Why Parents Need Vaccinations

Newborn babies are among the most vulnerable to serious illnesses, yet they are too young for vaccines. But there is a way parents can protect them—by getting vaccinated themselves, says Parents.com.

Most newborns catch illnesses from someone in the home, so anyone spending time with babies should have up-to-date vaccinations.

Also, pregnant women who get vaccinated before conception pass on some of their protective antibodies to their babies. Those who breastfeed continue to pass on that protection.

The most important vaccines for parents are: whooping cough (aka pertussis), influenza, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, and the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella).

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Five Falsehoods Of The Debt Debate

Incontinent spending put America $14 trillion in debt. The politicians who borrowed and spent us into debt want permission to borrow more so that they can spend more. And if they don’t get permission to borrow more money, they assure us that our debt woes will worsen.

Does this seem like a solution or a rationalization?

Washington is hooked on spending. Like other addicts, politicians tell lies to get their fix. Jonesing for more money, they insist that raising the debt limit is the best way to limit America’s debt.

Bad habits are tough to break. Surely, dishonesty about the problem doesn’t bring us any closer to a solution.

In the spirit of providing clarity through the haze of deceit, here are the five big lies the spending addicts tell to satiate their cravings for more of your money..

Sinepuxent Receipts – Eastern Shore Biscuits

Thanks Salisbury News for giving me this opportunity to share recipes, or “receipts”, and the stories that go with them. I am always looking for ways to take recipes and embellish or make them my own.

Many times my Mother would take leftover cold biscuits and turn them into scrumptious warm morning treats; a wonderful memory from my childhood. My favorite was when she would use plain butter, until the day she used extra-sharp Vermont white cheddar. Oh how delicious! I improved that by topping the cheese with strawberry jam. The bite of the cheese against the sweet strawberry flavor was the best. One day I discovered a similar treat by broiling sweet potato biscuit halves with the same cheese. The strawberry jam was replaced with the comfort of a sweet potato. To this end the following recipe was born.

Eastern Shore Biscuits

1 28 oz. canned sweet potatoes

½ cup oil

¾ cup sugar

3 cups bread flour

5 tsp. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 cup extra sharp white cheddar cheese, diced small

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In an electric mixer, combine sweet potatoes, oil and sugar and beat until smooth, removing any strings from the beater(s). Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Blend until just combined and then fold in cheese. Bake until lightly browned – 12 to 14 minutes.

Tom Clarke is the author of “Sinepuxent Receipts, A Personal Collection of Eastern Shore Cooking”.  Tom lives in Hebron.  When not cooking for friends or developing new recipes (“receipts”), Tom sings in the choir at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.  All profits from the sale of “Sinepuxent Receipts” go to the St. Peter’s Church Organ Fund.

Egan-Jones Cuts U.S. Rating to AA+ On Spending-Cut Concern

Egan-Jones Ratings Co. cut its rating on the U.S. by one step to AA+ from AAA, citing the high level of debt outstanding relative to other countries and concern that politicians may fail to reduce spending.

“The major factor driving credit quality is the relatively high level of debt and the difficulty in significantly cutting spending,” the firm said July 16 in a report. Egan-Jones placed the U.S. on negative watch on March 1.

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[You'll note that a failure to raise the debt ceiling had nothing to do with this-- they said it's too high already.-- Editor]

Former PG County Fire Official Pleads Guilty

Retired Prince George’s County Fire/EMS lieutenant colonel Karl Granzow, 46, is the latest in a line of county officials to face prison time for corrupt acts.

In a March 11 plea agreement that was unsealed Monday by the office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, the Upper Marlboro resident pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion and tax evasion.

The plea agreement outlines how between 1997 and 2008, Granzow conspired with developers Patrick Ricker and Daniel Colton to bribe various public officials to gain their support for the Greenbelt Station development project, in which Granzow had financial interests.

Granzow and his co-conspirators offered the officials money, airline tickets, property, employment and other contributions, according to a statement of facts released with the plea agreement.

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Wynn CEO Goes On Epic Anti-Obama Rant On Company Conference Call

Who doesn't love a good rant?

We certainly do, and as usual, Steve Wynn, the CEO of casino company Wynn Resorts, delivered on his company's quarterly conference call today.

Via Seeking Alpha, here's the crux of it:

I believe in Las Vegas. I think its best days are ahead of it. But I'm afraid to do anything in the current political environment in the United States. You watch television and see what's going on on this debt ceiling issue. And what I consider to be a total lack of leadership from the President and nothing's going to get fixed until the President himself steps up and wrangles both parties in Congress. But everybody is so political, so focused on holding their job for the next year that the discussion in Washington is nauseating.

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Oregon Father Suspected Of Killing Wife, 4 Kids, Burning Down House

MEDFORD, Ore. –  Police believe a 51-year-old Oregon man stabbed his wife and their four young children and set fire to their house on Monday, killing all five victims. The man was hospitalized as authorities tried to piece together the frantic scene.

Firefighters using CPR tried to revive the family members, and managed to get a pulse from at least two of the children as they lay on the lawn in front of their home, said Police Chief Tim George.

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House GOP Must Not Shy From Using 'Ultimate Weapons'

Washington's professional political class and its cheerleaders in the liberal mainstream media are pressing ever harder for a "grand bargain" to raise the national debt ceiling far beyond the current $14.3 trillion, hike taxes and enable special interests to continue feasting on out-of-control federal spending.

Only two things prevent enactment of such a deal: House Republicans -- including, especially, most members of the class of 2010 -- and a solid majority of the American people.

This majority wants federal spending reduced but it does not want either the debt ceiling or taxes increased. So now would be a good time for House GOPers to bolster themselves by rediscovering a crucial fact about the U.S. Constitution: as political scientists Willmoore Kendall and George Carey put it in their "Basic Symbols of the American Political Tradition," Congress has "all of the ultimate weapons in any showdown with either of the other two branches." And the most important of those weapons -- the power of the purse -- lies with the House.

The key players in the debt ceiling drama are President Obama, the Senate Democratic majority and the House Republican majority. Any one of the three can block the other two. And, because all spending and taxation must originate in the House, the lower chamber holds the most important card in any confrontation over federal spending and taxing. So House Republicans must exercise the power of the purse, first, to nullify the threat of fiscal Armageddon, and, second, to force Obama and Senate Democrats either to veto or accept the clear will of the majority of the American people.

To accomplish the first goal, House Republicans should pass legislation that raises the debt ceiling just enough -- say, $250 billion -- to gain sufficient time -- 30 to 60 days -- to accomplish the second goal. The debt ceiling increase should be made conditional on the Treasury Department paying the government's bills according to the following priorities: Interest on the national debt and government bonds, active-duty U.S. military, Social Security and Medicare, essential federal employees compensation and selected other essential services.

To accomplish the second goal, House Republicans should pass a comprehensive appropriation bill that funds the government through 2013 while making genuine and immediate spending cuts of at least $250 billion. Then they must stand firm against the onslaught of self-serving protests and hyperventilating accusations that will surely follow.
Read more at the Washington Examiner

Tips for Spending Less at the Pharmacy

When you're in the market for crucial, life-improving medication, saving money may not be your top priority. But keep a level head, know what to look out for and you can avoid being gouged when you're at your weakest.

Alpha Consumer has some hints on how to save money when you're buying medicine.

One tip is to shop around. Pharmacies can offer wildly varying prices for drugs. Check out Frugal Pharmacies, which helps you do some quick comparison shopping. The post also recommends asking for generic versions of drugs, as well as buying in bulk, preferably via the mail, to cut down on costs of drugs you use regularly.

How do you save on medication spending?

How to Spend Less at the Pharmacy [Alpha Consumer]

from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

NY Court Says Strip Club's Lap Dances Are Taxable

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Getting a lap dance isn't the same as taking in a ballet, so an alcohol-free strip club will have to pay the tax man, a New York state court has ruled.

Four Appellate Division justices agreed with a state tax appeals commission's earlier finding that dances onstage or in private rooms at the club Nite Moves in suburban Albany don't qualify for a state tax exemption as "dramatic or musical arts performances."

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Today’s Survey Question – 07/19/2011

Should Casey Anthony Write a Book, Would You Buy It?

Did You Know There's A Wrong Time To Brush Your Teeth?

Brushing right after you have acidic foods or carbonated drinks can can lead to erosion of tooth enamel. It's recommended you rinse right away, but wait an hour to brush.
 
If you drink coffee or tea, add milk to help neutralize the acid and preserve the enamel. If you're a soda drinker, drink through a straw and rinse with water afterward or chew sugar-free gum to help neutralize the acids.
 
If you love sports drinks, realize they also are acidic and high in sugar.

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Birth Certificates Temporarily Unavailable in Worcester Co.

The Worcester County Health Department will be unable to issue birth certificates from 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 until 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 20 because of Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene computer system maintenance. The health department apologizes for any inconvenience and appreciates the public’s patience as the system is updated.

To find out more about this service and others, please visit

http://worcesterhealth.org or call our Snow Hill office at 410-632-1100.

How To Make The Heat Wave A Little Less Uncomfortable

WASHINGTON - The air that comes with this week's heat wave will be dirty. How dirty that air is may be up to you.
 
There have been two days in 2011 when the air quality in the region was considered unhealthy, otherwise known as Code Red.
 
The Metropolitan Council of Governments issues a daily forecast for air quality. Here what each codes means.
 
Tuesday is a Code Yellow day. Wednesday and Thursday will be Code Orange days.

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ATF Chief Admit Mistakes

The head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has admitted that his agency, in at least one instance, allowed sales of high-powered weapons without intercepting them -- and he accuses his superiors at the Justice Department of stonewalling Congress to protect political appointees in the scandal over those decisions.

Acting ATF Director Kenneth Melson made the disclosures about the so-called Operation Fast and Furious in an interview with congressional investigators looking into the controversial anti-gunrunning initiative.

The operation was designed to track small-time gun buyers up to major weapons traffickers along the U.S. border with Mexico. Critics estimate that 1,800 guns targeted in the operation are unaccounted for, and about two-thirds of those probably are in Mexico.

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7.5 Sweltering Hours On A Bus: The MegaSauna Rides Again, Gets Lost

When Alexandros set out on a Megabus trip from New York City to Washington, D.C. last week, he had no way to know that he and his fellow passengers were in for seven and a half hours of roasting hot travel mayhem. The travel delay was understandable at first: there was apparently an accident on I-95, the standard Megabusroute between the two cities. This might have been bearable if the bus had had functioning air conditioning. Or any air circulation at all. Or if the passengers had been allowed to board the new bus they had promised. Or if the driver had received valid directions to the spot where they were supposed to exchange their sauna-like bus for a new bus that never came.

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Virginia Surplus Will Total $311 Million

The bulk of the surplus comes from individual income tax collections that exceeded their forecasts by nearly $200 million.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia's state government ended its last fiscal year on June 30 with a surplus of $311 million, according to state documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Gov. Bob McDonnell plans to detail how the state ended the year with the unspent balance at a Tuesday news conference.

After three years of revenue shortfalls, Virginia cut spending, found savings and used federal stimulus cash to balance budgets the past two years.

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28 Allen Employees Laid Off at Cordova Processing Plant

A Talbot County official says 28 employees at an Allen Family Foods processing plant in Cordova have been laid off.

Paige Bethke, director of economic development for Talbot County, says the layoffs Friday were related to market conditions and not to the company's ongoing bankruptcy reorganization. Bethke says the plant has more than 400 employees.

The Seaford, Del., company filed for bankruptcy protection last month and said it plans to sell nearly all of its assets to a new affiliate of Mountaire Farms, which may add an undetermined number of jobs. The company has facilities in Delaware, Maryland and North Carolina.

Bethke says the county is awaiting a July 28 bankruptcy court hearing in Wilmington, Del., to learn more about the future of the plant.

from the Wilmington News-Journal / AP

Homeowner Overcharged On Property Taxes For Two Decades. How Much Should City Repay?

An 84-year-old widow recently found out she's been paying too much property tax on her home for more than two decades because of an error by the original assessor. But the city has only offered to pay her back for one year of the overcharge.

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Three Arrested in Fatal Shooting

Three arrests have been made in connection with a Dover shooting that left a Newark man dead last year.

Dover police arrested Dion D. Hicks, 26, of Magnolia, and David J. Johnson, 29, of Dover. Areon J. Gibbs, 27, of Plymouth, N.C., was arrested by the Washington County Sheriff's Department. He was being held in North Carolina awaiting extradition to Delaware, Dover police said.

On March 24, 2010, police responded to a call of shots fired and a person down at White Oak Condominiums and found Quinton Dorsey, 33, of Newark unconscious with multiple gunshot wounds, Dover police said. Dorsey was taken to Bayhealth Medical Center and later flown to Christiana Hospital, where he died the next morning.

Leroy Stratton, 26, of Dover was arrested April 15, 2010, and charged with murder, robbery, possession of a firearm during a felony and conspiracy and committed to Vaughn Correctional Facility with no bail.

Hicks and Johnson were each charged with the same and are being held without bail.

from Kim Manahan @ the Wilmington News-Journal