DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Attention
Friday, September 17, 2010
Andy Harris Receives Endorsement From Primary Opponent Rob Fisher
“Now that the Republican Primary is over, we need to unify behind our nominee, Andy Harris,” said Rob Fisher. “Andy has my full support and I will do anything I can to get him elected and to ensure Frank Kratovil joins the ranks of the thousands of unemployed Marylanders his and Nancy Pelosi's policies have created."
“It's great to have Rob Fisher’s endorsement and have him join me in my fight to stop Nancy Pelosi and Congressional Democrats’ job-killing policies,” said Andy Harris. “I thank Rob for his support
BUSY DAY!
Anti-Crime Safe-Streets Legislation Public Dialogue Tto Air On PAC14 Friday And Saturday
After the two council members were denied by the council majority of Louise Smith, Gary Comegys and Shanie Shields to use the council chambers’ equipment for live or taped broadcast of the meeting, Mayor Jim Ireton used his latitude as mayor to make the taping possible.
“We deeply appreciate Mayor Ireton making this service available to the public, as well as his time and that of the city staff in attending and listening to the public,” Campbell and Cohen said in a statement. They also thanked the city clerk, who attended and audio-recorded the meeting. Campbell and Cohen said they would soon put the audio recording on the website they share, www.OnYourSideSBY.blogspot.com, but that it is also available on CD from city clerk’s office, 410-548-3140, for $5, which covers the office’s cost of production.
“We especially thank all the members of the public who attended – tenants, homeowners, students, landlords, and other interested parties,” the two council members said in their statement.
“Together, we showed that Salisbury can, indeed, have a civil conversation about hot issues. To those who wished the panel had answered more questions, we would have liked that as well, but given the huge turnout, we did not want to deprive those attending of the time to speak. We answered what we felt we could within that limitation and look forward to providing more for the public’s education and continued feedback,” the statement continued.
“We are compiling the questions and input we received and are planning to have a follow up session to answer more questions, present additional information and obtain more public feedback. As soon as those details are available, we will inform the public,” the statement added.
As reported by the Daily Times, the meeting was dominated by local landlords, who appeared to oppose the entire package. A show of hands indicated that city residents appeared to either support the package entirely or supported it with some changes.
“I saw a number of people standing in the hallway due to the lack of available seats in the chambers and was able to get at least a few of the people requiring chairs seated up by the head table,” Campbell said.
Cohen noted that in planning the next meeting, they would try to give priority to those who came to the first meeting, but could not even get in the door to sign up to speak.
Campbell and Cohen emphasized again the importance of the public seeing the actual text of the legislative pieces, which are available by links on their website, as well as on the home page of the city’s website, www.ci.salisbury.md.us, at left under the “Neighborhood Legislative Pkg.” link.
For additional questions or comments, contact Debbie Campbell, 410-860-0893 and debbiescampbell@comcast.net, or Terry Cohen, 410-845-0296 and Terry@TerryCohen.com.
MORE THAN A CLEVER PIECE OF ART ! ! !
and you ain't Abe Lincoln ."
For those who study history -- you recall that despite Obama's continuous attempts to quote Lincoln as a Democrat . . . President Lincoln was a Republican President!
SO WHY DOESN'T OBAMA USE THIS FAMOUS LINCOLN QUOTE:
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
... Abraham Lincoln
Maxine Waters's Aides Expelled From Speaker Pelosi's Event
Three staffers working for embattled Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) were asked by security officers to leave an event in downtown Washington on Thursday after they tried to display large campaign signs just as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was about to speak.
The aides were holding lawn signs that defended Waters from the ethics charges she is facing in the House.
“Let’s fight for Maxine Waters,” read a headline on the signs above a large picture of the congresswoman.
Waters said she was deploying campaign signs at events throughout the country to defend herself against charges that she improperly intervened to help a failing bank secure a meeting with Treasury officials even though her husband had owned stock in the company and previously served on its board. “These signs will show up wherever large numbers of African Americans gather,” Waters said.
New 'Contract With America' Nearly Done
Sixteen years ago, more than 300 Republican congressional candidates marched up the Capitol steps to sign the original pledge, which called for fiscal responsibility, term limits and a crackdown on crime.
But this year, according to several sources, candidates will not be asked to attend — because the new Contract is being pushed as a governing effort rather than an electoral one.
Brendan Buck, a spokesman for the effort, stressed that the new Contract will be a guide for how Republicans would run the House and said signing such a document is not necessary.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who is playing a leading role in the formulation of the Contract, said, “This is a government document. We're writing these bills now. Candidates are out campaigning. This is about legislation — doing it right now."
House Republicans say they will release their Contract in late September, just as soon-to-be Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) did in 1994.
Said McCarthy: “It will come out this month.”
Others say there is a chance that the timetable could slip until next month. A few Republicans said waiting could actually bring an advantage.
It is unclear what will be in the new Contract, though the new healthcare reform law, taxes, national security and government regulations are likely to be addressed. Congressional term limits are unlikely to be in the 2010 Contract.
In an interview earlier this year, Boehner indicated that Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele is not involved in writing the new Contract. And while some Senate Republicans have expressed interest in the document, the new Contract will mostly be written by House GOP leaders.
More here
Arizona Sheriff: Obama ‘Undermining’ Law On The Border
In an exclusive Newsmax.TV interview, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said the administration has actively thwarted law enforcement efforts to help secure the border.
As a consequence, Mexican drug cartels now control some parts of Arizona, says Babeu, who is president of the Arizona Sheriff’s Association.
“Every day there are paramilitary, squad-sized elements who are out escorting drugs or human illegals with AK-47s,” he said. “And they have scouts on top of high points of terrain, hilltops, and literally for miles and miles they control movement in these areas.
“We’re the ones who patrol this area. And I can tell you quite honestly that we do not control those parts of the area, because we’re not there all the time. And they know when we’re there and when we’re not there. We don’t even have a helicopter.”
Babeu, an outspoken supporter of Arizona’s controversial new immigration law, said the administration has made it more difficult to protect citizens on an increasingly unstable border.
“The federal government, instead of supporting us and saying, ‘You go, Arizona, sorry we can’t help you,’ they decided to go a step further and drag us into court, with the ACLU, so they’re undermining the rule of law,” he said.
The nature of the violence “bleeding over into America” has changed during the past year, said Babeu, who lists the following among his chief concerns:
* His deputies routinely face drug gang members armed with AK-47 automatic rifles. In April, one of his deputies was wounded seriously when six members of a Mexican drug cartel ambushed them.
* The gangs that smuggle humans and drugs are becoming more aggressive. “We have sheriffs here in Arizona, myself included, who have death threats against us by the Mexican mafia and the drug cartels,” he said.
* More than 20 percent of illegals passing through his county are OTMs – Border Patrol jargon for “other than Mexicans,” and some are coming from “nations of interest” known for terrorists, such as Iran, Yemen, Somalia, and Jordan.
Babeu, who, along with Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio, has been an outspoken critic of the administration’s failure to secure the southern border, said: “You’ve got to be kidding! And this is not considered a national security threat, when we know their M.O., what they’re trying to do, to have sleeper cells come into America?”
Babeu told Newsmax he is certain border fences work. One reason for his confidence: He helped build the fence that protects San Diego.
A combat engineer and major in the Arizona Army National Guard, Babeu said completion of the fence that protects San Diego from Tijuana has had a profound impact.
“The following year, once it was finally completed, violent crime went down in San Diego by 52 percent,” he told Newsmax. “That’s an FBI statistic.”
He urged the administration to resume construction of the double-walled border fence and to send another 6,000 soldiers to secure the border. Of those, he said, 3,000 need to be assigned to patrol Arizona.
There is more here(Babeu and fellow Arizona Sheriff Larry Dever of Cochise County have established a legal defense fund to support the state’s immigration law.
Yard Sales
Have a nice weekend! Gonna be a beautiful one! Be safe and triple check while driving this weekend due to all the bikers here for bike week.
O'Donnell To Address D.C. Gathering
In a surprise move, Christine O'Donnell will make her Washington debut as the new Republican Senate candidate from Delaware at this weekend's Values Voter Summit, the nation's biggest annual gathering of religious and social conservatives.
The nominee who stunned her party and the political world by upsetting longtime Rep. Michael N. Castle in the Tuesday primary joins a long list of GOP stars, including a slew of potential 2012 GOP presidential-nomination hopefuls, at an event that drew nearly 2,000 people last year.
Vilified by leading establishment Republicans in Delaware and Washington, Ms. O'Donnell benefited from the backing of "tea party" activists and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to fashion the upset. After the bitter primary battle, Mr. Castle's campaign has said he will not endorse her in the general election.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee and its chairman, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, at first greeted the result with barely disguised disappointment. But Mr. Cornyn quickly reversed course, promising to give the O'Donnell campaign the maximum legal donation of $42,000 in the general election race against the Democratic nominee, New Castle County Executive Chris Coons.
Leading GOP conservatives scheduled to address the summit include former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina; Sen. James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma; Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia; former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas; former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts; Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana; Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota; and Eagle Forum President Phyllis Schlafly.
More here
Delaware Dem Coons Took 'Bearded Marxist' Turn
The title? “Chris Coons: The Making of a Bearded Marxist.”
In the article, Coons, then 21 years old and about to graduate from Amherst College, chronicled his transformation from a sheltered, conservative-minded college student who had worked for former GOP Delaware Sen. William Roth and had campaigned for Ronald Reagan in 1980 into a cynical young adult who was distrustful of American power and willing to question the American notion of free enterprise.
Coons, the New Castle County executive who is running against GOP Rep. Michael Castle for the state’s open Senate seat, wrote of his political evolution in the May 23, 1985, edition of the Amherst Student.
The source of his conversion, Coons wrote, was a trip to Kenya he took during the spring semester of his junior year—a time away from America, he wrote, that served as a “catalyst” in altering a conservative political outlook that he was growing increasingly uncomfortable with.
“My friends now joke that something about Kenya, maybe the strange diet, or the tropical sun, changed my personality; Africa to them seems a catalytic converter that takes in clean-shaven, clear-thinking Americans and sends back bearded Marxists,” Coons wrote, noting that at one time he had been a “proud founding member of the Amherst College Republicans.”
For Coons, Kenya was an especially jarring experience that significantly influenced his already-changing political beliefs. He wrote that he was particularly troubled by his experience with Kenyan elites, who he said were utterly dismissive of the poor.
"End of the Summer Party" @ Brew River
SCRAMBLE 4 BEAU
Time: 1 pm Shotgun Start
Place: Ocean Pines Golf and Country Club
Fee: $100 per golfer
The fee will cover the 18 hole scramble with cart, followed by dinner provided by Carrabba’s Italian Grill Guests may join the golfers for dinner for $25
Come join us, have fun, and support a great candidate. Beau will bring experience, integrity and justice to the county. Get your reservations in early by sending your check today, payable to:
CITIZENS FOR BEAU OGLESBY
C/O Terry Pinnix
3B Canvassback Court
Ocean Pines, MD 21811
beau4sa@hotmail.com
Push To Collect Online Sales Tax Gathers Steam
Sales taxes are supposed to be paid on most online purchases, but they rarely are. With their budgets in crisis, states are determined to get their share. Msnbc.com's Alex Johnson reports.
It’s too early to know exactly how much the Nebraska chapter of the March of Dimes raised this week at its annual Signature Chefs Auction in Omaha, but odds are that more than 10 percent of the charity’s proceeds are going straight to the tax man.
That’s because the March of Dimes went online when it bought about 4,000 T-shirts from a Florida vendor to give to donors during its March for Babies Walk last April. The charity often buys supplies and other materials online, and it also raises money online by selling items at auction — racking up a big tax bill in each case.
“We didn’t know that,” said Rosemary Opbroek, director of the Nebraska chapter. “We wish the law was different. It is taking money away from helping ... babies.”
GO HERE to read more.
Police Shoot Man On Capitol Hill
The shooting happened near the intersection of 2nd and C streets SW.
U.S. Capitol Police said that at about 5 a.m., a lookout for a man with a gun was broadcast over the USCP radio. A few moments later the suspect was seen pointing a weapon directly at Capitol Police officers, officials said.
Fearing for their lives, officers shot the man.
GO HERE to read more.
Survey Gauges People's Grasp Of Constitution
Results of a nationwide survey released Thursday by the Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier show 86 percent of respondents recognize the importance of the document, the 223-year-old framework for American government.
Thirty-one percent say they think they understand the Constitution "a lot" and 48 percent say they understand "some" of it. But only 28 percent say they've read all of the document, and 14 percent say they've read most of it, according to a report by Sean O'Brien, executive director at the Orange, Va., center.
Even though many Americans haven't examined the Constitution itself, O'Brien notes that they do have knowledge of its core ideals, which have become an integral part of American life.
"We don't think twice when we talk about free speech or freedom of the press," he said in a telephone interview. "But over 200 years ago _ or until more recently if you were African-American _ those weren't things you could take for granted."
The survey also found that respondents 18 to 24 years old say they understand the Constitution much less than older people. That's discouraging because younger people presumably should have fresh knowledge from studying American history and government in high school or college. They also said the Constitution doesn't affect them on a day-to-day basis, O'Brien said.
GO HERE to read more.
Maryland Revenues Expected To Rise Slightly, But Money Should Be Saved, Not Spent, Franchot says
Lost Megabus Driver Crashes Into Bridge While Checking GPS; Four Passengers Killed
Very early Saturday morning, a double-decker Megabus lost on its way to the bus station crashed into a low railroad overpass (pictured) outside of Syracuse, NY. Four passengers were killed, and twenty people injured, including the driver. Now, the public has learned that the driver was looking at his personal GPS unit at the time of the accident--which Megabus drivers are not permitted to use while driving for work.
Wait -- So GM Didn't Pay Back All The Bailout Money?
More »
Reader's Digest Wants Me To Renew 4 Months Into a 2-Year Subscription
Elizabeth Warren Outlines Her Vision For Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
More »
Life Is 'Hell' For Michelle Obama? So Reveals French First Lady
U.S. first lady Michelle Obama reportedly finds life in the White House barely sufferable.
"Don't ask! It's hell. I can't stand it!" Michelle Obama is said to have told French first lady Carla Bruni during a private conversation at the White House during an official visit by French President Nicolas Sarkozy last March.
That's some of the the dish served by Bruni, in her new tell-all book. In "Carla and the Ambitious," which the U.K. Daily Mail newspaper reviewed for Thursday editions, Bruni quotes the first lady's lament, among many other revealing episodes with global leaders and French paparazzi.
Bruni, a singer and former model, apparently collaborated on the book with writers Yves Derai and Michael Darmon as a push-back to an unauthorized biography of the wildly untraditional political spouse that was released Wednesday. Bruni's book is due out on Friday.
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/09/16/life-hell-michelle-obama-reveals-french-lady/
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY TO PARTICIPATE IN GROUNDBREAKING EVENT AT UMBC PERFORMING ARTS AND HUMANITIES BUILDING
Governor O’Malley has committed more than $40 million in capital funding towards the project in the last four years. Total cost of the project is currently budgeted at more than $163 million.
UMBC was included in Kiplinger’s Top 100 “Best Values in Public Colleges 2009-10,” a ranking based on academic quality and affordable education. The Princeton Review included UMBC in its “Best Value Colleges for 2009” list. UMBC is one of 50 public institutions in the United States recognized for offering a combination of educational excellence and affordability. UMBC was ranked number one in the 2010 list of “Up-and-Coming” national universities in the latest U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges Guide.
BREAKING NEWS: 5 Arrested Over Plot Targeting Pope
LONDON — Five men were arrested Friday in connection with a suspected terrorist plot targeting the pope, according to reports.
London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement that the men were detained at about 5:45 a.m. U.K. time (12:45 a.m. ET) "on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism."
It said the men, aged 26, 27, 36, 40 and 50, were arrested at business premises in central London.
They were then taken to a central London police station where they were to be interviewed by detectives, police said.
GO HERE to read more.
Something To Ponder
So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.
Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.
Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So They created two positions: a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people.
Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an
Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.
Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one Year and we are $918,000 over budget, we must cutback." So they laid off the night watchman.
NOW slowly, let it sink in.
Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.
Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of
the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY..... during the Carter Administration?
Anybody?
Anything?
No?
Didn't think so!
Bottom line. We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency....the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!
Ready??
It was very simple..and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted on 8/04/1977,
TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.
Hey, pretty efficient, huh???
AND NOW IT'S 2010 -- 33 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. IT HAS 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB IT HAS DONE! (THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?")
33 years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports. Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign imports.
Ah, yes -- good old Federal bureaucracy.
NOW, WE ARE HAVE TURNED OVER THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?
Hello!! Anybody Home?
Salisbury Police Department Press Releases
White male, approximately 20-25 years of age, 5-09 in height, approximately 150 pounds in weight, wearing blue jeans and a grey hooded type sweatshirt. The suspect was also wearing
aviator style sunglasses and a baseball hat which had a yellow rim.
If anyone has any information regarding this incident that are asked to contact the Salisbury Police at 410-548-3165 or to call Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776. Information may be left anonymously. CC # 201000036784
On September 15, 2010 at approximately 10:45 am, Detectives of the Salisbury Police served an arrest warrant on the below listed suspect for theft. It was reported to the Salisbury Police that the suspect (a city employee) was involved in the theft of supplies. The investigation of the thefts led to the warrant.
ARRESTED: Susan Spencer Wood, 53 years of age
Snow Hill, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (over $ 500)
Theft scheme (over $ 500)
Malfeasance in office
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000036488
On September 15, 2010 at approximately 7:15 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police were on routine patrol in the area of Beaglin Park Drive and Old Ocean City Road and conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, a K-9 from the Wicomico Co. Sheriff’s Office responded and gave a positive indication on the vehicle for controlled dangerous substances. The vehicle was checked and a quantity of suspected marijuana was found beneath the front passenger seat. The occupant of that seat, below listed suspect # 1, was placed under arrest. A second passenger in the vehicle, suspect # 2, was found to be in possession of a second quantity of suspected marijuana.
ARRESTED #1: Stephen Richard Bowden, II, 30 years of age
Dagsboro, Delaware
ARRESTED #2: Brian William Parker, 28 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES (Both): Possession of marijuana
Possession of CDS/Parapheralia
DISPOSITION: Both released to Central Booking
CC # 201000036775
September Edition of "Working Together For Children" Now Airing On PAC 14
This month's show features highlights from Staff Kickoff Day 2010, including a rousing performance by The Edgeucators and speeches by Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen and 2010-11 Wicomico Teacher of the Year Lisa E. King. The show also spotlights a huge donation of backpacks and other supplies for Wicomico students from Feed the Children, and footage from the start of the 2010-11 school year.
"Working Together for Children" airs regularly at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and noon Saturdays; check the Programming grid at www.pac14.org for additional times. PAC 14 also streams its programming live on its web site at www.pac14.org, so viewers can visit the web site to "tune in" on line when the show is on the air. DVDs of many past "Working Together" shows are now available at the Wicomico Public Library.
"Working Together for Children" is produced monthly by the Wicomico County Public Schools for broadcast to the community on PAC 14. For further information or to give feedback, please contact Dr. Faye Wilson at 410-677-4529 or fwilson@wcboe.org.