Laura Hussey, assistant professor of political science, participated in a lively conversation on the Marc Steiner Show discussing the 2013 Maryland legislative session, in which lawmakers will grapple with topics like gun control and the death penalty. Joining her on the program were Cory McCray, co-founder of the BEST Democratic Club; Jon Cardin, Delegate for Maryland’s 11th District in Baltimore County; and E.J. Pipkin, Minority Leader in the Maryland State Senate.

Hussey initially focused on the question of whether we have too many people in prison, responding,  “I think that the answer has got to be ‘yes.’ If you look at the U.S. relative to the rest of the world, we are a tremendous outlier in terms of our rate of incarcerating people.” She also detailed how having a prison record has serious implications for individual people’s lives as well as continuing the larger cycle of poverty.

Additional topics Hussey covered in the radio segment include perceptions of environmental policy relating to the Chesapeake Bay and public views on raising transportation funds through increasing the gas tax.

In the weeks since the shooting in Newtown, Conn., Gov. Martin O’Malley has repeatedly referred to gun violence as a “public health issue.” On Monday he announced a plan that would give Maryland one of the nation’s strictest gun laws, reports the Baltimore Sun. To own a handgun, residents would need to pass a training course and provide fingerprints to a police database, and Maryland would ban the sale of assault rifles and high-capacity magazines.

How was the proposal received and how might this impact O’Malley’s prospects in a national election? Donald F. Norris, professor and chairman of UMBC’s Department of Public Policy, notes, “This appeals to the Democratic base,” continuing, “If he can get out in front on this and show some success legislatively on this, it bodes well for him in the Democratic primary.” The Sun reports O’Malley aides have dismissed the notion that the gun proposal signals his presidential aspirations.

The Domestic Violence Center of Howard County will be hosting a free event at Howard Community College on Feb 19th about preventing dating violence.

Topics will include:

• Effects on health and academic achievement
• Dating and campus life
• Men and Boys taking action to end violence

Free refreshments will be provided... folks pre-registered will be eligible for prize drawings.

Photo: ua-net.eu

The ESNET Lab in UMBC's Computer Science and Electrical Engineering department is looking for qualified undergraduate or graduate students to join and work on an exciting underwater sensor networks project. For more information go to http://esnet.cs.umbc.edu/eduwan.html.

The candidates applying should have experience in (or at least familiar with) some of the following areas:

1. FPGA development using Verilog/VHDL
2. Data Frame synchronization for wireless (or acoustic) communication
3. Doppler resistant compensation for FSK modulated data
4. Digital Signal Processing
   a) Adaptive data equalization (LMS/NLMS)
   b) Error Correction coding on FPGA, i.e. turbo codes, LPDC codes.

To apply please e-mail your resume and a cover letter detailing experience in the above mentioned areas to: Sorry, you need javascript to view this email address.

Photo: ua-net.eu

The ESNET Lab in UMBC's Computer Science and Electrical Engineering department is looking for qualified undergraduate or graduate students to join and work on an exciting underwater sensor networks project. For more information go to http://esnet.cs.umbc.edu/eduwan.html.

The candidates applying should have experience in (or at least familiar with) some of the following areas:

1. FPGA development using Verilog/VHDL
2. Data Frame synchronization for wireless (or acoustic) communication
3. Doppler resistant compensation for FSK modulated data
4. Digital Signal Processing
   a) Adaptive data equalization (LMS/NLMS)
   b) Error Correction coding on FPGA, i.e. turbo codes, LPDC codes.

To apply please e-mail your resume and a cover letter detailing experience in the above mentioned areas to: Sorry, you need javascript to view this email address.

“We must never forget, brothers, to nurse our children and our grandchildren on hatred for them: for Zionists, for Jews,” Mr. Morsi declared. Egyptian children “must feed on hatred; hatred must continue,” he said. “The hatred must go on for Allah and as a form of worshiping him.”

President Obama responded to Morsi's comments by issuing this statement:

“Mr. Obama told aides he was impressed with the Egyptian leader’s pragmatic confidence. He sensed an engineer’s precision with surprisingly little ideology.”

Update: The White House has now responded with:

“President Morsi should make clear that he respects people of all faiths, and that this type of rhetoric is not acceptable or productive in a democratic Egypt.”

but is still committed to sending Egypt F-16s and 200 military tanks. Weapons of war that will undoubtedly be used against Israel in the near future. Our president is acting as the arms dealer to a terrorist. Who is calling him out on this? Nobody. This would be as if FDR decided to ship Adolf 200 bombers. When the war begins, will you be one of those who it takes by surprise?