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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Rt. 50 Closed East & West Bound Due To Accident

No details are available at this time other than Rt. 50 was closed down. This usually means there was a fatality.

For upodates GO HERE.

Dorchester County: US 50 EAST AT MP 92
Type
Location
Direction
Details
Incident(Collision)
Dorchester County [US 50 EAST AT MP 92]
East
2 vehicles involved.
2 of 2 Westbound traffic lanes closed.
1 of 1 Westbound shoulders closed.
2 of 2 Eastbound traffic lanes closed.
1 of 1 Eastbound shoulders closed.
Created: 8/18/2009 8:37:05 PM by SOC.
Lane Configuration Data
Westbound

Eastbound
Dorchester County: US 50 EAST AT MP 91
Type
Location
Direction
Details
Incident(Collision)
Dorchester County [US 50 EAST AT MP 91]
East
2 vehicles involved.
2 of 2 Westbound traffic lanes closed.
1 of 1 Westbound shoulders closed.
2 of 2 Eastbound traffic lanes closed.
1 of 1 Eastbound shoulders closed.
Created: 8/18/2009 9:20:37 PM by SOC.
Lane Configuration Data
Westbound

Eastbound

‘Survivor’ Richard Hatch Is Back Behind Bars



Mere hours after TODAY interview, reality show star taken into custody

Mere hours after he sat down for an exclusive interview with TODAY’s Matt Lauer, America’s first broadcast-TV reality show star Richard Hatch found himself back behind bars as a federal prisoner.

Hatch was arrested Tuesday afternoon at his sister's home in Newport, R.I., where he has been living under house arrest after spending nearly four years in prison for tax evasion. Late Tuesday, authorities would not disclose the reason for Hatch’s arrest.

The former “Survivor” star was taken to the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office in Bourne, Mass., which has a contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons to hold federal inmates.

GO HERE to read more.

Does This Remind You Of A City Council Member & Lake Street


Welcome To Salisbury

SALISBURY MAYOR TO OPEN PURNELL-THOMAS TENNIS TOURNAMENT


Salisbury Mayor James Ireton, Jr., invites the public to the 2009 Jack Purnell-Chris Thomas Memorial Tennis Tournament at Salisbury University. Mayor Ireton will open the Tournament and serve the first ball at about 9:50am on Wednesday, August 19th. Matches are played from 10:00am until 9:00pm each day, Wednesday, August 19th through Saturday, August 22nd. The finals will be on Sunday, August 23rd, beginning at 1:00pm. Attendance is free.

The Chris Thomas Memorial Tennis Tournament once was an annual event held each summer at Salisbury University. The tournament was a tribute to Chris Thomas, a graduate of Salisbury University and a member of the college tennis team, who died of cancer in 1982 at the age of 27. Money raised through the tournament originally benefited cancer care at Peninsula General Hospital Medical Center. The first tournament was held in 1982, and it grew each year afterward. After a break from 1995 to 2003, committee members from the Chris Thomas Memorial Tournament joined with the family of Jack Purnell along with local teaching pro Chris Robbins to once again establish professional tennis in Salisbury. The Jack Purnell-Chris Thomas Memorial Tennis Tournament was revived in 2004 at the Salisbury University Tennis Center, with the funds raised benefiting Coastal Hospice. Jack Purnell, who was born in Salisbury, was a lifelong devotee of athletics. He loved tennis, and was still playing tennis two months before his untimely death due to cancer in July 2002.

“Growing up in Salisbury in the 1970’s, everyone played tennis,” said Mayor Ireton. “I played my first tennis tournament on the courts where the Purnell-Thomas Memorial Tournament is played. A big thank-you goes to the organizers, the sponsors of the tournament, and to Salisbury University for continuing to remember the legacies of both Jack Purnell and Chris Thomas. Best of luck to all the players this week.”

HOME CONVERSION GRANT FUNDS STILL AVAILABLE


The Home Conversion grants are still available for homebuyers purchasing a home within the city limits of Salisbury. Applicants interested in the program should contact Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Service (SNHS) at 410-543-4626.
Home Conversion Grant

•The maximum grant award is $3,000. Property must be within the city limits.

•The property being purchased must have been a rental property for at least the previous three years continuously.

•Applications must be submitted to SNHS at least two weeks prior to settlement whether funds are being used for downpayment/closing or rehab.

•Applicants should check with their mortgage lender to see how the grant will be treated in the mortgage qualification process.

•Home Conversion grants may be considered taxable income. It is the applicant’s responsibility to report the income on their taxes.

•All persons listed on the mortgage loan documents must also be listed on the deed and anyone on the deed must also be on the mortgage.

•Home Conversion funds can be used toward downpayment, closing costs or rehabilitation of the property.

1.If funds are being used for downpayment/closing costs, the $3,000 check will be cut directly to the settlement attorney.

2.If funds are being used for rehabilitation, funds will be dispersed upon presentation of invoices or receipts related to the rehab of the property. If a contractor is being used, contractor must hold a MHIC license.

3.If funds are being used for rehab, applicant will be required to execute a rehab grant agreement.

•Upon receipt of grant funds, a lien will be placed on the property for a period of 5 years. The balance of the lien will be reduced 20% each year until the end of the 5th year when the lien will be completely forgiven. If the property is sold or title transferred or refinanced during the first five years, or if the property ceases to be owner occupied, the pro-rated portion of the lien balance shall be immediately due and payable.

If you have any additional questions or need clarification on any of the program requirements, please call Cheryl Meadows at Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Service, 410-543-4626.

Publics’ Help Sought In Identifying Theft Suspect


Location: Target, 1050 Brandywine Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware, New Castle County

Date and Time: Saturday, August 15th, at 1:00 p.m.

Suspect(s): Black female, 30 – 60 years old, 130 – 160, medium brown complexion with short hair

Resume: Troopers from Troop 1, Penny Hill, are investigating a theft from the Target Store located in the Brandywine Towne Center which occurred on August 15th at about 1:00 p.m.

Target loss prevention officials told Troopers that the below depicted suspect entered the store and took a Bose Companion 3 speaker system from display. The suspect removed the security tag and fled the store without paying for the merchandise- which was valued at $250.00.

Anyone who may recognize this suspect is asked to call 302-761-6677 ext. 308.

Woman Charged With Bullying On Craigslist


40-year-old accused of posting sex ad using teen's info

ST. LOUIS
- A Missouri woman has been charged with cyberbullying for allegedly posting photos and personal information of a teenage girl on the "Casual Encounters" section of Craigslist after an Internet argument.

Prosecutors said 40-year-old Elizabeth A. Thrasher posted the 17-year-old's picture, e-mail address and cell phone number on the Web site in a posting that suggested the girl was seeking a sexual encounter.

St. Charles County Lt. Craig McGuire said Tuesday that the victim is the daughter of Thrasher's ex-husband's girlfriend. The girl, who has not been named, received lewd messages and photographs from men she didn't know and contacted police.

GO HERE to read more.

Obama Underwrites Offshore Drilling


Too bad it's not in U.S. waters

You read that headline correctly. Unfortunately, the Obama Administration is financing oil exploration off Brazil.

The U.S. is going to lend billions of dollars to Brazil's state-owned oil company, Petrobras, to finance exploration of the huge offshore discovery in Brazil's Tupi oil field in the Santos Basin near Rio de Janeiro. Brazil's planning minister confirmed that White House National Security Adviser James Jones met this month with Brazilian officials to talk about the loan.

The U.S. Export-Import Bank tells us it has issued a "preliminary commitment" letter to Petrobras in the amount of $2 billion and has discussed with Brazil the possibility of increasing that amount. Ex-Im Bank says it has not decided whether the money will come in the form of a direct loan or loan guarantees. Either way, this corporate foreign aid may strike some readers as odd, given that the U.S. Treasury seems desperate for cash and Petrobras is one of the largest corporations in the Americas.

But look on the bright side. If President Obama has embraced offshore drilling in Brazil, why not in the old U.S.A.? The land of the sorta free and the home of the heavily indebted has enormous offshore oil deposits, and last year ahead of the November elections, with gasoline at $4 a gallon, Congress let a ban on offshore drilling expire.

GO HERE to read more.

Obama Facing Public, Political Criticism Of Plan


In a new NBC poll, a plurality of Americans oppose a government-run plan

While President Barack Obama's concession on a health care "government option" continues to draw complaints from liberals, it is failing to gain interest from his conservative critics — another sign of the daunting challenge to find middle ground in an increasingly partisan struggle.


Officially, the White House continues to maintain that there’s been no shift in position. On Tuesday, presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs said the Obama administration has not altered its goals on health care reform or distanced itself from a government-run public insurance option.


GO HERE to read more.

Obamacare Already Passed In The Stimulus Bill!

Once again, Devvy Kidd exposes the truth about Obamacare. Part one of the Obama Care package has already passed! Yes, it was part of the stimulus package. It established the Federal Council. The Council is the apparatus for "rationing and denying" health care in America. One of its members, Ezekiel Emanuel, brother of Rahm Emanuel is active in the early stages of rationing and denying health care to Americans. What is being debated now is Part two of the plan.

http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd462.htm

The Congress will pass Health Care Reform regardless of the people's protests.

MoveOn.org Rallying Behind Ben Cardin

The George Soros financed MoveOn.org is organizing a rally tomorrow at Sen. Ben Cardin’s office in Baltimore.  Reported by Chester Peake on Red Maryland, the details are:

100 South Charles Street (Map)
Baltimore, MD 21201
Wednesday, August 19th, 12:30 PM

Show up tomorrow and let Cardin know that astroturf doesn’t grow in the Free State.

cross posted at Delmarva Dealings

" In God We Trust "


What happens if voters cared more about who lives in a pineapple under the sea than who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.? What happens if politicians made more decisions based on political correctness, greed and self preservation than on National interests? What happens if politicians ruled over the people instead of governed for the people? What happens if we publicly abandoned the Judeo-Christian foundation that built our Country?

The answer is: The United States of America 2009.

Current Federal debt is now estimated to be $546,668.00 per U.S. household.1 Our Country is now over its credit limit and we aren't even making a minimum payment on this debt. We have reached the point where it is mathematically impossible to pay off our debt over the next 100 years, even if our economy were to double in size and every person were to pay twice the taxes of today. Yet they are trying to pass an unfunded estimated one trillion dollar (CBO Analysis) health care plan that would take control over most of the health care systems that we have today.

We cannot grow or tax our way out of this crisis. The Chinese Government, our largest debt holder, has publicly started to question our lack of fiscal discipline and even our financial solvency. Jefferson County (Birmingham) Alabama and the State of California are in bankruptcy proceedings. How many more warning signs do we need to see before we wake up and accept the fact that The United States of America is bankrupt on our balance sheet. The debt clocks we have ignored or laughed for all these years at aren't looking very funny for the next 5-6 generations of Americans.

It's time "We the People" save America ourselves. If we come together as one Nation, not one political party, we can avoid the unimaginable. 80% of us earn less than $75K a year. Whose standard of living will be wiped out and whose will remain the same when the unthinkable happens? Capitalism is not broken, it is being destroyed by Federal debt, high taxes and overreaching government controls. Employment and revenue is being lost because our free market economy is being overly controlled by the Federal government.

GO HERE to read more.

My Friend Tom Miller is running for President of the United States in 2012.

Nationwide Revolt Against Mass Swine Flu Vaccination Accelerates

The nationwide revolt against government plans to implement a mass swine flu vaccination program in the United Kingdom has picked up steam, with a poll revealing that a third of NHS nurses will refuse to take the shot.


Despite nurses and frontline health workers being the primary target group to take the vaccine, just 37 per cent of them said they would take the swine flu vaccine in a survey conducted by Nursing Times magazine. 30 per cent said they would not be immunized and 33 per cent said they were unsure.


Of the 30 per cent who said they would refuse to be vaccinated, 60 per cent said the reason was due to fears about the safety of the vaccine, following revelations that the shots will contain mercury and squalene and have also been linked with the killer nerve disease Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Another 31 per cent said they would refuse the vaccine because they did not consider the risk from swine flu to be great enough.

GO HERE to read more.

Robert Novak Dies At 78


CNN and the Chicago Sun-Times are reporting that conservative columnist Robert Novak has died.

Novak was a longtime columnist with the Sun-Times and was also famous for hosting CNN's "Crossfire" for many years. He was also known for first leaking CIA agent Valerie Plame's name in a 2003 column.

Novak was diagnosed with brain cancer last year. He was 78.

Source

Southwest Airlines Rolls Out Fare Sale


Some seats to go for as little as $59, but dates around holidays blacked out

DALLAS - Southwest Airlines Co. announced a fare sale to fill seats during the slow fall and winter seasons, but it blacked out many days around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Southwest said some seats on a few routes would sell for as little as $59 each way.

The fares apply to fights from Sept. 9 through Jan 7 but aren't available on Fridays and Sundays. Blacked-out dates include Nov. 24 through Dec. 1 and Dec. 18 through Jan. 4.

GO HERE for more details.

Celine Dion Pregnant With Second Child



41-year-old singer sought help from fertility experts in order to conceive

Making good on her expressed desire to have more children, Céline Dion is pregnant.

A family member tells PEOPLE, "We learned this morning." While a rep for the 41-year-old singer confirmed the news to various outlets saying, "Celine and René are very happy," and "They are crazy in love over the news ... they are overjoyed."

GO HERE to read more.

GM To Sell Saab To Tiny Swedish Carmaker



Questions remain about financing of deal with Koenigsegg

STOCKHOLM
- General Motors signed a deal on Tuesday to sell its Saab car business to a tiny Swedish luxury carmaker, the first in a series of big sales the U.S. group is planning as it slims down.

The agreement comes after weeks of uncertainty about the degree of support for the bid from Koenigsegg's backers, after a preliminary deal for the sale was struck in June.

Previously little known outside of luxury car circles, Koenigsegg is a tiny Swedish outfit with some 45 staff. It makes high-performance sports cars that can sell for $1 million.

GO HERE to read more.

Enjoy

Redneck Playstation

Redneck Playstation

Get 'em while you can!
Back by popular demand

Route 90 - Bumper to Bumper Traffic Warning?


We've had a report from a trusted source that traffic on Route 90 is backed up for miles because of construction. Maryland State Police Berlin Barrack cannot confirm, but motorists are warned that this backup may delay traffic for an unspecified time. Consider an alternate route until confirmation can be made.
11:21 UPDATE: Ocean City Police Department confirms that traffic is stopped on incoming and outgoing Route 90 lanes while the bridge is being inspected by the Maryland Highway people. It's unknow how long this will take, or whether this is a routine inspection or one that's driven by a complaint or problem. It might turn out to be a while, folks, so consider that alternate route.

Auto Dealers Paid For Just 2 Percent Of 'Clunkers' Claims, Congressman Says


Rep. Joe Sestak says only 2 percent of claims have been paid and that four of every five applications have been "rejected for minor oversight."

The federal government has only reimbursed auto dealers for 2 percent of the claims they've submitted through the popular "cash for clunkers" program, a Pennsylvania congressman said, calling on the Obama administration to help speed up the process.

Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., called for "immediate action" to address the problem in a statement Sunday, after writing a letter to President Obama Saturday expressing his concerns.

In the letter, Sestak said only 2 percent of claims have been paid and that four of every five applications have been "rejected for minor oversight."

In recent days, auto dealers across the country have been complaining that the reimbursement payments are slow to process. And they said some of their applications were being rejected because of apparent procedural issues. The statistics Sestak cited suggest those complaints are not based on isolated incidents.

GO HERE to read more.

'Cash For Clunkers' Reimbursement Slow In Coming


Auto dealers looking for 'Cash for Clunkers' reimbursement

Most Maryland auto dealers participating in "Cash for Clunkers" have yet to be reimbursed by the federal government, raising concerns about the financial pressure the program is putting on dealers.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Transportation said it is working overtime to process an overwhelming number of claims and trying to make sure that taxpayer money is paid out only for legitimate transactions.

The Car Allowance Rebate System, better known as Cash for Clunkers, offers $3,500 or $4,500 to consumers who scrap a gas-guzzler and buy a more fuel-efficient new vehicle. The program kicked off July 24 and was so popular that it ran through its $1 billion in funding after about one week. Congress quickly passed legislation to provide an additional $2 billion.

Dealers essentially front the money for the cash incentive, and the government promises to reimburse them. In the first three weeks of the program, dealers submitted 358,851 reimbursement claims, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As of last week, Maryland dealers had submitted claims for $34.4 million in reimbursements.

But few of those dollars have made their way back to Maryland."It's getting to the point where we can't keep sustaining this thing," said Peter Kitzmiller, president of the Maryland Automobile Dealers Association. "We can't afford to keep putting out money.

"The regulations called for dealers to be reimbursed in seven to 10 days, Kitzmiller said. "That certainly hasn't been the case."

GO HERE to read more.

Dealers Wait For 'Cash For Clunkers' Payments

Some consider dropping out of program

A growing number of auto dealers say the process of getting paid under the government's "cash for clunkers" plan increasingly resembles some of the wrecks accumulating on their lots as part of the program.

The slow payments coming from the federal government are reinforcing the paradoxical nature of the program for dealers: It has generated the most showroom traffic they have had in months while at the same time heaping unease, frustration and worry onto the industry's worst-ever downturn.

As of the close of business Friday, there was talk in the industry that some dealers are considering pulling out of the clunkers program altogether.

"A number of dealers have floated $100,000 to upwards of $1 million or more" on the clunkers program, said Bill Sepic, president of the Wisconsin Automobile & Truck Dealers Association.

Dealers say they want to see at least some sign that they will be able to recoup that money. Still others need the money to pay bills and meet payroll.

GO HERE to read more.

NADA Works with DOT To Speed Up Clunkers' Reimbursements

New! Cash for Clunkers Webinar, Part 4
Register here for "Tips on Inputting Successful Transactions into the CARS System" on Aug. 19 from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. EST.

NADA has stressed that the number one priority of the “clunkers” program is ensuring that dealers are reimbursed in a timely manner for pending deals. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is aware that many dealers have hundreds — and in some cases thousands — of “clunkers” applications pending that are worth hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars.

To address dealer concerns with a backlog of reimbursement claims, DOT has informed NADA that it will commit to deploy an additional 1,000 employees to speed up its processing efforts.

DOT recognizes these challenges, and indicated that it is working hard to address them. NADA continues to work closely with DOT, which includes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on a daily basis to make sure that both consumers and dealers get the most out of the “clunkers” program.

NHTSA recognizes that the program has had a number of technical problems, and indicated that it is working hard to address those technical issues. An update on the status of these issues can be viewed here (see the "Claims Submission Issues" link)

Cash For Clunkers: The US Government's Biggest Cluster Flock

One local Dealership has sold 458 cars in July and are on schedule to sell some 500 cars in August.

However, of ALL the Clunker vehicles sold, only ONE, (1) has been paid for by our government program.



The Dealer is required to write "Junk Automobile Cars.Gov" on each title assuring the vehicle cannot be re-sold.


On the Governments own Website it clearly states each Dealer will be paid about 10 days later.


The Government put out a release today letting Dealers, (and others) know the program will continue, even on vehicles not yet manufactured.


Again, on another page they mention the fact that the Dealer will be paid in about 10 days.


While many Dealer Lots are now empty, vehicles in stock are already sold before they arrive.



Salvage Lots are picking up vehicles as fast as humanly possible but they are falling way behind the volume of vehicles being sold.


Many Dealers are scratching the heads trying to figure out why so many quality cars, trucks and whatever else you can find can't simply make it to the used car industry.


Clunkers as far as the eye can see, seriously! Each and every one of the vehicles you see here will be destroyed.


My story begins with one local Dealership qualified to be a Clunkers Dealership. The paperwork process is more complex than any program they had ever experienced but detailed work is expected and they follow the guidelines very carefully. Many Dealers throughout the United States have been rejected after filing their documents and in return they get a slip telling them why and what they have to do to correct it.

OK, here's where one of the major problems begin, (out of many). If they fail to do the paperwork properly they then go to the bottom of the pile, some 300,000 transactions deep, if not more. One Dealer has sold close to 900 vehicles and even though they have been extremely careful in processing the paperwork they have only been paid back the $4,500.00 on ONE vehicle!

In fact, out of 300,000 vehicles already in the Clunkers Program, would you believe me when I tell you that the Government has only paid Dealerships throughout the United States on 1,600 vehicles, that's a fact!

While there are hours worth of paperwork on each deal, the Dealership is only paid $100.00 from the Government to process that vehicle. Once it has been accepted by the Government the Dealer is then required, (out of their $100.00 fee) to drain the oil completely. Start the vehicle with no oil in it and drive it to its final destination after the mechanic puts in "Liquid Glass" which is a silicon that hardens when it warms up and destroys the motor.

$12.00 goes to paperwork. $25.00 goes to mechanic and there's a $20.00 MDA Fee for each and every title. Clearly each Dealership is losing money on each and every trade. An additional $50.00 goes to the salvage yard for taking the vehicle away, (the Government pays out a total of $100.00 per vehicle).

In July one Dealer I spoke with sold 178 new cars. Since that time they have 3 deals that were approved/accepted but only ONE paid for. They have another 80 deals being submitted, so they have a total of 258 vehicle sold but only ONE has received the $4,500.00 payoff by the government.

When the government started this program they had absolutely no clue what they got into because the computer system they set up completely failed and they had to outsource the entire project. This is one of the reasons why many Dealers have not been paid back. However, the excuses are unreal.

I witnessed documents very carefully processed and one out of three was rejected because they government claims they didn't provide enough information. What's interesting about that is, out of the three deals identical to the other, two were accepted and one was rejected, all exactly the same. It now goes to the bottom of the pile and they start all over again.

One deal was rejected stating they couldn't open the JPEG File, yet the Dealer brought the same disk to three different computers and the files opened perfectly. Looks like that individual working with the government needs to reboot their computer!

So let's look at one of these Dealers numbers and see just how bad things really are. You see, if you're a small Dealership and you're not getting paid back, it's impossible to survive. Allow me to show you why.

Take the Dealer who sold 258 vehicles so far. At $4,500.00 per vehicle, they're out $1,296,000.00, minus the $4,500.00 they were paid for ONE vehicle so far. Now if any one of you think Dealers have that kind of money just floating around, well, you're nuts. Remember now, the new car sales were so dry 8 months prior to the Clunker Program, they were already in the hole.

So take some of the smaller Dealerships, (I'm not going to use names) and look how quickly they're all starting to hurt. The government stated, (above) that they would pay them back in around 10 days, yet only 1,600 vehicles have been paid for out of 300,000 sold and that was just the month of July.

One other interesting fact behind the Cash for Clunkers extension is, where did the money come from. Where did they find $2 Billion Dollars to extend the program. Would you believe the Environmental Protection Agency borrowed the $2 Billion Dollars and Congress/Obama took it from that agency to keep the program going!

OK, I'm bouncing a little bit but I thought you'd find that interesting. Have any of you ever been to Mannheim, PA? Mannheim has one of, (if not the largest) used car auctions in the country. They process 9,000 vehicles in one day, once a week, every week. Did anyone ever sit back and wonder what's going to happen to the used car market once they pull millions of vehicles completely off the market and junk them. I don't believe our government truly thought ahead on just how badly they're destroying that marketplace.

I know this Post is long but there's even more. GM and Chrysler have gone bankrupt, as you know. However, did you ever wonder how they will be able to buy parts from all of their outsourcing companies. Each GM Plant, (as an example) is simply an assembly plant. They don't manufacture brake lights, tail lights, headliners, the list is far too long to mention here but you get the idea.

Now, GM contacts one of the companies and says, we have more orders than we can manufacture at this point, we need 200,000 tail lights for out new Camaro's, we need this, we need that, etc.. What do you think that outsource manufacturer is going to tell GM after they just screwed that company out of $50,000,000.00 in bankruptcy. That's right, GM is already being told to go screw themselves.

While Cash for Clunkers said today it was now OK for them to sell vehicles under this program that haven't been manufactured yet, Dealers haven't been paid for all these used vehicles already traded in, there's nothing saying they'll ever arrive.

The used car market is screwed, Dealers aren't being paid for the vehicles traded in, Dealers are fronting hundreds of millions of dollars across the country in the hopes they'll get their money from the government and if the deal falls through because the vehicle just won't qualify because they Customer didn't own it for a full year, didn't have a registration for a full year, whatever the excuse is, Dealers will then be liable to go after those Customers to collect the $4,500.00. Fat Chance!

Let's say you purchased a new vehicle in this program. Each manufacturer is sold out of vehicles, (they are). The parts companies refuse to sell parts to these auto manufacturers, they, (GM or Chrysler) ultimately go belly up. Who's going to service and warranty your new vehicle? Where are you going to get parts?

If you get in an accident, who's going to replace the fender? That being said, what's going to happen to the used parts industry when all of these vehicles have been destroyed. Remember the $50.00 the salvage company was paid to take the vehicle. They then sell the scrap metal for around $400.00 per car. Not a bad days work, right. What happens if they in turn sell the scrap metal to China or Japan! Is there any regulations to keep the metal in the United States?

This program is a cluster flock any way you look at it. I'm told one of the smaller local Dealers had to stop selling cars in the program after 75 cars because their Bank told them they wouldn't finance another deal until they started getting paid for the Clunkers. Fat chance that's going to happen any time soon!

In 6 months the only US Auto Manufacturer left is more than likely going to be Ford. Chrysler is now offering up to $9,000.00 for a Clunkers deal. Mighty nice of Chrysler, (now owned by you and me) to pop up another $4,500.00 just to sucker people into buying something that probably won't have a place to get serviced in less than a year from now. So much for the warranty, right!

Someone wasn't using their head when they created this stupid program and in the end Americans will get screwed coming and going. I'm told, (by the way) the #1 vehicle being traded in is a Ford Explorer. The #2 vehicle being traded in is a Jeep Cherokee.

And our Government wanted to take on Health Care in this Country! They can't even get this program right. They'd have 350,000+ people a day being processed in Health Care. You think they'd pay the Doctors back within 10 days too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So why aren't you hearing about this throughout the Main Stream Media. Because our government wants these vehicles SOLD. They want to do whatever they can to get income out of these manufacturers to pay back all of the loans you and I fronted. However, there's a massive price to pay in the end IF these companies don't survive. Millions of Americans may own vehicles in which you cannot get services or repaired. It's a disaster in the making and in the mean time we ALL may be witnessing the end of the gasoline automobile.

Look, back in the day when people were using horse and buggy, everyone was saying the automobile would never survive. We may be looking at the alternative battery powered vehicle, fuel cell or whatever and saying, it will never survive. Remember, never say never.

CORRECTION: Out of the $100.00 paid out by the Government for the Clunkers, $50.00 goes to the Dealer and $50.00 goes to the Customer. The Salvage Yard pays $100.00 for each vehicle to the Dealer and they can sell parts on that vehicle, (should they choose to do so) for up to 6 months. That being said, when you can flip the vehicle for $400.00 immediately for scrap metal and not tie up space, the average business person would take the quick $400.00.

Salisbury Police Department Press Releases


On August 14, 2009 at approximately 9:37 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police arrested the below listed suspects for an armed robbery that was committed on a victim in the area of Railroad Avenue and Elizabeth Street in May of 2009. The investigation of the robbery led to the identification of the suspects who on May 25 had assaulted the victim, then robbed the victim at gunpoint taking U.S. currency, a cellular telephone and jewelry.

ARRESTED #1: Shawn Goslee Johnson, 20 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

ARRESTED #2: Shamale Dontae Goslee, 18 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES (both):
First degree assault
Armed robbery
Handgun use in a violent crime
Conspiracy to use a handgun/violent crime
Handgun on person
Theft (over $ 500)
Conspiracy to commit theft (over $ 500)

DISPOSITION: Both released to Central Booking CC # 200900004517

On August 14, 2009 at approximately 9:15 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police Department arrested the below listed suspect on an outstanding warrant for an assault that occurred on July 10, 2009. On that date the suspect fired a handgun at a residence on Hastings Street that was occupied by adults and children. There were no injuries during the assault.

ARRESTED: Kyle Alexander Carey, 18 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES:
First degree assault
Second degree assault
Reckless endangerment
Handgun use in a violent crime
Malicious destruction of property
Handgun on person

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 200900024218

On August 14, 2009 at approximately 6:30 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the area of Rt. 13 and Vine Street for the report of a bleeding victim. Upon arrival the officers located the victim who was suffering from multiple stab wounds. The victim advised the officers that the victim had been involved in an argument with the below listed suspect who was known to the victim. The argument escalated and resulted in the suspect producing a pocket knife and stabbing the victim several times in his torso. The officers located the suspect who was taken into custody. The victim was treated at the Peninsula Regional Medical Center and was listed in stable condition.

ARRESTED: Dale Franklin Long, 43 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES:
Attempted first degree murder
Attempted second degree murder
First degree assault
Second degree assault
Reckless endangerment
Possession of a dangerous deadly weapon

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 200900028634

On August 15, 2009 at approximately 7:20 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Family Dollar Store on South Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a burglary. Upon arrival the officers observed that a suspect had broken the glass in the front door then had entered the business and had taken property. The officers observed the suspect on the store video system and recognized the victim from previous contact.

On August 16, 2009 at approximately 3:20 pm, the officers observed the suspect in the area the Chesapeake Inn on Rt. 13 North. The suspect was stopped and found to still be in possession of the property taken from the Family Dollar Store.

ARRESTED: Joseph Dean Sterling, 40 years of age Delmar, Maryland

CHARGES:
First degree burglary
Second degree burglary
Fourth degree burglary
Possession of burglary tools
Malicious destruction of property
Theft (under $ 500)

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking CC # 200900028672

Brooke Mulford Update


Hello everyone this is just a quick update to let everyone know that I am well under way into my 8th round of Chemo and this Friday will be my second Transplant. I had a really good Friday and Saturday, but Sunday was the start of the rough days. I started getting sick a lot and by today the mucisitais started setting in. I just wanted to let everyone know my room number so if anyone wanted to send me any cards, that would be great. I really have come hooked on receiving my mail once a day and Mommy sitting down with me and reading all the nice words of encouragement, jokes, what everyone is up to and support from everyone out there. Stickers are nice too, but I still have a lot from last time and I just look so forward to mail time, it really peps me up and gives me extra strength.


Brookie


Here is my room number: 3E3432

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-4399
ATTN: Brooke Mulford
FLOOR & ROOM: 3rd Floor East, Room 3432

After Prison, First ‘Survivor’ Is Broke And Bitter


Under house arrest, Richard Hatch maintains he’s innocent of tax evasion

After spending nearly four years in prison for tax evasion, America’s first reality show star is broke and still under house arrest — but Richard Hatch remains unapologetic, insisting he was made a victim because of his open homosexuality.

At the same time, Hatch acknowledged that being in prison taught him a measure of humility.

“I’d say it reduced my arrogance,” he told TODAY’s Matt Lauer in his first interview since being released from a federal prison to house arrest at his sister’s house.

GO HERE to read more.

Help Me Understand

Joe-

I am not very familiar with the commercial fishing industry in Maryland, but I am happy to consume my fair share. If you or one of your readers could provide some insite on the limited crab license buy back program, I'd appreciate it. Here are a couple of links to some news articles:

http://www.wmdt.com/

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/20428205/detail.html

Now if I am understanding this correctly, the state is offering to buy back the limited commercial crab licenses for $2,200.00 each, and they had hoped to buy back 2,000 licenses.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/commercial/commlicenses.html

Last year they sold 3,634 licenses for $50 each, for a total revenue of $181,700.00. The licenses are good until August 31st. Today is August 17th, and there are 14 days remaining on last year's licenses. The state is going to pay $4.52 MILLION dollars to buy back licenses that have 14 days remaining? How about NOT RENEWING the licenses for this year???

Jobless Spike Compounds Foreclosure Crisis





Economists estimate 1.8 million borrowers will lose their homes this year

WASHINGTON
- The country's growing unemployment is overtaking subprime mortgages as the main driver of foreclosures, according to bankers and economists, threatening to send even higher the number of borrowers who will lose their homes and making the foreclosure crisis far more complicated to unwind.

Economists estimate that 1.8 million borrowers will lose their homes this year, up from 1.4 million last year, according to Moody's Economy.com. And the government, which has already committed billions of dollars to foreclosure-prevention efforts, has found it far more difficult to help people who have lost their paychecks than those whose mortgage payments became unaffordable because of an interest-rate increase.

GO HERE to read more.

Government Promises: Not Worth The Paper They're Printed On

By josh.eboch on Aug 11, 2009

Back in June, the Washington Times reported on what seemed then to be a straightforward exchange between Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke:

“The Treasury is issuing debt and the central bank is buying it,” Mr. Ryan said. “It gives the alarming impression that the U.S. one day might begin to meet its financial obligations by simply printing money.”

But Mr. Bernanke adamantly denied that would happen. “The Federal Reserve will not monetize the debt,” he said.

Maybe Mr. Bernanke misspoke. Perhaps he thought monetizing the debt meant actually paying it off. Which, as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner demonstrated last week, the federal government obviously has no intention of doing.


Because if he realized that he was promising, under oath, not to print money and devalue the dollar, how could Mr. Bernanke, barely two months later, do exactly what he said he was not going to do?


This is hardly the first time the credibility of the Fed and the motives of its chief have been called into serious question.


But in the context of current policy debates over dramatically expanding government control, now might be a good time to ask: At what point will Americans stop giving the benefit of the doubt (along with enormous wealth and power) to politicians who have consistently proven they cannot be trusted?


Never mind, forget I asked. Just go back to sleep and wait for the amazing free health care that Nancy Pelosi swears no one will ever have to pay for.

Viral Success Of Obama Joker Posters Panics Authorities

Get the Obama as Joker for your own poster campaign. Please remember to post only in public commons spaces and not on government or private property.




The Obama Joker posters are still spreading virally across the country and the world as the authorities panic at the power of the grass roots to reach the masses almost in an instant, flying in the face of an establishment media which is controlled by a handful of powerful corporations.

The success of the Obama Joker poster campaign, started anonymously in Los Angeles and amplified after it was incorporated into an Infowars contest, can be measured against the achievements of America’s foremost contemporary street artist, Shepard Fairey, who was responsible for designing the Obama “HOPE” flyers that were posted in public places before the 2008 presidential election, an image labeled “the most efficacious American political illustration since ‘Uncle Sam Wants You’” by New Yorker art critic Peter Schjeldahl.

Fairey admitted that he was in contact with the Obama campaign team following the release of the early versions of his poster, and that they directed him in creating new posters. The original poster carried the word “PROGRESS,” but this was later changed to “HOPE” on the insistence of the Obama campaign, along with two other versions which read, “VOTE” and “CHANGE”.

GO HERE to read more.

DID YOU KNOW?

Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to pick the little "stringy things" off of it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
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Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
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Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
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Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
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To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
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For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
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Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
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Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!
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Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
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Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
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Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
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Reheating refrigerated bread

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.
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Newspaper weeds away

Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and for-get about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.
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Broken Glass

Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
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No More Mosquitoes

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquito's away.
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Squirrel Away!

To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
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Flexible vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
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Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... ta da! ... static is gone.
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Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
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Foggy Windshield?

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the window s fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
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Reopening envelope

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily..
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Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
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Goodbye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
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Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
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INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS

The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pulled out the lint filter.. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He took the filter over to the sink and ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material ... I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. Well ... the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film, but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free ... that nice fragrance too. You know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box ... well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take that filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long! How about that!?!

Learn something new everyday! I certainly didn't know dryer sheets would do that. So, I thought I'd share!

Note: I went to my dryer and tested my screen by running water on it.. The water ran through a little bit but mostly collected all the water in the mesh screen. I washed it with warm soapy water and a nylon brush and I had it done in 30 seconds.

Then when I rinsed it ... the water ran right thru the screen!

There wasn't any puddling at all!

That repairman knew what he was talking about!

“Six Months Later and What Do You Get?”

The “Stimulus” Package:

“Six Months Later and What Do You Get?”


RSC Communications Activity
Although the House will be out of session until September 8, 2009, the RSC continues to fight back against the Democrats’ attempts to spin the facts.

· Last week, Chairman Tom Price (GA-06) appeared on CNN to discuss the realities of the Democrats’ so-called “public option” and the Empowering Patient’s First Act, the RSC’s proposal for patient-centered health care reform.

· When the House of Representatives gavels back into session in a few weeks, all of the debate and committee votes on H.R. 3200 will essentially be reconciled by one person – Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

· In press conferences and town halls across the country, President Obama continues to make the false claim that the Democrats’ proposals will allow those who like their current health care plan to keep it. Of course, he conveniently forgets to mention all the exceptions

###

House Republican Study CommitteeRep Tom Price, M.D., ChairmanPaul Teller, Executive DirectorBrad Watson, Policy DirectorNatalie Farr, Professional StaffEmily Henehan, Professional StaffBruce “Fez” Miller, Professional StaffJonathan Day, Director of Member Services and Business OutreachAlex Shively, Director of Conservative Coalitions Brendan Buck, Communications DirectorBrian Straessle, Deputy Communications DirectorCurtis Rhyne, Staff
Assistant
424 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 226-9717

THE ANNAPOLIS TEA PARTY PRESENTS: HEALTH CARE RALLY WITH A FOCUS ON THE TENTH AMENDMENT

GUEST SPEAKERS, LIVE MUSIC + MORE!

August 20, 2009 6pm-9pm

Campbell Park, @ Dock St. Boardwalk, AnnapolisConcluding at Lawyers Mall in front of the Statehouse

This is a Rally celebrating the Bill of Rights while highlighting how current state + national issues are in violation of our basic rights, and what we can do about it.

After the live music and guest speakers we will walk to Lawyers Mall and have a FLASHLIGHT SERENADE in front of the Statehouse to SHINE THE LIGHT ON THE TENTH AMENDMENT AND HEALTH CARE! (Flashlights will be sold at the rally, or bring you own)

Brought to you by the following sponsors:

AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITYCAMPAIGN FOR LIBERTYFREEDOMWORKS FOUNDATIONINSTITUTE FOR LIBERTYBUREAUCRASHMARYLAND TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION, INC.THE TENTH AMENDMENT CENTER
Bel Air Tea Party Coalition

Contact Organizers Aaron Jones or JP Weber at annapolisteaparty@gmail.com or jpw22002@yahoo.com

Cook For A Cure

To Whom this may concern:

On Sunday, August 30, 2009 Riverside/Milford Street Pharmacies Relay for life team will be hosting a Chicken BBQ at Jacks Market off Route 50 in Hebron Maryland that will benefit 15 year-old Jesi Simpson and his family. We are kindly asking for any donations that your business may be able to offer. Items that are needed are dinner rolls, drinks, large cans of bake beans, chips and platters to hold dinners. All monies raised from the Chicken BBQ will be given to Jesi and his family to assist with medical expenses and other expenses that may occur while at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Jesi and his family currently have to go to John’s Hopkins three times per week for chemotherapy.

Jesi Simpson is a 15 year old high school student at Parkside High School here is Salisbury, Maryland. He is very active in Basketball and Football. Jesi had very few signs and symptoms, but after having blood work done on a Friday afternoon, his mom received a call stating that she needed to get him to PRMC; later that night he was transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital. That Sunday he was diagnosed with Pre-cell B leukemia. His first round of Chemo was March 24, 2009. Since that time Jesi and his family were able to come home for about 24 hours then returned to Johns Hopkins for complications. Jesi and his family remain there and will be there for some time. As a community, I feel that is very important to reach out to this wonderful family in a time of need. Dinners will come with ½ chicken, roll, chips, beans and drink for $8.00.

Any donation that your business can give is appreciated and will help a wonderful family with medical expenses and other expenses that may occur. I would love to know what your business can donate by August 26, 2009. Please feel free to call me at 443.880.1963 or email at ckrater@comcast.net

Thank you,
Christina Krater

Maryland Shore Pet Resort

Hi Joe...

Just wanted to let you know that I just returned from a weekend get-away and left my dog at the new Maryland Shore Pet Resort just west of Mardela Springs on RT. 50. When we dropped off our dog they gave us a tour of the facility and I was thoroughly impressed... (I have always used another area kennel and thought that this would be a convenient change since it is on Rt. 50 as you enter Dorchester County....) The staff is extremely friendly, my dog was VERY well taken care of, and the place was immaculate! They have spa services for dogs and cats, a playroom for each, and they even have a pool for the dogs as a special request... This place is well worth checking out! The best part was that we dropped our dog off on the way out of town and picked her up on the way back in... CONVINIENCE! I am attaching their web address... Maybe you could post it to make people aware that it is out there????

http://www.mdshorepetresort.com/

Thanks!!

Michael Ann Franks
Hebron, MD

Obama's MySpace Page: I'm 52 Years Old, Not 48

Would place president's birth during time Hawaii was a territory

If President Obama were indeed born in Hawaii, was it while the islands were a territory of the United States?

A new wrinkle in the dispute over his birth – and whether he is eligible to be president under the U.S. Constitution's requirement that the president be a "natural born" citizen – appeared today when Obama's official MySpace page declared his age is 52, thus placing his birth year at 1957 instead of 1961 as has been claimed.

That would mean he would have been born during the archipelago's time as a territory of the U.S., the islands' status from about 1900 until statehood in 1959.

The birth year also conflicts with campaign and other White House information that have discussed his 48th birthday this month.

GO HERE to read more.

Rednecks Smash Clunkers To Pieces

Kratovil, No One Is Interested Any More


Just heard from a friend who lives in Chestertown. Attended the City Council Meeting tonight where Frank Kratovil was also speaking. No one showed up to ask questions. From what our friend said it was the normal few people who show up at every City Council Meeting who were there. So only a few questions were asked by council members and the public before he left.

Ceremony Marks Completion Of Smyrna Streetscape Improvements Project

Smyrna -- The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and the historic community of Smyrna came together today to celebrate the completion of much-needed transportation enhancements along South Main Street from the four corners intersection with Commerce Street to the intersection of South Street. The event was held street side at the Smyrna School Administration Building on South Main Street with residents and local officials on hand.

Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary Carolann Wicks said, "DelDOT has enjoyed working with the Town of Smyrna businesses and residents. These improvements will result in increased pedestrian safety and provide an attractive look to the downtown area."

Smyrna Mayor Patricia Stombaugh said, "On behalf of council, I would like to thank DelDOT for helping to make this project possible for our town. With the project complete, we are starting to see new business and present businesses expand along the revitalized block of Main Street. It is important we take care of what we already have, therefore, upgrading the utilities and improving the appearance of our town is an major part of re-investing back in our community."

The project was initiated by the Town of Smyrna who worked in partnership with DelDOT. DelDOT agreed with the community that improvements were needed to keep the vital downtown area connected with the rest of the community. The project was funded through DelDOT's Transportation Enhancement Program (T.E. Program), which allows for the development and implementation of a variety of non-traditional projects that highlight cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the transportation system.

Enhancement improvements to South Main Street from Commerce to South Street included brick sidewalks and curb ramps, installation of granite curbs, parking modifications, street signs, decorative lighting, site amenities, and landscaping.

Sam's Construction Company, a Wilmington-based firm, started this project in May 2009. The total cost of the streetscape project was $1.2 million with $992,726 funded by the Federal Highway Administration through the Transportation Enhancement program. As with other federal-aid funding, the Transportation Enhancements program is a reimbursement program, not a grant program.

Big Post At 9:00 AM

I will be presenting an Exclusive Story at 9:00 AM this morning. It's pretty lengthy but believe me when I tell you, it's well worth the read.

Husband Calling Contest


Watch CBS Videos Online

Why Muslim Charities Fund The Jihad

by Raymond Ibrahim
Pajamas Media

From what American schoolchildren are being taught [1] by their teachers to what Americans are being told by their presidents, concepts unique to Islam are nowadays almost always “Westernized.” Whether the product of naivety, arrogance, or downright disingenuousness, this phenomenon has resulted in epistemic (and thus endemic) failures, crippling Americans from objectively understanding some of Islam’s more troublesome doctrines.

A typical seventh-grade textbook, for instance, teaches that [2] “jihad represents the human struggle to overcome difficulties and do things that are pleasing to God. Muslims strive to respond positively to personal difficulties as well as worldly challenges. For instance, they might work to be better people, reform society, or correct injustice.”

Strictly speaking, this is by and large true. However, by not explaining what it means to be “better people, reform society, or correct injustice” — from a distinctly Islamic, as opposed to Western, perspective — the textbook abandons students to fall back on their own (misleading) interpretations.

Yet the facts remain: In Islam, killing certain “evil-doers,” such as apostates or homosexuals, is a way of “correcting injustice”; overthrowing manmade constitutional orders (such as the United States [3]) and replacing them with Sharia mandates, and subjugating women and non-Muslims, are ways of “reforming society.” Those enforcing all this are, in fact, “better people” — indeed, according to the Koran (3:110), they are “the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong [4],” that is, ruling according to Sharia law.

So it is with the Muslim concept of zakat, a word often rendered into English as “charity.” But is that all zakat is — mere Muslim benevolence by way of feeding and clothing the destitute of the world, as the word “charity” all too often connotes?

U.S. president Barack Hussein Obama seems to think so — or, given his background [5], is at least banking that others do — based on his recent proclamation to the Muslim world [6] that “in the United States, rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation. That is why I am committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat.”

Thus does Obama conflate a decidedly Islamic concept, zakat, with the generic notion of charity. Is this justified? As with all things Islamic, one must first examine the legal aspects of zakat to truly appreciate its purport. Etymologically related to the notion of “purity,” zakat — paying a portion of one’s wealth to specifically designated recipients — is a way of purifying oneself, on par with prayers (see Koran 9:103).

The problem, however, has to do with who is eligible for this mandatory “charity.” Most schools of Muslim jurisprudence are agreed to eight possible categories of recipients — one of these being those fighting “in the path of Allah,” that is, jihadis, also known as “terrorists.”

In fact, financially supporting jihadis is a recognized form of jihad — jihad al-mal [7]; even the vast majority of militant verses in the Koran (e.g., 9:20, 9:41, 49:15, 61:10-11) prioritize the need to fund the jihad over merely fighting in it, as fighting with one’s wealth often precedes fighting with one’s self. Well-known Islamists — from international jihadi Osama bin Laden [8] to authoritative cleric Sheikh Qaradawi [9] — are well aware of this and regularly exhort Muslims to fund the jihad via zakat.

More revealing of the peculiarly Islamic nature of zakat is the fact that Muslims are actually forbidden [10] from bestowing this “charity” onto non-Muslims (e.g., the vast majority of American infidels). “Charitable” Muslim organizations operating on American soil are therefore no mere equivalents to, say, the Salvation Army [11], a Christian charity organization whose “ministry extends to all, regardless of ages, sex, color, or creed.” In Islam, creed is a major criterion for receiving “charity” — not to mention for receiving social equality [12].

From here, one can better understand Obama’s lament that “in the United States, rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation” — a statement that unwittingly implies that American zakat has, in fact, been used to fund the jihad. After all, these irksome “rules” to which Obama alludes appear to be a reference to the presumably “excessive” scrutiny American Muslim “charities” are subject to by law enforcement. Yet this scrutiny is itself a direct byproduct of the fact that American Muslim “charities” have indeed been funding the jihad [13], both at home and abroad [14].

In light of all this, what truly remains to be seen is how, precisely, Obama plans on “working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat.”

Source

Conservatives Now Outnumber Liberals In All 50 States, Says Gallup Poll

.com - Conservatives Now Outnumber Liberals in All 50 States, Says Gallup Poll

No one understood this better than Ronald Reagan. Republicans get creamed when they attempt to be more liberal than Democrats. They win when they adhere to sound financial policies.

CNSNews.com
Conservatives Now Outnumber Liberals in All 50 States, Says Gallup Poll
Monday, August 17, 2009
By Terence P. Jeffrey, Editor-in-Chief

(CNSNews.com) - Self-identified conservatives outnumber self-identified liberals in all 50 states of the union, according to the Gallup Poll.

At the same time, more Americans nationwide are saying this year that they are conservative than have made that claim in any of the last four years.

In 2009, 40% percent of respondents in Gallup surveys that have interviewed more than 160,000 Americans have said that they are either “conservative” (31%) or “very conservative” (9%). That is the highest percentage in any year since 2004.

Only 21% have told Gallup they are liberal, including 16% who say they are “liberal” and 5% who say they are “very liberal.”

Thirty-five percent of Americans say they are moderate.

During Republican President George W. Bush’s second term, the number of self-identified conservatives as measured by Gallup dropped, riding at a low of 37% as recently as last year.

According to new data released by Gallup on Friday, conservatives outnumber liberals in all 50 states--including President Obama’s home state of Illinois--even though Democrats have a significant advantage over Republicans in party identification in 30 states.

“In fact, while all 50 states are, to some degree, more conservative than liberal (with the conservative advantage ranging from 1 to 34 points), Gallup's 2009 party ID results indicate that Democrats have significant party ID advantages in 30 states and Republicans in only 4,” said an analysis of the survey results published by Gallup.

“Despite the Democratic Party's political strength-- seen in its majority representation in Congress and in state houses across the country--more Americans consider themselves conservative than liberal,” said Gallup’s analysis.

“While Gallup polling has found this to be true at the national level over many years, and spanning recent Republican as well as Democratic presidential administrations, the present analysis confirms that the pattern also largely holds at the state level,” said Gallup. “Conservatives outnumber liberals by statistically significant margins in 47 of the 50 states, with the two groups statistically tied in Hawaii, Vermont, and Massachusetts.”

Massachusetts, Vermont and Hawaii are the most liberal states, even though conservatives marginally outrank liberals even there. In Massachusetts, according to Gallup, 30% say they are conservative and 29% say they are liberal, a difference that falls within the margin of error for the state. In Vermont, 29% say they are conservative and 28% say they are liberal, which also falls within the survey’s margin of error for the state. In Hawaii, 29% say they are conservative and 24% say they are liberal, which falls within the margin of error for that state.

In one non-state jurisdiction covered by the survey, liberals did outnumber conservatives. That was Washington, D.C., where 37% said they were liberal, 35% said they were moderate and 23% said they were conservative.

Even in New York and New Jersey, conservatives outnumber liberals by 6 percentage points, according to Gallup. In those states, 32% say they are conservative and 26% say they are liberal. In Connecticut, conservatives outnumber liberals by 7 points, 31% to 24%.

Alabama is the state that comes closest to a conservative majority. In that state, according to Gallup, 49% say they are conservative and 15% say they are liberal.

In President Obama’s home state of Illinois, conservatives outnumber liberals, 35% to 23%.

Gallup's results were derived from interviewing 160,236 American adults between Jan. 2, 2009 and June 30, 2009.

Even though conservatives outnumber liberals in all 50 states, in 21 of these states self-identified moderates outnumber conservatives, and in 4 states the percentage saying they are conservative and the percentage saying they are moderate is exactly the same.

The two states with the highest percentage of self-identified moderates are Hawaii and Rhode Island, where 43% say they are moderate.

For a ranking of all 50 states by the advantage that self-identified conservatives have over self-identified liberals see the Gallup analysis here.