Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Friday, October 08, 2010

Missing Cat

 
Joe,
 
My daughter's cat has been missing since yesterday morning/afternoon from the Lillian Street in Hebron area.  (It's not the one that was found this morning after being hit by a car)  He is about 22 weeks old and looks like a little fur ball.  He answers to the name Chunk.  I have attached a picture.  If anyone has seen him please let me know.  (slheure@yahoo.com)
Thank you!

SCAMS AND CONS

Joe must be that time of year the scams and cons are starting.  Seen a few on your blog last couple of days.

Well another might just be starting, this afternoon I had a young man probably between 18-20 yrs old come to my door with a clip board.  Stated he was with DP&L said he was going around to their customers trying to offer them discounts on their bills.   He did not have DP&L idenitification on him , showed me ''bills he got from my neighbors" ! states he could get me discounts and lessen the bill amounts, and asked for my most current bill from DP&L I told him I was not giving him any of my bills with my pertinent information on them and he left very fast.   

I called DP&L to ask if they had any representatives going  around door to door doing this and I was told they do not , and they should not ID themselves as connected with them,  I was told they are aware that there is a company trying to get some of their services away from them, and that they know they use these manuevers.   I also called the SPD after I spoke with this individual and they were to send an officer out with the description I gave them.   Please remind all citizens especially the elderly to be real careful about handing anyone a copy of or their bills, their is so much information they can get from them to be really careful.  

I guess holiday time is coming and there are those out there just looking for a foot in the door or info they can use for whatever use.   Be alert and question, also pause before you do anything.

Inside Ask America: What Should Washington Do About The Economy?

With the national narrative this election season focused on jobs and the slumping economy, Ask America has been polling people on how Washington is coping with the situation. A government report is due out Friday on the unemployment rate, but have voters already made up their minds on where the economy is headed?

So far, Ask America, which collects opinions through non-traditional polling, has gotten more than 7.5 million responses, and more than 100,000 were on the six questions in the graphic above that relate to the economy.
The respondents' opinions speak loudly: More than 50 percent agree on each question. But the votes don't follow a single philosophy about whether the government should stay in or out of this messy economic downturn.

For example, 74 percent of the votes on the " Factory Future" question are in favor of the government doing more to support the manufacturing sector, but the same percentage say a second stimulus is a bad idea. And more than two-thirds of respondents to "Future Outlook" are not optimistic we'll be back on track in a couple years.

Read more about our Ask America respondents' views on the economy and cast your vote below.

Are you optimistic that the job market will be well on its way to a normal employment rate within two years?

30%
Optimistic
70%
Not optimistic
 
GO HERE to participate.

Ocean City Volunteer Fire Department Fundraiser TODAY!



The Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company is holding a Station 5 Fundraiser at the Bank of Ocean City, Golf Course & Route 50, West Ocean City until 3pm.

Stop by show your support and have a FREE hotdog and beverage compliments of the Bank of Ocean City.

Don't Miss Our 6 PM Candidate Interview With Rick Pollitt

Remember Folks, this is a lengthy interview so please find the time to watch it. I will make it available throughout the weekend as well because it is one of the very best so far.

Muslim Student's True Opinion


Neoconservative thinker David Horowitz was put on the spot by a Muslim student during a speech at the University of California San Diego. His comeback revealed her true goal.

Bank Of America Halts Foreclosures In All 50 States

PNC also stops foreclosures; moves come amid documentation issues

Bank of America, the nation’s largest bank by assets, is placing a moratorium on all foreclosure proceedings and sales across the United States, according CNBC and a report on The Wall Street Journal’s Web site. The postponement takes effect Saturday.

Separately, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. is halting most foreclosures and evictions in 23 states for a month so it can review whether documents it submitted to courts complied with state laws.

An official at the Pittsburgh-based bank confirmed the PNC decision, which was reported earlier by the New York Times. The official requested anonymity because the decision hasn't been publicly announced.

GO HERE to read more.

Caption This Photo

Today's Survey Question

Should A Guy Still Pay For The First Date?

Miss. Judge Again Asks Courtroom To Say Pledge After Jailing Lawyer Ror Refusing

A Mississippi judge again asked everyone in his courtroom to stand and pledge allegiance to the flag, despite an uproar over whether he has the right to make such a request.

The furor began Wednesday when an attorney with a reputation for fighting free speech battles stayed silent as everyone else recited the patriotic oath. The lawyer was jailed.

A day later, Judge Talmadge Littlejohn continued to ask those in his courtroom to say the pledge.

"I didn't expect the Pledge of Allegiance, but he asked me to do it, so I did it," said Melissa Adams, 41, who testified in a child custody case that was closed to the public.

GO HERE to read more.

Here's Where We Stand On Candidate Interviews

First let me start by thanking all of you for your patience recently. I have been doing my very best to deliver you Posts of interest while spending a good part of each day interviewing political candidates.

My days start at 5:00 AM, pre posting articles throughout the morning up until 10:00 AM. After 5 hours of working on posts I'm then able to get ready for the day and head down to 300 W. Main Street, (SBYNews Headquarters) to start interviewing candidates. Those interviews last up until 3:00, (at least) and then I head home to spend a couple of hours with our Grandson. Believe it or not, I'm usually off to the races once again around 6 PM and get home around 11:00 PM. So these are very long days for me and quite frankly I can't wait until the interviews are over.

While we thought we'd try to keep these interviews as brief as possible, the shortest one is over 16 minutes long and so far the longest one is actually around 45 minutes. Sine we scheduled each candidate every 30 minutes, the line started getting pretty long while candidates fortunately remained patient and we have been able to complete each and every one of them.

There have been no cancellations and quite frankly we have received more calls than we had actually expected. So much so, we're actually starting to make appointments for next week, Monday is already completely booked.

Here's what I can tell you. Mr. Cowell thinks we need him, he is mistaken. In fact, after speaking directly with him the other night, I actually told him that I hoped he'd win this election. He stopped, looked at me with a surprise on his face and I continued, oh yeah, I'm going to have a LOT of fun with you for the next 4 years.

Seth Mitchell is on the fence with an interview. He told me the other night that since I had already shown support for Maciarello, what's the point. He was pretty snotty when he made that remark. I replied, Joe Albero does not even vote in Maryland. While it is no secret I support Matt, we have proven to deliver fair and balanced interviews and I would guarantee the same for ANY candidate.

Mike Calpino has refused to answer any of our messages. We have not heard a word from Frank Kratovil. Have you? Other than that, we have a verbal promise from Matt Maciarello but we have yet to be able to set in stone a time and date. Joe Ollinger says he absolutely will not do an interview.

I will tell you this Folks. I do have at least TWO interviews none of you will be expecting. One before the general election and one immediately following.

As far as the interviews we have completed, Folks, they continue to get better and better. I know it's not easy to find a half hour to sit back and watch these videos. However, some of them are just unbelievable. Rick Pollitt, Addie Echardt, man, wait until those pop up! In fact, I may put Rick Pollitt's up tonight so everyone has the weekend to review it.

Someone made a comment earlier that stated they're being patient knowing I'm busy with politics right now but they understand and look forward to us getting back to normal right after Nov. 2nd. If this helps any, I should be back to normal just as soon as we complete these interviews. I will assure you I'll be back to more local news and information. Remember, this is a one man show up against others that have up to 100 people working for them.

I thank you for your patience and I truly hope these interviews help you to become better informed while considering your vote towards the best candidates that meet your wants and needs.

A Spy Behind Enemy Lines

Click on image to enlarge.

Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

On Thursday, October 7, 2010 at approximately 1:15am a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy was investigating a suspicious vehicle at the Windy Garden Apartments, on Lynn Haven Drive, Pocomoke City, Worcester County, Maryland
.
The occupants of the vehicle were interviewed and identified. A wanted person check was performed on the occupants and it was learned that Terry Edward Waters 50 years of age was currently wanted on a Parole Retake Warrant through the Maryland Parole Commission
.
Mr. Waters was arrested, and a search incident to the arrest produced a large amount of Methadone pills hidden in the hat that Mr. Waters was wearing. The quantity was

Mr. Waters was transferred to the department of corrections and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute.

Governor's MBE University Conference Comes To Western Maryland

Secretary Jenkins addresses state of minority business enterprises in Maryland

HAGERSTOWN, MD (October 8, 2010) –Today, the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs hosted the MBE University Conference in Hagerstown to support Maryland’s minority and women-owned businesses and to highlight the State’s MBE progress. This is the sixth in a series of conferences that travel around the State to offer training, opportunities, and information on the tools necessary for minority or woman-owned businesses to expand, create jobs, and thrive even in difficult economic times. Today’s conference in Hagerstown focused on collaborations – teaming small and minority businesses with public/private opportunities.  Secretary Jenkins was joined by Hagerstown Mayor Robert Bruchey, and Dr. Guy Altieri, President, Hagerstown College.

“As we seek to turn the corner from recession to prosperity, our mission is simple: to create jobs, to save jobs, to improve the conditions that empower businesses to create and save jobs,” said Governor O’Malley.  “In your state government we have the most ambitious goals for Minority Business Enterprise in the United States of America.  MBE University is designed to help us exceed them, together.”

Governor O’Malley launched MBE University in December 2009 in Prince George’s County, where more than 300 attendees gathered to discuss ways to expand opportunity to small, minority and women owned businesses throughout Maryland.  Since that time, MBE University has traveled to the Baltimore, Montgomery County, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore regions. 

“By investing in Maryland’s small and minority-owned businesses, we are not only supporting our working families and expanding job opportunities, but we are building a stronger future with a diverse economy,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “Governor O’Malley and I are dedicated to strengthening our workforce and providing Marylanders with the vital information and resources they need to successfully open new doors in their communities and continue to thrive for years to come.”

Participants had the opportunity to attend workshops that provided information on contracting with the State as an MBE, response procedures for bid solicitations, MBE certification process, doing business with educational institutions and the local school construction program, State’s commercial non-discrimination policy, niche marketing – opportunities in the green energy field, MBE requirements for the proposed Rocky Gap Video Lottery Terminal facility, and BRAC business opportunities.

“Under the leadership of Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown, Maryland continues to make substantial progress in its capacity building initiatives for MBEs,” said Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs Special Secretary Luwanda Jenkins.  “Connecting MBE firms in all areas of our great State to vital opportunities and resources is a necessity, especially during these tough economic times.”

Maryland is home to one of the nation’s leading MBE programs, and it has established the highest minority and women-owned business contracting goals in the nation at 25 percent.  In addition, Maryland is one of only 15 states in the nation with MBE goals and one of only a few states with an MBE law in statute. Maryland remains the only state in the nation to collect uniform reporting data including actual payments to MBEs.  

In Fiscal Year 2009, Maryland state agencies achieved 22 percent MBE participation, up from 20 percent in the previous year.  These include over $1.6 billion in awards to MBE firms, an increase of 26 percent in one year, and $1 billion in payment to MBE firms.  

“MBE University” was created in collaboration with the State’s minority business coordinating agencies and the Governor’s Office.  Coordinating agencies include the Department of Transportation, Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs, Department of Business and Economic Development, Department of General Services, and the Governor’s Grants Office. 

For more information on the MBE University Initiative, contact the Governor’s Office at 410-767-8232 or visit http://www.mdminoritybusiness.com/.

Andy Harris Statement On September Jobs Report


SEVERNA PARK, Md. – Andy Harris released the following statement regarding the Department of Labor September Jobs Report:

“Once again, the Labor Department’s Jobs Report shows the so-called Stimulus was a complete failure. America losing 95,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate remaining stagnant at 9.6 percent is proof positive that our economy must be stimulated from the bottom up, not the top down. Congress' focus on reckless spending sprees did nothing except put more Americans out of work and put our economy in the perilous position it is in today.  We need to refocus our priorities on supporting small businesses in order to create private sector jobs. The Stimulus was just plain bad policy that pushed our country further into debt, yet Congressman Frank Kratovil said he would vote for it again. We need new faces in Washington to fix the mess that the Pelosi/Kratovil Team has created.”

STATEMENT FROM RNC CHAIRMAN MICHAEL STEELE ON THE SEPTEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today:

“Seventeen consecutive months with higher than 9% unemployment represent the final verdict on the failed economic policies of this White House and the Democrat Congress as voters head to the polls. President Obama and his left wing allies on Capitol Hill have spent trillions of taxpayer dollars with nothing to show for it but a mountain of crippling debt and chronic joblessness. 95,000 more jobs lost provides further evidence that their agenda of more spending, higher taxes, and bigger government is only fueling more economic uncertainty and making it harder to put Americans back to work. After nearly two years of weak leadership and broken promises, the American people will go to the polls in less than a month and reject this Administration’s economic mismanagement.”

NOW, THE TRUTH ABOUT WICOMICO COUNTY’S SCHOOL BUDGET



We know that it’s almost Election Day when the candidates commence their usual harangue about the County Board of Ed. It goes like this: since the County funds the Board, the County should have control over the Board and accountability. Some even propose having an elected school board – although why and how that would confer control authority on the County government is never discussed, because it would not.

To learn the real facts about the Board’s funding, I went online, to the Board’s budget, in which these data appear. Wow, what a surprise.

The County furnishes only a minor part of the Board’s budget – this year less than 25%, down from 27.5% in the prior year. The other 75% this year comes almost entirely from the State of Maryland (65.3%) and federal government (8.3%).

Of the total reduction – almost $11 Million -- in the Board’s funding this year the greater portion (nearly $7.6 Million) is due to less County funding; despite Obama’s dogma about funding education, most ($1.75 Million) of the rest of the reduction is due to less federal funding.

So much for the mantra that the problem is caused by less State funding – despite its fiscal dilemma, its funding is down by only $266,000 (0.23%).

Consider the magnitude of the reduction County funding – almost 15% -- one of the biggest hits in the County’s budget. And during the past decade the share of the County’s budget that goes to fund the school system has dropped dramatically, as the shares for other purposes have increased.

These, folks, are the facts. And one more that’s worth mention – the total funding and expenditure of Wicomico County’s school system is much less on a "per student" basis than the State average. So much for that "common knowledge" that the system wastes massive amounts of money.

Candidates: please tell the truth, not what the T-party wants you to say, about the school system.

Dems Try To Make Chamber The Villain

President Obama led Democrats in a coordinated attack against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Thursday, painting the business lobby as a corporate interest standing against open elections and U.S. workers.

Obama criticized the Chamber for opposing campaign finance reform legislation that would require corporations and unions to disclose the names of those making donations for political ads. He did so as the Associated Press reported the Chamber is airing $10 million in ads this week, most of which attack Democrats and their policies.

The attack by Obama follows a report by the liberal blog ThinkProgress suggesting the Chamber impermissibly accepted and spent foreign donations to support its political activities, an illegal practice which the Chamber has vehemently denied. It’s the latest in a series of skirmishes between Democrats and the Chamber, which have feuded repeatedly over the years.

More

Chamber Says Obama ‘Suffocating’ U.S. Business Spirit

President Barack Obama’s administration is imposing regulations that are “suffocating the enterpreneurial spirit,” the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said.

Tom Donohue, president of the largest U.S. business group, cites rules on health care, finance, the environment and labor in prepared remarks for a speech in Des Moines, Iowa, today.

The Chamber has said it will spend $75 million backing pro- business candidates in the November elections and has led growing business criticism of Obama in recent months. The organization said it is launching a new website tracking rules it views as stunting economic growth and will run advertisements on the theme.

“The regulatory impact on the business community is pervasive, insidious, and needs to be exposed,” Donohue said in the prepared remarks. “It is suffocating the entrepreneurial spirit.”

More

IDF Will Use Dogs In Future Flotilla Interceptions

The IDF’s Oketz canine unit will be used to assist soldiers in boarding Gaza-bound ships during future interceptions, a military source said on Thursday.

The decision followed intensive deliberations by military chiefs on how to improve boarding techniques following the bloody confrontation on board the Mavi Marmara ship on May 31, in which navy commandos were stabbed and beaten, and nine Turkish activists were killed.

Boarding the ships has been identified by military planners as the most problematic stage in aid-ship interceptions, and the Oketz unit is seen as a promising solution.

Video footage provided by the IDF of the Mavi Marmara raid shows naval commandos being assaulted by multiple attackers immediately after descending from a helicopter.

In future operations, specially trained dogs will be placed on the ships first to ensure that naval commandos can safely board.

The incorporation of the canine unit will require dog trainers and their animals to train together with the commandos.

Oketz operates under the command of the IDF’s General Staff, and trains dogs to take part in counterterrorism missions, search and rescue tasks, and other specialized activities.
More from the Jerusalem Post

Eric The Barber Continues To Shake Hands With Politicians

While candidate interviews are in full swing, many candidates choose to pop back in to say hello to Eric Ludwig. Some have even mentioned him as a small businessman in their interviews, including Bob Ehrlich.

Eric provides a very clean environment and a very easy to work with $12.00 Haircut. The only way anyone can keep their prices that low is by getting enough traffic through the door in an area not well known for heavy traffic these days.

I am strongly encouraging a donut and coffee shop to open on the Downtown Plaza. One thing is for sure, build it and they will come.

BREAKING NEWS

Obama National Security Adviser Jones to resign

Departure was long expected; deputy adviser Tom Donilon is expected replacement

Gen. James Jones will resign as President Barack Obama's national security adviser and will be replaced by Deputy National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, NBC News confirmed Friday.

Source

Malanga: California's Budget-Busting Public-Sector Unions

A camera focuses on an official of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), California's largest public employees' union, sitting in a legislative chamber and speaking into a microphone. "We helped to get you into office, and we got a good memory," she says to the elected officials outside the shot. "Come November, if you don't back our program, we'll get you out of office."

The video has become a sensation among California taxpayer groups for its vivid depiction of the audacious power that public-sector unions wield in their state. The unions' political triumphs have molded a California in which government workers thrive.

The state's public school teachers are the highest-paid in the nation. Its prison guards can easily earn six-figure salaries. State workers can retire at 55 with pensions higher than their base pay for most of their working life.

Meanwhile, what was once the most prosperous state now suffers from an unemployment rate far steeper than the nation's and a flood of firms and jobs fleeing high taxes and stifling regulations. This toxic combination--high public-sector employee costs and sagging economic fortunes--has produced recurring budget crises in Sacramento and in virtually every municipality in the state.

How public employees became members of the elite class in a declining California offers a cautionary tale to the rest of the country. And the rise in California of SEIU, the nation's fastest growing union, illustrates how modern labor's victories take place in courts and in back rooms, not on picket lines.
More from The Washington Examiner

A Letter To The Editor

The Daily Times
Good morning Joe,
I have thought long and hard before sending you this email. I am really upset with the Daily Times.  They printed an article about an accident where a woman who was a mother, sister, daughter, and Friend passed away.  What I am upset about is why did they think they needed to bring up her past criminal history, it had nothing to do with her death.
We all have made mistakes in our past that we would like to forget and I would pray to God when it is our time to go people do not focus on our mistakes.
This woman was a great person.  She was the homeroom mother for her daughter, went to every baseball,and soccer game for her son.  She always put a smile on every ones face.
I feel bad for her children that one day they may have to read that article, that is not the mother they knew and love so much.

Annapolis, We Have A $35 Billion Problem

A massive shortfall in Maryland's state employee pension system threatens to drown taxpayers in retiree debt, according to a Sept. 29 study by the Maryland Tax Education Foundation. As of June 30, the shortfall had reached $15 billion -- more than twice the state's entire general obligation debt. Drastic changes must be made now to avert a financial catastrophe.

Although the Maryland State Pension Fund's asset allocation is similar to other states, it has significantly underperformed them by about $2 billion over the last 10 years, Jeffrey Hooke, author of "Security Analysis on Wall Street" and MTEF's volunteer chairman, told The Examiner. But what really worries Hooke is assumption by the fund's managers that it will earn 7.75 percent over the next 30 years. If those rosy assumptions are not realized, and the fund only manages to earn a more realistic 6 percent, the pension shortfall will balloon to $20 billion -- in addition to $15 billion in unfunded health benefits for state employees.

The pension fund has $32 billion in total assets, so a $15 billion shortfall puts it well within the danger zone. Taxpayers would have to contribute up to $2 billion more per year to make up the difference, Hooke says. That's problematic, because Maryland taxpayers already resent being forced to downscale their own retirement plans to cover the cost of their public servants' extravagant benefits.
Here is more

US Chamber Spends More Than $10 Million On Ads

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce this week is airing more than $10 million in advertising in some of the most competitive House and Senate races, a massive infusion by the business lobby against Democratic candidates in about 30 contests.

The amount is the single largest one-week expenditure by a group outside of the national political parties. It represents an escalation in ads by the chamber, which has expressed a goal of spending $75 million in this year's midterm elections.

The boost in spending comes as liberal groups raise questions about the chamber's financial sources. The Center for American Progress Action Fund and MoveOn.org suggest the trade group could be using foreign money to air the ads, which would be illegal. The chamber denies the claim. It says money raised from foreign corporations is segregated from its political spending.

The chamber is not required to reveal the sources of its money.

GO HERE to read more.

How Many Of You Have Tried This New Restaurant?

I got a call from the owner of this Restaurant the evening we placed their ad. He told me they were so slammed, (for the first time) they actually had to bring in additional staff for the entire day and evening.

I have spoken to a few people that have given them a shot and they were very pleased with their food, especially the portions they received for the money. Many LOVED the Pizza.

If you, (by chance) are a true New Yorker, drop into this restaurant and give them a shot. Between the Police and Fire Department sirens going off all the time in North Salisbury, you'll feel right at home, just as if you was in Da Bronx.

Elderly Woman Evicted From Home Due To Deed Mix-Up

An elderly woman in Kansas City was forced out of her longtime home this week because of a deed mixup. No, Bank of America didn't foreclose on her by mistake. Why are her belongings on the lawn? The situation dates back to 1998, when her friend and roommate, the owner of the house, died without properly transferring the deed. A probate battle ensued. Now a real estate company owns the house, and has offered to sell it for $60,000. They paid $13,000 at auction.

More »

Thank God Its Friday

What Will You Be Doing This Weekend?

Mark Alexander: Poverty Pimps

As a measure of community service, I round up my Boy Scout Troop periodically to meet with my friend, and Patriot Chaplain, Lurone Jennings, an inner-city community pastor
.
We gather early on Saturday mornings to serve families who are struggling to make ends meet, most of them elderly and living in squalor. After cleaning around their shacks, providing meals and praying over those families, we always reconvene with Pastor Jennings for a time of fellowship
.
Recently, I asked Lurone to explain what factors he thinks have contributed most to poverty in our city and nation. Without missing a beat, he said, "Poverty Pimps," referring to those who are elected to public office on the promise of a handout rather than a hand up -- this from a man who has devoted his life to serving those most irreconcilably ensnared by those pimps.

Handouts, of course, are a much easier sell than hand-ups, but the consequences in terms of human dignity and society are devastating.

Promising to give a man a fish rather than encouraging him to take up fishing to provide for himself is one of the clearest philosophical delineations between the worldviews of contemporary liberals and conservatives.
Lurone explained that, while New Deal and Great Society liberals may have had good intentions, the net result of their socialist endeavors has been the institutionalization of poverty, and the victimization and enslavement of what has become the Left's most reliable constituency of any stripe or association: black folks.

Read more

How To Avoid Scammy Online Pet Drug Merchants

It's tempting to skip an expensive visit to the vet's office when you can just order the same drugs online. Sites offer the exact medications that the vet's office sells--at much lower prices, without a prescription. It's not such a good idea, though. Much like buying human drugs online from shady sources (no prescription needed) you may not get exactly what you ordered. The medications that show up on your doorstep could be ineffective, or may even harm your pet.

More »

White House Staff Eyes Achieving Goals Through Eexecutive Actions

As President Obama remakes his senior staff, he is also shaping a new approach for the second half of his term: to advance his agenda through executive actions he can take on his own, rather than pushing plans through an increasingly hostile Congress.

A flurry of staff departures and promotions is playing out as the White House ends a nearly two-year period of intense legislative activity. Where the original staff was built to give Obama maximum clout in Congress, the new White House team won't need the same leverage with lawmakers.

"It's fair to say that the next phase is going to be less about legislative action than it is about managing the change that we've brought," White House senior advisor David Axelrod said in an interview.

"Whether or not the Republicans take over majorities in one or both houses, the margins will be so much narrower that the strategy of putting together a Democratic bill and picking off a handful of Republicans to push it over the top won't be viable anymore," said William Galston, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

So the best arena for Obama to execute his plans may be his own branch of government. That means more executive orders, more use of the bully pulpit, and more deployment of his ample regulatory powers and the wide-ranging rulemaking authority of his Cabinet members.

"This would fit into the status quo for the White House," said Brad Dayspring, a spokesman for House Republican whip Eric Cantor of Virginia. "The White House is showing no effort to work with Republicans. It has shown no interest in listening to the American people and has at all costs tried to ram through legislation that was tremendously unpopular."

Read more

Gallup Finds U.S. Unemployment At 10.1% In September

Unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, increased to 10.1% in September -- up sharply from 9.3% in August and 8.9% in July. Much of this increase came during the second half of the month -- the unemployment rate was 9.4% in mid-September -- and therefore is unlikely to be picked up in the government's unemployment report on Friday.

The government's final unemployment report before the midterm elections is based on job market conditions around mid-September. Gallup's modeling of the unemployment rate is consistent with Tuesday's ADP report of a decline of 39,000 private-sector jobs, and indicates that the government's national unemployment rate in September will be in the 9.6% to 9.8% range. This is based on Gallup's mid-September measurements and the continuing decline Gallup is seeing in the U.S. workforce during 2010.

However, Gallup's monitoring of job market conditions suggests that there was a sharp increase in the unemployment rate during the last couple of weeks of September. It could be that the anticipated slowdown of the overall economy has potential employers even more cautious about hiring. Some of the increase could also be seasonal or temporary.

Further, Gallup's underemployment measure suggests that the percentage of workers employed part time but looking for full-time work is declining as the unemployment rate increases. To some degree, this may reflect a reduced company demand for new part-time employees. For example, employers may be converting some existing part-time workers to full time when they are needed as replacements, but may not in turn be hiring replacement part-time workers.

Regardless, the sharp increase in the unemployment rate during late September does not bode well for the economy during the fourth quarter, or for holiday sales. In this regard, it is essential that the Federal Reserve and other policymakers not be misled by Friday's jobs numbers. The jobs picture could be deteriorating more rapidly than the government's job release suggests.

More details

White House Says President Won't Sign Bill That Could Make It Harder To Fight Foreclosures

In April, legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives that would require courts to recognize out-of-state notarizations. It got little notice at the time and was deemed dead-on-arrival by some. Then in the last couple weeks, GMAC, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America announce they are freezing foreclosures in multiple states, in part because of improper notarizations. Suddenly, this bill passes through the Senate without any debate. It was enough to make the White House say "hmmmmm" when it arrived at the Oval Office for the President's signature.

More »

Three Dozen Fall Ill At Obama Rally In Md.

BOWIE, Md. - About three dozen people were treated for illness during a rally featuring President Barack Obama at Bowie State University.

Prince George's County Fire and EMS spokesman Mark Brady tells WTOP numerous ambulances were sent to the rally after people started fainting and became dizzy.
 
The problems may have been related to warmer temperatures Thursday. Brady says crowds at the rally were outside and packed shoulder to shoulder.
 
Two people were taken to the hospital, Brady says. The rest were treated at the scene. A triage area was set up inside the gymnasium at Bowie State.
 
Obama made the short trip from the nation's capital to neighboring Prince George's County in Maryland in hopes of giving O'Malley, a fellow Democrat, a boost in his rematch with Republican former Gov. Robert Ehrlich. Republicans sensing voter anger are focusing on winning gubernatorial races as well as regaining Congress.

GO HERE to read more.

Maryland Joins Crowd Of States Considering Pension Changes

More states enacted major legislation changing retirement benefits for their employees in 2010 than in any year in recent times, a national pension expert told Thursday’s first meeting of a new commission set up to help Maryland join the crowd.

Nineteen states passed major pension legislation in 2010, said Ron Snell of the National Conference of State Legislatures, who has been following state pension issues for decades. “There has never been a year in which state legislatures have been active so much,” Snell told the newly created Public Employees’ and Retirees’ Benefit Sustainability Commission.

State legislatures were concerned about their pension obligations before the recession caused the widespread budget problems, he said. But the fiscal crisis has certainly pushed them to take action, along with the severe investment losses, Snell said.

GO HERE to read more.

Yard Sales

CLICK HERE for upcoming yard sales.

Have a great weekend! It's gonna be beautiful!

CSPI: McDonald's Happy Meal Lawsuit Will Happen In Next Couple Weeks

With so much attention being paid to San Francisco's proposed law that would take the toys out of most kids meals, it's easy to forget that the fast-food haters at the Center for Science In the Public Interest had given McDonald's 30 days to remove toys from Happy Meals or face a lawsuit. That was back in June. Over 90 days ago. So what happened?

More »

Enjoy

Poke 

  and prod a spider 

  with your mouse, also 'grab' one of 

  its legs with your mouse and drag it 

  around  the screen -- tell me it's 

  not alive!

Also anywhere on the floor 

  double tap the space bar and 

  it leaves little bugs for the spider to eat, watch 

  the spider go after it, 

  this is  crazy and creepy 

  too!

 
Click your mouse here: Spider

Grandparents

1. She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter, as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye...

2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 62. My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"

3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"

4. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"

5. My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said, "No, how are we alike?'' "You're both old," he replied.

6. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."

7. I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was.. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these, yourself!"

8. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

9. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised, "mine says I'm 4 to 6."

10. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting," she said, "how do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."

11. Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. 'It means carrying a child."

12. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties. "They use him to keep crowds back," said one child. "No," said another. "He's just for good luck." ;A third child brought the argument to a close."They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."

13. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "she lives at the airport, and when we want her, we just go get her.. Then, when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."

14. Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I don't get to see him enough to get as smart as him!

15. My Grandparents are funny, when they bend over; you hear gas leaks, and they blame their dog.

Great Messages

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office: 
                                                  "Dr. Jones, at your cervix."
**************************
In a Podiatrist's office:
"Time wounds all heels."
***************** *********
On a Septic Tank Truck:
Yesterday's Meals on Wheels
**************************
At a Proctologist's door:
"To expedite your visit, please back in."
**************************
On a Plumber's truck:
"We repair what your husband fixed."
**************************
On another Plumber's truck:
" Don 't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber."
**************************
On a Church's Bill board:
"7 days without God makes one weak."
**************************
At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee :
"Invite us to your next blowout."
**************************
At a Towing company:
"We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows."
**************************
On an Electrician's truck:
"Let us remove your shorts."
**************************
In a Nonsmoking Area:
"If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action."
**************************
On a Maternity Room door:
"Push. Push. Push."
**************************
At an Optometrist's Office:
"If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."
**************************
On a Taxidermist's window:
"We really know our stuff."
**************************
On a Fence:
"Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive!"
**************************
At a Car Dealership:
"The best way to get back on your feet - miss a car payment."
**************************
Outside a Muffler Shop:
"No appointment necessary. We hear you coming."
**************************
In a Veterinarian's waiting room:
"Be back in 5 minutes. Sit! Stay!"
**************************
At the Electric Company
"We would be delighted if you send in your payment.
However, if you don't, you will be."
************** ************
In a Restaurant window:
" Don 't stand there and be hungry; come on in and get fed up."
**************************
In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
"Drive carefully. We'll wait."
**************************
At a Propane Filling Station:
"Thank heaven for little grills."
**************************
And don't forget the sign at a
CHICAGO RADIATOR SHOP:
"Best place in town to take a leak."
**********************
Sign on the back of another Septic Tank Truck:

"Caution - This Truck is full of Political Promises"