DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
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Thursday, September 06, 2012
Report: Child Poverty Spikes in D.C. Region
PICTURE OF TODDLERS’ POTTY TRAINING IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESTAURANT DINING ROOM GOES VIRAL
FACT-CHECKING BILL CLINTON
Bill Clinton was off his game tonight in one of the longest nomination speeches in the history of humankind.
Emails Suggest Axelrod Leaned on Gallup After Unfavorable Poll
President Obama Sends Desperation Letter Before He Goes On Stage Tonight And Now Asks For $25.00
To: Joe Albero
Date: Thu, Sep 6, 2012 8:57 pm
Joe --
Before I go on stage to accept the nomination, there's one thing I need to say: Thank you.
It's because you've got my back that I'm here. And if we win this, it will be because of you, too.
Can you pitch in $25 or more right now?
I can't tell you how grateful I am.
Barack
DEATH THREAT FROM DNC DELEGATE: ‘MITT ROMNEY… I WOULD LIKE TO KILL HIM!’
Ben & Jerry's Sues Over Trademark Violation
The ice cream maker that introduced the flavors Schweddy Balls and Karamel Sutra sued the maker of "Ben & Cherry's" X-rated DVDs Wednesday, saying the "hardcore pornographic" films have smeared its reputation.
The trademark lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan said the sale of hardcore and exploitive pornographic DVDs and related goods is tarnishing Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc.'s name by creating an association with pornography. It said the claims arise from the distribution and sale of a series of DVDs containing "exploitative, hardcore pornographic films" featuring titles and themes based on "well-known and iconic" Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors as well as packaging that contains key company features such as a grazing cow, green grass and large white puffy clouds.
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Colorado Girl Recovering From Bubonic Plague
Russian Man Stages Own Death Before Proposing to Girlfriend
Irena Kolokov was caught off guard when she turned up to meet her boyfriend, Alexey Bykov, 30, but found what appeared to be a horrific car accident when she arrived.
Little did Kolokov know when she arranged to meet Bykov at a pre-determined location in the southwestern Siberian city that she was about to have one of the most horrifying -- and then happiest -- moments of her life.
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Oil From BP Spill Uncovered by Isaac's Waves
Since Isaac made landfall more than a week ago, the water the storm has receded and tar balls and oil have been reported on shores in Alabama and Louisiana, where officials closed a 13-mile stretch of beach Tuesday.
BP said Wednesday some of that oil was from the spill, but said some of the crude may be from other sources, too.
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Md. Fatal Derailment Caused $2.2M in Damage
Hard 'Scraping' Brings Soft-Crab Rewards
Starting before sunup, Smith Island waterman Mark Kitching spends hours repeatedly "scraping" the submerged grass beds that grow abundantly around his home in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. On a recent morning, he's commuted 45 minutes through the pre-dawn darkness to work north of Holland Straits some 13 miles away.
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‘WORDS MATTER’: AMATEUR COMPILATION REEL PITS OBAMA AGAINST HIMSELF
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FL DNC BOSS APOLOGIZES, TAKES LEAVE OF ABSENCE AFTER SAYING CHRISTIANS ‘WANT JEWS TO DIE’
Reported Theft Of Romney Tax Records Being Probed
Drew Peterson Found Guilty of Murdering Third Wife
Fact Check: First Lady's False Fairy Tale Of Struggle
Both Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama began their adult lives with a leg up on the rest of America. They attended elite schools: Michelle went to Whitney Young, the public magnet school for Chicago’s upper class, while Barack attended Punahou, the private prep school for the top stratum of Hawaiian society. They were accepted to Ivy League schools despite undistinguished credentials, and both attended Harvard Law School.
“[B]elieve it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage,” Michelle said. That sounds like a raw deal--but in fact reflects their fortunate circumstances. They had both just graduated from a very expensive law school, and their combined income from cushy law firm jobs dwarfed the repayments. Barack also soon enjoyed a second salary from the University of Chicago.
They had expensive tastes, reflected in the $277,500 two-bedroom condo they bought in 1993--a high price even by today’s standards. Several years later, they moved into their $1.65 million mansion in Hyde Park--with the help of fraudster Tony Rezko. Barack often told a story of hardship on the campaign trail in 2008 about having his credit card declined--once. The fact that he thought this counted as real hardship speaks volumes.
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RACISM ALERT: 'VOTE BLACK' BUTTONS AT THE DNC
One of my favorite things about conventions -- either party -- are the enthusiastic sartorial choices of many delegates. This year's DNC was no different, except for these pins:
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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA SEPTEMBER 10, 2012 6:00 PM
Times shown for agenda items are estimates only.
6:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER
WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS
INVOCATION/MEDITATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ADOPTION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
CONSENT AGENDA – City Clerk Kim Nichols
April 26, 2012 work session minutes (revised)
May 21, 2012 work session minutes
May 29, 2012 regular meeting minutes
June 4, 2012 work session minutes
Resolution No. 2199 - approving the appointment of Gretchen Ardis to the City o
Salisbury Elections Board for a term ending 1/31/2018
Resolution No. 2200 - approving the appointment of Thomas E. Tucker to the
Ethics Commission for a term ending 9/30/2013
Resolution No. 2201 - approving the reappointment of Brenden D. Frederick to the
Historic District Commission for a term ending 8/31/2014
AWARD OF BIDS – Assistant Internal Services Director-Procurement Catrice Parsons 2
Award - EMS Billing RFP 02-12
RESOLUTIONS – City Administrator John Pick
Resolution No. 2202 - approving the development of affordable housing at Fitzwater Street, to be financed directly by the Department of Housing and Community Development of the State of Maryland or through the Department’s Community Development Administration
Resolution No. 2203 – amending the Salisbury City Council Regulations and
Rules of Order
ORDINANCES – City Attorney Mark Tilghman
Ordinance No. 2216 – 2nd reading – approving a budget amendment of the FY13
General Fund Budget to appropriate funds received from the 2012 Speed Camera
Program to purchase a new network server and related software and six laptop
computers
Ordinance No. 2217 - 1st reading –FY13 budget amendment of the General Fund
and Water and Sewer Fund to appropriate funds to cover the City’s share of the
Maryland State Retirement and Pension Fund’s administrative and operating costs
Ordinance No. 2218 - 1st reading – to abandon a portion of an existing utility
easement on property owned by Peninsula Regional Medical Center located at 100 East Carroll Street, Camden Election District, Wicomico County, State of Maryland
Ordinance No. 2219 - 1st reading –FY2013 budget amendment to appropriate funds for additional mosquito spraying
Ordinance No. 2220 - 1st reading – FY2013 General Fund budget amendment to
appropriate funds for Police salaries and to open a frozen position
PUBLIC COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT
Phelps, Other Olympians To Be Feted Monday
Falling Behind In Internet Connectivity
Retirement Claims Hit Highest Level Since January
How Bill Clinton's Balanced Budget Destroyed The Economy
The idea is to make people feel nostalgic for the last time when the economy was really booming, and hope that some of that rubs off on Obama.
However, in the New York Post, Charlie Gasparino uses the occasion to remind everyone that the seeds of our current economic malaise were planted during the Clinton years.
Basically, it was under Clinton that Fannie and Freddie really began blowing the housing bubble, issuing epic amounts of mortgage-backed debt.
The story that Gasparino tells is basically: Liberal Bill Clinton thought he could use government to make everyone a homeowner and so naturally this ended in disaster.
Gasparino specifically cites the controversial Community Reinvestment Act, a popular conservative bogeyman:
How did they do this? Through rigorous enforcement of housing mandates such as the Community Reinvestment Act, and by prodding mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make loans to people with lower credit scores (and to buy loans that had been made by banks and, later, “innovators” like Countrywide).
The Housing Department was Fannie and Freddie’s top regulator — and under Cuomo the mortgage giants were forced to start ramping up programs to issue more subprime loans to the riskiest of borrowers.
That's interesting. But the truth is far more complicated. And more interesting.
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STRIKE OUT: ROCKIES CANCEL 'NICKELODEON DAY' IN WAKE OF BIGGS' MISOGYNIST TWEETS
The fallout from Jason Biggs' misogynistic Tweets against the wives of the GOP presidential ticket reached a Mile High pitch today.
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Suicidal Subject Subdued By Police
Officers met with the male, who appeared to be highly intoxicated, and learned that he had been arguing with his girlfriend and was upset over the altercation. The subject suddenly produced a folding knife from within the vehicle, opened it and held it to his own throat. Officers immediately established a perimeter around the vehicle, restricting the vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the area.
While attempting to negotiate with the male, he pulled the knife away from his body but was still holding it in his hand. During this time, an officer equipped with an Electronic Control Device (ECD) seized the opportunity to deploy his ECD into the subject. The subject experienced neuro-muscular incapacitation and dropped the knife.
At this time, officers were able to pull the subject from the vehicle and take him into custody. Despite the impact sites from the ECD probes, the subject was not injured during this incident. He was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) for an emergency evaluation and also received treatment to remove the ECD probes, which had become imbedded when he fell.
While at PRMC, the subject made statements that he intended to commit “suicide by cop” but the officers’ actions stopped him before he got the opportunity. This incident was successfully resolved through the use of the ECD. Since February 2012, Ocean City Police officers have had 10 uses of the new weapon.
TOP DEM: CHRISTIANS WANT JEWS 'SLAUGHTERED'
John Robinson's Building Condemned
If I were to take an educated guess I'd say that lightening struck the roof of this building last night.
It was pretty severe lightening as I sat in my living room and watched the storm roll in. As we all know, if you see light and the crackling noise of thunder at the same time, it's pretty darned close.
The debris is scattered on the ground through the west end of the Plaza.
Major Flood Damage In The Downtown Area
I did speak to Mr. Robinson earlier and aparently one comment came in stating karma. Look, wheather you like John Robinson or not, no one should be wishing such things on someone else. John didn't build this building. It's unfortunate that this has happened but who knows, if the property is insured he'll enjoy a whole new roof and interior in the near future.
Md. Man Running 185 Miles For Wounded Veterans
Obama's Brand Of Marxism
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” — Sun Tzu, 5th century B.C.
There is an old rule of war, which includes politics. If you misunderstand your opponent’s philosophy of life, you will misunderstand his goals. If you misunderstand his goals, you will misunderstand his strategy. If you misunderstand his strategy, you will misunderstand his tactics. This will place you at a disadvantage.
Intrade, the international betting site, has Obama’s odds of a win at about 58%. It has not been below 50% since November 2011. (http://bit.ly/ObamaBetting) Intrade is rarely wrong in bets on political outcomes. So, if this really is a crucial election, what is your personal fall-back position if he wins? What is the Republicans’ fall-back position? After all, if the Republican Party gets out the Republican voters base by telling them that this is yet another “election of the century,” and Obama still wins, despite a rotten economy, which should doom his chances, what can they tell the troops? “Oh, well, we won the House of Representatives. We can block every bad law he proposes.” That will be the truth. Intrade bets are 90% that Republicans will win the House. If they win the Senate, too — now about 50-50 — they can even block his Supreme Court appointments.
So, that would mean that this isn’t the election of the century.
DNC Rejects Christian Gift Baskets
They told us our views on women’s rights are contrary to the Democratic party platform,” said David Benham, the lead organizer of the Charlotte714 religious movement.
Charlotte714 is a group of more than 100 churches across the region that mobilized to pray for the Democratic National Convention. More than 9,000 people gathered last Sunday for a time of worship and prayer in advance of the convention.
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The Obamessiah Has Lost His Touch
Despite an improving weather forecast, Democrats have decided to abandon Bank of America stadium and move U.S President Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at this year’s Democratic National Convention indoors. Rather than speaking at the 74,000-seat outdoor stadium, Obama will instead accept his party’s nomination in the 20,000-seat Time Warner Cable Arena.
“?We have been monitoring weather forecasts closely and several reports predict thunderstorms in the area, therefore we have decided to move Thursday?s proceedings to Time Warner Cable Arena to ensure the safety and security of our delegates and convention guests,” the convention’s CEO said in a statement.
Not surprisingly this move has prompted widespread speculation that the party was unable to fill Bank of America stadium – which is named after one of the main beneficiaries of the bank bailouts Obama supported. Given the disdain for the president in the surrounding areas - even among Democrats - this doesn’t surprise us in the least.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY 9-6-12
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Soap Opera Over Kabul
In the latest episode of this long-running sitcom, the Afghan army is killing GIs. Yes. Blowing them away right and left. In Washington, the Five-Sided Wind Tunnel is in shock and maybe awe. It has stopped training Afghan troops because it is scared of them. It has ordered our soldiers to stay armed to protect themselves against our devoted allies, to whom we are bringing democracy, because they want to kill us.
How can this be, you ask? The brass are puzzled too. The reason can’t be that Afghans don’t like night raids, torture, GIs going house to house and shooting women and kids, drone strikes blowing up weddings, and other routine mechanisms of democratization. Instead, it must be…Taliban infiltrators. Yes. This being decided, all is now well. Just as the military calls routine atrocities “isolated incidents,” it attributes Afghani hostility to Taliban infiltrators. Problem solved. In the modern marketing military, you don’t need a solution, just a saleable explanation.
OK. In the Guardian, I learn that actual Pentagonal military psycho-wonks have done a study on what Afghans and gringos think of each other. (report) Saith the Guardian:
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WCSO Press Releases 9-6-12
Date of Incident: 2 September 2012
Location: College Avenue, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Kevin W. Lemos, 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 2 September 2012 at 11:41 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle operated by Kevin Lemos for driving at night time without any headlights on. When the deputy made contact with Lemos a strong odor of alcohol was detected that prompted the deputy to ask Lemos to exit the vehicle. Upon exiting, the deputy observed that Lemos was unsteady on his feet. The deputy administered sobriety testing that Lemos performed poorly on which led to his arrest.
The deputy transported Lemos for a breath test that registered a result of .17.
The deputy also discovered that Lemos did not have a driver’s license.
Lemos was released upon the issuance of citations.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se
Driving Without a License
Incident: Burglary
Date of Incident: 2 September 2012
Location: 800 block of Oneida Avenue, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Anthony J. Horton, 35, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 2 September 2012 at 6:41 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported burglary in the 800 block of Oneida Avenue. Upon arrival, the deputy met with the female resident who stated that a former acquaintance, Anthony Horton came to her house and kicked in her front door for no apparent reason. Horton was unable to gain entry fully into the residence due to the chain on the door that held together. The deputy soon found Horton at another location and after an interview placed Horton under arrest.
The deputy transported Horton to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. The Commissioner detained Horton in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond.
Charges: Burglary 3rd Degree
Burglary 4th Degree
Malicious Destruction of Property
Incident: Child Support
Date of Incident: 3 September 2012
Location: 1000 block of West Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Allen D. Jones, 29, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 3 September 2012 at 1:43 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office located and arrested Allen Jones in the 1000 block of West Road in Salisbury. Jones was wanted on an open Circuit Court Body Attachment that had been issued in a Child Support case.
The deputy transported Jones to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed on the warrant. Jones was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $1,619.80 cash bond.
Charges: Child Support Non Compliance.
Incident: Indecent Exposure
Date of Incident: 1 September 2012
Location: 34000 block of Main Street, Pittsville, MD
Suspect: Stephen Michael Scott, 49, Pittsville, MD
Narrative: On 1 September 2012 at 5:00 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office became involved in an investigation into an incident of indecent exposure in the 34000 block of Main Street in Pittsville. According to witnesses, several guests were at a party at the residence when they were
approached by a neighbor, Stephen Scott, who proceeded to complain about noise being generated by a youth riding a go-cart in the yard. An argument between Scott and the guests at the party ensued when Scott allegedly pulled down his pants and then began pulling on his penis in full view of everyone. It was also added that Scott appeared extremely intoxicated.
A warrant for the arrest of Scott was obtained and he was located and arrested on 3 September 2012 and transported to the Central Booking Unit. After processing and an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Scott in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond.
Charges: Indecent Exposure
Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 3 September 2012
Location: Nanticoke Harbor, Nanticoke, MD
Suspect: Thomas Joshua Outten, 19, Bivalve, MD
Narrative: On 3 September 2012 around midnight, a group was in the process of fishing at Nanticoke Harbor when one of the group, Thomas Outten, became enraged and attacked another member of the fishing party. Outten allegedly began punching and kicking this subject and along with choking the subject before letting him up.
The victim required transportation to the hospital for injuries sustained in
the attack.
A warrant for the arrest of Outten was obtained and he was taken into custody on 3 September 2012 at 4:33 PM. Outten was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Outten in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
Reckless Endangerment
Obama Executive Order Will Nationalize The Demonization Of US Veterans As Mentally Ill
Last week, it was recounted by mainstream media (MSM) that Terence Tyler, former US Marine had opened fire on his co-workers at a New Jersey supermarket called Pathmark before turning the gun on himself.
Tyler was reported to have been carrying an AK-47 with several rounds of ammunition, as well as a handgun when he began “shooting seemingly at random” into the supermarket. The semiautomatic weapon Tyler used in the shooting is purported to be illegal according to New Jersey state laws if it is enhanced with elements that would raise the gun to the level of assault rifle.
Bruce Kaplan, Middlesex County prosecutor said that there were 16 shots fired in the Pathmark store at 4 am wherein 2 co-workers of Tyler were killed. Kaplan asserts that he does not “believe they were specifically targeted. I believe everybody in the store was a target. It appears he opened fire on the employees that he observed in the store when he entered the store.”
Richard Ulsh, Marine Corps Captain and spokesman confirmed that Tyler had been in active duty between March of 2008 and February of 2010 in California and was discharged as a lance corporal with a specialty as a rifleman. Ulsh also stated that Tyler was part of the “national emergency” unit that would be deployed in the event of a terrorist attack.
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Former President Bill Clinton Writes...
To: Joe Albero
Date: Thu, Sep 6, 2012 12:08 am
Joe --
Don't take anything for granted.
Don't think you can wait because your neighbor is stepping up, or that someone else will pick up the slack. Don't think that you can wait until the debates, or until after these conventions.
When you look at what the other side is spending -- and where they want to take this country -- none of us can afford to think that way.
It is absolutely urgent we win this election, and the only way President Obama is going to win is because of what you do. Donate $5 or more to support Barack Obama:
We can win this.
Thanks for doing your part.
Bill Clinton
Dear Bill,
Do tell the rest of the world what YOU donated to Obama's Campaign first.
Wall Street Journal: Oh My, O'Malley
By STEPHEN MOORE
Anyone who watched his speech last night at the Democratic convention knows that Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is an unflinching critic of Republicans and defender of President Obama's record. But what about Mr. O'Malley's record?
"Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan now say they want to take America back. And so we ask: Back to what? Back to the failed policies that drove us into a deep recession? Back to the days of record job losses?" said the governor, who is expected to run for president in 2016. "No, thank you. I don't want to go back."
Yet Mr. O'Malley's own record as a job creator and champion of fiscal responsibility is spotty at best. He tends to embellish his performance as governor with selective facts. When I criticized him for falling short of Virginia and other states in the region on most measures of progress, the governor fired back with a press release
filled with ad hominem attacks and cherry-picked statistics. That's par for the course, Maryland political watchers tell me.
But the facts are tough to dance around despite Mr. O'Malley's best efforts. Maryland has lagged behind Virginia in job growth since 2007. During the first six months of this year, Maryland has lost jobs compared to gains in both Virginia and Pennsylvania. The political group Change Maryland notes that he has raised taxes or fees 24 times as governor. And Ohio, under Republican Gov. John Kasich's reforms, is
now rated as more pro-business than Maryland.
Mr. O'Malley's fiscal record is a bust, too. His press office says that he "has cut more state spending than any governor in Maryland's history—$8 billion." But Change Maryland says that "nobody understands where this number comes from." Its research shows that the state budget expanded to $35.5 billion today from $28.8 billion in 2007 .
"With our lagging economic performance and record tax increases, the evidence grows by the day that Maryland is falling behind other states," says Larry Hogan of Change Maryland. With this record, Republicans think that Mr. O'Malley is the ideal spokesman for Mr. Obama.
Ripken Speaks On Orioles, Statue & Mother
New Bike Routes In Salisbury Don't Seem Very Safe
Obama's Teen Volunteers Disinvited From President's Big Speech
Today Madeline Frank, 16, and her brother Koby, 14, were told they've been disinvited and their tickets are no longer valid because the location of Obama's speech was moved from the 73,000 seat open air Bank of America Stadium to the smaller TimeWarner Cable Arena, which can hold about 21,000. The move was made because of a forecast of rain and thunderstorms.
"I've been looking forward to this for a really long time," Madeline Frank of Charlotte, N.C., said today. "I am just feeling really let down and like bummed. It was kind of my dream to see him speak, so definitely really sad."
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Pentagon Fails To Comply With Law To Help Overseas Soldiers Vote, Watchdog Says
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