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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

DO YOU KNOW THE FASCINATING AND TROUBLING STORY ABOUT THE WOMAN BEHIND THE ROE V. WADE CASE?

Today marks the 40th anniversary since the Supreme Court ruled on the controversial Roe vs. Wade case. The result, of course, was legalized abortion across the United States of America and a seemingly never-ending debate surrounding theology, public policy and women’s rights.

While many people are well aware of the general themes surrounding the legal battle, the background of the woman at the center of it all, Jane Roe (real name: Norma McCorvey), may be somewhat unknown to most Americans. Her story is a fascinating one, as the plaintiff-turned-activist quickly became the catalyst — and face — of legalized abortion, later renouncing her role to become one of the nation’s most outspoken pro-life advocates. And even if you might have known that, there’s plenty of other fascinating details you may not.

McCorvey, who went by the pseudonym ”Jane Roe” for the purposes of her role in a legal battle that set off decades of furor, has gone through some fascinating evolutions over the past four decades (in case you’re wondering, “Wade” was Henry Wade, Dallas County’s District attorney who was attempting to uphold Texas law). Contrary to what one might expect from the woman who once fervently challenged abortion regulations, McCorvey, in her later years, has expressed sadness about the Roe vs. Wade verdict. In 1997, while speaking with CNN about the ruling’s anniversary, she told the outlet that it made her “very sad.”

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Oak Harbor City Council 1-15-2013 2nd Amendment PLEASE VIEW

Council Members ask Veteran to leave chamber, then excuse themselves. This is a must see video. Take the time to watch it all the way through. It's important.

A Viewers Thoughts

Perspective on the Welfare and taxes-You know I don't mind helping the needy out ,but when I received my new tax bill this year after being told it would not ever go up I was really pissed. Another $150.00 a month gone, no matter how much I make every year it goes down, gas is still highest its ever been but Dumbocrats don't complain because our savior in in office. So, this year like large corporations I am giving less. You see a year or so ago I adopted a kid, to teach my kids about helping others that needed help. Really cool thing is you right a letter, send gifts and get responses back from the child you adopt, or I hope its her not some scam who ever really knows. 
My point, well walking through the mall other day I was watching all the people thinking… I may be supporting that person, or that person who knows. You see, when the government takes money out of my check I don't know who Im supporting. It would be great for government to assign a family to each of us, so then we can share letters and send gifts. See them grow and at least watch where our money goes… No, we have to walk around look at all the worthless people with no care in the world to ever even look for a job, get free cell phones eat lobster, get beer and cigarettes. 
Yeah, system works great, thanks Dumbocrats and The Obamations.
Just like corporate America… I'm done being charitable cause I am forced in being charitable.

First Term: Food Stamp Recipients Increased 11,133 Per Day Under Obama

During President Obama’s first term, the number of persons taking federal food stamps, formally known as the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP), increased by approximately 11,133 persons per day.

When Obama was inaugurated in January 2009, the number of SNAP recipients was 31,939,110. By October 2012, the latest month reported, they had jumped to 47,525,329.

That means the food stamp program grew by an of approximately 11,133 recipients per day from January 2009 to October 2012.

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Thousands Miss Inauguration Because Of 'Miscommunication'

Thousands of people without tickets to the inauguration missed the whole thing, stuck behind police barricades on Independence Avenue during the ceremony without the ability to see or hear it. And police have no answer as to why they were stuck there.

"I'm not sure why that happened," says Sgt. Paul Brooks with the National Park Police. He says there was no security reason for that number of people to be held back along Independence Ave.

"It seemed to be some confusion between Park Police and Metropolitan Police Department," Brooks says.

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Cash-Strapped Postal Service Probed For Travel Expense Waste

The Postal Service's watchdog is investigating the agency for runaway travel expenses, a lingering problem for the cash-strapped mail carrier even as it tries aggressively to cut costs.

A report from the Postal Service's Office of Inspector General, released in September, found that the agency, which lost almost $16 billion in last year, had overpaid more than $1 million in travel reimbursements to employees during an 18-month period.

The report said the employees improperly claimed refunds or used government-issued travel cards for personal expenses such as hotel stays and purchasing gasoline, among other issues.

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THE STORY BEHIND THE PICTURE OF THE PRAYING HANDS

Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.

Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of the elder children, Albrecht and Albert, had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.

After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother
at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.

They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg.

Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.

When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you."

All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, "No ...no....no ..no." Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four years in the mines have done to my hands!
The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ....for me it is too late."

More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer's hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, water colors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer's works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.

One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love "The Praying Hands."

The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, that no one - no one - ever makes it alone!

BREAKING NEWS: Nebraska Governor OKs Keystone Pipeline Route

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman notifies President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton that he has approved a route for controversial pipeline that bypasses environmentally sensitive areas. 

From Fox News

Push To Hike State's Minimum Wage

A new measure before state lawmakers in Annapolis could increase the minimum wage by 2015 in Maryland.

State officials say if the measure passes, it would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10 an hour.

Additionally, the measure would raise the minimum wage for tipped workers from 50 percent to 70 percent, and adjust the minimum wage annually with the cost of living, officials say.

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Michigan 'Hero' Teen Hides Rape Victim from Alleged Attacker

A Michigan 14-year-old is being hailed as a hero by his community for helping to hide a rape victim in his house while her alleged attacker pounded on the doors, threatening to kill.

James Persyn III was at home in Shepherd, Mich., watching his siblings Acelin, 11, and Angus, 2, on Wednesday night while their father drove a few miles away to pick up his fiancee from work.

Suddenly, the children said they heard banging on the door and a woman screaming, "Let me in! Let me in!"

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Obama Inauguration: Interactive Panoramic Photo

Click HERE to see the photo. Give the page a few seconds to load and the tools for movement will display at the bottom left of the page.

Guns & Veterans

Just a reminder and probably a taste of things to come.

Here is a heads up. Read the article below on gun possession and them come back and read below....some friendly advice.

A common Rule of Thumb....when ever a bureaucrat asks you a question, a safe "answer" is to ask them a question in return. Be polite, but be firm. They often want to extract information out of you without you being the wiser. There is no transparency in the manner of their interaction with you. A good example of this is in the article below....here is what I do. You do what you want.

Example: Did you know you were speeding back there?

answer: Was I speeding?

What is your name?

Is there a problem officer?

Where are you going?

Is there a problem officer?

Can I look in your trunk?

Do you have a warrant?

Why can't I just answer the question and be safe? In law if you answer the question [ANY QUESTION], you have "joined the issue", meaning that you have unwittingly become a part of the officer's jurisdiction. To "join" means to become part of an alliance, or to enter into an alliance. You have constitutional protections to guard against such intrusions into your privacy. To be safe, just follow the simple Rule of Thumb. Disclaimer: This is not to be construed as legal advice. Do you own a gun? Why do you need to know? Keep it simple. Stop the intrusion into something they have no business asking. The Patriot Act was passed by both Houses. Don't help them reduce your freedom.

In the article below, use your best judgment....or you might find yourself where you don't want to be.

Another way of finding out our "PRIVACY"

Never answer the question....

Do you have a gun in the house? Why do you need to know?

GOOD TO KNOW!

When I had my gangrene gallbladder taken out and spent 10 days in the hospital for what should have been an overnight stay the insurance company kicked me out. I had home nurse visits for two weeks and was asked if I had guns in the house. I respond that if I did I would not tell them. So the below has some merit.

FYI, I am passing this along... there are comments from two other people I have also been asked if we keep guns in the house. The nurse just kinda slipped it in along with all the other regular questions. I told her I refused to answer because it was against the law to ask.

Everyone, whether you have guns or not, should give a neutral answer so they have no idea who does and who doesn't. My doctor asked me if I had guns in my house and also if any were loaded. I, of course, answered yes to both questions. Then he asked why I kept a loaded gun close to my bed. I answered that my son, who is a certified gun instructor and also works for Homeland Security, advised me that an unloaded, locked up gun is no protection against criminal attack.

The Government now requires these questions be asked of people on Medicare, and probably everyone else.

Just passing this along for your information: I had to visit a doctor other than my regular doctor when my doctor was on vacation.. One of the questions on the form I had to fill out was: Do you have any guns in your house?? My answer was None of your damn business!!

So it is out there! It is either an insurance issue or government intervention. Either way, it is out there and the second the government gets into your medical records (as they want to under Obamacare) it will become a major issue and will ultimately result in lock and load!!

Please pass this on to all the other retired guys and gun owners... Thanks, from a Vietnam Vet and retired Police Officer: I had a doctor's appointment at the local VA clinic yesterday and found out something very interesting that I would like to pass along. While going through triage before seeing the doctor, I was asked at the end of the exam, three questions: 1. Did I feel stressed? 2. Did I feel threatened? 3. Did I feel like doing harm to someone?

The nurse then informed me that if I had answered yes to any of the questions I would have lost my concealed carry permit as it would have gone into my medical records and the VA would have reported it to Homeland Security.

Looks like they are going after the vets first. Other gun people like retired law enforcement will probably be next. Then when they go after the civilians, what argument will they have? Be forewarned and be aware. The Obama administration has gone on record as considering veterans and gun owners potential terrorists.Whether you are a gun owner, veteran or not, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED !

If you know veterans and gun owners, please pass this on to them. Be very cautious about what you say and to whom.

They are coming for us, so unless you're an ostrich or a Democrat, do not stick your head in the sand..........
"Man is not free unless government is limited." - Ronald Reagan

Comment Worthy Of A Post 1-22-13

Bullard Construction said... An open letter to my Senators and Congressman, Ben Cardin, Barbara Mikulski, and Andy Harris.
Our President has just announced through Joe Biden that he is planning on ramming through 19 or so “Executive Orders” in reflection of the Sandy Hook shootings. I want you all to know where I stand, and request you to stand with me. Believe me. I am as deeply shocked and saddened by this action of a madman.
In no way is the Second Amendment negotiable. It has nothing to do with hunting, and everything to do with the protection of out countrymen in the case of an oppressive government, whether it be that of the U.S., China, Japan, Iraq, or any other.
Any executive Order with gun bans, limiting sizes of magazines, or any other infringement should be reason enough to begin action of Impeachment.
I have suggested three things to reduce or eliminate these mass shootings, and find acceptable, listed below.
1) The NRA has offered to train school teachers and staff, and basically anyone in such a venue in Concealed Carry for the protection of the children. Abolish Gun Free Zones everywhere and theater ushers can participate.
2) Allow Concealed and open carry to anyone without a felony criminal record, so anyone everywhere will think twice before attempting such an action.
3) High capacity magazines and AK47’s and AR15’s are necessary legal pieces of equipment if any nation decides to invade us. China may own us, but they will not move in if we have this in place. Remember Japan in WWII?
4) Let’s all review “Anti” psychotic drugs. I know that when I have taken certain drugs, my ability to thing normally is impaired. I once bit my dentist while on Nitrous Oxide! He had to inform me of what I was doing before I could consciously prevent myself from doing it!
Bottom line is, the real reason we now have multiple deaths at shooting sites is that no one is allowed to shoot back! In the Old West, it was different. If somebody came into the room with a weapon and started shooting, the shooting was ended in a short time! This limits casualties. There will ALWAYS be folks who make bad decisions, let’s just make it possible to minimize the damage.

Federal Transit Benefits Raised To $245 Per Month, Retroactive Payments Clarified

Transit riders will be able to receive even higher federal transit benefits -- and get back money for last year's transit costs.

The Internal Revenue Service has adjusted the maximum transit and parking benefits for up to $245 per month from $240 to take into account inflation. That comes after Congress raised the limit earlier this month for transit riders from $125 per month to $240 per month to match parking benefits as part of the "fiscal cliff" deal.

The IRS also issued guidance to employers on how to pull off a puzzling aspect of that legislation, which called for making the $240 transit benefits retroactive for 2012.

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NY Times Writer Demonizes People With Depression, Wants Their Right To A Gun Taken Away

This is what I was writing about when I mentioned that dealing with gun restrictions on people with mental health issues is a slippery slope. Here comes Wendy Burton, form far left political speech writer, who starts off with a long missive about how some drunk was looking to break into her home, so she called the police, who came and took the drunk away, then
(NY Times) I considered buying a gun. The threat of violence rattles you like that. What rolled round my head after that dark morning was: what if I hadn’t heard the noise, what if it’s different next time? While I held that chair with all of my strength, I wished that I had had a gun because if he had gotten in, then I could have pointed it at him, maybe deterred him and if necessary pulled the trigger.

So I looked at guns. Some had mother-of-pearl handles and looked like something Mae West would use in a movie. Others were Glocks, shotguns and rifles. I had gone as far as to dial the number of the Metropolitan Police Department’s firearms registration division and begin the process. Then I stopped and put my BlackBerry down.

I remembered who I am.

I am one of the millions of people in this country who live with depression. I knew that in the gun registration form there would be a version of this question: Have you ever voluntarily or involuntarily been committed to a hospital? The answer is yes — voluntarily. But because my hospitalization was years earlier and I wasn’t in treatment at the time, I could have gotten a gun.

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Graduation Rate Hits Record High For High School Students: Government Report

More U.S. high school students than ever are graduating on time, according to new information released by the research arm of the U.S. Education Department.

The percentage of students who graduated from high school within four years of starting ninth grade in the 2006-2007 school year hit a record high, according to the report. "What we see is an increase," Jack Buckley, who directs the Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics, told The Huffington Post. Out of the 4 million students who started school four years ago, 3.1 million -- or 78.2 percent -- graduated with a regular or advanced diploma in the 2009-2010 school year. That's an increase of more than two percentage points.

NCES has put out this report since 2005, but Buckley's team has made estimates back into the 1970s. "This is the highest estimated rate of on-time graduation rate," Buckley said. The only time the country observed a similar graduation rate was in 1968, he added.

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Lies & Clever Myths

The best thing about math is that it’s a constant. The numbers are what they are. That’s why I’m a data guy, because as a person that believes in absolute truth I have a tendency to like things cut and dried.

Leading up to the 2012 election several lies and clever myths were postulated by the ruling class know-it-alls and the charlatans who act on their behalf, and you can bet they will continue peddling their wares this year in light of the results. But the beauty of real numbers is they cut through all the horse puckey right to the real truth. To prepare you for the onslaught of misinformation between now and 2016 from both the mainstream media and the Republican Party establishment, I have prepared a handy guide of real information to arm you with the truth.

Lie and clever myth #1: Republicans lose elections because they’re too conservative so independents side with Democrats.

TRUTH: Romney won independent voters in the crucial battleground states of Virginia and Ohio, two of the three states he had to win to win the presidency. In Florida, the other battleground state Romney had to have, he actually did 8 points better among independents than McCain did in 2008. In Colorado, Romney won independents by four points, which was 14 points better than McCain performed there four years ago.

Lie and clever myth #2: Romney lost because of the GOP’s alleged “war on women” so that means Republicans can’t be pro-life anymore.

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Obama Inauguration Party: Supporters Celebrate President's Re-Election At Crowded Ball

Whoever coined the term "to the victor goes the spoils" did not have President Barack Obama's official inauguration party in mind.

They knocked on doors for him and helped him win re-election, but when Obama supporters put on their tuxedos and ball gowns to celebrate the start of his second term in office, they feasted on pretzels, peanuts and Cheez-its.

"This is the food? I'm not too thrilled about it. It's for the birds," said Ben Shelly, who helped mobilize support for Obama on the Navajo reservation in Arizona.

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America’s Exodus From Marriage

In 2000, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan was asked to identify the biggest change he had seen in his 40-year political career. Moynihan, a man of unusual sagacity, experience, and perspective, responded this way: “The biggest change, in my judgment, is that the family structure has come apart all over the North Atlantic world.” This change has occurred in “an historical instant,” Moynihan said. “Something that was not imaginable 40 years ago has happened.”

I thought about Senator Moynihan’s observation after reading “The President’s Marriage Agenda for the Forgotten Sixty Percent,” which is the centerpiece of the latest State of Our Unions report. This study focused on the nearly 60 percent of Americans who have completed high school but do not have a four-year college degree.

What we’re seeing is a rapid hollowing out of marriage in Middle America–with 44 percent of the children of moderately-educated mothers born outside of marriage. “We’re at a tipping point with Middle America,” W. Bradford Wilcox, a leading scholar on marriage, told National Review Online’s Kathryn Jean Lopez, “insofar as Middle Americans are on the verge of losing their connection to marriage.”

We are “witnessing a striking exodus from marriage,” according to the study.

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Disabled Marylanders Join Class Action Over Delayed Benefits

Citing a severe and chronic backlog, advocacy groups have filed a class-action lawsuit accusing the state of failing low-income and disabled Marylanders by regularly taking nearly a year to approve medical assistance applications.

The lawsuit, filed last week in Baltimore Circuit Court on behalf of nearly 10,000 disabled adults, seeks to force the Department of Human Resources to approve the Medicaid applications within 60 days, as required by state law. The advocates allege that nearly 46 percent of applications in 2012 were illegally delayed.

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Gun Solutions Not Gun Control

In the wake of the Connecticut school shooting, there is a desire to do something to try to prevent similar types of incidents from occurring again. The liberals understand this, and have run with it. They have run in the direction that feels good, but has no proof of effectiveness. Conservatives have the solution that has been proven everywhere it has been tried, yet are silent on this issue. Rather than Republicans answering questions about bad Democratic ideas, the President should be answering questions about Republican legislative proposals. Where is the proposal from a republican to allow for concealed carry rights throughout the country? This has helped reduce gun violence everywhere it has been tried, and could be administered by each state. With one proposal the conversation could be changed from what feels good to what works.

There are now 39 states that have concealed carry laws (where you can receive a concealed weapon permit if you meet certain criteria). This is up from 9 states that had these laws in 1986, and has been pointed to as being instrumental in the drop in gun violencein these states. The recent shootings in CT and Colorado were cases where concealed carry guns were not allowed. In the case of Sandy Hook school, it is not allowed in the entire state. In the case of the Colorado movie theater, there is concealed carry allowed in Colorado, but specifically not allowed in that particular theater. Imagine if the 5-10% of the population who typically carry guns when permitted, had them in that Colorado theater that night, or in the Sandy Hook school that day. How many lives might have been saved? Concealed carry should be part of the national debate on guns.

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Gas Plant Worker And 2 Canadians Helped Terrorists In Siege, Algerian PM Says

An Al Qaeda-linked militant group who took control of a Algerian gas plant during a four-day-long siege that left 38 hostages dead, including three Americans, did it with help from the inside, Algeria's prime minister said Monday.

Abdelmalek Sellal, speaking to reporters at a news conference in Algiers, said the kidnappers came from Egypt, Canada, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Tunisia. He said the group, wearing Algerian army uniforms, included a former driver from Niger who worked at the facility and a team of explosives experts who had memorized the layout of the sprawling complex and were ready to blow the place sky-high. He added that two Canadians were among them.

Algeria detailed a grim toll from the attack, saying that 38 hostages and 29 militants died. Three of the attackers were captured and five foreign workers remained unaccounted for, Sellal told reporters at a news conference in Algiers, the capital.

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Maryland: Your Governor Has BIG Plans For Gun Control

If you live in Maryland, your Governor has some big changes in store. You need to make your voices heard. You can e-mail the governor here. If you do nothing, you will have no one to blame but yourself. Take fifteen minutes and write Governor O’Malley a direct, well thought out letter. If you see this link, there are already eight Bills submitted in various stages of the process. Most are going through hearings now. Make sure you educate yourself on what is happening. I did find the link to contact the Maryland district legislators, if you click here, it will ask you your address and zip code and then will allow you to contact the people you represent you. Below you will see the general plan that Governor O’Malley has for your state.
Gun Control Plans

Assault Weapons Ban Maryland currently bans only 15 enumerated assault pistols, but allows for the sale and possession of high-capacity, military-style assault weapons designed for the greatest human carnage. This legislation would establish a ban on all assault weapons, with a focus on the features that enhance a weapon’s lethality.

Magazine Capacity Limitation This proposal would reduce the allowable magazine capacity from 20 rounds to 10.

Licensing This proposal would require a license for every handgun purchase with age restrictions; mandatory safety training requirements; mandatory fingerprinting; and an attestation that a person is not prohibited, with a waiver for a full background check. While respecting an individual’s right to protect one’s self and one’s family with a handgun, this common sense proposal also recognizes the need for accuracy in identification and the need for weapons familiarization and safety training prior to purchase. Note: the Administration’s licensing plan will carve-out hunting rifles and shotguns from this requirement.

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BREAKING NEWS

PARAMEDICS RESPOND TO REPORTS OF SHOOTING AT HOUSTON-AREA COLLEGE, MYFOXHOUSTON REPORTS

DEVELOPING: Shots were fired Tuesday on the Lone Star College campus in north Houston, MyFoxHouston.com reported. There were local reports of three injuries.

One suspect is reportedly in custody and police are searching for another possible gunman. 

Shooting at Lone Star College In North Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A campus spokesperson has confirmed shots have been fired on the campus of Lone Star College in north Houston.

Emergency responders are focused in the area around the campus library. There are unconfirmed reports of three people injured. Medical crews can be seen tending to at least two victims outside the building. Their conditions are not known, nor the nature of their injuries.

There is no immediate information on the shooter.

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Southwest Offers $40 Early-Boarding Option

Southwest Airlines has added a $40 pay-at-the-gate option for travelers with cheaper tickets who want to be among the first to group to board.

Dallas-based Southwest doesn’t offer assigned seats and the carrier Monday announced the latest option for coveted group “A” boarding. The boarding slots for cheaper tickets are assigned based on when a person checks in for the flight.

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Please Don't Help My Kids

Dear Other Parents At The Park:

Please do not lift my daughters to the top of the ladder, especially after you've just heard me tell them I wasn't going to do it for them and encourage them to try it themselves.

I am not sitting here, 15 whole feet away from my kids, because I am too lazy to get up. I am sitting here because I didn't bring them to the park so they could learn how to manipulate others into doing the hard work for them. I brought them here so they could learn to do it themselves.

They're not here to be at the top of the ladder; they are here to learn to climb. If they can't do it on their own, they will survive the disappointment. What's more, they will have a goal and the incentive to work to achieve it.

In the meantime, they can use the stairs. I want them to tire of their own limitations and decide to push past them and put in the effort to make that happen without any help from me.

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PHENOMENAL PURPLE PASSION PLUNGE PEP-PARTY PLANNED

(ANNAPOLIS, MD) – To celebrate the amazing Baltimore Ravens, a founding sports partner of the Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge, this Saturday’s 17th annual Plunge is being turned into the world’s largest and most unique Purple Passion Pep-Party that will include plunging Ravens cheerleaders and band members, as well as lots of spirit as we raise money for the athletes of Special Olympics and cheer the Ravens on to victory in the Super Bowl.

In cooperation with the Baltimore Ravens, Plungefest planners have arranged for a visit from the Ravens caravan at the Plunge. The caravan includes Ravens cheerleaders, members of the Ravens Marching Band, Poe, give-aways and lots of purple pom-poms and purple painted people. A purple ‘Ravens’ tent on the beach will serve as headquarters for the World’s Largest Purple Pep Party and will be the place for fans to enter to win a 60” color television. Second prize will be tickets to the Ravens first home game next season.

The 17th annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics is part of Plungefest, set for this Friday and Saturday, January 25th and 26th, at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Friday morning, about 50 “Super Plungers,” each of whom pledged to raise $10,000, will begin their quest to plunge into the Bay once an hour for 24 hours. At noon Friday, thousands of high school students will hit the beach for the fourth annual “Cool Schools Plunge.” Hundreds of police officers will assemble at 1:00 p.m. for the “Police Plunge.” At 3:00 p.m., the first “Corporate Plunge” will occur with hundreds of plungers from several corporate supporters.

Saturday begins with registration at 8:00 a.m. The “Pee Wee Plunge” occurs at 11:00 a.m. for kids eight and under and their families. Senior citizens who wish to can also plunge at this time. The first general plunge occurs at 1:00 p.m., followed by a second at 3:00 p.m. In between, plungers and spectators can visit the vendors in the huge Carnival Funfest Tent, or listen to bands in the Rams Head Ice Lodge. The Astro Events Kids Zone is back by popular demand. The costume contest, a master chainsaw carver, real race horses and jockeys, police and military displays, and lots of unusual sights will all be free and fun to see.

All that is asked of plungers is to raise a minimum of $50 in donations that can be pledged on-line, or brought to registration at the Plunge. For a complete listing of anything related to the Plunge, visit www.plungemd.com.

Plungefest is a family event with no admission fee and you are not required to plunge in order to come and enjoy the fun. Alcohol consumption is prohibited throughout most of the Plungefest venue. It is permitted in restricted and designated areas that include the Rams Head Ice Lodge. While tailgating in parking lots is permitted, alcohol consumption in non-designated areas is not permitted. Police and security patrols will be enforcing the alcohol restriction. Violators may be subject to a citation, expulsion from the park, and/or arrest, depending on the circumstances.

There is no general parking at Sandy Point State Park. Parking permits are required in the park and have already been distributed to eligible persons. All those planning to attend the Plunge should use the Polar Express Shuttle System and park either at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium, Anne Arundel Community College, or Kent Island High School. Shuttle buses will quickly, effortlessly, and warmly transport plungers to and from their car to the beach and back again. Pick up spots will be clearly marked and staff will be on-hand in the shuttle lots and at the beach to answer questions and help people make connections.

In addition to the support raised by thousands of participants, donations by corporate partners significantly contribute to the success of Plungefest. This year’s corporate partners include Aerotek, Sam’s Club, Constellation Energy, WBAL TV, 98Rock, WBAL AM, Clear Channel Outdoor, The Sun, The Council of Baltimore Ravens Roosts, Comcast, Bingo World, Rams Head, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Wawa.

Plungefest, featuring the Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge, is part of the Maryland Law Enforcement Torch Run program. This program includes police officers, correctional officers, parole and probation officers, and federal agents, who work together throughout the year to conduct special events that raise money to support Special Olympics, which is the adopted charity of law enforcement worldwide. Maryland’s Law Enforcement Torch Run has been the most successful fundraising program in the world for the past four years.

By The Numbers: Obama’s Popularity Plunges While Gun Rights Issues Gain In Popularity

Though President Obama continually touts the support of America in his crusade against gun rights, he may be doing so on mere speculation as polls released on Friday indicate that Americans are dissatisfied with his new gun control proposals.

Gallup released a new poll with Obama plunging below the 50% mark. While TPNN recently reported that Obama enjoyed a 53% favorable rating, his numbers have crashed to 49% amidst his vehement crusade for stricter gun control laws.

As Obama suffers the decline, the latest Gallup polls show a 54% approval rating of the NRA.

While Obama’s approval rating is not entirely tied to gun control issues, it has remained at the forefront of national discussion and Obama has recently unveiled 23 executive orders he signed that he has claimed will help curb gun violence.

Obama’s slump comes after a brief surge from having secured higher taxes in the fiscal cliff negotiations while not submitting to any meaningful spending cuts- a victory for the left who have advocated continual government spending.

Meanwhile, while President Obama and other leading liberals have questioned why anyone would need, what they call, “weapons of war” and “assault weapons,” according to Rasmussen Polls, 65% of Americans view the Second Amendment protection of individual firearm ownership to not be merely a sporting consideration, but to be a protection against tyranny.

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Confirmed: Beyonce DID Lip-Synch At The Inauguration

Beyonce Knowle’s flawless performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the inauguration was entirely lip-synched, Page Six has confirmed. A rep for the United States Marine Band revealed that she decided to perform to a pre-recorded track at the last minute.

“All music is pre-recorded for the ceremony because there are so many eventualities and conditions that day,” Kristin DuBois, a rep for the band tells Page Six. “We performed, live, the band. But we received last-minute word that Beyonce was going to use the pre-recorded vocal track. Those were the instructions we were given. We don’t know what the reason why.”

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Winter Pipe Advisory

Town Of Ocean City Press Release


Due to the recent drop in temperatures, the Ocean City Fire Department would like to offer property owners simple maintenance tips to ensure that fire sprinkler and domestic pipes do not freeze and break, causing thousands of dollars in water damage as well as rendering fire sprinkler systems inoperable.

Maintaining wet pipes above freezing is a key concern. Domestic water pipes can be insulated or wrapped with an approved UL listed heat tape. In the event that a unit is unoccupied for the winter season, domestic water pipes can also be drained.

Wet sprinkler systems, however, usually cannot be wrapped with a heat tape. All sprinklered areas of a building should be checked to make sure they are above freezing. Setting a unit thermostat to keep pipes around 40 degrees Fahrenheit will help prevent these pipes from freezing.

With regard to dry sprinkler systems, auxiliary condensate drains should be drained by a licensed sprinkler company or person knowledgeable about sprinkler systems. The following pictures illustrate the auxiliary drains for dry pipe sprinkler systems:

Finally, emergency contact numbers should be posted on the outside of the building, which can help the fire department contact responsible parties in the event of a pipe break. Also, key lock boxes, which can be purchased from the fire department headquarters at 15th Street, can allow access into a building in the event of an emergency to allow firefighters to turn off water mains and minimize damage within units.

For more information on precautionary measures to take to prevent pipe breaks, contact the Ocean City Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal at 410-289-8780.

Michelle Obama Rolls Eyes At John Boehner, Sets Internet Aflame

Monday’s post-inaugural luncheon was a case study in body language--and nearly all of the physical evidence centered on House Speaker John Boehner. One interaction in particular already became an Internet meme: Michelle Obama rolling her eyes after listening to a comment from the Ohio Republican congressman.

Tumblr blogger “Mattyrab” was the first to capture the eye roll in action, sharing video of the exchange in a display described as a “historical moment in shade throwing.” The video has already been shared thousands of times across social media sites with viewers speculating on what sparked the First Lady’s facial expression.

We don’t have audio of their exchange so, for now, it’s impossible to know exactly what Boehner had said. In fact, it’s entirely possible that Michelle Obama's eye roll was simply a reaction to an innocuous joke from Boehner.

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A Viewer Responds To Daily Times Promotion Mailer



I got this ad in the mail a few days ago... ...So I mailed it back to them, and they are paying for it! I thought you might get a kick out of it. ...They also included a prepaid envelope...Have a great day Mr. Mayor!

The Time Bomb In Obamacare?

A willow, not an oak. So said conservatives of Chief Justice John Roberts when he rescued the Affordable Care Act (ACA) — a.k.a. Obamacare — from being found unconstitutional.

But the manner in which he did this may have made the ACA unworkable, thereby putting it on a path to ultimate extinction.
This plausible judgment comes from professor Thomas A. Lambert of the University of Missouri Law School, writing in Regulation, a quarterly publication of the libertarian Cato Institute.

The crucial decision, he says, was four liberal justices joining Roberts’s opinion declaring that the ACA’s penalty for not complying with the mandate to purchase health insurance is actually a tax on not purchasing it. With this reasoning, the court severely limited the ability of the new health-care regime to cope with its own predictable consequences.

What was supposed to be, constitutionally, the dispositive question turned out not to be. Conservatives said that the mandate — the requirement that people engage in commerce by purchasing health insurance — exceeded Congress’s enumerated power to regulate interstate commerce. Liberals ridiculed this argument, noting that since the judicial revolution wrought during the New Deal, courts have given vast deference to Congress regarding that power. The ridicule stopped when five justices, including Roberts, agreed with the conservative argument.

Nixon Went to China, Who Will Go to Iran?

Iranians are now beginning to die for lack of medicines kept out by U.S.-imposed sanctions. I recently questioned (and videoed) former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright about her notorious defense of sanctions that killed over a half million young Iraqi children. She said she'd been wrong to say what she'd said. She did not comment on the appropriateness of what she'd done. I asked her if what we were doing to Iran was also wrong, and she replied, "No, absolutely not."

So, somehow it is good and proper for us to be killing Iranian children -- although perhaps not to be talking about it.

I suspect that some of the reasons why we imagine there is a greater good being served by such actions are the same reasons no U.S. president will go to Iran in the manner in which Nixon went to China. Of course, the common political wisdom in the United States holds that the president who went to China had to be a Republican. By the same logic, the president who goes to Iran must be a militarist power-mad servant of the corporate oligarchy from the Republican party and not a militarist power-mad servant of the corporate oligarchy from the Democratic party. That wouldn't do at all. And yet, U.S. conduct toward Iran has varied little from Bush to Clinton to Bush Jr. to Obama/Clinton, H. A hopeless spiral of delusional counter-productive approaches toward the Islamic Republic of Iran needs to be broken by a 180 degree turn, and it won't make much substantive difference who does it, as long as it doesn't come too late.

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Gun Control Not As Locked And Loaded As White House Thinks

As the White House gears up to take its gun control plans on a public relations tour, at least one senator is out selling a different message: Don’t worry. The Second Amendment will stay intact.

“He has six Democrats up for election in two years in states where the president received fewer than 42 percent of the votes,” said Sen. John Barasso, Wyoming Republican, in a Politico report, running down the realities of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s political capital. “He doesn’t want his Democrats to have to choose between their own constituents and the president’s positions.”

In other words, Mr. Barasso said: No way would Mr. Reid bring a gun control bill to the floor for vote. That message does have some historical support.

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Paid Sick Days?

Mired in the worst flu season in decades, Americans are demanding business owners give their workers paid sick days. According to a new survey by the consumer organization, ORC International, 57% of Americans say it is "very important or important" that restaurants provide their workers with paid sick days. This is common sense, after all, who wants sick people handling their food? Unfortunately, the United States of America is the only developed nation in the world that doesn't guarantee paid sick leave, holiday pay or paid vacation days. As a result, 90% of restaurant workers don't get paid sick time. The same is true of 79% of ALL food industry workers. According to a 2009 study by the CDC – as many as 5 million more Americans get the flu every year, because restaurants don't offer paid sick days to their workers. This is insanity. Enough with putting corporate profits ahead of the health of entire communities. Give workers what they've earned – a paid day off when they have the flu. With corporate profits as percentage of GDP higher than they've ever been before, Corporate America can easily afford it.

Flu Season Fuels Debate Over Paid Sick Time Laws

An unusually early and vigorous flu season is drawing attention to a cause that has scored victories but also hit roadblocks in recent years: mandatory paid sick leave for a third of civilian workers — more than 40 million people — who don’t have it.

Supporters and opponents are particularly watching New York City, where lawmakers are weighing a sick leave proposal amid a competitive mayoral race.

Pointing to a flu outbreak that the governor has called a public health emergency, dozens of doctors, nurses, lawmakers and activists — some in surgical masks — rallied last week on the steps of City Hall to call for passage of the measure, which has awaited a City Council vote for nearly three years. Two likely mayoral contenders have also pressed the point.

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300 Levees In Need Of Urgent Repair

Millions of Americans are at risk of having their homes flooded, as a result of our deteriorating infrastructure.According to an investigation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, more than 300 levees covering more than 2,000 miles around the country are in need of "urgent repair", and risk failing. And this problem could be much worse, as only 40% of the nearly 2,500 structures, which protect 10 million people from floods, have been reviewed so far. In New Orleans in 2005, we saw the horrific consequences of what happens when levees fail. And these deteriorating levees are part of a bigger problem – a deteriorating infrastructure. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers – our infrastructure requires $1.6 trillion in repairs – and if nothing is done by the end of the decade, that number will grow to nearly $3 trillion. Decaying infrastructure is estimated to cost our economy 3.5 million jobs over the next decade. Of course, there's a simple solution to all of this: Invest government money into rebuilding and modernizing our nation's infrastructure. Unfortunately, since such a thing will put tens of millions of Americans back to work, improve our economy, and prove that the government can indeed be a force for economic good – Republicans in Congress are blocking this much needed infrastructure stimulus. So, you know who to call next time the levees break – John Boehner and Eric Cantor.

Keystone XL Pipeline

Ten Governors around the nation, along with the premier of Saskatchewan, are urging President Obama to approve construction of the rest of the Keystone XL pipeline. The administration is expected to make a decision by the end of March, and for the sake of the planet, let's hope the President says, "no way!" A new study by Oil Change International looked at the potential environmental impacts of the Keystone XL pipeline – and discovered they were worse than previously thought. As much as 16.6 million more metric tons of carbon dioxide will be pumped into the atmosphere, as a result of the Keystone XL pipeline – and new estimates show that annual carbon emission will be 13% higher than previously estimates. While Big Oil and foreign transnational corporations urge the President to approve this environmental time bomb, more rational scientists are pleading for the President to reject it. On Tuesday, 18 of the nation's top climate scientists wrote a letter to President Obama, urging him to scrap the pipeline. In order to tip the scales away from Big Oil, "we the people" need to get active and fight for the planet – because with projections showing a 5-degree increase in temperatures by the end of the century, if we sit around and do nothing – the consequences could be catastrophic.

House Republicans Unveil Measure To Suspend Debt Ceiling Until May 19

House Republicans on Monday unveiled legislation that will suspend the debt ceiling until mid-May, setting the stage for a floor vote as soon as Wednesday.

The House Rules Committee posted the text of the legislation as Washington prepared for President Obama’s second inauguration. In addition to preventing default, the bill would withhold members’ pay if Congress fails to pass a budget by April 15.

The Rules Committee will hold an emergency meeting to discuss the legislation Tuesday, setting up a vote as soon as Wednesday on the House floor. 

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Mall Puts Up Its Own Parking Meters Of ‘Questionable Legality’, Issues Tickets

A shopping center in Yonkers, N.Y. (yep, Consumerist’s global headquarters) didn’t think that it was doing anything wrong when it set up its own parking meters along the private streets on its property. Customers fed them. You park next to a meter, you feed it, right? Park Ridge has collected money and even issued its own parking tickets since the spring of 2011. The problem, of course, is that the city of Yonkers is the only entity with the authority to issue parking tickets and run meters. According to city officials, the shopping center’s developer kept collecting meter money and ticketing non-payers even after the City Council asked them to stop.

Man Lives In Tiny Apartment For 15 Years So Of Course Now Authorities Kick Him Out

If you think the real estate market is bad here in the U.S., can you imagine subjecting yourself to an apartment so small you couldn’t stand up in it for 15 years? That’s a lot of years worth of stooping and otherwise being cramped as all get out. A man in Paris has been dealing with cramped quarters for years but now that authorities are on his case, he’s been booted from his tiny abode.

The apartment is less than 17 square feet, a no-no by Paris law as living quarters must be a minimum of about 97 square feet and also contain a shower. With the space he had, we’re guessing he could barely even fit a twin bed, much less any sort of bathing equipment.

NPR News says the expensive real estate market is to blame for the man’s willingness to shell out around $442 a month, or 330 euros, to live in the space.

“I come home, I go to bed,” the man told a French radio station, explaining how he was able to function in such a tight space for so long.

Wired For Webcasting, Revamped Joint Hearing Room Makes Debut

The new improved Joint Hearing Room, wired for video webcasting and a new sound system, made its debut Monday for the annual Fiscal Briefing, the first legislative swipe at Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed fiscal 2014 budget.

“We have our own Jumbotron,” commented Sen. Ed Kasemeyer, chair of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee sitting under the big screen. But it wouldn’t be showing highlights of the 1966 World Series, he said. (The Baltimore Orioles won their first World Series, sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in four games.)

The significance of the new technology is that the Joint Hearing Room in the Legislative Services Building is the largest hearing room in the State House complex, often the scene of large hearings on controversial bills, but it had never been wired for audio and video, as are all the other hearing rooms. The Senate rooms now have only audio, but hearings in the House are simulcast and archived.

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If You Don’t Want Bed Bugs You Might Want To Reconsider Living In These Cities

Yes, we know, that headline is silly. Because the truth is? No one wants bedbugs and if you say you do you are a dirty liar. Just the mention of the critters sends shivers skittering over many people’s spines because well, bed bugs are awful, itchy, expensive to get rid of and a flat-out nightmare. And there are some cities who have it worse than others

Bed bugs can live in basically anything — the frames of furniture, cushions, books and of course, beds. And according to ABC News, they’re on the rise again. That’s good business for pest companies like Orkin, which just released its U.S. rankings for the worst cities to live in if you don’t want bed bugs. And again, yes, we know, no one wants bed bugs.

Sleeping In This Guy’s Car For $1,800/Night Might Be A Better Deal Than Other Super Bowl Rentals

Though this year’s Super Bowl is irrelevant because of its lack of Eagles, there are apparently still enough people out there who want to attend the festivities that the illegal short-term lease market is booming in New Orleans.
In what we’re going to assume is a joke listing, someone has offered up the interior of their 2008 Subaru for people to stay in during the big game — all for the attractive rate of $1,800/night.

Because this car — which “sleeps 4 or 5, boasts cloth interior seats, CD player and 2 cig lighters. 4 doors for easy in and out — is located in the French Quarter, the owner is pushing it as a viable option for people who are considering looking far outside of New Orleans for a place to stay: