“There are about three hundred economists in the world who are against gold, and they think that gold is a barbarous relic – and they might be right. Unfortunately, there are three billion inhabitants of the world who believe in gold.”
Janos Fekete
“You have to choose [as a voter] between trusting to the natural stability of gold and the natural stability and intelligence of the members of the government. And with due respect to these gentlemen, I advise you, as long as the capitalist system lasts, to vote for gold.”
George Bernard Shaw
“Though wisdom cannot be gotten for gold, still less can it be gotten without it.”
Samuel Butler
“The modern mind dislikes gold because it blurts out unpleasant truths.”
Joseph Schumpeter
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, August 22, 2011
Oil Drops Below $80.00 A Barrel
Oil fell, dipping below $80 a barrel in New York for the first time in more than a week, on concern that slower economic growth will erode fuel demand. Brent crude traded at a record premium to U.S. prices.
Dog Finds New Home After Owners Split
'My parents got divorced and Mr. B was supposed to go to the pound,' note says
KIRKLAND, Wash. — Paul Wu was pulling his car out of the driveway and saw it.
“I found a dog in my driveway which is unusual.”
He looked at the small dog.
“He would not go away, and I stop he comes up to me,” he said.
Wu found a bag hanging around the dog’s neck, carrying money, and a note.
BREAKING NEWS: Standard & Poor ’s President Reportedly Resigns
Deven Sharma, president of the credit-rating firm, is reportedly leaving and is set to be replaced by the chief operating officer of Citigroup Inc.’s Citibank unit.
Source Fox News
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TO JOIN U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION DUNCAN AND DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS TO ANNOUNCE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR JOB GROWTH AND SKILLS
ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 22, 2011) – TOMORROW, Governor Martin O’Malley will join U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Discovery Communications to announce a public-private partnership to promote job growth and jobs skills development.
To support job growth and to better position the State to compete in the emerging global economy, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has set a goal of increasing the number of Marylanders prepared for middle and high skilled jobs by increasing the number of Marylanders who receive skills training through the State’s workforce system by 20 percent by 2012.
Through the Skills2Compete-Maryland initiative, the Administration aims to have every working Marylander obtain access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school leading to a career or technical credential, industry certification, or a college degree.
WHAT: Governor O’Malley, U.S. Secretary Duncan to join Discovery Communications for skills
public-private partnership announcement
WHEN: TOMORROW, Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Montgomery College, Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus
Health Sciences Center
7977 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD
(Parking available in lot W1)
Best Places To Live Cheaply
If you are looking to save some money - maybe you need to move!
Forbes magazine has just released a list of the best places to live cheaply, and some aren't far from here.
Cumberland, Md., made the list at #3, and Wheeling, W.V. came in at #9.
MACO Conference Brochure
It's rather scary in that it depicts the theme of this year's conference to the leaders and members of Maryland's government.
I guess they don't care?
Publishers Notes: Sent in by a reader.
Country Wrestles With Spike In Food Stamp Use
Even as demand rises, cutting program becomes an option for debt hawks
NEW YORK — Genna Saucedo supervises cashiers at a Wal-Mart in Pico Rivera, Calif., but her wages aren't enough to feed herself and her 12-year-old son.
Saucedo, who earns $9.70 an hour for about 26 hours a week and lives with her mother, is one of the many Americans who survive because of government handouts in what has rapidly become a food stamp nation.
Altogether, there are now almost 46 million people in the United States on food stamps, roughly 15 percent of the population. That's an increase of 74 percent since 2007, just before the financial crisis and a deep recession led to mass job losses.
The Death Of The Text Message
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The smartphone boom is a mixed blessing for wireless companies. While the devices have boosted data plan sales considerably, they are threatening to kill another revenue stream dead in its tracks: text messaging.
Dozens of smartphone applications offer "free" text messaging services, which allow wireless customers to send and receive texts by piggybacking on their existing data plans. That means people who download those apps -- such as GroupMe, Google Voice, Disco, Beluga, Kik and WhatsApp -- are able to bypass the expensive texting plans offered by wireless companies.
Man Denies Killing Wife, Her 3 Kids In Va.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - A Virginia man has denied any involvement in the slayings of his wife and her three children, whose bodies were found in their burned apartment, police said Sunday.
John Moses Ragin, 36, professed his innocence during interviews with Newport News police detectives who traveled to South Carolina, where he is being held, department spokesman Harold O. Eley said.
"Mr. Ragin denies any involvement whatsoever in their deaths," Eley said.
Newport News police want Ragin returned to Virginia to face nine charges, including four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Crystal Ragin and her children, Sierra, 15, Rasheed, 10, and Lakwan, 6.
All four were found in their Newport News apartment on Friday. Investigators found evidence of knife wounds and "exposure to fire," police said.
Men vs. Women: Who Gains More Weight After Marriage and Divorce?
Marriage and divorce are life-changing events, the effects of which are evident in innumerable ways — including on the bathroom scale.
Both marriage and divorce appear to lead to weight gain among couples, but each occasion affects men and women differently, according to a new study. Researchers from Ohio State University found that women tended to gain more weight than men after marriage, while after a divorce, men's girth expanded more than women's.
Police, Firefighters To Square Off In Charity Cage Match
Normally, they're partners in public safety. But next month, Baltimore police and firefighters will be pummeling each other inside a cage – for charity.
The Sept. 30 mixed martial arts event at the Du Burns Arena is being billed as a "night of live cage fights that include active law enforcement and firefighters," battling it out to raise money for injured officers. It's the first of its kind locally, though such "badges vs. hoses" matches have been growing in popularity across the country.
More
The Sept. 30 mixed martial arts event at the Du Burns Arena is being billed as a "night of live cage fights that include active law enforcement and firefighters," battling it out to raise money for injured officers. It's the first of its kind locally, though such "badges vs. hoses" matches have been growing in popularity across the country.
More
Could The Way We Mate And Marry Boost Rates Of Autism?
In this week's paper issue of TIME, author Judith Warner explores a provocative theory about why rates of autism, particularly the mild form known as Asperger's, are on the rise: because people who have certain "autistic" traits are increasingly meeting and marrying each other and having offspring who are more likely to be on the spectrum.
More
More
New IBM Computer Chip Mimics The Human Brain
(CNN) -- Making computers behave like humans has taken another step forward.
IBM on Thursday announced it has created a chip designed to imitate the human brain's ability to understand its surroundings, act on things that happen around it and make sense of complex data.
Instead of requiring the type of programming that computers have needed for the past half-century, the experimental chip will let a new generation of computers, called "cognitive computers," learn through their experiences and form their own theories about what those experiences mean.
New Rules
Federal employees living in Northern Virginia and some parts of Maryland will be able to run for political office under a new proposed rule published in the Federal Register. The Office of Personnel Management's new rule would partially exempt feds living in King George County from restrictions on political activity, allowing them to run as independent candidates for local political office. It would also allow those candidates to accept or receive political contributions, and solicit or accept volunteer campaign services. OPM said its considering the rule because of the rapid growth of the county within the past few years, the significant public issues associated with this growth, and the large federal presence within King George County.
PETA To Promote Itself With Porn Site
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is no stranger to using skin to draw attention to its cause, and has decided to go big in the direction rather than go home. The new idea is to launch a porn site in hopes that people will come for the eroticism and stay for the preaching.
More »
More »
Fed Doled Out $1.2 Trillion In Secret Loans To Giant Banks, Brokerages
The Federal Reserve got loan-happy from 2007 to 2010, handing out mega funding to several top banks and brokerage firms, such as Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Bank of America. The secretive financial agreements were meant to stop the economy from plunging into depression.
More »
More »
Annoyed Travel Agents To Obama: We're Not Obsolete
There are two reasons we probably don't write very many stories about travel agencies: many of them do a better job of problem-resolution than the airlines, hotels and cruise lines they deal with; and common sense would tell you it's likely that fewer people are using agents because it's just as easy to book travel on your own. President Obama recently expressed a similar sentiment, and the travel agents of America want him to know they haven't exactly gone the way of the dot matrix printer.
More »
More »
Open House Schedule For The 2011-12 School Year
Wicomico County Schools will hold open houses Aug. 24-26 (with a couple of events on other dates) in preparation for the opening of the 2011-12 school year on Monday, Aug. 29, for most students *. A complete schedule of open houses for Wicomico schools is below. For additional details, please contact the school.
*Please note that students in grades 1-6 and grade 9 will attend school on Aug. 29.(Exceptions: All grades will attend at Pittsville Elementary and Middle, and only grade 6 will attend at Mardela Middle and High.) All students in grades 1-12 will be in school
Tuesday, Aug. 30. During the first week, kindergarten and prekindergarten students will report as scheduled by the assigned school.
Elementary:
Beaver Run Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, 1-3 p.m., with the Snowy Bus there. 410-677-5101
Charles H. Chipman Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House with classroom visitation 2-3 p.m., followed by a picnic from 3-4:30 p.m. at Lake Street Park with Chipman’s partner school, Glen Avenue Elementary. Food, families and fun! 410-677-5814
Delmar Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 1-3 p.m. 410-677-5178
East Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 1:30-3:30 p.m. 410-677-5803
Fruitland Primary: Friday, Aug. 26 1:30-2:30 p.m. 410-677-5171
Fruitland Intermediate: Friday, Aug. 26 2:30-3:30 p.m. 410-677-5805
Glen Avenue Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, from 1-2 p.m. Open House, with a community picnic with partner school Charles H. Chipman Elementary from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Lake Street Park. 410-677-5806
North Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26, Open House for all students, 2-4 p.m. Buster the Bus will serve as the official greeter. NSS will offer free school supplies to all students who attend, and several community partners will be on hand to show their support of the school as well. The PTA will be at the Open House to welcome students and families and give them the opportunity to join the PTA, and share information about events in the upcoming school year. 410-677-5807
Northwestern Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 3-4 p.m. 410-677-5808. The school will
offer free school supplies to all students who attend. The PTA will be there to welcome families and give them the opportunity to join the PTA. 410-677-5808
Pemberton Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House 3-4 p.m., parents and students can visit their teacher(s) and tour the school. 410-677-5809
Pinehurst Elementary: Aug. 26, 3-4 p.m. 410-677-5810
Pittsville Elementary and Middle: Transition Open House/Back to School Night for grades 3 and 6 from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. Back to School Night from 6-8 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 8, for grades 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Prince Street Elementary: Open House Friday, Aug. 26 from 1:30-3 p.m. 410-677-5813
West Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26, Open House luncheon 1:30-3:30 p.m. Meet your teachers. 410-677-5816
Westside Primary: Open House at school Friday, Aug. 26, 1:30-2:30 p.m. 410-677-5117
Westside Intermediate: Open house at school Friday, Aug. 26, 2:30-3:30 p.m. The Snowy Bus will be at the school 2-3 p.m. 410-677-5118
Willards Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, the faculty and staff will welcome students and their families to a new school year during a Back to School Ice Cream Social from 4-5:30 p.m. Students can socialize with friends, meet their teacher, and see their classrooms. 410-677-5819
Wicomico Early Learning Center: Thursday, Aug. 25 Open House and Ice Cream Social 1-3 p.m. Parent informational meeting from 1-1:30 p.m. and classroom visitations from 1:30-3 p.m. 410-677-5900
Middle:
Bennett Middle School: Thursday, Aug. 25 PTA Back-to-School Night/Open House Aug. 25 from 5-7 p.m. 410-677-5140
Salisbury Middle: Open House for all students and families Thursday, Aug. 25, from 5-7 p.m. 410-677-5149
Wicomico Middle School: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House 4-6 p.m. Families can get their student's schedule when they submit the student data forms sent in the invitation. 410-677-5145.
Pittsville Elementary and Middle: Transition Open House/Back to School Night for grades 3 and 6 from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. Back to School Night from 6-8 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 8, for grades 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Mardela Middle and High: Back-to-School BBQ Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Any questions – please call the school @ 410-677-5142.
High School:
James M. Bennett High School: PTSA Back to School Night Wednesday, Aug. 24, 5-8 p.m. At this time forms should be turned in to guidance, parents can pick up Family Portal information, and students may get their schedules if all of their paperwork is turned in.
Mardela Middle and High: Back-to-School BBQ Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Any questions – please call the school @ 410-677-5142.
Parkside High: Thursday, Aug. 25, Back to School Night 4:30-7:30 p.m. (4:30-5:30 p.m., pick up class schedules, 5:30-6 p.m. business meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. teacher visitation). 410-677-5143
Wicomico High: The Freshman Academy will hold a 9th Grade Summer Cookout and orientation on Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4-6 p.m. Back-to-School Night will be held Sept. 26 from 5-7 p.m.
Choices: Friday, Aug. 26, 1-3 p.m. 410-677-5220
*Please note that students in grades 1-6 and grade 9 will attend school on Aug. 29.(Exceptions: All grades will attend at Pittsville Elementary and Middle, and only grade 6 will attend at Mardela Middle and High.) All students in grades 1-12 will be in school
Tuesday, Aug. 30. During the first week, kindergarten and prekindergarten students will report as scheduled by the assigned school.
Elementary:
Beaver Run Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, 1-3 p.m., with the Snowy Bus there. 410-677-5101
Charles H. Chipman Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House with classroom visitation 2-3 p.m., followed by a picnic from 3-4:30 p.m. at Lake Street Park with Chipman’s partner school, Glen Avenue Elementary. Food, families and fun! 410-677-5814
Delmar Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 1-3 p.m. 410-677-5178
East Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 1:30-3:30 p.m. 410-677-5803
Fruitland Primary: Friday, Aug. 26 1:30-2:30 p.m. 410-677-5171
Fruitland Intermediate: Friday, Aug. 26 2:30-3:30 p.m. 410-677-5805
Glen Avenue Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, from 1-2 p.m. Open House, with a community picnic with partner school Charles H. Chipman Elementary from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Lake Street Park. 410-677-5806
North Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26, Open House for all students, 2-4 p.m. Buster the Bus will serve as the official greeter. NSS will offer free school supplies to all students who attend, and several community partners will be on hand to show their support of the school as well. The PTA will be at the Open House to welcome students and families and give them the opportunity to join the PTA, and share information about events in the upcoming school year. 410-677-5807
Northwestern Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 3-4 p.m. 410-677-5808. The school will
offer free school supplies to all students who attend. The PTA will be there to welcome families and give them the opportunity to join the PTA. 410-677-5808
Pemberton Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House 3-4 p.m., parents and students can visit their teacher(s) and tour the school. 410-677-5809
Pinehurst Elementary: Aug. 26, 3-4 p.m. 410-677-5810
Pittsville Elementary and Middle: Transition Open House/Back to School Night for grades 3 and 6 from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. Back to School Night from 6-8 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 8, for grades 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Prince Street Elementary: Open House Friday, Aug. 26 from 1:30-3 p.m. 410-677-5813
West Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26, Open House luncheon 1:30-3:30 p.m. Meet your teachers. 410-677-5816
Westside Primary: Open House at school Friday, Aug. 26, 1:30-2:30 p.m. 410-677-5117
Westside Intermediate: Open house at school Friday, Aug. 26, 2:30-3:30 p.m. The Snowy Bus will be at the school 2-3 p.m. 410-677-5118
Willards Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, the faculty and staff will welcome students and their families to a new school year during a Back to School Ice Cream Social from 4-5:30 p.m. Students can socialize with friends, meet their teacher, and see their classrooms. 410-677-5819
Wicomico Early Learning Center: Thursday, Aug. 25 Open House and Ice Cream Social 1-3 p.m. Parent informational meeting from 1-1:30 p.m. and classroom visitations from 1:30-3 p.m. 410-677-5900
Middle:
Bennett Middle School: Thursday, Aug. 25 PTA Back-to-School Night/Open House Aug. 25 from 5-7 p.m. 410-677-5140
Salisbury Middle: Open House for all students and families Thursday, Aug. 25, from 5-7 p.m. 410-677-5149
Wicomico Middle School: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House 4-6 p.m. Families can get their student's schedule when they submit the student data forms sent in the invitation. 410-677-5145.
Pittsville Elementary and Middle: Transition Open House/Back to School Night for grades 3 and 6 from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. Back to School Night from 6-8 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 8, for grades 4, 5, 7 and 8.
Mardela Middle and High: Back-to-School BBQ Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Any questions – please call the school @ 410-677-5142.
High School:
James M. Bennett High School: PTSA Back to School Night Wednesday, Aug. 24, 5-8 p.m. At this time forms should be turned in to guidance, parents can pick up Family Portal information, and students may get their schedules if all of their paperwork is turned in.
Mardela Middle and High: Back-to-School BBQ Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Any questions – please call the school @ 410-677-5142.
Parkside High: Thursday, Aug. 25, Back to School Night 4:30-7:30 p.m. (4:30-5:30 p.m., pick up class schedules, 5:30-6 p.m. business meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. teacher visitation). 410-677-5143
Wicomico High: The Freshman Academy will hold a 9th Grade Summer Cookout and orientation on Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4-6 p.m. Back-to-School Night will be held Sept. 26 from 5-7 p.m.
Choices: Friday, Aug. 26, 1-3 p.m. 410-677-5220
Back To School Information: High Schools
James M. Bennett High School
Salisbury
Principal: Steven E. Grudis
sgrudis@wcboe.org
410-677-5141http://www.wcboe.org/schools/jmb/
James M. Bennett High School would like to welcome a new member to the administrative team for the 2011-2012 school year. John Kotz assumes the position of Dean of Students; he comes to us from Wicomico High School where he served as a technology teacher. He joins Steve Grudis, Principal, Kim Pinhey, Assistant Principal, James Cook, Assistant Principal, and Joe Raffa, Dean of Students. We are proud of the JMB history of excellence and the variety of programs that we provide for our students. They have been recognized consistently at the regional, state and national level for programs such as It’s Academic, Mock Trial, Future Business Leaders of America and Math Team. We are proud of our baseball team and coaches for being the current 3A State Champion. Our school wide objective this year will be to continue to show improvements in three areas: attendance, academics and athletics/fine arts. We also wish to remind students and parents that school begins at 7:45 a.m., and at 2:45 p.m. the school day will end.
Key date: Wednesday, Aug. 24 PTSA Back to School Night 5-8 p.m. At this time forms should be turned in to guidance, parents can pick up Family Portal information and students may get their schedules if all of their paperwork is turned in.
Mardela Middle and High School
24940 Delmar Road
Mardela Springs, MD 21837
Grades 6-12
Principal: Frederick L. Briggs
rbriggs@wcboe.org
410-677-5142www.wcboe.org/schools/mmhs
Mardela will continue to utilize its strong community support in conjunction with its outstanding staff to create a culture of learning for each and every student at MMHS. Mardela’s leadership team consists of new Principal Frederick L. Briggs, Assistant Principals Shawn Gardner and Frank Grate, with Sharon Cooper serving as the Dean of Students. This year the staff will be focusing on making cross-curricular connections for students as research shows that students remember information longer when they use what they have learned in a variety of contexts and use of skills across disciplines helps build student confidence. Mardela is very proud of its continued student success on the state MSA and HSA assessments and will look to build on these successes this coming year while introducing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into the middle school grade levels. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key dates: Aug. 25, Back-to-School BBQ 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Sept. 12, school pictures. Homecoming will be returning to the fall sports season with Homecoming activities the week of October 17-21.
Parkside High School
Salisbury
Grade 9-12
Principal: Micah Stauffer
mstauffe@wcboe.org
410-677-5143www.wcboe.org/school/phs
Parkside CTE
410-677-5144http://cte.wcboe.org/
This is Parkside’s 36th year of excellent service to Wicomico County. Principal Micah Stauffer, Assistant Principal Christel Savage, Assistant Principal Ron Greene, Assistant Principal Dave Churchman, and Dean of Students Jeffrey Dumpson form our outstanding team of administrators. Our school spirit shined through last year during Homecoming, Winter Formal, Prom, athletic events, and performances. Our students have worked hard both in and out of the classroom to achieve success. The Parkside Robotics Team competed at the state level and SkillsUSA had two students make it all the way to the national competition in Kansas City. In addition, our band, chorus, and athletic teams received many awards for their accomplishments this past year. Career and Technology Education (CTE) begins its 15th year at Parkside High School and 46th year of providing a high-quality technical education to high school students from throughout Wicomico County. Each year, CTE serves more than 900 students from the four county high schools in 20 technical programs. Throughout the summer, Parkside teachers have been attending professional development and preparing to take our students to new heights. Our primary focus is to continue to provide all students with quality instruction while fostering a positive learning environment within our school community. Parkside looks forward to welcoming our students back to a year filled with success and high student achievement. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key Dates: Aug. 25, Back to School Night 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.; 4:30-5:30 p.m., pick up class schedules, 5:30-6 p.m. business meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. teacher visitation. Aug. 29, 9th grade transition day. Aug. 30, all students report.
Wicomico High School
Salisbury
Grades 9-12
JROTC, Visual and Performing Arts Program
Principal: Don R. Brady
dobrady@wcboe.org
410-677-5146www.wcboe.org/schools/wihi
Wicomico High School is thrilled welcome two new members to the administrative team for 2011-2012. Lavion Bratten will assume the responsibilities as Dean of Students after having taught Business Education at Wicomico High School from 2005-2011. Michele McGoogan will also be joining Wicomico High School as Dean of Students; she comes to us from Bennett Middle School where she served as Math Coach. They will join Don R. Brady, Principal, Lillian Blake and Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principals, as returning members of the leadership team at Wicomico High School. Parent involvement is a real focus. Parents are strongly encouraged to form partnerships with Wi-Hi as we work together for high student achievement. Parent input will be profoundly critical as we, as a staff, ask, "What should our response be when kids don't learn?" The entire staff at Wi-Hi is committed to responding to individual student needs. Our teachers have created a list of essential skills that will help students understand what they should know and be able to do after completing each term. We will monitor each student’s progress and respond with support as needed. The staff at Wicomico High School pledges to work together to clarify student learning goals, provide additional support and time when students struggle, and extend or enrich learning when students have already mastered the intended outcomes. Wi-Hi also continues to enjoy the wonderful partnership established with Oak Ridge Baptist Church and the various resources Oak Ridge provides to assist with high student achievement. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key dates: Aug. 25, The Freshman Academy will be holding a 9th Grade Summer Cookout and orientation from 4-6 p.m. Sept. 26, all Wicomico High School parents and students are invited to join us for Back-to-School Night/Open House 5-7 p.m.
Choices
Adventist Drive, Salisbury
Grades 6-12
Principal: Kelley Morris-Springston
kmorris@wcboe.org
410-677-5220
The Choices Chargers are keyed up for another wonderful school year. Our
dedicated team of teachers and staff are ready to energize youth for the future. Choices, under the leadership of Kelley Morris-Springston, principal, and David Allen Miles, Dean of Students, is proud to serve students in grades 6 through 12. We look forward to another year of partnering with our faith based partner The Tabernacle.
Key dates: Aug. 26 – Open House 1-3 p.m. Oct. 11, first PTA meeting of the year.
Wicomico Evening High School
Located in Wicomico High School Building E
Salisbury
Wicomico Evening High School Evening program for anyone 16 and older to complete the requirements to earn a Maryland High School Diploma
Coordinator: Dave Harner, dharner@wcboe.org
Lead Teacher: Anthony Giddens, tgiddens@wcboe.org
410-677-4537
Evening High School is designed to help students,16 or older, who are enrolled in other Wicomico County high schools and who need to take classes to “stay on track” for graduation. It also serves anyone ages 16-20 who wishes to return to school to complete the requirements to earn a Maryland High School Diploma. Registration periods are in September and January.
Key dates: Registration for the fall semester will be held in Building E of Wicomico High School from 4-7 p.m. Sept. 6, 7, 8, 12 and 13. To register, bring in birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of residency (any utility bill or rent/mortgage statement), and transcript (from last school attended). Students attending any Wicomico County high school during the day and wishing to take classes at the Evening High School must bring in a blue form completed by the high school guidance counselor. Sept. 14, fall semester classes begin.
Salisbury
Principal: Steven E. Grudis
sgrudis@wcboe.org
410-677-5141http://www.wcboe.org/schools/jmb/
James M. Bennett High School would like to welcome a new member to the administrative team for the 2011-2012 school year. John Kotz assumes the position of Dean of Students; he comes to us from Wicomico High School where he served as a technology teacher. He joins Steve Grudis, Principal, Kim Pinhey, Assistant Principal, James Cook, Assistant Principal, and Joe Raffa, Dean of Students. We are proud of the JMB history of excellence and the variety of programs that we provide for our students. They have been recognized consistently at the regional, state and national level for programs such as It’s Academic, Mock Trial, Future Business Leaders of America and Math Team. We are proud of our baseball team and coaches for being the current 3A State Champion. Our school wide objective this year will be to continue to show improvements in three areas: attendance, academics and athletics/fine arts. We also wish to remind students and parents that school begins at 7:45 a.m., and at 2:45 p.m. the school day will end.
Key date: Wednesday, Aug. 24 PTSA Back to School Night 5-8 p.m. At this time forms should be turned in to guidance, parents can pick up Family Portal information and students may get their schedules if all of their paperwork is turned in.
Mardela Middle and High School
24940 Delmar Road
Mardela Springs, MD 21837
Grades 6-12
Principal: Frederick L. Briggs
rbriggs@wcboe.org
410-677-5142www.wcboe.org/schools/mmhs
Mardela will continue to utilize its strong community support in conjunction with its outstanding staff to create a culture of learning for each and every student at MMHS. Mardela’s leadership team consists of new Principal Frederick L. Briggs, Assistant Principals Shawn Gardner and Frank Grate, with Sharon Cooper serving as the Dean of Students. This year the staff will be focusing on making cross-curricular connections for students as research shows that students remember information longer when they use what they have learned in a variety of contexts and use of skills across disciplines helps build student confidence. Mardela is very proud of its continued student success on the state MSA and HSA assessments and will look to build on these successes this coming year while introducing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into the middle school grade levels. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key dates: Aug. 25, Back-to-School BBQ 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Sept. 12, school pictures. Homecoming will be returning to the fall sports season with Homecoming activities the week of October 17-21.
Parkside High School
Salisbury
Grade 9-12
Principal: Micah Stauffer
mstauffe@wcboe.org
410-677-5143www.wcboe.org/school/phs
Parkside CTE
410-677-5144http://cte.wcboe.org/
This is Parkside’s 36th year of excellent service to Wicomico County. Principal Micah Stauffer, Assistant Principal Christel Savage, Assistant Principal Ron Greene, Assistant Principal Dave Churchman, and Dean of Students Jeffrey Dumpson form our outstanding team of administrators. Our school spirit shined through last year during Homecoming, Winter Formal, Prom, athletic events, and performances. Our students have worked hard both in and out of the classroom to achieve success. The Parkside Robotics Team competed at the state level and SkillsUSA had two students make it all the way to the national competition in Kansas City. In addition, our band, chorus, and athletic teams received many awards for their accomplishments this past year. Career and Technology Education (CTE) begins its 15th year at Parkside High School and 46th year of providing a high-quality technical education to high school students from throughout Wicomico County. Each year, CTE serves more than 900 students from the four county high schools in 20 technical programs. Throughout the summer, Parkside teachers have been attending professional development and preparing to take our students to new heights. Our primary focus is to continue to provide all students with quality instruction while fostering a positive learning environment within our school community. Parkside looks forward to welcoming our students back to a year filled with success and high student achievement. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key Dates: Aug. 25, Back to School Night 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.; 4:30-5:30 p.m., pick up class schedules, 5:30-6 p.m. business meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. teacher visitation. Aug. 29, 9th grade transition day. Aug. 30, all students report.
Wicomico High School
Salisbury
Grades 9-12
JROTC, Visual and Performing Arts Program
Principal: Don R. Brady
dobrady@wcboe.org
410-677-5146www.wcboe.org/schools/wihi
Wicomico High School is thrilled welcome two new members to the administrative team for 2011-2012. Lavion Bratten will assume the responsibilities as Dean of Students after having taught Business Education at Wicomico High School from 2005-2011. Michele McGoogan will also be joining Wicomico High School as Dean of Students; she comes to us from Bennett Middle School where she served as Math Coach. They will join Don R. Brady, Principal, Lillian Blake and Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principals, as returning members of the leadership team at Wicomico High School. Parent involvement is a real focus. Parents are strongly encouraged to form partnerships with Wi-Hi as we work together for high student achievement. Parent input will be profoundly critical as we, as a staff, ask, "What should our response be when kids don't learn?" The entire staff at Wi-Hi is committed to responding to individual student needs. Our teachers have created a list of essential skills that will help students understand what they should know and be able to do after completing each term. We will monitor each student’s progress and respond with support as needed. The staff at Wicomico High School pledges to work together to clarify student learning goals, provide additional support and time when students struggle, and extend or enrich learning when students have already mastered the intended outcomes. Wi-Hi also continues to enjoy the wonderful partnership established with Oak Ridge Baptist Church and the various resources Oak Ridge provides to assist with high student achievement. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key dates: Aug. 25, The Freshman Academy will be holding a 9th Grade Summer Cookout and orientation from 4-6 p.m. Sept. 26, all Wicomico High School parents and students are invited to join us for Back-to-School Night/Open House 5-7 p.m.
Choices
Adventist Drive, Salisbury
Grades 6-12
Principal: Kelley Morris-Springston
kmorris@wcboe.org
410-677-5220
The Choices Chargers are keyed up for another wonderful school year. Our
dedicated team of teachers and staff are ready to energize youth for the future. Choices, under the leadership of Kelley Morris-Springston, principal, and David Allen Miles, Dean of Students, is proud to serve students in grades 6 through 12. We look forward to another year of partnering with our faith based partner The Tabernacle.
Key dates: Aug. 26 – Open House 1-3 p.m. Oct. 11, first PTA meeting of the year.
Wicomico Evening High School
Located in Wicomico High School Building E
Salisbury
Wicomico Evening High School Evening program for anyone 16 and older to complete the requirements to earn a Maryland High School Diploma
Coordinator: Dave Harner, dharner@wcboe.org
Lead Teacher: Anthony Giddens, tgiddens@wcboe.org
410-677-4537
Evening High School is designed to help students,16 or older, who are enrolled in other Wicomico County high schools and who need to take classes to “stay on track” for graduation. It also serves anyone ages 16-20 who wishes to return to school to complete the requirements to earn a Maryland High School Diploma. Registration periods are in September and January.
Key dates: Registration for the fall semester will be held in Building E of Wicomico High School from 4-7 p.m. Sept. 6, 7, 8, 12 and 13. To register, bring in birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of residency (any utility bill or rent/mortgage statement), and transcript (from last school attended). Students attending any Wicomico County high school during the day and wishing to take classes at the Evening High School must bring in a blue form completed by the high school guidance counselor. Sept. 14, fall semester classes begin.
What’s New For The 2011-12 School Year
It’s nearly time for the start of the 2011-12 school year. Wicomico teachers reported for the new school year on Monday, Aug. 22, and will spend the next few days preparing their classrooms and lesson plans, receiving professional development, and welcoming students and families during open houses (complete schedule below).
The new school year will begin Monday, Aug. 29 for most Wicomico students. Students in grades 1-6 and 9 will attend that day, with students in prekindergarten and kindergarten reporting as scheduled by their assigned school. (Exceptions to the above: At Pittsville Elementary and Middle, all grades attend. At Mardela Middle and High, only grade 6 attends on Aug. 29.) Please note that many schools have new start and end times, listed below.
On Tuesday, Aug. 30, all students in grades 1-12 will attend, with students in prekindergarten and kindergarten reporting as scheduled by their assigned school.
This Friday, Aug. 26, all staff members of Wicomico County Public Schools will attend a staff kickoff assembly at the Wicomico High School Auditorium, with performances by the Mardela High School Marching Band and The Edge-ucators band, and motivational speakers including Board of Education President Ron Willey, Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen, assistant superintendents Dr. Cathy Townsend and Dr. Margo Handy, and Wicomico Teacher of the Year Chad Pavlekovich. Staff members have been assigned by department and school level to attend one of the assemblies (scheduled for 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.). Schools and departments will be closed while their staff members are at the assembly, so please call before visiting a school or office Friday morning.
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The new school year will begin Monday, Aug. 29 for most Wicomico students. Students in grades 1-6 and 9 will attend that day, with students in prekindergarten and kindergarten reporting as scheduled by their assigned school. (Exceptions to the above: At Pittsville Elementary and Middle, all grades attend. At Mardela Middle and High, only grade 6 attends on Aug. 29.) Please note that many schools have new start and end times, listed below.
On Tuesday, Aug. 30, all students in grades 1-12 will attend, with students in prekindergarten and kindergarten reporting as scheduled by their assigned school.
This Friday, Aug. 26, all staff members of Wicomico County Public Schools will attend a staff kickoff assembly at the Wicomico High School Auditorium, with performances by the Mardela High School Marching Band and The Edge-ucators band, and motivational speakers including Board of Education President Ron Willey, Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen, assistant superintendents Dr. Cathy Townsend and Dr. Margo Handy, and Wicomico Teacher of the Year Chad Pavlekovich. Staff members have been assigned by department and school level to attend one of the assemblies (scheduled for 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.). Schools and departments will be closed while their staff members are at the assembly, so please call before visiting a school or office Friday morning.
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MOODY'S ANALYST BREAKS SILENCE: Says Ratings Agency Rotten To Core With Conflicts
A former senior analyst at Moody's has gone public with his story of how one of the country's most important rating agencies is corrupted to the core.
The analyst, William J. Harrington, worked for Moody's for 11 years, from 1999 until his resignation last year.
From 2006 to 2010, Harrington was a Senior Vice President in the derivative products group, which was responsible for producing many of the disastrous ratings Moody's issued during the housing bubble.
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Council Vice President Campbell Named 2011 "Innovator of the Year"
Campbell, who is employed with Community Housing Capital, Inc., was among those chosen by a prestigious panel of judges. Key among the reasons for her selection are her achievements in the field of affordable housing financing.
Also selected as one of Maryland's Top 100 Women for 2007, Campbell was accepted into the "Achieving Excellence in Community Development" program at Harvard Kennedy School in 2010. This 18-month program of study focuses on the pursuit of innovative capital structures to attract sustainable sources of capital for financing affordable housing across the nation.
"This recognition for Councilwoman Campbell, who is a nationally recognized expert in the field of affordable housing, is also a positive reflection on the City of Salisbury, which is fortunate to have her as a resource," Cohen stated.
The Innovator of the Year website notes that "Innovators are people with vision. With the ability to see a need and fill it. With the courage to make change and the stamina to await the results." Campbell is invited to receive her award in October at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.
Perry Becomes Millionaire While In Office
Texas Governor Rick Perry, who has never been paid a government salary of more than $150,000, became a millionaire while in public office through well-timed sales in the Texas real estate market.
Biden Tells Chinese Not To Worry
Vice President Joe Biden told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao his government doesn’t need to worry about the safety of Treasuries as the world’s biggest overseas holder of U.S. debt.
1980 – THE YEAR WE WENT BERSERK
We ran this country for 191 years and accumulated $1 trillion in debt. Then in the next 31 years we accumulated an additional $13.3 trillion of debt. Do you think we might be in trouble? Do you think this is sustainable? Do you think it might have something to do with a fiat currency under the control of a private Wall Street banking cabal and their political co-conspirators in Washington DC?
DOES IT REALLY LOOK LIKE THIS IS GOING TO TURN OUT WELL?
DOES IT REALLY LOOK LIKE THIS IS GOING TO TURN OUT WELL?
$490G Stimulus Grant Creates ... 1.72 Jobs
A federal stimulus grant of nearly $500,000 to grow trees and stimulate the economy in Nevada yielded a whopping 1.72 jobs, according to government statistics.
In 2009, the U.S. Forest Service awarded $490,000 of stimulus money to Nevada's Clark County Urban Forestry Revitalization Project, aimed at revitalizing urban neighborhoods in the county with trees, plants, and green-industry training.
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Japanese Tsunami
We have all seen the newscast and the world-wide reporting on this tsunami ---- magnitude and amount of damage.
After the dust cloud from the Tsunami and the exploding electrical transformers , then the magnitude of this starts to hit you.
When you realize these unsuspecting people living on a mountain top felt that they were safe and out of harms way. Think about their elevation when you see the houses & factory's below - accelerate up the hill. I personally think they never ever considered it coming up that high.
You will hear them speaking in calm tones of amazement much like spectators at a fireworks display. However, I wish I could understand Japanese, because there is a noticeable change in their voices & tone as the speed and height and amount of debris kept coming like a freight train. Directly toward their mountain top observation point.
When you see the people below them running up the hill, then attempting to save the last few precious possessions, but to be overcome and consumed in the river of rubble.
A Prime Aim Of The Growing Surveillance State
Several weeks ago, a New York Times article by Noam Cohen examined the case of Aaron Swartz, the 24-year-old copyright reform advocate who was arrested in July, after allegedly downloading academic articles that had been placed behind a paywall, thus making them available for free online. Swartz is now being prosecuted by the DOJ with obscene over-zealousness. Despite not profiting (or trying to profit) in any way -- the motive was making academic discourse available to the world for free -- he's charged with "felony counts including wire fraud, computer fraud, unlawfully obtaining information from a protected computer and recklessly damaging a protected computer" and "could face up to 35 years in prison and $1 million in fines."
The NYT article explored similarities between Swartz and Bradley Manning, another young activist being severely punished for alleged acts of freeing information without any profit to himself; the article quoted me as follows:
The NYT article explored similarities between Swartz and Bradley Manning, another young activist being severely punished for alleged acts of freeing information without any profit to himself; the article quoted me as follows:
For Glenn Greenwald . . . it also makes sense that a young generation would view the Internet in political terms.More
"How information is able to be distributed over the Internet, it is the free speech battle of our times," he said in interview. "It can seem a technical, legalistic movement if you don't think about it that way."
He said that point was illustrated by his experience with WikiLeaks -- and by how the Internet became a battleground as the site was attacked by hackers and as large companies tried to isolate WikiLeaks. Looking at that experience and the Swartz case, he said, "clearly the government knows that this is the prime battle, the front line for political control."
Obama Promises To Back Transition In Libya
US believes Gadhafi may still be in Tripoli; rebel leader warns fractious forces to stay in line
Latest updates:
- Obama declares Gadhafi regime near an end
- U.S. believes Gadhafi may be dug in somewhere in capital
- Opposition claims to control 95 percent of Tripoli
- Rebel leader warns against lack of discipline, threatens to resign
- Three of ruler's sons reported in custody
The regime of Col. Moammar Gadhafi is over in Libya, President Barack Obama said Monday.
In a taped statement Monday afternoon from Martha's Vineyard, Mass., where he has been monitoring developments while on vacation, Obama acknowledged that fighting continued amid a "fluid and uncertain" atmosphere in Tripoli and other major parts of Libya.
But "the situation in Libya has reached a tipping point," he said, and the U.S. stands ready to help opposition leaders rebuild the country.
Head Lie: CNN Says Insiders On Stock Buying Spree
At the Ames Iowa straw poll a member of Minnesota Change asked Dr. Ron Paul his thoughts on HR 645 the National Emergency Centers Establishment Act.
The answer provided is shocking to say the least, especially coming from an active member of Congress and one who has time and again proven himself to be a trustworthy and knowledgeable resource:
I know that’s their goal. They’re setting up the stage for violence in this country.
No doubt about it.
~ Ron Paul, August 2011
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The answer provided is shocking to say the least, especially coming from an active member of Congress and one who has time and again proven himself to be a trustworthy and knowledgeable resource:
I know that’s their goal. They’re setting up the stage for violence in this country.
No doubt about it.
~ Ron Paul, August 2011
More
BREAKING NEWS: Prosecutors Drop Case Against Strauss-Kahn
New York City prosecutors ask judge to drop sexual assault charges against ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Source Fox News
Social Security And What You Should Know!
There are Ponzi schemes and then there's Social Security. For the last ten weeks every politician from Obama to Sanders has been harping about the out-of-control social costs of Social Security and Medicare and our immediate need to raise taxes and reduce benefits. These political ideologues are liars because the entire Social Security system is nothing but lies.
According to the Social Security Administration, the average recipient collects $500,000 in retirement benefits but pays in only $278,000. Wrong! What they conveniently don't mention is that if the average beneficiary pays in $278,000 and the employer matches that with an equal amount, SS collects $556,000 per recipient.
Well, actually not, because in addition, the Social Security Administration does not pay one cent of interest on monies that they hold for an average of 35 years per recipient. The compounded interest on $556,000, based on a moderate average of 4% annually beginning with zero and climbing to the total amount paid in at time of retirement, results in about $540,000 of interest. Thus the paid-in amount per citizen is actually $1,096,000. That amounts to $540,000 more than SS pays out. In fact, if the proverbial "Lock Box" into which SS payments are supposed to go actually existed, then the entire present outlay of all SS payments could be made out of the interest collected on funds in that "Lock Box" – the interest alone!
Some years ago I had a good friend who worked as an actuary for NY Life. I asked him to figure out how much NY Life would pay me upon retirement at age 65 if I had paid all SS fees to them along with those I paid as an employer (self-employed). He calculated I would receive $3,400 per month, or $40,800 per year, and if I died before age 85 my wife would get over $80,000. In contrast, my Social Security payout is $1,200, or $14,400 per year, and my wife will get $34,000 when I die.
What the politicians refuse to tell you is that they looted the entire trust fund for among other things paying themselves $178,000 a year in salary, and that their own total individual benefit and payroll packages cost the taxpayers an average of $3.5 million per legislator per year. Of course, there are anomalies like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, whose packages are vastly greater.
Fire them all. We need a new slate!
Source
According to the Social Security Administration, the average recipient collects $500,000 in retirement benefits but pays in only $278,000. Wrong! What they conveniently don't mention is that if the average beneficiary pays in $278,000 and the employer matches that with an equal amount, SS collects $556,000 per recipient.
Well, actually not, because in addition, the Social Security Administration does not pay one cent of interest on monies that they hold for an average of 35 years per recipient. The compounded interest on $556,000, based on a moderate average of 4% annually beginning with zero and climbing to the total amount paid in at time of retirement, results in about $540,000 of interest. Thus the paid-in amount per citizen is actually $1,096,000. That amounts to $540,000 more than SS pays out. In fact, if the proverbial "Lock Box" into which SS payments are supposed to go actually existed, then the entire present outlay of all SS payments could be made out of the interest collected on funds in that "Lock Box" – the interest alone!
Some years ago I had a good friend who worked as an actuary for NY Life. I asked him to figure out how much NY Life would pay me upon retirement at age 65 if I had paid all SS fees to them along with those I paid as an employer (self-employed). He calculated I would receive $3,400 per month, or $40,800 per year, and if I died before age 85 my wife would get over $80,000. In contrast, my Social Security payout is $1,200, or $14,400 per year, and my wife will get $34,000 when I die.
What the politicians refuse to tell you is that they looted the entire trust fund for among other things paying themselves $178,000 a year in salary, and that their own total individual benefit and payroll packages cost the taxpayers an average of $3.5 million per legislator per year. Of course, there are anomalies like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, whose packages are vastly greater.
Fire them all. We need a new slate!
Source
Trouble In Paradise – Strength Of Swiss Franc Roils Saint-Tropez And Other Cities Across Europe
The bottom line is many homebuyers in Eastern Europe as well as government entities across Europe borrowed money at low interest rates tied to the Swiss franc but with the principal payback owed in Swiss francs. The weakening euro and fear of sovereign debt defaults have made the Swiss franc today the safe-haven currency of choice for the world and as you know it has substantially appreciated against the weakening euro and dollar. Now the borrowers can't afford to pay back the debts in Swiss francs because of the falling values of their home currencies verses the Swiss franc. ... "Like Saint-Tropez, many municipalities across Europe are saddled with loans carrying variable interest rates pegged to fluctuations in the Swiss franc, other foreign currencies or various commodity prices .... Jittery investors have been turning en masse to the Swiss franc and other assets deemed as safe havens amid growing concerns over sputtering economic growth in the U.S. and Europe." – WSJ
Nations Race To Defuse Crisis Between Egypt And Israel
Were the Arab attackers in Sinai against IDF Forces from Gaza or Egypt proper and does it matter? In Israel's defense, reports indicated the attackers were dressed in Egyptian Army uniforms probably led to the warplane mistake but we fear this could become a real crisis in the area because a limited military conflict benefits all sides. ... "Diplomats scrambled to avert a crisis in relations between Egypt and Israel on Saturday, and the Israeli government issued a rare statement of regret for the killing of three Egyptian security officers by an Israeli warplane." While Washington and London might want to temporarily delay military actions we doubt Israel or Egypt really want to avert a crisis. – NY Times
Zero Hour For Gaddafi
Time to end the civil war in Libya, as NATO and US forces must moved east toward Syria in order to take out the Iranian ally of Syria on the northern front of Israel. "The fighting inside Tripoli, combined with rebel advances to the outskirts of the city, appeared to signal the decisive phase in a six month conflict that has become the bloodiest of the "Arab Spring" uprisings and embroiled NATO powers." – Reuters
al-Qaeda Didn't Act Alone
One of the first discussions by the establishment press on the possibility that the 9/11 commission and official version of the attack might be incorrect. ... "According to the Havlish memorandum, Iran facilitated bin Laden's move three years later to Afghanistan. An Iranian intelligence officer met bin Laden there at about the time he first discussed airborne suicide attacks on American cities. During the ensuing period, when bin Laden was using a satellite phone, 10 per cent of his outgoing calls were to Iran.".... "This court document draws on affidavits by former 9/11 Commission staff members, a French investigative magistrate, former CIA officers, and an Israeli intelligence analyst." ... "Saudi Arabia's oilfields are a vital resource, and their protection was a vital priority on 9/11. For that same reason, it was seen as necessary to preserve America's "friendship" with the Saudi regime – even when some of its members were suspected of complicity in the most dastardly terrorist onslaught in history." – UK Telegraph
Ocean City
A truck just got plucked out of the bay at the Ocean City Fishing Center a few hours ago. The truck is owned by a mate of a boat that is docked there. The owner of the boat went to leave in his mate's truck ... The brakes failed, and the truck slowly coasted into the bay. (sorry, pics not in order....)
D.C. Councilmember Spent $135K On Sports Tickets
WASHINGTON - Records show a D.C. councilmember has paid $135,000 for professional sports tickets over the past decade from a fund that councilmembers typically use to help needy constituents.
The Washington Post ( http://wapo.st/nypKqw) reports that 31 percent of the money spent from Councilmember Jack Evans' constituent service fund since 2002 has gone to sports tickets.
Need for Economic Crimes’ Nuremberg-Type Trials
I prefer the Spanish word “perogrullada” to its English equivalent: truism or platitude. During my youth we had something closer in meaning to perogrullada when we would confront someone expressing the obvious, saying “no kidding, Dick Tracy!” [Dick Tracy was then a very popular comic strip detective and crime solver.]
Well, the great minds here in America are now telling us that a double-dip recession is beginning to look more as a probability than a possibility. And I say… no kidding, Dick Tracy! We actually never came out of the recession, never mind some intermittent data that only served to confuse and mask the true state of most world economies, particularly those in much of the Western World. How can any student of economics knowing, or even guessing, that there were trillions of dollars of overvalued assets and phony paper still in the books of many major world banks, disregard it as a non-event? Depending on how many trillion are inflating the books, recession will stay with us, particularly in much of Europe and the United States, for as long as a decade.
Although some of the latter day economic crimes are global in nature and deserve to be tried by an international tribunal, many nations are not quite yet prepared to grant authority on complex economic matters to an international body, such as the International Court at The Hague. The United States, a nation where much of the techno-financial crimes originated, would never consent to such scrutiny, and the likely indictment of many of its most prominent leaders in banking, finance and politics. No one would expect such masochism to take place for crime which took place, and was allowed at the apex of American economic and political power.
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Well, the great minds here in America are now telling us that a double-dip recession is beginning to look more as a probability than a possibility. And I say… no kidding, Dick Tracy! We actually never came out of the recession, never mind some intermittent data that only served to confuse and mask the true state of most world economies, particularly those in much of the Western World. How can any student of economics knowing, or even guessing, that there were trillions of dollars of overvalued assets and phony paper still in the books of many major world banks, disregard it as a non-event? Depending on how many trillion are inflating the books, recession will stay with us, particularly in much of Europe and the United States, for as long as a decade.
Although some of the latter day economic crimes are global in nature and deserve to be tried by an international tribunal, many nations are not quite yet prepared to grant authority on complex economic matters to an international body, such as the International Court at The Hague. The United States, a nation where much of the techno-financial crimes originated, would never consent to such scrutiny, and the likely indictment of many of its most prominent leaders in banking, finance and politics. No one would expect such masochism to take place for crime which took place, and was allowed at the apex of American economic and political power.
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Gov. O'Malley: Md. Needs To Be Open To New Taxes
OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) - Gov. Martin O'Malley said Maryland must be open to new taxes to address the state's budget problems next year, and he cautioned Saturday that the state must be prepared for serious ripple effects from potentially deep budget cuts by the federal government.
O'Malley, who gave his annual speech to the summer conference of the Maryland Association of Counties in Ocean City, cited three primary shortfalls. The first is a state budget deficit of about $1 billion. He also said action is needed to maintain sewage treatment upgrades in the state. The governor also highlighted shortfalls in funding for transportation infrastructure.
"We will have to make more cuts and at the same time, to protect our children's future, we must be open to new revenues," the Democrat said, adding that "we're all in this together."
Visualizing What $1.2 Trillion In Secret Fed Bailouts To The Banking Kleptocracy Looks Like
While Bloomberg has done a tremendous job of digging through 29,346 pages of FOIA data, its discovery is not at all surprising [5]: that Wall Street's (not to mention the rest of the world's) biggest banks received a total of $1.2 trillion in previously secret Fed loans, in addition to the trillions in public backstops and loans from the US Treasury. As a reminder, "denominated in $1 bills, the $1.2 trillion would fill 539 Olympic-size swimming pools." The best summary of this ongoing collusion between the Fed and Wall Street, in which it once again for the nth time becomes clear that all the Fed cars about is making sure its banking masters are never impaired, is from the article itself: "Even as the firms asserted in news releases or earnings calls that they had ample cash, they drew Fed funding in secret, avoiding the stigma of weakness." And there you have it: everything that come out of Wall Street is and has always been a lie: either courtesy of 30 years of great interest rate moderation, in which only cheap money adds to banks' top and bottom lines, or due to the Fed making sure the same banks never suffer a dollar loss when central planning fails, such as it does increasingly often lately (and forget about 10(b)-5 violation charges coming from the corrupt regulators: after all they are all in bed together). That Morgan Stanley, Dexia and Citi are, and have been since 2008, dead men walking, is by now known to all financially literate readers: additional confirmation can be found in the Bloomberg article [5], which we won't paraphrase because it has all been said over and over. That said, Bloomberg has done a great visual interactive chart summary of who got what, when, how much, over peak and average metrics and so forth. We urge readers to play around with it (don't worry, it won't break the banks; and if it does the Fed will secretly bail them out again) and every time they consider putting money into our "solvent" financial system.
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Scout Leader Fatally Stabbed On Ind. Hiking Trip
(AP)
BUNKER HILL, Ind. - A 76-year-old man has been stabbed to death while leading Boy Scouts on a hiking trip in northern Indiana, and a suspect who battered his mother and killed a dog near the trail is under arrest, police said.
The assistant scout leader, Arthur L. Anderson, had stopped to identify a tree on the Nickel Plate Trail in Bunker Hill Sunday afternoon when an attacker approached him from behind and stabbed him in the neck, Indiana State Police said in a statement. Witnesses told police the attack was unprovoked.
BWI Has The Least Amount Of Drag Time
Standing in that airport security line is a drag. But Baltimore-Washington International Airport has the least amount of drag time of any airport in the nation, according to The Washington Business Journal. BWI-Marshall's average security wait line time about five minutes, which ties with Boston's Logan, Charlotte/Douglas, Philadelphia, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Detroit Metropolitan airports. The longest wait time is 31 minutes at Dulles International Airport
Hearings Will Allow Closer Look Into Death Penalty Cases
Attorneys for inmate accused of killing corrections officer want to see prosecutors' case
Attorneys for an inmate accused of killing a corrections officer five years ago want prosecutors to reveal their evidence to determine whether it satisfies the state's death penalty statute.
The hearing, requested by lawyers for Lee Edward Stephens, is now allowed under a rule enacted by the state's highest court in June. In addition to giving opposing attorneys a peek into the other side's case, the hearings would allow judges to weed out death penalty prosecutions that don't satisfy the new law, one expert said.
Stephens' attorneys are hoping that as a result of the hearing, a judge will take the death penalty off the table for their client.
SpyEye Is The New Cyber Tool
Hackers have a new, nifty little tool in their arsenal. Called "SpyEye," USA Today reports that in the first six months of this year, the tool was used by dozens of online gangs, commanding more than two million infected computers nationwide. SpyEye normally sells for up to $10,000. But, as of last week, the latest, most powerful version of SpyEye could be acquired for just $95. The toolkit can issue commands to networks of thousands of bots to deliver spam scams, conduct hack attacks and booby-trap legitimate websites with infections that create more bots.
Ferrari Auctioned For Record $16.4 Million
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- A 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa racecar sold at a California auction Saturday for $16.4 million, the highest amount ever paid for any car at auction.
The price includes a 10% fee for the auction company, Goodings & Co. The name of the buyer was not immediately available. The name of the seller, described in Goodings auction catalog as "a preeminent collector with a passion for Italian automobiles," is also undisclosed.
O'Malley On Tolls: Bay Bridge More Costly To Paint Than Build
"It would cost more to paint the Bay Bridge than it did to build it," O'Malley said, referencing an upcoming rise in tolls.
Toll increases "need to keep pace" with increased costs, particularly for transportation projects like widening Interstate 95 and building the InterCounty Connector, he said, adding the state will try to "index" a toll increase.
The governor continued a discussion he had with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell on CNN on Sunday, on their diverging approaches to job growth. Maryland ranks 8th among states for new job growth, which is higher than Virginia, he said, though that state has a lower unemployment rate at 6.1 percent compared to to Maryland's 7.2 percent.
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