New Posts to fall below. A MUST SEE VIDEO.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, April 30, 2012
Wind Farms Are Warming the Earth, Researchers Say
New research finds that wind farms actually warm up the surface of
the land underneath them during the night, a phenomenon that could put a
damper on efforts to expand wind energy as a green energy solution.
Researchers used satellite data from 2003 to 2011 to examine surface temperatures across as wide swath of west Texas, which has built four of the world's largest wind farms. The data showed a direct correlation between night-time temperatures increases of 0.72 degrees C (1.3 degrees F) and the placement of the farms.
"Given the present installed capacity and the projected growth in installation of wind farms across the world, I feel that wind farms, if spatially large enough, might have noticeable impacts on local to regional meteorology," Liming Zhou, associate professor at the State University of New York, Albany and author of the paper published April 29 in Nature Climate Change said in an e-mail to Discovery News.
Researchers used satellite data from 2003 to 2011 to examine surface temperatures across as wide swath of west Texas, which has built four of the world's largest wind farms. The data showed a direct correlation between night-time temperatures increases of 0.72 degrees C (1.3 degrees F) and the placement of the farms.
"Given the present installed capacity and the projected growth in installation of wind farms across the world, I feel that wind farms, if spatially large enough, might have noticeable impacts on local to regional meteorology," Liming Zhou, associate professor at the State University of New York, Albany and author of the paper published April 29 in Nature Climate Change said in an e-mail to Discovery News.
Federal Judge Blocks Texas From Cutting off Planned Parenthood
A federal judge on Monday stopped Texas from preventing Planned
Parenthood from getting state funds through the Women's Health Program.
U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in Austin ruled there is sufficient evidence that a law banning Planned Parenthood from the program is unconstitutional. He imposed an injunction against enforcing it until he can hear full arguments.
The law passed last year by the Republican-controlled Legislature forbids state agencies from providing funds to an organization affiliated with abortion providers. Eight Planned Parenthood clinics that do not provide abortions sued the state. The clinics say the law unconstitutionally restricts their freedom of speech and association.
"The court is particularly influenced by the potential for immediate loss of access to necessary medical services by several thousand Texas women," Yeakel wrote in his ruling. "The record before the court at this juncture reflects uncertainty as to the continued viability of the Texas Women's Health Program."
U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in Austin ruled there is sufficient evidence that a law banning Planned Parenthood from the program is unconstitutional. He imposed an injunction against enforcing it until he can hear full arguments.
The law passed last year by the Republican-controlled Legislature forbids state agencies from providing funds to an organization affiliated with abortion providers. Eight Planned Parenthood clinics that do not provide abortions sued the state. The clinics say the law unconstitutionally restricts their freedom of speech and association.
"The court is particularly influenced by the potential for immediate loss of access to necessary medical services by several thousand Texas women," Yeakel wrote in his ruling. "The record before the court at this juncture reflects uncertainty as to the continued viability of the Texas Women's Health Program."
The Bulging Costs Of America's Obesity Epidemic
A month ago we chronicled what we consider one of the biggest problems for America's long-term viability in "No Country For Thin Men: 75% Of Americans To Be Obese By 2020" which goes straight to the heart of the biggest shortfall in America's balance sheet: the net present value of future spending associated with Medicare and various other healthcare related programs, which will sadly only rise as more and more Americans become morbidly obese, and demand more expensive health service out of the piggy bank that even now has tens of trillions in unfunded liabilities. And while the future is certainly not bright, the past and present are just as bleak. A Reuters report focuses on just how it is that America got to where it is today (most likely sitting in front a computer, eating potato chips and drinking sugar-laden soda): "The percentage of Americans who are obese (with a BMI of 30 or higher) has tripled since 1960, to 34 percent, while the incidence of extreme or "morbid" obesity (BMI above 40) has risen sixfold, to 6 percent. The percentage of overweight Americans (BMI of 25 to 29.9) has held steady: It was 34 percent in 2008 and 32 percent in 1961. What seems to have happened is that for every healthy-weight person who "graduated" into overweight, an overweight person graduated into obesity." Which is not surprising: with pink and white slime food substitutes (as an example) allowing more and more low income individuals to drown their sorrows in fat (aka high calorie dollar meals) it was only a matter of time. Sadly, there is nothing in the equation that indicates this is set to change any time soon, even as the all too real costs, to both the individual and to society, mount in an exponential manner.
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BEVERLEY SWAIM-STALEY TO STEP DOWN AS MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY
First woman to hold the position departs after 25 years of state service
ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 30, 2012) – Beverley Swaim-Staley, the first woman to be appointed as Maryland’s Transportation Secretary, announced today that she will step down from that position after 25 years of state service. Ms. Swaim-Staley was appointed Secretary by Governor Martin O’Malley in September 2009. Prior to taking the position she had served as Deputy Transportation Secretary from 2007-2009. She had previously served as Deputy Secretary from 1999 through 2003 during which time she also directed all operations at BWI Marshall Airport following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the subsequent revolution in airport security. Ms. Swaim-Staley’s resignation is effective July 1 of this year to allow for an orderly transition.
“When Beverley joined our team over five years ago, she was widely recognized for her seasoned leadership,” said Governor O’Malley. “Throughout her tenure, she has solidified her reputation as a skilled and forward thinking executive. With her strong background in both finance and transportation, Beverley guided our transportation efforts during the most difficult economic downturn this country has faced in generations. Despite the economic challenges, we made significant progress including the development of an award winning public-private partnership at the Port of Baltimore and the opening of the Intercounty Connector. I thank her for her years of service.”
In addition to the milestones reached involving the Port of Baltimore and the ICC, during Ms. Swaim-Staley’s tenure she served as Maryland’s senior representative on the inter-jurisdictional effort to strengthen safety and improve the governance of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; oversaw the application of state-of-the-art technology to modernize customer service at the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration; improved reliability and on-time performance of the MARC commuter rail system; and, shepherded efforts required to maintain the fiscal health of both the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Maryland Transportation Authority that operates and maintains the State’s eight toll facilities.
As Secretary, Ms. Swaim-Staley directed initiatives to assure Maryland’s national prominence in the area of minority business development by enhancing the State’s Minority Business Enterprise Program. She also developed the first office within MDOT dedicated to comprehensively addressing equity and diversity issues. Ms. Swaim-Staley was recently named by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials as one of the nation’s most influential women in the transportation industry. In 2010, she was named by the Maryland Washington Minority Contractors’ Association as the Most Inclusive Government Leader of the Year for Minority Business Enterprise.
“It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Maryland throughout my professional career,” said Ms. Swaim-Staley. “I chose to make transportation the focus of my government service because I believe it is one of those key areas of government where you can make a positive impact on the lives of citizens across the state. I thank Governor O’Malley and the citizens of Maryland for this tremendous opportunity. I also thank the thousands of employees throughout MDOT who made our collective progress possible.”
SIGIR Audit Finds Some U.S. CERP Funds Went to Insurgents in Iraq
Funds from a $4 billion program intended to improve relations between the two countries were siphoned off by the enemy, a new audit finds. Eli Lake reports on why CERP was still called a success.
During the war in Iraq, battalion commanders were allocated packets of $100 bills and authorized to use them for anything from repairing a schoolhouse to paying off ex-rebels and paying blood money to the families of innocents killed by U.S. forces. But a new audit finds that in some cases that cash made its way to the pockets of the very insurgents the United States was trying to fight.
More
During the war in Iraq, battalion commanders were allocated packets of $100 bills and authorized to use them for anything from repairing a schoolhouse to paying off ex-rebels and paying blood money to the families of innocents killed by U.S. forces. But a new audit finds that in some cases that cash made its way to the pockets of the very insurgents the United States was trying to fight.
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Should Peace Prevail? Of Course!
When I contributed to the recently published Why Liberty, the assignment was easy. After all, liberty is a condition that men and women everywhere instinctively love and need, even if it isn’t always well-articulated. Liberty speaks to a way of self-government that is human-centered and fundamentally humane. Liberty defines human rights in a way that is supremely just, and liberty, by its very nature, is antithetical to force. Liberty is the natural condition of man, and most Americans share this ideal. Peace, on the other hand, for Americans born in the past 70 years, and for the millions of foreign subjects of the modern American empire, has not been part of their ideals, their ethics or their collective experience.
When we think of the Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and his work on individualism, libertarians and logicians alike chuckle at his claim that "Men must be forced to be free." Rousseau likely meant that we tend to be voluntarily enslaved by our governments and kings, and by our cultures and traditions. He was right on one aspect of human nature. We are often reluctant to give up our fantasies of the justness of our rulers, and the righteousness of our traditions.
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When we think of the Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and his work on individualism, libertarians and logicians alike chuckle at his claim that "Men must be forced to be free." Rousseau likely meant that we tend to be voluntarily enslaved by our governments and kings, and by our cultures and traditions. He was right on one aspect of human nature. We are often reluctant to give up our fantasies of the justness of our rulers, and the righteousness of our traditions.
More
Twitter Suspends Conservative Account, Liberal Foul Play Suspected
A not-so funny thing happened on the social media website Twitter Sunday.
As the Washington Times reports, the account of Chris Loesch, the husband of Tea Party leader and conservative writer Dana Loesch, was suspended by Twitter management due to what observers believe was foul play by liberal users of the website that don't like the couple's politics:
As the Washington Times reports, the account of Chris Loesch, the husband of Tea Party leader and conservative writer Dana Loesch, was suspended by Twitter management due to what observers believe was foul play by liberal users of the website that don't like the couple's politics:
Conservative
Chris Loesch, music producer and husband of radio host and CNN
contributor Dana Loesch, had his Twitter account suspended on Sunday. He
was apparently targeted by leftist users who utilized the "Block &
Report Spam" function to trigger the social media account's automatic
spam algorithm. He was notified of his suspension via an email from
Twitter claiming it was due to multiple unsolicited mentions to other
users. "You will need to change your behavior to continue using
Twitter," the email admonished.
"I never threatened anyone and am careful about being concise with what
I write especially in public," Mr. Loesch told The Washington Times.
"They were going to make me sign this note that said one more infraction
and I would be permanently banned. I wasn't going to do that so I wrote
emails to some of their people."
Let Mitt Romney Be Romney and the US Shall Be a Better Place
Romney begins to tell the story of Romney ... Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Friday began the process of introducing himself to a general election audience by peppering his stump speech with personal anecdotes aimed at helping the wealthy former venture capitalist connect with every day people. Speaking to students and staff at Otterbein University in central Ohio, Romney described his career as the head of Bain Capital, a private equity firm that he said provided the impetus for a number of successful start-ups, including the Staples office supply chain. In the 1990s, Romney said, most companies purchased their pens, paper clips, copy toner and other supplies from merchants who delivered straight to their offices but at high prices. Bain was considering a proposal from an entrepreneur to sell office supplies in bulk at discount prices. Though "experts" told him it was a bad idea, that no manager wanted to worry about making a shopping run for office supplies, Romney said he hired analysts to look into actual office supply purchases by companies and discovered that the firms were spending far more than they thought on office supplies. "And so after a lengthy analysis, we decided that we would invest in this office super store. It's called Staples," Romney said to murmurs of recognition. "It now employs ... I think 90,000 people." – CBS News
Dominant Social Theme: A technocrat shall lead them ...
Free-Market Analysis: An argument could be made that US President Barack Obama is typical of the kinds of rulers that the modern power elite is trying to install around the world.
Bloodless, calculating, shrewd and cautious (in an unctuous and ruthless way), Obama is the kind of leader that the elites are seeking out. We have seen similar emplacements in Greece, Italy and even Spain.
Mitt Romney is another in this mold. It is a technocratic assemblage. The idea at root is not to question the system itself but simply to make it work "better."
The idea is that systems are prone to entropy and that only skilled, judicious leaders can arrest the entropy, capture the anarchy and make unruly systems work. The reality is that nothing is what it seems when it comes to governance and that the world is in the grip of a power elite matrix, from what we can tell, that seeks to expand the current system.
The tools used are mostly within the context of what we call dominant social themes – fear-based mechanisms that tend to drive people into pre-determined globalist solutions.
More
Dominant Social Theme: A technocrat shall lead them ...
Free-Market Analysis: An argument could be made that US President Barack Obama is typical of the kinds of rulers that the modern power elite is trying to install around the world.
Bloodless, calculating, shrewd and cautious (in an unctuous and ruthless way), Obama is the kind of leader that the elites are seeking out. We have seen similar emplacements in Greece, Italy and even Spain.
Mitt Romney is another in this mold. It is a technocratic assemblage. The idea at root is not to question the system itself but simply to make it work "better."
The idea is that systems are prone to entropy and that only skilled, judicious leaders can arrest the entropy, capture the anarchy and make unruly systems work. The reality is that nothing is what it seems when it comes to governance and that the world is in the grip of a power elite matrix, from what we can tell, that seeks to expand the current system.
The tools used are mostly within the context of what we call dominant social themes – fear-based mechanisms that tend to drive people into pre-determined globalist solutions.
More
RFK Assassination Witness Tells CNN: There Was A Second Shooter
As a federal court prepares to rule on a challenge to Sirhan Sirhan's
conviction in the Robert F. Kennedy assassination, a long overlooked
witness to the murder is telling her story: She heard two guns firing
during the 1968 shooting and authorities altered her account of the
crime.
Nina Rhodes-Hughes wants
the world to know that, despite what history says, Sirhan was not the
only gunman firing shots when Kennedy was murdered a few feet away from
her at a Los Angeles hotel.
"What has to come out is
that there was another shooter to my right," Rhodes-Hughes said in an
exclusive interview with CNN. "The truth has got to be told. No more
cover-ups."
Her voice at times
becoming emotional, Rhodes-Hughes described for CNN various details of
the assassination, her long frustration with the official reporting of
her account and her reasons for speaking out: "I think to assist me in
healing -- although you're never 100% healed from that. But more
important to bring justice."
Early Interest Means Early Release for Navy SEAL's New Book
A new book written by a former Navy SEAL is garnering so much
attention the publisher has decided to move the release date up by four
months.
Retired Navy SEAL Rob DuBois, who lives in Spotsylvania, is the author of "Powerful Peace - A Navy SEAL's Lessons on Peace from a Lifetime at War."
DuBois says his publisher listed the book on Amazon for pre-order sales and an incredible response from people in academia, military and government ensued. The publisher then decided to change the release from October to June.
More
Retired Navy SEAL Rob DuBois, who lives in Spotsylvania, is the author of "Powerful Peace - A Navy SEAL's Lessons on Peace from a Lifetime at War."
DuBois says his publisher listed the book on Amazon for pre-order sales and an incredible response from people in academia, military and government ensued. The publisher then decided to change the release from October to June.
More
Unstable Ground: The Fine Line Between Self-Defense and Murder
Daniel Adkins knew his son would never leave Lady. So when animal
control officers showed up at the door with Daniel Jr.'s yellow lab in
tow, "I felt like he was calling out to me for help."
Something was definitely wrong.
Adkins and his wife,
Antonia, had searched the neighborhood just hours earlier, tracing their
missing son's footsteps down two miles of dusty road to a cluster of
strip malls. But they didn't make it as far as the Taco Bell. If they
had, they would have come across the flashing police lights and the body
of Daniel Jr., lying on the asphalt by the drive-thru window, with Lady
by his side.
The next morning brought
two police detectives bearing news that Daniel Jr., who was 29 but had
the mental capacity of a 13-year-old, had been shot and killed. The
shooter said he acted in self-defense. He has not been charged.
Austerity Staggers, Germany Blows Up?
Hollande's 'Growth Bloc' spells end of German hegemony in Europe ... For two years Germany has had its way in Europe, treating historic nations much as Bismarck treated Bavaria – sovereign only in name ... The French-led counter-attack and rumblings of revolt through every branch of the EU institutions last week have brought this aberrant phase of the eurozone crisis to an abrupt end ... "If I am elected president, there will be a change in Europe's construction. We're not just any country: we can change the situation," he said. European allies are flocking to his cause from left and right, he claims. Not even Austria supports Germany's austerity drive any longer. This then is the birth of a Euroland growth bloc with well over 200m people and a commanding majority vote in the European Council, a defining moment in this saga. Mario Draghi at the European Central Bank is quickly bending to the new political dispensation with calls for a "Growth Compact". The Commission - liberated at last - is finding ways to "extend deadlines" on fiscal targets. – UK Telegraph
Dominant Social Theme: Everything is under control, and EU austerity is working ...
Free-Market Analysis: Here's another winning analysis from UK Telegraph columnist Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, in our view. As spectacularly wrong as he was about Spain avoiding a collapse (and we called him on it then, months ago) so we think he's correct about the demise of austerity in Europe.
This will be a big blow to the one-world government plans by the elites that have seemingly been moving quickly to secure a more integrated world in all aspects, legislative, judicial, monetarily and militarily.
They use fear-based dominant social themes to generate these preferred consequences. People are to be prevailed upon to give up power and wealth to globalist institutions as a result of these faux, fear-based promotions.
The result? Such a world would be a nightmare, with all moving parts converging at once. A depression in one part of the world would extend to all parts; a war in one region would manifest itself globally.
More
Dominant Social Theme: Everything is under control, and EU austerity is working ...
Free-Market Analysis: Here's another winning analysis from UK Telegraph columnist Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, in our view. As spectacularly wrong as he was about Spain avoiding a collapse (and we called him on it then, months ago) so we think he's correct about the demise of austerity in Europe.
This will be a big blow to the one-world government plans by the elites that have seemingly been moving quickly to secure a more integrated world in all aspects, legislative, judicial, monetarily and militarily.
They use fear-based dominant social themes to generate these preferred consequences. People are to be prevailed upon to give up power and wealth to globalist institutions as a result of these faux, fear-based promotions.
The result? Such a world would be a nightmare, with all moving parts converging at once. A depression in one part of the world would extend to all parts; a war in one region would manifest itself globally.
More
PRICELESS
Working people frequently ask retired people what they do to make their days interesting. Well, for example, the other day, Barbara, my wife and I went into town and visited a shop.When we came out, there was a meter cop writing out a parking ticket. We went up to her and I said, 'Come on, how about giving a senior citizen a break?'
She ignored us and continued writing the ticket.
I called her a "jerk" . She glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn-out tires.
So Barbara called her a "ticket Nazi". She finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first.
Then she started writing more tickets. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more we abused her, the more tickets she wrote.
Just then our bus arrived, and we got on it and went home.
We always look for cars with "OBAMA 2012 stickers.
We try to have a little fun each day now that we're retired. It's important at our age.
Party Favors Could Injure Kids
Following an injury to a child, Prince William County's fire department is warning parents about a common party favor.
The favors, commonly called "party snaps" or "party poppers," are designed to make a small bang when thrown against the ground. However, a young student was injured by one after they were passed around an elementary school.
Fire Battalion Chief Curtis Brodie says party snaps should not be used by kids without adult supervision.
More
The favors, commonly called "party snaps" or "party poppers," are designed to make a small bang when thrown against the ground. However, a young student was injured by one after they were passed around an elementary school.
Fire Battalion Chief Curtis Brodie says party snaps should not be used by kids without adult supervision.
More
Bennett Coach Putting The "I" In Teamwork
I have a family member who attends Bennett High School. He has been playing baseball since he was 4 years old, because he loves it. Now in high school he is a member of the team but rarely plays, because his family are not personal friends with the coach. He has attended every practice and every game, he paid his money to be on the team, his family travels to every game no matter where the team plays.
He is not the only young man who is sitting the bench. Shouldn’t every member of the team get a chance to play? How can the coach possibly know what each person needs to work on if he doesn’t see them perform? If the coach is supposed to be teaching them, what are they learning?
If the team has too many players, why did they make the team and have to pay money to sit the bench? What are these kids learning when the score is 15 to 3 in the 4th inning and they still don’t get to play. I can see the frustration on their faces and as a family member it really hurts to see someone you love become so disinterested in something they have loved to do for most of their life….
Teachers like these are the reason so many young people give up on dreams.
He is not the only young man who is sitting the bench. Shouldn’t every member of the team get a chance to play? How can the coach possibly know what each person needs to work on if he doesn’t see them perform? If the coach is supposed to be teaching them, what are they learning?
If the team has too many players, why did they make the team and have to pay money to sit the bench? What are these kids learning when the score is 15 to 3 in the 4th inning and they still don’t get to play. I can see the frustration on their faces and as a family member it really hurts to see someone you love become so disinterested in something they have loved to do for most of their life….
Teachers like these are the reason so many young people give up on dreams.
U.S. March Personal Incomes Rise, Consumers Save More
U.S. household income rose in March by the most in three months but consumers socked away part of the extra cash and only modestly increased spending, suggesting economic growth ended the first quarter on a soft note.
The Commerce Department said on Monday consumer income rose 0.4 percent last month. Analysts had expected a gain of 0.3 percent. After-tax income climbed 0.2 percent in March when accounting for higher prices.
Consumer spending rose 0.3 percent last month, also just below the median forecast in a Reuters poll of 0.4 percent.
When taking into account inflation, which has been fed in recent months by higher gasoline prices, spending was up 0.1 percent.
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Officer Regina Tasca Goes 'Rogue'
Regina Tasca is a "rogue cop" – and God bless her for it.
Tasca is in the middle of disciplinary hearings that may result in her termination from the Bogota, New Jersey Police Department. She stands accused of "bizarre and outlandish" behavior in two incidents a year ago during which she revealed herself to be "A danger to other police officers."
Her first supposed offense – which wasn't mentioned until after the second – was a failure to assist another officer who was "attacked" by a drunken woman who was roughly half his weight and barely five feet tall. Her second was was to intervene when a police officer from another jurisdiction viciously assaulted an emotionally troubled young man who was not suspected of a crime.
"I consider myself a peace officer," Tasca told Pro Libertate. "My thing is to help make sure that people are safe, and that they don’t have a reason to fear the police – that we treat them like human beings. The incident that started all of this was one in which I intervened to prevent excessive force against a kid who was the subject of a medical call, not a criminal suspect."
On April 29, 2011, Tasca was on patrol when she got a call for medical assistance. Former Bogota Council Member Tara Sharp, concerned about the erratic behavior of her 22-year-old son Kyle, called the police to take him to the hospital for a psychological evaluation. Requesting police intervention, particularly in cases of this kind, is never a good idea. Sharp was exceptionally fortunate that Officer Tasca was the first to respond: She has years of experience as an EMT and had just completed specialized training on situations involving psychologically disturbed people.
Once on the scene, Tasca acted quickly to calm down the distraught young man.
More
Tasca is in the middle of disciplinary hearings that may result in her termination from the Bogota, New Jersey Police Department. She stands accused of "bizarre and outlandish" behavior in two incidents a year ago during which she revealed herself to be "A danger to other police officers."
Her first supposed offense – which wasn't mentioned until after the second – was a failure to assist another officer who was "attacked" by a drunken woman who was roughly half his weight and barely five feet tall. Her second was was to intervene when a police officer from another jurisdiction viciously assaulted an emotionally troubled young man who was not suspected of a crime.
"I consider myself a peace officer," Tasca told Pro Libertate. "My thing is to help make sure that people are safe, and that they don’t have a reason to fear the police – that we treat them like human beings. The incident that started all of this was one in which I intervened to prevent excessive force against a kid who was the subject of a medical call, not a criminal suspect."
On April 29, 2011, Tasca was on patrol when she got a call for medical assistance. Former Bogota Council Member Tara Sharp, concerned about the erratic behavior of her 22-year-old son Kyle, called the police to take him to the hospital for a psychological evaluation. Requesting police intervention, particularly in cases of this kind, is never a good idea. Sharp was exceptionally fortunate that Officer Tasca was the first to respond: She has years of experience as an EMT and had just completed specialized training on situations involving psychologically disturbed people.
Once on the scene, Tasca acted quickly to calm down the distraught young man.
More
Why Men Go Nuts at Sporting Events
Screaming, smack talking, booing, crying and even praying are pretty
common sights at anyplace a group of men gather to watch sports -
whether it be at the stadium, a sports bar or even in a living room.
That sometimes extreme and crazy behavior is not their fault. They can blame steroids, the natural kind.
According to a new study by the University of Valencia in Spain, two hormones - testosterone and cortisol - increase in the bodies of male sports fans during an event.
More
That sometimes extreme and crazy behavior is not their fault. They can blame steroids, the natural kind.
According to a new study by the University of Valencia in Spain, two hormones - testosterone and cortisol - increase in the bodies of male sports fans during an event.
More
Red Cross Doctor Kidnapped in Pakistan Found Beheaded
The beheaded body of a kidnapped British doctor working for the
International Committee of the Red Cross was found by the roadside on
Sunday in the southwestern Pakistan city of Quetta, police and Red Cross
officials said.
Khalil Rasjed Dale, 60, was abducted by suspected militants on Jan 5 while on his way home from work.
"The ICRC condemns in the strongest possible terms this barbaric act," ICRC Director-General Yves Daccord said in a statement. "All of us at the ICRC and at the British Red Cross share the grief and outrage of Khalil's family and friends."
British Foreign Secretary William Hague also condemned the killing.
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Khalil Rasjed Dale, 60, was abducted by suspected militants on Jan 5 while on his way home from work.
"The ICRC condemns in the strongest possible terms this barbaric act," ICRC Director-General Yves Daccord said in a statement. "All of us at the ICRC and at the British Red Cross share the grief and outrage of Khalil's family and friends."
British Foreign Secretary William Hague also condemned the killing.
More
Bring Your Garden Plans & Dreams And Join Us TOMORROW
TOMORROW!
Design your Native Landscape
with Chris Pax!
Tuesday, May 1 at 5:30 pm
YUM Cafe/Chesapeake East, 501 W. Main Street, Salisbury
Bring your garden plans, your design dreams, and questions about those trouble spots in your landscape and join professional landscaper Chris Pax and the Lower Shore Land Trust tomorrow evening for an interactive presentation on Native Landscape Design!
Chris will give you guidance on effectively planning and designing your native landscape while working with your existing gardens and keeping in mind all of the fabulous native perennials, shrubs, and trees that will be available at our 5th Annual Native Plant Sale & Celebration. Garden newbies and experienced horticulturalists will discover beautiful native plant combinations and the secrets behind their effectiveness, gain practical skills for selecting native plants that will survive and thrive in your particular situation, and learn some of the amazing benefits native plants have for people, wildlife, and the environment.
This event is free, and we hope you'll bring friends!
To RSVP or for more information, call Christy at 410-641-4467.
Chris Pax is a landscape designer who specializes in planting design with native plants. She completed her Master's degree in sustainable landscape design from George Washington University, and worked several years as a Native Plant Specialist at ThorpeWood, in the Catoctin Mountains of Frederick County, MD. Currently she is a full-time designer of native plant landscapes, with clients in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and New York. She has taught classes at several community colleges as well as at Adkins Arboretum, and has served on the steering committee for the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council.
The native plant preorder deadline is only a few days away...
reserve your plants now for best selection!
Our 5th Annual Native Plant Sale & Celebration brings two
new and exciting changes:
Online Ordering
and TWO convenient dates & Locations!
Saturday, May 12, 9am - 1 pm
Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art,
909 S. Schumaker Drive, Salisbury
Preorders due May 4
Saturday, May 19, 9am - 1pm
Village Youth Center, 6 Asbury Ave, Crisfield
Preorders due May 11
Over 65 varieties of perennials, ferns, ornamental grasses, shrubs, and trees will be available to browse and buy, and you'll love our hand-selected garden packages -available by preorder only - including a Birds & Butterflies package, Shade garden package, Moisture-loving
garden package, Mother's Day package and a new Fragrant Garden package. Also, back by popular demand, we'll have our Heirloom & Organic Tomato package including8 seedlings grown by Greenbranch Organic Farm (pictured below)
Now is the time to preorder your native plants and garden packages!
Order Online
or print and mail our
Printable Preorder Form
You can also check out our 2012 Native Plant Guide for lots of photos and information to help you choose the right native plants for your landscape.
For more information about our Native Plant Sale & Celebration, preordering, sponsorship opportunities, and volunteer opportunities, call 410-641-4467 or email CHallman@lowershorelandtrust.org
The New Fire Boat Has Arrived In Salisbury
In typical Mayor Ireton fashion his entourage joined him for this momentous occasion. I did learn from the scene that although you and I would be required to get a Captain's License, the Fire Department is exempt from having to do so.
2012 Election: Obama Re-Election Team says Killing of Bin Laden Shows Deciciveness
The official White House photograph--taken as the raid on the Bin Laden
compound was unfolding--showed President Obama, and senior staffers,
riveted by a live video from Pakistan.
But now, just days from the anniversary of the al-Qaeda founder's death, the president's re-election team is reminding Americans who ordered the raid.
"Osama Bin Laden no longer walks on this planet because of that brave decision," says Robert Gibbs, the president's senior campaign advisor.
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Shortly afterward, the president said he didn't want to 'spike the football' over Bin Laden's killing.
But now, just days from the anniversary of the al-Qaeda founder's death, the president's re-election team is reminding Americans who ordered the raid.
"Osama Bin Laden no longer walks on this planet because of that brave decision," says Robert Gibbs, the president's senior campaign advisor.
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911 Center Safety Open House
911 Center Safety Open House
Location: Sussex County Emergency Operations Center, 21911 Rudder Lane, Georgetown, DE
Date of Occurrence: Thursday May 10, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Resume:
Georgetown, DE- Delaware State Police Sussex Communication Section along with the Fire and Ambulance Callboard of Sussex County will be hosting their 11th Annual 911 Open House Thursday May 10, 2012. The Open House will take place at the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center located at 21911 Rudder Lane, Georgetown Delaware. The safety event will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Approximately 500 children from the local school districts are expected to visit the 911 center on this day. They will be given a tour of the 911 center between the hours of 9 A.M. and 2 P.M. Students attending will learn important Safety tips and How and When to contact 911.
To promote public safety the following demonstrations, displays and activities will be available to the public: Bicycle and fire safety, including Smokey the Bear, Crash Dummies; Vince and Larry, and McGruff. Various units from the Delaware State Police, Local Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services will also be on display. This will provide hands on education for the students.
Last year's event had a very impressive turn out and we are expecting more of the same this year. For additional information concerning the 911 Open House please contact Bryan Schieferstein at (302)752-6142.
Location: Sussex County Emergency Operations Center, 21911 Rudder Lane, Georgetown, DE
Date of Occurrence: Thursday May 10, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Resume:
Georgetown, DE- Delaware State Police Sussex Communication Section along with the Fire and Ambulance Callboard of Sussex County will be hosting their 11th Annual 911 Open House Thursday May 10, 2012. The Open House will take place at the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center located at 21911 Rudder Lane, Georgetown Delaware. The safety event will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Approximately 500 children from the local school districts are expected to visit the 911 center on this day. They will be given a tour of the 911 center between the hours of 9 A.M. and 2 P.M. Students attending will learn important Safety tips and How and When to contact 911.
To promote public safety the following demonstrations, displays and activities will be available to the public: Bicycle and fire safety, including Smokey the Bear, Crash Dummies; Vince and Larry, and McGruff. Various units from the Delaware State Police, Local Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services will also be on display. This will provide hands on education for the students.
Last year's event had a very impressive turn out and we are expecting more of the same this year. For additional information concerning the 911 Open House please contact Bryan Schieferstein at (302)752-6142.
How to Loan Your Adult Child Money
The financial and emotional costs of lending money to an adult child runs high.
With credit markets still tight, it can be hard to secure a loan and many cash-strapped adult children are seeking help from the bank of mom and dad. Experts advise that parents do in fact act like a bank and set an interest rate (even if it is far less than a traditional bank rate) and create a payment plan.
But it can be a hard decision on whether to make the loan: You want to support your children, but you also want them to learn the lessons saving for what they want, and financial hardship, teaches.
“Parent-child loan arrangements can be great to help give kids a head start by buying a house, starting a business or going to school, and they can be a valuable part of many parents' estate plans,” says Alvi Aggarwal, an estate planning attorney with One Point One Legal in Alexandria, Va. “There are some legal and tax concerns, but it's easy to avoid major pitfalls by properly planning and carrying out the transaction.”
With credit markets still tight, it can be hard to secure a loan and many cash-strapped adult children are seeking help from the bank of mom and dad. Experts advise that parents do in fact act like a bank and set an interest rate (even if it is far less than a traditional bank rate) and create a payment plan.
But it can be a hard decision on whether to make the loan: You want to support your children, but you also want them to learn the lessons saving for what they want, and financial hardship, teaches.
“Parent-child loan arrangements can be great to help give kids a head start by buying a house, starting a business or going to school, and they can be a valuable part of many parents' estate plans,” says Alvi Aggarwal, an estate planning attorney with One Point One Legal in Alexandria, Va. “There are some legal and tax concerns, but it's easy to avoid major pitfalls by properly planning and carrying out the transaction.”
Why Do Teacher's Drink?
The following questions were in last year's GED examination.
These are genuine answers.
Q. Name the four seasons.
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar
Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists
Q. How is dew formed?
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire
Q. What causes the tides in the oceans?
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight.
Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed.
Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.
Q. What are steroids?
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs . (Shoot yourself now , there is little hope)
Q.. What happens to your body as you age?
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery. (So true)
Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A. Premature death.
Q. What is artificial insemination?
A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow.
Q. How can you delay milk turning sour?
A. Keep it in the cow. (Simple, but brilliant)
Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorised (e.g. the abdomen)?
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I, O, U ...
Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie.
Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
A. Nearby.
Q. What is the most common form of birth control?
A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium. (That would work)
Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section'.
A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome.
Q. What is a seizure?
A. A Roman Emperor. (Julius Seizure - I came, I saw, I had a fit)
Q. What is a terminal illness?
A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable)
Q. Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A. Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and they look like umbrellas.
Q. Use the word 'judicious' in a sentence to show you understand its meaning.
A. Hands that judicious can be soft as your face. (OMG)
Q. What does the word 'benign' mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight (brilliant!)
Q. What is a turbine?
A. Something an Arab or a Shreik wears on his head.
These are genuine answers.
Q. Name the four seasons.
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar
Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists
Q. How is dew formed?
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire
Q. What causes the tides in the oceans?
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight.
Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed.
Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.
Q. What are steroids?
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs . (Shoot yourself now , there is little hope)
Q.. What happens to your body as you age?
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.
Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery. (So true)
Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A. Premature death.
Q. What is artificial insemination?
A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow.
Q. How can you delay milk turning sour?
A. Keep it in the cow. (Simple, but brilliant)
Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorised (e.g. the abdomen)?
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I, O, U ...
Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie.
Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
A. Nearby.
Q. What is the most common form of birth control?
A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium. (That would work)
Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section'.
A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome.
Q. What is a seizure?
A. A Roman Emperor. (Julius Seizure - I came, I saw, I had a fit)
Q. What is a terminal illness?
A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable)
Q. Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A. Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and they look like umbrellas.
Q. Use the word 'judicious' in a sentence to show you understand its meaning.
A. Hands that judicious can be soft as your face. (OMG)
Q. What does the word 'benign' mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight (brilliant!)
Q. What is a turbine?
A. Something an Arab or a Shreik wears on his head.
2 Teen Girls Sunbathing on Pa. Road Struck by Car
BEAVER, Pa. (AP) - Police say two teenage girls who fell asleep while
sunbathing on a rural Pennsylvania road have been struck by a car.
The Beaver County Police Department tells WTAE-TV that 13-year-olds Samantha Schermanhorn and Kaylie George were hit by the vehicle Sunday afternoon.
Two of Samantha's cousins tell the station that their 19-year-old brother had stopped at a stop sign and made a turn before striking the girls with his car.
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The Beaver County Police Department tells WTAE-TV that 13-year-olds Samantha Schermanhorn and Kaylie George were hit by the vehicle Sunday afternoon.
Two of Samantha's cousins tell the station that their 19-year-old brother had stopped at a stop sign and made a turn before striking the girls with his car.
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The 2012 Salisbury Festival
Even though it was painfully obvious the attendance was down quite a bit this year, many still enjoyed a great weekend of entertainment and activities.
US Special Forces Help in Hunt for Warlord Kony
Deep in the jungle, this small, remote Central African village is
farther from the coast than any point on the continent. It's also where
three international armies have zeroed in on Joseph Kony, one of the
world's most wanted warlords.
Obo was the first place in the Central African Republic that Kony's Lord's Resistance Army attacked in 2008; today, it's one of four forward operating locations where U.S. special forces have paired up with local troops and Ugandan soldiers to seek out Kony, who is believed likely to be hiding out in the rugged terrain northwest of the town. For seven years he has been wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity after his forces cut a wide and bloody swath across several central African nations with rapes, abductions and killings.
Part of the LRA's success in eluding government forces has been its ability to slip back and forth over the porous borders of the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Congo. But since late last year, U.S. forces have been providing intelligence, looking at patterns of movement, and setting up better communications to link the countries' forces together so that they can better track the guerrilla force.
Obo was the first place in the Central African Republic that Kony's Lord's Resistance Army attacked in 2008; today, it's one of four forward operating locations where U.S. special forces have paired up with local troops and Ugandan soldiers to seek out Kony, who is believed likely to be hiding out in the rugged terrain northwest of the town. For seven years he has been wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity after his forces cut a wide and bloody swath across several central African nations with rapes, abductions and killings.
Part of the LRA's success in eluding government forces has been its ability to slip back and forth over the porous borders of the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Congo. But since late last year, U.S. forces have been providing intelligence, looking at patterns of movement, and setting up better communications to link the countries' forces together so that they can better track the guerrilla force.
BREAKING NEWS: Salisbury's New Fire Boat Has Arrived
The Mayor and selected people are on their way from Whitehaven on the new Fire Boat right now as we speak. I will deliver pictures of the real Fire Boat shortly. 
1992 Los Angeles Rodney King Riots Remembered 20 Years Later
Henry Keith Watson remembers April 29, 1992, as if it happened just last week. History won't allow him to forget it.
He was at home that day like thousands of others when he heard the news that was racing across Los Angeles: A jury with no black members had acquitted four police officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, a black man stopped for speeding nearly 14 months before.
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It was a day that marked the beginning of one of the
deadliest, most destructive race riots in the nation's history, and one
in which Watson's spur-of-the-moment decision to take part made him one
of the enduring faces of the violence.
He was at home that day like thousands of others when he heard the news that was racing across Los Angeles: A jury with no black members had acquitted four police officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, a black man stopped for speeding nearly 14 months before.
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BREAKING NEWS: Top EPA Official Resigns Over 'Crucify' Comment
Environmental official Al Armendariz resigns after suggesting the EPA should 'crucify' oil companies to make examples of them.
From Fox News
From Fox News
Sheriff Joe Releasing More On Obama
'I have no intention of resigning'
Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio finds himself under increasing attack as he prepares to release new findings in his investigation of President Obama’s eligibility for the state’s 2012 election ballot.
“I have no intention of resigning,” said Arpaio, who is running for his sixth term as sheriff of Maricopa County. “They forget I have a four-decades long career in federal law enforcement that includes having been a special agent for the FBI and having worked for the Drug Enforcement Agency in the United States, as well as in Argentina, Turkey and Mexico.”
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Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio finds himself under increasing attack as he prepares to release new findings in his investigation of President Obama’s eligibility for the state’s 2012 election ballot.
“I have no intention of resigning,” said Arpaio, who is running for his sixth term as sheriff of Maricopa County. “They forget I have a four-decades long career in federal law enforcement that includes having been a special agent for the FBI and having worked for the Drug Enforcement Agency in the United States, as well as in Argentina, Turkey and Mexico.”
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Want A Tee Shirt?
The first 5 people that come to 300 W. Main Street during the lunch hour today will get a free tee shirt.
Jim Quinn Explains Why We've Never Left The Recession
It is three and a half years since the Great Recession hit in 2008 with the collapse of our financial system caused by the Wall Street banks and their captured politician cronies in Washington D.C. Their mouthpieces in the mainstream media have been telling the American sheeple that we have been out of recession and in recovery since the 4th quarter of 2009. It truly has been a recovery for the Wall Street bankers and the mega-corporations that have laid off millions and opened new factories in the Far East while generating record profits and rewarding their executives with millions in bonuses. The stock market has doubled from its 2009 lows. All is well on Wall Street – not so much on Main Street.
The compliant non-questioning MSM reported that GDP in the 1st quarter rose 2.2%, less than expected. This pitiful government manipulated result confirms that we are back in recession. The first quarter had the huge benefit of fantastic weather, an extra day, and a supposed surge in jobs. And this is all we got? Take a good long hard look at this chart.
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The compliant non-questioning MSM reported that GDP in the 1st quarter rose 2.2%, less than expected. This pitiful government manipulated result confirms that we are back in recession. The first quarter had the huge benefit of fantastic weather, an extra day, and a supposed surge in jobs. And this is all we got? Take a good long hard look at this chart.
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FDA May Let Patients Buy Drugs Without Prescriptions
In a move that could help the government trim its burgeoning health care costs, the Food and Drug Administration
may soon permit Americans to obtain some drugs used to treat conditions
such as high blood pressure and diabetes without obtaining a
prescription.
The FDA says over-the-counter distribution would let patients get drugs for many common conditions without the time and expense of visiting a doctor, but medical providers call the change medically unsound and note that it also may mean that insurance no longer will pay for the drugs.
“The problem is medicine is just not that simple,” said Dr. Matthew Mintz, an internist at George Washington University Hospital. “You can’t just follow rules and weigh all the pros and cons. It needs to be individualized.”
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The FDA says over-the-counter distribution would let patients get drugs for many common conditions without the time and expense of visiting a doctor, but medical providers call the change medically unsound and note that it also may mean that insurance no longer will pay for the drugs.
“The problem is medicine is just not that simple,” said Dr. Matthew Mintz, an internist at George Washington University Hospital. “You can’t just follow rules and weigh all the pros and cons. It needs to be individualized.”
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US Companies Are Furiously Creating Jobs... Abroad
Whatever one thinks of the practical implications of the Kalecki equation (and as we pointed out a month ago, GMO's James Montier sure doesn't think much [18] particularly when one accounts for the ever critical issue of asset depreciation), it intuitively has one important implication: every incremental dollar of debt created at the public level during a time of stagnant growth (such as Q1 2012 as already shown earlier) should offset one dollar of deleveraging in the private sector. In turn, this should facilitate the growth of private America so it can eventually take back the reins of debt creation back from the public sector (and ostensibly help it delever, although that would mean running a surplus - something America has done only once in the post-war period). This growth would manifest itself directly by the hiring of Americans by US corporations, small, medium and large, who in turn, courtesy of their newly found job safety, would proceed to spend, and slowly but surely restart the frozen velocity of money which would then spur inflation, growth, public sector deleveraging, and all those other things we learn about in Econ 101. All of the above works... in theory. In practice, not so much. Because as the WSJ demonstrates, in the period 2009-2011, America's largest multinational companies: those who benefit the most from the public sector increasing its debt/GDP to the most since WWII, or just over 100% and rapidly rising, and thus those who should return the favor by hiring American workers, have instead hired three times as many foreigners as they have hired US workers. Those among us cynically inclined could say, correctly, that the US is incurring record levels of leverage to fund foreign leverage, foreign employment, and, most importantly, foreign leverage.
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Breitbart's Coroner Possibly Poisoned To Death
Michael Cormier, a respected forensic technician for the Los Angeles County Coroner, who likely worked on the autopsy of Andrew Breitbart, died under suspicious circumstances at his North Hollywood home April 20, the same day Breitbart’s cause of death was finally made public.
“There are mysterious circumstances surrounding his death,” said Elizabeth Espinosa, a news reporter for KTLA-TV. “We’re told detectives are looking into the possibility that he was poisoned by arsenic.”
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“There are mysterious circumstances surrounding his death,” said Elizabeth Espinosa, a news reporter for KTLA-TV. “We’re told detectives are looking into the possibility that he was poisoned by arsenic.”
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Maryland's Highest Court Says All Pit Bulls Are "Inherently Dangerous."
When pit bulls make the news, it's often for a vicious attack.
Animal advocates think their reputation is unfair, but the Maryland
Court of Appeals is keeping count with cases like Keyniya Harris in
mind.
"The dog came running after me because the door wasn't locked and he just came pushing the door open and running after me," said Harris.
Seven-year-old Keyniya has deep gashes in her leg after a pit bull in her Rosedale neighborhood pinned her down. It happened in October of last year.
She needed 40 stitches and she missed a month of school.
"All she can do is holler mommy, mommy it just hurts, leg just all gashed over. I never seen nothing like that in my life," said Loretta Harris, Keyniya’s mom.
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"The dog came running after me because the door wasn't locked and he just came pushing the door open and running after me," said Harris.
Seven-year-old Keyniya has deep gashes in her leg after a pit bull in her Rosedale neighborhood pinned her down. It happened in October of last year.
She needed 40 stitches and she missed a month of school.
"All she can do is holler mommy, mommy it just hurts, leg just all gashed over. I never seen nothing like that in my life," said Loretta Harris, Keyniya’s mom.
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The New Drug Of Choice In The White House, Federal Reserve And Treasury: Delusionol
If you just want to suppress the symptoms but leave the financial disease untouched, Delusionol (tm) is the drug of choice.
Inside sources are reporting that there's a new drug of choice circulating in the hallways of power--the White House, Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department--and it's a perfectly legal prescription psychotropic: Delusionol (tm). Delusionol works by activating the parts of the brain that replace cognition and reasoning with positive fantasies.
For example, a driver on Delusionol might run over a person in a wheelchair, bounce off a fire hydrant and send a baby carriage hurtling into a brick wall, and they would be happily convinced that they were an excellent driver.
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Inside sources are reporting that there's a new drug of choice circulating in the hallways of power--the White House, Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department--and it's a perfectly legal prescription psychotropic: Delusionol (tm). Delusionol works by activating the parts of the brain that replace cognition and reasoning with positive fantasies.
For example, a driver on Delusionol might run over a person in a wheelchair, bounce off a fire hydrant and send a baby carriage hurtling into a brick wall, and they would be happily convinced that they were an excellent driver.
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GOP Lawmaker: Eligibility Too Scary To Take On
In former Arizona House Speaker Kirk Adams, eligibility activist Tom
Ballantyne thought he had found a Republican ally who would champion the
Constitution by demanding a congressional investigation into Barack
Obama’s “natural-born citizen” status.
After all, Adams told Ballantyne he was so fierce a defender of the Constitution that he battled his state’s Republican governor in court to protect the legislature’s enumerated powers from executive-branch encroachment.
When it came to investigating Obama’s eligibility, however, Adams – who is now running for the U.S. House – said he feared Congress standing up to the chief executive would trigger “a constitutional crisis unlike one we’ve seen since perhaps the Civil War.”
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After all, Adams told Ballantyne he was so fierce a defender of the Constitution that he battled his state’s Republican governor in court to protect the legislature’s enumerated powers from executive-branch encroachment.
When it came to investigating Obama’s eligibility, however, Adams – who is now running for the U.S. House – said he feared Congress standing up to the chief executive would trigger “a constitutional crisis unlike one we’ve seen since perhaps the Civil War.”
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Rick Konrad To Join Wicomico County As Head Of Purchasing
Rick Konrad
As my two weeks closed out at my new position I decided that it was not a good fit for me and an opportunity presented itself to return to Wicomico County as the Head of Purchasing. I have seven years in with the County already (2003-2010) and will be “coming home” to work with my former colleagues and friends.Although I am sorry my opportunity in Delaware did not work out, I now get to remain i...n Salisbury, Maryland (my adopted home) and a place that I love to live, and be part of the solution to the County’s current difficult circumstances.Life takes some odd turns sometimes and I may never have had the chance to return to the organization I love unless I made the move to Delaware. This is truly a case in which in the end fate has had a hand and in which I have followed my heart. There will be some bad press over this but I know that in the end one has to take the path that God leads them on and look out for their family and themselves first and foremost. Worrying about what some writer or blogger says means very little to me and I am ever thankful to my family and friends for their support and love.
As my two weeks closed out at my new position I decided that it was not a good fit for me and an opportunity presented itself to return to Wicomico County as the Head of Purchasing. I have seven years in with the County already (2003-2010) and will be “coming home” to work with my former colleagues and friends.Although I am sorry my opportunity in Delaware did not work out, I now get to remain i...n Salisbury, Maryland (my adopted home) and a place that I love to live, and be part of the solution to the County’s current difficult circumstances.Life takes some odd turns sometimes and I may never have had the chance to return to the organization I love unless I made the move to Delaware. This is truly a case in which in the end fate has had a hand and in which I have followed my heart. There will be some bad press over this but I know that in the end one has to take the path that God leads them on and look out for their family and themselves first and foremost. Worrying about what some writer or blogger says means very little to me and I am ever thankful to my family and friends for their support and love.
Police Outraged By Court Ruling That Bars Them From Collecting DNA Samples
A major court decision could change the way police catch criminals
in Maryland. It’s a ruling that’s sparking outrage among public safety
officials.
Weijia Jiang has more on the DNA debate.
Police say that ruling makes it easier for repeat offenders to get away with their crimes.
A crime-solving tool is under fire in Maryland, and police say public safety is at stake.
“Our concern about the court’s ruling is that it’s going to impede us from being able to put certain bad guys behind bars that we’ve been able to put behind bars,” Elise Armacost, spokeswoman for the Baltimore County Police Department, said.
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Weijia Jiang has more on the DNA debate.
Police say that ruling makes it easier for repeat offenders to get away with their crimes.
A crime-solving tool is under fire in Maryland, and police say public safety is at stake.
“Our concern about the court’s ruling is that it’s going to impede us from being able to put certain bad guys behind bars that we’ve been able to put behind bars,” Elise Armacost, spokeswoman for the Baltimore County Police Department, said.
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McGuire's In Delmar Bailed Out Again
Tom McGuire was hit with another 25 charges last week and was once again released on bail. The McGuire's are facing a multitude of charges including Sex Abuse Minor, Sex Offense Second Degree, Unnatural Or Perverted Practice, Assault-First Degree, Child Abuse: 2nd Deg -Cust, Sex Abuse Minor, False Imprisonment and many other charges.
As the charges continue to rack up, so do the fees to bail them out of jail each time.
File Date:
04/27/2012Close Date:
Party Type:
Bond Remitter/BondsmanParty No.:1
Document Name:
Corporate Bail Bond posted by ABBA Bail Bond in the amount $3040.00 and Property
Bond posted by Sandra G. Thomas and Jeanne W. McGuire in the amount of $246,960.00, ReleaseFiled by BND001-ABBA Bail Bonds, BND002-Seneca Insurance Company, BND003-Sandra G. Thomas And Jeanne W. McGuire
Chief: Drones 'Certainly' Coming to Skies Over Beltway
WASHINGTON - Look up. Drones are "certainly" coming to the skies over
the Beltway in the next few years, one area police chief says.
The use of drones in the D.C. area became public information last week, after the Federal Aviation Administration released a list of agencies currently or previously permitted to use the unmanned aerial vehicles. It included many federal departments, such as Agriculture, Homeland Security and Energy as well as local organizations such as Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech.
"Drones will certainly have a purpose and a reason to be in this region in the next, coming years," said Fairfax County Police Chief David Rohrer, while speaking on WTOP's "Ask the Chief" program on Monday. "Just as a standpoint as an alternative for spotting traffic and sending information back to our VDOT Smart Traffic centers, and being able to observe backups."
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The use of drones in the D.C. area became public information last week, after the Federal Aviation Administration released a list of agencies currently or previously permitted to use the unmanned aerial vehicles. It included many federal departments, such as Agriculture, Homeland Security and Energy as well as local organizations such as Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech.
"Drones will certainly have a purpose and a reason to be in this region in the next, coming years," said Fairfax County Police Chief David Rohrer, while speaking on WTOP's "Ask the Chief" program on Monday. "Just as a standpoint as an alternative for spotting traffic and sending information back to our VDOT Smart Traffic centers, and being able to observe backups."
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With An Asterisk, WTC Is Back On Top In NYC
NEW YORK (AP) - One World Trade Center, the giant monolith being built to replace the twin towers destroyed in the Sept. 11 attacks, will lay claim to the title of New York City's tallest skyscraper on Monday. Workers will erect steel columns that will make its unfinished skeleton a little over 1,250 feet high, just enough to peak over the roof of the observation deck on the Empire State Building.
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Obama Aide Mum on Whether US Protecting Activist
A top White House aide on Sunday said President Barack Obama wants to
strike an "appropriate balance" between advancing human rights and
maintaining U.S. relations with China, the first public comments by the
administration on its potential involvement in harboring a Chinese
activist on the eve of diplomatic talks between the two world powers.
John Brennan, Obama's counterterrorism adviser, declined to provide details on the incident or say whether the activist, Chen Guangcheng, might be hiding in the U.S. embassy in Beijing as reported.
Chen, who has exposed forced abortions and sterilizations in villages as a result of China's one-child policy, escaped house arrest a week ago in Shandong province in eastern China. Chinese-based activists say he was driven away by supporters and then handed over to others who brought him to Beijing.
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John Brennan, Obama's counterterrorism adviser, declined to provide details on the incident or say whether the activist, Chen Guangcheng, might be hiding in the U.S. embassy in Beijing as reported.
Chen, who has exposed forced abortions and sterilizations in villages as a result of China's one-child policy, escaped house arrest a week ago in Shandong province in eastern China. Chinese-based activists say he was driven away by supporters and then handed over to others who brought him to Beijing.
More
Officials Probe Bronx SUV Accident That Killed 7
Three generations of a family died in a horrifying crash just a few
miles from home when the SUV they were traveling in plunged more than 50
feet off a highway overpass and into a ravine on the grounds of the
Bronx Zoo, killing all seven aboard, including three children.
"Sometimes you come upon events that are horrific and this is one of them," FDNY deputy Chief Ronald Werner said shortly after the crash.
Authorities were trying to determine what caused Sunday's accident that killed Jacob Nunez, 85, and Ana Julia Martinez, 81, both from the Dominican Republic, their daughters, Maria Gonzalez, 45, and Maria Nunez, 39, and three grandchildren. Police say Gonzalez was driving.
More
"Sometimes you come upon events that are horrific and this is one of them," FDNY deputy Chief Ronald Werner said shortly after the crash.
Authorities were trying to determine what caused Sunday's accident that killed Jacob Nunez, 85, and Ana Julia Martinez, 81, both from the Dominican Republic, their daughters, Maria Gonzalez, 45, and Maria Nunez, 39, and three grandchildren. Police say Gonzalez was driving.
More
Dog Found: UPDATE
Joe,
A male golden retriever ran into our building this morning. He's a very sweet,
friendly guy. We've been giving him food and water but are hoping to find his
owners to get him back home safe and sound. Would you please post this picture
of him? He is wearing a black collar with red and tan flowers on it. He has no
tags. He does have a rash/dry skin on his back above his tail. Thanks.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Strassel: The President Has a List
Try this thought experiment: You decide to donate money to Mitt
Romney. You want change in the Oval Office, so you engage in your
democratic right to send a check.
Several days later, President Barack Obama, the most powerful man on the planet, singles you out by name. His campaign brands you a Romney donor, shames you for "betting against America," and accuses you of having a "less-than-reputable" record. The message from the man who controls the Justice Department (which can indict you), the SEC (which can fine you), and the IRS (which can audit you), is clear: You made a mistake donating that money.
Are you worried?
Richard Nixon's "enemies list" appalled the country for the simple reason that presidents hold a unique trust. Unlike senators or congressmen, presidents alone represent all Americans. Their powers—to jail, to fine, to bankrupt—are also so vast as to require restraint. Any president who targets a private citizen for his politics is de facto engaged in government intimidation and threats. This is why presidents since Nixon have carefully avoided the practice.
More
Several days later, President Barack Obama, the most powerful man on the planet, singles you out by name. His campaign brands you a Romney donor, shames you for "betting against America," and accuses you of having a "less-than-reputable" record. The message from the man who controls the Justice Department (which can indict you), the SEC (which can fine you), and the IRS (which can audit you), is clear: You made a mistake donating that money.
Are you worried?
Richard Nixon's "enemies list" appalled the country for the simple reason that presidents hold a unique trust. Unlike senators or congressmen, presidents alone represent all Americans. Their powers—to jail, to fine, to bankrupt—are also so vast as to require restraint. Any president who targets a private citizen for his politics is de facto engaged in government intimidation and threats. This is why presidents since Nixon have carefully avoided the practice.
More
Adam Roop Throws 110% Towards Joe Albero For Mayor
Adam R Roop2 hours ago via mobile ·Well the cat, or in this case I should say the elephant, is out of the bag..Joe Ablero is running for Mayor of the City of Salisbury. And I support him 110% . No matter what your personal opinion is about Mr. Albero...can we all agree that he has an enormous amount of political knowledge and backing!?! Can we all agree that he is a highly successful business man!?! Can we all agree that he has alot of good ideas for the future of not just Salisbury but the Eastern Shore at large!?! These are all traits and experiences that can bring real change to a City and its citizens that desperately need it. Mr. Albero is a leader. One that can bring all walks of people and political parties to action. I will be sharing my personal plans moving forward this month with everyone, but for now I give props to Mr. Albero for going against the naysayers and standing up for what he believes in! #SalisburyUnite — with Joe Albero.
BREAKING NEWS:
Seven reportedly dead after van plunged off an overpass and into New York's Bronx Zoo
Secret Service Agent in Sex Scandal Lives in Md.
A Secret Service agent embroiled in the Colombia prostitution scandal lives in Anne Arundel County, NBC News and CNN are reporting.
The networks reported Friday that the agent lives in Severna Park.
Sources with knowledge of the investigation in contact with CNN identified the agent as Arthur Huntington. WBAL-TV 11 News found local land records that indicate a man with the same name listed on property in Severna Park; however, it was not immediately known whether that man is indeed the agent in question.
More
Andy Harris Endorses Mitt Romney for President
Harris Promotes Romney at GOP Convention
BEL AIR - Congressman Andy Harris has pledged his full support and efforts to help Mitt Romney win in November. “It is with great enthusiasm that I endorse Mitt Romney for President,” said Harris yesterday. He continued, “Mitt Romney has proven he is a great leader and a man of integrity during this primary election season. I know Mitt Romney will direct this country back on the right path to economic prosperity. I am proud to stand with Mitt Romney and ask Marylanders to stand with Mitt too,” Harris concluded.
'Civilization jihad' and Obama's connections
A new video series warns than an effort to overthrow the American
system already is well under way through the “civilization jihad” of the
Muslim Brotherhood, with the support of key U.S. government leaders,
including Barack Obama.
Radical Muslims have penetrated “team Obama,” according to the series, which examines six individuals who have been allowed into high positions. The consequent danger is “acute,” according to the video makers.
Included in the conversation are the White House, director of National Intelligence, State Department, Justice Department, the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and NASA.
More
Radical Muslims have penetrated “team Obama,” according to the series, which examines six individuals who have been allowed into high positions. The consequent danger is “acute,” according to the video makers.
Included in the conversation are the White House, director of National Intelligence, State Department, Justice Department, the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and NASA.
More
COLOR IS GOOD (Maxine)
Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.
My blood pressure was high.
My cholesterol was high.
I'd gained some weight,
and I didn't feel so hot.
My doctor said eating right doesn't
have to be complicated and it would
solve my physical problems.
He said:
Just think in colors.
Fill your plate with bright colors.
Try some greens, oranges, reds,
maybe something yellow, etc.
and eat an entire bowl of
bright colors.
My blood pressure was high.
My cholesterol was high.
I'd gained some weight,
and I didn't feel so hot.
My doctor said eating right doesn't
have to be complicated and it would
solve my physical problems.
He said:
Just think in colors.
Fill your plate with bright colors.
Try some greens, oranges, reds,
maybe something yellow, etc.
and eat an entire bowl of
bright colors.
The Beach Boys Preview Their First New Song in Two Decade
The Beach Boys have unveiled a clip of "That's Why God Made the Radio,"
the first single off their reunion album that's due to hit shelves this
summer. The group split in the late 1990s and toured in separate camps,
occasionally firing off nasty lawsuits at each other. Last year, they
decided to put the acrimony behind them and reunite for a tour. They've
spent the last few months at a Los Angeles studio working on their new
album.
PUBLIC NOTICE
FY13 Budget Sessions – Updated Schedule
The following is the Salisbury City Council’s FY13 Updated Budget schedule:
Monday April 30 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Debt Service & Other Uses
Room 306 Marina Fund
Parking Authority
SWED
Internal Services - Finance
Internal Services - Procurement
Internal Services - Human Resources
Lunch Break
Municipal Buildings – Poplar Hill Mansion
Government Office Building
Community Development
Planning & Zoning
Public Works - General Fund
Thursday May 3 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Water & Sewer Fund
Room 306 Water & Sewer Rates
Thursday May 10 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Personnel Committees - Police & Fire
Room 306
Monday May 14 6:00 p.m. Regular Council Meeting - Public Hearing on FY13
Council Chambers Budget; Constant Yield Tax Rate
Tuesday May 15 9:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Police Department
Room 306 Elections
City Attorney
Mayor’s Office
Community Promotions
Information Technology
General Discussion
Follow-up on outstanding issues
Thursday May 17 TBD General Discussion (if necessary)
Room 306 Follow-up on outstanding issues
Tuesday May 29 6:00 p.m. Regular Council Meeting - 2nd reading and adoption
Council Chambers of Budget; adoption of Water & Sewer rates
All questions may be directed to the entire council via email to
ALLCityCouncilMembers@ci.salisbury.md.us, or by calling the Office of the City Clerk at
(410) 548-3140.
The following is the Salisbury City Council’s FY13 Updated Budget schedule:
Monday April 30 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Debt Service & Other Uses
Room 306 Marina Fund
Parking Authority
SWED
Internal Services - Finance
Internal Services - Procurement
Internal Services - Human Resources
Lunch Break
Municipal Buildings – Poplar Hill Mansion
Government Office Building
Community Development
Planning & Zoning
Public Works - General Fund
Thursday May 3 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Water & Sewer Fund
Room 306 Water & Sewer Rates
Thursday May 10 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Personnel Committees - Police & Fire
Room 306
Monday May 14 6:00 p.m. Regular Council Meeting - Public Hearing on FY13
Council Chambers Budget; Constant Yield Tax Rate
Tuesday May 15 9:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Police Department
Room 306 Elections
City Attorney
Mayor’s Office
Community Promotions
Information Technology
General Discussion
Follow-up on outstanding issues
Thursday May 17 TBD General Discussion (if necessary)
Room 306 Follow-up on outstanding issues
Tuesday May 29 6:00 p.m. Regular Council Meeting - 2nd reading and adoption
Council Chambers of Budget; adoption of Water & Sewer rates
All questions may be directed to the entire council via email to
ALLCityCouncilMembers@ci.salisbury.md.us, or by calling the Office of the City Clerk at
(410) 548-3140.
Dog Means Life or Death for War-Wounded Vets
What happens when an 89-year-old prisoner of war from World War II is
put together with a service dog? The answer is changing the lives of
scores of wounded American veterans returning home from tours in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
Irwin Stovroff, founder of Vets Helping Heroes, said he witnessed first-hand how service dogs can save the lives of veterans. He explained he was motivated to start a foundation for the purpose since government funds were largely unavailable.
“What motivated me was the fact that I realized these young heroes were coming back and were going to have one tough life,” Stovroff told WND’s Aaron Klein in a radio interview. “They had so many handicaps, being blind, losing arms, having seizures, post traumatic stress disorder, and our government had no funds for dogs.”
More
Irwin Stovroff, founder of Vets Helping Heroes, said he witnessed first-hand how service dogs can save the lives of veterans. He explained he was motivated to start a foundation for the purpose since government funds were largely unavailable.
“What motivated me was the fact that I realized these young heroes were coming back and were going to have one tough life,” Stovroff told WND’s Aaron Klein in a radio interview. “They had so many handicaps, being blind, losing arms, having seizures, post traumatic stress disorder, and our government had no funds for dogs.”
More
The President Has A List
Barack Obama attempts to intimidate contributors to Mitt Romney's campaign.
Try this thought experiment: You decide to donate money to Mitt Romney. You want change in the Oval Office, so you engage in your democratic right to send a check.
Several days later, President Barack Obama, the most powerful man on the planet, singles you out by name. His campaign brands you a Romney donor, shames you for "betting against America," and accuses you of having a "less-than-reputable" record. The message from the man who controls the Justice Department (which can indict you), the SEC (which can fine you), and the IRS (which can audit you), is clear: You made a mistake donating that money.
Are you worried?
Richard Nixon's "enemies list" appalled the country for the simple reason that presidents hold a unique trust. Unlike senators or congressmen, presidents alone represent all Americans. Their powers—to jail, to fine, to bankrupt—are also so vast as to require restraint. Any president who targets a private citizen for his politics is de facto engaged in government intimidation and threats. This is why presidents since Nixon have carefully avoided the practice.
Save Mr. Obama, who acknowledges no rules. This past week, one of his campaign websites posted an item entitled "Behind the curtain: A brief history of Romney's donors." In the post, the Obama campaign named and shamed eight private citizens who had donated to his opponent. Describing the givers as all having "less-than-reputable records," the post went on to make the extraordinary accusations that "quite a few" have also been "on the wrong side of the law" and profiting at "the expense of so many Americans."
These are people like Paul Schorr and Sam and Jeffrey Fox, investors who the site outed for the crime of having "outsourced" jobs. T. Martin Fiorentino is scored for his work for a firm that forecloses on homes. Louis Bacon (a hedge-fund manager), Kent Burton (a "lobbyist") and Thomas O'Malley (an energy CEO) stand accused of profiting from oil. Frank VanderSloot, the CEO of a home-products firm, is slimed as a "bitter foe of the gay rights movement."
These are wealthy individuals, to be sure, but private citizens nonetheless. Not one holds elected office. Not one is a criminal.
"We don't tolerate presidents or people of high power to do these things," says Theodore Olson, the former U.S. solicitor general. "When you have the power of the presidency—the power of the IRS, the INS, the Justice Department, the DEA, the SEC—what you have effectively done is put these guys' names up on 'Wanted' posters in government offices." Mr. Olson knows these tactics, having demanded that the 44th president cease publicly targeting Charles and David Koch of Koch Industries, which he represents. He's been ignored.
The real crime of the men, as the website tacitly acknowledges, is that they have given money to Mr. Romney. This fundraiser of a president has shown an acute appreciation for the power of money to win elections, and a cutthroat approach to intimidating those who might give to his opponents.
He's targeted insurers, oil firms and Wall Street—letting it be known that those who oppose his policies might face political or legislative retribution. He lectured the Supreme Court for giving companies more free speech and (falsely) accused the Chamber of Commerce of using foreign money to bankroll U.S. elections. The White House even ginned up an executive order (yet to be released) to require companies to list political donations as a condition of bidding for government contracts. Companies could bid but lose out for donating to Republicans. Or they could quit donating to the GOP—Mr. Obama's real aim.
The White House has couched its attacks in the language of "disclosure" and the argument that corporations should not have the same speech rights as individuals. But now, says Rory Cooper of the Heritage Foundation, "he's doing the same at the individual level, for anyone who opposes his policies." Any giver, at any level, risks reprisal from the president of the United States.
It's getting worse because the money game is not going as Team Obama wants. Super PACs are helping the GOP to level the playing field against Democratic super-spenders. Prominent financial players are backing Mr. Romney. The White House's new strategy is thus to delegitimize Mr. Romney (by attacking his donors) as it seeks to frighten others out of giving.
The Obama campaign has justified any action on the grounds that it has a right to "hold the eventual Republican nominee accountable," but this is a dodge. Politics is rough, but a president has obligations that transcend those of a candidate. He swore an oath to protect and defend a Constitution that gives every American the right to partake in democracy, free of fear of government intimidation or disfavored treatment. If Mr. Obama isn't going to act like a president, he bolsters the argument that he doesn't deserve to be one.
Source
Try this thought experiment: You decide to donate money to Mitt Romney. You want change in the Oval Office, so you engage in your democratic right to send a check.
Several days later, President Barack Obama, the most powerful man on the planet, singles you out by name. His campaign brands you a Romney donor, shames you for "betting against America," and accuses you of having a "less-than-reputable" record. The message from the man who controls the Justice Department (which can indict you), the SEC (which can fine you), and the IRS (which can audit you), is clear: You made a mistake donating that money.
Are you worried?
Richard Nixon's "enemies list" appalled the country for the simple reason that presidents hold a unique trust. Unlike senators or congressmen, presidents alone represent all Americans. Their powers—to jail, to fine, to bankrupt—are also so vast as to require restraint. Any president who targets a private citizen for his politics is de facto engaged in government intimidation and threats. This is why presidents since Nixon have carefully avoided the practice.
Save Mr. Obama, who acknowledges no rules. This past week, one of his campaign websites posted an item entitled "Behind the curtain: A brief history of Romney's donors." In the post, the Obama campaign named and shamed eight private citizens who had donated to his opponent. Describing the givers as all having "less-than-reputable records," the post went on to make the extraordinary accusations that "quite a few" have also been "on the wrong side of the law" and profiting at "the expense of so many Americans."
These are people like Paul Schorr and Sam and Jeffrey Fox, investors who the site outed for the crime of having "outsourced" jobs. T. Martin Fiorentino is scored for his work for a firm that forecloses on homes. Louis Bacon (a hedge-fund manager), Kent Burton (a "lobbyist") and Thomas O'Malley (an energy CEO) stand accused of profiting from oil. Frank VanderSloot, the CEO of a home-products firm, is slimed as a "bitter foe of the gay rights movement."
These are wealthy individuals, to be sure, but private citizens nonetheless. Not one holds elected office. Not one is a criminal.
"We don't tolerate presidents or people of high power to do these things," says Theodore Olson, the former U.S. solicitor general. "When you have the power of the presidency—the power of the IRS, the INS, the Justice Department, the DEA, the SEC—what you have effectively done is put these guys' names up on 'Wanted' posters in government offices." Mr. Olson knows these tactics, having demanded that the 44th president cease publicly targeting Charles and David Koch of Koch Industries, which he represents. He's been ignored.
The real crime of the men, as the website tacitly acknowledges, is that they have given money to Mr. Romney. This fundraiser of a president has shown an acute appreciation for the power of money to win elections, and a cutthroat approach to intimidating those who might give to his opponents.
He's targeted insurers, oil firms and Wall Street—letting it be known that those who oppose his policies might face political or legislative retribution. He lectured the Supreme Court for giving companies more free speech and (falsely) accused the Chamber of Commerce of using foreign money to bankroll U.S. elections. The White House even ginned up an executive order (yet to be released) to require companies to list political donations as a condition of bidding for government contracts. Companies could bid but lose out for donating to Republicans. Or they could quit donating to the GOP—Mr. Obama's real aim.
The White House has couched its attacks in the language of "disclosure" and the argument that corporations should not have the same speech rights as individuals. But now, says Rory Cooper of the Heritage Foundation, "he's doing the same at the individual level, for anyone who opposes his policies." Any giver, at any level, risks reprisal from the president of the United States.
It's getting worse because the money game is not going as Team Obama wants. Super PACs are helping the GOP to level the playing field against Democratic super-spenders. Prominent financial players are backing Mr. Romney. The White House's new strategy is thus to delegitimize Mr. Romney (by attacking his donors) as it seeks to frighten others out of giving.
The Obama campaign has justified any action on the grounds that it has a right to "hold the eventual Republican nominee accountable," but this is a dodge. Politics is rough, but a president has obligations that transcend those of a candidate. He swore an oath to protect and defend a Constitution that gives every American the right to partake in democracy, free of fear of government intimidation or disfavored treatment. If Mr. Obama isn't going to act like a president, he bolsters the argument that he doesn't deserve to be one.
Source
NYT: Tide Has Cancer Causing Chemical
Could a popular laundry brand cause cancer?
According to the New York Times, Tide laundry detergent contains trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane, a cancer causing chemical. Tests run by an environmental group, Women's Voices for the Earth found small amounts of the dioxane in Tide Free and Gental and Tide Original Scent. A Procter and Gamble toxicologist says the amount of the chemical in Tide is well below the safety risk level.
More
According to the New York Times, Tide laundry detergent contains trace amounts of 1,4-dioxane, a cancer causing chemical. Tests run by an environmental group, Women's Voices for the Earth found small amounts of the dioxane in Tide Free and Gental and Tide Original Scent. A Procter and Gamble toxicologist says the amount of the chemical in Tide is well below the safety risk level.
More
Conway Isn't Looking Out For Wicomico County
Wicomico County is facing a pretty bleak budget. While you may be tempted to blame the County Council or County Executive Rick Pollitt for the budget mess, save your ire for the person who really deserves it: Delegate Norman Conway. His actions in Annapolis during this year's legislative session are largely responsible for the deplorable county budget we face today.
As he reminds us every election year, Conway is chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the House of Delegates. That's the committee responsible for the spending bills in that chamber. Besides the speaker of the House, there is no delegate more powerful than Conway when it comes to spending.
Instead of using his power to help Wicomico County cope with the recession that has reduced local tax revenue, Conway made the local fiscal situation worse by supporting a stricter education maintenance of effort requirement for our county government. Thanks to the maintenance of effort mandate, the state is imposing a new $14 million burden on the county this year.
This $14 million mandate wipes out any chance for a new Bennett Middle School. It means income and local property taxes have to be raised to the maximum extent possible. It means the county pension plan cannot be properly funded. It means roads will go unpaved. It means our county will have to spend down its reserves to almost nothing.
Conway's supporters may say he was not the author of the maintenance of effort legislation signed into law. True enough, but he and Delegate Rudy Cane were the only Eastern Shore lawmakers who voted for it. Furthermore, Conway introduced a similar maintenance of effort bill this session. That legislation was passed by the House of Delegates and would have imposed the same kind of fiscal burden on the county.
More
As he reminds us every election year, Conway is chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the House of Delegates. That's the committee responsible for the spending bills in that chamber. Besides the speaker of the House, there is no delegate more powerful than Conway when it comes to spending.
Instead of using his power to help Wicomico County cope with the recession that has reduced local tax revenue, Conway made the local fiscal situation worse by supporting a stricter education maintenance of effort requirement for our county government. Thanks to the maintenance of effort mandate, the state is imposing a new $14 million burden on the county this year.
This $14 million mandate wipes out any chance for a new Bennett Middle School. It means income and local property taxes have to be raised to the maximum extent possible. It means the county pension plan cannot be properly funded. It means roads will go unpaved. It means our county will have to spend down its reserves to almost nothing.
Conway's supporters may say he was not the author of the maintenance of effort legislation signed into law. True enough, but he and Delegate Rudy Cane were the only Eastern Shore lawmakers who voted for it. Furthermore, Conway introduced a similar maintenance of effort bill this session. That legislation was passed by the House of Delegates and would have imposed the same kind of fiscal burden on the county.
More
SU MEN’S LAX BEATS STEVENSON (AGAIN) FOR CONFERENCE TITLE
In another exciting game, the Gulls lead most of the way in a 12-9 win over the Mustangs at Sea Gull Stadium – the second in 2 weeks -- but this time not as close or exciting as the earlier victory on a goal with just a few seconds left at Stevenson.
SU’s age-experience proved decisive against a very good but younger squad that may play here again in the NCAA playoffs.
Corey Nowak scored with several sizzler shots at ground level that really sparked the team, and the defense was stellar. More details to come.
This win should give the Gulls the top seed and its home-field advantage in the playoffs leading to the championship game in Massachusetts.
Lost Dog
I found a female siberian husky last night and have her at my house. She does not have a collar or tag to help locate her owner and animal control does not come out for a loose dog. She was in the middle of the road and almost got hit several times before we could get her in my car. I cannot keep her as I already have a large dog. Please call me and identify her and I will make arrangements to get her back to her owner. 443-235-3920.
Life Is Better In Jail
Inmate brags about living better in jail than when he was free. You tube censored the original video or closed the account, either way where there is a will theres a way!
Elizabeth Smart Shares Harrowing Tale of Abuse
Elizabeth Smart is sharing her harrowing tale
of physical and emotional abuse turned into survival and hope, saying
she's ready to break her silence in an effort to help others.
Smart, 24, was kidnapped at the age 14, taken from her bedroom in 2002, found and returned home nine months later. On Friday, she visited Maryland to share her story with others at Cherish the Child, the eighth-annual Child Protection Awareness Event.
Sharing incredibly personal details about the most horrific time of her life, Smart talked about her kidnapping before a sold-out crowd of 700 people who converged on the New Life Center at Mountain Christian Church in Harford County.
More
Smart, 24, was kidnapped at the age 14, taken from her bedroom in 2002, found and returned home nine months later. On Friday, she visited Maryland to share her story with others at Cherish the Child, the eighth-annual Child Protection Awareness Event.
Sharing incredibly personal details about the most horrific time of her life, Smart talked about her kidnapping before a sold-out crowd of 700 people who converged on the New Life Center at Mountain Christian Church in Harford County.
More
Who’s Afraid Of Maryland’s ‘Doomsday’ Budget?
TWO SPECIAL SESSIONS! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE. THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE HAVE ONE CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY - AND THAT IS TO PASS A BALANCED BUDGET DURING THE 90 DAY SESSION. NOW THE GOVERNOR WANTS TWO SPECIAL SESSIONS SO THAT THEY CAN INCREASE SPENDING BY AN ADDITIONAL $500 MILLION OVER AND ABOVE THE $700 MILLION INCREASE IN THE SO-CALLED “DOOMSDAY” BUDGET… AND IN ADDITION TO TRY TO RAM THE GAMBLING BILL THROUGH, SO IT CAN BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
REPUBLICANS NEED TO BE VERY VOCAL IN DISPUTING THE DEMOCRAT AND MEDIA SPIN THAT THE DOOMSDAY BUDGET CUTS SPENDING BY $500 MILLION, WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY JUST A REDUCTION IN O’MALLEY’S PROPOSED $1.2 BILLION INCREASE.
Who’s afraid of Maryland’s ‘doomsday’ budget?
By Editorial Board, Friday, April 27, 12:44 AM
MARYLAND LAWMAKERS have made such a mess of the people’s business that it now looks like it will take two special legislative sessions in Annapolis, not just one, to straighten things out. But really, there’s a simpler solution: Do nothing.
We’re being facetious, but only slightly. The truth is that if lawmakers in the General Assembly were to stay home and skip the special sessions, the effect would be to cancel plans for a tax increase; spare the state a senseless expansion of casino gambling; eliminate some dubious spending programs; and ensure that Maryland’s $35 billion budget still manages to grow by a respectable $700 million, about 2 percent.
None of that sounds exactly like doomsday. Nonetheless, the Democrats who dominate the legislature insist that returning to Annapolis is obligatory to prevent what they refer to as a “doomsday” budget — a default spending plan whose $500 million in cuts to certain programs were designed to be distasteful to Democrats and the interest groups that support them. A second special session would deal with proposals to add table games at existing casinos and to authorize construction of a new casino.
The doomsday budget came into play when lawmakers, distracted by ego contests among their leadership and a proposal to expand casino gambling, failed to adopt related tax and spending bills as the clock ran out on their regular legislative session this month. That failure scuttled a bill to increase taxes on individuals making more than $100,000 a year (and families clearing $150,000) and one to shift part of the cost of teachers’ pensions to localities from the state, which until now has paid the full tab.
When lawmakers rubbed their eyes the next day, they discovered the doomsday plan amid the wreckage — more than $200 million in cuts to schools; reduced aid to state universities and community colleges; and the elimination of funds for police, libraries and state employees, who’d lose their first pay increase in several years.
The doomsday budget would inflict some pain to schools, particularly in Prince George’s County, Baltimore City and some other relatively poor systems. But not all the reductions would cut very deeply, and some would be an improvement. For instance, it would be an excellent thing to scrap the $12 million slush funds that lawmakers use to hand out scholarships to the children of their constituents and donors.
The funding cuts for state universities would result in higher-than-planned tuition and fees — but would probably leave the schools competitive with comparable institutions in the Mid-Atlantic. And the state would survive if it scrubbed $10.4 million for stem cell research and $8 million in tax credits for biotechnology.
Restoring those programs would require tax increases on people barely beyond the middle class. Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) argues that Maryland has one of the nation’s lowest state and local tax burdens as a percentage of income, owing to the state’s relative wealth. But the fact remains that its taxes remain very high in nominal terms, and Maryland, which competes with Virginia for jobs, can ill afford to undercut its competitive standing by reinforcing its reputation for soaking the rich.
If Mr. O’Malley and lawmakers are intent on returning to Annapolis to fix the budget and fiddle with taxes, their best course would be a minimalist one — restoring some school funding and leaving the rest alone. As for a separate session to add a sixth casino before the five previously authorized ones have all been built, what a waste of time.
REPUBLICANS NEED TO BE VERY VOCAL IN DISPUTING THE DEMOCRAT AND MEDIA SPIN THAT THE DOOMSDAY BUDGET CUTS SPENDING BY $500 MILLION, WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY JUST A REDUCTION IN O’MALLEY’S PROPOSED $1.2 BILLION INCREASE.
Who’s afraid of Maryland’s ‘doomsday’ budget?
By Editorial Board, Friday, April 27, 12:44 AM
MARYLAND LAWMAKERS have made such a mess of the people’s business that it now looks like it will take two special legislative sessions in Annapolis, not just one, to straighten things out. But really, there’s a simpler solution: Do nothing.
We’re being facetious, but only slightly. The truth is that if lawmakers in the General Assembly were to stay home and skip the special sessions, the effect would be to cancel plans for a tax increase; spare the state a senseless expansion of casino gambling; eliminate some dubious spending programs; and ensure that Maryland’s $35 billion budget still manages to grow by a respectable $700 million, about 2 percent.
None of that sounds exactly like doomsday. Nonetheless, the Democrats who dominate the legislature insist that returning to Annapolis is obligatory to prevent what they refer to as a “doomsday” budget — a default spending plan whose $500 million in cuts to certain programs were designed to be distasteful to Democrats and the interest groups that support them. A second special session would deal with proposals to add table games at existing casinos and to authorize construction of a new casino.
The doomsday budget came into play when lawmakers, distracted by ego contests among their leadership and a proposal to expand casino gambling, failed to adopt related tax and spending bills as the clock ran out on their regular legislative session this month. That failure scuttled a bill to increase taxes on individuals making more than $100,000 a year (and families clearing $150,000) and one to shift part of the cost of teachers’ pensions to localities from the state, which until now has paid the full tab.
When lawmakers rubbed their eyes the next day, they discovered the doomsday plan amid the wreckage — more than $200 million in cuts to schools; reduced aid to state universities and community colleges; and the elimination of funds for police, libraries and state employees, who’d lose their first pay increase in several years.
The doomsday budget would inflict some pain to schools, particularly in Prince George’s County, Baltimore City and some other relatively poor systems. But not all the reductions would cut very deeply, and some would be an improvement. For instance, it would be an excellent thing to scrap the $12 million slush funds that lawmakers use to hand out scholarships to the children of their constituents and donors.
The funding cuts for state universities would result in higher-than-planned tuition and fees — but would probably leave the schools competitive with comparable institutions in the Mid-Atlantic. And the state would survive if it scrubbed $10.4 million for stem cell research and $8 million in tax credits for biotechnology.
Restoring those programs would require tax increases on people barely beyond the middle class. Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) argues that Maryland has one of the nation’s lowest state and local tax burdens as a percentage of income, owing to the state’s relative wealth. But the fact remains that its taxes remain very high in nominal terms, and Maryland, which competes with Virginia for jobs, can ill afford to undercut its competitive standing by reinforcing its reputation for soaking the rich.
If Mr. O’Malley and lawmakers are intent on returning to Annapolis to fix the budget and fiddle with taxes, their best course would be a minimalist one — restoring some school funding and leaving the rest alone. As for a separate session to add a sixth casino before the five previously authorized ones have all been built, what a waste of time.
The Banality Of Tyranny
German-Jewish (and eventually naturalized American) philosopher Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) outraged the Left with her definitive account of modern tyranny, The Origins of Totalitarianism.
Written in 1951 when Stalin was still ruling the Soviet Union and worshipped by the Left, it exposed with ruthless logic and evidence the essential sameness between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Nazism and Communism were just two sides of the same tyrannical coin, said Arendt, not opposites of Right and Left.
The world's leftist intellectuals never forgave her, and so were scandalized again in 1963 by her book, On Revolution, an impeccably scholarly study of why the American Revolution was a success and the French Revolution an abysmal failure.
Yet it is her account of the 1962 trial of Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann, Eichmann in Jerusalem, for which she is most famous. Hitler had put Eichmann in charge of transporting Jews to his extermination camps such as at Auschwitz. At his trial in Jerusalem, Eichmann claimed that he was just doing his duty, conforming to the law, and that he was powerless to do otherwise.
Arendt saw that Eichmann really believed this. He wasn't a "radically evil" sociopath; he was an ordinary man just going along with what was happening. This was an evil that frightened Arendt more than that of a rare monster like Hitler, for it was an evil perpetrated by otherwise normal people.
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Written in 1951 when Stalin was still ruling the Soviet Union and worshipped by the Left, it exposed with ruthless logic and evidence the essential sameness between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Nazism and Communism were just two sides of the same tyrannical coin, said Arendt, not opposites of Right and Left.
The world's leftist intellectuals never forgave her, and so were scandalized again in 1963 by her book, On Revolution, an impeccably scholarly study of why the American Revolution was a success and the French Revolution an abysmal failure.
Yet it is her account of the 1962 trial of Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann, Eichmann in Jerusalem, for which she is most famous. Hitler had put Eichmann in charge of transporting Jews to his extermination camps such as at Auschwitz. At his trial in Jerusalem, Eichmann claimed that he was just doing his duty, conforming to the law, and that he was powerless to do otherwise.
Arendt saw that Eichmann really believed this. He wasn't a "radically evil" sociopath; he was an ordinary man just going along with what was happening. This was an evil that frightened Arendt more than that of a rare monster like Hitler, for it was an evil perpetrated by otherwise normal people.
More