More Record Achievement

Today, a new report out from the Harvard Kennedy School confirmed what we already know: Maryland students continue to lead the nation.

According to its report, Maryland led the country in the growth in student achievement between 1992 and 2011.

Maryland’s economy is an Innovation Economy and we know that investments that improve the education of our children are investments that expand economic opportunities for our entire State. That’s why even as we’ve made record spending cuts, we have chosen together to make record investments in public education and school construction.
We’ve made real progress together:

For the past four years in a row, Education Week has named Maryland’s public schools #1 in the nation.

This year, we achieved the highest-ever MSA scores in elementary reading and math.

This year, we achieved the highest-ever middle school math scores.

Today, more than 76% of our middle school students score proficient in math—up from 39% in 2003.

Our high school students continue to lead the nation with the highest Advanced Placement Scores.

Working together, since 2007, we’ve closed the achievement gaps between African-American and white students by 23% and between Hispanic and white students by 38%.

Thank you to all of the educators, parents, administrators, support staff and faculty who work every day to help our children succeed and become the leaders of tomorrow.
And of course, a special thank you to all of our students who continue to make us proud!

Denver Company That Pays Employees $7,500 To Go On Vacation Needs Workers

Bart Lorang calls it a "paid, paid vacation."

The CEO and co-founder of Denver-based software provider company FullContact is offering his employees a $7,500 bonus to go on vacation, on top of their normal vacation pay.

So what's the catch? There's three, as Lorang describes in a blog on the company's website.

First, employees must completely go off the technology grid,  meaning no e-mail, texting or phone calls. In conjunction with the first rule, employees are not allowed to do any work while on their trip.

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Co-Sleeping Research Looks At Breathing Risks For Baby

Researchers have new information about the possible health risks of infant co-sleeping, finding that it can increase the number of times the babies' oxygen level drops in the night and can cause them to rebreathe air they've already exhaled.

But most of the babies in the small study were able to cope with those changes.

"The bed-share infants experienced more desaturation events and were more often exposed to rebreathing," said Sally Baddock, an associate professor of midwifery at Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand. "But these infants, [who were] at low risk of SIDS [sudden infant death syndrome], appeared to be able to respond effectively and remain safe."

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Tim Geithner's Libor Recommendations Came Straight From Banks, Documents Show

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has so far escaped responsibility for the spreading Libor fixing scandal by releasing documents showing that when he became aware of the problem in 2008, as head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, he made recommendations to address it.

"The New York Fed analysis culminated in a set of recommendations to reform LIBOR, which was finalized in late May. On June 1, 2008, Mr. Geithner emailed Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, a report, entitled 'Recommendations for Enhancing the Credibility of LIBOR,'" a Fed statement released Friday reads. "As is clear from the work culminating in the report to Mr. King of the Bank of England, the New York Fed helped to identify problems related to LIBOR and press the relevant authorities in the UK to reform this London-based rate."

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Rep. Ryan: Obama is "Dividing," "Distracting" The Country

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., said President Obama's attacks on Mitt Romney's tenure at Bain Capital is not important to voters, and that the president is ignoring issues Americans really care about.

"I'm sitting here in Janesville, Wisconsin; people are not worried about the details as to when Mitt Romney left Bain Capital to save the Olympics or the details about his assets, which are managed by a blind trust for Pete's sake," Ryan told Bob Schieffer. "They're worried about their jobs and their family's future.

"Barack Obama, he doesn't want to talk about that," the top Republican on the House Budget committee added. "He has a terrible jobs result, he has a terrible record to run on, so since he cannot run on his record he has now gone to dividing the country in order to distract the country and try to win this election."

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Democrat Suggests Jews Behind 9/11 Attacks

During a radio interview today, M.D. Alam, a Democrat activist running for Missouri secretary of state, defended his reported claim that 9/11 was a Jewish holiday and his questioning of why no Jews were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Sept. 11, 2001, however, was not a Jewish holiday, and estimates conclude at least 200 to 400 Jews, including five Israelis, died in the World Trade Center attacks.

In the interview, Alam also defended “Loose Change,” a series of online videos arguing the 9/11 attacks were planned and conducted by elements within the U.S. government.

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Lawmakers Criticize the FDA for Surveillance Operation

Two members of Congress, one Republican and one Democrat, expressed concern over the news that the Food and Drug Administration monitored the communication of five scientists after they raised concerns about medical imaging devices.

The surveillance campaign, according to The New York Times, gathered more than 80,000 pages of documents of communication between five scientists and journalists, members of Congress, lawyers and President Obama.

"The extent to which the FDA spied on employees' personal email is shocking. The more we learn, the more disturbing it is," Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said. "The FDA's actions raise serious implications for the right of any agency employee to make protected disclosures about waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, or public safety to Congress or anyone else."

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Sheriff Joe Responds to Smutty Comic

PHOENIX, Ariz. – In response to a vicious verbal assault by comic George Lopez on Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Mitt Romney during a live HBO special, Arpaio has issued a challenge he doubts Lopez will accept.

After joking Romney was a closeted Latino because his father was born in Mexico, Lopez ripped into Arpaio with a string of obscenities and insults.

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Language Warning.

Dog Found On Eastern Shore Drive

Hey Joe,

I found a lost dog today at work and didn't know if you could post something on your blog about it in case someone's looking for her. She's a brown/black (looks like) long-haired chihuahua mix. If could that would be awesome! Please contact me at 443-493-0069.

Syria Thought to Be Moving Chemical Weapons

The United States believes Syria has moved "some" chemical weapons in recent days, a U.S. official said.

The stockpile is believed to be is under the control of regime forces, the source said.

The official, who would only speak anonymously because the source was speaking about intelligence matters, said the reason behind the movement is unclear. The source could not say what types of chemical stockpiles were involved or how much was moved.

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Canada Swooped in to Freeze Billions in Arab Spring Assets: Documents

Canadian authorities red-pencilled almost $4.3 billion in suspect assets belonging to dictators, allegedly corrupt officials and others in response to the Arab Spring uprisings, newly disclosed documents say.


An RCMP briefing note says the national police force's federal policing branch worked with the Foreign Affairs Department, Public Safety, security intelligence agencies and Canadian banks to "identify and freeze" the assets.

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Remember Them?

I'm sure everyone saw the movie these two were in when they were younger. Do you recognize them now that they are older?

To see more Then and Now click HERE

New Ethanol-Blend Fuel Approved by EPA Can Damage Car Engines, Group Warns

A new blend of gasoline comprising 15 percent ethanol, approved by the Environmental Protection Agency last month and now available in Kansas, could damage automobile engines, the Kansas Petroleum Council is warning.

“We don’t have a problem with ethanol,” council director Ken Peterson told CNSNews.com. “We use it virtually in every gallon of gasoline that’s produced for sale in this country, but the E15 is kind of a different animal in that both the petroleum industry and the car manufacturers have raised concerns about potential damage from the use of E15 fuel in a misfueling situation [putting the wrong type of fuel in your vehicle by mistake].

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Washington DC Plagued By Scandal And Bad News

Washington - Residents of the nation’s capital may have thought they’d outgrown the scourge of a crack-using mayor and high murder rates, of exploding manhole covers and crumbling schools. But an embarrassing corruption scandal further threatens to tarnish the city’s burnished image and could topple its new leadership.

A federal probe into Mayor Vincent Gray’s 2010 campaign has snared three of his aides, and news that some close advisers helped orchestrate an illegal shadow campaign could force him from office. Three city council members have called on Gray to step down.

The city already is reeling from leadership changes. One council member, Harry Thomas Jr., just began a three-year prison term for stealing $353,000 in taxpayer money slated for poor kids. And, in an entirely separate corruption probe, the council president, Kwame Brown, stepped down last month after pleading guilty to federal charges of falsifying mortgage documents.

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Economists Less Bullish as Early 2012 Gains Wither

Economists say the sales and profit gains of early this year are disappearing, and they are increasingly pessimistic about short-term growth.

They also are gloomy because of the potential impact in the U.S. from Europe's financial crisis, the possible expiration of the Bush tax cuts in December, and the prospect of major cuts in federal spending.

A survey by the National Association for Business Economics released Monday also found less evidence of hiring, confirming the trend in recent monthly jobs reports from the government.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY 7-16-12

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some fifty miles of concrete pavement. We pay for a single fighter with a half-million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people. . . . This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower – April 1953

Are Greg Bassett & The Daily Times Out Of Their Mind

This weekend Greg Bassett wrote an editorial that really threw me for a loop and I'm sure those of you who read it felt the same way.

Here we have a business sharing their alleged wisdom towards what is right and wrong about Downtown Salisbury. Let's just take a look at the Daily Times involvement in this matter.

First of all, they sold their Downtown building. Not only did they sell it, they sold it to PRMC who no longer pays taxes on that property.

Mr. Bassett goes on to rag on Debbie, Terry & Tim, the Council of no's. Well Greg, you, (the DT's) DID endorse them this last go around. You make no mention of subsidized housing units Downtown nor did you mention that the former City Council's for the last 30 years rejected this idea as well.

Mr. Bassett goes on to IMPLY that these ideas should be up to the Council. He said, "That was pretty surprising to me, because I wasn't exactly aware that the council majority actually possessed any plans, viewpoints, goals, wishes, dreams, ideals, notions and hopes for Downtown Salisbury."

No Greg, the Council is the LEGISLATIVE body. Their responsibility is to accept or deny and again, the past 30 years worth of Council's DENIED such Downtown ideas as well, yet we're just not hearing personal attacks on those Council Members.

Mr. Bassett continues by saying, "And I guess I'm wrong for thinking this, but it seems to me that even if the council does have downtown-grandization (I made up that word) ideas swimming in their brains, these same folks have no ability, true determination or public support to get to any of those ideas implemented -- nonexistent though they are."

You are wrong for thinking that. IF any of the Council Members wanted to run for Mayor, I'd say they'd have a LOT more citizen support than you would ever have Mr. Bassett. So I'd say their support is a whole lot greater than you attempt to imply. The ONLY difference is, YOU wouldn't publish those better ideas even if they sent them in to you AND they were great ideas. The Daily Times only agenda is THEIR agenda.

Mr. Bassett then said, "Let's try this in words anyone can understand: Don't politicize Downtown Salisbury -- come together and fix it."

And just what exactly are YOU doing Mr. Bassett? This coming from a guy who has watched the company he works for go from 200+ employees down to what now, 12?

"Leaders are generally known to throw out a list of goals, and then seek public consensus on which goals should be addressed in which order. Leaders are measured by their ability to lead the completion of these goals. It's a leadership thing."

And the local MSM goal seems to be the same as the Mayors, throw a FIT and write nasty things about people implying this is actually the Council's job and not the Mayor's. The Council said NO to affordable, subsidized section 8 housing on waterfront parking lots Greg. It was a PACKAGE and it was turned down because of this.

"The epitome of indecision is the current state of the Downtown Plaza. Is it a plaza, is it Main Street? -- It's half dead and half alive."

You know what Greg, maybe you should get off your lazy corporate butt, (I'm being nice) and actually come down to the Plaza and see that it's actually 80%, (if not more, seriously) full/occupied. Once again the Daily Times tries to lead people into believing whatever they say is true when in fact it is not.

"Salisbury's leaders have a job to do on downtown. They're not doing it. Things will only stay that way, it seems, until the public makes them."

As did 30 years worth of past Council's Mr. Bassett. Just because someone comes up with a plan he "stole" from 30 years ago to current doesn't mean it is the right plan. Again, you removed your business from Downtown. You have reduced your employees by 90% and as a FAILING business now attracting other newspapers to compete I seriously doubt ANYTHING you have to say would hold any real weight to it.

So, that being said Mr. Bassett, in all your years of wisdom, why didn't YOU take that opportunity to offer your suggestions for Downtown? You sit on the outside criticizing people of some pretty horrible things, yet you offer no solution, other than to abandon Downtown yourself.

You make absolutely no mention whatsoever of my plans/ideas/proposal for Downtown. Instead you act as if Jim Ireton's "stolen" plan is the best ever. Mr. Ireton's plan removes property from the tax roll. His plan would decrease ALL property value even lower than it already is Downtown. His plan eliminates most of the parking Downtown that will be vital once the Downtown is revitalized.

I also did not read a solution from Mr. Bassett on how we're supposed to unite the Council. I guess Mr. Bassett still feels the Daily Times has some power left in them to influence this Council into doing what Mayor Ireton wants. Perhaps Mr. Bassett is trying to make good on the recent alleged phone scandal and is simply putting out there what the Mayor wants the public to see. Desperate people do some pretty desperate things.

Now let me say this. I believe we would ALL enjoy seeing Downtown full of foot traffic and people spending money. I believe that this can be accomplished with a lot of hard work. I believe we need to visit successful Downtown areas and learn from their decisions. Using the easy out by selling off parking lots and bringing in grant money is the wrong avenue. Yeah, I've already heard from some local developers bitching because the Council said NO. While I respect these developers, I disagree with them simply because THEY are the ONLY ones who would benefit from Mayor Ireton's proposal.

Again, I want ALL of you to think about the following. How many student housing units, affordable housing and section 8 housing units have been built in the last 6 years. The answer is, A LOT! Now, how many new homes have been built in Salisbury in the last 6 years. The answer, NOT MANY. Are we now in the market majority of entitlement housing?

Mr. Bassett and Mr. Ireton, this is Salisbury, Maryland. It is not Harlem. I do NOT believe the citizens want to see an inner city built here in Salisbury. I also don't think ANYONE has forgotten what happened to Crisfield, Maryland. We already have an abandoned high rise on Fitzwater that reminds us of what Crisfield looked like only a few years ago. Their answer was all section 8 housing. Our economy has NOT turned around. I will NOT allow any such project to be proposed to this Council or ANY other Council. If we ever want to climb out of this depression we'll need to do so utilizing the WATER FRONT PROPERTY we now own to our ADVANTAGE, if we ever choose to go that route.

AND, IF you don't like it, DON'T vote for me.

Tacks On Road Cause About 30 Punctures During Tour de France 14th stage

Tour de France officials are asking police to investigate the presence of tacks on the route — causing around 30 riders to encounter punctures during the 14th stage.

Speaking on French TV, race director Jean-Francois Pecheux has also credited the Sky Team — whose leader, Bradley Wiggins, is in the yellow jersey — for encouraging the pack to not speed ahead or take advantage of the mishaps of the affected riders, including defending champion Cadel Evans.

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Higher Taxes Cost Maryland $1.7 Billion In Tax Revenue

GO HERE to view video.

Nation Becoming 'Killing Fields' as Islamists Declare, 'Convert or Die'

Fifty members of a northern Nigerian church were burned to death in their pastor’s house.

The attack by armed gunmen was only the first in a 12-village spree of violence that left over 100 dead in northern Nigeria’s Plateau State, a region that had previously been outside Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram’s operational area and is the homeland of the largely Muslim Fulani tribesmen.

Yet Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attacks and threatened even more violence.

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The Simple Unvarnished Truth

Someone please tell me what the HELL's wrong with all the people that run this country!!!!!!

Both Republicans & Democrats

We're "broke" & can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless etc.,???????????

In the last years we have provided aid to Haiti , Chile , Pakistan, Lybia , Egypt and Turkey, And Japan Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!!

Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries!

We have hundreds of adoptable children who are shoved aside to make room for the adoption of foreign orphans.

AMERICA: a country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, elderly going without 'needed' meds,and mentally ill without treatment -etc,etc.

YET.......................

They have a 'Benefit' for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations, ships and planes lining up with food, water, tents clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies.

Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries.

Sad isn't it?

Judge to Begin 5-day Hearing in Military Leak Case

A military judge in Fort Meade, Md., is beginning a 5-day motions hearing for an Army private charged in the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history.

Pfc. Bradley Manning is charged with aiding the enemy and other offenses. Prosecutors say he gave hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic cables and war logs to the secret-sharing website WikiLeaks.

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Troopers Investigate Crash On US 113, Selbyville

Location: South DuPont Boulevard (US113 southbound) and McCabe Road, Selbyville, DE

Date of Occurrence: Monday July 16, 2012 at approximately 8:25 a.m.

Operator and Vehicle Information:

Operator: Steven B. Emich, 51, Milford, DE
Vehicle: 2009 CIXK Scooter
Passenger: Mary M. Suchting, 46, Milford, DE

Resume:
Selbyville, DE- The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a crash that occurred this morning sending two people to the hospital.

The crash occurred at approximately 8:25 a.m. this morning as Steven B. Emich was operating a 2009 CIXK Scooter southbound on the shoulder of US 113 near McCabe Road, Selbyville. For unknown reasons, Emich failed to see a disabled 1995 Chevrolet Lumina parked on the shoulder of the road. The Scooter struck the left rear of the Lumina ejecting Emich and his passenger, Mary M Suchting, into the southbound lanes of US113.

Emich and Suchting, who were not wearing helmets, were airlifted from the scene by the Delaware State Police Helicopter and LifeNet Helicopter to Christiana Hospital where they are listed in stable condition.

The investigation is continuing into the cause of the crash. Northbound and southbound lanes of US113 were impacted approximately an hour and a half due to the helicopters landing in the roadway as well as the troopers investigating and clearing the scene. It is unknown what the relationship is between Emich and Suchting.

Wicomico County Tax Increase

"I got my newest tax bill....and it made me sick when I openned it. I knew there was an increase...but I thought it was 7%? My taxes went from $1,646 to $2,041...WTF! That's a 24% increase"?

MSNBC.com Disappears as Microsoft and NBC Dissolve 16-Year Partnership

Microsoft is pulling out of the joint venture that owned MSNBC.com, freeing the world’s largest software maker to build its own online news service.

The breakup announced late Sunday dissolves the final shreds of a 16-year marriage between Microsoft Corp. and NBC News, which is now owned by Comcast Corp. The relationship began to unwind in 2005 when Microsoft sold its stake in MSNBC’s cable TV channel to NBC.

NBC is buying Microsoft’s 50 percent interest in the MSNBC website for an undisclosed amount, though the New York Times reports that Microsoft will receive roughly $300 million.

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Daily Times Educates You About Sex On The Beach

As if we haven't seen enough from the Daily Times, below are just some of the quotes in today's article.

"No matter what, sand will find its way to places where you don't want it to be,"

"I think there is something inherently appealing about risqué public behavior, but I think (sex on the beach) is more about saying you did it than the actual sensation that comes from it,"

"I don't have any problem with it. If I see it, I'd just say 'whatever,' " he said. "Some girls like it, and some don't; it depends who you are."

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UK Downplays Olympic Security Snafu

British government ministers fought back against accusations they had taken their eye off the Olympic security ball, rejecting accusations they were warned nearly a year ago about the security giant contracted to provide guards for the Games.

G4S, the security contractor, admitted on Wednesday that it would not be able to provide more than 10,000 security staffers by the time the Olympics begin in less than two weeks.

The government hurriedly announced it would bring in 3,500 military personnel to boost security for the Games.

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Obama Piles New Sanctions Against Iran

Washington - In the latest ratcheting up of pressure on Iran, the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama Thursday imposed new financial sanctions against Iranian and other companies whose operations allegedly support the country's nuclear and ballistic-missile programmes.

The Treasury Department said it was blacklisting 11 companies and several individuals associated with Iran's defence ministry, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as Iran's national shipping line.

It also blacklisted several companies in Hong Kong, Switzerland and Malaysia, as well as the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), which the treasury alleged have been used by the national oil company to evade existing sanctions against Iranian oil experts.

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6 Hotel Chains Allow Point Gifts to Wounded Vets

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin and Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger are launching a program allowing Americans to donate hotel reward points to wounded warriors and their families.

The Maryland Democrats scheduled a news conference Monday at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington to discuss the "Hotels for Heroes" program.

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California County Weighs Drastic Plan To Aid Homeowners

Fontana, Calif. - Browning lawns surround the otherwise neat houses in these once-sparkling developments where foreclosures have become more common than neighborhood cookouts. Each patch of dead grass is a reminder of the inescapable truth: many homes here, as they are elsewhere around the country, are worth half what they were just five years ago.

Desperate for a way out of a housing collapse that has crippled the region, officials in San Bernardino County, where Fontana is one of the largest cities, are exploring a drastic option — using eminent domain to buy up mortgages for homes that are underwater.

Then, the idea goes, the county could cut the mortgages to the current value of the homes and resell the mortgages to a private investment firm, which would allow homeowners to lower their monthly payments and hang onto their property.

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Clock Ticks On Possible Gambling Special Session

Time is running out for gambling supporters to get legislation creating a sixth casino before voters this fall.

Today and tomorrow , Governor Martin O'Malley is holding  meetings to determine if a special session to consider the legislation can take place.

This morning, the governor meets with Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker and Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett.

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Caption This Photo 7-6-12

Obituary For David Bromley

David Neil Bromley, 37, of Powellville died as a result of injuries sustained in a boating accident on July 13, 2012. Born in Salisbury, MD he was the son of Ralph Wayne Bromley and Beverly Bromley of Pittsville.

David is survived by his brother Daniel Bromley and sister in law Karen Bromley; nephews Connor Hall and Luke Bromley all of Powellville; His fiancée Kelly Popp and his canine son Pollo also of Powellville; his best friend Bobby White; a special friend Laura Lowe: aunts and uncles; Jeff Brittingham of Willards; Frank and Joyce Hall of Gumboro; and Barry and Wanda Rayne of Salisbury. David also leaves behind countless friends and many other relatives too numerous to mention.

He was preceded in death by paternal grandparents Ralph and Catherine Bromley of Eden; maternal grandparents James ‘Nut’ and Dorothy Brittingham of Willards.
David was part owner of Bromley’s Auto Sales in Pittsville and loved working beside his family every day. He loved the car business and especially traveling to auto auctions. David loved life and had a great sense of humor. He loved fishing, spending time with friends and family and storytelling. He could often be found at the VFW in Powellville and American Legion in Berlin. His joy was his dog, Pollo.
David was a member of the Sons of American Legion, Salisbury Moose Lodge, The National Rifle Association and the Crooked Oak Hunting Club.

David, you were the light of our lives and we will miss you very much.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 1pm at Holloway Funeral Home. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 6 – 8pm and Wednesday one hour prior to the service. The Reverend Paul Sherwood will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Eastside Memorial VFW Post 2996, 35481 Mount Hermon Road, Pittsville, MD 21850 or Sons of the American Legion, c/o Boggs Disharoon Post 123, 10111 Ocean City Road, Berlin, Maryland, 21811.

DNREC Fish & Wildlife Enforcement Blotter June 27-July 11

DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement agents responded to 183 complaints and issued 144 citations between June 27 and July 11.

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Salisbury Police department Press Release 7-16-12

Emmanuel Lamont Jones, 37yo of Salisbury, MD was arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine (2 counts), Possession of Marihuana, Possession of CDS Paraphernalia, and Fail to Obey a Lawful Order.

On July 12, 2012 at approximately 11:00pm, officers were on patrol in the 600 block of East RailRoad Ave. The officers observed a group of subjects standing outside of a residence. As the officers drove by, the officers smelled a strong odor of burning marihuana coming from the area of the group. As the officers exited the patrol vehicle to investigate, they observed Jones start to leave the area at a quick pace. The officers were able to make contact with Jones before he entered into a residence. The officers detected a strong smell of marihuana coming from Jones. As the officers began to question Jones he became irate and started to yell at the officers. Jones was asked
to calm down and be quiet. Jones continued to be disorderly and was arrested. A search of Jones incident to arrest found suspected “crack” cocaine in sufficient quantity to indicate distribution, a quantity of suspected marihuana and related
paraphernalia.

Jones was released to the custody of central booking.

Today's Fill In The Blank 7-16-12

My fondest memory in Salisbury was _____.

Reality

UPSIDE-DOWN LAND

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if...
A Muslim officer crying "Allah Akbar" while shooting up an army base is considered to have committed "Workplace Violence" while an American citizen boasting a Ron Paul bumper sticker is classified as a "Domestic Terrorist".

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
You can get arrested for expired tags on your car but not for being in the country illegally.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions more of our money.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
A seven year old boy can be thrown out of school for calling his teacher "cute" but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
The Supreme Court of the United States can rule that lower courts cannot display the 10 Commandments in their courtroom, while sitting in front of a display of the 10 Commandments.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Children are forcibly removed from parents who appropriately discipline them while children of "underprivileged" drug addicts are left to rot in filth infested cesspools.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Working class Americans pay for their own health care (and the health care of everyone else) while unmarried women are free to have child after child on the "State's" dime while never being held responsible for their own choices.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Hard work and success are rewarded with higher taxes and government intrusion, while slothful, lazy behavior is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks, Medicaid and subsidized housing.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
The government's plan for getting people back to work is to provide 99 weeks of unemployment checks (to not work).

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Being self-sufficient is considered a threat to the government.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Politicians think that stripping away the amendments to the constitution is really protecting the rights of the people.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
The rights of the Government come before the rights of the individual.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Parents believe the State is responsible for providing for their children.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
You can write a post like this just by reading the news headlines.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
You pay your mortgage faithfully, denying yourself the newest big screen TV while your neighbor defaults on his mortgage (while buying iphones, TV's and new cars) and the government forgives his debt and reduces his mortgage (with your tax dollars).

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Your government can add anything they want to your kid's water (fluoride, chlorine, etc.) but you are not allowed to give them raw milk.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
Being stripped of the ability to defend yourself makes you "safe".

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
You have to have your parents signature to go on a school field trip but not to get an abortion.

You know you live in an Upside-down Land if....
An 80 year old woman can be stripped searched by the TSA but a Muslim woman in a burqa is only subject to having her neck and head searched.

THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST READ WHEN YOU VOTE ! ! !

Injured Owl

Joe,

This beautiful owl has been in the back yard of our house for several days, he sits on the ground or any low item it can find to perch. At times it appears his wing might be injured but can’t be sure. I find it odd that an owl would run around during the day and be a ground based animal. We contacted all the numbers you would expect and were referred to a Bird Rescue group in Newark Del. They asked that we capture the bird and meet them in Delaware. We are not prepared to capture an animal like this and don’t want to bother him if nothing is wrong.

Hoping one of your readers may have some insight, experience or ideas on what to do.

Publishers Notes: I would start by contacting the Salisbury Zoo. They have incredible resources in this area and they may even have some interest in the Owl. Many of the animals at the Zoo are injured animals that could not survive in the wild.

Today's Advertiser Of The Day 7-16-12

Current European Tax Rates

United Kingdom
Income Tax: 50%
VAT: 17.5% TOTAL: 67..5%

France
Income Tax: 40%
VAT: 19.6% TOTAL: 59.6%

Greece
Income Tax: 40%
VAT: 25% TOTAL: 65%

Spain
Income Tax: 45%
VAT: 16% TOTAL: 61%

Portugal
Income Tax: 42%
VAT: 20% TOTAL: 62%

Sweden
Income Tax: 55%
VAT: 25% TOTAL: 80%

Norway
Income Tax: 54.3%
VAT: 25% TOTAL: 79.3%

Netherlands
Income Tax: 52%
VAT: 19% TOTAL: 71%

Denmark
Income Tax: 58%
VAT: 25% TOTAL: 83%

Finland
Income Tax: 53%
VAT: 22% TOTAL: 75%

If you've started to wonder what the real costs of socialism are going to be - once the full program in these United States hits your wallet, take a look at the table. As you digest these mind-boggling figures, keep in mind that in spite of these astronomical tax rates, these countries are still not financing their social welfare programs exclusively from tax revenues! They are deeply mired in public debt of gargantuan proportions. Greece has reached the point where its debt is so huge it is in imminent danger of defaulting. That is the reason the European economic community has intervened to bail them out. If you're following the financial news, you know Spain and Portugal are right behind Greece.

The United States is now heading right down the same path. The VAT tax in the table is the national sales tax that Europeans pay. Stay tuned because that is exactly what you can expect to see the administration proposing if the Democrats win the fall elections. The initial percentage in the United States isn't going to be anywhere near the outrageous numbers you now see in Europe. Guess what, the current outrageous numbers in Europe didn't start out as outrageous either. They started out as minuscule - right around the 1% or 2% where they will start out in the United States. Magically, however, they ran up over the years to where they are now. Expect the same thing here.

It is the very notion that with hard work and perseverance, anybody can get ahead economically here in the USA. Do you think that can ever happen with tax rates between 60% and 80%? Think again. With the government taking that percentage of your money, your life will be exactly like life in Europe. You will never be able to buy a home. You will never buy a car. You will never send your children to college. Let's not shuffle the battle cry of the socialists under the rug either. It's always the same cry. Equalize income. Spread the wealth to the poor (whoever they are). Level the economic playing field. Accomplish that and everything will be rosy.

It's time to take a really hard look at reality. Greece is a perfect example. Despite the socialism system that has ruled this country for decades, with a 65% tax rate, they are drowning in public debt, would have defaulted without hundreds of billions in bailout money from the EU, and still . . . 20% of their population lives in poverty. What has all that socialism money bought, besides ultimate power for the politicians running the show? Do you think these people are "free?" They're not. They are slaves to their economic "system."

Downtown Barber Shop Closed Today And Tomorrow

The message on the door simply states they'll be closed today and tomorrow.

Ford recalls 2013 Escape SUVs

The Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 8,000 of its 2013 Escape compact SUVs because of a potential problem affecting the brake pedal.

The recall affects SUVs made between March 8 and June 7, 2012, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. There are 8,266 Escapes involved in the recall.

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University System of Maryland - Salisbury University Report

GO HERE to view these important documents.

The Most Honest Three And A Half Minutes Of Television, EVER

WARNING: This video does have foul language. HOWEVER, it is a VERY powerful message.

Today's Survey Question 7-16-12

Are we sill in a recession?

The Hookers' Union

A dedicated Teamsters union worker was attending a convention in Las Vegas and decided to check out the local brothels.

When he got to the first one, he asked the Madam, "Is this a union house?"

"No,'"she replied, "I'm sorry it isn't."

"Well, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"

"The house gets $80 and the girls get $20,'"she answered.

Offended at such unfair dealings, the union man stomped off down the street in search of a more equitable, hopefully unionized shop. His search continued until finally he reached a brothel where the Madam responded, "Why yes sir, this is a union house. We observe all union rules."

The man asked, "And, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"

"The girls get $80 and the house gets $20."

"That's more like it!" the union man said.

He handed the Madam $100, looked around the room, and pointed to a stunningly attractive green-eyed blonde.

"I'd like her," he said.

"I'm sure you would, sir," said the Madam. Then she gestured to a 92-year old woman in the corner, "but Ethel here has 67 years seniority and according to union rules, she's next.'"

Solar Panels At Jail Expected To Save $10,000 Per Year

A jail in Frederick County is installing solar panels that will be used to heat water for the facility.

The Frederick News-Post reports the project at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center is being paid for almost entirely by a grant from the Department of Energy.

The cost of the project is about $266,000. 

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Poetry In West Virginia

Tomatoes, Shoes Thrown at Clinton in Egypt

 CAIRO (CNN) -
Egyptian protesters threw tomatoes and shoes at U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's motorcade Sunday and shouted, "Monica, Monica, Monica" as she left the newly reopened U.S. Consulate in Alexandria.

Clinton said she was in the city to answer critics who believe Washington has taken sides in Egyptian politics. There were already vocal protesters at the start of her visit to the consulate, forcing the ceremony to be moved inside.

"I want to be clear that the United States is not in the business, in Egypt, of choosing winners and losers, even if we could, which, of course, we cannot," Clinton said at the ceremony to reopen the consulate, which was closed in 1993 because of budget constraints.

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Salad Days Of The Public Sector Are Over

San Bernardino, Calif., has now followed Stockton into bankruptcy.

Harrisburg and Scranton, Pa., and Jefferson County, Ala., home to Birmingham, are already there to welcome them.

Detroit has been taken into receivership by Michigan. A plan under discussion is to level a fourth of the city and reconvert it into the pasture and farmland it used to be a century ago.

On the Web, one may find a pictorial tale of two cities: Hiroshima, a smoking flattened ruin in 1945, now a beautiful gleaming metropolis. And Detroit, forge and furnace of democracy in 1945, today resembling Dresden after Bomber Command paid its visit.

Other American cities are exploring bankruptcy to escape from under the mountain of debt they have amassed or to get out of contracts that an earlier generation of politicians negotiated.

No longer shameful, bankruptcy is now seen as an option for U.S. cities. The crisis of the public sector has come to River City.

What happened to us?

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Republicans Accuse HHS Of Gutting Welfare Reform With Quiet Policy Change

Republicans are accusing the Obama administration of unilaterally gutting welfare reform after the Department of Health and Human Services quietly notified states that they may seek a waiver for the program's strict work requirements.

HHS made the announcement in a policy memo Thursday, news that slipped well below the radar amid a raucous day on the presidential campaign trail. But a few prominent GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill picked up on the change, and accused the administration of overhauling one of the most important bipartisan agreements of the past several decades.

"President Obama just tore up a basic foundation of the welfare contract" Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in a statement. He also called the move a "blatant violation of the law."

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Hello

Va. One of Strictest States in Felon Voting Rights

With the presidential election only months away, things continue to heat up in the race to the White House. However, a new study finds there are millions of Americans who won't be allowed to vote.

A new report    estimates that nearly 6 million Americans will not be voting because they've been convicted of a felony. That translates into 2.5 percent of the U.S. voting age population.

The Sentencing Project  , a D.C. advocacy group that pushes for voter restoration, conducted the report by breaking down the disenfranchisement numbers state by state for the year 2010.

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A Look At How Democrats And Republicans Differ

It is an absolute fact that no matter which of the two major parties in Washington, D.C., is in power, the freedoms and liberties of the American people continue to be eroded. However, this does NOT mean that there are not basic differences between the two parties. The two parties differ greatly on HOW government will take our liberties. Where they are similar is in the fact that neither of them has any interest in preserving liberty. Until the American people awaken to this reality, whatever freedoms we have left in this country are doomed.

Let me ask you a question: does it really matter whether a free man is enslaved by a socialist state or a fascist state? Are the prisons any more accommodating? Are the lashes from the whip any less painful? Is the agony of losing a loved one any less grievous? Is the persecution any less revolting? What difference does it make to a free man if his liberties are stolen by an Adolf Hitler or by a Joseph Stalin?

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Hillary Clinton Has Plane, Will Stir Up Trouble

The State Department reports that Secretary of States Hillary Clinton is on a trip to France, Afghanistan, Japan, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Egypt and Israel. Reports the State Department this morning:

In Hanoi on July 10, the Secretary met with senior Vietnamese leaders. She witnessed the signing of several agreements covering education exchanges and commercial contracts and meet with representatives of U.S. and Vietnamese business communities.

Secretary Clinton arrived in Vientiane on July 11. This groundbreaking visit to Laos marked the first by a Secretary of State in 57 years. The Secretary met with Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and other senior government officials to discuss a variety of bilateral and regional issues, including the Lower Mekong Initiative and ASEAN integration efforts.

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The Government is Encouraging Non-Citizens To Enroll For Food Stamps

The government is using Spanish soap operas to encourage non-citizens into the food stamp program. We are desperately trying to hang on to America’s top ranking in food stamps, ponzi schemes and prisons. Your government at work!

Key Quotes:
The government has been targeting Spanish speakers with radio “novelas” promoting food stamp usage as part of a stated mission to increase participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps.

In addition to the Spanish-language outreach, the USDA is also pushing to get non-citizens enrolled in the program. The radio novelas overcome one of the hurdles the agency has identified as hampering participation: “lack of knowledge” about the program.
“Although many non-citizens are now eligible for SNAP, SNAP participation has been historically low among eligible non-citizen households,” reads a 2011 Guidance on Non-Citizen Eligibility.

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U.S. Olympic Diving Team Gears Up For London

With less than two weeks until the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the USA Diving Team is gearing up with a four-day training session at the Montgomery County Recreation Center in Rockville.

The 11-member team will depart Sunday evening for the U.K. after its final practice.

The U.S. has not won a diving medal since the Sydney Games in 2000, but four-time Olympian Troy Dumais is optimistic that could change with this group.

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Missing Dog: UPDATE

Joe...

You did it again!!! You, along with the few comments on the post, led me to a neighbor five houses down!

You are awesome!! Your site is amazing for the furry family!!!

Thank you from the very very bottom of my heart!

Bless you and all you do!


Hi Joe.

I know that you have had a lot of success with finding lost pets. I am hoping that your blog can help with another reuniting.

My puppy got loose around 6 this evening. He doesn't have his collar on, so no id. His name is Gizmo. He is 10 months old.

We are on the south end of Camden Ave, near the 4 way stop. We, as well as a few neighbors have been looking with no luck.

He has 4 kids missing him as well. He wasn't wearing this sweater when he ran away, but he is mostly black with little patches of brown on his face and chest.
Our number is 443-397-0592.

Thanks for all you do! I hope you are able to do it again!

Maryland House of Correction in Jessup Set To Be Torn Down

For almost 20 years, Reginald Walton could judge the tenor of his day at Maryland House of Correction by the deafening sound of inmates as he climbed the stairs into one of the country's oldest and most storied prisons.

The former correctional officer returned Saturday to take a last look at the sprawling, brick-and-stone Italianate structure that for 128 years housed some of Maryland's most violent predators. The state is preparing to tear down the antiquated facility, closed in 2007.

As he examined the 6-by-9-foot cinder block cells and walked through the dining hall where the inmates once protested their prison work wages, Walton said his memories were still vivid.

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Dorchester County Romney Ralley

Delegate Addie Eckardt and the Dorchester County Republican Central Committee are sponsoring a reception Rally for Romney on Saturday, July 21 at the Richardson Museum from 5-7pm. This is an opportunity for citizens to gather and obtain campaign signs, materials and learn about the campaign on the Eastern Shore. Representatives from the Romney organization in Maryland and other candidates will be in attendance.

According to Delegate Eckardt “It is time for a new direction for our economy, with growth policies that will finally give businesses and consumers the confidence they need to get our country back on the right track.”

For more information or to RSVP please call Addie 410-310-7003 or email addieeckardt@gmail.com.

US Pledge to Rebuild Haiti Not Being Met

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - The deadly earthquake that leveled Haiti's capital more than two years ago brought a thread of hope: a promise of renewal. With the United States taking the lead, international donors pledged billions of dollars to help the country "build back better," breaking its cycle of dependency.

But after the rubble was cleared and the dead buried, what the quake laid bare was the depth of Haiti's dysfunction. Today, the fruits of an ambitious, $1.8 billion U.S. reconstruction promise are hard to find. Immediate, basic needs for bottled water, temporary shelter and medicine were the obvious priorities. But projects fundamental to Haiti's transformation out of poverty, such as permanent housing and electric plants in the heavily hit capital of Port-au-Prince have not taken off.

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Eastern Shore Tornado Downs Trees, Damages Homes

No one was injured when a tornado touched down in Accomack County on Saturday afternoon.

The twister was sighted near Custis Neck Road and Drummondtown Road on the Eastern Shore, east of Onley, according to a National Weather Service news release.

Sgt. Michelle Anaya, a spokeswoman for the Virginia State Police, said the tornado touched down in Locustville at 1:02 p.m.

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