Monday, October 22, 2012

Final Presidential Debate Open Forum

Campaign 2012 Preview: Question 3, Removing Elected Officials

The cases of several Prince George's County officials accused of wrong doing has led to a state constitutional amendment that is before Maryland voters on Election Day.

The amendment is listed as Question 3 on this year's ballot.

Under current law, an elected official convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor related to their official duties is not removed from office, until they are sentenced.

Prince George's County Delegate Jolene Ivey says that official can remain in office for months, after being found guilty by a judge or a jury, or entering a guilty or no contest plea.

Maryland's black bear hunting season is opening with an expanded kill quota and more hunters to help manage the growing population.

The season opens Monday, with hunting restricted to the two westernmost counties, Allegany and Garrett.

EVERETT, Wash. - A 22-year-old man with a severe dairy allergy was arrested for cannabis possession and died in Snohomish County Jail after only being there one night. He suffered an allergic reaction to a bowl of oatmeal he ate, unaware there was milk in it and was then refused help from the guards as he had an asthma attack because the guards thought he was fabricating the reaction and making it up.

Michael Saffioti died in jail on July 2earlier this year. Thursday, the medical examiner's office released that Saffioti did in fact die from bronchial asthma brought on by his dairy allergy. Rose Saffioti, his mother, is now pressing involuntary manslaughter charges against the jail workers who could have prevented his death.

Michael has dealt with the severe allergy his entire life. Always prepared for a deadly reaction he would carry medication with him wherever he went. Sometimes just being near dairy protein would trigger an allergic reaction. The stress of having an asthma attack made him dependent on anxiety medication.

A Florida man practicing the opposite of love thy neighbor was arrested for stalking and criminal mischief after allegedly terrorizing his neighbors for a year and a half.

Mitchell Igelko has been accused of egging homes, spraying grass-destroying chemicals and flattening the tires of his Miami neighbors, according to CBS 4. He was also heard using a megaphone to direct obscene language toward them as well.

CBS 4 reported that Igelko, who owned the landscape company Mitchell’s Lawn Corp., was arrested last week for “harassing victims in his neighborhood, causing substantial emotional stress,” according to the police report.

Volunteers from the Salisbury Home Depot spent the day Saturday rebuilding a deck at the American Legion on Rt. 50 in west Salisbury. They'll spend one more weekend finishing up the job.

Psst, Taxes Go Up in 2013 For 163 Million Workers

President Barack Obama isn't talking about it and neither is Mitt Romney. But come January, 163 million workers can expect to feel the pinch of a big tax increase regardless of who wins the election.

A temporary reduction in Social Security payroll taxes is due to expire at the end of the year and hardly anyone in Washington is pushing to extend it. Neither Obama nor Romney has proposed an extension, and it probably wouldn't get through Congress anyway, with lawmakers in both parties down on the idea.

President Barack Obama isn't talking about it and neither is Mitt Romney. But come January, 163 million workers can expect to feel the pinch of a big tax increase regardless of who wins the election.

Police: Costumed Pa. Girl Mistaken For Skunk, Shot

FREEDOM, Pa. (AP) - Police say a costumed 9-year-old girl was accidentally shot outside a western Pennsylvania home during a Halloween party by a relative who thought she was a skunk.

New Sewickley Township police say the girl was over a hillside and wearing a black costume and a black hat with a white tassel. Chief Ronald Leindecker told the Beaver County Times that a male relative mistook her for a skunk and fired a shotgun, hitting her in the shoulder, arm, back and neck Saturday night.

ANN COULTER: LIBERALS PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT BULLYING, BUT ARE ‘BIGGEST BULLIES’

Ann Coulter’s nonexistent ability to mince words once more graced Fox News this morning when the controversial conservative columnist was invited to address a recent retweet by Hollywood actress and Obama campaign co-chair Eva Longoria.

The tweet, which read, “I have no idea why any woman/minority can vote for Romney. You have to be stupid to vote for such a racist/misogynistic twat,” had prompted outcries against Longoria by conservative bloggers. Longoria, however, seemed to have absolutely no knowledge of ever retweeting it.

“Is anyone else’s Twitter bugging out? There are things in my timeline I didn’t retweet today,” Longoria posted. The denial convinced precisely no one, however, with many observers (includingat least one liberal) calling for Longia’s resignation.

Salisbury City Council Breaks Record

With Council President Terry Cohen and Councilwoman Laura Mitchell absent from tonight's meeting, the Council was able to push through their agenda in just over 30 minutes.

Because there wasn't a quorum, a few items on the agenda had to be removed. Council Vice President Debbie Campbell conducted the meeting and quite frankly it was extremely pleasant to watch. Debbie was very complimentary towards the other Council Members during the meeting and there was absolutely no bickering whatsoever.

You see Folks, things are turning around.

SANDRA FLUKE’S SPEECH AT THE SAK ‘N SAVE DRAWS…10 PEOPLE

Sandra Fluke has been hitting the campaign trail in support of President Barack Obama’s re-election, but it’s probably safe to say she’s not making the maximum impact.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reported that Fluke’s speech in Reno, Nev. Saturday drew “about 10 people at the Sak ‘N Save.”

An Obama for America staffer tweeted a photo of the event, which she described as an “intimate gathering.” The photo showed Fluke speaking to a handful of people in a parking space.

Redistribution of the current Pennsylvania Amber Alert on behalf of the Pennsylvania State Police. See below for information related to the case. Activation of the Delaware State Police Amber Alert system has not been requested at this time. Contact the Pennsylvania State Police for more information.

The Pennsylvania State Police has issued an Amber Child Abduction Alert for the Upper Merion Township Police Department, Montgomery County

The Upper Merion Township Police Department is searching for Saavni VENNA, Asian Indian female, 10 months old, 2’ 6”, 21 pounds, black hair, brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white dress with pink flowers

She was last seen at the Marquis Apartments, 251 West Dekalb Pike, King of Prussia, 19406, between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. today.

She has been reported abducted by an unknown subject(s) during a homicide. The suspect and vehicle information is unknown at this time

Anyone with information about the abduction should immediately contact the police by calling 911.

For more information go to www.amber.state.pa.us.

Benghazi

Obamacare Mandate: Anyone Who Works 30-Hour Week Is Now 'Full-Time'

A little-known section in the ObamaCare health reform law defines “full-time” work as averaging only 30 hours per week, a definition that will affect some employers who utilize part-time workers to trim the cost of complying with the ObamaCare rule that says businesses with 50 or more workers must provide health insurance or pay a fine.

“The term ‘full-time employee’ means, with respect to any month, an employee who is employed on average at least 30 hours of service per week,” section 1513 of the law reads. (Scroll down to section 4, paragraph A.)

Mitt Romney’s “base” has been depicted as an overweight, nearly illiterate, sweating woman with hairy legs holding a sign asking to see President “Obummerz” birth certificate.

Romney himself is shown as a sexist, with his hand nearly caressing the breasts of a more attractive, skinnier woman depicted as “the center.”

More

Meningitis Outbreak Update

The meningitis outbreak is renewing scrutiny on Medicare's compounding drugs policies.

Medicare has flagged compounded drugs, produced without federal oversight, as safety risks. It even revoked coverage five years ago of a compounded drug used to treat lung disease. But Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) suggested Medicare hasn't done so consistently.

He wants to know how often the agency denies payments for compounded drugs. The meningitis outbreak has been linked to a compounded steroid produced at a Massachusetts pharmacy.

EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT SEEMINGLY MOUTHS ‘AMEN’ AFTER PREACHER CALLS FOR DESTRUCTION OF THE JEWS

The translators at MEMRI – the Middle East Media Research Institute – have posted a new video showing Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi attending Friday prayers at a mosque in the Matrouh governorate in northern Egypt. During the religious service, the Muslim cleric Futouh Abd Al-Nabi Mansour gave a sermon that included a prayer to destroy or deal harshly with the Jews, and to grant victory over the “infidels.” In the clip, it appears that Morsi is mouthing the word “Amen” after each of the cleric’s pronouncements.

During his Friday sermon, Mansour, who heads the region’s Islamic Endowment, said:

[...] Oh Allah, absolve us of our sins, strengthen us, and grant us victory over the infidels. Oh Allah, destroy the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, disperse them, rend them asunder. Oh Allah, demonstrate Your might and greatness upon them. Show us Your omnipotence, oh Lord.

TSA Fires And Suspends Employees At Newark Airpoprt

The Transportation Security Administration is firing 25 employees at Newark Liberty International Airport and suspending 19 others. The agency said the employees were not screening checked luggage properly. The job actions result from surveillance videos showing employees failing to look inside luggage that had been tagged for inspection. Eight employees were fired in June on the same grounds. The Newark moves make it the largest disciplinary action taken by TSA at a U.S. airport. The American Federation of Government Employees, which recently began representing TSA screeners, is likely to appeal.

Demolition Of The Thrift Travel Inn Progresses

Target Date – First Week in November 2012

In an effort to keep the public informed regarding the Thrift Travel Inn, Mayor James Ireton, Jr. would like to provide the following update.

Per conversations between Mr. Eric Morrison, Project Manager for Demolition Services Incorporated and Mrs. Susan Phillips, Housing Supervisor of Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance, it has been confirmed that a contract to demolish the Thrift Travel Inn has been entered between Demolition Services Incorporated and the property owner, United Central Bank.

Mr. Morrison stated that Demolition Services Incorporated is currently working on the required approvals and has a target date for demolition sometime during the week of November 5, through November 9, 2012. It is understood that this date may change due the requirements of the State of Maryland approvals.

“I applaud Mr. Stevenson and Mrs. Phillips for their extraordinary effort in eliminating the blight from Rt. 13. Area businesses and neighborhoods have already benefited from the closure of the Inn and now we await the property’s transformation from “drain” on public services to “viable” Rt. 13 commercial property,” said Mayor James Ireton, Jr.

Publishers Notes: Amazing how Mayor Jim Ireton AGAIN refuses to give the real credit where credit is due. It was Council President Terry Cohen and the City Council that spearheaded this proposal and project. You know, "the Council of no's".

Is it because the Council is obviously smarter than the Mayor?

UN WARNS AMERICANS: DO NOT ELECT MITT ROMNEY

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights has warned Americans not to elect Republican Mitt Romney in next month’s presidential election, saying that doing so would be “a democratic mandate for torture.”

The UN’s Ben Emmerson was referring to Romney’s refusal to rule out the use of waterboarding in interrogating terror detainees, a practice that President Barack Obama has ended.

Colin Perkel of The Canadian Press reported Emmerson’s remarks from a symposium in Toronto on the impact of 9/11 on human rights:

On average, feds earn 34 percent less than their private-sector counterparts, according to new data. Last year, the public-private pay gap was 26 percent. Over the last several years, the council's analysis has shown the pay gap increasingly widening.

Publishers Notes: This article is very important to Salisbury as the City Council is trying to figure out if they should do another Singer Study in the hopes of increasing the salaries for City employees. As we noted recently, the MML is capable of providing comparisons to other municipalities for around $240.00. The Singer Study could cost taxpayers upwards of $50,000.00.

Now you have to ask yourself, (after reading this article) is it worth it?

Cockatiels Desperate Fight For Life

New $70 Million Juvie Jail In Baltimore Draws Strong Opposition

Opposition was strong at a Senate Budget and Taxation Committee hearing Wednesday on the proposed construction of a new youth detention center in Baltimore City to house youths charged as adults with violent crimes.

Continue Reading...

GOVERNMENT WAKES UP TO EMP THREAT

After several delays and repeatedly ignored warnings, the federal government is starting to recognize the threat posed to national security by an electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, event.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, has begun taking steps to protect the nation’s power grid from at least the natural version of an EMP by proposing new regulation standards addressing the impacts of a geomagnetic disturbance, or GMD.

The regulations are coming almost a year after Congress passed the Secure High-Voltage Infrastructure for Electricity from Lethal Damage, or SHIELD, Act to “protect the critical infrastructure, electric power grid, communications and transportation, banking and finance, food and water.”

The Joint Committee on Transparency and Open Government held a hearing on the Open Meetings Act Wednesday, and MarylandReporter.com was asked to gather recommendations for changes to improve the law.

Continue Reading...

Capital Fact Checker: Did Cardin Help The Airport?

Maryland U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat running for re-election, is airing an airport-themed TV ad called “Heavy Lifting."

The ad shows Cardin unloading luggage from an airplane, interspersed with shots of planes, cargo trucks, taxis and other airport-related activity.

The Claims: A narrator says: “By getting BWI Marshall funding for new runways, he’s helping us serve 21 million passengers a year, which helps keep 100,000 jobs that depend on the airport. And that means more cargo for more businesses. And more skycaps unloading more taxis carrying families with more luggage."

The Facts: BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport is in the midst of a multiyear series of improvement projects, including improving lighting, grading and paving existing runways, and relocating Federal Aviation Administration equipment, according to airport spokesman Jonathan Dean.

DelDOT Unveils $53-Million Third Track Project

Third Track To Improve Service In Northeast Corridor

Wilmington -- Launch of the Delaware
Third Track Construction Project

Wilmington At a ceremony today, Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) Secretary Shailen Bhatt announced the launch of the Delaware Third Track Construction Project. The project involves the addition of a third track along a 1.5-mile segment between Ragan and Brandy Interlockings on the Northeast Corridor, south of Wilmington near Banning Park. This will allow for more efficient movement and increased performance along the Corridor by commuter and intercity passenger trains. Joining Secretary Bhatt as speakers were U.S. Senators Thomas R. Carper and Chris Coons, U.S. Congressman John Carney, and Amtrak's Stephen Gardner, Vice President of NEC Infrastructure & Investment Development.

Sec. Bhatt said, "This nearly $53 million project represents funding from the Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Amtrak, and the State of Delaware. It's a project that epitomizes how far we can go and how much we can accomplish when we have the public and private sector working together, and will provide a more efficient movement and better service along the Northeast Corridor by both commuter and intercity passenger trains."

Project funding specifics:
Local Match (DelDOT) $10,180,619
FRA HSIPR Grant 13,300,000
FHWA 11,183,990
FTA 13,309,477
Amtrak 5,000,000
$52,974,086

More

Federal Court Debates Funding For Historically Black Colleges In Md.

Does the state equally fund its historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominately white colleges? That’s the question at the heart of a federal court battle.

Students from four of the state’s historically black universities rally in front of the Garmatz Federal Court Building coming with a message.

“All we’re asking for is equal funding.” Brian Stewart, a student at Morgan State University, said.

Inside the courthouse, attorneys representing the universities are too. After six weeks of debate, closing arguments come on Friday.

Morgan, Bowie, Coppin State universities and the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore are asking for a combined $1 billion. It’s money they say the state never paid over the decades following desegregation, even though federal laws required it.

Romney Gains On Obama On Foreign-Policy Issues, In Time For Next Debate

Americans have a much-improved view of Mitt Romney's foreign-policy positions, but Obama still has the edge on which candidate would better handle international matters, a new poll shows. Monday's presidential debate is on foreign policy and national security.

The US electorate has for months given President Obama the nod over rival Mitt Romney on handling of foreign policy, but public perceptions of Mr. Romney’s positions on international issues have recently improved – just in time for Monday night’s debate focused on foreign policy and national security.

Americans have turned increasingly negative toward China and its trade policies and have shifted in favor of a tougher approach toward Iran over the past year, according to a new Pew Research Center poll. The public's growing preference for a tougher stance toward China and Iran seems to be in sync with Romney’s harsh talk on the campaign trail about the two countries – and helps explain why he’s likely to showcase that toughness in Monday’s debate.

More

Jim Rogers On What Could Save America

Legendary investor Jim Rogers is bearish on the U.S. economy. In the past, he's said he expects a few 'lost decades.' And he dismissed talks

of a housing recovery and a manufacturing renaissance.

"There's two things which might save America

," he revealed to us.

He also tells us how he plans to vote.

For all that and more, watch our interview with Rogers:

While Baltimore Ravens fans are known to sport many impressive tailgate mobiles on game day, none can come close to the growing phenomenon that is Jimmy’s Famous Tailgating Bus. Providing the ultimate riding experience to and from the M&T Bank Stadium as well as hosting an all-inclusive tailgate party, Jimmy’s Bus is steadily gaining more followers every year.

The best part about this tailgating bus is that any fan can join in the fun for only $30. Keep in mind that this is cheaper than most parking spots available at the stadium on game day, plus this price includes delicious food, all you can drink, live music and games.

History of the Bus

Are You Proud Of Me?

Joe --

This week alone, the other side is expected to spend $57 million on TV advertising against us.

It gets worse: We just learned that Mitt Romney and the Republicans started this month with a $34 million cash advantage.

This election is already extremely close. And because we've never seen this level of overall spending in a presidential race -- especially right at the very end like this -- we don't know exactly what it could do. It can't be good.

If we don't close the gap starting today, none of us should feel confident about how November 6th will play out.

According to our records associated with this exact email address:

    -- Total you've donated for the 2012 campaign cycle: $0
    -- Your most recent donation was: $0
    -- Suggested donation today: $5

This week should serve as a wake-up call for every Obama supporter.

We don't have to spend more than them, and we won't. But we can't get crushed on the airwaves without fighting back and expect this to be easy or go our way in less than three weeks.

If Barack Obama loses to the other side's cynical strategy, so does our way of doing grassroots politics.

The President doesn't have anyone else waiting in the wings -- you are it.

Please don't wait any longer. Donate $5 or more today:
Thanks,

Rufus

Rufus Gifford
National Finance Director
Obama for America

There's A Significant Chance That This Election Ends With Electoral College Catastrophe

The probability of one candidate winning the electoral college while losing the popular vote has never been this high.

When Romney trounced Obama in the first debate, his poll numbers surged across national polls.

But Obama's lead — although it was diminished — remained in the swing states.

In fact, Obama also had strong leads in states that already put him over the 270 limit.

Were the President to maintain his lead in Ohio, New Hampshire, and Nevada — in essence, to just stop losing ground in the states he's got a firm hold on — he'd win anyway

Enrollment Falling At For-Profit Colleges

When the University of Phoenix, the country’s largest university, announced this week it’s closing 115 campuses and satellite locations, it signaled more than a sudden availability of commercial real estate near highway interchanges, where for-profit colleges like to set up shop as a student convenience.

After years of explosive growth that really caught fire when the economy collapsed four years ago, for-profit higher education is shrinking fast.

That’s not a good thing for providers like Phoenix, at least in the short run. Whether it’s good for them, for students, and for the economy in the long run — well, that depends whom you ask.

More

This Is The Housing Bubble Beneath The "Recovery"

We want to 'believe', we really do; but anyone with any sense (and no skin in the game) can see through the data; the eon-like periods of foreclosure [4] and the drastically reduced supply. No matter how 'bullish' homebuilders are, or how much they dream of a future pickup, calling the recovery (as Bob Shiller recently noted [5]) is just a fool's errand. The truth is, for the average citizen, housing is not recovering - and the wealth effect is not creating animal spirits - and we do indeed have more to fear than fear itself. The following 79 second clip from Bloomberg TV should perhaps clarify the 'difference' in demand for housing. Primary residence 'buyers' are down remarkably, while 'investors' are up dramatically - now at pre-crisis bubble levels! Perhaps, as we noted here [6], Och-Ziff's stepping away from the 'flip-that-house' or 'REO-to-Rental' game is as good an indicator of exuberance as any.

Once again it seems the Fed's ZIRP (and QE) has done nothing but enable the elites to gather assets and front-run them, bidding prices up - as opposed to 'enable' an economic recovery.

Obamneycare Converts Health Care Into Profits

In the guest section [at Paulcraigroberts.org] there is a new contribution by Dr.
Robert S. Dotson. He points out that Obamneycare is two versions of the same
thing. A person has to be gullible and uninformed to believe the claims of Obama
and Romney that their replacements for Medicare will save money and improve
care. What the schemes do is convert public monies into private profits.

The exploding costs described by Dr. Dotson and the rising profits for private
corporations are paid for by reducing health care. For example, Betsy McCaughey,
former lieutenant governor of New York, writing in Investors Business Daily reports that "On Oct. 1, the
Obama administration started awarding bonus points to hospitals that spend the least on elderly patients."
The result will be fewer knee and hip replacements, angioplasty, bypass surgery and cataract operations.
These procedures transformed aging by allowing the elderly, who formerly languished in wheelchairs and
nursing homes, to lead active lives.

More

THE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER OF FUSION CENTERS

I know, I know. How dare I post a lowbrow video of Jesse Ventura’s show Conspiracy Theory on such a high-minded site as this.

I do it because he was right. And he is one of the few people who can get his views on television.

Fusion Centers are a colossal waste of money, and a threat to our Liberties.

Note that the first example was a young woman who was a Ron Paul Delegate. Oh, no!

The DHS and the government know exactly who the domestic terrorists are: They are those people critical of the status quo and concerned about the expansion of the Federal Government. Those people are you and me.

Source

Attention

Monday, October 22, 2012

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights has warned Americans not to elect Republican Mitt Romney in next month’s presidential election, saying that doing so would be “a democratic mandate for torture.”

On average, feds earn 34 percent less than their private-sector counterparts, according to new data. Last year, the public-private pay gap was 26 percent. Over the last several years, the council's analysis has shown the pay gap increasingly widening.

Opposition was strong at a Senate Budget and Taxation Committee hearing Wednesday on the proposed construction of a new youth detention center in Baltimore City to house youths charged as adults with violent crimes.

The Joint Committee on Transparency and Open Government held a hearing on the Open Meetings Act Wednesday, and MarylandReporter.com was asked to gather recommendations for changes to improve the law.