Kelly O’Sullivan with the Chesapeake Police Department said the 1989 red Ford Mustang was stolen sometime between 11 p.m. Dec. 1 and 6 p.m. Dec. 18. The Mustang was stolen along with the trailer it was on.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
$50K Race Car Stolen In Chesapeake
Kelly O’Sullivan with the Chesapeake Police Department said the 1989 red Ford Mustang was stolen sometime between 11 p.m. Dec. 1 and 6 p.m. Dec. 18. The Mustang was stolen along with the trailer it was on.
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Tax Data Maryland Needs — And Almost Lost
For years, the right and left have been bickering in Maryland over whether or not people are coming or going, arguments that solved nothing, changed nothing and improved nothing. It's been a hot topic this year, with individual income tax hikes and proposals to raise the gasoline tax front and center on the policy agenda. The question is: At what point do high taxes drive people away to other states?
"Virginia, here I come" is a popular refrain on social media posts on groups like Change Maryland's Facebook page, with 25,000 followers who have legitimate qualms about the state's relatively high corporate and individual income tax burdens. We are not talking about a dozen or so comments like this, but thousands. Are they all simply ideologues on the right — or is this a worrisome trend that policymakers should take seriously?
The question is how to turn this anecdotal evidence into a policy debate that gets something done. And this issue of people voting with their feet is more aptly described as the rise or decline of the tax base, which has a profound impact on funding public education and health, police, fire and transportation — the core government services that cities need to thrive.
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"Virginia, here I come" is a popular refrain on social media posts on groups like Change Maryland's Facebook page, with 25,000 followers who have legitimate qualms about the state's relatively high corporate and individual income tax burdens. We are not talking about a dozen or so comments like this, but thousands. Are they all simply ideologues on the right — or is this a worrisome trend that policymakers should take seriously?
The question is how to turn this anecdotal evidence into a policy debate that gets something done. And this issue of people voting with their feet is more aptly described as the rise or decline of the tax base, which has a profound impact on funding public education and health, police, fire and transportation — the core government services that cities need to thrive.
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Religious Schools Claim 'Major Victory' After Ruling On Contraception Mandate
Two religious-affiliated colleges claimed a "major victory" Tuesday after a federal appeals court ordered the Obama administration to verify that it is revising the so-called contraception mandate in ObamaCare.
The decision out of the D.C. Court of Appeals effectively reinstated a challenge that had been dismissed by lower courts. Wheaton College and Belmont Abbey College were arguing against the federal health care overhaul rule that requires employers to provide access to contraceptive care.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which has represented several plaintiffs challenging the rule, hailed the court decision.
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The decision out of the D.C. Court of Appeals effectively reinstated a challenge that had been dismissed by lower courts. Wheaton College and Belmont Abbey College were arguing against the federal health care overhaul rule that requires employers to provide access to contraceptive care.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which has represented several plaintiffs challenging the rule, hailed the court decision.
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State Dept. Report: Jihadist Leaders of Obama-Backed Libyan Rebellion Fought Against U.S. in Iraq
The report describes post-revoluationary Benghazi as a “a lawless town ... in reality run by a diverse group of local Islamist militias” that had a long history of violent antagonism toward the United States.
“Jihadis from Benghazi engaged in Afghanistan against the Soviets and took up arms against U.S. forces in the post-2003 Iraq insurgency,” says the report. “Many of them reemerged in 2011 as leaders of anti-Qaddafi militias in eastern Libya.”
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There Ain't No 'X' in Christmas
Talk about the tail wagging the dog. The only reason we even have Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, hence CHRISTmas. What's so hard to understand about that?
Does this seem as ridiculous to ya'll as it does to me?
The truth of the matter is that it's only a tiny minority of the population who claim to be offended by the public display of religious symbols, and I refuse to believe it's their rights they're trying to preserve, but yours they're trying to take away.
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Libyan Militia Hired to Protect U.S. Benghazi Mission Was on Strike on Sept. 11 in ‘Protest Over Salary and Working Hours’
Two Americans--Amb. Chris Stevens and State Department Information Management Officer Sean Smith--were killed at the Benghazi mission that day; and two more Americans--former Navy Seals Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty--were killed at a nearby CIA Annex.
“In the weeks and months leading up to the attacks, the response from post, Embassy Tripoli, and Washington to a deteriorating security situation was inadequate,” says the report, which was released on Tuesday. “At the same time, the SMC’s [Special Mission compound’s] dependence on the armed but poorly skilled Libyan February 17 Martyrs’ Brigade (February 17) militia members and unarmed, locally contracted Blue Mountain Libya (BML) guards for security support was misplaced."
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O’Malley Says Transportation Needs Work
Gov. Martin O’Malley used most of a review session with reporters yesterday to discuss responses to last week’s shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, but he said transportation remains a persistent concern in the state.
Maryland, he said, won’t ease traffic congestion or attract more people to public transit, until officials make the necessary investments.
O’Malley said Friday’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. may serve as a catalyst for Maryland lawmakers to tighten the state’s gun laws, especially those governing assault weapons.
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Maryland, he said, won’t ease traffic congestion or attract more people to public transit, until officials make the necessary investments.
O’Malley said Friday’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. may serve as a catalyst for Maryland lawmakers to tighten the state’s gun laws, especially those governing assault weapons.
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NRA Breaks Silence Over Shootings
The nation's largest gun rights organization made its first public statements Tuesday after a self-imposed media blackout that left many wondering how it would respond to the killings. In its statement, the group said its members were, quoting, "shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders."
The group also said it wanted to give families time to mourn before making its first public statements. The organization pledged "to help to make sure this never happens again" and has scheduled a news conference for Friday.
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Redskins Host Gift Giveaway
The Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation hosted its annual toy give away. And the kids were ecstatic.
More than 1,000 toys will be distributed to underserved youth from all over the D.C. area.
The team partnered with the Marines Toys for Tots program.
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Man Murdered On 90th Birthday, Daughter Charged
Maryland State Police have arrested and charged a woman for the murder of her 90-year-old father on his birthday.
Arthur Cohee turned 90 yesterday. He was also found dead in his Ridgely home yesterday evening.
The accused is Janice Cohee, 58, who lived with her father. Janice was charged early this morning with first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, manslaughter and reckless endangerment. She has been ordered held without bond.
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Arthur Cohee turned 90 yesterday. He was also found dead in his Ridgely home yesterday evening.
The accused is Janice Cohee, 58, who lived with her father. Janice was charged early this morning with first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, manslaughter and reckless endangerment. She has been ordered held without bond.
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American Peasantry
For there to be a king there must be peasants. Peasants aren't defined by their wealth but by their belief that others should rule them.
Generally speaking peasants believe as they do either because they have been taught since birth that the King is better than they are or because without the King they feel they would not survive in a dangerous world. While America was founded by the antithesis of peasants, liberals have been working to reestablish the peasant class because liberals view themselves as the modern nobility; wiser, kinder, more knowing than the folk in flyover country and obligated by their superiority to rule over others. We see this when Obama complains about having to deal with Congress, even a Congress run by his own party, or when Obama says he's envious of how the Chinese leader rules China.
The DNA of Americans is such that any attempt to produce a peasant class by convincing folks that liberals are superior to the average Joe or Jane is doomed to failure. As a result, liberals have taken the second path -- frighten the people to the extent that they feel the government is the only source of safety. The liberal social experiment began with Obama's icon FDR. Like Obama, FDR inherited a very bad economy, and like Obama FDR made the situation worse through poorly-formulated government plans. But both men realized that the more that people depended on the government for their daily bread, the more power the government could wield.
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Generally speaking peasants believe as they do either because they have been taught since birth that the King is better than they are or because without the King they feel they would not survive in a dangerous world. While America was founded by the antithesis of peasants, liberals have been working to reestablish the peasant class because liberals view themselves as the modern nobility; wiser, kinder, more knowing than the folk in flyover country and obligated by their superiority to rule over others. We see this when Obama complains about having to deal with Congress, even a Congress run by his own party, or when Obama says he's envious of how the Chinese leader rules China.
The DNA of Americans is such that any attempt to produce a peasant class by convincing folks that liberals are superior to the average Joe or Jane is doomed to failure. As a result, liberals have taken the second path -- frighten the people to the extent that they feel the government is the only source of safety. The liberal social experiment began with Obama's icon FDR. Like Obama, FDR inherited a very bad economy, and like Obama FDR made the situation worse through poorly-formulated government plans. But both men realized that the more that people depended on the government for their daily bread, the more power the government could wield.
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Georgetown Woman Charge In Fatal Crash, Delmar
Location: Whitesville Road (SR30), west of Whaley’s Road, Delmar, DE
Date of Occurrence: Tuesday November 13, 2012 at approximately 2:40 p.m.
Operator and Vehicle Information:
Operator #1: Danielle M. Bobak, 46, Georgetown, DE (Photo Attached)
Vehicle #1: 2007 Subaru Legacy
Passenger: Lleyton Slate (male nephew of operator), 2, Delmar, DE (Deceased)
Resume:
Delmar, DE- The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit has formally charged a Georgetown woman in the fatal crash that occurred on November 13th.
Troopers charged Danielle M. Bobak, 46 of Georgetown this afternoon with Vehicular Homicide 1st, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Child Restraint under 8 year old, and Driving a Vehicle at an Unreasonable Speed. She was arraigned at JP2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $20,502.00 secured bond.
The incident occurred Tuesday November 13, 2012 at approximately 2:40 p.m. as Danielle M. Bobak was operating a 2007 Subaru Legacy eastbound on Whitesville Road (SR30) just west of Whaley’s Road. As the Subaru entered into a moderate curve to the left, the passenger’s side wheels drifted off the south side of the roadway. In an attempt to bring the vehicle back on the roadway, Bobak over corrected causing the Subaru to spin in a counter-clockwise manner. The vehicle then exited the north side of the roadway where the front of the car struck a tree spinning the vehicle and rolling it onto the passenger’s side before coming to a stop.
Lleyton Slate, who was seated in the rear center position in a car seat, was partially ejected from the vehicle after it rolled onto its side due to the car seat not being properly secured in the vehicle. He was removed by EMS and initially transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) before being flown to John Hopkins where he was pronounced dead.
Date of Occurrence: Tuesday November 13, 2012 at approximately 2:40 p.m.
Operator and Vehicle Information:
Operator #1: Danielle M. Bobak, 46, Georgetown, DE (Photo Attached)
Vehicle #1: 2007 Subaru Legacy
Passenger: Lleyton Slate (male nephew of operator), 2, Delmar, DE (Deceased)
Resume:
Delmar, DE- The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit has formally charged a Georgetown woman in the fatal crash that occurred on November 13th.
Troopers charged Danielle M. Bobak, 46 of Georgetown this afternoon with Vehicular Homicide 1st, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Child Restraint under 8 year old, and Driving a Vehicle at an Unreasonable Speed. She was arraigned at JP2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $20,502.00 secured bond.
The incident occurred Tuesday November 13, 2012 at approximately 2:40 p.m. as Danielle M. Bobak was operating a 2007 Subaru Legacy eastbound on Whitesville Road (SR30) just west of Whaley’s Road. As the Subaru entered into a moderate curve to the left, the passenger’s side wheels drifted off the south side of the roadway. In an attempt to bring the vehicle back on the roadway, Bobak over corrected causing the Subaru to spin in a counter-clockwise manner. The vehicle then exited the north side of the roadway where the front of the car struck a tree spinning the vehicle and rolling it onto the passenger’s side before coming to a stop.
Lleyton Slate, who was seated in the rear center position in a car seat, was partially ejected from the vehicle after it rolled onto its side due to the car seat not being properly secured in the vehicle. He was removed by EMS and initially transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) before being flown to John Hopkins where he was pronounced dead.
Buyers Rush Amidst Talk Of Assault Rifle Ban
Five handguns in the first 90 minutes of business.
The manager of Pasadena Pawn & Gun, Bill Loane, says applicants are coming out of the woodwork since the mass shooting in Connecticut .
"I definitely feel terrible for all the families... the loss of all the people's families and I'm a Christian man. I don't believe in killing other people, but if you're going to defend yourself---that's another thing, but just to go into a school and open fire on a bunch of kids, I think that is definitely wrong," said Loane.
But he adds it also would be wrong to shut down sales of assault weapons like the Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle used at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
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The manager of Pasadena Pawn & Gun, Bill Loane, says applicants are coming out of the woodwork since the mass shooting in Connecticut .
"I definitely feel terrible for all the families... the loss of all the people's families and I'm a Christian man. I don't believe in killing other people, but if you're going to defend yourself---that's another thing, but just to go into a school and open fire on a bunch of kids, I think that is definitely wrong," said Loane.
But he adds it also would be wrong to shut down sales of assault weapons like the Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle used at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
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Missing Cat 12-19-12
She is spade, she’s very petite (short and a/b 6 lbs), she’s missing her k-9’s, she’s 12 (so yes, I know she could’ve decided to go off and pass away as cats sometimes do but her health seemed fine) and she’s a Torbie (a mix between a calico and a striped cat). She has a ringed tail very much so similar to a raccoon. She is very sweet and I hope that if anything she’s in someone’s loving home.
I live off of Colbourne Mill Rd on Kingswood Dr near Pheasant Run and Union church Rd area.
(443) 783-1205
None of the 5 Worst Shooting Rampages Were Carried Out By An American
These days you can’t turn on MSNBC without hearing another heavily made up talking head bloviating about America’s culture of violence. Michael Moore got famous by exploiting and lying about the Columbine Massacre.
The talking points are already set. Americans have too many guns. And our culture of guns leading to shooting sprees. But the facts are different.
Of the 5 worst shooting rampages, only one happened in America, and none were carried out by Americans.
The worst shooting rampage was carried out by Anders Breivik in a country with some of the toughest gun control laws in the world.
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The talking points are already set. Americans have too many guns. And our culture of guns leading to shooting sprees. But the facts are different.
Of the 5 worst shooting rampages, only one happened in America, and none were carried out by Americans.
The worst shooting rampage was carried out by Anders Breivik in a country with some of the toughest gun control laws in the world.
More
Richard Engel Has Been Found
NBC’s chief foreign correspondent, Richard Engel, has been found after he was kidnapped in Syria. Reports started leaking out yesterday that Engel had gone missing, but NBC blacked out the news, fearing that a lot of attention to his kidnapping might put his life in more danger. Only Gawker broke the embargo and reported on the story. According to Engel, he and his crew were abducted In Syria, held in an unknown location for five days, and subjected to psychological abuse. They were finally freed after the captors tried to move them and ended up driving into a Syrian checkpoint, where a firefight ensued. Some of Engel’s captors were killed, others fled, and eventually Engel and his crew crossed the border into Turkey and into safety. Stories like these remind us of the thankless work that journalists around the world do to bring the news into everyone’s home.
Libor-Related Losses at Fannie, Freddie May Exceed $3B: Report
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may have lost billions of dollars as a result of banks' allegedly manipulating a benchmark that determines the price at which banks lend to one another.
The inspector general of the Federal Housing Finance Agency has concluded the companies lost more than $3 billion over a roughly two-year period starting in September 2008 on holdings of more than $1 trillion of securities and other assets tied to the London interbank offered rate, The Wall Street Journalreported Wednesday.
FHFA, the conservator for Fannie and Freddie, reportedly has begun to explore legal options against banks involved in setting Libor in response to the inspector general's findings, which were communicated in an internal memo.
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The inspector general of the Federal Housing Finance Agency has concluded the companies lost more than $3 billion over a roughly two-year period starting in September 2008 on holdings of more than $1 trillion of securities and other assets tied to the London interbank offered rate, The Wall Street Journalreported Wednesday.
FHFA, the conservator for Fannie and Freddie, reportedly has begun to explore legal options against banks involved in setting Libor in response to the inspector general's findings, which were communicated in an internal memo.
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Marion Barry Implies Colleagues Oppose His Bill Because They're White
Barry's anger started when he tried to pass a bill that would extend employment discrimination protections to ex-offenders. The Council approved a similar bill put forward by Chairman Phil Mendelson.
“This bill is dividing the black community and the white community. We don’t need that in our city,” says Barry.
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The Corporatists Are Buying Our Infrastructure
As CNN reports, corporate giants, like Bechtel, Goldman Sachs, and Merrill Lynch, are putting up big money to build roads and bridges across America – and then run them for profit instead of the common good. Since Reagan embarked on his “starve the beast” program to take America away from the voters and give it to the billionaires, our nation’s infrastructure has crumbled – so now corporations can rebuild it at a much higher cost to “we the taxpayers.” Just this year – 12 corporate-backed infrastructure projects have been proposed around the nation, with a value of around $20 billion. The corporatists are eating us alive.
Ravens Player Anquan Boldin Takes Underprivileged Kids On Holiday Shopping Spree
Rochelle Ritchie was there for all the fun and has more on how some kids say this is not only a shopping spree but a life lesson.
The kids say it teaches them to always make sure to take care of their communities and to spend their money wisely.
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Wal-Mart Developing A Reputation As The Most Corrupt Corporation In The World
The New York Times details Wal-Mart's bribery binge in Mexico, from when the retail giant opened more than a dozen new stores south of the border. The Times notes, “Wal-Mart de Mexico was an aggressive and creative corrupter, offering large payoffs to get what the law otherwise prohibited.” Some of the bribes included more than $340,000 to avoid having to comply with traffic and environmental permits; more than $760,000 to build a store in an environmentally sensitive flood basin; and more than $200,000 to a build a store near Aztec ruins. So now we know another reason why Wal-Mart workers in America get everyday low wages…because the company needs the cash to bribe foreign officials. Wal-Mart is not an American company – it’s a stateless transnational corporation that's raping America – and prowling the rest of the world for cheap labor.
‘Fast and Furious’ Gun Found At Site Where Mexican Beauty Queen Killed
Authorities had said that Maria Susana Flores Gamez was likely used as a human shield and that an automatic rifle had been found near her body after the Nov. 23 shootout.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, tells CBS News that the Justice Department did not notify Congress that a Fast and Furious firearm was found at the scene in Sinaloa.
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Did President Obama Switch Political Parties Over The Weekend?
President Obama’s latest “fiscal cliff” offer throws the middle class and senior citizens under the bus – with a huge tax increase on workers and a long-term cut to Social Security. The plan also gives a tax break to the rich. According to the latest proposal, the President is willing to raise the bar at which wealthy Americans will see their taxes go up, from $200,000 a year to $400,000 a year. In return – the President will allow the payroll tax cut for working American to expire, meaning working people's tax bills will go up a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars a year. Also, the President is willing to cut benefits for Social Security and Medicare, and then agree to hundreds of billions in unspecified spending cuts, which Republicans want to target social welfare programs. This is not a balanced deal – and the American people, who, in poll after poll, have opposed cuts to insurance programs like Medicare and Social Security, shouldn't accept it. Even Senate Majority Harry Reid will likely not accept it, telling reporters, “I am not going to be part of having Social Security included as part of these talks relating to this deficit.” So far, this is not what Democrats, who gave the president the benefit of the doubt in his first-term, had in mind for a second Obama term.
Md. Teen, Women Face May Sentencing In Terror Plot
Two American women and a Maryland teen won't be sentenced until May for their roles in a foiled terror plot based in Ireland.
Colleen LaRose, a Pennsylvania woman who called herself "Jihad Jane" online, faces a life sentence for planning to kill a Swedish cartoonist.
She's been in custody since surrendering to the FBI in 2009. Her sentencing _ initially set for Wednesday _ is now scheduled for May 7.
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Colleen LaRose, a Pennsylvania woman who called herself "Jihad Jane" online, faces a life sentence for planning to kill a Swedish cartoonist.
She's been in custody since surrendering to the FBI in 2009. Her sentencing _ initially set for Wednesday _ is now scheduled for May 7.
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Federal Cheapskates
Federal cheapskates take the spotlight today. The White House has announced the four finalists in its annual SAVE Awards. The program recognizes federal employees who come up with ideas for saving money. The White House received 10,000 ideas, compared to 19,000 last year. The four finalists are Frederick Winter of the Education Department, Angela Leroux of the IRS, James Szender of the Interior Department and Laurie Dempsey of Homeland Security. The winner gets to present his or her idea to President Obama personally.
Have Hotel Rewards Points? Donate Them To Military Heroes
If you're into making charitable contributions during the holidays and happen to have lots of hotel rewards points, you may want to consider donating them to military veterans.
Army Spc. Tim Hall and his father visited Baltimore after he was awarded a Purple Heart for his service overseas. Hall, 23, a native of Hawthorne, Nev., had both of his legs amputated in June 2010 after being injured by a mortar attack in Afghanistan, according to the website homesforourtroops.org.
Hall and his father stayed at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel for free using a program called Hotels for Heroes in which anyone can donate their hotel rewards points to be used by injured or ill military members and their families.
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Army Spc. Tim Hall and his father visited Baltimore after he was awarded a Purple Heart for his service overseas. Hall, 23, a native of Hawthorne, Nev., had both of his legs amputated in June 2010 after being injured by a mortar attack in Afghanistan, according to the website homesforourtroops.org.
Hall and his father stayed at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel for free using a program called Hotels for Heroes in which anyone can donate their hotel rewards points to be used by injured or ill military members and their families.
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Marine Corps Ends Sponsorship To Ultimate Fighting Events
The Marine Corps recruiting office has ended its sponsorship of Ultimate Fighting Championship events. A petition campaign has been protesting. It says behavior by some of the sport's participants is sexist and pro-violence. Maj. John Caldwell tells GovExec the Marines will advertise elsewhere. He cited evolving mission requirements, budgetary constraints and marketing analysis. The campaign was organized in May by a Nevada union called Unite Here. It consists of veterans, gay rights advocates and anti-violence organizations. Owners of Ultimate Fighting say the union was disgruntled because it couldn't organize culinary workers at the UFC casinos.
Psych Meds Linked To 90% Of School Shootings
From the moment news emerged Friday that a young man had carried out a horrific massacre of elementary-school children, politicians from local city halls to the White House have been restoking the age-old push for more gun control. While guns have been a common denominator in mass slayings at schools by teens, there’s another familiar element that seems increasingly to be minimized.
Some 90 percent of school shootings over more than a decade have been linked to a widely prescribed type of antidepressant called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs, according to British psychiatrist Dr. David Healy, a founder of RxISK.org, an independent website for researching and reporting on prescription drugs.
Though there has been no definitive confirmation that drugs played a role in the Newtown, Conn., assault, that killed 20 children and six adults, media have cited family members and acquaintances saying suspect Adam Lanza was taking prescription medication to treat a personality disorder, possibly Aspergers,
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Some 90 percent of school shootings over more than a decade have been linked to a widely prescribed type of antidepressant called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs, according to British psychiatrist Dr. David Healy, a founder of RxISK.org, an independent website for researching and reporting on prescription drugs.
Though there has been no definitive confirmation that drugs played a role in the Newtown, Conn., assault, that killed 20 children and six adults, media have cited family members and acquaintances saying suspect Adam Lanza was taking prescription medication to treat a personality disorder, possibly Aspergers,
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Investigators Report To Congress On Libya Today
Investigators of the deadly terror attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Libya report to Congress today. Testimony from the Accountability Review Board takes place this morning in a secret hearing before the Senate and House Foreign Affairs Committees. An unclassified version of the report scores State Department leaders and managers for gross security lapses in the Sept. 11 incident. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was to testify, but she fell and suffered a concussion. Clinton issued a statement saying she accepted the panel's 29 recommendations.
Acts Of Kindness Show Support For Sandy Hook Victims
Six-year-old Emilie Parker's tiny heart was full of love and kindness. Her father, Robert Parker, made an emotional plea for that spirit to be the legacy of this tragedy.
"Let it not turn into something that defines us but something that inspires us to be better, to be more compassionate and more humble people," Parker said.
Pouring into Newtown are acts of kindness: anonymous deliveries of Christmas trees from North Carolina and a day of free coffee at the town's general store from California.
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City Of Salisbury Bid Farewell To Zoo Director As He Leaves For Louisiana
Ireton says Hamilton Delivered an Award Winning Zoo for the Region
Mayor James Ireton, Jr. regretfully announces today that the Salisbury Zoological Park Director Joel Hamilton is departing for Louisiana, deciding to expand his wealth of knowledge and love of zoos to another region of the United States. Hamilton’s years here at the City of Salisbury have seen many accomplishments. Today at 12:15 the City of Salisbury and Friends of the Salisbury Zoo will be cutting the ribbon for the new Discover Australia! Wallaby Exhibit!
Mayor James Ireton, Jr. regretfully announces today that the Salisbury Zoological Park Director Joel Hamilton is departing for Louisiana, deciding to expand his wealth of knowledge and love of zoos to another region of the United States. Hamilton’s years here at the City of Salisbury have seen many accomplishments. Today at 12:15 the City of Salisbury and Friends of the Salisbury Zoo will be cutting the ribbon for the new Discover Australia! Wallaby Exhibit!
Arbitrator: Beauty Queen Defamed Pageant, Owes $5M
In a decision signed last week, an arbitrator found that the comments from Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin were false, harmful and malicious. Monnin had alleged that the five finalists had been selected in advance of the pageant's live telecast.
The arbitrator, Theodore Katz, said Monnin had two motives: "She was a disgruntled contestant who failed to make it past the preliminary competition" and she objected to the pageant's decision to allow transgender contestants. He wrote that the way the contest is judged "precludes any reasonable possibility that the judging was rigged."
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Department of Transportation Announces Public Hearing Schedule
Dover -- The Delaware Department of Transportation today announced that it will hold public hearings next month in all three counties as part of Governor Markell's effort to improve Delaware's regulatory climate and to streamline or eliminate unnecessary regulations.
The Department's public hearings are being conducted in connection with Governor Markell's Executive Order No. 36, a statewide review by all agencies to identify and remove regulatory hurdles. The Department's hearings are scheduled for:
* Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at Sussex Central High School, located at 26026 Patriot's Way, Georgetown, DE 19947.
The Department's public hearings are being conducted in connection with Governor Markell's Executive Order No. 36, a statewide review by all agencies to identify and remove regulatory hurdles. The Department's hearings are scheduled for:
* Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at Sussex Central High School, located at 26026 Patriot's Way, Georgetown, DE 19947.
A COMMUNITY TOWN HALL MEETING
The Mayor and City Council of Crisfield
and
the Somerset County Commissioners
invite any persons or businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy to attend
A COMMUNITY TOWN HALL MEETING
to be held at Crisfield High School
210 N. Somerset Ave., Crisfield, MD 21817
on
December 20, 2012
Doors open at 6 p.m.
Presentation at 6:30 p.m.
Representatives from federal and state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and volunteer groups will be available in the high school cafeteria before, during and after the town hall meeting to provide materials and to take your information. The cafeteria will open at 6 p.m.
The community town hall meeting will be held in the CHS auditorium at 6:30 p.m. and will feature an overview of the Individual Assistance offered by FEMA, brief presentations from other agencies and organizations to be followed by a question and answer session. Please note that only general questions can be answered. FEMA cannot discuss specific cases in public, but will have caseworkers present during the meeting to meet with individuals who wish to register for assistance.
Representatives from the following agencies and organizations will be present:
Federal Emergency Management Administration
Maryland Insurance Administration
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Small Business Administration
Department of Business and Economic Development
Department of Social Services
Somerset County Emergency Services
Health Department
ShoreUp!
Life Crisis Center
Catholic Charities
Somerset County Long Term Recovery Committee
The goal of this meeting is to provide all residents and business with the most up to date information on the resources available to assist them in recovering from Hurricane Sandy.
Why Things Are Falling Apart... And What We Can Do About It
To understand the reasons why our financial system, our economy and our present policies are unsustainable, we need to come to grips with two simple truths. First, the economy and government are an interconnected system. As such the party attempting to steer it does not have controlling power over it. The second fact is that “faster, better, cheaper” always wins, replacing the inefficient and unsustainable. This is the reality within which the system operates.
The present foundation of the system, and our economy, is Financialization. This is not by design but rather by Darwinian evolution. It has unfortunately, become the basic engine of consumer growth through its' leveraging of collateral into debt and phantom assets, such as derivatives and bubble valuations. The limiting fact to this system is that ever-rising debt and leverage is unsustainable, once household assets and incomes stop rising.
Uncontrolled financialization & unsound money, without historic exception, consistently leads to:
Malinvestment in the Private sector - In the private sector cheap money will naturally flow into high-risk, low-return investments. This leads to “McMansions in the Middle of Nowhere”
Crony Capitalism in the Public sector - In the public sector, crony capitalism secures low risk, high-return investments. This leads to “Bridges to Nowhere.”
The system in its present form has become too complex, fragile and insufficiently robust, that it is realistically unsustainable and un-governable. The unsustainable will collapse and be replaced by an arrangement that is sustainable. Creative destruction and “faster, better, cheaper” is the only sustainable system; the alternative is to cling to failed models until the system collapses.
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The present foundation of the system, and our economy, is Financialization. This is not by design but rather by Darwinian evolution. It has unfortunately, become the basic engine of consumer growth through its' leveraging of collateral into debt and phantom assets, such as derivatives and bubble valuations. The limiting fact to this system is that ever-rising debt and leverage is unsustainable, once household assets and incomes stop rising.
Uncontrolled financialization & unsound money, without historic exception, consistently leads to:
Malinvestment in the Private sector - In the private sector cheap money will naturally flow into high-risk, low-return investments. This leads to “McMansions in the Middle of Nowhere”
Crony Capitalism in the Public sector - In the public sector, crony capitalism secures low risk, high-return investments. This leads to “Bridges to Nowhere.”
The system in its present form has become too complex, fragile and insufficiently robust, that it is realistically unsustainable and un-governable. The unsustainable will collapse and be replaced by an arrangement that is sustainable. Creative destruction and “faster, better, cheaper” is the only sustainable system; the alternative is to cling to failed models until the system collapses.
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The Unequal State Of America: Redistributing Up
The federal government has emerged as one of the most potent factors driving income inequality in the United States - especially in the nation's capital.
In the town that launched the War on Poverty 48 years ago, the poor are getting poorer despite the government's help. And the rich are getting richer because of it.
The top 5 percent of households in Washington, D.C., made more than $500,000 on average last year, while the bottom 20 percent earned less than $9,500 - a ratio of 54 to 1.
That gap is up from 39 to 1 two decades ago. It's wider than in any of the 50 states and all but two major cities. This at a time when income inequality in the United States as a whole has risen to levels last seen in the years before the Great Depression.
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The top 5 percent of households in Washington, D.C., made more than $500,000 on average last year, while the bottom 20 percent earned less than $9,500 - a ratio of 54 to 1.
That gap is up from 39 to 1 two decades ago. It's wider than in any of the 50 states and all but two major cities. This at a time when income inequality in the United States as a whole has risen to levels last seen in the years before the Great Depression.
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The Madness Of Afghanistan
Leaving Afghanistan without a peace deal is madness ... General Sir David Richards, the head of Britain's Armed Forces, is right to flag up the likely difficulties British troops will experience as they begin the difficult task of withdrawing from Afghanistan next year. As Sir David and his military colleagues know only too well, the Government's decision to cease combat operations in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 has been driven by political expediency rather than conditions on the ground. The bottom line, as I have been saying since the Coalition came to power two years ago, is that David Cameron has lost interest in the Afghan mission, and simply wants to withdraw British troops irrespective of the situation on the ground. – Con Coughlin/UK Telegraph
Dominant Social Theme: Let's make sure we leave on proper terms.
Free-Market Analysis: Con Coughlin is one of the most persistent and consistent of Afghan war reporters. In fact, a UK Telegraph feedbacker noted recently:
I admire your consistent position on all matters war, Mr Coughlin. There hasn't been one single war (or the threat of it, such as against Iran and Syria) that you have not supported. My only problem is with your unwillingness to pick up a rifle yourself. Why not? More to the point, why must other people and their children keep dying for your interventionist convictions?
Coughlin ALWAYS supports Western wars and thus, as the feedbacker suggests, the logical next step is picking up a rifle himself. But that is not Coughlin's way. He will keep advising from the sidelines.
In this case, Coughlin is upset that the war is being finalized along the neat terms that Western military men might find most desirable. There is no "peace deal" and thus NO reasonable way for Britain and the US to disengage.
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Dominant Social Theme: Let's make sure we leave on proper terms.
Free-Market Analysis: Con Coughlin is one of the most persistent and consistent of Afghan war reporters. In fact, a UK Telegraph feedbacker noted recently:
I admire your consistent position on all matters war, Mr Coughlin. There hasn't been one single war (or the threat of it, such as against Iran and Syria) that you have not supported. My only problem is with your unwillingness to pick up a rifle yourself. Why not? More to the point, why must other people and their children keep dying for your interventionist convictions?
Coughlin ALWAYS supports Western wars and thus, as the feedbacker suggests, the logical next step is picking up a rifle himself. But that is not Coughlin's way. He will keep advising from the sidelines.
In this case, Coughlin is upset that the war is being finalized along the neat terms that Western military men might find most desirable. There is no "peace deal" and thus NO reasonable way for Britain and the US to disengage.
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Poem: Sandy Hook Elementary School
'Twas 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38 when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.Their smiles were contagious; their laughter filled the air; they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy; they didn't know what to say. They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse. "This is heaven," declared a small boy. "We're spending Christmas at God's house."
When what to their wondering eyes did appear, but Jesus, their savior; the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same, then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was joy that only heaven can bring; those children all flew into the arms of their King.
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace, one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had, He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of Mom and Dad."
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below; He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe.
Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand, "Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools." "I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
Then He and the children stood up without a sound. "Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space; some skipped and some ran. All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight, "In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
They were filled with such joy; they didn't know what to say. They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse. "This is heaven," declared a small boy. "We're spending Christmas at God's house."
When what to their wondering eyes did appear, but Jesus, their savior; the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same, then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was joy that only heaven can bring; those children all flew into the arms of their King.
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace, one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had, He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of Mom and Dad."
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below; He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe.
Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand, "Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools." "I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
Then He and the children stood up without a sound. "Come now my children, let me show you around."
Excitement filled the space; some skipped and some ran. All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight, "In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
Team Obama Still Raising Money--Off Sandy Hook Shootings
They won the campaign handily and even had $14.2 million to spare, but the Obama-Biden campaign is still raising money, this time off the president's comments about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Connecticut.
In email from chief campaign advisor David Axelrod that urges supporters to watch President Obama's moving address to the community of Newtown, Conn., there are two links that open a page with a video player featuring the president's speech and two donate buttons asking for $15-$1,000 for his campaign.
"The next chapter begins today. Stand with President Obama for the next four years," headlines the donation page.
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Breaking News
Official: State Department security chief, 2 others resign after report on Benghazi, Libya, consulate attack
From AP
From AP
QUOTES OF THE DAY 12-19-12
“A free people ought…to be armed”
― George Washington
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― Dalai Lama XIV
“The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles.”
― Jeff Cooper, Art of the Rifle
“Foolish liberals who are trying to read the Second Amendment out of the Constitution by claiming it’s not an individual right or that it’s too much of a public safety hazard, don’t see the danger in the big picture. They’re courting disaster by encouraging others to use the same means to eliminate portions of the Constitution they don’t like.”
― Alan M. Dershowitz
“In every country where independence has taken the place of liberty, the first desire of a manly heart is to possess a weapon which at once renders him capable of defence or attack, and, by rendering its owner fearsome, makes him feared.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
“violence is an evil thing, but when the guns are all in the hands of the men without respect for human rights, then men are really in trouble.”
― Louis L’Amour, The Daybreakers
“When guns are outlawed, only the Government will have guns. The Government – and a few outlaws. If that happens, you can count me among the outlaws.”
― Edward Abbey, Postcards from Ed: Dispatches and Salvos from an American Iconoclast
“Our houses are protected by the good Lord and a gun, and you might meet ‘em both if you show up here not welcome, son.”
― Josh Thompson
― George Washington
“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― Dalai Lama XIV
“The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles.”
― Jeff Cooper, Art of the Rifle
“Foolish liberals who are trying to read the Second Amendment out of the Constitution by claiming it’s not an individual right or that it’s too much of a public safety hazard, don’t see the danger in the big picture. They’re courting disaster by encouraging others to use the same means to eliminate portions of the Constitution they don’t like.”
― Alan M. Dershowitz
“In every country where independence has taken the place of liberty, the first desire of a manly heart is to possess a weapon which at once renders him capable of defence or attack, and, by rendering its owner fearsome, makes him feared.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
“violence is an evil thing, but when the guns are all in the hands of the men without respect for human rights, then men are really in trouble.”
― Louis L’Amour, The Daybreakers
“When guns are outlawed, only the Government will have guns. The Government – and a few outlaws. If that happens, you can count me among the outlaws.”
― Edward Abbey, Postcards from Ed: Dispatches and Salvos from an American Iconoclast
“Our houses are protected by the good Lord and a gun, and you might meet ‘em both if you show up here not welcome, son.”
― Josh Thompson
A Humbling Experience
One of the many calls I've received today referencing volunteers for my campaign came from a wonderful woman in her 90's.
She explained to me how she was bound to a wheel chair but wanted me to know she wants to help.
The first thing I thought was, how incredibly sweet. Then I thought, well, if she can make this phone call she can certainly make other phone calls when that time comes.
Ladies & Gentlemen, thank you so much.
She explained to me how she was bound to a wheel chair but wanted me to know she wants to help.
The first thing I thought was, how incredibly sweet. Then I thought, well, if she can make this phone call she can certainly make other phone calls when that time comes.
Ladies & Gentlemen, thank you so much.
How Should Guns Be Regulated?
Included in the ban were 19 named firearms, as well as all semiautomatic pistols, shotguns and rifles. Exceptions to the ban were semiautomatic weapons used by law enforcement and those purchased prior to September 14, 1994.
Ten years later, in 2004, the ban expired. Now, as we close in on 2013, a trip to a gun retailer of a quick search of their website will reveal there are just as many semiautomatic weapons on the market as those with other action types. It's a topic that has gotten attention recent years by lawmakers and has been a hot topic of debate.
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Governor O’Malley Hosts Year-In-Review Discussion
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor O’Malley hosted a media roundtable discussion on 2012’s challenges, successes and opportunities in the year ahead. A video of the roundtable, the Governor’s presentation and resource guide, and a video looking back on 2012’s accomplishments can be found here.
Reaching Out For Volunteers
It's time for real leadership. It's time we all come together and make Salisbury the best place in the world to live and work. I have the business experience to make this happen.
If you have the time and energy please contact me at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com. Together we can do incredible things. I look forward to hearing from you.
Governor’s Challenge – Tournament Schedule Released
Salisbury, MD – With the Governor’s Challenge High School Basketball Tournament quickly approaching, the final line-up of teams has taken shape. Play will begin at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Wednesday, December 26th and run through Saturday, December 29, 2012. The first game tips-off at 2:00pm on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Challenge is open to the public for daily admission. Advanced tournament passes, including admission to all games every day of the tournament are available for $30 for adults and $15 for youth. Children under 11 are admitted free. Tickets are available online at www.SalisburyChampionships.org, by phone at 410.548.4911 or in person at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Box Office (M-F 8am to 6pm).
At the tournament, students (with ID) are $5 while adults are $10. For a complete team list, schedule and more information visit www.SalisburyChampionships.org. Teams and/or schedule may change as the competition nears.
The Governor’s Challenge is open to the public for daily admission. Advanced tournament passes, including admission to all games every day of the tournament are available for $30 for adults and $15 for youth. Children under 11 are admitted free. Tickets are available online at www.SalisburyChampionships.org, by phone at 410.548.4911 or in person at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Box Office (M-F 8am to 6pm).
At the tournament, students (with ID) are $5 while adults are $10. For a complete team list, schedule and more information visit www.SalisburyChampionships.org. Teams and/or schedule may change as the competition nears.
UMBC Confirms Tuberculosis Case
Elyse Ashburn, who is the director of communications at UMBC, told WBAL the university could not release any information on the infected person.
“We really can’t say who the individual is due to health regulations and privacy concerns,” she said.“We also can’t say much about the individual except that they are a part of the UMBC community.”
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Fairfax County Serial Butt Slasher Arrested
Fairfax County police say in a news release that Johnny D. Guillen Pimentel was taken into custody in Lima, Peru, Monday and transported by U.S. Marshals to Fairfax County Tuesday.
He has been charged with six counts of malicious wounding, two counts of attempted malicious wounding and one count of forging a public document.
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BREAKING NEWS: Former Supreme Court Nominee Robert Bork Has Died
Robert Bork, a former solicitor general whose nomination for Supreme Court in 1987 by then-President Ronald Reagan was rejected by the Senate, has died at 84, Fox News confirms.
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Right To Work is Part Of Economic Liberty
Many observers were surprised when Michigan, historically a stronghold of union power, became the nation's 24th "Right to Work" state. The backlash from November's unsuccessful attempt to pass a referendum forbidding the state from adopting a right to work law was a major factor in Michigan's rejection of compulsory unionism. The need for drastic action to improve Michigan's economy, which is suffering from years of big government policies, also influenced many Michigan legislators to support right to work.
Let us be clear: Right to work laws simply prohibit coercion. They prevent states from forcing employers to operate as closed union shops, and thus they prevent unions from forcing individuals to join. In many cases right to work laws are the only remedy to federal laws which empower union bosses to impose union dues as a condition of employment.
Right to work laws do not prevent unions from bargaining collectively with employers and they do not prevent individuals from forming or joining unions if they believe it will benefit them. Despite all the hype, right to work laws merely enforce the fundamental right to control one's own labor.
States with right to work laws enjoy greater economic growth and a higher standard of living than states without such laws. According to the National Institute for Labor Relations Research, from 2001-2011 employment in right to work states grew by 2.4%, while employment in union states fell by 3.4%! During the same period wages rose by 12.5% in right to work states, while rising by a mere 3.1% in union states. Clearly, "Right to Work" is good for business and labor.
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Let us be clear: Right to work laws simply prohibit coercion. They prevent states from forcing employers to operate as closed union shops, and thus they prevent unions from forcing individuals to join. In many cases right to work laws are the only remedy to federal laws which empower union bosses to impose union dues as a condition of employment.
Right to work laws do not prevent unions from bargaining collectively with employers and they do not prevent individuals from forming or joining unions if they believe it will benefit them. Despite all the hype, right to work laws merely enforce the fundamental right to control one's own labor.
States with right to work laws enjoy greater economic growth and a higher standard of living than states without such laws. According to the National Institute for Labor Relations Research, from 2001-2011 employment in right to work states grew by 2.4%, while employment in union states fell by 3.4%! During the same period wages rose by 12.5% in right to work states, while rising by a mere 3.1% in union states. Clearly, "Right to Work" is good for business and labor.
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Vienna Elementary School Update
Ms. Hackett,
Thank you for the notice. Please assure the Senator that we are in regular communication with Mr. Adams, and that he is correct that we are involving law enforcement. We are looking at every possible procedural and facility adjustment.
HW
Henry V. Wagner, Jr., Ed.D.Superintendent
Dorchester County Public Schools
700 Glasgow Street
Cambridge, MD 21613
Thank you for the notice. Please assure the Senator that we are in regular communication with Mr. Adams, and that he is correct that we are involving law enforcement. We are looking at every possible procedural and facility adjustment.
HW
Henry V. Wagner, Jr., Ed.D.Superintendent
Dorchester County Public Schools
700 Glasgow Street
Cambridge, MD 21613
Holiday Story Time
WHAT: Holiday Story Time
WHO: Children aged 0 – 5 years
WHEN: Friday, December 21, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Wicomico Public Library, Main Library
BACKGROUND: Kids leave their shoes and enjoy a story time, to find treats when they return!
The Phone Spoofs Are Back
O'Malley To Push Bills On Weapons, School Safety
O'Malley said he believes "we've all been changed" by Friday's shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, and that the massacre may serve as a catalyst for lawmakers to tighten the state's gun laws.
"What I sense is there is a greater willingness among those who in the past felt that gun control measures were not as effective as some other things that we could be doing. I think there's been a change of heart and a greater open-mindedness in the wake of the murder of the innocent in Connecticut for people to take a look at, especially assault weapons," O'Malley, a Democrat, said during a year-end roundtable discussion with reporters.
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Hundreds Of FedEx Packages Missing After Driver Kicks Them Out Of His Truck
If you live in the area of Papillion, Nebraska, and you’ve been waiting on a FedEx package for a couple weeks now, you’re not alone, after a driver for the delivery service decided to simply dump hundreds of parcels in the road.KETV in Omaha reports that the incident actually occurred back on Nov. 27. The driver, taking packages from the FedEx depot in Kansas City to be handed off at the Papillion post office, was spotted getting out of his truck and kicking packages out of the back and onto the street.
McDonald’s Asks Franchisees To Celebrate Christmas By Staying Open On Dec. 25
In an attempt to continue bouncing back from an almost unheard-of dip in sales during October, the folks at McDonald’s have asked franchisees to not close down during the holidays this year.According to Ad Age, which obtained some leaked internal memos from Golden Arches HQ, the push to stay open regardless of what the calendar says began almost immediately after the company announced a 2.2% decline in sales for October.
“Starting with Thanksgiving, ensure your restaurants are open throughout the holidays,” reads a memo sent on Nov. 8 by McDonald’s USA Chief Operating Officer to franchisees. “Our largest holiday opportunity as a system is Christmas Day. Last year, [company-operated] restaurants that opened on Christmas averaged $5,500 in sales.”
“Starting with Thanksgiving, ensure your restaurants are open throughout the holidays,” reads a memo sent on Nov. 8 by McDonald’s USA Chief Operating Officer to franchisees. “Our largest holiday opportunity as a system is Christmas Day. Last year, [company-operated] restaurants that opened on Christmas averaged $5,500 in sales.”
Petition Results In Hasbro Introducing Gender-Neutral Easy-Bake Oven
We know you’ve all been following the saga of one teen’s attempt to convince Hasbro to make a less-purple version of its famous Easy Bake Oven that her brother wouldn’t be embarrassed to use. It looks like her meeting with the toy company went well, as we’ll soon see a new version of the toy oven on the market.
The folks from Change.org, where the 13-year-old’s petition to Hasbro garnered more than 44,000 signatures and the attention of worldwide media, the teen met with Hasbro today at the company’s secret lair in Rhode Island (okay, it’s not a secret, but we like to imagine that it’s something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) where Hasbro showed off a black-and-silver prototype.
The folks from Change.org, where the 13-year-old’s petition to Hasbro garnered more than 44,000 signatures and the attention of worldwide media, the teen met with Hasbro today at the company’s secret lair in Rhode Island (okay, it’s not a secret, but we like to imagine that it’s something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) where Hasbro showed off a black-and-silver prototype.
Student Hospitalized in Laurel After Alleged Threat to Shoot & Kill Classmates
Police say they received a call of the threats from school security at Laurel High School Monday afternoon.
According to police, classmates of the student reported behavior that made them uncomfortable to a teacher, and that teacher then reported it to security, which then relayed the information to local authorities.
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Could John Kerry Be Next?
Sources tell the Associated Press: President Barack Obama could nominate Sen. John Kerry(D-Mass.) to be the next Secretary of State this week. Kerry chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, served in the Vietnam War and was the Democratic nominee for president in 2004. Senators say his confirmation would go smoothly. Current Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she will retire early next year.
Marylanders Expected To Pack The Roads This Holiday Season
A new survey conducted by AAA predicts that more than 1.9 million Marylanders will be traveling 50 miles or more over the holidays. That's a slight increase from previous years.
If that prediction holds, AAA says those nearly 2 million travelers will be the largest number of Marylanders on the road over the holidays since the auto club began forecasting statewide holiday travel in 2001.
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Obama Proposes Lower Cost-Of-Living Increases In Fiscal Cliff Negotiations
President Barack Obama is proposing lower cost-of-living increases for Social Security beneficiaries, employing an inflation index that would have far-reaching consequences, including pushing more people into higher income tax brackets. Obama made these concessions in his negotiations with House Speaker John Boehner as part of an effort to avoid automatic across-the-board tax hikes for nearly all wage-earners as well as spending cuts at the Pentagon.
BREAKING NEWS: Obama to Announce Gun Control Task Force
President Obama will announce later this morning the creation of a gun control task force led by Vice President Joe Biden to recommend new policies aimed at preventing another school shooting.
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A LETTER IN THE LOST WALLET!!
As I walked home one freezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone had lost in the street. I picked it up and looked inside to find some identification so I could call the owner. But the wallet contained only three dollars and a crumpled letter that looked as if it had been in there for years.
The envelope was worn and the only thing that was legible on it was the return address. I started to open the letter, hoping to find some clue. Then I saw the dateline--1924. The letter had been written almost sixty years ago.
It was written in a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue
stationery with a little flower in the left-hand corner. It was a "Dear John" letter that told the recipient, whose name appeared to be Michael, that the writer could not see him any more because her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would always love him.
It was signed, Hannah.
It was a beautiful letter, but there was no way except for the name
Michael, that the owner could be identified. Maybe if I called information, the operator could find a phone listing for the address on the envelope.
"Operator," I began, "this is an unusual request. I'm trying to find the owner of a wallet that I found. Is there anyway you can tell me if there is a phone number for an address that was on an envelope in the wallet?"
She suggested I speak with her supervisor, who hesitated for a moment then said, "Well, there is a phone listing at that address, but I can't give you the number." She said, as a courtesy, she would call that number, explain my story and would ask them if they wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes and then she was back on the line. "I have a party who will speak with you."
I asked the woman on the other end of the line if she knew anyone by the name of Hannah. She gasped, "Oh! We bought this house from a family who had a daughter named Hannah. But that was 30 years ago!"
"Would you know where that family could be located now?" I asked.
"I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home some years ago," the woman said. "Maybe if you got in touch with them they might be able to track down the daughter."
She gave me the name of the nursing home and I called the number. They told me the old lady had passed away some years ago but they did have a phone number for where they thought the daughter might be living.
I thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that Hannah herself was now living in a nursing home.
This whole thing was stupid, I thought to myself. Why was I making such a big deal over finding the owner of a wallet that had only three dollars and a letter that was almost 60 years old?
Nevertheless, I called the nursing home in which Hannah was supposed to be living and the man who answered the phone told me, "Yes, Hannah is staying with us. "
Even though it was already 10 p.m., I asked if I could come by to see her. "Well," he said hesitatingly, "if you want to take a chance, she might be in the day room watching television."
I thanked him and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse and a guard greeted me at the door. We went up to the third floor of the large building. In the day room, the nurse introduced me to Hannah.
She was a sweet, silver-haired old timer with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eye.
I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter. The second she saw the powder blue envelope with that little flower on the left, she took a deep breath and said, "Young man, this letter was the last contact I ever had with Michael."
She looked away for a moment deep in thought and then said Softly, "I loved him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and my mother felt I was too young. Oh, he was so handsome. He looked like Sean Connery, the actor."
"Yes," she continued. "Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person. If you should find him, tell him I think of him often. And," she hesitated for a moment, almost biting her lip, "tell him I still love him. You know," she said smiling as tears began to well up in her eyes, "I never did marry. I guess no one ever matched up to Michael..."
I thanked Hannah and said goodbye. I took the elevator to the first floor and as I stood by the door, the guard there asked, "Was the old lady able to help you?"
I told him she had given me a lead. "At least I have a last name. But I think I'll let it go for a while. I spent almost the whole day trying to find the owner of this wallet."
I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case with red lacing on the side. When the guard saw it, he said, "Hey, wait a minute! That's Mr. Goldstein's wallet. I'd know it anywhere with that bright red lacing. He's always losing that wallet. I must have found it in the halls at least three times."
"Who's Mr. Goldstein?" I asked as my hand began to shake.
"He's one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That's Mike Goldstein's
wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his walks."
I thanked the guard and quickly ran back to the nurse's office. I told her what the guard had said. We went back to the elevator and got on. I prayed that Mr. Goldstein would be up.
On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, "I think he's still in the day
room. He likes to read at night. He's a darling old man."
We went to the only room that had any lights on and there was a man reading a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he had lost his wallet. Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put his hand in his back pocket and said, "Oh, it is missing!"
"This kind gentleman found a wallet and we wondered if it could be yours?"
I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the second he saw it, he smiled with relief and said, "Yes, that's it! It must have dropped out of my pocket this afternoon. I want to give you a reward."
"No, thank you," I said. "But I have to tell you something. I read the
letter in the hope of finding out who owned the wallet."
The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. "You read that letter?"
"Not only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is."
He suddenly grew pale. "Hannah? You know where she is? How is she? Is she still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me," he begged.
"She's fine...just as pretty as when you knew her." I said softly.
The old man smiled with anticipation and asked, "Could you tell me where she is? I want to call her tomorrow." He grabbed my hand and said, "You know something, mister, I was so in love with that girl that when that letter came, my life literally ended. I never married. I guess I've always loved her. "
"Mr. Goldstein," I said, "Come with me."
We took the elevator down to the third floor. The hallways were darkened and only one or two little night-lights lit our way to the day room where Hannah was sitting alone watching the television. The nurse walked over to her.
"Hannah," she said softly, pointing to Michael, who was waiting with me in the doorway. "Do you know this man?"
She adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn't say a word. Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, "Hannah, it's Michael. Do you remember me?"
She gasped, "Michael! I don't believe it! Michael! It's you! My Michael!" He walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse and I left with tears streaming down our faces.
"See," I said. "See how the Good Lord works! If it's meant to be, it will be."
About three weeks later I got a call at my office from the nursing home. "Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding? Michael and Hannah are going to tie the knot!"
It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing home dressed up to join in the celebration. Hannah wore a light beige dress and looked beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood tall. They made me their best man.
The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to see a 76-year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two teenagers, you had to see this couple.
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