DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
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Wednesday, July 11, 2012
BREAKING BOARD OF EDUCATION NEWS
Last night the Board of Education held a meeting and announced the following.
ALL Wicomico County High Schools will now have one Principal, THREE Vice Principals and ONE Dean of Students.
Fredericksen announced they FOUND the additional funding to hire an additional Vice Principal in each High School.
Ladies & Gentlemen, haven't they been crying the blues about money all this time?
I'll leave the rest for comments.
Rob Portman Lets Slip That He‘s Being Vetted for Romney’s Veep
In speaking to ABC News Wednesday, Portman inadvertently let slip that he had been engaged in several “intense” meetings with Romney campaign advisers, including Beth Myers, the woman who is widely known to be influencing the selection process. The meetings reportedly lasted six hours, each lasting a single hour. Portman reportedly said this:
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SAFE STREETS MY @$$, YOU'VE GOT MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS MAYOR IRETON
At 4:55 this afternoon we pulled into Walgreen's parking lot just after two minivans collided in the intersection of North Blvd. and Salisbury Blvd. The crash was hard enough to deploy airbags in both vehicles. Fortunately a nurse, an off duty firefighter and several other people were near and able to render assistance and make the appropriate calls on their cell phones. My wife went into Walgreen's to shop and I waited in the parking lot for the police cars to arrive. And waited. And waited. Finally, at 5:15 the first police car arrived on scene with emergency lights flashing. It was clearly marked, "Pocomoke City Police." I recognized the officer who emerged as a friend who works on the Pocomoke Police force so there is no question it was a unit from Pocomoke. The first Salisbury unit did not arrive until 5:22 and he was in no hurry and had no emergency lights activated. Is the rumor true about cuts in Salisbury PD? Are the cuts THAT serious?
Why Women Watch The Olympics (But Tune Out Other Sports)
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Mayor Ireton Continues To Attack City Council With One Sided Information AGAIN
Council Changes Work Session Agenda
Safe Streets Legislation and City Park Bike Paths Are Again Postponed
Mayor James Ireton, Jr. was informed today that two vital pieces of City legislation have been postponed, again, by Salisbury City Council. Falling victim to inaction were the Safe Streets Three Strikes Legislation and the MOU with the International Mountain Biking Association to re-establish mountain biking paths in Salisbury City Park.
Safe Streets Three Strikes Legislation was introduced in August of 2010 – 2 years ago.
MOU with International Mountain Biking Association was given to City Council on May 16, 2012.
“The culture of “no” continues in our City. Our citizens are aware that policy has become a statement of what we won’t do. For those neighborhoods who await action on problem properties and to our partners in the mountain biking community, who have offered to partner with us in the City Park, today you were given the answer “no.” This is an unfortunate turn of events in our City,” said Mayor James Ireton, Jr.
Salisbury News will deliver a response to this message later this evening. Stay tuned Folks.
Shock Report: ‘The Top 1 Percent Suffered the Most in the Recession’
A pity that, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), this entire narrative reduces to an alternate reality. Let’s go down the list of talking points as a sort of Q&A, with the help of this fantastic explanation of the CBO report from the Washington Times, and see how much of it survives.
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Man Accused Of Binding Wife With Chains, Beating Her For 10 Years
"This is a case that is tenfold of what our average domestic is and maybe more than that. It comes down to what appears to be slavery and torture, it seems to be the aspects of this case," Jackson County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Tony Boggs said.
Peter Lizon was arrested on malicious wounding charges; he may face more as the investigation unfolds.
Sheriff’s deputies say it all began when Lizon's wife showed up at a crisis center in Parkersburg, W.Va.
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Attic Held Baseball Card Gold Mine
But some of the names were familiar: Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Cy Young and Honus Wagner. Then he put the box on a dresser and went back to digging through the attic.
It wasn’t until two weeks later that he learned that his family had come across what experts say is one of the biggest, most exciting finds in the history of sports card collecting, a discovery probably worth millions.
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Judge to black perps: What are you doing with your lives?
So he kicked all the white people out of the court room, then scolded the black defendants: “I simply said to the young people, ‘what in the world are you doing with your lives?’” he told Atlanta television reporter Jaquitta Williams.
Some thought the judge’s actions a bit unusual. But a white Atlanta court visitor explained it thus: “People of color talk more freely among themselves.”
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D-Day For Gun Control
The ATT is nominally to stop international arms sales to gangs, criminals, and violent groups. But, as is so often the case with U.N. treaties, this is merely a convenient facade behind which to conceal the ATT’s true intent: to force gun control on the United States.
Secretary Clinton will doubtlessly succeed in inserting language into the treaty belying this intent and asserting that the treaty in no way is to restrict our right to bear arms. But even this language will be meaningless in the face of the overall construct set up by the treaty.
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White Liberals Tell Black Americans Who They Can and Can't Like
A group of white progressives affiliated with Media Matters are attempting to tell black America to dislike Mitt Romney. The group created a parody video mocking Romney's NAACP address and claiming that black voters don't like him.
In advance of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's speech Wednesday to the NAACP, a liberal group headed by a former New York Times reporter and ex-Media Matters executive have produced a video "satire" that claims blacks don't like Romney, who they dub so white he makes "Wonder Bread look like pumpernickel."More
‘Take the Change and Stick It Out of Sight’: Hear Hank Williams’ Defiant Attack on Obama In His New Album
Country singer Hank Williams Jr. has a message for President Obama on his new album: “Barack, pack your bags, head to Chicago, take your teleprompter with you so you’ll know where to go.”
Williams calls out Obama on a track entitled “Taking Back the Country” on the album “Old School, New Rules” set for release Tuesday. In the same song, Williams makes a reference to the time when he compared the president to Hitler last year.[...]
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Citizens Are Finally Fighting Back
Sir,
Take me off your email list.
You are NOT the guy I campaigned with/for back with Terry, Tim and Debbie.
Like Louis Smith, you have changed sides in a drastic way.
Suckered us, didn’t you
From: Jim Ireton
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2012 4:52 PM
To: Jim Ireton
Subject: I need your help
Friends, At the most recent Salisbury City Council work session, the Council Leadership slapped down our revitalization plan for the downtown. In case you are unfamiliar with it, here's a link to the proposal:
Now I need your help...
I've created an online petition, asking that the Council Leadership pass this plan, and I need you to sign it. In fact, I need you to forward it to all of your friends that want to see this plan passed. It is high time that the Council Leadership stop giving us excuses. It's high time that they stop saying NO to anything and everything positive that we try to accomplish. It's time that the Council Leadership hears from you. Here is the petition:
Publishers Notes: Ladies & Gentlemen, Mayor Ireton is abusing his Office to influence others to also attack the City Council. This is exactly what I want to change as your next Mayor.
Like a little girl, Jim Ireton is crying to mommy and poppy because he doesn't have control of the PUBLIC sandbox. While some of you point fingers at me by stating I'm involved in this childish game, you are wrong. It is my job to expose NEWS and this message is news. The reply letter above is drafted by a Salisbury Resident who is fed up with Ireton's games.
Best be VERY careful Folks because all Ireton is doing is setting up a campaign mailing list. No one would be childish enough to actually put their name behind such a petition unless there's something in it for them down the road. He wants to know, how many people support him and should he move forward with another run for office. It's right out of the Obama Liberal Playbook.
I promise you, if elected I will never put the citizens through this kind of crap. It's time to get a real man in the Mayor's Office.
SHOULD CHARGES BE FILED AGAINST MAYOR JIM IRETON
You know that petition Mayor Ireton is pushing. Well, it turns out the Mayor had the City's IT guy come in to spend hours creating the on line petition.
This is without a question abuse of power. Taxpayers should never have to foot the bill for a Mayor or Council Member out to destroy others. IF this had been done by anyone else they would be thrown out of Office and Jim Ireton knows better then to do something like this.
If I were Terry, Debbie or Tim I would file immediate charges against these people. How many times have Jim's people filed ethics charges against these Council Members and LOST.
No, you won't read or hear about this anywhere else. The whole thing just makes me sick.
You Wanted It, Here It Is
Many have asked me to publish my vision for Downtown Salisbury. While I have been holding it back, enough people have heard about it and now that Mayor Ireton has created a petition against the City Council, here's my view.
Starting with the Downtown Plaza, close it on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. I would, (and have) encourage as many bars and restaurants as possible to open new businesses within the Plaza to encourage a sort of upscale trendy entertainment district/atmosphere. Dueling Piano Bar, Irish Pub, Jazz and Blues, Sports Bar/Restaurants. I would propose an open container law on Friday and Saturday night throughout just the closed Plaza area. We could create a shuttle service from each parking area Downtown to and from the Plaza every 15 minutes. This could be privately owned to help one of the local businesses expand or even encourage a new business to get started. A dedicated cab service location. I'd like to see outdoor jazz bands, blues bands local talent, etc.
Once established I would charge a $10.00 cover charge on Friday and Saturday nights to pay for Police Enforcement on the Plaza. I would remove all plants and trees along the Plaza and go to Nurseries, Landscapers, Florist Shops and local Clubs to create a new Botanical Gardens. Each company would have a plaque with their company name, Website and phone number to market their business. It would create a unique competition to out do each other as well as maintain each planting area. Rather than the taxpayers paying out for Public Works employees twice a week for several hours a day maintaining the Plaza, we could save quite a bit of money each year.
Once established, there's only a certain amount of real estate on the Plaza, which makes the idea quite nice. We could then start looking down Market Street and encourage Hotels on the River with restaurants and shopping on the main floor. This would continue all the way back to Rt. 13.
If you stand by the Book Store near Feldman's on the River and look up towards the Parking Garage, the elevation is actually quite steep. By the time you get up to the Parking Garage, (if you were to remove ALL of the pavement and soil) you could have two floors of parking at the same ground level at Division Street. Palmer Gillis showed me this idea quite some time ago and it's perfect. IF people wanted to sell off those lots, perhaps we could get TWO levels of parking FIRST and actually double the spaces there now before anything new is built on those lots.
I recommend this idea because once the Downtown area is revitalized we are going to need all the parking we can get. Once the Plaza area is established with new businesses we could easily afford to completely remove the majority of parking meters simply by using the $10.00 cover charge to get into the Plaza each Friday and Saturday night. If you have 3,000 people visiting, that's $30,000.00. It will not cost $30,000.00 to pay for Police Enforcement each weekend.
Other expansions can go towards Fitzwater and the north prong for development down the road. Now I know some of you are thinking, (because we live in an instant gratification world today) this would take a long time. I agree, it would. I have spoken to local businesses who are VERY interested in the concept. We would have to market to other businesses throughout the Washington and Baltimore area. However, once it starts to roll the Downtown Plaza can become a destination location. We can actually draw business from Ocean City, if it's marketed properly.
Remember, the Plaza will open up Monday through Friday business hours like nothing ever happened. I would encourage the Farmers Market, arts and crafts and other interests on the Plaza every weekend with no cover charge, of course.
We can make the Plaza new and fresh with beautiful plants and trees. We can encourage economic development, while raising property values at the same time. Some might ask, what will happen to those businesses currently on the Plaza. Nothing will happen to them. Other than their property values will go up and IF they choose to relocate and sell they will have more money then ever before to do so. Keep in mind, the ONLY time things would be different is Friday and Saturday night.
Change is a difficult thing to accept. We have watched Annapolis, Cambridge, Berlin and many other local Downtown areas explode with such a concept. This idea would create and maintain interest in the arts as well as entertainment. Real estate values would go up as other businesses interested in opening up would be competing for a small amount of available real estate. We could remove parking meters and encourage people to spend more time Downtown.
Ladies & Gentlemen, it's a PROPOSAL. This would be an idea that could be brought to the City Council for their review. IF the Council turns it down, so be it. I would NOT petition them because they, (or you) disagree with the idea. It simply creates an OPTION. An option the local media won't even allow me to express.
We have asked you for years now, do YOU have a better idea? I wanted to deliver something that did NOT cost YOU the taxpayers a penny. No grants, no federal or state loans. NO affordable or section 8 housing projects. NO EDU giveaways. NO discounts on impact fees. A business man's concept that actually has fiscal responsibility to it.
I look forward to your comments. There may be some things I have forgotten in which I'll add in comments later. I encourage your ideas and opinions and I look forward to seeing them throughout the day.
Woman Sues Porn Companies For Threatening To Sue Her Over Alleged Illegal Downloads
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Will Mayor Ireton Try To Claim The City Is 99.9 % Compliant?
The water department has a perfectly qualified person to fill the open spot but since she seems to have serious problems with anyone who doesn't kiss her toes she has spitefully hired someone who will instead.
The state requires the City to have qualified personnel but Teresa Gardner doesn't seem to care. Probably because no one was aware of it until now.
Salisbury News broke the original story about the Waste Water Treatment Plant, (WWTP) several years ago and while we had hoped things would change under this new Mayor, clearly that isn't the case.
What does it say when you work hard to get an education to qualify for such a position and then the leaders in the City ignore the law and hire someone else simply because they like the other person better.
We have heard numerous complaints about this Teresa Gardner both by city employees and professional business people. If I were the Mayor or Mrs. Gardner, I'd be making very sure a "qualified" person sits in that position before the state gets involved.
Or, you can simply ignore us and see what happens in the long run, just like Tilghman did with the WWTP. You remember, "we're 99.9% compliant with the MDE". NOT!
BREAKING NEWS: House Passes Repeal Of ObamaCare
From Fox News
Majority Backs Arizona on Immigration crackdown Law
The latest Washington Times/JZ Analytics survey, released Monday night, found about two-thirds of all likely voters would like to see their own police be able to check immigration status during routine traffic stops. Support was high across most demographics, including self-identified Republicans and independents, and even Hispanics favored the policy by a 55 percent to 41 percent margin.
The Supreme Court last month struck down most of Arizona’s 2010 law that tried to create state penalties for illegal immigration, but said states and localities can empower their police to check the immigration status of those they detain during their routine duties.
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What’s The Best Way To Handle The “Hold On, I’m On The Phone” Customer?
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Bristle from Barbecue Brush Nearly Kills Tacoma Man
Feds Send 700 Geese From NYC To Poultry Plant To Cut Down On Bird Strikes At Airports
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Missouri Democrat Says No Jews Died in 9/11 Attacks
A Missouri Democrat running to be the state’s next secretary of state thinks not a single Jewish person died in the 9/11 attacks. He's also a 9/11 Truther.
“My question was, ‘What’s the reason not a single Jew was killed on that day,’" Alam said, maintaining that his inquiries are based on facts, rather than a bias against Jewish people. "Was there a single Jew killed on that day?"
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Time To Go
Gov‘t Compliance Officer Seemingly Breaks Into Woman’s Home to Yell at Her Over the Length of Her Lawn
“I woke up, I didn’t have my glasses on or my contacts in and all I see is this big burly figure standing in my doorway,” Erica Masters explained. “A big huge guy with a grey shirt. It scared the mess out of me.”
She elaborated: “[He] yelled at me to wake me up, to let me know that I needed to come back outside and sign the violation notice,” informing her that her grass was too long.
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Google To Pay Big Time
High-Powered Lesbians Create A PAC Of Their Own
But it has not escaped her notice that lesbians such as her are in the minority at political events for gay donors, whether it's a White House reception or a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who hopes to become the first openly lesbian member of the U.S. Senate.
So Ricketts immediately embraced an idea by a fellow Chicago businesswoman who approached her a few months ago about creating a first-of-its kind political action committee to champion candidates and causes that appeal to lesbian voters.
LPAC, as the independent super PAC was christened, will be launched Wednesday with the freedom to spend unrestricted amounts of money for or against candidates.
"Being a woman and being gay is really a unique position in our society," said Ricketts, a co-chair of the Democratic National Committee's LGBT Leadership Council and one of President Barack Obama's fundraising bundlers. "I know in my experience of activism, oftentimes it makes a difference if something is women-focused. It's likely to get the attention of women much more easily."
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Conservation Voters’ Scorecard Reflects Legislature’s Split On Environment
Continue Reading...
Police: Woman Swallowed Diamond, Pawned it Later
Police say 38-year-old Angela Winters Hardman of Sandy stopped at a Macy's outside Salt Lake City in May and asked to try on the jewelry.
An employee says Hardman then made a switch and handed back a similar, though obviously bogus, ring _ but denied stealing the real thing.
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Affordable Care Act Full Of Consequences And Potential Surprises
The Affordable Care Act upheld by the Supreme Court in late June is unbelievably complicated, results in new tax burdens, require lots of new paperwork, makes the shortage of primary care physicians worse and will likely produce some surprises as unexpected consequences unfold. But it will expand health insurance coverage and possibly bend down the curve on costs by giving better access to care and changing payment methods, according to a trio of CEOs of the Baltimore region’s top health care providers.
‘Securing America’s Borders’: Obama Admin. Closing 9 Border Patrol Stations Across 4 States
According to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the closures are part of a broader plan to reallocate resources to high-priority areas in a bid to increase efficiency. The move will also relocate 41 Border Patrol officers closer to the northern and southern border.
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Salisbury Police Department Press Release 7-11-12
On arrival, the officers met with two juvenile males who explained that two hours earlier they had been approached by two black males at their residence. One of the black males then produced a small black semi automatic pistol and demanded money from the victims. The black males then forced the victims inside the residence. Once inside, the black males then stole an undetermined amount of U.S. Currency and 4 pairs of Nike shoes from the victims.
The suspects are described as being in their mid 20s, both subjects were wearing blue basketball shorts and both subjects had close cut hair. The black male with the pistol was light skinned, approximately 6’00, and a thin build. The second black
male was approximately 5’07 and dark complexion.
Anyone with any information should contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410.548.3165 or Crime Solvers at 410.548.1776
TRAFFIC ALERT
Laurel -- As a public courtesy, the Department of Transportation (DelDOT) wants to inform area residents that Norfolk Southern Railroad will close the railroad crossing on Bacons Road between St. George Road and Bi State Boulevard near Laurel for repairs to the crossing. The crossing will be closed at 7 a.m. on Monday, July 16. The crossing will reopen by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 20, pending weather.
Detour routes:
Westbound: Bi State Boulevard to St. George Road and return to Bacons Road
Eastbound: St. George Road to Bi State Boulevard and back to Bacons Road
DelDOT will post signs to alert motorists of the closure and the accompanying detour routes.
Will Ron Paul Pull Off One Last Delegate Surprise
Well, perhaps we should ask whether the forces of Ron Paul have one last trick up their collective sleeve, as opposed to focusing on the Texas libertarian himself. That’s because Paulites in Nebraska appear on the verge of winning a plurality of delegates from their state to the Tampa confab.
If they manage to accomplish this feat at their state convention this upcoming weekend, then Representative Paul will have won a plurality of delegates from five states, since his supporters have already captured the largest share of delegate votes from Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, and Minnesota. Under Republican National Committee rules, that means he’d qualify to have his name officially placed in nomination, and he’d get 15 minutes to address the convention audience.
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Here's What The CIA Has Been Investing In. You're Not Gonna Like It
Within the next year or two, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will instantly know everything about your body, clothes, and luggage with a new laser-based molecular scanner fired from 50 meters away. From traces of drugs or gun powder on your clothes to what you had for breakfast to the adrenaline level in your body—agents will be able to get any information they want without even touching you. And without you knowing it.
So not only can they scan everyone. They would be able to do it everywhere: the subway, a traffic light, sports events… everywhere.
According to the undersecretary for science and technology of the Department of Homeland Security, this scanning technology will be ready within one to two years, which means you might start seeing them in airports as soon as 2013.
In other words, these portable, incredibly precise molecular-level scanning devices will be cascading lasers across your body as you walk from the bathroom to the soda machine at the airport and instantly reporting and storing a detailed breakdown of your person, in search of certain “molecular tags”.
So it seems TPTB see how stupid the sheeple are and are pressing forward due to lack of resistance. As someone noted to me once: 9/11 was an IQ test and the American people failed miserably. This is what we get in return.
Full article here.
A Letter To The Editor 7-11-12
Now that the newspaper is published elsewhere, it is understandable that there was no coverage yesterday about the resolution that the City Council passed on Monday in response to the outrageous misststements that it has made in regard to certain members of the Council. However, there is no such excuse for the lack of mention of that action by Council in today’s article about the meeting.
The Daily Times appears to be engaging in partisan politics by strictly limiting the information its readers receive. Almost any statement by Jim Ireton is accorded front page coverage and prompt publication both in print and online, sometimes with editorial reiteration and support, but comments by members of Council, with certain exceptions, are often presented as soundbites taken out of context or grossly distorted in both news articles and editorials.
And what coverage has there been of the Albero campaign for mayor?
Mr. Bassett: what say you about this situation?
New Posts to fall below.
You'll Never Believe How Much Cash Big Labor Pumps Into Politics
The $3.3 billion figure comes to us from the Journal’s Tom McGinty and Brody Mullins who researched little-known union and labor federation reports to the Labor Department.
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Merck Hid Evidence Of Vioxx Harm: Study
The authors came to this conclusion after running an intent-to-treat analysis of three placebo-controlled studies that Merck conducted to determine whether Vioxx was useful in preventing or treating Alzheimer’s disease. Merck, however, did not publish such an analysis; instead, the drugmaker relied on so-called on-treatment analysis, which is not the preferred method for ferreting out potentially harmful side effects that may occur in a clinical trial (here is the abstract).
Simply put, an intent-to-treat analysis will examine patients who were on the study drug, as well as time spent off the drug, but still enrolled in the study. The on-treatment approach used by Merck will not capture as many side effects. If a drug causes people to get sick and drop out of a study, then counting only the results that occur on treatment can bias results to favor the drug being studied, since the placebo arm is unlikely to cause as many patients to drop out.
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Obama Gives Himself Control Of All Communication Systems In America
President Obama released his latest Executive Order on Friday, July 6, a 2,205-word statement offered as the “Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Communications Functions.” And although the president chose not to commemorate the signing with much fanfare, the powers he provides to himself and the federal government under the latest order are among the most far-reaching yet of any of his executive decisions.
“The Federal Government must have the ability to communicate at all times and under all circumstances to carry out its most critical and time sensitive missions,” the president begins the order. “Survivable, resilient, enduring and effective communications, both domestic and international, are essential to enable the executive branch to communicate within itself and with: the legislative and judicial branches; State, local, territorial and tribal governments; private sector entities; and the public, allies and other nations.”
President Obama adds that it is necessary for the government to be able to reach anyone in the country during situations it considers critical, writing, “Such communications must be possible under all circumstances to ensure national security, effectively manage emergencies and improve national resilience.” Later the president explains that such could be done by establishing a “joint industry-Government center that is capable of assisting in the initiation, coordination, restoration and reconstitution of NS/EP [national security and emergency preparedness] communications services or facilities under all conditions of emerging threats, crisis or emergency.”
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To Cut Taxes Or Keep Services
In case you missed it, in this New York Times article, Michael Cooper highlights Maryland’s “pristine” credit rating and #1 schools in the nation.
To Cut Taxes or Keep Services: 2 States Act as Test Cases
By MICHAEL COOPER, The New York Times
Published: July 10, 2012
OCEAN CITY, Md. — As state governments begin to emerge from the long downturn, many are grappling with a difficult choice: should they restore some of the services and jobs they were forced to cut after the recession — or cut taxes in the hopes of bolstering their local economies?
The debate over the proper balance between taxing and spending has been raging in Congress, on the presidential campaign trail and in statehouses around the country, and no two states have settled it more differently this year than Maryland and Kansas, whose fiscal years began July 1.
Maryland, a state with a pristine credit rating controlled by Democrats, raised income taxes on its top earners this year to preserve services and spending on its well-regarded schools — leading some business groups to warn that the state might become less competitive. Kansas, controlled by Republicans, decided to try to spur its economy with an income tax cut — which Moody’s Investors Service, the ratings agency, recently warned would lead to “dramatic revenue loss” and deficits that will likely require more spending cuts in the coming years.
The choices made by Kansas and Maryland could provide something of a real-time test of the prevailing political theories of taxing and spending — though it could be years before the results are in.
Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland, the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, gave an impassioned defense of his approach to mayors from across the state who gathered here at the end of last month at the annual convention of the Maryland Municipal League.
“Without any anger, and without any meanness, and without any fear, let’s ask one another in these critical months ahead and years ahead: how much less do we think would be good for our state?” Mr. O’Malley asked. “How much less do we think would be good for our country? How much less education would be good for our children? How many fewer college degrees would make our state or our country more competitive? How much less research and development would be good for the innovation economy that we have an obligation and a responsibility, a duty and an imperative, to embrace? How many fewer hungry Maryland kids can we afford to feed? Progress is a choice: we can decide whether to make the tough choices necessary to invest in our shared future and move forward together. Or we can be the first generation of Marylanders to give our children a lesser quality of life with fewer opportunities.”
When Governor O’Malley spoke here to mayors from across the state — including more conservative mayors from the eastern shore of Maryland — he got perhaps his warmest reception when he spoke about his desire to raise the gas tax so that he could begin to restore the highway funding for municipalities, which he has reluctantly cut sharply in recent years. “I haven’t given up, and I have the scars to prove it,” he said of his failed effort during the last session. “I left a lot of blood on the battlefield, but I didn’t drop the flag. The truth still remains: unless we update, and unless we find ways to invest in our transportation trust fund in a way that keeps pace with inflation, then every town and every city is going to suffer.”
Effort to Save Chesapeake Bay Carries Costs
After all, he has no choice.
"It's getting harder and harder to compete,” said Ensor, “The price of milk is declining too and all our other inputs---energy costs are all increasing, feed costs are going up so it's definitely harder."
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San Bernardino Goes Bankrupt
The past two weeks have changed all that, in a big way, as the fiscal struggles faced by so many American cities became too much for some to bear.
San Bernardino became the third California city in that small span to choose Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection with a City Council vote on Tuesday night.
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Dress Like A Cow On July 13, Get Free Chick-Fil-A
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Help Us Win A $25,000 Grant!
We are a finalist in A Suite Dream's competition to award a local non profit with a marketing project worth $25,000!
That's $25,000 worth of help for individuals with disABILITIES(tm) to expand our reach in the community and provide better training and employment opportunities!
Please support us by clicking VOTE FOR LSE
LSE has been opening doors for more than 45 years!
Your support for this grant will help us continue helping people with disABILITIES(tm) find employment in our community!
Please click on the link below or copy and paste in your browser. Then click like to support our grant application.
Chevrolet Hopes No-Haggle Pricing & 60-Day Return Policy Will Lure Car Buyers
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Muddy Waters Stigma Means $1 Billion Cost To Exit U.S.
The nation’s biggest policy lender has offered funding so Fushi Copperweld Inc. (FSIN), a Beijing-based wire maker listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market, can buy back its shares from the public, the company said last month. China TransInfo Technology Corp. (CTFO) said June 8 it would drop its U.S. listing with CDB financing. The bank has provided more funding than any other lender to help the nation’s companies exit the world’s biggest equity market, according to Roth Capital Partners , which specializes in emerging markets.
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AT&T Decides It Doesn’t Have To Bully Small Business Owner Over $1.15M After All
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It's Free Slurpee Day
Wounded Warrior Weekend Crab Feast Fundraiser
Each fall American Legion Post 64 brings combat wounded veterans from Walter Reed Hospital for an all-expense-paid bow hunting adventure. Getting these vets out of a sterile hospital setting and into our Eastern Shore woods is a great way to honor those who have sacrificed so much for us.
Calling all crab eating Patriots - Support those who have paid the price for our freedom!
$35 Tickets Available at Post 64 * 410-749-9814 or Minuteman Press * 410-548-7122
GPS: 1109 American Legion Drive, Salisbury, MD 21801 - SEE YA THERE!
Since 1919, the American Legion has been supporting VETERANS from all branches of our Armed Forces. To the wonderful, patriotic citizens of Wicomico County - Help us to continue sponsoring Scholarships for our children, give aid and assistance to our local needy Veterans and their families, and our Active Duty Personnel
FUNdamentals of Wrestling Camp: McGlinchey/Wolverines Wrestling Camp
The Wolverines Wrestling Camp is fast approaching. The camp will be Monday July 16 through Friday July 20. Times will be 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Camp will be held at the Civic Center in the Midway Room.
You can register at the Civic Center Box Office or online at the link below.
You can also register at the camp itself.
http://www.active.com/miscellaneous-recware-activities/salisbury-md/wolverines-wrestling-camp-2012
US Strip Club Sues 'Octomom' for Cancelled Shows
T's Lounge in West Palm Beach has sued Nadya Suleman, who had agreed to dance topless in eight shows that were to begin Wednesday. The club is seeking an emergency injunction to keep her from appearing at a competing club.
Suleman has been summoned to appear in court, but no hearing has yet been set. It is unclear whether the matter will be resolved before she's set to take the stage at The Playhouse Gentleman's Club in Hollywood on Friday.
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Obama's 'Progressive' Tax Plan Actually Screws Over The Little Guy
It should come as no surprise that Obama has proposed an extension of the Bush tax cuts for those workers earning $250,000 or less and a tax increase for those making above $250,000.
The extension of the tax cut for those earning under $250k will have a cost of $150B according to the White House:
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Broadway In Salisbury Announces 2012-2013 Season
Pricing is as affordable as ever, with season packages starting as low as $130! New and improved for this year, Broadway in Salisbury will be offering a “Broadway Bonuses” program including: an exclusive complimentary Broadway in Salisbury travel tumbler, automatic entry in a sweepstakes for a Kindle Fire, and a Broadway Series Member Card, opening the door to exclusive discounts in the Salisbury area. This complete bonus package is only available however until Friday, August 17th .
To purchase tickets, call (888) 610-BWAY (2929) or visit us online at www.BroadwayinSalisbury.com for more information.
Fractional Reserve Banking, Government And Moral Hazard
As Murray Rothbard put it, "Fractional reserve banks ... create money out of thin air. Essentially they do it in the same way as counterfeiters. Counterfeiters, too, create money out of thin air by printing something masquerading as money or as a warehouse receipt for money. In this way, they fraudulently extract resources from the public, from the people who have genuinely earned their money. In the same way, fractional reserve banks counterfeit warehouse receipts for money, which then circulate as equivalent to money among the public. There is one exception to the equivalence: The law fails to treat the receipts as counterfeit."
While mainstream economists extol this "money multiplier" as a nearly miraculous process that results in a robust economy, low reserve requirements actually enable banks to create trillions of dollars of credit out of thin air, a process that distorts the structure of production and gives rise to the business cycle. Once the boom phase of the business cycle has run its course and the bust commences, some people will naturally look to hold cash. So they withdraw money from their bank accounts in order to hold physical currency. But bank deposits consist of a huge amount of credit pyramided on top of a small of amount of original cash deposits. Each dollar of cash that is withdrawn unwinds the multiplier, resulting in a contraction in credit. And if depositors en masse attempt to withdraw more funds than are available in reserves, the entire of house of cards comes crashing down. This is the very real threat facing some European banks today.
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Troopers Investigating Serious Motorcycle Crash, Laurel
Date of Occurrence: Wednesday July 11, 2012 at approximately 8:45 a.m.
Resume:
Laurel, DE- The Delaware State Police are on the scene of a serious motorcycle crash in the area of Woodland Ferry Road and Bethel Road, Laurel.
The investigation is in its early stages as EMS and troopers are just arriving on the scene.
Woodland Ferry Road and Bethel Road are currently closed in the area of the crash. Motorists should find alternate routes of travel.
Health Care Repeal Vote Puts Heat on Democrats
The symbolic vote won’t go far — Senate Democrats are certain to block it if it passes the House — but Republicans hope it will build momentum by putting Democrats on the spot in states and districts across the country where the law remains unpopular.
Some Democrats have already reversed course and said they’ll vote for repeal this time around in the wake of the court’s ruling.
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MATH IS HARD, SO JUST CHANGE THE RULES
But with many companies already freezing or getting rid of pension plans, many critics are reluctant to force the issue.
Some expect the changes, passed by Congress last month and signed Friday by President Barack Obama, to have little impact on the nation’s enormous $1.9 trillion in estimated pension fund assets. And it is more important, they suggest, to avoid giving employers a new reason to limit or jettison remaining pension benefits by forcing them to contribute more than they say they can manage.
The equation underscores a harsh reality for unions, consumer advocates and others who normally go to the mat for workers and retirees: When it comes to battling over pensions, the fragile economy of 2012 gives the business community a lot of leverage.
“That wouldn’t do our members any good” if the government forces companies to make pension contributions they can’t afford, said Karen Feldman, benefits policy specialist for the AFL-CIO, the giant labor federation that supported the legislation.
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GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ANNOUNCES DESIGNATION, EXPANSION OF FIVE MARYLAND ENTERPRISE ZONES
“I am pleased to approve these five Enterprise Zones, which will help create and retain jobs and make the State a more competitive location for doing business,” said Governor O’Malley. “Enterprise Zones are an important tool to revitalize our urban and rural communities and are critical to the long-term fiscal, economic and social health of Maryland.”
Baltimore City received approval to designate a 13,489-acre Zone including three Focus Areas. New areas in the Zone include the Reisterstown Station area, Gwynn’s Falls, St. Agnes, Franklintown Road and West North Avenue extending the Zone downtown to Pratt Street. The three Focus Areas include the Jones Falls Focus Area, which includes commercial areas around Remington, Charles Village and the 25th Street Station Project; the OldTown Mall and the surrounding commercial area; and the industrial areas of Carroll-Camden, as well as the commercial areas of Poppleton and Hollins Market.
“Baltimore’s Enterprise Zone and Focus Areas have been an important part of our efforts to attract and retain jobs and residents in Baltimore City,” Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. “These designations have laid an important foundation for new investment and economic growth in key areas throughout the City."
“The inclusion of long-distressed neighborhoods in Baltimore’s newly designed Enterprise Zone represents a possible boon to these communities,” said Baltimore City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young. “We need to ensure that we continue to support small businesses and encourage job growth. This newly expanded Enterprise Zone has the potential to accomplish both goals.”
Cumberland received approval to renew its Gateway Enterprise Zone, which encompasses 7,121 acres and includes the downtown area, North Branch Industrial Park, Commerce Center, the former Kelly-Springfield plant and the former PPG facility. The renewal will help in the continued redevelopment of downtown Cumberland by promoting higher-wage professional occupations while maintaining and attracting additional manufacturing jobs.
“We are grateful to the State for recertifying Allegany County’s Gateway Enterprise Zone,” said Michael W. McKay, President, Allegany County Board of Commissioners. “This will allow the County and City of Cumberland to continue to incentivize a large geographic area for economic development purposes. This has been, and will continue to be, a great job creation tool for Allegany County.”
Also approved for re-designation, as well as expansion, is Hagerstown-Washington County, which will add 2,499 acres for a total of 3,900 acres. Since the Zone was first designated in 1992, the County has been able to attract a number of companies, including Manpower Staffing, Phoenix Color and Lowe’s. The expanded area includes the Hopewell Road area west of I-81 as well as acreage in and around the former Washington County Hospital location. Expansion of the Zone will help the County and City of Hagerstown compete with neighboring states for companies and jobs.
“We thank the State for its approval of the zone as this is a great incentive tool to help our existing businesses to expand and new businesses to relocate here,” said President of the Board of Washington County Commissioners Terry Baker. “Governor O’Malley’s decision to expand the Enterprise Zone will allow Washington County and the City of Hagerstown to help create even more economic development opportunities in the area.”
"With the renewal of the Enterprise Zone, we've expanded the boundaries to include areas of the City that are in need of investment,” said City of Hagerstown Mayor Robert E. Bruchey, II. “All businesses should become more familiar with this program so we can maximize its use. These are great incentives that should be highly considered for anyone who wants to grow their business."
Pocomoke-Worcester County received approval to designate a 1,037-acre Zone to include downtown Pocomoke, the Pocomoke Industrial Park and the riverfront area. Several existing local companies, including Hardwire LLC, H&H Furniture Company, Aurora and Bel-Art, were attracted to the area because of the Enterprise Zone benefits. The designation will help Pocomoke continue to incentivize commercial investments in areas that have struggled to attract new businesses, jobs and visitors.
“Re-establishing the Enterprise Zone in Pocomoke City is a strong tool in our arsenal to advance economic development and further Worcester County’s reputation as having a business-friendly climate,” said Commission President James C. “Bud” Church. “This designation helps focus local and state resources that foster business growth and development, leads to the creation of skilled jobs in economically distressed areas and results in a stronger local economy overall.”
Also in Worcester County, the Town of Snow Hill received approval for a 179-acre Zone that includes all commercial and industrial property located within the town limits. The designation will help to revitalize Snow Hill’s downtown area, which has lost a number of businesses in recent years due to the economic recession.
“We are delighted with Governor O’Malley’s selection of Snow Hill as an Enterprise Zone”, said Town of Snow Hill Mayor Charlie Dorman. “This is an important step for the retention of current businesses, attraction for future business and the potential to expand job opportunities.”
The Department of Business and Economic Development approves the State’s Enterprise Zones while local governments are responsible for their administration. Businesses operating within an Enterprise Zone may be eligible for a tax credit towards their state income tax filings based upon the number of new jobs created, and a tax credit on their local real property taxes based upon their overall capital investment into a property.
Dem Chair Wasserman Schultz Outsourced Money To Swiss Banks, India
Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been running around for a few days now sliming up the airwaves with smears and innuendo that started with this article written by Vanity Fair's Nicholas Shaxson, a bigtime leftist and Occupy supporter. Essentially, the Wasserman Schultz talking point has been: "We don't know what Romney's hiding in his shady finances so we need to find out."
Really, Debbie? Well, we don’t know if you tortured small animals on-camera, and until you release all of your home movies we won’t know.
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Gains Made in Maryland School Assessments
In the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) elementary student reading proficiency levels have increased from 88 percent in 2011 to 88.2 percent in 2012. Math proficiency levels have increased from 86.3 to 87.7 percent.
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To see how your school ranked this year click HERE
The Facts
FACT: Change Maryland is a GOP-led, partisan organization founded by a former Ehrlich appointee, failed congressional candidate and failed would-be candidate for Governor.
FACT: The number of millionaire households in Maryland has actually increased 19% during the O’Malley-Brown Administration, according to the non-partisan Phoenix Institute. Today, Maryland has the highest percentage of millionaire households in the United States, and our overall share of the United States’ millionaire residents has actually increased since 2006. Lastly, the balance between Virginia and Maryland remains statistically unchanged during that time.
FACT: Governor O’Malley inherited a $1.7 billion structural deficit from an Ehrlich Administration that increased spending by nearly 34% over 4 years. In 2007, Governor O’Malley called a Special Session to resolve the inherited structural deficit through a balanced approach of unprecedented cuts to spending and yes, new revenues. The decisive actions taken during the 2007 Special Session – including $550 million in cuts and a penny’s increase on the sales tax – would have eliminated the structural deficit by Fiscal Year 2012 had our country not been plunged into recession by George W. Bush’s reckless spending and tax cuts that overwhelmingly favor the wealthy.
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In Defense Of Brad Pitt’s Mom
Witness the reaction to actor Brad Pitt’s mother, Jane, who publicly opposed President Obama’s re-election. Mrs. Pitt’s pro-life, anti-gay marriage statement to her local paper last week enflamed the Tolerance Mob. And her mere expression of dissident political views exposed the glittering hypocrisy of the left-wing “No H8″ campaign.
In a letter to the editor for Missouri’s Springfield News-Leader, Mrs. Pitt responded to another reader who argued that Christians should not support Mitt Romney because of his Mormon faith. Arguing for interfaith tolerance, she praised Romney’s “high morals” and “business experience.” The celebrity mom urged “prayerful consideration” from fellow Christians before voting for Obama — “a man,” she pointed out, “who sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer, and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage.”
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WCSO Press Releases 7-11-12
Date of Incident: 8 July 2012
Location: 300 block of Wyman Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Samuel Curtis, 49, Crisfield, MD
Narrative: On 8 July 2012 at 12:41 AM, deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report a glass breaking at a residence in the 300 block of Wyman Drive. While enroute, deputies were provided with a description of a subject who was seen leaving the area where the sound of broken glass was coming from. One of the deputies stopped and questioned Samuel Curtis who was found
walking nearby. Curtis matched the description provided and also coincidentally had a crowbar hidden in his pants leg. The deputies then observed how this item perfectly matched the fresh pry marks at the residence in the 300 block of Wyman Drive where the incident occurred. It is apparent that Curtis was trying to break into the house when the noise apparently alerted neighbors.
Curtis was placed under arrest for attempted first degree burglary of an occupied residence. Curtis was 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 Curtis in the Detention Center in lieu of $40,000.00 bond.
Charges: Attempted First Degree Burglary
Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 8 July 2012
Location: 34000 block of Railroad Avenue, Pittsville, MD
Suspect: David K. Erdman, 46, Pittsville, MD
Narrative: On 8 July 2012 at 8:46 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported altercation at residence between a live in boyfriend and girlfriend. Upon arrival, the deputy learned that the pair was arguing when the boyfriend, David Erdman, pushed his girlfriend out of his way.
Erdman is also accused of punching one of his girlfriend’s vehicles and hitting another with a hammer.
The investigating deputy concluded the assault did occur and also saw corresponding damage to the girlfriend’s vehicle which led to the arrest of Erdman.
The deputy transported Erdman 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 Erdman in the Detention Center in lieu of $5,000.00 bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
Malicious Destruction of Property
Incident: Possession of Marijuana
Date of Incident: 8 July 2012
Location: West Road at Boundary Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Sidney L. Douglas, 30, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 8 July 2012 at 3:26 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle operated by Sidney Douglas for an equipment violation. The deputy became suspicious of the overt nervousness of Douglas the deputy decided to conduct a drug K9 scan of the vehicle. During that scan, the K9 alerted to the odor of illegal drugs in the vehicle which led to the subsequent search and recovery of marijuana.
The deputy placed Douglas under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Douglas on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Possession of Marijuana
No More Tax Free Internet Shopping?
Right now, if you go to a store, you'll pay 6% sales tax. But not if you buy the same product online.
But Congress is considering a bill that would change the practice.
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