Week in Photos, 02/25-02/29
February 29, 2008
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MoCo Councilmember Floreen launches blog
February 29, 2008
Welcome to the blogosphere, Nancy!
Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen launched “Nancy at Large” today to connect better with her constituents.
“I know that my constituents have expertise, questions and opinions,” said Councilmember Floreen. “I hope the interactive environment of the blog will allow us to work through some of these issues together.”
Her first post concerns proposed changes to the Forest Conservation Law. Appropriately enough, the blog banner is a pleasing cherry blossom pic.
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentLeap Day news from the other WSJ
February 29, 2008
The Winston-Salem Journal has a cute leap day story today: they asked readers to share their tales of the woman’s being the one to “leap” into love. And for those who wrote in, writes Reporter Kim Underwood, “taking the lead paid big dividends.”
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentBaltimore baker’s tasty treats hide secret ingredient
February 29, 2008
When I was little I always looked forward to my mom’s zucchini bread loafs in the late summer, when her garden gave her more squash then even she could reasonably force us to eat. And although I have grown to love my vegetables — even in their natural form — I still almost always choose baked goods over good-for-you.
Baltimore’s WJZ-TV aired a segment Thursday morning on baker/businesswoman Lowry Martin, who has made a business out of blending veggies and treats into one tasty snack.
Lowry’s business — Have Your Cake and Eat it Too! — began production in 2000 and now markets low fat, high fiber muffins made from fruits and vegetables to schools, grocery stores and cafes.
From her squashyalicious muffin to the yamzy, a look at the nutritional contents (available on her Web site) shows each muffin is worth about one serving of fruit or vegetable, l50 calories or less and between 4 and 5 grams of fat.
Not bad if you or your kid’s got a sweet tooth like yours truly. But 12, 2-ounce muffins at about $22 a pop can get a bit pricey — do parents think it’s worth it? Or does anyone else out there have other tricks or recipes they’ve tried to get their kids to eat their veggies?
LIZ FARMER, Business Writer
Sphere: Related ContentMarylanders: Fear the Python
February 28, 2008
“Pythons could slither north as climate warms.”
It sounds like the basis for a horror movie, but it’s not. It’s a headline from Silver Spring-based Discovery Communications.
According to Larry O’Hanlon at Discovery News, the 20-foot, 250-pound reptiles could survive in multiple states by the year 2100 (at that point our climate may resemble their native India or Pakistan).
“The big snakes could comfortably creep through Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware and southern New Jersey,” he writes.
Well, they can have southern Jersey, as far as I’m concerned.
Of course, they’ve already immigrated to the U.S. A few years ago, researchers discovered a self-sustaining population of Burmese pythons in the Florida everglades - probably the result of a pet released into the wild (Snakehead, anyone?). Since then pythons have been spotted in other regional parks and preserves.
If their mere presence isn’t frightening enough, this fact could do it: they eat alligators. ALLIGATORS. (There’s a photo in that link that is worth clicking on. Trust me).
The story concludes, “USGS researchers are also looking into the potential for similar invasions by nine species of giant constrictors, including boa constrictors and yellow anacondas, which are common in the pet snake trade.”
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentCritics cry foul over chicken sandwich slogan
February 28, 2008
Sheetz’s new “Crispy Frickin’ Chicken” billboards are causing a stir for the use of fowl - sorry, foul - language.
From the AP story:
The campaign is aimed at young adults, and the company did not intend to offend anyone, [Spokeswoman Monica] Jones said.
“We’re kind of known for edgy, kind of brash advertising tactics, and we knew this would spark a certain amount of controversy,” Jones said. “That said, we’re proud of the campaign.”
The 100 billboards will be taken down when the campaign ends on Wednesday.
Sheetz Inc. is based in Altoona, Pa., but operates stores in Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentBaltimore: Expanding or shifting?
February 28, 2008
Don’t use the “S” word in front of J. Kirby Fowler.
The highly energetic president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore told about 400 business types who gathered this morning at the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore hotel that downtown Baltimore is not “shifting.” It is, he says, expanding.
With the announcements in the last year that “traditional” downtown institutions such as Legg Mason, Venable and T. Rowe Price are moving east, some — including The Daily Record — have written that the center of downtown Baltimore is shifting.
“I really wanted to do a group chant of ‘expanding,’ but I thought it would go horribly wrong,” Fowler told the Business Over Breakfast audience.
So, do you think Fowler is right? Is downtown Baltimore expanding, or is it really shifting?
Let us know what you think.
ED WALDMAN, Managing Editor/Business
Sphere: Related ContentThe Wal-Mart effect on U.S. healthcare
February 28, 2008
Got strep throat? The flu? But your doctor’s all booked up today … or maybe you don’t have one?
Now that big-box Wal Mart has entered into the healthcare industry, you can walk in to a clinic where prices are rolled back by the cute smiley face. Earlier this month, the chain announced it would open 400 more clinics by 2010.
Wal-Mart’s presence is sure to have a ripple effect on practicing physicians, nurses, emergency rooms, insurance practices and more.
RNCentral has put together a list of 20 predictions on the impact of Wal-Mart clinics: from flat fees to increased immunizations to more nurse practicioners.
Their bottom line? Rural citizens, working parents and the uninsured will have more convenient, cheap access to simple healthcare, but traditional medical offices will likely feel the mental and financial crunch of treating only the most complicated patients.
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentJudge’s reprimand for Supremes comment “shows progress”
February 27, 2008
So says Lynn Hecht Schafran, director of the National Judicial Education Program, in a post at Ms. JD.
Maryland Judge W. Kennedy Boone was reprimanded last month for calling three African-American women lawyers “the Supremes” and advising the defendant to “get an experienced male attorney.”
CARYN TAMBER, Legal Affairs Writer
Sphere: Related ContentObama, taxes and the mid-level associate
February 27, 2008
Legal scholar Ted Frank, a regular contributor to Overlawyered.com and Above the Law, says “BigLaw lawyers love Obama.”
They might not love him - or Frank - quite as much after reading Frank’s Tuesday post, where he lays out what Obama’s proposed tax policies (including ending the Bush tax cuts and the social security tax cap) will do to BigLaw wallets.
To illustrate his point, Frank calculates the effect of the tax changes on a mid-level BigLaw associate who is paid market value at a New York City firm. After he lists out his assumptions (she is single, maxes out her 401k, gives $10K/year to charity), he reveals the verdict:
The answer is that Obama’s tax increases have a bigger effect on your income than a law firm cutting New York salaries by $34,000.
Frank acknowledges, “Now, money isn’t everything. A BigLaw associate, who is already handsomely paid, might find it worthwhile to take the equivalent of a $34,000/year paycut to have Barack Obama as president instead of John McCain.”
But he also points out, “If you’re willing to reject a law firm over a few thousand dollars, how much money would sway your presidential vote and campaign contributions?”
Click here to download Frank’s excel spreadsheet, which you can edit with your own information. (Note: it will only work for taxable income above $78,850).
What do you think?
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
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