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Friday, June 01, 2012

Yard Sale 6-2-12


6/2 from 7 am until. It is at 3849 Meadow Bridge Rd in Fruitland.

Young Americans ‘So Frickin’ Stupid’ They Shouldn’t Get To Vote

Appearing in a video published online on Thursday, Jonah Goldberg, editor-at-large for the neoconservative National Review Online website, explains that he believes letting 18-year-old Americans vote is a big mistake that should be taken back.

Advocating that conservatives should “literally” beat young people into political submission, Goldberg said that young voters are “so frickin’ stupid about so many things,” which is why, in his view, the system must change.

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Shopper Sues Neiman Marcus For Refusing To Take Back Expensive Gifts From Her Cheating Husband

Not only did her husband allegedly cheat on her while she was bedridden for three years recovering from a traffic accident, but a Dallas woman is claiming he spent $1.4 million of her money buying gifts for her from Neiman Marcus, while carrying on an affair with the personal shopper who made a commission on those gifts.Still with us?

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It Could Take Years For Some Fuel-Efficient Cars To Be Worth The Savings On Gas

While car makers have been touting new higher-efficiency versions of some of their more popular vehicle brands, tests show that it could take years for the average driver to realize enough cost savings on gas to make up for the higher price tag.

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ISRAEL BATTLES U.N. OVER 'BLOODIED GIRL'

UNITED NATIONS – Israel is battling the United Nations over a U.N. employee who tweeted a false claim of child-killing against the Israel Defense Forces.

The Internet posting alleged that the IDF was responsible for the death of a girl in Gaza. It was accompanied by the image of a man carried a gravely injured and bloodied young girl.
Israeli officials say the falsely captioned photo has gone viral and is posing a serious security threat to civilians in the region because it could incite violence. Israeli sources have confirmed they believe the goal of the posting was to create a dangerous situation for their citizens.
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Mexican Official: Fast and Furious 'Poisoned' Public Opinion of US

The Mexican ambassador to the United States on Thursday said a botched gun-tracking operation by America “poisoned” public opinion of the United States for the citizens of its southern neighbor.

Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan told a room of reporters on Capitol Hill that the failed Operation Fast and Furious, which has been the focus of a Republican investigation in the House for more than a year, “put a lot of strain” on U.S.-Mexico relations.

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Iraqis Visit OC to Learn Police Work

Approximately 20 Iraqi police commanders were in Ocean City during the Memorial Day weekend to learn principles of democratic policing. They arrived last week and departed Tuesday.

The visit to Ocean City was arranged by The International Association of Chiefs of Police working in conjunction with the State Department. It was part of the Iraq Police Education Program.

“We were honored to be a part of it,” Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino said Tuesday.

While the Iraqis were in the resort, they attended classes that included community policing, reviews of significant cases and fundamentals of leadership. They also did ride-alongs with some of the Ocean City police officers.

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D.C. The Most-Watched City In The Country

WASHINGTON - Closed-circuit cameras are watching your every move from unexpected places in cities throughout the world. But what about locally?

Men's Health gathered intel on these Big Brother devices, which include traffic and red-light cameras and police surveillance. Men's Health also calculated wiretapping numbers gathered from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.

Perhaps not surprisingly, D.C. ranks as the most-watched city in the country. Virginia Beach comes in ninth, and Baltimore at 14.

Check out the top 10 HERE:

‘THEY WERE ALL TRYING TO GET WITH HER’: 18-YEAR-OLD WINS $500 BET BY SEDUCING HIS TEACHER

Usually, in stories surrounding teachers dating students, the assumption is that the teacher is a predator exploiting the innocence of the student involved, even when the student in question is technically above the age of consent.
But what about when the student can definitively be proven to be the pursuer? That’s certainly the case in the case of Eric Arty, an 18-year-old high junior at Manhattan Theater Lab High School, who was videotaped smooching his 26-year-old global studies teacher Julie Warning in a New York City Park. This video, courtesy of the New York Post, shows the incident:
Continue HERE

Street Names

If you were to name a street after Nancy Pelosi. What would you name it?

TWO SHOT IN ARGUMENT OVER HOW TO MAKE KOOL AID

At least Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton over a legitimate disagreement. This story from WSJB Fox Detroit goes to show that, especially in the modern day, it doesn’t take a lot for two idiots packing heat to do something…well, idiotic. As you’ll see, even the anchor can’t believe it:

Yes, that’s right. Two men shot at each other in an argument over Kool Aid. And not even over something that would at least be understandable, like who got to buy the last batch of the popular drink.
No, they decided to shoot each other over who makes the drink better.
Somehow, we doubt there’s a Kool Aid recipe on earth that calls for bullets.
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Police: Grandma Used Shoplifting Tips From TV's 'Cops' To Get Stuff To Bake With Grandson

Picking up some great DIY tips from TV shows is all well and good when say, landscaping the garden or learning how to crochet tea cozies. What isn't a great move is getting ideas on how to shoplift after watching Cops a few too many times, even if it's so you can bake with your grandson.

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Threats, Deals Got Drug Companies on Board with Obama

Top administration officials cut backroom deals with the nation’s top drug companies to win support for President Obama’s health care overhaul, threatening them with steeper taxes if they resisted and promising a better financial deal for the industry if they acquiesced, according to internal documents released Thursday by House Republicans.
In some of the key deals, Mr. Obama agreed to drop his long-standing support for letting Americans buy cheaper foreign prescription drugs — something the pharmaceutical industry vehemently opposed — and the drugmakers promised to mount a public campaign to sell the public on the health care legislation.
The drug industry financed the famous “Harry and Louise” commercials in the early 1990s that many credit with helping to turn public opinion against President Clinton’s massive health care bill. In 2009, the industry revived the fictional married couple — this time with words of praise for Mr. Obama’s bill.
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When Farm Owner Dies, New Estate Law Should Help Families Keep It In Business

Farmers who want to keep the family farm in the family and in business when the owner dies hope that a law signed last week will do just that for agricultural homesteads in Maryland. The Family Farm Preservation Act signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley aims to protect the future of the family farming by substantially reducing death taxes on many smaller operations.


Continue Reading...

SOCCER FAN GETS ABSOLUTELY PULVERIZED AFTER RUSHING FIELD AT USA-BRAZIL GAME

Anyone thinking about rushing the field at a sporting event should first consider what happened to a fan last night during a national soccer match between the U.S. and Brazil at FedEx Field in Maryland – it may just change your mind.
In the final minutes of the game, a man ran out onto the field and gladly soaked up his 15 minutes of fame. The man can be seen in the video pumping his fists and working the crowd a bit – clearly proud of himself.
However, he soon caught the attention of a nearby police officer who was not amused by his antics. Moments later, the officer absolutely leveled the unsuspecting fan in a jaw-jarring hit that could make ESPN’s top ten plays list.
Watch the take-down HERE and rate the hit yourself:

Head Of Catholic Bishops Paid Pedophiles to Disappear

Timothy Dolan, cardinal of New York and head of the Catholic Conference of Bishops, had his prime-time career launched by the pedophile priest scandal. Now, despite efforts to distance himself, his role in pedophile protection may come back to bite him. Wednesday, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee admitted that, during Dolan's tenure, pedophiles were paid to simply disappear.

In June of 2002, Dolan was appointed archbishop of Milwaukee after his predecessor, Rembert G. Weakland, admitted a confidential settlement of $450,000 to a man who accused Weakland of sexually assaulting him in 1979. In contrast to Weakland, Dolan was a known theological conservative with the trust of the Vatican and, despite questionable management of sexual abuse scandals in his previous position in Saint Louis, he was tasked with cleaning up the mess.

From the start, Dolan positioned himself as a victim's advocate: "... [i]t is impossible to exaggerate the gravity of the situation, and the suffering that victims feel, because I've spent the last four months being with them, crying with them, having them express their anger to me." His response to those tears and anger, however, foreshadowed events of this winter, when Dolan had consistently argued that the church is above the law.

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BREAKING NEWS: Zimmerman’s Bond Revoked

George Zimmerman, the man accused of killing Travyon Martin, must turn himself in within 48 hours after Florida judge revokes his bond.

From Fox News

Horse-Drawn Carriages Could Be In OC This Fall

Ocean City might soon join Berlin, as well as some other major U.S. cities, in offering horse-drawn carriage rides as a winter attraction.

The City Council heard a proposal Tuesday from Randy Davis of R&B Ranch, the same ranch that provides carriage service in Berlin, to solicit horse-drawn carriage rides along the Boardwalk and in downtown Ocean City during the off-season.

Davis’ plan would have carriages departing from the inlet lot and going north on Baltimore Avenue, then turning at Division Street and coming back down the concrete tram lane on the Boardwalk. The carriages would be run only during times when the tram is not.

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Awash In Undisclosed Cash

To grasp the clear and present danger that the current flood of campaign cash poses to American democracy, consider the curious case of Post Office Box 72465. It demonstrates that the explosion of super PAC spending is only the second most troubling development of recent campaign cycles.

Box 72465, in a post office on a desert road near Phoenix, belongs to a little-known group called the Center to Protect Patient Rights. According to reports by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Los Angeles Times, the center funneled more than $55 million to 26 Republican-leaning groups during the 2010 midterm election.

Where is the money from? The Times found links to the conservative Koch brothers, yet because the center is a nonprofit corporation, it is impossible to know. Such groups must disclose how they distribute their money, not who donates to them.

This privacy makes sense in the context of ordinary nonprofits. But in the push-the-envelope world of modern campaigns, in which such groups spend millions of dollars on thinly disguised campaign ads, the result is an end-run around the fundamental principle of campaign finance law: that voters are entitled to know who is trying to influence elections.

Even the Supreme Court understands this. Disclosure, the court wrote in its otherwise appalling 2010 ruling in Citizens United, "permits citizens and shareholders to react to the speech of corporate entities in a proper way. This transparency enables the electorate to make informed decisions and give proper weight to different speakers and messages."

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PRESIDENT OBAMA INSULTS FORMER PRESIDENT BUSH AT HIS OWN PORTRAIT HANGING

Apparently, as with so many other things, some people who hold the Presidency have class and some don’t. To all appearances, former President George W. Bush is the former, and current President Barack Obama is the latter, at least if this afternoon‘s unveiling of former President Bush’s Presidential portrait is any guide.
This event – which is, at least in theory, supposed to be free of partisan sniping, got an earful of just that when President Obama gave his introductory remarks welcoming Bush:
President Obama on Thursday twisted the knife he‘d stuck in his predecessor’s legacy, reminding former President George W. Bush that he left the economy a mess and al Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden alive when he left the White House three years ago.
“The months before I took the oath of office were a chaotic time,” Obama told a crowd of mostly former Bush administration officials and members of the Bush family, including Bush’s parents, former President George H.W. Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush.[...]
“We knew our economy was in trouble, our fellow Americans were in pain, but we wouldn’t know until later just how breathtaking the financial crisis had been,” Obama continued, raising some eyebrows among the Bush crowd seated just a few feet away.
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Frederick County Weighs Magnet School Changes

The county school system is considering changes to its elementary magnet program for gifted students, including phasing out the first and second grades beginning in the 2013-14 school year.

In an April report to the Frederick County Board of Education's curriculum and instruction committee, school system officials presented a proposal to phase out the Gifted and Talented Program primary grades while adding opportunities for students at their home schools.

Frederick County Public Schools officials cited research that suggests formal identification of gifted and talented students can wait until at least the end of second grade.

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Campers Rescue Wolf Cub They Thought Was A Puppy

Campers in Ketchum, Idaho found what they thought was a lost puppy by the side of a road in need of help on Friday. The concerned family brought the small pup to a local veterinarian, where they learned they may have picked up a wolf pup instead!

A vet technician looked at the lost male pup and thought it might be a wolf. He contacted Defenders of Wildlife, who in turn contacted the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. A DNA test is being run to determine if the puppy is a wolf or wolf-hybrid.

The little canine is in poor health and was taken to the local zoo temporarily for care and to help find him a permanent home at wildlife reserve, if his pack cannot be located.

Fish and Game workers went to where the puppy was found to see if they could find traces of a wolf pack in the hopes of returning the puppy to his family, but they were unable to find them. Trackers on Wednesday had seen a wolf pack travelling with pups near the national forest. That suggests the pack was disturbed near the road where the cub was found when they became separated from one another.

GO HERE for update.

AL JAZEERA: GITMO PRISONERS 'TORTURED' WITH 'SESAME STREET' MUSIC

According to Al Jazeera, prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were “tortured” with Sesame Street. Really. Prisoners reported to Al Jazeera that they had been forced to wear headphones playing music from Sesame Street on a continuous loop for days on end. Christopher Cerf, who composes for the show, was outraged. “My first reaction was this just can’t possibly be true,” he said. “Of course, I didn’t really like the idea that I was helping break down prisoners, but it was much worse when I heard later that they were actually using the music in Guantanamo to actually do deep, long-term interrogations and obviously to inflict enough pain on prisoners so they would talk.”

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The Inevitable Has Happened


There's been a roll over accident on Rt. 50 east near Denny's. Station 16 was attempting to respond but are now stuck at the Draw Bridge. The accident is now being called a rescue as three people are trapped inside. Be prepared for a road closure on Rt. 50 East.

UOPDATE: ALL east bound lanes are closed at Autumn Grove Ct.

Worcester County Sheriff's Office Press Releases 6-1-12

On May 21, 2012 at approximately 0756 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested 44 year old Stephen Darrel l Stark of Ocean City, MD on a District Court Warrant for failure to appear for court. Mr. Stark’s original charge was Disorderly. Mr. Stark was released on personal recognizance.

On May 26, 2012, A Worcester County Sheriff's Office Deputy stopped a motorcycle operated by a Mr. Michael Goodwin of Virginia, at inlet isle and Rt. 50 in West Ocean City. Mr. Good win was observed caring a hand gun. The Deputy located a Glock pistol concealed in Mr. Goodwin's pants. Mr. Goodwin was arrested and Charged with possessing of a hand gun. Mr. Goodwin was released from the District Court commissioner on his own recognizance.

On May 29, 2012 a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy arrested 51 year old Terry Wayne Burkhead of New Church, Virginia on a District Court Arrest Warrant for theft less than $1000.00 and a Fugitive Warrant through Virginia for theft over $200. Mr. Burkhead was released on personal recognizance for the District Court Arrest Warrant and held at the Worcester County Jail on no bond for the Fugitive Warrant.

On May 28, 2012 at approximately 1415 hours Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputies arrested 38 year old Kenneth Robert Wallace of Eden, MD on a District Court Arrest Warrant for theft $1000.00-$10,000.00 and a Circuit Court Body Attachment for failure to appear for court on 1/25/2012 for a paternity hearing. Mr. Wallace was released on personal recognizance for the District Court Arrest Warrant and held at the Worcester County Jail on $1000.00 bond for the Circuit.

On May 27, 2012 a Worcester Sheriff’s Office Deputy stopped a car on Md. route 90 near US route 50 in Berlin for having a headlight out. The driver, Jennifer Marquess, 42 of Salisbury Md. smelled of alcoholic beverages. After failing field sobriety tests she was arrested for DUI. It was also learned that her license was suspended and revoked. Marquess was charged with driving while impaired by alcohol and driving while suspended, and released pending a court date to be set by the District Court.

Study: Men Spread Majority Of Germs In The Office

Office workspaces, with their well-used keyboards, phones, and chairs, are notorious for teeming with bacteria.

Previously, researchers had thought women were more likely to spread germs around the office, perhaps because they use cosmetics and are more likely to store food in their desks.

But a new study published in the journal PLoS ONE shows men's desks contain significantly more germs than women's.

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Volcker Urges Global Financial System Overhaul With More Power To The IMF!

My Take: This is a very important article from Bloomberg. Paul Volcker, who is known for crushing inflation in the early 1980′s by spiking interest rates into the double digits, is seen in many circles as perhaps the best U.S. Central Banker of the modern era. As a guy who was willing to take the hard steps to avoid a dollar collapse and restore America back on a path to prosperity. That is the myth. Reality is a lot different. Besides the fact that his actions merely created a temporary respite on the terminal path of the fiat dollar, all that happened from the early 80′s until now was the blowing up of the biggest credit and derivatives bubble in human history. A ponzi scheme of counterfeit money so monstrous that nothing short of a total reset of the global monetary and financial system globally will suffice to end this nightmare. The fact that the “problems” keep resurfacing is simply a function of our failure to reset the system. Until that happens, nothing will ever get better on a consistent basis.

In any event, the title of this article makes Volcker sound like he is really in favor of a system overhaul, yet if you read it you realize that is not the case. He is merely calling for tweaks here and there and seems to even be calling for MORE power in the hands of bureaucrats and Central Bankers.

For example, when talking about the global trade imbalances that have been built up he offers as a solution: “Possibilities for forcing countries to correct imbalances may include stronger surveillance by the International Monetary Fund or financial penalties and incentives, Volcker said. He also urged the study of a multiple-currency reserve system.”

I mean, this guy has some nerve. More power to the IMF? This proves to me Volcker is a total globalist who wants to march toward the fiat feudalism of a one-world fiat currency like the SDR. The reason I say this is because he knows full well that using gold naturally prevents all of the trade imbalances from ever occurring. I am not talking about a Bretton Woods phony “in theory gold standard,” I am talking about if nations used gold for international trade. If we were under such a system the trade imbalances, credit bubble and derivatives nightmare could never have ever gotten to where it is. Amazingly, Volcker’s brilliant solution is to give more power to those that got us into this mess, hoping they can make the right decisions this time. That represents a march toward more Central Planning as well as feudalism for the masses and this clown wants more of it as a solution!

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Hundreds Gone, Very Few Left


First of all I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to stop by the Office, call and e-mail me your kind wishes. Between bumper stickers and tee shirts, literally hundreds of them are gone and people are seeing them all over Town.

It truly is humbling to see all of this support and it makes it exciting to know people want to see the right kind of change and leadership Salisbury hasn't seen in more than a century.

Looking back at the last two Mayors, it's easy to go after government grants and what I call easy money for affordable housing, fire boats and so forth. However, while that may be easy money, eventually Salisbury will look and live like Detroit and I truly do not believe that is where you want to be.

What my goals are is by far a more difficult way to go but I firmly believe past leaders are simply too afraid of failing, I am not. I simply do not fail.

Now just think for a minute. How many section 8 housing projects have been built. How many affordable housing projects. How many student housing projects. How many TIF's and developer reimbursements. OK, you get the idea, right? Now tell me just how many NEW HOMES have been built. You see, that's the key here Folks. New homes go ON the tax roll and the other projects do not.

There's no need to lower impact fees in Salisbury. The only reason that's being proposed is to, (once again) help those good ol' boy developers building projects with government funds. It may LOOK like things are getting done but in reality its not worth it.

So how do we fix it. How do we get developers excited about Salisbury again. Well, I'd like to say that's simple but in reality its not. HOWEVER, I can and I will get them excited again and if they won't, well, we'll just reach out to other developers because I'm not going to see Salisbury turn into Detroit.

If you're wondering HOW I plan on getting people excited again about Salisbury, (and let me assure you I do have a plan) stop by my Office at 300 W. Main Street and let me tell you face to face what I plan on doing. Let me also add this message. I have spoken to the key people that can help make my visions come to a reality. The people I have spoken to are very EXCITED and can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Come on down and visit and lets talk about it. Come get a tee shirt and a bumper sticker if you believe in that vision. When you walk away you'll have a smile on your face and a new breath of fresh air knowing Salisbury can and will be the best City on the entire Eastern Shore.

Ali-Fundraiser For Eric Eaton's Family


Eric Eaton is one of our PA's here at Peninsula Orthopaedics Associates. On December 28th, 2011 his 14 year old daughter, Alexandra Eaton, was in a motor vehicle accident. Ali was flown to Shock Trauma and had immediate surgery for a spine fracture. Her continuing care was transfered to Kennedy Krieger for rehab which entailed many returns to Johns Hopkins for infections and problems that encluded one incident of near death. She is paralyzed from the chest/trunk body down both legs. She is able to move her head, shoulders and arms. She has had nerve stimulation in her trunk body from time to time but so far nothing in her legs. Ali came home on March 22nd and has the most upbeat, positive attitude that I sincerely doubt that any of us as adults could duplicate. Her mom, Angie, stayed with Ali in Baltimore until their return home on March 22nd. Angie is her 24 hour caregiver at this time. Ali is doing home schooling as well as physical therapy. (She is really in need of a neuro-stimulator bike for home use...we're waiting to see if insurance will approve/cover any part of that. Her wheelchair has been approved and should be here soon.)

Some of us ladies here at POA have started an organization called "Ali's Angels" to help Eric's family with bills. We have (and are still) organizing fundraisers for this cause. So far we have only completed a Joe Corbi pizza fund raiser. Our future fundraisers will be...Spaghetti Dinner Fund Raiser, Mary Kay Lip Gloss Fundraiser, 50/50 tickets here at our office, Celebrating Home Fund Raiser (which is going on now with us to get 50% of the profits...and we are working on getting an email set up for this so people can order online), Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser (that flyer is attached) and a 5K Run/Walk/Wheelchair or whatever in conjuction with Progressive Radiology on Sweetbay Drive. We will be getting a bank account set up as soon as our Joe Corbi monies are cleared.

The Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser will be on Sunday, June 3rd, from 1:00pm to 7:00pm at the American Legion Post #64 in Salisbury on the wet end of town, Route 50 across from the National Guard Armory. It will enclude (plus maybe other stuff) for a $10 in advance/$12 at the door (with 300 tickets to be sold) price...spaghetti dinner, salad, bread, dessert, soda/tea/water; Mark Shores DJ; band Red No Blue performing (and possibly the band Rip Tide); T-Shirt Sales; the sale of bracelets and pins; Corn Hole Tournament; silent auction and live auction if we get any big donation items, donation jar and 50/50 tickets. There will not be any alcohol sales downstairs but the Legion has a bar upstairs for anyone who would like beer/mixed drink/wine. We will have use of the downstairs at the Legion as well as their pavilion. Mark Shores will make sure that the pavilion has speakers set up so everyone can enjoy the music. I am in the process of having flyers and tickets printed, (donated by Salisbury Minuteman Press 410-548-7122), as soon as I hear back from the band Rip Tide. As soon as our flyers are ready we will be going from business to business asking for donations of food, money for auction items.

We, at POA, had the opportunity to meet Ali yesterday when Eric and Angie brought her by the office after her physical therapy evaluation. She is a light of inspiration at a time when most people would quit.

If anyone would like to help or donate anything (even your time) we welcome your participation. Please feel free to forward this email to all of your friends, family, coworkers, etc. LETS BOMBARD TEXAS ROADHOUSE ON APRIL 16TH!!!!!!

We are "ALI'S ANGELS" and we are honored to be a part of this exciting endeavor!

Wknd. ‘Ride Across Maryland’ To Assist Breast Cancer Battle

 Approximately 800 motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to make the trip from Columbia, Md. to the Francis Scott Key Family Resort in West Ocean City this Saturday as part of Dick Gelfman’s 12th annual “Ride Across Maryland.”

Since it’s inception, the annual ride and its accompanying activities have benefited the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast cancer organization. In 2010, the program donated approximately $300,000 to the Maryland affiliate of the Komen foundation, which brought the total raised in 10 years to more than $2 million.

Over the last few years, the RAM Board of Directors had discussed making statewide grants directly. Beginning its second decade with the 2011 ride, Ride Across Maryland became a grant-making organization, hoping to provide financial support to breast cancer organizations across the state.

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Union Of Concerned Scientists Issues New Climate Change Report

The Union of Concerned Scientists is out with a new report exposing Big Oil's strategy to pull the wool over our eyes when it comes to global climate change. Looking at 28 U.S. companies on the S&P 500 that have publicly expressed concern over climate change and carbon emissions – the UCS found that at the same time – these companies are behind the scenes funneling huge amounts of money into causes and organizations devoted to discrediting climate change. As one of the contributors to the report – Francesca GRifo with the UCS said, "The actions of many of these companies come right from the tobacco industry playbook, where the end goal is delaying sensible regulations that protect our health and safety." Between 2007 and 2009 – just as Congress was debating crucial climate change legislation – the energy sector increased their lobbying by 92% - just enough to get a minority of Republicans in the Senate to filibuster legislation that would have put in place a cap and trade system to reduce carbon emissions. Corporations using their massive financial war chests to influence lawmakers used to be called bribery – now it's business as usual in the post-Citizens United world – a world that is getting hotter and hotter with carbon dioxide now passing the ominous 400 parts per million milestone.

Holiday Crowds Keep Police, Beach Patrol on Their Toes

Memorial Day weekend crowds kept the Ocean City Beach Patrol and Ocean City Police Department busy, with a higher number of calls for service and rescues than last year.

“We started off with a bang,” said Sgt. Tim Uebel of the Ocean City Beach Patrol. “The weather was great.”

On Saturday, the OCBP’s first day on the stands, 78 lifeguards were on duty and 73 rescues were made. On Sunday, they made 53 rescues and on Monday, they made 18.

“We still had a pretty good crowd Monday, but it was not as crowded as Saturday or Sunday,” he said. “And the surf wasn’t as strong Monday. The surf calmed down a lot.”

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Income Disparity Solution: Restore The Minimum Wage To 1969 Levels

If we want to lessen income disparity, the solution is easy: restore the minimum wage to levels considered reasonable 43 years ago in 1969.

There is much hand-wringing about the vast income disparity in the U.S. between the top 5% and the bottom 25%, and precious little offered as a solution. Once again we are told the problem is "complex" and thus by inference, insoluble.

Actually, it's easily addressed with one simple act: restore the minimum wage to its 1969 level, and adjust it for the inflation that has been officially under-reported. If you go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics [8]Inflation Calculator and plug in $1.60 (the minimum wage in 1969 when I started working summers in high school) and select the year 1969, you find that in 2012 dollars the minimum wage should be $10 per hour if it were to match the rate considered "reasonable" 43 years ago, when the nation was significantly less wealthy and much less productive.

The current Federal minimum wage is $7.25 [9], though states can raise it at their discretion. State rates runs from $7.25 to $8.25, with Washington state the one outlier at $9.04/hour.

In 40 years of unparalleled wealth and income creation, the U.S. minimum wage has declined by roughly a third in real terms. "Official" measures of inflation have been gamed and massaged for decades to artificially lower the rate, for a variety of reasons: to mask the destructiveness to purchasing power of Federal Reserve policy, to lower the annual cost-of-living increases to Social Security recipients, and to generally make inept politicians look more competent than reality would allow.

The full extent of this gaming is open to debate, but let's assume inflation has been under-reported by about 1% per year for the past two decades. That would suggest the minimum wage should be adjusted upward by about 20%, from $10 to $12/hour.

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Today's Fill In The Blank 6-1-12

You have no idea how much I want to ____.

What The Collapse In Interest Means

The current title on our CHART OF THE DAY today is simply 1.53760 percent, which represents the current yield on a U.S. 10-year Treasury.

For folks in the financial industry, that number is "mesmerizing," but we also recognize that a huge swath of the population has no idea what this means or why it matters.

The public has only a basic grasp on what any given stock market index level means, and the media does a MUCH worse job dealing with the bond market.

So let's explain.

The U.S. Treasury rate just represents the rate at which people are willing to lend money to the U.S. government. So when the 10-year U.S. Treasury is at 1.53670 percent, it means people are willing to lend to the government, and receive only 1.5370 percent interest each year for the next 10 years.

If you lent the government $100, each year you'd get a payment of about $1.53 (the principal is ony repaid at the end of the 10 years).

The important question is: Why are people willing to part with their money for so long and receive such a pittance in payback? The government's debt-to-GDP is about 100 percent, and many mainstream pundits, politicians, and economists warn about an imminent U.S. debt crisis ala Greece.

Well, the fact of the matter is that the size of the U.S. debt or deficit just doesn't matter that much. Actually, it's never mattered at all.

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CEOs Are Literally Stealing Workers' Wages

As CNN reports – wage theft complaints have increased 400% over the last decade – with over 7,000 lawsuits alleging wage and hour violations against employers filed just in 2011. The complaints center on workers accusing their employers of not paying them for all the hours they worked or not paying overtime that they were entitled to. Some of the companies that have had suits filed against them are Walmart, Starbucks, and Bank of America. This is yet another consequence of our corporate capitalism model – where executives are rewarded for squeezing whatever profits they can out of a company – including nickel and dimeing their workers – or outright stealing from them – just to hit quarterly profit goals. Time to bring back business in the public interest.

Most Unemployed City In Every State

U.S. unemployment rates are finally looking up, as the national unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent in April.


According to a brand new BLS employment report, unemployment rates were lower in 342 out of 372 metropolitan areas compared to the same time last year.


But the recovery is lagging in some cities in every state.


For instance, El Centro, Calif. posted an incredible 26.2 percent unemployment rate, due to a combination of the housing bust, a large immigrant and migrant population and a falling peso.


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Discrimination Lawsuits Double as Definition of ‘Disability’ Expands

The number of employment discrimination lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has nearly doubled in the past five years and seen a sharp increase in recent months, federal court records show, as the definition of “disability” has expanded and what many believe are baseless lawsuits are filed.
The increase follows changes to the law in 2008, when Congress said that courts had interpreted the definition of “disability” more narrowly than it desired.
In the last fiscal year, disability-related complaints lodged with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) also rose to their highest level, at 26,000, and payouts to complainants through that process nearly doubled to $103 million compared with the figure from 2007. That does not include money paid out to those who took their complaints to court.

32nd Annual Willis W. Hudson Alumni Picnic

32nd Annual Willis W. Hudson Alumni Picnic
                Saturday, June 2, 2012  Noon to 3 p.m.
                This is a free, public event…fun for all ages!
                BBQ lunch by Whitey’s, Face painting by Sunshine the Clown, Snowie’s snow cones, 
                pony rides, music, raffle prizes, and more!
                Location: Hudson Health Services, 1506 Harting Drive, Salisbury, MD 21801

The Koch Brother-Funded ALEC Just Lost Walmart

Walmart – the world's largest retailer – is now the 19th organization to drop its ALEC membership following public outrage over ALEC-written "Shoot First" laws that have swept the country and are responsible for the death of Trayvon Martin in Florida. As the nation's biggest gun retailer – Walmart was instrumental in writing ALEC's "Shoot First" law – but is now fleeing the organization as more and more Americans wake up to the fact that corporations are writing our laws at annual ALEC conventions. From ALEC to Governor Rick Snyder's so-called "Financial Managers" in Michigan to corporate America's pledge to spend over a billion dollars in this election to elect Mitt Romney – are democracy has never been in more danger.

Today's Survey Question 6-1-12

Do you believe compact fluorescent lamps (cfl) light bulbs last as long as the manufacturer claims they should?

WCSO Press Releases 6-1-12

Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 30 May 2012
Location: 900 block of Booth Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: 1. Marvin L. Jones, 21, Salisbury, MD
2. Brittni Miles, 22, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 30 May 2012
at 12:15 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported physical altercation in a residence in the 900 block of Booth Street. Upon arrival, the deputy met with Brittni Miles and Marvin Jones who reside together as boyfriend and girlfriend. The deputy learned that the pair had been involved in a verbal altercation that turned physical. During the altercation, Jones accused Miles of pushing his head through a wall. Both made allegations of being assaulted by the other and both had corroborating signs of injury. That, along with a hole in the wall, led to the deputy placing both under arrest.

The deputy transported both to the Central Booking Unit where they were processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Jones on Personal Recognizance while Miles was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $5,000.00 bond.

Charges: Assault 2nd Degree

Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 30 May 2012
Location: 1500 block of South Salisbury Blvd., Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Mark Larkin Naughton, 41, Salisbury, MD

Narrative: On 30 May 2012
at 1:35 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Temple Hill Motel in the 1500 block of South Salisbury Blvd. Upon arrival, the deputy learned from the manager that Mark Naughton was occupying a room and both refusing to pay his bill or leave. The deputy entered the hotel room with the manager and witnessed the manager tell Naughton to
leave who still refused. When the deputy informed Naughton of the pending arrest for failing to leave, Naughton told the deputy that he had no authority to make that happen.

The deputy began to initiate an arrest of Naughton who instead made an effort to resist apprehension.

After a physical confrontation, the deputy was able to subdue Naughton and take him into custody.

The deputy transported Naughton to the Detention Center where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Naughton in the Detention Center in lieu of $7,500.00 bond.
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Charges: Trespassing
Resisting Arrest

Troopers Investigate Car Crash Into House

Location: 9636 Airport Road, Seaford, DE

Date of Occurrence: Thursday May 31, 2012 at approximately 8:05 p.m.

Operator and Vehicle Information:
Operator #1: Nicholas G. Raneri, 20, Seaford, DE
Vehicle #1: 2002 Chevrolet Blazer

Resume:
Blades, DE- The Delaware State Police are investigating a crash in which a car struck a house.

The incident occurred early Thursday evening around 8:05 p.m., as Nicholas Raneri was operating a 2002 Chevrolet Blazer westbound on Airport Road just west of Brickyard Road. Raneri drove the Blazer off the south side of the roadway, crashing into a residence located at 9636 Airport Road. Flames began to come out of the vehicle which then ignited the house on fire. The homeowners, a 78 year old female and her 73 year old husband, heard the crash and were able to exit the residence unharmed. Raneri was also able to exit his vehicle, but suffered minor injuries and was transported by EMS to Nanticoke Hospital.

Raneri was cited for Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Inattentive Driving, and Failure to Have Insurance in Possession.

Delaware State Fire Marshal’s office is conducting the investigation into the fire which was brought under control by Blades Fire Company. The house and a vehicle parked in the carport were reported as a total loss.