Path

Here are excerpts of President Barack Obama's remarks as prepared for delivery to the Democratic National Convention: "But when all is said and done - when you pick up that ballot to vote - you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation. Over the next few years, big decisions will be made in Washington, on jobs and the economy; taxes and deficits; energy and education; war and peace - decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and our children's lives for decades to come.

- Arguing that he needs more time to fix the nation's sluggish economy, President Barack Obama formally accepted his party's nomination for a second term Thursday while stressing that voters will face a stark choice in November that could affect their lives for decades to come. The Democratic incumbent laid out a series of goals for the economy - most of them familiar - and repeatedly said his policies would take middle-class families down a vastly different path than those of his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney.

One was expected to be a difference-maker right away. The other was supposed to take a little more time. But last season, Cincinnati's A.J. Green and Baltimore's Torrey Smith both scared the bejesus out of NFL secondaries as the AFC North boasted two of the league's most dangerous and productive rookie receivers. Each scored seven receiving touchdowns, which was one shy of the rookie leader, Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons. Green, whom Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday might be the best wide receiver in football, led all rookies with 1,057 receiving yards and 65 receptions in 15 games last season.

With his surprising selection of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate, Republican Mitt Romney is asking Americans to choose between competing narratives of our past, interpretations of present realities and visions of our future. According to the historical narrative embraced by Messrs. Romney and Ryan and their tea party supporters, the U.S. is a unique nation, anointed by God not merely to dominate a continent but to shape the destiny of the world. In their view, America's wealth and might are primarily due to the accomplishments of enterprising individuals whose initiative, imagination and risk-taking created great fortunes.

The state's power grid operator does not need a $3.3 billion pair of transmission line projects built through Maryland because the weak economy has slowed demand for electricity, the staff of operator PJM Interconnection has concluded. The staff will recommend that PJM's board cancel the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway, or MAPP, and Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, or PATH, because its analysis showed they are not needed to maintain reliability of the power grid, according to a presentation PJM released Wednesday.

Some of Dundalk's War of 1812 sites - including Battle Acre Park and North Point State Battlefield - share North Point Road with rowhouses and strip malls. But nearby, quiet Charlesmont and Bear Creek parks offer undeveloped land also tied to the Battle of North Point, where British and American troops clashed as the British moved toward Baltimore. "It looks exactly like it did 200 years ago," said Robert Reyes, a local historian, as he gazed out over the water from the head of Bear Creek.

Whether it was who could make the best salad or who could dress the sharpest, Kendall, Kyle and Corey Fuller always wanted to be better than each other. Competition fueled the brothers from Baltimore when they were young, and it helped them in sports as they grew older. These intra-family battles may have led to childish fights and arguments, but it never separated the family. It only strengthened it. And when Kendall Fuller announced he would join his brothers in college by committing to Virginia Tech - becoming the fourth Fuller to play football for the Hokies - that family strength was reaffirmed.

There was an assumption during Jim Caldwell's eight years as quarterbacks coach of the Indianapolis Colts that he didn't have much to do. By the time Caldwell arrived for the 2002 season, Peyton Manning was four years into what is now sure to be a Hall of Fame career and his numbers were already impressive for a young NFL quarterback. But longtime Colts coach Tony Dungy, who had brought Caldwell with him to Indianapolis after one season in Tampa Bay, said Caldwell deserves a great deal of credit for Manning becoming one of the elite quarterbacks in NFL history.

Aspiring game designers have just been handed the motherlode of thought and wisdom with the Critical Path project, a series of short interviews from virtually every big name in gaming. Freely hosted online, the elegantly designed interface allows video game fans to sort through clips by tagged topics or interview subject to experience what ultimately amounts to a few hours of footage in a sort of hive mind around the state of gaming and design. At launch, the site hosts 121 clips ranging in length from 30 seconds to two minutes.

“Civilization 5: Gods and Kings” Firaxis PC/Mac Rating: 3 out of 4 “Don't talk about money, politics or religion.” It's an adage as old as Emily Post herself, and one that “Civilization 5” had no problem breaking two thirds of for the last couple of years. With “Gods and Kings,” the new expansion pack for the game, “Civ 5” crushes the final taboo of polite society and uses it as a formidable layer to an already stellar game.