Today's Fill In The Blank 6-18-12

Over the weekend I purchased ____.

Greek Election Favors Pro-Bailout Party

Athens - Greek voters narrowly favored a pro-bailout party in parliamentary elections on Sunday, a result that is likely to calm world markets and ease fears that the country will leave the euro zone.

Official projections showed the conservative New Democracy party as coming in first, giving it the chance to collect enough support to form a pro-bailout coalition and keep Greece in the euro zone.

Late Sunday night, Alexis Tsipras, the leader of the leftist Syriza party, conceded the election and congratulated the conservative leader of New Democracy, Antonis Samaras. Syriza had called for a rejection of the loan deal that Greece had made with foreign creditors.

Though no party is expected to earn enough seats in the 300-member Parliament to form a government, official projections show that the two traditional parties — New Democracy and the socialist Pasok — would get enough seats to form a coalition.

Projections gave New Democracy 29.5 percent and 128 seats. Syriza, which had vowed to reject the international conditions for the Greek bailout, was second with 27.1 percent and 72 seats. Pasok trailed with 12.3 percent and 33 seats. A coalition would need at least 151 seats to form a majority government.

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Your Brain Develops A Negative.

This one is the BEST I have seen so far !!!!!

Instructions:

1. Stare at the red dot on the girls nose for 30 seconds.
2. Turn your eyes to a plain surface (your ceiling or blank wall).
3. Blink repeatedly and quickly. Tell me if that isn't the coolest thing?

Registration For Secondary Summer School June 19-21; Summer School Programs Take Place June-August

June 19-21
Registration for Secondary Summer Programs (June-August)
James M. Bennett High School

Wicomico County’s secondary summer programs will be housed at James M. Bennett High School and will take place from June to August. Registration will take place for all of the summer school programs from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. June 19, 20 and 21 at James M. Bennett High School. Call 410-677-4537 for information.

Remedial Summer School: Remedial summer school courses will be offered at JMB Monday-Thursday from June 25-Aug. 2. Session I will be from 8-10:30 a.m. each day, lunch 10:30-11 a.m., Session II from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The charge per course for Wicomico County students is free/$50/$100 (Free/Reduced/Paid Meals). Out-of-county students pay $160 per course.

Middle school courses will be offered in: Pre-Algebra 6, Mathematics 6, Pre-Algebra 7, Algebra I Part I 7, Algebra I Part I 8; Integrated Science 6, 7 and 8; RELA 6, 7 and 8; ELL; and Ancient History 6, U.S. History 7 and World History 8.

High school courses will be offered in: Algebra I, Algebra I Part II, Algebra II, Geometry and Business Math; Earth/Space Science, Biology and Physical Science; English 9, 10, 11 and 12; ELL; Modern World History, U.S. History and Foundations of American Government; and Consumer Economics.

Honors Session: Original credit classes in Honors U.S. History, Honors Algebra II and Honors Geometry will be offered June 25-Aug. 2 during the Summer 2012 Honors Session. Students will attend classes from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, with breakfast served at 7:30 a.m. and lunch at 10:30 a.m. In-county cost for a course is $200, out of county $325.

AP BootCamp: Taking AP (Advanced Placement) courses this fall and want a sneak peak at what AP is really like? Sign up for an AP BootCamp to get the upper hand in academics and a head start on the school year. Week 1 (July 9-12) will have AP English 12 and AP Calculus. Week 2 (July 16-19) will have AP Biology and AP Environmental Science. Week 3 (July 23-26) will have AP English 11 and AP American Government. BootCamp will be from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. each day, with lunch served 10:30-11 a.m. The fee for BootCamp is free/$25/$50 (free/reduced/paid meals) The AP BootCamps are open to Wicomico County students only, and are co-sponsored by Operation Access grant and Wicomico County Public Schools. Registration will take place at James M. Bennett High from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. June 19, 20 and 21.

Today's Advertiser Of The Day 6-15-12

What's Happening In Ocean City

June 19
Beach Fireworks
June 21
Jesse Garron's Tribute to Elvis
June 22
Broadway at the Beach
June 23
Gary Lloyd - Storyteller
June 24
Beach Lights Spectacular
June 25
Movies on the Beach
June 26
Family Beach Olympics
June 26
Beach Fireworks
June 28
Illstyle & Peace Productions Dance Company
June 29
Celtic Fire: Irish Music and Dance with Riverdance's Michael Londra
June 29
Give a Child a Future
June 29
Movies on the Beach
June 30
Hot Peas 'N Butter (Kids)
BACK TO TOP

What's NEW???
Hooter's West OC opens Rt. 50 & Keiser Point Rd.
Chick-fil-A opened June 7, 2012 Rt. 50 (west) Just before the bridge
Jolly Rogers opens their newest water ride...The AQUA LOOP!! See it here
Peebles Dept. Store is now open in the Gold Coast Mall
The SKYE Bar opens atop Galaxy 66
Creative Day Spa now has 2 locations to serve you!! 137th Street Bayside Plaza & 91st Street Princess Royale Hotel
The Embers present their newest addition: BLU Crabhouse & Raw Bar

Dog Found Near City Park

We found her near the Salisbury City Park yesterday 6/18/12. 443-944-7647

Maryland Court Affirms Tuition Ballot Question

Maryland's highest court says voters can decide whether to approve a law that allows in-state tuition for some illegal immigrants, affirming a lower court's ruling.

The Court of Appeals issued a brief order on Wednesday affirming the judgment of Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.

Supporters of the law contended during oral arguments on Tuesday that the Dream Act passed by state lawmakers last year is a spending bill, which cannot be subject to a referendum.

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Cooking Crabs

Today's Survey Question 6-18-12

Do you think Jerry Sandusky is innocent or guilty?

1915 Antarctic 'Endurance' Expedition Photos

Beginning on August 8, 1914, Englishman Sir Ernest Shackleton led a crew of 27 men on the last major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration in an attempt to make the first land crossing of Antarctica.

The Trans-Antarctic Expedition almost didn't happen as Shackleton offered his ships, stores and services to his country the night before World War I broke out, but the Royal Navy and First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill desired that the journey proceed.

Australian photographer Frank Hurley brought 40 pounds of color photo equipment on the onerous journey and would have to dive into three feet of icy seawater to salvage cases of glass negative plates from their wrecked ship.

Good thing he did because the expedition became one of the earliest examples of color photography.

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Heiress’ Generous Gifts in Court Fight

NEW YORK — Her nurse was showered with almost $28 million in gifts, including three Manhattan apartments, two homes elsewhere and a $1.2 million Stradivarius violin. Her doctors’ families received more than $3 million in presents. A night nurse received a salary plus money to cover her children’s school tuition and to help buy two apartments.

Now the court-appointed official overseeing copper heiress Huguette Clark’s estate wants all these gifts - and more - back.

Saying the recipients manipulated the reclusive multimillionaire into lavishing largesse upon them during her long life, public administrator Ethel J. Griffin is trying to reclaim a whopping $37 million for the $400 million estate.

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Obama Is Doing Stunningly Bad Among African Americans In North Carolina

President Barack Obama is rapidly losing support among African-American voters in North Carolina, a new poll out today from the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling shows.

The poll finds that Mitt Romney would get 20 percent of the African-American vote if the election were held today, compared with 76 percent for Obama. Overall, Romney has a 48 percent to 46 percent lead on Obama in the crucial swing state.

Obama received 95 percent of the support from African-Americans in North Carolina in the 2008 election, compared with just 5 percent for Republican nominee John McCain.

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Islamist Claims Victory in Egypt President Vote

The Muslim Brotherhood declared early Monday that its candidate, Mohammed Morsi, won Egypt's presidential election, which would be the first victory of an Islamist as head of state in the stunning wave of protests demanding democracy that swept the Middle East the past year. But the military handed itself the lion's share of power over the new president, sharpening the possibility of confrontation.

With parliament dissolved and martial law effectively in force, the generals issued an interim constitution granting themselves sweeping authorities that ensure their hold on the state and subordinate the president. They will be Egypt's lawmakers, they will control the budget and they will determine who writes the permanent constitution that will define the country's future.

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PUBLIC NOTICE 6-18-12

THE SALISBURY CITY COUNCIL WILL MEET AT 5:30 P.M. ON MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2012 TO ENTERTAIN A VOTE TO CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS A PERSONNEL MATTER, THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE, AND TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL AND STAFF ON PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND SECTIONS 10-508(a)(1)(i)(3)(7)(8).

THE SESSION WILL BE HELD IN CONFERENCE ROOM 306 OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING (125 N. DIVISION STREET) AT WHICH TIME THE PUBLIC CAN OBSERVE THE MOTION, ANY DISCUSSION AND THE VOTE TO CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION AS NOTED ABOVE.

Stoplights And Milford Street Congestion

Everyone agrees that a stop light is needed at South Division, Onley and Bateman Street. Allowing traffic a right turn only from South Division makes this a private street for Salisbury University. It will remove access to the only stop light from College Ave. to Fruitland and I resent Salisbury tax dollars being spent on this endeavor. This is a determent to the residents in the area of South Division. The hundreds of student living in the housing in the South Division Street area will have to travel down South Division Street and probably Milford Street. South Division Street is already at capacity when school is in session. In 2013 we are expecting 600 students on the Hearne property.

This move is very bad for business. The two restaurants on either corner of Bateman and Route 13 will not get the traffic slow without the South Division Street students. Students will have limited access to University Square when they drive down Milford Street. With no access to Route 13, students will do business in Fruitland. Its just easier to continue on down South Division the increased traffic on Milford will make it difficult for people going to the doctors offices. May I add there is a bus stop on Milford which stops in the street to load and unload the handicapped.

I ask the council to approve a light on the South Division Street and Onley Road. Make Bateman Street two way, designating lanes with paint. There are many streets that do not line up in Salisbury. I ask the city to request from the state a stop light at Milford Street. I ask the city to synchronize the lights to run red at the same time at Bateman and Milford Streets. This will allow my friends on Francis Drive and Hall access to South Division Street. When we get a stop light at Milford and Route 13 make no left turns on Bateman from South Division Streets. The present plan does not show much common sense. I know this will be a difficult move for the council. They have received unwarranted criticism. I'm asking them to do the right thing.

Dorothy Truitt Salisbury, MD

Unemployed Lawyers Sue Schools Over Promises of Jobs

Passing the bar isn’t the meal ticket it used to be.

Once the surest path to a six-figure salary and a life of luxury, a law degree in the aftermath of the Great Recession comes with far fewer guarantees, leaving many graduates with mountains of debt while confronted by a rapidly changing legal landscape.

“It was a wonderful life. And now it’s gone,” said Andrew Morriss, a professor at the University of Alabama's School of Law and research fellow at New York University's Center for Labor and Employment Law.

“The financial crisis reshaped the legal industry. … Big firms stopped hiring more people,” he said. “It’s a permanent change. Clients have discovered they can pay less for legal services, and firms have discovered they don’t need to have scores of associates working there.”

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PLANE CRASH IN CARROLL COUNTY

(Westminster, MD) – Maryland State Police and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating a plane crash that killed a Montgomery County man this morning in Carroll County.

The victim is identified as Henry Judkins, 64, of the 7700 block of Epsilon Drive in Rockville. Judkins was the pilot and the only individual aboard the Remos GX, a Light Sport Aircraft, at the time of the crash. Judkins was pronounced dead at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.

The preliminary investigation indicates Judkins was one mile away from the Carroll County Regional Airport in Westminster when he reported mechanical issues. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying at varying altitudes before descending into a grassy area approximately forty feet prior to the runway.

While emergency medical providers responded to the scene and performed life saving measures on Judkins, Trooper 3 arrived. Upon landing, the pilot immediately recognized an engine malfunction resulting in the grounding of the aircraft.

Without delay, the pilot called for a second helicopter. Subsequently, Judkins was transported by ambulance to an area near the Mitchell Golf Course in Reisterstown, where they were met by Trooper 1 who then transported the patient to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Maryland State Police Crime Scene technicians assisted investigators by processing the crash site in an attempt to recover physical evidence from the scene.

Westminster Fire Department and officers from the Westminster City Police Department also responded for assistance.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident in an attempt to determine the cause of the crash.

Congressional Redistricting Petition Drive

We scored a big victory last week in our pursuit to repeal Maryland's gerrymandered Congressional map.

By the end of June we need to collect another 28,000 signatures. The people have the power to overturn O'Malley's highly partisan map and to tell the Governor that we expect better.

Please click the link below and download a petition form. Collect signatures from everyone you know who is registered to vote. This effort crosses all political lines and is soley about honest, responsive government.

Please help in this effort.

Sincerely,

Nic Kipke

GO HERE

Troopers Charge Rehoboth Couple With Thefts

Location: 17000 block of Cadbury Circle, Lewes, DE

Date of Occurrence: Between October 2011 and April 2012

Victim:
71 year old female

Defendant, Charges, and Bond Information:
Berry S. Shay, 51, Rehoboth, DE (Photo Attached)
Theft > $1,500.00 and Victim is 62 or older (5 counts)
Theft < $1,500.00 and Victim is 62 or older (6 counts)
Forgery 2nd (5 counts)
Conspiracy 2nd (5 counts)
Selling Stolen Property (2 counts)

Arraigned at JP2 and released on $23,000.00 unsecured bond

Jennifer A. Shay, 49, Rehoboth, DE (Photo Attached)
Theft > $1,500.00 and Victim is 62 or older (5 counts)
Theft < $1,500.00 and Victim is 62 or older (6 counts)
Forgery 2nd (5 counts)
Conspiracy 2nd (5 counts)

Arraigned at JP2 and released on $21,000.00 unsecured bond

Resume:
Lewes, DE- Detectives from Troop 4 in Georgetown arrested Jennifer Shay and Berry Shay on Thursday June 14th after an investigation revealed the couple had stole money and valuables from a woman residing at an assisted living home in Lewes.

Jennifer was employed with the Cadbury Assisted Living in Lewes and befriended a 71 year old female victim that resided there. Starting in October of 2011, Jennifer began removing silverware and jewelry from the victim’s residence. Berry Shay would then take the merchandise to a pawn shop in Rehoboth and receive money in exchange. Through the course of the next six months Jennifer would write checks to herself on the victim’s account totaling more than $13,000.00.

Berry and Jennifer Shay were taken into custody at their home in Rehoboth and transported to Troop 7 in Lewes where they were processed on the above listed charges. They were both arraigned at JP2 and released on unsecured bonds.

Md. Dream Act Supporters Remain Optimistic

Supporters of the Maryland Dream Act are optimistic, even after the state's highest court ruled this week that the law could go to a referendum this fall.

"I'm very optimistic." Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown says. "I'm not overly confident, in the sense that it's still a lot of hard work, we need to be focused and disciplined. We're raising money. We're raising awareness."

But he adds "there is still a lot of work to make sure that the Maryland Dream Act is a reality."

Opponents of the law have gathered tens of thousands of signatures to force the referendum. They say the law could lead to students who could be deported, getting school slots that would otherwise go to legal residents.

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Coming This Weekend

Romney Hits ‘Timing’ of Obama’s Decision on Illegals

Presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Sunday refused to say whether he would revoke President Obama’s decision to categorically stop deporting young-adult illegal immigrants as the ramifications of the administration’s election-year move last week continued to reverberate.

Some Republicans in Congress have vowed to sue to force Mr. Obama to back down, saying his decision to stop deportations flies in the face of the law.

But the White House — which for the last three years had told those on both sides of the issue it didn’t have the power to categorically halt deportations for young adults said it now feels on solid legal ground.

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Troopers Arrest Driver For His 8th Driving While Impaired Offense

DATE & TIME: June 17, 2012 at 0309 hours
C C. CARD NUMBER: 12-54-004039

LOCATION: RT 50 E/B at Walston Switch Road, Salisbury, Md

BRIEF RESUME:

On the above date and time, Troopers from the Salisbury Barrack responded to RT 50 E/B at Walston Switch Road in reference to a motor vehicle crash with injuries. Troopers arrived on scene and made contact with the victim, Laura Iannello of Pennsylvania and her four passengers. Iannello was stopped at the red light on RT 50 E/B at Walston Switch Road in lane two. Iannello was operating a 2005 Suzuki SUV. While at the red light, a 2002 Ford Explorer, driven by James Nibblett, fail to stop for the red light and struck the rear of the Suzuki. Troopers made contact with Nibblett, who was exhibiting signs of being impaired by alcohol and after failing field sobriety tests was placed under arrest. Nibblett’s driver’s license was suspended for the multiple DUI offenses. Nibblett was also required to have an ignition interlock device on his vehicle and there was none on the vehicle he was operating. Nibblett was transported to the Wicomico County Central booking unit pending a hearing before a District Court Commissioner.

None of the victim’s were transported to the hospital and refused treatment at the scene.
Arrested:
1. James David Nibblett W/M age 47 of Berlin, Md.

Easing of Pot Laws Poses Challenge for Parents

Michael Jolton was a young father with a 5-year-old son when Colorado legalized medical marijuana in 2000. Now he's got three boys, the oldest near adulthood, and finds himself repeatedly explaining green-leafed marijuana ads and "free joint" promotions endemic in his suburban hometown.

"I did not talk to my oldest son about marijuana when he was 8 years old. We got to talk about fun stuff. Now with my youngest who's 8, we have to talk about this," said Jolton, a consultant from Lakewood.

A marijuana opponent with a just-say-no philosophy, Jolton, 48, is among legions of American parents finding the "drug talk" increasingly problematic as more states allow medical marijuana or decriminalize its use. Colorado and Washington state have measures on their Nov. 6 ballot that would go a further step and legalize recreational use of marijuana for adults.

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Texas School Staff Forced 'Smelly, Dirty' Third-Grader to Shower, Lawsuit Says

The parents of a third-grade boy have sued two Texas school employees, alleging that they forced their son to strip and shower in front of them because he "smelled badly, was dirty and had bad hygiene."

The eight-year-old was singled out last November and taken to the nurse's office at Peaster Elementary School where he was forced to remove his clothes, the suit alleges, the Courthouse News Service reported.

The two school officials then "began violently washing his body with a washcloth, scrubbing him over a large portion of his body, stuck cotton balls in his ears, all while ridiculing and harassing him about being 'dirty,'" the complaint claims.

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Rodney King, Key Figure in LA Riots, Found Dead

Rodney King, the black motorist whose 1991 videotaped beating by Los Angeles police officers was the touchstone for one of the most destructive race riots in the nation's history, died Sunday. He was 47.

King's fiancé called 911 at 5:25 a.m. to report that she found him at the bottom of the swimming pool at their home in Rialto, Calif., police Lt. Dean Hardin said.

Officers arrived to find King in the water and unresponsive, with no signs of foul play. He was transported to Arrowhead Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:11 a.m, Hardin said.

The San Bernardino County coroner will perform an autopsy within 48 hours.

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If Immigration Laws Don't Apply, Then Which Laws Should Americans Respect?

Pres. Obama today ordered that young illegal aliens not be deported and that they be granted work permits.

How many ways is this wrong?  America is a nation of laws where all are treated equally -  unless the administration chooses to waive the law for some.  Second, this country has millions of unemployed, and teenage unemployment is stratospheric.

If immigration laws don’t apply, then which laws should Americans have respect for?  Some of them…or none of them?

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Molester Beaten to Death by Texas Dad Identified, Disturbing New Details Released

The man who was beaten to death by a Texas dad for allegedly molesting his 5-year-old daughter has been identified by authorities.

Previous news reports had identified the girl as a 4-year-old, but her age was corrected by Lavaca County authorities in a press release Friday, obtained by the Victoria Advocate.

Lavaca County Sheriff Micah Harmon said that the 23-year-old father killed Jesus Mora Flores, 47, from Gonzales, Texas. The sheriff said Flores was not in the U.S. illegally and was in possession of a green card also known as a permanent resident card. Investigators have been working with Mexican Consulate officials to locate his family, the news release revealed.

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A Comment On Cherrystone Campground Worthy Of A Post

Coming across this blog online was rather upsetting for me because it's very true. I'm 20 years old now, and my family has gone to Cherrystone every summer since I wasn't even a year old. So this hits right at home because growing up, even as a 17 and 18 year old, Cherrystone was the only thing I knew and looked forward to every single summer. When I was still an infant, my family was still in their tent camping stages. I was 3 or 4 before they finally upgraded to a pop-up camper and about 11-12 before they upgraded to a 30 foot trailer. Due to these upgrades, every summer we started staying longer. Every since we got our trailer, we've gone to Cherrystone every summer for a straight 4 weeks. And let me tell you, Cherrystone was fun when I was little, but even being young, I saw all of the changes happening every year as I grew up and I hated it. I can't remember the name of the original owner but things were great when he ran the park. When he died, I believe his son took over and when the son passed away from a heart attack, that's when it really went downhill. The main issue is that it's practically run by teenagers now. They took the family out of the campground by charging for kids (which I believed they've changed now by 2012, kids are included now). Ernie(used to run the Bait and Tackle Shop with his wife) was even told to leave Cherrystone because they didn't like how they, quote, "ran it like a mom and pop store." They took what was good and fun out of Cherrystone. Just like in a grade school, the pumped the place full of rules and the only people who seem to get penalized for breaking the rules are the ones that might break one rule once, rather than the kids who run around cussing or riding their bikes at night or the people who catch kill or keep illegal sized fish and crabs or the people who otherwise readily abuse the system. They're still jacking up prices for no reason. The highlight of our summer trip was always watching the fireworks for fourth of july. 10 years ago, those shows last 30 minutes plus. In the last couple years, they've lasted just over 10 minutes. The campground is poorly managed, their activities and amenities are getting cheaper and yet their prices are becoming ridiculous. Honestly, the only reason my family even goes there anymore is for flounder fishing, soft crabbing, and hard crabbing. I didn't get to go last year since I was employed for DNR but I'm excited to be going to visit my family for 8 days this summer (Even though it'll cost me, my boyfriend and my car $35 a night to stay. Honestly, it's not worth $300+ but we have no where else as good as Cherrystone for soft crabbing especially, and also to be honest, it's like a tradition that I miss). Cherrystone was awesome back in it's day and if you didn't ever camp there before the mid 2000's I completely understand why you hate it. My request though is not to hate the campground, it's still good for everything it's got. Hate the people running it, hate the people employed there, and hate the economy. I miss the old Cherrystone.

By Ashley Moreland on Cherrystone Campground Just Isn't What It Used To ... at 6:42 PM

On A Positive Note?

Citizens of Salisbury can start to relax when it comes to their gas points at Giant and the controversial numbers at Shell Gas Stations.

Remember the old Sheila's Party World location on Rt. 13 across the street from Giant. Well, Giant is actually going to build a new gas station at that location. Yes, you heard it here first on Salisbury News.

Now let's see how willing and cooperative the City and County are going to be on this one.

ACLU Not So Sure If It's Going To Help The KKK Adopt Georgia Highway

After a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan was denied its application to be part of Georgia's adopt-a-highway program, the group is turning to an unlikely potential ally — the American Civil Liberties Union. It seems the ACLU is slightly uneasy about helping the KKK, but not because of the group's beliefs. The ACLU isn't sure if the KKK's freedom of speech has been violated or not.

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School's Ban On 9-Year-Old Blogger's Cafeteria Photos Lasts All Of One Day

First, the bummer news: After various news reports bashed a Scottish school and its lunches, which were the subject of a 9-year-old student's food blog, school officials told the girl she couldn't take photos in the cafeteria, rendering her blog pointless. Now the yay news: a local official ordered the school to reverse the ban after just one day.

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Auto Bailout Or UAW Bailout? Taxpayer Losses Came From Subsidizing Union Compensation

Abstract: The U.S. government will lose about $23 billion on the 2008-2009 bailout of General Motors and Chrysler. President Obama emphatically defends his decision to subsidize the automakers, arguing it was necessary to prevent massive job losses. But, even accepting this premise, the government could have executed the bailout with no net cost to taxpayers. It could have—had the Administration required the United Auto Workers (UAW) to accept standard bankruptcy concessions instead of granting the union preferential treatment. The extra UAW subsidies cost $26.5 billion—more than the entire foreign aid budget in 2011. The Administration did not need to lose money to keep GM and Chrysler operating. The Detroit auto bailout was, in fact, a UAW bailout.

The government bailout of General Motors (GM) and Chrysler between 2008 and 2009 will cost taxpayers approximately $23 billion. President Barack Obama emphatically defends his decision to subsidize the automakers, arguing it was necessary to prevent massive job losses. Even if one accepts this premise, the government should—and could—have executed the bailout more efficiently, with no cost to taxpayers, had the Administration required the United Auto Workers (UAW) to accept standard bankruptcy concessions. Instead, the Obama Administration gave special treatment to the UAW above and beyond what other creditors and unions received:

Legally, the UAW’s claims had the same status as those of other unsecured creditors, but the UAW recovered a much greater proportion of the debts that General Motors and Chrysler owed the union.

Bankruptcy typically brings uncompetitive wages down to competitive levels. However, existing UAW members did not take pay cuts at General Motors.

The Administration could have kept the automakers running without subsidizing the UAW’s above-market pay and benefits.

Subsidizing UAW compensation cost $26.5 billion—more than the government spends each year on foreign aid.

The cost of subsidizing UAW pay and benefits accounts for the entire net taxpayer losses—$23 billion—in the bailout.

UAW members at General Motors and Chrysler are among the most highly paid workers in America. High salaries are good, but they must be earned. The taxpayer losses came from the special treatment that President Obama bestowed on the UAW. The auto bailout was actually a UAW bailout.

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Smith Named 2012 SU Employee Of The Year

Todd Smith, Web communications manager in the Publications Office, is Salisbury University’s 2012 Employee of the Year. Announced during SU’s annual Employee Appreciation Day, the winner receives a $1,000 cash prize. Smith, one of SU’s 12 SU Employees of the Month for the past fiscal year, was nominated for his creativity and teamwork.

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Today's Survey Question 6-17-12

Who's the best Father in the whole wide world?

The Fed's Secret Phone Menu

Very few know about the Federal Reserve's "other" phone number. You know, the one reserved for those in the innermost ring of power. Someone gifted me the number, and I found it offered up the most curious menu of choices:

Greetings. Please select one of the following options.

The Working Group for Global Domination does not exist. Members please press 1.

If you are a European leader seeking a secret bailout, please press 2.

If you are Chinese leader seeking assistance purchasing another Beverly Hills mansion with cash, please press 3.

If you are a domestic banker seeking another tranch of our $29 trillion in backstop funding, please press 4.

If you are an incumbent POTUS seeking re-election in a recessionary year, please press 5.

If you represent one of our proxy trading desks, please press 6 for your S&P 500 futures purchase instructions. As a reminder, please trade your own account via black pools.

If you would like today's target for the S&P 500 and Treasuries to assist in trading your own individual account, please press 7.

For bulk purchases of Hopium and/or Delusionol, please press 8.

Curious, indeed. America's privately owned central bank is an enchanted world, to be sure, where shadow systems do not officially exist, where blatant manipulation of the stock market is denied, and where global bankers get preferential treatment of all their needs.

In this shadow system, democracy, accountability and transparency do not exist. Within the innermost ring of power, democracy is merely the necessary illusion maintained for the psychological benefit of the easily distracted debt-serfs.

As long as they believe in democracy, social mobility and the supremacy of American might, they are happy to while away their time playing or watching mindless games. It's the perfect setup for easy control.

And if they get restive, there's always food stamps and a media-injected "treatment" of Delusionol.

Source

PETSMART Helps With Pit Bull Spay/Nuter

Treaty Negotiated In Secret – Hidden Even from Congressmen Who Oversee Treaties – Threatens To Destroy National Sovereignty

The normally-reserved Yves Smith asks whether Obama should be impeached over it.

Democratic Senator Wyden – the head of the committee which is supposed to oversee it – is so furious about the lack of access that he has introduced legislation [7] to force disclosure.

Republican House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa is so upset by it that he has leaked a document on his website to show what’s going on.

What is everyone so furious about?

An international treaty being negotiated in secret which would not only crack down on Internet privacy much more than SOPA or ACTA, but would actually destroy the sovereignty of the U.S. and all other signatories.

It is called the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Wyden is the chairman of the trade committee in the Senate … the committee which is supposed to have jurisdiction over the TPP. Wyden is also on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and so he and his staff have high security clearances and are normally able to look at classified documents.

And yet Wyden and his staff have been denied access to the TPP’s text.

This is similar to other recent incidences showing that we’ve gone from a nation of laws to a nation of powerful men making laws in secret.

For example, in the summer 2007, Congressman Peter DeFazio – who is on the Homeland Security Committee (and so has proper security access to be briefed on so-called “Continuity of Government” issues) – inquired about continuity of government plans, and was refused access. Indeed, DeFazio told Congress that the entire Homeland Security Committee of the U.S. Congress has been denied access to the plans [11] by the White House (video; or here is the transcript). The Homeland Security Committee has full clearance to view all information about COG plans. DeFazio concluded: “Maybe the people who think there’s a conspiracy out there are right”.

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POLICE ARREST PAIR OF BANK ROBBERS WANTED FOR MULTIPLE BANK ROBBERIES IN THREE STATES

(McHenry, MD) – Efforts by Maryland State Police investigators and other federal, state and local law enforcement result in the arrest of a pair of bank robbers suspected in multiple bank robberies in Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania during the month of May.

The accused are identified as Corbin Jay Will, 39, of Garrett, Pennsylvania and Nichole Lynn Durst, 23, of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. Both Will and Durst are in police custody in Pennsylvania, after suspected of robbing the First Summit Bank in Salix, Pa., First United Bank and Trust in Friendsville, Maryland, the WesBanco Bank in Bruceton Mills, Wes Virginia, the First National Bank in Logantown, PA and attempting another bank robbery at the M&T Bank in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. Charges are pending in all three states.

On Tuesday June 12, 2012, Will and Durst were taken into police custody by the Pennsylvania State Police from the Somerset Barracks after conducting a traffic stop on the suspected vehicle observed in multiple surveillance videos obtained during the robberies. The two occupants in the vehicle, Will and Durst, matched the description of the suspects wanted in the bank robberies.

Will and Durst were transported to the Pennsylvania State Police Somerset Barracks for questioning. Search warrants were obtained in Somerset County for the vehicle and their residences, which led to the discovery of several pieces of evidence, which were used in the commission of the crimes.

Investigators from the Maryland State Police McHenry Barracks were part of the federal, state, and local law enforcement effort to find the pair of robbery suspects. Deputies from the West Virginia Sheriff’s Office, Preston County, the Tyrone Pennsylvania Police Department, the Adams Township Police Department, troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police, Lamar Barracks, and the FBI also assisted with the investigation of the multiple bank robberies.

What Facebook Knows About You- Scary!

Cameron Marlow calls himself Facebook's "in-house sociologist." He and his team can analyze essentially all the information the site gathers.

Few Privacy Regulations Inhibit FacebookLaws haven't kept up with the company's ability to mine its users' data.

If Facebook were a country, a conceit that founder Mark Zuckerberg has entertained in public, its 900 million members would make it the third largest in the world.

It would far outstrip any regime past or present in how intimately it records the lives of its citizens. Private conversations, family photos, and records of road trips, births, marriages, and deaths all stream into the company's servers and lodge there. Facebook has collected the most extensive data set ever assembled on human social behavior. Some of your personal information is probably part of it.

And yet, even as Facebook has embedded itself into modern life, it hasn't actually done that much with what it knows about us. Now that the company has gone public, the pressure to develop new sources of profit (see "The Facebook Fallacy") is likely to force it to do more with its hoard of information. That stash of data looms like an oversize shadow over what today is a modest online advertising business, worrying privacy-conscious Web users (see "Few Privacy Regulations Inhibit Facebook") and rivals such as Google. Everyone has a feeling that this unprecedented resource will yield something big, but nobody knows quite what.

Even as Facebook has embedded itself into modern life, it hasn't done that much with what it knows about us. Its stash of data looms like an oversize shadow. Everyone has a feeling that this resource will yield something big, but nobody knows quite what.

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"Are You The Teacher Or The Student"

Truth: Living the purpose is far greater than just living……
Here’s the truth…..
Everything happens for a reason. Whether we accept, embrace, receive or believe it, where we are right now at this very moment is where we’re supposed to be. You are not at this place in life by mistake; your exact location, circumstance, or life experience is part of a plan larger than you can ever imagine. Every trial, triumph, connection and encounter was divinely orchestrated by God. The question is, are you serving your purpose? Is the plan for you to be the teacher or the student? Are you living in the now, stuck in the past, or daydreaming about the future? Every experience in life is for a reason, whether it’s for you to learn today in order to be a teacher tomorrow, it’s planned. Then there are those experiences we’re supposed to be the teacher, it’s our plan to pass on the knowledge gained through our experiences to those we come in contact with. Many times we miss it… We can’t see our purpose in our current situation because we’re blind by our lacks, and sometimes our abundance of what we have. We miss out on the reason and find ourselves trapped in situations far longer than we should. The benefit of accepting where we are “now” is that we see the lessons to either be learned or taught. We notice others and how we can learn from them or impact their lives. We see our circumstances for what they are, a lesson to learn. We embrace the fact that “today” is all we have yesterday is a memory and tomorrow is a dream. The truth is… nothing is by mistake. Every connection and encounter is a part of the plan for our lives. Whether we’re supposed to be the teacher or the student, we’re here at this place, at this time, in this season of life for a reason. Maybe you’re in what appears to be a bad space right now; we encourage you to learn all you can from this experience so you can be a teacher later in life to those who are going through it. Or maybe you’re in a place where you’re over qualified, then teach what you know so your legacy will live longer than your physical body on earth. Living the purpose is far greater than just living…… Are you the teacher or the student????

Source

The "Solution" Is Collapse

So the root problem is the system, human nature, blah blah blah. There are no "solutions" that can fix those defaults. Thus the "solution" is collapse.

Policies create incentives and disincentives. Some are intended, some fall into the category of unintended consequences. Regardless of their intention, policies that create windfalls ("easy money") or open spigots of "free money" (or what is perceived as free money by the recipient) quickly gather the allegiance of everyone reaping the windfall or collecting the free money.
This allegiance is soon tempered into political steel by self-justification: humans excel at rationalizing their self-interest. Thus my share of the swag is soon "absolutely essential."

Humans don't need much incentive to pursue windfalls or free money--seeking windfalls in the here and now is our default setting. Taking the pulpit to denounce humanity's innate greed, avarice and selfishness doesn't change this, as seeking short-term windfalls has offered enormous selective advantages for hundreds of thousands of years.

That which is painful to those collecting free money will be avoided, and that which is easy will be pursued until it's painful. Borrowing $1.5 trillion a year from toddlers and the unborn taxpayers of the future is easy and painless, as toddlers have no political power. So we will borrow from the powerless to fund our free money spigots until it becomes painful.

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Perfect Storm Coming To America

Last week, I attended a meeting in Denver, Colorado featuring Michael Brownlee, a speaker on the fastest growing organization in the 21st century: www.transititiontowns.org. Over 900 cities across the globe participate in preparation for the coming resource crisis. For anyone who might be concerned as to the future of this nation, you will find a plethora of information at the websites provided. Additionally, you will be able to hook-up with people in your state.

A “Perfect Storm” gathers on the horizon as Peak Oil, Economic Instability, Climate Change and Hyper-Population Growth collide within the United States. While Americans watch multiple breakdowns throughout their economic and environmental systems, a gathering citizen armada prepares for an uncertain future—that most assuredly looms on the U.S. horizon.

Dana Miller, director of the “Denver Transition Movement” in Denver, Colorado, sponsored Michael Brownlee, a man sporting swept-back silver hair and wearing John Denver glasses, to speak about how average Americans can mobilize to deal with the coming loss of cheap oil energy, called “Post Peak Oil.” With his compelling power point program, Brownlee addressed a packed house on what all Americans face in the coming decades.

“We face a Perfect Storm with the triangulation of Peak Oil, Climate Change and Economic Instability,” Brownlee said. “These converging factors create a dynamic that we are unprepared for. James Howard Kunstler addresses them in his book, “The Long Emergency."

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Thanks Dad

Happy Father's Day

Volunteers Needed!

Join us at our local Salvation Army as we revamp and revitalize their Salisbury Youth Club. Volunteers are needed for painting and general "fixing up". Lunch will be provided.
All ages welcome.
Children under the age of 16 must have parental supervision.

UNITED WAY DAY OF ACTION
SATURDAY, JUNE 23

Click to Register
Saturday June 23, 2012 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM EDT
Shift 1: 9am-12pm
Shift 2: 12:30pm- 4pm
Salvation Army- Salisbury Youth Club
145 Oak Street Salisbury, MD 21801

Economists: Being Near A New Walmart Actually Increases Home Values

While the sight of a new Walmart store going up always causes some area residents to frown, a new report claims that houses within the immediate area of a new Walmart actually see a slight uptick in value.

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The Best Political Fundraiser Of The Year!

If you enjoy good music, good food and the company of intelligent engaged adults, and if you like the shooting sports or the Chesapeake Bay then this is an event you will not want to miss. See the flyer below to see the details!

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Sheldon Adelson To Lavish $71 Million In Casino Money On GOP Super PACS, Nonprofits

WASHINGTON -- Casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, whose net worth makes him one of the world's richest men, is on a check-writing spree that will soon bring his total political contributions in this election cycle to at least $71 million, according to sources familiar with his spending. That money is spread across the spectrum of GOP super PACs, which are required to disclose donors, and nonprofits, which are not.

Adelson and his wife, Miriam, along with other family donations, have already reached $36 million, including $10 million to the Romney-backing super PAC Restore Our Future that was reported this week. But two GOP fundraisers familiar with his plans say that Adelson has given or pledged at least $35 million more to three conservative nonprofit groups: the Karl Rove-linked Crossroads GPS, another with ties to billionaires Charles and David Koch and a third with links to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.).

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Citizen Testimony Will Be Allowed At Tuesday’s Pit Bull Task Force Hearing In Annapolis.

I spoke with the Pit Bull Task Force Chairman, Delegate Curt Anderson and he confirmed that Testimony will be allowed from citizens and advocacy group representatives who sign up at Tuesday’s hearing in Annapolis in the Judiciary Committee room.

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Despite ‘Engagement’, the World Views U.S. Less Favorably on Obama’s Watch

Favorable views of the United States have fallen in a number of countries around the world since 2009, despite the Obama administration’s repeated assertions that its international engagement – including paying United Nations contributions on time and in full – has “restored confidence” in American global leadership.

One of the numerous findings in this year’s Pew Global Attitudes Project report – a survey of 26,210 people in 21 countries – relates to respondents’ views of the United States as a nation, as opposed to their opinions of President Obama specifically.

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New Report On Medicaid Fraud

A new report says the government's widespread attempts to catch Medicaid fraud have cost it millions — $80 million to be exact. The audits by contractors were so ineffective that Health and Human Services put a stop to them. Investigators at the Government Accountability Office said the auditors were using federal data without critical information, like Medicaid recipients' names and addresses. The federal government does not share names of potential fraudsters with states, which means states cannot verify that those providers are in fact in their Medicaid programs. HHS said the independent audits were just a part of their attempts to wipe out Medicaid fraud. Other efforts, like interagency strike teams, have been more successful. The news came as a surprise to senators, who held a hearing on the issue yesterday

Obama Energy Dept. Awards $2 Million Grant to Solar Company Linked With Van Jones

On Wednesday the Department of Energy began financing solar power installation research with a $2 million award to Solar Mosaic. The solar energy research company has former Obama “green jobs” czar Van Jones listed as an advisor. It also employed Rebuild the Dream, Jones’ firm, to do its public relations work.

The DOE’s grant money will be distributed to nine companies in four states. Solar Mosaic received the most money, four times the amount of most other grants.

Jones resigned his post in the Obama administration three years ago amid controversy stemming from his past remarks.

Before working in the Obama White House, Jones signed a petition alleging officials in the George W. Bush administration “may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war.”

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EPA Strengthens Pollution Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency is strengthening pollution standards and risking an election-year backlash. A lawsuit forced the agency's hand and it will announce its proposal later today. It would reduce the amount of soot that could be released into the air. A federal court ordered the EPA to act after 11 states sued. They said current standards are leading to lung and heart problems. EPA officials said most counties are already complying with the new standards and would not have to take further action. Environmentalists and public-health advocates are likely to cheer the rule, but lawmakers and industry may accuse the agency of stifling the economy

Pentagon to Mark Gay Pride Month

Last summer, gays in the military dared not acknowledge their sexual orientation. This summer, the Pentagon will salute them, marking June as gay pride month just as it has marked other celebrations honoring racial or ethnic groups.

In the latest remarkable sign of change since the military repealed the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the Defense Department will soon hold its first event to recognize gay and lesbian troops. It comes nine months after repeal of the policy that had prohibited gay troops from serving openly and forced more than 13,500 service members out of the armed forces.

Details are still being worked out, but officials say Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wants to honor the contributions of gay service members.

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USPS Reduces Greenhouse Gases By 7.4%

In its annual Sustainability Report, the Postal Service announced that it has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 7.4 percent since 2008. That's the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road. That puts the Postal Service well on its way to meeting its goal of a 20 percent cut by 2020. The Postal Service maintains the largest network of buildings in the U.S.and has installed energy auditing systems in many of its buildings to track energy waste. It also owns 41,000 alternative fuel-capable vehicles and has implemented 8,000 more walking and bicycle routes for mail carriers.

Unemployment Higher Among Native Born Than Immigrants

The unemployment rate for foreign-born workers in the United States is lower than the unemployment rate for native-born workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The BLS’s non-seasonally adjusted data show that unemployment among foreign born workers in May 2012 was 7.4 percent, while for native-born workers it was 8.0.

The data further show that while the working-age immigrant population in the United States has increased since Barack Obama became president in January 2009, immigrant participation in the labor force has declined.

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American Indian Tribes Challenge IRS

American Indian tribes say the Internal Revenue Service was crossing the line into their territory, and they wanted the agency to pull back. Tribal leaders told a Senate panel yesterday that the IRS was fishing for revenue by taxing housing, school clothes, burial aid and other services that the tribes provide their members. They said that infringes on tribal sovereignty and violates treaties between the tribes and the United States. But the IRS said it was talking with tribes and gathering recommendations from members. The agency said the rules governing what it can tax are too foggy.

German Police Raid Scores of Radical Islamists' Homes

About 1,000 police raided scores of buildings across Germany on Thursday in a clampdown on radical Salafist Islamists suspected of plotting against the state.

German officials fear the Salafists, who trace their roots to Saudi Arabia and want to establish Sharia (Islamic) law in Europe, are fuelling militancy among a small minority of socially alienated young Muslims in Germany.

Announcing the crackdown, Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said he had banned one of the Salafists' groups called the Millatu Ibrahim and said the raids may unearth evidence that would allow the outlawing of two other associations.

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Mikulski Introduces Pro Federal Employment Amendment

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) has put a pro-federal-employee amendment into the Senate's 2013 financial services funding bill. That bill cleared the Appropriations Committee yesterday.

Mikulski's language would continue a ban on competition between federal agencies and contractors for service work. It would also stop outsourcing unless an agency can prove a cost savings. Plus it would prohibit arbitrary staff cuts by requiring agencies to match work with funds on hand. Mikulski complained that federal employees are the first to take a hit whenever deficit reduction comes up.

House Members Demand Answers on Depth of U.S. Involvement With the Muslim Brotherhood

Though Osama bin Laden is dead and much of al-Qaeda’s leadership has met a similar fate, the global impact of Islamic extremists reaches far beyond the ranks of al-Qaeda.

The Muslim Brotherhood in particular, having been in operation for close to a century, is of distinct concern to many U.S. lawmakers.

With a motto of: “Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Qur’an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope,“ and a commitment by some of its members to ”[destroy] Western civilization from within,” some politicians are demanding to know the depth of U.S. involvement with the organization– particularly within our intelligence community.

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STATE POLICE INVESTIGATE DEATH OF A DELAWARE WOMAN

(Whaleyville, MD) – Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit are investigating the murder of a woman found in an embankment off of a dirt road in Worcester County.

The victim is identified as Nicole Bennett, 35, of the 33,000 block of Windswept Drive in Millsboro, Delaware. Bennett was found deceased and lying in an embankment off of a dirt road in Worcester County, in an area where there are no homes in the immediate vicinity. Bennett’s body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

Shortly before 9:00 a.m. today, Worcester Central received a 9-1-1 call reporting the body of an unidentified woman found deceased on Swamp Road, a dirt road east of Nelson Road. The caller told police he was in the area walking when he noticed the woman’s body lying in an embankment which slopes downward from the roadway.

During the course of the initial investigation, police learned Bennett was the subject of a missing person’s case being investigated by the Delaware State Police. Bennett’s husband had called 9-1-1 at about 8:00 a.m. this morning reporting his wife missing after not coming home from work the night before.

According to the missing person report and family members, Bennett had a rose tattoo on the inside of her right ankle. The woman found in the embankment had the same rose tattoo as verified by Delaware State Police and Bennett’s family.

A family member told police they had last heard from Bennett on the night of June 14, 2012. At this time, a monetary reward is being offered to anyone with information leading to the arrest of the individual(s) responsible for Bennett’s murder. Calls are being taken by the Worcester County Lower Eastern Shore Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776. Calls will remain confidential.

Deputies from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, investigators from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation, Delaware State Police and the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit responded to the scene. Crime scene technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division responded to gather evidence. The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Wicomico County Bureau of Investigation, and the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation have also been assisting with the investigation.

As of this update, Maryland law enforcement is taking the lead on this case. Delaware State Police are assisting in the investigation. Police are interviewing suspects while the investigation continues...

Give Ford Dealership Bad Survey Rating, Get Told 'You Are No Longer Welcome Here'

After Wil's purchase of a new car didn't go as smoothly as he expected based on past transactions with Ford, he didn't give them a great survey rating. The dealership manager's completely proportionate response? To e-mail Wil and tell him that he is no longer welcome at the dealership, and to never come back.

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General Mills Cereal Company Adopts 'Gay Marriage'

The Minnesota food giant that brought to the nation’s parents, and especially their children, the Honey Nut Bee, Lucky the Leprechaun and the Silly Trix Rabbit now publicly is supporting homosexual marriage, leaving critics surprised at General Mills’ abandonment of traditional values families.

General Mills CEO Ken Peters announced this week at a Minneapolis homosexual pride event that his company opposes the marriage amendment on the Minnesota ballot in November.

Same-sex marriage is already illegal in Minnesota, but supporters of the traditional marriage initiative say that the constitutional amendment would keep marriage safe from activist courts and even legislators who may attempt to usurp state law.

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Ad Watchdog Asks Comcast To Stop Bragging That Xfinity Is "Fastest In The Nation"

Despite an FCC study showing Verizon FiOS with the fastest download speeds, Comcast's ads for its Xfinity internet service proudly claim that it's the "fastest in the nation." Now the Better Business Bureau's ad watchdog has recommended that the Kabletown folks stop being so boastful.

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Lawn Chair Balloonist to Ride Again, With Co-pilot

Four years ago, Kent Couch made headlines by floating through the clouds in a lawn chair hoisted by party balloons from Oregon to Idaho. He's going to fly again, this time with a buddy sitting on a second lawn chair at his side.

They are planning to take off July 14 from the parking lot of Couch's gas station and convenience store in Bend, Ore., the way he did in 2008 when he floated 235 miles to an Idaho farm field.

Iraqi adventurer and skydiver Fareed Lafta, who read about Couch's exploit, will be going along for the ride so he could add lawn-chair ballooning to his bucket list.

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Middle-Income Parents Will Pay $8,000 More To Raise Kids Born In 2011 Than In 2010

Are you a middle-income parent who had a baby in 2011? You're probably going to be jealous of your pals who birthed offspring in 2010, as it's about $8,000 more expensive to raise a child born in 2011 over 17 years than the year before. Time to start pinching extra pennies and clipping diaper coupons to afford that $235,000 kid.

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Investigator: Foreigners Bought Hawaii Birth Certificates

The lead investigator for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse – which already has found probable cause that Barack Obama’s publicly released birth certificate is a forgery – says any Hawaii documentation for Obama’s birth that exists would probably be of little value.

Mike Zullo,  a retired New Jersey detective now heading Arpaio’s volunteer investigative team, explained in an interview that at the time of Obama’s birth during the state’s early years, Hawaii birth documentation routinely was purchased by foreigners for children not born in the state.

Arpaio’s investigation was launched last September after constituents came to the sheriff with their concern that Obama was ineligible for the presidency and would perpetrate a fraud by placing his name on the state’s ballot.

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Grieving Father Struggles To Pay Dead Son's Student Loans

The father, a gardener who earns $21,000, co-signed for his son's loans. Now, he can’t even find out who holds them.

A few months after he buried his son, Francisco Reynoso began getting notices in the mail. Then the debt collectors came calling.

"They would say, 'We don't care what happened with your son, you have to pay us,'" recalled Reynoso, a gardener from Palmdale, Calif.

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Reid Unwilling to Consider Reasonable Food Stamp Reform

The Senate’s final vote on the farm bill is expected next week, but according to Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions, there will be no substantial reforms to the food stamp program due to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s obstructionism.

Eighty percent of the spending from the farm bill this year goes to the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, constituting $770 billion in spending over the next decade.

According to Sessions, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, Reid will not allow any of his reform measures — aimed at dealing with the swelling cost and growth of the welfare program — to even receive a vote.

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Obama Admits He Can’t Do What He Did Today

It‘s very rare that you see President Obama admit wrongdoing after he’s done something. Unfortunately, it’s much more common for him to say something is a bad idea and then do it. Listing the number of instances would take too long, but it‘s safe to say it’s a common trend.

And now there’s just one more example. In the following clip, taken from a 2011 Univision Town Hall, President Obama admits that it’s beyond his power to suspend deportations for anyone because (surprise, surprise) there are laws on the books that he’d be breaking by doing that. In other words, the President acknowledges that to do what he did today would be a rank violation of the separation of powers.

Watch the video HERE

Seven More States May Legalize Medical Marijuana In 2012

Currently, 17 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana. In the second half of 2012, seven more states will decide, either in the state legislature or via ballot initiatives, whether they will join them in legalizing the use of marijuana, in whole or in part.

Recent polling shows that 3/4 of Americans support the right to use state-sanctioned medical marijuana. Support for full marijuana legalization is at an all-time high of 50%.

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Question Of The Day 6-16-12

What is/was the best gift you gave or received for Father's Day?

The Great Retirement Squeeze - Pension Cuts Mean Poverty For Future Elders

San Francisco - Only a week after an election signaling a rollback in public-employee retirement benefits, new Federal Reserve data show a sharp decline in family wealth. The effect is especially acute for non-whites and Hispanic households.

The compounding factors of deep losses in U.S. family wealth, sharp declines in pensions and calls in Washington to reduce Social Security could tarnish Americans’ golden years for generations to come, particularly for economically vulnerable groups of older women and ethnic elders.

Recession Cuts Retirement Savings

The Fed’s new Survey of Consumer Finances for 2010 reveals that while white non-Hispanic families saw a 
10 percent decline in their wealth since 2007, nonwhite or Hispanic families saw their mean assets plunge by 26.8 percent.

Overall, only one in seven Americans are confident “in their ability to retire comfortably,” according to a survey published in March by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). The findings, says the report, are at “historically low levels.”

The Fed’s latest figures add to the troubling picture of future retirement for today’s workers. Last week’s victory of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and his policy terminating collective-bargaining rights by state workers, and the California votes in San Jose and San Diego negating existing pension agreements, were only the latest development in the great retirement squeeze.

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‘Pre-Emptive Strike’: Sheriff Joe and Governor Brewer React to Obama’s Immigration Announcement

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and Sheriff Joe Arpaio joined Arizona talk show host Mike Broomhead today in two separate segments to discuss the President’s decision to selectively enforce immigration law – a decision which Brewer said “has the status of law” even though it actively contradicts the law.

You can hear Brewer’s segment below, where she explains that this decision is likely a “pre-emptive strike” in anticipation of a likely Supreme Court decision in favor of the constitutionality of SB 1070:

Arpaio, however, was far less concerned about the decision, saying the timing had taken him by surprise, but not the substance of the move. He also said that the rules change wouldn’t affect how he enforced the law, and that he planned to keep right on going arresting illegals under state law. He did echo Brewer’s concerns that the new policy would spawn a run for the border, now that there is an incentive for young illegals to enter the United States.

“We‘re still gonna lock ’em up if we have ‘em on another crime,” Arpaio said.

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The Billionaire Behind The 2012 Election For Mitt Romney

Meet the billionaire who's trying to buy the 2012 election for Mitt Romney – it's casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. Adelson has already contributed a whopping ten million bucks to Mitt Romney's corporate SuperPAC slushfund. Forbes is quoting a source within the Adelson camp that says -- the billionaire plans to spend a "limitless" amount of money to help Romney during the election since, "no price is too high" to defend the nation from President Obama's "socialism." The source then floated the possibility of Adelson spending as much as $100 million to tilt the election in favor of Romney. According to Forbes, Adelson is one of the 15 richest people on the planet with an estimated net worth of nearly $25 billion meaning he could bankroll an entire $1 billion presidential campaign and hardly notice. Welcome to the Brave New World of American politics – billionaires only are welcome.

US Reveals Accusations Against Secret Service

Secret Service agents and officers have been accused of involvement with prostitutes, leaking sensitive information, publishing pornography, sexual assault, illegal wiretaps, improper use of weapons and drunken behavior, according to internal government reports reviewed by The Associated Press on Friday. It wasn't immediately clear how many of the accusations turned out to be true.

The new disclosures of so many serious accusations since 2004 lend weight to concerns expressed by Congress that the Secret Service prostitution scandal in April in Colombia exposed a culture of misconduct within the agency. Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan apologized for the incident during a hearing in May but insisted that what happened in Colombia was an isolated case.

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The World Is Getting More Peaceful

According to a new study by the Institute for Economics and Peace – the world is getting more peaceful – but the United States is still a pretty violent place to live. The just released 2010 Global Peace Index ranks the nations of the world based on how peaceful they are – taking into consideration prison populations, political instability, wars, and military expenditures. Iceland ranked first on the Global Peace Index – while the United States ranked 88th out of 158 nations. It's no surprise considering the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world and is currently waging a limitless war on so-called terror in several nations across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. More than a half century ago – Dwight Eisenhower warned the nation about the growing influence of the military industrial complex. Tragically, his warnings were ignored.

Rep. Steve King to Sue Obama Admin Over Amnesty Order

Rep Steve King, Iowa Republican, and Vice Chairman of the House Immigration Subcommittee, said he plans to sue the Obama Administration over its decision to halt deportations of young illegal immigrants. On Friday’s Mike Huckabee's radio show he discussed the matter. Transcript below: (Listen to audio here)

REP. STEVE KING: I will tell you that....I'm not without experience on this I'm prepared to bring a suit and seek court order to stop implementation of this policy. I have done it once in the past successfully when then Governor Tom Vilsack thought he could legislate by executive order and the case of King versus Vilsack is in the books and that individual is by the way is now the Secretary of Agriculture.  I wonder if he's not counseling the president on his legal proceedings.

HUCKABEE: I want to clarify. You plan to sue this administration for implementing something that you believe should have required legislative process and approval?
Congressman

KING: That is correct.

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Rhode Island Decriminalize Small Possession Of Marijuana

Rhode Island is now the 17the state in the nation to decriminalize possession of a small amount of marijuana. Independent Governor Lincoln Chafee signed the legislation into law, which makes possession of an ounce of marijuana or less a civil violation with a $150 fine, instead of a misdemeanor or felony. Seven more states may join Rhode Island in the second half of the year – and may even go a step further and legalize and regulate marijuana like alcohol. Though long overdue – Nixon's half-century war on drugs may finally be nearing an end.

Federal Credit Union Refuses Serving Women For Wearing Hats

The HEW Federal Credit Union is taking a stand against people they perceive to be "thugs" based on what they wear. Their appearance rules ban people wearing hats, hooded sweatshirts and sunglasses from entering branches.

But is a nice lady wearing a scarf or head band really dangerous?

The credit union seems to thinks so.

Four women on Friday were refused service at the Silver Hill branch of the credit union in District Heights because they were wearing scarves, a head band and even a hair net.

"They denied me entrance to the bank as soon as I got to the door," says Kim Anderson, a Credit Union customer who was refused service.

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The Republican War On Women Has Reached The Military

A Republican staffer in the House told the Army Times that House Republicans plan to restrict military women's access to abortion in cases of rape and incest. With bipartisan support, a Senate Committee approved the amendment giving military women the same access to abortion in cases of rape and incest as ordinary citizens. But House Republicans say they have social objections to the amendment and will likely strip it out of the National Defense Authorization bill. That means the 200,000 women serving in our nation's military won't have the same rights to reproductive health services as all the other women in American who are not serving in the military.

New Obama Policy Will Spare Some From Deportation

President Barack Obama says his plan to stop deporting younger illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children will make the system "more fair, more efficient and more just."

The president says it "makes no sense to expel talented young people" who are essentially Americans. He says he was taking the action in the absence of action by Congress "to fix our broken system."

Obama's election-year initiative should help him among Hispanic voters. It will begin granting young immigrants work permits, affecting as many as 800,000 young people who have lived in fear of deportation.

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U.S. Chamber Ranks Maryland In Top Five For Economic Growth

For the third year in a row, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has rated Maryland among the top five states in the country for economic growth, job creation and innovation. In its annual report on “Enterprising States”, the national chamber gives the O’Malley administration high marks for policies and conditions that help grow jobs, issues on which members of the state business community often find fault.

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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 6-16-12

A Short History of Salisbury, Maryland

It was in a colonial atmosphere that Salisbury Town was “erected” by act of the Provincial Assembly on August 8, 1732 – some 276 years ago. The site of the present Main St. bridge was where the shipping business of Col. Isaac Handy was established in 1665. For the following six decades, it was known as Handy’s Landing. When the Provincial Assembly decided to erect a town on this site, it was named Salisbury after Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Many of the large land owners of the section at that time had emigrated from the vicinity of the ancient English city, some for religious reasons that they might have absolute freedom of worship, others to enlarge their fortunes in this new land.

At the time of its founding, Salisbury was a part of Somerset County and remained that way until 1867, when parts of Worcester and Somerset counties were set aside to form the new county of Wicomico. Prior to the formation of the new Wicomico County, residents had to go to either Snow Hill in Worcester County or Princess Anne in Somerset County to conduct official business. By 1867, there was enough business conducted in Salisbury to apply to the legislature for the formation of a new county. This also gave the Eastern Shore another vote in the legislature in Annapolis.

Salisbury was the center for a large farming community and the town grew along with it. The first major blow to the growth of Salisbury came in 1860, when a fire that started in the Daniel Davis building, located on the northwest corner of Main (then known as Bridge St.) and St. Peter’s streets, spread throughout what was then the “downtown” area and left Salisbury in smoldering ruins.

Slowly they rebuilt, until the area was bustling with business activity again. The railroad had started to come down through Delaware, but the Civil War interrupted the progress through Salisbury. After the war, the railroad was extended to Salisbury and that greatly enhanced the ability to move goods both to and from Salisbury. They were expanding at a rapid pace until the second major fire in 1886 destroyed 22 acres in the heart of Salisbury. After this fire, an ordinance was passed that all subsequent buildings be of either brick or stone to prevent another disaster like the fires of 1860 and 1886. The streets were also made wider to prevent fire from spreading as it had previously.

The form of government changed in 1888 from a three commissioner form of rule to a mayor and council elected by the citizens.

For the next 20 years, Salisbury experienced tremendous growth. In keeping up with the rest of the country, Salisbury acquired electricity and telephone service. The harbor was dredged to a navigable depth by 1906. Automobiles started to appear on city streets. In 1909, the dam holding back Humphreys Lake broke, exposing the land east of Division St. At one time Humphreys Lake extended from Division St. on the west to about Davis St. on the east end. The southern shore extended from where the Daily Times building is now to along S. Park Dr. The northern shore ran approximately along what is now Rt. 50- a rather large body of water to be sure. When it emptied, a group of businessmen bought the land from the Humphreys family and formed the Salisbury Realty Co. Many of today’s structures east of Division St. are built on land that was once under water.

On the southern side of Humphreys Lake, a new high school was built in 1905. Prior to this, the previous school was named Salisbury High School and was available only to residents of Salisbury. When the new school opened, it was named Wicomico High School, to reflect the fact that they served all of Wicomico County. Another new High School was opened in 1932. This is now Wicomico Middle School. The present Wicomico High School was opened in 1954. Since that time both James M. Bennett (named after a former superintendent of Wicomico County schools) and Parkside High Schools have been built.

Two other occurrences contributed to Salisbury’s growth. Route 13 was built through the city in the late 1930’s and Route 50 was built in the early 1960’s. Both of these improvements made traveling in either direction much more desirable and added to the traffic flow both to and from Salisbury. Both of these routes have been superceded by the new by-passes that have recently been completed. While this relieves the traffic flow through downtown, fewer people see Salisbury’s business district.

Major Chicago Hospital Warns Employees After LBJ's Great Grand Kids Attacks

In two separate incidents on different days, doctors have been attacked outside Northwesten hospital in the Streeterville section of Chicago. Roaming gangs of LBJ's great grand kids are the likely attackers.

The Streeterville section of Chicago is a high rent district just off Chicago's Michigan Ave shopping district. Many of Chicago's top traders and financial analysts live in the area.

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Unemployment Rates Rose In Md. And 17 Other States Last Month

Unemployment rates rose in Maryland and 17 other states in May, the most in nine months. Increasing unemployment in more than a third of U.S. states is the latest evidence of a weaker job market.

The Labor Department said that unemployment rates fell in only 14 states. That’s fewer than the previous month, when rates fell in 37 states. Rates were unchanged in 18 states.

Nationally, the rate rose to 8.2 percent in May from 8.1 percent in April, the first increase in almost a year. Employers added only 69,000 jobs, the fewest in 12 months.

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A Comment The Daily Times Refused To Publish

The June 10 article in The Daily Times about local doctors receiving money from pharmaceutical companies was revealing. No one is against honorable compensation but often this practice can appear as a conflict of interest between patient care and financial gain. Unfortunately partnering with pharmaceuticals is like swimming with the sharks as these companies are routinely involved in corrupt business practices. For example Eli-Lilly, one of the large supporters of Dr. Hearne paid $1.4 billion in 2009 to settle a single fraud case! Included in this settlement is a criminal fine of $515 million, one of the largest ever. As expected doctors will ALWAYS state that they always have their patient’s “best interest at heart” but there is ample evidence to the contrary. One does not need to look any further than the catheterization lab at PRMC which is under federal surveillance as a result of evidence of fraud or the website for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services where there is documentation of very shameful behavior by drug companies and health care providers.

Romney Agrees With Rubio on Immigration Policy: ‘We Have to Find a Long-Term Solution’

Friday afternoon, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said that he tends to agree with Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio’s stance on immigration policy.

In response to President Barack Obama’s changed position on the issue — and decision to selectively enforce illegal immigration law — Rubio said it’s a “short-term answer to a long-term problem.”

“I believe the status of young people who come here through no fault of their own is an important matter to be considered and should be solved on a long-term basis, so they know what their future would be in this country,” Romney said in a statement provided to The Daily Caller. “I think the action that the president took today makes it more difficult to reach that long-term solution because an executive order is, of course, just a short-term matter — it can be reversed by subsequent presidents.”

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