Tuesday, August 28, 2012

A Little Effort Goes A Long Way

As many of you know, last week I went out on a mission to clean up Rt. 50 as best as I could. The intent was not only to help Salisbury look a lot better, the hope in the end was to get people involved.

I'm pleased to say I received several e-mail messages from private citizens fully willing to join me in that quest, thank you.

What your about to see below is a wonderful thing. My hat is tipped to Perdue and the SHA for stepping up and helping out.

The SHA were able to bring in pre relase prisoners to mow and weed whack near the Draw Bridge and I was told they'll move further up on Rt. 50 to work on the Downtown area as well today.

Perdue also stepped up fixing the leaning fence as shown below. Thank You!

Before

After

TOGETHER we can make Salisbury beautiful again.

It just takes good examples and leadership.

So True

Newt Takes it to Chris Matthews on His 'Racist Thinking'

Chris Matthews, on Monday's Hardball, attacked Newt Gingrich with the same old liberal line about the GOP using racial code words, from Mitt Romney talking about welfare reform to Gingrich calling Barack Obama the "food stamp president." However, the former Speaker of the House wasn't having any of it, as he hit back: "Why do you assume food stamp refers to black? What kind of racist thinking do you have? Wait a second! Why aren’t you being a racist because you assume it refers to black?"

Watch the video HERE

OBAMA BLAMES SUPPORTERS IF HE FAILS

Today, President Obama sent out a campaign email essentially blaming his supporters if he loses. See, he’s supposedly being outspent. And because he’s supposedly being outspent, he’s losing. And he can’t spend more money unless his supporters fork it over.

This is the campaign version of Obama’s entire economic argument: he can’t fix the economy unless he spends more money. And unless we give him more money, he can’t spend it. So if the economy fails, it’s our fault. ...

Perhaps the most laughable aspect of this latest desperate missive is Obama’s assertion that he doesn’t have “as much time to campaign this time as I did in 2008.” He’s done nothing but campaign since the beginning of the year. From January to mid-June, Obama held more than 160 fundraisers. During that same period in 2004, President George W. Bush had held just 79 fundraisers.

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Republicans for Change

Artur Davis, a former Democratic congressman from Alabama, has been a Republican for only a few months. But his speech tonight at the Republican convention is important because he reflects a major theme of Mitt Romney’s campaign against President Obama and another theme promoted by the GOP.

The Romney theme is that it’s okay to have changed your mind about Obama. Davis, an African American and a political moderate, seconded the nomination of Obama at the Democratic convention in Denver in 2008. But he’s been disappointed in the Obama presidency and today supports Romney.

Blogger Free Speech?

It's free speech until investigated when Romneys life is threatened.

But the psych ward if you speak out on Facebook against Obamas policies!

The F.B.I. is just following marching orders?

"We are aware of it and we are taking appropriate investigative steps," Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan told FoxNews.com.

Donovan said Albert could potentially face prosecution, if the page is deemed more than an ill-advised lark.

"People have a right to free speech, but we have to determine what their intent is," Donovan said.

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NAACP to Police: Stop Macing Students

Mace and pepper spray may be accepted tools for adult crowd policing, but police who use them on students are going too far. That's the message of NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous, who, in response to reports that more than 200 of Birmingham, Ala.'s African-American high school students have been on the receiving end of these law-enforcement strategies, said in a statement today, "As long as we continue to treat students like criminals, they should grow up to become criminals."

Specifically, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization wants Birmingham Mayor William Bell to ban the use of mace and order the police to develop fairer policing policies for schoolchildren. From the NAACP statement:

NONE OF US ARE SAFE FROM THE FEDS

VICTORY: Circuit Court Orders Brandon Raub Released, Dismisses Case Against Marine Arrested, Detained in Veterans Admin. Psych Ward over Political Views, Song Lyrics Posted on Facebook
August 23, 2012

CHESTERFIELD, VA— In an unexpected ruling handed down today by Circuit Court Judge Allan Sharrett, the judge dismissed the government’s case against Brandon Raub, the Marine who was arrested by local police and FBI agents, detained in a psychiatric ward and forced to undergo psychological evaluations based solely on the controversial nature of lines from song lyrics, political messages and virtual card games which he posted to his private Facebook page. Judge Sharrett dismissed the petition for involuntary commitment on the grounds that the petition “is so devoid of any factual allegations that it could not be reasonably expected to give rise to a case or controversy.” Raub is expected to be released immediately.

“This is a great victory for the First Amendment and the rule of law,” said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “Brandon Raub was arrested with no warning, targeted for doing nothing more than speaking out against the government, detained against his will, and isolated from his family, friends and attorneys. These are the kinds of things that take place in totalitarian societies. Today, at least, Judge Allan Sharrett proved that justice can still prevail in America.”

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Montgomery County Starts Mobile Speed Camera Program

Some new technology started the first day of school with students in Montgomery County - mobile speed camera vans.

Montgomery County Police are determined to cut down on speeding in school zones and around school buses, and getting caught on one of the new cameras will cost you plenty.

And you won't hear any arguments from parents about the new additions.

"At least when you see the van...you slow down...that's a good idea," parent Janice Gondelman said.

"Struggle Of The Ant Tribe" - China's Broken Dreams

Those who think that China's centrally-planned transition to the world's leading, fastest growing economy in the shortest time in world history, coupled with its attempt to shift from a mercantilist, export-driven economy, to one sporting the world's largest middle class is progressing smoothly and according to plan, especially as related to millions of overeducated young adults who are finding it impossible to find a job in China's big cities, and find their diplomas uselss in the small ones, are urged to watch the following documentary exposing "China's Broken Dreams." From Al Jazeera: "[The Chinese] people are discovering that society's resources and opportunities are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few. People in the middle and lower strata of society are becoming increasingly marginalised and are finding that improving their lives is getting harder. [This imbalance could lead to] the rich getting richer and the poor poorer, the strong permanently strong and the weak permanently weak .... The biggest harm may not be in the gap between rich and poor itself, but the deterioration of the overall societal ecosystem." Translation: class war unlike anything seen even in America, where class war is the basis for the entire presidential campaign. Because unlike the US, "class war" in China will have a far more true to its name outcome.

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Fallen Four Seasons Liberty Oak Tree Becomes Art

For four days this week, Joe King’s workshop was a lawn near the clubhouse in the Four Seasons housing development.

King is known as Joe the Tree Carver and that’s what he does.

And Four Seasons, a gated community near Montclair for adults 55 and older, had some carving to be done.

When the derecho storm passed through the area on June 29 its strong winds toppled the Four Seasons Liberty Oak, a 107-foot white oak tree, believed to be the oldest of its kind in the county. The tree, thought to be over 200 years old, was on the county's champion tree registry.

This story is much bigger than you think. While many of you are only seeing the surface of the $1,500,000.00 Grant accepted last night, there's a LOT more to it.

There's a financial side, a political side and more motives than you can believe.

While the Firefighters stood up there last night and clearly stated they'll have some 10 Firefighters retiring over the next 2 years and these new Firefighters call fill the gaps, will they?

Will the Firefighters mentioned last night actually retire, or will they stay on for as long as they can to retain a larger retirement package.

While it sounds good, come on now, seriously?

The City Council made it very clear, when the two years is up, are you prepared to let these people go. Hoppes replied, yes.

Now I've read most of the comments coming in attacking the City Council for voting yes but you know what Ladies & Gentlemen, I've been doing this Blog thing for a lot of years and for what it's worth, here's my opinion to those comments.

I personally believe they are coming in from the old Dream Team Camp. You remember those people, right?

Well, I believe what you're going to see is the following. I firmly believe Jim Ireton is NOT going to run again for Mayor. I believe Mike Dunn is going to run for Mayor and Matt Drew is going to run for City Council to try to replace Debbie Campbell. I also believe they're going to run another Dream Team campaign based on civility.

Now, is Jim Ireton aware this is going to happen, I'm not exactly sure right now. However, ALL he has been doing is promoting the "Council Of No's" and attacking THREE Council Members in particular. So, he's either setting the CITIZENS up with the idea three Council Members refuse to work with him OR he's setting it up for Mike Dunn to come into the race in which he will claim he can get every one working together and rubber stamp whatever he wants moved forward.

Keep in mind, they NEVER saw Joe Albero for Mayor coming, so believe me, are they holding more private meetings at the Chamber of Commerce and they're plotting for this election like they did last November 8th?

The BIG question to you is, do you really want to go back to the way things were under the Tilghman Administration? The answer to me is, hell no. However, if you're a developer with special interests, (including Sassafras Meadows) we might just be in for another round of developer reimbursements and the whole nine yards.

The title of this article spells it all out. Ireton threw several hissy fits again last night and got so ticked off at me for taking pictures he actually pulled out his cell phone and started taking pictures of me. Why, I have no clue. Maybe he's got a man crush on me, I don't know. All I can tell you is, the City Council moved forward with something I'm not so sure they're completely happy with.

Debbie Campbell asked the Mayor to please produce surplus numbers from the 2012 budget. The Mayor refused to answer her request. Tim Spies then asked the Finance Director to answer Mrs. Campbell's question and she simply sat in her seat and refused to answer the question. Mayor Ireton then shouted, I'm glad you recognize that you work for me and refuse to answer the question as I asked you to do.

Look Folks, it's this simple. You have an income. You place that money in the bank. You know what your expenses are each month and you pay your bills. At the end of the month there's a balance in that account. The City works no differently. The Finance Director has always been very good at delivering these numbers, yet now the Mayor is refusing to state how much of a balance the City has. It's your money, you should know and Debbie Campbell's request was justified and fair.

Remember now, it was Debbie Campbell who asked the question that led to finding the $400,000.00 mistake in the Grant. IF Debbie had not found the money and the grant had been moved forward two weeks ago, YOU would have been held accountable for the $400,000.00 error. Mayor Ireton's demands were premature and unprofessional. In the very least Debbie Campbell saved the day on this one.

Now, as for the comments coming in ragging on her, I think we ALL know now who they're coming in from. They are attempting to use Salisbury News as a bashing tool against her. Like I said, damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Now, getting back to the grant. Council President Terry Cohen stated it better than any one else. For the past SEVERAL years under three different Fire Chief's, the Fire Department has REQUESTED 66 Firefighters each year and the City Council granted ALL 66 Firefighters. Over all those years, not once did the Fire Department ask for additional Firefighters.

Now all of a sudden they NEED an additional 12 Firefighters? Think for a moment! If YOU were running a business and business was jam packed, wouldn't you expect your upper management to come to you over the past 5 years and ask for more people to keep things going? The BOSS, (the City Council) has NOT received such a request. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

The Daily Times stated today on line that the Council rejected the request two weeks ago. NO they didn't. They stated they didn't have enough information to move forward and place it on the agenda. The Daily Times has been labeling each Council Member in recent months. Why, because they're already gearing up for a Mike Dunn run for Mayor, just as they did years ago for the Dream Team.

ALL of it ties together, you just wait and see. We'll try to continue showing you on a regular basis what they're doing because I for one am not blind to their games.

The Council Majority is serving YOUR best interest. They, nor I, have ANYTHING against Firefighters. The Chief was NOT forthcoming with honest information on this from the beginning and that threw a wrench into it right out of the gate.

Finally, the decision has been made to support the Grant. The money will be available from FEMA for two years. The Firefighters being hired will know full and well that they are being hired for that period of time and the City is NOT liable to retain these Firefighters.

I don't want to hear two years from now, HOW CAN YOU LET PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE GO! If I am your Mayor at the time and ANYONE plays that game, I'll see to it you're removed from the Salisbury Fire Department immediately. "A half truth is a whole lie".

UPDATE: It should also be noted, the RESPONSE time published in the Daily Times today is inaccurate. Allow me to explain. The RESPONSE time numbers they were going by are times in which Firefighters were furloughed. They are NOT accurate numbers.

When It Comes To Road Rage, Who Is Worse: Men Or Women?

The aggressive driver honking the horn and frequently changing lanes during your all-too-long commute is more likely to be a woman.

According to a recent Career Builder poll , 61 percent of women reported they are prone to road rage compared to 56 percent of men.

Drivers aged 55 and older reported feeling the most relaxed, while drivers ages 25 to 34 were most likely to feel road rage during their commutes.

REPORT: Almost Every Group Is Worse Off Now Than It Was Three Years Ago

As the economy sputters along, consumers are feeling the squeeze in their annual paychecks.

That's according to Sentier Research, whose latest report found household incomes have been declining ever since the recovery began in June 2009.

The numbers are striking: Yearly household income dwindled by 4.8 percent between June 2009 and 2012 from $53,508 to $50,964, although several types of households fared much worse than that.

"Based on our data, almost every group is worse off now than it was three years ago, with the exception of households with householders 65-years-old and over," said researcher Gordon Green.

We took a closer look at the report to see who's falling behind:

Non-family households: This group saw its real median annual income decline by 7.5 percent, from $33,002 to $30,512. Family households declined a little less than that by 4.7 percent.

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Officer Shoots Self In Leg in Fort Washington

A Prince George's County police officer is in serious condition after he accidentally shot himself while responding to a fox attack.

According to police spokeswoman Julie Parker, a woman called police just after 5 p.m. to report she had been bitten by a possibly rabid fox.

A Message From Delegate Mike McDermott

Delegate Michael A. McDermott announces the dedication of State Highway funds for significant upgrades of the Rt. 13 Bridge spanning Pocomoke River

(POCOMOKE) -- “I am very pleased that the Rt. 13 Bridge serving Pocomoke City along with Somerset and Worcester Counties as a major roadway will receive significant upgrades in 2013” said Delegate Mike McDermott (R-District 38). “These much needed improvements have been hard sought and it is clear that the State Highway Administration is paying attention to our needs” continued Delegate McDermott.

The planned improvements call for a complete deck replacement for the two northbound lanes and a latex overlay for the two southbound lanes. The project is expected to cost between 9 and 10 million dollars. Donnie Drewer, the District Engineer for the State Highway Administration, stated “Once the bridge work is completed, they should be in like new condition.”

This is great news for the lower shore. Recent times have brought growing concerns with the condition of the bridges spanning the Pocomoke River. Many residents, along with Pocomoke City Mayor Bruce Morrison, have voiced their concerns over the need for repairs.

“This is clearly a case where the state prioritized a project... The allocation of these funds is a big win for the lower shore” concluded Delegate McDermott. The project is expected to begin in the early fall of next year.

Help Wanted

We are looking for: receptions/salon coordinator for a busy hair salon. This is a full time position and experience is preferred but willing to train the right person. Please apply in person 29 Broad st Berlin Md, Phone 443-513-4461. Oh My Hair the salon.

Delaware State Police Issues Gold Alert

Gold Alert Subject:

Rhonda L. Mainquist, 42, Seaford, DE (Photo Attached)
White female, 5’03” tall, 125 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes.

Location Last Seen:

Residence in the 20000 block of Johnsons Road, Seaford, DE

Date Last Seen:

Monday August 20, 2012 at approximately 6:00 p.m.

Resume:
Seaford, DE- The Delaware State Police have issued a Gold Alert for a missing Seaford, DE woman.

Troopers are currently searching for Rhonda L. Mainquist, 42. Mainquist was last seen at approximately 6:00 p.m. on Monday August 20th. Rhonda Mainquist is described as a white female, 5’03” tall and 125 lbs with brown hair and blue eyes.

Rhonda Mainquist's medical condition is such that there is a real concern for her safety.

Troopers are asking anyone who may have any information as to the whereabouts of Rhonda Mainquist to contact Detective Lee Weller at 302-856-5850 ext. 216. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Study: DoD Sequestration Cuts Would Slam Federal Workforce, Delay Pain To Contractors

Large defense companies and industry associations have claimed that the threatened sequestration cuts to the federal budget would cause an immediate hit to the bottom lines of contractors, their workforces and consequently the broader economy if the cuts kick in as planned on Jan. 2. A new study finds that's not necessarily so, but that on the other hand, cuts to federal civilian employee payrolls would happen almost overnight.

In the Defense Department, 108,000 civilian full-time equivalent jobs would likely disappear right away, but sequestration's effects on most of DoD's contracted spending would take months or years to fully manifest themselves, according to a think tank's close examination of the Pentagon's 2013 spending plans and the law that mandates the automatic cuts.

Pitchfork Protest Farmer Confronts Government Corruption And Retribution

American Thinker was the first to report about how Fauquier County, Virginia attempted to fine farmer Martha Boneta for hosting a birthday party for eight 10-year-old girls without a special events permit. She was also fined for selling her farm produce without a special administrative permit, even though she had a business license that allowed those sales.

As also reported here, Martha the farmer lost her appeal before the county's Board of Zoning Appeals. What has not been reported is that Fauquier County, without explanation, refused to renew her business license just days before her appeal hearing. She has been forced to shut down her small farm store where she sells organic vegetables, fiber, and feather products from her farm animals (she has over 160, most of which are rescued), as well as beeswax candles, goats milk soaps, and other products from her farming activities.

Because she could not sell her organic vegetables in this critical part of the harvest season, Martha donated them to a local food bank before they rotted. Fauquier County zoning administrator and bureaucratic bully Kimberley Johnson is probably busy concocting some charge against Martha for giving away her veggies without a permit. No tomato is beyond the reach of tyrants.

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Protect The Banks At All Costs

Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob a country.

Those are the very true words that two weeks ago had a man in Pennsylvania arrested. His purported crime? Terroristic threats, and the attempted robbery of the bank he was protesting!

An Occupy Easton protester faces an attempted bank robbery charge following an arrest at an organized event at a bank – during which the “Occupier” was holding a sign that reportedly read “You’re being robbed.”

According to The Express-Times [12], Dave Gorczynski allegedly held cardboard signs outside a Wells Fargo Branch that read, “You’re being robbed,” while the other said, “Give a man a gun, he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob a country.”

Occupy Easton reports on their Facebook page [13] that Gorczynski “was at the bank protesting the theft of our tax dollars, our homes, and our economy by the criminal banksters.”

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A Question About The NY Shooting

People who want to take guns away from citizens often argue that it’s dangerous for citizens to have guns. They will say, “innocent people will get shot in the crossfire” in the event an armed civilian uses a gun to stop an armed criminal.

I wonder what they’ll say about what just happened in NYC?

According to reports, a laid-off women’s clothing designer named Jeffrey Johnson, 58, decided to shoot his ex-boss. He pulled out a .45 pistol and did so – and was himself almost immediately gunned down by a gaggle of city cops. Problem is, the cops ending up shooting more people than the gunman. Eight people were shot – by the cops. (news story here.)

I can't stand when my child says _____.

BREAKING NEWS: Isaac Becomes Category 1 Hurricane

National Hurricane Center confirms Isaac reaches Category 1 hurricane strength -- and getting stronger -- as it heads toward landfall near New Orleans.

From Fox News

Jim Rogers Issues Dramatic Warning - Money Morning

In a riveting interview on CNBC, legendary investor Jim Rogers warned Americans to prepare for "Financial Armageddon," saying he fully expects the economy to implode after the U.S. election.

Rogers, who for years has been an outspoken critic of the Feds policies of "Quantitative Easing," says the world is "drowning in too much debt." He put the blame squarely on U.S. and European governments for abusing their "license to print money." In the U.S. alone, the national debt has surged to nearly $16 trillion, that's more than $50,000 for every American man, woman and child.

"[They] need to stop spending money they don't have," Rogers said. "The solution to too much debt is not more debt... What would make me very excited is if a few people [in the government] went bankrupt..." Rogers added.

Rogers also charged Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel with promoting dangerous policies that create the illusion the economy is stable... but are really only intended to buy time before their upcoming elections.

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Socialism American Style

Mr. Milos Foreman is a renowned film director but not a good political economist. This is evident in his New York Times op-ed defense of Barack Obama from those who charge the president with being a socialist. (See his essay, "Obama the Socialist? Not Even Close" in the July 10th issue of the paper.)

When someone on the American political landscape is accused of being a socialist, the claim has little directly to do with Stalinism and a lot more with the kind of system they had in Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland and other Soviet colonies, namely the phony promise of cradle-to-grave security and relentless government meddling in people's lives (goulash communism). Call it Norman Thomas style socialism, the kind that so many academic socialists in the West champion.

The brutality known as Soviet style socialism comes later. It is not the first step. But we get a good clue about its approach in America when one understands the meaning of a term like "mandate." It means coerce, plain and simple!

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Why Everybody's Going To War In The Middle East

"Everybody's going to war but we don't know what we are fighting for." – Nerina Pallot, from "Everybody's Gone to War"

Iran Wants War

Although a peaceful nation for hundreds of years, Iran was invaded and occupied by the Allies in both World War One and Two. Then in 1980, at the urging of the United States, Saddam Hussein invaded them and used poison gas against both Kurds and Iran. Over 500,000 civilians, Iranian and Iraqi soldiers died in the longest war of the 20th century, which lasted until 1988.

Iran wants war because they believe they can withstand an Israel and US air assault and that unless they are invaded and occupied they can claim victory. No Middle East nation has ever been victorious against either the US or Israel and to declare victory against both will make Iran the leading nation across the entire region, at least for the people in the street. An Israel/US assault would also solve growing domestic political problems against the regime.

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Today's Advertiser Of The Day 8-28-12

Ron Paul Urges His Followers To Stay Engaged In GOP

TAMPA – Rep. Ron Paul is entering the twilight of his political career, but for the masses he inspired — the liberty movement marches on.

Thousands of the Texas Republican's followers filled the University of South Florida's Sun Dome to hear Paul speak on the eve of the Republican National Convention, a backdrop that served as a reminder of Paul's unsuccessful presidential campaigns and the reality that he is unlikely to seek the office again.

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WALL STREET SOURS ON OBAMA, ROOTING FOR ROMNEY

As Mitt Romney accepts the Republican Party’s presidential nomination this week, he will try to convince voters across the nation that he has the executive experience and business savvy needed to strengthen its economy – and that he’s the best person to lead the country.

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British Government Backs Off Assange

The British government has now backed off its threat to storm the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to arrest Julian Assange. That threat, made the night before Ecuador granted Assange diplomatic asylum, was seen as an unprecedented diplomatic maneuver that weakened ties between the two nations. In a press conference on Sunday, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa noted that his government had received a message from the British Foreign Office saying there was no longer any threat to enter the embas s y prompting him to s ay, "we cons ider this unfortunate incident over." For Julian As s ange, however, it's far from over. Secret police documents uncovered last week reveal that British police are under orders to arres t As s ange as s oon as he s teps out of the embas s y, regardles s of whether or not he is in a diplomatic car. There's no end in sight for the world's most notorious journalist.

Today's Survey Question 8-28-12

Do you support the Council's decision to move forward

with the Fire Department Grant last night?

US Military Issues Insider Attack Guide

As if this recently common occurrence of "insider attacks" could get any more bizarre and scary, the US military has begun issuing 'Insider Attack' pocket reference guides to troops.

According to the website Truth-Out, the booklet advises troops to 'respect Islam, elders, children and women' in order to stave off insider attacks. The guide also says that predeployment training should include scenarios of "green on blue" attacks for lower-level commanders "to prevent complacency and conduct risk assessments with" insider attacks in mind.

At this point, I have to wonder out loud: is everyone willfully ignoring the elephant on the couch? Are we all now complicit in this untruth?

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Attention Meat Eaters

Here's a warning to all meat-eaters out there – you may be forced to completely change your diet in the near future – and you can thank global climate change and overpopulation for it.

Citing population trends that show there will be 2 billion more people on the planet by 2050, and dwindling water resources, a team of scientists with the Stockholm International Water Institute warned that in the next forty years – the world's population will be forced to radically change their diet – going almost completely vegetarian. Currently, humans get 20% of their protein intake from eating animals, but scientists warn there will s imply not be enough water res ources to s upply extra animal-bas ed products for two billion more people. Ins tead, humans will have to cut back on their animal protein consumption to 5% by 2050. If left unchecked, run away global climate change is going to make life very different for all of us in the near future – and not in a good way.

QUOTE OF THE DAY 8-28-12

“I believe order is better than chaos, creation better than destruction. I prefer gentleness to violence, forgiveness to vendetta. On the whole I think that knowledge is preferable to ignorance, and I am sure that human sympathy is more valuable than ideology. I believe that in spite of the recent triumphs of science, men haven’t changed much in the last two thousand years; and in consequence we must try to learn from history.”

Kenneth Clark, Civilisation

8 Kids Taken From Va. Home, 2 Women Face Charges

Eight children were removed from a Fredericksburg home Sunday after officers found squalid conditions and a nude child wandering around at a nearby convenience store, authorities say.

Spotsylvania County Sheriff's officials say that they were first alerted to the situation when employees at a Wawa convenience store in the 10700 block of Courthouse Road found the young girl walking around naked in the parking lot. When deputies arrived, the girl was able to point out her home.

Upon entering the home, officials say that deputies immediately noticed a strong odor of rotten food and animal waste. Seven more children, ranging in age from seven months to 16 years old, were also found inside. Deputies found animal droppings throughout the residents as well as rotted food in the kitchen.

CHICAGO - MY KIND OF TOWN

Chicago needs Wyatt Earp
The last few days have seen an astonishing explosion of violence in the city of Chicago.

Two nights ago, 4 were killed and 15 wounded in a spree where 13 of those victims were shot in just 1/2 an hour.

Last night, one was killed and 16 wounded in another spasm of violence. So far this August, there have been 50 homicides in the city, 15 more than occurred in August, 2011.

This website gives the gory details. Hundreds have been wounded in addition to the record number of homicides.

Meanwhile, police arrested 20 “juveniles” for “rowdy” behavior along the Magnificent Mile. Kids were pushing pedestrians, darting in and out of traffic as police pursued the gang up and down Michigan avenue.

The city is being rocked by lawlessness. Simply put, the streets are unsafe anywhere. There have been a lot of theories about why the sudden outbreak of violence is occurring. Blame is being assigned to Mayor Emanuel or the economic situation that has meant far fewer jobs for young men.

It hardly matters. The question is, what should be done about it?

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More Than Empire State Building Shooting Friday

The Empire State building shooting last Friday dominated the news, but it wasn't the only mass shooting in America. The night before in Chicago, 19 people were s hot in a s eries of mas s s hootings acros s the city. With the Aurora theatre s hooting and the recent Sikh temple shooting still fresh in our minds, mass shootings have reached epidemic levels in America. Gun activists will argue this is proof that the nation should have even more guns so people can protect themselves and spring into action by returning fire when someone starts shooting, but what happened in New York City at the Empire State building proves that point wrong. Ballis tic tes ts s how that all nine bys tanders who were injured during the s hoot-out in the s treet, were shot by police – not the gunman. In other words, even highly trained officers were unable to take down the shooter without als o firing errant bullets into innocent bys tanders . One can only imagine the tragedy if thos e bys tanders were als o armed and decided to join the shoot-out. Plain and simple, more guns make our nation more dangerous – and anyone who says otherwise is just looking to make a profit off more gun sales.

MAYOR IRETON WILL NOT BE REPRESENTED IN LAWSUIT WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS

We have been patiently waiting for Jim Ireton to respond to our lawsuit against him. Normally Ireton would have 30 days to respond but he asked for an extension and we kindly agreed to extend it for another 30 days.

Yesterday was his final day to respond and at 4:25 PM his attorney William Hall finally delivered documents to the Court House stating he would be representing him.

So what does this mean, it means the City Council DENIED his request to represent him with legal council and rightfully so. We filed a lawsuit against Mr. Jim Ireton for a PERSONAL phone call. The Council recognized it as such and now Jim will have to pay out of pocket to defend his slanderous remarks.

PUBLISHERS NOTES: I stand corrected in this article. The City Council had no say in this matter whatsoever. I hope the Council can forgive me for this mistake.

Teen Pot Use Linked To Later Declines In IQ

Teens who routinely smoke marijuana risk a long-term drop in their IQ, a new study suggests.

The researchers didn't find the same IQ dip for people who became frequent users of pot after 18. Although experts said the new findings are not definitive, they do fit in with earlier signs that the drug is especially harmful to the developing brain.

"Parents should understand that their adolescents are particularly vulnerable,'" said lead researcher Madeline Meier of Duke University.

Campaign Email Overload? We've Got A Website For That

This election season we've been collecting campaign emails for our Message Machine project. While we're trying to reverse engineer how these emails are targeted at voters, we also find ourselves giggling from time to time at the awkardly familiar nature of the subject lines and messages.

We're not the only ones either. This week, New York Magazine selected a few of Obama for America's emails. The New Yorker and Politico have had their fun too. And, of course, the Daily Show ran a segment about the Obama emails back in April. Romney for President sends their share of amusing subject lines, too. An Aug. 3 email was simply headlined "Ugh" and another on Aug. 12 went all caps: "COURAGEOUS REFORMER."

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Fish And Wildlife Enforcement Agents Arrest Salisbury Man On Drug-Related Charges

SEAFORD - DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement agents arrested a Salisbury man on Aug. 22 on drug-related charges at DNREC’s Phillips Landing boat ramp in the Nanticoke Wildlife Area near Seaford.

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JINDAL SAYS OBAMA'S HURRICANE AID FALLS SHORT

President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Louisiana on Monday as that state and others along the Gulf Coast prepared for Tropical Storm Isaac.

The White House said Obama informed Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal of the emergency declaration in a phone call. The declaration makes federal support available to save lives, protect public health and safety and preserve property in coastal areas.

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Lance Armstrong: Was He Doping Or Experimenting With Science?

Pro athletes are human science experiments, pushing their bodies to new limits. But should they be punished for that?

Lance Armstrong is a great champion. There is no question. The first time I met him in 1991, you could see that the kid had it all: ruthlessness, enormous power and a savage desire to win that was almost frightening in its intensity. All that, and he was always ready with a soundbite. Lance was the complete package. And two years later, at age 21, he became the youngest rider in modern history to become the World Professional Road Champion.

We all know the rest of the story. After his bout with cancer in 1996, his recovery and subsequent metamorphosis into a lethal, streamlined Tour de France contender was stunning — as was the new laser-beam focus that earned him the nickname “RoboCop” in the peloton. The rest of the pros never had a chance.

So now that he has been stripped of his seven Tour de France wins and banned from cycling for the rest of his life by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), we have to ask the question. Did Lance Armstrong really win all those titles, beat all those other cyclists, endure the unimaginable hardships of long-distance competition just because he’s a cheater?

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It’s Alive!

Many of ACORN’s affiliates, allies, and old chapters remain active under different names—and at least two have received federal dollars—despite the left-wing community-organizing group’s official dissolution and ban on receiving federal funds, according to a new report.

Cause of Action, a nonprofit government watchdog group, recently identified 174 active or rebranded ACORN affiliates, as well as organizations that share former ACORN staff.

The groups shared the same physical location, leadership or staff, or tax ID number as old ACORN chapters, Cause of Action said.

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WCSO Press Releases 8-28-12

Incident: Attempted Murder
Date of Incident: 19 August 2012
Location: 400 block of N. Main Street, Hebron, MD
Suspect: Anthony Shane Vincent, 25, Hebron, MD

Narrative: On 19 August 2012, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into an assault that had reportedly occurred in Hebron. According to a female victim the deputy learned that Vincent began a verbal altercation with her inside a camper trailer they shared that allegedly turned physical. The victim told the deputy that Vincent struck her in the head with a closed fist before brandishing a hand gun. According to the victim, Vincent placed the barrel of the gun against her head and threatened to kill her prior to pulling the trigger. The gun did not fire.

The victim told the deputy that she believed Vincent was going to kill her.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the deputy obtained a warrant for Vincent’s arrest along with a search and seizure warrant for the property where Vincent resided for the purpose of located the firearm used in this incident. The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team assisted with the execution of the arrest warrant and a no-knock search warrant for the house and camper on the property
where Vincent resided on Friday 24 August 2012.

Vincent was taken into custody and transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Vincent in the Detention Center without bond.

Charges: Attempted 1st Degree Murder / Assault 1st Degree / Reckless Endangerment

Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Date of Incident: 25 August 2012
Location: Wood Creek Parkway, Delmar, MD
Suspect: Geoffrey Alexander Bubas, 42, Delmar, MD

Narrative: On 25 August 2012 at 12:46 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to Wood Creek parkway near Lynch Drive in Delmar for a reported motor vehicle collision. Upon arrival, the deputy observed that a Toyota 4-Runner had left the roadway, crashed through a chain linked fence and was stuck on top of a transformer box. Upon making contact with the operator of the Toyota, the deputy detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. Based on the odor of alcohol and other observations, the deputy began to administer sobriety testing on Bubas which Bubas performed poorly on.

The deputy placed Bubas under arrest for Driving Under the influence of Alcohol.
During processing Bubas agreed to take a breath test and he was transported for that purpose. The result of the test was .20.

The deputy released Bubas upon the issuance of citations/

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se

Incident: Theft
Date of Incident: 24 August 2012
Location: 500 block of West Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Terry Anthony Wright, 52, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 24 August 2012 at 3:00 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the theft of three car batteries from three separate work trucks parked at a commercial property in the 500 block of West Road. The deputy met with an employee who witnessed the theft and provided a description of both the suspect and vehicle used in this incident. The deputy went
to a nearby scrap recycler and learned that a named suspect had just brought the three batteries in question to the facility and exchanged them for cash. After reviewing surveillance video from the scrap recycler,
the deputy observed that the suspect and vehicle matched the description provided by the witness. The scrap yard provided an identity for the suspect, Terry Anthony Wright of Salisbury.

The deputy obtained a warrant for the arrest of Wright and he was apprehended later that same day. Upon arrest, the deputy transported Wright to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Wright in the Detention Center in lieu of $5,000.00 bond.

Charges: Theft under $1,000.00

Incident: Burglary
Date of Incident: 25 August 2012
Location: 32000 block of E. Line Road, Delmar, MD
Suspect: Joshua D. Shelton, 21, Delmar, MD

Narrative: On 25 August 2012 at 9:04 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported incident at a poultry farm in the 32000 block of East Line Road in Delmar. Upon arrival, the deputy met with the property owner who advised that the electric power had been turned off to his three chicken houses on his property during the night-time hour which deprived the flock of food,
water and cooling fans. As a result, almost the entire flock was found deceased. When the property owner entered the control shed which controlled the power, he located an unknown male suspect passed out on the floor of the shed, clad only in a T-Shirt and boxer shorts. This subject was also lying in a pool of his own urine. A strong odor of alcohol was also coming from the subject.

The investigating deputy managed to wake the subject and identified him as Joshua Shelton of Delmar.

Shelton advised the last thing he remembered was being on the property after a nearby concert but did not know how he ended up in the shed. The deputy surmised that in his intoxicated state, Shelton turned off the circuit breakers that controlled the electricity to the chicken houses.

It is believed that the chickens in the three houses numbered close to 70,000 and their value was in the vicinity of $20,000.00. The chickens were due to be delivered to a local processing plant the following day.

The deputy transported Shelton to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Shelton in the Detention Center in lieu of $75,000.00 bond.

Charges: Burglary 2nd Degree / Trespass / Malicious Destruction of Property

GOP convention: Party Hopes To Rally Voters With First Full Day Of Events

The Republican National Convention is officially underway. While Tropical Storm Issac cut the convention's first day short, Tuesday promises to be a packed day.

One of the first orders of the day will be the roll call of states, marking Mitt Romney's formal nomination as the party's pick for president.

But it's when voters tune in at night that they really hope to capture the public's attention. With each speaker that takes the podium, the GOP hopes to rally the base and win still undecided voters.

The Democratic National Committee is taking flak from women’s groups for the lack of child care that is being provided at the convention.

The Charlotte Observer reports that children will not be allowed access on the floor of the Democratic National Convention and that daycare will not be provided for delegates who bring their kids.

Women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem and several National Organization of Women chapters have called out the DNC for the “discrimination against mothers with young children.”

Family Of Alleged Shooter "Horrified"

The father of a 15-year-old student who police say shot another student at a Baltimore County high school says his son was bullied.

The father spoke to a reporter at his home Monday evening and said his son was the shooter. The Associated Press is not identifying the teen or his family because he is a juvenile and has not been charged.

Salisbury Fire Department Post

Don't think for a second we won't be delivering a Post about last night's Council Decision to move forward with a $1.5 Million dollar grant.

In fact, expect at least two Posts on that topic today. Please be patient.

Libertarian Party Certified By Maryland Board Of Elections

Salisbury, MD: It's official - the Maryland Libertarian Party will be on the ballot through 2014. Maryland Libertarian Party Chair Bob Johnston announced today that the Maryland Board of Elections certified 11,113 valid signatures, which certifies the Libertarian Party in the State of Maryland.

This means that Libertarian Muir Boda will be on the ballot in the First District challenging Incumbent Republican Andy Harris and Democrat Wendy Rosen. First District and all Maryland Voters will have the opportunity to vote for Libertarians Dr. Dean Ahmed for the U.S. Senate and former two term New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson for President.

Muir Boda stated, "We are so grateful for the hard work put into this drive for ballot access. This was a true grassroots political effort that will offer real alternatives to the two major political parties. Thank you to all who petitioned and to all who signed the petition giving voters more legitimate choices in November. Liberty is on the ballot!"

For more information on these candidates and where they stand on the issues you can visit their websites. Muir Boda's website is www.boda4congress.com, Dr. Dean Ahmed's website is www.ahmedforUSsenate.info and Gov. Gary Johnson's website is www.garyjohnson2012.com.

The Libertarian Party is America's third‐largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Maryland Libertarian Party atwww.md.lp.org and the Libertarian Party by visiting www.LP.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

Drivers Complain Of Red Light Cameras Flashing Without Reason

Are some red light cameras in the area too sensitive, or are they just functioning the way they are supposed to?

Drivers tell WTOP that red light cameras in certain locations seem to be flashing, even though a car doesn't run a red light. There have been particular complaints about cameras in Montgomery County.

The blog, Stop Big Brother Maryland, also points out the occurrences.

Turns out, there's a reason for all the extra flashing.

Is there any calumny that Barack Obama and his minions have not tried to use against Mitt Romney? They have accused him of being:

A murderer. Remember the Joe Soptic ad?
A felon. Remember Stephanie Cutter calling Romney a felon?
A man who tolerates those who are soft on rape.

But those slanders weren’t enough. Now the Democratic governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley, who has ambitions for 2016, has called Romney a racist, and you’ll never guess which site gave him a megaphone to use.