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Thursday, September 15, 2011

Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist Resigns Over Global Warming

The global warming theory left him out in the cold.

Dr. Ivar Giaever, a former professor with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the 1973 winner of the Nobel Prize in physics, abruptly announced his resignation Tuesday, Sept. 13, from the premier physics society in disgust over its officially stated policy that "global warming is occurring."


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North Carolina Stepmom Pleads Guilty to Second Degree Murder In Death Of Disabled Girl


A North Carolina woman has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her disabled 10-year-old stepdaughter whose dismembered remains were found scattered at multiple sites around the state last year.


Elisa Baker pleaded guilty to second degree murder in Catawba County Superior Court on Thursday, nearly a year after her stepdaughter, Zahra Baker, was reported missing from her home in the western North Carolina town of Hickory. The 43-year-old woman also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, and to charges unrelated to the child.


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Developer Donates $10M To U. Md.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - A Baltimore developer has donated $10 million to the University of Maryland to help his alma mater build a high-tech classroom building.

University President Wallace Loh said in a release that the gift from Edward St. John will go toward the construction of a building that will serve up to 10,000 students a day. It will be the first new building on the campus in a half-century.

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Texas Teenager Accused Of Faking Cancer

EL PASO, Texas - A West Texas teenager who collected $17,000 in donations after telling people she was dying of leukemia and had only had six months to live faces theft charges after police determined she lied about being sick.

Nine months later, Ruth Angelica Gomez, 18, of Horizon City is still very much alive and has been charged with theft by deception for receiving donations under false pretenses.

"We haven't found anything that indicates that she does have leukemia," Horizon City police Detective Liliana Medina told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

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Starbucks CEO: "Crisis Of Leadership" In DC

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. - Howard Schultz is CEO of Starbucks, a Fortune 500 company with 200,000 employees worldwide. More than half of them are in this country. Thirty-six thousand were hired this year alone.

CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley reports Schultz has challenged other CEOs to step up their hiring, and to join him in withholding campaign contributions to Washington incumbents.

Schultz says that instead of giving campaign contributions to politicians, his fellow CEOs should use the money to create more jobs.

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Baltimore's Homer-Catching Fan Does It Again

Student Anderson snags home runs from Davis, Wieters

BALTIMORE -- This time, he didn't have to worry about throwing either home run ball back.
 
Lifelong Orioles fan Tim Anderson, who made national and local headlines when he caught home runs in three consecutive contests at Camden Yards earlier this season, was at it again Wednesday night. A Calvert Hall senior, Anderson snagged home run balls by Chris Davis and Matt Wieters in Baltimore's 6-2 win over Tampa Bay.
 
With the Orioles down by one in the fourth inning, Davis sent Rays starter Wade Davis' 0-2 offering over the left-center-field fence for a pivotal three-run homer. Meanwhile, Wieters set a new career high by going deep for the third consecutive game when he connected on Tampa Bay rookie Matt Moore's first pitch in the eighth. Wieters' ball sailed an estimated 382 feet and landed close enough to Davis' blast for Anderson to come away with another multi-catch night.

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What Walmart Wants To Do To Be Nicer To Women By 2016

Walmart's corporate types are apparently aware that the company doesn't have the most chivalrous reputation when it comes to business dealings with females. The company revealed a plan to make itself appear more friendly to women in the next four years.

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Health Care Reform Rules Would Restrict Public Reporting

Proposed government rules could prevent consumer groups from getting performance data from health care facilities and would give medical providers the right to review any findings in advance.

It’s estimated that hundreds of thousands of patients die annually from preventable harm suffered while undergoing medical care. The infections, injuries and errors could rank as a leading cause of death in the United States.

Last year’s sweeping health care reform law – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – promised to improve the problem by allowing outside groups to use Medicare billing records to analyze and publicly report on the quality of care. But proposed rules that would guide the release of the data are being criticized by consumer groups, who say they will make independent accountability impossible.
The rules being developed [1] by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) propose restricting the release of Medicare billing data to “qualified entities.” To qualify, a group would have to:
  • Pay up to $200,000 for the data.
  • Have their methods pre-approved before obtaining the data.
  • Already possess billing information from other sources to combine with the Medicare data – an advantage to insurance companies.
  • Limit public reporting to quality measures approved by the health care industry.
  • Present their reports and findings to every doctor and facility being measured before they are released to the public – which would make large-scale reports difficult.

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Amish Men Jailed Over Refusal To Use Orange Safety Triangle On Buggies

(CNN) – A group of Kentucky Amish men would prefer to do jail time rather than violate their religious beliefs, which they say forbids the placement of bright orange safety triangles on the backs of their buggies.

The orange triangles are required on all slow-moving vehicles, according to Kentucky state law.

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Rand Paul Delivers A Message To The President

Sen. Rand Paul in the below clip touts his bill to limit the powers of the National Labor Relations Board. While doing so, he mocks President Obama's latest line "pass this bill."

FLASH MOB

Tornados Touch Down In Ocean City



2 tornados reported in OC. One around 74th street. One around 94th street. Couple people saw the funnel. Water spout also seen.

Some power out. Roof off house at 75th street. Cars moved and damaged in parking lots. Trees on road between 74th and 75th street.

Search for injured underway.

Originally posted at 4:11 PM. New posts to fall below.

Private Colleges Starting To Offer Four-Year Degree Guarantees

Battling concerns from parents and students that they'll toil in school for a half-decade or more without landing a degree, several private colleges are offering four-year degree guarantees. As long as students agree to meet with advisers and succeed in class, the colleges will waive tuition for any additional years it takes to finish up.

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Probe: BP Cost-Cutting Led To Spill

BP's infamous oil spill last year in the Gulf of Mexico might have been prevented had the company not offered incentives to workers to cut costs rather than improve safety. A 16-months-in-the-making government report concluded that there were five instances in which BP either cut costs, decreased drilling time or increased risks.

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QUOTE OF THE DECADE

"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting an inexperienced man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America . Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of Idiots such as those who made him their president."

If You Want A Piece Of Facebook, You'll Have To Wait Until Late Next Year

Potential Facebook investors who were salivating over snagging a piece of the company come April will have to wait several months longer than expected to buy in. The social networking behemoth delayed its initial public offering, which could possibly be the largest in history, from April to an undisclosed time late in 2012.

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Telegraph Blogs


Today is ManBearPig day. World renowned carbon trader and masseuse enthusiast Al Gore will be kicking off the celebrations by showing wall-to-wall eco-porn videos of weather doing scary things; stock markets across Europe will be collapsing in sympathy with the Prince of Wales's recent claims that economic growth is unhealthy and we must all live more "sustainably" (ie in abject poverty); and here on this blog we plan to commemorate this glorious event with fun, games and some of our favourite South Park, Futurama and Eco-loon propaganda videos.

Altogether now: "GLOBAL WARMING! WE DIDN'T LISTEN!!!!"

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Mich. Woman Charged With Handing Out Pot To "Influence" Voters


LANSING, Mich. - The owner of a Lansing medical marijuana clinic has been charged with violating Michigan election law after she allegedly offered free pot to patients who registered to vote, authorities say.

If true, it's certainly a novel way to influence voters.

Shekina Pena, the 34-year-old owner of Your Healthy Choice Clinic, was charged with one count of trying to influence voters with a "valuable consideration."

Michigan Election Law prohibits the provision of anything of value in order to induce or influence the manner of voting and the offense is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine.

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When It Comes To Breaking News, Clearly People Come To SBYNews.com First


I just checked our numbers and once again they went through the roof. Whether its local news or national news, SBYNews.com delivers it first. Thanks for visiting Folks. Remember, we'll have posts every 15 minutes until midnight.

BREAKING NEWS: House OKs Curbs On Labor Board

House passes bill that limits National Labor Relations Board's power to dictate where private businesses can locate, a response to unions and federal government's efforts to block opening of Boeing plant in South Carolina.
From Fox News

Crowd Rescuing A Biker Trapped Under A Burning Car

'X' Gender Option In Australian Passports

(CANBERRA, Australia) — Australian passports will now have three gender options — male, female and indeterminate — under new guidelines to remove discrimination against transgender and intersex people, the government said Thursday.

Intersex people, who are biologically not entirely male or female, will be able to list their gender on passports as "X."


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Sentencing Set For Father Of 3 Missing Michigan Boys

ADRIAN, Mich. -- A man who maintains his three young sons, who have been missing since Thanksgiving, are still alive faces a sentencing hearing Thursday after pleading no contest in July to a charge of unlawful imprisonment.


John Skelton faces up to 15 years in prison in the Thanksgiving 2010 disappearance of Andrew, Alexander and Tanner Skelton, who were 9, 7 and 5 when they disappeared. Their father is to be sentenced in Lenawee County Circuit Court in Adrian.


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A House Divided ... But Churches Coexist

The cross is strapped like a ladder to the inside wall of a GMC van. The pulpit, lectern and altar are buried behind boxes of hymnals, chairs, sound equipment and vestments.

Aside from offices in a corporate building, this van is Annapolis Evangelical Lutheran Church. Services are held in the gym of Annapolis Area Christian School, since the 300-plus-member congregation doesn't have its own building.

The church, after all, has existed only since late winter. Annapolis Evangelical Lutheran took shape in March after a failed vote at St. Martin's Lutheran Church to break with that church's umbrella organization, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, or ELCA.

The debate at St. Martin's, like that at a host of other Lutheran churches, concerned positions taken by the ELCA over the past few years, including the interpretation of Scripture. This covers many topics, even including how God is described. Traditionalists prefer Father, Son and the Holy Spirit; the ELCA also condones Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier - which are not gender-specific.

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NJ Military Base Closing Thursday

EATONTOWN, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey's Fort Monmouth will close for good Thursday and its mission that began 94 years ago will be transferred to Maryland.

The Army post's flag will be lowered at 4:30 p.m. when "Retreat" is sounded for the last time.

The property will be turned over to a 14-member force that will maintain and secure it while a government commission seeks developers for its 1,100-plus acres.

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BOONIES BIKE WEEK

Bodies Hanging From Bridge In Mexico Are Warning To Social Media Users

(CNN) -- Social media users who denounce drug cartel activities along the Mexican border received a brutal warning this week: Two mangled bodies hanging like cuts of meat from a pedestrian bridge.

A woman was hogtied and disemboweled, her intestines protruding from three deep cuts on her abdomen. Attackers left her topless, dangling by her feet and hands from a bridge in the border city of Nuevo Laredo. A bloodied man next to her was hanging by his hands, his right shoulder severed so deeply the bone was visible.

15 Things You Can't Do Once You're Married Read more: Things You Can't Do Once Married - OnceYouGetMarriedYouCant Twitter Trending Topic - Cosmopolit

According to these tweeters, the moment you say I do you have to start saying I won't to the following behaviors.

Once you get married, you can't...

...dance like a stripper. —@whoisME

...expect anymore flowers on your birthday. Unless those cauliflowers came free with the $10 purchase of beansprouts. —@MdmNancyGoh

...squeeze the toothpaste from the middle of the tube. That makes them mad. —@TommyWee

Read All....


Dr. Besser vs. Dr. Oz: Apple Juice Showdown on ‘GMA’

In a spirited showdown on “Good Morning America ” today, ABC News Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser confronted Dr. Mehmet Oz on what he called “extremely irresponsible” statements made on “The Dr. Oz Show” show Wednesday concerning arsenic in apple juice.

“Mehmet, I’m very upset about this, I think that this was extremely irresponsible,” Besser said. “It reminds me of yelling fire in a movie theater.”

Dyson Unveils $400 "Jet Engine" Space Heater

LONDON -- A bladeless fan heater made using jet engine technology was revealed Thursday as the latest creation from the British inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner.

Sir James Dyson's latest device, called the Dyson Hot, can heat a room to between 34 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit by drawing in air through a pump and shooting it out through tiny gaps that create jets of warmth.

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Four Metro Areas In Maryland Rank Among Smoggiest On East Coast


WHAT: Environment Maryland will be releasing a new report, Danger in the Air: Unhealthy Air Days in 2010 and 2011, showing that the Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Hagerstown and Wilmington-Newark, DE metro areas rank among the smoggiest areas in the country, putting the health of 8 million residents at risk.

Smog is a harmful air pollutant that leads to asthma attacks and exacerbates respiratory illnesses. The report ranks cities in Maryland and across the country for the number of days when the air was unhealthy to breathe last year and this summer. The report also includes new data showing that because of outdated air quality standards, the problem is even worse than the public has been told.

The report comes after President Obama’s controversial announcement this month that he is abandoning efforts to strengthen the current outdated smog standard, as polluters and their allies in Congress push legislation that would make the problem even worse by rolling back existing standards for smog pollution from power plants.

WHEN: September 21, 2011
10:30 AM

WHERE: University Square Park on South Greene St and West Baltimore St. (across the street from the University of Maryland Medical Center)

WHO: Ewa Krason, Field Organizer, Environment Maryland
Prof. Katie Huffling MS, RN, CNM of University of Maryland School of Nursing
Christine Dean Keens, asthmatic adult with personal story

VISUALS: Backdrop of busy downtown hospital and asthmatic adult.

QUOTE OF THE DAY 9-15-11

“The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists.”

Ernest Hemingway

House CR To Avert Shutdown In Two Weeks


With two weeks left until the end of the fiscal year, the House introduced a stopgap spending bill to avoid a shutdown and keep government funded through Nov. 18. The bill includes disaster relief funds for FEMA and extends the deadline for the Postal Service to make a $5.5 billion prepayment to the retiree health fund.

Obama Officials Defend Solar Loan To Bankrupt Firm As Emails Show Past Concerns

Obama administration officials on Wednesday defended a $528 million loan to a solar-panel company that went bankrupt this month, claiming the firm fell victim to global economic trends but that federal investment in alternative energy must continue. 

The testimony came as Republican and Democratic lawmakers raised sharp questions about the decision that ultimately left taxpayers on the hook for millions, and as newly released emails show administration officials were raising doubts about the loan proposal to Solyndra months before it was finalized. 

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Three Arrested After Residential Burglary

Peggy Kachnovitz- pink shirt
Jeffery Kabino- grey t-shirt
Gary Klaft- aqua blue shirt
Byron Martin- grey hooded sweatshirt with black shirt underneath
Melissa Kabino- collared jacket


Location: Residence in the unit block of Nottingham Drive, Lewes, DE
Date of Occurrence: Tuesday September 13, 2011 between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.
Victims:
-68 year old female resident
-69 year old male resident
Defendants and Charges:
-Peggy A. Kachnovitz, 46, Lewes, DE
-Burglary 2nd Degree, Identity Theft, Theft, Attempted Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Forgery 2nd Degree, Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Conspiracy 2nd Degree
-Arraigned at JP Court 3 and release on $15,000.00 unsecured bail.
-Gary R. Klaft, 27, Millsboro, DE
-Burglary 2nd Degree, Theft, Attempted Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Conspiracy 2nd Degree
-Arraigned at JP Court 3 and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institute for lack of $9,000.00 secured bail.
-Jeffery Kabino, 39, Georgetown, DE
-Burglary 2nd Degree, Theft, Attempted Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Conspiracy 2nd Degree
-Arraigned at JP Court 3 and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institute for lack of $9,000.00 secured bail.
Suspects and Charges (warrants on file):
-Melissa Kabino, 33, Millsboro, DE
-Attempted Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Conspiracy 2nd Degree
-Byron Martin, 27, Millsboro, DE
-Burglary 2nd Degree, Theft, Attempted Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, Conspiracy 2nd Degree
Resume:
Lewes, DE- Delaware State Police detectives have arrested three subjects and are looking for two others following an early morning burglary in the Sussex East development in Lewes.
The investigation into the incident began after the residents of a home in the unit black of Nottingham Drive, Lewes, contacted the State Police upon awaking on Tuesday, September 13 and realizing that their home had been burglarized during the night as they slept. Troopers were advised by the victims that someone had entered the home through an unlocked window. The suspect(s) then removed several electronic items valued at over $1500.00 as well as credit cards from the home before fleeing.
As the investigation was continuing, the victim contacted their credit card company and were advised that someone had used their card to purchase items from the Wal-Mart Store located in Georgetown, DE and had also attempted to use the victim’s credit cards at the Wal-Mart in Rehoboth, DE. Troopers responded to both locations and were able to view surveillance footage that revealed that at least four different subjects were possibly involved in the use of the credit cards.
As detectives were still actively investigating the incident, they observed a male and female subject matching the description of two of the subjects captured on video, walking in the Patterson Place development in Georgetown. Detectives stopped and detained the pair, later identified as Peggy Kachnovitz and Gary Klaft and learned that Klaft was in possession of a cellular phone that had been stolen in the burglary. Through further investigation, detectives were able to link Kachnovitz and Klaft, as well as Jeffery and Melissa Kabino, and Byron Martin to the burglary.
Detectives then responded to Byron Martin’s residence in the Patterson Place development where they took Jeffery Kabino into custody without incident. They were unable to locate Byron Martin and Melissa Kabino however.
Gary Klaft, Peggy Kachnovitz, and Jeffery Kabino were all arrested and charged with the above list of crimes. Klaft and Kabino were both committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution for lack of $9000.00 secured bail. Peggy Kachnovitz was released on $15,000.00 unsecured bail. Detectives have obtained warrants charging Melissa Kabino and Byron Martin with the above list of crimes.
Detectives are asking anyone who may know the location of Melissa Kabino and Byron Martin to contact Detective John Evans at Troop 4 at 302-856-5850. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Why The Dems Lost Weiner's Seat

(CNN) -- Democrats, from the rank-and-file to President Obama, are worried -- as they should be -- about the surprise victory of a novice candidate, Republican Bob Turner, in New York City's 9th Congressional District.

Democrats had every advantage they could have asked for. They outnumber Republicans 3-to-1 in a district Dems have held since 1923. They vastly outspent Turner and the GOP, and even called in big guns like ex-President Bill Clinton and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to campaign for the losing Democrat, state Rep. David Weprin.

But they still lost.

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Don't Stereotype Hispanic America

San Diego, California (CNN) -- When you refuse to acknowledge a group of people in all their nuances and complexities, or depict them as predictable and one-dimensional, or dictate for them a code of acceptable behavior, it is a blatant sign of disrespect.

It would be offensive for someone to suggest that all Italian-Americans think a certain way, all Irish-Americans behave a certain way or all African-Americans vote a certain way.

So it is with 50.5 million Hispanic Americans, who come in every variety imaginable. You might know this from what you consume daily in the form of political messaging, media images and advertising campaigns from Madison Avenue.

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Ron Paul Supports Global Psychopaths

Ron Paul's scary vision for America: He'd be tyrants' best friend ...The problem is that Ron Paul's America would be a scary place to live in. So would the rest of the world. That's not because he would, as he has so often promised, end the Federal Reserve or the Department of Education, but because he would end our history of fighting brutal regimes and human rights abuses around the world. Paul insists he is not an "isolationist" because he favors free trade. But that nuance aside, he believes we should mind our own business when it comes to the world's many evil regimes. – NY Daily News

Are Dental X-rays Dangerous?

(CNN) -- Every six months like clockwork, Melissa O'Brien, a freelance writer in Kennesaw, Georgia, takes her two children, Alexandra and Evan, to the dentist for a cleaning. They're nearly perfect patients -- Alexandra, 13, has no cavities, and Evan, 10, has had only one -- but O'Brien suspects she may not be the dentist's favorite mom, because when the dentist suggests X-rays, O'Brien sometimes says no, and she can tell that doesn't sit well.

"I usually get a hard time from the dentist, like I'm a bad mother or something," she says. "Maybe I'm being silly as a parent. Maybe it's such a minute amount of radiation, but I think, my kid is going to get how many X-rays in his life, and if I can prevent some of them why not do it?"

Maybe she is being silly -- but maybe not. It's impossible to tell, because there are no good studies showing the right number of X-rays to give someone who isn't having any particular dental problem. While some dentists do bitewing X-rays every six months on a healthy patient, others hardly ever do them, relying instead on a visual examination of the mouth with a sharp explorer and a mirror.

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Find Your Lost Furry Friends With A GPS Collar That Tracks Your Missing Pet

Do you have a dog or cat that likes to take unaccompanied walks? Qualcomm—a tech company more closely associated with mobile phones than mobile pets—could help you keep tabs on your wayward Buddy or Lucy.

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USPS to Study Closing Mail Processing Facilities

Several local mail processing facilities could be studied for possible consolidation or closure as the U.S. Postal Service proposes large cuts in its organization in order to save up to $3 billion a year.

Proposals under consideration include studying nearly 250 processing facilities for possible consolidation or closure, reducing mail processing equipment by as much as 50 percent, dramatically decreasing the nationwide transportation network, adjusting the workforce size by as many as 35,000 positions, and revising service standards for First-Class Mail.

“We are forced to face a new reality today,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. “First-Class Mail supports the organization and drives network requirements. With the dramatic decline in mail volume and the resulting excess capacity, maintaining a vast national infrastructure is no longer realistic. Since 2006, we have closed 186 facilities, removed more than 1,500 pieces of mail processing equipment, decreased employee complement by more than 110,000 through attrition and reduced costs by $12 billion.”

The following area processing facilities may face changes in the next few years:
- Cumberland MD CSMPC Cumberland MD - Eastern Shore MD P&DF Easton MD - Suburban MD Annex Gaithersburg MD - Waldorf MD CSMPC Waldorf MD - Lynchburg VA P&DF Lynchburg VA - Norfolk VA Annex Norfolk VA - Norfolk VA P&DC Norfolk VA - Roanoke VA P&DC Roanoke VA - Bluefield WV CSMPC Bluefield WV - Clarksburg WV P&DF Clarksburg WV - Parkersburg WV CSMPC Parkersburg WV - Petersburg WV CSMPC Petersburg WV

When Will Home Prices Spring Back?

(MONEY Magazine) -- It was with some trepidation that Stephanie Kim and her husband, Brendan, 40 and 42, put their Chicago townhouse on the market in June. While the place was in great shape, prices in their city were off 8% from 2010 -- and of the 30 similar homes in the area listed the previous year, only nine had sold.

And yet there was an offer on the house almost immediately; the sale closed two months later at just $15,000 under the $650,000 asking price. "We thought it would take a lot longer to sell," says Stephanie.

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Struggling Postal Service Announces 'New Reality'

Snail mail is about to get even slower.
The U.S. Postal Service, burdened with huge financial losses, said Thursday that it was facing a "new reality" that would include shutting a slew of processing facilities, changing service standards for first-class mail and cutting up to 35,000 positions.
The moves will mean first-class mail will no longer reach most customers the day after it was dropped in the mailbox.
"We are forced to face a new reality today,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe in a statement. “First-Class Mail supports the organization and drives network requirements. With the dramatic decline in mail volume and the resulting excess capacity, maintaining a vast national infrastructure is no longer realistic."


The Postal Service said the moves are designed to save it $3 billion a year.

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UPS To Launch Service That Gives Customers 4-Hour Delivery Window

Basically admitting that its system of "driver doesn't actually check to see if you're home and either tosses package into the bushes or leaves a useless infonotice," doesn't quite work, UPS has announced the launch of a new system that would alert customers of a parcel's impending delivery and give them a four-hour window for delivery, along with other options is that window doesn't work for them.

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My Ride Into Work This Morning 9-15-11

Cat Found In Delmar

Mr. Albero,
I am attaching a picture of a cat that has been hanging around my doorstep in the Ponds Edge neighborhood in Delmar.  She doesn't have a tag, but she is very friendly with people so I doubt she's just a wild cat. I was hoping you might be willing to put this picture up in hopes of reuniting the car with its owner.  People can reach me at jim@jimandbecky.com if the cat looks familiar.

Foreclosures Rise In August

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Foreclosure filings rose in August, as more homebuyers fell behind on their mortgage payments.

Filings were up 7% compared to July, but were still 33% lower than they were a year ago -- marking the eleventh straight month of year-over-year declines, according to RealtyTrac, a leading online marketer of foreclosed properties.

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4 Vehicle Accident

There's been a 4 vehicle accident on S. Division Street & Rt. 13.

One of the vehicles is a Tow Truck.

UPDATE:

S-CURVE BOTH NORTH BOUND LANES
ON RT. 13 CLOSED.

So Tiny They Fit In A Woman's Shoe Box

Yes, our newest batch of baby Yorkies have arrived, actually two weeks ago. Believe it or not they're already twice the size since they were born.

One male and three females. Time will tell which, (if not all) of them will be show quality. In the mean time we'll enjoy them growing up and playing like all puppies do.

Casey Anthony's Acquittal A Sign From God, Mother Says

(CNN) -- Casey Anthony's acquittal on murder charges was a sign from God that her daughter Caylee's death was an accident, Cindy Anthony said in a television interview aired Wednesday.

Cindy Anthony, Casey's mother, told television host Dr. Phil McGraw that "there is something seriously wrong with my daughter." But she told McGraw, "I'm not going to be her judge and jury. God is her judge, and he let her free."

"I prayed to God for three years to find out what happened to Caylee, and I prayed during the whole trial that God would give me closure and if Casey was responsible for Caylee's death, that Casey would go to jail and be punished," Cindy Anthony said.

"And when that verdict came in and Casey was free, I got my answer -- that it was an accident," she said. "And I believe that justice for Caylee was when her mother walked."

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The Tax Cheating Treasury Secretary Lies Again

Compare and contrast. This from Marketwatch [8] yesterday: "Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is not going to Poland to push European finance ministers to boost the size of the euro-zone bailout fund, a U.S. official said Tuesday" to this just released from Reuters: "U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is likely to suggest to European finance ministers on Friday that they leverage their bailout fund along the lines of the U.S. TALF programme, EU officials said." And this: "Geithner will probably insist on the importance of leverage to have more funds to ringfence the big Europeans, Italy and Spain, and to find a solution for Greece," one EU official said. "The leveraging of the EFSF -- I think this is something that he will put on the table," the official said. "There could be some openness to the proposal." Read more here [9]. All in all, just another  day for the world's biggest pathological liar, tax evader, and overall economic disaster since, well, ever.

For more vintage jackassness, GO HERE

Bachmann Courts 'America's Toughest Sheriff'

Minnesota Rep., other GOP presidential candidates hope for endorsement of sherriff known for tough stance on illegal immigration

If you're running for president, how do you convince supporters you are tough enough on immigration? Get the endorsement of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in America whose uncompromising stand on illegal immigration is a point of pride.

On Wednesday Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann was the latest Republican presidential candidate hoping for Arpaio's backing.

US "Misery" At Fresh 28 Year High

It was just three months ago [4]that we posted that the US Misery Index (inflation plus unemployment) hit a 28 year high. Today we boldy recycle that headline, and pretty much the entire post, as the US Misery Index just hit a fresh post 1983 high. Really nothing to add here: #WinningTheFuture [5].
Source

The Food And Drug Administration To Overhaul Foodborne Sickness

The Food and Drug Administration plans to overhaul how it responds to foodborne sickness episodes. FDA has formed what it calls the Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network, or Core. The network will include teams of epidemiologists, veterinarians, microbiologists and other experts, who will work fulltime at FDA headquarters. Team members will share information with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agriculture Department, and state and local agencies. The Core effort stems from the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which called for reforms in how the government responds to widespread foodborne illnesses. Dr. Kathleen Gensheimer, the state epidemiologist for Maine, joins FDA to head up the Core network.

Lack Of Training Can Be Deadly In Cosmetic Surgery

MIAMI – Her husband says he loved her the way she was, but Kellee Lee-Howard wanted a trimmer body. So she went to a clinic for "minimally invasive" liposuction.

James Howard woke up on Valentine's Day 2010 to find his wife lying dead on the living room couch.
Along with her husband, Lee-Howard, 32, left behind six children — ages 3 to 14 — and a trail of questions about the doctor here who isn't board certified in any medical specialty but performed a type of liposuction he trademarked and has been teaching other non-plastic-surgeons across the country.

Teacher Accused Of Helping Students Escape Detention Center

A Prince William County, Va., school teacher is accused of helping four students escape from a juvenile detention center, according to Prince William County police.

Timothea Dzan, 52, of Woodbridge, a school teacher assigned to the M.E.S.H. juvenile facility in Manassas, provided the four juvenile students with information on how to escape from the facility, police said.

Those juveniles, ranging in age from 14 to 17, escaped but were found the same day.

Dr. Seuss Shuts Down Local Blogger


Regardless of what anyone else says, Jonathan Taylor was targeted by local powers and the Dr. Seuss attorneys went after him to cease and desist immediately.

In typical style, Taylor refuses to tell the truth about these demands and instead is sending in a ton of comments on Salisbury News recommending people go to another Website, (as if we'd allow such comments to go through).



It has been reported that another group of concerned citizens are threatening a lawsuit against Taylor and the state disability group because it has been proven Taylor is more than capable of earning a living and could be taking income without reporting it to that department.

Taylor has a good chance of losing his disability income as well as his subsidized housing.

I happen to know first hand who's behind this and quite frankly Taylor pissed off the wrong people in the right places. There could even be the possibility of criminal charges and fraud.

One thing is for sure, Taylor's Site is in fact shut down for good and I can guarantee you he will not re open it again. Things are about to get real interesting in the blogosphere.

Now you know the truth.

Is SBIR Working?

Federal agencies with budgets of at least $100 million are required to participate in the Small Business Innovation Research program. The program is designed — in part — to encourage participation by disadvantaged and women-owned businesses. The Government Accountability Office recently reviewed Defense, Energy, NASA, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation over a four-year period to see if the plan is working. Reviewers found that the agencies are participating in the SBIR program in a variety of ways but that there's not enough data to evaluate the program's impact. GAO wants SBA to work with those agencies to collect data that can tell if SBIR is actually working.

Sept 24 Dinner And Dance At The Mardela Fire House

MARDELA SPRINGS VOL. FIRE CO.
WILL BE HOLDING A
BEEF DINNER & DANCE
BARREN CREEK BAND
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2011
DINNER FROM 6:00 UNTIL 8:00
DANCE FROM 8:00 UNTIL 12:00
$ 18.00 PER PERSON IN ADVANCE
$ 20.00 AT DOOR
BEER & SODA PROVIDED FOR BOTH EVENTS
CASH BAR AVAILABLE
50/50 and Auction
CONTACT  443-880-4594 410-742-6392
for information and tickets
ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT
MARDELA SPRINGS VOL. FIRE CO.
 
Please come support the Fire company!

Pat Robertson: Divorcing A Spouse With Alzheimer's Is Justifiable

Asked about marriage vows to stay together 'til death do us part,' he says: 'This is a kind of death'

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson told his "700 Club" viewers that divorcing a spouse with Alzheimer's is justifiable because the disease is "a kind of death."

During the portion of the show where the one-time Republican presidential candidate takes questions from viewers, Robertson was asked what advice a man should give to a friend who began seeing another woman after his wife started suffering from the incurable neurological disorder.

"I know it sounds cruel, but if he's going to do something, he should divorce her and start all over again, but make sure she has custodial care and somebody looking after her," Robertson said.

Car Catches Fire After Hitting Gas Line


GO HERE to see video.

Corn-Based Sweeteners To Soar 30% In Price Next Year

Oh Cargill, when you aren't recalling millions of pounds of tainted turkey meat, you're giving your customers bad news about the rising price of corn sweeteners.

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Delmarva Bike Week Traffic Advisory

Incident: Traffic Advisory
Date of Incident: 15-18 September 2011
Location: Winter Place Park and Perdue Stadium

Narrative: The 2011 Delmarva Bike Week will commence today 15 September and run through
Sunday 18 September. This event is expected to bring a significant increase in traffic to the areas
surrounding both Winter Place Park and Perdue Stadium. Most of the increased traffic is expected to be
motorcycles. With the increased traffic congestion motorists are advised to exercise both caution and
patience this weekend.

Deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office will be on duty throughout this event to keep traffic
from being disrupted, but alternative travel routes are recommended.

BREAKING NEWS: Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle wreck Walston Switch and 50.  Motorcycle rider in seroius condition, priority 1.

The Insidious Truth About Federal Reserve Policy

So far, U.S. Federal Reserve policy has done nothing to help the economy. To the contrary, it's actually been quite destructive.

Yet Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and his cohorts will likely expand upon their ineffective policies next week by announcing a new "Operation Twist."

That begs the question: Why?

If ultra-low rates and quantitative easing haven't put a dent in unemployment or spurred economic growth, then why expand on those programs?

The answer: Because the Fed doesn't work for the American public - it works for Wall Street .

That's right. It's not the economy the Fed has on life support - it's the banks.

America's banks are facing huge litigation costs. Worse, they've grown entirely dependent on the Fed's easy-money policy.

So the Fed is going to bail them out - again.
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Gas Tax Increase, Public-Private Partnerships Discussed For Transportation Funding

State policymakers all agreed that Maryland needs more money for transportation needs. How to get that money was the subject of two meetings in Annapolis on Wednesday.

Continue Reading...

New Dilemma For Some Wells Fargo Customers: Keep $7500 In The Bank Or Pay $15 Fee

As banks look for new and exciting sources of revenue, free checking is slowly fading away at the nation's large financial institutions. This week, we heard from several Wells Fargo customers who are annoyed that they'll have to pay $15 per month to keep their current account type if they don't have an average of $7,500 in the bank, across all of their accounts. Is this impossible? No, but it's a drastic change from the old requirements.

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VP Biden To Deliver Report On Cutting Waste And Fraud Abuse

Federal agency heads trudged to the White House in a confessional of cost-savings, telling Vice President Joe Biden the progress they've made carrying out an executive order to cut waste, fraud and abuse. Biden will issue a report detailing the savings, but administration officials gave out a few clues yesterday. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will require state governments to use recovery audits to bring back $2.1 billion in improper Medicaid payments. The Labor Department has handed out $191 million in grants to help states cut unemployment benefits fraud. Homeland Security estimates it saved $1 billion dollars over two years, in part by holding meetings in its own offices instead of renting private venues.

Some Democrats Talking At Obama's Jobs Bill

President Obama anticipated Republican resistance to his jobs program, but he is now meeting increasing pushback from his own party. Many Congressional Democrats, smarting from the fallout over the 2009 stimulus bill, say there is little chance they will be able to support the bill as a single entity, citing an array of elements they cannot abide.

“I think the American people are very skeptical of big pieces of legislation,” Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, said in an interview Wednesday, joining a growing chorus of Democrats who prefer an à la carte version of the bill despite White House resistance to that approach. “For that reason alone I think we should break it up.”

The Defense Department Is Top Heavy

Congress wants to cut the ranks of generals and admirals. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee's personnel subcommittee, said it's time to fix what he called brass creep. He said the ratio of flag officers to the rest of the uniformed personnel is higher than at the end of World War II. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently cut 100 flag positions, but Webb and others think there's more room to cut. The Project on Government Oversight studied the issue and found that Navy admirals nearly outnumber the service's ships.

Fill In The Blank 9-15-11

My biggest pet peeve is______.

FAA Facing Another Shutdown

The FAA is facing another shutdown, after all. It looked avoidable after a stopgap transportation bill passed the House on Tuesday. But Senate rules don't allow lawmakers to shift from the bill they're currently working on — a disaster aid bill — to the FAA bill, without the consent of all lawmakers. And one senator is holding out: Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has refused to give his consent. He said he wants to change part of the bill that funds bike and walking paths.

NATION OF DUMBASSES

I simply love the headline from Bloomberg. They infer that SAT scores in the US declined BECAUSE more kids took the test. Test scores declined because we are raising a nation of dumbasses. Our schools are a complete and utter failure. America is home to millions of stupid parents who are raising millions of stupid kids. Every kid in this country has a cell phone, iPod, computer, TV and 50 other electronic gadgets and they can’t f*%$ing read or make change from a dollar bill.

The SAT score for reading was the lowest in history. The math SAT score hasn’t risen in 11 years. The new writing SAT score declined every year since its inception in 2007. The Department of Education was created in 1979 and has spent hundreds of billions in the last three decades making our kids stupider.

I love how the article soft pedals the issue of  “diversity”. Below is the link to the report. The facts are that black kids are dumb on average and probably can’t tie their shoes. Table 8 tells you everything you need to know.

Asians: Reading – 517; Math – 595; Writing – 528
Whites: Reading – 528; Math – 535; Writing – 516
Blacks: Reading – 428; Math – 427; Writing – 417
Hispanics: Reading – 451; Math – 462; Writing – 444

How much more money are we going to shovel to minorities to try and make them smart? This isn’t just a Democratic problem either. George Bush and his no child left behind bullshit has failed. Guess what? Being smart requires you to read books. It requires you to think. It requires parents who insist that their children go to school, do their homework, and study. It is clear that parents across this country don’t give a crap about the education of their children.

If ignorance is bliss, this country has cornered the market on bliss.

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Lawmakers Plan To Tinker With The Homeland Security Department

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee yesterday marked up the DHS authorization bill, which would eliminate and consolidate some DHS offices and order improvements to acquisition, technology and personnel management. Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said some offices that were authorized years ago never materialized, while others haven't worked out properly. DHS already has an acquisition review board, but the authorization bill would legally require it.

Delmar Council Candidate Asks Another Candidate Tom McGuire To Cease Attacks

Mr. Mcguire,

You speak of in the interest of fairness, however, do you not feel as though this is a conflict of interest?  You have also already openly slandered other candidates currently running.  I am curious of your opinion of me because you and I have never spoken to each other.  How can you write an honest opinion if you have no idea of the subject you are writing on?  My opinion to you is that you should choose your words wisely and be prepared to defend yourself and the words you write.

I have spoken to a couple other candidates and we all seem to agree on one thing.We want to see a clean race without the mudslinging of the national politics.  When either of us acts poorly in others eyes, it not only looks bad for the person doing the action, it reflects poorly on the town and the rest of the citizens.  Our town and citizens deserve only the best, no let me correct myself, they demand only the best image that we can possibly portray to the surrounding areas.  Let's all remain the respectable community leaders that we are.  My pledge to each and everyone of you is this:  I will act in a professional manner in every way and will NOT resort to the actions that will negatively portray the town and it's citizens.
 
Have A Great Day,

Michael Gibb