Introduction

The Ravens created some breathing room under the NFL salary cap limit when they signed Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice to a five-year, $40 million maximum value deal that included a $15 million signing bonus. Instead of carrying a $7.742 million franchise tender for Rice, he now counts for just $5 million against the salary cap for this fiscal year. Including the accounting for the Rice deal, the Ravens have $3.123 million in cap space available. Yes, that's enough to fit in a deal for quarterback Joe Flacco, which is actively being haggled over between agent Joe Linta and Ravens vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty, with no deal imminent at this time.

COLLEGE PARK  - Midnight Madness - or Maryland Madness as it's now called since the event is over long before the old starting time of 12:01 a.m. - is traditionally much bigger on style than on substance, with dunks (many) more de rigeur than defense (none). Not to say that Friday night's introduction of the 2012-13 Terps was much different than others I have witnessed over the years, but through the laser beam introductions and all the dances, there were some impressions made that had a little to do with basketball.

One of the big advantages to the city public schools joining the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association this year was postseason play for the girls for the first time.After yesterday's introduction to the MPSSAA playoffs in girls soccer, the city schools might want to reconsider.Fourth seed Kenwood blistered supposed top seed City, 16-0, and Western, outshot 47-0 in the first half, was shut out, 11-0, at South Carroll.Of course, when basketball season rolls around . . .* See high school playoff coverage, 10-11D

The Ravens created some breathing room under the NFL salary cap limit when they signed Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice to a five-year, $40 million maximum value deal that included a $15 million signing bonus. Instead of carrying a $7.742 million franchise tender for Rice, he now counts for just $5 million against the salary cap for this fiscal year. Including the accounting for the Rice deal, the Ravens have $3.123 million in cap space available. Yes, that's enough to fit in a deal for quarterback Joe Flacco, which is actively being haggled over between agent Joe Linta and Ravens vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty, with no deal imminent at this time.

Put points on the scoreboard for Tom Clancy, the author who wants to restore professional football to his old hometown. Clancy has made an impressive attempt to gain attention, as all prospective owners are trying to do, by sending the National Football League commissioner and team owners an elaborate gift parcel that includes signed copies of his best-selling books and a personal introduction via video.Since the NFL has gained immeasurable popularity through television, both in ratings and dollars earned for rights fees, Clancy took the same cue and is utilizing a similar method to formally present himself.

Essex Community College is offering special introductory classes in 12 career areas. The courses, which range from one to three credits, can give a better understanding of the special career areas. Most are offered in the morning, evening, and several on Saturdays.Courses of special interest are Introduction to Business and Industry, Introduction to Criminal Justice, Principles of Computer Information Systems, Introduction to Drafting Technology, Orientation to Electronics, Orientation to Food Industry Technology, Introduction to Hotel and Restaurant Management, Introduction to Mental Health, Orientation to Nuclear Medicine, Orientation to Physical Education, Recreation, and Health, Introduction to Teaching, and Introduction to Veterinary Technology.

"Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation" will be held 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. every Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, 333 Dubois Road.

The Harford County Appraisers Society has scheduled two three-hour continuing education seminars for Wednesday at the American Legion Post 39, 500 Conowingo Road, in Bel Air.Registration begins at 8 a.m. for the morning session, "Introduction to Appraisal for the Real Estate Professional," and at noon for the afternoon seminar, "Introduction to the Auction Process for the Real Estate Professional."Fee for each seminar is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Lunch is included for those who register for both sessions.

The 9 / 11 Investigations, edited by Steven Strasser with an introduction by Craig R. Whitney. PublicAffairs. 580 pages. $14.95. This compilation of public documents includes staff reports of the 9 / 11 commission, excerpts from the House-Senate Joint Inquiry Report on 9 / 11 and testimony from 14 key witnesses. The commission's findings and conclusion are yet to come, and this volume does nothing to predict what they may be. But it does constitute a major, basic reference for anyone who is acutely interested in the events, preludes and aftermath of the Sept.

Howard Community College will offer courses in word processing, desktop publishing, microcomputer applications and spreadsheets."Introduction to the Personal Computer," a six-hour course, will emphasizethe PC keyboard, basic operating techniques, file organizations and naming conventions.The class will meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 6.Other sessions will meet from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. July 9 and 11; 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. July 15 and 17; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 27.Cost is $95."Introduction to WordPerfect," a 12-hour course focusing on creating, editing and printing documents, will begin July 8.Cost is $150.

It's somewhat strange to write an introduction on a blog you've been contributing to for the past 10 months, yet here I am, doing the Internet equivalent to the awkward honk and wave.   But hey, better late than never, right?   The old Midnight Sun scribe, Erik Maza, has headed north to Women's Wear Daily and we raise our glass to him. Now, loyal Midnight Sun readers, you have me, a 25-year-old features reporter who lives in Canton and considers bar-hopping with friends a good night out.   A little more about me so my parents don't think I have a problem: I grew up in South Jersey, 30 minutes away from Atlantic City, in a tiny town called Hammonton (look for it in the first episode of “Boardwalk Empire”)

Plans for two Baltimore County senior housing developments, one of which is tied to the expansion of the Catonsville Family Y, are set to move forward this week. County Councilman Tom Quirk said he plans to introduce resolutions Monday seeking council approval for the projects. The senior housing developments would be located at the Y campus on Rolling Road in Catonsville and on Oak Road in Baltimore Highlands, which is near Lansdowne. The developers of the projects have applied for Planned Unit Development (PUD)

After nine productive seasons with the Ravens, linebacker Jarret Johnson faces an uncertain future with the franchise. He is an unrestricted free agent and he knows that the Ravens are trying to get faster and younger on defense. However, there he was Friday, seated front and center in the auditorium at the team's complex as Dean Pees was introduced as the team's new defensive coordinator. Johnson was the lone player in attendance. “I'm not here about my future,” said Johnson, the 30-year-old who had 56 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks during the regular season.

Your new Orioles beat writer has been connected to this franchise a long time -- almost since birth. Had the Yankees not beaten the Orioles for the AL East title in 1976, I would have been named after Orioles rookie outfielder Andres Mora. Instead, I was named after right-hander Ed Figueroa, who won 19 games that year for New York. The bet that my parents made literally made me who I am. So baseball's always been in my blood. So here I am 35 years later, Eduardo Andres Encina, your new Baltimore Orioles beat writer.

Baltimore County Council members on Monday delayed introducing a wide-ranging ethics bill proposed by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, saying they didn't have time to review the lengthy legislation. Council members now plan to introduce the bill at a legislative session planned for Nov. 21, rather than Monday as scheduled. The measure could then be voted on in December. Among other things, the bill would add teeth to a county charter rule against council members holding state jobs; prohibit county employees from taking gifts from people who do business with the county; and require the financial disclosure forms of elected officials to be posted online beginning in May 2012.

My family had scarcely moved into our northwest Baltimore City home forty-some years ago when C+P Telephone decreed our 358 (FLeetwood 8) phone number would be changed to a number bearing a brand new, 578 exchange. Much worse than the impossibility of turning JKL (5) and PQRS (7) into a word was the utter unfamiliarity and rootlessness of a new exchange - one that wouldn't immediately convey a sense of place. I've always had a thing for numbers; the black and whiteness of 2 plus 2 always equaling 4 was a childhood comfort amid daily shades of gray, and it's something I still cling to in adulthood.

This editorial appeared in Wednesday's Los Angeles Times:On the congested, narrow streets of Bogota, Colombia, the buses are slow and the smog can be stinging.But the introduction of a bit of culture, Latin-style, now promises to ease the commuter's weary way on municipal buses.Many buses will have their own poets. The city Institute of Culture and Tourism has hired 15 poets to declaim the classics to Bogotanos bouncing to work."Our aim," said the manager of the institute, "is to pass on a cultural message to the people, and, who knows, perhaps some of the patrons will leave the bus having learned a new poem."

A decision was rendered by the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Governors on Thursday that allows for the implementation of an A Conference football playoff system without adversely affecting the Turkey Bowl — the annual Thanksgiving Day game between Calvert Hall and Loyola. As was the MIAA's original plan, the A Conference will have playoffs for the first time next season. The top four teams in the league — as determined by a point system — will qualify for the postseason.

It took a special brand of confidence for freshman guard Pe'Shon Howard to arrive at the Maryland men's basketball team's media day Thursday wearing a crisp white jersey bearing No. 21 — Greivis Vasquez's old number. "I had [No. 21] in high school," said Howard, who is from Los Angeles and attended Virginia's Oak Hill Academy. "Greivis said he didn't mind. At first he said he wasn't sure. He had to see me and make sure I was tough enough to wear it. " If Howard seemed bold — and it certainly takes self-assurance to wear the number of Maryland's second-leading scorer of all time — he wasn't the only one. Unlike last season, when media day was ruled by Vasquez (now with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies)