Payoff

In a remote corner of Anne Arundel Community College's campus, behind a parking lot and a stormwater pond, two hives of honeybees are tucked into a forest. Unknowing passers-by could easily overlook the tens of thousands of bees that make their home in the two wooden boxes, but not two instructors from the college's culinary institute, who on Wednesday donned full-body suits and ventured into the woods to extract 55 pounds of honey. "I don't know how many jars of honey that means because we're beginners at this," said Virginia Olson, one of the Hospitality, Culinary and Tourism Institute's two teachers who are spearheading the new beekeeping project.

Americans are still bubbling with anger over the twisted culture and shoddy ethics at AIG, the insurance giant where employees who gambled billions and lost now have received $174 million in taxpayer-funded bonuses for helping to clean up the mess. The bonuses were supposedly intended to retain key workers, but many have taken the money and run. The more people learn, the angrier they get. But in its fury, the nation must not forget the recession's larger tragedy of lost life savings, jobs, homes and dreams caused by recent widespread regulatory failure and greed, personal and corporate.

Constellation Energy Group said yesterday that Chief Executive Officer Mayo A. Shattuck III would waive $18 million in cash severance under the company's planned merger, though he still would be eligible for millions if the deal is approved by state regulators. Under the plan, the company's Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. customers could receive a small break on their utility bills. But one lawmaker immediately criticized the proposal, characterizing any savings for ratepayers as "pennies."

Barely five minutes into the first inning last night Chicago White Sox slugger Jim Thome launched a towering three-run homer to center field and signaled that this was not going to be the night Adam Loewen chased away the concern that has been growing up around him for the past two months. Loewen worked to a full count against leadoff man Nick Swisher and gave up a sharp single to right. He walked Orlando Cabrera on four pitches. And Thome did what Thome does to inexperienced pitchers with shaky command.

MINNEAPOLIS -- While the National Invitation Tournament is a losing proposition financially for teams such as Maryland that are sent on the road, the Terrapins got something in return during Tuesday's victory over Minnesota in the opening round at Williams Arena. Maryland gained the satisfaction that comes with winning, something the Terps hadn't experienced since a visit to Wake Forest three weeks ago. The team's freshmen also gained more experience in the 68-58 win, and they'll likely get more when Maryland (19-14)

The 40 seniors arrive before 7 a.m. for class at the Science and Mathematics Academy at Aberdeen High School, but most are gone by mid-morning, off to research labs at Aberdeen Proving Ground, biotech parks and airports. Once there, they tackle all manner of ambitious science projects of their own design, while partnered with a highly skilled mentor. Senior Brian Herget of Abingdon drives to an airplane hangar in Essex, where he completes a comparative study of the efficiency of the combustion engine at different temperatures.

A key state lawmaker is working with the banking industry's trade group on legislation that would reverse a Maryland Court of Appeals decision prohibiting certain penalties for borrowers who pay off home equity loans early. The case involved a popular loan program at Provident Bank that enabled borrowers to tap into equity in their homes without paying closing costs as long as they kept the loan for at least two to three years. Maryland's highest court ruled late last year that recouping the closing costs if a consumer refinances or pays off the loan before then amounts to a "prepayment penalty" that's not allowed under state law. Banking industry officials say that without a guarantee that borrowers will pay interest on home equity loans for at least a few years, they can't afford to offer no-closing-cost products, making borrowing more expensive for consumers.

If the Maryland General Assembly chooses to approve slot machines, lawmakers ought to at least take the precaution of setting parameters on the gambling industry's influence in Annapolis. Records show that individuals with ties to gambling contributed more than $1.25 million to state candidates and political parties over the past four years - on top of spending more than twice as much on lobbying during the last two. Other industries may contribute as much to those in power, but none has the same level of dependence on state licensing - and there's no more valuable license then one that allows gambling.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail departed the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress resort and the general manager meetings yesterday without trading shortstop Miguel Tejada or tinkering with his flawed roster. However, he said he was satisfied with four days of work that he expects to pay dividends in the days ahead. Entering the meetings, the Orioles contingent, which included MacPhail, executive vice president Mike Flanagan and director of baseball administration Scott Proefrock, identified about 15 teams it wanted to meet with to discuss trade options, and by yesterday afternoon, they had met with all of them.

Every day for the past year, biologist Eric Schott turned over mossy rocks in Stony Run, looking for hope. Finally, this summer, he and other members of the Jones Falls Watershed Association, a volunteer conservation group that protects the 3.3-mile creek in Baltimore, found it. Here, hope croaks. Frogs - tadpoles to palm-size juveniles and full-grown bullfrogs - have been seen and heard for the first time in more than five years in this threatened streambed, said Schott, a biologist with the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute who has tracked Stony Run's condition.