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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Dear Mom On The Phone

Dear Mom On the iPhone,

I see you over there on the bench, messing on your iPhone. It feels good to relax a little while your kids have fun in the sunshine, doesn’t it? You are doing a great job with your kids, you work hard, you teach them manners, have them do their chores.

But Momma, let me tell you what you don’t see right now…..

Your little girl is spinning round and round, making her dress twirl. She is such a little beauty queen already, the sun shining behind her long hair. She keeps glancing your way to see if you are watching her.

You aren’t.

Your little boy keeps shouting, “Mom, MOM watch this!” I see you acknowledge him, barely glancing his way.

He sees that too. His shoulders slump, but only for a moment, as he finds the next cool thing to do.

Now you are pushing your baby in the swing. She loves it! Cooing and smiling with every push. You don’t see her though, do you? Your head is bent, your eyes on your phone as you absently push her swing.

Talk to her. Tell her about the clouds, Mommy. The Creator who made them. Tickle her tummy when she comes near you and enjoy that baby belly laugh that leaves far too quickly.

Put your eyes back on your prize…Your kids.

Show them that they are the priority. Wherever you are, be ALL there. I am not saying it’s not ok to check in on your phone, but it’s a time-sucker: User Beware!

Play time at the park will be over before you know it.

The childhood of your children will be gone before you know it.

They won’t always want to come to the park with you, Mommy. They won’t always spin and twirl to make their new dress swish, they won’t always call out, “WATCH ME!”

There will come a point when they stop trying, stop calling your name, stop bothering to interrupt your phone time.

Because they know…

You’ve shown them, all these moments, that the phone is more important than they are. They see you looking at it at while waiting to pick up brother from school, during playtime, at the dinner table, at bedtime…..

I know that’s not true, Mommy.

I know your heart says differently.

But your kids can’t hear your words, Mommy. Your actions are screaming way too loudly.

May our eyes rest upon those we love, first and foremost, and may everything else fall away in the wonderful, noisy, sticky-fingered glory of it all.

Crews Respond To Belle Haven Fire

ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) - Accomack County dispatchers confirm crews responded to a structure fire in Belle Haven Thursday night.
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Caption This Photo 3-28-13


Effort in Ariz. Would Give Residents Free Shotguns

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- A former mayoral candidate in Tucson, Ariz., is launching a privately funded program to provide residents of crime-prone areas with free shotguns so they can defend themselves against criminals.

Shaun McClusky said the program modeled after one recently launched in Houston would provide training and enough money to buy a basic shotgun to residents who pass background checks, the Arizona Daily Star (http://bit.ly/10hCTiP) reported Wednesday.

Donors have committed about $12,000 to the program that McClusky said could start handing out guns within 60 days, the newspaper said.

McClusky said citizens need to do more to protect themselves because city government is failing to do the job.

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Stunning Facts About How The Banking System Really Works . And How It Is Destroying America

Reclaiming the Founding Fathers’ Vision of Prosperity

To understand the core problem in America today, we have to look back to the very founding of our country.

The Founding Fathers fought for liberty and justice. But they also fought for a sound economy and freedom from the tyranny of big banks:

“[It was] the poverty caused by the bad influence of the English bankers on the Parliament which has caused in the colonies hatred of the English and . . . the Revolutionary War.”
- Benjamin Franklin

“There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.”
- John Adams

“All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation.”
- John Adams

“If the American people ever allow the banks to control issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers occupied”.
— Thomas Jefferson

“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies…The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the Government, to whom it properly belongs.”
- Thomas Jefferson

“The Founding Fathers of this great land had no difficulty whatsoever understanding the agenda of bankers, and they frequently referred to them and their kind as, quote, ‘friends of paper money. They hated the Bank of England, in particular, and felt that even were we successful in winning our independence from England and King George, we could never truly be a nation of freemen, unless we had an honest money system. ”
-Peter Kershaw, author of the 1994 booklet “Economic Solutions”

Indeed, everyone knows that the American colonists revolted largely because of taxation without representation and related forms of oppression by the British. See this and this. But – according to Benjamin Franklin and others in the thick of the action – a little-known factor was actually the main reason for the revolution.

To give some background on the issue, when Benjamin Franklin went to London in 1764, this is what he observed:

WRONG AGAIN: OBAMA CLAIMS 40% OF GUN SALES DONE WITHOUT BACKGROUND CHECK

During his March 28 comments on "gun violence," President Obama once again claimed that 40% of gun purchases take place without a background check.

The claim is meant to apply to new gun sales and is patently false, as Breitbart News demonstrated when Obama first used the 40% figure during a speech on Jan. 16.

As Breitbart News explained then, many gun grabbers get the "40%" figure from a 2011 study by NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, titled: "Point, Click, Fire: An Investigation Into Illegal Online Gun Sales."

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A Letter To The Editor 3-28-13

Honorable (Congressional Representative, Executive Branch member):

Our founding fathers felt necessary to write in as our 2nd amendment to the constitution, right after freedom of speech, the right to bear arms. This amendment was written in for several reasons: To allow people to hunt and feed themselves, to protect their lives against others of criminal intent, and to protect themselves against a hostile government. At the time the constitution was written, the framers were very suspicious of having a government that was too powerful or intrusive, and for good reason. Those who left England in pursuit of freedom for tyranny knew all too well of the value of the Bill of Rights.

The first ten amendments to the constitution are called the bill of rights for a reason. These limitations serve to protect the natural rights of liberty and property. They guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and reserve some powers to the states and the public. People forget about the initial intent of our greatest leaders. The framers of the constitution could have never imagined the great country we have today, however they did foresee the security of its people. Our government, largely elected by the people are supposed to for the people. Examining the “Pledge of Allegiance”… the very words of what it stands for are important. It is a pledge of allegiance to a flag, which stands for freedom of its people and a United States of people, not a united states of government. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Gun ownership and other essential rights afforded us by the framers of the Constitution of the United States should not be ignored or tramped upon by persons with their own agendas, or by enemies of the states and it’s populous. For far too long we, as a country, have been sliding down the slippery slope of liberalism masquerading as freedoms. The agendas of those who oppose the constitution and it’s framers intent are the true enemies of the state and it’s people. Gun ownership for law-abiding citizens is a right and a responsibility enjoyed by those who have benefited from much wiser and more distinguished lawmakers. 

Don’t tread on us. 

CEO, Tactical American Security Consulting, LLC. www.ustasc.com

Invisible Car Crash Prank

Quarter Auction

Come join us Friday, April 5th for a night of fun, food and friends at the Salisbury Moose Lodge on Snow Hill Rd.

Quarter Auction

To Benefit:

Doors open at 6pm. Auction starts promptly at 7pm.

Tickets purchased prior to the event are just $5. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 unless sold out.

One free paddle with admission. Additional paddles available for $3.

Event ends at 9:30. Concessions available 6-9pm.

Items for bid include a hand selected Thirty-One collection from their spring catalog, hosted by local director, Cristi Witt.

(443) 614-3610 for tickets
HOW IT WORKS
Each item up for bid will be displayed for all guests to see. The auctioneer then gives a brief description, retail value and how many quarters you will need to bid. Guest will give their bid (quarters) and hold up their numbered paddle. If you have more than one paddle, you must place a bid for each one. When all bids are collected, then the auctioneer will draw a numbered chip from the container. If the number on the paddle matches the number on the chip drawn, the guest wins that item. If a matching numbered paddle is not held up, the auctioneer will draw again, until we have a winner. Once we have a winner all chips will be placed back in the container and go to the next item to be auctioned.
Retail values range from $5 up to $100 or over!!!

Bid Increments:

1 quarter ($0-$25)

2 quarters ($26-$50)

3 quarters ($51-$75)

4 quarters ($76-$100).
Still CONFUSED!

No worries~come and see for yourself! It is a fun filled night for all! Don’t forget your quarters!!

Man, Woman Try To Rob Girl Scout Cookie Stand

A man and a woman tried to rob some Girl Scouts in Prince George's County, authorities said, but the plot was foiled by the group's quick-thinking leader.

Temple Hills Girl Scout Troop 5819 leader Alliyah Harris said a drunken man and a woman approached their cookie stand on the last day of their drive Sunday and made a move for the donation box.

Harris said she hid the cookie sales envelope with about $1,400 in cash in it before the man, later identified by police as 48-year-old James Wright, shoved her into her daughter and a 10-year-old scout.

 Wright then ran away but was caught by Harris' husband -- a federal police officer -- who chased him into a parking lot and held him until police arrived.
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Senate Panel Approves Gas Tax Measure Unchanged

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —A Senate panel has approved a gas tax measure without making any changes of its own to the plan.
 

- House Bill 1515

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted 9-4 on Thursday for the bill, which already has passed the House of Delegates.

Maryland has not raised its 23.5-cents-per-gallon excise tax since 1992. The state is on track to run out of money for any new transportation projects after 2017.

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Pork In The Park BBQ Festival Strengthens Sunday Line-Up With The Mountaire Farms’ Eastern Shore Wing War

Salisbury, MD – The Pork in the Park BBQ Festival, presented by Gateway Subaru is expanding its horizons this year with the introduction of the Mountaire Farms Eastern Shore Wing War. Moving past the festival’s reputation for being ‘porkcentric,’ this new edition to Sunday’s line-up focuses on another grilling favorite – chicken. The Mountaire Farms Eastern Shore Wing War will launch on Sunday, April 21st from 12:00pm – 4:00pm at the Pork in the Park BBQ Festival. Area restaurants, amateur eaters and professional eating champions are lining up to take part in this challenge which includes a People’s Choice Wing Competition, Amateur Wing- Eating Contest and Major League Eating Professional Wing-Eating Competition.

People’s Choice Wing Competition
Sunday, April 21st 12:00pm – 2:30pm


Area restaurants, including local favorites Adam’s Ribs, Catering by Chef Stewart of Flannery’s, Famous Dave’s, Sub Runners, The Deli, The Greene Turtle and Vinny’s La Roma will face-off in this bracket-style competition in which ‘the people’ will decide who has created the best wing. Brackets are $10 per person and include 20 wing tickets (while supplies last). The winning restaurant will receive $200 cash and a banner to help with bragging rights.

Amateur Wing-Eating Competition
Sunday, April 21st at 2:30pm

The focus of the next challenge is on quantity. Local wing-eaters will take the festival’s Main Stage to compete in the Amateur Wing-Eating Competition. The participant that eats the most Mountaire Farms jumbo chicken wings (judged by weight) in a timed-period will be crowned the ‘Wing Warrior’ and take home $100 in prize money. Advanced qualification is required.

Major League Eating Professional Wing-Eating Competition
Sunday, April 21st 3:00pm-3:45pm

Professional eaters from around the world will go head to head during this wing-eating competition, sanctioned by the Major League Eating Federation. Current World Champion Joey Chestnut, third-ranked Tim ‘Eater X’ Janus and fourth-ranked Sonya Thomas will take on other professional eaters in this challenge where a $5000 purse is up for grabs.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Pork in the Park BBQ Festival will be served up April 19th – 21st in Salisbury, MD’s WinterPlace Park. The festival offers three days of family-friendly entertainment including live music, rides and games, unique craft vendors, delicious food and cold beverages. Admission is $5 daily for adults, and children under 12 are admitted free.

Radical CPR Shift Triples 'Saves' For County Firefighters

Decades ago it was five chest compressions, two breaths. Few lives were saved.

Training in recent years called for 30 compressions, two breaths. Some lives were saved.

Local firefighters are now learning to perform 120 rapid compressions without pause — a revolutionary CPR method that has tripled the survival rate for victims of cardiac arrest.

The method was born in Seattle, where about 50 percent of cardiac-arrest patients are resuscitated after CPR.

The national average is 8 percent.

In Maryland, it’s less than 2 percent.

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DEBT LIMIT - A GUIDE TO AMERICAN FEDERAL DEBT MADE EASY

Council Balks At Approving More OCPD Tasers

OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and City Council was torn this week between spending funds available in this fiscal year’s budget to purchase eight additional Tasers for the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) or wait to prioritize expenditures when the budget picture clears.

OCPD Captain Gregory Guiton came before the council, with Mayor Rick Meehan, Council President Lloyd Martin and Councilman Joe Mitrecic out of town attending the National Hurricane Conference, to discuss the OCPD’s request to purchase the additional Tasers at the cost of $11,400 out of FY 2013 budget.

Guiton explained on March 5 OCPD officials met with City Manager David Recor and Budget Manager Jennie Knapp to discuss the new fiscal year budget and the department’s proposed expenditures. One of the proposed expenditures was to be for 22 additional Tasers to equip trained officers.

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QUOTES OF THE DAY 3-28-13

“The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”
Albert Einstein

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke
“Man is the cruelest animal.”
Friedrich Nietzsche

“I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.”
Mahatma Gandhi

“It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule.”
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Personal Income In Maryland Rose 3.6% in 2012

The personal income among Marylanders increased 3.6 percent in 2012, narrowly outpacing the U.S. average.

The state’s personal income reached $305.8 billion last year, up from $295.2 billion in 2011, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The percentage increase ranks 19th in the U.S.

Nationally, personal income rose 3.5 percent.

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Bush Cheers On Baylor Lady Bears At NCAA Tournament game

Former President George W. Bush cheers on Baylor Lady Bears at NCAA tournament game 

Bush visited the Baylor and Florida State teams in their locker rooms before the NCAA tournament game. The former president, who sat with Baylor President and former independent prosecutor Ken Starr, also got a hug from the Baylor Lady Bears mascot.

Officer Indicted In Trainee Shooting

A Baltimore City Police officer has been indicted on two counts involving the accidental shooting of a police trainee back in February.

The Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office says that 46-year-old William Kern has been indicted on 2nd degree assault and reckless endangerment.

He is accused of shooting University of Maryland officer cadet Raymond Gray in the head during an exercise at the old Rosewood Center complex in Owings Mills.

Gray was treated at Shock Trauma and then released and was expected to go through rehabilitation for his injuries.

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A ONCE GREAT NATION

A lawless government breeds a lawless public.I don’t know when the apple turns, it has for me already. I feel bound by no laws the federal government has passed through its sham of a legislature. I regard them as laws passed in commission of a fraud. To whatever extent I obey a federal law it is within my understanding of rightful liberty.
Civility is not a legal thing, it is a social thing. One might pass all the hate-speech laws they wish, it does not change the heart wherein lies the hate. The speech one uses is a reflection of the inner self and to pass laws against speech is to pass laws against emotion, against expression, against the privacy of one’s skull.

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Panera Trying New Pay-What-You-Want Experiment

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Order a bowl of turkey chili at a St. Louis-area Panera Bread cafe and it'll cost you a penny. Or $5. Or $100. In other words, whatever you decide.

Three years after launching the first of five pay-what-you-want cafes, the suburban St. Louis-based chain on Wednesday quietly began its latest charitable venture that takes the concept on a trial run to all 48 cafes in the St. Louis region.

The new idea experiments with a single menu item, Turkey Chili in a Bread Bowl, available at each St. Louis-area store for whatever the customer chooses to pay. The new chili uses all-natural, antibiotic-free turkey mixed with vegetables and beans in a sourdough bread bowl. The suggested $5.89 price (tax included) is only a guideline. All other menu items are sold for the posted price.

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TOO BIG TO PROSECUTE

Eric Holder and his band of government prosecutors have decided that even though HSBC and their top executives committed crimes on a grand scale, prosecuting them criminally would endanger the financial system of the ruling elites. Therefore, they are free to commit any crime they choose. Since there are many banks that are even larger than HSBC, it can be concluded that they are also above the law. Here is a complete list of banks that will never be prosecuted for any of the crimes they have committed or will commit in the future. But don’t worry. Your money is safe in their vaults.
Source

VIDEO OF 2-YEAR-OLD ‘BEDTIME BANDIT’ PICKING A LOCK TO GET STUFFED ANIMALS IS PROBABLY THE CUTEST THING YOU’LL SEE TODAY

Anyone who has a brother or sister knows that, at some point, two siblings inevitably want the same toy, shirt, pillow, etc. Some cry about it and others get in “tug-of-war” fights, but have you ever seen a two-year-old pick a lock with fingernail clippers to get a prized stuffed animal?

Joann Moser has such a son, apparently, and a video she uploaded to YouTube Sunday describing the child as a “bedtime bandit” already has nearly half a million views.

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MARYLAND RANKS HIGHEST IN NATION FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INSPECTIONS

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – The commitment of the men and women of the Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division to traffic safety has contributed to Maryland’s number one ranking in the nation for ‘inspection intensity,’ according to an industry research group. 

In an article published in the March 2013 issue of “Overdrive” magazine, Maryland is ranked as the number one state in the nation for commercial vehicle and driver inspections. The survey, conducted by RigDig Business Intelligence of the 48 contiguous states, shows Maryland conducted 32 commercial vehicle inspections per lane mile during the past two years. The state ranked second to Maryland was California, with 23 inspections per lane mile. The least active state for commercial vehicle inspections was Idaho, with three inspections per lane mile.

The survey reviewed inspections during the first two years of the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance Safety Accountability program. The survey examined the total commercial vehicle and driver inspections performed and the total lane miles of the National Highway System in each state.

In 2012, Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division personnel weighed more than two million commercial vehicles and conducted more than 69,000 roadside inspections. They conducted over 1,800 maintenance audits and more than 220 compliance reviews, checking trucking company maintenance records, driver qualification files, hours of service, and other safety related information. Troopers issued 39,111 citations and 45,514 warnings for traffic and equipment violations involving commercial vehicles during 2012.

State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division personnel began a special initiative yesterday focusing on commercial vehicle traffic in and around Baltimore. During the first day of operation, 291 commercial vehicles were inspected, of which 25 were hauling hazardous materials. Eleven vehicles were placed out of service for equipment violations, including five hauling hazardous materials.
Troopers and inspectors placed 11 drivers out of service for driver qualification violations, or for violations of hours-of-service regulations. One person was arrested for an outstanding warrant in Baltimore. Troopers issued 86 citations and 196 warnings. The operation is continuing today.

The Maryland State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division operates ten weigh and inspection stations across Maryland. The Division also has roving units that work throughout the state with portable scales and truck inspectors.

Cop Protects First Amendment

Senate Sends Housing Discrimination Bill Back To Committee

A bill that would prohibit landlords from screening prospective tenants based on their source of income was sent back to a Maryland Senate committee after three days of floor debate over whether landlords should be allowed to exclude those on public assistance. The 23-22 vote likely dooms the bill this session.

Advocates of the legislation said that it would encourage poor Marylanders to move out of ghettos and into communities with greater resources and superior schools, giving them a head-start in the race towards the American Dream.

The law’s opponents said that it would herald an era where businesses were forced to participate in voluntary social welfare programs and that a universal mandate to accept government housing vouchers like those in the Section 8 program would place a heavy financial burden on landlords.

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Legislative Extortion By Democrats

Law would fire sheriffs for defying gun control measures
Supporters of the 380 sheriffs in 15 states who so far have vowed to defy new state and federal gun control laws claim that legislation is starting to pop up around the nation to fire any state elected or appointed law enforcement official who doesn't obey federal orders.

The first effort emerged in Texas. Legislation proposed by Dallas Democratic Rep. Yvonne Davis would remove any sheriff or law enforcement officer who refuses to enforce state or federal laws.

What's more, it would remove any elected or appointed law enforcement officer for simply stating or signing any document stating that they will not obey federal orders.

A gun lobbyist told Secrets, "Beware because once something like this is introduced in one state, it will be followed very quickly in several other states."

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Charges: Pa. Man Bagged Deer Wal-Mart Lot

BLAIRSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - They say you can get almost anything at Wal-Mart. But the Pennsylvania Game Commission says one deer hunter took it too far.

Forty-year-old Arcangelo Bianco Jr. is charged with reckless endangerment and hunting law violations for allegedly shooting across a highway to kill a 10-point buck he spotted in a Wal-Mart parking lot in November.

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WCSO Press Release 3-28-13

Baltimore Sun Editorial

ICYMI: We all benefit from transit, and we should all pay for it
March 27, 2013

By Raquel Guillory, Director of Communications

In case you missed it, we wanted to share this Baltimore Sun editorial on the importance of supporting an efficient transit system.

KEY POINT– To suggest that spending on public transit is inherently wasteful is not only unfair but inaccurate. Maryland traffic congestion is already ranked among the worst in the nation. How much worse would it be if not for transit? A full bus may take 60 cars off the road, a full rail car 200.

We all benefit from transit, and we should all pay for it
Our view: Gas tax opponents are wrong to claim that spending more on public transit shortchanges motorists (or anyone else living in Maryland)

March 27, 2013

Opponents of the effort to raise Maryland’s gas tax have thrown around a lot of ridiculous claims in recent weeks, from the argument that the money isn’t really needed (if anything, the projected $600 million-a-year return is not enough to meet Maryland’s future transportation needs) to hand-wringing over local transportation aid that was diverted toward balancing the state budget during the depths of the recession — as if using the money to spare cuts to schools or avoid tax increases wasn’t preferable to pot hole repairs.

Oh, and here’s a favorite. Raising the gas tax in a manner that will result in more revenue to the state as prices rise puts the tax, as Del. Herbert McMillan claims, on “autopilot and locks us out of the cockpit.” (Heavens, imagine a tax that rose with inflation. Let’s see, sales, personal income, corporate income, property, transfer…).

But the latest criticism smacks of something worse than the customary short-sighted single-mindedness of anti-tax crusaders. Some opponents say not a penny of gas tax money should be spent on public transportation, which should instead be self-sustaining.

What makes this claim particularly laughable is that gas tax opponents insist they want to look out for low-income families. They argue that working people end up paying a higher percentage of their income toward gasoline taxes than high-earners — and that’s true, although the same could surely be said of the sales tax and many other consumption-related taxes and fees.

But what about those who can’t afford a car at all? For mass transit to be self-sustaining, fares would have to be astronomical. Would a 400-to-500 percent increase be enough? Considering the immediate drop-off in ridership it would cause, probably not.

Do we really want to make it more difficult for poor people to hold jobs? That’s not the only purpose of public transit, of course, but it’s certainly among its most vital functions. Without buses, light rail and subway to connect low-income workers with employment, particularly in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, poverty and government-dependence would spike. Putting more people on the dole isn’t usually the goal of anti-tax crusaders.

But really, it’s worse than that. To suggest that spending on public transit is inherently wasteful is not only unfair but inaccurate. Maryland traffic congestion is already ranked among the worst in the nation. How much worse would it be if not for transit? A full bus may take 60 cars off the road, a full rail car 200.

Public transit provides rides for hundreds of thousands of commuters each day. Without that option, the state would have to be build hundreds more miles of roads to accommodate the traffic — adding as much as 71 percent more lane miles in some areas, according to one 1999 report on Maryland’s transit potential.

In a small state where adding, or even widening, roads may cause serious disruption, displace homeowners and cost billions of dollars, paving one’s way out of traffic congestion isn’t always a desirable option. That transit is more fuel efficient, produces less greenhouse gases and is better for the environment ought to factor in that decision, too.

It’s no shock that much of the opposition to the higher gas tax — and on spending that money on public transit projects like Baltimore’s Red Line — comes from the rural parts of the state where transit plays a much smaller role. One would hope such lawmakers would see the benefit in keeping the state’s urban and suburban centers economically viable, but that doesn’t seem to factor into their thinking.

Of course, Maryland could keep separate pots of money for transportation to make sure taxpayers got a one-to-one benefit for what they paid in. But that’s a kind of accounting that would hurt rural counties most. How could you justify some expensive bridge or bypass in a sparsely populated Eastern Shore county when most of the gas tax revenue comes from Central Maryland?

We’d be the first to admit that raising the gas tax isn’t a cure-all for financing the state’s long-term transportation infrastructure demands, particularly as vehicles continue to become more fuel efficient and consumption of gasoline slows and perhaps even drops. But for now, raising the gas tax from its 21-year-old rate — as the House of Delegates agreed to do last week and a majority of the Senate is likely to do soon — is a reasonable step toward meeting Maryland’s most pressing transportation needs in the near-term, including its vital transit lines.

The O’Malley-Brown Gun Bill: The “Eye Wall” Takes Shape

By Delegate Mike McDermott

(Annapolis) The “eye wall” on the O’Malley-Brown Gun Bill (SB-281) has finally taken shape and, as I have flown through the rhetoric during committee meetings in the past weeks, I believe we are looking at a Cat 5. A “Ban List” of what the governor has designated as “bad guns” has remained alive and well despite indications that our committee was moving toward a more reasonable “features list”. It seems quite clear that the 45 semi-automatic rifles that are currently considered legal, regulated firearms will, overnight, become illegal and banned forever in Maryland. It also seems likely that the current “Handgun Roster Board” that must give its seal of approval on handguns will now be tasked with overseeing rifles based upon a set of suggested language and features to be interpreted going forward by the board and applied to any semi-automatic rifle being sold in state.

So, the deer rifle you hunt with this year could find itself on the Banned List next year depending on the interpretation of a board of bureaucrats appointed by our gun loathing governor. Of course, all this is in the name of public safety in a state where no one has been murdered with one of these “bad guns.”

Going forward, registration is alive and well as is mandatory licensing. After October 1st this year, Marylanders who want to purchase a regulated firearm will need to submit to fingerprinting and an extensive background check by the State Police. There will be a fee associated with this process that will total anywhere from $100 to $400 depending on the final posture of the legislation. This will be the prerequisite to the additional background check that must be conducted every time you apply to purchase one of these firearms.

Further, it is now likely that the magazine restrictions will remain in the bill limiting capacity to no more than 10-rounds. This could have a devastating effect on firearm sales in Maryland as most manufacturers will not retool to suit the needs of a minor market like the State of Maryland. Of course, this could result in a de facto gun ban sure to bring a grin to the face of every liberal and progressive who will gleefully cast a green vote against the 2nd Amendment on any day of the week.

It also seems evident that the mental health aspects of the bill will include a possession ban for anyone who voluntarily commits themselves for treatment options. This truly presents an obstacle for folks who will now be forced to choose between treatment and their firearm rights. For many this is simply unthinkable and they could forego certain treatment options.

Whether or not the House has “71” votes (141 members) to pass, Hurricane Martin’s gun bill remains to be seen. What is clear is the tragic departure from the principles of good leadership we have left in our rear view mirror. No longer do our state leaders attempt to build consensus to insure that a decent level of ownership and buy-in has taken place before they move significant legislation. It all boils down to a mere 71 by hook or by crook, and that identifies division not unity. Getting to 71 does not require much effort so long as you are willing to break a few arms or lean hard on certain projects. To glance up at the board and see the magic “71” should hardly be seen as victory, rather it should be viewed as the symbolic, jaded view that has come to define “leadership” in Annapolis.

Marylanders...Take back your state!

Illegal Immigrant Pleads To Sex Trafficking In Va.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — An illegal immigrant from Mexico has pleaded guilty to helping lead a prostitution ring that employed more than 100 women throughout Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.

Twenty-seven-year-old Angel Campos Tellez admitted Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria that he helped run the ring, which operated between 2009 and 2012.

Court documents state Campos Tellez received at least $15,000 for his role in the enterprise, in which women were paid $30 for 15 minutes of sex.

The ring operated in Woodbridge, Manassas, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Baltimore and Delaware, among other locations.

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APPARENT INMATE HOMICIDE UNDER INVESTIGATION IN HAGERSTOWN

(HAGERSTOWN, MD) -- Maryland State Police homicide investigators are investigating the apparent murder of an inmate late last night at a state prison in Washington County.

The victim is not being identified at this time because despite efforts, his family has not yet been located and notified. He was a 22-year-old inmate at the Maryland Correctional Institution Hagerstown, or MCI-H. According to state prison officials, he had been incarcerated since 2011 and was serving a four-year sentence for first degree burglary.

The preliminary investigation by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit indicates that at about 10:30 p.m. yesterday, a correctional officer in a dormitory area of the prison was preparing to conduct an inmate count when he noticed the victim standing near a bunk bed with blood on him. The officer immediately summoned assistance from correctional officers and medical staff.

The victim collapsed and was provided immediate emergency care by officers and responding medical staff. The victim was bleeding from at least one wound on his upper body. He was taken to the prison dispensary where emergency personnel from the Boonsboro Ambulance and Rescue Services responded and transported him to the Meritus Medical Center.

The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after 11:30 p.m. yesterday. His body will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death.

Maryland State Police investigators from the Homicide Unit and Criminal Enforcement Division and Forensic Sciences Division crime scene technicians responded to the scene after being contacted by prison officials. They remain at the prison this morning processing the scene for evidence and interviewing inmates and correctional staff. They are being assisted by investigators for the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Internal Investigations Unit.

Multiple inmates were in the dormitory area when the officer observed the injured inmate. All inmates have been removed from the area while the scene is processed.

The suspect or suspects responsible for this apparent crime have not been identified at this time. The investigation is continuing.

OCPD Seizes Marijuana Plants & Production Equipment

On March 26, at approximately 6:00 p.m., Ocean City Police Narcotics Unit and Patrol Officers served a Search and Seizure Warrant on 311 Sunset Drive, in reference to the illegal distribution and manufacturing of controlled dangerous substances.

During the on-scene investigation detectives discovered approximately 104 individual Marijuana plants being grown in the unit. Investigators identified the primary suspect at the scene as Christopher Scott Smith, 39, of Ocean City. Ocean City Police seized various items of evidence including numerous pieces of equipment used in the production and growing of Marijuana plants.

Smith was arrested and charged with:
- Manufacturing of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Marijuana)
- Possession of Marijuana
- Possession with intent to distribute Marijuana.

Smith is being held by the Ocean City Police Department pending an initial appearance before an Ocean City District Court Commissioner.

Pentagon Cuts Number Of Furlough Days

The Pentagon will sharply cut the number of unpaid furlough days civilians will be forced to take over the next several months from 22 to 14, defense officials said Wednesday, reducing the impact of automatic budget cuts on as many as 700,000 workers.

According to defense officials, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made the decision Wednesday, as military service chiefs and defense leaders continued to work through the details, trying to prioritize how they will allocate the more than $10 billion that Congress, in an attempt to take some of the sting out of the across-the-board budget cuts, shifted to operations and maintenance accounts. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter ahead of the public announcement.

While some of the military services initially considered eliminating the furloughs altogether, senior leaders argued that since not all the services could do that, it would be better to treat all civilians across the defense department equally.

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Field Notes By Delegate Mike McDermott 3-28-13

Observations and Reflections on Legislative Activities

Monday Night Session:


Third Reader Bills Highlighted/controversial bills included HB-347 which would require additional permitting for certain corporations. Once again, these bills increase the burden on Maryland businesses and often results in diminished economic returns.

HB-667 would require all school employees across the state to be union members and pay mandatory dues. There was much debate on the issue. 10-counties currently have unions and the bill would force the same conditions on all of the remaining counties. There were attempts to amend the bill to require audit oversight and minimum participation numbers but they were all rejected. Ultimately the bill moved to Third Reader without any amendments.
Tuesday Judiciary Hearings:

Third Reader Bills

HB-1106 would allow the sealing of a Search Warrant Affidavit while an investigation is ongoing on a 30-day basis with 30-day extensions allowed by the court.

HB-1232 would allow for the issuance of a Search Warrant via electronic means. This bill would recognize the digital nature of current law enforcement applications and would speed the process under many circumstances regularly encountered by law enforcement.

HB-1453 would decriminalize the use of marijuana for minimum amounts. The bill also creates a taxation of the drug for revenue collection in the state.

HB-1185 would create a specific charge for 2nd Degree Assault of a health care worker. We heard from many nurses and the respective Health Care Association advocates about the need for this type of charge to be implemented.
Tuesday Judiciary Voting Session:

Bills Approved: HB-129, HB-443, HB-542, HB-777, HB-792, HB-857, HB-942,

HB-1407

Wednesday Judiciary Committee:

HB-1490 would place a prohibition on the right to refuse a chemical test of their breath or blood in cases of drunk or drugged driving for someone who has previously been detained for DWI who refuses a required test. It would place a $1000 fine and a one year jail sentence as potential penalties.

HB-565 would make it a crime to sell a vehicle in Baltimore City that would be illegal to operate in Baltimore City.

Bills Approved: HB-14, HB-489, HB-604, HB-889, HB-909, HB-952

Thursday Morning Session:

Third Reader Bill Link There were a few debated bills on Third Reader: HB-328 which provides for “crony capitalism” on behalf of many special breaks being provided for biotech firms. All businesses in Maryland need a break and giving it to a very narrow sector may encourage their growth and development at the expense of all others. HB-361 provides for some implementation language for Obama Care. It provides for the bureaucracy regarding implementation and funding. It is fraught with regulations and fees. HB-224 would relax the penalties

Thursday Judiciary Committee Hearings:

HB-1523 seeks to significantly restrict the collection and storage of DNA for evidentiary purposes. It would set provisions whereby samples could be collected and would establish the procedures for storage. As written, it would restrict law enforcement in many ways from retaining samples or from the collection of samples from convicted sex offenders.
Bills Approved Wednesday Night by Judiciary Committee: HB-396, HB-428, HB-478, HB-541, HB-631, HB-698, HB-854, HB-941, HB-985, HB-1263, HB-1281, HB-1382, HB-1394, HB-1396, HB-1408 B-1396 HB-H 
Friday Morning Session:

Bills Approved on Third Reader Debated Bills: HB-1170 which channels state money in certain programs to “sustainable growth” and development and would deny money to communities who do not adopt the state standards for growth.
Saturday Morning Session:

Bills Approved on Third Reader
Saturday Evening Session:

Bills Approved on Third Reader Debated Bills: HB-863 which is the “Fair Share Act” for certain colleges and universities in Maryland. It would require that all of the employees become paying members of the State Teachers Union. Until this time this has been an option for the employees.

Wicomico County Humane Society

Dear Mr. Pollitt & Council Members:

Aproximately 3-4 yrs ago I went before Council to ask for changes in our Dog Laws. Many of you still serve on Council now as when under the Presidency of John Cannon---- & will remember me. The Committee was formed & took over A Year to get some of the laws changed. That amount of time taken to approve changes was unbelievable to me & many others. With all the research theCommitte did as to how other States Dog Laws were for the betterment of their communities & the animals .Soooo many of the suggestions were not approved to make this Countys Laws updated as should have been done . And as always it still appears to be a major problem with the enforcement of the laws by our Humane Society & who is held accountable for tax payers money there! T here is an big gap not covered as to what's happening with the money. As a tax paying citizen of the County I want to see that changed !

Last nights television coverage of the dogs left in the house at Shamrock Dr., with various complaints from neighbors to the Humane Society & other negligent occurances by them being norated around ---- strongly reinforces the facts-----Things need to be changed there & I feel you you are responsible for making those changes !

No one needs to be on the Board If---- they are related by marriage to the Director of the H. Society---nor does anyone need to be Director if their family is related to the Board member----I see this as a conflict of interest you would not want to be in a business.

It is my understanding Mr. Pollitt is in charge of selecting the "Board" & I am asking that He & the Council demand an audit of the Humane Society --- Have an open meetings at least twice a year ----- Advertised in advance so the people of this town can attend ----Show Exactly where their money is being spent .

I think an audit should be done by one of your choosing & presented to the people of Salisbury . I am hoping you will look into this matter immediately.

I thank you for listening & am most hopeful you are going to show the citizens of this County----You are willing to make changes for the betterment of how the Humane Society is run , that you will make certain others are held accountable & the Tax payers Know what is going on!

Edna Walls

Could The Rumor About VA. Arsonist Be True?

This just in from a viewer...

"My brother lives in Exmore, Va.. He says they have found the arsonist. An under cover person somehow associated with the Sheriff Dept.. The person has killed himself. That is the rumor in Va"..

Md. Senate Approves Health Care Reform Bill

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- The Maryland Senate has passed a measure to further implement federal health care reform.

The Senate voted 35-11 for the bill on Wednesday.

It provides a funding stream for the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, which is a new insurance market that will offer residents a choice of private health plans.

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A Message From Alarm Engineering

Members of the Business Community,
Last week, we notified our Salisbury customers of the newly passed city ordinance (2233) that significantly increased the fees for false alarms. Since then, I was also made aware of another ordinance (2230), that was also passed this month, that places an ADDITIONAL $500-$1000 FINE, on top of the newly increased $246 fee.

After several meetings and exchanges with the city administration and council, I have received confirmation that they will reconsider both of these ordinances at a future work session. I thank our city officials for agreeing to this, but also urge the public to make your opinion known to them, as technically, these new ordinances are in effect unless and until new legislation is passed.

To make sure this issue stays on the radar, please email or call them at:

Mayor Jim Ireton: 410-548-3100, jireton@ci.salisbury.md.us

Council Vice President Debbie Campbell: 410-860-0893, debbiescampbell@comcast.net

Council President Terry Cohen: 410-845-0296, terryecohen@gmail.com

Councilwoman Laura Mitchell: 410-422-2694, Laura@lauramitchell.org

Councilwoman Shanie Shields: 443-523-0084, sshields820@aol.com

Councilman Tim Spies: 410-219-5209, tspies@cavtel.net
Regards, 

Ron Boltz
President & CEO
Alarm Engineering

Income Growth For Bottom 90% In America Since 1966 Is... $59!

We’ve all seen these statistics before in one form or another, but David Cay Johnston does an excellent job going into more detail for us in an article he published late last month. As he correctly notes, when things get extreme like this you ultimately end up with extreme social unrest. Furthermore, as I have pointed out for years and years, this kind of disparity does not happen under free markets with rules and regulations applied equally to all. It happens under totalitarian societies, whether fascism, communism or crony capitalist corporatism (which is the model in the USA). It only happens when a very small oligarch class takes over the political process of a nation and then uses it to game the system.

However, I would take exception to Mr. Johnston’s conclusion that the root problem is the tax system. While I do not for one moment deny that the oligarchs game the tax system to provide loopholes for themselves, this is not why the 1% of 1% has taken all the wealth of the nation. This is much more related to the Federal Reserve and its policies of printing trillions of money out of thin air and distributing it to the oligarchs, either directly or through low interest loans. If you tax the rich more, they will still make more because they will still have the access to the cheap money [7]. The Federal Reserve is the core cancer of the entire thing and they must be stopped. Some excerpts below:

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