GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TO JOIN CONGRESSMAN HOYER FOR RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF THE BRANDYWINE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 24, 2011) – TOMORROW, Governor Martin O’Malley will join U.S. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer for a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of Phase I of the Brandywine Interchange Project, which will ease congestion and improve safety for residents and travelers in Prince George’s and Charles Counties.

WHAT:            Governor O’Malley, Congressman Hoyer to participate in ribbon cutting for completion of

                         Phase I of the Brandywine Interchange Project

WHEN:            TOMORROW, Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 2:30 p.m.

WHERE:          Phase I Construction Site – MD 5 and Brandywine Road

                          13638 Brandywine Road

                          Brandywine, MD

Palin Blasts 2012 Speculation But Applauds...

(CNN) - Sarah Palin's political action committee pushed back on rumors she has made a decision about a run for the White House, but offered pointed praise to CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby for "setting the record straight."

A statement on the website of SarahPAC said predictions about her future are "intended to mislead the American people."

"These are the same tired establishment political games that fuel the 24 hour news cycle and that all Americans will hopefully reject in 2012, and this is more of the 'politics-as-usual' that Sarah Palin has fought against throughout her career," the Monday night post said.

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Find Where Your Facebook Friends Are Sitting At Events

If you use Ticketmaster online, you already know about its interactive seat maps feature for zooming in on seats and checking out reviews of the them by previous event-goers. Now you can also find where your Facebook friends are sitting at events you're considering attending, so you can book seats near them, or you can "tag" yourself so others can find you when they look to buy tickets.

The "see who's sitting where" feature went live Wednesday for more than 9,000 Ticketmaster and LiveNation events.

"Since first launching interactive seat maps, our fans have regularly told us how great the maps are for getting tickets close to family and friends," a Ticketmaster product manager says in a video explaining the new service. "That got us thinking: What if we made it easier to find where your friends were sitting directly in the map?"

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McDONNELL'S MODEL OF GOVERNANCE: DEFER, DISMANTLE AND OBFUSCATE

ANNAPOLIS (August 24, 2011) –  Maryland Democratic Party Executive Director David Sloan released the following statement contrasting the record of Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley with that of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell:

“Bob McDonnell and Virginia Republicans tout their accomplishments but – as often with the GOP - the facts tell another story. McDonnell’s illusionary “surplus” is the result of deferred bills, dismantled programs important to the middle class, budgetary obfuscation and federal stimulus spending. Rather than investing in Virginia’s future, McDonnell has slashed hundreds of millions of dollars from schools, colleges and universities, and cut funding by a third for EMTs, police officers and firefighters. No wonder Virginia has one of the worst track records on funding education and ranks 44th in job creation in 2011.”

“In Maryland, Governor O’Malley and Democrats have consistently chosen a balanced and adult approach that protects the priorities of middle-class families. Over the last five years, Governor O’Malley has cut $6.8 billion in spending, made record investments in public education and school construction, maintained affordable higher education and expanded healthcare coverage to more than 900,000 low-income, disabled and chronically ill children and adults. Due to the tough decisions Governor O’Malley and Maryland Democrats have made, Maryland’s public schools are ranked number one in the nation, the crime rate is at a 36 year low, and nearly 14,000 jobs were created this year.”

“Voters in Maryland have consistently chosen Democrats to make the right choices. Rather than celebrate a ‘surplus’ built on the backs of working families through cuts in education, public safety, and health care, Governor O’Malley and Maryland Democrats have and will work together to manage our state’s finances responsibly and protect our shared future.”

Cathedral Assessing 'Significant Damage'

Of all the District's landmarks, the National Cathedral bears the most visible evidence of Tuesday's 5.8-magnitude earthquake.

The "Gloria in Excelsis" central tower of Washington National Cathedral -- the highest elevated point in Washington -- sustained what cathedral masons are calling "significant damage." Repairs will cost in the millions of dollars, and will take anywhere from months to years to complete.

A joint crew of cathedral stonemasons, structural engineers and an architect spent yesterday assessing the damage, and returned to the task today.

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Zoo Animals Go Wild Ahead Of Quake

The animals always know first.

Well before any humans ducked beneath desks or sought shelter in doorways on Tuesday, wildlife at the zoo started to react to the oncoming earthquake.

In the small mammal house, the red-ruffed lemurs started barking an alarm call, 15 minutes before the shift along the Central Virginia Seismic Zone caused Richter scales to leap at 1:51 p.m. However, the lemur's housemates, the howler monkeys, were not as keen. They only started making noise after the zoo started shaking.

"Animals we know from experimental studies, can hear above and below our range of hearing, that's part of their extra-sensory abilities," said Don Moore, associate director of animal care at the zoo.

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TROOPERS TO COMPETE IN WORLD POLICE-FIRE GAMES IN NEW YORK

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – More than one dozen Maryland state troopers are headed to New York City to compete against thousands of first responders from around the world in an international athletic competition that will also honor the sacrifice of those who lost their lives on 9-11.

The Maryland State Police team of 14 troopers will begin competing this Friday in the World Police and Fire Games in New York. More than 14,000 police officers, fire fighters and correctional officers representing 70 countries will participate in the games. This is an Olympic-style competition that includes more than 65 sporting events.

State Police Superintendent Colonel Marcus Brown contacted each team member and expressed his pride in the team from Maryland. “I am proud to have such a large team of troopers willing to represent the Maryland State Police in this international competition and in the ceremonies honoring the sacrifice of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001,” Colonel Brown said. “Your responsibilities as a state trooper already demand much of your time. The additional demands of your training regime require discipline and sacrifice. I am proud of you and your willingness to ensure the pride, tradition, and yes, the athletic abilities of the Maryland State Police are evident to your 14,000 fellow competitors.”

Troopers will be competing in events that include the triathlon, wresting, powerlifting, basketball, boxing, and track and field. The games run from August 26 through September 4, 2011.

7th Annual Imagine A Litter Free Delaware Clean Up Day

To Be Held Saturday, October 1, 2011

Dover -- The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that it will host it's Seventh Annual "Imagine A Litter-Free Delaware" Clean Up Day on Saturday, October 1. DelDOT has designated this as a statewide cleanup day when everyone is invited to come out to clean Delaware's roads, highways and community areas. This is also a perfect time for everyone to stop and consider what a litter-free Delaware would look like, and do what they can to make our state a cleaner and healthier place.

It's also a great day for Adopt-A-Highway volunteers and/or Adopt-A-Bike Path volunteers to do one of their annual clean ups. Businesses, citizens, and homeowners are also being asked to ensure that trash is well contained, to pick up debris blowing around their property and to step outside to sweep a sidewalk, pick up sticks, or rake up some leaves.

In addition, Secretary of Transportation Shailen Bhatt is requesting that DelDOT maintenance forces pay special attention to cleaning Delaware's roadsides during the week of October 3-7, 2011. So you'll see DelDOT crews out in force too!

If interested, register on our Web site, www.deldot.gov, under Hot Topics or by contacting the Office of Public Relations at 302-760-2080 or 1-800-652-5600. Te deadline for registration will be Friday, September 30, 2011. No telephone registrations please. There is no fee to participate, just a desire to have fun!

Of course, be sure to think "Safety First!" Anyone cleaning roadways should visit the nearest DelDOT district office to obtain safety information, safety vests and trash bags during the week of September 26-30, 2011. Following the cleanup, participants should either dispose of the trash themselves (i.e., via household trash pick up, landfill, etc.), or place it near a highway sign for DelDOT to pick up. If you need DelDOT to remove the trash bags, please call the nearest DelDOT district office to request DelDOT to remove them as soon as possible.

The rain date for the event will be Sunday, October 2, 2011.

China's Demand For PCs Overtakes That Of U.S.

According to research firm estimates, China's hunger for devouring PCs is finally surpassing that of the U.S. During the second quarter of the year, shipments in China rose 14 percent to 18.5 million while they fell 4.8 percent in the U.S. to 17.7 million.

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BREAKING NEWS---Apple Says Steve Jobs Resigning as CEO

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple Inc. says Steve Jobs resigning as CEO, effective immediately.

The company said Wednesday that Jobs will be replaced by Tim Cook, who was the company's chief operating officer.

It said Jobs has been elected as Apple's chairman.

From Time

Friends Crashing On Your Couch: When & How Much Do You Charge?

If you've ever had a couch, odds are you've had a friend crash on it, or have been the crasher yourself. As strong as your friendship may be, it can still get awkward when the days spent on the couch lengthen and the question of money arises. So how do you navigate those tricky waters?

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BREAKING NEWS:

President Obama has just confirmed that the DC earthquake occurred on a rare and obscure fault-line, apparently known as "Bush's Fault". Obama also announced that the Secret Service and Maxine Waters continues an investigation of the quake's suspicious ties to the Tea Party. Conservatives however have proven that it was caused by the founding fathers rolling over in their graves...!

Part Time Federal Employees Get A 25% Pay Increase

Part-time federal employees are now eligible for an additional 25 percent above their basic pay rate for work done on Sundays. That according to a final rule published by OPM this week. The new rule arose from a 2009 Court of Appeals decision that found part-time federal employees were entitled to the same right to Sunday premium pay as full-time employees were. The Sunday premium pay policy applies to General Schedule employees and certain other white-collar civilian federal employees. The final rule is effective Sept. 22.

BREAKING NEWS: Apple Names Tim Cook New CEO

Apple has named Tim Cook as its new CEO. Steve Jobs will be the company's chairman.

From Fox News

Truly, Madly, Deeply: How Love Makes You Sick

Cupid's bow can kill your appetite, nuke your focus and interrupt your sleep

Rae Padilla Francoeur, 63, of Rockport, Maine, has been in plenty of passionate relationships before but when she met her current mate, she fell head over heels. Who’d have thought it would take a terrible toll on her health?

Francoeur, the author of “Free Fall: A Late-in-Life Love Affair,” says “the physical manifestations were extreme.” During the lovesick phase she became lightheaded, lost weight, couldn’t sleep for days, had butterflies and a quickened heart rate and couldn’t concentrate or eat. “I was happier than ever emotionally, even though I couldn’t eat and felt shaky all the time,” says Francoeur who also ended up with a year’s prescription for a prophylactic antibiotic for chronic urinary tract infections, too.

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Naked Slasher Attacks Elderly Tenants, 1 Dead

A naked man with a 10-inch kitchen knife went on a rampage in a Washington Heights building Tuesday afternoon, stabbing four people, including two senior citizens, police said.

Ignacio Reyes-Collazo, an 81-year-old who lived in the building for decades, was killed in the stabbing spree.

Neighbors described the knife-wielding suspect, Christian Falero, 23, as mentally unstable. He was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder and robbery.

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International Space Station-Bound Supply Ship Explodes, Crashes In Siberia

MOSCOW – An unmanned Russian supply ship bound for the International Space Station failed to reach its planned orbit Wednesday, and pieces of it fell in Siberia amid a thunderous explosion, officials said.

A brief statement from Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, did not specify whether the Progress supply ship that was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan had been lost.

But the state news agency RIA Novosti quoted Alexander Borisov, head of a the Choisky region in Russia's Altai province, as saying pieces of the craft fell in his area some 1,500 kilometers (900 miles) northeast of the launch site.

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N Korea Reported Ready To Halt WMD Tests

(MOSCOW) — A spokeswoman for Russia's president says North Korea is ready to impose a moratorium on tests of weapons of mass destruction.

The ITAR-Tass news agency quotes Natalya Timakova as making the statement after talks Wednesday between North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Timakova said North Korea is ready to resume international talks on its nuclear program without preconditions and "in the course of the talks North Korea will be ready to resolve the question of imposing a moratorium on tests and production of nuclear missile weapons."

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Google Settles Ad Probe for $500 Million

(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) — Google Inc. has agreed to pay $500 million to settle a U.S. government investigation into the Internet search leader's distribution of online ads from Canadian pharmacies illegally selling prescription and non-prescription drugs to American consumers, a U.S. attorney in Rhode Island said Wednesday.

The settlement means the Internet search leader will not face criminal prosecution for accusations that it improperly profited from ads promoting Canadian pharmacies that illegally imported drugs into the United States, U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha said.

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OBAMA’S GIFT TO TOLL BROTHERS

My old company beat earnings expectations. The housing market must be recovering. People must be knocking each other over to buy McMansions again. Toll Brothers made $42.1 million this quarter versus $27.3 million last year. That’s a 54% increase in profits.

AWESOME!!!
But if you go way down the page in the story you will find out that Revenue DECLINED by 13% versus last year. And new orders for houses sucked with only a 1.7% increase, even though mortgage rates are the lowest in history. I guess my old friends must have done an amazing job managing costs. NOPE!!!

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10 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER SAY

“Guys say the stupidest things.” That’s a near universal female observation. And let’s face it: there’s more than a grain of truth in it. We guys do say some pretty idiotic stuff. Thing is, we rarely mean to. In fact, we often don’t even know that we did! What to do? Channel your fifth grade teacher and remember to think before you speak. Behind otherwise benign statements lurk some rather, well, stupid stuff. Here are ten statements that are likely to get you into trouble, and how to avoid them.

1. “You’re over-reacting.”While this may be true from an objective standpoint, she will never agree, at least not on the spot. No matter what she may be throwing at you, be that insults or ceramic knick-knacks, she believes she’s acting appropriately. So duck if you have to and then say something like this: “I don’t blame you for being upset, but I’d rather focus our energy on fixing the problem.”

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O'Malley Planning Trade Mission To India

Gov. Martin O'Malley said today that his office is planning a trade mission to India, an expedition that would be the governor's second international trip this year aimed at promoting Maryland businesses abroad.

O'Malley said the purpose of the trip would be "jobs" and said he hopes to go "before the year's end."

"We're working on it," O'Malley said. "As with the trip that we took to China, we promote the competitive strengths of Maryland. Life sciences, biotech, information technology, healing -- all of the things that are our strongest sectors."

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Heart Attack Kills Philly Cheesesteak Shop Owner

(AP)

PHILADELPHIA - Joey Vento, owner of a landmark south Philadelphia cheesesteak stand who once told customers to order in English, has died. He was 71.

Vento's nephew, Joseph Perno, a manager at Geno's Steaks, told The Associated Press that Vento had a massive heart attack and died Tuesday.

Perno said family members had just gotten out of the hospital and would not be making any immediate statements.

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NASCAR Leader Loses License For 128 MPH Joy Ride

(AP)

STATESVILLE, North Carolina - NASCAR points leader Kyle Busch lost his driver's license for 45 days on Tuesday for driving 128 mph on a road close to a day-care center and church in a car worth nearly $400,000. His lawyer said his client was not treated "like any other citizen."

Busch, who doesn't need a license to compete in NASCAR, also was fined $1,000, sentenced to 30 hours of community service and put on one year of unsupervised probation. He pleaded guilty to speeding and no contest to reckless and careless driving in North Carolina District Court.

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13 Aftershocks In Southern Colorado, 4 In Virginia

GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado has been jostled with 13 aftershocks after Monday night's magnitude-5.3 earthquake struck just hours before a magnitude-5.8 temblor hit Virginia, earthquake monitors said Wednesday.

Geophysicist Amy Vaughan of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., said the biggest aftershock in Colorado was a 3.9 temblor recorded just after 8 a.m. on Tuesday. She said there have been four aftershocks after the Virginia earthquake, the biggest a 4.2 just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

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Closing Arguments To Begin In Lewd Navy Video Case

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A Navy board will hear closing arguments as to why the former commander of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier who produced raunchy videos aboard the USS Enterprise should be allowed to stay in the Navy.

Capt. Owen P. Honors is facing a board of inquiry Wednesday in Norfolk, Va. He was relieved of command in January after media reports about the videos surfaced. The videos included simulated same-sex shower scenes, anti-gay slurs and references to prostitution in foreign ports.

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Mental Health Group Looks To Remove Stigma From Pedophilia

A group of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals say it's time to change the way society views individuals who have physical attractions to children.

The organization, which calls itself B4U-Act, is lobbying for changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, the guideline of standards on mental health that's put together by the American Psychiatric Association.

The group says its mission is to help pedophiles before they create a crisis, and to do so by offering a less critical view of the disorder.

"Stigmatizing and stereotyping minor-attracted people inflames the fears of minor-attracted people, mental health professionals and the public, without contributing to an understanding of minor-attracted people or the issue of child sexual abuse," reads the organization's website.

B4U-Act said that 38 individuals attended a symposium in Baltimore last week, including researchers from Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University and the universities of Illinois and Louisville. According to the group, which said to not endorse every point of view expressed, the speakers in attendance concluded that "minor-attracted" individuals are largely misunderstood and should not be criminalized even as their actions should be discouraged.

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Report: NFL Halts 49ers-Raiders Preseason Series Due To Fan Thuggery

After fan violence at Saturday's San Francisco 49ers-Oakland Raiders preseason football game left two people in critical condition, the NFL will reportedly take the ball away from the Bay Area, placing the traditional game on hold. The league is expected to quietly do away with the preseason game for at least the next couple years.

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O'Malley Keeps Open Mind On Teacher Pensions

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said Monday he has always favored the state paying teacher pension costs, but he will keep an open mind during debate on whether to shift some of the cost to counties.

O'Malley, speaking on WTOP-FM's "Ask the Governor" program, also suggested the state should consider indexing tolls to keep up with inflation costs for transportation infrastructure.

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We Do NOT Have A Federal Government

WHAT WAS "FEDERAL"?

Nearly all of us use the word federal to refer to the United States national government, as distinct from the state governments. This has been an error on our part.

Federal was a description, not a name. It would be fair to use federative in its place. It described a type of government, not a particular organization.

For example, when we say "my friend has a fast car," we don't think that fast is the car's brand name – it is merely a description of the car's acceleration and top speed.

Federal was not the brand name of the government that James Madison designed, it was a description, like fast.

Notice how Madison distinguishes between national and federal. We have lost this distinction, and it is crucial.

James Madison

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U.S. Banks Facing Main Street Squeeze

Two U.S. Treasury secretaries and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke provided capital and cheap loans to banks during the last three years to help fuel an economic revival. It hasn’t worked out.

While those policies benefited Wall Street, they failed to produce a sustained recovery on Main Street, where unemployment remains more than 9 percent. Now the sputtering U.S. economy may sap bank earnings and Wall Street bonuses.

Profit estimates for companies including Bank of America Corp. (BAC) have been slashed as much as 30 percent following a report showing weaker-than-expected growth in first-half gross domestic product and after the Federal Reserve said it plans to leave benchmark borrowing costs at historic lows for two years. The 24-member KBW Bank Index (BKX) has dropped 21 percent since July 28, the day before the latest GDP figures were reported, compared with an 11 percent decline in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

“The political class is fixated on how the banking system caused the problem in the first place and therefore how it will have to cure it in the future -- that if you get the banks working again the economy works,” said Robert B. Albertson, chief strategist at Sandler O’Neill & Partners LP in New York. “It drives me into silly laughter. It’s the other way around.”

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Walmart Is Dying Because Its Business Model Is Strangling Itself

Make sure you read this in a spooky voice in your head: Wal-Mart is dooooomed! At least, the business model it relied on to reach such astronomical growth is now probably putting a choke hold on the company's ability to grow and compete.

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New Home Sales Fall, 2011 Could Be The Worst Year Yet

Housing remains the weakest part of the economy. Last year was the worst for new-home sales on records that go back nearly 50 years. ... While new homes represent less than one-fifth of the housing market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs and $90,000 in taxes, according to the National Association of Home Builders. ... Analysts said the report was further proof that the housing market is stuck in the doldrums. "How much longer can we flat-line on housing?' said M. Cary Leahey, senior economist at Decision Economics. – AP

BREAKING NEWS: Strong Quake Strikes Peru

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake rattles Peruvian capital of Lima, no immediate reports of damage.

From Fox News

'Very Muted Growth' Coming For Next 10 Years: Faber

"Both the U.S. and Europe are facing a decade of slow growth brought on primarily by the blunders of central banks, noted doomsayer Marc Faber said. Investors should protect themselves by buying plenty of physical gold and putting it in a secure location, preferably outside the U.S., the author of the Gloom, Boom and Doom newsletter told CNBC. "'If I look at the politicians both in Europe and the U.S., I don't think that prospect (for growth) is very good,' he said. 'If I also look at the entitlement system and the government expenditures and the fiscal deficits and the debt overhang, I think for the next 10 years we'll have very muted growth in the Western world and standards of living for the average household will continue to decline." – CNBC

Tonight's Special At Boonies

Goofing Around Online At Work Can Make You More Productive

There's no hiding the fact that most of you reading this post are doing so while getting paid to be doing anything other than reading this post. But now you have science to back you up when your boss takes a break from Facebook and catches you surfing the web. A new study claims that browsing the Internet while sitting at your office desk may actually be beneficial to your job performance.

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Watch Out For Online Quake-Related Scams

This is the time the crooks come out in droves to capitalize on concerns

The 5.8 magnitude earthquake that shook cities all along the Eastern seaboard just minutes ago is likely to get Internet scammers up and moving, looking for ways to capitalize on the event by preying on people's natural curiosity and hunger for news.

As with any big event — especially a natural disaster — that draws people to the Web, online crooks quickly spring into action with enticing footage, "never-before-seen" pictures and donation sites, all designed to lure users into handing over their personal information or, in some cases, their money.

Here are some ways to stay safe online when searching for news about Tuesday's earthquake:

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Obesity's Big Fat Cost To States: $15 Billion Per Year

Obesity costs some states as much as $15 billion a year, a new study says.

The researchers estimated how much each state spends on obesity-related medical costs each year.

The estimated costs range from $203 million in Wyoming to $15.2 billion in California. (Estimates are in 2009 dollars.)

"This study shows that the toll that obesity takes goes beyond impairing the health of individuals to imposing a major burden on the entire health care system," said study researcher Dr. Carolyn Clancy, director of the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. "Reducing the prevalence of obesity and its complications is an important priority for the nation and requires focused and constant attention."

The researchers used medical expenditure information from 2006 to generate an equation for the estimates.

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Signing A Prenup: In Case 'I Do' Becomes 'I Don't'

They aren't just for celebrities anymore

Although prenuptial agreements are often associated with celebrity couples — and their headline-generating divorces — they're not just for boldface names.

Any couple who brings personal or business assets to the marriage can benefit from a prenup. The most basic of these contracts lists an inventory of premarital assets that in the event of a divorce will remain the property of their original owner.

"Prenups are good because they preserve the expectations of the parties and prevent surprises in a divorce trial," says attorney Bob Nachshin, a partner in family law firm Nachshin & Langlois LLP in Los Angeles, and co-author of "I Do, You Do ... But Just Sign Here: A Quick and Easy Guide to Cohabitation, Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements." "In my 34 years of practice, I've never seen a prenuptial agreement that wasn't enforced by the court."

The agreements can also specify that future income from a business or additional assets accrued through inheritance are not to be shared with your spouse should the marriage end.

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Fill In The Blank 8-24-11

The Earthquake made me think about________.

Mother Of 10: Kroger Manager Refused To Take My Mountain Of Coupons

Here's the latest dispatch from the front in the battle between the growing armies of extreme couponers and the beleaguered retailers who are beginning to fight back. An Atlanta-area mother of 10 children says a manager at her local Kroger just said no to taking her pile of clipped coupons.

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Hundreds In Prince George’s Left Homeless

The Virginia earthquake left some residents of Prince George’s County, Md., homeless Tuesday night.

About 250 residents of an apartment building at 3208 Curtis Drive was shook so that it is structurally unsound.

A Temple Hills apartment building at 3103 Good Hope Road also was closed because of earthquake damage.

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Medicare Rate Change Worries Nursing Homes

A new rule cutting Medicare reimbursements for skilled nursing facilities may cost the state’s nursing homes $89 million this fiscal year. “It’s devastating,” said Isabella Firth, president of LifeSpan Network, the Columbia-based provider association with 300 member senior care facilities in the Mid-Atlantic. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the new rule, which reduces reimbursements by more than 11%, on July 29. It will go into effect Oct. 1.

Continue Reading...

Can You Access BofA & Chase Credit Card Account Info With Just 4-Digits And A Phone Number?

Last week, ConsumerWorld.org claimed that anyone could access credit card account info for Chase and Bank of America customers armed only with the customer's phone number and the final four digits of their credit card. That's certainly alarming, so MSNBC tested it out.

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Bill Clinton Announces Support For Bachmann

Today's Survey Question

Should all public school students be required to wear a school uniform?

Hurricane Could Arrive To Chesapeake Bay By Sunday

Forecasters say there is a possibility Irene could move into the Chesapeake Bay as a hurricane by late this weekend.
  
Projections from the National Hurricane Center in Miami show Irene could make landfall on the North Carolina coast, then move toward the north into the Chesapeake Bay area on Sunday.
  
The updated forecast released Tuesday morning said Irene currently was centered about 70 miles south of Grand Turk Island. It was moving west-northwest at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph.
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Hurricane Irene Could Disrupt Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dedication In DC

WASHINGTON - A hurricane bearing down on the U.S. East Coast could disrupt plans to dedicate a memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. on the National Mall in Washington.

The dedication is scheduled for Sunday morning, with up to 250,000 people attending.

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Cracks Found In Washington Monument

WASHINGTON - The National Park Service says engineers have found cracks in the stones atop the Washington Monument, shutting down the area indefinitely.

The cracks were discovered during a secondary inspection after Tuesday's earthquake. Structural engineers will evaluate the cracks on Wednesday to determine the best way to repair the Monument before it is reopened.

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GOP Voters Favor Conservatives In Va. Primaries

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Republicans leaned toward their most conservative candidates in key state Senate races during Tuesday's legislative primaries.

Among the GOP winners was former state Republican Party Chairman Jeff Frederick, a former Virginia House member who defeated Tito "The Builder" Munoz in the 36th Senate District. Frederick challenges Democratic Sen. Linda "Toddy" Puller in November.

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Vermont Inn Denies Discriminating Against Same-Sex Wedding Reception

MONTPELIER, Vt. –  The owners of an inn that refused to host a same-sex wedding reception say they have no policy to discriminate against gay couples.

In a court filing Tuesday, a lawyer for Wildflower Inn owners Jim and Mary O'Reilly said that they were never told about the lesbian couple's request to hold their wedding reception and that the inn's meeting and events director wasn't authorized to reject requests from same-sex couples.

The lesbian couple, Kate Baker and Ming Linsley, of New York, sued the inn last month, saying it violated anti-discrimination statutes by refusing to host the event because they're gay.

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GOVERNOR, COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPOINT SHIPLEY TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT POSTS

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has appointed David G. Shipley to serve as the Director of Emergency Management for Wicomico County, a position required by Maryland Statute, upon the recommendation of the County Executive.  The governor’s appointment came after Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., appointed Mr. Shipley as Director of  the Wicomico County Department of Emergency Services.  The Wicomico County Clerk of Court administered the oath of office to Mr. Shipley earlier in August.

Executive Pollitt commented, “I share the Governor’s confidence in Mr. Shipley’s dedication to public service. The efficient management of Emergency Services is extremely important to the welfare of all of our citizens.”

Mr. Shipley has 5 years of service with Emergency Services and previously served as Deputy Director of the department.  Prior to taking the position with Emergency Services, Mr. Shipley was Deputy Chief of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.    

Emergency Services’ mission is to be prepared to meet the challenges presented by

any emergency situation in the county.

Biden Says He's Not 'Second-Guessing' China's One-Child Rule

Vice President Biden is facing criticism after telling a crowd in China that he doesn't have a problem with the country's one-child policy. 

The vice president addressed the policy while answering a question about the U.S. budget deficit at a university in Chengdu on Sunday. He was trying to explain how China has a looming entitlement crisis on its hands because its strict enforcement of the one-child-per-family rule has essentially eroded the "safety net" for seniors. Fewer children means fewer people earning money and supporting retirees. 

But in explaining that concept, Biden appeared to condone China's policy.

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New Jersey School District Yanks Lesbian Sex Book From Required Summer Reading List

A New Jersey school district has apologized to parents after requiring high school students to read books that include graphic depictions of lesbian sex and a homosexual orgy.

“Some of the language is inappropriate,” said Chuck Earling, superintendent of Monroe Township Schools in Williamstown, N.J. “We were not trying to create controversy. We were just trying to get students to read.”

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Israeli Woman Makes Brave Escape From Homemade German Torture Chamber

HAMBURG, Germany –  German police were investigating Wednesday after a woman was apparently kidnapped in the northern city of Hamburg and kept captive in a homemade torture chamber.

The Israeli woman made a brave escape from the soundproofed cell, made from a converted telephone booth, in 30-year-old Thomas Fischer's ground floor apartment -- fleeing when her captor forgot to lock the door and diving to freedom through a barbed wire-covered window.

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Mom Put Drugs In Son's Sandwich

A 33-year-old Lewes woman was charged Aug. 22 in connection with crushing up oxycodone and lacing her son's peanut butter sandwich with it.

State police received an anonymous tip that Joanna E. Dize had given her son the drug in an attempt to pass a drug test required in order for her to refill prescriptions, said Cpl. Bruce Harris of the Delaware State Police.

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Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases

Incident:

Trespassing

Date of Incident:

20 August 2011

Location:

32000 block of Melson Road, Delmar, MD

Suspect:

2. Ricky A. Harris, 45, Delmar, MD

1. Brian Wilkerson, 41, Willards, MD

Narrative

responded to a report that two subjects had backed a trailer up to an unoccupied residence in the 32000

block of Melson Road in Delmar. The responding deputy learned that the two subjects, later identified as

Brian Wilkerson and Ricky Harris, were observed walking around the property by the complainant who

believed the behavior was suspicious and confronted the pair. Harris and Wilkerson left the area in their

vehicle, but the complainant managed to get their registration number which led the deputy to the

subjects. During the ensuing investigation, the deputy concluded that Harris and Wilkerson were both on

the property for illicit reasons and decided to place them under arrest for trespassing.

The deputy transported both Harris and Wilkerson to the Central Booking Unit where they were

processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, both were

released on Personal Recognizance.

: On 20 August 2011 at 10:40 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s OfficeCharges:

Incident:

Possession of CDS

Date of Incident:

20 August 2011

Location:

Chestnut Tree Road, Hebron, MD

Suspect:

2. Devonte O. Farrare, 22, Salisbury, MD

1. James P. Arrington, 18, Salisbury, MD

Narrative

stopped a vehicle operated by Devonte Farrare for running a stop sign in Hebron. During the ensuing

encounter on the side of the road, Farrare and his passenger, James Arrington gave the deputy reason to

question their activity which led to the deputy recovering a substantial amount of CDS from the pair. The

deputy located both marijuana and cocaine that were packaged separately and in multiple baggies. The

amount and manner of packaging intimated their intent to distribute the CDS.

The deputy placed both under arrest and transported them to the Central Booking Unit where they were

processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, both were

detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $15,000.00 bond each.

: On 20 August 2011 at 11:00 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office

Charges:

Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Distribute

Possession of Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute

Incident:

Possession of CDS

Date of Incident:

21 August 2011

Location:

Beaver Run Drive, Salisbury, MD

Suspect:

 

Narrative

stopped to check on an occupied vehicle parked in a closed commercial area. Upon approach to the

vehicle, the deputy observed a hypodermic syringe on the ground adjacent to the vehicle. Believing that

the subject he was speaking to, Stanley Weeks, had just dropped the syringe upon the deputy’s approach,

the deputy decided to investigate the possibility that Weeks was concealing CDS. The deputy

subsequently recovered a crack pipe from Weeks’ shoe and a package of heroin in his sock.

The deputy placed Weeks under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was

processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the

Commissioner released Weeks on Personal Recognizance.

: On 21 August 2011 at 2:24 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office

Charges:

Possession of Heroin

Possession of Cocaine

Incident:

Possession of CDS

Date of Incident:

21 August 2011

Location:

8000 block of Jersey Road, Salisbury, MD

Suspect:

 

Narrative

clocked a vehicle on radar that was later found to be operated by Derrick Harmon for driving 73 mph in a

35 mph zone. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle and Harmon pulled to the side of the road where

he jumped from the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Harmon was apprehended after a brief foot

chase and brought back to his vehicle. During the ensuing investigation into the activity of Harmon, the

deputy located a baggie of what the deputy identified as marijuana inside Harmon’s vehicle.

The deputy transported Harmon to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of

the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Harmon on

Personal Recognizance.

: On 21 August 2011 at 6:30 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office

Charges:

Attempt by Driver to Flee and Elude

SpeedingPossession of Marijuana

Derrick J. Harmon, 18, Salisbury, MD

Stanley Paul Weeks, 40, Salisbury, MDTrespassing

Teen Charged In Grandma Stabbing Blames Meth

(AP)

CENTREVILLE, Mich. - A 17-year-old charged in the stabbing of his 55-year-old grandmother at her southwest Michigan home said he was high on meth when he attacked her, and that he hopes she can forgive him.

Michael Loerch told WWMT-TV from the St. Joseph County Jail on Monday that he smoked methamphetamine the day before the Aug. 18 attack and that he lost control after arguing with Georgeanna Sparks at her Burr Oak Township home.

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