Press Release Andy Harris Award

The Maryland Taxpayers Association, Inc., will honor Dr. Andy Harris, State Senator, with an award for his consistent and continuous fight on the behalf of Maryland citizens and families for limited government spending and against higher taxes, and economy stifling regulation since his first election in 1998.

WHEN AND WHERE: At the Thursday Meeting, January 10, 8 am to 10 am (expected time about 9:30 am) of the Center Right Coalition, 100 West St., Annapolis.

Dr. Harris’ recognition represents the first of several awards to other legislators.

Dr. Harris is a signer of the “No New Taxes” pledge originated by the Americans for Tax Reform, a Washington, D.C., based group, and supported in Maryland by the Maryland Taxpayers Association.

In addition to his no tax votes, Dr. Harris has voted against the last two budget bills of FY 2007 and FY 2008. The first set record spending growth of about 11 per cent in the last year of the Erhlich administration and the FY 2008 budget increased effective spending by more than 8 per cent in the first year of the O’Malley administration and set up the tax increases of the recent Special Session. These new taxes are expected to harm the Maryland business environment, and consequently, jobs, according to the Tax Foundation.

Former Delegate Herb McMillan and MTA Board Director noted that “It is easy to campaign against taxes, nobody wants them. It’s harder to vote against excessive spending, everybody wants something.” (See Washington Times editorial of 12/10/087.)

The award will be presented by Dee Hodges, President of MTA. She says: “Andy Harris is representative of the ideal legislator in that he consistently acts to support a healthy economy from which good jobs flow. “ Lower taxes under Presidents Kennedy and Reagan have been demonstrated to lead to economic prosperity and greater financial security for the people.

US To Send 3,000 Marines To Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon is preparing to send at least 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan in April to bolster efforts to hold off another expected Taliban offensive in the spring, military officials said Wednesday.

GO HERE to see the entire article.

Breaking News From County Executive Rick Pollitt

MESSAGE OF VETO OF LEGISLATIVE BILL 2007-3, KNOWN AS THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BILL, BY COUNTY EXECUTIVE RICHARD M. POLLITT, JR.

JANUARY 9, 2008

In November of 2004, the citizens of Wicomico County expressed their loss of confidence in the operation of local government and voted to change the Charter of the county to establish separate Executive and Legislative branches… each with its own specific powers and duties. Those changes were reflected in the ballot of November, 2004 and became effective in December, 2006 when the current County Executive and County Council were installed in office. At that time all swore to uphold the authority of the County Charter.

Having been granted specific powers and duties by the Charter, it is improper to impose a restriction or restraint on the exercise of those powers by legislation, absent specific Charter authorization. For example, legislation could not require the County Executive to follow the rulings of an outside arbitrator in the preparation of his annual budget, nor could legislation require the County Council to exercise its fiscal and budgetary powers in favor of a collective bargaining agreement.

Consequently, when deputies of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department determined to seek a collective bargaining agreement that included binding arbitration with the county, it became necessary to again amend the Charter. Therefore, a provision was proposed to be added to the Charter, Section 601.1, authorizing the County Council to adopt a labor code which included binding arbitration. That Charter Amendment was subject to a public referendum in November of 2006 and was overwhelmingly adopted by the voters of Wicomico County.

Binding arbitration effectively restricts the County Executive and the County Council’s exercise of their Charter delegated powers. In order to comply with the requirements of the collective bargaining section of the Charter and preserve the structure of government established by the Charter, Legislative Bill 2007-3 was prepared and submitted to the County Council for their consideration.

In drafting the legislation, I instructed County Attorney Ed Baker to follow two basic principles: First, the bill had to implement the will of the citizens as expressed in the referendum and second, it must not threaten or weaken the structure of our new form of government. I take very seriously the expressed concerns of members of the County Council that our bill somehow compromised the checks and balances of our respective offices or imposed undue restrictions on the Council’s role in the budget process. In fact, an early draft of the bill, supported by representatives of the Fraternal Order of Police, would have had me bind the County Council to any arbitration that was imposed on the County Executive. Because I do respect the necessary checks and balances of our government, I would not accept that recommendation, recognizing that such a provision eliminates the powers granted the County Council over fiscal and budgetary matters. The Bill that was actually presented to the Council provided them with authority to enter into their own accelerated process of collective

bargaining… still with binding arbitration; in the event they could not accept the agreement imposed upon the Executive. The powers granted the County Council in its review of the budget, namely to delete or reduce budget items, would be preserved, but exercised during the final negotiation and arbitration process. Thus, the legislation, as introduced, respects the separation of powers, preserves the legislative oversight afforded the County Council under the Charter and complies with the will of the voters in enacting a provision for binding arbitration.

As amended and adopted by the County Council, Legislative Bill 2007-3 only restricts the Executive’s power in requiring that he submit any disputes to binding arbitration and does not provide the deputies with a final binding agreement, effectively dismissing the results and the intent of the referendum so strongly supported by our citizens.

Therefore, the legislation, as amended and adopted, does not satisfy the requirements of section 601.1 of the Charter and must be vetoed. To the extent clarification of section 601.1 is necessary to more specifically delineate the respective budgetary responsibilities of the County Executive and County Council; I would support a proposal for a new Charter Amendment to accomplish that goal.

In my opening paragraph, I referred to a general loss of confidence in local government which, in my opinion, resulted in the establishment of this new system. The same voting public that decided the old system was broken and should be replaced also decided our deputy sheriffs should be able to organize and bargain for better pay and working conditions. And that any agreement resulting from the effort should be binding on the County. If I were to allow this bill, as amended, to become law without a challenge, I would be acquiescing to a process that negates the will of the public and denies to the deputies the very law that they fought so hard to obtain and for which they received overwhelming public support. I can’t see any way that such a course on my part would do anything but further erode the public’s confidence in the responsiveness and effectiveness of their county government.

Having said all that, I am acutely aware that this is the first serious difference of opinion between the County Executive and the County Council. It is the first veto from the first County Executive. I do not relish the occasion and I regret that we were not able to find common ground on this matter. However, I want to assure the Council and I want to assure the citizens that I deeply respect Council’s opposing views and I realize the Council’s decision did not come lightly and was reached only after lengthy discussions with the county attorney and among themselves. I believe the County Council sincerely thinks our legislation was flawed and that there are issues involving checks and balances and the budgetary process. I can only say that if our County Attorney had not assured me that our bill was firmly anchored on solid legal grounds, I would not have submitted it in the first place. In vetoing this bill, I extend the traditional olive branch to the County Council, determined that, for my part, our relationship will remain strong and positive. I will look forward to working closely with them on other matters in the future. The strength of our democracy and the benefit of our mutual respect allows us to disagree in an agreeable fashion and move on together to continue our service to our bosses, the citizens of Wicomico County.

Finally, I have a word about the men and women who have caused us to be here today and are the subject of this debate. I believe with all my heart that all of us in Wicomico County… the citizens, the County Council and myself; feel nothing but respect and appreciation for the jobs performed by our Wicomico Sheriff’s deputies. Council President Cannon has echoed my own words that we in government will do all we responsibly can to support our deputies…not because we’re dragged kicking and screaming to the bargaining table but because it’s the right thing to do.

I confess to having a bit of a personal interest in all this. My grandfather served three terms as Sheriff of Wicomico County. He lived in an apartment on the third floor of the courthouse, separated from the county jail by a single steel door. As a child, I played countless hours in that apartment and in the area of the jail. I got to be friends with the deputies and they would take me along on some of their patrols. It was a good time.

However, the man who followed my grandfather, Sheriff Sam Graham, walked through that steel door one evening and was shot dead by a prisoner escaping from his cell. None of us who get up every morning with a job or a list of things to do, expecting to be home to be with our family that same evening, can fully appreciate the stress and hazards that the men and women of law enforcement face as a routine. During this exercise, I learned chilling facts about the shortened life expectancy of our deputies, their high rate of divorce, and about the physical and psychological challenges that go with the job. I am so proud of these folks and the fact that my family and I can sleep safely at night because they are on the job. We owe them our respect, our gratitude and our best effort at securing them the working conditions that will best provide for them and their families. I know that each member of the County Council feels this way and I am confident that we will work together in the months ahead to do what is right.

POLLITT VETOES AMENDED COUNTY LABOR CODE

For Immediate Release

January 9, 2008

Salisbury, MD

Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., has exercised his veto power for the first time, rejecting the amended Bill Number 2007-3. Initially submitted by Mr. Pollitt, the legislation would have established a labor code for Wicomico County. The Bill was inspired by the 2006 Referendum in which voters granted Sheriff’s Deputies the right to collective bargaining. Mr. Pollitt said that he could not agree with the amendment attached by the County Council which removed that body from the binding arbitration stipulation in the code as proposed by Pollitt. The County Executive is bound to binding arbitration in the Bill.

Mr. Pollitt said: “I asked the County Attorney to draft a bill that implemented the will of the voters but stressed that it be within the checks and balances and budgetary responsibilities provided by the Charter. He assured me our bill was anchored on solid legal ground. While I have no doubt the County Council shares my commitment to our deputies, the bill as adopted does not guarantee that binding arbitration will be the end result, thus effectively overturning the referendum.”

The vetoed bill now goes back to the Council. They have the option of overriding it with a 5-2 majority. If the Council fails to override or, if they choose to take no action, the bill is “dead” and new legislation is required.

County Council President John Cannon Speaks Out On Collective Bargaining

Posted as a Letter To The Editor in The Daily Times a few weeks ago. I asked John if he would send me the original to clear things up with the other side.

"Collective Bargaining

I prefer to limit debates to council chambers but, in light of a recent Times editorial, I feel it necessary to clarify some misconceptions on the part of the editorial and misperceptions it may have created in the eyes of the public. The issue is binding arbitration in Wicomico County and binding arbitration on the Wicomico County Council. There is a difference.

Question A, which was passed by the voters in 2006 read “to amend the Wicomico County Charter to require that the county council adopt a law providing for collective bargaining with binding arbitration of disputes between the county and an authorized representative of the sheriff’s office deputies.” To that end the Wicomico County Council has achieved unanimous consensus on language for legislation that will fully implement the spirit and intent of the referendum within the framework of the new form of government we now have in Wicomico County. This legislation will allow for authorized representation for the Sheriff’s deputies and for collective bargaining with binding arbitration between this representative and the County Executive of Wicomico County.

The issue at hand, however, is that there are representatives of the deputies negotiating team who feel that both the Executive Branch (Mr. Pollitt) and the Legislative Branch (the County Council) should be held to binding arbitration and this is where our interpretations of law differ.

Under our new form of government, the elected County Executive has all the executive power vested in Wicomico County by the constitution and laws of Maryland and by the county Charter. It is the Executive who’s responsible for preparing the annual county budget, including salaries and benefits of Sheriff’s deputies, and it is for this reason it was decided that collective bargaining should take place between the County Executive and the Sheriff’s employees union. It is also for this reason that we felt the Executive should be bound by arbitration in the event of disputes between the executive and the union.

The County Council, however, in its more limited role as the county legislative body, has no part in the preparation of the county budget. It cannot assign priorities in the budget; it cannot increase appropriations in the Executive’s budget. The County Council may only reduce or delete items in the Executive’s budget, except those which are required by law.

Consequently, the County Council cannot legally bargain in good faith for the citizens of Wicomico County with any organization or representatives. The long and short of it is that the County Council, having no role in the executive functions has no place in the collective bargaining process. For both branches to be held to this proposed negotiating process would actually compromise the very Charter to which we are bound as citizens and representatives of Wicomico County.

The Wicomico County Council has an obligation to the voters of Wicomico County to maintain separate branches of government as the Charter requires and we have an obligation to the voters of Wicomico County to provide for binding arbitration in the event that the County Executive and the union fail to reach an agreement.
With our recent decision, we feel we have found the one solution for both. We have taken the first steps to maintain the integrity of the checks and balances established in the new form of government while, at the same time, honoring the process of collective bargaining with binding arbitration within this new form of government.

The issue has never been about the Council versus the deputies. The Council has always wanted the best for the deputies and for all county employees. Going forward, we hope that all citizens of Wicomico County, as well as the deputies will understand that this course of action is a fair and equitable solution for all; one which will fully implement the spirit and the language for collective bargaining by the Sheriff’s deputies and for binding arbitration, if an agreement is not reached.

Collective bargaining will be successful in Wicomico County. It will be successful for the deputies and their representatives through the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch working together while adhering to their respective responsibilities as required by the county Charter. The union representatives will have the right to collective bargaining when the Executive prepares the budget and the County will still maintain the integrity of the checks and balances system established under our new Charter. It is no different than the process of collective bargaining with binding arbitration already established and working successfully in Baltimore and Howard Counties. It is fair to the citizens of Wicomico County as well as the deputies. Government as it was intended.

We have heard from several of our constituents on this matter in recent days. Some have been in support of the Council’s intended actions and some have expressed concerns. Of those who had expressed concerns, once they heard and understood that collective bargaining and its product, either from agreement or by award, must be accepted by the County Executive and become a part of the Executive’s budget and once they understood that the County Council as a legislative body, is not involved in preparing the Executive’s budget, most people had their concerns satisfied and agreed with the approach the County Council is following. We thank all of those who made the effort to talk with us and whether or not they agreed, that they were interested in learning the facts of the matter.

We assure you that we are going to accomplish what needs to be accomplished with a fair and balanced perspective in the spirit of cooperation and good will on the part of everyone. This is a great county. We have full faith in our new form of government and we have full confidence in and support for the Sheriff and deputies who represent and protect Wicomico County."


John Cannon
President
Wicomico County Council

When Will The Spending Ever End?

As if a $10,000,000.00 Fire Station and a $36,000,000.00 Zoo aren't enough, now the Library wants to join in because they want to be in the 21st Century?

It's never a matter of something being good enough! The City wants to fight tooth and nail over keeping the Library owned by the County in the City. Why? Who the "F" knows? Think about it. What additional business does the Library bring to the City? NOTHING! Why is the City participating in 1/2 of the cost to look into a new location for the COUNTY Library? If they move, LET THEM! That Library is doing absolutely NOTHING for businesses in the City Limits.

So their grand idea is, well, since we don't have what Rockville has, LET'S BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME! How freaking stupid can they get? They should move the Library to the North end of the City and enhance the business already INVESTED in the City.

They should have bought the Old Mall, (I know, I'm a broken record) and created the additional shopping there and also relocated the City's GOB there as well and sold off for a reasonable price a portion of the land to the County for more Civic Center Parking! They could have even relocated the Zoo there to higher ground.

So ALL of you Taxpayers are getting BONED again because the Idiots Comegys, Smith, Shields and Tilghman once again have proven they don't know jack sh!t about how to run a business. That is, unless they're in the business of screwing the Taxpayers!

The Old Mall would have cost the City around $3,000,000.00, that's it. Hell, they could have received that back in a parking lot and the new Library location. Dee, Dee, Deeee!

More importantly, think about this for a minute. The desperately want to keep the Library in the City and create a NEW Town Center and SCREW everyone else invested into the Plaza area and Downtown. They will go into the business of competing with those freakin Taxpayers who have supported the City for all these years. Yes, even Bill Ahtes!

They want a 50,000 square foot Library and the one in Rockvill cost the highest taxed County in America $369,000,000.00!

Ladies & Gentlemen, YOU NEED TO GET THESE PEOPLE THE HELL OUT OF OFFICE! You know what, this isn't ROCKVILLE! People will NOT drive from the Western Shore to come to this Library! There's not been a Store created on this Earth that doesn't reside in Rockville. Why? Because there's a ton of money out there and it isn't here. Send the Mayor and the rest of them to live in Rockville and see if they could even afford the property taxes in one year. Heck, didn't some of them already experience Bankruptcy or foreclosure here ONCE?

Enough is enough! This is the Eastern Shore of Maryland and STOP forgetting where we come from!

Brenda Colegrove Enjoys New Digital Recorder

At a recent Council Meeting, Brenda Colegrove proudly showed off the City's new Digital Recorder. It is far more efficient and she doesn't have to stop the meeting to change tapes any longer.

There was money set aside in previous budgets for this system but it always fell short of the actual cost of purchasing one. However, because there was delays on it for years, the prices actually came down more than 100% and when Brenda started researching for a new one, it fell within the figures the City set aside and she bought it right away.

Perhaps the City shouldn't be so quick on those Developer Reimbursements too?

Today's Wildlife Photo

Click on image to enlarge.
Someone sent me this photo and I couldn't resist posting it. Enjoy!

!!!!! Warning !!!!!

Hebron's Sirens Are Going Off, EVERYONE STAY AT HOME!

SUMMARY OF MY LAST YEAR ON THE COMPUTER

I must send my thanks to whoever sent me the one about poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet towel with every envelope that needs sealing.

Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St.Theresa's novena has granted my every wish.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day

Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an email to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer can buy gasoline without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm pumping gas.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their cans .

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face …disfiguring me for life.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support our American troops or the Salvation Army.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore , and Uzbekistan

I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe.

Thanks to you, I can't use any one's toilet but mine because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my butt.

And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00 I dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a sex molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

I can no longer drive my car because I can't buy gas from certain gas companies!

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM this afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician...

Have a wonderful day....

Oh, by the way.....

A South American scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their e-mail with their hand on the mouse.

Don't bother taking it off now, it's too late.

Is There A Lawsuit In The Making?

The more I sit here and think about this Zoo situation, the more I boil up. Look, I have read the article over and over again and then I looked at the Press Release and the first thing that comes to mind is, WHY THE HELL WASN'T THIS GUY CHARGED WITH TRESPASSING?

He wasn't charged because he was locked in the bathroom from 5:00 PM to 9:00 AM the following morning. I'm going to reach out to all of you and ask if anyone knows who this young man is, where he lives or perhaps even his parents. I want to get a hold of this guy and ask him what REALLY happened. His name is, Robert Carvil Shockley, 20 years of age Salisbury, Maryland.

If the Zoo charged an admission, none of these things would be a problem. If the Zoo had professional security, this wouldn't be a problem. If the Zookeeper had done their job properly this wouldn't have been a problem. I personally think the City has a liability lawsuit in the making here.

Another big question would be, did this kid have a cell phone? If he did and he didn't call for help, well, then perhaps he was in the wrong. My gut feelings are, he didn't have one and he was locked in all night.

One thing I can assure you of is the charges against him will be dropped immediately. I wonder if he has a $50,000.00 Bond on him, like they did on me? Oh, that's right, that Commissioner was removed from anything and everything to do with the City and the Zoo for the rest of her career because of what she did to me. So Mr. Alessi, how are all those new rules working for you?

The Irrelevancy of the Salisbury City Council

Is it possible for a legislative body to be more irrelevant to the citizens that it (supposedly) serves than the Salisbury City Council? Tuesday's work session was yet more evidence to support the overwhelming argument that the Salisbury Council majority of Louise Smith, Gary Comegys and Shanie Shields are nothing more than marionettes doing the bidding of the city's chief executive - Barrie Parsons Tilghman.

As reported in Wednesday's Tilghman Times the happy trio of Smith, Comegys and Shields were incapable of exercising the judgment expected of an elected official. Instead, they decided to sort the projects proposed in the Mayor's Capital Improvement Plan by date. What's the matter with this? For starters, I've got an Excel spreadsheet that can sort by date. What do we need Louise, Gary and Shanie for?

Council members are supposed to represent their constituents by exercising their own judgment. The Barrieland City Council cannot be bothered with such things. Either because they are incapable, or because they concur in my assessment that their purpose is merely that of a rubber stamp for Mayor Tilghman, the "council leadership" will not exercise any judgment on their own.

Is repair to dams more important than a skate park? Are existing roads more important than a bike trail? Does the city really need to spend money for a new City Hall? The City Council should make those decisions. Instead, they chose to merely sort by date. This is just the most recent example of the Smith, Comegys, Shields troika ceding all judgment to the executive body.

In recent months we have seen the city council refuse to exercise their power (as given in the city charter) to appoint members the city's Board of Zoning Appeals. In that case the council merely confirmed the individuals submitted by the Mayor, claiming that the Mayor had the power of appointment. Despite the claim by City Attorney Paul Wilber that this was the case, the language of the city's charter clearly states otherwise.

The council rubber stamped unappropriated expenditures of hundreds of thousands of dollars for the new fire station. Forget for a moment that this action by the Tilghman administration was clearly illegal. Forget for a moment that the city council is vested with the authority to appropriate funds. This council, and its predecessor, have provided cover to an executive that spends tax monies without the legal authority to do so.

During the budget process, the Comegys led trio refused to discuss ways to avoid a huge tax increase by cutting spending. Instead they merely rolled over the city's taxpayers to satisfy the Mayor. Mr. Comegys (the Mayor's true whip on council) would claim that he offered a cost cutting proposal. However, the fact that the administration prepared all of his documentation for him leads us to the conclusion that the Mayor's office had come up with these symbolic cuts.

If the citizens of Salisbury are going to sanction this type of government, save some money. Suspend the puppet parliament and allow Her Highness to rule by fiat.

Crossposted on Delmarva Dealings

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O'Malley's Irish Luck Is Running Out Of Our Pot Of Gold!

I just read an AP article indicating that our illustrious Governor O'Malley has squandered more than $17,000.00 going back and forth to Ireland. I just can seem to be able to justify frivolous spending on unnecessary travel while squeezing the citizen/taxpayer for 1.7 billion in tax increases. It just may be that history will judge this "governor" as having one of the worst fiscal policies in the history of the U.S. - placing him right up there with Jimma Cahtah and Barrie Tilghman.

Florida Sheriff Got It Right

POLK COUNTY FLORIDA SHERIFF GRADY JUDD

Some "dirtbag" in Polk County Florida who got pulled over in a routine traffic stop ended up "executing" the deputy who stopped him. The deputy was shot eight times, including once behind his right ear at close range.
Another deputy was wounded and a police dog killed. A statewide manhunt ensued.
The low-life was found hiding in a wooded area with his gun. SWAT team officers fired and hit the guy 68 times.

Now here's the kicker:

Naturally, the media asked why they shot him 68 times.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, told the

Orlando Sentinel : "That's all the bullets we had!"

(Talk about an all time classic answer!!!)

Daily Times Buries Story

By now I'm sure many of you have heard, a 20 year old man was found yesterday morning sleeping on the floor in the bathroom at the Salisbury Zoo. Did the Daily Times investigate it any further? NOPE! Why, because there's a whole lot more to the story than Barrie Tilghman and the rest of her SCREW UPS at the Zoo want to admit, hence the story being buried in the back of the paper.

You see Ladies & Gentlemen, this 20 year old man was LOCKED in the bathroom overnight! They lock those doors each and every night and the Zookeepers are required to do a physical search each and every day to make sure no one is inside. Obviously this was not done.

So to make it sound as if there was a criminal inside with an alleged small amount of marijuana in his possession, the DT wrote a half assed article making it sounds as if someone was guilty before proven innocent once again. Small means small people and alleged means alleged. I can assure you of one thing, this guy didn't PLAN on spending the night in the Salisbury Zoo. They also claim they found him sleeping on the floor when they arrived. I'm CONFIDENT that when a Zookeeper walked into that bathroom and saw him there, this guy wasn't oversleeping because he had partied all night in there, passed out. Dee, Dee, Deeee! The guy was LOCKED in a freakin bathroom for 14+ hours.

Now, that begs the question, WHERE THE HELL WAS THE SECURITY COMPANY THE ZOO HIRES? Let's say the guy had diariah and was somewhat embarrassed to say he was in there, knowing he wasn't coming out any time soon. First of all, did he hide so well the Zookeeper couldn't see him at all when he or she locked up? After all, they are supposed to and required to do a physical search. Just where did this man hide that the person allegedly doing their job couldn't find him in a bathroom?

They locked this guy inside and that's all there is to it. The Times makes it sound as if this guy had partied all night and was so toasted, he was passed out and it took the Police to wake him. Nah, I doubt that very seriously. I'll bet he had a very long night hoping someone would come by and get him the hell out. I'm sure he had the lights on in there as well. That being said, again, where was the Security Company that's paid to check the grounds and buildings each and every night?

The company I speak of has ALWAYS done a PISS POOR JOB securing the Zoo, yet Rapp/Alessi requested they hire the company again, even after the Llama situation. They have a track record of sucking at what they do, (the photo of the company posted here is NOT the company that currently secures the Zoo) hence the raped Llama and dead Llama. Believe me, I could tell you stories about what people have done breaking into that Zoo at night that would knock your soc off! It ALL gets covered up because this Mayor and others do not want the Public to know just how easy it is to access that Zoo and how few safeguards there are against anyone doing so.

The title of the Daily Times article should have had better coverage, (first of all). Secondly, it should have said something like, man gets locked in Zoo Bathroom for some 14 hours straight! NO SHIT!

Posts, Comments & Blognetnews

If you're reading this on Blognetnews, save sbynews.com to your favorites because you may not see us here much longer.

Yesterday brought 21 Posts all together and 140 comments for the day, (so far). The day before that brought us a record day and yesterdays numbers were within 50 hits of the record day, so I'd say we're retaining the increase and hits.

I go back to that Blognetnews crap and the way they calculate their best to worst results. You've got one guy over there named Brian Griffiths with three Blogs. There's Brian Griffiths, Red Maryland and then Maryland Politics. The guy is playing their system like there's no tomorrow and then Monoblogue is riding off their shirt tail and cross posting with this guy for the free ride. How many comments do you have Michael?

I will be writing Blognetnews possibly today or some time this week and I'll share those thoughts with you when I do.