Incident: Burglary
Date of Incident: 26 October 2011
Location: 1200 Block Shawnee Ave. Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Terry A. Wright, 51, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 26 October 2011, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported burglary that occurred on Shawnee Avenue. The victim reported that she observed the suspect, Terry Wright, take a window air conditioner from her garage. The deputy observed Wright drive by the area with the air conditioner visible in the open trunk of his vehicle. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle and Wright was placed under arrest.
The deputy transported Wright to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner placed a $15,000 bond on Wright.
Charges: Burglary (3 counts)
Theft
Malicious Destruction of Property
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Worcester County Crash Reconstruction Unit Investigating Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash Outside Pocomoke Md.
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Cedar Hall Rd. and Cedar Hall Warf Rd. in Pocomoke Md. A single vehicle, operated by Cristin M. Carlton 20 years old from Pocomoke Md., had crashed into a tree. Ms. Carlton was pronounced dead at the scene by the Medical Examiner.
The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene to begin an investigation.
It was determined that the vehicle, a 1995 Nissan Altima driven by Ms. Carlton was south on Cedar Hall Rd. approaching Cedar Hall Warf Rd. Ms. Carlton failed to negotiate the curve and entered the intersection. She then left the roadway and struck a caution sign. Ms. Carlton continued through a field and struck two trees. Ms. Carlton sustained multiple injuries and subsequently died at the scene from those injuries.
The investigation by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing to determine if alcohol and or drug use were contributing factors in the crash.
NYC Animal Shelter Under Fire, as Facebook Page Vows to Save 'Bruised Not Broken' Dogs
The 80-pound, fawn-colored pit bull named Mr. Bush was not adoptable, under the assessment of New York City’s animal shelter system. He was said to have severe guarding issues, so he waited at Animal Care and Control’s facility in Upper Manhattan but was not featured on the website’s “adoptable dog” section.
Volunteers loved the dog, however, and were worried that he was soon going to end up on the facility's daily euthanasia list. But Mr. Bush’s future—unlike many of the unadoptable dogs at the city’s shelter—didn’t end with an untimely death.
More
Murder, Suicide Top Medical Deaths In Pregnancy
Expectant mothers are more likely to die from murder or suicide than several of the most common pregnancy-related medical problems, U.S. researchers have found.
Roughly half of those women who died violently had had some sort of conflict with their current or former partners leading up to the death, causing experts to call for more thorough screening and follow up for domestic problems during pregnancy check-ups.
One In Five Women Has Never Had A Mentor
Are American women missing out on mentorship opportunities? According to a new study from LinkedIn, the answer is yes — and it could be affecting their careers.
Let's face it, in today's job market, women (and men too, we suppose) can use all the help they can get. We all know that it's tough out there for job-seekers, but there's one tried-and-true method to finding your next great professional opportunity — and that's through networking.
Jenna Lyons, You and J. Crew Wanted Your Son To Stop Being Such A Boy
Last spring, I told you that Jenna Lyons, J. Crew’s president and creative director, wasn’t just having a little, harmless fun with her son Beckett when she published a photograph of herself painting his toenails hot pink in a J. Crew catalogue—a catalogue distributed to millions of people.
The quote accompanying the image of Beckett read, “Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon.”
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Mysterious Giant Lego Man Washes Ashore In Florida
While the sight of a beached whale is a sad but fairly common occurrence, the sight of a giant Lego man washed up on the beach is something to put on YouTube.
Once Thought Lost And Now Found...$6.6 Billion
The mystery of $6 billion that seemed to go missing in the early days of the Iraq war has been resolved, according to a new report.
New evidence shows most of that money, $6.6 billion, did not go astray in that chaotic period, but ended up where it was supposed to be, under the control of the Iraqi government, according to a report from the office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction or SIGIR.
OCEAN CITY MAN ARRESTED FOR STABBING
When officers arrived at the scene they observed an intoxicated male later identified as Walter Leslie Everett, 49, of Ocean City, attempt to stop officers from entering the residence. Police entered the house and located a 59-year-old male victim in the kitchen who had been stabbed once in the chest.
The victim was taken by Ocean City Paramedics to Peninsula Regional Medical Center and is expected to make a full recovery.
Investigation at the scene revealed Everett to be the suspect who stabbed the victim and was subsequently placed under arrest. The motive for the stabbing is unknown at this time. After Everett’s arrest during the booking process he also assaulted a police officer at the Ocean City Public Safety Building.
Everett has been charged with:
1st Degree Assault (felony)
2nd Degree Assault, two counts (misdemeanor)
Reckless Endangerment (misdemeanor)
Everett was seen by an Ocean City District Court Commissioner and is being held on a $100,000 bond. Everett has been transferred to the Worcester County Jail.
Jobless Claims Dip Slightly, But Still High
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits dipped slightly last week, though not by enough to suggest that hiring is picking up.
The Labor Department said weekly applications for unemployment benefits declined 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 402,000. That's the fourth drop in six weeks.
Still, the four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose to 405,500. The average had fallen to a six-month low two weeks ago.
Eric Robert, 'Evil' Inmate Who Murdered SD Guard: I'd Kill Again
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A South Dakota inmate who acknowledged killing a state penitentiary guard in a failed escape attempt asked a judge on Wednesday to sentence him to death, saying his one regret is that he did not kill another officer and that he will kill again.
Eric Robert, 49, pleaded guilty in September to killing Ronald "R.J." Johnson on April 12 – Johnson's birthday – in an attempt to sneak past other security. Robert waived his right to a jury trial and said he wanted to be put to death, but Second Circuit Judge Bradley Zell said the state still had to prove the death penalty is warranted. Robert had been serving an 80-year-sentence on a kidnapping conviction when he attempted to escape with Rodney Berget, 49.
News Steve Jobs to Rupert Murdoch: Fox News Is ‘Destructive Force’
Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs reveals some intriguing secrets and inside information about the late Apple founder.
In addition to speculation about a new Apple TV, Jobs told Barack Obama his economic policies would doom his presidency and accused Google of “grand theft” for developing an iPhone competitor, Isaacson’s tome includes Jobs’ fascinating recollection of a meeting with fellow businessman Rupert Murdoch.
Robyn Gardner, Maryland Woman Missing in Aruba, Was Reportedly Buried Alive
A missing Maryland woman was reportedly buried alive by her travel companion while the two were vacationing in Aruba, the National Enquirer reports.
Police received an anonymous tip that Robyn Gardner, 35, was buried in a "dog's grave," according to the paper.
More
More
Brown To Seek Sweeping Calif. Pension Rollbacks
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Jerry Brown is set to propose sweeping rollbacks to public employee pension benefits, including raising the retirement age to 67 for new employees who are not public safety workers and requiring employees to pay more toward their retirement and health care.
Today's Top Stories 10-27-11
BLOOMBERG
Computer hackers, possibly from the Chinese military, interfered with two U.S. government satellites four times in 2007 and 2008 through a ground station in Norway, according to a congressional commission.
The top Republican tax writer in Congress explained his plan to create a broad exemption for the profits that U.S.-based corporations earn outside the country, aiming to accelerate the debate over international taxation.
Clashes between members of the Occupy Wall Street movement in Atlanta and Oakland with police followed by dozens of arrests underscore the hazards for Democrats in embracing the burgeoning movement.
Rick Perry, whose performance in a series of Republican presidential debates has corresponded with a steep decline in his polling, plans to limit participation in future face-offs ahead of early state nominating contests.
Gross domestic product rose at a 2.5 percent annual rate, matching the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News and up from a 1.3 percent gain in the prior quarter.
First-time jobless claims decreased by 2,000 to 402,000 in the week ended Oct. 22. The number of people collecting unemployment benefits fell in the prior week by 96,000 to 3.65 million, the fewest since September 2008.
Currency-trading strategies are losing the most in two decades as the volatility that’s boosted volume and profits for investment banks erodes the ability of investors to make money.
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index fell to minus 51.1 in the week ended Oct. 23, the lowest in a month, from minus 48.4 the prior period. Ninety-five percent of those surveyed had a negative opinion about the economy, the worst since April 2009 and one percentage point shy of a record high.
Germany, the world’s biggest solar- panel market, will cut subsidies for photovoltaic power by a record amount next year as the government tries to control the pace of installations and wean the industry off support.
AP Top Stories
A federal judge next month will sentence the man who authorities say took advantage of the booming gold market, by scamming more than 1,400 people out of tens of millions of dollars. But before he goes to prison, the mastermind of the scheme, Jamie Campany, sat down with ABC News' Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross to reveal how he tricked his hundreds of victims out of nearly $30 million.
Rain and snow compounded difficulties for thousands rendered homeless in the powerful earthquake that hit Turkey, and the government said the death toll has gone up to 523.
Exxon Mobil's profit rose 41 percent in the third quarter, a profit of $10.33 billion, slightly ahead of Wall Street estimates, as gains in crude oil prices and higher refining margins boosted results.
Pending sales of existing U.S. homes dropped for a third successive month during September.
The Commerce Department said the economy expanded at an annual rate of 2.5 percent in the July-September quarter. That's the strongest growth in a year and nearly double the 1.3 percent growth in the April-June quarter.
The National Association of Realtors says its index of sales agreements fell 4.6 percent last month to a reading of 84.5.
Man Reports Date As Burglar When Girlfriend Shows
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Colorado Springs police say a man's girlfriend unexpectedly came home just before another woman was due to visit, so he called police to report his new acquaintance as a burglar.
The Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/vfcH8c ) that 24-year-old Kevin Gaylor was cited with a misdemeanor of false reporting to authorities.
More
The Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/vfcH8c ) that 24-year-old Kevin Gaylor was cited with a misdemeanor of false reporting to authorities.
More
Lincoln And Roosevelt: American Caesars
This article is excerpted from John V. Denson's A Century of War chapter 5, "Lincoln and Roosevelt: American Caesars" (2006).
It is interesting to compare Lincoln and his treachery in causing the Southern "enemy" to fire the first shot at Fort Sumter, resulting in the Civil War, with Roosevelt's similar manipulation causing the attack on Pearl Harbor and America's entry into World War II.
Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., a well-known American "court historian," has written the definitive defenses for both Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding their reprehensible behavior in causing their respective unnecessary American wars. He clearly documents the unconstitutional behavior of both and offers great praise for the same. He attempts to justify the actions of both presidents on grounds that they were acting during a "crisis" pertaining to the "survival of the American government," and that their unconstitutional actions were thereby made "necessary." Schlesinger has stated that "Next to the Civil War, World War II was the greatest crisis in American history."[1] His defense of these two "great" presidents is as follows:
It is interesting to compare Lincoln and his treachery in causing the Southern "enemy" to fire the first shot at Fort Sumter, resulting in the Civil War, with Roosevelt's similar manipulation causing the attack on Pearl Harbor and America's entry into World War II.
Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., a well-known American "court historian," has written the definitive defenses for both Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt regarding their reprehensible behavior in causing their respective unnecessary American wars. He clearly documents the unconstitutional behavior of both and offers great praise for the same. He attempts to justify the actions of both presidents on grounds that they were acting during a "crisis" pertaining to the "survival of the American government," and that their unconstitutional actions were thereby made "necessary." Schlesinger has stated that "Next to the Civil War, World War II was the greatest crisis in American history."[1] His defense of these two "great" presidents is as follows:
Roosevelt in 1941, like Lincoln in 1861, did what he did under what appeared to be a popular demand and a public necessity. Both presidents took their actions in light of day and to the accompaniment of uninhibited political debate. They did what they thought they had to do to save the republic. They threw themselves in the end on the justice of the country and the rectitude of their motives. Whatever Lincoln and Roosevelt felt compelled to do under the pressure of crisis did not corrupt their essential commitment to constitutional ways and democratic processes.More
Firefighter Saves Choking Firefighter
A firefighter in Prince George's County is being credited with saving the life of a fellow member of the force.
Sean Roth returned from a call to the Forestville, Md. firehouse around 10:30 Wednesday morning. He said a 42-year-old female volunteer approached him and appeared to be in trouble.
"She got my attention, put her hands around her neck, giving me a sign that she was choking," said Roth. "She was obviously in distress."
Volleyball Fundraiser
Event Host: James M. Bennett High School
Opponent: Parkside High School
Event Date: October 28, 2011
Event Time: 7:00 PM
Location: James M. Bennett Gymnasium
Salisbury, MD – 10/27/11 - This fall 2011, thousands of teams from around the country will be participating in the Dig Pink National Breast Cancer Awareness Rally. High School and College teams will be promoting Breast health education in the community as well as raising funds to help eradicate Breast Cancer.
Dig Pink attendees will watch the girls compete on the court while contributing to breast health awareness by making a statement and wearing something PINK in the stands. Admission to the event will be $4.00 and all in attendance are encouraged to wear pink. Wicomico County Board of Education employees can attend for free with their ID badge.
The proceeds from the match will benefit the Side-Out Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) located in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.
To make a donation please visit our donor web site. www.side-out.org/application/teams/team_page/1556
For more information about the event, please contact Chris Emge at HYPERLINK cemge@wcboe.org or 410-430-8484.
Opponent: Parkside High School
Event Date: October 28, 2011
Event Time: 7:00 PM
Location: James M. Bennett Gymnasium
Salisbury, MD – 10/27/11 - This fall 2011, thousands of teams from around the country will be participating in the Dig Pink National Breast Cancer Awareness Rally. High School and College teams will be promoting Breast health education in the community as well as raising funds to help eradicate Breast Cancer.
Dig Pink attendees will watch the girls compete on the court while contributing to breast health awareness by making a statement and wearing something PINK in the stands. Admission to the event will be $4.00 and all in attendance are encouraged to wear pink. Wicomico County Board of Education employees can attend for free with their ID badge.
The proceeds from the match will benefit the Side-Out Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) located in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.
To make a donation please visit our donor web site. www.side-out.org/application/teams/team_page/1556
For more information about the event, please contact Chris Emge at HYPERLINK cemge@wcboe.org or 410-430-8484.
Nipple Sparing Mastectomy Saves Lives and External Breast
Thirty-three-year-old Laura Scott sat in her doctor's office in shock.
Her physicians had just diagnosed her with stage 1 invasive breast cancer, after weeks of telling the young mom that they didn't believe the lump she'd found during a breast self-exam was cancerous. It didn't feel like cancer, they said. She did not have a family history of the disease or a genetic mutation. And she was young.
BREAKING NEWS: Dow Closes Up 339
Dow Jones Industrial Average closes up 339 points after European leaders agree on debt deal, while index on pace for best month since January 1987.
From Fox News
From Fox News
Occupy Wall Street Launches Nationwide General Strike: First In America Since 1946
Rumors have been flying for a week that the Occupy protesters will be launching a nationwide general strike. We have been biting our tongue waiting for a formal decision.
Mother Jones tweets:
Mother Jones tweets:
From our reporter atJackalAnon tweets:#occupyoakland General Assembly just now MT @timmcdonnell: General strike passes with 1184 votes of approval
STRIKE APPROVED FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY! GENERAL STRIKE FIRST TIME IN THE USA SINCE 1946!More
Salisbury Police Arrest 2 Suspects From Emerson Ave. Home Invasion
The Salisbury Police are calling them persons of interest at this point in their investigation. Both suspects were located at a local Motel in Fruitland.
Atheist Group Tries to Stop Prayers at High School Football Games That Include ‘Jesus’
An Alabama school district has been accused of allowing prayers that invoke the name of Jesus during high school football games, according to a complaint filed by a national atheist organization.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation said the Lauderdale County school district has violated the First Amendment by allowing the prayers at Brooks High School.
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White House Announces Plan To Cut Some Student Loan Payments
The Obama administration has announced two initiatives to lower student loan payments for some borrowers. One, an update to the existing income-based repayment program, will cap loan payments at 10% of discretionary income for certain borrowers. The other proposal will let some borrowers merge older student loans with newer ones.
More »
More »
Taking Liberties: The Curious Case of the Dying Lobsters
Look at that,” said Mike Kalaman as he held up a juvenile lobster that appeared limp in his fingers. “That is not normal.”
Kalaman was on his lobster boat, “Dark Horse,” on Tuesday, hauling traps and setting bait in the middle of Long Island Sound. It’s something he’s been doing for more than 30 years.
NSA Shares Secrets With Wall Street
The National Security Agency is sharing some of its secrets with Wall Street banks. Financial firms are getting the help from the military and private defense contractors to fend off cyber attacks, Reuters reports. The concern is that hackers could exploit security holes and cause economic mayhem. A worst case scenario? Hackers could disable trading systems, trigger flash crashes, or turn off all ATMs. It isn't clear if hackers have ever come close to causing such trouble, but in an exclusive interview with Reuters, NSA Director Keith Alexander says his agency is currently talking to financial firms about sharing electronic information on malicious software. (Reuters)
What Do Men Really Want In a Wife?
Beauty? Brains? A good cook--or good in bed? What do men really want in a wife? It's a question single women ask themselves all the time. And married wives beat themselves up about on insecure days. Are we good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, skinny enough? What qualities do our husbands actually value the most?
Well, according to a new survey, it ain't what's in the mirror.
Palmer Gillis Is Saying NO To The Old Feldman's Building
Even though Palmer was able to secure a contract with a purchase price of $40,000.00 for the old Feldman's building, "They could give me the building AND $250,000.00 cash and I still wouldn't break even," Gillis said.
Quite frankly, I'd have to agree with the man. I've always wondered just how someone could afford to revitalize that old building with the mold and other hazardous materials and afford to renovate it in such a bad economy. Vacant space is available just about everywhere.
While Palmer Gillis has a special place in his heart for Downtown Salisbury, things have to make financial sense and cooperation from the City is a must as well. Palmer hasn't received the kind of partnership I'm sure he would have liked to enjoy with the old Fire Station 16, (in which even I disagreed with) but he did win the bid.
As I've stated in the past, my hope is that Palmer wouldn't lose interest in Downtown but it looks like this may be the beginning of the end. Time will tell.
OMB Could Soon Be A Union Shop
Voting on whether to join a union began yesterday. More balloting is scheduled for Nov. 1st. The Office of Management and Budget is a small office, but it carries a lot of weight. OMB has it's hands in everyone's budgets and its policies affect all executive branch agencies. It sometimes means long hours for employees there. So workers are exploring whether a union could make their work lives more balanced or beneficial. (Federal News Radio)
It's No Guarantee, But You Should Get the Flu Shot Anyway
As vaccines go, the flu shot is no exemplar. A comprehensive new review of the research, published online by The Lancet Infectious Diseases, finds that the vaccine prevented illness in 59% of adults aged 18 to 64, and in eight of 12 flu seasons studied.
The authors said that evidence of effectiveness was particularly lacking in children aged 2 to 17 and in certain populations that are especially vulnerable to flu like elderly people over 65.
Cutting Federal Pay Could Hurt Governmentl Programs
Maybe federal pay and benefits won't get sacrificed to the fiscal gods after all. At the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction's public hearing yesterday, witness Douglas Elmendorf, the director of the Congressional Budget Office, told committee members cutting federal pay could ultimately hurt government programs. Elmendorf said it would drive good workers out of the government and hamper recruitment. The committee has been considering extending the federal pay freeze and re-thinking employee benefits. Co-chairman Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) said that might amount to debating pennies instead of dollars. (Federal News Radio)
Why Coke Is Going White for Polar Bears
The 125-year-old Coca-Cola Company doesn't like to mess with its brand image. That's in part because it's so valuable—according to Interbrand Coke has the best brand in the world—but also because previous efforts to tweak its image haven't always worked out so well, and sometimes lead to things like this.
More
Marlboro Man Meets Moisturizer
Everyone wants flawless skin, flat abs and a fab rear. But men don't always admit it.
So, companies that sell products promising to help guys lose weight, conceal bloat and enhance skin have to walk a fine line between men's vanity and masculinity. But how do you market moisturizer to the Marlboro Man?
Some Belated Parental Advice To Protesters
Call it an occupational hazard, but I can't look at the "Occupy Wall Street" protesters without thinking, "Who parented these people?"
As a culture columnist, I've commented on the social and political ramifications of the "movement" - now known as "OWS" - whose fairyland agenda can be summarized by one of their placards: "Everything for everybody."
Thanks to their pipe-dream platform, it's clear there are people with serious designs on "transformational" change in America who are using the protesters like bedsprings in a brothel.
Yet it's not my role as a commentator that prompts my parenting question, but rather the fact that I'm the mother of four teens and young adults. There are some crucial life lessons that the protesters' moms clearly have not passed along.
Here, then, are five things the OWS protesters' mothers should have taught their children but obviously didn't, so I will:
Life isn't fair. The concept of justice - that everyone should be treated fairly - is a worthy and worthwhile moral imperative on which our nation was founded. But justice and economic equality are not the same. Or, as Mick Jagger said, "You can't always get what you want."
No matter how you try to "level the playing field," some people have better luck, skills, talents or connections that land them in better places. Some seem to have all the advantages in life but squander them, others play the modest hand they're dealt and make up the difference in hard work and perseverance, and some find jobs on Wall Street and eventually buy houses in the Hamptons. Is it fair? Stupid question.
Nothing is "free." Protesting with signs that seek "free" college degrees and "free" health care make you look like idiots, because colleges and hospitals don't operate on rainbows and sunshine. There is no magic money machine to tap for your meandering educational careers and "slow paths" to adulthood, and the 53 percent of taxpaying Americans owe you neither a degree nor an annual physical.
While I'm pointing out this obvious fact, here are a few other things that are not free: overtime for police officers and municipal workers, trash hauling, repairs to fixtures and property, condoms, Band-Aids and the food that inexplicably appears on the tables in your makeshift protest kitchens. Real people with real dollars are underwriting your civic temper tantrum.
Your word is your bond. When you demonstrate to eliminate student loan debt, you are advocating precisely the lack of integrity you decry in others. Loans are made based on solemn promises to repay them. No one forces you to borrow money; you are free to choose educational pursuits that don't require loans, or to seek technical or vocational training that allows you to support yourself and your ongoing educational goals. Also, for the record, being a college student is not a state of victimization. It's a privilege that billions of young people around the globe would die for - literally.
A protest is not a party. On Saturday in New York, while making a mad dash from my cab to the door of my hotel to avoid you, I saw what isn't evident in the newsreel footage of your demonstrations: Most of you are doing this only for attention and fun. Serious people in a sober pursuit of social and political change don't dance jigs down Sixth Avenue like attendees of a Renaissance festival. You look foolish, you smell gross, you are clearly high and you don't seem to realize that all around you are people who deem you irrelevant.
There are reasons you haven't found jobs. The truth? Your tattooed necks, gauged ears, facial piercings and dirty dreadlocks are off-putting. Nonconformity for the sake of nonconformity isn't a virtue. Occupy reality: Only 4 percent of college graduates are out of work. If you are among that 4 percent, find a mirror and face the problem. It's not them. It's you.
Source
As a culture columnist, I've commented on the social and political ramifications of the "movement" - now known as "OWS" - whose fairyland agenda can be summarized by one of their placards: "Everything for everybody."
Thanks to their pipe-dream platform, it's clear there are people with serious designs on "transformational" change in America who are using the protesters like bedsprings in a brothel.
Yet it's not my role as a commentator that prompts my parenting question, but rather the fact that I'm the mother of four teens and young adults. There are some crucial life lessons that the protesters' moms clearly have not passed along.
Here, then, are five things the OWS protesters' mothers should have taught their children but obviously didn't, so I will:
Life isn't fair. The concept of justice - that everyone should be treated fairly - is a worthy and worthwhile moral imperative on which our nation was founded. But justice and economic equality are not the same. Or, as Mick Jagger said, "You can't always get what you want."
No matter how you try to "level the playing field," some people have better luck, skills, talents or connections that land them in better places. Some seem to have all the advantages in life but squander them, others play the modest hand they're dealt and make up the difference in hard work and perseverance, and some find jobs on Wall Street and eventually buy houses in the Hamptons. Is it fair? Stupid question.
Nothing is "free." Protesting with signs that seek "free" college degrees and "free" health care make you look like idiots, because colleges and hospitals don't operate on rainbows and sunshine. There is no magic money machine to tap for your meandering educational careers and "slow paths" to adulthood, and the 53 percent of taxpaying Americans owe you neither a degree nor an annual physical.
While I'm pointing out this obvious fact, here are a few other things that are not free: overtime for police officers and municipal workers, trash hauling, repairs to fixtures and property, condoms, Band-Aids and the food that inexplicably appears on the tables in your makeshift protest kitchens. Real people with real dollars are underwriting your civic temper tantrum.
Your word is your bond. When you demonstrate to eliminate student loan debt, you are advocating precisely the lack of integrity you decry in others. Loans are made based on solemn promises to repay them. No one forces you to borrow money; you are free to choose educational pursuits that don't require loans, or to seek technical or vocational training that allows you to support yourself and your ongoing educational goals. Also, for the record, being a college student is not a state of victimization. It's a privilege that billions of young people around the globe would die for - literally.
A protest is not a party. On Saturday in New York, while making a mad dash from my cab to the door of my hotel to avoid you, I saw what isn't evident in the newsreel footage of your demonstrations: Most of you are doing this only for attention and fun. Serious people in a sober pursuit of social and political change don't dance jigs down Sixth Avenue like attendees of a Renaissance festival. You look foolish, you smell gross, you are clearly high and you don't seem to realize that all around you are people who deem you irrelevant.
There are reasons you haven't found jobs. The truth? Your tattooed necks, gauged ears, facial piercings and dirty dreadlocks are off-putting. Nonconformity for the sake of nonconformity isn't a virtue. Occupy reality: Only 4 percent of college graduates are out of work. If you are among that 4 percent, find a mirror and face the problem. It's not them. It's you.
Source
Man Reports Date As Burglar When Girlfriend Shows
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - Colorado Springs police say a man's girlfriend unexpectedly came home just before another woman was due to visit, so he called police to report his new acquaintance as a burglar.
The Gazette reports ( http://bit.ly/vfcH8c) that 24-year-old Kevin Gaylor was cited with a misdemeanor of false reporting to authorities.
More
The Gazette reports ( http://bit.ly/vfcH8c) that 24-year-old Kevin Gaylor was cited with a misdemeanor of false reporting to authorities.
More
Exxon Mobil Profit Soars 41%
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Exxon Mobil reported quarterly earnings of $10.3 billion on Thursday, a surge of 41% from a year earlier.
Why? Higher prices for oil and natural gas.
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Why? Higher prices for oil and natural gas.
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Why The Thugs Are Ruining America
Paul Munsch is the owner of St. Louis Paving in St. Louis, Missouri. He and his employees have faced years of bullying by the union bosses with whom President Obama continues to side.
Pet Theft Up Fifty Percent Since Last Year: Evidence Of A Downed Economy Or Utter Depravity?
Pets are being stolen and sold on the street to dog-fighting rings or research labs.
Stolen somewhere in New Jersey, a pitbull mix and a bulldog were found in a Newark cemetery tied to headstones, badly hurt, their faces and throats slashed with boxcutters. The pair had been used as bait for fighter dogs in training, their faces cut to give the fighter dogs a taste for blood.
Dogs vanish every day from yards, homes, shops, sidewalks, shelters, and cars.
"The owners think their pets escaped. But no," says Associated Humane Societies executive director Roseann Trezza, who rescued the Newark pair. "Unless you see someone taking a pet, you can't say for sure it was stolen. And nobody wants to believe their pet was stolen. They'd rather think it escaped."
According to the American Kennel Club, pet theft has increased by 50 percent since last year.
Only Unlimited Money Printing Will 'Help' The EU Now
Thank you Germany ... Alone among EU leaders, Chancellor Angela Merkel goes to tonight's summit in Brussels with an iron-clad mandate. It is a remarkable moment. Never before – to my knowledge – has a national parliament demanded and held a prior vote on an EU summit accord. Had this principle been established a long time ago, we might have avoided much of the relentless Treaty creep and EU aggrandizement advanced by secret deals at the Bâtiment Justus Lipsius. Thank you Germany. Thank you too, judges of the Verfassungsgericht, for giving the Bundestag a veto on EU encroachments on fiscal sovereignty. – UK Telegraph/Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
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Canada Blocks Torture Case Against Bush
New York - Beaten. Chained to walls. Exposed to extreme temperatures. Deprived of food, water and sleep. Hassan bin Attash, Sami el- Hajj, Muhammed Khan Tumani and Murat Kurnaz suffered years of inhumane and illegal treatment while in U.S. custody either at Guantánamo Bay or in military bases in Afghanistan.
But when they sought justice in the form of legal action with the assistance of the Centre for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the Canadian Centre for International Justice (CCIJ), the attorney general of British Columbia, who is under the Canadian attorney general, shut down the case the same day it was filed.
Previously, CCR and CCIJ had submitted two letters, one on Sep. 29 and another on Oct. 14, to Robert Nicholson, Canadian minister of justice and attorney general, with the first letter urging him to launch a criminal investigation against former U.S. President George W. Bush for "authorising and overseeing his administration's well- documented torture program".
Attash, currently detained at Guantánamo, has been imprisoned without formal charges for more than nine years. El-Hajj, Tumani and Kurnaz have all been released.
The attorney general took no action in response to the letters, so as promised, CCIJ submitted a private prosecution case on Oct. 20 on behalf of the four men. More than 50 human rights groups and prominent individuals supported the case.
As a signatory to the Convention Against Torture, Canada is "obligated to prosecute or extradite for prosecution anyone present in its territory for whom there is a reasonable belief he has committed torture", the Sep. 29 letter noted.
'Occupy' Protesters Select Delaware Site
NEWARK, Del. (AP) -- Supporters of the Occupy Wall Street movement have chosen a site where they plan to demonstrate in Delaware.
The News Journal of Wilmington reports that at a meeting Wednesday night in Newark supporters chose the H. Fletcher Brown Park in Wilmington as the site of a demonstration for Nov. 5.
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The News Journal of Wilmington reports that at a meeting Wednesday night in Newark supporters chose the H. Fletcher Brown Park in Wilmington as the site of a demonstration for Nov. 5.
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A Letter To The Editor 10-27-11
Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year! It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do - babysit! We can get that for minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to 3:00 PM with 45 min off for lunch and plan-- that equals 6 1/2 hours). Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children. Now how many students do they teach in a day...maybe 30? So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations. LET'S SEE.... That's $585 X 180= $105,300 per year. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries).What about those special education teachers and the ones with Master's degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children X 180 days = $280,800 per year. Wait a minute -- there's something wrong here! There sure is! The average teacher's salary (nation wide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students=$9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student--a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids! WHAT A DEAL!!!!
Top Fraud Prosecutor: Banking Criminals Can Be Forced To Give Back Their Ill-Gotten Bonuses
Nicholas Taleb said recently that the bankers “hijacked the American economy,” and should not have received $2.2 trillion bonus payouts they did. Taleb lamented:
"Unfortunately, we don’t have claw backs in the U.S."
I’ve previously argued that the government could use existing laws to force ill-gotten gains to be disgorged (see this and this), fraudulent transfers to be voided and – perhaps – even bonuses gained at the expense of taxpayers clawed back.
Obama's Student-Loan Order Saves The Average Grad Less Than $10 A Month
Of the many long-term problems the U.S. economy faces, student loans are a big one. Education costs are rising very quickly and incomes aren't. As a result, students will have to borrow more and more money to obtain university degrees and will have a tougher time paying their loans. President Obama seeks to respond to this question with an executive order in the next part of his "We Can't Wait" unilateral stimulus effort. While the president's heart may be in the right place, his effort isn't like to have much impact.
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Pro-Gun Group Plans Virginia Tech Demonstration
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Pro-gun advocates will take their message to the Blacksburg campus of Virginia Tech, where a gunman killed 32 and himself in 2007.
The Roanoke Times reports that the Virginia Citizens Defense League announced a Nov. 17 demonstration date. The group supports a carry conceal law for handguns on Virginia college campuses.
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The Roanoke Times reports that the Virginia Citizens Defense League announced a Nov. 17 demonstration date. The group supports a carry conceal law for handguns on Virginia college campuses.
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Bob McDonnell for Vice President?
Mitt Romney's stop in northern Virginia Wednesday fueled speculation that Governor Bob McDonnell could be tapped to join a Republican presidential ticket.
Romney, fighting for the GOP nomination, praised McDonnell while speaking at Fairfax County Republican headquarters. He called the Virginia governor one of the "great leaders of the Republican party."
After Police Attack Occupy Oakland Iraq War Vet Reportedly In Critical Care
While President Obama was telling the small crowd at a $7500-a-plate fundraiser in San Francisco that “Change is possible,” Pooda Miller was across the bay trying to get her plate back from the Oakland Police Department. “They came, pulled out rifles, shot us up with tear gas and took all our stuff,” said Miller, at an afternoon rally condemning the violent evacuation of more than 170 peaceful, unarmed Occupy Oaklanders by 500 heavily-armed members of the Oakland Police Department and other local departments yesterday morning.
With a long metal police fence separating Miller and other members of Occupy Oakland from their confiscated items—tents, water, food, clothes, medicine, plates—and now possessed by the police, Miller grabbed a big blue and white bullhorn that looked like it was almost half of her 4-foot, 5-inch frame. “Give us our stuff back! It don’t belong to you!” yelled Miller, who also expressed relief that her baby was not camped out with her that morning.
The sound of Miller’s ire shot across the protective masks of all of the officers standing at alert on the other side of the metal police fence, but her loudest, most acidic anger was saved for the baton-wielding officer who, like herself and other officers, was a young African-American woman.
“Who are you serving?” screamed Miller at the top of her high pitched voice, turned raspy from hours of denouncing. “You’re being used. You’re getting paid with our tax money to put down your own people! Why are you doing this to your own people?”
Today's Survey Question 10-27-11
Governor O’Malley Has A List Of Potential Tax Increases
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — If you think you’re paying too much in taxes now, things may be about to get worse. Two O’Malley-appointed commissions are recommending a list of tax increases ranging from gas to toilets. Political reporter Pat Warren reports that’s not sitting too well with voters.
Just the mention of tax increases gets a voter’s blood up.
“I think that it’s wrong,” said one voter.
“It’s crazy,” said another.
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Just the mention of tax increases gets a voter’s blood up.
“I think that it’s wrong,” said one voter.
“It’s crazy,” said another.
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ARE WE ALREADY A POLICE STATE?
Interesting that the best coverage of the Oakland police attack on peaceful protestors comes from Europe. Remember when you were watching the riots in Tunisia, Egypt, and Greece with amusement? It could never happen here. Right? Welcome to the United States Police State.
Why did police officer fire gas canister into crowd trying to help injured Iraq veteran? Protesters take to the streets of New York and Oakland in solidarity after Marine was left in critical condition
- Ex-Marine Scott Olsen, 24, of Daly City, California, served in Iraq in 2006 and 2007 – and was hit in California protests
- Anger over Oakland police ‘brutality’ fans across America as protesters march in solidarity with Olsen on Wednesday
- Occupy Oakland activists trying to reclaim camp they were in for 15 days – until police evicted them early on Tuesday
- More trouble on Tuesday at 5pm when 400 people marched towards Frank Ogawa Plaza, which police surrounded
- Conditions in the Oakland camp were thought to have become unsavoury as tented town became semi-permanent
- Some protesters threw turquoise and red paint at riot police officers last night and others reportedly threw rocks
- Meanwhile in Atlanta, Georgia, dozens of protesters were evicted from a park and 53 were arrested by police
Nest Work In Vienna?
A spyder helicopter and two workers seem to be removing a nest in Vienna. More to come...
ATLANTA & OAKLAND TURN INTO WAR ZONES
I’m still waiting for this Occupy thing to blow over like many on this site predicted. Seems that Fourth Turnings never get less intense. I’m sure this is just a passing fad and will dissipate as soon as it gets cold. I’m glad to see the billions we’ve spent on Homeland Security to prevent terrorists attacks are being put to good use crushing discontent and free speech of American citizens.
Remember when we traded liberty and freedom for safety and security? This is what you get. Feel safe now?
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Remember when we traded liberty and freedom for safety and security? This is what you get. Feel safe now?
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Fun Facts About McGruff As Crime Prevention Month Comes To A Close
October is the official month for recognizing and celebrating the practice of crime prevention, while promoting awareness of important issues such as victimization, volunteerism, and creating safer, more caring communities. Since 1980, McGruff the Crime Dog® has been the icon of crime prevention and the symbol of National Crime Prevention Council’s (NCPC) work nationwide.
Together, NCPC and McGruff have helped communities like Ocean City
Thanks to McGruff and the NCPC for making October 2011 another successful year in crime prevention. To display our appreciation, the OCPD has listed a few fun facts that you might not have known about our crime prevention here, McGruff:
A Dysfunctional System That Bankrupts A Generation
Tuition has done it again: up by 8.3% for universities and by 8.7% for community colleges, according to the College Board. Here in California, tuition increases are outright ridiculous. Much of it will be paid for with student loans (though grants, scholarships, other aid, and tax credits will cover some of it). Student loan debt will exceed $1 trillion [7] by the end of the year—a stunning amount. But unlike other debt, it cannot be discharged in a bankruptcy.
The skyrocketing costs of higher education add to the strains already weighing down the middle class whose median household income has fallen 9.8% between December 2007 and June 2011 (Sentier Research) and whose real wages have declined 1.8% over last year (BLS) and around 9% since their peak in 1999.
We all support education; we want the next generation to be productive. So now, under increased pressure to "do something," the Obama administration has come up with a Band-Aid, which includes income-based payment limits and ultimate debt forgiveness in certain cases—an accelerated implementation of program improvements that would have taken effect in 2014. Looking forward, it is likely that more taxpayer funded relief is on the way.
But the system itself is dysfunctional. The cause: a misalignment of interests within the complex relationships between students, universities, the student-loan industry, and the federal government.
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The skyrocketing costs of higher education add to the strains already weighing down the middle class whose median household income has fallen 9.8% between December 2007 and June 2011 (Sentier Research) and whose real wages have declined 1.8% over last year (BLS) and around 9% since their peak in 1999.
We all support education; we want the next generation to be productive. So now, under increased pressure to "do something," the Obama administration has come up with a Band-Aid, which includes income-based payment limits and ultimate debt forgiveness in certain cases—an accelerated implementation of program improvements that would have taken effect in 2014. Looking forward, it is likely that more taxpayer funded relief is on the way.
But the system itself is dysfunctional. The cause: a misalignment of interests within the complex relationships between students, universities, the student-loan industry, and the federal government.
More
General Strike Called For In Oakland, California
Joe,
When we spoke earlier we talked about how the protests in the U.S. were evolving in the same fashion as those taking place in Europe, Syria, Libya, etc. This appears to be true not only in how things evolve but also in how they are coordinated. It would seem that twitter and facebook are vital to the protesters in coordinating their efforts locally and nationwide. I signed up for a twitter account in order to monitor the goings on. This is a perfect example of the messages being sent to coordinate the efforts.....
General Strike & Mass Day of Action, this Wednesday, November 2nd.#occupyoakland #generalstrike, and
When we spoke earlier we talked about how the protests in the U.S. were evolving in the same fashion as those taking place in Europe, Syria, Libya, etc. This appears to be true not only in how things evolve but also in how they are coordinated. It would seem that twitter and facebook are vital to the protesters in coordinating their efforts locally and nationwide. I signed up for a twitter account in order to monitor the goings on. This is a perfect example of the messages being sent to coordinate the efforts.....
General Strike & Mass Day of Action, this Wednesday, November 2nd.
Boots Riley and MC Hammer are in the middle of the streets with us https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=5ca4a81685&view=att&th=1334473f30ed9112&attid=0.0&disp=inline&zw #occupyoakland #occupysf #OWS #standwithoakland, and
occupyoakland Occupy Oakland
Oakland is peaceful tonight, most left plaza around 12am, a few people camping, Tomorrow at 6pm we meet again at 14th & Broadway #OWS.
and elsewhere....New York, Zuchotti Park...
iwasaround Foo Conner
March is heading back to Zuccotti Park as police in riot gear have arrived. #ows, and
subverzo davy slaying goliath
Ahh.....the information age. You can be sure that the government is monitoring these transmissions an are coordinating their responses accordingly. Is this the United States we grew up in?
Md. Expands Ignition Interlock System To Include First-Time Drunk Drivers
BALTIMORE (WJZ)– The Ignition Interlock Program, which keeps a drunk driver from starting their car, is expanding.
Monique Griego has more on Maryland authorities are targeting first-time offenders.
Fail a breathalyzer test, and you’ll now most likely have to pass another one.
“The embarrassment of having to blow into that thing would have cured me,” Judy Kressig, a former drunk driver, said.
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Monique Griego has more on Maryland authorities are targeting first-time offenders.
Fail a breathalyzer test, and you’ll now most likely have to pass another one.
“The embarrassment of having to blow into that thing would have cured me,” Judy Kressig, a former drunk driver, said.
More
Group To Hold News Conference On Immigrant Tuition
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A conservative watchdog group is hosting a news conference to discuss developments in an ongoing debate over a Maryland law that would allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state
tuition under certain circumstances.
Judicial Watch is holding the news conference in Annapolis on Thursday with two leaders of a petition drive to put the law on the ballot in 2012 for voters to decide.
Delegates Neil Parrott and Patrick McDonough are scheduled to attend. The Republican lawmakers led the petition drive that was certified as successful by the state elections board.
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tuition under certain circumstances.
Judicial Watch is holding the news conference in Annapolis on Thursday with two leaders of a petition drive to put the law on the ballot in 2012 for voters to decide.
Delegates Neil Parrott and Patrick McDonough are scheduled to attend. The Republican lawmakers led the petition drive that was certified as successful by the state elections board.
More
TSA Takes Its Sexy Back, Removes 'Freaky' Note Author
The Transportation Security Administration announced today it found the officer who penned "highly inappropriate" sex advice on an official form to a passenger after finding a "personal item" in the travelers luggage and has removed the employee from screening duties.
New York blogger Jill Filipovic got an unusual surprise courtesy of the TSA officer on Monday when she opened her bags after a flight to Dublin, Ireland. Inside, on a TSA search notification, someone had scrawled "GET YOUR FREAK ON GIRL" in big capital letters -- apparently referring to a "personal item" discovered in Filipovic's luggage.
Prices Increase On Most Maryland Tolls Nov. 1
WASHINGTON -- The cost of traveling is going to increase next week for drivers who use certain local bridges or toll roads.
Maryland is raising tolls on most tunnels and bridges starting Nov. 1, with the exception of the new Intercounty Connector (ICC). The increases will vary. For example, cash rate tolls on the Harry Nice Bridge from Maryland into Virginia will climb from $3 to $4, while the cash rate on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge will rise from $2.50 to $4.
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Maryland is raising tolls on most tunnels and bridges starting Nov. 1, with the exception of the new Intercounty Connector (ICC). The increases will vary. For example, cash rate tolls on the Harry Nice Bridge from Maryland into Virginia will climb from $3 to $4, while the cash rate on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge will rise from $2.50 to $4.
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Dover Sex Offender Sought
State Police don't know where a convicted sex offender is, and they're hoping you can help troopers track him down.
Police say Ivory Daniels, who's homeless and lives in Dover, has violated state law by not re-registering with authorities monthly.
Police say Ivory Daniels, who's homeless and lives in Dover, has violated state law by not re-registering with authorities monthly.
Is It Really Going To Snow Saturday?
One of the computer models that meteorologists use to make their weather forecasts, known as the European model, is holding out the possibility of wintry weather for the Washington area this Saturday, especially in points west of D.C
Upstart Unthink Wants To Become The New Anti-Facebook
(CNN) -- Call it "Occupy Facebook." Or, perhaps, "UnOccupy Facebook."Hoping to capitalize on frustrations with the social networking giant, not to mention some of the anti-corporate sentiment bubbling up on Wall Street and beyond, entrepreneurs have launched an upstart site called Unthink.
The Tampa, Florida-based startup wants to be everything that Facebook and rival Google+ are not -- and it has the manifesto and sassy YouTube video to prove it.
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