Salisbury News: 09/16/11

Friday, September 16, 2011

AP Top Stories

Citi is raising the monthly fee on its basic checking account. The new fee will be $10, up from the previous $8. At the same time, the bank said that it will waive fees and offer bigger rewards if customers sign up for more services.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner urged EU finance ministers on Friday to leverage their bailout fund to better tackle the debt crisis, but there was no agreement on what steps should be taken.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc is shuttering a well-known hedge fund that relies on computer-driven trading strategies after the portfolio rang up a hefty loss this year.

Austria's finance minister is criticizing U.S. Treasury Chief Timothy Geithner for lecturing the eurozone on its crisis strategy but refusing to listen to the currency union's suggestions.

General Electric Co. said Friday it has secured two separate deals in Russia that could generate between $10 billion and $15 billion in sales.

O’Malley Praises Rick Perry For In-State Tuition Law

Arguing that both political parties need to create a “new narrative” as the nation heads into a polarizing 2012 presidential election, Gov. Martin O’Malley said Thursday that none of the leading GOP candidates have “offered policies that are terribly different than the ones that got us into this mess” and he predicted that President Barack Obama would be reelected despite sagging poll numbers.

Speaking to a regular breakfast gathering of political reporters in Washington, O’Malley also offered sly praise for the leading GOP presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, for supporting a 2001 law in Texas that permits some illegal immigrants to attend college at in-state tuition rates. The law, similar to one passed in Maryland this year, has recently been used against Perry by his Republican opponents.

“One thing I do like about Perry -- I do like the fact that he recognizes that fair is fair and if a family’s paying in-state taxes, they should pay in-state tuition,” the Maryland Democrat said at the breakfast, hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. “I think he’s right in making that assertion… Just because Congress can’t get things done and just because we can’t overcome our current affliction of xenophobia and have a rational immigration policy again, is no reason to condemn hardworking kids.”

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No Jail For Woman Who Shot Husband

SNOW HILL -- A Bishopville woman, arrested on attempted murder charges in May after shooting her newlywed husband in the abdomen with a small caliber pistol during a domestic argument will not face jail time after being found guilty this week on a first-degree assault charge. Alice Carmita Johnson, 72, of Bishopville, on Tuesday appeared in Worcester County Circuit Court to face attempted murder and other serious charges after allegedly shooting her husband of just six months during a...

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Brad Pitt: Jennifer Aniston Wasn't Dull - I Was

(CBS) Brad Pitt is backtracking on comments he made about his marriage to Jennifer Aniston in a recent interview.

The actor told Parade magazine: "I spent the '90s trying to hide out, trying to duck the full celebrity cacophony. I started to get sick of myself sitting on a couch, holding a joint, hiding out. It started feeling pathetic. It became very clear to me that I was intent on trying to find a movie about an interesting life, but I wasn't living an interesting life myself. I think that my marriage had something to do with it. Trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn't."

BREAKING NEWS: 75 Injured in Air Race Crash

Medical official reports 75 people were injured, including 25 critically, in Nevada air race crash.

BREAKING NEWS: 75 Injured in Air Race Crash

Medical official reports 75 people were injured, including 25 critically, in Nevada air race crash.

Timeline Of Events Leading To City Manager’s Removal

OCEAN CITY -- A whirlwind of events took place at City Hall last Thursday and Friday, culminating ultimately in City Manager Dennis Dare tendering his resignation pending an accord on conditions and terms. Here’s a timeline of events: Thursday, Sept. 8 4 p.m.: Without City Solicitor Guy Ayres or City Manager Dennis Dare in attendance, Mayor and Council meet in council chambers and vote to convene in closed session “to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, removal...

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China Gives Angry Birds New Reason To Be Angry

Add Angry Birds to the list of Western products and services that have wound up used without license in China.

A theme park inspired by the popular mobile game opened Sept. 1 in Changsha, a city in China's Hunan province, where visitors take turns with giant slingshots that shoot the birds at pig balloons.

Man Carries Anti-Gerrymandering Campaign To All Redistricting Hearings

Howard Gorrell says he had no intention of attending all 12 public hearings of the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee when he found himself the first witness at the first hearing July 23 in Hancock. But he did, and he was the final witness at the final hearing Monday. Gorrell’s message from first to last was fairly simple: No gerrymandering. No drawing of lines for political gain.

Continue Reading...

Study: Weight Issue Hardest For Parents To Address

(CBS News)

Guess what is the hardest thing to talk with their kids about? It's not drugs, drinking or sex. It's weight.

A national "Raising Fit Kids" study reveals that being overweight is a more difficult topic for parents to talk to their teens about than the traditionally touchy subjects of drugs, alcohol, smoking and even sex. The study finds one quarter of parents avoid discussing their children's size with them.

Slew Of Foreclosed Homes To Hit The Market In Early 2012

Last year, several of the country's largest mortgage servicers — Bank of America, GMAC/Ally, JPMorgan Chase, among others — were forced to hit the pause button on foreclosure procedures after it was revealed that many foreclosure documents were being rubber stamped by untrained, ill-informed "robo-signers." This delay caused a bottleneck of foreclosure-worthy properties waiting to be reviewed. But now it looks like those homes are starting to trickle out into what could be a flood in early 2012.

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Heavy Winds And Rain Impact The Chesapeake Bay

Recent storms caused serious damage when they made landfall along the East Coast in September. Although the storms have since passed, their impact is still being felt in and along local streams and waterways as well as in the Chesapeake Bay. A brown plume of sediment filled with trash, debris, sewage and other pollutants is currently making its way down the Chesapeake Bay. People have reported seeing tires, dining room chairs and even toilet seats floating in local waterways. Satellite images, like this one shown from NASA, track the pollution coming from large tributaries like the Susquehanna, Potomac and Rappahannock rivers.

Charlie Sheen Says He's Not Mad At "Men" Anymore

(CBS/AP) Charlie Sheen appeared on "The Tonight Show" Thursday to talk about what's going on his life these days and get this: He's not angry about the whole "Two and a Half Men" thing anymore. What a nice guy!

Sheen radiated a forgiving mood toward his old workplace. Asked by host Jay Leno if he's still angry at the sitcom's producers and network, he said no: He would have fired himself, had he been in their shoes. Then he added with a laugh, "Well, maybe not like they did."

NFL: All 16.6 Million Ticket-Holders Should Receive Additional Frisking Before Entering Stadium

In the NFL, an illegal touching penalty will set your team back five yards. But the league has absolutely no problem with telling all 32 of its franchises that every fan should be frisked from the ankles-to-knees and then again from the waist up.

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5 Myths About Your Credit Score

How one's credit score is computed is to most people a complete mystery, akin to figuring out a quarterback's passer rating. Thus, there are numerous myths and half-truths that have attached themselves to credit scores, some of them having at least a partial basis in fact.

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BREAKING NEWS: 'Mass Casualty Situation'Aat Air Race

Plane crash at Nevada air race is described as a 'mass casualty situation,' with reports of dozens injured.
From Fox News

I Miss Sunday Ticket Football Games, Get Refund In Sony Online Store Credit

DirecTV's Sunday Ticket To Go is a service for football fans who can't have or don't want a satellite dish bolted to the side of their house. It streams Sunday afternoon out-of-market football games to computers, mobile devices, and as of this week, to the Sony Playstation 3. At $340 for the season, it's not cheap, but football fans love it anyway. The service's Playstation debut on Sunday didn't work all that well for most customers, and didn't work for Edward at all. He called for a refund, which was issued, then canceled. Instead of a refund to his credit card, he and other users will receive a store credit. For $25. To the Playstation Network store. "As if that is somehow comparable!" he fumed to Consumerist.

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Dead Cats Found In N.J. Man's Freezer

(CBS News)

UPPER PITTSGROVE Twp., N.J. - The bizarre rants on Facebook led to the dead cats in a freezer.

CBS Station KYW reports that a Salem County man wrote about dying animals on his Facebook page, soliciting money for a PayPal account to help care for them.

Ian Barlow also referred to maggots, and posted pictures of dead cats.

Two Agencies To Get Budget Increases

Two independent agencies would see budget increases next year under a bill approved by the Senante Appropriations Committee. The panel recommends a 19 percent hike for the Securities and Exchange Commission and an 18 percent hike for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. No Republican on the Appropriations committee voted in favor. Meanwhile, the committee approved a four percent cut for the IRS and a three percent cut for NASA.

Default Rates On Student Loans Soar To 15%

In 2010, as the buzz of economic recovery swept over the nation, we were warning of the unemployment crisis and how it would affect college graduates who were told that once out of college they’d be quickly absorbed into the job market where they’d make all of their wildest financial dreams come true.

While unemployment for college grads is 15% according to Bloomberg, we know for a fact that the overall rate of unemployment, per economist John Williams of Shadow States, is actually at around 22%.

It’s not just college students, it’s everybody – one in five able bodied Americans are out of work right now.

There is a reason that these numbers, especially for college grads, are peaking at levels we have never seen before: it’s because our economy is shambles with no clear recovery in sight.

Treasury Inspector General Opens Probe Into Obama's Solargate

In the latest installment of what is rapidly becoming Obama's Keynesian Solargate, we learn that the Treasury Department's Inspector General has opened an investigation of the now defunct $528 million government loan to Solyndra which has no chance of getting repaid, following what will be a pennies on the dollar liquidation of the company, especially since it is primed by a $75 million term loan [11]to George Kaiser, a documented Obama "bundler" as was documented previously [12]. Per the AP [13], "A spokesman said Thursday that the inspector general is reviewing the role and actions of the Federal Financing Bank, a government corporation supervised by the Treasury Department. The bank provided the low-interest loan to the Fremont, Calif.-based company." The "concern" is that Obama has pushed levers to get the investment in a venture controlled by a "friend" on a fasttrack, with the White House Office Of Management Supervision urging the DOE to release the funds without proper diligence. "The House energy committee released documents Wednesday that appeared to show senior staff at the White House Office of Management and Budget chafing about having to conduct "rushed approvals" of a loan guarantee for Solyndra. Republican members of the committee said the emails raised questions about whether the loan was rushed to accommodate a Solyndra groundbreaking ceremony in September 2009 that featured Vice President Joe Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu." And while there is more, we will spare the Treasury IG some time (assuming he is at least a little less corrupt than everyone else in the administration and actually plan on conducting a legitimate investigation) and advise him to simply look at campaign and other contributions by Solyndra's equity backers which features the George Kaiser Family Foundation, U.S. Venture Partners, CMEA Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Virgin Green Fund, Madrone Capital Partners, RockPort Capital Partners, Argonaut Private Equity, Masdar and Artis Capital Management. When in doubt, always follow the buck... especially when it is looking for a very fast turnaround courtesy of taxpayer capital IRR padding.

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Army Goes Solar

The Army has hatched a new plan to make its bases energy independent. It wants to use millions of vacant acres to install wind farms and solar panels. But it doesn't have the money to build them. So the Army's new task force on energy and acquisition hopes to persuade private companies to invest in energy production on Army property. Repayment would take two forms. The Army would become a guaranteed customer for the resulting power. Or it would simply trade the land for the electricity.

Tennessee Mother Tells Police She Hid Pregnancy, Smothered Newborns

A young mother charged with murder has told police she hid her pregnancy, gave birth to twin sons at her family's home and killed the infants by smothering their cries so her parents wouldn't hear them.

Police in the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville arrested Lindsey Lowe, 25, on Wednesday after her father discovered one baby's body in a laundry basket.

Senate Reached Agreement To Avoid FAA Shutdown

The Senate has reached an agreement to avoid forcing another shutdown of FAA — a day before funding was set to expire. Action on the bill had been blocked by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who objected to funding for bike paths and walking trails in the bill. But negotiations late Thursday helped cleared the way for its passage. Coburn dropped his protest in exchange for promises from Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) that the funding requirement will be removed later. The bill extends FAA's operating authority through January and extends highway and transit programs as well as the federal gasoline tax through March.

AMBER ALERT: UPDATE AMBER ALERT CANCELED

****Update September 16, 2011 4:30 p.m. AMBER ALERT CANCELED***

DSP News Release: AMBER ALERT CANCELED FOR MISSING 4 YEAR OLD

Resume:

Milford, DE- The Milford Police Department has located 4 year old Andy Lee Martinez and Lizzet Vazquez. Both are reported to be safe and in good condition.

This is an AMBER ALERT ACTIVATION

The Delaware State Police have issued an AMBER ALERT for the Milford Police Department.

DATE: Friday, September 16, 2011 at 10:11 a.m.

Resume:

Milford Police Department is searching for a 4 year old Milford, DE boy and his 19 year old mother after they were abducted this morning.

Lizzet Vazquez and Andy Lee Martinez were last seen at their residence located in the 100 block of McColley Street in Milford. Both Vazquez and Martinez were taken against their will by William Cuellar, 40. There is a real concern for the welfare of both Vazquez and Martinez.

Lizzet Vazquez is described as a Hispanic female. She is 4’10” tall and 110lbs with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing black jeans, a black shirt with a white shirt underneath, and high heeled sandals.

Andy Lee Martinez is a 4 year old Hispanic male. The was no clothing description available for Martinez. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

William Cuellar is a Hispanic male. He is 6’00” tall and 140 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a white and blue vertical striped shirt and jeans. He is operating a white SUV possibly a Ford Expedition or Explorer. It has a Georgia registration with the second letter being a Q.

The Milford Police Department will be the point of contact for any further media inquiries. They can be reached at 302-422-8084.

To offer information regarding the location of Vazquez, Martinez, or Cuellar, please call 911 immediately, or the Milford Police Department. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333.

Texas Rain: 'Like Manna From Heaven'

Memphis, Texas (CNN) -- John Hall, a rancher in the drought-stricken Texas Panhandle, got an unexpected call from his 81-year-old mother on Thursday morning.

"What's that stuff falling from the sky?" she said.

"You forget what it was?"He paused.

"It looks beautiful."

Why Europe Has Only A Month To Solve Debt Crisis

(CNN) -- If Europe's leaders do not restructure the euro and European debt within a month, the markets will force it on them.

The highly publicised three-way phone conversation between German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou may have calmed the markets but it provides no solution for Europe's economic and banking woes. If anything, by delaying decisions, it makes the crisis worse.

Detectives Investigate Frankford Shooting

Location: Residence in the 35000 block of Parker Road, Frankford, DE

Date of Occurrence: Friday, September 16, 2011 at 12:45 a.m.

Victim:

-36 year old Frankford, DE man

Suspects:

-Two short black males (no further description)

Resume:

Frankford, DE- Delaware State Police detectives are investigating an incident in which a 36 year old man was shot that occurred early this morning in Frankford, DE.

The investigation began after troopers were dispatched to the 35000 block of Parker Road in Frankford at approximately 12:45 a.m. this morning for the report of a suspicious male subject knocking on a homeowner’s door. As troopers arrived, they located a 36 year old male victim who was suffering from injuries to his abdomen and hand. The victim advised troopers that just after midnight this morning, Friday, September 16, he had left his residence on Parker Road and had responded to a local convenience store. Upon returning to his residence and exiting his vehicle, the victim was approached by two male subjects who then fired five shots at him. The victim advised troopers that he then fled on foot to a neighbor’s residence where the 9-1-1 call center was then contacted. The suspects fled in an unknown direction.

The victim was transported by EMS to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center where he was treated for non life threatening injuries. He was only able to provide troopers with a brief description of the suspects.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have any information in reference to this incident to contact at Troop 4 at 302-856-5850. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

ACCOUNTANTS CAN'T SAVE THE WORLD

I know accounting puts most people to sleep, including myself, and I have a BS in Accounting. But accountants have the power to obscure and hide reality with a journal entry. The accountants at the biggest banks in the world, with the encouragement of government officials, central banks, and largest accounting firms in the world, have been covering up reality since 2009. The loans on the books of the biggest banks in the world are only worth a fraction of what they are being valued at on the books. Everyone knows it. It is a the biggest widest fraud in the history of mankind. Banks pretend they will get repaid. Borrowers pretend to pay. Stock market gurus pretend these banks aren’t insolvent. And the world pretends that the whole thing isn’t about to collapse.

But it is. Extending and pretending does not pay off the bad debt. The only thing that can pay off debt is real cashflow. There is no cashflow to pay off the debt. The world economies are contracting. The politicians and central bankers are scrambing around like cockroaches in a frat house when you turn the lights on. Their solution is always the same. Print money out of thin air, debase the currency, and lie.

PR, misinformation and covering up the truth can work for awhile. But, not forever. As an accountant by training, I’d love to say we could save the world with a journal entry, but sadly we cannot.

Reality will win in the long run, and the reality of the worldwide economic system is dire. Happy Friday!!

European Bank Blowups Hidden With Shell Games: Jonathan Weil

By Jonathan Weil Sep 14, 2011 8:00 PM ET

The last time the world had a major banking crisis, fair-value accounting rules were near the top of the list of scapegoats most likely to be denounced by government and industry leaders. Not so this go-around. Today many of Europe’s largest financial institutions are seemingly on the brink again, driven by fears of pent-up losses stemming from the sovereign-debt debacle. Only you don’t hear much criticism of fair-value reporting anymore. That’s probably because the accounting mandarins gutted many of their fair-value rules in response to the financial system’s near-meltdown three years ago. This hasn’t made banks safer. It has given politicians and bankers one less culprit to blame, though. Fair-value accounting — or the notion that financial instruments should be recorded at market value on companies’ books rather than at historical cost — made for a popular whipping boy in 2008, both before and after the collapses of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and American International Group Inc. More

QUOTES OF THE DAY 9-16-11

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemingway

“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.”
― Ernest Hemingway

“Life is a tale told by an idiot full of sound and furry signifying nothing!!”
― Ernest Hemingway

FDA To Ban Food Nutrients

FDA Set to Ban Your Supplements ... The FDA has issued a proposed mandate that represents the greatest threat to dietary supplements since 1994. Back in the early 1990s, consumers were so alarmed by FDA bullying that they staged a massive revolt. The result was that Congress passed a law prohibiting the FDA from banning popular nutrients (as the agency had threatened to do). There was, however, a loophole in the 1994 law. The FDA was given authority to regulate ingredients introduced after October 15, 1994. It has been 17 years, but the FDA just issued draconian proposals as to how it intends to regulate what it now calls "new dietary ingredients." If implemented, some of the most effective nutrients you are taking will be removed from the market. This includes many fish oil formulas and natural plant extracts. – Mercola's Blog

663,000 Names On Petition Protesting Troy Davis' Execution

Supporters of convicted cop killer Troy Davis say time is running out.

Unless something dramatic happens, Davis will die by lethal injection next week for the 1989 murder of Savannah, Georgia, police officer Mark MacPhail.

Davis, 42, is set to be executed at 7 p.m. Wednesday, and since his 1991 conviction, seven of the nine witnesses against him have recanted or contradicted their testimony. No physical evidence was presented linking Davis to the killing of the policeman.

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY AND LT. GOVERNOR BROWN TO MAKE MAJOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCEMENT IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

ANNAPOLIS, MD (September 16, 2011) – On Monday, Governor Martin O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown will join Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker for a significant transit-oriented development announcement.

WHAT: Governor O’Malley, Lt. Governor Brown to announce details of major transit-oriented

development project in Prince George’s County

WHEN: MONDAY, September 19, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: New Carrollton Metro Station (Ellin Road side)

New Carrollton, MD

Todd Palin Says McGinniss Book Filled With "Disgusting Lies"

Todd Palin offered blistering criticism Wednesday of a controversial new book about his wife, which he described to reporters as filled with "disgusting lies, innuendo, and smears."

The book, by author Joe McGinniss, is said to feature a number of controversial and dubious claims about the family, including reports of drug use and inferences that Sarah Palin had a fling before she was married with former NBA star Glen Rice, according to published reports.

Solyndra - A Few New Facts. A Few New Questions

I have, on numerous occasions in the past, written an article that took the form of a question to readers. I present some demonstrable facts. Then I pose the question(s), "What do you think?" "What do you know?" I'm “smarter” as a result of the responses I have gotten. I think others are as well.

I’m going to take this to a different level. The following questions are directed to my usual readers. They are also directed to the actors in the Solyndra story. The DOE, OMB, company execs (past and current), the equity owners, the lawyers and the MSM could chime in with an explanation. This blogger/taxpayer is seeking some clarity on the following.

There are questions of who did what to whom and when. There is an aspect to this that has not yet (to my knowledge) been discussed in the media. (Note-I tried to make this easy to follow. It isn't. Sorry)

On July 29, 2011 (just five-weeks before going bankrupt) Solyndra (“SOL”) entered into a transaction whereby it sold both the Accounts Receivables (IOUs from panels sold) and the Inventory (panels) of the company ("the A/R Transaction”). Solyndra Financial (“SOLF”) (a subsidiary of SOL) was the seller. The purchaser was a newly formed company called Solyndra Solar II LLC (“SSII”). The following is the only information that I could find about SSII. Note that the company was organized in the Sate of Delaware one-day before the sale of significant assets of SOL.

The Problem With Women and Science: It's Hormonal — Or Is It?

A new study of an unusual genetic disorder may shed light on the long-running and valiantly argued debate over whether women are underrepresented in scientific careers because of biology or because of cultural influences and discrimination.

Researchers at Penn State University looked at teenagers and young adults who were exposed to abnormally high levels of the male hormone androgen while in the womb. Compared with their siblings who were not so exposed, they were demonstrably more interested in careers related to things — including science, technology, engineering and math — as opposed to careers related to people, the researchers found.

BREAKING NEWS: Air Force Base On Lockdown

Air Force Base in Arizona on lockdown after reports of shots fired.

From Fox News

Alleged UBS Rogue Trader Charged With Fraud

The 31-year-old UBS AG trader accused of costing the bank $2 billion in losses through unauthorized trades has been charged with fraud and false accounting, news reports said Friday.

The Associated Press said London police released a statement saying Kweku Adoboli had been charged with two offenses. The AP added that police said Adoboli would appear before magistrates later Friday and that the probe into the massive trading scandal was ongoing.

Edit Draft Another Popular Name Emerges In The Solyndra Scandal

Solyndra Offered $535 Million Loan Guarantee by the U.S. Department of Energy

Fremont, CA, March 20, 2009 – Solyndra, Inc. announced today that it is the first company to receive an offer for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantee under Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Solyndra, a Fremont, California-based manufacturer of innovative cylindrical photovoltaic systems, will use the proceeds of a $535 million loan from the U.S. Treasury’s Federal Financing Bank to expand its solar panel manufacturing capacity in California.

“The leadership and actions of President Barack Obama, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and the U.S. Congress were instrumental in concluding this offer for a loan guarantee,” said Solyndra CEO and founder, Dr. Chris Gronet. “The DOE Loan Guarantee Program funding will enable Solyndra to achieve the economies of scale needed to deliver solar electricity at prices that are competitive with utility rates. This expansion is really about creating new jobs while meaningfully impacting global warming.”

Designed specifically for commercial, industrial and institutional rooftops, Solyndra’s proprietary photovoltaic (PV) systems generate significantly more solar electricity per rooftop at a lower installed cost than conventional flat panel PV technologies. Further, Solyndra’s PV systems are fast and economical to install due to the simple horizontal mounting and unique air-flow properties of the solar panels. Solyndra’s panels are fully certified for U.S. and international use and have been commercially shipping since July 2008.

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Vaccine Wake-Up Call for Parents

Job-Hopping Could Cost You If You're American

Americans’ penchant for job hopping when times are good — and the necessity of changing jobs when times are bad — may be held against them.

A new survey finds a higher percentage of American hiring managers have reservations about hiring people who’ve had quite a few jobs than those in Asia and Europe.

Debt can be crippling and stressful, but it doesn't have to ruin personal relationships. While it may be easy to project stress onto spouses and family members, it’s important to remain focused on paying down the debt as fast as possible and reshaping the financial future.

Personal finance expert Dani Johnson, author of First Steps to Wealth, says financial complications are a leading factor in divorces and failed relationships today. This debt that Americans are drowning in is also impacting children, and serving as a poor lesson to them about how to best manage their own finances.

The poverty data released this week from the U.S. Census offers another stark reminder of the economic toll of single parenthood.

Even before the Great Recession began, poverty rates for single moms and dads were much higher than for married families. The economic weakness of the past few years has only made things worse for parents raising kids on their own.

If you'd like to have your business promoted on any vehicle, contact Butch Gardner at Gardner Sign in Salisbury. 410-749-1200

Andy On President Obama’s New Spending Plan

This week I will be discussing President Obama’s new spending plan – or as I call it, Stimulus II.

In a speech from Washington last week, the President proposed a massive new Stimulus package that would include a bailout for state governments, unemployment benefit extensions and more government spending. All of this would cost us nearly $500 billion and is coupled with a massive tax hike on American job creators and middle class families.

The President and liberals in Congress still think that government spending creates jobs. I have a different opinion - I believe that if we want to create jobs in America, we have to stop the spending spree in Washington. I also believe in Ronald Reagan’s vision of America, where government gets off the back of the private sector and allows them to do what they do best: grow their businesses and create jobs right here in the United States.

I hope that you will listen and send me your thoughts on these critical issues. You can listen to the clip on my website.

Thank you for your time and your support. I look forward to seeing you soon!

Who Owns This Illegally Parked Boat?

Thank God Its Friday

What will you be doing this weekend?

My Ride Into Work This Morning 9-16-11

Pre Test

This is a terrific and incredibly easy test. And it shows results in a number of ways. It clearly indicates that the majority of Americans don't have a clue about what's going on in the world. No wonder our politicians take such advantage of us. It's astonishing that so many people got less than half right. These results say that 80% of the (voting) public doesn't have a clue, and that's pretty scary.

There are no tricks here - just a simple test to see if you are current on your information. This is quite good and the results are shocking.

I believe it was Winston Churchill who opined that " . . . the biggest argument against democracy is a 5-minute conversation with the average voter . .. ."

Test your knowledge with 11 questions, then be ready to shudder when you see how others did!

Test your news IQ - Pew Research Center

Which Generation Has The Recession Hurt The Most?

The Great Recession has done terrible things to people of all ages and walks of life, but which generation of Americans have had their futures the more irreparably damaged? The Atlantic lays out the evidence.

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Denver Men Accused of Taking Dead Friend on Boys' Night Out

(NewsCore) - Two Colorado men stand accused of multiple offenses after driving their dead friend's corpse to a pair of Denver nightspots and using his ATM card to buy themselves drinks, the Denver Post reported Thursday.

Prosecutors have charged Robert Jeffrey Young, 43, and Mark Rubinson, 25, with abusing a corpse, identity theft and criminal impersonation.

Guy Who Helped Create TSA Wants To Kill It

Of all the critics the Transportation Security Administration has attracted, one of the last naysayers you'd expect to see would be a politician who had a hand in creating the bureau. But according to a conservative site, the Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee who sponsored the bill that led to the establishment of the TSA in 2002 wants to dismantle and privatize the organization.

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16-Year-Old Boy Arrested In Abduction, Assault Of 5-Year-Old Girl In Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Va. - Fairfax County Police have a suspect in the abduction of a five-year-old. Investigators are not naming him, but say he is 16 years old.

The crime happened in the early morning hours of August 27. Police say an intruder broke into the child's Springfield home and snatched her out of her bed as her family slept. Police say the suspect took her to a wooded area nearby, sexually assaulted her, and then released her.

Mortgage Rates Hit Yet Another Historic Low

Prospective home buyers seemingly can't go wrong by waiting. As nearly each month passes and they build up their down payments, home prices continue to dip and mortgage rates set new record lows. According to Freddie Mac, 30-year fixed-rate home loans now average 4.09 percent, while 15-year fixed mortgages slid to 3.3 percent.

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House Speaker John Boehner Adds His Jobs Pitch To Obama’s And Everyone Else’s

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, added his two cents to the pot of job creation plans today when he called for a total reform of the tax code, fewer federal regulations and an expansion of infrastructure projects and domestic energy production.

Boehner’s proposals almost directly mirror the agenda put forth in early September by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., and even include a few similarities with President Obama’s American Jobs Act.

How To Spot An Awful Restaurant In Seconds

The worst time to realize you've chosen a bad restaurant is after you've placed your drink order. You're locked in to a financial commitment, so it's tough to justify uprooting and heading somewhere else. If you're careful to spot the signs of a bad dining establishment before you sit down, you won't find yourself in that predicament.

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California Teen 'Romeo and Juliet' Suicide Pact Goes Awry After Mom's Murder

Tylar Witt still brags about her mom.Joanne Witt's master's degree in mechanical engineering, her skill in the kitchen and her tomboy traits are all sources of pride for her teenage daughter."She was a lot like a dad," Tylar said. "What other mom catches snakes and lizards and puts them in aquariums?"

But the affection Tylar shows today was critically absent on June 12, 2009 -- the day, prosecutors say, Tylar helped her boyfriend kill her mother.

LEWES, Del. (AP) -- The offices where former Delaware pediatrician Earl Bradley committed acts of sexual abuse against scores of young patients over more than a decade are set to be emptied and demolished next month.

A spokesman for Attorney General Beau Biden tells The News Journal of Wilmington (http://bit.ly/prhRQo) that logistical details for the Oct. 10 demolition are still being worked out with other state agencies.

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Space Satellite UARS Adrift And Heading For Earth

A nearly 6-ton satellite is heading toward Earth and could crash into the planet as early as Sept. 24, NASA officials said.

The UARS -- short for Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite -- has been in orbit since the space shuttle Discovery launched it in 1991, but it's gradually coming closer and closer to the ground as it encounters friction from the upper reaches of the atmosphere.

***UPDATE***

DSP News Release: Missing Lewes Man Located

Resume:
Lewes, DE- Daryl Woodall has been located and is in good condition. The Gold Alert for Woodall has been cancelled.

Location: 34000 block of David Drive, Lewes, DE

Date Last Seen: Friday, September 9, 2011

Gold Alert Subject:

-Daryl R. Woodall, 56, Lewes, DE

-White male, 5’10” tall, 160 lbs, red hair, blue eyes

Resume:

Lewes, DE- The Delaware State Police have issued a Gold Alert for a missing Lewes, DE man, Daryl R. Woodall.

Daryl Woodall was last seen at his residence on Friday, September 9, 2011. Woodall’s medical condition is such that there is a real concern for his welfare.

If anyone has any information in reference to the whereabouts of Daryl R. Woodall, they are asked to call Troop 7 at 302-644-5020. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

BREAKING NEWS: Palestinian Leader To Ask U.N. For Full Membership

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he'll seek U.N. Security Council endorsement of Palestinian statehood, a move aimed at gaining leverage against Israeli and forcing a U.S. veto.
From Fox News

US Taxpayers Could Be On Hook For Europe Bailout

The U.S. is coming to Europe's financial rescue.

So far, America's role is fairly limited. But if the crisis continues to grow and the U.S. takes on a wider role, U.S. consumers and taxpayers could feel a bigger impact. The biggest exposure could come from America's status as the single largest source of money for the International Monetary Fund.

The latest round of American financial assistance came Thursday with a promise by the Federal Reserve to swap as many dollars for euros as European bankers need. In the short run, those transactions won't have much impact because the central banks are simply swapping currencies of equal value. If the move helps avert a wider crisis, it could help spare the global economy from another recession.

But over the long term, consumers could feel the impact of central bankers flooding the financial system with cash, according to John Ryding, chief economist at RDQ Economics.

"This is a lender of last resort function," he told CNBC. "With the dollar injections that the Fed has done, it's like giving a patient medicine with really bad side effects." Ryding said the bad side effect in the U.S. has been inflation, which has picked up to 3.8 percent year over year.

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Friday, September 16, 2011

European Bank Blowups Hidden With Shell Games: Jonathan Weil