'The Waltons' Dad Ralph Waite Dies At Age 85

Ralph Waite, known to millions as John Walton Sr. on the warmhearted 1970s TV series The Waltons – and, more recently, as the Mark Harmon character's father, Jackson "Jack" Gibbs, on the CBS hit NCIS – died at his Palm Desert home at about 11 a.m. Thursday, according to the Desert Sun. He was 85.

The paper reports that his longtime friend, Jerry Preece, showed up for a lunch and movie date only to find ambulances and Waite's wife, Linda Waite, at the house.

"She just told me she thought he’d passed," said Preece, who ascribed his friend's death to a "tired heart. … This last year or two, he had really gotten closer to realizing that his body was wearing out." 
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Amazing 2008 Video: Obama Attacks Bush For His Executive Orders, Overreach, And Refusal To Work With Congress

Thank goodness he's put everything right.

The attached video is from a 2008 Town Hall campaign event in Lancaster PA. It surfaced on YouTube earlier today, and it's been spreading like wildfire ever since. In it, candidate Obama tears into then President George W. Bush for his abuse of executive orders, his expansion of executive power, and his refusal to work with Congress.

According to Senator Obama:

"The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the executive branch and not go through Congress at all. And that’s what I intend to reverse when I’m president of the United States of America."

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Being An American

My Grandfather watched as his friends died in WW I...

My Father watched as his friends died in WW II and Korea ...

I watched as my friends died in Vietnam ....

None of them died for the Mexican Flag...

Everyone died for the U.S. Flag...

Obamacare Enrollment Rate Slows Markedly In January

On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that enrollment in the Obamacare private exchanges increased by 1,146,071 in January. In December, HHS reported1,788,000 enrollees in the month of December. That suggests a drop-off of approximately 500,000, or 29 percent. (See the chart on page 5 here for a graphical representation).

Yet this underestimates the true extent of enrollment dropoffs. The HHS reporting period for December was four weeks, beginning on 12/1 and ending on 12/28. The reporting period for January was five weeks, beginning on 12/29 and ending on 2/1. This suggests that in December, enrollments averaged 447,000 per week, compared to 229,000 in January, or a 49 percent drop-off in new enrollees.
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Chart Of The Day - The Hiringless Recovery

Many have opined that while the unemployment rate may be 6.6%, down from a peak of 10% three and a half year ago, the so-called recovery sure doesn't feel like one: after all so many Americans are still struggling to find work and as so many complain, employers are simply not hiring.

But how is that possible if the establishment survey tells us that the 12 month cumulative change in payrolls is now back to its ~2 million pre-recession average? Well, as it turns out, all those who complain about lack of hiring, are absolutely correct.

As the chart below shows, using the most recent JOLTS data, while historically the hires and cumulative job change numbers have tracked each other almost perfectly, in the current environment, hiring is far below where it should be if one were to believe the headline job numbers.

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Police Expand Efforts To Find Suspects In UMES Slaying

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (AP) — Maryland State Police say investigators have expanded their search for the person or persons who killed a college student during homecoming week last year.

Edmond St. Clair, 21, of Severn was fatally stabbed Feb. 16, 2013 on the campus of University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Troopers say St. Clair was in a car with others when they encountered a group walking.

Police say an altercation broke out, and St. Clair was stabbed in the upper torso.
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Caption This Photo 2-13-14

Huge Win for Gun Owners in… California?

A federal appeals court struck down key parts of California’s permit system for handguns on Thursday, ruling that the state must allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms in public.

In a 2-1 decision, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that by requiring citizens to prove “good cause” — rather than just the right to self-defense — in order to obtain a concealed weapons permit, San Diego County is in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution. If the decision stands, the permit system for the entire state of California would be invalidated, the Washington Post reports.

California state law also requires gun owners who apply for a concealed weapons permit to show “good cause” as to why they want to carry a firearm. The permit process would still be left up to individual cities and counties if the ruling holds.
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Are You With Me?

GUNS (Virtual State of the Union 2013)

I Suggest You Stay Inside Today

Applications For Jobless Benefits Rise To 339K

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose 8,000 last week to 339,000, evidence that layoffs ticked up. Still, the increase wasn’t enough to suggest the job market is worsening.

The Labor Department said Thursday that the four week average of applications, a less volatile measure, increased 3,500 to a seasonally adjusted 336,750.

The average is roughly in line with pre-recession levels and suggests that, despite last week’s rise, companies are cutting few jobs. Applications are a proxy for layoffs.
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Over 100 Farmers & Business Leaders Gather To Discuss Agriculture

FEBRUARY 2014, FRUITLAND, MD- Ben Alder, Senior Advisor with Sperry Van Ness – Miller Commercial Real Estate in Salisbury, MD recently hosted the 2014 Agricultural Forum at Black Diamond Lodge in Fruitland, MD. The event was focused on providing useful information to over 100 local farmers and agricultural producers regarding economics, land use and the agricultural market. John Ade, the Senior Vice President of North American Grain for Perdue Agribusiness was on hand to open the event.

Several of the event sponsors hosted breakout sessions during the forum. Nationwide Agribusiness led a session on Estate Planning, Miles & Stockbridge presented information about Land Use Laws and Regulations, Mike Twining of Willard Agri-Service spoke about Farm Profitability, and Paradise Energy and Hoober/Case IH led a session on Farm Technology and the Environment. Dan Manternach, the Director of Operations for Doane Advisory Services gave the keynote speech focusing on a Global Look at Agricultural Markets & Delmarva.

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Congressmen Call For Federal Audit Of Md. Health Exchange

WASHINGTON — — Two Republican lawmakers called Wednesday for an investigation into federal money spent on Maryland's troubled health insurance exchange, raising questions that could shed light on whether the Obama administration foresaw problems with the site before its launch.

In a letter to the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Reps. Andy Harris of Maryland and Jack Kingston of Georgia ask auditors to review why millions of federal dollars flowed into the project despite warnings from a consultant about problems.

Though the letter is focused on decisions made by state officials, an audit — if one materializes — would also delve into decisions made by the federal health agency. Health and Human Services officials have declined to say whether they knew of the Maryland site's problems early on.
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SALISBURY CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2014

CONFERENCE ROOM 306

GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING

1:30 p.m.

Recycling and Waste Collection – Pat Luce

2:00 p.m.

Stash Your Trash – Priscilla Timpkin

2:30 p.m.

HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign

3:00 p.m.

Environmental Policy Task Force – Mike Moulds

3:30 p.m.

Waste to Energy Program – Lee Beauchamp

4:00 p.m.

Stormwater Management Public Education Initiative – Karen Lukacs

4:30 p.m.

General Discussion

4:45 p.m.

Adjournment

Brown Calls On Lawmakers To Approve Pre-K

Two legislative committees took up a bill today that would expand prekindergarten to 1,600 more children.

The Senate's Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee held hearings on the bill.

Gov. Martin O'Malley has budgeted $4.3 million for the project. It would extend prekindergarten to children who are up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

Local school systems are currently required to offer public pre-K to 4-year-olds whose families are at or below 185 percent of federal poverty guidelines. In the 2012-13 school year, 26,402 children were enrolled in public school pre-K.
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GOVERNOR O'MALLEY ISSUES STATEMENT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S DEFENSE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TMDL

ANNAPOLIS, MD -- Governor O'Malley issued the following statement on Maryland's amicus brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit:

“As we continue to make great strides in restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay, it is critical that we protect our hard-won progress. As a result, I have asked the Attorney General to submit an amicus brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in support of the Environmental Protection Agency's defense of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL.”

“While we have accomplished much, there is still more work to be done and it is imperative that we continue our efforts to ensure that our nation's largest estuary, a true national treasure, will be protected for future generations. As Chair of the Chesapeake Executive Council, I am encouraging the other states in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to join Maryland and support the EPA in this effort.”

5.5 Billion In Taxable Income Leaves Maryland

The Tax Foundation published a new map Monday showing the migration of income between states in the decade 2000-2010, with Maryland losing $5.5 billion in taxable income along with 66,000 residents.

The map has been making the rounds on Facebook, posted by conservative politicians and activists as further proof that Maryland taxes are driving people out of the state. The map is based on tax return data from the Internal Revenue Service, the same data Change Maryland used last year to show Maryland losing residents to states such as Virginia, a story picked up by national media.

On the map, the losing states are shown in purple and pink, and are generally higher tax states. The interactive map of the Tax Foundation website links back to the fuller data on which the map is based.

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MARYLAND LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION NETWORKS PROMPT STATE, FEDERAL CONCERNS

ANNAPOLIS – Each day across the state, hundreds of thousands of motorists’ license plates are recorded, stamped with location and time, and disseminated to various local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies – sometimes to be retained indefinitely.

While local police departments throughout Maryland have developed agency-specific policies for the retention of this data, state and federal data ‘fusion centers’ are collecting this same information, oftentimes imposing retention policies that conflict with those of the local agencies, raising concerns regarding the privacy of citizens.

In 2012, law enforcement agencies in Maryland collected 85 million license plate records through mounted police cameras, stationary highway cameras, and other surveillance methods utilizing license plate recognition technology, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
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Better Living Expo Returns To The Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Feb. 21-23

SALISBURY, Md. – The Optimist Club of Salisbury will hold their biggest fund raiser of the year, the Better Living Expo, Friday, Feb. 21 - Sunday, Feb. 23 at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. The event has become a Salisbury tradition. Prior events have included animals from the Salisbury Zoo, clowns and jugglers for the kids, a multitude of area contractors with the newest innovations for your home and garden and an entire room devoted to arts and crafts.

Support of this event affords the Optimist Club the ability to give back to the community and area youth.

Show Hours:

Friday, Feb. 21: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 22: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 23: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Admission:

Admission is $4 at the door (good for the whole weekend).

Children under 12 are admitted free.

For more information, visit www.salisburyoptimist.org/#!about1/c12ny.

SFD Calls For Service 2-12-14

• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 15:21:19Nature: InjuryCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 15:09:19Nature: SeizureCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 14:30:02Nature: Chest PainCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 14:19:26Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 14:16:01Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 13:59:53Nature: Flood With Electrical HazardsAddress: 121 E Naylor Mill Rd Salisbury, MD 21801
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 13:45:46Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 12:24:45Nature: Pi AccidentAddress: 1015 Beaglin Park Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 11:43:44Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 11:40:35Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 2727 N Salisbury Blvd Salisbury, MD 21801
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 10:58:42Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 10:27:59Nature: Syncopal EpisodeCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 10:21:35Nature: Medical AlarmCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 10:21:35Nature: Citizen AssistAddress: 122 S Division St Salisbury, MD 21801
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 08:32:14Nature: Back PainCity: Salisbury
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 06:20:06Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 1325 Treetop Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
• Wednesday February, 12 2014 @ 00:34:33Nature: Pro Qa EmsCity: Salisbury

"Gold Is Nature's Bitcoin"

Having previously explained how "the Fed has its thumb and fingers on the scales of finance," and why it will end badly; Jim Grant takes today's testimony from Janet Yellen to task in this brief (but fun-filled) clip.

While the new Fed chair spoke at length, Grant notes she did not explain how "the Fed continues in this unprecedented exercise in price control," and in less than 30-seconds, the always eloquent founder of the Interest Rate Observer 'translates' her Fed speak into reality -

"What we mean to do is continue to nationalize the yield curve... and we would like to enlist the stock market in a program of wealth creation for the security holders of America."

The Fed has manipulated interest rates for 100 years but Grant adds, "never - until now - has it manipulated the stock market as if it were a lever of public policy."

His discussion ranges from the bubble in Biotech to holding Gold (which he describes as "nature's bitcoin") because it is "the reciprocal of faith in Central Banks."

Spend 135 seconds of your life to listen to this... way more informative than watching Bode Miller flop again (or Shaun White)...

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OCPD MOURNS THE LOSS OF AUXILIARY OFFICER

It is with great sadness that the Ocean City Police Department shares the news of the passing of Auxiliary Officer (AO) Robert Borys.  AO Borys began volunteering as an Auxiliary Officer in 2005 and donated nearly 3,000 hours of service to the citizens of Ocean City. He was named Auxiliary Officer of the Year in 2008 and 2010.

AO Borys died peacefully on Thursday, February 6, with this loving wife of 64 years at his side. In addition to his wife, Verna Trenholm Borys, he is survived by four daughters; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and three sisters. He was 90 years old.

A memorial Mass will be said in his honor at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 14, at St. Luke’s Church located at 9903 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842.

A Letter To The Editor: "Funny Story"

Joe, have you ever cracked yourself up? I did just that the other day. Let me set this up for you. It’s almost 5:00 pm last Friday. I’m driving down Northwood Drive toward Rt.13. I get close to the end and round the corner just past the car wash. There’s a backup due to some idiot attempting a left-hand turn onto Rt.13 north. If you’ve driven around Salisbury at all, you know this is an almost impossible maneuver… especially at that hour on a Friday! This person did however leave enough room for all the rest of us to squeeze by on the right. Of course, this further complicated their dilemma because all the cars passing were blocking their view. So I finally move forward and it’s my turn. I glance down at the rear bumper of the car and it’s got an “Obama” sticker on it! I thought to myself… “Ya should have turned “Right” instead of “Left” and promptly busted out laughing!!!

22 Facts About The Coming US Demographic Shock Wave

Today, more than 10,000 Baby Boomers will retire. This is going to happen day after day, month after month, year after year until 2030. It is the greatest demographic tsunami in the history of the United States, and we are woefully unprepared for it. We have made financial promises to the Baby Boomers worth tens of trillions of dollars that we simply are not going to be able to keep. Even if we didn't have all of the other massive economic problems that we are currently dealing with, this retirement crisis would be enough to destroy our economy all by itself. During the first half of this century, the number of senior citizens in the United States is being projected tomore than double. As a nation, we are already drowning in debt. So where in the world are we going to get the money to take care of all of these elderly people?

The Baby Boomer generation is so massive that it has fundamentally changed America with each stage that it has gone through. When the Baby Boomers were young, sales of diapers and toys absolutely skyrocketed. When they became young adults, they pioneered social changes that permanently altered our society. Much of the time, these changes were for the worse.

According to the New York Post, overall household spending peaks when we reach the age of 46. And guess what year the peak of the Baby Boom generation reached that age?...

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Culture Of Corruption Postscript: The Solis Files

The former labor secretary is accused of accepting favors from shady union bosses.

Put on your super-shocked faces, everyone: Former Obama-administration official Hilda Solis, who is now running for yet another government position in Los Angeles, is embroiled in yet another union corruptocracy scandal. The Hope and Change hits just keep on coming.

Solis served as President No More Business as Usual’s first secretary of labor. Remember waaaay back then, when “most transparent administration in history” had not yet become an automatic punchline? Well before Solis’s confirmation, it was already clear she was a poster child for left-wing sleazeball politics:

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Panicked Shoppers Fight Over Food Amid ‘Snowpocalypse’

Empty shelves in Atlanta merely foreshadow future mass panic in America

Atlanta residents ransacked neighborhood grocery stores in frantic preparation for their second major snowstorm of the year, waging fights over food items and leaving destruction and empty shelves in their wake, a stunning precursor to what will ensue once a major crisis impacts the US.

After three inches of snow shut the city down two weeks ago, causing major havoc and leaving miles of cars stranded on immobile roadways, the residents of Atlanta took heed and shopped early.

According to people who Tweeted photos of barren store shelves, residents went crazy over essentials like milk, bread, water and eggs, and in some cases “people were fighting. Yes fighting,” alleges one user.

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The Regime Celebrates Its Birthday

As Clyde Wilson once pointed out, the symbol of America started out as “George Washington on his white horse” but is now “a corporate lawyer/lobbyist in an armchair.” The latter refers to the Lincoln Memorial, which is not so much the symbol of “America” but of the governmental regime in Washington, D.C. That is why Lincoln must be idolized, worshipped, and compared to Jesus Christ (“He died on Good Friday and died for America’s sins just as Christ died for the world’s sins” his idolaters and cultists have been saying for generations), and referred to as “Father Abraham.”

Lincoln did not create “a new birth of freedom” but a new birth of mercantilism, crony capitalism, and centralized government monopoly of the sort the American colonists had fought a revolution against. A real statesman would have followed the British example (and the French, Danes, Dutch, Spanish, and Swedish), and the example of all the Northern states in the U.S., and found a way to end slavery peacefully through some kind of compensated emancipation (See Jim Powell, Greatest Emancipations: How the West Ended Slavery). Instead, the ending of slavery eventually became associated with a war that, according to the most recent research, resulted in as many as 850,000 deaths (the old death count was 620,000).

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Mortgage Applications Drop - Hover Near 19 Year Lows

Despite being told by Bullard, Yellen (and numerous other Federal Reserve thinkers) that quantitative easing was aimed at improving the housing market, the data suggests that - somewhat predictably - it did very little for mom-and-pop organic real home-buyer but stoked speculation and fervor among fast-money cheap-funding investors (and as Marc Faber noted actually hurt the average homebuyer via un-affordability. The week-to-week ebbs and and flows in mortgage applications are notable (this week saw purchase applications drop 5% and back near recent lows) but a bigger picture glance at just where this "recovery" has been tells a very different story about confidence among home-buyers.

Mortgage applications for home purchases have basically flatlined since the Fed began QE and hover now just above their lowest levels since 1995...

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The Lawless Presidency

In a move both transparently political and utterly contemptuous of the rule of law, the Obama administration has yet again made changes to the healthcare law. The Treasury Department issued a fact sheet Monday, outlining the new regulations (laughingly referred to as “final”). They now give employers with 50-99 employees until 2016 to comply with ObamaCare’s employer mandate. In addition, employers with 100 or more workers who originally had to cover 95 percent of them to be in compliance will only have to offer coverage to 70 percent of their employees next year, transitioning to the original percentage by 2016. In short, a law written and passed by Congress and signed by the president is becoming whatever the Obama administration wants it to be.

And as usual, the administration wants it both ways. Even as it disputes the idea that ObamaCare is causing many companies to eliminate employees as a means of getting below the 50-worker threshold when the mandate kicks in, Treasury officials warned that businesses must “certify” they are not eliminating workers to avoid that mandate. Employers will self-attest to this reality on their tax forms under penalty of perjury.

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Why Democrats Hate Work

Last week, the Congressional Budget Office released a report discussing the ramifications of Obamacare. The report revealed that the work-hour equivalent of approximately 2.5 million jobs would disappear from the workforce, thanks to Obamacare, in a voluntary process in which employees would simply dump out of their jobs, knowing they could get health care through expanded Medicaid and federal subsidies they would lose by working.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., an ideological leftist thought leader, spun the report as a massive positive for Obamacare: “The single mom, who’s raising three kids (and) has to keep a job because of health care, can now spend some time raising those kids. That’s a family value.” And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., celebrated the report as a defeat for the dreaded condition known as “job lock” — the situation in which you have to stick at a job you don’t like for the benefits. “We have the CBO report,” Reid stated, “which rightfully says, that people shouldn’t have job lock. If they — we live in a country where there should be free agency. People can do what they want.”

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Democrats, Republicans Unite For Twitter Rally: #StopTheNSA

The votes are in and consensus seems clear: Democrats and Republicans both find the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs distasteful and want a rein on federal powers.

Twitter launched #StopTheNSA in recognition of the officially declared “The Day We Fight Back” day, dubbed Tuesday, Feb. 11. Expressing kudos for the effort were those of all political ilk — Democrats, Republicans and others, from the American Civil Liberties Union to Amnesty International to Tumblr, Mediaite reported.

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SPD Press Release 2-13-14

Teen’s Snow Message For Mother Undergoing Chemotherapy Goes Viral

A teenager has garnered national attention after stomping out a message in the snow for his mother while she underwent chemotherapy at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Sharon Hart, of Bolingbrook, Ill., said she was looking out the window of the hospital, where she was receiving treatment for acute myeloid leukemia, on Saturday morning when she saw a sight that made her smile. Her 14-year-old son, William, had carved a message on the top deck of the hospital’s parking lot reading: HI MOM – with a smiley face replacing the ‘O’.

"I wanted to send her the message because I thought it would brighten her spirits and help her get through this," William, a freshman at Bolingbrook High School, told the Tribune. "I would love for her to be happy. This has been rough. I've been praying a lot and trying to not think about what's going on so I can do good in school."
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When Lying Becomes the Law: Companies Firing Staff Over ObamaCare Must Swear They Aren’t Firing Staff Over ObamaCare

In the most recent volley of firings related to Obamacare, mid-sized companies are getting rid of employees to fall between the numbers of 50-99 staff members. That is the most economical category for business owners to fall into with the onslaught of new fees due to the so-called “Affordable Care Act.” Employers with 100 employees or more will be forced by the new law to provide health insurance to all full-time staff.

They might be letting people go for this reason, but they aren’t allowed to say so, under penalty of law.

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Obamacare Deepens Troubles For American Workers

Obamacare will create deeper problems for an employment market that's already struggling, says Campbell Harvey, professor of international business at Duke University's business school.

He and some colleagues at Duke conducted a survey of 400 chief financial officers with CFO Magazine to see how their companies will be affected by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Harvey told Newsmax TV in an exclusive interview.

In the study, 44 percent of respondents said Obamacare may lead them to reduce employee benefits, and 10 percent said it might lead them to cut pension benefits.

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Your Hotel And Flight Are On Us, Joe

So, Joe, people have been asking me why we're doing so many contests where we invite supporters to come to D.C. to participate in official Democratic Party events.

First off, we do them because most people don't live in our nation's capital and supporters like you deserve to be a part of everything we do as an organization, no matter where you live.

But also we're doing them because this November we're going to be going up against the Koch Brothers, Karl Rove, and a whole bunch of extreme Republicans who take jaw-dropping amounts of money from a very small group of very rich, very anonymous people. Our organization doesn't work that way -- we don't cash million dollar checks from shadowy donors. This organization runs on your support, and only your support.

That's why I'd like you to come to the Democrats' winter meeting here in D.C. later this month.

The Democratic Party isn't just any organization, and 2014 isn't just any year. Our planning now will set the stage for what we're able to do in November -- and what happens in November will affect our nation for years to come.

All the best,

Amy

Amy K. Dacey
Chief Executive Officer
Democratic National Committee

Dear Amy,

It's a shame you Liberals have to BRIBE who you THINK are your supporters into flights from all around the United States just to get a vote. However, it's nice that local Liberals on the Eastern Shore thought it would be a JOKE to add me to your Liberal List Of Idiots so we can see daily just how far you will go to get people to buy into your BS. 

I'm now confident that in the very near future you'll be offering me a new 4G Cell Phone, Food Stamps, Section 8 Housing and Welfare as well as offer me the opportunity to walk off my job so I can collect Unemployment as well. 

I'm so proud to be a REPUBLICAN!

Sinkhole Opens Up At National Corvette Museum, Swallows Cars

A massive sinkhole that opened up under a Kentucky museum Wednesday morning swallowed several vintage and rare Corvettes.

The National Corvette Museum said the Bowling Green Fire Department estimates the sinkhole to be around 25-30 feet deep and 40 feet wide.

"This is going to be an interesting situation," Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode told the Bowling Green Daily News, noting that a structural engineer is at the Bowling Green facility to evaluate the damage inside its Sky Dome section.

Six of the cars in the sinkhole are owned by the museum; two others are owned by General Motors.
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North Carolina Democratic Party To Name Racist Hate Group Leader As Exec Director

But it’s okay, we’re talking about the Nation of Islam and the Democratic Party. It’s not like some junior Republican forwarded a racist email. This won’t be covered by the national media.

Among other problems, the North Carolina Democratic Party has a sexual harassment problem. (Again, don’t look for the media to cover it.)

Jay Parmley, North Carolina’s Democratic Party executive director, has been accused of sexual harassment by Adriadn Ortega, a former communications staffer for the state party, according to a report by the J.W.P. Civitas Institute.

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Global Warming? Lake Superior Will Freeze Over This Winter

How to explain record cold temperatures? Well, global warming has “paused,” according to warmist scientists.

They cite a study published in the Nature Climate Change journal. It says increased trade winds in the central and eastern areas of the Pacific have forced warm surface water deep within the ocean and that has reduced the amount of heat released into the atmosphere.

The warming pause was taken up by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It declared in its 2013 climate report that the Earth is going through a solar minimum and the oceans are sucking up most of the heat.

Not to worry, though. “This hiatus could persist for much of the present decade if the trade wind trends continue, however rapid warming is expected to resume once the anomalous wind trends abate,” the Nature Climate Change report states.

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Delaware State Police Application Deadline

The Delaware State Police is announcing the closing date of Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 4:00 pm for accepting applications for the 87th Delaware State Police Recruit Class. Testing for this class, which is slated to begin in fall of 2014, will occur in early March. Any application received after February 26, 2014 will be considered for the 88th Delaware State Police Recruit Class tentatively scheduled for spring 2015. Questions concerning this information can be directed to the Recruitment Office of the Delaware State Police by email at dsprecruiting@state.de.us or telephone 302.739.5980. Information regarding minimum qualifications and the application process can be found on the Delaware State Police website at www.dsp.delaware.gov.

The DSP is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

Democrats Running Ads Criticizing Obamacare

In Florida’s 26th district, Democrats are running away from the president completely, and Obamacare in part: Now, it is true that Garcia doesn’t call for repeal. Indeed, the ad boasts that the candidate is “working to fix” the law, and it praises him both for holding “insurance companies accountable” and for defending the provision that prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions. But it is fascinating to watch a Political Action Committee associated with Nancy “we’re going to run on Obamacare” Pelosi slamming the White House for “the disastrous healthcare website” and boasting — without any time qualification, it should be said — that its man “voted to let you keep your existing health plan.” More

Nancy Pelosi To Dems: 'Don't Gloat' After Debt Ceiling Rou

Before the House voted to raise the debt ceiling without any spending reductions or restorations of the military pension cuts Tuesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) reportedly warned her members not to act like Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman and taunt the "mediocre" GOP leadership for caving.

According to the Washington Post, though Pelosi remained coy before the vote about whether she could deliver enough Democrats to pass the the clean debt increase, behind closed doors Pelosi and her lieutenants "instructed rank-and-file members, 'don’t gloat, take it in stride and hang together.'"

In the end, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) were among only 28 Republicans who voted with 193 Democrats on the clean debt ceiling hike. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew had insisted that the debt ceiling be raised by February 27 if the nation did not want to face default.

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O’Malley Opposes Attempt To Stop MSA Testing Next Month

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s office said Tuesday he stands by a state education department decision to move forward with administering the final Maryland School Assessment (MSA) test in a few weeks, despite efforts by legislators, teachers, unions and school boards to stop it.

Hearings were held Tuesday in a Senate committee and last week in the House on emergency bills that would require the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to ask federal education officials to waive the testing requirement, because the testing material is based on an outdated curriculum.

The governor does not support dropping the test, his spokeswoman said.
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The Republicans Who Backed Debt-Ceiling Increase

Here are the 28 Republicans in the House of Representatives who voted on Tuesday to increase the debt ceiling:

House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Va.
House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, Calif.
Chairman of House Ways and Means Committee, Dave Camp, Mich.
Chairman of House Oversight Committee, Darrell Issa, Calif.
Chairman of House Appropriations Committee, Hal Rogers, Ky.
Chairman of House Armed Services Committee, Buck McKeon, Calif.
Chairman of House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce, Calif.
Chairman of House Natural Resources Committee Doc Hastings, Wash.
Rep. Ken Calvert, Calif.
Rep. Howard Coble, N.C.
Rep. Chris Collins, N.Y.
Rep. Charlie Dent, Pa.
Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick, Pa.
Rep. Michael Grimm, N.Y.
Rep. Richard Hanna, N.Y.
Rep. Peter King, N.Y.
Rep. Frank LoBiondo, N.J.
Rep. Pat Meehan, Pa.
Rep. Gary Miller, Calif.
Rep. Devin Nunes, Calif.
Rep. Dave Reichert, Wash.
Rep. Peter Roskam, Ill.
Rep. Jon Runyan, N.J.
Rep. John Shimkus, Ill.
Rep. Chris Smith, N.J.
Rep. David Valadao, Calif.
Rep. Frank Wolf, Va.
Source

GOVERNOR O'MALLEY TO BRIEF THE MEDIA ON WINTER STORM EFFECTS AND STATE RESPONSE

Reisterstown, MD (February 13, 2014) – Governor Martin O’Malley will brief the media on Maryland’s response to the season’s most powerful winter storm at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. today at the state Emergency Operations Center in Reisterstown. The governor will be joined by key cabinet secretaries and agency leaders. The facility is located at 5401 Rue Saint Lo Drive in Reisterstown.

WHAT: Governor to brief the media on winter storm effects and state response
WHEN: TODAY, February 13, 2014, 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Maryland Emergency Management Agency, 5401 Rue Saint Lo Drive in Reisterstown

As ObamaCare Continues To Unravel, Many Vulnerable Senate Democrats Taking Major Heat; Forced To Campaign Early

ObamaCare is threatening to be not just the undoing of our wonderful community organizer in chief, but also it may end up costing his partycontrol of the Senate in November. The most vulnerable Senate seats are thought to be in Louisiana, North Carolina, and Arkansas, although other Democrats are also starting to feel the pressure.

There are also a number of conservative PACs that have already begin running ads, aiming at informing the people about the involvement of their good Senators in supporting this horrendous law and holding them accountable for their votes. Also bear in mind that not one single Republican voted in favor of this law…not one (not even any of the RINOs or House members).

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“Delegate McDermott Awarded For Being Business Friendly”

ANNAPOLIS – During the past two legislative sessions, Delegate Michael McDermott was one of the few lawmakers in Annapolis to receive a business friendly score higher than 90% from the Maryland Business for Responsive Government. This February, Delegate McDermott received the John Shaw Award from the non-partisan group Maryland Businesses for Responsive Government (MBRG) in recognition of his business friendly agenda.

“I’m extremely grateful for this award, and I’m thankful to be put in this position to try and strengthen the business climate in Maryland,” Delegate McDermott said. “I’m appreciative to be recognized for something I believe in so strongly.”

Of the four other representatives of the Lower Eastern Shore, only one, Delegate Charles Otto, received a rating of more than 90%. Senator James Mathias received the lowest score of the five Lower Eastern Shore representatives at 54%. Delegate Norman Conway was slightly better than Mathias at 56%. Meanwhile, Senator Richard Colburn received an 84% and Delegate Otto received a 93%.

“I’m trying vigorously to make this state a more business friendly environment,” Delegate McDermott said. “I’m thankful to receive this award in recognition for my undeterred efforts in support of Maryland businesses.”

End Of Sunday Hunting Ban Near After Va. Senate Vote

For sportsmen, at long last, times are changing in Virginia.

The Virginia Senate on Monday approved legislation to repeal a long-standing state ban on some forms of Sunday hunting, a development that all but guarantees the days are numbered for the decades-old prohibition.

Russell County Democratic Sen. Phillip Puckett'sSB154 was approved on a 29-10 vote. It would allow Sunday hunting on private property with the consent of landowners.

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Weather Related Closing

This is a weather related closing notice for Wicomico County Health Dept.

WICOMICO COUNTY HEALTH DEPT. 

WILL BE CLOSED THURSDAY, 

FEBRUARY 13, 2014

Delmar Middle & High School 2 Hr. Delay

States Use ALEC-Backed Bills To Kill EPA Power Plant Rules

State lawmakers across the country are pushing bills and resolutions to nullify federal greenhouse gas emission rules for power plants based off a template adopted by the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, according a Washington Examiner review.

Legislators have filed measures that borrow portions of the ALECmodel policy in at least seven states since the group's members approved it Jan. 15, and more state legislatures are likely to adopt the approach.

The state initiatives are more symbolic than anything, as states cannot choose to ignore the standards without fear of sanctions.

The Environmental Protection Agency is slated to offer a draft rule on greenhouse standards for existing power plants in June of this year and final rules for both current and new plants are due in June 2015.

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