Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Mr. Pollitt make Humane Society Accountable

SALLY JONESHallelujah Acres/Homestead Farm
27798 Nanticoke Rd.
Salisbury, MD 21801

(410) 430-5448/cell (410) 742-0079/home

04/09/2013

Mr. Rick Pollitt, 1st Wicomico County ExecutiveGovernment Office Bldg., Room 303
Salisbury, MD 21801

RE: Investigation of Humane Society of Wicomico County

Dear Mr. Pollitt,

I am requesting you & Mr. Strausburg investigate the NON-REGULATED, NON ACCOUNTABLE

Humane Society of Wicomico County. You appropriate a large amount of taxpayer money to them through contracts for 1. Animal Control & 2. the Housing & Care of stray animals. I believe it was in the amount of $240,000 for 2013.

In addition to that money, Wicomico County rents them the facility on Citation Drive for $1 a year hugely adding to the total payment if real-time rent was paid.

It is unfathomable to me & many citizens that HSWC receive taxpayer money without being monitored or accountable for the precious lives of animals that are dependent on human intervention. What other organization or facility is entrusted with LIVES & not answerable to the government & public? It is totally reckless, inconceivable, & derelict to let this private family-run club operate at the cost of the animals.

Through their own admission on their web page, they state they are a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. That they govern themselves with a Board of Directors & Executive Director. That they are not a Wicomico County entity & ARE NOT UNDER Wicomico County SUPERVISION. Yet they receive $240,000 a year from the County,
(to me) an unknown amount of money from the City of Salisbury, $20,000 from the Town of Delmar, plus I assume money from Dorchester County since they are picking up their strays. I, also, understand that if Delmar did away with their animal ordinances, they would fall under the jurisdiction of Wicomico County eliminating that $20,000 & AC spending 20 hours a week there with the other 20 for Salisbury. Is that double pay for 1 Officer?

The citizens & animal lovers of Wicomico County need your help.

To many of us the animals are like our "children". Look at the regulations on child care facilities yet the HSWC take in these animals which is the end of the road for many at the hands of what we believe are INHUMANE LEADERS.The stories & incidences in 2013 & 2012 are too sad & lengthy to list. Citizen complaints have been ignored with rudeness, silence, & non response. We have written, called, & visited The Wicomico County Council, The Wicomico County Sheriff's Department & each direction has led to your authority as our only hope. The TV reports have shown the unconscionableness & non-conforming attitude of this "private family owned & operated country club".

Page 2

Why is there no Animal Control on weekends? Why are they not on call after "closing time"? Two officers can have staggered hours (8-5,10-7) & staggered days (Mon-Fri, Tues-Sat) with on-call rotation on weekends for better coverage. Let the On Call Officer take home the Animal Control vehicle like David Fitzgerald does every day to Berlin riding on taxpayer dollars. ..

Questions to be asked with a monthly accounting:

1. How many stray animals were brought in by Animal Control?

2. How many stray animals were brought in by the public?

3. How many stray animals were brought from Dorchester?

a. What is the arrangement with Dorchester County?

b. Who picks them up & brings them to HSWC? How much expense, how many man hours & travel time

c. How are Dorchester people going to find or know to check Wicomico to locate their pets?

d. Are the strays up for adoption at WC cost?

4. How many calls are received at AC & HS?

a. How many are responded to & investigated?

b. How many followup calls & results? Abuse & Neglect must be monitored regularly.

It takes followup. followup. followup?

c. How many citations written?

d. How many court/trial cases & results?

5. How many dogs running loose?

a. How many times were the owner's contacted?

6. How many animals were adopted?

7. Why are the City Animal Control Officers allowed only at the FRONT COUNTER?

a. Why won't the HSWC tell the City Officers where the dogs are & what has been done to them or for them?

You rent the Citation Drive property to the HSWC for $1 a year. That is a huge amount of money to be added to the contract money paid yearly.

1. Building renovations:

a. Do they ask approval & submit a proposal?

b. Does it matter they spend more money on the office than improvements for the animals?

c. Does it matter that they keep more & more animals outside?

d. Does.it matter when you go in to adopt a pet, they only let you look at a portion of the kennels? They explain the others cannot be seen without David being there?

Mr. Pollitt, this information should be giving you great concern for the welfare of the BELOVED pets/animals that go to the Humane Society of Wicomico County because of their OWNERS & the other animals that need to go there. Sadly animals are dependent on humans & it is our responsibility to have concern, compassion, solutions, provide safety /protection & merciful resolutions.

WILL YOU HELP??? MONEY TALKS!!!

NON PROFIT??? HSWC 2011 Form 990: Total Revenue $635,436, Total Expenses ,$659,821, Net Assets $771,908

Sincerely, Sally Jones

I'm A Little Bit Country, You're A Little Bit Black: Brad Paisley and LL Cool J's 'Accidental Racist'

Good news everyone: We solved racism. We can all can go home now. That whole "black and white" thing? Fuhgeddaboudit. Thanks to Brad Paisley and LL Cool J, we're finally greeting the brave new dawn of a post-racial United States. While the rest of Americans were busy either hauling tail in their F-150s to Alabama concerts, or shopping the top spring collections of gold chains and do-rags, leave it to the "Country Singer" and "the Rapper" to heal our country's centuries-old wounds in the course of a song. If that sounded as stupefyingly reductive as the title of this article, read on; it all pales in comparison to Paisley and Mr. Ladies Love's new song, "Accidental Racist."

Paisley's latest record, "Wheelhouse," may have only came out today, but he's already one of the most talked-about modern country artists of the year. Of course, most of that attention is for all the wrong reasons. Specifically, his race baiting single with rapper LL Cool J, "Accidental Racist," which imagines a hypothetical conversation between a proud "White Man comin' from the Southland" and a "Black Yankee" in a Starbucks.More

Social Communism 101

Glenn Beck opened his radio show Monday in a state of near disbelief over an MSNBC promo where anchor Melissa Harris-Perry calmly explains how your children don’t really belong to you — they belong to the collective.

“It’s almost a parody of reality,” Beck said of the clip. “It is so far beyond what we have ever thought as a nation, it’s remarkable…”

For those who haven’t seen the advertisement, Harris-Perry says:
We have never invested as much in public education as we should have because we’ve always had kind of a private notion of children. Your kid is yours and totally your responsibility. We haven’t had a very collective notion of these are our children. So part of it is we have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parentsor kids belong to their families and recognize that kids belong to whole communities. [Emphasis added]

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US EXPECTED TO INCREASE AID TO SYRIAN REBELS

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration's next step in aid to Syrian rebels is expected to be a broader package of nonlethal assistance, but expanding from food and medical supplies to body armor and night-vision goggles, as the U.S. grapples for ways to stem the bloodshed from Syria's civil war.

However, President Barack Obama has not given final approval on any new package and an announcement is not imminent, a senior administration official said. The U.S. continues to oppose directly arming the Syrian rebels, in part out of fear that the weapons could fall into the hands of rebels like those who have allied themselves with al-Qaida in Iraq.

Secretary of State John Kerry hinted at the new nonlethal aid package this week, saying the administration had been holding intense talks on how to boost assistance to the rebels fighting forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad.
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The "It Can't Happen Here" Syndrome

Here is a short quiz for you. Ready?

What’s the current situation with Lindsay Lohan’s rehab?

Who won the latest “Dancing With the Stars”?

Name five celebrities with “baby bumps.”

Explain how the Cypriot banking crisis could impact the European economy.

If you answered the first three questions but are clueless on the fourth, you’re in good company. Estimates are that up to half the population in America is ignorant about the situation in Cyprus. Oh sure, they hear snippets on the evening news, but since it’s far away and happening to other people, they don’t worry about it.

These people are suffering from a Normalcy Bias.

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Anti-Abortion Group Forms At Johns Hopkins

An anti-abortion group that plans to talk to women outside clinics has been denied official recognition at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

The decision by the Hopkins Student Government Association means that Voice for Life will not get funding from the university and may be unable to hold events on campus, The Baltimore Sun reported.

A student appeals panel was expected to hold a hearing Tuesday on the association's decision.

The group had formerly been active at Hopkins but has been moribund since 2010. Andrew Guernsey, 18, a freshman from Ave Maria, Fla., is leading a movement to revive the group and get its members involved in "sidewalk counseling" at clinics near the Hopkins campus.
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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

APRIL 15, 2013 6:00 p.m.

Government Office Building Room 301

 CONVENE – MEDITATION – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 ADOPTION OF AGENDA

 APPROVAL OF APRIL 8, 2013 MINUTES

 COUNCIL / COUNCIL PRESIDENT COMMENTS

 PRESENTATION – Mayor James Ireton, Jr./Council President Terry Cohen

 ADMINISTERING OATH OF OFFICE – Mark Bowen, Clerk of Circuit Court

 ORGANIZATION OF CITY COUNCIL

 Election of City Council President

 Election of City Council Vice President

 CONCLUDING COMMENTS

 ADJOURN

Delay Of Trial

Osama Bin Laden’s son-in-law may have his trial delayed because of sequestration, of all things

Sulaiman Abu Ghaith is charged with conspiring to kill Americans. But his lawyers must take a furlough because of budget cuts.
One of the nation's biggest terrorism trials is facing a months-long delay because of budget cuts in Washington.

A judge Monday proposed a September trial date for Osama Bin Laden's son-in-law and mouthpiece Sulaiman Abu Ghaith.

Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), fresh off a string of wins in the Maryland General Assembly on liberal issues, is scheduled to appear in Denmark on Friday as part of a panel at a conference on “progressive governance.”

The two-day gathering in Copenhagen is being organized by the Policy Network, a think tank based in London, and the Center for American Progress in Washington.

According to the program, O’Malley’s fellow panelists will include Stefan Lofven, leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party; Ed Miliband, leader of the British Labor Party; Diederick Samson, leader of the Dutch Labour Party; and Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the prime minister of Denmark.
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Definition Of Insanity

BREAKING NEWS: Postal Service Delays End To Saturday Delivery

The US Postal Service says it will delay a cost-cutting plan to end Saturday mail delivery, scheduled to go into effect in August.

From Fox News

PALIN ADVISERS: 'UNCONSCIONABLE' MAINSTREAM PRESS EXPLOITED THATCHER'S DEATH FOR SMEARS

Mainstream media publications immediately exploited the passing of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on Monday to again advance their political agendas by falsely smearing former Alaska Gov. and Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

In a rush to write whatever they could to tarnish both, outlets like Politico and theWashington Post resorted to "reporting" on a fictitious story and an imaginary trip that have already been debunked years ago.

The Post, a publication known for its liberal agenda, immediately "re-upped" the debunked story about Thatcher having snubbed Palin when Chris Cillizza, the editor of "The Fix," allowed his underling to publish parts of the disproven 2011 report.
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You Decide

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Where Do The Rich And Poor Live?

From counties with a 50%-plus poverty rate to counties with over 20% of household incomes over $200,000, the United States is increasingly becoming a divided union. But all the time American Idol is on, and the iPad is still running, Aldous Huxley's vision of a 'numb' society (as opposed to an Orwellian 1984 'imposed' utopia) seems more and more realistic.

Another Exclusive Party at W.H.—at Taxpayer Expense

On Barack and Michelle Obama's schedule for today, this event is listed:

7:30PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY host a concert celebrating Memphis Soul music as part of their “In Performance at the White House” series; THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks

As the White House has previously announced, Justin Timberlake (who will be making his White House debut), Al Green, Ben Harper, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper, Joshua Ledet, Sam Moore, Charlie Musselwhite, Mavis Staples, and others will be performing at the exclusive event.

But while the performers are known, the guest list for the private event has not yet been released.
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Pa. Man Charged With Bomb Threat At White House

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Pennsylvania man has been arrested after police say he made a bomb threat outside the White House.

D.C. police spokesman Araz Alali says the man approached an officer at the White House gates Wednesday morning and warned that a bomb would detonate in a truck parked nearby.

Surrounding streets and the entrance to a nearby Metro rail station were shut down as the Secret Service inspected the vehicle for explosives.
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Turncoats McCain And Graham

Fellow Conservatives:

John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are back at it again.

Last month, they called Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) "ridiculous" and "wacko birds" for mounting a filibuster to stop the federal government from attacking Americans with drones without due process.

Now they're criticizing Senate conservatives for working to defeat a sweeping gun control bill written by Harry Reid (D-NV) that creates a new gun tax and a federal gun list to track American gun owners.

McCain and Graham say they just want to debate the issue, but the only reason to bring a gun control bill to the Senate floor is to pass it. Once the bill gets over the initial 60-vote hurdle and Harry Reid starts buying senators off with various amendments, it will be almost impossible to stop.

A vote to bring Harry Reid's gun control bill to the Senate the floor is a vote against the 2nd Amendment.

And a vote against the filibuster led by Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) is a betrayal of our principles.

SCF is doing everything it can to win this important battle. In fact, we launched a national radio and television campaign yesterday to collect 1 million petitions urging the Senate to defend the 2nd Amendment. Please call 1-800-605-1755 to add your name to the petition.

Language Lab Open House

WHAT: Open House

WHO: English language learners, agencies who serve this population

WHEN: Tuesday, April 16, 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Main Library, Children’s Side

SALISBURY, MD – Wicomico Public Library is holding an Open House for English language learners and teachers on Tuesday, April 16th at 5:30 p.m. upstairs in the new Language Lab which is located on the Children’s side of the Main Library. There will be information about local services for the immigrant community/limited English residents, as well as a chance to see the new Language Lab. Library tours will be available as well as the opportunity to sign up for a library card.

Wicomico Public Library received $15,000 to support outreach to county residents who are learning English and becoming citizens. The Library is one of 150 American Dream libraries nationwide, and one of only 11 that received funding in 2012 and 2013 from the American Library Association and Dollar General Literacy Foundation.
You Belong @Wicomico Public Library!

California Lawmaker Seeking To Extend Bar Hours Not Ready To Part With That Beer At 2 A.M.

To a person, the one thing visiting friends alwayssaid to me after I moved to New York City was: “It’s crazy how late bars are open here!” Crazy, maybe, but last call is at 4 a.m., and not 2 a.m. like many other establishments across the country. One California lawmaker has apparently been visiting pals in the Big Apple because he wants his state to adopt those later hours for last call.

State Sen. Mark Leno has proposed to keep the good times flowing until 4 a.m. in order to attract tourists — perhaps those same friends of mine so flabbergasted by the idea of more hours within which to guzzle, swig, chug and otherwise down drinks — and all the money tourists spend on entertaining themselves.

A state lawmaker, who is a vocal opponent of gun control, has announced plans to hold a raffle, giving away two assault weapons that will be banned in Maryland as of October 1.

Anne Arundel County Republican Delegate Don Dwyer has announced on hiswebsite that he will give away an AK-47, and the AR-15 in a raffle on July 6.

Dwyer's campaign is selling tickets for $10 each.

The guns are among the 45 weapons banned in the gun control bill that was approved by the Maryland General Assembly this year. Governor Martin O'Malley is expected to sign the bill in the next month.
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IRS Having Trouble

IRS employees are painting a grim picture of an agency struggling under sequestration. They say cases are not being assigned because there is no one to work on them. Money isn't being collected because there are not enough officers to do the job. Taxpayers are complaining about long waits for help over the telephone. And if you think someone has filed a fraudulent tax return in your name to get a refund, don't expect help from the IRS until later this year. TheNational Treasury Employees Union polled its members across the government in February. It extracted these results about the IRS.

Overhauling Federal Pell-Grant Program

A blue-ribbon panel is recommending an overhaul of the federal Pell-grant program. The Wall Street Journal reports, a panel of secondary educators says recipients' graduation and job success rates are too low. The Education Department handed out $354 billion in Pell Grants to more than 9 million college students last year. That's half again more than in 2009. Spending has nearly doubled. But only a quarter of students under 25 ever graduate. Only 3 percent of older students get their degrees. The panel will recommend narrowing the program and finding ways to boost the graduation rate.

Harry Reid Sets Showdown Gun Vote For Thursday

Senate Democrats have set Thursday as the date for the first major gun showdown in Congress since the Connecticut school shootings, saying they will put their gun control bill on the chamber floor and dare Republicans to filibuster it.

At least nine Republicans have signaled that they will vote with Democrats to bring the bill to the floor, but it’s unclear whether Democrats will be united. If the bill doesn’t get 60 votes, the chamber won’t be able to begin debating it — much less see it through to passage.

“We’re moving forward on this bill. The American people deserve a vote on this legislation. And I’m going forward on this regardless of whether it’s a compromise or not,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, told reporters as he laid out his strategy Tuesday afternoon.
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37 O'Malley Tax Increases Cost Us $3.1 Billion More Each Year

Annapolis - Change Maryland released today an updated list of tax, fee and toll increases under the O'Malley Administration. This latest report details 37 increases that remove an additional $3.1 billion more out of the pockets of Marylander's every year.

Final passage in the legislature of transportation taxes and offshore wind fee increases will add another $800 million in additional annual tax burdens borne by Marylander's. The previous Change Maryland list released one week ago quantified an annual impact of $2.3 billion on 32 levies.

Read More...

What Sequester, I Didn't Get The Memo

Obama enjoys 'sequester soul concert' at White House amid massive budget cuts and government worker furloughs

Even with the threat of furloughs and government cuts sparked by the sequester, President Obama took the time to enjoy a star-studded concert at the White House tonight.
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FREE CAMP

All Stars Football Mini Camp... A free football camp for the youth ages 7 to 17. Starting May 4, 2013, 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Stop The Violence Rec Center sports field on the corner of Brown and Calloway St... to receive registration forms via email, email us at allstarsminicamp@live.com or call 443 235 8598, 443 366 1376, or 443 534 0688

TROOPERS INVESTIGATE FATAL PEDESTRIAN CRASH IN BALTIMORE

(BALTIMORE, MD) – Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal crash which occurred when a speeding driver lost control of his vehicle and struck a pedestrian in front of Baltimore City Hall, this afternoon.

The deceased pedestrian is identified as Matthew Hershl, 45, of Baltimore, Maryland. He was pronounced dead by medical personnel at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

The driver involved is identified only as a 43 year old man from Baltimore. He was taken into custody as he attempted to flee the scene. He is not being identified further at this time, due to pending charges. He is currently being treated at Mercy Medical Center for minor injuries sustained during the crash. He was operating a 2000 Acura TL.

Just before 2:00 p.m. today, Trooper First Class Zachary Mills, of the Golden Ring Barrack, was traveling southbound on the Jones Falls Expressway prior to Pleasant Street. At that time, a black Acura passenger vehicle approached Tfc. Mills’ marked Maryland State Police patrol at an extremely high rate of speed. Concerned the vehicle may strike his patrol unit in the rear, Tfc. Mills activated the rear emergency lights to warn the oncoming vehicle. The Acura slowed and stayed directly behind the patrol vehicle. Tfc. Mills moved to the side to let the vehicle pass. Once at the Pleasant Street exit, the Acura abruptly crossed traffic and exited the expressway.

Tfc. Mills did not initiate a pursuit, but attempted to observe the vehicle in order to alert the Baltimore Police Department. The Acura continued through a red signal at the intersection of Holiday Street and Saratoga Street. The Acura attempted to make a left turn at Lexington Street and lost control. Seeing the smoke from the brakes of the Acura and hearing sounds of a crash, Tfc. Mills activated the emergency equipment of his patrol unit and responded to the crash scene. Once at the scene, he observed that the Acura overturned and struck a pedestrian in the process. The driver was attempting to exit the vehicle and flee the scene. Tfc. Mills detained the driver. The Baltimore Police Department and emergency medical personnel were immediately notified.

The Maryland State Police CRASH Team responded to the scene and is conducting the ongoing investigation. There were no passengers in the Acura. There has been no determination of speed at this point in the investigation.

Due to the severity of the crash and the amount of debris, the intersection of Holiday and Lexington Streets were closed for several hours. Baltimore Police Department officers handled the road closures.

The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office has been notified and will be consulted reference any charges being placed against the driver. Anyone with information regarding this crash is asked to contact the Maryland State Police, Golden Ring Barrack at (410) 780-2700.

Troopers Conducting Death Investigation After Body Found Along Delaware River

Location:
Finn's Point, New Castle County, DE

Date of Occurrence:
Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at approximately 9 p.m.

Resume:
Finn's Point – Troopers are conducting a death investigation after a body was discovered washed ashore along the Delaware River this evening.

At approximately 9 p.m. a person walking along Finn's Point, an area along the eastern shore of the Delaware River, discovered a body. Members of the Pennsville Police Department responded to the scene, and determined that the body was in a section of Finn's Point that is part of Delaware.

The body will be removed from the scene and turned over to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where an autopsy will be performed in order to determine the deceased's identity, and cause and manner of death.

DMZ, 38th Parallel- Photo Of The Day

TRAFFIC ALERT

Pavement & Rehabilitation Project in Sussex County Will Require Nighttime Lane Restrictions

Beginning Sunday, April 14
Lewes -- The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that a pavement and rehabilitation project will begin on Sunday, April 14. This project will consist of milling, hot-mix patching, and paving. Intermittent lane and shoulder restrictions will occur nightly from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m., Sunday evening until Friday morning, pending weather. Flaggers will be on site to direct motorists.

1st Location
Sunday, April 14 until Friday, May 17
Route 24 from Love Creek Bridge to Plantation Road

2nd Location
Sunday, April 28 until Friday, May 31
Route 24 between William Street Road and Maryland Camp Road

George & Lynch of Dover, Delaware, is the contractor for these improvements.

Access to all businesses and residences within the project limits will be maintained throughout the duration of this contract.

Motorists are advised to drive with caution, slow down in work zones, and expect delays.

Reid To Force Test Vote On Gun Bill

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid is teeing up a Thursday test vote on sweeping new gun regulations, as supporters ratchet up efforts to pressure wavering lawmakers in the face of mounting roadblocks from conservatives.

Democratic leaders are hoping to build a bipartisan coalition strong enough to overcome Republican threats to filibuster, which would require 60 votes to proceed. But Reid acknowledged Thursday he's not sure if Democrats have enough support to advance the legislation.

A Letter To The Editor 4-9-13

Joe,

I live at Mill Pond Village Apartments on Naylor Mill Rd. All residents received a notice that power regulating thermostats would start being installed in all the apartments this month and that this is MANDATORY. I am curious as to how they can do this when I pay my own electric bill. Are they getting a kick back from the power company? If so, that should be passed on to the residents. When I owned a house, the power company gave this as an option and offered rewards for doing this. What kind of reward can the residents of Mill Pond expect for this MANDATORY regulator? Is this going on in all apartment complexes in Salisbury? We are losing more and more freedoms. First our gun rights, now our right to use electricity as we see fit that WE PAY FOR. What next?

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

At Least 14 Hurt In Stabbing Spree On Texas Campus; Suspect Bbelieved To Be Student

At least 14 people were hurt Tuesday in a stabbing spree at a Texas community college apparently carried out by a student, authorities said. Sheriff’s officials said the suspect was in custody.

At least two victims were in critical condition. It was not immediately clear how severe the other injuries were. The stabbing happened at the CyFair campus of Lone Star College, in the Houston suburb of Cypress.

The school said the attack happened “in and around” its health science building. Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia said that authorities were not certain what the weapon or motive was. He said the suspect was 21 years old.
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The Official Ultra-Ever Dry Product

Lynette’s Law Supporters Disappointed Therapy Abuse Will Not Become Crime

After a difficult few months of fighting to pass Lynette’s Law — a bill to prohibit sexual abuse by therapists — Heather Lynette Sinclair and bill co-sponsors got less than half of what they wanted.

Of the two bills they sought, only HB 56, a civil initiative requiring background checks for mental health therapists and counselors, was passed just days before the 2013 session came to a close.

Its partner bill, HB 60, to make sexual abuse of mental health clients a crime, was never given a vote in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
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As Confidence In Dollar Wanes, Over A Dozen States Push For Gold As Legal Tender

In more than a dozen states, legislators are pushing for a movement back to a world where gold is considered money. As Bloomberg reports, lawmakers in Arizona are poised to follow Utah, which authorized bullion for currency in 2011. Similar bills are advancing in Kansas, South Carolina and other states to recognize gold and silver coins as legal tender. "The legislation is about signaling discontent with monetary policy and about what Ben Bernanke is doing," which seems confirmed by the recent shift in Texas to bring its gold back from the New York bank warehouse. The new measures would give "people the option of using money that won’t lose any purchasing power to inflation," one supporter of the bill explained, with another adding, "there is a fear that the government, or Bernanke in particular and the Federal Reserve, is pursuing a policy that will lead to the collapse of the dollar." The U.S. Constitution bars states from coining money and also forbids them from making anything except gold and silver coin tender for paying debts. Advocates say that opens the door for the states to allow bullion as legal tender.

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‘Rain Tax’ On Property Owners For Bay Cleanup Survives Attempt To Delay It

An attempt to delay implementation of stormwater clean-up fees that will cost Maryland property owners millions come July failed in the legislature’s final day. The delay died after it was attached to a bill exempting nonprofits and government agencies from the fees known by critics as “the rain tax.”

The amendment to delay the fees for two years was sponsored by Sen. Edward Kasemeyer, D-Howard, who said the timing was not right for an increase in government fees, even though he supported the principle that governments should invest in environmental clean-up.

The House of Delegates committee refused to bring this revision of the bill to the floor for a vote, and the end result is water clean-up fees will be charged to every commercial and residential property owner without exception.
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Homeschooling: The Future of Liberty

A common feature of authoritarian regimes is the criminalization of alternatives to government-controlled education. Dictators recognize the danger that free thought poses to their rule, and few things promote the thinking of "unapproved" thoughts like an education controlled by parents instead of the state. That is why the National Socialist (Nazi) government of Germany outlawed homeschooling in 1938.

Sadly, these Nazi-era restrictions on parental rights remain the law in Germany, leaving parents who wish greater control over their children's education without options. That is why in 2006 Uwe and Hannalore Romeike, a German couple who wanted to homeschool their three children for religious reasons, sought asylum in the United States. Immigration judge Lawrence Burman upheld their application for asylum, recognizing that the freedom of parents to homeschool was a "basic human right."

Unfortunately, the current US administration does not see it that way, and has announced that it is appealing Judge Burman's decision. If the administration is successful, the Romeikes could be sent back to Germany where they will be forced to send their children to schools whose teaching violates their religious beliefs. If they refuse, they face huge fines, jail time, or even the loss of custody of their children!

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WCSO Press Release 4-9-13

HAUSER'S LAW

Tax rates in the U.S. were much higher in the 1940s and 1950s, but it didn’t result in the government collecting more tax revenue as a % of GDP. The tax code isn’t 60,000 pages because the corrupt politicians want to collect more taxes. It is 60,000 pages because our politicians have been bought off by special interests to give them tax breaks. The tax code will never be simplified because politicians would lose power. No matter what happens, the government will never collect tax receipts much more than 20% of GDP.

“No matter what the tax rates have been, in postwar America tax revenues have remained at about 19.5% of GDP.” – William Kurt Hauser

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Tweet Of The Day

Dear MSNBC, if our kids belong to you, then do your kids belong to us? ... If so, can we take them hunting after church in our big pickup truck?

~Sarah Palin

Who else?

Bongino Exploring Options For 2014

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SOURCE

More Than 101 Million Working Age Americans Do Not Have A Job

The jobs recovery is a complete and total myth. The percentage of the working age population in the United States that had a job in March 2013 was exactly the same as it was all the way back in March 2010. In addition, as you will see below, there are now more than 101 million working age Americans that do not have a job. But even though the employment level in the United States has consistently remained very low over the past three years, the Obama administration keeps telling us that unemployment is actually going down.

In fact, they tell us that the unemployment rate has declined from a peak of 10.0% all the way down to 7.6%. And they tell us that in March the unemployment rate fell by 0.1% even though only 88,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy. But it takes at least 125,000 new jobs a month just to keep up with population growth. So how in the world are they coming up with these numbers? Well, the reality is that the entire decline in the unemployment rate over the past three years can be accounted for by the reduction in size of the labor force.

In other words, the Obama administration is getting unemployment to go down by pretending that millions upon millions of unemployed Americans simply do not want jobs anymore. We saw this once again in March. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 600,000 Americans dropped out of the labor market during that month alone. That pushed the labor force participation rate down to 63.3%, which is the lowest it has been in more than 30 years. So please don't believe the hype. The sad truth is that there has been no jobs recovery whatsoever.

If things were getting better, there would not be more than 101 million working age Americans without a job.

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OCPD Officer Sued For Excessive Force; Town Seeks Dismissal, Denies Any Wrongdoing

OCEAN CITY -- A resort police officer, who allegedly viciously beat a Severn man during an incident outside a resort nightclub last August, is seeking a dismissal of the case on a variety of grounds including a nearly blanket denial of the allegations.

In March, attorneys for Branden Thomas, 26, filed suit in U.S. District Court against Ocean City Police Pfc. Ryan Flanagan and the department alleging the officer of an unprovoked attack against Thomas outside a midtown nightclub in August. The suit seeks an undisclosed amount of damages to be determined at trial for several charges against the officer including assault and battery, false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and violations of his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights to freedom from seizure.

“It is alleged that the individual police officer defendant made an unreasonable seizure of the person of plaintiff Branden Thomas, thereby violating his rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution and that this individual police officer defendant battered the plaintiff and otherwise utilized excessive and unwarranted force during the course of said seizure,” the complaint filed in March reads.
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Your Kids Don't Belong To You

Transportation Fund ‘Lockbox’ Sent To Voters

Voters next year will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment creating a “lockbox” to prevent raids on the Transportation Trust Fund for other purposes, but Republican opponents said the measure was a sham that would provide little protection.

Sponsored by Senate President Mike Miller as a companion to an increase in the gasoline tax, the measure, SB829, provides that money can only be taken out of the Transportation Trust Fund after a three-fifths vote of both houses of the Maryland General Assembly once the governor has declared a state of “fiscal emergency.”

Money from the gas tax, vehicle sales tax and vehicle registration fees flow into the trust fund. Over the past decade, billions have been taken out of the trust fund for other programs to help balance the budget. All but $1.1 billion in highway user revenues has been repaid.
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Gay Connecticut Couple Accused Of Raping Adopted Children Will Face Trial

George Harasz, 49, and Douglas Wirth, 45, of Glastonbury, withdrew a deal with prosecutors that would have given them suspended prison sentences and probation, according to reports. The surprise move comes as new allegations by three more adopted children surfaced Friday.

Bowdoin College, an elite university located in Maine, has recently found itself the nexus of a massive influx of controversy.

…And it’s all because its president talked down the wrong person.

Bowdoin President Barry Mills reportedly engaged in a golf game during the summer of last year with philanthropist and investor Thomas Klingenstein who, while not being a graduate of Bowdoin, was himself interested in the college’s approach to education. The result was an apparently awkward conversation during which Klingenstein complained of Bowdoin’s excessive celebration of “racial and ethnic difference,” in his words, rather than of “common American identity.” It is unclear precisely how sharp the conversation got, but it evidently distressed Mills enough that he decided to mention Klingenstein (albeit not by name) in his subsequent commencement address as a particularly unpleasant golfing partner who’d interrupted his backswing to spout racist platitudes.
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Delaware State Police Seeks CALEA Reaccreditation

Monday, April 8, 2013

Resume:
Dover- CALEA Accreditation Assessment team invites public comment.

Final preparations are underway for the on-site assessment of the Delaware State Police by representatives from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). The assessment is scheduled for April 15 – 18, 2013 and the CALEA team will examine all aspects of the DSP’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services. As part of the on-site assessment, agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments.

The Delaware State Police was originally accredited in 1988 and reaccredited in 1993, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010. Maintaining this status is an on-going process and requires constant monitoring and updating of policies and procedures to assure that the Delaware State Police meet the Commission’s standards. Reaccreditation is a formal recognition of the agency’s professional excellence.

The Delaware State Police was the first law enforcement agency in Delaware to receive International Law Enforcement Accreditation. There are over 600 accredited agencies in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Barbados.

As part of the on-site assessment, a toll-free telephone number has been established to invite agency employees and members of the public to offer comments. All calls are limited to 10 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA Standards. Calls can be made to (800) 993-9133 on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 between the hours of 1:00 - 3:00 P.M..

The Delaware State Police must comply with 480 law enforcement accreditation standards in order to achieve reaccreditation. The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals and visit the various Troops and Sections throughout the state where compliance can be observed.

The assessors are Darrell E. Stilwell (Retired Lt. Colonel, Virginia State Police) and Albert Manint (Retired Lieutenant, Illinois State Police). Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full Commission, which will then determine if the agency is to be granted reaccredited status.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Delaware State Police’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155 or call (703) 352-4225 Attention: Ms. Maya Mitchell, Program Manager.

Maryland Lawmakers Pass Dozens Of Bills On Final Day

ANNAPOLIS -- Maryland lawmakers passed a flurry of bills before adjourning at midnight Monday, including a measure permitting medical marijuana and one overturning a Court of Appeals ruling that singled out pit bulls as inherently dangerous.

Before noon, the state Senate had sent the capital budget to Gov. Martin O'Malley's desk. That budget pays for all of the state's construction projects, including $925 million in new bonds.

Lawmakers also sent O'Malley legislation allowing academic medical centers to opt in to a program to distribute medical marijuana and study its effects. In a news conference with reporters in the State House basement, the governor indicated that he is willing to sign the medical marijuana bill into law.
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Next?

Don't Use A Calculator

Ireton to Unveil Plan at Chamber

SALISBURY, MD – Today incumbent Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton is to unveil a new approach to business at the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce. According to the Daily Times, “Let’s Do Business Salisbury”appears geared almost exclusively towards developers, not just those seeking to open a business in Salisbury.
For those members of the business community looking for a a “one-stop shop” for permitting, registration, and other bureaucratic entanglements, Ireton’s presentation will be viewed either with disappointment or as a baby step in the right direction. Newly elected councilman Jake Day and unsuccessful mayoral candidate Joe Albero both focused heavily on the need to court new business and on the need to streamline things like the permitting process, often viewed as an impediment to doing business in Salisbury.
Ireton’s plan involves setting up a kiosk on the first floor of the Salisbury / Wicomico Government Office Building (GOB) with form packets useful to developers. Ireton also hopes to install a similar kiosk at the Chamber’s office on East Main Street.
According to the Daily Times’ Jeremy Cox:

…Those changes will be accompanied by a new, business-friendly atmosphere in the city’s staff offices, Ireton said. Those adopting the customer-service approach are the Mayor’s Office; Public Works; Building, Permits and Inspections; and Planning and Zoning.
… (Asst. City Administrator Lore) Chambers, though, said city administrators have worked on the plan for more than a year. Ireton said he was loath to announce the effort during the election season out of concern it would be criticized as a self-serving campaign ploy.

It should be noted that Ireton’s plan for downtown redevelopment was released two years ago. Some members of the business community are skeptical that this “customer-service” approach has been in the works for over a year. One local business owner, who asked that his name be withheld, stated, “I can’t believe that the mayor expects us to believe that it took a year to put some forms together. No one, certainly not the mayor, talked about treating businesses as customers until Joe Albero decided to run against him.”
Ireton will present his plan in the lobby of the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce at 1:30 PM today.
This post originally appeared in the DelMarVa Observer.

Can North Carolina Declare An “Official” Religion?

North Carolina legislators made national headlines last week with a bit of high-profile religious extremism. They introduced a resolution declaring that the state has the right to declare an official religion – presumably Christianity. The bill also contended that states are “sovereign” and that federal courts cannot prevent states “from making laws respecting the establishment of religion.”

The North Carolina bill—which appears to be dead for now—was one of two big church-state blow-ups last week. In Tennessee, legislators withdrew a school voucher bill that would have allowed parents to direct taxpayer money to private schools, including Christian academies. The reason they balked: it suddenly occurred to them that the bill would also allow parents to direct tax dollars to Islamic schools.

Joel Osteen is quitting his church and abandoning his Christian faith, according to an elaborate Internet hoax targeting the Texas megapastor.

Osteen, the very visible face of the Lakewood Church in Houston since 1999, is, in reality, not quitting, despite several phony websites, news stories and even a YouTube video declaring otherwise.
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Majority Of Americans Support Legalization Of Marijuana

Public support for legalizing marijuana has never been higher, but the latest studies show recreational use is linked with prescription drug misuse.

In the latest nationwide survey [PDF] of 1,501 people polled in mid-March about legalizing marijuana, 52% of those surveyed favored making weed legal, and 72% said that efforts to enforce anti-marijuana laws bring more cost than benefit.

The poll, conducted by the Pew Research Center, also tracked trends in public support for legalization, which has risen dramatically since 1969, when a Gallup poll found only 12% in favor.

White House: Planned GOP Gun Filibuster Cowardly

Beginning a week of high pressure on gun control, the White House on Monday accused some Republican senators of cowardice for planning to filibuster gun legislation without allowing the full Senate to vote on President Obama’s initiatives.

“If they oppose this legislation, have the courage to say so on the floor and vote no,” said White House press secretary Jay Carney. “Don’t block it. Don’t hide behind a procedural action to prevent a vote. That’s the wrong thing to do, and that’s how the president clearly feels.”

He didn’t name names, but Mr. Carney said when Mr. Obama announced his gun-control proposals in his State of the Union address in February, members of both parties stood and applauded “when the cameras were on.”
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Drop the I-Word: In Victory for Advocates, Associated Press Stops Using Phrase "Illegal Immigrant"

Mexican Workers Win Ownership Of Tire Plant With Three-Year Strike

“If the owners don’t want it, let’s run it ourselves.” When a factory closes, the idea of turning it into a worker-owned co-operative sometimes comes up—and usually dies.

The hurdles to buying a plant, even a failing plant, are huge, and once in business, the new worker-owners face all the pressures that helped the company go bankrupt in the first place. Most worker-owned co-ops are small, such as a taxi collective in Madison or a bakery in San Francisco.

But in Mexico a giant-sized worker cooperative has been building tires since 2005. The factory competes on the world market, employs 1,050 co-owners, and pays the best wages and pensions of any Mexican tire plant.

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KFC Original Recipe Chicken Going Boneless To Make It Easier To Eat

What’s the worst thing about fast food chicken? It’s just sodifficult to eat, of course, with all those crunchy bones getting in the way. That’s why KFC is making over its Original Recipe Chicken and offering up a bucket of deep-fried boneless chicken pieces for those who can’t navigate the sharp world of breasts, thighs and drumsticks.

The new menu choice will show up on menus on April 14, reports the Associated Press, and the company says it may eventually push the bone-in version off the board forever.

The move comes as Americans persist in our desire to snack conveniently and often on the go. KFC notes that almost four out of five servings of fried chicken in the country are boneless. Pretty sure there are plenty of grandmas out there sniffing indignantly right about now.

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY, SENATE PRESIDENT MILLER, HOUSE SPEAKER BUSCH SIGN LEGISLATION FOCUSED ON JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 9, 2013) – Governor Martin O’Malley, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr, House Speaker Michael E. Busch, joined by Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown, today signed important legislation that will create jobs and expand opportunity for more Marylanders. Among the bills signed into law today are the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, the Employment Advancement Right Now (Earn) initiative, the Public-Private Partnerships bill, and an expansion of the Biotechnology, Research & Development, and Film Production Tax Credits - all of which work to advance job creation, spur innovation, and expand opportunities for Marylanders to compete in a changing 21st century economy.

The O’Malley-Brown Administration set a goal to recover every job lost during the Bush recession by the end of 2014. To date, Maryland has recovered nearly 95 percent of those jobs. Over the last 12 months, the state has now created 38,200 new jobs with the private sector leading the way – creating 95 percent of those new jobs. Today, Maryland’s unemployment rate , while still too high, has been driven down to its lowest level in four years – 6.6 percent – 14 percent below the national rate.

“There is no progress without a job. Maryland has now recovered nearly 95 percent of the jobs lost during the Bush recession, but there are still too many moms and dads out of work. Thanks to the hard work of Senate President Miller, House Speaker Busch and our leaders in the General Assembly, together, we have passed meaningful legislation that focuses on creating jobs and expanding opportunity with a balanced, fiscally responsible approach,” said Governor O’Malley. “Because of the better choices we’ve made, we’ve been able to deliver better results this session to expand the ranks of an increasingly diverse and upwardly mobile middle class.”

“The most important thing we did this session was to create a legacy for the future of our State that will ensure that Maryland continues to have the best educational system in the country and the transportation infrastructure to support a thriving knowledge-based economy,” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.

“This session, much of the unsung legislation passed was focused on stimulating private sector job creation in Maryland,” said Speaker Michael E. Busch. “Funding for TEDCO's Rural Business Initiative and a new innovation portal for the State, as well as expanding Public-Private Partnerships, tax credits and tax increment financing options will help give the business community the continued confidence to invest in Maryland's economy.”

The Governor and presiding officers signed into law the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, which creates a mechanism to incentivize the development of a 200 MW offshore wind facility that will support almost 850 manufacturing and construction jobs for five years and an additional 160 ongoing supply and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) jobs thereafter.

Championed by Lt. Governor Brown, the Administration’s public-private partnership (P3) bill creates an enhanced framework for future P3s that will attract private investment to help build new infrastructure in Maryland with the potential to support thousands of jobs in the future.

“As a result of this legislation we're going to create thousands of jobs for Maryland’s workers, address some of our most pressing infrastructure needs, and continue to strengthen and support our state’s businesses,”said Lt. Governor Brown. “Public-private partnerships are going to be an essential part of building a growing 21st Century Maryland economy, and this legislation allows us to approach these partnerships in a more transparent, predictable and efficient way.”

A joint effort with Senate President Miller and House Speaker Busch, Governor O’Malley’s FY 2014 budget includes a $4.5 million strategic investment to create the EARN initiative, a competitive grant process that creates employer-driven collaborations to bridge the gap between specific employer workforce needs and the skills of Maryland’s workers to identify common workforce needs for high-demand occupations within a target industry such as construction, traditional and advanced manufacturing, cyber security, and health care; and develop and implement education or training strategies to address those shortages.

The Governor and presiding officers also signed an expansion of three existing tax credits: the Research and Development Tax Credit by 25 percent to $8 million to spur additional investment in Maryland companies; the Biotechnology Tax Credit by $2 million to $10 million to encourage investment in Maryland’s biotechnology industry; and the Film Production Tax Credit to increase investment in Maryland's film industry. The FY 2014 budget also includes the creation of a new $3 million Cyber Tax Credit to advance Maryland’s rapidly growing cyber sector.

Since taking office, the Administration has cut more spending than any administration in Maryland history - more than $8 billion since 2007; preserved more than $1 billion in cash reserves between the fund balance and the Rainy Day Fund - larger than 41 other states in the nation; and with the FY 2014 budget passed by the legislature, Maryland is now on the verge of nearly eliminating the long-standing $1.7 billion structural deficit inherited in 2007.

Senate Approves Compromise On Pit Bull Legislation

With just a few hours left in the 2013 Maryland General Assembly session, one of the most contentious issue left for lawmakers to consider has to deal with liability for dog bite cases.

The debate follows a Maryland Court of Appeals decision last year, that automatically held pit bull owners legally responsible if their dogs attack someone.

The House and Senate approved separate bills to apply to all dogs.

Now a House-Senate Conference Committee has reached a compromise.
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CRINGE-INDUCING: MSNBC HOST USES YOUNG DAUGHTER TO PUSH GAY MARRIAGE, ASKS HER IF SHE’D ‘MARRY A GIRL’

Regardless of where you stand on the issue of gay marriage, few will likely agree with MSNBC host Krystal Ball’s decision to use her young daughter to promote gay marriage during a segment titled “Political Playground” on Thursday.

“What if you were in love with a girl? Would you marry a girl?” Balls asks her daughter.

The little girl seems to be well versed in New York law, as she replies by saying girls can marry girls and boys can marry boys in New York but not in other places.

“And that’s good because you want people to be able to marry who they are in love with, right?” Ball nudged.

Ball went on to explain how “strange” it was that other states haven’t decided to allow gay marriage.

“They should change that, shouldn’t they?” Ball says.

Watch the entire segment via MSNBC below:

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Md. General Assembly Passes Bill To Help Veterans

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A measure to help veterans as they transition to the civilian workforce in Maryland has cleared the General Assembly.

Lawmakers gave final passage to the bill Monday. The measure is supported by Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, who is a colonel in the U.S. Army reserves and Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration.

The bill removes certain barriers to employment when veterans make the transition from military service to the civilian workforce.
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BILL AYERS CONFIRMS WHAT OBAMA HAS DENIED

Weatherman domestic terrorist finally spills the beans
Weatherman domestic terrorist Bill Ayers is now confirming what the White House has previously denied – that he held a fundraiser in his living room for Barack Obama.

That 1995 meeting was said to have launched Obama’s political career.

In an October 2008 interview on MSNBC host Chris Matthews’ show, Robert Gibbs, a spokesman for Obama’s presidential campaign, categorically denied the fundraiser was ever held.

Matthews asked Gibbs: “Did [Ayers] have a fundraiser for [Obama], or not?”

Gibbs, who would become the White House spokesman, replied: “No, he did not have a fundraiser for our candidate as he said ten seconds ago.”

Uncle Jack

The 8th Air Force suffered 30,000 airmen lost or missing during WWII—more casualties than the Navy and Marines combined. Only one airman in three survived the air battle in Europe . If you were lucky enough to survive 30 missions (like Uncle Jack), you became a member of the "Lucky Bastards Club."

If you have a sharp eye, you may have noted that the B-17 in the video is a late model that had a remote controlled gun turret in the nose rather thantwo manually operated 50 cal machine guns.

Let us never forget what Uncle Jack and these brave men did for our country.

Gary is one of a few actors who has supported the troops and done a lot for veterans.

Support him.

This is great! Sit back and relax and enjoy a piece of American history.

It may even bring a tear or two to your eyes.

Wish we had more people in the entertainment industry like Gary Sinise.

"Uncle Jack" featuring Gary Sinise and his uncle:

http://www.sleepingdogtv.com/reel/Uncle-Jack.aspx

Crab Harvest Off To a Late Start This Season

It's a slower-than-normal start to Maryland's crab season.

"That's Mother Nature for you," said 'Captain' Trey Bernhardt, owner of Captain Trey's, Cockeysville. "Crabs don't move or trap when it's below 50 degrees. Once it gets above 50 degrees, they start moving around and feeding."

April 1 was the start of crab season in Maryland.

Bernhardt said he's still getting crab in from warmer climates.
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Man's Best Friend?

Maryland Gov. Didn't Know What Gun Laws Were On The Books

Maryland governor Martin O'Malley, a possible Democratic candidate for president in 2016, just passed a very strict gun law, which includes a so-called assault weapons ban. But what's especially interesting is that before the December shooting at a school in Connecticut, Governor O'Malley had no idea what the gun laws were in his state.
On the day after a gunman killed 20 children in Newtown, Conn., Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley wrote a text messageto his chief legislative lobbyist.

“Do we or do we not have an assault-weapons ban?” the governor asked that Saturday, 10 days before Christmas.

No, Stacy Mayer wrote back.

Really? the governor responded. I thought we did.

A variety of pistols, such as mini-Uzis , were illegal. But the weapon that Adam Lanza had fired in Newtown — the semiautomatic Bushmaster rifle?

Legal in Maryland.

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O'Malley Gets Everything He Wants From Lawmakers

Governor Martin O’Malley says the 2013 Session of the Maryland General Assembly has been one of the most productive of his term with lawmakers approving nearly all of his agenda, including a gas tax increase, gun control and a repeal of the death penalty.

As of 9 p.m. Monday, all 30 bills the governor proposed this year passed both the House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate.

"This is one of the more orderly final days of the legislative session that I have ever witnessed, and that's a tribute to the men and women of the General Assembly, and the goodness of the people that they represent," O'Malley told WBAL News in a one-on-one interview in his office.
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The Country Is Over

Data are hard to deal with when your vision is on the wrong side of it. Those wanting to claim there is a recovery underway are having just this problem. These people either have no understanding of economics or they believe falsely that they can inflate “animal spirits” with their hyped reports and that will initiate a recovery.

There will not be an economic recovery given the economic policies of this country. A recovery is not unlikely, I would argue it is closer to impossible if not impossible. The reasons for this position are not complicated. In short, the nation has become an out-of-control welfare state that is rapidly destroying the incentives to work or create jobs. Government policies appear designed toward this end. One doesn’t need a high IQ or an advanced degree in economics to understand the problems.

There are innumerable factors responsible for the decline of the US. Only three important ones will convey why the economy is dying:

1. The rule of law and property rights are under attack.

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GOVERNOR O'MALLEY, SENATE PRESIDENT MILLER, HOUSE SPEAKER BUSCH TO SIGN LEGISLATION FOCUSED ON JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY

ANNAPOLIS, MD – TODAY at 10:30 a.m., Governor O’Malley, Senate President Miller and House Speaker Busch, joined by Lt. Governor Brown, will hold a bill signing highlighting the Administration’s agenda to create jobs and expand opportunity for more Marylanders.

Bills to be signed include the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, Public-Private Partnerships, and the Employment Advancement Right Now (EARN) initiative.

For a full list of bills to be signed, click here. The bill signing will be streamed live here.

The Original E-Mail Sent From Bongino Camp Yesterday

Bongino Announces Gubernatorial Bid - Selects Alan Keyes as Running

Bongino Announces Campaign for Governor
Selects Alan Keyes as running mate

Contact: Karla Graham
(410) 927-4577
Karla@bongino.com

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Dan Bongino is proud to announce the launch of a campaign for Governor of Maryland. The former secret service agent and U.S. Senate candidates stated,“For too long we've let the Democrats in Annapolis trample on our God-given rights and wage war on our family finances. With this announcement everything changes. People of Maryland, take notice – from here on out we cede no ground and we will never give you up. The fight is on and defeat is not an option.”

The campaign is also announcing that Ambassador Alan Keyes will be serving as Mr. Bongino's running mate. “I couldn't ask for a better running mate than Ambassador Keyes," said Mr. Bongino. “He has a lengthy track record of speaking truth to power and working on behalf of limited government, individual liberty, and family values.”Ambassador Keyes added “I'm incredibly excited by this opportunity to work with Dan and help stop the communistic take-over of the great state of Maryland.”

According to Campaign Manager Hillary Pennington, this gubernatorial campaign is going to change how Maryland campaigns are run. “We've learned key lessons from the senate campaign, but we aren't abandoning our roots either. This is still a campaign by and for the grassroots, without any unwanted input from so-called political consultants.”

Dan Bongino, a devoted husband and father, served in the United States Secret Service for more than a decade, in which he was assigned to the elite Presidential Protective Division. He represented the U.S. as a lead government security official in over 25 countries. Holding graduate degrees in Business Administration and Psychology, Dan has gone on to start several successful businesses in Maryland. As an entrepreneur, he understands the role small businesses play in establishing a framework for continued prosperity and economic growth.

You can follow Mr. Bongino's campaign at bongino.com; on Facebook at facebook.com/dan.bongino; on Twitter @danbongino and Alan Keyes @loyaltoliberty