Matter

Greg Cantori plans to downsize when he retires. Really, really downsize. His retirement home is 238 square feet — one-tenth the size of the average new American house — and sits in his Anne Arundel County yard. He and wife Renee can hitch it to a truck and take it with them wherever they go. "It's so cheap — that's what's so cool about this," said Cantori, 52, who envisions a surf-and-turf future, alternating between the house and a sailboat. "We bought the house for $19,000.

A Baltimore County parent who stepped in to bring warmth and cheer back to the high school that had a chilling cafeteria shooting was recognized Friday during the state's annual Parent Involvement Matters awards. The Maryland State Department of Education awarded Mary Kavanagh with the JoAnne L. Carter Memorial Award, in recognition of her special work with Perry Hall High School, according to a news release from the department. Kavanagh received the award, named in honor of Carter, a former deputy state superintendent who lost her battle with cancer in 2009, for a mural project she launched after a student opened fire at Perry Hall on the first day of school.

I'm confused about choosing a color to paint my kitchen. I've heard that green is the color of the year. And then I hear about gray being the new neutral. What are the best colors to paint the kitchen? A kitchen should be an inviting gathering space, so warmer or brighter tones are ideal, such as deep ivories, rich coppers, luscious reds, golden yellows and yellow-greens. Be sure to take countertops, appliances and floors into consideration when selecting your color. You'll want something that complements these accents and flows naturally into the surrounding rooms of your home.

100 Years Ago Sheep vs. dogs "It is reported that Mr. Harold Hopkins had a large number of sheep killed by dogs last Sunday morning.  "Wanted: A woman to cook, wash and clean, and remain at night, good wages. Mrs. James Steward. Hill St. Ellicott City.  "Wanted: Two good farm and garden hands $8.00 per week, good house. All year around employment. Apply to B.M. Baker, Ingleside" I wonder whether that $8 is for two farm workers or for one, probably for two, $8 and a house would most likely be too much of a windfall for one person.

For many folks headed to Preakness, the focus of the afternoon isn't the race. It's the fashion — and we don't just mean hats. If you're in the grandstands, the Jockey Club area or Corporate Village, you'll want to dress the part. Betsy Dugan, owner of Bettina Collections in Cross Keys and former co-owner of Octavia in Pikesville, has been dressing women for Preakness for years. "This is the time ... to dress up," she said. If there's one rule of thumb, it's that ladies and gentlemen at Preakness should look like ...well, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm baffled. What motivated Jean Marbella in her Sunday column ("John le Carre meets 'Desperate Housewives,'" July 4) to so trivialize the news that Richard and Cindy Murphy were accused of spying for the Russians? The charge involves our national security, but she treated it as if it was something to joke about. Richard T. Seymour

I was born a Democrat but I am a card carrying Republican by choice. I was born Jewish, but am a Jew by choice. And I cannot support our president, not because he is a Democrat but because of what he is doing to our country. But neither can I support the majority of Republican candidates because they are saying nothing about what they would do for our country. They have, especially Mr. Santorum, brought religion into a place it does not belong. I do not care if Mr. Santorum feels he is a better Christian than the president; the question is whether he is a better man and would he make a better president.

It would help readers of The Baltimore Sun to have The Sun investigate more deeply the problems of Brian Roberts ("Roberts likely to miss FanFest," Jan 12). We all know there is something wrong here, but no one wants to talk about it. What are we hiding? What are we covering up? To continue to pass this problem off as a result of a concussion seems odd to some of us - I say this gingerly because I am a big fan of Brian - but I think that he may be hurting. To read in today's paper that he will not be able to attend FanFest because "doctors had advised him that the event could cause further stress" and have this followed by the comments of General Manager Dan Duquette just shows the confusion in discussing the Brian Roberts issue.

For the good of the country and the legislative process, regardless of who wins the presidential race, the following should resign their leadership posts (although there's a slim chance that it will happen, but Washington is simply dead with them in place): House Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Sen. Dick Durbin (the Senate's assistant majority leader), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl. Earl Watkeys, Phoenix

Johns Hopkins' 11-10 overtime win against Virginia vaulted the Blue Jays to the top of many polls and rankings. But being No. 1 is not something that is weighs on the players or coaches, according to coach Dave Pietramala. “It doesn't matter,” he said Wednesday. “You could pick a lot of teams for No. 1. UMass is 8-0, Loyola is 8-0. Part of that is just where you were ranked originally. I would tell you that being No. 1 doesn't mean anything right now.” Johns Hopkins (8-0)

100 Years Ago Sheep vs. dogs "It is reported that Mr. Harold Hopkins had a large number of sheep killed by dogs last Sunday morning.  "Wanted: A woman to cook, wash and clean, and remain at night, good wages. Mrs. James Steward. Hill St. Ellicott City.  "Wanted: Two good farm and garden hands $8.00 per week, good house. All year around employment. Apply to B.M. Baker, Ingleside" I wonder whether that $8 is for two farm workers or for one, probably for two, $8 and a house would most likely be too much of a windfall for one person.

A few low, indecipherable noises escaped from the table where Shug McGaughey, trainer of even-money Preakness favorite Orb, sat during the post-position draw Wednesday. The horse had drawn the dreaded No. 1 gate, meaning eight horses will be closing him in as they race toward the shortest path to the first turn. McGaughey, though, was not among those who thought this meant anything significant. “Some people groaned,” he said. “I didn't groan.” McGaughey acknowledged a preference to start on the outside of the field - where both the jockey and horse can watch the field open up - but said he thought drawing the rail simply didn't matter in a nine-horse field running over a mile and three-sixteenths.

The U.S. Senate recently passed a bill that would allow states to require Internet retailers to collect sales taxes on behalf of local governments. This bill has flaws, but they could be fixed in the House. It should be passed. I don't like the idea of the state and local governments collecting more taxes - they know no limits to their capacity to tax and squander our hard-earned dollars - but the current situation is unfair and bad economic policy. (Also, Marylanders stand to gain from this legislation in another way, because of a state law that will reduce future increases in gasoline taxes if taxing Internet sales is allowed.)

Welcome to Gay Matters, a new home for gay news and commentary at The Baltimore Sun. As website real estate, this blog is something new and perhaps long overdue. But we've been doing this work -- covering news relevant to the gay community -- for a very long time. I took a look back -- all the way back to microfilm -- and found the evidence. In 1955, for example, there were 162 men and women arrested on charges of disorderly conduct at the Pepper Hill Club on North Gay Street in "the largest night-club raid ever made in Baltimore," after male patrons among the club's largely gay clientele were seen kissing each other.

The federal government has an innovation problem — or does it? The answer depends on whom you ask. Federal employees surveyed over the past three years have had a declining view of government innovation. But that doesn't mean Uncle Sam doesn't have pockets of creativity, as highlighted by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The bad news first: Less than 40 percent of federal employees felt that creativity and innovation were rewarded in their agency — a 2.5 percentage point drop from 2011.

Despite being the top seed in the Ivy League tournament, Cornell was stunned, 14-13, in overtime by No. 12 Princeton. That result cost the Big Red one of the eight seeds in the NCAA tournament and the right to host a home game in the first round. No. 2 Cornell (12-3) will visit No. 11 and sixth-seeded Maryland (10-3) at Byrd Stadium in College Park this Sunday, but Terps coach John Tillman is not as concerned about the Big Red's last outing as he is about that team's entire season.

The letter from Maryland Budget Secretary T. Eloise Foster regarding the column by Marta Mossburg about Maryland's pension liabilities reminds me of the argument about rearranging the chairs on the Titanic. No matter whose numbers are closest to the facts, the extent of the pension problem is huge, no doubt about it. It would be refreshing if we could get an unbiased view of the extent of the problem, though I thought that was what we got from Ms. Mossburg. Is Ms. Foster still using 7.75 percent rates of return in her valuations of current and future liabilities?

You think he's on the cusp of greatness or you think he stinks. You point out that he has led the Ravens to the playoffs for three straight years. Or you point out that he keeps coming up small against the hated Pittsburgh Steelers. You love how he keeps his emotions in check, stays in that whole sleepy-eyed, Joe Cool persona no matter how tense the situation. Or you want to see more fire in his belly, more yelling and fist-pumping and getting in teammates' faces. This is what it's like for Joe Flacco these days.

100 Years Ago Society on the move From the Times social columns: "Mr. and Mrs. William S. Powell will reside at 'Wisteria Hill' near Waterloo in the summer months coming. "Mr. and Mrs. John Warfield have moved to their country home, near Lisbon, for the summer. "Raleigh Travers Lilly, who has been residing the past month in Baltimore, has returned home. "The Trinity Guild will meet at the home of Rev. and Mrs. T.C. Stout, at the rectory Tuesday evening May 13th.

You know you're exceptional at managing money when your parents come to you to borrow an occasional $10 or $20 — and you're just 7 years old. Wilde Lake High School senior Taylor Bruner has long had been adept at money matters, and that has developed into an interest that may reap dividends not only after after high school, but also help her and three other like-minded students at Howard County's Applications and Research Lab win a state finance...