Salisbury News: 11/11/11

Friday, November 11, 2011

Doggone! Pooch Eats Couple's $1,000 Cash Stash

One Florida family unwittingly helped serve a very expensive meal to their dog — $1,000 in cash — and then forced the pet to cough it up.

"I just think this is hilarious," the dog's owner, Christy Lawrenson of St. Augustine, Fla., told WJXT in Jacksonville, Fla on Friday.

She laughs now, but it was a different story two weeks ago.

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'Sexually Provocative' Dakota Fanning Perfume Ad Banned In UK

London (CNN) -- An advertisement for Marc Jacobs perfume featuring teenage actor Dakota Fanning has been banned in Britain because it "sexualized children."
The ad, for Marc Jacobs "Oh, Lola!" fragrance, featured Fanning, the child star of "War of the Worlds" and "I am Sam" wearing a short dress and holding an oversized bottle of the scent in her lap.
Four readers complained that the photograph -- which appeared in two British magazines in August -- was "offensive and irresponsible," for showing Fanning, 17, "in a sexualized manner."

Poll: Boomers Anxiety About Retirement Grows

(AP) WASHINGTON - A majority of baby boomers say they have taken a financial hit in the past three years and most now doubt that they will be financially secure after they retire, according to a new poll.
So much for kicking back at the lake house, long afternoons of golf or pretty much anything this generation had dreamed about in retirement. The Associated Press-LifeGoesStrong.com poll found a baby boom generation planning to work into retirement years — with 73 percent planning to work past retirement, up from 67 percent this spring.

Universal Buying EMI Group For $4.1B

(LOS ANGELES) — EMI Group Ltd., home of The Beatles, Coldplay and Katy Perry, is being sold in two parts for $4.1 billion.
Universal Music Group said Friday that it has agreed to buy the recording division of EMI for 1.2 billion pounds ($1.9 billion).
Sony/ATV has reached a deal to buy the second part, the publishing division in charge of songwriting copyrights, for $2.2 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter.

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Montford Point Marines Reportedly Awarded Nation's Highest Civilian Honor

The Montford Point Marines — the first black Marine unit that served in the Pacific in World War II — are reportedly finally getting their due.

The U.S. Senate late Wednesday unanimously awarded the unit the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor. The House passed the measure 422-0 on Oct. 25, the Detroit Free Press reports.

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November Proclaimed Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in Delaware

One of the deadliest forms of cancer is the focus of a special awareness campaign this month in Delaware.

Governor Markell has proclaimed November as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.
Amanda Moretto of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network says there's a reason why this type of cancer is so dangerous. She says it develops in the pancreas, which is deep within the body and therefore can become advanced before it is detected.

'I can't exist like this,' actor thought after injury making 'Syriana' in 2005

It seems impossible to imagine that Oscar-winning, lady-loving movie star George Clooney would ever think of offing himself.

But he has. He even worked out how he would do it. Shockingly, the man who seems to have an impossibly charmed life really did contemplate suicide at one point — and it wasn't from depression, regret over some horrible act or a romance gone bad.

So why would he ever dream of doing such a thing?

Sky Metalawala Missing: Dad Thinks Boy's Mother, Julia Biryukova, May Be Involved In Disappearance

The father of a missing 2-year-old whose mother's story has come under scrutiny by police believes his estranged wife may have had something to do with Sky Metalwala's disappearance.

"I do believe that Julia has a, she's responsible …," Solomon Metalwala said Wednesday, speaking of Julia Biryukova, the boy's mother. "It's sad. Because if she can just cooperate, we can find where, where is our son."

Greece Forms A Kind Of Communist Government?

Economist Papademos to lead Greece's unity government ... Economist Lucas Papademos will be Greece's next prime minister, the Greek president's office announced Thursday, giving a non-politician the job of passing an unpopular bailout plan before elections are held next year. The selection by the two main political parties ended four days of squabbling over how to structure a unity government. Papademos, 64, and the rest of the government are to be installed Friday. – Washington Post

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Rick Perry, On Letterman Show, Blames Debate Gaffe On 'El Nino'

(CNN) -- After his infamous "brain freeze" that drew laughter and ridicule from his detractors, Texas Gov. Rick Perry poked fun at himself Thursday night while delivering the "Top Ten" list on CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman."
Perry sauntered on stage smiling, clapped his hands and saluted the crowd before rattling off the "Top Ten Rick Perry Excuses." Among them:

No. 6: "You try concentrating with Mitt Romney smiling at you. That is one handsome dude!"

Egypt Closes Pyramid after Rituals Rumor

(CAIRO) — Egypt's antiquities authority closed the largest of the Giza pyramids Friday following rumors that groups would try to hold spiritual ceremonies on the site at 11:11 A.M. on Nov. 11, 2011.
The authority's head Mustafa Amin said in a statement Friday that the pyramid of Khufu, also known as Cheops, would be closed to visitors until Saturday morning for "necessary maintenance."

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So Long, America

Here is Judge Napolitano's closing argument Thursday on his FreedomWatch.

Does the government work for us or do we work for the government? Tonight, wars and rumors of war.

The United States was forged in a war: The American revolution. After the rebels defeated the King, we were blessed with something unique in history; a founding document, the Constitution, which was not imposed upon the people but rather was ratified by them, and which set out to establish strict limits on the federal government. The whole purpose of the Constitution was to keep the government off the people's backs; to assure that the new government here would never be as destructive of freedom and property as the King had been; to guarantee that the government is the servant and the people were the master; still a revolutionary idea even today, more than 230 years later.

So what happened to the war machine that freed the American colonies of their British masters? It was subsumed by the new government. The same generation that fought an American revolution whose unifying principles were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, ran a government that violated those very principles. In the Whiskey Rebellion, President George Washington shot and arrested farmers who refused to pay a federal tax on booze they made at home; and under the Alien and Sedition Acts, President John Adams prosecuted people for criticizing him.

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Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Opens

U.S. military officials are celebrating the opening of the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, the Associated Press reported. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta presided over a dedication ceremony yesterday. He called the center "a 21st-century place of miracles." The hospital is a merger of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center. The merger is a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act. The new facility is staffed by Army, Navy and Air Force members.

Don't Forget To Visit The Salisbury Farmers Market Tomorrow

Army Being Sued For $750 Million

Eighty-three victims and family members of the Fort Hood shootings are suing the Army for $750 million. The plaintiffs say the Army was negligent in not getting rid of Maj. Nidal Hasan before he was able to open fire. He killed 13 people and wounded 32 in 2009. His military trial is scheduled to start in March. Hasan is an American-born Muslim who prosecutors say turned radical while serving. If convicted, he faces the death penalty.

Santa Cruz County Severs Ties With JP Morgan, Bank Of America

SANTA CRUZ -- The county is severing ties with two banks involved in municipal bid-rigging scandals, county Treasurer-Tax Collector Fred Keeley announced Thursday.
Keeley said he is removing New York-based JP Morgan Chase and North Carolina-based Bank of

America from an approved list of banks handling bond investments for Santa Cruz County. The decision was based on nationwide, multimillion-dollar settlements involving fraud allegations that the two companies negotiated agreements giving them a look at competitors' bids for handling the investments.

Occupy D.C. Turned Into Occupy The EPA Yesterday

Several dozen protesters stood below EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson's office window. They demanded more whistleblower protection and stronger clean air enforcement. Protesters placed paper crosses and wreaths on the lawn. The Occupy D.C. members were joined by marchers from the National Whistleblower Center, the No Fear Coalition and the Federal alliance for Workplace Accountability

America's Problem With Sex Education

Given the comic failure of abstinence-only – 95% of Americans have premarital sex – isn't it time the US got over its hangup?

Though most American youth continue to learn about sex most everywhere but in school, there is some good news: according to a recent report from the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), the Obama administration and Congress in 2010 eliminated two thirds of federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage education, and, in a historic shift, allocated close to $190m for comprehensive sex education.

Bill Passes Senate On Tax Credit For Corporations That Hire Vets

A unified Senate passed a bill giving tax credits to companies that hire veterans. The bill also repeals the requirement that agencies withhold for taxes, 3 percent of contractor payments. Companies hiring disabled veterans with long-term unemployment would receive tax credits of $9,600 per hire. The bill, which passed unanimously, goes to the House next week. The House is expected to pass it and send it the president for his signature

‘60 Minutes’ To Look At Lawmakers And Stocks

Some members of the Congressional brass are bracing for what seems to be shaping up as a tough “60 Minutes” piece exploring whether their influence and control of legislation gives them a leg up in playing the stock market and making other investments.

No Smoking Within 25 Feet Of Federal Buildings

A new bill would ban smoking within 25 feet of a federal building, GovExec reported. Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.) said the government is not doing enough to enforce its own policy. Smoking in federal facilities was first banned by a Clinton administration executive order. Subsequent policy from GSA eliminated designated smoking areas. GovExec reported that current policy is not enforced in leased buildings not administered by the GSA. The Davis legislation would close that loophole.

It Was Close, But We Won: Viva Net Neutrality!

Today in the Senate there was a major win for freedom of speech and the Internet. In a largely partisan vote Senate Democrats defeated a resolution introduced by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) which would have overturned the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) open Internet rules that are set to go into effect this month.

Though the FCC’s rules are not great, they do offer some protections for net neutrality on the wired Internet and overturning them would have been a huge setback for free speech on the web. During debate on the Senate floor yesterday supporters of the resolution railed against government regulation while opponents defended the rules saying they were necessary to maintain the openness and innovation that has allowed the Internet to thrive.

10 Million More In Poverty Because Of Medical Expenses, Census Reports

If you were to subtract the cost of health care expenses from family incomes, an additional 10 million more Americans would be considered in poverty by official measures, the U.S. Census Bureau said this week in a new report.

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Poll: Cain Tops 3-Way Race With Romney, Gingrich

In the Republican race for the presidential nomination, Newt Gingrich's support continues to slowly grow, and he is now tied with Mitt Romney for second place, while Herman Cain just edges both of them out for the top spot. Both Cain and Romney have lost support since late October.

In a new CBS News Poll, 61 percent of Republican primary voters say the sexual harassment accusations against Cain won't make any difference in their vote, but 30 percent say the charges make them less likely to back him, and that rises to 38 percent among women. Cain has lost support among women since last month - from 28 percent in October to 15 percent now. He has lost ground with conservatives and Tea Party supporters as well.

A War To End All Wars???

11
A new and different war is underway. But first let me take you back. I want you to take some time this day, at 11 AM, to reflect. 93 years ago today the horrible cacophony of the Great War, the "War to End All Wars," came to a conclusion. There were to be no winners for the next century.

Europe today is still struggling for the answer to the troubling question of a united and powerful Europe and a better life for all. Germany is now in the driver’s seat in Europe in spite of her catastrophic defeats in two of her last three European conflicts. The results speak, perhaps, to the great resiliency and productivity of the German people.

But wars are costly in human capital. In the Great War, Canada, in its role as a loyal member of the British Commonwealth, suffered 66,976 deaths and 149,732wounded. That amounts to 3% of the population of 7.2 million at the time. The United States suffered 322,000 casualties or about .33% of its population of 92 million at the time.

Germany lost 6.7 million (2.5 million deaths) or 3.4% of her population.

Overall 16.5 million souls perished (7 million civilians) during the Great War in Europe while another 21.2 million wounded and disfigured emerged from the disaster. Perhaps worse, the political settlement (League of Nations and the Treaty of Versailles) of the Great War laid the foundations for a second far more disastrous conflagration in the 1930s. In that war more than 60 million perished and there were 80 million casualties, 4% of the world’s population.

By 1945 Germany was devastated. She lost between 6.7 and 8 million killed, 8 to 10.5 % of her population and all her industrial base and infrastructure.

Moreth hour /11th day /11th month /11th year

Flat Taxes Are Big In The Former USSR. Have They Worked?

GOP presidential candidates Herman Cain, Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich have all introduced proposals for flat taxes, which aim to tax everyone at the same rate. The idea is to simplify the tax code, getting rid of loopholes and reducing entitlements and deductions. Gingrich and Perry have both promised that Americans would be able to file their taxes on a postcard.

Flat income taxes have been criticized for putting a greater burden on middle-income people while cutting taxes for the rich. Critics say a flat tax would bring in less revenue for the government to fund social programs (though, as Rachel Weiner of The Washington Post puts it, “of course, for many conservatives, a drastically smaller government is a feature, not a bug").

The United States briefly tried a flat 3 percent income tax between 1861 and 1872; a flat income tax was reintroduced in 1894 but was struck down by the Supreme Court. Instead, the U.S. has had a graduated income tax since World War I. We haven’t really gotten to see how a flat tax would play out here, and it’s a good time to take a look at other countries that have adopted flat taxes, and how it worked out for them.

Flat-tax success stories?

Penn State Scandal: Mother Of Alleged Victim Says Son Was Afraid To Tell Sandusky 'No'

The mother of the boy who triggered the investigation into Jerry Sandusky's alleged child sex assaults says that during the years of abuse the boy suffered he felt he didn't have the power to say no to the former Penn State football coach.

Speaking exclusively with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News' "Good Morning America" the mother of the boy, who is referred to in court papers as Victim 1, describes how she learned of the abuse and how her son lived in fear of coming forward to implicate a football coaching legend.

9/11 Terrorists Made Millions On The Stock Market

New research by CSU academic Dr Hugh McDermott shows how terrorists make millions playing the stockmarket, using their inside information about forthcoming attacks.

Terrorism: The Ultimate in Insider Trading

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher says that what happens to financial markets after a terrorist attack, and how terrorists make money from these market movements, is illustrated by the suspicious trading that occurred immediately before the successful attacks on New York, Madrid and London.

Dr Hugh McDermott, senior lecturer in law enforcement at the CSU Australian Graduate School of Policing in Manly, says terrorists make money by speculating on the markets.

“When terrorists have ‘inside information’ about an imminent attack, they purchase financial derivatives before the attack and make millions from the subsequent market movements.
“Global financial markets reacted swiftly to the news of the terrorist attacks on New York (2001), Madrid (2004) and London (2005), with a general flight to quality. Gold, bonds and defence stock strengthened and investors flocked to highly liquid, developed markets.

“In contrast, less mature markets suffer as do stocks such as reinsurance and aviation. American Airlines’ share price dropped 39 per cent after the 9/11 attacks and United Airlines dropped 42 per cent. Even a novice trader can see the windfall that could be achieved in shorting these stocks before a terrorist attack.”

Family of Murdered Border Agent Breaks Silence, Lashes Out At Holder

Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry died almost one year ago. Despite almost daily headlines about the ongoing scandal in the Obama administration, his devastated parents have said nothing publicly about the U.S. program that helped provide the weapons that killed their son.
Until now.

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Occupy The Press

Despite the media’s atrocious coverage, the Occupy protests have clearly changed the nation’s conversation.

So here’s the question: Despite the media’s appalling coverage of the Occupy Wall Street movement, is a more sustained and sustainable assault on the injustices of corporate capitalism gaining a foothold?

With the emergence, and spread, of the Occupy movement, the first scandal was the mainstream media’s ignoring the story (until the NYPD got violent). Many noted, rightly, that if the demonstration had been organized by the Tea Party, the press would have been all over it from the start. The second scandal, once the media did start to pay attention, was the dismissive, marginalizing coverage—the New York Times possibly being the worst—casting the demonstrators as clueless, leaderless neo-hippies simply looking for a way to pass sunny autumn afternoons.

Are You Expecting Men to Act Like Women?

My idea for today's post came from a seminar I hosted last week called "Making Sense of Men." It was co-led by a trainer for PAX Programs International, which is in the business of educating women about men. If you haven't familiarized yourself with PAX, which is the brilliant work of Alison Armstrong, I can't recommend it enough. I attended my first course with them 10 years ago, and it was a life-changing experience.

Alison's mission is helping men and women understand each other, which inevitably leads to deeper and richer relationships and creates peace between the sexes. It also eliminates the craziness that comes from trying to figure out what the heck the opposite sex is thinking and feeling and why they do what they do. (I know you're familiar with that craziness, right?)

Md.: Top 50 Tax Cheats Cost State More Than $11m

Maryland has been cheated out of more than $11 million by the state's biggest 50 individual and business tax scofflaws, according to a list published Tuesday to shame the delinquents into forking over the money.
"This is an issue of fairness," said Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, who released the list. "These people are just telling the state to go jump into a lake. We want to both put the spotlight on them and shame and embarrass them into paying up."
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Celebrity Doctors, Beware

(CNN) -- Even the most sordid situations can have a silver lining. The Michael Jackson-Conrad Murray relationship may serve as a cautionary tale for any health care provider who works with celebrities. Regardless of whether you agree with the verdict on Murray, who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter Monday in Jackson's death, there is little doubt that what served as "health care" for Jackson would hardly meet quality standards, and some would characterize it as drug dealing. That all sorts of boundaries between patient and physician were crossed can hardly be disputed.

What is it about caring for celebrities that causes professionals to lower their standards and often enable unhealthy behaviors? There are several factors:

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Why Is Paterno Getting So Much Support From Fans?

After nearly a half-century on the job, Joe Paterno says he is still getting used to the idea of not being Penn State's football coach. So is the rest of the shaken campus, after one of the most tumultuous days in its history.

ER Visits For Intentional Poisoning Soars, Especially Among Women

The number of people showing up in hospital ERs because of intentional poisoning has soared, a new federal study has found, with women accounting for nearly two-thirds of the cases.

The number of cases of intentional poisoning jumped from 2,609 in 2008 to 14,720 in 2009, according to the latest national data about emergency department visits. Slightly more than a quarter of the patients who showed up at ERs for this type of poisoning were under age 21.

A federal program tries to spur people to invest in vacant houses

Kip Kuntz’s block in Baltimore’s Old Goucher neighborhood is getting a face-lift, courtesy of the federal government. The 47-year-old Johns Hopkins University research scientist paid $249,900 in September for a 19th century row house that was rehabbed as part of a $7 billion federal program that provides states and local governments with funds to buy, fix up, and resell abandoned and foreclosed properties. Kuntz, who has lived in the area for about 20 years, praises the care the contractor took in restoring the home’s windows, slate roof, and masonry. “For years I’ve been living in this neighborhood, and it will get a little worse here and a little better there, but there was no progress one way or another,” he says. “Suddenly, things are looking up.” He adds that the half- dozen federally funded rehabs on his block may be attracting attention: A private investor recently began renovating a boarded-up house on the street.

Baltimore is a test case of whether government money can help resuscitate an ailing residential market. The Obama Administration’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program is spending $26 million on restorations designed to drive up prices and spark investor-backed redevelopment in pockets of this city of 621,000, where prices have fallen about 40 percent from the 2007 peak, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Nationwide, 11,545 single-family homes have been renovated and sold since NSP money first started flowing in 2009, with another 24,000 sales projected.

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No Truth Coming From Mortgage Bankers Ass.

Apparently the MBAss (Mortgage Bankers Association) didn't like the fact that someone in the financial blogo-wackosphere actually had the temerity to make use of real, hard data, that they hadn't massaged. Now, not only do they not report the actual index level of their seasonally smoothed applications indexes, the charts of the not seasonally adjusted indexes have disappeared from Bloomberg.com in the past week. I doubt that Bloomberg would have pulled them on their own. Seems more likely that the MBAss wasn't too happy about anyone actually reporting the truth. So unless Bloomberg relents or I can find the data elsewhere, it looks like last week's report [7] will be the last time we get to see what the actual purchase applications look like.

For now, I'll return to looking at the seasonally smoothed data which, while not the actual numbers, should give us an idea of the trend. The MBAss stopped reporting the actual index levels about a year ago, but they still report the weekly percentage changes, so it is possible to reproduce a close approximation of their index.
Of course, if the news gets bad enough, like if purchase apps drop to new lows, they can always stop publicizing the data altogether. These are after all, the very same people who brought us the housing crisis in the first place. Things like fudging, lying, cheating, stealing, and committing fraud are part of their natural order. Getting the truth out--not so much. In fact, before joining the organization a prospective member needs to pass a sociopathy test.

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The Mortgage Of The Future

Easy-to-get, overly complicated home loans inflated a bubble that popped disastrously. Though we’re still in the middle of the crisis, it’s time to devise a safer housing finance system.

Samuel Perez has a steady job running trains for the New York City subway system on the No. 4 line. His wife, Rosemarie, earns a reliable paycheck as a unionized school bus driver in the Bronx. In 2003 they bought a semi-attached, two-story house in unfashionable western Staten Island for $246,000—as cheap as New York City real estate gets. With two children and a foster child at home, they’re not big spenders. “We haven’t taken a vacation in years,” Rosemarie says.

If you’ve paid any attention to the U.S. housing market over the past four years, you probably know where this is headed.

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Thank God Its Friday 11-11-11

What will you be doing this weekend?

The Sixties

This is one of the best presentations of the sixties I have seen online. Just click on the link below and sit back to enjoy the memories.

Fortunately, this presentation features a "pause" and "reverse" function in case your geezer eyes can't take it in fast enough!

the sixties

Md. Man Guilty In Duct-Taped Dog Case

CUMBERLAND, Md. - A Cumberland man faces up to six months in jail after being convicted of animal cruelty for releasing a dog with duct tape wrapped around its jaws.

Twenty-four-year-old Ricky Adams was convicted in a bench trial Wednesday. No sentencing date was set.

The judge convicted Adams on two misdemeanor counts but acquitted him of felony animal mutilation.

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Medicare Premiums

"What you permit, you promote."

The per person Medicare insurance premium will increase from the present monthly fee of $96.40, rising to: $104.20 in 2012; $120.20 in 2013; And $247.00 in 2014. These are provisions incorporated in the Obamacare legislation, purposely delayed so as not to 'confuse' the 2012 re-election campaigns.

New Treatment Kills Fat Cells

WASHINGTON -- There is new hope in the fight against fat after a surprising discovery made by scientists looking for new ways to treat cancer.

Historically, weight loss products have targeted appetite or fat absorption, but scientists say this new technique kills fat cells by cutting off their blood supply.

In a study published on Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine, researchers from the University of Texas say injecting a peptide called "adipotide" into obese monkeys made the animals eat less, shed belly fat and increased their metabolic function -- without any change to their diets or exercise regimens, The Los Angeles Times reports.

It also resulted in improved insulin resistance, which could be helpful in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

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DIVORCE AGREEMENT

WRITTEN BY A YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENT

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's for the sake of the kids, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has clearly run its course.

Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right for us all, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:
--Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a similar portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

--We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them.--You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.--Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.
--We'll take the nasty, smelly oil industry and you can go with wind, solar and biodiesel.
--You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell. You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them.

--We'll keep capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street.
--You can have your beloved lifelong welfare dwellers, food stamps, homeless, homeboys, hippies, druggies and illegal aliens.
--We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks.
--We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood

--You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us.
--You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

--We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.
--You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism, political correctness and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill.

--We'll keep the SUV's, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Volt and Leaf you can find.
--You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors.
--We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right.

--We'll keep "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "The National Anthem."
--I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute "Imagine", "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", "Kum Ba Ya" or "We Are the World".

--We'll practice trickle-down economics and you can continue to give trickle up poverty your best shot.

--Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like-minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you answer which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely,
John J. Wall
Law Student and an American

Caption This Photo 11-11-11

Jonathan Taylor Demands Three Council Members Resignation

City Council President Terry Cohen , Vice President Debbie Campbell and Councilman Tim Spies need to tender their resignation immediately. This latest stunt of yours regarding Walmart is the last straw for residents of this City. You can play your little games all you want and send your press releases out trying to make yourselves look like the innocent parties but anyone that sees your vindictiveness either first hand like myself or through the media knows it was all to make Muir Boda jump through hoops to get this simple MOU accepted. You did not require the same treatment of the Centre at Salisbury which was done the exact same way with no clarification. You want to run a circus and be the fitting clowns that you are keep it up, the citizen are watching this crap you are pulling and are embarrassed. Let me assure you three I will use every opportunity I have with my website to focus the attention on every on of these spiteful moves you make and will rally the public to do something about your occupation of our City if you do not resign at the next election and in the future. Tim Spies should hide his face in shame over his home and having to go to court because he can't abide my a simple request to make repairs. I have had my differences with Jim Ireton in the past but he has finally seen what you are about which is being a negative force in this community.

Resign Now

Jonathan Taylor

Twas The Month Before Christmas

Twas the month before Christmas

When all through our land,

Not a Christian was praying

Nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away

The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing

About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say

December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit

Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-Pod

Something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa

In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down

At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears

You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty

Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen

On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter

To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith

Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded

The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'

Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say

Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

not Happy Holiday !

Please, all Christians join together and

wish everyone you meet

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Republican Former Secret Service Agent Files To Challenge Sen. Benjamin Cardin Of Md.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A former U.S. Secret Service agent filed paperwork Wednesday for a campaign he acknowledged would be difficult: a bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin of Maryland.

Daniel Bongino, a 36-year-old Republican, resigned from his position with the Secret Service's presidential protection division in May to pursue his Senate bid.

"My campaign is about ideas, not ideology," Bongino said in an interview after filing papers at the Maryland State Board of Elections in Annapolis. "I've asked people just to step out of the ideological box and just give a look at our ideas. You'll find they're very centrist ideas on economic growth and how job production can come back to this state."

Bongino supports reducing tax rates and simplifying the tax code.

Teen Arrested In Bowie Girl-Scout Caper

BOWIE, Md. (WUSA) -- A juvenile was arrested in a robbery involving Girl Scouts in Bowie Md., police said.

"The suspect was taken into custody and charged as a juvenile with theft under $500 related to the theft of money from the Girl Scout troop on October 28, 2011. The investigation into the involvement of other possible suspects in this theft is ongoing," police said.

Police say their may be looking for other suspects in the October 28th caper outside of a Wal-Mart in Bowie.

Editors Note: When I was a child my friends and I would make a wish when a digital clock read 11:11. Since today is 11.11.11 the Fill In The Blank is:

Today I will wish for _____.

Senate Panel Approves Delaware National Park Bill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A U.S. Senate panel has approved legislation that would authorize the creation of a national park in Delaware.

The Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the bill on Thursday, sending it to the full Senate for consideration. U.S. Sen. Tom Carper praised the decision, saying it moves the state closer toward having a park that "preserves and teaches" the lessons of Delaware's history.

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BREAKING NEWS: Bankrupt Financial Firm MF Global Fires All Workers

Debt-plagued brokerage firm MF Global fires 1,066 workers as investigation continues into missing $600 million.
From Fox News

Ripken Asks Sandusky's Charity Not To Use His Name On Website, In Brochures

Former Orioles star had spoken at a dinner benefiting the Second Mile but had no other affiliation with Pennsylvania group

On Wednesday, Cal Ripken Jr.'s name appeared on the website of the Second Mile charity under the heading "Board of Directors: Honorary Board."

By Thursday, it didn't.
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High winds prompt Va bridge-tunnel restrictions

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) -- High winds have prompted restrictions at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

Tunnel officials say winds of 40 mph have prompted the bridge-tunnel to be closed to certain vehicles and cargo.

Large pickup campers, camper trailers, house trailers, anything being towed and vehicles with exterior cargo are prohibited from crossing the bridge-tunnel until the winds die down.

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Speaker Busch Gets Roasted For The Kids

A celebrity roast is an odd event in which a well-known person is “honored” by personal friends making fun of him. House of Delegates Speaker Michael Busch got the treatment Thursday night to raise money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. The event was more like a political fundraiser for the Annapolis Democrat. In January, he will become the longest serving speaker in Maryland history if, as presumed, he is reelected by his colleagues to his 10th year in the post.

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QUOTES OF THE DAY - SUPPORT THE TROOPS EDITION

“I have never met anyone who did not support our troops. Sometimes, however, we hear accusations that someone or some group does not support the men and women serving in our armed forces. This is pure demagoguery, and it’s intellectually dishonest. The accusers play on emotions to gain support for controversial policies, implying that those who disagree are unpatriotic. But keeping our troops out of harm’s way, especially when war is unnecessary, is never unpatriotic. There’s no better way to support the troops.” - Ron Paul

“Defensive wars to preserve our liberties, fought only with proper congressional declarations, are legitimate. Casualties under such circumstances still are heartbreaking, but they are understandable. Casualties that occur in undeclared, unnecessary wars, however, are bewildering. Why must so many Americans be killed or hurt in Iraq when our security and our liberty were not threatened?” - Ron Paul

“Clichés about supporting the troops are designed to distract us from failed policies, policies promoted by powerful special interests that benefit from war.” – Ron Paul

Board Rejects Confederate License Plates For Texas

AUSTIN — Just weeks after Gov. Rick Perry expressed opposition to making a Confederate battle flag image available on specialty Texas license plates, his appointees on the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles unanimously rejected the proposal Thursday.

Passions ran high as dozens of Texans, mostly African Americans, told the board that the Confederate flag represents, for them, bondage, brutality and fear, and is a symbol used by hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan to promote their ideology.

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Veterans Day Tribute 2011

Kuhns Getting Into The Downtown Plaza Revitalization Spirit

Its great to see so many property owners taking such pride in their properties.

Marijuana: Public Enemy #1

“Play faster!” he cried, wildly, over and over. “Play faster!”

The dame who was tickling the ivories complied, out of control herself. The music revved to a dangerous velocity — oh, too fast for decent, sober, well-behaved Americans to bear — and . . . well, you just knew, violence, madness, laughter were just around the corner. The year was 1936 and, oh my God, they were high on marijuana, public enemy number one.

The scene is from Reefer Madness, arguably the dumbest movie ever made — but smugly at the emotional and ideological core of American drug policy for the last three-quarters of a century. The policy, which morphed in 1970 into an all-out “war” on drugs, has filled our prisons to bursting, created powerful criminal enterprises, launched a real war in Mexico and presided over the skyrocketing of recreational drug use in the United States. The war on drugs just may be a bigger disaster than the war on terror.

Click on image to enlarge. Check out the full moon.

Man Outed As Undercover Cop At Occupy Oakland Condemns Police Brutality, Supports The Movement

Across the country, police have used undercover and/or plainsclothed police officers to monitor occupations and protests that are a part of the 99 Percent Movement. Earlier today, the

Tennessean published excerpts from emails sent by the Tennessee Highway Patrol that confirmed not only that police were infiltrating Occupy Nashville but that they were hoping for the movement’s demise.

In a video released last month, Oakland Police Officer Fred Shavies was outed as one of these plainsclothed officers at Occupy Oakland.

Watch it:

It's 11-11-11 At 11:11

Once in a lifetime, you might say.

Tell Me About The Good Old Days

Today's Survey Question 11-11-11

Do you think Joe Paterno, (Coach at Penn State) should have contacted law enforcement?

8 Year Old Prank Call

GO HERE to listen.

Selbyville, DE. Says It All

VETERANS DAY

11-11-11

Lighthouse RD RT 54

Selbyville, DE

Life Sentence In Deadly Pharmacy Shooting

(CNN) -- A New York man was sentenced Thursday to life without parole for killing four people at a Long Island pharmacy in June.

David Laffer, 33 and his wife, Melinda Brady, 29, pleaded guilty in September to charges related to an armed robbery on Father's Day at Haven Drugs. Laffer admitted fatally shooting two pharmacy employees and two customers before making off with a large quantity of prescription drugs.

Mayor Ireton pulled together all department heads to count the tiny white lights throughoout the entire Downtown area. It turns out, the City is replacing every one of them. It should look fantastic when its done.

Tennessee Woman Indicted In Deaths Of Infant Twins

(CNN) -- Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against a Tennessee woman accused of smothering her newborn infants, officials said Thursday.

A Sumner County grand jury indicted Lindsey Brooke Lowe on two counts each of first-degree felony murder, first-degree premeditated murder and aggravated child abuse, District Attorney Ray Whitley said.

The race for Mayor and two Commissioner positions for Delmar, Maryland, will come to an end Tuesday, November 15th at 7pm. While I appreciate the support the community has showed me in my race for Commissioner, I wanted to take time out and offer my support to Carl Anderton, Jr. for Mayor.

I have served with Carl on Delmar's Planning and Zoning Commission for over a year- first with Carl being a P&Z Commission member and then with him as the Chairman. During this time I watched his hands-on approach to governance and have been very impressed. Carl isn't a representative that takes a call from the public and turns your concerns over to others. He takes charge and gets things done. He is the type of leader our town needs at a very crucial time in our history. He has a vision for the future of Delmar, but more importantly he has the ability to accomplish the vision he has for the future. He is a man with a character of the highest order. He has everything you could ask for in a leader and a friend. I am proud to endorse Carl for the office of Mayor and look forward to rolling up my sleeves and helping him take Delmar to a new, better and brighter future.

God Bless America and God Bless the Wildcats of Delmar,

Tom "Bunky" Luffman, Jr.

Yard Sales

<<< CLICK HERE >>>

for the latest and greatest upcoming yard sales.

If you have a yard sale you would like to post, please email me, SunnyInOC, at atlanticjw@aol.com

Please have all requests in by Thursday afternoon for Friday's post.

Have a great weekend!

Occupy Delaware Wins Battle With City

Tents go up in Spencer Plaza, where Occupy Delaware members are now legally permitted to camp out.

After a judge issued an order temporarily preventing the City of Wilmington from restricting use of Spencer Plaza, the City does an about face.

2011 ANNUAL FRUITLAND CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

at Fruitland City Hall from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Performances by:

Tina Banks

Bennett High School Band

Fruitland Primary School Chorus

Squawkappella from S.U.

Nor’Eastern Storm All Stars Cheerleading

Special Guests:

Santa and Mrs. Claus

will arrive on a fire truck!

The Fruitland Recreation Commission will sell hot dogs,

chips and a drink for $1.00.

Adam’s Ribs will provide complimentary

cookies and hot chocolate.

Upcoming Fundraisers:

• December 3rd: Uno’s breakfast for $7 to benefit the Fruitland

Recreation Commission. To purchase tickets, go to Fruitland City Hall.

December 7th: Adam’s Ribs – bring in this flyer to have 20% of

your meal donated to the Fruitland Chamber of Commerce.

Melson Power Show - LAST WEEKEND

PUBLIC NOTICE

Shortly following the Monday, November 14, 2011 legislative session, which begins at 6:00 p.m., the Salisbury City Council will hold an open work session in Council Chambers (Room 301) of the Government Office Building (125 N. Division Street).

The purpose of the work session is to finalize language changes to the Salisbury Municipal Code, Title 17 Zoning, to improve public notice requirements for zoning-related hearings. This action is a refinement of the open discussion held on November 9, so briefing materials are not planned. Upon completing the changes, the Council will resend the revised code to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review and comment, at which time the public can again provide input.

Salisbury City Council Agenda For 11-14-11

6:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER

6:01 p.m. WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS

6:03 p.m. INVOCATION/MEDITATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

6:08 p.m. CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION – Mayor James Ireton, Jr.
James M. Bennett Percussion

6:18 p.m. ADOPTION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

6:20 p.m. DATA BRIEFING – Frank McKenzie
Election Redistricting

6:45 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA – City Clerk Brenda Colegrove
October 17, 2011 work session minutes
October 17, 2011 closed session minutes separate envelope
October 24, 2011 closed session minutes separate envelope
October 24, 2011 regular meeting minutes
October 24, 2011 work session minutes
November 7, 2011 special meeting minutes
Manufacturing exemption request – Labinal Salisbury, Inc. (formerly Harvard Manufacturing Company)

6:50 p.m. INTRODUCTION/PUBLIC HEARING – City Administrator John Pick
Resolution No. 2116 - approving the calculation of maximum permitted rates for limited basic service and regulated equipment rates and installation
charges as set forth in Comcast’s rate filing (Form 1240 and Form 1205)
dated September 30, 2011

7:10 p.m. RESOLUTION – City Administrator John Pick
Resolution No. 2117 - approving a loan to Mojo Management, LTD from the City’s Revolving Loan Fund to assist in the renovation of the
building located at 213/215 E. Main Street

7:20 p.m. ORDINANCES – City Attorney Paul Wilber
Ordinance No. 2177 - 2nd reading - approving an amendment of the FY12 General Fund Budget to appropriate additional funds for the lease/purchase
of a front-end loader
Ordinance No. 2178 - 1st reading - approving a budget amendment of the FY12 General Fund to appropriate the funds received from the Local
Government Insurance Trust for two emergency police vehicles which were
involved in accidents and deemed a total loss with the intention of arranging a lease/purchase of two new vehicles
Ordinance No. 2179 - 1st reading – approving FY12 budget amendment to
address an anticipated shortfall in the grass cutting and rubbish removal
accounts
Ordinance No. 2180 - 1st reading – approving FY12 budget amendment to
accept and appropriate additional funds associated with providing medical/
physical screening for the volunteer members of the Fire Department
Ordinance No. 2181 - 1st reading - authorizing the refunding of the 1994 Bonds, the 1999 Bond, the 2001 CDA Bonds and the 2003 CDA Bonds

8:00 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS

8:15 p.m. ADJOURNMENT

Eighteen Counties Oppose PlanMaryland

Westminster, Maryland, November 9, 2011 – As of the last day for public comment on PlanMaryland, fully eighteen counties have identified significant problems with the Plan. Seventeen of these counties and the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) have explicitly requested more time for review.

PlanMaryland describes itself as a "blueprint for a collaborative process between the State and local governments…" It asserts its interest in "working with local governments to identify the areas for growth and preservation. And… coordinating and aligning state programs to support mutual local and state goals."

If the State is truly interested in working with local governments, a good place to start would be to honor their requests for more time.

DuPont Fined $500,000 For Violations

DuPont has agreed to pay $500,000 for numerous violations at the company's Edge Moor plant.

The chemical maker entered into a consent decree with the Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and state and federal Departments of Justice Thursday.

Fog is a thin layer of cloud resting on the ground. It can reduce visibility to 1/4 mile or less, creating hazardous driving conditions. The best advice for driving in the fog is DON’T. You should consider postponing your trip until the fog clears. However, if you must drive, be prepared to cope at a moment's notice. It can be patchy, going from a light mist to a thick cover in an instant.

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Wilmington Woman 5th To Plead Guilty In Abortion Case

A Wilmington woman who killed a newborn and fatally overdosed a woman at a Philadelphia abortion clinic has pleaded guilty to murder charges and agreed to testify against her employer.

Forty-three-year-old Lynda Williams pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of third-degree murder. She had been charged in a disturbing grand jury report that alleged ghastly conduct at the Women's Medical Center operated by Dr. Kermit Gosnell.

New Website Takes The Work Out Of Searching For A Job

Princess Anne, MD- A new website was launched this week to help job seekers reduce the amount of time spent searching the web for job listings.

The new site, http://www.easternshorejobfinder.com%20pulls/ listings from many popular websites including Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Craigslist.org, and more to create one daily listing of jobs available. And instead of covering one small region, this website covers the whole Delmarva Peninsula with jobs for all three states and even work from home listings.

The site’s creator, Gretchen Parks, works from home and knows how discouraging the job search can be. "As a freelancer, I am always trolling the job boards and looking for my next client or opportunity. The competition is fierce and every edge that you can have can make all the difference." Parks said.

Parks had the idea to create this blog site to fill a need. "I saw people online looking for work and asking others if they knew of any openings. Online groups have formed to help each other, but the job listings are not plentiful in these groups because only the person looking knows the extent of their experience and qualifications for any given job," she said.

Job seekers are encouraged to subscribe to updates through the website so they can be notified of the daily additions of new jobs. Sometimes all the edge you need is to be one of the first to respond to a new opening.
Site owner, Parks, said, "I once had a call back from a resume I sent within 15 minutes of sending it, so I know that timing can be everything in the job market."

Employers wishing to list a job can do so for free by emailing Gretchen Parks at gretchenparks@comcast.net. Anyone can also post comments on the site if they have heard of a new job opening or they want to post the good news of being hired.

"We can help each other to get hired. It all starts with where to look. EasternShoreJobFinder.com is the place to start."

Veterans Day Quotes

In honor of Veterans Day 2011, which happens November 11, here’s a list of 25 quotes to live by:

1. We make war that we may live in peace. -Aristotle

2. Nobody ever drowned in sweat. -US Marines

3. Those who cannot bravely face danger are the slaves of their attackers. -Aristotle

4. More powerful than the will to win is the courage to begin. -Unknown

5. Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him. -Dwight D. Eisenhower

6. Many become brave when brought to bay. -Norwegian proverb

7. Courage is fear holding on a minute longer. -George S. Patton

8. It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. -Unknown

9. Either war is obsolete or men are. -Buckminster Fuller

10. There never was a good war or a bad peace. -Benjamin Franklin

11. Unless one says goodbye to what one loves, and unless one travels to completely new territories, one can expect merely a long wearing away of oneself. -Jean Dubuffet

12. This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. -Elmer Davis

13. Freedom is never free. -Author Unknown

14. Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul. -Michel de Montaigne

15. The more we sweat in peace the less we bleed in war. -Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit

16. In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. -Mark Twain

17. Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous. -George Bernard Shaw

18. It is not only the living who are killed in war. -Isaac Asimov

19. Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it. -Irving Berlin

20. History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap. -Ronald Reagan

21. Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them. -Napoleon Bonaparte

22. “Where there are too many policemen, there is no liberty. Where there are too many soldiers, there is no peace. Where there are too many lawyers, there is no justice.” -Lyn Yutang

23. Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men. -George Patton

24. I think there is one higher office than president and I would call that patriot. -Gary Hart

25. Have the courage to act instead of react. -Earlene Larson Jenks

Source

Attention

Friday, November 11, 2011

'I can't exist like this,' actor thought after injury making 'Syriana' in 2005

Flat-tax success stories?

A federal program tries to spur people to invest in vacant houses

Former Orioles star had spoken at a dinner benefiting the Second Mile but had no other affiliation with Pennsylvania group