Remember yesterday's heartwarming story about the troubled California Little League teams that got a financial boost via a semi-anonymous $1,200 donation from a local strip club? Well, no sooner did we post the story then the league decided it didn't to fund its baseball games with lap dance loot.
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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
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Tax Breaks for the Unemployed
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- For unemployed Americans who have watched their savings diminish as they look for work, tax season may finally bring some relief.
Out of work job seekers can deduct all sorts of expenses, including the cost of printing and sending hundreds of resumes, hiring headhunters, even what they spend on travel to interviews. There are also tax perks they can qualify for if they decide to throw in the towel on the job search and become self-employed or freelance.
And for those who can't come up with the money to pay their taxes right away, the IRS is offering the unemployed additional help this year -- a "grace period" that will give them extra time to pay their tax bill without incurring penalties.
Compliant Americans
Last month, at a Raeford, N.C., elementary school, a teacher confiscated the lunch of a 5-year-old girl because it didn't meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines and therefore was deemed nonnutritious. She replaced it with school cafeteria chicken nuggets. The girl's home-prepared lunch was nutritious; it consisted of a turkey and cheese sandwich, potato chips, a banana and apple juice. But whether her lunch was nutritious or not is not the issue. The issue is governmental usurpation of parental authority.
In a number of states, pregnant teenage girls may be given abortions without the notification or the permission of parents. The issue is neither abortion nor whether a pregnant teenager should have an abortion. The issue is this: What gives the government the authority to usurp parental authority?
Part of the problem is that people who act as instruments of government do not pay a personal price for usurping parental authority. The reason is Americans, unlike Americans of yesteryear, have become timid and, as such, come to accept all manner of intrusive governmental acts. Can you imagine what a rugged American, such as one portrayed by John Wayne, would have done to a government tyrant who confiscated his daughter's lunch or facilitated her abortion without his permission?
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In a number of states, pregnant teenage girls may be given abortions without the notification or the permission of parents. The issue is neither abortion nor whether a pregnant teenager should have an abortion. The issue is this: What gives the government the authority to usurp parental authority?
Part of the problem is that people who act as instruments of government do not pay a personal price for usurping parental authority. The reason is Americans, unlike Americans of yesteryear, have become timid and, as such, come to accept all manner of intrusive governmental acts. Can you imagine what a rugged American, such as one portrayed by John Wayne, would have done to a government tyrant who confiscated his daughter's lunch or facilitated her abortion without his permission?
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Docs Show Murderers Got Special Treatment From Governor, Wife
Jackson, Mississippi (CNN) -- Investigative documents obtained by CNN show that former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, his wife and his staff may have given preferential treatment to two of the convicted murderers who were among the more than 200 former and current inmates he pardoned in January.
According to the documents compiled by the office of Mississippi's attorney general, the state's former first lady, Marsha Barbour, apparently called a car dealership regarding the purchase of two vehicles for two convicted murderers -- days before they were pardoned. The cars were later delivered to the governor's mansion, two days before the men were released.
CNN has also learned that a member of the governor's staff took the same two men, David Gatlin and Charles Hooker, to get their driver's licenses while they were still in state custody, before their pardons were signed and made official.
$1 Abortion Surcharge In Obamacare
The Department of Health and Human Services has finalized the policies governing state health care exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and with it the rules governing abortion coverage under the new law.
Life News reports that “the concern pro-life organizations had about the ObamaCare legislation funding abortions has been confirmed.”
Indeed pro-lifers have long known that the health care law, specifically Section 1303, would require enrollees in the health care exchanges to pay a separate monthly surcharge for abortion coverage.
With the final HHS rules set in stone, the surcharge is a dollar.
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Life News reports that “the concern pro-life organizations had about the ObamaCare legislation funding abortions has been confirmed.”
Indeed pro-lifers have long known that the health care law, specifically Section 1303, would require enrollees in the health care exchanges to pay a separate monthly surcharge for abortion coverage.
With the final HHS rules set in stone, the surcharge is a dollar.
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The 5 Best U.S. States for Women
The last few weeks have seen headline after headline proclaiming the “war on women” that’s taking place across the country, as lawmakers, politicians and pundits continue to bat around the age-old question of whether or not women are, in fact, people.
But it’s not all bad news for the women of America. Looking at key areas such as healthcare, wages and education, women’s website iVillage has collected data from myriad sources — including the National Women’s Law Center, National Partnership for Women & Families, the 2010 US Census and the National Network to End Domestic Violence — in order to accurately rank which states provide the most hospitable living conditions for the country’s women.
To see the top five states to live in if you’re a lady, read on.
Florida Woman Fired After Speaking At Tea Party Protest
A Florida assistant state attorney was fired after she spoke at a tea party protest.Jasksonville.com reported:
An assistant state attorney in Live Oak was fired Monday after she refused to stop speaking to tea party rallies and other groups, her boss said.
Prosecutor KrisAnne Hall asked a federal judge Friday for a ruling that would have allowed her to keep speaking and prevented her boss, State Attorney Skip Jarvis, from following through on threats to fire her if she didn’t stop.
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An assistant state attorney in Live Oak was fired Monday after she refused to stop speaking to tea party rallies and other groups, her boss said.
Prosecutor KrisAnne Hall asked a federal judge Friday for a ruling that would have allowed her to keep speaking and prevented her boss, State Attorney Skip Jarvis, from following through on threats to fire her if she didn’t stop.
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Jaycee Dugard Will Remain in Hiding to Protect Her Daughters
(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Kidnapping survivor Jaycee Dugard made her first public appearance over the weekend in New York, but said she plans to remain in hiding with her two daughters until they are mature enough to understand what happened to them.
The 31-year-old Dugard, and her two children, ages 14 and17, have been living at an undisclosed California location since being found by police in 2009 - 18 years after she was abducted from a South Lake Tahoe bus stop.
Phillip and Nancy Garrido, her captors, held Dugard in their Antioch backyard, where she later gave birth to two children conceived by rape.
In an interview with ABC News that aired Tuesday night, Dugard said she's spent that last three years healing and experiencing life with her family. "I want my girls to have a normal life as much as possible," she told Diane Sawyer. "I feel like on some things I have to do it a little bit differently...not to be recognized for their sake."
The Government Is Not Your Daddy!
Between red stop-signs on Facebook reading “Stop the Republican War on Women,” the latest activist video characterizing Republicans as he-man, woman-haters, and Gloria Allred, Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda doing just about anything (Monster-in-Law, anyone?) someone has to just come out and (insert expletive in the progressive tense here) say it. The government is not your daddy.
Gloria, Gloria and Jane were up in arms, (again), calling on the Federal Communications Commission to pull the plug on Rush Limbaugh’s show:
If Clear Channel won’t clean up its airways, then surely it’s time for the public to ask the FCC a basic question: Are the stations carrying Limbaugh’s show in fact using their licenses “in the public interest?”
Well, gee, I didn’t realize you could abuse the 1st Amendment, but apparently censorship is OK as long as you have a workout video.
'Little Obama Can Do' About Gas Prices? Four Years Ago, Bush's Move to Drill Dropped Barrel Price -- And Media Covered It Up
The New York Times told us about three weeks ago that "there's little President Obama" can do about the current pump price of gas. Since then, it has become a well-established media meme. Poor guy.
Well, not really. Four years ago, another U.S. president did something which caused the barrel price of oil to drop by over $6, and the press spent the rest of the day trying to pretend that the drop had nothing to do with his actions -- and almost succeeded. What follows is from my related NewsBusters post on July 15, 2008 ("Oil Drops Over $6 a Barrel; I Wonder Why?"):
Senate Squeezes More Out of $500K Incomes
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Maryland Senate on Wednesday approved an amendment to state budget legislation to squeeze extra tax money out of people who make more than $500,000 a year.
The Senate decided to apply a 5.75 percent income tax rate on all of an individual's taxable income, if the taxpayer makes more than $500,000. The measure to raise the income tax on most taxpayers previously would not have applied the top rate to all of the income earned by someone in the top bracket.
"It was a nod to the more progressive members of our caucus _ that we were listening to their concerns," Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, D-Calvert, said after session Wednesday night.
Republican Sen. E.J. Pipkin, R-Cecil, described the measure as a mistake.
"You're sending the wrong message to job creators," Pipkin said.
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The Senate decided to apply a 5.75 percent income tax rate on all of an individual's taxable income, if the taxpayer makes more than $500,000. The measure to raise the income tax on most taxpayers previously would not have applied the top rate to all of the income earned by someone in the top bracket.
"It was a nod to the more progressive members of our caucus _ that we were listening to their concerns," Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, D-Calvert, said after session Wednesday night.
Republican Sen. E.J. Pipkin, R-Cecil, described the measure as a mistake.
"You're sending the wrong message to job creators," Pipkin said.
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Economy Actually Lost 2.7 Million Jobs In January
Obama’s entire claim that the economy is reviving is based on phony numbers and rigged statistics. Nothing is more misleading than the recent administration claim that the economy added over 200,000 jobs during each of the past three months and that unemployment is stable at 8.3 percent.
Dr. John Hussman of the Hussman Fund says that the claims of job gains are based entirely on weighted figures. “Total non-farm employment in the U.S., before seasonal adjustments, fell by 2,689,000 jobs in January.” Then the spin doctors at the Bureau of Labor Statistics went to work. Hussman explains: “because its typical for the economy to lose a large number of jobs after the holidays, largely in retail trade, construction and manufacturing, the BLS estimated that the ‘normal’ seasonal decline in employment should have been 2,932,000 jobs in January. The difference between the two numbers … was 243,000 jobs, which was reported as an increase in employment.”
Hussman notes that this “adjustment” in 2011 and 2012 was far more extreme than in any previous year since the 1960s. Had the standard adjustment been used, instead of the souped-up figure BLS applied, the total number of new jobs created would be only about 60,000 for January.
And even that may be an overestimation.
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Dr. John Hussman of the Hussman Fund says that the claims of job gains are based entirely on weighted figures. “Total non-farm employment in the U.S., before seasonal adjustments, fell by 2,689,000 jobs in January.” Then the spin doctors at the Bureau of Labor Statistics went to work. Hussman explains: “because its typical for the economy to lose a large number of jobs after the holidays, largely in retail trade, construction and manufacturing, the BLS estimated that the ‘normal’ seasonal decline in employment should have been 2,932,000 jobs in January. The difference between the two numbers … was 243,000 jobs, which was reported as an increase in employment.”
Hussman notes that this “adjustment” in 2011 and 2012 was far more extreme than in any previous year since the 1960s. Had the standard adjustment been used, instead of the souped-up figure BLS applied, the total number of new jobs created would be only about 60,000 for January.
And even that may be an overestimation.
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Comedian Chris Rock Attacks Camera After Being Asked About Alleged Tea Party Racism
Count comedian Chris Rock as yet another liberal who can't bear to take not just criticism but even an innocent question about his beliefs.
Under light questioning from conservative author Jason Mattera, Rock turned what was a regular friendly interaction with a fellow Brooklynite into a physical assault on a female camera operator when Mattera tried to get him to briefly explain remarks that he had made that the Tea Party movement was "insanely racist." Video below the break.
It seems pretty evident from the clip that Rock wasn't interested in talking even from the beginning but to get violent after such a tame question is the height of thin-skinned behavior, even if he was tired from all the festivities at the Sundance Film Festival, the location of the clip.
Complex Societies Need Simple Laws
“If you have 10,000 regulations,” Winston Churchill said, “you destroy all respect for law.”
He was right. But Churchill never imagined a government that would add 10,000 year after year. That’s what we have in America. We have 160,000 pages of rules from the feds alone. States and localities have probably doubled that. We have so many rules that legal specialists can’t keep up. Criminal lawyers call the rules “incomprehensible.” They are. They are also “uncountable.” Congress has created so many criminal offenses that the American Bar Association says it would be futile to even attempt to estimate the total.
So what do the politicians and bureaucrats of the permanent government do? They pass more rules.
That’s not good. It paralyzes life.
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He was right. But Churchill never imagined a government that would add 10,000 year after year. That’s what we have in America. We have 160,000 pages of rules from the feds alone. States and localities have probably doubled that. We have so many rules that legal specialists can’t keep up. Criminal lawyers call the rules “incomprehensible.” They are. They are also “uncountable.” Congress has created so many criminal offenses that the American Bar Association says it would be futile to even attempt to estimate the total.
So what do the politicians and bureaucrats of the permanent government do? They pass more rules.
That’s not good. It paralyzes life.
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Did The Courts Let Heather Lynn McGuire Down?
WASHINGTON - A Kensington woman who feared for her life went to court for protection, but she was killed by the man she was hoping to escape.
Heather Lynn McGuire was riding in a car with her estranged husband Tuesday morning when he shot her in the head and dumped her body out onto Connecticut Avenue. A manhunt ensued.
It ended Tuesday night when Philip Joseph Gilberti was found dead at a home near Montgomery College from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The story has people wondering if protective orders really are effective.
Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy says most of the time, they can be very helpful in preventing this kind of tragedy.
"They can work, but obviously as we know from this particular case, they don't always work," he says.
Still, McCarthy encourages victims of domestic violence to seek protective orders when possible.
Want To Vote? Show Your ID
Legislators should require Colorado voters to prove their identity, as long as a variety of IDs can be used.
Requiring voters to present photo identification doesn't have to be an onerous burden.
Despite recent efforts by the Obama administration to beat back photo ID laws in Texas and South Carolina, Colorado should move forward with pending legislation requiring photo identification.
So long — and this is an important caveat — as it allows for a variety of IDs to be used, and accommodations are made to ensure official ID cards are reasonably easy to obtain, there is no reason to not pass this bill.
The case has been made that voter ID laws could disenfranchise a significant number of eligible voters, disproportionately harming minorities, seniors and low-income voters.
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Requiring voters to present photo identification doesn't have to be an onerous burden.
Despite recent efforts by the Obama administration to beat back photo ID laws in Texas and South Carolina, Colorado should move forward with pending legislation requiring photo identification.
So long — and this is an important caveat — as it allows for a variety of IDs to be used, and accommodations are made to ensure official ID cards are reasonably easy to obtain, there is no reason to not pass this bill.
The case has been made that voter ID laws could disenfranchise a significant number of eligible voters, disproportionately harming minorities, seniors and low-income voters.
More
U.S. Starts to Lose its Academic Reputation
U.S. and U.K. universities still sit at the head of the class in world higher education, but emerging schools in Asia and elsewhere threaten to shift the global balance of academic power, a major study shows.
In its annual World Reputation Rankings, the London-based Times Higher Education magazine gives American institutions seven of the top 10 spots, with Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology coming in first and second, respectively. Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, are also in the top five with Britain’s Cambridge and Oxford universities taking the third and sixth slots.
But the survey - compiled from written responses by more than 17,000 published academics who were asked to rank institutions on their reputations only - shows that Japan, China, Singapore and other nations are making big gains and appear poised to compete with their Western peers for educational prestige.
The Worst Economic Recovery Since The Great Depression
The record of President Obama's first three years in office is in, and nothing that happens now can go back and change that. What that record shows is that President Obama, with his throwback, old-fashioned, 1970s Keynesian economics, has put America through the worst recovery from a recession since the Great Depression. The American people are much poorer now because of that, and will remain poorer, falling farther and farther behind, until we change course and restore traditional American prosperity.
The recession started in December, 2007. Go to the website of the National Bureau of Economic Research to see the complete history of America's recessions. What that history shows is that before this last recession, since the Great Depression recessions in America have lasted an average of 10 months, with the longest previously lasting 16 months.
Dude, Where's My Recovery?
Yes, the economy was in recession when President Obama entered office, which he never tires of telling us. But that was not unique to Obama. There have been 12 recessions in America since the Great Depression. The American people have forgotten what that was like because President Reagan and his Reaganite Republicans gave us a 25 year economic boom from 1982 to 2007 with no serious downturn.
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The recession started in December, 2007. Go to the website of the National Bureau of Economic Research to see the complete history of America's recessions. What that history shows is that before this last recession, since the Great Depression recessions in America have lasted an average of 10 months, with the longest previously lasting 16 months.
Dude, Where's My Recovery?
Yes, the economy was in recession when President Obama entered office, which he never tires of telling us. But that was not unique to Obama. There have been 12 recessions in America since the Great Depression. The American people have forgotten what that was like because President Reagan and his Reaganite Republicans gave us a 25 year economic boom from 1982 to 2007 with no serious downturn.
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REV. WRIGHT REPORTEDLY ENDORSES RADICAL ‘MARCH ON JERUSALEM’ TO END THE ISRAELI ‘OCCUPATION’
Nearly four years ago, Rev. Jeremiah Wright stunned the American people with his harsh and racially-charged words. Now, just months before his former congregant Barack Obama is up for presidential re-election, the faith leader is back in the headlines. Wright is reportedly endorsing the “March to Jerusalem,” a radical, anti-Israel event planned for later this month.
IsraelNationalNews.com has more about what’s being planned:
Mr. Zaher Birawi, Spokesman for the ‘Global March to Jerusalem,’ an initiative that aims at getting over one million Arabs and their supporters to attempt to infiltrate Israel’s borders on March 30th, said that the initiative “demand[s] freedom for Palestine and its capital Jerusalem.”
He claimed that the campaign is “an international coalition of hundreds of organizations,” which plans on amassing organizers from the bordering countries of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan and also organizing protests in countries worldwide.
Rush Limbaugh Syndicator Suspends National Ads For Two Weeks
Radio-Info.com reports that Premiere Networks, which syndicates the Rush Limbaugh show, told its affiliate radio stations that they are suspending national advertising for two weeks. Rush Limbaugh is normally provided to affiliates in exchange for running several minutes of national advertisements provided by Premiere each hour. These ads are called “barter spots.” These spots are how Premiere makes its money off of Rush Limbaugh and other shows it syndicates.
But without explanation, Premiere has supended these national advertisements for two weeks.
Radio-Info.com calls the move “unusual.” The development suggests that Rush Limbaugh’s incessant sexist attacks on Sandra Fluke have caused severe damage to the show.
'If You're Not Left Wing, You're A Hate Group'
GREELEY, Colo. – The sheriff of one of the country’s largest counties says a recent report by the Southern Poverty Law Center listing a major political party in Colorado as a dangerous group has absolutely no credibility and the group is like “the little boy who cried wolf.”
Weld County Sheriff John Cooke said the SPLC just lists groups its officials disagree with politically as “hate groups.”
Weld County has a land area greater than that of Delaware, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia combined. It’s one of few counties in the state that has no long- term debt.
Church Puts Legal Pressure On Abuse Victims’ Group
Turning the tables on an advocacy group that has long supported victims of pedophile priests, lawyers for the Roman Catholic Church and priests accused of sexual abuse in two Missouri cases have gone to court to compel the group to disclose more than two decades of e-mails that could include correspondence with victims, lawyers, whistle-blowers, witnesses, the police, prosecutors and journalists.
The group, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, is neither a plaintiff nor a defendant in the litigation. But the group has been subpoenaed five times in recent months in Kansas City and St. Louis, and its national director, David Clohessy, was questioned by a battery of lawyers for more than six hours this year. A judge in Kansas City ruled that the network must comply because it “almost certainly” had information relevant to the case.
The network and its allies say the legal action is part of a campaign by the church to cripple an organization that has been the most visible defender of victims, and a relentless adversary, for more than two decades. “If there is one group that the higher-ups, the bishops, would like to see silenced,” said Marci A. Hamilton, a law professor at Yeshiva University and an advocate for victims of clergy sex crimes, “it definitely would be SNAP. And that’s what they’re going after. They’re trying to find a way to silence SNAP.”
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The group, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, is neither a plaintiff nor a defendant in the litigation. But the group has been subpoenaed five times in recent months in Kansas City and St. Louis, and its national director, David Clohessy, was questioned by a battery of lawyers for more than six hours this year. A judge in Kansas City ruled that the network must comply because it “almost certainly” had information relevant to the case.
The network and its allies say the legal action is part of a campaign by the church to cripple an organization that has been the most visible defender of victims, and a relentless adversary, for more than two decades. “If there is one group that the higher-ups, the bishops, would like to see silenced,” said Marci A. Hamilton, a law professor at Yeshiva University and an advocate for victims of clergy sex crimes, “it definitely would be SNAP. And that’s what they’re going after. They’re trying to find a way to silence SNAP.”
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Busch Gardens to hold 'Pretzel Coaster Build-Off'
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) - Busch Gardens is teaming up with Snyder's of Hanover for the fourth annual "Pretzel Coaster Build-Off."
The Virginia amusement park is seeking entries of roller coasters made of pretzels by June 4.
Using glue guns and pretzels, the builders of the four best models will compete against each other to build a replica of the theme park's Verbolten ride. The new indoor and outdoor multi-launch roller coaster is set to debut this spring.
The final build-off challenge is set for July 10.
The contest is open to anyone over the age of 8 and a resident of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, Virginia or North Carolina.
Beware Of New Speed Cameras Around Salisbury
There are a few new speed cameras now in place in Salisbury. The biggest one you need to know about is the one on Rt. 50 near Arby's. It is in place but know this, they will NOT be operational for another 10 days, give or take a day or two.A Press Release will become available some time mid week next week but in the mean time, start slowing down and get used to them.
Salisbury News has also learned the Maryland State Police will be installing FOUR traffic light cameras around Salisbury as well. These cameras will be used to read license plates.
I am told these cameras are very effective in catching wanted people and the Police can respond immediately to the system picking up on someone who is wanted driving through Salisbury.
Remember Folks, as much as we may feel like this is an invasion of our privacy, driving is a privilege and these roads are state roads.
That being said, have at it in comments!
New Posts to fall below.
O’Malley Pushes For Raising Maryland Gas Tax
ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O'Malley told House and Senate lawmakers Wednesday that failing to raise Maryland’s gas tax could lead to crumbling roads and bridges in the future, and that they should pass his proposal despite its lack of popularity with residents.
Mr. O'Malley, a Democrat, touted his proposed 6 percent sales tax on gas while testifying before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and at a joint hearing of the House Ways and Means and Environmental Matters committees.
Legislators have said a gas-tax hike appears unlikely during this year’s General Assembly session because of rising gas prices, public outcry and several other tax increases already being considered.
The governor’s proposal would impose a 2 percent sales tax on wholesale purchases and tack on 2 percentage points in each of the next two years. Any scheduled increase would be postponed for one year if gas prices rise by more than 15 percent in that year.
The History of 'Beware the Ides of March'
Had it not been for Julius Caesar's death and a Shakespeare play, an ide would probably be most associated with its basic meaning, a full moon.
But alas, that isn't so.
On the date of the Roman calendar in 44 B.C. that corresponds with our March 15, the power-hungry Roman emperor was assassinated. Before that incident ancient Romans thought of an ide as simply one of several common calendar terms that marked monthly lunar events.
With the death of Julius Caesar, however, the phrase has since represented a specific day of abrupt change, one that forever changed Roman society and beyond, according to National Geographic .
"You can read in Cicero's letters from the months after the Ides of March. … He even says, 'The Ides changed everything,'" Josiah Osgood, an assistant professor of classics at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., told the magazine in a 2004 article.
Obama Gets Dubbed 'Chief Lunatic'
PALM BEACH, Fla. – As the president’s campaign acknowledges it’s in trouble of losing the November election, radio giant Rush Limbaugh has dubbed Barack Obama “the chief lunatic” in Washington.
The Obama campaign is now using unflattering polling data in a plea for more donations.
Campaign manager Jim Messina sent out an e-mail last night saying, “According to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, if the general election were held today, we would lose to Mitt Romney. Let me say that again: According to this poll, if the general election were today, we would lose.”
“If the idea of a President Romney scares you, it’s time to own a piece of this campaign – donate $3 or more today,” he added.
Another poll by the New York Times and CBS has similar results showing Obama’s approval rating dropping “substantially in recent weeks” down to 41 percent, and that has political analysts taking notice.
“Obama is in trouble, and there’s no pretending he isn’t,” writes John Podhoretz at Commentary Magazine.
But Podhoretz says Obama’s strategy to run against Washington lawmakers may backfire.
Labor Department Cracks Down On Improper Unemployment Payments
The Labor Department wants states to help crack down on improper payments under the unemployment insurance program. Labor said it created the Fraud Tips and Leads Gateway, an online tool designed to let the public report suspected unemployment insurance fraud, then have state authorities investigate those leads. Labor is also creating new consumer-facing materials designed to help keep people from making improper claims in the first place. Labor has been trying to crack down on improper unemployment payments, which amounted to around $19 billion over the past three years.
JAMIE DIMON'S CORRUPT EMPIRE
J.P. Morgan Chase’s Ugly Family Secrets Revealed
By: Matt Taibbi
In a story that should be getting lots of attention, American Banker has released an excellent and disturbing exposé of J.P. Morgan Chase’s credit card services division, relying on multiple current and former Chase employees. One of them, Linda Almonte, is a whistleblower whom I’ve known since last September; I’m working on a recount of her story for my next book.
One of the things we were promised by the lawmakers who passed the Dodd-Frank reform bill a few years back is that this would be a new era for whistleblowers who come forward to tell the world about problems in our financial infrastructure. This story now looms as a test case for that proposition. American Banker reporter Jeff Horwitz did an outstanding job in this story detailing the sweeping irregularities in-house at Chase, but his very thoroughness means the news may have ramifications for Linda, which is why I’m urging people to pay attention to this story in the upcoming weeks.
The Cliff’s Notes version of the story goes something like this: Late in 2009, Chase’s credit card services division sold a parcel of nearly $200 million worth of credit card judgments to a debt collector at a discount. This common practice in the credit-card industry is a little like a bookie selling the outstanding debts of his delinquent gamblers to a leg-breaker for 25 cents on the dollar. If the leg-breaker gets half the delinquents to pay, the deal works out for both sides — the bookie gets 25 percent of money he wasn’t going to collect, and the leg-breaker makes a 100 percent profit.
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By: Matt Taibbi
In a story that should be getting lots of attention, American Banker has released an excellent and disturbing exposé of J.P. Morgan Chase’s credit card services division, relying on multiple current and former Chase employees. One of them, Linda Almonte, is a whistleblower whom I’ve known since last September; I’m working on a recount of her story for my next book.
One of the things we were promised by the lawmakers who passed the Dodd-Frank reform bill a few years back is that this would be a new era for whistleblowers who come forward to tell the world about problems in our financial infrastructure. This story now looms as a test case for that proposition. American Banker reporter Jeff Horwitz did an outstanding job in this story detailing the sweeping irregularities in-house at Chase, but his very thoroughness means the news may have ramifications for Linda, which is why I’m urging people to pay attention to this story in the upcoming weeks.
The Cliff’s Notes version of the story goes something like this: Late in 2009, Chase’s credit card services division sold a parcel of nearly $200 million worth of credit card judgments to a debt collector at a discount. This common practice in the credit-card industry is a little like a bookie selling the outstanding debts of his delinquent gamblers to a leg-breaker for 25 cents on the dollar. If the leg-breaker gets half the delinquents to pay, the deal works out for both sides — the bookie gets 25 percent of money he wasn’t going to collect, and the leg-breaker makes a 100 percent profit.
More
Department Of General Services Docked $500,000 Until Release Of Secret Study On Housing Dept. Move
As part of its preliminary approval of the state budget, the Senate voted to withhold $500,000 in general funds from Department of General Services until it document the costs for moving the Housing Department’s headquarters from a state-owned property in Crownsville to a proposed development at New Carrollton Metro station.
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O’Malley Pitches Sales Tax On Gas, Called Job Creator And A Job Killer
Gov. Martin O’Malley’s plan to raise transportation funds with a 6% sales tax on gasoline was hailed both as a way to raise money for needed infrastructure projects as well as a way to kill local jobs in gas stations and trucking companies at hearings in House and Senate committees Wednesday.
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130,000 Students Petition Congress To Not Double Interest Rates On Stafford Loans
While interest rates on federal Stafford loans have stepped down over the last several years from 6.8% in 2007 to 3.4% for the current school year, that number is set to bounce all the way back up to 6.8% on July 1, leading 130,000 students to deliver letters to lawmakers in protest.
Senate Adds New Tax For High Earners To Pay For Schools
The Senate voted 26-20 for a late amendment to a bill that would raise the state income tax by .25% for most Marylanders. The added amendment goes a step further, raising the bill’s proposed tax rate for anyone making over $500,000 from 5.5% to 5.75% for every dollar earned. The new provision would raise an additional $30 million in new revenue for aging schools.
NY TIMES REFUSES TO RUN ANTI-ISLAM AD… AFTER RUNNING ANTI-CATHOLIC AD
The New York Times has rejected a full-page anti-Islam advertisement that mirrored a scathing anti-Catholic advertisement the newspaper published on March 9.
According to The Daily Caller, a March 13 letter sent by the Times to the parody’s sponsor, activist Pamela Geller, said the $39,000 anti-Islam ad was rejected because “the fallout from running this ad now could put U.S. troops and/or civilians in the [Afghan] region in danger.”
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, accused the Times of having a double standard and told DC that The Time’s was based on “either [anti-Catholic] bigotry or fear [of Islamic violence], and they’ve painted themselves into that corner.”
DC adds:
Donohue said the frequent claims of intellectual honesty by Times employees would compel them to address the double standard if they weren’t “shameless.”
TheDC asked Robert Christie, the Times’ senior vice-president for corporate communications, if the Times’ decision is a surrender to violence and also an incentive for additional threats of violence.
Fruitland Police Department Press Releases 3-15-12
DATE & TIME: March 9, 2012 @ 1322 hours
INCIDENT: Possession of CDS
LOCATION: 206 North Fruitland Blvd
CASE NO.: 2012-0319
PERSON CHARGED: Mario E. Morton Age 42
ADDRESS: Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
CDS Possession (Marijuana)
Paraphernalia
Open Container of Alcohol
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
SYNOPSIS: On March 9, 2012 at 1322 hours, a Fruitland officer was conducting a foot patrol in the area of 206 N. Fruitland Blvd and observed a vehicle parked in the Fire Lane. As the officer approached the vehicle he observed an occupant to have an open container of an alcoholic beverage, in violation of the City of Fruitland ordinance. The above named suspect was placed under arrest and as a result was searched incident to arrest and was found to be in possession of a bag of suspected Marijuana and a smoking device. The suspect was transported to WCDC and released to Central Booking without further incident.
DATE & TIME: March 8, 2012 @ 1655 hours
INCIDENT: Distribution of CDS
LOCATION: South Camden Avenue
CASE NO.: 2012-0315
PERSON CHARGED:
1) Devin L Waters Age 19
2) Robert M Davis Jr Age 49
ADDRESS:
1) Crisfield, Maryland
2) Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
Possession with Intent to Distribute (Crack Cocaine)
CDS Possession (Not Marijuana)
Paraphernalia
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
SYNOPSIS: On March 8, 2012 at 1655 hours, a Fruitland officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being operated by suspect #1 for 2 observed violations. During contact with the vehicle occupants, the officer became aware of the presence of criminal activity and requested assistance by the Fruitland Police K-9 Unit. A K-9 sniff of the vehicle was conducted which resulted in a positive alert for the presence of the odor of a Controlled Dangerous Substance. A probable cause search led to the discovery of a significant quantity of suspected Crack Cocaine concealed inside of the vehicle and a quantity of suspected Marijuana concealed on the passenger (suspect #2), along with a smoking device. The driver and passenger were both arrested and transported to WCDC without incident and released to the custody of Central Booking.
INCIDENT: Possession of CDS
LOCATION: 206 North Fruitland Blvd
CASE NO.: 2012-0319
PERSON CHARGED: Mario E. Morton Age 42
ADDRESS: Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
CDS Possession (Marijuana)
Paraphernalia
Open Container of Alcohol
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
SYNOPSIS: On March 9, 2012 at 1322 hours, a Fruitland officer was conducting a foot patrol in the area of 206 N. Fruitland Blvd and observed a vehicle parked in the Fire Lane. As the officer approached the vehicle he observed an occupant to have an open container of an alcoholic beverage, in violation of the City of Fruitland ordinance. The above named suspect was placed under arrest and as a result was searched incident to arrest and was found to be in possession of a bag of suspected Marijuana and a smoking device. The suspect was transported to WCDC and released to Central Booking without further incident.
DATE & TIME: March 8, 2012 @ 1655 hours
INCIDENT: Distribution of CDS
LOCATION: South Camden Avenue
CASE NO.: 2012-0315
PERSON CHARGED:
1) Devin L Waters Age 19
2) Robert M Davis Jr Age 49
ADDRESS:
1) Crisfield, Maryland
2) Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES:
Possession with Intent to Distribute (Crack Cocaine)
CDS Possession (Not Marijuana)
Paraphernalia
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
SYNOPSIS: On March 8, 2012 at 1655 hours, a Fruitland officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle being operated by suspect #1 for 2 observed violations. During contact with the vehicle occupants, the officer became aware of the presence of criminal activity and requested assistance by the Fruitland Police K-9 Unit. A K-9 sniff of the vehicle was conducted which resulted in a positive alert for the presence of the odor of a Controlled Dangerous Substance. A probable cause search led to the discovery of a significant quantity of suspected Crack Cocaine concealed inside of the vehicle and a quantity of suspected Marijuana concealed on the passenger (suspect #2), along with a smoking device. The driver and passenger were both arrested and transported to WCDC without incident and released to the custody of Central Booking.
AOL Guts Instant Messenger Staff, Speeding Death Of Once-Popular Service
AOL Instant Messenger has been circling the drain of social irrelevance for a while now, and now it's gotten to the point that the company apparently no longer believes in the future of AIM. AOL laid off 40 workers at its West Coast office, shedding seemingly all critical staff in the Instant Messenger division and leaving only a skeletal support infrastructure.
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Home Default Notices Rise in February: RealtyTrac
(Reuters) - The number of Americans receiving delinquency notices on their homes rose in February from January, while the backlog of homes in the foreclosure pipeline showed signs of starting to ease, a report said on Thursday.
Default notices were filed for the first time on 58,886 homes last month, up 1 percent from January, though still down 7 percent from February 2011, a report from RealtyTrac showed.
A dozen states saw increases of 20 percent or more compared with the year before, including Hawaii, Florida and Massachusetts.
Overall foreclosure filings - which include default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions - decreased 2 percent from January to 206,900 homes, and were down 8 percent from February 2011.
But there was a divide in the pace of activity among the states, depending on the structure of their foreclosure process, which suggested some of the homes in the pipeline were starting to move.
Trucker
A trucker came into a truck stop cafe and placed his order. He said, "I want three flat tires, a pair of headlights and pair of running boards."
The brand new blonde waitress, not wanting to appear stupid, went to the kitchen and said to the cook, "This guy out there just ordered three flat tires, a pair of headlights and a pair of running boards. What does he think this place is, an auto parts store?"
"No," the cook said. "Three flat tires mean three pancakes, a pair of headlights is two eggs sunny side up, and running boards are 2 slices of crisp bacon."
"Oh, OK!" said the blonde. She thought about it for a moment and then spooned up a bowl of beans and gave it to the customer.
The trucker asked, "What are the beans for, Blondie?"
She replied, "I thought while you were waiting for the flat tires, headlights and running boards, you might as well gas up!"
FOR ONCE THE BLONDE GETS EVEN!
The brand new blonde waitress, not wanting to appear stupid, went to the kitchen and said to the cook, "This guy out there just ordered three flat tires, a pair of headlights and a pair of running boards. What does he think this place is, an auto parts store?"
"No," the cook said. "Three flat tires mean three pancakes, a pair of headlights is two eggs sunny side up, and running boards are 2 slices of crisp bacon."
"Oh, OK!" said the blonde. She thought about it for a moment and then spooned up a bowl of beans and gave it to the customer.
The trucker asked, "What are the beans for, Blondie?"
She replied, "I thought while you were waiting for the flat tires, headlights and running boards, you might as well gas up!"
FOR ONCE THE BLONDE GETS EVEN!
6th District Democratic Primary Is Long On Negative Ads And Releases, But Short On Issues
Sixth Congressional District candidate John Delaney racked up another high profile endorsement Tuesday from Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, while Rob Garagiola collected his latest union endorsement from the United Auto Workers. Yet the race that’s been bolstered with regular negative attacks from both sides remains largely silent on policy differences between the candidates.
Obama's Approval Rating
Washington Post:
Record number hold 'strongly negative'
view of Obama...
GALLUP:
Obama most polarizing president
in U.S. history ...
* * *
Consistent majorities angry over Obama’s
socialized health care law – want in repealed …
Obama DOJ blocks state voter ID legislation -- again …
DOJ refuses to prosecute New Black Panther
Party for clear-cut voter intimidation …
Obama DOD: “International approval” trumps
Congressional permission to go to war with Syria …
IRS targets tea party leadership, Glenn Beck,
other Obama opponents …
Homeland Security monitoring
Internet for “anti-government sentiment” …
Obama declares war on Catholic church,
religious freedom …
State Department adds the Vatican to list of
“money launderers” …
Financial Times on the Obama economy:
Actual unemployment rate 11% …
As gasoline prices soar, Obama vetoes
Keystone Pipeline, won’t allow more drilling …
Obama cuts health care for military, but
not for public employee unions …
Obama slashes military budget,
tells Special Ops to do more with less …
Obama announces support of anti-capitalist
"occupy" protests …
Obama revokes Clinton’s welfare reform,
recipients no longer required to work for benefits …
At behest of teachers unions, Obama kills
DC School Voucher Program that gave minority
kids in the nation’s capitol an alternative to the
Districts abysmal public schools …
(This video will break your heart.)
Obama condemns Limbaugh for calling Sandra
Fluke a “slut”, won’t comment on his million-dollar
donor Bill Maher calling Sarah Palin a “cu*t” …
As Americans struggle to fill up their cars,
Obama hits campaign trail in $1.2 million gas
guzzling bus accompanied by 40-car motorcade …
Air Force ordered to provide nine (9) military transports
to support Obama’s campaign travel plans …
White House menu includes $100/pound Wagyu beef …
Michelle Obama estimated to have spent $10 million
on taxpayer-funded luxury vacations …
FLASHBACK to February 2009:
“I refuse to leave our children with a debt
that they cannot repay, and that means taking
responsibility right now in this administration
for getting spending under control. I pledge
that I will cut the deficit I inherited in half
by the end of my first term.”
2008 deficit: $459 billion
2012 deficit: $1.3 trillion
http://www.usgovernmentdebt.us/federal_deficit_chart.html
Sex Abuse Charges Dropped Against Md. Teacher Due To Loophole
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) — Serious charges are dropped against a Maryland school teacher and coach. Scott Spear, 47, was once accused of having sex with a student but, as Mary Bubala reports, a snag in Maryland law got him off the hook.
The middle school teacher and high school coach in Montgomery County no longer faces sex abuse charges.
“This should never have happened. I committed no crime,” Spear said.
Police say Scott Spear had sex with a 16-year-old female student from Richard Montgomery High School and charged him with a fourth-degree sex offense. But those charges are now dropped because of a loophole in Maryland state law.
Spear was only a part-time employee at the high school and under state law, school personnel can only be charged with having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student if they are full-time.
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The middle school teacher and high school coach in Montgomery County no longer faces sex abuse charges.
“This should never have happened. I committed no crime,” Spear said.
Police say Scott Spear had sex with a 16-year-old female student from Richard Montgomery High School and charged him with a fourth-degree sex offense. But those charges are now dropped because of a loophole in Maryland state law.
Spear was only a part-time employee at the high school and under state law, school personnel can only be charged with having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student if they are full-time.
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New Stamp From The US Postal Service
The Postal Services created a stamp with a picture of President Obama on it.
The Postal Service noticed that the stamp was not sticking to envelopes.
This enraged the President, who demanded a full investigation.
After a month of testing and $1.73 million in congressional spending, a special
Presidential commission presented the following findings:
1.The stamp is in perfect order.
2. There is nothing wrong with the glue.
3. People are spitting on the wrong side
Obama 'Fanatic' Guilty in Arpaio Death Threat
A Tennessee man described as an Obama “fanatic” has been convicted of threatening to kill Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his family, possibly in connection with the lawman’s investigation into the president’s eligibility for office.
Adam Eugene Cox, 33, of Knoxville, was arrested Jan. 27 in connection with graphic online threats that came to light last October.
Cox’s threats included: “I plan to kill Arpaio first. He will be filled with a thousand bullet holes before the year is out. I promise you this. He won’t f**k with Obama. He will be buried 10 feet under and his whole family will be murdered along with him.”
Key Business Group Changes Course On Gas Tax
Towson - Maryland Business for Responsive Government noted today that the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce said it is opposing any increase in Maryland’s gasoline tax this year. This is a change in the Chamber’s original position that it would support a modest increase in the current 23.5 cents-per-gallon tax, provided that the money is not diverted for other purposes.
“Contrary to some press reports, representations by politicians and business leaders whose groups support the gas tax increase, it’s pretty clear that the business community is not together on this issue,” said Kimberly M. Burns, President of Maryland Business for Responsive Government.
“It is ludicrous that businesses in this state would support a gas tax increase without more than shallow statutory protections of transportation revenues. These issues are real and they will impact the bottom line of every business and working family in Maryland.”
About 70% of Baltimore County Chamber members have less than 50 employees and it is these companies who are at the greatest risk of not being able to withstand such an increase, according to Chamber CEO Keith Scott.
“We acknowledge the need for additional funds. However, uncertainties — including the sanctity of the transportation trust fund, the potential for other tax increases being considered by the General Assembly, as well as a predicted increase in gas prices on the world market — suggest that now is not the time,” said Keith Scott, President and CEO of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce.
“This is the second big tax increase coming out of Annapolis in the last eight years. That’s historic and businesses in Maryland are finally starting to say the days of playing ‘follow the leader’ are over,” Burns added.
Last year, MBRG issued a statement citing the need for Maryland businesses to speak with one voice on issues vitally important to creating jobs in Maryland.
“Contrary to some press reports, representations by politicians and business leaders whose groups support the gas tax increase, it’s pretty clear that the business community is not together on this issue,” said Kimberly M. Burns, President of Maryland Business for Responsive Government.
“It is ludicrous that businesses in this state would support a gas tax increase without more than shallow statutory protections of transportation revenues. These issues are real and they will impact the bottom line of every business and working family in Maryland.”
About 70% of Baltimore County Chamber members have less than 50 employees and it is these companies who are at the greatest risk of not being able to withstand such an increase, according to Chamber CEO Keith Scott.
“We acknowledge the need for additional funds. However, uncertainties — including the sanctity of the transportation trust fund, the potential for other tax increases being considered by the General Assembly, as well as a predicted increase in gas prices on the world market — suggest that now is not the time,” said Keith Scott, President and CEO of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce.
“This is the second big tax increase coming out of Annapolis in the last eight years. That’s historic and businesses in Maryland are finally starting to say the days of playing ‘follow the leader’ are over,” Burns added.
Last year, MBRG issued a statement citing the need for Maryland businesses to speak with one voice on issues vitally important to creating jobs in Maryland.
House Republicans Offer Budget With No Spending Increases
In their annual exercise in futility, House Republicans offered an alternative budget Tuesday that does not increase spending and level funds most programs from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2013. “It is a level-headed idea to level fund,” said Del. Sue Aumann, R-Baltimore County, a member of the Appropriations Committee.
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CEO Of Texas Planned Parenthood Arrested For Indecent Exposure
The president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood abortion business in Lubbock, Texas was arrested yesterday for indecent exposure at a local baseball field where children play.
As KCBD reports, “According to Lubbock Police, Tony Ray Thornton, 56, was arrested at the baseball fields inside of Mackenzie Park. According to the incident report, Thornton was taken into custody at 3:25 Monday afternoon. He was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center and released from jail Tuesday morning around 11 a.m.”
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As KCBD reports, “According to Lubbock Police, Tony Ray Thornton, 56, was arrested at the baseball fields inside of Mackenzie Park. According to the incident report, Thornton was taken into custody at 3:25 Monday afternoon. He was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center and released from jail Tuesday morning around 11 a.m.”
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Arkansas Teen Texts Prank to Police Detective
ROGERS, Ark. (AP) - A northwest Arkansas teenager thought it would be funny to text a random phone number saying she hid a body, but the joke backfired.
Of all the local phone numbers she could have chosen, the 15-year-old Rogers girl picked one that belonged to a police detective. Police found the girl's address by tracing her cellphone number.
The prank? To text: "I hid the body ... Now what?" to a random phone number. The teen said she got the idea for the prank from a posting on the website Pinterest.
Police didn't find the prank funny and say it tied up some of the department's resources.
The girl was released with a warning.
Arsonist Set Fires So He Could Rescue People
A serial arsonist who admitted setting a fire that injured D.C. four firefighters was sentenced to 25 years in prison Tuesday.
A judge ordered Maurice Dews, 27, to get counseling in mental health, substance abuse and anger management.
The serial arsonist told the court on Tuesday, "I take full responsibility for it. I'm trying to get myself together and get the help I need."
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A judge ordered Maurice Dews, 27, to get counseling in mental health, substance abuse and anger management.
The serial arsonist told the court on Tuesday, "I take full responsibility for it. I'm trying to get myself together and get the help I need."
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Bill To Waive Tuition For Higher Education Workers Faces Rare Defeat
A bill that would waive college tuition for employees of the Maryland Higher Education Commission and their children was handily defeated in the Senate Tuesday morning. With a 12-33 vote, it was a rare defeat for a bill that had made it so far along in the legislative process.
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Woman Killed Hours After Husband's Release
The victim in Tuesday’s fatal shooting in Kensington was killed by her estranged husband just hours after her he was released from jail, where he was being held for violating a protective order, police said.
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Mont. Co. Student Granted Reprieve From Deportation
ROCKVILLE, Md. - A standout student who was facing deportation has been released from federal custody and granted a one year reprieve.
Jorge Steven Acuña, 19, and his parents were arrested at their Germantown home last week after immigration authorities turned down their request for political asylum.
He grew up in Montgomery County and studied at Montgomery College.
Before their release Wednesday, the three family members had been at a detention facility on the Eastern Shore.
"What I've lived through these past couple days is something that I was never really expecting," Acuña says. "You're brought to this country by your parents, and all you're willing to do here is get an education, have a dream, set some goals up."
Marion Barry Says He's 'On Schedule' For Fundraising
WASHINGTON (AP) - D.C. Councilman and former mayor Marion Barry says he is "on schedule" when it comes to fundraising ahead of the April 3 primary elections.
Barry, who represents Ward 8, has received almost 150 donations since Feb. 1 but less than 10 of them came from residents in his ward, The Washington Times reports. Barry told the newspaper on Tuesday that his constituents don't have a lot of extra income and many of them think he doesn't need any help winning re-election.
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Barry, who represents Ward 8, has received almost 150 donations since Feb. 1 but less than 10 of them came from residents in his ward, The Washington Times reports. Barry told the newspaper on Tuesday that his constituents don't have a lot of extra income and many of them think he doesn't need any help winning re-election.
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Republicans Try To Create A State Inspector General
Republicans in the General Assembly are proposing a constitutional amendment to create an elected state inspector general to root out waste, fraud and financial problems in state agencies.
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Gas Prices Rise 14 Cents In Last Week
WASHINGTON - Gas prices are skyrocketing and show no signs of leveling off. The latest WTOP Pain in the Gas survey shows the average price of a gallon of regular shot up by 14 cents, to $3.95 over the past week. The average price is 29 cents higher than one year ago this week.
Mid-grade went up 15 cents to $4.12 a gallon. Premium rose by 14 cents to $4.24.
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Mid-grade went up 15 cents to $4.12 a gallon. Premium rose by 14 cents to $4.24.
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Jose Pimentel, Alleged Al-Qaida Sympathizer, Pleads Not Guilty to NYC Pipe-Bomb Plot
(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Alleged al-Qaida sympathizer Jose Pimentel, who is charged with plotting to attack police and soldiers with homemade bombs, pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan courthouse Tuesday to rarely used state-level terrorism charges.
Pimentel, 27, reportedly whispered "not guilty" in a case authorities describe as bringing down an overt al-Qaida sympathizer who was building a pipe bomb to act on his violent beliefs.
His defense attorneys call the case an example of police overreaching. "We think that when a jury hears both sides of this case, they'll see it for what it really is," one of his lawyers, Susan J. Walsh, said as she left court.
Pimentel is a Dominican-born Muslim convert also known as Muhammad Yusuf. Authorities say Pimentel had a website detailing his belief in jihad, or holy war, and said he believed Muslims were obligated to attack Americans as retaliation for U.S. military involvement in Muslim countries.
And Now There's FEMA Corps
First there was the Peace Corps, and then AmeriCorps, which brought college grads into classrooms. Now there's FEMA Corps. FEMA is partnering with AmeriCorps to create the new unit to send young adults to disaster response and recovery efforts for 10 months to two years. Officials said FEMA Corps could inspire young people to consider careers in emergency management, while benefiting survivors and saving money. They said it could save $60 million a year. The five-year agreement allowed for 1,600 members a year.
Federal Contractor Pleads Guilty To Bribery And Kickbacks
A federal contractor executive has pleaded guilty to bribery and kickback charges. Harold F. Babb is the former director of contracts at Eyak Technology, an Alaska native company. According to Justice officials, Babb admitted to bribing Army Corps of Engineers program manager Kerry Kahn. Babb also admitted to taking a $1 million kickback from an Eyak subcontractor. The scheme involved two infrastructure and engineering contracts worth $20 million. Babb was arrested in October. No sentencing date has been set.
Slut: The Other Four Letter S-Word
"My choice of words was not the best," Rush Limbaugh said in his apology. That's the standard formula for these things — you apologize not for what you said but for the way you said it.
Though in this case, there didn't seem to be a lot of distance between thought and word. What was the point of saying Sandra Fluke was asking to be paid for sex and then adding "What does that make her?" if not to get to that potent monosyllable "slut"?
Whatever your view of Limbaugh, he's one of our most gifted controversialists, and he must have had a good idea that that word would kick up more of a row than any of the other things he said. Still, he obviously didn't anticipate that the reaction would be so intense that it would drive off advertisers who had been willing to overlook all his previous effervescences about race and gender.
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Though in this case, there didn't seem to be a lot of distance between thought and word. What was the point of saying Sandra Fluke was asking to be paid for sex and then adding "What does that make her?" if not to get to that potent monosyllable "slut"?
Whatever your view of Limbaugh, he's one of our most gifted controversialists, and he must have had a good idea that that word would kick up more of a row than any of the other things he said. Still, he obviously didn't anticipate that the reaction would be so intense that it would drive off advertisers who had been willing to overlook all his previous effervescences about race and gender.
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Auto Parts Suppliers Hiring As Fast As They Can
Detroit automakers are creating thousands of new jobs amid a sales boom. And as they expand, their suppliers are racing to keep up, adding tens of thousands of new jobs.
At Bridgewater Interiors in Warren, Mich., for example, the pace is intense. Hundreds of union employees scurry to fill a growing list of orders. The factory floor is packed with stacks of foam cushions, seat covers and headrests.
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At Bridgewater Interiors in Warren, Mich., for example, the pace is intense. Hundreds of union employees scurry to fill a growing list of orders. The factory floor is packed with stacks of foam cushions, seat covers and headrests.
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As Gangs Move To New York Suburbs, So Does Crime
Over the past few years, authorities have arrested more than 200 gang members in an unexpected place: the tree-lined suburbs along the Hudson River in New York.
Drug traffickers with ties to the Bloods, the Latin Kings and other gangs have put down roots there. Authorities say they brought shootings and stabbings with them.
Middletown, N.Y., is 90 minutes northwest of the city. On West Main Street, you can find tidy brick buildings from the 1800s, a brew pub, and a restaurant that sells fresh mussels and escargot.
But last month, a law enforcement task force used helicopters and SWAT teams to find something else: more than two dozen suspected members of the Bloods street gang, accused of racketeering, conspiracy and drug charges that could send them to prison for a decade.
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Drug traffickers with ties to the Bloods, the Latin Kings and other gangs have put down roots there. Authorities say they brought shootings and stabbings with them.
Middletown, N.Y., is 90 minutes northwest of the city. On West Main Street, you can find tidy brick buildings from the 1800s, a brew pub, and a restaurant that sells fresh mussels and escargot.
But last month, a law enforcement task force used helicopters and SWAT teams to find something else: more than two dozen suspected members of the Bloods street gang, accused of racketeering, conspiracy and drug charges that could send them to prison for a decade.
More
Why It's Time For Newt Gingrich To Say Good Night
It is time for the much-winnowed field of Republican presidential contenders to shrink a little further. It is time for Newt Gingrich to bid adieu and wrap up his bid for the nomination.
Rick Santorum, who won the Alabama and Mississippi primaries on Tuesday, has proven himself the conservatives' favored alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney. He did this by winning the voters who mattered most in the deep-dyed red states of Alabama and Mississippi, the white evangelical "born again" voters who cast more than two-thirds of the vote in each state.
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Rick Santorum, who won the Alabama and Mississippi primaries on Tuesday, has proven himself the conservatives' favored alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney. He did this by winning the voters who mattered most in the deep-dyed red states of Alabama and Mississippi, the white evangelical "born again" voters who cast more than two-thirds of the vote in each state.
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PUBLIC HEARING ON COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET
A presentation will be given on the County’s current fiscal health and will include a spending and revenue trend analysis
County Executive Rick Pollitt is calling on all citizens to attend a Public Hearing concerning the FY 2013 Operating Budget to be held Thursday March 22, 2012 at 7pm in the Flanders Room of the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.
WHO: OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
WHAT: PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE: PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET AND FISCAL ANALYSIS
WHEN: THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
WHERE: WICOMICO YOUTH & CIVIC CENTER – FLANDERS ROOM 500 GLEN AVENUE, SALISBURY
All citizens are urged to attend and actively participate with comments and questions.
County Executive Rick Pollitt is calling on all citizens to attend a Public Hearing concerning the FY 2013 Operating Budget to be held Thursday March 22, 2012 at 7pm in the Flanders Room of the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.
WHO: OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
WHAT: PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE: PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET AND FISCAL ANALYSIS
WHEN: THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
WHERE: WICOMICO YOUTH & CIVIC CENTER – FLANDERS ROOM 500 GLEN AVENUE, SALISBURY
All citizens are urged to attend and actively participate with comments and questions.
SALISBURY CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA 3-19-12
CONFERENCE ROOM 306
GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING
1:30 p.m. Towing – follow up report – Chief Duncan
1:45 p.m. Sustainable Communities Plan briefing – Debbie Stam
2:10 p.m. Possible Zoo concession stand briefing – Joel Hamilton
2:35 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. Policy on handling properties that cannot be sold through tax sale – John Pick
3:30 p.m. Workload/Workflow further discussion
Update On Homeless Vets
The Department of Veterans Affairs is defending its program to help homeless vets before a Senate committee today. The five-year-plan to end homelessness has been largely considered a success, with some programs exceeding their targets. But investigators Monday said they were worried for the safety of female veterans placed at men-only homeless shelters. The inspector general found sometimes the VA didn't know women lacked privacy at the shelters. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee has invited two homeless female veterans to testify.
The Obamacare Sex Strike
Liberals should abstain more often
Feminists are declaring a sex strike for Obamacare-subsidized birth control. The group Liberal Ladies Who Lunch is organizing “Access Denied,” a week-long exercise in self-denial starting April 28. The strike is supposed to motivate men to stand up for government-funded birth control “because when we lose our reproductive choices, so do they.” This is akin to protesting welfare cuts by getting a job.
Highlighting opposition to Obamacare-subsidized birth control by abstaining from sex is a bit off-message for the feminists. This isn’t exactly Lysistrata trying to stop the Peloponnesian War. In this case, activists are abandoning the activity that causes their supposed need for the birth-control handout. The only people affected are their unfortunate husbands and boyfriends who may begin to question their devotion to being sensitive New Age guys.
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Feminists are declaring a sex strike for Obamacare-subsidized birth control. The group Liberal Ladies Who Lunch is organizing “Access Denied,” a week-long exercise in self-denial starting April 28. The strike is supposed to motivate men to stand up for government-funded birth control “because when we lose our reproductive choices, so do they.” This is akin to protesting welfare cuts by getting a job.
Highlighting opposition to Obamacare-subsidized birth control by abstaining from sex is a bit off-message for the feminists. This isn’t exactly Lysistrata trying to stop the Peloponnesian War. In this case, activists are abandoning the activity that causes their supposed need for the birth-control handout. The only people affected are their unfortunate husbands and boyfriends who may begin to question their devotion to being sensitive New Age guys.
More
“Make Your Business A Household Name: Branding Strategies”
When: Wednesday March 21, 2012, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Where: Talbot County Community Center
10028 Ocean Gtwy
Easton MD 21601
Registration: Pre-registration is required. To pre-register or for more information regarding this course or other general inquiries, please contact Jessica, Training Coordinator of Maryland Capital Enterprises by telephone: 410-546-1900 or via email: JWeber@marylandcapital.org
Course Fee: $29
Course
Description: Do you want your business to stand out? How about become a household name in your community? How about state wide, nationwide? Than this class is right for you! This interactive course will provide an introduction to building the basics of a marketing strategy. We will be discussing the components of a basic branding strategy including the impact of a logo, color, fonts and basic layout on the marketing and advertising for a business. This class is perfect for those business owners that would love to learn more about creating on their own a cohesive marketing strategy and improving their brand or branding awareness, which always leads to more business.
Where: Talbot County Community Center
10028 Ocean Gtwy
Easton MD 21601
Registration: Pre-registration is required. To pre-register or for more information regarding this course or other general inquiries, please contact Jessica, Training Coordinator of Maryland Capital Enterprises by telephone: 410-546-1900 or via email: JWeber@marylandcapital.org
Course Fee: $29
Course
Description: Do you want your business to stand out? How about become a household name in your community? How about state wide, nationwide? Than this class is right for you! This interactive course will provide an introduction to building the basics of a marketing strategy. We will be discussing the components of a basic branding strategy including the impact of a logo, color, fonts and basic layout on the marketing and advertising for a business. This class is perfect for those business owners that would love to learn more about creating on their own a cohesive marketing strategy and improving their brand or branding awareness, which always leads to more business.
Texas Baby Missing for 8 Years Found, Will Go Home
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A Texas infant who vanished eight years ago will be reunited with his mother after police arrested his former baby sitter who is accused of kidnapping him, authorities said Wednesd
ay.
Krystle Rochelle Tanner, 26, remained jailed without bond in San Augustine, about 200 miles southeast of Fort Worth. She was arrested on a kidnapping charge Monday.
The boy's mother, Auboni Champion-Morin, told Houston television station KPRC that she may be reunited with her son later this week. Authorities said she must first undergo a DNA test, even though they're sure of his identity.
"I want to hold him in my arms and let him know who I am," said Champion-Morin, who lives inHouston. "I hope he can feel the same thing I feel for him."
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