'Gay Mafia' Attacks Focus On The Family Movie

The Christian organization Focus on the Family is releasing a movie in theaters May 6 called “Irreplaceable” about the value of traditional families, the importance of fathers being engaged in their children’s lives and the healing power of forgiveness.

But apparently to some advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, community, that’s a cardinal sin.

LGBT advocates have launched an effort to disparage the movie online, petition against it and work to make sure “Irreplaceable” isn’t seen in your local theater.
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The Libertarian Surge

Libertarianism — the political philosophy that says limited government is the best kind of government — is having its moment. Unfortunately, that’s mostly because government has been expanding in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and the financial crisis. Somehow government failures lead to even more government.

When the financial crisis hit in the fall of 2008, the politicians in Washington had one response: start printing money and bailing out big businesses. First it was Bear Stearns, then Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, then most of Wall Street. But voters had a different response. Polls showed widespread opposition to the bailouts. When Congress prepared to vote on President George W. Bush’s $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, Americans made their opinions known in no uncertain terms. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown reported, “Like my colleagues, my phones have been ringing off the hook. The sentiment from Ohioans about this proposal is universally negative.”

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11 SEBELIUS SUPPORTERS WITH EGG ON THEIR FACES TODAY

On Thursday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius resigned her position. The New York Times reported the resignation as a punishment for failure:

Officials said Ms. Sebelius, 65, made the decision to resign and was not forced out. But the frustration at the White House over her performance had become increasingly clear, as administration aides worried that the crippling problems at HealthCare.gov, the website set up to enroll Americans in insurance exchanges, would result in lasting damage to the president’s legacy.

So Sebelius stuck around just long enough to reach the mythical 7 million enrollment number so Obama didn’t have a major public relations fiasco on his hands. Then she was forced out – although, in a final touch of somewhat charming bewilderment, she announced to the press that she had no clue just how many Americans who signed up for Obamacare were previously uninsured. Competent to the very last drop.

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MIRRORED Cliven Bundy s friends and family MOVED IN AND THEY MOVED OUT

Obama to Sharpton’s Group: ID Laws are ‘Real Voter Fraud’

President Barack Obama tore into state voter ID laws Friday when speaking to the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, accusing Republicans of trying to block minorities, women and seniors from voting and calling the laws a fraud.

“We don’t want folks voting that shouldn’t be voting,” Obama told the gathering in New York. “Let’s stipulate to that as the lawyers say, but there is a reason why those who argue that harsh restrictions on voting are somehow necessary to fight voter fraud are having such a hard time proving any real widespread voter fraud.”

Obama said most studies show voter fraud is not a problem.

“The real voter fraud is those that try to deny our rights by making arguments about voter fraud. but i have to say, there have been some of these officials who have been passing these laws have been more blunt,” Obama said.
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U.S. Navy to test futuristic, super-fast gun at sea in 2016

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy is planning sea trials for a weapon that can fire a low-cost, 23-pound (10-kg) projectile at seven times the speed of sound using electromagnetic energy, a "Star Wars" technology that will make enemies think twice, the Navy's research chief said.

Rear Admiral Matthew Klunder, the chief of Naval Research, told a round table group recently the futuristic electromagnetic rail gun had already undergone extensive testing on land and would be mounted on the USNS Millinocket, a high-speed vessel, for sea trials beginning in 2016.

"It's now reality and it's not science fiction. It's actually real. You can look at it. It's firing," said Klunder, who planned to discuss progress on the system later on Monday with military and industry leaders at a major maritime event - the Sea-Air-Space Exposition - near Washington.

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Obama Signs Disaster Declaration For Md. Counties

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House says President Barack Obama has signed a disaster declaration for three counties in Maryland affected by a mid-February snowstorm.

Obama signed the declaration Thursday, making federal funding available in Baltimore, Carroll and Howard counties.

The Mid-Atlantic region was virtually shut down by the snowstorm on Feb. 12 and 13. Westminster, in Carroll County, got 19 inches of snow. Most areas in central Maryland got at least a foot of snow.

The disaster declaration means federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and some private nonprofits for emergency work.
SOURCE

Displays of Obama, Democratic support common at some IRS offices

Ethics investigators publicly accused several Internal Revenue Service employees and offices Wednesday of engaging in pro-Democratic politics on government time, including one agency office in Dallas where employees posting pro-Obama stickers and buttons was “commonplace.”

Republicans on Capitol Hill said it was more evidence that the embattled tax agency is politically biased against conservative groups, even as they moved ahead with action to discipline the IRS and former employee Lois G. Lerner.

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Sheriffs warn of violence from Mexican cartels deep into interior of U.S.

Outmanned and outgunned, local law enforcement officers are alarmed by the drug and human trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping and money laundering that Mexican drug cartels are conducting in the U.S. far from the border.

U.S. sheriffs say that securing the border is a growing concern to law enforcement agencies throughout the country, not just those near the U.S.-Mexico boundary.

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Hagerstown Expands Housing Incentive Program For Police Officers And Trainees

Hagerstown police officers and trainees in the Hagerstown Community College Police Academy who choose to reside within the city will soon be eligible for monthly housing incentives that increase based on their proximity to Public Square.

In September 2012, the city began offering a $100 monthly housing incentive to sworn officers residing within the city limits, according to city Human Resources Director Karen Paulson.

The number of officers residing within the city was seven prior to the incentive, but since has increased to 15, City Administrator Bruce Zimmerman has said.

The Hagerstown City Council agreed Tuesday to a new incentive structure, with officers and academy recruits receiving $300 in monthly housing assistance for residing within three blocks of Public Square; $200 for residing within three to six blocks of Public Square; and $100 for residing within the corporate boundary.
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Rand Paul raises $1.6 million in first quarter of 2014

As he builds a grass-roots political operation in 50 states ahead of a potential 2016 presidential run, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is also courting longtime Republican Party benefactors, collecting funds for his political-action committee and his 2016 Senate campaign. In the first quarter of this year, those two groups collectively raised $1.6 million, according to sources familiar with Paul’s financial report.

Paul’s haul includes $1.1 million for Rand Paul 2016, the freshman senator’s reelection campaign, and about $500,000 for Rand PAC, his political-action committee, which pays for Paul’s extensive political travel and supports like-minded Republicans. These figures are similar to Paul’s fundraising numbers from the fourth quarter of last year, when his Senate campaign raised more than $1 million.

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City Finally Approves Dew Tour Dates

After several weeks of delay earlier this year due to snow cancelling meetings, City Council has given final approval for the Dew Tour’s 2014 event permit on June 26-29.

Despite last year’s minor fracas over the Dew Tour’s desire to give away hot dog samples, the city appears to have eased up this year on concerns that food and other promotional giveaways inside the event grounds will cut into Boardwalk business.

“I know the people on the Boardwalk are grateful that you’re here and for the business you bring in,” said Councilwoman Margaret Pillas.

The extreme sports festival is expected to draw 18,000 spectators per day through its four-day run. The event grounds will occupy the beach between the inlet pier and North Division Street.
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Did Jughead do it? Archie is to die

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Not even Archie Andrews is immortal in the world of comics.

Archie Comics announced Tuesday that the famous comic book character will heroically sacrifice himself while saving the life of a friend in a July installment of “Life with Archie,” a comic book series that tells the story of grown-up renditions of Archie and his Riverdale gang.

“We’ve been building up to this moment since we launched ‘Life with Archie’ five years ago and knew that any book that was telling the story of Archie’s life as an adult had to also show his final moment,” Archie Comics publisher and co-CEO Jon Goldwater said in a statement.

Archie’s final moments will be detailed in “Life with Archie” No. 36, while issue No. 37 will jump forward a year and focus on his friends Jughead, Betty, Veronica and Reggie honoring the legacy of their red-headed pal.

Archie first appeared in comics in 1941 and went on to become a colorful icon of wholesomeness.

In recent years, Archie Comics has tackled such issues as gay characters and the zombie apocalypse in Archie’s fictional hometown of Riverdale. However, Archie himself won’t need to rise from the grave. The freckle-faced character will still be alive and well in other series.

Ocean City To Offer FM Radio Station By Summer

OCEAN CITY – The resort is looking to launch its own FM radio station by summer to not only play tunes on the beach but to provide the public with emergency announcements from the Town of Ocean City.

During Communications, Electronics and Emergency Management’s budget hearing this week, Electronic Services Manager Bob Dimaio announced the city has made headway in achieving FM radio stations for the Town of Ocean City.

According to Dimaio, the town has been a license holder for an AM radio station for the past several years, but the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) only provides the opportunity to gain low-powered FM radio stations that are available to college campuses, churches and government about once every decade.
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Pro-Gun Mother of Five Speaks Truth to Power at Senate Hearing

Solid Waste Rates Could Increase

Worcester County property owners and residents who want to take their trash to either of the county’s homeowners convenience stations, formerly known as transfer stations, could be forking over more money for permits next year or they could pay for each bag of trash.

Although the Worcester County Web site states that the “Transfer Stations are for homeowners only (in bold print) with proper permit,” Worcester County residential property owners, regardless of whether it is their primary or secondary residence, and residents who do not own their residences may purchase those permits, Kim Moses, the county’s public information officer confirmed Wednesday. Citizens may verify residency or ownership through property tax bills, utility bills or other similar bills.

During Tuesday’s budget work session, the Worcester County Commissioners discussed the possibility of increasing the cost of the annual homeowner permit sticker from $60 for the first sticker in the household to $100. They did not discuss increasing the current fee of $15 for the household’s second sticker or $60 for each additional sticker within the same household.
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Does Arthritis Supplement Glucosamine Hike Longevity?

An over-the-counter supplement designed to ease osteoarthritis prolonged the lifespan of lab mice by nearly a tenth, scientists said Tuesday.

This would translate into an average eight-year longevity gain if the result could be repeated in humans, Swiss researchers reported in the journal Nature Communications.

A team led by Michael Ristow at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich used a common dietary supplement called glucosamine on laboratory mice after testing it on worms.

Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound found in the lubricating fluid which surrounds joints.

It is widely sold over the counter as a supplement to combat osteoarthritis, the commonest form of arthritis, although studies into its efficacy have thrown up mixed results.

Ristow's team first tested a tiny dose on a well-researched lab animal, a nematode worm called Caenorhabditis elegans, and found it extended its lifespan by some five percent.

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Pollitt Gets Cold Reception At Chamber of Commerce Meeting

Once again, without public knowledge, County Executive Rick Pollitt met yesterday morning with Chamber of Commerce Members to discuss his waste energy plant at the landfill. 

Wayne Strausburg expressed how the plant in PA wasn't working as it should because the Mayor cut the funding but John Cannon immediately stepped up to the plate and expressed to everyone there this this just isn't true. He explained how he has been investigating the plant and learned that the county had LOST their major haulers because they were charging too much money to bring trash there.

This is a MAJOR fear right here in Wicomico County. When Worcester County raised their tipping fees, Ocean City immediately worked out a deal to have their trash hauled away to a facility all the way in New Jersey. 

Considering this plant is not proven, considering Sussex and Worcester and other Counties surrounding us could in fact start recycling and burning trash to compete with Wicomico County, this is a risk taxpayers cannot afford to take. I know some of you will say it will be built by an outside company but let's be real. If and when they fail, the taxpayers will have to pick up the tab, so don't go there. 

You should know, (from this meeting) the Poultry Industry has already stated they will NOT participate by delivering manure to the Wicomico Landfill. They are NOT going to pay to get rid of it when there are so many other uses for it. One has to wonder IF we're going to see future state legislation forcing the chicken farmers to do just that?

More importantly, it's most interesting how Pollitt and Strausburg continue to keep these meetings from the general public as well as other meetings like last night at the Civic Center. Wicomico County needs an immediate change in leadership.  

A MUST READ ARTICLE: Social Security, Treasury target taxpayers for their parents’ decades-old debts

A few weeks ago, with no notice, the U.S. government intercepted Mary Grice’s tax refunds from both the IRS and the state of Maryland. Grice had no idea that Uncle Sam had seized her money until some days later, when she got a letter saying that her refund had gone to satisfy an old debt to the government — a very old debt.

When Grice was 4, back in 1960, her father died, leaving her mother with five children to raise. Until the kids turned 18, Sadie Grice got survivor benefits from Social Security to help feed and clothe them.

Now, Social Security claims it overpaid someone in the Grice family — it’s not sure who — in 1977. After 37 years of silence, four years after Sadie Grice died, the government is coming after her daughter. Why the feds chose to take Mary’s money, rather than her surviving siblings’, is a mystery.

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SFD Calls For Service 4-10-14

• Thursday April, 10 2014 @ 23:44:35Nature: Medical AssistAddress: 351 Deers Head Hospital Rd Salisbury, MD 21801
• Thursday April, 10 2014 @ 21:09:25Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 2316 N Salisbury Blvd Salisbury, MD 21801
• Thursday April, 10 2014 @ 20:03:10Nature: Smoke InvestigationAddress: Civic Ave and wyman Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
• Thursday April, 10 2014 @ 19:43:33Nature: Structure FireAddress: 233 Lake St Salisbury, MD 21801
• Thursday April, 10 2014 @ 19:43:31Nature: Structure FireAddress: 233 Lake St Salisbury, MD 21801

Rand Paul: Lerner Will Have to Decide to Testify or Go to Jail

Sen. Rand Paul said he supports the House charging former IRS official Lois Lerner with contempt of Congress to put pressure on her to testify.

"You know, contempt is something you can go to jail for," the Kentucky Republican said. "And it doesn't happen often. In fact, I'm not sure if we ever had someone go to prison for a contempt order, but it is something that has a significant penalty. So she will have to decide, is she going to risk going to jail or testify in a truthful manner?"

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Consumer Spending "Recovery" Stalls As Pent-Up Demand Fails To Appear

For the first time since the 'recovery' began, Gallup reports [5] that consumer's average daily spending flatlined year-over-year. As Gallup concludes, at a daily rate of $87, Americans' average daily spending in March looks positive by comparison to spending over the past five years. But the stall in spending, both month-over-month and compared with a year ago, most likely signals a continuation of the lackluster retail sales seen so far in 2014. While government data suggested that retail sales rebounded in February (though still the weakest YoY since Nov 2009), the Gallup data appears to confirm the post-weather pent-up-demand has failed to arrive.

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Newly Started Foreclosures Head Higher in 19 States

While national trends for troubled properties are improving, there are 19 states where newly started foreclosures are heading higher, according to data released Thursday.

In March, there were foreclosure filings on about 117,000 properties throughout the country, up 4% from February, but down 23% from a year earlier, online foreclosure marketplace RealtyTrac said. Such filings include default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions. In addition, trends show national improvement: For the first quarter, there were about 342,000 properties with foreclosure filings, also down 23% from a year earlier.

Looking nationally, the pipeline of foreclosures has narrowed since the housing bubble burst. The past year in particular has seen a rebound for the U.S. housing market, with rapidly rising prices enabling many troubled borrowers to gain equity. But at the state level, the foreclosure news is somewhat darker, with 19 states posting annual growth in foreclosure starts for the first quarter. A start is the first public notice of a foreclosure, such as notices for default or a trustee’s sale. Check to see whether your state is among the 19 where foreclosures are headed higher.

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BREAKING NEWS: White House denies visa for Iran's UN pick

The Obama administration said it will not issue a visa to Hamid Aboutalebi, Iran's choice for United Nations ambassador who has admitted he worked for the revolutionary student group that seized the United States Embassy and held 52 Americans for 444 days in 1979.

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Pro-Gun Christian Tells Senate, I Don't Need the Constitution to Give Me Permission!

Saturday Will Be A 24 Hour News Cycle Day

While I haven't wanted to commit to delivering so many articles on Saturdays, we have been fortunate enough over the past two months to have enough news and information that we have delivered articles on Saturday, 24 hours. Tomorrow will be no different. 

Ladies & Gentlemen, IT'S BEEN A LONG WINTER! I think we can ALL agree, we're about to enjoy the first weekend of great weather. I don't know about you but the pollen, (for the first time in my life) has been killing me. However, that's NOT going to stop me from heading outdoors this weekend and enjoy what we have been waiting for. 

That being said, have a great weekend and as always we thank each and every one of you for your support. 

Why I'm burning my last bridge with Obama

In The US, Democracy Is Now A Sham

The founding principle for this new form of government which emerged in the 18th century, was that the Common Man was the ultimate source of power. Citizen legislators would enact the laws and shape the nation’s destiny. But instead, our republic is now strong-armed by professional politicians. The two dominant concerns of these careerists are to STAY in power and to do the bidding of those who ENABLE them to stay in power. Anyone who doubts this statement might try explaining why campaign finance reform and term limits are perennially “off the table.” Actually, that is an understatement - they aren’t even in the building.

It is bad enough that the President, Congress and the Courts serve the interests of a minority that is so tiny that it is almost microscopic. What is even worse, is WHO that elite constituency is. It is exclusively THE BIGS: Big banks, Big corporations, Big agriculture, Big energy, Big pharmaceuticals, Big health care, Big high tech and the BIGGEST of them all - the military-industrial complex.

The “Vox Populi” – voice of the people is now as quaint and outmoded as telephone booths on street-corners. Even when there is a massive outpouring of disapproval for a policy - such as the enormous public outcry against Iraq Invasion 2 – the will of the people is disregarded. Instead, the “leaders” kiss the sterns of their financial backers. Ten million irate citizens cannot offset a single Halliburton.

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Va. Dem. says he wants to ‘decimate’ Christians, ‘eradicate’ Tea Party

“Said it proudly! Want to decimate the tea party, the NRA, bible thumpers, and Fox News zombies? Vote for me”

On Wednesday, Mike Dickinson, the Virginia Democrat running for the House seat currently held by Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., declared on Twitter that he wants to “decimate” Christians, NRA supporters, members of the Tea Party and those who watch Fox News. In another tweet issued later Wednesday, he said he wanted to “eradicate” the Tea Party.

“Said it proudly! Want to decimate the tea party, the NRA, bible thumpers, and Fox News zombies? Vote for me,” he tweeted.

According to Dictionary.com, the word “decimate” means to “destroy a great number or proportion of.” It can also mean “to select by lot and kill every tenth person of.”

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Capital Project Plan Outlined For City Council

SALISBURY — The Salisbury City Council got its first look at the new five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) this week.

The plan will cover FY15 through FY19 and includes big expenses for things like water and sewer, storm water management and street repair, though as a planning document none of those costs are set in stone yet.

In reviewing the CIP, Tom Stevenson, city administrator, focused Monday on the most immediate expenses expected in FY15. These include roughly $7.8 million in general fund requests, $68 million in water and sewer and $1.4 million in stormwater.

“As you can see, it’s a pretty hefty price tag for all of it,” he told the council.
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Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr. Announces State Police Promotions

Dover - Delaware State Police Superintendent Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr. announced the promotions of 17 Troopers during a ceremony held yesterday afternoon at the Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware. The promotions included all ranks from Sergeants, Lieutenants, and Captains, and also the appointment of 2 Majors and Lieutenant Colonel to the Division’s Executive Staff.

The following is a complete list of those promoted:

 

Major to Lieutenant Colonel

• Monroe B. Hudson Jr.    Headquarters Executive Staff, Dover

 

Captain to Major

• Jeffrey R. Evans                Headquarters Executive Staff, Dover
• Robert C. Hawkins Jr.   Headquarters Executive Staff, Dover

 

Lieutenant to Captain

• Robert A. Hudson II                 Headquarters OPR
• Darren B. Short         Headquarters Planning

 

Sergeant to Lieutenant

• Millard A. Greer                Troop 2, Newark
• Charles E. Groce II             Troop 7, Lewes
• Eric L. Hamm            Headquarters SBI
• John J. McColgan                Troop 5, Bridgeville
• Thomas Paskevicius              Troop 9, Odessa

 

Corporal to Sergeant

• Gregory M. Earle                Troop 3, Woodside
• Matthew P. Fuski                Troop3, Woodside
• Mary E. McGuire         Troop 5, Bridgeville
• John B. Mitchell                Troop 4, Georgetown
• Jason L. Stevenson              Troop 5, Bridgeville
• William R. Thompson III Troop 3, Woodside
• William A. White                Headquarters Aviation

Why Delaware’s Health-Care Premiums Have Increased by 100%

The evidence of insurance premiums spiking under the Affordable Care Act continues to mount, with new research from Morgan Stanley showing the highest increases in the individual and group markets in years.

Morgan Stanley’s (MS) health-care analysts conducted a proprietary survey of 148 brokers and found the average increases in the small group market are above 11%, and 12% in the individual market. What’s more, certain states are experiencing premiums five to 10 times higher than last year’s prices. In Delaware, premiums are up by 100% on average while New Hampshire prices were 94% higher.

It’s not yet clear how high premiums will increase in 2015, but Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius admitted in Congressional testimony last month that they would increase, and some analysts are projecting double-digit hikes next year.

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It's a shore thing!

Dear Friend,

Please join the Eastern Shore's own Jeannie Haddaway and me on Sunday, April 13th at Sailwinds Park in Cambridge.

Our friends from all over the Eastern Shore and across Maryland will be gathering for fresh seafood, cold drinks, and good times. The event will be held from 12pm-4pm. Tickets are $60 in advance and $70 at the door.Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

Come out and help us make history by electing me as governor and Jeannie Haddaway as the Eastern Shore's first Lt. Governor.

Cordially,

David R. Craig

P.S. For more information, call Ray at 410-253-2606.

BREAKING NEWS: Obama nominates Burwell to replace Sebelius

President Obama nominates White House budget office director Sylvia Matthews Burwell to replace Kathleen Sebelius as Health and Human Services Secretary.

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Brew River Friday Dock Party w/ On the Edge 6pm!

HURT: Once just a race hustler, now a snitching race hustler

Are there no heroes left in America anymore?

President Obama turns out to be an incompetent fraud who has never actually read the U.S. Constitution. Edward Snowden tucked tail and fled to Siberia. Washington Nationals star Ryan Zimmerman can no longer be relied upon to scoop up a crazy bouncer just inside third base line, pirouette and throw like a laser into first baseman Adam LaRoche’s mitt.

And now, we learn, the Rev. Al Sharpton has been working for The Man all along.

No matter how much he insists that he was just one fat cat keeping tabs on all the rats around him, truth is Mr. Sharpton was a low-down, double-crossing lying snitch from the start.

In a truly epic report released this week by TheSmokingGun.com, the great pompadoured race pimp, elocutionist and shake-down artist was exposed as a paid FBI informer going back decades. Based upon federal affidavits, transcripts and other documents, TSG outlined Mr. Sharpton’s extensive career as a stool pigeon turning evidence on some of the most notorious mobsters operating in New York at the time.

“In those documents, investigators vouched for him as a reliable, productive, and accurate source of information about underworld figures,” TSG wrote in its meticulously reported and well-written account.

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“Pretended Legislation” Must Get No Rubber Stamp

The United States of America began when moral, God-fearing men realized and acted on the realization that legislation put forth by Parliament and King George, III, was not, in fact, legal. The Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, the Intolerable Acts, and other measures did not meet the standard required to make them “lawful.” Because of this, the authors of our Declaration of Independence labeled these measures as “pretended legislation.” Our colonial legislatures then interposed on behalf of our people by declaring that these measures were null, void, and constituted NO LAW; this despite the fact that other levels, or branches, of government had declared them to be valid. Now let’s fast forward to today and to what is happening in our Country, our States and our Counties. More

JUST IN: Melvin Morse Gets Three Years In Waterboarding Case

Cape Gazette
BREAKING NEWS »

Melvin Morse gets three years in waterboarding case »http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/p/melvin-morse-gets-three-years-in-waterboarding-case/1165607

Foreclosure Rates Up in MD

Foreclosure rates are down more than 20-percent across the country, but they are up here in Maryland.

A report released by RealtyTrac, an online real estate listing company for foreclosures, said that Maryland has the third highest foreclosure rate in the country.

"In the first quarter, we saw foreclosure rates increase and we've been seeing this for almost the last two years," said Darren Bloomquist, RealtyTrac's vice-president.
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DON'T MISS HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER TOMORROW MORNING AT 9

The Democrats’ Fake Problems

Democrats, flopping on the economy and health care, try to create new issues.

The Democrats have made their midterm agenda clear: passing a minimum-wage hike, fighting the menace of the Koch brothers, and expressing loud concern about climate change without actually bringing a cap-and-trade bill to the Senate floor.

Minimum-Wage Hike: The arguments about the merits and consequences of raising the minimum wage have been hashed out elsewhere. For now, let’s focus upon how many workers would be affected by this: The Congressional Budget Office estimated that raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would eliminate 500,000 jobs (with the range extending from very few to 1 million), and about 16 million low-wage workers would see higher earnings. The increased earnings would amount to $31 billion.

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EMS Hardship Program Mulled

SALISBURY — Though a lot of people will find themselves in need of an ambulance at some point, not everyone is able to afford the trip. That’s why the Salisbury City Council is considering participating in an EMS hardship program administered by Lifequest Services.

The average ambulance bill in the city of Salisbury comes out to about $650, according to Fire Chief Rick Hoppes. The council acknowledged Monday that there are many residents who likely can’t afford anything like that. A hardship program like the one offered by Lifequest permits write-offs for certain situations.

No resident should ever hesitate to call for an ambulance in a true emergency just because of the cost, said Council President Jake Day.
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Kids Lunch w/ the EASTER BUNNY

H A P P Y  E A S T E R

Greetings! Bring the kids to Boonies in Tyaskin this Saturday, April 12th!  Reservations are required ~ Seating begins at 1:00pm. Enjoy fun crafts for the kids and lunch with the Easter Bunny! Cost is $12 for kids ~ ages 12 years and younger. Kids Buffet Lunch is included along with drinks & dessert! (Kid's Buffet: Pizza, Chicken Tenders, & French Fries.) Full menu available for adults! A fun Easter Egg Hunt is planned ~ rain or shine! Baskets provided along with picture with the Easter Bunny! Call Boonies Restaurant 410-873-2244 TODAY!

I Wonder Why Code & Compliance Won't Write Up Old Fire House

I know if I had paint chipping on my old building Downtown I'd get written up in a New York Second. 

Volkswagen Halts Sales of Passat, Jetta, Bettle

A faulty seal is being blamed for Volkswagen's decision to stop sale of 25,000 Passats, Beetles and Jettas that came with a particular turbocharged engine.

The seal, called an o-ring, connects to the automatic transmission cooler. It can spring a leak, leading to the possibility the oil could catch on fire in vehicles that came with 1.8-liter turbocharged engines. But Volkswagen says in a statement that no accidents, fires or injuries have resulted from the glitch so far.

All the cars involved in the issue were made since Feb. 1.

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US Government Supports Freedom Abroad but Tyranny at Home

Yesterday the United States was accused of having contractors from the security company Greystone Ltd. on the ground in Ukraine. Today they are accused of supplying Syrian rebels with advanced weaponry. It makes you wonder what type of US interference is going to make the news tomorrow.

From RT:

Rebels embattled against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad have reportedly come into possession of high-powered anti-tank weaponry, the likes of which may have been supplied by the United States.

Images of rebels equipped with heavy arms have begun to circulate in recent days, and at least one news site has claimed that the source responsible is the US government.

On Monday, Israel’s Debkafile website reported that two moderate Syrian rebel militias — the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Revolutionary Front — have been supplied with advanced US weapons, including armor-piercing, optically-guided BGM-71 TOW missiles, thanks to the Pentagon.

According to Debkafile’s report, US Gen. Martin Dempsey — the chairman of the Joint Chiefs — asked officials in Israel last week to help get Saudi Arabian fighter jets stationed at the kingdom’s Faisal Air Base at Tabuk near Jordan positioned in a manner that would provide air cover as American forces moved the weapons into southern Syria. Debkafile attributed the claims to unnamed military sources.

Late last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that US President Barack Obama and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah “appeared to narrow their disagreement on assisting Syrian rebels” amidst a meeting between the two. According to the Journal’s report, Obama administration officials said the meeting ended with the White House agreeing to increase its level of assistance to Syrian rebels.

“Senior US officials said their goal is to provide assistance to moderate Syrian rebels not just as a ‘counterweight’ to the Assad regime, but also to extremist elements of the opposition,” Carol Lee and Ellen Knickmeyer wrote for the paper.

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More Restaurants Adopting No-Tipping Policy

Are we headed for the end of restaurant tipping? Yet another eatery is opening up to great fanfare, mostly because it has decided to do away with tips.

The Brand 158 restaurant in Glendale, Calif., has adopted the no-tipping policy because owner Gabriel Frem said he wanted to discourage competition between his employees. And he isn't including a service charge or upping his prices to make up for it, either.

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ANOTHER DAILY TIMES REPORTER BITES THE DUST TODAY

After almost four years with The Daily Times, I have accepted a position with Politico just outside Washington, D.C. My last day will be on Friday, April 11th. Editors have already started looking for a replacement to cover Wicomico County and Maryland government and politics. 

Jennifer Shutt

GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Call For New Ideas At Hopkins Debate

In a state overwhelmingly controlled and governed by the Democratic party, Maryland Republicans sometimes struggle to find a political foothold and exert influence.

At the Johns Hopkins University campus Thursday evening, the GOP gubernatorial candidates were posed questions along that line of thought: Could you work with the other side of the aisle? How do you persuade Democrats to join your line of thinking, and the Republican party?

More pertinently: Can you win?

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Report: 85% of Pensions Could Fail in 30 Years

You might have thought your public pension was on shaky ground, but you’re likely still being too kind.

Influential and well-regarded hedge fund Bridgewater Associates Wednesday warns public pensions are likely to achieve 4% returns on their assets, or worse. If Bridgewater is right, that means 85% of public pension funds will be going bankrupt in three decades.

Bridgewater came to these conclusions by stress testing the nation’s public pension plans, much the way banks need to be evaluated on what could happen given a wide range out outcomes.

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1% Of US Doctors Account For Over $10 Billion Of Medicare Billings

The top 1% of 825,000 individual medical providers accounted for 14% of the $77 billion in medicare billing in 2012, according to new federal data reported by the WSJ. The data shows a very small number of doctors and medical providers account for a huge amount of the costs for treating the elderly and, as WSJ notes, suggest in some cases, may be enriching themselves in the process. As Bloomberg notes, one doctor, who treats degenerative eye disease in seniors, was paid $21 million (twice the 2nd highest paid doctor on the list) with some top earners making 100 times the average for their respective fields. One researcher summed it up, "There's all sorts of services that are low-value for patients, high-revenue to providers," and leaves us wondering, once again, how the government will manage as Obamacare's "success" washes ashore.

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A Letter To The Editor: An interesting encounter

Yesterday I called Social Security Administration to check on a Medicare Application I had made, March 15. I did this on line and had not received a confirmation as of yesterday. In the meantime, I’m attempting to apply to receive Social Security benefits which I, and my employers, have paid into for over 45 years. I am told, by multiple representatives and their superiors, that….until my Medicare application is processed I cannot apply for my retirement fund through Social Security!

I expressed to this lady that, if private businesses worked that way, they would not last a year. She stated, and I quote, … “Mr. ____ this is not a private business you are talking go, we are the Social Security Administration!

SBY FIRE_LAKE ST.

Why I'm too scared to do my taxes

It's tax time. I'm too scared to do my taxes. I'm sure I'll get something wrong and my enemies in government will persecute -- no, I mean prosecute -- me. So I hired Bob.

Bob's my accountant. I like Bob, but I don't like that I have to have an accountant. I don't want to spend time keeping records and talking to Bob about boring things I don't understand, and I really don't want to pay Bob. But I have to.

What a waste. Once, I calculated what I could do with the money I give Bob. I could have a fancy dinner out 200 times. I could buy a motorcycle. I could take a cruise ship all the way from New York to Venice, Italy, and back.

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City Of Salisbury Council Meeting 4-14-14

 

Agenda Packet – 4-14-14 – Council Meeting

Thank God Its Friday 4-11-14

What will you be doing this weekend?

Yard Sales 4-12-14

Would mind posting our yard sale for this Saturday April 12 @ 7Am TIL on 6400 Mary Jane Drive Salisbury off Naticoke Road.


806 Waverly Dr Salisbury for this coming Saturday the 12th.

"Moving Sale Saturday April 12th, 6am until. Appliances, furniture, household goods, formal gowns, men's and women's clothing sizes 6-3x, outdoor furniture. All reasonable offers will be considered. 912 Hanover Street *indoors*"

Obamas’ jaunt to Ireland cost $7.9 million

'Abused the perk of official trip for luxury European vacation'

(WASHINGTON EXAMINER) The White House spent $7.9 million flying the first family to the 2013 G-8 summit in northern Ireland, a venture that included a sightseeing tour of Dublin by first lady Michelle Obama and their two daughters that cost $251,161, according to new documents.

The first lady’s entourage spent $125,859 just for hotel rooms, including the spacious Princess Grace Suite at the five-star Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. Department of Homeland Security documents provided to taxpayer watchdog Judicial Watch also revealed a $114,721 tab for the first lady’s fleet of cars and a $3,370 charge for a copier.

The cache of expenses is the latest from Judicial Watch which has spent years charting the costs of presidential trips. As before, it took a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit to shake the documents out of Homeland Security and the Air Force.

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The new Washington war machine

Sometimes the news is just so drearily awful that you have to sit back and almost appreciate the pure comedy induced by it.

Take this item from Washington, Iowa, where the local police have recently acquired an MRAP vehicle (short for Mine Resistance Ambush Protected) through a Defense Department program that donates excess vehicles originally produced for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to local police departments across the United States, including other Iowa towns such as Mason City and Storm Lake.

The MRAP weighs an impressive 49,000 pounds, stands 10-feet tall, and possesses a whopping six-wheel drive. Originally designed to resist landmines and IEDs, it sure seems like the MRAP will come in handy for the notorious war zone otherwise known as Washington County, Iowa.

If you’re having a bad day, I highly recommend watching a video produced by the Des Moines Register in which Washington police officials try to justify the possession of a vehicle it clearly has no use for. The excuses range from school shootings (which are an actual concern but an MRAP seems like overkill) to a terrorist attack happening in central Iowa (because if there’s any place that seems ripe for a high-profile terrorist attack it’s Washington, Iowa, population 7,000).

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New Store On The Downtown Plaza Coming Soon

I'm told they'll be ready to open in about a month. This is a new Gift Shop with all kinds of cool items. It's absolutely perfect for the Plaza. 

DR. ROGER MERRILL RECOGNIZED AS 2014 OUTSTANDING PUBLIC HEALTH LEADER

(Salisbury, MD.) Dr. Roger Merrill from Perdue Farms was recognized as the 2014 Outstanding Public Health Leader for Wicomico County at a ceremony held April 8, 2014 at the Fritz Health Center in Salisbury. The 18th annual award ceremony was held in recognition of National Public Health Week, April 7-13, 2014. Accepting the award on behalf of Dr. Merrill was Perdue Farms CEO Jim Perdue and staff members Jeanne Mills and DebLowry.

Dr. Merrill was recognized for implementing a corporate Health Improvement Program at Perdue Farms facilities and corporate offices. Starting with a baseline risk appraisal, associates regularly receive attention from Health Coaches and are also encouraged to engage with primary medical care. Dr. Merrill’s program has attained improved outcomes and patient satisfaction, and has gone far beyond the third goal of ‘bending the cost curve.’ He managed to reduce company medical costs while improving patient outcomes. “The Health Improvement Program that Dr. Merrill helped Perdue develop embodies principles which public health and other medical system leaders have been trying to implement for years,” said Lori Brewster, Health Officer for Wicomico County. “His successes are a model for the current efforts at managing population health on a broader scale.” Dr. Merrill is to be commended for his efforts to significantly improve the health of Perdue Farms staff and for his accomplishment on being recognized as Wicomico County's 2014 Outstanding Public Health Leader.

EASTER IN SNOW HILL

The Town of Snow Hill welcomes everyone to join them for “Easter in Snow Hill” on Saturday, April 12, 2014. The day will begin with a “Little Peeps” Scavenger Hunt at 10:00am at the Julia A. Purnell Museum. Kids can have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny!

After the hunt, you will need to stroll downtown for the rest of the fun! Hop on over to Sturgis park for the Easter Egg Hunt at 11:00am. There will be 3 ages for participants.

You will notice many activities going on downtown. There will be an Easter Bonnet contest; Easter egg painting; sidewalk art; and special treats given out at some of the eateries.

Make sure you don’t miss “The Three Not-So-Little Pigs Meet the Easter Bunny” puppet show in the old Firehouse on Green Street! The show starts at 1:30pm and is sponsored by the Berlin/Ocean City Optimist Club. Admission is FREE!

Please join us for a fun-filled family event!

So papa, how do you like the iPad we got you?

This clip is spoken in German but it's totally understandable in any language.

College Suspends Student for This Conversation