After a delay, the US Air Force Minotaur I rocket has just launched from the Wallops Flight Facility at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Port.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
BREAKING NEWS–USAF Minotaur I Rocket Just Launched from Wallops
Marijuana for Drug Case Disappears from FedEx Truck
Authorities say marijuana that was meant to be used as evidence in a Long Island drug case and was shopped via FedEx disappeared during shipment. Someone apparently opened the box, removed the contents, then resealed the package.
CBS New York spoke to a member of a committee that is investigating problems at the Nassau County Crime Lab:
“It just calls into question the propriety of dealing with a common carrier, like FedEx, for purposes of delivering evidence. Perhaps a better course of action would be to use an employee of the police department or the county.”
FedEx is investigating the possible theft, as is the district attorney's office.
Marijuana In Long Island Drug Case Disappears During Transport [CBS New York]
BREAKING NEWS
GO HERE to see the updates.
Report: MD Beaches 16th Cleanest; Delaware Beaches "Super"
Maryland's ocean and Chesapeake Bay beaches ranked 16th cleanest for swimming and wading in the latest nationwide survey by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Delaware's Rehoboth and Dewey beaches, though, earned "superstar" ratings for the quality of their water and their monitoring.
Overall, seven percent of the water samples taken last year at the state's 70 coastal beaches exceeded health standards for bacteria that could make bathers sick, the national environmental group reported in "Testing the Waters," its 21st annual report on beach water quality.
Tolchester Beach Estates in Kent County was the worst, with 43 percent of samples registering unsafe bacteria levels, followed by Elk Neck State Park in Cecil County (26 percent) and the YMCA's Camp Tockwogh, a youth camp in Kent County.
The NRDC rated Ocean City's beach in the top tier of water quality, with just 3 percent of the weekly water samples there showing high bacteria counts. But NRDC noted that its "superstar" beaches like Rehoboth and Dewey had tallied zero bacteria exceedences in the past three years.
More
Overall, seven percent of the water samples taken last year at the state's 70 coastal beaches exceeded health standards for bacteria that could make bathers sick, the national environmental group reported in "Testing the Waters," its 21st annual report on beach water quality.
Tolchester Beach Estates in Kent County was the worst, with 43 percent of samples registering unsafe bacteria levels, followed by Elk Neck State Park in Cecil County (26 percent) and the YMCA's Camp Tockwogh, a youth camp in Kent County.
The NRDC rated Ocean City's beach in the top tier of water quality, with just 3 percent of the weekly water samples there showing high bacteria counts. But NRDC noted that its "superstar" beaches like Rehoboth and Dewey had tallied zero bacteria exceedences in the past three years.
More
Senators Tell Gay Kids: 'It Gets Better'
Five days after its state legislature made New York the largest of six states to legalize gay marriage, 13 Democratic Senators shared their contribution to It Gets Better, the award-winning video archive project launched almost one year ago in an effort to give hope to lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered kids facing harassment and considering suicide.
With high production values and sweeping background music similar to the It Gets Better contributions from Google and Apple, the black and white video alternates clips of each senator's words of comfort and encouragement. But beyond the language of film making — the angles, edits and soundtrack chosen to make the viewer weepy — consider what this video means.
Top U.S. politicians state clearly and without artifice: It is wrong to treat minorities like third class citizens and we are working to give the gay community its full civil rights.
Unveiled Wednesday at a Capitol press conference in Washington DC, the 5-minute videohighlights the senators' work on gay rights issues, including the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" repeal and "The Respect for Marriage Act," which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and provide to gay couples the federal tax benefits currently available to married couples.
Participating senators include Chris Coons (DE), Mark Udall (CO), Ron Wyden (OR), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Sherrod Brown (OH), Maria Cantwell (WA), Dick Durbin (IL), Al Franken (MN), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Charles Schumer (NY), Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI).
More
Maryland Baby Needs Surgery After Alleged Sex Assault
FREDERICK, Md. - A man sexually abused a 1-year-old boy so severely that the boy needed surgery, according to court records.
Ryan E. Sheppard, 19, of Frederick was being held without bail Tuesday on allegations including first-degree sex offense and first-degree assault, authorities said. First-degree sex offense carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Frederick County prosecutors say the child underwent a colostomy June 22 at the National Children's Medical Center in Washington because of a torn colon. A colostomy is a small opening in the abdomen that allows waste to be passed into a bag worn by a patient. The procedure is usually reversible, according to the National Institutes of Health.
State's Attorney Charlie Smith said the case was deeply disturbing, even for those accustomed to the horrors of child abuse.
"I was chief of that division for years and have seen a lot of horrible abuse to children. But I just couldn't shake this one, especially the sorrow I feel for those parents," Smith wrote in an email to The Associated Press.
More
Ryan E. Sheppard, 19, of Frederick was being held without bail Tuesday on allegations including first-degree sex offense and first-degree assault, authorities said. First-degree sex offense carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Frederick County prosecutors say the child underwent a colostomy June 22 at the National Children's Medical Center in Washington because of a torn colon. A colostomy is a small opening in the abdomen that allows waste to be passed into a bag worn by a patient. The procedure is usually reversible, according to the National Institutes of Health.
State's Attorney Charlie Smith said the case was deeply disturbing, even for those accustomed to the horrors of child abuse.
"I was chief of that division for years and have seen a lot of horrible abuse to children. But I just couldn't shake this one, especially the sorrow I feel for those parents," Smith wrote in an email to The Associated Press.
More
Americans for Prosperity Maryland To Host Breakfast Discussing Maryland’s Fiscal Health
Annapolis Maryland,
Americans for Prosperity will host its first Regional Breakfast in Queen Anne’s County to discuss how Maryland really stacks up financially.
"With record deficits, budget gimmicks and increased spending our state faces one of the most difficult economic conditions of our history" said AFP State Director Charles Lollar. "Maryland’s big government philosophies do not lead to the best opportunity for our citizen’s prosperity."
Educating Maryland’s citizen on exactly where we stand is critical to moving Maryland in a prosperous direction. AFP Maryland will give a presentation outlining the information.
"We will uncover this and expose our states true fiscal condition and what you can do to help change our states direction" Lollar further stated. "This information will be invaluable as we all take the time to educate our neighbors and fellow citizens here in Maryland and further outline free market solutions that work."
The event is open to the public and a donation will be asked at the door to help cover costs. Interested parties www.eventbrite.com/event/1660682145" or go to http://www.afpmaryland.com/" http://www.afpmaryland.com%20as/ seating is limited.
What – Regional Breakfast
Date - Saturday, July 23
Time 9:00am - 11:00am
Location - American Legion Jeff Davis Post 18 2619 Centreville Road, Centreville Maryland
For more information contact; Petra Smail 301-643-4531 or petra@newdaymd.org
Americans for Prosperity will host its first Regional Breakfast in Queen Anne’s County to discuss how Maryland really stacks up financially.
"With record deficits, budget gimmicks and increased spending our state faces one of the most difficult economic conditions of our history" said AFP State Director Charles Lollar. "Maryland’s big government philosophies do not lead to the best opportunity for our citizen’s prosperity."
Educating Maryland’s citizen on exactly where we stand is critical to moving Maryland in a prosperous direction. AFP Maryland will give a presentation outlining the information.
"We will uncover this and expose our states true fiscal condition and what you can do to help change our states direction" Lollar further stated. "This information will be invaluable as we all take the time to educate our neighbors and fellow citizens here in Maryland and further outline free market solutions that work."
The event is open to the public and a donation will be asked at the door to help cover costs. Interested parties www.eventbrite.com/event/1660682145" or go to http://www.afpmaryland.com/" http://www.afpmaryland.com%20as/ seating is limited.
What – Regional Breakfast
Date - Saturday, July 23
Time 9:00am - 11:00am
Location - American Legion Jeff Davis Post 18 2619 Centreville Road, Centreville Maryland
For more information contact; Petra Smail 301-643-4531 or petra@newdaymd.org
Taxpayers Subsidizing 'Luxury' Housing In Fairfax
WASHINGTON - A renewed debate was sparked in Fairfax County recently after a report was released calling the county's subsidized housing program "subsidized luxury."
The report from the non-partisan Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy highlights what it calls a "gold-plated" program that helps people who make under $75,000 a year move into more expensive homes.
But county Board of Supervisors member Pat Herrity (R - Springfield) says the program costs the county $1.5 million per year, a portion of which goes to what he calls luxury units.
"I don't think we should be going out and buying units at the high end of the market," he says.
Lack of affordable housing has been a continuing problem in the county, which is why it purchased more than 3,000 units several years ago that are rented at reduced rates to those making less than $75,000 annually.
Some of the subsidized homes are worth more than $500,000, while others carry condominium fees up to $4,700 per year. That money, Herrity says, is being subsidized by taxpayers.
More
The report from the non-partisan Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy highlights what it calls a "gold-plated" program that helps people who make under $75,000 a year move into more expensive homes.
But county Board of Supervisors member Pat Herrity (R - Springfield) says the program costs the county $1.5 million per year, a portion of which goes to what he calls luxury units.
"I don't think we should be going out and buying units at the high end of the market," he says.
Lack of affordable housing has been a continuing problem in the county, which is why it purchased more than 3,000 units several years ago that are rented at reduced rates to those making less than $75,000 annually.
Some of the subsidized homes are worth more than $500,000, while others carry condominium fees up to $4,700 per year. That money, Herrity says, is being subsidized by taxpayers.
More
Woman Arrested For Taping Police Cleared, Apple Wants "Kill Switch" For Camera Phones
Apple is developing software that can detect when iPhone owners are using their cameras and disable the function, a report last week discovered.
The technology would trigger an infrared sensor, like the kind that is often installed at concert venues, which would instruct the iPhone to shut off its camera. Apple filed the patent application 18 months ago in California, but only became public knowledge after the Daily Mail uncovered the documents.
Apple said the company created the software to prevent users from recording and distributing videos of live concerts to which broadcasters have already bought exclusive rights. But media reform groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Free Press have said that the "kill switch" technology carries with it a more ominous implication - such as what would happen if a government received access to the software.
Free Press campaign director Tim Karr notes that such worst-case scenarios are supported by the recent actions of the police department in Rochester, New York, where a woman was arrested for recording officers making a traffic stop in May. Emily Good was charged with obstruction of governmental administration when she used her iPhone to videotape three white police officers pull over a black man in front of her house, which she believed could have been an example of racial profiling; Officer Mario Masic arrested Good after she refused to leave her front lawn and go back into her house.
"[This] is my front yard. I'm just recording what you're doing, it's my right," Good can be heard saying on the May 12 video. "It's my right to be in my yard and I'm sorry you don't feel safe. All I have is a camera.... I have no weapons." She is arrested approximately two minutes into the video.
STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S CALL TO REDUCE THE NATION’S DEFICIT IN A FAIR AND BALANCED WAY
ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 29, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley today issued the following statement on President Obama’s call to reduce the nation’s deficit in a fair manner:
“More than 55 percent of the nation’s projected deficit is a direct result of the Bush era tax cuts - tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the very wealthiest 3-percent of Americans.
“A return to the Clinton-era tax rates for millionaires and billionaires is a fiscally responsible and necessary step to help put our country on solid footing for recovery. I commend President Obama for his leadership on this matter. What we need right now is to remain laser focused on creating jobs, not on protecting special interest tax breaks for the wealthiest 3-percent of Americans.
“I urge Congress to come together and work to reduce the deficit in a balanced way that benefits all Americans.”
Whose Dog Pooped Where?
Call it CSI: Timberwood Commons. WMUR reports the manager of the apartment complex there is making all the of the dog owners in the building submit DNA samples from their dogs. Then she will compare it with the DNA of the dog poop that's been left around the grounds to find out who hasn't been cleaning up after their dog.
The manager, Debbie, is going to use an off the shelf DNA kit to swab all the dogs cheeks. Then comes the unpleasant step: "We have to take a sample of the dog doo doo," she told WMUR. The samples will then be sent to a lab for analysis.
Once they figure out whose dog it is, what then? Debbie says the perp will have to pay a fine.
In other words, Debbie has just created a fee that you pay that lets you let your dog crap wherever it wants.
Salisbury’s WWTP Lawsuit to Have Hearing Tomorrow
More than two years have elapsed since it dawned on the City that the multimillion dollar "upgrade" of the waste water treatment plant does not work properly. During most of that period the Salisbury's litigation against the design engineering firm of OBrien & Gere has been pending - first in the Wicomico County Circuit Court, then in federal court in Baltimore, and now in the Circuit Court once again. To date, there has been no trial, and very little other action in a courtroom; but that may change on June 30 when a judge in the Circuit Court will consider OBrien & Gere's motion to dismiss most of the city’s complaint against them. The hearing is scheduled for 9 A.M.
If the Court throws out those charges it would be a major victory for OBrien & Gere. If the Court denies the motion the City still must persuade a jury that it was wronged in order to prevail. In any event, this hearing (and the various pleadings) may provide a close look at the evidence and positions of the parties to the fight.
Because each side has multiple attorneys, their total legal fees during the hearing may reach several thousand dollars per hour.
- from Tacitus
BREAKING NEWS
We're not absolutely sure where but there's a large fire in Hebron. This is just in and we'll keep you updated as info comes in.
Salad Recall
Risvold’s Salads Inc ISSUES ALLERGY ALERT ON UNDECLARED allergens in Seafood Salad and Seafood Pasta Salad <http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm261218.htm>
Risvold’s Salads Inc of Gardena, CA is recalling seafood salad and seafood pasta salad, because it may contain undeclared milk, sunflower, sesame and soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk, sunflower, sesame and soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.
Risvold’s Salads Inc of Gardena, CA is recalling seafood salad and seafood pasta salad, because it may contain undeclared milk, sunflower, sesame and soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk, sunflower, sesame and soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.
BREAKING NEWS – Wicomico Layoffs to Be Announced
On Friday, July 1st, Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt is scheduled to meet with county department heads to explain the effects of the FY 2012 budget on county personnel. Included in this meeting will be the announcement of at least one layoff.
County Public Information Officer Jim Fineran confirmed that there would be one (1) layoff. He declined to say who or from what department. Fineran did state that the employee had already been notified that their job was being eliminated.
SBYNews sources inside the GOB confirm that this layoff will come from the Department of Planning and Zoning.
More details will be provided after Pollitt’s meeting on Friday.
Immigrant Tuition Bill Delayed By Petition Drive
Measure Won't Take Effect On Friday As Scheduled
ANNAPOLIS, Md -- One of the most high-profile measures approved by the Maryland General Assembly this year isn't among the many bills taking effect this week as scheduled.
A petition drive to overturn legislation to allow in-state tuition for certain illegal immigrants has at least delayed the bill from taking effect.
Opponents of the measure will be turning in additional signatures on Thursday in an effort to meet the 55,736 they need to put the legislation on next year's ballot. Because local elections boards have until July 20 to verify the signatures, the measure won't take effect on Friday as scheduled.
More
Worcester County Health Dept. Sponsors Diabetes Education Program
The Worcester County Health Department offers a multi-session diabetes self management education program in Snow Hill and Pocomoke this summer.The program is scheduled for:
• 10-11:30 a.m. Thursdays, July 7-Aug. 11 at the Pocomoke Health Center, 400A Walnut St.
• 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Aug. 17-Sept. 21 at the Worcester County Health Department, 6040 Public Landing Road in Snow Hill.
Anyone interested in learning more about diabetes and its treatment is invited to attend. A team comprised of a registered nurse, registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator,and an American College of Sports Medicine certified clinical exercise physiologist provide the educational sessions. The American Diabetes Association and the Eli Lilly and Company, a major pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind.,provide resource support.
Sessions include information about managing the disease, reducing complications, goal setting, nutrition, lifestyle change, physical activity, blood sugar monitoring, sick day management, dental care, stress, medications and preventive care.A $10 donation is requested for the entire program. Please call the Worcester County
Health Department at 410-632-1100 ext. 4 for more information or to register.
Obama Pushes Tax Hikes In Budget Talks, Calls Aug. 2 'Hard Deadline' On Debt Ceiling
President Obama called on Republicans Wednesday to drop their opposition to tax increases, saying "everybody else" is sacrificing their "sacred cows" for deficit reduction, GOP lawmakers should be willing to do the same.
The president also warned that Washington will soon run up against a "hard deadline" to strike a budget deal and raise the debt ceiling, rejecting suggestions that the situation is not as dire as the Treasury Department makes it out to be.
Though some Republicans claim the Aug. 2 deadline -- the date when Treasury warns the U.S. will face default if the cap is not raised -- is not firm, Obama warned that it is a serious deadline and that failing to raise the cap could cause investors to pull out of the U.S., leading Treasury to raise interest rates.
More
Space Shuttle Discovery
Here is something worth the couple of minutes to view: a 360 panorama of the Discovery crew cabin flight deck.
This is pretty cool----and maybe the last time we get to see it before it’s stuffed and mounted at the Smithsonian!
ENJOY…… Lighting is from the internal instrument panel lights…
Troopers Probe Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash
Location: SR 1 (Coastal Highway) southbound, just south of Bay Vista Road, Rehoboth, DE
Date of Occurrence: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 9:30 p.m.
Operators/Vehicles:
Operator #1: 44 year old Key West, Florida man (Victim)
Vehicle #1: 2010 Bash Moped
Operator #2: Dawn R. Layfield, 43, Annapolis, Maryland
Vehicle #2: 2008 Nissan Rogue
Resume:
Rehoboth- The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is currently investigating a fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred last night just west of Rehoboth, DE.
The incident occurred as Dawn R. Layfield, 43, was operating a 2008 Nissan Rogue and was traveling southbound on Coastal Highway in the right hand lane. Layfield’s vehicle struck the rear of a Bash moped that was traveling directly in front of her on southbound Coastal Highway and which was being operated by a 44 year old Key West, Florida man. The force of the collision caused the moped to be projected forward as the male victim was thrown onto the hood of the Nissan. Dawn Layfield then stopped her vehicle which then caused the victim to tumble onto the shoulder of the roadway. The victim was transported from the scene by EMS to the Beebe Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead from the injuries he sustained. The victim’s body was then turned over to the Delaware State Medical Examiner’s Office where an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death. The victim’s name is being withheld pending the notification of the next of kin.
Dawn Layfield, who was not injured in the crash, was arrested by investigators for one count each of Vehicular Homicide 1st Degree and Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs. She was arraigned at JP Court 3 and then committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution for lack of $7500.00 cash bail.
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TO LAUNCH FAST TRACK AS PART OF MARYLAND MADE EASY INITIATIVE
ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 29, 2011) – TOMORROW, Governor O’Malley, Lt. Governor Brown and members of the Executive Cabinet will join Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, and other state and local leaders at Bakery Express Inc. to announce Fast Track, a new tool for business owners and developers to streamline and expedite the review of state permits for projects in priority development areas.
The Governor will sign an Executive Order establishing Fast Track as part of the Maryland Made Easy business assistance initiative.
In January, Governor O’Malley announced Maryland Made Easy as part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to improve the conditions that allow businesses to grow and create jobs. Maryland Made Easy encompasses strategies to streamline procedures, simplify regulations and improve communications. In addition to Fast Track, the Maryland Made Easy initiative includes State Highway Administration Permits, an ongoing initiative to facilitate permitting for development projects and will include Central Business Licensing, an online one-stop shop for completing and submitting licenses related to starting a business in Maryland.
A Supreme Double Standard: If Violent Video Games Are Free Speech, Why Aren't Sexual Images?
The Supreme Court on Monday struck down a California ban on selling or renting violent video games to minors. The ruling was an important win for free speech, as the court said that violent video games, not matter how objectionable, are works of art in their own right. But the ruling also raised an intriguing question: Why does the court treat violent images and sexual images so differently?
The court's 7-2 decision in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association was a firm rejection of the idea that there could be an exception to the First Amendment for extremely violent pictures and graphics. Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority, said it does not matter how "disgusting" video games are because they are still protected speech.
(See "Violent Video Games: The Top 8 Big-Money Franchises.")
The images are, in fact, often wildly violent and gory. In the game Postal II, players (you guessed it) "go postal" by, among other things, attacking schoolgirls with shovels and decapitating them.
What's more, experts predict that the violence could soon become even more extreme. We are probably not far off from mass-marketed violent video games in 3-D and games that allow players to get sensory feedback from their simulated violent actions. Justice Samuel Alito noted in a concurring opinion that the day may come when "virtual reality shoot-'em-ups will allow children to actually feel the splatting blood from the blown-off head of a victim."
Critics of violent video games cite scientific research suggesting that children who play them may become more aggressive in real life. But the majority on the court insisted that even if video games are harmful — and the research is far from conclusive — that fact would not justify the law. "Perhaps they do present a problem," Scalia said, but there are "all sorts of 'problems' ... that cannot be addressed by government restrictions on free expression." The industry self-polices with a ratings system, like the movie industry's, but it is voluntary.
More
The court's 7-2 decision in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association was a firm rejection of the idea that there could be an exception to the First Amendment for extremely violent pictures and graphics. Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority, said it does not matter how "disgusting" video games are because they are still protected speech.
(See "Violent Video Games: The Top 8 Big-Money Franchises.")
The images are, in fact, often wildly violent and gory. In the game Postal II, players (you guessed it) "go postal" by, among other things, attacking schoolgirls with shovels and decapitating them.
What's more, experts predict that the violence could soon become even more extreme. We are probably not far off from mass-marketed violent video games in 3-D and games that allow players to get sensory feedback from their simulated violent actions. Justice Samuel Alito noted in a concurring opinion that the day may come when "virtual reality shoot-'em-ups will allow children to actually feel the splatting blood from the blown-off head of a victim."
Critics of violent video games cite scientific research suggesting that children who play them may become more aggressive in real life. But the majority on the court insisted that even if video games are harmful — and the research is far from conclusive — that fact would not justify the law. "Perhaps they do present a problem," Scalia said, but there are "all sorts of 'problems' ... that cannot be addressed by government restrictions on free expression." The industry self-polices with a ratings system, like the movie industry's, but it is voluntary.
More
Why Women Are Better At Everything
Recently in the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch columnist David Weidner noted that women "do almost everything better" than men — from politics to corporate management to investing.
The study's findings backed up those of previous research on the topic: in a 2001 study [PDF] of 35,000 American households with an account at a discount brokerage, financial scholars Brad Barber and Terrance Odean found that women's risk-adjusted returns beat men's by 1% annually. A 2005 study by Merrill Lynch found that 35% of women held an investment too long, compared with 47% of men. More recently, in 2009, a study by the mutual fund company Vanguard involving 2.7 million personal investors concluded that during the recent financial crisis, men were more likely than women to sell shares of stocks at all-time lows, leading to bigger losses among male traders. It also meant fewer gains when some of the stock values began to rise again.
It’s A Deal: Two-For-One Smoothies, Lemonade, Frappes At McDonald’s
Downtown Salisbury Parking, Is It A Monopoly?
Over the past few days I have been looking at this issue and today brought on yet another issue regarding parking, Feldman's.
In the above photos you can see where the City of Salisbury has closed off the old Fire Station 16 parking lot on both sides and the front. The City wants everyone to believe its because of a liability. Now the City is wanting the Feldman's parking area closed off claiming it too is a liability.
Now you tell me, do YOU believe it's a liability to the City? I think not. The ONLY liability is the greedy pockets of the Mayor wanting every single person and business to pony up cash for meters, parking permits and or financially supporting the parking garage.
There are business owners that park at Feldman's as well as people who live on the Plaza. Again, not only is the City proving they couldn't care less about the Downtown residents, they couldn't care less about the businesses Downtown either.
God Forbid you start expanding your small business and hire additional employees. You will be forced to compensate each new employee for a parking permit just to work Downtown. Now I'm not talking about law firms that bring in the big bucks. I'm talking about small businesses like the Barber Shop or the Salon right next door to them.
The parking garage IS, (without question) one of the best parking deals in Downtown. If you are subjected to having to go to Court, the Parking Garage is the place to park. Its cheaper than the meters and you'll never get a ticket there.
I personally think the Mayor and other Department Heads have far too much time on their hands by picking on those people who cannot afford the parking passes or meters. Is it really hurting the City that much that they have to close off yet another small area for parking. I mean, look at the other pictures of Main Street where not one metered parking space from the Chamber all the way to Rt. 13 has a single car in those spaces. Look back the other day where we showed the lack of people parking Downtown.
Keep toying with the businesses and residents and Downtown Salisbury WILL become a Ghost Town.
Why You Crave Fatty Foods When You're Stressed
Turns out you can thank biology every time you crave some pasta or ice cream in a stressful situation.
Scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center discovered that ghrelin – the so-called "hunger hormone" – triggers this reaction in a leftover instinct from our caveman days.
The researchers tested two control groups of mice, which have been good models for studying stress in humans. Both groups were exposed to stronger "bully" mice, causing stress. The first group ended up gravitating towards fatty comfort food. The second group, which was genetically-engineered to avoid the effects of ghrelin, didn't show a preference for the high-calorie food and didn't eat as much as the other group.
The researchers theorize that the cravings caused by the hunger hormone gave our ancestors a survival advantage, since they’d end up eating high-calorie foods that would help them be more efficient hunters. But because we don't have to forage for food anymore, we don't need the extra calories. These days, all ghrelin is doing for us is leading to unhealthy weight gain.
More
Scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center discovered that ghrelin – the so-called "hunger hormone" – triggers this reaction in a leftover instinct from our caveman days.
The researchers tested two control groups of mice, which have been good models for studying stress in humans. Both groups were exposed to stronger "bully" mice, causing stress. The first group ended up gravitating towards fatty comfort food. The second group, which was genetically-engineered to avoid the effects of ghrelin, didn't show a preference for the high-calorie food and didn't eat as much as the other group.
The researchers theorize that the cravings caused by the hunger hormone gave our ancestors a survival advantage, since they’d end up eating high-calorie foods that would help them be more efficient hunters. But because we don't have to forage for food anymore, we don't need the extra calories. These days, all ghrelin is doing for us is leading to unhealthy weight gain.
More
Rommel’s ACE Raises More Than $5,000 For Women Supporting Women
Rommel's ACE recently presented a check to Women Supporting Women (WSW) for $5,544. The money was raised through donations by Rommel's ACE customers during the month of May. The money will help Women Supporting Women, a local organization whose goal is to provide awareness, education and support to local women battling breast cancer.
From left, Rommel Holdings President Michael Cottingham, WSW Director Sue Revelle, Tom Caine, a manager of the Salisbury ACE store whose customers donated the most money toward the effort and Katelyn McWilliams, a cashier at the Salisbury store who collected the most money.
The First Real-Time Study Of Parents Spanking Their Kids
They didn't know they were going to be in a study about spanking per se. Researchers have to be careful when presenting their proposed area of study to potential participants — too much information can lead people to alter their normal behavior, which would skew results. So when George Holden, a professor of psychology at Southern Methodist University who has published five books on parenting and child development, went to day-care centers in Dallas to recruit parents, he divulged only that he wanted to collect data about naturally occurring parent-child interaction.
In fact, Holden didn't even know he'd be studying spanking. He originally set out to study yelling, via voluntary audio recordings of parents conducting life at home — the pedestrian stuff of parenting like meal prep, bath time and lights out.
Not all parents who volunteered were accepted. Researchers eliminated those who reported during a screening interview that they never yelled at home. "There weren't many," notes Holden, who presented the research this month in Dallas at the Global Summit on Ending Corporal Punishment and Promoting Positive Discipline.
Here's the twist: in the course of analyzing the data collected from 37 families — 36 mothers and one father, all of whom recorded up to 36 hours of audio in six days of study — researchers heard the sharp cracks and dull thuds of spanking, followed in some cases by minutes of crying. They'd inadvertently captured evidence of corporal punishment, as well as the tense moments before and the resolution after, leading researchers to believe they'd amassed the first-ever cache of real-time spanking data.
I don't know about you, but if I'm going to be recording my interactions with my kids, I'd be on my best behavior. (Note to researchers: don't include me in any parenting studies.)
Yet it's likely that the mothers in the study didn't consider spanking to be problematic behavior. In the 1990s, Holden conducted research that showed 70% of college-educated women spank their children; other studies have found that up to 90% of all parents use corporal punishment.
Children who are spanked occasionally are not thought to be significantly impacted later on, but those who are spanked regularly are more likely to have behavior problems that may escalate into antisocial behavior. They may also be at greater risk for anxiety disorders or depression and ultimately may be more likely to engage in domestic violence and child abuse as adults.
More
Graveyard Of Empires
In his majestic poem "Recessional," Rudyard Kipling was writing of the fading British Empire, but his words are as vivid and pertinent today as a century ago:
Far-called our navies melt away –
On dune and headland sinks the fire –
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
The objective of war is to achieve political objectives, not to kill enemies.
Politically, the US has achieved nothing in Afghanistan after ten years of desultory, destruction, and titanic expenditure.
So in this sense, the United States has already lost the Afghan conflict, its longest war. Militarily its forces have been stalemated, meaning that it has lost the all-important military initiative and is now on the strategic defensive. We have seen this before – in Vietnam.
Once more, Afghanistan fulfills its grim title as "graveyard of empires."
The US has failed to install an obedient regime in Kabul that controls Afghanistan. It has made bitter foes of the nation’s Pashtun majority, and, in pursuing this war, gravely undermined Pakistan. Claims that US forces were only in Afghanistan to hunt the late Osama bin Laden were widely disbelieved.
Last Wednesday, President Barack Obama bowed to public opinion, approaching elections, military reality and financial woes by announcing he would withdraw a third of the 100,000 US troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer. Pentagon brass growled open opposition. Obama should have smacked them down, but did not, adding to the growing belief that he is weak and overawed by the military chiefs.
US allies France and Germany announced similar troops reductions. All foreign troops are supposed to quit Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
More
Far-called our navies melt away –
On dune and headland sinks the fire –
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
The objective of war is to achieve political objectives, not to kill enemies.
Politically, the US has achieved nothing in Afghanistan after ten years of desultory, destruction, and titanic expenditure.
So in this sense, the United States has already lost the Afghan conflict, its longest war. Militarily its forces have been stalemated, meaning that it has lost the all-important military initiative and is now on the strategic defensive. We have seen this before – in Vietnam.
Once more, Afghanistan fulfills its grim title as "graveyard of empires."
The US has failed to install an obedient regime in Kabul that controls Afghanistan. It has made bitter foes of the nation’s Pashtun majority, and, in pursuing this war, gravely undermined Pakistan. Claims that US forces were only in Afghanistan to hunt the late Osama bin Laden were widely disbelieved.
Last Wednesday, President Barack Obama bowed to public opinion, approaching elections, military reality and financial woes by announcing he would withdraw a third of the 100,000 US troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer. Pentagon brass growled open opposition. Obama should have smacked them down, but did not, adding to the growing belief that he is weak and overawed by the military chiefs.
US allies France and Germany announced similar troops reductions. All foreign troops are supposed to quit Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
More
Would You Pay $50 Per Month to Watch All the Movies in Theaters That You Want?
MoviePass is a new in-beta service that lets movie buffs watch as many movies in theaters as they want for $50 a month.
There's no need for tickets, just show your smartphone at a participating theater and you're in. The service, which is in trials in San Francisco, is trying to shake up the movie business by bringing the "Netflix model" of flat-rate pricing to the multiplex.
It's cool to see someone trying out some innovation in the idea-starved movie theater space. And if you see at least four movies a month, it could be a decent deal. Though, I don't know that there are actually four new movies a month I want to see.
All-You-Can-Watch MoviePass Brings Netflix Model to Theaters[WIRED]
UPDATE- ARRESTS MADE IN TWO MORE REHOBOTH ROBBERIES
Thursday, June 16, 2011 Robbery on Rehoboth Avenue and June 18, 2011 Robbery on Norwood Street Only
DSP News Release: Detectives Make More Arrests in Rehoboth Area Robberies
Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Defendants- Charges- Bail:
-Thorton Matthews, 19, Felton, DE
-Robbery 1st Degree (4 counts)
-Attempted Robbery 1st Degree
-Assault 1st Degree (2 counts)
-Conspiracy 2nd Degree (2 counts)
-Assault 3rd Degree
Bail: Arraigned at JP Court 2. Committed to Sussex Correctional Institution for lack of $180,000 secured bail.
-Marvin Burton, 14, Rehoboth, DE
-Robbery 1st Degree (4 counts)
-Attempted Robbery 1st Degree
-Assault 1st Degree (2 counts)
-Conspiracy 2nd Degree (2 counts)
-Assault 3rd Degree
Bail: Arraigned at Sussex County Family Court. Committed to the Stevenson House Juvenile Facility for lack of $62,000 secured bail.
-Ashley Justice, 17, Lewes, DE
-Robbery 1st Degree (2 counts)
-Attempted Robbery 1st Degree
-Assault 1st Degree (2 counts)
-Conspiracy 2nd Degree
-Assault 3rd Degree
Bail: Arraigned at Sussex County Family Court. Committed to the Stevenson House Juvenile Facility for lack of $52,000 secured bail.
Resume:
Rehoboth- The Delaware State Police, with the assistance of officers from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and the Rehoboth Police Department, have arrested a 19 year old Felton, Delaware man, a 14 year old Rehoboth, Delaware male, and a 17 year old Lewes, Delaware female in connection with two robberies that occurred in the Rehoboth area on June 16, 2011 and June 18, 2011.
Detectives were able to link Thorton Matthews and Marvin Burton to the robbery of two females as they walked along Rehoboth Avenue Extended in the area of Church Street on Thursday, June 16 at approximately 11:40 p.m. During the robbery, Matthews and Burton knocked the victims to the ground from behind and stole their purses before fleeing. The 19 year old victim suffered a fractured cheekbone as a result of being knocked to the ground.
Investigators were also able to link Thorton Matthews and Marvin Burton, as well as Ashley Justice, 17, to the robbery of two men and a woman that occurred on June 18th, 2011 on Hebron Road, east of Canal Street in Rehoboth at approximately 2:00 a.m. The robbery occurred as 2 male and 1 female victim were walking east on Hebron Road. They were then approached from behind by two male suspects and a female suspect. The female suspect struck the female victim in the head in an attempt to knock her to the ground. The victim was able to run away, however. The two male suspects struck both male victims in the head and face with pieces of cinder block. Both victims were knocked to the ground. The suspects then removed cellular phones and money from the victim’s pockets before fleeing. One 29 year old male victim received facial and head injuries. The other 29 year old victim received facial and head injuries as well as several broken teeth.
The three defendants were charged by state police with the above list of crimes and arraigned at JP Court 2 (Matthews) and the Sussex County Family Court (Burton and Justice). They were then all committed to the Department of Corrections for lack of secured bail.
The investigation into the rash of robberies and assaults in the Rehoboth area is continuing.
Longest Trial Ever Confirms Mammograms’ Benefits
Mammography screening reduces breast cancer deaths even more than most experts have long believed, according to a new, large-scale Swedish trial.
In a study with a follow-up of nearly three decades — the longest ever — the researchers found that the benefits of the screenings become clearer as the decades roll on.
“The big news is that if one considers the long-term effects on breast cancer mortality, the absolute benefit of screening in terms of number of lives saved is considerably greater than previously thought,” said lead author Stephen W. Duffy, professor of cancer screening at Queen Mary, University of London.
Experts have long debated the best age for mammography screening to begin and how often it should be done.
In the new study, Duffy and colleagues looked at more than 133,000 women ages 40 to 74, living in two Swedish counties.
Researchers assigned them either to a group invited to mammogram screening or a group receiving usual care. The screening phase lasted about seven years. Women aged 40 to 49 got invited to screening every two years; women 50 to 74 every 33 months. The follow-up lasted 29 years.
For every 1,000 to 1,500 mammograms, one breast cancer death was prevented, Duffy’s team found.
Other analyses have found, for instance, that for every 2,500 women aged 40 to 49 invited to screening, one death was prevented.
The study, whose authors reported no conflicts of interest, is published in the June 28 online edition of the journal Radiology.
“I was surprised and reassured by how long-lasting the effect was, and how consistent over three decades,” Duffy said.
Most of the benefit occurs more than 10 years after the screening starts, he added.
It was not possible to “tease out” the specific benefit of screening women in their 40s, one area of debate, he noted. But other reviews suggest that “although the benefit is smaller, there is still a mortality reduction with screening women in their 40s,” Duffy said.
At the end of the study, the investigators found 30 percent fewer breast cancer deaths overall in the group invited to screening compared to those not screened.
There was also a substantial absolute reduction in cancer deaths. At 29 years of follow-up, 34 to 42 years of life were saved for each 1,000 women screened for seven years, and one breast cancer death prevented for every 414 to 519 women. Had the screening continued another 10 years with the same benefits, only 300 screenings would be needed to save one life, the study reported.
In addition, for every 1,000 women screened every two years from ages 40 to 69, about eight to 11 deaths from breast cancer would be prevented, according to the study authors.
Duffy said he does not expect the study results to put to rest the mammography debate.
“There will always be skeptics, who argue that the benefits of screening are too small to justify its financial and human costs,” Duffy said. “They have tended to argue this on the basis of deaths prevented during 10 years of screening. Our results show that this argument is invalid, since the majority of the mortality benefit occurs more than 10 years after starting screening.”
More
In a study with a follow-up of nearly three decades — the longest ever — the researchers found that the benefits of the screenings become clearer as the decades roll on.
In fact, most of the benefits occur more than 10 years after mammography begins, and the screenings prevent far more breast cancer deaths than other, shorter studies have found, the report indicated.
“The big news is that if one considers the long-term effects on breast cancer mortality, the absolute benefit of screening in terms of number of lives saved is considerably greater than previously thought,” said lead author Stephen W. Duffy, professor of cancer screening at Queen Mary, University of London.
Experts have long debated the best age for mammography screening to begin and how often it should be done.
In the new study, Duffy and colleagues looked at more than 133,000 women ages 40 to 74, living in two Swedish counties.
Researchers assigned them either to a group invited to mammogram screening or a group receiving usual care. The screening phase lasted about seven years. Women aged 40 to 49 got invited to screening every two years; women 50 to 74 every 33 months. The follow-up lasted 29 years.
For every 1,000 to 1,500 mammograms, one breast cancer death was prevented, Duffy’s team found.
Other analyses have found, for instance, that for every 2,500 women aged 40 to 49 invited to screening, one death was prevented.
The study, whose authors reported no conflicts of interest, is published in the June 28 online edition of the journal Radiology.
“I was surprised and reassured by how long-lasting the effect was, and how consistent over three decades,” Duffy said.
Most of the benefit occurs more than 10 years after the screening starts, he added.
It was not possible to “tease out” the specific benefit of screening women in their 40s, one area of debate, he noted. But other reviews suggest that “although the benefit is smaller, there is still a mortality reduction with screening women in their 40s,” Duffy said.
At the end of the study, the investigators found 30 percent fewer breast cancer deaths overall in the group invited to screening compared to those not screened.
There was also a substantial absolute reduction in cancer deaths. At 29 years of follow-up, 34 to 42 years of life were saved for each 1,000 women screened for seven years, and one breast cancer death prevented for every 414 to 519 women. Had the screening continued another 10 years with the same benefits, only 300 screenings would be needed to save one life, the study reported.
In addition, for every 1,000 women screened every two years from ages 40 to 69, about eight to 11 deaths from breast cancer would be prevented, according to the study authors.
Duffy said he does not expect the study results to put to rest the mammography debate.
“There will always be skeptics, who argue that the benefits of screening are too small to justify its financial and human costs,” Duffy said. “They have tended to argue this on the basis of deaths prevented during 10 years of screening. Our results show that this argument is invalid, since the majority of the mortality benefit occurs more than 10 years after starting screening.”
More
Pope Sends Out His First Tweet
The Vatican had confirmed the pope's inaugural tweet, announcing the launch of news.va, a Vatican news and information site.
He added, "Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI."
The Vatican first entered the world of social media as it unveiled a Facebook page dedicated to the upcoming beatification of Pope John Paul II in March.
BREAKING NEWS: Appeals Court Upholds ObamaCare
Federal appeals court in Cincinnati upholds President Obama’s health care overhaul.
Let Him Dig
An old man and woman were married for many years, even though they had grown to hate each other. Whenever there was a confrontation, yelling could be heard deep into the night. The old man would shout, 'When I die, I will dig my way up and out of the grave and come back and haunt you for the rest of your life!'
Neighbors feared him.. They believed he practiced magic, because of the many strange occurrences that took place in their neighborhood. The old man liked the fact that he was feared. ---To everyone's relief, he died of a heart attack when he was 98.
His wife had a closed casket at the wake. After the burial, she went straight to the local bar and began to party, as if there was no tomorrow.
Her neighbors, concerned for her safety, asked, 'Aren't you afraid that he may indeed be able to dig his way out of the grave and haunt you for the rest of your life?'
The wife put down her drink and said, 'Let him dig. I had him buried upside down. And you know men won't ask for directions.'
Neighbors feared him.. They believed he practiced magic, because of the many strange occurrences that took place in their neighborhood. The old man liked the fact that he was feared. ---To everyone's relief, he died of a heart attack when he was 98.
His wife had a closed casket at the wake. After the burial, she went straight to the local bar and began to party, as if there was no tomorrow.
Her neighbors, concerned for her safety, asked, 'Aren't you afraid that he may indeed be able to dig his way out of the grave and haunt you for the rest of your life?'
The wife put down her drink and said, 'Let him dig. I had him buried upside down. And you know men won't ask for directions.'
Evening TV, Video Games May Cause Sleep Problems In Kids
Watching television or playing video games close to bedtime can act like a jolt of caffeine to young children, making them more likely to experience difficulty falling asleep, nightmares, and daytime fatigue, a new study in the journal Pediatrics suggests.
Children are supposed to be winding down at bedtime, and TV and video games may interfere with that process by overexciting kids and “amping up” their brains, says Michelle Garrison, PhD, the lead author of the study and a research scientist at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute.
Evening entertainment may also disrupt the nocturnal rise in melatonin, a hormone involved in the sleep-wake cycle. TV and computer monitors “can keep melatonin levels from rising normally because of the brightness of the screens,” Garrison explains.
More
In the study, 28 percent of preschoolers who watched TV or played video games for at least 30 minutes after 7 p.m. had sleep problems most nights of the week, versus 19 percent of children whose TV and video-game use took place only before 7 p.m.
Evening entertainment may also disrupt the nocturnal rise in melatonin, a hormone involved in the sleep-wake cycle. TV and computer monitors “can keep melatonin levels from rising normally because of the brightness of the screens,” Garrison explains.
More
States Consider Banning Teens From Tanning Beds
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- If a proposed law passes, California teens under 18 will need a fake ID to "fake and bake" themselves to a golden brown.
Citing skin cancer risks, legislators have joined lawmakers in at least 21 other states who have debated bills this year to ban or restrict tanning bed use by minors.
Teens under the age of 14 are already banned from tanning beds in California, and older teens need parental permission. But lawmakers in the Golden State are considering banning anyone under age 18 from using tanning beds, even if a parent says it's OK.
Sen. Ted Lieu, who proposed the more stringent legislation, says the parent signatures on permission forms are often forged, and tanning salons benefit financially by looking the other way. The bill has been approved by the Senate and faces review by the Assembly policy committee Tuesday.
Lieu chides vain teens who make a habit of slipping into tanning beds, saying they're short-sighted because "you will age doing this. Your skin will look more leathery later on."
Crab Prices Pushing Up To $200 A Bushel
'Tis the season for cracking into crabs, but Maryland vendors worry their supply will be stretched thin for the Fourth of July weekend.
While the loveable crustaceans have been plentiful this summer, they could run scarce as demand goes up around Independence Day.
That could push up prices or force restaurants to serve non-Maryland crabs.
The Baltimore Sun is reporting a bushel of male crabs could top $200 in some places.
GIVE ME A BREAK!
The following message was sent to one of our advertisers. I'm all for people who believe in any kind of faith but it's these radicals that bring things way over the top.
Did you know that when you host with blogspot, wordpress or many other common hosting providers, you are sharing space with drug pushers, pornographers, satanists, and those who practice bestiality?
Don't believe us? See for yourself.. Do a quick search and you'll find hundreds of sites on your host filled with people bragging about they break the commandments and violate even the most basic standards of decency. These people have no respect for you or your faith. Stop supporting them NOW!
Would you build a daycare center on the same block as a known sex offender or drug dealer? Of course not. So why take the chance with your web site? Take your business and go somewhere that you can share the good word with good, likeminded people of faith.
Think about it and, when you are ready, come to http://www.xyzpdq/. We will help you move your website or blog to a place that does not tolerate drug dealers, pornographers, or satanists.
Make a covenant with yourself and your faith by moving your webhosting to Covenant Web Hosting.
Thank you and God bless!
Don't believe us? See for yourself.. Do a quick search and you'll find hundreds of sites on your host filled with people bragging about they break the commandments and violate even the most basic standards of decency. These people have no respect for you or your faith. Stop supporting them NOW!
Would you build a daycare center on the same block as a known sex offender or drug dealer? Of course not. So why take the chance with your web site? Take your business and go somewhere that you can share the good word with good, likeminded people of faith.
Think about it and, when you are ready, come to http://www.xyzpdq/. We will help you move your website or blog to a place that does not tolerate drug dealers, pornographers, or satanists.
Make a covenant with yourself and your faith by moving your webhosting to Covenant Web Hosting.
Thank you and God bless!
Georgetown, Delaware Homeless Sex Offender Notification
· Georgetown, Delaware
Date of Occurrence:
· Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Homeless Sex Offender (Georgetown):
· White Male, 5’05” tall, 170 lbs
· Red/Auburn hair, blue eyes
· Tier 2 (Moderate Risk)
Resume:
Georgetown- Lewis E. Brittingham-47 of Georgetown, DE has registered as a Homeless Sex Offender with the Delaware State Police Sex Offenders Apprehension and Registration Unit (SOAR).
Lewis E. Brittingham is NOT wanted however if anyone has any knowledge of Brittingham living at a specific residence; please notify the Detective Oliphant of the Delaware State Police Sex Offenders Apprehension and Registration Unit (SOAR) 302-741-8082.
Information may also be given to the Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333. Information may also be provided via the internet at http://www.tipsubmit.com/
LEON
As my son and I rode our bikes on the boardwalk yesterday morning we passed a couple pushing a baby stroller. It was a white chick and a black dude. I have no problem with interracial couples. People are free to shack up with anyone they choose. I didn’t notice wedding rings on anyone’s finger, so I assume they had the kid out of wedlock. Strike one for the little bundle of joy.
![]()
Now for the more depressing data. Even if they get married, the chances of them staying married beyond 10 years are pretty bleak. For first marriages between husbands and wives of the same race/ethnicity, the “disruption” (divorce or separation) rates at 10 years are Asians 20%, non-Hispanic whites 32%, Hispanics 34%, and blacks 47%.
For interracial couples the disruption rate is 48%. I bet the couple walking on the boardwalk wishes they were Asian.
See the picture of the girl below with a tattoo on the back of her neck? The stars are kind of cute, but with a prominant tattoo on a place that can’t be covered, she has insured that she will never be taken serious in any type of professional well paying environment. Life is full of choices. She made a bad one.
![]()
You may now be wondering why the name of this post is Leon. Well, Leon is the name of the baby daddy I saw on the boardwalk. How do I know his name? Well, baby momma had a huge LEON tattoo on the back of her neck. Strike two for the little toddler in the baby stroller.
I wonder if baby momma will feel a little embarrassed the day after Leon tells her he’s had enough and needs to find himself. The odds of Leon and baby momma lasting until death do us part are pretty slim. And slim just left town. Baby momma has committed a double boo boo. She has destined herself to never be taken seriously in the working world and she has pretty much rolled the dice on staying with Leon forever. Once Leon hits the road, she will never be able to get herself another man, unless of course she confines her search to other dudes named Leon. How low would a dude’s self esteem need to be to go out with a chick who has some other dude’s name on the back of her neck?
It’s too bad the little kid in the stroller didn’t have a say in who his parents would be. He doesn’t stand a chance in this cold hard world.
I wore my new Ron Paul 2012 t-shirt on the boardwalk yesterday. By the looks of the crowd, I would guess that 98.9% of the people on the Wildwood boardwalk have never heard of Ron Paul. When I told Avalon that someone had stolen my Ron Paul 2012 bumper magnet off the back of my car while we have been down here, she said that maybe it was a Ron Paul fan. I responded that anyone who supported Ron Paul would never steal anything from someone else. She agreed.
Time to drink heavily.
Source
For interracial couples the disruption rate is 48%. I bet the couple walking on the boardwalk wishes they were Asian.
See the picture of the girl below with a tattoo on the back of her neck? The stars are kind of cute, but with a prominant tattoo on a place that can’t be covered, she has insured that she will never be taken serious in any type of professional well paying environment. Life is full of choices. She made a bad one.
I wonder if baby momma will feel a little embarrassed the day after Leon tells her he’s had enough and needs to find himself. The odds of Leon and baby momma lasting until death do us part are pretty slim. And slim just left town. Baby momma has committed a double boo boo. She has destined herself to never be taken seriously in the working world and she has pretty much rolled the dice on staying with Leon forever. Once Leon hits the road, she will never be able to get herself another man, unless of course she confines her search to other dudes named Leon. How low would a dude’s self esteem need to be to go out with a chick who has some other dude’s name on the back of her neck?
It’s too bad the little kid in the stroller didn’t have a say in who his parents would be. He doesn’t stand a chance in this cold hard world.
I wore my new Ron Paul 2012 t-shirt on the boardwalk yesterday. By the looks of the crowd, I would guess that 98.9% of the people on the Wildwood boardwalk have never heard of Ron Paul. When I told Avalon that someone had stolen my Ron Paul 2012 bumper magnet off the back of my car while we have been down here, she said that maybe it was a Ron Paul fan. I responded that anyone who supported Ron Paul would never steal anything from someone else. She agreed.
Time to drink heavily.
Source
Repair Work Being Done On Draw Bridge In Salisbury
A Proposal for Salisbury’s Downtown – Intro
I’m not a lifetime resident of Salisbury. However, ever since moving here one issue always near the top of the city government’s list has been the revitalization of downtown. Whether discussing traffic patterns, funding Urban Salisbury, or subsidizing developers / investors, the city taxpayer has been ponying up year after year and seeing little for his or her hard earned dollar.
It’s 2011. Things seem to be getting worse downtown; not better. The number of retail businesses (versus office space) seems to have hit an all time low. Just last week SBYNews publisher Joe Albero ran a couple of posts portraying the downtown plaza as a 21st century ghost town.
What can we do?
First, a firm decision needs to be made. Do we turn downtown over to 100% office space, condos, and apartments? or …Do we we really believe that a thriving, vibrant downtown is in the city’s best interest? If the answer is that we genuinely want a vibrant and thriving downtown we need to decide what we are going to do to make it happen.
Well of course we want a thriving downtown! Right?
Not necessarily. I do, but I don’t pay Salisbury taxes. I’ve seen both decisions made. Some cities that have chosen to stand behind their downtown have succeed, others have failed. If you decide to abandon downtown to offices and living space then there is no chance of failure.
The city of Norfolk has seen its downtown and other areas of the city such as Ghent rise from the ashes. On the other side of Hampton Roads, the city of Newport News kept pouring money down a rat hole until it decided that enough was enough. Now, what loosely passes as a “downtown” has moved 12 miles northwest to the Oyster Point section of the city.
However, as I stated above, I want to see a thriving downtown. I also believe it can be done. It just takes a few things:
- The people who run the city need to grow a spine (this is not a swipe at Jim Ireton, but at the city government of the last decade).
- The downtown business owners, Urban Salisbury, AND the city need to take a long term approach to this problem. Downtown didn’t journey to hell overnight and it won’t return quickly either.
- The people who run the city need to be willing to say NO to the little clique that seems to dominate the discussion of downtown’s future. This especially applies to developers / investors who are holding vacant properties but not attempting to rehab them while waiting to reap a windfall IF the market turns.
IF the city and the few remaining downtown businesses really want to tackle this problem AND are willing to do the things mentioned above, what can be done that is either low cost or verifiably cost efficient?
Over the next several weeks, we’ll be discussing a list of proposals. None is a silver bullet. However, they are all low cost or cost efficient AND have proven to work elsewhere. These include:
- Who do you market Downtown Salisbury to? This is the closest thing to a Silver Bullet there is.
- How do you market Downtown?
- How do you bring people downtown?
- How do you attract, and keep, businesses to Downtown?
- What does Urban Salisbury (or a substitute organization) need to do?
- What does the city need to do?
Each Wednesday we’ll be discussing these ideas (until we’ve run out). Contrary to what you may believe, neither Albero nor I think we have all of the answers. We’re looking for your input as well.
G. A. Harrison is the Managing Editor of “Salisbury News”. Delmarva Dealings appears each Wednesday and Sunday at SbyNEWS.com.
Cost Of US Wars Since 9/11? At Least $3.7 Trillion, Study Finds
224,000 people have died directly from warfare and 7.8 million people have been displaced
NEW YORK — When President Barack Obama cited cost as a reason to bring troops home from Afghanistan, he referred to a $1 trillion price tag for America's wars.
The final bill will reach at least $3.7 trillion and could be as high as $4.4 trillion, according to the research project "Costs of War" by Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies.
Charity Golf Tournament – Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Captain’s Cove Golf and Yacht Club in Greenbackville, VA will cosponsor with the Breast Health & Healing Foundation a Cancer Tournament on Saturday, July 9th at 9:00 AM.
Dr. Kathleen Ruddy will be here to support the event. Dr. Ruddy is working with Dr. Tuohy of the Cleveland Clinic in the development of a vaccine to eliminate Breast Cancer.
The first trial has been 100% effective in mice. The proceeds of this tournament will go directly towards the next trial.
The Tournament will be an 18 hole Florida Scramble with lots of prizes to win and a hat for everyone. $20 for members and $25 for non-members. The public is invited.
Call 757-824-3465
USPS Enjoy Season Tickets To Pro Ball Games
Postal Service employees in one city spent nearly $15,000 on season and group tickets to pro basketball, football and baseball games. It was an "imprudent" use of the SmartPay Purchase Card postal agency auditors say. But the sports tickets did not directly violate USPS purchasing procedures because they were bought as recognition awards for postal employees, according to the Washington Post. Either way the IG says the purchases directly conflict with USPS's goal of driving down costs in everything they do. Overall, auditors found oversight of the Purchase cards improved in 2010.
Should Restaurants Charge Extra for NOT Putting Ice in Your Soda?
Drink enough fountain soda and you'll eventually get handed that cup full of ice with a slight hint of drink filling in the few gaps. And then there are people with sensitive teeth who find it painful to drink beverages with ice in them. These are both reasons that some customers go the "no ice" route when buying drinks. But some restaurant owners think you should sometimes have to pay extra for that privilege.
Consumerist reader Simon pointed us to this posting on a Sonic Facebook page. The customer says she popped into his local Sonic to buy a drink during the restaurant's Happy Hour promotion only to find she'd been charged $.40 extra for no ice.
No Damage To Space Station
Space Shuttle Atlantis has been cleared for next Friday's launch. NASA managers have signed off on the cargo run to the International Space Station, and the final flight in the shuttle program. Atlantis will be delivering a year's worth of food, clothing, science equipment and supplies to space station. Meanwhile, as the space station prepared for Atlantis' arrival, there was a threat of impact from space debris. The crew had to seal themselves in the Soyuz capsules, which serve as lifeboats. The debris whizzed by - about 1,100 feet away. No damage.
CNBC Again Ranks Virginia as No. 1 for Business
Virginia has reclaimed its spot at the top of CNBC's listing of best states in the nation to do business.
The state clawed its way back after slipping to No. 2 behind Texas last year on the financial news cable network's rating, netting the highest point total in the history of the rankings.
In an appearance on CNBC from Mount Vernon on Tuesday, Gov. Bob McDonnell touted the state's new incentives and his travels around the state and globe to market Virginia.
"Businesses have more confidence in a state if they see the government is run well, run more like a business, and that's the place they want to locate," he said.
His administration's focus has been on installing policies that will help businesses create jobs, he said in a statement, by keeping taxes low, controlling government spending, having a strong "right to work" law, and making investments in transportation, economic development and higher education.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)