4 Year Anniversary

4 years ago today Brooke was diagnosed with stage IV high risk Neuroblastoma and here we are now 1 month to the day from her relapse...Brooke is nearing the end of the first 21 day cycle of the clinical trial she is on and has been tolerating it pretty well. The first week was the roughest because not only was she was getting the IV chemo at CHOP but also had to do 5 days of oral chemo at home as well. She has been a trooper as always through it all and still has all the spunk she has always had (I can't even keep up with her on chemo)! She has been able to continue with school, soccer and dance although was mostly over Christmas break. 

We have had a packed couple of weeks with a trip to Williamsburg, VA for 3 days before Christmas (Thank you Noonan's , Wallace's and Jean for such a great time, the Walker's for taking care of our Bailey Boo and it was so great getting to see the Darcy clan while we were down there-Brooke loves being an honorary Tidewater Shark)!

The Thursday after Christmas we headed to NYC for a dream vacation! Our friends Isabella and Amy Pankratz, surprised Brooke and flew to NYC from South Dakota to spend a long weekend with us! Amy, in about a weeks time called in every favor she could get from every contact she had in the city and and was able to get us tickets to the Lion King (thanks so much Susan and Ian) and Mary Poppins, a candy spree at Dylan's Candy Bar, a private tour at FAO Schwartz from Toy Soldier Rich who was fabulous and a VIP belated birthday celebration and lunch for Isabella and Brooke at the American Girl Store! It was all incredible! Thank you to all the wonderful people that made all of that possible and to Amy for all her hard work to plan such a great trip. Also, would like to thank Linda Colella for bringing Elizabeth and Tim Ulfig into our lives. Elizabeth is a former Rockette and was able to get us tickets to see Radio City Music Halls Christmas Show with the Rockettes and backstage passes (the girls went crazy over getting to meet a real live camel backstage that was part of the show)! Elizabeth and Tim also gave us our 3 night stay at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel 57! The staff at that hotel could not have possibly been more fabulous. They treated us all like royalty the entire stay and showered Brooke and Isabella with goodies non stop (thank you Yoke). They got us into Serendipity and Ellen's Stardust Diner with front of the line no wait which was incredible since both don't take reservations and each had lines down the block and over 2 hour waits! Lorena, one of the managers even took me and Brooke to Penn Station when we checked out, helped carry all our bags, and waited with us 45 min until the train got there and would not leave until we were in a seat on the train. Special thanks also to the wonderful women of IMR tennis (I love you guys) for our spending money while we were there and Kellie for the beautiful dresses she brought for Brooke to wear in the city! 

New Years Eve was spent in NJ with our now 2 year tradition of going bowling with friends followed by a party at the Aron's house (Thanks for everything Marcie - love you)! Brooke as usual had no trouble staying up beyond midnight and refuses to leave a party early! 

We are currently on our latest adventure and I will update you soon on this one but it is late and I need to try to get some sleep. Thanks to friends and family who have been coming to CHOP to hang with us during our all day long weekly appointments - it helps us both so much having you there and for the elves that have visited our house nightly the days leading up to Christmas and for everyone that has contributed to Brooke's Wish account, her Medical Gift Account and the new fundraiser page on facebook "Brooke Mulford Medical and Wish Fund" and everyone who has shaved their head for Brooke (Lose it for Brooke). We are so blessed by the love and support! I know I am forgetting to mention many but my mind is fried at this point! 

With love, hope and gratitude,
Amy

NAACP TO HOLD 16TH ANNUAL AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE CELEBRATION

Salisbury, MD… Wicomico County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will host its 16th Annual African-American Celebration at 3:00 P.M., Saturday February 2th, at the Chipman Cultural Center, 325 Broad Street, Salisbury, MD. The keynote speaker, Dr. Joanne M. Martin, will speak to the theme, “Our Past Gives Us Strength, the Future Gives Us Hope.” Dr. Martin is the co-founder and president of The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Inc., in Baltimore, Maryland. This is America’s first wax museum dedicated to the preservation of African American history. Dr. Martin and her husband, Dr. Elmer Martin, established the museum in 1983 to meet several objectives: stimulate an interest in African-American history; use great leaders as role models to motivate youth to achieve; dispel myths of racial inferiority; and work in conjunction with other nonprofit, charitable organizations seeking to improve the social and economic status of African- Americans. 
In addition, the Heritage Celebration will feature the artistry of youth groups performing African dance routines. A reception will follow the program. 
This event is open to the public with free admissions. For more information, contact Mary Ashanti at 410-543-4187. 
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in public and private sectors.

JAY LENO TO JOY BEHAR: 'OSAMA BIN LADEN IS YOUR NEW BOSS'

Guns and Drugs / We Can Curb Gun Violence By Ending The War On Drugs.

When a hail of bullets extinguished dozens of lives at an elementary school last month, the ugly consequences of the nation’s gun culture shot into the media spotlight. The debate around gun control in the aftermath of Newtown has yielded confused policy proposals like further militarizing schools, or preemptively tracking mentally ill people. 

But a key aspect of the gun-control debate remains hiding in plain sight. There's a major driver of gun violence in the U.S. that is neither the bloodlust of the “criminally insane” nor the weakness of public security forces. Failed gun policy is a manifestation of another, arguably more expansive, irrational policy regime: the War on Drugs. While the most spectacular incidents of mass murder spark public panic, a more relevant, yet typically ignored, source of gun violence lies in the brutality born of the gun industry’s marriage to drug prohibition policies.

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OBAMA'S 'CASH FOR CLUNKERS' UNLEASHED 'ENVIRONMENTAL NIGHTMARE'

In a classic tale illustrating the “law of unintended consequences,” a new report concludes that President Barack Obama’s $3 billion “Cash for Clunkers” taxpayer-funded boondoggle artificially drove car prices up, not down, and unleashed an “environmental nightmare” through shredding, not recycling, many of the 690,000 cars people traded in for an up to $4,500 car credit.

In 2009, Mr. Obama proudly declared that his Cash for Clunkers program, officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), was a stunning success. “There were skeptics who weren't sure that this ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program would work,” said Mr. Obama. “But I'm happy to report that it has succeeded well beyond our expectations and all expectations, and we're already seeing a dramatic increase in showroom traffic at local car dealers…So I'm very pleased with the progress that's been made in the House today on the "Cash for Clunkers" program.”

But as Yahoo News notes, the program’s decision to shred, not recycle, many of the trade-in vehicles unleashed an “environmental nightmare”:

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Dick Armey Sticks His FreedomWorks Payback To Glenn Beck

Former FreedomWorks chairman Dick Armey revealed that the Tea Party group paid Glenn Beck about $1 million to say "nice things" about the group on his radio show, and that it got a negative return on that investment, in an interview Friday — with the liberal group Media Matters, of all places. It's the latest strange revelation in the FreedomWorks civil war. Armey reportedly tried to stage an armed coup last fall, but his reign didn't last long, and donor Richard J. Stephenson agreed to pay Armey $400,000 a year for 20 years to go away. Apparently that didn't come with a non-disparagement clause. 

After the liberal magazine Mother Jones posted a copy of a FreedomWorks document about its fundraising, Armey reached out to Media Matters to explain how the group wastes money by trying toraise money through radio hosts Beck and Rush Limbaugh. Armey said FreedomWorks paid Beck $1 million to say nice things about the group to raise more cash, but Beck's appeals raised considerably less than that. "The arrangement was simply FreedomWorks paid Glenn Beck money and Glenn Beck said nice things about FreedomWorks on the air," Armey said, adding that, initially, Beck's kind words were only supposed to cost $250,000 a year. "Once that was approved by the trustees, it then took on a life of its own, it got bigger than we understood it to be. All of a sudden it was we are paying Limbaugh as well as Beck." The price of Beck's nice words then went up to $1 million a year, Army said. He explained how it was a bad investment:

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DEMS ON DEBT CEILING: NO CUTS, MORE TAXES

With the fiscal cliff deal signed into law, the nation’s attention now turns to the debt ceiling debate, scheduled to hit in the next two months. As America reaches the debt ceiling yet again – an unbelievable $16.4 trillion debt ceiling needs another increase in order to allow us to borrow more cash to pay our bills – Republicans insist that we finally begin dealing with our spending problem. That, of course, was the purpose of the fiscal cliff deal in the first place: to preserve as many of the Bush tax rates as possible, consider tax rates a finished issue, and move on to spending cuts. As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said on ABC’s This Week, “The tax issue is finished, over, completed. That’s behind us. Now the question is: what are we going to do about the biggest problem confronting our country and our future? And that’s our spending addiction.”

Not so fast.

The bullies in the Democratic Party have no intention of cutting a single dollar. Instead, they want to tighten their stranglehold on the windpipes of job producers and entrepreneurs. This morning, virtually every Democrat on virtually every Sunday show said the same thing: no cuts, more taxes. So much for the Republican attempt to take the tax discussion off the table.
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Newark Resident Donates Hancock Letter To The Delaware Public Archives

A letter that John Hancock wrote to the Delaware General Assembly in 1776 has been donated to the Delaware Public Archives by Newark resident Robert Barnes who found it in one of the books he purchased at an auction.

Hancock, who was then the President of the Continental Congress, wrote to request that Delaware send more men and supplies before the Battle at Princeton.

Although the document was in pieces, Barnes spotted the familiar signature of John Hancock. As a frequent researcher at the Delaware Public Archives, Barnes contacted the Archives for advice once he realized he had an important part of Delaware history.

“We thank Mr. Barnes for having contacted us after he found the letter,” said Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock. “We will now be able to share this newly-acquired piece of Delaware history with the public.”

The letter, dated December 30, 1776, was written by Hancock to the Delaware General Assembly during the critical days following Washington’s victory at Trenton. Hancock was requesting Delaware to send more men and supplies because of the “Strength and Progress of the Enemy.” On the reverse side of the letter, Hancock acknowledged the Trenton victory by noting: “I congratulate you on the success of General Washington in the Jerseys.”

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Cole Pushes For New Voter ID Laws In Va.

In Virginia, the documents that residents are allowed to use as forms of voter identification may change soon.

Delegate Mark Cole, who represents the 88th District in the Fredericksburg area, is introducing a new voter identification bill during this year's Virginia General Assembly session.

"It would simply remove bank statements, utility bills and paychecks from the list of what's acceptable voter ID," says Cole, who added that those items are not a valid source of identification in most other instances.
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Kansas Hits Up Sperm Donor For Child Support

If you're planning to donate sperm in Kansas, you may want to do it through a doctor. 

That's one message from the case of William Marotta of Topeka. In 2009, he noticed a Craig's List advertisement from a lesbian couple, also in Topeka, seeking donated sperm. 

"Intrigued" by the ad, he agreed to donate and says he delivered three cupfuls of his sperm -- gratis -- to the women, one of whom gave birth to a daughter. "I donated genetic material, and that was it for me," he told CNN affiliate WIBW.

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Steyn: Congress Spent “Two Months Negotiating 10 Hours of Savings”

Writing in the Orange County Register, conservative-leaning political commentator Mark Steyn explains -- and exposes -- the utter frivolity of the latest “fiscal cliff” compromise. Here’s the most galling excerpt:

Washington keeps proving the point. The political class has just spent two months on a down-to-the-wire nail-biting white-knuckle thrill-ride negotiation the result of which is more business as usual. At the end, as always, Dr. Obama and Dr. Boehner emerge in white coats, surgical masks around their necks, bloody scalpels in hand, and announce that it was touch-and-go for awhile but the operation was a complete success – and all they've done is applied another temporary Band-Aid that's peeling off even as they speak. They're already prepping the OR for the next life-or-death surgery on the debt ceiling, tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday or a week on Thursday or the third Sunday after Epiphany.

No epiphanies in Washington: The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the latest triumphant deal includes $2 billion of cuts for fiscal year 2013. Wow! That's what the Government of the United States borrows every 10 hours and 38 minutes. Spending two months negotiating 10 hours of savings is like driving to a supermarket three states away to save a nickel on your grocery bill.

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Many Patients Unaware Of Radiation Risks From CT Scans

Last time you had a CT scan did your doctor tell you that it would expose you to radiation? Probably not, according to a study out this week. And even if you were told, you might underestimate the radiation dose, too.

Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine's radiology department in Seattle surveyed 235 patients who had undergone non-urgent computed tomography (CT) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) cardiac scans from February through December 2011. About a third of the patients said they did not know that the scans exposed them to radiation. And of the 154 patients who did understood that, only 45 percent said that the health care provider who ordered the imaging test had informed them about the radiation exposure.

Almost 90 percent of the patients said they were not worried about scan radiation. But about the same percentage (85 percent) underestimated their exposure, and only 5 percent understood that scan radiation might increase their lifetime risk of cancer. The study was published this week in Archives of Internal Medicine.

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PELOSI, REID BACK OBAMA RAISING DEBT CEILING VIA EXECUTIVE ORDER

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has reportedly told President Barack Obama that he would back the president overriding congressional authority and unilaterally raising the debt ceiling.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was more forceful: “I’ve made my view very clear on that subject: I would do it in a second. But I’m not the president of the United States.”

Such a move would spark a constitutional crisis by running roughshod over the 14thAmendment, which states that “the validity of the public debt…shall not be questioned.” 
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Fiscal Deal Includes Tax Credits For Energy-Efficient Upgrades

In addition to holding down taxes for all but the wealthiest Americans, the fiscal package passed this week includes a number of incentives for homeowners to become more energy efficient. Buried in the 150-page document that is the American Taxpayer Relief Act are tax credit extensions for energy-efficient appliances, building materials, and more.

The rules are pretty complicated, as you might expect, but here's what you need to know: You can save up to $500 on taxes if you made energy-efficient upgrades to your home in 2012, or plan to do so in 2013. These might include swapping out your old furnace with a new high-efficiency model, laying insulation in the attic, or putting in new windows. To collect, you'll need to file IRS form 5695 with your 2012 or 2013 taxes. Be sure to keep a copy of the Manufacturer's Certification Statement and any receipts or itemized bills.

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WHAT COULD POSSIBLY EXPLAIN THIS WILD PICTURE? JUST WAIT

This is the image of an airplane passenger posted on Reddit by a fellow traveler. The man was allegedly so drunk on his flight from Reykjavik, Iceland, to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, that he had to be bound and gagged with duct tape for the duration of the flight.

Here’s what was posted on the Reddit thread about the incident:

He drank an entire bottle of some duty free alcohol. Then he tried grabbing the women who were sitting next him screaming that we’re going to crash. Finally he started chocking a guy next to him and that’s when a huge crowd restrained him and tied him up. This was 2 hours into a 6 hour flight.

Edit: Did I mention that he was spitting on random people on the plane!

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Del. Workers' Comp Rates Hiked By Smaller Amount

Delaware Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart on Thursday approved an increase in workers’ compensation premiums, agreeing to about half the hike proposed earlier.

The changes are expected to cost Delaware businesses $22 million less than the original proposal filed by the Delaware Compensation Rating Bureau Inc., in August, Stewart said.

The action followed an intensive review by the state Insurance Department. In effect, it reduces the increase for the so-called residual market rates – where higher-risk businesses such as those providing insurance for road workers buy policies – from 43.5 percent to 19 percent.

A change in the voluntary market, or general market – which represents 93 percent of businesses required to provide insurance – reduces the hike from 38.3 percent to 14.6 percent.

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INMATES USE NEWSPAPER'S GUN MAP TO THREATEN GUARDS

 The entirely predictable consequences of the Journal News' decision to publish a map of gun-owners marches on…

Rockland County Sheriff Louis Falco, who spoke at a news conference flanked by other county officials, said the Journal News' decision to post an online map of names and addresses of handgun owners Dec. 23 has put law enforcement officers in danger.

"They have inmates coming up to them and telling them exactly where they live. That's not acceptable to me," Falco said, according to Newsday.

Robert Riley, an officer with the White Plains Police Department and president of its Patrolman’s Benevolent Association, agreed.

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CARROLL CO. MURDER INVESTIGATION - SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

(WESTMINSTER, MD) – A suspect is in custody and charges are pending in connection with the ongoing investigation into the murder of a man in Westminster early this morning.
The suspect will not be identified until charges are placed against him, which are expected later today. He is in police custody and being returned to Carroll County for further investigation.

The suspect was located by Anne Arundel County Police officers shortly after noon today in a convenience store parking lot in the 4000-block of Ritchie Highway. Anne Arundel County Police had received calls reporting a van being operated erratically. Police responded to the area and found the suspect in the store parking lot with the van. The van belonged to Edward C. Zepp, the Westminster homicide victim. Anne Arundel officers took the suspect into custody without incident and contacted Maryland State Police.

Additional information regarding the suspect’s identification and charges against him will be provided when it becomes available. The investigation is continuing.

WHY WAS A 2.3% ‘MEDICAL EXCISE TAX’ SHOWING UP ON RECEIPTS FROM SPORTING GOODS GIANT CABELA’S?

January 1, 2013 brought a host of new taxes, fees, and charges to the American people. Some of them were anticipated. Others, like the Medical Device Excise Tax (MDET), were not — at least not in this way.

How so? Well, the MDET has started showing up on the receipts for purchases made at sporting goods giant Cabela’s. This receipt from one such store in Texas is making the rounds on the web. It shows an additional tax has been added to the purchase, after the local sales tax of nearly 10% was charged.

A series of phone calls to both the corporate offices of Cabela’s as well as three Texas outlets where the taxes have been showing up yielded what appears to be a satisfactory explanation and resolution. 
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Workers Making $30,000 Will Take A Bigger Hit On Their Pay Than Those Earning $500,000 Under New Fiscal Deal

Middle-class workers will take a bigger hit to their income proportionately than those earning between $200,000 and $500,000 under the new fiscal cliff deal, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

Earners in the latter group will pay an average 1.3 percent more - or an additional $2,711 - in taxes this year, while workers making between $30,000 and $200,000 will see their paychecks shrink by as much as 1.7 percent - or up to $1,784 - the D.C.-based think tank reported.

Overall, nearly 80 percent of households will pay more money to the federal government as a result of the fiscal cliff deal.

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Can You Guess Who I Am? Shocker

‘MY WIFE IS A HERO’: GEORGIA MOTHER SHOOTS HOME INTRUDER FIVE TIMES AFTER BEING CORNERED IN ATTIC

A Georgia mother and her two young children are unharmed after a man broke into their house with a crowbar on Friday, cornering them in an attic crawlspace.

According to WSB-TV, the woman was at home with her nine-year-old twins when the doorbell rang. When they didn’t answer, the man reportedly went back to his car and returned with a crowbar.

The mother said she could see the suspect– now identified as Paul Slater– trying to enter the house with the crowbar from her office window. Without hesitation, she grabbed her children, her phone, her gun, and ran upstairs. 

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Unborn Babies Learn Language In Womb, As Early As 10 Weeks

New reports of fascinating research show babies can distinguish between their native language and foreign languages when they’re just a few hours old. A new study found that and suggests they start absorbing language before birth.

The report shows sensory and brain mechanisms for hearing develop by 30 weeks of the gestational age. The study’s authors said the unborn child starts listening to the mother’s voice during the last 10 weeks of pregnancy.“The mother has first dibs on influencing the child’s brain,” said the University of Washington’s Patricia Kuhl, co-author of the study. “The vowel sounds in her speech are the loudest units and the fetus locks onto them.”

“This is the first study that shows fetuses learn prenatally about the particular speech sounds of a mother’s language,” said Christine Moon, lead author. “This study moves the measurable result of experience with speech sounds from six months of age to before birth.”

One news report provides more details:

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Elkton Trooper Charged With Offering To Pay Teen For Sex

ELKTON - A now-fired Maryland State Police trooper based in Easton is facing prostitution charges after he allegedly tried to pay a 16-year-old female Cecil County high school student for sex, police reported late Friday afternoon.

Investigators with the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office arrested the suspect ― Joshua Michael Wright, 21, of Elkton ― on Thursday, according to Lt. Michael Holmes, a spokesman for the CCSO.


Wright, who was released after posting a $1,500 bond, is charged with sexual solicitation of a minor for purposes of prostitution, solicitation of prostitution and two counts of attempted obstruction of justice, Holmes reported.

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'Checkout Fee' Could Be Added To Credit Card Purchases Soon

Just as credit card holders begin mending the wounds of their holiday purchases, they could be sideswiped by a new fee.

The consumer advocacy group Consumer Action is urging people to be on alert for so-called checkout fees some retailers could begin to impose on credit card transactions starting Jan. 27.

Merchant trade groups contend most retailers, fearing customer backlash, will not charge the fee. But Consumer Action wants cardholders to be aware of the possibility and options for fighting back.

"We're not sure whether retailers are going to charge these fees," said Ruth Susswein, deputy director of national priorities at Consumer Action in Washington, D.C. "They may not for competitive reasons. Some of it will depend on whether the other guy does it."
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Such A Thing As A Pot Vending Machine Exists, Might Be Heading To Colorado & Washington

Now that Colorado and Washington have legalized marijuana for recreational use, businesses are clamoring to get a piece of the action, and coming up with some entertaining ways to do it. For example, a pot vending machine already exists for medical use, so why not introduce the same kind of devices for anyone in those states looking to buy some legal bud? One company is working on adapting its vending machines for just that purpose.

The founder of the company says he’s working on tweaking his business to make sure the machines would comply with each state’s laws. The machines currently require fingerprint identification to ensure that a patient really does have a medical marijuana prescription and isn’t just trying to score on the sly, reports NBC News.

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Teen's Life Saved Thanks to AED

A 17-year-old senior women's basketball player at C. Milton Wright High School in Bel Air collapsed on the court during a game Thursday night and was brought back to life. The teenager is recovering at an area hospital.

In a statement, the Harford County School system said nurses, coaches and teammates immediately rushed to help the player, by giving her CPR.

Maryland State Trooper Adam Davies used an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) that was located in the school's gymnasium to also help revive the girl. He was on patrol Thursday night. Davies, who has been an EMT for 12 years, said when he arrived at the school he began directing everyone there on how to help save the girl's life. 
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Worth Repeating

Maryland Misses Latest Medicare Waiver Goal

Maryland health care leaders have blown past another deadline they set for themselves to submit a proposal for a revised Medicare waiver. And this time they’re not bothering with a new deadline.

The state has been working on a plan for revising its Medicare waiver for months and along the way setting — and passing — goals for completing the task. Most recently health officials said they planned to submit a proposal to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Dec. 17. The date appeared on a spending report the state’s Health Services Cost Review Commission, which sets hospital rates, filed in order to hire a consulting firm to help complete the application.

As of Jan. 3, health leaders were still at work on the waiver.
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WELL?

Please tell me what the HECK wrong with

all the people that run this country!!!!!! 

Both

Republicans

&

Democrats

We're "broke"

and can't help

our own

Seniors,

Veterans,

Orphans,

Homeless,

etc.,???????????

In the last years we have provided direct cash aid to

Hamas - 351 M,

Pakistan - 2 B,

Libya 1.45 B,

Egypt - 397 M,

Mexico - 622 M,

Russia - 380 M,

Haiti - 1.4 B,

Jordan - 463 M,

Kenya - 816 M,

Sudan - 870 M,

Nigeria - 456 M,

Uganda - 451 M,

Congo - 359 M,

Ethiopia - 981 M,

Pakistan - 2 B,

South Afrika - 566 M,

Senegal - 698 M,

Mozambique - 404 M,

Zambia - 331 M,

Kazakhstan - 304 M,

Iraq - 1.08 B,

Tanzania - 554 M,

with literally Billions of Dollars and they still hate us!!!!

Our retired seniors

living on a 'fixed income'

receive no aid 

nor do they get any breaks while our government 

and religious organizations pour 

Hundreds of Billions 

of $$$'s and Tons of Food

to Foreign Countries!

We have 

hundreds of adoptable 

children who are shoved aside

to make room for

the adoption of

foreign orphans.

AMERICA: a country where we have

homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, elderly going without needed medication and mentally ill without treatment -etc.

YET.......................

They have

a 'Benefit' 

for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations,

ships and planes lining up with food, water, tents clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies. 

Imagine if

the *GOVERNMENT*

gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries. 

Sad isn't it?

California Court Overturns Rape Conviction Because Victim Was Not Married

An appellate court ruling overturning a rape conviction because the victim wasn't married prompted anger Friday from women's groups and a state legislator who plans to introduce a bill that would close the legal loophole.

In its ruling, California's 2nd District Court of Appeal reluctantly concluded that Julio Morales hadn't raped an 18-year-old because a state law crafted in the 1870s says a person who gets consent for sex by pretending to be someone else is only guilty of rape if the victim is married and the perpetrator is pretending to be the spouse. In this case, Morales apparently pretended to be the teen's boyfriend, and she didn't recognize otherwise until seeing him in the light.

The court urged the Legislature to update the law, and state Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, R-San Luis Obispo, said Friday that he would introduce a bill.
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Troopers Investigate Laurel Homicide

Location:
32000 block of Horsey & Everett Road, Laurel, DE

Date of Occurrence:
Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 9:30 p.m.

Victim:
21 year old male (name to be released pending notification of NOK)

Suspects:
Multiple unknown suspects wearing all dark clothing with dark colored masks covering faces to disguise identity. Suspects armed with unknown type firearms. (No further clothing or physical description available at this time.)

Resume:
Laurel-Delaware State Police Homicide Detectives are conducting an investigation into the home invasion and shooting death of a 21 year old male occupant of a residence that occurred last night in Laurel, DE.

Preliminary investigation has determined that the incident occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. last evening as multiple unknown suspects wearing masks covering their faces to disguise identities and armed with unknown type firearms, entered a residence located in the 32000 block of Horsey & Everett Road, Laurel. Once inside, the suspects confronted the 21 year old male. During the confrontation, the 21 year old male victim was shot multiple times in the upper body. The suspects then fled the residence on foot in an unknown direction. It is unknown at this time in the investigation if any money or property was taken during the incident.

The 21 year old male victim was transported by ambulance to the Nanticoke Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. (Identity of the victim to be released pending notification of next of kin)

Delaware State Police Homicide Detectives continue their investigation by conducting interviews and collecting evidence at the scene, attempting to identify the suspects.
Additional information about this investigation will be disseminated as soon as it becomes available.

If anyone has any information in reference to this incident, they are asked to contact 911 or the Delaware State Police Homicide Unit, Detective Fred Chambers at 302-388-0196 or Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333. Information may also be provided via the internet atwww.tipsubmit.com

WICOMICO COUNTY PRESCRIPTION DRUG DROP OFF BOXES SUCCESSFUL IN FIRST THREE MONTHS

(Salisbury, MD) Drug Free Wicomico, Wicomico County Prescription Drug Task Force, Culver Enterprises and the Wicomico County Health Department are excited to announce that two-hundred ninety-seven pounds of prescription drugs have been collected in Wicomico County since September 2012. The county has participated in the DEA National Take Back Days, but those events were only offered twice a year. “We realized there was a need for stationary sites so that people could dispose of their unused and expired medications anonymously all year long. Due to the hard work and diligence of many, we were able to launch the Prescription Medication Disposal program on August 30, 2012,” says Lori Brewster, Health Officer for Wicomico County. “This would not have occurred without the commitment of the Enforcement Agencies, Drug Free Wicomico, the Wicomico County Prescription Drug Task Force, Culver Enterprises, and the Wicomico County Health Department who are committed to reducing prescription drug abuse and increasing the safety of our citizens in Wicomico County. Two-hundred ninety-seven pounds of prescription drugs are off our streets due to this collaborative effort!”Wicomico County has four Prescription Medication Disposal sites for the community to safely and anonymously dispose of expired and unused prescription medications. The sites and times are as follows: Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office (Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00); Fruitland Police (Monday-Friday 8:00-4:00); Delmar Police (Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00); Salisbury Police (Monday-Sunday, 24 hours). Personal information should be removed from the original container prior to dropping it off at one of the sites. Prescription drugs, over-the-counter me dications, vitamins, and pet medications are accepted. No liquids, needles, thermometers or bio-hazard materials are allowed.

WCSD Press Release 01-06-13

• 01/04/2013 Assault - Skinner
• 01/04/2013 Fugitive and Driving Suspended - Whitley
• 01/04/2013 Warrant - Lee
• 01/04/2013 Burglary - Jones
• 01/04/2013 Fugitive - Waters

Find Free Money For Education At DEF’s Scholarship Fair

Students who are looking for ways to cover the cost of furthering their education – whether it is in college, through vocational training or in the military -- can connect with local organizations and individuals offering free money at the Delmarva Education Foundation’s Scholarship Fair on Saturday, Jan. 12. The second annual Scholarship Fair is being held at The Centre at Salisbury mall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Scholarship Fair spokesman Kaitlyn Austin said receiving scholarship money is very important for students. Austin is now a full time student at Radford University in Virginia in her second year of college but with Junior status already.

“For me, I did not find an institution in Maryland that would fit my needs and allow me to pursue the degrees I wanted. The first time I stepped onto the Radford University campus, I knew that's where I belonged. Unfortunately, out-of-state tuition was more than double than for an in-state student. A price tag of $32,000 per year made attending Radford seem an impossibility. A combination of scholarships, grants, and loans have made pursuing my dream a reality.”

Through its Scholarship Fair, DEF connects local students with local people who have money to give. More than 20 sponsors representing over 100 scholarships that are offered across the lower Delmarva Peninsula will be on hand to promote their scholarships and talk with students about the application process. Some of the scholarships are available to all local students, while others require students to meet specific criteria, such as living in a select geographic area, attending a certain college or entering a designated field of study, such as the arts.

Austin said students should attend the Scholarship Fair for several reasons. “First and foremost, the scholarships that are out there are endless; DEF will help you find all those that you qualify for.”

She said as an ‘average’ student in high school, she knew getting accepted into a good college was going to be a daunting process. She sometimes even questioned whether college was even an option. “DEF helped me see that there was so much more to me and my experiences than the grades on my report card. Colleges look at the whole person; while grades are very important, and a big part of being accepted, they will look at all your other experiences too.”

Austin said it’s the same with scholarships. “My point is this, don't be discouraged because you may not be at the top of your class or have a 4.0 gpa. You can still win scholarships, and you can still get into college. My second year of college, and I am on the Dean's list!”

“There are some pretty amazing scholarships out there that people don't even realize; some even have nothing to do with your grades! Do you have blue eyes? Do you like to rope cattle? I am not kidding, there are scholarships out there for the craziest things. DEF will help you find even the most obscure scholarships!”

Finally, and probably the most important, students can get to go to the college of their dreams regardless of their family’s ability to help pay, Austin said. “The money is out there. I am living proof. As an average student, with a family who couldn't help fund my college, I am pursuing my dream!”

During the Scholarship Fair students will also be able to learn about DEF’s free, online database of local-priority scholarships, talk with counselors from local high schools, ask questions about financial aid, and get help with the scholarship application process. Students do not need to prepare any applications or other documents in advance but are encouraged to bring a short resume to show scholarship sponsors. The Scholarship Fair is not just for graduating high school seniors, students of all ages who want to further their education are encouraged to attend.

Austin, said she first learned of DEF while attending high school and the organization was able to help her prepare for and find money to go to college. She is a double major in psychology, and criminal justice, with a double minor in French and religious studies. She also spent this past summer in France in a study abroad program.

“The staff at DEF goes above and beyond the call of duty to help you get those scholarships by helping you with the application process, and my mentor, Dianne Johnson, even reviewed my essays,” Austin said.

Scholarship sponsors already signed up for the event are: Pocomoke City Elks Club, Choptank Electric Cooperative, Salisbury Sunrise Rotary, Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Delmarva Poultry Industry, Contractors 4 a Cause, Local Owners Restaurant Association, Atlantic General Hospital, the College Savings Plan of Maryland, Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Cavallaro Cleary Visual Foundation, Philanthropic Educational Organization, U.S. Army, Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council, Wicomico County Humane Society, Maryland Higher Education Commission, Crisfield Elks Club, Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Academy for Lifetime Learning, Friends of Blackwater, Arts Council of the Eastern Shore and Chesapeake College Adult Learning.

Funding for the event is provided in part by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the Bank of Delmarva and the Pocomoke City Elks Lodge #1624. Two other local education-based nonprofit organizations, Kids of Honor and Horizons at Salisbury School, provide assistance and support for the Scholarship Fair.

Call DEF at 410-219-3336 or visit www.delmarvaed.org for more information.

WICOMICO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE MOST WANTED

If you know of or observe any of the following persons, please call the Sheriff's Office at 410-548-4891

Christian Clayton Clark

• White Male, 5’07” 190 lbs
• DOB 02/01/1990 22 years of age
• Brown hair, Blue eyes
• Clarks’ last known address was Cambridge, MD
• Clark is wanted by the Sheriff’s Office on a District Court Bench Warrant issued for Failure to Appear in December 2011 for a Violation of Probation hearing on the charge of Theft scheme over $500
• The preset bond is $10,000

 

Cameron Deshawn Johnson

• Black Male, 6’01” 170 lbs
• DOB 06/14/1988 24 years of age
• Black hair, Hazel eyes
• Johnson’s last known address was Delmar DE
• Johnson is wanted by the Sheriff’s Office on a District Court Bench Warrant issued for Failure to Appear in October 2011 for Motor Vehicle Theft and Theft over $500
• The State will extradite Johnson from Delaware
• There is no preset bond, he must be brought before the court
• Johnson should be APPROACHED WITH CAUTION and has a history of DRUG ABUSE

  Kemayne Shabazz Smith 

• Black Male, 6’02” 170 lbs
• DOB 02/23/1978 34 years of age
• Black hair, Brown eyes
• Smith’s last known address was Dagsboro DE
• Smith is wanted by the Sheriff's Office on a District Court Arrest Warrant issued in September 2012 for Escape 2nd for failure to report to Wicomico Detention Center to serve his weekend commitment
• The State will extradite Smith from Delaware
• Smith has a history of DRUG ABUSE

 

 Keenan Jaquin Victor

• Black Male, 5’11” 160 lbs
• DOB 07/27/1991 21 years of age
• Black hair, Brown eyes
• Victor’s last known address was Salisbury MD
• Victor is wanted by the Sheriff's Office on a Circuit Court Indictment issued in February 2012 for Murder 1st and 2nd, Assault 1st and 2nd, Firearm Use Felony, Handgun on Person, Handgun in Vehicle
• And on a Bench Warrant issued for Failure to Appear in February 2012 for a Violation of Probation hearing on the charge of CDS Manufacture Distribute Narcotics
• There is no preset bond, he must be brought before the court
• The State will extradite Victor from anywhere in the Continental United States
• Victor should be considered ARMED and a DRUG USER SELLER

William Michael Watson

• White Male, 5’11” 145 lbs
• DOB 06/14/1984 28 years of age
• Brown hair Blue eyes
• Watson’s last known address is Salisbury MD
• Watson is wanted by the Sheriff's Office on a Circuit Court Arrest Warrant issued in September 2009 for Handgun on Person, Handgun in Vehicle, and multiple traffic charges
• The preset bond is $1000
• Watson should be considered ARMED

SPD Most Wanted

If you have information on the subjects below: 
Call Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776 or
the Salisbury Police at 410-548- 3165.

 

Al Gore, Joel Hyatt Sell Out Israel

Al Jazeera is coming to America — courtesy of former Vice President Al Gore and entrepreneur Joel Hyatt. The Arab network, funded by Qatar, has just bought Current TV — the low rated liberal cable station Gore and Hyatt founded — for a reported $500 million. The deal gives the anti-Israeli Arab network access to 40 million homes in the United States.

Beyond bringing anti-Israeli propaganda into these new American outlets, Al Jazeera has a long record as the chosen news outlet for Al Qaeda and other terrorist cells. It was through them that Osama bin Laden would regularly post videos attacking the west and calling for renewed acts of terror. Having this network available in the U.S. might also afford terrorist groups a new method of communicating with one another. At the very least, it will help whip up enthusiasm among Islamic viewers in America for jihadist terrorism. Some fear that its message will actually cause an uptick in domestic terrorism.

To its credit, Time Warner Cable announced that it will cancel its contract with Current. Some speculate that this is so it will not have to show Al Jazeera’s propaganda on its system. Their action keeps the station off 12.5 million homes. Thank you, Time Warner.

Gore, who consistently postured himself as a friend of Israel, shows now how unreliable the “friends” of the Jewish state are when the chips — or the money — is down. It is estimated that Gore, who owns 20 percent of Current TV, will get $100 million for his share from the deal. Media reports indicate that the former VP was eager to close the deal before the higher income tax rates he supported kick in on Jan. 1, 2013.

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