MDGOP RELEASES NEW CONGRESSIONAL LINES

Map Puts Voters First

ANNAPOLIS, MD - Today, the Maryland Republican Party (MDGOP) released a new good-government Congressional District map based on what is best for Maryland residents, not career politicians.  MDGOP’s new map draws districts based on the 2010 census and the new lines respect municipal and county boundaries, therefore protecting communities of interests instead of furthering the interests of any political party.  According to MDGOP Chairman Alex X. Mooney, the new map finally provides Maryland residents with the prospect of fair Congressional Districts.

“MDGOP’s new map provides Marylanders with districts that protect voters, not incumbent politicians.  For ten years we have lived with some of the worst gerrymandered congressional districts in the country, purely because one political party chose to put their electoral interests over what’s best for Maryland voters.  This cannot continue, and the Maryland GOP has taken the first step forward to show Maryland voters that fair congressional districts are possible. 

“I am proud of our map and I look forward to sharing our map with the voters as the redistricting process moves forward. It is our hope that this map will launch a healthy debate throughout Maryland about what good representation looks like and how our elected officials can best serve the citizens of Maryland. We have put the voters first and that makes for good government.”

 

 MDGOP's map can be viewed on our website at http://link.sc.states.gop.com/?65-1719-3255-125-13581

Man Dies After Falling Into Potomac River

A man has died after he apparently slipped and hit his head while on a boat and fell into the Potomac River, authorities said Tuesday..

D.C. fire department spokesman Pete Piringer said emergency workers were called to an area of the river about half a mile south of the Memorial Bridge on Monday night for a report of a person in the water. Piringer said that the man apparently fell while untethering his boat from another and fell in the water.

He was taken to a hospital where he later died.

from the Washington Post / AP

Doesn’t it seem that we’ve had an awful lot of boating fatalities over the last couple of weeks? – Ed.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS UPDATE! UPDATE #2 UPDATE #3

UPDATE:

COUNCIL MEETING WILL NOW BE HELD
IN ROOM 1 

AT THE WICOMICO CIVIC CENTER.

UPDATE #3: This just in... The meeting will now be held in the basement of the Library.

You may want to go to the County Council Meeting tonight as we have been told they are holding an emergency meeting with the Wicomico Humane Society. ANY ONE who has had issues with the Humane Society should attend!

Remember the Dog we posted on the first of July, (HERE). Well, the Humane Society put the animal down, even though numerous rescue groups from as far away as Pennsylvania and North Carolina contacted them and said they would take the animal in. We're told the Humane Society allegedly ignored these requests and put the animal down anyway.

We have also been told the only place the Humane Society is advertising for the empty Director's position is Craig's List.

Obama Blink, GOP Pounces

Why aren't the Democrats rebelling?

The debt ceiling negotiations have amounted to a succession of retreats and concessions by President Obama.

At this point, the president confronts two possible outcomes in the coming weeks:

Outcome 1: The president and congressional Republicans reach agreement on a budget package weighted overwhelmingly in favor of the GOP. The president opened negotiations by offering $3 of spending cuts for every $1 of tax increases. His current offer tilts even further to the GOP: $6 of spending cuts to $1 of tax increases.

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Upcoming Execution to Use Pentobarbital

An upcoming execution may be the first carried out in Virginia with a powerful sedative that has been successfully, if controversially, used in lethal injections in other states.

Jerry Terrell Jackson, 30, is set to die Aug. 18 for the capital murder of Ruth Phillips, 88, in Williamsburg. Phillips' body was discovered by her son Aug. 26, 2001. She had been raped and smothered with a pillow.

For years, Virginia and other states that conduct lethal injections used sodium thiopental as the first of three drugs administered in the procedure. But a national shortage of the drug has forced a switch to pentobarbital by many states.

In lethal injections, sodium thiopental or pentobarbital are used first to render the inmate unconscious, pancuronium bromide is then administered to stop muscle movement and finally potassium chloride stops the heart.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

CANCELLATION OF CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION

Due to unexpected circumstances (elevator not working in the Government Office Building) the Salisbury City Council’s work session for today, Tuesday, July 5, 2011, has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled for a later date.

Rising Sun Bank Robber Still At Large

A man who robbed a bank near Rising Sun at gunpoint late last week remained on the loose Monday night, despite an intense manhunt immediately after the crime, police said.

Dressed in military-style camouflage pants and shirt, the suspect brandished a handgun and demanded money about 11 a.m. on Friday after reaching the teller counter in the M&T Bank at 2841 Jacob Tome Highway, police said.

The armed bandit ran out the bank after the employee handed him cash and he was last seen heading toward Nesbitt and Harrisville Roads, police added.

"We don't know if he stayed on foot or if he had a getaway car waiting for him somewhere in that area. We also don't know if he had an accomplice," said Lt. Michael Holmes, a spokesman for the Cecil County Sheriff's Office. "We're asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in that area (about 11 a.m. on Friday) to call us."

READ MORE …

Missing Americans in Boat Sinking Likely Dead

Mexican rescuers were continuing to search the Gulf of California Tuesday for seven Americans whose fishing boat sank Sunday, as some began to lose hope they will be found alive.

The 115-foot boat Erik left San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez, a haven for windsurfers and sports fishermen, on Saturday for a six-day fishing trip with 43 people on board, including 27 American tourists.

But on its first night out of port, the Erik was struck by an electrical storm and capsized early on Sunday, port and navy officials said.

After searching for almost 24 hours, local rescue officials had found one body and said they had given up hope of finding the seven missing people alive. One person, a U.S. citizen, has been confirmed dead. The identity of the dead man was not released.

Divers had been brought in to aid in the search.

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NY Motorcyclist Killed Protesting Helmet Law

Police say a motorcyclist participating in a protest ride against helmet laws in upstate New York died after he flipped over the bike's handlebars and hit his head on the pavement.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon in the town of Onondaga, in central New York near Syracuse.

State troopers tell The Post-Standard of Syracuse that 55-year-old Philip A. Contos of Parish, N.Y., was driving a 1983 Harley Davidson with a group of bikers who were protesting helmet laws by not wearing helmets.

Troopers say Contos hit his brakes and the motorcycle fishtailed. The bike spun out of control, and Contos toppled over the handlebars. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Troopers say Contos would have likely survived if he had been wearing a helmet.

from FOXNews

While our prayers go out to Mr. Contos’ family, we have to ask – Can you spell irony? – Ed.

MD Planning Secretary Defends New Land Policy

The state isn't trying to take over land planning authority from local government, a cabinet secretary told a roomful of Cecil County officials Friday.

Maryland Department of Planning Secretary Richard Hall, who has been on the hot seat with local planning officials since April when his office released PlanMaryland, a draft for "smart growth," insisted the plan doesn't supercede local comprehensive plans.

Cecil County officials and the Bainbridge Development Corp. raised concerns a few weeks ago that the Bainbridge property is not shown on the state's map for PlanMaryland as a targeted growth area.

"This is just a straight-up honest mistake on the map to leave Bainbridge off," Hall admitted. "It's ironic because we've been working with the county and Port Deposit on this project."

Maps drafted for the plan break the entire state down into five categories for planning. Those areas include: green for priority areas for land preservation, dark green for public or privately owned lands under conservation protection, red for targeted growth, orange for established communities and land currently planned for development by local governments in Priority Funding Areas and brown for areas not currently targeted by the state for growth or resource conservation.

"This is a policy plan, not a regulatory document," said Rich Josephson, director of planning services in Maryland's Department of Planning.

Hall said local governments have overreacted to the plan's intentions.

READ MORE …

Rich Hall sounds an awful lot like “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” Maryland citizens should be reminded that he also has stated, “WE gave them their property values.”, in response to farmer opposition over an attempt to strip Wicomico farmers of their property rights. – Ed.

Why Casey Anthony's Verdict Makes Sense

Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murder, which makes good sense. 

Much of the state’s case rested on the fact that Casey didn’t seem grief-stricken at all after her daughter went missing. She actually went out dancing, had sex and got a tattoo.

Yet, for those who cannot fathom how Casey Anthony could have gone out partying with men and spending money on clothes after the death of Caylee Anthony—unless she killed her daughter—there is another potential explanation.

Some emotionally vulnerable people can experience mania—the “high” phase of bipolar disorder, essentially the opposite of depression—in the setting of unthinkable trauma or loss.

Even if you despise Casey Anthony, you have to admit that the death of her daughter (if she did not kill her) would qualify as such a trauma or loss. Symptoms of mania could then ensue, including: overspending, hypersexual behavior, sleeplessness and a sense of euphoria (which would be seen in photographs as seeming joy).

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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.

Maryland Councilwoman Resigns Under Pressure After Guilty Plea

The wife of former Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson resigned from her seat on the County Council on Tuesday, five days after she pleaded guilty to destroying evidence in a federal corruption probe.

Leslie Johnson handed her resignation letter to Council Chair Ingrid Turner on Tuesday morning, said her attorney, Shawn Wright. The resignation is effective July 31, the last day before the Council recess.

Johnson admitted in federal court that she destroyed a $100,000 check from a developer to her husband and stuffed nearly $80,000 in illicit cash into her underwear as federal agents knocked on the door of the couple's Mitchellville home. Her sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 13; sentencing guidelines call for her to receive between a year and a year and a half in prison.

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Beebe Receives $3 Million Donation

The Beebe Medical Center in Lewes says it has received the largest donation in its 95-year history.

The hospital announced last week that it received a $3 million donation from the Ma-Ran Foundation, a group based in Atlanta and established by Margaret and R. Randall Rollins. It will allow Beebe to fast-track the construction of a new nursing school.

The school will be named after Margaret Rollins, a longtime supporter of the hospital who grew up in Lewes and worked in the hospital's administrative offices.

The $3 million donation is double the size of the second-largest gift of $1.5 million by the Tunnell family for Beebe's cancer center.

The Beebe School of Nursing is the only hospital-based nursing program in Delaware.

from the Daily Times

Camp Wright Gets Improvements

Campers at Camp Wright will see some new structures when they begin arriving this month for residential and day camp activities.

The 81-year-old camp, which is a function of the Episcopal Diocese of Easton, has built a new pavilion for use by both groups of campers and a new cabin for use by residential campers.

Their completion follows a busy off-season for the camp during which many of the existing buildings were repaired and painted as part of improvements to the physical plant of the camp, which is on the Bay just off Route 8.

"The main focus of the pavilion has been for the day camp. It's been using tents for the last nine years," said Camp Wright Director Dee Zeller. "The residential camp will also be using it in the evening."

It will also be available for use by rental groups in the spring and fall, she said. Zeller explained that the pavilion is the first step in a camp master plan that has been under discussion for some time.

READ MORE …

MoCo School Board Violates Open Meetings Act

The Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board ruled Monday that the Montgomery County Board of Education violated the state's law governing when meetings can be closed to the public.

“We have found that the County Board improperly invoked the real property exception to exclude the public from the Brickyard site discussion,” the compliance board wrote in its Monday decision.

The compliance board issues decisions, but does not issue penalties.

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BREAKING NEWS: Verdict In Anthony Trial UPDATE NOT GUILTY

Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial of Casey Anthony, who is accused of murdering her 2-year-old daughter.

Fate of Casey Anthony — the Florida woman accused of murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee — hangs in the balance as jurors say they have a verdict in the case; verdict to be read at 2:15 p.m. EDT.

From Fox News

UPDATE: Verdict, NOT GUILTY on 1st degree murder! Not guilty on child abuse. Not Guilty on aggravated man slaughter. Guilty of giving false information to law enforcement. Not guilty on second degree murder.

Casey is crying and her lawyer is smiling. The ONLY thing she is guilty of is lying to law enforcement. She will be sentenced Thursday at 9:00 AM, EST.

Man Killed, Toddler Shot After Baltimore Fireworks Show

A 4-year-old boy was shot in the leg and a man was killed in a stabbing as violence marred the Fourth of July fireworks show in downtown Baltimore.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the boy was leaving with her parents around 10 p.m. Monday when they heard a loud sound and the boy complained of an injury. Guglielmi says the shooting may have been accidental. He was in stable condition at Johns Hopkins Childrens Center.

Another man was stabbed in the neck before 10 p.m. outside McCormick & Schmicks restaurant. Guglielmi said the victim suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Shock Trauma. The Sun and local TV stations reported that the man later died from his injuries.

from WTOP / AP

How Many Flounder Are Maryland Fishermen Catching?

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources wants to know how many flounder recreational fishermen are catching in Maryland's coastal bays.

The department is partnering with the Atlantic Coast Chapter of the Maryland Saltwater Sportsmen's Association on a survey of the recreational flounder catch.

MSSA members will take to the water to distribute the survey to anglers. The surveys distributed in July and August will cover "Flounder Alley," a popular flounder fishing area in the Isle of Wight and Sinepuxent Bays.

The survey results will be compared with estimates from the National Marine Fisheries Service

from WTOP / AP

One Critically Injured in Bicycle Crash

One person was in critical condition with a head injury Monday night after a crash between a bicycle and a passenger vehicle north of Bethel, state police said.

The accident was reported at 9:28 p.m. at the intersection of Woodland Ferry and Bethel roads.

from the Wilmington News-Journal

PA’s, Nurse Practitioners Taking a Leading Role in Primary Care

It used to be when patients went to a doctor's office, they saw a doctor.

Today, they may not see one at all.

There's a shift under way in the delivery of health care, particularly in the primary care setting. As fewer doctors pursue family medicine, as health care costs continue to rise and as more people live with chronic diseases, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are more often handling annual exams, prenatal visits, acute care and management of chronic diseases such as diabetes.

These midlevel providers perform many of the same tasks as doctors, including diagnosing and treating conditions, prescribing medications, and ordering lab work and other tests. To do so, they undergo specialized, multiyear post-graduate training, although critics point out that they lack the depth of training of physicians, who spend seven or eight years in medical school and residency.

READ MORE …

Rep. Andy Harris Celebrating Independence Day

Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD) spent his Fourth of July travelling around Maryland’s First District.  Harris travelled to Severna Park and Bel Air for their annual parades and then headed to the Shore for celebrations at Rock Hall and Centreville.

Rep. Andy Harris at the 2011 Severna
Park Independence Day Parade

Rep. Andy Harris at the 2011 Bel Air
Independence Day Parade

Two Critically Injured in US 113 Motorcycle Crash

Two people were reported in critical condition Monday night after a crash involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle on U.S. 113 south of Frankford.

State police said the crash in the northbound lanes was reported at 9:12 p.m. at the intersection with Lazy Lagoon Road.

One victim was taken by state police helicopter to Christiana Hospital and a second person was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md.

The northbound lanes of U.S. 113 were diverted onto alternate routes for about two hours, according to DelDOT reports.

from the Wilmington News-Journal

Stop the Violence Kick-Off Thursday, July 7th

Yes, we know that we posted their press release earlier today.  We just received the art work.

This looks like a great program.  You should stop by on Thursday to see what they’re doing.  Maybe you can help out.

The History of Centreville Wharf

The most recent past history of the Centreville Wharf has been of long-held promise with no results except for more weeds ... that is, until the miracle on the Corsica took place.

Once again, the life and history of the Wharf is about to return. People will again be able to use their waterfront, spend time enjoying fishing, boating and summer recreation. Yet without knowing where we have been, it would be difficult to really appreciate what we have now.

Almost unknown is Centreville's connection to Wall Street in New York City, before it was called Wall Street. A Dutch entrepreneur arriving in New York in the early 1600s made enough money in property (property that eventually became Wall Street) that by 1660 he was able to bring his family here to Centreville and purchase his first large acreage on the Corsica, becoming a tobacco grower and exporter. He and his family would eventually own large tracts of land all the way out to present Symphony Village. Before his death he was able to amass most of the property that now makes up the heart of Centreville. But his first property was on the Corsica and he was among the first of those who sent tobacco from here to the Old World.

READ MORE …

Cut, Cap, and Balance Pledge Gaining Traction

On a sparkling Independence day in Clear Lake Iowa, Republican presidential candidate Michelle Bachman worked a parade crowd and asserted a bit of independence from the GOP pack of candidates. Bachmann, along with Republican Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, is one of only two Republican contenders not to sign a pledge to cut, cap and balance the federal budget.

That pledge, the brainchild of the Republican Study Committee, has been gaining steam in recent days as another litmus test for Republican candidates. It calls for immediate spending cuts to reduce the deficit by half next year. It would also impose enforceable caps that bring spending in line with average revenues at 18 percent of the GDP. And finally, it would require House and Senate passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution.

Some say the pledge offers an escape from the debt ceiling gridlock presently paralyzing Congress. But Bachmann wants it to go further, by defunding President Obama's Affordable Healthcare Act. She says she's "mulling over" signing the pledge.

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Lost Dogs: UPDATE

Willis is a Jack Russell mix that weighs about 45 pounds. He is mostly white with some brown, especially in his face. He is wearing a red SF 49ers collar and is extremely friendly. He will probably come to anyone who calls his name.

Then there is also Mac, who is a Boxer/Rotty mix that weighs about 85 pounds. He is wearing a chain collar and has a birthmark on his nose and a small bump/growth on his hind leg. He is kind of intimidating looking but is a huge baby. He would also come to anyone that calls his name.

My number is 410-251-8158, cvansant49@comcast.net.

Willards Has Biggest 4th of July Celebration Yet

Talk about a great day! Not only was this a record attendance, it was the biggest fireworks display so far in Willards.

The East Side Chamber of Commerce did an outstanding job putting this together. Almost every single vendor ran out of food in the first couple of hours and had to run out and re-stock to keep the food flowing.

A special thanks goes out to the Willards Fire Company and the Board of Education.

Hobby Lobby Has A Large Pool to Choose From

Hobby Lobby, the competitor to Michael’s Arts and Crafts (between Home Depot and Best Buy in Salisbury) is interviewing individuals for the new store they are opening in the former Giant store, just north of the Salisbury North Wal-Mart.  By the look of things, there are still plenty of people in the area looking for a job.

This is just PART of the overflow.  People were lined up out in front of the motel where Hobby Lobby was conducting interviews.  They had chairs set up on the south side of the motel for more people to sit, and there were a few folks on the north side (to the left of this photo).  The only reason I didn’t get more pictures was because there was no place to park and I had to shoot from the car.

We should all be grateful that Hobby Lobby is coming to town and will be employing some folks.  It appears that they’ll have a large applicant pool to choose from.

Delaware Schools Detail “Race to the Top” Spending

After about a year of work, the state Department of Education has released plans that show how school districts intend to spend more than $18 million in federal Race to the Top grant money.

The plans outline the first year of funding to the state's 19 school districts. Extensive plans for some districts span more than 100 pages. While the three-year plans have been approved, the state has only approved the first year of spending, which will occur in the 2011-2012 school year.

In March 2010, Delaware was selected as one of two winners in round one of a new education grant program under President Barack Obama. The state secured a $119 million, four-year education reform grant.

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Allen Celebrates Their Annual 4th of July Parade

Even though it was extremely HOT on the 4th of July, the residents of the quaint Town of Allen lined the streets to cheer on the parade.

At the end every one gathered at the Community Center where they had food, refreshments and most of all hand made ice cream.

Salisbury News did participate in the Parade but we didn't see any County Council Member there, as we have grown accustom to in years past. Rick Pollitt, Rich Colburn, Charles Otto, Mike Lewis and Ernie Leatherbury participated.

Tick Bite Can Trigger Red Meat Allergy

The ticks were so bad last summer that Dr. Fred Robinson, a retired cardiologist, could hardly go for a walk in his yard in Midlothian without coming in to find a tick somewhere on his body.

They were a nuisance, but he now suspects they also are to blame for an unusual allergic reaction he has developed to beef.

It sounds improbable, but allergy doctors say patients such as Robinson are cropping up more and more, and research is pinning down a plausible explanation for what may be happening.

Much of that research is being done at the University of Virginia, where studies are also trying to help patients whose only remedy so far is to give up beef or other red meats.

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The Phony Argument Against ‘Isolationism’

The war continues – the war against “isolationism,” that is. This time the latest blows are being struck on the op ed page of the New York Times, where Rutgers historian David Greenberg takes up the cudgels against these hated troglodytes. Bemoaning the sudden Republican turnabout on foreign policy, Professor Greenberg notes his surprise that the all-too-“predictable” response of GOP presidential candidates to President Obama’s Afghanistan speech wasn’t all that predictable after all: several declared his withdrawal announcement “too little, too late.” In the Republican-controlled House, too, some have the nerve to question the President’s legal authority to take us to war without congressional authorization – and, as if all that wasn’t enough, GOP’ers afflicted with “balanced budget mania” have gone on a veritable rampage, and are actually talking about “scaling back defense spending of a sort that Republicans would once have never dared broach.”

So, what does all this add up to, in Greenberg’s view? Well, this:

“Suddenly, after the aggressive, militaristic foreign policy of the Bush years, isolationism — a stance that rejects America’s leadership role in the world — is on the rise among Republicans.”
If you think Congress, rather than the President, has the constitutionally-granted power to declare war, then what are you – a constitutionalist? An anti-monarchist? A believer in the rule of law? Well, no – you’re an “isolationist.”

If you don’t sign on to the idea that America must exercise a “leadership role in the world” – i.e. if you don’t’ think we should be invading countries left and right and footing the bill for all kinds of international welfare schemes – you’re somebody who wants to “isolate” America from the rest of the universe, no doubt by building a crocodile-filled moat on the border and posting a “Keep Out!” sign (in English only) just in case potential interlopers fail to take the hint.

By posing a false choice between a hyperactive foreign policy and an “isolationist” one, the War Party gets to argue as if they are the reasonable ones, and everyone else – in this case, most of the country – are marginal cranks. At this point, they get out their canned history lesson, and lecture us on the evils of our “isolationist” past, as does Professor Greenberg:

“But if this comes as an abrupt break, it is also a return to form: the impulse to retreat from the world stage has a long and hardy pedigree within Republican ranks. And while a dose of caution among conservatives can be refreshing, a Tea Party-led reversion to a dogmatic America First stance could damage both the party and the country.

“Modern Republican isolationism began with the 1919 battle over joining the League of Nations, when Senate Republicans, led by so-called Irreconcilables like William Borah of Idaho, killed the deal — even though without American guidance, European affairs were doomed to explode again. A pattern emerged, as liberal Democrats, along with Northeastern Republicans, wanted America to actively manage world affairs, while the Republicans’ powerful Midwestern and Western factions viewed cooperative international ventures as dangerously entangling alliances.”

Greenberg’s historical overview is pretty much the Establishment party line: always there have been those “forward-looking” “progressive” leaders, like Woodrow Wilson, who campaigned tirelessly to get the US entangled in Europe’s intrigues and her endless wars: and always, opposing these noble souls, there have been those nasty “Irreconcilables” – even the name sounds unreasonable, fanatic – who somehow doubted mortal men could “actively manage world affairs.” What could possibly motivate these Irreconcilables, other than pure malicious contrarianism?

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Not Too Happy with Fat Boy’s Crabs

Dear Joe,
We've written back and forth over the years over several topics but this one is a complaint over a local business you might want to highlight. Allow me to preface this with I am the granddaughter of a waterman, I DO know seafood, especially crabs. Yesterday was a special treat as my budget, as is most of ours, has been more limited of late. I wanted to spend an afternoon with my daughter on the back porch picking crabs and having fun.

I put in an order at FatBoys Crabs for 1/2 bushel of #2s for $50. I also picked up 1 pound of Jumbo steamed shrimp for my husband. I've been buying #2s for years without fail or problem from another local vendor, SkipJacks. Fatboys is a little closer to home for me and my one and only previous experience, with the owner, buying shrimp was great! 
To come to the point of the matter, once home with the crabs, 40% of them were papershells, waterlogged, and their top shells were totally smashed...along with a coupla dead ones in the mix (meaning dead prior to steaming). That was a huge mar on the afternoon I had saved up for with my daughter. I almost stopped right there at the second crab, overcooked and sprayed water everywhere fracturing completely. I had a choice, I could wash up, haul them back, ruin the rest of the afternoon or keep going. I opted to salvage the afternoon and keep going.
Many hours later, I picked through the remainder of the crabs, tossing the worse. The disappointment with the crabs lingered. I blogged it, trying to be as nice about it as I could. I did post it up, notifying a friend who I KNEW was going to get crabs this weekend that she might want to reconsider another location other than FatBoys.  Then friends besieged me to call Fatboys, to tell them what had happened, that they would definitely make it 'right.' 
I didn't want to do that. Normally I will only respond and contact a vendor/supplier of goods and services if I want them to make something right for me. I didn't want another 1/2 bushel of crabs, a refund, or anything else. My concern was that some of my friends were going to buy crabs and I didn't want them to have the same disappointment that I experienced. So this afternoon, after much pestering from friends, I called. 
"Bobby" answered. I explained the situation, advised in advance in deferment giving them an 'out' over the quality of the steamed crabs that I received that likely they had utilized an additional wholesaler to cover the 'crush' for the 4th of July holiday weekend. Bobby's reply was that "You were lucky the 40% wasn't 50% or above in papershells because people who actually know crabs don't buy #2s." Bobby was pretty nasty during that less than 2 minute call in which I was being very nice about the whole thing. It was his response that horrified me. Is this what they are selling, along with THAT attitude? 
Fatboys will NEVER get another whit of my business nor any of my family or friends. You might want to alert others who may have plans for an order for tomorrow before they toss away their hard earned money. You might want to alert other potential customers about the same service and attitude.
Thanks much,
Carol

Wallops to Launch Four Rockets

NASA plans to launch four experimental rockets from its Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

The agency says in a release that it plans to launch the rockets between today and July 23.

The rockets are part of a project to study neutral and charged particles in the ionosphere. The findings are meaningful because communications and global-positioning satellites send signals through the ionosphere; disturbances in the ionosphere translate into signal disturbances.

During the launch period NASA will launch two pairs of rockets consisting of a Terrier-Improved Orion and a Black Brant V. The rockets in each pair will be launched 15 seconds apart. Only one pair of rockets will be launched on any day.

The rockets will be visible in the Wallops area.

Get Your Hands On The Government’s Playbook

In this bubblicious world of trillion dollar deficits, sovereign bailouts, and fiscal stimulus measures of historical proportions, there is one economist whose theories and underlying philosophy underpin the foundation of modern macroeconomics.

His name is John Maynard Keynes, and his most famous work, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money (1936) has become the playbook from which politicians and central bankers are making their trillion dollar decisions.

Just about every politician knows the name Keynes. Most would consider themselves “Keynesian” in that they believe in government spending as a means to maintain economic stability. Few have actually read his book. And yet even fewer realize that Keynes was a major advocate of Soviet-style central planning.
Among the many fascist viewpoints in his General Theory, Keynes argued that:

1) A high rate of interest which encourages saving is bad for society.  Consumption and borrowing must be promoted. In fact, high interest rates are to blame for why “the world after several millennia of steady individual saving, is so poor…”

2) Consequently, the government should make money cheap, controlling interest rates with a target level of zero. Further, the government should never deliberately increase rates as inflation will not set in “until unemployment has completely disappeared.”

3) Even if inflation should happen to appear, it’s likely due to the “arbitrary and inequitable distribution of wealth and incomes…” As such, the better solution to control prices and keep the boom going is to simply impose high income and death taxes in order to make a more economically just society.

4) If the boom starts to fade and low interest rates aren’t doing the job, it is the role of the government to step in and ‘invest’ obscene amounts of money to stimulate growth. Only the government is capable of doing this, as “the duty of ordering the current volume of investment cannot safely be left in private hands.”

5) As Keynes favored “a somewhat comprehensive socialization of investment,” he recognized that such complex decisions of investing other people’s money would be “above the heads of the vast mass of more or less illiterate voters.”

6) Not to worry, though, these key decision makers of the state-run economy will have the right “moral position,” so it’s just a question of making sure that the right people are directing the economy.

7) In the event of a crisis, the answer is simple. A government should simply borrow and spend more. In a 1934 article for Redbook magazine entitled “Can America Spend Its Way into Recovery,” Keynes opened with “Why, obviously!”

8 ) If the crisis doesn’t abate after substantial spending an interest rate cuts, Keynes blames these continued problems on not following his advice closely enough: “[A]uthorities of the world have lacked the courage or conviction at each stage of the decline to apply the available remedies in sufficiently drastic doses.”

I could go on, but I don’t want to spoil the ending where the entire global financial system collapses as a result of following these ridiculous policies.

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Jaguars at Play

Six-week-old twin jaguar cubs play at the Parque de las Leyendas Zoo in Lima, Peru, Friday, June 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Today’s Survey Question – 07/05/2011

Do You Think Employees Should Have to Join a Union / Pay Dues in Order to Work?

Florida Man Accused of Smoking Bong While Driving Five Kids in Van

A Florida man was arrested after another motorist allegedly spotted him smoking a bong while behind the wheel of a van with five child passengers.

Phillip Winters, 24, was taken into custody by police in Cape Coral on June 25 after cops received a tip about a man toking a marijuana pipe while driving at around 6:45 p.m, NBC-2 reports.

A few minutes later, an officer spotted a vehicle at a gas station that matched the one described by the witness.

The cop confronted the suspect and determined that Winters showed "signs of impairment," according toWINK News.

A police dog reportedly detected the scent of drugs coming from the vehicle -- which also contained five passengers between the ages of one and six. A search of the Chevy van uncovered several pipes and marijuana residue, according to investigators.

READ MORE …

Child Dies After Being Pulled from Bay at Sandy Point

A little boy died after being pulled from the waters of the Chesapeake Bay at Sandy Point State Park on Monday morning, officials said.

Emergency crews were called to the busy park at 8:10 a.m. for a report of missing 6-year-old boy, police and fire officials said.

The child was reported missing from an unguarded section of the South Beach part of the park, said Sgt. Art Windemuth, a Natural Resources Police spokesman said.

Employees of the Maryland Park Service and the Natural Resources Police, along with volunteers, began a search for the boy, including creating a human chain in the water, Windemuth said.

The boy was pulled from the water and CPR was performed until a crew from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department arrived.

The boy was taken by ambulance to Anne Arundel Medical Center with serious and life-threatening injuries, said Capt. James Rostek, a county Fire Department spokesman.

Windemuth said the boy later died.

READ MORE …

Possible Gas Leak Claims Life in Bethany

State police are investigating a possible gas leak in Bethany Beach which claimed the life of one man and left his spouse unconscious.

On Sunday, an 80 year old man and his 93 year old spouse were found unconscious in their home in the 20000 block of Greenway in Sea Colony West.

The woman was taken to Beebe Hospital where she's in critical condition and the man's body has been given to the Medical Examiner for further examination.
State police believe the cause of death to be carbon monoxide poisoning.

from WDEL

BREAKING NEWS: ATTEMPTED ROBBERY AT PNC IN PITTSVILLE

A man walked into the PNC Bank this morning with a gun, saw the Security Guard and took off running. Maryland State Police are on the scene right now. More to come...

Job Growth Threatened in Maryland

This year’s “Roll Call” recorded some of the most drastic decreases in the pro-business vote since Maryland Business for Responsive Government began tracking the state legislature 26 years ago. The trend is clear: The business divide is widening in Maryland. The warning signs are there for anyone concerned about jobs.

Roll Call enables the business community to hold senators and delegates accountable for their votes. It also takes a long term view of the consequences of state government actions that halt job growth.

We need to look at where we are going. There are unfortunate parallels between the 2011 session and four years ago. In 2007, Roll Call warned of the “perfect storm”: pension obligations, Transportation Trust Fund raids and budget demands.

Sound familiar?

In 2007, the General Assembly met in special session to solve the state’s budget deficit. Instead, the legislature imposed a record $1.4 billion sales, corporate and income tax hike. That session was also noted for the ill-fated computer services tax later repealed when reality set in that the modern economy enables companies to move elsewhere. Top elected officials said these tax increases were needed to get control of the budget. That did not happen.

READ MORE …

by Marvin Mandel and Ellen Sauerbrey

The authors are the co-chairs of Maryland Business for Responsive Government, a bipartisan organization that works to improve the state’s business climate. They may be reached at info@mbrg.org.