DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Attention
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Salisbury News Experiences Its Own Earthquake Today
Salisbury News was the first source to post information that we were experiencing an earthquake. It didn't take long for Google, (and others) to pick up on our breaking news and hits came in from all over.
Thanks for visiting.
Troopers Investigate Police Impersonation Incident
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY AND LT. GOVERNOR BROWN TO ANNOUNCE SECOND YEAR OF IMPROVEMENT IN MARYLAND’S INFANT MORTALITY RATE
Police Find Colorado Girl Who Allegedly Staged Her Abduction
I Warned You About The National Infrastructure Bank
Now a long-time D.C. insider has tipped me off as to how the banksters plan to squeeze the next phase of the budget deal for their own benefit. This insider writes to me:More
What hat trick do the “banksters” try next? IMHO, they love to hide their best and biggest tricks in plain sight.Bottom line, the banksters have a key man in place to guide the next budget deal and turn it into a bankster feast. Expect the result to be the National Infrastructure Bank, which will act something like a domestic version of the IMF/World Bank. It will be initially financed via bankster money raising deals (where they will earn huge fees). The actual building of the infrastructure will be done by Obama's union cronies. To make it all work, you, as an average Joe Citizen will play a key role, designed by the National Iinfrastructure Bank, by paying tolls and fees for the use of these government granted monopoly projects.
It’s the “national infrastructure bank.” Leading Democrats on the Hill are teeing up a national infrastructure bank to be incorporated into the next budget deal. As an example, Chuck Schumer is proposing using the proceeds from a new, one-year repatriation tax to fund the start up costs of such a national infrastructure bank
Obama Approval Rating Drops To New All Time Low
More
The Bankster Plan To Scam Obama's Infrastructure Bank
President Obama is ginning up an autumn marketing push to persuade Congress to approve new infrastructure spending. But this latest effort at Keynesian stimulus may be even less successful than its 2009 predecessor. That's because the same factors preventing earlier projects from being "shovel-ready" remain, while new funding terms will make big digs less attractive to state and local governments.More
Former Goldman Managing Director: There's A Real Possibility Blankfein Will Do Time
You could look at Blankfein hiring external counsel as a normal prudent, legal move. But that’s naive, given the attorney he selected. Hiring a major criminal-defense lawyer is about more than the fear of a $550 million SEC wrist slap for bad documentation in the Abacus CDO. It’s about the real possibility of doing time.Prins speculation may be a bit ahead of the facts that are public, but Blankfein looks more and more like he may become the poster boy of bankster evil. The hoosegow for Blankfein can not be ruled out. That said, bankster operations will continue unimpeded.
Blankfein would be nothing but a sacrificial lamb.
Source
STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON TODAY’S EARTHQUAKE
Making Believers While Wasting No Time
Mom Convicted Of Child Abuse In Hot Sauce Case
Prosecutors say she made tape in a calculated move to get on 'Dr. Phil' TV show
New Jersey Doctor Accused of Poking Girl With Screwdriver
NEWARK, N.J.-- New Jersey regulators have suspended the license of a northern New Jersey physician accused of poking a 13-year-old child more than 100 times with a screwdriver, causing bruises and small cuts.
The state Board of Medical Examiners announced the action Monday against Dr. Sylvia Lee of Emerson, an allergist who practiced in Old Bridge.
Marriage's 'Dark Side': Spouses Catch Each Other's Bad Behavior
Couples in long-term committed relationships can wreck each other's health
As any single person with married friends can testify, their constant patter about how great marriage is for just about everything (Your heart! Your mood! Your life expectancy !) can be a little annoying. Research supports those pitying glances they shoot in your direction when you defend your singleness; long-term committed relationships like marriage really are good for your health. But, still.
That's all the more reason to embrace University of Cincinnati sociologist Corinne Reczek, who believes that research “has failed to look at the dark side” of coupledom.
5.9 Earthquake Hits Northern Virginia, Felt As Far Away As Massachusetts
An earthquake rocked Downtown Salisbury just moments ago. Buildings were evacuated and many people I spoke with said their light fixtures were shaking from side to side, blinds were rocking back and forth and my cell phone went off the hook from visitors as far as Washington, DC, Virginia and Caroline County.
We have provided a scale to show where the biggest impact was. Share YOUR experience with Salisbury News.
The largest earthquake we have ever had in the past, (since they started keeping records) was 2.8.
UPDATE #2: Here's what's most interesting about this earthquake that you're not hearing about elsewhere. Get this.....
Most earthquakes recently have been anywhere from 1 mile to 44 miles below the surface. This earthquake today was only 500 FEET below the surface! There are parts of the Chesapeake Bay deeper than that!!!! The quake was felt from Canada to North Carolina.
Our information comes from the USGS android application.
Boy Does Lloyd Blankfein Wish He Had Attended Obama's Sitdown In D.C., Instead Of Calling A Fog Audible
Now, this report from Reuters:
Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein has hired high-profile Washington defense attorney Reid Weingarten, according to a government source, as the Justice Department continues to investigate the bank.Yikes, you don't hire Weingarten to get you out of a speeding ticket. Blankfein is sweating.
Source
Woman Charged With Attempted Murder Of Baby Boy
OCEAN CITY POLICE ARREST TWO MEN FOR BURGLARY
On August 11, 2011, at approximately 4 a.m., an Ocean City Police bike patrol officer observed two males in the area of 8th Street and Wilmington Lane acting suspiciously. The officer continued to watch the males and followed them to a residence located in the area of 9th Street and Philadelphia Avenue where the officer observed the males enter and quickly exit a residence. The officer, believing the activity to be very suspicious, stopped the two near the residence. The officer discovered the males to be in possession of several video game discs, which they had not previously been in possession of.
OCPD officers suspected that the two males identified as Dashawn Andre Blake, Jr. 20, of Snow Hill, MD and Rodney Russell Fisher, Jr. 22 of Princess Anne, MD, may have stolen the video games from the residence. During the on-scene investigation the OCPD was contacted by the residents of 902 and 904 Philadelphia Avenue, in reference to burglary complaints. Officers determined that these addresses were in the area Blake and Fisher were observed by police going into and quickly leaving from.
The victims reported numerous items of property stolen from their residences including; two lap top computers, 50 video games, Sony PS3 video gaming system, Samsung flat screen television and an IPAD computer. Based on all the evidence and information obtained during the investigation police arrested Blake and Fisher for 1st Degree Burglary.
Blake and Fisher have been charged with the following:
3 counts - 1st Degree Burglary (felony)
3 counts – Theft over $1,000 under $10,000 (felony)
4 counts – Theft under $1,000 (misdemeanor)
Blake and Fisher were seen by an Ocean City District Court Commissioner and were each held on $50,000 bond. Blake and Fisher were transferred to the Worcester County Jail.
Police are continuing to investigate this crime and are attempting to recover several items of stolen property.
Currently the only items recovered by police were the video game discs. Police are asking anyone with information about these burglaries or the stolen property to contact the Ocean City Police Criminal Investigation Division at: 410-723-6604; you do not have to leave your name.
Dallas Man Charged With Drowning 2 Young Sons
Feds Nix Proposal To Ban Food Stamps For Sodas
(CBS/AP) Are food stamps contributing to America's obesity epidemic? Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City seems to think so - so he proposed a plan to stop people from using the stamps to purchase sugary soft drinks, teas, and sport drinks.
But the Big Apple's top health cop got busted.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture rejected the proposal, saying it would be too big and complicated to implement. In addition, the department had concerns over its "potential viability and effectiveness."
Has The Tea Party’s Power Peaked?
More
Public To Get First Glimpse Of King Memorial
The memorial sits on the National Mall near the Tidal Basin, between memorials honoring Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. It includes a 30-foot-tall sculpture of King and a 450-foot-long granite wall inscribed with 14 quotations from the civil rights leader.
White House Set To Ax Hundreds Of Regs
(VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass.) — The White House is revealing plans to save businesses $10 billion by scrapping hundreds of government regulations found to be outdated, unfair or unnecessary.
Administration officials say the savings will be realized over a five-year period. The plan was described Tuesday by Cass Sunstein, administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, in a column in the Wall Street Journal in advance of a formal announcement as President Barack Obama vacations at Martha's Vineyard, Mass.
Two Nuclear Reactors Taken Offline Near Quake Site In Virginia
More
A Nice Getaway
This go around we took 4 days to visit Family in Virginia Beach and two long days at Bush Gardens.
I have to be truthful. I haven't been to Bush Gardens for more than 30 years, so I knew it would be a good time. Talk about a complete turn around, (ride wise). There wasn't a single ride I/we didn't enjoy. Rides have become far more comfortable and the thrill of the new rides far exceeds amusement rides of the past.
The image above was taken on the Bay Bridge Tunnel. No other vacation pictures will be posted, I'm sure you know why.
The Relevancy Of Ron Paul vs. The Coming Irrelevancy Of The Status-Quo
More
QUOTE OF THE DAY 8-23-11
Friedrich Nietzsche
Bernanke May Have To Go For 'Shock And Awe'
Wall Street Aristocracy Got $1.2 Trillion From The FED
Salisbury Maryland Earthquake?
The Political Flow Chart
Founder Of Beads Of Courage Organization To Visit Salisbury August 27
She discovered a solution while working at one of Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang summer camps.
The camp, which hosts children and families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses, gave Baruch unique insight into how kids play. She noticed that campers of all ages love beading. They spend hours making necklaces and bracelets, then trade or share them with friends and family. "The kids wear the beads for days at a time, even in the shower," she notes. "It seems to make them feel good."
Hoping that beads could cheer up young cancer patients in hospitals the same way they do at camp, Baruch founded Beads of Courage in 2004.
Children who participate in the program receive colored beads that represent milestones, procedures, and acts of bravery. For instance, they get a yellow bead for an overnight hospital stay, a white one for chemotherapy, and a glow-in-the-dark bead for radiation treatment. It's not uncommon for children to amass 10, 20 -- even 35 -- feet of beads. It helps young patients track and celebrate their progress, but it also gives them a way to get through upcoming procedures.
Today the nonprofit organization supports more than 15,000 children in more than 90 hospitals in the United States, Japan, and New Zealand and is funded exclusively by private donations. With the help of participating hospitals, Beads of Courage is also constantly evolving. Baruch and her team have expanded the program to include many conditions and diseases. They also focus on other ways the arts can help families dealing with a serious illness. There is only one participating hospital in MD (Johns Hopkins) and one in Delaware (AI duPont Hospital for Children).
Baruch will be a keynote speaker on Salisbury August 27 at The Holiday Inn for the Salisbury Beads of Courage event (6:30 pm, Aug 27) to support this program and the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology Department. For event information call Steven Rumney (Hill Street Productions) at 410-251-2804.
Denny’s Helps Dominick
The Illusion Of Safety
The fundamental lesson every American should learn from these incidents is that government cannot protect us. No matter how many laws we pass, no matter how many police or federal agents we put on the streets, a determined individual or group can still cause great harm. Both Norway and England have strict gun control laws, and London in particular has security cameras monitoring nearly all public areas. But laws and spy cameras are useless in the face of lawless mobs or sick mass killers. Only private individuals on the scene could have prevented or lessened these tragedies. And we should remember that theft, arson, and property damage were not the only criminal acts in London – innocent bystanders were assaulted and killed as well. In those instances deadly force used in self-defense would have been fully justified.
Perhaps the only good that can come from these terrible events is a reinforced understanding that we as individuals are responsible for our safety and the safety of our families. This means, frankly, that we must safely own and use firearms to deter or prevent criminal assaults on our homes and persons. It is absurd to think police or government agents can protect 310 million Americans around the clock.
More
Enjoy S’mores, Fishing And Night Hikes At Pemberton Park This September
Visualizing How Bank Of America's Reserve Accounting Errors Are One Giant "Subprime CDO "
Here is what we said a month ago:
More“As an example, even if just the last assumption were changed from Countrywide and Bank of America having to repurchase all, rather than just 40%, of loans that were both in default and breached Countrywide's representations and warranties, then Mr. Lin's estimate of a reasonable settlement would rise from a range of $8.8 to $11 billion to a range of $22 to $27.5 billion. Modifying any of his other three assumptions would cause that range to rise much more."”
Number Of Delinquent Mortgages Sneaks Back Up
More »
Anti-Tax Governors Are OK With Commuter Toll Hikes
Further fare increases will be phased in over time, eventually costing EZ Pass users an extra $4.50 for each trip, a 56-percent increase over five years.
Those who pay in cash, meanwhile, will face an immediate 50-percent hike under the plan, as The New York Times reports. For commuters entering Manhattan via the Holland or Lincoln tunnels, that amounts to $12 for each trip instead of the current $8.
The governors' proposal, which is likely to be ratified today (August 19) by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is less costly for commuters than the one the transit agency originally proposed. But it nevertheless represents significant toll hikes for drivers and rail passengers, and it underscores the nuanced positions that the two states' chief executives, Republican Chris Christie of New Jersey and Democrat Andrew Cuomo of New York, have taken when it comes to revenues.
More
Schools Impose New Immigration Checks
In Alabama, meanwhile, a new immigration law requiring public schools to document the immigration status of their students hasn’t led to reduced Hispanic enrollment, school officials tell the Associated Press. The law doesn’t bar illegal immigrants from attending schools, but requires school districts to keep track of how many illegal immigrants are enrolled so the state can estimate the cost of educating them. Schools code students differently, based on their immigration status, Education Week previously reported.
More
Radio Shack's Hassle-Free Replacement Plan Full Of Hassles, Doesn't Replace Item
More »
Wicomico County Watershed Implementation Plan Phase II -- Stakeholder Meeting
Police Stop Man Attempting To Ignite Fireworks From Jeep At National Mall
More
BREAKING NEWS: Judge Dismisses Charges Against DSK
From Fox News
How To Ease Post-Sunburn Discomfort
More »
Virginia GOP Knocks Maryland’s O’Malley
In a press release, the party quoted a blog item from the National Review Online that contrasted McDonnell’s recently announced $544 million budget surplus in Virginia with O’Malley’s acknowledgment Saturday that Maryland might have to raise taxes to help close a $1 billion budget shortfall.
More
A National Institutes of Health Employee Pled Guilty To Using Government Credit Cards For Personal Use
New Posts Will Fall Below This One For A Few Hours
The ongoing recession has impacted the four "lower shore" counties in Maryland to a much greater extent than the rest of the state, and even the counties in the western part of the State that are partly in the depressed Appalachia region. The counties in the central part of the State and in Southern Maryland have not been hit nearly as hard, thanks to the presence of highly paid federal and state employees and defense contractors. In fact, the so-called "metro" counties and those in Southern Maryland have somewhat less unemployment than the statewide average (7.1%), whereas those in Western Maryland and the lower shore average more than 10% with Worcester County having the highest (13.5%) during the first half of 2011.
Some business and economic "experts" such as SU’s Memo Diriker speculate that this is normal – that the lower shore lags behind the general economic trend – but perhaps they should reconsider why things may really be different and much worse this time because of certain longer term trends that are not clearly reflected in the data.
Including Allen Family Foods there now are only five poultry processors on the Delmarva Peninsula, whereas 35 years ago there were more than one dozen. And during that period look at the manufacturing firms that have abandoned Salisbury alone – Dresser-Wayne, Campbells, Comtec, Linens of the Week, to name a few. The effect of this exodus of employers may have been masked until recently by a boom in commercial, institutional and residential construction that has created a glut of unsold and vacant space of all kinds. Unless there is a major change in the broader economy, that condition (and very low growth and development) may continue for longer than just the foreseeable future, especially with the anti-development zoning and other regulations that are planned and being issued by the so-called environmental protectors – EPA, Maryland’s Departments of Planning, Environment, Natural Resources, etc. – and promoted by their acolytes, such as the Wicomico Environmental Trust, that will make future development very costly or impossible to do.
For some years now the poultry industry has been shifting away from Delmarva and expanding in states to the south and west (along with the population). Not only has the consumer market moved, but those who raise or process poultry elsewhere have lower costs of production – and guess who loses every time around in that scenario – as well as much friendlier state regulatory agencies. None of the lower shore counties is among the top twenty producers in the US – Somerset is now the biggest (at 25th) followed by Worcester (26th), Wicomico (36th) and Dorchester (63rd) according to data on DPI’s website. As recently as 1997, Wicomico – then the State’s leader in broilers – was in the top 10 counties in the country, and in 2002, three of the four lower shore counties were among the top 25 in the country. In short, the area is fading fast in its share of the national market and that trend appears irreversible. Were it not for the somewhat greater broiler production in Delaware, primarily Sussex County, there would probably be only a couple poultry processors on the Delmarva Peninsula.
Then there’s the reality that things – taxes, costs, etc. – are better in the states just a few miles away. Even "local" firms like Perdue are now locating/relocating offices in Delaware. In short, Maryland is significantly less attractive as a place to live or to have a business than the neighboring states – another trend that seems irreversible – so the short term picture as well as the longer one is not promising.
Because of special circumstances the central part of Maryland probably will continue to prosper in the long run largely because of its very well-paid governmental work force (state and federal) and quasi governmental employees (defense contractors, major hospitals, etc.) that are a source of greater wealth and growth. Indeed, that aspect of the economy can be seen on the lower shore. The unemployment rate in Wicomico County (8.6%), which has by far the largest governmental presence with both Salisbury University, regional state offices, and some federal offices, as well as the largest health care community, is significantly lower than in Dorchester (10.7%) Somerset (10.3% and Worcester (13.5%) – data from January-June, 2011. Unfortunately, however, the situation in the lower shore counties may be more pervasive and permanent than "experts" such as Dr. Diriker – himself a government employee – would have us believe, especially if government spending by the state is further curtailed. We may have entered uncharted waters – and better sound the foghorn.
How To Talk To Your Landlord
The relationship that you have with your landlord can directly impact your lifestyle, comfort, image, and financial standing. Establishing a positive and healthy relationship with your landlord can go a long way in helping you live in the best conditions possible, getting you the fastest responses to maintenance requests, as well as keeping your rental rates reasonable. Here are some quick tips to help to maintain and improve landlord-tenant relations:
During your Rental Search
1. Know your expectations before searching for a property. If your requirements aren’t offered at a particular property, then move on. Don’t expect a landlord to add an unreasonable amount of amenities or upgrades to an existing rental. Find another other unit to meet your needs.
2. Submit completely accurate rental applications regardless of your shortcomings. Do not overstate your income or lie about credit problems. Landlords are increasingly open to working with challenged credit, especially if you are able to provide a clear explanation as to why your credit has suffered and expressing your desire to improve the situation. It’s recommended to send a pre-written letter with this information along with the rental application as it shows that some planning and thought went into your process. Lying on an application is almost always grounds for denial or later termination of a lease.
3. Ask good questions. These questions are the ones most important to you. In many cases landlords or agents are not required to disclose information that may be important to you so do your part and ask as many questions as necessary to get a good understanding of the property. It doesn’t help to be shy when searching for a home to rent!
4. Get it in writing. If a landlord has promised repairs, new carpet, new appliances, or anything else that will be done as a condition of your lease, be absolutely sure to get it in writing, preferably on the lease document itself. Anything less opens up the chance for miscommunication and leaves an opening for problems.
Promises don’t get things done. Written agreements do.
5. Read through the lease completely. This is a critical process. You are making legally binding guarantees regarding payments, upkeep, repairs, etc so read it thoroughly before you sign it. If possible ask for a copy the day before signing the lease so that you have enough time to read and think about any potential questions you may have.
More
Rural America To Get $103 Million For Broadband Access
A Letter To The Editor 8-23-11
Defense Secretary Said Military Cuts Won't Impact Current Service Members
Living Well, A Retired War Monger Speaks
Among his words of wisdom, he told the Standard:
Throughout history you’ll find that every time there is a retrenchment in funding for the military, the United States becomes involved in a war.More
Maryland Authorizes Internationally Recognized Green Construction Code
Continue Reading...
Today's Survey Question 8-23-11
The Fed Cannot Stave Off The Inevitable Market Revaluation
Did the Federal Reserve's QE2 program last year simply push the inevitable stock market decline forward a few months? It would seem so. In Remind Us Again Why Anyone Should Own Stocks For the Next Two Years (August 3, 2011) and The Junkie in the Pool and False Idols: Faith in Wall Street and The Fed Has Has Eroded (August 10, 2011) I included a chart of the current S&P 500 plotted against the two Great Bear Markets of last century, the Great Depression-era Dow Jones Industrial Average (1929 crash) and the Nikkei stock market from 1989.
It certainly looked like all the Fed accomplished with its $600 billion QE2 was stave off the inevitable by a few months:
More
Social Security Disability Payments Could Dry Up In 2017
More »
BREAKING NEWS: Rebels Reportedly Enter Qaddafi Compound
From Fox News
Man Gets 5 Life Terms For Md. Police Shootout
BALTIMORE - A Baltimore judge has sentenced a 37-year-old Catonsville man to five life terms, plus 80 years in prison for firing on police officers during a traffic stop.
Judge Edward R.K. Hargadon sentenced Bradrick Green on Monday to five life terms plus 80 years to be served consecutively and six life terms plus 38 years to be served concurrently. The first 65 years are to be served without the possibility of parole.
Back-Door Amnesty Backfires: Obama’s Approval Hits New Low Of 44% With Hispanics
That is a drop of 41 points from the spring of 2009, when Obama’s approval among Hispanic Americans peaked at 85 percent (in the weeks that ended April 26, 2009 and May 17, 2009).
More
Murder-For-Hire Trial Begins In Killing Of Blind, Disabled Man
Brothers accused of carrying out killing orchestrated by pastor
Opening statements could come as early as Tuesday in the trial of two brothers accused of carrying out a murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by Baltimore pastor Kevin Pushia, who pleaded guilty to ordering the death of a legally blind and mentally disabled man to fraudulently collect $1.4 million in life insurance.
Brothers James Omar Clea III and Kareem Jamal Clea (pronounced "klee") are each charged with conspiring to kill Lemuel Wallace, a 37-year-old group-home resident who was shot in the head on Feb. 4, 2009, and left to die in a bathroom stall at Leakin Park.
Prosecutors claim that James Clea, 33, introduced Pushia to his brother, who was then paid $50,000 in church funds by the pastor to execute Wallace. Kareem Clea, who turns 28 on Thursday, is also charged with murder and various handgun violations.