Salisbury Prayer Vigil?

Here are the quote from Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton’s press release:

Mayor James Ireton, Jr. announces that today, Monday July 11th, a prayer vigil will be held on the front steps of the Government Office Building at 5:30 PM. Local Clergy will be on hand to pray for Salisbury and its elected officials.

I’m all for prayer.  I’m totally supportive of Ireton, or any other elected official, calling our citizens to prayer.

However …

Ireton has a long record of engaging in political theater.  While I certainly can’t question his faith or his religious beliefs, I find it  interesting that he has chosen to call for this NOW.

It’s a lot like the little boy who cried “wolf”.  Every event that Ireton orchestrates is designed for one of two goals – promoting HIS political prospects, or attacking those that he considers political enemies (or both).

Take a break Jimmy!  Let it rest for a while.  Then, start holding events that are designed to help the city and your constituents rather than promote yourself or detract from you opponents.  Your constituents will appreciated it  and your “Sincerity Score” will move above its current rock bottom levels.

Still No Deficit Reduction Agreement Between The White House And Congressional Leaders

A rare Sunday evening session, lasting 75 minutes, ended with President Obama and House Republicans seeking very different goals. The president's latest plan would reduce debt by $4 trillion over ten years, partly through tax hikes. Republicans oppose tax hikes and are seeking a smaller deficit reduction goal. Obama will hold a news conference today. Both sides agreed to continue daily meetings.

Geithner Warns Social Security Payments At Risk

As the nation inched closer yesterday to what the White House says would be a catastrophic default on its massive debt, President Obama’s administration ratcheted up the pressure on Republicans by suggesting Social Security checks for some 55 million Americans could be in jeopardy if no deal is reached in the next three weeks.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said his agency must borrow 40 cents of every dollar it spends and suggested that without the ability to borrow, it may not be able to deliver crucial benefits to Americans who rely on them to pay for food and other necessities.

“On August 2d, we’re left running on fumes,’’ Geithner said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.’’ “We have no capacity to borrow. . . . We have to act; Congress has to act ahead of that point. If they don’t act, then we face catastrophic damage to the American economy.’’

President Obama met with congressional leaders from both parties at the White House last night in an effort to reach a compromise to avert default on the debt. Obama and the lawmakers made no statements immediately after the meeting, but they are scheduled to meet again today.

READ MORE …

Fascinating!!!

You can spend hours exploring the details on this map.

Just glide your cursor over the map and it displays every county.

Can't imagine how long it took to create this!!

Click Below

GO HERE

Florida Cyclist, Black Bear Collide

A Panama City man is recovering after colliding with a black bear while riding his bike to work.

John Hearn said he saw something out of the corner of his eye early Thursday morning. The nearly 300-pound bear smacked him off his bicycle and then fled into some nearby woods. Passing motorists stopped to help Hearn, who sustained minor injuries. The back tire of his bike was also ripped off.

Hearn, who bikes to work at Tyndall Air Force Base a few times a week, said he still plans to bike to work.

from the AP

Coca-Cola Plants Living, Breathing Billboard

Advertising, especially of the outdoor variety, is often viewed as being anti-green, a signifier of befouled outdoor spaces. But this Coca-Cola billboard is trying to turn that image on its head — and sell some Coke while it's at it.

Coke recently unveiled a 60' x 60' billboard in the Philippines that uses 3,600 potted Fukien tea plants to both advertise the soda and suck in some carbon dioxide off the busiest street in Manila.

From AdAge.com:

Recycled Coca-Cola bottles were used as pots. The plants, which are potted in a mixture of industrial byproducts and organic fertilizers, are watered by an efficient drip irrigation system called trickle irrigation or micro-irrigation.

The plants each inhale about 13 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, which comes out to a total of around 128 pounds of CO2 each day for the whole billboard.

Coca-Cola Plants a Green Billboard [AdAge.com]

from Chris Morran @ The Consumerist

7th Grader Wins First US Spanish Spelling Bee

The first national Spanish spelling bee has been won by a seventh-grade girl from Santa Cruz, N.M.

Evelyn Juarez, of Carlos F. Vigil Middle School, won by correctly spelling the Spanish word "bizantinismo," which means excess luxury.

The runner-up, German Rojero of Los Lunas Middle School, misspelled "kanindeyuense," someone from a Paraguayan territory.

The event drew students from as far away as Oregon and Texas, though most were from New Mexico.

Organizer David Briseno, who heads New Mexico's Association for Bilingual Education, says the state has had a contest since 1994 but he had been dreaming of a national event for years.

from the AP

Salisbury Is Not Business Friendly

Joe,

A close friend of mine has a mechanic shop in Salisbury. His shop is joined with several other units with a adjoining neighbor that has a body shop.

About two months ago the Salisbury "Task Force" of about 8 or 9 people visited the facility to inspect the units, the "Task Force" said that they only come out when someone calls and makes a complaint. Later on the same day a man from the Salisbury "Health Department" also visited the facility to inspect the units, he also stated that he was there via a complaint that people were "urinating on the exterior of building"

Now what makes this interesting is that it's my understanding that these two business's have a neighbor across the street that also does auto repair and auto body work. From what I have gathered this person doesn't want the competition of the two tiny business's this close to his business and is doing everything he can do to run the little business's out and away from his business and that he is the person that made the complaints, that business is Kelley's auto body.

Fast forward to yesterday. Not hearing from the city in 2 or 3 months after their visit and assuming from what the task force said while doing their inspection, and what the health inspector said that he found nothing in violation, the two small business's thought everything was a-ok until yesterday. To their surprise a person from the city taped a bright orange piece of paper on the outside of each business and literally ran away after posting the piece of paper.

What was the bright orange paper? I'll get to that in a second. Let me explain how the building is set up. This is a large L shaped block building with nine units with six business's but only two that do auto repair.




Now to the orange piece of paper. The bright orange notice read,

Public Notice

This building is deemed unsafe

for public occupancy

under section ________116 #4________of the building code

of the City of Salisbury, Maryland

IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON TO

OCCUPY OR RESIDE IN THIS BUILDING

UNTIL APPROVED BY THE BUILDING OFFICIAL

30 DAY VACATE                 SIGNED William Holland

BUILDING INSPECTOR         BUILDING OFFICIAL

My good friend called Mr Holland to find out what this was all about, Mr Holland just kept repeating that he should get a letter tomorrow, finally Mr Holland said it was because that there were no firewalls, and people were "pissing on the building" (those were his exact words) and numerous "life threatening violations" OH PULEEEEZE!!! "life threatening violations", "people pissing on the building"??? you have got to be kidding Salisbury. Isn't it strange that the only units to receive the vacate notice were the two that are repairing vehicles?  

Now the City of Salisbury is closing down two honest very small business's because of numerous frivolous complaints from the owner of Kelley's auto body and auto repair which is a very large business. I guess Kelley's is afraid that the two little business's will take a biscuit off his plate.

Now thanks to Salisbury the big business can have his extra biscuit and several families will not be able to feed their families.  

Thanks Salisbury

Worcester County Bureau of Investigation Press Release

DATE & TIME: July 10, 2011 0400-0500
Case #


LOCATION: Frontier town Campground , Berlin, Worcester County


CRIME: 3rd Degree Sex Offense, 4th Degree Sex Offense, 2nd degree Assault


VICTIM: 15 year old female


ACCUSED: Felix N Perez Hispanic Male, 25 yoa, 9165 Bourbon Street Apt R Laurel,
MD


CHARGES: 3rd Degree Sex Offense, 4th Degree Sex Offense, 2nd degree Assault


NARRATIVE: On July 10, 2011 at approximately 0930 hours, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to Frontier town Campground on Rt611 in Berlin, MD in reference to a sexual assault. The Worcester County Bureau of Investigations was notified and assumed the investigation.

During an interview of the 15 year old victim, it was learned the suspect had entered the camper where the victim was sleeping at around 4:00 am. She further advised the suspect had inappropriately touched the victim’s genitals area against her will and refused to stop.

An interview was conducted with the suspect, who indicated he was extremely intoxicated, only remembers touching the victim on her rear end.

During the interview, the suspect stated to the investigator, that he was illegally here in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security was notified of the suspect’s status.Suspect was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was held on $25,000.00 unsecured bond.

Little Kid Destroys Michael Jackson's Thriller Dance At Safeco Field.

GO HERE to view.

Prayer Vigil Set For Tonight

Mayor James Ireton, Jr. announces that today, Monday July 11th, a prayer vigil will be held on the front steps of the Government Office Building at 5:30 PM. Local Clergy will be on hand to pray for Salisbury and its elected officials.

Tom Mullica - Smoking Magic - INCREDIBLE!

Small Businesses Wary Of Hiring Amid Tepid Recovery

Chamber of Commerce survey: 64% of small business execs don't plan to add workers

Don't look for job market relief from small businesses.

A new survey of small business owners to be released later on Monday by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce showed that 64 percent of them do not plan to do any hiring in the next year, while another 12 percent of them planned to cut jobs, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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Auto Bailout Chief: 'I Did This All For The Unions'

Investigators for the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform are asking the White House official who oversaw the government bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler whether he told the truth in recent testimony before the committee.

Ron Bloom, Assistant to the President for Manufacturing Policy, is quoted in a 2009 newspaper account and a 2010 book saying of the auto bailouts that he "did this all for the unions."  But when Bloom appeared before the committee on June 22, he flatly denied ever saying those words.

Other White House officials have reportedly defended Bloom by suggesting that he did indeed say those words but was joking.  And that has led committee chairman Rep. Darrell Issa to ask what is going on.
On November 24, 2009, Detroit News reporter David Shepardson wrote about a dinner held at Washington's Rosa Mexicano restaurant in July of that year, after GM had come out of bankruptcy.  Both Bloom and Steven Rattner, the Wall Street figure who played a key role in the bailouts, spoke to the group.  "Rattner praised the team's intensity and focus and said the group was among the best he had ever worked with," Shepardson reported.  "Bloom, the former adviser to the United Steelworkers, joked that he 'did this all for the unions.'"  (The article is not available on the paper's website, but here is a copy of it on a United Auto Workers site.)

In September 2010, Rattner published a book entitled Overhaul: An Insider's Account of the Obama Administration's Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry.  He also described the dinner at Rosa Mexicano:

    "Such celebrations, I reminded my colleagues, are standard on Wall Street at the successful close of a deal.  But in those victories, the objective is private gain.  This victory was different.  I choked up as I spoke about our commitment to quality.  'I've worked with a lot of talented people in my life but never with a group smarter or more dedicated than Team Auto,' I said.  And I thanked my colleagues for the enormous sacrifices that each had made.  'In this deal, in this incarnation,' I said, 'you have epitomized what it means to serve your country.'

    "Fortunately, after I spoke, Ron Bloom was there to lighten the mood.  'I did this all for the unions,' he jokingly declared.  Everyone laughed and the war stories began to fly…"

The only difference between the two accounts is that Rattner says Bloom made the statement "jokingly."  Readers can judge for themselves whether it was the kind of joke that is also true.  But in any event, Rattner says Bloom was joking.

Fast forward to June 22.  During Bloom's appearance before the Committee on Government Oversight and Reform, Republican Rep. Dan Burton asked Bloom about the dinner:

    Rep. Burton: Well, did you say this at a dinner? There was a dinner and it was reported by David Shepardson, Washington correspondent for the Detroit News. At a farewell dinner of the Auto Task Force held in the restaurant Rosa Mexicano in late July 2009 that you allegedly said "I did this all for the unions."

    Mr. Bloom: No I did not say that.

    Rep. Burton: You didn't say that?

    Mr. Bloom: No sir.

    Rep. Burton: So, you were misquoted?

    Mr. Bloom: That's correct.

    Rep. Burton: Well, I'm going to call that guy up and ask him if you said that. You know that you are under oath here?

    Mr. Bloom: I'm fully aware.

    Rep. Burton: You made no comment like that at all?

    Mr. Bloom: No sir.


Read more at the Washington Examiner

Gas-Guzzling Trucks Reportedly To Get Break On Fuel Economy Rules

WASHINGTON -- As the Obama administration pushes for a deal in the next few weeks with automakers over fuel economy standards that would roughly double existing mileage requirements, the treatment of large trucks was pitting Detroit automakers against some of their Asian rivals Monday.

At issue was how proposed standards that go into effect beginning in 2016 would be applied to light trucks, including minivans and big pickups. At present, the bigger the truck, the more time that would be allowed for automakers to improve the number of miles it goes on a gallon of gasoline.

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'The Next Middle East War'

In early January, Chuck DeVore, a former California lawmaker and U.S. intelligence officer who's now an  author and Middle East expert, predicted the turmoil in Egypt, weeks before it erupted, in the pages of Investor’s Business Daily.  The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “Chuck DeVore … beat the CIA to predicting the Egypt Crisis.”

DeVore is now forecasting war between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah in mid-August, 2011.  This is the premise of his exclusive to Human Events special report, The Next Middle East War, at 22 pages with maps, charts and photos.  It is a quick, informative read that summarizes the origins of today’s unrest and how the conflict might unfold.

DeVore explains who the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and Hezbollah are, and their objectives (destroy Israel, kill the Jews, then take on Western Civilization).  DeVore also outlines the goals of other regional actors, such as Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.  Using his extensive military intelligence and foreign affairs background, he also provides a day-by-day scenario for the coming conflict and its aftermath—all in a style that is as gripping as it is explanatory.

More here

Salisbury Community Upset Over New Zoo Hours

Without any real notice the Salisbury Zoo is now open from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, PERIOD.

Yes, this includes the summer hours as well. No longer can you get off work and take a stroll through the Zoo and enjoy what you have paid for as a City Taxpayer.

It seems to be a sort of punishment because they did not receive the kind of funding they wanted from the Mayor and City Council.

One would think they'd come up with hours that would work for those who mainly fund the operation but in typical style they want to make sure YOU notice THEY are pissed.

God Forbid they charge $1.00 per person to non residents of the City and make up the difference to keep it open until 7 or 8 PM.

So you can confirm what I'm telling you, GO HERE and see for yourself.

Sexual Assault at Frontier Town Campground

Worcester County Bureau of Investigation

NEWS RELEASE

DATE & TIME: July 10, 2011 0400-0500

LOCATION: Frontier Town Campground , Berlin, Worcester County

CRIME: 3^rd Degree Sex Offense, 4^th Degree Sex Offense, 2^nd degree Assault

VICTIM: 15 year old female

ACCUSED: Felix N Perez Hispanic Male, 25 yoa, 9165 Bourbon Street Apt R Laurel, MD

CHARGES: 3^rd Degree Sex Offense, 4^th Degree Sex Offense, 2^nd degree Assault

NARRATIVE: On July 10, 2011 at approximately 0930 hours, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to Frontier town Campground on Rt611 in Berlin, MD in reference to a sexual assault.

The Worcester County Bureau of Investigations was notified and assumed the investigation.

During an interview of the 15 year old victim, it was learned the suspect had entered the camper where the victim was sleeping at around 4:00 am. She further advised the suspect had inappropriately touched the victim’s genitals area against her will and refused to stop.

An interview was conducted with the suspect, who indicated he was extremely intoxicated, only remembers touching the victim on her rear end.

During the interview, the suspect stated to the investigator, that he was illegally here in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security was notified of the suspect’s status.

Suspect was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was held on $25,000.00 unsecured bond.

Grocery Chain Removing Self-checkout Lanes

One of the nation's major grocery store chains is eliminating self-checkout lanes in an effort to encourage more human contact with its customers.

Albertsons LLC, which operates 217 stores in seven Western and Southern states, will eliminate all self-checkout lanes in the 100 stores that have them and will replace them with standard or express lanes, a spokeswoman said.

"We just want the opportunity to talk to customers more," Albertsons spokeswoman Christine Wilcox said. "That's the driving motivation."

Wilcox said the replacement of automated checkout lanes with human-operated lanes likely would mean more hours available for employees to work.

The move marks a surprising step back from a trend that began about a decade ago, when supermarkets began installing self-checkout lanes, touting them as a solution to long lines. Now some grocery chains are questioning whether they are really good for business.

Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the U.S. (with some 2,500 outlets), is experimenting with removing all self-checkouts in at least one Texas store, reports StorefrontBacktalk, an industry publication. Publix, another major chain, is "on the fence" about self-checkout, according to a report quoted in the story.

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How To Beat Theme Park Prices And Still Get In Some Rides

Theme parks and resorts know how badly you want to be having fun, and send admission prices sky-high in the summer because they know they can. But you can still have a blast this summer, without resorting to fishing deep into your pockets.

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Word of the Day – 07/11/2011

redivius

(adj.) revived; brought back to life (always placed after the noun it modifies; from the Latin “renewed”).

 

from Rare Words II by Jan and Hallie Leighton; copyright 2008: Levenger Press

Lions Club Fundraiser

Salisbury Metro Lions Club

Longaberger & Vera Bradley Bingo

Thursday, July 28, 2011

 

The Moose Lodge, Snow Hill Road, Salisbury, MD

Doors open at 5:30 pm - Games begin at 7:00 pm

Tickets:  Special $15.00 from now until 7/15/11

After 7/15/11:  $20.00 in advance:  $25.00 at the door.

For ticket information please call 410-742-4394

Mass. City To Refund "Gay Marriage Penalty" That Hits Public Employees

The IRS has a way of punishing people for getting married, but the marriage penalty hits gay public employees harder than straight couples. Unlike their straight counterparts, gay workers who place their spouses on employer-provided health insurance have to pay taxes on the benefits that can add up to $3,000 a year. Cambridge, Mass. will use a stipend to refund the "gay marriage penalty" to city workers affected.

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Some of the Scary Weapons Seized at the Courthouse

People apparently don't take courthouse security screenings as seriously as they do airport checkpoints. Brass knuckles, butcher knives, razors and hand grenades are among the contraband confiscated by Tampa-area court officials.

The St. Petersburg Times catalogs the weapons security guards have found after shaking down entrants, and says women with big purses are often the most egregious offenders. A woman in her 70s who was caught packing a blackjack said her husband told her to carry it around for protection.

Guards tell the offenders they can either take the weapons back to their cars or leave them in a box at the courthouse.  

Contraband at local courthouses could arm a small war [St. Petersburg Times via Fark]

from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

Report: $37 Billion In Welfare Will Disappear By Year's End

Unless lawmakers somehow maintain the funding of welfare programs at current levels, the nation's poor could suffer a devastating loss of income by the end of the year. According to an estimate by Moody's Analytics, $37 billion in extended benefits are set to expire.

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Local Red Cross Volunteers Upset With Sudden Changes

Joe, I'm a longtime disaster volunteer with the local Red Cross chapter in Salisbury, MD the Lower Shore Chapter.  I know you have been a big supporter of the chapter and have seen you many times at the Christmas Fundraiser the chapter holds each year.  From what I know a man from either Wilmington or Baltimore came to the chapter yesterday and fired 2 of the 4 full time staff members.  The person said it's part of a restructuring plan from American Red Cross National Headquarters.  The person by passed the local chapter board of directors and told the chair of the board not to come to the chapter. The reason the person said is that the local board of directors no longer has any say on local Red Cross issues or community needs.  They are only to raise money to send to Washington, DC.  I understand from another volunteer an emergency board of directors meeting has been called for Monday night at the chapter to see how they can fight this.  I also have learned that many long time volunteers and donors have already planned to quit the Red Cross due to this which will cripple the local emergency response we provide to the community.  Joe we are going to need you and your dedicated readers to support our/your local community Red Cross and keep it under local control!

Unemployment Rises To 9.2%

Dashing hopes buoyed by preliminary reports on Thursday, the official Labor Department jobs report on Friday said the economy only added 18,000 jobs last month. This brought the unemployment number up to 9.2% from 9.1%. But one man's gloom is another's boon...

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Drunk Drivers Face Stronger Penalties

New law lengthens jail time, offers treatment for DUI offenders

Dover — Drunk drivers will face stiffer penalties under new Delaware legislation.

The law calls for longer prison sentences for drivers who have been convicted of Driving Under the Influence three or more times.  The legislation also offers to cut those sentences in half in exchange for participation in drug and alcohol treatment and monitoring.

House Bill 168, sponsored by Rep. Helene Keeley, D-Wilmington South, and Sen. Patricia Blevins, D-Elsmere, passed unanimously through the House June 28, and passed through the Senate June 30, in a vote of 19-2.

Under the bill, second-time offenders will face stronger penalties if the second DUI occurred within 10 years of the first DUI.  Formerly, penalties would have been enhanced only if the two offenses occurred within a five-year period.

Third-time DUI offenders face felony charges, which could result in six months in jail regardless of the time between offenses.  Offenders who have been convicted of seven or more DUIs face five years in prison.

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Tuition Petition: Signature Count Climbs Past 74,000

The number of valid signatures on a petition to stop in-state tuition breaks for illegal immigrants reached 74,108 by Friday afternoon, according to the most recent report posted by the Board of Elections.

Counting is to continue this week, even though the tutition petition has already crossed the threshhold needed to put it on the November 2012 ballot. The controversial new law, called the Maryland Dream Act, will be suspended until voters have their say, though supporters have vowed court action over the referendumeffort.

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What Is Self-Defense? Fatal Shooting Raises Questions

Prosecutors did not file charges in Dec. 28 incident involving store owner and robber

With his hand shoved in the right pocket of his black Columbia jacket, Josue Angel walked into a gas station-doughnut shop early one morning last December and demanded cash. He had a gun and wasn't afraid to use it, the El Salvadoran immigrant told the owner of the Laurel store.

To punctuate the threat, he punched the owner in the stomach.

At first, Mapher Ibrahimi, a 48-year-old married father of two, complied - he opened the register and let Angel fill his pockets.

But as Angel turned toward the door, Ibrahimi unzipped his black winter coat, pulled a .40 caliber Heckner & Koch semi-automatic from the holster on his hip and followed him outside.

This was the second robbery in three weeks at the store and the fourth in 17 months.

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Woods' Agent: Tiger Not Making Any Announcements

(AP) - Tiger Woods' agent says the golfer is not making any announcements Monday.

Mark Steinberg was responding to rumors late Sunday that Woods was making an unspecified announcement Monday morning on Golf Channel.

Steinberg told The Associated Press on Monday: "There's an erroneous report that he's making an announcement, but he's not."

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After Coming Out, Former Maryland Player Feels He Has A Second Chance

Akil Patterson's career with the Terps football team was derailed by alcohol and partying as he struggled with his sexuality

COLLEGE PARK ——

For years, Akil Patterson wouldn't tell the world who he really was: a gay man playing Division I college football.

His secret weighed on him, frightened him, confused him, taking on a life all its own.
In lonely periods, the former University of Maryland player would go online and type in "gay," "athlete" and other keywords. And Patterson, an offensive and defensive lineman on former coach Ralph Friedgen's teams of 2001-03, would wonder: how many other Division I athletes are gay — and black — and feeling as isolated as he was?

"It's not like it's a terrible, deep, dark secret, but you think about the ramifications," said Patterson, now a highly ranked Greco-Roman wrestler and unpaid Maryland wrestling coach. "They're talking behind your back, and everywhere you turn there's this culture that says you're not supposed to be like this."
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Crab Bangers Win “Taste of Cambridge” Cook-Off

Although he has been noted for blending French and upscale California cuisine, mastered Middle Eastern fare at postings including Dubai and introduced innovative Italian cuisine to the menus of the Hyatt restaurants he oversees here, his roots in the United Kingdom inspired the crab bangers that won the specialty category in the Crab Cook Off at Saturday's Taste of Cambridge.

A recipe from Tony Breeze, executive chef at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay, also won the crab cake category.

Executive Sous Chef Vincent Savignano claimed the prize awarded to Hyatt's Water's Edge Grille for the crab bangers. Savignano has recently been able to exercise his interest in barbecue, at Vinnie's Family BBQ, located in the Eagle's Nest golf clubhouse, operating Thursdays through Mondays this summer.

READ MORE …

Today’s Survey Question – 07/11/2011

What’s the Most Embarrassing Thing You’ve Ever Had to Show a Security Guard?

7-Eleven Offers Free Slurpees

CYBERSPACE (AP) - Do you want to get your hands on a free Slurpee?
 
Monday is your day. It's the 84th birthday for 7-Eleven, and the national convenience store chain is marking the occasion by giving away some of its frozen drinks.
 
Supplies are limited - and the freebies are only available at participating stores. Check the 7-Eleven.

Source

BREAKING NEWS: Obama Holds Press Conference on Debt Talks

President Obama holds a press conference to discuss ongoing deficit-reduction negotiations with leaders of Congress.

From Fox News

Crime Solvers Website Updated

GO HERE to see the most recent updates.

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY ATTENDS CHESAPEAKE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING

Maryland on track to meet first set of short term Bay restoration goals

RICHMOND, VA (July 11, 2011) – At the Chesapeake Executive Council Meeting, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that Maryland is 98 percent on the way to reaching its 2-year milestone commitments for reducing nitrogen and phosphorous into the Chesapeake Bay – a sign that the state is making significant progress toward reaching its short term Chesapeake Bay pollution reduction goal. 

“While along with the other Bay states, we must await confirmation of our numbers from the EPA’s computer model at year’s end, our BayStat process allows us to accurately track our progress on a monthly basis,” said Governor O’Malley.   “With our farmers planting record numbers of cover crops, our citizens planting trees and growing oysters, our municipalities upgrading wastewater treatment plants, and our legislators enacting important new laws, these numbers once again prove that here in Maryland, we don’t make excuses, we make progress.”

In an effort to dramatically accelerate Bay restoration progress, Governor O’Malley originally led the effort to establish short term pollution reduction goals during the 2009 Chesapeake Executive Council (EC) meeting.  Maryland uses the BayStat process to continually assess and adapt its 2-year milestone achievements and goals to reflect actual conditions.  Maryland’s goals for the period 2009-2011 were to reduce nitrogen by 3.75 million pounds and phosphorus by 193,000 pounds. 

Since taking office in January of 2007, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has changed the way Maryland tracks, targets and funds its Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts.  BayStat is now a model for a new federal Chesapeake-stat effort, GreenPrint and other interactive maps are helping target land preservation efforts, and the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund has dedicated more than $65 million toward non-point source pollution projects since 2008.

“We cannot control some events – like this year’s heavy spring flows that will likely cause the Bay to struggle later this summer,” said Governor O’Malley.  “But we can control how we manage the land that impacts our local streams, rivers and the Bay.”

In 2010 Maryland enrolled a record 1,567 farmers to plant more than 400,331 acres of cover crops, exceeding this milestone commitment.   In 2009 the State issued new regulations and a permit to implement manure handling requirements on 85 percent of poultry litter.  Maryland has also upgraded 23 of its largest wastewater treatment plants, with another 15 upgrades underway, which will prevent more than 1.7 million pounds of nitrogen from entering the Bay and local waterways each year. Through June 2011, the Bay Restoration Fund has awarded more than $400 million to local governments to fund wastewater treatment plant upgrades.

Maryland scientists recently updated the P Site Index (PSI), an assessment tool that identifies the relative risk for phosphorus losses from agricultural production fields to nearby bodies of water.  Farmers use the PSI to develop agricultural nutrient management plans. 

Approximately 95 percent of polluted stormwater runoff in Maryland comes from already developed land.  Last year, the State enacted regulations to implement Maryland’s Stormwater Management Act  requiring that, where feasible, “environmental site design” stormwater controls that keep water on-site and allow water to infiltrate into the ground -- vegetated swales, pervious pavers, green roofs -- must be used in all new development and re-development.  A 2009 law requires new or replacement nitrogen-removing septic systems in the Critical Area and prioritizes funding to help homeowners comply.  On June 21, Governor O’Malley named a broad cross-section of representatives from business, agriculture, science, environmental advocacy organizations and government to serve on a task force to study septic systems.  Delegate Maggie McIntosh, Chair of the House Environmental Matters Committee, will lead the Task Force on Sustainable Growth and Wastewater Disposal. 

As part of its Watershed Assistance Collaborative, the State recently launched a new Stormwater Financing and Outreach program to help local governments assess financing options to promote best practices while addressing community priorities such as increased green space, decreased infrastructure costs, and improved water quality.  The program will work with two communities each year and will hold a series of workshops for municipal stormwater managers across Maryland. The Town of Berlin is the first municipality who will benefit from the program.

While funding remains a challenge, Governor O’Malley reiterated his commitment to working with the legislature to address shortfalls in both the Bay Restoration Fund, which pays for wastewater treatment plant upgrades, septic upgrades and cover crops, and the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund that pays for local level non-point source restoration projects.

In addition to reaching its milestones a full six months ahead of schedule, the state also reported good news for living resources:  The Chesapeake Bay blue crab population is at its second highest level since 1997, and native oyster reproduction and survival rates are at their highest levels since 1997.  

“The Chesapeake Bay connects us all.  And by continuing to work together with our state, federal and local government partners the restoration of the greatest estuary in the world is achievable within our lifetime,” added Governor O’Malley.

In addition to working toward its 2011 milestones, the State of Maryland is currently working with local, county-based teams to develop Maryland’s Phase II Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP), which must include specific, locally based strategies to reduce nutrients and sediment to comply with the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load “pollution diet.” Not only will sticking to this “pollution diet” return the Bay to good health, it will restore water quality in Maryland streams, rivers, and reservoirs; protect drinking water and public health; reduce flooding; and create jobs.

The Executive Council, which establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its living resources, includes the Governors of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission.

Melted Pipe Puts Out Fire

A house that caught fire after a lightning strike on July 6 was saved by something even less likely. The blaze melted through a water line and released enough water to extinguish the flames, Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Randall Lee said.

The fire began at about 5:48 p.m. in the crawlspace of a house on River’s Edge Road when lightning struck it. But by the time firefighters from Indian River, Millsboro and Lewes arrived, all that was left was smoke — the water main had completely quenched the fire.

“All the firefighters had to do was check for any hot spots that were still there,” Lee said. “The fire was gone.”

The flames and smoke caused just $3,000 in damage, according to the fire marshal’s office – a tiny amount compared to most home fires.

“We’ve had that happen a couple of times,” Lee said. “Every so often, there’s a fire in the right spot, close enough to a pipe, and that sorts it out.”

from the Sussex Countian

Fighter Jets Intercept Third Plane Near Camp David

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fighter jets intercepted a private plane near Camp David on Sunday, the third civilian plane this weekend to fly the restricted air space while President Barack Obama was at the Maryland retreat.

In all three cases, the planes were met by F-15 fighter jets and landed without incident at nearby airports, North American Aerospace Defense Command spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Bill Lewis told Reuters.

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Publishers Notes: Salisbury News was informed that one of the planes came from Salisbury Airport.

Man Receives 18 Months for Gas Station Stick-up

A man convicted of participating in the stick-up of the Citgo gas station-convenience store was ordered to serve 18 months in state prison.

Antonio Montrell Gross, 20, of Chestertown, was sentenced June 29 after pleading guilty to robbery.

In exchange for Gross' guilty plea, State's Attorney Robert H. Strong Jr. dismissed the remaining charges, which included armed robbery; first- and second-degree assault; reckless endangerment; use of a handgun in commission of a felony and/or crime of violence; and theft.

Judge Paul M. Bowman sentenced Gross to five years in the state prison system, with all but 18 months suspended. The sentence is effective Jan. 4, the day Gross was arrested, giving him 175 days credit for time served. Upon release from prison, Gross is to be placed on supervised probation for five years.

As conditions of his probation, Gross is to pay restitution of $1,400 jointly with co-defendant Thedral Thomas Williams III. He is not to enter or be found near the Chestertown Citgo, and is to have no contact with the victim, store clerk Umiar Meer.

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Why Text Messages Cost Cell Phone Companies Virtually Nothing

Whether you calculate it at 4,900%, 6,500% or 7,314%, the markup on text messages is huge. But maybe the number is really closer to infinity percent markup, as William Poundstone writes in his book Priceless: The Myth of Fair Value.

"Unlike e-mail, Internet, and voice data, text messages are piggybacked onto the cellular network," Poundstone writes. "They occupy otherwise unused space in a control channel used for network maintenance."

This is why he calls text messages "possibly the greatest ongoing con job of American capitalism."

Rebutting such claims, a spokesman for Candian wireless company Telustold CBC in 2009 that the calculations leave out the costs of running the secure data centers the cellphone companies need for data storage.

Either way, in this case, fair market value is determined by what the market will bear. But with all the major carriers pricing similarly and with the barriers to entry into the market so high and with consumers locked into long-term contracts that are difficult to leave, the market has little choice but to grin and bear it.

from Ben Popken @ The Consumerist

Quote of the Day - 07/11/2011

“Most of the change we think we see in life is due to truths being in and out of favor.”

- Robert Frost (The Black Cottage)

from

Man Bites Ear in Tilghman

Maryland State Police are looking for a man who allegedly bit off part of another man's ear lobe during an assault at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday at the Bridge Restaurant in Tilghman.

Police said an unknown Hispanic man assaulted Christopher Andrew Tyler, 23, of Tilghman, who also had cuts from the incident. Anyone with information should call Tfc. Myers at 410-819-4747.

from the Star-Democrat

Obama Flip Flops On Increasing Debt Ceiling

In 2004 the US federal debt ceiling was 7.384 billion dollars. There have been six debt limit increases in 5 years and has now brought the US federal debt ceiling to 14.29 trillion dollars as of May.

Just to give one a perspective on just how runaway the federal debt problem is - from the time congress started haggling over increasing the debt ceiling - the federal debt has almost increased another trillion.

So who is to blame - republicans, democrats, independents? What I really find hard to stomach is that when Obama was in office as a Senator he voted not to increase the debt ceiling. Check out how he voted for yourself - don't take my word on it:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00054

According to the MSM reports - it appears that the virtually every conceivable organization says that it would be catastrophic if the US doesn't raise the debt ceiling.

I say don't raise the debt ceiling. I am sure the stock market might have a major correction for a few days - but eventually it will go up. Why do I know this - well just think about if for a moment. If Congress decides not to raise the debt ceiling - then just maybe all of that corporate money that has been parked on the sidelines for so long will start to gain some confidence again in the free enterprise system - and then maybe they'll start to invest in America again.

After all - with all of the stimulus money that has already been infused into the economy and only had negligible effects - actually the effects were negative as unemployment went up - 9.2%. During the stimulus funding the US government took over GM, Chrysler, Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac, golden parachutes for Golden Sachs executives - I'm sure our astute readers can now begin to connect the dots.

And remember another thing - that since the collapse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mack - the US federal government has also become the biggest land holder of all time - and slum lord to.

So I say let the hammer come down where it may - and I plead for Congress not to raise the debt ceiling. If I'm right then let it be said in the annals of history that Beezer made the greatest prediction of all time - greater than US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner . . . greater than IMF President Strauss-Kahn.

Harris Not Worried by Claims of Economic Meltdown

With the Aug. 2 deadline to take action less than a month away, U.S. President Barack Obama has been negotiating with top Republicans and Democrats on raising the federal government's debt ceiling.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury continues to warn about the potential for catastrophic economic consequences if the debt ceiling is not raised by Aug. 2, when the government is expected to hit its borrowing limit and could default on its legal obligations.

In an interview Friday, U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.-1st, said he understands negotiations are ongoing, but as talks continue, he thinks it is becoming less likely a deal will be struck by the deadline.

For Harris and other House Republicans, a crucial part of any deal would be an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring the federal government annually operate on a balanced budget.

"Right now, there are a significant number of Republicans who are going to insist on a balanced budget amendment as part of the deal," said Harris, who does not think leading Democrats in the House and Senate will agree to the demand.

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Gas Prices On The Rise In Maryland

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — After weeks of falling gas prices, drivers may not like to see what’s waiting for them at the gas station.  Derek Valcourt has more.

Just when drivers thought they were getting some relief from this spring’s high prices, another spike came.  This time, it’s about 20% in one week.

Another jump at the pump is the last thing drivers want to see.

“Nobody wants to pay more.  We are paying enough already,” said one driver.

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BREAKING NEWS: Global Debt Fears Spook Wall Street

The Dow kicked off the week with triple-digit losses Monday morning after concerns the euro zone debt crisis would spread to Italy, coupled with an impasse on U.S. debt talks, took a toll on traders' confidence.

From Fox News

Glen Burnie Man Charged With Stabbing

A 25-year-old Glen Burnie man was charged with stabbing another man during a fight Saturday, Anne Arundel County police said.

Ravon Tyrone Anderson was charged with attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment.

Responding to a call just after 11 p.m., Anne Arundel Police found three men fighting in the street in the 1400 block of Saunders Way, Glen Burnie. A witness was able to disarm the suspect, police said.

A 20-year-old Glen Burnie man suffered multiple stab wounds to his upper and lower torso, police said. He is in stable condition at Baltimore Washington Medical Center, police said.

from the Baltimore Sun

House Passes 1.6 Percent Pay Raise For Military

The House passed a 1.6 percent pay raise for military personnel.

The raise was part of the $648 billion defense spending bill that boosts the budget by $17 billion starting Oct. 1, the beginning of fiscal year 2012. The House vote on Friday was 336-87.
 
Federal employees not in the military currently face a two-year pay freeze.

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Horse Breeder Face Tax Hike

The battle over the federal budget has been playing out slowly in Congress for weeks, but it came galloping toward Maryland's thoroughbred farms recently in the form of a proposed tax increase.

After threatening to trim the nation's ballooning budget deficits in part by ending tax breaks on corporate jets, high-priced yachts and hedge funds, Senate Democrats also proposed eliminating a $126 million tax carve-out for the nation's horse racing industry.

The idea has prompted an outcry from Maryland's already struggling horse breeders.

"It's a fallacy that only millionaires and billionaires own racehorses," Cynthia McGinnes, a breeder and owner of the Thornmar Farm in Chestertown on the Eastern Shore, said of the justification offered for eliminating the break. "I think it would finish the breeding industry."

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New Starbucks Cups Hold More Liquid Than Human Stomach

WASHINGTON - If a 24-ounce iced coffee or tea just isn't enough of a pick-me-up, Starbucks will soon offer customers a size larger than the average volume of a human stomach.
 
The "trenta" size, which is 31 ounces, will launch at area locations Tuesday.
 
Starbucks will only offer iced coffee and teas in the jumbo size, avoiding calorie-count shockers that would have saddled its Frappuccinos.

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Tiger's Tale: Golfer Has 'Special Announcement'

Golf great is set to make 'special announcement' today, but details about the topic remain a mystery.

LOS ANGELES –  Fourteen-time major champion Tiger Woods is set to make a "special announcement" Monday on the Golf Channel, but details on what he would be addressing were a mystery.

The 35-year-old announced last week that he was pulling out of this week's British Open as he continues to recover from knee and Achilles injuries, and the unknown nature of this latest address sparked speculation across the web that he would be taking an extended break from the game.

There was even some suggestion that he may retire, although Woods only said last week, "I think my best years are still ahead of me and I'm very confident and optimistic about the future."

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Maryland Filmaker Wins Sondheim Prize

The morning after an independent filmmaker heard he's been given a $25,000 arts award, he tried to assess what the check would mean.

Matthew Porterfield, who walked away with the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize on Saturday, worked seven years as a waiter at the Chameleon Cafe in Northeast Baltimore to support himself as an artist who made films the way he wanted.

In his top-earning year, he once made $30,000 as a kindergarten teacher. Many years he made less than $12,000, despite high critical praise for his cinematic treatments involving the lives of people living in the Northeast Baltimore, where he was born and still resides.
"Frankly, we're pretty broke," he said to his partner, Amy Belk, who in turn replied, "But we woke up this morning and it wasn't a dream."

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Maryland Trial Judges Pay Is 43rd Worst In Nation

When adjusted for cost of living, Maryland’s judges are some of the worst paid in the nation, according to a study from the National Center for State Courts. The study, released last week, ranks trial court judges’ adjusted salaries at 43rd in the nation.

Continue Reading...

What “Constitutional Conservatism” Means to Me

I am a constitutional conservative. So what does that mean? I’ve earned a couple of law degrees, but defining “constitutional conservatism” shouldn’t require a legal scholar. Let me start by pointing out that the conservative movement, as Ronald Reagan believed, is a three-legged stool. One leg consists of peace-through-strength conservatives, another of fiscal and economic conservatives, and the third of social conservatives — the values voters.

Constitutional conservatism includes all three of those legs. My candidacy is based on the unity of the conservative movement — because each leg of the stool is vital.

I believe our founders knew what they were doing when they designed a limited government with specific, enumerated powers. I’m also convinced that many of our problems result from the federal government’s insatiable — and unconstitutional — grab for power and money. On issues ranging from light bulbs to bailouts, to the Dodd-Frank banking legislation, Washington has been on a destructive spree of bureaucratic empire-building. It’s time for that to stop.

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Lessons To Learn From The Recession

No matter what the gross domestic product says, the recession isn't over for you unless you're gainfully employed and not mired in pay freezes or threatened with downsizing. But as the economy slowly recovers, you can use what you've learned during the economic downturn to strengthen yourself for whatever is coming next.

More »

Lost Dog

Hi Joe, 

This little guy was hanging around our house this am hoping some one is 
looking for him.....thanks 

Johnson...Mt Olive Rd area

443-235-3923

Philly Tickets Good Samaritan

No good deed goes unpunished.

George, 45, was looking for a parking spot in Philadelphia when he saw a car strike an older woman. He immediately pulled over to the truck-loading zone, popped on his blinkers, and ran over to help, reports the Inquirer. George calmed the 15victim and the shaken driver and helped direct traffic until the police and EMT arrived.

As the medics lifted the woman into the ambulance, he noticed a parking enforcement officer writing him a ticket. He had parked in a no-parking spot, and despite the intervention of an officer on the scene, several clerks and supervisors refused to waive the ticket until a reporter for the local paper called and started asking questions.

Good Samaritan ticketed, dissed by PPA's agents of contempt [The Inquirer]

from Ben Popken @ The Consumerist

Facebook for News Apps: How We Harnessed The Social Network For ‘The Opportunity Gap’

Last week we published The Opportunity Gap [1], a news application that lets readers find out how equally their state provides poor and wealthier schools access to advanced classes that researchers say will help students later in life.

It features a host of technologies we’re using for the first time, and which we anticipate will be part of many of our news apps in the future. These include a new JavaScript-based “workspace” approach to placing, sorting and removing multiple entities on a single page. We also built our own map server, which we’ll have lots to say about later this summer.

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Tim Pawlenty: Bachmann Hasn’t Accomplished Much in Congress

Tim Pawlenty jabbed fellow Minnesota Republican and presidential candidate Michele Bachmann for having a light record of accomplishment in Congress.

“I like Congresswoman Bachmann. I’ve campaigned for her. I respect her. But her record of accomplishment in Congress is non-existent,” the former governor said while appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

He continued: “We’re not looking for folks who just have a speech capability.”

In an interview with The Daily Caller afterward, Pawlenty elaborated on his critiques.

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Killer Drones Take The Place Of War

Involvement in ongoing protests at Hancock Air Base near Syracuse, where Reaper drones are remotely "piloted" over Afghanistan and Pakistan, forces one to clarify more precisely the objection to these weaponized ("killer") drones. A new children's book on Predator Drones explains their significance, "The US military is always looking for ways to reduce risks for soldiers and to keep pilots safe. This is why unmanned drones are important."[1] This seems reasonable, but consider that, due to overwhelming US air power superiority, there hasn't been a US Air Force plane lost in combat in nearly 40 years,[2] and so there is negligible difference in risk between piloting a drone aircraft and flying a fighter jet. Add to this the fact that killer (Predator or Reaper) drones are used most frequently in sovereign nations - Pakistan, Yemen, Libya - with which the US is neither at war nor has any official boots on the ground. So, there are no US soldiers to keep safe in these places. It seems that neither US pilots nor soldiers are made safer by most drone deployments. And still their use has skyrocketed.

What is different about this latest weapon of war that we oppose so strenuously? True, they are remotely controlled by a risk-free videogame mentality that makes killing easy, even fun, with the trigger as far away as our very backyard here in upstate New York. But anyone who has viewed the WikiLeaks footage of young helicopter gunship pilots picking off unarmed civilians, following orders issued in real time from afar, will recognize that this is not unique to drone pilots. Many of us cry out about the horrendous "collateral damage" of drones - the devastating civilian casualties and misidentified targets and technical disasters resulting in countless (because uncounted) innocent deaths. The targeted killing of al-Qaeda leader Baitullah Mehsud, for example, took 16 missile strikes over 14 months, with well over 200 mistaken deaths.

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Publicly Funded “Journalist” Warns Against Intertwinement of Government and the Press

On Sunday’s broadcast of ABC’s “This Week,” National Public Radio’s legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg spelled out the consequences of the government becoming “intertwined” with the press in response to the scandal Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World publication is embroiled in England.

“Well, tabloids will never go away,” Totenberg said. “They are part of the history of at least a western democracy. But, it does show you when politicians and the news media are completely intertwined, not just get in bed together because they’ve always been in bed together a little bit, but their ownership is intertwined with the power of the press, it can get to be a very dangerous proposition, reading how frightened the leaders were to even challenge Murdoch.”

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Philadelphia Saves $2 Million By Not Prosecuting Pot Smokers

Just over a year ago, the powers that be in Philadelphia effectively decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana by offering offenders the chance to enroll in a three-hour class that would expunge the offense from their records. Not only did this give Philadelphia police more time and energy to focus on more serious crimes, it has also saved the city a pretty sizable Ziploc bag of green stuff.

"We were spending thousands of dollars for when someone possessed $10 or $15 worth of weed," District Attorney Seth Williams tells the Philadelphia Daily News. "It just didn't make any sense."

Under the program, being caught with up to 30 grams of marijuana is no longer a misdemeanor but a summary offense. By simply paying $200 to attend the three-hour class on the ills of drug use and abuse, the arrestee's record is wiped clean of the offense.

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Closure of Edwardsville Road Near Harrington

The Department of Transportation's (DelDOT) Maintenance crews will close Edwardsville Road between Courtland Dill Road and Spectrum Farms Road near Harrington for the replacement of a crossroad pipe.

The closure is expected to take place at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, July 11. The road will reopen on or before 5 p.m. on Friday, July 22, pending weather. The rain dates will be July 18 through July 29.

Traffic will be detoured as follows:

Northbound: Traffic from Edwardsville Road will travel west onto Courtland Dill Road and turn north on Cedar Grove Church Road, turn east on Spectrum Farms Road and back to Edwardsville Road.

Southbound: Traffic from Edwardsville Road will travel west onto Spectrum Farms Road, turn south on Cedar Grove Church Road and turn east onto Courtland Dill Road and return back to Edwardsville Road.

Access to local residents, emergency response vehicles, and postal delivery (where possible) will be provided at all times.

Dew Tour Set-up Begins This Morning

Set-up begins in the early morning hours of Monday, July 11 in Ocean City for the 2011 Dew Tour.

The event will be held on the beach beginning north of the pier and up to Caroline Street, adjacent to the Boardwalk. Set-up will include a vert ramp, skateboard bowl and a BMX park along with a festival village.

To lessen impact on Boardwalk foot traffic, equipment will be brought in for set up during the early morning hours beginning Monday, July 11 between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. Venue construction will be during daytime hours leading up to the event.

The Dew Tour officially opens to the public on Thursday, July 21 and runs through Sunday, July 24, featuring extreme sports competition with the world’s top action sports athletes. Competitions include skateboarding and BMX events, which will be by ticketed admission. A festival village set up around the action sports venue will be open to the public for free, along with a Saturday evening concert, which will begin at 8 p.m.

Attendees to the event are encouraged to ride the bus to the venue, as parking will be limited. Bus service is $3 ride all day or $1 per boarding.

The West Ocean City Park & Ride on Route 50 is just west of the Route 50 Bridge and offers free parking and $1 round-trip shuttle service to downtown.

For more information about the Dew Tour, visit www.ococean.com.

Phoenix Suburb Plans to Turn Dog Waste Into Electricity

I'm not sure what sort of reputation the Phoenix area has in the rest of the country, but those in my hometown of Tucson associate the locality with dog excrement. Officials in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert are making the best of their bumper crop by planning to use dog poop as a power source for a street lamp at a dog park.

The Arizona Republic reports the plan comes from — where else — Arizona State University, renowned for its dog poop academic reputation. The town will look to dig up a corporate sponsor to fund the $25,000 project, which will convert the waste into methane gas. A former Gilbert councilwoman who's pushing the project says she hopes the project catches on and spreads across the country.

What's the most inventive alternative energy project you've come across?

Gilbert's Cosmo Dog Park canine waste would fuel street lamp in project [The Arizona Republic]

from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

Hard Times for Old Time Publishers

Director Andrew Rossi couldn’t predict what he would capture when he was allowed inside the glossy interior of The New York Times building in Manhattan.

“I did know I wanted to be at the right place at the right time,” Rossi says.

As luck would have it, one of the biggest stories in recent memory exploded while his camera was on, one that commandeered the news cycle while underlining the point of his project.

“Page One: Inside the New York Times,” takes audience into the heart of the storied newspaper at a critical time in its existence. Ad revenues are plummeting. Layoffs are bludgeoning the newspaper’s staff. And, all around them, well established competitors are printing their final editions.

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Woman Fired for Having Gray Hair

Sandra Rawline, a 52-year-old branch manager at Capital Title of Texas, has been fired from her job because of her gray hair.

When her boss informed her that the company’s headquarters would be moving to a more upscale neighborhood, Rawline was also told she’d need to start wearing “younger fancy suits” and jewelry.

And Rawline, who’s had gray hair since she was in her 20s, would have to dye her hair as well. Her boss even offered to color her hair for her. But when Rawline refused, she didn’t know she’d be facing such harsh consequences.

Rawline told the Houston Chronicle that she’d grown used to her natural gray color, and she liked it. “This is who I am,” she said. But her boss wasn’t satisfied, and she was fired from her job.

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