Capabilities

The county public school system is offering "The Chalkboard," an electronic bulletin board system for students and the community.Interested hackers should call 313-6832 and identify themselves as new users.An account number and password will be assigned.The system provides special interest areas (bulletin boards), private electronic mail capabilities and transfer capabilities for computer programs and long documents.Information: 313-6832.

There's a brick home in Highlandtown, on a prominent corner of Eastern Avenue, that has become a contradiction. Parts of it are more than 100 years old - varying shades of brick and mortar show where additions have been hewn to the primary structure. Yet several weeks ago, a banner appeared on the side of the house announcing that it is a "Future Model Home. " The property is not what springs to mind when the phrase "model home" is uttered: new construction in a subdivision that will be re-created by a builder after a buyer commits to a homesite.

The county Office on Aging has limited money available to help disabled individuals in obtaining assisting devices.An assisting device is any piece of equipment used to increase, maintain or improve thefunctional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.Information: 730-7697.

Rep. Donna F. Edwards slipped into the F-35 cockpit - a stationary demonstration model - and gave the jet a simulated spin, trying out the controls, shooting down enemy aircraft over the Chesapeake Bay and executing a celebratory roll. "This feels so cool ," said Edwards, a Prince George's County Democrat. "OK, let's land this thing - give somebody else a chance. " This hands-on version of show and tell, held in Linthicum on Thursday, is part of a public-relations campaign for the most expensive weapons program in the nation's history.

Carroll County senior citizens fearful of making even short trips because of possible emergency or security risks may borrow a cellular telephone with 911 capabilities.The phones can be used to summon emergency help, but are not programmed to receive or make other calls, say authorities from the county's Bureau of Aging and state's attorney's office.Phones can be checked out of the state's attorney's office in the courthouse annex, 55 N. Court St.Information: Lynette Brewer of the Bureau of Aging, 410-848-4049, or Gary Cofflin of the state's attorney's office, 410-386-2671.

WASHINGTON - The trans-Atlantic partnership has taken a step backward. With a few exceptions, camaraderie following the Sept. 11 attacks has faded, and what was viewed as an opportunity for multilateralism and cooperation has given way to new bickering and tension. The Europeans are openly annoyed with what they perceive as American simplicity and obsession with military might, while the Americans are growing tired of a "toothless" Europe timid in its engagement abroad. The tensions do not come without precedent.

WASHINGTON - A secret Pentagon plan for the next five years directs the military to focus more of its spending to combat Afghanistan-style threats and weapons of mass destruction and to develop even greater precision-strike capabilities, according to a document reviewed by the Los Angeles Times. The "Defense Planning Guidance" for 2004-2009 puts into action the Pentagon's plan to replace a Cold War-era strategy of being able to fight two major-theater wars at the same time with a more complex approach aimed at dominating air and space on several fronts.

TEHRAN, Iran - A two-day Iranian show of force through the launching of medium- and long-range test missiles was meant to strike fear in the hearts of the country's rivals. Instead, many officials and experts played down Iranian war games near the Persian Gulf as more propaganda than peril yesterday. News reports emerged indicating that Iran had doctored a photo of the launches, and experts questioned whether the tests revealed any new Iranian capability to strike Israel or other U.S. allies and interests in the Middle East.

The budget submitted by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has sparked a badly needed debate about America's future defense. Some hail it as prudent, but it's too prudent by half. Savings should not trump security. He claims that his budgetary decisions reflect strategic judgments rather than cost-cutting or political pressures. Yet many of the cuts look suspect. Rather than making hard choices, he would slash programs that are unpopular with the Democratic leadership in Congress. In defense, money should follow strategy.

Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette talked about various subjects today, including the claim of Milwaukee Brewers 25-year-old infielder Zelous Wheeler and the designation for assignment of lefty Dana Eveland. This is just a sense, but I think Duquette believes he can deal Eveland if the Orioles don't think he can get through waivers. It's hard to imagine the Orioles releasing Eveland, so he'll end up at Norfolk if he clears - Eveland said that likely would be his inclination as well.

In a career that's spanned more than four decades in four states, Gary D. Maynard has dealt with inmate sex scandals, prison riots, suicides and shrinking public safety budgets. Last week, the Maryland corrections secretary faced a bank of TV cameras and the latest crisis in his long career. This one would make national news and prompt an outcry from across the state: Gang members allegedly built a wide-ranging criminal enterprise in the Baltimore City Detention Center, dealing drugs and impregnating correctional officers.

Paolo Romeo believes that food is art. The chef-owner of Artful Gourmet, which has been an Owings Mills mainstay for just over a decade, isn't wildly avant-garde in the kitchen. He doesn't take chances on creative dishes. But Romeo does take an artist's care with his capable interpretations of Italian food and global favorites. And the restaurant's adoption of the food-is-art theme adds charm to a menu stocked with familiar fare. His conservative approach, which focuses on well-worn classics like lamb chops and simple pastas, appears to be a hit with locals, who keep the restaurant busy.

Q: Dogs and cats are commonly perceived as showing affection to owners. Are other types of pets -- birds, hamsters, rabbits, snakes -- capable of such affection? A: That's a great question. The dictionary defines affection as “fond attachment, devotion or love,” which certainly implies an emotional component. We know that many animals we consider intelligent -- including dogs, cats, primates, elephants, marine mammals, horses -- certainly have and display what we'd call emotions.

A suspicious-looking gadget that turned out to be an inert grenade — not capable of exploding — prompted a temporary evacuation in Catonsville Sunday. Baltimore County police responded to a call about a suspicious device in the 100 block of Montrose Manor Court just after 1 p.m. Residents in the apartment building there were allowed back in after police checked it out and determined it wasn't dangerous. Inert grenades — both real and novelty — have caused scares before.

Some early warning signs came in the 2011 postseason as the Ravens started allowing lots of rushing yards. Maybe it was an aberration, but it has to be a concern heading into the second week of training camp. For nearly a decade, the Ravens had a top-ranked rush defense and allowed few teams more than 100 yards on the ground. Allowing 100-yard rushers occurred even less frequently. Then, in the last three games of the 2011 regular season, San Diego, Cleveland and Cincinnati each gained more than 100 yards rushing.

Alireza Jafarzadeh's recent commentary ("Iran'snuclear genie is out of the bottle," April 16) is eerily reminiscent of the manipulations of Iraqi exile Ahmad Chalabi who shamelessly fed the US government false information with the express aim of advocating a military invasion of Iraq in 2003 in order to promote his own personal political and economic fortunes. Just as Mr. Jafarzadeh openly sides with the exiled Iranian terrorist group Mujahedin-e Khalq, Mr. Chalibi lived in London while leading an umbrella Iraqi opposition group (the Iraqi National Congress)

The vice president's chief of staff lied, made a false statement and obstructed an investigation. Those acts may have prevented prosecutors from getting to the bottom of the Valerie Plame Wilson case. They strongly suggest that he was attempting to divert the investigation - because there was something to hide, and someone to protect. One of the jurors who convicted I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Jr. yesterday spoke on the courthouse steps after the verdict had been delivered. He described how the jury had been frustrated at having to stand in judgment of Mr. Libby when it was clear that others had also been involved in revealing Ms. Wilson's identity as a CIA agent, in what was plainly an attempt to lash back at her husband, Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV. The issue was Iraq.

Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette talked about various subjects today, including the claim of Milwaukee Brewers 25-year-old infielder Zelous Wheeler and the designation for assignment of lefty Dana Eveland. This is just a sense, but I think Duquette believes he can deal Eveland if the Orioles don't think he can get through waivers. It's hard to imagine the Orioles releasing Eveland, so he'll end up at Norfolk if he clears - Eveland said that likely would be his inclination as well.

For months, the men and women of the 135th Airlift Group have been training on their new C27J Spartan turboprops for their deployment this spring to Afghanistan. Their job: carrying soldiers, equipment and supplies around the war zone as the fighting season resumes. It's a mission for which the Maryland Air National Guard unit has deep experience. In the last decade alone, members have deployed several times to Iraq and Afghanistan, while also responding to the Haiti earthquake, California wildfires and Hurricane Katrina.