DAN RODRICKS

Open phone lines in this first hour of the show today, an opportunity for our listeners to share whatever’s on your minds this week. President Obama’s state of the union, the Republican presidential primary, Rep. Gabby Gifford’s departure from Congress -- those subjects are all fair game. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s spending and taxing plan includes a "digital products" tax that would add 6 cents to a 99-cent iTunes download. Members of the Maryland school board members are proposing an overhaul of discipline codes that would move away from zero-tolerance policies for students.

What does the post-recession economy mean for marriage and relationships? While more men are losing their financial status, women are ascending the financial ladder. In her article, "All the Single Ladies," the November cover story of The Atlantic, writer Kate Bolick explores how this new gender balance is giving people an opportunity to re-think how they look at the institution of marriage, and why remaining single isn't such a bad thing.

Baltimore's mayor joins Dan in studio to weigh in on President Obama's State of the Union address and take listener calls about the state of the city.

From day one, parents have high hopes for their kdis. They want them to sleep through the night, turn into cheerful, well-adjusted toddlers; bright, attentive well-rounded students or great athletes; then college standouts who become brain surgeons, NFL stars, or Supreme Court justices. Unfortunately, most of us have kids who disappoint us in many ways – they may be surly, rebellious, inattentive students or couch potatoes more interested in their iPods and video games than reading, sports or academics. The result is constant conflict with their parents.

The Republican presidential contest has narrowed to a small-field slugfest. So, what happened to long-time favorite Mitt Romney and why has he slipped to middle of the pack? Some of the answers rest with the South Carolina voters who gave former House Speaker Newt Gingrich a big victory in last Saturday’s primary. But Romney and his team are clearly wondering what went wrong and trying to fix it.  We’ll ask my guests.

Kim Clark, senior writer for Money Magazine, joins us for the debut of Midday on Personal Finance, our monthly show devoted to personal financial advice and consumer news. This hour: how brokerage firms are not required to put investors’ interests before their own and why a new rule requiring them to do so is being held up by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Also, Kim warns against a hot, new “alternative” investment and suggests credit cards that give you the best bang for your buck.

Dr. Richard Lichenstein is our guest this hour. He is the lead researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and his colleagues studied case reports between 2004 and 2011 of pedestrian injuries or fatalities from crashes involving trains or cars.

It's Midday on Film with Linda DeLibero, director of film and media studies at the Johns Hopkins University. Today, Linda takes us to China for a look at the challenges that independent filmmakers, including documentarians, face in westernized Communism. Meanwhile, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has created a new challenge for filmmakers here: It announced that only documentaries reviewed by The Los Angeles Times or The New York Times will be eligible for Oscar nominations. Dan asks Linda if that new rule is as dumb as it sounds.

Gov. Martin O’Malley defends his plan to raise taxes on state residents who earn six figures or more, saying he considers it the “fairest way” to help close the state’s latest budget gap. O'Malley also proposed an increase on taxes on tobacco products and doubling fees on the state’s so-called “flush tax” on water and sewer bills. We'll speak with The Washington Post's Aaron Davis about O'Malley's unpopular proposals.

Imagine living in a neighborhood where people check the tide gauges to figure out where they should park their cars, or where city leaders spend millions to raise streets. It's the reality in areas where the Chesapeake meets the ocean. The ground is subsiding and that, coupled with sea-level rise, is bringing record flooding and destruction to coastal neighborhoods. The flooding is happening faster than many ever imagined, and the problem is expected to get worse over the next several decades. The rising Chesapeake, a pressing problem with expensive solutions.