Just wanted to let you know - today I received my 2012 Social Security Stimulus Package.
It contained two tomato seeds, cornbread mix, a prayer rug, a machine to blow smoke up my fanny,
10 discount coupons to KFC and an "Obama Hope & Change" bumper sticker.
The directions were in Spanish.
Hope you get yours soon.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Buffalo, NY Teachers Get Free Plastic Surgery
BUFFALO, NY (CNN) -- As thousands of teachers face layoffs across the country, teachers in Buffalo, New York are getting lipo? Yep. And nose jobs and whatever else they want. All on the taxpayers' dime. How is this happening?
This Buffalo plastic surgeon has a lot of happy patients. Dr. Kulwant S. Bhangoo says, "Let's just suppose I was a woman weighed 300 pounds, and I lost 150-160 pounds."
Indeed, that's what happened to Buffalo school teacher Valerie Akauloa, but it's not just the results that make her happy, it's the sweet deal that she gets.
The sweet deal that all the 3,400 teachers in Buffalo are eligible to get under one of their insurance plan options, they are billed nothing for any plastic surgery procedure, such as botox, liposuction, tummy tucks, and there is no deductible.
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Global Warming And Earthly Lies
Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute and a prominent climate change expert, admitted Monday that he lied. Gleick pretended to be someone else in order to obtain documents from the Heartland Institute, which has challenged mainstream scientific consensus on the role of man in global warming.
Last week, Gleick was the chairman of the American Geophysical Union’s Task Force on Scientific Ethics. Now he isn’t. As New York Times blogger Andrew C. Revkin weighed in, “Gleick has admitted to an act that leaves his reputation in ruins and threatens to undercut the cause he spent so much time pursuing.”
Bravo to Gleick for admitting that he lied “in a serious lapse” of his own and “professional judgment and ethics.” At least he had the integrity to own up to his mistake.
But Gleick doesn’t look all that noble when you look at his excuse. In a statement released on The Huffington Post, Gleick said he lied because he wants “a rational public debate.” That’s sort of like Newt Gingrich saying that his extramarital affairs were partially driven by how passionately he felt about this country.
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Last week, Gleick was the chairman of the American Geophysical Union’s Task Force on Scientific Ethics. Now he isn’t. As New York Times blogger Andrew C. Revkin weighed in, “Gleick has admitted to an act that leaves his reputation in ruins and threatens to undercut the cause he spent so much time pursuing.”
Bravo to Gleick for admitting that he lied “in a serious lapse” of his own and “professional judgment and ethics.” At least he had the integrity to own up to his mistake.
But Gleick doesn’t look all that noble when you look at his excuse. In a statement released on The Huffington Post, Gleick said he lied because he wants “a rational public debate.” That’s sort of like Newt Gingrich saying that his extramarital affairs were partially driven by how passionately he felt about this country.
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Same Sex Marriage: See How Your Senator Voted
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Senate -- Maryland state Senators passed the governor's same sex marriage bill by a 25-22 vote Thursday evening.
There were 24 Democrats and 1 Republican who voted in favor, and 11 Democrats and 11 Republicans who voted against. No senators abstained, and none were absent. A majority of 24 votes was needed to pass the measure.The following is a tally of senators' votes as released by the president's office.
There were 24 Democrats and 1 Republican who voted in favor, and 11 Democrats and 11 Republicans who voted against. No senators abstained, and none were absent. A majority of 24 votes was needed to pass the measure.The following is a tally of senators' votes as released by the president's office.
No, Of Course This Car We're Selling Has Never Been In A Severe Accident
Last year, Brandon's car was destroyed in an accident, and he went shopping for a new-to-him vehicle. He found a nice 2008 Honda Civic at a good price with a clean Carfax report. Sweet deal! Now Brandon's in the market for a new car. At another dealership, he learned that the Civic isn't worth as much as he had thought as a trade-in, because the vehicle had sustained severe body damage in an accident, then was rebuilt. How did they know this? The now-updated Carfax report, of course.
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GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES NEW SPECIAL SECRETARY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 23, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley today announced the appointment of Zenita Wickham-Hurley as Special Secretary of the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs. Ms. Wickham-Hurley will assume her new role on February 29th, and oversee efforts to expand opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses in the State of Maryland.
“I am pleased to appoint Zenita Wickham-Hurley as the Special Secretary of Minority Affairs for the O’Malley-Brown Administration,” Governor O’Malley said. “We are committed to expanding opportunities for all Maryland families and small businesses, and I look forward to working with Ms. Hurley to encourage and expand minority and women-owned business enterprise while improving services and making the Office of Minority Affairs more accountable.”
“I look forward to taking my work with the MBE Program to the next level at the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs,” said Zenita Wickham Hurley. “It will be an honor to work directly for Governor O’Malley, who is so committed to expanding opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses to grow and thrive in Maryland's marketplace. I truly believe that business ownership is the key pathway to bridging the wealth gap facing so many minorities and women in this country.”
Since 2007, Wickham-Hurley has served as the Director of the Office of Minority Business Enterprise at the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). As director, she administered the statewide certification of minority business enterprises for the Maryland Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs. Her significant achievements while at MDOT include the creation of process improvements that reduced the turnaround time for processing MBE/DBE certification by nearly 50%, while increasing the number of certified firms by 29%. She also developed and executed a Memorandum of Understanding for streamlining DBE certification for Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia DBE firms, the first such agreement of its kind in the country. Wickham-Hurley also drafted, edited and negotiated legislation enhancing and further developing the Maryland MBE program for consideration by the Maryland General Assembly.
“In addition to bringing an unprecedented level of accountability and transparency to Maryland’s MBE program, Zenita has worked with un-daunting focus and passion to expand the opportunities for minority and disadvantaged businesses,” said Secretary Beverley K. Swaim-Staley. “From creating new statewide outreach programs to certifying more firms, Zenita has been a strong advocate for this growing business community.”
Prior to serving as director, Wickham-Hurley was an assistant attorney general for MDOT’s Office of Minority Business Enterprise. She advised the agency on matters concerning MBE and DBE certification, contract monitoring, and compliance with federal and constitutional standards for affirmative action in public contracting. She has also served as a staff attorney in the Child Advocacy Unit of the Legal Aid Bureau and as an associate with the Washington, DD law firm Steptoe and Johnson, LLP.
Wickham-Hurley received her BA in Government and Politics and Afro-American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her JD from the New York University School of Law.
“I am pleased to appoint Zenita Wickham-Hurley as the Special Secretary of Minority Affairs for the O’Malley-Brown Administration,” Governor O’Malley said. “We are committed to expanding opportunities for all Maryland families and small businesses, and I look forward to working with Ms. Hurley to encourage and expand minority and women-owned business enterprise while improving services and making the Office of Minority Affairs more accountable.”
“I look forward to taking my work with the MBE Program to the next level at the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs,” said Zenita Wickham Hurley. “It will be an honor to work directly for Governor O’Malley, who is so committed to expanding opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses to grow and thrive in Maryland's marketplace. I truly believe that business ownership is the key pathway to bridging the wealth gap facing so many minorities and women in this country.”
Since 2007, Wickham-Hurley has served as the Director of the Office of Minority Business Enterprise at the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). As director, she administered the statewide certification of minority business enterprises for the Maryland Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs. Her significant achievements while at MDOT include the creation of process improvements that reduced the turnaround time for processing MBE/DBE certification by nearly 50%, while increasing the number of certified firms by 29%. She also developed and executed a Memorandum of Understanding for streamlining DBE certification for Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia DBE firms, the first such agreement of its kind in the country. Wickham-Hurley also drafted, edited and negotiated legislation enhancing and further developing the Maryland MBE program for consideration by the Maryland General Assembly.
“In addition to bringing an unprecedented level of accountability and transparency to Maryland’s MBE program, Zenita has worked with un-daunting focus and passion to expand the opportunities for minority and disadvantaged businesses,” said Secretary Beverley K. Swaim-Staley. “From creating new statewide outreach programs to certifying more firms, Zenita has been a strong advocate for this growing business community.”
Prior to serving as director, Wickham-Hurley was an assistant attorney general for MDOT’s Office of Minority Business Enterprise. She advised the agency on matters concerning MBE and DBE certification, contract monitoring, and compliance with federal and constitutional standards for affirmative action in public contracting. She has also served as a staff attorney in the Child Advocacy Unit of the Legal Aid Bureau and as an associate with the Washington, DD law firm Steptoe and Johnson, LLP.
Wickham-Hurley received her BA in Government and Politics and Afro-American Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her JD from the New York University School of Law.
Obama Scraps Local Police From Assisting Immigration Agents
An immigration program that allows some local police to act as immigration agents - is coming to an end. The Obama administration is asking the Homeland Security Department to scrap the program. It allowed ICE to sign contracts with local police, giving them the power to check the immigration status of suspects and place immigration holds on them. The program reached its peak under the last Bush administration, when 60 local agencies had signed contracts with ICE. That slowed under President Obama. No new contracts have been signed since 2010. USA Today reports, DHS expects to save $17 million by cancelling some contracts now and allowing the rest to expire. The last contract in the program runs out in November.
OCPD WARNING CITIZENS OF PHONE SCAM TARGETING PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS
The Ocean City Police Department is warning citizens about a current telephone scam targeting grandparents, parents and family members. The scam, which is fairly common, has several variations, but in the end involves a loved one who is in trouble and needs help getting out of an embarrassing or harmful situation.
Typically, the scammer will call the victim and claim to be their grandchild, child, niece or nephew, depending on what level of information they have on the family. The scammer will tell the family member that they are in trouble, indicating that they have been arrested and are in jail, and need help. In some cases, another scammer will interact with the victim via telephone, claiming to be a lawyer, a bail bondsman, a deputy or an official from a jail to further convince the victim the scam is legitimate. The scammer will then request money, sent to aWestern Unionoffice out of the area, in order to get them out of jail or whatever harmful situation the scam presents.
Ocean City Police have learned that scammers are accessing family knowledge, usually gained from the Internet, to make the scam more convincing. In addition, unlike most scams, the scammer does not have a foreign accident but often doesn’t resemble the voice of their family member. Often times, the scammers will blame the phone line or an illness that is making them sound different on the phone.
The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens to never wire money to strangers or someone you haven’t met in person. Requests to wire money overseas or toCanadaare “red flag” signs that it’s a fraud. If you get a call like this, contact another family member, a trusted friend or your local police department. They can help you evaluate the situation and try to contact your loved one.
Typically, the scammer will call the victim and claim to be their grandchild, child, niece or nephew, depending on what level of information they have on the family. The scammer will tell the family member that they are in trouble, indicating that they have been arrested and are in jail, and need help. In some cases, another scammer will interact with the victim via telephone, claiming to be a lawyer, a bail bondsman, a deputy or an official from a jail to further convince the victim the scam is legitimate. The scammer will then request money, sent to aWestern Unionoffice out of the area, in order to get them out of jail or whatever harmful situation the scam presents.
Ocean City Police have learned that scammers are accessing family knowledge, usually gained from the Internet, to make the scam more convincing. In addition, unlike most scams, the scammer does not have a foreign accident but often doesn’t resemble the voice of their family member. Often times, the scammers will blame the phone line or an illness that is making them sound different on the phone.
The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens to never wire money to strangers or someone you haven’t met in person. Requests to wire money overseas or toCanadaare “red flag” signs that it’s a fraud. If you get a call like this, contact another family member, a trusted friend or your local police department. They can help you evaluate the situation and try to contact your loved one.
Carper Sayss USPS It Can Learn Something From Auto Industry
The cash-strapped Postal Service might want to ask automakers for money-saving ideas. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) tells Federal News Radio the agency can learn a thing or two from how the bailed-out U.S. auto industry started recovering from big losses in the recession. One idea Carper is promoting would have unions take over managing postal workers' health insurance. Carper also says USPS needs to have real conversations about restructuring local post offices, maybe putting some in grocery stores. The Postal Service is on track to lose $14 billion by October.
OCEAN CITY POLICE WARN OF LOTTERY HOUSE SCAM
The Ocean City Police Department is warning citizens about a new phone scam in which someone claims to be a representative from a lottery company. In this scam, the caller tells the victim that before they can claim their prize they must pay a series of “transfer fees,” taxes or provide proof of their identity and/or details of their bank accounts or credit cards in order to receive their winnings.
The scammers, who require payment viaWestern Unionor MoneyGram, often obtain information about the victim to make the scam more believable. It is important to remember that scammers are able to easily access names and addresses of potential victims by spyware, viruses and other tools on the Internet.
The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens to beware of scams. In this instance, remember:
You cannot win a legitimate lottery if you have not entered it.
Never provide personal identity information to a company or person you do not know.
Never wire funds viaWestern Union, MoneyGram or any other wire service to someone you do not know.
Don’t pay to collect winnings. If you have to pay to collect your winnings, you are not winning, you are buying. Legitimate lotteries don’t require you to pay a fee to collect your prize.
If you hold a winning lottery ticket, you notify the lottery. They do not notify you; not by email, not by phone and not by mail.
The scammers, who require payment viaWestern Unionor MoneyGram, often obtain information about the victim to make the scam more believable. It is important to remember that scammers are able to easily access names and addresses of potential victims by spyware, viruses and other tools on the Internet.
The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens to beware of scams. In this instance, remember:
You cannot win a legitimate lottery if you have not entered it.
Never provide personal identity information to a company or person you do not know.
Never wire funds viaWestern Union, MoneyGram or any other wire service to someone you do not know.
Don’t pay to collect winnings. If you have to pay to collect your winnings, you are not winning, you are buying. Legitimate lotteries don’t require you to pay a fee to collect your prize.
If you hold a winning lottery ticket, you notify the lottery. They do not notify you; not by email, not by phone and not by mail.
Navy Mothballs Blimps
A revived Navy Airship program has fallen victim to budget-cutting pressure. The military branch has mothballed its MZ3A blimp based in New Jersey. Military Times reports the program doesn't have enough customers. The Naval Research Lab was the last — flying it to test intelligence and surveillance sensors. But that's over, and no one else needs to use the blimp. So the Navy is deflating it and putting it in storage to save on maintenance costs. The move could mean layoffs for the program's civilian contract crew.
What If Democracy Is Bunk?
What if you are only allowed to vote because it doesn't make a difference? What if no matter how you vote, the elites get to have it their way? What if "one person, one vote" is just a fiction created by the government to induce your compliance? What if democracy is dangerous to personal freedom? What if democracy erodes the people's understanding of natural rights and the foundations of government, and instead turns elections into beauty contests?
What if democracy allows the government to do anything it wants, as long as more people bother to show up at the voting booth to support it than to oppose it? What if the purpose of democracy is to convince people that they could prosper not through the creation of wealth but through theft from others? What if the only moral way to acquire wealth – aside from inheritance – is through voluntary economic activity? What if the government persuaded you that you could acquire wealth through political activity? What if economic activity included all the productive and peaceful things we do? What if political activity included all the parasitical and destructive things the government does?
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What if democracy allows the government to do anything it wants, as long as more people bother to show up at the voting booth to support it than to oppose it? What if the purpose of democracy is to convince people that they could prosper not through the creation of wealth but through theft from others? What if the only moral way to acquire wealth – aside from inheritance – is through voluntary economic activity? What if the government persuaded you that you could acquire wealth through political activity? What if economic activity included all the productive and peaceful things we do? What if political activity included all the parasitical and destructive things the government does?
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Obama To Visit New Museum In D.C.
President Obama is attending a groundbreaking for new museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The National Museum of African American History will be topped by a tapering, bronze-plated crown. It will be the Smithsonian Institution's 19th museum. When it opens in 2015, the museum will contain artifacts such as a Jim Crow-era segregated rail car and the casket of Emmet Till.
BEWARE OF CHEAP LIGHTBULBS
JOE-something happened at our house yesterday I want to share with your readers. Early yesterday morning when I awoke I could smell what was clearly something burning my husband and I checked all over the house trying to find where it was coming from, it was really strong between our dining room all the way to the front door. We were unable to locate what it was and we came to the decision it must be something burning from the neighborhood like a wood stove that was coming through our vents. Last night when we returned from running errands in no time we smelled it again, still we could not locate the source. I really was scared to go to bed thinking something could happen. We are fortunate to have a young fireman right next door Cory Ponadore and he had a fireman friend over I asked them to please come over and see if they could detect the source, they were not in the house 3 minutes and they found our ceiling fan in the living room smoking around the light bulbs, all four had been slowly burning and goo from inside the bulbs had melted on them and then with the heat when they were on that was it. We had purchased cheaper bulbs from Ollies and folks it's not just one store, but when it comes to your safety please opt for better lighting at all times, if you must save as we do, make it items that can't become a liability. We shop at Ollies, Dollar Stores etc all the time, just please think safety first. And thank the Good Lord for Cory and friend and all the other firemen out there for the training and all that they do for the community.
Bradley Manning Faces 22 Charges, Including Aiding The Enemy
An Army private accused of giving away classified information will be arraigned today at Fort Meade, Md. Bradley Manning faces 22 charges, including aiding the enemy. That could carry a life sentence. Manning allegedly delivered a cache of hundreds of thousands of Army and State Department secret field reports and videos to the WikiLeaks website. His defense lawyers will argue, Manning was a troubled soldier who should not have had access to classified material.
THE NEW NORMAL, PART 2
I lived in Detroit for three years. Well, not really IN Detroit, out in the suburbs, and I moved away 11 years ago, by the grace of God. There is always a lot of talk and writing about Detroit. The downtown was a war zone, even back then. It looked like Beirut. It looked like a war had been fought there. Working in the ER’s, I saw worse carnage than at a MASH unit during the Vietnam War. No human being should have to live in such conditions, or be subject to the terror which is a fact of life in Detroit.
Eleven years later, it’s gotten much, much worse. This article brings the reality of Detroit to full light, and even I was shocked. Just read this article to see what life will be like nationwide before long. Don’t think it will happen to you? Guess again. And this is what’s coming to all cities before long, except it will be worse when the direct-deposit and SNAP benefits stop flowing from Uncle Obama. This is what’s coming to a city near you folks. If Detroit is the future of America, it’s time to hit the road to greener pastures, while we still can.
20 Things We Can Learn About The Future Of America From The Death Of Detroit
Do you want to know what the future of America is going to look like? Just check out what is happening to Detroit. The city of Detroit was once one of the greatest industrial cities in the history of the world, but today it is a rotting, decaying, post-apocalyptic hellhole. Nearly half the men are unemployed, nearly half the population is functionally illiterate, more than half of the children are living in poverty and the city government is drowning in debt. As economic conditions have gotten worse, crime has absolutely exploded. Every single night in Detroit there are frightening confrontations between desperate criminals and exasperated homeowners. Unfortunately, the police force in Detroit has been dramatically reduced in size. When the police in Detroit are called, they often show up very late if they even show up at all. Detroit has become a lawless hellhole where violence is the currency of the streets. If you want to survive in Detroit, you better be ready to fight because there are hordes of desperate criminals that are quite eager to take literally everything that you have got. But don’t look down on Detroit too much, because what is happening in Detroit will soon be happening all over America.
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Eleven years later, it’s gotten much, much worse. This article brings the reality of Detroit to full light, and even I was shocked. Just read this article to see what life will be like nationwide before long. Don’t think it will happen to you? Guess again. And this is what’s coming to all cities before long, except it will be worse when the direct-deposit and SNAP benefits stop flowing from Uncle Obama. This is what’s coming to a city near you folks. If Detroit is the future of America, it’s time to hit the road to greener pastures, while we still can.
20 Things We Can Learn About The Future Of America From The Death Of Detroit
Do you want to know what the future of America is going to look like? Just check out what is happening to Detroit. The city of Detroit was once one of the greatest industrial cities in the history of the world, but today it is a rotting, decaying, post-apocalyptic hellhole. Nearly half the men are unemployed, nearly half the population is functionally illiterate, more than half of the children are living in poverty and the city government is drowning in debt. As economic conditions have gotten worse, crime has absolutely exploded. Every single night in Detroit there are frightening confrontations between desperate criminals and exasperated homeowners. Unfortunately, the police force in Detroit has been dramatically reduced in size. When the police in Detroit are called, they often show up very late if they even show up at all. Detroit has become a lawless hellhole where violence is the currency of the streets. If you want to survive in Detroit, you better be ready to fight because there are hordes of desperate criminals that are quite eager to take literally everything that you have got. But don’t look down on Detroit too much, because what is happening in Detroit will soon be happening all over America.
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Funding For University System Of Maryland Office Threatened, Officials Say
Administrators from the University System of Maryland delivered impassioned and at times confusing testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and Economic Development on Wednesday in response to recommended budget cuts.
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release 2-23-12
On 02/22/2012 at approximately 1727 hours, members of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office arrested John Vincent Walton, W/M, DOB 11/10/1963, of Exton, Pennsylvania on a Pennsylvania District Court Arrest Warrant for Loitering/Prowling at Night Time, Disorderly Conduct, and Public Drunkenness issued on 01/04/2012. Walton was taken before a District Court Commissioner and later held at the Worcester County Jail without bond.
Maryland Senate Approves Same Sex Marriage
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Senate -- Maryland is poised to become the eighth state in the nation to approve same sex marriage after state Senators voted 25-22 Thursday to approve the governor's Civil Marriage Protection Act of 2012.
"We all cherish our family and for many of us in this state, the heart of that family is someone we love dearly who happens to be a person of the same gender," said Montgomery County Sen. Rich Madaleno Jr., D-District 18.
"I think it's very hard to imagine a real marriage without that license, which represents a lifetime commitment that we have made to that central person in our lives ... We are going to make history because we are going to take another step toward embracing every family from the state of Maryland," said Madaleno, an openly gay member of the Senate.
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"We all cherish our family and for many of us in this state, the heart of that family is someone we love dearly who happens to be a person of the same gender," said Montgomery County Sen. Rich Madaleno Jr., D-District 18.
"I think it's very hard to imagine a real marriage without that license, which represents a lifetime commitment that we have made to that central person in our lives ... We are going to make history because we are going to take another step toward embracing every family from the state of Maryland," said Madaleno, an openly gay member of the Senate.
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Gun Bills Heard By House Judiciary Committee
The House Judiciary Committee heard several bills dealing with gun permits this week.
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Los Angeles Police Chief Wants Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants
The Los Angeles police chief favors allowing undocumented immigrants to drive because, he says, it will make the roads safer for everyone.
The chief, Charlie Beck, said he does not necessarily support issuing them standard driver’s licenses, but perhaps a special document that would show their identity, and provide proof that they have the skills to drive legally in the state.
Beck, who expressed his views in an interview Wednesday with the Los Angeles Times, argued that the state has failed to reduce the number of undocumented immigrants driving without a license.
"The reality is that all the things that we've done — 'we' being the state of California — over the last 14, 16 years have not reduced the problem one iota, haven't reduced undocumented aliens driving without licenses,” Beck said.
Bonuses Given After Raises At Solyndra
Several of the nearly two dozen employees at bankrupt solar panel maker Solyndra LLC who were approved for bonuses Wednesday had months earlier received pay raises as high as 70 percent, a fact the company never disclosed in its request for bonus cash.
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Brave Boy, 12, Calls Halt to Cancer Treatment
A 12-year old boy who has battled a rare form of cancer since he was 7 has made a bold decision. He is stopping his treatments so he can go home and be with his family.
Alex Rodriguez is aware of what his decision means. So is his hometown of Shelbyville, Tenn., which has rallied around the boy who is facing such a stark decision with such maturity and good humor.
"I had the opportunity to meet Alex this summer," Dr. Tracy Lampley, principal of Harris Middle School told ABCNews.com. "He is a very courageous young man to have a very mature adult outlook on life. It's amazing as a 12-year old he is really able to face the opportunities and challenges that he has in his remaining time."
Once Again, Speculators Behind Sharply Rising Oil And Gasoline Prices
Washington - U.S. demand for oil and refined products — including gasoline — is down sharply from last year, so much that United States has actually become a net exporter of gasoline, unable to consume all that it makes.
Yet oil and gasoline prices are surging.
On Tuesday, oil rose past $106 a barrel and gasoline averaged $3.57 a gallon — thanks again in no small part to rampant financial speculation on top of fears of supply disruptions.
The ostensible reason for the climb of crude prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange, where contracts for future delivery of oil are traded, is growing fear of a military confrontation with Iran in the Persian Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil passes.
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Yet oil and gasoline prices are surging.
On Tuesday, oil rose past $106 a barrel and gasoline averaged $3.57 a gallon — thanks again in no small part to rampant financial speculation on top of fears of supply disruptions.
The ostensible reason for the climb of crude prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange, where contracts for future delivery of oil are traded, is growing fear of a military confrontation with Iran in the Persian Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil passes.
More
U.S. Response To Koran Burning Could Fan Flames, Analysts Warn
As protests rage across Afghanistan for the third day in response to the burning of Korans at a U.S. military base, some are questioning whether the parade of apologies from the U.S. government may do more harm than good.
The latest installment came Thursday, when the U.S. ambassador delivered an apology letter from President Obama to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. That follows apologies from Afghanistan commander Gen. John Allen, the White House, NATO's International Security Assistance Force and other Pentagon officials.
DNC Chief Insists 'I’m a Middle Class American,' MSNBC's Jansing Fails to Call Her On It
MSNBC producers dutifully brought on DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz on this morning's Jansing & Co. program to please their liberal viewers with the Democrat spin on last night's GOP debate. Yet host Chris Jansing didn't laugh or question when the well-to-do Wasserman Schultz claimed that she was a member of the middle class.
From the outset of the segment, Jansing had the audacity to ask the Congresswoman: “[W]hat one-word answer describes the Republican field?” Wasserman Schultz's predictable response: “extreme.”
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From the outset of the segment, Jansing had the audacity to ask the Congresswoman: “[W]hat one-word answer describes the Republican field?” Wasserman Schultz's predictable response: “extreme.”
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Occupy The Department Of Education: Just What Education Activists Were Looking For
On behalf of the people of New York City, the Panel for Educational Police (PEP) assembled on the evening of February 9. On behalf of the people of New York City, it deliberated the closure of 23 city schools. And on behalf of the people of New York City, it ignored the thousands of parents, students, teachers and taxpayers who had come to protest and axed the schools anyway. Democracy in action.
Apart from the balcony, the Brooklyn Technical High School auditorium (which seats 3,100) was packed when I arrived. The security detail roaming the aisles dutifully dispensed their pro forma pleas that those in the aisle find a seat, but they knew their task was Sisyphean: no one had a seat. Virtually everyone was standing, chanting, holding signs, condemning the proceedings by way of the people's mike and roundly booing each of the panel's suits for silence.
These were the only indication the panel gave those in attendance that they even knew a protest was in progress. For the most part, they proceeded through the minutiae of the event, droning on over the amplification system, charging inexorably toward what everyone knew was a foregone conclusion. That this whole hearing was proceeding patently without the consent of the governed seemed more or less irrelevant to the panel, which never bothered to identify the counter-constituency, New Yorkers against the closing down of the schools. Amid the unrelenting din, one panelist, called on to testify, replied, "I'm sorry, I can't hear anything," to which the exasperated chairman responded, "Welcome to the club!"
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Apart from the balcony, the Brooklyn Technical High School auditorium (which seats 3,100) was packed when I arrived. The security detail roaming the aisles dutifully dispensed their pro forma pleas that those in the aisle find a seat, but they knew their task was Sisyphean: no one had a seat. Virtually everyone was standing, chanting, holding signs, condemning the proceedings by way of the people's mike and roundly booing each of the panel's suits for silence.
These were the only indication the panel gave those in attendance that they even knew a protest was in progress. For the most part, they proceeded through the minutiae of the event, droning on over the amplification system, charging inexorably toward what everyone knew was a foregone conclusion. That this whole hearing was proceeding patently without the consent of the governed seemed more or less irrelevant to the panel, which never bothered to identify the counter-constituency, New Yorkers against the closing down of the schools. Amid the unrelenting din, one panelist, called on to testify, replied, "I'm sorry, I can't hear anything," to which the exasperated chairman responded, "Welcome to the club!"
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UNRULY MAN YELLS 'ALLAH IS GREAT' ON AIRLINE FLIGHT
HOUSTON— Passengers aboard a Continental Airlines flight bound for Houston Tuesday sprang into action to help a flight attendant having trouble with an unruly passenger. Twenty minutes after the plane departed Portland, pilots returned to the city where the FBI was waiting.
Passengers said the unruly man was a problem from the beginning. After boarding Flight 1113, the man became upset because he was not seated next to his friend.
Then after the flight took off, he ignored the “No Smoking” sign and tried to light an electronic cigarette.
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Grandmother, Stepmother Charged With Running Girl To Death
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - Two Alabama women were accused of murder on Wednesday for allegedly killing a young girl by forcing her to run for three hours without stopping, authorities said.
The running was apparently a punishment for Savannah Hardin, 9, who died on Monday at Children's Hospital in Birmingham from dehydration and low sodium, a condition common in marathon runners, according to Natalie Barton, Etowah County, Alabama Public Information Officer.
The child was apparently forced to run in the family's yard for eating a forbidden candy bar and lying about it, she said.
A call placed to a 911 emergency operator reported an unresponsive child having seizures, said Barton.
Lets Love Her Through It Benefit For Julie Littleton
On September 16 2011 Julie age 36, was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. On September 29 she had surgery to remove her colon. She had hope they had gotten all the cancer, but the follow up biopsy showed that it had spread to her lymph nodes. Julie has since received a number of chemo treatments in a battle to win the fight against this disease. Julie's family is holding a benefit in her honor to help with medical expenses.
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How A MRSA Strain Came To Flourish
How did MRSA, a persistent and deadly bug, become the drug-resistant bacteria vexing medical and public health experts?
The answer is in the genes. Researchers have pinpointed how a common strain found in livestock, called Staphylococcus aureus CC398 bounced from humans, when it was treatable, to animals where it became antibiotic resistant.
Drug-resistant staph infection has been linked to the over use of antibiotics in livestock. This is the first study to chart the genetic link between that and its consequences in humans.
Here Ye, Here Ye, Come One, Come All, To The Greatest Show On Earth
Tonight Mayor Jim Ireton will perform his State of the City address at Salisbury University. I will not be attending as I have an appointment with my, well, you make us the excuse here.
I have absolutely NO interest in what this jackass has to say as we all know 99% of it will be lies anyway. You can read all about those lies in a few days in the Daily Times.
Fugates of Kentucky: Skin Bluer than Lake Louise
Benjamin "Benjy" Stacy so frightened maternity doctors with the color of his skin -- "as Blue as Lake Louise" -- that he was rushed just hours after his birth in 1975 to University of Kentucky Medical Center.
As a transfusion was being readied, the baby's grandmother suggested to doctors that he looked like the "blue Fugates of Troublesome Creek." Relatives described the boy's great-grandmother Luna Fugate as "blue all over," and "the bluest woman I ever saw."
In an unusual story that involves both genetics and geography, an entire family from isolated Appalachia was tinged blue. Their ancestral line began six generations earlier with a French orphan, Martin Fugate, who settled in Eastern Kentucky.
Report: Dirty Surgical Tools In Hospitals Putting Patients At Risk
When 63-year-old John Harrison had surgery to repair his rotator cuff in 2009, he assumed the ordeal would be quick and relatively painless.
Instead, Harrison, who had the surgery performed at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, developed an infection that ate away at his shoulder bone and rotator cuff. The infection led to a lengthy recovery time, and he became dependent on nurses to help him dress and shower.
Harrison was one of seven patients who developed an infection after having surgery at Methodist within a two-week timeframe. As a result, the hospital had to close its operating room so the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could investigate
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Instead, Harrison, who had the surgery performed at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, developed an infection that ate away at his shoulder bone and rotator cuff. The infection led to a lengthy recovery time, and he became dependent on nurses to help him dress and shower.
Harrison was one of seven patients who developed an infection after having surgery at Methodist within a two-week timeframe. As a result, the hospital had to close its operating room so the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could investigate
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Traffic Alert Rt. 13: UPDATE
UPDATE: They have now opened Rt.13 back up again. All lanes are now open.
Plan ahead if you're planning to head north bound on Rt 13 leaving Downtown Salisbury today.
Once again they are working on the Bridge and are down to one lane heading north bound.
HAS AMERICA'S TOP LEFTIST BEEN NEUTERED?
The embattled Media Matters for America has not responded to a series of reports documenting the organization’s purported unusual tactics, including compiling a de facto enemies list; announcing an all-out campaign of “guerrilla warfare and sabotage” aimed at the Fox News Channel; and reportedly seeking to investigate the personal lives of reporters and news personalities.
The information came amid reports White House staffers held regular meetings and even a weekly conference call with Media Matters.
The progressive media organization is usually rife with attack pieces on WND, Fox News and the Daily Caller. However, it hasn’t made a peep in response to the ongoing controversy being pursued by those news organizations.
IS A DICTATORSHIP ALREADY UPON US?
No To NDAA And Its Enforcement And No To Forced RFID Chips In Your Body
History repeats itself again and again because most of us never learn how to confront evil in time to make a real difference. When we do recognize and attack evil, we forget the cost and the battle shortly thereafter. We become distracted with the pressures and diversions of life.
Evil is here and this is our chance to make a bold stand….not later.
America has been viciously assaulted and flipped off with the passing of the Obamacare bill, HR 3200, in March 2010 and the NDAA Bill signed into law Dec. 31st 2011. Both bills are completely unconstitutional, immoral, unethical, dangerous, intrusive, communistic and dictatorial. Any questions?
Obama Care – HR 3200 is unfolding its carnage now – forced RFID Chips
By March 23, 2013 we are all ordered to have RFID chips implanted into our bodies. Isn’t March 23rd an interesting day to force this by? It was March 23rd in 1933 that Hitler’s Enabling Act was voted into law, thus ending democracy and freedom in Germany. This RFID chip control scheme hides behind all the practical issues and terms….patient identification; health information to hold medical data; do patient surveys and hold records and billing information.
Do I even need to say this? Government has no right in our homes or IN our bodies. They can and do hide behind bastardized terrorist danger terms with the NDAA, health and medical records needs with forced RFID chips and invented crises as they go. It is the biggest cesspool of fantasies America has ever seen, coming at us with the Saul Alinsky gun barrels. Many of us will just take it.
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History repeats itself again and again because most of us never learn how to confront evil in time to make a real difference. When we do recognize and attack evil, we forget the cost and the battle shortly thereafter. We become distracted with the pressures and diversions of life.
Evil is here and this is our chance to make a bold stand….not later.
America has been viciously assaulted and flipped off with the passing of the Obamacare bill, HR 3200, in March 2010 and the NDAA Bill signed into law Dec. 31st 2011. Both bills are completely unconstitutional, immoral, unethical, dangerous, intrusive, communistic and dictatorial. Any questions?
Obama Care – HR 3200 is unfolding its carnage now – forced RFID Chips
By March 23, 2013 we are all ordered to have RFID chips implanted into our bodies. Isn’t March 23rd an interesting day to force this by? It was March 23rd in 1933 that Hitler’s Enabling Act was voted into law, thus ending democracy and freedom in Germany. This RFID chip control scheme hides behind all the practical issues and terms….patient identification; health information to hold medical data; do patient surveys and hold records and billing information.
Do I even need to say this? Government has no right in our homes or IN our bodies. They can and do hide behind bastardized terrorist danger terms with the NDAA, health and medical records needs with forced RFID chips and invented crises as they go. It is the biggest cesspool of fantasies America has ever seen, coming at us with the Saul Alinsky gun barrels. Many of us will just take it.
More
FDA To Review Safety Of Caffeine Product
(CNN) -- Food and Drug Administration officials plan to investigate whether a form of caffeine sold in lipstick-shaped containers is safe for consumers.
The inventor touts AeroShot as caffeine without the coffee, soda, tea or a pill, but a U.S. lawmaker questions whether it's safe.The product comes in a lipstick-shaped dispenser that puffs out a powdery mixture of caffeine and B vitamins into your mouth, where it dissolves and is swallowed.
Lucky's Garage Has An Opening
We have an opening at Luckys Garage
Exp ase tech
Call luckys at 1-410-896-2336
Exp ase tech
Call luckys at 1-410-896-2336
Home Prices Sink To 10-Year Low
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Home prices fell to their lowest point in more than a decade in January, which helped to lift the pace of home sales, according to a report from an industry trade group.
The National Association of Realtors reported that the median home price in January fell 2% from December to $154,700. That's the lowest price reading since November 2001, before the run-up in home prices that became known as the housing bubble.
The median price is the point at which half of homes are sold for a higher price, and half are sold at a lower price.
The National Association of Realtors reported that the median home price in January fell 2% from December to $154,700. That's the lowest price reading since November 2001, before the run-up in home prices that became known as the housing bubble.
The median price is the point at which half of homes are sold for a higher price, and half are sold at a lower price.
America's Coming Homeless Surge
In the current downturn, federal assistance has helped avert a spike in homelessness, but that tap is now running dry.
Get ready for the next big financial bubble: the growth of the U. S. homeless population.
The biggest recent assistance for the homeless came in President Barack Obama's 2009 stimulus package. The measure provided $1.5 billion to the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, temporarily aiding homeless and near-homeless households. According to a report issued in January by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the program has helped more than one million impoverished people find housing, but it is set to end this fall.
"The resources provided by (the program) have run out in many communities . . . . Debt and deficit at the federal level have already begun to shrink assistance available to the most vulnerable," according to the report. "The failure to sustain this early recipe for success threatens to undermine progress now and in the future."
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Get ready for the next big financial bubble: the growth of the U. S. homeless population.
The biggest recent assistance for the homeless came in President Barack Obama's 2009 stimulus package. The measure provided $1.5 billion to the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, temporarily aiding homeless and near-homeless households. According to a report issued in January by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the program has helped more than one million impoverished people find housing, but it is set to end this fall.
"The resources provided by (the program) have run out in many communities . . . . Debt and deficit at the federal level have already begun to shrink assistance available to the most vulnerable," according to the report. "The failure to sustain this early recipe for success threatens to undermine progress now and in the future."
More
7th Grade Delmar Student Passed Away Today
The details are very sketchy right now but we have confirmed a 7th grade student passed away this morning. We'll provide more details as they come in.
UPDATE: We just learned it happened at her home on West Pine soon after 7 AM the sirens went off at the Fire Department.
UPDATE: We just learned it happened at her home on West Pine soon after 7 AM the sirens went off at the Fire Department.
Oil and Gas Executives Blast Obama
The Obama Administration is taking a beating at this year’s NAPE Conference, the annual expo of oil and gas prospects and industry networking.
Speakers are sparing no jabs in taking the White House to task for three years of policies that they say have reinforced the nation’s tether to oil imports and kept gasoline prices high.
At first blush, the points might seem out of place at a convention whose theme touts a national “oil and gas supply renaissance.” The United States has seen a surge in oil and natural gas production in recent years. In fact, the boom has been so intense, that the United States is considering exporting its natural gas surplus and some analysts are debating the imminence of energy independence.
Colorado Town Hopes To Lure In Tourists With A Hearty Cheer Of "WTF"
There are plenty of sights to see in Colorado, what with the Rocky Mountains and skiing galore, so how does one little town make itself stand out to tourists? With a big ol' WTF! That stands for Welcome To Fruita, obviously.
AT&T CEO Pay Docked $2 Million For T-Mobile Debacle
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- What's the cost of a $4 billion gamble gone wrong?
For AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, the answer is, "$2 million." That's the sum by which AT&T's board cut his 2011 compensation as a direct response to the failed T-Mobile takeover bid Stephenson led last year.
AT&T offered $39 billion for T-Mobile, a deal that would have eliminated the fourth-biggest wireless carrier in the U.S. and made AT&T the nation's biggest by far. But the arrangement was a risky one that all sides knew would face heavy regulatory scrutiny.
I See The Only Time The Mayor & Council Care About Downtown Is On 3rd Fridays
The trash on the Downtown Plaza has been an issue for many years. Even former Council President Mike Dunn brought it up. How is it that they just can't seem to come up with a way to keep residents from instantly filling up these cans.
Woman Accused Of Hiring Hit Man To Kill Random Fur-Wearer
(CNN) -- A self-proclaimed animal rights activist in Ohio has been charged with soliciting a hit man to kill a random person wearing fur, either by shooting the individual or slitting his or her throat.
Meredith Lowell, 27, of Cleveland Heights, is accused of creating a phony Facebook profile with the intention of contacting a would-be killer, according to the affidavit filed in an Ohio district court.
Lowell allegedly posted on the social media website the following request: "I would like to create an online community on facebook which would allow me to find someone who is willing to kill someone who is wearing fur toward the end of October 2011 or early November 2011 or possibly in January 2012 or February 2012 at the latest."
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Local Seminar
CREDIT CORRECT – A comprehensive seminar about credit reporting, credit correction, and credit rebuilding. If bad credit is the result of bad credit reporting, this how-to information can help. Speakers will be local Attorney Ann Shaw, on law that applies to credit correction, Joyce Brent with Oyster Mortgage about improving credit scores, & Diana Whitney, Realtor, from Whitney Wallace, about real estate issues. This is a free program but seating is limited and a reservation must be made by e-mailing at kim@lawislocal.com or calling Kim at 410-742-9171.
March 22, 2012 at Dove Point in Salisbury, MD. 7pm to 9pm.
March 22, 2012 at Dove Point in Salisbury, MD. 7pm to 9pm.
Why The Media Loves The Violence Of Protesters And Not Of Banks
The grand thieves invented ever more ingenious methods to crush the hopes and livelihoods of the many. This is the terrible violence that Occupy was formed to oppose.
When you fall in love, it’s all about what you have in common, and you can hardly imagine that there are differences, let alone that you will quarrel over them, or weep about them, or be torn apart by them -- or if all goes well, struggle, learn, and bond more strongly because of, rather than despite, them. The Occupy movement had its glorious honeymoon when old and young, liberal and radical, comfortable and desperate, homeless and tenured all found that what they had in common was so compelling the differences hardly seemed to matter.
Until they did.
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When you fall in love, it’s all about what you have in common, and you can hardly imagine that there are differences, let alone that you will quarrel over them, or weep about them, or be torn apart by them -- or if all goes well, struggle, learn, and bond more strongly because of, rather than despite, them. The Occupy movement had its glorious honeymoon when old and young, liberal and radical, comfortable and desperate, homeless and tenured all found that what they had in common was so compelling the differences hardly seemed to matter.
Until they did.
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Occupy Movement Plans National Conference In Philadelphia
A group affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement is planning a national conference in Philadelphia this summer. According to the group, which is dubbed "The 99% Declaration," an online election will decide on the 876 delegates — a man and woman from each Congressional district — who will gather in Philadelphia on July 4th.
Of course, the date and place is a nod to the delegates who met in Philadelphia in 1776 to declare independence from the British monarchy, who the founding fathers said had failed to address the grievances of Americans.
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Of course, the date and place is a nod to the delegates who met in Philadelphia in 1776 to declare independence from the British monarchy, who the founding fathers said had failed to address the grievances of Americans.
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What's Driving The Backlash Against Traffic Cameras
Automated photo enforcement has gained wide support among local officials as a proven method of reducing collisions and enforcing traffic laws, freeing officers to respond to more serious crimes. But angry drivers are fighting back with lawsuits, vandalism and a raft of ballot initiatives.
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How The Hell Does The Dow Break 13,000?
Dow crosses 13,000 for first time since May 2008 ... Market sentiment was boosted by news that euro zone finance ministers secured a deal that will enable Greece to avoid a March default.
A deal on the 130 billion euro ($172.47 billion) bailout was reached after Greece was forced to accept unpopular fiscal measures, and private bondholders agreed to steeper losses. Analysts said the deal was already priced into the market, which showed a muted response as initial optimism waned on questions about Greece's dismal economic outlook. "Any pullbacks will be looked at as potential entry opportunities as investors, in many cases, are underperforming the benchmark S&P 500. As the market keeps impressing, market short-players will be forced to reconsider the macro bets they've made, and thus a run to cover could propel another upside surge." – MSNBC
Dominant Social Theme: Let the good times roll.
Free-Market Analysis: In a number of articles now, we dealt with the idea that the economic statistics were being manipulated in the US to try to ensure Barack Obama's re-election.
How does something like that happen? Well, you have to assume that there is a powerful elite that directs the media at a high level. Of course, it helps that US media has "consolidated" to about five companies in total. If one owned those five corporations, it wouldn't be difficult to manipulate news.
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A deal on the 130 billion euro ($172.47 billion) bailout was reached after Greece was forced to accept unpopular fiscal measures, and private bondholders agreed to steeper losses. Analysts said the deal was already priced into the market, which showed a muted response as initial optimism waned on questions about Greece's dismal economic outlook. "Any pullbacks will be looked at as potential entry opportunities as investors, in many cases, are underperforming the benchmark S&P 500. As the market keeps impressing, market short-players will be forced to reconsider the macro bets they've made, and thus a run to cover could propel another upside surge." – MSNBC
Dominant Social Theme: Let the good times roll.
Free-Market Analysis: In a number of articles now, we dealt with the idea that the economic statistics were being manipulated in the US to try to ensure Barack Obama's re-election.
How does something like that happen? Well, you have to assume that there is a powerful elite that directs the media at a high level. Of course, it helps that US media has "consolidated" to about five companies in total. If one owned those five corporations, it wouldn't be difficult to manipulate news.
Read More
Elites Blow Up Greece On Purpose?
Can a return to the drachma save Greece as unemployment soars? ... The latest best-seller is the Greek translation of Heinrich Winkler's "Weimar 1918-1933: History of the First German Democracy", narrating how an indebted Germany pursued the same deflation policies under the Gold Standard as Greece is now pursuing under EMU – with the same results. The book culminates in the Reichstag elections of July 1932 when the Nazis and Communists between them won half the seats, and Weimar died. In November alone 126,000 Greeks lost their jobs in a country of 11 million, equivalent to three and a half million Americans in a single month. The unemployment rate jumped from 18.2pc to 20.9pc. This has not yet fed through into social breakdown. Greeks receive unemployment support for an average of thirty weeks, with a ceiling of €454 a month, according to Professor Manos Matsaganis from Athens University. Those with civil service tenure are placed on labour reserve for two years at half their basic pay, or a third of their actual pay."The voices of the desperate, the voices of Greeks are being provocatively ignored. Fear is giving way to rage and the risk of a social explosion can no longer be ignored by those who give orders and those who execute their lethal recipes," he said. – UK Telegraph
Dominant Social Theme: The Germans are just being fair.
Free-Market Analysis: Germany continues to push the Greeks to the brink. For a publication such as ours that tries to analyze elite dominant social themes, the maneuvering is interesting indeed, though the cost is one of blood, tears, agony and death.
Which is why when commenting on this issue we should remember it is more than theoretical. There is no doubt that Southern Europe is being squeezed in a tight vice. Nor is there any doubt, as we have pointed out numerous times, that this "austerity" is a false one.
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Dominant Social Theme: The Germans are just being fair.
Free-Market Analysis: Germany continues to push the Greeks to the brink. For a publication such as ours that tries to analyze elite dominant social themes, the maneuvering is interesting indeed, though the cost is one of blood, tears, agony and death.
Which is why when commenting on this issue we should remember it is more than theoretical. There is no doubt that Southern Europe is being squeezed in a tight vice. Nor is there any doubt, as we have pointed out numerous times, that this "austerity" is a false one.
Read More
Maryland Retains AAA Bond Rating, To Sell $922 Million Of General Obligation
Go Figure! This is what happens when you raise gas taxes, tolls, registration fees, gay marriage licences, flush taxes, SHALL I GO ON?
ANNAPOLIS (February 22, 2012) – Maryland State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp announced today that all three bond rating agencies have affirmed the State's strong Triple AAA bond rating in preparation for the upcoming retail sale of General Obligation Bonds and the competitive institutional sale on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at the Board of Public Works meeting.
This offering will include the direct retail sale of approximately $150 million of bonds with first priority to Maryland citizens, similar to successful transactions in 2009, 2010, and 2011. “Marylanders get first preference in buying highly desirable, conservative quality bonds while investing in their State - a win-win situation,” Treasurer Kopp said.
The retail bond sale begins March 2nd and likely will end on March 5th. For more information, potential buyers should check www.buymarylandbonds.com.
The bond sale will conclude with two competitive bids for the remaining bonds, which are expected to be sold to institutions. The sale will include approximately $450 million of tax-exempt bonds and approximately $322 million of tax-exempt refunding bonds.
As has always been the case with the issuance of Maryland‟s General Obligation Bonds, the State uses the proceeds to finance necessary capital projects, such as schools, community colleges, university projects and hospitals.
ANNAPOLIS (February 22, 2012) – Maryland State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp announced today that all three bond rating agencies have affirmed the State's strong Triple AAA bond rating in preparation for the upcoming retail sale of General Obligation Bonds and the competitive institutional sale on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at the Board of Public Works meeting.
This offering will include the direct retail sale of approximately $150 million of bonds with first priority to Maryland citizens, similar to successful transactions in 2009, 2010, and 2011. “Marylanders get first preference in buying highly desirable, conservative quality bonds while investing in their State - a win-win situation,” Treasurer Kopp said.
The retail bond sale begins March 2nd and likely will end on March 5th. For more information, potential buyers should check www.buymarylandbonds.com.
The bond sale will conclude with two competitive bids for the remaining bonds, which are expected to be sold to institutions. The sale will include approximately $450 million of tax-exempt bonds and approximately $322 million of tax-exempt refunding bonds.
As has always been the case with the issuance of Maryland‟s General Obligation Bonds, the State uses the proceeds to finance necessary capital projects, such as schools, community colleges, university projects and hospitals.
Obamacare And Involuntary Servitude
However much one learns to squirm out of one's inconsistencies, logic usually bites one in the butt. Of course, strictly speaking logic is the formal system that's supposed to guide our reasoning process and on its own doesn't serve much more than that vital, indispensable task. That is why it is usually studied in symbolic form − As and Bs or ps and qs. When one complains that someone is being illogical, it means that he or she isn't following the guidelines of logic.
In any case, the discussion of President Obama's federal policy requiring that everyone obtain health insurance has frequently focused on the fact that either an employer or individual would be forced to obtain private health insurance instead of, or as Wikipedia points out, "or in addition to the institution of a national health service of insurance." And many have suggested that this is a very unusual measure since it mandates specific performance from citizens, contrary to the legal tradition of the country. One may be forced to give up property but never to carry out a task, something that is reminiscent of slavery or involuntary servitude and thus directly in conflict with the idea of a free society.
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In any case, the discussion of President Obama's federal policy requiring that everyone obtain health insurance has frequently focused on the fact that either an employer or individual would be forced to obtain private health insurance instead of, or as Wikipedia points out, "or in addition to the institution of a national health service of insurance." And many have suggested that this is a very unusual measure since it mandates specific performance from citizens, contrary to the legal tradition of the country. One may be forced to give up property but never to carry out a task, something that is reminiscent of slavery or involuntary servitude and thus directly in conflict with the idea of a free society.
Read More
Demand For Cyber Jobs Still High, Salaries Rising
A survey by the information security certifying organization (ISC)2 found demand is high and salaries increasing for information security personnel. Accredited security employees are making an average of $98,500 worldwide while uncertified employees make about $78,000. However, hiring managers said it is still difficult to find people with the right skills to match open jobs.
More
More
Pioneering A Way To Distinguish Blood Disorders From Child Abuse
Child deaths are especially challenging for coroners and medical examiners because several diseases have symptoms that can mimic those of abuse. Dr. Michael Laposata and his colleagues have designed a series of blood tests to diagnose such disorders more accurately.
More
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Today's Survey Question 2-23-12
Do you support speed cameras in school zones in Wicomico County?Sheriff's Deputies are forbidden to participate.
LOL
Gannett Building Paywalls Around All Its Papers Except USA Today
The vogue for digital paywalls sweeping the news business has made it all the way to the top: Gannett, the nation’s largest newspaper publisher, is planning to switch over all of its 80 community newspapers to a paid model by the end of the year, it announced during an investor day held in Manhattan Wednesday.
“We will begin to restrict some access to non-subscribers,” said Bob Dickey, president of community publishing. The model is similar to the metered system adopted by The New York Times a year ago, in which online readers are able to view a limited number of pages for free each month. That quota will be between five and 15 articles, depending on the paper, said Dickey. Six Gannett papers already have a digital pay regimen in place.
There is one Gannett title, however, that will remain free, at least for the foreseeable future: USA Today. Gannett CEO explained that decision as a matter of priorities, noting that USA Today is in the midst of overhauling its website to create a user experience more similar to that of an iPad app.
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“We will begin to restrict some access to non-subscribers,” said Bob Dickey, president of community publishing. The model is similar to the metered system adopted by The New York Times a year ago, in which online readers are able to view a limited number of pages for free each month. That quota will be between five and 15 articles, depending on the paper, said Dickey. Six Gannett papers already have a digital pay regimen in place.
There is one Gannett title, however, that will remain free, at least for the foreseeable future: USA Today. Gannett CEO explained that decision as a matter of priorities, noting that USA Today is in the midst of overhauling its website to create a user experience more similar to that of an iPad app.
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New Posts to fall below.
Reports Of Explosion Again In Princess Anne
We just heard that there's been another explosion in Princess Anne. The Princess Anne Fire Department is responding.
RECENT CRASHES CALL FOR A REMINDER: PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS A TWO WAY STREET
(Pikesville, MD) - With three pedestrians dead over the weekend, the Maryland State Police and the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration urge both motorists and pedestrians to use common sense, take responsibility and be more courteous on Maryland’s roadways.
On Saturday, February 18, in Prince George’s County, a 46-year-old woman, attempting to cross the street, after midnight, was struck and killed in a hit and run. State Police continue to search for suspects.
On Monday evening, February 20, in Harford County, a 55-year-old man lost his life after stepping off the sidewalk into the travel portion of the roadway. He was later pronounced dead at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.
Again on Monday evening, at 6:30 p.m. in Caroline County, a 79-year-old woman was crossing the street when she was struck by oncoming traffic. She was later pronounced dead at Easton Memorial Hospital.
“Whether on foot or riding a bicycle, you are outside of a motor vehicle and considered a pedestrian and you need to exercise caution,” said Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel Marcus Brown. “We must work together to prevent these types of tragedies involving pedestrians, which result in a higher rate of injuries and fatalities.”
On average, more than 100 pedestrians are killed each year in Maryland, and more than 2,400 pedestrians are injured. 73% of the fatal pedestrian-involved crashes occur in the dark, and of the pedestrians killed in Maryland, 40% are alcohol-impaired, according to the most recent available data.
“One out of every five people killed in traffic crashes in Maryland is a pedestrian,” said MVA Administrator John Kuo, who also serves as Governor Martin O’Malley’s Highway Safety Representative. “Both drivers and pedestrians need to follow the rules of the road. Pedestrian safety is a two-way street.”
Just five percent of pedestrians die when struck by a vehicle traveling at 20 miles per hour or less. That risk jumps to eighty percent when the vehicle is traveling at 40 miles per hour.
Maryland has seen reductions in vehicular-related fatalities over the past six years, but the pedestrian fatalities are part of a growing concern. This past weekend is a horrific reminder. Preliminary data indicates there have been 59 motor vehicle related fatalities in Maryland so far this year, compared with 43 fatalities in the first two months of 2011.
“The events of this past weekend clearly show the dangers of being a pedestrian as well as a driver,” added Colonel Brown, “We encourage people to be aware and take control of their own safety, regardless of the manner in which they choose to travel.”
Safety Tips for Drivers:
LOOK FOR PEDESTRIANS walking along the roadway and at crossings and intersections.
STOP FOR PEDESTRIANS at crosswalks as required by Maryland law.
BE CAREFUL PASSING STOPPED VEHICLES. If a car is stopped at a marked crosswalk, stop and look for crossing pedestrians as required by Maryland law.
SLOW DOWN and obey the posted speed limit.
YIELD to pedestrians when turning.
USE EXTRA CAUTION AT NIGHT when it may be harder to see pedestrians attempting to cross the road.
Safety Tips for Pedestrians:
WALK ON THE SIDEWALK. If there is no sidewalk, always walk on the side of the road facing traffic.
CROSS THE STREET AT MARKED CROSSWALKS and at intersections. Many pedestrian crashes occur at midblock locations where drivers do not expect pedestrians.
OBEY TRAFFIC SIGNALS, including pedestrian signals.
BEFORE CROSSING, LOOK left, right and left again to make sure you can cross safely.
LOOK BEFORE STEPPING PAST STOPPED VEHICLES—they may be blocking your view of moving traffic.
STAY VISIBLE AFTER DARK and in bad weather. Help drivers see you by wearing retro-reflective material in low lighting conditions.
USE CAUTION AROUND TRUCKS AND BUSES backing out of parking spaces and driveways.
On Saturday, February 18, in Prince George’s County, a 46-year-old woman, attempting to cross the street, after midnight, was struck and killed in a hit and run. State Police continue to search for suspects.
On Monday evening, February 20, in Harford County, a 55-year-old man lost his life after stepping off the sidewalk into the travel portion of the roadway. He was later pronounced dead at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.
Again on Monday evening, at 6:30 p.m. in Caroline County, a 79-year-old woman was crossing the street when she was struck by oncoming traffic. She was later pronounced dead at Easton Memorial Hospital.
“Whether on foot or riding a bicycle, you are outside of a motor vehicle and considered a pedestrian and you need to exercise caution,” said Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel Marcus Brown. “We must work together to prevent these types of tragedies involving pedestrians, which result in a higher rate of injuries and fatalities.”
On average, more than 100 pedestrians are killed each year in Maryland, and more than 2,400 pedestrians are injured. 73% of the fatal pedestrian-involved crashes occur in the dark, and of the pedestrians killed in Maryland, 40% are alcohol-impaired, according to the most recent available data.
“One out of every five people killed in traffic crashes in Maryland is a pedestrian,” said MVA Administrator John Kuo, who also serves as Governor Martin O’Malley’s Highway Safety Representative. “Both drivers and pedestrians need to follow the rules of the road. Pedestrian safety is a two-way street.”
Just five percent of pedestrians die when struck by a vehicle traveling at 20 miles per hour or less. That risk jumps to eighty percent when the vehicle is traveling at 40 miles per hour.
Maryland has seen reductions in vehicular-related fatalities over the past six years, but the pedestrian fatalities are part of a growing concern. This past weekend is a horrific reminder. Preliminary data indicates there have been 59 motor vehicle related fatalities in Maryland so far this year, compared with 43 fatalities in the first two months of 2011.
“The events of this past weekend clearly show the dangers of being a pedestrian as well as a driver,” added Colonel Brown, “We encourage people to be aware and take control of their own safety, regardless of the manner in which they choose to travel.”
Safety Tips for Drivers:
LOOK FOR PEDESTRIANS walking along the roadway and at crossings and intersections.
STOP FOR PEDESTRIANS at crosswalks as required by Maryland law.
BE CAREFUL PASSING STOPPED VEHICLES. If a car is stopped at a marked crosswalk, stop and look for crossing pedestrians as required by Maryland law.
SLOW DOWN and obey the posted speed limit.
YIELD to pedestrians when turning.
USE EXTRA CAUTION AT NIGHT when it may be harder to see pedestrians attempting to cross the road.
Safety Tips for Pedestrians:
WALK ON THE SIDEWALK. If there is no sidewalk, always walk on the side of the road facing traffic.
CROSS THE STREET AT MARKED CROSSWALKS and at intersections. Many pedestrian crashes occur at midblock locations where drivers do not expect pedestrians.
OBEY TRAFFIC SIGNALS, including pedestrian signals.
BEFORE CROSSING, LOOK left, right and left again to make sure you can cross safely.
LOOK BEFORE STEPPING PAST STOPPED VEHICLES—they may be blocking your view of moving traffic.
STAY VISIBLE AFTER DARK and in bad weather. Help drivers see you by wearing retro-reflective material in low lighting conditions.
USE CAUTION AROUND TRUCKS AND BUSES backing out of parking spaces and driveways.
Struggling Floridians Line Up For A Chance To Keep Homes
MIAMI (Reuters) - Nearly 1,200 people lined up at a downtown Miami conference center on Wednesday, holding onto mortgage documents and income statements in the hope of saving the homes they are struggling to pay for.
Seated at rows of long tables were scores of loan processing agents for 19 lenders who hold 85 percent of the home mortgages in the south Florida market.
Over seven hours, the homeowners pleaded for loan modificationsor other help under a variety of programs aimed at stabilizing the U.S. housing market and keeping struggling people in their homes.