Buzz

Employers in Maryland boosted staff by 35,800 workers last month, those in Virginia added 24,500 and head counts in Pennsylvania climbed by 22,600, the Labor Department reported today in Washington. The states were among the most affected by February blizzards that pushed seasonal snowfall to records.

The number of states showing payroll gains increased from 27 the prior month and was the most since February 2008, a sign that the improvement in the labor market is broadening. Nationally, a report earlier this month showed employment increased by 162,000 last month, the third gain in the past five months and the biggest in three years."

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The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Martin O'Malley, requires that benefit corporations create a positive impact on society and that boards of directors consider how decisions will affect employees, local jurisdictions, and the environment, rather than just looking at shareholders' interests. It also offers board members legal protection for taking social and environmental issues into consideration."

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Even slightly swankier Starbucks is offering totally credible coffee that's no more than a buck and change. So what could possibly make a cup of joe worth $13?

According to Jay Caragay, speaking to The Baltimore Sun, it's "very fruity, juicy, good mouth feel, [and] full bodied." And Caragay should know, because it's his Baltimore coffee ship Spro that's selling a 12-ounce cup for $13. Apparently, even during lean times there are fat cats prowling for novel luxuries."

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One might well ask why the area even needs a formal designation as an arts and entertainment district, given the ambitious renovation of the Hippodrome Theatre (which re-opened on the west side in 2003) and the imminent arrival there of the Everyman Theatre Company. Isn't it already on a path to becoming the cultural magnet its backers originally envisioned?"

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"A proposal endorsed by Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake would make the city's west side into an arts district, which the administration hopes will help turn around the ailing neighborhood.

This is not the solution. Why? Baltimore already has two arts districts -- Highlandtown/Patterson Park and Station North. It doesn't need a third.

The city declared Highlandtown/Patterson Park an arts district in 2003. That same year, the Creative Alliance at the Patterson (pictured), a mixed use arts/performance space, opened. Offering art exhibits and cutting edge performances, the Creative Alliance was supposed to be the cultural anchor for an arts renaissance in Highlandtown.

Nearly seven years later, Highlandtown/Patterson Park hasn't seen a sliver of the artistic explosion and revitalization that was supposed to happen. Aside from the Creative Alliance and the Southeast Anchor Library, Highlandtown/Patterson Park doesn't have much more in the way of arts than it did in 2003."

Read the entire post here. And now tell us what you think...

The University of Maryland creators took their existing Web site and adapted it for the iPad. When kids rotate their device vertically to "portrait" mode, they see one page of a book. When they turn it horizontally to "landscape" mode, they see two pages. "We encourage kids to read how they're comfortable," said Ben Bederson, associate professor of computer science at the University of Maryland. "iPad is really the first time the International Children's Digital Library can be used with children in their parents' laps." As a result of the iPad's portability and convenience, he said, he projects that kids will spend more time with stories."

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2. Best park: Linkwood Park
"There's lots of green space and the playground is newly remodeled. Plus you can go 'creek walking.' The Stony Run stream goes through the park�you can either walk on the trail next to it or walk in the stream. My kids stop along the way to make little dams and collect rocks."

3. Best way to see the city: Ed Kane's Water Taxi
"Baltimore is a city defined by its harbor, and the water taxi is a great way to see Inner Harbor and also get to dozens of attractions, like the National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center. Even the locals take it."

Read the entire article here.

The much anticipated issue featuring Baltimore Magazine's annual list of the city's top 50 restaurants is out. But, while the mag does a good job with its ranking of area restaurants, blogger MinxEats thinks the list has some misses as well.

Here's an excerpt:

"The issue of Baltimore Magazine that features their list of Baltimore's 50 Best Restaurants is usually my favorite issue. It's always interesting to see if any new joints have made it onto the hallowed list of old favorites, and with the closing of Ixia and The Brass Elephant in 2009, there are at least two spots available for some new places to sneak in.

This year, as last, Baltimore Mag ranked the restaurants. Charleston, of course, came in as number one. In fact, Cindy Wolf and husband Tony Foreman have four restaurants in the top 12. Not too shabby, and I will probably have to agree with Pazo and Petit Louis. But my one experience at Charleston left me feeling that the place was highly overrated and I have not been offered any free meals there to make me change my mind. Obviously I am the only one who doesn't think Cindy Wolf is some sort of culinary goddess, huh?

I was happy to see our neighborhood joint, Crush, on the list, but feel it deserves better than #33. I've had more consistently good food there than at the #12-ranked Petit Louis. I also think Della Notte deserves better than the 38th position; everything I have ever eaten there has been excellent. And who can top a giant tree in the center of the restaurant for ambiance?"

Read the entire post here.