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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Today's Top Stories 11-15-11

BLOOMBERG

The Supreme Court’s review of the U.S. health-care overhaul all but guarantees a legacy-shaping ruling for both President Obama and Chief Justice John Roberts. The court’s ruling will help determine Obama’s political future as he seeks re-election in November. The court could burnish Obama’s credentials as a problem-solver or leave him to go before the electorate stripped of his signature legislative achievement.

The detailed tax plans from Republican presidential candidates would provide tax cuts for the highest earners with those from Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman offering the biggest benefits. Mitt Romney’s proposal, which suggests fewer changes, would benefit middle-and lower-income families more than his rivals’ would. On the surface, the 9-9-9 tax plan of Herman Cain would lead to the biggest tax cuts at the top of the income scale and the largest tax increases at the bottom. Analyzing the Cain plan is difficult because he also eliminates the payroll tax and imposes a 9 percent business tax and a 9 percent national sales tax that each tax consumption rather than income.

Herman Cain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are in a dead heat as the top choices for Iowans likely to attend the Jan. 3 Republican presidential caucuses.

Prices paid to U.S. wholesalers fell 0.3 percent in October, the most in four months as the cost of energy and automobiles decreased, pointing to waning inflation.

Europe’s economic expansion failed to accelerate in the third quarter as Germany and France struggle to shore up a region bracing for a recession sparked by an escalating debt crisis. Gross domestic product increased 0.2 percent from the previous three months.

British banks may have to pay more than 20 billion pounds ($31.9 billion) a year, twice as much as competitors, because of additional regulation and taxes in their home market, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts.

Women who don’t get enough vitamin D, found in sunshine, fish and fortified foods including milk and orange juice, have a higher chance of heart failure and stroke than those with sufficient amounts, a Danish study found.

AP Top Stories

Support for the Taliban among Afghans has steadily declined in recent years and people strongly back a government peace initiative, according to a survey funded in part by the U.S. government.

A long-lost Victorian painting that hung in a family's unlocked New England beach house for half a century could fetch $800,000 when it is sold next month, Christie's auction house said.

Qatar Airways returned to the table to sign a $6.5-billion deal with Airbus after cancelling an announcement and bluntly telling the European plane maker to go back to basics.

Consumers are giving a modest lift to the economy. They spent more on autos, electronics and building supplies in October to boost retail sales for the fifth straight month.

U.S. companies paid less in October for gas, new cars and other goods, driving down wholesale prices for the first time since June.

The International Monetary Fund says it has approved a nearly $134 million loan for Afghanistan, saying its government has made progress in addressing governance and accountability issues during the Kabul Bank crisis.

France came under heavy fire on global markets reflecting fears that the euro zone's second biggest economy is being sucked into the debt crisis after a warning that Paris's inability to adapt should be "ringing alarm bells".

It Sound's Like Geithner's Wife Wants Geithner To Cash-In

Is Treasury Secretary Geithner about to cash-in on his days in public service, where he served Goldman Sachs and the other banksters quite well? It appears his wife wants him to.


As part of a profile on the Obama-Geithner relationship, NYT wrote:

As friends, donors, cabinet members and celebrities like Tom Hanks, Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder partied at the White House one evening last August to celebrate President Obama’s 50th birthday, the president tapped a lesser-known guest on the shoulder.

"Take a walk with me,” he said to Carole Sonnenfeld Geithner, within earshot of others.

Their stroll on the South Lawn was Mr. Obama’s last step in a lengthy effort to keep her husband, Timothy F. Geithner, as secretary of the Treasury for the rest of the president’s term. Having worn down Mr. Geithner, Mr. Obama wanted to explain why it was important that her husband delay his return to New York.

Time will tell if the President was able to convince Geithner's missus. Geithner will be rewarded well when he does leave, with buckets and buckets of dollars, for his years of serving Goldman Sachs and the other banksters while at the Fed and Treasury.

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WAL-MART - CANARY IN THE COAL MINE

The MSM tries desperately to spin the Wal-Mart declining earnings as a positive. They stress that Wal-Mart’s comparable sales were positive for the first time in the last 10 quarters. But read the story. TRAFFIC DECLINED!!!!!

They had less customers, but sales rose because prices were much higher. That’s called INFLATION folks. Wal-Mart wasn’t able to pass all the inflation on to the customers. That is why their profits declined. This isn’t rocket science.

Read the comments of the CEO carefully. Wal-Mart knows there customers. they have the best computer systems on the planet.

“While we feel good about the progress in our stores, our customers remain concerned about jobs,” Chief Executive Mike Duke said in a pre-recorded call, adding only one in 10 mothers shopping at its stores view the state of the U.S. economy as good. “They want to save money.

They are juggling credit cards, using coupons and skipping restaurants and vacations.

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RON PAUL IN DEAD HEAT IN IOWA

Herman Cain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are in a dead heat as the top choices for Iowans likely to attend the Jan. 3 Republican presidential caucuses.

A Bloomberg News poll shows Cain at 20 percent, Paul at 19 percent, Romney at 18 percent and Gingrich at 17 percent among the likely attendees with the caucuses that start the nominating contests seven weeks away.

Economic issues such as jobs, taxes and government spending are driving voter sentiment, rather than such social issues as abortion and gay marriage, the poll finds. Only about a quarter of likely caucus-goers say social or constitutional issues are more important to them, compared with 71 percent who say fiscal concerns.

The poll reflects the race’s fluidity, with 60 percent of respondents saying they still could be persuaded to back someone other than their top choice, and 10 percent undecided. Paul’s support is more solidified than his rivals, while Cain’s is softer. All of the major contenders have issue challenges to address.

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LATE BREAKING NEWS

The Delmar election results are now in.

Carl Anderton has been elected as Delmar's Mayor.
Michael Gibb and Mary Ring have been elected as the Delmar Commissioners.

Congratulations!

Boy Abducted From Bedroom Reunites With Father

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Fifteen months after a West University teen was abducted from his bedroom, he is back home safe. He was found late last week at a Motel Six with his uncle in Jackson, Michigan.

"I didn't know if Andrew were dead or severely injured, hospitalized somewhere," Dr. Dennis Mosier said.

After 15 long months, last Thursday morning, Mosier got the news he had been waiting for.

"There were many times I feared I would not see Andrew again," he said.

The neurologist at Baylor College of Medicine was reunited with his son in Michigan.

Jobless Claims Down. Things Are Brighter?

Obama Prospects Brighten as Economic Recovery Moves to Expansion ... Less than 12 months from the presidential election, the U.S. economy has moved from recovery to expansion, prompting similar shifts in President Barack Obama's political prospects. The unemployment rate moved downward last month, to 9 percent. The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level in seven months two weeks ago, a sign the recovery may be encouraging companies to limit cuts in headcount. And a private outplacement company is predicting that jobs losses in the government sector, a drag on U.S. employment, may be leveling off. – Bloomberg

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Delay In Results May Have Led To Baby's Death

DENVER -- A large wooden box at the foot of a bed holds all the items from their first child. A ceramic bowl holds his ashes.
"We just needed to keep a little piece of him," said Sarah Wilkerson, Noah Wilkerson's mother.
Noah Wilkerson died on the fourth day of his life. He suddenly, without warning stopped breathing.

Rahm Emanuel Dumped Tons Of Freddie Mac Stock Days Before It Collapsed

In a new book, Throw Them All Out,Peter Schwiezer reports that former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, while a congressman, sold up to $250,000 in Freddie Mac stock on February 21, 2003 days before it dropped by 10 percent — and weeks before it was publicly revealed that the entity was under criminal investigation for inflating earning, reports BI

Emanuel served on the board of the quasi-government lender before his election to Congress in 2003, and later held a seat on the House Financial Services' Committee's Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises — the committee charged with regulating the Freddie Mac.

The good news for Emanuel in all this is that there is no chance he will be headed to the slammer over this, members of Congress are exempt from insider trading laws.

Source

Injured Dallas Cop Sues Taser, Raises Questions About Training Safety For Officers

DALLAS, TX— Those who have been through a Taser zap describe it has five seconds of pure pain, having 50-thousand volts of electricity pumped through the body.

But, it isn't just the public or suspects who are Tasered. For some in law enforcement it is a required part of training, but for some it is voluntary. Taser asserts the device will incapacitate, but leave no permanent damage.

Dallas Police officer, Andy Butler says it was peer pressure from his rookie class in 2009 that pushed him to say yes to being Tasered.

Gingrich Said To Be Paid By Freddie Mac To Win Republican Allies

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said during a Nov. 9 debate that he earned a $300,000 fee to advise Freddie Mac as a “historian” who warned that the mortgage company’s business model was “insane.”

Former Freddie Mac officials familiar with the consulting work Gingrich was hired to perform for the company in 2006 tell a different story. They say the former House speaker was asked to build bridges to Capitol Hill Republicans and develop an argument on behalf of the company’s public-private structure that would resonate with conservatives seeking to dismantle it.

If Gingrich concluded that the company’s business model was at risk and that the housing market was a “bubble,” as he said during the debate, he didn’t share those concerns with Richard Syron, Freddie Mac’s chief executive officer at the time, a person familiar with the company’s internal discussions said.

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Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez Arrested, Injured At Occupy Wall Street Raid

New York City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez has been arrested at the NYPD raid on Occupy Wall Street. David Segal, a spokesperson for Councilman Rodriguez, told the Observer he confirmed the Councilman’s arrest through a staffer at City Hall.

“City Hall knows that he’s been arrested, they’ve put in calls with the NYPD to see his status,” Mr. Segal said.

Mr. Segal was made aware of the situation via a late night phone call from the Observer.

Return Of The War Party?

Is a vote for the Republican Party in 2012 a vote for war?

Is a vote for Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich a vote for yet another unfunded war of choice, this time with a nation, Iran, three times as large and populous as Iraq?

Mitt says that if elected he will move carriers into the Persian Gulf and "prepare for war." Newt is even more hawkish. America should continue "taking out" Iran's nuclear scientists – i.e., assassinating them – but military action will probably be needed.

Newt is talking up uber-hawk John Bolton for secretary of state.

Rick Santorum has already called for U.S.-Israeli strikes: "Either we're going to stop them ... or take the long term consequences of having a nuclear Iran trying to wipe out the state of Israel."

But if Iran represents, as Bibi Netanyahu is forever reminding us, an "existential threat," why does not Israel itself, with hundreds of nuclear weapons, deal with it?

Bibi's inaction speaks louder than Bibi's words.

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Here's the 'Sexy' Mother-Daughter Lingerie Ad That's Making Everyone Barf

The Lake and Stars, a New York based lingerie company, has based its new campaign around a disturbing photo shoot of a mom and her 19-year-old daughter caressing each other sensually while wearing only lacy underwear.
And that's not the weirdest part, according to company owner Maavan Zilberman: The two women are not models but neighbors of Zilberman's whom he observed were "always so loving and tender toward each other." (He lives in Brooklyn, of course.)


YOU CAN'T EVICT AN IDEA

A massive police force is presently evicting Liberty Square, home of Occupy Wall Street for the past two months and birthplace of the 99% movement that has spread across the country and around the world

The raid started just after 1:00am. Supporters and allies are mobilizing throughout the city, presently converging at Foley Square. Supporters are also planning public actions for the coming days, including occupation actions.

You can’t evict an idea whose time has come.

Two months ago a few hundred New Yorkers set up an encampment at the doorstep of Wall Street. Since then, Occupy Wall Street has become a national and even international symbol — with similarly styled occupations popping up in cities and towns across America and around the world. A growing popular movement has significantly altered the national narrative about our economy, our democracy, and our future.

Americans are talking about the consolidation of wealth and power in our society, and the stranglehold that the top 1% have over our political system. More and more Americans are seeing the crises of our economy and our democracy as systemic problems, that require collective action to remedy. More and more Americans are identifying as part of the 99%, and saying “enough!"

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TV -- The New Sex Ed Teacher?

Yep, it must be sweeps month. Teenagers are taking things all the way on prime time TV.

Was "Glee" trying to boost ratings by having two teen couples engage in sex for the first time last week?

Got it? Not one, but two couples were having sex to make sure that the point wasn't lost on our kids.

By having popular teen characters being sexually active, a message may be sent to teens that sex and popularity go hand in hand. No pun intended! In addition, sex may be glamorized while negative attitudes about remaining virgins may be fostered.

Even The Fed Can't Value Financials' Risk

Without trust, the financial system cannot work. The regulators and Federal Reserve have done nothing to assuage these concerns. Instead they’ve shifted all trust onto their own shoulders: the defining bull argument for the market and economy is that “the Fed will save us”, or “don’t fight the Fed.”

As powerful as it may be, the Fed is not the market. And since the Fed failed to restore trust in the system by forcing all bad debts to light, the financial world has grown increasingly volatile and broken as investors grow increasingly distrustful of the system and begin to pull their money from it: investors have pulled $266 billion from stock based mutual funds since January 2008.

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Perry’s Plan: Dismantle D.C.

In fiery speech to Bettendorf, IA crowd, TX Guv calls POTUS, Romney, those who want to "tinker with the status quo," "completely detached," says Washington needs more than "a new coast of paint."
Perry: "This is the season for tearing down and rebuilding again, for uprooting the broken branches of government in Washington, and building a new government that is smaller and more humble, so America can be stronger and freer again."
Proposed changes include:
— Criminalizing insider trading
— Cutting congressional pay in half
— Working too establish part-time "Citizen Congress"
— Requiring a 2/3 majority to pass any increase in taxes

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Sandusky Proclaims Innocence

A former Penn State football assistant coach has denied allegations that he sexually abused eight boys and told a television interviewer that he was not a pedophile. Meanwhile, his attorney said he expects some alleged victims to come forward to deny that they were abused.

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Israel And Iran: Covert Warfare Raises Risks Of Retaliation, And Conflagration

If Iran's leaders actually believe their official insistence that last weekend's blast at the Bid Ganeh Revolutionary Guard Corps missile base was an accident, the event is unlikely to make any difference to regional stability. But if Iran, instead, believes claims -- and widely held suspicions in Tehran -- that the blast, which killed 17 Iranian guardsmen including a senior commander, was the work of Israel's Mossad security agency (as reported by my TIME colleagues Karl Vick and Aaron Klein and a growing chorus of innuendo in the Israeli media) the region could be in for a sharp uptick in turbulence.

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PETA Attacks Nintendo Over Fur-Wearing Mario


You have to give it to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — they know how to leverage a pop culture event to promote their own agenda.

You see, Nintendo has just launched its highly anticipated game "Super Mario 3D Land." The game — which you play on Nintendo's new handheld 3DS game machine — features the famed plumber Mario making his way through a cartoon land filled with cranky mushrooms, man-eating plants and nefarious turtle creatures. On occasion, the mustachioed plumber dons a furry raccoon-like "Tanooki suit" which lets him float in the air and swat this colorful host of bad guys with a tail.

PETA, however, thinks Mario's fur-wearing ways are offensive and has — just in time for the launch of "Super Mario 3D Land" — launched its own campaign pegging Mario as a killer of innocent animals.

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Pump Up the Bass: Voters Prefer Deep-Voiced Politicians

Presidential hopefuls may want to start channeling Barry White. Researchers found that voters were more likely to cast their ballots for candidates with lower-pitched voices, and tended to rate them as more dominant and more trustworthy. (Lucky you, Herman Cain.)


Participants in the study, published in the journal of Evolution and Human Behavior, were asked to listen to archival voice recordings of nine U.S. presidents. The researchers, from Canada's McMaster University, created higher- and lower-pitched versions of each voice. Listeners were then asked to assess the attractiveness, honesty, leadership potential and intelligence — among other qualities — of the speakers.


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Latisse For Your Dome? Eyelash Enhancer Also Thickens Thin Hair

Latisse may soon be inducted into the hair club for men (and women, too).

The drug, which in its earliest, unsexiest incarnation existed solely as a glaucoma treatment, is best known as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved wonder drug that can grow and darken your poor listless lashes . Now, it's being tested for a new use: growing hair on your dome.

No one tracks just how many doctors across the country are using Latisse off-label to target hair loss, but Dr. Alan Bauman, a Boca Raton, Fla., board-certified hair restoration physician has been using the drug this way for about three years, beginning around the time the FDA approved it for eyelash growth in December 2008. He describes his own personal "eureka!" moment:

"Patients who were using it for eyelashes sometimes have eyebrow problems, so it’s a short hop to the eyebrows," he explains. "So, of course, if it was working there, too — from the eyebrows, it’s just a short hop to the hairline."

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How Influential Is Salisbury News?



I had the honor and absolute pleasure of getting a visit today from US Senate Candidate Daniel Bongino. Dan came to our Salisbury News Corporate Office to go over some strategies and basic information about his platform. Dan was formerly with the Secret Service.


More to come...

What We Can Learn From the Dutch About Teen Sex

Teen birth rates are eight times higher in the U.S. than in Holland. Abortion rates are twice as high. The American AIDS rate is three times greater than that of the Dutch. What are they doing right that we're not?


For starters, two-thirds of Dutch parents report allowing their teenage children to have sleepovers with their boyfriend or girlfriend, a situation even the most liberal American parents would rarely permit. Is there something Americans should learn from the Dutch about relaxed attitudes toward sex (and drugs — indeed, the Netherlands has more lenient drug laws than the U.S., but three times lower rates of marijuana use)?


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BREAKING NEWS---John Hall Appointed To Wicomico County Council

It is our pleasure to announce that John Hall with be filling the available seat on the Wicomico County Council. I will say no one will ever replace Bob Caldwell and his passion for the community,however John Hall is the best choice.

How To Thaw A Turkey

Turkeys are complex beasts that beleaguer you with infinite ways in which you can screw up cooking their corpses. The myriad ways to clean, cook and carve a bird can stressify your Thanksgiving, but before you get into all that, you can start by thawing your tryptophan delight.

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No Joke: Rabbi, Minister And Muslim Share Jokes

(CBS News)

A Jewish rabbi, a Christian minister and a Muslim comedian step onto a stage together. It sounds like the set-up to a good joke but, as it turns out, it's actually happening.

The Laugh in Peace Comedy Tour, established by a Jewish rabbi more than a decade ago, brings together comedians from different faiths to share jokes with audiences.

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Richard Nixon’s Darkest Secret

In just-released Watergate grand jury testimony from 1975, ex-President Richard Nixon complained that his 1968 campaign was bugged by the Johnson administration. But there was little curiosity then – or now – as to why that surveillance was justified, reports Robert Parry.

Thirty-six years ago, as former President Richard M. Nixon dodged grand jury questions about his illegal wiretapping of political enemies, he briefly referenced a dark secret about his 1968 campaign’s sabotaging of Vietnam War peace talks, actions which President Lyndon Johnson at the time privately labeled “treason.”

Without providing that historical context, Nixon complained that he and his 1968 campaign had been victims of surveillance and wiretapping, too, as he tried to persuade Watergate prosecutors and the grand jury that bugging opponents was just part of hardball politics.

“In 1968, for example, we learned that not only was … Vice President [-ial nominee Spiro] Agnew’s plane under surveillance, and he himself was under surveillance by the FBI, but that the FBI was at one point directed to bug my plane,” Nixon said, according to secret grand jury transcripts released by the National Archives on Thursday.

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Teachers Caught On Tape Bullying Special-Needs Girl


Armed Forces Tried To Drop Bomb On 300 W. Main Street

More to come.....

The Myth Of The Wealthy Elderly

The austerity gang seeking cuts to Social Security and Medicare have been vigorously promoting the myth that the elderly are an especially affluent and privileged group. Their argument is that because of their relative affluence, cuts to the programs upon which they depend is a simple matter of fairness. There were two reports released last week that call this view into question.

The first was a report from the Census Bureau that used a new experimental poverty index. This index differed from the official measure in several ways; most importantly, it includes the value of government noncash benefits, like food stamps. It also adjusts for differences in costs by area and takes account of differences in health spending by age.

While these new measures showed a slightly higher overall poverty rate, the most striking difference between the new measure and the official measure was the rise in the poverty rate among the elderly. Using the official measure, the poverty rate for the elderly is somewhat lower than for the adult population as a whole, 9 percent for the elderly compared to 14 percent for the nonelderly adult population. However with the new measure, the poverty rate for the elderly jumps to 14 percent, compared to 13 percent for nonelderly adults.

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Your Tax Dollars For The Rich And Famous?

From tax write-offs for gambling losses, vacation homes, and luxury yachts; to subsidies for ranches and estates, billions of your tax dollars are supporting the lifestyles of the rich and famous. And a new report from fiscal conservative Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) counts the ways.

Read Sen. Coburn's report

Entitled "Subsidies of the Rich and Famous," Coburn outlines billions for millionaires: $74 million in unemployment checks, $316 million in farm subsidies, $9 billion in retirement checks and more. Overall,

Coburn says millionaires have received $9.5 billion in government benefits since 2003, and borrowed $16 million in government-backed education loans for college.

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Felons Finding It Easy To Get Gun Rights Reinstated

In February 2005, Erik Zettergren came home from a party after midnight with his girlfriend and another couple. They had all been drinking heavily, and soon the other man and Mr. Zettergren’s girlfriend passed out on his bed. When Mr. Zettergren went to check on them later, he found his girlfriend naked from the waist down and the other man, Jason Robinson, with his pants around his ankles.

Enraged, Mr. Zettergren ordered Mr. Robinson to leave. After a brief confrontation, Mr. Zettergren shot him in the temple at point-blank range with a Glock-17 semiautomatic handgun. He then forced Mr. Robinson’s hysterical fiancée, at gunpoint, to help him dispose of the body in a nearby river.

It was the first homicide in more than 30 years in the small town of Endicott, in eastern Washington. But for a judge’s ruling two months before, it would probably never have happened.

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One Day After Attending Private Economic Crisis Briefing, GOP Financial Services Chairman Bet On Stocks Tanking

CBS News’ 60 Minutes aired a report last night alleging that several members of Congress have traded stock using information they received during private briefings or meetings, enabling them to profit from inside information. By far the most damning story was about House Financial Services Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-AL), who in 2008, the day after receiving a private briefing from the nation’s chief economic officials on the extent of the financial crisis, proceeded to bet that the stock market would tank:

In mid September 2008 with the Dow Jones Industrial average still above ten thousand, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke were holding closed door briefings with congressional leaders, and privately warning them that a global financial meltdown could occur within a few days. One of those attending was Alabama Representative Spencer Bachus, then the ranking Republican member on the House Financial Services Committee and now its chairman. [...]

While Congressman Bachus was publicly trying to keep the economy from cratering, he was privately betting that it would, buying option funds that would go up in value if the market went down. He would make a variety of trades and profited at a time when most Americans were losing their shirts.

Watch the report HERE.

HAS THE DAILY TIMES HIT BOTTOM YET

Passing off Sara Lake to its few remaining readers as a real reporter is a new low, exceeding even the likes of Eric Sahler and Joe Carmean. The recent statements by members of the Salisbury City Council exposing as complete fabrication the "facts" reported by Ms. Lake along with Ireton’s insinuation and castigation of Ms. Campbell, Ms. Cohen and Mr. Spies, are a must read – if you missed those statements, go here:

http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2011/11/debbiw-campbells-original-letter-to.html
http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2011/11/correction-or-clarification-requested.html

At the most recent meeting of the City Council another Ireton-Bassett fiction was revealed as a result of a question that Ms. Mitchell asked during the presentation about Ireton’s election redistricting scheme. It seems that the Daily Times has reported that Salisbury’s Afro-American population is now nearly 50% of the total population. No doubt expecting to get that answer, Ms. Mitchell popped the question to the City’s census data guru, who told her that it’s only about one-third. That should dispose of Ireton’s latest political nonsense now that the actual census data has finally been provided to the Council and the public.

Heads up, folks: there surely will be more temper tantrums by Ireton and malicious mudslinging by him and his comrades in the "newspaper". But don’t fear because with this blog to report the actual facts, you don’t have to hope that "help is on the way"!

Police Begin Clearing Zuccotti Park Of Protesters

Hundreds of New York City police officers began clearing Zuccotti Park of the Occupy Wall Street protesters early Tuesday, telling the people there that the nearly two-month-old camp would be “cleared and restored” before the morning and that any demonstrator who did not leave would be arrested.

The protesters, about 200 of whom have been staying in the park overnight, resisted with chants of “Whose park? Our park!” as officers began moving in and tearing down tents. The protesters rallied around an area known as “the kitchen” near the middle of the park and began building barricades with tables and pieces of scrap wood.

The officers, who had gathered between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and then rode in vans along Broadway, moved into the one-square-block park shortly after 1 a.m.

As they did, dozens of protesters linked arms and shouted “No retreat, no surrender,” “This is our home” and “Barricade!” There were no immediate reports of arrests.

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Boonie's Gift Cards



Fill In The Blank 11-15-11


My ____ is _____.

Troopers Searching For Suspicious Persons

Location: Keenwick by the Bay Development, Fenwick Island, DE

Date of Occurrence: Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 10:30 a.m.

Suspects:

-Suspect #1: Hispanic male in his 50’s, blondish-gray hair. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a dark blue shirt, and work boots.

-He was operating a white Ford F-250 4x4 pick up truck with a Baltimore Ravens emblem on the rear. It also has tinted windows and a green circular emblem with the name Johnson in the middle on the driver’s side door.

-Suspect #2: White male in his 50’s with blonde-gray hair (no further description)

Resume:
Fenwick Island, DE- The Delaware State Police are asking the public to be on the lookout for two suspicious male subjects who have followed several female juveniles in a development located in Fenwick Island, DE.

The latest incident occurred at approximately 10:35 a.m. on Thursday, November 10, 2011 as an 11 year old female was walking in the 37000 block of Pine Road in the Keenwick by the Bay development. The female advised troopers that she noticed a male subject operating a white Ford F-250 pickup truck following her. The victim advised that the subject stopped and exited the truck and began approaching her. She then began to run at which time the subject removed a cellular phone from his pocket and appeared to take her picture. The suspect then fled the area.

Troopers learned that this same subject and vehicle have been seen in the development on at least three other occasions. A second white male subject has also been seen in the vehicle. There have been no injuries in any of the reported incidents.

The Delaware State Police are asking anyone who spots this vehicle or subjects to contact the 9-1-1 call center or Detective Timothy Shockley at 302-856-5850 ext. 213. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at http://www.tipsubmit.com/.

Cat At Number 10 Downing Street Embroiled In Mouse-Related Scandal

British Prime Minister David Cameron is resisting some calls for the resignation of 10 Downing Street's official mouse catcher Larry, in the wake of the scandalous recent appearance of an uninvited mouse at a recent official government dinner.

Downing Street brought on the 4-year-old Larry last year to help combat a growing rodent problem after TV broadcast cameras caught the image of a "large rat" promenading through the seat of British government.

Like many a professional spinmeister, a spokesman for Cameron's government stressed past performance over present-day scandal-mongering. Larry has caught three mice since his services were first employed in February, the spokesman said, and reiterated that he would not be relinquishing his post. The Cameron spokesman also gamely tried to change the subject, noting that "Larry brings a lot of pleasure to a lot of people."

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Risen From The Gutter, He Whispers Hope To Hollywood's Junkies

Hollywood (CNN) -- One by one, the famous train wrecks and no-name junkies come to see the addict whisperer in his sunny aerie above the fabled corner of Hollywood and Vine. Eleven stories above the strip clubs and head shops and crowded sidewalks embedded with shiny golden stars, they seek Bob Forrest's help in fighting their demons.

Leslie And Jack Johnson Phone Conversation Released

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (WUSA) -- The infamous conversation between Leslie and Jack Johnson, former Prince George's County Executive, has been released to the media.

The conversation starts when Leslie Johnson, former Prince George's County Councilwoman, calls her husband, Jack, to tell him there are two women at the door.

"Don't answer it," Jack yelled.

"I'm not, but I don't know who they are and they're banging on the door," Leslie replied.

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Early Thoughts

Happiness is good health and a bad memory

It is better to be approximately right
Than precisely wrong.

Nothing is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood

Have fun, misery is optional

A Comment Worthy Of A Post 11-15-11

"Speaking of cuts Joe, Mardela Middle and High school students were sent home with a letter to parents just yesterday explaining how the WCBOE is looking into closing their school. There is a budget meeting tonight at Parkside and the discussion on the school is to follow. Would really like for you to look into this. As I don't have a child in that school yet I will in the next few years. I myself work nights so I cannot attend this meeting, please help us get the whole story!"

Financial Planning

Cut Backs Are Evident



Does this look like a 7% INCREASE in business to you?

MoJo's To Officially Open Their Doors TODAY At 3 PM





That's right Folks, MoJo's will swing their doors today at 3 PM and offer lite fare food until the weekend.

Salisbury News will be there at 3 PM today to celebrate this special event. The City Council moved forward with a $50,000.00 revolving loan to MoJo's last night.

We'll see you there.

Today's Survey Question 11-15-11

What have Laura Mitchell and others told you their petition drive was about?


We'll discuss in comments if its true or not.



Stick with Salisbury News for the TRUTH.

Runaway Bay Specials



GO HERE to see more.

Being A Conservative In Maryland Isn't So Easy!!!

Our Governor Martin O'Malley is as liberal and pompous as is our president Barack Obama. Everyone knows he wants to be elcted to the U.S. Senate and one day as president. He thinks very highly of himself. He models himself after those who are of dictatorship qualities. We tried to redistrict or state so that Republicans would have eqaul representation in voting and he managed to strike it down. It's his way or the highway!

He has wasted money on stupid projects that have not added money to our treasury. Like a highway that has a toll charge that is so expensive it sits idle. It's ok if big business goes to Northern Virginia said O'Malley because according to him they are our neighbors after all. DUMB!!!

No matter what Obama seems to step into O'Malley supports it. Maryland doesn't want Obama Care and so what, suck it up says O'Malley. Thank goodness the Supreme Court is going to hear why about 24 states don't want it. It is going to be really funny when the Supreme Court gets even with Obama for making it looks foolish during a State of the Union speech.


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Herman Cain’s ‘Oops’ Moment On Libya: ‘Got All This Stuff Twirling Around In My Head’

ABC News’ Michael Falcone reports:
Even Rick Perry acknowledged that his brain freeze at last week’s presidential debate was embarrassing. But, Herman Cain’s interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel editorial board on Monday may have topped it.
A video posted by the newspaper shows Cain struggling through the answer to a straightforward question posed by one of the editors who asks: “So, you agree with President Obama on Libya, or not?”
“Ok, Libya,” Cain replies, followed by 10 seconds of silence that the presidential candidate fills by looking down at the table and fidgeting with a bottle of water.

O’Malleys heading to India with large delegation

Gov. Martin O’Malley and wife, Judge Katie O’Malley, will be heading to India right after Thanksgiving, leading the state’s largest ever overseas economic development trip and the first visit of a sitting Maryland governor to the world’s largest Democracy. The six-day trip will include visits to Hyderabad in central India, a biomedical hub; Mumbai (formerly Bombay) on the west coast, the financial center; New Delhi, the national capital; and Agra, the site of the Taj Mahal.

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Endorsements Keep Rolling In For Carl Anderton Of Delmar

Dear Citizens of Delmar,

I’m writing this letter to support Commissioner Carl Anderton, Jr. for Mayor of Delmar. I myself cannot vote for him, because I do not live in Delmar. However, if I lived there I would vote for him without hesitation. I have worked with Carl on the Maryland Municipal League Board of Directors for the past four and a half years on initiatives such as Highway User Revenues and Police Aid just to name a few. Carl has always worked tirelessly for the best interest of not just Delmar, but all of the municipalities in the State of Maryland. Carl has displayed an honest and practical approach when faced with tough decisions.

I have listened to him discuss his concerns for the residents of Delmar and it’s obvious he cares and has the willingness to listen to the people’s problems and concerns; then take action!

I am confident that Carl would be an outstanding Mayor of Delmar as I believe he has the abilities, concern, honesty and integrity to be your Mayor.
Vote Carl Anderton, Jr. for Mayor!

Sincerely,

Gregory Dotson
Council Vice President,
North Beach, Maryland

Delmar Town Commissioner Karen Wells Endorses Carl Anderton For Mayor


I would like to offer my unreserved support for Carl Anderton Jr., mayoral candidate for Delmar, Maryland.


I have had the pleasure of serving with Mr. Anderton on the Delmar, Maryland Commission for the past two years. I have found him to be a man of utmost honor and integrity. I believe he possesses the qualities necessary to be a good leader, as well as the dedication and initiative to move our community in a positive direction.


Mr. Anderton has worked hard for his constituents as a Commissioner for the past six years, and I have every confidence that he will continue to do so as Mayor of Delmar, Maryland. I look forward to working with him in the future.


Sincerely,


Karen H. Wells


Commissioner
Delmar, Maryland

DMV Releases Five-Digit License Plates

Since Nov, 1, at all four Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) locations, a limited quantity of five-digit license plates have been made available, while supplies last, to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.


In order to receive a five-digit plate, customers will need to purchase from the DMV location they are visiting a black and white stainless steel or porcelain reproduction plate manufactured by the Delaware Historic Plate Company. DMV has partnered with the Delaware Historic Plate Company in an effort to provide increased customer service to Delaware citizens, while also raising revenues with 20 percent of the purchase price of the specialty plates going to the DMV. Plate numbers cannot be reserved in advance.


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PlanMaryland Part 2: Framework For Smart Growth Or Dramatic Policy Shift?

To listen to the Department of Planning talk about PlanMaryland, the long-term development plan being drafted for the state, it does not represent a major policy change. “With PlanMaryland, we’re just trying to carry out what the whole state has said it wanted,” said Andrew Ratner of the Maryland Department of Planning. But Senate Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin said, “This represents a dramatic policy shift.”

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Congress Pushes Pizza, Fries In School Lunches

(AP)

WASHINGTON - Congress is fighting to keep pizza and french fries on school lunch lines, picking apart an Obama administration proposal to make school lunches healthier.

A spending bill released late Monday would unravel school lunch standards proposed by the Agriculture Department earlier this year, forcing USDA to pull back an attempt to limit potatoes on the lunch line, delaying limits on sodium and delaying a requirement to boost whole grains.

The spending bill also would allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable, as it is now. The department's proposed guidelines would have attempted to prevent that.

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Classic Lawn Care

Girl, 9, Survives In Wrecked Car On Pop-Tarts

(AP)

COVE CITY, N.C. - A 9-year-old North Carolina girl pinned in a wrecked car for almost two days ate Pop-Tarts and Gatorade to help her survive the single-car crash that killed her father, police and relatives said on Monday.


Jordan Landon of Cove City was airlifted to a hospital Sunday night after rescue teams cut her out of the 1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that had been upside down in a culvert since Friday night, the North Carolina Highway Patrol said. Killed was 39-year-old Douglas Landon, police said.


Sussex Councilman Moved To Philadelphia Hospital

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) -- Officials say a Sussex County councilman seriously injured last month when his small plane crashed in a field in central Virginia has been moved to a hospital in Philadelphia.

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UNC To Hold Classes, Gunman Still At Large

(AP) WILMINGTON, N.C. - Officials at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington say classes will go on as scheduled, even though a suspect in an armed robbery ran toward the campus after the holdup.
UNC Wilmington spokeswoman Dana Fischetti said Tuesday morning that instructions for students to remain in a secure location were lifted at 5 a.m.

Don’t Turn Thanksgiving into a Tragedy This Year, Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time

The Ocean City Police Department is reminding highway travelers this Thanksgiving that the only belt that should be left unbuckled this year, or any year, is the one holding up your trousers--not the seat belts in your car.

“Seat belts have saved more lives than any other single piece of automotive safety equipment,” said Chief Bernadette DiPino. “But in order for them to work, they have to be used. This Thanksgiving, and every day and night of the year, make sure you buckle up your seat belt and you’ll have the opportunity to unbuckle that other belt at the feast table with your family and friends.”

Nationally, during the Thanksgiving holiday period in 2009 (which ran from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, to 5:59 a.m., Monday, November 30), 303 passenger vehicle occupants died in motor vehicle traffic crashes, including 115 during daylight hours (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) and 187 during night time (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.). One fatality occurred during an unknown time period.

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Delmar Maryland Elections Today





Our hope is that this election will have a big turn out and we do expect quite a bit of people to come from Wood Creek to cast their votes.

It would be nice to see people showing great interest in this Town because I truly believe Delmar has more potential than any other Town here on the Eastern Shore.

I know there are some local developers interested in doing some pretty incredible things in Delmar but Delmar will need the right people on Council to make it a success.

We'll see what happens by the end of the day and keep you posted. If you are a resident of Delmar I strongly encourage you to VOTE today. Again, we support Tom Luffman, Mike Gibb and Carl Anderton.

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Release 11-15-11

Incident: DUI
Date of Incident: 13 November 2011
Location: Sheppards Crossing Road, Willards, MD
Suspect: Jason Thomas Martens, 37, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 13 November 2011
at about 3:20 AM a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a vehicle stuck in a ditch. The ensuing investigation revealed that the driver of the vehicle, Jason Martens, was driving while impaired. Martens was placed under arrest.

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol

Should Parents Turn In Their Criminal Children?

BETHESDA, Md. (WUSA) --- The parents of a 13-year-old Ohio boy now charged with raping a five-year-old girl in a McDonalds play area faced an ethical dilemma when they recognized him on a video as a suspect in the case. They turned him in.

In Montgomery County after a 16-year-old boy killed and dismembered another boy in the late 1990s, his family helped him escape to Israel where he was allowed to plead to a deal that will allow him to be considered for parole, an unlikely outcome in Maryland where the penalty would probably have been harsher.

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Fruitland Police Department Press Release 11-15-11

Fruitland Police Department
Chief Michael J. Phillips
401 E. Main Street
Fruitland, MD 21826
Phone 410-548-2804 Fax 410-548-2808
Crime Solvers 410-548-1776

PRESS RELEASE


DATE & TIME: Friday November 11, 2011

INCIDENT: Possession of CDS (Marijuana)
LOCATION: N. Fruitland Blvd @ Cedar Ln.
CASE NO.: 2011-1354

PERSON CHARGED: Shane Thomas Fisher

AGE: 21

ADDRESS: Eden, Maryland
CHARGE(s) Possession of Marijuana
DISPOSITION: Released to WCDC

SYNOPSIS: On the above date, an Officer of the Fruitland Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by the suspect. As the officer approached the vehicle he detected the odor of Marijuana emanating from the interior of the vehicle. The officer further observed the suspect to be eating suspected Marijuana. Back up officers arrived and a probable cause search was conducted which led to the recovery of additional amounts of suspected Marijuana. The suspect was arrested and transported to WCDC without further incident.



DATE & TIME: November 12, 2011

INCIDENT: Loud Music Complaint
LOCATION: 510 St. Lukes Road

CASE NO.: 2011-1358

PERSON CHARGED: Shaun Joseph Rowe

AGE: 22

ADDRESS: Edgewater, Maryland
CHARGE(s) Assault 2nd Degree
Assault on Law Enforcement
Resisting Arrest
Fail to Obey a Lawful Order
False Imprisonment
DISPOSITION: Released to WCDC
SYNOPSIS:On the above date, officers from the Fruitland Police Department responded to 510 St. Luke’s Rd. for a complaint of a loud party and underage drinking. Upon arrival, the suspect, who did not reside at that location, refused to let the resident open the door to speak with officers and became increasingly belligerent and uncooperative. Eventually officers were able to make contact with the suspect and a struggle ensued. The suspect was ultimately placed under arrest and transported to WCDC and released to Central Booking.

Sussex Habitat's ReStore Needs More Appliances

Sussex County Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore is seeing a greater-than-usual need for kitchen appliances. ReStore accepts donations of working appliances up to 10 years old and sells them at a reduced price to families in need.

“The need for appliance donations rose again,” said Denise Jackson, ReStore manager. “I think as the economy picks up, many more people will be redoing their kitchens. When they do, we would like them to think of ReStore to recycle their old appliances. It keeps those big items out of the landfill, helps the family purchasing the appliance, and the money that comes to ReStore is used by Sussex County Habitat to build new homes with our partner families.


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Diaspora Co-Founder Ilya Zhitomirskiy Dies

Ilya Zhitomirskiy, co-founder of a new social networking service called Diaspora, has died in San Francisco at the age of 22.
His death was ”a possible suicide,” said Officer Albie Esparza of the San Francisco Police Department, in a telephone interview with ABC News. She said police were first called on Saturday night. She said the case had been referred to the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s office, which might need a couple of days to finish tests and confirm what had happened.

DE Gets $247K In Federal Small Biz Grant

Lieutenant Governor Denn says a three-year federal grant will help small businesses here.

The Democrat tells WDEL News the roughly 247 thousand-dollar Small Business Administration grant will help Delaware firms sell more of their products in China and Brazil.

Cafe For Sale: $100 To The Right Buyer

(CBS News) MILWAUKEE - For anyone who loved the National cafe's gourmet coffee and organic menu, it was inconceivable the place was for sale for just $100 dollars.
CBS News national correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports the lucky buyer is 35-year-old Nell Benton - an out of work local check who was unemployed. "It's completely changed my life, completely," she said.

It's also a dream Benton's had since she was seven years old. She remembers "writing menus and playing with my Holly Hobby oven, setting things on fire, yep!"

Scores Arrested As Police Clear NYC Occupy Camp

'Shame on America, shame on the police ... This is not okay. This is an embarrassment for the country,' protester says

Hundreds of police officers, some in riot gear, descended on Zuccotti Park after midnight Tuesday in a surprise sweep of the Occupy Wall Street headquarters.

Some protesters were chained to trees and each other but were nevertheless removed from the park, which was cleared in less than three hours in what appeared to be a highly coordinated action.

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Jerry Sandusky To Bob Costas In Exclusive 'Rock Center' Interview: "I Shouldn't Have Showered With Those Kids."

DEVELOPING: Former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky admitted to showering and horsing around with young boys but said he is not a pedophile in an exclusive interview with Bob Costas for NBC News' Rock Center airing tonight at 10 pm/9 CT.

"I say that I am innocent of those charges," said Sandusky in a phone interview with Costas.

When asked by Costas, "Are you a pedophile," Sandusky responded "No."

Ohio to Execute Man Who Killed 3 Sleeping Sons

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio was poised Tuesday to end a nearly six-month break in its use of capital punishment by executing a man who fatally shot his three sons while they slept in 1982, shortly after his wife filed for divorce.
State and federal courts have rejected attorneys' arguments that 66-year-old Reginald Brooks of East Cleveland is not mentally competent and that the government withheld relevant evidence that could have affected Brooks' case.


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Controversial Oil Pipeline Plan to Be Rerouted After Threat Of Delayed U.S. Approval

Days after the Obama administration threatened to delay approval of a planned oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico -- angering unions while appeasing environmentalists -- the company seeking to build the pipeline says it's willing to reroute the project to get it back on track.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN TODAY'S DELMAR ELECTION

Vote for Carl Anderton, Mayor

Mike Gibb, Commissioner

Tom "Bunky" Luffman, Commissioner

GO WILDCATS

Today's Weather- 11/15/11

Salisbury,Maryland

Today

High
68°F

Precip
30%

Tonight

Overnight Low
54°F

Precip
50%

Your Tax Dollars Subsidizing Scottie Pippin, Ted Turner, and Jon Bon Jovi?

If ever there was a populist blueprint for deficit reduction, this has got to be it.

Each year, millionaires are soaking the government, not illegally, for some $30 billion in benefits from tax giveaways and loan programs, according to a report by Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

The Republican senator, a staunch fiscal hawk and equal opportunity scourge of government waste and abuse, released "Subsidies of the Rich and Famous" Monday to little fanfare, saying in an e-mailed statement, "This welfare for the well-off - costing billions of dollars a year - is being paid for with the taxes of the less fortunate, many who are working two jobs just to make ends meet, and IOUs to be paid off by future generations."


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