DIM BULB. High-tax troubles
Slots passed. So now is the time to start raking in the dough, right? Maybe not. The 67 percent tax rate the state plans to impose on slots operators already has potential suitors saying they can’t afford to build and market fancy locales enjoyed by residents of neighboring states. So what are going to get, motel accommodations and motel revenues?
Just charge it
Credit card debt in the United States has reached the staggering figure of $900 billion.
The details: OK, so none of us have as much disposable income as we once did — but that means we should cut back, not charge the difference. We must learn our lesson from the millions of people whose homes are in foreclosure and leave everything behind that we can’t pay for in cash.
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TV, teen pregnancy linked
Teenagers who watch sexually explicit shows on TV are twice as likely to become pregnant or make someone pregnant than those who abstain.
The details: Did we need a study to find this out? Don’t let the TV teach your children values. Get off the couch and spend time with them.
Vote early, vote often
Next election, Marylanders will be able to vote whenever they want — and possibly as often as they want.
The details: As it stands, passing the ballot measure for early voting will make it too easy to commit voter fraud. Sure, it’s no fun to stand in line on Election Day, but isn’t it better than votes being counted illegally? Early voting without requiring voters to produce a photo ID is a recipe for fraud.
Fractured faith
Our current and former governors promised pensions for state employees that we cannot give.
The details: Poor planning compounded by a failing economy created an $11 billion unfunded deficit in the state pension system. Don’t count on our legislators to cut benefits. Guess who’s going to have to pay up? Taxpayers.
Missing money
Baltimore County’s Social Services Department somehow managed to lose track of tens of thousands of dollars worth of gift cards and bus tokens.
The details: Bus tokens and gift cards need to be watched very closely if an agency wants to use them. They’re small, difficult to track and easy to pocket. If an agency is going to disperse $48,000, it needs to keep track of it.
OUTRAGE: Getting away with murder
WHO: The Baltimore City Police Department
WHAT: The police closed one homicide of 20 in October. The kicker? They didn’t even find the suspect in that murder. Norfolk, Va., police caught him and sent him to Baltimore.
WHY IT’S A BAD IDEA: Police blame the low closure rate on overtime cutbacks and the large workload detectives face. But the number of murders is down 30 percent this year — an excellent change. But fewer murders should mean less overtime and fewer cases per detective. What gives?
WHERE TO VENT: baltimorepolice.org
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“This mixture of vagueness and sheer incompetence is the most marked characteristic of modern English prose, and especially of any kind of political writing.” George Orwell in his 1946 essay, “Politics and the English Language”
Surprises at the polls
It was a shock for everyone — especially us — but we have to admit this election was run relatively smoothly.
The details: Most people were prepared to wait hours to cast their votes in Baltimore City. The Board of Elections was experiencing serious technical difficulties even a day before the election. But somehow, everyone pulled it together. Lines were kept to a minimum and everyone who wanted to vote was able.
You can’t find everything on Craigslist
Maryland recently signed an agreement to help stop human trafficking over the Internet.
The details: Craigslist agreed to sue 14 software and Internet companies that don’t have adequate defenses against people using their sites for illegal activities. Craigslist is also partnering with police to find missing children and human trafficking victims. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as well as several states have joined the agreement — with Maryland among them.
Students for Obama
Baltimore-area students chose Barack Obama to be their next president.
The details: Having mock elections are a great way to get students to engage in civic debate. Area students didn’t choose our man. And we’re not under any illusions that the majority of students will do anything other than vote for whomever their parents like, but it helps students get excited about learning. Even if they just ask one another “Who’d you vote for?” they’re getting a valuable lesson.
Vaccine saves lives
More and more Maryland women are getting themselves vaccinated against human papillomavirus.
The details: The Gardasil vaccine helps prevent cervical cancer in women by blocking several varieties of a virus that can cause the cancer. Cervical cancer kills about 4,000 women each year, and it’s the most common sexually transmitted disease in America. It’s scary to think of your daughter getting an STD, but having her vaccinated may one day save her life.
The pen is mightier
Maryland is taking on Texas in a war of the words.
The details: November is National Novel Writing Month, and Marylanders have challenged Texans to see who can write the most words in that month. The goal for every participant is 50,000 words. Sign up now and keep your mind working. You never know, maybe your dream of being a published author will come true. Go Maryland!
