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Friday, February 01, 2013

ONE ON ONE WITH PHIL TILGHMAN, JOE ALBERO, PAC14

NAACP Mayoral Forum Presented By PAC 14

Will the Daily Times EVER Report the News on Salisbury?

If I want to read fiction, I'll go to Barnes & Noble and buy a novel.  Sadly, our friends at Gannett's local outpost - the Daily Times - seem to think that when it comes to writing (it surely isn't reporting) about Salisbury and its city government, its more important to tell THEIR STORY rather than report the news.  Jeremy Cox's article about Wednesday's NAACP candidate forum is but the latest in a long line of sad examples.


As we noted yesterday, Ireton chose to call opponent Joe Albero a racist rather than argue the merits of his vs. Albero's plans for Salisbury's future.  Cox had no choice but to admit this as he had already said as much on Twitter Wednesday evening:
Ireton comes out swinging, calling Albero racist: "It’s become abundantly clear that my opponent on his website is someone who sees color."
Yet, today Cox manages to twist the story by bending the rules of time.  Perhaps Cox watches too much Doctor Who:
“It’s become abundantly clear,” Ireton said, in a message that appeared calculated for the audience, which was about one-third African-American, “that my opponent on his website is someone who sees color.”
Albero didn’t immediate respond, but later said the city needs a “leader who won’t stand up on a soapbox and call people racists.”
NAACP chapter President Mary Ashanti urged the men back on the political high ground, saying: “We will not having you come in here to be insulted whether you’re in the audience or on here.”


Cox wants his readers to infer that Ashanti admonished both candidates.  In reality, Albero's comment about standing on a soapbox came much later in the debate.  (examine Cox's realtime Twitter feed)  In addition, Albero's statements were based in fact rather than opinion or scurrilous assertion.  Ireton is on record implying that the majority of council are racists because they disagreed with his desire to build quarter million dollar apartments in one of Salisbury's worst neighborhoods.  and ... Ireton is on record implying that another political opponent, this time Albero, is also a racist.  While Ashanti did not call Ireton out by name, it was clear to the audience that her comments were directed towards Ireton.  After the debate we learned that Ashanti was also referring to some nasty questions clearly submitted by Ireton surrogates.

Even more telling that what Cox chooses to write is what he chooses to OMIT.  There is no mention of Ireton falsely claiming that he "has always given credit to [council president] Terry Cohen for bringing the Safe Streets program to Salisbury.  There is also no mention of Ireton spending the second half of the debate (again, falsely) blaming the city council for all of the Salisbury's woes.

In his coverage of the District 2 council candidates, Cox does much the same.  He implies a negative on incumbent Debbie Campbell:
Of the three District 2 contenders, incumbent Debbie Campbell appeared at odds with opponents Jake Day and Jack Heath on most issues. For their part, Day and Heath did little to suggest any philosophical daylight between each other.
Yet, on the night of the debate, Cox wrote:  "Little daylight between Day and Heath on issues. Seem to agree on most. Mainly, that they are against everything Campbell has done."  Note the change in tone.  In print, Campbell is "at odds" with her opponent.  The truth is much closer to Cox's spontaneous tweet that (Day and Heath) "are against everything Campbell has done."

I can understand Jim Ireton crawling into the political gutter.  His record does not warrant re-election, so he believes that he must resort to the same type of attacks thrown at him in 2009 regarding his sexual orientation.  However, I would remind Ireton that he won the election, in part, because voters refused to vote for a candidate who was tied (however loosely) to those attacks.  That does not explain Cox grinding the grist of hatred and derision.

On Wednesday night I was on Twitter as well:
@Jeremy_Cox did great job tweeting NAACP forum. Hope it is as balanced when printed in DT (@MyDelmarvaNow) #SalisburyMD...
It obviously wasn't.  I still hope that Jeremy can learn to report balanced news of this year's Salisbury elections.  I'll keep hoping; but it looks like we'll have to continue settling for Jeremy Cox, novelist.

MENENDEZ PROSTITUTION SCANDAL: DONOR MELGEN'S POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS EXPLODED AFTER IRS FILED TAX LIEN

Ophthalmologist and Democratic political donor Dr. Salomon Melgen may have tried to buy cover from the IRS for the $11.1 million he owes in back taxes from 2006 to present, Breitbart News has learned. Melgen may have intended to court politicians with political donations and prostitutes with the hopes that they would help him wipe his IRS slate clean.

Melgen was a political donor from as far back as the early 1990s. According to Federal Election Commission records published on the Center for Responsive Politics website OpenSecrets.org, Melgen made his first political donation to a young first-term Democratic U.S. Congressman: Bob Menendez. After that $500 donation, Melgen’s friendship with Menendez developed further (the two were reportedly close before Menendez first took office).

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ROBOPLOW

Less Housework Means More Sex For Married Men, Study Finds

Doing the laundry might get him a pat on the back, but new research suggests the effort will not get him laid in the sack.

A study published in the February edition of the American Sociological Review concludes that husbands who engaged in more traditionally masculine chores — yard work, trash collection, home repairs — tend to get more action in the bedroom than those who gravitated to the more feminine tasks around the house — cooking, cleaning, etc.

“Our findings suggest the importance of gender display for sexual frequency in heterosexual marriage: couples where men participate more in core tasks — work typically done by women — report lower sexual frequency,” the researchers wrote. “Similarly, couples where men participate more in non-core, traditionally masculine tasks report higher sexual frequency, suggesting the importance of gender-typed participation in household labor.”

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Twitter Also Hacked This Week, Up To 250,000 Accounts May Have Been Compromised

It's been a rough week for security breaches, and Twitter has just announced it was a victim of attacks this week as well. In a blog post, the company states that during this past week it detected "unusual access patterns" that led it to uncover unauthorized attempts to access user's data. Twitter even discovered one attack as it was happening, and was able to shut it down shortly thereafter. However, Twitter's post-mortem revealed that the perpetrators of the attack may have had access to account information for approximately 250,000 different users. According to the company, "usernames, email addresses, session tokens and encrypted/salted versions of passwords" would have been available.

Twitter has reset the passwords and revoked session tokens for all such accounts; affected users should be receiving emails notifying them of the reset shortly. Users wil be required to create new passwords from scratch.

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Stay Of Execution For Kimberly McCarthy

Over 4 Dozen Detroit Parks Closing

Bitter temperatures have kept the kids away from O'Hair Park on Detroit's west side, but in the summer months the place is packed.

"The kids come over here and use the park every day. I see them play in the park every day," said Jimmy D.

The park has seen better days. Some of the play equipment is broken and some areas have become a dumping ground, but neighbors try to keep it up and now they're worried what will happen when it closes.

"If you look at it, how vast it is, could you imagine four, five feet high grass? They could throw bodies in there," Jimmy D said.
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Some Md. Legislators Compare O’Malley’s Gun Control Bill To Poll Tax

Governor Martin O’Malley’s gun control bill got raked over the coals in Annapolis Thursday. Political reporter Pat Warren reports members of the House and Senate say it amounts to a poll tax.

Gun control was in the sights of the state of the state address.

“I ask you to require a license for the purchase of all handguns,” O’Malley said.

Thursday, there was backlash.

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Big Government 101: Federal Subsidies Create Glut Of College Grads

Higher Education: A new study finds almost half of Americans with college degrees are working at jobs that don't require one. It's the latest example of how federal subsidies are creating a massive higher-education bubble. The study, by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, found that an incredible 48%...
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ARMED GUARD STOPS SCHOOL SHOOTER AFTER HE OPENED FIRE AT ATLANTA MIDDLE SCHOOL

ATLANTA (AP) — A student opened fire at his middle school Thursday afternoon, wounding a 14-year-old in the neck before an armed officer working at the school was able to get the gun away, police said.

Multiple shots were fired in the courtyard of Price Middle School just south of downtown about 1:50 p.m. and the one boy was hit, Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said. In the aftermath, a teacher received minor cuts, he said.

The wounded boy was taken “alert, conscious and breathing” to Grady Memorial Hospital, said police spokesman Carlos Campos. Grady Heath System Spokeswoman Denise Simpson said the teen had been discharged from the hospital Thursday night. Campos said charges against the shooter were pending.

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Bloody Weekend Pushes Chicago To 40 Homicides In January

Police say Chicago, which is facing its deadliest January in more than a decade, has a gang problem and a high number of firearms.

CHICAGO — A bloody weekend in which seven people were killed and six wounded has put an abrupt end — at least for now — to hopes that Chicago was at least putting a lid on its frightening homicide rate.

With a few days left in the month, the nation's third-largest city now finds itself on the cusp of its deadliest January in more than a decade. The news comes just after Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy had announced that after several violent months, Chicago had seen a drop in homicides at the end of 2012 and for the first few weeks of 2013.

Police say the homicide rate is a reflection of the city's gang problem and a proliferation of guns. Chicago has for years tried to cut off the flow of guns. It has what city officials have called the strictest handgun ordinance in the U.S. But police officials say more needs to be done, and that penalties for violating gun laws should be stiffer.

Among those killed over the weekend was 34-year-old Ronnie Chambers, who was shot in the head with what police believe was an assault weapon. Such guns are banned in Chicago but can be purchased legally in the suburbs or nearby states. Chambers is the fourth child of Shirley Chambers to fall victim to gun violence.

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Publishers Notes: Where are all of those deadly assult weapons in the photo of this story?

Immigrants In The U.S. Sending $120B Back Home

Immigrants working in the United States sent $120 billion back to their home countries in 2012, according to reports.

More than $23 billion went to Mexico, $13.45 billion to China, $10.84 billion to India and $10 billion to the Philippines, among other recipients, The Daily Mail reported Thursday.

Only $5.1 billion was sent back to the U.S. by the 2.4 million American citizens working abroad.

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BREAKING NEWS: ATTORNEY GENERAL TELLS MAYOR IRETON, GO LISTEN TO YOUR CITY ATTORNEY

Maryland Attorney General Defers to Salisbury City Attorney on Fire Chief’s Acting Status – Term Expired January 22 Emergency Session Set for Mon., Feb. 4, 11 a.m. SALISBURY

– Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton’s December 17, 2012, request for an opinion from the Maryland Attorney General regarding the acting status of the fire chief has been answered with a letter, dated January 3, 2013. The letter states that the Office of the Attorney General defers to the “municipal counsel with respect to matters involving the construction of local law.” 

Ireton did not inform the Council that the Attorney General’s office had responded. The Council learned of it after Council President Terry Cohen followed up and received her own letter from the Attorney General at the end of the day on January 28, 2013, including the response to Ireton. 

City Attorney Mark Tilghman analyzed the language of the City’s official Employee Handbook, which limits acting status terms to a maximum of six months, unless approved for a longer period by the City Council. The Employee Handbook also notes that any increase in pay for serving in an acting status is considered “temporary.” Tilghman wrote that acting status cannot be “indefinite,” which is not “temporary.” 

The legal opinion means approval for the status of the acting fire chief expired on January 22, 2013. The same is true of approval for the acting deputy fire chief. 

On January 29, Ireton sent an email to the Council, stating, “We do not agree with the municipal attorney….” 

“This isn’t the first time the Mayor has withheld information from the Council. It’s not the first time the Mayor has created a legal crisis for the City. It’s not the first time the Mayor has allowed an issue to go unaddressed past its expiration date,” said City Council President Terry Cohen. “The Mayor’s action, or lack of it, has left me not knowing whether I have the legal authority to sign off on the pay disbursements for these two positions, although by the Charter only one signature is required.” 

“Due to the Mayor’s actions and refusal to honor the official legal opinion he himself requested and the legislative intent of the City Council, the Mayor has created a difficult and time-consuming crisis that must be addressed immediately. This crisis situation has been caused by the Administration failing to provide Council with the information needed, potentially creating legal jeopardy for the City. This is the detrimental environment in which the Council has been trying to get its work done for two years,” Cohen added. 

The Council will be convening in an emergency legislative meeting on Monday, February 4, at 11 a.m. to discuss and consider taking legislative action to address the time-sensitive issue of legal interpretation and legislative intent regarding the application of Section 0308 of the Employee Handbook. The meeting will be held in Room 306 of the Government Office Building at 125 N. Division St.

The Agenda & Materials are posted on the website at the link below.

http://www.ci.salisbury.md.us/cityclerk/briefingbook/SplMtg2113.pdf

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE SALISBURY CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 2013 WORK SESSION MEETING TIMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. THE FIRST WORK SESSION OF THE MONTH ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2013 WILL BE HELD AT 1:30 P.M. THE SECOND WORK SESSION OF THE MONTH ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013 WILL BE HELD AT 4:30 P.M.

HHS Official: Administration Changed Name Of Obamacare ‘Exchanges’ Because ‘Marketplaces’ Is Better In Spanish


’12 million of the people eligible [for Obamacare] speak Spanish’
 The Obama administration has stopped using the word “exchanges” to describe a feature of the Obamacare health care overhaul law because it does not translate well into Spanish, a Department of Health and Human Services official explained Thursday.

“We’re going to use the word ‘marketplace’ because it actually makes sense to people. ‘Exchange’ doesn’t translate to anything in Spanish, but ‘marketplace’ does,” Anton Gunn, HHS director of external affairs said during a Families USA conference in Washington, D.C., according to The Hill.

According to Gunn, the department wants to communicate effectively about the Affordable Care Act with Spanish-speaking Americans.

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Obama Administration Repositioning Homeland Security Ammunition Containers

The containers (like those pictured) are usually painted olive drab and are unmarked except for indistinguishable numbers/letters probably for inventory, routing, etc.

Reader Don sent this in recently:
Jim – I passed a convoy of olive drab unmarked 40 foot tractor trailers each with four 10 yard ammo bunker boxes chained to them and unmarked armored Hum-Vee’s heading north on I-95 in Brevard County, Florida this past Thursday morning. The “govt” is positioning these ammo storage boxes, I have been told, in strategic places in population centers around the country. They are usually painted olive drab and are unmarked except for indistinguishable numbers/letters probably for inventory, routing, etc.

Obma’s Homeland Security Department has purchased 1.4 billion rounds of ammunition – that is not a typo — during the last six months.

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Mayor Calls Rumors ‘Local Politics At Its Dirty Worst’

BERLIN -- Looking to quiet what he referred to as a “whispering campaign” by political enemies, Berlin Mayor Gee Williams spoke out Monday at a Mayor and Council meeting about rumors that he said have recently been circulating in the community portraying him as a reckless alcoholic.

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended by these rumors because for them to be true I would have to be a 64-year old superman, and one of the most influential elected public figures in the nation to cover up all of these rumors,” Williams said.

There actually only seems to be one rumor, continued Williams, but one that is animated and constantly changing in reaction to facts coming to light.

“The rumor has evolved into different versions all based on the allegation that I have an out-of-control drinking problem that has resulted in serious misbehavior or illegal actions on my part in recent months or possibly on New Year’s Eve,” the mayor said.

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Arizona Bill Would Require HS Students To Swear Constitutional Oath Under God To Get Their Diplomas

A bill making its way through the Arizona state legislature would require public high school students to swear an oath to defend the Constitution before they receive their diplomas.

The legislation was introduced Tuesday by a group of Republican lawmakers and referred to several state House committees. If passed, it would require principals to verify in writing that a student had recited the following oath before they were allowed to graduate, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year:
I, _________, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge these duties; So help me God.

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NRA President Says Anti-Gun Advocates Threatened To Kill Son, Daughter

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Caller’s Ginni Thomas, NRA President David Keene said anti-gun advocates have made threats against his son and daughter in the wake of the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Keene also criticized President Barack Obama’s handling of the gun rights debate.

“Civility is only required of us, civility doesn’t count for them,” he said.

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DEF Letter To The Editor

Dear Editor,

The Delmarva Education Foundation would like to thank the sponsors, donors and volunteers who made our second annual Scholarship Fair on Saturday, Jan. 12 an overwhelming success. More than 500 students from 20 different high schools in 9 counties on the Delmarva Peninsula, along with military veterans, returning adults learners and vocational education students, attended the Scholarship Fair held at The Centre at Salisbury Mall to find money to continue their education.

Scholarship Fair sponsors were the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, The Bank of Delmarva, Pocomoke City Elks Lodge #1624, The Centre at Salisbury mall, Wor-Wic Community College Bookstore, Pepsi, Kitty’s Flowers, Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and TD Digital Printers, Inc.

Special thanks to Scholarship Fair partners Kids of Honor & Horizons at The Salisbury School, Scholarship Fair spokesman Kaitlyn Austin; financial aid experts Amanda Brumfield from Wor-Wic Community College, James Kellam from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and Janet Reed from Delaware Technical and Community College; high school counselors Derrick Fooks, Worcester County; Janice Cottman, Somerset County; and Faye Stearns, Wicomico County; and all of our dedicated and hard-working volunteers.

The Delmarva Education Foundation is funded entirely through community support, donations and grants; all funding is returned directly to the community through DEF’s programs and services.

Sincerely,

Rota L. Knott
Executive Director

SPD Press Release 2-1-13


The Winter Boots

(Anyone who has ever dressed a child will love this) Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her reception class pupils put on his boots?

He asked for help and she could see why.

Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn't want to go on.

By the time they got the second boot on, she had worked up a sweat.

She almost cried when the little boy said, 'Teacher, they're on the wrong feet.'

She looked, and sure enough, they were.

It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on.

She managed to keep her cool as, together, they worked to get the boots back on, this time on the correct feet.

He then announced, 'These aren't my boots.'

She bit her tongue, rather than get right in his face and scream, 'Why didn't you say so? ' like she wanted to.

Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet.

No sooner had they got the boots off when he said, 'They're my brother's boots. My Mum made me wear 'em.'

Now she didn't know if she should laugh or cry.

But she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.

Helping him into his coat, she asked, 'Now, where are your mittens?'

He said, 'I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots.'

She will be eligible for parole in three years.

Chesapeake Shows Signs Of Resilience, Report Finds

Bay grasses, crabs and rockfish are showing signs of resilience in the Chesapeake Bay, which continues to suffer from poor water quality as a growing population stresses it, according to a report released Thursday.

The bay barometer provides a snapshot of water data from 2011 and 2012.

The report by the Chesapeake Bay Program says grasses are one of the success stories. Grasses in the large Susquehanna Flats grass bed near the top of the bay not only survived Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, but those in the mid-Bay have seen dramatic increases. However, only 34 percent of the bay met standards for water oxygen levels, and water clarity was very poor.

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Gun Control for Dummies - It's Common Sense

Heavy Rains Lead To Death In Maryland

Anne Arundel County Police say rescue crews found the body of a woman in a flooded homeless camp.

Police say they were called around 11:30 a.m. to the area of Laurel Fort Meade Rd. and Race Track Rd. in Laurel after receiving a 911 call about a body floating in the water.

Lt. T.J. Smith says the unidentified woman died before officials opened dams to ease pressure on the swollen Patuxent River.

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A RESPONSIBLE CELEBRATION IS THE BEST GAME FOR THE SUPER BOWL XLVII

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Troopers remind fans a responsible celebration is the best game plan for this Super Bowl Sunday.
At the direction of Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, each of the 22 barracks will have additional patrols specifically focusing on impaired driving on Super Bowl Sunday. When not answering calls for service, troopers on regular patrol will also target impaired drivers. 

“Our patrols will target those who elect to ignore the law and endanger others by drinking and driving,” Colonel Brown said. “We want everyone to be able to have a safe celebration and to cheer for the Ravens!”

Troopers encourage motorists to plan ahead. If you plan to drink, don’t plan to drive. Be responsible, call a family member or friend, use public transportation or arrange for lodging at a hotel nearby your celebration.

As a reminder, the penalty for driving under the influence can be up to one year in jail and a thousand dollar fine for a first offense. There are also administrative penalties from the Motor Vehicle Administration including a suspension of your driver’s license. Legal fees, insurance and tow cost can also add to your financial burden.

Last year, on Super Bowl Sunday, troopers arrested 38 drunk drivers. Driving with a blood alcohol content of .07 (driving while impaired) is illegal in Maryland and .08(driving under the influence) or higher is illegal in every state. A driver under the age of 21, with any measurable alcohol in their system is in violation of alcohol laws in Maryland.

Caption This Photo 2-1-13


Child Support Goes Paperless

Maryland is eliminating paper checks for child support payments this month, saving taxpayers about $1.4 million a year.
Officials at the Maryland Department of Human Resources, who said the move would impact more than 55,500 recipients statewide, said it would help cut printing and postage associated with the monthly checks.
Payments from the Maryland Child Support Enforcement Administration will now be made directly into a bank account or onto a plastic Bank of America-issued Electronic Payment Issuance Card.
Those cards may be used at ATMs, banks and credit unions that accept Visa cards. Recipients may also get cash back by using the cards at certain grocery and convenience stores.
“Families shouldn’t have to wait for a check to arrive by mail to receive child support payments we collect on their behalf. EPiC enables us to better fulfill our obligation to Maryland children by providing a fast, convenient and secure method for receiving timely child support payments,” DHR Secretary Theodore Dallas said in a statement. “Many families will also benefit from paying fewer check-cashing fees, giving them a little extra money each month to support their children.”
DHR officials said that beginning this month, child support payments will be deposited to the cards as they are received. The system will reduce delays that families often experience when checks are mailed and eliminate fees charged by check-cashing businesses to families without bank accounts.
State data show a historic number of child support payments were collected and distributed over the federal fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2012.
More than 220,000 families received child support payments during that time, adding up to $544.4 million collected by the department’s Child Support Enforcement Administration. That was up $25.1 million from the previous year.

Ocean City Proclaims Today As ‘Purple Friday’

OCEAN CITY – The Town of Ocean City proudly proclaimed today as Purple Friday in support of the Baltimore Ravens.

On Tuesday afternoon, Council Chambers at City Hall was filled with black and purple as Mayor Rick Meehan presented Ravens Roost #44 with a proclamation stating today, Friday, Feb. 1, as Baltimore Ravens Day Purple Friday.

“It is a special time not only in Ocean City but in the State of Maryland,” the mayor said. “It is all about what is upcoming this Sunday and that is the Super Bowl. It is all about what has been accomplished over the course of a long season of football here in the State of Maryland and we have all been rewarded, all of the Ravens fans, and everybody in the State by the Baltimore Ravens and their ability to succeed and move forward to carry the Baltimore tradition back to the Super Bowl and that is a tremendous accomplishment.”

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BREAKING NEWS: Federal Gov't Proposes Change In Contraceptive Mandate

Health and Human Services proposes change to the contraceptive mandate provision of ObamaCare as it applies to religious non-profits.
From Fox News

City wasting Hurricane Sandy FEMA Cash On Roach-Infested Hotels And Single Room Occupancies

As of Friday, 800 Sandy households were still living in 50 hotels and SROs in the city. The Mayor’s Office of Recovery has refused to release the complete list, but a spot-check investigation by The News found five that were full of safety and health issues.
Cast adrift by Hurricane Sandy, dozens of storm victims have been placed by the city in squalid SROs and fleabag hotels plagued by vermin, housing code violations and fire safety problems, a Daily News investigation has found.

As of Friday, there were 800 Sandy households still living in 50 hotels and SROs around town. The Mayor’s Office of Recovery refused to release the full list, but a spot check by The News found five full of safety and health issues.

“In the beginning, it was kind of shocking,” said a stoic Antonio Ramirez, 60, who was placed in a decaying SRO at 1038 Faile St. in the Bronx that has been cited repeatedly for vermin and fire safety issues.

Ramirez’s tiny, bare-walled apartment has no smoke detector, and outside next to a stove in the hallway a hand-written sign reads, “CLEAN UP AREA — DON’T FEED ROACHES!!!”

At Least 2 Dead in Terrorist Attack Outside US Embassy in Turkish Capital

A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device on the outside perimeter of the U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital Friday, officials said, killing himself and an embassy guard in a terrorist attack whose motives are under investigation.

The attack was initially believed to be the work of either Al Qaeda or a proxy for Iran. Turkish media outlets, though, are reporting that authorities have identified the attacker, who reportedly was not an Islamic extremist but instead belonged to a Marxist extremist group.

According to U.S. military sources, the other individual killed in the Ankara attack was a Turkish national. All U.S. staff are safe at this time, though the U.S. consulate in Turkey reportedly has advised Americans in the country against visiting U.S. missions for the time being. 

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Thank God Its Friday 2-1-13

What will you be doing this weekend?

Obama Jobs Council Shuts Down

EXPIRATION: President Barack Obama will not renew his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, winding down one source of input from the business community even as unemployment remains stubbornly high.

MAJOR REPORT: Its main work was a report released in January 2012. It also organized meetings that Obama didn't attend with business owners, local elected officials and academics. General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt, the panel's chair, said progress was made on 90 percent of its recommendations.

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BREAKING NEWS: Energy Department Secretary Chu Is Exiting Post

Secretary Steven Chu will resign from Obama Cabinet once a successor is named, senior official tells Fox News. 

NAACP President: Blacks Worse Off Under Obama

Blacks have always been worse off under Democrats. So much of liberal legislative action to help blacks ends up hurting them and moving them backwards economically. There’s no doubt that many blacks survive the attempt to make them wards of the State.
The black family has been nearly destroyed by Democrat initiatives. There was a time in our history when the divorce and unwed mother rates were no different between blacks and whites.

Even Affirmative Action policies can be a problem. A black student applies to a college that ordinarily would not accept him or her because of specific entry standards. But because of certain government requirements to insure black educational participation, less qualified students get in and then flunk out because they really weren’t academically qualified.

One would think that with nearly 95 percent of blacks voting for Obama, they would be doing so based on a better economic outcome. But it’s not the case. The Washington Times reports:

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Senators Dismayed At Human Resources Department’s Repeated Problems

State senators on a budget subcommittee said that they were dismayed by the abysmal results of the state’s most recent audit of its Department of Human Resources, which distributes welfare, foster care, and other social services to needy Marylanders.

Its 2012 audit revealed hundreds of financial and ethical improprieties committed by state social workers between 2008 and 2011, including 77 repeat findings of mistakes that were discovered by auditors five years earlier. The documented errors included unwarranted denial of services, erratic record-keeping, defective data security, and instances where former employees had improper access to state bank accounts.

Audit manager Joshua Adler said these issues were deeply concerning during his testimony before the Senate’s Health and Human Services Subcommittee on Thursday. “This is a real problem,” Adler said. “I’m not going to say that I’ve never seen this in an audit before, but it’s rare.”
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Get This!


Celebrity chef Mario Batali, fed up with overzealous city health inspections, plans a new weapon at his eateries — a hidden alarm that alerts kitchen workers that an inspector has arrived so they can quickly trash any meals they’re cooking and scram.

A button at the hostess stand triggers a loud buzzer in the kitchen, said a Batali employee, and gives staff a chance to toss out what’s on the stove or in the oven and go on break before the inspector enters.

“You’re supposed to keep pressing that button,” the employee said.

Without meals or chefs, a kitchen is less likely to get nailed, since infractions often involve dishes being held at improper temperatures and food workers not following rules. Fines can top $5,000 per visit and result in a “B” or “C” grade.

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STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON THE PASSING OF FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ED KOCH

ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 1, 2013) – Governor Martin O’Malley issued the following statement on the passing of former New York City Mayor Ed Koch:“I am saddened to learn of the passing of my friend, Ed Koch. He was a good mayor, a wise man of character, and a strong leader in tough times. He believed in the goodness of the people of New York City, a timeless attribute that amplifies his legacy. 

"We will miss him dearly, and my thoughts are with his family at this time."


PUBLISHERS NOTES: I concur with Governor O'Malley. As a young man living in the Bronx in New York City, I, like many other citizens, had the pleasure of meeting Ed on numerous occasions. My Grandmother loved his passion for the citizens of NYC, the Police and Firefighters. 

Talk about a City of controversy! You never knew from one day to the next if the citizens loved or hated their Mayor, just like the Yankee Fans from one game to the next. 

Nevertheless, even after Ed was no longer Mayor he'd walk through Yankee Stadium and no matter what was going on in the ball game, everything stopped and the crowd would go nuts recognizing what will probably be New York City's greatest and most recognized Mayor. 

Pastor In Same-Sex Parent Dispute Remains Jailed

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - A pastor was taken back to jail Thursday for continuing to refuse to tell a grand jury what he knows about a woman who fled the country to escape a custody dispute with her former lesbian partner.

Kenneth Miller, a Mennonite pastor from Stuarts Draft, Va., and U.S. District Court Judge William Session III continued their philosophical discussion about deeply held religious beliefs versus the needs of the law.

Miller told the judge that the week he has spent in jail has strengthened his resolve that his beliefs require him to follow God's law when they conflict with civil law. He said he is willing to pay the price, even if it means more time in jail.

"If I were to bring testimony against a fellow member of Christ's kingdom, for honoring Christ's kingdom's laws, I would be disloyal to his kingdom and to Christ," Miller said.

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Bayrunner Boards 100,000th Customer

Salisbury, MD Bayrunner Shuttle, a ground airport shuttle based in Salisbury MD, today announced that it boarded its 100,000th passenger to Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). On January 30th, Ms. Robin Bowers boarded the 1:20pm shuttle from Salisbury to BWI.

To commemorate the occasion, John W. Presburg, founder and President of Bayrunner presented Ms Bowers with a bouquet and a certificate for free round trip passage on a future trip. Presburg stated, " It is truly a testament to the dedication and hard work of all our employees for Bayrunner Shuttle to be fortunate to reach this milestone. In difficult economic times we have persevered to offer the travelling public a pleasant and cost effective alternative to driving to the airport. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to providing a consistently high service level and reaching the next 100,000 milestone even quicker"

Bayrunner was founded in January 2005 with ground shuttle service from the Salisbury area to BWI Airport. In following years it forged marketing and operational alliances with Amtrak, Greyhound, Hyatt, and BWI area hotels. In 2010 it successfully competed for a federal 5311(f) grant to begin service to underserved rural areas of Western Maryland. Administered by the Maryland Transit Administration, the grant was renewed in July 2012, and continues through June 2014.

Having started with two vans, Bayrunner now logs over 1.2 million miles annually. Bayrunner serves 12 destinations from as far west as Grantsville, MD to Ocean City. The destinations served on Maryland's Eastern Shore are Ocean City, Ocean Pines, Salisbury, Cambridge, Easton, and Kent Island. In western Maryland stops are made at Grantsville, Frostburg, Cumberland, Hancock, Hagerstown, and Frederick. Frederick is the headquarters for the western MD operation.

Wicomico School System, Wicomico County Health Department Collaborating on Tuberculosis Testing At James M. Bennett High School

The Wicomico County Public School System and the Wicomico County Health Department are collaborating on preventive health testing measures at James M. Bennett High School (JMB) following a diagnosis of tuberculosis in a JMB student.
Wicomico County Superintendent of Schools Dr. John E. Fredericksen and Lori Brewster, MS, APRN/BC, LCADC, Wicomico County Health Officer, informed JMB parents and staff by letter Thursday, Jan. 31 that while the risk of infection from exposure to the infected student is small, testing for tuberculosis (TB) is recommended as a precaution. The testing will be provided free of charge at the school for any staff member or student who had extended contact with the student in the classroom.


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A Letter To The Editor 2-1-13

Mr. Albero, I am curious about why most of the neighborhoods on the West side of Salisbury rarely see a snow plow. Are other County neighborhoods plowed? We were just having a conversation about it, and I thought possibly you could shed some light on which areas get plowed and which do not and, of course, the rationale behind the choices. If you can't, possibly some informed readers might know?

U.S. History Of Favoring Traders

Every once in a while I read a finance article that sticks in my head and never goes away. An article about the historical intersection of debt and the United States from the New Yorker from four years ago by Jill Lepore is just one of these.[1]
The USA of IOU

Jill Lepore’s article explains that in many ways the United States was founded of the debtors, by the debtors, for the debtors.

We know from English literature that the United States represented a fresh start for insolvents from the lower and upper classes, which makes sense when we learn that both Dickens’ father went to debtor’s prison and Trollope’s father fled England to avoid it.

OC Fire Dept. Scores $383K Grant

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Fire Department this week got a fiscal shot in the arm in the form of a $383,000-plus federal grant through homeland security to purchase lifesaving rescue equipment.

U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin this week announced the Ocean City Fire Department will receive the federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to purchase lifesaving and rescue equipment. The Ocean City Fire Department will use the grant funds to purchase 50 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units.

The SCBA units allow firefighters to breathe inside smoke-filled buildings. AFG program grants are used to fund firefighting equipment, personal protection equipment, training, firefighting vehicles, firefighter and first-responder safety projects, staffing recruitment and retention and public fire safety education. Mikulski, now chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said this week she fights each year to increase federal funding for the fire grants program.

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This Morning In Vienna


Obamacare Versus Healthcare!

The year was 1915. Harry Dorfman just arrived from Warsaw; uneducated, penniless and unable to read or write any english at all.
He found a place to live in a lower east-side tenement and took the only job he could find, driving a team of horses over the newly-built Brooklyn bridge to the farms in this outer borough. Each morning he would deliver a wagon-load of milk that was destined for the ever expanding Jewish population on Delancy street.

So many times we heard the family-told story of the "highway-robbers" who met the ire of that "Polish Milkman", and that "they never stole one container of his milk!"

Sure, he "drank too much" (vodka, not the milk!!) sure he just "loved those women", but his son became a doctor, one of his daughters became Charles Goren's executive assistant ( the founder of the modern card game "bridge") and his other daughter ran the family candy-store.

Harry Dorfman was my grandfather.
He was 98 when he died. Not a sick day in his entire life.
This poor, uneducated, illiterate Polish immigrant left a legacy of doctors, lawyers, dentists, teachers, scientists, and probably his most crowning achievement, housewives. He loved to eat.

Living "with family" into his 90's, he deserved and received our respect and admiration.
Harry Dorfman was my grandfather. 
I was his first-born grandson and I miss him very much. He never did learn how to read or write my name in English. But, I really did love that character. 

In the November 12th issue of the National Review, it was reported that British doctors have been asked to designate one percent of their patients who will likely die this year and offer them immediate "end of life " treatment in order to save their National Health Service $840 million dollars a year!

Norman Lamb, Minister of State for Care Services, is asking physicians in England's goveremt-run healthcare system, to look for "indications of fragility and deterioration" and that end of life treatment should be "as comfortable and dignified as we can possibly make it.". How considerate of him!
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Seaford Man Charged With DUI After Striking Pole

Location: Oneals Road, east of Gum Branch Road, Seaford, DE

Date of Occurrence: Thursday January 31, 2013 at approximately 10:50 p.m.

Operator and Vehicle Information:

Operator #1: Thomas J. Sammons, 56, Seaford, DE
Vehicle #1: 1997 GMC Sierra

Resume:
Seaford, DE- The Delaware State Police have arrested a man for DUI after he struck a telephone pole south of Seaford.

The incident occurred around 10:50 p.m. last evening as Thomas J. Sammons was operating a 1997 GMC Sierra westbound on Oneals Road approaching an “S” curve east of Gum Branch Road. Sammons failed to negotiate the left curve and drove off the south side of the roadway where the front of the truck struck a utility pole, breaking it in half.

Sammons, who was properly restrained, was removed from the scene by EMS and taken to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital where he was released without any injuries. Troopers then transported him to Troop 5 in Bridgeville where he was cited with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Failure to Remain Within a Single Lane, No Proof of Insurance, and No Proof of Registration.

Oneals Road east of Gum Branch Road was closed for approximately three hours as the crash was investigated and cleared and utility crews worked to restore power.

Lawmakers Want Return To 70 MPH Speed Limit

Nearly 40 years after the national speed limit was lowered from 70 to 55 miles-per hour, a group of delegates think it’s time to boost the speed limit from the current 65 on interstate highways back to 70.

Washington County Republican Delegate Neil Parrott who is a traffic engineer, says it’s a myth lower speed limits are safer on highways.

"The speed of the cars are designed to go over 70 miles-per-hour," Parrott told reporters at a news conference today.

The bill would raise the speed limit on the Inter County Connector (ICC), the toll road which connects I-95 in Prince George's County with I-270 in Montgomery County. Under the legislation, the state would have the option to boost it on other highways.

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Our Beautiful Downtown Plaza This AM

I started my day this morning enjoying breakfast with my Father at the Sage Diner in Salisbury at 6:30 AM. At 7:00 my Grandson called, (as he does every week day morning before he gets on the bus) to tell me it was snowing really hard in Delmar. I told him there wasn't any snow in Salisbury and he just couldn't believe it. An hour later, look at the Plaza! 

Delmarva Today - Gun Control

The Daily Times Endorses Animal Cruelty

"It is one thing for people to choose to plunge in the ocean for charity but cruelty when they force dogs to go into the freezing water. How will they get them dry quickly? Bad, bad example for cruel people", said one very concerned citizen. 

"REHOBOTH BEACH — For years, humans have had the chance to run into the ocean during the coldest time of the year to raise funds for Special Olympics Delaware. But this year, pooches get to be top dog.

A part of the annual Polar Bear Plunge will be devoted to dogs as the Pooch Plunge will make its debut the day before their two-legged friends’ event."

These Images Just In From Delmar

My Wife sent these images moments ago from Delmar, DE.

BREAKING NEWS: Ed Koch Dead At 88

Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch has died, spokesman tells AP. 

Around The World On $69 Million In Welfare Funds