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Saturday, May 05, 2012

This Group Didn’t Want to Pay an Automatic Gratuity, Restaurant Responds by Locking Them Inside & Calling Police

Have you ever gone to a restaurant with a group of friends (or a large family) and had an automatic gratuity (i.e. tip) added to your bill because of the size of your party?

We’re sure it has happened to most of you. Many restaurants do this.

So here’s a question: what happens if the server waiting on your table is lousy? Should you still have to pay the automatic gratuity?

While many people feel you shouldn’t be forced to pay a tip if the service is unacceptable, one group in Texas found out the hard way that some restaurants view the policy as non-negotiable.

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Megyn Kelly Apologizes for Black Guest Who Called Tucker Carlson a ‘Bow-Tying White Boy’

In a tense segment on Megyn Kelly’s “America Live,” Fox News Contributor (and Democrat) Jehmu Greene spun a little out of control when she attacked fellow contributor Tucker Carlson as a “bow-tying white boy” when he called her out for a bad defense of Elizabeth Warren. Greene was specifically trying to argue that the revelation of Warren’s previous attempts to pass herself off as Native American would actually hurt the Republicans more than the Democrats, because many non-white voters would identify with Warren, and feel offended by the GOP calling her qualifications into question.

Carlson completely rejected the idea, even going so far as to laugh at it. Greene was not pleased:

“You see Scott Brown really questioning her qualifications because he has to appeal to white, working-class voters who feel marginalized because of affirmative action,” said Greene. “This smells real stank to women who do not like being called on their qualifications.”

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Can You Pick Out the Flag Gaffe on Obama‘s New ’Julia’ Site? We Did

The Obama campaign’s new “Life of Julia” tool has led to no shortage of mocking parodies of the faceless, fictional female guided through life by the president’s programs.

The efficacy of Obama’s policies — and the hardships “Julia” would befall under a Romney administration — are certainly up for debate. One thing that’s not? Whoever created Julia and her world really should have brushed up on their flag etiquette.

From “The Life of Julia,” age 25:

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'Occupy Wall Street' Organizer Slings Insults During Heated Debate on 'Hannity'

HARRISON SCHULTZ, "OCCUPY" PARTICIPANT: We never left. We were just tired. I mean, anarchy isn't easy. This is a lot of work. We had to hibernate for awhile, but today we are resurging. The energy is really good out in the streets.

The problem here is capitalism. That's what needs to change. That's what is failing all of these people. I personally don't care about this election. I know other people are working on it.

But I am looking at far, far more radical alternatives than political alternatives. I would like to actually see a new form of politics entirely.

Video

Obama Warns Supremes: Don't Overturn Healthcare Reform

The Obama administration warned the Supreme Court this week via papers filed with the Court that if Obamacare is struck down, there will be an “extraordinary disruption” in Medicare. Medicare was not discussed during the Supreme Court arguments, since it was not a Constitutional issue. This is a practical argument, not a legal one; it’s the Obama administration applying pressure to the Supremes.



But that’s what the Obama administration does – they focus on the politics of the situation rather than on the legalities. If they can’t win on the law, they figure, they’ll push the Court to act via “empathy,” President Obama’s favorite legal standard. And if they lose, they’ll blame the Court for destroying Medicare.



It’s a win-win for the Obama administration: if the Court strikes down Obamacare, Obama will blame the Court for harming Medicare. If the Court upholds Obamacare to prevent an “extraordinary disruption” in Medicare, Obama gets what he wants.

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Sprinklers Required in New Maryland Homes

A new Maryland law will help extinguish the consequences of quick-moving  fires.

The state joins Prince George's County in requiring the installation of sprinkler systems in new homes. The law has been effect in the county for 20 years.

A demonstration put on by the U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Academy showed the difference a sprinkler system can make.

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OccupyOakland Protesters Cry When Police Runs Over Their Bike

#OccupyOakland Protesters Cry When Police Runs Over Their Bike
Suddenly, property damage isn't so funny to the #Occutards.

Video  Here

WARNING: Offensive language.

Ted Nugent Explodes on Morning Show Interview

Ted Nugent lived up to his "Motor City Madman" reputation during a television interview with "CBS Morning News."

The rocker, hunter and political activist sat down with Jeff Glor in his first on-camera appearance since being interviewed by the Secret Service for comments about President Barack Obama made during recent a National Rifle Association meeting in St. Louis.

The cordial interview from Nugent's Texas ranch took a bizarre turn when Glor hinted that for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney to win he'll need support from moderates. Nugent said he was not moderate and ...

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Secret Service Escort Says US Agents 'Showed No Respect'

One of the Colombian escorts at the center of the Secret Service scandal emerged from hiding today, recounting in detail her night in Cartagena with a member of President Obama's protective detail and saying she fears for her safety.
 
Dania Suarez, a 24-year old dark-haired beauty, appeared on a call-in show carried by Colombia's W Radio and Carocol Television Friday morning, telling callers the agent was "heavily intoxicated" and everything in his luggage and his papers was left open in his room and could have been easily stolen. 

Asked if she had been a spy could she have removed the papers, Suarez said, "Absolutely, absolutely."

"Clearly, in those moments, if I had wanted to, obviously, I could have done so," she said.

Suarez says she met the agent at a disco where they danced and she began to rub her hands over his body

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Americans Favor Limited U.S. Role in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans want U.S. troops out of Afghanistan and oppose a significant long-term commitment to support that nation's economy and security, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Friday.

But the poll also indicated that most Americans favor keeping some U.S. forces in Afghanistan to help train that nation's troops, and to continue missions targeting al-Qaeda.

Taken together, the findings suggest "Americans essentially want to be done with Afghanistan," said Ipsos pollster Chris Jackson.

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Two Egyptian Presidential Candidates Endorsed Jihad Against US

Two Egyptian presidential candidates have endorsed jihad against the United States and one of them even supports al Qaeda.  MEMRI TV (the Middle East Media Research Institute) has released archival footage of Al-Mun’im Abu Al-Futouh and Hamadein Sabahi from 2004 and 2005 which show them stating their hatred of the United States in absolutely unequivocal terms.

Abd Al-Mun’im Abu Al-Futouh, who is calling himself a “Moderate” Islamist, was a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood. He co-founded the Al-Nahda party, which sees Islam as central to Egypt. Supported by Salafi Islamists, Gama’a Islamiyya, the Islamist group Wasat, and Google executive Wael Ghonim, he said in 2004:

“Like all members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and around the world, I personally hope to have a chance to bear arms to confront the U.S. occupation in Iraq…  This is a matter of religion, not of politics. When a Muslim land is occupied, jihad becomes an individual duty”
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First Grader Suspended for Sexual Harassment

In Aurora, Colorado, a first-grader was suspended for sexual harassment after singing a line from an LMFAO song to a girl in his grade.  “I’m sexy and I know it,” D’Avonte Meadows crooned. He was thrown out of school for harassment because the school’s discipline code reads that his behavior had “negative effects on the learning or work of others.”



Predictably, the boy’s mother was shocked that D’Avonte was punished: “I could understand if he was fondling her, looking up her skirt, trying to look in her shirt … That, to me, is sexual harassment. I’m just, I’m floored.  They’re going to look at him like he’s a pervert. And it’s like, that’s not fair to him,” said Stephanie Meadows.



Of course, Ms. Meadows also acknowledged that D’Avonte had done the same thing last month while “shaking his booty near the girl’s face” and been warned by the assistant principal to stop. 

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Reexamining the Trayvon Martin Shooting

The shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin has seen the media at its sensationalist worst. Press reports have cast Martin’s shooter, George Zimmerman, as a trigger-happy vigilante looking to make trouble where there was none. Attached to this storyline has been the charged subtext that Zimmerman acted out of racial prejudice, confronting Martin simply because the latter was black. Not surprisingly, this media-made version of the shooting has roiled racial passions across the country, turning a tragedy into a referendum on American race relations and setting up one of the most polarizing legal cases in recent history. But there is in fact far more to the story, as a recent Reuters’ investigation illuminates.

Reuters‘ report provides a complexity to the story that has been so sorely missing until now. Among other things, it calls into question the notion that white racism was the motivating factor in Martin’s shooting. That narrative was never entirely convincing, and not just because the mixed-race Zimmerman never fit into the media’s neat white-gunman-black-victim allegory. The New York Times‘ designation of Zimmerman as a “white Hispanic” was only the most strained attempt to impose a racial framework on the shooting.

Reuters‘ report muddles the racial element even further. It points out that Zimmerman was not only half-Hispanic but he also had black roots, tracing back to his Afro-Peruvian great grandfather on his mother’s side. So far from harboring anti-black racial resentments, he appears to have sought out the company of black friends and colleagues. In 2004, for instance, Zimmerman, an insurance agent, teamed up with a black friend to start up an insurance office.

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US Jobs - What Jobs? Jobs Report Shows Lackluster US Economy

Today's Index data report caused the market to lean toward its worst week in 2012, as data showing employers added fewer jobs than forecast intensified concern about the pace of economic recovery. It should come as no surprise to anyone who lives in Wicomico as the unemployment rate has increased from the 4th quarter 2011 to present. Please keep in mind that the unemployed who fall out of the system and are still unemployed are dropped from the unemployment data base - thus the true unemployment number is masked. That is why today's data shows compelling evidence that the economy is worsening as people are out of work. Today's numbers show the actual payroll employee numbers are down and even Fox news financial analyst - Rick Santelli - was surprised by the low number of 115,000 new hires as opposed to the street estimate of 160,000.

How does this number relate to Wicomico's latest projected budget estimate? For one - the latest Wicomico budget estimate included robust job growth numbers in that the State income tax revenues are projected to be about 5 million dollars above last years revenue numbers. Today's job report helps to blow a hole in that estimate.

The Dow index is down 168 points as of this writing.

Maryland Business For Responsive Government On Official Announcement Of Special Session

“It’s a pretty sad day in Maryland when the legislature re-convenes just to raise taxes on hard working Maryland families and businesses
to support its spending habit,” MBRG President Kimberly M. Burns said. “I hope folks will be paying attention.”

Have A Wonderful Summer

Please, take care of yourself.

A recent joint study conducted by the Department of Health and the Department of Motor Vehicles indicates that 23% of traffic accidents are alcohol related.

This means that the remaining 77% are caused by fools who drink bottled water, Starbucks, soda, juice, energy drinks, and stuff like that.

Therefore, beware of those who do not drink alcohol. They cause three times as many accidents.

This message is sent to you by someone who worries about your safety.

Ravens To Hold Three Public Training Camp Practices

The Baltimore Ravens have announced plans for three practices that will be open to the public during training camp.

Last year, the team moved training camp from McDaniel College in Westminster to its headquarters in Owings Mills, because of a delay due to the NFL lockout. 

The team later decided to move training camp to Owings Mills, a facility that is not open to the public.

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Trooper Assaulted During Altercation At School

Location: Glasgow High School, 1901 South College Avenue, Newark, DE

Date of Occurrence: Friday May 4, 2012 at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Victim:
40 year old male Delaware State Trooper assigned to Troop 2, Newark, and School Resource Officer at Glasgow High School

Defendants, Charges, and Bail Information:

Jayjuana D. Craig, 17, (Female) Wilmington, DE (No Photo Available)
Resisting Arrest
Conspiracy 2nd
Offensive Touching of a Law Enforcement Officer
Theft < $1,500.00
Escape 3rd
Disorderly Conduct

Arraigned at JP11 and committed to New Castle County Detention Center on $750.00 secured bond.

Michael Robertson, 17, Wilmington, DE (No Photo Available)
Assault 2nd on Law Enforcement Officer
Resisting Arrest
Conspiracy 2nd
Terroristic Threatening
Disorderly Conduct

Arraigned at JP 11 and released to family member on $2,500.00 unsecured bond pending arraignment in Family Court.

Bahir Ramsey, 20, Newark, DE (No Photo Available)
Endangering the Welfare of a Child
Hindering Prosecution

Arraigned at JP11 and released on $1,000.00 unsecured bond pending arraignment in NCC CCP.

Resume:
Newark, DE- The Delaware State Police are investigating an assault on a Trooper that occurred at Glasgow High School.

The incident occurred at 2:30 p.m. on Friday May 4th as the School Resource Officer was making an arrest of Jayjuana Craig for an earlier altercation between her and another student. As the Trooper was placing the handcuffs on Craig, Michael Robertson pushed the Trooper allowing Craig to break free and flee from the school. The Trooper then became involved in a physical altercation with Robertson which resulted in deploying his departmentally issued Taser on the student, who was taken into custody after a brief struggle.

Troopers as well as Officers from New Castle County PD were dispatched to the school to assist in locating Jayjuana Craig. Bahir Ramsey was contacted in the area of Cobble Creek Curve in Newark attempting to shield Craig with his body. When the Officers questioned him about her location, he denied knowing where she was.

Jayjuana Craig, Michael Robertson, and Bahir Ramsey were all transported back to Troop 2 where they were charged with the above offenses and arraigned at JP11. Craig was committed to New Castle County Detention Center on $750.00 secured bail. Robertson was released to a family member on $2,500.00 unsecured bail and Ramsey was released on $1,000.00 unsecured bail.

The Trooper was taken to Christiana Emergency Room where he was treated for an unspecified injury he sustained in the altercation with Robertson. He was later released.

None of the defendants were injured.

Oyster Planting Season

The Oyster Recovery Partnership says it has begun its planting season by placing 31 million oysters on nearly 10 acres in Harris Creek.

The nonprofit environmental group says small oysters grown at the University of Maryland's Horn Point Hatchery were planted this week. The partnership says a recent expansion of the hatchery means it can plant up to 2 billion small oysters a year.

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Con Artists Working In Salisbury

Dear Mr. Albero,

I just wanted to let your readers know that there is a pair of con artists working in Salisbury. It is a white couple with a baby or children in the backseat of a small sedan. They ask for gas money to get home with their sick baby. The couple has been seen at Petsmart and in front of the Regal Cinema. They have scammed at least four other people I know out of money. If you see them, get their tag numbers and report them. Save your money for people who really need it.

Thanks for all you do for the community with your blog.