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Thursday, October 06, 2011

CIA "Kill List" Panel Shrouded In Secrecy

Somewhere in the bowels of the national security apparatus, a secretive government panel is deciding which Americans can go on the CIA's so-called "kill list," according to a new report.

The "kill list" panel - a subset of the National Security Council made up of senior government officials - exists in a legal no man's land, with no public record of its proceedings and no law justifying or governing its existence, Reuters reports.

The decision to kill Americans abroad without due process has raised many questions in the wake of the drone strike that killed American-born al Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

Muslim Woman Suing Southwest for Kicking Her Off San Jose-Bound Flight

A Muslim woman is suing Southwest Airlines for kicking her off a flight from San Diego in March after crew members became suspicious of her behavior, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday night.

Irum Abbasi, a U.S. citizen who emigrated from Pakistan a decade ago, was seated on a plane ready to depart from San Diego for San Jose when a flight attendant became worried about what she thought Abbasi was saying on her cellphone.


Abbasi said she had told the caller, "I have to go" -- but the attendant thought she had said, "It's a go," the Times reported. The San Jose State University graduate student, who was wearing a hijab, the Islamic head scarf, was escorted from the plane by a Transportation Security Administration official.


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Green Tea May Help You Lose Weight

Drinking green tea can slow down weight gain by limiting the amount of fat absorbed by the body, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday.

In a new study, Penn State University researchers found that a compound in the herbal tea slowed down weight gain in mice.


Crucially, the mice were already obese at the start of the experiment. This makes the findings more relevant to humans because people often consider dietary changes only when they notice problems associated with obesity, the researchers said.






25 Arrested at 'Occupy Seattle' Protest

SEATTLE - Protesters and Seattle police officers clashed at Westlake Park as officers tried to remove protesters at Occupy Seattle. Police arrested 25 people as protesters ignored orders to pack up their tents and move out of the city park.

Police officers on bicycles and in paddy wagons arrived around 1:20 p.m., telling protesters who camped out overnight to move their tents to allow park workers to clean the park. A few protesters at the scene were rolling up their tents while others still remained.

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Police: Robber Paused To Pray With Wheelchair-Bound Victim

Man got on his knees, apologized, then left, woman says

A man stopped to pray while robbing a woman in a wheelchair and apologized to her before he left her home with her money, police in western Pennsylvania said.

Thirty-two-year-old Christopher Perretti II, of New Castle, is in the Lawrence County Jail awaiting a hearing on charges including burglary and robbery.

Police were called to the home of the disabled New Castle resident, whose name was not made public, around 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 30. The resident who called them said she had opened the door after hearing a knock.

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Meet Lily, A Muppet Facing Growing Concern: National Hunger


(CNN) -- Move over, Cookie Monster. And pipe down, Oscar the Grouch.There's a new muppet in town, and she's hungry.

Her name is Lily, and the newest member of the muppet pantheon symbolizes a serious social condition in today's recessionary era: nationwide hunger.

Colored pink and sporting long pigtails, Lily has been designed by Sesame Street to look like a 7-year-old girl.

30-year Mortgage Rates Fall Below 4% For First Time

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Mortgage rates have never been cheaper, with the 30-year rate falling below 4% for the first time in history.
The interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate loan fell to 3.94% this week, the lowest rate since mortgage giant Freddie Mac (FMCC, Fortune 500) began tracking it. Meanwhile, the average for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also hit a record, falling to 3.26%.

Is Football Hurting Your Relationship?

Living with a Cowboys fan can be tough. After all, America's Team hasn't had a great streak of luck in the past few years. And it can be hard to witness the constant disappointment on my husband's face as his team loses yet another game. But hey, there's always his fantasy team. Or, you know, a pick-up game of Madden '12 to fall back on. Or maybe his second favorite team, The Chargers, will make something happen this year.

Franchot Protests “Emergency” Move Of Higher Ed Office

Under protests from Comptroller Peter Franchot, the Board of Public Works approved an emergency contract to build out a new home for the Annapolis-based Maryland Higher Education Commission in the same Baltimore building as the State Board of Education.


Franchot voted against the $2.4 million contract with the Alexandria, Va.-based Christman Company, because he felt the project was not an emergency, but board members Gov. Martin O’Malley and Treasurer Nancy Kopp supported the move. Franchot was also not pleased with the lack of a methodology that he could understand to figure out if an agency should be located in state-owned or rented offices.






Campaign Starts For Another $1-a-Pack Tax Hike On Cigarettes

The folks who campaigned for the new 9% alcohol sales tax and the $2-a-pack cigarette tax are pushing for an additional $1-a-pack tax on cigarettes to help fund health care.

The Maryland Citizens Health Initiative, headed by Vinny DeMarco, is scheduled to announce today a new coalition of groups backing a 50% hike in the cigarette tax.
The tax hike would make Maryland’s cigarette tax rate double the national average, giving the state the 5th highest tax in the nation. It would still be below New York’s $4.35 a pack tax, the nation’s highest.
The increase is being supported by AARP and the state medical society, along with dozens of other health, progressive and church groups.

HPV Linked to More Oral Cancers Than Smoking

The number of head and neck cancers linked to the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) has increased sharply over the past two decades, and the virus now accounts for more cancers than tobacco or alcohol, a new study finds.


Researchers tested 271 cancer tissue samples collected from oropharyngeal cancer patients in Hawaii, Iowa and Los Angeles between 1984 and 2004. In 1984-89, about 16% of oropharyngeal cancers — cancers of the tonsils, upper throat and base of the tongue — tested HPV-positive, the researchers found. By 2000-04, the proportion of HPV-positive cancers had risen to 72%.






That's a Lot of Rings: Husband And Wife Marry For 100th Time

They've done it in a canyon, in Hawaii, and even in the Hard Rock Cafe. One thing's for sure — Lauren and David Blair love tying the knot.But far from being serial contortionists, these lovebirds are in fact the world record holders for the "Most Marriage Vow Renewals by the Same Couple," reports the Huffington Post.


Having first swapped rings in Taponga Canyon back in 1984, the Tennessee twosome renewed their vows for a staggering 99th time on Sunday and have used a new location on each occasion.


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Craig Dubow Resigns As Chairman And CEO Of Gannett

Marjorie Magner named Chairman; Gracia Martore named CEO


MCLEAN, Va., Oct 06, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Gannett Co., Inc. /quotes/zigman/227199/quotes/nls/gci GCI -0.10% today announced that Craig A. Dubow, chairman and chief executive officer, has resigned due to disability. Dubow had taken a leave of absence on September 15 to address continuing issues relating to prior medical conditions.

Marjorie Magner, an independent director since 2006 who has been chairman of the audit committee, has been named non-executive chairman of the board. Gracia C. Martore, president and chief operating officer, who has been serving as principal executive officer while Mr. Dubow was on medical leave, has been named president and chief executive officer and joined Gannett's Board of Directors.

"I've been with Gannett for 30 amazing years," said Dubow. "I am extremely proud of where we are today as a company. We have always maintained an unwavering focus on the consumer. As a result, we have evolved into a digitally led media and marketing solutions company committed to delivering trusted news and information anywhere, anytime. For me, the decision to step down was difficult, but I must now focus on my health and my family. I will miss working with the talented team at Gannett and firmly believe the company's best days lie ahead. Gannett is in good hands under Gracia's leadership and well positioned to succeed going forward."

"During the past six years, Craig has repositioned Gannett as a leading media and marketing solutions company during an extremely challenging time for our industry," said Magner. "Craig championed our consumers and their ever-changing needs for news and information. He was instrumental in building a strong management team combining talent from within the company as well as from the outside -- a team that shares a common passion and vision for Gannett's future. We thank Craig for his dedication and for the solid foundation he has laid for the company going forward."

Magner continued, "We are very fortunate to have an executive of Gracia's tenure and caliber in place and ready to lead the ongoing transformation of the company for long-term growth. She is smart, straightforward and committed to Gannett's mission to provide trusted news and information and serve our many communities. Gracia has a proven track record and has demonstrated effective leadership over 26 years at the company. Most importantly she has an incredible sense of responsibility for ensuring Gannett's continued success."

"I have great admiration for what Craig has achieved in building our business to meet the changing needs of consumers and businesses today. We will miss him and wish him and his family the very best," said Martore. "I am honored to be assuming the lead at Gannett at this time. We will continue our relentless quest to provide trusted news and information and will actively support the people and businesses in the communities we serve. We have the strategy, brands and talent to ensure that we fulfill our purpose for a long time to come."

Magner is Managing Partner of Brysam Global Partners, a private equity firm investing in financial services firms with a focus on consumer opportunities in emerging markets. Magner left Citigroup in 2005 after 18 years, most recently as Chairman and CEO of the Global Consumer Group. She is also a director of Accenture Ltd. and Ally Financial Inc.

Martore joined Gannett in 1985 after 12 years in banking and became chief financial officer in 2003, executive vice president in 2006, and president and chief operating officer in 2010. She serves on the Board of Directors of FM Global and holds a BA degree in History and Political Science from Wellesley College where she was a Wellesley Scholar.

5 Pitfalls To Dating Older Or Younger

Do cougars have it right? In some ways, they might. One 2010 study out of the University of Texas suggests that women aged 27 to 45 not only have increased sexual fantasies, but have more sex on the whole than their younger counterparts. This can prove beneficial to certain relationships, especially those in which an older woman dates a younger man.

But what happens after the excitement of a sexually-charged relationship fades? For couples with a significant age difference between them, it can be particularly challenging to stay strong for the long term.

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Do Thin Parents Pass On Skinny Genes?

People with thin parents are more likely to be thin themselves, a new study has found. But don't go chalking up weight woes to bad genes just yet.

Researchers from University College London in the U.K. studied more than 4,400 families with more than 7,000 children. Kids with two thin parents were twice as likely to be thin themselves compared to kids with two parents at the heavy end of a healthy weight range. And kids with overweight or obese parents were progressively less likely to be thin.

Montgomery Legislator And Shakira To Join Obama’s Hispanic Education Team

President Obama announced Wednesday that he will tap a Montgomery County legislator and pop star Shakira to join his Hispanic education team.

Council member Nancy Navarro (D-East County) — the only Hispanic member of the Montgomery County Council and a former Montgomery Board of Education president — will be appointed, along with the Latino diva and two others, to a commission that will advise Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan on improving education for Hispanic students.

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Streets Around US Capitol In Washington Closed For Suspicious Package Investigation

WASHINGTON — U.S. Capitol Police have shut down streets around the U.S. Capitol building while they investigate a suspicious package.

Police say an officer noticed a small metal cylinder with end caps on it on Pennsylvania Avenue about 7 a.m. Thursday. Authorities say they have not been able to determine what it is.

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Washington Monument External Earthquake Inspection Complete

For days, inspectors dangling from ropes pored over the weathered marble of the Washington Monument, gently “sounding” the stone with mallets, like doctors checking an elderly patient.

They studied every block — each of which is numbered — for damage from the Aug. 23 earthquake that rattled the East Coast. On Wednesday morning, they finished the examination.

DON'T BE SO QUICK TO PASS JUDGMENT ON RUARK

While every source of media is all over the recent arrest of former States Attorney Davis Ruark, I wouldn't be so quick to pass judgment.

As each and every one of you know there are two sides to every story, some say three sides. His, hers and the truth.

Consider the fact that this man spent more than 20 years prosecuting people for these very same reasons. Unless Davis Ruark is completely out of his mind, believe me, there's another side to this story.

When all of this came up months ago, I chose to sit back and wait it out. Today, the information delivered to Salisbury News forced us to publish the information. Have I heard both sides, yes. However, NOT from the horses mouth and this left me to wait until the Peace Order went to Court.

"This wreaks of vindictiveness" said Ruark in an interview moments ago. Before you pass judgment, let the system do its thing and allow a Judge to hear both sides and pass judgment. Some of the comments coming in are just unbelievable. Like him or not, Davis Ruark served this County well for many years.

That being said, we have a new States Attorney who is very insecure, young and out to make a MARK. Unfortunately, news like this will probably go national and we could be seeing a one term position for Maciarello.

China says U.S. policy, Not Its Currency, To Blame For Economic Woes

BEIJING — The view from Washington, as seen by proponents of the China currency sanctions bill, seems clear: China’s government keeps its currency artificially low. That keeps manufacturing here cheap, which in turn makes Chinese products less expensive. American companies cannot compete. Americans lose jobs.

But the view from China — taken from official comments, newspaper opinion pieces and interviews with economists — is often diametrically opposed.

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Former State's Attorney Davis Ruark Arrested


Davis Ruark was taken into police custody today by The Salisbury City Police Department on charges related to violating a protective peace order.

He was arrested at his home today around 3:50pm for allegedly violating a District Court peace order filed by a former girlfriend.

He had allegedly made contact via text and emails on Oct.2 and 3.

Top Court Throws Out Olympics Doping Ban

(CNN) -- Athletes suspended for doping cannot be barred from competing in the next Olympics if they have served their ban, the highest court in international sports ruled Thursday.

The so-called "Osaka Rule" is "invalid and unenforceable," the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled.

The move clears the way for more athletes to compete in London in 2012, including Americans LaShawn Merritt, a runner, and swimmer Jessica Hardy.

Salisbury Police Department Press Release for October 6, 2011

On October 6, 2011 at approximately 3:49 pm, Detectives of the Salisbury Police arrested the below listed suspect on a warrant obtained for violation of a protective order. The protective order had been issued by the Wicomico County District Court on behalf of the victim on September 16, 2011, and prohibited contact by the suspect. The victim advised detectives that a number of contact attempts had been made to her between October 2 and October 3 by the suspect.

ARRESTED: Davis Rutherford Ruark, 56 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Violation of a protective order
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC# 201100036537


Captain Mark Tyler

The Most Inappropriate Halloween Costumes Of All Time

Finding the perfect Halloween costume is no easy task. Should you go store-bought or homemade? Scary or sexy? Topical or classic? There are so many options that it can be overwhelming.

For the past three years now, we've helped you narrow it down by showing you exactly what NOT to consider when dressing up for Halloween. We added to our slideshow from last year of the most inappropriate Halloween costumes of all time, and each year it just gets better and better.


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Martha Stewart's Daughter Reveals Not-So Perfect Childhood In Tell-All Book

What's living with Martha Stewart like? Well, according to her daughter Alexis, it wasn't exactly all crafts and Christmas magic.

According to the Daily Mail, Alexis is opening up about her childhood in a new book, 'Whateverland: Learning to Live Here.'

"If I didn't do something perfectly, I had to do it again... I grew up with a glue gun pointed at my head," Alexis says in her new book out Oct. 18.

Beating Butter: Denmark Imposes the World's First Fat Tax

Are the Danish facing an era of dry toast? On Oct. 1, consumers in Denmark saw a sudden jump in the cost of many of their favorite bread-friendly products. The average price of a half-pound package of butter increased by 2.5 krone (or 45 U.S. cents). A pound of cheese rose from 34.5 krone ($6) to 36 krone ($6.50). And don't even think about lard.

In a single day, the cost of a half-pound block of pork fat skyrocketed from 12 krone ($2.15) to 16 krone ($2.85) — a 35% increase. Thanks to a new fat tax, Danes are paying more for just about anything they might want to slather on a piece of bread.

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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

OCTOBER 10, 2011 6:00 p.m.
Government Office Building Room 301

Times shown for agenda items are estimates only.

6:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER
6:01 p.m. WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:03 p.m. INVOCATION/MEDITATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
6:08 p.m. PRESENTATIONS – Mayor James Ireton, Jr.
Proclamation - proclaiming "Fire Prevention Week"
Certificates of Appreciation – recognizing Maryland National Guard
6:20 p.m. ADOPTION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
6:25 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA – City Clerk Brenda Colegrove
September 19, 2011 work session minutes
September 26, 2011 regular meeting minutes
September 26, 2011 closed session minutes separate envelope

Resolution No. 2106 - accepting funds in cooperation with the Maryland Office of Highway Safety to provide overtime reimbursement to police officers participating in the "Smooth Operator" program

Resolution No. 2107 - accepting funds in cooperation with the Maryland Office of Highway Safety to provide for overtime reimbursement to police officers participating in DUI enforcement

Resolution No. 2108 - accepting funds in cooperation with the Maryland Office of Highway Safety to provide overtime reimbursement to police officers participating in traffic enforcement during the 2012 "Bike Week"

6:30 p.m. AWARD OF BIDS – Assistant Director Internal Services-Procurement Catrice Parsons
Declaration of surplus - service handgun

6:35 p.m. ORDINANCES – City Attorney Paul Wilber

Ordinance No. 2175 - 2nd reading - adding Chapter 15.21 to the Salisbury Municipal Code to create a foreclosed property registry

Ordinance No. 2176 - 2nd reading - establishing a fee schedule to register a foreclosed residential property

6:45 p.m. CHARTER AMENDMENT – City Attorney Paul Wilber

Resolution No. 2109 – amending the City of Salisbury Charter Sections §SC9-1, § SC9-2 and §SC9-3 (Article IX – Department of Law) to grant the City Council the appointment and oversight authority of the City Solicitor, any Assistant City Solicitors and additional legal counsel, and to make minor clarifications to the duties of the City Solicitor and any Assistant City Solicitors; and to amend Charter Section §SC-4(C) to reflect the appointment and termination process for the City Clerk, the City Administrator, the City Solicitor and all other department heads; and to amend Salisbury Charter Section §SC4-5 to state that the City Clerk and City Solicitor are not supervised by the City Administrator

8:15 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS

8:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT

Troopers Investigating Serious Motor Vehicle Crash

Location: Whitesville Road and Pepperbox Road, Delmar, DE
 
Date and Time of Occurrence: Thursday, October 06, 2011 at 4:20 p.m.
 
Resume:   
Delmar, DE- The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is currently at the scene of a serious motor vehicle crash in Delmar.
 
The crash occurred at approximately 4:20 p.m. at the intersection of Whitesville Road and Pepperbox Road. Initial indication is that an injured party involved in the accident has been flown by helicopter to the Christiana Hospital.
 
Commuters should avoid the area of the accident and find alternate means of travel.
 
This crash is in its initial stages of investigation. More detailed information will be released at the conclusion of the investigation.

Survey Says Electric Cars Don't Meet Expectations Of Customers

Consumers around the world are ready to start buying electric cars, but not necessarily the ones on sale.

According to a survey conducted by professional services firm Deloitte titled “Unplugged: Electric vehicle realities versus consumer expectations,” interest in EVs is high, but the current crop of vehicles are too expensive and can’t travel far enough for the majority of respondents. They also feel that the charging infrastructure to support them is not yet sufficient.

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What Canadians Can Learn From Failed US Crime Policy

"I want to be the Premier to bring change these families need and deserve. Change that puts criminals to work. Change that treats victims of crime with respect. Change that gives police officers the tools and authority to do their jobs safely and properly." -Tim Hudak, Ontario Progressive Conservative leader

Ontarians have been duly warned that their only law-and-order choice in the upcoming October 6 provincial election is Tim Hudak, the Progressive Conservative candidate. Hudak's get-tough-on-crime platform recapitulates many of the themes of Stephen Harper's new majority conservative government, which assumed power last year on promises to cut taxes and fight crime. The recently unveiled omnibus bill Harper pledged to pass within 100 sitting days, entitled the "Safe Streets and Communities Act," seeks to increase the maximum penalty for drug possession and production, increase mandatory minimum penalties and sentences, eliminate house arrest and pardons for serious offences, extend adult sentences to violent young offenders and lift the publication ban on the names of said youthful offenders, give new sanction and greater power to police and provide greater protections for victims of crime. Likewise, Hudak vows to toughen the treatment of criminals by requiring 40 hours of manual labor a week, eliminating welfare and insurance fraud, strengthening the police force and fighting government bureaucracy in favor of victims' rights - all while providing tax relief for hardworking families.

Ban on NYC Helos Sought After Crash

(NEW YORK) — New York City politicians called for a ban on "non-essential" helicopter flights over the city Wednesday as investigators studied weather reports and examined instruments from a downed helicopter for clues to its fatal crash in the East River.

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and five state and city legislators said the crash underscored the danger of helicopter flights. They called for a total ban on tourist flights and pleasure trips by privately owned aircraft at Manhattan's three heliports.


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Child Returns Home From School To Find 3 Bodies

A child returning home from school found the bodies of a man and two women in Mississippi, and police are investigating the deaths as homicides.

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BREAKING NEWS: Head of Federal Program Behind Solyndra Loan Steps Down

Jonathan Silver, head of Energy Department loan program that gave now-bankrupt firm Solyndra a $528 million loan, is leaving the department

From Fox News

Mike Krieger On The "Useful Idiots"

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
- Mahatma Gandhi

There isn’t a cohesive message coming from the protestors other than the system is rigged in favor of the top .01%. Those who think they are in control are losing their grip. They see their power and wealth slipping away. They’ve had their way for decades and will not willingly submit to a change in the existing social order. Last night Jim Cramer voiced the concerns of the .01% by saying the Occupy Wall Street protests were worrisome. They are worrisome to the moneyed interests. They are a reason for hope to the 99.9%. We are approaching our moment of truth. There is something terribly wrong with this country. A new American Revolution has begun. It is time to stop being afraid and take this country back. What happens next? The choice is ours.

- Jim Quinn (Read this http://www.zerohedge.com/news/guest-post-what-country-needs-now-hope [12]

But the banking elites that led these frauds have been able to do so with impunity from prosecution.  Take on federal agency, the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS).  During the S&L debacle, the OTS made well over 10,000 criminal referrals and made the removal of control frauds from the industry and their prosecution its top two priorities.  The agency's support and the provision of 1000 FBI agents to investigate the cases led to the felony conviction of over 1,000 S&L frauds.  The bulk of those convictions came from the "Top 100" list that OTS and the FBI created to prioritize the investigation of the worst failed S&Ls.  In the ongoing crisis -- which caused losses 40 times larger than the S&L debacle, the OTS made zero criminal referrals, the FBI (as recently as FY 2007) assigned only 120 agents nationally to respond to the well over one million cases of mortgage fraud that occurred annually, and the OTS' non-effort produced no convictions of any S&L control frauds.  OTS' sister agencies, the Fed and the OCC, have the same record of not even attempting to identify and prosecute the frauds.  The FDIC was better, but still only a shadow of what it was in fighting fraud in the early 1990s.  If control frauds can operate with impunity from criminal prosecutions, then the perverse Gresham's dynamic is maximized and market forces will increasingly drive honest banks and firms from the marketplace.
- Bill Black

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New Legoland Park Opening In Florida

The first thing you'll do upon entering Legoland Florida is walk up to the nearest oversized Lego model and touch it: Is it really made out of those little plastic bricks? The answer is yes.

The Fascist Threat

Everyone knows that the term fascist is a pejorative, often used to describe any political position a speaker doesn’t like. There isn’t anyone around who is willing to stand up and say: "I’m a fascist; I think fascism is a great social and economic system."


But I submit that if they were honest, the vast majority of politicians, intellectuals, and political activists would have to say just that.


Fascism is the system of government that cartelizes the private sector, centrally plans the economy to subsidize producers, exalts the police State as the source of order, denies fundamental rights and liberties to individuals, and makes the executive State the unlimited master of society.


This describes mainstream politics in America today. And not just in America. It’s true in Europe, too. It is so much part of the mainstream that it is hardly noticed any more.


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Breaking News From The Daily Times

707 Sports Bar owner dead, police investigating

WEST OCEAN CITY — Carey Flynn, owner of 707 Sports Bar & Grill, has died after an incident at his establishment, police said. Several people familiar with the situation said it involved a physical altercation with a bar patron.

Authorities with the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation are conducting an ongoing death investigation, according to Worcester County State's Attorney spokesman William McDermott.

While police are pursuing a suspect in Flynn's death, it has yet to be determined if anything criminal actually occurred, and police have made no arrests nor charged anyone with a crime, he said.

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Ron Paul Suggests Media Could Be Targeted By Government

Texas Rep. Ron Paul suggested Wednesday that the government could just as easily target the media or academics the way it did US-born al-Qaeda operative Anwar al-Awlaki in a military strike last week.

Paul, the libertarian-minded congressman who's criticized the government's assassination of al-Awlaki in a missile strike last week in Yemen, argued that the strike opens a slippery slope toward broader targeting of citizens by the government.

"Can you imagine being put on a list because you're a threat? What's going to happen when they come to the media?" Paul asked during an appearance at the National Press Club. "The media becomes a threat or a professor becomes a threat. Some day that could well happen. This is the way it works. It's incrementalism."

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Ron Paul On The People "Too Little To Worry About"

Before a sold out crowd at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., Ron Paul spoke today to the media and general public.

The interest from the media was so strong that NPC had to bring additional chairs into the media pen to seat the crowd, which already had 25 media seats set out for the event. In addition, more than a dozen video camera crews were present.

During his speech Ron Paul attacked the Fed and pointed out that since its founding, the economy has had 17 economic setbacks. He said the Fed, after these setbacks, comes in to bailout the elite, the Too Big To Fail (TBTF), and ignores the rest, those he deemed "Too Little to Worry About" (TLWA) by the Fed.

He said it was time to end this government intervention in the economy and stop the government-big business alliances. He said the current protests in the street reflect the frustration by youth with what is going on in America.
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BREAKING NEWS: Stocks Charge Higher, Add Third Day To Winning Streak

Wall Street added a third day to its winning streak after upbeat economic and retail sales data, coupled with continued optimism that European authorities are taking steps to tackle the region's debt crisis, boosted traders' sentiment. The Dow zoomed 183 points higher and the S&P 500 jumped 1.8%, while the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.992% from 1.895%.

From Fox News

'The Simpsons' Has Made $1B In Profits

Voice actors commission look into earnings after Fox demands huge salary cuts

The "Simpsons" voice actors have commissioned a study estimating the show has made $1 billion in profits as ammunition in their negotiations with 20th Century Fox TV over its demand that they agree to have their salaries cut nearly in half. The study projected that the studio will eventually make about $2.8 billion from the show through 23 seasons.

The six actors have been asked to decide by noon Friday whether they will accept a demand from Fox that they cut their payment per episode from $440,000 to $250,000 per episode, according to people familiar with the talks. The actors offered last week to accept cuts to $300,000 per episode, in exchange for back-end payments they don't currently receive, but the studio rejected the offer.

CHURCH OF DISSENT

What do the people at #OccupyWallStreet actually want? What are their demands? For many people, this is THE question.

So let me answer it. What they want… is to do exactly what they are doing. They want to occupy Wall Street. They have built a campsite full of life, where power is exercised according to their voices. It’s a small space, it’s a relatively modest group of people at any one time, and the resources they command are few.
But they are practicing the politics of place, the politics of building a truly public space. They are explicitly rejecting the politics of narrow media, the politics of the shopping mall. To understand #OccupyWallStreet, you have to get that it is not a media object or a march. It is first and foremost, a church of dissent, a space made sacred by a community. But like Medieval churches, it is also now the physical center of that community. It has become many things. Public square. Carnival. Place to get news. Daycare center. Health care center. Concert venue. Library. Performance space. School.

Few people, though an increasing number daily, have actually taken the time to go through a general assembly, to listen to what the people at #OccupyWallStreet actually want. General assemblies are the consensus-oriented group conversations at the heart of the occupations, where endlessly repeating the speaking of others is the painstaking and frustrating way that the group comes to make decisions. I spoke with a very experienced older DC hand who told me that he hasn’t been because he doesn’t have the patience of the young. This is as different a way of doing politics as distributed computing was to the old world of mainframes. So it isn’t surprising that the traditionalists are reacting as perplexed and dismissive of this new style of politics as the big iron types were with the rise of PCs.

I have been through a few general assemblies now, and they are remarkable because the point of the assembly is to truly put listening at the heart of decision-making. There’s no electronic amplification allowed in Zuccotti Square. So the organizers have figured out an organic microphone system. A speaker says a half a sentence, everyone in earshot repeats, until the whole park can hear that half a sentence. Then the speaker says another half a sentence. People use hand signals to indicate approval, disapproval, get a move on, or various forms of objections and clarifications. During these speeches, speakers often explicitly ask for more gender and racial diversity, which is known as “progressive stacking”.

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Oregon Teen's Death Linked To White Supremacists

David Joseph Pedersen, Holly Grigsby accused of killing teen after fleeing a different murder scene

The paths of a teenager who called his mother daily and two white supremacists fleeing a murder scene in Washington state allegedly crossed in Western Oregon's Willamette Valley less than a week ago.

The teenager who had thoughts of joining the ministry was found dead, the victim of "homicidal violence." The two people suspected of commandeering his car — subjects of a manhunt in the death of a Washington state woman and disappearance of her husband — threw up their hands in surrender to police on Wednesday.

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'Stop Whining'?

If there was ever any doubt that the Democrats take the black vote for granted, that doubt should have been put to rest when Barack Obama told the Congressional Black Caucus, "Stop whining!"


Have you ever before heard either a Democratic or a Republican leader tell his party's strongest supporters, "Stop whining"?


Blacks have a lot to complain about, not just about this Democratic administration but about many other Democratic administrations, national and local, over the years.


Unfortunately, black voters, like many other voters, often judge by rhetoric, rather than realities. When it comes to racial rhetoric, the Democrats outdo the Republicans by miles.


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750 Meteors Per Hour To Strike Earth This Saturday

Earth is about to be bombarded with a phenomenal meteor show — in the middle of the day. That means when the Draconid meteors peak on Saturday afternoon you won't be able to see a thing. NASA expects as many as 750 meteors an hour between 3 and 5 p.m. on Saturday, but the sun will obscure everything. NASA scientists said next year will be better for meteor showers.

Next, Comes The Impeachment: Republicans Seek All White House Communication On Solyndra Since Obama Inauguration

This can not be good for a president already mired in 20% real unemployment [7]and 98.9% Debt to GDP: “Nearly eight months into our investigation, documents provided to the Committee last Friday confirm those closest to the President - top advisors like Valerie Jarrett, Larry Summers, and Ron Klain - had direct involvement in the Solyndra mess.  In addition to the cast of West Wing characters with access to the Oval Office, documents reveal a startlingly cozy relationship between wealthy donors and the President’s confidantes, especially in matters related to Solyndra.  While the President claims ‘hindsight is always 20/20’ and the loan went ‘through the regular review process,’ the facts tell a much different story with some of the loudest alarm bells on Solyndra’s viability coming from within his very own administration.”  Next up: "please define the term 'crony venture capital taxpayer funded loan." Also, stories like this [8]can not help.

Just released by the House Energy And Commerce Committee [9]

 Recently Provided Documents Reveal President’s Inner Circle Voiced Concern with Solyndra, Wealthy Campaign Donors Had Direct Line to West Wing

 Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) are seeking all communications between White House staff and officials regarding now-bankrupt Solyndra’s $535 million loan guarantee.  The Committee leaders have requested all documents dating back to President Obama’s inauguration on January 20, 2009. Recently produced documents reveal the President’s closest confidantes closely monitored the Solyndra loan and wealthy donors also weighed in on Solyndra to those officials closest to the Oval Office.
Subcommittee Chairman Stearns made the following statement:

15 Years Of Saving Scrap Metal Finally Pays Off

For more than 15 years, service members at Thule Air Base, Greenland, have been saving scrap metal instead of throwing it away. Now all that hoarding has paid off, Federal Times reports. The base sold 15,000 tons of scrap for $1 million. Under a 2007 presidential order, agencies can keep money they earn from recycling and conservation. Thule's scrap came from old fuel tanks and pipelines. It sat until the price of scrap metal rose high enough to make the sale worthwhile.

Banks Accused Of Defraudung Veterans

More than a dozen banks are accused of defrauding veterans out of millions of dollars, according to a Washington Post report. A recently unsealed whistleblower lawsuit claims the banks hid illegal fees in veterans' home refinancing loans.Under VA rules, lenders are not allowed to charge attorney's fees or settlement closing fees. Two mortgage brokers who brought the suit say they were told to hide those fees among other costs.

Is CBS News Silencing Fast And Furious Reporter?

Yesterday, CBS News investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson told radio show host Laura Ingraham that the White House yelled and swore at her over her reporting on the Fast and Furious gunrunning scandal tied to the deaths of two U.S. law enforcement agents. Attkisson also revealed that she'd also been yelled at by the Justice Department.

Today, I called CBS News in an attempt to interview Attkisson. I was told by CBS News senior vice president of communications Sonya McNair that Attkisson would be unavailable for interviews all week.
When I asked why Attkisson would be unavailable, McNair would not say.

I've also heard from a producer at another media outlet that has previously booked Attkisson that they tried to book her since she made news with the Laura Ingraham interview yesterday. They were also told that she would be unavailable.

After our initial conversation earlier today, I called McNair back and left a message with her office. I also sent McNair an email asking whether Attkisson's unavailability has anything to do with reporting that the White House and Justice Department were angry at her. I further asked McNair if the White House or Justice Department contacted CBS News about Attkisson since yesterday. McNair has not responded to my inquiries.

Recall what Attkisson told Ingraham yesterday:

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1st Day On The Job K-9 Miso Recovers 2 Guns


On October 5, 2011 at approximately 8:57 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the area of Oak Hill Avenue for the report of an argument regarding parking. Upon arrival the officers met with an adult female victim who advised that she had been parked on Oak Hill Avenue talking to a friend when she observed a vehicle pull next to her vehicle and stop. The operator of the vehicle then exited and approached the victim yelling profanities at her about her parking location. As the victim exited her vehicle she observed the suspect (operator) reach into her purse and produce a handgun. The victim immediately re-entered her vehicle. The suspect placed the handgun in the vehicle and threatened the victim’s friend with a pocket knife. The officers met with the suspect and recovered the handgun and knife. The suspect was arrested without incident and there were no injuries.

ARRESTED: Venus Delores Wyche, 53 years of age Salisbury, Maryland

CHARGES: First degree assault (2 counts)
Second degree assault (2 counts)
Reckless endangerment (2 counts)
Possession of a firearm on person
Possession of a firearm in a vehicle
Possession of a deadly weapon

DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201100039158

$10 Mil In Grants For Homeless Vets

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki announced more than $10 million in grants to community groups working to combat homelessness among veterans. VA's special grants program provides funding to organizations that operate housing and service centers for homeless vets. The latest grants, which benefit 26 projects in 10 states, is in addition to $59.5 million awarded earlier this year.

OCPD OFFICER PERFORMS CPR DURING HOTEL POOL DROWNING

On September 30, 2011, at approximately 10:50 p.m. Ocean City Police responded to 1610 Baltimore Avenue (Quality Inn Boardwalk), in reference to a possible drowning in the pool of the hotel.

OFC Justin Hoban arrived at the scene and observed a group of citizens standing observing a male who was floating face down in the hotel pool. OFC Hoban immediately went to the pool and determined the 50-year-old male in the pool unresponsive with a few other people trying to hold him up.

OFC Hoban grabbed the man and pulled him out the water. OFC Hoban observed the victim’s complexion was close to purple and he was not breathing. OFC Hoban administered CPR to the victim, during which the male began to breath.

Ocean City Paramedics arrived shortly after and took over the treatment of the male. The drowning victim was transported to Atlantic General Hospital by Ocean City EMS and is expected to make a full recovery.

Bad Economy Brings Safety Hazards For Real Estate Agents

ROCKVILLE, Md. (WUSA) -- According to MRIS, attacks against real estate agents have been the worst in 25 years. Scott Saghirian said he has been in scary situations twice while on the job as a realtor.

"We noticed a cell phone on the counter and it turned out there was a squatter living there that had jumped into the kitchen cabinet," he said.

Another incident involved a prospective home-buyer.

"He showed up drunk with another friend, and I got very nervous," he said.

Rally On The River



Dear Patriot,
Serving as your State Delegate is one of the greatest honors of my life. With your help, our Eastern Shore voice is being heard from the floor of the State House to the hallways of the Governor’s Mansion. While I am up against some tough foes in Annapolis, I always remember the folks back home have my back. For that, I am  grateful.
The tax and spend crowd continue to dominate the halls of Annapolis, and the upcoming Special Session in mid October promises to be full of challenges and attacks on the wallets of Marylanders. With that in mind, I want to invite you to mark your calendar for myRally on the River being held on:
Saturday, October 8th, 2pm in the Sturgis Park Pavilion located in Snow Hill.
We will be serving delicious Bar-B-Q along with “all the fixin’s”. Soda and beer will also be provided. This will give me a chance to share with you my insights on the upcoming session and talk about the many challenges we expect to face in the General Assembly during this Special Session. Joining me in providing the inside scoop will be House Minority Leader Tony O’Donnell and House Minority Whip Jeanie Haddaway-Riccio.
Congressman Andy Harris will also be on hand to give us updates from Washington
This time of insight, encouragement, and fellowship is not to be missed. You can help by sponsoring a table for $200, This will include 10-tickets for you to sell or give away, and special recognition at the Rally. Individual tickets will also be available for $20.
Rally on the River Table Sponsors and Tickets may be purchased by credit card online atdelegatemcdermott.com or by returning your check payable to Citizens to Elect Mike McDermott (217 Walnut St. Pocomoke City, MD 21851. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 410-957-4668 or contact my Event Coordinator,Heather Horner, at410.430.9405 or heather.horner@comcast.net.
During the last Special Session, Marylanders were hit with huge tax increases. Dont’t miss your chance to hear strategy for the upcoming fight!
                   Warmest Regards,
Mike
Mike McDermott, Delegate
House Judiciary Committee
Thank you for your support!
                
                Thanks for standing with me in the fight! Please indicate your below and return to the address
                provided or simply email me and I will send out your packet.
                ______I would like to be a Table Sponsor for the Rally on the River.
                        (Includes 10-Tickets and special recognition for $200))
                ______ I would like to purchase _______(number) Tickets for the Rally on the River. Enclosed
                        is my check. (tickets are $20 @).
                Please make checks payable to:
                Citizens to Elect Mike McDermott                or        email your request to:
                217 Walnut Street                                mikemcdermott4@gmail.com
                Pocomoke City, MD 21851
(Authority: Citizens to Elect Mike McDermott, Craig Theobald Treasurer)