Will The OCPD Post Below Reach 300 Comments?

Time will only tell but one thing is for sure, it's been one hell of a ride! I should add, even though yesterday was the biggest day we've ever seen, we just surpassed yesterday's numbers and have set yet another new record day. Thanks for visiting Folks.

Funniest Video Ever

Rand Paul Launches Petition To Kill Online Piracy Bills

Senator Rand Paul has launched an online petition urging Congress to kill two online piracy bills.

Congress is pushing two dangerous and unconstitutional bills to regulate the one sector of our economy that’s creating jobs: the Internet, Paul said in a statement.

"The House’s Stop Online Piracy Act and the Senate’s PROTECT IP Act kill jobs, regulate the Internet, and give the Federal government and Hollywood movie studios the right to censor and shut down websites -- including social media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube," Paul went on to say.

He added:

The Internet is a shining beacon of what’s possible when we let the free market work. SOPA and PROTECT IP change all that, threatening America’s leadership on the Internet. These bills make social networks and tiny Internet startups responsible for pre-screening every tweet and kid photo for copyright violations. That would effectively kill social media. Even worse, it empowers trial lawyers to do the bidding of Eric Holder's Justice Department and sue to shut down any website.

As conservative fighters for limited government, we stand united against SOPA and PROTECT IP. Congress needs to start over, and protect copyright in ways that don’t kill jobs or shred the Constitution.

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Ron Paul: An Arrogant Bold Step Has Been Taken To Legalize Martial Law

It appears that the National Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal Year 2013 will be signed by President Obama despite some earlier indications from the White House that the President would veto the bill.

RT reports:

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin revealed recently that the bill in its current wording was drafted after the current administration asked for changes.

Already making its way through the House and Senate, the Act in its current wording will allow for Americans suspected of any “belligerent” act to be detained in Guantanamo Bay-style military prisons indefinitely for any alleged crimes without trial. With it now being revealed that the president put forth suggestions to draft the latest version of the legislation, Levin told the press Monday night, "I just can't imagine that the president would veto this bill.”

"I very strongly believe this should satisfy the administration and hope it will,” added Levin

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Gingrich and Ron Paul Neck and Neck; Pollster Likens Paul Move To Obama's 2008 Rise

Public Policy Polling is reporting that Newt Gingrich is at 22% to 21% for Ron Paul with Mitt Romney at 16%, Michele Bachmann at 11%, Rick Perry at 9%, Rick Santorum at 8%, Jon Huntsman at 5%, and Gary Johnson at 1%. In their recent Iowa poll.

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If Being Totally, Disastrously Wrong Were A Virtue, Bernanke And His Fed Mates Should Be Sainted

Ben Bernanke and his Fed mates' secret letterhead: "destroying capitalism from within."

After four years of disastrously wrong policies, let's declare stubborn, hubris-soaked wrongheadedness a virtue and saint Ben Bernanke and his Federal Reserve mates. If we had to distill down the Fed Chairman and the Federal Reserve's policies since the wheels came off the Fed's "shadow banking" system of fraud, collusion, embezzlement and free-floating leverage, we'd have to start with a systems-analysis perspective.

Any system which separates risk from results (gain/loss) is doomed to implode, as the lack of feedback from the real world (also known as consequences) enables the self-reinforcing feedback known as "moral hazard": losses by those who took the risk to reap a gain are made good by those who did not take the risk and who do not stand to gain from the risk they are covering.

In this case, the mortgage origination and packaging "industry" and the investment banks' origination and marketing of fraudulent-from-inception derivatives "industry" took the risks to reap outsized gains from the financialization of mortgages and other debt instruments via leverage, commodifying debt and arcane derivatives, all of which were sold as "low-risk."

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David Cameron's Finest Hour

Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to veto Germany's demand for a new European fiscal union will define his premiership.

More than that, Cameron has raised a banner for patriots everywhere fighting to retain their national independence.

With his no vote on fiscal union, Cameron declared to the EU: "British surrenders of sovereignty come to an end here. And Britain will deny Brussels any oversight authority of any national budgets or any right to sanction EU members."

The euro-skeptic right is understandably ecstatic.

"He Put Britain First," thundered the Daily Mail. "There is now a wonderful opportunity for Britain gradually to loosen itself from the shackles of a statist, over-regulated, anti-democratic, corrupt EU."

The Sun featured Cameron as Winston Churchill, flashing a wartime V-for-Victory sign over the banner headline: "Up Eurs – Bulldog PM Sticks up for Britain."

The British left, however, almost took to bed.

"Cameron Cuts U.K. Adrift," wailed the Guardian. "The EU Leaves Britain," moaned The Independent.

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BREAKING NEWS: House Approves Defense Bill

House passes $662 billion defense bill after White House drops veto threat.

From Fox News

Libertarianism In One Lesson

Essay from Machan's Archives: This essay should come in handy these days when "libertarianism" has become almost a household word. Here is a summary discussion of its central tenets, at least as seen by some prominent libertarians.

Libertarians uphold the sovereignty of each adult individual in social life. They distinguish themselves in the political arena in most western countries from both the Left and the Right because, on the one hand, the Left is inclined primarily to impose restrictions on individuals pertaining to their economic or material actions, while the Right embarks upon imposing on individuals when it comes to their spiritual or mental actions. Both Left and Right enlist government for the purpose of regimenting certain aspects of the individual's life, whereas the libertarian sanctions only those laws or rules that aim at keeping everyone's sovereignty, at protecting individual rights to life, liberty and property.

For example, the Right in the USA endorses the war on drugs as well as a closer unity between government and church, bans on prostitution, gambling, pornography and other vices. It is mostly concerning the crafting of people's souls that the Right enlists the government's coercive powers, although since body and soul aren't ever sharply divided, this often involves regulating people's economic activities as well (e.g., when Sunday blue laws prohibit commerce in liquor).

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$275K For Patient With Towels Left Inside Him

(CBS/AP)

CLEVELAND - An Ohio man who had two towels left in his body after surgery at a veterans hospital has won a $275,000 settlement from the federal government.

Forty-seven-year-old Robert Sanner, of New Philadelphia, didn't feel right following his May 2008 kidney cancer surgery. He made three trips back to the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland before a scan in August 2008 detected the 14-by-11-inch towels.

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WAITING FOR THE CORZINE PERP WALK

If stealing $1.2 billion from client accounts and lying to Congress don’t get you thrown into jail, what will it take? Oh Yeah. Peacefully protesting in a public park against criminal bankers who are free to pillage and loot the middle class.

Was The "Collapse" Of MF Global Premeditated? A Conspiracy Theory Thought Experiment

Derivatives, unlike stocks where the equation has always been murky, are for the most part zero-sum products: one's gain is someone else's loss (net of commissions) unless of course the entire system collapses in a daisylinked chain reaction (think AIG). And MF Global's bankruptcy, by dint of being a derivatives broker, and the resulting massive losses to both shareholders and clients, means that some entity, on the other side of all these failed bets, made off like a bandit. Which bring us to a rather disturbing theory proposed by Walter Burien of CAFR1.com who has floated the rather the chilling idea, and what some may call an outright conspiracy theory, that by scuttling MF, Corzine effectively helped some shell company (or companies) which were controlled by a "cabal" of his closest confidants (we will let readers come up with their own theories who the former CEO of Goldman Sachs may have been close with) to make the offsetting profit that resulted from the accelerated and massive losses borne by MF's stakeholders in the vicious liquidation. As Burien says: "A government and media cover up would just focus on MFG's loss. A true and open investigation would be focused on "who" took the other side of the coin; the profit." And now that we know that Corzine allegedly lied to the Senate, just how much deeper does his transgression go, and did his really hand over the company on a silver platter to some anonymous "Hold Co" by taking on massive risks he knew were going to blow up in his face, albeit knowing the "other" side of the trade would compensate him for it? After all, Corzine's legacy may have been forever tarnished, but if there was one thing the man knew after all those mostly successful years at Goldman, it was risk. So did he really blow up MF on a idiotic risk miscalculation bet within two years of joining, purely by mistake, or is there something more?

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"Big Brother Is Eyeing Us - For Good Or Evil?"

We have all become increasingly aware of the fact that no matter what we do, where we go, or who we see, someone is watching us. It may not be “1984” yet, but it is getting pretty close. Most cell phones have a GPS chip built in, allowing your movements to be tracked within a few feet. Credit cards record all purchases – where and when. A car’s GPS system – built into its navigation system – tracks your car within a few yards. Last week I spent a few days skiing in Vail where the concept really hit home. Their Epic Pass has a chip that allows the mountain to track your every movement – the lift you ride, the trail you come down, when and where you take a break. The system is popular; it calculates the vertical feet one skis; it also allows one to track one’s friends, knowing what lift or trail they are on.

There is much that is useful, and even potentially lifesaving, in the ubiquity of such technology, but there is the risk that the information may fall into the wrong hands. Either way it is antithetical to the concept of the independent individual on which our society is based. Keep in mind, the Fourth Amendment of our Constitution guarantees the “right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures.”

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Gold Stocks: Still A Bargain

http://www.caseyresearch.com/articles/gold-stocks-still-bargain?ppref=TBP426ED1211C

We’ve been saying since September that gold producers are undervalued, and here are some data that show just how extreme the undervaluation is.

The following chart measures the stock prices of major and intermediate gold producers against their Net Asset Value, based on the daily price of gold. In the simplest terms, a company should be worth more as the product it sells rises in price faster than the cost of those sales. In this case, gold has doubled in price over the past three years while costs have not kept up, dramatically increasing the intrinsic value of a reasonably well-run gold producer. Yet look what the stocks have done when measured against this higher value.

As Disenchantment With Idiocy Surges, Ron Paul Support Soars

Every legacy media and central planner's worst nightmare is slowly coming true: as the broader field of GOP candidates is rapidly dropping like US secret drones blowing up nuclear power plants in Iran, due to general idiocy, incompetence, too much baggage-ness or general reverse American Idol syndrome where Americans get tired with any given "leader" only to vote them out of the primary the following week, the one clear winner is becoming Ron Paul, who according to Public Policy Polling [7]has seen his support soar in the past week and is now neck and neck with presidential candidate du week, Newt Gingrich. From the PPP: "There has been some major movement in the Republican Presidential race in Iowa over the last week, with what was a 9 point lead for Newt Gingrich now all the way down to a single point. Gingrich is at 22% to 21% for Paul with Mitt Romney at 16%, Michele Bachmann at 11%, Rick Perry at 9%, Rick Santorum at 8%, Jon Huntsman at 5%, and Gary Johnson at 1%."

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Congressmen Give Themselves A Loophoole Filled Insider Trading Bill

Since it has become widely known that members of Congress are exempt from insider trading laws, an uproar has forced Congress to bring themselves under the scrutiny of the SEC for insider trading laws.

It should probably come as no surprise, but Congress has put together a bill to regulate against insider trading by members of Congress that is so full of loopholes that it will actually make it easier.

Yale law professor Jonathan Lacey writes in WSJ:

Members of Congress already get better health insurance and retirement benefits than other Americans. They are about to get better insider trading laws as well...

Strangely, while insider trading by corporate insiders has long been the white collar crime equivalent of a major felony, the Securities and Exchange Commission has determined that insider trading laws do not apply to members of Congress or their staff. That is because, according to the SEC at least, these public officials do not owe the same legal duty of confidentiality that makes insider trading illegal by nonpoliticians.

The embarrassing inconsistency was ignored for years. All of this changed on Nov. 13, 2011, after insider trading on Capitol Hill was the focus of CBS's "60 Minutes." The previously moribund "Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act" (H.R. 1148), first introduced in 2006, was pulled off the shelf and reintroduced. The bill suddenly had more than 140 sponsors, up from a mere nine before the show.

The "Stock" Act, as it is called, would make it illegal for members of Congress and staff to buy or sell securities based on certain nonpublic information. It would toughen disclosure obligations by requiring congressmen and their staffers to report securities trades of more than $1,000 to the clerk of the House (or the secretary of the Senate) within 90 days...

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VIDEO: Now Internet Reformation Demands Tesla's Research On Limitless Energy

Nikola Tesla's primary investor, J.P. Morgan, thought he was investing in the world's first radio tower, but unknown to him, that was only one of its purposes and capabilities. The project was known as Wardenclyffe. – Releaseteslasresearch.weebly.com

Dominant Social Theme: Who is this guy Tesla and why should we care ... hey, isn't that Lady Gaga?

Free-Market Analysis: Is the American bureaucracy holding deep insights and papers of Nikola Tesla? That's the argument this video (below) is making. The makers of the video advocate a day of protest demanding the release of Nikola Tesla's research to take place on Jan. 7, 2012.

January 7th 2012 is the anniversary of the death of Nikola Tesla, "one of history's most brilliant scientists ... The Energy Crisis is a lie, the problem was solved 100 years ago by a scientist named Nikola Tesla. He had discovered a way to harness the naturally occurring electricity from the ionosphere, and then in turn rebroadcast it to individual relay stations that could be placed anywhere and were no larger then your average car antenna."

We've read about this before, but the reality of what Tesla may have discovered seems to be becoming more widespread. And now it is sparking protests. Here's something we almost guarantee: If there is something to Tesla's invention, it will eventually be realized.

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Marines Apologize For Sending Christmas Ornaments To Fallen Marines And Sailors

The Marines are apologizing for a well-intentioned Christmas gift gone wrong that has upset the families of about 1,150 fallen Marines and sailors who received a Purple Heart Christmas tree ornament in the mail addressed to their deceased loved one.

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OCCUPY STILL CAUSING HEADACHES FOR THE OLIGARCHY

Occupy Protesters Shut Down 4 West Coast Ports

Occupy protesters shut down all or a large portion of each of the following ports today:
Seattle
Portland
Oakland
Longview, Washington

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Google Donates $11.5M To Fight Slavery

(SAN FRANCISCO) — Tech giant Google announced Wednesday it is donating $11.5 million to several coalitions fighting to end the modern-day slavery of some 27 million people around the world.

In what is believed to be the largest ever corporate grant devoted to the advocacy, intervention and rescue of people being held, forced to work or provide sex against their will, Google said it chose organizations with proven records in combating slavery.

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Constitutional Neoconmen

"The Constitution of the United States is a law for rulers and for people, equally in war and peace, and it covers with its shield of protection all classes of men, at all times and under all circumstances. No doctrine involving more pernicious consequences was ever invented by the wit of men that any of its great provisions can be suspended during any of the great exigencies of government."
– Ex Parte Milligan (1866)

The above statement was made by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1866 in the context of its ruling that the Lincoln administration’s suspension of Habeas Corpus was unconstitutional. As long as the civil courts were operating (which they were), the Court ruled, it is unconstitutional for either the president or the Congress to suspend the writ of Habeas Corpus. What this statement says is that it is precisely in times of national emergencies, such as war, that civil liberties must be most jealously protected. If not, then governments will be encouraged to generate crises, or perceptions of crises, in order to grab more power for themselves by diminishing individual liberty.

This profound truth gives the lie to the notion that one can be an advocate and supporter of the American state’s unconstitutional and aggressive wars on the one hand, and a "constitutionalist" on the other. War is the enemy of constitutional liberty. The current poster boy for this contradictory outlook is the radio talking head Marc Levin ("The Grate One," as Lew Rockwell calls him) who bloviates endlessly about how devoted he supposedly is to the Constitution while aggressively supporting the neocon agenda of endless war in the Middle East and elsewhere – and all of the accompanying assaults on civil liberties at home. So as not to appear to be sexist, I should also point out that Congresswoman Michele Bachman is the current poster girl for this position, claiming that of all the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination she is the most devoted to the Constitution, while rabidly supporting the never-ending expansion of the warfare state.

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Crony Capitalism Displayed via Venn Diagram

The incestual relationship between the government and Goldman Sachs just doesn't stop.

Rubin, Corzine, Paulson, Emanuel, Hormats, Friedman, Farrell, Murphy, Patterson, Storch, Lasry, Shah, Craig and Gensler to start.

In fact, there are so many more over-lapping relationships. It is just too difficult to keep track of them all. The designer of the Venn diagram below failed to include former-treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who was paid to speak at Goldman Sachs before being named head of President Obama's National Economic Council. Also failing to make the diagram was Gene Sperling, current adviser to Treasury Secretary Geithner, who was before that an adviser to Goldman Sachs. And how can one forget Neal Kashkari, except in a room overflowing with Goldman alum? Kashkari served as head of the Office of Financial Stability, which bought up all that bad debt from Goldman and other crony banks, during the heat of the crisis. Naturally, he worked at Goldman before heading to the OFS.

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Fearfully, The US Treasury's Secret, 75-Year-Old Fund And Its Dark History Has Been Exposed?

After months of work, the video series on the Treasury's Exchange Stabilization Fund is finally finished! Why you should watch these five videos: It is impossible to understand the world today without knowing what the ESF is and what it has been doing. Officially in charge of defending the dollar, the ESF is the government agency which controls the New York Fed, runs the CIA's black budget, and is the architect of the world's monetary system (IMF, World Bank, etc). ESF financing (through the OSS and then the CIA) built up the worldwide propaganda network which has so badly distorted history today (including erasing awareness of its existence from popular consciousness). It has been directly involved in virtually every major US fraud/scandal since its creation in 1934: the London gold pool, the Kennedy assassinations, Iran-Contra, CIA drug trafficking, HIV, and worse ... " – Market Skeptics

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Where Are Mr Or Mrs Right? Matrimony Suffers Slump, Report Shows

Is it a hiccup or a long-term bear market for marriage?

A new report shows that the share of American adults who are married dropped to a record low in 2009-2010 — to just a smidgen over half of population 18 and older. And the age at which Americans first tie the knot has never been higher, according to analysis of U.S. Census data by Pew Research Center published Wednesday.

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It's On: Iran Closes Straits Of Hormuz, Oil Explodes

HORMUZ STRAIT IS NOT SHUT: IRAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN - Bloomberg
Earlier:

Iran has closed the Straits of Hormuz for military training as was expected yesterday, according to RanSquawk. Oil, and all other commodities, are outtahere.

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U.S. Postal Service To Delay Closures For Five Months

The U.S. Postal Service has agreed to delay the closing of 252 mail processing centers and 3,700 local post offices until mid-May.

The cash-strapped agency, which is forecast to lose a record $14.1 billion next year, announced last week it was moving forward on cutbacks. It had planned to begin closing processing centers as early as April, and shutter some post offices early next year.

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No Mandatory Mental Health Screening For Children!

Maryanne Godboldo, a mother in Michigan, noticed that pills prescribed by her daughter's doctor were making her condition worse, not better. So Ms. Godboldo stopped giving them to her. That's when the trouble began. When Child Protective Services (CPS) bureaucrats became aware that the girl was not receiving her prescribed medication, they decided the child should be taken away from her mother's custody on grounds of medical neglect. When Ms. Godboldo refused to surrender her daughter to the state, CPS enlisted the help of a police SWAT team! On March 24 of this year a 12 hour standoff ensued and young Ariana was taken into custody. The drug involved was Risperdal, a neuroleptic antipsychotic medication with numerous known side effects. Ms. Godboldo had decided on a more holistic approach for her daughter. She is still engaged in a costly legal battle with the state over Ariana's treatment and custody.

This is one example of how government's increasing proclivity to medicate children with questionable psychiatric drugs violates the rights of parents. Just recently, the Government Accountability Office released a report on the astonishingly high rate of prescriptions for psychotropic drugs for children in the foster care system. It is absolutely astounding that nearly 40% of kids in foster care are on psychotropic drugs, some of them taking up to 5 different pills at a time. Some of these children are under one year of age − too young to safely take over the counter cold medication!

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The 11 Most Extravagant Gifts Money Can Buy

NewsFeed rounds up holiday gift-giving ideas for those to whom money is no object, from your own personal submarine to extreme bling for your pet

Go Here To See

Caption This Photo 12-14-11

5 Apps Banned From Apple

In the past few days, there has been a buzz about an app called Driver's License, which allows you to input your real or pseud-biographical information on an app which then puts in into a state-specific template. Much of the criticism from above argued that someone could print and laminate one of these fake licenses, thus altering their own identity or completely stealing that of another. Other apps on the list include one that shows where nearby DUI checkpoints are set up, an app specifically criticizing Apple, one that allows you to use your phone as a mobile hotspot, and even one that monitors your smartphone related radiation!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/246134/5_apps_banned_from_apples_app_store_in_2011.html#tk.hp_pop

Mike's Tech Service
mdtechservice@comcast.net

Chris Dodd On Online Censorship Bill: China's The Model

Jen Rubin makes the case today that the anti-piracy bills pending in the House, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and Senate, the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), are likely unconstitutional. The bills essentially call for censorship of online speech in such a way, and with so little recourse for those accused of "infringing" on intellectual property rights, that the bills will likely not survive the scrutiny of the courts even if they do survive in Congress.

But if Congress does pass these laws, it will be a testament to the enormous power and influence of two Democratic special interest groups—the Hollywood lobby, comprised of the Motion Picture Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America, and the trial lawyers.

If you're wondering why lawyers and Hollywood folks would get behind legislation to censor the Internet, you only need to listen to former Senator Chris Dodd, now the head of the MPAA, who last week explained to Variety that the lobby is only asking for the same kind of power to censor the Internet as the government has in the People's Republic of China:

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A Letter To The Editor 12-14-11

Mr Albero,

Since the news blog hit the air on December 8, I have literally fielded thousands of phone calls, emails, text messages and social media from friends, family, local business owners and now news reporters contacting me from all over wanting to hear my side of the story. Respectfully so, this is a story about an animal that suffered, therefore everyone’s heart will be pulled in many directions.

I am writing this letter in hopes that people will understand that this is a matter of what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s about a dog suffering for no reason what so ever, when a decision could have and should have been made immediately. It shouldn’t be a matter of needing, wanting and receiving a letter from a vet. The paperwork can be filed many weeks later, fact of the matter, city council never asked about a letter, they didn’t even know about the incident. The easy solution to this problem would have been to immediately retire the dog and worry about a piece of paper later. NO DOG SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER!

I need to emphatically state that this is NOT about money. Joe, you even asked me yourself as well as hundreds of other people, if the Town of Ocean City offered to pay me back for Charlie’s surgery, would I take it to stop onslaught of negativity that has come full circle and the answer is, has always been and will always be NO. There isn’t a dollar figure out there that is worth me selling my soul to the devil.

Many people have also asked if they can donate money to cover expenses for Charlie’s physical therapy, his surgery, food etc. Once again, I greatly appreciate the citizen’s kindness but I do not want one dollar from anyone. This is not about money, it’s about doing the right thing and standing up for what I believe in. I can’t emphasize this enough. I do not want any donations of any sort. Thank you all for your thoughtfulness and kindness during this holiday season, but this isn’t about money.

I’m a man of honor, integrity and courage and none of the 3 will be compromised, no matter what! When we take an oath to be a LEO, we say ”On my honor, I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character, or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the constitution, my community and the agency I serve”. To the guys, read that again and understand this is what I’m fighting for.

I am truly sorry to those who have been scrutinized in the court of public opinion but if I stop now and forget about everything, he gets off with the lies again, and you guys will certainly deal with it again in the future. I’m sorry, but that’s not going to happen. Not if I can do anything to stop it. I love each and every one of you guys and hold you all near and dear to my heart. Remember this, I don’t work there anymore so I have absolutely nothing to gain from this other than to make it a better place to work for my brothers in blue and to prevent any other animal from suffering in the future.

Joe, there are rumors of lawsuits, civil litigation, gag orders and retribution if I don’t stop the chaos surrounding this incident. I can tell you all this, I’m not afraid of their threats, I’m not backing down, I’m not going away and I’m in it for the long run. Justice will be served to prevent this from ever happening again.

Once again Joe, I know you are a very busy person so if people have questions please email me at EARLDCAMPBELL@GMAIL.COM I appreciate you remaining impartial and I respect you for that. Many people are quick to judge and make opinion. You have stayed impartial throughout this entire ordeal and for that, I say thank you!!!

Earl Campbell

Posted at 12:00. New Posts to fall below.

Euro Crisis Destabilizing The Dollar

The Soviet Union detonated its first nuclear bomb on August 29, 1949, leading to the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction, shared by both the USA and the Soviets. The unwritten agreement by the two superpowers deterred nuclear war with an implied threat to blow up the world, if need be, to defend each of their interests.

I well remember the Cuban missile crises of October 1962, having been drafted into the military at that time. Mutually Assured Destruction had significant meaning to the whole world during this period. This crisis, along with the escalating ill-advised Vietnam War, made me very much aware of the problems the world faced during the five years I served as a USAF flight surgeon.

It was with great pleasure and hope that I observed the collapse of the Soviet Empire between 1989 and 1991. This breakup verified the early predictions by the free market economists, like Ludwig von Mises, that communism would self-destruct because of the deeply flawed economic theories embedded in socialism. Our nukes were never needed because ideas are more powerful than the Weapons of War.

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Payroll Tax Cut Row Threatens Gov't Shutdown

(CBS/AP) WASHINGTON - A Republican payroll tax cut bill that sailed through the House despite a White House veto threat is dead on arrival in the Senate, and it will soon be time for talks on a final package, the Senate's top Democrat says.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., made the remarks Tuesday shortly after the House used a near-party line 234-193 vote to approve the measure. The bill has drawn nearly universal Democratic opposition because it would force work to begin on the 1,700-mile-long Keystone XL oil pipeline, which President Obama would rather postpone, and would trim federal spending without forcing the wealthy to contribute as much as Democrats want.

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QUOTES OF THE DAY 12-14-11

“He was one of the numerous and varied legion of dullards, of half-animated abortions, conceited, half-educated coxcombs, who attach themselves to the idea most in fashion only to vulgarize it and who caricature every cause they serve, however sincerely.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment

“A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.”
― Benjamin Franklin

“A learned fool is more a fool than an ignorant fool.”
― Molière

“He must be very ignorant for he answers every question he is asked.”
― Voltaire

“Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

“On the whole, men are more good than bad; that, however, isn’t the real point. But they are more or less ignorant, and it is this that we call vice or virtue; the most incorrigible vice being that of an ignorance that fancies it knows everything and therefore claims for itself the right to kill. The soul of the murderer is blind; and there can be no true goodness nor true love without the utmost clear-sightedness.”
― Albert Camus

“When you come to see you are not as wise today as you thought you were yesterday, you are wiser today.”
― Anthony de Mello, One Minute Wisdom

“Timendi causa est nescire -
Ignorance is the cause of fear.”
― Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Natural Questions

“Ignorance is ultimately the worst enemy of a people who want to be free.”
― Jonathan Hennessey, The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation

“It is better to be silent and thought to be ignorant then to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”
― R. G. Risch

“The ignorance of the oppressed is strength for the oppressor.”
― A.R. Bernard

“The men on the trading floor may not have been to school, but they have Ph.D.’s in man’s ignorance.”
― Michael Lewis, Liar’s Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street

White House Kills Dollar Coin Program

The federal government will stop minting unwanted $1 coins, the White House said Tuesday. The move will save an estimated $50 million a year.

Earlier this year, we reported on the mountain of $1 coins sitting unused in government vaults. The pile-up — an estimated 1.4 billion coins — was caused by a 2005 law that ordered the minting of coins honoring each U.S. president.

We calculated that the unwanted coins had cost taxpayers some $300 million dollars to make. There were so many coins piling up that the Federal Reserve was redesigning a vault in Texas to help hold them all.

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POLL BOMBSHELL: Ron Paul Is Close To A Win In Iowa

Ron Paul, the once-forgotten presidential candidate, is picking up steam in Iowa and now appears poised to overtake frontrunner Newt Gingrich, according to a new survey released today from the left-leaning Public Policy Polling.

The poll finds support for Gingrich has slipped to 22%, with Ron Paul just behind with 21%. Mitt Romney trails in third place with 16%.

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Fill In The Blank 12-14-11

______ makes me CRAZY !!!!

Maryland Young Republicans Champion Ethics Reforms

Recent Cases Highlight Need for Changes

ANNAPOLIS- The Maryland Young Republicans today introduced a legislative package designed to bring more transparent government and stricter ethics laws to Maryland Government.

"For far too long, ethics laws in Maryland have been flaunted by elected officials who have exploited loopholes for persona and political gain," Maryland Young Republicans Chairman Brian Griffiths said. "Young Marylanders want to ensure that their elected leaders are held to the highest ethical and moral standards possible. We should expect nothing but the strictest compliance with ethics laws so that Maryland has government that is both open and clean."

Maryland's ethics laws have come under fire for their lack of stringencies, and for the loopholes that allow for legislators to lobby government agencies on behalf of Maryland companies. Two recent events have highlighted the laxness of these ethics laws; the recent acquittal of State Senate Budget Committee Chairman Ulysses Currie on charges of failing to disclose his lobbying for a supermarket chain, and this disclosure that several legislators, including House Environmental Matters Committee Chairman Maggie McIntosh, are using their legislative positions to solicit business for their lobbying firm.

The Maryland Young Republicans Legislative Ethics Reform Proposal consists of a seven-point platform:

Real-time disclosures: Require legislators, appointees, and all relevant officials to file financial disclosures for the current legislative period. Currently the forms are not due until a year after the previous legislative session.

Electronic Databases: Electronic access to financial disclosure forms for the public. Create an online database with downloadable PDFs of financial disclosure forms.

Notifications: Eliminate notification of filer when someone looks up their disclosure form.

Conflicts of Interest: Alter campaign finance laws to prohibit committees from using vendor companies that are owned wholly or in part by other legislators. Or is another legislator is employed by that vendor.

Lobbyist Disclosures: Enhance lobbying disclosure requirements, require:

Bills/regulations they are lobbying for or against
Clients for which they are lobbying and their position on bills/regulations;
Legislators they lobbied;
How much spent per client;
Submit log of dates and times of contacts with legislators, state officials;

Sunset Period: Prohibit legislators, legislative staff, and executive branch staff from lobbying on state issues for a period of five years after their employment with the state ends.

Budget Databases: Require the Department of Budget and Management to:
Create searchable database of any entity receiving state loans in excess of $10,000. (SB 389/HB 638 from 2011 session).
Create a searchable database (dating back to FY 2008) any state payments exceeding $1,000 to entities designated 501c3 or 501c4 by the Internal Revenue Service
"Ethics reform is the only way that the citizens of Maryland can feel secure that our government is being run by people putting the best interests of the people of Maryland before the interests of their personal financial growth," Griffiths said.

Critical to the growth of the Republican Party, the Young Republicans reach out to registered Republicans, 18 to 40 years of age, and provide them with better political knowledge and understanding of today's issues. Since its creation, the Young Republican National Federation and its member groups have established themselves as the premier Republican grassroots organization in the nation, providing essential grassroots support for Republican candidates and conservative issues on the local, state and national level.

Recipient Of Our Free TV Giveaway Gives Thanks

Ms. Wolf and Mr. Albero;

Thank you so very much for the TV; this is really very wonderful for us have; now we will be able to watch TV as a family! It is especially wonderful that "the guys" will be able to hang out and have fun before our youngest leaves for boot-camp on 16 February. Due to my illness, and not being able to work, and even with being careful with finances, it is going to be a small Christmas this year. But now with your utmost kindness and generosity, we will have an excellent Christmas. It is nice for me as well, since I am home alone so much, I used to like to leave the TV on to just have some "noise" in the house, and now I can go back to having some background sounds to keep me company.

Thank you so much for the extra effort and work that you went through to make sure that we got this quickly and with no stress. You are most certainly building up some majorly Good Karma! I hope that this makes sense; I was up sick all last-night and am sort of loopy with being tired right now, but blessings to you both-it has been a hard time for me and my sons, and this is such a good thing, proving that there are good people still in this world. I am going to end this before I start rambling, but one day I will pay-back your kindness. Thank you again, and You guys ROCK!

Peace, and a Great Big Old Hug,

Dawn

Publisher's Notes: There are only a few TV's left to give away this Christmas. Please contact me at alberobutzo@wmconnect or 410-430-5349 if you or someone you know would like to be considered.

Maryland Pension Fund Had Good Year, But Underperforms Other Big Funds

The Maryland pension system had a good year in fiscal 2011, earning 20% on its investments -- up from 14% in 2010 -- and giving it $37.6 billion in assets. But the Maryland system did not perform as well as most large pension systems around the country, showing earnings worse than four out of five of them, according to a report from the Department of Legislative Services.

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SBYNews Hears From The National K-9 Working Dog, Inc.

Hi Joe,

In response to the current attention being given to Officer Campbell and his K-9 Charlie, we’d like to introduce ourselves and explain how we are addressing this issue on a local basis.

The National K-9 Working Dog, Inc. (NK9WD), a non-profit organization, was founded to enhance and improve the lives of Police K- 9s in their retirement years. Over 95% of police departments do not provide benefits for their retired police K-9s. In most cases, the K-9s are classified as “equipment” and not officers and therefore when they are discharged from duty, the liability of the department ends.

Unfortunately, because of budgets and the economy, a vet bill and medicine now cost as much as a visit to a medical doctor and operations also are extremely costly. Remember, these dogs are just like 70 to 90 years old in human life having the same issues as humans such as arthritis, coronary disease, and gastrointestinal problems needing special foods.

The NK9WD is helping by providing vet services and medicine, we are helping to lower the animal euthanasia rates by assisting in the care of animals that may not have had a chance because of a handler's financial situation. We don't believe our K9 Heroes should have to suffer or meet and untimely death because of their handler's lack of personal funds. Police officers/K-9 handlers are the only profession that asks that they take care of their partner in retirement. They protected all of us (the general public) in the line of duty and we believe it is now our responsibility (the public¹s) to protect them.

Due to liability reasons, Police K-9's cannot be adopted after retirement. Ownership of a trained tactical dog cannot be transferred to another owner. The government agencies (local, state, federal) cannot afford to take a chance of one of these dogs hurting someone because the new owner is unable to control it. If the original handler cannot afford the upkeep of these dogs after they can no longer work, the only legal option is euthanasia.

The use of K-9's has grown exponentially over the last 10 years. Homeland security has asked for 5,000 new dogs in the next few years and that is not counting all the police departments in the country that want new dogs as well as our military. All of these dogs will suffer the same fate at retirement depending on the faith and trust and unconditional love between handler and dog and not for the hero’s work that these dogs have preformed. When everyone is running for their life out of a building in an emergency the Police K-9 is running in. We need your help now!

Friend us on facebook www.facebook/NK9WD.com and join us to help all retired dogs live out their days in comfort. For more information or to become a member, visit http://www.nk9wd.com/ .

Jay Meranchik, President
Eva Dupont, Mid-Atlantic Rep
The National K-9 Working Dog, Inc.
PO Box 820 - Seaford, DE 19973
info@nationalk-9workingdog.org
954-788-5333 or 302-629-4561

Publisher's Notes: I received a phone call from Mr. Meranchik very soon after my radio interview with Dan Gaffani this morning. Mr. Meranchik is in Florida today.

Immigration Crackdown Also Snares Americans

'Just because I made one mistake ... I don't think they should have done all those things to me,' says U.S. citizen who was detained by mistake

A growing number of United States citizens have been detained under Obama administration programs intended to detect illegal immigrants who are arrested by local police.

In a spate of recent cases across the country, American citizens have been confined in local jails after federal immigration agents, acting on flawed information from Department of Homeland Security databases, instructed the police to hold them for investigation and possible deportation.

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County, DNREC Team Up To Hold Deer Hunt

New Castle County and DNREC are teaming up this week to reduce northern New Castle County's deer population.

County Communications Director Jim Grant tells WDEL News there'll be a deer hunt Wednesday and Thursday in the Middle Run Valley Natural Park Area between Newark and Pike Creek, but don't go there with your gun--the park will be closed both days, and the hunt is NOT open to the public.

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16th Holiday Gift Bazaar Benefits University Galleries

International and domestic artworks are spotlighted during Salisbury University Galleries’ 16th annual Holiday Gift Bazaar, November 7-December 14, in the Atrium Gallery of the Guerrieri University Center. This season’s bazaar features hand-printed cards, jewelry, prints, paintings, and other arts and crafts. These works come from local artists and international artisans. The items are acquired from the artists themselves or from members of the Fair Trade Federation.

Source

Publisher's Note-Today is the last day for this Bazaar. Please get out and support our local artists.

Senators Say PlanMaryland Controversy Comes From Few People Understanding It

The torrid rhetoric about PlanMaryland cooled down on Monday into a discussion about who really understands the controversial state land-use plan, and what it’s doing before the public at this point anyway.

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Local Groups Benefit From State's Green Effort

$22.5 million earned through Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

A first-of-its-kind report lists the economic boost Delaware and other participating states have received from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Analysis Group of Boston, Mass., recently wrote an independent report to review the economic impact of the greenhouse gas initiative on the mid-Atlantic region.

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Transportation Secretary Calls Ignorance Of Contracting Law ‘Unacceptable’

Transportation Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley told legislators Tuesday that the culture at the procurement arm of the State Highway Administration dealing with construction inspection comes from an “unacceptable pattern of poor contract management and administration in the organization.”

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Gingrich Iowa Staffer Resigns After "Cult Of Mormon" Comment

Less than a week after being tapped as Newt Gingrich's political director in Iowa, Craig Bergman resigned on Tuesday for suggesting evangelicals are ready to help God "expose the cult of Mormon."

In a focus group conducted before he officially joined the Gingrich campaign, Bergman, a Tea Party supporter who previously advocated on behalf of Sarah Palin, suggested that a "national pastor" could lead an effort to defeat Mitt Romney over his religion.

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A Breast Cancer Survivor's Advice To Women

BETHESDA, Md. (WUSA)-- We first introduced you to Mary Dolbashian last fall, after she'd been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, and underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation to fight it.

Throughout her treatment, she kept teaching her spinning class at Washington Sports Club Dupont Circle, offering it for free to anyone who's battling cancer as well.

Dolbashian describes the class atmosphere this way: "It's about exercising and getting healthy and it's about talking about what you need to know and what you might be going through. "

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Christine O'Donnell Endorses Romney

(AP)

WASHINGTON - Republican political figure and tea-party favorite Christine O'Donnell says she's backing Mitt Romney's presidential bid.

O'Donnell cites executive experience as part of her reason for endorsing Romney. She announced her decision Tuesday night during an interview on Fox News Channel.

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Report: Inner Harbor Most Polluted Water In Maryland

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Before polluters can be hauled into court, they have to be caught. That’s led the state attorney general to conduct ongoing environmental audits along Maryland’s waterways. Alex DeMetrick reports the Inner Harbor is the state’s dirtiest.

Tourists usually cruise the Inner Harbor, but Tuesday it was the Attorney General.

“You don’t want to stay in an ivory tower. You need to get out on the water to see what’s out there,” said Doug Gansler.

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Delmarva Challenge.Com

Maryland Backing Off Meeting Bay Goals Early

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Maryland environmental officials are backing off plans to meet Chesapeake Bay restoration goals five years ahead of other states in the bay watershed.

The state's "Bay Cabinet" of agency heads has decided to revert to the 2025 goal set by the federal restoration strategy.

The Maryland Department of the Environment says the decision followed discussions with county officials submitting their plans for meeting the strategy's goals.

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Florida A&M Hazing Victim Sues School, Suspects Accused Of Beating Pledge

A freshman Florida A&M student who filed hazing charges against three members of the school's marching band is now suing the school, her attorney announced today.

Bria Shante Hunter, whose thigh bone was broken in the alleged hazing incident, has been harassed since reporting the beating to band director Julian White, her attorney, B.J. Bernstein, said.

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We Need Your Help !

We are looking for a full cord of hardwood,split and able to be delivered today. Please leave us your phone number and the price under comments.

Lets keep a friend warm!

Ex-Officer Gets Prison For Defrauding 9/11 Fund

Academy grad netted $331K, claiming injuries in attack on Pentagon

WASHINGTON - A retired naval officer honored for helping rescue fellow Pentagon workers in the 2001 terrorist attack was sentenced Monday to 3 ½ years in prison for defrauding the Sept. 11 victims' compensation fund.

Retired Cmdr. Charles Coughlin of Severna Park claimed he was injured when objects fell on him as a hijacked plane struck the building, and again later when he went back inside to rescue others and hit his head. But prosecutors said Coughlin was not hurt and instead used an old injury to get $331,034 in compensation from the fund.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, the chief of the Washington federal court, told Coughlin that stealing that much money from the government deserves a serious sentence. He allowed Coughlin to remain free pending appeal.

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Billionaire Plans World's Biggest Plane For Orbital Launches

The band is getting back together: Seven years after winning the $10 million Ansari X Prize, software billionaire Paul Allen and aerospace guru Burt Rutan are teaming up with SpaceX and other top-flight rocketeers to create an air-launched orbital delivery system. They say the venture will require the construction of the largest aircraft ever flown.

Allen unveiled his new company, Stratolaunch Systems, at a Seattle news conference today. It marks his first space venture since the partnership with Rutan to build the prize-winning SpaceShipOne rocket plane, which became the first privately developed craft to reach outer space in 2004.

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Superintendent’s Open Door Session

Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 4-6 p.m.
Board of Education Building
Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen will hold a Superintendent’s Open Door Session from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14 in the Administrative Conference Room of the Board of Education Building, Mt. Hermon Road and Long Avenue, Salisbury. Open Door Sessions provide the opportunity for people to meet one-on-one with the superintendent. People may express concerns, offer comment, or ask questions on any issue involving Wicomico schools. No appointment is needed. Each visitor will have approximately 15 minutes to meet with the superintendent. Follow-up sessions will be held if there are more visitors than there is time on the scheduled night. Additional Open Door Sessions for this school year are scheduled for Jan. 18, Feb. 22, March 21, April 25 and May 23. 410-677-4495.

Troopers Issue Gold Alerts For Missing Dover Residents

State Police have issued gold alerts for a 42-year-old woman and an 18-year-old boy, both Dover residents.

Police say Priscilla Lawman, who suffers from a medical condition that has officers concerned for her safety, has been missing since she left a home on Governor's Boulevard around 10:30 Tuesday morning.

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Romney Adopts KKK Slogan: "Keep America American"

He's said it repeatedly for over a year now. Here is Romney a year ago, using the Klan slogan in a campaign ad.

Romney said it again four days ago.

In an era in which it's apparently okay for Republicans to accuse President Obama of being a socialist, I guess we now need to ask if Mitt Romney is a Ku Klux Klansman. Not whether Romney inadvertently is using the KKK's number one slogan from the 1920s on the stump, no, the Republicans would say, if this were a Democrat, that clearly the candidate was a closet member of the KKK. So, is Mitt Romney a closet member of the KKK? Keep in mind, that even Romney is now claiming, between the lines, that President Obama is a socialist. So why shouldnt' America be asking if Mitt Romney is a Klansman?

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Roommates Accused of Using $285K Forged Check For Shopping Spree

A California paralegal and her elementary school teacher roommate are accused of stealing and forging a check for more than $285,000 that they then allegedly used on a cross-country flight on a private jet, multiple hotel rooms and a shopping spree at Tiffany & Co. and Montblanc.

“We see a lot of high dollar fraud cases where the defendant spends money on luxury items like homes and cars,” Orange County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Farrah Emami said. “This case is quite unusual because they rented a private jet to New York City.”

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How To Spot A Liar In 20 Seconds Flat

A little snap judgment goes a long way toward making friends: According to a new study from the University of California, Berkeley, all it takes is 20 seconds to decide whether or not a stranger is trustworthy.

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A Comment Worthy Of A Post 12-14-11

I heard you on the Delaware radio station 92.7 this morning... Good stuff...

I would like to add to what you said on the radio show...

If you can have criminal charges brought up on you if you were to hurt, hit, spit, cuss, throw, yell or any of the sort at the police K-9 then at the same time this is considering him a real police officer and therefore the OCPD should have to pay to give the dog the surgery because if he is indeed an officer then the dog should get full health compensation PERIOD....

Former Ocean City Police Officer Earl Campbell Speaks Out Once Again

At noon today we will provide a "Letter To The Editor" from former Ocean City Police Officer Earl Campbell. This is a message no one will want to miss.

As many of you are aware, CNN picked up this story yesterday and for whatever reason it was pulled late last night. Some speculate the OCPD had something to do with it being yanked. However, that hasn't stopped the traffic here in the millions in one day as we put up the story in its entirety and remains alive right here on Salisbury News.

One thing I can tell you is that we have rejected literally hundreds of nasty comments and kept quite busy yesterday fielding phone calls, e-mail and even an early morning Radio Show interview with Dan Gaffany this morning.

I would also like to make it very clear that I did attempt to make contact with Mayor Rick Mehan yesterday but he never returned my courtesy call. You can expect to see quite a story about this matter in the Coastal Dispatch, the Ocean City Today as well as the Daily Times by this Friday.

Earl's message at noon is quite compelling and one you will not want to miss.

NTSB: Ban All Driver Use Of Cell Phones

(CBS/AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — Texting, emailing or chatting on a cellphone while driving is simply too dangerous to be allowed, federal safety investigators declared Tuesday, urging all states to impose total bans except for emergencies.

Inspired by recent deadly crashes — including one in which a teenager sent or received 11 text messages in 11 minutes before an accident — the recommendation would apply even to hands-free devices, a much stricter rule than any current state law.

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Ohio Landlord Fights Judge Ruling Against 'White Only' Pool Sign

CINCINNATI – A landlord found to have discriminated against a black girl by posting a "White Only" sign at a swimming pool wants a state civil rights commission to reconsider its decision.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission found on Sept. 29 that Jamie Hein, who's white, violated the Ohio Civil

Rights Act by posting the sign at a pool at the duplex where the teenage girl was visiting her parents. The parents filed a discrimination charge with the commission and moved out of the duplex in the racially diverse city to "avoid subjecting their family to further humiliating treatment," the commission said in a release announcing its finding.

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Today's Weather- 12/14/11

Today

High
53.0°

Precip
10%

Tonight

Overnight Low
40.0°

Precip
20%

Weather Channel