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Sunday, November 27, 2011

These Are The 10 Cities Where Violent Crime Is Declining

Publishers Notes: Keep in mind, the following information is based on 100,000 people per capita. The numbers are quite different when you bring them down to real numbers but we felt it only fair to share this information as published.

For years, experts have maintained that crime rates increase with rising unemployment and poverty rates. Yet, data released earlier this year from the FBI show a marked decrease in the national violent crime rate between 2005 and 2010 even as unemployment and poverty have continued to skyrocket.

10. Salisbury, MD
5-year decrease in violent crime rate: -237
Violent crime per 100,000 (2005): 906.4
Violent crime per 100,000 (2010): 669.7
Murders per 100,000: 9

In 2005, the Salisbury, Maryland area had the 12th highest violent crime rate in the country. At a rate of 906.4 for every 100,000 residents, it was nearly double the national rate of 469.3. By 2010, however, the region’s rate had dropped 38 percent to 669 violent crimes per 100,00 people. This was still much higher than the national average, and the murder rate actually went up over that time, but a substantial decline in the number of robberies and assaults represented a positive sign for the crime-ridden region.

State Governor Martin O’Malley announced that year a $156,000 grant to Salisbury to start the second Safe Streets program in the state, according to the Baltimore Sun. The program had shown apparent benefits in Annapolis.

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Surging Gingrich Nabs Key NH Paper's Endorsement


In the most significant endorsement of the GOP race so far, the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper endorsed former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

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New Local Ad Featuring A Same-Sex Couple Sparks Controversy

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) — A new local ad is meant to shock in hopes that you will shop. A Baltimore County jewelry store is trying a new approach to boost their sales, but will it work? Andrea Fujii has the story.

It’s not your typical jewelry store advertisement. It’s already running in the City Paper and Baltimore Sun. The slogan is “Let’s Grow Old Together,” and it features diverse couples, including two lesbians.

“I think same-sex couples just want the same American dream that straight couples want,” said Sydney Nusinov.

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Getting By: Rethinking Retirement

Flagging economy forces older workers to stay on the job

Traveling. Playing with the grandkids. Taking up golf or tennis or scrapbooking. Moving to a warmer climate.

They're the hallmarks of a carefree retirement - a dream that's fading fast for many older Americans thanks to a persistently poor economy that has shrunk retirement savings, increased the cost of health care, made work difficult to find and wiped out home equity.

"Unfortunately, it's not the rosiest picture," said Jean Setzfand, vice president of financial security for AARP.

Long gone are the days of retirement starting on one's

65th birthday with a gold watch from the boss and paychecks for life from a pension and Social Security.

These days, more of the burden is on workers themselves to save their own money for retirement, perhaps with some matching funds from an employer.

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GOP Debt Panel Members Tell 'Untold

The six Republican members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction are telling their side of the super committee's failure to reach agreement on over $1 trillion in cuts.

In a Washington Post opinion piece, Arizona Senator John Kyl; Ohio Senator Rob Portman; Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey, Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling and Michigan Reps Fred Upton and Dave Camp start off their opinion piece saying, "We do not choose to add more to the blame game."

But they quickly add that "one Democratic talking point needs debunking: that the talks failed because of Republicans' attachment to the Bush tax cuts.

The six Republicans want Americans to know, "The untold story of the negotiations is the significance of the Republican offer of fundamental tax reform."

The 2001 and 2003 tax code changes for technical reasons are due to expire the end of this year. The GOP panel members emphasize that if Congress does not act, "Americans will face the largest tax increase in our history."

In their opinion piece, the Republican group points out that to meet Democrats part way, they offered a plan that would have reformed the tax code and come up with signficant new tax revenue.

They explain the GOP proposal added up to over $500 billion in deficit reduction revenue and $900 billion in spending reductions.

"We believe this lowering of the rates and broadening of the tax base would have spurred ecomomic growth, created jobs and, in the process, generated billions more in revenue from growth in the economy," they wrote.

They add however that none of that can happen if the current law's automatic tax increases take effect on New Year's Day.

The six also explain, "Democrats made a point of saying that they would accept the new tax code revenue in the plan but that they still also wanted the 2013 tax increase."

The GOP group points out that would negate the benefits of their proposal.

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BEWARE: NUTCRACKER TICKETS FOR WICOMICO COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL 12/3/11

JOE-

Thought I would bring something to your attention and that of your viewers.

Wicomico County High School is offering to the community The Nutcracker to be performed 12/3/11 Sat. The tickets this year are being sold at the Bank of Delmarva, they are supposed to be $12.00

On 11/7/11 I bought my ticket and of coursed have a receipt where I charged the price to my credit card. Yesterday I received a statement from my credit card with the price of the ticket and a $10.00 "cash advance fee". When I called my credit card company I was told that Delmarva Bank was charging me $10.00 to purchase the ticket from them. I soon got it straight thanks to the credit card company I use, they are removing it!

I just want people out there to know if they did the same at this bank what they are doing. My receipt only shows the $12 purchase price and the cashier never mentioned a "cash advance fee".

People be aware that there are those out there looking to make a fast buck, for supporting your community. I will not do any service at this bank in the future and will only pay cash and provide no info for them to charge excess to consumers.

How Much Crazier Can Black Friday Get?

Pepper-sprayed customers, smash-and-grab looters and bloody scenes in the shopping aisles. How did Black Friday devolve into this?

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MSP Press Release

DATE & TIME: 11-26-11 @ 0100 hrs
LOCATION: 616 Bowman Drive Salisbury, Wicomico Co., MD.
CASE NUMBER: 11-54-008280

Victim: 14 year old female of Salisbury, MD

BRIEF RESUME:
On above date and time Troopers from the Salisbury Barrack were dispatched to the above address for a report of a Domestic Dispute. During the investigation it was learned that a social gathering was occurring at the above address. Troopers were advised by the victim and two other witnesses that the accused suspects became enraged over their 14 year old daughter spilling a soda on the carpet inside the residence. Witnesses stated that the 14 year old female’s father , later identified as the suspect Marlon Byington grabbed the victim by her throat and began to punch and slap her in the face. At the same time the victim’s mother, later identified as suspect Blanca Shell, also grabbed the victim from behind by her throat and began to assault her as well. Troopers noted that both suspects were and had been drinking alcoholic beverages and appeared to be intoxicated. The victim suffered minor visible injuries and is temporarily staying with family members. Both suspects were placed under arrest and transported to the Wicomico County Dentention center. There were seen before a District Court Commissioner and they were both held on $25,0000.00 bond each.

Suspects:
1. Marlon Dwayne Byington, age 48 of Salisbury, MD.
2. Blanca Edilma Shell age 49 of Salisbury, MD.

Both suspects were charged with 2nd degree assault and Child abuse.

Death Row Inmate Blasts Oregon Governor Over Execution Halt

A two-time murderer who was scheduled to die by lethal injection next month blasted Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber for not allowing executions for the remainder of his term.
“I feel he’s a paper cowboy,” convicted murderer Gary Haugen, 49, told the Statesman Journal in a phone interview. “He couldn’t pull the trigger.”
Haugen said he was looking forward to his execution, scheduled for Dec. 6, because he wanted to protest a criminal justice system he viewed as broken.

Gingrich Attracts Another Record Crowd, Defends Immigration Policy

NAPLES, FL -- For more than four hours, a long line wrapped around the entire top floor of Books-A-Million here just to have the chance to visit briefly with Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista.

“Frankly, like the bookstore, we are a little overwhelmed by the turnout here this morning,” the former House speaker told the more than 650 people who came out Saturday to copies of the Gingrich’s books autographed. “So thank you all for being here.”

One attendee, 8-year-old Katrina Russell, not only had a book autographed for her father, but also asked the presidential hopeful a few questions she had prepared.

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Bodenweiser Ousted As District Chair

Former Republican candidate Eric Bodenweiser has been ousted as chairman of the 37th District.

In a nearly unanimous Nov. 14 decision, Bodenweiser was removed.

Bodenweiser said he was surprised at the decision, which he said stemmed from “tongue-in-cheek” comments he made about the altercation between Sussex Sheriff Jeff Christopher and Sussex County Councilman Vance Phillips. Bodenweiser said he was using humor when he suggested the two men work out their differences behind closed doors.


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Anthony Weiner Does Black Friday Shopping in N.Y.C. With Moustache

NEW YORK -- Disgraced former politician Anthony Weiner stepped out to do some Black Friday shopping in New York City sporting a moustache reminiscent of the one made infamous by adult-film legend John "Johnny Wadd" Holmes in the 1970s.


The randy former Queens representative, who was forced out after it was uncovered that he sent lewd pictures to numerous women, toted a shopping bag as he and his pregnant wife, Huma Abedin, hit the stores.


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Gary Johnson Considering 2012 Election Bid As Libertarian Candidate

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson says that he's seriously considering running for president in 2012 as a Libertarian.

"I feel abandoned by the Republican Party," Johnsontold the Sante Fe New Mexican. "The Republican Party has left me by the wayside."

Johnson announced in April that he would seek the GOP nomination for president, but he has beenexcluded from almost all of the GOP debates so far, having failed to meet the criteria set up by the debate hosts. Johnson has protested his exclusion, arguing that the media is playing favorites.

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The Shocking Truth About The Crackdown On Occupy

US citizens of all political persuasions are still reeling from images of unparallelled police brutality in a coordinated crackdown against peaceful OWS protesters in cities across the nation this past week. An elderly woman was pepper-sprayed in the face; the scene of unresisting, supine students at UC Davis being pepper-sprayed by phalanxes of riot police went viral online; images proliferated of young women – targeted seemingly for their gender – screaming, dragged by the hair by police in riot gear; and the pictures of a young man, stunned and bleeding profusely from the head, emerged in the record of the middle-of-the-night clearing of Zuccotti Park.

Today's Weather- 11/27/11

Today

High
67°F

Precip
20%

Tonight

Overnight Low
53°F

Precip
10%

Saturday, November 26, 2011

4 Alarm Fire In Fruitland, From A Reader

No details..standing on deck and can hear popping and a 4 alrm call from the fire dept.

Our Decorations Are Complete, For Now





We spent the day today decorating 300 W. Main Street in Downtown Salisbury.

There's a main tree in our foyer in which we will invite all of our readers to come by during the week and drop off any gifts they'd like to donate to local children.

Bring the kids by and see the decorations. The main tree has thousands of lights on it and hundreds of ornaments. We look forward to seeing you and we hope you enjoy the decorations.

UPDATE: I have republished this Post because of the overwhelming traffic we have seen because of it. You see, throughout the day today we have been swamped by just a ton of people coming by the building to see the decorations and lights in ALL of our windows. If you'd like to give the kids a treat, come on down this evening and just drive by, if you'd like. Everything will be illuminated for your viewing pleasure each evening throughout the Holidays.

If you look carefully at the main tree with the white lights you'll see many ornaments on the tree that come directly from the White House, cool Harley Davidson ornaments, ornaments for children, animals lovers, you name it.

All in all though we're so pleased so many people have taken interest in it today and we hope to see many more of you come by. To the anonymous commenter that is claiming Tracey and I are making up our own comments, that's just ridiculous. Get in the spirit and try to enjoy life, rather than attempting to bring down others.

Merry Christmas DelMarVa.

NBA Owners Won. Big. But The Players Can Live With It.

As the talk starts to build of all the little concessions the NBA players got in the last week to make an NBA labor deal happen in time for games on Christmas day, remember this:

The owners won.

In a massive way. This is an Attila the Hun sweeping through Eastern Europe kind of win — devastating and total.

David Stern and the owners came into these NBA labor talks saying they lost more than $300 million last season and $400 million the year before that. By getting the players to agree to what is in practice a 50/50 split of basketball related income (although the deal allows the players to get to 51 percent if revenue increases enough) the owners got the players to essentially accept a 12 percent salary cut that will cover those losses.

This will come to more than $3 billion back in the owners’ pockets if the deal lasts the full 10 years (both sides can opt out of the deal after six years). What’s more, the deal means the players will have shorter contracts with lower raises going forward. Plus, the system now ties the hands of larger market, bigger spending teams helping depress salaries that way.

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Sam's Club Pulls Lego Bible Due To Complaints

The author of The Brick Bible, which uses Lego blocks to tell biblical stories, says Sam's Club has yanked his product from shelves because customers complained it is too vulgar and violent. He says he feels as though he's being singled out because his book simply contains literal depictions of Bible stories.

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LOST PUPPY


The owner of the puppy is distraught! Got out the door and was attacked by neighbors dog, then ran! Lives on Queen Avenue and is probably still in the area...it's very small, about 2 lbs.; a Chihuahua. I have a picture on my phone which I will send to you. Answers to the name of "Foxy". If found, please contact Danni @ 443-235-4559.

County Officials Clamp Down On Sussex Sheriff

GEORGETOWN — County administration has issued a 48-page memo aimed at reining in Sussex Sheriff Jeff Christopher. In the Oct. 31 memo, Sussex County Administrator David Baker ordered the sheriff to stop several recent practices – including making traffic stops and transporting prisoners – or face a charge of insubordination.

Baker said the sheriff’s actions are putting his deputies in violation of state law and county policies, possibly negating the county’s liability insurance.

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NASA Launches $2.5 Billion Rover To Red Planet

NASA has launched its next Mars rover, kicking off a long-awaited mission to investigate whether the Red Planet could ever have hosted microbial life.

The car-size Curiosity rover blasted off atop its Atlas 5 rocket at 10:02 a.m. ET Saturday, streaking into a cloudy sky above Cape Canaveral Air Force Station here. The huge robot's next stop is Mars, though the 354-million-mile (570-million-kilometer) journey will take eight and a half months.

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Discovery Of Two Bodies Could Bring Craigslist Death Toll To Three

CLEVELAND – The discoveries of two new bodies could bring to three the death toll from a Craigslist ad that police say lured victims into a lethal robbery scheme.

A body found Friday in a shallow grave near a mall in Akron may be that of a missing man who answered the ad, the FBI said. And a sheriff in a rural county said later in the day that the body of a white male without identification was found in a shallow grave about 90 miles away.


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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 11-26-11

Dangerous Games



This is not the best historical article, but it may bring back a memory or two.

Over the years children have come up with games that were not in the best interest of their health. But kids will be kids and we didn’t have all the electronics that kids have today and had to just come up with something to occupy our young and immature minds.

Since almost every boy carried a pocket knife, a game was played called “mumbly peg”. This was played by two boys who faced each other and threw his knife so as to miss the other boy’s foot. If you hit his shoe (or worse), you lost the game. If neither boy hit his opponent, the one closest to the other’s shoe was the winner. It seems stupid now but we thought it was great fun. Usually, a large crowd would gather to witness the activity.

Another, even more stupid, was the practice of two boys sitting opposite each other at Leo’s Confectionary which is gone now but was located at the apex of Main St., Long Ave., E. William St., Truitt St. and Mt. Hermon Rd.. They would each put their forearm on the table touching each other. A lit cigarette was dropped between them, burning both participants. The first one to pull away was the loser. This was strictly a macho thing and I never had the lack of good sense to try it. It was always sure to draw a sizeable crowd though.

Car games were another popular past time. “Rat Racing” in Pocomoke Forest was always popular. Even though it is not hard to get disoriented in Pocomoke Forest, we always knew there were only two roads bisecting the Eastern Shore – Route 13 and Route 50. Eventually, you had to come out to one of them. I can’t ever remember an accident doing this. Maybe someone would miss a curve and wind up in a field, but the way cars were built back then, nothing was harmed.

Drag racing was really popular in the 1950’s. A race was usually arranged at the Oaks Drive-in and from there a steady stream of cars left to go to the designated stretch of lonely road somewhere out in the country to pair off and “get it on”. The first official track was in Georgetown. They had a track that was all of 1/8th of a mile, about half the distance of other tracks. Delmar opened their track in the late 1960’s. Anyone who paid the entrance fee could be put in a Class and race other cars in the same Class. It was neat to see somebody pushing the gas pedal to the floor on Dad’s prized Oldsmobile or Buick. If Dad’s only knew what Junior was doing to his family vehicle.

When someone my age looks back most of the memories are good ones. We didn’t have drugs to screw up our heads. Only sailors and convicts had tattoos. Modesty was the norm at any social level. Teen pregnancy was almost unheard of although it did happen.

When that did happen, they changed from happy-go-lucky teenagers to parents and started raising a family. It was called responsibility and everybody took it very seriously. No more stupid childhood games entered their lives. They had neither the time nor money for suddenly something so foolish. The world has sure changed and not for the better.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Twilight ‘Breaking Dawn’ Scene Allegedly Causing Seizures

Fans of the “Twilight” movies have much more to worry about other than the series of films coming to a close next year, as a scene in the latest installment has reportedly been causing viewers across the country to have seizures.

Several instances of people saying they have developed seizures during the tense birthing scene in “Breaking Dawn: Part One” have been reported. The in-theater seizures, also known as photosensitive epilepsy, are thought to be a result of the bright flashing of red, black and white during the film’s nerve-wracking scene.

Explosion In Lebanon Destroys Hizbullah Facility Said To Contain Missiles

A major munitions warehouse of the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah has been destroyed.

Lebanese security sources said a Hizbullah arsenal outside the southern port city of Tyre was blown up on Nov. 23. The sources said the
facility was believed to contain hundreds of missiles and rockets for the Hizbullah military.

“Given these findings, the explosion was most likely caused by a mine or a cluster bomb,” the Lebanese Army said on Nov. 23.

Hizbullah responded quickly to the blast and sealed off the Tyre-area village of Sidiqin. Lebanese security forces and United Nations
peacekeepers stood hundreds of meters away and watched the Hizbullah cleanup. Later, Hizbullah denied that its facility was bombed.

This marked the second major blast of a Hizbullah facility in three months. In July, an explosion rocked Hizbullah headquarters in a suburb of
Beirut.

Hizbullah has usually blamed Israel for the explosions. The Israeli military has been monitoring the Hizbullah buildup in southern and eastern
Lebanon, said to have resulted in an arsenal of more than 50,000 missiles.

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4 Tips To Snagging Cyber Monday Deals Online

After-Thanksgiving shopping isn't reserved just for Black Friday anymore. Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, is quickly becoming an important shopping day all its own, offering amazing deals without the hassle of waiting in lines. If you're considering doing some of your holiday shopping online this Cyber Monday, try these tips to optimize your shopping success.

Israeli Civil Defense Exercise To Simulate Bio-weapons Attack

TEL AVIV — Israel has completed plans for a major civil defense exercise.

The Defense Ministry has approved an exercise in northern Israel meant to defend against a biological or chemical weapons attack from Lebanon or
Syria. The two-day exercise, called Orange Flame-6, would seek to coordinate between military and civilian authorities.

“Exercise Orange Flame-6 will take place as part of a number of exercises in the field of unconventional terrorism,” the Defense Ministry said on Nov. 22.

The statement said the exercise, scheduled for Nov. 30 through Dec. 1, would simulate the outbreak of a biological weapons attack meant to spread an unspecified contagious disease in four cities in northern Israel. During the drill, the Defense Ministry, responsible for protection against any weapons of mass destruction attack, would work with the Health Ministry to identify the threat and counter any epidemic.

“The aim of the exercise is to improve and increase the capabilities of the state of Israel to handle an unconventional terror attack,” Deputy Defense Minister Zev Snir said. “It is important that Israeli citizens know that there are people in the defense establishment, as well as the other relevant authorities, whose permanent job is to prepare the state of Israel to handle these types of threats.”

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Keeping Your Tail Warm At Your Tailgate

Frigid temperatures aren’t enough to keep passionate fans from huddling in stadium parking lots on Sunday mornings for a tailgate. There are franks and burgers to grill, brews to enjoy, and plenty of ways to prepare for winter’s merciless wrath.

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow can stop a postal worker, but they will drop a tailgate dead in its tracks. Cold weather, though, can be manageable. The chef has an obvious advantage while quarterbacking the grill, but what do you do if you’re a role player on the tailgate roster?

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Newt: There's No Amnesty In My Plan

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich continued Thursday to defend his call for a "humane" policy of allowing some illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S., pointing out that he never said there would be a path to citizenship for those breaking the law.

"There is no path to citizenship in my Tuesday night comment on immigration," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Newsmax. "There is a path to non-deportation for certified, very long-term community members but they would not have the right to vote.

Gingrich's latest comments, contained in a statement released to Newsmax, came in response to a charge from Rep. Michele Bachmann that he was advocating citizenship for illegals. It was the latest attack on the plan by a GOP presidential contender.

"He's saying that all people who are here as illegal workers would be given that status, that's over 11 million people who are here," Bachmann said on Fox News.

But when a reporter challenged her with Gingrich's actual position, which applies only to those who have been here for "decades," Bachmann said Gingrich had previously advocated blanket amnesty.

"That would be a contradiction of the statement that the speaker made earlier," Bachmann said. "That's two different statements that the speaker is making."

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Pepper Spray Nation

With most of the UC board of regents being in the 1%, student demonstrators should expect more police brutality.

San Pedro, CA - The viral video of Lt John Pike casually pepper-spraying a line of peacefully seated student protesters has deep resonance for the Civil Rights generation. It's impossible to escape comparisons to Bull Connor ordering the use of fire hoses on the black youth of Birmingham on May 3, 1963. Pike sprays the students' faces as if they were cockroaches, many have said. The youth of Birmingham were sprayed with such force that some were knocked over like paper dolls. But it was segregation that was about to fall. The UC Davis students face a much more formidable foe, not least because it is harder to define. But their sacrificial courage holds the promise of helping to change that.

The details may differ between Davis and Cairo, but the underlying struggle is fundamentally the same: It is not just youth against age, freedom against repression, innocence against cynicism, hope against fear, dreams against nightmares - it is all that and more. But it is also something historically much more specific. It is the neo-liberal promise against its own grim reality, represented in the street battles in and around Tahrir Square, as well as the pepper-spraying of docile students at UC Davis.

Brick-And-Mortar Stores Aim To Nail Down Sales Tax

It’s a scenario all too familiar to retailers: A customer walks in, asks to see a product, discusses it at length with the sales staff, and then pulls out his cellphone.

Jason Brewer, vice president of communications and advocacy for the Retail Industry Leaders Association, explains what happens next: “He uses his smartphone to take a picture of the bar code on the back of the item, and then, right in front of the sales person, he checks prices and orders the item online.”

Why? Because most online outlets don’t charge sales tax, unlike traditional bricks-and-mortar stores. Buying online, especially when it comes to jewelry, cameras, computers and other high-end electronics, can save consumers a hefty chunk of change. But the costs to traditional retailers, not to mention state and local governments, are mounting.

“Not only does the retailer lose the sale, but the sales staff just lost 30 minutes telling the customer about the product,” Mr. Brewer said.

It’s infuriating to store owners, but after years of griping about the lack of fairness, this may well be the last holiday shopping season when bricks-and-mortar stores operate under a sales-tax handicap. A bipartisan consensus appears to be forming in Congress in favor of legislation that would close the tax loophole.

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How Do We Know OWS Is Winning? Elites Are Desperate To Suppress It

This is what happens when genuine movements emerge with enough force and potential to be taken seriously by those with power and privilege.

Occupy Wall Street celebrated its two-month anniversary by taking the streets of New York City in a full day of mass direct action. We celebrated the hundreds of occupations that have sprung up across the country and around the world. We celebrated the hundreds of thousands who have participated by marching, carrying out civil disobedience and putting their bodies in motion. We celebrated the millions of people across the globe united in their willingness to join this movement in whatever ways they can. We celebrated in the many thousands in cities all around the world.

Curbing Class-Action Suits That Benefit Lawyers, But Not Plaintiffs

Imagine that you get a congratulatory note in the mail because you won a multimillion-dollar settlement in a class-action lawsuit. Only problem is, you didn't even know you were involved in the case, so what does "your" victory mean for you?

You get nothing, but the lawyers who brought the lawsuit will be paid handsomely, and some obscure charities also get big financial windfalls.

This is precisely what happened not long ago to 66 million plaintiffs covered by a 2009 class-action lawsuit against America Online. The good news, however, is that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out this settlement and in the process placed some much-needed curbs on the use of class-action settlements as vehicles to create charitable slush funds.

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Resort Saloon Fined For Employees’ Late-Night Drinking

SNOW HILL -- A nearly spotless record and the support of the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) helped one local business avoid the worst repercussions after it was found guilty of a serious liquor license infraction.

“Just so you understand, this is a bad violation,” said Board of License Commissioners (BLC) President William Esham.

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Report: Russia Sent Syria Super-Advanced S-300 Missiles

Russian warships that have reached waters off Syria in recent days were carrying, among other things, Russian technical advisors who will help the Syrians set up an array of S-300 missiles Damascus has received in recent weeks, a report in the London-based Arabic language Al Quds-Al Arabi said Thursday. Citing sources in Syria and Russia, the paper said that Moscow sees a Western attack on Syria as a “red line” that it will not tolerate.

Despite the mounting opposition in the West and even in the Arab world against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad for his assaults on protesters seeking to unseat him as leader of the country, Russia maintains its support for Assad, the report said. Russian and Syria military officials are working together to maintain Assad's rule, and to deflect a possible attack by NATO or the U.S and EU.

Along with the missiles, the report says that Russia has installed advanced radar systems in all key Syrian military and industrial installations. The radar system also covers areas north and south of Syria, where it will be able to detect movement of troops or aircraft towards the Syrian border. The radar targets include much of Israel, as well as the Incirlik military base in Turkey, which is used by NATO.

The S-300 system is regarded as one of the most potent anti-aircraft missile systems available. The system's radar is able to simultaneously track up to 100 targets while engaging up to 12. Deployment time for the S-300 is five minutes, and they have a very long life span, with no maintenance needed.

Russia had attempted to sell the system to Iran, but that sale was cancelled due to pressure by the U.S. and Israel, with Russia returning Iran's deposit. According to the report, the Iranians paid for Syria's S-300 missile system. It is not known if some of the missiles have reached Iran as well.

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Berlin Brewery Adds Capacity, Eyes Local Distribution Soon

BERLIN -- Heavy demand at Berlin’s Burley Oak Brewery has owner Bryan Brushmiller increasing his capacity and eyeing operations that could begin carrying his product in the near future. “This is definitely the natural next step,” Brushmiller said last week when he added two more fermentation tanks to his operation. Of the tanks, he said, “This gives us four more batches every two weeks.”

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Western Powers Warn Citizens, Leave Syria Now

Western and other nations are warning their citizens to leave Syria immediately, and have issued alerts not to travel there as the security situation continues to deteriorate in the face of President Bashar al-Assad's determination to defy not only the United Nations, but even his regional neighbors at the Arab League.

The U.S. Embassy in Damascus issued a heightened to alert to all American citizens who are still in the country to leave on any commercial flight that might still be available.

The message posted on the Internet, entitled, "Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens: Significant decrease in the number of commercial flights from Syria," was grim. It included a directive to Wardens that "Transmission by phone is mandatory."

Dated Wednesday, the message urged Americans in Syria to "depart immediately while commercial transportation is available. The number of airlines serving Syria has decreased significantly since the summer, while many of those airlines remaining have reduced their number of flights."

Americans were asked to enroll in the U.S. "Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which makes it easier for the embassy/consulates to contact them in case of emergency, and for them to be in touch with the Bureau of Consular Affairs' Emergencies and Crisis.

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Woman’s Generosity Still Helping Mounted Unit

OCEAN CITY – Another extremely generous donation to the resort’s mounted patrol unit was accepted this week.

At the conclusion of Monday evening’s Mayor and City Council meeting, City Solicitor Guy Ayres announced some good news.

A few years back, Ocean City resident Virginia Murray passed away and left a large amount of money to be used specifically towards the Ocean City Police Department’s Mount Patrol.

In the past, Ayres has delivered the city two checks, equaling up to $300,000 from Murray’s estate.

“I have the final distribution from that estate,” Ayres said. “I have a check here tonight for $27,416.85, which means the total under her will of $327,416.85.”

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Gay Marriage Could Bring Shifts In Republican Race

CONCORD, New Hampshire – Republican presidential candidates are joining New Hampshire's intensifying gay marriage debate -- whether they like it or not.

State lawmakers plan to take up a measure to repeal the law allowing same-sex couples to wed and a vote is expected at some point in January -- the same month as New Hampshire holds the nation's first Republican presidential primary contest. Already, candidates have been put on the spot over the divisive social issue when most, if not all, would rather be talking about the economy, voters' No. 1 concern.

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Sides Agree Divided Body Needs Better Relations

SALISBURY -- Tensions continue to mount between Salisbury’s administration and the City Council majority. With conflicts beginning to disrupt meetings, the question of how to address the problem remains open.

Ever since the changing of the guard that took place last spring when the council saw the induction of two new members and the election of a new president, the council majority and Mayor Jim Ireton have been at odds.

“They’re pushing buttons on both sides,” said Councilwoman Laura Mitchell, a member of the council minority.

Ireton has made a number of allegations against the council majority and President Terry Cohen specifically. He has accused the group of attempting to obscure facts and cut the public out of government. Additionally, Ireton claims the majority has purposefully been dragging their feet on a number of perennial city issues, such as defining a police towing ordinance and making decisions regarding the intersection of Onley Rd. and Bateman St.

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A Guide To Packing Away Those Leftovers

Despite all your loved ones' best efforts to eat everything in sight, there's still a bunch of food remaining. Now is the time to strategically pack the food away for a lust-filled reunion at a date yet to be determined. (Probably 9 p.m. or so tonight).

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State Board Approves Lower Shore Land Easements

BERLIN -- Hundreds of acres of forest, wetlands and other natural areas in several different tracks across the Lower Shore including Worcester and Wicomico counties were placed in permanent conservation last week. The Board of Public Works, which includes Gov. Martin O’Malley, treasurer Nancy Kopp and comptroller Peter Franchot, last week approved easements on 518 acres of environmentally sensitive land in three counties including Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset.

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Are The Arts Irrelevant To The Next Generation?

New research from Norway finds a steep drop in interest in art, literature and classical music among college students between 1998 and 2008.

Are you concerned about the future of the fine arts? New research from Norway suggests you have every right to fret.

A study just published in the journal Poetics suggests art forms such as literature and classical music “are becoming increasingly more irrelevant for most students’ cultural lives.” This points to “an increasingly precarious position for traditional highbrow culture,” according to a trio of researchers led by the University of Bergen’s Jostein Gripsrud.

Gripsrud and his colleagues conducted two surveys of students enrolled at the major institutions of higher learning in the Norwegian city of Bergen: the University of Bergen, the Norwegian School of Business Administration, Bergen University College, and the National College of Art, Bergen. The first survey, conducted in late 1998 and early 1999, produced responses from 1,113 students.

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Fill In The Blank 11-25-11


Black Friday IS ____!

Is The Federal Government Helping To Bust Unions?

Defense contractor Honeywell pushed concessions onto striking workers—and unions say Washington supported the company behind the scenes.

For the third time in three years, defense contractor Honeywell International Inc. is deploying union-busting tactics in a government-affiliated workplace—and a federal agency is failing to stop the corporation’s behavior. This raises questions about whether Honeywell, a top contributor to the Democratic Party in the 2010 midterm election cycle, is wielding political influence to successfully weaken unions.

In 2009, Honeywell threatened to bring in federal troops to replace Honeywell contractors threatening to strike at a military facility in Jacksonville, Fla. In 2010, the company brought in scab replacement workers to operate a uranium facility in Metropolis, Ill. (The federal government later ruled that Honeywell cheated on qualification tests so that it could replace striking United Steelworkers union members.)

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What Drugs Was Your Thanksgiving Turkey On?

Antibiotics and other drugs are common in the turkey that thousands of Americans eat every day.

So far, 2011 has not been a great year for turkey producers. In May, an article in Clinical Infectious Diseases reported that half of U.S. meat from major grocery chains--turkey, beef, chicken and pork--harborsantibiotic resistant staph germs commonly called MRSA. Turkey had twice and even three times the MRSA of all other meats, in another study.

In June, Pfizer announced it was ending arsenic-containing chicken feed which no one realized they were eating anyway, but its arsenic-containing Histostat, fed to turkeys, continues. Poultry growers use inorganic arsenic, a recognized carcinogen, for "growth promotion, feed efficiency and improved pigmentation," says the FDA. Yum.

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Did Michele Bachmann Really Expect To Get Away With Her Jesse James Story?

Michele Bachmann has been making quite a habit of revising her family history since entering the GOP primary race. Needing to sound more Iowan while campaigning in the all-important state of Iowa, she became a 7th generation Iowan, turning the story of her Norwegian immigrant ancestors into something straight out of Little House on the Prairie.

Bachmann probably never expected anyone to fact check her little family history story, but that's exactly what I did. And, as I suspected when I first heard her telling it at Iowa's "Rediscover God in America" conference back in March, her story was far from the truth, as I detailed in a piece I wrote in April. Then, in August, Ryan Lizza included a summarized version of my debunking of Bachmann's story in his New Yorker article, "Leap of Faith: The making of a Republican front-runner."

Now, you'd think the realization that her fantastic family history stories were, indeed, being fact checked would have stopped Bachmann from using them. But, no. She's just kept on using them.

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Thank God Its Friday

What will you be doing this weekend?

Good Samaritans Pull Woman From Burning Car On Thanksgiving

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - A Thanksgiving morning crash could have ended tragically - if not for the quick actions of few good Samaritans.

The Prince George's County Fire Department say a three-car crash happened on Watkins Park drive near Keverton Drive around 9 a.m. -- with one of the cars bursting into flame immediately.

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Army Says Oldest 4-Star General Has Died At 98

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (AP) - An Army spokesman says a four-star general has died of natural causes in San Antonio at age 98.

Spokesman Don Manuszewski says retired Gen. Ralph E. Haines Jr. died Wednesday at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Manuszewski says Haines had been the oldest living four-star general.

Haines was vice chief of staff of the Army from 1967 to 1968. He also served as commanding general of the 1st Armored Division and the III Corps at Fort Hood.

A 1935 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Haines served 37 years in the Army.

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Black Friday Shoppers Pepper-Sprayed In Calif.

(CBS News)

Twenty people, including children, were injured when a woman at a San Fernando Valley Walmart store used mace against other customers in what authorities referred to as a "competitive shopping" incident.

The Los Angeles Times reports that a scuffle broke out shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday night, just before shopping was to begin, among customers waiting to buy Xbox gaming consoles and Wii video games.

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Today's Survey Question

When do you start decorating for Christmas?

Website Offers Text Messages From Fake Girlfriend

WASHINGTON - Without a partner and feeling a little lonely this holiday season? Now, there's an app for that.

A new website can offer you a little companionship in the form of text messages from a fake girlfriend.

The site, appropriately called "Fake Girlfriend," is a free service.

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Keen: Government Should Print Money To Pay Off Our Debts

Economist Steve Keen is one of the few economists to have predicted the global financial crisis and now he says we are already in a Great Depression. He says the way to escape it is to bankrupt the banks, nationalise the financial system and pay off people's debt.

Robertson: Is Mac 'N' Cheese 'A Black Thing?'


VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson has been set straight on Thanksgiving comfort food.

"The 700 Club" founder showed a clip of Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday. Robertson's host, Kristi Watts, asked what dish the former secretary of state had to have on Thanksgiving. Rice replied macaroni and cheese.

Watts reacted enthusiastically, adding "Sister, that is my dish..."

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Parents Sue D.A. for Charging Their 6-Year-Old Son With a Felony After He Played Doctor With a 5-Year-Old Girl

Last week the parents of a Wisconsin boy sued Grant County District Attorney Lisa Riniker for charging their son with first-degree sexual assault, a Class B felony, after he played "butt doctor" with a 5-year-old girl. He was 6 at the time. When the boy's lawyer tried to have the charge dismissed, Riniker replied: "The legislature could have put an age restriction in the statute if it wanted to. The legislature did no such thing."

Anne Arundel Officers Seek Handicapped Parking Violators

Drivers plead their cases as Operation HIDE 2011 draws to a close
It was just after noon on a recent weekday, the parking lots at the Annapolis Westfield Mall were already full, and a woman in a dark sedan weaved through the swelling traffic, looking for a place to park.

Jessica Lawrence, a Glen Burnie resident, saw what she was looking for — a single, empty handicapped space near the front entrance to Sears.

She pulled in, killed the engine and breathed an apparent sigh of relief.

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Ron Paul - Civil Liberty's Last Hope

Profile Muslims. Bring on the drones. Did we learn anything else from last night’s GOP debate on CNN? Well, once again, it appears as if Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul is the only candidate that wants to protect the liberties of Americans.

Speaking from DAR Constitution Hall in Washington DC Tuesday night, Paul and his peers discussed the topics of national security and foreign policy. While it’s been no secret that some of the more hawkish candidates are crazy for increasing defense spending and upping the American military presence overseas, Texas Congressman Ron Paul once again managed to separate himself from the rest of the pack by coming off as perhaps the only candidate truly committed to keeping liberty and freedom in place for Americans.

4 People Struck By Car At MD Home Depot

HYATTSVILLE, MD (WUSA) -- Prince George's County Fire officials say 4 people were hit by a car in a Home Depot parking lot Thursday afternoon.

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Delmarva Wood Pellets

5 Great Recipes For Those Thanksgiving Leftovers

Use The Food You Already Have
It's after Thanksgiving, and there's a refrigerator full of leftover food.

Here are five ways to use those ingredients to offer a completely different eating experience, saving you both time and money.


Award-winning chef Michael Feker knows the value of food and how it can connect people. At his restaurant Il Mito in Wauwatosa, Wis., he not only offers great meals, in his teaching kitchen he shows others how to make them.

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Anxiety: Friend Or Foe?

In this week's TIME cover story, available to subscribers here, we ask the question, Is anxiety really all that bad for you?
Few among us haven't laid awake at night, staring at the ceiling as the worries start to crowd our minds — from unpaid bills to the unstable economy to a loved one's recent cancer diagnosis. We know how anxiety feels, and it doesn't feel good.


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Local Delegate Part Of Legal Challenge To Redistricting Plan

A delegate from Annapolis has asked the state's highest court to block a congressional redistricting plan drawn by Gov. Martin O'Malley.

The districts lump people from such different communities into the same congressional district in such a way that representative government becomes meaningless, according to Republican Del. Ron George and five other plaintiffs.

Gerrymandering undermines local communities and ignores established political boundaries, according to pleadings in the case. As an illustration, under O'Malley's plan, George's state legislative district, District 30, is divided into three congressional districts - 3, 4 and 5.

"It is just plain wrong, you are not respecting what the people want you to do," George said yesterday.

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Woman Charged For Telling Airline Her Ex-Lover Was Terror Threat

LOS ANGELESA California woman surrendered to the FBI Wednesday on charges that she called an airline to report a fake terrorist threat hours before her ex-lover was to board an international flight, authorities said.

Temple City resident Lizet Sariol called United Airlines on Sept. 25 to say there would "be an emergency" on a


Las Vegas to Paris flight, according to a criminal complaint filed by the federal government.

Prosecutors allege the 45-year-old woman was seeking revenge on a man who she'd had sexual encounters with over four meetings -- and who had just unfriended her on Facebook, among other rejections.

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Life Of Flowers

How The Finns Stole Thanksgiving

KABUL -- There’s something unforgiving about Thanksgiving when you’re an American soldier serving in a place like Afghanistan. You think about the day for months in advance, but when it finally comes, the fun lasts the length of a good meal... and then you’re back on mission, like it never happened.

The meal that was served to several thousand coalition forces, including about 1,000 U.S. troops, who live and work at a base called ‘Tent City’, part of the Kabul military airport, was special by any standards – roast turkey and stuffing, spare ribs, pot roast, collard greens, roast potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, and honey roasted ham, all topped off with apple and pecan pies. But as good as it was, it wasn’t home. And home was sorely missed.

NO TRASH PICK UP NOTICE and LEAF PICK UP SERVICE REMINDER

NOTICE

THERE WILL BE NO TRASH and RECYCLING

PICK UP

ON THURSDAY, NOV 24th

DUE TO THE

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

IT WILL BE PICKED UP

MONDAY NOV 28th ONLY



TRASH WILL BE PICKED UP AS SCHEDULED ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH



DO NOT BLOW LEAVES INTO THE STREET…

PLEASE CALL THE SERVICE CENTER AT

410-548-3177

FOR MONDAY LEAF PICK UP!!

Obama Leaves God Out of Thanksgiving Address

President Obama did not include any reference to God during his weekly address titled, “On Thanksgiving, Grateful for the Men and Women Who Defend Our Country.”

His remarks were void of any religious references although Thanksgiving is a holiday traditionally steeped in giving thanks and praise to God.

The president said his family was “reflecting on how truly lucky we truly are.”

For many Americans, though, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on how blessed and thankful they are.

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Rescuers Searching For Pieces Of Plane, Remains Of Victims

Searchers struggled to recover the remains of six people, including three children, who died when their plane hit the crest of Arizona's Superstition Mountains at 200 mph, causing an explosion that left only a wheel and a small door intact, police said today.

"It's a very arduous process, without being too descriptive, because of the explosion," Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said. "The remains are being handled with great care and compassion."

What's Killing America? U.S. Ranks 28th In Life Expectancy (lower than Chile and Greece) While It Pays The MOST For Health Care

A new survey on health care is revealing that you may not be getting what you pay for if you check into a U.S. hospital.
The U.S. healthcare system is more effective at delivering high costs than quality care than other developed nations, according to the study, conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD.
It found first-rate treatment for cancer but insufficient primary care for other ailments.


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New Study Suggests Climate Change May Be (Slightly) Less Severe Than Feared

Earlier this week unknown hackers—following up from a similar attack two years ago—released a cache of stolen emails from climate scientists. Climate skeptics—just as they did two years ago—jumped on the emails hacked from the Climatic Research Unit as Britain's East Anglia University, claiming that they show a conspiracy to hide the lack of evidence for global warming.

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Occupy Movement Does Thanksgiving Nationwide

(AP)

SAN FRANCISCO - Most Americans spent Thanksgiving snug inside homes with families and football. Others used the national holiday to give thanks alongside strangers at outdoor Occupy encampments, serving turkey or donating their time in solidarity with the anti-Wall Street movement that has gripped a nation consumed by economic despair.

In San Francisco, hundreds of campers at Justin Herman Plaza in the heart of the financial district prepared turkey dinners that were handed out by volunteers, church charities and supporters of the movement against social and economic inequality.

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Today's Weather- 11/25/11

Salisbury,Maryland

Today
High
64°F

Precip
0%

Tonight

Overnight Low
41°F

Precip
0%