Kratovil “Batting .800-Plus” With Pelosi/Hoyer

SEVERNA PARK, Md. – With only five days before the voters of Maryland’s First District decide Frank Kratovil’s fate, Kratovil snuck back to the Washington suburbs to have a last-ditch fundraiser with Vice President Joe Biden, while ignoring that he’s been running away from Congressional Democrats for the past year.

In attendance at the fundraiser were Democrat Leader Steny Hoyer, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen, Congresswoman Donna Edwards (who votes with Nancy Pelosi 96 percent of the time), and Maryland State Democratic Party Chair Susan Turnbull.

Highlights from an Elite Washington Cocktail Party
 

 The following are a few quotes from the event:

• “Frank is batting .800-plus with us. I don't want you to tell anyone that.” – Leader Steny Hoyer

• "Look at the message it sends" if Kratovil loses. – Vice President Joe Biden 

• Congresswoman Edwards thanked the guests for "standing tall with us at this really difficult time. We stand with each other as Democrats.”

The following are quotes that are often heard on television but probably not heard at the event:

• “And when they came to me to vote for the $3 trillion budget and the health care bill, I stood up and said ‘no.’” – Congressman Frank Kratovil 

• “As one of the 10 most independent members of Congress, I’m in the middle with you.” – Congressman Frank Kratovil

Wondering what the Democratic Washington-Elite eat at their cocktail parties? The menu consisted of:

- blackened salmon sliders
- lamb polpettine and persian chicken skewers
- butternut squash soup sips
- antipasta - imported and domestic cheese; spreads; bread and crackers
- spiced nuts
- mini tarts

Tickets to the closed-door Washington fundraiserwere $250-$500.

With Maryland’s First District at record unemployment, maybe Frank Kratovil’s time would be better spent talking about job creation instead of mingling with Washington Democrats.

Be Very Careful Who You Vote For In Law Enforcement

The word on the street tonight is that a certain former police chief has reportedly been calling some former employees trying to recruit them, (should he win) to come down to another County. He claims he's going to get them LEOPS and all kinds of bells and whistles but the County Commissioners aren't too happy about these promises being made.

You see Folks, crime is a business to some. The MORE crime you have, the more money you draw in from the State and Feds. We have ALL seen how things went in Salisbury over the past 12+ years. Why didn't everyone know crime was as high as it is. Why did certain people deny there were ANY Gangs in Salisbury.

The more crime you have, the more money you bring in. Heck, even O'Malley started sending Salisbury additional funding because Salisbury has become such an embarrassment to the entire state of Maryland.

Now mind you, while I wouldn't wish a certain former police chief on even my worst enemy, I will admit that I'd LOVE to see him get elected so Salisbury News can go down there and keep tabs on what's going on. The choice is all yours.

In the mean time, if you do vote for a certain somebody you can expect that person to come into that Police Department and clean house.

If you vote one way, expect crime to go through the roof and while the commissioners may say they won't support the additional expenses one candidate is allegedly offering to outside officers, perhaps the state and feds will come along and pay for their additional expenses as well. After all, to one candidate crime is a business.

SBYNews Candidate Interviews With Andy Harris & Norm Conway

Sby News Interview Andy Harris from Jack Powell on Vimeo.

Sby News Interview Norm Conway from Jack Powell on Vimeo.

Out Of Touch Kratovil Holding Big Out Of District Fundraiser

Five days before Election Day, Kratovil ditches constituents to pad his coffers

ANNAPOLIS – Maryland Republican Party Spokesman Ryan Mahoney released the following statement today in response to Congressman Kratovil’s high dollar fundraiser with Vice President Biden in well to do Washington suburb:

“Frank Kratovil has received national media attention for choosing contributors over his constituents, but skipping town to mingle with DC’s elite Democrat donors the week before Election Day is a new low. It’s really not all too surprising that in the waning days of his fledgling campaign, Frank Kratovil is getting bailed out by the liberal Democrats he’s voted with 85 percent of the time. 

“While Frank Kratovil and Vice President Biden rub shoulders with rich donors in Bethesda, record numbers of unemployed First District residents are waiting at home wondering when Kratovil will deliver on his failed promise to return jobs to the District. It’s ironic that Kratovil has spent months running from Washington, yet in the final days of the election, he is swooping back into town for a handout from the very people he’s slammed along the campaign trail.”

The New York Times singles out Frank Kratovil for skipping town halls to wine and dine with donors. “The reception that Representative Frank Kratovil Jr., a Democrat, received here one night last week as he faced a small group of constituents was far more pleasant than his encounters during a Congressional recess last summer. Then, he was hanged in effigy by protesters. This time, a round of applause was followed by a glass of chilled wine, a plate of crackers and crudités as he mingled with an invitation-only audience at the Point Breeze Credit Union, a vastly different scene than last year’s wide-open televised free-for-alls. (Jeff Zeleny, Democrats Skip Town Halls to Avoid Voter Rage, The New York Times, 6/6/10)

Apparently Frank Kratovil thinks Democrat leaders like Vice President Biden are breaking the system and too driven by politics… unless he needs their money.  CNN:  “Meeting with a group of local business leaders Friday in Elkton to discuss issues like trade and taxes, Kratovil repeatedly referred to himself as an "independent" and sounded more like a visitor to Washington, instead of the incumbent. He talked about his "first impressions of Washington DC" and slammed the "process" his own Democratic leaders use to pass legislation as broken and too driven by politics.”… “Kratovil carefully dodged a question about whether he'd vote for Pelosi again to serve as Speaker of the House if Democrats retain control, saying he's focused on his own election and will wait to see who runs for Speaker.” 

Comment On Biden-Kratovil Fundraiser

“Frank Kratovil voted for the $800 billion Obama-Pelosi stimulus and continues to call it a ‘good thing.’ And for him, it is: Joe Biden’s thank-you visit will add hundreds of thousands of dollars to his campaign account. But for everyday Marylanders, it’s wasted their money and failed to create jobs. Contrary to the congressman’s belief, that’s not a ‘good thing’ – but it’s a great reason to fire him.” – Andy Seré, NRCC spokesman

Since Frank Kratovil voted for the $800 billion Obama-Pelosi stimulus, Maryland has lost tens of thousands of jobs:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics for Maryland, 2009-2010

Yet Kratovil has continued to defend it, saying this summer: “The stimulus was a good thing. It's a good thing we did it.”

Most Marylanders clearly aren’t seeing any benefits from the stimulus, but Kratovil’s right in one respect: supporting the stimulus was a “good thing” for his campaign coffers:

“Vice President Joe Biden will help fatten Kratovil's account today, when he headlines a fundraiser in Bethesda for the Eastern Shore congressman.” (Baltimore Sun, 10/27/10)

Don't Miss Tonight's Candidate Interviews With Norm Conway & Andy Harris

Mary Kane Knows Quality When She Sees It

Welcome to Wicomico County Mary. Your choice in candidates proves you too deserve to be elected.

Andy Harris, Michael Steele & Bob Ehrlich Come To Salisbury Tomorrow

Friday, October 29^th
WHEN:             9:30 AM

WHAT:             RNC Fire Pelosi Bus Tour – Salisbury Stop
                              with RNC Chairman Michael Steele and Governor Bob Ehrlich
                    
WHERE:           Salisbury Victory Office
                               1016 South Salisbury Blvd
                               Salisbury, MD 21801

Good News For Somerset County Residents. Bad News For Criminals With Cell Phones

A short while ago, Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were in pursuit of a suspect concerning an outstanding warrant.

A foot pursuit began and the Sheriff's deputies requested the K-9 unit “Hannah”.  Hannah and handler Deputy First Class Daum responded to the scene. 

The subject’s recovered cell phone provided K-9 Hannah with enough scent to find the trail of the fleeing subject.

The subject was located by K-9 Hannah in just several minutes and was immediately apprehended by the Sheriff’s Deputies.

Great job K-9 Hannah , DFC Daum and all Deputies involved!

Unknown Facts About Obama Care

Senator Colburn Receives Business Recognition

Cambridge –Maryland Business for Responsive Government (MBRG), a non-partisan organization, has selected Senator Richard F. Colburn (R-Eastern Shore) as a recipient of the John Shaw Pro-Business Award, which acknowledges legislators for their pro-business voting record over a period of four years. Senator Colburn proudly received a cumulative score of 85%. Because of this voting record, the Maryland Business Leadership PAC has endorsed Senator Colburn as their choice to represent the 37th District in the Maryland State Senate. Similarly, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) recognized Senator Colburn for having a 100% voting record from 2007—2010 on Maryland’s most pivotal small business issues. He was one of only five Maryland senators to receive a perfect voting score. Because of his steadfast support of Maryland’s business community, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee has announced their endorsement of Senator Colburn’s candidacy for Maryland State Senator for District 37. Based on the recommendations of Maryland’s local Farm Bureaus, Senator Colburn has also been endorsed by the Maryland Farm Bureau Political Action Committee because of his voting record on issues regarding the protection of Maryland’s agriculture and rural life.

Senator Colburn stated, "I am honored to receive recognition for my business advocacy in Maryland. We must strengthen Maryland’s economy. A recovery from this recession will occur only when the private sector begins to hire new employees. Maryland must encourage growth in the private sector. Maryland is not currently business friendly, and changes must be made to make it more business friendly. Maryland state government continues to promulgate regulations and taxes which hinder MD businesses. That has, in turn, made it difficult to compete with the competitive business environments in Maryland’s neighboring states."

As a recipient of these accolades, Senator Colburn added, "A lot of people talk the talk, but I walk the walk when it comes to supporting Maryland’s businesses. I am pro-business and pro-jobs. My recognition by the MBRG, NFIB, and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and Maryland Farm Bureau PAC’s says it all; and I will continue to support pro-business legislation in Maryland. I will also continue to advocate for Maryland agriculture and seafood, the two largest industries on the Eastern Shore."

America On Sale, From Matt Taibbi's 'Griftopia'

Our cash-strapped country is auctioning off its highways, ports and even parking meters, finding eager buyers in the Middle East

 

In the summer of 2009 I got a call from an acquaintance who worked in the Middle East. He was a young American who worked for something called a sovereign wealth fund, a giant state-owned pile of money that swims around the world in search of things to buy.

Sovereign wealth funds, or SWFs, are huge in the Middle East. Most of the bigger oil-producing states have massive SWFs that act as cash repositories (with holdings often kept in dollars) for the revenues generated by, for instance, state-owned oil companies. Unlike the central banks of most Western countries, whose main function is to accumulate reserves in an attempt to stabilize the domestic currency, most SWFs have a mission to invest aggressively and generate huge long-term returns. Imagine the biggest and most aggressive hedge fund on Wall Street, then imagine that that same fund is fifty or sixty times bigger and outside the reach of the SEC or any other major regulatory authority, and you've got a pretty good idea of what an SWF is.
My buddy was a young guy who'd come up working on the derivatives desk of one of the more dastardly American investment banks. After a few years of that he decided to take a step up morally and flee to the Middle East to go to work advising a bunch of sheiks on how to spend their oil billions.

Aside from the hot weather, it wasn't such a bad gig. But on one of his trips home, we met in a restaurant and he mentioned that the work had gotten a little, well, weird.

"I was in a meeting where a bunch of American investment bankers were trying to sell us the Pennsylvania Turnpike," he said. "They even had a slide show. They were showing these Arabs what a nice highway we had for sale, what the toll booths looked like . . ."

I dropped my fork. "The Pennsylvania Turnpike is for sale?"

He nodded. "Yeah," he said. "We didn't do the deal, though. But, you know, there are some other deals that have gotten done. Or didn't you know about this?"

GO HERE to read more from Rolling Stones Magazine.

Maryland House 38-B – McDermott, Conway

This one is guaranteed to tick off all but the most committed ticket splitters.  It’s easy for our readers to understand why we support Mike McDermott … but Norm Conway?
Let’s take the easy one first.  Mike McDermott is an easy pick for one of the two 38-B House seats.  McDermott is conservative, he’s passionate about what he believes, he has served with distinction as a law enforcement officer.  McDermott has a background in agriculture – key to our local economy.  There is no doubt that Mike McDermott will stand firm in Annapolis representing the values of the Lower Shore.
As conservative as Mike McDermott is, how could we endorse Norm Conway?  It’s simple.  While we have disagreed with many of Norm’s votes over the years, Norm is willing to man up and explain himself.  Conway is willing to listen AND he’s chairman of the Appropriations Committee (something that no one but the most rigid ideologue should sneeze at).
At a recent debate we were gratified to watch Norm own up to criticism.  Rather than duck issues he was clear -

“If I had to do it again, I would vote the same way.  While you may disagree with me, I honestly believe that this was in the best interest of the citizens of the Eastern Shore.”

You have to admire that, even if you disagree with it.
Conway may side with the liberal folk on the Western Shore more than we would like.  However, because of his position he has a voice that will be heard above the din.  We need that in a legislator, but just one.
We also want to be clear that the other GOP candidate, Marty Pusey, should not be discounted.  She appears to hold the same core set of beliefs as McDermott.  No candidate has worked harder for a House seat.  She is a woman, and candidate, worthy of admiration.  It is simply our honest belief that the citizens of the Lower Shore would be best served by retaining Conway.

Maryland Senate 37 – Richard Colburn

We know that there’s an anti-incumbent mood in air.  Too many of our fellow conservatives seem to think our government would be better run if we simply rid ourselves of everyone who has served so much as a day in office.
After 16 years in the Maryland Senate and 8 before that in the Maryland House, such a mood may not bode well for incumbent District 37 senator Richard Colburn.  Those who adhere to that belief are doing us, and themselves a grave disservice.
Throughout his tenure in the legislature, Colburn has been fairly conservative AND able to work with other members – both Republican and Democrat.  He has served the citizens of Caroline, Talbot, Dorchester, and Wicomico counties well – through stellar constituent service and by working to help the industries that drive our local economy.  Colburn has been straightforward about his views but willing to listen to those who elect him.  These are all traits that we should find attractive in our elected representatives.
Colburn’s opponent, attorney Chris Robinson, is by all accounts a fine fellow.  However, his political beliefs are out of touch with the District he wishes to represent.  Voters should remember that, while Robinson may be running in 2010 as a “conservative Democrat”, he ran for Congress in 2008 as the “progressive” alternative to ultimate primary and general election winner Frank Kratovil.
That isn’t what the citizens of District 37 need.  Rich Colburn is a proven, and valuable, commodity.  The voters would be wise to keep him.

Maryland House 38-A – Charles Otto

This has got to be the toughest call of any race on the Lower Shore.  No, it’s not because the two candidates are so bad; it’s because both are pretty darn good!
Democrat Mike McCready serves on the Somerset County Commission.  He’s a farmer and a waterman.  He’s well versed on all of the issues that 38-A voters hold so dear.
That said, Charles Otto is also a farmer.  He has held just about every leadership position available in the Maryland Farm Bureau, the Somerset County Farm Bureau, and currently serves as president of the Wicomico County Farm Bureau.  In addition, Otto has ample business experience.
Both gentlemen are active in both their churches and community.  To add insult to injury, both are true gentlemen.
The downside?  McCready has supported a tax increase as a county commissioner.  Otto is a Virginia Tech grad (editorial board member and Virginia alum G. A. Harrison claims this as a black mark, but a forgivable one).
Why Otto?  Simply, Charles Otto seems more conservative and more likely to hold firm against the Annapolis crowd.  Let’s face it; when you are in the minority it’s a bit easier to hold to principle.  When you are a member of the majority party, you’re promised stuff.  It’s too easy to forget where you came from.
Ultimately, this choice is about “feel”.  We feel that Charles Otto will serve the citizens of Maryland and 38-A best.  Yes, McCready has some experience with local government.  However, the legislature and the Somerset County Commission are in separate universes.  While both candidates have promised to serve the voters of 38-A in a conservative, common sense way, Otto takes it one step forward - Charles Otto shares what he believes.  Otto not only shares his faith in Jesus Christ (both gentlemen are committed Christians), he shares his beliefs about how we should be governed.
Promises are one thing.  A core set of beliefs are something that we can hold on to.

ICYMI: THE AFRO ENDORSES O'MALLEY

Baltimore, MD (October 28, 2010) -- In case you missed it, the AFRO American Newspapers endorsed Governor Martin O'Malley, praising O'Malley's "demonstrated leadership during his first term in office that resulted in Maryland holding its own" during the national recession.

O'Malley: Actions are Louder Than Words

Poised To Take Maryland to a Bright Future

by AFRO Staff

Probably the most important race in Maryland this election is the governorship. With the national - and the state's - economy continuing to lag, never before has there been a greater need for strong leadership with vision and sensitivity.

It is for this reason the AFRO American Newspapers endorses Gov. Martin O'Malley.

With the national economy struggling to recover from the devastation that has crippled many state governments, Gov. O'Malley demonstrated leadership during his first term in office that resulted in Maryland holding its own. Because during his first year O'Malley had the foresight to make an unpopular move (at that time) - calling a special legislative session to address the state's structural deficit - Maryland weathered the recession better than most states. It is one of only eight states maintaining a triple-A bond rating and is reported as one of only three states that will grow their economy this year. Maryland also has an unemployment rate below the national average and twice the national rate of job creation.  Plus with this week's announcement of an agreement being reached between Constellation Energy Group and EDF on the development of the Calvert Cliffs 3 project, thousands of jobs will now be created.

To help more Maryland students go to college, he's frozen college tuition at state schools for the last four years and increased operating and capital funding to historically Black colleges and universities by 37 percent.

In spite of the commendable accomplishments, we would nevertheless like to see Gov. O'Malley take a more aggressive stand against the duplication of higher education programs in the historically Black colleges and universities, which started during the Ehrlich governorship. A large percentage of our community relies on HBCUs as the sole source for its higher education. We believe the continued allowance of the existing duplication places HBCUs at a substantial disadvantage - indeed jeopardizes the future educational opportunities of our children.

When considering former Gov. Ehrlich's candidacy, we are not convinced that the same level of sensitivity exists with respect to the issues important to the Black community. When we looked at the successes Ehrlich offers to demonstrate his commitment to the African-American community - appointments and HBCU capital funding - these are commendable, but we view them as merely cosmetic actions in comparison to some of the more important issues facing our community. And while we do not judge him only by the party he chooses to represent, we cannot ignore it, despite his requests to be judged solely on his actions. While departing from the Republican script on some issues, he has not convinced us he is really different from the party he has always chosen to be associated with.

The Black community is entitled to more than just a prospective "trust me" pitch in return for its vote. We believe our votes should be cast for candidates whose demonstrated past actions best address the important needs of our community.

While O'Malley is not perfect - he needs to take more responsibility for how damaging his zero-tolerance program was to the Black community when he was Baltimore's mayor - his actions as governor convincingly demonstrate he is the better of the two candidates. For the reasons outlined, we encourage everyone to participate in the election and to cast your ballot for the team of O'Malley/Brown.

O’Malley Supporters Threaten Workers Into Supporting Campaign

Emails to workers are latest examples of O’Malley supporters bullying workers

 

ANNAPOLIS – Maryland Republican Party Chairman Audrey Scott released the following statement today in response to emails obtained by MDGOP, in which AFSCME leaders threaten union workers if they do not volunteer for Governor O’Malley:

 

“This revelation is just another example of bullying and workforce intimidation by Governor O’Malley and his supporters.  After furloughing state employees during a recession, O’Malley’s bullying tactics have apparently extended to now threatening government union workers into backing his campaign.  For a campaign that claims to be ‘on your side,’ it seems as if the Governor will put you ‘on your back’ if you do not support his campaign.  With Maryland’s unemployment steadily rising, I think Martin O’Malley and his supporters have bullied Maryland’s workers enough.”

 

The emails come just months after the O’Malley campaign admitted bullying state employees by sending fundraising solicitations to their state government email accounts. The solicitations were sent to employees who serve at the pleasure of the Governor and could fear for their jobs if they don’t donate to the O’Malley campaign.  It also comes weeks after O’Malley aides bullied state employees into covering up a jobs report that refuted Martin O’Malley’s claim that Maryland’s economy was recovering.

Today's Survey Question

Will YOU Be Dressing Up For Halloween?

Frank Kratovil Mingles With Democrats As Marylanders Search For Jobs

SEVERNA PARK, Md. – Five days before the Midterm elections, endangered Democrat incumbent, Frank Kratovil, holds a fundraiser outside the First Congressional District with the second highest Democrat in the nation, Vice President Joe Biden.

Apparently all it takes are a few scary polls to get Frank Kratovil crawling back to Washington Democrats for last minute cash, even though he has spent the last year touting his independence. However, he doesn’t dare hold the fundraiser with President Obama’s right-hand man in the First Congressional District; Kratovil does it safely within a stone’s throw of Washington in Bethesda, Maryland.

“This is more evidence of Frank Kratovil being in cahoots with Washington Democrats,” said Bill Lattanzi, Campaign Manager – Andy Harris for Congress. “Kratovil can stray away from Nancy Pelosi and President Obama’s Team, but the leash is choked when they need each other. While he is socializing with Washington’s Democratic upper-class, Marylanders across the First District are unemployed and facing a tax increase January 1^st. It’s just another example of how Kratovil is out-of-touch with his constituents and needs to be sent home.”

Somerset County Sheriff's Office Press Releases

Ronnie B. Townsend of Crisfield, arrested 10-21-10 on three warrants regarding failing to appear in court. Townsend was held on a $1,500 bond.

Johnny Ray Holland Jr. of Salisbury, arrested 10-22-10 on two warrants regarding second degree assault, and child abduction. Holland was later released after posting bond.

Juvenile arrested at Washington High School on 10-26-10 regarding theft of "jag cash" . The juvenile was later released to parents pending juvenile court actions.

Mark Anthony Ennis of Pocomoke, arrested 10-26-10 on  warrants regarding 4th degree burglary, harassment, and telephone misuse. Ennis was later turned over to the Maryland State Police regarding additional warrants.

Juvenile arrested at Washington High School on 10-27-10 regarding possession of a knife on school property. The juvenile was later released to parents pending juvenile court actions.

Breaking and Entering reported on 10-27-10. Deputies investigated a complaint regarding damage to several locks and doors at a hunting camp on West Ridge Road. Unknown persons entered the camp after cutting a chain lock, and kicked in several hunting lodge doors. Unknown items removed. The investigation is on going.

Foreclosure Mess Will Take Years To Clean Up

Borrowers, lenders, investors face years of red tape, legal challenges

How long will it take before the American nightmare of home foreclosures is over? Ask Mike Dillon, who’s been fighting to keep his New Hampshire home for most of the past decade.

Though he missed two payments in 2002, Dillon then caught up and was current on his loan by later that year, he said. That’s when his mortgage problems began.

After the company servicing his mortgage failed to properly credit monthly payments to his account, it placed the loan in default. As he worked to straighten out the bookkeeping, with canceled checks in hand, the servicer began adding additional fees for property inspections, insurance and other charges.

In 2005, a New Hampshire judge agreed that the servicer’s “sleight of accounting resulted in improper assessments” against Dillon and, citing a “predatory scheme of penalties,” barred the foreclosure and ordered that the loan be reinstated without penalties as of August 2005.

GO HERE to read more.

Quiz For Smart Folks

There are only nine questions.

This is a quiz for people who know everything!  
I found out in a hurry that I didn't.  
These are not trick questions .  
They are straight questions with straight answers.

1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?  

3.. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several   growing seasons .  All other vegetables must be replanted every year.  What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle.  The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters ' dw' and they are all common words.  Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar . Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S .'

Answers To Quiz:

1... The one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants  know the score or the leader until the contest ends: Boxing.

2. North American landmark constantly moving backward:   Niagara Falls .  (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.)

3. Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons : Asparagus and rhubarb.

4. The fruit with its seeds on the outside: Strawberry.

5. How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle?  It grew inside the bottle.  The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season . When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.

6. Three English words beginning with dw: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle...

7. Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe,question mark, exclamation point , quotation mark , brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.  

8. The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form but fresh: Lettuce.

9. Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with 'S':  Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes,  stockings, stilts.

How Smart Is It To Save Fuel?

Below is a Photo of An Accident Near New Orleans Involving Two Trucks And A "Smart Car.

New York National Guard Units Scan Vehicles For Gun Confiscations

The New York National Guard is working with local law enforcement authorities to perform sophisticated scans of vehicles entering the New York area looking for guns and drugs in the latest alarming example of how America is under a state of de facto martial law.

Under the umbrella of the “war on drugs” and in complete violation of Posse Comitatus, National Guard units in New York are engaged in a “domestic fight” targeting American citizens with new ionization swabbing technology that enables them to “find drugs or weapons” via undervehicle inspections of cars based on the flimsiest of pretexts.

“The New York National Guard’s counter-drug task force (is) providing not only the people but the equipment law enforcement may need to make drug arrests and seizures,” reports Fox News 23. Such “seizures” includes the seizure of “weapons,” as Guard units, who are now working with foreign troops in exercises targeting American “terrorists,” are primed to engage in gun confiscation programs.

GO HERE to read more.

Israeli Activists Form Their Own Tea Party Movement

Likud activists who oppose the settlement freeze have set up a protest movement against the peace process and the continued construction moratorium in the West Bank. The group is modeled after the far-right conservative Tea Party movement in the United States.

The Israeli group will hold a rally Sunday at the Zionist Organization of America House in Tel Aviv, under the banner "Saying No to Obama," where they plan to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policy and the American pressure on Israel to renew the settlement construction freeze.

Likud activists said yesterday that their Tea Party will be the opening shot in their efforts to stop the peace process entirely. They said Israel's commitment to negotiations stems only from inertia and habit, rather than a real need or interest on Israel's part.

Knesset members Danny Danon, Ayoob Kara and Yariv Levin are among the Likud lawmakers who have agreed to participate in Sunday's rally. Former MK Michael Kleiner, who initiated the event, believes it will trigger a popular wave of protest that will counter U.S. President Barack Obama's pressure on Netanyahu and prevent the freeze on construction in the West Bank and Jerusalem from being continued.

On the Facebook page set up by the group's activists, they wrote that the decision to form an Israeli Tea Party came from a deep sense of frustration with what they see as a political vacuum in the right wing.
More here

Michelle Obama’s $400 Million ‘Food Desert’ Scam

First Lady Michelle Obama has called on Congress to create a $400 million-a-year program to encourage the establishment of supermarkets in places she calls “food deserts.”

The situation in these “food deserts,” as Mrs. Obama describes it, is quite dire indeed. American children are growing fat because their parents cannot get to a supermarket—to buy fruits and vegetables—without undergoing the hardship of boarding a bus or riding a taxi. As a consequence, food-desert-dwelling children are forced to eat fast food and junk procured at chain restaurants and convenience stores.

In a March 10 speech, the first lady painted a sad picture of their plight. “Right now, 23.5 million Americans, including 6.5 million kids, live in what we call ‘food deserts’—these are areas without a supermarket,” she explained. “And as a result these families wind up buying their groceries at the local gas station or convenience store, places that offer few, if any, healthy options.”

She offered a solution. “Let’s move to ensure that all families have access to healthy, affordable foods in their community,” she said. “(W)e’ve set an ambitious goal here: to eliminate food deserts in America within seven years.

“To do that,” she said, “we’re creating a Healthy Food Financing Initiative that’s going to invest $400 million a year—and leverage hundreds of millions more from the private sector—to bring grocery stores to underserved areas and help places like convenience stores carry healthier options.”

Pushing this $400 million food-desert-eradication plan became a standard part of Mrs. Obama’s stump speech.
 But does it deserve a single penny?

In the 2008 farm bill, Congress mandated that the department conduct a $500,000 study of “food deserts.” The study—“Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food: Measuring and Understanding Food Deserts and Their Consequences”—was published in June 2009.

The report demonstrates that Mrs. Obama’s depiction of American “food deserts” is fatuous at best. Lower-income Americans live closer to supermarkets than higher-income Americans.

“Overall, median distance to the nearest supermarket is 0.85 miles,” said the Agriculture Department report. “Median distance for low-income individuals is about 0.1 of a mile less than for those with higher income, and a greater share of low-income individuals (61.8 percent) have high or medium access to supermarkets than those with higher income (56.1 percent).”

There are 23.5 million people who live in “low income” areas that are more than a mile from the nearest supermarket. But more than half of these people are not low-income, and almost everyone in these areas--93.3 percent—drive their cars to the supermarket. On average, they spend 4.5 minutes more than the typical American traveling to the supermarket.

More from CNS News

Malkin: The Left’s Voter Fraud Whitewash

Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt. It’s the Democrats’ coping mechanism for midterm election voter fraud. Faced with multiple reports of early voting irregularities and election shenanigans across the country, left-wing groups are playing dumb, deaf and blind. Voter fraud? What voter fraud?

More cunningly, these organizations are seeking to marginalize complaints about election integrity by casting citizen watchdog efforts as racist “scare tactics.” Echoing President Obama’s message to the Democratic faithful on the campaign trail, they are accusing political opponents of suppressing the votes of minorities and the poor.

On Tuesday, The New York Times quoted a liberal voting rights advocate, Wendy R. Weiser, wringing her hands over individual Americans taking clean elections seriously: “Private efforts to police the polls create a real risk of vote suppression, regardless of their intent,” said Weiser, director of the Voting Rights and Elections Project at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. “People need to know that any form of discrimination, intimidation or challenge to voters without adequate basis is illegal or improper.”

Weiser also turned up in a very similar story minimizing voter fraud and voter registration fraud that was published Tuesday by government-sponsored National Public Radio. The NPR report asserted that “most election experts” believe that fears of voter fraud are “overblown.” No word on how many “experts” they surveyed (besides Weiser) to report such a conclusion, which flies in the face of dozens of felony voter fraud convictions across the country over the past two election cycles—and that’s just among ACORN-tied cases.

Overblown? In North Carolina and Nevada, early voters have encountered ballot machine glitches that favor Democrats in hotly contested races.

In Troy, N.Y., and Daytona Beach, Fla., police investigations into suspected absentee ballot fraud by elected government officials are underway.

In Harris County, Texas, the voter registrar admitted that 20 percent of voter registration forms submitted by liberal activist Houston Votes had problems. Election whistleblowers there are now being investigated by the Obama Justice Department and have been slapped with an ethics complaint by the Texas Democratic Party and a left-wing billionaire George Soros-funded group called Texans for Public Justice.

In Yuma County, Ariz., election officials denied any fraud associated with thousands of requests for “permanent early voter list” status submitted en masse by open-borders group Mi Familia Vota (a social justice satellite group of the Service Employees International Union). But election officials admitted that some 6,000 out of 14,000 requests fielded by the Yuma County Recorder’s Office “were reviewed and rejected, under Arizona law, either due to the fact the request was a duplicate or the requestor was not eligible to vote in this election or within the jurisdiction.”Read more

O’Donnell Is Right About First Amendment

Newspaper and TV pundits bashing Delaware’s Christine O’Donnell with respect to the religion clauses of the First Amendment need to do some homework on the topic, as they obviously don’t know anything about it.

A good way to start might be to read the actual wording of the Amendment, which evidently O’Donnell’s critics haven’t done, judging from the way they misstate its contents while neglecting to quote specific language.  She is quite correct in suggesting that the phrase “separation of church and state” doesn’t appear there, nor is such a construction justified by the well-documented history of the Amendment.

(Her Senate opponent, in a TV debate, didn’t do much better in his fumbling attempt to recite the language, saying it requires that “government shall make no establishment of religion,” which is not only a misstatement of this key provision but also obscures the intended purpose of it.)


What the First Amendment does say is that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”—the “respecting” part being important—a phrase that had a definite meaning for the nation’s founders.  Various states at that time had “established” churches (like the Anglican church in Britain), which signified an official church supported by tax money and exercising certain legal privileges, while others had no such establishments and didn’t want them.Because of this great diversity in religious practice, there arose concerns that the new federal government might try to impose a “national” religion, overriding the customs of the several states.  It was in response to this that James Madison in the First Congress (June 1789) proposed what would become the First Amendment.  This said, among other things, that no one’s rights under the new government would be abridged for reasons of religion, “nor shall any national religion be established.”

This wording would be refined in a conference committee among members of the House and Senate that included Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, both from Connecticut, a state with an established church. This produced still more sweeping language saying that Congress shall make no law “respecting an establishment of religion,” meaning Congress couldn’t adopt any law whatever pertaining to the subject.  It couldn’t, that is, impose a national establishment, but it also couldn’t interfere with the established churches in the states that had them.

So the “wall of separation” then erected wasn’t between government and religion, but between the federal government and the states.  This was the point Thomas Jefferson would make in 1802 in his letter to the Danbury Baptists, saying that via the First Amendment the American people had prevented “their legislature”—Congress—from interfering in matters of religion.  He re-emphasized this point in his second inaugural address, saying that he had left religion “to the discipline of state” or religious societies and in 1808, asserting that as no power over religion had been given the “general government” it “must thus rest with the states” as far as any human authority could wield it.


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Friday Night Live @ Your Library

WHAT: the Delmarva Big Band

WHO:  Everyone is welcome to attend

WHEN: Friday, November 12^th 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Wicomico Public Library, Room 1

SALISBURY, MD – October 27, 2010 – The Wicomico Public Library continues Friday Night Live on November 12^th from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. in Meeting Room 1, with a performance by the Delmarva Big Band featuring various musical styles.

The performance will be free and open to the public.  For more information on this event or other library services, please visit us on the web at www.wicomicolibrary.org, or call 410-749-3612.

Friday Night Live is made possible by a grant from the Peter and Judy Jackson Music Performance Fund, a grant from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore and a grant from the Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council, awarded by the Maryland State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Wicomico Public Library: Supporting Learning, Building Community, Enriching Lives

Mike Pence May Leave GOP Leadership

House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence  of Indiana is considering stepping down from his post in the GOP leadership in preparation for a possible bid for president or governor in 2012.

Pence, a darling of the conservative movement, would leave the leadership job with a blunt explanation to colleagues that he can’t commit to a two-year term in House leadership, a source familiar with his deliberations told POLITICO Tuesday.

Pence believes it would be inappropriate to stay at the GOP conference post — the No. 3 spot in the House Republican hierarchy — unless he could stay through 2012, the source said. Pence also believes that he can be a more effective conservative voice if he is free of the responsibilities that he would have in leadership of a House Republican majority.

Pence and other Republicans considering running for president have consistently told reporters that they won’t focus on 2012 until the crucial 2010 midterms are past.

Pence spokesman Matt Lloyd said the Indiana congressman’s “sole focus remains on winning back the majority in Congress and believes that speculating about who will occupy what leadership position in the next Congress is 'looking past the playoffs’ and out of place.”
More from Politico

Justice Department Vows To Stop Voter Intimidation

The Justice Department on Wednesday vowed to thwart any efforts to intimidate voters at the polls on Tuesday and to ensure that the ballots of military voters are counted, as activists on both sides of the political aisle reignite their regular election-time tango over the dangers of voter fraud versus voter suppression.

Facing separate investigations in its handling of a voter-intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party and questions over the failure of absentee ballots to be sent to military personnel and their families by the legally required date, the Justice Department moved to assure voters that they will have access to the polls and their votes will be counted in the midterm elections.

The department said it is committed to the enforcement of federal laws "that prohibit voter intimidation and suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion" at the polls, and will make sure that "our men and women serving overseas have the opportunity to vote and have their votes counted."

In a double-barreled release of unusually lengthy press releases, along with a briefing for reporters by Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez, who heads the Civil Rights Division, the department said it has implemented a "comprehensive program" to help ensure ballot access and prohibit voter intimidation, and has reached agreements or won court orders in 14 states and territories to protect 65,000 overseas and military voters ahead of the midterm elections.

But Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican, said it was "outrageous" for the Justice Department to "solicit congratulation for procrastination, while many of our military voters are very likely being disenfranchised."

"The department should have been more proactive much earlier, by giving each state clear guidance on the new requirements under the MOVE Act and by ensuring from the start that each state had a satisfactory game plan for protecting the voting rights of our troops and their families," Mr. Cornyn said.

"Instead, the department sat back and watched as states tested the limits of the MOVE Act, then tried to patch problems after the fact with half-measures," he said. "Our military voters deserve better than this lethargic approach from the Department of Justice."

The Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, or MOVE, enacted last year, requires states to transmit validly requested absentee ballots to voters no later than 45 days before a federal election. The act allows states to request waivers if they think the 45-day requirement will pose undue hardship. The Defense Department is responsible for determining which states will be granted waivers.
More here

IRS Urged To Weigh In On Church Taking Political Stand

The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has called on the IRS to investigate whether voter guide/legislative scorecards distributed by The Pray in Jesus Name Project violates federal tax-code rules.

According to CREW, the project is affiliated with Persuade the World Ministries and has distributed in all 50 states voter guides that rate politicians as "Anti-Jesus" or "faith friendly."

"Federal law prohibits preachers from politicking from the pulpit, but that is exactly what Pray in Jesus Name Project is asking clergy across the country to do," said CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan, in prepared remarks. "Pray in Jesus Name is attempting to use churches to advance its overt political agenda; any churches that go along with this plan and distribute the guides will risk their own tax status in the process."

The project's website says it seeks to mobilize voters and hosts a picture of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Below their picture reads: "Nancy Pelosi's Congress and Harry Reid's Senate cannot run away from their voting record. If we simply tell the pastors without bias how Harry Reid's Senate voted to confirm the Anti-Jesus Judge David Hamilton (remember the Judge who ruled it's illegal to pray in Jesus' name, but legal to pray for Allah?), how will Christian people vote? If we simply report the non-partisan voting record of Nancy Pelosi's Congress, who voted to pay for abortions with our tax dollars in Obamacare 'health bill,' how will Christian people vote?"More


[Yet we read yesterday that Governor O'Malley and Lt. Governor Brown received the endorsement of "the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, a network of more than 200 ministers from predominantly African-American congregations working together for social justice and issues important to Baltimore neighborhoods."  Will the IRS be sent to visit them, too? --  Editor]

Black Republicans Demand Obama 'Bus' Apology

Black Republican leaders are demanding that President Barack Obama apologize for what they consider a racially insensitive remark that he made on the campaign trail this weekend.

During a campaign swing the president said, "We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for a ride, but they gotta sit in back."

Dr. Timothy F. Johnson, the black Republican who heads the National Black Republican Association, told Newsmax in an e-mail Wednesday that Obama should immediately apologize for the offensive reference to the Jim Crow era.

"Once again the president is perpetuating the racism that exists, and [is] portrayed by the so-called Civil Rights organizations and their leaders," Johnson stated.

"Americans are sick and tired of these divisive statements the president continues to make," he added. "Our first objective is November 2, 2010.

"Next is to find the next president of the United States, and retire President Obama to Chicago, Hawaii, or Kenya in Nov. 2012," stated Johnson.

Johnson is not alone in finding the president's "sit in back" remark offensive.

What if a Republican president had made such a remark? asked Fox News contributor Monica Crowley. She said it would have triggered an uproar from Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.

"I think after the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, riding in the back certainly does have some Civil Rights and racial overtones to it, and you can't tell me the president of the United States wasn't aware of it when he said it," Crowley said Wednesday on Fox News. "I found his comment there appalling [and] I found his refusal to address it in a straightforward way also appalling."More on this

China to Launch Manned Space Lab Around 2020

China said on Wednesday it would launch a space lab to be manned for long stretches within about 10 years, a move it believes would bring it closer to the United States and Russia as powers capable of reaching the moon.

The official Xinhua news agency, quoting an unidentified space official, said a trial space lab would be launched before 2016 to test equipment and techniques. But it was not clear if that lab would be manned for long periods.

The space station program will use existing technology, including the Shenzhou space vehicle and the Long March 2F launch rocket, Xinhua said. The agency gave no details of the size of the planned labs.

Establishing a manned space lab will "promote our country's scientific and technological progress and innovation, enhance overall national strength and make an important contribution to raising national prestige," the official said.

China is jostling with neighbors Japan and India for a bigger presence in outer space, but its plans have faced international scrutiny. Beijing says its space aims are peaceful.

Fears of a space arms race with the United States and other powers mounted after China blew up one of its own weather satellites with a ground-based missile in January 2007.More

Insider Selling Volume At Highest Level Ever Tracked

The overwhelming volume of sell transactions relative to buy transactions by company insiders over the last six months in key leading sectors of the market is the worst Alan Newman, editor of the Crosscurrents newsletter, has ever seen since he began tracking the data.

The strategist looked at insider trading activity amongst the top ten companies that make up the Nasdaq such as Apple, Google  and Amazon.

Then he analyzed the biggest members of the Retail HOLDRs  ETF like Gap, Target and Costco , as well as the top insiders in the semiconductor industry at companies such as Altera, Broadcom and Sandisk.

The largest companies in three of the most important leading sectors of the market have seen their executives classified as insiders sell more than 120 million shares of stock over the last six months. Top executives at these very same companies bought just 38,000 shares over that same time period, making for an eye-popping sell to buy ratio of 3,177 to one.

The grand total for the three sectors are “as awful as we have ever seen since we began doing this exercise years ago,” said Newman, who was ahead on such trends as the dangers of high-frequency trading and ETFs before the ‘Flash Crash’. “Clearly, insiders are seeing great value only in cash. Their actions speak volumes for the veracity for the current rally.”

But the overall market doesn’t seem to care. The S&P 500 is up 16 percent since its 2010 low hit on July 2nd on the back of strong earnings driven by cost-cutting and the hopes for even more quantitative easing from the Federal Reserve.

The insider data “is good reason for considerable caution once the price action fades,” said Simon Baker, CEO of Baker Asset Management. Still “insiders normally buy early and sell early too. Longer term -- 12 months out -- it is more of a red flag.”

More on this

Post This On Your Refrigerator

"My name may not be on the ballot, but our agenda for moving forward is on the ballot, and I need everybody to turn out." --Barack Obama

Penalty For Lying

Penalty for Lying... Hmmmmm

I just had to pass on this quote from Peter Schmuck, a Baltimore sports writer, concerning the indictment of Roger Clemens: "Isn't it great to live in a society where the penalty for lying to a congressman can be up to 30 years in jail, but the penalty for a congressman lying to you is another two years in office"

Camden Neighborhood Association Meeting TONIGHT

Camden Neighborhood Association

 Important Meeting!

Thursday, October 28^th at 7:15 P.M.

At Bethany Luther Church – corner of Camden & S. Blvd.

(In the basement room on the East side of the building)

We urge all residents to come to this meeting and be informed of the changes taking place in the Camden Historic District that are influencing the value of our homes, as well as the quality of life we all share.  There will be a powerful presentation.

See how this effects what is going on in our neighborhoods, value of your property and your tax dollars.

Please plan to attend to see what challenges we face in order to protect our single-family neighborhoods, and how you can help stop the infestation of crime and deterioration that is spreading rapidly through the Camden Neighborhood areas.  Bring a neighbor.

All residents are welcome!

We need your support!

 

Mayor Jim Ireton will be our guest.

SALISBURY CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

CONFERENCE ROOM 306

GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING

4:30 p.m. Follow-up discussion - Towing Ordinance – Ivan Barkley
5:00 p.m. Princeton Avenue Neighborhood Service Center quarterly report – Ivan Barkley
5:30 p.m. Quarterly financial report – Pam Oland
6:00 p.m. Follow-up on East Side Men’s Club – Pam Oland
6:30 p.m. Budget amendment – paving a portion of Beaglin Park Drive – Teresa Gardner
7:00 p.m. Follow-up discussion – Humane Society budget – John Pick
7:30 p.m. General discussion/upcoming agendas

O'MALLEY RALLIES AT FROSTBURG STATE UNIVERSITY

Baltimore, MD Yesterday, Governor Martin O'Malley rallied with  supporters at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Maryland.  The visit marks a return to the site where O'Malley rallied supporters in Western Maryland during his successful 2006 campaign for Governor.  Following the Frostburg State rally, where he was joined by Senator Barbara Mikulksi, the Governor heads to Cumberland for the city's annual Halloween Parade.  Earlier in the day, the Governor headlined a get-out-the-vote rally in Frederick City.

Today's swing through Western Maryland comes on Day 3 of the "On Your Side" tour.  The Governor is touring across Maryland, encouraging people to vote early and laying out his closing arguments for why we must move Maryland forward this year.

Governor O'Malley kicked off the tour on Monday in Annapolis before making several stops on the Eastern Shore, where he picked up the endorsement of former Republican congressman Wayne Gilchrest.  Yesterday the Governor visited Harford County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County. 

So far the tour has included three stops at Maryland colleges--Salisbury University, Harford Community College, and now Frostburg State University.

2010 TRICK-OR-TREAT TIMES

Delmar: Friday, 6-8 p.m.

Salisbury: Sunday, 6-8 pm.

Ocean Pines: No trick-or-treating.

Pocomoke City: Saturday, 5-7 p.m.

Laurel: Saturday, 6-8 p.m.

Security Tightened For Marathon

With tens of thousands in town for the Marine Corps Marathon, there will be more security on hand after the shots were fired at the Pentagon, the Marine Corps Museum and a Marine recruiting station.
GO HERE to read more.

Few Surprises In Financial Disclosures By Statewide Candidates

Most of the 13 candidates running for statewide offices this year have pretty routine financial assets, according to their most recent disclosure forms.

MarylandReporter.com is publishing the full 2009 financial disclosure statements of candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller and attorney general on the web for the first time. Under state law, the forms are public records, but can only be viewed in person – not online. MarylandReporter.com went to the Ethics Commission office and purchased copies of the forms, which ranged from 10 to 38 pages, paying a total bill of $55.40. The full documents were then scanned, and are available for viewing here.

GO HERE to read more.

Your Facebook Login Can Get Jacked By A Monkey With A Mouse

The guy sitting next to you in the coffee shop might actually be logging into your Facebook account, using the info beaming out your computer. It's called "session hijacking" or "sidejacking" and despite it being a well-known vulnerability, most websites aren't protecting their users from it. After a developer recently unveiled a user-friendly bit of code that makes "sidejacking" as easy a few mouse clicks, the problem is getting fresh attention.

More »

SNL Teaches The Secret To Staying Debt Free

With the economy in the pooper, it's time to repost this classic Saturday Night Live sketch which contains the most important secret to staying out of debt and living happily. Starring Steve Martin, Amy Poehler and Chris Parnell, this gem distills the one essential trick to just one single phrase...

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SBYNews Continues 2010 Candidate Endorsements Today

Salisbury News will continue another round of candidate endorsements today. Stay tuned.

Poll: Most Americans Concerned About Ability To Pay Mortgage Or Rent

The recession may be over, but according to a new poll by the Washington Post, not only are most Americans concerned about having enough money to pay their rent or mortgage, but that number has continued to increase over the last two years.

More »

Study: False 'Green' Claims On The Rise

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

Environmental marketing firm TerraChoice says 95 percent of products marketed as 'green' falsely claim their product is environmentally friendly.

Irish Bookie Pays Off Bets On GOP Taking House

Saying there's no way Democrats can keep control of the House, Ireland's largest bookie on Wednesday said it has already paid off all bettors who wagered the GOP would capture the chamber.
"In our opinion this race is well and truly over with nothing short of a miracle stopping the Republicans taking down the House," said Ken Robertson, communications manager for Paddy Power, the Irish bookmaker.
Mr. Robertson said the odds had tipped so much in Republicans' favor it made no sense to continue taking bets. In July Democrats were favored 8-11 to keep control, but by Wednesday the GOP was favored 1-50, meaning it would take a bet of $50 would win just an addition $1.
Wednesday's payoff was not first time Paddy Power has made waves with an early payoff. In 2008, after the final presidential debate between candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, the bookie said there was no way Mr. McCain could win, and paid out more than $1 million on Mr. Obama's victory. And in January, they paid off early on bets for Scott Brown, who won the special election to fill the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's seat.
Other overseas bookies are still taking bets on control of the House. Victor Chandler betting house, for example, gives the GOP 1-25 odds while Betfair gives them 1-10 odds.
The bookies say control of the Senate remains a contested issue, though both Paddy Power and Victor Chandler give Democrats the edge to keep control, at 2-9 odds.
The Washington Times

Bridge Painting Will Require The Closure Of Two Bridges In Laurel

Laurel -- The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that the painting of bridges will require the closure of the following roads:

Bridge closed at 9 a.m. on Thursday, October 28 and will reopen by 3 p.m. on Monday, November 1

Bridge over Hitch Pond Branch on Hitch Pond Road in Laurel

The following detour route will be implemented:

Northbound: East on Trap Pond Road, west on Laurel Road and back to Hitch Pond Road
Southbound: East on Laurel Road, west on Trap Pond Road and back to Hitch Pond Road

Bridge closed at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, November 3 and will reopen by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10

Bridge over Broad Creek on Central Avenue in Laurel

Traffic will be detoured as follows:

Northbound: East on Market Street, northbound on Route 13, west on Georgetown Road and back to Central Avenue

Southbound: East on Georgetown Road, southbound on Route 13, west on Market Street and back to Central Avenue

Message boards have been set up notifying motorists of the upcoming closure. The road will be open only to emergency vehicles and residents living within the closure.

The contractor for these improvements is Tarpon Industrial Inc.