Salisbury News: 08/15/12

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

MUSLIM WOMAN SUES DISNEY FOR NOT ALLOWING HER TO WEAR HER HIJAB TO WORK

Imane Boudlal, a former hostess at a Disney-owned restaurant is suing the company, claiming that she was not allowed to wear her Islamic headscarf while at work. According to her lawsuit, which was filed on Monday, Boudlal says that when she showed up wearing her hijab, she was told to take it off. If she chose not to do so, her other options were to stay out of customers’ sights or — to go home.

According to The Daily Mail , the issue took form in 2010 when the woman was working at Storyteller Café inside Disney’s Grand California Hotel. She had learned while taking her U.S. citizenship exam that it is permissible for her to wear a head scarf to work and, thus, she decided to start doing so. While she hadn’t yet enjoyed this supposed right during her first two years working at the restaurant, she subsequently began wearing it to work.

Special Ops Group Attacks Obama Over Bin Laden Bragging, Leaks

A group of former U.S. intelligence and Special Forces operatives is set to launch a media campaign, including TV ads, that scolds President Barack Obama for taking credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden and argues that high-level leaks are endangering American lives.

Leaders of the group, the Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund Inc, say it is nonpartisan and unconnected to any political party or presidential campaign. It is registered as a so-called social welfare group, which means its primary purpose is to further the common good and its political activities should be secondary.

In the past, military exploits have been turned against presidential candidates by outside groups, most famously the Swift Boat ads in 2004 that questioned Democratic nominee John Kerry's Vietnam War service.

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USDA Buys Meat To Help Drought-Stricken Farmers

The government will buy up to $170 million worth of pork, lamb, chicken and catfish to help drought-stricken farmers, the White House said Monday as President Barack Obama brought his re-election campaign to rural voters in Iowa.

The purchase for food banks and other federal food nutrition programs is expected to help producers struggling with the high cost of feed during the worst drought in a quarter-century.

Federal law allows the Agriculture Department to buy meat and poultry products to help farmers and ranchers affected by natural disasters.

The Department of Energy announced the distribution of $43 million in funding for the development of energy storage technology that is “too risky for private-sector investment.”

The Aug. 2 press release said the recipients were chosen through two programs of DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy – the Advanced Management and Protection of Energy Storage Devices (AMPED) and Small Business Innovation Research (STTR).

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) Got kicks? Every Detroit student who shows up on the cash-crucial Student Count Day will be able to answer “yes” thanks to a donation from Bob’s Classic Kicks in midtown.

BCK, 4717 Woodward, made an arrangement with the school district to give away a free pair of black leather Nikes to every student who comes to class on Oct. 3, the day when students are counted and their numbers used as the basis for per-pupil funding from the state and federal government.

The more bodies in class, the more money schools have all year.
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20-YEAR-OLD SEXUALLY ASSAULTS OWN GRANDMOTHER BECAUSE HE ‘COULDN’T GET A GIRLFRIEND’

Yesterday, police found 20-year-old Samuel Dye on top of his paternal grandmother, who he was threatening with a hammer and attempting to sexually assault. His motive? He didn’t have a girlfriend and wanted to “get some.”

Yes, really. The Charlotte Observer reports on this eminently terrifying story :

Officials say Dye went to the woman’s house around 4 a.m. Thursday. The woman’s son, 43, went to check on his mother when he heard her screaming, according to a Chester County Sheriff’s report.
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Bureau of Indian Affairs Funded 'Non-Existent' Fish Hatchery for 14 Years

The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs funded a non-existent fish hatchery for 14 years.

“For 14 years, BIA funded a nonexistent fish hatchery,” Mary Kendall, acting inspector general of the Department of Interior, told the House Subcommittee on Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations in April of last year.

“Our investigation confirmed that for 14 years the BIA funded a hatchery that never hatched a single fish,” she re-iterated.

As people cheer the presence of two women on the just-released list of presidential and vice presidential debate moderators, another question is lingering in the air: why are the hosts all white?

On Monday, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that Candy Crowley, Jim Lehrer and Bob Schieffer have been chosen to moderate the three debates in October between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. ABC's Martha Raddatz will host the vice presidential debates.

The selection of Crowley and Raddatz was music to the ears of people who had demanded the inclusion of women on the list. Yet, as Tampa Bay Times television writer Eric Deggans noted

, it will be the first time since 1996 -- when Lehrer moderated every single debate -- that there has been no person of color questioning any of the candidates for the White House.

Back in July, experts said California only saw the “tip of the iceberg” after three of its cities were forced to declare bankruptcy. Though the budget is as large as a number of small countries, lawmakers in the state have made a habit of spending everything they have, and then some. With Governor Jerry Brown proposing to raise taxes even higher to bridge the gap, some are wondering how the state is spending its existing funds.

Though it is merely a fraction of the total budget, Brian Calle at the Orange County Register notes that for just 10 Hermosa Beach state employees, taxpayers are paying more than $1 million in bloated salaries, health, and retirement benefits. These are not highly-trained specialists, but what are sometimes referred to as “meter maids” — the people who write tickets when a car is left unattended, collect meters from the machines, etc.

Joe,

This is the second time in two hours we have the ladder truck at the corner of Snow Hill and Johnson Rd. This time it is the Holly Center.

HELPING A FAMILY IN NEED

Dear Joe,

We were saddened by the news this morning of the family on Hazel Ave who lost everything to a house fire. The family renting the house is a family of four, a husband , wife, and two small children ages 4 and 1 ½. We have found that they escaped with only minor injuries however they lost everything they owned even their car to the fire. Our office is taking a collection up for them of items that they might need. We are going to store all items here in one of our storage cubes until they have a place to stay. Could you please put out their story and let anyone who can help know that they can drop all donations off to Cubes Storage To Go 102 Broadway St, Fruitland MD.

They will need clothes, toys for the children, and household items. The sizes for the family are as follows: The father wears a size LG shirt, 36 pants, 10 shoe. The mother wears size 1x clothes, 8 ½ - 9 shoe. The 4 year old girl wears size 5T clothes, and size 1 shoe. The youngest daughter wears size 2T clothes. Size 6t shoe, and size 5 diapers. It is hard enough for a family to make it week to week I could not imagine having to replace everything you own and pay bills as well. Lets open up our hearts for this family.

AL QAEDA KIDNAPPING CHILDREN FOR FUTURE JIHAD

Al-Qaeda has been kidnapping children in Somalia and brainwashing them to launch future attacks on the West, the Daily Mail reported.

The “terrorist schools” reportedly chain children, as young as seven-years-old, to beds while they are taught an extreme version of Islam.

The children, all of whom are under ten years of age, were also taught about suicide bombings and told they would go to paradise if they perpetrated “martyrdom operations,” according to the newspaper.

GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, appearing at a rally in Zanesville, Ohio, on Tuesday, compared President Barack Obama giving credit to the government for the success of businesses with giving the bus driver credit when a child makes the honor roll.

"If a kid makes the honor roll. I know that that kid could only make the honor roll by getting on the bus and going to school, but if they make the honor roll, I say congratulations to the kid. I don't give the bus driver the credit," Romney said.

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Congress Approval Rating Hits All-Time Low In Gallup Poll

Just one in 10 Americans approves of the job Congress is doing, according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday, tying the branch's lowest approval rating in 38 years. Congress originally hit the 10 percent mark in February, before bouncing back several points.

MEDIA BLACKOUT ON OBAMA DOCS BAFFLES ARPAIO POSSE

Detective Michael Zullo is surprised to say the least. He is chief investigator for Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse looking into the authenticity of President Barack Obama’s long-form birth certificate. At a recent press conference, he presented his evidence, which he says points to forgery. He expected the media to follow up with questions about the evidence. What he got was unabashed hostility.

“I really didn’t expect them to come out of the gate attacking us as they did,” Mr. Zullo said.

Nearly a month has passed since a July 17 press conference where Mr. Zullo presented evidence which he says proves that Mr. Obama’s long-form birth certificate is a fraud. “They didn’t pick up on anything. They just don’t want to know about this,” he said. “We presented the most compelling stuff that we know we can prove. That’s the other side of it. We can prove this. This isn’t speculation anymore.”

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Scooter Accident

Joe,

One rider involved, no automobiles. Rider ok. Corner of Snow Hill and Johnson Rd.

Ladder truck to a guy who fell off of a scooter!

2,362 Millionaires Got Unemployment Benefits

There were 2,362 people who earned a million dollars or more in taxable income in 2009 and who also received federal unemployment benefits that year, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service.

In fact, these millionaires collectively raked in more than $20 million in unemployment benefits.

The Congressional Research Service report--Receipt of Unemployment Insurance by Higher-Income Unemployed Workers (“Millionaires”)--was published on Aug. 2 and was based on the most recent data available from the Internal Revenue Service.

Four Years Late

Obama campaign pays its bill to cash-strapped NV school district

What was it: in-kind contribution or unpaid campaign debt?

LAS VEGAS — While President Obama’s fundraising woes are making national headlines, is his Obama for America campaign looking to cut costs by shortchanging school districts and municipalities for the cost of his events?

As the President crisscrosses the country in his bid for re-election, holding campaign rallies and fundraisers in towns and cities across America, local governments keep attempting — and failing — to get his campaign to pay its event-related expenses.

In Las Vegas, however, taxpayers — who for nearly four years had been on the hook for about $25,000 — finally received some reimbursement late last month.

It was — coincidentally enough — on the very day that the Clark County School District finally released to Nevada Journal district invoices and other public records for the Obama campaign’s 2008 use of district facilities.

When now-President Obama was merely candidate Obama, Nevada was a swing-vote state and a political battleground. Candidate Obama flew in and out of Las Vegas often, holding political rallies at local high schools — and leaving unpaid expenses behind.

Now, all around the country, something quite similar is going on.

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FEULNER: Democrats’ Food-Stamp Foolishness

Do you know what Maryland gives its welfare recipients so they can access cash and food benefits? An “Independence Card.”

If that sounds a bit Orwellian, consider the perverse spending increases that the Obama administration has planned for food stamps and an array of other forms of welfare. Why perverse? Because the whole goal of the successful welfare reform of the 1990s was to reduce dependence. The president’s budget would do just the opposite.

Mind you, spending on the food-stamp program (also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) has been growing rapidly for some time now, from $19.8 billion in 2000 to $84.6 billion in 2011. Under the president’s budget, this trend would continue, with nearly $800 billion in food-stamp spending over the next decade.

DELAWARE SPCA AND SUSSEX CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION PARTNER ON PAWS FOR A CAUSE PROGRAM

Win-win program benefits dogs and inmates

Delaware SPCA announced its partnership with the Sussex Correctional Institution on a pilot program called PAWS FOR A CAUSE. The Paws for a Cause Pilot Program will utilize volunteer inmates to train adoptable dogs from the Delaware SPCA's Georgetown shelter.

"This is a win-win proposition for both the Delaware SPCA and The Sussex Correctional Institution," said Anne Cavanaugh, Executive Director of the Delaware SPCA. "It will benefit the dogs to spend more time with humans, and their adoptability will improve with basic obedience training."

Volunteer inmates from the prison's Honors Building will receive instruction once a week from a volunteer certified dog trainer. The trainer assesses the dogs and gives the inmates custom assignments for that week. The dogs, Sire and Vinnie, live with their inmate trainers, and work on their training assignments each day.

"We are excited to offer this pilot program to our inmates. It provides interaction with a companion animal which can help with rehabilitation," said Sussex Correctional Institution Deputy Warden Linda Valentino. "Our Incarcerated Veterans Group (IVG) has been very involved with getting this program off the ground. It is one of our long-term goals that the trained dogs might be adopted by local Veterans. In fact, our IVG is raising funds in the hopes of covering some of the potential adoption fees for Veterans."

A successful pilot will result in shelter dogs earning comprehensive 'Canine Good Citizen' training certificates at the direction of the selected inmates. This certificate increases the likelihood that these dogs will find forever homes.

"Thus far, this pilot program has exceeded our expectations, and we look forward to extending it indefinitely. The participating inmates, as well as those not directly involved in the program, love having the dogs around," Valentino said.

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$320M Powerball Jackpot Sparks Return Of Lottery Fever

A $320 million Powerball jackpot is scheduled for Wednesday night, and officials are hoping the million-dollar mania that seized the area earlier this year could turn the drawing into a record-breaking win.

The national drawing is set to be the fourth-largest in Powerball history — the top prize was $365 million won six years ago — but that number could rise, Virginia Lottery Executive Director Paula Otto said, as jackpot hopefuls hit the ticket machines in the hours leading up to the drawing.

By early Tuesday afternoon, the lottery had jumped to $320 million, up $15 million from projections made earlier in the day.

Obama's Strange Dependence On Valerie Jarrett

President Obama canceled the operation to kill Osama bin Laden three times before saying yes, because he got cold feet about the possible political harm to himself if the mission failed. Instead of listening to advisors from the U.S. military, Defense, or even State, Obama was acting on the advice of White House politico and close friend Valerie Jarrett. Valerie Jarrett?

This account comes from Richard Miniter's upcoming book Leading From Behind: The Reluctant President and the Advisors who Decide for Him. Miniter has written a half-dozen books on the war on terror. He is relying on an unnamed source within the U.S. military Joint Special Operations Command who was directly involved in the operation and planning of the Osama bin Laden kill mission.

Is the story credible? According to Edward Klein, a reporter once asked Obama if he ran every decision by Jarrett. Obama answered, "Yep. Absolutely."

Edward Klein, former foreign editor of Newsweek and editor of the New York Times Magazine for many years, describes Jarrett as "ground zero in the Obama operation, the first couple's friend and consigliere." Klein -- who claims he used a minimum of two sources for each assertion in his book on the Obama presidency, The Amateur -- writes in detail about Jarrett opposing the raid on bin Laden. She told Obama not to take the political risk. Klein thought Obama ignored Jarrett's advice. Miniter tells us he listened to her, three times telling Special Operations not to take the risk to go after bin Laden.

We need to understand the role Valerie Jarrett plays in Obama's private and political life.

"If it wasn't for Valerie Jarrett, there'd be no Barack Obama to complain about," starts Klein's chapter on Jarrett. He quotes Michelle Obama on Jarrett's influence over her husband: "She knows the buttons, the soft spots, the history, the context."

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Russian Attack Submarine Sailed in Gulf of Mexico Undetected For Weeks, U.S. Officials Say

A Russian nuclear-powered attack submarine armed with long-range cruise missiles operated undetected in the Gulf of Mexico for several weeks and its travel in strategic U.S. waters was only confirmed after it left the region, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.

It is only the second time since 2009 that a Russian attack submarine has patrolled so close to U.S. shores.

The stealth underwater incursion in the Gulf took place at the same time Russian strategic bombers made incursions into restricted U.S. airspace near Alaska and California in June and July, and highlights a growing military assertiveness by Moscow.

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Legalize Competing Currencies

I recently held a hearing in my congressional subcommittee on the subject of competing currencies. This is an issue of enormous importance but unfortunately few Americans understand how the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department impose a strict monopoly on money in America.

This monopoly is maintained using federal counterfeiting laws, which is a bit rich. If any organization is guilty of counterfeiting dollars, it is our own Treasury. But those who dare to challenge federal legal tender laws by circulating competing currencies − at least physical currencies − risk going to prison.

Like all government created monopolies, the federal monopoly on money results in substandard product in the form of our ever-depreciating dollars.

Yet governments have always sought to monopolize the issuance of money, either directly or through the creation of central banks. The expanding role of the Federal Reserve in the 20th century enabled our federal government to grow wildly larger than would have been possible otherwise. Our Fed, like all central banks, encourages deficits by effectively monetizing Treasury debt. But the price we pay is the terrible and ongoing debasement of our money.

Allowing individuals and business to use alternate currencies, especially currencies backed by gold and silver, would expose the whole rotten system because the marketplace would prefer such alternate currencies unless and until the Fed suddenly imposed radical discipline on its dollar inflation.

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Police Say Doctor May Have Been Experimenting On Stepdaughter

DOVER, Del. — A Delaware pediatrician who achieved national recognition for his research into near-death experiences involving children may have been experimenting on his 11-year-old stepdaughter by waterboarding her, police said in court documents.

The possible link between Dr. Melvin Morse’s research and the waterboarding allegations was revealed in an affidavit for a search warrant for Morse’s computers. The document was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.

According to the affidavit, Dr. Morse brought the girl “to a possible near death state from the simulation of drowning.”

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National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Winners

For our 24th annual photo contest, National Geographic Traveler magazine received more than 12,000 entries from 6,615 talented photographers in 152 countries around the globe. Using the power of photography, you shared your lives with us. Taken in locations ranging from Afghanistan to Vietnam, the winning pictures show everything from peaceful landscapes to unexpected moments. However, all of them depict the beauty of the places and people that make traveling memorable. Did your favorites make the cut?

See who won!

Biden Unchained

Obama may have to put Joe Biden back in chains, because he has again put his foot in his mouth, showcasing the Obama campaign strategy called "Preach Ignorance" to blacks. Biden appears hell bent on proving that it simply doesn't matter what Democrats say or do, they will get the black vote.

Romney "wants to put y'all back in chains" was the applause line for Biden's largely black audience.

"Thank you Massa Biden for stoppin' Romney from puttin' us black folks back to da chains!"

It wasn't even so much what Biden said, but how he said it. Biden intended to sound like he was a black Baptist minister at a revival, preaching about the devil. How racist and elitist of Biden to say something so ignorant and demeaning! Biden proved yet again that Democrats are constantly looking to invoke the race card. They will use any means necessary, even if it means taking black folks down memory lane to reminisce about the atrocities of Democrats! What next; a post-911photo op in Air Force One over the Statue of Liberty and the citizens of New York, F-16 in tow?

Memo to Joe Biden: Much of the demographic that supports him and Barack don't use banks. They use payday loan businesses and pawn shops. So if anybody should be scared of Romney taking over the banks, it's not black folks or Mexicans for that matter. So if Romney gets control of the banks, about the worst thing that will happen is blacks and Mexicans will get the fees to their debit cards increased. Oh wait...that already happened under Obama-Biden.

But there is good news for black people fearful of going back into chains. Russell Simmons will come to the rescue with the RushCard, "The easy, convenient, secure alternative to a bank."

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Union Thugs Crying About Democratic Convention

Labor leaders have had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year, politically speaking.

So bad, in fact, that they decided to throw a temper tantrum and partially boycott the Democratic National Convention — holding their own “shadow convention” in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Inspired by the anger labor officials felt over Democrats holding their nominating convention in North Carolina — a right-to-work state that is proudly the least unionized in the country — the “shadow convention” focused on labor issues that union officials think are being overlooked by the Democratic Party.

It wasn’t always this way. Big Labor and Democrats used to have a nearly unbreakable bond. The AFL-CIO even was kind enough to draft for President Obama a list of things it wanted him to do, titled “Priorities for Day 1.” Topping that list was reducing financial transparency for what unions did with their dues money. The administration happily obliged.

Israel Plans Iran Strike; Citizens Say Government Serious

Dozens of Israelis crowded in front of a storefront at a Jerusalem shopping mall yesterday to pick up new gas masks, part of civil defense preparations in case the military strikes Iran and the Islamic Republic or its allies retaliate.

“Our leaders seem to have gotten very hawkish in their speeches and this time it seems they mean what they say,” said Yoram Lands, 68, a professor of business administration, who was picking up new masks for himself and his wife at a distribution center in the mall.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Aug. 1 that time “is running out” for a peaceful solution to Iran’s atomic program. The Tel Aviv-based Haaretz newspaper reported Aug. 10 that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are considering bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities before U.S. elections on Nov. 6. Mark Regev, Netanyahu’s spokesman, said government policy is not to comment on media speculation.

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COLLAPSE OF THE STATUS QUO

Great article by Charles Hugh Smith. The collapse has already begun. Rich people are pulling their money out of stocks, banks, and risk assets; stashing money away somewhere they believe is safe. People have lost faith in the stock market, 80% of which is either manipulated or run by computers. The government is bankrupt, both here and other countries. Banks are insolvent. Economies are slowing and contracting. Cities, states, and countries are facing bankruptcy. It’s already started.

People’s expectations have risen on the massive debt-fueled expansion of standards of living. When meter-maids are paid $100,000 per year, and 60 million other government workers are making a fortune doing nothing of any value, expectations have probably peaked. When tens of millions of people live entirely off the government, don’t work, and get free everything, expectations have again probably peaked. Yet, without credibility, the whole system collapses. The avalanche of lost credibility has already started. Many people that work for a living and are getting killed by taxes and regulations, people that actually contribute and produce, are looking forward to the collapse, for things to return to some semblance of sanity. It won’t be long now. I enjoyed this simple explanation, makes perfect sense to me.

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Md., 13 Other States Back Affirmative Action Policy

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, on behalf of 14 states, is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold racial preferences in college admissions.

The court is scheduled to hear arguments Oct. 10 in a lawsuit by Abigail Fisher, a white student who was not admitted to the University of Texas in 2008. Fisher is challenging the university’s admissions policy as a violation of her civil and constitutional rights.

The court’s ruling will be its first on affirmative action in higher education since 2003.

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TRAPWIRE: Leaked Stratfor Emails Indicate Sophisticated Surveillance Grid May Exist

TrapWire is the other really interesting story out there at the moment that is not being covered at all in the United States mainstream media, which at this point has become a gigantic joke and national embarrassment (only 21% of Americans trust TV news according to a recent gallup poll).

So what do we know about TrapWire at the moment? Unfortunately, the answer is not that much, but we definitely know enough to be very concerned and our media outlets should be spending a lot of time on this subject rather than the petty topics on which they spend the majority of their wasted existence.

From what is out so far we know that TrapWire is a sophisticated surveillance system that consists of at least: CCTV cameras, license plate readers and open source date bases offered to major corporations and governments around the world. The Sydney Morning Herald informs us that:

The emails and other documentation revealed TrapWire is installed in some of the western world’s most sensitive locations – including the White House, 10 Downing Street, New Scotland Yard, the London Stock Exchange and five hundred locations in the New York subway system. Trapwire is also installed in many Las Vegas casinos.

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Romney Camp Seizes On Biden Comment On ‘Chains’

DANVILLE, Va. — Vice President Joe Biden told voters in southern Virginia on Tuesday that Republican Mitt Romney wanted to put them “back in chains,” sparking outrage from the GOP campaign.

Addressing a crowd that included hundreds of black people, Biden saidRomney wants to get rid of new Wall Street regulations Obama signed into law after the 2008 financial collapse.

“Unchain Wall Street,” Biden said. “They’re going to put y’all back in chains.”

10,000 Communities Begin Crackdown On Drunken Driving

Over 10,000 communities across the country are continuing the campaign to crack down on drunken driving.

The hope is that this annual crackdown will highlight the overall impact law enforcement officials have on drunken driving.

Though the number of drunken driving incidents has gone down by 30 percent over the past five years,

the U.S. Department of Transportation says it's still a serious problem.

“Delegate Mike McDermott: Bringing More Money To The Lower Shore...”

(ANNAPOLIS) -- “As one who wants to encourage an environment where jobs are created and positive movement in government whenever opportunity is found, I am supporting the Senate Bill 1 as presented by the Governor and the Senate” stated Delegate Michael A. McDermott (R - Worcester and Wicomico Counties) when asked about his take on Senate Bill 1 (SB-1), titled “Gaming Expansion - Video Lottery Terminals and Table Games.”

“In addition to allowing table games to insure that we can compete with gaming operations in Delaware, local revenues are enhanced to insure that more money remains at the local level. For the first time, money will flow from Prince George’s County to the lower shore when table games come online at the National Harbor site. This will significantly change the amount that local jurisdictions receive in support of schools, infrastructure, and public safety” replied Delegate McDermott.

Under Senate Bill 1, Worcester County will receive an additional $200,000.00 grant along with a 5% increase from statewide table games. That additional revenue will come in handy as local governments work to absorb additional cutbacks by the state in education and public works funding. The taxing formula will also change for Ocean Downs moving from a tax rate of 67% to 57%. This should help eliminate the deficits experienced by the ownership following a review of the previous annual losses ($2.25 million). The alternate rate should provide a stable base going forward.

Delegate McDermott worked vigorously to make sure Worcester County was included in the benefits that arose from this bill. “Expanded gaming in Maryland will have a significant impact on local jobs and expanded revenues for local coffers on the lower shore. I worked with representatives from the Governor’s Office along with leadership in the House and Senate to insure that Ocean Downs was protected and that local impact grants were increased for local governments. I also worked to protect certain provisions in the bill which keep in place restrictions to development at the Ocean Downs site such as: no hotels, and no convention center facilities. This protects the balance that is currently in place at the resort” stated Delegate McDermott.

Not only did Delegate McDermott stand for Worcester County during discussion on this bill, but he also supported American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts across the state. Under an amendment to SB-1, these organizations will be allowed to place up to five gaming machines in their facilities. Half of all their proceeds must be donated to local charities while the other portion can be utilized by the organization to support our veterans. In response to this amendment, Delegate McDermott stated “This represents a huge victory across the state for these organizations and the charities that will be benefited by their benevolence. We know on the shore this has resulted in millions of dollars being shared back into our communities.”

“This bill will create thousands of construction jobs at a time when we are losing jobs by the thousands. It will create thousands of new jobs within the gaming industry, including the site at Ocean Downs. As all of this will occur in the private sector, this means more commerce at the local level and across the state. Real increases in tax revenue will be the result” concluded Delegate McDermott

SB-1 will be further debated on the Maryland House and Senate Floor later today.

2012 Electoral College Scoreboard

GO HERE to view.

Paul Ryan - A Great Choice For Vice President!

I hope you are as thrilled as I am about the Romney/Ryan ticket. Mitt Romney's new running mate, Paul Ryan, is a strong conservative leader. Paul Ryan is a Congressman from Wisconsin and is a champion on the budget and a leader in fiscal common sense. He supports decreasing the deficit and balancing the budget; exactly what America needs after four years of careless spending. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are the team that will get our economy back on track. Please join me in supporting Romney/Ryan so we can restore our nation and hand down a better United States of America to our children and grandchildren.

Get Involved

Please show your support for my campaign by visiting www.andyharris.com and signing up to volunteer. There are only 84 days until the election and we need your help to make sure we keep a Republican in Congress. You can also go online to request a lawn sign for your home or business and a bumper sticker for your car.

First Congressional District Bull Roast

Please mark your calendars for the First Congressional District Bull Roast on Saturday, September 22 at noon. Join us for an afternoon of great food and great music. You won't want to miss our great speaker... announcement coming soon! Tickets will be on sale shortly.

Tax Free Shopping

Now is a great time to get your back to school items. Tax free week continues until Saturday, August 18th. Clothes and shoes under $100 are exempt from Maryland's 6% sales tax!

God Bless, 

Andy Harris

Today's Fill In The Blank 8-15-12

We need more _____ on the Eastern Shore.

MMHS Fundraiser

3rd Annual All You Can Eat Crab Feast

Come out & Enjoy…

Crabs, Fried Chicken, Clam Strips, Corn & desserts
Bring you own mallet and knife (BYOB)
$30.00 per person
When: Saturday, September 22, 2012
Where: Hebron Fire Department

5:00 - 7:00PM - Crab Feast
7:00 - 8:00PM - Silent/Loud Auctions
8:00 – 11PM – DJ/Dance

The Friends of Mardela High School are proud to sponsor this event
All proceeds benefit the Mardela PTA and Mardela Middle & High School

(All tickets will be sold in advance)

Tickets will be available at Mardela Middle High School
Please call 410-677-5142 for more information

Attendees must be 21 and over.

Republican Headquarters Set Up By World Gym In Salisbury

Troopers Arrest Two In Rape Case, Blades

Location: 200 block of East Sixth Street, Blades, DE

Date of Occurrence: December 1, 2011 through July 26, 2012

Victims:

14 year old female
11 year old female

Defendants, Charges and Bond Information:

Tobias J. Cerillo, 35, Blades, DE

Rape 1st (2 counts)
Rape 2nd (3 counts)
Rape 3rd (2 counts)
Rape 4th (2 counts)
Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child
Sexual Solicitation of a Child
Unlawful Sexual Contact with person under 13
Conspiracy 1st (2 counts)
Unlawful Sexual Contact 2nd (7 counts)
Endangering the Welfare of a Child (2 counts)
Indecent Exposure 1st
Lewdness (3 counts)
Providing Alcohol to Underage Person (2 counts)

Arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $255,000.00 cash bail.

Carrie L. Leager, 30, Seaford, DE
Rape 1st (2 counts)
Rape 2nd
Rape 3rd
Rape 4th
Unlawful Sexual Contact with person under 13
Conspiracy 1st (2 counts)
Unlawful Sexual Contact 2nd
Endangering the Welfare of a Child (2 counts)
Indecent Exposure 1st
Lewdness
Providing Alcohol to Underage Person (2 counts)

Arraigned at JP3 and committed to Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution on $81,700.00 cash bail.

Resume:
Blades, DE- The Delaware State Police have arrested two people in connection with sexually assaulting two girls.

The investigation into the allegations began on July 26, 2012 when the 14 year old female victim informed family members of the continuous sexual assaults over a six month period that occurred while in the company of Tobias J. Cerillo who is a friend of the victim’s family. The investigation revealed that on one account, the 14 year old and an 11 year old female were given alcohol by Cerillo and Carrie Leager while at Cerillo’s residence located in the 200 block of East Sixth Street in Blades. Once intoxicated, the two were sexually assaulted and alleged to have performed unlawful sexual acts with the two adults.

Cerillo and Leager were arrested on the above listed charges and committed the respective correctional institutions on cash bails. The two were ordered to have no contact with the victims or anyone under the age of 18.

If anyone has any similar incidents involving the suspects, they are asked to contact the Troop 4 at 302-856-5850 ext. 218 or Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333. Information may also be provided via the internet at http://www.tipsubmit.com/

Send an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."

Today's Advertiser Of The Day 8-15-12

Steak Salisbury 410-749-5445

GOP Lawmakers File Suit Against Holder Seeking 'Furious' Documents

Republican lawmakers leading a congressional investigation into Operation Fast and Furious have filed a lawsuit in federal court urging a judge to compel the Justice Department to turn over documents related to the botched gun-running probe.

In the lawsuit, lawyers representing House Republicans said Attorney General Eric Holder's "intransigency" and "contumacious refusal" to comply with a House subpoena have prevented congressional investigators from determining whether the Justice Department intentionally tried to obstruct their investigation.

After President Obama asserted executive privilege over the documents nearly two months ago, the full House, mostly along party lines, held Holder in criminal and civil contempt of Congress. But with a Holder ally as the gatekeeper to criminal proceedings in Washington, the criminal contempt citation was virtually dead on arrival. So now Republicans are hoping a judge will enforce the civil contempt citation.

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Biden: God! I love Paul Ryan’s Dead Dad

Hey, excuse me while I kick Paul Ryan’s dead father

Joe Biden took a classy turn today by invoking Paul Ryan’s dead father–who passed away when he was fifteen.

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Rep Raises Alarm After Murders By Illegals Blocked From Deportation By Home Countries

Long after they were ordered out of the country, thousands of criminal aliens from places like China, Cuba, Vietnam and Pakistan remain free in the United States to commit new crimes because their home countries refuse to take them back.

For years, this unique problem percolated under the political radar. But recent crimes by immigrant felons have lawmakers scrambling to punish nations that refuse to repatriate their own citizens. The Obama administration and many Democrats in Congress, however, are blocking punitive legislation, preferring to let the State Department handle the issue diplomatically.

Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, is leading the charge in Congress to change the law, pushing to withhold visas to nations that refuse to take back their own.

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Dog in the Water Park

77 Years After It Became Law, Social Security Keeps 20 Million Americans Out Of Poverty

Today marks the 77th anniversary of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act into law, creating arguably America's most successful social program. "We can never insure one hundred percent of the population against one hundred percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life, but we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age," FDR said on that day.

Today, as this table from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows, Social Security is keeping more than 20 million Americans out of poverty:

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Will Affordable Care Act Lead To More Or Less People With Employer-Sponsored Insurance? (Hint: No One Knows)

With the clock ticking down to 2014, when many of the controversial portions of the Affordable Care Act start kicking in, the folks at the Government Accountability Office thought they would look into whether or not certain provisions in the law would cause some employers to stop offering health insurance to employees, or cause them to add benefits, or lead consumers to look for cheaper options elsewhere. After sifting through available studies, the GAO came to a conclusion that we'll probably just have to wait and see.

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Judge Upholds Pennsylvania Voter ID Law; Opponents To Appeal

In a blow to voting rights advocates, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson upheld the state’s restrictive voter ID law, which could disenfranchise as many as 750,000 citizens in the state.

Though voter ID proponents were unable to cite even a single case of voter impersonation that would justify the ID requirement, Simpson “didn’t rule on the full merits of the case,” instead limiting his scope to whether it was a proper exercise of the legislature’s authority, according to the AP. They continue:

The original rationale in Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Legislature for the law — to prevent election fraud — played little role in the case before Simpson since the state’s lawyers acknowledged that they are “not aware of any incidents of in person voter fraud.” Instead, they insisted that lawmakers properly exercised their latitude to make election-related laws when they chose to require voters to show widely available forms of photo identification.

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Today's Survey Question 8-15-12

Who do you believe needs more support, (staff and financial) the Salisbury Police Department or the Salisbury Fire Department?

The History Of Employees & Grant Money In The City Of Salisbury

You might be wondering why there's a picture of Cathy Bassett at the top of this Post. Well, Cathy is yet the newest member of the Salisbury Zoo Staff.

That's right Folks. No, you didn't read this in the Daily Times as Cathy is the Wife of Greg Bassett. Let me remind all of you just how the Salisbury Zoo works.

You see, they go out and get grant money through the Zoo Commission and run to the City Council to approve each person. However, here's the catch.

Without the public really being aware of what's going on, they supplement the difference of income through DONATIONS given to FEED THE ANIMALS at the Zoo. In Cathy's case, are you really feeding the animals when you make a donation at the Zoo. Well, kind of. However, much of the money your donating now goes to pay her salary on top of the catered food lunches the Zoo Commission enjoys at their monthly meetings.

So this begs the question, since Laura Mitchell is the Council Representative at the Zoo, why haven't you heard about Cathy Bassett being hired. Is it because Laura rarely attends Zoo Commission Meetings? Why does Laura constantly challenge other Council Members about their not reporting back to the on goings of their appointments, yet this got swept under the rug.

The Zoo Commission hired a Bookkeeper, a secretary and some education staff. Guess what Folks, now they're full time employees of the City. No, the Zoo Commission filed for grants and once the grants were up the City had to take them all on as employees and provide them with benefits to boot. You can expect the same to happen with Cathy Bassett.

So why do I bring all this up, what do you think would have happened with all those Firefighters are hired through grants. At least you now know it would cost the taxpayers around $700,000.00 a year to keep them!

And what does the Salisbury Police Department end up with, NOTHING. A Police Chief too afraid to ask for more Officers and or pay raises. Why, because the Zoo, (a FREE Zoo, mind you) and a Fire Department gets it all.

Now think about this. The Zoo used to be loaded with a majority staff of volunteers. The Fire Department used to be loaded with a majority of volunteers. Now what do we have in both of these departments.

Salisbury is being driven into the ground with these bureaucrats who are only interested in their special agendas. We have crime through the roof yet a Police Department running on fumes and morale at an all time low. We have Officers walking off the job weekly and a Fire Department screaming blue bloody murder because they can't hire an additional 12 Firefighters because they want to improve response time.

I ask you this. How many of you have complained because a Police Officer took too long to get to a scene? How many of you have complained that a Police Officer never even showed up? Then ask yourselves this, how many of you have complained because the Fire Department took too long to get to a scene or not show up at all?

This administration has their heads shoved so far up their rear ends and don't even know what daylight is any more. It's not that I don't support the Zoo or the Fire Department, I just know how to run a business and Salisbury is being run like a fantasy football camp.

Some of you may hate me for the way I see things but one thing I can assure you of, the majority see my views as the common sense rule of business 101. Forget the grant, it will screw taxpayers 2 years from now and beyond. The Salisbury Police Department needs us Ladies & Gentlemen and we must start supporting their wants and needs as of yesterday.

Is the new Police Chief prepared to run that department with the proper funding and make things work, I just don't know yet. However, as your next Mayor I know I'd rather have a Police Chief fighting tooth and nail for their Staff than a Police Chief too scared to step up to the plate in defense of their Officers and the safety of this community.

Cathy Bassett is a wonderful person but let me assure you of one thing, this Community Outreach Development Director position is way out of her league. Did the Zoo Commission advertise this position being a 501C3? Her background is public relations. There are a LOT of people out there who need a good job. I guess it's all about who you know in Salisbury.

Remember Folks, the Zoo went from a $300,000.00 yearly budget 7 years ago to almost $2,000,000.00 a year. If you want to know why you haven't seen raises in the Police Department or other departments, here's your answer. And remember who your feeding the next time you go donate money at the Salisbury Zoo because it sure isn't all for the animals.

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012