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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Fire Station 16 Back On The Block

Palmer and Brad Gillis made an honorable attempt at purchasing the old Fire Station 16 in Downtown Salisbury. Their intentions were honorable and several critics wanted to claim they just weren't being up front enough.

Paul Wilber said it best last night when he stated that even though the agreement was NOT a contract, asking them to come up with a final plan within 60 days was just too aggressive.

Now, mind you, Terry Cohen stated, (more or less) that this wasn't a game and she understood a contract to be a serious commitment. The fact that Gillis didn't deliver a disposition contract telling the City their final intention just wasn't good enough.

Tim Spies stated, "This is the 4th extension." "I won't put my name on this." "Its time to knuckle down and get what we deserve from this project."

The group LORA chimed in with several representatives during the meeting, all of which stated that unless Palmer was willing to sign a contract stating they were not going to be government funded, they wouldn't support it.

Brad Gillis met with the LORA group 15 minutes before the meeting started and openly discussed their concerns. Brad Gillis seemed to be very open but in the end LORA was afraid one thing would be said and another would be delivered, just like Salisbury University did.

One thing every one needs to really look at here is this. Palmer and Brad Gillis have been and are doing the best they can to help revitalize Downtown Salisbury. Should they make money at it in the process, absolutely. If they are the only ones willing to pony up the money to do so, they deserve the right to a good deal.

However, I have to agree 100% with Council President Terry Cohen. Taking 2 years to get nowhere is not good for the taxpayers. A previous Council made the decision to surplus that building and quite frankly they were very wrong for doing so.

I have stated from day one, it should be leased to the Wicomico Library for a children's library and this will allow the library to open up enough space to expand the way they CLAIMED they needed to. It should remain a taxpayer asset and IF the City wants to sell it they can do so when the market is better.

Unfortunately I can see Palmer and Brad Gillis losing some interest but I doubt it will completely stop them from doing what they think is right. Downtown Salisbury does need to be revitalized but it needs to be done so with those businesses already heavily invested in that area in mind.

Brad Gillis told LORA he is done with this project, it's time for LORA to step up and do something with the building instead.

Mayor Ireton stated, At your earliest convenience please bring this to a work session or put it back on the agenda. This is a giant step backwards.

Let's just hope someone comes along with a bright idea. As for me, I have NO interest as I will NOT be told what I can or can't do with a property I own/purchase. If they want to drop that from the sale, I might be interested.

Lockheed Martin To Cut 540 Jobs

Lockheed Martin will cut 540 jobs in its aeronautics division as part of ongoing payroll reductions first announced in June. The Washington Business Journal reports the aeronautics division has about 28,000 employees. Lockheed said the affected employees will depart by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Lockheed plans to cut 1,500 jobs company-wide by the end of the year. More than 450 salaried employees agreed to voluntary layoffs offered last month.

Sick Days For Needier Colleagues

A new bill would allow federal employees to donate their unused sick days to their needier colleagues.

Lawmakers from Virginia and Maryland are teaming up to sponsor the Federal Employees Leave Transfer Act of 2011, which would let government workers transfer unused time to "leave banks" at each agency.

While many agencies have leave banks, the Federal Aviation Administration is the only one that lets workers donate both annual vacation time and sick leave. Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) said the bill is a way for federal workers to help out their colleagues in times of prolonged illness.

Hey Salisbury, Your Mayor Is Having A Busy Day

Mayor Jim Ireton and a hand full of other people were at Congressman Andy Harris' Salisbury Office to picket the Congressman once again.

However, IF the information I have read is in fact accurate, well, I can't say as I blame him/them. You see, there's a LOT about the USPS that is NOT being exposed to the general public. Such as, do you know
 why the Postal Service is having the financial problems they are having right now?

Let me tell you why. In 2006 Congress passed a law requiring the Postal Service to pre-fund a 75 year liability for health care in just a 10 year period of time for future retirees. This mandate costs the USPS more than $5 billion dollars a year. That is why they are in the financial crisis they are currently in.

NO OTHER Government or Private agency have to bear such an expense, just the USPS. Mind you, the USPS is NOT funded by the Government. They completely rely on the sale of stamps and postage. 

Follow the link below to learn more. Mind you, I'm sure there's another side to all of this but I have attempted to contact the Congressman and other Delegates in reference to this matter but was unsuccessful in reaching anyone.

GO HERE to read the details. Be sure to click on all the different tabs to get all the details. In the mean time, Ireton needs to work on revitalizing Downtown Salisbury and stay the hell out of picketing a respected Congressman's Office. Grow up Jim. I like your cause and agree with it but Salisbury has its own issues you need to get in order.

Senators Blumenthal And Franken Ask Social Intelligence Corp About Using Your Facebook Photos In Employer Background Checks

Senators Blumenthal and Franken have figuratively posted on Social Intelligence Corp's Facebook wall a poll asking the company to answer several questions about its background check business. What makes this company's service unique is that it scours the internet profiles of prospective employees and flags them for things like holding drinks or holding guns.

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Let's Be Real: The Phrase 'Caught On Tape'

These days in our business we have fallen in love with that phrase "caught on tape." But beware: the feeling is probably not mutual.

In Virginia, they want cameras in the high school cafeterias. It will stop food fights and keep the kids safer, they tell us.

DC just bought 19 more of those speed cameras -- gotta keep those dangerous drivers under control says the police chief.

And now some insurance companies say they'll charge a lower rate if you'll just allow them to put a GPS in your car. Make sure you don't drive too fast or too many miles. Seems your safe driving record is no longer good enough...and you already know I'm just scratching the surface of this thing.

They keep saying it's all about safety, but am I the only one wondering about that price for that sense of security? I'm going say something a bit radical here. That is, a free country is by its very nature more chaotic, less predictable, less safe than a place where Big Brother is always watching. After all, doesn't freedom also mean the freedom to screw up...to make a mistake?

Let's be real: a speed camera on every corner, a cafeteria cam in every high school -- it might be a really safe place to live...don't know if I'd want to live there though.

Food fight, anyone?

Porch Lights Can Use CFLs, Too

Your porch light or lamp post is one of the highest used light fixtures in your home.

Mary Bubala reports it’s the perfect place to install Energy Star light bulbs.
 
CFLs are now coming in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit smaller lamps.

You can also install a motion sensor that turns the light off when no one is around.

Source

BREAKING NEWS: Sources Say N.J. Gov Won't Run

Sources close to Chris Christie tell Fox News that the Republican New Jersey governor has decided, once and for all, not to run for president in 2012.

From Fox News

Va. Regulators To Vote On Winter Crab Harvest Ban

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) -- Virginia regulators will vote whether to continue a ban on dredging crabs during the winter months.

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission is only allowed to enact a ban on a year-to-year basis. It is considering the proposal to ease pressures on the Chesapeake Bay's blue crab population.

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Customer Sues Bank Of America After Getting Locked Inside & Then Teased By Staffers

How many bank heist movies have involved a thief cooking up some elaborate plan just to get a few hours alone inside an empty bank? Well there's one Bank of America customer in Connecticut who wasn't too thrilled when he found himself in this situation, and even less thrilled when he was let out only to then allegedly be mocked by BofA staffers. And this is how we end up with the nation's largest bank being sued for false imprisonment.

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Delaware Seeks Comment On Fuel Cell Plan

DOVER, Del. (AP) -- State officials are encouraging the public to support an effort to bring an alternative energy company to Delaware.

Bloom Energy wants to build a fuel-cell factory at the closed Chrysler plant in Newark, with the help of $16 million in state incentives. Delmarva Power would be allowed to count electricity from the fuel cells toward its renewable energy requirements.

The decision to let Bloom's fuel cells to be counted as renewable energy even though they are powered by natural gas has angered some proponents of solar and wind power, but supporters say Bloom Energy's fuel cells are more efficient than conventional natural gas turbines.

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Dairy Industry Shrinks Across Maryland

Regulations, land prices and economy contribute to loss of farms

Andy and Mary Laudenklos each spend more than 70 hours a week caring for their 600 cows, delivering calves and overseeing the milking at their Carroll County dairy farm — and they're also raising three young sons.

The couple and their three-year-old business, East West Farm outside Union Bridge in Carroll County, are struggling. They have doubled the size of their herd and hope to one day procure a robotic milker, all to turn the operation profitable. They are just breaking even now.

Dairy farmers are an increasingly rare breed in Maryland, where such operations are disappearing at a rate twice the national average. Nearly 65 percent of the state's dairy farmers have left the industry in the past 20 years, including 34 operations that shut down last year, according to the state Department of Agriculture.

The decline is driven by the higher cost of land in Maryland, increasing regulations and a global decline in consumption and prices, industry and state officials said. Moreover, dairy operations have shrunk as farmers age and leave the business and too few new farmers replace them.

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Caesars Bids For Baltimore Casino Rights

Rocky Gap draws three applicants

Caesars Entertainment Corp., the world's largest casino operator, applied Friday for the license to run the slot machine parlor proposed for Baltimore, while three developers will compete for the opportunity to run a casino in Western Maryland.

Caesars submitted a bid for a 3,750-machine casino on Russell Street in Baltimore. The location drew another bidder, Baltimore City Casino LLC, but the company did not submit the required $22.5 million initial license fee and is likely to be disqualified, state slots commission Chairman Donald C. Fry said.

There will be more competition for the slots license at Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort in Allegany County. Landow Partners LLC, the Bethesda firm owned by former Democratic state Chairman Nathan Landow; Allegany Entertainment Group and Potts Gaming; and Paragon Project Resources of Dallas, under the name Evitts Resort LLC, submitted bids for that license.

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Cheech & Chong Still Encouraging Baby Boomers To Get High... On Fiber

Once upon a time, the comedy duo of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong (some refer to them as Cheech and Chong) were as closely associated with marijuana as rolling papers and bongs. But oh how times have changed and priorities have shifted from getting high on pot brownies to getting high amounts of fiber from brownies.

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This Pawn Shop Is Very Up Front With Its Feelings About Crack Smokers

Last week, we brought you a marketing ploy by one Albany pawn shop looking to expand its customer base by giving spurned mothers a way to get back at their exes. Now, Consumerist reader Brady sends us a photo of a Georgia shop that is trying to limit certain people — namely those who smoke crack cocaine — from entering.

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How To Have A 20-Minute Conversation With A Partner About Money

The lifestyle changes you need to get out of debt can seem overwhelming. They can seem impossible if you don't feel your partner isn't on board with your plan. That's why it can be very helpful to set up a dedicated 20-minute conversation where the two of you discuss it so you can get them on your wagon of change. But you'll want to set up the parameters and a few ground rules so that the two of you will get the most out of the talk.

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Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government

PRINCETON, NJ -- A record-high 81% of Americans are dissatisfied with the way the country is being governed, adding to negativity that has been building over the past 10 years.

Majorities of Democrats (65%) and Republicans (92%) are dissatisfied with the nation's governance. This perhaps reflects the shared political power arrangement in the nation's capital, with Democrats controlling the White House and U.S. Senate, and Republicans controlling the House of Representatives. Partisans on both sides can thus find fault with government without necessarily blaming their own party.

The findings are from Gallup's annual Governance survey, updated Sept. 8-11, 2011. The same poll shows record or near-record criticism of Congress, elected officials, government handling of domestic problems, the scope of government power, and government waste of tax dollars

More....  http://www.gallup.com/poll/149678/Americans-Express-Historic-Negativity-Toward-Government.aspx

The Stress of Divorce, Writ on Women's Heads

In men, baldness is due mostly to an unlucky roll of the genetic dice. But in women, hair loss appears to be linked much more strongly to lifestyle factors like stress — from divorce or the death of a spouse, for example — according to preliminary findings from two studies.


For the studies, Dr. Bahman Guyuron, a plastic surgeon at Case Western Reserve University, and colleagues looked at 66 male and 84 female identical twin pairs. Since twins are genetically identical — and programmed to have identical hairlines — the researchers knew that any differences could be attributed to environmental factors.


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Here We Go Again

Dear Friend,

Your support in the past election touched me and my family deeply. As we approach 11 months since Election Day 2010, you would have to agree that the work that needs to happen in Washington is just not getting done. Unemployment is still above 9%, our debt is still not under control and our President insists on continuing down the same road he has led us before. Let us not forget that Obamacare has not been repealed and remains a real threat to our health-care system and our prosperity.

Where is our leadership? For Marylanders and non-Marylanders alike, what meaningful contributions to the discussion of getting Americans back to work, solving our debt crisis, and addressing the government’s out of control spending have our two U.S. Senators, Cardin and Mikulski provided? The answer is “NONE.” As an elected official on the local level, I lowered taxes twice, cut the size of government, and cut government spending. We also increased future job opportunities in our community through approval of a number of small business projects. We need real leadership in the U.S. Senate from Maryland. We in Maryland deserve it, the Nation deserves it.

Let’s be frank, if we can elect additional Republican Senators then the gridlock in the U.S. Senate can be broken. Maryland can be one of the battleground states with me in the race. I believe we can build on the momentum you helped me gain in 2010, and give Senator Cardin his pink slip. There is no question that Senator Cardin is more vulnerable than Senator Mikulski. Still, the question only you can help me answer “Is Senator Cardin vulnerable enough for Dr. Eric Wargotz to beat him?”

My core campaign team and I have been carefully evaluating whether to formally enter the 2012 election cycle. As I continue to travel around the great State of Maryland and to reach out across this great Nation trying to gauge potential support for another run, I am encouraged! We are not there yet.

I cannot and you would not want me to make such a commitment to enter the 2012 U.S. Senate race, blindly. That is why I call on you now to do what you have done before and that is to support me as you did in 2010.

With your contribution, we can seek to provide an answer to that question and have the data in hand to garner the support we need State-wide and nationally to win the U.S. Senate seat and send Senator Cardin home. The Federal Campaign reporting deadline is this Friday, September 30th.

You may contribute online (click here) or send checks made to “Wargotz for US Senate” and mailed to "Wargotz for US Senate, P.O. Box 790, Centreville, MD 20617

I thank you in advance for your contribution!

Sincerely,

Eric
Eric Wargotz, M.D.

Fill In The Blank 9-27-11

I know it is bad for me,but I just can not resist ______.

Elections 2012

I knew someone would find a name for our election process for this year.




ElectileDysfunction : the inability to become aroused over any of the choices for President put forth by either party in the 2012 election year.

Hanson Stays As Mayor In Dewey

Dewey Beach — Diane Hanson will continue to serve as mayor of Dewey Beach.  Commissioner Anna Legates, who received more votes than any other candidate in the Sept. 17 election, nominated Hanson for the position.

In a Sept. 24 town council meeting, Legates and Commissioner Joy Howell, who had both been sworn in with Hanson moments before, and Commissioner Marty Seitz voted to approve Hanson as mayor for a second term.  Hanson gladly accepted the nomination.

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Program Seeks To Break Isolation Of Poor, Single Mothers, And Reduce Infant Deaths

Breaking the cycle of isolation for low-income, single mothers is just one benefit of an expanding social services program in Maryland, known as “Healthy Families America.” The program dramatically changed the lives of two Baltimore City mothers, and has likely saved the lives of dozens of infants across the state.

Continue Reading...

Look What Your Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton Is Doing On Your Time/Dime

TODAY: MARYLAND DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO HOLD PRESS CALL ON RICK PERRY’S DISASTROUS RECORD

ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland Democratic Party will hold a press call TODAY, September 27 at 2:15 p.m. EDT with Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton, Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette Lewis and Rita Haecker, President of the Texas State Teachers Association, to discuss Perry’s disastrous record and his agenda, which will hurt the middle class, seniors and students while protecting millionaires and big business.


Rick Perry, who held a fundraiser today in Baltimore, is wedded to positions that are far-right, divisive and out of the mainstream. He and the rest of the Republican field don’t have any new ideas that will create jobs in Maryland or help working class Americans. These Tea-Partying Republicans are committed to dismantling Social Security and Medicare, rolling back critical protections for consumers and promoting economic policies that will lead the country back into recession.

Sinepuxent Receipts – Deviled Crab


DEVILED CRAB

1 egg, well beaten

3 tbsp. Hellmann’s mayonnaise

1 tsp. prepared mustard

1 tsp. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. minced pimiento

1 tbsp. minced green pepper

8 saltines, finely crushed

1 lb. jumbo lump crab

Cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425°; butter clam or scallop shells or ramekins or a casserole dish. In a large bowl beat egg then add mayonnaise, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and blend well. Add pimiento and green pepper and blend well. Place crushed saltines on top of sauce then add lump crab, checking for shell but at the same time keeping the lumps of crab together. Sprinkle one or two shakes of cayenne pepper on top of crab and then carefully fold all ingredients together. Place in shells or ramekins. If desired, tops may be coated with 1 cup of mayonnaise blended with two egg yolks. Bake until browned.


Tom Clarke is the author of “Sinepuxent Receipts, A Personal Collection of Eastern Shore Cooking”. Tom lives in Hebron. When not cooking for friends or developing new recipes (“receipts”), Tom sings in the choir at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. All profits from the sale of “Sinepuxent Receipts” go to the St. Peter’s Church Organ Fund.

The Courage Of John Voight

NOW I SURE HOPE EVERYONE WATCHED THIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

IF THIS ISN'T ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU STOP AND THINK WHAT OBAMA HAS DONE TO US ALREADY, I  DON'T KNOW WHAT IS..!!

JUST LET THAT NUT STAY IN OFFICE ANOTHER TERM THEN GOD WILL HAVE TO HAVE MERCY ON ALL OF US.

How "Payday" Lenders Pull Off Crippling Rates

(CBS News)

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - For Americans struggling in this economy, an advance on a paycheck can be a lifeline. These advances - also known as payday loans - have become a fast-growing business online, with nearly $11 billion lent out last year.

The money often comes with crippling interest rates, as CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian found for this report in partnership with the Center for Public Integrity.

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The Dalai Lama Promises To Clarify His Succession—When He's Around 90

All will be clear when the Dalai Lama is around 90 years old. That was the message from the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader over the weekend, as he convened a conference of various Tibetan Buddhist sects in the Indian hill station of Dharamsala.

Although the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, 76, is in good health, the issue of what will happen to the Tibetan struggle once he dies looms in many minds. Tibetans believe that he will be reincarnated; after all, the current Dalai Lama is considered the 14th incarnation of the Tibetan god of compassion.

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Dagsboro Man, 36, Faces Attempted Murder Charge


A 36-year-old Dagsboro man turned himself in to Georgetown police Sept. 26 in connection with a knifing in Millsboro.

Anthony "Tony" Floyd was arguing with a man at a Millsboro apartment complex around 5 p.m. Sept. 25 when he left and returned with a knife, said Chief John Murphy of the Millsboro Police Department. Floyd is accused of assaulting the man and fleeing before police arrived, Murphy said. The victim was taken to an unspecified area hospital where he is being treated for his injuries, Murphy said.

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Today's Survey Question

WOULD CHICKEN FLOP LIVE HAVE BEEN BETTER IF RICK POLLITT HAD A CHIEF OF STAFF (SO HE COULD HAVE MORE FREE TIME TO PROMOTE THE SHOW)?

As Housing Department Moves, Some Employees May Not Go Along

In the official announcement last week of the relocation of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development from Crownsville to New Carrollton, there were winners and losers, and it wasn’t difficult to figure out who was who. Some of the 350 workers may choose not to make the commute 10 miles away.

Continue Reading...

Hallmark Is Sorry For Your Loss - Your Job Loss

Getting laid off from a job has always been synonymous with the delivery of a pink slip, but thanks to Hallmark, the experience might also become associated with receiving another piece of paper in the mail.

With unemployment sitting at 9%, the ongoing layoffs across the country have persuaded the greeting card giant to begin rolling out a line of sympathy cards with words of encouragement for people who have lost their jobs in the tough economy.

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'L-Word' Star Kisses Girl, Gets Escorted Off Plane

(AP) - A lesbian actress who starred in "The L-Word" says she kissed a girl _ and got escorted off of a Southwest Airlines flight for doing it.

Leisha Hailey took to Twitter on Monday to call for a boycott of the carrier after a flight attendant told them other passengers had complained after witnessing the affection.

Her first tweet said: "I have been discriminated against." She later added, "Since when is showing affection to someone you love illegal?"

Southwest Airlines Co. responded on its website that Hailey was approached "based solely on behavior and not gender." The airline's four-sentence response said passengers were characterizing the behavior as excessive.

A discussion followed on the flight, and the airline said it "escalated to a level that was better resolved on the ground."

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Fugitive Illegal Immigrant Reportedly Arrested For Sixth Drunken Driving Offense In US

Police say they have arrested an illegal immigrant for the sixth time for driving drunk -- an offense the man had been deported for previously, MyFoxBoston.com reports.


Eduardo Torres, 48, was arrested by police in Boxboro, Mass., on Saturday after his car was pulled over and he failed a field sobriety test, according to the website. The man allegedly gave police a name not found in any database.


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Cyber Bullying On The Rise

WASHINGTON (AP) - Catherine Devine had her first brush with an online bully in seventh grade, before she'd even ventured onto the Internet. Someone set up the screen name "devinegirl" and, posing as Catherine, sent her classmates instant messages full of trashy talk and lies. "They were making things up about me, and I was the most innocent 12-year-old ever," Devine remembers. "I hadn't even kissed anybody yet."

As she grew up, Devine, now 22, learned to thrive in the electronic village. But like other young people, she occasionally stumbled into one of its dark alleys.

A new Associated Press-MTV poll of youth in their teens and early 20s finds that most of them _ 56 percent _ have been the target of some type of online taunting, harassment or bullying, a significant increase over just two years ago. A third say they've been involved in "sexting," the sharing of naked photos or videos of sexual activity. Among those in a relationship, 4 out of 10 say their partners have used computers or cellphones to abuse or control them.

Three-fourths of the young people said they consider these darker aspects of the online world, sometimes broadly called "digital abuse," a serious problem.

They're not the only ones.

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BREAKING NEWS: Dow Surges More Than 200 Points

Optimism over possible breakthrough in European debt crisis sends Dow up more than 200 points at opening

Fox News

What Should You Do When Your Kids Give You The Silent Treatment?

There are definitely moments when I choose to walk away from my kids instead of spouting out something I know I’ll regret later. The silent treatment from them, however, is something I can’t tolerate.

To me it sends up that red flag that, “Hey, there’s something wrong and I’m not really communicating it to you.” Or, it can look like, “Hey, I win. You can’t get me to talk."

Son Of Former D.C. Mayor Pleads Guilty In Drug Case

WASHINGTON (AP) - The son of former District of Columbia Mayor Marion Barry has pleaded guilty to drug charges.

Marion Christopher Barry pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday to possessing marijuana and PCP. Police found the drugs in his apartment after responding to a report of a fight there in May. Prosecutors say they won't ask for more than six months in jail.

Police say the 31-year-old Barry jumped out his window and ran when officers arrived.

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O'Malley Replaces Majority Of Baltimore City Community College board

Concerned about the academic achievement of students at Baltimore City Community College, Gov. Martin O'Malley has overhauled its board of trustees, replacing the majority of its members.

"The governor has been monitoring the overall situation at BCCC, particularly student achievement and the relationships between faculty, students and administration," said Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for the governor. "The governor has been disappointed with the lack of progress, and he believes now is the time to infuse the board with new leadership."

The community college has faced a series of challenges in the past year, including being placed on probation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Learning, which awards accreditation to higher-education institutions. In addition, state legislators held back funding and scrutinized its programs this past winter, and last November the faculty gave the president a vote of no confidence.

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D.C. area traffic congestion worst in U.S.

Not only is it possible, it's official: Traffic in the D.C. region is getting worse. A new report names the D.C. region as having the worst rush hour congestion in the country.

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Family Of 5-Year-Old Md. Boy Says Shark Bit Him

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The family of a 5-year-old Walkersville, Md., boy says he was bitten in the leg by a shark off North Myrtle Beach, but authorities aren't sure what kind of animal bit the child.

Tom Gilbert told The Sun News of Myrtle Beach ( http://bit.ly/nw1dF0) that he was jumping in the waves with his grandson Saturday morning when the boy began yelling.

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BREAKING NEWS: Wall Street Zooms Higher As Euro Tensions Calm

The markets rallied across the board on Tuesday morning following steep gains in the prior session as traders roared back into to equities and commodities that had been beaten down last week amid concerns over Europe's sovereign debt crisis. Minutes after the opening bell, the Dow soared 202 points, or 1.8%, and the S&P 500 jumped 1.8%.
From Fox News

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases

Malicious Destruction of Property / Resisting Arrest
Date of Incident:
22 September 2011
Location:
1600 block of Waconia Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect:
  : On 22 September 2011 at 4:00 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office
Charges:
Assault 2
Resist Arrest

Incident: Theft Investigation Date of Incident: 22 September 2011 Location: 32000 Campus Drive, Salisbury, MD Suspect:
 Narrative
 Charges:
Malicious Destruction of Property

Incident: Residential Burglary Investigation Date of Incident: 24 September 2011 Location: 100 block of Parker Road, Salisbury, MD Suspect:
 Narrative
.
Anyone who may have been in the area during this time period is asked to contact the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4891 or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776.
Reference 11-3729
: On 24 September 2011 a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into a residential burglary in the 100 block of Parker Road in Salisbury. Investigation revealed that the homeowners returned in the early morning hours to discover that the rear door to their residence had been forced open. Taken during this crime were household electronics. Charges:
Malicious Destruction of Property

Incident: Commercial Burglary Investigation Date of Incident: 25 September 2011 Location: 700 block of Parsonsburg Road, Parsonsburg, MD Suspect:
 Narrative: On 25 September 2011 at 11:29 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported alarm at the Parsonsburg Quick Stop. Upon arrival, the deputy observed that entry had been forced through a rear door. It appeared that even though someone entered the store, nothing was taken.
Pending
Theft
Pending
Theft

Anyone who may have been in the area during this time period is asked to contact the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4891 or Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776.

Reference Case 11-3717
: On 22 September 2011 at 9:44 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to the campus of Wor-Wic Community College for reported thefts from motor vehicles. Upon arrival, the deputy learned that four vehicles had been entered by an unknown perpetrator who stole various items. Two of the vehicles were left unlocked, but this perpetrator forced entry into the other two. One of the vehicles forced had its door forced open, while the other had its convertible top slashed open.
Pending
Malicious Destruction of Propertynd Degree

Narrative
responded to a reported vandalism in progress at a residence in the 1600 block of Waconia Drive. While
on the way, the deputy learned that Samuel Milbourne was in the process of shattering the rear window of
his mother’s vehicle at that residence. Upon arrival, the deputy observed a shovel which was sticking out
of the rear window and an obviously aggravated Milbourne. After an investigation, the deputy arrested
Milbourne and placed him in handcuffs. It was at this point that Milbourne attempted to pull away from
the deputy while kneeing the deputy at the same time. Milbourne actively resisted any effort by the
deputy to control him which led the deputy to take actions to ensure Milbourne’s compliance.

Once Milbourne was sufficiently subdued he was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was
processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the
Commissioner detained Milbourne in the Detention Center in lieu of $50,000.00 bond.

Samuel Milbourne, 23, Salisbury, MD
Incident:

In A First, SEC Warns Rating Agency It May Bring Financial Crisis Lawsuit

Though they’ve been faulted for their central role in the financial crisis, the major credit-ratings agencies have thus far weathered the fallout of the crisis with no sanctions [1] from federal regulators and little more than a bruised reputation.

But that could change soon.

In a formal warning known as a Wells notice, the Securities and Exchange Commission informed credit-ratings firm Standard & Poor’s that it’s considering civil charges [2] tied to the firm’s ratings of a 2007 mortgage-backed securities deal. It’s the first such warning to be given to a credit-ratings agency over matters directly related to the financial crisis.

The deal, known as Delphinus, was one of more than two-dozen collateralized debt obligations [3] linked to the hedge fund Magnetar, whose role in creating and betting against risky CDOs was detailed in a ProPublica investigation [4] last year. Completed in the summer of 2007, Delphinus was one of the last deals done by Magnetar and was underwritten by the Japanese bank Mizuho.

Details on S&P’s potential violations are still unclear. But last year’s Senate investigation of the financial crisis may contain some hints.

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BREAKING NEWS: Home Prices Rise In July

The S&P/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas shows home prices rose 0.9% in July from June, topping estimates of 0.7%. Prices are down 4.1% from last year, slightly less than the 4.4% decline economists had expected.
From Fox News

Hacker Group Briefly Hits USA Today's Twitter Page

New York (CNN) -- Hacker group The Script Kiddies successfully hacked another news organization when it logged onto USA Today's Twitter page and posted false statements Sunday evening.

USA Today promptly removed the messages and posted a statement about the hack.Late Sunday evening USA Today posted to its Twitter page:"@usatoday was hacked and as a result false tweets were sent. We worked with Twitter to correct it. The account is now back in our control."

Corporations Couldn't Wait To 'Check the Box' On Huge Tax Break

The 'check-the-box' rule, meant to cut red tape for companies, has inadvertently allowed them to avoid billions of dollars in taxes each year, and the government keeps balking at closing the loophole.
A simple rule meant to cut paperwork for U.S. companies has grown into one of the biggest multinational tax breaks around, costing the United States and other governments billions of dollars in lost taxes each year.

It thrives thanks to determined business support, including a campaign two years ago that forced the Obama administration to retreat from altering it, and tax professionals worldwide who exploit its benefits.

The rule is dubbed “check-the-box [1].” It allows U.S. companies to strip profits from operations in high-tax countries simply by marking an Internal Revenue Service form that transforms subsidiaries into what the agency calls a “disregarded entity.” Others have labeled them “tax nothings.”

Check-the-box allows companies to avoid the normal 35 percent U.S. corporate tax on certain types of income. The Treasury Department estimates that annual revenue losses from check-the-box have hit almost $10 billion. Other countries are also said to lose billions as income is shifted to places with low or no taxes, although there is no official estimate.

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GET OUT AND VOTE TODAY IN DELMAR

Today is Delmar's Primary. Salisbury News Endorses, Gibb, Luffman and Anderton!!

Classroom 'Crisis': Many Teachers Have Little Or No Experience

As children around the country settle in for the new school year, millions of them are sharing more than desks, sandwiches and sniffles. Chances are good that they are being taught by teachers with little or no experience.

The odds that a child will be taught by a new teacher have increased dramatically over the past two decades. In 1987-'88, the most common level of experience among the nation's 3 million K-12 public school teachers was 14 years in the classroom. By 2007-'08, students were most likely to encounter a teacher with just one or two years of experience.

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The Corpoate Takeover Of The 2012 Presidential Election

The unregulated energy hucksters behind the infamous Enron scandals of a decade ago created an array of dummy financial funds to evade public scrutiny and perpetrate fraud. To disguise the scams, they dubbed these phony funds names like Chewco and JEDI.

While Enron's house of cards did of course collapse, "Enron accounting" lives on in corporate America today. It's also infesting an endeavor that should never be tainted with such financial gimmickry: America's democracy. Corporate hucksters, intent on political profiteering, are setting up dummy funds with such star-spangled names as Make Us Great Again and Restore Our Future.

These are Super PACs, created to amass millions of dollars in unrestricted corporate cash to back the candidacies of particular presidential wannabes. These groups can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money — something the candidates themselves are barred from doing. Already, the dummy funds are becoming larger than the candidate's' own campaigns, allowing a few big money interests to pervert our democratic process into their plutocratic plaything.

How few? As of August, more than 80 percent of the money in Super PACs backing Republican candidates had come from only 35 people writing six- and seven-figure checks.

Technically, these dummy groups must not coordinate their actions with the candidates they back, but this "ban" is a fraud. For example, Rick Perry's Make Us Great Again PAC is headed by a corporate lobbyist who had been Perry's chief of staff and is now both a major fundraiser and political advisor for Perry. Hello — the front group, the lobbyist, the fundraiser, and the advisor don't have to "coordinate" — they're all the same person!

What these Super PACs represent is the Enronization of our politics — a legalized corruption that's tantamount to a corporate takeover.

Pentagon to Help Defend Cyber Networks

As hackers and hostile nations launch increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks against U.S. defense contractors, the Pentagon is extending a pilot program to help protect its prime suppliers.


That program could serve as a possible model for other government agencies. It is being evaluated by the Department of Homeland Security, as part of a potential effort to extend similar protections to power plants, the electric grid and other critical infrastructure.


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The Terrible Post-9/11 Truth: Our Government's Been Hijacked

Democracy has been commandeered by a self-interested gang.

About a year after the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building, I visited Oklahoma City and went to the bombsite with a friend who had covered the attack as a television news cameraman. No memorial or museum had yet been built; fencing covered with teddy bears, flags and scrawled messages surrounded an empty, grass-covered lot.

There was a simplicity to that empty lot that appealed, an understated eloquence that, to me at least, said all that needed to be said. Now, despite all the hubbub and hand wringing surrounding its design and construction, in many ways, the new 9/11 Memorial at ground zero in Manhattan captures some of that same, straightforward plainness - the names of the dead punched into bronze, the waterfalls gracing two great voids where the towers used to be, muting the noise of visitors' voices and quieting the surrounding city. No filigree or statues.

We went to the new memorial for the first time last week. It was a perfect, end-of-summer day. Sunlight sparkled in the two pools and you could see in one of them the wavy reflection of an American flag hanging from across the street. When the breeze was just right, a light mist from the waterfalls caressed your face.

I was pleased, too, by the vast plaza, so reminiscent of the one that used to separate the original towers, the wind corkscrewing around their height and sending hats into orbit. In the next few years, when all the construction around the site has ceased and the landscaped trees and other greenery have more fully grown, this will be the place for contemplation that was intended. And perhaps those who come here will reflect not only on the events of 9/11, but their unexpected consequences and whether we as a nation are ever prepared for what comes next.

Sarah Palin Threatens To Sue ‘Rogue’ Book Publisher

Sarah Palin’s family attorney John Tiemessen has written a letter to Maya Mavjee, the publisher of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, that Palin may sue her, the company, and the book’s author Joe McGinniss “for knowingly publishing false statements” in his book released last week, “The Rogue,” ABC News has learned.

The book was widely panned by critics for using unnamed sources to criticize Palin and her family. Tiemessen cites an email they have access to in which McGinniss writes that attorneys from Crown Publishing told him “nothing I can cite other than my own reporting rises above the level of tawdry gossip. The proof is always just around the corner, but that is a corner nobody has been able to turn” and that McGinniss “ran out of time” to sufficiently source the book.

Occupy Wall Street Protest Enters Second Week; 80 Arrested At Peaceful March

It is day 10 of the "Occupy Wall Street" campaign. On Saturday, more than 80 protesters were arrested as hundreds took part in yet another march to Wall Street.

Many of them were committing civil disobedience by walking in the street, but some say they were on the sidewalk when officers with the New York City Police Department used nets and physical force to break up the crowd. Videos uploaded to YouTube show officers pepper-spraying protesters in the face from close range, punching demonstrators and dragging people through the street. Since Sept. 17, thousands have gathered near in New York City’s financial district near Wall Street to decry corporate greed. Many have said they have been inspired by other popular uprisings from Spain to the Arab Spring. On Sunday, protesters issued a communiqué calling for the resignation of the NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly and for a dialogue with Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Thanks to Democracy Now!’s Ryan Devereaux and Jon Gerberg for this report.

Facebook Cookies Work Even If You're Logged Out (for Your Own Good)

Facebook may not be planning to shut down your account or charge you, but that doesn't mean that they aren't doing some things that you might want to be concerned about. Say, for example, tracking users even after they log out of the site.

That's the accusation from developer Nik Cubrilovic, who discovered that Facebook "alters" tracking cookies when you log out instead of deleting them. "With my browser logged out of Facebook, whenever I visit any page with a Facebook like button, or share button, or any other widget, the information, including my account ID, is still being sent to Facebook," Cubrilovic wrote. "The only solution to Facebook not knowing who you are is to delete all Facebook cookies."

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Wicomico School System Introduces The Convenience Of MealpayPlus

Wicomico parents and guardians who want the convenience of managing their student’s school meal account online can now sign up for MealpayPlus.

Through MealpayPlus, parents and guardians can put money on their student’s cafeteria account, using either a credit card or electronic bank check. There is a small charge for each online payment, which is shown before the transaction is finalized. Parents and guardians can check the account balance and review the student’s purchase history to see how the meal money is being spent, all at no cost. The account can also be set up to notify the parent or guardian when the account balance is running low.

“This is a wonderful convenience for our families,” said Eric T. Goslee, Food Services Supervisor. “Instead of sending their child to school with cash or a check and relying on the child to turn in the money, they can choose to manage payments to meal accounts online.” (Cash and checks will still be accepted.)

Offering families convenience and access with MealpayPlus enhances communication between home and school and directly supports the school system’s Bridge to Excellence Master Plan strategic priority of effective and efficient operations.

To sign up for MealpayPlus:

• Visit www.mealpayplus.com (The site can also be reached from the Family Portal. Click on the Family tab, then Details, then School Lunch Balance to find the link.)

• Register for a free account as a new customer. You will need the Student ID to register. This is available on the Family Portal, or please contact the school to find out how to receive the Student ID number.

DSK Seeks Diplomatic Immunity In Civil Case

(CBS/AP)

NEW YORK - Dominique Strauss-Kahn is citing diplomatic immunity in asking a judge to dismiss a civil lawsuit filed by the New York City hotel maid who says he sexually assaulted her.

Attorneys for the former International Monetary Fund leader filed the motion in a Bronx court on Monday. They say that Strauss-Kahn's position as head of the fund gives him immunity from the civil litigation.

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Today's Weather- 09/27/11

Salisbury,Maryland

Today
High
78°F

Precip
60%
to
Tonight
Overnight Low
67°F

Precip
60%

ONE HOUR SCHOOL DELAY IN DELMAR HIGH AND WICOMICO COUNTY

Tuesday, September 27th : Schools will be opening 1 hour late.

Georgia Middle School Assignment Depicts ‘Positive’ Aspects Of Shariah Law

A Georgia middle school adjusted its lessons after a father complained that his daughter’s homework assignment promoted Shariah law.

According to the Marietta Daily Journal, the assignment was supposed to teach students at Campbell Middle School about the pros and cons of school uniforms. It featured a letter from a woman who said she is “proud and happy” to be Muslim and to completely cover herself in public — and also that her husband could take another wife rather than divorce her if their marriage gets rocky:
“My name is Ahlima and I live in Saudi Arabia. … Perhaps two differences Westerners would notice are that women here do not drive cars and they wear abuyah. An abuyah is a loose-fitting black cloth that covers a woman from head to toe. I like wearing the abuyah since it is very comfortable, and I am protected from blowing sand. … I have seen pictures of women in the West and find their dress to be horribly immodest. … Women in the West do not have the protection of the Sharia as we do here. If our marriage has problems, my husband can take another wife rather than divorce me, and I would still be cared for. … I feel very fortunate that we have the Sharia.”
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