Maryland lawmakers are striding into an old controversy this term with a proposal to make walking the official state exercise — even though the idea was vetoed once before, the AP reports.

In 2003, then-Gov. Ehrlich vetoed the idea, pointing out that there was nothing about walking that is unique to Maryland.

But some lawmakers, citing the nationwide rise in obesity, argue that bringing attention to the easy exercise would be good for Marylanders’ health (this blogger thinks that perhaps a more cardio-intensive sport might do the trick, too).

Delegate Richard Sossi, a Republican from the Eastern Shore, says, “Smith Island cake, that’s a Maryland thing. Lacrosse, that’s a Maryland thing. But walking? … It’s like saying breathing is the state activity because everyone does it whether you want to or not.”

JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor

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You may have seen one of the ads recently put forth as part of a $40 million ad campaign by the National Association of Realtors. The spots attempt to sell you on the long-term benefits of being a homeowner (you know, maintenance, repairs, property taxes…).

But Advertising Age says the ads may be misleading:

On the [related Web] site, an “equity estimator calculator” suggests a $20,000 home down payment turns into $124,600 in 10 years for a 623 percent return. The Web site includes the same claims as the two spots and adds a few more noting, for example, that that prices have risen an average of 6 percent every year. Like each of the spots, the site does come with a small warning — that local market conditions can vary and consumers should seek counsel from a local real-estate agent.

However, in the light of the current market the “housing-market facts” could also be read as a historical look at an overheated market rather than a good predictor of what’s to come.

Here’s descriptions of the two ads: Building Wealth and Home Values.

What do you think? Is becoming a homeowner still a surefire investment?

JACKIE SAUTER, Multimedia Editor

Image courtesy of National Association of Realtors

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Sen. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George’s County) proposed a bill today that would add a $20 tax to “tobacco paraphernalia” such as bongs and water pipes.

“Bongs are not used for cigarette smoking,” Muse said. “They’re used for illegal drugs. I think people recognize immediately what they’re used for.”

The law would require people to be at least 18 before buying a bong and would apply a $20 tax to their purchase.

Apparently, Muse feels an extra $20 would act as a deterrent for young people who smoke pot.

Here’s the bill.

(Wonder what effect, if any, this could have on hookah bars?)

JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor

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Fortune magazine’s February issue identifies The 100 Best Companies To Work For (and by the way, “they’re still hiring.”)

Don’t get too excited – only one (well, two) of them are headquartered in Maryland.

At No. 93, Catonsville’s Erickson Retirement Communities made the cut. With just over 10,000 employees (65% are women; 47% are minorities), Erickson added 684 jobs (14%) in one year and offers an average annual salary of $53,200. The description reads, “Employees are encouraged to forge close bonds with seniors and are allowed to bring their pets to work. Erickson ensures no resident gets evicted for lack of funds.”

It’d be easy to overlook No. 72 if you were, like I was, skimming for “Maryland” – but I didn’t let the “Washington, D.C.” locator fool me. No. 72 was Bethesda’s Marriott International.

“J.W. Marriott Jr., the 75-year-old CEO, visits some 250 hotels a year, meeting with employees. The hotel chain’s turnover rate is among the lowest in the field (18%)”, Fortune relates.

Which local companies would you be dying to work for? What did Fortune leave off the list?

And which perks go above and beyond?

JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor

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In this hour, MoCo Councilmembers Marc Elrich and George Leventhal are holding a press conference in Rockville to announce a bill that would require employers to sign a written employment contract with certain types of domestic workers. The county is lauding it as potentially the “first legislation nationally of this type.”

The bill would require an employer to present a written employment contract to the potential employee and offer to negotiate the terms and conditions of employment. It would apply to employers of housekeepers, childcare workers, and caretakers for the elderly or sick, among others.

A 2006 study found that MoCo domestic workers have limited access to information about their rights under state and county law and few have written contracts. Consequently, many of them are paid less than the required minimum wage and do not receive overtime pay for work in excess of 40 hours per week.

JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor

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Jim Downs, an assistant professor of history at Connecticut College, has an interesting essay posted today on the History News Network’s Web site about the cultural significance of the noose.

He mentions the noose-hanging incident last year at the University of Maryland’s Nyumburu Cultural Center in College Park — also the impetus for a hate crimes legislation introduced this year in the General Assembly — as well as other recent incidents that garnered media attention.

Downs suggests that the “recent rash of noose hangings seems to have less to do with the viscous horrors targeted against African-Americans, and more to do with how the history of the noose has enabled the leading media, such as the Washington Post and the New York Times, to define racism.”

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As owners lose their homes to foreclosure, their pets, too, are losing shelter, the Chicago Tribune reports. The newspaper found several animal shelters that have seen an increase in pets given up for adoption after the owners are forced to find new, un-pet-friendly living situations. In some cases, the animals are left to starve when the owners walk away from a foreclosed property.

The Humane Society even issued a public statement this month about the situation. “This isn’t the first time we’ve seen people abandoning their pets,” Stephanie Shain, director of outreach for the Washington-based humane group, told the Trib. “But with this increase in foreclosures, we’re going to see more of it.”

Some former pets may be lucky enough to end up in the care of people like Robin Moro, a Cincinnati artist who created ForeclosureCats.org after adopting two abandoned cats last spring.

JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor

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Good evening to On the Record visitors!

I hope I haven’t kept you waiting with the later-than-usual Week in Photos. This week seems to be dominated by news from the legislative session … but there’s plenty of other stories as well.

Take a moment to flip through some of the highlights from The Daily Record’s newsroom! And have a great weekend.

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This year’s Baltimore Boat Show hosts the two largest boats in its 54-year history at the Convention Center: a 45-foot Hunter Marine 45 sailboat and a 42-foot Rinker 400 Express cruiser.

The show also marks the debut of SailFest, a new component dedicated to sailing, which features new keelboats, catamarans and skiffs “docked” along a replica pier.

“The show is the largest ever, with 700 boats filling all 300,000 square feet of exhibition space at the Baltimore Convention Center,” said Show Manager Mike Duffy.

Daily Record Photographer Rich Dennison was at the Convention Center during Monday’s setup and at Wednesday’s opening night, where $40 tickets were offered for more avid boaters. He’s produced the audio slideshow below to share his experiences at the boat show, which will run through Sunday.

To see a larger version of the slideshow, click here.

JACKIE SAUTER, Multimedia Editor

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One of the biggest changes in newspaper business sections over the last 10 or so years has been how daily stock market information is presented.

Heck, the fact that we call it “daily” information says it all. The stock market changes every second. And, unlike 10 years ago, it doesn’t stop changing at 4 p.m., when the markets close in New York. Papers have gone from running four or five or even six pages of listings to — in many cases — no listings at all.

The challenge has become to provide readers with information that they can’t easily get elsewhere (unless, of course, they have a Bloomberg terminal, one of the greatest financial toys, err, tools in the history of the world).

We’re fairly certain that the vast majority of Daily Record readers weren’t tearing through our paper to get to what we used to call our “Marketplace” page to see how their portfolio did the day before. At best, the information was outdated and hard to read. Starting Friday, with a big assist from the data wizards at Bloomberg, we’ve changed that.

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