, Md.

                When?                 Wednesday, March 28, at 7 p.m.

                Where?                Mount Hebron High School
                                                9440 Route 99
Ellicott City, Md.

For more information, visit www.hcdrugfree.org or call 443-325-0040.

HC DrugFree, a nonprofit organization based in Columbia, Md., seeks to empower the community to raise drug-free teens. The organization was formed in 1995 as a response to the alarming number of teens using illegal substances, like tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Today, an active board of directors and Executive Director Joan Webb Scornaienchi lead HC DrugFree. (www.hcdrugfree.org)

Social Media as the newest tool to do community organizing

2012-02-14T19:52:00.007-05:00

The old tool of community organizers to gather petition signatures is so out of date. Today Facebook and Twitter are the new way to gather public support for change. We have seen how this was used in the Arab countries in the Arab Spring movement. In this country the $5 monthly charge that Bank of America tried to impose on debit card users was unchallenged until Molly Katchpole organized a Facebook campaign against the charge and quickly got over 300,000 friends and B of A backed off. This story was highlighted in last Sunday's Sunday Morning show.

A similar campaign was recently successful in getting the Komen For the Cure campaign to change their policy on not funding Planned Parenthood. I have never seen so much traffic on my Facebook from people saying they would not contribute to Koman any longer.

The final example is the campaign last month against the federal legislation called Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) that was pushed by corporate advocates of media content to protect their copyrights and other forms of ownership of media content. It was flying through Congress until many websites such as Wikipedia and others shut down in protest and caused many of the sponsors of the legislation to back off under public pressure.

Feel like something needs to change? Try a Facebook campaign and see if it can go viral. Companies take notice.

P.S
I have heard that the best way to get a company to take notice of a complaint is to post it on their website. They monitor their websites and try to resolve the issue.

P.S.2
Delegate Liz Bobo sent out the following notice on her community hearing:

" I will be holding my annual Legislative Community Meeting on February16th from 7:30 to 9 at Kahler Hall in the Village of Harper's Choice. We will discuss issues that are currently before the Maryland General Assembly. More information will be available on the major issues by that time.
As many of you know, we get a good turnout at this meeting each year and have a good discussion on a wide range of subjects."

Elite Education at a Community College Price--Rouse Scholars Program

2012-02-13T03:30:00.001-05:00

With the cost of tuition reaching levels that have priced many young people out of a college education or put them tens of thousands of dollars in debt, Howard County students have an opportunity to have an experience at the Howard Community College that compares to any educational experience at a college costing many times more. The Rouse Scholars Program "the nationally-acclaimed James W. Rouse Scholars Program is a selective challenging honors and leadership program designed for transfer to distinguished four-year colleges and universities at the end of the sophomore year. Rouse Scholars participate in challenging honors course work, leadership development, projects involving community mentors, cultural and recreational activities, international travel opportunities and the many of benefits of an honors learning community."

The program has four options of study: Liberal Arts, Business, Life Sciences, Mass Media and Production.
"Each Rouse scholar is assigned to an academic advisor who specializes in the program's requirements, requirements specific to each major and transfer preparation. Advisors work closely with each student to select coursework that fits their individual interests, requirements and transfer plans."

Retreats are held twice a year "are an opportunity for Rouse freshmen and sophomores, faculty and staff to learn more about one another and form the friendships and associations unique to the Rouse Scholars Program." Foreign travel and Summer Study programs are available through partnerships with a number of partner colleges. Tuition is about $3,600 a year with many types of financial aid available.

P. S.
Hard to say that any other female singer (OK maybe Madonna) has made more hit songs than Whitney Houston. Here is my favorite.

Eastern Shore in Winter

2012-02-12T07:26:00.001-05:00

Last weekend the Sun had an article on the charm of the Eastern Shore in the Winter. We all appreciate our proximity to the attractions of DC and Baltimore but often underestimate all that the Eastern Shore has to offer just an hour away from us. I have blogged on the beauty of Hoopers Island and Blackwater but the Sun article mentioned some places I had not been familiar with.

The Elliott Island Drive was described as a 19 mile journey from Vienna to Elliott Island. The drive goes through pine stands and wild wetlands with marsh grass and waterfowl. It has been described as "just 18 miles south of Vienna off Route 50. This quaint waterfront village on Fishing Bay is home to approximately 70 locals.

Great views of the wetlands, wildlife and waterfront wait as you take this beautiful scenic drive."

The second location highlighted was the Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge near Rock Hall. All species of ducks such as the black, pintail and canvasback are plentiful this time of year. From their website "Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, a part of the Chesapeake Marshlands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, is a 2,286-acre island located at the confluence of the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay. Established in 1962 as a sanctuary for migratory birds, Eastern Neck NWR provides natural habitat for over 240 bird species - including American bald eagles and transitory peregrine falcons - and is a major staging site for tundra swans."

If you are lucky you might even see a bald eagle.

P.S.
New Release Cinema will commemorate Black History Month with the presentation of two outstanding African American documentaries on Thursday, February 16 at the East Columbia Library. The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 will be screened at 6pm . Doors open at 5:30pm. Next, at 7:30pm the uplifting and entertaining Thunder Soul. Free popcorn, candy and soda will be available. Admission is free. This event is sponsored by Friends of Howard County Library.

R&R Taqueria on the Food Network Show Diners, Drive Ins and Dives

2012-02-11T04:19:00.001-05:00

I stopped into R&R Taqueria in Elkridge yesterday and learned that they will be on the Food Network show Diners, Drive Ins and Dives on February 27th at 10 pm.

If you haven't tried this place for Mexican food you have missed some great food. This is "real" Mexican food that has been a favorite of HowChow for quite awhile. You might miss this place as it is part of the Shell station at the intersection of 175 and Route 1. Pull into the Shell and you will see the entrance to the place. There has been a rumor that the owner is looking for a larger place.

P.S.
Speaking of the Food Network a recent show asked some of their show hosts to tell what the greatest thing they ever ate was.

Taking Domestic Abuse Seriously or Dealing with Tragedies

2012-02-10T04:29:00.002-05:00

    The tragic deaths of two boys in Washington State this past week at the hands of their father shows how dangerous domestic abuse can be. Josh Powell had been under investigation since 2009 in connection with his missing wife, Susan Powell. This week on a planned supervised visit the two boys were killed by their father when he locked out the social worker that accompanied the children on the visit. My first reaction was why were the children being taken to the father's house for the supervised visit when he had been identified as a "person of interest?" A person of interest is the description of a person under investigation for a crime but there is insufficient evidence to charge the person.

    When I heard about the tragedy I quickly remembered the situation as one that I had heard about when my wife and I attended a taping of the Dr. Phil Show in LA back in February 2010. We heard the grandparents of the children describe the suspicious story of how the father had strangely decided to take the two boys camping in the mountains in the middle of the night in cold winter temperatures, without his wife. It seemed obvious that he may have used this story to explain why he went to this area to really bury his wife's body. No body has ever been found but recently the boys have been telling relatives about their mother being in the trunk of the car that night.

    I also couldn't help but remember the grandparents saying that they feared for the safety of their grandchildren if the father was ever granted custody of the children at any point. The story has even taken another twist when the tapes of the social worker's 911 call have been released and you hear how the situation wasn't taken seriously enough to immediately dispatch police to the scene. How often we hear of a tragedy after a domestic violence situation is not taken seriously enough.

    Here in Howard County we have an agency that is designed to address the issue of domestic violence with a range of services targeted to victims of domestic violence. The Domestic Violence Center provides counseling, education and community awareness programs. On Feb. 21st the Center will be welcoming a new Executive Director, Jennifer Pollitt Hill, who brings a wealth of experience to the job.
    The Purple Ribbon Campaign is an international campaign against domestic violence.

P.S.
On a lighter tone to end the work week is another good music video from You Tube.

Gold Rush Alaska on the Discovery Channel

2012-02-09T04:16:00.002-05:00

Some days I just don't have much to share so I thought I would just share a program that I have got hooked on on the Discovery Channel on Fridays at 9 pm. Gold Rush Alaska is one of those reality shows that cable channels seem to have created in great numbers. Most are fairly shallow or downright stupid but Gold Rush Alaska has a storyline that grabs your attention. A group of mostly amateur gold miners make all types of mistakes in their pursuit of striking it rich. The season two will be ending soon but past episodes are online at their webpage and Discovery usually reruns the shows at some point.

P.S.
Come on nighttime bikers! As a biker myself I realize that we can ride in a way that can get us killed. My wife came onto a biker on Oakland Mills Rd the other night with just a tiny flashing light. He was wearing dark clothing and she came on to him on a turn so she didn't see him until it was almost too late. I know that biking is good exercise and maybe a healthy way to get to work but it is just stupid to ride on the roads with no shoulders in the dark . My wife was glad she didn't have to carry the memory of killing a biker the rest of her life.

P.S. 2

LUNCH & LEARN-CREDIT REPAIR & HEALTH WELLNESS SEMINAR

Columbia Town Center Apt. Homes

10360 Swift Stream Place | Columbia, MD 21044 |

SATURDAY 2/18/12 @ 10 A.M. & TUESDAY 2/21/12 @ 12 P.M.DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM UNION JACKS RESTAURANT BY COLUMBIA MALL.COME IN MAIN ENTRANCE, TAKE STAIRS OR ELEVATOR TO 1ST LEVEL, EVENT TO THE RIGHT. ADDITIONAL PARKING IN LIBRARY PARKING LOT. For more info sandrasassistant@yahoo.com

Howard County Striders---Running is life

2012-02-08T04:23:00.001-05:00

I have blogged on a variety of events that the Howard County Striders hold during the year like the Penquin Pace, Centennial Fun Runs and the Bagel Runs but have never highlighted some of the other activities that show the full range of programs of the Striders. The Junior Striders is a running program for youth from elementary through middle school. Many of the cross country and track athletes in our high schools started out in the Junior Striders. I have experienced seeing one of these young people that I saw at the 1 mile Centennial Fun Run eventually pass me as an aging runner. Time marches on.

Probably the event that gains the Striders the most attention every year is the Clydes 10K race. This race has been an April fixture in Columbia for over 30 years. Hundreds of runners of all levels start near the walkway over Little Patuxent Parkway in Town Center and wind their way through western Columbia and back to the starting line. In the Fall the Metric Marathon is a leisurely 26.2K (16.3 mile) run from Columbia to Ellicott City and back that tests the more committed runners. I am not sure if the course is the same but the one I remember had a number of hills in the first 8 miles and then it was mostly level and downhill the second 8 miles.

Just to show that the Striders have a less serious side they hold an All Fruit Relay that has teams passing off a fruit on each leg of the race. I can attest that a starfruit becomes mushy to hold after a lap or two!

Finally for all of us who will never be the fastest to win a race there are two prediction runs on Thanksgiving and New Years that the winner is the person who runs the 8K course closest to their predicted time. No watches allowed during these runs. The goal of a prediction run is that you want to finish as close to 11 am as possible. So if you think you will run a 50 minute 8K you start running when the clock shows 50 minutes at the start. The unusual aspect of a prediction run is that you start running with a few people but the finish is usually crowded with runners---- just the opposite of most other races. The winner is usually within a second or two of their predicted time. I never came any closer than 40 seconds of my predicted time.

P.S.

Columbia--Good place to date a "nerd"?

2012-02-07T04:16:00.000-05:00

Last week at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon in his State of the County Address County Exec Ulman highlighted the many mentions our County gets in national publications. We all have heard about Money Magazine labeling us as the second best place to live. But did you know that Match.com called Columbia the 8th best place to date a nerd? Places in Silicon Valley and university towns placed ahead of us but with NSA and APL it is no surprise that we have many engineer and computer folks in our area. Somehow Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have made being a "nerd" cool. As someone who has three family members employed at APL I think that the old stereotype of someone who has mechanical pens in a plastic pocket sleeve or has the image of the picture above is far outdated. Some of the most interesting folks I met running with the Howard County Striders were NSA and APL folks. I don't want to image how different our community and schools would be without those two local employers.

Living on the Edge Financially in a Consumer Economy

2012-02-06T04:13:00.000-05:00

I recently blogged on an event for middle and high school students participating in an event that gave the students an experience in how to budget and develop a financial plan. Last week at the Chamber of Commerce Luncheon I had a chance to talk with some of the students who use this financial program. The expense that surprised the students was the cost of food.

Recently I also read a report that showed that many adults haven't learned the lessons of budgeting. According to Bankrate:

"Bankrate's Financial Security Index poll for June found 24 percent of Americans have no emergency savings at all. Another 22 percent said their emergency savings would cover, at best, three months' worth of expenses. Only one in four said they have six months' worth of expenses for use in emergency, the minimum recommended by many financial planning experts."

The average credit card debt is now over $15,000. The average student loan debt is now over $25,000. Half of people at age 65 still have a mortgage. About 25% of Americans have a net negative worth. Almost half of employees in their twenties fail to get their full employer match in their 401k accounts.

All this indicates that financial planning is something that many adults should have had at a younger age. Is it any surprise that we have a growing Federal budget deficit? Apparently living within your means is something Federal legislators also get a failing grade.

So what do you do? What most financial counselors suggest is to "pay yourself first." Have a deduction from your paycheck that goes into a savings account that is only used for emergencies. When you pay off a car payment continue to pay the same amount into a "car savings account" that can be used to pay cash for your next car. Interest on a 6 year car loan can easily add over 25% to what the new car costs.

A good local resource for financial literacy is makingChange.

P.S.
The American Association of University Women Howard County will sponsor a networking event called Cocktails and Convos on March 20, 2012 from 6:30 – 8 PM at Looney’s Pub in Maple Lawn. If you want an opportunity to promote yourself, your business, your company, your organization, you are welcome to come. If you just want to socialize and network, please come. Pre-registration is required so we know how many to plan for. Contact Jennifer Ingram at aauwhocomembers@gmail.com to register. There is no charge and there will be a speaker on Successful Entrepreneurship. Plenty of time for talking to each other and pass out business cards. Order appetizers and beverages from the menu.

P.S. 2
The Savage Guilford Patch had a great story about how an employer, Coastal Sunbelt Produce, is teaming up with the Bollman Bridge Elementary School to tutor refugee families that have settled in the area from Burma.

Superbowl Commercials

2012-02-05T08:26:00.002-05:00

For many folks in Baltimore watching today's Super Bowl will be a painful reminder of the fact that the Ravens came close to being one of the teams playing today. So many folks might skip watching the game. But we maybe interested in seeing the best commercials made. It is easy to see the commercials today because many of the companies put out their commercials on the internet ahead of time. So for those of you who want to skip the game but watch the commercials here is the link to the commercials.

P.S.
And the commercial that revived a career.

P.S 2

3 Companies that were made by their Superbowl commercials.

P.S 3

In my opinion the best Superbowl commercial and a classic.

Best French Fries

2012-02-04T04:15:00.002-05:00

I have tried to cut down on the amount of fried foods that I eat. Let's face it fried foods as a regular part of your diet is going to lead to health issues. Having said that I really have never been able to give up good french fries. Not the ones you get at fast food places but the really good ones that are worth the occasional dietary spurge. The secret to good french fries at home is something I want to share. It involves a two step frying process. This is what the good restaurants do.

In a medium bowl, dissolve two teaspoons of sugar in cold water. Cut Russet potatoes into french fries and soak in water mixture for 30 minutes. This takes out some of the starch from the potatoes and gives the crispiness to the fries. Remove from water and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Heat peanut oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Add potatoes, and cook for 2-3 minutes. The potatoes will not be golden brown at this point. Drain on paper towels for at least 5 minutes. Once the fries are thoroughly drained, put them back in the deep fryer for another 3-4 minutes or until golden crispy and light brown. Dump them onto a paper-towel-lined container/counter and quickly salt them to taste. Sea salt is best. The key is to salt them while the oil is still glistening on the fries, so that the salt adheres to the fries. Allow to drain one minute and then serve.

My favorite fries:
1) Thrashers at the beach
2) Duck fat fries at Victoria's Gastro Pub
3) BGR Fries (The Burger Joint in Columbia Crossing)
4) Red Robin

P.S.

New Drive Thru Starbucks in Dobbin Center. Opening next month according to Tale of Two Cities.

Don't lecture me if you want me to learn

2012-02-03T04:14:00.001-05:00

If you aren't a listener and contributor to NPR you are missing out on the best way to stay current on what is happening in our world. Sometimes the best blog I can do is to link you to an interesting story I heard on a National Public Radio. Today is one of those days. The story I am linking on is a topic I have blogged on before. The question posed in the story is why our educational systems still use the lecture method of teaching when it is so ineffective as a teaching method. Here is the link.

Where have all the young families in Howard County gone?

2012-02-02T04:13:00.003-05:00

     I recently read a report from the Howard County Planning that shows the growth of the County is definitely slowing from the rapid growth we have experienced over the past four decades. Starting with the development of Columbia in the late 1960's we have experienced an explosion of growth in our County. In the 1970's we experienced a 92% growth rate, in the 1980's a 58% rate, in the 1990's a 32% rate and in this past decade a 16% growth rate. You can see the trend. Much of the development in our County in the next decade will be in the Route 1 corridor and Columbia Town Center.

       The report goes into the numbers in two ways that I have blogged on in the past---the aging of our population and the growing diversity of the population with the increase in foreign born individuals. I was amazed at the growth in the 60-64 age segment of our population growing by 92% in 10 years, the 65-69 age growing by 89% and the 55-59 age group growing by 52%. The Baby Boomers who moved into the County with the development of Columbia and raised their families have hit their golden years!

       On the other end of the age scale the under 5 age population declined by 5% and the 5 to 9 age group declined by 1%. The other age cohort that declined was the 30-39 age group that declined by 18%. What does this tell us? Howard County might not have affordable housing for young families. The children who grew up in the County in the 1970's and 1980's and are now in their 30's may not be able to afford to live in the County. I know that this is the story of my family and with my grown children (in the 30-39 age cohort) living outside the County. Most of my children have worked in the County at some point but have lived outside the County because of housing costs in the County.

      These population trends do indicate that affordable housing will continue to be an issue that will have to be addressed so that we are a place for young families to call home.

P.S.
News from the North Laurel Community Center
The first round of classes from the Howard County Financial Education Alliance has been finalized! Sessions include credit and borrowing and spending and budgeting. Participants may register for classes online at or by calling (410) 528-8006.

Don't forget, the North Laurel Community Center is also a VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) site this year. Families and individuals may qualify to have their taxes prepared for free if they earned less than $50,000 in 2011 (less than $25,000 for single/individual taxpayers). Clients may have their taxes prepared on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday; click here for the Howard County VITA flier.

P.S. 2
Howard County Parks and Recreation Summer Camp registration catalog is now available. Summer Camp ONLINE registration for Howard County residents ONLY begins Wed., Feb. 1 at 6 PM. County residents may register by all other methods (phone and walk-in, M-F, 8 AM – 4:30 PM) beginning on Thurs., Feb. 2. Out-of-County online registration begins Feb. 8 at 6 PM and by all other methods on Feb. 9.

Will "Fracking" come to Maryland??

2012-02-01T04:10:00.005-05:00

Last night I attended a meeting at the East Columbia Library hosted by the Climate Change Initiative of Howard County on the study currently being done in Maryland to determine "if" or "how" fracking will be permitted in Western Maryland. I have blogged before on the impact of fracturing underground shale to release natural gas reserves in the Marcellus Shale Field that goes through parts of Allegany and Garrett Counties. As shown in the film Gasland, the issue of fracking has raised legitimate environmental issues in Pennsylvania.

Last night Del. Heather Mizeur and other speakers talked about the work of a commission appointed by Gov. O'Malley to study how Maryland should approach the possibility of permitting fracking in Western Maryland.
Any discussion of how our Country meets its growing energy needs tends to breakdown into partisan disagreements that pit energy producers against conservationists. Fracking is just the latest energy production method to be thrown into this energy debate with nuclear power, off shore drilling, solar power, wind power and the Keystone pipeline. The controversy around fracking is the environmental impacts of the chemicals used with the water that is pumped into the shale to release the natural gas. The use of chemicals in the fracking process has been exempted from meeting the requirements of the Clean Water regulations passed by Congress back in the 1970's. Halleburton Corporation lobbied for this exemption by saying that the proprietary rights of the company would be violated in having to publicly release the information on the chemicals used. One of the issues that the Maryland Commission is examining is how the water returned from fracking is processed to remove any harmful chemicals. Can water treatment plants remove the chemicals safely? Or better yet how can the chemicals be prevented from contaminating the ground water. The Commission is supposed to release its report by this December.

So how does this issue impact Howard County? As the map above shows the area of tributaries that flow into the Chesapeake Bay. Some of the tributaries from Western Maryland flow through Howard County. Plus the area of the the Marcellus Shale formation covers much of the Bay's watershed.

P.S.
Check out the Howard County Historical Society's new website.

P.S. 2
Speaking of Del. Mizeur, check out her speaking on another legislative bill this session in the Maryland Legislature.

Why is traditional business afraid of innovation?

2012-01-31T04:25:00.001-05:00

      A favorite blogging topic of mine is how organizations and businesses develop a new product or service that threatens their existing business and lose the opportunity to grow. The latest example of this is Kodak filing for Chapter 11. For those of us that grew up with Kodak Instamatics in the 60's and 70's and Kodachrome 64 film (couldn't help but do this link on Kodachrome too) it is hard to believe that this company that defined photography for over a hundred years could have fallen so far.

     We all now know that Kodak's slow response to digital photography set the stage for their demise. So who invented digital photography? It was Kodak. Two engineers at Kodak in 1978 received a patent for a digital camera. Instead of embracing a potential new technology Kodak saw it as a threat to its profitable film business and lost the opportunity to exploit the new technology. The Japanese company Fuji and others were the ones to fully embrace the digital technology and the decline of Kodak began. Kodak now hopes to reorganized as a company selling printers and printer photo paper.

     Does this all sound familiar? Who invented the digital watch? In 1973 a Swiss watchmaker developed the digital watch but again lost the opportunity to be a leader in the new technology to the Japanese company Seiko. Which car company produced the first mass produced electric cars in the 1990's? How about General Motors. For three years GM produced the EV-1 electric car that was only available to lease and not to buy. The plan was to develop the technology before producing the cars for purchase. GM decided that the market was unprofitable and ended the experiment after three years and took all the leased cars and destroyed them so that they wouldn't be reproduced. A good movie to watch on this is available from Netflix "Who Killed the Electric Car?" Again a company lost an opportunity in marketing a new product to the Japanese companies of Toyota and Honda. This leads to the phrase "The World invents and Japan mass produces."

So how does a business stay innovative? The following is from a Bloomberg Business Week report on 3M:

So how does an old company stay so inventive? Larry Wendling, vice-president of 3M's corporate research labs at its St. Paul (Minn.) campus, thinks he knows. In fact, Wendling, an engineer who joined 3M right out of graduate school in 1977, has boiled it down to a seven-point list. You might call it "The Seven Habits of Highly Innovative Corporations."

1. From the chief executive on down, the company must be committed to innovation. One sure way to show that is with money. In 2005, 3M spent $1.24 billion on research and development, or 6% of its $21.2 billion in revenue. That's an unusually high amount for an industrial manufacturer. And of that R&D outlay, a fifth went to basic research or pursuits that have no immediate practicality. "If you're going to be an innovative company," Wendling says, "organic growth and new products have to be what drives the company."

2. The corporate culture must be actively maintained. Though 3M has had a new CEO every five years on average over the past 40 years, the philosophy of William L. McKnight, its inspirational leader from 1929 to 1966, is passed along by old-timers like Wendling to every new scientist or engineer. In a nutshell: "Hire good people and let them do their job in their own ways. And tolerate mistakes." Newcomers also quickly learn the stories of how 3M developed the first audio tapes, for instance, or Scotchgard. Tribes and peoples keep their cultures alive through oral histories; so does 3M.

3. Innovation is impossible without a broad base of technology. For instance, 3M claims to have leading know-how in 42 diverse technologies. That allows researchers to take an idea from one realm and apply it to another. For example, 3M scientists have used a technology behind layered plastic lenses to make more durable abrasives, more reflective highway signs, and golf gloves that allow you to get a tighter grip without squeezing as hard. Companies that remained "unidimensional," as Wendling puts it, typically run out of ideas after their first success.

4. Talk, talk, talk. Management at 3M has long encouraged networking -- formal and informal -- among its researchers. Wendling calls this 3M's secret weapon. The scientists themselves formed an organization called the Technical Forum in 1951. It invites all of the company's 9,700 R&D personnel to an annual symposium, where everyone can see what everyone else is working on. Labs also host their own conferences and Webcasts and elect representatives to a governing body to set policy. The formal structure enables researchers to get to know one another informally, as well, so they know whom to call for advice or to team up with on a project.

5. Set individual expectations and reward employees for outstanding work. The folks who call themselves 3Mers take pride in discoveries that lead to real-world products. Management reinforces this by fostering a dual-career ladder so veteran researchers can continue to move up without becoming managers. It also honors hundreds of employees -- nominated and selected by their peers -- for scientific achievements every year. And it gives the top 20 overachievers and their spouses a four-day holiday at 3M's corporate retreat in Park Rapids, Minn.

6. Quantify efforts. 3M tallies how much of its revenue comes from products introduced in the past four years to judge whether its R&D money is being spent wisely. That way management can assess which lab is hitting its mark and which may be falling short. After reviewing its data, the company centralized basic research from 14 centers around the world to its headquarters campus in 2003.

7. Research must be tied to the customer. Employees spend a lot of time with customers to understand what their needs are so they can go back to the labs to come up with valuable products. The Post-it Photo Paper came out of such research. While digital photography is easy, 3M researchers learned that most people store their images on a computer, which means they might have to scroll through them all to find a particular shot. And if consumers do print out their favorites, they often stuff them in a drawer, where they're just as hard to find. The solution: Photos that are as easy to display as a Post-it note.

Of course, results will vary. Still, Wendling says his points have made the difference at 3M. "We do think innovation is more than an accident," he says, "and that you can create the environment for innovation by paying attention to these seven things."

P.S.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Feb. 28th to eat at the Green Turtle (8872 Mcgaw Road, #C - Columbia, MD 21045). 10% of the days proceeds will be donated to Neighbor Ride to support their volunteer-based senior transportation program.

Helping Young People Understand Finance

2012-01-30T04:23:00.001-05:00

On Saturday I had a chance to go over to Howard Community College to see an event that makingChange and Junior Achievement sponsored for young people to understand the financial decisions families make every month in developing a budget. Every young person was given a scenario that told them what monthly income they had and information about their family. They then had to visit each of the tables that represented another monthly expense such as housing, entertainment, cable, savings, food, clothing and even philanthropy. They had a range that they could choose to select how much they wanted to spend on that expense. What most people found out was how limited their choices were on the incomes they had. They could clearly see what a luxury it was to have parents paying for most of their essentials and how they spent most of their money on items that really are luxuries. What you need and what you want become clearer.

Below is the case scenario I was given:

Your Life Situation Credit Analyst

Age: 25

Married: No

Ages of Children: N/A

Career Cluster

Business Management & Finance

Education Background/Cost

I am a graduate of a North High School, which cost nothing to attend. I also earned a bachelor's degree in accounting, which cost $23,456 with a partial scholarship.

Employment Background

During summers in high school and college, I answered phones for a local credit bureau. I found analyzing finances to be interesting and realized I wanted to work in this kind of environment. A friend told me about the job I now have.

Education/Employment Objective

I love working in my company's underwriting department, making decisions, reviewing credit information, and approving loans for customers and businesses. Since I am in such a competitive field, I plan to take evening classes to begin working on my master's degree.

Gross Annual Income (GAI) $41,316

Gross Monthly Income (GMI) $ 3,443
(GAI divided by 12 months= GMI)

Federal Taxes

Monthly Federal Income Tax $ 112

Monthly Social Security Tax $ 91

Monthly Medicare Tax $ 51

Total Monthly Federal Taxes $ 254

Net Monthly Income Calculation

Gross Monthly Income $ 3,443

Monthly Federal Taxes $ 254

Net Monthly Income (NMI)= $3,189

After paying off student loans, rent, car payment and food I didn't have a lot to spare for much else.

P.S.

After more than a year, the draft Aquatics Master Plan is ready for public review. The community is encouraged to attend a public meeting/work session on the draft plan on Tuesday, January 31st, 7:00PM at Claret Hall in the River Hill Village Center. This meeting is hosted by the CA Board of Directors Planning and Strategy Committee. There will be a brief presentation by CA staff, remarks by the Chair of the Aquatics Master Plan Task Force and then then time for resident speak-out followed by Board discussion.

While registration is not required, it is appreciated. Please visit http://draft-aqua-plan-review.eventbrite.com/ to register for this event. For more information on this project, please visit ColumbiaAssociation.org/AquaticsMasterPlan.

P.S. 2
Is Fracking in Maryland's Future?

TOWN HALL MEETING

Tuesday, January 31, 7 p.m.

East Columbia Library

6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia

Maryland is studying whether to allow hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract natural gas.

The public is invited to join experts on natural gas issues for a town hall meeting to discuss environmental concerns, economic impacts and more.

Panelists are:

• Maryland Delegate Heather Mizeur, sponsor of the Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Act

• Mike Tidwell, Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network

• Harry Weiss, a member of the state panel studying natural gas drilling and an attorney with Ballard Spahr who has represented both landowners and oil and gas companies in Pennsylvania.

RSVPs appreciated: http://bit.ly/FrackingTownHall

For more information:
www.hococlimatechange.org/events/howard-county-event
Or contact Betsy , 443-812-2525, hococlimatechange@gmail.com

Northern Italy Pizza

2012-01-29T04:16:00.001-05:00

Years ago when I visited Italy I landed in Milan and expected the kind of Italian food that we Americans associated with Italy. What I was surprised about was that the food in Milan was more French than what I thought to be Italian. Until I reached Rome and Naples did I find the Italian food I expected. Pizza in Milan and Venice was not quite what I expected.

Yesterday I recreated the pizza that I remember from Milan. It had a tomato sauce with a beef stock and burgundy flavor. I sauteed some mushrooms, added beef stock, garlic, red wine vinegar and a little plum sauce to cut the vinegar. After sauteing I added the tomato sauce. For the cheese I used a mixture of goat cheese and mozzarella. I always put the cheese down first and then squeeze the tomato sauce on top. I put the sauce in a zip lock bag and snip the corner of the bag to squeeze out the sauce. Put some sliced cherry tomatoes and smoked pancetta on top and cooked at 550 degrees on a pizza brick. Good pizza.

P.S.

About 10 years ago I noticed that landscaping companies were using pansies for some color during the winter. I have done a little research and found that we are in what is considered Zone 7 of the plant hardiness map. This puts us right at the edge of the region for being able to use pansies in the winter. Above Baltimore you won't see many of the pansies. This year our temperatures have been closer to the normal temperatures probably 200 or 300 miles South of here. The pansies sure looked nicer than the winter cabbage that had been used before in the winter. With the mild winter and lack of snow I have been noticing how well the pansies are holding up. Usually by now the color has faded from the pansies because of cold weather and snow.

The Howard County Library System and Howard County Schools Partner on the A+ Programs at the Library

2012-01-28T07:40:00.002-05:00

Howard County Schools have partnered with the Howard County Library on a number of programs to make learning fun. These programs are all part of the Library's A+ program. If you know of kids in a Howard County School encourage them to participate in one of these programs.

BumbleBee Awards Ceremony

Join us for the sixth annual BumbleBee Celebration. A companion to the HCLS Spelling Bee, the BumbleBee inspires first through third grade students to build vocabularies, learn spelling tips, and gain confidence in front of an audience.

RSVP to 410.313.7750 or rsvp@hclibrary.org.

HCLS, Miller Branch

Monday, March 5

7 pm

Sponsored by The Columbia Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Columbia-Patuxent, Columbia Town Center Rotary Club, Elkridge Rotary Club, Ellicott City Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Clarksville at Maple Lawn, and Rotary Club of Ellicott City-Sunrise.

HCLS Spelling Bee

Cheer on the county’s outstanding spellers (fourth through eighth grade students) as they compete for the county crown. Winners from 64 public and private schools and homeschool association bees will spell off for the chance to advance to the National Spelling Bee!

Details at hclibrary.org/spellingbee.

Reservoir High School

Friday, March 9

7 pm

BB&T, Title Sponsor

Friends of Howard County Library, Queen Bee Sponsor

DEAR Graduation

Congratulate third grade students who improved their reading skills by reading to a therapy dog in Dogs Educating and Assisting Readers (DEAR).

RSVP to 410.313.7750 or rsvp@hclibrary.org.

HCLS, East Columbia Branch (50+ Center)

Saturday, March 24

11 am

Sponsored by Friends of Howard County Library.

Money Matters Fair

Kick off Financial Education month with a fun-filled line-up of activities to learn smart ways to stretch your money! The fair includes free shredding by Incred-A-Shred, Mind Your Pennies with Buck for kids, Y-Fi interactive activities for teens, free credit reports, tax advice, and information about personal finance and financial aid for college.

HCLS, East Columbia Branch

Saturday, March 31

10 am - 1 pm

Cosponsored by Howard County Council member Calvin Ball, Howard Community College, Howard County Public School System, makingCHANGE: A Financial Wellness Center, and Friends of Howard County Library.

Mark Your Calendars

April 14

Children's Discovery Fair

HCLS, East Columbia Branch

April 20

Battle of the Books

Atholton, Long Reach, and Oakland Mills High Schools

May 8

Rube Goldberg Challenge Awards Ceremony

HCLS, Miller Branch

June 2

Summer Reading Kickoff

HCLS, Miller Branch

K.D. Lange---simply the best

2012-01-27T04:28:00.002-05:00

End of the week and listening to one of my favorite performers--K.D. Lange. Thought I would share some of her vocals with everyone.
Constant Craving

Hallelujah

Crying

Roy Orbison's version of Crying

P.S.

Youth Finance event tomorrow at Howard Community College

The New Miller Library--Not your Grandfather's library

2012-01-26T04:04:00.000-05:00

I did a brief blog a couple of weeks ago about my first visit to the new Miller Branch Library in Ellicott City but I wanted to go back and take some pictures to show some of its unique features. This branch brings new meaning to the three pillars of the Library System: Self-Directed Education, Research Assistance & Instruction, and Instructive & Enlightening Experiences. Howard County has a new reason to be proud of our County.

The main entrance to the Library has a frog to greet you and some river stones to remind you of the rivers in the area.

Right inside the entrance you can see that this is a 21st Century library with the wall of touchscreen panels that attract library patrons in an interactive manner.

One of the unique ways the Library attracts young patrons is to have special areas for different age groups of young people. This area is for young readers. The Tech Lab should be popular with teens with changing coloring of the lighting system that has to also be seen.

The Enchanted Garden will be dedicated this Spring. This area will be a community based teaching garden which will focus on health, nutrition, and environmental education.

The Terrace Overlook allows customers to read and work outdoors while enjoying the green vegetated roof and views beyond. Designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification from the United States Green Building Council, the energy efficient new Library includes 72 solar panels and ample natural light.

One of the most unique aspects of the Library is in its title--Miller Library and Historical Center. It houses the new home of the Howard County Historical Society. I found it fascinating to look at the old pictures taken from around the County. Definitely stop in to chat with the folks staffing the Historical Center on the second floor.

P. S.

Learn about NeighborRide from a new YouTube video. Watch and maybe consider being a volunteer driver.

Homeless in Howard County

2012-01-25T04:17:00.006-05:00

       Last Sunday the Baltimore Sun highlighted the fact that many people using the Cold Weather Shelter program are young people and families with children. Grassroots operates the shelter in partnership with religious congregations in Howard County. As the Grassroots website explains:

"The cold weather shelter is a partnership with the faith community and Howard County government which provides overflow shelter from November through March. Congregations host the shelter for one or two weeks and provide volunteers for transportation, meals, laundry and to work shifts in the shelter. Grassroots provides administrative coordination and a staff person to act as the team leader during the hours that the shelter is open. For more information on the Cold Weather Shelter program, please contact Anna Katz, the CWS Coordinator at 410-531-6006 or anna@grassrootscrisis.org."

     The Sun story reported that over 200 students attending Howard County schools are classified as being homeless and eligible for transportation to their home school even if they are now temporarily living out of district or even out of the County. Somehow most people's image of a homeless person is a man with an addiction sleeping or panhandling on the street in Baltimore. Certainly not a child who is attending a school with your child or the family that lived next door to you until recently.

What for most of us was a recession was a depression for many Howard County families barely making it in normal times. Over 7,600 families in Howard County, about 10% of all families, have a income under $25,000 a year according to the Howard County Self Sufficient Index Report released last year. The Report also indicates that in the past 4 years the number of County residents applying for food stamps has increased by 146% and the same increase has been seen in people using the Howard County Food Bank. The Howard County General Hospital has seen almost a 40% increase in uncompensated care. In just the past 2 years there has been a 45% increase in eviction prevention grants.

       In Howard County we are fortunate to have a resource such as Grassroots that provides so many valuable resources for the homeless. If you are interested in becoming involved in addressing this issue with Grassroots click on this link.

P.S.
Howard County PFLAG has indicated that the Maryland Senate will hold a hearing on the Marriage Equality bill next Tuesday at 9 am. You can RSVP if you want to join them in Annapolis.

P.S.2
Howard County Schools are hosting an educational session on their career academies tomorrow 1/26 at 7 pm at the East Columbia Library. These academies are career choices that we all used to know as part of the old Vo-Tech programs and some new ones.

P.S.3
The Journey camps for 8th and 9th grade girls are now accepting applications. These are camps sponsored by the Women's Giving Circle.

The Horizon Foundation transitions

2012-01-24T04:13:00.003-05:00

Today the Horizon Foundation announced the new President and CEO, Nicolette Highsmith Vernick. As a major institution in Howard County any change in leadership at Horizon is big news. The impact of the Horizon Foundation is widely felt in the County and it has provided leadership in addressing the well being of residents of Howard County. I am sure that the new President will find Howard County to be a welcoming resource rich community with a wide diversity of residents.

However the transition is also a melancholy one with Rich Krieg moving on to new adventures in the next phase of his life. While the day to day responsibilities of the Foundation will no longer be his I am sure that Rich will find new ways to contribute his talents in our community and the broader world. A conversation with Rich was always stimulating in an exchange of creative ideas. Good luck in your new ventures--you will be missed.

P.S
Recreation and Parks is taking a survey of how County residents use their parks. Take their customer satisfaction survey.

P.S. 2
Couldn't help but noticed the depressed mood of many folks yesterday with the results of the Ravens game. Sometimes it is easier to get blown out than to lose a close one. But hey it is only two and a half months to baseball season. Oh wait---we live in Oriole country.

Connecting Columbia Bike and Walking Path System

2012-01-23T03:48:00.000-05:00

I recently blogged on how much I missed our paths when I was away from town for three weeks. I was interested in attending a recent meeting hosted by the Columbia Association to outline their plans to:

"develop an Active Transportation Action Agenda to create a more interconnected and comprehensive bicycling and walking circulation system for health, recreational and transportation purposes. This project will result in a list of action items that will improve safe pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout Columbia, with an emphasis on CA's pathways. This project will be coordinated with the County's Bicycle Master Plan initiative, which will focus more on the county's roadways."

The Howard County Bicycle Master Plan initiative will look at how a path system within the County can make bike transportation more a reality for commuting and other short trips. This of course will strongly depend on the path system in Columbia but hopefully provide biking lanes along other major routes to provide a safe way to bike to many places in the County. As our once lightly traveled roads continue to carry more and more traffic having designated lanes for bikes it now a necessity. No other metropolitan area has developed this more than Seattle. When I have been in Seattle it is amazing how many bikes come into the city during commuting times.

At the Connecting Columbia meeting attendees could identify areas for improvements in the path system. You can take a survey to tell how you use the path system.

So what is the hoped for outcome of all this work? The goals and objectives are this:

Goal:
To create a more interconnected bicycling and walking circulation system in Columbia for health, recreational, and transportation purposes

Objectives:

Increase the amount of bicycling and walking throughout Columbia among people of all ages and abilities
Improve the safety of the pathway system
Increase connectivity to key destinations
Make Columbia's pathway network is easy to navigate
Coordinate this project with the County's Bicycle Master Plan.

Desired Outcome: Desired outcomes for this project include an implementable action agenda that establishes priorities for Columbia bicycling and pedestrian network improvements; identifies implementation projects, including a pathway signage/wayfinding pilot project; creates a series of route maps; recommends partnerships; and identifies responsible parties for the implementation projects.
Timeline: November 2011 to June 2012.

TV worth watching--Nature on PBS

2012-01-22T07:45:00.000-05:00

With the proliferation of cable channels like the History Channel and the Discovery Channel the question is the Public Broadcasting System necessary? Shows like Nature on PBS show why the PBS system is still relevant. If you haven't been a viewer of this program you have missed one of the best shows on television. This week at 8 pm on Wednesday the show is about bears in Alaska that shows the quality of the show. Watch it and see what I mean.

One of the best shows they have had on this year is about an elephant named Echo.

P.S.
Enjoy Etta James who died this week.
Sunday Kind of Love
The Very Thought of You
At Last

Savory Pancakes

2012-01-21T07:20:00.001-05:00

Makes 20 (3-inch) pancakes

1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 200ºF.
Cook onion, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in 2 tablespoons butter in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then add cottage cheese, eggs, flour, 1/4 cup butter, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and whisk until combined.
Brush a 12-inch nonstick skillet with some of remaining butter and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 5, scoop 1/8-cup measures of batter into skillet and cook until undersides are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook until undersides are golden brown and pancakes are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Brush skillet with butter between batches if necessary.
2) Carrot and Sweet Potato Pancakes
Pureeing cooked carrots and cooked sweet potato and adding to any pancake mix with a little vanilla makes a great way to add vegetables to your diet in a delicious way. Add a little crushed drained pineapple and syrup as a topping and you have your fruit too.

3) Mexican Pancakes
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup cooked onion
1/2 cup cooked green peppers
1/3 cup chopped ham
Mix ingredients into pancake batter
Pour batter with ingredients on hot pan and drop a cracked egg in the middle of each pancake
Flip pancake to cook egg well
Top grilled pancake with more salsa and sour cream

4) Decadent Pancakes
These are pancakes I haven't tried but had a friend once told me about. He took a Cinnabon and sliced it into 3/4 inch slices and dipped it in pancake batter and grilled them. He called them decadent pancakes. Maybe I will try them some day.

What if there was no Internet--We got a small taste of it yesterday

2012-01-20T04:10:00.005-05:00

I mentioned in yesterday's blog how much we have all come to rely on Wikipedia for information on just about any subject. Not having that available for only one day brought many of us to recognize how dependent we are on the internet to do the things that we do everyday. Remember not having Google, Wikipedia, Craigslist, Amazon, podcasts, You Tube, Facebook, LinkedIn or blogs?

Yesterday's online protest was directed at legislation in Congress to protect copyrights of proprietary information that was promoted by companies which own a great deal of this information such at TV networks, movie and record companies. Legislation that had gathered a great deal of support suddenly lost that support with the onslaught of phone calls and emails to Congressional offices yesterday when Wikipedia shut down for the day and Google had a piece of tape over their name to symbolize suppression of information on the internet.

The new rules for sharing information, music, pictures and other proprietary material online is a battle that will continue to be fought as the digital age continues. How the owners of the proprietary material accept the general public having access in a manner that expands their business and not contract it will continue to be a work in progress. Napster evolved into ITunes. Book publishers are now trying to determine how they will grant library patrons the ability to directly downloaded from library sites. Eventually a system will be developed granting libraries the ability to purchase a limited number of licenses for books which can be downloaded by library patrons. The downloaded copies of books would disappear from an eReader after 3 weeks and not be copyable. No owner of proprietary material wants to go the way of Border's or Kodak.

P.S.
This Sunday, frozen footprints provide special clues about winter wildlife at the Robinson Nature Center in the Making Tot Tracks program. 4-6 year old children can be detectives for an afternoon in which games, stories and a short hike lead to discoveries of how animals survive the cold weather and harsh conditions of this season. You must pre-register your child for this program by calling 410-313-0400.

The Robinson Nature Center will begin accepting registrations for student field trips beginning March 1. The Center will hold free teacher open houses on the following dates:

· Wednesday, January 25, 3-5 p.m. – secondary educators

· Thursday, January 26, 4:30-6:30 p.m. – elementary educators

Middle school educators may attend either session; each session will include a tour, planetarium show and a time for questions and answers. Due to limited parking, a third open house for pre-school educators will be scheduled in February. Check the website at www.howardcountymd.gov/RobinsonNatureCenter.htm for a date and time
P.S.2

Howard County Historical Society

HISTORIC HOUSE LOVER ALERT! --
Burleigh Manor -- one of Howard County's most beautiful and extraordinary historic homes -- is going to be open to the public for a cocktail reception this weekend. It is a Federal-style brick dwelling built about 1810, laid in Flemish bond. The probable builder was Colonel Rezin Hammond (1745–1809), who constructed it for his grandnephew Denton Hammond (1785–181...3). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Click on the link included in the video to RSVP to this event hosted by The Northrop Team.

Burleigh Manor Mansion
3950 White Rose Way
Ellicott City, MD 21042

Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM (ET)See More

Burleigh Manor Historic Home

www.youtube.com

Click the following link to RSVP for this event! http://3950whiteroseway.eventbrite.com/

P.S. 3
County Executive Ulman and County Council invite you to join them for a celebration of the Lunar New Year 4710, the Year of the Dragon. The event will be held at George Howard Building, Banneker Room Friday, January 20th at 4 pm. Its address is 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City. It will feature cultural performances and ethnic food. FREE and OPEN to the public.

P.S.4

Join the Howard County Department of Citizen Services, Office of Children's Services this Sat (1/21) for their annual "Children on Board” Child Care and Preschool Info Fair from 9 am-1 pm @ Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville. The Fair provides parents, guardians, grandparents and child care personnel w/ a “one stop shop...” for info on child care and pre-school programs, as well as the opport. to talk face-to-face w/ teachers and program directors. Admission is free; however, attendees are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the HoCo Food Bank. For more info, contact the Office @ 410-313-1940.

P.S.5

On June 5, 2012, Howard County will recognize the achievements and contributions of its foreign-born community at The Tenth Annual American Success Awards Dinner, sponsored by FIRN, Inc. Since its beginning, immigrants have come to America with dreams of success for their new life. Here in Howard County, immigrants from around the world have seen that dream come true through satisfying and worthwhile jobs, outstanding professional careers, prosperous businesses, and generous civic involvement.
They are asking for your help to identify nominees who embody the spirit of “American Success.”

The award criteria are that recipients must:
1) be foreign-born individuals who live or work in Howard County
2) be either the owner of a successful Howard County business or have achieved a high level of success in his/her chosen profession
3) have made a significant contribution to either the ethnic or general community through his/her volunteer services in Howard County.
To download a nomination form from our website, please click here
Please note that nominations are due to FIRN by February 8, 2012.

Five things about Columbia names you may not have known

2012-01-19T05:52:00.003-05:00

In visiting the Columbia Archives I always find out something interesting about Columbia. Today I thought it would be interesting to do a quiz on how we got some of the names of places in Columbia.

1) How did Wilde Lake gets its name?
No it wasn't for Oscar Wilde. The first step to the success of Columbia was the arrangement with Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. Under the leadership of Frazar Wilde, Connecticut General invested $23 million and formed a partnership with Rouse’s company to develop the new city. Rouse acknowledged the importance of this commitment in the ceremonies dedicating Wilde Lake.

2) How did Columbia get its name?
Jim Rouse like the name used for Route 29---- Columbia Pike

3) How did the American Cities Building get its name?

Named for its original tenant, the American City Corporation - a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Rouse Company.

4) How did Lake Elkhorn get its name?
Many people think it is named after the shape of the Lake but it is named for the Elkhorn branch of the Little Patuxent River which was dammed to form Lake Elkhorn.

5) How did Lake Kittamaqundi get its name?
The name comes from an Indian word meaning "meeting place."

P. S.
Next "Meet the Author" event at the East Columbia is Saturday February 4th at 1 pm. The author is Dorothy Bailey who wrote "In a Different Light: Reflections and Beauty of a Wise Woman of Color." Register at this link

P.S. 2
Yesterday was a hard day for bloggers and students with no Wikipedia. Made us remember BW-- "before Wikipedia." Thank goodness we still had Google.

Taking the Pulse of Howard County Communities

2012-01-18T04:11:00.001-05:00

        Anyone who has lived in Howard County for any amount of time learns that Howard County like most counties has communities with very distinct histories and characteristics. In Howard County we see this most dramatically in the contrast with the fairly new Columbia only a few miles from Ellicott City which has a history that extends back the the Ellicott brothers and colonial times. Talk about time travel!

      I learned this lesson years ago with the planning of senior centers in East Columbia, Elkridge, Ellicott City, Savage and Western Howard County. The interest in building design and programming reflected the differences of the seniors in each of the communities. You can also see these differences in each of the County libraries.

      So how does an organization like the Horizon Foundation recognize the different needs of different communities in Howard County? Horizon Community Councils. Councils have been formed in Ellicott City, Southeast Howard County, Elkridge and Western Howard County. I have had the opportunity recently to speak to some of these Councils and it is interesting to see how each community views their needs and issues. The Councils have tried to be sure to engage young people in each community as a way to bring a youth perspective into each Council's work. Each Council also identifies community projects to engage the Council members to improve their community.

The Horizon website explains the Councils role as:

"Each Council has undergone a process of data analysis, other fact finding, strategy development and priority selection using a community assets planning model. In addition, the Councils routinely interface with other community organizations operating in their locales."

"In their entirety, the Councils play increasingly important roles in Horizon Foundation project development and grantmaking. Councils advise The Horizon Foundation about local needs, help in outreach to local communities, and collaborate to achieve change.Made up of people who live or work in their communities, the Councils advise the Foundation about issues that are important in their communities, recommend ways to address those issues and, with the Foundation's support, implement their own projects. Council projects vary from area to area and are predicated on need."

Did a Civil War skirmish in Howard County impact the outcome of the Civil War?

2012-01-17T06:01:00.001-05:00

On my recent visit to the new Miller Library I happened to stop into the new office of the Howard County Historical Society which is now located in the Library. I bet more people visit this current location for the Society in a week than visited the old location in downtown Ellicott City in a year. You should definitely check it out when you visit the new Miller Library.

I enjoyed learning a great deal about Howard County that I never knew. We have so much history that impacted our newly created Country. One of the most interesting facts I learned about was a Civil War skirmish at the intersected of Route 97 and 144. This is the "downtown" section of Cooksville. I have gone through that intersection many times when visiting the new Gary Arthur Community Center. It seems that Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart was delayed in arriving at Gettysburg because of a skirmish with Maryland Militia in Cooksville. As the story goes if Stuart's troops had arrived at Gettysburg a day earlier it might have turned the battle into a Confederate victory.

Why the Ravens are Important to Baltimore

2012-01-16T04:33:00.001-05:00

I was out celebrating the Ravens victory late last night (really celebrating grandson's birthday) so today's blog is cheating by copying a very good opinion piece by Raymond Burke in yesterday's Baltimore Sun that I thought was an excellent examination of why sports are important to Baltimore.

       "Baltimore is a city with identity issues. It sits inland from the East Coast, but is far too eastern to be part of the Midwest. It resides hemmed in between the economic and social power of its large northern neighbors, and the political clout and sophistication of Washington immediately to its south. Northerners regard it as Southern and Southerners consider it Northern, but in reality, it is something in between and unique unto itself. It was part of a slave state that did not join the Confederacy; to ensure that it stayed that way, both martial law and military occupation were imposed during the Civil War, producing an isolation that resulted in lost economic opportunities. And so it is a city that tends to look inward and see itself somewhat from an "us against the world" point of view.

         But in the1890s, it possessed something of its own in which it truly reveled. It had the best baseball team in the world. The Baltimore Orioles of the then 12-team National League posted a .687 winning percentage while taking three straight pennants, and did so while displaying one of most supreme collections of talent ever assembled in any sport. No fewer than six players from those teams would be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. They were the toast of the town. But the business of baseball would not permit this excellence to continue. The team's best players were sold off, and the franchise was eliminated when the league contracted after the 1899 season. A brief two-year stay in the new American League ended when the team was sold to New York interests and moved north to eventually become the Yankees. For the next half-century, Baltimore would be a minor league branch office town with a chip on its shoulder.

           When the Dallas Texans NFL franchise moved to Baltimore and became the Colts in 1953, and baseball's St. Louis Browns came to town to revive the Orioles a year later, the city was finally back in the majors. The Colts were the first to reach excellence, and with them a football-mad town was born. The sudden-death victory over the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium in the 1958 championship game was a seminal moment in American sports and television, and nothing less then a religious experience in Baltimore. Barry Levinson Baltimore Colts test. Such was the reverence for the Colts. offered an honest portrayal of the relationship between the town and the team in the movie "Diner," when he had the character Eddie insist that his fiancée pass a premarital

         The '58 and '59 Colts championship teams were a tonic for a city hungering for recognition, and the players became an integral part of the fabric of the community. Nothing could better illustrate this than the 1962 pregame ceremony at which the team retired the number of four-time All-Pro defensive tackle Art Donovan. Eloquently, he expressed the spiritual bond among the faithful congregation that attended and followed the Colts' Sunday services: "There's a lady up in Heaven," he said, "who wants to thank all the people of Baltimore for being so good to her boy." Then Mr. Donovan, a World War II combat Marine, and 12-year veteran of the NFL trenches, wept, as did many of the 54,000 in attendance, and countless more listening on radio. This was a moment depicting a community bond through which we had adopted Mrs. Donovan's son as our own.

         In this context, it is understandable how difficult it was to witness the 1980s version of the team as it was mismanaged to the point of being winless during the strike-shortened 1982 season, and then suffered the ignominy of being publicly rejected by top draft pick John Elway. When the team, its name, colors, logo and history, covertly and in the dark of night, moved to Indianapolis in March 1984, a community identity was lost. Then came the decade-long and painfully humbling experience of having to grovel for an expansion team. Our history of passion for the Colts, a sold-out exhibition game, and a plan for a new, publicly financed downtown stadium, ultimately rejected in favor of Charlotte, N.C., and Jacksonville, Fla.; the commissioner famously suggesting that we "build a museum" instead.

           And so, we had to take another town's team — to do what had been done to us. The euphoria over our return to the NFL was noticeably tempered by the uneasiness with how it had to be accomplished. The wilderness years without a team had been wrenching, and we had developed a cynical hardness, which would not allow us to give our hearts easily. But the hostility of the national media to the move of the historic Cleveland Browns franchise acted as something of a rallying call, and served as the foundation for our embrace of the Ravens. It was "us against the world" again. After all, we had been robbed of the Colts and had no football for 12 seasons. We had been denied an expansion team despite having offered the best package. The Browns had not been moved secretly. And Cleveland was getting a new team and stadium in just three years while keeping the colors and history we had lost with the Colts. We shook off any sense of guilt and became Ravens fans. To its great credit, the team earned our endearment by sending players into the community, and a record-setting defense that produced a Super Bowl championship solidified our betrothal.
That bond can be witnessed in ubiquitous purple flags, lights and flamingos. And nowhere is it more evident than on game day. It is no coincidence that the Ravens' playoff seeding this year has been significantly enabled by an unblemished home record. They have an extraordinary home field advantage. It has been built, bit-by-bit, over the course of a long history. It is a product of geography and war. It is an expression of having shared the experiences of ultimate victory and devastating loss. Of knowing what it is like to feel belittled and rising up to claim a title from the belittlers.

         It is because the stadium is where a town can come together and publicly announce its call for recognition. Where we are a community with a common identity. And where we carry on the honorable tradition of standing firm with the shared determination of knowing that it is "us against the world."

Electric Light Orchestra--The English Guys with the Big Fiddles

2012-01-15T07:57:00.002-05:00

From 1972 to 1986, the Electric Light Orchestra accumulated 27 Top-40 hit singles in the US. The band holds the record for having the most Billboard Hot 100, Top 40 hits of any band in US chart history without ever having a number one single. Listen to some songs you might recognize and now you know the name of the group.

Hold on tight to your dreams

Don't Bring Me Down

Shine a little light on my life

P. S.

What exactly is a Fireplace Pie?

2012-01-14T04:48:00.003-05:00

One of the treats when my family would visit my in-laws in Illinois each winter would be having fireplace pies. These pies go back to colonial times when all food was cooked in a fireplace. Two pieces of buttered bread with a fruit filling cooked in a fireplace was an early colonial dessert. Even without a fireplace you can enjoy this dessert. Take 2 pieces of bread, soft white bread works best, trim the crust edges off and butter one side of two pieces like if you were making a grilled cheese sandwich. With the buttered sides out put some canned fruit filling, cherry is my favorite, between the two pieces. Take a fork and pinch the edges to seal in the fruit filling. Use a sandwich maker if you have one or just make on the stove the way you would make a grilled cheese sandwich. After cooking roll the pie in some sugar and serve with some ice cream.

P.S.
For all my food related blogs you can use the "search this blog" feature on the right side of the blog and entering the word "food".

Did you ever feel brain dead by the time you get to Friday??

2012-01-13T04:09:00.004-05:00

Trying to think of something interesting on which to blog is tougher some days than others. Today is one of those days (it is actually Thursday at 10:47 pm as I write the blog the night before and only post it early the next day.) So I will take the easy way out and just post some meeting notices that folks have sent me. Have a good weekend I only wish our great weather would have lasted to this weekend. What happened to Winter??? I been feeling like we live 500 miles south of Maryland. Climate change? There is a reward for reading to the end of today's blog.

Is fracking in Maryland's future?

Maryland is studying whether to allow hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract natural gas. The Climate Change Initiative of Howard County invites the public to join experts on natural gas issues for a town hall meeting to discuss environmental concerns, economic impacts and more. This free event is Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 7 pm. at the East Columbia Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia.

Panelists are:

· Maryland Delegate Heather Mizeur, sponsor of the Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Act

· Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network

· Harry Weiss, a member of the state panel studying natural gas drilling and an attorney with Ballard Spahr who has represented both landowners and oil and gas companies in Pennsylvania.

Other sponsoring organizations are the Maryland Sierra Club, the League of Women Voters, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Food & Water Watch.

RSVPs appreciated: http://bit.ly/FrackingTownHall

For more information: http://www.hococlimatechange.org/events/howard-county-event

Or contact Betsy Singer, 443-812-2525 elizabethsinger446@hotmail.com

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Meet the Authors at the Howard County Library

	02/04/12 1:00 PM East Columbia Branch Meet the Author Dorothy Bailey Dorothy Bailey, author of In a Different Light: Reflections and Beauty of Wise Women of Color, talks about how he ... [more] Dorothy Bailey, author of In a Different Light: Reflections and Beauty of Wise Women of Color, talks about how her book highlights the wisdom, beauty, strength, and courage of 90 women, aged 70 and over, who live in Maryland or have strong ties to the state. Several of the "wisdom carriers" profiled in the book may make cameo appearances. An African American History Month event. Refreshments. Books available for purchase and signing.
03/16/12 7:00 PM Miller Branch	Meet The Author: Jodi Picoult Number one internationally bestselling author and master storyteller Jodi Picoult presents her 19th novel, Lone Wolf< ... [more] Number one internationally bestselling author and master storyteller Jodi Picoult presents her 19th novel, Lone Wolf, an unforgettable story about family, love, and letting go. Picoult's books are translated into 34 languages in 35 countries. Three -- The Pact, Plain Truth, and The Tenth Circle -- have been made into television movies. My Sister's Keeper* was a big-screen* release starring Cameron Diaz. Books available for purchase and signing at all events. Sponsored by Friends of Howard County Library. In partnership with Barnes & Noble in Ellicott City. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P. S. Music Video to get "stuck" in your head all day

I bet you are in the top 1%

2012-01-12T04:15:00.000-05:00

We have heard a great deal the past few months about the top 1%. This usually refers to the top 1 % of households by income in the United States. To be in the top 1% by income in the United States you would need an annual household income of $350,000 or above. I wasn't able to find out what income you would need to be in the top 1% for Howard County residents but I might calculate it this way. The median household income in Howard County is $101,000 which is a little more than 3 times the median income for households in the United States. I know that it is an imprecise way of estimating but that would make the top 1% in Howard County at a little more than 3 times the median for the United States or over $1,000,000 a year household income. There are approximately 104,000 households in Howard County so there would be 1,040 households in Howard County with an annual household income over $1,000,000 a year.
So where would most of us be in the top 1%? The median annual income for the world population is $31,000. That would put most of us in the top 1%.

Revised Post to today's Blog post!!

2012-01-11T04:23:00.003-05:00

It was bound to happen. The post earlier today on Maryland MVA not sending out notices to renew your license was a hoax for which I fell. I often check out information I get in emails with Snopes.com but because this was Maryland specific and it came from someone I thought was a reliable source I fell for it. Thanks to a blog reader for setting me straight.

P.S.
There's still time to donate to the Howard County Fire and Rescue Services' food drive. Citizens have until this Friday, January 13th to donate what they can. Each fire station is serving as a drop off site for non-perishable donations for the Howard County Food Bank. The Food Bank is currently very low in inventory and in need of nutritious foods such as canned vegetables, fruits, pasta, cereals, canned meats and fish, juices, dried beans/lentils, canned spaghetti sauce, condiments, and personal care items.

Do you what happened 5 years ago that changed how we do many things today?

2012-01-10T05:13:00.000-05:00

Five years ago yesterday Steve Jobs unveiled the IPhone and the world of apps was created. Can you believe that before 2007 no one had an app? Originally the IPhone was thought of as a phone that could surf the net. The world of apps has given us the ability to do many of the things for which we used to have a separate mechanism. Does anyone buy a camera or camcorder these days? How about a GPS for your car? Need a flashlight? Want to listen into to a Howard County Police and Fire scanner? Turn a photo into a drawing? Need an alarm clock? A calculator? Tell you how far or how fast you ran or biked? Want to do a crossword puzzle? Find a good restaurant in a new city? There are apps for all of these. I have only had a smart phone for a few months and already replaced most of the other gadgets I used to use before I had a smart phone.

What is in the future? How about a smart phone LCD projector like the one pictured above? This is already available from China.

Want to have a regular size keyboard for your smart phone without carrying a keyboard around? Watch this video. How about smart phones replacing banks and credit cards? This is how. Maybe it is only time before we microwave our food with a smart phone app!!

The three letter acronym that causes anxiety in every high school senior---SAT

2012-01-09T04:48:00.002-05:00

One of those life passages that many of us have to experience is the dreaded SAT test. Somehow as a young person we feel that this one test determines our future success. A good score and ivy league schools will then lead to career success. A poor score and we are left to choose among our 2nd and 3rd choice colleges. As we get older we realize that many other factors impact our career success and the anxiety over this one test was overblown but we still remember the dread of walking into that SAT testing room. Today I have some good news for any young person in Howard County who is currently facing this exam.

The Howard County branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is hosting a practice SAT exam on 2/11 at Vantage House for middle and high school students. There will be a follow up strategy session on 3/3 at 2 PM at Vantage House and one parent/guardian can come with the student to the latter event. The donation for both events is $15 per person, with proceeds going towards the AAUW Howard County philanthropic funds and particularly towards the two scholarships we give to two Howard Community College female students. They also use the money to send an HCC student to the National Conference of College Women Student Leaders, held in early June at UMD in College Park. This has international participants.

For this practice SAT, they would like to promote it as an educational project and a fundraiser. Students get to take the practice SAT – just like the real one – and then learn more about what to watch for on SAT and ACT tests. Parents have been delighted when they did this and students range in grades from 6^th to 11^th. They also welcome home-schooled students.

Other AAUW Events

Girl Power Career Fair
This Career Fair for middle and high school girls will be held Sunday, March 11 from 2 PM – 5 PM at the Kossiakoff Center at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL). The purpose is to interest girls in studies and careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. Several hundred attend each year, with their parents/guardians.
The APL hosts this event, with funds from other organizations and support from the APL and Math Engineering Science Achievement organization. This is a free event that AAUW Howard County participates in each year, with a STEM exhibit. We will also have an AAUW exhibit table where we will have information on AAUW and an associated sale on membership in AAUW.
There will be many hands-on STEM exhibits and presentations. If you are an AAUW member and you want to help at this event, contact aauwhocomembers@gmail.com.
Discovery Fair for pre-schoolers
This event for pre-school children will be held at the East Columbia library on Cradlerock Lane on April 14 from 10 – 2 PM. The theme this time will be Exploring Nature. Many organizations will have exhibits involving this theme. AAUW Howard County will be exhibiting and there will be a sale on membership for those interested in joining AAUW. This is a free public event and is lots of fun.
Adventures in Dining
Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 6:30 PM,
Hunan Legend in Dorsey Search village center.
Contact aauwhocomembers@gmail.com if you want to come and are not a member.
AAUW Book Bash
Saturday, January 14, 2012, 11:30 AM
Union Jack Pub, in Columbia Mall parking lot.
Contact aauwhocomembers@gmail.com if you want to come and are not a member.
Sale on AAUW membership at this event.
AAUW Cheap Dates
Sunday, January 15, 2012, 2:30 PM
Paneras at Dobbin Center; No RSVP necessary.
AAUW Lunch Bunch
Thursday, January 26, 2012, 11:30 AM – 1 PM
Nordstrom’s Marketplace café. No RSVP necessary.
Sale on Membership.

P.S.

Howard County Library

Raptor Adventure. Get up close and personal with remarkable birds of prey in an informative presentation and display by handler Deron Meador. A barn owl, Eurasian eagle owl, red-tailed hawk, and yellow-headed vulture are on the guest list, as well as stories about our feathered friends. Ages 6 & up; 60 min. 01/14/12 2:00 PM Central Branch
*Registration is required. Register online or by calling 410.313.7880.

Every Child Has Opportunities in Music

2012-01-08T13:28:00.000-05:00

In tight budget times extra curricula activities like music and physical education get squeezed. This may lead to some students unable to play a musical instrument because of cost. I was recently happy to hear of a group of parents in Howard County that have organized to promote music for youth in Howard County schools. The group is called ECHO, Every Child Has Opportunities in Music. A description from their website:

Do you have a formerly loved musical instrument that needs a new home?

If so, the ECHO Project is just the place to donate your used instrument. The instruments should be in good playable condition. If MINOR repairs are needed, they must be addressed prior to donation.

All instruments will be used to help out students who could not otherwise afford an instrument of their own. Music is a gift from the heart, so open your heart today and donate your unused instrument to the ECHO Project. By donating an instrument, you give it a second life, something like a musical echo…

Our first donation drive was at Mt Hebron High School during the Solo and Ensemble Festival. Many thanks to Music and Arts Centers for helping out with evaluations and tax receipts.

If you have questions please contact Joan Orcutt, Chair, Howard County Parents for School Music (HCPSM) at 301-854-2447.

Does Howard County have a good "Diner, Drive In or Dive?"

2012-01-07T05:33:00.001-05:00

Probably the most popular show on the Food Network is "Diner, Drive Ins and Dives." Host Guy Fieri travels the country looking for those food places that take food to an extreme or with a unique twist. No cookie cutter chain restaurants on this show and that is what makes the show have an appeal that is irresistible. Once you start watching you get hooked. The only problem is that much of the food would kill you if you ate it regularly!

The good and bad of restaurants in our County is that like most modern suburban communities we have almost every chain restaurant out there today. I have relatives who are thrilled when they visit that they can go to the Olive Garden. What I would like is to be able to take them to a restaurant unlike any they have ever visited. Just like the sameness of the modern mall, chain restaurants are homogenizing us as a country.

All of this leads me to say "Thank goodness for the blog HowChow!" Being probably the most popular Howard County blog it saves all of us having to find the new or unique restaurant. It has even informed us that R&R Taqueria, a carryout on Route 1, is going to be on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" in the near future. If you want some authentic Mexican food try the food at this take out. It is in a part of the Shell gas station at the intersection of Route 1 and 175. Strange place for a take out but I have noticed how you are starting to see more of these small take outs popping up in gas stations around the County. Adding to this trend is the growing trend of ethnic food trucks parking near business parks and along Route 1. Both of these trends are well covered by HowChow and have led me to some places that are unique.

Just curious if anyone knows of any place that could be nominated to appear on "Diners, Drive Ins or Dives?"

Improving Columbia's best asset--our biking and walking trails

2012-01-06T04:48:00.001-05:00

Having spent most of December out of town the thing I missed most was not having Columbia's trails on which to run. I had to run on roads that had traffic or on uneven sidewalks. No running on trails with scenery that changes with the seasons. When people ask me if I ever plan to move out of Columbia my first thought is, "Where would I run if I moved?" Our CA trails spoil us. That is why I am attending a public meeting next week that CA is sponsoring and wanted to let everyone know about.

CA is hosting the first public meetings for the Connecting Columbia project next week. To register for this event, visit: http://connecting-columbia-public-meetings.eventbrite.com/. Note that both locations will have the same content.

January 10, 7:30-9:00PM Owen Brown Community Association, 6800 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045

January 11, 7:30-9:00PM Slayton House, 10400 Cross Fox Lane, Columbia, MD 21044

The goal of the project is to create an action agenda that will result in a more interconnected and comprehensive bicycling and walking circulation system for health, recreational and transportation purposes. A brief presentation will occur at approximately 8PM introducing the project team and describe the project, goals, and objectives. Before and after the presentation, there will be several “stations” for residents to make suggestions and recommendations. For more information about the project, please visit www.columbiaassociation.org/connectingcolumbia.

P.S.

Something strange happened to yesterday's blog. When I posted it in the morning the information was there and when I looked at it later in the day to add something only the image I used was there. So I am re-posting the information.

Advocacy efforts worth knowing about

Equality in 2012: The Strategy for Achieving GLBT Rights in Maryland
Join PFLAG Columbia-Howard County for an exciting evening of discussion and collaboration as we strategize a WINNING approach to the 2012 Maryland legislative session.

Tuesday, January 10th at 7:30 PM

Owen Brown Interfaith Center

7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045

directions available on our website www.pflagmd.or

Come join Dan McCarthy and the rest of your PFLAG family at 7:30PM, Tuesday night, January 10. Join the fight and help us achieve equality in 2012!

The national GLBT political gurus all agree that Maryland is the next and best battleground to fight for and achieve marriage equality. The foundation has been laid by you in previous years, but this is our year for success.

We will present a dynamic panel with representation from:

Marylanders United for Marriage Equality
Gender Rights Maryland and
Equality Maryland

This dynamic panel will detail our community's political and lobbying strategy for securing:

Marriage equality and
Gender anti-discrimination protections

You will learn about all the specific legislation being proposed, opportunities and obstacles to passage and most importantly, what you can do to make an impact.

Please make time to attend and lend your support for EQUALITY.

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From the Climate Change Initiative of Howard County

Jan 15, 2-4:30pm: Earth Forum of Howard County: The Chesapeake Bay and Your Backyard. Congressman John Sarbanes will discuss working to restore the health of the Chesapeake, promote management of storm water runoff, and increase environmental literacy. For more information: http://www.hococlimatechange.org/events/earth-forum

Jan 31, 7pm: Is Fracking in Maryland’s Future? at the East Columbia Library. Maryland is studying whether to allow hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to extract natural gas. The public is invited to join experts on natural gas issues for a town hall meeting to discuss environmental concerns, economic impacts and more. Panelists will include Delegate Heather Mizeur, sponsor of the Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Act; Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network; and Harry Weiss, a member of the state panel studying natural gas drilling and an attorney with Ballard Spahr who has represented both landowners and oil and gas companies in Pennsylvania. http://www.hococlimatechange.org/events/howard-county-event

Upcoming Circles:

Jan 3, 7pm: Choices for Sustainable Living at Oakland Mills Interfaith Center. Don't sleep-walk through the future. Join a discussion circle for "Choices for Sustainable Living" by coming to the kick-off meeting. For more information, contact Bonnie Sorak at goecsa@yahoo.com or 410-465-0427.

Jan 6, 7pm: Transition Howard County meeting at a private home in Ellicott City. Jonah Blaustein of the the Public Banking Institute (http://publicbankinginstitute.org/) will talk about economic sustainability and public banking. RSVP to hococlimatechange@gmail.com is required as space is limited. For more information: http://www.hococlimatechange.org/get-involved/transition-town

A yardstick for life

2012-01-04T04:21:00.000-05:00

Today would have been my Father's 86th birthday. He died last Wednesday morning after a month long illness. His generation, described by Tom Brokaw as the "Greatest Generation", is rapidly leaving us. You see it when you visit the World War II memorial in DC. Old men being pushed in wheelchairs or walking with walkers and canes. The generation that grew up struggling in the Depression and going off to war when they came out of school had to mature and face adversity that few of us Baby Boomers ever knew. They learn responsibility and hard work early in their lives and it defined them the rest of their lives.

My Father was the oldest of eight children in a family that didn't have a lot growing up. For him working hard, raising a family and maybe being lucky enough to someday buy a house defined a successful person. He never could understand how his oldest son, yours truly, could say that he wanted to only work at something "meaningful." My coming home from college with a beard and long hair only caused him to shake his head at this "new" generation. His Christmas gift for me that year was an electric razor!

Like most boys I foolishly measured myself by the wrong yardstick with my Father. I shouldn't have measured myself by becoming taller, stronger or accomplishing things he hadn't accomplished. As I have grown older I realize that the yardstick I should have measured myself by was his wisdom, his common sense and his sociability. That's the yardstick I will use the rest of my life.

What did Walt Disney and Jim Rouse have in common?

2012-01-03T04:09:00.000-05:00

The picture above is of Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. One of the complaints about downtown Columbia is that there is no "there", "there". Oh we have the Mall and the Lakefront but what really defines downtown Columbia. As I have blogged about before Jim Rouse and Walt Disney met three times in the early 1960's and although no records exist of what they talked about I am fairly sure they talked about their common love of Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. The main street of Tivoli Gardens is the model that Disney used for his Main Street in Disneyland and Disney World.

Jim Rouse also considered Tivoli Gardens as a possible component for downtown Columbia. As quoted in an article in 2002 in Entertainment Magazine,
"Both Walt Disney and Jim Rouse had been inspired by their respective visits to Tivoli, which charges a modest gate fee in exchange for the entertainment value of both its beautiful place and engaging street performances. Within its gates and between the mimes and minstrels were pay for play opportunities such as concerts and a carnival, and more than twenty restaurant tenants. Indeed, Tivoli Gardens was a model of both owned & operated entertainment and tenant/landlord commercial activity."

In a biography of Jim Rouse, Paul Marx wrote that downtown Columbia was supposed to have,
"a 25 acre cultural, educational, entertainment area (our Tivoli Gardens) with restaurants, bandstands, theaters, nightclubs, ice rink, roller rink, boat marina, plus the Columbia Pavilion of Music...."

Of course downtown Columbia always included a mall with Rouse being a mall developer. We got the Columbia Mall but never got the Tivoli Gardens of Columbia. Maybe as the era of the enclosed mall is ending, as we see with the tearing down of the Owings Mills and Laurel Malls, maybe someday a Columbia Tivoli Gardens can rise from the downtown area that now encompasses the Mall.

P.S.
makingCHANGE and Junior Achievement are co-sponsoring a Youth Finance Day at the Howard Community College on January 28th from 10 am-2 pm. This has become a popular event so register early and take your children to this event to have a fun time learning about finance.

Something you will never see in Columbia

2012-01-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

Living in a town whose history only goes back to the mid 1960's it is interesting to have been spending time in my hometown in Pennsylvania whose history goes back to Indian settlements in the early 1700's. Reminders of these earlier times are all over town. Some of the most interesting are the old hiching posts and steps that were used in the times before cars. The steps made it easier to get into the wagons and coaches that were used to get around town. The one above and below are still here to harken back to an earlier age.

Some of the homes of that time are also still here to see when the town was home to many wealthy town residents.

Junior Achievement: Teaching Financial Literacy to School Children

2011-12-29T17:19:00.004-05:00

When it comes to the necessary components of a modern education there is much debate on what is a school's responsibility and what should be left to parents. Much of the debate in the past has been around teaching sex education. Today the debate has shifted to financial literacy. With many people (and governments) deeply in debt today it seems appropriate to give young persons some knowledge about finances before they go down the wrong roads. Starting with college debt many young people find themselves digging out of a "a deep hole in debt."

Junior Achievement has developed an innovative program that provides young students some hands on experience with finances. By developing a "Finance Park" Junior Achievement teaches students from Howard County and other jurisdictions,

"Credit and Debt, Saving and Investing, Taxes, Income and Social Security, Pricing Research, Planning: Budgeting and Money Management and Career Goals.After 19 teacher-led sessions, the program culminates in an online personal finance simulation where students apply learned concepts in a life-like “virtual” community. Upon entering JA Finance Park:Virtual, students are assigned a unique “life situation,” which details their adult persona, including marital status, number of children (if any), education, employment and income."

"Teachers, parents and local business people mentor students as they use bank services; contribute to charities; purchase housing, transportation, furnishings, food, health care and other expenses; make investment decisions, create a spending plan, and balance their personal budgets. Through these activities, students begin to understand the value of money, and make the connection between hard work, education and their future earnings."

"JA Finance Park™ enables students to build foundations for making intelligent lifelong personal finance decisions, in a program correlated to Maryland Skills Standards for 8th and 9th grades. In 19 teacher-led lessons, combined with a 4.5 hour simulation, students learn about the many pieces of a personal budget, such as rent/mortgage, car payments, insurance, savings, entertainment, groceries, and more! As students strive to create a balanced budget, they begin to understand the value of money, and make the connection between hard work, education, and their future earnings."
For more information about JA Finance Parkor details on additional sponsorship opportunities, including a presenting sponsorship opportunity, contact JACMD Development Vice President Kaitlin Bowman at kbowman@jamaryland.org, or call 443-394-7211

Worth a second look

2011-12-28T09:29:00.000-05:00

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/12/jerome-simpson-flip-a-video-clip-that-must-be-seen.html

States cutbacks impact mental health services

2011-12-27T07:41:00.001-05:00

As Republican candidates all try to be the one to minimize the size of government there are consequences to reducing government services. The following story from Reuters points to one consequence.

Mentally ill flood ER as states cut services

CHICAGO/NEW YORK - On a recent shift at a Chicago emergency department, Dr. William Sullivan treated a newly homeless patient who was threatening to kill himself. "He had been homeless for about two weeks. He hadn't showered or eaten a lot. He asked if we had a meal tray," said Sullivan, a physician at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago and a past president of the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians. Sullivan said the man kept repeating that he wanted to kill himself. "It seemed almost as if he was interested in being admitted." Across the country, doctors like Sullivan are facing a spike in psychiatric emergencies - attempted suicide, severe depression, psychosis - as states slash mental health services and the country's worst economic crisis since the Great Depression takes its toll. This trend is taxing emergency rooms already overburdened by uninsured patients who wait until ailments become acute before seeking treatment. "These are people without a previous psychiatric history who are coming in and telling us they've lost their jobs, they've lost sometimes their homes, they can't provide for their families, and they are becoming severely depressed," said Dr. Felicia Smith, director of the acute psychiatric service at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Visits to the hospital's psychiatric emergency department have climbed 20 percent in the past three years. "We've seen actually more very serious suicide attempts in that population than we had in the past as well," she said. Compounding the problem are patients with chronic mental illness who have been hurt by a squeeze on mental health services and find themselves with nowhere to go. On top of that, doctors are seeing some cases where the patient's most critical need is a warm bed. "The more I see these patients, the more I realize that if it's sleeting and raining outside, the emergency room is the only place they have," said Dr. R. Corey Waller, director of the Spectrum Health Medical Group Center for Integrative Medicine in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Government agencies such as the National Institutes of Mental Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration could not provide fresh data on use of psychiatric services in recent years. But doctors from more than a dozen hospitals nationwide, mental health advocacy groups and state-funded agencies told Reuters they are all seeing a marked increase in psychiatric emergencies.

A WORSENING PROBLEM

The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), an organization of state mental health directors, estimates that in the last three years states have cut $3.4 billion in mental health services, while an additional 400,000 people sought help at public mental health facilities. In that same time frame, demand for community-based services climbed 56 percent, and demand for emergency room, state hospital and emergency psychiatric care climbed 18 percent, the organization said. "This wasn't one round of cuts," says Ted Lutterman, director of research analysis at NASMHPD Research Institute. "It was three or four for many states, and multiple cuts during the year."

If the economy doesn't improve, next year could be worse because many community mental health agencies are cutting programs and using up reserve funds, says Linda Rosenberg, president of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. "It's been horrible," she said. "Those that need it the most - the unemployed, those with tremendous family stress - have no insurance." In the emergency room, this increased demand has meant doctors and social workers are spending hours and sometimes days trying to arrange care for psychiatric patients languishing in the emergency department, taking up beds that could be used for traditional types of trauma.

More than 70 percent of emergency department administrators said they have kept patients waiting in the emergency department for 24 hours, according to a 2010 survey of 600 hospital emergency department administrators by the Schumacher Group, which manages emergency departments across the country. Ten percent said they had "boarded" patients for a week or more. And many hospitals are not prepared for the increased caseload of psychiatric patients, says Randall Hagar, director of government affairs for the California Psychiatric Association. California cut $587 million in state-funded mental health services in the past two years, the most of any state, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a patient advocacy group. "They don't have secure holding rooms. They don't have quiet spaces. They don't have a lot of things you need to help calm down a person in an acute psychiatric crisis," Hagar said. "Often you have a patient strapped to a gurney in a hallway outside of the emergency department where social workers are desperately trying to find an inpatient bed," he said.

FROM CITIES TO SMALL TOWNS

In North Carolina, the state has cut its inpatient psychiatric capacity by half since 2005, says Dr. Bret Nicks, an emergency physician at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem and a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians. Nicks points to a report from the Institute of Medicine released in 2006 that found U.S. emergency departments were already overtaxed and overcrowded. "Now you are adding in patients who are unsafe to leave but yet have nowhere to go," he said. "I consider patients with acute psychiatric needs as really the forgotten patient population in the U.S. right now." Dr. Stephen Anderson is an emergency department doctor at Auburn Regional Medical Center, a mid-size suburban hospital outside of Seattle. "When the economy is hurt they are some of the first to drop off the healthcare rolls," he said of local residents in the largely blue-collar community. Anderson, who heads the Washington Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, said the state has lost a third of its inpatient psychiatric beds in the past decade. Lately he is seeing a marked escalation in patients with psychiatric problems turning up in the emergency department. In early December, a third of its beds were occupied with people in a psychiatric crisis who were not safe to return to the community.

The problem extends out to small towns. Sullivan splits his time between the big emergency department at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago and St. Margaret's Hospital, a tiny facility in Spring Valley, Illinois, about 100 miles southwest of the city. On a recent shift, a young woman with schizophrenia arrived at the hospital. She had just lost her job and apartment and was living with relatives. She could not afford the medications that were keeping her illness in check. The woman asked Sullivan to switch her prescriptions to drugs that could be found on the $4 discount list at Wal-Mart and other discount stores. "I didn't feel comfortable doing that," Sullivan said, noting that emergency physicians are being asked to deliver specialized care that should be handled by a psychiatrist. He found a healthcare facility about 25 miles away with a psychiatrist who could help, but even that presented a problem for the woman, who had no way of getting to the appointment. "It's almost akin to having a cardiac patient come in and say, 'I need someone to adjust my defibrillator.' In the emergency department, we can do a lot, but there are some things we have to leave with the specialists," he said.

5 Most Surprising Findings From the 2010 Census

2011-12-26T05:43:00.002-05:00

From Time Magazine:

By Josh Sanburn | @joshsanburn | December 20, 2011 | 9

Getty Images

Over the past 10 years, our population growth has slowed, we’ve found it increasingly hard to leave home to start a career, and our salaries have decreased for the first time on record. But, it’s not all bad news.
The U.S. Census always provides fascinating data about the state of our country. But the numbers that have been trickling out of the 2010 Census this year show marked shifts, triggered largely by three factors: the Great Recession, an increase in immigration, and a rapidly aging population.
The data paints a picture of Two Americas, not necessarily between the haves and have-nots, but between older and younger Americas.
“Within the United States, there is a segmentation between older America, which is not receiving a lot of immigrants and where Baby Boomers are the dominant force, and the other part of the country, which is getting younger and becoming more diverse,” says Dr. William Frey, demographer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
It’s a period of great change for the U.S., and it comes across in the numbers Census officials have been releasing this year. Here are five of the most surprising figures.

Source: US Decennial Census / American Community Survey / Brookings

1. We’re growing more slowly.
According to the 2010 Census, the 2000s were the slowest decade of population growth in 70 years. The country’s population only grew by 9.7%, a significant dip from the 13.1% growth in the 1990s.
“A lot of that is what a demographer would call the “aging momentum,” Frey says. Fewer Americans are in their child-bearing years, immigration is down and economic growth has slowed – all factoring into a dip in growth. The South and the West were still the nation’s leading regions in population growth, accounting for 23 million new residents, as opposed to 4 million in the Midwest and Northeast. Still, even with the decrease, the U.S. added the equivalent of 80% of Canada’s population since 2000.
2. We can’t leave home.
Americans are increasingly stuck at home and less mobile than in years past. The percentage of Americans who moved in 2011 hit 11.6%, the lowest that figure has been since the 1950s.
“It’s the Avenue Q generation,” says Frey, referring to the Broadway musical about unhappy New Yorkers who aren’t able to move to other cities. “But this migration issue is very much a short-term problem. It’s mostly young people in their 20s and 30s who are staying home or moving back in with their parents.” Historically, recent grads are the ones most likely to pack up and leave home for better jobs. The problem is that the mobility issue is a vicious cycle: Americans can’t pack up and move because of the poor economy, and the economy is poor because people can’t pack up and move. But once things do get better, expect those mobility numbers to rise.
3. We’re closer to becoming a “majority minority” nation.
The rise in minority populations in the U.S. is quickening, and by 2040, Census officials project that the country will hit that majority minority mark. “In infants,” says Frey, “we’re already at a majority minority.”
(MORE: Stop Changing the Oil Every 3,000 Miles Already)
Non-whites, largely Hispanics and Asians, made up 92% of population growth in the last decade, and many of them are moving into large metro areas or the suburbs. Minorities now consist of more than half the population in 22 large U.S. cities, an increase from 14 metro areas in 2000 and only five in 1990. And according to Census figures, a majority of every major racial and ethnic group in large cities now lives in the suburbs.
4. We’re getting older.
Yes, all of us are getting older. But as Baby Boomers age, the U.S.’s 45-and-over population has grown more than 18 times faster than the group that is currently under 45. Many cities, including Buffalo and Cleveland, are aging; while others, like Raleigh and Las Vegas, are experiencing an influx of younger Americans. And older Americans are moving to the suburbs, where 40% of the population is now 45 and older. (In fact, about half of all Americans now live in the suburbs.)
And a note to those running for political office next year: Half of all voting age Americans are now over 45 years old.
5. We’re not making as much money as we were 10 years ago.
In what might be the most startling finding to come out of the 2010 census, real median household income fell for the first time on record. In 2010, the typical household earned $49,445, a decrease of 7% from 2000, while poverty climbed to 15.1% of the population, the highest since 1993.
“The 2008 recession and the period afterward were a much more severe economic downturn than we’ve seen,” says Howard Wial, a fellow and economist at the Brookings Institution, in explaining the dip in household income. “And the recovery we had from the 2001 recession was sluggish. So we had a very severe recession like nothing we’ve ever seen following a period of pretty slow growth.”
While it’s difficult to project with accuracy what might happen by the time the next Census rolls around, Wial sees a long climb ahead for the U.S. economy.
“It’s hard to make predictions 10 years ahead,” he says. “But so far it’s been a very tepid recovery, and I think it’s going to continue that way for another couple of years.”

Holiday Greetings Videos

2011-12-25T12:39:00.002-05:00

Thanks to HoCoMoJo the following holiday videos from last year at the Columbia Mall are a perfect way to enjoy the holiday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDN_W905ccc&feature=player_embedded#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8uBy4L7HtM

P.S.
I am still trying to figure out a way to work around the limited views that the Baltimore Sun has started. It's a challenge but I will figure it out. Anyone have any luck defeating their blocking system. It wouldn't be so bad but having a paid paper subscription I resent the extra charge to read it online.

Hashbrown cups with baked eggs

2011-12-23T22:34:00.001-05:00

Shape shredded hash browns in a custard cup, add a little chopped ham and top with a raw egg. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with cheese or Hollandaise sauce.

Even I can run at a "Penguin" Pace

2011-12-23T04:36:00.005-05:00

Having run this race a few times I can say that the food and shirts at this event are worth the race fee. Great way to start the new year.

The Howard County Striders
& The Bain Center Council

Invite you to start your
Super Bowl Sunday
with a great 5K run
and Post Race Brunch!

Penguin Pace 5K

7:45 AM, Sunday, February 5, 2012

Proceeds benefit The Bain Center Providing quality programs for
Howard County Seniors!

State of the Art ChronoTrack Timing and Race Management by
The Howard County Striders!

Scenic course on rolling roads through the Longfellow neighborhood of Columbia Maryland!

NEW FOR 2012
Gender-Specific Sizing & Styles
Long-Sleeve High-Tech Tee Shirts with the
famous Penguin Pace logo!

Great Post-race Brunch Catered by
the Elkridge Furnace Inn!
New Format! Mix & Mingle!

Register Here

Awards to the 1st Place male and female finishers and to the top three male and female finishers in in the following age groups: 14 & under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, & 70 and over.
All awards are based on gun time.

Register early!

Field limited to the first 400 runners!
This race has closed prior to race day the past five years!
Register online today & save!
Online registration fee: $30
Online Registration Closes Noon Wednesday Feb 1st

Limited Walk-in Registration During Packet Pickup if field is NOT closed
Friday February 3 & Saturday February 4
Walk-in Registration Fee: $35
NO WALK-IN RACE DAY REGISTRATION

PACKET PICK UP:

Friday February 3, 2012 4 PM - 7 PM
Saturday February 4, 2012 10 AM - 5 PM

FEET FIRST SPORTS
6420 Freetown Road
Columbia MD
410-992-5800

LIMITED RACE DAY PACKET PICKUP:
Sunday February 5, 2012
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM
The Bain Center
5470 Ruth Keeton Way,
Columbia MD 21044

Connecting Columbia's biking and walking path system

2011-12-22T05:10:00.008-05:00

If you use the path system in Columba you might be interested in attending one of the two open house events that the Columbia Association (CA) will host to kick off its Connecting Columbia project on January 10th and 11th. The goal of Connecting Columbia is to create an active transportation action agenda that will result in a more interconnected bicycling and walking circulation system for health, recreation and transportation purposes. The open houses will be held on Tuesday, January 10, at the Owen Brown Community Center, located at 6800 Cradlerock Way; and Wednesday, January 11, at Slayton House, located at 10400 CrossFox Lane. Both meetings will be held from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and will feature the same content. A brief presentation introducing the project team and describing the project, goals and objectives will occur at approximately 8 p.m. Community members are encouraged to stop by any time during the open house to learn about the project and to suggest ideas to improve walking and bicycling in Columbia, especially improvements to CA’s 93.5-mile pathway system. Before and after the presentation, there will be several “stations” for residents to make suggestions and recommendations.

In October, CA awarded the contract for the active transportation action agenda project to Toole Design Group, a nationally-recognized planning and engineering firm specializing in bicycle and pedestrian planning and design. A 16-member citizens’ task force has also been formed to provide guidance to CA and consultants as they work to create an active transportation action agenda. The project is anticipated to be completed by June 2012. For more information about this project, visit

www.ColumbiaAssociation.org/ConnectingColumbia

Registration for the open house is appreciated, but not required. Register online at For questions about the open houses, contact Scott.Templin@ColumbiaAssociation.com.

www.connecting-columbia-public-meetings.eventbrite.com

Can you really identify high school dropouts at 3rd grade??

2011-12-20T21:01:00.007-05:00

I read a recent report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation that really got me thinking. It indicated that a study that followed almost 4,000 students reached the conclusion that it was possible to identify children at high risk to drop out as early as 3rd grade by the reading level. This is how the report presented the information:
One in six children who are not reading proficiently in third grade do not graduate from high school on time, a rate four times greater than that for proficient readers.The rates are highest for the low, below-basic readers: 23 percent of these children drop out or fail to finish high school on time, compared to 9 percent of children with basic reading skills and 4 percent of proficient readers.Overall, 22 percent of children who have lived in poverty do not graduate from high school, compared to 6 percent of those who have never been poor. This rises to 32 percent for students spending more than half of their childhood inpoverty.For children who were poor for at least a year and were not reading proficiently in third grade, the proportion that don’t finish school rose to 26 percent. That’s more than six times the rate for all proficient readers.The rate was highest for poor Black and Hispanic students, at 31 and 33 percent respectively—or about eight times the rate for all proficient readers.Even among poor children who were proficient readers in third grade, 11 percent still didn’t finish high school. That compares to 9 percent of subpar third grade readers who have never been poor.Among children who never lived in poverty, all but 2 percent of the best third grade readers graduated from high school on time.

Educators and researchers have long recognized the importance of mastering reading by the end of third grade. Students who fail to reach this critical milestone often falter in the later grades and drop out before earning a high school diploma. Now, researchers have confirmed this link in the first national study to calculate high school graduation rates for children at different reading skill levels and with different poverty rates. Results of a longitudinal study of nearly 4,000 students find that those who don’t read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than proficient readers. For the worst readers, those couldn’t master even the basic skills by third grade, the rate is nearly six times greater. While these struggling readers account for about a third of the students, they represent more than three fifths of those who eventually drop out or fail to graduate on time. What’s more, the study shows that poverty has a powerful influence on graduation rates.The combined effect of reading poorly and living in poverty puts these children in double jeopardy.

The study relies on a unique national database of 3,975 students born between 1979 and 1989. The children’s parents were surveyed every two years to determine the family’s economic status and other factors, while the children’s reading progress was tracked using the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) Reading Recognition subtest. The database reports whether students have finished high school by age 19, but does not indicate whether they actually dropped out.

For purposes of this study, the researchers divided the children into three reading groups which correspond roughly to the skill levels used in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP): proficient, basic and below basic. The children were also separated into three income categories: those who have never been poor, those who spent some time in poverty and those who have lived more than half the years surveyed in poverty.

I was interested in hearing how Howard County Schools handle the issue of dropout and today I talked with Craig Cummings. He explained that he and Ann Blackwell work on the dropout issue. Every Spring schools identify those students at highest risk of dropping out. This process happens with students entering 6th and 9th grades. The risk factors are student test scores, school attendence and school suspensions. Sometimes a socio-economic factor can be involved but this factor is not as important as the other factors.

Once a high risk student is identified a plan and a support team is developed for each high risk student. This support team can involve teachers, counselors, pupil personnel workers and special ed staff. Families are approached to gain their involvement and support.

Maryland has a target goal of keeping dropouts below 3% statewide. Howard County not surprisingly beats this goal with a dropout rate of 1.25%. This equates to 240-250 student dropouts a year. This rate has been about the same for the past couple of years. About 3 years ago there was a significant reduction. The students still dropping out today are only those that are the "toughest of the tough." The only groups of students that have not met the 3% dropout goal for Howard County are Hispanic and African American students.

One way the the School System is trying to address the dropout problem is through the offerings of the "career academies" offered at the Applied Reach Lab (ARL). Housed in the old Vo-Tech building the academies offer many of the vocational trainings that the Vo-Tech program used to offer. There is a recognition that for some students a hands on training experience maybe more relevant than just classroom instruction.

The School System has also discussed where more flexible school times could keep some students engaged. Maybe instruction between 12-6 or some classes in the evening might keep some students in school. As with any issue flexibility may address some of the problem.

P.S.
News Hour segment on the dropout problem

Random County info

2011-12-20T06:28:00.002-05:00

From Columbia 2.0 blog
Last night was a big night for Wilde Lake, as the drawings of the proposed residential properties in the WLVC will be presented to the Wilde Lake Village Board. There will be a three week comment period following the meeting on the residential design. http://columbia2.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/the-next-step/

From the Horizon Foundation:
The Columbia-based Horizon Foundation today announced a novel language interpretation system intended to help Howard County residents with limited English skills or who are deaf or hard of hearing to communicate with health and medical providers. The program, which uses specialized data tablets located in health provider offices, allows the patients, remote language interpreters and physicians to see one another during an office visit or hospitalization.
"We are pleased that Howard County General Hospital, the Chase Brexton Clinic and the Healthy Howard Access to Care Program have agreed to participate in this 2-year pilot," said Richard Krieg, Foundation President and CEO. "It's the first time in the nation that three types of community health providers will use a high tech interpretation system to help patients with limited English skills."
The hub of the new system is Language Access Network (LAN), a provider of video interpretation services located in Columbus, Ohio. Medically qualified interpreters at the LAN language center will appear on screen in each of the pilot project's delivery sites. Immediate access to over 170 languages, including American Sign Language, will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Interpreter services will be delivered via a dedicated high-speed broadband network and a remote video interpretation platform known as "Martti," an acronym for My Accessible Real Time Trusted Interpreter. Through the pilot program, Howard County General Hospital will deploy eight Martti units, and Chase Brexton and Healthy Howard will each use one.
"From a patient care standpoint, our goal is to provide care to our patients as quickly and effectively as we can, and Martti is definitely helping us do that," said Victor A. Broccolino, President & CEO of Howard County General Hospital: A member of Johns Hopkins Medicine. "For example, on the first day we went live with the system, we had a woman in the Maternal Child Unit who spoke a particular dialect of Farsi," Broccolino recalled. "Within five minutes we were able to connect with an interpreter who could communicate in that very dialect to give the patient discharge instructions. The level of timeliness would have been extremely difficult to achieve before Martti."
Of the county's 280,000 residents, almost 15 percent are foreign born, according to 2010 census figures. "We expect that the new system will significantly enhance access to care for many of these residents," Krieg explained. "The development of this pilot followed Foundation meetings with most of the county's health providers as well as nonprofit and public agencies that serve the foreign born."
Krieg noted that in meetings with school officials, the Foundation learned that it is not unusual for the children of non English speaking parents to be interpreters for their parents and local health providers. "This is undesirable for a number of reasons," Krieg explained. "First, the child can miss an entire school day, and, secondly, it puts the student in a very uncomfortable position, especially if a significant illness is involved."

Donuts or bagels? It all depends on where you live

2011-12-19T21:58:00.001-05:00

Having spent time in northern Pennsylvania the past couple of days I have noticed how difficult it is to find any good bagels. As a bagel eater for breakfast I can't eat the Lender bread bagels they sell here in the grocery stores. I should have brought a supply of Bagel Bin bagels.

If I want a donut I have the choice of three places that make their own donuts. I have to say running past a place making donuts sure smells great. Warm glazed donuts smell heavenly. Good thing I don't carry cash when I run or the temptation would be too great. Reminds me how my Father was always surprised how hard it was to find a donut place when he came to visit us in Columbia. I can still hear him saying "What don't you people in Columbia eat donuts?" A cup of coffee and a donut is a staple here in Pennsylvania. This was before we started getting Dunkin Donuts in town. As an aside, anyone from the Boston area knows how many Dunkin Donuts they have up there. One on every street corner. But in Columbia we couldn't even support the Kripy Kreme place. I still miss the smell of the donuts that place had.

In trying to differentiate whether a place is a bagel or a donut place I thought of cold weather places vs. warm weather places, Democrat vs. Republican, sedintary vs. active places and the closest I could come up with was urban vs. rural. With the exception of Boston the dividing demographic seems to urban vs. rural or truck drivers vs. foreign car drivers.

Now I need to get back to my Boston Creme donut :-)

A New Vision for a Library--The New Miller Library

2011-12-18T06:12:00.000-05:00

New Miller Library opened yesterday. See what a new approach to library services and the home of the Howard County Historical Society. From their website information:

The Charles E. Miller Branch & Historical Center, which opened December 2011, is the largest branch in the Howard County Library System (HCLS). A 21st Century library for 21st Century public education, the new Miller Branch matches the quality of the curriculum HCLS delivers.

Designed to capture the benefits of natural lighting and maximize energy efficiency, the new Miller Branch has been designed to achieve LEED Silver Certification from the United States Green Building Council.

Partnering with the Howard County Historical Society and other organizations, the Historical Center vision will bring history to life through research opportunities, classes, seminars, and events that focus on Howard County and Maryland history. The HCLS Charles E. Miller Branch & Historical Center will become a hub for historical research in Howard County and central Maryland.

The branch has nine quiet study rooms, a 3,000 sq. ft. meeting room, a Tech Lab, and a Terrace Overlook, which allows customers to read and work outdoors. This location has 100 computers, all of which include Internet access and word processing software.

A unique component to the branch is the Enchanted Garden, a sustainable, community-based teaching garden that will focus on health, nutrition, and environmental education. The Enchanted Garden is scheduled to officially open in May 2012.

HoCo Connect

So what is behind the debt issue?

Blogging reflections from my first year of blogging

Howard County launches tax program for income eligible citizens

First Visit to the new International Market in Long Reach

From Trip Advisor: Things to do in Columbia

Great Harvest Bread

Did you know that almost half of us will use a hospice service in our lives?

How do you find out about childcare?

Women's Giving Circle Announces Events for Girls in Howard County

The Gift of Giving

Cultural Connections--Upcoming Events

What's on your IPod?

Social Media as the newest tool to do community organizing

Elite Education at a Community College Price--Rouse Scholars Program

Eastern Shore in Winter

R&R Taqueria on the Food Network Show Diners, Drive Ins and Dives

Taking Domestic Abuse Seriously or Dealing with Tragedies

Gold Rush Alaska on the Discovery Channel

Howard County Striders---Running is life

Columbia--Good place to date a "nerd"?

Living on the Edge Financially in a Consumer Economy

Superbowl Commercials

Best French Fries

Don't lecture me if you want me to learn

Where have all the young families in Howard County gone?

Will "Fracking" come to Maryland??

Why is traditional business afraid of innovation?

P.S.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Feb. 28th to eat at the Green Turtle (8872 Mcgaw Road, #C - Columbia, MD 21045). 10% of the days proceeds will be donated to Neighbor Ride to support their volunteer-based senior transportation program.

Helping Young People Understand Finance

Northern Italy Pizza

The Howard County Library System and Howard County Schools Partner on the A+ Programs at the Library

K.D. Lange---simply the best

Hallelujah

The New Miller Library--Not your Grandfather's library

Homeless in Howard County

The Horizon Foundation transitions

Connecting Columbia Bike and Walking Path System

TV worth watching--Nature on PBS

Savory Pancakes

When you think of pancakes we all think of a sweet breakfast food with syrup. But the basic pancake mix can be made into a much different experience for breakfast or dinner that is more of a savory dish than sweet. Here are some examples.

1) Ricotta Cheese Pancakes

What if there was no Internet--We got a small taste of it yesterday

Howard County Historical Society

Five things about Columbia names you may not have known

Taking the Pulse of Howard County Communities

Did a Civil War skirmish in Howard County impact the outcome of the Civil War?

Why the Ravens are Important to Baltimore

Electric Light Orchestra--The English Guys with the Big Fiddles

What exactly is a Fireplace Pie?

Did you ever feel brain dead by the time you get to Friday??

I bet you are in the top 1%

Revised Post to today's Blog post!!

Do you what happened 5 years ago that changed how we do many things today?

The three letter acronym that causes anxiety in every high school senior---SAT

Other AAUW Events

Howard County Library

Every Child Has Opportunities in Music

Does Howard County have a good "Diner, Drive In or Dive?"

Improving Columbia's best asset--our biking and walking trails

A yardstick for life

What did Walt Disney and Jim Rouse have in common?

Something you will never see in Columbia

Junior Achievement: Teaching Financial Literacy to School Children

Worth a second look

States cutbacks impact mental health services

Mentally ill flood ER as states cut services

5 Most Surprising Findings From the 2010 Census

Holiday Greetings Videos

Hashbrown cups with baked eggs

Even I can run at a "Penguin" Pace

Connecting Columbia's biking and walking path system

Can you really identify high school dropouts at 3rd grade??

Random County info

Donuts or bagels? It all depends on where you live

A New Vision for a Library--The New Miller Library