Behavior

ISSUE: The Naval Academy acknowledged last week that up to 10 of its midshipmen had exhibited "misguided/immature" behavior while on a spring break trip to the Caribbean on a commercial cruise ship. Academy officials began investigating after a female passenger e-mailed them she had witnessed groping, excessive drinking and efforts to encourage underage passengers to drink alcohol. The behavior took place while the Mids were in uniform and in civilian clothing. The academy says a preliminary inquiry found no criminal activity.

When Rich and Gertrude Lyons first admitted they were powerless, television was the first thing to go. Then they weaned themselves from mail-order catalogs, electronic gadgets and sugar. Today, the Chicago couple is still grappling with their "soft" addictions - ordinary behavior that, if overdone, can wreak havoc on your life. Unlike hard addictions, which are usually related to a chemical substance, you don't die from soft addictions. "But you don't really live, either," said self-help guru Judith Wright, who labeled the phenomenon more than a decade ago. People have always had ways to zone out, but experts such as Wright say soft or mild behavioral addictions are escalating, partly because there are so many new things to get addicted to, and so many people have the disposable income to do it. But identifying and treating a soft addiction are difficult.

When the FDA recently approved an anti-depressant for animals, some dog owners breathed a sigh of relief -- much as some parents did when they learned that Ritalin would help treat their children's hyperactivity.Maybe a drug called Clomicalm could bring an end to their dog's incessant barking, chewing and other destructive behavior associated with what's being labeled "separation anxiety" in animals.The approval of Clomicalm, though, is just the latest advance in a growing and profitable field geared to treating pets' mental health.

WASHINGTON -- In his heyday as a voice of those he called "the average citizens," the late George Wallace used to enjoy making fun of those who made excuses for criminals. "They say," he would say, "that he did it because his daddy didn't carry him to a Pittsburgh Pirates game when he was a little boy."Lines like that were sure fire crowd-pleasers when the Alabama governor was running for president as a third-party candidate a generation ago. A lot of Americans don't buy the argument that parents should be blamed for the conduct of their children once they grow up.Hillary Clinton apparently doesn't understand that.

News about teen-age slayings fill air waves. Childhood depression is rising. And parents are uncertain of their role. "Tragic" is how psychologist Carol Renaud Gaffney describes these circumstances affecting today's youth.She has created a kit she believes may help parents raise stronger kids. It's called the Parents' Success Kit, which includes a coaching guide to help parents and children understand one another.Included in the kit is a book that helps parents identify problems their children may be having, develop a line of communication and help children become more responsible for themselves.

`Did Susan Reimer write that column on the president's trial?'You must not have noticed that someone other than Susan Reimer submitted the piece entitled, "End this impeachment process now, hear me?" (Jan.19). That must explain her position, which seems at odds with her other writings.In other columns, she struggles with the conflicting roles of nurturing mother and disciplinarian. She wants her children to be responsible, and yet to be shielded from premature adult decisions. So how could she write such a petulant, cynical piece that reeks of permissiveness?

The Orioles would love to find a new home for Albert Belle. Let him confront the manager in the dugout, make lewd gestures to his hometown fans and hit .232 with runners in scoring position somewhere else.But there's a problem. The five-year, $65 million contract Belle signed last winter includes a blanket no-trade clause for three years. He can veto any deal until after the 2001 season. No matter how badly the Orioles might want to dump him, he can stay if he wants.The Orioles have only themselves to blame, of course.

Q. I have two children: a 7-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter. Whenever my husband or I are with our son -- helping with homework, hugging him or just talking -- our daughter does whatever she can to get our attention. She may run to her room, crying or screaming that we don't love her, or simply walk up to us and jump on our backs.We have both gone out of our way to spend time alone with her, through "Daddy-daughter time" or "girls time," but this doesn't help. Now we find ourselves giving her extra attention and feel we are neglecting our son. Are we encouraging her behavior by the extra attention, or is this normal?

DAYTON, Ohio -- What people don't understand about gay-bashing is that it can be cured.Some people will try to tell you gay-bashing is genetic, that people are born with it. Baloney. No gay-bashing gene has been isolated. It's all speculation.What we know for sure is that some people used to be gay-bashers and no longer are.What we have to understand about gay-bashers is that, even though we reject their behavior as mean -- sinful, if you will -- that doesn't mean we have passed permanent judgment upon them as people.

Apathy about moral issue says much about nationWhatever we might believe about the recent allegations of immoral behavior by the leader of our country, what should disturb us is the seeming lack of concern shown by the American public about such behavior.I've heard people say that even if the allegations are true, such behavior doesn't matter.This basic defect in the character of people today should be of immense concern to all of us. A society cannot exist for long when basic moral tenets are no longer accepted.

As kids across the country get ready for that fall ritual of heading back to classes, swine flu isn't the only thing that school officials have to worry will go viral this academic year. The teen phenomenon of sexting - minors' texting or e-mailing sexually explicit photographs of themselves to each other - threatens to become even more widespread despite the severe, if not draconian, consequences. Some administrators hope to curb the behavior before it gets worse. When middle and high schoolers in Broward County, Fla., return to class this fall, they'll see a video about sexting and the felony charges that accompany the activity.

Robert Looney is just one of the poster boys for the need to toughen Maryland's system of good time credits for prison inmates. He was among the cases cited last year as city and state officials sought to restrict the credits given to prisoners for good behavior and participation in education and work programs that can lead to early release of prisoners, despite the sentences they received. The system is under attack again this year in the state legislature, and it's easy to see why: Maryland prisoners, on average, serve only about 74 percent of their sentences.

Maryland Transit Administration officials are offering discount cards for area businesses to students who pledge good behavior on city buses, an incentive that transit administrators hope will help curb disrespectful and violent behavior. The discount card will offer 10 percent to 20 percent off purchases at 12 city establishments, including Dunkin' Donuts, Cold Stone Creamery, Shoe City, Downtown Locker Room and other places. MTA administrators registered students for the first time yesterday at the Johns Hopkins Metro Station, where about 100 took the pledge, according to spokeswoman Jawauna Greene.

A Virginia man who appeared to be "exhibiting suspicious behaviors" was arrested at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport this month while carrying a concealed handgun with 30 rounds of ammunition, according to the federal Transportation Security Administration. The Aug. 1 incident was not publicly announced at the time, but an account was later posted on the TSA Web site as an example of the success of its technique of screening passengers by closely observing their behavior.

ALBERT ELLIS, 93 Psychotherapy innovator Albert Ellis, one of the most provocative figures in modern psychology and the founder of a renowned psychotherapy institute, died Tuesday in New York of kidney and heart failure after a long illness. In the 1950s, Dr. Ellis invented what he called rational emotive behavior therapy, which stresses that patients can improve their lives by taking control of self-defeating thoughts and behaviors.

Having found their way through a sea of opinions, options and opportunities to find the right care for their autistic triplets, Randy and Lynn Gaston are preparing this weekend to provide some illumination to other parents facing the same daunting task. The Ellicott City couple has spent more than six months organizing Autism Expo 2007, which will bring autism experts and support organizations together at Howard Community College on Saturday so families can start to sort through available resources.

ISSUE: The Naval Academy has acknowledged that up to 10 of its midshipmen had exhibited "misguided/immature" behavior last month while on a spring break trip to the Caribbean on a commercial cruise ship. Academy officials began investigating the incident after a female passenger e-mailed a complaint to them, saying she had witnessed groping, excessive drinking and efforts to encourage underage passengers to drink alcohol. The behavior took place while the Mids were in uniform and civilian clothing.

ISSUE: The Naval Academy acknowledged last week that up to 10 of its midshipmen had exhibited "misguided/immature" behavior while on a spring break trip to the Caribbean on a commercial cruise ship. Academy officials began investigating after a female passenger e-mailed them she had witnessed groping, excessive drinking and efforts to encourage underage passengers to drink alcohol. The behavior took place while the Mids were in uniform and in civilian clothing. The academy says a preliminary inquiry found no criminal activity.

When Rich and Gertrude Lyons first admitted they were powerless, television was the first thing to go. Then they weaned themselves from mail-order catalogs, electronic gadgets and sugar. Today, the Chicago couple is still grappling with their "soft" addictions - ordinary behavior that, if overdone, can wreak havoc on your life. Unlike hard addictions, which are usually related to a chemical substance, you don't die from soft addictions. "But you don't really live, either," said self-help guru Judith Wright, who labeled the phenomenon more than a decade ago. People have always had ways to zone out, but experts such as Wright say soft or mild behavioral addictions are escalating, partly because there are so many new things to get addicted to, and so many people have the disposable income to do it. But identifying and treating a soft addiction are difficult.

Arnold center offers Alzheimer's lectures The Arnold Senior Center is offering a series of lectures for people caring for those with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The lectures will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 18, "Communication With a Loved One Affected by Dementia," practical information on effective communication and handling the behavior of a person with dementia. Oct. 25, "Mission NOT Impossible: Managing Behavior in a Loved One Affected with Dementia," prevention and management of disturbing behaviors.