Salisbury News: 08/20/12

Monday, August 20, 2012

BREAKING NEWS:

Wicomico County 4th Graders to only get a 15 minute recess each day at School, confirmed. By the time they get out and line up to get back in they'll only get about 5 minutes outside.

Salisbury News has been told Margo Handy was behind this. Some are encouraging parents to call and speak your mind.

Connect The Dots!

Sarah Lake, Joe Carmean and others got involved in a scandal and were fired from the Daily Times. I continue to pledge to this date that I was speaking to Jim Ireton in a personal phone call for more than 7 minutes, but it's whatever.

Because this backfired on Jim, heads rolled at the Daily Times and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, John Robinson starts a weekly newspaper. John is not stupid, he knows good timing. If what John Robinson told me last night is true, ALL of the City and County legal ads will be run in his newspaper instead of the Daily Times. The Daily Times charges, (so I'm told) up to $7,000.00 for a legal ad. Robinson plans on charging around $300.00 for that same ad.

Here's where things got even more interesting. We ALL know that Sarah Lake is like Jim Iretons personal secretary. When Jim leaves a meeting she races out of the room, (look at image above) and is the ONLY person allowed to interview Jim Ireton in his personal office. The two seemed to be joined at the hips.

Well, today I got my hands on this weeks paper and low and behold, look who's a Contributor to that paper. None other than Councilwoman Laura Mitchell's Husband. What is this, Oceans 11, or 15? The Dr. Delusional Site has shut down, (all of a sudden) using the excuse they are just too busy. Hmmmmmmm? Does the Mayor know a LOT more about who Delusions is than we had ever thought? Could they reside right here in Salisbury.

I'm banking on the thought that this extremely nasty individual who has personally attacked me, my innocent Wife and innocent Grandson is someone VERY close to the Mayor who may have started or is running a new Newspaper in Town.

Can YOU connect the dots?

FORMER D.C. UNION BOSS: OUR GOAL IS TO ‘OVERTHROW THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM AND BUILD COMMUNISM’

Anyone who‘s watched Glenn Beck’s show, or his 2010 speech at CPAC, will tell you that the main difference between a progressive and a communist is their attitude toward social change. Progressives believe that society can be guided to evolve into their preferred system; communists believe that a violent revolution is necessary to uproot the existing social order. And if nothing else, the increasingly tense exchanges between members of the Occupy movement (revolution) and supporters of the Obama administration (evolution) show that this distinction is far more than purely academic. Moreover, the open communists are coming out of the woodwork more and more.

Exhibit A: Comments by a former major D.C. Union boss, Mike Golash, made in a video shot by young conservative activists and released this weekend. Golash, who used to run D.C.’s chapter 689 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, and who is responsible for organizing workers on the D.C. metro, had some shockingly honest things to say on-camera:

Md. Secretary of State Certifies Ballot Language

Maryland's secretary of state has certified ballot language for seven statewide questions voters will decide in November.

Secretary of State John McDonough on Monday certified language for three constitutional amendments, three referendum petitions and a referendum on the expansion of gambling.

Voters will decide whether to allow same-sex marriage and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants under certain circumstances in 2 of the referendums. The other referendum asks voters whether they approve of the state's congressional redistricting map.

Christian Girl With Down Syndrome Could Face Death Penalty in Pakistan

A Christian girl with Down syndrome could be punished by death in Pakistan after she was spotted holding burned pages of Islamic text in public, activists and police say.

The girl, identified by police as Rimsha, was arrested on blasphemy charges and is being detained in Islamabad ahead of a court appearance before the end of the month, AFP reports.

Defaming Islam, the Koran or the Prophet Muhammed is a capital offense in Pakistan.

It's back-to-school time and for many parents that means making sure their children's immunizations are up-to-date.

"There are actually about 14 different vaccines that kids need and they come at all different times," says Dr. Lee Beers, a pediatrician at the Children's Health Center at Children's National Medical Center.

The medical center also runs "It's Wise to Immunize ," a program meant to increase immunization rates.

Three Busted In Alleged Diesel Fuel Theft Ring

Police say three Maryland men accused of stealing $35,000 in diesel fuel in the last two months were taken into custody in central Pennsylvania.

Investigators say the men used Panera Bread gift cards to carry stolen credit card information to buy the fuel.

The thefts were discovered after Rutter's Farm Store received a disputed purchase complaint.

Panera Bread in Nasua N.H

It doesn't take much to make a difference to someone's life.

Just ask Sue Fortier, a manager at a Panera Bread in Nashua, N.H.

Last Tuesday, Fortier arrived to work and was greeted by a surprising phone call from 21-year-old Brandon Cook. "Right off the bat he said, 'This is going to be a very strange request,' and he proceeded to tell me about his grandmother," Fortier told WMUR 9 News

It turns out that Cook's grandmother is dying of cancer. She had a specific request for her grandson: She wanted a bowl of clam chowder from Panera while she could still eat solid food, which would not be for much longer. "This is what she went on and on about, was the bread bowl here, so I tried to get it for her as best I could," Cook told WMUR News.

There was one problem. Clam chowder was only served on Fridays.

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National Cathedral Seeks Donations For Quake Repairs

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake rocked D.C.one year ago Thursday, and today there are still signs of damage at local landmarks, including the National Cathedral.

Pinnacles on the scaffolding of the cathedral's towers are being repaired, and two of them sit inside black fencing in front of the church. A number of flying buttresses and a gargoyle also were damaged.

The cathedral has launched a fundraising campaign called "Restore the Glory! " It hopes to raise $100,000 to continue restoration and help fund programming.

STEVENSON, Ala. -- James Davis is fighting to keep the remains of his late wife right where he dug her grave: In the front yard of his home, just a few feet from the porch.

Davis said he was only abiding by Patsy Ruth Davis' wishes when he buried her outside their log home in 2009, yet the city sued to move the body elsewhere. A county judge ordered Davis to disinter his wife, but the ruling is on hold as the Alabama Civil Court of Appeals considers his challenge.

Davis, 73, said he never expected such a fight.

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School Bans Coca-Cola at Football Games

Attention high school football fans in Maine: B.Y.O.C. – Bring your own Coke.

The Portland Public School system will no longer allow soft drinks to be sold on school property – including at high school football games. School officials are also banning the sale of gridiron staples like buttered popcorn and potato chips.

Instead, football fans will be encouraged to nosh on baked tortilla chips, reduced fat string cheese and hummus.

Most people don't notice a mobile speed camera until they see a flash in the rearview mirror and realize they've been caught.

That's the idea.

Local governments are availing themselves of new mobile speed cameras that resemble mailboxes as effective and profitable ways to slow drivers down.

BUSTED! LEAKED EMAILS SNAG GLOBAL-WARMING ALARMISTS

While NASA climate alarmist James Hansen insists record summer heat and drought are caused by man-made global warming, leaked internal emails from just three summers ago reveal that he and his colleagues expressed alarm that the planet was inexplicably cooling.

Hansen, often called the “godfather of global warming,” asserted earlier this month that blistering heat across the United States is so rare that it can’t be anything but the man-made global warming he has been warning about for decades.

“This is not some scientific theory,” he told the Associated Press. “We are now experiencing scientific fact.”

Bill Foundation

We received a plea for help from one of our shelter advocates late Sunday night about a Mama Shih Tzu that had been dumped at East Valley Shelter and gave birth shortly afterwards. She was malnourished and her fur was completely matted, so her pups were having a hard time finding her nipples to nurse. So Bill Foundation stepped in to save this mama and her babies.

Maryland Gov. O'Malley To Speak at Democratic Convention

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley will be a speaker at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., next month.

The Democratic National Convention Committee announced additional speakers on Monday.

O'Malley has a high profile in the party, frequently appearing on national television shows. O'Malley also is the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.

Wounded War Veteran Receives New Home From Nonprofit, Kid Rock

A wounded war veteran and his wife looking for a new house in Michigan were in for a surprise when they walked into a model home and found their friends, family and musician Kid Rock waiting inside.

The Grammy-nominated rocker, along with nonprofit Operation Finally Home and representatives from Pulte Homes, presented Sgt. Davin Dumar and his wife Dana with a mortgage-free 2,600-square-foot property that will be finished by the end of 2012, The Oakland Press reports.

“First of all, welcome home,” Rock said. “You are going to receive a fully-furnished home, top to bottom. Thank you for your service.”

Phyllis Diller, a staple of nightclubs and TV from the 1950s until her retirement in 2002, dies at 95 at home in Los Angeles.

From Fox News

FBI Probed GOP Trip With Drinking, Nudity In Israel

The FBI probed a late-night swim in the Sea of Galilee that involved drinking, numerous GOP freshmen lawmakers, top leadership staff – and one nude member of Congress, according to more than a dozen sources, including eyewitnesses.

During a fact-finding congressional trip to the Holy Land last summer, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) took off his clothes and jumped into the sea, joining a number of members, their families and GOP staff during a night out in Israel, the sources told POLITICO. Other participants, including the daughter of another congressman, swam fully clothed while some lawmakers partially disrobed. More than 20 people took part in the late-night dip in the sea, according to sources who took part in the trip.

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FAA Budget Cuts Could Limit BWI Airport’s Capacity To Handle Passengers

Looming budget cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could drastically impact airline travel in our region. Lawmakers have the power to lessen the blow but they are running out of time. Tim Williams has more on the technical term that sums up the problem.

For the FAA and transportation industry, it is a big word that sums up an even bigger problem: sequestration.

“Sequestration. The big budget cuts that are going to go through unless Congress stops it,” said Marion Blakey.

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Found Dog 8-19-12: UPDATE

Joe, the min pin showed up at our door in Fruitland at 2:30 in the morning. Please post and have owner contact us for pickup.

Petition Started To Kick Chick-Fil-A off of UMd.'s Campus

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The controversy over Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy's comments over gay marriage have come to the University of Maryland -- where students have started a petition to get the on campus location shut down.

Chick-Fil-A is called a "bigoted and hateful organization" in a petition started by students at the University of Maryland.

The petition goes on to say that allowing the company to continue operating on campus goes against the "spirit of equality that the university claims to champion."

Teen Pregnancy Declines, But U.S. Still Lags

Roxana Castro sits in an orange chair in the waiting room at Mary's Center in Washington, D.C. She's 17, and expecting a baby boy next month. The pregnancy was a surprise, she says, mostly for her parents, but also for the baby's father.

Even with her mother's help, Castro admits she's nervous. The father of the baby says he'll be there, but she knows this is a big responsibility, and says she's not ready to start a family just yet.

"A baby is so fragile," she says. "I don't know how to take care of it or anything."

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Scott McKenzie: 'San Francisco' Singer Dies At 73

LOS ANGELES — Singer Scott McKenzie, who performed "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" – which became a hit in 1967 during the city's "Summer of Love" – has died.

A statement on McKenzie's website says the 73-year-old died on Saturday in Los Angeles. McKenzie battled Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disease that affects the nervous system, and had been in and out of the hospital since 2010.

Va., Md. Governors Debate Presidential Election

The governors of Virginia and Maryland clashed over Medicare and taxes as they debated presidential politics again on national television.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley appeared Sunday on "Meet the Press" in the latest in a series of head-to-head confrontations for the pair.

A Letter To The Editor On Food Stamps

People use their independence card to buy steam crabs at Fat Boy and Skipjacks

This is from the Md Dept of Human Resources:

Spending Your Food Supplement Program Benefits Food Supplement Program (FSP) benefits are issued to households on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, called the Independence Card.

You use this card to buy your food. FSP can only be used for food and for plants and seeds to grow food for your household to eat.

Sales tax cannot be charged on items bought with food stamps.

Food stamps cannot be used to buy:

any nonfood item, such as pet foods; soaps, paper products, and household supplies; grooming items, toothpaste, and cosmetics alcoholic beverages and tobacco vitamins and medicines hot foods that are ready to eat

Maryland Loses Three Times More Jobs Than Virginia Since 2007

Maryland has lost 36,200 jobs, while Virginia has lost 12,400 jobs since 2007 according to the latest available numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Maryland is a much smaller state so on a percentage basis of jobs lost there is an even wider difference - four times as many jobs have vanished in Maryland as in Virginia. Change Maryland notes the contrast as Governor Martin O'Malley and Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell appeared on Meet the Press today discussing national politics.

"O'Malley has no business going on national TV talking about the economy, especially with Gov. McDonnell who is pounding our state into submission on job creation," said Change Maryland Chairman Larry Hogan. "Maryland is lucky enough to be one of the biggest recipients of federal government jobs and federal government spending which has kept the bottom from completely falling out of the unemployment rate. But, we have lost 6,500 businesses under O’Malley and our private sector economy is in shambles.”

Governor O'Malley frequently compares Maryland's employment picture to the entire nation as if states like Michigan and Nevada have common economic attributes. Actually Virginia is the most apt comparison since they are our next-door neighbors, share the border of Washington D.C. and compete directly for businesses and jobs.

Maryland has lost more businesses, taxpayers and jobs than its southern neighbor since O'Malley's term in office began in 2007. What's more, Virginia is the largest net recipient of that capital flight from Maryland.

Maryland accounted for the largest migration exodus of any state in the region between 2007 and 2010, with a net migration resulting in nearly 31,000 residents having left the state. Most of these individuals went to Virginia, now home to 11,455 former Marylanders, who took $390 million in earning power from the tax rolls during this three-year period, according to the IRS.

As a percentage of jobs lost since 2007, which in context puts Maryland's loss at four times that of Virginia, the state saw a decline of 1.39%, while the commonwealth stands at just .33%. In the July preliminary BLS numbers, Virginia's month-to-month gain of 21,300 jobs was the third-highest in the country, while Maryland's gain was a measly 800.

WiCo GOP Press Release

The Wicomico County Republican Central Committee is deeply concerned that the State of Maryland is increasingly seizing control of Wicomico County Schools and ignoring the wishes of Wicomico citizens. Let's look at recent developments.

During the recent General Assembly Session the State decided it can now dictate how much Wicomico County will spend on its schools, regardless of how much our elected Wicomico County Council believes we can afford. If the Council disagrees with the State, the State will simply bypass the county's General Fund and send money directly to the Wicomico County Board of Education.

The members of our Board of Education are appointed by Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley. As a consequence, approximately half of the County budget is controlled by individuals who are not directly accountable to the citizens of the County.

For decades Republican and Democratic applicants for the Board of Education submitted applications to their respective County Central Committees. The Central Committees interviewed their applicants, and submitted their recommendations to the Governor. Yet this tradition has been circumvented by Governor O'Malley, who has regularly ignored recommendations from the Republican Central Committee. Worse, last year we learned the Democratic Central Committee was interviewing and recommending Republican applicants!

Earlier this year the Republican Central Committee vetted six individuals for a Board of Education opening and recommended three well-qualified individuals to the Governor. Kim Hudson wasn't among our choices, nor did she ever submit her name to us for consideration. Instead, Governor O'Malley completely ignored the local input he received. Unbelievably, two people from the governor’s appointments office, who may or may not have ever set foot in our county, conducted telephone interviews with the applicants – and that was the extent of the evaluation process.

It is this complete lack of local input that showcases the absolute imperative for a locally-elected school board. The Wicomico County School Board should be directly accountable to the citizens of the county, not to the Governor! Will Annapolis attempt next to decide who should be our Sheriff, our State's Attorney, or even the members of our County Council?

We do not believe the Governor should be making these educational decisions, nor should the political parties’ Central Committees. We believe the citizens of Wicomico County deserve an opportunity to vote in a referendum to determine whether we want to remain one of the few Maryland counties with a Board of Education appointed by the Governor, or if we want to have a Board of Education with elected members. Our Virginia neighbors in Northampton County will have their referendum on this very issue on November 6, but the citizens of Wicomico County will not. Why?

As it stands now, Norm Conway, Rudy Cane, and Rick Pollitt believe our Governor and faceless interviewers can make better decisions than Wicomico citizens regarding the education of Wicomico County's children. For the past two Legislative Sessions, these individuals and the Maryland Democratic Party have deliberately prevented Wicomico County from conducting such a referendum.

It's long past time for the citizens of Wicomico County to rise up and condemn this misuse of political power. The citizens of Wicomico County need to tell these politicians to stand aside and let the people discuss, debate, and then decide the best course of action for our county.

A referendum to determine what the citizens desire is but the first step in the process. Each of us should ask why the Democrats are opposed to the citizens of our county making such a choice.

Dave Parker, Chair
Joe Collins, Vice Chair
Michael Swartz, Secretary
Bob Laun, Treasurer
David L. Goslee Sr.
W. Blan Harcum Sr.
Mark McIver
John Palmer
Ann Brittingham Suthowski

Dave Parker
Chair, Wicomico County Republican Central Committee

Best contest ever.
From: Joe Biden
To: Joe Albero
Date: Mon, Aug 20, 2012 12:40 pm

Joe --

We've run a lot of contests on this campaign, but you should pay special attention to this one.

Here are three reasons why: The winner gets to go to the Democratic National Convention, meet the President, AND spend time with the First Lady.

Chip in $3 or whatever you can to be automatically entered for a chance to meet her -- and her husband -- in Charlotte.

In addition to sitting up front with the First Lady as President Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for president, the lucky winner and a guest will get airfare, a hotel room, and VIP tickets to all three days of the convention.

You should give it a shot -- chip in $3 or whatever you can to be automatically entered:

Good luck!

Joe

Dear Joe,

So now this has become a game show with prizes, rather than a Presidential Election? Spend your money with the democrats and win a prize???? Send me $3.00 and I'll send you a picture of me giving you the, well, we'll just call it the #1 sign.

Signed,
Joe Albero

When The Weakest Critical Part Fails, The Machine Breaks Down

Consumer spending is the bedrock of the global economy, and consumer spending depends on expanding debt and leverage. Once that subsystem fails, consumerism and the global economy grind to a halt.

The failure of any critical subsystem in an organism triggers a catastrophic, fatal decline. It doesn't matter if the rest of the critical subsystems are functioning at optimum levels; the failure of even one essential "part" leads to death.

The metaphor is easily extended to machines, where a perfectly sound engine will fail once the oil pump ceases functioning.

The cliche is that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The conventional wisdom is that the U.S. economy is so large and diverse that the failure of any one part will have only limited consequences on the economy as a whole.

But this belief was undermined by the financial crisis of 2008, in which the apparently "limited" implosion of subprime mortgage debt dominoed into a full-blown global financial crisis.

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White House Studying Potential Oil Reserve Release

(Reuters) - The White House is "dusting off old plans" for a potential release of oil reserves to dampen rising gasoline prices and prevent high energy costs from undermining the success of Iran sanctions, a source with knowledge of the situation said on Thursday.

U.S. officials will monitor market conditions over the coming weeks, watching whether gasoline prices fall after the September 3 Labor Day holiday, as they historically do, the source said.

It was too early to say how big a drawdown would be from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve and, potentially, other international reserves if a decision to proceed was taken, the source said.

Oil prices have surged in recent weeks, with Brent crude prices closing in on $120 a barrel, up sharply from around $90 a barrel in July. The United States and other Group of Eight countries studied a potential oil release in the spring but shelved the plans when prices dropped.

With prices high again, U.S. officials were now collecting information from the market about potential needs and studying futures, production numbers and data on Iranian oil exports.

"The driving force in this is both impact on the economy and impact on the Iran sanctions policy," the source said, noting that Washington did not want rising oil prices to create a windfall for Iran while oil embargo and international sanctions were having an effective impact

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Ecuador President Rafael "We Are Not A Colony" Correa Stands Up To The Jackbooted British Gestapo

A coward dies many deaths; a brave man dies but once.

The once proud British government, now reduced to Washington's servile whore, put on its Gestapo Jackboots and declared that if the Ecuadorean Embassy in London did not hand over WikiLeaks' Julian Assange, British storm troopers would invade the embassy with military force and drag Assange out. Ecuador stood its ground. "We want to be very clear, we are not a British colony," declared Ecuador's Foreign Minister. Far from being intimidated the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, replied to the threat by granting Assange political asylum.

The once law-abiding British government had no shame in announcing that it would violate the Vienna Convention and assault the Ecuadorean Embassy, just as the Islamic students in the 1979 Khomeini Revolution in Iran took over the US Embassy and held the diplomatic staff captive. Pushed by their Washington overlords, the Brits have resorted to the tactics of a pariah state. Maybe we should be worried about British nuclear weapons.

Let's be clear. Assange is not a fugitive from justice. He has not been charged with any crime in any country. He has not raped any women. There are no indictments pending in any court, and as no charges have been brought against him, there is no validity to the Swedish extradition request. It is not normal for people to be extradited for questioning, especially when, as in Assange's case, he expressed his complete cooperation with being questioned a second time by Swedish officials in London.

What is this all about? First, according to news reports, Assange was picked up by two celebrity-hunting Swedish women who took him home to their beds. Later, for reasons unknown, one complained that he had not used a condom and the other complained that she had offered one helping, but he had taken two. A Swedish prosecutor looked into the case, found that there was nothing to it and dismissed the case.

Assange left for England. Then another Swedish prosecutor, a woman, claiming what authority I do not know, reopened the case and issued an extradition order for Assange. This is such an unusual procedure that it worked its way through the entire British court system to the Supreme Court and then back to the Supreme Court on appeal. In the end, British "justice" did what the Washington overlord ordered and came down on the side of the strange extradition request.

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Better Relationships, Better Health And Real Honesty

Americans lie an average of 11 times per week. This can take a toll on one's relationships, physical health and mental health.

A study by Anita Kelly and Lijuan Wang of the University of Notre Dame looked at lying and quality of life. Over a ten-week period of time, two groups of subjects were asked weekly, while being given lie detector tests, how many lies they had told. One of the groups was encouraged to stop telling major and minor lies for the ten weeks.

Both groups ended up lying less over the course of the study, which is not surprising; when you focus your attention on something you are much more likely to improve your behavior around it. For example, if you weigh yourself regularly you are more likely to lose weight; if you carry a pedometer to measure the number of steps you take, you are more likely to take more steps.

Those in the group encouraged to not lie told fewer lies than the other group, though. The important element of this is that in any given week when people lied less, they also reported that their physical and mental health was better and that their relationships were better.

This is not shocking, of course. Lying leads to greater distrust; honesty is one of the foundations of trust. If you tell a lot of lies, people will trust you less and your relationships will suffer for it. Lying also is stressful; you have more of a sense of isolation, and there is pressure to keep track of the lies that you tell.

When you have to hold something in your mind, it takes energy and focus, and that limits your capacity for other things. When you have a list of things to do in your head, for example, one of the great stress reducers is to write them down where you know you will look at them. Then you can relax your mind regarding that list and focus elsewhere. When you lie a lot, you have in effect a long list in your mind, and that can wear on you.

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Today's Fill In The Blank 8-20-12

I pay $_____ a week in child care.

US Treasury Admits It Conducted A Circular Ponzi Scheme For Years

While one may wonder about the implications of the just announced "accelerated windown" of the GSEs, predicated in no small part by the surge in animosity between Tim Geithner and the FHFA's Ed DeMarco, there is one aspect of the announcement that is completely and utterly unambigious: as part of its justification to demand faster liquidation of Fannie and Freddie's "investment portfolio" Tim Geithner gave the following argument:

This will help achieve several important objectives, including... Ending the circular practice of the Treasury advancing funds to the GSEs simply to pay dividends back to Treasury

In other words not some fringe blog, not some "partisan" media outlet, not some morally conflicted whistleblowing former employee seeking immunity, but the US Trasury itself just admitted it had been engaged in circular check kiting scheme, which essentially has all the components of a Ponzi scheme in it, ever since the nationalization (about which there is no now doubt and which means the GSE's $6 trillion in debt is now fully on the Treasury's balance sheet) of Fannie and Freddie in 2008.

Transfer one more conspiracy theory into the conspiracy fact bin.

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November's Choices

We are in terrible straits this presidential election. We have a choice between a president who has posed more of a danger to personal freedom than any in the past 150 years and a Republican team that wants to return to Bush-style big government.

President Barack Obama has begun to show his hand at private fundraisers and in unscripted comments during his campaign. And the essence of his revelations is dark. His vision of a shared prosperity should frighten everyone who believes in freedom, because it is obvious that the president doesn’t. He believes the federal government somehow possesses power from some source other than the Constitution that enables it to take from the rich and give to the poor. He calls this "a new vision of an America in which prosperity is shared," and he declared, "If you've got a business, you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen."

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Today's Advertiser Of The Day 8-20-12

Verizon Phone Bill

Meanwhile, back in the average home, Verizon has very quietly just increased my phone bill by $5.00/month ( a 10% increase) and an increase in the taxes. Every time I pay bills, they are higher than the last one (r/e tax included.) How does the government come up with a less than 2% annual increase in the cost of living? Somebody is lying to us.....

HOW TO DEFEAT TYRANNY

It’s amazing, when you think about the last ten years, and the last three in particular, how tyranny has taken hold in this country. From the militarized police all the way up to the president signing NDAA and building the “death star” in Utah to monitor everything you say and write. And it’s just getting started. As Admin so often says, those in power will stop at nothing to hold onto their power and wealth. We are starting to see, hear, and read what this means.

Another great article by Brandon Smith. An excellent primer on the coming battle, and what it’s going to take to defeat tyranny. It must be defeated. Nothing’s going to change by just complaining, whining, or voting.

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Augusta National Golf Club Invites First 2 Female Members

Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters, invites Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore to become members.

Proof Positive That Government's "Homeowner Relief" Programs Are Disguised Bank Bailouts

Huffington Post notes, in a story entitled “New Obama Foreclosure Plan Helps Banks At Taxpayers’ Expense [19]“:

A key new condition in the plan would shift the financial liability for refinanced loans from Wall Street banks to the American taxpayer.

***

The newly expanded program would expunge legal liabilities associated with mortgages refinanced through the program for the original lenders of the mortgages. Each time a bank sent a loan to Fannie and Freddie, it certified that the loan met Fannie and Freddie’s safe lending criteria. But many loans sent to the mortgage giants did not, in fact, meet those criteria. Currently, when borrowers default on those ineligible loans, the mortgage giants can “put back” the resulting losses onto the banks that pushed the loans.

Under the modified plan, “put back” liability at banks will be erased for any underwater mortgage that is refinanced through HARP, eliminating Fannie and Freddie’s ability to sack lenders with losses in the event that the mortgage does not pan out.

If borrowers go through HARP, but decide after several months that the modest monthly savings do not outweigh owing tens of thousands of dollars more than their home is worth, taxpayer-owned Fannie and Freddie will have to take the full loss. Even if the original loan was sent to Fannie and Freddie with false or fraudulent guarantees from the bank — promises that may directly be tied to the borrower’s current financial problems — banks will be immune from liability. Fannie and Freddie plan to charge banks “a modest fee” to extinguish this liability, but the administration has yet to determine what that fee will be.

“In most cases people would probably be better off walking,” said economist Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic Policy and Research.

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Eastern Shore Pride 35 Pound Crabcake

Hi Joe,

Doesn't get any better than this!

35 pound crabcake!

Born on the Eastern Shore, Dianne Wagner creates novelty cakes as a hobby and the best part is, she discovered her talent as cake decorator only 4 years ago.

Never stop believing!

If Only Conservatives Were More Like Libertarians

Have you ever wondered why conservatives are so opposed to government interference in the marketplace yet so tolerant, even welcoming, of its role in our personal lives? You could say the same about liberals, whose preferences for government involvement run in the opposite direction.

Either way, it strikes me as inconsistent. If you believe in the principle of live-and-let-live, it should apply to all aspects of your life. When the Wall Street Journal’s conservative editorial page invokes “free markets, free people,” I always wonder, what happened to the free-people part?

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Downtown Barber Shop Closed Today And Tomorrow

Today's Survey Question 8-20-12

After the recent scandal at the Daily Times and the termination of two Editors, do you believe their reporting has improved?

GREAT AMERICAN LEGION BBQ & CHILI COOK-OFF

Salisbury, MD - August, 20 2012 – Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 29th! Salisbury American Legion Post 64 will be hosting the Great American Legion BBQ & Chili Cook-off. The event will begin at 10 AM and end at 5 PM at the Legion Post, across the street from the Armory on Rt. 50 in Salisbury. Locals are invited to prove their barbeque or chili is the best there is!

Along with the competition there will be chicken, burgers and dogs cooked by the Legion; fun activities for the kids from noon to 5 PM including a bouncy house, Sunshine the Clown, train rides and many games with prizes; a tattoo contest conducted by Harley-Davidson; a corn hole tournament manned by the Legion Riders; craft and commercial vendors and live entertainment.

The entry fees are $20 per category for BBQ ribs and/or chicken; $20 per category for the chili; craft vendors are $25 and commercial vendors are $50. Local dignitaries have been selected as judges and trophies will be awarded to the winners. A cash prize will be given for the Grand Champion in both BBQ and Chili. If you know of any competitor or vendor who might be interested, call Linda Rickards at 410-422-2977 for an application.

The public is invited and there is no entrance fee; however, donations will be gladly accepted.

GPS: 1109 American Legion Drive, Salisbury, MD 21801 - SEE YA THERE!

Since 1919, the American Legion has been supporting VETERANS from all branches of our Armed Forces. To the wonderful, patriotic citizens of Wicomico County - Help us to continue sponsoring Scholarships for our children, give aid and assistance to our local needy Veterans and their families, and our Active Duty Personnel.

Stunning Pictures Of Afghanistan Like You've Never Seen It Before

With today's deadly attack on American forces and the fatal downing of an Black Hawk helicopter, the nation again looks to Afghanistan and the troop withdrawal in 2014.

It's been a long 11 years, and the idea that we know anything more about the country where our military's fighting is as false as it is frustrating.

With that in mind, we look back at these pictures posted earlier in the year.

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Obamabot

As a Sharptown Republican, my mother worked at the polls during elections for the Wicomico Republican Party. In most elections, she voted straight party on the ballot.

Her Republican Party had Rogers C.B. Morton, Wayne Gilchrest, Emerson Holloway, Margaret Yow, Louis Riley and others. These were Republicans who espoused doctrinaire solutions during elections, but once elected were able to govern as compromisers for the betterment of all citizens.

As a onetime Republican who angered my teacher's union by supporting Gilchrest, it wasn't hard for me to support good people in both parties.

Today, I don't have that option. Today's local Republican Party is led by the drumbeats of tea partiers like Dennis Evans, Dave Parker and the anti-middle class, anti-woman, anti-farm families Representative Andy Harris. They have derailed the democratic way pursued by those former Republican leaders, who would be drummed out of today's party.

A neighbor of mine is a retired county agent living on a state pension and drawing Social Security and Medicare. Ironically, he and others like him continue to put signs up every election advocating we vote for his Republican nominees. If they win, the benefits of governmental service like his will disappear -- along with a reduction in the Social Security and Medicare safety net for Americans younger than he.

That is not fair for America. I would hope these fooled, hypocritical Republicans would tell us how they propose to help anyone in America but the richest 1 percent. All we hear is talking points meant to pander to our prejudices.

No thanks. I yearn for my mother's Republican Party of old.

Geoff Smoot

How To Defeat Tyranny

It is inevitable. There comes a point in the development of every crisis, every catastrophe, every impending disaster, every act of methodical dictatorship, in which the generations selected by fate or destiny to endure the trial must attempt to look beyond the intellectual and the psychological, to deeply consider the greater philosophical or spiritual questions of their epoch. Certain moments in history demand that truly free individuals relinquish their cynicism, and embrace that inherent world of form and conscience that exists in each of us but remains largely unexplained. Without this act of “faith”, or intuitive knowing, good cannot exist, inspire, or prevail.

To understand what we face in our age of encroaching technocracy draped like glistening silicon across the face of a third world American cesspool, we must accept certain realities; the first and foremost being the existence of “evil”. Not the evil of ignorance, that is easy to recognize. Not the evil of apathy and moral relativism, though the stench of both sharply permeates the sour underside of our culture. No, I am talking about pure, unbiased, unflinching, perfectly conscious and fully absorbed evil. The kind that they tell stories about. The kind that history books speak of almost in awe, as if it is miraculous in nature. A dark tide. A prehistoric leviathan. An unbelievable and seemingly inhuman myth made manifest by astonishingly vile despots.

This evil is so overwhelming that many people today scarcely imagine it possible. It is our society’s greatest weakness; the denial of ultimate malice.

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Obama's Gotta Go

Why does Paul Ryan scare the president so much? Because Obama has broken his promises, and it’s clear that the GOP ticket’s path to prosperity is our only hope.

I was a good loser four years ago. “In the grand scheme of history,” I wrote the day after Barack Obama’s election as president, “four decades is not an especially long time. Yet in that brief period America has gone from the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. to the apotheosis of Barack Obama. You would not be human if you failed to acknowledge this as a cause for great rejoicing.”

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The Truth About How The Fed Has Destroyed The Housing Market

When observing the trends in the housing market, one has two choices: i) listen to the bulls who keep repeating that "housing has bottomed", a false mantra which has been repeated every single year for the past four, or ii) look at the facts. We touched briefly on the facts earlier today when we presented [9]the latest housing starts data:construction of single family residences remains 46 percent below the long-term trend; the more volatile multifamily houses is 15 percent below trend and demand for new homes 47 percent below. This is indicative of reluctance by households to make long-term investments due to fear of another downturn in housing prices. Bloomberg summarizes this succinctly: "This historically weak demand for new homes is inhibiting the recovery of demand for construction workers as well, about 2.3 million of whom remain without work." But the best visual representation of the housing "non-bottom" comes courtesy of the following chart of homes in negative or near-negative equity, which via Bloomberg Brief, is soared in Q4, and is now back to Q1 2010 level at over 13.5 million. What this means is that the foreclosure backlog and the shadow inventory of houses on the market could be as large as 13.5 million in the future, which translates into one simple word: supply.

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ENERGIZED LOWER SHORE REPUBLICANS OPEN HEADQUARTERS

SALISBURY, MD – Over 150 enthusiastic Republicans from Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties opened a spacious new regional campaign headquarters in Salisbury on Saturday, August 18.

The site will serve as the Lower Shore focal point for the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, as well as the U.S. Senate race for Dan Bongino and the re-election effort for First District Congressman Andy Harris.

“I know Paul Ryan,” said Rep. Harris about Mitt Romney’s recent pick for vice president. “He understands the seriousness of the economic issues facing America. Between the two of them, Romney and Ryan will get our nation working again to produce jobs.”

Harris also endorsed Dan Bongino for U.S. Senate and urged his own re-election to Congress. “Together with Mitt Romney as president, we will fix this economy,” he added.

Cecil Countian Bill Harris spoke on behalf of Dan Bongino, while Maryland Republican Party First Vice Chairman Diana Waterman of Queen Anne’s County touted the Romney-Ryan campaign.

Bonnie Luna, Lower Shore coordinator for both the Romney-Ryan and Harris campaigns, said volunteers spent a week cleaning, repainting and transforming the former Blockbuster Video store into a space festooned with campaign signs and patriotic colors. Many in attendance stood, while others sat on folding chairs and donated living room furniture scattered throughout the 8,000 square foot space. Volunteers walked through the crowd circulating sign-up sheets and distributing campaign materials.

On hand to cut the ceremonial ribbon and endorse the Republican ticket were elected officials from throughout the Lower Shore, including 37th District Maryland Delegate Addie Eckardt; 38th District Delegates Charles Otto and Mike McDermott; Somerset State’s Attorney Dan Powell; Wicomico County Council members Joe Holloway and Stevie Prettyman, Sheriff Mike Lewis, and State’s Attorney Matt Maciarello; Worcester County Commission President Bud Church, Commissioner Madison Bunting and Sheriff Reggie Mason; and numerous Lower Shore Republican officials.

The headquarters, at 800 South Salisbury Boulevard, will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Voters were encouraged to drop in, get campaign materials and sign up to volunteer their time.

Publishers Notes: Where's the Press? While I attended this event I saw NO PRESS present. Goes to show you just how LIBERAL the local MSM is. Fair and balanced, eh. Even the new local newspaper wasn't there. Then again, they are all a product of the liberal Daily Times anyway.

UPDATE: Appeals Court Rules Congressional Redistricting Can Be On Ballot

UPDATE: In a short order signed by Chief Judge Robert Bell, the Maryland Court of Appeals on Friday morning affirmed the lower court ruling that allows the congressional redistricting to be challenged on the November ballot. Here is a report on yesterday's hearing.

WCSO Press Releases 8-20-12

Incident: Burglary
Date of Incident: 16 August 2012
Location: 300 block of Maple Way, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: 1. Alysha M. Bullard, 20, Salisbury, MD
2. Jonathan M. Duvall, 24, Denton, MD

Narrative: On 16 August 2012 at 5:49 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported burglary in progress in the 300 block of Maple Way in Salisbury. Upon arrival, the deputy observed an open window with the screen removed on the side of the residence. The deputy then confronted a female subject later identified as Alysha Bullard at the front of the house. When the
deputy began to inquire about anyone else in the residence, Bullard stated she was alone in the residence.

The deputy observed that the attic access in the ceiling of one of the bedrooms was open which led the deputy believe another subject was in the house. After further inquiry, the deputy identified the second subject as Jonathan Duvall and discovered that he was also wanted on outstanding warrants.

A K9 team came to the scene and a ladder was put up to the attic access. Upon announcement that the K9 would be entering the attic to search, Duvall yelled out that he was up there and he would come down on his own. Neither Bullard or Duvall lived at this residence in question.

The deputies also located what they recognized as Heroin along with paraphernalia such as spoons and syringes with the pair.

Both Bullard and Duvall were arrested and transported to the Central Booking Unit where they were processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After their initial appearances, the Commissioner detained both in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond each. Duvall was held on an additional $10,000.00 on the two warrants.

Charges: Burglary 4th Degree / Possession of CDS

Incident: Fugitive
Date of Incident: 16 August 2012
Location: 1000 block of Mineola Ave., Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Bradford Demetrius Carter Sr., 36, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 16 August 2012 at 10:50 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office located and arrested Bradford Carter at a residence in the 1000 block of Mineola Avenue in Salisbury. Carter was being sought on a bench warrant that had been issued back in March 2012 after Carter violated his probation in an Assault 2nd Degree case.

The deputy transported Carter to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Carter in the Detention Center without bond.

Charges: Violation of Probation

Welcome Letters For 2012-13 School Year On Way To Wicomico School Families

School Open Houses Scheduled for Aug. 21-14

Welcome letters for the 2012-13 school year were mailed to students and families on Friday, and Wicomico County Schools will hold open houses Aug. 21-24 in preparation for the opening of the 2012-13 school year on Monday, Aug. 27, for most students*.

*Please note that students in grades 1-6 and grade 9 will attend school on Aug. 27.
(Exceptions: All grades will attend at Pittsville Elementary and Middle, and only grade 6
will attend at Mardela Middle and High.) All students in grades 1-12 will be in school
Tuesday, Aug. 28. During the first week, kindergarten and prekindergarten students will report as scheduled by the assigned school.

A complete schedule of open houses for Wicomico schools is below. For additional details, please contact the school.

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No Brakes!

Reminders

Gen Petraeus About Our Military Today

Thanks to my fellow veterans:

I remember the day I found out I got into West Point. My mom actually showed up in the hallway of my high school and waited for me to get out of class. She was bawling her eyes out and apologizing that she had opened up my admission letter. She wasn't crying because it had been her dream for me to go there. She was crying because she knew how hard I'd worked to get in, how much I wanted to attend, and how much I wanted to be an infantry officer.

I was going to get that opportunity. That same day two of my teachers took me aside and essentially told me the following:

“David, you're a smart guy. You don't have to join the military. You should go to college, instead.”

I could easily write a theme defending West Point and the military as I did that day, explaining that USMA is an elite institution, that separate from that it is actually statistically much harder to enlist in the military than it is to get admitted to college, that serving the nation is a challenge that all able-bodied men should at least consider for a host of reasons, but I won't.

What I will say is that when a 16 year-old kid is being told that attending West Point is going to be bad for his future then there is a dangerous disconnect in America, and entirely too many Americans have no idea what kind of burdens our military is bearing.

In World War II, 11.2% of the nation served in four (4) years.

During the Vietnam era, 4.3% served in twelve (12) years.

Since 2001, only 0.45% of our population has served in the Global War on Terror.

These are unbelievable statistics. Over time, fewer and fewer people have shouldered more and more of the burden and it is only getting worse.

Our troops were sent to war in Iraq by a Congress consisting of 10% veterans with only one person having a child in the military. Taxes did not increase to pay for the war. War bonds were not sold. Gas was not regulated. In fact, the average citizen was asked to sacrifice nothing, and has sacrificed nothing unless they have chosen to out of the goodness of their hearts.

The only people who have sacrificed are the veterans and their families. The volunteers. The people who swore an oath to defend this nation. You stand there, deployment after deployment and fight on. You've lost relationships, spent years of your lives in extreme conditions, years apart from kids you'll never get back, and beaten your body in a way that even professional athletes don't understand.

Then you come home to a nation that doesn't understand. They don't understand suffering. They don't understand sacrifice. They don't understand why we fight for them. They don't understand that bad people exist. They look at you like you're a machine - like something is wrong with you. You are the misguided one - not them.
When you get out, you sit in the college classrooms with political science teachers that discount your opinions on Iraq and Afghanistan because YOU WERE THERE and can't understand the macro issues they gathered from books, because of your bias.

You watch TV shows where every vet has PTSD and the violent strain at that. Your Congress is debating your benefits, your retirement, and your pay, while they ask you to do more. But the amazing thing about you is that you all know this. You know your country will never pay back what you've given up. You know that the populace at large will never truly understand or appreciate what you have done for them. Hell, you know that in some circles, you will be thought as less than normal for having worn the uniform. But you do it anyway.

You do what the greatest men and women of this country have done since 1775. YOU SERVED. Just that decision alone makes you part of an elite group.

“Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.” -Winston Churchill- Thank you to the 11.2% and 4.3% who have served and thanks to the 0.45% who continue to serve our Nation.

General David Petraeus
West Point Class 1974

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But the U.S. ARMED FORCES don't have that problem."
R. Reagan