Troopers Investigate Train Accident

Location: Pigeon Point Road, south of Pyles Lane, Wilmington, DE

 

Date of Occurrence: Monday, June 27, 2011 at 1:35 p.m.

 

Operators/Vehicles:

 

Operator #1: Selven D. Ellana, 46, New Castle, DE

Vehicle #1: 2000 Freightliner Tractor and 1999 Trailmobile Trailer (Owned by Bestway Transport Company, Plymouth, OH)

 

Operator #2: John N. Vinyard, 46, Dover, DE

Vehicle #2: GMC GP40-2 Train Engine (Owned by Norfolk Southern Railroad)

 

Resume:   

Wilmington- The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a crash involving a freight train and a tractor trailer that occurred this afternoon just north of Wilmington.

 

The incident occurred as Selven D. Ellana was operating a Freightliner Tractor which was pulling an empty box trailer and was traveling northbound on Pigeon Point Road just south of Pyles Lane. As Ellana crossed a set of train tracks that cross Pigeon Point Road, the trailer portion of his vehicle was struck by the engine of a Norfolk Southern freight train that was traveling in a westbound direction and which was being operated by John N. Vinyard, of Dover, DE. The Train was able to stop a short distance from the crash scene.

 

Neither operator was injured in the crash. There was no derailment of the train. Selven D. Ellana was cited by troopers with Inattentive Driving.

Great Travel Gadgets

In my teens, I never went on vacation without my yellow Sony Walkman. Today's travel gear may be more sophisticated, but the premise is the same: high tech toys that help out when it's time for R&R.

When I'm leaving on a trip, I spend hours syncing iPads, iPhones, and eReaders with my media library so I can watch new episodes of AMC's "The Killing," listen to tech podcasts, or read ebooks. But you need fun gear to play all of this digital content too.

Here's my checklist of a few simple toys that will make your summer travel go far more smoothly.

Marley Headphones and Earbuds
You can't listen to your fresh summer tunes if you don't have headphones. The House of Marley line of headphones and earbuds offer high-quality sound that you can feel good about -- they're made from recycled material.

Styled after the late Bob Marley, they'll make you look cool whether you are listening to a lecture about biochemistry or jamming to a Justin Bieber album. These are affordable too! They start at just $29.99 for the earbuds and $59.99 for the headphones.

READ MORE …

Soros Accused of Trying to Stack State Courts

Billionaire George Soros spends tens of millions each year supporting a range of liberal social and political causes, from drug legalization to immigration reform to gay marriage to abolishing the death penalty.

But a less well-known Soros priority -- replacing elections for judges with selection-by-committee -- now has critics accusing him of trying to stack the courts.

Most non-federal judges around the country are selected by voters in elections. But some states use a process called “merit selection” in which a committee – often made up of lawyers – appoints judges to the bench instead.

Soros has spent several million dollars in the past decade in an attempt to get more states to scrap elections and adopt the merit method. Supporters say it would allow judges to focus on interpreting the law rather than on raising campaign funds and winning elections.

READ MORE …

Politics Is A Scam – Why I Will Never Vote Again

I had five seconds to make the secretive most powerful man in the world like me so I could potentially make millions. “James,” Bill McCluskey said to me, “this is Alan Quasha.” Bill was CEO of Brean Murray, one of the mini-banks I considered selling my fund of hedge funds to in 2006. We had a deal on the table and I was desperate at the time to make it work. The table was circular, there were papers on it with numbers, I was bullshitting every which way I could about “synergies”. Whatever. That was months later. But first I had to meet Alan Quasha, the owner of Brean Murray, at an event they were throwing, and he had to like me. Because…

Alan Quasha squinted his eyes, shook my hand. He had no idea who I was. I certainly wasn’t anything like George W. Bush, the man Quasha had personally saved in 1986. The man Bush owes his sobriety to. In 1986 Bush was CEO of some oil company that was going down in flames. Possibly the worst oil company in Texas history.

Some calls were made and Quasha’s Harken Oil bought Bush’s company for millions of dollars. Then, of course, a few years later, Bush sold his shares in Quasha’s Harkin Oil right before Harkin Oil announced a mega-loss and the stock tanked. Bush used his profits to buy a stake in the Texas Rangers, sold that stake later for 10-15 million dollars and was finally able to follow his father’s sage advice (“don’t go into politics until you get rich” ***).

Let’s spell out what that means: if Alan Quasha called up W on September 12, 2001 in the middle of Bush pouring over maps of the jungles of Afghanistan to see where we would invade (do they have jungles in Afghanistan? Do we really need an “h” in Afghanistan?), Bush would say “hold all calls”, close the doors of the Oval Office and say “Hi Daddy Number 2″, to Quasha. He owed his life, his livelihood, the Texas Rangers, the Presidency, all to Alan Quasha and now I was shaking Quasha’s hand. I had five seconds to make Alan Quasha like me almost as much as he liked Bush so he would buy my company. Why? Alan Quasha was Chairman of Brean Murray.

Fast-forward about ten seconds. Alan Quasha had moved on. Now I was being introduced to Terry Mcauliffe. Terry was the Vice-Chairman of Brean Murray. Terry was known in most circles as “Bill Clinton’s best friend”. Terry raised the bulk of the money for the two Presidential campaigns that Bill was in (the first, of course, where he crushed Bush, the Elder). I’m guessing Terry also raised the money for all of Hillary’s political races. If Chelsea Clinton ever ran for Mayor of New York (now that Weiner is out of the running so you never know) I bet Terry would raise all the money for her race as well.

So there you have it. The biggest mastermind in Republican politics, the behind the scenes mover and shaker across the entire Bush family, was Chairman of the company. And the biggest mover-and-shaker in Democrat politics, was Vice Chairman. The war of values, between Democracy and Republicanism that our founders had fought for, had shed blood for, was over between them, if it ever even existed. Screw “The Federalist Papers”! Let’s make some money!

Read the rest here.

A Comment Worthy of a Post

Just so you know, I hate these things.  People send in anonymous comments and (oftentimes) make outrageous claims.  Then you use it as a post and say, “Hey, it wasn’t me!  It was this commenter.”
However, since this comment was directed at me I figured, why not.

Here’s the context.  On Friday afternoon we ran a post about work being done at 807 Camden Avenue.  This property is owned by Kris and / or Kevin Adams or one of their companies.  I know we weren’t inaccurate and I don’t believe that we were disparaging of the Adamses (unless accurate reporting is disparaging).  However, this is the comment Joe Albero received on Friday:
f*#% you ga you fat f*#%ing slob leave us alone
The grammar, the syntax, the style … all indicative of a university graduate.  I’m willing to bet that his came from an Adams, but not Kevin or Kris.
Granted, I’m a tad large, but I don’t appreciate the slob part.  But as they say, opinions are like a&&holes, everybody has one.
What I find particularly fascinating is that SbyNEWS is attacked for being negative and nasty but some of the same people who make those claims are the same folk making comments like these.
God Bless America!

Blagojevich Guilty On 17 of 20 Counts

Ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich found guilty on 17 of 20 counts, including trying to sell Obama's Senate seat.

Criminal Arrest-Sexual Assault

DATE & TIME: January 2008 thru June 2011
Case # 11-142
LOCATION: 123 Branch Street, Berlin, Worcester County

CRIME: Sex Offense

VICTIM: white male, 25 years of age, Berlin, Maryland

ACCUSED: Jason Paul Carpenter, 30 years of age, W/M, 204 Broad Street, Berlin, MD

CHARGES: Vulnerable Adult Abuse, Assault 1st degree, Assault 2nd degree, Sex Offense 1st , 2nd, and 3rd degree, Sodomy, Perverted practice

NARRATIVE:
On June 8, 2011, the complainant and victim responded to the Berlin Police Department in reference to a reported a sexual offense. Due to the nature of the crime, the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) was contacted to continue the investigation.

The complainant entered the police department to report that her brother, the victim, had been sexually assaulted by her ex-boyfriend, the suspect, Jason Carpenter. The victim has a mental capacity of a third grader.

The victim advised that the suspect had performed sexual acts on him on several occasions while living together in the residence.

The first assault was on or about January of 2008 and the last assault occurring in May of 2011. During the encounters, the suspect entered the victim's bedroom while he was asleep and performed the sexual acts.

Carpenter was served with an arrest warrant on June 10, 2011 charging him with numerous counts of sexual acts and abuse. Carpenter was held without bond pending his scheduled trial.

New Jersey And New York Ranked As Worst States For "Individual Freedoms"

Live free or die? New Hampshire may be on to something, according to researchers at George Mason University's Mercatus Center.

They used a variety of statistics to rank the 50 states for their just-published report on which states are the freest -- and least free -- from taxes and government regulation.

Their horserace has ranked New York as the "least free state in the Union" followed by neighboring New Jersey. New Hampshire and South Dakota were in a virtual tie for most "free" state.

The professors who authored the study believe that this freedom as they define it makes a lot of difference to the happiness and well-being of the governed.

Many people "don't want to have their lives dictated by people in their state capital," says William Ruger, political science professor at Texas State University-San Marcos, who co-authored the report with Jason Sorens, political science professor at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York.

"As academics, we were first interested in the scientific question of how states differ, why, and with what implications," said Ruger. "It was natural to then compare them in terms of their respect for individual freedom given how important this is to both of us."

Ruger, who is in the reserve component of the Navy, served in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009. He said his project was not related to his time in Afghanistan, though "those who love freedom ought to take it upon themselves to defend and uphold our individual rights."

"Sometimes we do so with the pen, sometimes with the sword," he said.

New York was ranked dead last in part because it has the highest taxes in the country, including those on property, selective sales, individual income and corporate-income, according to the report. They cited New York's spending on "other and unallocable" expenses, including public welfare, hospitals, electric power, transit, and employee retirement, as another reason for its ranking.

The report created four other lists ranking freedom based on fiscal policy, regulatory policy, economic freedom and personal freedom. They did not attempt to weigh the benefits bestowed on the populace by their government and its policies.

Maryland was ranked last based on personal freedom, though it was #43 in overall freedom. The report cited Maryland's gun laws, which are the second-strictest in the country, as well as "fairly harsh" marijuana laws, extensive auto regulations, harsh gambling laws, "burdensome" homeschooling laws, high drug arrest rates and lack of status for same-sex partnerships.

The report makes policy recommendations for each state, such as proposing that Maryland legalize same-sex civil unions and strengthen medical-marijuana laws while decriminalizing low-level possession.

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Obama Administration Reportedly Considering 56.2 MPG Fuel Economy Standard

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is considering a fleetwide average of 56.2 miles per gallon for all new cars and trucks sold in the US by 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported late Saturday citing two people briefed on the matter said.

The proposal would roughly double current fuel-economy targets, and would likely raise the price of some cars by several thousand dollars.

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Women's 'Gaydar' Improves During Ovulation

In the absence of prominent “jazz hands,” or obvious rainbow flag toting, many of us have lousy "gaydar." That’s likely because we don’t really care who’s gay and who’s straight.

Fertile women, on the other hand, or even women who are simply thinking about sex, do care, though they may not know it. In fact, ovulating women may have more accurate gaydar than the rest of us, according to a study in the journal Psychological Science.

When Nicholas Rule of the University of Toronto and colleagues showed a group of heterosexual college women 80 photos of men, 40 of whom were straight and 40 of whom were gay, women who were nearing the most fertile time of their monthly periods were much better at guessing which men were gay. There was no motion or sound. The photos did not differ in expression, attractiveness or facial adornments like the 'stache on the Village People biker.

As Rule explains, past experiments have shown straight men and women all have a bias toward judging men in photos as straight. “This makes sense since straight men outnumber gay men as much as 9:1,” he said. But when women are fertile, they can overcome this bias.

Why? Is it because a man’s sexual orientation becomes more relevant at times when women can get pregnant so they don’t pick a man who will be, reproductively speaking, unavailable? Or is there something about fertility that makes women more attentive to facial cues they miss at other times of the month?

To answer that question, Rule showed straight women 100 photos of lesbians and 100 photos of straight women. While accuracy was greater than random chance, it didn’t matter if the women were fertile or not.

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Can Ron Paul Really Be Right About Everything?

I was in Jacksonville last Friday for an event called “Ron Paul on the River.” The Republican presidential candidate was supposed to speak at a luncheon after appearing at another area event in the morning, but had to cancel at the last minute due to votes on Libya in the House scheduled on short notice. While it was disappointing that the congressman would not appear, the keynote speaker that appeared in his place was well worth the trip.

Doug Wead is a self-confessed former member of the Establishment. In addition to being a best-selling author and world-renowned speaker, Wead has worked as a special advisor to President George H.W. Bush and on the campaign of George W. Bush. According to Wikipedia, Time magazine called Wead “an insider in the Bush family orbit.”

A good portion of Wead’s speech in Jacksonville focused on issues on which he had formerly disagreed with Paul. At one point, he made the startling statement, “but now I agree with him on everything.” He encouraged Paul supporters to persevere through the difficulties of supporting an anti-Establishment candidate and to remember that “logic and the truth are on your side.”

It is not fashionable to admit that you agree with anyone “on everything.” To make that admission is to invite accusations of belonging to a personality cult whose members blindly follow their leader no matter what position he takes. Indeed, this criticism is leveled at Paul’s grassroots supporters, who are called “Paulites” by detractors, implying that they have a pseudo-religious devotion to Paul rather than informed positions on the issues.

In modern America political thinking, where only the results of political action are considered rather than the rights of the parties involved, it is not considered reasonable to agree with anyone 100% of the time. For someone like Wead, whose living depends upon his credibility as an expert on those things he writes and speaks about, there is a certain amount of risk in making this statement. Yet he did it in Jacksonville without hesitation, emphasizing the words “on everything” to ensure that no one missed the point.

This immediately struck me, because it was the second time in as many weeks that I had heard a statement like this from someone who had something to lose by saying it. Appearing on The O’Reilly Factor, John Stossel answered O’Reilly’s assertion that Ron Paul hadn’t won the New Hampshire debate by saying, “But he’s right about everything and you’re wrong.” O’Reilly retorted, “Everything?” Stossel repeated, “Everything.” When O’Reilly pressed yet again with the same question, Stossel finally backed up to “Just about everything.”

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ACTUAL VOICE OF GENERAL Mc ARTHUR NEVER BEEN SHOWN TO GENERAL PUBLIC BEFORE

Japanese Surrender- Amazing Footage Sept 2, 1945...

This is a 'must see' for the WWII history buff or anyone interested in history.

Interesting the other signers to the document, from New Zealand/Australia to Europe/Russia.

 

This is an actual film made of the surrender ceremony of the Japs to McArthur in Tokyo Bay in September 1945.

Actual voice of the Gene ral. Never been shown to the general public before.

 

We always saw the "stills" but never the film itself.

 

Click here: Japanese Surrender

BREAKING NEWS: Judge Blocks Portion of GA Immigration Law

A federal judge on Monday blocked parts of Georgia's law cracking down on illegal immigration from taking effect until a legal challenge is resolved.

Judge Thomas Thrash granted a request to block parts of the law that penalize people who knowingly and willingly transport or harbor illegal immigrants while committing another crime. He also blocked provisions that authorize officers to verify the immigration status of someone who can't provide proper identification.

Thrash wrote that under parts of the law, the state is enforcing immigration law that should be left to the federal government.

Thrash also dismissed parts of the lawsuit at the state's request.

READ MORE ...

Summer Reading Kickoff - Main Library

Summer Reading Club Kickoff!

WHAT:           Lollipop the Clown & Sneaks the Cat kickoff the Summer Reading Club with music, stories, laughs and fun!

WHO:             Children and families

WHEN:           Wednesday, June 29^th, from 10:30 a.m. until 11:15 a.m.

WHERE:        Wicomico Public Library – Main Library, downtown Salisbury

BACKGROUND:  The Summer Reading Club takes place each year to keep kids reading all summer.  We expect 60 to 80 people to attend this event.

How to Avoid Puppy Mills

Puppy mills can be a danger for families that want to adopt a new dog. A puppy mill is a breeding facility with the sole purpose of churning out the most dogs for the least money - and to make the most profit.

Substandard breeding conditions and inbreeding can lead to health and behavioral problems in the puppies bred there. Since the 1980s, the Humane Society of the United States has been fighting to shut down these facilities. You can do your part by making sure to research before you adopt and by keeping yourself informed! Here are some tips to avoid adopting from a puppy mill:

Avoid:

Pet stores, newspaper or journal ads, and great deals on the internet! Many puppy mills supply local pet stores, and ads in newspapers or on websites can easily falsify information. Remember Bandit from Season 2? His website said that he was from a licensed breeder, but he turned out to be the product of a puppy mill, costing his new family thousands of dollars in vet bills and heartache over his life-threatening health and behavioral problems. Read a story about a successful puppy mill adoption using Cesar’s Way.

Visit the breeder and ask questions!

Ask to see the entire facility where the dogs are bred and kept. Is it clean? Spacious enough? Ask to see the parent dogs as well. Does the breeder show hesitation to let you see the facility or to let you meet the other dogs who are being kept there? Or is the breeder willing to just sell one of his puppies to anyone who walks in off the street, sight unseen? Reputable breeders will want to make sure their puppies are going to good homes. Beware of all these red flags.

Adopt from a shelter or rescue instead! This is the simplest solution. Rescues and shelters most often have the best interest of the animal at heart, and many of them are last chance adoptions. Remember: don't feel sorry! Adopt based on your energy level and compatibility!

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Report: Feds Downplayed ICE Backdoor Amnesty

Homeland Security officials misled the public and Congress last year in an effort to downplay a wave of immigration case dismissals in Houston and other cities amid accusations that they had created a "back-door amnesty," newly released records show.

The records, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, include a series of internal memos from Immigration and Customs Enforcement's chief counsel in Houston dated last August ordering attorneys to review all new, incoming cases and thousands already pending on the immigration court docket and to file paperwork to dismiss any that did not meet the agency's "top priorities."

The secretive review process resulted in the dismissal of hundreds of cases in Houston, most of them involving illegal immigrants who had lived in the United States for years without committing serious crimes.

A string of emails shows the dismissals had the blessings of top attorneys at ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., last summer and that other ICE legal offices across the country were encouraged to consider measures to better use the agency's limited resources to target dangerous criminals.

The records also document for the first time that the agency quietly rescinded the Houston memo on Aug. 25 — the day the Houston Chronicle broke the story on the dismissals — amid allegations from conservatives that the Obama administration had created a stealth amnesty program for illegal immigrants.

ICE public affairs officials in Washington initially refused either to confirm or deny the dismissals, and then told several news outlets that they affected only a very narrow class of illegal immigrants with pending green card applications described in a different agency memo. After Senate Judiciary Committee members demanded an investigation last fall into the Houston dismissals, Homeland Security officials reiterated the same claim they made to the media.

However, the newly released documents show conclusively that government attorneys in Houston were given wide latitude to file motions to dismiss cases, including some involving immigrants with convictions for primarily misdemeanor offenses.

"It now appears that DHS attempted to mislead the public and Congress on its policy of directing dismissals of cases against criminal aliens," said Jessica Sandlin, Sen. John Cornyn's Texas press secretary. "After this failed attempt at stonewalling and obstruction of the public's right to know, the truth is now coming out."

Read more

Sobos Wine Beerstro Event

Click on image to enlarge.

They Sent My Census Form Back!!

In answer to the question, 'Do you have any dependents?',

I put ...... 'Asylum seekers, illegal immigrants, crack heads, unemployable slackers, the cast of The Jerry Springer Show, 80,000 people in our 133 penal establishments in Texas, leftovers in Texas from Katrina, half of fricken Mexico, Some of the Congress, most of the Senate and a Muslim President!'

................. Apparently this wasn't an acceptable answer.

Obama Meets With Senate Leaders On Debt Limit

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama takes over negotiations on spending cuts and raising the government's borrowing limit when he holds separate meetings Monday with Senate leaders.

Obama begins the meetings with Majority Leader Harry Reid in the morning. They'll be joined at the White House by Vice President Joe Biden, who has been the administration's point-man in the current series of budget discussions.

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Yankees Fan Video Explodes On Internet

It's the kind of play that the fans at Yankee Stadium will be talking about for a while. And it was made in the stands -- by Michael Kacer, a veteran who lost his left arm in a rocket attack in Afghanistan a few years ago.

The 29-year-old Pennsylvania man was watching the game with his 13-year-old nephew when Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson fouled one back and to the right of the visitor's dugout. The ball took a big hop and headed toward Kacer, who was sitting in the first row. He reached over the railing and caught it -- with his hat. And then, as the crowd cheered, he immediately handed the ball over to his nephew, Isiah -- a big Yankees fan who was attending his first game. Video of the grab quickly showed up on the web, and ESPN showed it on SportsCenter. Kacer says all the attention is "like a wild roller coaster ride." You can see the outstanding snag for yourself on MLB.com.

Michele Bachmann Takes Swipe at Mitt Romney

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) took a swipe at former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney over his past support for abortion rights today, saying at a National Right-to Life conference that now is “not the time for Republicans to put up a candidate who is weak on this issue and has a history of flip-flopping on this issue.” Romney says he began opposing abortion rights in 2004, but he has refused to sign an anti-abortion rights pledge that he argues is too vague.

from Chris Cillizza @ the Washington Post

The Other Side Of The Adult Diaper Story

The Transportation Security Administration is standing by its officers after a 95-year-old woman was asked to remove her adult diaper during an airport security screening. CNN reports it happened at a Northwest Florida Regional Airport. The woman was selected for random screening. That's when TSA workers felt something suspicious on her leg and couldn't determine what it was. They asked the woman's daughter to take her to the bathroom and remove the adult diaper she was wearing. The TSA issued a statement saying their officers handled the situation in a "respectful and sensitive manner" and "according to proper procedure."

Obama Spies On Doctors

The Obama administration will spy on doctors to see how hard it is to get an appointment. The New York Times reports, the plan is to gather data on whether there is a shortage of primary care physicians. The Health and Human Service department is recruiting a team of mystery shoppers who will pose as patients.

Small Businesses Received $98 Billion In 2010

Small businesses received almost $98 billion in government contracts in 2010, but agencies still missed the government-wide goal for the fifth year running. The Small Business Administration releases its annual report.

It finds agencies awarded 22.7 percent of their contracts to small firms, falling just shy of the 23 percent goal.

But, SBA says the percentage was the largest increase in five years. Along with releasing the small business contracting totals for 2010, SBA also issued the agency report cards.

VALEDICTORIAN SPEECH 2010 BY ERICA GOLDSON

There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master, “If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen? The Master thought about this, then replied, “Ten years.” 
The student then said, “But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast – How long then?” Replied the Master, “Well, twenty years.” “But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?” asked the student. “Thirty years,” replied the Master. “But, I do not understand,” said the disappointed student. “At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?” 
Replied the Master, “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path.”
This is the dilemma I’ve faced within the American education system. We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.

Some of you may be thinking, “Well, if you pass a test, or become valedictorian, didn’t you learn something? Well, yes, you learned something, but not all that you could have. Perhaps, you only learned how to memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget in order to clear your mind for the next test. School is not all that it can be. Right now, it is a place for most people to determine that their goal is to get out as soon as possible.

I am now accomplishing that goal. I am graduating. I should look at this as a positive experience, especially being at the top of my class. However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contest that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer – not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition – a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave. I did what I was told to the extreme. While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. So, I wonder, why did I even want this position? Sure, I earned it, but what will come of it? When I leave educational institutionalism, will I be successful or forever lost? I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning. And quite frankly, now I’m scared.

John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher and activist critical of compulsory schooling, asserts, “We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness – curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time, texts, and tests, by introducing kids into truly competent adults, and by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then. But we don’t do that.” Between these cinderblock walls, we are all expected to be the same. We are trained to ace every standardized test, and those who deviate and see light through a different lens are worthless to the scheme of public education, and therefore viewed with contempt.

H. L. Mencken wrote in The American Mercury for April 1924 that the aim of public education is not to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence. … Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim … is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States. (Gatto)
To illustrate this idea, doesn’t it perturb you to learn about the idea of “critical thinking.” Is there really such a thing as “uncritically thinking?” To think is to process information in order to form an opinion. But if we are not critical when processing this information, are we really thinking? Or are we mindlessly accepting other opinions as truth?

This was happening to me, and if it wasn’t for the rare occurrence of an avant-garde tenth grade English teacher, Donna Bryan, who allowed me to open my mind and ask questions before accepting textbook doctrine, I would have been doomed. I am now enlightened, but my mind still feels disabled. I must retrain myself and constantly remember how insane this ostensibly sane place really is.

And now here I am in a world guided by fear, a world suppressing the uniqueness that lies inside each of us, a world where we can either acquiesce to the inhuman nonsense of corporatism and materialism or insist on change. We are not enlivened by an educational system that clandestinely sets us up for jobs that could be automated, for work that need not be done, for enslavement without fervency for meaningful achievement. We have no choices in life when money is our motivational force. Our motivational force ought to be passion, but this is lost from the moment we step into a system that trains us, rather than inspires us.
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Delaware, County To Discuss Extensions For Developers

GEORGETOWN, Del. (AP) -- Sussex County officials plan to discuss a proposal to grant automatic extensions to developers whose projects have been hampered by the economy.

The News Journal of Wilmington, Del., reports the county Council will take up the issue at a meeting Tuesday. The proposal is being sponsored by Councilman Vance Phillips, who says further delays to
projects could hurt the local economy.

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Myths Abound When Officials Talk Toll Increases

Democrats, Republicans both put us in this position

When Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. won election as governor in 2002, he was faced with a tricky problem.

He had campaigned on a pledge to build the long-delayed Intercounty Connector in suburban Washington. The highway project would cost a fortune, far more than the state could afford out of its Transportation Trust Fund, and the Republican Ehrlich had taken a hard line against new taxes. He had to come up with some way to pay the $2.6 billion it would eventually cost.

The answer? He would make it a toll road. And to give his policies a semblance of geographical balance, he would launch a second $1 billion-plus megaproject in the Baltimore area: widening Interstate 95 northeast of the city by adding express toll lanes.

The opposition was underwhelming. The public, accustomed to thinking of tolls as relatively painless trifles, hardly raised a fuss. Business leaders were thrilled. Journalists, including myself, were distracted by the sexy issue of slots and barely paid attention when tolls were raised on the Harbor and Susquehanna River crossings in 2003.

Yes, the environmentalists tried to warn us that the ICC tolls would be high. And they were proved right. But I don't recall them ever talking about the tolls on the Fort McHenry Tunnel and Key Bridge. Had they successfully tapped into concerns about regional equity, they might have been more effective.

When the Ehrlich administration came up with its debt-heavy financing package for the ICC and the I-95 Express Toll Lanes, legislators forced some tweaks but basically gave it their blessing. A few far-out liberals raised a fuss, but the Democratic leadership and Republican minority were all for it.

More than eight years later, we're getting the bill for those decisions. The Maryland Transportation Authority has proposed a sweeping set of toll increases, the most in the state's history. And unhappy motorists are looking for someone to blame.

Try the nearest mirror.

We put Maryland in this position collectively. We wanted to avoid higher gas taxes, but we wanted new highways, too. Our elected officials, with few exceptions, signed on the dotted line. As a state, we pawned the revenue from all our toll facilities — not just the new ones. And we got some great interest rates in the process.

What I — along with most of my readers — didn't realize then is that when you commit to toll financing, it's a little like selling your soul to Satan. Old Scratch isn't in the business of letting you out of the contract. Default on the devil and there's hell to pay.

Much of the reaction to the proposed increases shows that ordinary folks — and some extraordinary ones as well — just don't understand tolls.

More

Pimlico Neighbors Deciding How To Spend $2mil In Slots Revenue

Neighborhoods surrounding Pimlico Race Course to receive $2 million in slots revenue this year

Funds to pay for demolition, acquisition of vacant houses, new 7-acre park, some human services

Surrounded by clusters of trees and tall grasses, the community garden on Woodland Avenue provides Mary Waller with a serene, pastoral view from her wide front porch, less than half a mile from the Pimlico Race Course.

But only a few of Waller's neighbors are left to enjoy it. Her side of the street is lined with rowhouses long abandoned and left to deteriorate, a lasting reminder of how her block in Northwest Baltimore has languished since she moved in three decades ago.
"This was a beautiful, beautiful neighborhood," she said. But now, "there are very few people on Woodland Avenue, and everything is gone."

This year, plans long in the works to revitalize Park Heights could get started with an influx of $2 million from slots revenue, making this neighborhood among the first to see a tangible benefit from legalized casino gambling in Maryland.
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Andrew Cuomo, 2016 Frontrunner?

The passage of a same-sex marriage bill late Friday night in New York drew considerable national coverage to the Empire State and was broadly touted as a major victory for first term Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

It’s also stoked talk that Cuomo is rapidly transforming himself into a first among equals when it comes to the jockeying for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.

“It’s not just that he delivered on a major civil rights issue for the Democratic base in a huge state, it’s how he did it — winning bipartisan support and sticking with it when it seemed it might fail,” said Democratic consultant Jason Ralston. “Combine that with his name and his focus on the middle class and he is at the front of the pack for 2016.”

READ MORE …

Fewer Plan To Travel For July 4, Despite Drop In Gas

WASINGTON - You may see fewer people on the road if you are traveling for the July 4 weekend, even though the price of gas has dropped in the last few weeks.
 
Gas in the D.C. metro region now averages about $3.66 a gallon for unleaded regular, down 7 cents from last week.
 
But, when people were making their plans a few weeks ago, AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend says gas prices spiked, and that may mean more people will stay home between June 30 and July 4.

More

Today's Survey Question #2

If Bachmann's In, Will Palin Stay Out?

Today's Survey Question

Should The Constitution Be Amended?

Solar Outshines Wind Power For Residential Use

Maryland homeowners are increasingly getting their electricity from the sun, with thousands of people opting to go solar each year. “Solar energy is going gang-busters in Maryland,” said Ian Hines, communications and marketing manager of the Maryland Energy Administration.

Continue Reading...

TSA Defends Forcing Elderly Woman To Remove Adult Diaper

The Transportation Security Administration has given a vote of confidence to agents who ordered a 95-year-old woman to remove her adult diaper during a pat-down.

More »

Frankie Valli Concert

Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Friday, June 24, 2011

What a great concert, what a great show, "Oh what a night"

        

The concert event held at Harrington Raceway and Casino was outstanding.  The Casino staff were helpful,  patient, professional, and understanding.  Most concert ticket holders seemed to be from out of town and had no idea were they were going or how to get there.  All of the Casino's restaurants were full with a 20 min wait time for a table, but the staff made it as painless as possible.  Delaware State Police seemed to be everywhere, and were just as helpful if not more, than the casino staff.  Thank you to all the staff that made the concert a success and a huge "KUDOS" and Thank you to DSP whose professional mannerisms made the event safe for everyone to enjoy.

Photo: Dominic Page with DSP Troopers, Photo taken by his brother Vincent Page

Latinos Prove To Be Influential In US Politics

Halfway through his third year in office, President Barack Obama has begun his re-election campaign.  On June 14th, President Obama made a brief, yet symbolically important, visit to the United States’ territory of Puerto Rico in a pointed effort to reach out to Latino voters, an increasingly powerful electoral base.

President Obama understands the importance of the Latino vote in the upcoming elections and is making a determined effort to court the fastest growing demographic cohort in the U.S.

Latinos are scheduled to play an even more important role in the 2012 presidential election than in the past. Increasing 43 percent from 35,306,000 in 2000 to 50,478,000 as of 2010, the Hispanic population in the United States is at an all time high, comprising 16.3 percent of the total population.  Mexicans make up the single most important body of Latinos living in the U.S., constituting 63 percent of the total Hispanic population with 31,798,000 people.  There marks a significant relative decrease for the second largest Hispanic group in the U.S. — Puerto Ricans— who make up 9.2 percent of the total Latino population, with 4,624,000 people.[i] Despite the large drop off, Puerto Ricans, as well as smaller Hispanic groups, still represent a critical bloc of voters in a number of swing states.

In addition to their position as a large electoral group, Latinos have become increasingly prevalent in key government positions, yet are still underrepresented. The Hispanic population has become an influential group for both the Republican and Democratic Parties, and such voters will continue to increase their influence in shaping the future of this country.

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BREAKING NEWS: Bachmann To Make Official 2012 Announcement

Rep. Michele Bachmann to announce Republican bid for president at 10 a.m. ET.

From Fox News

Debt Debate Puts Maryland Federal Workers on Edge

As the pitched battle over the nation’s debt crisis shifts to the White House, federal employees in Maryland are bracing for a series of benefit cuts they say would have a devastating effect on the state’s economy.

Months after more than 200,000 federal workers in Maryland were hit with a two-year pay freeze to help reduce a $1.3 trillion budget deficit, many say they now are worried lawmakers are eying government retirement plans and health benefits for cuts in the scramble to strike a deal to raise the debt ceiling.

The government has until Aug. 2 to raise the $14.3 trillion debt limit or risk defaulting on the nation’s obligations. Republicans and many Democrats want significant budget cuts before they agree to lift that cap.

READ MORE …

GOP’s Edge for 2011? – They Have Candidates

The pivotal 2011 General Assembly elections are more than four months away, but Virginia Republicans already have one important advantage over their Democratic Party rivals.
Republicans have candidates running in at least 107 of the state’s 140 General Assembly districts. The GOP is well positioned to retain its comfortable majority in the House of Delegates and is mounting an all-out effort to grab control of the state Senate, where Democrats hold a fragile 22-18 majority.
Despite controlling the recent Senate redistricting process, Democrats so far have candidates in just 24 of 40 Senate districts and have no challengers for any Republican incumbents. The Democrats’ hopes of preserving a majority may rest largely on defending the districts they now represent.
READ MORE …

BREAKING NEWS: Dodgers File For Bankruptcy

Los Angeles Dodgers file for bankruptcy protection.

From Fox News

Two Boaters Drown in Weekend Accidents

Two people died over the weekend as a result of separate boating accidents in Cecil County waters.

The deaths, one on Friday in Chesapeake City and one on Saturday south of North East, were the 10th and 11th boating fatalities in Maryland this year.

The first occurred just before 8:30 p.m. on Friday night in the mooring basin in Chesapeake City. Maryland Natural Resources Police said Robert Vernon Baron, 27, of Bear, fell into the water as he attempted to jump from a boat to a pier near the Chesapeake Inn.

Two of Baron's shipmates jumped into the water to help but could not rescue him.

Divers from the Susquehanna Hose Company of Havre de Grace pulled Baron's body from the water at approximately 10:15 p.m. His body will be autopsied by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore.

READ MORE …

We had previously posted on the first accident. – Ed.

CASA Attempting to Queer Petition Drive

Tens of thousands of Marylanders have signed on the proverbial dotted line to let their elected representatives know that subsidizing college tuition for illegal aliens IS NOT the best use of their tax dollars.  Liberal groups like the ACLU and CASA de Maryland are doing everything possible to STOP this measure from going on the 2012 ballot.  These actions include court challenges and harassment of people wanting to sign the petitions.

Because of the tactics of groups such as CASA, this battle is having to be fought on two fronts.  Del. Neil Parrott (R-2B) has been leading the movement to get petitions signed (through MDPetitions.com).  Del. Mike Smigiel (R-36) has been leading the battle to make sure that every name is counted and fighting the lefts attempts to queer the process through court challenges and harassment.

The ACLU, who always claims to want every name and every vote counted when in support of a leftist cause, is leading a court challenge to void the 17,000 (to date) signatures delivered with electronically generated petitions.  While showing a photo ID at the polls is simply too great a burden for the left, having a petition that has the voters name and address (but not their signature) electronically generated is somehow fraudulent.

CASA de Maryland is supported (in part) by your tax dollars.  Yet, they are spending who knows how many thousands of dollars to harass petition signers and attempt to queer the petition count by taking possession of the signed petitions.

On his blog, Smigiel explains what CASA is up to:

Delegate Parrott called to tell me of a new problem he was having with the State Election Board wanting to allow the illegal immigrant support group, CASA de Maryland, (CASA) to take possession of the 67,000 petition signatures so they could be copied at a local copy center.

Smigiel offered two alternatives to allowing CASA representatives from physically taking possession of the petitions:

• Having the Board of Elections personnel make the copies and charge CASA per copy. (this is what would happen if you or I wanted copies)
  
• Hire a bonded company to make the copies and bill CASA.

The election boards response to Smigiel challenging this was one of “incredulity”:  “The ACLU in particular had been allowed to do this in the past.”

In addition to the possibility of petitions being “misplaced” by CASA, there is a chain of custody issue for the expected court challenges.

Once CASA receives the names, there is also the possibility of harassment.  “They wouldn’t do that!”, you may say.  Well … they are already harassing potential signatories nearly everywhere that the citizens set up to gather signatures.

CASA, working with Fieldworks, is paying individuals $12 / hour to go to signing sites and harass people who go up to tables to sign.  Fieldworks has been advertising for employees in Maryland to do this work:

Campaign Jobs in Maryland (301) 327-4013 or check out the craigslist ad http://tiny.cc/dotui http://fb.me/O7YzAeH1

With the campaign coming to an end they have taken the ad down.

In an interview with Smigiel on Sunday, he poses several new arguments (in addition to the ones posted on his official blog).  Smigiel says that gathering signatures for a petition like this is analogous to voting.  Signers are “voting” to put the “Maryland DREAM Act” on the 2012 ballot.  However, by releasing copies of petitions to a group like CASA, those who signed the petitions are losing their right to a (at least partially) secret ballot.  “When you go to vote, do we know HOW you voted?”, asked Smigiel.

Allowing CASA representatives to harass signers is also similar to voter intimidation according to Smigiel:

“Right now there are two people under indictment in Maryland for using robocalls to spread false information about an election.  Why are people contracted by CASA (through Fieldworks) allowed to intimidate people who want to sign a petition?  Why are those people allowed to distribute false information?”

Smigiel makes a series of strong arguments.  I think that we are learning (once again) that there is a double standard in the Once Free State.  Regardless, there are THREE DAYS remaining.  We need to gather as many signatures as possible.  If groups like CASA are going to strip us of our rights, they are in for a real battle.

Virginia Beats Maryland …

Low-Tax, Pro-Growth Policies Deliver Greater Economic Opportunities

When it comes to encouraging prosperity, the Old Dominion is trouncing the Old Line State. The American Legislative Exchange Council this week released a “Rich States, Poor States” report that modeled the 50 states and ranked the economic outlook in each. Virginia secured a third-place slot while neighboring Maryland lagged midpack at 21. That’s no accident.

“Virginia is the best state in America in which to do business,” Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell told The Washington Times. “We are keeping taxes low and litigation and regulation to a minimum. Our fiscal discipline gives us a great story to tell to CEOs and entrepreneurs looking for the best place to do business in a competitive global marketplace.” Since the Republican governor took office last year, he has been trimming thestate government and holding the line against the impulse to close budget gaps by raising taxes.

Maryland cannot make the same claim. With the sixth-highest personal-income-tax rate in the country, Maryland is a less attractive place to set up shop. “It’s an unavoidable fact that Maryland’s business community competes with other states,” former Maryland Gov. Marvin Mandel, a Democrat, told The Washington Times. “By any objective measure,Virginia is a formidable competitor and demonstrates how government policies can promote the private-sector growth necessary for job creation.”

READ MORE …

BREAKING NEWS: Personal Income, Spending Come Up Short In May

Personal spending remained unchanged during the month of May, short of economists' expectations of a 0.1% increase, while personal income rose 0.3%, just shy of the 0.4% estimate.

Oppose Delaware HB 35

On Saturday we received this e-mail from a reader:

In 1961 my husband's grandparents were brutally murdered (grandmother also raped) by a local acquaintance. The rape charge was dropped and he was sentenced to serve consecutive life sentences. He has repeatedly made threats to kill at least 2 other family members (my father-in-law included) and a former DE state senator upon his release. He has come before the parole board 17 times since 1978 and has been denied parole every time.

However, due to the current HB 35 currently in the Audit and Juvenile Corrections Committee of the Senate, Kermit West could be released based on the recommendation solely of the Dept. of Corrections. This bill, having already passed the house, would eliminate the Board of Parole and the Dept. of Corrections would have full discretion in releasing him and other hard core criminals. The language of the bill also states that it is not mandatory that victims necessarily be notified of the release of these prisoners.

Furthermore, Gov. Markell is in favor of this bill and has vowed to sign it. Time is of the essence! This committee must make a decision by next Thursday, June 30, 2011. This is a threat to all citizens of Delaware. As many as 275 prisoners could be released at the discretion of the Dept. of Corrections with no knowledge or forewarning to the public of their release.

We were told by the parole board that it costs $150,000 a year to maintain the man who killed my husband's grandparents. It would appear this is solely a budgetary decision being made at the expense of the safety of all Delaware citizens.

Please help us put a stop to HB 35. Please call or e-mail the following senators on the committee where this bill is now being considered.

• Brian Bushweller 302-744-4162
• Colin Bonini 302-744-4169
• George Bunting 302-744-4286
• Karen Peterson 302-744-4163
• David Lawson 302-744-4237
• David McBride 302-744-4163
• Bruce Ennis 302-744-4310
• Anthony DeLuca 302-744-4310
• Gov. Jack Markell 302-744-4101

E-MAIL ANYONE IN A STATE POSITION BY USING THIS FORMULA: Firstname.lastname@state.de.us. For example: jack.markell@state.de.us

Please take the time to make your voices heard for the safety of all of Delaware!!!

*****************************************

After receiving the email, we spoke with Delaware Sen. Colin Bonini (R-16). Bonini stated that they had not yet received the final wording of the bill:

I am not looking to support a bill which will result in releasing dangerous criminals. Delaware abolished parole in the 1990’s. Because of this, most prisoners aren’t eligible for parole. However, those convicted prior to the end of parole are eligible under the terms of their original sentences.

Senators are currently looking at several options, including keeping things as they are and keeping the parole board but folding it under the Department of Corrections.

Delaware citizens need to remember that the session ends on Thursday. If you want to have an effect on the legislation, you need to call now!

GOLD ALERT CANCELED

 

Gold Alert Subject:

• Paul R. Edwards Jr.-37 Greenwood, DE
• White male, 6’0”, 220 lbs, blue eyes, brown hair

 

Resume Updated June 26, 2011 at 11:00 p.m.:

Greenwood-Paul R. Edwards Jr.-37 of Greenwood has been located and is in good condition. 

 

Gold Alert is now discontinued.

Disabled Veteran’s House Not Good Enough for the HOA

Would you want a severely disabled war veteran for a neighbor? It's hard to say "no" to that. Homes For Our Troops The group builds mortgage-free, accessible homes to severely disabled war veterans. The group was supposed to begin construction today on a specially designed house in Georgia for an Army veteran who suffered severe brain damage in Afghanistan. After months of planning, earlier this week the homeowners' association reversed its approval, saying that the house must be multiple stories and 700 square feet larger to be part of the neighborhood, or it will affect property values.

READ MORE …

Dirty Tricks in Politics

by Blair Lee of The Gazette

Sleazy, stupid, despicable, repulsive, underhanded, indefensible. I’m describing the 2010 Election Day robocalls to 112,000 black voters telling them to stay home because Democrat Martin O’Malley was safely re-elected.

The robocalls were launched by a Bob Ehrlich campaign consultant, Julius Henson, who was indicted last week for voter suppression. Also indicted was Paul Schurick, Ehrlich’s campaign manager.

If you can think of additional ways to condemn the robocalls (or, for that matter, the hiring of a bum like Henson) please add them and sign my name.

That said, let’s put this shameful episode in proper historic and political perspective.

READ MORE …

Democrats returned the favor in the 1998 gubernatorial election between Parris Glendening and Ellen Sauerbrey. With just weeks to go the race was neck-and-neck until Glendening hired attack ad specialist Bob Shrum, who smeared Sauerbrey by calling her a racist.

Targeted to blacks, Glendening’s TV ads sounded the alarm that “Sauerbrey voted against the 1992 Civil Rights Act.” Also, blacks were sent fliers with a picture of Sauerbrey on one side and, on the other, Alabama Sheriff “Bull” Conner spraying blacks with fire hoses. The flier warned, “She’ll Roll Back the Clock on Civil Rights.”

Editor’s Choice – 06/27/2011

These were the five (5) best, or most important, posts for June 26, 2011 as judged by the editors of SbyNEWS.

• Are Illegal Immigrants a Burden on Our Economy?
  
• How the Democrats Nearly Destroyed the Economy
  
• US Veteran Faces Legal Action for Flying American Flag
  
• Why Do Parents and Coaches Lose It at Youth Sporting Events?
  
• Proposed Republican House Cuts

Reader’s Choice – 06/27/2011

These were the most popular posts for June 26, 2011 chosen by the most approved comments.

• Today’s Survey Question – Should Same-Sex Marriage Be Legal?
  
• Are Illegal Immigrants a Burden on Our Economy?
  
• Gas Mileage Math
  
• Salisbury News is Now a Member of the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce
  
• US Veteran Faces Legal Action for Flying American Flag

A New Feature on SbyNEWS

Beginning today we will have two (2) new daily posts:

READER’s CHOICE – the five posts of the previous day receiving the most APPROVED comments received through midnight.  This post is scheduled for 7:00 AM each morning.

EDITOR’s CHOICE – the five posts of the previous day which are deemed by our staff as the most important or best written (in no particular order).  This post is scheduled for 7:15 AM each day.

Local Officials Speculate on Congressional Re-Districting

New congressional lines will be drawn before next April's primary elections and there could be some changes coming to the district that includes Maryland's Eastern Shore.

On Friday, a spokesman for Gov. Martin O'Malley said the governor should soon announce who will serve on the special commission faced with taking the 2010 U.S. census data for Maryland and using it to draft new districts for the U.S. House of Representatives and the state legislature.

State Sen. Richard Colburn, R-37-Mid-Shore, said the congressional redistricting most likely will be presented to the General Assembly in a special session tentatively planned for mid-October. Colburn said those districts must be approved with plenty of lead time before the April primaries.

Colburn said the state legislative districts will be considered separately since they will not affect an election until 2014. He said those district plans will be introduced at the start of the regular 2012 General Assembly session, which will kick off in January.

READ MORE …

DeMint Warns GOP

Conservative firebrand Sen. Jim DeMint has a message to fellow Republicans in Congress: If you support increasing the debt ceiling without first passing a balanced budget amendment and massive across-the-board spending cuts, you're gone -- destined to be swept out of Congress by a wave of voter anger.

"Based on what I can see around the country," DeMint, R-S.C., said in an interview for the ABC News Subway Series, "not only are those individuals gone, but I would suspect the Republican Party would be set back many years.

"It would be the most toxic vote," DeMint said. "I can tell you if you look at the polls, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, they do not think we should increase the debt limit."

READ MORE …

Georgia Program Replaces Migrant Workers With Ex-Cons

Recent immigration crackdowns in Georgia have left the agricultural sector with a labor shortage. A big one. An unscientific poll puts the gap as high as 11,000 workers, but plants still have to be harvested. The governor responded to farmers' complaints with a new program that puts people on probation to work in the fields at minimum wage, with bonuses for high production. This seems like an ideal match: probationers have a higher unemployment rate than the general population, and farmers need people in the fields. It turns out, though, that hard work, hot weather, low pay, and inexperienced workers don't make for a very bountiful harvest.

One probationer told the Associated Press:

Those guys out here weren't out there 30 minutes and they got the bucket and just threw them in the air and say, 'Bonk this, I ain't with this, I can't do this.' They just left, took off across the field walking."

READ MORE …

Hundreds of Virginia Laws Take Effect on Friday

On Friday, some Virginia restaurants will have the option of going BYOW — bring your own wine.

It’s just one of nearly 900 bills — out of 2,968 proposed — that passed during this year’s winter General Assembly session. Most of the new laws take effect July 1.

The wide array of new laws ranges from an expansion of the availability of protection orders to new measurement standards for selling shelled oysters. Here are some of the highlights.

READ MORE …

Blackwell Will Not Run for Senate Seat

Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell (R) will not run for Senate, he told the Daily Caller today. Despite leading in early polling, Blackwell decided that he did not want to “make ‘nice’ with folks with whom I would rather not.” He also hinted at some animosity with the Republican establishment, saying that “the GOP establishment has never been able to grasp” the depth of Blackwell’s support. Blackwell’s departure is good news for state Treasurer Josh Mandel (R), a 33-year-old Iraq War veteran who is hoping to take on Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) next year.

from Chris Cillizza @ the Washington Post

2012 “Fix” Face-off

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann officially gets into the 2012 Republican race on Monday. On Tuesday former Alaska governorSarah Palin will travel to Iowa to attend the premiere of “The Undefeated”, the biopic of her life in public office.

By the end of the week, we should have a very good sense on how much money each of the top 2012 contenders raised over the past three months — and what it means.

In short: the race is on! And, with the pace picking up, we are here to answer any and every question you might have about 2012 — live and on video no less.

We call it the Fix Face-off and it all goes down at 11 a.m. Monday. Fill out a face-off in the form below and then tune in to see if we picked yours! See you then.

from Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post

Ocean City Bulk Pick-up Fee to Increase

The Town of Ocean City Solid Waste Division’s bulk pick-up service will increase. Effective July 1, the cost for bulk pick-up service will be $15 for one item, $25 for up to three items and $5 for each additional item.

Ocean City’s bulk pick-up service offers a convenient way to rid your property of unwanted items. The town’s ordinance code allows for the collection of large household items such as furniture, appliances, bicycles, grills, large umbrellas, clotheslines, carpet, etc., which cannot normally be loaded into a standard refuse truck. This service does not include building materials, roofing, siding, soil, concrete, yard debris, tree stumps, etc. Bulk pick-up service is available to residential properties only within the corporate limits of the town.

To receive pick-up of large bulk items, call the Solid Waste Division of Public Works at 410-524-0318.  City workers are not allowed to go on private property, so items should be placed next to your dumpster, or as close to the sidewalk as possible. Bulk pick-up service operates Mondays through Fridays from May through September; Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, October through April.

Monies will not be collected at the time of pick-up, but billed to the address you prefer.  For more information, call Solid Waste at 410-524-0318.

Flood Victims Face Road to Recovery

The Souris River began a long, slow retreat in Minot on Sunday, leaving behind an arduous rebuilding job for more than 4,000 homeowners and hundreds of business operators, most of whom lack insurance to pay for it.

Because they don't have coverage, federal assistance could amount to as little as a few thousand dollars apiece. Loan and grant programs will provide some help, as will an emergency relief fund just being set up.

READ MORE …