DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, May 09, 2011
Michaels Customer Security Alert
Dear Michaels Customer:
Michaels has just learned that it may have been a victim of PIN pad tampering in the Chicago area and that customer credit and debit card information may have been compromised.
In the event that this is a more widespread issue, we are taking the precautionary measure of alerting all of our customers so that they may protect themselves. We recommend immediately contacting your bank and/or credit card company to check for and report any unauthorized charges, as well as seek their advice on how to protect your account in the event that your information has been taken. Additional information is available on the Federal Trade Commission website at
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt150.shtm.
We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused you, and we want you to know that we are working with law enforcement authorities in every way we can to help in the investigation. As always, we thank you for being a Michaels customer.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
John B. Menzer
CEO, Michaels Stores
Michaels has just learned that it may have been a victim of PIN pad tampering in the Chicago area and that customer credit and debit card information may have been compromised.
In the event that this is a more widespread issue, we are taking the precautionary measure of alerting all of our customers so that they may protect themselves. We recommend immediately contacting your bank and/or credit card company to check for and report any unauthorized charges, as well as seek their advice on how to protect your account in the event that your information has been taken. Additional information is available on the Federal Trade Commission website at
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt150.shtm.
We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused you, and we want you to know that we are working with law enforcement authorities in every way we can to help in the investigation. As always, we thank you for being a Michaels customer.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
John B. Menzer
CEO, Michaels Stores
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY AND LT. GOVERNOR BROWN TO HIGHLIGHT MARYLAND HOUSING INITIATIVES
ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 9, 2011) – TODAY, Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown, joined by members of the Administration, community leaders, local elected officials and others, will highlight rental housing for people with disabilities, foreclosure prevention and affordable housing at events in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties.
Pretrial Hearing Set In Delaware Pediatrician Case
Monday's hearing is expected to involve Bradley's decision to waive his right to a jury trial and have his case decided by the judge.
Jury selection in the case had been scheduled to begin June 1.
More
Traditional H.S. Diploma Important If You Want To Join The Armed Forces
Some parents and would-be enlistees question a Pentagon policy about high school diplomas. DOD takes only 10 percent of its recruits from among students with non-traditional degrees. That includes online high schools. Critics say DOD is behind the times, and that many online high schools are superior to brick-and-mortar ones. A Pentagon spokesman says, more than 20 years of data show recruits with traditional degrees are more likely to complete their full, three years of service.
Hiring Freeze Across The Government
A new bill on the House floor would freeze hiring across the government until the national deficit has been knocked out. Representative Tom Marino (R-Pa.) introduced the bill that would freeze federal hiring in all but a few agencies. Among the exemptions would be USPS and federal law enforcement. Marino wants to halt hiring until the budget deficit is under control. Marino's bill is one of at least three similar bills that would affect the federal workforce either by cutting, freezing it or fuloughing it.
Heightened Security Over Osama bin Laden's Death
Osama Bin Laden's death is leading to heightened security at your agency as officials fear possible retaliatory actions. Feds could see more identification checks or more canines in their office buildings. Wendell Shingler, former director of the Federal Protective Service, tells Federal News Radio, feds won't see all of the changes. Some FPS officers may patrol dressed as tourists or visitors.
A Coment Worthy Of A Post
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Cause of Wi-Middle HAZMAT Still Unknown":
I was at Wi Middle all day on Friday. Yes, three 3rd floor teachers went to the med center. Yes, they were very ill. Many other teachers felt quite bad, recognized the symptons as a possible air quality issue and immediately opened the windows. This occurred before 9:30AM. Administration blew it off, plain and simple. In fact, one administrator stated that everything was fine and that the teachers were "just jumping on the bandwagon and saying they felt bad." Yeah right, that's what adult professionals do-- they make up symptoms.
So, why weren't the kids starting to get ill in the morning? That's because the 8th grade students had gone downstairs during 3rd & 4th periods for their related arts classes. The 8th grade teachers stay in their area for their planning time.
Those teachers who became ill were transported to the med center by another staff member, not by an administrator. They didn't care how these teachers were doing. Several staff requested that the fire department be called at this time to check out the building for a possible gas leak. This request was denied. BOE maintenance was called over to check out the situation an hour later and they reported everything was fine. Keep in mind that windows had been open quite a while at this point.
It wasn't until after 1:00 pm, when student became very ill, that the school had to call 911 for this child. After 1:30 we were evacuated. The BOE knew the school was being evacuated before we knew it! Yes, we spent 2 hours outside, and were able to go in just before dismissal to gather belongings and get kids back out to be dismissed. There has been no word from adminisistration since.
To the person who said that there was unprofessionalism among the staff-- really? Things were fairly organized, given the lack of leadership from admin (who stood in a circle with all of the "concerned" officials from the BOE). It was the teachers & staff who kept crowd control for two hours--Even knowing that their school and BOE admin could care less about the health of the staff.
Parents & concerned community members, PLEASE share your outrage over this situation with the Wicomico County Board of Education.
I was at Wi Middle all day on Friday. Yes, three 3rd floor teachers went to the med center. Yes, they were very ill. Many other teachers felt quite bad, recognized the symptons as a possible air quality issue and immediately opened the windows. This occurred before 9:30AM. Administration blew it off, plain and simple. In fact, one administrator stated that everything was fine and that the teachers were "just jumping on the bandwagon and saying they felt bad." Yeah right, that's what adult professionals do-- they make up symptoms.
So, why weren't the kids starting to get ill in the morning? That's because the 8th grade students had gone downstairs during 3rd & 4th periods for their related arts classes. The 8th grade teachers stay in their area for their planning time.
Those teachers who became ill were transported to the med center by another staff member, not by an administrator. They didn't care how these teachers were doing. Several staff requested that the fire department be called at this time to check out the building for a possible gas leak. This request was denied. BOE maintenance was called over to check out the situation an hour later and they reported everything was fine. Keep in mind that windows had been open quite a while at this point.
It wasn't until after 1:00 pm, when student became very ill, that the school had to call 911 for this child. After 1:30 we were evacuated. The BOE knew the school was being evacuated before we knew it! Yes, we spent 2 hours outside, and were able to go in just before dismissal to gather belongings and get kids back out to be dismissed. There has been no word from adminisistration since.
To the person who said that there was unprofessionalism among the staff-- really? Things were fairly organized, given the lack of leadership from admin (who stood in a circle with all of the "concerned" officials from the BOE). It was the teachers & staff who kept crowd control for two hours--Even knowing that their school and BOE admin could care less about the health of the staff.
Parents & concerned community members, PLEASE share your outrage over this situation with the Wicomico County Board of Education.
Small Maryland Businesses Face Big Challenges
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) - The challenges of maintaining a mom-and-pop store in a big-box age are nothing new, but in an economy that has even giants such as Starbucks and Borders scaling back, keeping a small business alive takes hard work, creativity and sacrifice, local business owners and advisers said.
"You need to be ready to make a commitment," said Sarah Ardinger, who owns The Plum in Hagerstown with her daughter, Jennifer Kane.
"You have to be willing to always put the customer first, even if that means sacrificing your vacation, your doctor's appointment," Kane said. "It's not easy, but it is rewarding."
Alice Growden, a business consultant with the Western Maryland Small Business Development Center, said that since the downturn in the economy, she has been working with more existing businesses in addition to startups.
"They're struggling _ they're challenged _ with the economy and changes in what's happening in the area," she said.
More
"You need to be ready to make a commitment," said Sarah Ardinger, who owns The Plum in Hagerstown with her daughter, Jennifer Kane.
"You have to be willing to always put the customer first, even if that means sacrificing your vacation, your doctor's appointment," Kane said. "It's not easy, but it is rewarding."
Alice Growden, a business consultant with the Western Maryland Small Business Development Center, said that since the downturn in the economy, she has been working with more existing businesses in addition to startups.
"They're struggling _ they're challenged _ with the economy and changes in what's happening in the area," she said.
More
2 AA Motorcycle Officers Injured In Collision
LINTHICUM, Md. (AP) - Anne Arundel County police say two officers suffered minor injuries in a collision between motorcycles they were riding as part of an escort detail.
Lt. Michael Brothers said the unidentified officers were near the intersection of Route 295 and Interstate 195 when they struck each other about 9 a.m. Sunday. Police did not release details on the escort assignment.
More
Lt. Michael Brothers said the unidentified officers were near the intersection of Route 295 and Interstate 195 when they struck each other about 9 a.m. Sunday. Police did not release details on the escort assignment.
More
In Fine Print, Banks Require Struggling Homeowners To Waive Rights
Some banks and others who handle mortgages have been forcing homeowners into a corner: You want a chance at saving your home? Then you’ll have to waive your right to sue.
A few months ago, Bank of America offered Sergio Cortez of Staten Island, N.Y., the help he desperately needed to stay in his home: a break on his mortgage. Like millions of others, he was facing foreclosure. But there was a catch buried in the fine print. Cortez had to waive any possibility of ever suing the bank for anything relating to the loan.
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Hayward: Impressions From The South Carolina Debate
The first debate between Republican presidential contenders was held in South Carolina Thursday night. Not all of them were in attendance. Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and Mike Huckabee were among the declared or likely contestants who didn’t attend. The attendees were asked for their thoughts on the missing candidates, so we learned that Tim Pawlenty is very fond of Mike Huckabee, while Gary Johnson thinks Sarah Palin spends her time in Alaska crawling around ice floes on her hands and knees.
Donald Trump wasn’t there either, although I was hoping he would make a surprise appearance. I envisioned a burst of flash powder and a column of gold smoke mixed with glitter, followed by a loud thump and some muffled cursing. Trump would then stroll onto the stage, adjusting his tie and complaining that nobody had talked about screwing the Chinese yet. Alas, it didn’t happen.
I doubt any of the candidates would have expected, two weeks ago, that so much of this debate would focus on foreign policy. The shift in the national discussion after the death of bin Laden probably threw them all off their games - except for Ron Paul, who has been playing the exact same game for a long time, and wants the world to go away as much today as he did last year. It’s good that all of the contenders found themselves on uncertain ground tonight. We need to see what they do when the earth moves beneath them.
I thought Herman Cain won the evening, an opinion shared by the Fox News focus group convened immediately afterward. He’s the most commanding orator of the group, and the one best able to think on his feet. His weakest answer was the first one, covering foreign policy and the war in Afghanistan. It was clearly not something he really wanted to talk about, and when some of the energy drains from his performance, the effect is dramatic.
During that exchange, Cain said he would trust “the experts” to advise him on a situation like Afghanistan. Of course every President will have advice from experts, but right now the public is thinking that a galaxy of “experts” got us $14 trillion in debt… and that’s usually a feeling Cain is deeply in tune with. In future debates, he should come armed with his own fully-formed opinions on all topics. That’s hard to do. So is running for President.
Cain was the best at planting rhetorical lawn darts in the memory of the audience, as when he said of President Obama’s bounce from the killing of Osama bin Laden: “One right decision doth not a great president make.” When he said the word “outrageous,” I could see it hanging in the air, with hyphens in between the syllables. He seemed far more prepared to defend the dramatic “Fair Tax” reform plan than Tim Pawlenty was to defend his gubernatorial record.
Cain’s stance on energy policy, and the importance of American energy independence, was a textbook example of how powerful a simple common-sense idea can be, when presented with supreme confidence.
More here
Donald Trump wasn’t there either, although I was hoping he would make a surprise appearance. I envisioned a burst of flash powder and a column of gold smoke mixed with glitter, followed by a loud thump and some muffled cursing. Trump would then stroll onto the stage, adjusting his tie and complaining that nobody had talked about screwing the Chinese yet. Alas, it didn’t happen.
I doubt any of the candidates would have expected, two weeks ago, that so much of this debate would focus on foreign policy. The shift in the national discussion after the death of bin Laden probably threw them all off their games - except for Ron Paul, who has been playing the exact same game for a long time, and wants the world to go away as much today as he did last year. It’s good that all of the contenders found themselves on uncertain ground tonight. We need to see what they do when the earth moves beneath them.
I thought Herman Cain won the evening, an opinion shared by the Fox News focus group convened immediately afterward. He’s the most commanding orator of the group, and the one best able to think on his feet. His weakest answer was the first one, covering foreign policy and the war in Afghanistan. It was clearly not something he really wanted to talk about, and when some of the energy drains from his performance, the effect is dramatic.
During that exchange, Cain said he would trust “the experts” to advise him on a situation like Afghanistan. Of course every President will have advice from experts, but right now the public is thinking that a galaxy of “experts” got us $14 trillion in debt… and that’s usually a feeling Cain is deeply in tune with. In future debates, he should come armed with his own fully-formed opinions on all topics. That’s hard to do. So is running for President.
Cain was the best at planting rhetorical lawn darts in the memory of the audience, as when he said of President Obama’s bounce from the killing of Osama bin Laden: “One right decision doth not a great president make.” When he said the word “outrageous,” I could see it hanging in the air, with hyphens in between the syllables. He seemed far more prepared to defend the dramatic “Fair Tax” reform plan than Tim Pawlenty was to defend his gubernatorial record.
Cain’s stance on energy policy, and the importance of American energy independence, was a textbook example of how powerful a simple common-sense idea can be, when presented with supreme confidence.
More here
Arctic Ice Melting Faster Than Once Thought
A recent study says Arctic ice is melting faster than originally thought. What could this mean for coastal countries?
Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com
Black Market In Organ Donations Flourishes In China
Beijing - In China, where a growing demand for organ transplants coupled with a dramatic shortage of donors has fuelled a rampant black market trade, selling your organs for cash is a mouse click away.
An Internet search reveals a website offering kidneys for sale and the contact information of those able to procure them. A young woman, posing for IPS as a migrant worker from Hebei province, calls a man who has advertised on the website, identified as Mr. He.
"I need money," she says over the phone. "Do you want a woman’s kidney?"
Mr. He asks her age. Twenty-five, she replies.
"Of course we want your kidney."
More
An Internet search reveals a website offering kidneys for sale and the contact information of those able to procure them. A young woman, posing for IPS as a migrant worker from Hebei province, calls a man who has advertised on the website, identified as Mr. He.
"I need money," she says over the phone. "Do you want a woman’s kidney?"
Mr. He asks her age. Twenty-five, she replies.
"Of course we want your kidney."
More
Beyond Foreclosuregate - It Gets Uglier
The ForeclosureGate scandal poses a threat to Wall Street, the big banks, and the political establishment. If the public ever gets a complete picture of the personal, financial, and legal assault on citizens at their most vulnerable, the outrage will be endless.
Foreclosure practices lift the veil on a broader set of interlocking efforts to exploit those hardest hit by the endless economic hard times, citizens who become financially desperate due medical conditions. A 2007 study found that medical expenses or income losses related to medical crises among bankruptcy filers or family members triggered 62% of bankruptcies. There is no underground conspiracy. The facts are in plain sight.
ForeclosureGate represents the sum total illegal and unethical lending and collections activities during the real estate bubble. It continues today. Law professor and law school dean Christopher L. Peterson describes the contractual language for the sixty million contracts between borrowers and lenders as fictional since the boilerplate language names a universal surrogate as creditor (Mortgage Electronic Registration System), not the actual creditor. Other aspects of ForeclosureGate harmed homeowners but the contractual problems that the lenders created on their own pose the greatest threats.
More
Foreclosure practices lift the veil on a broader set of interlocking efforts to exploit those hardest hit by the endless economic hard times, citizens who become financially desperate due medical conditions. A 2007 study found that medical expenses or income losses related to medical crises among bankruptcy filers or family members triggered 62% of bankruptcies. There is no underground conspiracy. The facts are in plain sight.
ForeclosureGate represents the sum total illegal and unethical lending and collections activities during the real estate bubble. It continues today. Law professor and law school dean Christopher L. Peterson describes the contractual language for the sixty million contracts between borrowers and lenders as fictional since the boilerplate language names a universal surrogate as creditor (Mortgage Electronic Registration System), not the actual creditor. Other aspects of ForeclosureGate harmed homeowners but the contractual problems that the lenders created on their own pose the greatest threats.
More
Indian River Inlet Bridge Roadway Approach Work Phase II Traffic Pattern Switch Will Occur Before Memorial Day Weekend
Dover -- The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that this week George & Lynch, Inc., the contractor on the Indian River Inlet Bridge Roadway Approach and Demolition Contract, is making preparations to change the traffic pattern at the bridge as the contract moves into Phase II.
A change in traffic pattern is expected to occur before Memorial Day weekend. In fact, during the week of May 9-13, the contractor will begin establishing detours and placing signage in anticipation of the traffic switch, which will occur on or about Friday, May 13.
During the next few weeks, the public can expect to see paving operations in the area, as well as intermittent shoulder and lane closures leading up to the traffic switch.
The traffic configuration noted for Phase II will limit vehicles to one lane in each direction over the existing bridge utilizing the SR 1 northbound lanes only. Southbound cyclists will continue to utilize the existing southbound lanes over the bridge while being separated from vehicular traffic. Access for northbound cyclists will remain unchanged along the northbound SR-1 shoulder area. This traffic pattern will remain until the new bridge is opened to traffic in December 2011.
Motorists are reminded that the current speed limit of 35 mph throughout the roadway approach and bridge work zones will remain in effect and is being enforced to protect the safety of workers and the traveling public.
A change in traffic pattern is expected to occur before Memorial Day weekend. In fact, during the week of May 9-13, the contractor will begin establishing detours and placing signage in anticipation of the traffic switch, which will occur on or about Friday, May 13.
During the next few weeks, the public can expect to see paving operations in the area, as well as intermittent shoulder and lane closures leading up to the traffic switch.
The traffic configuration noted for Phase II will limit vehicles to one lane in each direction over the existing bridge utilizing the SR 1 northbound lanes only. Southbound cyclists will continue to utilize the existing southbound lanes over the bridge while being separated from vehicular traffic. Access for northbound cyclists will remain unchanged along the northbound SR-1 shoulder area. This traffic pattern will remain until the new bridge is opened to traffic in December 2011.
Motorists are reminded that the current speed limit of 35 mph throughout the roadway approach and bridge work zones will remain in effect and is being enforced to protect the safety of workers and the traveling public.
Sunday, May 08, 2011
It's Official! Paula Abdul Joins 'X Factor'
She's back!
Fox announced Sunday that former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul is joining her former co-panelist Simon Cowell on his new singing competition "The X Factor." Abdul will be the fourth judge, alongside Cheryl Cole and L.A. Reid.
“This show would never have been the same without Paula and I can’t believe I am saying this -- I have missed her a lot, and I am thrilled she’s on the show,” said Cowell in a statement.
The two famously bickered on "American Idol" -- with Abdul as the overly sympathetic judge, and Cowell as the caustic one -- before she finally left after season eight. Cowell left "Idol" after season nine to launch "The X Factor," which he produced and judged in the U.K.
"I am excited beyond words to be a part of 'The X Factor,' " Abdul said in a statement. "I couldn't be happier to bring my love for cultivating talent and performance to such a wildly anticipated show. ... I'm also delighted and grateful to be sitting next to Simon again ... but you might want to check back with me in a week or two!"
More
Fox announced Sunday that former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul is joining her former co-panelist Simon Cowell on his new singing competition "The X Factor." Abdul will be the fourth judge, alongside Cheryl Cole and L.A. Reid.
“This show would never have been the same without Paula and I can’t believe I am saying this -- I have missed her a lot, and I am thrilled she’s on the show,” said Cowell in a statement.
The two famously bickered on "American Idol" -- with Abdul as the overly sympathetic judge, and Cowell as the caustic one -- before she finally left after season eight. Cowell left "Idol" after season nine to launch "The X Factor," which he produced and judged in the U.K.
"I am excited beyond words to be a part of 'The X Factor,' " Abdul said in a statement. "I couldn't be happier to bring my love for cultivating talent and performance to such a wildly anticipated show. ... I'm also delighted and grateful to be sitting next to Simon again ... but you might want to check back with me in a week or two!"
More
Black Lab Found In Parsonsburg: UPDATE
UPDATE: A family member noticed the dog and contacted the owner. The owner called about the dog and was able to confirm it was his. It's been a good day all together.
Lost Dog: UPDATE
Michael
UPDATE:
Trudi Grosch
Hi everyone thank you all for all your help and support thanks to one in particular whom i never got there names, but told me they had three mastiffs themselves, and who called me to tell me they saw my dog by the Salisbury mall which enabled me to regain my dog. So bottom line i found my dog mace and again thank you for everyone's help, prays, and support.
Michael
Lenin's Journalists
As Israel approaches the sixty-third anniversary of its independence, the Middle East is ablaze in a revolution whose outcome none can accurately predict, and Israel's detractors are increasing their efforts to delegitimize the Jewish State. Perhaps now more than ever, unity in the pro-Israel community is paramount. We will not always agree on policy, but organizations who associate themselves with Israel advocacy must shun the most unethical tactics in the public relations' arsenal -- lest we expend resources attacking each other, rather than defending the Jewish State.
In February 2007, activist journalist Bruce Wilson quoted Christians United for Israel (CUFI) founder and Chairman Pastor John Hagee as having advocated an attack on Iran in order to bring about Armageddon. There was one major problem: Hagee never made the statement; in fact it is a fundamental contradiction of his theology. The quote Wilson attributed to Hagee was written by another activist journalist, Sarah Posner, in her own voice, as part of her (albeit hopelessly inaccurate) characterization of Hagee's views.
In February 2007, activist journalist Bruce Wilson quoted Christians United for Israel (CUFI) founder and Chairman Pastor John Hagee as having advocated an attack on Iran in order to bring about Armageddon. There was one major problem: Hagee never made the statement; in fact it is a fundamental contradiction of his theology. The quote Wilson attributed to Hagee was written by another activist journalist, Sarah Posner, in her own voice, as part of her (albeit hopelessly inaccurate) characterization of Hagee's views.
Some may be inclined to believe that Wilson simply made an error. But just a few months before attributing the quote to Hagee, Wilson published a lengthy blog post citing Posner's article, including the paragraph containing her relevant assertion. Though he may not have been the first to do so, the sequence of events suggests that Wilson knowingly misattributed the quote to Hagee. Despite this, and the fact that Hagee does not advocate such an attack or seek to speed the "end of days," the quote is widely cited by Hagee's detractors.
Wilson and his ilk ought to be relegated to that dark corner of the internet generally ignored by the open-minded mainstream. Unfortunately Wilson's assertion was not ignored. In fact, the Jewish Daily Forward has cited the falsely attributed quote. Furthermore, J Street has extended "special thanks" to Wilson as well as activist journalists Max Blumenthal and Haim Beliak for their hateful attacks on Christians who support Israel.
The pro-Israel community is certainly not alone in its vulnerability to activist journalism. Across the board, political commentators and advocacy organizations seem increasingly comfortable with such devious tactics. But given how often we in the self-described pro-Israel community decry the unfair treatment of the Jewish State by activist journalists, we should be most wary of this phenomenon.
Most Westerners believe that the media's job is to inform; holding that truth, accuracy, and fairness are paramount. In stark contrast to this, there are those who have adopted Vladimir Lenin's view that the media "is not only a collective propagandist and a collective agitator, it is also a collective organizer."
Unlike most opinion columnists, activist journalists in the Leninist tradition are less concerned with offering thoughtful insight. Rather, as the Wilson example shows, they are focused on advancing their cause; journalism, or some distortion thereof, is simply a means to that end.
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More
Gas Prices Expected To Drop 50 Cents By Summer
Some relief from suffocating gas prices will likely arrive just in time for summer vacation. Expect a drop of nearly 50 cents as early as June, analysts say.
After rocketing up 91 cents since January, including 44 straight days of increases, the national average last week stopped just shy of $4 a gallon and has retreated to under $3.98. A steady decline is expected to follow.
It might not be enough to evoke cheers from people who recall gas stations charging less than $3 a gallon last year. But it would still ease the burden on drivers. And it might help lift consumer spending, which powers about 70 percent of the economy. A 50-cent drop in prices would save U.S. drivers about $189 million a day.
Typically, gas prices peak each spring, then fall into a summertime swoon that can last several weeks. This year's decline should be gradual but steady, said Fred Rozell, the retail pricing director at the Oil Price Information Service. .
Some drivers might not notice much of a price drop at first, Rozell cautioned. When average gas prices fluctuate nationally, some areas are affected more than others. In cities with many service stations, for instance, prices can be slower to fall. It's even possible prices will rise at some stations in coming days even if they decline nationally.
And after the galloping surge in prices this year, many gas station owners are reluctant to lower prices until they see their competition doing the same, Rozell said.
"It's just the nature of the business," he said. "They're going to try to get the most they can."
Read more
After rocketing up 91 cents since January, including 44 straight days of increases, the national average last week stopped just shy of $4 a gallon and has retreated to under $3.98. A steady decline is expected to follow.
It might not be enough to evoke cheers from people who recall gas stations charging less than $3 a gallon last year. But it would still ease the burden on drivers. And it might help lift consumer spending, which powers about 70 percent of the economy. A 50-cent drop in prices would save U.S. drivers about $189 million a day.
Typically, gas prices peak each spring, then fall into a summertime swoon that can last several weeks. This year's decline should be gradual but steady, said Fred Rozell, the retail pricing director at the Oil Price Information Service. .
Some drivers might not notice much of a price drop at first, Rozell cautioned. When average gas prices fluctuate nationally, some areas are affected more than others. In cities with many service stations, for instance, prices can be slower to fall. It's even possible prices will rise at some stations in coming days even if they decline nationally.
And after the galloping surge in prices this year, many gas station owners are reluctant to lower prices until they see their competition doing the same, Rozell said.
"It's just the nature of the business," he said. "They're going to try to get the most they can."
Read more
Spread The Stupidity
Only in America ...do
drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people
can buy cigarettes
at the front.
drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people
can buy cigarettes
at the front.
Only in America .....do people order
double cheeseburgers, large fries, and
a diet coke.
Only in America .....do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
Only in America ......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put
our useless junk in
the garage.
Only in America ......do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
Only in America .....do they have drive-up
ATM machines with
Braille lettering.
EVER WONDER....
Why the sun lightens
our hair, but darkens
our skin?
Why can't women put
on mascara with their mouth closed?
Why don't you ever see the headline
'Psychic Wins Lottery'?
Why is 'abbreviated'
such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor,
and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
Why isn't there
mouse-flavored cat food?
Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
Why do they sterilize
the needle for
lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make
the whole plane out
of that stuff?!
Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when they
are all stuck together?
I like this one!!!
If con is the opposite
of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
If flying is so safe,
why do they call the airport, the terminal?
1 Year Old Dog Needs A Good Home
15 Year Mortgage May Not Be Your Best Bet
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If your main goal is to kill off your mortgage quickly while paying as little interest as possible, a 15-year mortgage is tempting. Larger payments knock down your principal at a quicker rate than a traditional 30-year plan, but signing up for such a mortgage might not be the wisest course of action.
A WealthPilgrim post goes over drawbacks of the 15-year mortgages. The loan type limits your financial flexibility, locking up a higher percentage of your budget toward your payments. It may be a smarter move to sign up for a 30-year loan and make extra payments in order to keep plugging away at your principal. That way, if you suffer a financial crisis or would rather divert your funds elsewhere, you've got that option. If you take that route, it's wise to check your loan terms to make sure there's no pre-payment penalty.
If you're trying to pay your mortgage off quickly, what strategy are you using?
from the Consumerist
THE END … Osama Bin Laden
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Indian sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik gives finishing touches to a sand sculpture to mark the killing of Usama bin Laden at the golden sea beach at Puri, Orissa, India, Monday, May 2, 2011. Usama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed thousands of people, was slain in his luxury hideout in Pakistan early Monday in a firefight with U.S. forces, ending a manhunt that spanned a frustrating decade.
from FOXNews
Local Counties Feel Strain Operating New Schools
The AP ran a piece outlining the strain placed on local governments as they struggle to operate and maintain new public schools. Maryland comptroller Peter Franchot makes specific mention of Charles and Wicomico counties.
"It's not just Charles County and Wicomico which were on the agenda today," Franchot said. "Every jurisdiction is going to take it, have some version of this dilemma."
Franchot recommended that state officials revisit guidelines used to decide school construction needs, noting that St. Charles High School has some particularly snazzy features, such as a swimming pool and observatory.
"Given the tough times, shouldn't we reassess the guidelines so that we're not building expensive, shiny, new schools that people can't operate because they don't have the money?" Franchot said. "And, if that's the case, shouldn't we be looking towards value-engineering redesigns of some of these schools that are on the books, maybe less observatories and less swimming pools and less bells and whistles?"
These are similar to recommendations put forward by Wicomico County councilman Joe Holloway over the past few years. Each time Wicomico schools superintendent John Fredericksen has dismissed them out of hand.
In Wicomico County the current stock of school buildings is not being adequately maintained while the WCBOE requests new schools. Perhaps the county’s taxpayers and students would be best served by maintaining and (when necessary) renovating existing schools with an emphasis on basic education.
2011 Salisbury Safe Kids Day
The 2011 Salisbury Safe Kids Day was held Saturday at the Mid-Shore YMCA on Schumaker Drive in Salisbury. It was estimated that over 300 children (about 500 total) attended the event.
The event, sponsored by the Salisbury Jaycees and the Mid-Shore YMCA, featured groups from around Delmarva with an emphasis on providing a safe environment for our children.
PRMC’s trauma unit brought out the “Trauma-roo”, a huge favorite with the younger kids. Wicomico State’s Attorney Matt Maciarello was present as well. His office arranged to also have representatives from the US Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, as well as the US Secret Service present. Parents were provided information about the sex offender registry, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Ident-a-Kid.
Other groups present included the Wicomico County Sheriff’s office, the Maryland State Police, the Salisbury Kennel Club, and Home Depot.
Muslim–Christian Clash Kills 10 in Cairo
CAIRO -- Mobs set two churches on fire in western Cairo during clashes between Muslims and Christians triggered by rumors of an interfaith romance that left 10 dead in some of the worst sectarian violence since the ouster of the president in a popular uprising.
Egypt's prime minister canceled his visit to the Gulf on Sunday, and called for an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss the violence, according to the state news agency.
Saturday night's clashes were sparked by rumors in the low-income neighborhood of Imbaba that a Christian woman married to a Muslim had been abducted and was being held in one of the churches against her will.
The report, which was never confirmed, spurred a mob from the ultraconservative Salafi trend of Islam to march on the Saint Menas Church. Christians barricaded themselves inside and around the church and the demonstrations turned violent. Gunfire sounded across the neighborhood, and witnesses said people on rooftops fired into the crowd.
No Tweeting for Kent County Employees
The Wilmington News-Journal reports that employees of the Kent County County Levy Court (the official name of the county government) has enacted a policy which regulates county employee use of social media both on and off the job:
New provisions would bar workers from posting materials on or off the job that disparage co-workers, disclose confidential information or "reflect unfavorably" on county government, unless rated as a "legitimate matter of public concern." The same proposals also would create a "duty to report inappropriate use of social media by co-workers or supervisors."
Daily Times Endorses “Moment of Silence”
In a Sunday editorial the Daily Times has endorsed ending the Salisbury City Council’s recitation of the Lord’s Prayer at their legislative sessions. The DT’s editorial board calls for replacing the prayer with a “moment of silence”.
As usual, Susan Parker makes some excellent arguments, including certain impracticalities of using local clergy to offer non-sectarian prayers. That doesn’t mean that SbyNEWS agrees with her views. Tune in tomorrow morning for SbyNEWS’s position on this controversial issue.
Five Things to Do When A Company Leaks Your Data
What should yo do if you're a victim of Sony's recent security breaches — or of similar data leaks at other security-challenged-companies? Our clever cousins at Consumer Reports have come up with a set of tips to help you weather the post-hack storm. Top of the list: Accept free credit-monitoring services that the company offers to its customers, but don't count on them to catch everything.
Among the tips offered by Consumer Reports:
1. Accept offers of free credit monitoring services. Don't consider them foolproof, however. And put a note on your calendar to remind you when the free monitoring period ends, so that you aren't automatically charged for continuing such services, which can cost more than $200 a year.
2. Monitor credit and debit card accounts online at least once a week to spot and report any unauthorized credit or debit transactions as quickly as possible.
3. Put a security freeze on your files at the three credit reporting agencies if there is a chance that a data breach includes your Social Security number.
4. Heighten your guard against phishing scams, which are likely to increase in the wake of April's mega breach at Epsilon, an online marketing firm that sends about 40 billion emails annually to customers of major U.S. banks, hotels and other companies such as Krogers, L.L. Bean, Verizon and Walgreens.
5. Change user names and passwords on any accounts you know have been breached.
from the Consumerist
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Bin Laden Home Videos Offer Glimpse Into His Daily Life
WASHINGTON -- A detailed portrait of Usama bin Laden's daily life emerged Saturday from the single largest intelligence collection ever, including a disclosure of home videos that show him watching news coverage of himself on television.
The videos were shown to the news media Saturday by intelligence officials. The five movies offer the first public glimpse at bin Laden's life behind the walls of his compound in suburban Pakistan.
The government-selected clips also provide an opportunity for the U.S. to paint bin Laden in an unflattering light to his supporters. The videos include outtakes of his propaganda films and, taken together, portray him as someone obsessed with his own image and how he is portrayed to the world
.
One of the movies shows bin Laden, his unkempt beard streaked in gray, sitting on the floor, wrapped in a brown blanket and holding a remote control. He flipped back and forth between what appears to be live news coverage of himself. The old, small television was perched on top of a desk with a large tangle of electrical wires running to a nearby control box.
In another, he has apparently dyed and neatly trimmed his beard for the filming of a propaganda video. The video, which the U.S. released without sound, was titled ""Message to the American People" and was believed to be made sometime last fall, a senior intelligence official said during a briefing for reporters, on condition that his name not be used.
What Happens If They Don’t Raise The Debt Limit?
Sometime before August, Congress will have to hold its collective breath and vote on whether to raise the limit on the federal debt, which now stands at a record $1.6 trillion.
In the past, that debt limit has always been raised before the debt ever hit it. But this year, there are growing doubts over whether this will happen. In large part, this is because a growing number of the 87 freshman Republicans who comprise more than one-third of the GOP’s House majority are voicing a willingness to vote “no” on lifting the ceiling.
“I do not want to raise the debt ceiling, but I also realize the debt is just the symptom, and the disease is out-of-control spending,” freshman Rep. Bill Johnson (R.-Ohio) told HUMAN EVENTS two weeks ago. “There is a difference between raising the debt ceiling the way the Democrats did in 2010—just to continue spending at the federal level—and raising the debt ceiling now to continue our obligations, but with serious, serious cuts.”
Johnson’s view was seconded by fellow freshman Rep. Dan Webster (R.-Fla), who told us he does not believe that “Armageddon will come if the debt ceiling is not raised immediately. Look, the administration is already starting to take steps to deal with situations if Congress refuses to raise the ceiling. As I see it, we will operate on a cash basis for a while, the government won’t be able to borrow, and the revenue that comes in will go immediately to pay for critical necessities—national defense and Social Security for starters."
Coming as the “no” votes from Republican House freshmen mounted during four successive Continuing Resolutions to keep the government running this year, such talk has fueled “gloom and doom” predictions from the White House. Last month, Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at the White House that “the consequences of failing to raise the debt ceiling would be Armageddon-like.”
(Interestingly, in 2006, then-Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) voted against raising the debt ceiling. Spokesman Carney said the President now “regrets” that vote.)
So what will happen if it appears Congress will say no to raising the debt limit in May?
Read more
In the past, that debt limit has always been raised before the debt ever hit it. But this year, there are growing doubts over whether this will happen. In large part, this is because a growing number of the 87 freshman Republicans who comprise more than one-third of the GOP’s House majority are voicing a willingness to vote “no” on lifting the ceiling.
“I do not want to raise the debt ceiling, but I also realize the debt is just the symptom, and the disease is out-of-control spending,” freshman Rep. Bill Johnson (R.-Ohio) told HUMAN EVENTS two weeks ago. “There is a difference between raising the debt ceiling the way the Democrats did in 2010—just to continue spending at the federal level—and raising the debt ceiling now to continue our obligations, but with serious, serious cuts.”
Johnson’s view was seconded by fellow freshman Rep. Dan Webster (R.-Fla), who told us he does not believe that “Armageddon will come if the debt ceiling is not raised immediately. Look, the administration is already starting to take steps to deal with situations if Congress refuses to raise the ceiling. As I see it, we will operate on a cash basis for a while, the government won’t be able to borrow, and the revenue that comes in will go immediately to pay for critical necessities—national defense and Social Security for starters."
Coming as the “no” votes from Republican House freshmen mounted during four successive Continuing Resolutions to keep the government running this year, such talk has fueled “gloom and doom” predictions from the White House. Last month, Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at the White House that “the consequences of failing to raise the debt ceiling would be Armageddon-like.”
(Interestingly, in 2006, then-Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) voted against raising the debt ceiling. Spokesman Carney said the President now “regrets” that vote.)
So what will happen if it appears Congress will say no to raising the debt limit in May?
Read more
HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER
Shoe Stores
The history of shoe stores in Salisbury goes back to at least 1878. In those days, the shoemaker was an accomplished leather worker. He probably worked on many of the leather accessories associated with horses. There are three listed for Salisbury in the 1878 Maryland Directory. In the 1891 Peninsula Directory, there are four establishments listed under “Boot and Shoemakers and Dealers” in Salisbury and neither of them are one of the three that were in business in 1878.
1899 saw seven stores selling boots and shoes, one of them being R. E. Powell Co. which many of us recall as still being in business through the 1960’s. How many remember the contraption they had where you put your feet in a large wooden box on a stand and it would show a green outline of your foot in the shoe you were contemplating purchasing to see if the fit was correct. There were also six businesses calling themselves “Shoemakers”, two of which were owned by African-Americans.
The E. Homer White Shoe Co. first appeared in the 1907 Salisbury Directory. The “Big Shoe” in front of the store was a Main St. icon. E. Homer White purchased a half interest in the shoe business of Homer Dickerson in 1896 and bought him out in 1898. The shoe store was in business until 1964 when E. Homer White, Jr. died.
Lacy Thoroughgood had a clothing store on Main St, and the button puller was an advertising give-away. The early high button shoes were easier to get on if you had one of these button pullers. This is from around 1910.
Another full line clothing and shoe store was Harvey Whitely, who advertised himself on the shoe horn as “the shoe man”. He was in business on S. Division St. from at least 1907 to 1921.
A shoe repair business that survived at least from 1916 to 1961 was the Arcade Shoe Repair Co., owned by Christus G. Chames I remember the business as being on E. Main St. near the Hubert R. White Hardware Store. He also had a hat blocking service which is unheard of these days. Another shoe repair business that many remember was the Ace Shoe Service near Watson’s Smoke House on W. Main St. Mr. Phillips opened the business in at least 1940 and was still in business in 1961.
Other shoe stores that have been a large part of the Salisbury business community were Edward’s (run by Eddie Shilkret at least from 1940) and the Vernon H. Powell Shoe Co. (still operating as VP Shoes and the Athlete). Vernon Powell started this business at least as far back as 1940. I remember my grandmother always shopped from Vernon Powell. Being deaf, there was no conversation between her and Mr. Powell. She would just walk in and tap him on the shoulder. He would just drop whatever he was doing and get her the two pairs of shoes she wanted. The style was always the same and she always bought a size 7 and a size 7 ½. She would start the day with the 7’s and after lunch she would put on the 7 ½’s, claiming her feet had swelled during the day. Makes sense to me.
Federal Regulators Sue Arizona Over Union Law
Federal labor regulators have sued the state of Arizona over a state constitutional amendment that limits how workers can choose whether they want union representation.
The amendment passed by voters last year requires workers to hold secret ballot elections before a company can be unionized.
The National Labor Relations Board says the amendment interferes with federal law. Current law gives employers the choice of recognizing a union if a majority of workers sign cards, a process known as card check.
Arizona's attorney general has vowed to fight the lawsuit. Business groups that pushed the ballot measure say they fear Congress will require all businesses to recognize card check.
Read more
The amendment passed by voters last year requires workers to hold secret ballot elections before a company can be unionized.
The National Labor Relations Board says the amendment interferes with federal law. Current law gives employers the choice of recognizing a union if a majority of workers sign cards, a process known as card check.
Arizona's attorney general has vowed to fight the lawsuit. Business groups that pushed the ballot measure say they fear Congress will require all businesses to recognize card check.
Read more
Sen. Sessions Unloads On Conrad’s ’Secret Budget’
Days before a likely markup of Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad’s budget blueprint, the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee is unloading on the North Dakota chairman, blasting his plan to release the budget only minutes before it is marked up in committee.
Conrad “indicated to me he was not going to comply with the request of all the Republican members that there be 72 hours …. that a short time before the hearing, maybe the morning of the hearing that we’d get some sort of briefing, I would, maybe not the rest of the members, then we’d start the markup of the bill,” said Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top GOP lawmaker on the Budget Committee, in an interview with The Daily Caller.
In protesting the cloaked process by which Conrad has deliberated over the budget – including meetings with a “gang of six” in cloistered Capitol hideaways – Republicans appear to have diverted Democrats from skipping the Budget Committee altogether, Sessions said.
“Apparently it was discussed. That was not just a rumor,” Sessions said, “I think we would have had a real brouhaha over that.” A spokesman for Conrad did not reply to a request for comment.
Sessions, who has taken an increasingly high-profile role representing the GOP on high-stakes spending battles in the upper chamber, decried in general the idea of small, clubby “gangs” of senators laboring to strike bipartisan spending deals out of the public eye.
Read more
Conrad “indicated to me he was not going to comply with the request of all the Republican members that there be 72 hours …. that a short time before the hearing, maybe the morning of the hearing that we’d get some sort of briefing, I would, maybe not the rest of the members, then we’d start the markup of the bill,” said Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top GOP lawmaker on the Budget Committee, in an interview with The Daily Caller.
In protesting the cloaked process by which Conrad has deliberated over the budget – including meetings with a “gang of six” in cloistered Capitol hideaways – Republicans appear to have diverted Democrats from skipping the Budget Committee altogether, Sessions said.
“Apparently it was discussed. That was not just a rumor,” Sessions said, “I think we would have had a real brouhaha over that.” A spokesman for Conrad did not reply to a request for comment.
Sessions, who has taken an increasingly high-profile role representing the GOP on high-stakes spending battles in the upper chamber, decried in general the idea of small, clubby “gangs” of senators laboring to strike bipartisan spending deals out of the public eye.
Read more
Hatch: ‘We’re Going To Win’ Against NLRB In South Carolina
Sen. Orrin Hatch, Utah Republican, expressed confidence that Republicans will win the fight against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) power grab in South Carolina. “We’re going to win that one,” Hatch told The Daily Caller, referring to the NLRB’s recent charge against The Boeing Company for plans to open a non-union factory in the southern state.
In remarks to the Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) at the National Press Club on Friday, Hatch compared what the NLRB is doing to judicial activism.
Hatch is one of several Republican senators who signed onto a letter Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican, wrote to President Obama on Thursday demanding he immediately rescind nominations for the NLRB’s Acting General Counsel, Lafe Solomon, and board member Craig Becker.
“The NLRB, at the behest of Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon, has taken unprecedented legal action against The Boeing Company to prevent it from expanding productions into South Carolina, a state that assures workers the freedom not to join a union as a condition of employment,” the letter reads. “We consider this an attack on millions of workers in 22 right-to-work states, as well as a government-led act of intimidation against American companies that should have the freedom to choose to build plants in right-to-work states.”
Read more
In remarks to the Republican National Lawyers Association (RNLA) at the National Press Club on Friday, Hatch compared what the NLRB is doing to judicial activism.
Hatch is one of several Republican senators who signed onto a letter Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican, wrote to President Obama on Thursday demanding he immediately rescind nominations for the NLRB’s Acting General Counsel, Lafe Solomon, and board member Craig Becker.
“The NLRB, at the behest of Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon, has taken unprecedented legal action against The Boeing Company to prevent it from expanding productions into South Carolina, a state that assures workers the freedom not to join a union as a condition of employment,” the letter reads. “We consider this an attack on millions of workers in 22 right-to-work states, as well as a government-led act of intimidation against American companies that should have the freedom to choose to build plants in right-to-work states.”
Read more
Top Official From Obama-Backed Black Chamber Faces Criminal Charges
A top official from the U.S. Black Chamber, Inc. – the Obama-backed, rival upstart to Harry Alford’s National Black Chamber of Commerce – has a checkered past and faces criminal charges from allegations he exploited a Hurricane Katrina victim.
According to Raleigh, N.C.-based WRAL, which broke the story, Brandon Trainer, who led the North Carolina Regional Black Chamber of Commerce and served as treasurer for the U.S. Black Chamber, skipped town in 2006 when he was charged with defrauding a Hurricane Katrina victim out of $1500.
Trainer also boasted of his Ivy League education at Harvard University, but records show he never even enrolled there as an undergraduate. He did attend classes in a career development program for one semester.
The revelations have left the North Carolina chamber in shambles, but Alford, head of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, said his group would step into the void.
“We knew this was going to happen. We have contacted people in Raleigh and will go down there and assist them in starting a bona fide chamber. We are actually going to Wilmington, N.C., next week to do the same (cleaning up his trail of ‘blood’). How does the White House feel about their little project now?” Alford said in an email.
Trainer was treasurer for the U.S. Black Chamber and on its board of directors. His biography page on the U.S. Black Chamber’s website has been taken down. Officials from the U.S. Black Chamber did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Trainer was charged in Missouri in 2006 for felony theft. He was accused of pretending to be a mortgage broker and taking $1500 from Claymiko Mays under false pretenses. After posting bond, Trainer skipped town. The charges are pending.
More here
According to Raleigh, N.C.-based WRAL, which broke the story, Brandon Trainer, who led the North Carolina Regional Black Chamber of Commerce and served as treasurer for the U.S. Black Chamber, skipped town in 2006 when he was charged with defrauding a Hurricane Katrina victim out of $1500.
Trainer also boasted of his Ivy League education at Harvard University, but records show he never even enrolled there as an undergraduate. He did attend classes in a career development program for one semester.
The revelations have left the North Carolina chamber in shambles, but Alford, head of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, said his group would step into the void.
“We knew this was going to happen. We have contacted people in Raleigh and will go down there and assist them in starting a bona fide chamber. We are actually going to Wilmington, N.C., next week to do the same (cleaning up his trail of ‘blood’). How does the White House feel about their little project now?” Alford said in an email.
Trainer was treasurer for the U.S. Black Chamber and on its board of directors. His biography page on the U.S. Black Chamber’s website has been taken down. Officials from the U.S. Black Chamber did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Trainer was charged in Missouri in 2006 for felony theft. He was accused of pretending to be a mortgage broker and taking $1500 from Claymiko Mays under false pretenses. After posting bond, Trainer skipped town. The charges are pending.
More here
Arizona Sheriff: Feds Order Release Of Illegals To Fluff Numbers
The U.S. Border Patrol has told its agents to stop arresting illegal aliens crossing the border from Mexico to keep the illegal immigration numbers down, Arizona Sheriff Larry Dever tells Newsmax.
He also charges that Attorney General Eric Holder is “holding hands with the ACLU” to protect illegal aliens from prosecution, says illegals are committing “heinous crimes” across America every day, and calls claims that the federal government should be solely responsible for controlling illegal immigration “balderdash.”
Dever is sheriff of Cochise County, which shares an 83-mile border with Mexico, and he says his Border Patrol sector is responsible for half of all illegal aliens caught trying to enter the country and halt the narcotics entering the United States.
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, he was asked about the Obama administration’s bragging that the border is more secure than ever.
“For the secretary of homeland security to say the border is more secure than ever, well, I’ve been there forever and there was a happier time than what it is today. We have a long, long way to go.
“Don’t drink the Kool-Aid and buy into 'this border is secure' nonsense.
“There’s a bad element in the mix of the aliens that are crossing that border and they don’t stay there, they move into communities throughout the country. And every day there are travesties and heinous crimes being committed by those people. If we don’t stop it at the border, it’s just going to continue to grow.”
Dever recently told Congress that in one district in Texas, illegals are allowed to be caught crossing the border 14 times before being charged with a felony, and federal smuggling charges are not considered unless at least six illegal aliens are being smuggled into the country.
Read more
He also charges that Attorney General Eric Holder is “holding hands with the ACLU” to protect illegal aliens from prosecution, says illegals are committing “heinous crimes” across America every day, and calls claims that the federal government should be solely responsible for controlling illegal immigration “balderdash.”
Dever is sheriff of Cochise County, which shares an 83-mile border with Mexico, and he says his Border Patrol sector is responsible for half of all illegal aliens caught trying to enter the country and halt the narcotics entering the United States.
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, he was asked about the Obama administration’s bragging that the border is more secure than ever.
“For the secretary of homeland security to say the border is more secure than ever, well, I’ve been there forever and there was a happier time than what it is today. We have a long, long way to go.
“Don’t drink the Kool-Aid and buy into 'this border is secure' nonsense.
“There’s a bad element in the mix of the aliens that are crossing that border and they don’t stay there, they move into communities throughout the country. And every day there are travesties and heinous crimes being committed by those people. If we don’t stop it at the border, it’s just going to continue to grow.”
Dever recently told Congress that in one district in Texas, illegals are allowed to be caught crossing the border 14 times before being charged with a felony, and federal smuggling charges are not considered unless at least six illegal aliens are being smuggled into the country.
Read more
US: All Kids, Legal Or Not, Entitled To Education
The U.S. Department of Education has sent a letter to districts around the country reminding them that all students are entitled to a public education, whether they are legal or not.
The letter was sent to districts Friday. It tells districts that under federal law elementary and secondary students cannot be barred from enrolling on the basis of citizenship status.
Newsmax
The letter was sent to districts Friday. It tells districts that under federal law elementary and secondary students cannot be barred from enrolling on the basis of citizenship status.
Newsmax
Hispanics Want To Halt Immigration Enforcement Tactic
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is adding its voice to those who want the federal government to stop checking fingerprints of people booked at local and state jails to find immigrants who can be deported.
The caucus has written a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to freeze the fingerprint searching program known as Secure Communities. The letter was sent Thursday.
Through Secure Communities, the FBI shares with the Homeland Security Department fingerprints that local and state law enforcement have sent to the FBI to get criminal histories. The Homeland Security Department checks the prints against its immigration records to identify people illegally in the country or who can be forced to leave the U.S.
More
The caucus has written a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to freeze the fingerprint searching program known as Secure Communities. The letter was sent Thursday.
Through Secure Communities, the FBI shares with the Homeland Security Department fingerprints that local and state law enforcement have sent to the FBI to get criminal histories. The Homeland Security Department checks the prints against its immigration records to identify people illegally in the country or who can be forced to leave the U.S.
More
SALISBURY POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION
On May 07, 2011 at approximately 0200 hrs, the Salisbury Police Department responded to Gully’s, 733 Roland Street for a report of a shooting. It was originally reported as a fight, but further investigation indicated that there were two victims that had been shot. Each victim was shot a single time. The injuries to each victim are considered to be non-life threatening and the victims were treated at Peninsula Regional Medical Center for their injuries.
Victim #1 28 year old male, from Salisbury, Maryland
Victim #2 26 year old female, from Laurel, Delaware
After the shooting, detectives from the Salisbury Police Department were able to interview both victims and several witnesses. Detectives were also able to review the video surveillance from the time of the shooting at Gully’s. The video depicts a small to midsized passenger vehicle, dark colored (possibly blue, purple or black) exiting the parking lot at the same time the shooting took place. The front seat passenger appears to be wearing an orange shirt or jacket. Detectives are requesting assistance in identifying this particular vehicle, operator and passenger for purposes of this investigation. Attached you will find a still picture of this particular vehicle and occupant.
Please contact the Salisbury Police Department at (410)548-3165 or crime solvers at (410)548-1776. When you call, you may remain anonymous.
Case # 201100017430
Springfest 2011
Hit Telemarketers for $500
If you can't get rid of annoying telemarketers, you can at least make a profit off them. Under Federal law, they have to give you a written copy of their "Do Not Call" policy for free if you ask them to. If they don't, you can take them to court and sue them for a cool statutory $500. Here's a sample script for doing this from a guy who has sued several telemarketers over this violation and won.
from the Consumerist
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY AND LT. GOVERNOR BROWN TO HIGHLIGHT MARYLAND HOUSING INITIATIVES
ANNAPOLIS, MD – On Monday, Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown, joined by members of the Administration, community leaders, local elected officials and others, will highlight rental housing for people with disabilities, foreclosure prevention and affordable housing at events in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties.
Coming Up Soon in Wicomico County Schools
Tuesday, May 17
Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night
Salisbury Middle School
A Wicomico County Board of Education Awards & Recognitions Night will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 17 at Salisbury Middle School to honor outstanding students, teachers and schools. 410-677-4561.
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Tuesday, May 24
Public Budget Hearing
Parkside High School Auditorium
The second Public Budget Hearing on the Board of Education’s fiscal year 2011-12 Proposed Consolidated Current Expense Budget will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, in the Parkside High School Auditorium. Information on this year’s budget process is posted at www.wcboe.org (click on “budget” beside the photograph). Input may be given at any time at comments@wcboe.org, at 410-677-5251, or by mail or hand delivery. 410-677-4561.
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Wednesday, May 25
Superintendent’s Open Door Session
Board of Education Office
The final Superintendent’s Open Door Session of the 2010-11 school year will take place Wednesday, May 25 from 4-6 p.m., in the Administrative Conference Room at the Board of Education Office. The Open Door Sessions are opportunities to meet one-on-one with Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen to discuss any issue, idea or concern. No appointments are made: Anyone interested in meeting with the superintendent should come to the Board office that day and sign in. 410-677-4495.
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Thursday, May 26
Wicomico County Math 24 Game Tournament
Salisbury University Commons
The annual Math 24 Game Tournament for Wicomico elementary and middle students will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 26, in the Commons at Salisbury University. Mathletes will be in the spotlight at the school system's 5th annual Wicomico County Math 24 Game Tournament. The event is free and open to the public. Each elementary school will send to the tournament one champion per grade level (grades 1-5) for a total of 55 contestants, and middle schools will send two student winners per grade level (grades 6-8) for a total of 30 contestants. These grade-level champions from throughout Wicomico County will compete for the title of county champion, with winners announced at the end of the night.
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June 21-24
Registration for Secondary Summer School
Wicomico High School Building C
Registration for 2011 Wicomico County Secondary Summer School will take place in Wicomico High School Building C on the following schedule:
Tuesday, June 21: 3-7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 22: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Thursday, June 23; 3-7 p.m.
Friday, June 24: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Please use the bus circle entrance on Mt. Hermon Road to reach Building C. Students will need to bring in a copy of their final report card to register. Classes will begin on June 27 and run through Aug. 5.
Wicomico County will also offer an Honors Summer Session June 27-Aug. 5, with original credit classes in Honors Algebra II, Honors Geometry and Honors Principles of Economics.
Summer school costs are:Remedial, per course in-county resident: $100, $50 for students on Reduced Meals, free for students eligible for free meals.
Remedial, per course out-of-county resident: $160Original credit, per course: $200 in county/$325 out of county.
For information please call Evening High School at 410-677-4537.
From Fox News
Look at this crap, just unbelievable. Now they want to ban the American flag in schools because it hurts the feelings of Hispanics.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/05/06/american-flag-banned-america/
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/05/06/american-flag-banned-america/
Rep. Andy Harris to Host Town Hall Today
First District Congressman Andy Harris will be hosting a town hall meeting with constituents this afternoon at Showell Elementary School. The meeting will begin at 3 PM.
Showell Elementary School is located on Race Track Road, just west of Ocean Pines. For more information, call Rep. Harris’s district office at 443-944-8624.
Prisons Get Big Kickbacks For Phone Contracts, Prisoners' Families Pay The Price
A investigation by Prison Legal News exposes how prisons are getting fat kickbacks from telephone companies in order to land exclusive service contracts, which they then use to charge sky-high calling rates. There's usually a connection charge of $3.00 or more and it can cost upwards of $.89 a minute. That means a 15-minute collect call can end up costing $10-$17. Compare that to the $.05 or $.10 most customers pay. Because the calls are often collect, it's the prisoners' families that end up paying the price.
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Senate Republicans To Block Consumer Financial Protection Chief
Following their colleagues in the House, who earlier this week offered legislation that would weaken the powers of the planned Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, nearly all Republican Senators have sent a letter to President Obama vowing to block the confirmation of any nominee to head the new agency, unless there are "structural changes that will make the Bureau accountable to the American people."
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TWO ARRESTED IN BALTIMORE AFTER CECIL CO. ARMED CARJACKING
(NORTH EAST, MD) – With the assistance of a Maryland State Police helicopter crew, troopers from the North East Barrack were able to locate a stolen car in Baltimore City early this morning and arrest the two suspects involved in taking the car at gunpoint from the owner and her two friends in Cecil County.
The suspects are identified as Gilbert J. McDaniel, 35, of the unit-block of Canal Road, Port Deposit, Md., and Heather M. Boyd, 24, of the 300-block of Aiken Ave., Perryville, Md. McDaniel is charged with armed carjacking, use of a handgun in the commission of a felony, two counts of armed robbery, three counts of first degree assault, three counts of second degree assault, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, and three counts of theft. Boyd is charged with conspiracy to commit the following: armed robbery, armed carjacking, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and theft (three counts). Both will be taken before a court commissioner later today for their initial bond hearing.
Shortly after 3:00 a.m. today, troopers from the North East Barrack responded to the area of Dr. Jack Road and Waibel Road in Port Deposit for the report of a carjacking. When troopers arrived, they found three young women who said they had been invited by Boyd to a home on Old School House Lane earlier that night. They traveled to the home in a 1993 Chevrolet Corsica that belonged to one of them and visited with Boyd and her friend, later identified as McDaniel.
The women said when they prepared to leave, Boyd asked if they would give McDaniel a ride home. Apparently, the owner of the car did not know McDaniel well and said she would only agree if Boyd went with them.
The three women, McDaniel and Boyd left the residence and when they arrived at the intersection of Dr. Jack Road and Waibel Road, the women said McDaniel produced a handgun and ordered the three of them out of the car. He then told Boyd to get in the front passenger seat. McDaniel got behind the wheel and drove off.
Troopers began an immediate search for the car and notified police departments throughout the area. Troopers also called for assistance from the Maryland State Police Aviation Command and Trooper 1 launched from Martin State Airport.
With the help of the State Police helicopter crew, troopers were able to locate the vehicle in Baltimore City. Troopers stopped the vehicle and arrested McDaniel and Boyd without incident. Both suspects and the stolen vehicle were taken back to the North East Barrack.
Troopers are preparing to search the car pursuant to a search warrant. A handgun and purses believed to belong to the three victims are visible in the car.
The suspects are identified as Gilbert J. McDaniel, 35, of the unit-block of Canal Road, Port Deposit, Md., and Heather M. Boyd, 24, of the 300-block of Aiken Ave., Perryville, Md. McDaniel is charged with armed carjacking, use of a handgun in the commission of a felony, two counts of armed robbery, three counts of first degree assault, three counts of second degree assault, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, and three counts of theft. Boyd is charged with conspiracy to commit the following: armed robbery, armed carjacking, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and theft (three counts). Both will be taken before a court commissioner later today for their initial bond hearing.
Shortly after 3:00 a.m. today, troopers from the North East Barrack responded to the area of Dr. Jack Road and Waibel Road in Port Deposit for the report of a carjacking. When troopers arrived, they found three young women who said they had been invited by Boyd to a home on Old School House Lane earlier that night. They traveled to the home in a 1993 Chevrolet Corsica that belonged to one of them and visited with Boyd and her friend, later identified as McDaniel.
The women said when they prepared to leave, Boyd asked if they would give McDaniel a ride home. Apparently, the owner of the car did not know McDaniel well and said she would only agree if Boyd went with them.
The three women, McDaniel and Boyd left the residence and when they arrived at the intersection of Dr. Jack Road and Waibel Road, the women said McDaniel produced a handgun and ordered the three of them out of the car. He then told Boyd to get in the front passenger seat. McDaniel got behind the wheel and drove off.
Troopers began an immediate search for the car and notified police departments throughout the area. Troopers also called for assistance from the Maryland State Police Aviation Command and Trooper 1 launched from Martin State Airport.
With the help of the State Police helicopter crew, troopers were able to locate the vehicle in Baltimore City. Troopers stopped the vehicle and arrested McDaniel and Boyd without incident. Both suspects and the stolen vehicle were taken back to the North East Barrack.
Troopers are preparing to search the car pursuant to a search warrant. A handgun and purses believed to belong to the three victims are visible in the car.
Bill Would Freeze Agency Hiring Until Deficit Disappears
The Federal Hiring Freeze Act of 2011 would freeze federal hiring until the Office of Management and Budget determines that there is no longer an annual federal budget deficit. The proposal includes exemptions for USPS and law enforcement. "We must stick to the trifecta of downsizing Washington, cutting spending, and keeping taxes low," said bill sponsor Rep. Tom Marino (R-Penn.).
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Maryland To Fund Gambling Addiction Programs
With two casinos operating in Maryland and more on the horizon, state officials on Thursday unveiled new programs — including training counselors and promoting a toll-free help line — to strengthen the social safety net for people addicted to betting.
KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
Kindness of Strangers
5th Annual
June 11, 2011
Registration begins at noon.
1:00 p.m. Shotgun
Nutters Crossing Golf Course
- Gross and Net Prizes will be awarded
- Raffle: Set of Irons
- Closest to the pin
- Longest Drive
- Dinner served
- $260.00 per team
KINDNESS OF STRANGERS
is a fund established to assist families in purchasing therapeutic/adaptive equipment for their children with special needs.
For more information please contact Lori Thompson at 410-677-5250!
Hosted by the Family Support Network
Wicomico County Board of Education/Special Education Department
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