Editor S Note

Today's story selection, "The Girl, the Fish and the Crown" helps children understand the importance of making predictions and thinking critically when they read or listen. The episodes in this story are easy to identify. Before you read the story, explain to your child that good listeners and readers think a lot about the story before they begin to read. This helps them understand the story better and anticipate what might happen. In this way, they are really listening to what the author has to say to us. First, read the Editor's Note at the top of the page, and then ask:* What do you think is going to happen?

THERE'S NO Triple Crown candidate in the Preakness field this year; he's been retired due to an injury following the Kentucky Derby. The experts' other clear favorite won't run because a cracked hoof isn't healing quickly. But regardless of the star-quality of the horses, this is still the Preakness, the preeminent event on Maryland's racing calendar and one of the premier thoroughbred races in the nation.It is a wide-open contest, which should please those looking for a good payoff from this afternoon's race at Pimlico.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- The joke around the Belmont Park backstretch the past week was that trainer D. Wayne Lukas hadn't won a Triple Crown race in five weeks.Hold the chuckles.After watching his unprecedented streak of six straight wins in Triple Crown races crumble in the Preakness, Lukas watched a possible new streak be born as Editor's Note rallied furiously from 12th place yesterday to win the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park.Editor's Note's thrilling one-length victory over the courageous Skip Away again demonstrated Lukas' dominance of these classics for 3-year-olds.

Lots of laughsEditor: Every Sunday I eagerly anticipate my double dose of laughter that I find in your feature columns written by Dave Barry and Mike Klingaman. Their insight of people and dirt (no digging required) makes me howl with laughter as I envision the stated hilarious circumstance. I sincerely hope that you realize the rest of the magazine is fun to examine but it is these well-written columns that keep my soul uplifted.Suzanne P. GrossEllicott CityThis letter was signed by nine other women.

PRESERVATION VS. RECREATIONEditor: Thanks for "A Walk on the Wild Side" into Black Marsh in the Sun Magazine of Nov. 1. Mr. Reid summarized the "troubles" very succinctly and Mr. Harp's photos were exquisite.Mr. Boone's comments go to the heart of the controversy. When the state purchased the land from Bethlehem Steel in 1987, the )) Nature Conservancy and the Natural Heritage Program of the Department of Natural Resources were active players in the purchase deal. The deal was a compromise of preservation and recreational development.

TOO MANY ADSEditor: I have subscribed to The Sun for 43 years, (morning, evening and Sunday) and have seen the magazine section decline in both quantity (pages) and quality. It has become an advertising section with a few items thrown in. The only items I find interesting are "Back Tracks" and the news notes from previous decades and centuries. I have noticed that "Back Tracks" has been omitted more and more. I have been on the fence about canceling my subscription because of other faults I have noticed in the overall (Sun Paper Publication)

Editor's Note: Every business or organization was contacted for updated directory listings; information was correct as of March-April, 1991. We suggest you use this as a guide; to check for the latest information, please call the telephone numbers listedNOTE: See hard copy for Carroll County Directory

LONGTIME FRIENDSEditor: Since reading the article on "The Best of Friends" [March 31] I thought you might be interested in this friendship of 61 years. We met in 1930 -- have never had a cross word -- and are still staunch friends.Fay RaymondBaltimore Editor: The article "Big Trouble on Campus" [on Political Correctness, May 12 issue] brought me a first sign of relief.. . . Closer to home, let me recall an episode in the Howard County school system not more than a year or two ago.A student had designed a calendar intended to show many cultures together as one unified group.

Thanks for 'Dolphins'Editor: I am writing to compliment you on the article "Day of the Dolphins" [Dec. 30]. It was a terrific perspective to look at.I wonder if you could go a step farther and give me the address of the Sea Shepherds. I would like to make a donation.Again, thanks for your compassion for the marine mammals.Shelley Freedman BaltimoreEditor's note: The address is Sea Shepherd, P.O. Box 7000-S, Redondo Beach, Calif. 90277.Dining OutEditor: I have a Sun Magazine of yours titled Dining Out. I have found it useful and wonder if a more current issue is available.

FICTION CONTESTEditor: The selection of winning short stories [Aug. 11] leaves me flabbergasted. They were nonsense written by Yuppies who, by their writing, indicate they have not yet experienced life, who have no identity, and know not the meaning of moral, dignified, social living. Too bad. . . . I don't care to read about promiscuous sex, bawdy pickups or crazy shoppers. Or did I miss the point? The best story in Aug. 11 copy is "High Rollers."Naomi RussoBel AirEditor: The third place winner of your fiction contest, Mary Kay Zuravleff, displayed an ignorance of Baltimore area retailing one might expect from a Washingtonian -- even one who attended Johns Hopkins.

Laura Vozzella's column has moved to the Commentary Page and will appear on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Today, it is on Page 13 in this section. Dan Rodricks' column that has appeared on Tuesdays has moved to Wednesdays and also will appear on the Commentary Page.

An article on Page 1A in Thursday's editions about a rise in sales of Baltimore-area homes priced under $250,000 was based on a study by Delta Associates that used faulty comparisons. See today's Business section for details.

Editor's note Due to a production error, the mutual fund tables in yesterday's Business section reflected Friday's closing prices and changes. The Sun regrets the confusion and is taking steps to prevent a recurrence.

The New York Times published an editor's note in yesterday's editions, as well as an online critique, detailing problems with reporting standards in several articles the newspaper published between October 2001 and June 2003, dealing with the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The Sun published four of the articles -- on Nov. 8, 2001, Sept. 8, 2002, April 23, 2003, and May 21, 2003 -- that we received through the New York Times News Service. The Times noted various flaws, including a failure to independently verify one article, to follow up on the veracity of a source in another, and in a third to be more cautious with its conclusions.

* Editor's note: Madcap adventures ensue when wild things escape for a night on the town. Last night at the zoo there was nothing to do... No tiger had growled, no lion had roared. The monkeys and zebras were idle and bored. "If we just had a plan, we could sneak out of the zoo. On a night like tonight, there's a lot we could do!" It was an old grizzly who whispered the dare, and it sounded just great to the white polar bear. "Squawk!" screeched a toucan with a long beak. "Thrills and excitement are the things that we seek!

Today's story selection, "The Girl, the Fish and the Crown" helps children understand the importance of making predictions and thinking critically when they read or listen. The episodes in this story are easy to identify. Before you read the story, explain to your child that good listeners and readers think a lot about the story before they begin to read. This helps them understand the story better and anticipate what might happen. In this way, they are really listening to what the author has to say to us. First, read the Editor's Note at the top of the page, and then ask:* What do you think is going to happen?

ELMONT, N.Y. -- The joke around the Belmont Park backstretch the past week was that trainer D. Wayne Lukas hadn't won a Triple Crown race in five weeks.Hold the chuckles.After watching his unprecedented streak of six straight wins in Triple Crown races crumble in the Preakness, Lukas watched a possible new streak be born as Editor's Note rallied furiously from 12th place yesterday to win the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park.Editor's Note's thrilling one-length victory over the courageous Skip Away again demonstrated Lukas' dominance of these classics for 3-year-olds.

THERE'S NO Triple Crown candidate in the Preakness field this year; he's been retired due to an injury following the Kentucky Derby. The experts' other clear favorite won't run because a cracked hoof isn't healing quickly. But regardless of the star-quality of the horses, this is still the Preakness, the preeminent event on Maryland's racing calendar and one of the premier thoroughbred races in the nation.It is a wide-open contest, which should please those looking for a good payoff from this afternoon's race at Pimlico.

Lots of laughsEditor: Every Sunday I eagerly anticipate my double dose of laughter that I find in your feature columns written by Dave Barry and Mike Klingaman. Their insight of people and dirt (no digging required) makes me howl with laughter as I envision the stated hilarious circumstance. I sincerely hope that you realize the rest of the magazine is fun to examine but it is these well-written columns that keep my soul uplifted.Suzanne P. GrossEllicott CityThis letter was signed by nine other women.

PRESERVATION VS. RECREATIONEditor: Thanks for "A Walk on the Wild Side" into Black Marsh in the Sun Magazine of Nov. 1. Mr. Reid summarized the "troubles" very succinctly and Mr. Harp's photos were exquisite.Mr. Boone's comments go to the heart of the controversy. When the state purchased the land from Bethlehem Steel in 1987, the )) Nature Conservancy and the Natural Heritage Program of the Department of Natural Resources were active players in the purchase deal. The deal was a compromise of preservation and recreational development.