DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, December 17, 2010
Another Dog Found Today
Incredible Water Rescue On Coulburn Mill Pond
A dog was seen on Coulburn Mill Pond where he had broken through the ice. A bystander saw the dog and immediately called 911. Dispatch gave him the run around and transferred him to someone else who never answerd the call.
In the mean time another person showed up to help. They then called the Fruitland Fire Department directly and once again they got the run around again. One of the two men chose to throw on a wet suit and crawl on his belly across the ice to get the dog. By this time animal control showed up and after 45 minutes the Fruitland Fire Department finally showed up, only after they received a call that a HUMAN was seen on the ice.
Unfortunately we do not have their names. The young man that braved the ice and cold in the wet suit was around 18 years old. God Bless these fine men for saving this animal form a certain death. Merry Christmas to you.
UPDATE: The woman who actually fell through the ice was none other than Linda Lugo from the Humane Society. The dogs name is Max and the owner was located. The dog was dying when this young man strapped on a rope, a wet suit and slid belly first across the ice. When he finally reached the dog he had turned over onto his back, just about to go under for the final time without return. The young man was able to get a hold of the dog and pull it up and save it.
Max was taken to Johnson/MaKee Veterinary Hospital where they couldn't even get a temperature reading on the dog when it had arrived. At the moment he has been wrapped in warm heated blankets and it looks as if he will survive.
Linda, you always touch my heart with the stories you have shared but I have never been more proud of you than today.
In the mean time another person showed up to help. They then called the Fruitland Fire Department directly and once again they got the run around again. One of the two men chose to throw on a wet suit and crawl on his belly across the ice to get the dog. By this time animal control showed up and after 45 minutes the Fruitland Fire Department finally showed up, only after they received a call that a HUMAN was seen on the ice.
Unfortunately we do not have their names. The young man that braved the ice and cold in the wet suit was around 18 years old. God Bless these fine men for saving this animal form a certain death. Merry Christmas to you.
UPDATE: The woman who actually fell through the ice was none other than Linda Lugo from the Humane Society. The dogs name is Max and the owner was located. The dog was dying when this young man strapped on a rope, a wet suit and slid belly first across the ice. When he finally reached the dog he had turned over onto his back, just about to go under for the final time without return. The young man was able to get a hold of the dog and pull it up and save it.
Max was taken to Johnson/MaKee Veterinary Hospital where they couldn't even get a temperature reading on the dog when it had arrived. At the moment he has been wrapped in warm heated blankets and it looks as if he will survive.
Linda, you always touch my heart with the stories you have shared but I have never been more proud of you than today.
Tom McGuire, Jonathan Taylor and Angeline Harvey On The Warpath
The first letter you see below is one that was sent out last night to our advertisers. The messages in different colors below that are just a few of the reply messages I received from our advertisers. Go ahead and read what they have attempted to say and do and I'll finish my statements at the bottom of this Post.
Whom It May Concern,,,,I am writing you concerning your advertisement on
Whom It May Concern,,,,I am writing you concerning your advertisement on
sbynews.com. I'm not inquiring about the service you provide, quite theopposite actually. If you will be so kind as to click the link I haveprovided you will find the latest in a long line of distasteful posts madeon this website. I'm sorry but I find nothing humorous about depicting a manwith cancer as a ?walking corpse?. This is appalling and your paidadvertisement is sending a clear message to me as well as many otherconsumers that you approve of this website's material. Therefore, do notexpect me or anyone else with morals to patronize your business as long asyou continue to support this garbage.,,,Angeline Harvey"Thanks for the reply,
It is funny that they are complaining, yet they read your web site. I guess someone is holding a gun to their heads and forcing them to navigate to your web site and read the entire thing word for word. Those poor souls!
Our company is very pleased with the traffic that your site has sent to ours.
Keep up the good work."
"It’s a shame some people have nothing better to do…. It just proves the advertisement is working!!!!
Thanks ..you have a wonderful holiday season!!"
"The name on my caller ID when Tom called was Nicole Schaefer, the phone number is 443-359-5049.
Thank you for your time. It was a pleasure talking to you."
"I recieved a call this morning from a gentleman, who I later learned was Tom from The Delmar XXXXX.
"I recieved a call this morning from a gentleman, who I later learned was Tom from The Delmar XXXXX.
He immediately started rambling on about me supporting someone who wished Mr. Comegy dead. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about.
Tom then asked me "don't you advertise on Salisbury News Blog?" I replied yes I do. He then proceded to tell me that Joe had wished that Mr Comegy
I didn't know who this guy was that I was talking to, but later found out that he was the same guy along with his wife or girlfriend (I am not sure of their relationship status) that had wished little Brooke dead, or to just let her go ahead and die.
Tom asked would I like him to send me the link for the article he was referring to on Salisbury News and I said yes. He abuptly hung up then. I recieved the e-mail and that is when I found out his name and that he was from The Delmar XXXXX. I read the article and nowhere did I see that Joe had wished anyone dead.
The point of me writing is to let people know that yes, I advertise on Salisbury news. I don't always agree with what Joe posts'. That is called being human. I do not and will not pull my advertising because someone tries to threaten, coerce, or affect our business with their outrageous behavior.
For the record, if you are reading this Tom, I won't miss your business, as you have never been our customer, so no effecting me there. I will not be intimidated."
EDITOR: Jonathan Taylor put up a Post today stating all of the phone calls were working and that many of our advertisers stated they'd be removing their ads soon. I have not been to Taylor's Site but let me assure you, not ONE of our advertisers has complained. In fact, most of them have agreed with my intent of that Post. I never wished Gary Comegys dead and the final message is exactly correct, Tom McGuire and his sick Girlfriend/Wife were in fact the couple who openly in a letter wished Broke Mulford dead.
Mr. Taylor needs to recognize that his lies will always come back and haunt him. He regularly makes statements, (especially about me personally) that are complete and utter lies. That goes for Tom McGuire as well. Tom, I have never been CONVICTED of anything in my life. That's OK though, you're just too stupid, (stooped, as Tom would spell it) to research anything. Folks, while I'm sure those of you who visit those Sites wonder just how my Wife and I deal with such hatred from such sick people, who cares. They have said some of the worse things I have ever read on the Internet. Heck, anywhere, for that matter. However, who's sicker? The author of such lies or the people going there every day reading their hate? We choose to ignore them, so should you.
Salisbury News has produced almost 14,000 articles this year. If you're a business person and you've been fortunate enough to serve 14,000 customers this year, were all 14,000 satisfied? The answer is, NO. However, these clowns are attempting to contact our advertisers, yet there's only been ONE complaint out of 14,000!!!!! Their agenda is clearly recognized by our advertisers and our advertisers are NOT going to stop advertising with us simply because a few unemployed, section 8, food stamp, disability people blogging on YOUR DIME are complaining.
Might I STRONGLY suggest to these mentally challenged people complaining click the big red "X" in the top right hand corner of this exact page and be done with it. No one has a gun to your head forcing ANY one of you to come here. My advertisers will NEVER place me in a position where they threaten to leave Salisbury News because of a complaint. We are NOT the Daily Times, WICO, WMDT or WBOC, we can't be pushed around like they have. The money we have raised in 2010 gets paid out to local non profits and others in desperate need we don't even need to mention here. Joe Albero is NOT lining his pockets with cash, therefore I cannot be told what I can or can't do. Perhaps McGuire and Taylor just don't understand that.
To my Advertisers. If you receive a call or e-mail from these people, please ask them if THEY have rung the bell for the Salvation Army this year or last year. Ask them what THEY are doing to give back to our community. Taylor is so desperate for an advertiser he will say and do anything in the hopes people will now like him. "Ill never run national articles on my site." The next day, national articles everywhere. "I'll never mention Joe Albero again." The next day, Joe Albero this and that.
Barrie Tilghman, Mike Dunn, Lynn Cathcart, Gary Comegys, Shanie Shields and so many more like them have gone to incredible extremes to shut Salisbury News down. They use people like Taylor and McGuire to spread their hate and tell lies about me and my Wife, (including our Grandson) in the hopes we'll go away. We are here for the community. We are here to give back and make the Eastern Shore a better place to live and raise our Families.
If any one of you don't like Salisbury News, don't come back. Its that simple Folks. As for Mr. Comegys, I wish the man a full recovery. However, in the mean time, if any one of you think that if he became so ill he couldn't stand and that others wouldn't do anything to carry him into that Council Chambers in order to get certain desperate votes past, well, that's how I feel and I know many of you do too.
In closing I want to thank our advertisers for their support. Mr. Taylor, no one is cancelling their ads. In fact, here's one for you Jonathan. Today we welcome a brand new advertiser Peninsula Water Conditioning. Your games are over and if you hadn't noticed, no one is listening to you. They never have, actually.
If you'd like to run an ad with Salisbury News its very simple. Our rate is $100.00 a month for the ads you see on either side. You can send the artwork to alberobutzo@wmconnect.com along with a link to your Website and a physical address to send the billing. Wasting your money anywhere else is just foolish. We reach the biggest local audience than anyone else out there. If you want to reach a national audience then by all means contact the Daily Times. Salisbury News has no interest outside the Eastern Shore.
Might I Add: Mr. Taylor, if you need us to come over and plow you out of this recent snow, we don't discriminate, we just give back.
Might I Add: Mr. Taylor, if you need us to come over and plow you out of this recent snow, we don't discriminate, we just give back.
Red Kettle Volunteer Charts
Thank you, for your continued support of the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. To volunteer call the Salvation Army at 410-749-RING (7464)
Observation On Medal Of Honor Recipient Ceremony
We are engaged in a different kind of ‘warfare’, and I’m afraid that the women on ‘The View’ are too closely representative of America’s rejection of the fact that both America and the world have a ‘Muslim Problem’. I received the below ‘YouTube’ presentation from one of my Vietnam vet friends. I personally watched the Medal of Honor presentation at the White House. Something didn’t feel right, but I dismissed it to the typical dead ‘spirit’ regarding this Administration’s attitude toward the military and war in general. This video amazingly brought out what was as revealing as it was terribly wrong.
A Letter To The Editor
Looking forward to some analysis of this story in the daily times today. Did SBY just hand over the firehouse to a developer for next to nothing? Were they duped?
West Salisbury Little League Come Through Again For Salvation Army
Joe,
Once again the West Salisbury Little League families have come through for the Red Kettle Campaign! They will be ringing a bell tomorrow at the Food Lion on Nanticoke Road from 9 to 8 p.m. We cannot thank them (and many others) enough for their great commitment and dedication to the success of The Salvation Army bell ringing effort.
Volunteers are still needed for next week at the Walmarts. Please consider volunteering a couple hours of your time so that more children and families in need can have a Merry Christmas. It isn't too late!
Thank you for your continuing support,
The Red Kettle Campaign
410-749-7464
STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON THE GAIN OF 2,100 JOBS IN NOVEMBER
ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 17, 2010) – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following the announcement that Maryland employers added 2,100 jobs in November, generating more than 36,000 jobs since the beginning of 2010.
“Last month’s jobs report shows Maryland continues to add jobs at twice the rate of the rest of the nation. While there is still work to do, and no state – including Maryland – is out of the woods, we continue to see signs of job creation and economic growth that indicate we are coming through this national recession more quickly than other states.”
Last-Minute Shoppers Get Free Shipping
Friday marks Free Shipping Day when dozens of stores and online shopping sites will ship those almost last-minute Christmas gifts free of charge.
GO HERE to read more.
UMES Backs Off Station 16 Plan
Firehouse purchaser wants to pursue hospitality institute with others in field
SALISBURY -- The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has officially pulled out of a plan to develop a hospitality entrepreneurial institute in downtown Salisbury.
Gains Hawkins, vice president for institutional advancement at UMES, said the university has been on the periphery of the project, and a select few faculty members have led the effort; however, "the rest of us, we've always been more out than in."
"We have too many priorities on the academic side to get involved," he said. "It's not going to be a good fit for the university."
For more than a year, the university has engaged in conversations with developer Palmer Gillis of Gillis Gilkerson Inc., who recently purchased the old Fire Station 16 on South Division Street for the purpose of housing the institute. UMES, however, merely showed interest in the project and never made an official commitment.
GO HERE to read more.
Economists See Another Year Of Sluggish Growth
No double dip, but jobless rate likely to remain high, msnbc.com panel says
The U.S. economy is definitely on the mend. But it's got a long way to go to repair the damage from the worst financial collapse since the Great Depression.
That’s the view, at least, of a majority of economists surveyed in msnbc.com’s annual Economic Roundtable.
In just the past month, many forecasters have boosted their outlook for next year, based on a series of positive economic reports. Retailers are reporting a better than expected shoppingholiday season. Manufacturers are seeing a pickup in production. And private sector job growth — though still very sluggish — has picked up from the first half of the year
"All of this suggests that businesses and consumer are feeling more confident about the recovery and less worried about a double dip," said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist for IHS Global Insight.
GO HERE to read more.
Houston Store Owner Kills 3 Would-Be Robbers
'The man was clearly defending his business, clearly defending his wife'
HOUSTON — A jewelry store owner shot and killed three armed men who tried to rob his business, police said.
Two men were in an east Houston jewelry store Thursday afternoon pretending to be customers when a third man burst into the store and stated, "This is a robbery," Houston police spokesman Kese Smith said.
All three men then pulled out pistols, tied up the store owner's wife and took her to a back room, Smith said.
As they were trying to tie up the store owner, the 52-year-old took out a handgun from his waistband and fatally shot one of the suspects, Smith said. The store owner then grabbed a shotgun and shot and killed the two other suspects in the ensuring gunbattle, Smith said.
GO HERE to read more.
Ditch The Prozac It's Time For A New Renaissance
Before I get into it, I want people to understand that the use of Prozac in the title should not be taken literally. There are many people out there that really do have serious mental issues and medication is useful in helping their condition. As I hope is clear, “Prozac” is a metaphor for all of the brainless endeavors that have become such an integral part of many Americans’ lives. Such activities destroy the soul of humankind and play directly into the hands of the ruling elite that wish for you to be dumb, ignorant animals easily manipulated, corralled and sheared. There is a reason that plantation owners used to forbid slaves to learn how to read and write. They understood that an ignorant person is much less likely to resist their enslavement. The same is true in America today, where an unthinking and DEPENDENT person is unlikely to resist.
When we watch videos like the most recent one showing hundreds of people trampling and drooling over each other like mindless drones to get $25 off an IPAD at Wal-Mart the reaction of thinking people the world over is sheer terror. It makes you want to move to another planet where you never have to interact with such frightening stupidity that can easily be manipulated into something far worse once their “goodies” are inevitably taken away from them. While I share this concern I want to make it very clear that there is hope for us once we get through the complete and total systemic collapse that I believe will occur within the next 1-2 years. The main reason for the hope is the internet and all related technologies. The other, ironically enough, is the financial crisis itself.
First the financial crisis. Strangely enough, it was the best thing that could have ever happened to the United States. It may have come just in time and just at the right moment. While a very large percentage of the population remains a gigantic unthinking blob, this is appears always to be the case throughout history. On the other hand, we that are conscious and are trying to changes things represent a small fraction; however, it is always the dedicated few on the margin that create profound and lasting change. Sometimes this change is liberating. Think the founding fathers. Sometimes this change is nightmarish. Think the rise of Nazi Germany. Sometimes it is just a campaign slogan and results in business as usual. Think Barack Obama.
There is absolutely zero doubt in my mind of one thing. That we are in what Neil Howe and William Strauss dub “The Fourth Turning,” which represent periods where the prior status quo is completely ended and something new emerges from the ashes. This means that despite the best efforts of the Washington D.C./Wall Street TBTF oligarchy the monetary system is on its last legs and something new will replace it. Unfortunately for us, the leadership in these areas are so filled with greed and arrogance they cannot see what is right in front of their eyes. Or those that do see it care so little about the future of the country relative to their personal social status that they dare not speak up. The universe will have its way with these folks.
In light of this, I have two primary concerns at the moment. First, I see what the Chinese and Russians are doing. They are buying physical gold by the boatload so that the real money is over there when the collapse happens and then they can try to institute a credible currency in the aftermath and take on the role of global economic leaders. In the case of the Chinese they are also encouraging citizens to buy gold and silver. When the collapse happens and gold and silver are seen as money again the Chinese government wants to come out smelling like roses. Meanwhile, here in America our disingenuous financial leaders like Warren Buffet ridicule gold. Everyone needs to remember what this man and his senile sidekick Charlie Munger said about gold once the collapse occurs. As such, one of my missions to funnel as much gold and silver as possible into the hands of the United States citizenry right now while we can. That way China will not be able to dictate monetary rules to us down the road.
There is absolutely zero doubt in my mind of one thing. That we are in what Neil Howe and William Strauss dub “The Fourth Turning,” which represent periods where the prior status quo is completely ended and something new emerges from the ashes. This means that despite the best efforts of the Washington D.C./Wall Street TBTF oligarchy the monetary system is on its last legs and something new will replace it. Unfortunately for us, the leadership in these areas are so filled with greed and arrogance they cannot see what is right in front of their eyes. Or those that do see it care so little about the future of the country relative to their personal social status that they dare not speak up. The universe will have its way with these folks.
In light of this, I have two primary concerns at the moment. First, I see what the Chinese and Russians are doing. They are buying physical gold by the boatload so that the real money is over there when the collapse happens and then they can try to institute a credible currency in the aftermath and take on the role of global economic leaders. In the case of the Chinese they are also encouraging citizens to buy gold and silver. When the collapse happens and gold and silver are seen as money again the Chinese government wants to come out smelling like roses. Meanwhile, here in America our disingenuous financial leaders like Warren Buffet ridicule gold. Everyone needs to remember what this man and his senile sidekick Charlie Munger said about gold once the collapse occurs. As such, one of my missions to funnel as much gold and silver as possible into the hands of the United States citizenry right now while we can. That way China will not be able to dictate monetary rules to us down the road.
My second concern relates to the first. I know there will be tremendous change in the years to come. It will be the type of total geopolitical change witnessed only once in a generation. I want this change to be the good sort of change. While there is no doubt there will be a period of chaos and very challenging times, we can react to that in a variety of ways. We can look for a leader like George Washington or we can look for a leader like Adolf Hitler. Hard times bring out the best and the worst in people. Of course, I want the former and I have become increasingly encouraged that this is a possibility.
What the financial crisis did for myself and many others like me was to shake me out of the slob-like daze I was in prior to it. Prior to the crisis, I was your typical brainwashed sell-side Wall Streeter. I had always read books voraciously in my free time before I joined Wall Street. All of that stopped. I used to play guitar. That stopped as well. What the financial crisis forced me to do was to look beneath the façade of the financial system to how it really works. When I did this I realized it was a gigantic ponzi scheme centered around a paper U.S. dollar defended by our hundreds of military bases abroad and periodic wars in the Middle East to ensure oil is priced in dollars. I saw that this system was not only immoral to the rest of the world, but it was immoral domestically since it funnels all the country’s wealth to its least productive members. Washington D.C. bureaucrats, the military-industrial complex and TBTF Wall Street firms. This made me question everything about my life and forced me to make serious changes. I started reading profusely again. I started meditating every morning. I quit my job. Most recently, I moved from Manhattan to Colorado. People all over the country are doing similar things and are forming the nucleus of what will hopefully later be seen as the New Renaissance.
When I wrote earlier that the crisis happened at the right time I meant at a time when the internet was mature enough o help us find our way out of this. The absence of a filter on the web is perhaps the most liberating and connecting event that has ever happened to humanity. Think about what you would have to do if you wanted to research a topic fifteen years ago. Think about how quickly I can share a lecture by Murray Rothbard (RIP) via youtube with thousands of people that have never heard of him.
I take great exception when people say the smart thing to do is to flee the country. If everyone with a brain and some fight left in them did this we would surely end up with a dictator. We have the tools to fight and to win. The nation is heavily armed, fiercely independent, has a constitution and a history of freedom. We also have the internet. It is the parasites in D.C. and the financial terrorists that should think about moving out.
All the best,
Mike
Reagan Aide Perle: START 'Seriously Flawed'
Instead of pressuring reluctant Republican senators for rapid ratification of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia, the Obama administration should just drop it, says Richard Perle, a key architect of President Ronald Reagan’s strategy to end the Cold War.
“It’s a seriously flawed treaty,” Perle, now a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, says during an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV. “It’s certainly not the kind of treaty Ronald Reagan fought for and accomplished.”
The pact is very weak on verification, he says. “For example, our right to inspections is limited to sites the Russians declare . . . which makes a mockery of the whole idea of on-site inspections,” Perle explains. “Imagine when Iran asserts a similar right to limit inspections, or the North Koreans or others. For that reason alone, it’s a very doubtful agreement.”
Plenty of time is needed to examine the treaty. “That won’t be done if they vote immediately,” he notes. “The Senate has never seen the full negotiating record on the treaty.”
That’s because the Obama administration doesn’t want a serious examination of the dispute between the United States and Russia over ballistic missile defense, Perle says.
“Russia claims that, if we build future ballistic missile defenses that impinge on what they believe to be their national security, then all bets are off, and the treaty no longer applies,” he says. “That would inhibit our ballistic missile defense program, even though it’s not aimed at Russia — it’s aimed at Iran, North Korea, and others.”
The Obama administration essentially has handed Russia a veto over our missile defense program, Perle says. “At any point they can say we don’t like what you’re doing, you’re putting us in a position where we’ll walk away from this treaty. I think this president would back down under those circumstances.”
A close examination of all this is vital, but the White House refuses to turn over the negotiating records, says Perle, who was President Ronald Reagan’s assistant defense secretary.
More from Newsmax
“It’s a seriously flawed treaty,” Perle, now a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, says during an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV. “It’s certainly not the kind of treaty Ronald Reagan fought for and accomplished.”
The pact is very weak on verification, he says. “For example, our right to inspections is limited to sites the Russians declare . . . which makes a mockery of the whole idea of on-site inspections,” Perle explains. “Imagine when Iran asserts a similar right to limit inspections, or the North Koreans or others. For that reason alone, it’s a very doubtful agreement.”
Plenty of time is needed to examine the treaty. “That won’t be done if they vote immediately,” he notes. “The Senate has never seen the full negotiating record on the treaty.”
That’s because the Obama administration doesn’t want a serious examination of the dispute between the United States and Russia over ballistic missile defense, Perle says.
“Russia claims that, if we build future ballistic missile defenses that impinge on what they believe to be their national security, then all bets are off, and the treaty no longer applies,” he says. “That would inhibit our ballistic missile defense program, even though it’s not aimed at Russia — it’s aimed at Iran, North Korea, and others.”
The Obama administration essentially has handed Russia a veto over our missile defense program, Perle says. “At any point they can say we don’t like what you’re doing, you’re putting us in a position where we’ll walk away from this treaty. I think this president would back down under those circumstances.”
A close examination of all this is vital, but the White House refuses to turn over the negotiating records, says Perle, who was President Ronald Reagan’s assistant defense secretary.
More from Newsmax
Obama's Urgent Treaty Push Called 'Contempt Of Congress'
Concern is mounting among experts in the arena of international treaties that the Obama administration is forcing U.S. senators to ram through a new strategic arms reduction document with the Russians without fully understanding the implications or its provisions – described by critics as unverifiable, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.
"(President Barack Obama's) demand that senators approve this defective accord during the few days remaining in the lame-duck session amounts to contempt of Congress," said Frank Gaffney who is president of the Center for Security Policy. "It must not be tolerated, let alone rewarded."
Critics say the treaty could "restrict" the nation's ability to defend itself, and suggest that there may be provisions Obama doesn't want members of the Senate to analyze, and possibly oppose.
Gaffney, a former acting assistant secretary of defense for international security policy, is versed in START treaties; he was involved in arms reduction negotiations during the Reagan administration.
He claims that senators have not had time to review the extensive negotiating record which reflected Russian opposition to U.S. positions while the administration decided to push for its approval anyway.
He and other critics claim that the treaty sets up a Bilateral Consultative Commission that will affect the treaty's terms materially – and make those changes without giving the Senate its constitutionally outlined advise and consent process.
The Senate requires a two-thirds vote, or approval by 67 members, before it is ratified.
Now, the Senate leadership has announced that it will hold a weekend session in an effort to ratify the treaty.
But critics are alarmed the treaty draft establishes a relationship between missile offense and missile defense, and as the U.S. shrinks its inventory of strategic nuclear weapons, it presents less latitude to beef up U.S. defenses against potential missile attacks not just from the Russians but other countries as well.
Critics are concerned that limitations in this treaty will preclude bolstering missile defenses against such countries as North Korea and Iran which are developing their own intercontinental ballistic missiles that soon could reach the U.S.
The net effect of any changes that could occur without U.S. approval would restrict U.S. missile defenses and make other reductions in U.S. nuclear deterrent forces, Gaffney said.
Other former leaders from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, along with top nuclear weapons and arms control experts, oppose the new START.
More here
"(President Barack Obama's) demand that senators approve this defective accord during the few days remaining in the lame-duck session amounts to contempt of Congress," said Frank Gaffney who is president of the Center for Security Policy. "It must not be tolerated, let alone rewarded."
Critics say the treaty could "restrict" the nation's ability to defend itself, and suggest that there may be provisions Obama doesn't want members of the Senate to analyze, and possibly oppose.
Gaffney, a former acting assistant secretary of defense for international security policy, is versed in START treaties; he was involved in arms reduction negotiations during the Reagan administration.
He claims that senators have not had time to review the extensive negotiating record which reflected Russian opposition to U.S. positions while the administration decided to push for its approval anyway.
He and other critics claim that the treaty sets up a Bilateral Consultative Commission that will affect the treaty's terms materially – and make those changes without giving the Senate its constitutionally outlined advise and consent process.
The Senate requires a two-thirds vote, or approval by 67 members, before it is ratified.
Now, the Senate leadership has announced that it will hold a weekend session in an effort to ratify the treaty.
But critics are alarmed the treaty draft establishes a relationship between missile offense and missile defense, and as the U.S. shrinks its inventory of strategic nuclear weapons, it presents less latitude to beef up U.S. defenses against potential missile attacks not just from the Russians but other countries as well.
Critics are concerned that limitations in this treaty will preclude bolstering missile defenses against such countries as North Korea and Iran which are developing their own intercontinental ballistic missiles that soon could reach the U.S.
The net effect of any changes that could occur without U.S. approval would restrict U.S. missile defenses and make other reductions in U.S. nuclear deterrent forces, Gaffney said.
Other former leaders from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, along with top nuclear weapons and arms control experts, oppose the new START.
More here
Half Of All Illegal Entries And Marijuana Smuggled Into U.S. In 2010 Came Through One Sector Of AZ Border
Approximately “half of all illegal entries” into the United States and "half of all of the marijuana smuggled into the United States" in fiscal 2010 occurred in the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector, which takes up only a part of the Arizona-Mexico border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Commissioner Alan Bersin.
More than two-thirds of the Tucson Sector itself is under "effective control," according to CBP, which by definition means that the government can "reasonably ensure" that illegal entries are intercepted there.
That leaves, by CBP's accounting, just a small part of the Tucson sector open to a massive influx of illegal aliens and illegal drugs.
And this bulging gap in border security is in a state that the federal government is currently suing for allegedly usurping the federal government's rightful authority to enforce immigration laws.
CBP divides the almost 2,000-mile-long U.S.-Mexico border into 9 sectors. They run from the Pacific Coast to the Gulf Coast in this order: San Diego, El Centro, Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, Marfa, Del Rio, Laredo, and Rio Grande.
Arizona's portion of the U.S.-Mexico border is 378 miles long, straddling two of the Border Patrol's sectors: Yuma and Tucson. The Yuma Sector (which includes the easternmost 10 miles of the California-Mexico border) takes up the westernmost 116 miles of the Arizona-Mexico border. The other 262 miles of the Arizona-Mexico border fall in the Tucson Sector. The Border Patrol's El Paso sector begins on the New Mexico side of the Arizona-New Mexico border.
A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told CNSNews.com that as of Sept. 30 (the last day of fiscal year 2010), the federal government believed it had achieved what it calls "effective control" of 293 miles of the 378-mile-long Arizona-Mexico border and that the remaining 85 miles of the Arizona-Mexico border that are not under "effective control" are all in the Tucson Sector.
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More than two-thirds of the Tucson Sector itself is under "effective control," according to CBP, which by definition means that the government can "reasonably ensure" that illegal entries are intercepted there.
That leaves, by CBP's accounting, just a small part of the Tucson sector open to a massive influx of illegal aliens and illegal drugs.
And this bulging gap in border security is in a state that the federal government is currently suing for allegedly usurping the federal government's rightful authority to enforce immigration laws.
CBP divides the almost 2,000-mile-long U.S.-Mexico border into 9 sectors. They run from the Pacific Coast to the Gulf Coast in this order: San Diego, El Centro, Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, Marfa, Del Rio, Laredo, and Rio Grande.
Arizona's portion of the U.S.-Mexico border is 378 miles long, straddling two of the Border Patrol's sectors: Yuma and Tucson. The Yuma Sector (which includes the easternmost 10 miles of the California-Mexico border) takes up the westernmost 116 miles of the Arizona-Mexico border. The other 262 miles of the Arizona-Mexico border fall in the Tucson Sector. The Border Patrol's El Paso sector begins on the New Mexico side of the Arizona-New Mexico border.
A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told CNSNews.com that as of Sept. 30 (the last day of fiscal year 2010), the federal government believed it had achieved what it calls "effective control" of 293 miles of the 378-mile-long Arizona-Mexico border and that the remaining 85 miles of the Arizona-Mexico border that are not under "effective control" are all in the Tucson Sector.
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Harry Reid Drops Nearly $1.3 Trillion Spending Bill
Democrats controlling the Senate have abandoned a 1,924-page catchall spending measure that's laced with homestate pet projects known as earmarks and that would have provided another $158 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Nevada Democrat Harry Reid gave up on the nearly $1.3 trillion bill after several Republicans who had been thinking of voting for the bill pulled back their support.
GOP leader Mitch McConnell threw his weight against the bill in recent days, saying it was in his words "unbelievable" that Democrats would try to muscle through in just a few days legislation that usually takes months to debate.
Reid said he would work with McConnell to produce a short-term funding bill to keep the government running into early next year.
McConnell has offered a one-page bill to prevent a government shutdown on Saturday as an alternative to the 1,924-page catchall spending measure offered by Democrats.
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2011
In the coming new year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address will occur on the same day.
It is an ironic juxtaposition of events: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to an insignificant creature of little intelligence for prognostication, while the other involves a groundhog.
HOLIDAY EATING TIPS
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately… Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.
Great Video
Just get past the Gorilla, and this short video will make you laugh. The person who made it had too much time on their hands, but it is one of the funniest animal videos I have seen. We watched it many times and laughed just as hard every time.
The Star Spangled Banner
A friend sent this to me and I thought it was too good not to share.... I will never hear the Star Spangled Banner the same way again!!
Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Iwa-lSVqA1M&vq=medium
Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Iwa-lSVqA1M&vq=medium
My Dog
"Please be advised I am sick to death of receiving questions about my dog who mauled 3 Muslims sitting on a rug next to my back wall, 6 illegals wearing Barack Obama t-shirts, 4 Democrats wearing Nancy Pelosi t-shirts, 2 rappers, 5 phone operators who asked me to press 1 for English, 9 teenagers with their pants hanging down past their cracks, 8 customer service desk people speaking in broken English, 10 flag burners, and a Pakistani taxi driver .
FOR THE LAST TIME...... THE DOG IS NOT FOR SALE !!!"
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY TO HOST FORUM SERIES IN PREPARATION FOR SECOND TERM
Five “Maryland Forward” forums will help shape second term
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley will host a forum series in preparation for a second term as Maryland’s Governor, including stakeholders and experts in five broad areas that have served as priority areas for the O’Malley-Brown Administration. The “Maryland Forward” forum series will serve to develop strategies for the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s second term, and generate concrete actions and recommendations that support the Administration’s strategic goals.
Most notably, the forum series will gather the input of various stakeholders, including recommendations for legislative in areas including jobs and the economy; skills and education; sustainability; children and health; and public safety and security.
NOTE: Media is welcome to each session. Due to security at NIST, an RSVP for media is required for the forum on Monday.
POLLITT TO DELIVER 5TH "STATE OF THE COUNTY" ADDRESS ON 12/28/10 AT 10AM IN G.O.B.
Recently re-elected Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., will deliver his 5th “State of Wicomico County” address on Tuesday, December 28th at 10:00 A.M. in Council Chambers of the Government Office Building. The public is invited.
Mr. Pollitt has traditionally used the County Charter-mandated speech to recap the activities of the past year and set an agenda for the new year. “The past twelve months has been a time of great success for our county, even as our challenges grow in significance,” Pollitt said. “My second term will, by necessity, involve the establishment of a whole new context for county government as we honor our obligation to provide core public services with ever-declining public resources.”
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY VISITS MARYLAND FOOD BANK MOBILE PANTRY
Governor thanks community partners for their support during the holiday season and throughout the year
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley joined Delegate John Olszewski Jr., Councilman John Olszewski, Sr., community leaders and others at the Essex United Methodist Church to participate in one of the Maryland Food Bank’s “Mobile Pantries”. The Governor helped unload food from the truck and distribute food to pantry clients, and highlighted the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger, an initiative launched by the O’Malley-Brown Administration two years ago. Governor O’Malley included the Maryland Food Bank in the General Fund budget, granting the organization an additional $1 million last year to meet demand, enough to provide more than 2 million meals for disadvantaged Marylanders.
“When a citizen goes hungry – especially a child – anywhere in Maryland, it impacts all of us. There’s no such thing as a spare American, or a spare Marylander. And during this holiday season, we should remind ourselves not only of the blessings many of us have, but of our responsibility to serve the greater community for those in need,” said Governor O’Malley. “As Marylanders we’ve always led the way in times of great adversity, setting an example for other States to rally around. Even through these tough times, we are leading the way toward becoming the first State in the nation to end childhood hunger.”
Maryland developed a partnership that includes community groups, activists and food programs to catch children at risk of hunger, and ensure they have nutritious food where they live, learn and play. Governor O’Malley is the first Governor in the nation to commit to ending childhood hunger by 2015 and has placed Childhood Hunger as one of his 15 strategic goals.
“Governor O’Malley and his Administration continue to be among our strongest partners in the fight against hunger in Maryland,” said Deborah Flateman, Maryland Food Bank CEO. “While more Marylanders than ever are at risk for hunger, the one million dollars that the O’Malley Administration has provided to purchase food will provide more than two million meals to those in need. We are grateful for the support of the governor and will work to help him meet his goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015.”
Governor O’Malley was also joined by executives from Walmart, who have donated a turkey to every box of food distributed at the pantry today, and have partnered with the Maryland Food Bank and other organizations for the donation of over $445,000 for hunger relief in Maryland. This includes the donation of a refrigerated truck by the Walmart Foundation, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for Food Bank programs.
“We are proud to be a partner in this important cause, which is making a difference in the lives of families throughout the state,” said Walmart Regional Operations Manager Alex Barron. “This initiative is an example of the five-year, $2 billion commitment that Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have made to ending hunger in America through its Fighting Hunger Together campaign. We are pleased to have awarded $350,000 in local cash grants toward this cause and to have donated a refrigerated truck that assists the Maryland Food Bank in its critical work.”
The Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in Maryland’s aggressive summer meals outreach and marketing campaign last year resulted in a 17.4 percent increase in the number of children participating in summer nutrition programs from the previous summer. While there was a decline in the number of children participating nationally, Maryland had the second largest increase in the country. And last year, the Department of Human Resources reported a 23.56% increase in households with children under 18 participating in the Food Supplement Program, formerly known as food stamps. In the last two years, the Partnership’s efforts to raise awareness about the availability of school breakfast resulted in a 9% increase in the number of students eating school breakfast every day.
Carter: U.S. Ready for Gay President
In an interview with Big Think, former President Jimmy Carter says he thinks Americans are ready for a gay president.