Marriotts Ridge High School in Marriottsville, MD has received a “Best High School” national gold ranking by U.S. News & World Report.
The school ranked 17th in the state of Maryland and 331is in the entire nation and was given a gold ranking.

The school received its ranking due to its opportunity for Advance Placement exams and coursework. The AP participation at Marriotts Ridge is 55%. Its 1,276 student body and 78 teacher give the school a 16:1 student to teacher ratio. Additionally the score was configured by its algebra and english scores on the Maryland High School Assessments which were higher than the state and county average. The level of college readiness was also a contributing factor to the schools score.

U.S News & World Report evaluated almost 22,000 pubic schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Schools were given gold, silver or bronze medals based on their performance as well as how ready they prepare students for college as well as other factors. The full rankings and scores can be viewed here

Congratulations to Marriotts Ridge High School for their outstanding ranking!

Every year since 1875, Thoroughbreds from all over the U.S. line up at Churchill Downs for “the fastest 2 minutes in sports”. Today May 5^th marks the 138^th year of the Kentucky Derby and this tradition.

61 years ago as the racehorses lined up very few had their eyes on the 15-1 long shot Count Turf.  The starting gates sprung open and the horses were off. Count Turf was well positioned in the front middle of the pack. After turning the homestretch, Count Turf charged into the lead and never looked back…defying the odds and winning by four lengths.

Count Turf’s sire, a 1943 Triple Crown winner named Count Fleet as well as his grandsire a 1928 Kentucky Derby winner, Reigh Count became the first triple generation in history to have all won the Kentucky Derby.

After his legendary win at the 1951 Kentucky Derby, Count Turf was moved to Windy Hills Farm in Westminster, MD for retirement, the home of which is now Legacy Farms.

“A bit more than three years ago, when attendance began to falter at the monthly SMC breakfast series meetings, then incoming SMC President [and current Forty West Vice President] Ryan Houck conceived the notion of offering larger scale seminars just twice a year with the hopes of drawing larger crowds and providing more value to attendees. This notion turned into SMC SalesCamp!” – Buildermart 2012 Program

On March 21, the Forty West team as well of thousands of other Homebuilder Association members across Maryland attended Buildermart 2012 in Timonium, MD. Attendees enjoyed a filled day of scheduled speakers and seminars. The featured speaker of the day was John Harbaugh, current Baltimore Ravens head coach.

Harbaugh, who’s appearance was infront of a packed auditorium spoke about competition, taking responsibility, communication and respect. Watch the entire inspring session in the videos below.

The original article can be viewed here

Forbes recently compiled a list of the top 10 Richest Counties in the entire US and our very own Howard County landed itself a place at the number 5 spot on the list. This list was based on the median annual household incomes from 2006-2010 in each county in the nation, provided by the U.S. Census’ American Community Survey. The estimates are in 2010 inflation adjusted U.S. dollars.

Howard County which has an annual median household income of $103,273, the economies of the nation’s five richest counties are all greatly dependent on federal government spending. Howard County was noted as a fast-growing county situated between Baltimore and Washington D.C. and the excellent school system within the county is which is what attracts wealthy residents.

Interested in becoming a resident in this prestigious county? You better act fast, Taylor Preserve at Waverly Woods has only 6 homesites remaining.

Spring is finally almost here! Instead of trying to dedicate a few entire days worth of work to get your spring cleaning done, why not focus on 1 task a day that can be completed in 15 minutes or less. We have a schedule to help keep you on track that we will update every day. You can also follow our Spring Cleaning Challenge on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/fortywest

Day 1- Change the batteries in all of your smoke detectors.

Day 2- Clean out your fridge, freezer, cabinets and pantry. Look for items that are expired and make a list of items that need to be replaced. Especially look at items that aren’t used often like spices and baking supplies.

Day 3- Clean the dust and build up off your blinds. Dampen a cloth and wipe each blade individually by hand. You can knock this out in half the time by assigning a room to be done to each family member.

Day 4- Grab a damp rag or dust cloth and run it along each baseboard molding in every room of the house.

Day 5- Get an old pillow case and use it to clean your ceiling fan blades. Simply slide each blade, one at a time, into a pillowcase and wipe off the blade with the inside of the pillowcase. All the dust, dirt, and debris will stay inside. Then simply shake out the case outside and throw it in the laundry bin.

Day 6- Remove the pillow cases of your throw pillows on your couches or chairs. Wash them or get them dry cleaned. Same with slip clovers if your furniture has them.

Day 7-Determine the filters required for your furnace and buy new ones. Swap them out and mark on your calendar the next time they need to be changed according to the manufacturer guidelines. Need help changing them? Our very own John Walker shows you how easy it is in this video here

Day 8-Go through your “junk drawer” in your kitchen. You know the one that just gets filled with random stuff.  Toss useless items, organize take out menus in a folder or plastic sleeve, contain batteries in a small box ect.

If you have ever tried hanging an arrangement of frames before, you most likely ended up with a ton of holes in the wall before getting it exactly how you wanted. Don’t let this deter you any longer. Creating a beautiful frame arrangement is much easier than you think and we have some helpful tips.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT LOCATION

Hang your arrangement in common areas where they can be enjoyed. Such as a dining room, family room or hallway. Try to avoid filling too small of a space with too much artwork. On the other hand don’t do too small of an arrangement in a large space.  If hanging over a sofa, don’t leave too much space between the top of the sofa and the bottom of the largest frame. Same would apply for over a headboard on a bed. The center of the arrangement should also be eye level.

SELECTING FRAMES

You want your photos and artwork to stand out more than the frame. Choose simple, consistent frames for your arrangement. Metal, black or wooden frames with neutral mats are often the best choice.

LAYING OUT THE ARRANGEMENT

Carefully determine the layout you want before you start placing holes in the wall. Once you the select frames you want to use, trace and cut out each frame onto newspaper or kraft paper. Once you have each one cut out, determine where the nail needs to be placed for the frame to hang properly. Using painters tape, arrange the templates on the wall in the arrangement you would like. Once you are satisfied, hammer the nail into the wall where indicated on the template and gently pull the paper down tearing it through the nail.  Hang your frames and you’re done!

Still need some inspiration? Check out some of the layouts below

This original article can be viewed here

Feb. 29, 2012 is Leap Day! The day is added every four years to make the calendar have 366 days rather than the common 365 days. But, what is Leap Year and why is a Leap Day added to the calendar?

Scientific Explanation of Leap Day

A Leap Year is a year that contains one additional day in order to keep the calendar year in sync with the seasonal or astronomical year. Leap years are necessary to keep the planet aligned with Earth’s revolutions around the sun. While the calendar assumes the Earth revolves around the sun every 365 days, it actually takes the Earth a bit longer – 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds. If the calendar were not adjusted for the extra six hours by adding an extra day approximately every four years, the calendar would slowly shift and the seasons would no longer be aligned with the traditional months. Without Leap Days, the calendar would be off by 24 days within 100 years.

How Do You Calculate A Leap Day?

Leap Days occur in most years that are divisible by 4, such as 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. However, Leap Years do not occur in years that are evenly divisible by 100, with the exception of those that are divisible by 400. This means that 1900 was not a Leap Year, but 2000 was!

Origins and History of Leap Day

The Ancient Egyptians were the first to discover the discrepancy between a strict man-made calendar and the shifting seasonal year. Starting around 45 BCE, Julius Caesar introduced Leap Years by adding one day to the calendar or doubling one day (giving the day the nickname “bissextile” or “twice sixth”). In the Roman calendar, February was the last month of the calendar; therefore the extra day was added in February in the Julian calendars.

Leap Day Birthdays

A select few have birthdays on Feb. 29. The chance of being born on Leap Day is 1 in 1,461. For centuries, astrologers believed that children born on Leap Day have unusual talents, unique personalities and even special powers. Sadly, “Leapers” or “leaplings,” the nickname attributed to those born on Leap Day, only celebrate their birthday every four years. The leaplings may celebrate their birthday on Feb. 28 or Mar. 1 instead, but most states in the U.S. will only legally recognize the person as their next age on Mar. 1 of the year. Among others, rapper Ja Rule (1976), model and actor Anthonio Sabato Jr. (1972), motivational speaker Tony Robbins (1960) and Italian opera composer Gioacchino Rossini (1792) were born on Leap Day.

Women Can Pop The Question… But Only Once Every Four Years

Historically, Feb. 29 has been the one day of the year where women can traditionally propose marriage to a male companion. While the exact history of the strange tradition is unknown, many speculate the tradition began in the 5th century in Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick of the unfairness that women had to wait for men to propose. St. Patrick gave in to St. Bridget’s wishes and set aside Feb. 29 as the one day when women could ask for a man’s hand in marriage. The odd marriage proposal tradition continued in Scotland. Queen Margaret supposedly declared in 1288 that a woman could propose to any man she liked on Feb. 29. According to the declaration, men who refused the proposal would need to pay a fine in the form of a kiss, a silk dress, a pair of gloves or even a monetary fine of one pound. Although the folk tradition may be rooted in history, many women plan to pop the question to their lover this year on Leap Day. The day has unofficially become known as “Sadie Hawkins Day” in tribute to the comic strip “Li’l Abner” that first popularized the idea of a day for gender role-reversal, when girls could initiate a date — unheard of before 1937.

Strange Leap Day Facts and Traditions

1. In addition to the strange marriage proposal tradition, Leap Day is often celebrated in contemporary cities with special deals and discounts, particularly with dishes that include frog legs. Indulge in the crunchy amphibians this Leap Day!

2. The official Leap Day cocktail will also be enjoyed in bars around the world. According to CheapSally.com, the official Leap Year cocktail is 2 ounces gin, ½ ounce Grand Marnier, ½ ounce sweet vermouth, and ¼ ounce fresh lemon juice. The parts are stirred together and strained into a chilled cocktail glass.

3. While Leap Year may be shunned by children who suffer from the rare chance to celebrate their birthday, the Playboy franchise remembers the day proudly. Hugh Hefner opened the first Playboy Club in Chicago, Ill. on Leap Day in 1960.

4. In 2012, 56 countries are recognizing Leap Day as “Rare Disease Day.” The nations participating in the awareness day are calling for increased research and funding for diseases and ailments that have no known cure.

5. Despite the rare chance of being born on Leap Day, Karin Henriksen of Norway holds the world’s record for giving birth to the most children on consecutive Leap Days. She has given birth to three children on consecutive Leap Days, including her daughter on Feb. 29, 1960 and her two sons on Leap Day in 1964 and 1968.

6. In addition, the record for the most generations born on Leap Day is held by the Keogh family in Ireland and Great Britain. The Keogh father, Peter Anthony, was born on Leap Day in 1940 in Ireland, his son, Peter Eric, in 1964 in the UK and the granddaughter, Bethany Wealth, on Leap Day in 1996.

7. Workers who have fixed annual or monthly wages essentially work for free on Feb. 29 because added wages are not usually calculated to account for the additional day. 8. Reuters reports that there are more than 200,000 “leaplings” in the United States and more than 5 million worldwide.

Enjoy Leap Day this year as there won’t be another for 1,461 days!

The most important element to a successful Super Bowl party is with no question the food. In fact the Super Bowl is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption and it comes as no surprise that antacid sales raise by 20% the following day.

We found some of the most delicious recipes ever, that are sure to leave your guests more than satisfied.

Double Bacon Cheeseburger Dip

This baked dip can be served with either tortilla chips or bread and has all the flavors of a double bacon cheeseburger.

http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/01/bacon-double-cheese-burger-dip.html

Crescent Pepperoni Roll-Ups

Made with canned crescent rolls this easy to make recipe is a nice change from your usual pizza.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/12/crescent-pepperoni-roll-ups.html

BLT Pasta Salad

This recipe takes all the flavors from a BLT sandwich and puts them into a pasta salad.

http://abirdandabean.blogspot.com/2011/06/blt-pasta-salad.html

Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip

Bypass the mess of hot wings but still get all the flavor with this baked dip.

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2012/01/baked-buffalo-chicken-dip-dont-bet.html

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This easy recipe uses a crockpot and only 3 ingredients to make.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/02/sweet-and-sour-meatballs-easy/

Blooming Bacon Cheddar Ranch Bread

This pull apart bread combines 3 of the best ingredients ever into loaf of bread.

http://cuckooking.blogspot.com/2012/01/blooming-bacon-cheddar-ranch-bread.html

Football Cake Pops

By the 4^th quarter your sweet tooth will be craving some dessert. Satisfy it with some football shaped cake pops.

http://bakedwithloveandbutter.blogspot.com/2010/02/football-cake-pops.html

The original version of this press release can be viewed here

Instead of making the usual New Years resolution of telling yourself that you are going to lose 15 pounds or quit smoking, why not make a resolution for your home that you can do all year long.

1.) De-Clutter your closet

At the beginning of the year turn all your clothes hangers backwards. After you wear and wash the items put the hangers back as you normally would. By June donate any clothing with a hanger still hanging backwards.

2.) Save Energy and Save Money

If you haven’t yet, switch out your light bulbs for CFL bulbs. If you don’t want to do the entire house at once, make a schedule to change all the bulbs out in one room each month.

3.) Change your HVAC Filters

Determine the type and amount of filters you need for each return. Buy a year’s worth of filters at one time. Mark your calendar to switch them all out once a month or quarterly, depending on the manufacturers recommendations.

4.) Do Projects a Little at a Time

List the top 12 projects that need to be done in your home. Assign one to each month and complete them as the months go by.

5.) Create a Weekly Cleaning Schedule

Create a weekly cleaning schedule that you can completed in less than 30 minutes each day Monday through Friday giving you the weekends to worry about anything but cleaning.

Monday- Vacuum house thoroughly, occasionally vacuum curtains and vents (25-30 minutes depending on house size)

Tuesday- Dust entire house. Occasionally wipe down furniture with polish. (15-20 minutes depending on knick-knack amount)

Wednesday- Clean bathrooms in the front of your home including toilets, mirrors, tub shower and floors (25-30 minutes)

Thursday- Clean bathrooms in the back of your home including toilets, mirrors, tub shower and floors (25-30 minutes)

Friday- Clean kitchen, including mop the floor, wipe down counters and appliances, scrub out sink (15-20 minutes)

The other key to making this successful is to maintain the house daily by picking up things immediately and putting them away and sorting mail as it comes in.

6.) Paint

A fresh coat of paint not only makes a room look better but allows you the versatility to easily change the décor of a room. Choose a room to do every other month. By the end of the year your whole house will look totally new.

7.) Learn to Do It Yourself

Many small home projects are easy enough to do yourself, all you have to do is learn how. There are many tutorials online and most larger home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes offer free or very low cost classes teaching. Doing it yourself will not only save you some money but give you some self satisfaction once the project is done.

8.) Turn off Your Lights

An easy way to start saving energy right away at no cost to you is to simply turn off your lights. When you leave a room turn the lights off. Also instead of using multiple lights at a time in a room just use the light you need. If you’re in your family room reading, turn on a lamp nearby instead of using all your recessed lights above.