BREAKING NEWS: Palin to Decide on White House Bid by Late Summer

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says she'll announce her intentions for the White House in late August or early September.

Palin told Fox News' Sean Hannity Wednesday night that she thinks she could win a campaign against President Barack Obama, a sentiment first reported in a Newsweek cover story.

Palin says she would campaign for a candidate with "good executive experience" and a "servant's heart" who wasn't so "obsessively partisan that they can't just do what's right." At the moment, though, she says she doesn't see that candidate in the Republican field.

Palin says she's thinking about offering herself up "in the name of service," confident that she has "common sense, fiscally conservative, pro-private sector policy experience and ideas that can be put to good work for this country."

from the Washington Examiner / AP

BREAKING NEWS: Obama Walks Out of Debt Talks

President Barack Obama has ended a nearly two hour debt-limit negotiation brusquely, declaring: "Enough is enough" as he rejected Republican demands that he accept a short-term extension of the government's borrowing authority.

Democratic officials and Republican aides familiar with the negotiations say the meeting ended after White House officials had identified more than $1.5 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years to reduce the deficit. Pressed by House Republican leader Eric Cantor to accept only months-long debt ceiling increase, Democratic officials say Obama announced: "Enough is enough. We have to be willing to compromise. It shouldn't be about positioning, and politics and I'll see you all tomorrow."

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the closed-door meeting.

from the Washington Examiner / AP

Ocean City May Pay Less Than Expected To Rebuild Boardwalk

The opening of bids this week for the first of the two phases saw work offers for the project and its lumber come in much lower than Ocean City Engineer Terry McGean had anticipated.

"The numbers appear to be within the estimate, so it looks like we have a project," McGean told a group of potential builders gathered in a conference room at Town Hall. He met with the bidders moments after council voted 6-1 without discussion in a work session to acknowledge the bids and send them to staff to look over.

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Delaware Man Charged After Teen Is Fondled In Restroom

DOVER, Del. (AP) -- Dover police have charged a Magnolia man with fondling a teenager in the men's restroom of a store.

Fifty-seven-year-old Michael Dixon was charged Tuesday with two counts of unlawful sexual contact. He was released on $20,000 secured bond.

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Marion C. Barry Faces Drug Charge

Documents: Barry Jumped From Window To Avoid Police

WASHINGTON -- The son of former District of Columbia mayor and current Councilmember Marion Barry is facing a drug-dealing charge after police say they found PCP and marijuana in his apartment.

Court records show Marion Christopher Barry, 31, was arrested in May after police responded to a report of a fight. Officers found a vial of PCP containing what the documents describe as more than would be used by one person. Police also found five sandwich bags nearly full of marijuana.

The documents show Barry jumped out of a window to avoid police but later returned to the apartment and was arrested. He faces a single charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

The elder Marion Barry declined to comment, as did his son's attorney, Fred Cooke.

Source

U.S. Faces Hurdles To Tap Massive Oil Reserve

With all the talk that global oil production has reached its peak, and will only slowly decline from here, you may be surprised to learn that there is a vast untapped reserve that could possibly yield 1.4 trillion barrels of oil, enough to supply the daily oil needs of the United States for 191 years.

And where is this incredible reserve --The Middle East, Russia or Brazil? None of the above. It’s right here in the U.S. Specifically, in the great open spaces of Colorado’s Piceance Basin and the Uintah Basin in Utah.

So why isn't the U.S. tapping this liquid gold and ending the country's reliance on foreign sources of oil, regional instability and governments unfriendly to America? Well, as with many things, there’s a catch. It isn’t exactly oil. Well, not yet. Which brings us to a little history.

In the Cretaceous Period, roughly 100 million years ago, the vast Western Interior Sea covered much of western Colorado and eastern Utah. In the same way oil deposits were created elsewhere in the world, lots and lots of animals, fish, plankton, etc. died and settled on the sea bottom. Eventually, they turned to organic-rich shale rock. And the remnants of that organic material remain in the rock today, as a compound called kerogen – the building blocks of oil.

“I like to call it ‘teenage’ oil,'” says Glen Vawter, the director of the National Oil Shale Association. “If it had been buried for maybe a few more million years, it would have been petroleum.”

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Cardiologist's License Ordered Revoked In Stents Case

BALTIMORE  — WBALTV.com

Physicians Board: Midei 'Unnecessarily Exposed Patients To Risk Of Harm'

A judge has ordered the revocation of a cardiologist's license on accusations the doctor performed hundreds of medically unnecessary stent procedures.

Dr. Mark Midei had asked the Maryland Board of Physicians to reverse an administrative law judge's ruling that Midei violated five provisions of the Medical Practice Act.

The board declined

According to the board's decision released Wednesday, Midei had contested an administrative law judge's findings that resulted from a weeklong evidentiary hearing. Midei had contested witness testimony, but the board said it found the experts credible.

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Outbreak Investigation

(Salisbury, MD) – The Wicomico County Health Department is currently conducting a foodborne illness outbreak investigation.  The Health Department is asking for any members of the community that may have attended a “fish fry” on Delaware Avenue in Salisbury, Maryland on July 1^st to please contact the Community Health Services Division at 410-543-6943 between 8am - 5pm or 410-543-6996 after hours.  The Emergency Department at Peninsula Regional Medical Center has reported an increase in hospital visits related to gastrointestinal illness.  Symptoms of gastrointestinal illness include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.  Even if you are not currently experiencing these symptoms and you attended the event, you are still encouraged to call.

Fire On Roger St.

There is a fire on Roger St. in Salisbury, MD. Looks as if the house caught fire starting at the porch. Possibly a grilling accident. House is the second from the flashing light on Lincoln Ave.

Annapolis Violent Crime Down Nearly 30 Percent

Police credit proactive enforcement efforts

Annapolis City Police reported violent crime, including homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, was down 29 percent in the first half of the year, continuing a trend that began three years ago.

Major crime dipped seven percent when compared with the same period in 2010 and property crimes, including burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft were down 2 percent.

"The City of Annapolis has benefited from a significant reduction in crime over the past three years," police Chief Michael Pristoop said, "Fortunately this trend continues in 2011.

"Percentages and numbers depict our progress, but the real measurement of public safety is what people in our community see and experience. To this extent, I'm happy to say our progress is overwhelmingly positive."

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The Rebirth Of The U.S. Auto Industry? Not So Fast

Over the past year, story after story has touted the rebirth of the U.S. auto industry. Ford Motors, which unlike General Motors and Chrysler survived the 2008-2009 crisis without taking bailout money from the federal government, has enjoyed a string of positive reviews, and its earnings and revenue are higher than at any point since the 1990s.

The industry did pull out of its death swoon. But there’s a large gap between surviving and thriving, and while the industry may have achieved the former, it’s a long way from the latter.

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Coming Soon: The Great Gerrymander Of 2011

Who needs a 'non-partisan' commission on redistricting when Democrats already made up their mind to gerrymander Maryland?

EVEN BEFORE THE COMMISSION WAS ANNOUNCED; DEMOCRATS MADE THEIR GERRYMANDERING INTENTIONS CLEAR:

Maryland Democrat Party representative Matthew Verghese said “The party will win elections in every corner of our state at the conclusion of the congressional and legislative redistricting process.” (John Fritze, “GOP proposes drawing Harris out of district,” The Baltimore Sun, 7/5/11)

Asked if Harris' district would be a focus of the redistricting process, Hoyer said, "I think the answer to that is yes." (John Fritze, “In redistricting, Democrats look for electoral opportunities,” Baltimore Sun, 4/16/11).

"I think there's an opportunity there," said Rep. Steny Hoyer of Southern Maryland, the No.

 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives. (John Fritze, “In redistricting, Democrats look for electoral opportunities,” Baltimore Sun, 4/16/11).

Harris, the Baltimore County lawmaker who has represented Maryland's 1st Congressional District since January, is likely to be in for a fight. (John Fritze, “In redistricting, Democrats look for electoral opportunities,” Baltimore Sun, 4/16/11).

Maryland House of Delegates Speaker Michael Busch predicts Frederick County will be "cobalt blue" after state redistricting lines are drawn in time for the 2014 election. (Meg Tully, “House speaker predicts Democratic gains,” Frederick News-Post, 5/13/11)

But registered Republicans out-number Democrats in Frederick County by 4%. (Maryland State Board of Elections, www.elections.state.md.us, Accessed 5/16/11)

And Frederick County is represented by seven Republican Delegates elected by county residents and only one Democrat. (Maryland State Board of Elections, www.elections.state.md.us, Accessed 5/16/11)

State Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. let out recently that the 6th District, which has been served by 84-year-old Republican Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett since 1993, could be in play. The other possibility is that the Democrats will target the District 1 seat captured by Rep. Andrew P. Harris in 2010. (Gazette Editorial, “State redistricting revisited, Democrats could do mischief to GOP,” The Gazette, 5/12/11)
The most likely target in the redistricting process is freshman Republican Rep. Andy Harris, who helped Republicans reclaim a conservative Eastern Shore district from one-term Rep. Frank Kratovil (D) in November. (Aaron Blake, “New lines in the Old Line State? Maryland Democrats could go after 7-to-1 edge,” The Washington Post, 3/22/11)

Democrats can be competitive in the 6th Congressional District given the right candidate, sufficient resources and more favorable boundaries that will be redrawn this summer and fall, party leaders and elected officials said Saturday at a gathering of Western Maryland Democrats. (Alan Brody, “Western Maryland Dems look to gain ground in reapportionment process,” The Gazette, 5/2/11)

MARYLAND’S LINES ARE ALREADY SOME OF THE MOST GERRYMANDERED IN THE NATION

Democratic state legislators in Maryland enacted one of the most effective gerrymanders in the country in 2001, successfully turning a four-to-four split in the state’s congressional delegation into a six-to-two Democratic advantage by 2002. (Aaron Blake, “New lines in the Old Line State? Maryland Democrats could go after 7-to-1 edge,” The Washington Post, 3/22/11)

Maryland Democrats have used redistricting to maximize their power in Congress. The map developed by Gov. Parris N. Glendenning after the 2000 Census helped increase the number of Maryland Democrats in the House from four to six in the 2002 elections. (John Fritze, “In redistricting, Democrats look for electoral opportunities,” Baltimore Sun, 4/16/11)

Flash Mob Assembles On Rehoboth Boardwalk

“Harder, faster, better, stronger,” began the Black Eyed Peas workout anthem.

“Boom, Boom, Pow” July 9 as organizers broadcast the song to crowds on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk promptly at 4 p.m.

Suddenly, a mass of virtual strangers gathered and began a workout routine to the music.

With temperatures reaching 100 degrees, nearly 100 people gathered on the Boardwalk to lift faux barbells and do jumping jacks, squats and push ups among other activities as part of a flash mob workout to raise awareness about childhood obesity.

Organized by CrossFit Lewes, an unorthodox gym focused on customized, functional fitness, the spontaneous workout routine was actually months in the making, CrossFit head trainer Kris Carper said.

“Childhood obesity is very prevalent,” Carper said. “We want to promote fitness from ages 2 to 102.”

GO HERE to see video.

Theodore Barrett Sentenced To Four Years

Bamboozling builder ordered to pay $100,000 in fines

Georgetown — A man who stole more than $90,000 from an elderly couple was sentenced to four years in prison followed by one year of probation and ordered to pay over $100,000 in fines.  Theodore Barrett entered a Sussex County Superior Courtroom July 8, dressed in a white Department of Corrections jumpsuit, escorted by two police officers.

As he stood before Judge T. Henley Graves, Barrett, 39, offered a final apology.  “Again, I’m sorry for what’s happened here,” Barrett said.

Barrett was found guilty of three counts of felony theft, attempted felony theft and offering a false instrument for filing, a misdemeanor, on June 16, after a three-day jury trial.  Barrett obtained more than $90,000 from Terrance and Barbara Bond, an elderly couple, to renovate and expand their South Bethany home.

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10 Careers With High Rates Of Depression

Some jobs are more depression-prone than others.

Here are 10 fields (out of 21 major job categories) in which full-time workers are most likely to report an episode of major depression in a given year. But if you want to be a nurse (No. 4), it doesn’t mean you should pick another profession.

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Taxpayer Advocacy Group To Obama: 'Put Up Or Shut Up' On Spending Cuts

While Americans for Tax Reform has not endorsed an particular debt limit plan, it does endorse Sen. Mitch McConnell's objective of forcing President Obama to put his “imaginary spending cuts” in writing.

“The onus is now on the President to admit to the American people he has no plan to cut spending – put up or shut up,” the group said in a news release.

But another anti-tax group, FreedomWorks, accused McConnell of "wimping out when it actually matters."

On Tuesday, McConnell (R-Ky.) announced a "contingency" plan that would require the president to submit, along with a request for $700 billion in more borrowing authority, a package of spending cuts of the same or greater value.

McConnell's goal, Americans for Tax Reform said, "is to make President Obama own up to the lie he's been telling taxpayers for the past two years: he has no specific plan to cut spending. Congressional Democrats will have to admit the jig is up for them as well."
More here

Virginia’s Options in Default Unclear

On Monday night, Gov. Bob McDonnell quietly slipped away from a reception at the Executive Mansion for a little nonprofit, the Virginia Public Access Project, for a meeting at the Patrick Henry Building on a really big one: the U.S. government.

McDonnell, Secretary of Finance Ric Brown, chief of staff Martin Kent and other top aides discussed the impact on Virginia of a default by Washington should Congress and the White House fail to reach a deal on a new debt ceiling by an Aug. 2 deadline.

"Possible impact" being the operative term.

Because he can only guess how and where the inability of the federal government to pay its bills affects Virginia, McDonnell said Tuesday that he is preparing a contingency plan that assumes the worst. But what's the worst? And what are his options for managing it?

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Gingrich: Call Obama’s Bluff On Social Security Scare

President Obama on Tuesday told CBS News that senior citizens might not get their Social Security checks next month if Republicans won't agree on a deal to raise the nation's debt limit.

"This is not just a matter of Social Security checks -- these are veterans' checks, these are folks on disability and their checks. There are about 70 million checks that go out...I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August third if we haven't resolved this issue," Obama said.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican presidential hopeful, advised Republicans to turn tables on Obama.

Gingrich, speaking to Fox News's Sean Hannity, said Republicans should immediately pass a $100-billion cut in spending, balanced by a $100 billion increase in the debt limit.

"That takes us all the way through to September," Gingrich said. "And they should call that the Social Security Payment Guarantee bill. And then they should say to the president, 'Here, we've taken care of August. All you have to do is get Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats to pass it. You sign it. We can guarantee every senior citizen their Social Security check. Now, Mr. President, are you prepared to stop senior citizens from getting their checks?'"Read more here

Naked Man Arrested for Swimming Near JFK Airport Fuel Depot

A naked man swimming in the waters near the main aviation fuel storage area at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport was arrested and charged with trespassing, the authority that runs the airport said on Wednesday.

Patrolling officers spotted the man at about 10.50 a.m. on Tuesday.

"When the patrols approached the man, he ran toward the fuel farm, and was caught near a boat dock," Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said in an e-mail response to Reuters.

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BREAKING NEWS: Moody's Weighs Downgrade For U.S. Debt

Credit rating agency Moody's says it will review U.S. government's triple-A bond rating for possible downgrade over risk of default.

From Fox News

BREAKING NEWS: Moody’s Puts United States’ Triple-A Credit Rating On ReviewFfor Possible Downgrade

Moody’s on Wednesday put the triple-A credit rating of the United States on review for possible downgrade, noting the possibility that the country’s debt limit will  not be raised in time to avoid a default on US Treasury debt obligations.

From Fox News

Government Pushes Online Investing: Savings Bonds Will No Longer Be Sold At Banks

The vast majority of U.S. Savings Bonds are now sold through banks and credit unions. But come 2012, the only way to buy these staid, safe-but-underwhelming products is via the Internet. The move is expected to save the government $70 million over the next five years. But how much will the government lose out on because fewer people will be buying bonds?

According to USA Today, only 11% of U.S. Savings Bonds purchased over the last nine months were bought through TreasuryDirect, the Treasury Department’s financial services website. In the interest of stirring up more e-business—and cutting costs related to paper bonds—Treasury announced today that as of January 1, 2012, savings bonds will no longer be sold at financial institutions. They’ll only be available in electronic form by direct purchase through TreasuryDirect, though paper bonds can still be bought with one’s tax refund.

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Casey Anthony Case: Florida Won't Prosecute Cindy Anthony, But Family Relationship 'Burned'

After the return of the verdict from the hugely publicized trial of 25-year old Casey Anthony, many questions still loomed as to what (if any) repercussions Cindy Anthony, Casey's mother, would face, after her testimony ignited controversy.

A spokeswoman from the Florida District Attorney's office told NBC station WESH this past Tuesday that Cindy would not face perjury charges. The decision to proceed with criminal allegations was that of the state of Florida's alone. Mark Lippman, Cindy Anthony's attorney, has denied any allegation that his client, Cindy, lied under oath to protect her daughter.

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Feds Eye CIA Officer In Prisoner Death

(WASHINGTON) — A CIA officer who oversaw the agency's interrogation program at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and pushed for approval to use increasingly harsh tactics has come under scrutiny in a federal war crimes investigation involving the death of a prisoner, witnesses told The Associated Press.

Steve Stormoen, who is now retired from the CIA, supervised an unofficial program in which the CIA imprisoned and interrogated men without entering their names in the Army's books.

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The GOP Goes Tiger

The slander “RINO” or “Republican-In-Name-Only” has never made sense to me. I fully understand what conservatives who use it are trying to say—that a Republican who votes for higher taxes, less freedom and bigger government isn’t living up to what the GOP is supposed to stand for. The problem is, big government is precisely what the GOP has stood for most of the time. Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan were unique exceptions. Presidents Nixon and both Bushes more accurately reflected the general Republican rule. Most of the time “conservatism” has meant little more than Republicans promising to be slightly better than the Democrats and then not even living up to that promise, as government has grown significantly under each successive president regardless of party.

One of my favorite routines by comedian Chris Rock is his skit about the trained tiger that attacked one half of the famous magician duo “Siegfried and Roy” a number of years ago. Rock hilariously mocked those who claimed that the tiger “went crazy.” No, Rock explained, “That tiger didn’t go crazy, that tiger went tiger!”

Liberals and more than a few Republicans now say the Tea Party represents a GOP gone crazy. But actually the current debt-conscious and fiscally stubborn portion of the GOP more closely represents what both its supporters and critics have always perceived Republicans to be: The party of small government. Siegfried and Roy fans can agree that trained tigers don’t usually attack, but they would likely also agree that such behavior isn’t exactly uncharacteristic of a tiger. Many conservatives can agree that most of the time the Republican Party doesn’t usually try to limit government—but they would also agree that characteristically, it has always been considered the party of limited government.

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SERIAL PEEPING TOM ARRESTED BY OCPD

During the evening of July 12, 2011, Ocean City Police, in conjunction with Delaware State Police Troop Four’s Major Crimes Unit, concluded a serial “peeping-tom” investigation with the arrest of William Devon Jones, 44, of West Chester, Pennsylvania. During the investigation Jones was
observed riding his bicycle in the north end of Ocean City and into Delaware. While in Delaware,

Jones was observed by detectives peeping into windows of three different apartments at a housing complex that borders Ocean City. Jones rode back into Ocean City and was also observed trespassing on private properties in the area. Jones was taken into custody by Ocean City Police after a brief bicycle chase.

In addition to last night’s incident, Jones was wanted in Delaware and Maryland. Delaware authorities had outstanding arrest warrants for Jones for trespassing with intent to “peer” or “peep.” The charges rise out of three different incidents that occurred at the East of the Sun complex in Fenwick Island, during which Jones was observed looking into windows of the complex.

Ocean City Police also wanted Jones for second-degree assault and fourth degree sex offense.

The Maryland charges were brought when the Ocean City Police Department received a complaint in June 2011, at which time a subsequent criminal investigation took place and Jones was identified as the suspect.

Jones is being held on Delaware State Police arrest warrants and Ocean City Police arrest warrants. Additional charges are pending for Jones from both the Ocean City Police Department and Delaware State Police.

Jones is being held at the Ocean City Public Safety Building pending an initial appearance before an Ocean City District Court Commissioner. Ocean City Police are asking citizens who have any information regarding these incidents or any unreported incidents to please contact the Ocean City Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, Detective Brett Case, at 410-723-6632.

Aging America: Percentage Of Children In U.S. Population Hits Record Low

Is America following the footsteps of Japan, notorious for its aging and declining population?

The 2010 U.S. Census shows a major drop in the percentage of children in the States, the Associated Press reports. Currently, people younger than age 18 take up 24% of the entire U.S. population. By 2050, the number is predicted to fall even more, to 23%, while the senior population is set to jump from 13% to 19%.

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Former VA Beach Deputy Charged with Murder-for-Hire

A former Virginia Beach sheriff's deputy has been arrested and charged with a murder-for-hire plot against her ex-husband.

Enid Albertha Collins, 47, is accused of hiring a hit man to kill her ex-husband because she did not want to continue making child support payments for their twin daughters, according to a complaint made public late Monday in U.S. District Court in Norfolk.

Collins was arrested July 1 at a Cracker Barrel restaurant off Interstate 85 outside Charlotte, N.C., the day the plot was supposed to unfold, court records say. She has been in jail there since then and will be brought to Norfolk for prosecution.

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Holder And Obama Selling Guns To Drug Dealers While Angling To Take Yours Away

About six months ago the Obama administration and a host of other concerned politicians were blasting mainstream airwaves with the view that lax US gun laws made it simple for Mexican drug cartels to obtain US made weapons, which were then used to commit crimes against Mexicans and Americans alike. The proposed solution to stop the flow of guns, because border security doesn’t make sense, was to restrict gun laws in the US to make it more difficult for the average American to enjoy their Second Amendment protections by, for example, closing gun show “loop holes” (we’re not exactly clear on what they meant by this – as there are no loop holes in purchasing firearms from registered dealers).

It was reported by alternative media (of course, who else?) that the gun problems in Mexico were actually a result of the billions of dollars cartels make per year, with the help of our largest financial institutions who are more than happy to launder their drug money, and the fact that they will stop at nothing to acquire the weapons. As it turns out, most of the guns being smuggled into Mexico come from countries other than the United States, including Russia and China.

It was clear to those of us who are willing to spend just a couple minutes reading past the headlines that this was nothing more than another attempt at fear-based motivation intent on changing the perceptions of the weak minded. Radio show host Alex Jones has dubbed this just another in a string of government sponsored  false flag terror attacks.

And who could disagree in light of recent news that at the very moment the Obama administration campaigned for more restrictive gun policies here in the U.S., they were engaging in a covert operation to transfer guns into the hands of none other than Mexican drug cartels.

The operations has since blown up in their face, and the fall out is now gaining steam – even in mainstream media.

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Sisters Sue New Jersey Cemetery Over Grave Mix-up

Evelyn and Hortense Edwards spent two decades visiting what they thought was their mother's grave in a New Jersey cemetery only to discover it contained the remains of a stranger, according to court papers.

Now, the sisters are suing, seeking want $25 million in damages from Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey, for emotional distress caused when they learned that their mother, Beatrice Williams, had been buried in the wrong plot.

"It was devastating for them," Mark Crawford, the sisters' attorney, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

He said they only recently discovered the mix-up after complaining to the cemetery that what they thought was their mother's grave, which they visit regularly, was falling into disrepair. An employee looked up the plot in question.

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Great Depression Comes Knocking

China's Economy Grows 9.5%, Exceeding Estimates ... China's economy and industrial production expanded more than analysts predicted, indicating the nation is maintaining momentum even after interest-rate increases to cool inflation. Gross domestic product rose 9.5 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, the statistics bureau said in Beijing today, after a 9.7 percent gain the previous three months. The median estimate was for a 9.3 percent pace in a Bloomberg News survey of 18 economists. Industrial output advanced 15.1 percent in June, the most since May 2010. – Bloomberg

Dominant Social Theme: See, things are good! China is in a good shape, Europe is recovering and America has the political will to deal with its problems. Recovery is on the way. No problem!

Free-Market Analysis: We are not convinced by the endless stream of happy talk that emanates from the mainstream media these days. Our view is less benign. From what we can see, the world is descending into a kind of controlled (or uncontrolled) Great Depression. It's taking time but the arc is clear.

This article will illustrate yet again how mainstream media covers the world – China in particular – and why the reality is so much different. We regularly observe that the world's conversation is organized via the Anglosphere elites' "dominant social themes." These fear-based promotions are intended to strip wealth and prosperity from the middle class in order to increase control of globalist institutions. But the Anglosphere elites also work via OMMISSION. That is, in addition to advocating fear, they actively encourage ignorance.

We are well past considering it to be coincidence. The world's economy is a kind of planned madhouse. Those in power have inflicted upon it scores of central banks – all busily printing/creating money from nothing at the push of a button. Those who run these central banks are well aware of their ruinous disposition. They understand fully the boom bust cycle that brings bankruptcy and hopelessness to so many. But one does not ever acknowledge this. If one works within the system, one is not supposed to.

In the upside-down world of modern finance, central bankers who print money are "hawkish inflation fighters." Politicians who endlessly create the distortive price fixes, called "laws," are "public servants."
Corporate leaders who generate profits by linking their companies to the great, grinding machinery of Western legislation are "entrepreneurs."

Mainstream media coverage provides us with a disparate view: Each element of the puzzle is treated incidentally. Sometimes the news is good, sometimes bad. But ... somehow ... the Western world's economic situation continues to erode.

What is the result? Sooner or later, planned or not, the conclusion shall be reached. It will presented as a coincidental fait accompli, a solution that has occurred quite by accident, an evolution that seems inevitable but was not in any sense (so we are to believe) preordained: What is to be the apex of all this? A shiny new world order, perhaps, complete with a global currency.

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Arizona Governor Orders Recall Vote on Immigration Law Author

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on Tuesday ordered a special election for November 8 to decide the fate of a high-profile state lawmaker behind Arizona's controversial immigration crackdown.

Brewer ordered the vote to recall Republican Russell Pearce, the state senate's president and chief architect of Senate Bill 1070, after a citizen's group turned in enough valid signatures to force it.

Barring any legal challenges, voters in Pearce's Mesa, Arizona, district will go to the polls in what is believed to be the first recall election of a state legislator in Arizona history.

Pearce said he had no plans to resign and would launch an aggressive campaign against those seeking to oust him from office. He said in a statement he plans to focus on his record on key issues including economic recovery, job creation, balanced budgets, law enforcement and border security.

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A Human-Waste Gold Mine: Bill Gates Looks To Reinvent The Toilet

This post is in partnership with Worldcrunch, a new global-news site that translates stories of note in foreign languages into English. The article below was originally published in Die Welt.

 Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft who has morphed into the world's best-known philanthropist, wants to reinvent the toilet.

This next big idea for the good of mankind will now also be getting help from German taxpayers after Development Minister Dirk Niebel earmarked $10 million for a joint project with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Over the next five years, this project aims to provide 800,000 people in Kenya with access to sanitation facilities and ensure clean drinking water for 200,000.

The goal is to find "innovative solutions" for sanitation in poor urban areas. Gates says it's time to move on from the era of the classic toilet. He points out that, despite all the recent achievements, 40% of the world's population, or some 2.5 billion people, still lives without proper means of flushing away excrement. But just giving them Western-style toilets isn't possible because of the world's limited water resources.

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Consumer Reports: “Still Reason for Concern” About BBB Ratings

Citing examples such as the Better Business Bureau's A- ratings for Publisher's Clearinghouse and coin-dealer Universal Syndications, Consumer Reports says there's "still reason for concern about the accuracy" of the BBB's ratings, despite recent changes made by the agency.

Consumer Reports points out that, after an ABC News investigation, the BBB "made changes, including dropping its policy of reserving an A+ rating for BBB-accredited businesses." And the BBB is "an easy source for information about companies and for receiving alerts and tips." But Consumer Reports says not to "put a lot of credence in a high letter grade or in BBB accreditation."

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Voice - Dictation Doesn't Always Get It Right

The voice-dictation program a physician friend of mine purchased for his computer often misinterpreted words.

Once, my friend dictated, "Recommend CAT scan if symptoms persist."

The program typed out, "Recommend casket if symptoms persist."

Salisbury Police Department Pres Releases

On July 11, 2011 at approximately 6:30 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Giant Food Store on South Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with store management who advised that employees of the business had observed the below listed suspect take food items from the store without making payment. The suspect then left the area in a vehicle but was located and stopped by responding officers. The suspect was positively identified by witnesses and the food items were found in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle, incident to arrest, led to the discovery of a number of syringes and a smoking device, containing suspected heroin and suspected cocaine residue.

ARRESTED: Zora Nicole Vetra, 19 years of age
Delmar, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (under $ 100)
Possession of heroin
Possession of cocaine
Possession of cds/paraphernalia (2 counts)
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027038

On July 12, 2011 at approximately 10:41 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the five hundred (500) block of W. Isabella Street for a loud noise complaint. Upon arrival the officers met with the victim who advised of the noise complaint involving the below listed suspect. During the interview with the victim, the officers learned and confirmed that the suspect had made several threats to burn the victim’s residence. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.

ARRESTED: Kenneth Leon Hutley, Sr., 42 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Threat of arson
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027190

On July 13, 2011 at approximately 12:05 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police were on routine patrol in the area of Naylor and Benny Streets and observed the below listed subject acting in a suspicious manner. The officers made contact with the suspect, and while meeting with the suspect the suspect voluntarily surrendered a controlled dangerous substance smoking device. The officers checked the smoking device and found that it contained suspected cocaine residue. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.

ARRESTED: Kimberli Sue Clark, 41 years of age
Bivalve, Maryland
CHARGES: Possession of cocaine
Possession of cds/paraphernalia
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027200

Don't Miss Our 7 PM Post Tonight

It's been a busy day today but we've got a really cool local Post going up at 7:00 PM tonight with a link to a video.

Yesterday provided a ton of comments but more importantly we increased our regular daily visits by almost 100% more than usual.

Thanks for visiting and commenting. When you get off work, keep stopping by because we'll have Posts up at least every 15 minutes from 5 to 7, perhaps even later.

Reality TV 'Sister Wives' To Challenge Utah Anti-Polygamy Law

By Joe Sterling, CNN

Kody Brown and his four wives - the stars of the reality TV show "Sister Wives" - will soon be the subjects of another real-life drama, this one at the federal court in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Browns plan to challenge the state's anti-bigamy statute Wednesday, when attorney Jonathan Turley files a complaint on behalf of the family's fight for the rights of "plural families."

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Rodney King Faces New Arrest

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Rodney King, whose videotaped beating by police ultimately led to the 1992 Los Angeles riots, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence on Tuesday, police said.

King was behind the wheel of a 1994 Mitsubishi when he was pulled over in Moreno Valley, in Southern California's Riverside County, the city's police department reported. Officers saw King -- who has acknowledged a longstanding drinking problem -- commit "several traffic violations," a police statement said.

"A preliminary evaluation of the driver indicated he was possibly driving while impaired. The subject was transported to the Moreno Valley Police Department for a further evaluation," police said. He was booked after that further evaluation, they said.

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Obama's Record-Breaking Campaign Haul

(CNN) -- President Barack Obama raised more than $86 million for his 2012 re-election campaign in the second quarter of this year, the campaign announced in a video e-mailed to supporters Wednesday.

The figure represents money raised both by the Obama campaign itself and the Democratic National Committee, and comes from 552,462 individuals, campaign manager Jim Messina said.

The contributions reflect "more grass roots support at this point in the process than any campaign in political history," Messina said, calling it a "monumental achievement." He said 98% of the donations were for $250 or less.

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Frederick Delegate to Retire, Weigh Comptroller Bid

Del. Galen Clagett announced over the weekend that he will retire from the legislature at the end of his four-year term -- a move prompted in part by his desire to weigh a run for state comptroller.

The Frederick County Democrat will have served 12 years as a delegate and eight years as a county commissioner. In both posts, he focused on budget issues. Clagett has run a property management and commercial sales company in Frederick for 25 years, experience that he says makes him a good candidate to be the state's tax collector.

Clagett joins a broad field of Democrats who say they might run for comptroller if Peter Franchot, who was uncontested in last year's Democratic primary, decides to seek the governor's office. Dels. Kumar Barve and Brian Feldman of Montgomery County and Sen. Jim Rosapepe of Prince George's County also are said to be pondering bids.

There's another reason Clagett, 69, says he will be ready to move on from the General Assembly come January 2015: "Even a dog needs a new fire hydrant once in a while."

The plain-spoken lawmaker is popular with his colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee but says he is ready for a new challenge.

READ MORE …

Gingrich Blasts McConnell Over Debt Ceiling

(CNN)- Despite recent public scraps with his own party, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich didn't hold back Tuesday on the subject of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's debt ceiling plan.

"McConnell's plan is an irresponsible surrender to big government, big deficits and continued overspending," Gingrich tweeted.

As Democrats and Republicans remain divided on a solution to resolving the debt ceiling, which will reach its limit August 2, McConnell pushed for a limited debt ceiling increase deal.

At issue is whether the deal will include revenue from taxes as well as spending cuts. McConnell favors a deal that relies solely on spending cuts and proposed a plan including three short-term increases in the amount the government can borrow. He pledged the GOP would "choose a path that actually reflects the will of the people which is to do the responsible thing and ensure that the government does not default on its obligations."

But for Gingrich, it seems that's not enough.

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Wicomico Exec and (Part of) Council to Meet With Humane Society

Previously we reported that the Wicomico County Council would seek a sit down with the board of the Wicomico County Humane Society to discuss matters including reports that a dog was euthanized after two rescue organizations had offered to take the animal.  It appears that meeting is moving forward.

The Wicomico County Executive has issued a statement that a meeting will be scheduled to include representatives of the administration and three (3) members of the council.  Why only three members.

We can only speculate, but common logic dictates that a meeting that is restricted to only three members of the seven (7) member council usually means a desire not to trigger the Maryland Open Meetings Act.  While we recently criticized the county council for unnecessarily holding a closed session at their last meeting, we do not believe that the council had any say in the number of council members invited.  It is our belief that the Humane Society board does not wish to be placed under public scrutiny.

We hope that the Humane Society will provide candid answers behind closed doors.

Mitt Romney Rejects Gay Marriage Pledge

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign said Tuesday that he will not sign a conservative Iowa Christian group's far-reaching pledge opposing gay marriage, making him the first Republican presidential candidate to reject it.

Two of Romney's rivals for the Republican nomination, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, have signed the The Family Leader's 14-point pledge, which calls on the candidates to denounce same-sex marriage rights, pornography, same-sex military accommodations and forms of Islamic law.

When it was first circulated last week, the introduction to the pledge stated that African American children were more likely to be raised in two-parent households when they were born into slavery than they are today. The group struck that language and apologized after black ministers complained, but it said it stands by the rest of the document.

Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for Romney, told The Associated Press in a written statement Tuesday that Romney "strongly supports traditional marriage," but that the oath "contained references and provisions that were undignified and inappropriate for a presidential campaign."

READ MORE …

A Comment Worthy Of A Post

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Where's The Veterans, Where's The Priests, Where's...":

As an African decent, I do consider myself a 53 year old veteran women of color.

All this negro, afro, colored, black, african and "N" identification is nothing but history; good or bad.

Who cares.

What citizens should be concern about is the debt ceiling being raised or not.

How big corporation and millionaires/billionaires are reaping benifits on the backs of the middle class and poor.

How active duty military members are fighting in a war for no good reason.

How the unemployment rate continues to rise.

How the educational system is failing our children.

How this couontry is in a turmoil at this time.

And, the light inthe tunnel has yet to been seen.

We have this country first American President of color and his fighting for the rights of all people.

This man is stuck between a very hard rock and a hard place.

Republicans are acting like universal gods.

Democrates are acting as if they are too scare to look at their own shadow.

And, some of you are worrying about the pledge of allegance, church groups, pray vigils and the NAACP in this area.

Let's be real, the NAACP chapter, pledge of allegance, pray vigils, and all the church groups / organization line up alongside the route of Jersey Road/West Road in this area has never done a thing for the people of this community; especially our young men and women of color.

Had they kept up with the going on's, paid attention and the churches got more involved in their communities with our young "Black" sons and daughters and protected their well being for the past 20 years, most if not majority of our local young adults would not be living at WCDC.

This community is dying and has been dying slowly for many years. We are not business friendly.

We our not teaching our children survival skills that they will most definitely need if they should move away rom the eastern shore.

Our parents may lose their social security and medicare because of the greed of the rich.

And, their children may be unemployed or unable to take care of their parents, childrens or even friends.

The poor, middle class and unemployed will be at loose ends especially if the debt ceiling is not raised by August 2, 2011.

Who are you going to blame?

President Obama, prays, NAACP, the plegde of allegance, white, black, afro, africans, negroes, blacks, colored, red, blue, green, the rainow of colors, "N" word, racism or the council members.

Blame yourself for not paying an attention to detail.

We have a national crisis going on and you people are worried about a group of council men/women of this area you all voted for that hasn't done anything for us since they've been voted into office.

Further, you want to dump on a man (Joe Alberto) racist or not who has told nothing but the truth about this ragged time community that very well may be dead in ten years.

You people better get a grip.

Their are more important things that need to be address in this community like the plot of our young people whether they are white and/or people of color, especially the men.

And, you better watch the news and see how the house of representative / senate IS undermining and disrespecting the President of this here United States of America.

It doesn't matter what his nationality is.

Because, if you blink an eye and think the next president will be better; you'll have a president who feels and have signed a pleged with a big corporation that reads; "black" babies were better off in slavery then they are under this presidency and in a household with a single mother.

You people better get a grip.

Is this the kind of town, city, state or country you want in the very near future?

Enslaved by the rich and big corporation who really don't give a damn about people of ALL colors, NAACP, pray vigils, the pledge of allegance, and most of all freedom and free will.

Owner Charged After Dog Left in Car

A Cheswold woman was cited Monday for leaving her dog locked in a pickup while she was on the beach with her children, police said.

Dorinda W. Shehan, 30, of the first block of New St., was charged with cruelty to animals, Smyrna police spokesman Lt. Norman Wood said.

Police said they found the older dog locked in the rear of a pickup at about 2:45 p.m. Monday at Lake Como Beach. The dog was without water, panting profusely and in apparent heat-related distress, Wood said.

The dog was taken from the truck, placed in the shade and given water, Wood said.

Residents are urged not to leave pets, children or the elderly in locked vehicles even for a short time in the heat. Temperatures inside a closed car can rise to 108 degrees even if all the windows are cracked open.

Smyrna police are asking anyone who sees a pet left in a parked car to call 653-9217 immediately.

from Terri Sanginiti @ the Wilmington News-Journal

Google+ Offers Chance For A Social Reboot

(CNN) -- Almost immediately after Google launched its new, not-Facebook social network in late June, a hilarious and much-shared comic strip about the service popped up online.

"You should I join Google+!" one stick figure urges another.

"What is it?"

"Not Facebook!"

"What's it like?"

"Facebook!"

"Oh, what the hell. I guess that's all I really wanted."

The comic strip, posted by Randall Munroe on xkcd.com, struck a nerve with an audience in social media overload. If nothing else, many early Google+ users figured, this new social network would give them a chance to start over -- to build a new online network without all the distant ex-classmates, boring business associates, and kooky cousins that have made Facebook, like MySpace and Friendster before it, more of a carnival than a comfy living room.

"Much as I've tried to tame my network, it feels more like a hydra or the carnivorous plant from 'Little Shop of Horrors' than the calm and orderly information drag net that I thought I was weaving," wrote Alexis Madrigal, an editor at The Atlantic, in a post titled "Google+: In praise of starting over."

"I needed a greenfield in which to grow a different network."

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BREAKING NEWS: U.S. Advances To Final of Women's World Cup Soccer

U.S. Women's Soccer team beats France, 3-1, to advance to World Cup final, where they will face winner of Japan-Sweden game.

From Fox News

Boonies Build Your Own Burger Special Tonight

Pomeranian Found In Salisbury

Dear Mr. Albero,

Ed Stewart of the Salisbury Animal Control told me you might be able to help in locating the owner or maybe even finding a new home for this stray dog.

Please help me spread the word.

I am taking in this sweet little Pomeranian mix, stray girl temporarily. I'm trying to find her owner or a new home. She doesn't have tags or a microchip; she's not even spayed.

If anyone has any information or is interested in giving her a home please call or text Olga 410-713-8056.

AT&T Announces 4G LTE Devices, But No Network Yet

AT&T is still working to get its 4G LTE network online, but has gone ahead and announced its first two LTE devices anyway.

AT&T's LTE network will launch this summer with a USB stick called the Momentum 4G and a portable Wi-Fi hotspot called the Elevate 4G. The USB stick will cost $50 with a two-year contract and the mobile hotspot, which has a 1.7-inch screen that displays remaining data and battery life, will cost $70 on-contract.

The first cities to get LTE from AT&T will be Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, followed by 15 additional markets by year-end.

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Court: Jared Loughner Can Refuse Anti-Psychotic Medication

(CNN) -- A three-judge federal appeals panel has ruled that Tucson shooting suspect Jared Lee Loughner can refuse anti-psychotic medication.

Tuesday's ruling comes days after the court said it would review an appeal by attorneys for the government who argued the alleged gunman should be forced to take anti-psychotic drugs for his behavior.

The federal appeals court last week temporarily halted the forced medication.

"Since Loughner has not been convicted of a crime, he is presumptively innocent and is therefore entitled to greater constitutional protections than a convicted inmate," court documents said.

"While both interests are significant, we conclude that preserving the dignity and bodily integrity of an individual who has not been convicted of a crime is the stronger interest, especially when the government has demonstrated that it is able to prevent that individual from harming himself or others."

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Singles Have Significantly Less Saved For Retirement Than Couples

If you are on your own, you’re probably not saving enough for retirement. That’s the conclusion of a new study published this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research on retirement readiness from two researchers at the RAND Corporation, a non-profit research firm.

In Economic Preparation for Retirement, Michael Hurd and Susann Rohwedder found that 51% of the single people in the group of 66-to-69 year olds they looked at had a strong possibility of running into serious financial troubles in retirement. By comparison, only 23% of the couples in the study were at risk of outliving their savings. The group with the most retirement risk? Women who had not completed a high school education. Of that group, 73% are likely to run out of cash before they die.

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Meat From Radioactive Cows Sold In Japan

Four months following the massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan and caused a disaster at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, the Japanese government has confirmed that a bit of cesium-contaminated beef from that region has made its way to groceries and likely to the dinner plates of consumers.

But, reports CNN, the state minister in charge of consumer affairs and food-safety is trying to downplay any potential harm the tainted meat, which came from a farm only 18 miles from the damaged reactor, could pose.

"If we were to eat the meat everyday, then it would probably be dangerous," he said at a news conference earlier today. "But if it is consumed only in small portions, I don't think it would have any long-lasting effects on the human body."

READ MORE …

True Meaning Of Stress

A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?'..... she fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... pick them up tomorrow.

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax, pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short.

Crops Getting Parched on Lower Shore

When Ted Wycall started his organic farm in Salisbury five years ago, scarce rain was not a part of his calculations.

But after surviving a serious drought last year, Wycall and his 200-acre Greenbranch Farm, and his fellow farmers across the Lower Eastern Shore, are battling severe heat and drought again this summer.

"It's a very unpleasant surprise," he said. "Just when you think you've got all the expenses covered, you're seeing the vegetables just wilt down and die. I've tilled [under] probably four or five different vegetable fields because I knew they weren't going to make it due to the lack of water."

READ MORE …

Fallout From Atlanta Cheating Scandal Worsens As Investigation Continues

As the investigation into a widespread cheating scandal continues to focus on Atlanta public schools, many high-ranking education officials have lost their posts, including one no longer with the school district.

New Superintendent Errol Davis has booted six educators from their positions: four area superintendents and two elementary school principals.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that anyone implicated in this report will not be back in the classroom,” Davis stated.

A report from the Georgia Governor’s office claims that a large majority of elementary and middle schools in Atlanta contain officials who cheated on student-performance tests, up to 178 educators. The report specifically accuses Beverly Hall, who retired as superintendent of the school district last month, as facilitating an environment that allowed and even encouraged the cheating. The scandal has raised questions and revived a longtime debate about standardized testing, which some educators see as a problematic metric of effective education, even through standardized test scores can often determine funds allocation and which schools are affected by budget cuts.

Amid the recent news, the chairman of the school board, Khaatim El, resigned. Some view El as one of the few innocent officials in the scandal, and one who tried to sound the alarm about the cheating problem last year. During a farewell speech, El chastised officials who “failed to protect thousands of children.”

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Related Stories HERE and HERE.

Allen Supports Balanced Budget, Kaine Supports Tax Increases

As the debt-ceiling debate roils on in Washington against an Aug. 2 Treasury-imposed deadline, the issue has found its way into Virginia's 2012 U.S. Senate race.

While Republican front-runner George Allen opposes tax increases and says a balanced-budget amendment must be part of any accord, Democratic front-runner Timothy M. Kaine advocates across-the-board cuts coupled with revenue increases.

Meanwhile, candidates running to Allen's right vehemently oppose any increase whatsoever in the debt ceiling.

In a phone interview Tuesday, Kaine voiced frustration over the state of negotiations, which have stalled because of ideological differences, with Republicans opposed to any revenue increases through taxes and Democrats defiant on cuts to entitlement programs.

READ MORE …

Majority Wants Cuts Rather Than New Taxes

Nine in 10 voters say it is important for Congress and President Barack Obama to reduce the nation's long-term debt, and a majority prefer spending cuts over increased revenues as the means of accomplishing that goal, a new IBOPE Zogby Interactive poll finds.

The July 8-11 survey finds two-thirds favor means testing for Medicare based on a person's wealth, but similar percentages oppose reducing cost-of-living increases for Social Security and reducing provider payments in Medicare and Medicaid.

The Time Is Now To Pick Your Local Blackberries

Man Held In Grisly Death Of N.Y. Boy

(NEW YORK) — A young Brooklyn boy who vanished while walking home from a day camp in one of the safest parts of the city was killed and dismembered by a stranger who he had turned to for help after getting lost, police said Wednesday.

An intense search for the missing 8-year-old, Leiby Kletzky, ended early Wednesday morning with the gruesome discovery of pieces of his dismembered body inside the home of a man who had been seen with the child around the time he disappeared, police said.

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Why Consumers Will Pay A Premium To Get Less Product

With the super-sizing of meals, restaurants found easy profits from consumers willing to pay a little extra to get what seemed like a lot more. Now, to appeal to health-conscious consumers who’d happily pass along the responsibility of trimming calories to someone else, restaurants and food manufacturers are rolling out snacks, beverages, and meals in tiny portions. And miniaturizing could prove to be just as profitable as super-sizing.

Here’s a simple, surefire way to cut calories: eat less. Easier said than done, of course. Where self-control fails, restaurants and food manufacturers are now stepping up to the plate—with mini-snacks and mini-meals appealing to consumers who tend to finish everything on their plates, regardless of the portion size.

Dairy Queen and Starbucks are among the eateries to have recently launched tiny menu item treats, such as 7 oz. mini Blizzards and “Petite” bite-size desserts. These treats aren’t expensive—$1.50 to $3 or so—but you get what you pay for. Actually, considering how small these menu items are, customers arguably get less than what they’re paying for.

But that seems to be OK to many consumers who accept the tradeoff of paying a premium in order to avoid eating more than they’d hope.

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Court Limits Sparrows Point Pollution Liability

In a ruling that's left Dundalk-area residents shaking their heads, a federal court has declared that recent owners of the century-old steel-making complex at Sparrows Point can't be made to clean up past contamination of surrounding waters.

U.S. District Court Judge J. Frederick Motz ruled that under the terms of a 2003 bankruptcy sale of the steel mill, the company that bought Sparrows Point from Bethlehem Steel Corp. could not be held liable for any pollution that escaped the 2,300-acre peninsula before that sale.

State and federal regulators had argued that all subsequent owners of Sparrows Point were bound by a 1997 consent decree that required Bethlehem Steel to investigate and remediate any contamination caused by its operations. Severstal, the Russian steelmaker which operated the plant from 2008 until earlier this year, began removing and treating toxic chemicals in the ground water in a handful of spots last year. But the company balked at conducting an extensive search for contaminants in the waters and sediments on the bottom of the Patapsco and Bear Creek, a tributary.

READ MORE …

A Powerhouse Province Wants To Relax China's One-Child Policy—But Don't Bet On A Baby Boom

China's richest and most populous province, Guangdong, has reportedly asked Beijing for permission to relax the one-child policy. Yesterday, Zhang Feng, the head of its population commission, revealed that the province is pitching a pilot project that would allow some families to have two children, reports the BBC. Under the proposed scheme, the one-child restriction would be waved if either of the parents was an only child. "The increase in population is still a big problem affecting our social and economic development," Zhang told state media. "But in the long-term, aging will also be a problem."

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Word of the Day – 07/13/2011

inchmeal

(adv.) inch by inch; by small increments; gradually.

from Rare Words II by Jan and Hallie Leighton; copyright 2008: Levenger Press

From The Office Of Delegate Mike McDermott

This is a reminder to all of those who wish to be heard on the proposed 300% increase in the Bay Bridge Toll (from $2.50 to $8.00) that the Public Hearing, being conducted by the Maryland Transit Authority, is this Thursday evening from 5:30-8pm at the Stephen Decatur Middle School in Berlin. The school is located adjacent to Stephen Decatur High School.

This is an issue for the entire shore to address and will impact folks in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Commercial truck traffic now paying $15.00 will pay $60.00. This cost will be past onto the consumer. Our brethren on the middle and upper shore who commute daily will pay hundreds more of their discretionary income to the state.

The increased revenue will go toward funding the ICC project, the expansion of I-95, along with other metro projects such as the Red Line and the Purple Line. While the MTA is willing to raid the pocket books of those on the shore, they refuse to consider a toll increase for the ICC so that the users would pay the tab.

Please show up and stand up to this outrageous money grab. Marylander’s…take back your state!

Wright, Elmore to Wicomico Board of Education

As we posted yesterday, Michelle Wright was reappointed to the Wicomico Board of Education for a second five (5) year term.  Carolyn Elmore, former Delegate and widow of Del. Page Elmore, was appointed by Gov. Martin O’Malley to succeed Robin Holloway.  Holloway was not eligible for re-appointment.  The appointments were announced yesterday at the Board’s regular meeting.

In addition to the appointments, Ron Willey was elected WCBOE president and Dr. Tyrone Chase was re-elected vice-president.

Former Police Officer Guilty of Child Porn Charges

A former Portsmouth police sergeant pleaded guilty Tuesday to distributing child pornography.

Thomas Humphries, 63, faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison when he is sentenced Oct. 18.

Humphries admitted that he posted an image of child pornography to a website commonly used by child porn traders.

Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been monitoring the site when they discovered Humphries' post in December 2009.

Humphries joined the Police Department in 1982 and retired earlier this year amid the investigation. He remains free pending sentencing.

from Tim McGlone @ the Virginian-Pilot

1974 Land Use Legislation Fights Still Echo Today

Areas of State Critical Concern (1974) = Designated Places (Now)

Under statute, the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) is required to “prepare and from time to time revise a plan or plans for the development of the State.  The plan or plans collectively shall be known as the State Development Plan.”  [1]  This requirement was not acted upon for several decades, until recently MDP released the draft of PlanMaryland.  One of the key aspects of PlanMaryland is the use of “designated places” – areas  designated for growth, agricultural preservation, natural resource conservation, water recharge, etc.  A previous Conduit Street blog post examined those places designated for growth (ie “Growthprint”) in detail.

The concept of designated places is built upon on older concept called “areas of critical state concern.”  These “critical areas” (not to be confused with the critical areas related to the proximity of the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays that were created in 1984) were the subject of controversial legislation in 1974 that sought to redefine land use in the State.  Many of the same concerns that were raised over the critical areas legislation are echoed today in the concerns of PlanMaryland and designated places.

The 1974 Legislation

The 1974 legislation [2] started as House Bill 807 that was introduced by then Governor Marvin Mandel.  A similar piece of 1973 legislation, supported but not sponsored by the Governor, passed the House by 2 votes but failed on a 21-21 vote in Senate.  Both the 1973 and 1974 legislation was based on the recommendations of a commission formed by the Governor and chaired by then Senate President William S. James.

As introduced, the bill established a State Land Use Board that formulated land use policies and recommendations, assisted in the resolution of conflicts among the land use practices of both State agencies and local governments, and reviewed the State Development Plan.  The  legislation also  gave the Board the ability to designate critical areas based on set criteria.  A critical area would automatically become of the State Development Plan.

Critical areas were subject to guidelines and criteria adopted by the Board after a public hearing.  A local govenrment then had to submit to the Board development and land use regulations for the critical area that were “substantially consistent and comply with” the guidelines and criteria previously adopted by the Board.  Until the Board approved the local government regulations, the regulations did not take effect.  If the local government did not cooperate, the Board could prepare and adopt its own regulations in lieu of the local regulations and award construction permits in lieu of the local government.  The Board also needed to approve any subsequent local regulatory land use changes  to a critical area.

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