Obama's Extended Family Joins Him In Newly Released Photos

President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Sasha and Malia, center, join their extended family for a group photo in the Blue Room of the White House on Inauguration Day, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. Joining the First Family from left are: Craig Robinson, Leslie Robinson, Avery Robinson, Marian Robinson, Akinyi Manners, Auma Obama, Maya Soetoro-Ng, Konrad Ng, Savita Ng, and Suhaila Ng.

The White House has released new behind-the-scenes photos of the inauguration, including one that captures a rare public gathering of the president’s extended family, including his Kenyan half-sister.

The picture was taken in the White House Blue Room on Jan. 20, the day the president was formally sworn in for his second term. The nation witnessed a public, ceremonial swearing-in the following morning on the steps of Capitol Hill.

In the photo, President Obama and the first lady are joined by their children, their siblings, and nieces and nephews.
 More

I DON'T WANT TO BE GREEK

More than 20% unemployment, people fighting over bags of free oranges, no heat, no medicine; Greece is having a modern day depression. Although Barron’s magazine put our becoming Greece more than 10 years away, is it really? It seems to me were only several years behind Greece, if that.

We have 100 million people dependent on our insolvent government, which only stays afloat because the Federal Reserve is loaning the criminals in Washington $1.1 trillion dollars every year. We’ve gone from the richest nation on earth to the greatest debtor nation ever. It’s not going to end well, and we don’t want to be Greece (it’s going to be worse). Forward!
More

If We Watched Cooking Shows The Way Guys Watch Sports

The Dangers Of The Age Of Delusion

It’s characteristic of the time that we’re living in that there simply is no sense of consequence. And that’s exactly what you get when you have a Federal Reserve that’s out of control and a public that is filled with technological narcissistic visions of Santa Claus delivering rescue remedies on demand. And so there’s no general sense that when you do things, bad things can happen.

James Howard Kunstler is concerned. Sure, he still has the same issues with the West's highly energy-consuming suburban lifestyle that he famously brought to light in his books, The Long Emergency [10], the World Made by Hand [11]series, and Too Much Magic [12]. But beyond our decaying fundamentals, he's distressed by society's unwillingness to be honest with itself about the issue's it's facing.

Instead, we are embracing a narrative based in "magical thinking" (e.g., prosperity through the printing press, energy independence through domestic shale) that assures us everything is fine. That we'll be able to enter the future without having to make any changes to our manner or standards of living, despite our massive debts and depleting resources:
History is very peculiar in the sense that sometimes cultures and societies go through very strange periods of their history, and we’re in one of those now. And I characterize this as the “great period of America lying to itself.” And the way that it’s really carried out as a practical matter is that accounting fraud is now the basic mechanism for running most of the important things in American life. Accounting fraud is now the basis for banking and finance, and it’s certainly the basis for government, and certainly for its fiscal role.

So I think what you’re seeing is a kind of deformity of the consensus. And of course, the most striking feature of our current times is this inability of the country to construct a coherent story about what’s happening to us, and therefore the inability to construct a story about what we might do about it.

More

Military Quote

"When I joined the military it was illegal to be homosexual, then it became Optional, and now it's Legal. I'm getting out before Obama makes it mandatory."
GySgt Harry Berres, USMC

Multiple Injuries In Kansas City Gas Fire

KANSAS CITY, MO. A car crashed into a gas main Tuesday evening in an upscale Kansas City shopping district, sparking a massive blaze that engulfed an entire block and caused multiple injuries, police said.

Seven or eight people were injured and taken to area hospitals, police Sgt. Tony Sanders said Tuesday, who added that there were no reports of fatalities. Sanders said the manager of JJ's restaurant, which was destroyed in the blaze, was unable to account for three people, but it was unclear whether they were caught in the blaze or had left earlier.

Earlier police spokeswoman Rhonda Flores said it appeared that a car crashed into a gas main near JJ's just after 6 p.m. Flores said an initial call for three ambulances had been increased to 10. She said she had not heard of any reported fatalities. Flores said the car crash appeared to have been accidental.
More 

More On Drones

The Homeland Security Department is moving ahead with plans to deploy domestic, public safety drones. InfoWars.com reports, DHS says it received excellent responses from a July solicitation for ideas. Vendors sent in more than 70 white papers. Now DHS is prepared to conduct more tests. Secretary Janet Napolitano says the drones will eventually be used to give emergency personnel situational awareness during disasters. DHS is looking at small drones that can be equipped with military-grade surveillance cameras. But the FAA still has to develop a plan for safely operating drones in U.S. Airspace.

26-YEAR-OLD WITH DOWN SYNDROME ASPHYXIATED WHILE RESISTING POLICE OVER MOVIE TICKET

The case of a 26-year-old Maryland man with Down syndrome who died last month in police custody after he was removed from a theater for refusing to leave a movie he had already seen has been ruled a homicide after an autopsy revealed he was asphyxiated.

Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Jennifer Bailey said Robert Ethan Saylor died on Jan. 12 after resisting arrest by three deputies at a Frederick movie theater. The Frederick News Post reported that Saylor, who was in handcuffs for refusing to leave or purchase another ticket, experienced a medical emergency and was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The News Post reported former law enforcement officer Dr. George Kirkham, who is a professor of criminology at Florida State University, saying it seems Saylor might have suffered from positional asphyxia:
 More

Young Veterans Struggle For Employment

Younger veterans are struggling to find employment after their military career ends. The unemployment rate for veterans between 18 and 24 was more than 20 percent last year. And in double digits for those 25-34. Both rates are higher than their non-veteran job seekers, despite a wide range of private and public efforts to help veterans find work. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes program, two things younger veterans can do to help themselves is do a better job explaining to employers how the skills they learned in the military translate to the private sector and move to where the jobs are.

Report Reveals Why Va. Typically Outranks Md. In Business Climate Surveys

The Greater Baltimore Committee’s latest report reveals that Maryland’s tax structure and other corporate regulations are a driving force behind the state’s spotty performance on U.S. business climate rankings, which typically rate Virginia as a better place to do business than Maryland.

On average, Maryland placed 27th out of 50 states in national rankings published between 2012 and 2013. But each of the 10 rankings are based on different criteria, so Maryland receives better grades from some ranking groups than others.

The Kauffman Foundation, which supports the growth of entrepreneurs, identified Maryland as the fifth most business-friendly state in the country in 2012, Last month, the Tax Foundation came to a vastly different conclusion, ranking the state as one of the nine worst states to conduct business.
More 

THIS LOCAL GUN AD WAS BANNED BY COMCAST — AND WE FOUND IT’S A NEW WIDESPREAD POLICY

Comcast, which recently acquired NBC Universal, has quietly decided to remove advertisements promoting firearms from its cable network, and gun retailers aren’t happy about it.

A Michigan company that handles the advertising for Michigan-based Williams Gun Sight and Outfitters contacted TheBlaze regarding the change, stunned that it couldn’t re-air a commercial they played last fall due to the new policy.

John Kupiec, president of the advertising agency Canadian American Corp., told us over the phone Monday that when they recently tried to buy ad time, a Comcast representative informed them that as of February 8 of this year, the network would no longer accept advertising from companies promoting firearms or fireworks on any network, during any time period.
More 

The "Royal Family"

The redistribution of $1.4 billion each year

What can you buy for $1.4 billion a year? You can buy the most luxurious and costly royal presidency in history.

Taxpayers spent $1.4 billion dollars on everything from staffing, housing, flying and entertaining President Obama and his family last year, according to the author of a new book on taxpayer-funded presidential perks.

In comparison, British taxpayers spent just $57.8 million on the royal family.

Author Robert Keith Gray writes in Presidential Perks Gone Royal that Obama isn't the only president to have taken advantage of the expensive trappings of his office. But the amount of money spent on the first family, he argues, has risen tremendously under the Obama administration and needs to be reined in.

Gray told The Daily Caller that the $1.4 billion spent on the Obama family last year is the total cost of the presidency, factoring the cost of the biggest staff in history at the highest wages ever, a 50 percent increase in the numbers of appointed czars and an Air Force One running with the frequency of a scheduled air line.

Perspective: $1.4 billion is equal to spending seven times Mitt Romney's entire net-worth every year. If Romney had to pay for Barack and Michelle's lifestyle this year, he would have been bankrupted by the third week in February.

Now, can we please get back to talking about the evil, freeloading rich people, who didn't build anything and who need to "pay a little bit more."

FEDS BUY TWO BILLION ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION

Something strange is going on. Federal non-military agencies have bought two billion rounds of ammunition in the last 10 months. The Obama Administration says that federal law enforcement agents need the ammunition for “mandatory quarterly firearms qualifications and other training sessions.”

Radio show host Mark Levin is suspicious. He commented:

To provide some perspective, experts estimate that at the peak of the Iraq war American troops were firing around 5.5 million rounds per month. At that rate, the [Department of Homeland Security] is armed now for a 24-year Iraq war. A 24-year Iraq war! I’m going to tell you what I think is going on. I don’t think domestic insurrection. Law enforcement and national security agencies, they play out multiple scenarios. … I’ll tell you what I think they’re simulating: the collapse of our financial system, the collapse of our society and the potential for widespread violence, looting, killing in the streets, because that’s what happens when an economy collapses. I suspect that just in case our fiscal situation, our monetary situation, collapses, and following it the civil society collapses, that is the rule of law, they want to be prepared. I know why the government’s arming up: It’s not because there’s going to be an insurrection; it’s because our society is unraveling.

More 

World Champion Putt Putt Challenge

When

Saturday April 6, 2013 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM EDT

Add to Calendar

Where

Old Pro Golf Course

68th Street

Ocean City, MD 21842

Putting other mini-golf tournaments to shame since 2011 Time to brush up on your putt putt skills because this year's competition will be fierce! Join your friends in Ocean City on April 6th for a day of fun, fundraising and a healthy dose of debauchery. $30 per player/$120 per team (4 players per team). Proceeds benefit United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore Entry fee includes: Adult beverages and snacks on the course Prizes for 1st and last place "winners" (and more) Prize for the most outrageous team costume (we want to see some good ones!) Awards after-party at Fager's Island (starting at 4pm) with tons of delicious food and great Happy Hour prices on drinks

Limited to the first 36 teams to enter. Teams registered by March 17th (St. Patty's Day) will receive extra cheats. Register Now!

For more information contact:   Kierstin Pennington United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore kierstin@unitedway4us.org 410-742-5143

National Day Of Resistance

SAPOA's Candidates Show Flexibility

In 2009, candidate Jim Ireton RAILED against the city's landlords (see videos HERE and HERE). Yet, after a few (primarily unsuccessful) attempts at shutting down illegal boardinghouses, MAYOR Jim Ireton hasn't done much to fulfill his campaign promises when it comes to dealing with the city's rental industry.  Fast forward to 2013.  Jim Ireton signs are pretty prevalent on rental properties.

Travel around Salisbury.  You'll see lots of Jake Day signs.  A few are in homeowners' yards.  Some have been placed in public right-of-ways (is that legal?).  A few more have been placed at local businesses (some with the owner's permissions, others without).  The majority of Day signs appear to be on properties where there are no registered voters.

58

It's little wonder that Jake Day appears to share overwhelming support from SAPOA.  In his recently released policy manifesto, Day calls for allowing landlords to self-regulate:

Where the rental industry identifies bad actors within its ranks, the City and the rental industry should first utilize peer-to-peer mentorship to guide them toward best practices.

It's pretty amazing.  Day wants to strip Wicomico landowners of their property rights, but doesn't want one of the city's largest businesses to face regulation.  Day claims that he'll "partner" with mayor Jim Ireton if elected.  Little wonder when both candidates show such "flexibility".

Gas Prices Soar Throughout Maryland

Across the nation and here in Maryland, gas prices are soaring. The price at the pump has increased every day for 32 consecutive days. Some states are already averaging more than $4 a gallon and our state’s not far behind. Kai Jackson has more on how bad it could get.

Gas prices are noticeably higher and drivers are fuming.

The price of gas is burning a hole in the wallets of some drivers. Many are doing a double take as they fill up their vehicles.

“It’s putting a big dent in my wallet. I mean, like I said, $60 just to fill the tank up. I mean, it used to take about $30 to $50,” said driver Khiyes Sanders.
More

WORLD MURDER STATISTICS

From the World Health Organization:
The latest Murder Statistics for the world:
Murders per 100,000 citizens
Honduras 91.6
El Salvador 69.2
Cote d'lvoire 56.9
Jamaica 52.2
Venezuela 45.1
Belize 41.4
US Virgin Islands 39.2
Guatemala 38.5
Saint Kits and Nevis 38.2
Zambia 38.0
Uganda 36.3
Malawi 36.0
Lesotho 35.2
Trinidad and Tobago 35.2
Colombia 33.4
South Africa 31.8
Congo 30.8
Central African Republic 29.3
Bahamas 27.4
Puerto Rico 26.2
Saint Lucia 25.2
Dominican Republic 25.0
Tanzania 24.5
Sudan 24.2
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 22.9
Ethiopia 22.5
Guinea 22.5
Dominica 22.1
Burundi 21.7
Democratic Republic of the Congo 21.7
Panama 21.6
Brazil 21.0
Equatorial Guinea 20.7
Guinea-Bissau 20.2
Kenya 20.1
Kyrgyzstan 20.1
Cameroon 19.7
Montserrat 19.7
Greenland 19.2
Angola 19.0
Guyana 18.6
Burkina Faso 18.0
Eritrea 17.8
Namibia 17.2
Rwanda 17.1
Mexico 16.9
Chad 15.8
Ghana 15.7
Ecuador 15.2
North Korea 15.2
Benin 15.1
Sierra Leone 14.9
Mauritania 14.7
Botswana 14.5
Zimbabwe 14.3
Gabon 13.8
Nicaragua 13.6
French Guiana 13.3
Papua New Guinea 13.0
Swaziland 12.9
Bermuda 12.3
Comoros 12.2
Nigeria 12.2
Cape Verde 11.6
Grenada 11.5
Paraguay 11.5
Barbados 11.3
Togo 10.9
Gambia 10.8
Peru 10.8
Myanmar 10.2
Russia 10.2
Liberia 10.1
Costa Rica 10.0
Nauru 9.8
Bolivia 8.9
Mozambique 8.8
Kazakhstan 8.8
Senegal 8.7
Turks and Caicos Islands 8.7
Mongolia 8.7
British Virgin Islands 8.6
Cayman Islands 8.4
Seychelles 8.3
Madagascar 8.1
Indonesia 8.1
Mali 8.0
Pakistan 7.8
Moldova 7.5
Kiribati 7.3
Guadeloupe 7.0
Haiti 6.9
Timor-Leste 6.9
Anguilla 6.8
Antigua and Barbuda 6.8
Lithuania 6.6
Uruguay 5.9
Philippines 5.4
Ukraine 5.2
Estonia 5.2
Cuba 5.0
Belarus 4.9
Thailand 4.8
Suriname 4.6
Laos 4.6
Georgia 4.3
Martinique 4.2
And
The United States 4.2

ALL the countries above America have 100% gun bans

It might be of interest to note that Switzerland also has NO MURDER OCCURRENCE. However their law requires that EVERYONE own a gun, maintain marksman qualifications and "carry". Interesting how you never hear about this.

O'Malley, Lauding Washington, Warns Of 'Hedonism'

Gov. Martin O'Malley told the Maryland Senate Monday night that if George Washington were to return to the State House in Annapolis, he would warn Americans against a "spirit of hedonism" imperiling the gains of the American Revolution.

Delivering the annual George Washington's Birthday address to senators, O'Malley says a returned Washington would challenge Americans to return to "first principles" and put the common good above personal gain.

It was the first time O'Malley has delivered the annual speech, which is typically given by a legislator. This year, however, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller invited O'Malley to give the address, and the governor accepted with apparent enthusiasm.
More 

Soup And Sandwich