Behavior

Last week we learned that adult children of divorce will almost always revert to childish behaviors. Case in point, Briana, the daughter previously known as The Most Reasonable Person in Orange County, dissolved into a impertinent, recalcitrant, petulant brat upon meeting her mother's boyfriend. This week Briana grows up and fights like a big girl … but we'll get there soon enough. Elsewhere in the O.C., there are tiaras to be worn and bling to be bought as Alexis goes all out for her little princesses, and Slade decides to declare Gretchen his queen.

In response to William Ramsey's letter regarding pit bulls, I couldn't agree more ("Why not hold all dog owners accountable?" May 16). Pet owners should be liable for the risk presented to the rest of us when they select a breed to own. If pit bulls have been maligned in media reports of them attacking people, why worry about the liability? Do pit bull owners expect me to believe that the news media don't report dog attacks when they don't involve pit bulls? I tolerate my neighbors' dogs barking at all hours, and I understand that they can't clean up half of what their dogs do on my lawn.

Orangutans -- those tree-living apes with the flashy red manes -- have distinct cultures that dictate how they build their nests, use tools, eat, show off for each other and even how they say good night, according to a study being published today. The study, in today's issue of Science, says that three decades of observations by some of the world's leading experts shows orangutans behave along cultural patterns, an intellectual achievement previously thought to be reserved to humans and chimpanzees.

Do I understand this correctly? We, the people of Maryland, paid for hotels and meals for our representatives in Annapolis because they failed to do the job of passing a reasonable budget and had to meet in special sessions to prevent fiscal "Doomsday. " So, we reward them by treating them to hotel stays and the cost of meals and libation throughout the duration? Don't they all live in our state? Why couldn't they just drive their cars or take public transportation? Most other job holders do commute to and from work, and many bring their own lunches.

A University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business study released today showed that cellphone use left users less socially- minded in the real world, as they became immersed in a virtual world that fueled their need for social connectivity. The study was conducting by UMD marketing professors Anastasiya Pocheptsova and Rosellina Ferraro , with graduate student, Ajay T. Abraham, on test groups of cellphone users. From the university's statement on the study: The researchers found that after a short period of cellphone use the subjects were less inclined to volunteer for a community service activity when asked, compared to the control-group counterparts.

Do I understand this correctly? We, the people of Maryland, paid for hotels and meals for our representatives in Annapolis because they failed to do the job of passing a reasonable budget and had to meet in special sessions to prevent fiscal "Doomsday. " So, we reward them by treating them to hotel stays and the cost of meals and libation throughout the duration? Don't they all live in our state? Why couldn't they just drive their cars or take public transportation? Most other job holders do commute to and from work, and many bring their own lunches.

I see again that the local chapter of the NAACP is alleging discrimination against African-American students in the handing out discipline for bad behavior by the Anne Arundel County school system ("U.S. to investigate NAACP complaint against Anne Arundel school system," April 11). It appears the association is focused on the symptom and not the problem. Educators will tell you that bad behavior is caused by many things, many of which occur in the home. If the home life is stable and parents take the lead in showing how important learning is, teachers can do wonders with a student.

In response to William Ramsey's letter regarding pit bulls, I couldn't agree more ("Why not hold all dog owners accountable?" May 16). Pet owners should be liable for the risk presented to the rest of us when they select a breed to own. If pit bulls have been maligned in media reports of them attacking people, why worry about the liability? Do pit bull owners expect me to believe that the news media don't report dog attacks when they don't involve pit bulls? I tolerate my neighbors' dogs barking at all hours, and I understand that they can't clean up half of what their dogs do on my lawn.

Go into any English soccer stadium on any given Saturday afternoon and you are assured of hearing language that would curl a nun's toes. So why is such a fuss being made of Wayne Rooney and his latest bit of Neanderthal behavior? Mostly because it makes good copy, that's why. It titillates television viewers, and it sells tabloid newspapers. For those who have not been paying attention, here is a brief rundown of the latest contretemps to embroil the Manchester United and England millionaire misfit.

As a former drug abuse counselor, I was appalled by the statement made by a school administrator that it's the teachers who have to shape up in to quell violent behavior by students ("School behavior policies shifting," Feb. 20). Better have the student take a drug test. Where there is harm to people or property, there usually is drug use. Alcohol is a drug. It changes people, intensifies their emotions, so if people start out angry, they will be angrier later on. If the student is the victim, or observes violence in the home or neighborhood, it is more likely that that behavior will be copied.

Denver's Bill Tierney is arguably the best coach in college lacrosse history, but he should be careful not to tarnish his legacy. Tierney, who won six national championships at Princeton, has done a great job of turning around Denver's program in recent years, but a lot of fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday weren't applauding him. Rather, they were criticizing him for his behavior during the game. On almost every whistle, Tierney seemed to be ranting and criticizing the officials in Denver's game against Loyola.

It is always tempting to ignore the bluster and bombast emanating from the vicinity of Patrick L. McDonough, the Baltimore County delegate and radio talk show host who considers himself a man of the people but mostly is a self-promoting bomb-thrower. His is a career built on angry sound bites and finger-pointing, particularly at minority groups, while his actual legislative accomplishments in Annapolis can be contained in a thimble - with room to spare. But his latest bloviation demands attention - if only because ignoring it might suggest it was excusable (which it was not)

I met Mike Manieri, the fireman whose obituary appeared in the paper recently, on several occasions - we frequented many of the same restaurants - and I liked him. I was sorry to read of his passing ("Michael V. Manieri, city firefighter and medic," April 21). I was struck by the comment made about him by one of his former chiefs: "He was a great problem-solver, and at the same time he absolutely refused to do anything that was unethical. " To have something like this said about one's personal ethics should be what everyone - politician, government worker, private sector employee, all of us - should strive for. Jeffrey Smith , Baltimore

There's been a lot of conversation about bullying lately and a big push to stop bullying of children in schools and on-line. I find all this outrage at bullying hypocritical on the part of the adults, school system, pundits, etc. Children learn by the examples set by the adults in their lives. If adults didn't reward bullying behavior, our children would not bully. You say you abhor bullies and would never reward them? How many reality TV shows do you watch where you root for the obnoxious person that insults, slaps, "takes down," or votes off a lesser, weaker individual?

Whether you're counting calories, tallying points, cutting carbohydrates or sweating it out at the gym, dieting is a tough road to navigate. What's even worse is when you sabatoge your own efforts by making some classic diet-busting mistakes you might not even be aware of. Here are seven behaviors that may cause you to fall off that I-wanna-lose-weight wagon — and advice from experts on how to stay on it. The diet-buster: Drinking too...

More than a year after questions arose publicly about the state of Baltimore Behavioral Health Inc.'s retirement plan, the financial company that oversaw the plan has gone on record as saying that the West Pratt Street mental health clinic all but stopped making contributions after Sept. 2009. An official with the Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. made the statement in an affidavit late last month. It was filed in federal court by the attorney for employees who allege in a lawsuit that BBH executives “diverted and stole” money intended for their retirement plans.

It was a classic case of a bit player upstaging the star. It was also the stuff of every parent's nightmares: 7-year-old Andrew Giuliani stealing the show last Sunday as his father, Rudolph, was inaugurated mayor of New York.The reactions fit the predictable range that children's behavior always seems to elicit, from the ''somebody ought to slap that kid'' remarks to the New Yorkers who told the New York Times that Andrew's antics reassured them that their tough-talking new mayor was, in fact, a softie at heart.

Employers are offering financial incentives so workers will do the right things, and veteran mothers, who have been paying for everything from good grades to made beds for years, are, like, "Duh!" One program pays employees $10 to $100 a day to take their blood pressure medicine because the health care costs of not doing so can be so high. Another gives workers time to go to exercise classes and then cuts their share of health care premiums if they show up regularly. Another pays people to stop smoking.

I see again that the local chapter of the NAACP is alleging discrimination against African-American students in the handing out discipline for bad behavior by the Anne Arundel County school system ("U.S. to investigate NAACP complaint against Anne Arundel school system," April 11). It appears the association is focused on the symptom and not the problem. Educators will tell you that bad behavior is caused by many things, many of which occur in the home. If the home life is stable and parents take the lead in showing how important learning is, teachers can do wonders with a student.

The article "Law, order, free speech" (March 25) prompts this response: What is distressing to this reader is that a group of religious fanatics who oppose abortion are awarded (by a federal Judge) a "settlement" of $385,000 for their despicable behavior. Admittedly, the police behaved badly, but what are they to do when they become frustrated by the outrageous action of so-called peaceful protesters waving intimidating signs that infringe upon the rights of citizens merely driving along a heavily traveled highway?