The Wicomico County Board of Education at its March meeting approved the calendar for the 2012-2013 school year, after gathering input and making minor changes to the version approved on 1st reading in February.
The approved calendar is posted at www.wcboe.org in the home page Spotlight.
The 2012-13 school year will begin Monday, Aug. 27 and end June 6, 2013. Students will be off Nov. 21-23 for the Thanksgiving break, Dec. 24-Jan. 1 for the winter holidays (schools close at the regular time Friday, Dec. 21 and reopen Jan. 2), and March 28-April 2 for the spring holidays. (In response to input, the spring holidays were shifted by one day to have three days of instruction each week, instead of two days one week and four days the next.) June 4, 5 and 6 will be half-days.
Schools will also be closed Sept. 3 (Labor Day), Oct. 19 (Maryland State Education Association Convention), Nov. 6 (General Election), Jan. 21 (Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday), Feb. 18 (Presidents’ Day) and May 27 (Memorial Day). Schools will be closed for students (but open for teachers) for professional days on Sept. 28, Nov. 5 (changed from Nov. 2 after input), and Jan. 22 and 23.
The 2013 commencement dates are as follows: May 21, Evening High School; May 28, James M. Bennett High; May 29, Parkside High; May 30, Mardela High; and May 31, Wicomico High.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
TRAIN RIDE......So Fast Its A Short Trip
Here's the deal: You have to appreciate the speed from the shot taken from the bridge. You thought the train from Paris to Avion was fast at 300 km/h but this is something else. I wonder how far back it has to begin slowing down for the station. Imagine going through a station at full speed!This is a high speed train built by the Alstom rail group in Belfort , France . They share manufacturing facilities with the GE Energy Products Europe (EPE) Gas Turbine group. The video was provided by the GE EPE Chief Engineer in Belfort .The train hit 574.8 Km/h which works out to 357.2 MPH or Mach 0.482 - wow! In particular, watch the train going under a bridge with people watching. This is FAST!! And it is powered by electricity and controlled with Apple iMacs.
Joe Biden Hears Boos at Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The White House got in its fair share of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations Saturday. Between President Barack Obama taking time to down a Guinness in Washington D.C. and Vice President Joe Biden participating in Pittsburgh’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, the reelection campaign may be aiming to mend fences with the enormous demographic of Americans who report Irish ancestry. If Biden’s reception during portions of the parade serve as a barometer of how the administration will do in the key swing state this November, President Obama may need the luck of the Irish to get four more years in the White House.
Seen waiving and jogging gingerly on the parade route, Vice President Biden’s entourage was loudly booed at points by some of the hundreds of thousands who turned out for the parade in Pittsburgh Saturday. WPXI reports that Biden spent part of his trip campaigning ahead of November’s election and part of his time enjoying himself.
Video of the parade fun and boos: Here
Starting Next Month, the U.S. Will Have the Highest Corporate Tax Rate in the World
On April 1, Japan will cut its corporate tax rate to 36.8 percent from 39.5 percent.
You know what that means, right?
It means the United States will officially have the highest corporate tax rate in the world, with average combined federal and state profit levies of 39.2 percent.
“Yes, that’s higher than Sweden,” The Wall Street Journal reports. “Higher than Russia. And China, Mexico, Denmark and even France. Doesn’t it make you want to break out in a chant: U-S-A, U-S-A?”
As Japanese politicians found themselves staring down an increasingly burdensome deficit and an aging population, they came up with an idea: Cut the corporate profits tax to boost economic activity and generate higher revenues.
Florida Atheists Scrub Away Highway Blessing With ‘Unholy Water’ Because They‘re Not Going to Tolerate ’Bigotry’
The latest fight between atheists and religious groups leaves one asking who really crossed the line.
Polk County, Florida, sits smack in the middle of the Sunshine State containing several highways drivers travel through to make their way between major cities in the state. Last year, area religious leaders formed a group, Polk Under Prayer (PUP), that decided to bless the Pasco-Polk county line along Highway 98. PUP’s director said the act was done so that “God would protect us from evildoers, mainly the drug crowd, that they would be dissuaded to come in to the county.”
This gesture has apparently offended area atheists deeply enough that they felt the need to organize an event Saturday to symbolically scrub away the holy oils used by PUP to bless the county line. Bay News 9 reports that the atheists, organized by Humanists of Florida, used “unholy water” to remove the blessing and wash the road because it made them feel uncomfortable:
1995 Video of Eric Holder: We Must ‘Brainwash’ People Against Guns
New video of Eric Holder from 1995 has surfaced, and it may put “Fast and Furious” in a much broader perspective.
Recorded on CSPAN2, the clip shows current Attorney General Eric Holder laying out a strategy to “change the hearts and minds of the people in Washington, DC” in how they look at guns.
“What we need to do is change the way in which people think about guns, especially young people, and make it something that’s not cool, that it’s not acceptable, it’s not hip to carry a gun anymore, in the way in which we changed our attitudes about cigarettes.”
Though it’s no surprise that Eric Holder is anti-gun, critics are saying that his proposed initiatives go too far. Among other things, Holder suggested that there be some form of hotline you could call if see a gun, or have any “information” about one.
'10 Commandments Judge' Roy Moore Poised to Return to Alabama Supreme Court
Roy Moore, the former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice made famous by a Ten Commandments monument, is one step closer to getting his old job back. Moore won 50.14% of the vote on Tuesday in the Republican primary for the Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.
Moore appears to have narrowly avoided a runoff by capturing more than 50% of Republican voters. The state Republican Party has a week to certify the vote but Moore and his campaign are proceeding as if there will not be a runoff.
"We need leadership in the legal branch," Moore told CNN by phone after fielding congratulatory calls from local officials.
Moore held the job of Chief Justice from 2001 to 2003 but was forced out when he defied a federal order to remove a 2.6 ton stone monument of the Ten Commandments he had placed at the courthouse.
The New Tax Proposals In Annapolis
When Martin O'Malley ran for Governor, he seemed very concerned with the amount of taxes and fees levied on Maryland citizens. The new tax proposals coming out of Annapolis these days seem to show that his concerns no longer exist. Marylanders are already overtaxed, and the current administration is only going to make things worse.
Please take a couple of minutes to listen to my thoughts on this very important subject. I share your concerns about the direction our country is moving.I hope that you will listen and send me your thoughts on these critical issues. You can email me at info@andyharris.com.
Thank you for your time and your support. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Thanks,
Andy Harris
Please take a couple of minutes to listen to my thoughts on this very important subject. I share your concerns about the direction our country is moving.I hope that you will listen and send me your thoughts on these critical issues. You can email me at info@andyharris.com.
Thank you for your time and your support. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Thanks,
Andy Harris
Baltimore Police Launch 'Newscast'
BALTIMORE -- Those in the news business have some new competition in Baltimore.
City police officials said they believe the Baltimore Police Department is the first in the nation to launch a daily newscast.
"BPD-TV" will stream live from Baltimore City police headquarters weekdays at 12:30 p.m., and each episode will be archived on the Baltimore Police Department's website.
The Police Department set up a TV studio replete with cameras, lights, scripts -- the works. The police-officer-turned-news-anchor also has the ability to play video during the broadcast.
City police officials said they believe the Baltimore Police Department is the first in the nation to launch a daily newscast.
"BPD-TV" will stream live from Baltimore City police headquarters weekdays at 12:30 p.m., and each episode will be archived on the Baltimore Police Department's website.
The Police Department set up a TV studio replete with cameras, lights, scripts -- the works. The police-officer-turned-news-anchor also has the ability to play video during the broadcast.
Netanyahu Addresses Evangelical Christian Gathering in Jerusalem
American Evangelical pastor John Hagee - who heads the largest pro-Israel lobby group in the United States - half jokingly compared Benjamin Netanyahu to the Messiah on Sunday night, as he waited for the delayed prime minister to arrive at a Jerusalem hotel to address the crowd.
"There's a saying in Judaism about the Messiah - I know that even if he tarries, he'll come," Hagee told hundreds of members of Christians United for Israel. "I know that the prime minister will come, and even if he tarries, he'll come."
The crowd laughed, and so did Hagee. But as Hagee introduced Netanyahu when he finally arrived half an hour later, the comparison with the Messiah no longer seemed so far-fetched.
TRAFFIC ADVISORY RE: EARLY TUESDAY MORNING FUNERAL PROCESSION FROM BALTIMORE CO. TO ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police are issuing a traffic advisory for early tomorrow as they work with State Highway Administration personnel and allied law enforcement officers to accommodate the funeral procession of a Maryland military officer who gave his life in service to our country.
On Tuesday, March 20, 2012, beginning at 5:00 a.m., the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, the Baltimore County Police, and the Maryland State Highway Administration will assist with the funeral procession of Major Robert J. Marchanti. Major Marchanti, 48, of Baltimore, died February 25, 2012, in Kabul Afghanistan, of wounds received during an attack on the Afghan Interior Ministry. He was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division Security Partnering Team of the Maryland Army National Guard.
The funeral procession may impact the morning commute and commuters are asked to use caution when travelling alongside the procession and if possible, consider taking an alternate route to work during that time period.
The route of the procession is as follows:
-Depart Evans Funeral Chapel, 8800 Harford Road, Parkville, at 5:00 a.m;
-Travel north on Harford Road to the Baltimore Beltway (I-695);
-Travel west on the Baltimore Beltway toward Towson to I-95 on the
southwest side of the Beltway;
-Travel south on I-95 to the Capital Beltway (I-495).
-The procession is expected to reach the Capitol Beltway between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30
a.m., depending on traffic congestion.
-Travel west on the Capitol Beltway to the American Legion Memorial Bridge;
-The Virginia State Police will assume control of the procession after crossing the
American Legion Memorial Bridge in Virginia.
-After crossing into Virginia, the procession will exit the Capital Beltway and travel
south on the George Washington Memorial Parkway to Arlington National
Cemetery.
On Tuesday, March 20, 2012, beginning at 5:00 a.m., the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, the Baltimore County Police, and the Maryland State Highway Administration will assist with the funeral procession of Major Robert J. Marchanti. Major Marchanti, 48, of Baltimore, died February 25, 2012, in Kabul Afghanistan, of wounds received during an attack on the Afghan Interior Ministry. He was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division Security Partnering Team of the Maryland Army National Guard.
The funeral procession may impact the morning commute and commuters are asked to use caution when travelling alongside the procession and if possible, consider taking an alternate route to work during that time period.
The route of the procession is as follows:
-Depart Evans Funeral Chapel, 8800 Harford Road, Parkville, at 5:00 a.m;
-Travel north on Harford Road to the Baltimore Beltway (I-695);
-Travel west on the Baltimore Beltway toward Towson to I-95 on the
southwest side of the Beltway;
-Travel south on I-95 to the Capital Beltway (I-495).
-The procession is expected to reach the Capitol Beltway between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30
a.m., depending on traffic congestion.
-Travel west on the Capitol Beltway to the American Legion Memorial Bridge;
-The Virginia State Police will assume control of the procession after crossing the
American Legion Memorial Bridge in Virginia.
-After crossing into Virginia, the procession will exit the Capital Beltway and travel
south on the George Washington Memorial Parkway to Arlington National
Cemetery.
Increased Threat Level In Los Angeles
In the wake of recent events in Afghanistan, rumors are circulating that radical Muslims are planning to go on a rampage in Los Angeles, killing anyone who is a legal U.S. citizen.
Police fear the death toll could be as high as 23. I will keep you posted on future developments.
Police fear the death toll could be as high as 23. I will keep you posted on future developments.
Soldier Who Died Trying to Rescue Daughters To Be Buried at Arlington
A decorated U.S. soldier who died while unsuccessfully trying to rescue his daughters from their burning North Carolina home will be buried alongside the girls at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.
Chief Warrant Officer II Edward Duane Cantrell, 36, was a member of the 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg. The Green Beret had returned in August from his latest overseas deployment.
His wife, Louise, told officials the family was upstairs when the fire broke out just before 2 a.m. in Hope Mills, a suburb of Fayetteville, on March 5.
'Ghost' of '08 to haunt Obama in 2012?
Has the full extent of President Obama’s relationship with former Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers been exposed?
Is there still more to the Obama-Ayers affiliation that has not been dug up by enterprising reporters, authors, bloggers and researchers?
Among all Obama’s radical associates from the past, few received more attention or were as shocking as the president’s connection to Ayers.
The relationship plagued Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign and could resurface during this year’s election as many questions remain.
How Drama Queens Sabotage The Tea Party
The only sense of purpose in their lives arises from perceived persecution and perpetual emergency.
Drama queens come in all shapes, sizes, and genders. We have all known our share. Some folks revel in crisis. In a sick way, they need it. The only sense of purpose in their lives arises from perceived persecution and perpetual emergency. Such people actually avoid solutions and resent those who provide them because a solution removes any excuse for mania.
In politics, we may call such people anti-activists, as their efforts tend to work counter to that of activists with whom they should align. Unfortunately, they are legion among libertarians, conservatives, and Tea Party groups. Collectively, they present a greater threat to the restoration of our republic than any active Marxist.
More
Drama queens come in all shapes, sizes, and genders. We have all known our share. Some folks revel in crisis. In a sick way, they need it. The only sense of purpose in their lives arises from perceived persecution and perpetual emergency. Such people actually avoid solutions and resent those who provide them because a solution removes any excuse for mania.
In politics, we may call such people anti-activists, as their efforts tend to work counter to that of activists with whom they should align. Unfortunately, they are legion among libertarians, conservatives, and Tea Party groups. Collectively, they present a greater threat to the restoration of our republic than any active Marxist.
More
America's Youth 'Dependency Dilemma' Is A Political Problem, Not Just A Family One
“Researchers at UCLA are studying the habits of middle-class families,” reports the Wall Street Journal today, “asking intriguing questions like why are American kids so helpless and dependent?”
The story, “A Field Guide to the Middle-Class U.S. Family," reports on the work of anthropologist Elinor Ochs and her colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles, who have studied family life as far away as Samoa and the Peruvian Amazon region, but more recently have been studying the American middle class and asking questions like this one: Why do American children depend on their parents to do things for them that they are capable of doing for themselves?
Among the findings: The families had very a child-centered focus, which may help explain the "dependency dilemma" seen among American middle-class families, says Dr. Ochs. Parents intend to develop their children's independence, yet raise them to be relatively dependent, even when the kids have the skills to act on their own, she says. How kids develop moral responsibility is an area of focus for the researchers. Dr. Ochs, who began her career in far-off regions of the world studying the concept of "baby talk," noticed that American children seemed relatively helpless compared with those in other cultures she and colleagues had observed.
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