Tuesday, August 30, 2011

WikiLeaks Cables Detail Apple's Battle With Counterfeits In China

(CNN) -- Apple was slow to act against the booming counterfeit industry in China and other Asian countries, according to cables obtained by WikiLeaks.

The technology giant eventually organized a team in March 2008 to curtail the explosion of knockoff iPods and iPhones, according to an electronic memo from the Beijing embassy dated September 2008.Yet, three years after Apple moved to crack down on widespread counterfeiting and put pressure on China, progress has been slow.

Gadget piracy isn't a high priority for the Chinese government, the U.S. reports and experts say.Members of Apple's recently formed global security team were recruited from Pfizer after they executed a series of crackdowns on counterfeit Viagra production in Asia, the report says.

Maryland Man Fatally Hits 3-Year-Old Son With Truck

THURMONT, Md. - The Frederick County Sheriff's Office says a man has fatally struck his 3-year-old son with a pickup truck.

Cpl. Jennifer Bailey says deputies responded to a home on Kelbaugh Road about 8 p.m. Monday for a report of cardiac arrest. Bailey says an investigation revealed that a 32-year-old man was backing his pickup truck out of a driveway when he struck his child.

The boy was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The sheriff's office says it is still investigating.

Source

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases

Incident: Disorderly Conduct
Date of Incident: 27 August 2011
Location: Civic Center, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Nancy Jang, 50, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 27 August 2011, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office was assigned to
the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center, a shelter for Hurricane Irene. The deputy observed that the
suspect, Jang, had two workers backed into a corner and was refusing to allow them to pass. The deputy
allowed the workers to leave, and then Jang pushed the deputy in an attempt to get to the workers. Jang
was placed under arrest at that point.

The deputy transported Jang to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of
the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner placed a $3,000 bond on
Jang.

Charges: 2 counts False Imprisonment
2 counts Obstruct/Hinder free passage
Disorderly Conduct
2nd Degree Assault

Incident: Theft/Traffic Offenses
Date of Incident: 28 August 2011
Location: Rt. 50 @ Booth St., Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Charles Stein, 47, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 28 August 2011, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic
stop on a vehicle after learning that the registration plates displayed on the vehicle were stolen. The
operator of the vehicle, Charles Stein, was placed under arrest. Further investigation revealed that the
vehicle was unregistered and Stein’s driving privilege was suspended.

The deputy transported Stein to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of
the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner placed a $30,000 bond
on Stein.

Charges: Theft
Driving while suspended
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle
Related traffic offenses

Incident: Threaten State Official
Date of Incident: 28 August 2011
Location: 411 Naylor Mill Rd.., Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Bobby Goodwine, 44, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 28 August 2011, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to the
Wicomico County District Court Commissioner’s Office for a report of threats. The deputy met with a
District Court Commissioner who indicated that the suspect, Goodwine, had threatened him during an
initial appearance for another unrelated offense.

The deputy transported Goodwine to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front
of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner placed a $20,000 bond
on Goodwine.

Charges: Threaten State Official

Home Depot Tells Me I'll Be Able To Return Unused Generator, Changes Mind After Hurricane

Hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe's stand to rake in a nice pile of cash from hurricane-related sales. And according to one Consumerist reader, his local Home Depot intends on keeping as much of that cash as possible by not making good on its pre-storm promises.

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Particle Physicist Discovers Fastest Way For Airlines To Board Passengers

As a scientist at Fermilab, Dr. Jason Steffen normally thinks about smashing particles together at great speeds. Great energy and speed are not usually associated with the airline boarding process, so it might seem odd that an insight into making how we get on planes would occur to someone who works next to a 3.9 mile particle accelerator. But occur it did, and now the first real-world test of his theory shows that it cuts boarding time in half.

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California Lawmakers Might Ban Styrofoam Containers

Certain to-go containers could get the heave-ho if a California bill is passed into law.

A bill has been introduced in California that would ban restaurants, grocery stores and other vendors from packaging food in non-biodegradable Styrofoam containers beginning in 2016.

The bill was introduced by Democratic state Senator Alan Lowenthal in an effort to reduce litter from take-out food. Though many California cities have similar bans on the non-biodegradable containers, if passed into law this bill would be the first state-wide measure against Styrofoam in the U.S.

PUT LIFE IN PERSPECTIVE

A relative of my wife’s family was called away in her sleep last night, at age 69. She had not been ill. Only God knows the time and the place.

She was still working, in a low paying job, to try and make ends meet. She was always cheerful, and always provided the meals for family gatherings. Some of her dishes were legendary, and one of the few reasons why I regret being separated from the region where I grew up.

She was no great person, and the world will not remark her passing. One less old person.

And yet her children and grandchildren are heartbroken and will be missing her. She was a remarkably good wife, a good mother, and a good woman, always.

Her soul will exist when planets decay and fall from their orbits, and stars burn out, and those who think they do God’s work will still be regretting their carelessness.

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Hurricane Irene,National Guard Almost Drown Manville, NJ

Young Hispanics Surpass Blacks In College Enrollment

Washington (CNN) -- Twenty-one year old Erica Ruiz plans to graduate from college in the spring with a degree in psychology and continue on to graduate school. Her family is from Mexico, but she and her two brothers were born in the United States.

"My parents always encouraged me to go to college and get educated because they didn't get the opportunity," she said of her mother and father, both farm workers.Ruiz is part of a recent increase in the number of Hispanics attending college in the United States -- a figure that spiked last year and even surpassed that of young blacks, according to a study released last week by the Pew Hispanic Center, part of the Pew Research Center.

POLICE IDENTIFY ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECTS

OnAugust 17, 2011, Ocean City Police officers were flagged down by a victim of an assault in the area ofJamestown Road. Officers observed that the victim was bleeding from an open wound on the right side of his face.

During the on-scene investigation police learned that earlier in the evening the victim had met two males and agreed to meet them later to purchase marijuana. The victim met the males at the victim’s residence and was subsequently attacked by the two. During the assault, one of the suspects slashed the victim with a kitchen knife. The victim suffered a laceration to the face, and several other injuries as a result of the assault. Both males stole a large amount of money from the victim and fled the residence. The victim was transported toPeninsulaRegionalMedicalCenterfor treatment of his injuries.
Ocean City Police detectives investigated the case and were able to identify the two male suspects as: Paul Kevin Hudson, Jr., DOB: 03/26/87 (24), described as a black male, 5’08, 135lbs and Travis Jermaine Farmer DOB: 11/02/83 (27), described as a black male, 5’06, 120lbs.
Both men are fromBerlin,Maryland.
Ocean City Police have obtained arrest warrants for both Hudson and Farmer. Both males are currently wanted and have charges pending for:

-          Armed Robbery (felony)
-          Robbery (felony)
-          1^st & 2^nd Degree Assault
-          Theft over $1000 (felony)
Farmer and Hudson are not currently in police custody and should be considered dangerous. Both are believed to still be on theDelmarva Peninsula. Citizens are advised not to attempt to approach them. Ocean City Police are asking anyone with information as to the whereabouts of these two fugitives to contact the OCPD Criminal Investigation Division at 410-723-6604 or contact your local police agency. You do not have to leave your name.

OCPD ADVISING OCEAN CITY VISITORS TO BEWARE OF INTERNET RENTAL SCAMS

Recently the Ocean City Police have received two complaints involving the use of the popular website “Craigslist.com” to obtain vacation deals or vacation rental property. In both cases the victims paid several hundred dollars with the promise of a rental unit while they were vacationing inOcean City,Maryland. Police have determined both instances were a scam. The police department is investigating, however, because the perpetrators are believed to be outside of theUnited States, it is not likely the victims will ever recover their stolen money.

The Ocean City Police Department is advising citizens to be aware of a potential real estate rental scam involving the use of the popular Internet site “craigslist.com.” The scam is similar to ones involving other popular retail posting sites such as “autotrader.com” and “ebay.com.”

The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens to be cautious while using the Internet to search for vacation rentals. While popular websites can be a valuable tool in finding reasonable vacation rentals, consumers need to beware of scammers who are posing as property owners.

Some of the most consistent “red flags” associated with rental scams are demonstrated through poor grammar, spelling errors, poor capitalization and punctuation in the information presented to consumers. In addition, if a vacation rental owner does not accept credit cards as a form of payment, they should almost always accept a personal check. Most scammers will only take cashier’s checks or ask for money to be wired to a specific account. Lastly, you should be cautious of a property owner who is hesitant or unwilling to provide additional information in regards to the rental property, such as amenities or photographs.

As a renter you should take additional steps to ensure the owner and rentals are legitimate. There are several tips you should remember to avoid being a victim of an online rental scam. First, do not wire money to a suspected landlord and remember, regardless how convincing the tale, make sure the person renting the house to you actually owns it. Also, verify where you will go and whom you will see to pick up the rental key. Make sure that the person and location are valid. Finally, if you have any suspicious concerns, follow your instinct. Even if you have to pay a fee, you are often safer dealing with a licensed real estate agent.

Salisbury Police Department Press Releases

On August 27, 2011 at approximately 11:59 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the roadway on the two hundred (200) block of Elizabeth Street for the report of a disorderly subject. Upon arrival the officers found the below listed subject in the roadway yelling and knocking on residential doors. The officers were able to calm the subject who left the area. A short time later, the officers received a call to return to the same area as the suspect had returned and resumed his behavior. Attempts by the officers to calm the suspect failed and the suspect was taken into custody.

ARRESTED: Edward Frederick Rivera, 37 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Disorderly conduct
Intoxicated endangerment
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100033605

On August 29, 2011 at approximately 12:15 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the area of Rt. 50 and W. Isabella Street for the report of an assault. Upon arrival the officers met with an adult male victim who advised that he had been involved in a verbal argument with the below listed suspect. The argument escalated into a physical altercation and resulted in the suspect producing a folding razor and cutting the victim on his left arm. The injury was not life-threatening. The officers located the suspect nearby and recovered the folding razor.

ARRESTED: Ronald Glen Mackert, 58 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: First degree assault
Second degree assault
Reckless endangerment
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100033758

On August 29, 2011 at approximately 5:30 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police arrested the below listed suspect on an outstanding arrest warrant for a theft that occurred in July of 2011. On that date officers of the Salisbury Police met with a victim at a local bank in reference to a check forgery and theft. The officer received information from the victim and bank management that indicated that a suspect had forged the victim’s name on a check and had cashed it to receive U.S. currency from the bank. Detectives of the Salisbury Police identified the below listed suspect as responsible for the forgery and theft and received the arrest warrant.

ARRESTED: Ieisha Mariah Fortt, 20 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Forgery of a private document (2 cts)
Issuing false document
Theft (under $ 1,000)

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027411

Coming Soon: $650 Billion In Banskter Driven Infrastructure Progams

Sphere Consulting is out with a report detailing the amount of money that will be directed toward infrastructure programs in coming years. According to the report, there is currently a pool of $250B available globally for infrastructure projects, up 40 percent from 2010.

In conjunction with the report, a Sphere survey was conducted with companies that have a strong vested interests in seeing the infrastructure projects develop. They were asked to project how much money U.S. will flow into infrastructure projects in the U.S.. The group includes Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Citi Infrastructure Investors, Carlyle Group, Macquarie Group Ltd., UBS and Credit Suisse. They obviously think it is a big play. The survey results indicate that the amount that could be leveraged into infrastructure will be a total of $650B for U.S. roads, tunnels, schools and bridges.
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Obama CEA Pick Comes Wearing Bankster And Union Merit Badges

President Obama's pick to head the White House Council of Economic Advisers couldn't have been a pick more friendly to union leadership and banksters. As I have pointed out, Alan Kreuger is pro increases in minimum wage, which makes him a darling of union heads, since high minimum wages keep out low wage non-union competition. He is also is likely to be a major advocate of spending programs that will be routed through the banksters of Wall Street.

A Capitol Hill insider emailed me to make sure I saw this Ezra Klein take on Kreuger:

Alan Krueger, President Barack Obama's pick to head the White House Council of Economic Advisers, will likely serve as an administration advocate for more aggressive government intervention to revive job growth...Mr. Krueger, a Princeton University economics professor and former Obama administration official, has supported both tax cuts and spending programs to help stimulate growth in recent years, including incentives to encourage employers to hire jobless workers. He also backed Build America Bonds, a program that allowed states and localities to sell taxable municipal bonds and receive a federal subsidy. He served as assistant Treasury secretary for economic policy in the first two years of the Obama administration, where he helped design the 'cash for clunkers' program to boost auto purchases.

U.S. Lenders Making More Subprime Car Loans: Report

NEW YORK - Lenders are making more subprime auto loans again, reversing the cautious approach they adopted after the credit crisis, an industry research firm said on Tuesday.

The portion of car loans made to subprime borrowers rose to 40.8 percent in the second quarter from 37.2 percent a year earlier, according to Experian Automotive, a unit of credit bureau and research firm Experian Plc.

The data shows how keen lenders are to boost their loan books amid a sluggish U.S. economy. Car loans are seen by lenders as relatively safe, because they are collateralized and repossessing cars is easier than foreclosing on homes.

CONSUMERS CONFIDENT THAT COUNTRY IS DOOMED

So according to the MSM, home prices are increasing and consumer spending is increasing. That’s funny, because if that was true, why would the consumer confidence index be plunging? And this is before the earthquake and hurricane. Obama’s re-election odds also just plunged. The consumer accounts for 71% of GDP and they are either tapped out or scared shitless at this point. Look out below.

August consumer confidence plummets from 59.2 to 44.2, far below consensus of 52, dropping to its lowest level since April 2009. But, but, two insolvent Greek banks merged yesterday to make a really big insolvent Greek bank. Oh well: Americans don’t care. And even uglier is the 6 month outlook chart which collapsed from 74.9 to 51.9, one of the biggest monthly drops in history. This sets the stage for the ISM, for NFP, for further GDP cuts, and for September 21.
Current conditions:

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NRC Checking Into Dominion Power's North Anna Nuclear Generating Station

Virginia's Lake Anna isn't boiling yet, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission isn't taking any chances. The NRC has sent several extra inspectors to Dominion Power's North Anna nuclear generating station, which got a good shaking in last week's earthquake that affected the Eastern Seaboard all the way to Maine.

Company officials said the vibrations might have been more than the plant was designed for. The plant also lost electricity, causing it to rely on backup generators for a day. NRC said wants to be sure everything is okay before allowing Dominion to restart the reactors. However NRC also said there's no evidence that the North Anna station is unsafe.

Lawmakers Heading Back To Capital Hill

Lawmakers are trickling back to Capitol Hill from their August recess, and the federal budget won't be the only battle taking place. House Republicans have said they'll also focus on repealing environmental and labor regulations they think are discouraging hiring. Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has promised a bill to stop the National Labor Relations Board from restricting where companies put new factories. That's in direct response to a dispute between the administration and Boeing. Cantor also wants to stop the EPA from moving forward with tough new air pollution rules. The GOP challenge comes just before President Obama is expected to unveil his latest plan to boost employment.

Medicare Shells Out About $48 Billion In Improper Payments Every Year

Medicare shells out about $500 billion in payments every year, and of that, the Government Accountability Office reports, about $48 billion is in improper payments. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Medicare Integrity Program — which recently got about $1 billion in funding — is designed to address fraud, waste, and abuse. But GAO said managers haven't properly trained the people who are handling the day-to-day operations to see the connection between the daily work, and the overall goal of reducing improper payments. Because MIP is central to CMS' efforts to reduce those improper payments, GAO said staff must be better trained and the data must be improved to better calculate the return on investment.

Mother Wins Lawsuit Over Allegations Of Lousy Parenting

(CNN) -- A family feud involving allegations of "bad mothering" has spilled into an unusual public court spat involving unbought toys, unattended disco dances, and unwanted visits to an auto show.An Illinois appeals court last week dismissed a lawsuit brought by two adult children against their mother over her parenting skills while they were children.

Kimberly Garrity was accused of "intentional infliction of emotional distress."But the three-judge panel concluded in a 33-page ruling the "plaintiffs failed to alleged conduct that was so extreme and outrageous as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency," at least as far state law applies.

ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 30, 2011) – Governor O’Malley toured affected areas in St. Mary’s, Charles and Calvert counties today. Tomorrow, the Governor will visit Anne Arundel and Queen Anne’s counties to assess the damages there (revised public schedule to come).

Crews continue to work to restore power to Maryland families and businesses. Currently, there are about 258,000 outages across the state. Power has been restored to about 88.9 percent of Maryland.

The Maryland Power Outage map has now been updated to include power restored. Stay updated by clicking here. The map is updated twice daily, at noon and at 6 p.m. The Osprey Emergency Management Map located on the MEMA’s web site also contains up to date information on power outages.

SPD Press Release

On August 30, 2011 at approximately 9:51 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the five hundred (500) block of E. Isabella Street for the report of a subject with a gun. Upon arrival the officers met with several witnesses who advised that while they were outside they observed the below listed subject walk out onto the porch of his residence and yell profanities at them. The suspect walked back into his residence only to re-emerge from the residence in possession of a handgun. The witnesses advised that the suspect waved the gun in the air then pointed the handgun at them. The suspect then retreated into the residence without firing any shots. The officers responded to the suspect’s residence and made verbal contact with him. After approximately ten (10) minutes the officers convinced the suspect to exit the residence and took him into custody. Detectives of the Salisbury Police obtained a search and seizure warrant for the residence which resulted in the recovery of a small caliber revolver type handgun, an air soft handgun, and a bb pistol. There were no injuries.

ARRESTED: Louis (nmn) Burden, 43 years of age

Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES: First degree assault

Second degree assault

Reckless endangerment

Disorderly conduct

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking

CC # 201100033954

Sex Tax: Street Prostitutes In Bonn Must Now Pay Meter For A Night's Work

Editor's Note: The following article comes from Worldcrunch, an innovative, new global news site that translates stories of note in foreign languages into English. This article was originally published in Suddeutsche Zeitung.

BONN – Before going on shift in the limited public space reserved for street prostitution in Bonn, the city‘s prostitutes must now purchase a “sex tax” ticket from an automatic dispenser. The six-euro ticket is valid for one night’s work, no matter the number of clients.

To get the system up and running, fiscal authorities had a machine normally used to dispense tickets for parking places converted so that the words "Steuerticket-Automat" (tax ticket automat) are now painted on it, and the display now reads: "Die Nacht 6,00 Euro" (6 euros a night). The display also states that tickets are required from Monday to Sunday, from 8:15 p.m. to 6 a.m.

In Germany, Bonn is a pioneer of this automatic up-front taxation system. Dortmund has tickets that sex workers buy in gas stations, but no automatic dispenser.

A Good Idea, Executed Sloppily

That's one assessment of the Homeland Security Department as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches. It comes in a report from the Partnership for Public Service and Booz Allen Hamilton. The report also looks at another offspring of 9/11, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. ODNI was flawed by a lack of clarity over who's in charge, according to the authors of the report. In both cases, the new entities suffered from resistance by component agencies that had been independent or housed in other departments.

The Feds Better Get On The Ball

Federal agencies have until tomorrow to switch their telecommunications over to GSA's Networx contracts.

That is, if they want to get reimbursed for the cost of the switch. Karl Krumbholz, GSA's director of network service programs, said agencies can still make the change after tomorrow but on their own dime. GSA has been nudging agencies to move to Networx for two years and has extended the deadline twice. So far, only seven agencies are completely moved. Networx consists of a range of telecom services from several carriers.

It is supposed to replace the FS 2001 contracts, now more than 12 years old.

Clinic May Have Exposed Patients To HIV, Hepatitis: How To Stay Safe

(CBS) Ever worry that someone in your doctor's office will accidentally expose you to HIV or another dangerous virus? That nightmare apparently came true for patients at one Midwestern clinic.

The Dean Clinic in Madison, Wis., informed state and local officials that 2,345 patients may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV between 2006 and 2011, when a diabetes educator working there used insulin demonstration pens and finger stick devices "inappropriately" during patient visits.

"Our goal is to ensure that those who may have been affected by the inappropriate use are promptly informed, tested and supported," the Clinic's CEO Dr. Craig Samitt, said in a written statement.

(CNN) - Michele Bachmann's press secretary characterized comments by the Republican presidential candidate, when she said Hurricane Irene was a message to Washington, as a joke.

"Obviously she was saying it in jest," Alice Stewart told TalkingPointsMemo Monday.

Delaware AG Warns Residents Of Hurricane Scams

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) -- Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden is urging state residents to protect themselves against potential scams in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

Biden on Monday encouraged residents to wary of door-to-door solicitations and warned people not to give final payment for any work until it is completed satisfactorily. Biden is asking anyone who suspects they may have been scammed or received a suspicious call or email to contact his office.

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A Dispirited Fed Chairman Emerges From Jackson Hole

"[M]ost of the economic policies that support robust economic growth in the long run are outside the province of the central bank." — Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.

A thoroughly chastened and discouraged Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke gave his annual speech last Friday at the Fed conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. After reading this year's speech, and then re-reading last year's speech, I found his tone gloomy and dispirited. This is a far cry from the younger, more confident Ben Bernanke who in 2002 told Milton Friedman at his 90th birthday party that Milton was right about the Fed causing the Great Depression and "we won't do it again." Of course Milton was right about the Fed but for the wrong reasons, which could be part of our problem.

If you have followed Bernanke's speeches over the years, at least since the Crash of '08, you will get a flavor of the man. Like all Chairman his tone has to be sober, reservedly confident, and in control. Unlike The Oracle, Chairman Alan Greenspan, who gave little clarity or direction at all, Dr. Bernanke has tried to be more "transparent" in communicating Fed policies. It is my impression that while he has tried to exude confidence, he is now clearly discouraged. As well he should, since none of the Fed's "suite of tools" have worked as intended and almost every forecast the Fed has given since the Crash has been wrong.

This malaise seems to have infected the leaders of other central banks as well as they convened with the Chairman last weekend. Perhaps there is something in the air at Jackson Hole.

Dr. Bernanke is always quick to remind us that the actions of the Fed were responsible for saving the world and averting disaster at the critical moment during the "Panic." It got him on the cover of Time. The only problem is that he has no way to prove that. The few papers I have seen on the topic (Blinder& Zandi; Brave and Genay; Gagnon, Raskin, Remache & Sack) have not been very convincing. Of course our own David Stockman has plenty to say about that topic (here and here).

If we even give him that point for the sake of argument, then nothing since then has worked. It's got to be discouraging for him.

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Today's Wildlife Photos From Our Friend Jack In Florida

Sun Causes Climate Change Shock

If Michael Crichton had lived to write a follow-up to State of Fear, the plotline might well have gone like this: at a top secret, state of the art laboratory in Switzerland, scientists finally discover the true cause of “global warming”. It’s the sun, stupid. More specifically – as the Danish physicist Henrik Svensmark has long postulated – it’s the result of cosmic rays which act as a seed for cloud formation. The scientists working on the project are naturally euphoric: this is a major breakthrough which will not only overturn decades of misguided conjecture on so-called Man Made Global Warming but will spare the global economy trillions of dollars which might otherwise have been squandered on utterly pointless efforts to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions. However, these scientists have failed to realise just how many people – alarmist scientists, huckster politicians, rent-seeking landowners like (the late Michael Crichton’s brilliant and, of course, entirely fictional creation) the absurd, pompous Sir Reginald Leeds Bt, green activists, eco-fund managers, EU technocrats, MSM environmental correspondents – stand to gain from the Man Made “Climate Change” industry. Their discovery must be suppressed at all costs. So, one by one, the scientists on the cosmic ray project find themselves being bumped off, until only one man remains and must race against time to prove, etc, etc…

Except of course in the real world the second part wouldn’t happen. No one would need to go to the trouble of bumping off those pesky scientists with their awkward, annoying facts and their proper actual research. That’s because the MSM and the scientific “community” would find it perfectly easy to suppress the story anyway, without recourse to severed brake cables or ricin-impregnated hand-washes or staged “suicides”.

This is exactly what has happened with the latest revelations from CERN over its landmark CLOUD experiment, whose significance Lawrence Solomon explains here:

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PUTTING TRASH WHERE IT BELONGS

Both the Daily Times and Jonathan Taylor have it out for Debbie Campbell, AGAIN. Yes, it was Jonathan Taylor who started the crap published on the front page of the Daily Times today where the Daily Times questions if there's a conflict of interest in Debbie's vote with the Bricks project. A company of a company who may have been in the same bathroom in a stall three toilets away may have been overheard saying that a sister company of another company may have loaned money to another company Debbie Campbell does business with in Affordable Housing.

Seriously though, the Daily Times will go after Debbie Campbell at any opportunity. However, the MSM is supposed to be held to higher standards but the Daily Times is so desperate they're becoming a tabloid paper throwing up front page headlines, even if it means taking the lead from a Blogger who is well know to lie about anything just to get attention.

Taylor has been seen having lunch/dinner with Richard Insley recently. Insley was also seen having dinner with Wilber. Wilber is conveniently out of town on vacation while the Daily Times runs a very misleading article designed to throw questions towards Debbie's honesty and credibility. The timing is just crap but once again Taylor and his cronies are getting the attention they want.

You see Folks, Taylor has become the mouth piece for the old Tilghman administration. You can be assured that once Mike Dunn announces he's running for Mayor, Taylor will be showing his support for him. Yeah, there's even rumor that John Robinson will be running as well. For what it's worth, we'll probably endorse Robinson simply for the fact that we'll have another 4 years of GREAT stuff to publish on a daily basis. You know, like the old Tilghman days. He better start wearing a bra too. I can see it now, stalking charges, peace order, lawsuits, it will be great stuff and I can't wait.

Nevertheless, the Daily Times and Taylor have hit yet another low and they're proving that they are not only in bed with each other, they both hate ANY female that is successful while being perfectly willing to stand up to them with honor and dignity.

The only conflict of interest here is the fact that the Daily Times wrote their article never mentioning their connection with Taylor. Lord knows, they wouldn't publicly want to be known for being in any kind of partnership with a scumbag that attacks innocent women and children.

The Daily Times can't believe that YOU are so stupid you'd actually fall for the crap they're spewing. Instead, they've become a "CLUB NEWSPAPER" for the select "special interest Club".

An ethics VIOLATION is when a council member starts stuffing their BRA with cash, like we saw in Prince George's County recently. To attempt to even come close to suggesting Debbie Campbell is one of those kind of public servants, well, you people are pretty stupid.

No ethics commission in their right mind would ever entertain or interprate its portion of the ethics ordinance the way the Daily Times just attempted to do. However, the Daily Times knows that, YOU DON'T.

Just keep connecting the dots. Joe Carmean, (jcinsalisbury) a regular on that other Blog and Editor of the Daily Times. Taylor and his connection with Dunn, Cathcart. Tilghman, Comegys, Insley, (SAPOA) Maolney, Jannace, shall I continue?

Its time to call it the way it really is. The Daily Times is done! Cancel your subscription today and finish these guys off. Today's article had no rush to be published, there's no ethics charges that have been filed and they could have waited for Wilber to return. When I connect the dots on one single piece of paper, you know what it spells.... ALL BS!

The Best Ron Paul Interview Ever?

Ron Paul schools neocon Chris Wallace, who is suddenly respectful of his surge

Ron Paul joins Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday to discuss his rise in the mainstream presidental polls (to #3 on the latest Gallup) and the hot issues of the day. It is impossible not to notice how these interviews have changed. The normally belligerent neocon host was respectful as Ron smoothly and convincingly stated his positions.

Since this interview coincided with the media hysteria about Hurricane Irene, Wallace first asked Ron why he was opposed to FEMA. As the representative of a Gulf Coast district, Ron knows full-well the damage the weather can do. Indeed, he says: "It has the worst reputation for a bureaucracy ever. It hinders local people keeps people away from their homes. It's a system of central economic planning that is deeply flawed.....and it's broke."

Ron also rips the US intervention in Libya. He schools Wallace about the consequences of our destructive foreign policy. When asked about Gaddafi, Ron reminds him that "we've been very bad at picking dictators around the world. We may be delivering al-Qaida another prize."

Regarding Austrian economics – which Ron is actually asked about – he describes his solution for a healthy economy as, government “hands off, free markets, property rights, no bailouts, and sound money.” The Fed has caused endless problems with its policy of keeping interest rates artificially too low for too long. It has to stop monetizing debt.

When asked if he's in it to win it, Ron says Yes – but he wants to take a different approach – Not to seek power, but to seek to diminish it, to diminish dependency on government. People are waking up and saying "Ron Paul is right," he notes. Darn right!

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QUOTE OF THE DAY 8-30-11

“Man as an individual is a genius. But men in the mass form the headless monster, a great, brutish idiot that goes where prodded.”

Charlie Chaplin

Would You Date a Guy Who Is Broke?

Admit it, ladies. You'd love to fly off on a private jet for a weekend in Paris with a handsome date who pays for that bottle of Dom with his platinum AMEX.

But in this economy, it's much more likely that your new man's as broke as a joke--and maybe even unemployed. Is that a dealbreaker for you? Or can you find a way to successfully date on an empty wallet?

Intolerable Nudging

Champions of government intervention in our lives make every effort, especially in a country with a tradition of libertarian political rhetoric, to disguise that they are embarking upon tyranny. Yes, much of it may be of the petty kind, such as thousands of government regulations produced by various congressional committees. But as politicians and bureaucrats always reach beyond their authority to gain power over us, these petty tyrannies, these minor intrusions that the nudging amounts to, begin to get out of hand. In time the population just will not stand for it. We get political movements like the Tea Party arising to defend our liberties even from these allegedly minor nudgings.

It was the influential Professor Cass Sunstein – now President Obama's regulation czar – and his buddy Richard H. Thaler who wrote the book Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness (Yale UP, 2004) in which they developed the idea that what governments need to do is not deploy brute force and its threat to make citizens comply with their agendas, but make use of small bits of coercion, to nudge them, so they do not find the process objectionable. They make use of the examples of people encouraging their friends, for example, to conform to various rules, as when they place a bunch of footwear by the door so that those coming to their party will take off their shoes before they come into the rest of the house or flat. They will not even notice that they have been forced into compliance with the house rules! They won't complain or protest that they have been imposed upon.

Now the analogy here is a poor one because such encouragements usually occur in areas over which the guests don't have rightful control, quite the contrary. Nudging is quite acceptable when it occurs within the nudger's realm, his or her home or garden or yard or office. All of that is quite different from when governments nudge us, that is to say, push people around.

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Rick Perry's Texas: Noodling, Helicopter Hog-Hunting Now Legal

What would America be like under a Rick Perry presidency? Well, if Rick Perry's Texas is any indication, the country could look forward to 85 mph speed limits, hog hunting from helicopters and a security check "fast-lane" for concealed handgun carriers.

The Texas governor has shot to the top of the Republican field since announcing his candidacy earlier this month, usurping fellow candidate Mitt Romney's front-runner status last week. The most recent CNN poll showed Perry beating Romney by 13 points among Republican and Republican-leaning independent voters.

Executive Branch VFW Accuses White House Of Snubbing Annual Convention

The Veterans of Foreign Wars convention this week will not feature a top-tier official from the Obama administration, a breach in tradition that the group's commander described as an "insult of the highest magnitude."

However, an administration official claimed Monday that the White House made "every effort" to provide a speaker for the event, offering up a range of top officials.

"In all instances, the VFW declined those offers," the official said.

LADY PHARMACIST

Those dang 4 hour erections!

What happens when you ask for help with an erection lasting more than 4 hours?

Kenny walked into a drug store in Kentucky and asked to talk to a male pharmacist. The woman he was talking to said that she was the only pharmacist employed there. She then asked if she could help him. Kenny said that it was something that he would be much more comfortable discussing with a male pharmacist. The lady pharmacist assured him that she was completely professional and whatever it was that he needed to discuss, he could be confident that she would treat him with a high level of professionalism.

Kenny then agreed and began by saying, 'This is tough for me to discuss, but I get erections every day that last more than four hours. It causes me a lot of problems and severe embarrassment, and I was wondering what you could give me for it.'

The pharmacist said, 'Just a minute, I'll talk to my sister.'

When she returned, she said, "We discussed it at length and this is the absolute best we can do. 1/3 ownership in the store, a company pickup truck, a king size bed and $3,000 a month in living expenses."

Seattle Green Jobs Program Gets $20M, Creates 14 Posts

A green jobs program in one of America's greenest cities is being called a bust 16 months after a $20 million federal grant to weatherize homes in Seattle ended up putting just 14 people to work in mostly administrative jobs and upgrading only three homes in the area.

"The jobs are not there," Todd Myers, who wrote the book "Eco Fads," told Fox News. "So we're training people for jobs that don't exist."

Japanese Company Orders All Staff To Get The Same Haircut

This sort of brings the concept of the staff uniform to a whole new level.

The Japanese construction company Maeda Corp. has requested that all of its 2700 employees get the same haircut in the name of saving the environment. The company believes that if all of its employees have short hair — bobs with bangs for women and short on the sides and back for the men — the overall consumption of energy will be reduced.

The Left's New Threats To Silence The Right

The FCC just took the so-called fairness doctrine off the books, but left in place some of their backdoor tools to silence conservative speech.

Your Immediate Help Needed!

MRC's Free Speech Alliance -- with 73 organizations now involved -- is rapidly building a massive grassroots army to fend off liberal attacks against Free Speech Rights. Already more than 485,000 Americans have taken a stand, but we need the maximum number possible to go to war when free speech is threatened.

Take quick action now to stop these insidious attacks on free speech.
The Petition States:
I am signing this petition to urge members of Obama's Federal Communications Commission (the FCC) and everyone in Washington to reject any and all efforts to censor, limit, or restrain free speech – on conservative or Christian talk radio, on the internet or anywhere else.

While the FCC recently removed the misnamed "Fairness Doctrine" from their books, I am aware that they are still pursuing backdoor attempts at censoring conservative speech under the guise of "localism" and "media diversity."

This also includes any attempt to regulate content of the internet or any other journalistic outlet.

Additionally, I am joining with other American citizens who want their individual free speech rights defended and protected from government intrusion! Our great nation was built upon free and open discourse, and to remain a great nation this ideal must be protected and preserved at all costs.

Please note that I will be watching closely and taking action when necessary to directly combat any censorship efforts as well as the liberal bias of the media.

Please take a moment and add your name. It costs nothing, your e-mail address will not be sold or given to anyone else without your permission, and it takes less than five minutes of your time. You must be 18 years of age or older to sign this petition.

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Fill In The Blank 8-30-11

My co-worker drives me crazy when they_______.

MARYLAND LAW ENFORCEMENT LAUNCHES ANNUAL CHIEFS’ CHALLENGE CAMPAIGN

Law Enforcement Officials Seek Community Participation in Lifesaving Initiative

Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack will join more than one hundred law enforcement agencies across the state in an effort to educate the public on the lifesaving and injury-reducing benefits of safety belt/child seat use. Additional attention will focus on the reduction of aggressive driving and driving while impaired. This campaign will take place from May through December 2011.

The Maryland Chiefs of Police, Sheriffs, Campus Safety Directors, and Maryland State Police Barrack Commanders challenge their law enforcement personnel to design community-outreach programs and events to recruit community partners, and to conduct enhanced educational and enforcement initiatives. In Wicomico County, state and local law enforcement officials will be conducting an aggressive driving campaign, entitled the Smooth Operator Program. This enforcement initiative will be from September 4 to September 17, 2011.

Man Accused Of Throwing Son Off Cruise Boat

Police arrest man after 7-year-old boy had to be rescued by another boater

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — A California man was arrested for investigation of throwing his crying 7-year-old son into the water from a sightseeing cruise boat during an argument that shocked other passengers, authorities said Monday.

Sloane Briles, 35, was taken into custody for child endangerment and resisting arrest, Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said.

"The father hit him several times and then threatened to throw him overboard if he didn't stop crying," Amormino said. "The crowd on the boat became very angry at the father for hitting the kid and extremely angry when he threw him overboard."

Would You Vote For Someone Like Me For President Of The United States?

Let's get real here for a minute.

The economy is in the crapper. Politicians use feel good words and there's always an excuse for their shortcomings.

I, Joe Albero, am a retired businessman and now a Blogger who has always been outspoken. I tell it like it is and you're about to hear me to yet another level.

If I were to become your President, here's the platform I'd run on.

#1, I'd immediately get us out of two wars.

#2, I'd do everything in my power to make sure gas prices went back to where they belongs, around $1.00 per gallon.

#3, I'd immediately stop ALL welfare to all people.

#4, I'd immediately cut off ALL food stamps.

#5, I'd give ALL Seniors on Social Security at least a 2% increase.

#6, I'd cut off ALL foreign aid.

#7, NO more LLC companies doing any business with any form of government.

#8, Raise taxes to large corporations manufacturing overseas.

#9, No Free Trade.

It's time someone put it on the line. While I could go on and on about what would be better for this country, let's get real with what is KILLING America today.

Of course the liberals reading this right now are SCREAMING, are you kidding me, how will our people survive. They'll go to their own Families first. When they can no longer support those collecting food stamps and welfare, let the non profit Churches step in and do what they were intended to do, pay it forward and not pay it to Rome, etc..

You see, America was a much better place when every one was forced to be responsible for how they raised their children into adulthood. There was a pride that is long gone. Oh, you could argue my statements but the reality of it all is, I'm right and democrats have become far too complacent. They don't want to go out and be productive. They just want republicans to pay their way and deliver jobs and economic and development while pie chart democrats go to college and come out to hold a career working for the government.

By the way, there would be NO FUNDING to rebuild other countries that attacked AMERICA. Too many Americans have forgotten all of the money that the Unites States loaned to other countries and jackasses like Bill Clinton forgave those loans. If we just collected the loans we gave out we would NOT be in the financial position we are in today.

I believe its time someone really told it like it should be. Once we started getting back on our feet, then and only then would we start to rebuild America. Within 2 years we'd be so ahead of the game you wouldn't believe what happened. However, IF we continue down the path we are currently in, we will not get out of debt for at least 50 years.

No more bailouts. If GM, Chrysler or ANY other company in America fails, well, enjoy the run you HAD because I would NEVER put you in a position to pay off the richest people on earth. Banks made bad and irresponsible loans, LET THEM FOLD! We need to hit rock bottom and start over again. All this pampering BS we've been doing by BOTH parties has killed the greatest country on earth.

In a few years when we get back on our feet we can reconsider those in need, WILLING TO TAKE DRUG TESTS to perhaps get back into a better managed system where the qualifications would far exceed what we currently have in place now. Once the system is up and running, ANY and ALL recipients getting financial aid would have to volunteer 40 hours a week cleaning up roads, mowing grass, shoveling snow. You want it, EARN IT! I'd create law that would FORCE all Fathers and Mothers to be financially responsible for their children or they go directly to jail.

OK, here's one I'd enjoy the most. ANY lawsuit that ends up in our court system, the LOSER pay ALL of the financial costs, lawyers, courts, you name it.

In closing, IF Congress makes ANY step towards reducing benefits for our Soldiers, they would immediately be subjected to the exact same plans for their benefits.

So why hasn't America seen a Presidential Candidate running on this kind of platform. Because companies big enough to kill such a candidate would do so in a New York second. The MSM would peg such a candidate as crazy.

Anyhow, that's part of what I'd run on if I were to run for President of the United States. If I got killed along the way, well, at least I was trying to make a better America and NOT be a part of the crap we're dealing with today.

So do tell me, what would YOU add to this list?

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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Ron Paul schools neocon Chris Wallace, who is suddenly respectful of his surge

Police arrest man after 7-year-old boy had to be rescued by another boater