Ozzy Osbourne Shells Out $10,000 For A Yorkie

Ozzy Osbourne hasn't lost his bite.

The rocker and his wife Sharon stepped out in Beverly Hills on July 23 to support Sharon's "The Talk" co-host Holly Robinson Peete at the 13th Annual Design Care, an event that benefits Robinson Peete's HollyRod Foundation.

The evening, which featured a live auction and helps families coping with autism and Parkinson's disease, went raucously for the Osbournes, who started a bidding war for a Yorkshire terrier puppy -- and won!

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Mexican Police Arrest More Than 1,000 In Human Trafficking Raids

Mexico City - Authorities in Ciudad Juarez arrested more than 1,000 people over the weekend in an operation aimed at cracking down on human trafficking, police said.

Federal police said raids in two dozen bars, hotels and boarding houses netted arrests of 500 men and 530 women they suspect are connected with human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

In addition, 20 female minors were rescued, police said.

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We May Not Be Broke On Aug. 2 After All

Lawmakers in Washington locked in a stalemate over how to raise the nation’s $14.29 trillion debt limit may have a bit more time to avoid an unprecedented default than previously believed.

Thanks to a surprisingly strong influx of tax revenue during the second half of July, the U.S. may not actually run out of cash until August 10 -- eight days after the infamous August 2 deadline the Treasury Department laid out, a new research note from Barclays (BCS:

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Obama To Banks: We're Not Defaulting

While officials from the Obama Administration raised their rhetoric over the weekend about the possibility of a debt default if the debt ceiling isn't raised, they privately have been telling top executives at major U.S. banks that such an event won’t happen, FOX Business has learned.

In a series of phone calls, administration officials have told bankers that the administration will not allow a default to happen even if the debt cap isn't raised by the August 2 date Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says the government will run out of money to pay all its bills, including obligations to bond holders. Geithner made the rounds on the Sunday talk shows saying a default is imminent if the debt ceiling isn't raised, and President Obama issued a similar warning during a Friday press conference after budget negotiations with House Republicans broke down.

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Feds Silent On How Convicted Felons Bought Guns In 'Operation Fast And Furious'

In the latest chapter of the gunrunning scandal known as Operation Fast and Furious, federal officials won't say how two suspects obtained more than 360 weapons despite criminal records that should have prevented them from buying even one gun. 

Under current federal law, people with felony convictions are not permitted to buy weapons, and those with felony arrests are typically flagged while the FBI conducts a thorough background check.

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Man Wakes Up After Spending 24 House In Morgue Frige

LIBODE, South Africa –  A South African health official says a man awoke to find himself in a morgue fridge — nearly a day after his family thought he had died.

Health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said Monday that the man awoke Sunday afternoon, 21 hours after his family called in an undertaker who sent him to the morgue after an asthma attack.

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Edwin Vieira, Jr. On The Power Elite, The Police State And Opposing The Authoritarian Trend

Introduction: Dr. Vieira holds four degrees from Harvard: A.B. (Harvard College), A.M. and Ph.D. (Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences), and J.D. (Harvard Law School). For over thirty-six years he has been a practicing attorney, specializing in cases that raise issues of constitutional law. He has presented numerous cases of import before the Supreme Court and written numerous monographs and articles in scholarly journals. His latest scholarly works are Constitutional "Homeland Security" (2007), a proposal to begin the revitalization of the constitutional Militia of the several states; Pieces of Eight: The Monetary Powers and Disabilities of the United States Constitution (2d rev. ed. 2002), a comprehensive study of American monetary law and history viewed from a constitutional perspective; and How to Dethrone the Imperial Judiciary (2004), an analysis of the problems of irresponsible "judicial supremacy," and how to deal with them. With well known libertarian trader Victor Sperandeo, he is also the co-author (under a nom de plume) of the political novel CRA$HMAKER: A Federal Affaire (2000), a not-so-fictional story of an engineered "crash" of the Federal Reserve System, and the political revolution it causes. He is now working on an extensive project concerned with the constitutional "Militia of the Several States" and "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms."

Daily Bell: Thanks for sitting down with us again. We've interviewed you before and are always struck by your clarity and eloquence. In this interview we want to make some declarative statements, if you don't mind, and then have you respond. These are very "tough" questions by the way, and we don't mind at all if you disagree or do not wish to discuss them. Wouldn't be the first time and we wouldn't blame you a bit. Anyway, we'll start with a couple of basic questions ... What's the single-most critical problem facing America right now? We think it's America's growing militarism and authoritarianism.

Edwin Vieira, Jr: I agree. The elaboration of a national para-military police state is the most dangerous development in recent times. The likelihood of a crash of the Federal Reserve System in hyperinflation is critical, too. But if that event occurs (as it probably will), the response of the power-structure will not be to correct the situation, but instead to impose the worst kind of third-world "austerity" on this country, in order to salvage the financial system at the expense of Mr. and Mrs. America. As most average Americans will not accept savage cuts in their standard of living gracefully, "austerity" will have to be rammed down their throats with police batons. Which, as far as I can tell, is the main, if not the only reason for the Department of Homeland Security.

Of course, I was predicting all this YEARS ago, to those who read my columns at http://www.newswithviews.com/, so today I feel a bit like Cassandra must have. You know, the only reason we are aware of Cassandra is that (i) she was right in her predictions, and (ii) no one paid any attention to her! If the Trojans had harkened to her warning, they might have beaten the Greeks (or avoided the war altogether); and then credit would have gone to Priam, Hector, Paris, Aeneas, or some other "hero," rather than to the prophetess. That leaves me with something of a pessimistic outlook.

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Readers' Dazzling Photos Of National Parks

There is no limit to photo opportunities amid the pristine wilderness of 58 national parks scattered across 52 million acres of the United States.

From snowcapped peaks, rugged canyons and wildlife, beauty abounds

More Here

Judge Throws Out Rape Confession Over Interrogation Methods

A judge in Montgomery County threw out the confession of an accused rapist, the Washington Post reported.

According to the paper, Circuit Court Judge Eric M. Johnson decided that Montgomery County police had not read the accused his rights before beginning an interrogation that led to the confession.

In the case, a Montgomery County man admitted to police that he had fondled and sexually abused his daughter over a three year period starting when she was age 11. Following the judge's decision, the suspect was released from jail under the condition that he stay away from his daughter.

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SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
A G E N D AJULY 26, 2011
10:00 AM

Call to Order
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes
Reading of Correspondence
David Baker, County Administrator

1. Delaware District III Softball World Series
2. National EMS Award – Paid EMS Service of the Year
3. Fort Miles Historical Association Report
4. Proclamation – General Aviation Appreciation Month
5. Early Retirement Option Proposal
6. Discussion and Possible Introduction of an Ordinance Relating to Board of Adjustment Fees
7. Report of County Administrator Search Committee
8. Administrator’s Report

Lawrence Lank, Director of Planning and Zoning

1. Discussion and Possible Introduction of a Proposed Ordinance entitled “AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 115 OF THE CODE OF SUSSEX COUNTY RELATING TO ZONING BY ADDING A CGD COMMERCIAL GAMBLING DISTRICT TO PROVIDE FOR CASINO VENUES IN SUSSEX COUNTY”

11:00 a.m. Public Hearing

1. Deerbrook Annexation of the Long Neck Sanitary Sewer District

John Ashman, Director of Utility Planning

1. Beaver Dam Road Expansion of the Millville Sanitary Sewer District

Michael Izzo, County Engineer

1. Angola Neck Sanitary Sewer District
   A. Contract 09-21 – Change Order No. 1

Steve Hudson, Director of Technical Engineering

1. Sussex County Grant Project 3654
   Sussex EOC/Airport Solar Energy Installation Project
   A. Change Order No. 2

Grant Requests

1. Millsboro Girls Major League All Stars for tournament expenses.
2. Seaford Historical Society for a Maritime History Gallery project.
3. Indian River Senior Center for accounting software, microwave, tape recorder, etc.
4. Town of Selbyville to construct a new storage/restroom facility at the ball fields.
5. Laurel Historical Society for the Laurel Heritage Museum project.

Introduction of Proposed Zoning Ordinances
Any Additional Business Brought Before Council
Executive Session – Job Applicants′ Qualifications, Personnel, Pending/Potential Litigation, and Land Acquisition pursuant to 29 Del. C. §10004(b)
Possible Action on Executive Session Items
11:30 a.m. Luncheon with the Sussex County Association of Realtors ® at their facility at 23407 Park Avenue, Georgetown

********************************
Sussex County Council meetings can be monitored on the internet at http://www.sussexcountyde.gov/.
*********************************
In accordance with 29 Del. C. §1004 (e) (2), this Agenda was posted on July 19, 2011 at 4:10 p.m., at the time it was prepared by the County Administrator and at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. This Agenda is subject to change to include the addition or deletion of items, including Executive Sessions, which arise at the time of the Meeting. Agenda items listed may be considered out of sequence.

After Girl Dies Selfless Acts Lives On

For her 9th birthday last month, Rachel Beckwith told people that instead of giving her presents, they should donate to a charity providing clean water to families in developing nations.

The Seattle-area girl came up with $220, short of her $300 goal.  She figured she’d try to raise more money next year.

 

Then came the crash.

 

Rachel died Saturday, taken off life support at a Seattle hospital three days after she and six other people were injured in a 14-vehicle pileup on Interstate 90 near her home in Bellevue, Washington, CNN affiliate KOMO reported.

 

But before her death, as word of Wednesday’s crash spread, so did news about Rachel’s fundraising wish. Her church took to Facebook, Twitter and its own website to promote her cause.

 

As of Monday morning, Rachel’s online fundraising page for the nonprofit group "charity: water" had landed more than $97,140 in donations, from more than 1,000 donors.

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Drug Prices To Plummet In Wave Of Expiring Patents

The cost of prescription medicines used by millions of people every day is about to plummet.

 

The next 14 months will bring generic versions of seven of the world's 20 best-selling drugs, including the top two: cholesterol fighter Lipitor and blood thinner Plavix.

 

The magnitude of this wave of expiring drugs patents is unprecedented. Between now and 2016, blockbusters with about $255 billion in global annual sales will go off patent, notes EvaluatePharma Ltd., a London research firm. Generic competition will decimate sales of the brand-name drugs and slash the cost to patients and companies that provide health benefits.

 

Top drugs getting generic competition by September 2012 are taken by millions every day: Lipitor alone is taken by about 4.3 million Americans and Plavix by 1.4 million. Generic versions of big-selling drugs for blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, depression, high triglycerides, HIV and bipolar disorder also are coming by then.

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Mayor Praises Council For Passage Of Tenants’ Rights Lease Addendum

            This evening, Mayor James Ireton Jr. praised the Salisbury City Council for their passage, at 1^st Reading, of the Salisbury Tenants Bill of Rights Addendum.  The addendum is part of the Mayor’s Salisbury Safe Streets Neighborhood Legislative Package. 2^nd Reading is August 8, 2011.

            “For almost a year, the Safe Streets Neighborhood Legislative Package has waited for some movement in council chambers. I am encouraged that the first initiative is out of the gate. Protecting our renters and making where they live safer is a top priority. We are ensuring that each lease written in Salisbury empowers renters with legal avenues to ensure fairness and informs the tenant as to the legal number of persons who can occupy a rental unit. Passing this legislation fulfills a campaign promise I made to Salisbury over two years ago. All our residents should be proud of their elected officials tonight,” said Mayor Ireton.

Obama, Boehner To Speak At 9 PM

President Obama to speak to nation on debt talks at 9 p.m. ET followed by House Speaker John Boehner.

Tulsa Man's Rhino Cups Break Antique Roadshow's Appraisal Record At $1-1.5 Million

Start digging through your attic, basement or anywhere else you keep junk — it could be worth millions. One man in Tulsa found out just that, when his set of Chinese rhinoceros cups were pegged at a value of $1-1.5 million by Antiques Roadshow, breaking the program's previous appraisal record.

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STATE POLICE ARREST BALTIMORE MAN WANTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER

(Pikesville, MD) – The Maryland State Apprehension Team arrested Dante A. Williams this morning, the man wanted for attempted murder, after pushing his girlfriend from a moving vehicle on I-95.

The accused is identified as Dante A. Williams, 36, of no fixed address. He is being processed at the Maryland State Police Golden Ring Barrack. Williams is charged with attempted first degree murder, and first and second degree assault. Additional charges are pending. After processing, Williams will be seen by a Baltimore County District Court Commissioner for an initial appearance.

Williams was arrested this morning at 6:30 a.m., without incident, by members of the Maryland State Apprehension Team. After receiving a tip, police found Williams at a residence in the 1700 block of Winford Road in Baltimore.

Williams is being charged in connection with an incident on July 19, 2011, shortly after 6:00 p.m., when he was seen driving a borrowed Ford Explorer south on I-95 toward I-195 at about 60 mph. A witness, who was driving nearby, saw Williams’ 27-year-old girlfriend, the victim, ejected from the vehicle. The victim sustained serious injuries and was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center for treatment.

Williams was traveling with his girlfriend from Baltimore and his 14-month-old son from another relationship. Apparently, Williams and his girlfriend were arguing when Williams allegedly struck her in the eye and threatened her with a knife.

The girlfriend said she pleaded with Williams to pull over to let her out, but he refused. She said she unlatched her seat belt and opened the door, while continuing to ask Williams to pull over. She said Williams grabbed her and pushed her out of the moving SUV.

The investigation continues...

Splinters In The Crotch!!!

A woman from San Francisco who was a tree hugger, a extreme liberal Democrat, and an anti-hunter, purchased a piece of timberland near Colville , WA . There was a large tree on one of the highest points in the tract. She wanted a good view of the natural splendor of her land so she started to climb the big tree.

As she neared the top she encountered a spotted owl that attacked her. In her haste to escape, the woman slid down the tree to the ground and got many splinters in her crotch. In considerable pain, she hurried to a local ER to see a doctor. She told him she was an environmentalist, a democrat, and an anti-hunter and how she came to get all the splinters. The doctor listened to her story with great patience and then told her to go wait in the examining room and he would see if he could help her.

She sat and waited three hours before the doctor reappeared.

The angry woman demanded, "What took you so long?" He smiled and then told her, "Well, I had to get permits from the Environmental Protection Agency , the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Manage ment before I could remove old-growth timber from a "recreational area" so close to a waste treatment facility. I'm sorry, but due to Obama Care they turned me down."

Sheriff: 4-Year-Old Shot In Head While Fishing With Dad

OSSIAN, Ind. – A 4-year-old boy who was fatally shot while fishing with his father in northeastern Indiana was struck in the head by an errant bullet, a sheriff and a family friend said.

Wells County Sheriff Monte Fisher told The Associated Press on Sunday that Jacob Michuda was shot in the head late Friday night while he and his father were fishing from a pier at a pond outside Ossian, a rural community about 15 miles south of Fort Wayne.

Trisha Ulmer told The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne for a Sunday story that the boy's mother told her the boy was shot in the temple.

Fisher said an autopsy was performed Saturday.

Forty-six-year-old neighbor Bruce Pond was being held without bond on a preliminary charge of reckless homicide and due to appear in court Monday. Fisher told the Bluffton News-Banner alcohol was involved and Pond apparently shot at a light on the pier where the father and son were fishing.

"I think it was just a freak accident," Ulmer said.

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Among The Tax-Takers

I worked for the IRS and survived.  I learned about taxpayers, but the really interesting part of it was learning about tax-takers.

We all have this vague notion of people who don't pay taxes but receive money from Uncle Sam in what euphemistically is called a tax refund.  That's what I had, a vague notion, until I was forced to close my business in 2010.  I took a seasonal job with the Internal Revenue Service to get some household cash flow going.  We "Timmy Geithner warriors" were appalled by what we learned.

We generally knew that 47 percent of our population pays no income taxes whatsoever.  However, we didn't know, and I suspect that very few of you know, how much of your tax money is actually given to non-taxpayers -- in a lump sum, to do with as they please.  Over lunch we joked that half the tattoo parlors in America would go under without Uncle Sam's largesse.  Only later I learned that was closer to the truth than a joke.

Like most anti-poverty programs, the Earned Income Tax Credit when enacted in 1975 was supposed to be temporary.  It was visualized as a tool to lift the working poor out of poverty.  It was quickly made permanent and has been modified numerous times over the ensuing 36 years.  In 2004, 20 million families received $36 billion.  The flower children assume that was $36 billion spent on food, shelter, and health care.  We who live in the real world know it was spent on big-screen television sets, 22-inch chrome wheels, and colorful tattoos.

It was widely noted last week that those living below the poverty level in the U.S. tend to own cars, TVs, computers, cells phones, enjoy air-conditioning, and own video game consoles.  The free money these folks receive from you and me is not counted for poverty level calculations.

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Fashion Police In The Skies: Woman Thrown Off Airplane Because Of Her Short Shorts

It's bad enough that the contents of our bags are scrutinized. But now our fashion choices?

A New York woman has accused JetBlue of kicking her off a plane because of what she was wearing. Last July, Malinda Knowles was on a flight from New York's JFK airport to West Palm Beach, Fla. She was comfortably nestled in her seat, wearing everyone's typical plane attire for a bleary-eyed early-morning flight – a baggy blue T-shirt and comfy denim shorts. But, according to Knowles, JetBlue wasn't sure that she was wearing enough clothing.

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Cambridge Man Sentenced for Accepting Marijuana Shipment

CAMBRIDGE, MD - Dorchester County Circuit Court Judge Brett Wilson sentenced Lamont Antwine Jones to 5 years in prison, with all but 5 months and 29 days suspended, for accepting a special delivery package from the postman that contained nearly five pounds of marijuana.

"You took receipt of 5 pounds of marijuana with the package addressed to Joe Brown, and you identified yourself as Joe Brown," said Wilson. "This court has to sentence you based on your conviction. I believe you should be given credit for your cooperation and seeking treatment, but I can't turn a blind eye."

Jones, 40, of 814 Bradley Ave., entered an Alford plea in April to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

As part of a plea agreement with the Dorchester County State's Attorney's Office, the remaining charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute in a school zone, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute in a school zone, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, common nuisance, possession of cocaine and possession of marijuana.

READ MORE …

Safe Streets Grant Accepted/Canine & Mounted Patrol Funds

City Police Department to Establish Scholarship and K-9/Mounted Patrol Funds at Community Foundation; Passage of Safe Streets Grant Acceptance.

Mayor James Ireton Jr. and Salisbury Police Chief Barbara Duncan applaud the Salisbury City Council this evening as Resolution 2079 and 2080 have passed. The two resolutions create donation lines to accept funds from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore for the creation of an SPD scholarship fund for minority police officer candidates and creation of a K-9 and SPD Mounted Unit.

Chief Barbara Duncan said, “These donation lines are important because they highlight the vision of a revitalized and economically stable urban hub here in Salisbury.  The community now has a direct way to help build their police department from within by funding college tuition for non-traditional, minority police candidates.  Additionally, the public now has the ability to support K-9 and Mounted Patrol on a permanent basis. These new units provide the Salisbury Police Department with much needed crime fighting tools while simultaneously increasing the Department’s recruitment capital.”

For more information or to donate: http://www.ci.salisbury.md.us/Default.aspx?tabid=653

Mayor Ireton also praised the acceptance by Council of the 2012 Safe Streets award by GOCCP in the amount of $324,623.

“Safe Streets is awarded and accepted for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. The Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention recognized the great work of our Safe Streets Coalition and have funded the initiative again. These dollars are making a difference as Salisbury has seen 545 fewer part-one crimes over the past 2 years. Our citizens are proud of this coalition and its positive results,” said Mayor Ireton.

Court: Call For Assassination Was Protected As Free Speech

Last week, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conviction of a man who posted a threatening message online in 2008, calling for the assassination of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. In a divided ruling, which overturned the man's 2009 conviction, the written opinion declared that the threat would not have been taken seriously by a reasonable person.

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Deadly Fungus Could Eat Up All The Bananas Before You Can Buy Them

Those delicious yellow-peeled tasty fruits you slice over your cereal every morning might be in trouble: Scientists are warning of a banana-pocalypse heading to South America at some point in the near future.

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Guitar Hero Is Coming Back After All

Like an aging rock star who just knows he's got another hit in him despite being written off by the world, Guitar Hero will be making a comeback tour. The plastic video game instrument phase seems to have run its course, but Activision Blizzard is betting otherwise.

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Delaware National Guard Members On Mission In Arctic

NEW CASTLE, Del. (AP) -- Members of the Delaware Air National Guard are on a two-week training mission about 500 miles away from the North Pole.

The 30 airmen from the 166th Civil Engineer Squadron left Sunday for Canadian Forces Station Alert, a self-contained base on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island. The group will be helping the Canadian Air Force to construct a heated storage building during their mission.

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ROBOTS IN LOWER MANHATTAN & ZOMBIES IN WASHINGTON

That sound you hear out there is spaghetti hitting the wall. Everybody wonders: will it stick?  The European Union lobbed a wad of kartoffelkloesse at a Greek wall last week. The thud was impressive, but then the darn thing started sliding down the greasy wall to where a gang of CDS counterparty wolves waited, snapping and slavering for it. And then there was a crowd of curious Germans in the alley, wondering who stole their precious kartoffelkloesse and lobbed it at the Greek wall, anyway. Grumbles were heard but, as yet, no mob action against the flingers of the purloined kartoffelkloesse.
    
Here in the pitiful tweet-sphere that contains the atomized remnants of USA governance, there is no such clarity. We don’t know if that’s spaghetti hitting a wall or the shit hitting the fan. But due to the amazing obduracy of the parties involved, the next sound you hear may just be the wall itself tumbling down, perhaps even the famous wall with the famous street attached.
    
All I know is that I dumped a largish bundle of 13-week US treasuries on Friday, a tad shy of the August 4 rollover and moved the hypothetical cash into less freaky hypothetical foreign sovereign instruments. I found a great bid for the T-bills, too. The whole transaction cost me a buck. I wondered: what were these people thinking who bought this crap at just the moment in history when everything is flying into walls and fans?
    
Whatever other conclusions can be drawn from the great debt ceiling debate of 2011, the main one seems to be that this country can no longer govern itself. Our reverence for the constitution appears to be inflated along with everything else in the USA these days: gas prices, waistlines, cable TV bills. Even congresspersons themselves seem to hold it in low regard, since proposals for a “super-congress” were floated last week. A lot of sentient folk who follow national affairs actually wondered out loud, “what the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

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One In Five American Men Don't Work: Where's The Outrage?

FORTUNE -- Has anyone in Washington noticed that 20% of American men are not working? That's right. One out of five men in this country are collecting unemployment, in prison, on disability, operating in the underground economy, or getting by on the paychecks of wives or girlfriends or parents. The equivalent number in 1970, according to the McKinsey Global Institute, was 7%.

Both political parties have proven their talent in ginning up outrage over the federal budget, whether it's spiraling spending or millionaires collecting tax breaks on private jets. So today a tiresome, and dangerous, debt drama unfolds in real time, freezing leaders in both parties in their respective partisan corners.

Are these same leaders capable of confronting the fearsome fact that 4.3 million Americans have been jobless not just for months--but going on years? We are in danger of losing a generation of work-habituated Americans, especially men--and lawmakers can't see their way past November, 2012.

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Viagra: World's Most Counterfeited Drug

GO HERE

Are Kids With ADHD More Likely To Get Hit By A Car?

Children with ADHD, by definition, are easily distracted and more prone to injuries. But a new study shows the condition could even be life-threatening since affected kids are more likely to be hit by a car when crossing the street.

 

Researchers at at the University of Alabama at Birmingham looked at 78 children with ADHD between the ages of 7 and 10 and 39 kids without the attention disorder and found that kids with ADHD appear to follow all the requisite rules — you know, “look both ways before you cross” — but don't wind up processing the information in a way that enables them to make it to the other side of the street as safely as non-ADHD kids.

 

The study, published online Monday in the journal Pediatrics, observed that children with ADHD took more chances, electing to cross during smaller gaps between cars, ultimately leaving them with less time before the next car approached the crosswalk.

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Letter to the Editor – Posts About Humane Society Are Not True!

I would just like to know where I. Richardson got this information that you posted on your blog, because I know for a fact that most (if not all) is untrue.

First of all, the HS tried to keep all the files confidential about their friend but the HS was ordered by the court to give the information to that specific woman. Therefore it is not the HS fault, are they supposed to go against the courts?

Also, she was mistreating animals and vets agreed! How can you say they were healthy? Did you see them because I did and they were most definitely not healthy and I wish she got punished more for what she did.

Secondly, why bring up something that happened ten years ago? The HS has new people and new ways of caring for animals and do all they can to help them now. I know for a fact that they send as many animals as they can to rescues and have decreased their amounts of euthanasia.

They only euthanize if a dog is so mean they can't help it or if it is sick beyond help and it would be more humane to euthanize them then. Why should the animals suffer in cages if the more humane thing to do is euthanize them?

I for one think they need to "clean house" and get the people that are accusing the HS of these untrue things out instead of making up false accusations.

I know you probably will not post my email because it goes against your views but I would like to get a response from you on where you get the information you post on your blog. I have been reading it and continually I see things that don't add up.

I see what goes on at the HS and what you say in your blog does not match what they actually do there. If they upset you in someway that's fine, be mad at them, but don't make up stories to try and get people to think poorly of this shelter for just trying to save animals.

People have been threatening the workers, harassing them, and they could lose their jobs over the things you post. How is that fair to anyone of them? If you have a problem, talk to them so they can address the issue and hopefully fix it.

If it's to do with the animals and you see something they don't, if you tell them they might change it. But by posting these awful things and putting people in harms way just for your ego, no one wins here.

Everyone loses and you just look bad. I know this is very much not what you want to hear from someone reading your blog but I just would like a response on some of these issues that I brought up. Not an attacking email, just one verifying where you get your facts from.

(NAME WITHHELD @ Author’s Request)

We received this letter last week when we were asking for letters that supported the Wicomico County Humane Society as well as from those that questioned the Humane Society’s actions. We have just posted it because we did not have the author’s name and phone number until this afternoon. – Ed.

BREAKING NEWS: Obama To Speak To Nation On Debt Talks

Obama to speak to nation on debt talks stalemate at 9 p.m. ET

From Fox News

Salisbury Gets Drenched

At this very moment the roads are starting to flood and Salisbury is getting some much needed rain. We have spoken to others who live near the Mall and they haven't seen a drop of rain yet. So get ready, if it hasn't hit you yet.

ATLANTIC GENERAL HOSPITAL INSTALLS STRATEGIC WATER RESERVE SYSTEM

New reserve capable of producing potable water for hospital needs during a disaster event

Berlin, Md. – In May, Atlantic General Hospital installed two 1,000-gallon water reservoirs and a seven-stage water purification system that will produce clean water usable for drinking, bathing and medical treatments in the event that the facility’s municipal water supply is interrupted.

The strategic water reserve and disaster recovery potable water system was made possible largely through a Hospital Preparedness Program grant from the Department of Homeland Security that was administered through the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Atlantic General worked with Peninsula Water Conditioning, Inc. and Condor Technologies, Inc., to install the system, which uses reverse osmosis, carbon filtration and ultraviolet light disinfection, among other processes to make the water safe for consumption.

If necessary, the water system can produce up to 5,500 gallon per day of usable water for drinking, bathing, and food and medicine preparation, enough to sustain care and hydration of more than 1,000 individuals according to disaster preparedness standards. This is a sizeable achievement for the hospital, which houses less than 300 people on any normal day.

Water from the normal municipal supply rendered non-potable during a catastrophic event as well as water that has been trucked in or siphoned off nearby bodies of water can be filtered through the system if necessary.

The 2,000 gallons currently held in the hospital’s reservoirs is more than an emergency backup water supply; the system was designed to allow for a side benefit: greener routine operation. The reserve of water continuously feeds the hospital’s boiler system.

"Disaster planning is a vital undertaking for any community as well its critical service providers. Often times, not enough thought is given to the potential threats to a water supply," said Glenn Lebedz, director of support services at Atlantic General Hospital. "Atlantic General chose to be proactive by installing this strategic water reserve system."

About Atlantic General Hospital

Atlantic General Hospital has been providing quality health care to the residents of Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset (Md.) and Sussex (Del.) Counties since May 1993.  Built by the commitment and generosity of a dedicated community, the hospital’s state-of-the-art facility in Berlin, Md. combines old-fashioned personal attention with the latest in technology and services. Atlantic General Health System, its network of more than 25 primary care provider and specialist offices, care for residents and visitors throughout the region.  For more information about Atlantic General Hospital, visit http://www.atlanticgeneral.org/.

Posts Every 15 Minutes Until Midnight

As we had stated last week, Salisbury News will deliver Posts around the clock, if the news and information is available. You can expect Posts every 15 minutes until midnight.

Mennonite Group Works to Rebuild Homes, Spirits

LITITZ, PA - Rebuilding a community from the ruins of natural disasters requires more than hammers and strong arms. There's emotional damage, too, and those repairs can be the biggest challenge.

That's one key lesson that members of the Mennonite Disaster Service have learned over 61 years responding to the devastation and heartbreak of earthquakes, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes. The group has a simple, hands-on mission getting people back in their homes but they know they'll do much more.

"We see ourselves as facilitators," said Kevin King of Lititz, Pa., the group's executive director. Volunteers often show up ready with hammers or chain saws, only to find that the first thing people need is someone to talk to.

MDS has sent teams in recent months to help rebuild towns in tornado-ravaged Alabama, Mississippi, and Joplin, Mo., as well as help flood victims in Minot, N.D. It has had crews working in Louisiana and on the Mississippi and Alabama coasts since Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in 2005.

And while some Mennonites and Amish have a tradition of not interacting with modern society, that isn't the case during disasters. The group works with state and federal agencies as well as other churches and secular aid groups.

MDS, with administrative offices in the Lancaster County, Pa., borough of Lititz, has about 3,000 Mennonite, Amish and Brethren in Christ congregations throughout the U.S. and Canada that contribute volunteers and funds. In 2010, the group's total U.S. revenue was about $3.7 million.

READ MORE …

Lewes Man Sought in Home Improvement Scam

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Lewes man who allegedly defrauded an elderly woman out of nearly $2,000 in a home improvement scam.

Michael A. Fitzgerald, 29, faces charges of theft $1,500 or greater when the victim is 62 years or older, home improvement fraud and carrying on occupations without a license, state police spokesman Cpl. Bruce Harris said.

The fraud allegedly took place between early December and April 4 at the 72-year-old victim’s home on Capes Cove Lane in Lewes.

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Young Caroline Men Build Political Experience

DENTON, MD - Two young men from Caroline County one barely out of high school, the other barely out of college have taken the political plunge by building careers in the Republican party.

At 23 years old, Matt Teffeau is a staff assistant for U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.-1st, and Matt Proud, at just 19, is the political and communications director for the Maryland Republican Party. Proud and Teffeau have aspirations in politics well beyond their current roles.

Both are members of the Caroline County Republican Central Committee, with Proud having been elected to his seat last year and Teffeau being appointed earlier this year. Proud also is the president of the Mid-Shore Young Republicans, with Teffeau as vice president.

Teffeau said though Republicans may be the minority in the state, the party represents the core conservative values of Maryland's Eastern Shore.

"We're both making small changes to make a big difference," said Proud of his and Teffeau's political efforts.

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Among the Tax Takers

I worked for the IRS and survived. I learned about taxpayers, but the really interesting part of it was learning about tax-takers.

We all have this vague notion of people who don't pay taxes but receive money from Uncle Sam in what euphemistically is called a tax refund. That's what I had, a vague notion, until I was forced to close my business in 2010. I took a seasonal job with the Internal Revenue Service to get some household cash flow going. We "Timmy Geithner warriors" were appalled by what we learned.

We generally knew that 47 percent of our population pays no income taxes whatsoever. However, we didn't know, and I suspect that very few of you know, how much of your tax money is actually given to non-taxpayers -- in a lump sum, to do with as they please. Over lunch we joked that half the tattoo parlors in America would go under without Uncle Sam's largesse. Only later I learned that was closer to the truth than a joke.

Like most anti-poverty programs, the Earned Income Tax Credit when enacted in 1975 was supposed to be temporary. It was visualized as a tool to lift the working poor out of poverty. It was quickly made permanent and has been modified numerous times over the ensuing 36 years. In 2004, 20 million families received $36 billion. The flower children assume that was $36 billion spent on food, shelter, and health care. We who live in the real world know it was spent on big-screen television sets, 22-inch chrome wheels, and colorful tattoos.

READ MORE …

This article was submitted by a reader. – Ed.

Give Kids the World Fundraiser

Good morning! I work for Uno Chicago Grill in Fruitland and we are hosting a fundraiser on Saturday July 30th for an organization called Give Kids the World . This non-profit organization is located in Central Florida. It gives children of terminal illnesses and their families an all expenses paid vacation in Orlando. Give Kids the World Village is a 70-acre whimsical resort that provides beautiful accommodations, unlimited ice cream and activities and venues for all to enjoy. Families are also given tickets to Orlando attractions such as SeaWorld Orlando, Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World. An estimated 27,000 children will be diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses this year. Since 1986, they have hosted over 106,103 children and families from all over the world and in 2010, 114 families from Maryland went to the village. This organization is close to me because when I worked at Walt Disney World, I volunteered at the village! I have seen how magical and inspiring this organization is! At the Give Kids the World Village, children can eat ice cream at any time of day. They host "Ice Cream for Breakfast Socials" in the resort each week. Now, Give Kids the World is hosting a nationwide fundraiser in which businesses all around the country are having their own "Ice Cream for Breakfast" socials! Uno Chicago Grill is hosting our own social on Saturday July 30th from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Our exciting event features a three dollar TCBY  hand scooped frozen yogurt and ice cream toppings bar, raffle prizes including four box seat tickets to any Delmarva  Shorebirds regular 2011 season home game, complimentary moon bounce donated by Rommel's ACE hardware  and an in-house fundraiser. One hundred percent of all funds raised will be donated to Give Kids the World Village. Uno Chicago Grill and I would love to have SBYNEWS  do a story of our event and list our event in your weekly community events calendar. I have attached our business donation letter, standard press release from Give Kids the World and demographics chart. I look forward to hearing from you!

Thank You

Natalie Costello

http://www.givekidstheworld.org/ 

Milton Hiring Town Manager from Fenwick

Milton is turning to a local face to become its new town manager, tapping current Fenwick Island Town Manager Wilmer “Win” Abbott to fill the job.

Town officials announced today that Abbott, who moved to Milton last year, will start his new job in September, filling a vacancy at the top after the firing of embattled Town Manager George Dickerson earlier this year.

A former Clayton councilman, Abbott has served as Fenwick's town manager since April 2009. Before that, he worked in sales and marketing for Staples and Advantis Technologies.

He earned his master's degree in public administration from the University of Delaware in May, and also holds a bachelor's degree from UD. A Wilmington native, he is a graduate of John Dickinson High School.

from the Wilmington News-Journal

Border Patrol Agents Could Lose Thousands in Annual Pay

Officials at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have proposed a new salary plan for Border Patrol agents that could cost them an average of $7,000 a year in lost pay and spark what some say would be an exodus of veteran agents to higher-paying agencies.

The still-pending proposal by CBP to convert Border Patrol agents from a pay program known as “Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO)” to an alternative plan called “Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP)” has been described by rank-and-file agents as “unwarranted” and comes at a time the agency has significantly increased its presence along the Southwest border to combat skyrocketing crime by brutal drug cartels.

“Every day, Border Patrol agents along Americas border put their lives on the line to keep our nation safe,” said Chris Bauder, president of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents more than 17,000 of the agency’s non-supervisory agents. “They deserve the pay they receive, and any reduction is an insult to the efforts and sacrifices of the men and women of the Border Patrol.”

Mr. Bauder, a veteran agent himself, said the “compensation reform” package offered by CBP would force agents to “work for free” by eliminating pay for any work beyond 10 hours, the normal workday; would cost a GS-12 agent between $6,600 and $8,600 in salary a year, depending on their experience; and would lower “the already very low morale” within the agency.

READ MORE…

One in Three Petition Signers Is a Democrat

Nearly one out of every three people who signed a petition opposing the Maryland Dream Act are registered Democrats, according to data from the state board of elections.

The information backs up contentions by GOP Del. Neil Parrott and others that the Republican-led effort to repeal the law has bipartisan support. The state board of elections on Friday said that enough valid signatures were collected to trigger a referendum on the law in 2012.

The party identification data tracks with figures from an initial batch of petitions due at the end of May. The opponents of the new law turned in a total of 108,923 valid signatures. Just over 32,000 came from Democrats.

The law would allow illegal immigrants access to the same discounted in-state tuition at Maryland's colleges and universities that legal residents pay. Undocumented students would have to prove their parents filed tax returns and show that they'd attend a Maryland high school for three years. It was supposed to be enacted in July, but has been suspended because of the referendum

There's been no polling (that I'm aware of) on the in-state tuition law. But, if the voter registration trends from the petition hold, the law could be in trouble. Should the GOP vote en mass against the bill and pick up one third of the state's Democrats, the law would theoretically lose by about 140,000 votes. (Of course, that assumes perfect turnout. Email me if you are dying to see the math.)

It was also noteworthy that Democrats were slightly less likely to go a sophisticated new website that Parrott created to generate petitions. The website caught the attention of the Maryland ACLU, which raised questions about whether the method would pass constitutional muster.

According to the state board, one in four internet generated petitions came from Democrats. Sixty percent were Republicans. He is saving his list of names and re-purpose the site for other repeal efforts.

Parrott's website can be credited with collecting one third of the valid signatures for the effort. It's a big number, but as it turns out so many people signed the petition that opponents would have been successful even without it.

from Annie Linskey @ the Baltimore Sun

Giant Food Delivers?

Not exactly!

Last week we noticed one of the Giant Employees standing in front of our Office with a shopping cart full of food. The employee asked us if we could keep an eye on the cart until another employee showed up to take it away.

The next thing we knew there were two Salisbury Police Officers at our door inspecting the items in the cart and taking pictures of it.

It turns out, someone was in Giant shopping, went through the self check out and didn't pay the bill. He walked right out with the cart while the staff called the Police.

Believe it or not, he got as far as 300 W. Main Street before he ditched the cart and took off running. He was finally caught at Brew River.

Unfortunately, ALL of the meat products had to be thrown in the trash, its their policy. Even though some of it was lunch meats sealed up, it had to be thrown away.

Social Security Payments Would Fall With New Inflation Gauge

A new measure to calculate inflation that's catching on in Washington, D.C., would have a big impact on how much cash is distributed by Social Security.

More important for politicians debating how to fix the nation's bloated budget: Analysts say it would cut the deficit by $200 billion to $300 billion over the next decade.

The bipartisan "Gang of Six" plan presented by six senators last week proposed shifting to a so-called chained consumer price index. The traditional CPI simply tracks a basket of goods, everything from cars to kitchen utensils. The basket of goods doesn't change.

The chained CPI shifts goods in the basket every few years, based on consumer preferences. The idea is that if the price of a good such as beef shoots higher, consumers will start buying more chicken. The basket would then give a larger weighting to chicken than beef.

READ MORE …

Veterans Health and Information Fair This Saturday at Wicomico American Legion

Price of Dinner Foods Up Almost 5% in One Year

The "Food at Home" component of the recent consumer prices report surged almost 5% on an annual basis as grocers passed on to consumers the 12-month jump in corn, rice, sugar and oats.

The measure, defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as "total expenditures for food at grocery stores," rose 4.8% during the 12 months ending in June. That's up from a 4.4% annual increase from May's report. Plus, not counting the temporary spike in inflation during the aftermath of the credit crisis, this is the biggest price increase by grocers since 2004.

Prices for corn, rice, and sugar are up more than 60% in the last 12 months. Part of this is because of growing demand in emerging markets, but many investors also say the Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates essentially negative for so long is largely to blame for the price spike.

READ MORE …

BlackBerry Maker RIM Lays Off 10% Of Workforce

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Research In Motion, the maker of BlackBerry devices, said Monday that it would cut more than 2,000 jobs as part of apreviously announced cost-cutting effort.

Shares of RIM (RIMM) fell more than 1% in premarket trading.

The Waterloo, Ontario-based company said the cuts amount to over 10% of its total workforce. RIM's headcount will be reduced to about 17,000 after the pink slips are handed out this week.

 

The company also announced new responsibilities for its top management "to create greater alignment of the organization." The most major change was the retirement of chief operating officer Don Morrison, who left the company after having been on medical leave. He was replaced by Thorsten Heins.

More

 

Federal Stimulus Money in Palm Beach County Failed to Live Up to Expectations

The largest stimulus-fueled road projects in Palm Beach County have created less than 20 percent of the jobs once promised, a Palm Beach Post analysis based on federal job-creation standards shows.

Though the Obama administration pitched stimulus projects as “shovel-ready,” only half of Palm Beach County’s 12 road projects were complete entering July, more than two years after Congress’ approval in February 2009. And the region’s biggest project, the Indian Street Bridge in Martin County, has barely begun.

Local officials forecast nearly 600 jobs at five of Palm Beach County’s largest projects in early 2009. At least that many people got paychecks. But the hours worked amount to slightly more than 100 “full-time equivalent” jobs, based on 40-hour work weeks.

from Charles Elmore @ the Palm Beach Post News (via the Daily Caller)

QUOTE OF THE DAY 7-25-11

“Our government has kept us in a perpetual state of fear — kept us in a continuous stampede of patriotic fervor — with the cry of grave national emergency. Always there has been some terrible evil at home or some monstrous foreign power that was going to gobble us up if we did not blindly rally behind it.” 
Douglas MacArthur

“When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”
Thomas Jefferson

“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to = remain silent.”
 Thomas Jefferson

“The offspring of riches: Pride, vanity, ostentation, arrogance, tyranny”
 Mark Twain

“In a healthy nation there is a kind of dramatic balance between the will of the people and the government, which prevents its degeneration into tyranny.”
Albert Einstein

How's This for Cool?

While most of us in Delaware are desperate to cool down during this recent heat wave, a group of Delaware Air National Guard airmen are focusing on staying warm during their annual two-week training mission.

Thirty airmen from the 166th Civil Engineer Squadron -- part of the 166th Airlift Wing -- left Sunday morning for Canadian Forces Station Alert, the northernmost permanently inhabited place in the world, about 500 miles from the North Pole. They will be helping the Canadian Air Force with the construction of a heated storage building during their training mission.

Their arrival comes during the warmest time of the year at Alert, a self-contained base on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island. Temperatures typically range between 35 and 40 degrees, balmy compared with the minus-40-degree temperatures in winter, said Chief Master Sgt. Ron Marandola, superintendent of the squad.

READ MORE…

"Of The Total US $15 Trillion Market Capitalization, The Fed Provided About Half Of That"

On a surprisingly quiet night, during which many, chief among them the President of the US, were expecting some fireworks, it is easy to get lost in all in your face political farce, while ignoring, and even blissfully forgetting, the real financial details behind the scenes. Luckily we have Bill Buckler, whose latest edition of "The Privateer" puts everything right back in perspective, and reminds us that "in the period between December 2007 and July 2010, the Fed parcelled out $US 16.1 TRILLION in emergency loans to financial entities all over the world. Almost half of this - a total of $US 7.75 TRILLION - was loaned to four US banks. They were Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and the Bank of America. In July 2010 (the cut off date for this “audit”), total US stock market capitalisation was $US 15 TRILLION. The Fed provided about half of that." And here we are, haggling over $30 billion here, and $50 billion there...

The Last Remission

According to the official figures put out by the US government, the economic “recovery” in the US celebrated its second anniversary on June 30, 2011. The “fuel” burned in this “recovery” is immense. Mr Obama’s presidency has ushered in the era of $US 1 TRILLION plus annual deficits riding on top of 0.00 percent controlling interest rates from the Fed. It has also ushered in the era in which almost nothing istraded on the paper markets which is not - explicitly or implicitly - guaranteed by the government.

More

Marsh Road Update

Police Activity on Marsh Road

Date and Time: Monday, July 25, 2011 at 8:50 a.m.

Location: 2200 block of Marsh Road, Wilmington, DE

Victim: 66 year old Wilmington, DE female

Resume:

Wilmington- The Delaware State Police are currently investigating the death of a Wilmington resident that occurred on Marsh Road, in Wilmington this morning.

The incident began at approximately 8:50 a.m. after Troopers were dispatched to a residence in the 2200 block Marsh Road in Wilmington. Troopers responded to the residence after the 9-1-1 center received a call from a female subject who advised that she was armed and was intending on doing herself harm. Upon their arrival at the residence, Troopers attempted to make contact with the subject, however, did not get a response. Troopers then set up a perimeter around the home and evacuated several homes in the area as a precaution.

Members of the Delaware State Police Conflict Management Team then arrived at the scene and again attempted to make contact with the subject but again were unable to speak with her. At 12:10 p.m. the Special Operation Response Team made entry into the residence where they located the body of the 66 year old resident with what appeared to be a self inflicted gun shot wound. The victim’s body was turned over to the Medical Examiner’s Office where an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death. No foul play is suspected.

Marsh Road in between Grubb Road and Chestnut Road was closed as the situation was occurring. Southbound Marsh Road has since been re-opened. The northbound lane will be open shortly.

Poll: Most Voters See Media as Biased and Unethical

Likely voters hold a dismal view of the news media, generally regarding reporters as biased, unethical and too close to the politicians they purport to cover, according to a new poll for The Hill.

A full 68 percent of voters consider the news media biased, the poll found. Most, 46 percent, believe the media generally favor Democrats, while 22 percent said they believe Republicans are favored, with 28 percent saying the media is reasonably balanced.

The share of voters who believe the media are too friendly with politicians is almost twice as large as those who find their coverage of politicians appropriate. Forty-four percent of voters assert the former; only 24 percent believe the latter.

The picture is not much brighter on the general question of ethics. Fifty-seven percent of voters think of the news media as either somewhat or very unethical, while only 39 percent see them as somewhat or very ethical.

READ MORE …

Joke Of The Day

Two men were walking through the woods and came upon a big black, deep hole. One man picked up a rock and tossed it into the hole and stood listening for the rock to hit bottom. There was no sound.

He turned to the other guy and said "that must be a deep hole...let's throw a bigger rock in there and listen for it to hit bottom." The men found a bigger rock and both picked it up and lugged it to the hole and dropped it in.

They listened for some time and never heard a sound. Again, they agreed that this must be one deep hole and maybe they should throw something even bigger into it.

One man spotted a rail-road tie nearby. They picked up the tie, grunting and groaning, and lugged it to the hole. They tossed it in. No sound. All of a sudden, a goat came flying out of the woods, running like the wind, and flew past the men and jumped straight into the hole. The men were amazed.

About that time, an old hayseed farmer came out of the woods and asked the men if they had seen a goat. One man told the farmer of the incredible incident they had just witnessed...they had just seen this goat fly out of the woods and run and leap into the big hole. The man asked the farmer if this could have been his goat.

The old farmer said "naw, that can't be my goat...he was chained to a railroad tie."

Somerset Fair Begins Friday

The 2011 Somerset County Fair begins this Friday at 8AM.  The fair will be open to the public from 8AM – 10PM on Friday and Saturday, and Noon – 4 PM on Sunday.

The fair is on the grounds of the Princess Anne Civic Center on Crisfield Lane.

Today's Wildlife Photo

This is a Red Velvet Ant in Delmar, about the size of a large Wasp.



They invade the nests of wasps and bees so their integument (skin) is very tough and roughly textured to protect against stings. Like related families in the Vespoidea, males have wings but females are wingless. They exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism; the males and females are so different that it is almost impossible to associate the two sexes of a species unless they are captured while mating. In a few species the male is so much larger than the female that he carries her aloft while mating, which is also seen in the related family Tiphiidae.

In mutillids, as in all Hymenoptera, only the females sting because the stinger is a modified ovipositor. A structure called a stridulitrum on the metasoma is used to produce a squeaking, or chirping sound when handled. Both sexes of mutillids bear hair-lined grooves on the side of the metasoma called felt lines. The segments of the female mesosoma are fused dorsally, a feature unique to this group. Only one other vespoid family (Bradynobaenidae) has felt lines, but the females have a distinct pronotum and an elongated ant-like petiole.

Source

Should Seat Belts for Pets Be Required?

There are few more joyful sights in the world than a big old dog sticking its head out a car window with a goofy grin, its tongue hanging out and its ears flapping in the breeze. Up until about 15 years ago, that was me in the driver's seat and a golden retriever named Gusty riding behind.

A survey released last week brought that image to mind. It showed that dog owners, a group to which I once belonged, by and large do as I once did: They let the animal ride without restraint. After all, who would put a seat belt on a dog?

Well, if you listen to the sponsors of the poll, all dog owners should. The survey was financed by AAA and by Kurgo, a company that has a financial interest in selling dog safety products. That's reason to be wary of a study but not to ignore it entirely.

The survey shows that during the past year, 56 percent of dog owners have driven with their pets at least once a month. But only 16 percent used a pet restraint device — a safety measure advocated by AAA.

READ MORE …

Army Blows $15 Billion Over The Past 5 Years

The Army plans to hire 2,000 acquisition experts by 2015. The move follows publication of a report showing it wasted $15 billion over the last five years on programs that never worked out. NextGov reports, the study, released last week, blames a broken acquisition process and the erosion of core competencies of people setting requirements and doing the buying. The review was chaired by Gilbert Decker, former assistant secretary of the Army for research, development and acquisition, and by retired Army General Louis Wagner, a former chief of the Materiel Command.

White House, Republicans Spare Over Length of Debt Limit Increase

Speaker of the House John Boehner and the Obama administration sparred Monday morning over the length of the debt limit increase, trading barbs through blog posts and press releases.

Boehner slammed the president for putting politics before the good of the country, while the White House pointed out that Republicans are on the record opposing a short-term debt limit deal.

After talks broke down again Friday night, Boehner went to work negotiating a deal with his colleagues on Capitol Hill. At that point, it seemed the speaker had set his mind on a short-term debt deal to get the country past the August 2 deadline.

In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Boehner publicly chided the president for continuing to push for a larger, broader deal. “I know the president’s worried about his next election,” said Boehner. “But my God, shouldn’t we be worried about the country?”

READ MORE …

Is The Space Program Actually Over?

The space shuttle program is history. So now what? NASA's next great mission is a real challenge: sending astronauts to an asteroid. Their goal? To make it to an asteroid in less than 15 years. The challenge: you can't land on one. You'd bounce right off. Astronauts couldn't walk on an asteroid - they'd float away. NASA is thinking about jetpacks, tethers, bungees, nets and spiderwebs to allow explorers to float just above the surface of it while attached to a smaller mini-spaceship. Another challenge: it'll take at least half-a-year to reach the closest asteroid. The mothership would need football-field-sized solar panels, and it would have to protect the space travelers from killer solar and cosmic ray bursts. And, NASA doesn't even know which asteroid would be the best place to visit. Still, it has the dreamers of NASA both excited and anxious.

Bringing Back This Weekends Survey Questions

I brought back Saturday and Sunday's Survey Questions because so many continue to comment on them.

Today's Survey Question

What would you say to your Son or Daughter if they came home and said

they wanted to be the first in MD to be married to their gay partner?

Today's Survey Question

Do you support Governor O'Malley in his support of Gay Marriage in Maryland?

UD Hopes to Receive Additional $7 Million

Much of the former Chrysler assembly plant now looks like a giant concrete slab, dotted with piles of scrap metal and rubble.

The University of Delaware has owned the property for more than a year and half, and most of the old buildings have been torn apart and hauled away in dump trucks.

But today, the university hopes to take one of the first important steps toward making the area look like something more than a demolished industrial site.

At the monthly meeting of the Council on Development Finance, Alan Levin, director of the Delaware Economic Development Office, plans to recommend awarding UD $7 million from the state's strategic fund.

The funds will prepare the site for the arrival of Bloom Energy, the California-based fuel-cell maker planning to bring as many as 1,500 jobs to Delaware. The money also will help provide the rest of the site with the roads, sidewalks, traffic signals, drainage systems, gas, water and electric lines to draw future tenants.

READ MORE …

Will The U.S. Lose Its AAA Credit Rating?

Congressional negotiators failed to reach an agreement over the weekend to raise the debt ceiling and avoid potential default. Lawmakers have returned to their corners. House speaker John Boehner plans to meet with House Republicans today. Boehner says he will unveil a debt limit plan by 2 p.m. today. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada says he's also crafting a bill. 8 days remain before the Aug. 2nd deadline to come up with a deal. There has been no market panic yet, but President Obama and congressional leaders want to reassure global markets that the country will be able to meet its obligations after Aug. 2nd. They've set today as a deadline to show the markets a plan. A default could lead to the U.S. losing its Triple-A credit rating, the highest possible.

How Radical Have We Become?

It never ceases to amaze me how the media changes the usage of common words and a large portion of our population seems to accept these new definitions.  The latest, and biggest, attack on Webster (and common sense) is the notion that Barack Obama is “bi-partisan”, a “centrist”, and “fiscally responsible”.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), admits that he’s a socialist.  In fact, he’s the only member of the US Senate (probably the entire US Congress) that admits it.  Sanders has decided that someone needs to challenge Obama in next year’s Democrat primaries because:

"I think one of the reasons the president has been able to move so far to the right is that there is no primary opposition to him and I think it would do this country a good deal of service if people started thinking about candidates out there to begin contrasting what is a progressive agenda as opposed to what Obama is doing."

Obama moving so far to the right?  I am so sure that Ronald Reagan is sitting on high and worrying that Obama will steal his legacy as the Moses of modern conservatism.

Being from a true socialist state, perhaps Sanders doesn’t grasp that Obama’s plan for America to become the next USSR must be gradual in order for Obama to be re-elected.  Perhaps this is merely a rhetorical ploy; similar to my friend Mike Pretl arguing that a single payer medical system (socialized medicine) is really the most conservative solution to a national problem.  Who knows.

One thing is for sure, Obama is neither “Republican-lite”, nor fiscally responsible, nor moderate.  He’s not even “bi-partisan”.

Obama has refused to allow the Republicans a seat at the table for every issue … until the debt ceiling.  Now he needs Republicans to allow him to spread the blame around.

His PORKULUS program was neither fiscally responsible nor “moderate”.  Thanks to the outrageous levels of spending under his watch, our nation now stands to loose its AAA rating.  While ObamaCare claimed to be a “cost reduction” measure, we all know that it was, in reality, the federalization of our health care system.  So …

Where is the responsibility?  The moderation?  How about the bi-partisanship?  Yet the media continues to try and portray Obama in this light.

How do they do this?  To a large extent they do this by redefining terms.  Worse, we seem to allow them to do it.

This is the danger of a relativistic society.  Words have meaning, except when we think that we can assign our own definitions.  If we do it ourselves, why would we expect the media not to do so.

Voila! Obama the bi-partisan, fiscally responsible moderate.