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Thursday, July 05, 2012

Mother Arrested For Leaving Kids Alone in Hot Kentucky Home

Police in south central Kentucky have arrested a woman who is the mother of some of the 19 children left alone in a hot, filthy home near Bowling Green.

Police found the kids, including an infant, Monday night after they had been left in the home for a week.

The Daily News reports 32-year-old Jackie Farah has been charged with 14 counts of criminal abuse and five counts of wanton endangerment. Farah returned from Chicago on Tuesday and went to the Warren County Sheriff's office, where she was charged.

Countrywide Made Discount Loans to Buy Influence With Members of Congress

The former Countrywide Financial Corp., whose subprime loans helped start the nation's foreclosure crisis, made hundreds of discount loans to buy influence with members of Congress, congressional staff, top government officials and executives of troubled mortgage giant Fannie Mae, according to a House report.

The report, obtained by The Associated Press, said that the discounts -- from January 1996 to June 2008, were not only aimed at gaining influence for the company but to help mortgage giant Fannie Mae. Countrywide's business depended largely on Fannie, which at the time was trying to fend off more government regulation but eventually had to come under government control.

Fannie was responsible for purchasing a large volume of Countrywide's subprime mortgages.

Countrywide was taken over by Bank of America in January 2008, relieving the financial services industry and regulators from the messy task of cleaning up the bankruptcy of a company that was servicing 9 million U.S. home loans worth $1.5 trillion at a time when the nation faced a widening credit crisis, massive foreclosures and an economic downturn.

Stealth App Allows Citizens to Secretly Record Police

The New Jersey branch of the American Civil Liberties Union has released an app that lets users secretly record police stops.

The “Police Tape” smartphone app will allow state residents to secretly record police during stops, protect the recordings from being deleted by unhappy officers and report the encounters to civil rights groups, the Star-Ledger reports.

The app’s signature feature, according to the paper, is its ability to operate in "stealth mode" while recording. When users begin video recording, the screen goes black, as if the device is off. When audio is being recorded, the app automatically minimizes and disappears.

‘Ignorant’: Michigan Dem Running for Congress Accused of Not Being ‘Black’ Enough

A Michigan congressman is being attacked by his opponents for not being “black” enough to represent the state’s newly redrawn 14th district, which includes Detroit, CBS Detroit reports.

Rep. Hansen Clarke (D-Mich.) responded Wednesday to allegations that he is only posing as a black man in order to gain votes, saying racial divides are tearing Detroit apart and are partly to blame for the state of the city’s economy.

Clarke is running against two black women, Mary Waters and Brenda Lawrence, and two white men, state Rep. Gary Peters and Bob Costello. After participating in one debate this election cycle, he says won’t do any more because the racial rhetoric is too intense.

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Methadone to Blame for One-third of U.S. Prescription Painkiller Deaths, CDC Says

(CBS News) Methadone accounts for only 2 percent of painkiller prescriptions in the United States - but the drug is behind more than 30 percent of prescription painkiller overdose deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday.

Methadone is commonly known for treating withdrawal symptoms from heroin addiction, but the drug is also prescribed for pain. Health officials say most of the overdose deaths are people who take it for pain - not heroin or drug addicts.

According to the CDC, methadone carries more risks than other painkillers because levels build up in the body and may interfere with a person's normal heart rhythm or breathing.

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Arafat’s Body to be Exhumed Amid Poisoning Claim

JERUSALEM – The Palestinian Authority agreed today to exhume the body of Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat amid new allegations he was poisoned with the radioactive element polonium-210.

“The authority, as it always has been, is ready to completely co-operate with and clear the way for an investigation into the true causes leading to the martyrdom of the late president,” said PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh, who was close to Arafat.

 It was not immediately clear when the exhumation would take place. Arafat, who died in 2004, is buried outside his former compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

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Lesbian college student 'faked anti-gay notes left in her room' that sparked rally against hate crimes

  • Notes sparked anti-hate rally at Connecticut campus in March
  • But police hid camera outside room and 'found she planted notes herself'
  • Alexandra Pennell, 19, told police she had devised the plan to get the attention of her roommate
  • Barred from state colleges for five years and faces 25 charges

  • A lesbian student has been kicked out of college and arrested after it emerged she was behind a string of anti-gay messages slipped under her dorm room door, police said.

    After the notes were found in Alexandra Pennell's room at Central Connecticut State University in March, hundreds came out in support of the student at a campus rally against hate crimes.

    But when police hid a camera along the hallway outside her room, they allegedly caught her leaving the notes herself - and she admitted she had written them to get the attention of her roommate.

    It Begins: France‘s Socialist Gov’t Goes After the ‘Well-Off’

    PARIS (AP/The Blaze) — France’s Socialist government wants to raise €7.2 billion ($9 billion) in new revenue from higher taxes on estates, banks, and oil companies to try to reduce the deficit.

    The measures are among those in a revised 2012 budget draft presented at a Cabinet meeting Wednesday. It will go to parliament later this month, where it is expected to win approval.

    France’s new leadership has criticized austerity measures imposed around Europe, saying they are making the region’s debt crisis worse. It has focused on higher taxes for the “well-off,” though some spending cuts are also expected.

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    Teachers Call Boy 'Missing Link' on Facebook

    BRADENTON, Fla. – On this Independence Day, a controversy over free speech among teachers using Facebook is making headlines after their online discussion referred to a student as possibly being “the evolutionary link between orangutans and humans.”
     
     Now, the state of Florida will investigate the matter.

    Bay News 9 obtained a Facebook conversation from mid-May among teachers at G.D. Rogers Garden Elementary School in Bradenton, Fla.

    The exchange reportedly began with music teacher Lauren Orban writing: “I’m fairly convinced that one of my students may be the evolutionary link between orangutans and humans.”

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    Trump: Obama Will Start Iran War to Win Election

    Donald Trump is again predicting President Obama will start a war with Iran solely to help his chances of getting re-elected this November.

    The billionaire developer made his forecast both on the Internet and television Tuesday, initially tweeting: “Just as I predicted, Barack Obama is preparing a possible attack on Iran right before November.”

    He then spoke via phone to Greta Van Susteren of Fox News, confirming: “Yes, I believe that we will end up in a war with Iran because I think Obama views that as politically good for him. … I have said for a year and a half that in the end, somewhere before the election we will end up in a form of war with Iran, and I think he’s doing it for political reasons.

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    Fla. Lifeguard Aids Drowning Man, Gets Fired

    HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A lifeguard who helped save a drowning man outside of his assigned patrol area was fired by his employer.

    CBS Station WFOR reports that Tomas Lopez was fired Monday by Orlando-based Jeff Ellis and Associates because he broke a company rule and could have put beachgoers in his section of Hallandale Beach in jeopardy.

    "We have liability issues and can't go out of the protected area," supervisor Susan Ellis told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "What he did was his own decision. He knew the company rules and did what he thought he needed to do."

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    Salisbury's 4th of July Fireworks





    Hello SBY,

    Last nights Independence Day Fireworks display was FANTASTIC!

    Stephen M. DiCarlo
    SMDi Photography

    Google Bans ‘Guns, Ammunition and Knives’ From Its Online Shopping Site

    Google has officially adopted a new policy banning the sale of firearms, ammunition and related products from its Google Shopping service.

    A Google Shopping policy page lists “guns, ammunition and knives” among its prohibited items; searches for “gun scopes,“ ”5.56 ammo“ and ”remington 700“ are among a host of terms that currently return a ”did not match any results” page from the search engine giant’s shopping site:

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    Iran: We'll Destroy 35 U.S. Bases if Attacked

    BEIRUT, Lebanon – Amid declarations by Iranian officials that U.S. warships are “easy” targets, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force said he has “detailed contingency plans to hit 35 U.S. bases in the region in the early minutes of a possible conflict.”

    Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh boasted the U.S. bases around Iran are “within the reach of our missiles.”

    Palestinian lands, he added, referring to Israel, “are good targets for us as well.”

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    Obama's Social Security Number Challenged

    If Barack Obama has an immediate eligibility problem, it is more likely to derive from the Social Security Number he has been using for the last 25 years than from his birth certificate.

    Ohio private investigator Susan Daniels has seen to that. On Monday, July 2, she filed suit in Geauga County (Ohio) Common Pleas Court demanding that Jon Husted, Ohio secretary of state, remove Obama’s name from the ballot until Obama can prove the validity of his Social Security Number.

    Daniels, who has vetted thousands of Social Security Numbers for numerous other clients, has done her homework. In her filing, she thoroughly documents her contention “that Barack Obama has repeatedly, consistently, and with intent misrepresented himself by using a fraudulently obtained Social Security Number.”

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    Anderson Cooper And Objectivity

    It’s time to once and for all abandon the idea of pure objectivity in journalism. This is a very good thing, and something that conservatives did a long time ago. The only question is whether liberal journalists will finally admit their biases so that we can perhaps begin, in some small way, to trust them.

    There is no such thing as objectivity. But there is such a thing as fairness. I stole that line from Nick Gillespie, the editor-in-chief of Reason.com. Gillespie recently gave a speech at Georgetown University’s Broadcast Journalism Institute, a summer program for aspiring high school journalism students. I’m the program’s academic director. One thing that we teach the kids is that while objectivity is not possible, fairness is. Make your biases clear, then go out of your way to be fair to the other side.

    Perhaps not surprisingly, 16- and 17-year-olds easily grasp this concept, which eludes many professional journalists. Let’s see if we can finally drive it home to the mainstream media. When you admit your biases, it leads viewers to trust you more, not less. And it makes you a better journalist.

    I’ll use a simple example so that even Andrea Mitchell can understand. On Monday, CNN host Anderson Cooper revealed that he’s gay and that his decision to come out was based on his objection to bullying in schools, particularly bullying of gay kids. Before he came out, I thought that Anderson Cooper was both a cipher and a show-off. He lacks the aggression to be a good cable TV host, and has often put himself front and center when reporting from a foreign hot spot. And everyone and their brother knew that Cooper was gay. The fact that he was denying it was not offensive to me because of any sexual judgmentalism, but as a matter of honor. He is a highly visible journalist (although considering the ratings, maybe not), and he is gay. The bullying of gay kids, the debate over gay marriage — these things simply had to concern him. And because of a silly and wrong idea about “objectivity,” he was not letting himself express this.

    Now, after his coming out, Cooper has gained a bit of honor. St. Ambrose said that “the conscience is God’s herald and messenger,” and Cooper has finally listened to his conscience. Like other journalists who come clean, he is saying: This is what I believe. This is what is important to me. I am telling you this, so that when you watch me you will be able to make an informed decision about the stories I choose to report and how fair I am being to those with whom I disagree. I am an honest man.

    Compare that to that despicable crone Andrea Mitchell. Mitchell hates conservatives and dislikes Mitt Romney. When NBC edited a tape to falsify something Romney said, Mitchell claimed that they would show the full tape — which they did not — because of complaints from conservatives and Republicans. Or that sputtering toad Chris Matthews, who took great offense recently when CNN’s John King said that MSNBC is left-wing. It can’t be repeated enough: It is a question of honor more than anything else. Chris Matthews has no honor. He will not admit what he is.

    And can we please, at long last, drop the excuse that journalists are liberals because liberals are more prone to go into journalism? Michael Kinsley made this argument when he was the editor of Slate. Artsy-fartsy kids want to become journalists more than jocks; thus, 55 of the 57 staff members at Slate voted for Obama in 2008. Kinsley was backed up by another Slate editor, David Plotz, who cited four reasons for liberal bias: 1) journalists live in extremely Democratic cities on the East and West Coasts; 2) the Slate staff skews young, and all polls show younger voters favoring the Democrat; 3) several of the magazine’s contributors are Obama advisers; 4) arty kids like writing and tend to be liberal and go into journalism.

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    Priebus Stands by Rep. West After Comments That Obama Creates Economic ‘Slaves’

    Florida Rep. Allen West has found himself in controversy once again following unorthodox political remarks during a campaign speech in Fort Saint Lucie Tuesday.

    ABC News reports that Rep. West slammed President Obama using the word “slave” while emphasizing the importance of lowering taxes, minimizing regulations on business and bringing jobs back to the region.
    “Self-esteem comes from doing esteemable things. Sitting at home and getting a check from the government is not going to help your self-esteem. What it will do is make you an economic slave to people living in a far, far, distant place,” West said on Sunday.
    “He does not want you to have the self-esteem of getting up and earning and having that title of ‘American,’” the congressman said of the president. “He’d rather you be his slave and be economically dependent upon him.”
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    The ‘Oprahfication’ Of America

    When asked at the close of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 what the Founders had wrought, Benjamin Franklin famously said, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”

    That question might also be put to the five Supreme Court justices who voted last week to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, which mandates health insurance for most Americans, based on twisted logic that it is a tax and thus within the power of the Congress to impose on an already overtaxed people.

    Even better than the question of what the court has allowed government to do is what its ruling says about us?

    Rugged individualists founded and helped preserve America through many challenges. They believed we should first take care of ourselves and help our neighbors with government intervening only as a last resort. Today we are rapidly becoming a collective in which government penalizes achievement and subsidizes failure, thus producing less of the former and more of the latter. Apparently promoting the “general welfare” has come to mean welfare. Food stamp ads run on the radio. The USDA pays for the ads, which encourage more people to apply for the program.

    Among the avalanche of postmortems delivered by “experts” and pundits to the court ruling, one may have gotten closest to answering the question about what was in the mind of Chief Justice John Roberts and how it reflects on what our nation is becoming.

    Paul Rothstein, a professor at Georgetown Law School, taught Roberts when he was a student. In an interview with Washington, D.C., radio station WTOP, Rothstein said it was empathy for the uninsured and disdain for partisanship that swayed Roberts, making his the decisive vote.

    “It’s a very odd decision,” said Rothstein. “The conservative guy went liberal.”

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    Photograph or Painting? See If You Can Tell the Difference in These 11 Hyperrealistic Works of Art

    Pedro Campos is well-known in the world of photorealistic paintings. Many who have written on his work claim that they have to look twice to confirm his paintings aren’t photographs. But even after a second look, it’s still difficult to tell the difference.

     Campos’ most recent exhibition at the Plus One Gallery’s “Hyperrealism Now“ in London ”tends to elicit double takes,” as the gallery puts it. The Plus One Gallery represents Campos, among other artists.

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    Scientology Parenting: Do Tom Cruise And Katie Holmes Disagree On Religion For Suri?

    Does Tom Cruise really want to send his 6-year-old daughter off to be raised by Scientologists? Not if Katie Holmes has anything to say about it

    The announcement on Friday that Katie Holmes had filed for divorce from Tom Cruise didn’t come as a surprise to many who’ve questioned the relationship from its early Oprah-couch-bouncing days. The revelation that she’s seeking sole legal custody and primary residential custody of their 6-year-old daughter Suri? Now that’s news.

    Unless a parent feels that a child is in danger, sole custody in divorce proceedings can be a pretty steep uphill battle. Holmes’ filing means she wants to take control of her daughter’s health, education and religion, and that she believes she and Cruise won’t see eye to eye on these crucial decisions. If the chatter is to believed, Cruise’s devotion to Scientology is driving her concerns.

    Celebrity websites, including TMZ, are reporting that Holmes was worried that Cruise would spirit their daughter away to join the Sea Organization, a.k.a. Sea Org — a fraternal order of Scientology’s crème de la crème, its most ardent acolytes. Other websites, like PerezHilton.com, said Cruise wanted to board Suri on Freewinds, the Scientology cruise ship that once hosted his birthday bash. The speculation reached fever pitch here:

    It’s not our place to judge how someone wants to raise their child … but if you ask us — sending a kindergartner to a military-style boarding school on the high seas, to be raised by people who sign a contract to work for the ship for a BILLION years is borderline abusive.

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    ID Law Could Impact 10 Percent of Pennsylvania Voters

    Nearly 10 percent of Pennsylvania’s registered voters do not have photo identification cards from the state transportation department and could be ineligible to vote in November under the state’s new Republican-backed voter ID law.

    The Pennsylvania Department of State reported Tuesday that more than 758,000 registered voters lack a standard driver’s license or a non-driver photo ID. That’s 9.2 percent of the state’s 8.2 million voters.

    In Philadelphia, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 6-1, 18 percent of the city’s registered voters do not have the state photo ID, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

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    Massachusetts Voters To Decide If Car Dealerships Have Exclusive Rights To Necessary Repair Info

    Earlier this year, the Massachusetts state Senate passed a "Right to Repair" bill that would allow your local mechanic to have access to info that is now only available to car dealerships. But the legislation has stalled in the state House. Sick of inaction, 16,000 Bay State residents petitioned the state, and everyone will have a chance to vote on it come November.

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    Lights Go Dim on Another Energy Project

    A geothermal energy company with a $98.5 million loan guarantee from the Obama administration for an alternative energy project in Nevada - which received hearty endorsements from Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid - faces financial problems, and the company’s auditors have questioned whether it can stay in business.

    Much like Solyndra LLC, a California solar-panel manufacturer with a $535 million federal loan guarantee that went bankrupt, Nevada Geothermal Power (NGP) has incurred $98 million in net losses over the past several years, has substantial debts and does not generate enough cash from its current operations after debt-service costs, an internal audit said.

    “The company’s ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on its available cash and its ability to continue to raise funds to support corporate operations and the development of other properties,” NGP auditors said in a financial statement for the period ending March 31.

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    For Some Reason Nuns Really Don’t Want Strip Club To Open Next To Their Convent

    There's a battle going down in one Illinois town, and one side is turning to an unlikely weapon in the fight — balloons. An order of nuns and members of the community released scores of balloons skyward (despite a nationwide helium shortage) to demonstrate their opposition of the "Get It" strip club set to open next door to their convent and home for retired nuns.


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    The War of 1812 at 200: All it Wants is a Little Respect

    The Revolutionary War has its own national holiday. World War II has spawned countless books and movies. The Civil War boasts costumed re-enactors and a signature chess set.

    And the War of 1812? It has re-enactors, too. The country can’t get enough of them. The country of Canada, that is. “The demand for them right now is so great that it’s actually driving up the price,” said John Stagg, a University of Virginia history professor and author of “The War of 1812: Conflict for a Continent.” “They may even have to resort to the desperate tactic of importing a few from the United States.

    “The situation is different in Canada. They take the war very seriously in a way that Americans don’t.”

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    BRAC Cost A Small Fortune

    Base realignment and closure, or BRAC, turned out to be a lot more expensive than the Pentagon predicted. A new GAO report pegs the cost of the most recent BRAC round at 35 billion dollars. That's 67 percent more than original estimates. GAO says the main culprit is construction costs. The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency's new headquarters more than doubled in cost to 2.6 billion dollars. The latest BRAC round started in 2005. It involved more than 800 locations and 125 thousand people. The Pentagon doesn't expect to see financial payback until 2025.

    Rain Cools Colo. Fires, Other Wildfires Grow

    Rains cooled Colorado's wildfires Wednesday, but more than a dozen wildfires elsewhere in the West continued chewing through bone-dry pine and brush as firefighters working through the holiday kept a nervous eye for fireworks and other hazards.

    Wildfires in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado sent haze and smoke across Colorado's Front Range, prompting air-quality health advisories as firefighters warned of growing fires in sparsely populated areas.

    In Colorado Springs, there was good news in the fight against the most destructive fire in state history.

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    The Army Says It Has Enough Tanks

    Officials thought suspending production for a few years would be an easy way to save money as the military faces sharp spending cuts. But Congress begs to differ. Some Ohio lawmakers are trying to restore funds for the Army to keep buying Abrams tanks made in that state. About 800 welders and machinists are caught in the middle. General Dynamics operates the plant for the government. It says it would be cheaper to keep the plant open with minimal production than shut it down and restart it. But the Army says not all that money should come from the United States. It suggests the plant could fill orders from other countries.

    Advocacy of Gay Rights Unwelcome in Uganda

    The Ugandan government is seeking to ban 38 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that it accuses of promoting homosexuality — a move that critics say aims to divert attention from the administration’s political troubles.

    “I have investigated and established beyond reasonable doubt that these NGOs have been involved in the promotion and recruitment in terms of the [gay] issues,” Ethics and Integrity Minister Simon Lokodo said.

    Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda, and has been the focal point of violent attacks. In February, a lawmaker reintroduced legislation that would have imposed the death penalty for “serial” offenders.

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    US Adds Forces In Persian Gulf, A Signal To Iran

    Washington - The United States has quietly moved significant military reinforcements into the Persian Gulf to deter the Iranian military from any possible attempt to shut the Strait of Hormuz and to increase the number of fighter jets capable of striking deep into Iran if the standoff over its nuclear program escalates.

    The deployments are part of a long-planned effort to bolster the American military presence in the gulf region, in part to reassure Israel that in dealing with Iran, as one senior administration official put it last week, "When the president says there are other options on the table beyond negotiations, he means it."

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    Chestnut Wins 6th Straight Title, Downs 68 Dogs

    NEW YORK (AP) - Joey Chestnut won his sixth straight Fourth of July hot dog-eating contest at Coney Island, downing 68 dogs and buns on Wednesday to tie his personal best in a sweaty, gag-inducing spectacle.

    Last year, the 28-year-old San Jose, Calif., man nicknamed "Jaws" won with 62 hot dogs. He bested his main rival this year by 16 dogs, scarfing down all 68 in 10 minutes in the sweltering summer heat to take home $10,000 and the mustard yellow belt.

    "I feel good, it was a great win," Chestnut said after the contest, adding he wished he could have eaten a record number of hot dogs for the audience. "I tried my best. I'm looking forward to next year already."

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    15 Governors Will Not Participate In Obamacare

    Now as many as 15 Governors around the nation have indicated they will not participate in Obamacare – and will refuse to take billions of dollars to extend Medicaid health insurance to more poor people in their states. Medicaid expansion is a critical component of President Obama's health reform law – and if executed could extend health insurance coverage to more than 17 million low-income Americans across the nation, at no cost to state governments for the first few years. But rather than taking the money, which hospitals in the states desperately need, more than a dozen Republican Governors are making a political calculation to oppose Obamacare rather than find ways to cover the uninsured. Meanwhile, Democratic Governors do plan to take the money and extend Medicaid coverage – setting up a possible future scenario where masses of poor people may soon be flooding into blue states to get health insurance that was unavailable to them in red states. President Obama hoped the debate over health reform would end after the Supreme Court's ruling last week. However, it looks like it's just beginning.

    Scary Thought

    In Case You Don't Like Mitt Romney...

    Columnist Andrew McCarthy gives us what probably is the most important question regarding the upcoming presidential election …

    If Mitt wins the nomination, as seems very likely, I will enthusiastically support his candidacy. For my friends who may have hesitation on that score, I'd just ask you to keep four things in mind:

    1.. Justice Scalia just turned 78
    2.. Justice Kennedy will turn 78 later this year
    3.. Justice Breyer will be 76 in August
    4.. Justice Ginsburg turned 81 about a week ago.

    Whoever we elect as president in November is almost certainly going to choose at least one and maybe more new members of the Supreme Court — in addition to hundreds of other life-tenured federal judges, all of whom will be making momentous decisions about our lives for decades to come.

    If you don't think it matters whether the guy making those calls is Mitt Romney or Barack Obama, I think you're smoking something funky….

    So for anybody who is thinking of not voting because your favorite didn't get nominated, or writing in a candidate who can't win ... just imagine this possibility:
    'SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ERIC HOLDER'

    Did that get your attention?

    WICOMICO COUNTY COOLING CENTER OPENING EXTENDED

    (Salisbury, MD) With temperatures expected to remain in the triple digits through the weekend, Wicomico County health officials announce that the cooling center will remain open through Sunday, July 8 from 10AM till 8PM. The cooling center is located at the Wicomico County Civic Center (Flanders Rooms 5, 6 and 7), 500 Glen Avenue Salisbury, MD. Residents will need to bring their own food, beverages, and medications. Bottled water will be available. No pets will be permitted. Individuals needing transportation may contact Shore Transit by calling 443-260-2300 for a free ride to the center.For facts on heat related illness, or additional tips on how to stay cool, visit the Wicomico County Health Department's website at www.wicomicohealth.org.

    CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

    JULY 9, 2012 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
    6:06 p.m. INVOCATION/MEDITATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
    6:08 p.m. ADOPTION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
    6:11 p.m. CONSENT AGENDA – City Clerk Kim Nichols
     April 9, 2012 regular meeting minutes
     April 9, 2012 closed session minutes #1
     April 9, 2012 closed session minutes #2
     April 16, 2012 work session minutes
     April 16, 2012 closed session minutes
     April 23, 2012 regular meeting minutes
    6:17 p.m. AWARD OF BIDS – Assistant Internal Services Director-Procurement Catrice
    Parsons
     Declaration of Surplus –Marine 1 (Salisbury Fire Department)
     Declaration of Surplus – Personal Protective Equipment (Salisbury Fire Department )
     Declaration of Surplus – Fire Hose (Salisbury Fire Department )
     Declaration of Surplus – Telephone Equipment (Salisbury Police Department)
     Declaration of Surplus – Unclaimed Property (Salisbury Police Department )
     Award Recommendation – Contract #113-12 Foam Trailer
    6:30 p.m. RESOLUTIONS РAssistant City Administrator Lor̩ Chambers, Ph.D
     Resolution No. ___ - approving a secondary and extra duty employment policy for the
    Salisbury Police Department personnel and authorizing the Chief of Police to enter into contracts which allow police officers to provide either uniform or non-uniform law enforcement services to private businesses and to also allow officers and civilian personnel to work non-law enforcement, non-contractual secondary employment
    6:40 p.m. ORDINANCES – City Attorney Mark Tilghman
     Ordinance No. 2207 – 2nd reading – changing Bateman Street from two-way to one-way
    westbound between South Division Street and Wayne Street (eastern leg); prohibiting
    left-hand turns by vehicles from South Division Street onto Bateman Street; erecting a traffic signal and pedestrian indications at the intersection of Onley Road and South Division Street; establishing a bicycle lane on Bateman Street; and establishing pedestrian crosswalks at the Onley Road and South Division Street intersection  Ordinance No. ____ - 1st reading and Public Hearing - pursuant to Chapter 17.228 of Title 17, Zoning of the Salisbury Municipal Code and Section 4.04 of Article 66B of the Annotated Code of Maryland, and Article VI, Board of Zoning Appeals for the purpose of amending Section 17.12.090, adding Section 17.12.111, and amending Section 17.12.120, Board of Zoning Appeals procedure
     Ordinance No. ____ - 1st reading and Public Hearing – to authorize the operation of a day care center at 217 Beaglin Park Drive in a Light Business and Institutional District as required by Section 17.28.040B of the Salisbury Municipal Code
     Ordinance No. ____ - 1st reading – FY2013 budget amendment to appropriate funds for
    the renegotiation of the City’s cable franchise agreement
     Ordinance No. ____ - 1st reading – to repeal and reenact Chapter 2.04 – Ethics to
    comply with Maryland Code requirements for Ethics Legislation relating to the Ethics
    Commission, Conflicts of Interest, Financial Disclosure, Lobbying, Exemptions and
    Modifications, and Enforcement
    7:30 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENTS
    7:45 p.m. ADJOURNMENT

    Today's Fill In The Blank 7-5-12

    I like to flavor my coffeee with ____.

    July Memories Over The Years





    Wives Don't Forget Old Boyfriends

    Husband took the wife to a disco on the weekend.

    There was a guy on the dance floor giving it large - breakdancing, moonwalking, back flips, the works.

    The wife turned to husband and said: "See that guy? 25 years ago he proposed to me and I turned him down."

    Husband says: "Looks like he's still celebrating!!!

    The Underclass

    Anthony Daniels, who writes under the pen name Theodore Dalrymple, is a retired prison doctor and psychiatrist who tells of his experiences with his patients in Life at the Bottom. It's an insightful book of essays about the self-destructive behavior and attitudes of the underclass.

    In one essay, "We Don't Want No Education," reprinted by City Journal, Dalrymple says that he cannot recall meeting a 16-year-old from the public housing project near his hospital who could perform simple multiplication operations, such as nine times seven. One 17-year-old told him, "We didn't get that far." This was after 12 years of attending school. One of Dalrymple's patients took a drug overdose because of constant bullying from classmates. "She was stupid because she was clever." What her peers meant by that was anyone who worked hard and performed well at school was wasting his time when truancy and wandering downtown were deemed preferable. The underlying threat was: If you don't mend your ways and join us, we'll beat you up.

    These weren't simply idle threats. Dalrymple says he's often met people in their 20s or 30s in his practice who gave up at school under such duress. Those who attend a school that has very high academic standards risk a beating if they venture into neighborhoods where the underclass live. He recalls treating two boys in the emergency room after they'd been beaten and two others who had taken overdoses for fear of being beaten at the hands of their neighbors.

    Dalrymple says that most of the young people whom he's met in his practice cannot name a single writer and cannot recite a line of poetry. None of his young patients can give the dates of World War I, much less the second world war. Some patients never have heard of those wars, though one of his young patients who had heard of World War II thought it took place in the 18th century. In this atmosphere of total ignorance, Dalrymple says he was impressed that the young man had heard of the 18th century.

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    Places I Have And Have Not Been

    I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

    I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

    I have, however, been in Sane. They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends, family and work.

    I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not much on physical activity anymore.

    I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

    I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

    Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm getting older.

    One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!

    And, sometimes I think I am in Vincible but life shows me I am not!

    Today's Advertiser Of The Day 7-5-12


    BREAKING NEWS: Judge Grants Zimmerman Bond For Second Time

    Florida judge sets bail at $1 million for George Zimmerman in Trayvon Martin shooting case.

    From Fox News

    Becoming Illegal

    FORMS ARE GOING FAST- SIGN UP TODAY!
    Becoming Illegal (Actual letter from an Oregon resident sent to his senator,)
    The Honorable Wydon
    731 Hart Senate Office Building
    Phone (202) 224 3254
    Washington DC , 20510

    Dear Senator Wydon,

    As a native Oregonian and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.

    My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill is accurate, as an illegal alien who has been in the United States for five years, all I need to do to become a citizen is to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for only three of the last five years. I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before everyone figures it out.

    Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $2,000 fine. Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively? This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005.

    Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000 a year.

    Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her law school applications, as well as 'in-state' tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son.

    Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver's license and making those burdensome car insurance premiums. This is very important to me, given that I still have college age children driving my car.
    If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistance

    Your Loyal Constituent, (hoping to reach 'illegal alien' status rather than just a bonafide citizen of the USA )
    Dale B Rilyeu
    Lebanon, Or
    Get your Forms (NOW)!!
    Call your Internal Revenue Service at 1-800-289-1040

    Crab Season Begins Early Promising A Larger Population

    Efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay seem to be paying off. This year's crab season began early and the population is bigger than it has been in years. Today, we visited Mo's Seafood in Towson to check on the critters and the satisfied customers.

    Preparing for a holiday rush, workers at Mo's Seafood got busy early today, seasoning and steaming and doing plenty of sorting.

    This year's crab crop is proving to be plentiful. Biologists claim the crab population has rebounded to record levels and a good supply is great for sales.

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    Letter To Pelosi

    Dear Ms. Pelosi:

    I write to you out of utter disdain! You are as despicable and un-American as the traitor Jane Fonda.

    I am a soon to be 65 year-old who has voted in every state and local election since 1966. I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats alike. I have worked on campaigns for both Republicans and Democrats, white and black. I served the country that I love in Vietnam , as my son did in the Middle East . I was awarded two bronze stars. I have been involved in politics since age 6 when my father was campaign manager for a truly great American Congressman, Charles Raper Jonas, who worked for his constituents and his country, and was to be admired, unlike you.

    You obviously havent read the Constitution recently, if ever, the Federalist Papers, or even David McCulloughs book on John Adams. You ought to take the time while riding around in your government provided luxury executive jet to do just that. You represent Socialistic and even Marxist principals that our founding fathers tried to avoid when setting out the capitalistic republican form of government represented by our Constitution.

    I find it interesting that you and your husband are multi-millionaires with much of your fortune being made as a result of your public service. You have controlled legislation that has enhanced your husbands investments both on and off shore. At the same time you redistributed the wealth of others. Our system of a free market economy is being destroyed by the likes of you, Harry Reid, and now our President. You ride around in a Gulfstream airplane at the tax payers expense while criticizing the presidents of companies who produced something for the economy. You add nothing to the economy of the United States ; you only subtract therefrom.

    I would like to suggest that you return to the city of fruitcakes and nuts and eat your husbands’ canned tuna and pineapple produced by illegal immigrants and by workers who have been excluded from the protection that 90% of the legal workers in the United States have.

    I await your defeat in the next election with glee...

    Don’t ever use the term un-American again for protesters who love this country and are exercising their rights upon which this country was founded. By the way, while I served in the Army, I was spit on by the same type of lunatics who support you and who you probably supported in the 60s and 70s. You are an embarrassment to all of us who served so that you would have the protected right of free speech to call us un-American. But at the same time, I have the right to write you to notify you that I consider you to be un-American, as do the majority of the people of this formerly great country. You are a true disgrace to most of the people who served this country by offering themselves for public service in the United States Congress.

    I feel certain your aides will not share this letter with you, but I intend to share it with many...

    Dennis Guthrie

    Police: Dead NY Yacht Victims All Children

    OYSTER BAY, N.Y. (AP) - A yacht full of fireworks watchers capsized off New York's Long Island on the Fourth of July, killing three children and sending 24 others into the Long Island Sound, where many were rescued by fellow boaters, police said Thursday.

    The bodies of 12-year-old boy David Aurelino, and two girls, 11-year-old Harley Treanor and 8-year-old Victoria Gaines, were recovered from the boat's cabin after a long overnight search in the waters near Oyster Bay. The remaining people onboard were a mix of adults and children.

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    Today's Survey Question 7-5-12

    Where did you celebrate the 4th of July?

    Welcome To The Opportunity Shop

    The parking enforcement people have been waiting in the shadows this morning just waiting for the Opportunity Shop to swing their doors.

    I guess Mayor Ireton will drive everyone to the Parking Garage no matter what it takes. What a shame.

    On America's In Dependence Day

    Lamenting The Lost Legacy Of Independence Day

    Why do we still celebrate Independence Day? Is it a lingering habit, a mindless bit of nostalgia, a time to indulge in fireworks and barbecues, devoid of any deeper meaning? Can anyone honestly argue that our nation still honors the values, or practices the principles, for which our Founders fought?

    Today, most Americans have been trained to be embarrassed by the “extremist” individualist ethos that made the protection of liberty the primary purpose of government. They have been taught to apologize for the shortcomings of the “rich white men” who led the revolution. A majority of Americans now subscribe to an expansive view of government as both great provider and beneficent leveler. Its primary purpose is to redress unequal or unhappy outcomes, regardless of their source, through wealth redistribution on a scale so vast that it mocks the concept “private property.”

    As for the causes of revolution, we’ve lost sight of them, too. King George III was a champion of laissez-faire compared to the modern cradle-to-grave entitlement state. The swollen capital city named after the man who won our freedom now claims the prize for erecting “a Multitude of new offices” bent on sending out “Swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.” If there is a field of endeavor that the federal government does not yet regulate, subsidize, or penalize, just wait. A new law is only a “crisis” away.

    Have these new offices been imposed on us by some malevolent force that has undermined the workings of democracy? No. We the people ceaselessly demand new offices at an accelerating rate. The majority of Americans vote as if they believe that massive new government programs— created by incomprehensibly complex laws and administered by increasingly unaccountable bureaucrats—can solve an expanding array of “problems” which our Founders would have surely concluded were the proper province of civil society and not the sovereign state.

    The King was criticized for unjustly imprisoning seamen. Today, our federal and state governments imprison more of our fellow citizens than any totalitarian regime in history—the vast majority for violating a futile prohibition on the possession, sale, or consumption of substances our Founders would not have thought twice about. Vast portions of our youth are thus rendered permanently unemployable, branded as felons and outcasts with nowhere to turn but a life of crime. And yet we persist in this folly, unable to admit that drug prohibition has been as huge a failure as alcohol prohibition.

    And taxes? The Founders knew a tax when they saw one—and there were very few they could abide, with or without representation. Thanks to a Supreme Court that long ago gave up defending the Constitution, we now have a chameleon levy that is not a tax when politically inconvenient yet magically becomes a tax when seeking constitutional muster. As if we didn’t have a wide enough variety of taxes, this new tax is designed to penalize anyone who refuses to participate in a great communal project designed to make every citizen even more deeply dependent on the government.

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    Paying The Price

    One giant pharmaceutical company just got busted for putting profits ahead of peoples' lives. In the largest healthcare fraud settlement in U.S. history, British drug maker GlaxSmithKline was slapped with $3 billion in fines after pleading guilty to a number of criminal and civil violations related to 10 drugs the company produces that are taken by millions of Americans. The company illegally promoted the use of anti-depressants like Paxil and Wellbutrin for unapproved uses. It also failed to report safety problems with its drug Avandia after it was discovered it could substantially increase the risk of heart attacks. On top of that, the company defrauded taxpayers by over-charging Medicaid programs for drugs – and routinely gave kickbacks to doctors who prescribed their medicines. Glaxo's CEO apologized for the crimes and claimed his company learn from its mistakes. But how long until the American people learn that profiteers and hucksters have no place in our nation's healthcare system?

    June 26, 2012 Special Meeting Notes From The Wicomico County Board of Education

    Board Notes provide an informal summary of business conducted at recent meetings of the Wicomico County Board of Education. The Board of Education at a special meeting held on June 26, 2012:

    FY 2013 Budget Approved

    Approved the Fiscal Year 2013 Consolidated Current Expense Budget for the budget year beginning July 1. The Board approved the Consolidated Current Expense Budget of almost $175.5 million, an increase of nearly $6.9 million over the previous year’s budget. The increase is largely due to a $5.5 million boost in state aid. The unrestricted portion of the school system’s budget is $162.5 million, a budget level that is 4.3% more than last year. The Board is appreciative of the County Executive and the Wicomico County Council for a 2.22% increase in county funding for FY 2013. This $803,108 increase (part of a total county allocation of $37 million) exceeds the Maintenance of Effort level for the first time since FY 2009 and will enable the school system to avoid cuts that could have affected direct face-to-face instruction and services for students. Included in this increase is the county’s additional allocation of $79,170 for Textbooks and Instructional Supplies, funding which will be put to good use in every classroom in Wicomico County.

    Ethics Provision, Ethics Panel

    Approved the final version of the Wicomico County Board of Education Ethics Provisions, as required by state law, and approved four of the five WCBOE Ethics Panel members: Edward Henry, Robin Holloway, Anthony Sarbanes and Philip Tilghman. The newly approved panel members have extensive experience in business, government and education and their service is appreciated.

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    New Audit Uncovers Millions Of Maryland Dollars Wasted


    A new audit has uncovered that Maryland state agencies have wasted as much as $63 million over the past three years.

    The Maryland Office of Legislative Audits uncovered the findings in the routine examinations it performs on each state agency every three years.

    The office says that some departments are repeatedly making the same mistakes and all of them are costing taxpayers a bundle.

    More

    Surfer Jumps Pier

    Key Regulations To Prevent Another Financial Crisis Are Being Delayed Or Scrapped

    Five years after Wall Street started melting down; key regulations to prevent another financial crisis are being delayed or scrapped altogether. More than one-third of all the new regulation created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law of 2010 have yet to even be written. On top of that, the Securities and Exchange Commission has missed the implementation deadlines on 71% of its new rules. One reason why new regulations are being delayed is that Republicans in the House have slashed funding for critical Wall Street watchdogs – and are threatening to defund the Dodd-Frank reform law altogether – giving banksters a chance to turn Wall Street into a casino again.

    Republican Lawmakers Again Get High Grades From Business Group

    Republican members of the Maryland General Assembly, as usual, got A-pluses from Maryland Business for Responsive Government, but some Democrats improved their scores as well.

    Continue Reading...

    Maryland Live! Casino Revenues Exceed Expectations

    HANOVER, Md. -
    The new Maryland Live! casino has drawn a half million visitors and paid more than $19 million in state taxes, and it's not even operating at full capacity.

    The Las Vegas-style opening of Maryland Live! casino has drawn a half million visitors during just 24 days of operation, exceeding expectations by generating more than $28 million in revenues -- more than half the statewide total of $40 million for the month of June. Casino operators are not surprised.
    "This facility was designed to attract (people from) northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., (and) Montgomery, Prince George's, Howard and Anne Arundel counties," said Joe Weinberg, president of the Cordish Companies, which operates Maryland Live!

    Our Interpretations Of Patriotism Can Inspire Solidarity Or Discrimination: Which Will Americans Choose?

    In the last two weeks, the Supreme Court has allowed police in Arizona to demand proof of citizenship from people they stop on other grounds (while throwing out the rest of Arizona's immigration law), and has allowed the federal government to require everyone buy health insurance — even younger and healthier people — or pay a penalty.

    What do these decisions — and the national conversations they've engendered — have to do with patriotism? A great deal. Because underlying them are two different versions of American patriotism.

    The Arizona law is aimed at securing the nation from outsiders. The purpose of the heatlhcare law is to join together to provide affordable health care for all.

    The first version of patriotism is protecting America from people beyond our borders who might otherwise overrun us — whether immigrants coming here illegally or foreign powers threatening us with aggression.

    The second version of patriotism is joining together for the common good. That might mean contributing to a bake sale to raise money for a local school or volunteering in a homeless shelter. It also means paying our fair share of taxes so our community or nation has enough resources to meet all our needs, and preserving and protecting our system of government.

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    Brother In Law

    A man suffered a serious heart attack while shopping in a store.

    The store clerks called 911 when they saw him collapse to the floor.

    The paramedics rushed the man to the nearest hospital where he had emergency open heart bypass surgery.

    He awakened from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at the Catholic Hospital he was taken to.

    A nun was seated next to his bed holding a clip board loaded with several forms, and a pen.

    She asked him how he was going to pay for his treatment.

    "Do you have health insurance?" she asked.

    He replied in a raspy voice, "No health insurance."

    The nun asked, "Do you have money in the bank?"

    He replied, "No money in the bank."

    "Do you have a relative who could help you with the payments?" asked the irritated nun.

    He said, "I only have a spinster sister, and she is a nun."

    The nun became agitated and announced loudly, "Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God."

    The patient replied, "Perfect. Send the bill to my brother-in-law..."

    Save America

    Malware May Knock Thousands Off Internet on Monday

    The warnings about the Internet problem have been splashed across Facebook and Google. Internet service providers have sent notices, and the FBI set up a special website.

    But tens of thousands of Americans may still lose their Internet service Monday unless they do a quick check of their computers for malware that could have taken over their machines more than a year ago.

    Despite repeated alerts, the number of computers that probably are infected is more than 277,000 worldwide, down from about 360,000 in April. Of those still infected, the FBI believes that about 64,000 are in the United States.

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    MEDICARE: Note Confirmed

    Look clearly at the 2014 rate compared to the 2013 rate.For those of you who are on Medicare, read the following. It's short,but important and you probably haven't heard about it in theMainstream News:..."The per person Medicare Insurance Premium will increase from thepresent Monthly Fee of $96.40, rising to:
    $104.20 in 2012
    $120.20 in 2013
    And
    $247.00 in 2014.

    "These are Provisions incorporated in the Obamacare Legislation, purposelydelayed so as not to confuse the 2012 Re-Election Campaigns. Send this toall Seniors that you know, so they will know who's throwing them under thebus.

    Morning Walk


    Every day - at the same time - she waits for him...

    He comes... and they go for a walk

    Wouldn't it be great if we all had friends like this...no words needed...
    they just intuitively recognize the value of each other in their lives and act accordingly.

    Big Foreclosure Compensation, But Only For The Right Wrongs

    Last month, the government released information on the compensation victims of the banks’ foreclosure practices might receive. For homeowners, it turns out that it’s crucially important just how the bank messed up.

    Can you put a price on the damage caused by a wrongful foreclosure? Banking regulators have. And it’s $125,000. Or $60,000. Or $15,000. Or… it’s unclear.

    Last November, banking regulators launched a process to force the big banks to compensate homeowners victimized by their foreclosure abuses. Many crucial details remained unclear [1], including how much victims might receive.

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    Maryland Man Rides Cross Country For Wounded Warriors

    A Carroll County man is continuing his bike ride across the country to raise awareness for injured troops.

    Sgt. First Class Bill Cherneski started his bike trip in late April in LaPush, Washington.

    On Wednesday, he made a stop back in his hometown of Hampstead before making his way to Ocean City later this week.

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    WICOMICO COUNTY TO OPEN COOLING CENTER ON THURSDAY JULY 5th

    (Salisbury, MD) With temperatures expected to rise into the triple digits over the next few days, Wicomico County health officials will open a cooling center on Thursday, July 5th, Friday, July 6th and Saturday, July 7th 2012 from 10AM till 8PM. The cooling center will be located at the Wicomico County Civic Center (Flanders Rooms 5, 6 and 7), 500 Glen Avenue Salisbury, MD. Residents will need to bring their own food, beverages, and medications. Bottled water will be available. No pets will be permitted. Individuals needing transportation may contact Shore Transit by calling 443-260-2300.


    In response to extreme temperatures, Wicomico County health officials are urging residents to remain indoors in air conditioned environments. “Until temperatures return to normal, we are asking residents to avoid all outside activities, drink lots of water, stay cool, and check on neighbors. If air conditioning is not available, residents should consider visiting the local mall or cooling center. It is important during times like these to look after one another, and help ensure each other’s safety.” said Lori Brewster, Health Officer for Wicomico County.


    For local and updated cooling center information, facts on heat related illness, or additional tips on how to stay cool, visit the Wicomico County Health Department's website at www.wicomicohealth.org.

    MOTORISTS: TELL US WHAT IT’S LIKE OUT THERE

    Participate in the Maryland Annual Driving Survey

    Do Maryland drivers cause you concern? Is the State doing all it could to ensure safety on Maryland’s roadways?

    The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration is interested in your opinion. A brief survey of its highway safety programs is being offered by the MVA’s Highway Safety Office. The survey aims to identify the problems on Maryland’s roadways, assess the public’s perception of enforcement and prevention programs, and ultimately, help improve safety on Maryland’s roads.

    “Each year, over 500 people die on Maryland’s roadways. Your input will help us shape our highway safety programs,” said MVA Administrator John Kuo. As the Governor O’Malley’s Highway Safety Representative, Kuo leads the efforts of the Maryland Highway Safety Office.

    The Maryland Highway Safety Office surveys Maryland’s motorists about pressing safety issues, including drunk driving, speeding, aggressive driving, motorcycle safety and more. The surveys help in the development of programs that decrease motor vehicle crashes, deaths and injuries.

    The Maryland Highway Safety Office’s Annual Driving Survey addresses:

    • the behaviors that contribute to the risk of crashing;

    • the knowledge about Maryland’s driving laws;

    • the attitudes related to driving laws and behaviors; and

    • the awareness of outreach efforts to combat the risks associated with certain driving behaviors.
    Last year’s survey revealed:

    • 45% were supportive of a law requiring Ignition Interlock devices for first time DUI offenders.

    • 29% felt it was likely that they would get a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt.

    • Approximately half of the drivers who drank claimed that they wore a seatbelt, though they also admitted to driving above the 65mph posted speed limit.

    Please take a moment to complete the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration’s Annual Driving Survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2012_MADS_MVA_Website

    Daily Times Editorial Today Gets It Backwards


    "Bateman Street will be one-way between South Division and Wayne Street (where the SU parking garage is located), heading toward South Division only; it will remain two-way from Wayne Street to Route 13".

    It will NOT head towards S. Division Street. Instead, it will head towards the College. The IDEA is to get traffic off S. Division Street.

    The paper went on to say, "We applaud the City Council for making the right decision, for Salisbury's sake".

    Are you still applauding the Council after WE got it right?

    Knife Found Inside Comb at BWI Checkpoint

    A woman was cited by police at BWI Thurgood Marshall International Airport on Tuesday after Transportation Security Administration officials said she had a knife hidden inside a comb.

    TSA Spokesman Kawika Riley said the comb was tucked inside a three-ring binder. It was discovered as the woman was passing through an airport checkpoint at about 7:30 a.m. Monday.

    Riley said the woman was escorting her daughter to a gate to catch a flight to Atlanta.

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    QUOTES OF THE DAY 7-5-12

    “The issue which has swept down the centuries and which will have to be fought sooner or later is the people versus the banks.”

    Lord Acton

    “The bold effort the present (central) bank had made to control the government … are but premonitions of the fate that await the American people should they be deluded into a perpetuation of this institution or the establishment of another like it.

    From the earliest ages of history to the present day there have never been thirteen millions of people associated in one political body who enjoyed so much freedom and happiness as the people of these United States. You have no longer any cause to fear dangers from abroad … It is from within, among yourselves – from cupidity, from corruption, from disappointed ambition and inordinate thirst for power – that factions will be formed and liberty endangered …

    Every man is equally entitled to protection by law; but when the laws undertake to add… artificial distinctions, to grant titles, gratuities, and exclusive privileges, to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society — the farmers, mechanics, and laborers — who have neither the time nor the means of securing like favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their government.

    I am one of those who do not believe that a national debt is a national blessing, but rather a curse to a republic; inasmuch as it is calculated to raise around the administration a moneyed aristocracy dangerous to the liberties of the country.

    Gentlemen, I have had men watching you for a long time and I am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the breadstuffs of the country. When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank. You tell me that if I take the deposits from the bank and annul its charter, I shall ruin ten thousand families. That may be true, gentlemen, but that is your sin! Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin! You are a den of vipers and thieves, and by the grace of the Eternal God, will rout you out.

    As long as our government is administered for the good of the people, and is regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of persons and of property, liberty of conscience and of the press, it will be worth defending.

    It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes.

    If Congress has the right under the Constitution to issue paper money, it was given to be used by themselves, not to be delegated to individuals or corporations.”

    Andrew Jackson

    Orphaned Colombian Children in US to find Adoptive Families

    HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. -
    Ten orphaned children from Colombia are visiting families in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania with hopes to find a family to adopt them.

    Gustavo, who's staying with a family in Havre de Grace, is the third sibling to participate in the KidSave Summer Miracle program. He hopes to stay connected with his biological family and find a home in Maryland.

    A translator speaking for Gustavo said, "He wants a family who loves him and (will) be with him -- a father and a mom."

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

    Happy Birthday to a wonderful place to live!

    I know you're sad because of the way the government has changed things.
    We are sad also.

    Our government has taken the United part out of the United States of America!
    We are no longer United in any way that We The People want.

    The government is trying to divide and create war between ourselves.

    They have taken everything that America stands for and are taking it apart by bits and pieces.

    They are disecting the Constitution like a science experiment so they can toss away what they don't like.

    We are losing the rights that so many fought and died for.

    They want to take away our freedom of speech and our right to bear arms.

    They make laws for us that do not apply to those who make the laws.

    We are expected to share our hard earned money made by working with those who don't work.

    We also help out other countries to feed their poor and homeless when we have millions here who are homeless and hungry.

    What was once the most powerful country in the world is now broke.

    I for one want to apologise on behalf of our government to you on your birthday America.

    Please don't be sad on your birthday. Many of us are fighting back to restore you to the glory that you deserve.

    Sincerely,

    We The People Of The United States Of America!