Salisbury News Gets The Scoop Anyway

Dave White, President of the Wicomico County Education Association is calling the County Executive and County Council liars. His claim is that there is more than $2,000,000.00 floating around the County can pony up to the Board of Education without hurting services.

Its no wonder Mr. White didn't want Salisbury News present. EVERYONE who doesn't tell the truth runs very scared of Salisbury News and they should. You know how a piece like this will work in the Daily Times. They will side with the educators every time because they are so tight with them.

On May 30, 2012, the Wicomico County Education Association held a press conference to present the results of an external audit which demonstrates that Wicomico County can provide the Board of Education with additional funding to keep our schools great, without raising property taxes further than already proposed by County Executive Rick Pollitt and without affecting the funding to any other departments. This audit was done using publicly available financial information made available by the Maryland Comptroller and Wicomico County.

As far as I'm concerned this comes from a lobbyist hit man who was hired by the Teachers Union to, (of course) find money they want. I never did receive the information Mr. White assured me I'd receive today but with enough digging I found out exactly what happened.

He didn't send me the information because they are afraid of Joe Albero and Salisbury News. More importantly, they're afraid of the truth. They are afraid that if the information gets out there without their twist they might lose their attempt to scam the taxpayers.

Mr. White, don't give your word and make promises you can't keep. I've been doing this for far too many years to get thrown off the bus. Mr. White would like the public to contact their representatives, (of course by taking his word, of which he's already proven to be a liar by not sending me the information he promised) and tell your officials you support his findings. PLLLLEEEEASE!

I say, contact your elected officials and THANK them for not falling for a lobbyist's BS.

New Posts to fall below.

Our Nation's Future

Our nation is rapidly approaching a point from which there's little chance to avoid a financial collapse. The heart of our problem can be seen as a tragedy of the commons. That's a set of circumstances when something is commonly owned and individuals acting rationally in their own self-interest produce a set of results that's inimical to everyone's long-term interest. Let's look at an example of the tragedy of the commons phenomenon and then apply it to our national problem.

Imagine there are 100 cattlemen all having an equal right to graze their herds on 1,000 acres of commonly owned grassland. The rational self-interested response of each cattleman is to have the largest herd that he can afford. Each cattleman pursing similar self-interests will produce results not in any of the cattlemen's long-term interest – overgrazing, soil erosion and destruction of the land's usefulness. Even if they all recognize the dangers, does it pay for any one cattleman to cut the size of his herd? The short answer is no because he would bear the cost of having a smaller herd while the other cattlemen gain at his expense. In the long term, they all lose because the land will be overgrazed and made useless.

We can think of the federal budget as a commons to which each of our 535 congressmen and the president have access. Like the cattlemen, each congressman and the president want to get as much out of the federal budget as possible for their constituents. Political success depends upon "bringing home the bacon." Spending is popular, but taxes to finance the spending are not. The tendency is for spending to rise and its financing to be concealed through borrowing and inflation.

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Did Community Organizers Bus Out Of State Protesters In To Support Chicago Teachers’ Unions?

Remember when the Tea Party was being accused of being a deceitful, astroturf organization that was secretly on the payroll of secretive right wing organizations, and whose protesters weren’t genuinely interested? Sure, you do. It was just one of the many evidence-free smears used by the Left to try and keep the nascent movement out of the mainstream.

Naturally enough, it didn’t work – largely because there was no evidence for it, and because the Tea Party movement‘s motives weren’t specific or myopic enough to have come from interest groups. However, the same cannot be said for the numerous Leftist protest movements, most of which are focused on getting goodies for one particular interest group, and thus often require more than just the members of those groups to support them.

Exhibit A: Chicago‘s Teachers’ Unions, who recently protested against Chicago’s Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, for doing something or other they didn’t like, and embarrassed themselves in the process. Not only that, but a few of the protesters inadvertently disclosed something suspicious about their affiliations.

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Whatever!

Are Drug Cartels Learning From Islamic Terrorist Groups?

Mexican drug cartels appear to be taking a page right out of the terrorist playbook in realizing that the easiest way to discredit your enemies is to impersonate them.

The revelation comes after Mexican marines found a secret workshop in the northern border city of Piedras, Negras, last week – just miles from Eagle Pass, Texas – stashed with hundreds of fake military uniforms as cartels are seemingly attempting to undermine the country’s military force by carrying out false flag attacks and other crimes in the name of Mexican authorities.

It’s a tactic that has long been used by radical, militant Islamist groups in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Race Relations

From the desk of Mary Ashanti, President
Wicomico County NAACP Branch #7028

Greetings,

We believe that systemic racism still exist in America (this includes Wicomico County County). We believe that systemic racism is so ingrained that some members of every ethnic group buy into it,even some African Americans.

The purpose of this initiative is to get all segments of society addressing this issue and working toward tearing the wall of systemic racism down. We have heard many people say that we are living in a post racial time, because this nation elected an African American as president.

Reportedly, President Obama has received more death threat than all the other presidents combined (go to www.splcenter.org, Southern Poverty Law Center). Does this sound like post racial times?

Therefore we are asking the good people of Wicomico County to stand together against systemic racism.

Please read the attached article,"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" by Peggy McIntosh. We feelthis article can be a starting point for our dialogue on race relations in America and in particularly Wicomico County.

Since we want to put you at ease, let me start by saying that you are NOT receiving this article because we thinkyou are a racist. We are sending you this communication item for the following reasons because:

1. Your position (public servant, educator, politician,business leader, religious leader,law enforcement,etc.) provides you the opportunity to have a great impact over a diverse population of people.

2. You are in a position to affect positive change in your work environment and Wicomico County.

Next, once you read this article, we hope that you will do the following:
1. Assess yourself and deal with your beliefs.

2. Address this issue in your setting and start an open dialogue with management level people first.

3. Notify us if you are willing to participate in a community dialogue (not a media event).

Lastly, this communication is being sent to a diverse population because it will take everyone working together (without blaming others) to promote a spirit of love and respect for ALL human kind.

Sincerely,
Mary Ashanti
President
Wicomico County NAACP
P.O. Box 1047
Salisbury, MD 21802
Phone: 410-543-4187
wcnaacpbranch7028@yahoo.com

GO HERE to view.

As They Should Have Done

Council cancels fireworks funding
City won't provide $5,000

In today's Daily Times Sarah Lake, (once again) sided with the Mayor and only told a portion of the story. Trust me, she raced out of the Council Chambers to get the quotes from the Mayor that they published in the heat of the moment.

However, I can tell you after numerous conversations with Mike Dunn, he was completely under the impression Ireton was talking about funding from the 2013 Budget and not the 2012. When I confronted Mr. Dunn last night he seemed to be floored that I was actually correct. It was not necessary because they already have enough money to pull off this years event.

Now, yesterday I put up a Post stating what Mr. Dunn had told me new numbers referencing their "goal". Well, in the conversation last week he said they had just over $22,000.00 but he had just collected and deposited another $1,800.00. This was nothing close to the numbers mentioned at the Chamber Luncheon. However, in today's Daily Times they stated Mr. Dunn has raised almost $30,000.00. The numbers keep fluctuating and quite frankly it's hard to determine who's telling the truth any more.

The Council shot it down because the money, (this year) is not needed, it's that simple. Mr. Spies made an excellent point. He said that when the fireworks was cut off several years ago we were in completely different times. Money wasn't an issue then like it is today and if they had cancelled it back then, how can they even consider it today. That is what I call being fiscally responsible.

"At a Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon earlier this month, Mayor Jim Ireton announced he planned to send this budget amendment to the council." Absolutely an untrue quote by the Daily Times. Let me prove it to ALL of you. PROVE this was published in the Daily Times article itself, it was not. Look, I was there and believe me, Ireton NEVER made any such suggestion and this is what I stood up to last night. Ireton told every one there that John Pick had found the money and asked others to attempt to match the $5,000.00.

“On the day after Memorial Day, this is a disgrace. First God gets taken out of council meetings, now the fireworks get sacked,” Ireton said Monday after the vote. “What’s next? Voting down Mom and apple pie?” Come on Mayor Ireton, grow up. This is exactly why no one can get along. I ask you, they have 100% of the funding to pull of this years fireworks, is this necessary to make such an attack or is this a sign of immaturity?

It's high time the citizens bring in a Mayor who understands what that role actually is. A business person who has many years of working together with their staff and doesn't throw these kinds of fits every time the Mayor doesn't get their way. I said it a few weeks ago. "I'd rather have 5 Council Members with their wisdom making the final decision than one Mayor." This goes for the Budget as well. The Mayor had his chance and quite frankly did a very novice attempt at delivering a Budget. Oh you can believe one thing. IF I'm elected Mayor the Council will be delivered a Budget in which they'll be so pleased with THEY will be making offers to give even more back to ALL employees. You see, if I'm elected Mayor, my Staff won't be seeing ANY pay increase unless every single full time employee in the City gets a raise as well. You Go, I Go! And believe me, I'll be looking long and hard at who needs to stay and who needs to GO.

Shanie said it best last night. We need to work together and unite and stop this bickering. Hmmmm, I wonder where she got that from. The old ways of running the City are about to disappear. The old ways of a partnership with the Daily Times is about to end. Keep this in mind Mr. Ireton. Joe Albero's name sells a whole lot more papers than Jim Ireton. Start thinking about who they'll actually support IF they want to stay afloat.

The Council made a fine and just decision last night. The Daily Times blows with the wind.

Mardela High School Commencment

Joe,

Somebody must pay attention to your blog. I was out around the Civic Center tonight and noticed that Glen Avenue was blocked off for the Mardela High School commencement tonight.

Sarcastic ‘Catastrophe Award’ Given to 3rd Grader Angers Parent

Modern day education – especially of young children- is infamously infatuated with the concept of “self-esteem.”

And within reason, why not? They’re young, they’re malleable, they’re easily damaged. It’s not as though teachers should be fountains of verbal abuse. However, when it comes to education, reason is rarely involved, as overprotective parents and overly careful teachers frequently end up taking this concept to a ludicrous extreme. That’s certainly what happened in this story, where a little gentle sarcasm from a teacher has been turned into a miniature scandal by an angry parent and some thoroughly dubious education “experts”:

Cassandra Garcia, an 8-year-old student from Tuscon, Ariz., became upset after her teacher gave her the “Catastrophe Award” for the “most excuses for not having homework.“ Garcia was given the ”award” despite having a folder full of completed assignments, KGUN-TV reports.

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Fake Chinese Electronics Threaten U.S. Defense

WASHINGTON – A U.S. Senate investigation has confirmed that more and more counterfeit electronics are being found in U.S. defense systems, and they don’t just come directly from China anymore; they also are coming from suppliers in Great Britain and Canada who redirect Chinese products.

“The defense industry’s reliance on unvetted independent distributors to supply electronic parts for critical military applications results in unacceptable risks to national security and the safety of U.S. military personnel,” the investigative report said.

It pointed out that the military depends on the performance and reliability of “small, incredibly sophisticated electronic components.”

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Pakistani Judges Convicting People of ‘Blasphemy’ Without Evidence, Says U.N. Expert

A visiting U.N. human rights expert has drawn fresh attention to the abuses arising from Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, reporting that fear of reprisals result in intimidated judges bringing convictions without evidence while lawyers avoid taking up cases.

The criticism by Gabriela Knaul, a “special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers,” came at the end of an 11-day visit to Pakistan to study the country’s judicial system, the first by a U.N. human rights expert since 1999.

Pakistan generally manages to sidestep censure at the U.N. Human Rights Council, a body in which it wields
substantial influence through its leadership of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). But although the post held by Knaul, a Brazilian judge, reports to the HRC, it is also independent.

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Holder to Brief Black Pastors on Campaign 2012

Attorney General Eric Holder, the IRS, and the liberal lawyers at the ACLU will brief several hundred pastors in the African American community on how to participate in the presidential election -- which the Congressional Black Caucus chair expects will help President Obama's campaign.

"We will have representatives from nine denominations who actually pastor somewhere in the neighborhood of about 10 million people, and we're going to first of all equip them with the information they need to know about what they can say and what they cannot say in the church that would violate their 501c3 status with the IRS," Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., told MSNBC today.

"In fact, we're going to have the IRS administrator there, we're going to have the Attorney General Eric Holder there, we're going to have the lawyers' organization from around the country, the ACLU -- all giving ministers guidance about what they can and cannot do," he noted.

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Our Nation's Future

Our nation is rapidly approaching a point from which there's little chance to avoid a financial collapse. The heart of our problem can be seen as a tragedy of the commons. That's a set of circumstances when something is commonly owned and individuals acting rationally in their own self-interest produce a set of results that's inimical to everyone's long-term interest. Let's look at an example of the tragedy of the commons phenomenon and then apply it to our national problem.

Imagine there are 100 cattlemen all having an equal right to graze their herds on 1,000 acres of commonly owned grassland. The rational self-interested response of each cattleman is to have the largest herd that he can afford. Each cattleman pursing similar self-interests will produce results not in any of the cattlemen's long-term interest — overgrazing, soil erosion and destruction of the land's usefulness. Even if they all recognize the dangers, does it pay for any one cattleman to cut the size of his herd? The short answer is no because he would bear the cost of having a smaller herd while the other cattlemen gain at his expense. In the long term, they all lose because the land will be overgrazed and made useless.

We can think of the federal budget as a commons to which each of our 535 congressmen and the president have access. Like the cattlemen, each congressman and the president want to get as much out of the federal budget as possible for their constituents. Political success depends upon "bringing home the bacon." Spending is popular, but taxes to finance the spending are not. The tendency is for spending to rise and its financing to be concealed through borrowing and inflation.

More

Happy Meal Toy Yanked for 'Insulting Muhammad'

A Happy Meal toy that made patrons of McDonald’s restaurants in Saudi Arabia unhappy because it purportedly insults Islam’s prophet Muhammad has been removed from distribution in the Muslim desert kingdom.

The toy, a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers plastic figurine, stands on one leg and pounds on its base with the other leg when a lever is pressed.

Saudi Muslims who launched a campaign against the global fast-food giant say the designs on which the Power Ranger stomps form the name “Muhammad,” reported Raymond Ibrahim of the Gatestone Institute, citing a report Sunday on the Arabic news website Kermalkom.com.

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About Us Resources Send Tips Donate RSS CNSNews.TV On the Spot On the Scene The Schein OTJ Golden Hookah Home » News EPA Celebrates the ‘Crushing’ of One Million Working Refrigerators

In a move that recalls the government venture that pulverized 700,000 used cars under the “cash for clunkers” program, the Environmental Protection Agency is now praising a company for “crushing its 1 millionth refrigerator.”

EPA hailed Southern California Edison (SCE), a partner in its Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program, for reaching the “national conservation milestone.”

It took the company 18 years to do so, offering free pick up, a $35 incentive, and purported electricity savings of $180 for customers with old, yet working, refrigerators.  (“Actual savings may vary,” cautions the fine print.)

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Judge Shuts Down Mega-Mosque Construction

Work on a mega-mosque already well along in the construction process in Murfreesboro, Tenn., has been shut down – the existing building’s future uncertain – by a court’s ruling the county avoided the legal process required for granting building permission for the project.

The ruling said the county’s actions effectively violated the state’s Open Meetings law during the time when the mega-structure was being approved.

“The court finds that the action of the county was not sufficient to provide the type of notice to citizens of the county that such matters were to be considered at the meeting of the Rutherford County Regional Planning Commission which should be expected under our law,” said the opinion made public today from the Chancery Court of Tennessee, 16th District.

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Media Ties Romney to Trump, Ignores Obama-Sharpton Connection

As I mentioned in my piece this morning examining the organized narrative the media built over the weekend to aid Obama and damage Romney, the primary push was going to be to tie Romney to Donald Trump. Because Trump is still pushing the discredited "birther" conspiracy surrounding Obama's place of birth, the corrupt media feels it can hurt our likely GOP nominee by either tying him to a "racist extremist" or by threatening him with this distraction until he backs down and repudiates Trump.

It's an old and obvious trick and just a few minutes ago the basement-rated CNN assumed its favorite position -- shilling for Obama -- with this. Note the chryon: Romney supporter under fire for "birther" comments.

The rationale behind the media drawing a direct line from Romney to Trump is that Romney has met with Trump, accepted his endorsement, and won't distance himself from the famous billionaire. 

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Allah Will ‘Bring Down’ America’s Skyscrapers: Horrific New Farrakhan Audio Praising Sharia Law and Threatening ‘Death’ Unless ‘America Submits’

The Minister Louis Farrakhan isn’t one to avoid controversial language. In his Sunday address in San Diego, the Nation of Islam leader slammed Israel, lamented Mexico’s loss of land at the hands of American “trickery” and derided President Barack Obama for his endorsement of same-sex marriage. But that’s only a portion of what was uttered in his nearly three-hour address. During the last 10 minutes, the fiery Farrakhan erupted with fervency, applauding the violence of sharia law and giving some cryptic warnings to America regarding Iranian intervention.

In speaking to his “Arab brothers,” Farrakhan said that they should not kill their children who shame them. But rather than merely lambasting those who participate in honor crimes, he turned the discussion into a referendum on America (in all fairness, while making these comments, he did say that “Islam needs reform,“ and that his Arab brothers need ”mercy from God“ so they can get ”strong enough to live sharia” — but both statements came without proper explanation).

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26th Annual Statewide Law Enforcement Torch Run For Special Olympics

The 26th ANNUAL STATEWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN involving over 500 Law Enforcement Officers and spanning 160 miles will be held between Wednesday, June 6th and Friday, June 8th.

Special Olympics Delaware provides a year-round program of quality sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or cognitive delays. A family of over 4,000 volunteers makes this program possible for the more than 3,500 athletes who compete in Special Olympics Delaware. The organization builds sports skills, confidence, strength, motivation and self-esteem ... not just for the athletes, but for everyone involved.

This year’s Torch Run will be a three-day event, starting in Rehoboth Beach on Wednesday, June 6th at 7:00 p.m. The First State Band will lead the gala Torch Run sendoff from the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand. On Thursday, June 7th the Torch will start at Lewes, Georgetown and Delmar and will travel to Milford, Harrington, Dover, Smyrna, and Odessa. The event continues on Friday, June 8th from Troop 9, with the Torch proceeding to the Wilmington Police Headquarters in Wilmington for a 1:20 p.m. celebration. The event culminates with a final leg into the University of Delaware’s Stadium for the official opening of the 2012 Summer Games where the Special Olympics Flame of Hope will be delivered.

Mark Levin Calls for Sharpton to be Fired for 'Accusing Republicans of Genocide'

MARK LEVIN: We conservatives in talk radio, we come under blistering attack from the Left, from phony reporters, even from executives in this business or in that business. And really when you think about what most of us say and how most of us behave and how and many of us have passion and so forth. It’s the way nature, it’s the way people operate and work normally. You know, you’re not a talking head. You’re a human being with emotions and moods and interests, and some things rile you and some things make you happy, some things get you excited. You know?…But there are lines. And the lines for conservative talkers are much tighter, much harsher than they are for the others.

Al Sharpton is a disgrace. And yet everybody’s afraid of him. He’s on the radio. NBC News hires him over at MSNBC, or MSLSD as I call it. He brings nothing to the table. Nothing. He can barely speak in complete sentences. No, it’s true. He’s a race-baiter in my humble opinion. You saw what he did in Florida, first one on the scene if not the early ones in the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman case. And that’s certainly not the first. And yet, he’s not considered that controversial.

But today I’m calling for the, for the firing of Al Sharpton. I don’t believe I’ve ever done this before…But enough is enough. It’s not a bad word here or a bad thought, bad comment here over a long record. No, this man is loathsome.

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THE TUNA AREN'T TOXIC - JUST ENRICHED

“Absolutely Every One” – 15 Out of 15 – Bluefin Tuna Tested In California Waters Contaminated with Fukushima Radiation

California Fish Contaminated with Fukushima Radiation
We noted more than a year ago:

The ocean currents head from Japan to the West Coast of the U.S.

Of course, fish don’t necessarily stay still, either. For example, the Telegraph notes that scientists tagged a bluefin tuna and found that it crossed between Japan and the West Coast three times in 600 days:


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State Police Investigate Crash Involving Trooper And Ambulance

Location:
Savannah Road and Gills Neck Road, Lewes, DE

Date and Time of Occurrence:
Wednesday May 30, 2012 at 11:07 a.m.

Operators and Vehicles:
Operator #1: James E. Vanvorst, Milton, DE
Vehicle #1: 2005 Ford Ambulance (owned by Lewes Fire Co.)

Operator #2: 48 year old male Delaware State Trooper assigned to Headquarters, Dover, DE
Vehicle #2: 2006 Chrysler Sebring unmarked divisional vehicle

Resume:
Lewes, DE- The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is currently investigating a crash involving a trooper and an ambulance that occurred earlier this afternoon.

The incident occurred at approximately 11:07 a.m. today as James E. Vanvorst, was operating a 2005 Ford Ambulance with its emergency equipment activated, travelling eastbound on Savannah Road to an emergency call at Cape Henlopen State Park. The ambulance was approaching the intersection with Gills Neck Road with a red light. At the same time, a 48 year old Delaware State Trooper was operating a 2006 Chrysler Sebring northbound on Gills Neck Road, had entered into the intersection on a green light when the ambulance struck the Sebring in the left front. The impact caused the Sebring to rotate clockwise and come to a rest on the eastbound sidewalk.

The trooper was removed from the scene by EMS and was transported to the Beebe Medical Center where he was treated and released for minor injuries. James E. Vanvorst and 39 year old male passenger in his vehicle were not injured. All occupants of both vehicles were properly restrained.

Traffic in the area of Savannah Road and Front Street near the Canal Bridge was impacted for approximately an hour and a half as the crash was investigated and cleared. This crash remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit.

Michelle Obama Remains Popular in U.S.

Sixty-six percent of Americans have a favorable view of first lady Michelle Obama, unchanged from nearly two years ago and in line with her ratings since Barack Obama was inaugurated as president.

Michelle Obama's current favorable rating is identical to her average 66% rating to date as first lady. Americans did not view her as positively during the 2008 presidential campaign, giving her favorable ratings no higher than 54%. Opinions of her became considerably more positive in January 2009, rising to 68%, just before the inauguration.
Americans also viewed each of the prior two first ladies positively, with Laura Bush averaging a 73% favorable rating and Hillary Clinton 56%. Clinton, now the U.S. secretary of state, currently receives favorable ratings from 66% of Americans.

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'Meaningful Work'

"Education" is a word that covers a lot of very different things, from vital, life-saving medical skills to frivolous courses to absolutely counterproductive courses that fill people with a sense of grievance and entitlement, without giving them either the skills to earn a living or a realistic understanding of the world required for a citizen in a free society.

The lack of realism among many highly educated people has been demonstrated in many ways.

When I saw signs in Yellowstone National Park warning visitors not to get too close to a buffalo, I realized that this was a warning that no illiterate farmer of a bygone century would have needed. No one would have had to tell him not to mess with a huge animal that literally weighs a ton, and can charge at you at 30 miles an hour.

No one would have had to tell that illiterate farmer's daughter not to stand by the side of a highway, trying to hitch a ride with strangers, as too many college girls have done, sometimes with results that ranged all the way up to their death.

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Trump Slaps CNN: Report Obama Birth Fraud!

Billionaire businessman Donald Trump smacked CNN today, telling lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer the network would improve its dismal viewer ratings if it would only report the issue of Barack Obama’s eligibility to be president “accurately.”

“Obama does not like the issue of where he was born…” he told Blitzer in the interview. “There’s something that bothers Obama very much. I will tell you: It’s not an issue that he likes talking about, so what he does is use reverse psychology on people like you … He does not like that issue because it’s hitting very close to home. You know it, and he knows it – but you don’t report it accurately.”

The heated exchange between Blitzer and Trump can be seen here.

Blitzer blasted Trump: “Donald, you and I have known each other for a very long time, and I don’t understand why you’re doubling down on this ‘birther’ issue after the state of Hawaii formally says this is the legitimate birth certificate, he was born in Hawaii. Why are you going through all of this, Donald?”

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Accident In Trappe

It appears there's been a propane tank truck accident in Trappe causing quite a backup. Just a heads up.

What Do White People Do Mr President

Bill Would Outlaw Abortion For Sex Selection

Congress is set to wade into one of the most sensitive topics in the abortion debate, with a House vote Wednesday on a bill that would ban abortions that are performed solely because of an unborn child’s sex.

Pro-life advocates say sex-selection abortion amounts to a “war on baby girls,” and maintain that the practice - which is outlawed but still common in countries such as India and China - is on the rise in the United States.

“The real war on women occurs every day all over the world, even here in the United States,” said Susan Armacost, legislative director of the Wisconsin Right to Life.

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Fundraiser Event

McDonnell, O’Malley Also in Spotlight in Walker Recall

Next week’s recall election in Wisconsin between Gov. Scott Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett sets up not only a high-profile battle between the two candidates but a side skirmish between Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, chairmen of their parties’ governors associations and rising national political stars.

Mr. McDonnell, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, flew to Wisconsin Tuesday to attend an evening fundraiser for Mr. Walker. He and the GOP appear increasingly bullish about Mr. Walker’s chances.

“It’s all about getting out the vote now — people have already decided,” Mr. McDonnell said on MSNBC Tuesday morning before flying to the Badger State. “There are a handful of undecideds, and they’re probably on vacation. The rest of the people are decided, and now it’s about who gets who to the polls. I think Scott wins narrowly, and then I do think he understands that his job is to govern.”

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Maryland Election Board Looks At Online Ballot Marking

The State Board of Elections may move to implement an online ballot marking system for all absentee voters in time for this year’s elections, depending on an opinion from the attorney general. But some voter advocacy groups worry about the potential for fraud.

Continue Reading...

Ripken Selling Gourmet Burgers

Baltimore's 'Iron Man' is now in your Giant's freezer.

Cal Ripken, Jr. and Monkton-based Roseda Beef have teamed up to bring "Ripken Gourmet Burgers" to 30 Giant Food stores in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia with plans to double the number of distribution locations soon.


Stores started selling the $9.99 boxes of four six-ounce burgers on Friday.

Each store received 450 of the green-and-orange trimmed boxes designed with a picture of the legendary Baltimore Orioles player, for a total of 54,000 burgers available in the region just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

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Delaware's School Accountability, Support Plan Earns Federal Approval

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has approved Delaware’s plan for school accountability and support, granting the state flexibility from certain requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Under Delaware’s plan, schools now will work toward ambitious but realistic goals with the help of differentiated support from the state and their districts. Schools no longer will be subject to some requirements of ESEA -- formerly referred to as the No Child Left Behind Act -- such as mandated school improvement, corrective action or restructuring for not meeting 100 percent student proficiency on standardized tests by 2013-14. Schools and districts also gain the ability to refocus some funding, such as money formerly required for choice and supplemental education services, for the specific supports that best meet their students’ needs. It will take effect this school year (2011-12).

Outgoing Delaware Secretary of Education Dr. Lillian M. Lowery and Secretary Designate Mark Murphy both lauded the decision, saying Delaware’s plan will allow the state, districts and schools to differentiate interventions and support to better meet student needs.

Delaware’s plan reflects the ideas and feedback collected from stakeholders and members of the public who shared comment following a series of town hall meetings across the state in January.

“The state now will be able to implement a plan designed by Delawareans to meet the needs of Delaware students,” Lowery said. “This plan gives us the flexibility to allow data – not just whether a school meets the ESEA definition of making adequate yearly progress – to drive our decisions on what kinds of interventions and supports or requirements our schools receive.”

Consumer Confidence in The Economy Plunged in May

Americans grew much gloomier about the economy in May, causing a critical measure of consumer confidence to suffer its biggest decline in eight months and ending a period of steady optimism.

Worries about jobs, housing and the stock market rattled consumers, even though gas prices are falling. The latest figures suggest Americans will need to see more encouraging economic signs before their concerns start to dissipate.


The Conference Board, a private research group, reported Tuesday that its Consumer Confidence Index fell to 64.9, down from a revised 68.7 in April. Analysts had expected the index to climb to 70.

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Harmony College East Barbershop Quartets Perform At SU June 15-16

The joy of a cappella singing returns to Salisbury University as the Barbershop Harmony Society holds its annual Harmony College East from June 16-19. During the day participants, including singers and directors, take part in workshops and classes ranging from vocal techniques and harmony theory to coaching skills and barbershop history. The male and female youth and adult men’s quartets then showcase their newly-honed skills during two nights of public performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, June 15-16, in Holloway Hall Auditorium.

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Md. Judge Slashes Award in Prison Bus Slaying

A judge in Baltimore has sharply reduced the damages awarded in the death of a state prison inmate who was murdered aboard a prison bus in 2005.

In a decision released Tuesday, Baltimore City Circuit Judge Sylvester Cox slashed the jury award to Philip Parker Jr.'s parents and estate from $18.5 million to $600,000.

Cox ruled that the Maryland Tort Claims Act limits the state's liability to $200,000 per claimant. He found that Parker's mother Melissa Rodriguez, father Philip Parker Sr. and Parker's estate were each entitled to the maximum amount.

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Wicomico County Education Association Holding Press Conference

The Wicomico County Education Association is holding a Press Conference to a "limited group of media" we've been told. Although we were not invited to attend the President Dave White did inform me that they would e-mail the information after the Press Conference.

We were told this was absolutely not a Board of Education event and not open to the public. It must be one of those "play nice" groups like Mayor Ireton expects from the Media.

Once we receive what is supposed to be a heated meeting press release we'll be certain to publish the information. In the mean time if you'd like to learn more about the Wicomico County Education Association, GO HERE.

Caption This Photo 5-30-12

EEOC Investigating Coffee Chain For Alleged 'Hot Chicks Only' Hiring Policy

A food-service business that only hires attractive young women for customer-facing jobs? Gasp! Who can imagine such a thing? But that's what Boston-based chain Marylou's Coffee has been accused of, and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has taken notice. They're conducting an investigation to see whether otherwise qualified uglies, oldies, and fatties are being passed over for jobs at Marylou's.

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Many Insurers Changing Prescription Categories So Customers Pay More For Already Expensive Meds

Patients across the country who rely on drugs that are already expensive to treat complicated conditions like cancer and rheumatoid arthritis are in for an unwelcome uptick in costs for those meds, as many insurers are changing things up in order to charge customers more.

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Avoid Rt. 50 In Hebron: UPDATE

If you are in Royal Farms you can only go west bound, period. If you're heading east you will be detoured to Stanton Ave.

Two vehicles crashed into this tractor trailer. The tractor Trailer was crossing Rt. 50 to head east bound from Royal Farms and crossed right in front of oncoming traffic.

Expect delays for at least another 2 hours due to DOT reconstruction.

Everyone is clearing the scene & roads are reopening.

Today's Fill In The Blank 5-30-12

I graduated High School in 19__.

Walmart Store Has No Room For Veterans On Memorial Day Weekend

A scheduling snafu at a North Carolina Walmart led to the police being called to ask a group of veterans to leave the store on Sunday.

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The Tea Party Lives...In Maryland?!

The loud Tea Party summer of 2009 was the visible, audible manifestation of a seismic event: the birth pangs of a huge network of grassroots activists from coast to coast.

It was the sound of unconscionable government growth and spending careening out of control, crashing against the consciences of stalwart citizens. It was the sound of a multitude of Americans suddenly and unexpectedly experiencing in unison an "Aha!" moment, as they finally began to grasp in a very real and experiential way what Thomas Jefferson meant when he said, "No government can continue good, but under the control of the people."

The reason you don't hear much about Tea Partiers on the nightly news nowadays is because they are hard at work, focused like laser beams on a broad spectrum of causes and tasks. The thirteen percent of voters who self-identify as members of the Tea Party movement (Rasmussen), together with a host of other fiscal and social conservatives, have rolled up their sleeves and have gone to work.

The very blue State of Maryland is a great case in point, demonstrating the gamut of Tea Party-inspired activism. For years, Maryland conservatives have been pushed to the margins and had pretty much adopted the white flag as their banner. They are now fighting their way back to relevance with renewed vigor and are making a difference on many fronts. This story of Tea Party success is being repeated in state after state.

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Neocon Purge Of Ron Paul Types

Pat Buchanan fills us in on a cocky Bill Kristol who seems to think that "Ron Paul types" have been purged from the Republican Party and that Kristol will be more than happy to see Ron Paul leave:

"The big story in the Republican Party over the last 30 years, and I'm very happy about this," said Kristol, is the "eclipsing" of the George H.W. Bush-James Baker-Brent Scowcroft realists, "an Arabist old-fashioned Republican Party ... very concerned about relations with Arab states that were not friendly with Israel ... ."

That Bush crowd is yesterday, said Kristol. And not only had the "Arabists" like President Bush been shoved aside by the neocons, the "Pat Buchanan/Ron Paul type" of Republican has been purged.


"At B'nai Jeshurun," writes Weiss, "Kristol admitted to playing a role in expelling members of the Republican Party he does not agree with." These are Republicans you had to "repudiate," said Kristol, people "of whom I disapprove so much that I won't appear with them."

"I've encouraged that they be expelled or not welcomed into the Republican Party. I'd be happy if Ron Paul left.

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Today's Advertiser Of The Day 5-30-12

Planes in Mid-Air Collision Owned by FAA, NTSB Employees

WARRENTON, Va. - The investigation into Monday's deadly mid-air collision is being taken over by Canadian officials because the planes involved were owned by federal aviation and transportation officials.

The small plane collision Sunday killed two people and injured a third in Fauquier County.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday one of its employees owned the six-seat Beechcraft BE-25 involved in the crash. The medical examiner's office has yet to identify the two victims.

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WAR PIGS - THE FALL OF A GLOBAL EMPIRE

“We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower

“How far can you go without destroying from within what you are trying to defend from without?” -Dwight D. Eisenhower

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of deaths construction

In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds, oh lord yeah!
Black Sabbath – War Pigs

As Americans mindlessly celebrate another Memorial Day with cookouts, beer and burgers, the U.S. war machine keeps churning. As we brutally enforce our will on foreign countries, we create more people that hate us. They don’t hate us for our freedom. They hate us because we have invaded and occupied their countries. They hate us because we kill innocent people with predator drones. They hate us for our hypocrisy regarding democracy and freedom. Just when we had the opportunity to make a sensible decision by leaving Iraq and exiting the Middle East quagmire, Obama made the abysmal choice to casually sacrifice more troops in the Afghan shithole. We have thrown over $1.3 trillion down Middle East rat holes over the last 11 years with no discernible benefit to the citizens of the United States. George Bush and Barack Obama did this to prove they were true statesmen. The Soviet Union killed over 1 million Afghans, while driving another 5 million out of the country and retreated as a bankrupted and defeated shell after ten years. Young Americans continue to die, for whom and for what? Our foreign policy during the last eleven years can be summed up in one military term, SNAFU – Situation Normal All Fucked Up. These endless foreign interventions under the guise of a War on Terror are a smoke screen for what is really going on in this country. When a government has unsolvable domestic problems, they try to distract the willfully ignorant masses by proactively creating foreign conflicts based upon false pretenses. General Douglas MacArthur understood this danger to our liberty.

“I am concerned for the security of our great Nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within.”

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Today's Survey Question 5-30-12

Do you dress to impress?

QUOTES OF THE DAY 5-30-12

“We have restricted credit, we have restricted opportunity, we have controlled development, and we have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated, governments in the civilized world—no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and the duress of small groups of dominant men.”

Woodrow Wilson, The New Freedom

“They don’t want to kill us [the Greek people] but keep us down on our knees so we can keep paying them indefinitely.”

Eva Kyriadou

TAKE YOUR VINEGAR

Who knew? So many uses for vinegar. The http://www.chrismartenson.com/ website always has good practical articles to help you prepare for a challenging future. The links below address just about everything that should happen in the next 15 years.

20 Reasons to Keep Vinegar on Hand

Vinegar is a wondrous substance that every prepared person should keep on hand. Whether it is for cleaning, salads, or getting the smoke smell out of clothes, having a few bottles of this multipurpose liquid in the pantry is a must have prep. Its uses and virtues are so numerous it is hard to select just a subset for this article.

To start off – vinegar is incredibly inexpensive compared to the products it can replace around the home and can be purchased in 1 gallon bulk contains to save even more. And the bottles can be easily reused for emergency water storage or freezer jugs.

Vinegar is non-toxic as a cleaner and has an almost indefinite shelf life. So lets explore some of the top reasons to keep vinegar handy and available.

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Parkside Graduation

Joe,

I attended Parkside's graduation last night. I found it strange that Glen Avenue was closed at the Civic Center crossing for a dog show but not for these graduation exercises. I guess we know who counts around here.

Tiderunner

Camps Use Online Data to Target Voters

Voters who click on President Obama’s campaign website are likely to start seeing display ads promoting his re-election bid on their Facebook pages and other sites they visit.

Voters searching Google for information about Mitt Romney may notice a 15-second ad promoting the Republican presidential hopeful the next time they watch a video online.

The 2012 election could be decided by which campaign is best at exploiting voters’ Internet data.

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President Choomwagon

President Obama’s teenage gang called themselves the Choom Gang, choom being their slang word for marijuana. They developed a marijuana-oriented culture [9]:

As a member of the Choom Gang, Barry Obama was known for starting a few pot-smoking trends. The first was called “TA,” short for “total absorption.” To place this in the physical and political context of another young man who would grow up to be president, TA was the antithesis of Bill Clinton’s claim that as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford he smoked dope but never inhaled.

Along with TA, Barry popularized the concept of “roof hits”: when they were chooming in the car all the windows had to be rolled up so no smoke blew out and went to waste; when the pot was gone, they tilted their heads back and sucked in the last bit of smoke from the ceiling.

When you were with Barry and his pals, if you exhaled precious pakalolo (Hawaiian slang for marijuana, meaning “numbing tobacco”) instead of absorbing it fully into your lungs, you were

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Maryland's Homegrown Crabs Are 'True Blue'

Maryland's blue crabs are considered tastier than those from elsewhere, so make sure you're dining at places that offer "true blue."

It's the season for crab feasts in the Mid-Atlantic region, and Maryland is trying to get more of its own crabs onto dinner tables in restaurants.

Restaurants that serve crab meat that's at least 75 percent from Maryland get to display a little picture of a blue crab and the Maryland seal on their menus. Maryland is calling this its "True Blue" program

Most crab meat sold in the state is from elsewhere — Louisiana, North Carolina and even Venezuela. Some chefs argue that Maryland crab meat tastes better and should be labeled, so that consumers know whether or not they're getting the good stuff.

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Bill Cosby -- I'm 83 And I'm Tired

"I'm 83 and I'm Tired"

I'm 83. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't
"believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Sharia law tells them to.

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia , New Zealand ,
UK , America and Canada , while no one from these countries is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance..

I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick needles in their arms while they tried to fight it off?

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.

I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20's be-deck themselves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 83.. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter and their children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not on the way in.

Five Ways The Facebook IPO Teaches Us About How Wall Street Games The System

Facebook’s initial public offering — which so dominated the financial press that Facebook has been on the cover of the Wall Street Journal for nine straight days — has started to raise some red flags for regulators, after it came to light the company and its Wall Street underwriters quietly hid a report about weak revenue. And that’s just one of several ways in which the Facebook IPO highlights how Wall Street and big companies can game the rules to gain an economic advantage. Here are five examples:

1. Facebook may have hid information about weak revenue growth: According to one lawsuit launched since the company went public, Facebook “concealed crucial information” regarding weak revenue growth, failing to disclose a revised revenue forecast, much like Wall Street banks failed to provide key information about mortgage securities they were peddling before the financial crisis.

2. Morgan Stanley alerted “preferred” investors to Facebook’s poor growth forecasts: Facebook’s Wall Street underwriters are facing scrutiny from regulators for only alerting certain “preferred” investors about Facebook’s declining revenue stream, leaving many potential shareholders in the dark.

3. Facebook stock dropped, Wall Street got rich: Facebook stock plummeted on its second day of trading and has continued its decline since, but Morgan Stanley and the other underwriters are still turning massive profits by “shorting” its stock. “In fact,” Fortune’s Steven Gandel wrote, “Morgan Stanley and the other banks who were selling Facebook shares to the public were positioned to make more money the lower Facebook’s shares went.” As of Tuesday, the group of Wall Street banks that underwrote the IPO could have topped more than $450 million in profits — on top of more than $170 million in underwriting fees.

4. Facebook will dodge billions in taxes after its IPO: Corporate tax law allows companies that issue stock options to make huge deductions to their tax liabilities, helping Facebook avoid $16 billion in taxes. CEO Mark Zuckerberg could possibly never pay taxes again, using a series of loopholes to avoid them after the initial hit he’ll take after selling shares.

5. Facebook is spending big on politics: Just like the Wall Street banks and other big companies that spend huge amounts of cash lobbying Washington, Facebook jumped into the fray, giving $119,000 in donations to lawmakers through March 31. The money went to leaders of both parties and those lawmakers who “serve on House and Senate committees that handle Internet and online privacy issues.”

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GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY AND THE COALITION FOR A HEALTHY MARYLAND PROCLAIM FIRST HEALTHY MARYLAND WEEK

May 29-June 3 to promote healthy lifestyle, wellness in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley joined by the Coalition for a Healthy Maryland, Delegate Jon Cardin, members of the Executive Cabinet, state and local elected officials, and health advocates at Truxtun Park’s Roger W. “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center, officially proclaimed May 29th through June 3rd as the first “Healthy Maryland Week.”

Healthy Maryland Week encourages Marylanders to lead a healthier life by promoting wellness through physical fitness, healthy food choices, and preventative care. The Administration has partnered with the Coalition for a Healthy Maryland to hold events throughout the week to highlight the importance of health and wellness.

“Today, we’re here to kick off a week’s worth of events to get the word out about the importance of healthy lifestyle choices, and the resources and opportunities available in every community to live a healthy lifestyle,” said Governor O’Malley. “Together, we’re setting some big goals in Maryland to create a better, healthier future for our children. There are some challenges so large that we can only hope to tackle them together. Creating jobs and expanding opportunity is one, and everything we do to improve the health of our people and save lives is another.”

On Thursday, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown will highlight the Administration’s efforts to address health disparities at an event that offers free screenings for diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol in Prince George’s County. The Lt. Governor leads the Administration’s efforts to reduce costs, expand access, and improve the quality of health care for all Marylanders. Under the leadership of Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown, Maryland has implemented reforms that have expanded health coverage to over 300,000 Marylanders (half of them children).

“Every Marylander, of every race, ethnicity, and nationality, in every part of our state, deserves the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “Our partnerships with the Coalition for a Healthy Maryland, local health departments and other organizations are critical for improving the health of our communities. During Healthy Maryland Week, we will join together across the state to help educate Marylanders about the benefits of healthy living and highlight the innovative programs available to encourage wellness and prevention.”

“The Coalition for a Healthy Maryland is delighted to be celebrating Healthy Maryland Week, highlighting organizations and people around the State whose efforts are improving health and preventing disease for our citizens,” said Tim Rhode, director of the Coalition for a Healthy Maryland. “The importance of their success, as a preventive measure to ward-off escalating obesity rates and skyrocketing health care costs, cannot possibly be overstated. In virtually every sector: public or private, individual or group, medical, commercial or recreational, people around Maryland are making a difference. The purpose of Healthy Maryland Week is to celebrate their success and promote the many options we have to live healthy in this great State. ”

While at Truxtun Park, the Governor also promoted the importance of buying local through the Civic Works’ Real Food Farm mobile market, which increases access to food by providing fresh produce to local Baltimore communities.

The O’Malley-Brown Administration has set strategic goals to End Childhood Hunger in the State by 2015 and to Reduce Infant Mortality in Maryland by 10 percent by 2012. In March, the Administration launched a new means of tracking data and measuring the wellness of employees through StateStat called “Wellness Stat.” The new Stat has goals to foster an environment that promotes healthy eating and active living at state agencies and facilities; enhance state health plan coverage of cost-effective and evidence-based practices; and establish tobacco-free campuses. All three goals are based on research which shows that 80 percent of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes and 40 percent of certain cancers can be prevented through healthy eating, daily physical activity, and tobacco-free living.

For more information on Healthy Maryland Week, click here.

Commerce Considers Labeling Arab Americans a Disadvantaged Minority

The Commerce Department is considering naming Arab Americans a socially and economically disadvantaged minority group that is eligible for special business assistance.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) petitioned Commerce earlier this year to ask that Arab Americans be made eligible for the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), which helps minority entrepreneurs gain access to capital, contracts and trade opportunities.

The ADC petition cited “discrimination and prejudice in American society[,] resulting in conditions under which Arab-American individuals have been unable to compete in a business world.” The group claimed discrimination against Arab Americans increased after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

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So Then the FBI Sent Out An Agent To Check Up On My FOIA Request

Early last year, I discovered that Abu Zubaidah, the first high-value detainee who was held in top-secret CIA black site prisons and brutally tortured, has a younger brother who lives in the United States.

Research I was conducting on the accused terrorist led me to a three-year-old comment posted on Guantanamo reporter Andy Worthington's blog about Abu Zubaidah, the alleged terrorist, left by someone who identified himself as Hesham Abu Zubaidah.

"Yes that is my brother and I live in Oregon," the commenter said. "Do you think I should have been locked away for 2 years with no charges for a [sic] act of a sibling? I am the younger brother of [Abu Zubaidah] and I live in the USA. Tell me what you think."

Wow! This is a big deal, I thought. Abu Zubaidah has a brother that lives in the United States? What's Hesham's story? Why haven't we heard from him before? And what could he tell me about his brother, the alleged terrorist?

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Needed: Another Presidential Step Against Anti-Gay Bias

President Obama's bold endorsement of same-sex marriage should be only the first of his key acts in behalf of gay Americans. It's now past time for him to redeem a 2008 campaign promise to issue an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against gay workers.

Such discrimination is already banned in Washington, D.C., and 21 states. A presidential order would cover the millions of federal contractor employees in the other states. Building roads, bridges and dams are among the many essential tasks they perform throughout the country.

Previous executive orders, first issued seven decades ago, have made it illegal for contractors to discriminate on the basis of race or religion. Recent investigations by the San Francisco Chronicle and the gay publication Metro Weekly noted that Obama made his promise to add a ban on anti-gay discrimination during a meeting with a gay rights group in Houston four years ago.

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After "Huge Progress," Veterans Are Still Struggling To Find Employment

While the unemployment rate for veterans has dropped dramatically in the last year, two veterans advocates told CNN’s Candy Crowley this morning that finding jobs for veterans remains a major issue. Paul Rieckhoff, founder and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said there has been “huge progress” on helping unemployed veterans because President Obama has instituted policies to reduce veteran unemployment and Fortune 500 companies are also helping returning servicemembers.

The unemployment rate for veterans between ages 18 and 24 is more than 17 percent, down from 29 percent, but Tim Tetz, legislative director of the American Legion, said that younger veterans are still facing a higher unemployment rate than their civilian counterparts, which stands at 15 percent. Older veterans are also struggling to find employment:

TETZ: [O]f the 780,000 veterans who are currently out of a job, two-thirds of them are between the ages of 35 and 64. And they might not have the resources like the GI Bill and many of the other things that these younger veterans have to use.

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Birth-Certificate 'Surprise' in October?

An intelligence source in Hawaii who warned early last year that a forged Obama birth record would be released now says that amid continued doubts about the authenticity of the document posted on the White House website, a forged “original” birth certificate intended to pass forensic inspection by using 1961 materials is being prepared and could be released as an “October surprise.”

The source, who has contact with Hawaii government officials, was questioned by Mike Zullo, the head of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse team. Zullo recently returned from a trip to Hawaii to follow up on leads in the posse’s investigation of Obama’s eligibility for the 2012 election ballot in Arizona. Arpaio announced March 1 that his team found probable cause that the document posted by the White House April 27, 2011, is a forgery.

Zullo told WND today that regardless of whether the Hawaii source’s information pans out, he wants to see the original microfilm record of Obama’s birth.

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Congressional Black Caucus Rallies Preachers To Tackle Voter-ID Laws

A civil rights activist holds a sign during a march outside the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, March 9, 2012. The march focused on bringing attention to Alabama's newly passed anti-immigration legislation and the state's new voter identification law. (Photo: Ozier Muhammad / The New York Times) Washington - The Rev. Dr. Franklyn Richardson longs for the old days, when all it took was Sunday sermons by African-American ministers to fire up their flocks to get registered and vote in local, state and federal elections.

“In the past, all we had to do was encourage people to register,” said Richardson, the senior pastor of the Grace Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, N.Y., and Port St. Lucie, Fla., and the chair of the Conference of National Black Churches. “Now it’s a different animal.”

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Conservative Groups Target Farm Bill

Conservative groups have made it official — they hate the Senate farm bill and will push Tea Party fiscal hawks in Congress to defeat it.

Heritage Action and Club for Growth on Tuesday told The Hill they will “key vote” the Senate farm bill that is coming up for passage in early June, punishing members on their annual scorecards for voting in favor of the bill.

“We’re against it. We haven’t key voted it yet, but we will eventually. I suspect that fiscally conservative resistance will be high, probably even higher than the highway bill,” said Club for Growth vice president Andrew Roth.

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New York Could Add One Million Voters In 2013

An estimated one million potential voters could be added to New York state’s rolls should forthcoming legislation be enacted, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. State Sen. Michael Gianaris, the co-sponsor of legislation that would modernize New York’s voter registration system, said his bill “will make it easier for people to vote.” He said he plans to introduce the bill by early June at the latest and, if adopted, it would take effect in 2013.

At the heart of the legislation, crafted with assistance from the Brennan Center and other organizations, is a mandated shift from the current paper-based voter registration system to one reliant on electronic records.

Importantly, the bill, called An Act to Modernize Voter Registration, would offer New York residents the opportunity to register to vote when they seek services, such as housing or unemployment insurance, from state or federal agencies, in addition to current voter registration offered through the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. The automated, computer-based system will allow online voter registration and a more expedient process for updating change of addresses or “portability” for those who move within the state.

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Maryland Gets Waiver From No Child Left Behind

Maryland is getting a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind law.

The waiver, one of eight announced by the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday and one of 19 total, was granted in exchange for promises to improve how students are prepared and evaluated.

Maryland's interim schools Superintendent Bernard Sadusky says the state is not turning its back on accountability, but concentrating on schools with the greatest needs.

Officials say the flexibility plan parallels the state's Race to the Top project.

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Live Action Undercover Bombshell: Planned Parenthood Aids Gender-Selective Abortion

Live Action: Today, Live Action released a new undercover video showing a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Austin, TX encouraging a woman to obtain a late-term abortion because she was purportedly carrying a girl and wanted to have a boy. The video is first in a new series titled “Gendercide: Sex-Selection in America,” exposing the practice of sex-selective abortion in the United States and how Planned Parenthood and the rest of the abortion industry facilitate the selective elimination of baby girls in the womb.

Go  HERE  to watch the video

The Daily Times Is Just About Finished

Yesterday was what, TUESDAY? That would make it pretty unusual that after last nights city council meeting I went to Delmar to meet with the Mayor and Council and stopped in WaWa on my way and the image above is what I saw.

So your thinking, so what, right? Well, what you are seeing is the SUNDAY paper still on the racks and obviously not sold. There were no Monday or Tuesday papers, just Sunday.

While speaking to another long term professional yesterday they said, the Daily Times is broke. They have no substance and no reporters who have a history here to know what they're reporting about.

Well, a lot can be said about the rest of the local MSM as well. After last nights little rant by Mayor Ireton, the Daily Times reporter just thought Jimmy was cute as a button and started giggling and looking at me. Hey Daily Times, let's see who's laughing when this election is over. I said it in my radio interview, screw with me one time and you'll be looking for stories because you won't get one from City Hall. You may also want to put a poll out there and simply ask who the voters would vote for if the election was held tomorrow. I think you'd be majorly surprised. In fact, I know you'd be.

If we're lucky they'll be out of business by then anyway. Remember Daily Times, pictures don't lie.