Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Wednesday, November 06, 2013

The Chalk Guy Is Back Part 1







Official: Spec-Ops Sailors Can Keep Wearing 'Navy Jack'


Navy is flatly denying claims that SEALs are no longer allowed to wear the First Navy Jack patch on their uniforms. In fact, the Navy recently expanded the wear rules for the iconic “Don’t Tread on Me Patch.”

In an op-ed originally published in the Daily Caller former SEAL Carl Higbie describes a “travesty” in which special operations sailors are being told to no longer wear the Navy jack on their arm. Higbie cites an anonymous email from a “senior enlisted adviser” that states the following:

“All personnel are only authorized to wear the matching “AOR” American Flag patch on the right shoulder. You are no longer authorized to wear the “Don’t Tread On Me” patch.”

Higbie expresses outrage in his column, putting much of the blame on the commander in chief.

“The Obama administration and the yes-men top brass have decided to wage war on our Navy’s heritage,” he writes. “Will the SEALs choose to defend that heritage and defy them, with all the impertinence the flag’s slogan implies? Or will they be tread upon?”

A number of concerned readers contacted Navy Times to determine whether these claims were true.

The Navy has thus far been unable to confirm the validity of the email from the senior official. If it’s legit, then someone in in the spec-ops community got their wires crossed.

“As of September 2013, all Naval Special Warfare personnel are authorized to wear the U.S. flag and the “Don’t Tread on me” uniform patches,” Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Flaherty told Navy Times. “In the past, NSW did not authorize wearing either patch unless one was deployed or in a work-up cycle. However, NSW recently sought special permission from the Chief of Naval Operations staff to wear the patches within the continental United States.”

The “Don’t Tread on Me” flag dates back to the first Continental Navy ships in 1775. Sailors have flown the jack on ships and worn it as a uniform patch since the declaration of Sept. 11 as Patriot Day in 2002.

That order, from former Navy Secretary Gordon England and former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Vern Clark, authorized use of the First Navy Jack throughout the duration of the Global War on Terrorism.

Higbie is a war veteran who served eight and a half years, most of that time with SEAL Team 10. He was discharged in 2012, leaving service as a petty officer first class.

Maryland Trooper Who Accused Gansler Is Target Of Unrelated Investigation

The veteran state police lieutenant who documented allegations that Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler ordered troopers assigned to him to drive recklessly is himself being investigated concerning accusations that he worked as an armed security guard in the District and Virginia without proper licenses.

Two other troopers are also under scrutiny, law enforcement authorities said. They moonlighted with Lt. Charles Ardolini, who runs the state police executive protection unit, at a private security company based in Virginia.

Gregory M. Shipley, spokesman for the Maryland State Police, and Gwendolyn Crump, chief spokeswoman for the D.C. police, confirmed that the investigation is active. Crump said police are also looking into whether Collis & Associates, the McLean-based company for which the troopers worked, was properly licensed in the District. The Virginia State Police are also investigating the matter, a spokeswoman said. The troopers, including Ardolini, remain on full duty. 

More 

VIRGINIA GOVERNOR RACE A HUGE VICTORY FOR THE TEA PARTY

The Virginia gubernatorial race was a huge victory for the Tea Party movement. Wait a minute! Democrat McAuliffe “won,” you say. How could this be a victory for the Tea Party movement and a positive precursor for the 2014 mid-terms? Here’s how:
  1. Progressive Democrats had to cheat to win. They placed a faux libertarian, who in no way even upheld libertarian principles, and was bankrolled by an Obama bundler, in the race to subtract votes away from the Republican candidate, Ken Cuccinelli. Less than a week ago, the Libertarian candidate was showing 12% of the vote. He ended up with 7% as the news surfaced that he was a democrat plant. Unfortunately, this revelation happened the day of the election and apparently many libertarians didn’t get the news. However, if this news had been made available only a few days ago, shaving 1 or 2 percent off the phony libertarian’s numbers, Cuccinelli would have won. 
  2.  Obamacare is, and will continue to be a bloodbath for democrats. Less than a week ago, respected polling firm, Rasmussen Reports showed McAuliffe easily winning. As news has came forward that Obama and his minions have progressively lied about Obamacare’s promises, McAuliffe’s numbers came crashing down. This should strike fear in the hearts of Democrats come 2014, as these lies will only become more transparent.
 More

Veterans Day Ceremony To Be Held At The Wicomico County War Memorial

Salisbury, MD - The Wicomico War Memorial Committee invites the community to join them in honoring our military veterans at a ceremony on Monday, November 11th at 11:00am. The ceremony will take place at the Wicomico County War Memorial located directly in front of the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center at 500 Glen Avenue in Salisbury, MD. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held in the Midway Room of the Youth & Civic Center.

The ceremony, which is being coordinated by the Wicomico County War Memorial Committee, includes patriotic music, prayer and remembrance to honor all veterans. Veterans Day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military, in wartime or peacetime. Many Americans confuse this holiday with Memorial Day, which honors service members who died in service to their country or as a direct result of injuries incurred while in battle.

Veteran’s Day, initially termed Armistice Day, was created to honor World War I veterans and celebrate the official ending of the First World War which occurred at 11:00am on November 11, 1918. In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, legislation was approved by the 83rd US Congress to change the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day – thereby making November 11th a day in which all American veterans of wars could be honored.

The Wicomico War Memorial at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center is a fitting location for this ceremony as the Civic Center is itself a living war memorial to all veterans. At the outside Wicomico War Memorial, flags from each service branch, along with a United States, Maryland, Wicomico County and the POW-MIA flag now proudly fly over a brick wall displaying bronze plagues with the 187 names of Wicomico County’s fallen veterans from World War II and beyond. To learn more about the Wicomico County War Veterans Memorial and the men and women it was built to honor visit http://www.wicomicociviccenter.org/about.aspx.

2013 I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy 2013

BREAKING NEWS: FRUITLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT SUSPENDS BRUCE FOWLER

The Fruitland Fire Department announced this evening they have suspended acting volunteer Bruce Fowler.

His membership has been placed on suspension pending the outcome of the investigation and charges, (HERE).

If anyone has questions for the Fruitland Fire Department and or their decision they are welcome to call 443-497-1029.

Feds Move To Pin LAX Shooting On Patriots

The FBI will assume its traditional role as a political police force in the wake of the LAX shooting. On Monday night, the agency announced it is looking into the political beliefs of Paul Ciancia, the unemployed motorcycle mechanic who allegedly shot and killed a TSA agent last week.

Ciancia reportedly had a handwritten note with him denouncing the “New World Order,” the TSA, former Department of Homeland Security boss Janet Napolitano, and other government officials.

Presenting a search warrant for Ciancia’s cellphone on Monday, the FBI noted the alleged shooter’s “concerns about a New World Order.”

More

Federal Employee Bonuses Capped

The Obama administration is trying a different tack on federal-employee bonuses and awards in fiscal 2014.

A new directive from the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management continues clear-cut spending caps on employee awards but won't outright ban them — even if the across-the-board spending constraints, known as sequestration, continue.

"Given the current fiscal environment and the budget constraints agencies will operate under in FY 2014, it is critical that agencies' use of performance awards be managed in a manner that is cost-effective and leads to increased employee performance and organizational results," OMB Director Sylvia Burwell and former acting OPM Director Elaine Kaplan wrote in a Nov. 1 memo to the heads of federal agencies and departments.
More

‘JFK: The Smoking Gun’ Makes A Compelling Argument

“JFK: The Smoking Gun,” a two-hour Reelz docudrama based on a book of the same name by veteran police detective Colin McLaren, probes the assassination of President John F. Kennedy with an emphasis on ballistic studies, Warren Commission testimony and eyewitness statements -- and comes up with a pretty stunning declaration as to who the author and filmmakers believe fired the third and fatal shot that killed Kennedy.
Central to McLaren’s review is a 1992 book by Bonar Menninger, “Mortal Error,” which detailed the 25 years of work by Maryland ballistics and firearms expert Howard Donahue, who was obsessed with solving the case. The special combines a mixture of archival photographs and film footage along with dramatic reenactments to illustrate Donahue’s theories.
Donahue’s theory has been out there for more than 20 years, but has gotten relatively little attention. Reelz is obviously hoping renewed interest around the upcoming 50th anniversary of JFK’s death will put conspiracy theories in the spotlight again.

Story Behind ‘Ghost Ship’ Confirmed; It Was Cut Loose Offshore On Way From Jersey To South Carolina

ASSATEAGUE — More details emerged this week on the phantom “ghost boat,” an unoccupied house boat that was cut loose by its new owner who was towing it from New Jersey to South Carolina last week on the eve of Halloween.

Last Wednesday evening, a 40-foot house boat washed ashore on the beach in the Assateague Island National Seashore about a mile south of the entrance to the Over-Sand Vehicle (OSV) area. Early Halloween morning visitors to the island reported seeing the vessel on the beach in the early morning fog last Thursday, adding to the mystery of the unoccupied vessel. However, National Park Service officials were well aware of the origin of the vessel as early as last Wednesday evening and were already taking steps to mitigate the mystery ship.

According to AINS Chief Ranger Ted Morlock, an on-duty ranger discovered the house boat on the beach around 7:30 p.m., or just after dark, last Wednesday. Morlock, who was notified about two hours later, said rangers discovered no fuel was leaking and were notified the vessel had been released by its owner while being towed and had nobody on board.

More 

Mixology Happy Hour This Thursday


The New Segregation In Maryland Colleges

U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake missed the mark by a country mile in her decision on eliminating vestiges of racial separation in Maryland’s state colleges and universities.

Indeed, her remedy perpetuates Maryland’s “shameful history of de jure segregation throughout much of the past century.”

Blake wants Maryland’s predominantly white colleges to give up popular programs so historically black institutions (HBIs) can develop monopolies in those areas. This, she reasons, will send white students flocking to HBI campuses.
Read more
 

Into Eternity: A Look At The Long-Term Storage Of Nuclear Waste

Truck Driver Pleads Guilty In Bay Bridge Crash

The truck driver who hit a car sending it off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge last July has pleaded guilty to four charges.

The (Annapolis) Capital reports that 30-year-old Gabor Lovasz of Canada pleaded guilty last month to negligent driving, unsafe lane changing, failure to control vehicle speed to avoid a collision, and driving in excess of a reasonable and prudent speed. His fines totaled $450.

The pleas were entered on October 18.

More 

One Million K-12 Students Are Homeless

Homelessness is defined as not having aregular permanent residence. This doesn’t necessarily mean living in the streets or in their vehicles – though many do. A large portion of homeless split their times between hotels, homeless shelters or crowding in with friends and families. For many students, when they go to school each morning, they may have no idea where they will be sleeping that night.

The Department of Education released its latest report on homeless students last month and the numbers are startling. More than 1.2 million K–12 students for the 2011-12 school year were homeless. This staggering number is considered underreported, since many kids take great measures to hide their homelessness due to embarrassment, and parents do their best to stay under the radar for fear of losing their children.

More

Kids Behaving Badly: When Old Rules Of Discipline No Longer Apply

The father of the 9-year-old who infamously sneaked onto a flight from Minneapolis to Las Vegas last month broke down in tears during a press conference, distressed over his child's behavior problems and his own efforts to correct them.

That frustrated dad's tears drew national attention to a serious issue: overwhelmed parents at a loss over how to discipline their children who repeatedly act out.

"I'm a parent, I'm not perfect," said the father, who wore a hooded sweatshirt and a ball cap to shield his identity.

More 

Very Scary Radiation Levels On East Coast

According to RadCast.org, radiation levels in the South West are coming down from their recent rise, but levels near the East Coast are still volatile. Gainsville, Georgia is seeing levels of 51 counts per minute, and spiking at 75. Robbinsville, New Jersey is experiencing spikes of 63, and Salisbury, Massachusetts is hitting 72. As alarming as those radiation rates may be, they are nothing compared to the sudden increase near the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Levels near that plant are hitting over 16,000 counts per minute – up 45 percent from last week. Remember, the alert level is just 100 counts per minute, and radiation at Fukushima is already 160 times that level. And, we can only imagine how high these levels may rise when TEPCO starts moving spent fuel rods at the end of this week. The corporate media may ignore these important statistics, but RadCast.org is working hard to keep us informed.

Christmas Snacks For The Children

Layer mini marshmallow, strawberry, banana slice, and a grape on a small stick and you get Grinch Kabobs!

Stay Up To Date!! Like Us On Facebook

 

The Rich Are Abandoning America

After using our commons to build their fortunes, the super-rich are abandoning America. Since 2008, wealth in our country has grown from $47 trillion to $72 trillion, but our society has gained nothing as a result of that increase. There's been virtually no infrastructure, no increase in tax revenue, and no contribution to our society, because the wealthy aren't supporting this nation, and corporate taxes have been cut by half. In addition, for the first time in our nation's history, the rich think they don't need American middle-class workers. Globalization has allowed them to build factories in China, India, or some third-world country. The super-wealthy use the benefits of our commons to make money, and then find tax loopholes to deprive our nation from at least $300 billion dollars a year in tax revenue. Despite using our airports, roads, police, and justice system, the wealthy continue to believe that they made their fortunes without any help from American society. And, after they've hoarded all their cash, many are simply moving to tax-haven nations to avoid contributing at all to the nation that made them rich. Yet, they have the audacity to call us the takers...

Salisbury MD Kennel Club Basket Auction

This is one of the many baskets being auctioned at the 60th anniversary of Salisbury MD Kennel Club. Wed - Sun

Vote To Name The Panda


Giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on August 23, 2013. The cub is healthy and growing quickly! It is Chinese tradition to celebrate the name of a new life on the 100th day, and we need your help picking the name! Vote for your favorite name below.
Read more

Obama Continues Employee Bonuses

The Obama administration is opening the door to limited employee bonuses in 2014, even if sequestration continues. In 2013, it halted all bonuses. The Office of Management and Budget has issued guidance capping non-manager bonuses at one percent of aggregate salaries. It caps Senior Executive Services at five percent. The new policy limits bonus spending to 2012 levels. But that's under a regular budget scenario. Should Congress not do away with sequestration, bonus spending would be cut in proportion to the sequester cuts.

Parents On Welfare Are Bequeathing A Culture Of Welfare Unto Their Children

Academic research in the past has shown that the children of families on welfare are more likely to grow up to be on welfare themselves.
But it isn't just poverty and poor health that are causing this. 

A new NBER study by Gordon Dahl of UCSD, Andreas Kostol of the University of Bergen, and Magne Mogstad finds that a parent on welfare creates a culture within the family that makes their adult children more likely to accept welfare.

The study looks at data from Norway's "disability insurance" (DI) system and finds that when a parent is allowed DI, their adult child's likelihood of participation over the next five years increases by 6%, and grows to 12% after ten years.

More

Ford Scrambles To Fill Void Left By Crown Victoria Sedan

Brad Brewer, a Vancouver Police Department sergeant, and Mohamed Zakout, a New York City taxi driver, get wistful when they talk about it.

“A lot of people were really freaked out by the Crown Vic going away,” said Brewer.

“This is a strong car,” said Zakout.

The last Ford Crown Victoria, the backbone of many police and taxi fleets for more than two decades, rolled off the assembly line in 2011. Now, Ford, facing the biggest challenge to its police and taxi dominance in decades, is bringing out an array of cars and sport-utility vehicles to keep those sales going.

“The Crown Victoria was a wonderful vehicle and it was difficult for us to see it have to go away,” Gerry Koss, marketing and product strategy manager for Ford’s North America fleet operations, said by telephone. “We started four years before the end date to work on creating these new products so that the industry would have something that was as good or better.”

The bulky Crown Vic sedan traces its roots to two-door, six-seater coupes in the 1950s. A redesign for the early 1990s took on the Chevrolet Caprice and was embraced so widely that its rival exited the market. The Ford became a fleet staple because it was tough, relatively inexpensive to maintain and roomy enough to accommodate police equipment and luggage.

More

“I” For Inevitable

[Editor's Note: What follows was originally published in Notes from the Field exactly one year ago.]

Just over 400-years ago today, a group of 13 conspirators were caught trying to assassinate King James I of England and blow up the House of Lords in what became known as the Gunpowder Treason.

If you’ve ever seen the movie V for Vendetta, you know the story. Guy Fawkes was found underneath the House of Lords with three dozen barrels of gunpowder… and to this day, his effigy is still burned annually in commemoration of the event.

Fundamentally, the Gunpowder Treason was about freedom. The English monarchy at the time was controlling nearly every aspect of the economy and their subjects’ lives– from what they could wear to how they could worship.

“Sumptuary laws” which regulated private behavior were commonplace. Elizabeth I, for example, re-introduced a beard tax on all facial hair grown in excess of two weeks.

She also published long lists, categorized by social class, dictating precisely what color and type of garment her subjects were required to wear.

More

Change Coming


Sean Penn Calls For Conservatives To Be Locked Up In Mental Asylums

If it weren’t for the tea party, Congress would work well, Hollywood actor Sean Penn said during a recent appearance on CNN with host Piers Morgan. And he also said tea partyers should be forcibly committed for mental health treatment. …

“I think they have — there’s a mental health problem in Congress,” Mr. Penn said. “This would be solved by committing them by executive order, I think. Because these are our American brothers and sisters, we shouldn’t be criticizing them, attacking them. … This is a cry for help.”

When Morgan asked if he meant he would literally commit people like Ted Cruz to insane asylums for their political beliefs, Penn confirmed that he thinks that would be “a good idea.”

Readers will recall that this was standard practice in the Soviet Union, a nation run in accordance with Penn’s left-wing ideology.

More

Hillary’s Odyssey

From Senator Clinton’s tergiversations on Iraq to Secretary Clinton’s lies on Benghazi

Hillary Clinton is no doubt a talented speaker. She recently went into what the left wing sees as the heart of darkness of the American 1 percent at Goldman Sachs, purportedly gave two brief chats, and walked away with a reported $400,000 in fees. Such compensation is almost as profitable as Hillary’s long-ago cattle-future trading, in which as a talented rookie speculator she beat one-in-several-million odds by parlaying an original $1,000 investment into a $100,000 profit.

That Goldman’s shenanigans were central to the 2008 housing and financial meltdown — and were empowered, in part, by Bill Clinton’s own prior twofer of deregulating Wall Street and appointing to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae greedy, though liberal, incompetents of the likes of James Johnson, Franklin Raines, and Jamie Gorelick — apparently meant nothing to Hillary.

More

Football Fans At Missouri-Tennessee Game Boo Obama At Halftime National Guard Ceremony

Let’s face it; Obama deserved this.

The mention of the U.S. president elicited booing during a halftime ceremony at the Missouri-Tennessee game.

During halftime, new members of the Missouri National Guard were being sworn in on the field of Memorial Stadium, said team spokesman Chad Moller.

Part of the oath the service members took reads, “I will obey the orders of the president of the United States.” During a pause after that line was read, members of the crowd could clearly be heard booing and jeering, said LeMari Porter, an MU student present at the game.

More

‘YOU COULD NEVER ANTICIPATE THIS HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’

What began as a simple traffic stop ended in a humiliating and nightmarish ordeal for a New Mexico man. It won’t come as a surprise to most people why the man has now filed a federal civil rights lawsuit.

The incident began on Jan. 2 as David Eckert was leaving the local Walmart in Deming, N.M. He reportedly failed to make a complete stop at a stop sign, prompting police to pull him over.

The officers asked him to step out of the vehicle and claim the man appeared to be clenching his buttocks, Eckert’s attorney, Shannon Kennedy, told TheBlaze. It is unclear why police removed him from the vehicle in the first place. However, because the cops believed he was clenching his buttocks, they took it as reason to suspect him of hiding narcotics in his anal cavity.
More

Why Is An Epidemic Of Thievery Sweeping America?

Desperate people do desperate things, and it appears that Americans are rapidly becoming a lot more desperate. An epidemic of thievery is sweeping across America, and authorities are not quite sure what to make of it.

Down in Texas, cattle thieves can get up to $1,500 per head of cattle, and cattle rustling was up nearly 40 percent last year. As you will read about below, cargo hijacking is becoming much more sophisticated, and it is being estimated that losses from cargo thefts will total about $216 million this year alone. And for some reason, Tide laundry detergent has become a very hot commodity among common criminals all across America. In fact, it is being reported that some grocery stores are "losing $10,000 to $15,000 a month" as a result of Tide thefts.

So why is all of this happening? Well, as I have written about previously, crime is on the rise in the United States, and poverty is absolutely exploding. In fact, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau, 49.2 percent of all Americans are receiving benefits from at least one government program each month. Over the past five years, we have seen an unprecedented rise in the number of people that cannot take care of themselves without help from the government. Millions upon millions of Americans that have been forced into poverty are becoming increasingly angry, frustrated and desperate. And what we are watching right now is only just the beginning - all of this is going to get a whole lot worse.

When people think of the "social decay" that is happening to America, most of the time Texas and Oklahoma would not be the first places that come to mind. But according to NPR, there was nearly a 40 percent rise in the theft of cows and horses down in that area of the country last year...

More

You Also Can't Keep Your Doctor

I had great cancer doctors and health insurance. My plan was cancelled. Now I worry how long I'll live.
Everyone now is clamoring about Affordable Care Act winners and losers. I am one of the losers.

My grievance is not political; all my energies are directed to enjoying life and staying alive, and I have no time for politics. For almost seven years I have fought and survived stage-4 gallbladder cancer, with a five-year survival rate of less than 2% after diagnosis. I am a determined fighter and extremely lucky. But this luck may have just run out: My affordable, lifesaving medical insurance policy has been canceled effective Dec. 31.

My choice is to get coverage through the government health exchange and lose access to my cancer doctors, or pay much more for insurance outside the exchange (the quotes average 40% to 50% more) for the privilege of starting over with an unfamiliar insurance company and impaired benefits.

More

THE LIBERAL ENTITLEMENT-STATE DREAM IS CRUMBLING

May I ask this question? Why is it that Americans don’t have the freedom to choose their own health insurance? I just don’t get it. Why must the liberal nanny state make decisions for us? We can make them ourselves, thank you very much. It’s like choosing a car, buying a home, or investing in a stock. We can handle it.

So why must the government tell me and everyone else what we can and cannot buy?

Charles Krauthammer and the Wall Street Journal’s Dan Henninger noted in excellent recent columns that this whole Obamacare business represents the greatest-ever expansion of the liberal entitlement-state dream. But I don’t want that dream. And you shouldn’t either.

More

Worcester County Sheriff's Office

The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office is warning all citizens that recently multiple calls in our area have been received claiming that they are from “Delmarva Power” and also “Publisher’s Clearing House”.
Please be informed that Delmarva Power WILL NOT attempt to call you direct to gain payment prior to your electric service being disconnected. Delmarva Power has advised that their normal practice is a mailing with a warning date and then if no payment is made, the disconnection is effective. If in doubt please call Delmarva Power direct at 1-800-375-7117.
Additionally, several citizens have received calls stating they have won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes, YOU are reminded that NO INFORMATION should be disclosed over a telephone/internet connection that is not secure. A call to Publisher’s Clearing House was not returned, however they are listed on the www.fbi.gov website as known scams.
The best practice is to “call” any creditor or bank that you associate with direct yourself, so that you are insured that you are speaking with the financial institution. Another good practice is “if” you do not recognize the number DO NOT answer the phone, if it is important they will leave a message.
Again, DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION OVER THE PHONE.
If you feel that you have been scammed, please contact 410-632-1111 or your local Police Agency

Unsafe at Any Web Speed: Intel Chairs Say Take Down Healthcare.gov

When the Democratic and Republican chairmen of the congressional intelligence commitees both agree that HealthCare.gov, Obamacare’s version of Internet Hell, should be taken down for security reasons, it’s time to pay attention.

Democrat Dianne Feinstein, who has chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee for the last five years, startled Bob Schieffer on CBS’s Face the Nation today when she said, “I felt and I said this directly to the president’s chief of staff, that they ought to take down the website until it was right. They believe that they need to keep it running and that they can sort out the difficulties.” One way to interpret that is that the political survival of President Obama’s signature achievement takes precedence over the cybersecurity of all Americans. As I wrote last month, the White House has shown an astonishing lack of concern for Obamacare’s security vulnerabilities.

Her House counterpart, GOP representative Mike Rogers of Michigan, concurred: “They need to take the site down, stabilize it, meaning they can’t continue to add code every week, and then they need to stress test the system. Unfortunately, Bob, none of that has happened. And they admit it’s going to take six months. . . . . That is unacceptable for the protection of privacy of Americans’ information.”

More

Disillusioned With Obama, Will Media Investigate Benghazi?

The question many on the left are asking as they witness the Obama administration flail in response to HealthCare.gov’s debut disaster is: How could this happen? Obama is so brilliant, so capable and so wise. How could he bungle his signature initiative?

He isn’t, but even if he were, it wouldn’t make a particle of difference. One of the central delusions of progressives is that government is efficient and effective and that complex human societies are amenable to centralized control and direction.

We on the right presume government ineptitude. The Washington Post reports today, for example, that the federal employee retirement system paid more than $400 million in benefits over the past few years to deceased retirees. On the same page, we learn that despite the U.S. government’s $7 billion investment in combatting heroin cultivation in Afghanistan, the trade is booming. Last week, the Brookings Institution published a study suggesting that Cash for Clunkers was a failure, costing taxpayers $1.4 million for each of the 3,676 jobs created.

This is normal. There are common sense reasons for it — explanations available to most students of Econ 101. Those spending other people’s money have very little incentive to economize or seek top value. Nor can central bureaucrats possibly have enough information to make wise decisions about something as complex as one-sixth of a $16 trillion economy. As Friedich A. Hayek cautioned: “The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design.”

More

Ron Paul’s Take On ObamaCare

“Whether it’s flood insurance, housing insurance, or medical insurance, the word is being used erroneously; this is not insurance. You know as well as I do that insurance is supposed to measure risk, but when you call it government insurance, and tell the insurance company what they must do and what they must do and provide, then it becomes forced welfare. So this has been the biggest problem that we’ve had – they pretend this is insurance, and it isn’t. It’s nothing more than a government mandate and a dictate and they’re looking for who’s going to pay for it…This has nothing to do with insurance. It is government central economic planning, which is the real evil.”

More

Stay Humble


Three-Star General: Muslim Brotherhood Has Infiltrated Department Of Defense

ANN ARBOR, MI – U.S. Army Lieutenant General (Ret.) William "Jerry" Boykin, in a recent World Net Daily radio interview, confirmed that people with high security clearances connected to the Muslim Brotherhood hold important positions in every major federal agency including the Pentagon and the Department of Defense.

The Muslim Brotherhood is a radical Islamist organization that has vowed the destruction of America from within.

Click here to hear radio clip.

General Boykin has the credentials to back up his conclusions. He was one of the original members of the U.S. Army's Delta Force which he ultimately led in combat operations. He also served a tour in the CIA during which time he participated in clandestine operations throughout the world. He served his last four years in the Army as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

More

WANTED CHESTERTOWN MAN ARRESTED IN OCEAN CITY FOR BURGLARY

Cody Lee Figiel
On November 2, 2013 at approximately 4:15 p.m. Ocean City police responded to the area of S. Ocean Drive in reference to a suspected burglary. Officers entered the residence and observed a male, later identified as Cody Lee Figiel, 21, of Centreville, MD, asleep in the home. Figiel was taken into custody without incident.

Figiel was also the suspect in a burglary incident that was reported on October 25 at another residence in the S. Ocean Drive area. When police responded on October 25, the complainant advised officers that an unknown vehicle, a GMC Acadia, was parked in the driveway. This vehicle was confirmed to be stolen out of Queen Anne’s County and a warrant was issued by the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Department for Figiel’s arrest as a result.

Figiel was charged by Ocean City police with multiple counts of burglary and theft in addition to the numerous motor vehicle theft charges made by the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Department. Figiel was seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner and transferred to the Worcester County Jail without bond pending a bail review.

NY Stop-And-Frisk Overhaul Blocked And Judge Removed

A US appeals court has blocked changes to a controversial New York City police programme that a judge ruled had violated the rights of minorities.

In an unusual move, the Second Circuit also removed Judge Shira Scheindlin from the stop-and-frisk case.

The court said her impartiality was called into question by media interviews she gave during the trial.

The policy, in which police stop and search those they suspect of criminal behaviour, reached its peak in 2011.

In August, Judge Scheindlin ruled the New York Police Department had violated the US constitution in the way it carried out stop and frisk, but not through the policy itself.

More

Navy SEALs Ordered To Remove “Don’t Tread On Me” Navy Jack From Uniforms

According to Navy SEAL veteran Chris Hagerman, who writes over at NavySeals.com,“senior personnel from within WARCOM and Naval Special Warfare are putting out instructions and memos stating that Navy SEALs are no longer authorized to wear the ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ patch on their combat uniforms.”
Here is the text of one such memo, posted by Hagerman:
ALL:

WARCOM and GROUP TWO/ONE have pushed out the uniform policy for NWU III and any patches worn on the sleeve.

All personnel are only authorized to wear the matching “AOR” American Flag patch on the right shoulder. You are no longer authorized to wear the “Don’t Tread On Me” patch.

Again the only patch authorized for wear is the American flag on the right shoulder. Please pass the word to all.

Thanks,
Senior Enlisted Advisor

[Name Redacted]

This is not sitting well with Hagerman and other SEALs. Here is some of what Hagerman had to say:

The “Don’t Tread On Me” flag or First Navy Jack has flown on naval ships throughout our history including during the American Revolutionary War. The rattlesnake is especially significant and symbolic. The rattle has thirteen layers, signifying the original Thirteen Colonies.
Official Navy instruction has authorized all naval ships to fly the flag throughout the duration of the War On Terror.

Why is it then that senior personnel from within WARCOM and Naval Special Warfare are putting out instructions and memos stating that Navy SEALs are no longer authorized to wear the “Don’t Tread on Me” patch on their combat uniforms along with other custom patches?

I have heard some defend this action stating that it is due to trying to maintain uniformity between the operators. We all know that is complete garbage.

(Read the rest here).

More

WASHINGTON & WALL STREET: WATT NOMINATION LATEST FIASCO FOR VALERIE JARRETT

Last week, the Democrat controlled Senate failed to muster 60 votes to confirm the nomination of Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) to be the new, permanent director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The White House selected Watt to be the regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a cynical effort to placate the Congressional Black Caucus, but in truth the Obama Administration never made any significant effort to get Watt confirmed.

Selecting Watt was reportedly the big idea of Valerie Bowman Jarrett, a Senior Advisor to President Obama. As with most of the presidential appointments proposed by Jarrett, the Watt nomination received zero attention from the White House after it was announced. Barack Obama’s record of winning Senate approval for nominees has been abysmal, in part because of the incompetence of supposed advisers such as the Iranian-born Jarrett.

More

THE RINOS WANT A TERRY MCAULIFFE VICTORY IN VIRGINIA

Many in the GOP establishment, from major fundraisers and consultants, to GOP officeholders such as the GOP Lt. Gov and mayor of Virginia Beach, have either trashed Attorney General Ken Cuccinnelli or endorsed McAuliffe outright. The GOP national machine has done next to nothing for Cuccinnelli. And GOP bag man, Karl Rove, is all over Fox without a word of support for Cuccinnelli, while he schemes and whispers behind the scenes against conservatives nationwide.

Having tried to sabotage Cuccinnelli's candidacy from the start, these GOP actors are hoping for a Cuccinnelli loss and a big Chris Christie win (built on a Huey Long style of politics) to make the case that only big government Republicans can win and limited government, constitutional conservatives, such as Tea Party activists, are too extreme to prevail. They've already written the script.

More

GOP Can Win By Waiting

Make Democrats clean up their own mess.

Democrats are pleading for help, in the face of the implosion of Obamacare. House Republicans confronted with these pleas should listen to those who say: “Don’t do something; just stand there.”

It was Obama and the Democratic Senate who caused the disaster now unfolding. Specifically, Democratic red- or swing-state senators such as Mary Landrieu (La.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Mark Begich (Alaska), Mark Pryor (Ark.), and even Al Franken (Minn.) provided key votes to adopt the monstrosity without a single ballot to spare. Let them face the music; let them reap the consequences. And let them try to fix what’s utterly unfixable.

If they want to delay the individual mandate, fine: They can go first. If they want to fix the grandfathering rules so that people who want to keep their plans really can do so, fine: They can go first on that, too. Let them figure out the details. Let them try to make it work. The House can always vote to add its assent once the Senate has acted — all while noting, accurately, that even the delay or the grandfathering fix won’t make the whole of Obamacare successful or popular.

More

Veterans Day Discounts

The following is a list of Veterans Day discounts on goods, services and dining that have been announced for 2013. Please check back frequently as this list is updated.

Keep in mind that most businesses require proof of military service, which can include a VA Universal Access Card, Military I.D., DD-214 (Discharge Papers), Veterans Service Organization Card (VSO's include groups like the VFW, DAV, AmVets, MOAA, FRA, and the American Legion), or in some cases businesses will accept a picture of the veteran in uniform.

Note: Not all franchise locations participate in their national chain's Veterans Day programs -- be sure contact your nearest establishment to make sure they are participating.

Sign up for the Military Deals and Discounts Newsletter to get even more discounts and information on how Military Families can save big.

2013 Veterans Day Restaurant Offerings:

Applebees - Veterans and active duty military receive a free meal from a limited menu, on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11.

Bar Louie – On Sunday, Nov. 10 and Monday, Nov. 11, all Bar Louie locations are offering veterans and military personnel a free meal up to a $12 value.

California Pizza Kitchen – Veterans and active military receive a free pizza on Monday, Nov. 11.

Champps -- On Monday, Nov. 11, Champps will offer a free handcrafted burger with waffle fries to veterans and active duty military.

Charlie Brown's Steakhouse – Charlie Brown’s is offering a free meal to veterans and active duty military all day on Monday, Nov. 11.

Chili's РVeterans and active duty can get a free entr̩e all day from a special limited menu on Monday, Nov. 11.

Cheeseburger in Paradise – Veterans and military personnel receive a free All American Burger with fries on Monday, Nov. 11 with the beverage purchase of $1.99.

Denny’s -- Active, inactive and retired military personnel can get free all you can eat pancakes on Veterans Day nationwide.

FATZ РVeterans and active duty military can enjoy a free entr̩e at FATZ, up to a $15 value. Veterans who dine at FATZ on November 11 will also receive a $2 coupon for use on their next visit.

Friendly’s – Veterans and active military receive a free Big Two Do Breakfast and coffee on Monday, Nov. 11.

Golden Corral – Golden Corral is offering a free dinner on Monday Nov. 11, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Military retirees, veterans, active duty, National Guard and Reserves are all welcome.

Hooters –Veterans and active duty military receive a free meal on Monday, Nov. 11.

Hoss’s Family Steak & Sea House – Veterans eat for free on Monday, Nov. 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Krispy Kreme – Krispy Kreme stores are offering a free doughnut and small coffee on Monday, Nov. 11 when presenting a military ID or wearing a uniform.

Little Caesars – Veterans and active military members get a free order of Crazy Bread on Monday, Nov. 11.

Max and Erma's – On Monday, Nov. 11, participating Max & Erma’s locations are saluting veterans and active military personnel with a free Best Cheeseburger in America Combo meal.

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants – On Sunday, November 10, participating McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants will offer a complimentary entree to vets from a special menu.

Menchi's -- All veterans will receive a free 6 oz. frozen yogurt on Monday, Nov. 11.

O’Charley’s – Veterans and active duty servicemembers get a complimentary meal from a limited menu on Monday, Nov. 11.

Olive Garden – On Monday, Nov. 11, all veterans and current servicemembers get a free meal from a limited menu. Family dining with them will also receive 10% off their meal.

On the Border – Veterans and active duty military can enjoy a free meal from the “Create Your Own Combo menu” on Monday, Nov. 11.

Paciugo Gelato Caffè – Paciugo is offering a free 12 oz. Gelatte® to veterans and active duty military on Monday, Nov. 11 at participating locations.

Red Robin – Veterans and active duty military get a free Tavern Double Burger and Bottomless Steak Fries on Monday, Nov. 11.

Shoney's -- Shoney's will be offering a free All-American Burger to veterans and active duty servicemembers on Monday, Nov. 11.

Sizzler – Sizzler is offering active duty and retired military members a free lunch from a limited menu on Monday, Nov. 11 until 4 p.m.

Spaghetti Warehouse РOn Sunday, Nov. 10 and Monday, Nov. 11, choose one original spaghetti entr̩e or 15-layer lasagna and get the second entr̩e free. This deal requires a coupon, which is available starting Nov. 6 at the Spaghetti Warehouse website, the Facebook page, and can be presented from a mobile phone.

Texas Roadhouse – Texas Roadhouse locations nationwide will offer veterans a free lunch on Monday, Nov. 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Offer is good for active duty, retired or former U.S. military.

TGIFridays – Veterans and active duty military get a free lunch from a select menu on Monday, Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tucanos Brazilian Grill -- Active duty, reserve and retired military and veterans receive a free Churrasco meal on Monday, Nov. 11. They are also offering 10% off the entire bill for veterans and troops who dine with their families, from Friday, Nov. 8 through Veteran’s Day, Monday, Nov. 11.

Travel Centers of America -- On Monday, Nov. 11, all CDL drivers who are military veterans eat free at participating full-service restaurants.

Village Inn – All veterans and active military personnel receive a free breakfast on Monday, Nov. 11. Choose between Buttermilk Pancakes, Belgian Waffle, or French Toast.

2013 Veterans Day Travel and Recreation:

Knotts Berry Farm – Knott's Berry Farm is offering free admission for veterans and active duty military personnel and one guest from November 4, 2013 to January 5, 2014.

National Parks - On Veterans Day weekend (Nov. 9-11) veterans will have access to over 100 National Parks that require entrance fees for free.

Red Roof Inn - Red Roof Inn is offering 15% off at more than 350 properties nationwide in the month of November to veterans, active duty military and their families.

Sea World Parks and Entertainment – Veterans and active duty military can get 50% off single-day admission tickets through Nov.11, 2013.

World of Coca-Cola -- Military members receive complimentary admission year-round, but in honor of Veterans Day they also may purchase up to four half-price tickets for their friends and family Nov. 9-17.

2013 Veterans Day Retailer Offerings:

Bed Bath and Beyond – Bed Bath and Beyond is offering veterans 20% off their entire purchase on Nov. 9, 10, and 11. This is good for active duty, DoD, reserves, guard, retirees, veterans, and military spouses.

Grace for Vets - Car washes from around the world who join this program offer free car washes to veterans and servicemembers on Nov. 11.

Great Clips – On Monday, Nov. 11, customers who come in for a service can get a free haircut card to give to their favorite veteran. Veterans can also receive a free haircut or get the free haircut card. Haircuts are redeemable until Dec. 31.

Home Depot – Home Depot offers a 10% discount to all veterans during Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day. Home Depot offers the 10% discount year round to for active duty and retirees.

Lowe's – All veterans receive a 10% discount on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. The offer is available in stores only.

Massage Envy – Participating Massage Envy locations in the Washington DC, Maryland, and northern Virginia region are offering a complimentary 1-hour massage to active military, veterans and spouses on Monday, Nov. 11.

Sport Clips – Participating locations are offering veterans and active duty servicemembers free haircuts on Monday, Nov. 11.

Other:

America's Parade – Veterans are invited to march in this New York City parade on Nov. 11.

Medal of Honor Stamps -- The U.S. Postal Service will issue special Medal of Honor stamps on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Year-Round Veterans Discounts:

Foot Locker – Veterans, servicemembers (active, guard, and reserve), and their immediate families with a Foot Locker Veterans Advantage Card receive a 20% discount every day of the year. That offer is good both online and at any store location, including Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Footaction and Champs Sports — even on sale items.

Home Depot – Home Depot offers a 10% discount (up to a $500 maximum) to all active military, reserve, retired or disabled veterans and their family members with a valid military ID. All other veterans qualify for a 10% discount during Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day.

Lowe's – Lowe's offers a year-round 10% discount offer for all active duty, National Guard and Reserve, retirees and disabled servicemembers and their immediate families. All other veterans receive the 10% discount on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. The discount is available on in-stock and special-order purchases of up to $5,000. The offer can't be used on sales at Lowes.com, on previous sales or on sales of services or gift cards. You must present a valid military I.D. card to receive the discount.