Wednesday, November 13, 2024 | Baltimore, MD
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Commentary

Jensen: How to reduce investing’s gender gap: Try talking about ethics

Women’s perception of unethical behavior among finance professionals may contribute to how underrepresented they are in the industry, according to a recently published article I co-authored with colleagues at Zhejiang University and Creighton University. We administered surveys to nearly 3,000 college students in the U.S. and China, describing 10 scenarios in which a character makes an ethically questionable decision. Students were asked to rate how ethical the action was and what percentage of investment managers they believe would act in the same way.

Ball: New Healthcare Subsidies Make it Affordable to Get Covered

Throughout these past two years, it’s been even more clear how vital healthcare is to our residents. Amid the pandemic, many people knew that if they got sick or injured, they might not be able to afford the care they need. Healthcare and being healthy extend beyond the threat of COVID-19 – I want everybody in Howard County and across Maryland to have access to affordable and quality healthcare. That’s why I was pleased that the state recently extended the deadline to sign up for health insurance on the state’s online exchange until Feb. 28.

slot machine displaying three seven
BWI Thurgood Marshall does not need one-armed bandits

Maryland’s history with gambling is long but uncertain. Not only have Marylanders bet on horse races legally (and sometimes not) for at least a century and a half, but slot machines were commonplace in Anne Arundel County and Southern Maryland from the 1940s until they were banned in the 1960s over concerns about crime and addiction. What are today known as video lottery terminals returned in 2007 when the Maryland General Assembly approved a charter amendment — and voters subsequently agreed — for thousands of them, but only under strict conditions including supervision by a state agency and with gaming limited to five, and later six, strategically-located casino locations with poker, blackjack and other table games thrown in.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Lawmakers Need to Correct Confusion Created by Legislation on Pharmacy Services

Few things are more confusing to the American public than health care. Navigating insurance, high costs, ever-changing rules and regulations — the list of concerns for the average patient are legitimate and daunting. So, it is no surprise to see Maryland lawmakers committed to increasing transparency within our health care system, especially in the face of a global health crisis. However, the same complexities that can confuse and frustrate our patients can sometimes lead to misguided legislative proposals.

Why some rally against COVID vaccination: a lack of understanding and trust

Ever since the vaccines for COVID-19 became available, the public health data has been very clear. Vaccines prevent serious disease and death, while the unvaccinated suffer more serious disease, higher rates of hospitalization and higher mortality. Nearly a year has passed since vaccines have been available and nearly 64% of the population has been fully vaccinated. From those who’ve chosen to remain unvaccinated — not counting those who are too young to be eligible — you will hear a number of different reasons for their decision, including personal choice or concerns about the vaccines not being well tested.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Dan Rodricks: a ‘special place in hell’ for the perpetrators of elder fraud

I seldom use the expression “a special place in hell” because it has been suggested as the ultimate destination for too many people by now, from serial killers to women who voted for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. Invoked too often, it loses its punch. Still, it’s a tempting phrase to employ in certain situations — like the one I’ll be describing later in this column.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Opinion: Recovery From Pandemic Might Be Our Schools’ Toughest Challenge Yet

With COVID testing positivity results decreasing and hospitalization rates on the decline, it looks like the omicron surge has finally crested in Maryland. Hopeful that the worst is behind us, Marylanders are once again daring to look forward to life after pandemic. Parents and students in particular are eagerly envisioning a return to normal after the turmoil of the last three school years has resulted in so much academic setback, lost opportunities, and the erosion of so many families’ dreams and hopes for their children’s early years and adolescence.

Judge Lisa Dornell: Not Every ‘Win’ Under the Law Is a Win for Justice

Twenty-nine years ago, as a Justice Department lawyer advocating the U.S. Attorney General’s position in an immigration case, I stood before a distinguished panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and argued in favor of a man’s deportation from the United States. The man in that case was the recipient of a probation before judgment, entered by a Maryland state court judge. Even though he was not considered to have a conviction under Maryland law, I persuaded the court that he still stood convicted under federal law. In Maryland criminal cases, first-time offenders and individuals charged with minor offenses are often given “probation before judgment,” wherein they are not convicted but rather given a period of probation.

Revive Congressional War Powers to Ensure Md. National Guard Can Fulfill Its Duties

The war in Afghanistan is over, but 2022 will mark 19 years of American troops in Iraq, 11 in Somalia and seven in Syria. But Maryland House Bill 273, the Defend the Guard Act, can help address these undeclared wars by demanding that Congress reclaim its war powers, restore accountability and ensure Maryland’s National Guard serves our communities. Defend the Guard is part of a veteran-led nonpartisan effort that includes similar legislation introduced in more than 40 states.

Snowden: America’s story is not complete unless we tell it all

As the nation celebrates Black History Month, we are reminded of the importance of making sure that history is inclusive. I am a believer that when history is told, it must include the good, the bad, and, yes, the ugly. Right now, there are conservative groups around the country saying that history that makes white children uncomfortable should be removed from the curriculum. This is not a new phenomenon. I remember in 1998 when a group of white parents demanded that Maya Angelou’s book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” be removed from the Anne Arundel County Public Schools ninth-grade curriculum, and it was.

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