DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Agriculture Department To Close 260 Sites
The Agriculture Department plans to close nearly 260 sites nationwide. Closures would hit both offices and laboratories in Washington and 46 states. Secretary Tom Vilsask says it will save $150 million a year. Some of the closings were previously announced, including 10 agricultural research stations. Elisabeth Hagen, undersecretary for food safety, said the closures would not cause a reduction in food inspection. But one district manager says the department is wiping out the Midwest.
Obama’s Third Chief Of Staff, Like First Two, Got Rich On Wall Street
All three of President Barack Obama’s chiefs of staff earned millions of dollars after passing through the revolving doors that lie between the Democratic Party and Wall Street.
Yet Obama is positioning himself as Wall Street’s foe in the 2012 election, aided by millions of dollars in political donations from Wall Street companies, including Goldman Sachs.
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Polish Prosecutor Shoots Self In Front Of Media
(AP)
WARSAW, Poland - A military prosecutor in western Poland shot himself in the head Monday after defending the work of his office and rejecting planned reforms, officials and media said Monday.
Col. Mikolaj Przybyl survived the shooting that happened inside his office in the city of Poznan, minutes after he read a statement to reporters and then asked them to briefly get out.
Przybyl is a deputy head of the prosecutor's office in Poznan and the head of a local department investigating organized crime in the army.
QUOTES OF THE DAY 1-10-12
Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them. Ronald Reagan
I pronounce it as certain that there was never yet a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous. Benjamin Franklin
Are we like late Rome, infatuated with past glories, ruled by a complacent, greedy elite, and hopelessly powerless to respond to changing conditions? Camille Paglia
Alcohol didn’t cause the high crime rates of the ’20s and ’30s, Prohibition did. And drugs do not cause today’s alarming crime rates, but drug prohibition does. US District Judge James C. Paine, addressing the Federal Bar Association in Miami, November, 1991
A government that can at pleasure accuse, shoot, and hang men, as traitors, for the one general offence of refusing to surrender themselves and their property unreservedly to its arbitrary will, can practice any and all special and particular oppressions it pleases. The result — and a natural one — has been that we have had governments, State and national, devoted to nearly every grade and species of crime that governments have ever practised upon their victims; and these crimes have culminated in a war that has cost a million of lives; a war carried on, upon one side, for chattel slavery, and on the other for political slavery; upon neither for liberty, justice, or truth. And these crimes have been committed, and this war waged, by men, and the descendants of men, who, less than a hundred years ago, said that all men were equal, and could owe neither service to individuals, nor allegiance to governments, except with their own consent. Lysander Spooner
An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination. Voltaire
It must never be unpatriotic to support your country against your government. It must always be unpatriotic to support your government against your country. Stephen T. Byington
There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it’s only a hundred billion. It’s less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers Richard Feynman
The power to determine the quantity of money… is too important, too pervasive, to be exercised by a few people, however public-spirited, if there is any feasible alternative. There is no need for such arbitrary power… Any system which gives so much power and so much discretion to a few men, [so] that mistakes – excusable or not – can have such far reaching effects, is a bad system. It is a bad system to believers in freedom just because it gives a few men such power without any effective check by the body politic – this is the key political argument against an independent central bank. Milton Friedman
I pronounce it as certain that there was never yet a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous. Benjamin Franklin
Are we like late Rome, infatuated with past glories, ruled by a complacent, greedy elite, and hopelessly powerless to respond to changing conditions? Camille Paglia
Alcohol didn’t cause the high crime rates of the ’20s and ’30s, Prohibition did. And drugs do not cause today’s alarming crime rates, but drug prohibition does. US District Judge James C. Paine, addressing the Federal Bar Association in Miami, November, 1991
A government that can at pleasure accuse, shoot, and hang men, as traitors, for the one general offence of refusing to surrender themselves and their property unreservedly to its arbitrary will, can practice any and all special and particular oppressions it pleases. The result — and a natural one — has been that we have had governments, State and national, devoted to nearly every grade and species of crime that governments have ever practised upon their victims; and these crimes have culminated in a war that has cost a million of lives; a war carried on, upon one side, for chattel slavery, and on the other for political slavery; upon neither for liberty, justice, or truth. And these crimes have been committed, and this war waged, by men, and the descendants of men, who, less than a hundred years ago, said that all men were equal, and could owe neither service to individuals, nor allegiance to governments, except with their own consent. Lysander Spooner
An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination. Voltaire
It must never be unpatriotic to support your country against your government. It must always be unpatriotic to support your government against your country. Stephen T. Byington
There are 10^11 stars in the galaxy. That used to be a huge number. But it’s only a hundred billion. It’s less than the national deficit! We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers Richard Feynman
The power to determine the quantity of money… is too important, too pervasive, to be exercised by a few people, however public-spirited, if there is any feasible alternative. There is no need for such arbitrary power… Any system which gives so much power and so much discretion to a few men, [so] that mistakes – excusable or not – can have such far reaching effects, is a bad system. It is a bad system to believers in freedom just because it gives a few men such power without any effective check by the body politic – this is the key political argument against an independent central bank. Milton Friedman
Saudi Man Reportedly Tries To Sell Son On Facebook For $20M
A Saudi man is reportedly trying to sell his son on Facebook for the bargain price of $20 million.
Saud bin Nasser Al Shahry is seeking that amount -- or 73 million UAE Dirhams -- in exchange for his son because a local court recently shuttered his illegal debt-collection business, VentureBeat.com reports, citing a report by Al Sharq, a news outlet based in Qatar.
Al Shahry reportedly resorted to child trafficking so that he, his wife and daughter could avoid "living in poverty." His only stipulation, according to reports, is that he knows the city in which the buyer resides.
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IRS Wants Tax Dodgers To Voluntarily Come Forward
The Internal Revenue Service is relaunching a program designed to get tax dodgers with assets in secret offshore bank accounts to come forward voluntarily. It's not an all-out amnesty: cheaters would still have to pay penalties ranging from 5 percent to 27.5 percent, depending on how much money they have socked away. But the agency says people who don't come forward will face much tougher penalties, including the possibility of criminal prosecution. The IRS says its previous voluntary disclosure programs prompted 33,000 people to come forward in 2009 and 2011, returning $4.4 billion to the treasury.
‘Doomsday’ Clock Due For An Adjustment?
Not to be confused with biblical prophecy or the Mayan calendar, the so-called Doomsday Clock owes its existence to scientists and engineers, or at least those who’ve been affiliated with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
The global security and public policy magazine has adjusted the minute hand on the clock 19 times since its inception in 1947, to “convey how close humanity is to catastrophic destruction.” It was closest, according to the bulletin timeline – at 2 minutes to midnight – in 1953, when the United States “tested its first thermonuclear device, obliterating a Pacific Ocean islet in the process; nine months later, the Soviets test an H-bomb of their own.”
U.S. ARMY CAPTAIN ENDORSES RON PAUL
My Endorsement of Dr. Paul – US Army Captain
Submitted by PKnuckle101 on Tue, 01/10/2012 – 00:04I’ve spent the past 8 months talking to my friends and family about Dr. Ron Paul and now that many of them have been won over, I appeal to you. The economic doldrums that our country are mired in is arguably the first problem the government should solve—and that solution sounds something like the surf boarding advice from the film Forgetting Sarah Marshall: “Do less.”
A recovery out of this recession has been prevented by the impending regulations of Obamacare and the guarantee of future tax increases due to deficit spending. The teetering economy will only get worse under the crush of $15 TRILLION in National Debt. So, how many Republican presidential candidates plan to deal with this looming disaster? One. Ron Paul is the ONLY one with a plan to balance the budget in his first term and cut $1 Trillion in his first year. You can see the full plan at ronpaul2012.com.
Worried about his foreign policy? I understand. If I had not been deployed to Iraq in 2009, and seen what the foreign policy we now have actually looks like on the ground, I would worry about it too. However, after proudly serving 5 years in the US Army (with another 4 years to go) I am convinced that our interventionist foreign policy makes us less safe. Not just less safe overseas—less safe here in America. So take it from a West Point Graduate with a degree in Military Science: Ron Paul’s non-interventionist foreign policy is good for our National Defense.
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Submitted by PKnuckle101 on Tue, 01/10/2012 – 00:04I’ve spent the past 8 months talking to my friends and family about Dr. Ron Paul and now that many of them have been won over, I appeal to you. The economic doldrums that our country are mired in is arguably the first problem the government should solve—and that solution sounds something like the surf boarding advice from the film Forgetting Sarah Marshall: “Do less.”
A recovery out of this recession has been prevented by the impending regulations of Obamacare and the guarantee of future tax increases due to deficit spending. The teetering economy will only get worse under the crush of $15 TRILLION in National Debt. So, how many Republican presidential candidates plan to deal with this looming disaster? One. Ron Paul is the ONLY one with a plan to balance the budget in his first term and cut $1 Trillion in his first year. You can see the full plan at ronpaul2012.com.
Worried about his foreign policy? I understand. If I had not been deployed to Iraq in 2009, and seen what the foreign policy we now have actually looks like on the ground, I would worry about it too. However, after proudly serving 5 years in the US Army (with another 4 years to go) I am convinced that our interventionist foreign policy makes us less safe. Not just less safe overseas—less safe here in America. So take it from a West Point Graduate with a degree in Military Science: Ron Paul’s non-interventionist foreign policy is good for our National Defense.
More
The Advantages Of The Middle-Aged Brain
A study in the British Medical Journal lit up the Internet last week with the conclusion that cognitive decline begins at age 45. While it’s true that some innate skills like memory and speed of reasoning fall off as we age, other aspects of intelligence related to learning and experience actually improve.
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STUDENT WHO WAS GIVEN 0% ON AN EXAM
Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die?
* his last battle
Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
* at the bottom of the page
Q3. River Ravi flows in which state?
* liquid
Q4. What is the main reason for divorce?
* marriage
Q5. What is the main reason for failure?
* exams
Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast?
* Lunch & dinner
Q7. What looks like half an apple?
* The other half
Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
* It will simply become wet
Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ?
* No problem, he sleeps at night.
Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
* You will never find an elephant that has only one hand..
Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ?
* Very large hands
Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
* No time at all, the wall is already built.
Q13. How can u drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
*Any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.
* his last battle
Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
* at the bottom of the page
Q3. River Ravi flows in which state?
* liquid
Q4. What is the main reason for divorce?
* marriage
Q5. What is the main reason for failure?
* exams
Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast?
* Lunch & dinner
Q7. What looks like half an apple?
* The other half
Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
* It will simply become wet
Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ?
* No problem, he sleeps at night.
Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
* You will never find an elephant that has only one hand..
Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ?
* Very large hands
Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
* No time at all, the wall is already built.
Q13. How can u drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
*Any way you want, concrete floors are very hard to crack.
BREAKING NEWS: Romney Projected Winner In New Hampshire
Fox News projects: Mitt Romney wins New Hampshire primary, with Ron Paul taking second and Jon Huntsman taking third.
From Fox News
From Fox News
Some States Could Lose Millions In Education Funds
Lockheed Martin Sole Contractor For Orion Crew Capsule
NASA has awarded Lockheed Martin a sole source contract to test its new Orion crew capsule. Lockheed is NASA's prime contractor for the Orion program. Orion is supposed to take humans on voyages throughout the solar system. NextGov reports, the latest contract is worth $370 million. The unmanned test will take the capsule into earth orbit and bring it back. Engineers hope to discover any weak spots that could endanger a crew. NASA says it plans to launch an Orion capsule with astronauts aboard some time in 2014. NASA administrator Charles Bolden plans to tour Lockheed facilities near Denver later today.
Massachusetts Teacher Denied Extra Paid Leave to Welcome Home Stepson Wounded In Afghanistan
A Massachusetts school board has denied a teacher's request for three paid days off to welcome home her soldier stepson who was seriously injured while serving in Afghanistan.
Sonya Lomax, a high school math teacher in Carver, Mass., had asked for the three additional days to visit with her stepson, 23-year-old Army Spc. Todd Lomax, who was seriously wounded after being hit by shrapnel in a grenade explosion in Kandahar Province in October.
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Detectives Searching For Suspect In Two Bank Robberies
Location and Dates of Occurrences:Citizens Bank, 460 E. Main Street, Middletown, DE
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 11:13 a.m.
Wells Fargo Bank, 2450 Glasgow Avenue, Newark, DE
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.
Suspect/Charges:
Robert G. Kelly-49 of Townsend, DE (photo attached)
White male, 49 years old, 5’10” tall, 350 lbs, large build, gray hair, and blue eyes. Last seen wearing red hooded sweatshirt and blue sweatpants.
Possibly operating a 2002 Chevrolet Venture minivan, gold in color, Delaware registration PC173797
Robbery Second Degree (2 counts)
Resume:
Newark-Delaware State Police and Middletown Police Department Robbery Detectives are searching for a Townsend man in connection with two bank robberies.
Robbery detectives have obtained warrants charging Robert G. Kelly-49 of Townsend, DE with 2 counts of Robbery Second Degree in connection with the robbery of the Citizen’s Bank located in Middletown and the Well Fargo located in Peoples Plaza.
The latest robbery occurred this morning at approximately 10:30 a.m. at the Wells Fargo Bank, 2450 Glasgow Avenue, Newark, as a male suspect entered the bank, approached the 26 year old female teller and presented a demand note for money. The teller complied and turned over an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect fled the bank on foot in an unknown direction.
Through further investigation State Police Robbery Detectives were able to identify the suspect as Robert G. Kelly and connect him to the robbery of the Citizen’s Bank that occurred in Middletown on Sunday, January 8, 2012 where he entered the bank, approached a bank teller and demanded money. The teller complied and turned over an undisclosed amount of cash. Kelly fled on foot in an unknown direction.
Detectives have also released the attached surveillance photo’s from the M&T Bank located in Elkton, Maryland, where the suspect was observed just prior to the robbery at the Wells Fargo that occurred today. No attempt or robbery took place at the M&T Bank.
If anyone has any information in reference to this incident, they are asked to contact the Robbery Unit at Troop 2 at 302-834-2630 Extension #6 or the Middletown Police Department at 302-376-9950. Information may also be forwarded through the Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333. Information may also be provided via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com
Send an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."
Federal Spending To Decline By 1.3% In 2012
A new analysis finds the federal government's spending on research and development will decine under the 2012 budget President Obama just signed, driven mostly by cuts to Defense spending. Overall federal R&D spending will go down by 1.3 percent, according to number crunchers at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. DoD research dollars will fall by 3.2 percent compared to 2010, with the cuts concentrated in operational systems development and classified programs. The bright spots for research, according to the association, are in basic and applied research and energy and environmental research. The Department of Energy, for example, will boost reseach spending by 8 percent, and Commerce will spend almost 13 percent more this year.
UK Recommends Two Drink-Free Days Per Week
People should have at least two drink-free days out of the week, according to new UK government guidelines set out by the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. The committee said recommendations needed to be revamped because they can be conflicting and difficult to understand.
In 1987, UK national guidelines suggested that men should drink a maximum of 21 units per week and women should not exceed 14 units per week. But, in 1995, guidelines changed when the government recommended against more than three to four units per day and two to three units per day for women, according to BBC News. Some experts questioned whether the new guidelines validated daily alcohol consumption.
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In 1987, UK national guidelines suggested that men should drink a maximum of 21 units per week and women should not exceed 14 units per week. But, in 1995, guidelines changed when the government recommended against more than three to four units per day and two to three units per day for women, according to BBC News. Some experts questioned whether the new guidelines validated daily alcohol consumption.
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Jack Lew To Take Over As Chief Of Staff
Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew will be taking the reigns as White House chief of staff. He'll be replacing William Daley who is stepping down at the end of the month. President Obama called Lew the clear choice for one of the most difficult jobs in Washington. Lew has been the head of OMB since November 2010. He also served as budget director during the Clinton Administration. Lew would stay at OMB to finalize the 2013 budget before moving on. No word yet on a successor.
Steven Tyler Has Some Bleeping Advice For High Court
The 63-year-old newly engaged musician admits he has tossed off a bleeped strong expletive or two on Fox's live "American Idol" after joining it as a judge last season. He says it is 2012, after all.
Half Of Federal Employees Call Pay Raise An Insult
When it comes to that half-percent pay raise idea, most federal employees are lukewarm. More than 600 people answered a Federal News Radio online poll about the administration's proposal for 2013. Half the respondents called it an insult. One wrote that half a percent won't even cover the increase in health insurance premiums. His advice was, keep your paltry pennies, Mr. President. Most of the other respondents said half a percent is better than nothing. One wrote, it's not much, but I'll take it.
MARTIN O’MALLEY ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S APPOINTMENT OF CECILIA MUÑOZ AS DIRECTOR OF THE DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL
ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 10, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement today following the announcement that President Obama has named Cecilia Muñoz as the director of the Domestic Policy Council:
“I commend President Obama on appointing Cecilia Muñoz as Director of the Domestic Policy Council. In her role as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Cecilia made it a priority to understand the challenges faced by governors and to support initiatives aimed at speeding up America’s jobs recovery. Her hard work and commitment to working collaboratively with governors has reflected the President’s recognition of the critical role that states play in creating and implementing public policy to create jobs and move our states forward. I look forward to continuing to work with Cecilia in her new role.”
“I commend President Obama on appointing Cecilia Muñoz as Director of the Domestic Policy Council. In her role as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Cecilia made it a priority to understand the challenges faced by governors and to support initiatives aimed at speeding up America’s jobs recovery. Her hard work and commitment to working collaboratively with governors has reflected the President’s recognition of the critical role that states play in creating and implementing public policy to create jobs and move our states forward. I look forward to continuing to work with Cecilia in her new role.”
Tanker Explodes In Princess Anne, SBYNews.com Exclusive Video
Originally Posted at 3:54
New Post Fall Below
Still “Lying To Children”: How No Child Left Behind Corrupted Education
When George W. Bush signed No Child Left Behind legislation into law 10 years ago this week, it seemed like the perfect expression of his brand of “compassionate conservatism,” while also redeeming his campaign pledge to use education reform to overcome “the soft bigotry of low expectations.” NCLB passed Congress by overwhelming bipartisan majorities (87 to 10 in the Senate; 381 to 41 in the House) and a beaming Ted Kennedy stood alongside President Bush at the bill-signing ceremony.
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SUSPECTED DRUNK DRIVER CHARGED BY OCPD
On January 6, at approximately 6 p.m., Ocean City Police received a complaint from a citizen about a vehicle that was stopped on the center medium at 17th Street. The caller related that they thought the driver might be drunk.
The witness stated they observed the driver outside of the vehicle, which was described as a Dodge sport utility vehicle; however, the driver then got back into the vehicle and drove off the elevated medium, heading south on Coastal Highway.
An OCPD sergeant, who was operating in a plain-clothes capacity, located the vehicle near the reported location and began to follow it, during which the Dodge struck numerous curbs, ran over a sidewalk and downed two streets signs at 12th Street and 9th Street.
Uniformed officers operating marked police vehicles got behind the Dodge in the area of 9th Street and Philadelphia Avenue. Suspecting the driver may be drunk, officers attempted to stop the vehicle. When the driver of the Dodge did not stop, officers became involved in a short vehicle pursuit, following the vehicle at 9th Street. The Dodge made a U –turn and started north. Officers continued to follow the Dodge at 15th Street. The Dodge struck a utility pole at 1800 Coastal Highway traveling at approximately 35 mph where it came to a final stop.
Police approached the vehicle and identified the driver, Shawn Allen Chaney, 42 of Ocean City. Cheney was treated at the scene by Ocean City Paramedics and flown to Peninsula Regional Medical Center by Maryland State Police helicopter with non-life threatening injuries.
Because Chaney was being treated for injuries sustained as a result of the crash he was not charged until the following day. Chaney also was arrested by OCPD officers for suspicion of driving under the influence and/or intoxicated on Jan. 2, 2012. He was operating the same vehicle.
Chaney was charged with over 20 different traffic violations including:
21-405 a – Failure of Driver to Yield Right of Way to Police using Signals
21-405 b – Failure of Driver to Drive to Curb upon Signal by Police Vehicle
21-405 c – Failure of Driver to Stop upon Approach by Police Vehicle using Signals
21-904 b1 – Attempt by Driver to Elude Uniformed Police by Failing to Stop Vehicle
21-904 c1 – Attempt by Driver to Elude Police in Official Police Vehicle by Failing to Stop
21-902 a1 – Driving under the Influence of Alcohol
21-902 b1 – Driving while Impaired by Alcohol
Because Chaney was charged the following day he was released after being issued several Maryland traffic citations.
David Bowie On The State Of The Music Industry
I don't even know why I would want to be on a label in a few years, because I don't think it's going to work by labels and by distribution systems in the same way.. The absolute transformation of everything that we ever thought about music will take place within 10 years, and nothing is going to be able to stop it. I see absolutely no point in pretending that it's not going to happen. I'm fully confident that copyright, for instance, will no longer exist in 10 years, and authorship and intellectual property is in for such a bashing.
Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity.. So it's like, just take advantage of these last few years because none of this is ever going to happen again. You'd better be prepared for doing a lot of touring because that's really the only unique situation that's going to be left. It's terribly exciting. But on the other hand it doesn't matter if you think it's exciting or not; it's what's going to happen.
Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity.. So it's like, just take advantage of these last few years because none of this is ever going to happen again. You'd better be prepared for doing a lot of touring because that's really the only unique situation that's going to be left. It's terribly exciting. But on the other hand it doesn't matter if you think it's exciting or not; it's what's going to happen.
Curling In Easton!
Curling on Delmarva? You bet!
Learn to Curl
Sunday, January 29th
1 – 4 PM
Talbot County Community Center
Learn to Curl
Sunday, January 29th
1 – 4 PM
Talbot County Community Center
You’ve seen it on the Olympics. Have you ever wanted to try curling? The Chesapeake Curling Club, located in Easton, is hosting a Learn to Curl event on Sunday, January 29th, from 1-4pm, at the Talbot County Community Center on Rt 50.
In the three hour session, certified instructors will teach you the basics of the game – how to throw the stone, sweeping, scoring, and strategy. There is also time included for a mini-game, so you can show off your new-found curling skills!
Participants are required to wear clean, flat soled shoes. Sneakers, tennis shoes, or skateboarding shoes are ideal. You should also wear several layers to help keep you comfortable, as your activity level will vary.
The event is open to all participants in good health, ages 16+. Because a waiver must be completed for each participant, minors must be accompanied by a guardian.
There is no cost to attend the event, but the club is asking for donations to help cover the cost associated with maintaining the curling facility.
For more information, visit the Chesapeake Curling Club website at http://www.chesapeakecurling.org/, or email info@chesapeakecurling.org.
In the three hour session, certified instructors will teach you the basics of the game – how to throw the stone, sweeping, scoring, and strategy. There is also time included for a mini-game, so you can show off your new-found curling skills!
Participants are required to wear clean, flat soled shoes. Sneakers, tennis shoes, or skateboarding shoes are ideal. You should also wear several layers to help keep you comfortable, as your activity level will vary.
The event is open to all participants in good health, ages 16+. Because a waiver must be completed for each participant, minors must be accompanied by a guardian.
There is no cost to attend the event, but the club is asking for donations to help cover the cost associated with maintaining the curling facility.
For more information, visit the Chesapeake Curling Club website at http://www.chesapeakecurling.org/, or email info@chesapeakecurling.org.
Mitt Romney: No Moderate When It Comes To Birth Control
In light of recent events on the presidential campaign trail, I'd like to reintroduce former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to a politician for whom attacking contraception is an all-too usual topic—his name is Mitt Romney.
Gov. Romney, who has taken a commanding lead in polls, seemed flabbergasted to be asked a question at Saturday's GOP presidential debate about the right to contraception. He called it "an unusual topic," and said that he "can't imagine a state banning contraception."
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Gov. Romney, who has taken a commanding lead in polls, seemed flabbergasted to be asked a question at Saturday's GOP presidential debate about the right to contraception. He called it "an unusual topic," and said that he "can't imagine a state banning contraception."
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MARYLAND DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO HOLD 14TH ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE LUNCHEON
Democratic elected officials from across Maryland will gather TODAY in a show of unity at an annual luncheon held by the Maryland Democratic Party. Maryland Democratic leaders will attend the 14th annual event that will take place before the 430th session of the General Assembly convenes.
Federal elected officials expected to attend include Senator Ben Cardin; House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer; Representative Chris Van Hollen; Representative Elijah Cummings;
Representative Dutch Ruppersberger; Representative John Sarbanes; and Representative Donna Edwards.
State Democratic elected officials expected to attend include Governor Martin O'Malley; Lt. Governor Anthony Brown; Attorney General Douglas Gansler; Comptroller Peter Franchot; Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller; House Speaker Michael Busch; and many State Senators and Delegates.
Federal elected officials expected to attend include Senator Ben Cardin; House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer; Representative Chris Van Hollen; Representative Elijah Cummings;
Representative Dutch Ruppersberger; Representative John Sarbanes; and Representative Donna Edwards.
State Democratic elected officials expected to attend include Governor Martin O'Malley; Lt. Governor Anthony Brown; Attorney General Douglas Gansler; Comptroller Peter Franchot; Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller; House Speaker Michael Busch; and many State Senators and Delegates.
Will Romney Lie His Way To The White House?
Mitt Romney seems ready to wield his version of birthirism as a major weapon in the fall campaign against President Obama. In his standard stump speech, he tells audiences that President Obama wants, "to replace our merit-based society with an entitlement society." According to Romney, this means a European-style welfare state that redistributes wealth and creates equal outcomes regardless of individual effort and success.
That's pretty strong stuff, but of course this doesn't sound anything like the President Obama who many of us have come to know and criticize. After all, this is the guy who got the top Wall Street bankers and told them that he was the only thing standing between them and the pitchforks. And, according to Ron Susskind, he assured them that he would hold his ground.
The Wall Street boys have not seen much leveling in the Obama years, nor has anyone else in the top rungs of society. It seems the substance of Romney's complaint involves President Obama's occasional references to "fat cats," his plans to restore the Clinton-era tax rates and his national health care plan.
Taking these in turn, it really is touching how sensitive the rich and powerful are to being called out in public. While the men and women at the top rungs of the corporate hierarchy give the impression of being tough street fighters who clawed and kicked their way to the top, we now find that they are actually shrinking violets who get hurt when the president isn't nice to them.
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That's pretty strong stuff, but of course this doesn't sound anything like the President Obama who many of us have come to know and criticize. After all, this is the guy who got the top Wall Street bankers and told them that he was the only thing standing between them and the pitchforks. And, according to Ron Susskind, he assured them that he would hold his ground.
The Wall Street boys have not seen much leveling in the Obama years, nor has anyone else in the top rungs of society. It seems the substance of Romney's complaint involves President Obama's occasional references to "fat cats," his plans to restore the Clinton-era tax rates and his national health care plan.
Taking these in turn, it really is touching how sensitive the rich and powerful are to being called out in public. While the men and women at the top rungs of the corporate hierarchy give the impression of being tough street fighters who clawed and kicked their way to the top, we now find that they are actually shrinking violets who get hurt when the president isn't nice to them.
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YOU WERE WONDERING WHY RETAIL SALES ARE RISING
This is just awesome news. You the taxpayer have bailed out the Wall Street banks to such an extreme and Ben is handing them hundreds of billions at 0% interest so they can turn around and lend it back to you at 10% to 25% interest. And guess what. The delusional numbskulls that make up the majority of America have bought into the master plan. Remember all those lines on Black Friday for TVs, waffle irons, computers, iPhones, and 10,000 other useless gadgets? Well all that stuff was purchased with billions of debt. It seems American idiots are now so confident in a bright future, they added $20.4 BILLION of debt in November. Here is a link to the data:
http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/current/
Here’s the deal. The Wall Street banks are throwing caution to the wind and letting subprime borrowers buy on credit again. They do not care about future losses as the country goes into recession. The Federal Reserve has their back and will shift the losses to you and I.
Secondly, the automakers don’t really have strong sales. They are again providing cars to anyone that can scratch an X on a loan document to move inventory. The terms are 0% interest for 60 months. Sounds really profitable for the lender.
Remember the “age of austerity”? Consumer credit outstanding in almost back to the 2008 peak.
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http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g19/current/
Here’s the deal. The Wall Street banks are throwing caution to the wind and letting subprime borrowers buy on credit again. They do not care about future losses as the country goes into recession. The Federal Reserve has their back and will shift the losses to you and I.
Secondly, the automakers don’t really have strong sales. They are again providing cars to anyone that can scratch an X on a loan document to move inventory. The terms are 0% interest for 60 months. Sounds really profitable for the lender.
Remember the “age of austerity”? Consumer credit outstanding in almost back to the 2008 peak.
More
Thieves Drilling For Gas In Maryland
TAKOMA PARK (WUSA) -- Betty Thompson's Hyuandai Sonata gets about 25 miles to the gallon. Assuming, of course, that somebody hasn't drilled a hole in the gas tank and stolen all the gas.
That's exactly what happened a few weeks ago, after Betty's grandson borrowed her car and parked it near a friend's house in Greenbelt.
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That's exactly what happened a few weeks ago, after Betty's grandson borrowed her car and parked it near a friend's house in Greenbelt.
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Milton Council OKs Dogfish Rezoning Application
Milton — Milton Town Council affirmed the planning and zoning commission's recommendation to rezone a parcel of land owned by Dogfish Head Brewery.
By a unanimous vote, council will allow the nation's 19th largest brewery to expand on a nearly 40-acre plot it purchased during the summer. Dogfish's immediate plan is to build a warehouse on the property. Plans must still go through site-plan review before construction can begin.
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By a unanimous vote, council will allow the nation's 19th largest brewery to expand on a nearly 40-acre plot it purchased during the summer. Dogfish's immediate plan is to build a warehouse on the property. Plans must still go through site-plan review before construction can begin.
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Today's Top News 1-10-12
BLOOMBERG
Mitt Romney told voters on the eve of today’s New Hampshire primary that he likes “being able to fire people who provide services to me,” giving ammunition to rivals in the Republican presidential race criticizing him over his tenure as chief executive officer of a private equity company.
Iran began enriching uranium at a fortified nuclear site, the International Atomic Energy Agency said, a move that drew U.S. and France’s condemnation and may accelerate the imposition of stricter sanctions on the country.
The Internal Revenue Service is giving U.S. citizens who have shielded assets offshore a third opportunity to come clean, pay a penalty and avoid criminal prosecution. After collecting $4.4 billion in two so-called voluntary disclosure programs for offshore accounts, the IRS announced plans yesterday to revive the program. Participants will pay as much as 27.5 percent of their most valuable offshore assets or their biggest overseas bank account. They also must disclose the banks and advisers that helped them escape U.S. tax laws.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner will urge Asia’s two biggest economies to cut Iranian oil imports and seek to narrow differences with China on trade and currency disputes on a visit to Beijing and Tokyo this week.
French business confidence climbed from a two-year low last month and industrial output increased in November, indicating the threat of a recession in the euro- region’s second-biggest economy is easing.
China-based hackers rifled the computers of DuPont Co. at least twice in 2009 and 2010, hunting the technological secrets that made the company one of the world’s most successful chemical makers.
Inventories at U.S. wholesalers rose 0.1 percent, less than forecast in November, as distributors struggled to keep up with demand, a sign gains in manufacturing will keep the economy growing.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is coming under increasing pressure from a general strike and the legislature to back down on his decision to abolish fuel subsidies and to discuss phasing them out instead.
AP Top Stories
In a rare speech today, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria again blamed the unrest in his country on terrorists, foreign meddling and media bias, criticizingABC News in particular. Russia's space chief says the recent failures of his country's spacecraft may have been caused by hostile interference. Roscosmos chief Vladimir Popovkin stopped short of accusing the United States of disabling Russian satellites, but in an interview published Tuesday in the daily Izvestia he said some Russian craft had suffered malfunctions while flying beyond the reach of its tracking facilities.
Google is sifting through the photos and commentary on its blossoming social network so its Internet search results can include more personal information.
Banks in the countries that use the euro held a record amount of money overnight at the European Central Bank in a sign of stress in the financial system from the eurozone debt crisis. The region's central bank said that overnight deposits from Monday hit $613.4 billion — beating the previous record of euro463.56 billion from the day before.
Mitt Romney told voters on the eve of today’s New Hampshire primary that he likes “being able to fire people who provide services to me,” giving ammunition to rivals in the Republican presidential race criticizing him over his tenure as chief executive officer of a private equity company.
Iran began enriching uranium at a fortified nuclear site, the International Atomic Energy Agency said, a move that drew U.S. and France’s condemnation and may accelerate the imposition of stricter sanctions on the country.
The Internal Revenue Service is giving U.S. citizens who have shielded assets offshore a third opportunity to come clean, pay a penalty and avoid criminal prosecution. After collecting $4.4 billion in two so-called voluntary disclosure programs for offshore accounts, the IRS announced plans yesterday to revive the program. Participants will pay as much as 27.5 percent of their most valuable offshore assets or their biggest overseas bank account. They also must disclose the banks and advisers that helped them escape U.S. tax laws.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner will urge Asia’s two biggest economies to cut Iranian oil imports and seek to narrow differences with China on trade and currency disputes on a visit to Beijing and Tokyo this week.
French business confidence climbed from a two-year low last month and industrial output increased in November, indicating the threat of a recession in the euro- region’s second-biggest economy is easing.
China-based hackers rifled the computers of DuPont Co. at least twice in 2009 and 2010, hunting the technological secrets that made the company one of the world’s most successful chemical makers.
Inventories at U.S. wholesalers rose 0.1 percent, less than forecast in November, as distributors struggled to keep up with demand, a sign gains in manufacturing will keep the economy growing.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is coming under increasing pressure from a general strike and the legislature to back down on his decision to abolish fuel subsidies and to discuss phasing them out instead.
AP Top Stories
In a rare speech today, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria again blamed the unrest in his country on terrorists, foreign meddling and media bias, criticizingABC News in particular. Russia's space chief says the recent failures of his country's spacecraft may have been caused by hostile interference. Roscosmos chief Vladimir Popovkin stopped short of accusing the United States of disabling Russian satellites, but in an interview published Tuesday in the daily Izvestia he said some Russian craft had suffered malfunctions while flying beyond the reach of its tracking facilities.
Google is sifting through the photos and commentary on its blossoming social network so its Internet search results can include more personal information.
Banks in the countries that use the euro held a record amount of money overnight at the European Central Bank in a sign of stress in the financial system from the eurozone debt crisis. The region's central bank said that overnight deposits from Monday hit $613.4 billion — beating the previous record of euro463.56 billion from the day before.
The Lives Of The Occupied
The invaders set up camp on the outskirts of our village a week ago. A few days later, their tanks began rolling down our streets with their turrets traversing from left to right and only stopping to point there cannons at anyone crossing the roads. A few of the villagers responded with anger. They grabbed their rifles and rocket launchers ready to use force to repel this act of aggression. The troops came to recruit police officers and soldiers to help provide "security" for the new government. Checkpoints were set up at every other street corner. What did we do to deserve this? All we want is peace and to be left alone not guns pointed in our faces with soldiers at every street corner questioning our every move. While driving to the market, to pick up some food, I was stopped at a checkpoint. There stood three soldiers and a giant armored vehicle three times the height, and twice the length of my car. While staring into my vehicle one of their translators shouted a series of questions, "Where are you going? What is this in your trunk? Do you have any weapons? You say you have nothing to hide?" They clearly thought I might have been hiding something from them. A soldier pulled me out of my car and searched my body. He started combing through my hair with his fingers. Completely frightened, I asked what they were looking for. He barked something at me in his strange dialect and kicked my legs apart. He patted me down and across my torn and threw his knife-shaped hand into my crotch. The other soldiers whipped out their knives and ripped apart my car’s interior only leaving the seat’s metal frames. They motioned me to leave so I limped back to the car and drove off. This event happened at least multiple times a week, sometimes daily. Of course, it was a little easier for them the following times since they had already wreaked havoc on the inside of my car. I only pray that they don’t harm me or my family.
The first villagers who took up arms against the invaders fired mortar rounds into the invaders’ encampment. Some of soldiers at the checkpoint next to the market spotted the flashes evacuating the mortar tubes. The occupiers sent armored vehicles down to the house and ripped through its walls with machine gun fire. The men inside the house were killed.
The next day the multiple convoys of troops swept through our village. They were looking for mortar tubes, rockets, and other explosives. A group of soldiers kicked down my door and ran into the living room pointing their guns at my family and me. I was pulled out by my hair into the street. A translator asked if I had any explosives or weapons in the home. I didn’t. They proceeded to rip apart my home by flipping over the couches and throwing about all of my family’s personal effects. The translator informed me they found nothing but I had to be taken back to their encampment for questioning. My hands were forcefully zip-tied together behind my back and a black cloth was thrown over my face. I was then thrown in the back of truck with other people from my village. Some of the men were crying and begging for god’s help. Some were pissing all over themselves. Others pledged revenge.
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The first villagers who took up arms against the invaders fired mortar rounds into the invaders’ encampment. Some of soldiers at the checkpoint next to the market spotted the flashes evacuating the mortar tubes. The occupiers sent armored vehicles down to the house and ripped through its walls with machine gun fire. The men inside the house were killed.
The next day the multiple convoys of troops swept through our village. They were looking for mortar tubes, rockets, and other explosives. A group of soldiers kicked down my door and ran into the living room pointing their guns at my family and me. I was pulled out by my hair into the street. A translator asked if I had any explosives or weapons in the home. I didn’t. They proceeded to rip apart my home by flipping over the couches and throwing about all of my family’s personal effects. The translator informed me they found nothing but I had to be taken back to their encampment for questioning. My hands were forcefully zip-tied together behind my back and a black cloth was thrown over my face. I was then thrown in the back of truck with other people from my village. Some of the men were crying and begging for god’s help. Some were pissing all over themselves. Others pledged revenge.
More
Where Do the Long Term Jobless Go? Not Into Jobs. (See: My Dad)
On the surface, the best news in last week’s generally positive employment data was the big fall in the number of “discouraged workers”—folks who want work but have stopped looking because they don’t see any jobs. From December 2010 to December 2011, that fell by 373,000, a big 28 percent year over year drop.
Figuring out what exactly this means is no simple thing. All the old cliches about statistics are doubly true about labor force data. If you’re looking for work, you’re “unemployed.” If you’ve stopped looking, you’re “discouraged.” But if you haven’t looked in the last year at all, you’re no longer “discouraged.” You’e not counted in the labor force. So what happened to all those discouraged workers? Did they find jobs? Or drop out of the labor force altogether?
Unfortunately the best bet here is door number two. The thing about discouraged workers is that they are (by definition) not looking for jobs, so they tend not to find them. Since December, 2010, the labor force participation rate has crept down by 3/10 of a percentage point, going from 64.3 percent of the population to 64.0 percent. That sounds like a small number, but it adds up to a lot of workers: if the labor participation rate had stayed the same, 815,000 more Americans would be working. That’s more than twice the decline in the number of discouraged workers.
Derek Thompson at The Atlantic has already pointed out the falling participation ratio.
Thompson thinks (or hopes?) that as the economy improves the participation rate is likely to go up. Or, says Thompson, the long-term unemployed who’ve fallen out of the workforce
will represent a kind of permanent shadow-group of people neither working nor counted as unemployed.
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Figuring out what exactly this means is no simple thing. All the old cliches about statistics are doubly true about labor force data. If you’re looking for work, you’re “unemployed.” If you’ve stopped looking, you’re “discouraged.” But if you haven’t looked in the last year at all, you’re no longer “discouraged.” You’e not counted in the labor force. So what happened to all those discouraged workers? Did they find jobs? Or drop out of the labor force altogether?
Unfortunately the best bet here is door number two. The thing about discouraged workers is that they are (by definition) not looking for jobs, so they tend not to find them. Since December, 2010, the labor force participation rate has crept down by 3/10 of a percentage point, going from 64.3 percent of the population to 64.0 percent. That sounds like a small number, but it adds up to a lot of workers: if the labor participation rate had stayed the same, 815,000 more Americans would be working. That’s more than twice the decline in the number of discouraged workers.
Derek Thompson at The Atlantic has already pointed out the falling participation ratio.
Thompson thinks (or hopes?) that as the economy improves the participation rate is likely to go up. Or, says Thompson, the long-term unemployed who’ve fallen out of the workforce
will represent a kind of permanent shadow-group of people neither working nor counted as unemployed.
More
EPA Says Idaho Couple Can't Build Home On Their Own Land
In 2005, Michael and Chantell Sackett were working toward what many American families work toward, their own home on their own land, until the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) halted their plans by declaring it a “wetland.”
On Monday, Jan. 9, the Sacketts and their attorneys will ask the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court to not only restore the right to use their own land – but to break the absolute power the EPA has over protected wetlands.
The Sacketts, small business owners in Idaho, located a lot in the northern part of the state in a town called Priest Lake. According to court documents, the lot is less than an acre and is just 500 feet from Priest Lake on its west side. It is separated from the lake by a house and a road and has no standing water or any hydrologic connection to Lake Priest or any other body of water.
There are houses to the north and south of the lot.
The lot is located in an established residential area – a platted subdivision – with the required water and sewer hookups.
In 2005, after performing the necessary due diligence, the Sacketts purchased the lot for $23,000. They sought and obtained the needed permits to begin building their new home.
According to the Sacketts, shortly after they began laying gravel for construction, the EPA came onto the property and issued a compliance order without any notice, telling them that the land had been declared a “wetland,” and ordered them to restore the land to EPA’s liking or face $37,500 per day in fines.
On Monday, Jan. 9, the Sacketts and their attorneys will ask the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court to not only restore the right to use their own land – but to break the absolute power the EPA has over protected wetlands.
The Sacketts, small business owners in Idaho, located a lot in the northern part of the state in a town called Priest Lake. According to court documents, the lot is less than an acre and is just 500 feet from Priest Lake on its west side. It is separated from the lake by a house and a road and has no standing water or any hydrologic connection to Lake Priest or any other body of water.
There are houses to the north and south of the lot.
The lot is located in an established residential area – a platted subdivision – with the required water and sewer hookups.
In 2005, after performing the necessary due diligence, the Sacketts purchased the lot for $23,000. They sought and obtained the needed permits to begin building their new home.
According to the Sacketts, shortly after they began laying gravel for construction, the EPA came onto the property and issued a compliance order without any notice, telling them that the land had been declared a “wetland,” and ordered them to restore the land to EPA’s liking or face $37,500 per day in fines.
Hostess Prepares To File For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection
Gird your Twinkies, Hostess lovers: The maker of those frosting-filled yellow logs is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week, says a new report. It's the second time in recent years that it's attempted to restructure in court.
Breaking News- Mayor Jim Ireton Recommends Hoppes
Rick Hoppes to be recommended as the permanent Salisbury Fire Chief by Mayor Jim Ireton. The Mayor will make his formal request on January 21st at the City Council meeting.
Chief Simpson simply decided to go home states the Mayor.
Rick Hoppes says he is humbled and honored to fill in as chief in the interim and as the permanent chief if the
City Council will have him. The starting salary for the Salisbury Fire Chief is 71,111.00 a year.
Rick Hoppes does not live in the City of Salisbury his residence is in Parsonburg, Md.
Chief Simpson simply decided to go home states the Mayor.
Rick Hoppes says he is humbled and honored to fill in as chief in the interim and as the permanent chief if the
City Council will have him. The starting salary for the Salisbury Fire Chief is 71,111.00 a year.
Rick Hoppes does not live in the City of Salisbury his residence is in Parsonburg, Md.
Originally Posted at 2:37pm
New Post Will Fall Below
Publishers Notes: It should be known right out of the gate that Mayor Ireton, (once again) refused to inform Salisbury News of this Press Conference but our sources continue to keep us in the loop and we participated anyway.
That being said, regardless of what some Firefighters say about Rick Hoppes, I believe Rick will, (once again) prove to be an excellent Fire Chief.
Mayor Ireton insisted that he is done reviewing applications, (around 150) and will absolutely make Rick Hoppes his one and only recommendation to fill this position for good.
In other words, (after asking him directly) he will not do a nation wide search again, this is his choice and quite frankly Mayor Ireton is right. They have performed two national searches in the past two years and it all comes down to who Ireton recommends, his choice is Rick Hoppes.
While the Council could in fact force a national search, that doesn't mean the Mayor has to participate. It's not often I agree with Mayor Ireton but you know what, it's about damn time the Council lets him do his job. He has made his decision, Hoppes has served the Citizens well for many years now, he's vested his entire life in this area and I too support the Mayor's decision to hire Rick Hoppes as the next Fire Chief of Salisbury.
Now we ALL know there will be a TON of comments bitching about my support, too bad. The Firefighters forced Simpson out, (no matter what anyone says) and they have abused enough upper management staff for far too long. That being said, I'm DONE with the SFD Posts and Comments and it's high time we start concentrating on supporting the Salisbury Police Department and their wants and needs. We'll talk more about that later.
Congratulations Chief Hoppes and Mayor Ireton.
A College Financial Aid Primer
Students need to call upon several sources to cover the massive expenses college drops on them. Unless they're independently wealthy or have a large college fund set up for them, they'll scramble to come up with the funds to pay for tuition, fees, books and living expenses.
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It's National Pizza Week! How To Find The Perfect Slice
Colin Hagendorf recently completed his quest to eat at every pizza slice joint in Manhattan. In honor of National Pizza Week, Hagendorf, 28, offers his tips for finding pizza nirvana. “Your favorite slice should be like looking into the eyes of someone you love,” he said.
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FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY DRIEST IN U.S. RECORDED HISTORY
If this pattern keeps up for the whole winter, you’ll be seeing a bunch of ski resort bankruptcies in the spring. The 2nd more disturbing issue could be drought conditions in the Midwest causing issues for our crops. Too soon to ring the alarm bells. How can the climate change extremists make their case based upon science when they don’t even understand how the jet stream functions from week to week?
Remarkably dry and warm winter due to record extreme jet stream configuration
By Dr. Jeff Masters
Flowers are sprouting in January in New Hampshire, the Sierra Mountains in California are nearly snow-free, and lakes in much of Michigan still have not frozen. It’s 2012, and the new year is ringing in another ridiculously wacky winter for the U.S. In Fargo, North Dakota yesterday, the mercury soared to 55°F, breaking a 1908 record for warmest January day in recorded history. More than 99% of North Dakota had no snow on the ground this morning, and over 95% of the country that normally has snow at this time of year had below-average snow cover. High temperatures in Nebraska yesterday were in the 60s, more than 30° above average.
Storm activity has been almost nil over the past week over the entire U.S., with the jet stream bottled up far to the north in Canada. It has been remarkable to look at the radar display day after day and see virtually no echoes, and it is very likely that this has been the driest first week of January in U.S. recorded history.
Portions of northern New England, the Upper Midwest, and the mountains of the Western U.S. that are normally under a foot of more of snow by now have no snow, or just a dusting of less than an inch. Approximately half of the U.S. had temperatures at least 5°F above average during the month of December, with portions of North Dakota and Minnesota seeing temperatures 9°F above average. The strangely warm and dry start to winter is not limited to the U.S–all of continental Europe experienced well above-average temperatures during December.
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Remarkably dry and warm winter due to record extreme jet stream configuration
By Dr. Jeff Masters
Flowers are sprouting in January in New Hampshire, the Sierra Mountains in California are nearly snow-free, and lakes in much of Michigan still have not frozen. It’s 2012, and the new year is ringing in another ridiculously wacky winter for the U.S. In Fargo, North Dakota yesterday, the mercury soared to 55°F, breaking a 1908 record for warmest January day in recorded history. More than 99% of North Dakota had no snow on the ground this morning, and over 95% of the country that normally has snow at this time of year had below-average snow cover. High temperatures in Nebraska yesterday were in the 60s, more than 30° above average.
Storm activity has been almost nil over the past week over the entire U.S., with the jet stream bottled up far to the north in Canada. It has been remarkable to look at the radar display day after day and see virtually no echoes, and it is very likely that this has been the driest first week of January in U.S. recorded history.
Portions of northern New England, the Upper Midwest, and the mountains of the Western U.S. that are normally under a foot of more of snow by now have no snow, or just a dusting of less than an inch. Approximately half of the U.S. had temperatures at least 5°F above average during the month of December, with portions of North Dakota and Minnesota seeing temperatures 9°F above average. The strangely warm and dry start to winter is not limited to the U.S–all of continental Europe experienced well above-average temperatures during December.
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Gorgeous House Of Worship
Old Wooden Church in Poland
Use the controls at the bottom to rotate the picture vertically and horizontally and zoom for a complete view.
Use the controls at the bottom to rotate the picture vertically and horizontally and zoom for a complete view.
GO HERE to view.
Breaking News-- Explosion In Princess Anne
A gas tanker has exploded in Princess Anne.
More To Come....
More To Come....
Fruitland Police Press Release
DATE & TIME:Saturday January 7, 2012 @ 0040 hours
INCIDENT: DWI
LOCATION: S. Fruitland Blvd @ Broadway
CASE NO.: 2012-0030
PERSON CHARGED: Raymond W. Holbrook
AGE: 26
ADDRESS: Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Negligent Driving
(Numerous related traffic charges)
DISPOSITION: Released to custody of Central Booking at WCDC
SYNOPSIS:On the above date and time a Fruitland officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by the above named suspect after observing the vehicle driven in a negligent manner and committing several traffic violations. Upon contact the officer detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverages emanating from the suspect and the vehicle’s interior. Further investigation led to the officer placing the suspect under arrest and transporting him to Central Booking after refusing further tests.
DATE & TIME:Wednesday January 4, 2012 @ 1715 hours
INCIDENT: Theft Attempt
LOCATION: Fruitland Walmart
CASE NO.:2012-0018
PERSON(s) CHARGED: Andrew S. Moore
Kenneth Brian Renninger
AGE(s): 24 and 34
ADDRESS: Both of Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:Theft Attempt
Conspiracy to Commit Theft
Malicious Destruction of Property
DISPOSITION: Released to custody of Central Booking at WCDC
SYNOPSIS:On the above date and time Fruitland Officers responded to the Walmart located at 409 N. Fruitland Blvd regarding an attempted theft of several laptop computers. Upon arrival officers learned that the above name suspects had used bolt cutters that they had removed from the store shelf to cut the steel bars on an electronics cabinet and attempt to remove the computers contained within it. The suspects fled the store and officers were able to later identify them and place them under arrest. Both suspects were released to the custody of Central Booking without incident.
Will The Supreme Court Strike Down Part Of The Voting Rights Act?
This afternoon, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a Texas redistricting case that could have major implications for minority voters -- as well as determine which party is likely to control Congress after the 2012 elections.
Here's our guide to why the case matters, why it could pose a challenge to part of the Voting Rights Act, and what impact the Court's ruling could have on voters across the country.
At its most basic, the case is contesting which district maps Texas will use in the 2012 elections.
This seems like a dry question, but it's not. Thanks to population growth, Texas is gaining four seats in Congress, and how the district lines are drawn is likely to determine whether those additional seats will be won by Democrats or Republicans -- and how big an impact minority voters will have in deciding who the new representatives will be.
Because those four seats could help determine which party controls the House of Representatives, the Texas case is being closely watched across the country.
RSC Update: When Debt GDP, Debt Is Too Big & Economy Is Too Small
From the Chairman
Having a national debt larger than our economy basically means two things. The debt is too big, and our economy is too small.
After taking control of the House of Representatives last January, we spent the next 12 months tackling both problems. But aside from a few free trade agreements and a meager reduction in the discretionary budget, most of our efforts have been blocked by Congressional Democrats and President Obama. All things considered, it would be easy to get discouraged in 2012 about the prospects for cutting spending, adding jobs, or dealing with looming insolvency in entitlement programs.
Don’t. The conservatives you elected in 2010 are still here and more determined than ever.
We’ll keep pushing for real spending cuts, powerful growth proposals, and common sense improvements to reform the welfare safety net and strengthen Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.We’ll need your help to succeed though. Stay vocal and stay involved. Together we can make this a great year for conservatives.
God Bless,
Congressman Jim Jordan
Chairman, Republican Study Committee
Having a national debt larger than our economy basically means two things. The debt is too big, and our economy is too small.
After taking control of the House of Representatives last January, we spent the next 12 months tackling both problems. But aside from a few free trade agreements and a meager reduction in the discretionary budget, most of our efforts have been blocked by Congressional Democrats and President Obama. All things considered, it would be easy to get discouraged in 2012 about the prospects for cutting spending, adding jobs, or dealing with looming insolvency in entitlement programs.
Don’t. The conservatives you elected in 2010 are still here and more determined than ever.
We’ll keep pushing for real spending cuts, powerful growth proposals, and common sense improvements to reform the welfare safety net and strengthen Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.We’ll need your help to succeed though. Stay vocal and stay involved. Together we can make this a great year for conservatives.
God Bless,
Congressman Jim Jordan
Chairman, Republican Study Committee
The Farce Of Government 'Growth'
Growth is a priority in eurozone, say leaders ... France and Germany have said boosting economic growth across Europe was a priority in efforts to stem the debt crisis showing signs of spreading across the 17 euro currency countries. After a Berlin meeting with French President Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Greece and its private creditors to agree to the restructuring of the country's national debt if it is to receive its next batch of bailout cash. In October the eurozone agreed a second handout for Greece that involves the country's private creditors accepting a 50% reduction in the value of their holdings of Greek debt. She added that both she and Mr Sarkozy want Greece to receive the money. "We want for Greece to remain in the eurozone," she said. – UK Telegraph
Dominant Social Theme: Nothing else can act as an engine of job growth more effectively than big government.
Free-Market Analysis: Thank goodness Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Nicolas Sarkozy have agreed to save the Western world by creating more jobs. Unemployment is anathema to them and now they have vowed to provide people in Europe with the work they need. They also want Greece to stay in the Eurozone.
OK, sarcasm off. This is surely a power elite dominant social theme, that government can "create" jobs. Actually, what government can create is sinecures. And it can only offer a benign business environment once it has taken steps to ruin what is already in place.
The marketplace creates jobs that actually add value. And if government can claim to create jobs it is only by reducing taxes, regulation or price inflation in such a way as to allow the private market itself to operate more efficiently.
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Dominant Social Theme: Nothing else can act as an engine of job growth more effectively than big government.
Free-Market Analysis: Thank goodness Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Nicolas Sarkozy have agreed to save the Western world by creating more jobs. Unemployment is anathema to them and now they have vowed to provide people in Europe with the work they need. They also want Greece to stay in the Eurozone.
OK, sarcasm off. This is surely a power elite dominant social theme, that government can "create" jobs. Actually, what government can create is sinecures. And it can only offer a benign business environment once it has taken steps to ruin what is already in place.
The marketplace creates jobs that actually add value. And if government can claim to create jobs it is only by reducing taxes, regulation or price inflation in such a way as to allow the private market itself to operate more efficiently.
More
Republicans See Sen. Cardin As Vulnerable
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s re-election may not be the typical cake walk Maryland Democrats have grown to expect, some Republicans believe. Cardin already faces a primary challenge from eight Democrats, including state Sen. Anthony Muse, a well-known African American pastor from Prince George's County with close ties throughout the politically potent black churches. One of Cardin’s Republican challengers could be former Iraq War veteran and U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Counsel, Richard J. Douglas.
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The Ultimate Consumer Protection
This week, partisan games in Washington reached a fevered pitch as Congress acted to prevent recess appointments, yet the administration made them anyway. Congress has been gaveling into session for less than a minute every three days for the express purpose of technically staying in session. The 40-second "pro forma" sessions may strike supporters of the President as obstructionist, but Congress was using its clear constitutional authority and playing by the rules. Frustrated, the President simply disregarded the Constitution, and appointed Richard Cordray as head of the new Consumer Financial Protection Board, and Sharon Block, Richard Griffin and Terence Flynn to the National Labor Relations Board anyway.
Playing fast and loose with the Constitution only gets worse with every administration. Because of the dangerous precedents being set, both parties would be wise to defend constitutional bounds, no matter who crosses the line. Defending a constitutional overstep always comes back to haunt them once power changes hands.
The Obama administration expressed extreme frustration with the Senate's refusal to confirm its nominees. The truth is, for better or worse, these are the cards the voters have dealt Washington. The Constitution, with its system of checks and balances, not only allows for gridlock, it practically guarantees some degree of it. The Founders knew that gridlock can be a very good thing. If nothing can be agreed upon in Washington, harm to the country is limited. Considering the Obama administration's ideas of what caused our problems and how to solve them, the wisdom of the Founders certainly shines through today.
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Playing fast and loose with the Constitution only gets worse with every administration. Because of the dangerous precedents being set, both parties would be wise to defend constitutional bounds, no matter who crosses the line. Defending a constitutional overstep always comes back to haunt them once power changes hands.
The Obama administration expressed extreme frustration with the Senate's refusal to confirm its nominees. The truth is, for better or worse, these are the cards the voters have dealt Washington. The Constitution, with its system of checks and balances, not only allows for gridlock, it practically guarantees some degree of it. The Founders knew that gridlock can be a very good thing. If nothing can be agreed upon in Washington, harm to the country is limited. Considering the Obama administration's ideas of what caused our problems and how to solve them, the wisdom of the Founders certainly shines through today.
More
Schumer Wants All Military Steel To Be Made In USA
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - Sen. Charles Schumer of New York is calling on the Defense Department to restore the requirement that all steel used in military contracts be made in the United States.
Schumer is visiting Klein Steel in Rochester, N.Y. this morning. He says the military got all of its steel from domestic producers like Klein for 35 years until 2009, when the Defense Department dropped the made-in-the-USA requirement as demand soared due to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Now that the Iraq war has ended, Schumer says ample U.S. manufacturers exist to meet the military's demand.
Schumer says reinstating the rule would likely bring new work to Klein, which currently employs more than 200 in Rochester.
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Schumer is visiting Klein Steel in Rochester, N.Y. this morning. He says the military got all of its steel from domestic producers like Klein for 35 years until 2009, when the Defense Department dropped the made-in-the-USA requirement as demand soared due to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Now that the Iraq war has ended, Schumer says ample U.S. manufacturers exist to meet the military's demand.
Schumer says reinstating the rule would likely bring new work to Klein, which currently employs more than 200 in Rochester.
More
The Secret Cause Of Buyer’s Remorse
Being able to hold things before we buy them makes us more satisfied with our purchases
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In 2011, many shoppers opted to avoid the frenetic crowds and do their holiday shopping from the comfort of their computer. Sales at online retailers gained by more than 15%, making it the biggest season ever. But people are also returning those purchases at record rates, up 8% from last year.
What went wrong? Is the lingering shadow of the global financial crisis making it harder to accept extravagant indulgences? Or that people shop more impulsively — and therefore make bad decisions — when online? Both arguments are plausible. However there is a third factor: a question of touch. We can love the look but, in an online environment, we cannot feel the quality of a texture, the shape of the fit, the fall of a fold or, for that matter, the weight of an earring. And physically interacting with an object makes you more committed to your purchase.
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Calling All 18 To 39 Year-Olds New To The Salisbury Area
The Salisbury Jaycees Membership Meeting is Monday, January 16. This is the first meeting of the new year for the General Membership and new friends! 7pm is Social Time & 7:30pm is the meeting at the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce. Remember your Salisbury Jaycees are the Maryland Jaycees No. 1 Chapter in the State! For more info contact amanda@salisburyjc.com or phone 410-749-0144, ext. 109.
BREAKING NEWS: Powerful Earthquake Strikes Off Coast Of Indonesia
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake recorded in Indian Ocean off the coast of Indonesia.
No immediate tsunami warnings issued.
From Fox News
No immediate tsunami warnings issued.
From Fox News
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $370 MILLION IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $370 MILLION IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDING AND UPGRADES FOR MARYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Funds will support an estimated 11,650 jobs for Marylanders
ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 10, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley today joined by House Speaker Michael E. Busch, and surrounded by students, educators and other officials, announced that the O'Malley-Brown Administration will propose more than $370 million in school construction funding and upgrades for Maryland public schools in the FY2013 budget to support an estimated 11,650 jobs with the local dollars these funds will leverage. The Governor is proposing more than $350 million in capital funding for the Public School Construction Program (PSCP), the second highest single-year funding level in State history, bringing the Administration’s six-year school construction commitment to $1.94 billion and creating an estimated 2,400 direct construction jobs each year over the last six years (including FY2013).
Additionally, the Administration will include $15.3 million in the Qualified Zone Academy Bond Program (QZAB), under which the State sells bonds and allocates proceeds to public school systems for capital improvements at eligible public school buildings and $6.1 million in the Aging Schools Program.
“It was only a few short years ago, when the Kopp Commission rightfully declared that we had a ‘crisis in school construction in our State,’” said Governor O’Malley. “In December 2005, Anthony Brown and I came to what was then Germantown Elementary’s 43-year old building. We saw the temporary learning shacks, and began an honest dialogue with the people of our State about choices and priorities Today, we’re asking the General Assembly to invest $372 million in FY2013 to create 11,650 jobs and recapitalize Maryland’s future with new investment in school construction because these investments we make together are literally the building blocks of greater job creation and opportunity.”
The Governor made the announcement at Germantown Elementary School in Annapolis, where in December 2005, one day after announcing the official O’Malley-Brown ticket, he and Lt. Governor Brown joined by Speaker Busch declared their commitment to investing in school construction, and released a comprehensive plan to accept the recommendations of the Kopp Commission, which in 2004 provided an unprecedented statewide assessment of the condition of Maryland’s public schools as a “crisis in school construction.”
The Kopp Commission noted:
• Students in poor buildings perform less well than students in functional buildings.
• Most researchers found students in poor buildings scored between 5 to 10 percentile rank points lower than students in functional buildings, after controlling for socioeconomic status.
• The difference in scores for students in poor buildings can be as high as 17 percentile rank points.
In order to move children out of crowded classrooms, crumbling school buildings and portable trailers, and position Maryland as a global leader in education, the Kopp Commission recommended that the State adopt a $250 million annual minimum for public school construction in order to reach the $2 billion investment that Maryland schools required.
Publishers Notes: There was a LOT more to this press release but it wnt on so long we simply cannot provide more space. I will ask the Governor's Office to provide a link on line and possibly update this Post with a link.
Funds will support an estimated 11,650 jobs for Marylanders
ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 10, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley today joined by House Speaker Michael E. Busch, and surrounded by students, educators and other officials, announced that the O'Malley-Brown Administration will propose more than $370 million in school construction funding and upgrades for Maryland public schools in the FY2013 budget to support an estimated 11,650 jobs with the local dollars these funds will leverage. The Governor is proposing more than $350 million in capital funding for the Public School Construction Program (PSCP), the second highest single-year funding level in State history, bringing the Administration’s six-year school construction commitment to $1.94 billion and creating an estimated 2,400 direct construction jobs each year over the last six years (including FY2013).
Additionally, the Administration will include $15.3 million in the Qualified Zone Academy Bond Program (QZAB), under which the State sells bonds and allocates proceeds to public school systems for capital improvements at eligible public school buildings and $6.1 million in the Aging Schools Program.
“It was only a few short years ago, when the Kopp Commission rightfully declared that we had a ‘crisis in school construction in our State,’” said Governor O’Malley. “In December 2005, Anthony Brown and I came to what was then Germantown Elementary’s 43-year old building. We saw the temporary learning shacks, and began an honest dialogue with the people of our State about choices and priorities Today, we’re asking the General Assembly to invest $372 million in FY2013 to create 11,650 jobs and recapitalize Maryland’s future with new investment in school construction because these investments we make together are literally the building blocks of greater job creation and opportunity.”
The Governor made the announcement at Germantown Elementary School in Annapolis, where in December 2005, one day after announcing the official O’Malley-Brown ticket, he and Lt. Governor Brown joined by Speaker Busch declared their commitment to investing in school construction, and released a comprehensive plan to accept the recommendations of the Kopp Commission, which in 2004 provided an unprecedented statewide assessment of the condition of Maryland’s public schools as a “crisis in school construction.”
The Kopp Commission noted:
• Students in poor buildings perform less well than students in functional buildings.
• Most researchers found students in poor buildings scored between 5 to 10 percentile rank points lower than students in functional buildings, after controlling for socioeconomic status.
• The difference in scores for students in poor buildings can be as high as 17 percentile rank points.
In order to move children out of crowded classrooms, crumbling school buildings and portable trailers, and position Maryland as a global leader in education, the Kopp Commission recommended that the State adopt a $250 million annual minimum for public school construction in order to reach the $2 billion investment that Maryland schools required.
Publishers Notes: There was a LOT more to this press release but it wnt on so long we simply cannot provide more space. I will ask the Governor's Office to provide a link on line and possibly update this Post with a link.
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