Addicted To Caffeine? Here's How To Wean Yourself

Once you've gotten to the point where you need caffeine to transform into a semblance of a normal person each day, it's probably a good idea to try to distance yourself from the drug.

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New Loan Limits Will Mean More Expensive Homes

WASHINGTON -- Looking for a more expensive house? Better get moving. An upcoming deadline will mean higher prices.
 
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy most mortgages, but they won't buy home loans above certain dollar amounts. It's known as the conforming loan limit and those limits will be reduced Sept. 30.
 
Right now, the upper limit for a conventional loan is $729,750, meaning Fannie or Freddie can't back a loan above that amount. As of Sept. 30, the amount will be reduced to $625,500.
 
Congress voted to increase the loan limit in 2008 in response to the housing crisis to spur the sales of more expensive homes.
 
So why does the change matter? It's all about the interest rates.
 
Steve Cohen of First Place Bank says jumbo loans -- above the conforming loan limit -- carry higher interest rates compared to conventional loans since private investors handle them.

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French Firefighters In Salisbury

The Salisbury Fire Department will be hosting a group of firefighters from France today and tomorrow as they finish a tour of the eastern United States.  The representatives were in Salisbury many years ago and have renewed their interest in learning and sharing ideas that transcend the fire and emergency management challenges globally.

You are more than welcome to meet with them and please let me know if you have an interest.

Yours in service,

Jeff

Chief Jeff Simpson, MPA

Key Questions On Libya’s Coming Transition

Will Qaddafi and his cohorts be brought to justice?

It's likely that some of them will be tried, but it's not clear by whom. The international community seems to want one thing, but the rebels want another.

The International Criminal Court, the global war crimes court, is currently negotiating with rebels to get them to hand over Qaddafi's son [3] Seif al-Islam, whom the rebels appear to have captured yesterday. The court issued arrest warrants [4] earlier this year for Muammar Qaddafi, his son Seif al-Islam Qaddafi, and intelligence chief Abdullah Al Sanousi, having found "reasonable grounds to believe" that the three men had committed crimes against humanity in the form of murder and prosecution. (Read the decision [5] [PDF].)

The rebels have insisted on trying Qaddafi at home. A rebel spokesman told Sky News today: "We want to see him be tried in Libya and not in any other place in the world [6]." They have promised to give him a fair trial [7].

It's worth noting that it's not clear whether Libya is actually obligated to hand over Qaddafi. Along with the United States [8], Libya is one of a few countries that hasn't signed on to the ICC's founding treaty. But ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has said [9] that as a member of the United Nations, Libya and "any future government" in Libya is obligated to execute the warrants and turn over Qaddafi.

If the rebels do execute the warrants, an ICC trial would shield Qaddafi and his cohorts from the death penalty, which a trial in Libya would not.

Nonetheless, the United States and other countries cheered the news of the warrants when they were issued. It was the first time the United States had voted to refer an issue to the war crimes court, and as we noted, the United States only did so after including a carve-out that would shield Americans from investigation or prosecution by the court [10].


How much help have the United States and allies been giving the rebels?

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Irate Football Dad Arrested After Biting 2 Cops

(CBS/AP)

INDIANAPOLIS - An Indianapolis man upset at a youth football game bit two police officers.

Indianapolis Metro police say 27-year-old Dejuan Wells faces two felony counts each of battery and resisting arrest and misdemeanor counts of trespassing and disorderly conduct after his arrest Saturday on the city's southeast side.

WXIN reported that Wells, a parent of one of the players, was upset by the game-winning touchdown, yelling at the officials who allowed the play.

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Standard & Poor's And The Bilderbergers: All Part Of The Plan?

What just happened in the stock market? Earlier this month, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose or fell by at least 400 points for four straight days, a stock market first.

The worst drop was on Monday, August 8, 2011, when the Dow plunged 624 points. Monday was the first day of trading after US Treasury bonds were downgraded from AAA to AA+ by Standard & Poor's (S&P).

But the roller coaster actually began on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, the day after the last-minute deal to raise the US debt ceiling - a deal that was supposed to avoid the downgrade that happened anyway five days later. The Dow changed directions for eight consecutive trading sessions after that, another first.

The volatility was unprecedented, leaving analysts at a loss to explain it. High-frequency program trading no doubt added to the wild swings, but why the daily reversals? Why didn't the market head down and just keep going, as it did in September 2008?

The plunge on August 8, 2011, was the worst since 2008 and the sixth-largest stock market crash ever. According to Der Spiegel, one of the most widely read periodicals in Europe:

Many economists have been pointing out that last week's panic resembled the fear that swept financial markets after the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers in September 2008.

Then as now, banks stopped lending each other money. Then as now, banks' cash deposits at the central bank doubled within days.

On Tuesday, August 9, however, the market gained more points from its low than it lost on Monday. Why? A tug of war seemed to be going on between two titanic forces, one bent on crashing the market, the other on propping it up.

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Andy Harris Town Hall Meeting In Salisbury Tonight

Public Schedule for Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. – Tuesday, August 23, 2011

4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Town Hall Meeting with residents of Wicomico County.

Adams Ribs

219 North Fruitland Boulevard

Fruitland, Maryland 21826

America Has A Secret Weapon

GO HERE

Jerry Leiber, "Hound Dog" Songwriter, Dead At 78

(CBS/AP) LOS ANGELES - Jerry Leiber, the rock `n' roll songwriter who crafted lyrics for such hits as "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock," has died.

Publicist Bobbi Marcus says Leiber died Monday. He was 78.

Entertainment Weekly reports that the songwriter died of cardiopulmonary failure.

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See Any Gray Hair?

See any gray or white hair or any older retired folks amongst the crowd..????

Social Security Office In Austin , TX
A friend went to the social security office this week to file for Medicare because it is the only way to keep medical insurance when you turn 65. He took a picture of the waiting room. Please tell me if you can find a retired person in the place!!!! It's called "disability" insurance!!!! You no longer have to wonder why SS is broke!!! These people do not pay into the system, nor are they disabled!!! Please spread this picture to everyone you know. Our country is going broke on this fraud!!! Go down to your SS office and check it out.

Goldman CEO Blankfein Hires Defense Attorney

Shares of Goldman Sachs (GS) fell off a cliff in late trading Monday after a Reuters report that CEO Lloyd Blankfein has hired the same high-powered Washington defense attorney who defended Enron’s accounting officer.

Goldman shares were flat to lower all day at around $112, and then right before the close dropped to $106.

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Mystery Of Qaddafi's Whereabouts Looms Large In Conflict's Endgame

He has exalted himself as the “brother leader” of Libya, the dean of Arab rulers and the king of kings of Africa. On Monday, though, he was the autocrat who could not be found.

For all his bluster and bombast over the past four decades as Libya’s quirky ruler, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi was mysteriously and conspicuously absent as forces of the six-month-old Libya rebellion encircled what they believed to be his ultimate Tripoli hideout, the Bab al-Azizya compound.

Even the leader of the rebel movement, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, admitted he did not know if Colonel Qaddafi was holed up inside — or somewhere else in Libya, or another country. He is wanted not only by the rebels but by the International Criminal Court, which in June issued a warrant for his arrest.

Colonel Qaddafi, 69, has not been seen in public for more than two months. His once prolonged televised diatribes have stopped. The only indications that he may be in the compound have been the arrests of three of his sons in Tripoli as well as a series of fuzzy audio recordings — the most recent of them Sunday night — promising he will not leave Libya and exhorting Libyans to spill their blood for him to the end.

Rumors have swirled in Libya and elsewhere that he may have secretly slipped out of Tripoli before the rebel movement’s surprisingly speedy invasion of the city over the weekend.

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Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Sex Trafficking Of Teen Girls

A Fairfax County man pleaded guilty Monday to prostituting teen girls in a business that served clients across the region, authorities said.

Alonso Bruno Cornejo, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of children.

Cornejo admitted to recruiting female runaways and enticing them into prostitution as part of a business he started in 2009, authorities said.

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Why Is President Obama So Anxious To Cut Social Security?

On his tour of the Midwest last week, President Obama again indicated his interest in cutting Social Security. He repeated a proposal that his administration first put forward in the debt ceiling negotiations: he wants to cut the annual cost of living adjustment by 0.3 percentage points.

This cut may sound small, but it adds up over time. A person in their 70s who had been getting benefits for ten years would see a reduction of 3 percent. By the time they were in their 80s, the cut would be 6 percent. And if they lived into their 90s, their benefit would be more than 9 percent lower as a result of President Obama's proposal.

For an average retiree who can expect to get benefits for 20 years, President Obama's plan would cut their lifetime Social Security benefits by roughly 3 percent. By comparison, his much feared tax increases on the rich would reduce the after-tax income of someone earning $300,000 a year by just 0.5 percent. In this case, a beneficiary who will be mostly dependent on their Social Security income in retirement will take about six times as large a hit relative to their income under President Obama's plan to cut Social Security than a couple earning $300,000 would from his plan to raise their taxes.

This cut to Social Security seems especially inappropriate since the near retirees who would feel the full impact of this cut have just seen most of their wealth destroyed by the collapse of the housing bubble and the plunge in the stock market. The typical near retiree (ages 55-64) has just $170,000 in net wealth, including the equity in their home.

This means that if they used every last penny in their 401(k) and other savings, they would have just about enough money to pay off the mortgage on a typical home. This would leave them 100 percent dependent on Social Security for their income. And of course, half of near retirees have less than this amount, meaning that they will not even be able to pay off the mortgage on a typical home. But apparently President Obama feels that these people need to make greater sacrifices.

The determination to cut Social Security is especially strange given the finances of the program. Under the law, Social Security is financed by the designated Social Security tax. It does not contribute to the deficit, since the law prohibits payments from being made if there is not money in the Social Security trust fund. That means that if the trust fund were drained, rather than contributing to the deficit, full benefits would not be paid.

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Florida AG: Anthony Shouldn't Skirt 'Supervised Release' From Jail

(CNN) -- Florida's attorney general argued Monday against a motion by Casey Anthony's attorneys that she shouldn't have to serve probation on check-fraud charges, saying a "clerical error" should not prevent her from abiding by a judge's verbal order.

Anthony has been in seclusion since her July acquittal on murder charges in the 2008 death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, and her subsequent release from jail. Orange County Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. ruled earlier this month that Anthony has to report for probation on the bad-check charge by Friday.

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Word Of The Day 08/23/11

Err

Meaning-- a time measurement of 60 minutes

Back-To-School Road Safety Tips From The Wicomico County Sheriff's Office

The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone that schools are opening, so please drive safely. In Wicomico County, schools open on Monday, Aug. 29, returning buses, parent transportation, and walkers to Wicomico streets and sidewalks.

Every year in Maryland, an average of two school-aged pedestrians are killed during school arrival and dismissal times, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration. The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting School Bus Enforcement and watch for drivers who pass and tailgate School Buses. They will also patrol School Zones to ensure the safety of Wicomico County’s children.

To reduce the risk of accidents and injuries, drivers should remember to:

• Plan ahead to allow for the extra school bus traffic that will be on the road. Leave a few minutes early for work so that you are not frustrated by delays.

• Stay a safe distance back from school buses, which stop frequently. Do not tailgate school buses. Remember, they are carrying precious cargo.

• Wait until the lights and other safety equipment on a stopped school bus indicate that it’s safe to continue driving. Do not pass a school bus with its red lights flashing. Not only do you risk a fine of up to $500, you risk hitting a child.

• Slow down in school zones and watch for children crossing the street. Obey the Crossing Guard when he or she signals for you to stop. Maryland Law states that you must stop for a pedestrian who has entered a crosswalk. The fine for violations is $90 and 1 Point on your Maryland driver’s License.

Students can support safer transportation – by bus, car or on foot -- by:

• Getting up in plenty of time to get to the bus stop safely.

• Wearing bright clothes so they can easily be seen by the bus driver and other drivers on the road.

• Staying a safe distance from the road while waiting for the bus, and not play around near cars.

• For young children, standing at the bus stop with an adult, and having an adult meet them when they get off the bus.

• Waiting until the bus fully stops before starting to get on or off.

• Using crosswalks when walking or riding a bicycle to school.

• Wearing a helmet to prevent head injury whenever riding a bike or skateboard. Maryland law states that children up to age 16 are required to wear helmets while riding a bicycle.

Today's Weather- 08/23/11

Salisbury,Maryland

Today

High
82°F

Precip
0%

Tonight

Overnight Low
62°F

Precip
10%

The Weather Channel

Fairfax Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Sex Trafficking Teen Runaways

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WUSA) -- A Fairfax man pleaded guilty Monday morning to sex trafficking teenage runaways.

Federal authorities say 22-year-old Alonso Bruno Cornejo, also known as "Casper," used teenage runaways to work in his juvenile prostitution business in Northern Virginia (including Falls Church, Annandale and Arlington), Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Earlier court records show that at least one of the girls was 15 years old when she became a prostitute.

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Vacant City Houses Get Property Tax Break Meant For Owner-Occupied Homes

Sun analysis finds 465 vacants getting credits worth $325,000

Property tax breaks meant to encourage homeownership have been awarded to 465 vacant houses in Baltimore, depriving the city of uncollected revenue in a difficult budget year and calling into question past promises from city officials to crack down on tax scofflaws, a Baltimore Sun analysis has found.

Owners of the vacant homes received a total of $325,000 in tax breaks. That's enough money to run municipal swimming pools for more than two weeks, one of the many services that had been on the chopping block — stoking the ire of residents — as the city slashed its budget to address a $65 million shortfall. In the end, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake opened the pools on a staggered schedule to save money.

Thousands of vacant homes, a longtime scourge in the city, have contributed to creeping blight and sinking property values. To combat the problem, the city has levied fines against owners and tried many strategies to promote the rehabilitation of such properties. The fact that hundreds of those owners are getting undeserved tax breaks incenses homeowners and critics.

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Would-Be Robber Beat Up At Annapolis Grocery Store

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WUSA) --The robbery of a grocery store in Annapolis had a surprise ending for the would-be robber.

According to the Capital of Annapolis, 26-year-old Darius Cameron of Glen Burnie went to Anita's Spanish Grocery at about 9:20 p.m. Friday and pointed a gun at a clerk, demanding money. The clerk was able to hit the panic alarm before, police say, Cameron climbed over the counter, pointed the gun at the clerk and pulled the trigger.

The gun didn't fire. Annapolis police said he then tried to jump to the other side of the counter and he ended up dropping the gun.

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Child Psychologist Pleads Guilty To Sex Abuse

BEL AIR, Md. (AP) -- The Harford County State's Attorney's office says a child psychologist has pleaded guilty to charges of abusing three young patients.

David Schrumpf entered the pleas Monday, admitting guilt to one count of child sex abuse and two counts of second degree assault.

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BREAKING NEWS: Standard & Poor’s President Reportedly Resigns

Deven Sharma, president of the credit-rating firm, is reportedly leaving and is set to be replaced by the chief operating officer of Citigroup Inc.’s Citibank unit.

From Fox News

Oil Drops Below $80.00 A Barrel

Oil fell, dipping below $80 a barrel in New York for the first time in more than a week, on concern that slower economic growth will erode fuel demand. Brent crude traded at a record premium to U.S. prices.

Dog Finds New Home After Owners Split

'My parents got divorced and Mr. B was supposed to go to the pound,' note says

KIRKLAND, Wash. — Paul Wu was pulling his car out of the driveway and saw it.

“I found a dog in my driveway which is unusual.”

He looked at the small dog.

“He would not go away, and I stop he comes up to me,” he said.

Wu found a bag hanging around the dog’s neck, carrying money, and a note.

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BREAKING NEWS: Standard & Poor ’s President Reportedly Resigns

Deven Sharma, president of the credit-rating firm, is reportedly leaving and is set to be replaced by the chief operating officer of Citigroup Inc.’s Citibank unit.

Source Fox News

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TO JOIN U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION DUNCAN AND DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS TO ANNOUNCE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR JOB GROWTH AND SKILLS

ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 22, 2011) – TOMORROW, Governor Martin O’Malley will join U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Discovery Communications to announce a public-private partnership to promote job growth and jobs skills development.

To support job growth and to better position the State to compete in the emerging global economy, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has set a goal of increasing the number of Marylanders prepared for middle and high skilled jobs by increasing the number of Marylanders who receive skills training through the State’s workforce system by 20 percent by 2012.

Through the Skills2Compete-Maryland initiative, the Administration aims to have every working Marylander obtain access to the equivalent of at least two years of education or training past high school leading to a career or technical credential, industry certification, or a college degree.

WHAT:            Governor O’Malley, U.S. Secretary Duncan to join Discovery Communications for skills

              public-private partnership announcement      

WHEN:            TOMORROW, Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE:         Montgomery College, Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus

                         Health Sciences Center

                         7977 Georgia Avenue

                         Silver Spring, MD

                         (Parking available in lot W1)

Best Places To Live Cheaply

If you are looking to save some money - maybe you need to move!

Forbes magazine has just released a list of the best places to live cheaply, and some aren't far from here.

Cumberland, Md., made the list at #3, and Wheeling, W.V. came in at #9.

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MACO Conference Brochure

It's rather scary in that it depicts the theme of this year's conference to the leaders and members of Maryland's government.

Notice the brochure depicts Wind, Solar, Corn (ethanol)? What missing? How about cars on the road with passengers going to work or shopping, worker's cars on the parking lot of what appears to be a commercial building? There aren't even vessels in the Sea yet there's plenty of green. I guess it's ok if you have a government job for life. I would have preferred a snippet of time devoted to economic recovery and the creation of jobs. 

I guess they don't care?

Publishers Notes: Sent in by a reader.

Country Wrestles With Spike In Food Stamp Use

Even as demand rises, cutting program becomes an option for debt hawks

NEW YORK — Genna Saucedo supervises cashiers at a Wal-Mart in Pico Rivera, Calif., but her wages aren't enough to feed herself and her 12-year-old son.

Saucedo, who earns $9.70 an hour for about 26 hours a week and lives with her mother, is one of the many Americans who survive because of government handouts in what has rapidly become a food stamp nation.

Altogether, there are now almost 46 million people in the United States on food stamps, roughly 15 percent of the population. That's an increase of 74 percent since 2007, just before the financial crisis and a deep recession led to mass job losses.

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The Death Of The Text Message

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The smartphone boom is a mixed blessing for wireless companies. While the devices have boosted data plan sales considerably, they are threatening to kill another revenue stream dead in its tracks: text messaging.

Dozens of smartphone applications offer "free" text messaging services, which allow wireless customers to send and receive texts by piggybacking on their existing data plans. That means people who download those apps -- such as GroupMe, Google Voice, Disco, Beluga, Kik and WhatsApp -- are able to bypass the expensive texting plans offered by wireless companies.

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Man Denies Killing Wife, Her 3 Kids In Va.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - A Virginia man has denied any involvement in the slayings of his wife and her three children, whose bodies were found in their burned apartment, police said Sunday.

John Moses Ragin, 36, professed his innocence during interviews with Newport News police detectives who traveled to South Carolina, where he is being held, department spokesman Harold O. Eley said.

"Mr. Ragin denies any involvement whatsoever in their deaths," Eley said.

Newport News police want Ragin returned to Virginia to face nine charges, including four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Crystal Ragin and her children, Sierra, 15, Rasheed, 10, and Lakwan, 6.

All four were found in their Newport News apartment on Friday. Investigators found evidence of knife wounds and "exposure to fire," police said.

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Men vs. Women: Who Gains More Weight After Marriage and Divorce?

Marriage and divorce are life-changing events, the effects of which are evident in innumerable ways — including on the bathroom scale.

Both marriage and divorce appear to lead to weight gain among couples, but each occasion affects men and women differently, according to a new study. Researchers from Ohio State University found that women tended to gain more weight than men after marriage, while after a divorce, men's girth expanded more than women's.

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Police, Firefighters To Square Off In Charity Cage Match

Normally, they're partners in public safety. But next month, Baltimore police and firefighters will be pummeling each other inside a cage – for charity.

The Sept. 30 mixed martial arts event at the Du Burns Arena is being billed as a "night of live cage fights that include active law enforcement and firefighters," battling it out to raise money for injured officers. It's the first of its kind locally, though such "badges vs. hoses" matches have been growing in popularity across the country.

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Could The Way We Mate And Marry Boost Rates Of Autism?

In this week's paper issue of TIME, author Judith Warner explores a provocative theory about why rates of autism, particularly the mild form known as Asperger's, are on the rise: because people who have certain "autistic" traits are increasingly meeting and marrying each other and having offspring who are more likely to be on the spectrum.

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Hard To Believe That Miss Delaware Is Included In This Video

New IBM Computer Chip Mimics The Human Brain

(CNN) -- Making computers behave like humans has taken another step forward.

IBM on Thursday announced it has created a chip designed to imitate the human brain's ability to understand its surroundings, act on things that happen around it and make sense of complex data.

Instead of requiring the type of programming that computers have needed for the past half-century, the experimental chip will let a new generation of computers, called "cognitive computers," learn through their experiences and form their own theories about what those experiences mean.

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New Rules

Federal employees living in Northern Virginia and some parts of Maryland will be able to run for political office under a new proposed rule published in the Federal Register. The Office of Personnel Management's new rule would partially exempt feds living in King George County from restrictions on political activity, allowing them to run as independent candidates for local political office. It would also allow those candidates to accept or receive political contributions, and solicit or accept volunteer campaign services. OPM said its considering the rule because of the rapid growth of the county within the past few years, the significant public issues associated with this growth, and the large federal presence within King George County.

PETA To Promote Itself With Porn Site

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is no stranger to using skin to draw attention to its cause, and has decided to go big in the direction rather than go home. The new idea is to launch a porn site in hopes that people will come for the eroticism and stay for the preaching.

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Fed Doled Out $1.2 Trillion In Secret Loans To Giant Banks, Brokerages

The Federal Reserve got loan-happy from 2007 to 2010, handing out mega funding to several top banks and brokerage firms, such as Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Bank of America. The secretive financial agreements were meant to stop the economy from plunging into depression.

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Annoyed Travel Agents To Obama: We're Not Obsolete

There are two reasons we probably don't write very many stories about travel agencies: many of them do a better job of problem-resolution than the airlines, hotels and cruise lines they deal with; and common sense would tell you it's likely that fewer people are using agents because it's just as easy to book travel on your own. President Obama recently expressed a similar sentiment, and the travel agents of America want him to know they haven't exactly gone the way of the dot matrix printer.

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QUOTES OF THE DAY 8-22-11

“There are about three hundred economists in the world who are against gold, and they think that gold is a barbarous relic – and they might be right. Unfortunately, there are three billion inhabitants of the world who believe in gold.”
Janos Fekete

“You have to choose [as a voter] between trusting to the natural stability of gold and the natural stability and intelligence of the members of the government. And with due respect to these gentlemen, I advise you, as long as the capitalist system lasts, to vote for gold.”
George Bernard Shaw

“Though wisdom cannot be gotten for gold, still less can it be gotten without it.”
Samuel Butler

“The modern mind dislikes gold because it blurts out unpleasant truths.”
Joseph Schumpeter

Open House Schedule For The 2011-12 School Year

Wicomico County Schools will hold open houses Aug. 24-26 (with a couple of events on other dates) in preparation for the opening of the 2011-12 school year on Monday, Aug. 29, for most students *. A complete schedule of open houses for Wicomico schools is below. For additional details, please contact the school.

*Please note that students in grades 1-6 and grade 9 will attend school on Aug. 29.(Exceptions: All grades will attend at Pittsville Elementary and Middle, and only grade 6 will attend at Mardela Middle and High.) All students in grades 1-12 will be in school
Tuesday, Aug. 30. During the first week, kindergarten and prekindergarten students will report as scheduled by the assigned school.

Elementary:

Beaver Run Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, 1-3 p.m., with the Snowy Bus there. 410-677-5101

Charles H. Chipman Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House with classroom visitation 2-3 p.m., followed by a picnic from 3-4:30 p.m. at Lake Street Park with Chipman’s partner school, Glen Avenue Elementary. Food, families and fun! 410-677-5814
Delmar Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 1-3 p.m. 410-677-5178
East Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 1:30-3:30 p.m. 410-677-5803
Fruitland Primary: Friday, Aug. 26 1:30-2:30 p.m. 410-677-5171

Fruitland Intermediate: Friday, Aug. 26 2:30-3:30 p.m. 410-677-5805
Glen Avenue Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, from 1-2 p.m. Open House, with a community picnic with partner school Charles H. Chipman Elementary from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Lake Street Park. 410-677-5806
North Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26, Open House for all students, 2-4 p.m. Buster the Bus will serve as the official greeter. NSS will offer free school supplies to all students who attend, and several community partners will be on hand to show their support of the school as well. The PTA will be at the Open House to welcome students and families and give them the opportunity to join the PTA, and share information about events in the upcoming school year. 410-677-5807
Northwestern Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26 3-4 p.m. 410-677-5808. The school will
offer free school supplies to all students who attend. The PTA will be there to welcome families and give them the opportunity to join the PTA. 410-677-5808
Pemberton Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House 3-4 p.m., parents and students can visit their teacher(s) and tour the school. 410-677-5809
Pinehurst Elementary: Aug. 26, 3-4 p.m. 410-677-5810
Pittsville Elementary and Middle: Transition Open House/Back to School Night for grades 3 and 6 from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. Back to School Night from 6-8 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 8, for grades 4, 5, 7 and 8.

Prince Street Elementary: Open House Friday, Aug. 26 from 1:30-3 p.m. 410-677-5813
West Salisbury Elementary: Friday, Aug. 26, Open House luncheon 1:30-3:30 p.m. Meet your teachers. 410-677-5816
Westside Primary: Open House at school Friday, Aug. 26, 1:30-2:30 p.m. 410-677-5117
Westside Intermediate: Open house at school Friday, Aug. 26, 2:30-3:30 p.m. The Snowy Bus will be at the school 2-3 p.m. 410-677-5118
Willards Elementary: Thursday, Aug. 25, the faculty and staff will welcome students and their families to a new school year during a Back to School Ice Cream Social from 4-5:30 p.m. Students can socialize with friends, meet their teacher, and see their classrooms. 410-677-5819
Wicomico Early Learning Center: Thursday, Aug. 25 Open House and Ice Cream Social 1-3 p.m. Parent informational meeting from 1-1:30 p.m. and classroom visitations from 1:30-3 p.m. 410-677-5900
Middle:

Bennett Middle School: Thursday, Aug. 25 PTA Back-to-School Night/Open House Aug. 25 from 5-7 p.m. 410-677-5140
Salisbury Middle: Open House for all students and families Thursday, Aug. 25, from 5-7 p.m. 410-677-5149
Wicomico Middle School: Thursday, Aug. 25, Open House 4-6 p.m. Families can get their student's schedule when they submit the student data forms sent in the invitation. 410-677-5145.

Pittsville Elementary and Middle: Transition Open House/Back to School Night for grades 3 and 6 from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. Back to School Night from 6-8 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 8, for grades 4, 5, 7 and 8.

Mardela Middle and High: Back-to-School BBQ Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Any questions – please call the school @ 410-677-5142.

High School:

James M. Bennett High School: PTSA Back to School Night Wednesday, Aug. 24, 5-8 p.m. At this time forms should be turned in to guidance, parents can pick up Family Portal information, and students may get their schedules if all of their paperwork is turned in.

Mardela Middle and High: Back-to-School BBQ Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Any questions – please call the school @ 410-677-5142.

Parkside High: Thursday, Aug. 25, Back to School Night 4:30-7:30 p.m. (4:30-5:30 p.m., pick up class schedules, 5:30-6 p.m. business meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. teacher visitation). 410-677-5143
Wicomico High: The Freshman Academy will hold a 9th Grade Summer Cookout and orientation on Thursday, Aug. 25 from 4-6 p.m. Back-to-School Night will be held Sept. 26 from 5-7 p.m.

Choices: Friday, Aug. 26, 1-3 p.m. 410-677-5220

Back To School Information: High Schools

James M. Bennett High School
Salisbury
Principal: Steven E. Grudis
sgrudis@wcboe.org
410-677-5141http://www.wcboe.org/schools/jmb/

James M. Bennett High School would like to welcome a new member to the administrative team for the 2011-2012 school year. John Kotz assumes the position of Dean of Students; he comes to us from Wicomico High School where he served as a technology teacher. He joins Steve Grudis, Principal, Kim Pinhey, Assistant Principal, James Cook, Assistant Principal, and Joe Raffa, Dean of Students. We are proud of the JMB history of excellence and the variety of programs that we provide for our students. They have been recognized consistently at the regional, state and national level for programs such as It’s Academic, Mock Trial, Future Business Leaders of America and Math Team. We are proud of our baseball team and coaches for being the current 3A State Champion. Our school wide objective this year will be to continue to show improvements in three areas: attendance, academics and athletics/fine arts. We also wish to remind students and parents that school begins at 7:45 a.m., and at 2:45 p.m. the school day will end.
Key date: Wednesday, Aug. 24 PTSA Back to School Night 5-8 p.m. At this time forms should be turned in to guidance, parents can pick up Family Portal information and students may get their schedules if all of their paperwork is turned in.

Mardela Middle and High School
24940 Delmar Road
Mardela Springs, MD 21837
Grades 6-12
Principal: Frederick L. Briggs
rbriggs@wcboe.org
410-677-5142www.wcboe.org/schools/mmhs

Mardela will continue to utilize its strong community support in conjunction with its outstanding staff to create a culture of learning for each and every student at MMHS. Mardela’s leadership team consists of new Principal Frederick L. Briggs, Assistant Principals Shawn Gardner and Frank Grate, with Sharon Cooper serving as the Dean of Students. This year the staff will be focusing on making cross-curricular connections for students as research shows that students remember information longer when they use what they have learned in a variety of contexts and use of skills across disciplines helps build student confidence. Mardela is very proud of its continued student success on the state MSA and HSA assessments and will look to build on these successes this coming year while introducing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into the middle school grade levels. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key dates: Aug. 25, Back-to-School BBQ 4:30-6:30 p.m. Families can get their student’s schedule when they bring a completed copy of the student data form to the BBQ. Sept. 12, school pictures. Homecoming will be returning to the fall sports season with Homecoming activities the week of October 17-21.

Parkside High School
Salisbury
Grade 9-12
Principal: Micah Stauffer
mstauffe@wcboe.org
410-677-5143www.wcboe.org/school/phs
Parkside CTE
410-677-5144http://cte.wcboe.org/

This is Parkside’s 36th year of excellent service to Wicomico County. Principal Micah Stauffer, Assistant Principal Christel Savage, Assistant Principal Ron Greene, Assistant Principal Dave Churchman, and Dean of Students Jeffrey Dumpson form our outstanding team of administrators. Our school spirit shined through last year during Homecoming, Winter Formal, Prom, athletic events, and performances. Our students have worked hard both in and out of the classroom to achieve success. The Parkside Robotics Team competed at the state level and SkillsUSA had two students make it all the way to the national competition in Kansas City. In addition, our band, chorus, and athletic teams received many awards for their accomplishments this past year. Career and Technology Education (CTE) begins its 15th year at Parkside High School and 46th year of providing a high-quality technical education to high school students from throughout Wicomico County. Each year, CTE serves more than 900 students from the four county high schools in 20 technical programs. Throughout the summer, Parkside teachers have been attending professional development and preparing to take our students to new heights. Our primary focus is to continue to provide all students with quality instruction while fostering a positive learning environment within our school community. Parkside looks forward to welcoming our students back to a year filled with success and high student achievement. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key Dates: Aug. 25, Back to School Night 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.; 4:30-5:30 p.m., pick up class schedules, 5:30-6 p.m. business meeting, 6-7:30 p.m. teacher visitation. Aug. 29, 9th grade transition day. Aug. 30, all students report.

Wicomico High School
Salisbury
Grades 9-12
JROTC, Visual and Performing Arts Program
Principal: Don R. Brady
dobrady@wcboe.org
410-677-5146www.wcboe.org/schools/wihi

Wicomico High School is thrilled welcome two new members to the administrative team for 2011-2012. Lavion Bratten will assume the responsibilities as Dean of Students after having taught Business Education at Wicomico High School from 2005-2011. Michele McGoogan will also be joining Wicomico High School as Dean of Students; she comes to us from Bennett Middle School where she served as Math Coach. They will join Don R. Brady, Principal, Lillian Blake and Stephen Lovellette, Assistant Principals, as returning members of the leadership team at Wicomico High School. Parent involvement is a real focus. Parents are strongly encouraged to form partnerships with Wi-Hi as we work together for high student achievement. Parent input will be profoundly critical as we, as a staff, ask, "What should our response be when kids don't learn?" The entire staff at Wi-Hi is committed to responding to individual student needs. Our teachers have created a list of essential skills that will help students understand what they should know and be able to do after completing each term. We will monitor each student’s progress and respond with support as needed. The staff at Wicomico High School pledges to work together to clarify student learning goals, provide additional support and time when students struggle, and extend or enrich learning when students have already mastered the intended outcomes. Wi-Hi also continues to enjoy the wonderful partnership established with Oak Ridge Baptist Church and the various resources Oak Ridge provides to assist with high student achievement. Please note the new school hours: School will start at 7:45 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.
Key dates: Aug. 25, The Freshman Academy will be holding a 9th Grade Summer Cookout and orientation from 4-6 p.m. Sept. 26, all Wicomico High School parents and students are invited to join us for Back-to-School Night/Open House 5-7 p.m.

Choices
Adventist Drive, Salisbury
Grades 6-12
Principal: Kelley Morris-Springston
kmorris@wcboe.org
410-677-5220
The Choices Chargers are keyed up for another wonderful school year. Our
dedicated team of teachers and staff are ready to energize youth for the future. Choices, under the leadership of Kelley Morris-Springston, principal, and David Allen Miles, Dean of Students, is proud to serve students in grades 6 through 12. We look forward to another year of partnering with our faith based partner The Tabernacle.
Key dates: Aug. 26 – Open House 1-3 p.m. Oct. 11, first PTA meeting of the year.

Wicomico Evening High School
Located in Wicomico High School Building E
Salisbury
Wicomico Evening High School Evening program for anyone 16 and older to complete the requirements to earn a Maryland High School Diploma
Coordinator: Dave Harner, dharner@wcboe.org
Lead Teacher: Anthony Giddens, tgiddens@wcboe.org
410-677-4537
Evening High School is designed to help students,16 or older, who are enrolled in other Wicomico County high schools and who need to take classes to “stay on track” for graduation. It also serves anyone ages 16-20 who wishes to return to school to complete the requirements to earn a Maryland High School Diploma. Registration periods are in September and January.

Key dates: Registration for the fall semester will be held in Building E of Wicomico High School from 4-7 p.m. Sept. 6, 7, 8, 12 and 13. To register, bring in birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of residency (any utility bill or rent/mortgage statement), and transcript (from last school attended). Students attending any Wicomico County high school during the day and wishing to take classes at the Evening High School must bring in a blue form completed by the high school guidance counselor. Sept. 14, fall semester classes begin.

What’s New For The 2011-12 School Year

It’s nearly time for the start of the 2011-12 school year. Wicomico teachers reported for the new school year on Monday, Aug. 22, and will spend the next few days preparing their classrooms and lesson plans, receiving professional development, and welcoming students and families during open houses (complete schedule below).

The new school year will begin Monday, Aug. 29 for most Wicomico students. Students in grades 1-6 and 9 will attend that day, with students in prekindergarten and kindergarten reporting as scheduled by their assigned school. (Exceptions to the above: At Pittsville Elementary and Middle, all grades attend. At Mardela Middle and High, only grade 6 attends on Aug. 29.) Please note that many schools have new start and end times, listed below.

On Tuesday, Aug. 30, all students in grades 1-12 will attend, with students in prekindergarten and kindergarten reporting as scheduled by their assigned school.

This Friday, Aug. 26, all staff members of Wicomico County Public Schools will attend a staff kickoff assembly at the Wicomico High School Auditorium, with performances by the Mardela High School Marching Band and The Edge-ucators band, and motivational speakers including Board of Education President Ron Willey, Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen, assistant superintendents Dr. Cathy Townsend and Dr. Margo Handy, and Wicomico Teacher of the Year Chad Pavlekovich. Staff members have been assigned by department and school level to attend one of the assemblies (scheduled for 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.). Schools and departments will be closed while their staff members are at the assembly, so please call before visiting a school or office Friday morning.

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Here