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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Obama Is Making You Pay To Put Immigrants On Food Stamps!

Grassfire has learned that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reaching across our borders to quell the fears of immigrants who are worried that getting on America's taxpayer-funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) "will harm their chances of becoming U.S. citizens."

• According to a report from The Daily Caller, the USDA is actively distributing brochures to Mexican consulates as part of its "partnership" with the Mexican government to teach non-citizens and their family members how to get on the food-stamp program -- at the expense of American taxpayers!

• Since 2004, the USDA has met with the Mexican government "more than 150 times" to promote American nutrition-assistance programs.

• But most shocking is the fact that "heads of households born in Mexico are the most likely nationality to be on some form of food assistance, with 45.3 percent reporting use of food assistance."

• By comparison, 13.9 percent of native-born Americans are on food stamps.
In short, your tax dollars are being used to advertise, educate and feed immigrants and their families! This is simply another outrageous insult to tax-paying Americans who are being used by the Obama administration to fund their radical agenda and, potentially, to "buy" future votes.

The report did suggest that the USDA was working "in partnership with the Mexican government." Partnership would suggest that we (U.S. citizens) are getting something in return ...

But the only return on this "investment" that we can see is a bulging and dangerous culture of dependency among immigrants who come to expect government handouts and taxpayer-supported benefits as a way of life in the U.S.

Hard-working Americans are being fleeced by an administration looking to swell their ranks -- while you foot the bill!

This is why Grassfire launched our national petition to "Stop The Food Stamp Madness." In just a few days, more than 20,000 citizens responded to our call to action.

Please take a moment to go here and sign our petition. Join with tens of thousands of grassroots patriots who are demanding Congress pressure the Obama administration into pursuing meaningful SNAP reform.

www.grassfire.com/982/petition.asp

AT&T Wireless Scam

I have 2 cell phones on a plan with AT&T. Recently, it seemed as if my monthly bill was creeping up. I did not notice anything on the bill looking at the primary number on the account and assumed some taxes or fees had increased. This morning, I took a closer look at the entire bill and noticed, under my wife's number, a $9.99 RENEWAL Fee for something called MobileTunezClub. I didn't request this service nor did my wife (at least knowingly). If you look at the website listed under the subject of this message, you will find that MobileTunezClub charge is beginning to pop up with a number of AT&T WIreless customers. Reportedly, someone sends you a TEXT message stating you will be signed up for the service unless you REPLY otherwise. Since this went to my wife's phone and she doesn't even know how to TEXT a reply back much less read them, we became unknown subscribers. MobileTunezClub seems to be a legitimate business but whoever is signing up new customers appears to be operating under the radar. 

The solution is to go to AT&T and report this an an unauthorized charge. They told me they would refund any charges by MobileTunezClub and sent me information about a free service they offer to prevent anyone else doing this again without being able to provide a PIN.

DHS Official Retires After Immigrants Are Freed

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The senior Homeland Security Department official in charge of arresting and deporting illegal immigrants announced his retirement the same day the agency said that hundreds of people facing deportation had been released from immigration jails due to looming budget cuts, according to a letter obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. The government said he had told his bosses weeks ago that he planned to retire.

Gary Mead, executive associate director over enforcement and removal operations at Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, disclosed his departure in an email to his staff Tuesday afternoon. The announcement of the release of the illegal immigrants had come earlier in the day.

President Barack Obama's spokesman, Jay Carney, said Wednesday that the decision to release the immigrants was made without any input from the White House. He described the immigrants as "low-risk, non-criminal detainees."

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Missing Dog: UPDATE

Joe,

Our 3 1/2 year old beagle got loose we live in Hebron in Websters Estates. Here is a picture of Bernie. Please call us at 443-880-4337 thanks.

Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

January 19th through the 22nd 11 Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies had the honor in assisting the Washington Metropolitan Police Department in securing the parade route for the 57thPresidential Inauguration.

The 11 Deputies endure cold temperatures and long hours while posted along the Inauguration Parade Route. The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office worked together in securing a city block during the parade.

“It was great to be a part of history.” One Deputy stated.

The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office looks forward to participating again for the 58th Inaugural Parade.

'Fat Letters' Sent Home To Students Cause A Stir

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Schools in North Andover are trying help students dealing with obesity issues, but some families say the schools are going too far.

Cameron Watson, 10, isn't just a strong athlete; he's also a tough fourth grader who didn't let a “fat letter” sent to his home get him down.

“I know I’m not obese so I didn’t really care about the letter. I just crumpled it up,” Cam Watson said.

The letters were sent to plenty of homes throughout the Commonwealth.

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Newspapers

"People everywhere confuse,
What they read in newspapers with news."
-- A. J. Liebling
[Abbott Joseph Liebling] (1904-1963) Journalist, author
"In the United States there is no phenomenon more threatening to
popular government than the unwillingness of newspapers to give
the facts to their readers."
-- Nelson Antrim Crawford
(1888-1963) American writer, editor, author

Rare Superbug Emerging In U.S. Elicits Advisory Warning From CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is alerting clinicians of an emerging untreatable multidrug-resistant organism in the United States.

There are many forms of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), but of the 37 forms reported in the U.S., 15 have been reported in less than a year.

The CDC said the increase in CRE means health care providers need to “act aggressively to prevent the emergence and spread of these unusual CRE organisms.”

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Chris Matthews Offers To Help Hillary’s 2016 Campaign: ‘We’ll Get You In There’

According to TV critic David Zurawik, MSNBC's hiring of ex-Obama officials David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs makes the so-callend news network almost "a bona fide organ of state propaganda."

Hours after this was published Monday, Hardball's Chris Matthews offered his services to Hillary Clinton - along with those of MSNBC contributors Howard Fineman and Joan Walsh - in order to get her elected president in 2016 (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):

Audit: Day Care Facilities Not Inspected, Criminal Background Checks Skipped

The Maryland State Department of Education did not perform legally required inspections and criminal background checks at numerous private day care centers and preschools across the state, according to a state audit released Tuesday.

More than a third of the child care facilities checked were missing at least one of their required inspections between July 2008 and June 2011, according to a review of inspection reports of 60 facilities throughout the state.


Of the 180 inspections that should have been performed, 31 were missing, including 14 at facilities in Prince George's County. Another six inspections were late at child care facilities in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

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Charity Fundraiser

What: A Bit of Grace Horsemanship ProgramWhen: Sunday, March 10th 2013 (1-4 PM)
Where: 27585 Little Lane
Salisbury MD
Info: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is time to put on your best boots and saddle up for a fun Sunday afternoon to support an up and coming program on the outskirts of Salisbury. The Bit of Grace Horsemanship Program is designed to provide a safe and nurturing environment for physical, cognitive, and emotional growth among people of all ages through therapeutic horseback riding. There will be hamburgers, hotdogs, and drinks for sale throughout the event. We will have live music provided by Steven Rumney, Mike Truitt, and others. There will be face painting, and arts and crafts station, a horse grooming station, and pony rides for the little ones. Joining the festivities will also be a few vendors such as:

31 Hand Bags

Pampered Chef

Scentsy (candles)

Art By Heart (Airbrushed artwork)

Suicide Skateboards

T’s Beads (hand-crafted glass beaded jewelry)

& a photographer will be on site doing Easter photos for everyone.

This event is definitely something special and the proprietors need all the help they can to get this program up and running full speed.

Donations are greatly appreciated and the program can be contacted through their Facebook page or by calling Caitlyn Beauchamp-Taylor at (443) 783-1083. With your help we can surely build this program into an amazing addition to the Salisbury area. Hope to see you there!!!

Lawmakers Push Reform For Maryland Clean Water Fund

Local lawmakers continued their push to require water pollution fines to pay for environmental projects, even as the Maryland Department of the Environment remains opposed.

On Tuesday state Sen. Bryan Simonaire, R-Pasadena, pitched his bill to modify the Maryland Clean Water Fund so revenue generated from fines is used for water cleanup.

The bill is a response to a report in The Capital last summer that found more than half of the money in the Maryland Clean Water Fund is used for salaries and administrative expenses at the MDE.

"This is not how government is supposed to be run and this is not the intended purpose of the fund," Simonaire told his fellow lawmakers on the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.

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A Letter To The Editor 2-27-13

Hi Joe,
Do you subscribe to spot crime? Up until about 2 weeks ago the crime calls in the area of 2 miles from my house I would get a report of crimes in a 2 mile radius of my home. They are listed alphabetically. I would receive these at least 4 times a week and there were not enough letters in the alphabet to cover the number of calls. In the past week or so the number has dropped to fewer than 10 calls. They must be cooking the numbers.

'You're a Broken Record!' Congressman Melts Down on 'Hannity' over Sequester

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) exploded at Fox News host Sean Hannity Tuesday night in a discussion of President Barack Obama's rhetoric regarding the impending sequester.

"You are the worst excuse for a journalist I've ever seen," Ellison declared in his opening statement. "What you just displayed what not journalism; it was yellow journalism. It wasn't anything close to try to tell the American people what's really going on," he continued.

The resulting exchange, in short, was full of crosstalk.


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It's Been A Long Four Years Mayor Ireton, It's Time For A Change In Leadership
















While I could put up even more images, (believe me, there's a lot more) I think its pretty clear that we as a community have seen nothing but fluff press conferences from Mayor Ireton and very little reality.

These images are yet a small example of failed LEADERSHIP over the past 16 years, we deserve better. Houses and buildings boarded up for several years only proves Mayor Ireton has failed the City of Salisbury. 

Should I run around and start taking pictures of all of the For Rent/For Sale/For Lease properties? I'd need two days worth of Posts to show all of them, perhaps even more. 

If you are happy with the way things have been run over the past 16 years, well, then I encourage you to vote for my opponent. That's all I have to say about that. 

Vehicle Miles Driven

The Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Commission has released the latest report on Traffic Volume Trends, data through December. Travel on all roads and streets changed by -2.9% (-7.0 billion vehicle miles) for December 2012 as compared with December 2011. The 12-month moving average of miles driven increased only 0.34% from December a year ago (PDF report). And the civilian population-adjusted data (age 16-and-over) has set yet another post-financial crisis low.

Here is a chart that illustrates this data series from its inception in 1970. I'm plotting the "Moving 12-Month Total on ALL Roads," as the DOT terms it. See Figure 1 in the PDF report, which charts the data from 1987. My start date is 1971 because I'm incorporating all the available data from the DOT spreadsheets.

Maryland Banks Post Highest Profit In Five Years

Maryland banks saw their profit nearly double in 2012, posting the highest yearly total since 2007 and further signaling the state’s banking industry is on the rise after the recession.

The state’s 80 banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. posted a profit of $164 million in 2012, up from $84 million in 2011, according to FDIC data released Tuesday. There were 84 state banks in 2011 and 97 in 2007, by comparison.

The banks had total assets of $33.7 billion in 2012, up from $32.9 billion a year before. Total deposits grew to $27.6 billion, up from $26.7 billion in 2011.

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Coastal Kids Consignment Sale Returns, March 7-9

Salisbury, MD – Celebrating their 13th semi-annual consignment event, Coastal Kids Consignment brings together hundreds of local families hoping to sell, shop and save on kids items and also support multiple charities by donating items at the end of the event. This year, financial and in-kind donations will be distributed to Life Crisis of Salisbury, MD; the March of Dimes of Salisbury, MD; the Eastern Shore Pregnancy Center of Salisbury, MD and several other churches and local shelters.

Gearing up for summer fun and warm weather activities while finding quality brand and designer label kids and baby items can put a crunch on any family's budget. Coastal Kids Consignment has brought together thousands of ways to get what you need at a fraction of the price. The one stop opportunity to find spring and summer season items at 60-90% off retail is a not to miss event!

Shoppers will find high quality, gently used items for infants to juniors, maternity and ladies including clothing, shoes, toys, baby gear, strollers, pack and plays, bounce chairs, outdoor play items, home decor and much more! Bigger than a consignment store, Coastal Kids is a three day consignment event. Over 18,000 items were available at last year's Salisbury sale. Laid out like a retail store, shopping is easy with items sorted by size and gender as well as similar item groupings that allow shoppers to find what they need quickly with minimal hunting.

What Shoppers Need To Know
Thursday, March 7th: 6pm-9pm
Friday, March 8th: 10am-7pm (many items 25% off from 5pm-7pm)
Saturday, March 9th: 9am-2pm (many items 50% off all day)

Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, 500 Glen Avenue, Salisbury MD 21804

Located in the Midway Room.

Free admission! Cash, Visa / MasterCard accepted.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Just a reminder that the Absentee and Provisional Ballot processing for the 2013 City of Salisbury Primary Election will take place at the Wicomico County Board of Elections office at 123 Bateman Street according to the dates and times listed below. These canvasses are open to public observation.

Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 10:00 AM - Board of Canvassers for the City of Salisbury will begin the process of opening, reviewing and/or counting the Absentee Ballots.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 10:00 AM - Board of Canvassers for the City of Salisbury will begin the process of opening, reviewing and/or counting the Provisional Ballots.

Friday, March 8, 2013 at 10:00 AM - Board of Canvassers for the City of Salisbury will conclude the process of opening, reviewing and/or counting the Absentee Ballots.

For more information, please contact the Wicomico County Board of Elections office at 410-548-4830.

Petition To Move Daylight Saving Time Online

For his job maintaining fire sprinkler systems, Frankie Monico commutes from Waynesboro, Pa., to Frederick. He wakes up at 5:30 a.m., he said, so when daylight saving time comes, it feels like he's getting up at 4:30 a.m.

Moving the time change from Sunday morning to Saturday, an idea proposed by New York-based public relations account coordinator--Lauren Silverman, sounds good, Monico said.

"At least it would give you another day to adjust," he said.

Silverman--partnered with Sleepy's, the bed retailer, to launch a petition to move the start of daylight saving time to 2 a.m. Saturday.

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Waking Dreams End Unpleasantly

Whenever I endeavor to explain America’s current economic situation to a person who likely receives most of his information from skewed mainstream news sources, I try to use two comparisons; the Great Depression, and Weimar Germany, because what we are experiencing is actually a combination of elements from both events. Some people, unfortunately, have little understanding of the Weimar hyperinflationary crisis, but at the very least, the imagery of the Great Depression is present in the minds of most Americans, if only through television and film.

When the depression is mentioned, they begin to grasp the gravity of our fiscal disaster, or at least what I am trying to convey. However, those slow on the draw almost always sneer at the validity of the threat. After all, during the Great Depression, there were bank runs, endless soup kitchen lines, roving masses of dirty homeless drifters looking for employment, shanty towns, and desperation everywhere. We’ve all seen the old stock black and white photos, and the America of today looks nothing similar…

We have shopping malls and imported fineries. We have sports cars and HDTV and video games and iPads and Disneyland and pharmaceuticals in every color of the rainbow! We have tract homes and gated communities and condos and beach houses and summer vacations and first-class flights and texting and nightclubs and lattes and credit cards! When we turn on cable news, what do we see? Progress! Glorious progress! All is in “recovery”. All is as it was yesterday. All is well…

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Coffee Police Call For More Regulation Of Caffeine

Step away from the coffee pot. A professor at two universities in Iceland and Ireland is sounding the alarm on rising caffeine-related death tolls and calling on the United States and other countries to fill the “regulatory vacuum” in this area.

“How many caffeine-related fatalities and near-misses must there be before we regulate?” Jack E. James, professor at Reykjavik University in Iceland and National University in Ireland asked, in a recent article quoted by Raw Story.

Mr. James, who also serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Caffeine Research, is pushing for lawmakers and regulators to crack down on the stimulant. His call for regulation could gather steam.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched an investigation into the links between certain energy drinks and recent deaths, Raw Story reports.

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TBTF Banks Enter Payday Loan Business With 500% Interest Rates

If you thought the TBTF banks couldn’t stoop any lower, think again. If this doesn’t prove without a shadow of a doubt that the more you coddle and bailout the big banks, the more brazen, criminal and out of control they become. I guess entering the slumlord business and running the food stamp programjust wasn’t good enough. In their latest scheme, we find that JP Morgan (of course), Bank of America and Wells Fargo (Uncle Warren’s pet) are at the center of what can only be called a global loan-sharking business that prays on destitute American citizens. Basically, the way the scam works is payday lenders set up shop overseas in locations such as Granada, Belize or the Isle of Man in order to avoid various state laws against payday loans. The key link in the chain are the TBTF crony banks who process the loans and facilitate the interest charges, which can be well over 500%. So what’s in it for the banks? Huge fees of course. Absolutely disgusting, but par for the course for these guys. From the New York Times:

Major banks have quickly become behind-the-scenes allies of Internet-based payday lenders that offer short-term loans with interest rates sometimes exceeding 500 percent.

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WCSO Press Release 2-27-13

Joe Albero Interview With Salisbury University "The Flyer"

MEET THE CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR OF SALISBURY: JOE ALBEROTue, Feb 26, 2013
News
Posted by The Flyer Staff
BY JACOB TROXELL
Staff Writer

With the Salisbury general election approaching, Joe Albero and Mayor Jim Ireton are both preparing for the April 2 vote in hopes their efforts in their campaign will be a success.


Joe Albero is a blogger and currently the publisher for the website sbynews.blogspot.com, which covers a wide range of stories relating to Salisbury, the surrounding areas in Maryland and some even covering nationwide stories and political issues.

Albero said he is primarily focused on restoring Salisbury’s economy.

“The city’s focus on economic development has been too ‘downtown-centric,’” Albero said. “Yes, we must revitalize downtown, but we must also look to attract, and retain, employers throughout the city that offer high quality jobs to our citizens. Too much emphasis has been placed on attracting low paying retail and hospitality jobs.”

Albero said Salisbury needs to expand downtown as more of an entertainment attraction for students, and plans should be focused on bringing more people in from out of town.

“Once a sufficient customer base is established for downtown, we will then see entrepreneurs willing to invest in other types of businesses which will further broaden downtown’s appeal,” Albero said. “I intend to devote half of my work week to selling Salisbury to the world. We must also work more closely with Salisbury/Wicomico Economic Development (SWED) to market Salisbury and avoid duplication of effort.”

SALISBURY MD KENNEL CLUB TRAINING SCHEDULE

March through April/May 2013

TO SIGN UP FOR CLASSES PLEASE GO TO OUR WEBSITE

WWW.SALISBURYMARYLANDKENNELCLUB.ORG OR CALL 410-548-2110

31663 Winter Place Parkway, Salisbury, Maryland

MON Rally Novice/Advance/Excellent March 11-April 29 10:30-11:30 AM Millie Wiltbank

Puppy Kindergarten (KPT) March 11-April 29 6:00-6:50 PM Diane Spalding

Puppy Beginner March 11-April 29 6:30-7:20PM Mary Ann Bruton

Canine Good Citizen (CGC) March 11-April 29 7:00-7:50PM Tracie Bishop

Beginner Obedience March 11-April 29 7:30- 8:20 PM Barbara Furbush

TUES Canine Good Citizen (CGC) March 12-April 30 10:00-10:50 AM Elizabeth Crawford

Beginner Obedience March 12-April 30 11:00-11:50 AM Barbara Furbush

Novice/Beg Novice March 12-April 30 11:00-11:50 AM Betsy Humer

Rally Novice March 12-April 30 4:45- 5:55 PM Mary Kimball

Beginner Obedience March 12-April 30 6:00- 6:50 PM Barbara Bounds

Puppy Kindergarten (KPT) March 12-April 30 6:00- 6:50 PM Karen Cottingham

Breed Handling Class Beginner/Adv March 12-April 30 7:00- 7:50 PM Cassandra Williams

Rally Advanced/Excellent March 12-April 30 7:00- 8:15 PM Mary Kimball

WED Puppy Beginner March 13-May 1 10:00-10:50 AM Mary Ann Bruton

Canine Good Citizen (CGC) March 13-May 1 11:00- 11:50 PM Barbara Furbush

Utility Obedience March 13-May 1 4:00- 4:50 PM Workshop

Pre-Open/Open Obedience March 13-May 1 5:00 – 5:50 PM Bonnie Garris

Novice March 13-May 1 6:00 – 6:50 PM Millie Wiltbank

Beginner Novice March 13-May 1 7:00 – 7:50 PM Millie Wiltbank

MON Agility II/III March 11-April 29 8:15 – 9:15 PM Joy DeSipio

TUES Agility IV March 12-April 30 12:30 – 2:00 PM Diane Spalding

Agility III March 12-April 30 2:00 – 3:00 PM Diane Spalding

WED Agility III March 13-May 1 7:30- 9:00 PM Joy DeSipio

THU Agility III/IV/V March 14-May 2 9:15- 10:45 AM Diane Spalding

Agility III/IV/V March 14-May 2 11:00- 1:30 PM Diane Spalding

Agility II March 14-May 2 5:15 – 6:15 PM Sandy Moody

Agility I March 14-May 2 6:30– 7:30 PM Joy DeSipio

Agility IV March 14-May 2 7:45– 9:15 PM Barbara Bounds

FRI Agility IV/V (3/1, 3/8, 3/29, 4/12 & 4/26) 6:00- 7:30 PM Krista Hill

SUN Canine Freestyle Workshops March 10-April 28 11:00AM-Noon Barbara Walls

Please Note:

Obedience & Rally classes are limited to 12 students. Agility classes are limited to 10 students

Sign up early to assure a spot in the class you choose.

Berlin Approves New Site For Wind Turbine

BERLIN -- The historic town’s skyline is about to look a little eco-friendlier with the town’s first wind turbine approved for installation on Old Ocean City Boulevard.

Until Monday, the fate of a proposed 85-foot, 50-killowatt turbine had been up in the air since creator and DDU Magnetics President Doug Richards offered to install his new design in Berlin for a severely reduced cost. The town would get the turbine for a fraction of its actual value because it would function as a model that Richards could show to potential investors.

The original site on Schoolfield Street considered back in January, however, was dropped due to push-back from residents. Many in the neighborhood signed a petition protesting the turbine and residents also attended several council meetings. They complained that they were not given enough notification or information on the turbine and feared that it would be an eyesore, noisy and diminish property values.

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HEALTHCARE MESS

50 Signs That The U.S. Health Care System Is A Gigantic Money Making Scam That Is About To Collapse
By Michael, on February 24th, 2013

The U.S. health care system is a giant money making scam that is designed to drain as much money as possible out of all of us before we die. In the United States today, the health care industry is completely dominated by government bureaucrats, health insurance companies and pharmaceutical corporations.

The pharmaceutical corporations spend billions of dollars to convince all of us to become dependent on their legal drugs, the health insurance companies make billions of dollars by providing as little health care as possible, and they both spend millions of dollars to make sure that our politicians in Washington D.C. keep the gravy train rolling.

Meanwhile, large numbers of doctors are going broke and patients are not getting the care that they need. At this point, our health care system is a complete and total disaster. Health care costs continue to go up rapidly, the level of care that we are receiving continues to go down, and every move that our politicians make just seems to make all of our health care problems even worse.

In America today, a single trip to the emergency room can easily cost you $100,000, and if you happen to get cancer you could end up with medical bills in excess of a million dollars. Even if you do have health insurance, there are usually limits on your coverage, and the truth is that just a single major illness is often enough to push most American families into bankruptcy. At the same time, hospital administrators, pharmaceutical corporations and health insurance company executives are absolutely swimming in huge mountains of cashh. Unfortunately, this gigantic money making scam has become so large that it threatens to collapse both the U.S. health care system and the entire U.S. economy.

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What If ObamaCare, Too Big To Fail Banks, And The State Are All The Wrong Sized Unit?

The State has monopolized all authority, giving it essentially unlimited power to make things worse.

I recently came across this excerpt from Preparing for the Twenty-First Century by Paul Kennedy (1993):

The key autonomous actor in political and international affairs for the past few centuries (the nation-state) appears not just to be losing its control and integrity, but to be the wrong sort of unit to handle the newer circumstances. For some problems, it is too large to operate effectively; for others, it is too small. In consequence there are pressures for the "relocation of authority" both upward and downward, creating structures that might respond better to today's and tomorrow's forces of change.

Though Kennedy (author of Engineers of Victory: The Problem Solvers Who Turned The Tide in the Second World War and The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers) is focused on geopolitical issues, this inquiry into the right and wrong sort of unit sizes appropriate to the challenges we now face also raises the larger question:

What if it's not just nation-states that are the wrong sort of unit, but also "too big to fail" banks, ObamaCare, the global corporation and every other large-scale, centralized organization?

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Two Navy Divers Die At APG Super Pond

The Navy says two sailors from its Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit have died while conducting diving operations at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

Officials said in a news release that the deaths occurred Tuesday. While one diver was pronounced dead at the scene, the other was transported to a local medical facility, where he was pronounced dead later.

The unit is based at Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach.

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Jake Day Vows To Restore Pride, Partnership To Salisbury

“I am energized and encouraged by the positive investment so many people have made in Salisbury over the past months,” said Jake Day. This election was about changing the culture of negativity, discord and pessimism in City government. “Tonight is only the beginning. The people of Salisbury sent a clear message to the City Council that they are ready for a new direction.”

“I want to thank with all my heart the volunteers, supporters and voters that made tonight possible. You uplifted the spirit of this city and it will endure. I also want to thank Jack Heath and Debbie Campbell for their investment of time and energy in this election." We will restore partnership to Salisbury’s City government and we will restore pride and prosperity to Salisbury.

4 Things You Can Do Right Now To Save A Ton Of Money

Most of our posts discuss the ways that people spend money and things that they’ve spent their money on: discount shopping, paying bills, banking, full-body lattes, and so on. Ways to save money lead to much less interesting headlines, but are a key way to slim down your budget. Or to save up for a fun new gadget. We don’t judge.
But what can you do, right now, to keep more of your money in your pockets? Trent over at The Simple Dollar has four, well, simple ideas that you can start doing this very afternoon. Keep up these habits and they might change your financial situation for the rest of your life.

1. Cut the cord. Have cable or satellite? Cancel it. Keep the internet access and use your antenna and streaming to catch your favorite shows. Does that sound too painful? Maybe you’d rather…

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY URGES ACTION TO AVOID SEQUESTRATION

Governor details impact of federal sequestration in Maryland

Visits FLIR Systems, a growing advanced manufacturing company affected by looming federal cuts

ELKRIDGE, MD (February 27, 2013) - Governor Martin O’Malley today urged action in Washington to avoid federal sequestration - a series of automatic cuts that threaten job creation and reduce vital services for families and children in Maryland and across the nation.

The Governor visited FLIR Systems, a thermal imaging and threat detection systems manufacturer that employs middle-skill workers - a critical sector of Maryland’s economy. FLIR has made a commitment to grow its business in Maryland, but with looming sequester cuts, the expansion remains uncertain.

“These are job-killing cuts that are an economic threat to Maryland,” said Governor O’Malley. “Too many moms and dads in our State will lose jobs, too many children will lose access to programs like Head Start, and too many of our most vulnerable Marylanders will lose assistance from the safety net we’ve worked so hard to protect. If Congress cannot come together with a balanced approach to avoid these automatic cuts, we will reverse much of the progress we’ve made in Maryland creating jobs and expanding opportunity for more families.”

Maryland has recovered nearly 81 percent of the jobs lost during the Bush recession and maintains the eighth fastest jobs recovery rate in the nation, and the fastest jobs recovery rate in the region. Federal sequestration will hinder Maryland’s ability to create jobs and slow job growth.

According to the state Department of Budget and Management, the sequester will result in almost $100 million in federal grant reductions to State and local governments in Maryland. With Maryland’s close proximity to the nation’s capital, the state’s economy remains especially vulnerable to federal cuts - 5.6 percent of Maryland jobs are federal with many more supported directly and indirectly by the federal government. The Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates suggests about 12,600 jobs could be lost in Maryland. A report from the Center of Regional Analysis at George Mason University suggests that direct, indirect, and induced job losses could approach 115,000, a much more severe estimate that would likely send Maryland into a recession.

To prepare for fiscal uncertainty in Congress, the Governor increased the State’s Rainy Day Fund and cash reserves in the proposed FY 2014 budget.

What does the sequester mean for Maryland?
An estimated 350 special education teachers will lose their jobs
About 650 children will be denied early education in Head Start
Approximately 150 fewer disabled individuals will receive vocational rehabilitation services- the wait list is currently 14 months long
About 2,500 teachers won’t receive the training they need to teach our children
Projects to upgrade wastewater treatment facilities will be delayed or cancelled
Approximately 8,600 pregnant women and young children will lose access to nutritious food when Women, Infants and Children (WIC) funding is cut
About 750 Marylanders will be denied entry into substance abuse treatment programs
About 430 low-income families will lose their subsidized child care
The 100,000 Marylanders that use employment services and job training programs annually will have to wait longer to get the training they need- if their training program isn’t cut altogether.

Taliban Attacks Not Down After All

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The American-led military coalition in Afghanistan backed off Tuesday from its claim that Taliban attacks dropped off in 2012, tacitly acknowledging a hole in its widely repeated argument that violence is easing and that the insurgency is in steep decline.

In response to Associated Press inquiries about its latest series of statistics on security in Afghanistan, the coalition command in Kabul said it had erred in reporting a 7 percent decline in attacks. In fact there was no decline at all, officials said.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who is among the senior officials who had publicly repeated the assertion of an encouraging drop-off in Taliban attacks last year, was disturbed to learn of the error, said his spokesman, George Little.

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2nd Amendment


Worcester County Bureau Of Investigation Press Release

DATE: February 26, 2013CBI Case #: 13-0054 
LOCATION: 12900 Block Sunset Avenue
CRIME: Theft $10,000 to under $100,000
SUSPECT: Kyle Joseph Owens
W/M, 20 yoa
Ocean City, Maryland
NARRATIVE: On February 19, 2013, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 12900 Block of Sunset Avenue, Ocean City, Worcester County, Maryland, for a reported theft. Upon arrival, the Deputy met with the victim who advised that sometime over the weekend someone had stolen his boat propeller and the rudder from his boat.

The victim described the propeller as being nearly 48” in diameter and being made of brass, and advised that the cost of the propeller would be between $8,000 and $10,000. The rudder was described as nearly 3’ wide and 4’ tall, and was made of steel. The victim stated that the replacement cost of the rudder would be $2,000-$3,000.

On February 20, 2013, the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation was contacted by the victim regarding this case, who advised that on February 19 had viewed surveillance video and observed that on February 16, a pickup truck with a white cap on the backs up to the location that the items were stolen from. The victim stated that after viewing the surveillance video he was driving in the area of the theft and observed a truck matching the vehicle that was observed on the video.

Detectives conducted a check on the registration that the victim provided, and found that the vehicle was registered to Kyle Joseph Owens. Detectives then conducted a check of the local pawn shop records for Owens’ name, and found that on February 16, 2013, Owens had sold 345 lbs of brass to a local scrap yard.

Upon responding to the scrap yard, Detectives made contact with the clerk, who was able to advise that the brass that Owens had sold was a 5 blade propeller, which was later identified as belonging to the victim. While at the scrap yard, Detectives made contact with the yard manager, who advised that he recalled that Owens had also scrapped the rudder at the time the propeller was scrapped.

On February 22, 2013, Detectives met with Owens for an interview. During the interview, Owens admitted to having taken the propeller and the rudder. Owens was served with a criminal summons from the District Court of Maryland, charging him with Theft: $10,000 to under $100,000.

Even Smokey The Bear Could Feel The Effects Of Sequestration

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar drew a picture of overflowing trash cans, locked restrooms and disappearing rangers in national parks. That is, if people could get into the parks during reduced hours. Salazar warned, it could all happen under sequestration. He said $112 million in cuts to the Park Service would be draconian. He said large areas of the nation's nearly 400 parks would be blocked off to the public.

Obama Releases imprisoned ILLEGALS!

WASHINGTON — The federal government released groups of illegal immigrants from custody across the country Monday at the same time the White House was making its case that impending budget cuts would harm efforts to protect the border and enforce federal immigration laws.

Advocates reported “waves” of illegal immigrants being released from at least three detention centers in Texas, Florida and Louisiana.

U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement confirmed the release of some illegal immigrants Monday night but would not say how many or from which detention centers.

“In order to make the best use of our limited detention resources in the current fiscal climate and to manage our detention population under current congressionally mandated levels, ICE has directed field offices to review the detained population to ensure it is in line with available funding,” said ICE spokeswoman Gillian Christensen. “As a result of this review, a number of detained aliens have been released around the country and placed on an appropriate, more cost-effective form of supervised release.”

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Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/02/25/184148/in-face-of-coming-budget-cuts.html#storylink=omni_popular#storylink=cpy
M

Club For Growth Releases 2012 Scorecard

Senators DeMint, Paul, and Lee receive perfect scores in 2012; Seven Current Senators Named “Defenders of Economic Freedom”

Washington, DC – Today, the Club for Growth released its 2012 Congressional Scorecard, which ranks the voting behavior of members of Congress based on issues relating to limited government and economic growth.

To view the Club for Growth's 2012 Congressional Scorecard and all prior Scorecards, click here, or go to:www.ClubForGrowth.org/Projects

“2012 was a difficult year for economic freedom,” said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. “Whether it was the GOP’s support of massive tax increases or the constant assault on liberty by the Obama administration, the pro-growth caucus in Congress has a lot of work to do in 2013. The Club’s scorecard is intended to help our members and the general public understand who talks a good game on limiting government and passing pro-growth policies, and who backs up their words with votes. We urge the next generation of conservative leaders to keep up the fight in the 113th Congress.”

This year, 28 current and former members of Congress will receive the Club for Growth’s Defender of Economic FreedomAward. Starting in 2011, The Club for Growth required Representatives and Senators to not only score 90 or better on votes cast in a year, but to also have a lifetime score or “LifeScore” of at least 90.

Highlights from the Club for Growth's 2012 Congressional Scorecard:

• Three United States Senators received perfect scores in 2012: Jim DeMint (SC), Rand Paul (KY), and Mike Lee (UT) – all of whom also qualify for the Defender of Economic Freedom Award.

• Senators Pat Toomey (PA), Marco Rubio (FL), and Ron Johnson (WI) had 2012 scores and LifeScores high enough to qualify for the Defender of Economic Freedom Award.

• Two current United States Senators will receive Defender of Economic Freedom Awards for their voting record in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012: Senators Jeff Flake (AZ) and Tim Scott (SC).

• 18 current House members who received scores of 90 percent or better in 2012 also had LifeScores of 90 or better to qualify for the Defender of Economic Freedom Award. Two former House members qualified as well (Quayle, Walsh).

• Three members of Congress received 100 percent ratings in 2012. Of those, two also have 100 percent LifeScores: Congressmen Justin Amash (MI-03), and Tim Huelskamp (KS-01). In addition, Congressman Paul Broun (GA-10) received a 100 percent rating in 2012 and has a LifeScore of 99%.

• One Senate Democrat scored zero in 2012: Senator Jay Rockefeller (WV). 13 House Democrats scored lower than ten percent.

• Republican Leadership scores in 2012 were: Boehner: N/A, Cantor: 66%, McCarthy: 66%, McMorris Rodgers: 70%, Lankford: 80%, Ryan: 71%.

• Democratic leadership scores in 2012 were: Pelosi: 17%, Hoyer: 17%, Clyburn: 18%, Becerra: 18%, Van Hollen: 17%.

• The highest scoring Democrat, Congressman Jim Matheson (UT-04), scored higher than 98 Republicans with a 68 percent. The lowest scoring Republican, former Congressman Bob Dold (IL-10), scored lower than nine Democrats with a 38 percent.

$14M+ Md. Title One Funds May Be Slashed In Sequestration

Maryland educators are among those bracing for deep budget cuts if the government sequestration becomes a reality.

Maryland is going by the numbers they were given from the White House. More than $14 million could be slashed from the popular Title One Program, which pays for extra educational services for disadvantaged children across the state, especially in Baltimore City.

More than half of Baltimore City schools rely on Title One funds -- the largest federally funded education program in the nation. The money set aside for local school districts to target students in need of extra help in the classroom and that's why Maryland state school superintendent is so concerned about what's taking place on Capitol Hill.

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Cantaloupe Growers, The Food And Drug Administration Is Watching You

The agency is sending inspectors to packing houses this season. FDA says they'll assess current practices and look for anything unsanitary. Two recent outbreaks of foodborne illness have been traced to cantaloupe. More than 400 people became ill; 36 died. Despite efforts immediately following those outbreaks, the FDA says it remains concerned. It says it is also testing imported cantaloupes at the border.

Virginia Father Shoots And Kills Two Men Who Break Into His Home

A 25-year-old father opened fire on three armed intruders, who kicked open his door in the middle of the night Sunday, killing two in the process. Now he, his son, girlfriend and mother have relocated out of fear the third man will come back.
The incident happened around 3:30 in the morning when the trio kicked in the front door. The young father told the local CBS affiliate that “it sounded like a car running into the side of the house.” The crash woke him and his two-year old son, who was sleeping next to him, up. The father then grabbed his gun, which was located nearby, and when he saw the armed intruders, opened fire.

One suspect fell dead inside the house while the other collapsed in the front lawn. The third suspect fled on foot as the father dialed 911.

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Immigration And Customs Enforcement Is Cutting Costs By Freeing Some Detainees

Headquarters has told field offices to review the numbers of detained immigrants in their jails and to stay within their budgets. It puts the released detainees on more cost-effective forms of supervision. An agency spokeswoman cautions that it will still pursue cases in court and deport illegal immigrants where necessary. ICE would not give exact numbers of released detainees, but the majority are thought to be in California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey.

Illegal Immigrants Could Get Driver's Licenses In Md.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A bill that would effectively upend a Maryland state law that prohibits new driver's licenses for illegal immigrants is moving through the legislature.

"If you live in Maryland you should be able to obtain a driver's license," says State Senator Vincent Ramirez.

Ramirez is sponsoring the measure, asserting it would offer every driver more protection on the roadways and generate millions in additional fees.

"It would allow people to drive to work, to get insurance," he says. "It's a necessity."

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2013-2014 Draft Calendar For Wicomico Schools Available For Review

The Wicomico County Board of Education is seeking input on its calendar for the 2013-2014 school year, prior to a first and final vote at the March 12 Board meeting. The draft calendar, with school closings and holidays, is posted below.
Under the proposed calendar, the school year would begin Monday, Aug. 26 and end June 6, 2014. Students would be off Nov. 27-29 for the Thanksgiving break, Dec. 23-Jan. 3 for the winter holidays (schools would close at the regular time Friday, Dec. 20 and reopen Jan. 6), and April 17-21 for the spring holidays. June 4, 5 and 6 would be half-days. 
Schools would also be closed Sept. 2 (Labor Day), Oct. 18 (Maryland State Education Association Convention), Jan. 20 (Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday), Feb. 17 (Presidents’ Day) and May 26 (Memorial Day). Schools would be closed for students (but open for teachers) for professional days on Sept. 27, Nov. 4, and Jan. 23 and 24.
Please submit any comments or suggestions by March 6 to comments@wcboe.org or 410-677-5251.
2013-14 Draft Calendar

1 Hour Fog Delay In Sussex County Delmar School District


Your Thoughts On The Primary Election Results?


Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release 2-26-13

On February 20, 2013, members of the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team along with the Snow Hill Police Department and the Pocomoke City Police Department concluded a joint cocaine distribution investigation of Laron J. Collick, Age 32, of Pocomoke, Maryland. On this date, officers of the Snow Hill Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Collick at which time he exited his vehicle and fled on foot. Collick was apprehended in a wooded area near the intersection of Snow Hill Road and U.S. Route 113, Snow Hill, Maryland. Investigators located a small quantity of marijuana and approximately 11 grams of powder cocaine and crack cocaine packaged in 27 individual clear plastic bags which was found in the area that Collick fled. Once Collick was taken into custody, members of the Pocomoke City Police Department and the Criminal Enforcement Team executed a search and seizure warrant at Collick’s residence in Pocomoke, Maryland. No additional contraband was located at Collick’s residence.

Collick was charged with the following offenses:

· Possession with the intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine

· Possession with the intent to Distribute Cocaine

· Possession of Crack Cocaine

· Possession of Cocaine

· Possession of Marijuana

Collick was committed to the Worcester County Jail on a $50,000.00 bond. The Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team was also assisted by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division.