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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Deployment To Afghanistan

I hope this email finds all of you happy and healthy, enjoying the start of fall.  I am writing to let you all know that I will be deploying to Afghanistan at the end of October with the First Medical Battalion from Camp Pendleton, CA.  In my role as a critical care nurse, I will be working on a forward operating base as part of a Forward Resuscitative Surgical team.   Along with a trauma surgeon, anesthesiologist, several corpsman and Marines, I will be helping to provide stabilizing treatment to wounded Americans and coalition forces and members of the Afghan National Army before they are transferred to the large hospitals and eventually medically evacuated.  I also hope to have the chance to provide enroute care, transporting patients from the forward operating bases to the large Role III hospital at Camp Bastion. 

I will be finishing up my training with the Marines in the coming week and then will pack my sea bags and depart for Afghanistan just before Halloween.  I will be over there for about 7 months, returning in May of next year.  While I'm gone, I will hopefully have access to my personal email address and facebook account.  
 
I will also be able to receive mail, letters, care packages, etc.  It takes about 10 days for mail to reach the forward bases in Afghanistan and packages mailed in those USPS flat rate boxes tend to be delivered fastest.  

LT Albero
 
My Niece, who was a straight "A" Student all throughout High School and College, chose to serve our country after college. Her Parents, both United States Coast Guard Academy Graduates, (Class of 1980) and her Uncle, (ME) couldn't be more proud.

Don't Miss Our 6 PM Candidate Interview With Addie Echardt

Folks, this is not only the best interview I've ever done, it may just be one of the best candidate interviews you will ever see. Be here at 6 PM for an outstanding interview with an outstanding Lady.

Mayor To Announce Fire Chief And Information Technology Director For City

Mayor James Ireton, Jr., today, will announce the selection of a new Fire Department Chief and a new Information Technology Director for the City of Salisbury.

Please join us at Fire Station 16 on Cypress Street for a press conference, today, Tuesday, October 12th, at 3:00 p.m.

Mayor Ireton will be available after the press conference for questions regarding crime and the public input meeting taking place tonight at Station 16 on his proposed Safe Streets Neighborhood Legislative package.

"I am excited that these new leaders will continue to help move Salisbury forward.  The exhaustive process that our human resources department, as well as City Administrator Pick and Assistant City Administrator Chambers undertook, was comprehensive and thorough.  I am proud of the professionalism and experience that our new directors bring to us, and I know that they will help me, and our employees, continue our march forward to a more safe, secure city," said Mayor Ireton

Mayor To Announce New Fire Chief Today

The Mayor will hold a Press Conference today to announce his choice for the new Fire Chief in Salisbury. We'll report it just as soon as it's announced.

Terror Threat To Restaurants As Al Qaeda Calls For Attacks in D.C.

The terror group tied to the Ft. Hood killings and the Christmas Day undies airbomber urge wannabe American jihadis to open fire on crowded restaurants in the nation's capital to massacre U.S. government workers.

The advice appears in "Inspire," the latest issue of a slick propaganda publication by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Osama Bin Laden's franchise in Yemen.

"A random hit at a crowded restaurant in Washington, D.C., at lunch hour might end up knocking out a few government employees," Yahya Ibrahim writes in the 74-page jihadi how-to magazine.

"Targeting such employees is paramount and the location would also give the operation additional media attention," Ibrahim added.

Other trash talk came from "Samir Khan," an American who came to AQAP from North Carolina, who produces the publication and wrote that he is "proud to be a traitor in America's eyes."

"This guy is bad news, and given the fact that he helps publish AQAP trash, he certainly spreads a lot of it around, too," said a senior U.S. official.

According to a copy of the magazine obtained by the SITE intelligence group, AQAP also urged those bent on murdering for Islam to use everything from pickup trucks to improvised pressure-cooker bombs to kill.
More on this

Salisbury Police Department Press Releases

On October 9, 2010 at approximately 8:06 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Giant Food Store on North Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with store management who advised that store employees had observed the below listed suspect take alcoholic beverages into the ladies restroom where it was found that she consumed them. The suspect then attempted to leave the store with an additional alcoholic beverage without making payment.

ARRESTED: Kirstin Gertrud Williston, 46 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (under $ 100)
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 2010000040310


On October 11, 2010 at approximately 8:34 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police were on routine patrol in the area of Second Street and W. Main Street and observed the below listed suspect acting suspiciously on the street corner. When the suspect observed the officers, he attempted to discard a small item. The officers retrieved the item which was found to be a quantity of suspected "crack"/cocaine. The suspect was arrested without incident.

ARRESTED: Juvenile, 16 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Possession of cocaine
Possession of cds/paraphernalia
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000040597

On October 11, 2010 at approximately 9:28 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to an apartment building on Winterbourne Lane for the report of subjects shooting bb guns at victims. Upon arrival the officers met with three (3) victims who advised the officers that while walking through the apartment complex, the below listed suspects hid behind another building then fired at them with bb rifles. The victims knew the suspects by name and identified the suspects for the officers
.
ARRESTED #1: Ernesto Luis Colon, 18 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
ARRESTED #2: Juvenile, 16 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES (Both): Second degree assault (3 counts)
Reckless endangerment (3 counts)
DISPOSITION: Suspect # 1 released to Central Booking
Suspect # 2 released to guardian
CC # 201000040601

Pani Pizza #1 In MD For NY Style Pizza

I have taken it upon myself to rank Pani Pizza the #1 New York Style Pizza in Maryland. Without a question, their pizza is an authentic thin, (yet crunchy) crust pizza with the flavors of back home pizza. No one I have ever visited in Maryland have come even close to the way its supposed to be done.

If you haven't been in to try them out, they're in the same shopping center as Old Navy, across Rt. 13 from Sam's Club. Stop in today for lunch or dinner and give them a try. You will NOT be disappointed in anything you order.



THE BIG 'IF': Historic Tax Hike Rests On Congress' Shoulders

If Congress allows Bush-era tax cuts to expire, New Year's Day will usher in the nation's biggest tax increase since the end of World War II, tax watchdog says, and that may be only the beginning.

GO HERE to read more.

Turk Admits Flotilla Activists Started Clashes

The Israel Defense Forces did not open fire on activists aboard a Hamas-supporting flotilla until the soldiers' lives were endangered by those on the now infamous ship, admitted a Turkish journalist who was on the flotilla.

Some participants in the Turkish flotilla, named the Mavi Marmara, had claimed in news media interviews Israeli troops indiscriminately opened fire upon boarding the ship from a helicopter. Nine activists were killed in the clashes that ensued.

The ship, purchased by the Hamas-linked Turkish charity IHH, was attempting to break Israel's naval blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. The Jewish state maintains the blockade to ensure against Hamas arming itself at sea. The terrorist group had been caught several times attempting to smuggle weapons, including rockets and advanced missiles, into Gaza by sea.

"I saw with my own eyes that when the soldiers came on helicopters and started landing on the ship, they did not fire," stated Turkish journalist Sefik Dinc.

"It wasn't until the soldiers were met with resistance and realized that some of their friends' lives were in danger that they began using live ammunition," he said.

Consistent with video footage and testimonies of Israeli soldiers who had boarded the ship, Dinc recalled flotilla activists using iron bars against the IDF troops.

WND previously reported that prior to its violent confrontation with Israeli commandos, the commander of the flotilla announced participants were planning to use "resistance" and declared the ship's activists wanted to die as "martyrs" more than they wanted to reach the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas television.
Here is more

Have American Jews Lost Faith In Obama?

Senior members of the US Jewish community have spoken up against Obama's foreign policy regarding Israel, and it what is considered a rarity, have said that should he continue on his current path, they will stop their contributions to the Democratic Party.

Since taking office, it seems as if Obama has lost ground across every sector in the United States, but throughout, he has always enjoyed wide-scale support from US Jews.

Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, told the Huffington Post that although the US president enjoyed a 78% support rate among American Jews at the time of his election, he has now lost about a third.

According to the report, the Obama administration has annoyed Jewish leaders to the point where they are thinking of sitting out the 2010 election. Federal Election Commission records show contributions to Democratic candidates from the financial sector, where Jews hold important positions, are down 65% from two years ago.

"I started breaking with Obama ten months ago," Martin Peretz, editor in chief of The New Republic, told the Huffington Post, "And I know that a lot of West Coast Jews are also having buyer's remorse."
 
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Healthcare Lobbyists Seek To Repair Relationship With Republicans

House Republicans say healthcare groups that backed the Democrats’ overhaul bill are trying to rekindle their hot-and-cold-relationship with the GOP.

The health industry’s effort to make nice with Republicans is both reflective of how Washington works and how much the political winds have shifted since Barack Obama’s inauguration early last year.

House Republicans felt shunned by their allies in the medical sector in 2009 as Democrats basked in their electoral victories that gave them control of Congress and the White House since 1994.

Nearly two years after Obama’s triumph and six months after the passage of health reform, the mood in the nation’s capital and beyond has changed dramatically.

"We had to find people to have meetings with us" in 2009, Ways and Means Committee Republican Kevin Brady (Texas) recently said with a smile. But that started to change soon after the health bill passed.

Whether Republicans are ready to forgive and forget if they take over the House is still an open question.

Some of the groups Republicans are meeting with, Brady acknowledged, endorsed the healthcare legislation, which barely passed Congress.

"They did [support the bill] and that's frustrating," Brady said, adding that the bottom line for Republicans is coming up with a better healthcare package than the bill that Obama signed into law.

Republicans say what’s grating isn’t just the fact that traditional allies backed Democrats, but that their support helped push the bill over the finish line.

Republican efforts to repeal health reform will undoubtedly cause awkward moments for trade groups that endorsed the law.

"Whether they support repeal or not," Barton warned, "that debate's coming."

Much of the renewed attention paid to Republican lawmakers has to do with "parochial" issues such as regulations on insurance companies.

“There is a legitimate question to be asked as to how well they’ll be received,” the Republican staffer said. “When you come to plead your case about an individual provision you didn’t like to Republicans, they’ll turn around and say: ‘But you’re the one who helped put it into law.’”

Here is more

Today's Survey Question

Are Speed Cameras Acceptable To You In School Zones?

Muslim Brotherhood 'Declares War' on U.S.

Five years before the 9/11 attacks, al-Qaida declared war on America, the West, Christians and Jews – and virtually no one noticed.

Now, a longtime observer of Islam is warning that a "war declaration" of potentially much greater significance has been made.

The Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, Muhammad Badi, who was elected only months ago, has "endorsed anti-American Jihad and pretty much every element in the al-Qaida ideology book," writes Barry Rubin, author and director of the Global Research in International Affairs Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs Journal.

The Brotherhood – the dominant Islamic organization in the West that has spawned most of the major Muslim terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, along with the biggest "mainstream" organizations – is giving the signal that it is "ready to move from the era of propaganda and base-building to one of revolutionary action," says Rubin.

In a sermon published Sept. 30 titled "How Islam Confronts the Oppression and Tyranny [against the Muslims]," Badi said waging jihad against both of these infidels, Israel and the U.S., is a commandment of Allah that cannot be disregarded.

The remarks were delivered in a weekly sermon, published Sept. 30 on the Muslim Brotherhood's website and translated into English by the Middle East Media Research Institute.

Governments trying to stop their people from fighting the United States, he said, "are disregarding Allah's commandment to wage jihad for His sake with [their] money and [their] lives, so that Allah's word will reign supreme" over all non-Muslims.

Rubin concludes: "Let it be said that in September 2010, the Muslim Brotherhood, a group with 100 times more activists than al-Qaida, issued its declaration of war."

He calls the sermon "one of those obscure Middle East events of the utmost significance that is ignored by the Western mass media, especially because they happen in Arabic, not English; by Western governments, because they don't fit their policies; and by experts, because they don't mesh with their preconceptions."
More here

U.S. Concerned About Attitude Of China’s Military

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met his Chinese counterpart in Vietnam on Monday for the first time since the two militaries suspended talks with each other earlier this year, calling for the two countries to prevent “mistrust, miscalculations and mistakes.”

His message seems directed mainly at officers like Lt. Cmdr. Tony Cao of the Chinese Navy.

Days before Mr. Gates arrived in Asia, Commander Cao was aboard a frigate in the Yellow Sea, conducting China’s first war games with the Australian Navy, exercises to which, he noted pointedly, the Americans were not invited.

Nor are they likely to be, he told Australian journalists in slightly bent English, until “the United States stops selling the weapons to Taiwan and stopping spying us with the air or the surface.”

The Pentagon is worried that its increasingly tense relationship with the Chinese military owes itself in part to the rising leaders of Mr. Cao’s generation, who, much more than the country’s military elders, view the United States as the enemy. Older Chinese officers remember a time, before the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 set relations back, when American and Chinese forces made common cause against the Soviet Union. Younger officers have known only an anti-American ideology, which casts the United States as bent on thwarting China’s rise.

“All militaries need a straw man, a perceived enemy, for solidarity,” said Huang Jing, a scholar of China’s military and leadership at the National University of Singapore. “And as a young officer or soldier, you always take the strongest of straw men to maximize the effect. Chinese military men, from the soldiers and platoon captains all the way up to the army commanders, were always taught that America would be their enemy.”
More here

Reid Aide’s 100% Stock Return Raises Eyebrows

Chris Miller, the top energy aide for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, doubled his $3,500 investment in stock of a renewable energy company in just two years. Skilled investing you might say. But there’s a catch, The Wall Street Journal reports. Reid helped pass a law that benefited the firm, Energy Conversion Devices Inc.

Reid spokesman Jim Manley defended Miller’s action at first. He said the aide played no role in creating tax incentives for renewable-energy firms and that the stock rose for other reasons.

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Obama, Democrats Declare War On U.S. Chamber

With massive midterm losses looming, President Barack Obama is blasting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for accepting foreign donations for its political advertising — a charge that myriad watchdogs and media outlets already have debunked as groundless.

The political battle the allegation has touched off appears to be escalating.

It began at a political rally in Maryland last week, when the president echoed a charge that first appeared in a left-wing blog that the Chamber of Commerce had used foreign contributions to help defray its $75 million campaign advertising budget.

Said Obama: "So groups that receive foreign money are spending huge sums to influence American elections, and they won't tell you where the money for their ads come from."

The Chamber immediately denied the report, explaining that its strict accounting procedures keep foreign and domestic contributions separate.
Denunciations that the allegations appear groundless have spanned the political spectrum.

The New York Times on Monday stated flatly in a news article: "The Democrats have offered no evidence that the Chamber is using foreign money to influence the elections."

On Sunday's "Face the Nation" program, White House senior adviser David Axelrod conceded that the administration has no facts to support its claim, while not backing off on the president's implication that the Chamber may have violated U.S. laws.

When ABC host Bob Schieffer asked whether he had any evidence to support the charge, Axelrod shot back: "Well, do you have any evidence it's not [true] Bob?"

Schieffer's replied by asking Axelrod: "Is that the best you can do?"

Democrats Unleash IRS And Justice On Opponents Donors

If at first you don't succeed, get some friends in high places to shut your opponents up. That's the latest Washington power play, as Democrats and liberals attack the Chamber of Commerce and independent spending groups in an attempt to stop businesses from participating in politics.

Since the Supreme Court's January decision in Citizens United v. FEC, Democrats in Congress have been trying to pass legislation to repeal the First Amendment for business, though not for unions. Having failed on that score, they're now turning to legal and political threats. Funny how all of this outrage never surfaced when the likes of Peter Lewis of Progressive insurance and George Soros helped to make Democrats financially dominant in 2006 and 2008.

Chairman Max Baucus of the powerful Senate Finance Committee got the threats going last month when he asked Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman to investigate if certain tax exempt 501(c) groups had violated the law by engaging in too much political campaign activity. Lest there be any confusion about his targets, the Montana Democrat flagged articles focused on GOP-leaning groups, including Americans for Job Security and American Crossroads.

Mr. Baucus was seconded last week by the ostensibly nonpartisan campaign reform groups Democracy 21 and the Campaign Legal Center, which asked the IRS to investigate whether Crossroads is spending too much money on campaigns. Those two outfits swallowed their referee whistle in the last two campaign cycles, but they're all worked up now that Republicans might win more seats. Crossroads GPS, a 501(c)(4) affiliate of American Crossroads supported by Karl Rove, is a target because it has spent millions already in this election cycle.

Here's more from the Wall Street Journal

Four Years Ago Today



Hey Barrie, Mike, Lynn, Shanie, how's it working for you now?

Powerhouse Nor'easter Coming To Mid-Atlantic, Northeast US

The stage is being readied for a disruptive nor'easter over the eastern U.S. late this week.

A storm is forecast to develop and strengthen rapidly affecting tens of millions of people in the Northeast Thursday into Friday night with wind and rain.

The heaviest rain appears to be aiming from the northern Delmarva Peninsula and eastern Pennsylvania to Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Over a couple of inches of rain could fall in part of this region.

Right now, most places appear to be on track for 12 to 24 hours of heavy rainfall, which is probably "not" enough to have a flooding response from most rivers.

Rather than taking a traditional track northward along the Atlantic Seaboard, this storm will form over land first in the mid-Atlantic, then it will shift just off the south coast of New England in explosive fashion.

More from Accuweather

Letter To The Editor

Yesterday(Monday) afternoon I was riding down Waverly Drive in Salisbury and I happened to see a chiefs car from the Salisbury Fire Department being detailed at the Inside out Car Wash place. Can you or any of your readers tell us why a fire chiefs car needs to be detailed by "professional?" Is this being paid for by the tax payers of Salisbury? With the economy the way it is I can't imagine why a city department would even consider paying someone to detail a car. Aren't police officers and fireman being furloughed? When with this wasteful spending end by the fire department and Jim Ireton and the rest of the city council?

Obama Highway Plan Fuels Talk Of Gas Tax Hike

Two former transportation secretaries who recently co-chaired a panel that proposes gas tax hikes and user fees to pay for government transportation projects joined President Obama Monday as he called for a $50 billion immediate investment in roads, rails and runways.

And while the president has not endorsed the proposals by ex-officials Norm Mineta and Samuel Skinner, some industry experts insist gas prices will have to rise to pay for the grand plans.

"These reforms and innovations will not be cheap," said AAA President Robert Darbelnet. "All funding options must be on the table -- including an increase in the federal gasoline tax."

GO HERE to read more.

Places Where You Can Pay To Stay Behind Bars

One former Turkish prison is now a luxurious Four Seasons Hotel

What cage is three stories high, rotates, and was designed for human beings, not rats?

It’s the Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and from 1885 to 1969, this prison stacked its inmates in pie-shaped cells that revolved, so jailers could see all the prisoners from a single vantage point. If it sounds like a lazy Susan jail, that’s exactly what it was — and it’s the only one ever built.


Prisons have long been popular tourist destinations; famous spots like San Francisco’s Alcatraz, Cape Town’s Robben Island, and the Clink in London allow travelers a glimpse at their infamous past — sometimes with a tour from former inmates. But other less-famous jails — often a bit more off the beaten path — have strange features or an odd history that equally warrant a detour.

GO HERE to see more.

HIV/AIDS Doc Opposes Medical Pot

Medical marijuana will be available in the District of Columbia starting at some point in 2011, under tight restrictions. In August, Mayor Adrian Fenty’s administration issued a detailed set of rules, which will be taken up by the D.C. Council this fall.

At the time, Fenty said, “All District residents deserve access to the full slate of medical treatments available. My administration will work to ensure that medical marijuana is dispensed safely and efficiently.”

The rules call for the creation of five dispensaries, where marijuana will actually be obtained, and 10 cultivation centers, where the plants will be grown. The dispensary sites have not been chosen yet, but there has been talk of Adams Morgan, Georgetown, Petworth, and Takoma Park, among other places.

The D.C. law permits physicians to recommend marijuana for patients with cancer, glaucoma, and other conditions that cannot be treated effectively by other means. It also permits the prescription of marijuana for HIV/AIDS -- but one doctor who treats patients with HIV thinks that’s a bad idea.

“Medical marijuana, although a popular concept among patients and activists, has not been shown in clinical trials to be beneficial for those infected with HIV,” says Andy Catanzaro, an infectious diseases physician practicing in the District. “It may benefit other patients, but in my practice there are none infected with HIV who would derive benefit from using marijuana.”

Catanzaro says that when the District first voted on medical marijuana in 1998, “effective treatments for HIV were just beginning to be widely used by those of us in practice. Patients were dying, wasting away from the disease and needed measures to end their lives in comfort.”

But in 2010, he says, “we are blessed to have dozens of options to treat HIV. Thanks to careful and deliberate research on these medications, very few patients die from AIDS.”

GO HERE to read more.

Israel Requires New 'Oath Of Allegiance'

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

The Knesset will soon vote on a new citizenship law requiring an loyalty oath to a “Jewish and democratic” state.

Candidate Interviews

Because we have been overwhelmed with commitments from multiple candidates, Salisbury News is yet again sitting down at 300 W. Main Street this week doing additional candidate interviews.

It would seem that we'll be providing at least one candidate interview per day up until election day. This has been an incredible opportunity for me as I have learned more from these interviews than anything else I have ever done in politics.

Hopefully all of you take the time to view these interviews as they are much longer and go into greater detail than the primary interviews. One thing is for sure, no one can say they weren't educated.

Cowell, Mitchell, Calpino and Ollinger are pretty much the only ones who said they refuse to do an interview. Look at those names again Folks. If you've been following our interviews, we have never once stepped out of line. We have been perfectly respectful to each and every candidate, yet these people seem to be too afraid to sit down with us and express their platforms.

In the mean time, know these interviews take up quite a bit of our time both in the actual shooting as well as the production and loading it onto the Internet. Please take the time to watch these candidates and let me assure you of one thing, these interviews are far better than the primary interviews. Just try one and you'll see what I mean.

GE Got $25M In Stimulus, Reduced Workforce By 18,000

The Obama administration gave corporate giant General Electric—the parent company of NBC--$24.9 million in grants from the $787-billion economic “stimulus” law President Barack Obama signed in February 2009, according to records posted by the administration at Recovery.gov

Despite getting $24.9 million from U.S. taxpayers, GE decreased its U.S.-based employees by 18,000 in 2009, according to the company’s 2009 annual report.

According to Standard & Poor's, GE took in $156 billion in revenue in 2009.

GE was the primary recipient of 14 stimulus grants, a spokeswoman for Recovery.gov confirmed to CNSNews.com. These 14 grants provided GE with $24.9 million in tax dollars. On four additional stimulus grants, the primary recipient of the federal money hired GE as a contractor. Recovery.gov is the administration’s website that tracks stimulus expenditures.

At the end of 2008, GE employed 152,000 U.S. workers, according to its 2009 annual report. But at the end of 2009, according to the report, it employed only 134,000 U.S. workers, a decline of 18,000 workers.

GO HERE to read more.

The Truth About Christopher Columbus

I’m sure it’s happened to you, as it did to me, again, last night: Some starry-eyed collegian told me that Christopher Columbus shouldn’t be celebrated because of his treatment of native Americans. Oh, and surprise, surprise, she was armed with nothing more than her university professor’s insistence.

If Mark Twain was right that a lie can travel halfway around the world before truth has a chance to put on its shoes, imagine the damage a lie can do over 500 years.

Let me introduce you to Francisco de Bobadilla – liar and Columbus usurper. The criticism of Columbus today comes from de Bobadilla. Who was he? The man who wanted Columbus’s job as governor of Hispaniola.

In 1500 the King and Queen sent him to North America to investigate claims that Columbus wasn’t being fair to the European settlers (which means Columbus was protecting the Indians). So de Bobedilla came here, and in just a few short days did his investigation (with no telephones or motorized vehicles to help him), and promptly arrested Columbus and his brothers for Indian mistreatment and sent them back to Spain, sans a trial. Oh and, he also appointed himself governor. Coup de coeur for power lead to coup d’ etat, as usual
.
The King and Queen out these shenanigans and sent for be Bobadilla two years later, but he drowned on the trip home. Columbus was reinstated as admiral.

GO HERE to read more.

States Coming Together To Investigate Mortgage Fiasco

A coalition of as many as 40 state attorneys general is expected to announce an investigation into the mortgage-servicing industry, an effort some of them hope will pressure financial institutions to rewrite large numbers of troubled loans.

The move comes amid recent allegations that mortgage-servicers, which include units of major banks such as Bank of America Corp., submitted fraudulent documents in thousands of foreclosure proceedings nationwide.

The banks say the document problems are technical—largely the result of papers approved by so-called robo-signers with little review—and don't reflect substantive problems with foreclosures. Still, they have drawn criticism from consumer advocates and state and federal lawmakers.

GO HERE to read more.

Virgin Galactic Completes First Unmanned Space Flight

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Richard Branson is one step closer to realizing his dream of space travel. Critics though, say, it will be a long time before the 'average' person can afford it.

The High Cost of Another O’Malley Term

It’s 21 days to the election.  Marylanders will vote in many different federal, state and local elections.  All of these will affect our collective pocketbooks in one way or another.  Who we elect for governor could have the greatest impact of all.

We need to remember that Maryland’s governor not only sets the tone for the budget, he (or hopefully someday, she) WRITES the budget.  The power of the General Assembly is rather limited as to what can be added to the Governor’s budget.  They can, however, increase taxes.  We also know that spending isn’t likely to go down given the philosophical bent of the legislature, UNLESS – we have a governor other than O’Malley.

Another four years of Martin O’Malley will cost Marylanders a plenty.  While we can only speculate as to the tax hikes we’re likely to see under a second O’Malley term, there is no question that we will see higher costs to Maryland’s economy AND directly out of our pockets.

READ MORE …

New Program Is Contributing To Foreclosures

WASHINGTON - Foreclosures are a problem nationwide, but a new factor is contributing to the growing number of them in Prince George's County.
 
Under a new rule for condominiums, a potential buyer cannot get financing if more than 15 percent of the current owners in the building are behind on their condo fees unless they put 20 percent down -- not the 3.5 percent that some loans allow.
 
The nationwide rule applies with FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddic Mac loans.
 
But it's affecting sales in Prince George's County, an area already dealing with a high number of foreclosures.
"I would estimate more than 75 percent of the condominium buildings in Prince George's County are now un-financeable through traditional loans that we're seeing," Michael Chelst of America Home Key says.
 
"These are people who are first time homebuyers and looking to get in and using the 3.5 percent down-type programs and all of a sudden instead of needing $3,000 or $4,000 to get in, they now need $20,000 to get in."
 
Key says despite other programs that will help residents purchase foreclosed properties, new ones will continue to pile up even faster.

GO HERE to read more.

Analysis: Ehrlich Liked The Debate Format, But It Didn’t Like Him

Bob Ehrlich said he really liked the format of Monday’s debate between himself and Gov. Martin O’Malley, but it’s not clear the debate format liked him.

“This morning’s format is what every debate should be about,” Ehrlich said to a couple of reporters. The fairly unstructured “back and forth” conversations “don’t allow themselves to sound bites.”

Having won the negotiations on the format, Ehrlich failed to take full advantage of the freedom it permitted.

His opening statement made no attempt to lay out the “far different views” he had from O’Malley.

GO HERE to read more.

How Have You Fared At McNopoly?

For strictly journalistic purposes not having anything whatsoever to do with me being a sucker for silly, addictive promotions, I visited McDonald's four times over the past week to collect Monopoly game pieces. Emboldened by the ubiquitous ads that say one in four game pieces are winners, I racked up 40 chances to become a millionaire, or at least a Redbox free rentailaire. But all I have to show for my endeavors are five pounds gained and a free medium fry.

More »

A Tale Of Two Guantanamo Opinions

A judge’s opinion on Gitmo -- first hidden, then rewritten -- reveals the secret evidence against a detainee the Obama administration wants to hold indefinitely. Changes include evidence of dead or tortured witnesses and altered facts.

Read more...

Police, Protesters Clash During Gay Pride Parade

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

A landmark gay pride parade on the streets of Belgrade erupted in violence. More than 140 people were injured and at least 200 arrested.

DART Resort Transit Celebrates Its 21st Season With Record Breaking Ridership And Beach Park & Ride Usage

Wilmington -- Started in 1990 as Delaware Resort Transit, DART Resort Transit is in the height of its 21st season and is celebrating with record breaking ridership and usage of the DART Rehoboth Beach Park & Ride lot. DART First State is operated by the Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC).

As of August 5th, the DTC Resort Bus System has broken records for the highest number of riders for the same period last year. There were 29,560 riders during this week which is a 24.11% increase over last year during the same week. The Route 201, serving the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, accommodated 158,200 passengers so far this year. This represents a 36.50% increase over the same period for the 2009 season. The Route 305, Wilmington to Rehoboth Beach Connection, has seen a significant increase in popularity this year. At this point of the season, we have exceeded the last year number of riders by 39.46%.

The Park & Ride lot has seen a huge increase due mostly to the Rehoboth employees from businesses and public agencies. As of July 17th, there were 9,133 Rehoboth Beach employees using the Park & Ride lot compared to only 6,304 last year during the same time frame. This is a 44.88%. The number of full paying customers at the Park & Ride lot has gone from 4,024 last year to 5,106 this year, an increase of 26.89%.

Reaching out to beach area employers about the convenience of the Park & Ride lot was just one element of the DART synergistic and media domineering marketing efforts for the record breaking 2010 season. DTC Marketing sent letters to 733 employers about the employee discounted park & ride program. Other resort marketing awareness elements included print ads in two beach area newspapers, radio ads on 6 of the major radio stations in the State, and restroom display ads at 20 restaurant locations in the beach area. DTC Marketing staff also spent a week in the beach area distributing 26,100 resort schedules to over 1,000 Resort area businesses. In addition, DTC Marketing placed Resort ad boards in the major shopping malls at Christiana and Dover, along with Resort movie theater ads in Dover and Rehoboth. Promotion of the Resort service and especially the Park & Ride lot also included DART Rider E-Mail Notices, a special information and schedule page on DartFirstState.com, and on the DTC Weatherline reporting service serving New Castle County.

Year to date, ridership is up from Resort 2009 by 35.64%. DART has transported 227,459 riders so far this season. The 2010 Resort season has surpassed any and all prior years to date. The DTC record year was in 2008 and for this year ridership is 29.78% greater than the same period

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases

Incident: Possession of Marijuana / DUI
Date of Incident: 9 October 2010
Location: 8100 block of Burnt Branch Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Antonio Chaney, 42, Salisbury, MD


Narrative: On 9 October 2010 at 10:15 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office clocked a vehicle being driven by Antonio Chaney on radar travelling in excess of the 35 mph speed limit on Jersey Road in Salisbury. Upon attempting to stop the vehicle, Chaney instead continued northbound on Jersey Road without pulling over. Chaney then turned onto Burnt Branch Drive and still failed to stop for the deputy. Chaney continued down Burnt Branch Drive before pulling into a driveway and up to a residence.
Upon contacting Chaney, the deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from within the vehicle. After further contact, the deputy placed Chaney under arrest for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. The deputy also discovered that Chaney’s Maryland driver’s license was revoked, that the tags on Chaney’s vehicle belonged to another, and that Chaney had no insurance on the vehicle he was operating. Upon searching the vehicle, the deputy also located marijuana and a smoking device.

Chaney was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Chaney in the Detention Center in lieu of $30,000.00 bond.
Charges: Possession of Marijuana
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Driving While Revoked
Driving Without Insurance.

Incident: Possession of Marijuana
Date of Incident: 9 October 2010
Location: Naylor Mill Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Dwayne D. Lockman, 19, Salisbury, MD


Narrative: On 9 October 2010 at 7:14 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle driven by Dwayne Lockman for driving on the roadway after dusk without headlights. Upon stopping the vehicle, the deputy detected odor of marijuana emanating from within the vehicle. Upon searching the vehicle, the deputy recovered marijuana from underneath the driver’s seat.

Lockman was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Lockman on Personal Recognizance.

Charges: Possession of Marijuana

Incident: Prowler
Date of Incident: 9 October 2010
Location: 1700 block of S. Mill Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Pending


Narrative: On 9 October 2010 at 8:54 PM, deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1700 block of S. Mill Drive for a report of a suspicious person. Upon arrival, the deputies met with residents and learned there has been a problem of an individual peeping into windows in the development. The description provided is that of a white male that usually dresses in camouflage type clothing.

Anyone who may have witnessed these incidents or has any information that may aid in this investigation is asked to contact the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4891 or Crime Solvers at
410-548-1776

Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 10 October 2010
Location: 900 block of East Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Shane Johnson, 23, Salisbury, MD


Narrative: On 10 October 2010 at 10:50 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to investigate an altercation inside a residence in the 900 block of East Road in Salisbury. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a female who advised her boyfriend had just assaulted her and ran out the back door as the deputy arrived. The deputy pursued the boyfriend, Shane Goslee Johnson, on foot and managed to apprehend him on Morris Street.

The deputy transported Johnson to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Johnson in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond.

Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 10 October 2010
Location: 3500 block of Milton Mill Road, Fruitland, MD
Suspect: Cynthia D. Outten, 49, Delmar, DE


Narrative: On 10 October 2010 at 9:16 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported overturned vehicle in the 3500 block of Milton Mill Road in Fruitland, MD. Upon arrival, the deputy located a Chevrolet Blazer on its side that had been driven by Cynthia Outten of Delmar, DE. Investigation revealed that she was driving on Milton Mill Road when she came up on her estranged husband also travelling on Milton Mill Rd in a separate vehicle and allegedly tried to run him off the road.

According to her husband, Outten came up behind him flashing the headlights on her vehicle. Her husband also stated that Outten then passed him on Milton Mill Road, overtook him and slammed on her brakes upon getting in front of him. Investigation led the deputy to conclude at that point Outten lost control of her vehicle and it overturned.

The deputy placed Outten under arrest and transported her to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, Outten was released by the Commissioner on Personal Recognizance.

Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
Reckless Endangerment

Charges: Assault 2nd Degree

A Caveman Could Understand This

Why did Bernie Madoff go to prison?  To make it simple, he talked people into investing with him.  Trouble was, he didn't invest their money.  As time rolled on he simply took the money from the new investors to pay off the old investors.  Finally there were too many old investors and not enough money from new investors coming in to keep the payments going. 
  
       
Next thing you know Madoff is one of the most hated men in  America and he is off to jail.
 

Some of you know this.  But not enough of you.  Madoff did to his investors what the government has been doing to us for over 70 years with Social Security.  There is no meaningful difference between the two schemes, except that one was operated by a private individual who is now in jail, and the other is operated by politicians who enjoy perks, privileges and status in spite of their actions.

 
         Do you need a side-by-side comparison here?  Well here's a nifty little chart. 

 
  
BERNIE MADOFF
SOCIAL SECURITY
Takes money from investors with the promise that the money will be invested and made available to them later.

 

 
Takes money from wage earners with the promise that the money will be invested in a "Trust Fund" and made available later.

 

 
Instead of investing the money Madoff spends it on nice homes in the Hamptons  and yachts.

 

 
Instead of depositing money in a Trust Fund the politicians use it for general spending and vote buying.

 

 
When the time comes to pay the investors back Madoff simply uses some of the new funds from newer investors to pay back the older investors.

 

 
When benefits for older investors become due the politicians pay them with money taken from younger and newer wage earners to pay the geezers.

 

 
When Madoff's scheme is discovered all hell breaks loose.  New investors won't give him any more cash.

 

 
When Social Security runs out of money they simply force the taxpayers to send them some more.

 

 
Bernie Madoff is in jail.

 

 
Politicians remain in  Washington ...

 

 
'The taxpayer: That's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination.'          
~ Ronald Reagan


  "If you put the federal government in charge of the  Sahara Desert , in five
  years there’d be a shortage of sand.”      
~ Milton Friedman

Congress Eyes Your 401 (K)

New Lame Duck Threat to Bailout Union Pensions
Posted 10/08/2010 ET
Updated 10/08/2010 ET

Democrats in the Senate on Thursday held a recess hearing covering a taxpayer bailout of union pensions and a plan to seize private 401(k) plans to more "fairly" distribute taxpayer-funded pensions to everyone.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee heard from hand-picked witnesses advocating the infamous "Guaranteed Retirement Account" (GRA) authored by Theresa Guilarducci.

(You can find the blistering interview with Guilarducci by radio talk show host Mark Levin in 2007 at the link).

In a nutshell, under the GRA system government would seize private 401(k) accounts, setting up an additional 5% mandatory payroll tax to dole out a "fair" pension to everyone using that confiscated money coupled with the mandated contributions.  This would, of course, be a sister government ponzi scheme working in tandem with Social Security, the primary purpose being to give big government politicians additional taxpayer funds to raid to pay for their out-of-control spending.

From written hearing testimony submitted by Economic Policy Institute (EPI) Vice President Ross Eisenbrey:

“We need a comprehensive solution that addresses interrelated problems. For example, a system that places most of the burden for retirement saving on individuals will always have to wrestle with the problem of pre-retirement loans and withdrawals (simply plugging these leaks will not work, because many workers would stop contributing to the system). A system that relies on tax incentives to promote individual retirement savings will necessarily tend to favor high-income workers who can afford to save more and who benefit the most from these tax breaks. Conversely, a truly universal system would need to shield low-income workers from out-of-pocket costs or wage cuts. EPI has published and advocated what we feel would be an excellent national supplemental retirement plan, the Guaranteed Retirement Account which was authored by Prof. Teresa Ghilarducci, Director of the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at the New School for Social Research. "

The EPI is housed on the third floor of the building occupied by the George Soros-funded Center for American Progress, a hard-core leftist group whose flavor of socialist policy has brought you the current blend of elitist socialism and crony capitalism bankrupting the American economy.  Which speaks volumes about EPI and the Democrat leadership's choice of witness.

Brett McMahon, spokesman for the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), a trade association, warns this hearing exposed part of a process that may come as early as the November lame duck push to bailout union pensions by attaching the bailout to an across-the-board extension of the current tax rates.

"I am deeply concerned that they will try to attach something like the Casey bill or the Casey bill in and of itself to tax cut extensions bill that is inevitably going to have to be dealt with at some point during the lame duck session," McMahon told HUMAN EVENTS.

As reported in HUMAN EVENTS the Casey bill from Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.) is a new entitlement program that would set up a permanent bailout of the union multi-employer pension plans that are desperately underwater through a new "fifth fund" at the government Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).  Casey’s bill would create a line item on the federal budget through the PBGC to fund these union pension bailouts annually -- union pensions that are underwater as a result of mismanagement that pre-dates the 2008 financial upheaval. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was the only other senator at the hearing with Harkin.  His particular brand of gutter class warfare was on full display as the self-described socialist made the absurd claim that wealthy job creators oppose the Social Security system because it "works."

"So, the reason that there is so much opposition to Social Security for some of these billionaire guys is because Social Security has worked. It has done exactly what it was supposed to do. It has worked for the elderly, for the disabled, for widows and orphans," Sanders said in his opening remarks.

In typical leftist drive-by fashion, Sanders never explained why he believes successful people don't like the elderly, disabled, widows or orphans.

And, of course, the theme of the day was "fairness" as it's somehow "fair" to take what one person has earned in the free market and give it to another in a government-run wealth redistribution retirement scheme.

Shareen Miller, a personal care assistant and a member of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local Number 5 in Falls Church, Virginia, offered testimony about the need for wealth redistribution to fund her pension.

"I make $12 an hour and receive no healthcare benefits, retirement benefits, sick time or vacation," the SEIU union member said. 

Which begs the question: why is she paying union dues?  Not exactly a sterling recommendation for SEIU membership.

Miller went on to say that the physical demands of her job giving care to a cerebral palsy patient are becoming more difficult.  But Miller has been aware of these conditions for at least two years. 

In 2008, Miller spent a day with then Virginia Senate candidate Mark Warner in an SEIU "Walk a day in the shoes" for Democrat candidates.  Common sense would dictate Miller's individual responsibility for moving out of this particular line of work, leaving the physically demanding jobs to younger folks entering the work force.  Perhaps Miller could demand fair payment for shilling for Democrats.

But the physical demands and hazardous jobs claims are not new from those demanding taxpayers fund a "fair" pension for everyone.  This scheme is at the heart of the collapse of European socialism.

From Michael Lewis in Vanity Fair magazine:

"The retirement age for Greek jobs classified as 'arduous' is as early as 55 for men and 50 for women. As this is also the moment when the state begins to shovel out generous pensions, more than 600 Greek professions somehow managed to get themselves classified as arduous: hairdressers, radio announcers, waiters, musicians, and on and on and on."

Overall McMahon said the pressing issue for the lame duck is the union pension bailout with new Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) rules currently set to take effect December 15. These new rules would force companies to account for the cost of penalties to extract themselves from these union pension plans against their bottom line.  (Full report from HUMAN EVENTS here.)

"The pension bailouts are something they need desperately and they need quickly because as everyone involved with the forthcoming new FASB rule acknowledges, you cannot stop the accounting board from a new transparency requirement," McMahon said.  "It's going to hurt."

One of the largest of these multiemployer funds, Central States Funds, is in such bad shape that UPS paid a $6.1 billion penalty to extricate itself from employee participation in the fund.  It is that type of penalty that would now be on the books, and it could be more than the company's overall value.

McMahon notes non-union companies without the multiemployer union plans have been operating under these types of transparency rules all along.  And the participating companies have had decades to address the issue of the pension underfunding but have not done so. 

Now companies and unions alike are looking for a taxpayer bailout in the lame duck session that could garner enough support from both sides of the aisle blanketed in the tax cut extension.

The lame duck session would offer the last chance for unions and companies to be able to place liability for their underwater pensions on the taxpayers' backs before the new FASB rule goes into effect.

The Andy Harris For Congress Newsletter

22 DAYS AND COUNTING!

We are down to the final three weeks until Election Day and momentum is picking up! After a great fundraising quarter and a lead in the polls, we have an opportunity to keep up the momentum through election night!
         
This is all despite the smear campaign Frank Kratovil continues to run against me. Even the media called these ads “misleading” and “false” attacks. Let’s set the record straight – I’ve never once voted to increase taxes in 12 years as a State Senator and I promise to keep that pledge when elected to Congress.

We Have the Momentum
Two polls were released last week. The Hill showed me with a 3-point lead and leading Kratovil among likely voters, 43 percent to 40 percent, with 15 percent still undecided. The NRCC also released a poll showing me leading my opponent 43 percent to 39 percent. This is great news, and I’m counting on everyone to come out to the polls and make it count!

I’d like to thank everyone for the very successful fundraising quarter we had! We raised over a half million dollars in the third quarter FEC fundraising period. The overwhelming majority of the funds have come from individuals who understand the importance of this election. Thank you to all of my contributors – because of you we are on our way to victory!

The Endorsements Continue to Pour In
I was endorsed recently by Trust in Small Business (TISB). I received an “A” rating based on my fundamental faith in the free enterprise system. I also received an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA), calling me a “solidly pro-gun candidate.” In addition, I got the same top rating and an endorsement from Gun Owners of America, recognizing my "unwavering support of the rights of gun owners." I’m glad to have the support of those working to uphold the Second Amendment and small business rights and will continue to fight to uphold their rights if elected to Congress.

Andy Around Town and in the MediaI’ve been busy campaigning across the District. I walked in the Hurlock Fall Festival Parade and the Perryville Autumn Fest Parade.  Last Wednesday, I visited Pepsi-Cola’s Safety Day in Salisbury and I spent today going door-to-door in Anne Arundel County with former Congressman Toby Roth (WI-8).

WJZ-TV in Baltimore reported on the race in last week's news. The new polling only confirms what we have been seeing - we have the momentum! Watch here.
         
Check out my “Candidate Close-Up” interview on WBAL Baltimore. I talk about why I’m running for Congress and what I hope to accomplish. Watch here.

Calling all Volunteers
Next Saturday, October 16, volunteers across the state will be going door to door and phone banking for Super Saturday. It is time to grab your friends and family and go knock on some doors! Visit the Maryland GOP website for more information.

As always, if you’d like to volunteer call 410-609-3829 and we’ll put you to work!

There are only 22 days before Election Day! I need you to not only volunteer, but get your friends, family, and neighbors to pitch in, too! As always, I want to thank you for your continued support. None of this would be possible without people like you helping my campaign every step of the way.


Andy Harris

Residents Who Live Near Public Transportation Live Healthier, Study Finds

Wilmington -- A new report, released by the American Public Transportation Association on August 8, 2010, which surveys current research has found that people who live in communities with high-quality public transportation drive less, exercise more, live longer, and are generally healthier than residents of communities that lack quality public transit.

Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits, a study conducted for APTA by Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute aggregates the findings of several recent studies and concludes that people living in transit-oriented smart growth communities enjoy several health benefits, not seen in other communities, including residents drive less, exposing them to a lower risk of fatal vehicle accidents.

Such communities also have less pollution, because public transportation produces far less emissions per passenger mile than private automobiles. In addition, people who live near quality public transit are more likely to undertake regular physical activity than residents of automobile-dependent communities.

Public transportation enhances the overall quality of life of an individual and a community, said APTA president William Millar. Use of public transit simply means that you walk more which increases fitness levels and leads to healthier citizens. More importantly, increasing use of public transit may be the most effective traffic safety counter measure a community can employ.

The APTA report notes, transportation activity also plays a role in lessening the
individual risk in five of the 10 leading causes of reduced lifespan, as identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A recent CDC study evaluated causes of potential years of life lost, including cancer, heart disease, motor vehicle crashes, and other causes. For example, Pollution contributes to cancer and congenital anomalies [birth defects], and sedentary living ... contributes to heart disease and strokes, Litman wrote.

One solution is smart growth communities, according to Litman, who cited a 2003 study finding that urban residents had significantly lower violent death rates, whether from vehicle accidents or other causes.

Litman also noted that the 10 U.S. Counties with the smartest, most transit-oriented growth have approximately one-fourth the traffic fatality rates as those counties with the most sprawling development. For example, the traffic fatality rate for the Bronx, NY was approximately four per 100,000 residents. However, for Miami, KS, the rate was almost 40 per 100,000.

Moreover, other recent studies have found that users of public transportation walk more than those who do not use public transit, regardless of income.

The health benefits of public transportation should be given greater consideration in transportation planning, Litman concluded. A growing portion of households want to rely more on alternative modes and live in more accessible, multi-modal communities, he wrote. Accommodating this demand would provide benefits to users and society, including significant health benefits.