Fox News Poll: 83 Percent Think Government Spending Is Out Of Control

More than eight in ten American voters (83 percent) think government spending is out of control, according to a Fox News poll released Friday. That’s up from 78 percent who said so in 2010 and 62 percent in 2009. Some 11 percent think spending is being managed carefully.

The poll also finds almost all voters rate the nation’s economy negatively.

Those are two of the reasons why President Obama begins his second term with mixed reviews: 47 percent of voters both approve and disapprove of his job performance. A year ago 45 percent approved and 47 percent disapproved (January 2012).

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Father Tells Mourners Son Was Killed By The Government

26-year-old Internet activist Aaron Swartz was laid to rest on Tuesday just outside of Chicago after taking his own life over the weekend. At the funeral, Swartz's father told mourners that his son was "killed by the government." Swartz, who was caught tapping into the MIT network and downloading millions of online academic journals, was facing as many as 30 years in prison and a million dollar fine as a result of an overzealous Department of Justice. Under this pressure, and amid a long battle with depression, Swartz killed himself. On Tuesday, Republican Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee Darrell Issa said he will investigate the DOJ's handling of Swartz. Speaking to reporters, Issa talked about the extreme sentence and then said Swartz was, "certainly someone who worked very hard...Had he been a journalist and taken that same material that he gained from MIT, he would have been praised for it." Congressman Issa has wasted taxpayer dollars and derailed President Obama's agenda with witch hunt investigations into Fast and Furious and Benghazi. But he's finally doing what he should be doing – and that's looking into the Department of Justice's extreme actions toward peaceful activists. As they say, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Jonathan Blazek, Snowplow Driver, Sues For 'Alcoholism Discrimination'

Alcoholism is a condition that ravages lives and tears families apart. But under the Americans With Disabilities Act, workers who are alcoholics can't lose their jobs simply because of it. But that is exactly what Jonathan Blazek claims happened when Lakewood's city government fired him from his $59,000-a-year job as a snowplow driver in March 2012.

Blazek sued the city alleging what local reports termed "alcoholism discrimination," and last week the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio held a hearing to start proceedings between Blazek and the city, according to Lakewood Patch.

Blazek was working the 4 p.m.-to-midnight shift, but four hours into it, he was found to be drunk after failing a breathalyzer test. He registered .132 blood-alcohol content, twice the legal limit and more than six times the limit for city workers, according to Patch. He was sent home and fired three days later.
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Woman Likely Quite Annoyed To Have Driven 900 Miles Instead Of 90 Due To GPS Error

Anyone who’s ever gone on a road trip has had that moment like, “Wait… this doesn’t feel right.” But what if your GPS is telling you it is right? One woman who decided to abide by her GPS had the misfortune to drive 900 miles over two days and across multiple countries instead of the quick 90 miles she intended.
According to Gizmodo, which cites the Spanish language publication El Mundo, the 67-year-old woman was heading from her home in Belgium to a train station in Brussels, 93 miles north of where she started, to pick up a pal. When she turned on her GPS, it told her to head south — so head south she did.

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Potty Crisis Could Gum Up Inauguration

Something stinks on Capitol Hill and it has nothing to do with usual suspect, Congress.

It is more basic: There are going to be far fewer porta-potties at President Obama's second Inauguration than his first. And while crowd estimates for Monday's event are less than half the 1.8 million who flooded the Mall in 2009, the bathroom count has been cut by about two-thirds, meaning potentially long lines at the portable restrooms.

"It could be a pissy Inauguration," said John Banzhaf, the George Washington University professor whose urgings in 2009 led to more porta-potties for the president's first Inauguration.

Dubbed the "Father of Potty Parity" for his previous potty patrol efforts, he is calling for more facilities for the Inauguration.
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SUICIDE DURING TRAFFIC STOP IN MONTGOMEY COUNTY

(ROCKVILLE, MD) – State Police are investigating the death of a man who shot himself this afternoon after being stopped by a trooper in Montgomery County for a traffic violation.

The identity of the man is unknown at this time. Troopers are attempting to positively identify the driver of a 1997 Ford Focus. Emergency medical personnel from Montgomery County Fire Department pronounced him dead at the scene. His body will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.

Shortly after 4:00 p.m., a Maryland state trooper from the Rockville Barrack was patrolling on northbound Interstate 270 prior to Montrose Road when the driver of a 1997 Ford Focus was observed operating the vehicle without a seat belt. The trooper initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver stopped the vehicle on the right shoulder without incident. As the trooper exited his vehicle, he heard a gun shot. The trooper returned to his vehicle and immediately notified the barrack and requested back up. The trooper gave verbal commands to the driver but he did not respond.

Once back up arrived on the scene, the troopers gave verbal commands for the driver to exit the vehicle. When he did not, the troopers approached the car. They found driver unresponsive and saw what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his upper torso. Troopers saw a handgun near the center console of the car. EMS personnel were summoned to the scene and emergency care was provided, but driver was deceased.

The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit has been notified and will be conducting the investigation. Investigators from the Rockville Barracks along with State Police crime scene technicians continue to process the scene. The body will be transported to the Office of the Medical Examiners in Baltimore for an autopsy. The victim’s name will not be released until he is positively identified and family is notified. He may not be positively identified until after the autopsy is completed.

Google Says Street View Car Didn’t Hit That Donkey Lying In The Road, It’s Just Sleeping

So there’s this donkey, on a road in Botswana, right? And like, it seemed as if he was just going along on his little donkey way when along comes Google’s Street View car and what’s this? Suddenly he’s lying on the ground. That is the sequence of events some are citing while accusing Google’s car of hitting — and gulp, maybe killing — the poor fella. But Google says its own set of pictures shows that’s not the case at all.

After a Twitter used posted a picture from Google Maps this week showing a donkey lying on the road in Botswana (perhaps dead, sadface) with a puff of dust perhaps indicating the impact of its fall, News.com.au wanted to see what the company would say about it. As in, did you drive over a donkey and leave it in the road or not? WELL, DID YOU?!?!?

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Puppy Teaching Puppy To Go Down Stairs!

QUOTES OF THE DAY 1-18-13

“The truth is that neither British nor American imperialism was or is idealistic. It has always been driven by economic or strategic interests.”

Charley Reese

“We… are not really free if we can’t control our own government and its policies. And we will never do that if we remain ignorant.”

Charley Reese

“Government is inherently incompetent, and no matter what task it is assigned, it will do it in the most expensive and inefficient way possible.”

Charley Reese

“Congress seems to want to cure every ill known to man except unconstitutional government and high taxes.”

Charley Reese

AGH Installs New Multi-Media Units In All Rooms

BERLIN – As part of a hospital-wide update of all inpatient rooms, Atlantic General Hospital installed last fall new multimedia units that allow patients to watch television, make phone calls and surf the web all on one machine.

The units were made available to patients this month after thorough testing. The new technology, called care.connection, offers more than just entertainment value – giving patients an easy way to access health education and important messages from the hospital with a few taps of their index finger.

The system allows hospital staff the flexibility to update textual and video content quickly to provide access to patient education helpful in reinforcing key information, such as post-operative instructions.
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545 vs. 300,000,000 People

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don’t write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don’t set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don’t control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

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Loyal Dog Continues To Attend Mass At Church Where Owner’s Funeral Was Held

A loyal dog whose owner died late last year has apparently been showing up for Mass every day for the last two months at the church where the funeral was held.

Tommy, a 7-year-old German shepherd, used to accompany his owner, Maria Margherita Lochi, to services at Santa Maria Assunta church in San Donaci, Italy, according to the Daily Mail, and was allowed to sit at her feet.

After Lochi died, the dog "joined mourners at her funeral service" according to locals and "followed after Maria's coffin" as it was carried into the church.
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Federal Government Musings And Other Societal Observations

Reality is becoming more and more weird as we continue onto the Great Reset. We have playwrights spewing opinions across TV and their CPM slideshow presentations regarding how the US should manage its debt (with talking points from everything except the obvious, cut spending) and no one questions the source or the validity of the suggestion. People just assume that other "experts" know the real truth, "experts" who never pulled the trigger on a multi hundred thousand dollar trade let alone a multi million dollar trade hedged in ways that playwrights wouldn't understand even with a FRED graph.

Our President yesterday took the stage in front of presumably middle class children, the same middle class the White House keeps in a closet and brings out every so often to show the poor and rich that in one corner of the US there is a middle class. Yesterday these criminal actors came on TV and played a role a certain BI editor could only dream of and spun a web of bullshit that even the CIA would want to take credit for. The "dear leaders" of this lemming culture that is Amerika know how to play the simple-minded, emotion driven populace. All of it is a crock of shit.

We can all point to some administration and highlight corruption or wrong-doing. When the US wanted to tax its citizens, did it stop at the first rate it chose? No. When the Gov't started to expand the military-industrial complex, did it stop after Vietnam? No. When the US had its war on drugs, did it approach each substance rationally? No. When the US accepted Keynsian spending did it stop when spending became a National Security threat? No. When the US goes for the assualt weapons ban, is that where it will stop? No.

For the Gov't to maintain its power and control over a growing population that has pockets of civilians who are using the advances we have in technology to share and collect information in an effort to fight the on-going information battle, it will need to restrict its citizens in another manner. So far the intelligence of the average American has been wittled down. Most won't challenge the Holy American War Machine or follow a corruption line that tangents three other events because well, it's just too complicated and complicated isn't cool when Lil Wayne is considered poetic.

Biden mentioned in yesterdays live Soap Opera broadcast [8] that the US has a "moral obligation" to do something about guns. Moral obligation? No obligation to the corrption stemming from false raids [9], over-zealous cops with weapons [10], or to the civilians killed overseas so this ignorant Amerikan public can have gas at $3.40 a gallon? Nope. And not many care to question events and not many care to have an original opinion. And they can't. This world today is full of people who managed to learn how a bunch of other smart people who came before them did things. To quote a person who shall remain nameless "if I leave you in the woods with a hacket, how long until you can send me an email"?

The irony is Amerikans are energized against murder yet the largest part of our economy is the military-industrial complex which has been responsible for untold deaths and has worked to muddy the waters around investigations into corruption and illicit activities carried out with funds from the US taxpayers. But again, too complicated so it aint' cool, oh look 24 inch rims! Word up! Did you hear about the Kardashian Oreo?

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Maryland Has Collected $12 Million In Medicaid Fraud Since July 1

The Maryland Attorney General’s Office has collected $12 million dollars from perpetrators of Medicaid fraud so far this fiscal year, more than six times the amount recovered in all of fiscal 2012.

This increase in collections was announced Wednesday at a House Judiciary Committee briefing on the False Health Care Claims Act, which rewards whistleblowers for reporting Medicaid fraud and imposes punitive damages on health care providers that dupe the state.

The law was controversial when it was passed in 2010 – some voiced concern that it might encourage frivolous litigation. But Shelly Martin, the supervising attorney of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, praised the law in her testimony before the Judiciary Committee.
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Signs Are Popping Up Just About Everywhere

Signs are being posted all over the Downtown Plaza just in time for 3rd Friday. 

If you'd like a sign for your home or property just send us an e-mail at AlberoForMayor@gmail.com and we'll be sure to get one right out to you. 

A Message To The 'Left' From A 'Right Wing Extremist'

Some discoveries are exciting, joyful, and exhilarating, while others can be quite painful. Stumbling upon the fact that you do not necessarily have a competent grasp of reality, that you have in fact been duped for most of your life, is not a pleasant experience. While it may be a living nightmare to realize that part of one’s life was, perhaps, wasted on the false ideas of others, enlightenment often requires that the worldview that we were indoctrinated with be completely destroyed before we can finally resurrect a tangible identity and belief system. To have rebirth, something must first die...

In 2004, I found myself at such a crossroads. At that time I was a dedicated Democrat, and I thought I had it all figured out. The Republican Party was to me a perfect sort of monster. They had everything! Corporate puppet masters. Warmongering zealots. Fake Christians. Orwellian social policies. The Bush years were a special kind of horror. It was cinematic. Shakespearean. If I was to tell a story of absolute villainy, I would merely describe the mass insanity and bloodlust days of doom and dread wrought by the Neo-Con ilk in the early years of the new millennium.

But, of course, I was partly naïve...

The campaign rhetoric of John Kerry was eye opening. I waited, day after day, month after month for my party’s candidate to take a hard stance on the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I waited for a battle cry against the Patriot Act and the unconstitutional intrusions of the Executive Branch into the lives of innocent citizens. I waited for a clear vision, a spark of wisdom and common sense. I waited for the whole of the election for that man to finally embrace the feelings of his supporters and say, with absolute resolve, that the broken nation we now lived in would be returned to its original foundations. That civil liberty, freedom, and peace, would be our standard once again. Unfortunately, the words never came, and I realized, he had no opposition to the Bush plan. He was not going to fight against the wars, the revolving door, or the trampling of our freedoms. Indeed, it seemed as though he had no intention of winning at all.

I came to see a dark side to the Democratic Party that had always been there but which I had refused to acknowledge. Their leadership was no different than the Neo-Cons that I despised. On top of this, many supporters of the Democratic establishment had no values, and no principles. Their only desire was to “win” at any cost. They would get their "perfect society" at any cost, even if they had to chain us all together to do it.

There was no doubt in my mind that if the Democrats reoccupied the White House or any other political power structure one day, they would immediately adopt the same exact policies and attitudes of the Neo-Conservatives, and become just as power-mad if not more so. In 2008 my theory was proven unequivocally correct.

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Rally in Annapolis Protests Citizens United Decision

Activists and Maryland lawmakers rallied in front of the state capitol Thursday to oppose the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision and advocate for ways to pull corporate money out of campaign finance.

In its controversial decision, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of granting corporations the ability to spend unlimited amounts from their treasury funds to promote political candidates through independent television ads and political action committees.

Thursday’s “Rally to Fight Secret Spending in Our Democracy” drew about 60 people to Lawyer’s Mall in support of several legislative measures that would decrease the power of Super PACs and special interest groups, increase the influence of individual citizen donations, and foster more openness around campaign spending.
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BREAKING NEWS: American Reportedly Dead In Algeria Hostage Standoff

An American died in the hostage standoff with a terrorist group in Algeria, sources tell the Associated Press.

AMERICA, FLIRTING WITH DARK SIDE OF HISTORY

Disaster Assistance Deadline Looms Next Month

The U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding citizens and business owners that assistance is available for those who have been affected by Superstorm Sandy.

SBA Public Affairs Specialist Karen Knapik attended both the Salisbury City Council and Wicomico County Council sessions to inform the public on SBA assistance for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

“In times of disaster, we are tasked with being the federal government’s source of long-term funding for communities,” Knapik said. “In partnership with FEMA, when there is a disaster and it hasn’t met FEMA’s criteria, we have our own individual criteria to come to areas and help provide assistance. This one is Hurricane Sandy.”

SBA is assisting seven counties in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia that have been affected by Hurricane Sandy. The counties are Accomack and North Hampton in Virginia, Sussex in Delaware and Somerset, Wicomico, Worcester and Dorchester in Maryland.
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In Case It Wasn't Obvious...

Sometimes the writing on the wall seems painfully obvious. But occasionally it's a good idea to step back and look at the big picture:

1) The Land of the Free is set to impose fresh restrictions on firearm ownership... to include a ban on assault weapons, increased background checks, psychological screenings, and criminalizing ammunition magazine clips with a capacity beyond ten rounds.

And if they can't pass these measures by law, the President is prepared to enforce them by royal decree, i.e. executive order.

It's amazing that people have become so fearful, they are now abdicating one of the most fundamental responsibilities of humanity-- protecting and safeguarding our families.

Instead, many Americans are choosing to outsource this responsibility to the same folks who bathe them in radiation at airports, spy on their phone calls and emails, wage senseless wars in foreign lands... and have a horrible track record of screwing up everything they try to do.

Great idea, seems like a hell of a trade-off.

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BREAKING NEWS: TSA To Remove X-Ray Scanners

The Transportation Security Administration confirms that the controversial airport body scanners that produce a naked image of travelers will be gone by June. 

From Fox News

'There Is No Plan': Looming Defense Cuts Already Have Contractors Shedding Jobs

With a March 1 deadline looming for Congress to once again strike a deal in order to avoid $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts -- including $500 billion at the Pentagon -- some companies that rely on the defense industry are already bracing for the worst by canceling contracts and laying off workers.

Kathleen Volandt, president of Auroros, Inc., told Fox News that the constant uncertainty in Washington reduced her total revenues by 56 percent last year. A disabled veteran who employs three full-time staffers and 31 contractors at her Raleigh, N.C.-based information technology company, Volandt said each passing deadline just compounds the problem and brings nearly everything at her company to a standstill.

"We keep having to redo budgets because of contract changes," said Volandt. "We just lost two contracts because of the fiscal cliff. Right now, nobody's moving forward on any projects."
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IN GOD WE TRUST?

19 Numbers Which Prove That America Is Turning Away From Christianity

http://thetruthwins.com/archives/19-numbers-which-prove-that-america-is-turning-away-from-christianity

The decline of the Christian faith in America is accelerating. The results of a new survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life were just released, and the numbers are staggering. The percentage of all U.S. adults with no religious affiliation at all is nearly up to 20 percent. Even more frightening, 32 percent of all U.S. adults under the age of 30 have no religious affiliation whatsoever.

Meanwhile, the percentage of the U.S. population that is Protestant has hit an all-time low. Sadly, this new survey just confirms what a whole bunch of other surveys have shown over the past few years. The truth is that America is very clearly turning away from Christianity. Right up front I will disclose that I am a Christian, so I consider this to be a very bad thing. Others that are reading this may consider the statistics below to be wonderful news. But what we should all be able to agree on is that the long-term trends clearly show that Americans are increasingly rejecting the Christian faith. So what does this mean for the future of our nation? Where does America go from here? Those are very interesting questions.

Once upon a time, the Christian faith had an overwhelming influence on every day life in America. Even as late as 1972, a whopping 62 percent of all Americans were Protestant and an astounding 93 percent of all Americans claimed to be affiliated with a religion of one sort or another.

But now things are dramatically changing.

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Two Georgetown Men Face Child Pornography Charges

Two Georgetown men and a man from New Castle were charged in connection with child pornography following an investigation by the Child Predator Task Force.

Investigators received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about child pornography distributed in Delaware, which led them to a home in New Castle, said Attorney General Beau Biden in a press release.

Investigators conducted a search at the home and discovered photos of nude girls and a video of one changing her clothes, Biden said. Police arrested Rogelio A. Cordero, 55, on Dec. 21 and charged him with 25 counts of dealing in child pornography. He was committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in default of $375,000 secured bail.

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Rand Paul Gives Obama The Royal Treatment

(CNN) - Saying President Barack Obama is acting like a "king" by threatening to take executive action on gun laws, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul cautioned the president to be ready for a fight on Capitol Hill.

"I'm against having a king," he said Tuesday in an interview in Jerusalem with the Christian Broadcasting Network. "I think having a monarch is what we fought the American Revolution over and someone who wants to bypass the Constitution, bypass Congress - that's someone who wants to act like a king or a monarch."

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Obama's 23 Executive Gun Control Actions

The following is a list, provided by the White House, of executive actions President Obama plans to take to address gun violence.

1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system.

2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from making information available to the background check system.

3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.

4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.

5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.

6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.

7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.

8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety Commission).

9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns recovered in criminal investigations.

10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and make it widely available to law enforcement.

11. Nominate an ATF director.

12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with proper training for active shooter situations.

13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.

14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.

15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and most effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private sector to develop innovative technologies.

16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about guns in their homes.

17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.

18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.

19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions of higher education.

20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover.

21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within ACA exchanges.

22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.

23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on mental health.

Shore Counties To See More Funding In Governor’s Budget

BERLIN -- Gov. Martin O’Malley this week introduced his proposed fiscal year 2014 budget, and while the weighty document is sprinkled with mixed news, it appears Worcester and Wicomico counties could stand to gain much more in state aid in various departments and for significant capital projects.

O’Malley on Wednesday introduced a proposed $37.3 billion fiscal year 2014 budget that includes an estimated $325 million in spending cuts while increasing the state’s rainy day fund to $921 million while reducing the structural deficit by $318 million. The governor called the spending plan a “jobs budget” and called on state lawmakers not to tinker too much with the final product.

“Because of the better choices we’ve made together over the years, we enter 2013 in a better position than most other states to create jobs, expand opportunity and protect the safety and security of our citizens,” he said. “We’ve built the number-one public schools in America five years in a row, driven down violent crime to three-decade lows and protected our AAA bond rating. The proposed fiscal year 2014 budget protects the progress we’ve made together and places us on the verge of eliminating the long-standing structure deficit.
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'Bury Your Guns At Wounded Knee.'

December 29, 2012 marked the 122nd Anniversary of the murder of 297 Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. These 297 people, in their winter camp, were murdered by federal agents and members of the 7th Cavalry who had come to confiscate their firearms “for their own safety and protection.” The slaughter began after the majority of the Sioux had peacefully turned in their firearms. The Calvary began shooting, and managed to wipe out the entire camp. 200 of the 297 victims were women and children. About 40 members of the 7th Cavalry were killed, but over half of them were victims of fratricide from the Hotchkiss guns of their overzealous comrades-in-arms. Twenty members of the 7th Cavalry’s death squad, were deemed “National Heroes” and were awarded the Medal of Honor for their acts of [cowardice] heroism.

We hear very little of Wounded Knee today. It is usually not mentioned in our history classes or books. What little that does exist about Wounded Knee is normally a sanitized “Official Government Explanation.” And there are several historically inaccurate depictions of the events leading up to the massacre, which appear in movie scripts and are not the least bit representative of the actual events that took place that day.

Wounded Knee was among the first federally backed gun confiscation attempts in United States history. It ended in the senseless murder of 297 people.

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Third Friday This Friday!

This Friday, January 18, marks the next 3rd Friday in Downtown Salisbury! There will be art and multimedia events going on at both ends of West Main Street, so mark your calendars for a night that is sure to please.

The 3rd Friday artists will again fill the Powell Building with Fine Art displays, as well as plenty of handmade items and unique crafts.

AI&G Figures & Portraits Show

After you visit the Powell Building, be sure to stop by The Art Institute and Gallery opening reception of the Figures & Portraits Show from 5 - 7pm. The show will feature two separate exhibits, each focusing on figurative art and portraiture. The Main Gallery will hold a wide range of works from artists all over the Delmarva Peninsula, while the Foyer Gallery will highlight three local artists with varying approaches to the craft of portraiture; Ed Challenger, Jess Cross Davis and Leslie Belloso.
W.O.R.K. Open House

The W.O.R.K. Studio and Art Space will be holding an open house and "meet and greet" with the resident artists. W.O.R.K is located on the second floor of the Parker Place Building. Stop by and meet this group of young talented local artists who have decided to make their "art-home" downtown!

Season's Best Superbowl Party

At the West End of East Main Street, Seasons Best will be having a Countdown to the Superbowl Party with a chili cook-off! Their vendors will be cooking their secret recipes, and customers can vote for their favorites!

SWAC: The Art of Film

Also on the West end of East Main Street, head upstairs to SWAC, as they celebrate the "Art of Film" with showings of movies such as Man with the Iron Mask, Jane Eyre, and a Star is Born. They'll also be depicting the history of film through the silent short films of Chaplin, and classics like The Little Rascals, all time permitting.

Assateague’s ‘Name That Foal’ Auction Sets Record

ASSATEAGUE -- A wild foal born on Assateague last spring has a new name after a record-setting “Name That Foal” eBay auction late last month.

Each year, the Assateague Island Alliance auctions the naming rights to a foal born in the Assateague Island National Seashore and the proceeds support the organization’s management efforts for the herd of wild horses on the barrier island. The latest naming opportunity was auctioned on eBay in late December and brought a new record $1,625. The unidentified successful bidder from Millsboro has named the foal “Johnny’s Star,” after her deceased father, who was born on the same day, March 9, but different year, of course, as the horse.

The foal almost immediately began delighting the thousands of park visitors throughout the summer months. According to AIA officials, “Johnny’s Star” has lived much of her early life in and around the campgrounds and roadways in the federal portion of the park and has already become a fan favorite on the barrier island.
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So Much For The Metal Can

NASA wants to throw out those aluminum home-away-from-homes that astronauts use in space. It is partnering with Nevada-based Bigelow Aerospace to build an inflatable room for the International Space Station. The $18 million test project will create a room that can be compressed into a 7-foot tube for delivery. It could also provide three times as much space and cost less than the metal modules. If the test is successful, NASA engineer Glen Miller says it could open the door for habitats on the moon and even Mars.

Troopers Searching For Missing Ocean View Man

Location Last Seen: 38000 block of Burbage Lane, Ocean View, DE

Date of Occurrence: Saturday January 12, 2013 at approximately 7:30 a.m.

Missing Subject:

Nicholas S. Caggiano, 47, Ocean View, DE (Photo attached)
White male, 5’10” tall, 180 lbs., brown hair, and blue eyes
Last seen wearing khakis and a button up shirt (no further clothing description)
Possibly operating a grey 2013 Toyota Tacoma with Delaware registration CL93261

Resume:
Ocean View, DE- The Delaware State Police are currently searching for an Ocean View man who hasn’t been seen since January 12th.

Troopers are looking for Nicholas S. Caggiano, 47, who was last seen Saturday January 12, 2013 at approximately 7:30 a.m. when he left his residence to go to work in Rehoboth Beach. Caggiano never showed up at his place of business and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

Nicholas Caggiano is 5’10” tall, 180 lbs., with brown hair, and blue eyes. He was last seen leaving his residence in a grey 2013 Toyota Tacoma with Delaware registration CL93261.

The Delaware State Police are asking anyone who may know the location of Nicholas S. Caggiano to contact Det. Yeich at 302-856-5850 ext. 224. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Troopers Arrest Man For 6th Offense DUI

Location: Coastal Highway (SR1) and John J. Williams Highway (SR24), Rehoboth Beach, DE

Date of Occurrence: Friday January 18, 2013 at approximately 1:15 a.m.

Defendant, Charges, and Bond Information:

Jeffrey W. Barnes, 39, Bear, DE (Photo Attached)
6th Offense DUI
Resisting Arrest
Aggressive Driving
Illegal U-Turn
Driving the Wrong Way on One Way Road
Various other traffic related offenses

Arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $9,400.00 secured bail.

Resume:
Rehoboth Beach, DE- The Delaware State Police have arrested a man from Bear after he was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol for the 6th time.

The incident occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. this morning as a trooper on routine patrol observed an SUV stopped at the traffic light of northbound Coastal Highway (SR1) and John J. Williams Highway (SR24) make an illegal U-turn and drive southbound in the northbound lanes. The trooper, who was already traveling in the southbound lanes of SR1, shadowed the vehicle as it crossed over the concrete median and back into the southbound lanes. As the trooper activated the emergency equipment to initiate a traffic stop, the SUV turned west onto Old Landing Road and then pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot and came to a stop. The operator, who was later identified at Jeffrey W. Barnes, 39 of Bear, exited the vehicle and attempted to flee, but was taken into custody by the trooper after a short foot pursuit.

Barnes was taken back to Troop 7 in Lewes where a DUI investigation ensued. A computer check revealed he had five previous DUI convictions (12/15/06, 04/25/03, 1/15/99, 02/01/97, and 06/06/96); this arrest would make #6.

Jeffrey W. Barnes was formally charged with Felony DUI along with various other traffic offenses and committed to SCI on $9,400.00 secured bond after being arraigned at JP3.

Pit Bull Legislation Introduced

All Maryland dog owners would bear greater responsibility for dog bites - and landlords would have less - under a compromise measure introduced this week in the House to address a controversial ruling that pit bulls are an "inherently dangerous" breed.

Last year's ruling by Maryland's highest court made pit bull owners and landlords strictly liable for dog bites without previous evidence of a dog being dangerous. The court's decision caused an outcry from pet owners and animal rights activists who said it ruled out a single breed and made it harder for homeless pit bulls to be adopted.

Opponents also said the strict liability standard on landlords forced pet owners to choose between their pets and their homes.
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STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON PRELIMINARY DECEMBER JOBS REPORT

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 18, 2013) – Governor Martin O’Malley today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Labor’s release of preliminary employment data for the month of December:

“Over the last 12 months, Maryland’s businesses created 30,300 new jobs. Last month alone, Maryland’s private sector created 7,700 jobs - our best December for private sector job growth since 1990. Together, the people of our State have recovered more than 80% of the jobs lost during the Bush recession, and our unemployment rate has been driven to 6.6 percent, 15 percent below the national rate.

“Progress is a choice. Job creation is a choice. That's why this week we submitted a jobs budget that makes the better choices to support over 43,000 jobs for Maryland families in the capital budget alone - a budget that constrains growth below the General Assembly's Spending Affordability Guidelines for the seventh consecutive year while protecting our priorities in education, job creation, innovation and infrastructure that will ensure we remain competitive in the global economy.”

Change Maryland Chairman Larry Hogan On FY '14 Budget

Annapolis, MD - "This budget increases spending 4% over last year, to a record $37.3 billion, and does nothing more than continue the spend-and-tax governing that Martin O'Malley feels will further his political objectives.

"Nowhere in this budget document is any mention made to helping Maryland's blue collar workers and other regular working people. However, we're all told to wait for some undefined sales and gas tax increase later on that will hit poor people the hardest.

"Missing is any understanding whatsoever on how to bring jobs and businesses back to Maryland. Over 6500 small business have left Maryland during his term and the number of Fortune 500 companies is down to just three - some of the worst declines in this region. Maryland's manufacturing sector has likewise been decimated.

"Yet the governor proposes carve outs for favored industry sectors attempting to pick winners and losers in the economy. The only sector he has successfully chosen for job growth has been the gambling industry which led the state in job creation last year.

"Martin O'Malley also showed again today in the budget briefing slide show for reporters why he is the most partisan governor in America, lauding the President for wanting to raise the debt ceiling and blaming in advance the U.S. House of Representatives for any largess that may not come Maryland's way.

"Maryland is better than this."

Troopers Arrest Seaford Man For Manufacturing Meth

Location: 26000 block of Walker Road, Up Country MHP, Seaford, DE

Date of Occurrence: Thursday January 17, 2013 at approximately 11:00 a.m.

Defendant, Charges, and Bail Information:
Benjamin W. Wright, 42, Seaford, DE
Manufacturing Methamphetamine (2 counts)
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (4 counts)

Arraigned at JP2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $7,000.00 secured bond.

Resume:
Seaford, DE- The Delaware State Police Sussex County Drug Unit has arrested a Seaford man after the culmination of a several month long investigation into the manufacturing of Methamphetamine (Meth) at his house.

On Thursday January 17, 2013 at approximately 11:00 a.m., the Sussex County Drug Unit, with the assistance of the Sussex County Governor’s Task Force, DNREC, Seaford Volunteer Fire Company, and Sussex County Paramedics responded to the 26000 block of Walker Road in order to execute a search warrant on the residence. Upon arrival at the house, Benjamin W. Wright, 42, was found to be actively smoking meth and was taken into custody without incident. Upon conducting a search of the property, detectives located component mixtures of the manufacturing stages of Meth along with key ingredients in making the drug as well as other drug paraphernalia.

Wright was transported back to Troop 4 in Georgetown where he was charged with two counts of Manufacturing Methamphetamine and four counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was arraigned at JP2 and committed to SCI on $7,000.00 secured bond.

Walker Road was closed for approximately three hours as the Meth lab was safely dismantled and removed from the residence. No evacuations were issued.

Are Guns The Problem?

by Walter E. Williams
Recently by Walter E. Williams: Dishonest Educators

When I attended primary and secondary school – during the 1940s and '50s – one didn't hear of the kind of shooting mayhem that's become routine today. Why? It surely wasn't because of strict firearm laws. My replica of the 1902 Sears mail-order catalog shows 35 pages of firearm advertisements. People just sent in their money, and a firearm was shipped.
Dr. John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime, reports that until the 1960s, some New York City public high schools had shooting clubs where students competed in citywide shooting contests for university scholarships. They carried their rifles to school on the subways and, upon arrival, turned them over to their homeroom teacher or the gym coach and retrieved their rifles after school for target practice. Virginia's rural areas had a long tradition of high-school students going hunting in the morning before school and sometimes storing their rifles in the trunks of their cars that were parked on school grounds. Often a youngster's 12th or 14th birthday present was a shiny new .22-caliber rifle, given to him by his father.

Today's level of civility can't match yesteryear's. Many of today's youngsters begin the school day passing through metal detectors. Guards patrol school hallways, and police cars patrol outside. Despite these measures, assaults, knifings and shootings occur. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2010 there were 828,000 nonfatal criminal incidents in schools. There were 470,000 thefts and 359,000 violent attacks, of which 91,400 were serious. In the same year, 145,100 public-school teachers were physically attacked, and 276,700 were threatened.
What explains today's behavior versus yesteryear's? For well over a half-century, the nation's liberals and progressives – along with the education establishment, pseudo-intellectuals and the courts – have waged war on traditions, customs and moral values. These people taught their vision, that there are no moral absolutes, to our young people. To them, what's moral or immoral is a matter of convenience, personal opinion or a consensus.

During the '50s and '60s, the education establishment launched its agenda to undermine lessons children learned from their parents and the church with fads such as "values clarification." So-called sex education classes are simply indoctrination that sought to undermine family and church strictures against premarital sex. Lessons of abstinence were ridiculed and considered passé and replaced with lessons about condoms, birth control pills and abortions. Further undermining of parental authority came with legal and extralegal measures to assist teenage abortions with neither parental knowledge nor consent.

Customs, traditions, moral values and rules of etiquette, not laws and government regulations, are what make for a civilized society. These behavioral norms – transmitted by example, word of mouth and religious teachings – represent a body of wisdom distilled through ages of experience, trial and error, and looking at what works. The importance of customs, traditions and moral values as a means of regulating behavior is that people behave themselves even if nobody's watching. Police and laws can never replace these restraints on personal conduct so as to produce a civilized society. At best, the police and criminal justice system are the last desperate line of defense for a civilized society. The more uncivilized we become the more laws that are needed to regulate behavior.

Many customs, traditions and moral values have been discarded without an appreciation for the role they played in creating a civilized society, and now we're paying the price. What's worse is that instead of a return to what worked, people want to replace what worked with what sounds good, such as zero-tolerance policies in which bringing a water pistol, drawing a picture of a pistol, or pointing a finger and shouting "bang-bang" produces a school suspension or arrest. Seeing as we've decided that we should rely on gun laws to control behavior, what should be done to regulate clubs and hammers? After all, FBI crime statistics show that more people are murdered by clubs and hammers than rifles and shotguns.

DELEGATE MIKE MCDERMOTT PRESS RELEASE

‘HB104 - Giving Business Owners the Chance of Penalty Forgiveness ’

(ANNAPOLIS) -- “It’s time that Maryland became more friendly to business, and the Penalty Forgiveness Bill is a great place to start,” stated Delegate Mike McDermott (R - Worcester & Wicomico Counties).  Delegate McDermott recently filed HB-104, titled “Occupational Safety and Health - Good Faith Actions by Business Owners - Penalty Forgiveness.”  This bill creates a ‘forgiveness period’ wherby a business owner who is found in violation of certain codes can be exempt from recieving a fine if the code violations are corrected in a reasonable time period.  

“My colleagues and I have received many complaints from the business community concerning heavy handed actions taken against them for minor violations which are easily repaired.  In most instances, corrections were made soon after, but fines were levied nonetheless.  When a business owner operates in ‘Good Faith,’ the state should be prepared to forgive penalties for minor violations” stated Delegate McDermott.  Currently, as the Maryland law stands, a business owner can still be fined for code violations even if the owner corrects those violations in a timely fashion.  

HB-104 is scheduled to be heard on January 31st in the Economic Matters Committee at 1:00pm.  

Thanos Case Recalled With Death Penalty In Focus

BERLIN -- With the governor’s proposed repeal of the death penalty taking center stage in the General Assembly this week, a brutal murder spree that began in Worcester County over two decades ago dimmed from memory over the years has come back into focus.

On Tuesday, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced a renewed effort to repeal the death penalty in Maryland. The Maryland legislature reinstated the death penalty in 1990 and convicted murderer John Frederick Thanos, whose Labor Day weekend killing spree in 1990 began with his first murder along Route 50 in Whaleyville in Worcester, was the first in the state to be put to death by lethal injection under Maryland’s new policy and the first by any means since 1962.

While the debate about the death penalty rages on over two decades later, almost everyone close to the 1990 murder spree that began in Worcester agrees Thanos was the poster child for capital punishment in Maryland if ever there was one. Delegate Mike McDermott, who was a young law enforcement officer on the lower shore at the time, said this week Thanos wanted to die. 

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GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY TO FORMALLY INTRODUCE PUBLIC SAFETY LEGISLATION

ANNAPOLIS, MD – TODAY, Governor Martin O’Malley will formally introduce the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s public safety priorities for the 2013 Legislative Session, including a comprehensive approach to gun safety and violence prevention in Maryland.

Registration Open For Bus Trips

Registration Open for Bus Trips to Philadelphia Flower Show, New York City, Virginia International Military Tattoo & More

Take a trip with Wicomico Recreation this spring. Registration is currently open for a variety of exciting bus trips listed below. Reserve seats now at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Box Office (500 Glen Avenue, Salisbury, MD 21804, M-F 8am-6pm) or online at www.WicomicoRecandParks.org.

Philadelphia Flower Show - March 8

Welcome spring at the 2013 Philadelphia Flower Show on Friday, March 8. Exhibits will be inspired by both the historical and contemporary landscapes and floral designs of Great Britain. The trip is $68.00 per person and includes transportation, flower show ticket and bus drivers tip.

Noah at Sight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster, PA - March 22

Join the millions of people from all over the world who have seen Noah, a one-of-a-kind, awe-inspiring experience at the Sight and Sound Theatre on Friday, March 22. The trip is $126.50 per person and includes transportation, show ticket, late lunch and bus driver's tip.

A Day in New York City - April 13

Enjoy a day in New York City on Saturday, April 13. Spend the day in the city however you please - sightseeing, shopping, take in a show - the options are endless! Passengers will be dropped off as close to 51st & Broadway as possible. The trip is $65.50 per person and includes transportation and bus driver's tip.

Visit Hyde Park, NY - April 22-24

Enjoy a three-day excursion to Hyde Park, NY April 22-24. The trip includes transportation, two nights’ accommodations, admission to Val-Kill (Eleanor Roosevelt's home), Tour & Course Dinner at the Culinary Institute of America, admission to Vanderbilt Mansion, Walkway Across the Hudson, admission to the home of Franklin Roosevelt, guided tour of West Point, two breakfast buffets, two lunches, two dinners, baggage service, taxes and gratuities. The trip is $465.75 per person based on a double occupancy. A deposit of $125 is due upon registration and the balance is due by March 15.

Virginia International Military Tattoo - April 28

Enjoy the sounds of the Virginia International Military Tattoo and a Naval Base tour on Sunday, April 28. The trip is $117.50 per person and includes transportation, breakfast buffet, naval base tour, tattoo ticket, dinner on the trip home, tax and gratuities.

All bus trips depart from Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. For more information on Wicomico Recreation's bus trips, visit www.WicomicoRecandParks.org or contact Karen McInturff at 410-548-4900 ext 118 or kmcinturff@wicomicocounty.org.

Governor O'Malley Approves Salisbury-Wicomico County Enterprise Zone

Governor O’Malley Announces Re-designation, Expansion of two Maryland Enterprise Zones

BALTIMORE, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley announced that the State has approved the expansion of Baltimore City’s existing Enterprise Zone and the re-designation and expansion of the Salisbury-Wicomico Enterprise Zone, enabling these jurisdictions to provide businesses with income and property tax credits to help create and retain jobs. Last year, businesses located in the State’s 30 Enterprise Zones received $27.4 million in property tax credits, which have contributed to $2.38 billion in capital investment in Maryland businesses over the past 10 years.

“Maryland’s Enterprise Zones are one of our most powerful tools to help revitalize communities by sustaining existing businesses and attracting new businesses that create and retain jobs,” said Governor O’Malley. “The expansion of the Enterprise Zones in Baltimore City and Salisbury-Wicomico County will help spur development so these communities can better compete and win in the new economy.”

Thank God Its Friday 1-18-13

What will you be doing this weekend?

US Taps Pension Fund To Avoid Passing Debt Limit

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says the government has begun borrowing from the federal employee pension fund to keep operating without surpassing its debt limit.

Geithner says in a letter to congressional leaders that the move will free up $156 billion in borrowing authority while Congress debates increasing the $16.4 trillion debt limit.
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WCSO Press Release 1-18-13

01/17/2013 Fugitive - Rayfield
01/17/2013 Fugitive - Arvey
01/17/2013 Theft of Motor Vehicle - Doering
01/17/2013 Warrant - Arrington
01/17/2013 Fugitive - Jolley
01/17/2013 Assault - Ayers

Will Feds Get 0.5% Pay Raises In March?

Some House Republicans do not think feds should get a 0.5 percent pay raise in March. Twenty-eight lawmakers, led by Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) have introduced legislation to block it. He says it's an example of unrestrained spending that will cost taxpayers $11 billion over the next decade. Federal unions are rallying against the legislation. NTEU President Colleen Kelley said it's a line of attack that is an all-too-familiar staple of this Congress. The bill will be considered on the House floor next week.

Martin O’Malley To Propose Expanding Early Voting In Maryland

Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) plans on Friday to propose expanding early voting days in Maryland and, for the first time, allowing residents to register on the same day that they cast ballots — moves certain to rankle Republicans.

The legislation seeks to build upon an early voting plan in place in Maryland since 2010 that was vigorously fought for years by the state’s minority party, including O’Malley’s Republican predecessor, former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

In November, many voters in Maryland’s largest jurisdictions stood in line for hours to cast their ballots early, and three times as many Democrats as Republicans took advantage of the opportunity, according to State Board of Elections statistics. 
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A Bad Lip Reading Of The NFL