BIG GOVERNMENT & IRENE

Below is a ridiculous editorial supporting Big Federal Government and using Hurricane Irene as anexample of why we need a bigger FEMA and bigger Government. This guy clearly lives in a fantasy world of delusion. First of all, the Federal Government did absolutely nothing during this crisis other than provide a photo op for Obama to be in the fancy FEMA headquarters looking like he was directing the show.

Look at those drones in action. You know they are working hard because they have their sleeves rolled up.

The fact is that it was the States and localities that did all the work evacuating the people in danger areas. It was local policemen and local firefighters who saved people. The Federal Government saved no one and evacuated no one. The boob who wrote this editorial seems to think the National Guard are Federal. I guess it doesn’t take much education to get an editorial job with Scripps Howard News Service. The national guard are under the control of governors.

How would this disaster have been addressed if FEMA didn’t exist? No differently. FEMA has an annual budget of $11 billion. Why do we need them? There are 8,000 FEMA employees. Why?
The States and localities do all the work. Just give them the money and eliminate the bureaucratic middle man.

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Where Are Washington's Priorities?

Earlier this month, President Obama actually seemed business-friendly. He vowed to cut through hundreds of governmental regulations.

"Show us particular regulations that may be getting in the way of you hiring, and, there are going to be some that are important," Obama said. "You know, we want clean air, we want clean water. But if there is a bunch of bureaucratic red tape and it's not actually improving the situation, then let's figure out how to get rid of some existing rules."

Aides claim this will save businesses ten billion dollars over five years. And as the President found out during his bus tour: excessive government regulation matters to real people in the heartland.

But Mr. Obama tried to downplay concerns. It turns out - the president was just making room for more rules - out with the old, in with the new!

In a letter to Speaker John Boehner, the Obama Administration is considering seven new government regulations that would cost at least a billion dollars every year they are in effect.

Obama lists four proposed environmental protection agency rules and three transportation department rules. One of the proposed EPA rules - which updates national standards for smog - may actually cost upwards of $90 billion when all is said and done.

And who pays for this? American businesses do.

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Job Opportunities

Love the environment? Want to do something with your career that can help our waterways? Check out the job postings below:

Communications Coordinator - Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign
The communications coordinator for the Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign will play a key role in building nationwide awareness and support for restoration of the Mississippi River Delta on behalf of the National Audubon Society, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the National Wildlife Federation.

Maryland Department of the Environment: Director of Communications
This position is an extension of the Governor’s Office for the development, coordination and implementation of strategic communications, media relations, education and outreach strategies for the Maryland Department of the Environment.

NOAA Legislative and Communications Specialist
I.M. Systems Group, a contractor to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Silver Spring, MD, seeks an individual to serve as a full time Legislative and Communications Specialist to coordinate and promote the Marine Debris Program’s activities.

ARKive Program Assistant
We are looking for a Program Assistant to assist with the day-to-day activities of Wildscreen USA, including communications, events management, and technical and creative projects.

Blue Water Baltimore Seeks Finance and Administrative Manager
The position will report directly to the Executive Director and will have responsibility for maintaining the organization’s budget, finance, and operations-related activities.

Environmental Educator for Anacostia Watershed SocietyThe Environmental Educator inspires and informs youth of all ages about the wonders of the natural world, particularly the workings of the Anacostia Watershed.

Chesapeake Bay Trust Announces 2nd Year Of Conservation Corps Volunteers

The Chesapeake Bay Trust is proud to announce the newest members of its Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program. On Monday, 21 new volunteers were inducted surrounded by Maryland Senate President Mike Miller, Congressman John Sarbanes, Senator John Astle, Senator Kathy Klausmeier, Delegate Doyle Neimann, and Constellation Energy’s Paul Allen, which donated $25,000 to the program. The new volunteers have officially begun their one year term that they will serve with various host organizations across Maryland. Congratulations!

Damage Done To Chesapeake Bay By Hurricane Irene Still Unknown

While the damage on land can be assessed, it will take some time to determine how much harm was done to Chesapeake Bay’s water quality from Hurricane Irene. There are already reports of stormwater and sewage overflows from the record rainfall in the District of Columbia, which caused over 200 million gallons of rain water and human waste to enter into local waterways. Whether water quality drops significantly, will also depend on how much runoff occurred from Pennsylvania into the Susquehanna, a major tributary of the Chesapeake. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for continuing updates about the Bay’s health status.

Chart: This Is How Dead Free Checking Is At Big Banks

This chart from American Banker shows just how many nails are in the coffin of free checking at big banks in a post-Durbin amendment world. That is a whopping drop from 96% of large banks offering free checking in 2009 to only 34.6% in 2011. What's also amazing is just how resilient free checking is at the credit unions and smaller banks, which continue to use it as a marketing tactic to attract customers.

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Pig Race Mosque

Rand Paul Calls For Kreuger To Step Down Before He Even Starts As Head Of The CEA

Rand Paul has issued the following statement on President Obama's nomination of Alan Kreuger to head the Council of Economic Advisers:

Alan Krueger is nothing more than an extreme government interventionist, cut from the same cloth as those who have failed to correctly predict, diagnose, and manage our economic problem. During his tenure at the Treasury Department, Alan Krueger helped design the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program and even supported a European style value-added tax that would raise prices on American families.

This repetition of bad economic decisions by the President and his advisers could be described as the epitome of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time. Hasn’t the President realized we don’t need more big-government Keynesians in Washington saddling the American taxpayer with trillions in debt? The President’s economic policies have been an abysmal failure. His economic advisers have helped lead to these failures.

I have called for Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to resign, and I am now calling on Alan Krueger to step down before he even begins his new role, before any more damage can be done to the American economy by this Administration.

Bizarrely, Kreuger has argued, along with David Card, that increases in the minimum wage do not increase unemployment among teenagers and other unskilled workers.

Aside from the entire methodological question of whether empirical studies can be used in the social sciences to discover economic theory (See: The Counter Revolution of Science), the Kreuger-Card study was extremely sloppy.
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James Grant's Call For Life Behind Bars For Bernanke

James Grant at WSJ in 2009 called for life behind bars for Fed Chairman Bernanke. Nothing since then has changed Grant's case. In fact, as we head to a possible QE3 of some sort, the case is stronger. Here's a part of what Grant wrote :

Ben S. Bernanke doesn't know how lucky he is.  Tongue-lashings from Bernie Sanders, the populist senator from Vermont, are one thing.  The hangman's noose is another.  Section 19 of this country's founding monetary legislation, the Coinage Act of 1792, prescribed the death penalty for any official who fraudulently debased the people's money...
You get the strong impression that Mr. Bernanke fails to appreciate the tenuousness of the situation—fails to understand that the pure paper dollar is a contrivance only 38 years old, brand new, really, and that the experiment may yet come to naught. Indeed, history and mathematics agree that it will certainly come to naught. Paper currencies are wasting assets. In time, they lose all their value. Persistent inflation at even seemingly trifling amounts adds up over the course of half a century. Before you know it, that bill in your wallet won't buy a pack of gum...

 Get the Fed out of the price-fixing business...There's one more thing: Return to the statute books Section 19 of the 1792 Coinage Act, but substitute life behind bars for the death penalty.

Source

Ocean City Attorney Ed Hammond Killed In Car Accident

Salisbury News has learned that Attorney Ed Hammond from Ocean City was killed in a car accident on Rt. 50. We're told he rear ended a SHA Dump Truck and didn't survive the crash. More to come...

New posts to fall below this breaking news post.

Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office has obtained an arrest warrant for a subject  for violations of laws that pertain to his status as registered sex offenders.

The Worcester County Sheriff’s office is seeking 32 year old,  Joshua Aaron Baker,  last known address of Swordfish Dr. West Ocean City. He is a Tier 3 sex offender wanted for failing to re-register as a sex offender within three days of moving to a new location. Baker also has two other warrants for his arrest on unrelated criminal and traffic matters in the Worcester County Circuit Court.

To offer information regarding this investigation please contact the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office at 410-632-1111. Tipsters may also call to provide information through lines maintained  by Maryland Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776.

Delmarva Power Asks To Reduce NNatural Gas Rates

NEWARK, Del. (AP) -- Customers of Delmarva Power could see lower heating bills this winter as a result of the low market price of natural gas.

Delmarva Power said Wednesday that it is asking state regulators to approve a rate reduction that would trim the average residential customer's bill by $6.29 a month, about 3.7 percent.

The News Journal of Wilmington, Del., reports (http://bit.ly/rtL5c9) that under the proposal the average
customer's monthly bill would fall from $172 to $165.70 starting Nov. 1.

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State: Maryland Lost $2M From O.C. Shutdown

Hurricane Irene Closed Down Resort Town

BALTIMORE -- Maryland officials said the state lost $2 million in revenue during the time Ocean City was closed.

Despite the huge economic hit, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot said he's thankful the storm caused minimal injury and death.

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Bethany Beach Police Chief Injured In Bike Crash

ROXANA, Del. (AP) -- Officials say Bethany Beach police chief Mike Redmon was seriously injured when he collided with another bicyclist.

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Hurricane Impacts Redistricting Hearings

Former Delegate Jim King put on a suit and tie for the redistricting hearings in Annapolis and Columbia Tuesday. But earlier in the day, the lone Republican on the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee was in jeans, throwing out $25,000 worth of food from his two restaurants, Rockfish in Annapolis and Kaufman’s Tavern in Gambrills. Both eateries had been without power for three days after Hurricane Irene came through, and King bemoaned the loss of business and spoiled food at one of the busiest times of the year.

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Legislature In California Set To Pass A Dream Act

Los Angeles - The California Legislature is poised to pass a law that would allow illegal immigrants to receive state-financed aid for college. Known as the California Dream Act, the bill underscores the ways states are navigating their own way through controversial immigration issues, as the Obama administration has been unable to make headway on plans for an overhaul of immigration laws.

While the state law would do nothing to provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, it would provide them with more education benefits than they have in any other state. Advocates of the legislation say it would also send a powerful message to President Obama and Congress, forcing them to reconcile a patchwork of state laws that contradict one another.

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USGS: Irene Caused Record River Levels In MD, DE

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey says rains from Hurricane Irene pushed rivers to record levels in Maryland, Delaware and eight other states.

The federal agency said Wednesday that more than 80 of its stream gauges measured record peaks as a result of rainfall from the storm. In addition to Maryland and Delaware, records have been set on rivers and streams in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

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Try Cooking Cantaloupe For A Change

Local cantaloupe is a reliable standby for a quick fruit salad or an elegant melon with prosciutto appetizer.

But many of the melons available these days are quite large, which is great if you have a big family, but not so good if there are only one or two in the household.

For safety, melon needs to be refrigerated within two hours of cutting. Refrigerated melon should be used within a couple of days.

The last cantaloupe I purchased yielded more than 5 cups of diced melon. And I generally don't want more than about one cup per day, so I'm likely to throw out around 2 cups. Since I try to avoid wasting food, I usually remedy the situation by picking up a different fruit.

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PACKERS vs SAINTS Or MORE OBAMA BULLSHIT?

Is Obama a blithering idiot? Does he surround himself with morons and dickweeds? First he schedules his SAVING AMERICA speech during the Republican presidential debate and then is forced to switch the date. Now he is going up against the first game of the NFL season between two of the best teams.

I cannot wait to see the Ratings for Obama’s bullshit speech versus a football game. This fool demands a joint session of freaking Congress so he can announce that he wants to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits for another year. He will anounce more Keynesian bullshit infrastructure ideas. He will demand more money for education.

Here is the rub. This weasel just signed a debt ceiling deal to CUT spending in 2012 by a whole $22 billion out of a $3.8 trillion spending budget. Now he will go on national TV and propose to increase spending by at least $200 billion in 2012. He will declare that these are dire times and require BOLD action. Obama is a fraud. He has no clue how to create jobs because he has never worked a day in his life in a real job. He is being advised by Keynesian douchebags who are blinded by their theories and models.

The only bold action I’ll be watching that night is Aaron Rodgers hitting James Jones for a 60 yard TD. I suggest you do likewise.

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Sheriff's Deputy Almost Clips Money Bagger

Every day a security truck comes to the IRS Building to collect money, (I guess). However, when they do so they tie up the Plaza by parking directly out front, not leaving much, (if any) room for others to pass.

Today, a Sheriff's Deputy was attempting to pass by the truck when one of the workers popped open the door without looking, seriously. The Deputy stopped on a dime and all was good.

You know what they say, "You Can't Beat Luck".

Opportunity Knocks

The Downtown Opportunity Shop is only open two days a week but when they are, you can count on a line well in advance.

They are open Thursday's and Saturday's at 10:00 AM.

NJ Woman Charged After Dog Hangs Itself

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, N.J.- September 1, 2011 (WPVI) -- Authorities have charged a New Jersey woman with animal cruelty after her dog hanged itself in her minivan while the family ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant.

Authorities say Isabella Rojas-Soriano of Perth Amboy tied the dog's leash to a headrest before going inside the restaurant in Ocean Township Tuesday.

Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chief Victor "Buddy" Amato told the Asbury Park Press the Yorkie, "Scoobey," apparently became excited during the family's absence and wrap the leash around the headrest.

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Mother Stabs 2 Children To Death

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - September 1, 2011 (WPVI) -- The body bags of two small children were brought out of a South Philadelphia home late Wednesday night.

Police say a 27-year-old mother took a kitchen knife, walked into her children's bedroom, and stabbed her 12-year-old daughter and her 8-year-old son to death.

The Associated Press reported early Thursday morning that the woman, who has not yet been identified by police, has confessed to the crimes.

"It just goes to the heart and hurts to see that such tragedy has struck," South Philadelphia resident Clifton Silver said.

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Miami Police Shoot, Kill Man Carrying A Toy Gun

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — A man carrying what was later determined to be a toy rifle was shot and killed by police, authorities in North Miami Beach said.

The incident began Wednesday afternoon when officers responded to calls about a man seen walking around with a rifle.

One emergency caller reported the man had pointed the rifle at a dog, NBC Miami reported.

An encounter between the man and officers ensued and shots were fired, North Miami Beach police spokesman Sgt. Warren Hardison said. The man was flown to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

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Lost Dog: UPDATE, OWNER LOCATED

BREED:  AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD

PET NAME:  OVI

LOST:  08/30/2011

AGE:  6 MONTHS

PRIMARY COLOR:  BLUE MERLE

SECONDARY COLOR:  WHITE

WEIGHT:  35

SEX:  M

MICROCHIP #:  4A4E174E49
LAST SEEN:
FRUITLAND, MD 21826 W. MAIN STREET CROSS STREET N. FRUITLAND BLVD./US-13

THINK THAT YOU HAVE SEEN THIS PET? PLEASE CALL OUR 24/7 RECOVERY CENTER AT 1-888-HOMEAGAIN (1-888-466-3242)

"Early Obama Letter Confirms Inability To Write"

On November 16, 1990, Barack Obama, then president of the Harvard Law Review, published a letter in the Harvard Law Record, an independent Harvard Law School newspaper, championing affirmative action.

Although a paragraph from this letter was excerpted in David Remnick’s biography of Obama, The Bridge, I had not seen the letter in its entirety before this week. Not surprisingly, it confirms everything I know about Barack Obama, the writer and thinker.

Obama was prompted to write by an earlier letter from a Mr. Jim Chen that criticized Harvard Law Review’s affirmative action policies. Specifically, Chen had argued that affirmative action stigmatized its presumed beneficiaries.

The response is classic Obama: patronizing, dishonest, syntactically muddled, and grammatically challenged. In the very first sentence Obama leads with his signature failing, one on full display in his earlier published work: his inability to make subject and predicate agree.

“Since the merits of the Law Review's selection policy has been the subject of commentary for the last three issues,” wrote Obama, “I'd like to take the time to clarify exactly how our selection process works.”

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Depreciation Is Nothing New

In Marco Polo's great book of travels, he talks about a coin called the bezant circulating in Kublai Khan's Mongol Chinese empire. The emperor, like the vast majority of politicians, found the lure of paper money irresistible. In his case, however, it was money printed on pieces of mulberry tree bark. The same disastrous effects, seen everywhere else in history, followed. Prices increased, and the gold bezant took on increasing importance for the people as the government debauched the irredeemable fiat currency. Abuse of paper money helped lead, notes Antony Sutton, to the expulsion of the Mongol dynasty from China. Government demands that the people accept printed mulberry bark as equivalent to metallic money had no effect.

The bezant, however, was minted not by the Chinese, but by the Byzantine Empire. For ten centuries Byzantine coins were accepted all over the world, and Byzantium dominated trade for thousands of miles in every direction from Constantinople. Even the royal accounts of medieval England, says Dr. Sutton, were kept in bezants. The Byzantine Empire only declined when it debased the bezant, adding more cheap alloys and removing gold.

In more recent times, to finance our Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress issued paper money in great quantities. Over a period of about four and a half years, the Continental currency fell from a value of one paper dollar per one gold dollar, to about 1,000 to one.

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Maya Angelou: MLK Memorial Quote 'Makes Him Seem Like An Egotist'

Poet and author Maya Angelou is irked by an inscription on the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial that she believes "minimizes the man." (via Washington Post)

A quotation from one of King's speeches were paraphrased in order to fit on the side of the newly unveiled memorial dedicated to his legacy. The inscription, which is carved on the north side of the statue, reads: “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness.”

The excerpt was taken from a sermon delivered by King at Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1968, the same year he was assassinated. King, while referencing what his own eulogy might sound like, said to the congregation: “If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.”

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U.S. Money Is Taliban's No. 2 Revenue Source

(CBS News)

It's no secret that war is expensive, but a report out Wednesday says the U.S. has wasted billions in Iraq and Afghanistan. More tax dollars will go down the drain unless the government makes big changes.

CBS News correspondent David Martin reports that in ten years of war, the U.S. has paid contractors $206 billion to do everything from building schools to guarding diplomats. Today, a blue ribbon commission put a number on how much has been lost not to violence but to mismanagement and corruption.

Commission on Wartime Contracting Chairman Christopher Shays says: "We are wasting between $30 and $60 billion during the course of our engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan."

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Irene Likely To Lead To Higher Insurance Premiums

WASHINGTON (AP) - The $7 billion in estimated losses from Hurricane Irene will compound the vast damage caused by weather in the United States this year. Yet despite billions they've paid out for floods, tornadoes and earthquakes, big insurance companies can expect another profitable year.

And their customers can expect higher premiums.

The stocks of major insurers shot up on Monday as investors celebrated Irene's less-than-expected damage. The storm didn't even cause most analysts to adjust their profit estimates for insurers.

In part, that's because insurance companies have been raising premiums this year, especially for customers in high-risk areas. Homeowner and auto policies cost 5 to 10 percent more than they did a year ago, according to research by Gregory Locraft, an analyst with Morgan Stanley.

The damage from Irene and other disasters means that property insurance premiums will likely rise across the board into 2012, Locraft said.

"Irene is just another log on the fire," he said.

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5 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight

Find out why the scale won't budge!

Have you been working out and dieting like crazy without losing any weight? iMag went to certified personal trainers Gloria Vitolo and Mike Murray of Plus One Health Management to help you identify why the scale won't budge.

Reason # 1: You're Not Making a Commitment to a Healthy Lifestyle

Whether it's a hectic work schedule or family obligations, there is always an excuse when it comes to working out and eating well. We always hear, " I have to take out clients all the time" or "I had a birthday party and couldn't fit my workout in." People need to understand that a healthy lifestyle is something that needs to be part of your life, especially if you want to see weight loss success. It's not something you just do two to three times a week. So if you don't make a full-on commitment to change, this could be one of the reasons you are not seeing results.

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More Help Wanted

I have a job available for a mechanic/shop coordinator for our shop at Partners Auto Sales South in Frankford DE. Good working conditions. We need someone who will take our shop to the next level, good work ethic  and one who wants to work and make good money for doing so. John Harris 302 732 1100 or 410 430 6191 between 9 AM - 5 PM.

FDA Rules Silicone Breast Implants To Stay On Market

Silicone gel breast implants will remain on the U.S. market while manufacturers work to boost participation rates in required long-term studies, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official said.

"FDA continues to believe currently approved devices are safe and effective," said William Maisel, FDA's chief scientist and deputy director in the agency's device division. But he added, "there is a significant complication rate."

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National Guardsmen Ridiculed After Nearly Drowning In Irene Rescue Attempt

Several members of the New Jersey National Guard were mocked Sunday as two of their trucks were swamped by floodwaters during an Irene rescue attempt that went awry.

An observer who filmed the incident in a video that has gone viral expressed disbelief as he and others watched the guardsmen escape their trucks through the windows and crawl on top of the trucks.

“Are you guys that stupid?” the man said. “Why would you take a guy that can’t swim?”

“You guys are stupid,” the man said later.

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College Students Take ADHD Drugs For Better Grades

(CNN) -- Jared Gabay is like many other college students. When he has a big test coming up, he turns to what's called a "study drug" for a little extra boost.

"I'm more driven. I don't focus on anything else," the Auburn University senior says about taking the drugs. "If I have a paper, that's all I'm doing. No distractions, no socializing, just on with it."

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Female Kicker Tries Out For Virginia Tech

Frank Beamer probably thought he'd seen it all in his quarter-century tenure at Virginia Tech ... until Monday. A female kicker, Lauren Luttrell, tried out for Virginia Tech's football team and performed so well that Beamer decided to invite the freshman back to kick in spring practice. "Right now it's kind of tough to come out there and get a lot of attention. Things are happening so fast right now," Beamer said. "But I was impressed with her and we'll bring her back out there in the spring."

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The Evil Marionette Master

President Wilson was the puppet of the Rothschilds through his handler, Colonel Edward Mandell House. Some contend that Wilson never during his entire presidency expressed a single self-realized thought. Things have not changed much in respect to control, except that the new puppet master, while being schooled by the Rothschilds in Europe, is the "resident evil" who makes the Rothschild dynasty look positively benign.

Gyoergy Schwartz is the birth name of Obama's financier and alter ego; you most likely know him as George Soros. He was born in Hungary (they don't want him back) on August 12, 1930. Gyoergy in his own words is an atheist, anti-family, anti-American, hater of free enterprise, who in WWII betrayed his own Jewish people, working with his father to expose Jews to the Gestapo for commissions when their property was confiscated. "It was the best time of my life," said Gyoergy in an interview with American TV. The family changed their name in the 1930's in order to better facilitate their family enterprise of rounding up Jews for the Nazis. Gyoergy is a sociopathic multi-billionaire who has no scruples, morals or ethics. An elitist with the ego of an elephant, he conceives himself as the world's greatest philosopher who has taken it upon himself to CHANGE the world to give us all HOPE in his ill-conceived vision of a world run by him and implemented by his puppet, Obama.

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Is The Federal Reserve Political?

Why would anyone want to weaken the economy? ... Texas Gov. Rick Perry got a lot of blowback for his threat to get "ugly" on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, but the Republican presidential front-runner largely got away with his more serious charge that the Fed was "playing politics" with the economy. Perry insinuated that by "printing money," Bernanke was trying to give the economy a short-term fix in order to help President Barack Obama get re-elected next year. Perry called that "almost treasonous." Does Perry's accusation ring true? Is the Fed political? Does it use its influence over the economy to favor one party over the other? – MarketWatch

Crews Reach Far Corners Of Vermont Cut Off By Irene

(CNN) -- Sandra Manzke paused a moment as an ATV whizzed by her small farm in Wardsboro, Vermont.

With no hot water or electricity, Manzke took stock of her situation Wednesday, three days after the remnants of Hurricane Irene left the town largely marooned.

She had a generator. Her two horses were alive. Eight inches of water in the basement was mostly gone.

"I am lucky," she told CNN by phone. "There are people with houses in the water. They've lost everything."

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Cub Scout Pack 478 - Car Wash & Bake - This Saturday 9/3 - 10am until ?

If you are in Salisbury This Saturday 9/3.......

Drop By the Moose Lodge Parking Lot for our Cub Scout Car Wash! 

Donations accepted for the Car Wash, and soda/water & Yummy Baked Goods for Sale Too!

D.C. Apparently Full Of Weather Wimps

The East Coast has been catching a lot of flak for the way we have reacted to natural disasters recently.

Of course, it isn’t every year that our area experiences an earthquake and a hurricane in the same week. But apparently, we here in the Washington area have thinner skin than everyone else.

The Farmers’ Almanac has given the D.C. metro region the dubious title of the Biggest Weather Wimps for being the town that is most likely to shut down for both snow and rain.

D.C. was followed on the Almanac's list by Chicago, Atlanta, New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, New Orleans, St. Louis and Buffalo.

The reactions to the earthquake and Hurricane Irene are good examples of why D.C. ranked No. 1, editors say. But what really earned the title was 2009’s Snowmageddon.

Some forecasters however, aren’t too happy about the distinction.

“We have lots of demanding weather here: snowstorms and hurricanes and high heat,” Andy Woodlock, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in the Washington-Baltimore area told the Washington Examiner. “And to say that anybody’s wimpy or anything like that is just rough to say.”

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GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TOURS MARYLAND TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION POLICE MONITORING FACILITY

Joins officials for demonstration of MTA’s new, state-of-the-art Closed Circuit Monitoring Facility; Receives briefing on MTA’s Grand Prix operational plans

ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 1, 2011) - Governor Martin O’Malley today toured the new state-of-the-art Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Police Monitoring Facility in Baltimore. In May of this year, the $2.4 million facility opened utilizing federal transit security funds.  With the upcoming Baltimore Grand Prix, the MTA will be sharing 125 cameras with city and state law enforcement agencies to monitor transit stations in downtown Baltimore, and help protect visitors in town for the race.

“Our top priorities are creating jobs and protecting the public’s safety,” said Governor O’Malley. “Thanks to our federal partners, we have built a better, more connected Police Monitoring Facility that will help us continue to reduce crime. Together, we can build a robust and interconnected closed circuit television system that secures our private and public infrastructure and provides first responders with the tools they need to protect our people.”

The new facility allows the MTA to monitor 529 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras that provide real-time coverage at 20 Subway and Light Rail stations. By 2014, the MTA will have hundreds more CCTV cameras to cover 37 transit rail stations.

Recently, the Governor announced that total crime in Maryland is at its lowest level since 1975. Thanks in part to the use of CCTV cameras, MTA has seen a 26.4 percent reduction in violent crimes in 2011 compared to 2010. Real-time information observed at the Facility is provided to field officers, including suspect descriptions, direction of travel of specific trains or buses, and station views.  For criminal suspects sought by the MTA, images captured by CCTV cameras are put in Be-on-the-Lookout notices and shared with law enforcement agencies throughout the state.  In 2010, the MTA used video images in 26 criminal investigations. Of those cases, 18 were closed with the assistance of CCTV video. 

The O’Malley-Brown Administration continues to make steady progress to enhance the state of Maryland’s homeland security and emergency preparedness, including developing a plan for sharing video feeds across agencies and jurisdictions. The State has located and inventoried more than 8,400 state-owned CCTV components, and laid the groundwork for uniting multiple CCTV camera systems into a statewide network. The Administration has also vastly increased the number of video feeds available in the Coordinated Highways Action Response Team (CHART) from 45 in 2009 to 341, making live feeds available to traffic and emergency response personnel.  The State will upgrade, replace and build additional CCTV cameras to cover MVA Facilities in Maryland. By partnering with the Transportation Security Administration, hundreds of new or upgraded CCTV cameras will be installed at BWI Airport by spring 2013.  In July, the Administration launched a region-wide “If You See Something, Say Something” transit ridership security awareness campaign to encourage Maryland residents and visitors to report suspicious activity.

As Price Of Gold Increases, So Do The Scams

It's a hot investment right now, but do invest with businesses you trust

America has a serious case of gold fever. Because of the shaky economy and the soaring price of gold, people are eager to buy gold coins and invest in gold stocks. This gold rush mentality presents a golden opportunity for hucksters to pitch their bogus get-rich-quick schemes.

Federal and state authorities are going after the scammers. But these guys can steal millions of dollars from thousands of unsuspecting victims before they are shut down.

For example, a few weeks ago the owner of a Florida company, The Global Bullion Exchange, pled guilty to running an illegal investment scheme that prosecutors say defrauded more than 1,400 out of more than $25 million. (U.S. Attorney’s news release)

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Publishers Notes: Be very careful with LOCAL buyers. Their quotes on what they pay are based on 24kt, not 18kt or 14 kt.

Will Insurance Pay If Irene Flooded My Basement After My Sump Pump Failed?

Ok, so you don't have flood insurance, but what if your basement flooded after Irene because the sump pump failed when the power went out? That sounds "homeowner's insurance-y," right? Will insurance pay for it then?

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Yet Another Tylenol Recall: 2.5 Million Cold Multi-Symptom Nighttime Rapid Release Gelcaps

The fifth recall of a Tylenol product this year is "Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom Nighttime Rapid Release Gelcaps." McNeil, a division of Johnson & Johnson, a family company, said the caps had "slightly higher than expected" levels of chlorpheniramine ammonio acetate (CPAA). The recall encompasses roughly 2.5 million packages.

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Orbital Debris Is Simply The Cost Of Doing Business In Space

NASA said, in the wake of a recent USA Today report revealing thousands of bits of metal scraps, loose screws, paint chips, big rocket pieces and more are circling the planet at orbital speeds. However, as the problem gets worse, the agency is calling for space-faring nations to confront space junk. The National Research Council has released a report on protecting spacecraft from debris, old rocket bodies and meteoroids. The goal is to protect assets belonging to nations and private firms.

Del Monte Files Suit Against FDA

A major fruit company has sued the Food and Drug Administration for stopping imports of canteloupes from Guatemala. Some experts say the suit could have a chilling effect on federal regulators, the Associated Press reports. Del Monte Fresh Produce filed the suit after the FDA ordered the canteloupes off the market in July, citing a danger of salmonella. An outbreak had been traced to some of the fruit and the company had issued a voluntary recall. Former FDA official David Acheson told the AP, if the suit is successful, it could change the attitudes of regulators who'll be more reluctant to order recalls or stop imports of tainted food.

Saving The Postal Service . Com

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has launched a postal reform website, called SavingThePostalService.com. The interactive portal will have information, resources and videos on the U.S. Postal Service and its financial situation. The site also links to a "Postal Reform App", which allows visitors to give their input about which solutions they prefer to tackle the Postal Service's challenges. USPS is projected to lose $9 billion this year. A bill, introduced by Issa and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.), to overhaul the Postal Service is still making its way through Congress.

Stephen Decatur High School 1971 Class Reunion

When: Saturday-October 1, 2011

Where: Seacrets

49^th Street

Ocean City, MD

If you have not received your notification please call:

Teresa 443-365-0637 or Hondo 410-422-1542

We would love to see you there.

Church Bake Sale

Well,  the Church threw my cookies
out of the bake sale again….

No sense of humor.....

Altar Boy's Confession

'Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose girl.' The priest asks, 'Is that you, little Richie Sumner' Yes, Father, it is.' 'And who was the girl you were with?' ! 'I can't tell you, Father, I don't want to ruin her reputation.'

'Well, Joey, I'm sure to find out her name sooner or later so you may as well tell me now. Was it Tina Minetti?'
'I cannot say.' 'Was it Teresa Mazzarelli?' 'I'll never tell.' 'Was it Nina Capelli?'
! 'I'm sorry, but I cannot name her.' 'Was it Cathy Piriano?' 'My lips are sealed.'

'Was it Rosa DiAngelo, then?'

'Please, Father, I cannot tell you.'

The priest sighs in frustration. 'You're very tight lipped, and I admire that. But you've sinned and have to atone. You cannot be an altar boy now for 4 months. Now you go and behave yourself.' Joey walks back to his pew, and his friend Franco slides over and whispers, 'What'd you get?'
'Four months vacation and five good leads

Posts Until Midnight Tonight, Again

Salisbury News will deliver articles every 15 minutes, (and many in-between) until midnight tonight.

In Some Cases A Picture Is Worth More Than A Thousand Words

A Beautiful Story

Fill In The Blanks 9-1-11

I plan to ________ over the Labor Day weekend.

Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

On 08/28/11 2143 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy was on patrol at Rt. 50 and Holly Grove Rd. A White Dodge pickup traveling westbound Rt. 50 passed at a high rate of speed. the vehicle braked, then accelerated. The Deputy attempted to stop the truck as it turned northbound on Rt 589. The vehicle illegally passed another vehicle in front of it. The vehicle passed another vehicle on the right at Ocean Downs Casino and continued northbound at a high rate. The Deputy pursued the vehicle for approximately a mile and a half until it caught up to traffic and had to slow. The Deputy continued to Attempt to stop the vehicle. The vehicle continued at approximately 40 mph. The vehicle stopped at the south gate to Ocean Pines. The driver was identified as Robert Gross 37 of Ocean Pines Berlin Md. Mr. Gross had the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath and person. Mr. Gross appeared to be intoxicated. Mr. Gross was charged with Driving while intoxicated, Fleeing and Eluding, Speeding, Unsafe passing to the right, Driving without current tags, and Driving an uninsured vehicle. Mr. Gross was released pending court.

On 08/26/2011, A Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy responded to the Berlin Walmart in reference to a theft complaint.

The Deputy identified Jessica Lynn Boyd 26 of Ocean City Md., as a suspect who was detained by Walmart security for allegedly shoplifting items from the store. The store security officer stated they observed Ms. Boyd conceal several items of merchandise under her purse in a shopping cart and later passed all points of sale with the concealed merchandise. Ms. Boyd was placed under arrest for theft.

A search of Ms. Boyd’s purse led to the seizure of controlled dangerous substances and drug paraphernalia. Ms. Boyd was charged with theft and possession of controlled dangerous substances. Ms. Boyd was taken before a court commissioner and released pending trial.

The "Shining" Example Of Obama's $787 Billion Fiscal Stimulus Act, Solar Energy Company Solyndra, Files For Bankruptcy

Yesterday Zero Hedge contributor Bruce Krasting had some very insightful and very prophetic words when he asked rhetorically if a "Government investment disaster in the works??" The company in question is (now former) massively subsidized solar energy company Solyndra. Solyndra filed for bankruptcy less than 24 hours after Bruce proposed that the company is nothing but a stimulus black hole. We congratulate him on his investigative efforts. Alas, being private, there was no way to short it and capitalize on this investigative coup de grace. And while there are no winners, there are plenty of losers? Who - why US taxpayers of course. Why? Because as some may recall, Solyndra is one of the "shining examples" of Obama's $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. After all none other than president Obama said that Solyndra is "leading the way toward a brighter and more prosperous future.” He also cited it as a success story from the government’s $787 billion economic stimulus package." Alas Solyndra has now become a less than shining example of the complete catastrophe this latest exercise in pointless Keynesianism has been, all on the backs of US taxpayers. But don't worry, Obama is about to bring us a fresh new such fiscal stimulus catastrohpe any minute. This time it will be different.

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Obama Wants Jobs, Now

The White House is ordering several departments to speed up job creation. President Barack Obama told the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Interior, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development to identify up to three high-priority projects that will create jobs. However, the projects must already have funding. The president said he wants the agencies to speed up review and permitting for the projects. His goal is for work to start no later than 18 months from now. The president said the idea was suggested by his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

Insurance Company

A Charlotte, North Carolina man, having purchased a case of rare, very expensive cigars, insured them against .... get this .... fire. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of fabulous cigars, and having yet to make a single premium payment on the policy, the man filed a claim against the insurance company. In his claim, the man stated that he had lost the cigars in "a series of small fires." The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason that the man had consumed the cigars in a normal fashion. The man sued ... and won!! In delivering his ruling, the judge stated that since the man held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable, and also guaranteed that it would insure the cigars against fire, without defining what it considered to be "unacceptable fire," it was obligated to compensate the insured for his loss. Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the judge's ruling and paid the man $15,000 for the rare cigars he lost in "the fires." After the man cashed his check, however, the insurance company had him arrested... on 24 counts of arson! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used as evidence against him, the man was convicted of intentionally burning the rare cigars and sentenced to 24 consecutive one year terms.

My Ride Into Work This Morning 9-1-11

Finalists Named For 2011-2012 Maryland Teacher of The Year

Interim State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bernard Sadusky has announced the names of seven finalists for 2011-2012 Maryland Teacher of the Year.

“This year’s gifted finalists exhibit steadfast commitment to classroom excellence, and are helping to ensure that Maryland public schools continue to prepare world-class students,” said Dr. Sadusky. “These outstanding teachers are ambassadors for our field. They deserve recognition and appreciation for the work they do for our children and our communities.”

The finalists are:

• Laura Groo, Anne Arundel County;
• Joshua Parker, Baltimore County;
• Aaron Geiman, Carroll County;
• Rhonda Parsons, Cecil County;
• Christian Slattery, Harford County;
• Brian Freiss, Montgomery County; and,
• Chad Pavlekovich, Wicomico County.

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STATE POLICE AVIATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES POLICE JOIN UP TO ENFORCE BOATING SAFETY

(Ocean City, MD) – In an effort to increase boating safety and with the last official weekend of summer on the horizon, the Maryland State Police Aviation Command and the Maryland Natural Resources Police are teaming up to reduce the chances for injury or death on waterways in the Ocean City area.

This enforcement initiative, which begins Labor Day Weekend, will place an emphasis on the safe operation of boats and personal watercraft. Violations of speed limits, reckless operation, alcohol use, and required safety equipment continue to be ongoing areas of concern.

"Maryland has experienced 18 fatal boating accidents that resulted in 20 deaths this year,” Maryland Natural Resources Police Sergeant Art Windemuth said. “In a normal year, there are 12 boating deaths throughout the state. The goal of this enforcement effort is to reduce boating accidents on the waterways through the safe operations of vessels."

Specially-trained officers from the Natural Resources Police will fly in Maryland State Police helicopters or airplanes to conduct boating enforcement efforts from the air. Fourteen Natural Resource Police Officers have been trained by the Aviation Command to work alongside flight crews. The training focused on safety, crew resource management, water egress and emergency procedures.

At the beginning of summer, the State Police Aviation Command implemented deployment initiatives to Ocean City, which have aided in this new enforcement initiative. In addition, members of the Ocean City Beach Patrol have been trained in the insertion of rescue swimmers by helicopter if needed in an emergency.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police is the lead agency in the enforcement of boating laws and regulations designed for the safety of the boating public while on Maryland waterways. The Maryland State Police Aviation Command is committed to assist the Maryland Natural Resources Police in the performance of their mission. The large volume of boating and persons in and on the water makes Ocean City the obvious choice for implementing this initiative.

The inherent hazards while boating are not always readily apparent until after a tragedy occurs. Both agencies seek the cooperation of all boaters, in adherence to laws and safe operating principles, to ensure the safety of all Maryland citizens while they enjoy the day in the sun and on the water.

Today's Survey Question 9-1-11

Do you think a law needs to be passed guaranteeing minimum wage and mandatory breaks for nannies?

SALISBURY CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011

CONFERENCE ROOM 306

GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Follow-up discussion on access to legal counsel – Council/Paul Wilber
Follow-up discussion on amending Chapter 17.12 to change the Board of Zoning Appeals procedures for
appeals related to nonconforming uses – Paul Wilber/Council
Follow-up discussion on fire sprinkler requirement exemptions – Bill Holland/Council
Follow-up discussion on foreclosed property registry – Tom Stevenson
Housing inspections – follow-up from July 18, 2011 discussion – Tom Stevenson
Budget amendment for Winter Wonderland– Teresa Gardner/Pam Oland
RECESS
4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Towing - follow-up on work group
Onley Road – follow-up to Board of Education meeting
Urban Salisbury – amendment request from Mayor
General discussion/upcoming agendas
Update from Council President
Minutes residing with City Clerk
Boards and Commissions – general discussion and appointments
Other

Maryland's Oysters More Depleted Than Thought, Study Says

Scientist call for ban on all commercial harvest

A new scientific study recommends halting all commercial harvest of oysters in Maryland, warning that the ecologically important bivalves are even more depleted than previously believed and that continuing to catch them risks eliminating them altogether from much of the upper Chesapeake Bay.

The study, led by researchers with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, concludes that the oyster population in Maryland's portion of the bay has dwindled because of overfishing, habitat loss and disease to just 0.3 percent of what it was before intensive commercial harvesting began in the late 1800s. That's even lower than the estimate of 1 percent remaining that officials have been using for years.
While the harvest of oysters has plummeted over the decades to a fraction of what it was, the remaining watermen are still taking too many, the scientists said.

A new scientific study recommends halting all commercial harvest of oysters in Maryland, warning that the ecologically important bivalves are even more depleted than previously believed and that continuing to catch them risks eliminating them altogether from much of the upper Chesapeake Bay.

The study, led by researchers with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, concludes that the oyster population in Maryland's portion of the bay has dwindled because of overfishing, habitat loss and disease to just 0.3 percent of what it was before intensive commercial harvesting began in the late 1800s. That's even lower than the estimate of 1 percent remaining that officials have been using for years.

While the harvest of oysters has plummeted over the decades to a fraction of what it was, the remaining watermen are still taking too many, the scientists said.

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