Promises

A turning point. A fresh start. A new hope. How often have Marylanders heard these words spoken about the future of the Chesapeake Bay over the last quarter-century or more? Usually they are articulated by politicians touting some new multi-state agreement or strategy that they insist will lead to a cleaner, healthier body of water. In recent days, these all-too-familiar promises have been heard again, this time on the strength of two seemingly linked events — a settlement of a lawsuit brought by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation against federal regulators for not sufficiently enforcing Clean Water Act standards and the release of the Obama administration's plan to revive the Chesapeake Bay by essentially doing what the environmentalists have long been seeking.

Thanks to 3D printing, American society may be about to boldly go where no one has gone before. A Johns Hopkins scientist is seeking to adapt the technology to grow human jaw bones - potentially revolutionizing implant procedures. A Halethorpe entrepreneur created a 3D model of a blind woman that allowed her to "see" herself for the first time. And the technique's potential to aid visual arts and science museums is a featured part of the three-day American Alliance of Museums conference in the Inner Harbor.

Q: This is one woman's response to the ongoing debate on the so-called "dishonesty" of women who do not call men after they "promise" they would. Men who experience this phenomenon should do a little soul-searching themselves before they blast women for being dishonest.For instance, when you asked her out, did she say "no," maybe even more than once? Did you then continue to pester her,assuming she was being "coy," or hoping that persistence would make her change her mind? Sometimes a woman will go on one date with a man just to get him off her back, and may then find herself resorting to the "I'll call you" ploy when he wants to continue the relationship.

We had planned to keep our beloved 1997 station wagon. Then something happened. On the way home from picking up a small, new SUV, its air conditioning stopped. Its temperature soared and the needle on its temperature gauge flew past "H. " The towing company took it to our trusted, longtime mechanics, Tony and Steve, who said repairs would cost about $3,000. As much as we loved that little white wagon, we could not indulge in that repair after we had just bought a new car. On April 23, we bid the wagon adieu.

IN RECOGNITION of the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court's historic decision in Brown vs. Board of Education on May 17, 1954, I recently discussed Brown's legacy with seventh-grade students at Bragaw Avenue School in Newark, N.J. As I stood in front of a classroom of inquisitive and sharp black and brown children, I knew that many would become victims of the unfulfilled promises of Brown. I explained to the students that the Supreme Court's landmark decision not only ended legally enforced segregation in the public schools but also overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine that segregated all aspects of American society.

T he rematch of Maryland vs. Duke was always going to be big. Now it's a Hollywood blockbuster. Playing Wednesday at Comcast Center: "Maryland-Duke II: Revenge of the Red-Hot Turtles." I see Harrison Ford as the explosive Gary Williams. Diego Luna as the mercurial Greivis Vasquez. Fred Armisen from "Saturday Night Live" could play the evil Coach K and pick any five young guys to play the Blue Devils starters - at least that's how Terps Nation would cast it. Then grab your $12 tub of popcorn and trash-can sized Pepsi, sit back and enjoy.

Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician, by Anthony Everitt. Random House, 359 pages, $25.95 British scholar Anthony Everitt is acutely aware that thousands of books and articles have been written about the 2000-year-old Roman named Marcus Tullius Cicero. So why did Everitt choose to spend years of his life adding to the voluminous literature about the philosopher politician? Two reasons. First, Everitt says, "I believe that each generation should have a chance to see a giant figure of the past from the perspective of its own time and circumstances."

PRESIDENT Bush has made a commendable commitment to the federal Pell Grant program, which helps lower-income students attend college. In a speech in Florida last week, he pledged to eliminate the program's current $4 billion deficit and increase the maximum grant by $100 for each of the next five years. But it's not clear that the increased costs can be paid for by potential savings suggested in the president's sketchy proposal. And Mr. Bush will really need to push Congress to help him make good on his promises.

PARIS -- An astonishingly large part of the discussion of Israel's policy options, particularly in American circles, seems to assume that the new prime minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, can do as he pleases in security matters. The Arab reaction is not a constraint.Mr. Netanyahu's campaign promised peace plus security, with no concessions to the Arabs. He said that Israel would keep the Golan Heights, keep the existing colonies on the West Bank and in Hebron, or even expand them, re-enter Gaza if that seemed useful, and also stop Hamas suicide bombings inside Israel and the shelling of Israeli villages by Islamic militants in southern Lebanon.

Now that the conventions are over and all the delegates have returned home, small-business owners face the challenge of choosing the best candidate for president.President Bush and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton continue to pepper their speeches with compassionate references to the needs of small business. Both promise to make things better for entrepreneurs by kick-starting the economy. Despite the promises, many entrepreneurs believe the candidates are more likely to listen to what big business and special interests have to say because that's where campaign dollars come from.

As he stood in front of hundreds of kids last year at his football clinic at Calvert Hall, Ray Rice made a promise to those in the crowd. “When I make promises, I like to keep them,” the Ravens running back said today. “I made a special promise. We said that we were going to bring a Super Bowl back to Baltimore.” The comment was met with loud cheers by those who attended the second annual Ray Rice Day in Baltimore. “Being involved in the community is just something that, winning the Super Bowl or not, I know I'd be out here doing Ray Rice Day again and I'd be telling the kids the same message every day,” Rice said.

In a perfect world, Randy Edsall can envision the day when the Maryland football team plays before packed crowds at Byrd Stadium, when the Terps challenge perennial powers in their league, when he and his staff attract most of the top high school talent in the state as well as from other parts of the country. Then Edsall quickly snaps out of that world and gets back to reality. And back to work. This is Edsall's reality right now: the Terps have won just six games in his first two seasons since he replaced Ralph Friedgen, four of the victories coming in the first six games of last season before injuries decimated his team, particularly at quarterback.

Before Lauren Preston opened the cover of the book "Spring" to read to her pre-kindergarten class at Mary Ann Winterling Elementary School, her students excitedly told her why, and showed her how, the season was underway. Daffodils - not just "yellow flowers" - were appearing from beneath the soil, they said. Hyacinths were blooming, they demonstrated with the slow unfolding of their tiny fists. And butterflies were emerging, the students showed by flapping their curled arms. In pre-K classrooms around Baltimore's school system, subtle changes like interactive reading are having a substantial effect in helping prepare 4-year-olds for elementary school - addressing an achievement gap that city schools have faced for years.

When Kyle Boncaro and Rory Averett graduated last year as Goucher's all-time leader in points (273) and goals (190) respectively, the attack's cupboard appeared to be bare. But the unit has been rebuilt and is thriving again. Junior Max Roach ranks second on the team in both goals (17) and points (25), junior Dylan Zook leads the team in assists (16), and sophomore Sam Morgan is second in assists (14) and third in points (24). Senior Zachary Fratella ranks fifth in points (19)

All 460 seats to the largest party of the year for Harford County's homeless and neglected animals are already sold out, but there are still plenty of ways to support the animals at the shelter. The Humane Society of Harford County's Bow Wow Boogie will be held May 3 from 7:30-11:30 p.m. at the Richlin Ballroom, 1700 Van Bibber Road, Edgewood. Local businesses and animal lovers across the region are encouraged to show support for shelter animals by donating gift cards, jewelry, artwork, professional services, tickets to area attractions, and other items for the evening's popular silent auction.

The proposed partnership announced earlier this month between the University of Maryland College Park and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington is one of the more unusual ideas floated in recent years, not least because it would involve Maryland's flagship university investing in a privately owned institution located outside the state. Yet from what is known of the plan so far the potential benefits for both UM and the Corcoran could far outweigh the risks involved in such an arrangement, and for that reason it's worth exploring further.

CHICAGO -- When Republican Helen Chenoweth ran for Congress in Idaho in 1994, she not only endorsed term limits on members but pledged she would leave Washington after three terms no matter what. But something strange happened in 2000, when it was time for Ms. Chenoweth to step down: She did it. What was she thinking? In 2000, when Republican Timothy V. Johnson ran for Congress in a central Illinois district, he promised he would serve a maximum of six years. Voters may have been skeptical, since Mr. Johnson had spent the previous 24 years in the Illinois General Assembly, but he was adamant.

In the year since Exelon Corp. acquired Baltimore's Constellation Energy Group, the company has donated more than $300,000 to first-responders in the region. It is handing out thousands of free trees to Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. customers. It is helping fund energy-efficient homes for low-income residents. That's much like the year before the merger, nonprofits say. "They're carrying out their volunteer commitments at a very high level," said Elise Lee, chief development officer for United Way of Central Maryland.

The only thing the Orioles have proven at this very early point in the new baseball season is how many ways a team can toy with your emotions in a single week. Orioles fans were mentally printing World Series tickets after the season-opening road series against the Tampa Bay Rays and the electric victory over the Minnesota Twins in the home opener at Camden Yards. Now, they're going to have to sweat out the rest of the current road trip through Boston and New York to see which O's team returns next week to Baltimore.