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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Senate Moves To Give Judges 3% Pay Raise For Next Three Years
The Senate rejected a floor amendment to freeze judges’ salaries at current levels Monday night as the Senate cleared the way for final passage of a 3% pay raise over three years – an increase of up to $14,500 by 2016. Democrats shot down an amendment to freeze judges’ salaries by a 33-9 vote along party lines.
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2012 Maryland Young Republicans Convention
Saturday, June 2nd: Doubletree Hotel, Annapolis
The 2012 Maryland Young Republicans Convention will take place on Saturday, June 2nd at the Doubletree Hotel in Annapolis starting at 10 AM.
Join the Maryland Young Republicans as we come together for networking, training, and planning for the 2012 Elections.
Stay tuned for the agenda and speakers for this great event as we get closer to the event.
More Information
The 2012 Maryland Young Republicans Convention will take place on Saturday, June 2nd at the Doubletree Hotel in Annapolis starting at 10 AM.
Join the Maryland Young Republicans as we come together for networking, training, and planning for the 2012 Elections.
Stay tuned for the agenda and speakers for this great event as we get closer to the event.
More Information
Balance The Budget, Not The Bloat In Government
By now, reports on redundant, duplicative government spending are getting redundant and duplicative.
Last week, the Government Accountability Office published its second annual report identifying wasteful government spending from ongoing duplicative federal programs.
The report also updated us on how well federal agencies cut wasteful programs identified in last year's first annual report. GAO officials found nearly $100 billion worth of duplicative programs in last year’s report and concluded that only 5% of this wasteful spending has been fully addressed.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats refuse to pass a budget for the third straight year. President Obama releases a budget that will never balance. And, on top of more than $100 billion in waste from last year’s report, the GAO’s second annual report found more than $300 billion wasted annually on over 1,500 programs across dozens of government agencies.
What it reveals is clear: a Washington culture not serious about thrift and saving but rife with spending and bloat.
It’s time to get our budget under control. The Republican Study Committee released a federal budget proposal last year which gets it back on track to balancing within a few years. We look forward to releasing another one real soon.
If there’s one thing that needs to be duplicated annually around Washington, it isn’t wasteful spending – it’s smart thinking and a budget that actually balances.
God Bless,
Congressman Jim Jordan
Chairman, Republican Study Committee
Last week, the Government Accountability Office published its second annual report identifying wasteful government spending from ongoing duplicative federal programs.
The report also updated us on how well federal agencies cut wasteful programs identified in last year's first annual report. GAO officials found nearly $100 billion worth of duplicative programs in last year’s report and concluded that only 5% of this wasteful spending has been fully addressed.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats refuse to pass a budget for the third straight year. President Obama releases a budget that will never balance. And, on top of more than $100 billion in waste from last year’s report, the GAO’s second annual report found more than $300 billion wasted annually on over 1,500 programs across dozens of government agencies.
What it reveals is clear: a Washington culture not serious about thrift and saving but rife with spending and bloat.
It’s time to get our budget under control. The Republican Study Committee released a federal budget proposal last year which gets it back on track to balancing within a few years. We look forward to releasing another one real soon.
If there’s one thing that needs to be duplicated annually around Washington, it isn’t wasteful spending – it’s smart thinking and a budget that actually balances.
God Bless,
Congressman Jim Jordan
Chairman, Republican Study Committee
Nickeled And Dimed
Delegate Jim Gilchrist, both of Montgomery County, have filed a bill to expand Maryland's 6 percent sales tax to 29 additional services.
Those include haircuts, tax preparation (oh, the irony), vehicle repairs, cable TV (including pay-per-view), even escort services.
Shoe repairs, tanning, massages and your gym membership will cost a little more, as will a dieting service, extermination, lab testing, employee- or temp-agency services, and property management.
And under the bill you'll pay 6 cents on every dollar for auctioneer services, hiring an interior decorator, or having a sign painted.
The tax will also apply to anyone who pays for business consulting services, including public relations.
Feeling queasy yet? We are.
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Those include haircuts, tax preparation (oh, the irony), vehicle repairs, cable TV (including pay-per-view), even escort services.
Shoe repairs, tanning, massages and your gym membership will cost a little more, as will a dieting service, extermination, lab testing, employee- or temp-agency services, and property management.
And under the bill you'll pay 6 cents on every dollar for auctioneer services, hiring an interior decorator, or having a sign painted.
The tax will also apply to anyone who pays for business consulting services, including public relations.
Feeling queasy yet? We are.
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Maryland: Ignored Again
Caterpillar Corporation announced a jobs expansion package last month on a scale befitting of the giant earth-moving equipment they manufacture. Over 4000 jobs will return to the U.S. Of those, 1400 new jobs will be created in just one new manufacturing facility, coming back home to the U.S. from Asia.
Imagine the profound impact a new Caterpillar factory in Baltimore, Cumberland or Salisbury would have for skilled machinists, electricians, and pipefitters. It would have created work for Sparrows Point and new outbound cargo for railroadmen, teamsters, and longshoremen in the Port of Baltimore.
Its economic ripple effects would have created jobs that would have an immediate and durable impact on every metric by which modern economies are judged - on everything from reducing the state's unemployment rate, to raising median incomes, to improving the quality of life.
But it will not happen here. These jobs are going to Georgia, not Maryland.
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Imagine the profound impact a new Caterpillar factory in Baltimore, Cumberland or Salisbury would have for skilled machinists, electricians, and pipefitters. It would have created work for Sparrows Point and new outbound cargo for railroadmen, teamsters, and longshoremen in the Port of Baltimore.
Its economic ripple effects would have created jobs that would have an immediate and durable impact on every metric by which modern economies are judged - on everything from reducing the state's unemployment rate, to raising median incomes, to improving the quality of life.
But it will not happen here. These jobs are going to Georgia, not Maryland.
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People Aren't Smart Enough For Democracy To Flourish, Scientists Say
The democratic process relies on the assumption that citizens (the majority of them, at least) can recognize the best political candidate, or best policy idea, when they see it. But a growing body of research has revealed an unfortunate aspect of the human psyche that would seem to disprove this notion, and imply instead that democratic elections produce mediocre leadership and policies.
The research, led by David Dunning, a psychologist at Cornell University, shows that incompetent people are inherently unable to judge the competence of other people, or the quality of those people's ideas. For example, if people lack expertise on tax reform, it is very difficult for them to identify the candidates who are actual experts. They simply lack the mental tools needed to make meaningful judgments.
As a result, no amount of information or facts about political candidates can override the inherent inability of many voters to accurately evaluate them. On top of that, "very smart ideas are going to be hard for people to adopt, because most people don’t have the sophistication to recognize how good an idea is," Dunning told Life's Little Mysteries.
He and colleague Justin Kruger, formerly of Cornell and now of New York University, have demonstrated again and again that people are self-delusional when it comes to their own intellectual skills. Whether the researchers are testing people's ability to rate the funniness of jokes, the correctness of grammar, or even their own performance in a game of chess, the duo has found that people always assess their own performance as "above average" — even people who, when tested, actually perform at the very bottom of the pile. [Incompetent People Too Ignorant to Know It]
We're just as undiscerning about the skills of others as about ourselves. "To the extent that you are incompetent, you are a worse judge of incompetence in other people," Dunning said. In one study, the researchers asked students to grade quizzes that tested for grammar skill. "We found that students who had done worse on the test itself gave more inaccurate grades to other students." Essentially, they didn't recognize the correct answer even when they saw it.
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The research, led by David Dunning, a psychologist at Cornell University, shows that incompetent people are inherently unable to judge the competence of other people, or the quality of those people's ideas. For example, if people lack expertise on tax reform, it is very difficult for them to identify the candidates who are actual experts. They simply lack the mental tools needed to make meaningful judgments.
As a result, no amount of information or facts about political candidates can override the inherent inability of many voters to accurately evaluate them. On top of that, "very smart ideas are going to be hard for people to adopt, because most people don’t have the sophistication to recognize how good an idea is," Dunning told Life's Little Mysteries.
He and colleague Justin Kruger, formerly of Cornell and now of New York University, have demonstrated again and again that people are self-delusional when it comes to their own intellectual skills. Whether the researchers are testing people's ability to rate the funniness of jokes, the correctness of grammar, or even their own performance in a game of chess, the duo has found that people always assess their own performance as "above average" — even people who, when tested, actually perform at the very bottom of the pile. [Incompetent People Too Ignorant to Know It]
We're just as undiscerning about the skills of others as about ourselves. "To the extent that you are incompetent, you are a worse judge of incompetence in other people," Dunning said. In one study, the researchers asked students to grade quizzes that tested for grammar skill. "We found that students who had done worse on the test itself gave more inaccurate grades to other students." Essentially, they didn't recognize the correct answer even when they saw it.
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About Us Resources Send Tips Donate RSS CNSNews.TV On the Spot On the Scene The Schein OTJ Golden Hookah
They're baaaaaaack. Barack Obama's election-year goon squad kicked into high gear this week by kicking the president's fiercest opponents in the teeth and targeting their pocketbooks. Returning to bully business as usual, the Obama campaign launched a brazen salvo against two prominent conservative critics and their legions of private citizen donors.
Let's be clear (to use Obama's favorite phrase): This is not just the politics of personal destruction. It's a vendetta of campaign finance destruction. Under the guise of "disclosure," Team Obama is exploiting the power of high government office to intimidate lawful, peaceful contributors who support limited-government causes.
In a scathing fundraising e-mail appeal, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina name-checked wealthy free-market philanthropists Charles and David Koch — along with a growing movement of grassroots conservatives who have freely, voluntarily and legally given money to the Koch-founded nonprofit activist group Americans for Prosperity and its sister foundation. As a speaker at several AFP events over the past three years, I've met thousands of like-minded, hardworking Americans who support their work at the local, state and federal levels.
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Let's be clear (to use Obama's favorite phrase): This is not just the politics of personal destruction. It's a vendetta of campaign finance destruction. Under the guise of "disclosure," Team Obama is exploiting the power of high government office to intimidate lawful, peaceful contributors who support limited-government causes.
In a scathing fundraising e-mail appeal, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina name-checked wealthy free-market philanthropists Charles and David Koch — along with a growing movement of grassroots conservatives who have freely, voluntarily and legally given money to the Koch-founded nonprofit activist group Americans for Prosperity and its sister foundation. As a speaker at several AFP events over the past three years, I've met thousands of like-minded, hardworking Americans who support their work at the local, state and federal levels.
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BREAKING NEWS
BREAKING NEWS: Gingrich Takes Georgia
Fox News projects Newt Gingrich the winner in his home state of Georgia, while
Vermont and Virginia are too close to call.
BREAKING NEWS: Romney Takes Virginia
Fox News projects Mitt Romney the winner over Ron Paul in Virginia's two-man GOP
primary.
BREAKING NEWS: Romney Takes Vermont
Fox News projects Mitt Romney the winner of Vermont GOP primary.
BREAKING NEWS: Santorum Takes Oklahoma; Romney Takes Massachusetts
Fox News projects Rick Santorum the winner of the Oklahoma GOP primary and Mitt
Romney the winner in his home state of Massachusetts; Tennessee too close to
call.
BREAKING NEWS: Santorum Takes Tennessee
Fox News projects Rick Santorum the winner of the Tennessee GOP primary
Fox News projects Newt Gingrich the winner in his home state of Georgia, while
Vermont and Virginia are too close to call.
BREAKING NEWS: Romney Takes Virginia
Fox News projects Mitt Romney the winner over Ron Paul in Virginia's two-man GOP
primary.
BREAKING NEWS: Romney Takes Vermont
Fox News projects Mitt Romney the winner of Vermont GOP primary.
BREAKING NEWS: Santorum Takes Oklahoma; Romney Takes Massachusetts
Fox News projects Rick Santorum the winner of the Oklahoma GOP primary and Mitt
Romney the winner in his home state of Massachusetts; Tennessee too close to
call.
BREAKING NEWS: Santorum Takes Tennessee
Fox News projects Rick Santorum the winner of the Tennessee GOP primary
Worth Repeating: Cost To Operate A Chevy Volt
Eric Bolling (Fox Business Channel's Follow the Money) test drove the Chevy Volt at the invitation of General Motors.
For four days in a row, the fully charged battery lasted only 25 miles before the Volt switched to the reserve gasoline engine.
Eric calculated the car got 30 mpg including the 25 miles it ran on the battery. So, the range including the 9 gallon gas tank and the 16 kwh battery is approximately 270 miles. It will take you 4 1/2 hours to drive 270 miles at 60 mph. Then add 10 hours to charge the battery and you have a total trip time of 14.5 hours. In a typical road trip your average speed (including charging time) would be 20 mph.
According to General Motors, the Volt battery holds 16 kwh of electricity. It takes a full 10 hours to charge a drained battery.
The cost for the electricity to charge the Volt is never mentioned so I looked up what I pay for electricity.
I pay approximately (it varies with amount used and the seasons) $1.16 per kwh.
16 kwh x $1.16 per kwh = $18.56 to charge the battery.
$18.56 per charge divided by 25 miles = $0.74 per mile to operate the Volt using the battery.
Compare this to a similar size car with a gasoline engine that gets 32 mpg.
$3.19 per gallon divided by 32 mpg = $0.10 per mile.
The gasoline powered car costs about $15,000 while the Volt costs $46,000.
So Obama wants us to pay 3 times as much for a car that costs more than 7 times as much to run and takes 3 times as long to drive across country.
REALLY
For four days in a row, the fully charged battery lasted only 25 miles before the Volt switched to the reserve gasoline engine.
Eric calculated the car got 30 mpg including the 25 miles it ran on the battery. So, the range including the 9 gallon gas tank and the 16 kwh battery is approximately 270 miles. It will take you 4 1/2 hours to drive 270 miles at 60 mph. Then add 10 hours to charge the battery and you have a total trip time of 14.5 hours. In a typical road trip your average speed (including charging time) would be 20 mph.
According to General Motors, the Volt battery holds 16 kwh of electricity. It takes a full 10 hours to charge a drained battery.
The cost for the electricity to charge the Volt is never mentioned so I looked up what I pay for electricity.
I pay approximately (it varies with amount used and the seasons) $1.16 per kwh.
16 kwh x $1.16 per kwh = $18.56 to charge the battery.
$18.56 per charge divided by 25 miles = $0.74 per mile to operate the Volt using the battery.
Compare this to a similar size car with a gasoline engine that gets 32 mpg.
$3.19 per gallon divided by 32 mpg = $0.10 per mile.
The gasoline powered car costs about $15,000 while the Volt costs $46,000.
So Obama wants us to pay 3 times as much for a car that costs more than 7 times as much to run and takes 3 times as long to drive across country.
REALLY
D.C. Pays Almost $700k For Dead Patients' Health Care
The District shelled out nearly $700,000 in Medicaid payments for dead people, with one payment occurring nearly nine years after the patient died, a new audit has found.
The gaffes are part of nearly $4 million in erroneous payments made by the city's Department of Health Care Finance in 2009, most of which are payments for claims with an invalid or no Social Security number at all. In addition, the Office of the Inspector General audit said the department might have overpaid its billings by $22.6 million, a possibility that health officials are now looking into.
Emergency Notification Registration Available For Campus Community
As part of ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of the campus community, Salisbury University has implemented an emergency notification system that sends text and voice messages in the event of an emergency. Students, faculty and staff must register to receive the emergency alerts.
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Half of Americans Think Gov’t Is a Poor Manager of the Economy
Most Americans think that government is a poor manager of the economy, a new Rasmussen Reports survey shows, and most people holding this view are either Republicans, or not affiliated with either party. They tend to be middle income.
According to the report, 50 percent of American adults believe that government management of the economy hurts, while only 27 percent of American adults believe it helps. Another 17 percent is unsure about government’s impact on the economy and six percent said it has no impact.
Those who believe government intervention in the economy helps tend to be Democrats by a 46 percent to 26 percent margin.
On the other hand, 66 percent of Republicans and 57 percent not affiliated with either the Republican Party or Democratic Party share the view that government management of the economy is harmful.
The report didn’t give a specific number but it did say that middle income Americans are likelier to believe government management has deleterious effects on the economy.
The Myth Of NRA Dominance Part IV: The Declining Role Of Guns In American Society
In the first three installments in this series (read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3), I discussed the myth of the NRA’s power: how its money, endorsements, and vaunted organizing ability don’t provide anything like the electoral victories so many believe. In this final installment, I address the contemporary status of guns in America. For all the cultural weight and mythology about firearms, the truth is that gun ownership has undergone a long and steady decline. Demographic shifts suggest that in the future, that decline will only continue and perhaps accelerate. And as contentious as the gun issue often appears, there is widespread agreement that gun ownership can and should be limited in various ways. Though a majority of Americans believe in a broad right to own guns, they also support universal background checks, permit requirements, and measures to keep guns out of the hands of potentially dangerous people.
If you’ve been following the issue of guns over the last few years, you know that these have been good times for gun advocates. In a landmark 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court settled a longstanding question by declaring that the 2nd Amendment confers an individual right to own guns. Under Barack Obama’s administration, the only pieces of legislation on guns have expanded gun rights; for instance, gun owners are now allowed to bring firearms into national parks as a result of legislation Obama signed in 2009. The assault weapons ban passed under Bill Clinton expired in 2004, and despite early indications the Obama administration might try to renew it, they have made no moves to do so. Yet a few weeks ago, top National Rifle Association official Wayne LaPierre told the audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference not to believe their eyes. “All that first term, lip service to gun owners is just part of a massive Obama conspiracy to deceive voters and hide his true intentions to destroy the Second Amendment during his second term,” LaPierre said, echoing comments he has made many times before. “All of what we know is good and right about America, all of it could be lost if Barack Obama is re-elected,” he added. “It’s all or nothing.”
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If you’ve been following the issue of guns over the last few years, you know that these have been good times for gun advocates. In a landmark 2008 decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court settled a longstanding question by declaring that the 2nd Amendment confers an individual right to own guns. Under Barack Obama’s administration, the only pieces of legislation on guns have expanded gun rights; for instance, gun owners are now allowed to bring firearms into national parks as a result of legislation Obama signed in 2009. The assault weapons ban passed under Bill Clinton expired in 2004, and despite early indications the Obama administration might try to renew it, they have made no moves to do so. Yet a few weeks ago, top National Rifle Association official Wayne LaPierre told the audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference not to believe their eyes. “All that first term, lip service to gun owners is just part of a massive Obama conspiracy to deceive voters and hide his true intentions to destroy the Second Amendment during his second term,” LaPierre said, echoing comments he has made many times before. “All of what we know is good and right about America, all of it could be lost if Barack Obama is re-elected,” he added. “It’s all or nothing.”
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Yahoo To Lay Off Thousands In Massive Restructuring
Yahoo is reportedly planning a massive restructuring that may include thousands of layoffs, according to a report by All Things Digital. The layoffs will apparently be announced later this month.
Don't consider this part of the boom-bust cycle. This is mostly about more savvy competitors, e.g. Google, better serving customers.
Don't consider this part of the boom-bust cycle. This is mostly about more savvy competitors, e.g. Google, better serving customers.
Wasserman Schultz: ‘It’s Time Romney And The Rest of The Republican Party End The War on Women They Started’
Warning that his “anti-women” stance would cost him votes in his campaign for the White House, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said Friday presidential candidate Mitt Romney needs to end the Republican “war on women.”
During a conference call briefing accusing Romney of “pandering to the extreme right-wing of his party on the issues that matter to Washington women,” Wasserman Schultz and representatives from Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America singled out the former Massachusetts governor as a politician who would “allow big corporations to deny health care options to their female employees.”
The call also included a statement from a Catholic hospital nurse who claimed birth control is so expensive she has to stay on her parents’ health care plan.
What College Will Not Teach You
James Altucher writes:
The idea is that a college education will fill your memory. Teach you a lot of facts. Maybe teach you basic analysis that conforms with your teacher’s opinions. But will NOT teach you how to really think. Will not teach you how to come up with ideas. How to sell ideas. How to be creative. How to navigate through interesting experiences so you won’t get hurt.
There are a lot of recent college grads sitting around not do anything because they have never learned about the things Altucher is writing about here. A successful life really is about:
Coming up with ideas.
Selling ideas.
Being creative.
Navigating through experiences.
Life is not about listening to a teacher and regurgitating via test a teacher's lecture.
You are failing, if you think a test is going to be passed out any time soon that will advance your life.
Start experiencing life, read the important books on the side and screw government corrupted education.
Remember, the greats like Ludwig von Mises and Murray Rothbard couldn't even get anything close to top positions in universities. Even Hayek, who tended not to ruffle feathers, couldn't get a position in the economics department of the University of Chicago.
College at this point is just another government controlled scam.
Altucher's full column is here.
The idea is that a college education will fill your memory. Teach you a lot of facts. Maybe teach you basic analysis that conforms with your teacher’s opinions. But will NOT teach you how to really think. Will not teach you how to come up with ideas. How to sell ideas. How to be creative. How to navigate through interesting experiences so you won’t get hurt.
There are a lot of recent college grads sitting around not do anything because they have never learned about the things Altucher is writing about here. A successful life really is about:
Coming up with ideas.
Selling ideas.
Being creative.
Navigating through experiences.
Life is not about listening to a teacher and regurgitating via test a teacher's lecture.
You are failing, if you think a test is going to be passed out any time soon that will advance your life.
Start experiencing life, read the important books on the side and screw government corrupted education.
Remember, the greats like Ludwig von Mises and Murray Rothbard couldn't even get anything close to top positions in universities. Even Hayek, who tended not to ruffle feathers, couldn't get a position in the economics department of the University of Chicago.
College at this point is just another government controlled scam.
Altucher's full column is here.
D.C. Inspectors Charged With Soliciting And Accepting Bribes
Two former D.C. inspectors have been charged with soliciting and receiving $20,000 in bribes last year in exchange for not reporting environmental violations at a Southwest Washington apartment complex that was being renovated.
Joe Parrish, 52, and Gregory Scott, 60, who worked for the D.C. Department of the Environment, were charged in a criminal information, a type of document that can only be filed with their consent and that generally signals a plea deal is near. The two have been free since their arrest in an FBI sting operation in August.
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Joe Parrish, 52, and Gregory Scott, 60, who worked for the D.C. Department of the Environment, were charged in a criminal information, a type of document that can only be filed with their consent and that generally signals a plea deal is near. The two have been free since their arrest in an FBI sting operation in August.
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Happy Timers Group Celebrates 50 Years
Salisbury, MD – The Happy Timers, a Wicomico Recreation program for adults 50+, celebrated their 50th Anniversary today (March 5, 2012). A crowd of over 150 gathered in the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center’s Midway Room to celebrate the special occasion.
The Happy Timers program is the oldest of its kind in the state of Maryland. In recognition of this feat the program received several honors from both State and local officials. The presentations began with a reading of a resolution from the Maryland House of Delegates. Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr. was in attendance to present his own citation. Wicomico County Council President Joe Holloway, Past-President Gail Bartkovich and Councilman Bob Culver spoke on behalf of the County Council. Salisbury City Council President Terry Cohen, representing the City of Salisbury and Mayor Ireton proudly declared March 5, 2012 the ‘Happy Timers Day’ within the City of Salisbury.
Several individual Happy Timers also received special recognition today for their long-time membership in the organization. Those recognized were:
Mary Jane Parsons – 30 Years
Flo Evans - 28 Years
Etta Nottingham - 28 Years
Dot Ennis – 25 Years
Becky Dryden – 23 Years
Lois Ann Bradley - 22 Years
Ruth Lamond – 22 years
Nancy Pollitt - 20 Years
Doris White – 20 Years
To learn more about Wicomico Recreation’s Happy Timers program visit www.WicomicoRecandParks.org or call Program Director Sharon Engster at 410.548.4900 ext. 118.
The Happy Timers program is the oldest of its kind in the state of Maryland. In recognition of this feat the program received several honors from both State and local officials. The presentations began with a reading of a resolution from the Maryland House of Delegates. Wicomico County Executive Richard M. Pollitt, Jr. was in attendance to present his own citation. Wicomico County Council President Joe Holloway, Past-President Gail Bartkovich and Councilman Bob Culver spoke on behalf of the County Council. Salisbury City Council President Terry Cohen, representing the City of Salisbury and Mayor Ireton proudly declared March 5, 2012 the ‘Happy Timers Day’ within the City of Salisbury.
Several individual Happy Timers also received special recognition today for their long-time membership in the organization. Those recognized were:
Mary Jane Parsons – 30 Years
Flo Evans - 28 Years
Etta Nottingham - 28 Years
Dot Ennis – 25 Years
Becky Dryden – 23 Years
Lois Ann Bradley - 22 Years
Ruth Lamond – 22 years
Nancy Pollitt - 20 Years
Doris White – 20 Years
To learn more about Wicomico Recreation’s Happy Timers program visit www.WicomicoRecandParks.org or call Program Director Sharon Engster at 410.548.4900 ext. 118.
BREAKING NEWS: HEBRON SHOOTING UPDATE
With Freedom Comes Responsibility
The shooting last night in Hebron was an accidental shooting. The four year old child was playing with the handgun. It fired into his chest, through his body, out his back, through a wall striking his Mother in the neck as she lay asleep in her bed.
It will be interesting how this will be handled as it is unlawful to leave a loaded gun in an area accessible to children.
I'd also like to know why we have WBI, (Wicomico Bureau of Investigation) yet the Maryland State Police Homicide Division has to be called in for serious crimes?
UPDATE: We have learned that sources close to Sheriff Mike Lewis have reported the father was allegedly in the kitchen cooking crack when the gun went off.
New Posts to fall below.
Parade In Germany, The World Is laughing!!!
These floats were part of the annual Carnival Parade in Germany watched by an estimated 3 million people in 3 German cities including Dusseldorf....
Couple Lives In $1.3 Million, 4,900 Square Foot Home For Five Years Without Making A Single Mortgage Payment
Wonder how Americans can afford to buy millions of iGadgets, a second LCD TV for the shoe closet, and eat at restaurants more than almost any time in the past despite plunging net income? Simple - increasingly fewer pay the biggest staple bill in a US household: their mortgage. The following story of Keith And Janet Ritter, who have lived in their Fort Washington, MD $1.29MM, 4,900 square foot McMansion for 5 years (which they purchase with no money down) without ever making a single mortgage payment, and who are not even close to being evicted, may explain much about the way US society currently operates, and why other perfectly responsible and hard-working taxpayers (who do have to pay for their mortgage) continue to fund tens of billions in Fannie and Freddie losses who are first on the hook to absorb the implicit losses by allowing families such as the Ritters to live in perpetuity without paying, and the banks to keep said mortgage on the books at par without any impairments.
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Majority In 3 Key States Doubt Obama Eligibility
The Obama White House held a formal news conference last year to announce “proof positive” of Barack Obama’s Hawaii birth, posted his “birth certificate” online and has been busy making fun of anyone who doesn’t believe that story ever since.
But 37 percent of Republican primary voters in Ohio, 38 percent of them in Georgia and a startling 45 percent of them in Tennessee simply don’t believe it.
Another large percentage, some 1 in 5, have doubts so that they cannot say for sure they believe him.
The results come as the voters will be making their choice tomorrow for their favorite GOP candidate to oppose Obama, the presumptive Democrat nominee for the presidency this fall.
The results were obtained by Public Policy Polling, which asked “Do you think Barack Obama was born in the United States, or not?”
In Georgia, 40 percent said he was, but 38 percent said he was not and another 22 percent were unsure. Ohio residents mirrored that, with 42 percent saying he was born in the U.S., 37 percent saying he was not, and 21 percent uncertainMore
OCEAN CITY POLICE MOURN THE LOSS OF RETIRED K9
The Ocean City Police Department is mourning the loss of veteran K9, Jester, who passed away on February 18, 2012, one day after his 11th birthday. Jester, who retired from the department in 2008, came to the OCPD from Augsburg,Germany, at which time he became the courageous and loyal partner to Pfc. Christine (Plant) Kirkpatrick.
Jester, who achieved the highest level of certification (Schutzhund) before joining the OCPD in 2004, spent hundreds of hours in training in Patrol/Narcotics Division. During his career he completed over 250 drug searches, including one incident in which he found a half-pound of marijuana concealed amidst engine parts and a handgun on the front seat of the vehicle, which resulted in significant jail time for the suspect.
With a skill for tracking, Jester was successful at locating 13 people on tracks and although he was tough on the road, he was also known throughout the community for demonstrations for children and community groups. “I have never seen a dog so loved by all who met him,” commented (Plant) Kirkpatrick, former OCPD officer and partner to K9 Jester. “I never intended to stay in police work very long, Jester is the reason I did. I loved being a K-9 handler from the first moment I got him and I couldn’t have asked for a better first partner.”
Since his retirement, Jester lived a very happy life at home with Kirkpatrick. He enjoyed playing ball in the backyard, relaxing on the couch and playing with his buddy Chance. “His passing has left a hole in my heart that I think will never go away, he was a great work dog, loyal partner, and best friend,” Kirkpatrick said.
Liberals Press Obama to Help Millions of Americans Pay Their Mortgages
President Obama could -- and should -- do more to help the 12-million homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages, a liberal activist group says.
MoveOn.org is pressing Obama to replace Ed DeMarco, the man President Bush appointed to oversee Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which hold a majority of U.S. homeowners' mortgages.
Liberals complain that DeMarco "refused to allow underwater homeowners to adjust their mortgages to reflect the true value of their homes."
On March 15 -- the same day the Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to meet in Washington to discuss mortgage issues -- MoveOn.org says it is organizing "big rallies" at Obama campaign offices around the country, in front of bank branches and outside foreclosed homes:
Philosophy By Another Name
Every professional philosopher, or student of philosophy, knows how linguistically confusing the name of our discipline can be when talking to people outside the field. They immediately assume you are in the business of offering sage advice, usually in the form of unargued aphorisms and proverbs. You struggle to explain that you don’t do that kind of philosophy, at which point you may well be accused of abandoning your historical calling — unearthing and explicating the “meaning of life” and what the ultimate human goods are. You may then be castigated for not being a “real philosopher,” by contrast with assorted gurus, preachers, homeopaths and twinkly barroom advice givers. Our subject then falls into disrepute and incomprehension.
These accusers have a point: What we do is not accurately described by the word we choose to categorize ourselves. So what is a philosopher to do?
I have a bold proposal: Let us drop the name “philosophy” for the discipline so called and replace it with a new one. The present name is obsolete, misleading and harmful — long past its expiration date.
The word “philosopher,” as everyone knows, means “lover of wisdom,” from the Greek. Its origin is sometimes attributed to Pythagoras, who is said to have coined it in order to distinguish people like himself from the sophists (both words have the same Greek root, “sophia”). Sophists, Pythagoras argued, are not genuine lovers of knowledge but only purveyors of rhetorical tricks, whereas another group of thinkers — those who possess a true “thirst for learning” — qualify as the real thing. This name stuck and came to be used to describe a very wide range of thinkers — anyone with a real intellectual interest. It is now, however, used extremely narrowly, at least within the academy, excluding people from most academic departments, but still applied to the few who study the subject now called “philosophy.”
More
These accusers have a point: What we do is not accurately described by the word we choose to categorize ourselves. So what is a philosopher to do?
I have a bold proposal: Let us drop the name “philosophy” for the discipline so called and replace it with a new one. The present name is obsolete, misleading and harmful — long past its expiration date.
The word “philosopher,” as everyone knows, means “lover of wisdom,” from the Greek. Its origin is sometimes attributed to Pythagoras, who is said to have coined it in order to distinguish people like himself from the sophists (both words have the same Greek root, “sophia”). Sophists, Pythagoras argued, are not genuine lovers of knowledge but only purveyors of rhetorical tricks, whereas another group of thinkers — those who possess a true “thirst for learning” — qualify as the real thing. This name stuck and came to be used to describe a very wide range of thinkers — anyone with a real intellectual interest. It is now, however, used extremely narrowly, at least within the academy, excluding people from most academic departments, but still applied to the few who study the subject now called “philosophy.”
More
Mercedes unveils invisible car -- literally
WASHINGTON - When car makers debut a new model, they usually try to get it out for all to see. But the latest unveiling by Mercedes-Benz does just the opposite - they tried to make the car invisible.
The German automaker is marketing their new F-Cell vehicle as so environmentally-friendly, it's invisible to the environment.
To drive the point home, they covered the hydrogen-powered minivan with LED panels and then attached a DSLR to shoot video from the other side. The effect creates the illusion that the zero-emissions car is invisible.
Check out the car here
WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!!!
Aren’t you proud??
#1A Highest incarceration rate
#1B Total prison population
#2 Car thefts
#3 Obesity (amongst industrialized nations)
#4 Soda drinking (600+ pr year per prson)
#5 Fast food and
#6 TV watching per week
#7 Credit card fraud.
#8 One person households
#9 Divorce rate
#10 Teen pregnancy rate
#11 School shootings
#12 Child abuse death
#13 Deaths by reptile
#14 Lawyers
#15 Pornography
#16 Prescription drugs taken
#17 Prescription drug advertising
#18 Antidepressants taken
#19 Mental disorders diagnosed
#20 Illegal drug use
#21 Credit card debt
#22 Mortgage debt
#23 Student loan debt
#24 Money spent per student
#25 Time spent in school
#26 Plastic surgery
#27 Eating disorder deaths.
#28 Total reported crimes
#29 Airport security thugs
#30 Health care as a percentage of GDP
#31 Complex tax system
#32 Number of laws on the books
#33 Military budget (exceeds next 12 nations combined)
#34 Military bases.
#35 Arms exports
#36 Sitting in traffic
#37 Money spent electing politicians
#38 Trade defecit
#39 Government wasting money
#40 Government debt
More
#1A Highest incarceration rate
#1B Total prison population
#2 Car thefts
#3 Obesity (amongst industrialized nations)
#4 Soda drinking (600+ pr year per prson)
#5 Fast food and
#6 TV watching per week
#7 Credit card fraud.
#8 One person households
#9 Divorce rate
#10 Teen pregnancy rate
#11 School shootings
#12 Child abuse death
#13 Deaths by reptile
#14 Lawyers
#15 Pornography
#16 Prescription drugs taken
#17 Prescription drug advertising
#18 Antidepressants taken
#19 Mental disorders diagnosed
#20 Illegal drug use
#21 Credit card debt
#22 Mortgage debt
#23 Student loan debt
#24 Money spent per student
#25 Time spent in school
#26 Plastic surgery
#27 Eating disorder deaths.
#28 Total reported crimes
#29 Airport security thugs
#30 Health care as a percentage of GDP
#31 Complex tax system
#32 Number of laws on the books
#33 Military budget (exceeds next 12 nations combined)
#34 Military bases.
#35 Arms exports
#36 Sitting in traffic
#37 Money spent electing politicians
#38 Trade defecit
#39 Government wasting money
#40 Government debt
More
Record Numbers
While yesterday was yet another record breaking day for Salisbury News, get this. We've already surpassed yesterday's numbers by more than a thousand people and it's only 3:00 PM!
Where do they all come from, I wonder....
Netanyahu to Obama: ‘Israel Must Have the Ability to Defend Itself’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear at the White House Monday that Israel was ready to go it alone in defending against the threat of a nuclear Iran, saying that “my supreme responsibility as prime minister of Israel is to ensure that Israel remains the master of its fate.”
Netanyahu and President Barack Obama spoke to a small gathering of media in the Oval Office before further meeting throughout the day. They did not take questions. The two leaders are said to have a chilled relationship for a number of reasons, one being that the Obama administration is seeking restraint in dealing with Iran, while Israel considers a pre-emptive strike against their nuclear sites
More
Netanyahu and President Barack Obama spoke to a small gathering of media in the Oval Office before further meeting throughout the day. They did not take questions. The two leaders are said to have a chilled relationship for a number of reasons, one being that the Obama administration is seeking restraint in dealing with Iran, while Israel considers a pre-emptive strike against their nuclear sites
More
State Police On Scene Of A Bomb Threat In Georgetown
Location: Howard T. Ennis School, 20346 Ennis Road, Georgetown, DE
Date and Time of Occurrence: Tuesday March 6, 2012 at approximately 1:00 p.m.
Resume:
Georgetown, DE- The Delaware State Police are currently on the scene of a suspected bomb threat at Howard T. Ennis School west of Georgetown.
Ennis Road between US 113 and Vaughn Road have been shut down.
At this time, the school has been evacuated and there are State Police K9s responding.
This incident is in the early stages and a more complete release will be forwarded when the investigation is complete.
Date and Time of Occurrence: Tuesday March 6, 2012 at approximately 1:00 p.m.
Resume:
Georgetown, DE- The Delaware State Police are currently on the scene of a suspected bomb threat at Howard T. Ennis School west of Georgetown.
Ennis Road between US 113 and Vaughn Road have been shut down.
At this time, the school has been evacuated and there are State Police K9s responding.
This incident is in the early stages and a more complete release will be forwarded when the investigation is complete.
MBRG Urges Caution On Widening Sales Tax Net
Towson, MD - As General Assembly attention turns to fiscal and budgetary issues, Maryland Business for Responsive Government urges legislators to carefully consider the consequences of legislation that extends the 6% sales tax to include new goods and services.
Maryland faces a $1.1 billion budget deficit. With questionable prospects for hiking the gasoline tax and eliminating some tax deductions, such as mortgage interest, some lawmakers have expressed interest in applying the sales tax club to a growing number of products and services as the revenue-generating tool of the moment.
"Hiking taxes across such a wide swath of our economy is a blunt instrument that only helps those who want to grow government at the expense of businesses and jobs," said MBRG President Kimberly M. Burns. "A more precise way of balancing the state's budget is to go through it line-by-line to look for spending reductions, before raising taxes yet again."
Maryland already faces a high tax burden relative to the vast majority of other states. Adding new sales taxes on professional services raises the cost of doing business – and in certain cases, will put others out of business. As with the alcohol tax last year, imposing a new sales tax introduces complexities at point-of-sale systems and gives regulators wide latitude in interpreting the laws required to
implement the new levies.
“Tax increases, especially increases in the sales tax and gas tax, are incredibly regressive. When one considers the intended practical effects of imposing the computer services tax in 2007, which was later repealed, any changes to Maryland’s tax structures need to be done with surgical precision and not as an 11th hour search for revenues," said Burns. "Costs associated with altering these taxes could impose more serious hardships on Maryland’s working families.”
Maryland faces a $1.1 billion budget deficit. With questionable prospects for hiking the gasoline tax and eliminating some tax deductions, such as mortgage interest, some lawmakers have expressed interest in applying the sales tax club to a growing number of products and services as the revenue-generating tool of the moment.
"Hiking taxes across such a wide swath of our economy is a blunt instrument that only helps those who want to grow government at the expense of businesses and jobs," said MBRG President Kimberly M. Burns. "A more precise way of balancing the state's budget is to go through it line-by-line to look for spending reductions, before raising taxes yet again."
Maryland already faces a high tax burden relative to the vast majority of other states. Adding new sales taxes on professional services raises the cost of doing business – and in certain cases, will put others out of business. As with the alcohol tax last year, imposing a new sales tax introduces complexities at point-of-sale systems and gives regulators wide latitude in interpreting the laws required to
implement the new levies.
“Tax increases, especially increases in the sales tax and gas tax, are incredibly regressive. When one considers the intended practical effects of imposing the computer services tax in 2007, which was later repealed, any changes to Maryland’s tax structures need to be done with surgical precision and not as an 11th hour search for revenues," said Burns. "Costs associated with altering these taxes could impose more serious hardships on Maryland’s working families.”
Obama's IRS on Warpath Against Tea Parties
Ever had the urge to tell the Internal Revenue Service “None of your business”?
Most tax counselors probably would advise against that response, but it’s exactly what the federal tax-collecting agency soon will be hearing from a list of tea party organizations it has sent letters demanding information that is protected by the First Amendment.
The situation developed recently as the local tea party groups submitted paperwork for their federal status designations, in some cases as nonprofits. The IRS responded in what apparently is a coordinated campaign with questions including one for the names and contact information for relatives of board members.
The result is that the American Center for Law and Justice has agreed to represent the groups in their responses to the IRS.
There already are dozens of groups involved, and ACLJ chief Jay Sekulow told WND that he expects that total to rise quickly.
“There are certain questions that are outside the bounds,” he told WND. “They’re invasive, they violate free speech and association. Those questions will not be addressed.”
Douglas Urges Cardin To Speak Louder For Israel
U.S. Senate Candidate Richard Douglas noted today that as President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are discussing thorny middle-east issues, including the prospect of war with Iran, Sen. Ben Cardin is silent.
The last public statement Senator Cardin issued on the Administration's position on Israel was September of last year - six months ago.
"There is no question that developments with Israel and Iran are moving at a faster clip," said Douglas. "Yet, Senator Cardin is talking about postal facility closures. We need to hear from the Senator more frequently on where he stands with Iran's nuclear program."
President Obama stated today that the United States stands by Israel and "that all options are on the table" when it comes to dealing with Iran.
"As Margaret Thatcher said to President George H. Bush 'don't go wobbly on me,' said Douglas. "Maryland needs a Senator who will say that to President Obama and whose support is not taken for granted."
Background:
Cardin on Post offices 2/23/12
http://www.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/cardin-mikulski-oppose-closing-cumberland-postal-processing-center
Cardin on Israel 9/19/11http://www.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/senators-urge-president-obama-to-underscore-strong-support-for-israel-during-united-nations-general-assembly
OSHA Suing Postal Service Over Whistleblower Retaliation
The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is suing the Postal Service over a whistleblower case.
Source
OSHA alleges the Postal Service retaliated against a safety specialist at the Seattle Process and Distribution Center. The employee provided information to a fellow worker who wanted to file a safety complaint.
A federal statute allows OSHA to sue the Postal Service in this instance.
"I think it's a sign of the times that the Obama administration is doing more to crack down on whistleblower retaliation to encourage people to come forward with complaints," said Vincent Melehy, federal employment expert and an attorney with Melehy and Associates.
Melehy joined The Federal Drive with Tom Temin Monday to offer his analysis of the case.
"If people know and understand that if they're the victim of whistleblower retaliation, somebody's going to do something about," said Melehy. "I would expect that a lot more people are going to feel freer to report things and also feel better about going to the Office of Special Counsel."Source
Baltimore-Area Delegate Frank Endorses Douglas For U.S. Senate
Bladensburg - MD - U.S. Senate candidate Richard Douglas announced today that Baltimore County Delegate William J. Frank endorsed his primary campaign, which comes on the heels of the District 42 Republican Club endorsement last month. Frank represents district 42 which includes which includes Cockeysville, Loch Raven, Lutherville, Mount Washington, Timonium, and Towson in north central Baltimore.
"People want the next U.S. Senator from Maryland to actually do something in the Senate to solve the problems of hard-working families," said Douglas. "Ben Cardin has held elected office since 1967, adheres rigidly to party orthodoxy at the expense of our nation and state, and his time is up."
Frank, who is the Chief Deputy Minority Whip in the House of Delegates, serves on the Health and Government Operations Committee and the Maryland's Veteran's Caucus among other assignments.
"Richard Douglas will bring a sense of mission to the U.S. Senate that is sorely lacking at a time when our country needs it most," said Del.Frank.
"This ruderless body doesn't always have to go around in circles. There's one way to change that, which is to elect people who can navigate the Senate from day one and who will lead. Douglas is the right candidate at the right time."
Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton has also endorsed Richard Douglas. Formerly a senior lawyer in the U.S. Senate and Iraq war veteran, Douglas knows the fundamentals of complex Senate legislative procedures to help reverse the ineffectiveness of the U.S. Senate.
"People want the next U.S. Senator from Maryland to actually do something in the Senate to solve the problems of hard-working families," said Douglas. "Ben Cardin has held elected office since 1967, adheres rigidly to party orthodoxy at the expense of our nation and state, and his time is up."
Frank, who is the Chief Deputy Minority Whip in the House of Delegates, serves on the Health and Government Operations Committee and the Maryland's Veteran's Caucus among other assignments.
"Richard Douglas will bring a sense of mission to the U.S. Senate that is sorely lacking at a time when our country needs it most," said Del.Frank.
"This ruderless body doesn't always have to go around in circles. There's one way to change that, which is to elect people who can navigate the Senate from day one and who will lead. Douglas is the right candidate at the right time."
Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton has also endorsed Richard Douglas. Formerly a senior lawyer in the U.S. Senate and Iraq war veteran, Douglas knows the fundamentals of complex Senate legislative procedures to help reverse the ineffectiveness of the U.S. Senate.
Federal Appeals Court 'Ignores Rule of Law,' Defers to White House on Deportation Cases
Does the Obama administration intend to enforce the nation’s immigration laws or not? Two Republicans are asking that question, after a federal appeals court halted the deportation of five suspected illegal aliens on Monday, asking the Obama administration whether it plans to stop the deportations.
In a 2-1 ruling, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals set a March 19 deadline for the Obama administration to explain whether it intends to use “prosecutorial discretion” to prevent the aliens’ removal. The five cases are on hold in the meantime.
On Thursday, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas,) chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Utah), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the Obama administration must make it clear to the court that the administration will enforce immigration laws, including the deportation of illegal and criminal immigrants who lose their cases in the federal court.
Enjoy The Central Bank Party While It Lasts
"It is patriotic to accept to pay a supplementary tax to restore the country.”
-Francois Hollande, the Socialist Challenger for the French Presidency, after proposing a 75% marginal tax rate on earnings of over one million euros per year
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
-Dr. Samuel Johnson, distinguished eighteenth century man of letters and author of the influential A Dictionary of the English Language
“If this plan saw the light of day, it would end in catastrophe for French football."
-Frederic Thiriez, head of the French Professional Football League, in response to Francois Hollande’s tax proposal
Don’t Fight the Tape – But Prepare for an Unhappy Ending
Central banks are printing money all over the world. New names have been given to what is really an age old phenomenon. Desperate governments have traditionally debased their currencies when they have no other way of financing their deficits. Quantitative easing, LTRO, Fed/ECB swaps, whatever. A new technocratic lexicon has been invented to cover what is really a time honored expedient of debasement and paper money printing.
Investors for the moment almost have no choice. Get out the surfboard, hitch a ride on the global tsunami of freshly minted central bank money and get long equities. In 2012 equity markets have rallied everywhere, particularly emerging equity markets, and will probably keep doing so. Short term interest rates are near zero and likely to stay that way for the rest of this year. Investment managers are tired of telling their clients that they earned zero and had to pay a fee anyway. The European crisis has been overcome by massive LTRO money printing and a friendly “borrow all the dollars you want” swap agreement between the Fed and the ECB. And the US is in the midst of a tepid recovery (better than nothing!) Lastly, China seems to be slowing but not crashing.
Money must head for risk assets. Tough luck for defined benefit pension funds and retirees who until recently lived off of nice, safe bond income.
More
-Francois Hollande, the Socialist Challenger for the French Presidency, after proposing a 75% marginal tax rate on earnings of over one million euros per year
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
-Dr. Samuel Johnson, distinguished eighteenth century man of letters and author of the influential A Dictionary of the English Language
“If this plan saw the light of day, it would end in catastrophe for French football."
-Frederic Thiriez, head of the French Professional Football League, in response to Francois Hollande’s tax proposal
Don’t Fight the Tape – But Prepare for an Unhappy Ending
Central banks are printing money all over the world. New names have been given to what is really an age old phenomenon. Desperate governments have traditionally debased their currencies when they have no other way of financing their deficits. Quantitative easing, LTRO, Fed/ECB swaps, whatever. A new technocratic lexicon has been invented to cover what is really a time honored expedient of debasement and paper money printing.
Investors for the moment almost have no choice. Get out the surfboard, hitch a ride on the global tsunami of freshly minted central bank money and get long equities. In 2012 equity markets have rallied everywhere, particularly emerging equity markets, and will probably keep doing so. Short term interest rates are near zero and likely to stay that way for the rest of this year. Investment managers are tired of telling their clients that they earned zero and had to pay a fee anyway. The European crisis has been overcome by massive LTRO money printing and a friendly “borrow all the dollars you want” swap agreement between the Fed and the ECB. And the US is in the midst of a tepid recovery (better than nothing!) Lastly, China seems to be slowing but not crashing.
Money must head for risk assets. Tough luck for defined benefit pension funds and retirees who until recently lived off of nice, safe bond income.
More
Bridges To The World International Film Series At SU February 13-March 12
Salisbury University takes movie lovers around the globe to such locales as Japan, Austria, Sri Lanka, Brazil and Turkey during the fourth annual Bridges to the World International Film Series, Mondays from February 13-March 12. All are introduced and screened at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall of Holloway Hall, followed by a discussion. The series begins February 13, with the Japanese film Hula Girls, Lee Sang-Il’s based-on-a-true-story comedy about a coal miner’s daughter who takes a once-in-a-lifetime chance to escape her monotonous life only to become an unwitting hero to her depressed mining town.
More
More
BREAKING NEWS: Obama To Announce Mortgage Refinancing Package
President Obama to speak about White House's latest efforts to address housing
crisis in his first news conference of the year at 1:15 p.m. ET. Watch LIVE on
Fox News and FoxNews.com.
crisis in his first news conference of the year at 1:15 p.m. ET. Watch LIVE on
Fox News and FoxNews.com.
Five Charged With Drug Possession
Locations: 30000 block of East Trap Pond Road and 10000 block of Laurel Road, Laurel, DE
Date of Occurrence: Friday March 2, 2012 at approximately 6:04 a.m.
Defendants, Charges, and Bail Information:
David Vasquez, 43, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ white shirt)
Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
Maintaining a Drug Property
Conspiracy 2nd
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (2 counts)
Arraigned at JP2 and committed to SCI on $84,400.00 cash bail.
Millard C. Johnson 4th, 33, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ eyes closed and camo shirt)
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Conspiracy 3rd
Theft of a Firearm (2 counts)
Theft > $1,500.00 (3 counts)
Forgery 2nd (9 counts)
Falsifying Business Records (2 counts)
Arraigned at JP2 and committed to SCI on $2,300.00 secured bail.
Shannon Ferenc, 28, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ blue striped shirt)
Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
Conspiracy 2nd
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (2 counts)
Arraigned at JP2 and committed to WCI on $25,700.00 cash bail.
Christina S. Johnson, 30, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ gray shirt and dark hair)
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Conspiracy 3rd
Arraigned at JP2 and released on $1,000.00 unsecured bail.
Frank Pavlovic, 38, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ blue shirt)
Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
Maintaining a Drug Property
Conspiracy 2nd
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (3 counts)
Arraigned at JP2 and committed to SCI on $26,550.00 cash bail.
Resume:
Laurel, DE – The Delaware State Police have arrested five people after the culmination of a several month investigation into illegal drug sales from a Laurel home.
On Friday March 2nd, the Sussex County Drug Unit, with the assistance of the Sussex County Governor’s Task Force, Criminal Investigations Unit, and the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team, conducted a series of search warrants on East Trap Pond Road and Laurel Road in Laurel.
During the execution of the first search warrant on East Trap Pond Road, Detectives made contact with David Vasquez, Shannon Ferenc, Millard C. Johnson 4th, and Christina S. Johnson who were all taken into custody. Upon conducting a search of the residence, Detectives located heroin, drug paraphernalia, and over $600.00 in drug proceeds.
A search warrant was also conducted at an address on Laurel Road where Frank Pavlovic was contacted and taken into custody. Detectives located more drug paraphernalia along with a locked safe.
Detectives executed a second search warrant on the residence on East Trap Pond Road in order to seize keys that matched the safe. Detectives were then able to open the safe and locate approximately 19 grams of heroin, 33 Oxycodone pills, and $5,000.00 in suspected drug proceeds.
All suspects were charged with the above listed crimes and committed to Department of Corrections with the exception of Christina Johnson who was released on an unsecured bail.
Millard Johnson was also wanted out of Troop 4 in Georgetown for Theft of Firearms and other charges stemming from an incident that occurred on Woodland Ferry Road on February 8, 2012.
Date of Occurrence: Friday March 2, 2012 at approximately 6:04 a.m.
Defendants, Charges, and Bail Information:
David Vasquez, 43, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ white shirt)
Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
Maintaining a Drug Property
Conspiracy 2nd
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (2 counts)
Arraigned at JP2 and committed to SCI on $84,400.00 cash bail.
Millard C. Johnson 4th, 33, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ eyes closed and camo shirt)
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Conspiracy 3rd
Theft of a Firearm (2 counts)
Theft > $1,500.00 (3 counts)
Forgery 2nd (9 counts)
Falsifying Business Records (2 counts)
Arraigned at JP2 and committed to SCI on $2,300.00 secured bail.
Shannon Ferenc, 28, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ blue striped shirt)
Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
Conspiracy 2nd
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (2 counts)
Arraigned at JP2 and committed to WCI on $25,700.00 cash bail.
Christina S. Johnson, 30, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ gray shirt and dark hair)
Possession of Heroin
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Conspiracy 3rd
Arraigned at JP2 and released on $1,000.00 unsecured bail.
Frank Pavlovic, 38, Laurel, DE (Pictured Below w/ blue shirt)
Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance
Maintaining a Drug Property
Conspiracy 2nd
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (3 counts)
Arraigned at JP2 and committed to SCI on $26,550.00 cash bail.
Resume:
Laurel, DE – The Delaware State Police have arrested five people after the culmination of a several month investigation into illegal drug sales from a Laurel home.
On Friday March 2nd, the Sussex County Drug Unit, with the assistance of the Sussex County Governor’s Task Force, Criminal Investigations Unit, and the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team, conducted a series of search warrants on East Trap Pond Road and Laurel Road in Laurel.
During the execution of the first search warrant on East Trap Pond Road, Detectives made contact with David Vasquez, Shannon Ferenc, Millard C. Johnson 4th, and Christina S. Johnson who were all taken into custody. Upon conducting a search of the residence, Detectives located heroin, drug paraphernalia, and over $600.00 in drug proceeds.
A search warrant was also conducted at an address on Laurel Road where Frank Pavlovic was contacted and taken into custody. Detectives located more drug paraphernalia along with a locked safe.
Detectives executed a second search warrant on the residence on East Trap Pond Road in order to seize keys that matched the safe. Detectives were then able to open the safe and locate approximately 19 grams of heroin, 33 Oxycodone pills, and $5,000.00 in suspected drug proceeds.
All suspects were charged with the above listed crimes and committed to Department of Corrections with the exception of Christina Johnson who was released on an unsecured bail.
Millard Johnson was also wanted out of Troop 4 in Georgetown for Theft of Firearms and other charges stemming from an incident that occurred on Woodland Ferry Road on February 8, 2012.
Pop Up Ads On The Internet
Talk about pet peeves, this has to be one of the most annoying parts of the Internet.
Now Fox News, (go figure) has pop up ads you won't clear. The Daily Times has their Netflicks, (or whatever they're called) and other pop ups, as if we're supposed to be so excited to watch an ad expand on their home page. OH, I want one of those, NOT!
I have had numerous people come to me wanting to buy a pop up ad on Salisbury News. Look, the money might be good but one thing is for sure, I will NOT subject all of you to something I truly cannot stand myself.
I spoke with someone yesterday who flat out said they refuse to go to the Daily Times because of their pop up ads. How about you. Are they just as annoying to you as they are to me?
Now Fox News, (go figure) has pop up ads you won't clear. The Daily Times has their Netflicks, (or whatever they're called) and other pop ups, as if we're supposed to be so excited to watch an ad expand on their home page. OH, I want one of those, NOT!
I have had numerous people come to me wanting to buy a pop up ad on Salisbury News. Look, the money might be good but one thing is for sure, I will NOT subject all of you to something I truly cannot stand myself.
I spoke with someone yesterday who flat out said they refuse to go to the Daily Times because of their pop up ads. How about you. Are they just as annoying to you as they are to me?
Democracy Versus Liberty
Over the last several decades of American political life the idea of liberty has taken a back seat to that of democracy. Liberty involves human beings governing themselves, being sovereign citizens, while democracy is a method by which decisions are reached within groups. In a just society it is liberty that's primary; the entire point of law is to secure liberty for everyone, to make sure that the rights of individuals, to their lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness, are protected from any human agent bent on violating them.
Democracy at its best is but a byproduct of liberty. Because we are all supposed to be free to govern ourselves, whenever some issue of public policy faces the citizenry, all are entitled to take part. Democratic government rests, in a free society, on the right of every individual to take whatever actions are needed to influence public policy. Because freedom or liberty is primary, the scope of public policy and, thus, democracy in a just society is strictly limited. The reason is that free men and women may not be intruded on even if a majority of their fellows would decide to do so. If someone is a free, which means a self-governing, person, then even the majority of one's fellows lack the authority to take over one's governance without one's consent. It cannot be otherwise unless there is prior agreement by all to accept such a process. The consent of the governed amounts to this and that is what the US Declaration of Independence means when it mentions that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed.
In a just society no one loses his or her authority for self-government without giving it up as a matter of choice. No one gets to perform an operation on you, no matter how wise and competent, without your giving your consent, and the same is true, in a just system, about imposing duties and obligations on people. They must agree to this. If they do not, they aren't to be ordered about at all. That would be involuntary servitude!
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Democracy at its best is but a byproduct of liberty. Because we are all supposed to be free to govern ourselves, whenever some issue of public policy faces the citizenry, all are entitled to take part. Democratic government rests, in a free society, on the right of every individual to take whatever actions are needed to influence public policy. Because freedom or liberty is primary, the scope of public policy and, thus, democracy in a just society is strictly limited. The reason is that free men and women may not be intruded on even if a majority of their fellows would decide to do so. If someone is a free, which means a self-governing, person, then even the majority of one's fellows lack the authority to take over one's governance without one's consent. It cannot be otherwise unless there is prior agreement by all to accept such a process. The consent of the governed amounts to this and that is what the US Declaration of Independence means when it mentions that government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed.
In a just society no one loses his or her authority for self-government without giving it up as a matter of choice. No one gets to perform an operation on you, no matter how wise and competent, without your giving your consent, and the same is true, in a just system, about imposing duties and obligations on people. They must agree to this. If they do not, they aren't to be ordered about at all. That would be involuntary servitude!
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Reflections
Senior citizens are constantly being criticized for every conceivable deficiency of the modern world, real or imaginary. We know we take responsibility for all we have done and do not blame others.
HOWEVER, upon reflection, we would like to point out that it was NOT the senior citizens who took:
The melody out of music,
The pride out of appearance,
The courtesy out of driving,
The romance out of love,
The commitment out of marriage,
The responsibility out of parenthood,
The togetherness out of the family,
The learning out of education,
The service out of patriotism,
The Golden Rule from rulers,
The nativity scene out of cities,
The civility out of behavior,
The refinement out of language,
The dedication out of employment,
The prudence out of spending,
The ambition out of achievement or
God out of government and school.
And we certainly are NOT the ones who eliminated patience and tolerance from personal relationships and interactions with others!!
And, we do understand the meaning of patriotism, and remember those who have fought and died for our country.
Just look at the Seniors with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts as they stand at attention with their hand over their hearts!
HOWEVER, upon reflection, we would like to point out that it was NOT the senior citizens who took:
The melody out of music,
The pride out of appearance,
The courtesy out of driving,
The romance out of love,
The commitment out of marriage,
The responsibility out of parenthood,
The togetherness out of the family,
The learning out of education,
The service out of patriotism,
The Golden Rule from rulers,
The nativity scene out of cities,
The civility out of behavior,
The refinement out of language,
The dedication out of employment,
The prudence out of spending,
The ambition out of achievement or
God out of government and school.
And we certainly are NOT the ones who eliminated patience and tolerance from personal relationships and interactions with others!!
And, we do understand the meaning of patriotism, and remember those who have fought and died for our country.
Just look at the Seniors with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts as they stand at attention with their hand over their hearts!
Police Arrest Embalmer For Swiping Gold Teeth From Remains
When you hand over the body of a loved one to a funeral parlor, you trust that the workers won't scour the remains for valuables to make a quick buck. But things apparently didn't work out that way in a Denver-area funeral home, where a freelance embalmer was indicted for swiping gold teeth from remains and pawning them.
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'U.S. News' Ranks SU Among The Top 10 Public Regional Universities In The North
U.S. News & World Report has named Salisbury University one of its Best Colleges for 2012. This marks the 15th consecutive year the campus has been ranked by the magazine. In the northern region, SU ranked 41 among 142 publics and privates. SU also is one of the Top 10 Public Regional Universities in the North. Salisbury is the only Maryland university in this category. It is also the only campus located outside of New York and New Jersey.
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NOMINATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR 2012 Outstanding Public Health Leader AWARD
Nominations are being accepted for the 2012 Outstanding Public Health Leader award. This award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the public health of the citizens of Wicomico County. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on Monday, April 2, 2012.
Nominations can be submitted online at http://www.wicomicohealth.org/index.asp?pageId=204 or call (410) 334 – 3480 to obtain nomination forms.
All nominations are due by Wednesday, March 21, 2012. Late submissions cannot be accepted.
Study Finds Army Provided Poor Public Communications In Groundwater Contamination
A new study by the National Research Council faults the Army for poor public communications in the long-running debate over possible groundwater contamination at Maryland's Fort Detrick. The panel found that data on whether the pollution is responsible for cancer clusters in surrounding communities is inconclusive, and that further studies probably would not yield any solid answers. But it points to what it calls a legacy of mistrust by community members toward the Army, who it says needs to be more effective in communicating the results of health studies.
'Kiplinger's' Names SU Among Nation's 'Best Values'
For the fourth consecutive year, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine has named Salisbury University one of its Top 100 “Best Values in Public Colleges.” Featured in the February 2012 edition, SU and the other campuses listed “deliver quality education at an affordable price,” the magazine said. Academic quality carries more weight in the for mula Kiplinger’s uses. Each institution is ranked based on several factors, including in-state and out-of-state costs. SU is No. 71. More than 500 traditional four-year institutions nationwide are surveyed.
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Will CIA Remain In Afghanistan
Top Pentagon leaders may insert elite CIA-led special operation forces into Afghanistan after American forces exit from the war torn country in 2014. It's one of several possible plans being debated by Pentagon staffers. It has not been presented to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, the White House or Congress. If adopted, the Pentagon could still say there are no more U.S. troops on the ground because once the SEALS, Rangers and other units are assigned to CIA control, they become spies. Either way, special operations units would still target militants on joint raids with Afghans and keep training Afghan forces.
Sheriff Lewis Gets County Taxpayers To Pimp His New Ride
With gas prices soaring, it seems no one is going to out do Sheriff Mike Lewis when it comes to his cruiser, not even Washington or the Governor.That's right, Sheriff Lewis is now sporting around the County in a brand new Chevy Suburban. So why are we bringing this up. Well, it turns out quite a few people are upset that the Sheriff came first, ahead of Deputies who are in desperate need of new vehicles.
There are others upset because the budget is so tight, why the need for not only an expensive vehicle, why choose one that gets the worst gas mileage.
While I'd like to say there's a good reason for such a vehicle, no one can convince me that this would be accurate or practical. Maybe there's something in the works for a personal driver, like Governor O'Malley.
In the mean time, Deputies will have to wait, or get in line to apply for the new driver position.
UPDATE: The below image shows the gas mileage and expense on this vehicle. Considering it has a police package it more than likely has the bigger engine, (less gas mileage) and is more than likely 4 wheel drive. Click on the image to enlarge.
OK, you want to keep challenging me, go ahead but we're just going to keep proving you wrong. By the way, to the person who said they do not make a Suburban Police Package vehicle, GO HERE and stop LYING to people.
IRS Whistleblower Files Suit
A whistleblower is filing suit against the IRS claiming the agency owes him a reward. Joseph Insignia was a Dutch Bank Executive. He blew the whistle on his employer, who was helping American companies dodge taxes. Now Insinga is taking the IRS to court for failing to give him a reward for his information. A 2006 Whistleblower law allows those with inside information on disputes that exceed $2 million in taxes and penalties to receive 15 percent to 30 percent of the amount collected. The Washington Post reports, IRS officials in charge of his case say the government is still open for a reward determination. But Insignia said it's already been five years and it's creeping closer to the seven-year limit to collect.
The Truth About Drug-Testing The Unemployed
The law has many problems, including Constitutionality. And while proponents say tax money should not fund drug use, opponents see more sinister stereotyping at work.
The new federal law that lets states drug-test applicants for unemployment compensation was a small win for the Republican-led efforts to examine the urine of everyone receiving government safety-net benefits. How many people it will affect depends on how the Department of Labor establishes the regulations—and on whether the courts continue to hold that such policies violate the Constitution’s protection against unreasonable searches.
House Republicans initially wanted to let states drug-test all 7.5 million people collecting unemployment compensation. The compromise reached in the payroll tax-cut deal, along with cutting six months off the time people can collect, authorizes states to test applicants for benefits in two circumstances: if they were fired for using drugs, or if the only occupation they’re suited for is one the Department of Labor lists as commonly requiring drug-testing.
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The new federal law that lets states drug-test applicants for unemployment compensation was a small win for the Republican-led efforts to examine the urine of everyone receiving government safety-net benefits. How many people it will affect depends on how the Department of Labor establishes the regulations—and on whether the courts continue to hold that such policies violate the Constitution’s protection against unreasonable searches.
House Republicans initially wanted to let states drug-test all 7.5 million people collecting unemployment compensation. The compromise reached in the payroll tax-cut deal, along with cutting six months off the time people can collect, authorizes states to test applicants for benefits in two circumstances: if they were fired for using drugs, or if the only occupation they’re suited for is one the Department of Labor lists as commonly requiring drug-testing.
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FDA Scientist Sentenced To 5 Years For Inside Trading
A former FDA scientist has been sentenced to five years in prison. Cheng Yi Liang, a chemist from Gaithersburg, Md., pleaded guilty in October to securities fraud. Trading occurred while Liang worked at FDA's Office of New Drug Quality Assessment. He was ordered to forfeit $3.7 million in trading profits. Federal prosecutors say Liang regularly accessed an FDA system containing drug approval applications. He used the information on pending approvals to make bets on drug company stocks.
Today's Survey Question 3-6-12
Are you worried that al Qaeda in Iraq is trying to make a comeback, as analysts and intelligence officials say?
Did Obama Let You Down? There's Still Hope!
Three years ago, I wrote an article in which I made some very specific predictions about the incoming Obama administration. I wrote the piece in the form of a letter to my pro-Obama friends and said that by the end of his term, Obama’s administration would not look very different from that of George W. Bush. I told them that if I was wrong about my predictions, I would re-think all of my beliefs about our political system and about politics generally, and if I turned out to be right, I asked them to do the same.
I don’t know if any of my friends took me up on my challenge – I’m guessing they didn’t, since I never heard from any of them about it. But I do know that many of them are disappointed in what Obama has done so far, and that many are feeling hopeless about the upcoming election, resigned to their belief that there is "no better alternative." Incredibly, some of them plan to vote for Obama again.
It is for this reason that I would like to revisit those predictions I made three years ago. I still have nearly a year to go, but I think it is clear to anyone paying attention that Obama is not the pro-peace, pro-civil liberties candidate many of his supporters believed him to be. Nor is he going to "fix" the economy anytime soon. What may not be so clear though is that there is a better alternative. It also may not be clear that there is a way to support that alternative without sacrificing the option to vote for Obama in the general election.
So let’s look at those predictions. If we’re already on the same page about Obama’s presidency, then just skip this part and go to the last section of this article to read about the better alternative.
I confined my predictions to the areas where I believed my pro-Obama friends and I shared common ground: A desire to end our country’s wars of aggression around the world; A desire to see our basic civil liberties protected; and a desire to have a healthy economy. Here is what I wrote, and here’s what has happened:
Foreign Policy:
At the end of Obama's first four-year term:
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I don’t know if any of my friends took me up on my challenge – I’m guessing they didn’t, since I never heard from any of them about it. But I do know that many of them are disappointed in what Obama has done so far, and that many are feeling hopeless about the upcoming election, resigned to their belief that there is "no better alternative." Incredibly, some of them plan to vote for Obama again.
It is for this reason that I would like to revisit those predictions I made three years ago. I still have nearly a year to go, but I think it is clear to anyone paying attention that Obama is not the pro-peace, pro-civil liberties candidate many of his supporters believed him to be. Nor is he going to "fix" the economy anytime soon. What may not be so clear though is that there is a better alternative. It also may not be clear that there is a way to support that alternative without sacrificing the option to vote for Obama in the general election.
So let’s look at those predictions. If we’re already on the same page about Obama’s presidency, then just skip this part and go to the last section of this article to read about the better alternative.
I confined my predictions to the areas where I believed my pro-Obama friends and I shared common ground: A desire to end our country’s wars of aggression around the world; A desire to see our basic civil liberties protected; and a desire to have a healthy economy. Here is what I wrote, and here’s what has happened:
Foreign Policy:
At the end of Obama's first four-year term:
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Transgender Illegal Alien Detainees Will Get 'Hormone Therapy' Courtesy of ICE
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the division the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsible for enforcing the nation's immigration laws, will provide "hormone therapy" to illegal aliens it has detained who say they are transgender, according to the agency's operations manual for its detention facilities.
The 2011 Operations Manual ICE Performance-Based National Detention Standards says that all illegal alien detainees shall be screened by a specially trained detention officer within 12 hours of their arrival at the detention facility. The operations manual specifically states that the "screening shall ... inquire into a transgender detainee's gender self-identification and history of transition-related care, when a detainee self-identifies as transgender."
If the self-professed illegal alien transgender detainee has been receiving hormone therapy on the outside, ICE will give it to him or her on the inside.
“Transgender detainees who were already receiving hormone therapy when taken into ICE custody shall have continued access,” states the report. “All transgender detainees shall have access to mental health care, and other transgender-related health care and medication based on medical need. Treatment shall follow accepted guidelines regarding medically necessary transition-related care.”
'Main Street Salisbury' Exhibit Hangs At Nabb Gallery August 29-May 25
From the humble grocers and haberdashers to the majestic Ulman Theatre, Salisbury’s Main Street was a center of commerce at the turn of the 20th century. Salisbury University’s Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture Gallery, 190 Wayne St., explores the businesses that made up the central commercial district through the exhibit “Main Street Salisbury.” The display hangs from August 29-May 25.
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The Greatest Part-Time Job In The World, Part I
Wanted: Qualified person to work 20-30 hours a week, depending on assignment.
Salary: $127,252 per year.
Benefits:
—Nearly 7 weeks in vacation and personal days.
—12 holidays.
—Unlimited sick time.
—A pension worth 2/3 of the current salary after 16 years of service at age 60, and a pro-rated pension for fewer than 16 years.
—And every time the current salary is raised, the pension goes up by the same 2/3 ratio.
Too good to be true? Welcome to the world of a Maryland District Court judge.
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Salary: $127,252 per year.
Benefits:
—Nearly 7 weeks in vacation and personal days.
—12 holidays.
—Unlimited sick time.
—A pension worth 2/3 of the current salary after 16 years of service at age 60, and a pro-rated pension for fewer than 16 years.
—And every time the current salary is raised, the pension goes up by the same 2/3 ratio.
Too good to be true? Welcome to the world of a Maryland District Court judge.
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In Age of Dual Incomes, Alimony Payers Prod States To Update Laws
MIAMI — In the waning days of this year’s legislative session, Florida lawmakers and advocacy groups are pushing to overhaul the state’s alimony law in a bid to better reflect today’s marriages and make the system less burdensome for the alimony payer.
Florida joins a grass-roots movement in a growing number of states that seeks to rewrite alimony laws by curbing lifelong alimony and alleviating the financial distress that some payers — still mostly men — say they face. The activists say the laws in several states, including Florida, unfairly favor women and do not take into account the fact that a majority of women work and nearly a third have college degrees.
The Florida House recently approved legislation that would make lifelong alimony more difficult to award and less onerous for the payer and, in the case of a remarriage, would place a new spouse’s income off-limits in awarding payments. Attention turns to the Senate, where the companion bill is less far-reaching. Florida had already changed some provisions in alimony law two years ago.
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Florida joins a grass-roots movement in a growing number of states that seeks to rewrite alimony laws by curbing lifelong alimony and alleviating the financial distress that some payers — still mostly men — say they face. The activists say the laws in several states, including Florida, unfairly favor women and do not take into account the fact that a majority of women work and nearly a third have college degrees.
The Florida House recently approved legislation that would make lifelong alimony more difficult to award and less onerous for the payer and, in the case of a remarriage, would place a new spouse’s income off-limits in awarding payments. Attention turns to the Senate, where the companion bill is less far-reaching. Florida had already changed some provisions in alimony law two years ago.
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Mustache Bill Puts Congressman In Hairy Situation
A Republican congressman from Maryland is in a hairy situation over a proposal to give tax breaks to Americans with mustaches.
The American Mustache Institute claimed Tuesday that Rep. Roscoe Bartlett had lent his support to the `Stache Act, which calls for a tax deduction of up to $250 a year for facial hair grooming.
But Bartlett's office said he never supported the measure. Staffers said Wednesday that they only forwarded a copy of the proposal to the House Ways & Means Committee, without the congressman's knowledge, after receiving a media inquiry about it. That led the institute to believe Bartlett, who has long had a mustache, supported the measure.
"For the record: Roscoe is pro-stache, but he does not believe Americans should pay for people's personal grooming decisions," Bartlett's chief of staff, Deborah Burrell, said in a statement.
So far, no other representatives have supported the mustache proposal.
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The American Mustache Institute claimed Tuesday that Rep. Roscoe Bartlett had lent his support to the `Stache Act, which calls for a tax deduction of up to $250 a year for facial hair grooming.
But Bartlett's office said he never supported the measure. Staffers said Wednesday that they only forwarded a copy of the proposal to the House Ways & Means Committee, without the congressman's knowledge, after receiving a media inquiry about it. That led the institute to believe Bartlett, who has long had a mustache, supported the measure.
"For the record: Roscoe is pro-stache, but he does not believe Americans should pay for people's personal grooming decisions," Bartlett's chief of staff, Deborah Burrell, said in a statement.
So far, no other representatives have supported the mustache proposal.
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Oil below $107 after US, Israel meet on Iran
SINGAPORE (AP) - Oil prices hovered below $107 a barrel Tuesday in Asia after U.S. and Israel leaders met to discuss growing tensions over Iran's nuclear program.
Benchmark oil for April delivery was up 13 cents to $106.85 at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 2 cents to settle at $106.72 per barrel in New York on Monday.
Brent crude was down 6 cents at $123.74 per barrel in London.
After a meeting Monday in Washington, President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed no sign of give on competing ways to resolve the crisis. Obama urged pressure and diplomacy to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb while Netanyahu emphasized his nation's right to a pre-emptive attack.
The Electronic Cigarette EXPOSED
The use of electronic cigarettes have recently grabbed the attention of countless tobacco users worldwide. Are they really a healthier and cheaper alternative to traditional cigarettes? Creators and product users claim you can enjoy a cheaper, healthier cigarette without the bad smells, second-hand smoke, or cancer causing chemicals. With these huge claims, we decided to investigate the electronic cigarette for our readers.
A few of the benefits claimed from using the electronic cigarette:
No tar, tobacco, carbon monoxide, or ash.
Get the same amount of nicotine as a regular cigarette.
Each cartridge costs less than $2, and is equivalent to an entire pack of cigarettes.
The average consumer can expect to save over $1,000 each year
You won’t “smell” like a smoker any longer.
Different flavors are available.
No more second-hand smoke.
Read More...
A few of the benefits claimed from using the electronic cigarette:
No tar, tobacco, carbon monoxide, or ash.
Get the same amount of nicotine as a regular cigarette.
Each cartridge costs less than $2, and is equivalent to an entire pack of cigarettes.
The average consumer can expect to save over $1,000 each year
You won’t “smell” like a smoker any longer.
Different flavors are available.
No more second-hand smoke.
Read More...
Switzerland Buckles Before The Empire
Swiss lawmakers have passed a tax proposal seen as key to settling a U.S. probe into Swiss banks with hidden offshore accounts, Reuters reports.
Specifically, the plan would allow Switzerland to hand over data on suspected tax evaders, even if U.S. tax authorities cannot identify alleged offenders by name or bank account.
Source
Specifically, the plan would allow Switzerland to hand over data on suspected tax evaders, even if U.S. tax authorities cannot identify alleged offenders by name or bank account.
Source
Award-Winning Author Draper Is Spring Riall Lecturer Tuesday, March 6
Sharon M. Draper is an educator not only in the classroom, but in the bookstore. The teacher and five-time Coretta Scott King Literary Award-winning author discusses “Literacy, Laughter and Learning: A Successful Education Design” as this semester’s E. Pauline Riall Lecturer in Education at Salisbury University. Her presentation is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, in Holloway Hall Auditorium.
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BREAKING NEWS: Leaders Of Infamous Hacking Group Arrested
EXCLUSIVE: FoxNews.com has learned that top members of the infamous computer
hacking group LulzSec have been arrested in the US and the UK by law enforcement
agents acting largely on evidence gathered by the organization’s brazen leader,
who has been secretly working with the government for months, sources say.
hacking group LulzSec have been arrested in the US and the UK by law enforcement
agents acting largely on evidence gathered by the organization’s brazen leader,
who has been secretly working with the government for months, sources say.
Nine State AGs Cite 21 Illegal Actions by Obama Administration
The Obama administration through regulatory agencies, mandates, lawsuits and threats of lawsuits, has broken the law and overstepped its constitutional bounds, said a report released Monday from nine Republican state attorneys general.
The report cited prominently the individual mandate to purchase health insurance and the mandate for employers – without a conscience exemption – to cover the cost of employee abortifacients, sterilization and contraception under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as Obama care.
The report focused on what the attorneys general considered the administration’s attacks on religious liberty, unconstitutional environmental regulations, illegal recess appointments, and lawsuits to stop state laws regarding voter ID and immigration.
SU Accepts Nominations For Community Leadership Awards
SALISBURY, MD---Know a person or organization that is making a difference in the community? Salisbury University wants to hear about them! SU’s Town-Gown Council is accepting nominations for its 2012 President’s Distinguished Community Leadership Awards.
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BREAKING NEWS: New Jersey Congressman Donald Payne Dies
Democratic Rep. Donald Payne, former chairman of Congressional Black Caucus and New Jersey's first black congressman, dies at 77 after battle with colon cancer.
From Fox News
From Fox News
Missing Dogs: UPDATE
My 2 dogs are missing in the west Seaford area around N Hall St. The missing dogs- the middle one- name is Mudpie; the one to the right is Bear. They have been missing since Sunday evening 3/4/12 approx 6:00 pm.
UN Chief in Afghanistan Calls for ‘Disciplinary Actions’ Against Those Involved in Qur’an ‘Desecration’
The top United Nations official in Afghanistan has raised eyebrows with comments urging disciplinary action against those found to be responsible for damaging copies of the Qur’an at the U.S. military base in Bagram.
For Jan Kubis, head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and secretary-general Ban Ki-moon’s special representative in Afghanistan, multiple U.S. apologies – including one from President Obama – and an order from International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) commander Gen. John Allen that all 130,000 coalition troops in the country “complete training in the proper handling of religious materials” by this past Saturday, have not been sufficient.
“I agree with those who say that after this apology and after the investigation disciplinary actions should follow, those who were behind this grave mistake should be held accountable for it,” he told a press conference in Kabul on Thursday.
Only when such disciplinary steps had been taken, he said, would the ISAF forces “be able to say: ‘Yes, we are sincere.’”
SU SGA Accepting Applications For Eighth Annual 'Big Event'
Salisbury University students unite to help the community during the eighth annual Big Event community cleanup day, sponsored by the Student Government Association Saturday, April 14. During the community service project, some 500 SU students help campus neighbors with household chores such as raking leaves, cleaning attics, and painting. Properties surrounding SU are eligible. The deadline for applications is Monday, April 2.
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Ocean City Government Salaries
Below are the top 100 earners. Now they want a union. Here is a link to the story.
Information on the total amount spent on employee benefits in 2011 was not available, but will appear in a later issue.
CITY MANAGER .........................173,404.80
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ................152,669.64
FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR ................146,860.93
CITY ENGINEER ........................146,860.43
CHIEF OF POLICE ......................144,676.89
RECREATION/PARKS DIRECTOR ............140,321.75
PLANNING & COMM DEV DIRECTOR .........140,321.46
EMERGENCY SERVICES DIRECTOR ..........140,150.34
FIRE MARSHAL .........................135,445.22
POLICE CAPTAIN........................132,617.77
POLICE CAPTAIN........................126,743.38
POLICE CAPTAIN........................123,803.60
POLICE CAPTAIN........................123,328.39
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIR ...........121,828.01
GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR ............118,892.80
PW SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER.............118,541.49
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR .................116,773.06
FIRE/EMS DEPUTY CHIEF ................116,561.04
TRANS SUPER...........................114,746.27
PW DEPUTY DIRECTOR ...................114,400.00
RISK/CLAIMS MANAGER...................113,846.15
POLICE OFFICER .......................113,654.21
POLICE SERGEANT.......................112,902.18
WASTEWATER SUPERINTENDENT.............112,553.76
POLICE LIEUTENANT.....................111,060.18
CONVENTION CENTER DIRECTOR ...........110,441.00
POLICE LIEUTENANT.....................110,198.26
POLICE SERGEANT ......................110,147.23
HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR ..............110,000.73
GOLF SUPERINTENDENT ..................109,193.03
ELECTRONIC SERVICES MANAGER ..........108,953.07
POLICE LIEUTENANT.....................108,715.45
FF/EMS 2ND LIEUTENANT ................108,455.06
POLICE CORPORAL ......................107,896.52
POLICE LIEUTENANT ....................106,798.83
POLICE LIEUTENANT ....................106,174.58
POLICE LIEUTENANT ....................106,101.83
FIRE MARSHAL/DEPUTY CHIEF ............106,079.84
PW CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR .............106,004.49
BUDGET MANAGER .......................105,817.00
POLICE SERGEANT.......................105,732.65
RECREATION/PARKS ASST DIRECTOR .......104,114.08
POLICE SERGEANT ......................103,951.94
ASSISTANT FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR ......103,947.78
FF/EMS 2ND LIEUTENANT ................103,433.64
POLICE SERGEANT ......................102,788.29
CONVENTION OPERATIONS MANAGER ........102,432.47
POLICE SERGEANT ......................102,018.75
POLICE LIEUTENANT ....................101,634.12
POLICE LIEUTENANT.....................100,815.17
CONVENTION SALES/MARKETING DIR .......100,139.11
PW MAINTENANCE MANAGER ................99,171.67
POLICE LIEUTENANT .....................98,584.78
FIRE/EMS ASSISTANT CHIEF ..............98,468.62
FIRE/EMS LIEUTENANT ...................98,331.83
SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR ...............98,066.39
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................97,917.85
POLICE SERGEANT .......................97,392.00
POLICE OFFICER ........................97,305.75
SERGEANT ..............................97,201.11
FF/EMS 2ND LIEUTENANT .................97,141.47
PW CONSTRUCTION MANAGER ...............97,086.10
POLICE CORPORAL .......................96,578.88
CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL ...............96,363.51
POLICE SERGEANT .......................95,965.90
FIRE/EMS LIEUTENANT ...................95,884.27
POLICE OFFICER FIRST CLASS ............95,668.59
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV ....................95,494.39
POLICE SERGEANT .......................94,559.79
PARKS SUPERINTENDENT ..................94,112.25
POLICE OFFICER FIRST CLASS ............93,961.25
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV ....................93,443.18
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV ....................92,126.79
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................91,928.81
CITY CLERK ............................91,743.69
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV ....................91,729.54
FF/EMS 2ND LIEUTENANT..................91,605.78
POLICE OFFICER FIRST CLASS.............91,518.83
POLICE CORPORAL........................91,497.41
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION MGR ...........91,437.76
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................90,818.71
ENGINEERING MANAGER ...................90,641.28
GOLF PROFESSIONAL/MGR .................90,572.99
FIRE/EMS CAPTAIN.......................90,504.00
FIRE/EMS CAPTAIN.......................90,503.90
FIRE/EMS CAPTAIN.......................90,503.85
POLICE CORPORAL........................90,248.81
POLICE CORPORAL........................89,220.94
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................89,103.53
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................89,016.33
POLICE CORPORAL........................88,997.91
POLICE SERGEANT........................88,981.66
POLICE SERGEANT........................88,804.80
POLICE OFFICER FIRST CLASS.............88,680.56
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................88,444.03
Information on the total amount spent on employee benefits in 2011 was not available, but will appear in a later issue.
CITY MANAGER .........................173,404.80
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ................152,669.64
FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR ................146,860.93
CITY ENGINEER ........................146,860.43
CHIEF OF POLICE ......................144,676.89
RECREATION/PARKS DIRECTOR ............140,321.75
PLANNING & COMM DEV DIRECTOR .........140,321.46
EMERGENCY SERVICES DIRECTOR ..........140,150.34
FIRE MARSHAL .........................135,445.22
POLICE CAPTAIN........................132,617.77
POLICE CAPTAIN........................126,743.38
POLICE CAPTAIN........................123,803.60
POLICE CAPTAIN........................123,328.39
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIR ...........121,828.01
GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR ............118,892.80
PW SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER.............118,541.49
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR .................116,773.06
FIRE/EMS DEPUTY CHIEF ................116,561.04
TRANS SUPER...........................114,746.27
PW DEPUTY DIRECTOR ...................114,400.00
RISK/CLAIMS MANAGER...................113,846.15
POLICE OFFICER .......................113,654.21
POLICE SERGEANT.......................112,902.18
WASTEWATER SUPERINTENDENT.............112,553.76
POLICE LIEUTENANT.....................111,060.18
CONVENTION CENTER DIRECTOR ...........110,441.00
POLICE LIEUTENANT.....................110,198.26
POLICE SERGEANT ......................110,147.23
HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR ..............110,000.73
GOLF SUPERINTENDENT ..................109,193.03
ELECTRONIC SERVICES MANAGER ..........108,953.07
POLICE LIEUTENANT.....................108,715.45
FF/EMS 2ND LIEUTENANT ................108,455.06
POLICE CORPORAL ......................107,896.52
POLICE LIEUTENANT ....................106,798.83
POLICE LIEUTENANT ....................106,174.58
POLICE LIEUTENANT ....................106,101.83
FIRE MARSHAL/DEPUTY CHIEF ............106,079.84
PW CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR .............106,004.49
BUDGET MANAGER .......................105,817.00
POLICE SERGEANT.......................105,732.65
RECREATION/PARKS ASST DIRECTOR .......104,114.08
POLICE SERGEANT ......................103,951.94
ASSISTANT FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR ......103,947.78
FF/EMS 2ND LIEUTENANT ................103,433.64
POLICE SERGEANT ......................102,788.29
CONVENTION OPERATIONS MANAGER ........102,432.47
POLICE SERGEANT ......................102,018.75
POLICE LIEUTENANT ....................101,634.12
POLICE LIEUTENANT.....................100,815.17
CONVENTION SALES/MARKETING DIR .......100,139.11
PW MAINTENANCE MANAGER ................99,171.67
POLICE LIEUTENANT .....................98,584.78
FIRE/EMS ASSISTANT CHIEF ..............98,468.62
FIRE/EMS LIEUTENANT ...................98,331.83
SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR ...............98,066.39
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................97,917.85
POLICE SERGEANT .......................97,392.00
POLICE OFFICER ........................97,305.75
SERGEANT ..............................97,201.11
FF/EMS 2ND LIEUTENANT .................97,141.47
PW CONSTRUCTION MANAGER ...............97,086.10
POLICE CORPORAL .......................96,578.88
CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL ...............96,363.51
POLICE SERGEANT .......................95,965.90
FIRE/EMS LIEUTENANT ...................95,884.27
POLICE OFFICER FIRST CLASS ............95,668.59
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV ....................95,494.39
POLICE SERGEANT .......................94,559.79
PARKS SUPERINTENDENT ..................94,112.25
POLICE OFFICER FIRST CLASS ............93,961.25
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV ....................93,443.18
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV ....................92,126.79
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................91,928.81
CITY CLERK ............................91,743.69
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV ....................91,729.54
FF/EMS 2ND LIEUTENANT..................91,605.78
POLICE OFFICER FIRST CLASS.............91,518.83
POLICE CORPORAL........................91,497.41
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION MGR ...........91,437.76
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................90,818.71
ENGINEERING MANAGER ...................90,641.28
GOLF PROFESSIONAL/MGR .................90,572.99
FIRE/EMS CAPTAIN.......................90,504.00
FIRE/EMS CAPTAIN.......................90,503.90
FIRE/EMS CAPTAIN.......................90,503.85
POLICE CORPORAL........................90,248.81
POLICE CORPORAL........................89,220.94
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................89,103.53
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................89,016.33
POLICE CORPORAL........................88,997.91
POLICE SERGEANT........................88,981.66
POLICE SERGEANT........................88,804.80
POLICE OFFICER FIRST CLASS.............88,680.56
FIREFIGHTER/EMT IV.....................88,444.03
Md. Senator Wants Law Clinic To Support Farmers
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - State Sen. Richard Colburn says funding for the embattled University of Maryland environmental law clinic should be used to create a similar program at the University of Baltimore School of Law that would represent farmers.
The proposal from Colburn, a Dorchester County Republican, is a rebuke to the school's attempt to sue owners of a Worcester County chicken farm for polluting a nearby waterway. It was approved by a Senate subcommittee Monday afternoon.
The move would transfer $500,000 from the law clinic's lobby shop to establish an agricultural law clinic at UB.
More
The proposal from Colburn, a Dorchester County Republican, is a rebuke to the school's attempt to sue owners of a Worcester County chicken farm for polluting a nearby waterway. It was approved by a Senate subcommittee Monday afternoon.
The move would transfer $500,000 from the law clinic's lobby shop to establish an agricultural law clinic at UB.
More
Delmar Mayor/Council
Seems as though the "new" Delmar, MD Mayor and Council have hit the roads running. Tom "Bunky" Luffman took to his Facebook page this week, stating, "Minutes after Mayor Anderton was declared the winner of the Mayoral race he was interviewed by the Daily Times. In that interview he set a priority to make communication easier from the town to the residents and vice versa. Our new facebook page is one avenue to achieve his goal. I encourage everyone to like it."
It certainly is nice to see the Mayor and Council 'put their money where their mouths are' by following through with campaign promises and initiatives to improve our town! As a fan myself, I hope you will encourage your readers to "like" the Town of Maryland page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Delmar/339231939452786?sk=info.
Mayor Anderton and Commissioner Luffman have also been sharing town info since before the election - its always great to know when there will be road closures, improvements or even changes in the trash schedule. www.facebook.com/carlandertonjr and www.facebook.com/bunkyluffman
Hopefully this will encourage other small, local towns to get on board with the advantages of social networking communications!
CHILD DEAD AND MOTHER INJURED IN WICOMICO CO. SHOOTING
(HEBRON, MD) – Maryland State Police are continuing to investigate a Wicomico County shooting that left a child dead and his mother injured last night.
The deceased is identified as Jamal A. Woolford Jr., 4, of the 100-block of Old Railroad Road, Hebron, Md. He was pronounced dead last night at the Peninsula Regional Medical Center. An autopsy is expected to be performed today.
The injured victim is identified as Shanice A. Kellam, 24, who is Jamal’s mother and lives at the same address. She is being treated at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. At this time her wounds are not believed to be life threatening.
Just before 9:30 p.m. yesterday, Maryland State Police at the Salisbury Barrack received a 911 call from the victim’s address reporting a shooting. Troopers, county deputies, and EMS personnel responded to the scene. They found Jamal Woolford Jr., who had sustained what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the chest and his mother, who had what appeared to be gunshot wounds to her hand, arm and shoulder.
The father of the deceased victim was also in the home, as was a seven-year-old daughter of Shanice Kellam. Neither of them was injured.
Maryland State Police Homicide Unit investigators responded to the scene and are conducting the investigation. They are being assisted by investigators from the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation, troopers from the Salisbury Barrack, State Police crime scene technicians, and officers from the Salisbury Police Department.
The preliminary investigation indicates that Shanice Kellam was asleep in her bedroom when she was awakened by something hitting her. She awoke to see her son wounded in the chest and then realized she was also bleeding. She ran with her son into the living room to her son’s father who had just returned home and 911 was called.
Investigators have learned Jamal Woolford Jr.’s father owned a handgun that was kept in the bedroom. Police have also been told the child had previously been seen playing with the handgun.
Investigators have obtained a search warrant for the scene and technicians continue to process the home for evidence. A large caliber handgun has been recovered on the bed where the shooting is believed to have occurred.
The investigation is continuing.
The deceased is identified as Jamal A. Woolford Jr., 4, of the 100-block of Old Railroad Road, Hebron, Md. He was pronounced dead last night at the Peninsula Regional Medical Center. An autopsy is expected to be performed today.
The injured victim is identified as Shanice A. Kellam, 24, who is Jamal’s mother and lives at the same address. She is being treated at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. At this time her wounds are not believed to be life threatening.
Just before 9:30 p.m. yesterday, Maryland State Police at the Salisbury Barrack received a 911 call from the victim’s address reporting a shooting. Troopers, county deputies, and EMS personnel responded to the scene. They found Jamal Woolford Jr., who had sustained what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the chest and his mother, who had what appeared to be gunshot wounds to her hand, arm and shoulder.
The father of the deceased victim was also in the home, as was a seven-year-old daughter of Shanice Kellam. Neither of them was injured.
Maryland State Police Homicide Unit investigators responded to the scene and are conducting the investigation. They are being assisted by investigators from the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation, troopers from the Salisbury Barrack, State Police crime scene technicians, and officers from the Salisbury Police Department.
The preliminary investigation indicates that Shanice Kellam was asleep in her bedroom when she was awakened by something hitting her. She awoke to see her son wounded in the chest and then realized she was also bleeding. She ran with her son into the living room to her son’s father who had just returned home and 911 was called.
Investigators have learned Jamal Woolford Jr.’s father owned a handgun that was kept in the bedroom. Police have also been told the child had previously been seen playing with the handgun.
Investigators have obtained a search warrant for the scene and technicians continue to process the home for evidence. A large caliber handgun has been recovered on the bed where the shooting is believed to have occurred.
The investigation is continuing.
Delegate Michael A. McDermott Press Release 2nd Amendment Rights
(Annapolis) Today, a United States District Court upheld the 2nd Amendment rights of Maryland citizens to carry a concealed weapon without needing to show a state police judged “good and substantial reason”. The ruling came in the case of Woolard v. Sheridan and it will change the way the state handles the issuance of Pistol Permits for those asking for the right to carry.
Delegate Michael McDermott stated, “This is a big day for Marylanders. Many have waited a lifetime for their beloved state to recognize and honor their 2nd Amendment Right and that day has finally come”. Until today, the burden of proof in determining if someone had “a good and substantial reason” rested with the citizen and most were denied. The court ruled that this approach is unconstitutional and violates a citizens civil right to keep and bear arms. Essentially, the ruling will shift the burden to the state to prove that a person should be denied this right.
Current law prohibits someone who is a felon, a drug or alcohol abuser, or someone who suffers from mental illness as being ineligible for a carry permit. Second Amendment advocates have long held this is the criteria the state police should utilize when deciding on whether a citizen should be denied a permit.
Delegate McDermott joined with Delegate Smigiel in signing letters to the Secretary of the Maryland State Police respectfully insisting the department begin issuing permits immediately and that they grant reciprocity for those holding permits from other states. Delegate McDermott stated, “Providing reciprocity for permit holders will bring Maryland in line with 40 other states who have not stood between good citizens and their right to protect themselves and their families”.