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Monday, March 28, 2011

THIS IS IMPORTANT, DO YOU REMEMBER THIS ARTICLE?


... against the sex offender charged in the child's murder. The brief statement, signed by Sarah Haley Foxwell's parents, Jennifer Foxwell and Thomas Foxwell III, and her aunt, Amy ...

Family members of an 11-year-old Salisbury girl sexually assaulted and brutally killed released a written statement Friday requesting that the current Wicomico County State's attorney prosecute the death penalty case against the sex offender charged in the child's murder.
Editors Notes: The information above came from the Daily Times. Before we expose the TRUTH about the Sarah Foxwell case, you need to be reminded of the Foxwell Family's desire for the death penalty right from the very beginning.

Former States Attorney Davis Ruark Resigns

Former Wicomico County States Attorney and special prosecutor Davis Ruark has put in his resignation. It will become official immediately following tomorrow's hearing in Elkton following the Thomas Leggs case.

While I will still respect Law Enforcement and States Attorney Matt Maciarello's request by not stating details in what will take place tomorrow, this clearly shows, (in my opinion) this case is over.

Again, Salisbury News will provide ALL of the details about tomorrow several hours before the rest of the MSM. Be here at 10:00 AM for those details.

Gender Discrimination Press Release

(ANNAPOLIS) -- “The 86 Delegates who voted for HB-235 should be required to respond to questions from children who may become confused about the gender of their teachers… and questions from parents who feel that their children have been thrown into the adult world” stated Delegate Mike McDermott (R-District 38B) in response to HB-235, Human  Relations – Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity – Antidiscrimination.  HB-235 passed in the House on Saturday with a vote of 86-52 and mainly outlaws discrimination against an individuals gender-related identity regardless of their actual sex at birth. It has been referred to as a bill protecting “cross-dressers” and “trans-genders”.
“It is extremely unfortunate that HB-235 passed.  This bill has many negative consequences for our struggling business community which the 86 Delegates who voted for the bill have failed to consider” stated Delegate McDermott.
“As a society, we need to consider the cost of putting our children in a situation where they grow up too abruptly and are confronted with situations that are far beyond their maturity… all in the name of being politically correct” responded Delegate McDermott.
“It is sad that some leaders would want to tear down the barriers that have always been present to protect our children. Society has long established two sacred sanctuaries for innocent children: the mother’s womb and the classroom for the young. One has been torn down and the other is in the process of being torn with the passage of HB-235” continued Delegate McDermott.
“We're dealing with folks who don’t have a compass… they're not sure which direction points up” said Delegate McDermott on the House floor this past Saturday.  The bill and its amendments will be heard in the Senate Judicial Proceeding Committee before being voted on in the Senate.

MISSING DOG

Hi, Joe. My name is Chasity and I am in desperate search for my dog Cali. She is a 10 month old Labrador pit bull mix and is very loved. She got loose in the Dagsboro Rd. area on Wednesday March 23, 2011.  She is approximately 55-60 lbs. and is black and white with brown markings on her face and on the inner parts of her ears. Could you please post my ad A.S.A.P. I would greatly appreciate it. I am sending a picture of her as well. I have heard that your website is probably my best chance at finding her. Thanks so much. OH, and by the way, I am offering a reward to whomever returns my baby. 443-365-5643

Salisbury Police Department Press Release

On March 28, 2011 at approximately 7:48 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the parking garage on South Division Street for the report of an unattended death. Upon arrival the officers were advised by Salisbury Emergency Medical Services that the below listed suspect had been found deceased by medical personnel. The officers found the male in the stairwell adjacent to South Division Street and observed that there were no signs of trauma or foul play to the body. The medical examiner responded and has submitted the body to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy, to determine the cause of death. The deceased was initially located by a passer by who notified city personnel. The deceased did not appear to have a local address and has been identified as:

Theodore Thatcher Belfit, 31 years of age Caucasian male

The disposition regarding the cause of death is pending the autopsy results of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office. C # 201100011450

ANOTHER SALISBURY CANDIDATE FORUM ON PAC 14

Tomorrow (Tuesday) at 4 PM the recent forum will be broadcast.

Senator Cardin & Advocates Call For Bay Cleanup

Baltimore – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin joined Environment Maryland and other Maryland advocates and business representatives today to call for action to reduce urban fertilizer pollution. Environment Maryland also released their new report on the topic, Urban Fertilizers & the Chesapeake Bay: An Opportunity for Major Pollution Reduction.

“We all reap the rewards from the bay’s extraordinary economic and ecological benefits,” said Senator Benjamin Cardin, chair of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee of the Environment and Public Works Committee in the U.S. Senate.

“All 17 million of us who live in the watershed need to be part of the restoration effort too. Wastewater utilities are cutting pollution from their facilities,municipalities are reducing polluted runoff from streets, and farmers are putting conservation practices on the ground. Environment Maryland’s report on urban and suburban fertilizer use points out that homeowners and businesses also need to be part of the solution by reducing the chemicals we put on our lawns and other green spaces,” added Sen. Cardin.

“We will never restore the bay until everyone helps clean it up. From agribusiness, to power plants, to lawn care companies, to home owners – we all need to do our part. In this report we find that grassy areas like lawns are a big part of the problem and should be part of the solution,” said Megan Cronin, Policy Associate for Environment Maryland.

According to thereport, turf grass—manicured areas like lawns and golf courses—is Maryland’s largest crop, covering an estimated 1.3 million acres in Maryland. That’s more than one fifth of Maryland’s land cover in the bay watershed, and over 86% of that turf is home lawns. The extensive coverage of turf grass becomes problematic when we apply fertilizers containing nutrients that, when applied in excess, can run off into our waterways when it rains or snows. This process contributes to the dead zones that span up to one third of the bay each summer.

“According to the most recent county land-use data, approximately one third of the total land area of Anne Arundel County is turf. Healthy lawns do not need gobs of nitrogen andphosphorus, and that makes conventional fertilizer a pollutant of choice - something that our bay and our rivers just cannot afford,” added Chris Trumbauer, Anne Arundel County Councilman and West/Rhode Riverkeeper.

In 2009 the Chesapeake Bay Program, a federal and state partnership, announced that only 24 percent of water restoration goals had been achieved. Because of our failure to attain these goals, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is putting the bay on a “pollution diet” that will guide the region in restoring the Chesapeake Bay to a healthy and vibrant state. The goal is to reduce the bay’s leading pollutants—nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment—to levels the water can tolerate and remain healthy. Each state in the region has written Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) to meet the goals of the pollution diet.

"All diets require sacrifice and determination. The ‘pollution diet’ for the Chesapeake Bay requires everyone to sacrifice in order to reduce pollutants flowing into the bay. Controlling lawn fertilizers will be a major step toward improvement of the bay water quality," stated Vincent Gardina, the Director of Baltimore County’s Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability.

To help achieve the pollution diet, lawmakers in Annapolis have introduced legislation to reduce urban and suburban fertilizer runoff.Attorney General Doug Gansler and the Chesapeake Bay Commission played leading roles in bringing forward this legislation. The bill (SB 487, HB 573) would limit pollution in several ways such as banning phosphorus from fertilizers labeled for established lawns, requiring that those fertilizers contain more bay-friendly forms of nitrogen (so-called “slow-release” nitrogen), and ensuring that professionals apply less fertilizer at the start.

"The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore is committed to doing everything we can to restore the vitality of the harbor. A healthy harbor would energize our businesses, grow our city, and enable us to fully enjoy our most precious natural resource: the Chesapeake Bay. If managing our use of fertilizers can help us restore Baltimore Harbor, then we should make it our responsibility to do so,” said Michael Hankin, Chair of the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore.

State laws designed to clean our waters from all sources of pollution, fertilizer included, support the efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency in a time when their authority is being challenged in Washington. The U.S. House of Representatives has proposed stripping funding for the EPA to enforce our most basic environmental laws, the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

“Congress has to choose between protecting public health and appeasing dirty energy lobbyists. We think the choice is clear: we need to clean up the air we breathe and the water we drink. Sen. Cardin is leading the charge to protect the public health of everyone in Maryland and across the country. Congress should stop attacking the EPA and instead work to clean up America’s air, streams, and precious waterways like the Chesapeake Bay,” Cronin added.

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY, LT. GOVERNOR ANTHONY BROWN CONVENE “MARYLAND FORWARD” SERIES WITH FORUM FOR VETERANS


CHARLOTTE HALL, MD (March 28, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown and U.S. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer joined local veterans and veteran-serving organizations from around Maryland today at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home for an important discussion on our shared progress on veterans issues and ongoing opportunities for further collaboration to support our troops returning home from service.  The Governor toured Charlotte Hall Veterans Home and later led an open discussion among local veterans on issues important to the veteran community.

“One of the most basic and sacred obligations we have is to serve those who have served under our nation’s flag,” said Governor O’Malley.  “Maryland veterans face unique challenges and often turn to their neighbors and their government for assistance with reintegrating into the society they fought to defend.  We remain committed to working with our veteran community to champion issues that are important to them, including veterans’ behavioral health, career training, and educational opportunities.”

“It is our duty to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans by providing them with the highest quality benefits and services possible,” said Lt. Governor Brown, a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and the highest ranking elected official to have served a tour of duty in Iraq. “Governor O’Malley and I are committed to supporting Maryland veterans, and we have taken significant steps to improve mental health services, provide access to affordable education, increase job and economic opportunities, and enhance the basic services that veterans depend on.  But we can always do more for our veterans.  We will continue working closely with the veteran community in Maryland to build on our progress and ensure we fully support those who so bravely served our country.”

“It is important that we listen and understand the challenges facing veterans today, and work to identify and meet the needs of our veteran population who have sacrificed so much on behalf of our country,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer. I want to thank Governor O’Malley and Lieutenant Governor Brown for hosting this forum at Charlotte Hall today, and for their continued commitment to our area’s veterans. Supporting our troops and veterans means taking action to provide them with the resources they need and the benefits they have earned, and I look forward to continuing to working with the O'Malley Administration to ensure that the 76,000 veterans in the Fifth District are provided the quality care and services that they deserve.”

Today’s forum took place at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, which was selected as a nationwide pilot for state veterans’ homes for implementation of the VA’s award-winning Computerized Patient Records System.

In 2008, Governor O’Malley signed into law behavioral health legislation requiring the provision of certain services for returning veterans, and has provided $6 million for the Veterans Behavioral Health Initiative to coordinate and provide behavioral health services and transportation for veterans requiring treatment.  Over 2,000 veterans and family members have received assistance as a result of this program.

In addition, the O’Malley-Brown Administration provided nearly $3 million in funding for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Scholarship Program, and in 2010, earmarked $2 million to help get veterans into 50 vacant, foreclosed properties within designated areas of Prince George’s County under a special initiative launched by Lt. Governor Brown.

Following the State of the State address, Governor O’Malley announced a series of “Maryland Forward” local policy forums to advance many of those initiatives, serving as a continuation of the “Maryland Forward” forum series before the 2011 Inauguration.  Tomorrow’s forum is the third in a series of smaller groups of local stakeholders throughout the 2011 legislative session focused on specific policy areas that will help Maryland be a winner in the new economy, protect our neighborhoods, and create jobs.

Maryland's Transvestite Protection Act

Joe--

Maryland Delegate Mike McDermott (a true public servant if ever there was one) reported in his Field Notes Post on Sunday that the Maryland House passed what is euphemistically called a 'Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Anti-discrimination' bill during Saturday's session.

Mike's comment:

"..One of the more disturbing bills passed on Saturday was HB-235. This is the “transgender, cross-dresser” bill which now requires for employer accommodations of these confused individuals. The bill will allow for our public school teachers to call themselves “Bob” one week and “Bonnie” the next week.

"It will be a real problem for small business and big business alike and is sure to be just one more reason not to move a family or a business into Maryland. Myself and Delegate Otto did not vote for this  bill for reasons too numerous to name..."

[The bill info for HB235, including a link to the actual text of the bill can be found here.]

One might wonder about the fact that the voting took place on Saturday, though that may have just been where it popped up in the logjam, but this bill sure seems to have been moved under the radar.

The Gay Marriage issue had been pretty much front-and-center for a good while, and that may have diverted attention from HB235. But there has been little mention of it in the 'press' in the days coming up to the vote-- a fact that makes it look even more like the Stealth bill it apparently is.

One of the main points of the legislation seems to be that if some guy is 'feeling pretty' today and wants to put on full makeup and a lovely print dress for work, not much can be said.  An employer will be required to make accommodation.

Somebody will say "It's about time. This is America. You can be whatever you want to be."

But what happens when he has to 'tinkle' and he heads for the ladies room?

Are you liberal ladies going to be OK with that?  How about your husbands?

And, as Delegate McDermott indicated, this could even show up in our schools.  What a wonderful thought.

Delegate Rudolph Cane said the bill is about "ending discrimination."

That's a pretty selective application of that concept.

So if a male teacher comes to work wearing a dress, that's fine-- his 'right'-- but if he were to come to work carrying a Bible, what then?

Imagine when Podunk Tractor Supply's parts-counter guy decides to start coming to work as 'Jane' instead of Joe, and their parts business falls off to nothing.  They're stewed.  Can't discriminate, you know.

And how about Betty (who'd rather be called 'Bill')-- one day when she goes to the beach, she decides to just put on some swim trunks like the other 'guys' and skip the top.

"They don't have to wear one, so why should I?"

You have to wonder what's going through the heads of the many 'delegates' who sponsored and voted for this bill. The only thing I can think of is 'upcoming election' and votes (though the word 'pandering' also comes to mind.)

But I think they've really stepped in something this time. This is radical, even for the People's Republic of Maryland.

The bill now moves to the Senate's Judicial Proceeding Committee for amendments and according to the Maryland House's clerk office, should receive a vote on the Senate floor before the end of this year's legislative session on April 11.

I'll be amazed if we hear anything about it before that vote takes place.
Monty Vernon

A Letter To The Editor


SALISBURY: DOES SAPOA NOW HAVE A FULL SLATE IN THE CITY COUNCIL ELECTION?

Have you noticed that after her good showing in the primary election, Ms. Mitchell has been “adopted” by SAPOA – her signs have suddenly appeared at many of the rental homes. It’s almost as if they were “leering” at the public, no pun intended.

The Game Zone In Laurel, DE.

There is not a finer place of business that combines entertaining adults and children at the same time than this new business in Laurel, DE.

We had the pleasure of visiting The Game Zone this past weekend and let me tell you, we didn't want to leave. The food was fantastic, the drinks, (so I'm told) were great, the service was second to none but most all the atmosphere and entertainment was superb.

The Valley Pool Tables are brand new and are $1.00 per game. Our Grandson walked out with a new backpack from all of tickets he got from the arcade games.

There's a Game Zone ad on the right hand side of Salisbury News. You can click on the ad for more details or just go HERE.

Unfortunately, (for now) they are not open on Sunday's but in due time that may change. I strongly encourage you to visit this business. It's very clean and well worth the trip.

Insiders Worried Over Political Meddling'

WASHINGTON – Insiders at the Homeland Security Department warned for months that senior Obama administration appointees were improperly delaying the releases of government files on politically sensitive topics as sought by citizens, journalists and watchdog groups under the Freedom of Information Act, according to uncensored emails newly obtained by The Associated Press.

The highly unusual political vetting was described as "meddling," "crazy" and "bananas!" It is the subject of a congressional hearing later this week and an ongoing inquiry by the department's inspector general.

Concerns came even from the official put in charge of submitting files to the political staff of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for the secretive reviews. Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan, who was appointed by Napolitano, complained in late 2009 that the vetting process was burdensome and said she wanted to change it.

Callahan is expected to be a central witness during an oversight hearing Thursday by the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee. In emails, she warned that the Homeland Security Department might be sued over delays the political reviews were causing, and she hinted that a reporter might find out about the political scrutiny.

"This level of attention is CRAZY," Callahan wrote in December 2009 to her then-deputy, Catherine Papoi. Callahan said she hoped someone outside the Obama administration would discover details of the political reviews, possibly by asking for evidence of them under the Freedom of Information Act itself: "I really really want someone to FOIA this whole damn process," Callahan wrote.

More

Future Firefighters To Extinguish Blazes With 'Harry Potter' Wands

Scientists have invented a way of controlling fires using a wand that puts out flames by zapping them with electricity, a physicist said Sunday.

The Harry Potter-style device could enable firefighters to quell flames without having to soak property with water and foam.

It will be unveiled this week at a meeting of the American Chemical Society by Ludovico Cademartiri, a Harvard University physicist, according to The (London) Sunday Times.

"Controlling fires is an enormously difficult challenge. Our research has shown that applying large electric fields can suppress flames very rapidly. We're very excited about the results," Cademartiri said.

Media Matters: Guerrilla War Against Fox

The liberal group Media Matters has quietly transformed itself in preparation for what its founder, David Brock, described in an interview as an all-out campaign of “guerrilla warfare and sabotage” aimed at the Fox News Channel.

The group, launched as a more traditional media critic, has all but abandoned its monitoring of newspapers and other television networks and is narrowing its focus to Fox and a handful of conservative websites, which its leaders view as political organizations and the “nerve center” of the conservative movement.

“The strategy that we had had toward Fox was basically a strategy of containment,” said Brock, Media Matters’ chairman and founder and a former conservative journalist, adding that the group’s main aim had been to challenge the factual claims of the channel and to attempt to prevent them from reaching the mainstream media.

The new strategy, he said, is a “war on Fox.”

Media Matters, Brock said, is assembling opposition research files not only on Fox’s top executives but on a series of midlevel officials. It has hired an activist who has led a successful campaign to press advertisers to avoid Glenn Beck’s show. The group is assembling a legal team to help people who have clashed with Fox to file lawsuits for defamation, invasion of privacy or other causes. And it has hired two experienced reporters, Joe Strupp and Alexander Zaitchik, to dig into Fox’s operation to help assemble a book on the network, due out in 2012.

Read more

Gaza Cops Use ‘Beatings, Stun Guns’ On Women Reporters

A number of Palestinian women journalists complained on Sunday that they had been beaten and tortured by Hamas security forces in the Gaza Strip.

They said the assaults occurred in recent days when they and their colleagues tried to cover pro-unity rallies in different parts of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas policemen used force to disperse the protesters, who were calling for an end to the dispute between the Islamist movement and Fatah. The rallies were part of a Facebook campaign organized by Palestinian youth on March 15.

At least eight journalists were beaten by the Hamas police officers during the rallies.

Some had their cameras and laptops confiscated, while others were taken into custody and made to sign a document pledging to refrain from covering such events in the future.

Later, Hamas security personnel raided the offices of a number of media organizations and confiscated equipment and documents. Among the offices targeted were Reuters, CNN and a Japanese TV network.

One of the female journalists, Samah Ahmed, complained that a Hamas policeman in military uniform stabbed her in the back as she tried to leave the al-Katiba Square, where pro-unity protesters were staging a sit-in strike.

She said that she and another female journalist, Asma al- Ghoul, were later also beaten with clubs before they were taken to detention.

“At the police station, they continued to beat us and curse us,” Ahmed told the Palestinian news agency Aswar Press. “When they realized that I was bleeding from the area where I was stabbed, the police interrogators sent me to hospital.”

She added that the Hamas police officers who accompanied her to the hospital forced the medical team to admit her under a different name and to list her as a victim of a traffic accident.

More from JPost

Gay Civil Union Legislation In Delaware

Ms. Goodman,

I've had several messages containing your phone number and people associated with Equality Delaware have asked me to contact you in regards to the Civil Unions bill (Senate Bill 30).  I feel it would be best to write you a message rather than a phone call so I can get answers I can read with no way to misconstrue them. 
Also so you have a full account of my views.

Myself along with a number of homosexuals and heterosexuals have determined that this equality bill actually contains sexual orientation discrimination, and yes, we do consider heterosexuality a sexual orientation.

The bill introduced specifically denies heterosexual couples from entering into a civil union versus a traditional marriage.  There are a couple of reasons a heterosexual couple may opt for a civil union versus a traditional marriage. One reason being some heterosexual couples view traditional marriage as a religious institution and they do not identify with any religion.  And although traditional marriages are of a civil matter there is still religious connotations attached to traditional marriage. Another reason being some heterosexual couples may not be ready for a full blown traditional marriage and would rather opt to be joined in a civil union.  I know of a couple that have been together for 30+ years and will not get married but have stated to me that given the option of a civil union they would indeed join together in a civil union.

Let there be no mistaking; if this bill did not include a requirement to ban heterosexuals from entering a civil union then I would support it 100%.  There is no alternative to unconditional equality and this bill does not stand for unconditional equality.  None of the Equality Delaware representatives that I've spoken to has given me an answer as to way it's required that only homosexuals can enter a civil union.

Why must there be a requirement that bans heterosexuals from entering a civil union?

Is there anything that is gained from denying heterosexuals the right to enter into a civil union if homosexual couples are allowed?

The argument that heterosexuals have the right to marry and therefore do not need the right to enter a civil union is not the correct response to this question.  If civil unions differ in any way from marriage then heterosexuals deserve the right to enter into a civil union.

At the town hall meeting it was brought up that in some countries that offer civil unions that more heterosexual couples are opting to enter into a civil union versus a traditional marriage.  This too is an invalid argument.
An argument has been made that we should exclude heterosexuals because they have excluded us from traditional marriage.  This too is an invalid argument.

Unconditional equality is equality without conditions, putting conditions into an equality bill that restricts a heterosexual's right to a civil union is without question complete and total disregard to equality and equates to nothing more than discrimination based on sexual orientation. 

On a side note, I'm not trying to be a bad guy here.  Its just that I see discrimination written into an equality bill and no one can give me an answer as to why that is a stipulation of this bill

Respectfully,
R. Ryan Stevenson

GOP Appears Poised To Take On Entitlements

If there's any place where tea partiers in Congress might hesitate to call for cuts in Social Security and Medicare to shrink the federal debt, Florida's retirement havens should top the list.

Even there, however, Republican lawmakers are racing toward a spending showdown with Democrats exhibiting little nervousness about deep cuts, including those that eventually would hit benefit programs long left alone by politicians.

In fact, many GOP freshmen seem bolder than ever. It's Democrats, especially in the Senate, who are trying to figure out how to handle the popular but costly retirement programs. Congress, meanwhile, is rapidly nearing critical decisions on the budget and the nation's debt ceiling.

In southeast Florida last week, first-term GOP Rep. Allen West, a tea party favorite, called for changes that some might consider radical: abolish the Internal Revenue Service and federal income tax; retain tax cuts for billionaires so they won't shut down their charities; stop extending unemployment benefits that "reward bad behavior" by discouraging people from seeking new jobs.

As for entitlements, West told a friendly town hall gathering in Coral Springs, if Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid "are left on autopilot, if we don't institute some type of reform, they'll subsume our entire GDP" by 2040 or 2050. GDP, or gross domestic product, measures the value of all goods and services produced in the United States.

Social Security, the largest federal program, mainly benefits retirees. Medicare provides health coverage for older people. Medicaid helps those with low incomes. Combined, the three consume about 40 percent of the budget. Their costs are growing rapidly. Social Security and Medicare benefits now exceed the payroll taxes that fund them.

Read more

Radiation In Mass. Rainwater Likely From Japan

Health officials said Sunday that one sample of Massachusetts rainwater has registered very low concentrations of radiation, most likely from the Japanese nuclear power plant damaged earlier this month by an earthquake and tsunami.

John Auerbach, the Massachusetts commissioner of public health, said that radioiodine-131 found in the sample — one of more than 100 that have been taken around the country — is short lived. He said the drinking water supply in the state was unaffected and officials do not expect any health concerns.

Nevada and other Western states also have reported minuscule amounts of radiation, but scientists say those presented no health risks.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said the in-state sample was taken in the past week, but they did not say where. The testing is part of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency network that monitors for radioactivity.

State officials said similar testing was done in California, Pennsylvania, Washington and other states, and showed comparable levels of I-131 in rain.

More here

CBO Sees Benefits In Taxing Motorists Based On Miles Driven

A new Congressional Budget Office study says taxing motorists based on the number of miles they drive would be a fair and "efficient" way to charge motorists for the real cost of using the nation's highways. "Vehicle-miles traveled" taxes (or VMT taxes) also would provide a strong incentive for people to drive less.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood floated the idea of a VMT tax one month after President Obama took office, but Obama’s spokesman immediately shot it down. "It is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters in February 2009.

But that was then.

The CBO study, released this week, says the federal government pays in part for about 25 percent of the nation's highways, which carry about 85 percent of all road traffic. Right now, federal spending on those highways is funded mainly by taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel, but those taxes do not raise enough money to support either the current federal spending on highways -- or the higher spending levels that some transportation planners advocate.

While raising fuel taxes would bring in more money, the CBO notes that a "fundamental" problem would remain: "By themselves, fuel taxes cannot provide a strong incentive for people to avoid overusing highways," the report said.

On the other hand, VMT taxes would have most motorists paying "substantially more than they do now -- perhaps several times more," the report said. "Such a system would maximize the efficiency of highway use by discouraging trips for which costs exceed benefits."

More here

Thinking About Botox? A Peel? Best Skin Fixes

Needles, lasers and peels, oh, my! They can be pricey and painful, but sometimes they’re the best route to the beautiful skin you crave. Get the insider facts about what doctor’s-office treatments can and can’t do.

Canada 'Vigorously Condemns' Gaza Attacks On Israel

Canada is standing up for Israel's right to defend itself against the terrorist rocket and mortar attacks on its southern region.

Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said Friday in a statement, “Canada vigorously condemns the rocket attacks on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip. These terrorist attacks, which indiscriminately target civilian areas, are abhorrent and criminal.

“Israel has a right to defend itself against such terrorist acts.

“Terrorism is never justified. We call on all parties in Gaza to cease these criminal attacks. Those responsible should be brought to justice,” Cannon added.

On Saturday, three rockets were launched from Gaza at the western Negev. Damage was caused in all three attacks, but no one was injured.

On Sunday morning, the Israel Air Force carried out air strikes on Islamic Jihad terrorists preparing to again attack southern Israel with more missiles. At least two terrorists were killed in the air strike.

INN

Al Jazeera’s Expansion In The United States

Al Jazeera is planning to expand into the United States, and the chattering classes are treating it as a simple free speech matter.

Let’s not let the Islamic supremacists once again invoke the freedom of speech to kill our freedom of speech. The ruse of using freedom of speech to allow propaganda broadcasts over our airways is another stealth attack on the United States of America. The issue of the expansion of Al Jazeera into the United States can only be likened to an expansion of Goebbels’s media network into the U.S. at the height of World War II.

Remember: the Mufti of Jerusalem, Hajj Amin al-Husseini, was aligned with Hitler and lived in the lap of luxury on Hitler’s dime during the height of World War II, while he made weekly addresses to the umma and all the Axis countries, spewing the most vile incitement to slaughter Jews, quoting Muhammad, shrieking Qur’an verses, demanding the rout of British and American forces. These “holy” speeches whose content came directly from the Qur’an incited violence across the Axis world and helped al-Husseini raise Muslim armies in Bosnia. Al-Husseini’s actions resulted in the deaths of 400,000 Jewish women and children. Would you have the likes of al-Husseini go up against Katie Couric?

Because this is what we are suggesting. The overtly covert — or is that covertly overt? — propaganda war against the West is being waged on all fronts, but no organization has done as much to spread hate, lies and incitement to violence as Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera is the leading terrorist propaganda organization in the world.

Jihad murder mastermind Anwar al-Awlaki has praised Al Jazeera, and several years ago one of its most prominent reporters was arrested on terror charges.

Al Jazeera also has for years been the recipient of numerous Al Qaeda videos featuring bin Laden, Zawahiri, and American traitor Adam Gadahn. Yet they never seem to be able to trace where these videos are coming from. They have repeatedly been set up at the point of attack right before a bomb went off, so that they could take the picture of the slaughtered, dismembered bodies.

How did they know?  A Ouija board?

They don’t report news. They spread poison. They are no different from Al Manar, the “broadcast” station for Hezbollah. And Al Manar is designated a terrorist organization by the State Department. And yet freedom-loving people have to listen to the Katie Courics and the Matt Lauers and all the other schmucks in the mainstream media laud the coverage of Al Jazeera, while slamming and smearing Fox News.

Read more

Conyers Calls For Inquiry Of Treatment Of Muslim Americans

The ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee has called for an investigation into claims by American Muslims that they are being harassed by U.S. customs and border officials while trying to cross back into the country from Canada.

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) asked the Justice Department (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to investigate allegations made by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) that American-Muslims are being handcuffed, interrogated and sexually harassed for hours by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents along the northern border.

“With federal hearings on radicalization and intense scrutiny by law enforcement of religious institutions, the American-Islamic community today is living in a climate that has the risk of producing a siege mentality,” said Conyers in a statement.

“The American-Islamic community should know that the federal government will protect the interests of the community, while maintaining the appropriate focus on national security.”

Conyers' call for the investigation come as the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights prepares to hold a hearing next week on “Protecting the civil rights of American Muslims,” in which the panel will hear from DOJ’s assistant attorney general for its civil rights division.

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Caterpillar Could Leave Illinois Over Taxes

The chairman and CEO of Peoria-based Caterpillar Inc. is raising the specter of moving the heavy equipment maker out of Illinois.

In a letter sent March 21 to Gov. Pat Quinn, Caterpillar chief executive officer Doug Oberhelman said officials in at least four other states have approached the company about relocating since Illinois raised its income tax in January.

"I want to stay here. But as the leader of this business, I have to do what's right for Caterpillar when making decisions about where to invest," Oberhelman wrote in the letter obtained Friday by the Lee Enterprises Springfield bureau. "The direction that this state is headed in is not favorable to business and I'd like to work with you to change that."

Oberhelman said he's being actively courted to move.

"I have been called, 'cornered' in meetings and 'wined and dined' -- the heat is on," Oberhelman wrote. "Before, I never really considered living anywhere else and certainly never considered the possibility of Caterpillar relocating. But I have to admit, the policymakers in Springfield seem to make it harder by the day."

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'Small Amounts' Of Radioactivity Detected In Md., Va.

WASHINGTON -- Traces of radioactivity have been detected in the air and rainwater in the WTOP listening area and other parts of the nation, according to government reports.
 
There is no threat to public health, according to officials at the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control, who emphasize the radioactive materials found are in "very small amounts."
 
Maryland regularly tests for radiation, especially near nuclear power facilities, but when trace amounts were found in the air, "we did extra testing," says Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein.

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Social Services Failed To Follow Up On Abuse And Neglect, Audit Says; Children Placed With Abusers

Severe problems with recordkeeping and computer systems kept the state’s Social Services Administration from following up on cases of abuse and neglect and led it to place children with caregivers who had histories of abuse and neglect. The failed systems also caused it to fall far behind in several federal benchmarks.

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IF I DIDN'T HAVE A DOG OR CAT

I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.

cid:35B6F8D1C2A344B0AA91335705CA92CA@KimPC


My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.

All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.


cid:0C9C8D3427B74B9492A28E1C79963F01@KimPC


When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel.
 
cid:FBC19C94413B451397CEB96EF27891A6@KimPC

When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there.

I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, with out taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.

cid:F9CEEB02E4C240359AC749BB46FA330F@KimPC

I would have money, and no guilt to go on a real vacation.
I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their  yet unborn grandkids through college.

cid:4A66E7F916884A479D773C69FF0C7708@KimPC

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave it ALONE.
My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers.

 
cid:804F0766C9D34E05AD5D573F68BA6E42@KimPC

I would not talk 'baby talk'.  'Eat your din'.  'Yummy yummy for the tummy'...
My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere.


cid:47E96ADA29EA4424AEFEF0E68AA0F2A8@KimPC

My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.

cid:AFA9B5430769476682A17E4E36C01EFC@KimPC

I would no longer have to spell the words B-A-L-L,, W-A-L-K,, T-R-E-A-T,, O-U-T,, G-O,, R-I-D-E,, C-O-O-K-I-E

I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.

 
cid:AE121EC8495D4F39A90F854C99B1D977@KimPC

I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.

cid:ECB0D18698534DD9936EED25912DA95C@KimPC

I'd look forward to spring and the rainy season instead of dreading 'mud' season.

I would not have to answer the question
'Why do you have so many animals?'
from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing
they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an ANGEL as they will ever get.

Big T-Shirts To Cover Girls Who Break Dress Code

LUSBY, Md.  (WUSA)-  Soon, kids may try to push the envelope when it comes to their school's dress codes.

"They'd zip up their jackets but they'd go down the hall and unzip," says Lori Sikorski, the administrative secretary at Mill Creek Middle School.

"Teachers say all the time, 'Pull your pants up.  They just don't listen.  They pull them up  half way," says 8th grader Victoria Miller.

"It's cleavage and boxers," says Assistant Principal Abbe Gray.

So, teachers at Mill Creek Middle School in Lusby Maryland, came up with idea.

"We're not embarrassing any kid in public. We're just saying, hey, you know what the policy is. We need you to go to the office and let's take care of that," said Principal Darrel Prioleau.

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Lawmakers Considering Range Of Fees, Taxes


The increases would start in the cradle, with a boost in the cost of obtaining a birth certificate. They would hit passengers on a train or a bus, students paying for college, and residents buying a car or a house. Hospital patients could would see their health insurance premiums go up, homeowners would pay more for energy, drinkers would owe more for that beer.

Department Of Human Resources - Social Services Administration Report

Below is a link to the Office of Legislative Audits’ report dated March 16, 2011 covering the audit of the Department of Human Resources – Social Services Administration.  This report is available to the public on March 25, 2011.

President Hamlet

More than 400 years ago, William Shakespeare wrote a riveting tragedy about a young, charismatic Danish prince who vowed to do the right thing in avenging his murdered father. That soon proved easier said than done. As a result, Hamlet couldn’t quite ever act in time — given all the ambiguities that such a sensitive prince first had to sort out. In the meantime, a lot of bodies piled up through his indecision and hesitancy.

President Obama wanted to give us all universal healthcare. But then he discovered that the country was broke and that most people did not like his massive federal takeover. So we got both his health care and, so far, more than 1,000 exemptions from his landmark plan for unions, corporations, and entire states.

The president wished to please his liberal supporters with more government redistributive programs and higher taxes on the wealthy. But such entitlements cost lots of money — more than $4 trillion in new borrowing in just three years — and scare to death the job-creating private sector. So the president not only borrows at record levels, but also sets up a commission to warn us that his borrowing will soon bankrupt the country. He damns the “fat-cat bankers” and the rich who “at some point” have made enough money, even as he courts them for campaign donations and begs their companies to start hiring new employees.

Obama warned us that we could not drill our way out of the ongoing gas crisis and needed instead to develop new green energy. As proof, he borrowed billions to promote wind and solar power, and stopped most new leases for fossil-fuel exploration in Alaska, the west, and offshore. But it turned out that we still need lots of oil as gas nears $4 a gallon. So the president brags that America is now pumping more oil under his green administration than ever before — but neglects to mention that this is true only because Presidents Clinton and Bush long ago approved the sort of oil leases that Obama had rejected.

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Our Libyan March Madness

The prognosis for Libya might be better if our president cared more about it than about the NCAA.

The Obama administration’s Libyan strategy is a paradox — resulting from the president’s belatedly announcing that Moammar Qaddafi must go, using military force against him, and then denying that our objective is to see him leave. The president seems more knowledgeable about the tournament chances of two dozen college basketball teams than he does about the Libyan labyrinth. So let us review what follows from a campaign that has not been approved by Congress and is not supported by the American people — but which we must now hope works, given the commitment of American troops.

Why Libya?

The Obama administration, after over two weeks of unrest in Libya, grandly declared that Qaddafi had to go. Why? I think because it seemed then almost certain that the rebels were just about to throw him out. We did not wish to seem calculating, opportunistic, and on the wrong side of history, as we had when we belatedly piggy-backed on the rather easy departures of dictators/not dictators — and former allies — Hosni Mubarak and Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.

But any student of the Middle East could have reminded the president that Qaddafi is not Mubarak or Ben Ali, but more akin to Ahmadinejad, Assad, the Taliban, or Saddam Hussein. Tyrants of that stripe don’t leave when told to. They equate exile with a noose. Such thugs stay in power until they are killed or driven out by overwhelming military force — usually well beyond what dissidents and insurgents can muster.

After nearly three months, there is also still no typology, even if informal, offered of Middle Eastern unrest. The Obama administration has not explained how our muscularity with Libya fits into our larger policy of embracing “outreach” to Syria, not “meddling” in Iran, and keeping silent about Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Bahrain and about the popular unrest in the Gulf and Jordan. Where do we intervene in the region, for what and on behalf of whom, and how and for how long?
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Salisbury Jaycees Announce Inaugural Count And Countess Of Halloween Contest

SALISBURY, MD---The Salisbury Jaycees are looking for individuals interested in helping their community and having fun during the inaugural Count and Countess of Halloween fundraising competition.
Registration opens Monday, March 28. Community members are invited to sign up for the competition. Participants will help the Jaycees raise money for the chapter’s annual Treat Street safe trick-or-treating
initiative by requesting pledges from friends and family or designing and hosting their own fundraisers.
The male and female who raise the most by Saturday, October 15, will be crowned the Count and Countess of Halloween and be given special recognition during this year’s fourth annual Treat Street, beginning 6 p.m. Monday, October 31, on Salisbury’s Downtown Plaza. Some 750 children and their families are expected to attend. The winners also will have the opportunity to ride in the 65th annual Salisbury Christmas Parade, scheduled 2 p.m. Sunday, December 4.
“This is the perfect opportunity for individuals, including high school and college students, who are interested in helping their community, but not sure where to begin,” said Jason Rhodes, Treat Street founder and chairman.

“This is a chance for them to get creative. If they feel most comfortable requesting pledges, they can.
If they want to involve others in the community by hosting a bake sale, selling candy bars or organizing fundraising events, they can do that, as well. This is an event for people at all comfort levels.”
Those interested may sign up any time before Saturday, October 15. A “leader board” will be posted on the Salisbury Jaycees’ website during the competition. To register, visit
www.salisburyjc.com/count-and-countess-contest.html.

For more information call 410-749-0144, ext. 109, or e-mail jason@salisburyjc.com.
Jason Rhodes
Management Development Director
Salisbury Jaycees

GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY TO CONTINUE “MARYLAND FORWARD” SERIES WITH FORUM FOR VETERANS


ANNAPOLIS, MD  – Governor Martin O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown will join U.S. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, local veterans and veteran-serving organizations from around Maryland for an important discussion on our shared progress on veterans issues and ongoing opportunities for further collaboration to support our troops returning home from service.  The Governor will tour Charlotte Hall Veterans Home and later lead an open discussion among local veterans on issues important to the veteran community.

The O’Malley-Brown Administration has championed issues important to veterans, including increased investment in veterans behavioral health, career training, and educational opportunities to assist veterans returning home to reintegrate into society.

Following the State of the State address, Governor O’Malley announced a series of “Maryland Forward” local policy forums to advance many of those initiatives, serving as a continuation of the “Maryland Forward” forum series before the 2011 Inauguration.  Tomorrow’s forum is the third in a series of smaller groups of local stakeholders throughout the 2011 legislative session focused on specific policy areas that will help Maryland be a winner in the new economy, protect our neighborhoods, and create jobs.