“DUVAFILES” REDUX

In memory of the late William G. (“Bill”) Duvall, here is one of his more memorable laments on the sorry state of things in “Transchoptankia”.

If you have any of his posts, please submit for consideration (only, the better ones, please). His annual “Turkey of the Year” posts are especially desired.

JULY 28, 2004

FIREHOUSE FOLLIES: CHAPTER IV

Monday night was an historic occasion for Transchoptankia. For the first time in living memory, the advanced level of buffoonery came from the public protesters, rather than the governmental unit.

I refer of course to the efforts of the Firehouse No. 2 volunteers to force the City of Salisbury to cede control of fire and rescue operations to the likes of Harold "The Blade" Scott, John Bartkovich and Norman Conway.

The standard joke downtown is that The Blade is not physically fit to crush out a burning cigarette. Persons speculate as to the date when Conway last contributed anything positive to a fire suppression exercise. The same people speculate as to whether Bartkovitch ever made such a contribution.

These folks are, to put it as delicately as possible, over the hill. Financed by the County, they have launched a stream of lawsuits that have no discernible possibility of producing a result which will promote the public welfare. The Station No. 2 volunteer leadership wants to operate as a fifth column, ungovernable and uncontrollable.

For years, going all the way back to the presidential election of 1800, the volunteer fire companies have exerted an inordinate level of influence over local Maryland politics. As a consequence, they developed their own little fiefdoms. Other volunteer organizations have found it relatively painless to integrate their operations with an overall non volunteer chief.

Station No. 2 is the exception, rather than the rule. Sadly, the County government seems hellbent on encouraging what the politically correct would characterize as their disruptive behavior. Efforts to negotiate a settlement of the City-County dispute flounder because General Mumbles is unwilling or unable to move beyond the Firehouse No. 2 talking points memo. The Poodle declines to become involved. The quality of fire services to the county area northeast of the City will inevitably deteriorate, causing homeowners and business fire insurance premiums to escalate.

Similarly, the County residents living in that area, as well as the Fruitland - Allen communities, will see the quality and general availability of sophisticated ambulance services vanish. These considerations appear to be secondary to the political imperatives of providing playpens for old men with political connections in both parties.

WGD

What do you think?

“The Poodle,” we understand is then County Councilman Charles (“Chip”) Dashiell. “General Mumbles” is then County Council President Anthony Sarbanes. The second part of his codename has been attributed to Stevie Prettyman, but we can’t confirm that. What say you, Stevie?

New Posts to fall below.

$1.1B capital budget passes House amid protests it spends too much

The House of Delegates passed the $1.1 billion capital budget in a 97-41 vote Wednesday evening, with opponents complaining that the state is spending too much and putting its triple-A bond rating on the line.

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Tempers flare in Senate as session draws to a close

Tensions ran high in the Senate Wednesday when Sen. Paul Pinsky, D- Prince George's, questioned a decision by Senate President Mike Miller to delay final vote on a bill to ban arsenic in chicken feed until the end of the day’s session.

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Septic bill clears House committee

A controversial septic bill that passed the Senate late last month was approved by the House Environmental Matters Committee on Wednesday by a vote of 17-7, mostly along party lines.

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Ban On Arsenic In Chicken Feed Up For Senate Vote

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- The state Senate is set to cast a final vote on a bill to ban a chicken feed additive containing arsenic.

The chamber is scheduled to vote Thursday on the measure, which would ban the sale of roxarsone, a chemical used to help the birds grow and fight parasites.

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SPD Press Release

On April 4, 2012 at approximately 1:04pm, officers responded to the area of W Isabella St and Lake St for a black male with a gun. Officers were advised that the black male had been observed firing the handgun in the air near a female subject that he was
arguing with. A second witness saw the black male walking east on Isabella St approaching the North Prong bridge. This witness also observed a handgun tucked in the waist of his pants.

Officers were able to stop the subject near the bridge. The subject was searched initially and no weapon was found. It is believed that the subject was able to throw the weapon into the North Prong of the Wicomico River. The Salisbury Fire Department Underwater Recovery Unit was contacted to assist in the search and is currently on scene.

The following subject was arrested and will be charged with Assault, violations of the State handgun laws and City Ordinance violations:

Dezohnn Cromone Scott, 32yo of Salisbury, MD.

Evicted 101-Year-Old Detroiter Gets Her Home Back

DETROIT (AP) — Baking cookies never seemed as sweet for 101-year-old Texana Hollis as it did on Wednesday, when she tearfully was allowed back into the home her husband bought after World War II following her eviction seven months ago.

Foreclosure initially forced Hollis from the home where she'd spent six decades of her life, then federal officials wouldn't let her move back in because of its dilapidated condition. That's when Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom and his charity stepped in, and convinced volunteers and businesses to do the same.

"God bless everyone who had a hand in this," Hollis said, tears swelling in her eyes, after she re-entered the home.

One of her first tasks: Trying out the new stove to bake sugar and chocolate chip cookies, which she lifted off a tinfoil-covered baking sheet using a new spatula and carefully placed into a tin.

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YOU & I ARE MEMBERS

They like to refer to us as senior citizens, old fogies, geezers, and in some cases dinosaurs. Some of us are "Baby Boomers" getting ready to retire. Others have been retired for some time. We walk a little slower these days and our eyes and hearing are not what they once were. We have worked hard, raised our children, worshipped our God and grown old together. Yes, we are the ones some refer to as being over the hill, and that is probably true. But before writing us off completely, there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration.

In school we studied English, history, math, and science which enabled us to lead America into the technological age. Most of us remember what outhouses were, many of us with firsthand experience. We remember the days of telephone party-lines, 25 cent gasoline, and milk and ice being delivered to our homes. For those of you who don't know what an icebox is, today they are electric and referred to as refrigerators. A few even remember when cars were started with a crank. Yes, we lived those days.

We are probably considered old fashioned and out-dated by many. But there are a few things you need to remember before completely writing us off. We won World War II, fought in Korea and Vietnam . We can quote The Pledge of Allegiance, and know where to place our hand while doing so. We wore the uniform of our country with pride and lost many friends on the battlefield. We didn't fight for the Socialist States of America ; we fought for the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave." We wore different uniforms but carried the same flag. We know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, America , and America the Beautiful by heart, and you may even see some tears running down our cheeks as we sing. We have lived what many of you have only read in history books and we feel no obligation to apologize to anyone for America .

Yes, we are old and slow these days but rest assured, we have at least one good fight left in us. We have loved this country, fought for it, and died for it, and now we are going to save it. It is our country and nobody is going to take it away from us. We took oaths to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that is an oath we plan to keep. There are those who want to destroy this land we love but, like our founders, there is no way we are going to remain silent.

It was mostly the young people of this nation who elected Obama and the Democratic Congress. You fell for the "Hope and Change" which in reality was nothing but "Hype and Lies." You have tasted socialism and seen evil face to face, and have found you don't like it after all. You make a lot of noise, but most are all too interested in their careers or "Climbing the Social Ladder" to be involved in such mundane things as patriotism and voting. Many of those who fell for the "Great Lie" in 2008 are now having buyer's remorse. With all the education we gave you, you didn't have sense enough to see through the lies and instead drank the 'Kool-Aid.' Now you're paying the price and complaining about it. No jobs, lost mortgages, higher taxes, and less freedom. This is what you voted for and this is what you got. We entrusted you with the Torch of Liberty and you traded it for a paycheck and a fancy house.

Well, don't worry youngsters, the Gray-Haired Brigade is here, and in 2012 we are going to take back our nation. We may drive a little slower than you would like but we get where we're going, and in 2012 we're going to the polls by the millions. This land does not belong to the man in the White House nor to the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. It belongs to "We the People" and "We the People" plan to reclaim our land and our freedom. We hope this time you will do a better job of preserving it and passing it along to our grandchildren. So the next time you have the chance to say the Pledge of Allegiance, Stand up, put your hand over your heart, honor our country, and thank God for the old geezers of the "Gray-Haired Brigade."

Footnote:
This is spot on. I am another Gray-Haired Geezer signing on. I will circulate this to other Gray-Haired Geezers all over this once great county.

The 45 overused medical procedures costing Americans billions

Nine U.S. medical specialty societies representing 374,000 physicians have put together a list of "Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question."

As outlined in a March 2010 American Thinker article by Richard Baehr, many experts think the real problem with America's health care system is the inherently expensive cost of goods and services, as opposed to direct access to quality medical care. And as the Washington Post notes, wasteful medicine costs the U.S. health care system an estimated $700 billion annually.

The list of 45 "evidence-based recommendations" are posted on the site Choosing Wisely, and the participating physicians say they hope that by educating both doctors and patients they can work toward both improving quality of medical care and simultaneously reducing costs by "eliminating unnecessary tests and procedures."

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Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release 4=5=12

On April 3, 2012 at approximately 0900 a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy stopped a subject operating a bicycle on the wrong side of the highway at Route 13 and Tulls Corner Rd, Worcester County Maryland. The operator of the bicycle was swerving in and out of the number two lane and the shoulder of southbound Route 13 while traveling northbound. The Subject was identified as Sharun Beach 42 years old of New Church Va. A computer check showed that Mr. Beach was wanted on two warrants for failure to appear. Mr. Beach was arrested The subject was then transported to the District Court Commissioner of Snow Hill where he was released on Personal Recognizance.

Sharpton In The White House

Today, race-baiter Al Sharpton, who was most recently seen threatening the city of Sanford, Florida over the Trayvon Martin case, attended the White House Prayer Breakfast. The White House stated that the breakfast invitees included “heads of major denominations, non-profit leaders and prominent mainline, Evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders from across the spectrum.”

President Obama’s insertion of himself into the case with his “if I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon” comments marked the official attempt to turn the Martin case into a race case. And Sharpton led the media charge, shouting at a press conference, “Trayvon could have been any one of our sons, he could have been any one of us. Trayvon represents a reckless disregard for our lives that we’ve seen for too long.”

Sharpton obviously has a history of racial rabble rousing – and a history of lying about cases (Tawana Brawley) or making accusations without evidence (Duke rape case) or blowing them up into violent incidents (Crown Heights riot, 1991). He’s certainly used his dog-eared racialist playbook on the Martin case.

And yet there he is, at the White House. And it’s no coincidence that at that same event, one of the pastors donned the now-cliché Trayvon Martin hoodie as a political statement.

President Obama’s defenders act as though he wasn’t interested in turning the Trayvon Martin case into a racial narrative for his own political benefit. His invitation to Sharpton, the week after Sharpton was down in Sanford raising hell, says otherwise.

Source

I Am The Dream

Investigators Looking For Wanted Sex Offender

Location: Georgetown, DE

Date of Occurrence: Wednesday April 4, 2012

Suspect:

Bret S. Kauffman Jr., 36, Georgetown, DE (Photo Attached)
White male, 6’02” tall, 205 lbs, brown hair, and hazel eyes

Resume:
Georgetown, DE- The Delaware State Police Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration Unit (S.O.A.R) is currently looking for a Georgetown sex offender after he failed to re-register his current address.

Investigators have obtained warrants on Bret S. Kauffman Jr., 36, who is a high risk Tier 3 sex offender, after they learned that he failed to register his new address and had not notified S.O.A.R. of his status within 3 days as he is required to do by law.

Bret Kauffman is described as a white male, 6’02” tall and 205 lbs. He has brown hair and hazel eyes.

The Delaware State Police Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration Unit is asking anyone who may know the location of Bret S. Kauffman Jr., to call Detective Donna Oliphant at 302-943-1560. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333.

Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Fed To Banks: Rent Out More Foreclosures

The Federal Reserve took steps to encourage banks to turn more of their foreclosed homes into rental properties in new policy guidelines issued on Thursday that could help lessen the flood of distressed property sales that is depressing prices.

"Banking organizations should make good-faith efforts to dispose of foreclosed properties," the Fed said in a six-page policy statement.

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Ratings: Sarah Palin Beats 'The Perky One'

Tuesday's ratings numbers are in, and "The Rogue" beat "The Perky One."

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin defeated Katie Couric in their heavily hyped ratings duel on the airwaves on Tuesday when Palin co-hosted NBC's "Today" show while Couric was guest-hosting ABC's "Good Morning America."

According to Nielsen Fast National Data, "Today" drew 5.497 million viewers while "Good Morning America" had 5.141 million on Tuesday. With Palin co-hosting on Tuesday, "Today" bested "GMA" by 356,000 viewers. That margin was greater, by 8 percent, than the 333,000 viewer advantage "Today" had on Monday, when Palin was not on the show.

Palin told Breitbart News last Sunday that she would be "going rogue" and "infiltrating some turf for a day" on the "Today" Show and, when asked about confronting Couric on the airwaves, Palin simply told Breitbart News, "Game On."
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QUOTES OF THE DAY 4-5-12

“The theory is that someone at the firm overrode internal controls that safeguarded customer funds and transferred money out of them to shore up the company’s global liquidity position. Congress and federal investigators are particularly focused on the role of Jon Corzine, the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and governor of New Jersey, and whether he purposely directed his treasury department to use customer funds.”

CFO.com

“Oh what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practise to deceive.”

Sir Walter Scott

“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand…And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”

W. B. Yeats, 1919

State Police Arrest Man For Calling In A Bomb Threat

Locations:
Howard T. Ennis School, 20346 Ennis Road, Georgetown, DE

Date and Time of Occurrence:
Tuesday April 3, 2012 at approximately 12:15 p.m.

Suspect and Charges:

David C. Detwiler, 38, of Seaford, DE (Photo Attached)
Terroristic Threatening (felony)
Non-Compliance with Conditions of a Bond (2 felony counts)
Reckless Endangering (12 misdemeanor counts)

Arrest pending release from area hospital.

Resume:
Georgetown, DE- The Delaware State Police have obtained warrants for a Seaford man’s arrest in connection with another bomb threat made to a Georgetown school.

On Tuesday April 3, 2012 at approximately 12:15 p.m. a phone call was placed to the Howard T. Ennis School in Georgetown stating there was a bomb in the school. The students and faculty were evacuated from the school and State Police K9s were called in to search the building. No suspicious items were located and the school was deemed safe to re-enter.

On Wednesday April 4th at approximately 11:09 a.m., a State Police Detective from Troop 4 in Georgetown, was patrolling Howard T. Ennis School when he observed a vehicle similar to the one owned by David C. Detwiler driving by the school. The Detective was able to obtain registration information confirming the vehicle belonged to Detwiler and conducted a traffic stop in the Delaware Tech Georgetown Campus parking lot. Detwiler, who was driving the car alone, had been court ordered not to have contact with any school within the State of Delaware as a condition of his release stemming from his previous arrest on March 13th of this year. Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that Detwiler had made the phone call to the school on April 3rd.

Detwiler was taken into custody and transported back to Troop 4 where warrants were obtained for one felony count of Terroristic Threatening, two felony counts of Non-Compliance with Conditions of a Bond, and 12 misdemeanor counts of Reckless Endangering. These 12 counts are due to the students with severe disabilities. Because of their fragile conditions, moving them quickly outside created a risk of injury.

Due to a health issue, unrelated to this incident, Detwiler was transported to an area hospital and will be formally charged upon his release.

Terror Cells on High Alert to Attack U.S.

Terror cells have been placed on high alert to attack targets in the United States and Europe should Iran’s nuclear facilities be attacked, a source in the Revolutionary Guards says.

The terror cells in the U.S. are being coordinated by Quds Force personnel operating out of the Iranian Interests Section in Washington, the source says. Because Iran and the U.S. have no diplomatic relations, Iran’s Interests Section operates under the umbrella of the Pakistani embassy.

“These cells work out of safe houses where ammunition and explosives are stored, each with an operational commander who reports back to Iran,” the source says.

Analysts in Iran believe Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, has provided two choices to the West: either accept a nuclear Iran or face all-out retaliation if its nuclear facilities are attacked.

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The Only Place Democrats Want To Drill

Coca-Cola Caves to Left Wing Bullying, Drops from Conservative Group

In an attack on voter ID laws around the nation, Democratic officials called for a boycott of Coca-Cola, Walmart, and other organizations that supported the American Legislative Exchange Council. Within five hours of the boycott threat, Coke had backed down, removing its funding from ALEC. They said:

The Coca-Cola Company has elected to discontinue its membership with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Our involvement with ALEC was focused on efforts to oppose discriminatory food and beverage taxes, not on issues that have no direct bearing on our business. We have a long-standing policy of only taking positions on issues that impact our Company and industry.

“We are organizing. We are not agonizing,” said Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC). Meanwhile, Color of Change joined the boycott effort, too.

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“Ocotomom” Becomes A Welfare Mom

Either being a D grade celebrity who sells her bras and bikinis doesn’t pay as much as you’d think or 14 kids cost — well, just as much as you’d expect actually — because Nadya “Octomom” Suleman has gone on the dole.

Nadya “Octomom” Suleman has applied for and been approved to receive food assistance benefits from the state of California. Her act has drawn the ire of the Internet in the form of mass death threats, the New York Daily News reports.

The mother of 14 (14!) is scheduled to get $2,000 per month in public assistance. The funds will be transferred directly into a debit card and may only be used to buy food.

The death threats came fast and furious after news broke of Suleman’s latest activities.

“Die b–h. I’m not working for your f–ing kids,” one commenter wrote on TMZ.

You can probably guess the content and form of most of the threats. They usually have the words “die,” “I hope you,” and various colorful expletives.

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Teacher's Union Dupes Council and Taxpayers

Hello Joe,

While a lot of people are out there working hard trying to keep things together for their families during this recession the Teacher's Union is out there working hard also on how to get more money out of your pockets to transfer to theirs. They are well organized, well financed through mandatory dues and have spent years getting their proxies like Norm Conway and Sheila Hixson in just the right political positions. They have an excellent Public Relations Department and very good Marketing Department. Let's look at how they present themselves to you the public.

First their name, "The Maryland State Education Association". Impressive isn't it? With a title such as that it gives you the impression that their number one mission goal is to make sure that they assist your family in all ways to get your children successfully through school and they are standing in line waiting to help you. WRONG!

Remember that Rule #1 for a union is to advocate for bigger salaries, better benefits and better working conditions.(Don't ever forget Rule #1. It's the mantra of unions). Now there is nothing wrong in what they want. I believe that everyone who works strives for the same outcome. Where the problem is how they present themselves to the public and how they go about their business. First, I don't know of many people now days who are in love with the word union and what they stand for. So the Marketing Department had to repackage that word. Thus: Maryland State Education Association. Deceiving isn't it? Kind of disassociates the teachers from the union when in fact they are one and the same. They do this all the time. Deceive, dupe.

Here's another one. The Maryland State Education's" Fund For Children'. Now how can this be deceiving? After all, aren't they always saying that "It's For The Children". WRONG! Go back to Rule #1. This is in fact a PAC set up to donate money to campaigns of people say like Delegate Conway or Delegate Hixson and others who are good proxies for Rule #1. These are the delegates that they can work with to sponsor bills like HB1412 or in the Senate like SB848. Haven't heard of these bills yet? You soon will when your new property tax bills come in. Wait! Why wait. Just give your delegates a call and have them tell you how this bill is good and is going to benefit you and your children. Mr. Conway can be reached at 410-841-3407. Mr. Cane can be reached at 410-841-3427.

While you have Mr. Conway on the line you could ask him how a delegate can sponsor a bill that he and his wife directly or indirectly benefit from. After all doesn't part of the funding going to the education system find it's way into salaries and pensions?

I believe I saw an article in a local news media that implied that Mr. Conway's wife was going to be rehired as some sort of a mentor as soon as she retired. Perhaps someone could clarify if that ever did happen. I hope it didn't. It could give us regular people a wrong impression.

Anyway, back to duping people. Isn't that Children's Fund a great repackaging product from their Marketing Department? Sometimes what they don't tell you could be a way of duping you. Like when they gave their support to HB438, you know, The Civil Marriage Protection Act. Perhaps they didn't want you to know about that part of their organization's priorities.

Here's another good dupe and it shows you the value of their interactions with other groups. Do you remember a short while ago when the BOE(Teacher's Union Associate?) and the county Finance Director went before the County Council and told them how good the County was doing with jobs growing, revenues increasing and they were just happily optimistic about the County's financial future? I remember. They were so persuasive that three of our so called Conservative Council members voted to send that letter of support to go ahead with the Bennett Middle School Project.(Does anyone think they have the courage to correct themselves on this one? Let me know what you think) Then just a couple weeks later these same people plus a couple others like our County Executive(Any Teacher's Union connection there folks) go to the Maryland Legislature to tell them how bad things were in Wicomico County.

So which one are we? When you dupe people I guess you have to have a play card to see who's duping who. It was a shame to see the Bennett Mom's used by the Teacher's Union to do their campaigning. They knew however from the start what was coming down with HB1412 because they were working with the Maryland Associations of Boards of Educations, The Public School Superintendents of Maryland and others to write this bill. I encourage the Bennett Mom's to keep going to meetings to see what is happening but don't believe everything they see or hear. I hope they do their own research and come to their own conclusions.

When MSEA and the organizations I mentioned above(not the Bennett Moms) conspire to trample the rights of our local government and their citizens I can guarantee you that the people will respond.

John Palmer Jr.
VOICE, Inc.

New Posts to fall below.

Painkiller Sales Soar Around US, Fuel Addiction

NEW YORK (AP) - Sales of prescription painkillers are exploding in new areas, and experts are worried that's creating a wave of addiction.

Pharmacies, hospitals and physicians dispensed the equivalent of 69 tons of pure oxycodone and 42 tons of pure hydrocodone in 2010. That's enough to give 40 5-mg Percocets and 24 5-mg Vicodins to every man, woman and child in the United States.

An analysis by The Associated Press shows distribution of the two drugs is booming from New York's Staten Island to Santa Fe., N.M. Some places saw effective per-capita sales increase sixteenfold between 2000 and 2010.

Oxycodone is the key ingredient in OxyContin, Percocet and Percodan. Hydrocodone is in Vicodin, Lortab and Norco.

Source

Here We Go: “Being Uninsured Is A Mandate, Too”

It seems that, in Democrat World, the fact that the majority of American citizens are dead set against the individual mandate, and Obamacare, matters little, because Democrats know what is best for you stupid citizens, and you should be thanking them for forcing you to either purchase health insurance or pay a fine. Dem supporters have tried many different tactics in the wake of the Supreme Court hearing as we await their decision: comparing it to Bush v. Gore, calling a ruling that shoots the law down as “judicial activism”, saying it will destroy the court, going the scare route claiming it would be replaced with single payer, and even attacking the Court before the verdict is rendered. Now, here comes another from far left pundit Jennifer Granholm, who was a Democrat governor of Michigan, served on Obama’s transition team, and is now on Current TV

Granholm starts out with the typical story about someone not having insurance then being forced to pony up $3,000 for medical treatment, said treatment ending in the ER for pneumonia. Perhaps the person could have purchased insurance beforehand, which would have been the responsible thing to do and less than the $3k. Which will be mandatory with the Mandate. And the cost won’t be going down. Then we get

(Politico) A “health care mandate,” it seems, is in the eye of the beholder.

Carmelita has been mandated into the uninsured health care market, banished from “normal” care by a wholly unaffordable insurance system. She doesn’t have insurance, but believe me, she’s participating in commerce. She was forced, mandated to purchase emergency care or choose to risk her life. She doesn’t want that kind of health care coverage; like any rational person, she’d prefer to buy an affordable policy. But like tens of millions of others, she can’t afford it. The market for health care services is ubiquitous; the question is whether Congress mandates emergency-room market participation or a rational health insurance market system. The old system is no less a “mandate” than the Affordable Care Act.

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Country Stars Join Together For Charity Single

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - In 2000, no one had a voice like 12-year-old Billy Gilman. But when puberty temporarily took that away, he had to find another passion.

The former child-prodigy, who sold over 2 million copies of his debut album, "One Voice,' returned to a normal life and started volunteering.

Now that he can sing again, Gilman, 23, is using his talent to give back. He co-wrote a song called "The Choice," and all the proceeds are going to the organization Soles4Souls, which provides shoes for children and adults in need around the world. The track features Gilman and 18 of country music's top artists each singing a line or two, including Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, Keith Urban and LeAnn Rimes. Fans can pre-order the song starting Thursday, and it will be available to download April 16.

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Job Search Center Gets Dedicated Space

WHAT: Job Search Center moves into a new room in the Main Library

WHO: Job Seekers, other Agencies that assist job seekers

WHEN: Starting Monday, April 2

WHERE: Job Search Center in the Main Library

SALISBURY, MD – April 4, 2012 – Look for the new Job Search Center room just past the book return in the Main Library. There is now a whole room dedicated to job seekers, with staff trained to help!

Since opening, the Job Search Center has helped over 7,000 people. Job Search Center staff help people look for a job, create or update their resume, apply for jobs online and even help with interviewing skills and thank you letters.

The Job Search Center is funded in part by Lower Shore Workforce Alliance, the workforce division of the Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Job Search Center services are available at the Main Library, Centre Branch and Pittsville Branch.

Woman, 90, Locked Officer In Basement, Settles With Police

BALTIMORE -- An elderly woman got the last word after locking a police officer in her basement, and later suing the police.

Venus Green, who was 87 when she was handcuffed, roughed up and injured by police, will receive $95,000 as part of a settlement with Baltimore City. The city chose to settle the case instead of taking a chance in front of a jury.

"We thought we would have a difficult time in front of a city jury, or any jury," Baltimore City solicitor George Nilson said.

Green was so put out by what police officers did, the city said she locked one of them in her basement.

"I was treated like a criminal," said Green, a retired educator who's now 90.In July 2009, Green's grandson, Tallie, was shot and wounded. Tallie said he was shot at a convenience store, but police insisted it happened inside Green's house and that the shooter was either Tallie or Green.

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Unemployment: How The Lazy Are Hurting The Needy

Get ready for an attack on the unemployed.

With the economy improving and more companies hiring, people who are desperate to find a job finally have some opportunities. Yet there's still a generous government safety net in place for the unemployed, including federal programs that extend jobless benefits for up to 99 weeks. And now, there's growing anecdotal evidence that people who might be able to get jobs are choosing to live on the dole rather than work.

[Photo Gallery: Not Giving Up: Jobless Keep Looking for Work.]

Surveys by the National Federation of Independent Business, for instance, show that small businesses are finally becoming more optimistic and hiring more workers. But of those that are hiring, 76 percent said recently that they can't find qualified applicants for the openings they have. Part of the reason, not surprisingly, is that people lack the right skills or work history. But business owners also report that 16 percent of the applicants they reject have poor social skills, 20 percent have unrealistic expectations about pay, and 14 percent have a poor appearance. "This is a surprise," NFIB chief economist Bill Dunkelberg wrote in a recent Philadelphia Inquirer commentary, "since the applicant can largely control those factors."

Business owners also say that some job applicants want to get paid under the table, so they can continue to collect jobless benefits. A recent story by CNN Money highlighted a manufacturing firm in Wisconsin that has started to lock out job applicants it suspects of showing up just so they can say they looked for work—a requirement for anybody receiving jobless benefits. Another business owner, in Illinois, said in the same story that her company needs to hire 45 to 50 new salespeople, but struggles with workers who quit after getting free training, or who try to get fired after a few months of work so they can re-qualify for unemployment insurance. The company has now hired a specialist to help weed out phonies and identify worthwhile applicants.

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Republicans Go Big And Thirsty, Democrats Go Small And Green

The differences between Republicans and Democrats extend beyond mere political ideology. When it comes to buying cars, party loyalists on both sides have distinctly different tastes, but their respective vehicle choices don’t always play to stereotypes.

As the latest survey from Strategic Vision reveals, not every Republican drives a Lincoln, Cadillac or Mercedes-Benz sedan; in fact, no sedans from these automakers cracked the top five in Republican purchases.

Likewise, not every Democrat drives a Toyota Prius or a Chevy Volt. As you’d likely guess, neither of these made the top-five list for cars purchased by Democrats, either.

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Let’s Give The Fed Some Competition

Pssst. Want to buy some Stossels? They’re my own currency with my face on them.

Why should you trust them?

Because I promise to redeem them for gold. And I’m reliable. I have money in the bank and a job that brings in more than I spend.

By contrast, the politicians who back American currency run an unsustainable deficit.

The Federal Reserve prints so much money that since it opened its doors in 1914, the dollar has lost more than 90 percent of its value.

OK, I won’t really sell Stossels. Americans get jailed for offering alternative currencies. The government insists on a monopoly. So even though I am unhappy about holding money whose value evaporates, there’s not much I can do about it. Printing my own dollars would be healthy competition, but the government calls it counterfeiting.

Why? Why must our government make currency competition illegal? If I did print my own money, no one would have to use it. But people could if they wanted to. Competition is generally good. Why not competition in currencies?

Most people I interviewed scoffed at the idea. They said private currency should be illegal.

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Newt Gingrich's Think Tank Files For Bankruptcy

WASHINGTON, April 5 (Reuters) - A healthcare think tank founded by Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich has filed for bankruptcy with debts totaling more than $1 million.

The Center for Health Transformation, launched by Gingrich in 2003 and incorporated as the Gingrich Group LLC, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Atlanta, where it has one of its offices. It reported an estimated debt of $1 million to $10 million owed to between 50 to 99 creditors.

Gingrich's lawyer Stefan Passantino said the candidate divested all of his interests in the Gingrich Group last year as he prepared for his White House run.

"Clearly when Newt left the room it became much more difficult for them to sell this collaborative project because he was the glue," Passantino said. "It took a year but ultimately it fell under its own weight."

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New Photos Of Charles Manson Released

Los Angeles (CNN) -- The latest photos of notorious killer Charles Manson have been released by the California Department of Corrections, one week before his next parole hearing.

At the request of CNN, the department provided two photographs of Manson taken in June at the state prison in Corcoran, California. They show Manson, 77, with long, flowing gray hair, long beard and mustache.

Photos are taken of prisoners when they are transferred to other prisons or medical facilities or, in the case of Manson, when an inmate's appearance changes.

"He looks a lot different," department of corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton said.

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Consumer Reports Survey Confirms That We're Worried About Online Privacy

What with credit card companies being hacked, apps on smartphones that have you sign your life away before using them and new policies from social networks and search engines, there are a lot of reasons for consumers to be uncomfortable about the state of online privacy. That's exactly what a national survey by our smarter elder siblings at Consumer Reports found — most of us are pretty darned concerned.

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Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley Signs Marriage Equality Into Law

Giving A Ford Dealership Bad Survey Grades Is Basically Tossing Their Employees Out On The Street

Customer service surveys at car dealerships must be serious, serious business. That's the only conclusion I can draw from Bob's story about being bullied by the Ford dealership where he bought his Fiesta. They called him up to say that if he planned to rate his (unsatisfactory) service experience as anything but satisfactory, he would be hurting the dealership and practically stealing money out of employees' pockets and yanking food out of their kids' mouths. If he didn't say nice things, the service manager insinuated, the dealership might decide not to service his car at all.

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Giant, Safeway Workers Approve New Contract

BALTIMORE (AP) - Safeway and Giant Food workers in the Baltimore-Washington region have approved a new contract with wage increases.

The United Food and Commercial Workers announced approval Tuesday of the agreement that also maintains key benefits and strengthens retirement security. The new contract increases health care coverage without additional co-pays.

Local 27, which represents workers in central Maryland and on the Eastern Shore, as well as Washington-area workers with Local 400 voted in separate meetings. The two locals represent 23,000 workers at the two grocery chains.

The previous contract, which expired Saturday, was for four years. The new contract covers only the next 19 months.

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FDA Memo: Sushi Salmonella Suspected Of Sickening 90

According to an internal memo that was sent around the Food and Drug Administration offices, a salmonella outbreak that's spread throughout sushi restaurants in 19 states and the District of Columbia could be responsible for making at least 90 people sick. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are investigating the outbreak, which has sent seven people to the hospital.

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US Growth of Distant Suburbs Falls to Historic Low

WASHINGTON (AP) - Stung by high gasoline costs, outlying suburbs that sprouted in the heady 2000s are now seeing their growth fizzle to historic lows, halting American city dwellers' decades-long exodus to sprawling homes in distant towns.

New census estimates as of July 2011 highlight a shift in population trends following an extended housing bust and renewed spike in oil prices. Two years after the recession technically ended, and despite faint signs of a rebound, Americans again are shunning moves at record levels and staying put in big cities.

That is posing longer-term consequences for residential "exurbs" on the edge of metropolitan areas.

Construction of gleaming new schools and mega-malls built in anticipation of a continued population boom is cutting back. Spacious McMansions offering the promise of homeownership to middle-class families sit abandoned or half-built. Once an escape from urban problems, suburban regions hit by foreclosures are posting bigger jumps in poverty than cities.

The result: The annual rate of growth in American cities and surrounding urban areas has now surpassed that of exurbs for the first time in at least 20 years, spanning the modern era of sprawling suburban development.

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Reasons To Save Up For A 20% Down Payment Before Buying A Home

When it comes to buying homes, the larger the down payment you're able to plunk down the better. Finance experts advise you to aim for saving up at least 20 percent of the total purchase price, and the number isn't arbitrary. There are very real benefits to making a hefty initial payment.

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BREAKING NEWS: Maryland Lottery Officials Say No One Has Yet Turned In The Winning Ticket

Maryland officials say no one has produced a winning ticket to the $105 million Mega Millions jackpot, despite recent claims from a McDonald’s employee.

From Fox News

State Police Investigating Crash Involving A School Bus

Location: John J. Williams Highway (SR 24) and Bulls Eye Road, approximately 3 miles east of Millsboro, DE

Date and Time of Occurrence: Thursday April 5, 2012 at approximately 7:10 a.m.

Operators and Vehicles:
Operator #1: Lana D. Hemingway, 63, Millsboro, DE
Vehicle #1: 2001 International School Bus (Assigned to Indian River School District)

Operator #2: Michael A. Merchant, 22, Millsboro, DE
Vehicle #2: 2000 Chevy Cavalier

Passengers on School Bus:
9 year old male
9 year old female – Injured
10 year old female
10 year old male – Injured
10 year old female
11 year old female
11 year old female – Injured

All children were from the Millsboro area.


Resume:
Millsboro, DE- The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is currently investigating a fatal motor vehicle collision involving a car and school bus.

At approximately 7:10 a.m. this morning, Lana D. Hemingway was operating a 2001 International School Bus eastbound on SR24 carrying seven juvenile student passengers to Longneck Elementary School. The bus was stopped in the roadway with the red lights flashing and stop sign activated in order to pick up two more children. Michael A. Merchant, who was operating a 2000 Chevy Cavalier, was also eastbound on SR24 when he failed to stop for the school bus. The front of the Cavalier under rode the rear of the school bus upon impact, trapping Merchant in his car. Merchant, who was properly restrained, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

The bus driver and all of the passengers were safely removed from the bus after the crash. Three children were treated by EMS at the scene and later transported to Beebe Hospital with non life-threatening injuries. Hemingway was not injured.

The roadway was closed for approximately three hours as the crash was investigated and cleared.

PUBLIC NOTICE 4-5-12

THERE WILL BE NO TRASH REMOVAL ON FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012
DUE TO THE GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED FRIDAY PICK UP WILL BE DONE ON
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2012.

BULK PICK UP AND LEAF PICKUP WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS CHANGE.

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL THE CITY YARD
AT 410-548-3177

BREAKING NEWS: DOJ Delivers Explanation Of Authority Of The Courts

Justice Department fulfills demand from appeals court to explain the Obama administration's view on the authority of the courts, saying, 'The power of the courts to review the constitutionality of legislation is beyond dispute.'

From Fox News

Lagging Behind Va., Md. Makes 'Top 40' Transpo. Wishlist

ROCKVILLE - It's hard to miss transportation projects underway in Virginia, including the HOT lanes construction on the Beltway and Dulles Corridor Metrorail. In Maryland, it's a different story.

"All you have to do is look across the river at Virginia, they're busy with a multi-billion dollar program of Beltway expansion, then you cross into Maryland -- nothing," says Lon Anderson, president of AAA Mid-Atlantic.

To encourage economic growth and promote quality of life in Maryland, transportation planners have developed a top 40 list of the most critically needed projects state-wide. The source of funding for these projects is still unclear.

Widening the Beltway in Montgomery and Prince George's counties is at the top of the list.

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Timeline: A History Of FDA Inaction On Animal Antibiotics

Despite years of evidence that feeding antibiotics to farm animals can be dangerous to human health, the FDA has taken few steps to regulate the drugs. A federal judge just ordered them to take some action. We trace the history.

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Older Drivers Concerned About Losing Licenses, Self-Police Driving Habits

Roughly 10,000 drivers turn 65 each day. The vast majority of those folks -- 82%, to be precise -- continue to drive, but according to a recent AAA study (PDF) most self-police their driving habits to avoid putting themselves and others in danger.

The AAA study was carried out last December via telephone interviews with 512 drivers aged 65 and older. Though the sampling isn't huge, the findings are interesting. Included in the results:

• 89% of seniors said that they would find it a problem if they lost the ability to drive. In fact, 39% said that it would be a "very serious problem".
• 80% of seniors avoided driving under certain conditions. The most common causes for concern were driving during inclement weather (avoided by 61% of respondents), driving at night (50%), and driving during heavy traffic (42%).
• Across the board, senior women were found to be significantly more cautious drivers than senior men. For example, while 46% of men age 65 and older said they avoided driving during bad weather, 75% of women said the same.

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The Federal War On Marijuana Continues

On Monday – agents with the DEA and IRS raided Oaksterdam University – a school in California that teaches students how to grow marijuana and offers classes on the legal issues of marijuana cultivation. Despite operating well-within the legal boundaries of California state law which allows for the growing of marijuana for medical purposes – the school was vulnerable to a federal raid since any sort of marijuana cultivation or use is still against federal law. When President Obama first came into office – he announced that his administration would no longer infringe on state laws that had legalized medicinal marijuana. Unfortunately – this raid against Oaksterdam University is just the latest federal crackdown on legal marijuana dispensaries in California and other states by federal agents. The President needs to ditch Richard Nixon's failed drug war and adopt some common sense drug laws that don't turn sick people into criminals for taking their medication.

Anti-abortion Grandpa Facing DC Clinic Lawsuit

WASHINGTON - Dick Retta stands outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in downtown Washington three days a week, trying to persuade pregnant women not to get abortions. The 80-year-old grandfather has been coming to the clinic for eight years and said he's personally persuaded over 400 women to leave this clinic and others.

Retta says his approach is friendly, gentle and loving. Government lawyers portray him differently, calling him "among the most vocal and aggressive anti-abortion protestors" outside the clinic.

In court documents, they say he routinely follows patients entering the building and yells at them as the clinic door closes. Last year he physically blocked a woman from entering the clinic, shouting at her not to kill her baby, they say.

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Will Pumping More American Oil Lower Gas Price?

In World's Richest Country, The Uninsured Wait In Line Overnight For A Chance At Health Care

USPS Spent Over $700 Million In Unauthorized Overtime

The Postal Service is losing billions of dollars a year, and said it could run out of cash in a few months. Why, then, did it spent more than $700 million on unauthorized overtime since 2010? The agency's inspector general blamed facility managers and supervisors. He said some aren't keeping tabs on time cards or filling out the appropriate paperwork. The Postal Service said it would crack down by September.

Today's Fill In The Blank 4-5-12

Bars should stop serving drinks at ___ AM/PM.

Financial Disclosures Now In Effect

A bill requiring high-ranking feds to disclose their finances online will become law later this morning. President Barack Obama plans to sign the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge, or STOCK, Act. Government watchdogs said it would impact more than 28,000 federal officials. They would have to electronically file disclosure reports and those would go online by August. The act also tightens restrictions against insider trading by public officials.

Congress Blasts GSA

Congress isn't even in session, but members are blasting the General Services Administration. Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, hosted a news conference to describe rampant management and spending problems at GSA. The agency was rocked earlier this week with the resignation of administrator Martha Johnson over a lavish conference. Mica complained the agency had stonewalled him on information about sales of excess federal buildings. He vowed business as usual was over for GSA.

New GSA Administrator Right To The Point

GSA's acting administrator wasted no time in reassuring employees they could help correct the agency's course. Dan Tangherlini moved over to GSA from Treasury, where he was chief financial officer. In an open letter to employees, Tangherlini said managers would review all planned and proposed conferences that involved travel. GSA was also canceling conferences that only involved internal staff. GSA was hit by the sudden departures of the administrator and Public Buildings Service commissioner. They left when an IG report detailed lavish spending on a Buildings Service conference in Las Vegas

Today's Advertiser Of The Day 4-5-12

Obama, No Changes On Oil Drilling Policy On Public Land

The Obama administration isn't changing its policies for oil drilling on public lands. But it does want faster decisions under the policies in place. The Bureau of Land Management said it would automate the issuance of permits and leasing decisions. Now the process is done on paper. Negotiations between the government and would-be drillers can drag on for a year. Bob Abbey, director of BLM, vowed to cut that time to 60 days by May 2013.

Obama To Sign JOBS Act, Then Screen Classic Film

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama will sign the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act on Thursday.

The JOBS legislation includes key initiatives that Obama proposed last year to help small businesses and startups grow and create jobs.

The signing will take place in the Rose Garden.

In the evening, the president will host a screening of the film "To Kill a Mockingbird" in the White House family theater. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the American classic, which will air Saturday night on the USA Network with an introductory message from the president.

Later Thursday evening, Obama will attend two campaign events in Washington.

Source

Cell Phone Karma

Today's Survey Question 4-5-12

Do you believe we should drill for more oil in America?

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Salisbury City Council has scheduled an additional work session in Council Chambers (Room 301) of the Government Office Building (125 N. Division Street) for Monday, April 9, 2012, at 11:30 a.m.

The purpose of the work session is to deliberate on the election redistricting required by city population increases as reported by the 2010 Census. These deliberations were originally scheduled as part of the April 2 work session, but due to receipt of materials from the ACLU of MD shortly before the meeting, the discussion was rescheduled to afford Council and the City Attorney time to review the submissions.

Eternal Peace

Maryland Sucks!

Governor O'Malley and the democratic legislators will without a doubt raise the sales tax in Maryland to 7%.

Please, do tell me just what is so special about the state of Maryland that you have to tax the residents to death simply because Democrats have pissed away your hard earned money on schools, fire boats, fire palaces and the likes.

I know, let's get into the slumlord business too by buying the Bricks and piss away hundreds of thousands of dollars per apartment so we can rent it for $300.00 a month, rather than encouraging these people to get out and WORK for a living.

O'Malley is raising the tolls across the state. He's added slot machines and is now pushing table gambling. You have the lottery and Keno that were supposed to fund all this BS money for schools, yet that's not happening, another bold face lie.

Again, a revolution is on its way because Democrats just keep taking more and more, JUST AS I HAVE BEEN WARNING YOU OF FOR YEARS NOW.

Believe me, I have MANY friends who are democrats and the funny part is, none of them support the kind of crap we're now seeing. My suggestion to those friends are, change parties, not that the republican party has anything going for it.

The County admitted last week that many people are choosing to relocate to Delaware, CAN YOU BLAME THEM?

Since Maryland obviously hates businesses and has no respect for its taxpayers, come join me in Sussex County Delaware where we have NO sales tax and our property tax hasn't risen in 64 YEARS!

Without a doubt, Maryland as a state flat out SUCKS!

Quran Burning Investigations Completed

(CNN) -- Two investigations into the burning of Qurans by U.S. military personnel are complete, according to an International Security Assistance Force official.

Military personnel at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan burned religious materials, including some Qurans, in February.

A joint investigation conducted by U.S. and Afghan authorities has been completed for several weeks, the official said. It is being reviewed by Gen. John Allen, the ISAF commander. A second investigation, conducted by the U.S. Army as a fact-finding review, is also complete. It is in the final stages of a legal review by the Army and is expected to be forwarded to Allen, the official said.

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‘Kill That White Man!’: 78-Year Old Man Beaten By 6 Youths In Alleged Racially-Motivated Attack

78-year old Dallas Watts says he was walking home around 4:45 p.m. on Saturday in Toledo, Ohio when a group of six youths, both white and black, nearly beat him to death for the color of his skin.

Watts said he heard one of the group say, “take him down!,” and then, “the next thing I knew, I was sucker punched from the back,” he said. At one point, he was allegedly lifted up by one then “drop kicked” by another, before someone put his foot on Watts’ neck and said “kill him.”

Watts says he appealed to Trayvon Martin’s memory, saying: “Why me? Remember Trayvon! Remember Trayvon!” The group’s response was reportedly along the lines of: “This is for Trayvon … Trayvon lives, white [man]. Kill that white [man].”

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Dog Walk

The Salisbury Maryland Kennel Club Charitable Trust's Dog Walk is on Saturday, April 7th, registration opens at 8:00 with the walk to start at 9:30 a.m. The tax deductible donation for the walk with one dog is $20., with each additional dog at $5. Donations will benefit the purchase of stab/ballistic proof safety vests for Police K-9s and oxygen mask kits for area fire departments to resuscitate small animals suffering from smoke inhalation. Each vest costs $840. and each Oxygen Mask kit is $85. In 2011, the Trust provided three vests.

One was for a Police K-9 in Worcester County and another for the City of Fruitland's K-9.

Through a special donation from Hometown Builders and Cathy's Pet Salon &Doggie Day Care a vest for the City of Salisbury's new Police K-9 was purchased. Thirteen oxygen mask kits were distributed to Wicomico County Fire Departments in 2011. Goals for 2012 are to purchase K-9 Police vests and oxygen mask kits for Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset Counties.

LAST CALL! BUT ITS ONLY 11:30, COMING TO A TOWN NEAR YOU

The Town of Selbyville, DE. has voted to move forward by the end of the month to require business who serve liquor to give last call at 11:30 PM and stop serving completely at midnight.

Apparently the Police are having problems later in the evening and feel this will curb these issues. Funny how they didn't set a curfew for teenagers and instead have gone after tax paying adults.

While there really aren't that many businesses in Selbyville serving alcohol, this not only screws the business owner, it screws the customers who will, (without a doubt) find other establishments outside Town limits to patronize.

Every single day we continue to watch our country fall to pieces. Every day we watch our elected officials take more and more away from our quality way of life.

A revolution is in the making, you just wait and see. You can only take away so much before the masses decide enough is enough. Clearly our votes no longer matter.

CDC On The Lookout For Source Of Salmonella Outbreak

WASHINGTON - The Centers for Disease Control is looking for a culprit after a salmonella outbreak sickened 93 people in 19 states and the District.

And the culprit could be sushi.

Since late January, eight people in Maryland, five in Virginia and two in the District have become sick. Only ten people nationwide have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported.

In its release, the CDC is not blaming any food at this point, and it is not advising consumers to avoid any specific foods or restaurants -- but it does say many of those who got sick reported eating sushi or sashimi in the week leading up to their illness.

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Lucky's Garage Swap Meet & Open House

April. 14

Lucky's Garage Swap Meet & Open House
8:00am-12:00pm, spaces available for $10.00 per spot
31585 E. Line Rd., Delmar, MD 21875

Caption This Photo 4-5-12

Lessons From Hitler

It appears that Barack Obama has been reading Mein Kampf. He must have been folding down the pages and using a yellow highlighter too, because it would be difficult for him to get much closer to the philosophies of Adolf Hitler.

In a comparison between current events and Hitler’s methodical expansion of the German Empire, it appears that our de facto government has been taking lessons from der Fuhrer.

“The Nazi party should not become a constable of public opinion, but must dominate it. It must not become a servant of the masses, but their master!” The mainstream media has completely blacked out all things that reflect negatively on the current administration. Dr. Ron Paul’s presidential campaign has been virtually ignored, there was very little discussion about theNational Defense Resources Preparedness order, and the drama surrounding President Obama’s lack of eligibility has been completely silenced. People have only been presented with the candidates that are the puppets of the Elite ”acceptable” to the Elite. The public has been soothed to be informed that the blank check prosecutorial powers of the NDAA are to protect them from the threat domestic terrorists.

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Child Support Waiver Bill Passes State Senate

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The state Senate has passed a bill modifying a law that allows Maryland prisoners to ask the court to suspend their child support payments.

Lawmakers approved the measure 25-21 Wednesday, allowing child support payments to be altered without any action from a prisoner.

Prisoners can already apply for a waiver because they have no income while in jail.

Opponents say it is unfair to children that criminals are allowed to walk away from support payments while in jail.

Others say that mounting debt of missed payments while incarcerated make it less likely someone will return to paying regularly once he or she is released.

The bill, which has already been passed by the House of Delegates, now moves to the governor to be signed.

Source

Man Up: Boost Your Testosterone Level For Health, Power And Confidence

Testosterone Levels Fall Worldwide
Men’s testosterone levels across all age groups have been plummeting over the last couple of decades, probably due to environmental factors. As Reuters reported [7] in 2006:

A new study has found a “substantial” drop in U.S. men’s testosterone levels since the 1980s, but the reasons for the decline remain unclear. This trend also does not appear to be related to age.

The average levels of the male hormone dropped by 1 percent a year, Dr. Thomas Travison and colleagues from the New England Research Institutes in Watertown, Massachusetts, found. This means that, for example, a 65-year-old man in 2002 would have testosterone levels 15 percent lower than those of a 65-year-old in 1987. This also means that a greater proportion of men in 2002 would have had below-normal testosterone levels than in 1987.

“The entire population is shifting somewhat downward we think,” Travison told Reuters Health. “We’re counting on other studies to confirm this.”

Travison and his team analyzed data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, a long-term investigation of aging in about 1,700 Boston-area men. Data from the men were collected for three time intervals: 1987-1989, 1995-1997, and 2002-2004.

The researchers observed a speedier decline in average testosterone levels than would have been expected with aging alone.

It’s likely that some sort of environmental exposure is responsible for the testosterone decline, Travison said, although he said attempting to explain what this might be based on the current findings would be “pure conjecture.”

Men’s Health wrote [8] in 2007:

In the summer of 2006, Travison attended an Endocrine Society meeting where another researcher, Antti Perheentupa M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Turku, in Finland, presented evidence of a similar decline. The Finnish results suggested the change was happening among younger men, too. A man born in 1970 had about 20 percent less testosterone at age 35 than a man of his father’s generation at the same age. “When I saw another group reproducing our results,” says Travison, “that was convincing to me that we were seeing a true biological change over time, as opposed to just some measurement error.”

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Russian Spy Anna Chapman 'was close to seducing Obama official'

Frank Figliuzzi, the FBI's assistant director of counterintelligence, said Miss Chapman's handlers at Russia's SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service) had intended her to be a "honeytrap" and she had got "closer and closer to higher and higher ranking leadership".

He added: "She got close enough to disturb us." Chapman, now 30, was one of ten "illegals" – Russian sleeper agents – who were ejected from the US in July 2010 after their attempts at spying were monitored for several years by the FBI.

The group was previously thought to have been mostly harmless. FBI surveillance suggested the spies were tasked with penetrating US policy-making circles but garnered no sensitive information.

However, Mr Figliuzzi said the fear of Miss Chapman ensnaring a particular cabinet member was one of the prime reasons that FBI agents swooped on the Russian spy ring.

"We were becoming very concerned," he told the BBC's Modern Spies [[correct]] programme. "They were getting close enough to a sitting US cabinet member that we thought we could no longer allow this to continue."

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Gas Prices Rise Ahead of Holidays

WASHINGTON - Just ahead of the holidays, gas prices continue to rise.

The latest WTOP Pain in the Gas survey shows in the past week the average price of a gallon of unleaded regular is up 4 cents to $4.11. Compared to the same week a year ago, gas prices increased 29 cents.

In the last week, mid-grade jumped 3 cents to $4.29 a gallon. Premium rose 4 cents to $4.41 a gallon. Diesel prices reached $4.23 a gallon, up 3 cents.

The average for unleaded regular fuel this week is cheapest in Maryland, where regular is $4.04 a gallon, which compares to $4.06 a gallon in Virginia and $4.22 a gallon in the District.

On April 7, 2011, WTOP's gas survey found a gallon of regular unleaded to be $3.82 a gallon. Mid-grade rose 14 cents to $4.02 a gallon, while premium increased 11 cents to $4.12 a gallon.

Regional averages on April 5, 2012

Regular: $4.11
Mid-Grade: $4.29
Premium: $4.41
Diesel: $4.23

D.C. Averages

Regular: $4.22
Mid-Grade: $4.38
Premium: $4.51
Diesel: $4.28

Maryland Average

Regular: $4.04
Mid-Grade: $4.25
Premium: $4.36
Diesel: $4.24

Virginia Average: Regular: $4.06

Mid-Grade: $4.24
Premium: $4.35
Diesel: $4.19

If you are traveling to visit family for Passover or Easter or just to get away, WTOP wants to make sure you can find the cheapest gas. Search for it by your Zip Code on WTOP.
Source

O'Malley Still Pushing for Transportation Funding

ANNAPOLIS, Md. As Maryland's legislative session nears its end, Gov. Martin O'Malley continues to push for ways to raise much-needed revenue for transportation infrastructure projects.

Most delegates think O'Malley's unpopular gas tax legislation, which would add a 6 percent sales tax on gasoline to fund the state's Transportation Trust Fund, is dead.

On Wednesday, O'Malley again suggested that adding a penny to the general state sales tax could be a more viable solution.

"I always thought the most unpopular thing was when you combine the word gas with the word tax," O'Malley told reporters outside a building renaming ceremony in Annapolis.

He also said adding a penny to Maryland's sales tax would be much less unpopular, although it would raise a comparable amount of revenue.

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Committee Scrutinizes Gambling Expansion That Would Benefit Casinos

The House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday scrutinized a plan for a referendum that could bring table games and a sixth licensed casino to Maryland. Key leaders expressed doubts about the financial sweeteners for casino operators in the bill which passed the Senate March 23.

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Maryland Has a Historic Opportunity to Improve the State’s Health and Reduce Health Inequities

Maryland ranks near the bottom third among states in health, in large part because of significant inequities among our state’s racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. African Americans in Maryland, for example, face infant mortality rates that are nearly three times higher than white Maryland residents. Latinos are over four times more likely than whites to not have health insurance. And low-income residents of the state’s Western and Eastern Shore counties, as well as our urban communities, face higher rates of chronic disease but have less access to primary care and other health care services than residents of higher-income Maryland communities.

A growing body of research argues for a focus on neighborhoods and communities—the spaces and places where people are born, grow, live, work, and age—as a key factor in predicting health and health care access. Neighborhoods powerfully and negatively shape health directly through things like environmental degradation and the stress that comes from living in a high-crime area. They also indirectly influence health in that they shape behavior, such as diet and exercise, based on what’s bought and sold, and whether people feel safe outdoors.
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WCSO Press Releases 4-5-12

Incident: Warrant Arrest
Date of Incident: 3 April 2012
Location: 9000 block of Sharptown Road, Sharptown, MD
Suspect: Juan Pablo Villegas, 21, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 3 April 2012 at 6:53 PM, a deputy responded to a reported domestic related altercation at a residence in the 9000 block of Sharptown Road. Upon arrival, the deputy only met with the half of the complaint that summonsed law enforcement as the other party had already left the residence. After concluding that there would be no further involvement with regards to the domestic complaint, the deputy discovered an open arrest warrant for the complainant, Juan Pablo Villegas and took him into custody.

The warrant had been issued back on 17 March 2012 and involved charges of confining an unattended child and contributing to the condition of the child.

The deputy transported Villegas to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Villegas in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond.

Charges: Contribute to the Condition of a Child
Confine an Unattended Child

Incident: Fugitive Located
Date of Incident: 3 April 2012
Location: Wicomico County, MD
Suspect: John Gregory Brown, 54, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 4 February 2012 a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office investigated an altercation where John Gregory Brown stands accused of pointing a loaded semi-automatic handgun at another individual while threatening his life. Upon the arrival of the deputy to the scene, Brown had fled the area. After an investigation which involved the interviewing of witnesses and the seizing of physical evidence, the deputy obtained a warrant for the arrest of John Brown.

The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office had been trying to locate Brown since this early February incident to no avail. Brown was featured on a Most Wanted segment on TV 47 just prior to Brown surrendering himself to the Sheriff’s Office on 3 April 2012.

Brown was taken into custody and transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Brown in the Detention Center in lieu of $100,000.00 bond.

Charges: Assault 1st Degree

Incident: DUI
Date of Incident: 4 April 2012
Location: Nanticoke Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Jonathan E. Benton, 33, Quantico, MD

Narrative: On 4 April 2012 at 2:28 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle operated by Jonathan Benton for extreme erratic driving while southbound on Nanticoke Road.

Upon stopping the vehicle and making contact with Benton, the deputy detected an overwhelming odor of alcohol emanating from Benton. The deputy noticed that Benton was having trouble maintaining his balance and standing up straight. During an attempt to gauge Benton’s sobriety through roadside testing, Benton refused to attempt them.

The deputy placed Benton under arrest for DUI and subsequently discovered that his driver’s license had been both suspended and revoked for previous DUI offenses. The deputy also discovered that the registration to Benton’s vehicle had expired back in November 2011 and that he had placed a 2013 validation sticker on the registration place that had been issued for a trailer the Benton owned. Benton also refused to submit to a breath test.

The deputy transported Benton to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Benton in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond.

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Driving While Revoked
Driving While Suspended

Incident: Possession of Marijuana
Date of Incident: 3 April 2012
Location: 26000 block of Pratt Road, Hebron, MD
Suspect: 1. Male Juvenile, 15, Hebron, MD
2. Male Juvenile, 15, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 3 April 2012 at 9:00 PM, deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office were investigating a residential burglary in the 6000 block of Ayrshire Drive when they initiated an interview of two male juvenile suspects. During the interviews, the deputies discovered that the juveniles had marijuana and a smoking device in their possession.

Both deputies were arrested and transported to the Sheriff’s Office where they were processed. The charging deputy completed juvenile referrals on both which will be sent to the Department of Juvenile Services for formal adjudication. Both juveniles were released to parents pending future court action.

Charges: Possession of Marijuana

Incident: Residential Burglary Investigation
Date of Incident: 3 April 2012
Location: 6000 block of Ayrshire Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Pending

Narrative: On 3 April 2012 at 7:40 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into a residential burglary that occurred in the 6000 block of Ayrshire Drive. The deputy learned that unknown perpetrators entered the house in an apparent attempt to cause malicious mischief.

The house was in obvious disarray with empty beer cans strewn throughout the interior. Whoever entered the house also used lit cigarettes to burn holes in the furniture in various locations.

This incident is currently under active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776 with any information.

Charges: Possession of Marijuana

State Police Investigating Crash Involving A School Bus

Location: John J. Williams Highway (SR 24) and Bulls Eye Road, approximately 2 miles east of Millsboro, DE

Date and Time of Occurrence: Thursday April 5, 2012 at approximately 7:10 a.m.

Resume:
Millsboro, DE- The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a personal injury crash involving an occupied school bus and a car that occurred at approximately 7:10 a.m. this morning east of Millsboro. Preliminary reports indicate there is one adult fatality in the car. All children and the driver were safely removed from the bus.

As a result of the crash southbound SR 24 is closed from Williams Street Road to Warwick Road. Commuters are asked to avoid the area and find alternate means of travel.

The investigation into the crash is in its early stages.

Noose, Hate Symbols Found At UMCP

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- After a noose and other hateful messages were recently discovered at the University of Maryland's College Park campus, students said they feel a little uncomfortable.

"It's uncomforting, the fact that someone around here, who you don't know on campus, may hate you," student Shakeena King said.

Over the weekend, campus police said a noose was found hanging inside of the Computer Science building, which is currently being renovated. Then, on Monday, someone vandalized an elevator in the Biology-Psychology building by scribbling anti-Semitic messages and symbols.

"We're on a huge campus where there's so many people of different racial and religious affiliations and it's, like, why are we having to write hateful messages?" King asked.

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Sharp Drop In Jobless Rate Raises Questions For Economists

Something in Friday’s employment data won't add up.

For the past 50 years, it’s been widely assumed that the jobless rate can’t fall much unless the economy expands faster than its normal pace. Anything less only creates enough jobs to keep up with the growth of the labor force -- not absorb the millions left unemployed by the latest downturn.

But over the past six months, the U.S. unemployment rate has surprised economists by rapidly falling to 8.3 percent from 9.1 percent even as the economy has yet to get back up to pre-recession speed. According to the textbooks, that’s not supposed to happen.

The unexplained drop has touched off a debate among dismal scientists, who have gone back to their chalkboards to try to figure out what is happening.

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Have The McGuire's Violated Their Bond Agreement Already?

Multiple sources have informed Salisbury News that Tom & Nikki McGuire were seen last Sunday at the St. Stephens Church in Delaware.

Now as most of you know, bond agreements and Judges usually state that the accused cannot leave the state. That being said, the McGuire's may have violated that order and could be subjected to being arrested once again.

Tom McGuire used to work for a Bond Company, so he knows the rules.

At 95, Oldest Clown Keeps The Smiles Coming

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Almost eight decades after he first donned a clown costume, Floyd "Creeky" Creekmore still ignites surprised giggles from the children that see him perform.

At 95 years old, the one-time Montana rancher recently dubbed the oldest performing clown in the world has fewer magic tricks up his sleeves than he once did.

But when the Shrine Circus comes through Billings, Creekmore dons his orange wig, striped jacket and red nose _ and Creeky returns to life.

Others have laid claim to the title of world's oldest clown. Andy "Bumbo" Beyer of California was widely publicized as the oldest until his retirement three years ago at the age of 91.

Turns out that Creekmore had a 20-month advantage all along. He now carries the imprimatur of Guinness World Records.

Source

Delaware State Police To Conduct Operation Safe Zone

Date and Time: Thursday, April 5, 2012, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Location: Construction work zone in the area of DE. Rt. 1 and I-95, Newark, DE

Resume:

Newark, DE- On Thursday, April 5, 2012, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. the Delaware State Police will be conducting a traffic enforcement initiative named Operation Safe Zone. The location of this initiative will be in the area of DE Rt.1 and I-95 in Newark. The purpose of the operation is to strictly enforce the 40 m.p.h. posted speed limit in the work zone area as well as focusing on other dangerous moving violations such as making an unsafe lane change, following too close, and disregarding a construction flagger’s signals.

The Delaware State Police would like to offer the following tips to commuters travelling through work zones.

Slow down and always follow posted work zone speed limits. Remember, traffic fines double in work zones.
Pay attention. Workers and equipment may be only a few feet away from passing vehicles.
Be patient.
Plan ahead. Leave a few minutes early when you know you must travel through a work zone.

Free nose Jobs For Single Jews

(CNN) – The problem for Orthodox Jewish singles, when it comes to meeting “the one,” might be right in front of them. Literally, as in staring them in the mirror.

So says a Miami plastic surgeon who recently announced surgery “scholarships” for single men and women in the Orthodox Jewish community.

Doing his part to help bring couples together, Dr. Michael Salzhauer launched this pro-bono campaign for his fellow Jews. Call it nose jobs for nuptials.

“A big nose worked for George Washington,” he said. “But there are standards of beauty that go across all cultures.” Like it or not, the stereotypical “Jewish nose” is a subject fraught with complex history.

No stranger to controversy, Salzhauer was behind a music video about nose jobs that recently gained lots of buzz. So he has no problem admitting that his offer of free surgeries is “very controversial, obviously.”

But if the goal for those in the dating pool is to marry and have children, Salzhauer says, getting noticed – or at least not overlooked – matters.

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