DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Frank Kratovil Supporters
I was in attendance tonight at the debate at SU, and saw the buses unloading Kratovil supporters, and heard the most immature things from some of the college kids in the crowd. Andy Harris was talking about his father being imprisoned in Russia for his beliefs , and i heard the owwwwww what a shame. Regardless of whether your a Democrat or a Republican this behavior isn't necessary, In fact it makes it more evident the fact that some of these students are far to immature to elect the leaders of the State let alone the leaders of this country.
This just in from Joe
A few minutes ago Joe called me and advised me that he just learned that Kratovil couldn't muster up enough support locally for tonights debate so he had to bus supporters in from other locations. More to come......
PRMC Ranked In "BEST HOSPITAL" Report
US News and World Report does an annual survey of hospitals across the nation. In addition to ranking the best in various specialties, it also designates those that are deemed competent. PRMC received that designation in this year's evaluation -- for the report see:
http://include.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/DC02/107280058
http://include.nurse.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/DC02/107280058
400+ Point Dow Spurt Likely Today!
This is written a few minutes before the close at the NYSE -- and the market is up about 418 on the DJIA, with similar relative rise (4-5%) in the NASDAQ and S&P 500.
Another Comment Worthy Of A Post
"Joe,
I was speaking with a friend and discussing what a great time we had at Crown on Friday night and how nice it was for the Hearne's to step and volunteer to help. They also told me that the Civic Center was contacted to help out and they said yes they would help for a mere $6000.00. How pathetic, we all know the Civic Center was never intended for anything other than for the service of our community. Thanks again Civic Center one more time the community has had to look else where."
I was speaking with a friend and discussing what a great time we had at Crown on Friday night and how nice it was for the Hearne's to step and volunteer to help. They also told me that the Civic Center was contacted to help out and they said yes they would help for a mere $6000.00. How pathetic, we all know the Civic Center was never intended for anything other than for the service of our community. Thanks again Civic Center one more time the community has had to look else where."
HERE'S A PROPOSED BAILOUT PLAN
(1) Mortgage Cram-Downs: It is fascinating that no one is talking about this in the current bill. One of the first things that got thrown to the wayside is cram downs. Mortgage cram downs are the quickest thing that can be done right now to help homeowners in trouble. How so? Let us say in bankruptcy a judge looks at a borrower who has a $100,000 valued home with a $90,000 1st home mortgage and $25,000 in total unsecured debt. The judge can cram down the unsecured debt to $10,000 thus matching the total assets of the borrower ($100,000 home) to the total debt ($90,000 1st mortgage + $10,000 unsecured debt). Why was this removed? Credit card companies and 2nd note mortgage holders would get wiped out with this legislation. They will not volunteer for this since there is nothing in it for them. Clearly they would rather unload the debt to you instead of realizing the loss from their imprudent lending.
(2) Mark to Market Similar to Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008: It is amazing that the new legislation actually wanted to halt the mark to market accounting rules. What this did is gives an out for institutions to once again hide the sausage until they unload it onto the public. What needs to be done is what was proposed in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. Lenders that want to participate can do so by doing the following:
*Take a current appraisal of home
*90% offer from government of current appraisal
*One-time 5% fee to build up loss fund
*Homeowners participate in equity sharing with government tiered over 5 years
So how would this work? Say one of those craptastic WaMu loans made at the peak for $600,000 is now in trouble. The current home value is $400,000. Should JP Morgan wish to unload this loan, they would get $340,000 and the borrower now has a reduced loan. The borrower now has to share any equity gains with the government for the next X years. This of course will mitigate some of the moral hazard problem. Everyone wins. JP Morgan has already estimated that they will write down $31 billion in loans from the WaMu garbage can so at least they get something here. Borrowers get to stay in their home and the government at least has a way to recoup some losses later.
(3) Zero CEO Compensation on Institutions that Participate: This one is simple. CEOs shouldn’t get one penny for participating in the bailout. If they have managed to run their company into the ground and are asking for taxpayer assistance, we get to set the terms. They are lucky. In fact, we should give them an incentive that should they cooperative for the next few years they won’t be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law when we have our 1930s perp walk sessions which will happen. CEO compensation? Are you freaking kidding me. How was this even in the bill?
(4) Massive Enforcement and Regulatory Oversight: Agencies like the former OFHEO and the SEC have been so stripped down and starved over the past decades that they simply had no power over a multi-trillion dollar market. First, we need to resurrect a similar law such as the Glass Steagall Act that was repealed by the Gramm-Leach-Biley Act in 1999. You can almost pinpoint the moment the stupid toxic CDO and CDS markets exploded:
*Source: Sudden Debt
For nearly an entire decade, this market went unregulated. Now that things are blowing up they don’t want to tell us where they will use the $700 billion and with utmost arrogance want to keep this market in the dark. They created their own nightmare. The reason for market transparency is that at any given time, you should be able to unload your assets and there will be a market to sell into. Those people that wanted deregulation got exactly that in a black and chaotic hole. Now they want to impose rules on the jungle of debt. With such a hidden world and no transparency, no one really knows what some of these assets are worth in the real world. Given the stunning amount of this out there, don’t you think the public has an obligation to have leaders explain what is going on before they start dumping their money into the abyss?
(5) Liquidation of Lenders: Finally, there are some pathetic lending institutions out there. They need to fail and the quicker the better. We are already seeing some of this. The big are eating the weak. JP Morgan Chase eats up WaMu. Wachovia gets swallowed up by Citi. You get the point. The reason this needs to accelerate is once the market stabilizes, these institutions will once again inject liquidity. Yet this will be a slow process. Otherwise, more crap will hit the market. How so?
Well in the midst of all this insanity Wachovia was bought out by Citi in what is another government bailout. They won’t call it this but it is absolutely a bailout. First, Citi bought out Wachovia with the full knowledge that they will only absorb $42 billion in losses from the Wachovia mortgage portfolio. The problem? Wachovia with their smart buy move of uber toxic mortgage all-star Golden West has approximately a portfolio of $120 billion in pay option mortgages mostly here in California. Who will assume losses above and beyond the $42 billion? The FDIC. How much does the FDIC currently have? About $43 billion.
Please continue contacting your Representatives since this battle is not over. For info on contacting RINO's Gilchrest and Castle, see:
http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2008/09/we-better-wake-up-wayne-gilchrest-now.html
(2) Mark to Market Similar to Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008: It is amazing that the new legislation actually wanted to halt the mark to market accounting rules. What this did is gives an out for institutions to once again hide the sausage until they unload it onto the public. What needs to be done is what was proposed in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. Lenders that want to participate can do so by doing the following:
*Take a current appraisal of home
*90% offer from government of current appraisal
*One-time 5% fee to build up loss fund
*Homeowners participate in equity sharing with government tiered over 5 years
So how would this work? Say one of those craptastic WaMu loans made at the peak for $600,000 is now in trouble. The current home value is $400,000. Should JP Morgan wish to unload this loan, they would get $340,000 and the borrower now has a reduced loan. The borrower now has to share any equity gains with the government for the next X years. This of course will mitigate some of the moral hazard problem. Everyone wins. JP Morgan has already estimated that they will write down $31 billion in loans from the WaMu garbage can so at least they get something here. Borrowers get to stay in their home and the government at least has a way to recoup some losses later.
(3) Zero CEO Compensation on Institutions that Participate: This one is simple. CEOs shouldn’t get one penny for participating in the bailout. If they have managed to run their company into the ground and are asking for taxpayer assistance, we get to set the terms. They are lucky. In fact, we should give them an incentive that should they cooperative for the next few years they won’t be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law when we have our 1930s perp walk sessions which will happen. CEO compensation? Are you freaking kidding me. How was this even in the bill?
(4) Massive Enforcement and Regulatory Oversight: Agencies like the former OFHEO and the SEC have been so stripped down and starved over the past decades that they simply had no power over a multi-trillion dollar market. First, we need to resurrect a similar law such as the Glass Steagall Act that was repealed by the Gramm-Leach-Biley Act in 1999. You can almost pinpoint the moment the stupid toxic CDO and CDS markets exploded:
*Source: Sudden Debt
For nearly an entire decade, this market went unregulated. Now that things are blowing up they don’t want to tell us where they will use the $700 billion and with utmost arrogance want to keep this market in the dark. They created their own nightmare. The reason for market transparency is that at any given time, you should be able to unload your assets and there will be a market to sell into. Those people that wanted deregulation got exactly that in a black and chaotic hole. Now they want to impose rules on the jungle of debt. With such a hidden world and no transparency, no one really knows what some of these assets are worth in the real world. Given the stunning amount of this out there, don’t you think the public has an obligation to have leaders explain what is going on before they start dumping their money into the abyss?
(5) Liquidation of Lenders: Finally, there are some pathetic lending institutions out there. They need to fail and the quicker the better. We are already seeing some of this. The big are eating the weak. JP Morgan Chase eats up WaMu. Wachovia gets swallowed up by Citi. You get the point. The reason this needs to accelerate is once the market stabilizes, these institutions will once again inject liquidity. Yet this will be a slow process. Otherwise, more crap will hit the market. How so?
Well in the midst of all this insanity Wachovia was bought out by Citi in what is another government bailout. They won’t call it this but it is absolutely a bailout. First, Citi bought out Wachovia with the full knowledge that they will only absorb $42 billion in losses from the Wachovia mortgage portfolio. The problem? Wachovia with their smart buy move of uber toxic mortgage all-star Golden West has approximately a portfolio of $120 billion in pay option mortgages mostly here in California. Who will assume losses above and beyond the $42 billion? The FDIC. How much does the FDIC currently have? About $43 billion.
Please continue contacting your Representatives since this battle is not over. For info on contacting RINO's Gilchrest and Castle, see:
http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2008/09/we-better-wake-up-wayne-gilchrest-now.html
You Gotta Just LOVE The Staff At PRMC
"I will make sure I tell the entire staff of docs at PRMC Joe.. so when you are having acute MI, or Stroke, Bleed etc.. Car Accident.. Take the extra time and go to Baltimore and DIE
You are an Idiot that knows nothing about PRMC and the docs that work there etc..
I think I will tell Andy Harris how you conduct business.. I am sure he will cut u off asap... No one needs absolute idiots"
You are an Idiot that knows nothing about PRMC and the docs that work there etc..
I think I will tell Andy Harris how you conduct business.. I am sure he will cut u off asap... No one needs absolute idiots"
Dr Stevens From PRMC Respectfully Challenges Commenter
anon 11:15.. You failed to mention that you work as a housekeeper in the hospital. It's obvious you don't work in any specialty other than cleaning toilets, because your grammar and spelling are atrocious.
I will call you out and ask you to name one Physician who verbally stated they are only here to pay off school loans or it's a requirement. The students who go to Medical School under federal payment are sent to areas where nobody will work, because they don't make squat, such as the very rural Midwest and poor areas like inner cities (New Orleans, etc.) They don't place them in one of the richest states in the Country. How would I know? I am one of those Physicians working at PRMC who did my 7 years in some Podunk town in Nebraska.
To the genius talking about the Hippocratic oath, go back to 2nd grade. You'll learn how to spell "hypocrite" and use it properly in a sentence. The two words have no similar meaning.
If any of you geniuses know so much about health care administration, I implore you to come interview for a job. I'm sure you can fix the problems in a heartbeat, seeing how all of you are Monday morning quarterbacks. Thanks for the laughter, I've shared this with my colleagues!
I will call you out and ask you to name one Physician who verbally stated they are only here to pay off school loans or it's a requirement. The students who go to Medical School under federal payment are sent to areas where nobody will work, because they don't make squat, such as the very rural Midwest and poor areas like inner cities (New Orleans, etc.) They don't place them in one of the richest states in the Country. How would I know? I am one of those Physicians working at PRMC who did my 7 years in some Podunk town in Nebraska.
To the genius talking about the Hippocratic oath, go back to 2nd grade. You'll learn how to spell "hypocrite" and use it properly in a sentence. The two words have no similar meaning.
If any of you geniuses know so much about health care administration, I implore you to come interview for a job. I'm sure you can fix the problems in a heartbeat, seeing how all of you are Monday morning quarterbacks. Thanks for the laughter, I've shared this with my colleagues!
HOLY PELOSI . . .
Dow up 288 points at noon!
Thanks, again, Nancy, for that vile you spoke yesterday on the floor of the House of Representatives!
PS -- If Barney Frank wants to kiss -- DON'T
Thanks, again, Nancy, for that vile you spoke yesterday on the floor of the House of Representatives!
PS -- If Barney Frank wants to kiss -- DON'T
BIDEN LOVES BAILOUT BILLS -- IF IT'S "ALL IN THE FAMILY"
Several years ago (2005)) Joe Biden was one of the few Democrats who sided with credit-card companies that were trying to make it harder for people to declare bankruptcy. At the time, his son was a consultant to Delaware-based credit-card company MBNA. MBNA employees also contributed heavily to the senator's election campaigns. Biden’s son, Hunter, received consulting fees from the MBNA Corporation from 2001 to 2005 for work on online banking issues. A company official had once described him as having a $100,000 a year retainer.
The financial services industry began seeking relief from Congress in the mid-1990s from an increase in bankruptcies that was cutting into its profits. During that time, executives at MBNA, which was bought in 2006 by Bank of America, began donating heavily to both major political parties and many national politicians, including Mr. Biden.
Consumer advocates say that Senator Biden was one of the first Democratic leaders to support the bankruptcy bill, and he voted for it four times — in 1998, 2000, 2001 and in March 2005, when its final version passed the Senate by a vote of 74 to 25. According to Travis Plunkett, legislative director of the Consumer Federation of America, a consumer group that opposed the bill, Biden provided a “veneer of bipartisanship” that eventually helped the credit card companies win over other Democrats -- “He provided cover to other Democrats to do what the credit industry was urging them to do,” Mr. Plunkett said.
The financial services industry began seeking relief from Congress in the mid-1990s from an increase in bankruptcies that was cutting into its profits. During that time, executives at MBNA, which was bought in 2006 by Bank of America, began donating heavily to both major political parties and many national politicians, including Mr. Biden.
Consumer advocates say that Senator Biden was one of the first Democratic leaders to support the bankruptcy bill, and he voted for it four times — in 1998, 2000, 2001 and in March 2005, when its final version passed the Senate by a vote of 74 to 25. According to Travis Plunkett, legislative director of the Consumer Federation of America, a consumer group that opposed the bill, Biden provided a “veneer of bipartisanship” that eventually helped the credit card companies win over other Democrats -- “He provided cover to other Democrats to do what the credit industry was urging them to do,” Mr. Plunkett said.
Dear Mr. Obama
Dear Mr. Obama,
It is August 30, 2008. My name is Mark Gregg. I am a 50 something conservative white male. I have followed your campaign closely, including the speeches you and others made at the democratic national convention. I am respectfully providing you with seven simple (probably shallow) reasons why I could never vote for you. I believe my opinion is shared by many people. While there may not be quite enough to prevent you from becoming president of this nation, I do think there is an awakening to the fact that you are not a (the) messiah that the media and liberal Hollywood entertainers are trying to portray you.
I hear your mantra of change, change, change. Yet, you picked a long term, liberal, Washington insider (Joe Biden) to be your running mate. This is NOT change It is a move that hypocritically refutes the very thing you supposedly stand for. Your campaign then slammed McCain for picking Sarah Palin, apparently, because she is NOT a Washington insider. She is a maverick who cleaned-up Alaska's quagmire of political scandals. Which way is it, Barack? Is it okay for you to pick a Washington insider under the mantra of "change", but not okay for John McCain to pick a smart, aggressive, reformer?
You have the single most liberal voting record in the senate. This indicates to me and others like me that you may very well be an angry black man seeking to punish our country for sins of a different generation. I am not racist. I have some biases just like you and every other human alive. Unlike the democratic party who claims to be for the minority (but their record heavily refutes this), I will give any person who truly needs help, help. I married a "minority" girl 35 years ago (she is Hispanic) and have seen the evils of prejudice first hand. However, I have also seen my wife and my children and others in her family throw off the veil of self imposed prejudicial bondage and move ahead. They love our country and do not view themsel! ves any different than I view myself as a citizen of this country. Your lovely wife s o disappointed people like me during this campaign w hen she stated it was the first time she had ever been proud of this country. She apparently never noticed the massive aid we give dozens of other countries. She apparently never noticed the sacrifice of literally millions of veterans who helped make this country a free nation and helped liberate other nations from brutal dictators such as Adolf Hitler. She apparently does not remember that she attended ivy league universities with scholarship money that ultimately (at least some of it) was paid for by our taxes. This troubles me more than you know. She is an angry black woman who appears to not like her country very much. I don't want her representing me to the rest of the world.
You claim Christianity but apparently do not realize that the Bible teaches that he who does not work, does not eat. The Bible does not say or even suggest that he who CANNOT work, should not eat. Yet, your liberal policies reward people who are capable of working, but choose to not do so. This bothers me. I know that if you are elected our taxes will spiral upwards. You should heed the words of Winston Churchill: "We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." If I like anything about you, it is your campaign prom! ise to balance the federal budget. Unfortunately, we have heard this a huge num ber of times from a number of different politicians and we realize that when you energize the very liberal Nancy Pelosi, Robert Byrd, Ted Kennedy, etc, etc, and the many other democrats like them, a balanced budget will never, ever happen on your watch.
During your question and answer session with Rick Warren of Saddleback Church your answer concerning the question of where does life begin, stunned me: "Above your pay grade?" Does this mean when something bad happens as President of this nation that you are going to look at your salary to determine if you can respond? I am sorry, but this was the most serious gaffe I have seen you make. Frankly, it shows me that you are pandering in the most obvious manner. You will choose your words not from your heart, but from an agenda that I believe is still hidden from the American people.
If anything stands out about you it is probably your appeasement mentality. In this era of rampant, radical Islamic extremism and with the latest stunt pulled by the re-energized Russian government, I am not sure appeasement is healthy I again revert to the words of Winston Churchill: "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."
You and your party tacitly believe that a 13 or 14 year old girl must have the parents approval to have the school nurse provide them with a Tylenol when they have a headache at school. Yet, this same girl can become pregnant and the school can skirt her off to a clinic and abort the child in her body without the parents knowing or being notified. This scares the hell out of me. You have two little girls. Would you be upset if this happened to them and you were not informed? Then why do you stand for this? It makes no sense to me.
My seventh and final point (for now) is your supporters. I have watched the Hollywood entertainers that support you, systematically embrace Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and others like him. I see the continuous smut and garbage produced by Hollywood, the very people who promote you the most vigorously. It is not a positive point to me and others like me to see these over-paid, bizarre, poor examples of human existence fawn over you and push you and your liberal agenda as hard as they do. The way that I see it; When the devil is for you, we should question whether or not we should be against you.
In closing, I just want you to know that you scare me. I cannot vote for you. It is not because of your skin color. It is because these items and many, many others like them. Do not claim that my dislike for you is race based. It is because I do not feel you have the best interests of this nation at heart.
Respectfully,
Mark A. Gregg
It is August 30, 2008. My name is Mark Gregg. I am a 50 something conservative white male. I have followed your campaign closely, including the speeches you and others made at the democratic national convention. I am respectfully providing you with seven simple (probably shallow) reasons why I could never vote for you. I believe my opinion is shared by many people. While there may not be quite enough to prevent you from becoming president of this nation, I do think there is an awakening to the fact that you are not a (the) messiah that the media and liberal Hollywood entertainers are trying to portray you.
I hear your mantra of change, change, change. Yet, you picked a long term, liberal, Washington insider (Joe Biden) to be your running mate. This is NOT change It is a move that hypocritically refutes the very thing you supposedly stand for. Your campaign then slammed McCain for picking Sarah Palin, apparently, because she is NOT a Washington insider. She is a maverick who cleaned-up Alaska's quagmire of political scandals. Which way is it, Barack? Is it okay for you to pick a Washington insider under the mantra of "change", but not okay for John McCain to pick a smart, aggressive, reformer?
You have the single most liberal voting record in the senate. This indicates to me and others like me that you may very well be an angry black man seeking to punish our country for sins of a different generation. I am not racist. I have some biases just like you and every other human alive. Unlike the democratic party who claims to be for the minority (but their record heavily refutes this), I will give any person who truly needs help, help. I married a "minority" girl 35 years ago (she is Hispanic) and have seen the evils of prejudice first hand. However, I have also seen my wife and my children and others in her family throw off the veil of self imposed prejudicial bondage and move ahead. They love our country and do not view themsel! ves any different than I view myself as a citizen of this country. Your lovely wife s o disappointed people like me during this campaign w hen she stated it was the first time she had ever been proud of this country. She apparently never noticed the massive aid we give dozens of other countries. She apparently never noticed the sacrifice of literally millions of veterans who helped make this country a free nation and helped liberate other nations from brutal dictators such as Adolf Hitler. She apparently does not remember that she attended ivy league universities with scholarship money that ultimately (at least some of it) was paid for by our taxes. This troubles me more than you know. She is an angry black woman who appears to not like her country very much. I don't want her representing me to the rest of the world.
You claim Christianity but apparently do not realize that the Bible teaches that he who does not work, does not eat. The Bible does not say or even suggest that he who CANNOT work, should not eat. Yet, your liberal policies reward people who are capable of working, but choose to not do so. This bothers me. I know that if you are elected our taxes will spiral upwards. You should heed the words of Winston Churchill: "We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." If I like anything about you, it is your campaign prom! ise to balance the federal budget. Unfortunately, we have heard this a huge num ber of times from a number of different politicians and we realize that when you energize the very liberal Nancy Pelosi, Robert Byrd, Ted Kennedy, etc, etc, and the many other democrats like them, a balanced budget will never, ever happen on your watch.
During your question and answer session with Rick Warren of Saddleback Church your answer concerning the question of where does life begin, stunned me: "Above your pay grade?" Does this mean when something bad happens as President of this nation that you are going to look at your salary to determine if you can respond? I am sorry, but this was the most serious gaffe I have seen you make. Frankly, it shows me that you are pandering in the most obvious manner. You will choose your words not from your heart, but from an agenda that I believe is still hidden from the American people.
If anything stands out about you it is probably your appeasement mentality. In this era of rampant, radical Islamic extremism and with the latest stunt pulled by the re-energized Russian government, I am not sure appeasement is healthy I again revert to the words of Winston Churchill: "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."
You and your party tacitly believe that a 13 or 14 year old girl must have the parents approval to have the school nurse provide them with a Tylenol when they have a headache at school. Yet, this same girl can become pregnant and the school can skirt her off to a clinic and abort the child in her body without the parents knowing or being notified. This scares the hell out of me. You have two little girls. Would you be upset if this happened to them and you were not informed? Then why do you stand for this? It makes no sense to me.
My seventh and final point (for now) is your supporters. I have watched the Hollywood entertainers that support you, systematically embrace Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and others like him. I see the continuous smut and garbage produced by Hollywood, the very people who promote you the most vigorously. It is not a positive point to me and others like me to see these over-paid, bizarre, poor examples of human existence fawn over you and push you and your liberal agenda as hard as they do. The way that I see it; When the devil is for you, we should question whether or not we should be against you.
In closing, I just want you to know that you scare me. I cannot vote for you. It is not because of your skin color. It is because these items and many, many others like them. Do not claim that my dislike for you is race based. It is because I do not feel you have the best interests of this nation at heart.
Respectfully,
Mark A. Gregg
MAYBE THE SKY ISN'T FALLING AFTER ALL
At 10:30 the Dow is up over 225 points; NASDAQ about 51! Gold futures and bonds down.
WE BETTER WAKE UP WAYNE GILCHREST, NOW
(and Mike Castle, too, before it's too late)
On Monday, soon-to-be ex Congressman Gilchrest once again showed his
true color ("RINO") by voting with the Democrat majority in support of
the golden-parachute Wall Street bailout bill fabricated by another RINO
- Henry Paulson - with a background on the "Street" (former head of
Goldman, Sachs) and leading Democrats in Congress, including Nancy
Pelosi (Wayne's actual leader) and Barney Frank, with close ties to the
banking and financial world. Fortunately, the real Republicans in the
House were joined by sufficient moderate or prudent Democrats (persons
with less ties to Wall Street) to defeat this outrageous legislation
that would require the taxpayers to save (read "reward") the brokers and
investment bankers - including those in Goldman Sachs - who are lobbying
extensively to bring the bill back. A shift of just 12 members could
mean that it passes if Gilchrest continues to support it.
It's time to act: contact Gilchrest's office and just say "NO BAILOUT."
Here's the necessary info to reach him -
ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE:
http://gilchrest.house.gov/contact.asp?ContactType=Form
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
2245 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone 202-225-5311
Fax 202-225-0254
BALTIMORE CO., HARFORD CO., CECIL CO. OFFICE
112 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, #102
Bel Air, MD 21014
Phone 410-838-2517 or 888-393-3915
Fax 410-838-7823
ANNE ARUNDEL CO AND UPPER SHORE
315 High Street, #105
Chestertown, MD 21620
Phone 410-778-9407/ 410-758-4059 or 877-891-9719
Fax 410-778-9560
MID & LOWER SHORE
One Plaza East - 1st Floor
East Main Street
Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone 410-749-3184 / 410-376-3052
Fax 410-749-8458
I'm ashamed to say that the Delaware Congressman - Mike Castle - also
supported this nonsense to save Wall Street - here's how to reach him -
ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE:
http://www.house.gov/formcastle/IMA/zipauth.html
DC OFFICE:
Phone: 202-225-4165
Fax: 202-225-2291
DISTRICT OFFICES:
201 North Walnut Street, Suite 107
Wilmington, DE 19801-3970
Voice: 302-428-1902
FAX: 302-428-1950
300 South New Street
Dover, DE 19904-6711
Voice: 302-736-1666
FAX: 302-736-6580
If you live in another District, contact your member of the House of
Representatives. And it won't hurt to contact your Senators, too - for
info, just Google their names or use this source:
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress
DO IT NOW!
On Monday, soon-to-be ex Congressman Gilchrest once again showed his
true color ("RINO") by voting with the Democrat majority in support of
the golden-parachute Wall Street bailout bill fabricated by another RINO
- Henry Paulson - with a background on the "Street" (former head of
Goldman, Sachs) and leading Democrats in Congress, including Nancy
Pelosi (Wayne's actual leader) and Barney Frank, with close ties to the
banking and financial world. Fortunately, the real Republicans in the
House were joined by sufficient moderate or prudent Democrats (persons
with less ties to Wall Street) to defeat this outrageous legislation
that would require the taxpayers to save (read "reward") the brokers and
investment bankers - including those in Goldman Sachs - who are lobbying
extensively to bring the bill back. A shift of just 12 members could
mean that it passes if Gilchrest continues to support it.
It's time to act: contact Gilchrest's office and just say "NO BAILOUT."
Here's the necessary info to reach him -
ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE:
http://gilchrest.house.gov/contact.asp?ContactType=Form
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
2245 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone 202-225-5311
Fax 202-225-0254
BALTIMORE CO., HARFORD CO., CECIL CO. OFFICE
112 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, #102
Bel Air, MD 21014
Phone 410-838-2517 or 888-393-3915
Fax 410-838-7823
ANNE ARUNDEL CO AND UPPER SHORE
315 High Street, #105
Chestertown, MD 21620
Phone 410-778-9407/ 410-758-4059 or 877-891-9719
Fax 410-778-9560
MID & LOWER SHORE
One Plaza East - 1st Floor
East Main Street
Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone 410-749-3184 / 410-376-3052
Fax 410-749-8458
I'm ashamed to say that the Delaware Congressman - Mike Castle - also
supported this nonsense to save Wall Street - here's how to reach him -
ELECTRONIC CORRESPONDENCE:
http://www.house.gov/formcastle/IMA/zipauth.html
DC OFFICE:
Phone: 202-225-4165
Fax: 202-225-2291
DISTRICT OFFICES:
201 North Walnut Street, Suite 107
Wilmington, DE 19801-3970
Voice: 302-428-1902
FAX: 302-428-1950
300 South New Street
Dover, DE 19904-6711
Voice: 302-736-1666
FAX: 302-736-6580
If you live in another District, contact your member of the House of
Representatives. And it won't hurt to contact your Senators, too - for
info, just Google their names or use this source:
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress
DO IT NOW!
Please Be Careful
"I don't know if this is a scam or what, but I felt compelled to share w/ you guys since it might compromise your family's safety.
My brother was sitting at his house (Fruitland) yesterday afternoon when there was a knock at the door. It was a young(er) black man who stated that he needed some $ for gas, his car had run out down the road w/ his "baby mama" in it. My brother stated he had no cash, but he had some quarters he could offer, and told the guy to wait outside. The man then proceeded to push his way into the house & sat on the couch. Roomate casually went to get his golf clubs, just in case. Then the young man followed my brother back to his room, all the while being told to stay outside. My brother gave the guy a handful of quarters, then told him to leave. He did, but then he went right to the next house & did the exact same thing. They called the cops just to give a statement in case something happened in the near future, it would be on record. The cops told them that a similar situation had happened last week to an elderly couple.
I have a cousin who lives in Princess Anne who had the SAME thing happen to her just last week....Except she was home alone w/ her young sons when the man came into her house "to use the phone" because his car had broken down/run out of gas. She told him she'd bring him the phone, and get her husband (who wasn't home), but he came in anyways. She returned to him along w/ a 9mm handgun and demanded he leave NOW. He did so.
LUCKILY, in these 2 situations, no one was hurt. This is SCARY! Please be aware of who you are answering your door to. Even if it seems harmless, it might not be."
My brother was sitting at his house (Fruitland) yesterday afternoon when there was a knock at the door. It was a young(er) black man who stated that he needed some $ for gas, his car had run out down the road w/ his "baby mama" in it. My brother stated he had no cash, but he had some quarters he could offer, and told the guy to wait outside. The man then proceeded to push his way into the house & sat on the couch. Roomate casually went to get his golf clubs, just in case. Then the young man followed my brother back to his room, all the while being told to stay outside. My brother gave the guy a handful of quarters, then told him to leave. He did, but then he went right to the next house & did the exact same thing. They called the cops just to give a statement in case something happened in the near future, it would be on record. The cops told them that a similar situation had happened last week to an elderly couple.
I have a cousin who lives in Princess Anne who had the SAME thing happen to her just last week....Except she was home alone w/ her young sons when the man came into her house "to use the phone" because his car had broken down/run out of gas. She told him she'd bring him the phone, and get her husband (who wasn't home), but he came in anyways. She returned to him along w/ a 9mm handgun and demanded he leave NOW. He did so.
LUCKILY, in these 2 situations, no one was hurt. This is SCARY! Please be aware of who you are answering your door to. Even if it seems harmless, it might not be."
Wanted: Yard Sales
No one had yard sales last week due to the horrible weather all weekend.
If you have a yard sale you would like to include in Friday's post, please send it to me, SunnyInOC, at atlanticjw@aol.com. Please include date, time, address, directions and items.
If you have a yard sale you would like to include in Friday's post, please send it to me, SunnyInOC, at atlanticjw@aol.com. Please include date, time, address, directions and items.
Bailout - Leadership Absent, Hypocrisy Abounds
Where was the leadership during yesterday's bailout debacle in the Congress? It surely wasn't wasn't coming from either the Democrat or GOP camps. Unfortunately, hypocrisy - the life's blood of Washington - seemed to be in ample supply on both sides of the aisle. With claims that the world economy will collapse without action by the US Congress, it's been politics as usual - except the players are getting more air time.
It's the Democrats fault. No, all of the blame lies with Republicans. Let's blame it all on President Bush. Your head will literally spin watching the players pass the buck.
While everyone spoke prior to yesterday's vote, if you were a Democrat you seemed to parrot the same speech:
You'll seldom here me say this, but the truth is somewhere in the middle. It is absolutely true that we can trace the root of SOME of these problems to the Clinton administration ... even the administration of Jimmy Carter. It is equally true that too many Republicans approved of a system bereft of reasonable regulation and allowing institutions to merge to the point that they were too big too fail. Read More ...
It's the Democrats fault. No, all of the blame lies with Republicans. Let's blame it all on President Bush. Your head will literally spin watching the players pass the buck.
While everyone spoke prior to yesterday's vote, if you were a Democrat you seemed to parrot the same speech:
We need to all come together because this is the nation's problem. It's the world's problem. And of course we all know that this is due to the failed economic policies of the Republicans.Republicans used a similar tack; simply claiming that this debacle lays at the feet of Dems.
You'll seldom here me say this, but the truth is somewhere in the middle. It is absolutely true that we can trace the root of SOME of these problems to the Clinton administration ... even the administration of Jimmy Carter. It is equally true that too many Republicans approved of a system bereft of reasonable regulation and allowing institutions to merge to the point that they were too big too fail. Read More ...
545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, why we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, why we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget The president does.
You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.
You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.
You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.
Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the
president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.
If the Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ .
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way. There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like 'the economy,' 'inflation,' or 'politics' that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power.
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, why we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, why we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget The president does.
You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.
You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.
You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.
Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the
president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.
If the Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ .
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way. There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like 'the economy,' 'inflation,' or 'politics' that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power.
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.
Question of the Day, Tue 9/30
THE WORST STOCK EXCHANGE DAY EVER !!!
Do you have money invested in stocks? Was your money compromised yesterday?
Do you have money invested in stocks? Was your money compromised yesterday?
The New ER At PRMC Part II
"Friday, Sept 19th while driving home I started having chest pains with pain in my shoulder into my arm and upper back. This pain was different & more intense pain than I had ever felt. It was so intense I was scared I was having a heart attack so headed toward the hospital but ready to call an ambulance if I felt I couldnt drive any longer. I drove up to the new ER entrance and saw a nurse waiting with a patient & asked for her help. She did nothing but told me to see if security would help move my car. No one was there so I tried to park in the garage but I could not breathe so I drove back and hit the button to get assistance. Then I sat in the car really scared right now! Finally, a young man dressed as a nurse came out and went to get a wheelchair for me to take me inside. He said he would get my car moved for me. He pushed me inside the door and left me at the back of the line of at least 10 people waiting to check in. I waited and waited and some nice gentleman in back of me help me move the wheelchair up each time the person in front of me checked in. While waiting in line a woman came in with her daughter whose blood pressure had shot up really high and her doctor told her to come there to meet him. When she went ahead in the line to relay this message to the young girl registering people she was told she had to wait in line to register before being able to see anyone. I was floored by this whole process and the fact that I could be having a heart attack and waiting in line to register. Finally, it was my turn to register and after taking my information I was told they had no beds available so I had to go sit in the waiting room. That is when this nightmare took a turn for the worse. As I wheeled myself around the corner I noticed how many people were waiting to be seen. Some of them for various reasons but it was disturbing to me sitting there with severe chest pains wondering how long I would have to wait. Finally, I heard my name being called and I could not maneuver the wheelchair so I was forced to walk into the opened doorway to find a nurse waiting for me. She took my blood pressure, put a device on my finger to check oxygen and asked me some questions. Within a few minutes I was told she didn’t THINK it was a heart attack but couldn’t be sure and I would be scheduled for a EKG, blood work, IV and chest x-ray. Then she apologized again for having no beds for anyone so I had to go sit back out in the waiting for my name to be called by the other departments. I never imagined what would happen next but I managed to call my mom to cancel dinner plans and told her I would call her once I found out anything. First, I overheard a lady in a wheelchair holler to the nurse she had been waiting 5 hours which was ignored. The mother of the girl she brought over with High Blood Pressure was still waiting as well. Her mother pounded on the nurse’s door to ask for some assistance but her cries went unanswered. There were two young girls in the corner from me told me they had been there since 2:00 today and still not been seen. It was now close to 6:00 pm and others told me how long they had been there. The family of another woman in a wheelchair parked in the middle of the floor said they had been there since 3:00 that day and their mother had just been called back.
I called my mother and told her what I was hearing and trying to figure out where I could go now to get some help. I was alone and terrified of fact that I could be having a Heart Attack in the hospital waiting room. My son arrived and upset that I had not been evaluated by a doctor by now. I knew the Immediate Med Center closed at 7:00 pm and it was close to 7:00 then. I then witnessed an ambulance crew bring in from the back a young man on a stretcher and after talking to the lady at the desk found they had to take him off the stretcher and put him in a wheelchair because they had other calls to attend to. Then I spoke with a couple who had just flown in from Ohio and he experienced difficulty breathing. He registered and was told to wait over there which was where I was. They said the Med Center on Mt Herman Rd was closed so they came here. This was going on 2.5 hours now and. My head was swimming trying to figure out where I could go and Atlantic General came to mind since they guarantee 30 minutes or less but wasn’t sure how safe it was for me to travel that far. I waited close to 3 hours for nothing to happen and fearing that nothing was going to be done to see what was going with me. I still felt I was experiencing the symptoms of a Heart Attack and believe me I am not one who runs to the ER ever so it really was scaring me. I was worried that damage could be happening to my heart and I could possible be losing time I chose to give my information back to the receptionist who apologized again and told her I had to leave. My son and drove me home since I only live 5 minutes away and spent the night fully dressed, cell phone in hand and door unlocked in case I needed an ambulance. I took my nitroglycerin and baby aspirin which eased the pain. My car was still sitting in front of the ER so we didn’t have far to walk to for my son to drive me home. This is an experience that has left me not wanting to go to PRMC ER again. I really am disturbed by the whole experience and have little faith in PRMC’s Emergency Room revamping. I for one can say I am very disappointed in the lack of concern and treatment of one of my worst health scares yet. I am very hesitant to ever rely on PRMC for help if God forbid I ever need it again."
Judi
I called my mother and told her what I was hearing and trying to figure out where I could go now to get some help. I was alone and terrified of fact that I could be having a Heart Attack in the hospital waiting room. My son arrived and upset that I had not been evaluated by a doctor by now. I knew the Immediate Med Center closed at 7:00 pm and it was close to 7:00 then. I then witnessed an ambulance crew bring in from the back a young man on a stretcher and after talking to the lady at the desk found they had to take him off the stretcher and put him in a wheelchair because they had other calls to attend to. Then I spoke with a couple who had just flown in from Ohio and he experienced difficulty breathing. He registered and was told to wait over there which was where I was. They said the Med Center on Mt Herman Rd was closed so they came here. This was going on 2.5 hours now and. My head was swimming trying to figure out where I could go and Atlantic General came to mind since they guarantee 30 minutes or less but wasn’t sure how safe it was for me to travel that far. I waited close to 3 hours for nothing to happen and fearing that nothing was going to be done to see what was going with me. I still felt I was experiencing the symptoms of a Heart Attack and believe me I am not one who runs to the ER ever so it really was scaring me. I was worried that damage could be happening to my heart and I could possible be losing time I chose to give my information back to the receptionist who apologized again and told her I had to leave. My son and drove me home since I only live 5 minutes away and spent the night fully dressed, cell phone in hand and door unlocked in case I needed an ambulance. I took my nitroglycerin and baby aspirin which eased the pain. My car was still sitting in front of the ER so we didn’t have far to walk to for my son to drive me home. This is an experience that has left me not wanting to go to PRMC ER again. I really am disturbed by the whole experience and have little faith in PRMC’s Emergency Room revamping. I for one can say I am very disappointed in the lack of concern and treatment of one of my worst health scares yet. I am very hesitant to ever rely on PRMC for help if God forbid I ever need it again."
Judi
Another Shooting Sunday Night
WBI is investigating yet another drug related shooting in the County Sunday night. The details are just coming in and there will be more to come but it happened on Loch Raven Road. It turns out the man that was shot was in his Father's home, the drug dealer saw him through a window, broke down the door and started chasing him around the house and shot at least two times, hitting the victim once. The victim allegedly admitted he owed the drug dealer money and that's, that.
Welcome to the next Depression. This is just the beginning Folks.
Welcome to the next Depression. This is just the beginning Folks.
The Ant And The Grasshopper With A New Ending
Two Different Morals!
OLD VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!
-------------------------------------------
MODERN VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN , and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'
Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, 'We shall overcome.' Jesse then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.
Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.
The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ants food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2008
OLD VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!
-------------------------------------------
MODERN VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN , and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast.
How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'
Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, 'We shall overcome.' Jesse then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.
Nancy Pelosi & John Kerry exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.
The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ants food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow.
The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2008
Salisbury News Breaks Previous Record
Yesterday proved to be yet another HUGE day for Salisbury News, blowing away our hits record of the past for one day.
We were honored again last week as the #1 Blog in the state of Maryland and the figures just keep rising each and every day. The cool part about yesterday is the fact that we weren't linked to any other major source that went National and the numbers have been rising steadily for the past few weeks. Yesterday just brought it over the top.
So thank you, ALL of you for visiting. We're just doing our thing and keeping it real. Enjoy.
We were honored again last week as the #1 Blog in the state of Maryland and the figures just keep rising each and every day. The cool part about yesterday is the fact that we weren't linked to any other major source that went National and the numbers have been rising steadily for the past few weeks. Yesterday just brought it over the top.
So thank you, ALL of you for visiting. We're just doing our thing and keeping it real. Enjoy.
Fruitland Police Department Press Release
The Fruitland Police Department Traffic Unit uses both marked and unmarked vehicles, unconventional vehicles, and stationary stop teams to accomplish its enforcement tasks. Speed measuring devices include moving, stationary, and hand-held radar units, laser units, and speedometer pacing. The Police Department participates in several traffic-related, grant-funded enforcement activities throughout the year. Today, the unit also conducted a bucket truck speed enforcement operation that was very successful with 4 citations and 52 written warnings.
Traffic collisions affect our community on several levels, but most seriously through property damage, physical injury, and death. A major goal of the Fruitland Police Department is to reduce the number of traffic collisions and to promote safe driving conditions. The unit attempts to obtain voluntary compliance of all traffic laws through our traffic enforcement efforts.
Fortis Bank In Neitherlands Fails
HUGH EUROPEAN BANK - FORTIS - FAILS
Belguim, Neitherlands, Luxembourg, partially nationalize Fortis Bank as the global credit crisis expands. It's share price plummeted in recent days.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/09/28/fortis.benelux.ap/index.html?eref=rss_latest
Banking Crisis Deepens in Europe Overnight As Vladamir Putin 'chimes in'
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122271232922686595.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Belguim, Neitherlands, Luxembourg, partially nationalize Fortis Bank as the global credit crisis expands. It's share price plummeted in recent days.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/09/28/fortis.benelux.ap/index.html?eref=rss_latest
Banking Crisis Deepens in Europe Overnight As Vladamir Putin 'chimes in'
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122271232922686595.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Today's Headlines Explained By 1999 NY Times Piece
September 30, 1999
By STEVEN A. HOLMES
In a move that could help increase home ownership rates among minorities and low-income consumers, the Fannie Mae Corporation is easing the credit requirements on loans that it will purchase from banks and other lenders.
The action, which will begin as a pilot program involving 24 banks in 15 markets -- including the New York metropolitan region -- will encourage those banks to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit is generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. Fannie Mae officials say they hope to make it a nationwide program by next spring.
Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, has been under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people and felt pressure from stock holders to maintain its phenomenal growth in profits.
In addition, banks, thrift institutions and mortgage companies have been pressing Fannie Mae to help them make more loans to so-called subprime borrowers. These borrowers whose incomes, credit ratings and savings are not good enough to qualify for conventional loans, can only get loans from finance companies that charge much higher interest rates -- anywhere from three to four percentage points higher than conventional loans.
''Fannie Mae has expanded home ownership for millions of families in the 1990's by reducing down payment requirements,'' said Franklin D. Raines, Fannie Mae's chairman and chief executive officer. ''Yet there remain too many borrowers whose credit is just a notch below what our underwriting has required who have been relegated to paying significantly higher mortgage rates in the so-called subprime market.''
Demographic information on these borrowers is sketchy. But at least one study indicates that 18 percent of the loans in the subprime market went to black borrowers, compared to 5 per cent of loans in the conventional loan market.
In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's. From the perspective of many people, including me, this is another thrift industry growing up around us,'' said Peter Wallison a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. ''If they fail, the government will have to step up and bail them out the way it stepped up and bailed out the thrift industry.''
Under Fannie Mae's pilot program, consumers who qualify can secure a mortgage with an interest rate one percentage point above that of a conventional, 30-year fixed rate mortgage of less than $240,000 -- a rate that currently averages about 7.76 per cent. If the borrower makes his or her monthly payments on time for two years, the one percentage point premium is dropped. Fannie Mae, the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages, does not lend money directly to consumers. Instead, it purchases loans that banks make on what is called the secondary market. By expanding the type of loans that it will buy, Fannie Mae is hoping to spur banks to make more loans to people with less-than-stellar credit ratings.
Fannie Mae officials stress that the new mortgages will be extended to all potential borrowers who can qualify for a mortgage. But they add that the move is intended in part to increase the number of minority and low income home owners who tend to have worse credit ratings than non-Hispanic whites. Home ownership has, in fact, exploded among minorities during the economic boom of the 1990's. The number of mortgages extended to Hispanic applicants jumped by 87.2 per cent from 1993 to 1998, according to Harvard University's JointCenter for Housing Studies. During that same period the number of African Americans who got mortgages to buy a home increased by 71.9 per cent and the number of Asian Americans by 46.3 per cent.
In contrast, the number of non-Hispanic whites who received loans for homes increased by 31.2 per cent. Despite these gains, home ownership rates for minorities continue to lag behind non-Hispanic whites, in part because blacks and Hispanics in particular tend to have on average worse credit ratings. In July, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed that by the year 2001, 50 percent of Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's portfolio be made up of loans to low and moderate-income borrowers. Last year, 44 percent of the loans Fannie Mae purchased were from these groups. The change in policy also comes at the same time that HUD is investigating allegations of racial discrimination in the automated underwriting systems used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to determine the credit-worthiness of credit applicants.
Fernando Signs Autographs At Salisbury University
3 days left till SHOWTIME Folks! Fernando Guerrero hung out at SU for a few hours meeting Students and spreading the word about his upcoming fight this Friday night.
While Fernando is 9-0, his opponent is also undefeated at 7-0 proving this will be a great fight. I believe there are 4 other matches Friday night where both sides are also undefeated. It doesn't get any better than this!