Individuals

WASHINGTON -- Even as the FBI hails as a major success story its breakup of an alleged plot by "radical Islamists" to kill soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., federal authorities acknowledge that the case has underscored a troubling vulnerability in the domestic war on terror. They say the FBI, despite an unprecedented expansion over the past five years, cannot possibly counter the growing threat posed by homegrown extremists without the help of two often unreliable allies. One is an American public that they lament is prone to averting its attention from suspicious behavior and often reluctant to get involved.

MY BEST SHOTAmiable AmsterdamMarlene Welty, CatonsvilleFriends from high school and I traveled to Amsterdam by train from Bremer-haven, Germany. It took five trains and about six hours to arrive. We loved the canals and the walkability of the city. The little green houses were charm-ing and the people were very friendly. We visited cheese farms and brought home some wonderful cheeses. We have fond memories of a beautiful city.READERS RECOMMEND...ArizonaJ.L. Bahlman, Baltimore"Spring is the perfect time to travel to northern Arizona.

State gives welfare recipients chances to work before 0) ending aidWe read with great concern the article "Welfare cuts loom for 9,000" (Aug. 28), stating that about 9,000 Baltimore residents may lose their Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) on Jan. 1, 1999, the federal welfare-to-work deadline.Although the deadline refers to the provision in the federal welfare reform law of 1996 that prohibits an individual from receiving cash assistance for more than 24 months without engaging in a work activity, it is important to keep in mind the alternatives to paid employment that will allow benefits to continue.

NEW YORK -- She doesn't bother with a phone at home. She has never voted. She doesn't own a car, and wears shoes only when she must. When prime-time television is on, she is often fast asleep.Esther Dyson is a creature of the Internet. And while her name is unknown to the average American, Dyson's thinking is closely watched by the leaders of software and new-media companies, as well as by the government officials who seek to regulate them.Dyson publishes Release 1.0, a tech-industry newsletter obscure enough to have just 2,000 subscribers and important enough to command $695 a year for the subscription.

Comptroller Louis L. Goldstein can't figure out why so few Marylanders have filed their taxes.Are they procrastinating because they've made a killing in the stock market and owe money?Or has the unusually mild winter weather given them an excuse to play outdoors when they could be indoors crunching numbers?"I went down to Ocean City last Sunday after the storm, and I was amazed at how many people were down there riding around," Goldstein said. "And this weekend, they have got the boat show."

THOMASTON, Conn. -- In New England, a place that prizes individuals -- the more peculiar, the more cherished -- the Leather Man was and is royalty among hermits. The sad story of his lost love, ruined career, escape from reality and penance resemble the outline of a Russian novel.For almost three decades in the late 19th century, the Leather Man was a solitary ambler, dressed entirely in leather, who walked alone on a repeated circuit west of the Connecticut River and east of the Hudson River.

Arc had already acted on problems in articleAs president of the board of directors of the Arc of Howard County, I am responding to the March 2 article " 'Caretakers' who prey on the retarded."As the article indicates, there have been several unfortunate incidents involving theft of consumer funds. In each of the cases reported by The Sun, the Arc of Howard County discovered the crimes and reported them to the appropriate authorities.These included the Howard County police, the Medicaid fraud division of the state attorney general's office, the Developmental Disabilities Administration and the Licensing and Certification Administration of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

County disabilities panel recognizes advocatesThe Howard County Commission on Disabilities Issues presented its 1998 awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that have worked to enhance life of the disabled.The Access award was presented to Drew Sandberg of Colosseum Gym and Fitness.The Employer of the Year award was given to Jo-Ann ETC (Experience the Creativity), a fabric and craft chain that opened a store in the Columbia Crossing shopping center.The company's representatives met with local agencies and organizations to discuss labor needs -- including employment of individuals with disabilities.

WHEN Congress was run by Democrats and the White House by a Republican, congressional Democrats frequently called for the restoration of U.S. cities before money was spent on other programs.When Republicans became a congressional majority and tried to create tax incentives for individuals and businesses in order to rebuild decaying neighborhoods, they were blocked by liberal Democrats, who feared that success in this area would end the cult of dependency that is their political bread and butter.

The Teamsters strike against the United Parcel Service is beginning to take its toll.As the strike heads into its first weekend -- after five days of disrupting the normal routines of businesses and individuals -- the question on the minds of many is: What will happen if the labor dispute continues?"

What do people interested in recent conservative attacks on federal appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor buy? Portable pet carriers, moisturizing liquid hand soap, and flat screen televisions. The fact that I know this is not something I find comforting. Let me explain. After I wrote a recent op-ed, a friend drew my attention to something at the bottom of the online version of the article. I have grown used to advertisements with my news and links to "most read articles," but this seemed to raise the stakes.

Washington - Rep. Elijah E. Cummings wanted more help for homeowners facing foreclosure. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett didn't want to reward the "bad behavior" of irrational lenders and borrowers. From opposite ends of the political spectrum, the two Marylanders reflected the range of opposition to the $700 billion financial bailout package rejected yesterday by lawmakers. "The thing that bothers me more than anything else about this deal is the imbalance," said Cummings, a liberal Democrat from Baltimore.

More people than ever are calling the Salvation Army's Baltimore offices this year, asking for help paying their utility bills or for food to feed their families. And contributions from individuals, the charity says, are down $100,000 from a year earlier. Around the state, nonprofits are seeing donations fall and pleas for help increase. Their costs to supply food and other assistance are soaring. And they worry that fundraising will fall far short of goals this year, with even the most steadfast of donors, from individuals to foundations, tapped out in light of the economic slowdown.

I am writing on behalf of the Anne Arundel County Commission on Disability Issues, whose mission is to promote the interests and enhance the quality of life of people with disabilities, by providing advice on disability issues to County Executive John R. Leopold and the County Council. Six months ago, the county began imposing a $500 fine on persons who unlawfully park in spaces reserved for the disabled, or who block access to ramps and curb cuts, On Feb. 10, an article ran in The (Annapolis)

If you thought divorce was bad for the kids, you should see what it does to the environment. A study published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science found that the resource inefficiency of divorced households resulted in an extra 73 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity use in the U.S. in 2005 - about 7 percent of total home use. "Turning on the light uses the same energy whether there are two people or four people in the...

WASHINGTON -- Even as the FBI hails as a major success story its breakup of an alleged plot by "radical Islamists" to kill soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., federal authorities acknowledge that the case has underscored a troubling vulnerability in the domestic war on terror. They say the FBI, despite an unprecedented expansion over the past five years, cannot possibly counter the growing threat posed by homegrown extremists without the help of two often unreliable allies. One is an American public that they lament is prone to averting its attention from suspicious behavior and often reluctant to get involved.

The Carroll County Board of Education is soliciting applications from individuals interested in serving on the board. A seat on the five-member board is open because of the recent resignation of Thomas Hiltz. Hiltz, 47, of Woodbine, was elected to the Carroll County school board in 2000. He stepped down last month because of growing demands at home and in his work for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, he said. The new board member will complete Hiltz's term, which ends Dec. 1, 2008.

Want an easy 30 to 60 bucks? Then don't miss asking for it when you do your taxes, and don't just rely on a tax preparer to get it for you. About 30 percent of taxpayers are missing out on the simple $30 to $60 refund, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Yet it's available to virtually every American who has paid for telephone service over a three-year period. In response to a tax case, the IRS is returning telephone excise taxes that people should not have been charged on phone bills.

Rosewood residents remain in jeopardy A September report by the state's Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) found that conditions at the Rosewood Center posed immediate jeopardy to individuals at the center. The report also found that staff had failed to intervene to protect individuals ("Report scolds disabled center," Sept. 29). OHCQ later found that the Rosewood Center had taken appropriate steps to abate the immediate jeopardy ("Rosewood strives for progress," Nov. 26). But the recent incident at Rosewood proves that the center continues to fail to protect people from harm ("Hospital resident charged in state facility stabbing," Dec. 29)

Hardly a week goes by without news of a Maryland resident who has been murdered or seriously injured in an act of domestic violence where a protective order had been issued against the attacker. In a recent incident, police shot a 25-year-old Kent County man who had forced his way into the apartment of his girlfriend and held their toddler hostage. Domestic violence is the No. 1 cause of physical injury suffered by women and, according to studies, requires more medical care for them than rape, muggings and car accidents combined.