Analysis

In the purported analysis of the prosecutorial debate ("Prosecutor and challenger go head to head," Aug. 13), Tricia Bishop and Justin Fenton say of the lower than average conviction rate in Baltimore City that "The figures may say more about Baltimore jurors than prosecutors," and go on to cite a 2008 study funded by the Abell Foundation. That study was severely flawed, offering "conclusions" that were not supported by the data. The data simply compared conviction rates in different jurisdictions.

The General Assembly's speedy embrace of Gov. Martin O'Malley's income tax increases this week cleaned up a political mess in Annapolis, but the rate hikes could come back to haunt the Democrat if he seeks national office when his time in the governor's mansion is up. O'Malley's tax package, which won final approval from the Democratic legislature on Wednesday, will give Maryland's top earners the seventh-highest income tax rate in the country....

Seeking seats in the bullpen Barring injuries or trades, most of the Orioles' Opening Day roster is already set with the exception of two or three vacancies in the bullpen. Mike Gonzalez, Jim Johnson, Koji Uehara and Mark Hendrickson are locks, but there are still two or three spots available and a handful of competitors. Pitcher IP ER H BB K's Jeff Zrebiec's skinny Matt Albers, rhp 4 1/3 0 2 0 1 Throwing his sinker for strikes as he did in 2008.

Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens reporter: Terrell Suggs is visiting a specialist next week so we won't know the extent of the injury and whether he'll need season-ending surgery until then, but that's obviously the fear. And any sort of Achilles' injury is terrible news for a guy so reliant on his power and explosiveness. It obviously goes without saying that Suggs is one of the few players that the Ravens simply can't replace. He's a rare game-changer and playmaker on defense, a guy that teams account for, often with two players.

Looking for a job? Try a nonprofit. A Johns Hopkins University analysis of employment in 21 states found that nonprofit employment grew 2.5 percent a year on average between the second quarters of 2007 and 2009, while the number of jobs at for-profit employers fell 3.3 percent a year. Maryland followed that trend, though annual employment growth among nonprofits in the state was more modest — 2.3 percent — and the drop in for-profit employment was a less severe 2.9 percent a year.

AFC EastBuffaloPick to watch: WR Eric Moulds -- They hope he's the next Andre Reed.Analysis: They faced a tough decision on the first round, when they bypassed Leeland McElroy, who could have been the next Thurman Thomas, for Moulds, because they think Thomas has a couple of years left. It was a need choice, even though McElroy was in the top 10 on the board. How Moulds plays will make or break this draft. They went for defense on the next four picks.Grade: B-IndianapolisPick to watch: WR Marvin Harrison -- He can help Jim Harbaugh's passing game.

An analysis of the Maryland equine population survey is under way and results should be available in the fall, according to Malcolm Commer, livestock economist for the Maryland Institute Agriculture and Natural Resources and associate coordinator of the Agricultural Marketing Center for the University of Maryland.More than 16,000 questionnaires were sent out in November to horse-oriented groups, tack shops, horse magazines, 4-H groups, pony clubs, veterinarians and feed stores.The survey contained 20 questions in two formats -- one for individual horse owners and one for people who run stables or facilities that are open to the public.

MANY predicted that the three presidential debates and the vice presidential debate would be stifled by the rules negotiated by representatives for each side. Everything from the size of the podiums, camera positions, size of tables and chairs, time constraints for answers and rebuttals, and the exact division between domestic and foreign policy issues was designed to control the environment and prevent the unexpected from happening. From the first minutes of the first debate in Miami, something unexpected did happen: Real issues were being discussed for the first time in weeks and the American public, apparently starved for substance, ate it up. Ratings were higher than expected for all four debates and citizens were passionately talking about them.

You've sweated blood on a 45-minute presentation for your division general manager. I'd wager he responds in one of two ways:Scenario No. 1: "That's a really interesting analysis. The marketing research folks, especially Sally Another-Analysis, could give you a hand in fleshing it out. Oh, yeah, the cost thing just seems too low to me. Marty Nitpick, in finance, is a genius with stuff like that. I'll tell him to expect your call."Why don't you schedule an hour on my calendar, for another look, in a couple weeks.

Those of us on the Orioles beat like to joke that no matter what place the team is in, it is always making news. Right now, the Orioles are playing well, and the news continues. Tuesday was a particularly newsy day. Here are some of the things that happened, and my take on each.     Nolan Reimold returns to Baltimore and is diagnosed with a bulging disk in his back First, we'll start with the good news. Now Reimold and the Orioles have an explanation for why he was having neck spasms and finger numbness.

Mike Preston, columnist: Good move by Ravens - there are still several players they value who are available. Chris Korman, reporter: We won't know why the Ravens moved back until we see who they pick (unless they opt to tell us in the press conference we're heading to any minute), but they obviously favored Alabama's Dont'a Hightower over Courtney Upshaw. It also seems they would have liked Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler, but  weren't sold on drafting Badgers center/guard Peter Konz this early.

Jeff Zrebiec, reporter : Fretting over how difficult the Ravens' schedule could be in mid-April is a pretty pointless exercise when one training camp injury, extended holdout or botched first-round draft pick can significantly alter a team's fortunes for the 2012-13 season. Sure, the Ravens figure to have their hands full in 2013, but nobody knows if Peyton Manning will instantly make the Broncos an elite team or if the Bengals will continue...

Every day, stories appear in The Baltimore Sun that are driven by investigative reporting. Some are major data analysis projects, while others are smaller glimpses into how institutions of power operate. This blog will help us highlight the results of those investigations, share primary source documents and give readers a better understanding of how journalists do their jobs.

Reaction from Baltimore Sun reporters and editors about the NFL's penalties against the New Orleans Saints over the use of a “bounty” system on defense: Mike Preston, Baltimore Sun columnist: If NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended New Orleans head coach Sean Payton for 16 games as reported, it would be one of the stiffest punishments ever. Goodell is definitly sending a message that there is no room for this type of behavior in the NFL. The penalties put the Saints in a serious hole.

Baltimore Sun reporters, columnists and editors analyze the Denver Broncos' reported acquisition of former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Jeff Zrebiec (Ravens/NFL reporter): The Denver Broncos got Peyton Manning's first visit and they seemed to be the most logical landing spot for the quarterback all along. They have a young group of wide receivers, a strong defense and one of the better quarterbacks in NFL history as a top executive. Is there any doubt that the Broncos' visit to Baltimore will be a prime-time game?

If you're not spending a bundle on housing costs but still feel pinched, you probably don't live close to your job. The Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology says many places that appear affordable really aren't once you factor in transportation costs . Three out of four communities in the country have typical rent and home prices that don't require more than 30 percent of a typical household's income, a common affordability measure....

Built in part on the premise that even some of the smartest and most savvy news consumers sometimes feel themselves drowning in a sea of information online, the Daily Download aims to be an island of orientation. The online site that debuted last week is part of an important movement among educators and journalists to help citizens find their way online and in social media to the kind of data, context and analysis needed to make informed choices about their lives. The idea is that such sites are crucial to the future of democracy.