2013 Pearl Harbor Ceremony

Mr. Albero,

Please find attached a few photos from today's 72nd Commemoration of the Attacks on Pearl Harbor at the World War II Valor in the Pacific Memorial in Hawaii. 

The first photo shows the USS Halsey rendering honors to the USS Arizona Memorial, and to the Survivors on the shore. A wreath was presented by a Pearl Harbor survivor, an active duty service member, an elementary school child, and a US Park Ranger in honor of each of the 5 Services, and one for the State of Hawaii. 

I was given the honor of representing the United States Marine Corps at this ceremony. 

Sergeant Ian D. Insley

Obama, Dems Form 'Strike Teams' To Sell Obamacare

Hoping that the best defense is a good offense, President Obama and his supporters are exhibiting a new found bravura to reinvigorate enthusiasm for his besieged healthcare law.

Congressional Democrats, afraid of getting trounced in the upcoming 2014 midterm elections, are hoping aggressive action by the White House will help bring a resurgence of support for the troubled Affordable Care Act (ACA).

After two months of being slammed by negative press about the endless problems involving the Healthcare.gov website, the President is now pushing back and arguing that all is fixed for the “vast majority” of enrollees. “Our poor execution in the first couple months on the website clouded the fact that there are a whole bunch of people who stand to benefit,” Obama said on Tuesday at a White House event.

“Now that the website’s working for the vast majority of people, we need to make sure that folks refocus on what’s at stake here,” he added. Of course, there is a lot at stake for Americans who lost their insurance or have seen the cost of their insurance premiums soar. Many congressional jobs are at stake as well.

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Polls Show ObamaCare Wave Building Against Senate Democrats

Recent polling shows that an election wave of anti-ObamaCare sentiment is growing, and it is not only likely to hand the GOP control of the United States Senate, but might wipe out as many as 12 Democrat seats--many of which looked safe just a few months ago.

Back in July, Five Thirty Eight's election guru Nate Silver believed that control of the Senate was a tossup. That has all changed now that voters got their first real look at the brutal consequences of ObamaCare.

Starting with the generic ballot that simply pits Republican lawmakers against their Democrat counterparts, the movement towards the GOP has been striking. In the Real Clear Politics average of these polls, going back as far as the beginning of the year, Democrats have consistently led by 3 to 4 points. During the government shutdown, Democrats leaped to 6 and 7 point leads. Since the disastrous rollout of ObamaCare, though, Republicans are not only in the lead by 2.5 points; they have led in every poll but one since November 10.

This generic polling is reflected in the available polling of individual Senate seats.

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A Comment Worthy Of A Post 12-7-13

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Dog Found 12-5-13 UPDATED":

Hi Joe,

A couple years ago I lost both of my dogs and you helped us locate them. Unfortunately one of them was killed by being hit by a car on Rt. 50.

I will never forget the awful feeling I had just wondering where they could be. It was so frustrating to know they could be anywhere since dogs can travel a good distance in a short time.

I don't want to sound like I am placing an add so I will not name any brands but recently we got a new puppy and I have found a product that is a GPS tracker that snaps onto the dogs collar.

Its light weight and water proof and will not only show where my dog is but will text me right away if my dog leaves my yard.

Another side effect of this cool device is that it can also track and document your dogs daily activities. I know how much time my dog spent sleeping, playing because this device also keeps track of these on a website or phone app. This is handy because you can see trends in your dogs behavior and it can come in handy with a vet visit.

This device cost me $100 and then has a service fee of about $8.00 a month.

I mention this because I now feel much better knowing that I can locate my dog if she gets loose again. Of course this doesn't take away the danger of her being hit by a car but I can at least get to her quickly and directly if I do lose her.

I know that dreadful sleepless night feeling when you lose your dog and I just wanted people to know that devices like the one I purchased are out there and are becoming very affordable.

Maybe this bit of advice can help others avoid dealing with the nightmare of losing your beloved pet.

Ethanol Rule Pits Gephardt Against Lott In Lobbying Fight

While renewable fuels have so far failed to reach production levels envisioned by supporters, they’re an undisputed hit with one group: Washington lobbyists.

Dozens of companies and trade groups have ramped up their lobbying ahead of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decision on scaling back requirements for the use of gasoline alternatives. Many were represented at an EPA hearing today on the matter.

In the quarter ended Sept. 30, about 200 companies and other entities reported hiring lobbying firms for the issue, including those led by former lawmakers Richard Gephardt and Trent Lott, almost double from two years ago, Senate records show. The companies include chicken producer Sanderson Farms Inc. (SAFM), refiner Valero Corp. and hamburger-seller Wendy’s Co. (WEN)

“It would be positively irrational for these companies not to lobby as hard as they can on this issue,” Jeffrey Berry, a political science professor at Tufts University who studies lobbying, said in an interview. “The amount of money they will spend on lobbying is a small percentage” of what’s at stake.

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President Obama Did Not Lay Wreath At Tomb Of The Unknown Soldiers Today

Two junior sailors laid a wreath today at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknowns. They'll mark the 68th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Navy says it's a rare honor usually reserved for the President or senior military officers. But the service is breaking with protocol to help the younger generation better understand the Navy's history. The two sailors are Petty Officer Victoria Ruiz and Seaman Yesenia Munoz. They are the youngest sailors at the Naval History and Heritage Command at the Washington Navy Yard.

Doesn't She Look Sweet

One of the aspects of ACA, who gets to access my identity?

This is Roslyn Wells and she is the Director of Outreach and Enrollment for the Heartland Community Health-care Center (HCHC) – and is “the only full-time Affordable Care Act navigator in Lawrence, (Kansas.)” according to the Lawrence Journal-World.

She’s in charge of Obamacare in her part of Kansas, meaning she has access to information like Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, checking account information, age and other private information on anyone who signs onto the Healthcare.gov website. (Which you have to input FIRST.)

She also has an outstanding warrant for her arrest for writing bad checks at Midwest Checkrite, Inc…see that above??

But that’s not all. Her financial history also includes a bankruptcy in 2003, the 2007 charge from that local check cashing business, she is more than $1700 behind on her state tax bill, and has an outstanding arrest warrant in nearby Shawnee County. Shawnee County can’t discuss the charges (no doubt because the investigation is currently ongoing) –WHILE SHE IS RUNNING THE KANSAS OBAMACARE OFFICE.

Don’t you just want to sign right up??

House Oversight Committee issued a report only two weeks ago warning that navigators would not be properly vetted to protect consumers. (Hmmm, guess they were right…)

The report pointed out navigators would have access to all sorts of personal data. (Oh, oops! Guess the White House missed that.)

“The main concern for consumers is the heightened risk of identity theft and financial loss from a poorly managed outreach campaign,” the Oversight Committee report said. “Navigators and Assisters will come into contact with a plethora of personally identifiable information (PII), including an applicant’s Social Security number, date of birth and income, as well as the PII of everyone in an applicant’s household.”
By the way, with your name, date of birth and SS#, you’re toast. It is the basis of identity theft. You couldn’t escape, even by moving to Costa Rica . You’re dead meat.

Don’t believe me?
Check it out here: http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/14/obamacare-navigator-in-kansas-has-outstanding-arrest-warrant/

Fewer Federal Workers Retiring

The number of federal employees filing for retirement is falling. And so is the rate of retirement claims processed by the Office of Personnel Management. Retirement filings dropped in November for the fifth straight month, to about 5,700. That's about the same number of claims OPM processed. The month earlier it processed 11,000. Still, the agency says it met its goal of processing as many claims as it receives in a month. That keeps the backlog from growing. The drop in retirements stands in sharp contrast to earlier this year, when a surge of cases swamped the agency.

Reagan Would Have Found Common Ground With Tea Party

Political parties are in the business of winning elections. The Republican Party lost a Presidential in 2012 and an important, contested Governor’s race in Virginia this year. Part of the narrative behind those losses is the disconnect between Republicans and Tea Party members. If Republicans don’t bridge that gap between now and 2016, it will be President Hillary in a walk.

The Tea Party movement in America, while not a formal party, is like other third parties in American history: expressions of discontent with the major parties. Third parties have come and gone based in large part on whether the major parties were effectively addressing the issues of the day.

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WICOMICO PUBLIC LIBRARY UNVEILS NORTH SIDE MURAL

Third Friday Hosts Library Mural Ribbon Cutting 

At last month’s chilly Third Friday, the city of Salisbury gathered downtown at Wicomico Public Library for a ribbon cutting to celebrate and unveil the north side mural. 

Wicomico Public Library and Remedy Church’s partnership transformed what began as faded concrete into a three dimensional bookshelf with the spines of famous children’s books designed by an award winning local artist, Douglas E. Draper Jr. Over the past few months, countless hands from the community have been placed on the wall. Now complete, the mural stands as a mark of unity and culture for Downtown Salisbury. 

Upon cutting the ribbon, Ryan Weaver, lead pastor at Remedy Church, urged the attenders to exclaim “Welcome to the Renaissance,” thereby ushering in new momentum for downtown and possibly more plans for murals surfacing throughout the historic district. 

Wicomico Public Library has locations in Downtown Salisbury, the Centre at Salisbury, in Pittsville, a computer access station in Bivalve, and the Library Bookmobile. Not only does the Wicomico Public Library offer numerous resources such as free Internet access, a variety of classes and events, and an online virtual library with eBooks, but it engages with the community by supporting learning, building community, and enriching lives. You Belong @ Wicomico Public Library!

Teachers Complain Common Core-Linked Lessons Little More Than Scripts To Read

Some of the biggest critics of new lesson plans aligned with the national Common Core standards are the people charged with teaching them.

A growing number of teachers say the national standards, adopted by some 45 states, have combined with pressure to "teach to the test" to take all individuality out of their craft. Some teachers told FoxNews.com the new education approach is turning their lessons into little more than data-dispensing sessions, and they fear their jobs are being marginalized.

“Now teachers aren’t as unique,” said Michael Warren, a public school history teacher in New Jersey. “It means anyone can do it. It’s like taking something done by humans and having it done by a machine.”

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Former University Of North Carolina Professor Faces Fraud Charge In Academic Scandal

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. – A former professor at the center of an academic scandal involving athletes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been charged with a felony, accused of receiving $12,000 in payment for a lecture course in which he held no classes.

A grand jury on Monday indicted Julius Nyang'Oro with a single felony count of obtaining property by false pretenses.

Nyang'Oro was chairman of the Department of African and Afro-American Studies. He resigned from that post in 2011 during a campus investigation that found certain classes in the department that instructors did not teach, undocumented grade changes and faked faculty signatures on some grade reports.

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Pension Threats In Illinois, Detroit Rattle Government Workers

Bev Johns sat before Illinois lawmakers and asked why they hated teachers.

The 67-year-old retired special-education teacher and administrator from Jacksonville thought she had a secure pension in return for 34 years of work. She wanted the people considering reducing benefits to rescue the worst-funded U.S. state pension system to know whom they were affecting.

“You are punishing people who devoted their lives to educating children,” Johns told a committee in Springfield on Dec. 3. “You are harming individuals who have educated children, worked long hours, paid for materials out of their pocket and often fed and clothed children.”

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Obamacare Dumps Unpaid Bills On Providers

Payment grace period opens the system to fraud.

‘Uh-oh.” That’s the sound being uttered in doctors’ offices and hospitals across the country as medical providers realize they’re getting stuck with another bottomless Obamacare bill. While the White House desperately tries to pivot from the havoc wrought by the Affordable Care Act, its hidden regulatory bombs keep exploding.

I heard about the latest problem this week from an eye-doctor friend who received a letter from a Colorado-based insurer informing her that she’s essentially on the hook for Obamacare’s payment grace period for debtors. The optometrist is bracing for a flood of similar letters from other insurers. Like countless other independent providers, she’s extremely concerned about the potential liability, uncertainty, and fraud the rule imposes on her business.

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The Government’s War On Long-Haul Truckers

Intrusive new regulations might actually make our highways more dangerous.

Manuel Hernandez is not a complainer. But lately, he’s got a lot to complain about. Excessive government regulations are making it harder and harder for him to earn a living. And he’s not sure what he can do about it.

Hernandez is not an energy executive being hassled by the EPA, a banker trying to cope with Dodd-Frank, or a doctor getting nickel-and-dimed by HHS and Obamacare; he’s a long-haul trucker. And his story is one all Republicans running for office should know, because it personifies our government’s war against a large category of middle-class workers who make our economy hum.

Readers of the Wall Street Journal met Hernandez in his truck somewhere on Interstate 10 between El Paso and Los Angeles, thanks to a superb piece of reporting by Betsy Morris last week. This first sentence caught every reader’s attention: “Manuel Hernandez is one of a vanishing breed: a professional long-haul trucker.”

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Putin’s Diplomats To U.S. Busted For Living High Life Off $1.5M Bilked From Medicaid

Federal prosecutors have charged 49 Russian diplomats and their spouses with cheating Medicaid out of $1.5 million, which some of them used to buy concert tickets, helicopter rides and shopping sprees at Tiffany’s and Bloomingdale’s in New York.

Despite the charges, no arrests have been made and no trials are likely, as the Russians have dimplomatic immunity, prosecutors acknowledged. At most, the U.S. could expel the 11 of the 49 charged believed to still be in the country.

The charges come as relations between the U.S. and Russia have soured amid disagreements over Syria and Iran, but a State Department official in Washington downplayed the impact of Thursday’s actions in New York.

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President Obama Acknowledges Having Lived With His Uncle

President Obama acknowledged Thursday that he lived with his Kenyan uncle for a brief period in the 1980s while preparing to attend Harvard Law School, contradicting a statement more than two years ago that the White House had no record of the two ever meeting.

Their relationship came into question Tuesday at the deportation hearing of the president’s uncle, Onyango Obama, in Boston immigration court. His uncle had lived in the United States illegally since the 1970s and revealed for the first time in testimony that his famous nephew had stayed at his Cambridge apartment for about three weeks. At the time, Onyango Obama was here illegally and fighting deportation.

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D.C. Police Officer Accused Of Running Prostitution Ring

WASHINGTON (WJLA) - A D.C. police officer is alleged to have been pimping a number of teenage girls from his Southeast D.C. apartment, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court Wednesday.

The unnamed officer is the one whose apartment was searched throughout Wednesday, a search during which sources say police were able to locate a teenage girl who had been reported missing by her family.

According to documents, the girl who was discovered was part of a prostitution ring being run by the cop, who sources say works Washington's 7th District.

A search warrant filed at U.S. District Court in the District indicates that the 16-year-old girl, who was found Wednesday inside the Stanton Road Southeast apartment, was one of a number of girls the officer was allegedly prostituting.

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Democrat Tax Per Mile Scheme Surfaces Again In Congress

If implemented, the federal gas tax will nearly double

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat, is investigating a wealth confiscation system that “looks to the future and helps provide a more stable funding base for the next one hundred years.”

Blumenauer has introduced H.R. 3638, federal legislation that will establish a Road Usage Fee Pilot Program to study an automobile mileage-based fee scheme. The bill was introduced on December 3.

Once implemented, the plan would nearly double taxes on gasoline from 18.4 cents to 33.4 cents per gallon.

The Oregon congressman introduced a similar bill last December. H.R. 6662 was pushed as a jobs creation program.

“With the Highway Trust Fund facing a 21 percent reduction revenue by 2040, based on current driving patterns and projected increases in fuel economy, we need innovative solutions to close this gap,” Blumenauer told The Hill on December 14, 2012.

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Why Modern Society Must Do Away With Privacy ASAP

When progress trumps privacy ... In 1890, two of America's leading legal minds, Louis Brandeis and Samuel Warren, published an article called "The Right to Privacy" in the Harvard Law Review. Scandalized by the rise of a gossip-mongering press that intruded on the lives of prominent citizens, they called upon the courts to recognize a "right to privacy." Their fear was that new technological and commercial innovations — in this case photography and the mass-circulation gossip rag — would cause the rich and famous untold mental pain and distress. As Stewart Baker observes in his provocative book Skating on Stilts, the substance of Brandeis and Warren's argument now seems rather quaint, as a gossipy news media has become a central part of our public life. In Baker's telling, "the right to privacy was born as a reactionary defense of the status quo." And even now, he argues, privacy campaigners often overreact against new technologies they fear but do not understand. Baker's argument has been panned in civil libertarian circles. – Reuters 

Dominant Social Theme: We live in modern times and people simply have to discard the idea that government ought to be kept out of their private lives. 

Free-Market Analysis: Think of government as a stern father or an understanding confessor. Reveal your most intimate secrets. It won't hurt. And it will help to forget that governments slaughtered something like 200 million people in the 20th century.

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Obama’s Pointless Dog And Pony Show

As the flaws inherent in Obamacare become increasingly difficult for even the most news-averse Americans to ignore, President Obama is embarking on a probably futile crusade to sell the public on his signature legislative monstrosity.

Obama seems destined to get an even less enthusiastic reception from the public than George W. Bush received during the 43rd president’s ill-fated and largely forgotten 2005 crusade to reform Social Security.

Although Obama announced he is embarking on a three-week tour to convince Americans that socialized medicine is the answer to their collective prayers, Americans are recoiling at the brazen incompetence of the Obamacare exchange rollout. They seem to know almost instinctively that Obama’s statement foreshadows the looming disaster that we know as later-stage implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

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A Roll Of The Dice

Young people reject Obama’s gamble with their future; they prefer online casinos.

President Obama is back selling his health-care law with the manic intensity of a late-night-infomercial pitchman who knows that if he doesn’t move the product, it could be discontinued.

Here’s Obama aiming his comments at young people this Wednesday: “The product is good. It’s affordable. This is a big deal, to quote Joe Biden. And if you’re a student-body president, set up a conference on campus. If you’re a bartender, have a happy hour.”

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Two Men Speak Out Against Obamacare, Receive IRS Notices On Same Day

WASHINGTON, — When conservative organizations claimed that they were targeted by the IRS, the one-third or so of the nation who still trust this president may actually question whether the dots connect to prove it. But what if two people speak out against Obamacare, working together publicly on an Obamacare-related problem, and then receive threatening letters from the IRS — on the same day?

Illinois health insurance broker C. Steven Tucker and South Carolina cancer patient Bill Elliott both received letters from the IRS on Monday, Nov. 25, 2013.

The Washington Times reported on Nov. 7 that Elliott appeared on The Kelly File on Fox News Channel to explain that he had lost his insurance in the midst of his cancer treatment, all because of Obamacare requirements. This segment from Megyn Kelly’s show became a widely-shared video, due in part to Elliott’s admission that he voted for Obama’s re-election in 2012 because of the president’s comments about people being able to keep their plans, doctors and hospitals. When Elliott lost his policy, doctors, hospitals and treatments during his fight against cancer, he quickly recognized that Obama has been lying all along. Elliott now calls for Obama’s resignation when he appears in interviews.

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A Letter To The Editor: Does The Daily Times Actually Follow Their Own Rules?

Any time I see a raging article or post about the Daily Times, the Gannett Code of Ethics comes to mind. Maybe your readers would like to see it and make some comments about how well the Daily Times follows its own rules of conscience and performance.

GO HERE

Obamacare Raids $300 Billion From Medicare Advantage

Obamacare “raided” $300 billion for Medicare Advantage and seniors will begin feeling the cuts next year, according to an analysis Tuesday by the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.

Obamacare took $700 billion from Medicare and $300 billion from Medicare Advantage alone for its own funding, according to the subcommittee. The cuts to Medicare Advantage beneficiaries will “begin to be fully realized in the next year,” according to the subcommittee.

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Local Child Helps Animals @ Baywater Animal Rescue

Addie Shilliday celebrated her 9th birthday by having her family adn friends donate food & toys for the homeless pets at Baywater Animal Rescue. Shelter dog Ginger can't wait to dig into the treats!

The IRS And SEC Want To Snoop Through Your Email Without A Warrant; Don’t Let Them

We’ve talked a lot about ECPA reform — which is the incredibly outdated “electronic communications privacy act” which actually makes sure that you have less privacy than other forms of communication. This isn’t necessarily on purpose, but because the law was written in the mid-1980s when email itself was a relatively new concept. It includes some bizarre distinctions between opened and unopened emails and if a message has been “left on a server” for more than 180 days (at which point it’s considered “abandoned” and not subject to a warrant). Obviously it never anticipated the kind of internet we have today. It also goes against basic 4th Amendment principles and treats electronic messages differently from physical messages.

There actually is a fair bit of support in both Congress and the White House to fix this… if we can get enough public support behind it, which includes getting more people to sign this petition. As with SOPA, there’s a strong suggestion that if this petition tips the scales at 100,000, we can get the White House to come out in favor of ECPA reform.

What’s standing in the way? Well, a bunch of government agencies, honestly. There are the obvious ones like the DOJ and DHS. That’s to be expected. They always want to make it easier to snoop through emails and written communications. But apparently some of the strongest voices trying to block ECPA reform within the government are coming from the SEC and the IRS, because they too see plenty of advantages in trying to snoop through emails without having to take the trouble of getting a warrant.

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Obama's End-Runs Around Congress Spark Bipartisan Criticism

President Obama has repeatedly pledged, "If Congress refuses to act, I'll do everything in my power to act without them," and as he makes good on his promise it's sparking criticism from both the right and left.

At a House Judiciary Committee hearing this week, GOP lawmakers repeatedly expressed frustration with the president's end-runs around Congress on everything from non-enforcement of immigration laws to massive re-writes of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Committee Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., says the president, "doesn't have a debate in the Oval Office about what he wants to do," adding, "he does what he wants to do, and then you no longer have representative democracy."

George Washington University law professor and Obama supporter Jonathan Turley says he's troubled by the expansion of executive power under both President George W. Bush and now President Obama.

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Salisbury Christmas Parade 2013

You can watch the parade from East Main Street & Mt. Hermon Road. The Judges Stand is at East Main Street at the public works fountain in the City Park. Thank you and we hope to see you at the parade!

Salisbury Maryland Jaycees

In the event of inclement weather,
please call our Chapter phone
410-749-0144 ext 109,
there will be a recording with any cancellation information.

Why Hillary Will Lose Again

Hardly a week goes by without Hillary Clinton receiving another award.

Last month she was named a “Global Champion” by the International Medical Corps, received theAmerican Patriot Award at the National Defense University Foundation and the Hermandad Award from the Mexican American Leadership Initiative.

Considering that Hillary Clinton is as much of an American patriot as is she is a Mexican-American leader… both awards seem equally deserved.

Hillary was honored by Malaria No More for being against malaria and by the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice for supporting internet freedom. Because nothing says internet freedom like sending a man to jail for a YouTube video.

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Democratic Infighting Erupts Over ‘We Can Have It All’ Fantasy On Entitlements

The Democratic rift over entitlements deepened this week as a top party contender for governor in Pennsylvania came under fire from liberals after a think tank of which she is co-chairwoman criticized economic-populism messages of Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and New York Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio.

Liberals demanded that gubernatorial candidate Allyson Y. Schwartz cut her ties with Third Way after two of its top officials wrote an op-ed criticizing Ms. Warren and Mr. de Blasio by name, saying they are pushing a “‘we can have it all’ fantasy.”

The activist groups Democracy for America and Progressive Change Campaign Committee pounced, demanding that Mrs. Schwartz, who is now a member of the U.S. House, relinquish her position as honorary co-chairwoman of Third Way.

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Bank Lobbyists Want To Raise Taxes On 96 Million Americans

As Congress debates an overhaul of the tax code, it is considering implementing new taxes that will have a dramatic impact on the middle class and effectively raise taxes on about 96 million people. This blanket-style review of the tax code would end the tax-exempt status for nonprofit credit unions, which would jeopardize tens of thousands of jobs and stifle economic growth.

New taxes on credit unions will also eliminate needed competition between banks and credit unions. The result: higher fees and higher loan and mortgage rates for many in the middle class, and for small businesses.

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Colonel Who Vowed To Disarm Americans Works With Homeland Security

Oath-violating Bateman also made veiled death threats against blogger

Lt. Col. Robert Bateman, the second amendment-hating Army Officer who caused controversy after vowing to “pry your gun from your cold, dead, fingers,” works closely with the Department of Homeland Security.

Earlier this week, Bateman, an active military commander, penned a piece for Esquire magazine in which he promised to push for a total ban on all firearms besides muskets, shotguns and rifles, and shut down all gun manufacturers except for those who produced weapons for the federal government and the armed forces (you will be disarmed, the state will have a monopoly on firepower).

Bateman is president and founder of Alliance Defense Marketing Associates LLC, a “global premier risk management” firm that does work for the DHS.

According to the company’s website, part of the services offered by the firm include, “Homeland Security operational initiatives.”

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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 12-7-13

Pipes

This history doesn’t go back too far in my memory, but it is hard to believe it has been 53 years since 1960. That was the era of the “muscle car”. I still have to roll my window down to get a better sound whenever I hear some guy come rolling along with a nice set of pipes. I always give him the “thumbs-up” sign to show my appreciation. By pipes I mean the exhaust system on a car. They all came with mufflers that made for a quiet ride, but that was not the desire of my generation. The best sound came from a set of glass packs on a Chevy. Ford sounded better with steel packed mufflers. Dual exhaust was mandatory for a really good sound.

We always kept our original mufflers, because when we got stopped by the police, they required you to have legal mufflers when you went in to have your inspection warning certified.

Another way to get the rumbling sound was to punch holes in your legal mufflers with a screw driver. I wonder how many guys punched holes in their father’s muffler and then regretted it when their Dad found out.

I well remember getting stopped one time in my ‘56 Ford (with glass packs) and the state trooper asking me to “hit it”. I gave a gentle push on the accelerator and it gave a low rumble. He then said, “I said hit it”. When I did, the loud “blap-blap-blap” that resulted convinced me that I was sunk. I was.

I even had an LP record at the time that was nothing but good sounds coming from different kinds of pipes. I guess there is something about the sound that just reaches down into your soul.

Another sound that was also illegal was the sound of Lake pipes. These were exhaust pipes that came directly off your exhaust manifold and exited just behind your front wheels. There were caps on the end that could be removed rather quickly with a 1/2” wrench. Without the resistance of mufflers, the car was a bit faster and they were popular at drag strips. The same sound could be achieved by running straight pipes, but these were a lot of trouble and were also illegal.

One trick that some of us unfortunate to have an automatic transmission had was the “wind-down”. By running the car up to about 40 mph in low gear, turning it off and letting it wind down, it would build up pressure that was released by turning the ignition on again. The sound coming from those glass packs was truly awesome. When Main Street was open for traffic, doing a “wind-down” between Market Street and Division Streetheading east was a real hoot. The local constable was Jumbo Pusey, and he would just shake his head and yell from his position of the corner of Main and St. Peter’s streets, “Keep it down, George”. He knew we would only do it once and then be satisfied for the night. I later learned that this was not real good for the car, so I haven’t tried it lately. But that doesn’t stop me from rolling down my window and taking in the sound of a great set of “Pipes”.

Salisbury Kennel Club & Jaycees Work Out Their Differences For Christmas Parade

In what seems to be an almost embarrassing misunderstanding between the Kennel Club and the Jaycees, today we can say the two parties have worked out their differences and the Kennel Club will in fact be in the original 33rd position and will participate in this years Parade.

A REAL Tractor Pull

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA Monday, December 9, 2013 6:00 p.m.

Government Office Building Room 301

Times shown for agenda items are estimates only.

6:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER

6:01 p.m. WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS

6:03 p.m. INVOCATION/MEDITATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

6:10 p.m. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION PRESENTATION

 Village of Hope – presented by Jasmine Rogers

6:20 p.m. ADOPTION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

6:25 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA – City Clerk Kim Nichols

 November 18, 2013 work session minutes

 November 25, 2013 regular meeting minutes

 Resolution No. 2350 - accepting grant funds from the State of Maryland through the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention to purchase mobile fingerprint scanners

 Resolution No. 2351 - supporting an application for the City of Salisbury to become a Maryland Smart Energy Community

6:30 p.m. AWARD OF BIDS – Assistant Director of Internal Services – Procurement & Parking Jennifer L. Miller

 Declaration of Surplus – W-16 JCB Backhoe

6:35 p.m. PRESENTATION OF AUDIT – Internal Services Director Keith Cordrey/Ms. Pam Baker (Barbacane, Thornton and Co.)

 FY13 audit and financial statements

7:00 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING/ RESOLUTION (COMCAST RATE FILING) – Interim City Administrator M. Thomas Stevenson

 Resolution No. 2352 - approving the calculation of maximum permitted rates for limited basic service and regulated equipment rates and installation charges as set forth in Comcast’s rate filing dated October 1, 2013

7:15 p.m. RESOLUTIONS – Interim City Administrator M. Thomas Stevenson

 Resolution No. 2353 - authorizing the Mayor to sign a renewal lease with the Tri-County Council for the Lower Shore of Maryland for the use of a grass strip on Calvert Street as a Shore Transit bus stop and transfer station

 Resolution No. 2354 - authorizing the Mayor to sign a renewal lease with the Tri-County Council for the Lower Shore of Maryland for the use of a grass strip and the sidewalk parallel thereto on Circle Avenue between the corner of Division Street and the entrance to Parking Lot #1 as a Shore Transit bus stop

 Resolution No. 2355 - accepting the donation of a desktop computer from the Delmarva Zoological Society for the Salisbury Zoological Park

7:25 p.m.

ANNEXATION RESOLUTIONS – Merritt Mill Road/Smith Annexation – Interim City Administrator M. Thomas Stevenson

 Resolution No. 2356 - approving the Merritt Mill Road/Smith Annexation and establishing a date for the public hearing

 Resolution No. 2357 - approving the Merritt Mill Road/Smith Annexation plan

7:50 p.m.

ORDINANCES – City Attorney Mark Tilghman

 Ordinance No. 2271 – 2nd reading – to establish a mechanical permit fee

 Ordinance No. 2272 - 1st reading - rezoning property (former Linens of the Week property) located on the Northerly side of Anne Street and on both sides of Short Street from General Commercial to R-5a Residential

 Ordinance No. 2273 - to authorize and empower City of Salisbury (the “City”) to issue and sell from time to time, upon its full faith and credit, General Obligation Bonds in one or more series in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed three million one hundred seventy-eight thousand dollars ($3,178,000.00), the proceeds of the sale thereof to be used and applied for the public purpose of financing, reimbursing or refinancing costs (as defined herein, which include issuance costs and capitalized interest) of the public purpose projects identified herein as: Riverwalk, Mainstreet Master Plan, Coty Cox drainage improvements, and Germania Circle

8:15 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

8:20 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT

Somerset Co. Sheriff's Office Press Release 12-7-13

Deandre Maurice Taylor of Princess Anne, arrested 12-3-13 on warrants for failing to appear in Circuit Court. Taylor was held without bond until trial. Taylor had been on the Sheriff’s Office’s MOST WANTED list for several months, and was apprehended by the State Police Apprehension Team in the area of the Somers Place Apartments , Princess Anne.

Gattis, Lavaughn Tyree of Delmar, arrested 12-4-13 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Gattis was held on a $500.00 bond.

Brian William Clayton of Bloxom Virginia, arrested 12-4-13 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Clayton was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

Purnell, Jodeci Kilwaan of Salisbury, arrested 12-4-13 on a warrant for violation of probation. Purnell was held without bond.

Johnson, Aaron Shane of Quantico Maryland, arrested 12-5-13 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Johnson was released after posting bond.

Phillips, Loretta Lee of Salisbury, arrested 12-5-13 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Phillips was held on a $500.00 bond.

Clarence Linnel Ward Jr. of Salisbury, arrested 12-6-13 on a warrant for violation of probation. Ward was held without bond.

Hodge, Enmanuel James of Princess Anne, arrested 12-6-13 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Hodge was released on an unsecured bond.

Multimillion-Dollar “China City” Proposed In New York

U.S. immigration officials are considering a proposal from Chinese investors to create a multibillion-dollar development in New York’s Catskills called “China City” — raising concerns among critics about the potential cost to U.S. taxpayers and, according to one analyst, the possibility it could be a “stalking horse” for the Beijing government.

A spokesman from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told FoxNews.com that the proposal for Thompson, N.Y., has not been approved but is under consideration.

The mysterious proposed development appears to be a step beyond the types of ethnic enclaves scattered throughout U.S. cities, like the Chinatown sections of New York City or San Francisco. The 600-acre “China City of America” is located far outside New York City in upstate New York’s wetlands and is a meticulously planned project, calling for family housing, a college and student residences, among other structures. In addition to needing federal approval, it would likely need a host of state and local permits before ground could be broken.

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Troopers Warn Retailers About Quick Change Scam, Seek Public's Help Locating Suspect

Location: New Castle County, Delaware

Date of Occurrence: November and December, 2013

Suspect: Warren Sampson, 68, of Philadelphia, PA (photo attached)

Resume: Wilmington – Troopers are urging retailers to be vigilant after several merchants have become victims of a Philadelphia man's quick change scam.

Throughout November and December Warren Sampson, 68, has committed thefts in at least eight stores in Wilmington, Greenville, Newark, and Bear. Sampson usually purchases a small item using a $100 bill. After the transaction is completed, Sampson claims he received incorrect change and initiates a series of rapid money exchanges with the cashier in order to correct the cashier's purported mistake. Once Sampson leaves, the cashier realizes Sampson left with the merchandise, the change, and the original $100 bill.

In at least once case, Sampson did not purchase merchandise, but asked the cashier to make change for a $100 bill. A few minutes after receiving the change, Sampson claimed he received too much change, asked to see the $100 bill and, once the cashier was distracted, left with the $100 bill and the change.

Sampson is always described as well dressed, engaging, and friendly. He sometimes distracts the cashiers by complementing them or asking them to write down information for him.

Troopers have obtained warrants for Sampson's arrest on several counts of theft.

If anyone has any information about Sampson's whereabouts, they are asked to contact the Troop 1 Retail Theft Unit at 302-528-4339, or by utilizing the Delaware State Police Mobile Crime Tip Application available to download at: http://www.delaware.gov/apps/. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."

Stolen Golf Carts

DATE & TIME: 11/28/2013 @ 1345 INCIDENT NUMBER: 13MSP004003

LOCATION: 32418 Mt Hermon Rd Salisbury, Wicomico County, MD

BRIEF RESUME: On 11/28/13 at approximately 1345 hours Troopers responded to 32418 Mt Hermon Rd in Salisbury, Wicomico County, Maryland for a report of a burglary. Three golf carts and four charging units for the golf carts were missing from the location. The golf carts have an estimated value of $1600 each.

Anyone having information in regards to this burglary/theft is urged to contact Tfc. Goldman at 410-749-3101 ext.0

Missing Cat 11-30-13: UPDATE

Lost in the vicinity of Lillian and Smith Streets Hebron Maryland.

Female Gray tabby.

Answers to the name Bastet.

Born with no right hind leg below the knee.

Found Bengi Like Dog In Princess Anne

Somerset, Wicomico, & Worcester Counties. Do any of you recognize this little fella. He has been found by a wonderful family but wondered if someone was missing him. He has on a blue collar & was found in Princess Anne at Thanksgiving. Call me at (410) 430-5448 if you have any information to help.

Dec. 7, 1941 and Pearl Harbor: A date that still lives in infamy

HONOLULU, December 7, 2013 — Seventy-two years may have passed since the Imperial Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, but the historical shockwaves of the bombs dropped on that Day of Infamy continue to be felt and remembered in Hawaii.

Present-day Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam facilities still have concrete buildings pockmarked by strafing runs of Japanese attack planes, and the wreckage of the U.S.S. Arizona continues to leak fuel from her bunker tanks, a phenomena which some superstitious survivors believe will stop once the last Pearl Harbor survivor passes away. Partially submerged off Ford Island, the twisted remains of the battleship U.S.S. Utah can still be seen jutting above the waves, quietly resting where she sank.

Occassionally, storms and the shifting of sediment on the ocean floor expose sunken Japanese aircraft parts, misfired torpedoes and more. These and other WWII artifacts make Hawaii a treasure trove for locals and historians to see first-hand the enduring legacy of the world’s most devastating war.
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Troopers Investigate Multiple Shooting at Moodswing Niteclub.Lounge, Kirkwood Highway

DSP News Release: Troopers Investigate Multiple Shooting at Moodswing Niteclub.Lounge, Kirkwood Highway

Location:

• Moodswing Niteclub.Lounge (parking lot), 3421 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE

Date of Occurrence:

• Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 1:48 a.m.

Victims:

• 21 year old male
• 22 year old male
• 24 year old male
• 33 year old female

Suspects:

• Unknown suspects, no physical or clothing description available at this time.
• No surveillance photos available at this time for release

Resume:

Wilmington-Delaware State Police Major Crimes Detectives are investigating an early morning shooting in the parking lot of the Moodswing Niteclub, which has left four victims with non-life threatening gunshot wounds.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the incident occurred on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at approximately 1:48 a.m. as Troopers responded to the Moodswing Niteclub.Lounge for reports of a large crowd exiting the club after an event featuring the rapper Meek Mill, with gunshots being fired by multiple shooters in the parking lot.

Arriving Troopers were confronted by a large crowd of approximately 600-700 patrons in the parking lot fleeing on foot and in cars, and could hear multiple gunshots being fired within the crowd. Troopers were able to secure the scene, clear and disperse the crowd without further incident.

Troopers located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds that were treated by EMS and transported by ambulance to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

Two victims suffering from gunshot wounds were transported by friends to local hospitals for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The hospital disposition and treatment status were unknown at the time of this release.

A total of five vehicles in the parking lot were damaged by gunfire.

Troopers continue to collect evidence at the scene and conduct interviews to determine a motive for the shooting. No suspects have been identified at this time.

If anyone has any information about this incident are asked to contact the Major Crimes Unit at Troop 2 at 302-834-2630 Extension #207 or by utilizing the Delaware State Police Mobile Crime Tip Application available to download at: http://www.delaware.gov/apps/.  Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet atwww.tipsubmit.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."

Send an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."

Sergeant Paul G. Shavack  

Director of Public Information | Delaware State Police   P.O. Box 430| Dover, DE 19903