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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

John Fredericksen And Others Are Full Of Crap

OK, the pictures and documents don't lie. Not only was Parkside High School built for $6,500,000.00, it was renovated ONCE around 10 years ago and now they want another $35,000,000.00 to renovate it AGAIN.

OK, that being said, now they want almost $100,000,000.00 for a new Bennett Middle School. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

Look Folks, here's something VERY important I want to share with you. Last night I was in a meeting in which several people were attempting to tell me that IF Bennet isn't built and the Council doesn't get on board the County/School will lose its place and fall back on the list for at least another 10 years. COMPLETE BS! Absolutely NOT TRUE! Someone in the Board of Education is spreading a LIE. They just want that project and they'll say whatever it takes to get what they WANT.

I have been told that the State understands the County's financial position and the state is willing to work with the County whenever they're ready. It's amazing to me the BS that can get spread around WITHOUT ANY PROOF.

Now, getting back to the key topic here. $6,5 million to build a brand new High School. Are you REALLY trying to blow enough smoke up my rear end to tell me inflation has escalated THAT MUCH in which the new School will actually cost close to $100,000,000.00!!!!!! Are you people actually believing this crap? Well, I guess you are because many of you still believe the new Fire Palace Station 16 actually cost $14,000,000.00 to build, so I guess there are that many stupid people in this community. I feel so lonely sitting here all alone KNOWING this is a load of crap, but that's OK, I'm used to it.

In closing, here's a challenge for you. Do YOU have a problem with the buildings they're constructing at WorWic? Perhaps YOU should dig into that and find out how much those Schools are costing and maybe then and only then will you finally WAKE UP!




New Posts to fall below.

Bernanke Doubles Down On Fed Bet Defied By Recession: Mortgages

Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Ben S. Bernanke is signaling his willingness to double down on a three-year bet that’s failed to revive housing, showing the extent of the Federal Reserve chairman’s effort to wrest a recovery from the deepest recession.

Since the Fed started buying $1.25 trillion of mortgage bonds in January 2009, the value of U.S. housing has fallen 4.1 percent, and is down 32 percent from its 2006 peak, according to an S&P/Case-Shiller index. The central bank is poised to buy about $200 billion this year, or more than 20 percent of new loans, as it reinvests debt that’s being paid off. Some Fed officials have said they may support additional purchases that Barclays Capital estimates could total as much as $750 billion.

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Google Helps Emergency Room Docs To Predict Flu Trends


Google, the search-engine giant, may be able to help doctors anticipate when they’ll get a surge in the number of patients they see with flu symptoms.
That’s the new finding from a team of doctors, based in Baltimore, who relied on Google Flu Trends, a service that tracks the number of flu-related Internet searches by folks like you and me.  In an article this month in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, those doctors, led by Dr. Richard Rothman, an emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine describe how data from Google Flu Trends stacked up against conventional systems to track the spread of flu.

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Michael Jackson's Estate Wants To Keep Thrilling

More than two years after his death, Jackson is still on top. His estate wants to keep him there

More than two years after his death, Michael Jackson is still moonwalking to the bank. Already one of the best-selling artists of all time, the singer was the top-selling act of 2009, thanks to a post-mortem surge in interest in his albums. That raised his career total to more than 750 million records worldwide. This Is It, the backstage look at Jackson’s unrealized final tour, was released four months after his death and became the highest-grossing concert film ever. In the 18 months after his passing, his estate reported that it collected $310 million from music, merchandise sales, and its share of publication rights on a music catalog that includes songs by the Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Jackson himself.

Now the hard part begins. As unseemly as it may sound, the first year of a celebrity’s death can be a bonanza. “When a star first dies, fans are desperate for just one more performance,” says Mark Young, a University of Southern California professor who specializes in sports and entertainment. Maintaining that buzz could be a challenge for even the King of Pop as fans move on to the next Lady Gaga-du-jour. Jackson wouldn’t be the first king to fade. The Elvis Presley estate, long the gold standard of money-making by dead stars, now has all the earmarks of an aging brand. In 2010 the estate generated $57 million for CKX (CKX:US), which owns the rights to the Elvis name.

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Handcuffed Man Steals Cop Car, Radios For Key

(CBS News)  
KOUTS, Ind. - Police are on the lookout for a man who managed to steal a police cruiser while handcuffed, then radio authorities looking for the key to unlock the cuffs.
According to CBS station WBBM in Chicago, 22-year-old William Blankenship III was arrested around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on drug charges in Kotus, Ind., a town about 50 miles from Chicago. The arresting officer went inside a local convenience store, leaving Blankenship alone.He managed to get in the drivers seat and take off.

Taking Aim At Child Labor Laws

New laws in Maine and Wisconsin make it easier to hire minors for low pay


Newt Gingrich got a lot of attention—mostly negative—late last year when he told an audience at Harvard University that he would do away with “truly stupid” child labor laws that prevent kids in poor neighborhoods from being put to work. He then one-upped himself by suggesting during the Dec. 10 GOP debate in Iowa that poor kids could learn the value of a hard day’s work by taking the jobs of union janitors in New York public schools.

Gingrich’s comments were seen at the time as just another example of his seeming inability to refrain from saying whatever pops into his head. Yet his speech reflected changes already occurring in two states. Republican politicians in Maine and Wisconsin have relaxed decades-old child labor laws, enacted to protect children from being forced to work long hours under dangerous conditions, claiming they no longer make sense.

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Deadly Cantaloupe Outbreak Blamed On Bad Audits


A new congressional investigation has concluded the deadliest recorded outbreak of food-borne illness in U.S. history was caused, in part, by the system intended to prevent it.
Last year, at least 30 deaths were caused by listeriosis linked to cantaloupe from Jensen Farms in Colorado. Before the outbreak, Jensen Farms received a clean bill of health from auditors the company had hired.

Consumer Reports Money Adviser: Don't Buy Into Expensive ID Theft Protection Services

Identity theft can scare the bejeezus out of anyone — drained bank accounts, credit cards set up in your name, purloined Social Security numbers, oh my — but that doesn't necessarily means you should buy into an expensive credit protection service. Our wise older siblings at Consumer Reports break it down in a new installment of Money Adviser.

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We Really Need Your Help On This One...

Neighbors:

My 94 year old mother was involved in a car accident at the intersection of RT 13 and Mt Vernon Road. Her car flipped and she is now hospitalized. She is devastated by the accident and especially becuase her dog was in the car and ran away at the scene.

The dog's name is Princess. I am headed to MD from Philadelphia first thing in the morning to start searching shelters and wooded areas nearby. If anyone should know anything about this dog,or perhaps even saw her running loose,I would so appreciate any help in finding her.

She is a large dog with brown speckles. She has short hair and a long tail.

If you think you can help with the whereabouts or any information please ring me at 215 915 6267. I have been told that the Craigslist Pets Community has a wide network and has helped other re-unite lost dogs with their owners. I am praying that someone out their will see this!

Stephen Colbert Leads Jon Huntsman In South Carolina Poll


As if Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman needed more bad news after his third-place finish in New Hampshire, he now trails comedian Stephen Colbert in South Carolina, the next state to vote on Jan. 21, the Atlantic Wire reports.
The count, by Public Policy Polling (PPP), puts the Comedy Central anchor and non-candidate at 5%, while the former ambassador to China currently musters just 4%. “Even if Huntsman finishes second in New Hampshire tonight it doesn’t speak well for his prospects down the line that he’s running behind Stephen Colbert,” the pollsters wrote in a massive understatement of a press release.

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Coors Light Dethrones Budweiser In Beer Sales Battle For No. 2 Spot

After a brewing battle, Coors Light is celebrating as they've passed up Budweiser in 2011 for the No. 2 selling beer in the country. Bud is the only full-calorie beer in the top five, so to lose ground to a lighter offering is kind of a big deal.

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US: Mexico Kingpin Guzman 'World's Most Powerful Drug Trafficker'


The U.S. Treasury Department called Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman "the world's most powerful drug trafficker" Tuesday. The fugitive Sinaloa cartel leader also got a boost from Mexican actress Kate Del Castillo, who said she believed in Guzman more than in the government.
It was the latest in an odd series of encomiums for Guzman, who was included this year on the Forbes list of the world's richest people, with an estimated fortune of $1 billion.


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BREAKING NEWS: Judge Blocks Barbour Pardons

Mississippi judge blocks release of some of the convicts who received controversial pardons by outgoing Gov. Haley Barbour.

From Fox News

What The Heck Is 4K And Should You Spend $25,000 To Get It?

Several manufacturers are showing off so-called 4K technology — which promises TV pictures at four times the top resolution of current HD — at the Consumer Electronics Show, including Sony, which expects to have a 4K projector on the market in a few weeks, for $25,000. Assuming you have $25K burning a hole in your pocket, and a vacant wall in your home theater, should you rush out and buy one?

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American Doctor Jailed For Sex With Cambodian Boys

A Cambodian court on Wednesday sentenced an American doctor to 10 years in prison for paying for sex with two boys, aged 12 and 15.



The boys' parents filed a complaint to police who monitored Phillip Bruce Shepard, 69, and arrested him in July.

Indiana, Enjoy Your Final Two Years Of "Tax-Free" Amazon Purchases

Add Indiana to the list of states in which Amazon customers will pay sales tax when they buy something, as state officials have reached a deal that will require the online retailer to start collecting the state's 7% tax on purchases.

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Del. Prosecutors Appeal Death Sentence Dismissal

The state attorney general's office is appealing a judge's ruling overturning the conviction and death sentence of a man accused of killing a 66-year-old Wilmington man in a 1991 robbery.

 A Superior Court judge threw out 39-year-old Jermaine Wright's death sentence last week and scheduled a bail hearing for Wednesday.

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White House Meets Today On Jobs

The White House is hosting a forum today on how companies can bring jobs back into the United States. President Obama will be meeting with a number of industry leaders who have already begun insourcing jobs from abroad back into the U.S. The President will then be talking with government leaders from various agencies about the steps they can take to help make those jobs a reality.

MoJo's Celebrates Their GRAND OPENING

The Salisbury Chamber of Commerce joined Joel and Rob for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony today at 4:30 PM.
Talk about a busy place, it was absolutely packed. Mayor Ireton attended along with Gail Bartgovich.

There's an after party going on right now, (5:30 pm) if anyone would like to get out for some food or perhaps a drink. Support our local businesses.





New Posts to fall below.

Conservative Activists Scramble To Stop Mitt Romney


A near-panic has taken hold among some core conservative activists, who are now scrambling to devise a strategy to deny Mitt Romney the Republican presidential nomination.
Many of these activists see South Carolina’s primary on Jan. 21 as their last best hope of stopping Romney by consolidating in a united front against him. But many acknowledge that they have yet to figure out which of the remaining conservative rivals to rally behind and which should get out.

GSA Offering Early Retirement To 600 Employees

The General Services Administration wants to thin its ranks across four major offices. GSA yesterday asked the Office of Personnel Management for buyout and early retirement approval for about 600 employees, or 5 percent of its workforce. GSA wants to reduce its workforce in the: Federal Acquisition Service; the Office of the Chief Information Officer; the Office of Governmentwide Policy and the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies. OPM must still approve GSA's request. Agency officials say they don't know when OPM will issue an opinion.

300 Chinese Foxconn Workers 'Threaten Mass Suicide' At XBox Plant, Reports Claim

Around 300 Chinese workers who manufacture XBox consoles took to a factory roof and threatened bosses with mass suicide over a dispute about pay, unconfirmed reports have claimed.

 The workers were employed at the Foxconn Technology Park in Wuhan in Hubei province. Foxconn is an independent, global manufacturing partner to companies including Apple, Microsoft and Sony.

 Microsoft said on Wednesday that it is investigating the incident.

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Thousands Pay Their Respect For Ranger

Top federal officials and thousands of well-wishers gathered in Washington state yesterday to remember Margaret Anderson, a Mount Rainier National Park ranger who was shot and killed on New Year's Day. Among the attendees: Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who read a letter from the President. Anderson was the first NPS ranger to die in the line of duty. The 34-year-old mother of two was shot and killed after setting up a roadblock to stop a vehicle that blew through a checkpoint on the road to the park's visitor center.

Surprise! Gasoline Prices In The US Are Rigged


You don’t have to be a genius to know that gasoline costs around $3.50 per gallon in the US. 
What most Americans don’t know is that the only thing keeping the price above $2.00 is the fact that our oil companies are exporting our gasoline at bargain basement prices to their own foreign subsidiaries subsidized by high American prices.
You see, gasoline usage, around the world, has fallen dramatically.

USPS Chooses Verizon

The Postal Service has picked Verizon to build and run a major internal IT network. The six-year deal is worth $168 million, according to Verizon. They'll build the internal Internet protocol infrastructure that USPS plans to use for communication with employees and managing day-to-day operations. The Virginia-based company already has separate agreements with the Postal Service for satellite services and videoconferencing, which the new network will support.

See A National Park, Save Some Cash During A Fee-Free Weekend

The National Park Service (NPS) is putting out the welcome mat. In an effort to introduce more people to America’s national parks — and to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. — NPS is waiving admission fees at parks that typically charge them Jan. 14–16.


“Obviously, we want people to go visit any national park but we thought this was a good time to honor Dr. King — or any other famous American,” said NPS spokesperson Kathy Kupper. “Around 250 of the national parks are historic sites that memorialize people or events so it’s a nice time to do that.”


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Muse Protests Endrosements At Democratic Unity Luncheon

As the annual Maryland Democratic Party luncheon before the legislative session broke up Tuesday, state Sen. Anthony Muse took the podium to loudly protest the endorsement of incumbent U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin by Gov. Martin O’Malley and U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House minority whip. “We don’t use this kind of venue to endorse one Democrat over another,” bellowed Muse, who had just filed that morning to run against Cardin in the primary.

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Miller Pledges A New Dover Bridge At Opening Session


Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. in his opening remarks Wednesday at the General Assembly opening pledged to bring a new Dover Bridge to the Eastern Shore.
"This is not a war on rural Maryland," Miller reportedly said in his opening speech. "The senator from the Eastern Shore is going to get a new bridge, and I'm going to work to make that happen."
The news surprised and pleased state Sen. Richard Colburn, R-37-Mid-Shore.
"This is the most exciting, best opening day session I've ever had," Colburn said of his 26th opening day. "The Eastern Shore has picked up a most powerful ally with the support of President Mike Miller supporting a new Dover Bridge. I was shocked but graciously and pleasantly suprised."

Occupy Wall Street Returns To Zuccotti Park

(AP)  
NEW YORK - Barricades surrounding a park that served as a camp for Occupy Wall Street protesters were removed Tuesday, allowing protesters to stream back in.
The atmosphere was celebratory but calm on Tuesday evening as about 300 protesters began filling New York City's Zuccotti Park a couple of hours after the barricades were taken down and a day after a complaint about the barricades was filed with the city. Protesters milled around, eating lasagna on paper plates and playing chess.

Justice Department Finally Cuffs Sheriff Joe, But Not the Policy That Made Him

Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff in America,” will cooperate with the federal government’s demands to clean up his department after a three-year investigation found rampant racial profiling and widespread discriminatory policing under his watch. But he’s not doing it without issuing a few demands of his own.

Arpaio was up against a Wednesday deadline set forth by the Department of Justice following the release of its damning report last month. He had to either voluntarily comply with the DOJ’s proposed reforms for Maricopa County, Ariz., or face civil action, the Department of Justice told Arpaio last month. Arpaio responded pointedly, saying he would begin talks with the Department of Justice only when federal government provided “proof” he’d done something wrong.

The lengthy response from Arpaio’s attorneys all but bristles. It includes 106 separate requests for documentation of the Justice Department’s findings and claims a “dearth of facts” in the original report.

“We, too, prefer to resolve this matter without litigation, but will not cower at the threat of litigation, either,” Arpaio’s attorneys wrote to Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez.

It was a classic move from the publicity-obsessed sheriff, who’s made a name for himself as an anti-immigrant hardliner so committed to detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants that he was willing to trample on the rights of citizens and non-citizens alike.

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At A Romney Event Yesterday, I Was Removed And Arrested. I Still Don't Know Why.


I’d been in New Hampshire for the past several days to follow the campaign and see some of the candidates in-person. Yesterday morning, I was chatting up a Romney campaign staffer before an event at the Gilchrist Manufacturing Company in Hudson, NH, when a police officer approached. Sir, we have to ask you to leave the premises.
“Sir, is this about my backpack? I’d be happy to show you – there’s nothing dangerous in there.”
“No, sir – we’ll explain it to you outside.”
I gathered my things and walked past a group of citizens and press, humiliated and confused.
Outside, the officer said, “Sir, the campaign has identified you as someone who was at a protest at Romney’s office in Manchester.”

How College Football Bowls Earn Millions In Profits, But Pay Almost Nothing In Taxes

This is the first post in a three-part series about the college football’s bowl system, the Bowl Championship Series.


When Louisiana State University and the University of Alabama meet in tonight’s Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship game in New Orleans, college football’s top prize will be on the line. More than 75,000 will be in attendance, and millions will watch on TV. The Sugar Bowl, host to this year’s game, stands to make millions of dollars in profits. And little, if any, of it will be subject to federal taxes.


That’s because the Sugar Bowl and the championship game, like the three other bowls that make up the BCS, are classified as tax-exempt nonprofit charities, set up with missions to do public good with the money they earn and spend. In 2007, the last time New Orleans hosted both the Sugar Bowl and the BCS title game, the games generated $34.1 million in revenue — $11.6 million of that was tax-free profit.


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Hedwig, Is That You? Snowy Owls Apparate Into The U.S.


The Harry Potter series may have met its fateful end in 2011 with the release of the epic story’s final film, but one of the chronicle’s most beautiful characters is in the spotlight once more after being recently spotted throughout the U.S.
No, we’re not talking about any of the witches or wizards in J.K. Rowling’s extraordinary series. We’re talking about owls — in particular, majestic snowy owls like Hedwig, the courier bird that accompanied Harry to Hogwarts and beyond for several fictional years.
According to the Associated Press, snowy owls are swooping into the States for a massive migration this winter. Researchers believe that the owls, which can have a wingspan of nearly 5 feet and reach 2 feet in height, had a strong breeding season this summer due to an increase in their main food source: Arctic lemmings.

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A Far Cry From ‘CSI’

The fate of Shirley Ree Smith, convicted of shaking to death her 7-week-old grandson, is in the hands of California's governor. Child deaths can pose special problems for forensic pathologists. Unfortunately, many forensic pathologists aren't prepared to deal with the complexity of such cases.

California Gov. Jerry Brown is considering granting clemency to Shirley Ree Smith, a grandmother convicted in 1997 of shaking to death her 7-week-old grandson, Etzel Glass. Sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, Smith insists she's innocent.

Prosecutors built their case against Smith almost entirely on the findings of forensic pathologists at the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner. During an autopsy, doctors discovered a small amount of bleeding on the infant's brain and in his optic nerves. Based on this bleeding, the forensic pathologists concluded that somebody had violently shaken Etzel's body, killing him.

They ruled the death a homicide. Others, however, aren't so sure.

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Police: 16-Year-Old Admits Killing Father, Dumping Body In Pond

The neighbors said they'd heard the screams for years.

Shouting in the middle of their quiet Bel Air neighborhood. Cursing and threats so loud they could be heard a block away at night.

Late Monday, the conflict between father and son ended violently — with 16-year-old Robert C. Richardson III accused of murdering his father, Robert C. Richardson Jr., 58, and then dumping his body in a pond behind a relative's house. Police say the son confessed to the crime and told them where to find the body.


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Trappe Man Charged With 2 Counts Of Sexual Solicitation Of Minor

EASTON A Trappe man faces two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor after two alleged incidents between June and September 2011.

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Sussex Officials To Decide Fate Of Harbeson Business


HARBESON — The owner of a business operating in a residential area for nearly three decades will have to wait a few more weeks for Sussex County officials to decide if the operation can continue at its present location near Harbeson.
After getting a violation notice from the county, Michael Van Drunen filed a conditional-use application for a manufactured home installation business and related equipment storage on a 3-acre parcel along Doddtown Road. Van Drunen, who took over the business eight years ago from his father, said he now employees 12 people as part of Dutch Brothers Inc. Most of the work done by the company is electrical contracting, he said.

Maryland Lawmakers Convene For Session

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland lawmakers are gathering for their annual 90-day legislative session.

The session begins Wednesday at noon in Annapolis.

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Terminally Ill Woman Witnesses Husband Kill 3 Family Members, Self


A man repeatedly shot his adult son and two sisters-in-law in his living room, killing them in front of his terminally ill wife, then fatally shot himself on the front porch as family tension about the cancer-stricken woman's care apparently boiled over, authorities said.

An earlier dispute about whether the woman should have been fed tea and toast or the orange her husband had peeled for her apparently set off the shooter Monday, 63-year-old Paul Gilkey.


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Metro Riders Say Rising Fares May Force Them To Abandon System

Metro riders said on Tuesday that the rising cost of using the transit system -- combined with declining service -- may force them to seek other transportation options.
Kevin Miller, who commutes into the District from Alexandria, said he may abandon Metro in favor of driving.

"I'm very unhappy about it," Miller said of Metro's proposed fare spikes as he left Metro Center. "I'm considering buying a car, actually."

Miller wasn't alone.

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School Puts Troubled Kids In 'Scream Room'


Middletown parents, many of whom have children at Farm Hill Elementary School, are outraged about the way the school is dealing with misbehaving students.
Teachers and staff put the children, including those with special needs, in what parents call "scream rooms."
"My 1st grader is there and is not learning because there are so many behavioral problems at that school,” Tricia Belin said.
One parent described the rooms as, “scream closets, where kids bang their heads off of concrete walls.”

Facebook Friend Finds Missing Man

WALDORF, Md. (WUSA) - A tip from an alert Facebook friend led Charles County Sheriff's officers to the whereabouts of a man missing for a week. Richard Lamont Rohland, 73, who was reported missing from his Waldorf home on Jan. 3, was found on Tuesday after an alert witness spotted him after seeing his picture on Facebook.

Early Tuesday afternoon, a shopper at Safeway in the Smallwood Village Shopping Center in Waldorf noticed Rohland inside the store and recognized him from a photo that had been posted on the CCSO Facebook page. She notified a store employee who then called police. When officers responded, they took Rohland into their care and are trying to determine where he has been for the past week.

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Tucson School District To Dismantle Ethnic Studies

A school district in Tucson voted to dismantle its ethnic studies program after more than $1 million of monthly state funding was to be cut off in response to conclusions by Arizona's public schools chief and a judge that the program violated the law.

 The Arizona Daily Star reports that the 4-1 vote Tuesday by the Tucson Unified School District means courses in the district's Mexican-American Studies program will cease immediately.

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Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Release 1-11-12

Incident: Theft
Date of Incident: 7 January 2012
Location: Hebron, MD

Suspect: 1. Aaron S. Beach, 23, Hebron, MD
2. Daniel E. Beach, 26, Hebron, MD
3. Justin P. Marvel, 21, Hebron, MD

Narrative: On 7 January 2012
a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the theft of vintage vehicle parts from a property in the Hebron, MD area. Investigation revealed that over a period of time the three subjects listed above were involved in the theft of these vintage vehicle parts and their subsequent exchange at a local metal recycler in Salisbury for cash.

The amount of metal stolen in this case from the property is believed to exceed $20,000.00.

The investigating deputy continued the investigation at the metal recycler where the deputy confirmed the involvement of all three subjects in the exchange of the purloined metal for cash.

Arrest warrants for all three were obtained and all three were arrested on 10 January 2012. After arrest, all three were transported to the Central Booking Unit where they were processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Daniel Beach on Personal Recognizance while detaining both Aaron Beach and Justin Marvel in the Detention Center on bonds of $50,000.00 and $25,000.00 respectively.

Charges: Theft $10,000 - $100,000
Theft Scheme
Conspiracy

Pilot Alleges He Was Fired For Putting Safety Ahead Of Profits

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- The Federal Aviation Administration and OSHA are both investigating a locally based charter airline known to cater to some high-profile Washingtonians-government officials, professional athletes and entertainers.

The federal investigation stems from an incident earlier this year in which a pilot with Metropolitan Aviation of Manassas made an emergency landing and was fired soon after.

The pilot filed a complaint with OSHA, which precipitated the two government investigations. He has 24 years of experience as a pilot and is an FAA-licensed aircraft mechanic. Last summer, according to the complaint, he flew four passengers out of Manassas, including Former White House Chief of Staff Mack McLarty. The pilot alleges he was fired immediately after for putting safety ahead of profits. It is an allegation Metropolitan Aviation calls unfounded.

"I mean, the whole airplane shook," said the pilot, who asked to remain anonymous.

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GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY INTRODUCES PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING MAP

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 11, 2012) - In accordance with Article III, Section 5 of the Constitution of Maryland, Governor Martin O’Malley today presented to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates his proposed map setting forth the boundaries of the legislative districts for electing members of the Senate and the House of Delegates. As required by the Constitution, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House introduced the Governor’s plan as a joint resolution to the General Assembly.

The Governor’s map submitted today enhances minority voting rights, pays exceptional attention to respecting natural and political boundaries, and results in districts that are compact, contiguous, and protects communities.

“The map submitted today directly reflects the demographics of the State and the population trends that have occurred over the past decade,” said Governor O’Malley. “Equally important, the map reflects the extensive public comments that members of the committee and I heard from hundreds of Marylanders in public hearings across the State and in numerous written comments.”

After accepting the unanimous recommendations of the GRAC on December 16, 2011, the Governor received public comment on the recommendations during a public hearing on December 22, 2011. GRAC based its work on the current legislative district map, drawn by the Maryland Court of Appeals in 2002. The Governor was guided by that work product, State and federal Constitutional and legal provisions, and by public input.

Specifically, the Governor’s map:

Creates 12 districts that are majority African American – an increase from the 10 districts that the Court of Appeals drew in 2002. This reflects the growth in African American population in the State, and provides a much stronger voice for the African American community. These districts are 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 47. The Governor’s proposal increases the African American population in Districts 10, 22, 43 and 47 to enhance the voting strength of the African American voters in those communities.

In addition to the 12 majority African American districts, the map has 4 districts (20, 21, 28, 39) that are majority minority. The Governor’s proposal increases the minority population in District 21.

For the first time in Maryland’s history, creates a single-member Hispanic district in Prince George’s County, District 47B, which is over 62% Hispanic. The Governor did not the create 50% Hispanic single-member district in Montgomery County (18A) offered as an option by GRAC because of concerns about the ability of the sub-district to elect a Hispanic candidate and the option would also make the remainder of the district (18B), 68% white, both of which may have the effect of limiting minority voting strength.

Increases African American voting strength on the Eastern Shore and Baltimore City by bringing District 37A on the Eastern Shore to over 50% African American voting age population, and increasing the African American population in District 46 by 5 percentage points.

Reduces the number of county crossings from 14 in the map drawn by the Court of Appeals in 2002 to 13 crossings. The Governor’s review of the GRAC recommendations resolved minor instances of unintended splits of incorporated areas (such as Frederick, Riverdale Park, and Greenbelt), which are corrected in his map.

Takes further steps to respond to community concerns about splits of unincorporated areas. While balancing minority voting rights, municipal boundaries, and county boundaries, the Governor’s map takes steps to keep more of certain communities together. The Governor’s plan reunites a Seabrook precinct in District 22; puts more of the Lake Arbor community together in District 24; reunites more of Woodmore in District 23; reunites more of Hillcrest Heights in District 26; and puts more of Severna Park back together in District 33.

Makes changes in Baltimore County to make Districts 7, 10 and 42 more compact, and makes changes in Baltimore City to increase the neighborhoods that remain in their current district in Districts 41 and 44A.

Mrs. Obama Tired Of 'Angry Black Woman'

(WASHINGTON) — First lady Michelle Obama is challenging assertions she's forcefully imposed her will on White House aides, saying she's tired of people portraying her as "some kind of angry black woman."


Mrs. Obama tells CBS News she hasn't read New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor's new book that characterizes her as a behind-the-scenes force in the Executive Mansion, whose strong views often draw her into conflict with President Barack Obama's top advisers.

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QUOTES OF THE DAY - RON PAUL EDITION

“Ideas are very important to the shaping of society. In fact, they are more powerful than bombings or armies or guns. And this is because ideas are capable of spreading without limit. They are behind all the choices we make. They can transform the world in a way that governments and armies cannot. Fighting for liberty with ideas makes more sense to me than fighting with guns or politics or political power. With ideas, we can make real change that lasts.”
― Ron Paul, Liberty Defined: The 50 Urgent Issues That Affect Our Freedom

“Under the United States Constitution, the federal government has no authority to hold states “accountable” for their education performance…In the free society envisioned by the founders, schools are held accountable to parents, not federal bureaucrats.”
― Ron Paul

“I’m convinced that you never have to give up liberties to be safe. I think you’re less safe when you give up your liberties.”
― Ron Paul

“Freedom is not defined by safety. Freedom is defined by the ability of citizens to live without government interference. Government cannot create a world without risks, nor would we really wish to live in such a fictional place. Only a totalitarian society would even claim absolute safety as a worthy ideal, because it would require total state control over its citizens’ lives. Liberty has meaning only if we still believe in it when terrible things happen and a false government security blanket beckons.”
― Ron Paul

“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.”
― Ron Paul, The Revolution: A Manifesto

“Mr. Speaker, I once again find myself compelled to vote against the annual budget resolution for a very simple reason: it makes government bigger.”
― Ron Paul

“The most basic principle to being a free American is the notion that we as individuals are responsible for our own lives and decisions. We do not have the right to rob our neighbors to make up for our mistakes, neither does our neighbor have any right to tell us how to live, so long as we aren’t infringing on their rights. Freedom to make bad decisions is inherent in the freedom to make good ones. If we are only free to make good decisions, we are not really free.”
― Ron Paul

“Liberty is lost through complacency and a subservient mindset. When we accept or even welcome automobile checkpoints, random searches, mandatory identification cards, and paramilitary police in our streets, we have lost a vital part of our American heritage. America was born of protest, revolution, and mistrust of government. Subservient societies neither maintain nor deserve freedom for long.”
― Ron Paul

“Failure of government programs prompts more determined effort, while the loss of liberty is ignored or rationalized away…whether is it is the war on poverty, drugs, terrorism…or the current Hitler of the day, an appeal to patriotism is used to convince the people that a little sacrifice of liberty, here or there, is a small price to pay…The results, though, are frightening and will soon become even more so.”
― Ron Paul

“When the federal government spends more each year than it collects in tax revenues, it has three choices: It can raise taxes, print money, or borrow money. While these actions may benefit politicians, all three options are bad for average Americans.”
― Ron Paul

“A system of capitalism presumes sound money, not fiat money manipulated by a central bank. Capitalism cherishes voluntary contracts and interest rates that are determined by savings, not credit creation by a central bank.”
― Ron Paul

“Let it not be said that no one cared, that no one objected once it’s realized that our liberties and wealth are in jeopardy.”
― Ron Paul

“The original American patriots were those individuals brave enough to resist with force the oppressive power of King George…Patriotism is more closely linked to dissent than it is to conformity and a blind desire for safety and security.”
― Ron Paul

“As many frustrated Americans who have joined the Tea Party realize, we cannot stand against big government at home while supporting it abroad. We cannot talk about fiscal responsibility while spending trillions on occupying and bullying the rest of the world. We cannot talk about the budget deficit and spiraling domestic spending without looking at the costs of maintaining an American empire of more than 700 military bases in more than 120 foreign countries. We cannot pat ourselves on the back for cutting a few thousand dollars from a nature preserve or an inner-city swimming pool at home while turning a blind eye to a Pentagon budget that nearly equals those of the rest of the world combined.”
― Ron Paul

“It is no coincidence that the century of total war coincided with the century of central banking.”
― Ron Paul, End the Fed

“A citizen walking through the airport today is bombarded with 1984-style propaganda messages that are designed to make us fear some amorphous threat and also be suspicious of others. The government designs these messages to make us feel dependent and heavily lorded over in every aspect of our lives. These messages are becoming ever more pervasive, hitting us even in grocery stores when we are shopping.”
― Ron Paul, Liberty Defined: The 50 Urgent Issues That Affect Our Freedom

Female Crabs Outnumber Males Nearly 3 To 1 In Chesapeake

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Male crabs have their pick of mates in the Chesapeake Bay this year.

Strict harvest restrictions designed to protect the bay's crab population have pushed the ratio of females to males, also known as Jimmies, to nearly 3-to-1, said Tuck Hines of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Hines, who plans to study how that may affect the population, was one of a number of scientists who spoke Tuesday in Edgewater at a seminar hosted by the center to announce funding for bay fisheries research.

Maryland and Virginia imposed harvest restrictions in 2008 that focused on protecting female crabs and the once-dwindling population has since rebounded, although females now greatly outnumber males.

"So, there are not very many males around and those males are mating repeatedly," Hines said.

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Why 308,127,404 Americans Are Going To Get Hosed

Last week, the US government’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), an agency of the US Treasury Department, published its 2011 annual report. There are a few numbers that are pretty startling.

We’ve discussed before that FinCEN is the executive agency tasked with ensuring that every US banker is an unpaid government spy through Suspicious Activity Reports.

A Suspicious Activity Report, or SAR, includes details of any transaction that may be deemed ‘suspicious’. Naturally, there’s no clear guidance on what is/is not considered suspicious. Banks, brokerages, money service businesses, precious metals dealers… even casinos are required by law to fill them out.

If you withdraw an unusual amount of cash from your bank account, that could be deemed suspicious. If you set up a new payee in your billpay service, that could be deemed suspicious. Anything and everything is fair game.

Banks and other businesses who do not fill out SARs face hefty penalties, including imprisonment. If they disclose to a customer that s/he is the subject of a SAR, they have hefty penalties, including imprisonment.

When push comes to shove and they have to choose between a nasty penalty, or submitting a SAR about your unusual cash withdrawal, which option do you think they’ll pick?

Unsurprisingly, nearly 1.5 million ‘suspicious activity reports’ were filed across the US banking system in 2011, well over twice the number reported in 2004. On top of this, there were an additional -14.8 million- ‘currency transaction reports’ filed in 2011, a 6% jump over last year.

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