Interests

The several gerrymandered congressional redistricting plans now being considered by the General Assembly are self-serving and cynical. The heavy-handed manipulation of Maryland's voters is an crass perversion of how districts should be drawn, and it points up the corruptive danger of long-term one-party rule. Supreme Court rulings and federal laws require that congressional districts must be contiguous, compact, and equally populated. Please explain how any of the proposed districts meets the definition for being compact.

Right-hander Jason Hammel turned in one of the worst pitching lines of his Orioles career on Friday night, giving up seven earned runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out four batters in 4 2/3 innings. That's his worst outing since giving up eight earned runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Los Angeles Angels on June 27, 2012. But he wasn't the only pitcher in the Orioles organization with an interesting line on Friday - though I guess it depends on your version of interesting.

The recent Republican presidential candidate debate in Las Vegas put a new spotlight on the issue of U.S. spending on foreign aid, although it may have escaped the notice of many ("Republicans take off gloves in Vegas debate," Oct. 19). Times are tough and Americans need to understand why it is vital that we continue to send development aid overseas: It increases jobs here in the U.S. and keeps our homeland safer. My firm is an international development company that employs American workers (and local partners as well)

The day after riding in the Kentucky Derby, Kevin Krigger packed his family and gear and headed for Pimlico Race Course - by way of Cincinnati. A woman there had captured his heart. She was Liliane Casey, 88, whose father, Jimmy Winkfield, was the last black jockey to win the Derby, or any Triple Crown race, in 1902. "I had to meet her," said Krigger, 29, who chatted with Casey in the living room of her apartment for nearly 2 1/2 hours. "We had a great time. She educated me as to what her father had gone through in racing.

On Saturday, I crossed the Baltimore Grand Prix track via the skywalk between the Pratt Street Pavilion and the Gallery. Racecars were speeding around the track, so I lingered for a moment to see what my tax dollars had bought. But only for a moment, because then three police officers ordered me to move along. Now, I know that it wasn't for crowd control or a safety issue - there were only three other civilians on the bridge besides me, and I have seen far more people congregate on that bridge for a parade on Pratt Street without risking a collapse.

Shibley Talhami's article "Egypt's revolt and America's Role" (Feb. 16) is right on target regarding our government's interest in democracy in the Middle East. Its sudden enthusiasm for the need for democratic reform in Egypt is a good case of how our foreign policy can shift with the wind. Our State Department has previously mentioned the need for the Egyptian government to respond more to the needs the people, but that was about it. No strong demands change were voiced until events in the last two weeks forced us to dramatically raise the volume of our protests.

EVERYONE is in favor of protecting the best interests of children, and almost everyone seems to believe that those interests can be readily identified. When compared with idealized "best interests," blood ties may often appear less compelling, particularly in an age when an increasing number of children are being raised in nontraditional or nonbiological families. With sad regularity, wrenching cases continue to arise in which judges are called on to decide whether the "rights" demanded by biological parents should outweigh the "interests" of their children, as asserted by some other person.

ONE AXIOM about politicians continues to ring true: They never fail to disappoint. Newly appointed state Sen. Robert R. Neall's decision to register as a lobbyist while serving in the Maryland General Assembly is profoundly disillusioning.Even though Mr. Neall says he has registered as a lobbyist so as to comply with Anne Arundel County's strict ethics law, he has created an impossible conflict of interest. His two clients are developers. One is Driggs Construction, which is planning a $300 million townhouse complex near Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

Tavern owners want a chunk of the action. So does the state fair in Timonium. Casino interests are sniffing around. With the legalization of slot machines an unsolved riddle in Maryland, the debate over expanded gambling has devolved into a battle royal among special interests since the General Assembly last considered the issue. As lawmakers ready for a return to Annapolis this week, eyes remain fixed on House Speaker Michael E. Busch, the leading critic of slots, who some believe might be surreptitiously scuttling Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s top priority by allowing competing forces to gnaw it to death.

City Council President Lawrence A. Bell III, who has compiled the largest war chest in Baltimore's mayoral race, received his strongest support from contractors, unions and gambling and entertainment interests.According to reports filed this week, contributors to Bell range from the Club Pussycat on Baltimore's Block, which gave $500, to the production company of boxing promoter Don King, which gave $4,000.Among the labor organizations was the International Union of Electricians, which gave $6,000; among the business people was contractor Pless Jones, who contributed $7,000 through two of his companies.

Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Neuman said she's taken steps toward running in 2014 for a full term. While the Republican hasn't declared her candidacy officially, Neuman said in an interview Thursday she's filed the paperwork to form a campaign committee. The only office she's considering is county executive. "I've had a tremendous amount of support from the community," she said. "I wanted to at least explore the idea. " The County Council selected Neuman as county executive on Feb. 21 after the resignation of John R. Leopold, who was found guilty of misconduct in office.

OK, so now that the Ravens have re-signed left offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie to a two-year contract, the real drama begins. We're starting the official McKinnie Watch here. When will he report to training camp? How much will he weigh? When will he be in condition to play his first game? Will his annual visit to coach John Harbaugh's doghouse last 16 games like last season, or will McKinnie not dog it this season? With McKinnie, there is always theater. Just about everybody around town wanted the Ravens to upgrade at the tackle position in the offseason, but when that didn't happen in the NFL draft , the Ravens had virtually no choice but to bring back the often-disgruntled giant left tackle.

College students taking out subsidized federal student loans will see their interest rate double in July unless Congress comes to the rescue. The rate on subsidized Stafford loans is a fixed 3.4 percent, but that's set to expire and revert to 6.8 percent for new loans issued starting in July. (Old loans stay at their current rate.) Subsidized loans, for which the government pays the interest while students are in school, are awarded to those in financial need. Unsubsidized loans, for which borrowers pay the interest, already charge 6.8 percent interest.

If there isn't a run on quarterbacks in the first round, then the Ravens might trade out of it and gain more picks. We are hearing there have been a number of teams that have already contacted the Ravens about possibly sliding back to No. 32 in the first round.  It wouldn't be suprising if Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome moved back. With 12 picks, they have a lot of options one way or the other. 

The Ravens replaced pass rusher Paul Kruger with a three-time Pro Bowler in Elvis Dumervil. They are open to trying out defensive end Pernell McPhee at rush linebacker. Courtney Upshaw could improve his pass-rushing prowess before his second NFL season. And Terrell Suggs should have four fully-functioning limbs this fall. Will that keep the Ravens from drafting another pass rusher next week, possibly even with an early pick? This draft class boasts a mysterious but talented group of edge rushers, led by LSU's Barkevious Mingo, Oregon's Dion Jordan, Florida State's Bjoern Werner, Georgia's Jarvis Jones, and BYU's Ezekiel Ansah.

Dr. Franz Xavier Groll, a retired physician who lived and practiced on Eager Street in downtown Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood, died of pulmonary thrombosis April 2 at Keswick Multi-Care Center. He was 95. Born in Aalen in Germany, he was the son of a forest manager who was also a gamekeeper. He grew up at the time of Adolf Hitler's rise and was a member of the German Youth Movement. He studied medicine at the Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg and served in the German army as a combat physician attached to a Panzer division.

When Maryland Republicans gathered for a fund-raiser in Washington Monday night, horse racing interests that want slots at the state's tracks were there with checkbooks in hand. William Rickman Jr., a Delaware racetrack casino operator who wants to build a track in Allegany County was a $15,000 sponsor; the Maryland Jockey Club, minority owner of Pimlico and Laurel Park, chipped in $10,000, according to state GOP Chairman John Kane. Kane said he sees no difference between racing interests and other businesses contributing money to the party.

THE HOUSE of Representatives panel studying the arms-technology hemorrhage to China has compiled a massive, serious report that cries out for careful response.Highest priority must go to plugging technology leaks without damaging national interests.The committee, led by Rep. Christopher Cox, a California Republican, performed a conscientious investigation, keeping out of partisan battles. Much remains classified. Some in the intelligence community believe the panel made worst-case interpretations of inconclusive data.

Would you like to meet the most interesting man in Maryland?  Apparently, it's Comptroller Peter Franchot. Franchot this week released a spoof of the popular Dos Equis' beer commercials as promotion for Maryland's unclaimed property website . More than $980 million is waiting to be claimed by Marylanders, and newspaper inserts will soon start advertising $80 million of them. While the original Dos Equis  commercials feature a James Bond-style characte r as the Most Interesting Man in the world, Franchot's video features himself as a tax-paying, illegal-cigarette-nabbing finder of lost property.  In sepia tones and backed by salsa music, Franchot urges Marylanders to "stay thrifty my friends.

From hot-chocolate stands to dog walking to helping people with computers, kids can start their own businesses - and learn about the value of money along the way. On a chilly day last November, 5-year-old Sylvia Fordham caught the business bug. “She wanted to have a lemonade stand to make money,” says her mother, Jennifer. “But it was freezing outside. I told her I didn't think anyone would want a cold drink on a cold day, so I suggested she try something else.” A few hours - and one trip to the grocery store - later, Sylvia's stand was up and running, serving hot chocolate and homemade cookies to her Baltimore neighbors.