Salisbury News: 10/16/12

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Open Forum On Tonight's Presidential Debate, Round II

Its Time For The Eastern Shore To Secede From The State Of Maryland

Ladies & Gentleman, Salisbury News for years has been trying desperately to educate you on the liberal agenda in Maryland and the possible upcoming damage forthcoming.

I'm talking about SB236. We tried telling you what this bill would do to property owner and especially Farmers but like everything else, the bill has passed and at this very moment the County Council is being schooled as to exactly what is about to take affect on January 1, 2013.

The bottom line is this. As of January 1, if the County does not adopt SB236, property owners will only be allowed to develop ONE home per 25 acres. There are four tiers to this bill but even if the Council adopts this bill the most a property owner can build is ONE home per 20 acres in an agricultural district.

As for the Farmers, say goodbye to Farm Preservation.When a Farmer goes to get a loan it will be based on "best use value". Also think about what is now going to happen to property value. It will dramatically drop large parcel property owners value in a big way.

People say, "be careful what you wish for". Now maybe you'll understand why we at Salisbury News have been working so hard to educate the public on what these bills actually mean and what our leaders are doing to us.

Some call us radicals but as a god friend of mine has been saying in recent years, we'd be much better off under communist leadership. The liberal newspapers only tell you what they want you to hear. Hence the entire reason we chose to create Salisbury News.

We need to start coming together, not just the Eastern Shore but as an entire state. Voting in liberal leaders who refuse to understand the impact bills like this will do to destroy our way of life, our property values and our future generations stability continue to drive us into poverty.

This is a real shame. Turn on PAC 14 right now and watch them deliberate on this matter.

UPDATE: There are four tiers to this bill. Tier 1 are properties hooked up to City water and sewer. Tier 2 are properties for future development to hook up to municipal water and sewer. Tier 3 are subdivisions that have their own water and sewer plant and tier 4, (which is what's important to Wicomico County) is one home per 20 to 25 acres.

What you need to know is this. The remaining UNDEVELOPED land in Wicomico County is about 90% agricultural, HELLO!

Obama: ‘We Got Back Every Dime’ Of Bailout; CBO: Bailout Will Lose $24 Billion

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama said on Thursday that “we got back every dime we used to rescue the financial system."

According to the Congressional Budget Office, however, the government will lose about $24 billion on the bailout.

“We got back every dime we used to rescue the financial system, but we also passed a historic law to end taxpayer-funded Wall Street bailouts for good,” Obama said in Miami Thursday.

The Congressional Budget Office--based on figures from Obama’s own Office of Management and Budget---gives a different assessment.

“The cost to the federal government of the TARP’s transactions (also referred to as the subsidy cost), including grants for mortgage programs that have not yet been made, will amount to $24 billion,” said the CBO report, which was released on the same day Obama spoke.

WCSO Press Releases 10-16-12

Incident: Disorderly Conduct / Resisting Arrest
Date of Incident: 13 October 2012
Location: Old Ocean City Road at Main Street, Willards, MD
Suspect: Rodney L. Dale, 18, Parsonsburg, MD

Narrative: On 13 October 2012 at 11:30 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office
attempted to stop an individual later identified as Rodney Dale during an investigation into what the
deputy believed was illicit activity. The deputy’s attention was drawn to Dale when the deputy pulled into
the parking lot of a business to investigate this possible illegal activity when Dale abruptly turned and
attempted to walk away upon noticing the presence of the deputy.

When the deputy attempted to question Dale as to Dale’s identity and his purpose for being out and about, Dale became both belligerent and profane to the detriment of the normal course of business in the area.

The deputy observed that Dale’s behavior created a disturbance to those around which led the deputy to
attempt an arrest of Dale for Disorderly Conduct. Instead of submitting, Dale ran from the scene, forcing
the deputy to chase him on foot. Upon catching Dale, he physically struggled against the deputy’s efforts
to place him in handcuffs.

The deputy managed to eventually subdue Dale and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where
he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the
Commissioner released Dale on Personal Recognizance.

Charges: Disorderly Conduct
False Statement to a Law Enforcement Officer
Resisting Arrest

Incident: Driving Suspended / False Name to Deputy
Date of Incident: 14 October 2012
Location: Naylor Mill Road
Suspect: Tymir D. Johnson, 28, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 14 October 2012 at 12:37 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office
stopped a vehicle the deputy encountered in the Henry Parker Athletic Complex after normal operating
hours for the park. Upon contacting the driver, the deputy received a name from him after the driver
stated he did not have his license with him. Upon attempting to verify the veracity of the information
provided, the deputy was able to retrieve the photo of the individual the driver claimed to be, utilizing the
in car Mobile Date Terminal.

The picture obtained was not the person operating the vehicle.

The deputy had the driver exit the vehicle and brought him back to the Sheriff’s Office cruiser. The driver still maintained his claim on his identity until the deputy showed him the Maryland Vehicle
Administration photo that corresponded to that identity. The individual relented and provided his true
identity of Tymir Johnson. The deputy then discovered that Johnson’s privilege to drive a motor vehicle
was in fact suspended by the State of Maryland and Johnson was well aware of that. The deputy placed
Johnson under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking for processing. After an initial
appearance, the Commissioner detained Johnson without bond pending a bond review.

Charges: Hindering and Obstructing
Driving While Suspended
Vehicle Driver Providing False and Fictitious Name

Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Date of Incident: 15 October 2012
Location: Airport Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Michael B. Scott, 44, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 15 October 2012 at 12:39 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office
responded to a reported collision of a motor vehicle with a power pole in the 5000 block of Airport Road in Salisbury. Upon arrival, the driver told the deputy that he was in the process of sending a text message when his vehicle collided with the power pole, cutting it in half and severely damaging his vehicle. While speaking with the driver, the deputy detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the driver.

The deputy administered field sobriety tests which led to the arrest of Scott. During processing, Scott
provided a breath sample which registered a .20.

Scott was released upon the issuance of citations.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se

Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Date of Incident: 15 October 2012
Location: Melson Road, Delmar, MD
Suspect: Jose Antonio Ceja-Vallejo, 42, Parsonsburg, MD

Narrative: On 15 October 2012 at 1:17 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office
stopped a vehicle for erratic driving on Melson Road in Delmar. Upon contacting the driver, Jose CejaVallejo, the deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol. Based on the suspicion that Ceja-Vallejo was
operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol the deputy began the administration of field sobriety
testing. After the testing, the deputy believed that Ceja-Vallejo was under the influence of alcohol and
placed him under arrest.

During processing, Ceja-Vallejo refused to submit to a breath test. Ceja-Vallejo was released upon the
issuance of citations.

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Negligent Driving

Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Date of Incident: 13 October 2012
Location: Rum Ridge Road, Delmar, MD
Suspect: Brian Noel Greever, 55, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 13 October 2012 at 3:25 AM a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office
responded for a reported vehicle in a ditch on Rum Ridge Road in the Delmar area. Upon arrival, the
deputy located a Ford F150 in a ditch with a driver, Brian Noel Greever, still sitting behind the steering
wheel. The deputy requested that Greever exit the vehicle and climb out of the ditch. Upon exiting his
truck, Greever seemed to fall out of the vehicle. The deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol coming
from Greever once he made contact with him.

The deputy attempted to administer Field Sobriety tests which Greever declined to do in the belief he
would not pass them. The deputy placed Greever under arrest for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol.

Greever refused to submit to a breath test during processing.
Greever was released upon the issuance of citations.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol.

The National Debt and Our Children: How Dumb Does Washington Think We Are?

While much of the country is focused on the presidential race, the Wall Street gang is waging a different battle: they are preparing an assault on Social Security and Medicare. This attack is not exactly secret. There have been anumber of pieces on this corporate-backed campaign in the media over the last few months, but the drive is nonetheless taking place behind closed doors.

The corporate honchos are not expecting to convince the public that we should support cuts to Social Security and Medicare. They know this is a hopeless task. Huge majorities of people across the political spectrum strongly support these programs.

Education Profiteering: Wall Street's Next Big Thing?

Wall Street's involvement in the charter school movement is presented as an act of philanthropy, but it's really about greed.

The end of the Chicago teachers' strike was but a temporary regional truce in the civil war that plagues the nation's public schools. There is no end in sight, in part because -- as often happens in wartime -- the conflict is increasingly being driven by profiteers.

The familiar media narrative tells us that this is a fight over how to improve our schools. On the one side are the self-styled reformers, who argue that the central problem with American K-12 education is low-quality teachers protected by their unions. Their solution is privatization, with its most common form being the privately run but publicly financed charter school. Because charter schools are mostly unregulated, nonunion and compete for students, their promoters claim they will, ipso facto, perform better than public schools.

Former VFW Auxiliary Treasurer Accused Of Embezzlement

FEDERALSBURG -- The former treasurer of the Men's Auxiliary's of the Federalsburg VFW has been accused of embezzling about $23,000 from the organization over a period of more than a year, the Caroline County Sheriff's Office reported.

Wendell Eugene Merrick II, 38, of 3882 Old Denton Road, Federalsburg, was arrested Sept. 27 and charged with theft of more than $10,000 but less than $100,000, and theft scheme of more than $10,000 but less than $100,000.

Same-Sex Marriage Supporters Outspend Opponents

Supporters of same-sex marriage are vastly out-fundraising their opponents, according to campaign finance reports.

Marylanders for Marriage Equality has raised $3.2 million, compared to $838,620 raised by the Maryland Marriage Alliance, according to reports filed Friday night.

On the November ballot, state Question 6 will ask voters whether they want to uphold a new law allowing same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses beginning Jan. 1.

Marylanders for Marriage Equality’s $3.2 million is part of the total of about $3.5 million raised so far by groups supporting same-sex marriage.

Morgan Stanley Facing Discrimination Lawsuit

NEW YORK — Morgan Stanley is being accused of discriminating against black homeowners and violating federal civil rights laws by providing strong incentives to a subprime lender to originate mortgages that were likely to go unrepaid.

The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, was filed Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union and others on behalf of five Detroit residents and Michigan Legal Services. It was filed in U.S. District Court in New York.

“We believe these allegations are completely without merit and plan to defend ourselves vigorously,” Morgan Stanley said in a statement.

The five homeowners in the lawsuit received their loans from subprime lender New Century Mortgage Corp., which has since collapsed.

Bill Nye On Anti-Evolution Republicans: This ‘Betrays The Best Use Of Our Brains’

On Saturday, MSNBC’s Craig Melvin spoke with the science guy himself — Bill Nye — about two congressmen who have recently spoken out about evolution. Todd Akin, for instance, made headlines when he referred to evolution as not “even a matter of science.”Then, Congressman Paul Brown weighed in, calling evolution and other scientific theories as “lies from the pit of Hell.”

Nye clarified that evolution is something that has been discovered as opposed to “made up,” adding that there is overwhelming evidence in favor of the scientific theory. And, being a seasoned teacher, Nye even brought out props — including roses — to explain past experiments concerning evolution.

He was bothered by both men’s assertion that the Earth was only something around 6,000-10,000 years old. Using the technology behind smoke detectors (more props!) to explain, Nye stated that the Earth is, in fact, something more like 4.5 billion years old. “That’s science; those are facts,” said Nye. “You can’t just close your eyes and make them not true.”

People Are Going Crazy For Morgan Freeman's New Obama Ad

Morgan Freeman has lent his voice for an Obama advertisement that is already making waves.

The ad — which was released on Saturday and aired yesterday during football and baseball games — has Freeman narrating over images from Obama's first term, including the president walking out into a press conference and firefighters watching the news of bin Laden's death in Times Square.

It was really only a matter of time before Freeman lent his skills to the campaign, as the actor is a top Obama super PAC donor.

Rolling Stones To Tour Again

LONDON (AP) — You can't always get what you want — but if your desire is to attend a Rolling Stones concert this might be your lucky day.

The legendary band said Monday it would return to the stage this year with four concerts in Britain and the U.S. The shows will take place on Nov. 25 and 29 at London's O2 Arena, followed by gigs on Dec. 13 and 15 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, just outside of New York.

ROMNEY TAKES BIGGEST LEAD YET IN NEW GALLUP POLL

In the final Gallup tracking poll before tonight's debate, Romney has expanded his lead even further!

Romney has gained two points! He now leads 50-46 among likely voters, up from 49-47.

BLACK MOB PICKS ON 'THE WRONG GUY'

EDITOR’S NOTE: The links in the following report may contain offensive language.

DeAndre Felton and his crew had a problem: The mall was closed. The curfew in effect. But they were still high on drugs and wanted to have more fun. So they decided to beat someone up.

Turns out they chose The Wrong Guy.

They had just come from a local park where DeAndre and 15 others beat up two girls, sending one to the hospital with a broken arm.

So DeAndre came up with an increasingly popular idea: In St. Louis they call it the Knockout Game. In Illinois, Polar Bear Hunting.

Jurisdictions in Vermont, Michigan, Mississippi and Wisconsin have failed to mail absentee ballots to military members by the Sept. 22, 2012, deadline established by the MOVE Act. That was 45 days before the November 6 elections, which was what was required.

Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee; Rep. Daniel E. Lungren, R-Calif., chairman of the House Administration Committee; and Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the Defense and Justice departments reading:

Scouting Bridges Religious, Cultural Divides

EASTON - Rabbi Peter E. Hyman was the first rabbi in many years to be invited to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but his purpose for going there was not a religious one.

In September, the Boy Scouts of America were one of the world scouting organizations to be recognized by Saudi Arabia for its participation in the Messengers of Peace Program a program designed to promote service projects through social media in effort to achieve world peace. The BSA naturally decided to send Hyman, chairman of the Messengers of Peace Program. Hyman also is the spiritual leader of Temple B'nai Israel congregation at 101 W. Earle Ave.

"If there really is a cloud nine, Peter Hyman is sitting on it," said Scott Teare, international director for the Boy Scouts of America and the secretary general for the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Teare said the king and prime minister of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, was well aware of Hyman's Jewish faith and it wasn't ever considered a problem.

Lawsuit Seeks To Block New York City Ban On Big Sodas

Earlier this year, the New York City Board of Health announced that full-calorie sodas (and other sugary drinks) larger than 16 oz. would be unwelcome in restaurants, delis and other businesses regulated by the Board. On Friday, the groups that would likely feel the sting of such a ban — soda companies, restaurant owners and the like — sued to try to ban the ban.

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Biden: Planned Parenthood ‘Under Law Cannot Perform Any Abortion;’ Planned Parenthood: We Did 985,731 In 3 Years

Vice President Joe Biden said at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse on Friday that Planned Parenthood “under law cannot perform any abortion.”

Planned Parenthood itself has published fact sheets indicating that it did 985,731 abortions in just the three years from 2008 through 2010. These included 324,008 abortion in 2008, 332,278 abortions in 2009, and 329,445 abortions in 2010.

Biden made his remark in response to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney position that he would defund Planned Parenthood.

Judge: Yellow Pages Will Continue To Be Chucked At Your Door & Subsequently Thrown Away Because Of 1st Amendment

You hear the “kerthunk!” at your door and you know the dinosaur has landed. And by dinosaur of course we mean the Yellow Pages and by landed we mean the ginormous book you likely no longer need because of a thing called the Internet has been chucked onto your property. It seems they won’t stop kerthunking, either, as a judge says it’s totally constitutional for the directory’s publishers to keep bombarding consumers with the obsolete books.

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Beyonce Set for Super Bowl Halftime, NFL Confirms

All the single ladies will be watching the upcoming Super Bowl along with football lovers. That's because Beyonce is the halftime show performer.

The NFL confirmed rumors that the Grammy-winning diva will take the stage at the halftime show on Feb. 3, 2013 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, with a Tweet.

The "Single Ladies" singer had earlier posted her own confirmation via message in eyeblack.

NAACP Rallies In Support of Question 6

Question 6 received an official stamp of approval from the NAACP.

Organization officials on Monday rallied in support of same-sex marriage in Maryland. They've also begun to launch ads on the issue.

The group is telling voters supporting Question 6 is the right thing to do and that gay and lesbian families share the same values as any other U.S. citizens.

What's The Truth?

Tobacco companies and the Justice Department are sparring over corrective statements the companies say are "forced public confessions." In a 2006 racketeering case, a federal judge ordered tobacco companies to release statements such as "For decades, we denied that we controlled the level of nicotine delivered in cigarettes. Here's the truth. Cigarettes are a finely tuned nicotine delivery device designed to addict people." Tobacco companies object to the words "finely tuned." The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to enforce the sentence.

Prosecutor: Officers Who Beat UMD Student Abused Power

A prosecutor said two police officers abused their power when they assaulted a University of Maryland student during a rowdy post-game celebration two years ago.

But lawyers for the officers said their clients were merely "foot soldiers" who followed their commanders' orders and exerted legal and appropriate force.

Jurors heard opening statements Monday in the trial of Reginald Baker and James Harrison, two Prince George's County police officers accused of beating up John McKenna as students celebrated the men's basketball team's victory over Duke on March 3, 2010.

The United States, Once Again, Is Nearing Its Borrowing Limit

Republican senators want to know how the Treasury Department will avoid default if it reaches the federal debt limit. That could happen sometime toward the end of this year. The Treasury Department could put off default for a few more months by taking emergency measures. Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) have asked Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner for details. They said planning ahead could avoid a repeat of what happened last year. That's when a similar debate nearly shut down the federal government, and the government's credit rating was downgraded for the first time in history. It also led to the Budget Control Act, which put the wheels of sequestration and automatic budget cuts in motion.

SENATORS BLASTED FOR SENDING BILLIONS TO 'ENEMIES'

A new TV-ad campaign in the swing states of Florida, West Virginia, Ohio and Missouri is blasting Democratic Party incumbents for sending billions of dollars to nations that many Americans would place unequivocally in the “enemies” column.

The ads created by RAND PAC, the political action arm of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., already are running, with purchases targeting Sens. Joe Manchin in West Virgina, Bill Nelson in Florida and Sherrod Brown in Ohio.

The spots will begin running this week in Missouri, where Sen. Claire McCaskill in fighting to stave off a surging challenge from U.S. Rep. Todd Akin.

Hillary Clinton Takes Responsibility For Libya Attack

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is accepting responsibility for the fatal attack on the U.S. compound in Libya. She said requests for embassy and consulate security go to the State Department not the White House. That means the buck stops with her. Clinton made the remarks in an interview with CNN during a visit to Peru. She has asked an advisory board to investigate the conditions that led to the deaths of four Americans, including the U.S. Ambassador. The board is expected to release its findings next month. Meanwhile, Republicans have criticized State Department officials for calling the assault "unprecedented." It took place on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

ROMNEY SUES TO EXTEND ABSENTEE VOTING FOR OVERSEAS MILITARY

Mitt Romney's campaign has sued Wisconsin, asking a federal judge for an injunction to extend the deadline for absentee ballots for military personnel and civilians overseas by five days. The Romney campaign alleges Wisconsin election officials were late in sending out absentee ballots to civilians and military voters stationed overseas.

According to the Green Bay Press Gazette, there are about 6,120 military and overseas voters in Wisconsin.

A spokesman for the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board told the Gazette "27 municipalities missed the deadline for various reasons to send ballots to a total of 44 military and overseas voters" and "all 44 ballots were sent to the affected voters within five days of the missed deadline."

COLA Adjustment

Retired feds will learn later today how much of a raise they'll get in their pensions come January. The Labor Department is releasing the Consumer Price Index, which shows the rate of inflation for September. That's the figure the new Cost-of-Living-Adjustment will be based upon. Federal retirees got a so-called COLA of 3.6 percent last year, the first increase since 2008. Federal News Radio Senior Correspondent Mike Causey said they won't be so lucky today. He said it's bound to be a "bitter diet cola." The Congressional Budget Office has predicted a 1.3 percent boost.

SCATHING NEW TEA PARTY AD FEATURES…THE ‘OBAMA PHONE LADY’?

A scathing new ad released by the Tea Party Victory Fund Super PAC enlists the “Obama phone lady” to slam President Barack Obama’s economic record.

“Have Barack Obama’s policies empowered or enslaved Americans?” the ad begins.

The shot then cuts to the “Obama phone lady” who says everyone who is a “minority” in Cleveland got an “Obama phone.”

Latest Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) Available Online

Anyone interested in learning more about the financial workings of the Wicomico County Public Schools will find a wealth of information in the school system’s latest Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The Board approved the CAFR at its October meeting and it is now posted online at http://www.wcboe.org/file/FY2012ComprehensiveAnnualFinancialReportCAFR-2350.

The Division of Business Support Services prepared the CAFR, at the direction of Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen. It covers the budget year that ended June 30, 2012.

“The CAFR spells out the priorities of the school system in real terms – dollars and cents. The vast bulk of the expenditures are for salaries and fringe for instruction. The remainder of the money funds supplies, energy, facilities, safety and technology,” Dr. Fredericksen said. “By placing the information in a comprehensive document, community members and other agencies can readily assess how we’re doing and make appropriate decisions. It’s our belief that this greater level of transparency will help us build community trust and support.”

This is the third CAFR for Wicomico Schools, and all three reports are posted online. The comprehensive financial reporting effort has earned national honors. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for both the FY2010 CAFR and the FY2011 CAFR. The Association of School Business Officials also awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Board of Education of Wicomico County for both the FY2010 CAFR and the FY2011 CAFR.

The CAFR provides a thorough and detailed presentation of the school system’s financial condition, activities and balances for the fiscal year. It contains a number of financial statements as well as Management’s Discussion and Analysis about the financial statements. Information is also included on the local economy, capital plans, enrollment, budget, staffing, much of it presented over 10 years to enable trend analysis.

The Board’s financial statements have been audited by the firm TGM Group LLC, certified public accountants, which issued an unqualified “clean” opinion on the financial statements for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2012. The Independent Auditors’ Report from TGM Group appears at the front of the CAFR.

“This is the third year the Board has completed a CAFR and we would like to thank our Superintendent, John Fredericksen, for providing the direction, leadership and support for the development of this comprehensive reporting tool,” said E. Bruce Ford, Comptroller for Wicomico Schools. TGM Group and the staff of Business Support Services were also critical to the successful completion of the CAFR. “The CAFR is packed with useful financial information that anyone in the community can access to better understand the public school system in Wicomico County.”

REPORT: ILLEGAL UNDERGROUND FOOD STAMP MARKET THRIVES ONLINE

Understaffed food stamp fraud prevention units and lax anti-fraud security on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards have created a thriving underground market where food stamp recipients illegally sell and trade their taxpayer-funded benefits, often using online websites like Backpage.com, Craigslist, or social media.

That is one of the findings of a new report by the Government Accountability Institute (GAI) examining how the poverty industry has become a massive profit center for politically-connected corporations like JP Morgan, who have made at least $560,492,596since 2004 to process the EBT cards of food stamp recipients in 24 states and two U.S. territories.

Clinton: 'I Take Responsibility' For Events In Libya

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she takes responsibility when it comes to security concerns in Libya in the run up to the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed four Americans including a U.S. ambassador.

Clinton conducted a number of interviews with news outlets in Lima, Peru, on Monday, where she is part of a conference on entrepreneurship for women.

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Mahindra Gives Up Altogether On Small Diesel Pickup For U.S.

With apologies to the Beatles, it's been a long and winding road for those waiting to get their hands on the steering wheel of a small, diesel-powered pickup from Mahindra. Here's the good news: Something definitive has finally been heard from the Indian automaker. Here's the bad news: It's bad news.

According to Reuters, Mahindra "recently decided not to proceed further with the project due to changes in the U.S. regulatory and market situation." In other words, the truck we've long been expecting isn't going to happen. That said, "M&M will continue to monitor the U.S. situation and remain flexible with its approach to this market."

We won't outline all the sordid details on what happened between Global Vehicles, Mahindra and its would-be dealer base – read all about it on these pages – but suffice it to say delays were felt, feelings were hurt and lawsuits were filed.

Some analysts quoted by Reuters suggest Mahindra may regroup and focus on bringing its KoreanSsangyong subsidiary to the States in lieu of its rugged pickup and SUV wares, but we're not holding our breath for either.

News Source: Reuters

Sea Level Rising Toward Washington And Other Cities

How soon could ocean waters lap at Jefferson’s Feet?

Manila already flooded regularly by the ocean; St. Petersburg, Russia, has immense new sea wall

Nature’s Edge Notebook #36

Observation, Analysis, Reflection, New Questions

How soon could ocean waters be lapping at Thomas Jefferson’s memorial on the edge of the Washington Mall?

City planners in Washington, D.C. — and in most major coastal cities around the world — are asking such questions as sea level rise, which the world’s climate scientists agree is being caused by manmade global warming, accelerates.

Salisbury's Fire Chief

There have been many comments coming in about what happened to acting Fire Chief Hoppes last night. The matter was a personnel issue, therefore the Council went into Closed Session to discuss the matter.

As I recall, the Hoppes issue doesn't come into consideration again until January. I could be wrong but I believe that is when another possible extension would be considered.

I'd love to know if the Mayor has advertised the Fire Chief's position again. My guess, he has not. I'll check into that.

Woman Charged With Felony After Posting Undercover Cop's Picture On Facebook

A Texas woman is facing a felony retaliation charge after she allegedly posted a photograph of an undercover narcotics officer on Facebook and identified his job.

Melissa Walthall, 30, told Mesquite police she saw the photograph on a flyer three weeks earlier and posted it because her friend was upset with the officer's testimony on drug charges, according to a federal affidavit.

On Oct. 7, one of Walthall's friends told police a photograph of a man appeared in her newsfeed and was labeled "Undercover Mesquite Narcotics" with the caption "Anyone know this b****."

At work I spend _____ hours on the Internet.

Secrets Of Dartmouth Admissions Office

ADMISSIONS OFFICER: Here's What They Don't Tell You About Getting Into An Ivy League School

College admissions is a mysterious process, and admissions offices do their best to keep it that way. To get the real story, we talked to a former admissions officer at Dartmouth College.

Our source confirmed much of what we'd already suspected.

Minorities get a significant advantage, but that doesn't mean you should feel sorry for rich white kids.

"The demographic that gets squeezed is the white middle class," said our source, "A lot of student come from the top quartile of the income spectrum, which makes it an elite institution not just in academic quality but also in pedigree.”

East Asians can be disadvantaged too as everyone sees them as "dilligent," but rarely "creative" or "intellectual."

Legacies get a "bump," though not as much as recruited athletes.

"I was constantly peeved by athletic admissions. I thought they brought down the quality of the applicant pool," said our source.

Why The Paul Ryan VP Pick Was Brilliant: Wisconsin + Medicare

When Paul Ryan was selected by Mitt Romney to be his running mate, it was seen as a roll of the dice or a Hail Mary pass that was needed to get the GOP candidate back in the race.

But with just a few weeks to go, Ryan has emerged as an ingenious pick.

Two new articles today really underscore that point.

The first is from Molly Ball at The Atlantic, who notes that Democrats can't get any traction on the Mediscare, push-granny-off-the-cliff stuff because Ryan is so darn likable.

I thought Paul Ryan came out looking very responsible and intelligent, and personally I did not think the vice president did," said Susan Seifert, a 65-year-old retired housewife who lives on a farm in rural Ohio and brought her 16-year-old granddaughter here to see Ryan and Romney the day after the debate. Given the way he acted, she said -- "all that smirking and grinning" -- Biden "doesn't seem to be taking the country very seriously."

Several older women I met at the rally put it in similar terms: Ryan, 42, struck them as a nice young man, Biden, 69, a grating boor. Some Republicans might have wished Ryan pushed back harder against Biden's aggressive assault, but these ladies appreciate that he minded his manners.

The Last Domino

With the U.S. Presidential election less than one month away, I think it’s a good time to take stock on what has occurred in 2012 so far and look forward to the period ahead, which I think will be one of increasing social and economic chaos in the United States. Earlier this year I wrote a piece titled Six Months Left…Can They Do It? in which I questioned whether the Administration and its cronies at the Federal Reserve and elsewhere would be able to hold things together in a relative calm until November 6^th. I wasn’t sure of their ability to do so, but I understood that everything would be thrown toward this objective, legal and illegal, to make it happen. Well here we are, and to some degree they have held the undeniable disaster that is very apparent underneath the superficial surface of American society from exploding upwards. Back in May I wrote:

Well the past is the past and the future lies right ahead, so how should we be thinking about things? The assumption that is being made, and to some extent has to be made, is that if they have been able to pull off this total coup of the financial markets for the past seven months why can’t they keep it going until the election. Well if we are to assume this, it means we must assume they can pull it off for six more months, which would bring the total to thirteen months. This would be quite a feat. They know how difficult it will be to keep things “together” in the markets amid a real world that is falling apart. This is why the Fed is pretending there will be no more liquidity added to the system. In their minds, the best strategy is to talk down QE while at the same time attacking commodity markets behind the scenes. In their mind, this will give them the cover to create trillions more for their banker shareholders. I have stated that this would be the plan and as we can see in the markets lately, it has been executed to precision.

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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Jurisdictions in Vermont, Michigan, Mississippi and Wisconsin have failed to mail absentee ballots to military members by the Sept. 22, 2012, deadline established by the MOVE Act. That was 45 days before the November 6 elections, which was what was required.