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Monday, July 18, 2011

Harris Raises Over $275k in Second Quarter

                    -New number pushes him over $500k raised in 2012 cycle with $415k cash on hand-

STEVENSVILLE, MD – On Friday, Rep. Andy Harris reported to the Federal Election Commission raising over $275,000 during the second quarter of 2011.  This quarterly report means Harris has raised nearly $530,000 for the 2012 cycle and has nearly $415,000 cash on hand.

“I’m continually honored and humbled by the support I’ve received this year,” said Rep. Harris.  “My message of reducing wasteful government spending to kick start job creation has resonated with Maryland families and businesses.”

Quick Facts Regarding Rep. Andy Harris’ Q2 Report:

·      2nd Quarter Raised - $276,576
·      Total COH - $414,641
·      2012 Cycle Raised - $528,522
·      2012 Cycle: 1,372 donors
·      2012 Cycle: 1,100 donations under $100

Paid for and Authorized by Andy Harris for Congress
PO Box 426, Stevensville, MD 21666

Fire Academy Program Suspended Amid Cheating Probe

I-Team: City EMS Training Program Instructors Reassigned

The Baltimore City Fire Academy EMS training program has been suspended pending the outcome of a cheating investigation.

The I-Team's David Collins said the cheating scandal involves as many as 20 cadets. He spoke exclusively Monday with fire department Chief James Clack.

"When something like this happens, it reflects on the whole agency, reflects on me," Clack said. "It reflects on the fire department and the city. Unfortunately, somebody decided to do something they shouldn't have, and we are all going to pay the price for that."

$140G Pony Arrives Dead At New York Airport

A $140,000 horse being flown from Belgium to New York's John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport did not make it to the finish line alive, the New York Post reported Saturday.

The pony, named Virteuse, was discovered dead at a JFK cargo facility shortly after its flight landed Friday morning, sources said.

Letter to the Editor – More Complaints About the Wicomico Humane Society

I'm writing again concerning the Wicomico County Humane Society. It has been brought to my attention that this past week while still under scrutiny from the public that they still refuse to do their jobs or have any compassion for the animals in the county.

It seems they got a call about a dog in bad shape from the Sheriff’s Department. They said they would take care of it. Funny thing is the Sheriff’s Department, thinking this was done got another call that they went on. The dog had died in the yard. From info I have received no one had gone out to this animal’s aid.

Another incident happened in the Town of Delmar last week. The town has a very part-time dog control officer. He was not on duty. The Delmar Police Department came upon an animal cruelty case and called the Humane Society to come take this puppy to a vet and hold as evidence for prosecution of the guilty party. The police were told they would not come. Since when is Delmar not part of the county?

It seems to me that this is not just not doing their jobs but a blatant uncaring attitude about animals in danger. I hope the people of Wicomico County do not find this acceptable behavior. Seems like the humane society people in charge pick and choose what they will do and what animals will be rescued.

Yet they have time to act in childish retaliation against me for posting out to other rescues a dog that needed help. Last week my landlord received many anonymous calls trying to have me evicted from my home. I can't prove but assume where these calls were generated from. I am at this time in talks with an attorney about filing a harassment suit against the Humane Society and the board of directors for my continued harassment by Sandy Hudson the shelter manager which has gone on for the last year and a half.

Sherry Dillon.

Ron Paul On "Debt Ceiling Drama" "We Need To Stop Allowing Secretive Banking Cartels To Endlessly Enslave Us"

Debt Ceiling Drama

First of all, politicians need to understand that without real change default is inevitable.  In fact, default happens every day through monetary policy tricks.  Every time the Federal Reserve engages in more quantitative easing and devalues the dollar, it is defaulting on the American people by eroding their purchasing power and inflating their savings away.  The dollar has lost nearly 50% of its value against gold since 2008. 

The Fed claims inflation is 2% or less over the past few years; however economists who compile alternate data show a 9% inflation rate if calculated more traditionally.  Alarmingly, the administration is talking about changing the methodology of the CPI calculation yet again to hide the damage of the government's policies.

Changing the CPI will also enable the government to avoid giving seniors a COLA (cost of living adjustment) on their social security checks, and raise taxes via the hidden means of "bracket creep."  This is a default.  Just because it is a default on the people and not the banks and foreign holders of our debt does not mean it doesn't count.

Politicians also need to acknowledge that our debt is unsustainable.  For decades our government has been spending and promising far more than it collects in taxes.  But the problem is not that the people are not taxed enough.  The government has managed to run up $61.6 trillion in unfunded liabilities, which works out to $528,000 per household.  A tax policy that would aim to extract even half that amount of money from American families would be unimaginably draconian, and not unlike attempting to squeeze blood from a turnip.  This is, unequivocally, a spending problem brought about by a dramatically inflated view of the proper role of government in a free society.

Perhaps the most abhorrent bit of chicanery has been the threat that if a deal is not reached to increase the debt by August 2nd, social security checks may not go out.  In reality, the Chief Actuary of Social Security confirmed last week that current Social Security tax receipts are more than enough to cover current outlays.

The only reason those checks would not go out would be if the administration decided to spend those designated funds elsewhere.  It is very telling that the administration would rather frighten seniors dependent on social security checks than alarm their big banking friends, who have already received $5.3 trillion in bailouts, stimulus and quantitative easing.  This instance of trying to blackmail Congress into tax increases by threatening social security demonstrates how scary it is to be completely dependent on government promises and why many young people today would jump at the chance to opt out of Social Security altogether.

We are headed for rough economic times either way, but the longer we put it off, the greater the pain will be when the system implodes.  We need to stop adding more programs and entitlements to the problem.  We need to stop expensive bombing campaigns against people on the other side of the globe and bring our troops home.  We need to stop allowing secretive banking cartels to endlessly enslave us through monetary policy trickery And we need to drastically rethink government's role in our lives so we can get it out of the way and get back to work.

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Salisbury Police Department Pres Release

The Salisbury Police Department is currently monitoring an increase in complaints regarding a mail fraud scam.

The scam involves the potential victim receiving a notice in the mail, often accompanied by a check, informing the victim that he/she has been chosen as a winner of an international contest. The winner is instructed to deposit the enclosed check into the bank and to keep an amount of currency from the deposit, then to return the balance to the sweepstakes company by money transfer or wire. The sweepstakes corporation is normally an international company. The victim later finds that the check is fraudulent and becomes responsible for the amount of the deposit that was withdrawn to complete the money transfer. The letter often tells the victim that this check is the first installment of a much larger winning amount.

The public is advised to be cautious of any notification of winning a contest that was not entered and particularly those that require the winner to return amounts of U.S. currency.

If anyone receives such a mailing or a similar contest notification and has questions as to the validity of the company or contest, they are asked to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165.

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TO VISIT YOUTHWORKS SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM

ANNAPOLIS, MD (July 18, 2011) –TOMORROW, Governor O’Malley will join Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young to visit with the YouthWorks summer jobs program at the Academy for College and Career Exploration, one of over 400 YouthWorks sites across the City. The Governor will join the participants in projects to beatify and green the school grounds.

YouthWorks, operated by the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, places young people between the ages of 14 and 21 in summer jobs with private sector, nonprofit, and city and state government employers throughout the City.

In April, Governor O’Malley introduced the Administration’s FY12 supplemental budget, including an unprecedented $1.13 million to fund more than 900 summer jobs for youth in Baltimore City, and $370,000 for the Conservation Jobs Corps, which provides conservation service opportunities for youth in Maryland State Parks.


WHAT:           Governor O’Malley, Mayor Rawlings-Blake, City Council President Young to visit YouthWorks program 

WHEN:           TOMORROW, Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. 

WHERE:        Academy for College and Career Exploration
                        1300 W. 36th Street
                        Baltimore, MD

Son, Girlfriend Of CEO Die After Incidents At San Diego Mansion

The 6-year-old son of a prominent pharmaceutical executive died Sunday, almost a week after falling down the stairs at his family's mansion and four days after his father's girlfriend was found dead hanging from a balcony in the house. 

Max Shacknai died Sunday at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego nearly a week after falling down stairs at the historic mansion owned by his father, Medicis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. chairman and chief executive Jonah Shacknai, on San Diego Bay. 

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President Obama's Big Deal: Cuts For Social Security, But No Taxes For Wall Street

The ability of Washington to turn everything on its head has no limits. We are in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Even though the recession officially ended two years ago, there are still more than 25 million people who are unemployed, can only find part-time work or who have given up looking for work altogether. This is an outrage and a tragedy. These people's lives are being ruined due to the mismanagement of the economy.

And we know the cause of this mismanagement. The folks who get paid to manage and regulate the economy were unable to see an $8 trillion housing bubble. They weren't bothered by the doubling of house prices in many areas, nor the dodgy mortgages that were sold to finance these purchases. Somehow, people like former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan and his sidekick and successor Ben Bernanke thought everything was fine as the Wall Street financers made billions selling junk mortgage and derivative instruments around the world.

Posts Continue Until Late Into This Evening

Keep watching because Salisbury News will continue with Posts every 15 minutes until at least 9 PM tonight. I'm confident today will deliver more news in one day than Salisbury News has ever delivered.

CONVULSION IS IN THE CARDS

Kunstler is succinct and very very depressing today. I’m afraid he is absolutely right. There is no money. The debt ceiling reality show is a farce. The debt already accumulated cannot be repaid. The spigot is running dry.

It seems inconceivable that his meanderings about the 2012 presidential election not happening and some military officer ascending to power could possibly happen. Right?

Put yourself in a time machine and transport yourself to January 1, 2000. If someone told you that the National Debt would rise from $5.8 trillion to $14.4 trillion in the next 11 years, we would be running annual budget deficits of $1.5 trillion, gold would go from $300 an ounce to $1,600 an ounce, we’d be fighting 3 wars in the Middle East, the World Trade Centers would not be standing, and the government had free rein to spy on you, grope you in airports, monitor your calls and emails, and torture people at secret bases throughout the world, what would you have said?

Fourth Turnings don’t follow rules. The situation in the world is out of control. Anything is possible – economic collapse, riots, looting, war, hyperinflation, and even dictatorship. Keep your mind and eyes wide open.

The Amazing Dissolving Nation

By James Howard Kunstler
on July 18, 2011 10:07 AM
 
Going broke fast is a very compelling problem. For ordinary people it tends to induce chicken-with-no-head syndrome – a mad burst of pointless locomotion ending in sudden collapse. If the US debt ceiling is raised – which I think is a 90 percent bet – there will be a sigh of relief that resounds from the lobster pounds of Penobscot Bay to the parking lots of Silicon Valley… and poor dissolving America will still be stuck in its essential predicament of being broke. So a lot of pointless locomotion will continue in the form of positioning among a troop of clown candidates for the dumbshow of the 2012 election. I wonder lately whether that election will actually happen.

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DANGEROUS CRIMINALS THWARTED BY BRAVE POLICE RAID

When three girls in Midway, Georgia set up their lemonade stand, they intended to raise enough money to go to the water park. But the ever-vigilant local police quickly identified the girls’ effort as criminal enterprise and shut them down.

“It’s kind of crazy that we couldn’t sell lemonade,” 14-year-old Casity Dixon told WJCL. “It was fun, but we had to listen to the cops and shut it down.”

The police chief and another officer discovered the stand only one day after it had opened.

“They told us to shut it down,” 10-year-old Skylar Roberts said.

“We had told them, we understand you guys are young, but still, you’re breaking the law, and we can’t let you do it anymore,” Midway Police Chief Kelly Morningstar explained. “The law is the law, and we have to be consistent with how we enforce the laws.”

A city permit that would have allowed the lemonade stand to stay open costs $50 a day. In contrast, a child’s water park ticket goes for about $27.

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Who's Afraid Of Ron Paul?

Bankers, War Mongers, Drug Dealers, The New York Times, The Military Industrial Complex, the Neo-Cons, The Wall Street Journal, The DEA, Organized Crime, The CIA, the FBI, The FDA, The Department of Education, The Federal Reserve and the IRS.

“With politicians like these, who needs terrorists?” ~ Ron Paul

Ron Paul is neither a big man nor a loud one and his polite demeanor effectively disguises a vicious fighting spirit. No other politician in recent history has been the been lone dissenter on so many congressional votes.

From Mother Teresa to Gaza, only one man dissented: Ron Paul. He transcends party lines, confusing the mass media who are not sure whether he is a radical left wing peace nick or a John Birch Manchurian candidate.

Right or Left?
“We can achieve much more in peace than we can ever achieve in these needless, unconstitutional, undeclared wars.” ~ Ron Paul

As shocking as it may seem to The New York Times, Fox, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN, The Constitution and The Declaration of Independence actually call for a peaceful, free Republic unencumbered by Government.

What other member of Congress is for ending the war on drugs, phasing out Medicare and Medicaid, making Social Security optional, legalizing prostitution, ending The Fed, halting all aid to Israel, lowering taxes, and closing all American military bases abroad? How do you define Ron Paul within the current political spectrum? You can’t. He simply doesn't fit into any of the convenient labels available for the two party charade. The Ivy Leagued Wall Street/Washington nexus doesn't know what to make of man who is against two of the most dreaded things in life: war and taxes.

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US Misery Index At 28 Year High

This must be another one of those things that accompany the American economy one year into the recovery (Tim Geithner [1]©).


How To Save Money For A House

If you want to scrape together as much money as possible for a down payment on a home, you'll have to cut your usual expenses. The trick is deciding exactly what you can and can't do without.

Blonde & Balanced offers a primer for how to chip away at your budget and cobble together some extra scratch.

Suggestions from the post:

*Shop for clothes as little as possible. If you can make your clothes last twice as long as you'd usually wear them, you'll cut your clothing budget by 50 percent.

*Find cheap hobbies to eat up your free time. Run outside rather than join a gym. Hit the library rather than a bookstore. Watch movies at home rather than at a theater.

If you've cramped down on spending with a goal in mind, how did you cut costs?

Buying Our First Home: How To Save Money For A House [Blonde & Balanced]

from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

iPhone 4 Survives Fall From Skydiver's Pocket

(CNN) -- Jarrod McKinney's iPhone 4 -- a notoriously fragile device -- cracked when his 2-year-old knocked it off a bathroom shelf.

"I was like, 'Man! That's all it takes to crack the glass?' " he said.

So it's easy to see why McKinney, a 37-year-old in Minnesota, would be "just absolutely shocked" when that same phone survived a fall from his pocket -- while he was skydiving from 13,500 feet.

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A SOUTHERN DEPUTY SHERIFF vs. NEW YORK LAWYER

Only in the South my friends...Only in the South
A lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a sheriff's deputy. He thinks that he is smarter than the deputy because he is a lawyer from New York and is certain that he has a better education then any cop from the South. He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Southern deputy's expense.
The deputy says, 'License and registration, please.'
'What for?' says the lawyer...
The deputy says, 'You didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign.'
Then the lawyer says, 'I slowed down, and no one was coming.'
''You still didn't come to a complete stop", Says the deputy. 'License and registration, please.'
The lawyer says, 'What's the difference?'
"The difference is you have to come to complete stop, that's the law. License and registration, please!' the Deputy repeats..
Lawyer says, 'If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop, I'll give you my license and registration; and you give me the ticket... If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket.'
'That sounds fair. Please exit your vehicle, sir,' the deputy says.
At this point, the deputy takes out his nightstick, starts beating the heck out of the lawyer, and says, 'Do you want me to stop, or just slow down?'
God Bless the South ........

Disabled Veterans Get Special License Plate

During a veterans committee meeting at Legislative Hall, Wilmington high school student Ellie Wallace pitched the idea of combining a veteran designation and disabled status into one special license plate.

"I was very impressed with her ... it's a great idea," said Rep. Harvey Kenton, R-Milford, a Navy veteran who was among those to sponsor the bill. "The special plate makes it easier for those who are handicapped, and it's a very beautiful plate. We all thought it was a great idea."

On July 8, Gov. Jack Markell signed Senate Bill 136 into law, making it easier for disabled veterans to have both designations on their license plate. Wallace's grandfather, Joseph Wallace, was the inspiration for the new special license plate. Joseph had to go through two separate processes in order to receive a veterans distinction, as well as disabled status. Now, the process will be streamlined.

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What Would Jesus Do?

The left is desperate to coerce Americans into embracing the president's platform of increasing taxes on the wealthy to redistribute to the downtrodden, slothful, and all those between who stand to collect. So Charlie Rangel appealed to a largely Christian nation, "What would Jesus do?"

The hypocrisy here is so obvious that it need not be discussed in detail. Suffice it to say, when and where progressives draw the line on Christian influence in legislation tends to compromise any faith they claim to have. Asking this question about the current budget debate but not about, say, the morality of tax dollars serving to mutilate and siphon unborn babies from their mothers' wombs is suspicious to say the least. If conservatives cite Christ's teaching to protect unborn lives from a progressive agenda that indiscriminately allows for their destruction, it is panned as the archaic ravings of crackpots. Yet when Christ is referenced as a template of charity to advance the progressives' redistributive agenda, nothing could be more pertinent to American values.

So sure, Rangel is a hypocrite. And sure, the hypocrisy is double-thick given his tax evasion. But let's just try to answer his question. Charlie wants to know, how would Christ really feel about the rights of a private property owner, and wouldn't He be for a governmental system that forces wealth from the hands of the wealthy to pay for the lowly masses less fortunate than he?

Perhaps there is an answer in the book of Matthew.

READ MORE …

from William Sullivan @ the American Thinker. William Sullivan blogs at: politicalpalaverblog.blogspot.com

Georgetown Man Charged with 6th Offense DUI

Location
  • State Route 24 and Bay Farm Road, Millsboro, DE
 
Date of Occurrence:
  • Sunday, July 17, 2011 at 1:00 a.m.
 
Defendant/Charges/Bond Information:
  • Nicholas J. Fell-50 of Georgetown, DE
  • 6th Offense Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (Felony)
  • Driving While Suspended or Revoked
  • Speeding
  • Committed to Sussex Correctional Institution (SCI) for lack of $6200.00 Cash Bond
 
 
Resume:
Millsboro-The Delaware State Police early Sunday morning charged Nicholas J. Fell-50 of Georgetown, DE for 6th Offense Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol after he was observed speeding on a motorcycle.
 
The incident occurred early Sunday morning July 17, 2011 at approximately 1:00 a.m. in the area of State Route 24 and Bay Farm Road, Millsboro, as a Trooper on a patrol utilizing moving radar observed a 2005 Harley Davidson traveling over the posted speed limit.
 
The Trooper conducted a vehicle stop and after further investigation Fell was charged with his 6th Offense of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and related traffic offenses.  Fell was committed to Sussex Correctional Institution for lack of $6200.00 Cash Bond. 

Convicted Murderer Sues Prison Guards For Saving His Life

DENVER -- A convicted murderer is suing the state of Colorado for saving his life after his heart stopped beating.

Daniel Self says he suffers from sleep apnea and he ordered prison guards not to resuscitate him if he stopped breathing. The 54-year-old says in a lawsuit filed in federal court that prison officials were deliberately indifferent to his right to refuse medical treatment when he stopped breathing in 2009.

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John's Cigar Shop Is A Beautiful Thing

Look, if you enjoy cigars and have been looking for a place to purchase and or even smoke one, John's Cigar Shop in Berlin is a site to see. They have a smoke room lounge that is just fabulous.

They're located right next door to the Globe Theater in Downtown Berlin.

Tues - Thurs:
11:00 am
-
7:00 pm
Fri - Sat:
11:00 am
-
9:00 pm
Sun:
12:00 pm
-
5:00 pm

BREAKING NEWS: IBM’s 2Q Earnings, Revenue Top Wall Street Views

IBM on Monday posted second-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.09 a share, six cents ahead of expectations, and revenue came in at $26.7 billion, well ahead of the consensus view of $25.35 billion.

From Fox News

Don't Fumble the Debt Ceiling

Republicans haven't gone wobbly on the debt ceiling debate, but in the House they are laying a trap for themselves that will leave them holding the bag for any downgrade or default on America's sovereign debt.

President Obama, as he indicated Friday, still demands that significant tax hikes be a part of any debt ceiling deal. But as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday, "Republicans will not be reduced to being the tax collectors for the Obama economy ... We won't be seduced into calling a bad deal a good one." So far, so good.

But there's a lot of loose Republican talk -- magnified a hundredfold by the media -- that we shouldn't worry about a default. That plays into Obama's hand. He's perfectly willing to drive our economy into a downgrade or a default as long as he can blame it on Republicans. Conservatives mustn't position themselves as fiscal "dead-enders." They have to force Obama to avert these disasters on their terms, and they can.

READ MORE …

Jed Babbin served as a Deputy Undersecretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush. He is the author of several bestselling books including Inside the Asylum andIn the Words of Our Enemies.

New Humane Society Post at 8PM


We have received a special letter to the editor regarding the Wicomico County Humane Society. It is scheduled to run at 8PM this evening.

Salisbury Police Department Pres Releases

On July 15, 2011 at approximately 9:51 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the four hundred (400) block of Anne Street for the report of a domestic assault. Upon arrival the officers met with an adult female victim who advised that she had been assaulted by the below listed suspect during a domestic argument. The victim advised that an argument started between both parties causing her to attempt to leave the residence. The suspect refused to let her leave and choked her, prior to striking her with a chair. The victim had minor injuries that did not require medical attention.

ARRESTED: Joanes Lapomarel, 73 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: First degree assault
Second degree assault
Reckless endangerment
False imprisonment

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027668

On July 16, 2011 at approximately 7:20 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the five hundred (500) block of Rose Street for the report of a domestic assault. Upon arrival the officers met with an adult female victim who was displaying injuries to both eyes. The officers then observed the below listed suspect who was in possession of a kitchen knife. The suspect was disarmed and detained for the investigation of the assault. The victim advised the officers that she became involved in an argument with the suspect that quickly led to the suspect striking her in both eyes. The suspect then obtained the kitchen knife and stabbed her in the buttocks before pushing her down a flight of stairs. The victim was transported to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center for treatment which was determined to not be life threatening. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.

ARRESTED: Calvin Eugene Flagg, 51 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: First degree assault
Second degree assault
Reckless endangerment

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027696

On July 17, 2011 at approximately 7:50 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to an apartment on Emory Court for the report of an attempted burglary. Upon arrival the officers met with a victim who advised that he was in his apartment and heard the sound of someone tampering with his window.

The victim responded to the window and observed the suspect attempting to make entry. The suspect fled on foot but was followed by the victim who was able to observe the suspect enter another apartment. The victim directed the officers to the apartment and the suspect was positively identified and taken into custody. Once arrested, it was found that the suspect was also wanted on an outstanding summons for a theft from the Wicomico County Liquor Dispensary on Tilghman Road.

ARRESTED: Calvin Pierre Jones, 28 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Attempted first degree burglary
Attempted third degree burglary
Attempted fourth degree burglary
Fourth degree burglary
Malicious destruction of property
Criminal Summons – Theft (under $ 100)

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027839

On July 17, 2011 at approximately 10:51 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Walmart Department Store on North Salisbury Boulevard for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with security personnel who advised that store employees had observed the below listed suspect attempting to take food from the store without making payment. The food was recovered and returned to the store.

ARRESTED: Denny Patrick Owens, 44 years of age Ocean City, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (under $ 1,000)
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027870

On July 17, 2011 at approximately 8:30 am, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the five hundred (500) block of Lake Street for the report of a stolen motorized bicycle. Upon arrival the officers met with a victim who reported the theft of the motorized bicycle from his vehicle.

On the same date, at approximately 3:30 pm, Officers observed the reported motorized bicycle being operated by the below listed suspect. The suspect was stopped and the motorized bicycle was positively identified by the victim, resulting in the arrest of the suspect.

ARRESTED: Donald Henry Ellis, 30 years of age Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (under $ 1,000)
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100027840

Worcester County Commissioners – 07/19/2011

AGENDA
WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
July 19, 2011


9:00 AM - Meet in Commissioners’ Conference Room - Room 1103 Government Center, One West Market Street, Snow Hill, Maryland - Vote to Meet In Closed Session


9:01 - Closed Session: Discussion regarding filling critical vacant positions including Scale Operator in the Solid Waste Division of Public Works, Office Assistant III, Mediation Director/Victim and Witness Coordinator, and Assistant State’s Attorney in the State’s Attorney’s Office, and Animal Control Officer in the Sheriff’s Office; considering appointments to various County Boards and Commissions; receiving legal advice from Counsel and performing administrative functions


10:00 - Call to Order, Prayer, Pledge of Allegiance


10:01 - Report on Closed Session; Review and Approval of Minutes


10:10 - Chief Administrative Officer: Administrative Matters


10:40 - Public Hearing - Request for Critical Area Growth Allocation - Steen Property - Gum Point Road


11:00 - Legislative Session - Public Hearing: Bill 11-3 (Zoning - Large Solar Energy Facilities)


11:10 - D. Goeller: Health Department Proposed Permit Fees, Late Fees and Application Processing Times


11:30 - Chief Administrative Officer: Administrative Matters (continued - see above)


12:00 - Questions from the Press


Lunch


2:00 PM - Attend Dedication Ceremony for Worcester County Dental Center in Berlin


AGENDAS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE UNTIL THE TIME OF CONVENING

Does Smoking Help Protect The Joints?

Smoking will increase your risk of cancer, emphysema, heart disease, stroke, and dying young, but if you manage to dodge all those bullets, it may actually reduce your need for joint-replacement surgery later in life.

Curious as it may sound, a new study of nearly 11,000 older men in Australia has found that the longer the men smoked, the less likely they were to undergo surgery to replace hips and knees damaged by arthritis or other conditions.

Those who smoked for 48 years or more—the bulk of their adult lives—were 42% to 51% less likely (depending on their age) to need the surgeries than men who had never smoked, according to the study, which appears in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

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Understanding The Hidden Costs Of Investing

Investing newbies may be shocked by the amount of unexpected fees that siphon away their funds. When you're searching for a brokerage, it's wise to investigate hidden costs involved.

MoneySmartLife provides a glossary of several clever ways in which money managers skim a little off the top of your investment. Some examples include:

*Brokerage transaction fees. You pay these on every trade. Some brokers charge flat fees, while others base it on a percentage of the transaction.

Operating expenses. These tend to be higher in actively managed funds, and include distribution fees, which go toward marketing and other costs. Look for the total amount of fees in an expense ratio that explains how much you'll be paying to invest.

If you invest money, which fees caught you off guard?

6 Investment Costs You Pay to Play [MoneySmartLife]

from Phil Villarreal @ The Consumerist

Welcome To The New Georgia House Restaurant In Salisbury

The newly renovated, (formerly Chef Fred's) restaurant on Rt. 13 was welcomed by a large crowd Friday evening for their ribbon cutting ceremony.

Salisbury News was present and our Staff enjoyed a wonderful meal. One of the greatest parts of being a member of the Chamber of Commerce is the network of people who come to these events in support of new business. Bigger than that is the fact that they will quickly spread the word through a large network of people and the seed instantly grows.

There are three owners of the Salisbury restaurant who actually purchased the property. Brand new air conditioners have been installed and the interior has received a complete overhaul, especially in the kitchen.

When you visit you'll feel like royalty as the staff deliver something most restaurants do not deliver, respect. They appreciate your business and want to earn your business.

Once you see the menu you'll be very pleased at the prices. In my honest opinion, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Mind you, we could only order so much food but what we did receive was fabulous.

I look forward to returning in the very near future but in the mean time, if you'd like to enjoy something unique to Salisbury, stop in and give The Georgia House a try. Trust me, you'll like it.

Judge Orders Commandments Removed from Courthouse

A federal judge says Dixie County officials must remove a granite monument of the Ten Commandments from the front of their courthouse.

Senior District Judge Maurice Paul gave the north Florida county until mid-August to remove the monument in Cross City.

The decision Friday resulted from a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida in 2007. The group argued that an official government display of a religious monument violates a clause in the First Amendment that prohibits government from promoting religious messages. The county argued that it didn't own the monument that was controlled by a private citizen.

Cross City is located in the Big Bend region of the state, about an hour west of Gainesville.

from the Washington Examiner / AP

Why The CIA's Vaccine Ruse Is A Setback For Global Health

Last week, the Guardian broke the news that in the run-up to the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, the CIA used a vaccination campaign as a ruse to get DNA evidence from the al-Qaeda leader's kids. With help from a Pakistani doctor, Shakil Afridi, they set up clinics in two neighborhoods, delivering doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine to local children. The revelation drew a quick and angry response from health experts. Medecins Sans Frontieres called the operation "a dangerous abuse of medical care." In the Washington Post, Orin Levine and Laurie Garrett warned that the CIA's "reckless tactics could have catastrophic consequences."

Indeed, they may. Here are three reasons why this is bad news for public health:

1. Broken Trust

When people don't trust medical personnel, they're less likely to participate in legitimate public health campaigns. Eight years ago, rumors spread that an anti-polio campaign in Nigeria was an American plot to sterilize Muslim girls, causing many families to refuse the vaccine. The subsequent outbreak spread to eight countries. In Pakistan, the CIA's operation may hurt a efforts to eradicate polio, argue Levine and Garrett:

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Wicomico County Council Meeting – 07/19/2011

AGENDA

WICOMICO COUNTY COUNCIL

Room 301, Government Office Building, Salisbury, Maryland

LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2011-15

July 19, 2011 10:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m. Gail M. Bartkovich, President

Call meeting to order

Opening Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance

10:03 a.m. Approval of minutes from July 5, 2011

10:05 a.m. Matthew E. Creamer: Council Administrator:


  1. Resolution 88-2011-Granting East Side Men’s Club a tax exemption for real property taxes for Fiscal Year 2012

  2. Resolution 89-2011-Approving the Salisbury-Ocean City: Wicomico Regional Airport Parking Concession Authority with Republic Parking System, Inc. and authorizing the County Executive to execute the agreement

  3. Resolution 90-2011-Approving a request from Shore Up! Inc. to waive the tipping fee to dispose of tree stumps

  4. Resolution 91-2011-Making a supplemental appropriation from Contingency to the Gypsy Moth Control Account in the amount of Two Thousand, Four Hundred Forty-Five Dollars $2,445.00

  5. Resolution 92-2011-Concurring with the Declaration from the Internal Auditor on Organizational Independence

  6. Resolution 93-2011-Confirming the appointment of Robert L. Bryant, A.A.E. as the General Manager for the Salisbury-Ocean City: Wicomico Regional Airport

  7. Resolution 94-2011-Confirming the appointment of George Kaloroumakis as Director for the Department of Corrections

  8. Resolution 95-2011-Confirming the appointment of Edgar A. Baker, Jr., as the County Attorney for Wicomico County and the Administrator of the Department of Law

  9. Resolution 96-2011-Confirming the appointment of David Shipley as Director for the Department of Emergency Services

  10. Resolution 97-2011-Confirming the appointment of Andrew G. Mackel as Director for the Department of Finance

  11. 11. Resolution 98-2011-Confirming the appointment of Raymond Micciche as Director for the Department of Information Technology

  12. Resolution 99-2011-Confirming the appointment of Mary E. Schwartz as the Director for the Wicomico Nursing Home

  13. Resolution 100-2011-Confirming the appointment of John F. Lenox as Director for the Department of Planning, Zoning and Community Development

  14. Resolution 101-2011-Confirming the appointment of Gary W. Mackes as Director for the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism

10:30 a.m. Edgar A. Baker, Jr., County Attorney:

10:31 a.m. Public Comments-Please limit all public comments to five minutes or less; any presented material may be submitted to Council members-Please include eight copies

10:40 a.m. Council Comments

10:45 a.m. Council President’s Comments

10:50 a.m. Open Work Session:


  • Hazard Mitigation Plan-David Shipley, Emergency Services

  • School Building Commission Bylaws

  • Impact Fee

12:30 p.m. LUNCH

1:00 p.m. Open Work Session:


  • Charter Review Committee

1:30 p.m. Closed Work Session


  • Internal Auditor

  • Staff Briefing

Two Years Ago Today

House Conservatives Will Not Support McConnell Debt Plan

House conservatives will not support Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's backup plan to raise the debt ceiling, a leading House conservative told "Fox News Sunday," calling it a "cop-out." 

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, slammed a plan that is looking increasingly vital as deficit-reduction talks aimed at a "grand bargain" lose steam. With time running out to reach a deal and credit rating agencies warning the U.S. risks a credit downgrade, that backup plan would allow Congress to vote on incremental debt ceiling increases worth $2.5 trillion -- only in such a way that makes it easier for President Obama to win congressional permission. 

READ MORE …

Goldman Says Recession Risk Rising

A recession is "clearly a possibility," the bank that until recently was America's biggest booster said in cutting its economic growth forecasts yet again.

Goldman Sachs, which just seven months ago was the loudest voice for a stronger than expected U.S. recovery, now expects U.S. output to creep ahead at a snaillike 1.5% clip in the second quarter and a less than vigorous 2% in the third. Friday's call stands as quite a comedown for economist Jan Hatzius, who in May forecast a 2% expansion in the second quarter and a 3.25% gain in the third quarter – numbers that themselves represented a retreat from the firm's bullish start-of-the-year forecast.

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Sussex County Council - 07/19/2011

SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
A G E N D A
JULY 19, 2011
10:00 A.M.

Call to Order

Approval of Agenda

Approval of Minutes

Reading of Correspondence

David Baker, County Administrator

  1. Recognition of County Staff for Completion of Wastewater Projects
  2. Town of Bethel – Local Law Enforcement Agreement
  3. Milton Library – Repair Project
  4. Board of Adjustment Application Fee
  5. City of Rehoboth – Water Agreement
  6. Administrator’s Report

Hal Godwin, Deputy County Administrator

  1. Legislative Update
  2. Discussion and Possible Introduction of a Proposed Ordinance
    entitled “AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT CHAPTER 97, ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES, TO FACILITATE THE PROVISION OF INFRASTRUCTURE RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, WATER SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION, ROADS, AND SCHOOLS NEEDED TO SUPPORT NEW DEVELOPMENT”

Gina Jennings, Accounting Director

  1. Federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes
  2. ERP Software Bid Award

11:00 a.m. Public Hearing

Beaver Dam Road Expansion of the Millville Sanitary Sewer District

Michael Izzo, County Engineer
1. Angola Sanitary Sewer District
  A. Contract 09-08 – Balancing Change Order
  B. Contract 09-20 – Substantial Completion
2. Johnsons Corner Sanitary Sewer District
  A. Contract 08-10 – Balancing Change Order

Lawrence Lank, Director of Planning and Zoning

  1. Requests for Time Extensions 
      A. Conditional Use No. 1886 - Michael Henderson
      B. Conditional Use No. 1888 - Clarence A. Edgens
  2. Discussion and Possible Introduction of a Proposed Ordinance entitled “AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 115 OF THE CODE OF SUSSEX COUNTY RELATING TO ZONING BY ADDING A CGD COMMERCIAL GAMBLING DISTRICT TO PROVIDE FOR CASINO VENUES IN SUSSEX COUNTY”

Grant Requests

  1. City of Rehoboth Beach for the Delaware State University Marching Band performance at the bandstand.
  2. DAPI (Delaware Adolescent Program) for transportation costs.
  3. El Centro Cultural to sponsor the Festival Hispano.
  4. City of Seaford Police Department for the Annual Community Night Out Against Crime and Drugs.
  5. Town of Blades Police Department for the Annual National Community Night Out.

Introduction of Proposed Zoning Ordinances

Any Additional Business Brought Before Council

Executive Session – Job Applicants′ Qualifications, Personnel, Pending/Potential Litigation, and Land Acquisition pursuant to 29 Del. C. §10004(b)

Possible Action on Executive Session Items

1:30 p.m. Public Hearings

Conditional Use No. 1901 filed on behalf of Christopher Lopez

“AN ORDINANCE TO GRANT A CONDITIONAL USE OF LAND IN AN AR-1 AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT FOR AN AUTOMOBILE SERVICE AND REPAIR GARAGE  TO  BE LOCATED ON A CERTAIN PARCEL OF  LAND LYING AND BEING IN DAGSBORO HUNDRED, SUSSEX  COUNTY, CONTAINING 14,613 SQUARE FEET, MORE OR LESS” (land  lying at the northeast of U.S.
Route 113, 1,420 feet south of Road 321 (Woodbranch Road)

Conditional Use No. 1902 filed on behalf of Dorothy Garvey
“AN ORDINANCE TO GRANT A CONDITIONAL USE OF LAND IN AN AR-1 AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT FOR MEDICAL OFFICES TO BE LOCATED ON  A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND LYING AND BEING IN LEWES AND REHOBOTH HUNDRED, SUSSEX COUNTY, CONTAINING  22,161 SQUARE FEET, MORE OR LESS” (land lying at the north of Route 24 (John J. Williams Highway) 425 feet east of Road 275 (Plantation Road)

Change of Zone No. 1705 filed on behalf of Joel Farr
“AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE  COMPREHENSIVE ZONING MAP OF SUSSEX COUNTY FROM AN AR-1 AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO A CR-1 COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT FOR A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND LYING AND BEING IN BALTIMORE HUNDRED, SUSSEX COUNTY, CONTAINING 3.03 ACRES, MORE OR LESS” (land lying north of Route 20 (a.k.a. Road 382) and  925 feet east of Road 388 (Deer Run Road)

Change of Zone No. 1706 filed on behalf of Joseph Balsamo
“AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE  COMPREHENSIVE ZONING MAP OF SUSSEX COUNTY FROM AN AR-1 AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT TO A B-1 NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICT FOR A CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND LYING AND BEING IN NORTHWEST FORK HUNDRED, SUSSEX COUNTY, CONTAINING 1.01 ACRES, MORE OR LESS” (land lying west of U.S. Route 13 (southbound) 400 feet north of Route 18 (Cannon Road)

State Standardized Tests Only Go So Far

Whenever the results of the Maryland School Assessment tests come out, the spin-meisters go to work.

Usually, school officials in a given county will try to highlight some area of improvement, say, among special-education students.

That was evident again when the latest scores showed improvements in some jurisdictions and at some grade levels, but declines in others. It was the usual mixed bag.

But the bottom line is that the stakes keep getting raised for school systems. The federal government, still operating under No Child Left Behind standards, expects annual improvement. As it stands today under the education act, 100 percent of students nationwide are supposed to be proficient in math and reading by 2014.

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Lewes Man Faces Drug, Boating Charges

Fish and Wildlife agents arrested a 46-year-old Lewes man July 4 in connection with drug and boating charges.
William Husbands was charged with one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia, inhaling intoxicating fumes, operating a vessel at night without navigation lights and insufficient life jackets, said Sgt. Gregory Rhodes of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement. He was released pending a court appearance at a future date.
Rhodes also said five crabbers were cited July 13 after a week-long investigation of illegal tending of noncommercial crab pots. They were charged with one count each of tending more than the recreational limit of crab pots and one count each of tampering with recreational crab pots. Another crabber, Rhodes said, was cited July 8 for one count each of tampering with crab pots, tending more than the limit of recreational crab pots and operating a vessel on Assawoman Bay without a boating safety certificate.
During the week of July 6-13, Rhodes said agents issued a total of 13 violations of blue crab size limits, 11 violations of life-jacket requirements (eight involving children), plus violations related to recreational fishing licenses, vessel speed, ramp and boating safety certificates, summer flounder size regulations and use of a noncompliant vessel.
from the Cape Gazette

Grocery Math: 10 For $10 Is Better Than $1 Each

Five for $5 is a better deal than one for $1, when supermarkets do the math.

Because shoppers are pinched and making fewer trips to the store, supermarkets are trying to get them to buy more with each trip. Offering 10 for $10 or three 12-packs for $12 is proving to be an effective business strategy. The power of suggestion is working, stores say.

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Somerset Board of County Commissioners – 07/19/2011

AGENDA
JULY 19, 2011
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
FOR SOMERSET COUNTY

Correspondence:                                Received:

MD. Dept. of Planning, State Clearinghouse  re:  MD. Water Quality Revolving Loan Fund: 124 projects in 23 counties

MD. Dept. of Planning, State Clearinghouse  re:  MD. Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund:  41 projects in 18 counties

MD. Dept. of Planning, State Clearinghouse  re:  MDOT - Statewide Planning Work Program

MD. Dept. of the Environment  re:  Notice of Applications Received for State Permits

State Highway Administration  re:  Ramp Improvements and Sidewalk Widening

State Highway Administration  re:  Transportation Revenue Bonds

Delegate Norman H. Conway  re:  Letter of Support – Senior Center

NASA  re:  Site-wide Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS)

Charter Communications  re:  Receipt of letter

Somerset Co. Dept. of Technical & Comm. Serv.  re:  Ag. Preservation Board

Somerset Co. Dept. of Technical & Comm. Serv.  re:  Board of Zoning Appeals

Somerset Co. Dept. of Technical & Comm. Serv.  re:  Ag. Reconciliation Board

Somerset Co. Dept. of Technical & Comm. Serv.  re:  Revised Fee Schedule

Somerset Co. Tourism  re:  Television segment/Promotions

Appointments:

2:00 p.m.  - Bid Opening – Parking Area (Rec. & Parks Dept.)

2:30 p.m.  - Jenny Roser – Emergency Shelter Grant Application

Discussion Items:

  1. Proposed Forest Conservation Ordinance Amendment.  Public hearing held June 21, 2011
  2. Signature – FY12 Grant Agreement for Critical Area Grant-In-Aid Program
  3. GOCCP Grant Awarded to Somerset County State’s Attorneys Office
  4. Workforce Investment Board – Three Vacancies
  5. Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center – Appointment

(Tentative)

Municipal, County Governments Do More Cooperating Than Arguing

The Maryland Municipal League representing 157 municipal government is marking its 75th anniversary.

“Cities and towns provide basic grassroots meat and potatoes services,” said Scott Hancock, executive director of the Maryland Municipal League. But counties provide those services -- like water and sewer, emergency responders, trash and recycling pickup, and parks and recreation -- too. Their overlapping duties require a lot of give-and-take.

Continue Reading...

BREAKING NEWS: Whistleblower In U.K. Phone-Hacking Scandal Reportedly Found Dead

Former News of the World reporter, Sean Hoare, who was the first named journalist to allege Andy Coulson knew of his staff's phone hacking practices, has been found dead, the Guardian reports.

Humane Society Sponsors Another Missouri Initiative

The Humane Society of the United States has contributed nearly $93,000 toward a Missouri initiative that would make it harder for state lawmakers to change voter-approved measures.

State Ethics Commission records show the contributions come after lawmakers this year repealed and replaced key parts of dog-breeding law passed by voters last November. The Humane Society of the United States had given more than $2 million toward the dog-breeding initiative and was not pleased when Missouri lawmakers so quickly changed it.

The latest initiative would require a three-quarters vote of the House and Senate — instead of a simple majority — to overturn most voter-approved measures. Supporters still need to gather enough signatures to qualify the initiative for the 2012 ballot.

from the Washington Examiner / AP

Clinton Wagers Apples To Japanese Counterpart For World Cup Match

Athens, Greece (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has some apple picking to do.

Clinton placed a bet on the women's World Cup finals with her Japanese counterpart -- New York apples for Japanese pears.

The Japanese women's soccer team won the World Cup Sunday after defeating the United States on penalty kicks.

Clinton alluded to the bet in a phone call she placed to the U.S. team to wish them luck ahead of the game.

At the time, she didn't say what the bet with Japan's Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto entailed.

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How To Appeal A Health Insurance Denial

Getting your health insurance claim denied can feel like insult added to injury, but if you take these steps you can get your claim "rehabbed," and get your money.

The NY Times Bucks blog interviewed Martin Rosen, whose business, Health Advocate, helps employees negotiate the tricky waters of their employer insurance. He offered these tips:

  1. Double-check all the rules of your insurer's appeals process, especially deadlines.
  2. Get all your documents ready and organized.
  3. Call HR if you get insurance through your employer. They might become your advocate.
  4. Ask your doc to write a "letter of medical necessity" and send it to the insurance company.
  5. Make a log of all your calls when you contact the insurance company, including dates, times, whom you spoke to, what you talked about, and the length of the conversation.
  6. Write down and refine your logical argument for why your claim should go through and refer to it when necessary throughout the process.
  7. Keep checking on the status of your claim with the insurance company.

Have you ever had to dispute a health insurance denial? What methods did you use?

7 Steps in Appealing a Health Insurance Denial [bucks.blogs.nytimes]

from Ben Popken @ The Consumerist

Obama Passes Over Warren, Names Deputy To Run Consumer Agency

President Obama nominated Richard Cordray, a former Ohio attorney general and state lawmaker, to run the nascent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Sunday. The announcement comes just four days before the CFPB, set up in 2010′s sweeping overhaul of the financial sector, is set to open its doors, and marks the beginning of the end of financial regulatory reform’s foremost political drama.

Cordray’s resume is well suited to the task at the CFPB, an agency responsible for policing consumer products like mortgages and credit cards. As Ohio’s top law enforcement official, he led the charge in a class action lawsuit on behalf of public pension funds against Bank of America over losses incurred after the acquisition of Merrill Lynch. After years in Ohio politics — and a few failed attempts to reach Washington by way of Congress — Cordray, 52, landed a job as assistant director for enforcement at the CFPB after losing re-election last November. “Richard Cordray has spent his career advocating for middle class families,” Obama said,” and looking out for ordinary people in our financial system.” Of couse, Obama will get more scrutiny for whom he didn’t pick, than for whom he did.

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My Take On The Daily Times Bay Bridge Editorial

I had hoped GA Harrison would have used my title on his earlier Post referencing the Daily Times' Editorial piece on the Bay Bridge but it was already written.

I wanted, Is The Governor Following The Daily Times Lead. You see, the paper used to be $ .25 cents per day, now its $ .75 per day and a whole lot more on weekends.

The Daily Times doesn't mind an increase on tolls BECAUSE IT DOESN'T EFFECT THEM.

However, IF they had to rely on their staff coming across the Bay Bridge every day, well, that's a whole different story.

IF the Daily Times had the same kind of readership they used to have before Salisbury News came along, well, they'd still be $ .25 cents per day. However, because their subscription numbers have plummeted, the only way they can stay afloat is by raising their price.

The big question is, is that the same case for the Bay Bridge? NO! The Bridge is paid for. O'Malley is well known for stealing from the General Transportation Fund that you and I pay taxes at the pumps for to maintain our roads locally and he took 100% of it to use for roads in Baltimore.

Because the Daily Times doesn't have the balls to stand up to O'Malley and tell it like it is and recognize how much this proposal truly affects the Eastern Shore, many will walk away believing there must be some validity to the increase. There is NONE!

Now why would the Daily Times be so afraid of Governor O'Malley and why would they support such a stupid proposal of an increase. Well, on O'Malley's desk is several proposals to take legal ads and municipal ads from print newspapers to on line sources. IF the DT's were to lose ALL of that business it would certainly be the end for print media on the Shore.

So one hand tends to wash the other and the paper becomes political and not a service for the people. While I personally like Martin O'Malley, we certainly do not see eye to eye on political matters. Therein lies the difference between the DT's and Salisbury News.

Every one has the right to their opinion, just like we do. However, I have yet to see a comon sense reason as to why it is necessary to raise the rates. However, I believe there is one thing the DT's conveniently forgot to mention as well in their article, (not mentioned in GA's earlier post either) COMPROMISE!

You see, to ME, I read into this whole thing a whole lot deeper than most and I feel it is my responsibility to express those thoughts for all of you to debate. Here's what I see. The wet pants liberals come out with this CRAZY price, knowing they can always come down and not up. So they propose this $12.00 fee in the HOPES every one will settle at $8.00, then perhaps $6.00, then perhaps $5.00. In the end they, (the Norm Conway's) will come back AFTER the final rate is decided and negotiated and say, well, I helped REDUCE the cost going from $12.00 down to $5.00, I'm a GOOD GUY! BS!

In my honest opinion, OUR government should HONOR their original proposal and make the Bay Bridge FREE. I am sick and tired of being SOLD one thing and getting boned in the end by the same people who said it would be FREE.

Now the liberals want to raise the rates and rape our general transportation funds because they want bigger government and higher budgets for the Board of Education.

Because this Post is getting so long, I'll stop here and watch the comments fly in. I think you see where I'm headed. Just let me say this. Over all the years I've been doing this, many people have said, you better watch that Joe Albero because one day he'll turn on you. That is VERY true. IF you do right in our eyes for the people, we'll pat you on the back. If and when you screw up and take advantage of we the people we will certainly expose it for what it is. Now, IF the DT's finds fault in that, well, they're bought and sold. Salisbury News is not.

Endless War Wastes Money — And Lives

I have been trying to fathom Barack Obama. As a member of the Illinois Legislature, Sen. Obama declared against the war in Iraq. Now, as president, he not only begs to stay in Iraq, but increases our commitment in Afghanistan by tripling the number of troops. What puzzles me: What is our "commitment in Afghanistan?"
The only war we have won since World War II was in Afghanistan -- Charlie Wilson's war. Charlie and I had lunch together just before I left the Senate in 2005, and he allowed that we won that war against the Russians because Afghans "hated foreigners." He emphasized that the warlords in Afghanistan didn't trust each other, and the CIA had to pay them off to get anything done.

Now I have come across Zbigniew Brzezinski's 1997 book, "The Grand Chessboard," describing Eurasia, including the land mass of Russia and China. Brzezinski writes: "For America, the chief geopolitical prize is Eurasia. ... Now a non-Eurasian power is pre-eminent in Eurasia -- and America's global primacy is directly dependent on how long and how effectively its preponderance on the Eurasian continent is sustained."

Thus, the U.S. policy of encirclement of Russia and China. Apparently, it's being implemented with President Obama promising missiles for Poland; establishing a naval base with South Korea on Jeju Island; and staying in Afghanistan.

The lesson of Vietnam was that you couldn't change a culture militarily. This is particularly true of Afghanistan, a narco state where they still sell their daughters and the warlords control.

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C.S. Lewis Quotes

“Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.” ~ “God in the Dock” C.S. Lewis

“I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of “Admin.” The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid “dens of crime” that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the offices of a thoroughly nasty business concern.” ~ Uncle Screwtape in the “Screwtape Letters” C.S. Lewis

 
“The most dangerous thing you can do is to take any one impulse of your own nature and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs. There’s not one of them which won’t make us into devils if we set it up as an absolute guide. You might think love of humanity in general was safe, but it isn’t. If you leave out justice you’ll find yourself breaking agreements and faking evidence in trials ‘for the sake of humanity’ and become in the end a cruel and treacherous man.” ~ “Mere Christianity” C.S. Lewis
 

More Than 50% Of Parents Use Facebook To Spy On Their Kids

The fears of a generation have been confirmed, as a new survey reveals that more than 50% of parents use social media as a way of spying on their children—and that even more would do so if they knew how.

The survey of 2,000 British parents, carried out by OnePoll, found that 55% of respondents use social media to track their kids' online activities, with a further 5% admitting that, if they knew how to do the same thing, they would.

Furthermore, 11% of those polled admit they created a Facebook profile purely to track their children, with 13% saying that they have logged onto friends' accounts to check up on their children, some doing so after attempting to friend their offspring and being rejected—15% of those polled have tried to friend their kids on Facebook, with 4% of them getting rejected.

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Sen. Cardin Reauthorizes Legislation To Destroy Nutria In Coastal States

Invasive rodents nearly gone from areas where U.S. Department of Wildlife Services has focused efforts

CAMBRIDGE U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., announced Wednesday the reauthorization of bipartisan legislation to expand nutria eradication efforts in Maryland and Louisiana and begin eradication programs in Delaware, Virginia, Oregon, North Carolina and Washington.

"Today we are one step closer to saving Maryland's wetlands and economy from devastating losses cause by nutria," said Cardin in a written statement. "Other coastal states also will benefit enormously from nutria eradication techniques that have already saved countless acres of wetlands in Maryland and Louisiana. Our economy and marshlands cannot afford to sustain the damage caused by this incredibly invasive species."

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Betty White Gets An Invite To Marine Corps Ball!

Hurlock Man Convicted In Salisbury Grocery Story Robbery

HURLOCK A Hurlock man accused of robbing a Salisbury grocery store at gunpoint in 2009 was convicted Wednesday of the armed robbery and related gun charges by a U.S. federal jury.

Tyrone Dale, 45, of 112 Delaware Ave., Hurlock, was found guilty of pointing a gun at and threatening to kill two grocery store employees before taking more than $1,000 from the store, according to a Department of Justice press release.

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O'Donnell Attorney: Feds Should Investigate CREW

DOVER, Del. (AP) An attorney for Christine O'Donnell, the tea party favorite who lost a U.S. Senate bid in Delaware last year, is asking federal prosecutors to investigate the head of a group that filed a complaint last fall alleging O'Donnell had illegally spent campaign money.

U.S. Attorney Charles Oberly III sent a letter to O'Donnell's campaign lawyer on Friday informing her that prosecutors had finished their probe of allegations that O'Donnell had converted campaign funds for personal use, including rent, and had made false statements in Federal Election Commission filings.

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Wicomico County Board Of Education DRESS CODE POLICY

Schools have three primary responsibilities with respect to students. The first responsibility is to foster academic achievement. The second responsibility is to create and maintain a school environment that is safe, orderly, and conducive to learning. The third responsibility is to promote and support positive community standards and values such as civility, respect for others, self-respect, citizenship and other constructive character traits and behaviors. Without these, teaching and learning will be negatively impacted.

Students have the responsibility to choose their attire, arrange their personal appearance, and maintain their personal hygiene in a manner that is safe, healthy, non-offensive, and conductive to the educational process. The student dress code is intended to create a positive school climate of respect for self and others, reduce the occurrence of discipline problems, and maintain safety and order in the school so that effective teaching and learning can take place.

School staff members have the responsibility to report violations of the Dress Code Policy and respectfully address students who are out of compliance with the policy. Administrators have the responsibility to investigate these reports, encourage students to make better choices in attire, and assign appropriate consequences for infractions. It is also the responsibility of the administrators and the staff to maintain an awareness of attire related to gang affiliation so that the Dress Code Policy can be implemented effectively. A teacher or staff member is expected only to report violations and is never expected to measure or touch a student they feel is in violation of the Dress Code Policy.

Specific units of measure for widths and lengths are provided to ensure that the policy is measurable and to alleviate misinterpretations of the policy.

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Daily Times Endorses Toll Hike

No thoughtful individual will argue that increasing the toll on the Bay Bridge 220% in less than two years will not have a detrimental effect on the economy of the Eastern Shore. Yet, that is just what the editors of Salisbury’s Daily Times have done.

In a Monday op-ed, the Daily Times takes the position that:


“an increase to $5 per trip is not unreasonable, nor should it create undue hardship for most users. The second increase to $8, however, should be revisited before it takes effect. If it's clearly necessary, then it should take effect, but if not, put it on hold until it's needed.”

This is almost word for word the position taken by Del. Norm Conway (D-38B) at last week’s toll hearing. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.

Fortunately for Lower Shore residents not all members of the Lower Shore’s delegation share Conway’s (and the Daily Times’) view. Del. Mike McDermott (R-38B) takes exception with the DT’s view of reasonable:


The Daily Times has given us a new definition for ‘reasonable’. If a 200%+ increase is reasonable, then I’d like to see their definition of ‘unreasonable’.

The DT dismisses, as anecdotal, testimony given by one Shore farmer who cultivates land on both sides of the Bay. They are correct; it is anecdotal. However, the editors of the DT do the exact same thing when trying to argue that the Bay Bridge is only marginally profitable. They cite only four years of revenues vs. expenses. What about the entire lifespan of the Bay Bridge? In addition, the DT neglects to acknowledge that the MD Transportation Authority (MDTA) budgets their capital expenditures in their operating budget. Large capital expenditures that are paid for over time elsewhere in state government are counted as current expenses with the MDTA.

Why? It’s easier to justify toll hikes when you can claim that this bridge or that tunnel simply aren’t taking in enough revenue to cover current expenses. The state goes to the bond market for the money anyway, but now those excess dollars can be put to “better” use along the Baltimore – DC corridor.

The DT admits that “all tolls collected for all facilities go into one pot”. What they neglect to share is that this practice didn’t go into effect until FY 2011. Why? To better justify the massive toll hikes proposed by Gov. Martin O’Malley’s minions on the MDTA board.

The toll hikes WILL harm our local economy. For each tourist coming to the Shore, that is X fewer dollars that will be spent on the Eastern Shore. The increase in transportation costs for food, fuel, and other goods imported from off the Eastern Shore will not cause our cost of living to skyrocket overnight. No, but it WILL increase our cost of living. That is Y fewer dollars that can be spent, saved, or invested here on the Eastern Shore.

For some reason, the Daily Times has chosen to ignore these obvious facts. Why? To provide political cover to Sen. Jim Mathias (D-38) and Conway? We can’t say. We do agree with McDermott that the DT’s approach to this problem is linear and overly simplistic. To argue that we should double the toll now and see what happens 18 months down the road is merely a self-fulfilling prophecy.

With the MDTA throwing all revenue, and expenses, into “one pot”. The numbers will say whatever they want them too. With drivers of the ICC not facing a toll hike, there is no question that the MDTA will argue that the increase from $5 to $8 will “clearly be necessary”.

The Daily Times needs to quit worrying about what is best for Conway or O’Malley. They should be arguing for what is best for the Eastern Shore.