Lack Thereof

John Polyniak writes from Lake Shore each fall to remind us to swap the heat index for the wind chill. Thanks, John! He asks, "Does humidity, or lack thereof, affect how cold it feels? If so, there should be a `cold index.'" It does. And there is. Damp air feels colder because water conducts heat better than air, so we lose more body heat. AccuWeather adds humidity (plus sunshine, precipitation and altitude) to wind and temperature data to produce its patented "Real Feel" index.

For many years, the officers of the various private volunteer fire and ambulance companies that provide a valuable public service to Harford County have strenuously resisted any financial or strategic oversight by the Harford County government. This is not to say that the volunteer companies are somehow rogue with regard to the very high level of services they provide. The ambulance service is under the strict supervision of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, and the fire side of the volunteer companies is under similar strict training regimens for the people who respond to calls.

For weeks, David Letterman has regularly been poking fun at Attorney General John Ashcroft's singing voice -- or lack thereof -- on his late night CBS telecast. Since February, Letterman has played a clip of Ashcroft crooning a song he wrote, "Let the Eagle Soar," before a group of North Carolina theological students. On Tuesday, Ashcroft will finally get his turn to answer back with an appearance on the show. "The attorney general has a good sense of humor," said Mark Corallo, an Ashcroft spokesman.

Rhea Mayolo is a Caroline County mini-celebrity. Her video is on YouTube, and top officials from Washington and Annapolis sing her praises. Her claim to fame? She went from government assistance and a waitressing gig to a new career, thanks to the federal stimulus program. She "typifies what the stimulus means," Maryland Highway Administrator Neil J. Pedersen said at a recent Eastern Shore groundbreaking event where Mayolo, ceremonial shovel in hand, posed for photos. Selling voters on the success of the stimulus program and the government's commitment to creating jobs is crucial to the Democrats' 2010 campaign strategy.

Eve 6 guitarist Jon Siebels says there was never any doubt "Inside Out" was going to be his band's first single. It seemed the obvious choice to everyone, thanks to its catchy combination of crunchy, punk-rock guitar and soaring power-pop melody."

It wasn't too long ago that the California Angels enjoyed a distinct home-field advantage. That is not presently the case, as apathy is no longer reserved for the Rams.The Angels also are suffering from the disease so common to losers. And while everyone (especially in Baltimore) speculates about the future of the football team, few have noticed that the baseball team is likewise caught in the mudslide of indifference.With so many major-league players having ties in southern California, particularly Orange County, a trip to the "Big A" often took on the appearance of a huge family reunion.

EVENTS OVER the last six months have raised troubling questions about the Howard County Detention Center. Can taxpayers be certain the 235-inmate jail won't be awash in lawsuits because of the actions -- or the lack thereof -- of improperly trained corrections officers? Can the public be certain that the officers they're paying are certified to perform their jobs?The first of these questions arose in December when Edward Leroy Bennett Sr., a longtime drug user, hanged himself from a sprinkler in his jail cell.

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s speech to the General Assembly yesterday may not be remembered as an oratorical gem, but his fourth State of the State address was notable in at least one respect: Only Burger King is selling more whoppers. One expects a certain amount of braggadocio from an incumbent governor seeking re-election, but Mr. Ehrlich's set a new standard. It's hard to tell which of the speech's remarkable rewrites of history is more jaw-dropping - the one where the governor bragged about preserving open space (after cutting the program by hundreds of millions)

A development's appearance and harmony with its surroundings - or the lack thereof - have sparked many a suburban dispute, but Howard County officials say they may have a solution. Legislation to create a design review panel is to be discussed at a county Planning Board meeting Thursday night. After consideration by the board, a bill will likely be introduced before the County Council. The proposal would create a five-member design advisory panel made up of architects, engineers and planners to make recommendations on aesthetics and compatibility while development plans are being processed.

If Baltimore City Council members are expecting the two sides in the Mount Vernon height battle to settle their differences, they are sadly mistaken. A compromise on a revised urban renewal plan for the neighborhood is not in the offing. An experienced mediator brought into the debate previously concluded to city planners that the groups were beyond her help. But the council needs to move this process along: It should use the Planning Commission's proposed height limits as its guide in setting new parameters for development in this historic neighborhood.

theater 'I Am My Own Wife': Actor Bruce Nelson portrays 35 characters in this one-man show about Berlin's controversial Tranny Granny, or Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, who navigated two homophobic regimes in a housecoat and high heels. I Am My Own Wife runs through Feb. 22 at Everyman Theatre, 1727 N. Charles St. Showtimes vary. Tickets are $24-$38. Call 410-752-2208 or go to everymantheatre.org. Mary Carole McCauley art School 33 exhibit: Politics, conformity and assimilation are themes in the work of Eun Woo Cho and Liz Ensz, the artists featured in a Two Person Juried Exhibition that runs through Feb. 7 at School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light St. Andrea Pollan, head of the Curator's Office gallery in Washington, served as the juror for the exhibit, part of School 33's Open Call to Artists.

YOU KNOW, John Campisi is a very different kind of guy. This guy has a job and he's busy!" That's Mariska Hargitay, comparing Hilary Swank's current beau, movie agent Campisi, to her ex-hubby, actor Chad Lowe. I'm sure Mariska, didn't mean to diss Chad, who has already been hammered a bit by Miss Swank - remember that Vanity Fair profile? Oh, well, maybe Mariska can make it up and give Chad a role on Law & Order: SVU. Swank is all glam and feminine on the cover and inside W. Those qualities - or lack thereof - are much the point of the story and Swank's ongoing career crisis.

An infrequent visitor to Annapolis, strolling past the storefronts of downtown yesterday, wouldn't have noticed. The stench of exhaust and the low roar of midday traffic had been replaced by unfamiliar sounds and smells - the odor of fresh pine boughs wrapped around lampposts and of fabric softener from the vent of a hot clothes dryer. Only the tinkle of an unseen wind chime or the drone of an occasional passing car broke the eerie near-silence. The Middle East peace conference at the U.S. Naval Academy, which drew delegates from 50 countries and organizations and hundreds of journalists and protesters to Annapolis, had driven away just about everyone else.

John Polyniak writes from Lake Shore each fall to remind us to swap the heat index for the wind chill. Thanks, John! He asks, "Does humidity, or lack thereof, affect how cold it feels? If so, there should be a `cold index.'" It does. And there is. Damp air feels colder because water conducts heat better than air, so we lose more body heat. AccuWeather adds humidity (plus sunshine, precipitation and altitude) to wind and temperature data to produce its patented "Real Feel" index.

When asked about the strength and reputation of the Atlantic Coast Conference, coaches throughout the league typically use "parity" and "competitive" as commonly as others say "please" and "thank you." There are facts, though, that at least one ACC coach found inexplicable: Since 2001, the ACC is 2-27 against nonconference opponents ranked in the top 10 in the Associated Press poll. The past seven ACC champions have lost their bowl games. "That," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said, "I can't explain."

A development's appearance and harmony with its surroundings - or the lack thereof - have sparked many a suburban dispute, but Howard County officials say they may have a solution. Legislation to create a design review panel is to be discussed at a county Planning Board meeting Thursday night. After consideration by the board, a bill will likely be introduced before the County Council. The proposal would create a five-member design advisory panel made up of architects, engineers and planners to make recommendations on aesthetics and compatibility while development plans are being processed.

ATLANTA -- Maybe the ball is juiced. Maybe it isn't. One thing we know: Good pitching stops good hitting, and bad pitching destroys a ball club.Which brings us to the sad, early-season plight of the 1994, first-to-worst Phillies.The '93 Phillies scored 143 runs in their first 30 games and were off and running at 23-7.The '94 club scored 154 runs in the first 30 games and was 12-18 going into last night's first meeting of the year with the division-leading Braves. Yep, you read that right: 11 more runs, 11 fewer victories.

WHEN PRESIDENT Bush learned of the latest bus bombing in Israel, an attack that killed 11, many of them students, he again decried the use of terror to "stop any process for peace." He urged all countries in the region to "take responsibility" to fight off terrorism. Speaking of responsibility, the Bush administration should reflect on its role -- or lack thereof -- in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. That same day, Secretary of State Colin Powell called on Palestinians to disrupt and dismantle terrorist groups that are perpetrating the attacks with impunity.

THE BEAUTY OF BAD GOLF IS THAT you can play it anywhere. You can play it on the worst cow-pasture municipal course or at the best hoity-toity country club and the results will be pretty much the same: lots of ugly shots, lots of aggravation, followed by -- if you don't immediately go into therapy -- a few laughs when you mentally replay the round later over beers with friends. For my 20-handicap game, the advantage of a gorgeous golf course, like the one I played on a weekend getaway to Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort in Western Maryland, is that I can blame the surroundings for distracting me and causing another meltdown on the scorecard.

When it comes to vacation, Net- flix has a simple policy: Take as much as you'd like. Just make sure your work is done. Employees at the online movie retailer often leave for three, four, five weeks at a time and never clock in or out. Vacation limits and face-time requirements, said Netflix Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings, are "a relic of the industrial age." "The worst thing is for a manager to come in and tell me: `Let's give Susie a huge raise because she's always in the office.