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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

West Gives Up The Fight, Concedes In His Re-Election Bid

Rep. Allen West on Tuesday conceded in his re-election effort in Florida’s 18th Congressional District, but suggested he will still be active in politics or public office.
The Tea Party favorite and first-term congressman made the statement Tuesday, following two weeks of court battles and ballot recounts in his race against Democratic challenger and political newcomer Patrick Murphy.
“Leaders don't need a title to be able to lead,” West told Fox News. “I will continue to be servant of this nation.”
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Rep. Andy Harris Hosts Tele-town With FEMA For Residents Of Areas Affected By Hurricane Sandy



Washington, DC- Yesterday, Rep. Andy Harris hosted a tele-town hall with FEMA for residents of the Crisfield, Smith Island, Marion, FairmountDeal Island, Ocean Pines and Princess Anne areas.

FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Mike Lapinski and Maryland Emergency Management official Pam Spring joined Rep. Harris on the call to answer resident’s questions regarding the federal disaster declaration process, programs for which impacted residents may be eligible, the Federal Government’s response to date, and plans for future assistance to those affected by Hurricane Sandy. 

“My top priority is to ensure that residents affected by Hurricane Sandy receive the assistance and information they need,” said Rep. Andy Harris. “I’m going to continue to work diligently with federal, state and local officials to ensure that they are meeting the needs of the communities in the affected areas.”

MSNBC Did No Negative Stories About Obama or Positive Ones About Romney Last Week of Campaign

This is all Americans need to know about just how disgraceful a "news network" MSNBC is.
A new study just released by the Pew Research Center found that in the final week of the just-ended presidential campaign, the "Lean Forward" network did absolutely no negative stories about President Obama or positive ones about Mitt Romney.
MSNBC's coverage of Romney during the final week (68% negative with no positive stories in the sample), was far more negative than the overall press, and even more negative than it had been during October 1 to 28 when 5% was positive and 57% was negative.
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DID WHITE HOUSE JUST EXPOSE ANOTHER RICE LIE?

TEL AVIV – In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attack in Libya, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice may have deliberately misled the public when she went on television news shows and called the facility that had been targeted a “consulate.”

The difference between branding the Benghazi facility a “mission” or a “consulate” may be crucial in determining what was really going on in the building.

As WND was first to report, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi actually served as a meeting place to coordinate aid for the rebel-led insurgencies in the Middle East, according to Middle Eastern security officials. 

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Treasury Secretary Geithner: Lift Debt Limit to Infinity

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Friday that Congress should stop placing legal limits on the amount of money the government can borrow and effectively lift the debt limit to infinity.

On Bloomberg TV, “Political Capital” host Al Hunt asked Geithner if he believes “we ought to just eliminate the debt ceiling.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Geithner said.

“You do? Will you propose that?” Hunt asked.

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Daily Job Cuts

LAYOFFS 

November 20 , 2012



November 19 , 2012

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CLOSINGS

November 20 , 2012



November 19 , 2012

Pass The Turkey, Hold The Post-Election Taunting

OK, so it could get awkward.

Thanksgiving dinner, that is. After all, it's coming only two weeks after the election.

On one side, the wounds remain tender. Republicans are still deep into their tour of whine country.

On the other side, victorious Democrats are perfecting their "get out the gloat" operation.

Awkward? Heck, it could get ugly.

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Fresh Delaware-Grown Christmas Trees Plentiful, Easy To Find

Families searching for fresh Delaware-grown Christmas trees don’t have to go very far to find the perfect holiday centerpiece this year. The Delaware Fresh mobile app now features more than 30 farms that sell the First State’s holiday firs, spruces and pines, including updated hours and shopping information, the Delaware Department of Agriculture announced.

“Picking the perfect fresh locally-grown Christmas tree is a great start to the winter holiday season,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee. “Families can enjoy a hands-on farm experience picking just the right tree. They’re guaranteed to get the freshest tree possible and support our homegrown tree farms at the same time.”

Most holiday trees are grown as a specialized crop on farmland, with particular varieties selected for attractive foliage or other special features. In Delaware, it usually takes seven to 10 years to grow a thriving 7-foot-tall Christmas tree.

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Town of Ocean City announces new Planning and Community Development Director

After conducting a national search, which resulted in dozens of qualified candidates, the Town of Ocean City is pleased to welcome Matthew Margotta to the position of Planning and Community Development Director for the Town of Ocean City. The position became vacant in September 2012, when 30-year Town of Ocean City employee, Jesse Houston, retired.

As Planning and Community Development Director, Margotta will oversee the Planning and Zoning Divisions. The Planning Division, along with the Planning Commission, is responsible for preparing and maintaining the town’s Comprehensive Plan. The Zoning Division, on the other hand, administers and enforces the town’s zoning regulations, including reviewing development plans for code compliance.

“I am very pleased to welcome Matthew to the Planning and Community Development Director position,” said City Manager David Recor. “His knowledge, experience and leadership will be a great asset to the citizens in the community, as well as the future of Ocean City.”

Margotta joins the town from Ft. Pierce, FL, where he has held the position of Director of Planning since 2006. Before his time in Florida, Margotta was a Senior Planner for the Town of Bluffton and Hilton Head, South Carolina. A graduate of the University of South Carolina with a BA in Geography, Margotta is also a Major in the United States Army Reserves, where he has 25 years of service.

Margotta, who will formally begin on January 7, 2013, said he is extremely excited for the opportunity to participate in town’s planning effort, including the new strategic plan. “I look forward to working closely with the Mayor and City Council, in addition to the City Manager, the staff and the various boards and commissions, to coordinate Ocean City’s Strategic and Comprehensive Plan.”

MDE Press Release

Portions of Honga River in Dorchester County Closed to Shellfish Harvesting Sampling results show elevated bacteria levels; no active oyster bars, aquaculture in the areas; waterways were sampled for potential aquaculture operation 
BALTIMORE, MD (November 19, 2012) – The Maryland Department of the Environment is closing portions of a Dorchester County waterway to shellfish harvesting. There are no active oyster bars or aquaculture operations in the affected areas.
The closure of portions of the Honga River is due to sampling results showing elevated levels of bacteria. The sampling was done to classify the area for a potential aquaculture site. The closure is effective Nov. 26.
The portions of the Honga River that will be closed include Slaughter Creek, Upper Keene Broads, Beaverdam Creek, Dunnock Slough, Dunnock Island Creek, Lower Keene Broads, Great Marsh Creek, Jacks Creek, Robinson Cove and Spicer Creek.
Information on shellfish harvesting areas is available on MDE’s website. These designations apply only to the harvesting of shellfish (oysters and clams); they do not apply to fishing or crabbing. Consumption advisories for recreationally caught fish and crabs can also be found on MDE’s website.
MDE monitors bacteriological water quality and conducts pollution source surveys to determine which areas are safe for the harvesting of shellfish. The Department is required to close areas that do not meet the strict water quality standards for shellfish harvesting waters and it has a longstanding policy to reopen areas to shellfish harvesting when water quality improves.
Shellfish are filter feeders with the ability to filter water and get food from microscopic organisms in the water. If the waters are polluted, this filtering process can concentrate disease-causing organisms associated with raw sewage and other sources, such as animal waste. Oysters and clams are often eaten raw or partially cooked and must come from waters that are not polluted.
These actions are necessary to protect public health by preventing harvest from the areas impacted and ensure Maryland remains in compliance with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program.

JANE FONDA'S NEW REGRET: 'SITTING ON THAT GUN IN NORTH VIETNAM'

Having reached her mid-seventies, Oscar-winner Jane Fonda is now in that phase of her career where she's celebrated with all kinds of "achievement awards." Last night at the L.A. Press Club gala honoring her, Fonda revealed that her biggest regret in life is no longer not "f***ing" mass-murderer Che Guevera, but that moment that defined her even more than her film career: when she was photographed sitting on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun meant to shoot down American pilots during the Vietnam War.

In a short speech, Fonda called out her friends in the audience -- Daniels, Sam Waterston, Melanie Griffith and Lily Tomlin -- and said, "I can't tell you how moved I am for this award."
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Restaurant Owner Gets 90 Days In Jail For Creating Fake Sex Site Profile For Unsatisfied Customer

In September, we told you about the Canadian restaurant owner who was convicted of libel after she launched a nasty online campaign against a customer who voiced her dissatisfaction in a negative review. Now the owner has 90 days behind bars to mull over where she made a mistake.

The whole mess began in 2009, when the customer posted a negative review of one of the owner’s two Ottawa restaurants.

To retaliate, the owner then set up a fake profile using the customer’s real name on an adults-only hookup site. She also posed as the customer to send sexually oriented e-mails to her boss.

Marylanders Standing To Benefit From Health Reform Know Least About It, Survey Says

Maryland residents who stand to benefit most from the federal Affordable Care Act know the least about the law, according to a survey released Monday by the Horizon Foundation and the Maryland Health Care for All Coalition.

Low-income, minority and less-educated voters are among the demographics least aware of the provisions of the Obama Administration’s landmark health care reform law, according to a report on the survey’s findings. Overall, about 59 percent of survey respondents said they support the law, but only about 30 percent said they knew a lot about the law’s provisions.

Those numbers suggest there is significant room for improvement in educating the public about the law before it fully goes into effect January 2014.

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Credit Card Debt Is Up & We’re Not Being So Good About Paying It Off

We’ve been credit carding it up (yep, it’s a verb) lately and as a result, Americans have collected more credit card debt than we had a year ago during the same time period, according to new figures from a credit reporting agency. But while we’re spending more, we’re not being so good at actually paying off that debt — which makes for a particularly unwinning economic combination.

TransUnion says credit card debt in the U.S. between July and September grew 4.9% over last year’s figure, to about $4,996, according to the Associated Press.

Pollution Still Threatens Potomac River


Pollution still threatens the Potomac River, according to a Nov. 15 report from the Potomac Conservancy.

Increased development poses a serious threat to the Potomac River and could reverse gains in water quality that were made over the last 40 years, said Hedrick Belin, president of the Potomac Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental organization. He said the Potomac River will face increasing pressure from population growth during the next 20 years, due to the streets, sidewalks and houses that are associated with new development.

Rainwater that is not absorbed into the ground picks up the byproducts of human activity — oil from cars, lawn fertilizer, pet waste and other chemicals — which eventually end up in the Potomac.

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Take Me Back To The 50's

Audit Fault Evaluations By Disabilities Department

The Maryland Department of Disabilities is not consistently providing timely annual eligibility reevaluations to beneficiaries of its $1.2 million Attendant Care Program, which reimburses personal attendant services for 157 individuals with severe physical disabilities, auditors found.

In the audit report released Monday, the Office of Legislative Audits stated that similar issues were found in a prior audit of the agency.

In a test of 10 program participants, auditors found that six of them were not evaluated until after the redetermination due dates and they were paid a total of $15,000 after the date of which their evaluations should have been completed.

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Immigration And Customs Enforcement Agent Settles Case

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, who accused the chief of staff of harassment, has agreed to settle his case with the government. Agent James Hayes described a "frat house" environment in his lawsuit targeting former chief-of-staff Suzanne Barr. More agents then came forward, saying Barr had made sexually inappropriate comments.Hayes oversees the agency's New York office. His attorney says he will keep his job, and receive $175,000. Barr resigned two months ago when the case came to light.

Dates To Remember

Fri, Nov 23 - 6pm Rehoboth Beach Tree Lighting & sing-a-long at Rehoboth Bandstand (302-227-2772)
Sat, Nov. 24 - 6pm Dewey Beach Tree Lighting at Fifer's Orchards Market
Mon, Nov 26 - 7pm Pocomoke Christmas Parade (rain - Tues, Nov 27 7pm)
Fri, Nov 30 - 5:30 Snow Hill Tree lighting at Byrd Park
Sat, Dec 1 - 10am Christmas Tour of Lewes
Sat, Dec 1 - 11am Ocean City Christmas Parade (100th - 115th Streets)
Sat, Dec 1 - 2pm Delmar Christmas Parade (rain - Sun, Dec 2 2pm)
Sat, Dec 1 - 5pm Lewes Christmas Parade
Sat, Dec 1 - 6pm Seaford Christmas Parade
Sun, Dec 2 - 2pm Salisbury Christmas Parade
Mon, Dec 3 - 7pm Snow Hill Christmas Parade
Tues, Dec 4 - 6:30pm - Rehoboth Beach Hometown Christmas Parade - Rehoboth Beach Fire Co. Santa's Hometown Christmas Party follows the parade at the Rehoboth Convention Center. Santa's expected to be in attendance
Wed, Dec 5 - 5pm Milton Christmas Parade (302-684-1101)
Thurs, Dec 6 - 7pm Berlin Christmas Parade
Thurs, Dec 6 - 7pm Georgetown Christmas Parade
Fri, Dec 7 - 5pm Holiday Stroll in downtown Milford
Fri, Dec 7 - 7pm Selbyville Christmas Parade
Sat, Dec 8 - 9-3pm Milton Holly Festival
Sat, Dec 8 - 3-7:30pm Milton Holiday House Tour (tickets - 302-684-3736 or 302-684-5544)
Wed, Dec 12 - 6pm Millsboro Christmas Parade

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USPS Slashes Retail Hours

The Postal Service has slashed retail hours at nearly 500 mostly rural post offices. Starting Saturday, some are open to the public just two hours a day. The agency plans to trim hours at thousands more after the holidays. It has taken more than a year for the Postal Service to put its plan into action. It has had to hold public meetings in all of the communities and address lawmakers' and regulators' misgivings. But the shorter hours may not be a big adjustment at many of the 500 offices in this first batch. The Postal Service says many are one- man operations. And that one employee may not even work full time.

Marion Barry: Only "liberal white folks' Care About Source Of Turkey Giveaway Money

D.C. Councilman Marion Barry made a racially-charged comment surrounding his annual Thanksgiving giveaway.

Barry gives away thousands of dollars worth of turkeys every Thanksgiving. When the Washington City Paper asked Barry where the money for the giveaway comes from, he refused to answer, adding only a specific group is interested in knowing the source of the funds.


"...only 'liberal white folk'," Barry told the paper.

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Congressional leaders say they Could Strike A Deal By Christmas To Avoid Sequestration

Details are emerging from that meeting Republican and Democratic leaders had Friday with President Barack Obama at the White House. Democratic staff describe a short-term fix to the National Journal. GovExec reported they said they're banking on a bill that has already passed the Senate. It holds tax rates steady for families with less than $250,000, but the wealthy would have to pay more. They said they would work toward entitlement reform next year. Republicans have not ruled this idea out, but they said silence doesn't mean they support it. Leaders may meet again as early as Friday.

NAACP: P.G. Officers Should Not Be Fired For Spoof Video

Two Prince George's County police officers face possible firing over their appearance in a spoof video that mocks the racial profiling of black drivers, but the NAACP is questioning whether such severe punishment is justified.

The video, which was produced by a D.C. comic and uploaded on YouTube, features two black county police officers who — while in uniform and driving a marked police cruiser — conduct a mock traffic stop of a black driver and berate and harass the man using demeaning language and racial stereotypes.

County police officials were quick to condemn the “driving while black” video, which was uploaded on YouTube on Nov. 1 but taken offline Friday after the police department’s internal affairs division was tipped off to its existence and began investigating.

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Slowing The Spread Of AIDS

A federal panel is recommending HIV testing for all Americans between the ages of 15 and 65. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force believes universal testing will slow the spread of AIDS. The Task Force is made up of outside experts who work through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The recommendation is open for public comment until Dec. 17. The task force says more than a million people in the United States have HIV, but 25 percent of them don't know it. That increases the risk they can spread the disease to sexual partners.

Several Teens Injured In Police-Involved Accident


Baltimore police are turning to surveillance cameras and witnesses to learn the cause of an officer-involved accident.

The wreck happened early Saturday morning and, as Gigi Barnett explains, several teens were injured in the collision.

Accident debris lines the intersection of Whitelock Street and Eutaw Place in Northwest Baltimore. The accident happened at 3 a.m. Saturday. Seven teens were inside one vehicle, which was crossing through the intersection. That car collided with a police cruiser on an emergency call. The teens say the officer didn’t obey the red light.

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Joint Chiefs Of Staff Distracted

Chairman Martin Dempsey says there's good reason to ask whether the joint chiefs of staff is distracted by recent tales of misconduct by senior officers. The Pentagon has demoted a four-star general for misusing travel money and it's put others' careers on hold pending the results of investigations into Marine Gen. John Allen's relationship with a Tampa socialite. But in a blog post, Demsey says: no, military leaders are not distracted because they cannot afford to be. He says they're concerned but committed to learning and adapting. Dempsey says service members and their families' well-being remains the chiefs' top priority.

Maryland Tourism Industry Enjoyed A Banner 2011

Visitors to Maryland spent more than $14.3 billion in 2011, the most since 2008, when visitors spent $14.5 billion.

The Maryland Office of Tourism Development announced these and other numbers during the Maryland Annual Tourism & Travel Summit in Cambridge late last week.

Maryland has increased its market share of the national visitor market 17 percent since 2007, far outperforming regional and national trends, Executive Director Margot Amelia wrote in an email to her staff, following the two-day conference. Visitor spending in 2011 was up 7.8 percent from $13.3 billion in 2010.

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Big Brother, Big Dogs Are Looking At You


WASHINGTON, -- The 2012 U.S. Supreme Court term erupts on the First Monday in October, and in this first month the justices once again look at the intimate relationship between powerful authority and private citizens, and how intrusive that authority can become to protect the nation's interests.

Much of the pre-term analysis on the Supreme Court has focused on challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman for the purposes of federal benefits, and which the Obama administration has chosen to enforce but has refused to defend in court.

The Supreme Court is expected to deal with that issue later in the term, but in October the justices are scheduled to grapple with several cases involving surveillance.

On Oct. 29, the justices are set to hear argument in a case central to the law that allows spying on citizens in the United States without a warrant in the name of counter-terrorism just as a partisan Congress decides whether to renew the law.

Earlier in September, the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly to extend the latest version of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for five more years. The U.S. Senate has yet to act.

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Main Street Gym Update


From left to right Kobe Moore, Corey Moore,Shawn Woddford, Erick Acosta, Rudy Calixto, Adam Calixto, Coach Hal Chernoff and Ivan Calixt 


Norfolk VA.
Main St Gym Boxers traveled to Norfolk VA. Sat to compete at the Fairlawn Rec Center. The night started off with Salisbury’s 8 year old Erick Acosta in the 65 lb division. It was an impressive display coming out of both corners as Acosta and his opponent  Jonathan Blanden of Dorville GA. threw  punches nonstop in the seesaw battle. In the end,  Blanden edged out  Acosta for the win out on points. Blandens team hope to have a rematch with Acosta at the Main St Gym at their Jan 19th show.

In the fifth bout of the night 11 year old Kobe Moore looked as though he had things well in hand after landing a number of solid right hands, but 2 of the three  judges saw  it differently, giving his opponent the narrow edge for the win. Although Moore lost the bout it was definitely one of his best performances to date
   
In the very next bout  Delmar’s Rudy Calixto put together a boxing lesson to add to the winning side of his record. Calixto overpowered, out maneuvered and  out punched his rival until the referee had seen enough  to stop the one sided bout in the second round. Calixto has been working very hard and it paid off in this bout.  Calixto and his teammates will compete in Dec in this year’s Silver Glove Tournament.
             
The tenth bout put  Corey Moore, a student of Wi-Hi, between the  ropes in the square ring.  Moore appeared a little too cautious early choosing to wait and counter punch for much of the bout, which created a situation with Moore going   into the final round down on points.
      
When attempted to  step up his attack, it showed to be affective, but was too little too late  causing Moore  to lose on points.

For the fiftieth bout of the night, Salisbury’s Shawn Woodford fought in the open class 152 lb division.  In the words of promote Gloria Peek , this was the battle of the night.  Both fighters were tested throughout the fight as they traded hard punches for three rounds.  Both fighters stepped up at times looking as if there may be a stoppage, but each time the other fighter would turn the tide and begin their own assault of hard punches.  Although both fighters were exhausted in the end, Woodford appeared to have empties his tank a little sooner, which made the difference in the end. Woodford lost the crowd-pleasing bout on points, but there is a possibility of a rematch here in Salisbury on Jan 19th

Acosta, Calixto and his two brothers Ivan  and Adam, as well as the Kobe Moore will all compete at the Rosecroft Raceway starting December 1rd for the DC/Maryland Silver Gloves Tournament.  The older Moore,  Corey at, is now over the 15 year old age limit for that tournament.

Then entire group will compete in their hometown at the Main St Gym on Sat Jan 19th along with other Main St Gym boxer who will be matched up against boxers from up and down the east coast. For information call Coach Hal Chernoff at 410-430-6687 or emailhchernoff204284@comcast.net.

Post-Mortem


I am already reading so many pundits and other talking heads analyzing the disaster that was this year’s elections. I am adding my own ten cents. Here goes:

1. We are outnumbered

We accurately foresaw the enthusiasm, the passion, the commitment, the determination, and the turnout. Married women, men, independents, Catholics, evangelicals – they all went for Romney in percentages as high or higher than the groups which voted for McCain in 2008. It wasn’t enough. What we saw in the election on Tuesday was a tipping point: we are now at a place where there are legitimately fewer Americans who desire a free republic with a free people than there are those who think the government should give them stuff. There are fewer of us who believe in the value of free exchange and free enterprise. There are fewer of us who do not wish to demonize successful people in order to justify taking from them. We are outnumbered. For the moment. It’s just    that simple.

2. It wasn’t the candidate(s)
Some are already saying, “Romney was the wrong guy”; “He should have picked Marco Rubio to get Florida/Rob Portman to get Ohio/Chris Christie to get [someplace else].” With    all due respect, these assessments are incorrect. Romney ran a strategic and    well-organized campaign. Yes, he could have hit harder on Benghazi. But for those who would have loved that, there are those who would have found it distasteful. No matter what tactic you could point to that Romney could have done better, it would have been spun in a way that was detrimental to his chances. Romney would have been an excellent president, and Ryan was an inspired choice. No matter who we ran this year, they would have lost. See #1, above .

3. It’s the culture, stupid.
We have been trying to fight this battle every four years at the voting booth. It is long past    time we admit that that is not where the battle really is. We abdicated control of the culture – starting back in the 1960s. And now our largest primary social institutions – education, the media, Hollywood (entertainment) have become really nothing more than an assembly line for cranking out reliable little Leftists. Furthermore, we have allowed the    government to undermine the institutions that instill good character – marriage, the family, communities, schools, our churches. So, here we are, at least two full generations later – we are reaping what we have sown. It took nearly fifty years to get here; it will take another fifty years to get back. But it starts with the determination to reclaim education, the media, and the entertainment business. If we fail to do that, we can kiss every election goodbye from here on out. And much more.

4. America has become a nation of adolescents
The real loser in this election was adulthood: Maturity. Responsibility. The understanding that liberty must be accompanied by self-restraint. Obama is a spoiled child, and the behavior and language of his followers and their advertisements throughout the campaign makes it clear how many of them are, as well. Romney is a    grown-up. Romney should have won. Those of us who expected him to win assumed    that voters would act like grownups. Because if we were a nation of grownups, he wouldhave won.

But what did win? Sex. Drugs. Bad language. Bad manners. Vulgarity. Lies. Cheating.    Name-calling. Finger-pointing. Blaming. And irresponsible spending.

This does not bode well. People grow up one of two ways: either they choose to, or    circumstances force them to. The warnings are all there, whether it is the looming economic disaster, or the inability of the government to respond to crises like Hurricane Sandy, or the growing strength and brazenness of our enemies. American voters stick their fingers in their ears and say, “Lalalalalala, I can’t hear you.”

It is unpleasant to think about the circumstances it will take to force Americans to grow up. It is even more unpleasant to think about Obama at the helm when those circumstances arrive.

5. Yes, there is apparently a Vagina Vote
It’s the subject    matter of another column in its entirety to point out, one by one, all of the    inconsistencies and hypocrisies of the Democrats this year. Suffice it to say that the only “war on women” was the one waged by the Obama campaign, which sexualized and objectified women, featuring them dressed up like vulvas at the Democrat National Convention, appealing to their “lady parts,” comparing voting to losing your virginity with Obama, trumpeting the thrills of destroying our children in the womb (and using our daughters in commercials to do so), and making Catholics pay for their birth control. For a significant number of women, this was appealing. It might call into question the wisdom of    the Nineteenth Amendment, but for the fact that large numbers of women (largely married) used their “lady smarts” instead. Either way, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are rolling over in their graves.

6. It’s not about giving up on “social issues”
No Republican candidate should participate in a debate or go out on the stump without    thorough debate prep and a complete set of talking points that they stick to. This should start with a good grounding in biology and a reluctance to purport    to know the will of God. (Thank you, Todd and Richard.)

That said, we    do not hold the values we do because they garner votes. We hold the values we do because we believe that they are time-tested principles without which a    civilized, free and prosperous society is not possible.

We defend the unborn because we understand that a society which views some lives as expendable is capable of viewing all lives as expendable.

We defend family – mothers, fathers, marriage, children – because history makes it quite clear    that societies without intact families quickly descend into anarchy and    barbarism, and we have plenty of proof of that in our inner cities where marriage is infrequent and unwed motherhood approaches 80 percent. When Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, many thought that the abortion cause was lost. Forty years later, ultrasound technology has demonstrated the inevitable connection between science and morality. More Americans than ever define themselves as “pro-life.” What is tragic is that tens of millions of children have lost their lives while Americans figure out what should have been obvious before.

There is no “giving up” on social issues. There is only the realization that we have to fight the battle on other fronts. The truth will out in the end.

7. Obama does not have a mandate. And he does not need one.
I have to laugh – bitterly – when I read conservative pundits trying to assure us that Obama    “has to know” that he does not have a mandate, and so he will have to govern    from the middle. I don’t know what they’re smoking. Obama does not care that he does not have a mandate. He does not view himself as being elected (much less re-elected) to represent individuals. He views himself as having been re-elected to complete the “fundamental transformation” of America, the basic structure of which he despises. Expect much more of the same – largely the complete disregard of the will of half the American public, his willingness to rule by executive order, and the utter inability of another divided Congress to rein him in. Stanley Kurtz has it all laid out here.

8. The CorruptMedia is the enemy

Too strong? I don’t think so. I have been watching the media try to throw elections since at least    the early 1990s. In 2008 and again this year, we saw the media cravenly cover    up for the incompetence and deceit of this President, while demonizing a good,    honorable and decent man with lies and smears. This is on top of the daily barrage of insults that conservatives (and by that I mean the electorate, not the politicians) must endure at the hands of this arrogant bunch of elitist snobs. Bias is one thing. What we observed with Benghazi was professional malpractice and fraud. They need to go.

Republicans, Libertarians and other conservatives need to be prepared to play hardball with    the Pravda press from here on out. And while we are at it, to defend those journalists of whatever political stripe (Jake Tapper, Sharyl Atkisson, Eli Lake) who actually do their jobs. As well as Fox News and talk radio. Because you can fully expect a re-elected Obama to try to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine in term 2.

9. Small business and entrepreneurs will be hurt the worst
For all the blather about “Wall Street versus Main Street,” Obama’s statist agenda will    unquestionably benefit the biggest corporations which – as with the public sector unions – are in the best position to make campaign donations, hire lobbyists, and get special exemptions carved out from Obama’s health care laws, his environmental regulations, his labor laws. It will be the small business, the entrepreneur, and the first-time innovators who will be crushed by their inability to compete on a level playing field.

10. America is more polarized than ever; and this time it’s personal

I’ve been following politics for a long time, and it feels different this time. Not just for me.    I’ve received messages from other conservatives who are saying the same thing: there is little to no tolerance left out there for those who are bringing this country to its knees – even when they have been our friends. It isn’t just about “my guy” versus “your guy.” It is my view of America versus your view of America – a crippled, hemorrhaging, debt-laden, weakened and dependent America that I want no part of and resent being foisted on me. I no longer have any patience for stupidity, blindness, or vulgarity, so with each dumb “tweet” or FB post by one of my happily lefty comrades, another one bites the dust, for    me. Delete.

What does this portend for a divided Congress? I expect that Republicans will be demoralized and chastened for a short time. But I see them in a bad position. Americans in    general want Congress to work together. But many do not want Obama’s policies, and so Republicans who support them will be toast. Good luck,    guys.

11. It’s possible that America just has to hit rock bottom
I truly believe that most Americans who voted for Obama have no idea what they are in for. Most simply believe him when he says that all he really wants is for the rich to    pay “a little bit more.” So reasonable! Who could argue with that except a    greedy racist?

America is on a horrific bender . Has been for some time now. The warning signs of our fiscal profligacy and culture of lack of    personal responsibility are everywhere – too many to mention. We need only    look at other countries which have gone the route we are walking now to see    what is in store.

For the past four years – but certainly within the past campaign season – we have tried to warn    Americans. Too many refuse to listen, even when all of the events that have    transpired during Obama’s presidency – unemployment, economic stagnation,    skyrocketing prices, the depression of the dollar, the collapse of foreign policy, Benghazi, hopelessly inept responses to natural disasters – can be    tied directly to Obama’s statist philosophies, and his decisions.

SALISBURY CITY PARK NOT TO BE SKATEPARK SITE


SALISBURY – After receiving a letter on Nov. 15 from County Executive Rick Pollitt declining the Salisbury City Council’s request to talk with the County about incorporating a skatepark into its plans for use of a 6.42-acre parcel behind the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center, three of the four city council members present at the Monday work session opted to not advance acceptance of a grant for a skatepark to be located in the city park across from a number of residences.

“We’re disappointed that we weren’t even given an opportunity to talk with the County about this better location, which would not have disrupted a neighborhood or wildlife and offered ways to ensure the skatepark would be sustainable,” Council President Terry Cohen said in a statement.  “We don’t want a new skatepark to end up like the County’s last one, closed down and filled in.”

Cohen remains hopeful that a skatepark will be developed in Salisbury, saying that some of the essential elements are a plan for ongoing maintenance and associated expenses, a vision for leveraging economic benefits such as opportunities for new businesses and tourism as result of the park, and complimenting other local and regional amenities in a way that does not interfere with residential neighborhoods.

“At $262,000 to construct just the first phase, this would be a regional facility, not a small, local playground, so the demands to ensure its success will be higher,” Cohen noted.  “If the City is going to take on what is essentially a County responsibility, a lot needs to be in place to ensure its sustainability.”

At the meeting, Council Vice President Debbie Campbell expressed her disappointment that the Mayor had rejected Salisbury University’s offer to be involved in an environmental study of the area.  As part of its grant-funding process, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources had performed what Cohen called “a top-level review,” but Cohen said that DNR had informed her that their review should not be considered an impact study.

“Many constituents have expressed concerns about the environmental well-being of the more natural end of the city park.  I realize the Mayor and others want to convert that end of the park from “passive recreation” to “active recreation,” which by itself is not necessarily a bad thing,” Cohen said.  “However, with that area of the city park being one of the last publicly available places in the entire city to be surrounded by nature, such a change should be approached cautiously so that we don’t stress wildlife, encourage erosion or otherwise damage or lose that precious asset.”

Today's Fill In The Blank 11-20-12

The lowest price I ever paid for gas was $____ a gallon.

IT'S ON IT'S WAY


Who is David Barton?


An organization that monitors and reports on privacy issues wants to see of copy of a “secret law” announced by Barack Obama regarding the National Security Agency and its reach into private Internet communications.
“This (Freedom of Information Act) request involves information on the National Security Agency’s authority to invade civilian networks,” a letter from the Electronic Privacy Information Center to the NSA headquarters in Fort George G. Meade, Md., says.

It's The End Of The Road For Hurricane Sandy & Bivalve

Bivalve Wharf Rd.

Today's Advertiser Of The Day 11-20-12


HELP With ELECTRICITY And HEATING BILLS For CRISFIELD RESIDENTS


SALISBURY, MD— Crisfield area residents who need assistance with electricity and heating bills may go to SHORE UP!’s Home Energy Programs office in Crisfield, which is reopening Monday, November 26, 2012. The office, located at H. DeWayne Whittington Elementary School, 6 Asbury Avenue in Crisfield, will be open Monday through Friday, 9 am-3 pm, to accommodate as many customers as possible. Those requesting services should make sure their application is completely filled out. Applications can be received by calling 410-341-9634, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. or obtained at www.shoreup.org. To process the application, the following information is needed:

Proof of all household income for the past 30 days for anyone 18 years old or older, social security, SSI (award letter or direct deposit statement), pension, retirement, wages, TCA, TDAP, unemployment, child support (6-month printout needed), alimony (current documentation)
Identification (drivers license or photo ID)

Names, Social Security cards and dates of birth for all household members
Current electric bill – Bill must be in applicants name for EUSP
Bill for main heating source – Gas and propane customers must provide this.
Renters need landlord’s name, address, telephone number, lease agreement and most recent rent receipt

Homeowners need deed, payment information or tax assessment

For more information, please contact the SHORE UP! main office at 410-749-1142.

Cold Caps Help Chemo Patients Keep Their Hair

A Maryland woman said she's proof that a new therapy can help those undergoing chemotherapy keep their hair.

For anyone undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, the loss of hair can be a devastating psychological blow.


Maureen O'Connor and her twin sister, Kathleen, are both breast cancer survivors. Maureen's treatment included chemotherapy.
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Why Pot Makes Some Psychotic

People who smoke pot may be at increased risk for psychosis if they have a certain genetic marker, a new study finds.
The results show people with this genetic marker who use cannabis are twice as likely to experience psychosis compared with those who use the drug but do not have the genetic marker.
Among people who use the drug every day, the risk for psychosis increases sevenfold for those who have the genetic marker.

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UPPER FERRY REOPENS AFTER HURRICANE SANDY


November 20, 2012 –Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt is pleased to announce the re-opening of the Upper Ferry after damage sustained by Hurricane Sandy.

Hurricane Sandy flooded the ferry house and damaged electronic equipment that required replacement. “The contractor was notified immediately after a damage assessment of the ferries following Hurricane Sandy,” commented Executive Pollitt, “Employees from our Department of Public Works met with the serviceman at the ferry to diagnose the problems and determine the necessary repairs. We realize the importance of the Upper Ferry to the community and have been working as quickly as possible to restore the service.”

Today's Survey Question 11-20-12

What's your favorite Town in America?

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON PRELIMINARY OCTOBER JOBS REPORT


ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 20, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Labor’s release of preliminary employment data for the month of October:
"Last month, Maryland’s businesses led the way by creating 16,700 jobs - the best month for private sector job growth in more than 15 years. Our unemployment rate has been driven down to 6.7 percent, and together we’ve recovered nearly 85 percent of the jobs lost during the Bush recession.

Maryland’s dynamic private sector continues to prove that we are on the cutting edge of innovation and that our greatest assets are the talents, skills, creativity, ingenuity, and education of our people. A new study released this week by the nonpartisan group The States Project ranks Maryland #2 in the nation for economic opportunity - a sign that the progress we make together does not happen by chance, but by the choices we make as a State to move forward by growing jobs and opportunity.”