Friday, September 23, 2011

Are Americans And Their Children Really That Hungry?

Look around, watch carefully what the MSM is actually showing you. I have casually watched images of people claiming to be hungry, getting in lines at soup kitchens, food banks, collecting food stamps, taking advantage of special government housing, claiming disability, quite frankly it makes me sick.

There seems to be no pride in America any more. I've explained in the past how I grew up. I'm not trying to gain any sympathy, none whatsoever. I've simply tried to express how my Family was too proud to go on welfare. We were too proud to collect food stamps. We didn't live in subsidized housing.

As I travel to different Tent Cities and in a small way help provide food for some of these people, there are no obese people that I have seen so far looking for handouts. Instead, you'll see them in lines at food banks or at WalMart with their Independence Cards.

In the mean time, a lot has been said recently about how a select group of people are planning on going after a local Blogger because they feel he can not only work, he can provide an income, (in their opinion) to support himself and break away from subsidized housing and other financial advantages these people feel he shouldn't be receiving. In the end the courts will decide the fate of such an argument but in the mean time, what's to be said about obese people with their hands out while others are truly starving.

Yeah, the liberals will be all over me on this Post but quite frankly I do believe it's a fair question. It wasn't that many years ago we were living off a $30.00 a week grocery budget. Not one of us was FAT. Not one of us was unhealthy and not one of us was with our hands out demanding even more.

We paid for our food, we paid our own rent and we became better CITIZENS because of it. Can the liberals truly come back with a reply showing conservatives that giving such handouts to those who truly don't need it is an advantage to the American People?

It reminds me of a kid years ago who came to my Office trying to sell magazines. When he got the sense that I wasn't interested he started getting smart by saying, well, if you buy these magazines it will keep me off the streets and away from crime. Of course he was trying in a way threaten me and I simply told him to get out of my face, after I pointed out my open gun safe.

So do tell me what you think. Do you truly believe the majority of those people taking advantage of soup kitchens, food banks, disability, subsidized housing, etc. are really people who actually need it? While I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I have NEVER heard of a child who starved to death because the Family couldn't provide food. And I have to openly say that every time I see the MSM show food banks and so forth you always see people who look like they could use 45 days on Survivor, if not 6 months.

Over-The-Counter Asthma Inhalers To Vanish From Store Shelves By End Of Year

If you or someone you know uses Primatene or any other over-the-counter epinephrine inhaler for asthma, the clock is officially ticking before they disappear off store shelves. The Food and Drug Administration announced today that, in an effort to cut down on products using ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons, these inhalers will no longer be available after Dec. 31.

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General Assembly To Resume Fight Over Same-Sex Marriage

A legislative battle over same-sex marriage in Maryland ended only a few months ago, but opponents and advocates have already started preparing to fight for their cause in the 2012 legislative session.

Gov. Martin O'Malley has stepped out from the behind-the-scenes role he played during the 2011 session and has promised to sponsor a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. O'Malley has already spent time with advocacy groups and spoken at a fundraiser for Equality Maryland.

"The governor and the advocacy groups have formed a much stronger partnership this year," said Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for O'Malley. "We're organizing a much stronger effort this year and we're getting ahead of it earlier."

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Woman Sues Over Breast Disfigurement

Closing arguments expected today

Her grandmother died from breast cancer, she explained. Her mother, aunt and one of her sisters also were diagnosed with the disease.

To protect herself, the 46-year-old mother of two went to a series of doctors in 2008 before ultimately electing to have preventive surgery.

She wanted a double mastectomy and breast implants. At least, she said, as long as she could keep her own nipples.

But when the Stevensville woman went to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis on March 23, 2009, there was a mix-up in the operating room - and doctors removed her nipples.

"I just broke down, went outside and cried," the woman, now 49, said earlier this week in county Circuit Court, recalling what she did after learning from a nurse her nipples were gone. She said her breasts no longer look or feel right.

"It looks mutilated. It doesn't look like any woman's breast," she said.

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Chinese Man Allegedly Kept 'Sex Slaves' In Homemade Dungeon

A Chinese man was being quizzed by cops Thursday for allegedly keeping six women locked up inside a grim, makeshift dungeon for two years while he used them as sex slaves.

Li Hao, 34, is accused of killing two of his captives and subjecting the others to horrifying sexual and emotional abuse, The Shanghai Daily reported.

6 Employers At Risk Of Future Layoffs

After the Federal Reserve's gloomy economic outlook that sent stocks into a tailspin this week, employers already operating with minimal staffing may feel further pressure to downsize.

"The labor market has been frozen for the last year and is not yet showing signs of thawing out," Stephen Bronars, chief economist with Welch Consulting, said.

Hit Man Falls in Love With Victim, Disguises Murder With Ketchup

A hired hit man in Brazil never got the job done.

Instead, he fell in love with his victim and conjured a plan to fake her death with the help of some ketchup, the U.K. Daily Mail reports.

Carlos Roberto de Jesus was hired by Maria Nilza Simoes to murder Iranildes Aguiar Araujo, whom she suspected of having an affair with her husband.

But the plan went awry when de Jesus fell in love at first sight with his intended victim and confessed the plot.

The pair then conjured up a plan to fool his employer into believing he had carried out the hit by taking photos of Araujo in a ripped shirt, taped mouth, tied hands, and with her body smothered in ketchup with a machete under her armpit, pretending to be dead.

Ron Paul And The Booing Teocons

The mainstream media tried to ignore him. They thought they could keep his message from getting out to the public. When they couldn't keep his message hidden any longer as his supporters got the word out and more and more people saw the signs waving and went to the web to sate their interests, they denounced him. They called him crazy, just like his ideas and his supporters. They claimed his ideas could never work. They claimed he was just too radical and was unelectable. All their attacks have missed their marks or backfired.
The message of liberty resonates in the spirit of the common folk. Freedom has worked in the past and it can work again in the future. Our nation was built upon these principles and it became a great nation because of them, not in spite of them. The principles that have brought this nation down, that have steered us to this point in history, to the brink of economic disaster and societal collapse, are the principles of collectivism that have been slowly forced upon us by the established power and political elite, particularly in the last century or so.

Yet the established powers don't want to give up their collectivist ideals. Perhaps this is because their powers stem from those ideals. They seem almost childlike in their fear as they scramble to make excuses for their failed policies. They do all they can to make the ideas of liberty, the ideas expressed by Ron Paul, seem irrelevant. Even as their tricks become more obvious to those watching, the establishment and their media lapdogs continue to try to frame the debate in a way that favors their collectivist, corporatist, crony capitalist point of view. They just don't seem able to innovate. They seem to be almost panicking as more and more people catch on and turn away from their influence to try to find a better way.

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Left On Red

Well, why not?

If the way is obviously clear in both directions, if it’s obviously safe to enter the intersection, make your turn and proceed. . . why not proceed?

Because of The Law.

It is (usually) illegal to make a left turn on red. Sometimes, a right turn, too.

But why is it illegal?

Because The Law assumes a very low standard of competence – and applies it generally. If you think about it, this least common denominatorism is another form of collectivism. The individual – his merits, his skill, his initiative and judgment – all irrelevant. You can literally be Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (or Danica Patrick), a superbly skilled and scrupulously conscientious driver whose actions were impeccably safe – and still you will receive a ticket – and all that goes with it, including the smear of “unsafe driving” – if you are caught ignoring a red light – ignoring The Law – and using your own eyes and skill and judgment instead. You are expected – required – to sit like one of Pavlov’s dogs, not merely awaiting the green signal but (and this is key) paying no attention whatsoever to the flow of traffic in the lanes you are hoping to cross. You are not encouraged to monitor the situation, to use your own eyes to see whether traffic’s coming.

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Halloween Horror: Ricky's Pulls Their Sexy “Anna Rexia” Costume

Call us crazy, but we don't think eating disorders really scream "sexy".

New York chain beauty store Ricky's is typically the place to go for your ridiculous, last-minute Halloween costumes. But the

"Anna Rexia" costume the store was selling online brings scary to a whole new level. The skin and bones costume, complete with measuring tape to obsessively monitor lost inches, has reportedly been around for a while, however Ricky's has just pulled the costume after the backlash started. The costume is nowhere to be found on the site and a spokeswoman told the Village Voice that Ricky's was no longer selling Anna Rexia.

A Question Of Morality

On the question of war and empire, the Republican presidential candidates from Romney to Perry to Bachmann are clones of Obama, just as surely as Obama is a clone of Bush.

There is, however, one exception, Rep. Ron Paul (R, TX) the only contender who is a consistent, principled anti-interventionist, opposed to overseas Empire, and a staunch defender of our civil liberties so imperiled since 9/11. These are not newfound positions for Paul, come upon along the campaign trail or via a focus group, but long standing convictions, rooted in libertarian principles and verified by countless votes in the House and speeches on the Floor. You can take them to the proverbial bank. Nothing approaching this phenomenon has been seen in a major party since George McGovern. And even McGovern did not identify, let alone oppose, the U.S. as an Empire.

Paul must be taken seriously; he is not a candidate without real prospects. He virtually tied for first place in the Iowa straw poll, and now runs third behind the chamelonic Romney and the thuggish Perry in national polls. Paul has money from his grass roots "money bomb" fundraising and he has an enthusiastic base, especially among the under 30 set.

The question must be asked, what is to be done by the antiwar Left? This question may be put in a variety of ways. The Left often acknowledges its obligation to those in developing countries, people of color over the planet whose standard of living and life itself is held back by the depredations of the U.S. Empire. If the Left acknowledges such a primary obligation, does it not need to support an antiwar candidate like Paul when there is no other around? Look at Libya with thousands killed by NATO bombing and the infrastructure of the African country with the highest Human Development Index being systematically destroyed. It is a war that is undeclared by Congress, therefore in violation of the Constitution and thus an impeachable action. Or Iraq where a million have been killed and four million displaced. Paul takes an unequivocal stance to stop this killing. How can the Left justify withholding its support for him?

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Texas School Punishes Boy for Opposing Homosexuality

An honors student in Fort Worth, Texas, was sent to the principal’s office and punished for telling a classmate that he believes homosexuality is wrong.

Holly Pope said she was “absolutely stunned” when she received a telephone call from an assistant principal at Western Hills High School informing her that her son, Dakota Ary, had been sent to in-school suspension.

In India, aborting a fetus based on its sex is illegal, but the practice is common due to a societal preference for boys.

Forty miles outside Mumbai stands a large farmhouse painted cream with red trim. Inside, it is airy and welcoming.

“Two girls here, two girls there, and my mom and dad sleep in the living room,” she says.

Sixteen-year-old Shriti (not her real name) points out the large terrace, the living room, her bedroom.

Shriti is one of four girls. She has no brothers.

That is unusual in India. According to the most recent census, the country has far more boys than girls.

Public health experts say the skewed sex ratio is the result of an illegal but increasingly common practice, one that Shriti’s parents engaged in while attempting to have a son. It is a practice few talk about openly.

Germany Has 5 Trillion Euros of Hidden Debt, Handelsblatt Says

Germany’s public debt is much higher than officially shown,Handelsblatt reported, citing calculations by Bernd Raffelhueschen, an economics professor at Freiburg University.

Maryland Delegate Indicted On Theft Charges

WASHINGTON — A Maryland state delegate was charged Friday with using campaign funds to pay for wedding expenses and for the salary of an employee at her law firm.

Tiffany Alston, 31, was indicted on charges of felony and misdemeanor theft, misappropriation by a fiduciary and election law offenses.

Prosecutors say Alston, a Prince George’s County Democrat who was elected in January and then played a focal role in the General Assembly’s debate over gay marriage, issued two checks totaling $3,560 from her campaign account to cover her wedding expenses. She also allegedly used her campaign account to make payments of $660 to a law firm employee, and also withdrew $1,250 for personal use last December, prosecutors say.

“Under these circumstances, there is simply no excuse for candidates or their responsible campaign finance officers to flagrantly and repeatedly violate the requirements of the law in the conduct of their campaign finances,” State Prosecutor Emmet C. Davitt, whose office brought the charges, said in a written statement.

She did not immediately return calls left at her Statehouse office or at her law office. It was not immediately clear if she had a lawyer.

The indictment was returned Friday by an Anne Arundel County grand jury.

Alston made news in March when she and another lawmaker skipped a critical vote on gay marriage, leaving supporters at least two votes shy of the 12 they needed to advance the bill. She signed on as a co-sponsor of a bill to give same-sex couples in Maryland the same legal rights as heterosexuals but wound up voting against the bill in committee, saying she was having trouble balancing her personal views and pressure from constituents.

Source

Second Big Satellite Set To Resist Re-Entry Burn-Up

Even if NASA's 6-tonne UARS satellite does not cause any injury or damagewhen it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere today, there is more space junk headed our way next month. A defunct German space telescope calledROSAT is set to hit the planet at the end of October – and it even is more likely than UARS to cause injury or damage in populated areas.

No one yet knows where UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) will fall to earth. Although most of the craft's mass will be reduced to an incandescent plasma, some 532 kilograms of it in 26 pieces are forecast to survive – including a 150-kilogram instrument mounting.

Leaked Cables Reveal Chevron Lobbying Efforts

(CN) - Chevron tried to shake off multibillion-dollar environmental claims in Ecuador by lobbying government officials, even as it blasted opponents for allegedly playing to the courts' corrupt and political side, according to diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks.
A provincial court in Lago Agrio, Ecuador, slapped Chevron with an $18.2 billion penalty in February to remediate decades of damage to the Amazon caused by oil drilling. Chevron's predecessor, Texaco, had drilled there from 1964 to 1992, and the court found it had decimated the rainforest and groundwater by dumping billions of gallons of oil in a region home to 30,000 people.
Chevron was pulled into a decade-old lawsuit over the spill when it acquired Texaco in 2001.

'First Irish Case' Of Death By Spontaneous Combustion

A man who burned to death in his home died as a result of spontaneous combustion, an Irish coroner has ruled.

It is believed to be the first case of its kind in Ireland.

West Galway coroner Dr Ciaran McLoughlin said it was the first time in 25 years of investigating deaths that he had recorded such a verdict.

Michael Faherty, 76, died at his home at Clareview Park, Ballybane, Galway on 22 December 2010.

Deaths attributed by some to 'spontaneous combustion' are when a living human body is burned without an apparent external source of ignition.

This Is A Teacher

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.

The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan"..
All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A....

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.

The second test average was a D! No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.

As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed. Could not be any simpler than that. (Please pass this on)

Remember, there is a test coming up. The 2012 elections.

Today's Top Stories 9-23-11

BLOOMBERG

When Mahmoud Abbas walks to the podium of the General Assembly today to ask for United Nations acceptance of Palestine for membership, he knows his bid cannot succeed. He’s going ahead anyway.

The Obama administration’s focus on stopping Palestinians from gaining statehood recognition at the United Nations has diverted U.S. attention from the possible fallout from the showdown in New York -- a breach with Arab allies and a spark for violence in the Middle East.

Rick Perry and Mitt Romney intensified their attacks on each other during a televised debate last night, sparring over Social Security and health care in the escalating two-man battle dominating the Republican presidential contest.

Group of 20 finance chiefs pledged to address rising risks to the global economy and pushed Europe to contain its sovereign debt crisis after concern the world is on the brink of another recession sent stocks tumbling.

The Mexican peso’s longest losing streak on record is fueling concern inflation will quicken and prompting traders to scrap bets on interest-rate cuts.

Germany’s private banks plan to cut voluntary guarantees on consumer and investor deposits, drawing on the lesson from systemic crises such as the one triggered by the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

Bank of America is among a group of lenders that may face a wave of new lawsuits claiming cash-strapped counties were cheated out of millions of dollars by a system used for more than a decade to register mortgages.

AP Top Stories

Congress' latest must-pass bill is prompting a new House-Senate showdown, highlighting a partisan rift so raw that an effort to help disaster victims has become mired in disputes over jobs, the national debt and the discredited Solyndra solar energy company.

President Barack Obama is giving states the flexibility to opt out of provisions of the No Child Left Behind law, a move he says is designed to energize schools but Republicans challenge as outside his authority.

Pakistan lashed out at the U.S. for accusing the country's most powerful intelligence agency of supporting extremist attacks against American targets in Afghanistan — the most serious allegations against Islamabad since the beginning of the Afghan war.

While publicly pressuring Israel to make deeper concessions to the Palestinians, President Obama has secretly authorized significant new aid to the Israeli military that includes the sale of 55 deep-penetrating bombs known as bunker busters, Newsweek has learned.

A severe shortage of drugs for chemotherapy, infections and other serious ailments is endangering patients and forcing hospitals to buy life-saving medications from secondary suppliers at huge markups because they can't get them any other way.

A NASA satellite is expected to plummet to Earth today (Sept. 23), and agency officials are monitoring the dead spacecraft closely to try to narrow down when and where the debris will fall.

European banks have already received 420 billion euros in funds to help recapitalize and are in a much better shape than three years ago.

Moody's downgraded eight Greek banks Friday, citing their exposure to their government's bonds and the deteriorating economic situation in the country as it struggles to convince creditors it's doing enough to get more bailout cash.

The Republican presidential contenders say vast parts of the Department of Education would be on the chopping block — if not completely shut down.

Source

SYSTEMATIC COLLAPSE

I know this is supposed to be Fun Friday, but what is happening in the world today is not fun. Jim Willie does a splendid job detailing the collapse that is underway as we speak. The facts speak for themselves. Those in power will continue to lie, obfuscate, misinform and try to make off with the remaining loot, but they will be tracked down and dealt with eventually. Keep your eye on the big picture and ignore the MSM view of the world.

Billboard Signals of Collapse

Wow! The billboard signals of extreme crisis are overwhelming. Three years of near 0% with no recovery. A full year of ample USTreasury and mortgage bond monetization with no recovery. Tons of cash aid deliveries to the big US banks with no recovery. Some key corporate nationalizations with no recovery. Oodles of errant stimulus programs with no recovery. Some important misdirection in home loan aid initiatives with no recovery. The US Federal Reserve admits it can do nothing more as a recovery remains elusive. The USGovt is paralyzed by disguised fascist warmongers opposed by disguised marxist collectivists, but intent on maintaining the status quo among bank fraud. An approved accounting fraud directive is kept in place to present a picture of bank solvency. Intermediate credit markets have come to a standstill. The US stock market is in tatters. The USTreasury Bond market is the only conventional rally at work. And with all these programs, developments, and events, the USEconomy moves toward a recession with relentless determination and purpose, In today’s age of lying about price inflation by at least 5%, that means the recession is about to turn into a Minus 5% Recession after never exiting the recession recognized in 2009. The billboard messages are dire, ugly, dreadful, dangerous, and full of destruction, typical of systemic failure. Too bad the Keynesian textbooks do not have a chapter on banking system insolvency, or one quarter of the households living in negative equity, or central bank toxic paper pits, or global currency war, or confiscation of tyrant accounts. The ineffective monetary & fiscal policy has ushered in the nightmarish systemic failure. That is what is occurring.

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Bill Clinton: Netanyahu To Blame For Failure Of Peace Process

NEW YORK - Former US President Bill Clinton is blaming the failure of the peace process with the Palestinians on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Yearning for leaders of the past, Clinton said, "The two great tragedies in modern Middle Eastern politics, which make you wonder if God wants Middle East peace or not, were Rabin's assassination and Sharon's stroke."

Florida Teacher Fired For Sex Videos, Marijuana Use

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – A fifth-grade teacher in southwest Florida has been fired after parents and school administrators were anonymously sent images of her engaged in sex acts and apparently smoking marijuana.

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported Thursday that the county school district terminated the 35-year-old woman, who had taught at an elementary school in Port Charlotte since 2002.

80-Year-Old Woman Reportedly Arrested For Selling Crack Cocaine

An 80-year-old Alabama woman has reportedly been arrested for selling crack cocaine for a second time, authorities said.

Ola Mae Robinson, of Prichard, Ala., was arrested Wednesday after officers executed a search warrant at her home and found an unspecific amount of crack cocaine and pills. Robinson, who was arrested in June on drug possession and distribution charges, denied selling the drugs, WPMI reports.

"Who? No! I don't have time for no crack cocaine," Robinson told a reporter when asked if she sold drugs from her home. "Wish I was, cause then I'd have money."

Free Entry To Assateague Island National Seashore On Saturday

In celebration of National Public Lands Day, the entrance fee to Assateague Island National Seashore will be waived for all visitors on Saturday, Sept. 24. The free entrance applies at both the Maryland and Virginia districts of the National Seashore.

Full Story

Americans Distrust The MSM

Americans remain largely distrusting of the news media, with 55% saying they have little or no trust in the media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly, and 60% perceiving bias one way or the other.

To view the entire story, GO HERE.

YARD SALE

Yard Sale
Saturday, September 24
6:30 am – 11:00 am
27651 Riverside Drive Ext., Salisbury
Girls Clothing – Up to Size 4t
Boys Clothing – Up to Size 12 months
Kids toys, Baby toys, Household Items

Citizens Group Voices Anger With City Council For Recent Personnel Matter

Citizens packed the Ocean City Council chamber during Monday’s meeting, the first held with a scheduled public comment period since the closed session vote that forced former City Manager Dennis Dare to retire.

Full Story

Film Festival Tickets Now On Sale

BERLIN -- Join the Assateague Coastkeeper® and the Assateague Coastal Trust when they host the Wild and Scenic Film Festival On Tour at Seacrets in Ocean City on Oct. 13. The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is a collection of films from the annual festival held the third week of January in Nevada City, Calif. Now in its ninth year, Wild & Scenic focuses on films that speak to the environmental concerns and celebrations of our planet. “Films featured at Wild & Scenic...

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Sunfest Kite Festival Returns For 34th Year In Resort

OCEAN CITY -- See the skyline of Ocean City explode with color at this weekend’s Sunfest Kite Festival, Sept. 22-25 on the famous downtown Boardwalk. Celebrating its 34th year, this world-class event is recognized as one of the top 100 most popular venues on the planet. All are welcome to witness and participate in general kite flying, kite flying games, relays, “candy drops”, kite competitions, or just plain kite spectating, and it’s free. In September of 1977, kite...

Chocolate Lab Missing From Easton: UPDATE

Bentley is missing from Easton (Oxford Road/Cooke's Hope area). He has a slight limp in his back leg. If anyone sees him please call Nicki at (410) 310-7074 or Talbot Humane at (410) 822-0107. He is very missed. Thanks for your help.

Wait Til You Go Grocery Shopping Again

You better put your seat belt and take blood pressure pills before you go to the grocery store again because prices, (as we explained last week) HAVE gone through the roof.

Yes, expect anywhere from 25% to 50% increase the very next time you hit the store. In fact, some cashiers were saying the prices went up TODAY and they weren't that high this morning.

If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times. They'll break you until you have no more, then they'll make you charge it. They'll raise cigarettes, liquor, gas, food, TOLLS, you name it. Oh, we're in a depression alright! Just5 wait til you hit the grocery store today.

Former Ravens Player Found Dead

Former Ravens player Orlando Brown has been found dead in his downtown Baltimore home, officials and the team said. He was 40.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh announced Brown's death at the beginning of his news conference with reporters on Friday afternoon. City police and fire officials confirmed that they were at the player's home at the Harborview complex in South Baltimore.

Fire Department spokesman Kevin Cartwright said medics were called after the player was found unresponsive in his home in the 1200 block of Harbor Island Walk. Medics called police to the scene at about 11 a.m. as a matter of protocol, and police say there were no signs of foul play or any initial indications as to the cause of death. The state medical examiner will perform an autopsy.

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Yum Sells Off Long John Silver's And A&W To Franchisee Groups

After nine months on the market, Yum! Brands has finally announced it has found buyers for its Long John Silver's and A&W restaurant chains.

Seafood chain — and the only place we know of that sold something called Flavorbaked fish — Long John Silver's will soon be owned by LJS Partners LLC, a company formed by a consortium of franchisee leaders and other investors.

It's a similar story with A&W, which is being purchased by A Great American Brand LLC, a group formed by a franchisee leader with substantial interests in international A&W restaurants and the National A&W Franchisees Association.

The two deals should be completed in the fourth quarter.

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Al Gore Says New iPhones Coming In October

Just in case you're looking for a more reliable source for information about the release date of Apple's next iPhone, former vice president Al Gore has weighed in. "Not to mention the new iPhones coming out next month. That was a plug," Gore said yesterday. He should know. In addition to having invented the Internet, he's a member of Apple's board.

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NCI Has $8 Million For Small Business Research Grants

Smart, innovative people can be super-competitive, and that's just what the National Cancer Institute is counting on. NCI has $8 million in Small Business Innovative Research grants for businesses that come up with the best cancer treatment ideas. The Washington Business Journal reports the money is for businesses that win work on 12 new contracts for development of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

Obama lets states opt out of No Child Left Behind

President Obama unveiled the most significant changes to U.S. education policy in a decade, using his executive authority to give states more flexibility to opt of some provisions of the controversial No Child Left Behind program that was a signature initiative of President George W. Bush.

"We can't let another generation of young people fall behind," Mr. Obama told an audience of education leaders in the East Room of the White House.

Gay Service Members Want Severance Pay

The Obama administration is fighting a lawsuit seeking severance pay for gay service members who were kicked out of the military under "don't ask, don't tell." The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a class action suit for 142 people who only got half-pay after their discharge because they are gay. But the Justice Department is asking the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to dismiss the case. Justice argued the defense secretary has sole power to decide who gets what separation pay and that the court cannot rewrite military regulations. However, the suit argues it is unconstitutional for the DoD to cut the amount for people discharged for homosexuality.

Dismissal Affected By Salisbury Street Closures Due To Gas Leak

Due to a gas leak in a vacant home on Mohawk Avenue in Salisbury, these streets are closed at this time: Oneida, Miami and Mohawk. Students living on those streets will remain at school when school is dismissed this afternoon, and parents are being contacted about picking their child or children up at school. Schools serving those streets are Charles H. Chipman Elementary, Glen Avenue Elementary, Salisbury Middle and Parkside High.

September 23, 2011

Payments To Deceased Annuitants Averages $120 Million A Year

The Office of Personnel Management has paid more than $600 million to dead annuitants in the last five years, according to a new report from OPM's Inspector General. The IG said efforts to stop improper payments to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund have not worked. The payments to deceased annuitants averages $120 million a year. OPM has taken a number of steps to address the problem, including an annual computer match against the Social Security Administration's death records. And the IG said major action has been taken on 10 of it's 14 recommendations. Areas where OPM can make improvements include tracking undeliverable IRS forms and investing in retirement systems modernization technology.

You'll Want To Watch This

In case you missed it, Governor O'Malley was on "Morning Joe" earlier today discussing President Obama's jobs plan and the estimated 19,000 jobs it would create for Maryland moms and dads. (He also talks about the Terp's new Uniforms...) Watch the video to learn more. You'll want to see this.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Senators Want To Know More About GI Bill

Nearly a third of G.I. Bill education benefits go to for-profit colleges, and now some senators want to know why. Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Jim Webb (D-Va.) are all veterans. They say more oversight is needed over the program after Veterans Affairs department released data showing that eight for-profit college chains receive 25 percent of the funds.The senators questioned whether for-profit colleges always deliver on claims that graduates will find work. A spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars said for-profit colleges sometimes have questionable accreditations or use predatory marketing tactics.

Palestinian Leader Submits Statehood Application To U.N.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas formally submits application for full membership at the United Nations.

Salisbury, MD Weather Advisories, Watches & Warnings

FLASH FLOOD WATCH
in effect until Saturday, Sep 24, 12:00 AM

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND...NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND...DORCHESTER...INLAND WORCESTER...MARYLAND BEACHES...SOMERSET AND WICOMICO. IN NORTH CAROLINA...BERTIE...CAMDEN...CHOWAN...GATES...HERTFORD... INLAND CURRITUCK...NORTHAMPTON NC...OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK... PASQUOTANK AND PERQUIMANS. IN VIRGINIA...ACCOMACK...AMELIA... BRUNSWICK...CAROLINE...CHARLES CITY...CHESAPEAKE... CHESTERFIELD...DINWIDDIE...ESSEX...GLOUCESTER...GOOCHLAND... GREENSVILLE...HANOVER...HENRICO...ISLE OF WIGHT...JAMES CITY... KING WILLIAM...KING AND QUEEN...LANCASTER...LUNENBURG... MATHEWS...MECKLENBURG...MIDDLESEX...NEW KENT...NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON...NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH...NORTHAMPTON VA... NORTHUMBERLAND...NOTTOWAY...POWHATAN...PRINCE GEORGE... RICHMOND...SOUTHAMPTON...SUFFOLK...SURRY...SUSSEX...VIRGINIA BEACH...WESTMORELAND AND YORK.

Survey Says Federal Workers Enjoy Their Jobs

The federal workforce might be battered by a pay freeze, buyouts and negative publicity. But most of its members still like coming to work every day. OPM's latest Employee Viewpoint Survey shows a majority of federal workers think their work is important and enjoyable, and most say they get plenty of respect from their bosses. Seven in ten would recommend their own agency as a good place to work. More than 265,000 employees responded to the survey.

Wisconsin Library Loans Out iPads

Any libraries concerned that the ebook phenomenon will render them obsolete could stand to take a cue from a Wisconsin library that has started lending iPads to members. The devices come pre-loaded with at least 1,000 classic books and are available for weeklong loans and four-hour in-library use.

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General Assembly Website Taking Weekend Off; No Word On Redistricting

The Maryland General Assembly website will be out of service this weekend from Friday at 5 p.m. till Monday at 8 a.m. Karl Aro, director of the Department of Legislative Services, said the shutdown just involves moving the server and other equipment as part of routine maintenance for the site. There is also no word on when the Governor's Redistricting Advisory Committee will release its congressional plan.

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NEW TROOPERS GRADUATE

(SYKESVILLE, MD) -- Colonel Marcus L. Brown today presided over his first graduation as Superintendent of the Maryland State Police as he presented badges and diplomas to more than four dozen new state troopers.

The 52 members of the 137th Trooper Candidate Class proudly marched across the stage at Century High School today to the cheers and congratulations of their families, friends, and new fellow troopers. Their graduation marked the end of 26 weeks of rigorous academic and physical training in a residential police academy that demands their very best.

Colonel Brown made it very clear to the new troopers what their duties involve. “Your job is to impact the areas where crime is highest, where traffic issues are worst, and where help is needed most,” Colonel Brown said. “At the end of your shift, I want you to ask yourself what you did that day to impact crime, increase traffic safety, protect the homeland, and support local law enforcement. If you can answer that question in a positive way, then you have done your job and have carried on the proud tradition of the Maryland State Police.”

The keynote speaker for the graduation was Special Agent In Charge Rick McFeely, of the Baltimore Office of the FBI. SAC McFeely is a terrorism expert, in addition to his many other accomplishments during his FBI career. He is an important partner in Maryland’s efforts to protect the state from terrorism and reduce violent crime.

This is the ninth State Police Academy class to graduate during the O’Malley-Brown Administration. A previous class of 40 news troopers graduated in March of this year. Another recruit class will hopefully begin training in January 2012. Anyone interested in applying to become a Maryland state trooper should visit the Maryland State Police website at www.mdsp.org and click on “careers.”

Seventeen of the new troopers came from states including Colorado, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee. Several graduates are children of police officers, including Trooper Derek D. White, Jr., son of retired Maryland State Police Sergeant Major Derek D. White, Sr., who was a well-known Police Academy instructor during his tenure.

Another graduating son of a trooper is Trooper Tanner Nickerson, from the Eastern Shore. He is the son of Maryland State Police Corporal Phillip Nickerson, who is assigned to the Easton Barrack. Cpl. Nickerson’s brother, Centreville Police Officer Michael Nickerson, was shot and killed in the line-of-duty ten years ago. Cpl. Nickerson fulfilled his brother’s dream of becoming a state trooper. Cpl. Nickerson’s son has now followed his father into the Maryland State Police.

After a few days of well-deserved leave, the new troopers will report to one of 22 barracks across Maryland to begin eight weeks of field training with a veteran trooper. Upon satisfactory completion of field training, the troopers will begin patrolling alone.

Moving Attorneys To Save Money Is Difficult, Deputy AG Says

With 430 assistant attorneys general working throughout Maryland state government, you might think that transferring one of them to the new Health Benefit Exchange could be a way to save the state a bit of money. Deputy Attorney General J.B. Howard told the Board of Public Works that definitely isn’t the case. “Our office has virtually no discretion to find these types of efficiencies you are describing,” Howard said.

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Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot Tours School Project

Monday, Sept. 26, at 2 p.m.
Northwestern Elementary School

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot will join Principal Kirby Bryson, Wicomico Board of Education President Ron Willey, Board member L. Michelle Wright, Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen, and others for a walking tour of the Northwestern Elementary School HVAC project, which will be completed by the end of 2011. Further details will be provided by the Maryland Comptroller’s Office. The Comptroller’s visit to the school will begin at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26.

Thank God Its Friday 9-23-11

What will you be doing this weekend?

2012 Called Crucial Year For Maryland Gas Tax

Business leaders told support for hike dwindles as election nears

If Maryland is to raise significant new revenue to meet its backlog of transportation needs — most likely through a higher gas tax — 2012 is the year it must be done, a leading lawmaker told a gathering of Baltimore business leaders Monday.

Speaking at the Greater Baltimore Committee's annual transportation summit, state Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola warned that any political will to raise money for highways, transit and other transportation needs will dwindle as legislators approach the 2014 state elections.

"They're going to be even more skittish as we get to 2013 and 2014," the Montgomery County Democrat said.

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Woman Mauled By Dog; Dog May Have Been Used As Weapon

ROCKVILLE, Md. (WUSA) -- A 34-year-old woman was mauled by a dog in the 14000 block of Pellita Terrace In Rockville on Thursday around 3 p.m., say Montgomery County authorities. Police describe the dog as some type of a pit bull mix.

The woman suffered between 20 to 30 lacerations on both arms and legs. There are unconfirmed reports that the victim's left thumb was also torn off. Rescuers do say that her injuries are non life-threatening.

Blood-sucking bed bugs have made a comeback in recent years. But as victims of infestation have become increasingly desperate to rid their homes of the bedeviling pests, many have only done themselves more harm.

Bed bugs do not transmit disease or cause illness — but the insecticides used to kill them do. A total of 111 illnesses associated with bed bug-related insecticides were reported in seven states between 2003 and 2010 (mostly in the last three years), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Thursday. Most cases of poisoning were not severe, but the data included one death.

Transportation authority restores interchange on I-95

The Maryland Transportation Authority gave final approval Thursday to the largest package of toll increases in the state's history, which will double the cost of a round trip through the Baltimore harbor crossings to $8 by July 2013.

In another move, the agency also decided to move forward with a Baltimore County interchange it had previously eliminated from its $1 billion project to add express toll lanes to Interstate 95 in the White Marsh area. Officials said the restoration of the interchange at Route 43 was not related to the toll increase.

The unanimous vote on the tolls raises the cost of using all seven state toll facilities with fixed rates. The tolls for the Key Bridge, Fort McHenry Tunnel and Harbor Tunnel — now $2, collected both ways — will rise to $3 on Nov. 1 and to $4 in July 2013.

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Fill In The Blank 9-23-11

My last big purchase was_____.