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A Viewer Writes: 7-16-13

Wonder if Obama will say, "If I had a son he'd look like Shawn"?

Trayvon Martin Shooting Self Defense Ultimately Avoidable

About mid way through this video this pastor asks Obama if Trayvon is your son, would your son smoke dope, get kicked out of school for smoking dope, etc, etc, etc. He really hammers on Obama, Sharpton and the whole bunch of them.

72.5 Percent Of Households Have Air Conditioning (And Other Random Census Facts)

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has releases its latest findings on American households.

Known as the American Housing Survey (AHS), the analysis provides vital measures of the housing market — including information on the quality, cost and availability of homes.

The Census Bureau conducts the AHS on behalf of HUD.

National data are collected every odd-numbered year. This latest AHS is based on surveys from 2011.

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Airline Refuses Service To Israelis In New York

A New York City mayoral candidate is blasting Saudi Arabian Airlines for refusing service at the city’s airports to holders of Israeli passports.

The criticism comes from candidate Bill de Blasio, the New York Post reported.

It’s the same issue Washington attorney Jeffrey A. Lovitky has raised, as WND has reported.

Lovitky called attention to Delta Air Lines’ practice of imposing Saudi Arabia’s Islamic rules on passengers boarding its flights from Washington and New York bound for the Islamic kingdom. 

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Delmarva Power (Delmarva Connect) Peak Savings Day

A Peak Savings Day has been scheduled to take place tomorrow between 2-6 p.m. During those hours, you can earn take advantage of two of our new programs to save energy and money by reducing your energy use. Customers are being notified of the event by phone calls to the phone number listed on their account, but you can also find more information atwww.delmarva.com/peak

Germany's Humiliating Takedown Of The Coopted, Corrupt, Complicit, Corporate US Media

Walter Pincus, 80, knows his way around a scandal. The columnist and former reporter at the Washington Post has written about Watergate and the Iran-Contra scandal, numerous intelligence-related affairs and has won the Pulitzer Prize. But he has been criticized, even by his colleagues, for being too close to the US government -- especially the CIA, for which he spied in his younger years.

But now, Pincus has truly embarrassed himself: Last week the Washington Post had to add a three-paragraph-long correction to a two-day-old Pincus column, invalidating its core claims. This was an unprecedented measure in the 136-year history of the American capital's most lauded newspaper.
Pincus had speculated that whistleblower Edward Snowden, as well as the two people centrally responsible for publicizing the NSA revelations, Guardian reporter Glenn Greenwald and documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras, had a political agenda and were surreptitiously "directed" by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Pincus' "evidence" turned out to be demonstrably false, rendering the "corrected" column -- or what was left of it -- little more than malicious gossip.

Greenwald, who has been caught in the US media crossfire for some time, immediately protested against the "baseless innuendo" in an open letter. The Washington Post waited over 48 hours before correcting their blunder without comment.

A Growing Anti-Snowden Chorus

In his broadside against Snowden and Snowden's press contacts, Pincus was going along with both the government and the zeitgeist. A growing number of mainstream media outlets have been focusing their criticism on the leakers -- Snowden in Moscow, Greenwald in Rio -- instead of the content of their leaks. American headlines aren't being dominated by the latest details of the seemingly endless scandal, but by the men who brought them to light.

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Va Man Takes On DirecTV

There are two DirecTV satellite dishes planted firmly on this roof, even though Virginia homeowner David Ross never ordered them.

Ross says the tenant who had been renting his house installed those dishes four years ago without his permission. She recently moved out and Ross and his wife moved in. But when they saw the dishes and called DirecTV to have them removed, they were told: “You own those. They’re your property now.”

Ross refused, urging them to show him any kind of written document with his signature stating that they belong to him. But DirecTV said that while it prefers written permission from the property owner to install a satellite dish, it also accepts verbal permission from the renter.

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Diet Soda Could Actually Be Worse For You Than The Regular Stuff

Diet sodas may be calorie-free, but they could be worse for your health and your waistline than ones with sugar, a new report suggests.
Over the long term, fake sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and saccharine might mess with our bodies' abilities to process the calories from sweet things, making it harder for us to metabolize the sugars we get from other sources like candy, cookies, or even fruit. 

Purdue University scientist Susan Swithers found in a meta-analysis of 26 health and diet studies that artificially-sweetened sodas — unlike water — were often still associated with many of the same ailments common in people who drink sugary sodas, and may actually increase the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes.

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The Banks Have Blood On Their Hands

We invited Bill Black to return to explain whether the level of systemic risk due to fraud in our financial markets has improved or worsened since the dire situation he painted for us in early 2012 [6]. Sadly, it looks like abuse by the big players has only flourished since then.

In the US, our regulators have publicly embraced a "too big to prosecute" doctrine. We are restraining, underfunding and dismantling regulatory oversight in the interests of short-term stability for the status quo. Which as a criminologist, Black knows with certainty creates an environment where bad actors will act in their self-interest with assumed (and likely real, at this point) impunity.
If you can steal with impunity, as soon as you devastate regulation, you devastate the ability to prosecute. And as soon as that happens, in our jargon, in criminology, you make it a criminogenic environment. It just means an environment where the incentives are so perverse that they are going to produce widespread crime. In this context, it is going to be widespread accounting control fraud. And we see how few ethical restraints remain in the most elite banks.

You are looking at an underlying economic dynamic where fraud is a sure thing that will make people fabulously wealthy and where you select by your hiring, by your promotion, and by your firing for the ethically worst people at these firms that are committing the frauds. And so you have one of the largest banks in the world, HSBC, being the key ally to the most violent Mexican drug cartel, where they actually did so much business together that the drug cartel designed special boxes to put the cash in that they were laundering that fit exactly into the teller windows so that there would be no delay. This is the efficiency principle of drug laundering.

So these banks figuratively have the blood of over a thousand people on their hands. They are willing to fund people that murder and torture and behead folks. And they are willing to do that year after year, despite warnings from the regulators that they are doing this. And the regulators are not willing to actually take serious action until there has been “true devastation"

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Alveda King: NAACP Is 'Race-Baiting' Against Zimmerman

The niece of Martin Luther King believes the NAACP and other groups are race-baiting with their call for a federal civil-rights case to be lodged against George Zimmerman, and believes they may be getting paid to do so.

"It is not helpful to race-bait," Dr. Alveda King told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.

"[The] NAACP and all of the organizations … We need to wonder why they're doing that, what kind of checks and money they're getting behind the scenes to stir us up into racial anarchy.

"We should be speaking nonviolence, justice, peace, and love as Trayvon's parents are doing, by the way. So we need to ask why they're race baiting, because they are."
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COMMON CULTURE?

American Anxiety

“The whole world was watching this case to see if everybody can get equal justice, not just certain people,” Benjamin Crump, the lawyer for Mr. Martin’s family, said on Sunday. —The New York Times
I’m not so sure the whole world was watching. The rest of the world is quite preoccupied with countless other events careening toward criticality — civil war in the Middle East, bankruptcy all over Europe, riots in Brazil, the global bond market, a mystery epidemic in India, etc — and if they are watching, they must be mystified by what they see.

What the Zimmerman trial showed me was a nation stuck in tired narratives about its racial predicament, and confusion about what the predicament even is. It doesn’t help that we stopped even pretending that something called common culture matters or even exists. By common culture I mean shared values and behavioral norms. The “multiculturalism” offered in place of it — at least among so-called progressives — hasn’t worked out too well either. On one side of the street you have Slate podcasters foolishly wringing their hands over “the N-word” while over on the other side Kanye West is making millions shouting “nigga, nigga, nigga.” We pretend to want to have a national conversation about race, but the truth is that it makes us too uncomfortable, so we retreat into platitudes and sentimentality.

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Troopers Searching Area of Enchanted Acres for Robbery Suspects, Millsboro

Troopers are currently operating in the area of Lingo Estates and Enchanted Acres in Longneck searching for two suspects involved in a home invasion style robbery that occurred around 1:14 p.m. today. The suspects are described as a white male wearing a white t-shirt and a hispanic male wearing a dark colored t-shirt and red bandana. One of the suspects may be armed with a handgun. State Police Aviation and K9 units are also on-scene assisting in the search. Anyone locating these two suspects are asked to call 9-1-1 immediately. More information will be released as the investigation progresses.

UPDATE: State Police Aviation and Troopers have discontinued the search in the area. Neither of the suspects have been located at this time. The home invasion occurred in the 25000 block of Lingo Drive, Millsboro. If anyone has information on either of the suspects, they are asked to contact Troop 7 at 302-644-5020 or dial 9-1-1. More information will be released at a later time.
 

Operation iGuardian Arrests: 5 Marylanders Among 255 Suspected Child Predators

Hundreds of suspected child predators are under arrest following a major sting operation.

Jessica Kartalija explains Maryland State Police played a crucial role in tracking down these suspects.

The operation worked to identify and rescue child victims being sexually exploited.

In just over a month, hundreds of suspected child predators were arrested.
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Tye Tribbett’s Pre-Release Concert takes the WY&CC Stage on August 1st

Salisbury, MD –Grammy nominated Tye Tribbett will perform at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center to celebrate the pre-release of his latest CDGreater Than. The concert, also featuring Mali Music, Jessica Reedy, Earl Bynum and more is slated for Thursday, August 1st at 7:30pm.

Tye Tribbett is said to have one of the most relevant voices of this generation, with a sound that reaches the hearts of the young as well as the old. Tribbett, often heralded as the ‘Elvis of Gospel,’ has helped redefine gospel music through his energy and powerful, infectious music. He has earned two #1 albums, two Stellar Awards and three Grammy nominations.

Tickets can be purchased at www.WicomicocivicCenter.org, by phone at 410.548.4911 or in person at the WY&CC Box Office (open M-F 8am to 6pm).

Choptank Electric Cooperative Beat The Peak

Don't forget folks: Beat the Peak goes into effect today beginning at 3:00p through 6:00p! Help your co-op by turning up your thermostat just a couple of degrees and avoid doing that load of laundry or turning on the dishwasher during the peak time frame. And thank you for your help!

WCSO SEEKING THE PUBLIC'S HELP

Incident: Vandalism

Date of Incident: 15 July 2013

Location: 5000 block of Rockawalkin Road, Salisbury, MD
26000 block of Pemberton Drive, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Pending

Narrative: On 15 July 2013 at 4:30 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into a vandalism spree that is believed to have occurred during the overnight hours from 14-15 July 2013. In this incident unknown perpetrators destroyed 21 mailboxes by striking them with an unknown blunt object.

Anyone with any information regarding this crime or the identity of the perpetrators is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4891. You can also report anonymous information to Crime Solvers at 410-548-1776

Refer to Sheriff’s Office case 13-2677

Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson Date: 16 July 2013

Forbes Names Ravens One Of The Most Valuable Teams In The World

Ravens colors are purple and black but the franchise is seeing green. Forbes just released a list of the most valuable sports teams in the world. So where did the Baltimore Ravens end up?

Linh Bui explains what this means for the team and the city.

The Ravens cracked the top 20, landing at number 19 of the most valuable sports teams in the world. It’s great for the franchise, awesome news for fans and could have a big impact on the city of Baltimore.

There’s still a lot to celebrate five months after the Super Bowl. Forbes just released a list of the most valuable sports teams in the world and joining the ranks of huge franchises like Manchester United and the New York Yankees? The Baltimore Ravens.
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The Overworked And The Idle

A society of the increasingly overworked and involuntarily idle is not a stable or happy one.

Though I don't have any data on this, anecdotal evidence suggests the nation's workforce is dividing into two classes: the overworked and the idle. The overworked work more than 40 hours a week and are increasingly given impossible workloads, while the idle can't find any work or can only get part-time jobs with limited hours.

This bifurcation crosses income and class lines: highly paid and poorly paid workers alike are overtasked, and both the highly trained and low-skilled are idled.

The income stratification in the U.S. workforce suggests that America is now a Three-and-a-Half Class Society (October 22, 2012):
The entrenched incumbents on top (the "half class"), the high-earners who pay most of the taxes (the first class), the working poor who pay Social Security payroll taxes and sales taxes (the second class), and State dependents who pay nothing (the third class). 
This class structure has political ramifications. In effect, those paying most of the tax are in a pressure cooker: the lid is sealed by the entrenched incumbents on top, and the fire beneath is the Central State's insatiable need for more tax revenues to support its entrenched incumbents and growing army of dependents.

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General Assembly Environmental Scores Slip In 2013

Ratings on environmental policy for Maryland legislators slipped last year, despite passage of a major offshore wind energy bill championed by Gov. Martin O’Malley.

The Maryland League of Conservation Voters released its 2013 scorecard Monday, giving lawmakers an average score of 64% in the House of Delegates and 55% in the Senate. Those scores are down slightly from last year’s 69% in the House and 63% in the Senate.

In the Senate, Republicans scored an average of 12% compared to Democrats’ 70%, and Republicans scored 26% in the House compared to Democrats’ 81%.
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THE CRIMINALS HAVE SEIZED POWER

The American people have suffered a coup d’etat, but they are hesitant to acknowledge it. The regime ruling in Washington today lacks constitutional and legal legitimacy. Americans are ruled by usurpers who claim that the executive branch is above the law and that the US Constitution is a mere “scrap of paper.”

An unconstitutional government is an illegitimate government. The oath of allegiance requires defense of the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” As the Founding Fathers made clear, the main enemy of the Constitution is the government itself. Power does not like to be bound and tied down and constantly works to free itself from constraints.

The basis of the regime in Washington is nothing but usurped power. The Obama Regime, like the Bush/Cheney Regime, has no legitimacy. Americans are oppressed by an illegitimate government ruling, not by law and the Constitution, but by lies and naked force. Those in government see the US Constitution as a “chain that binds our hands.”

The South African apartheid regime was more legitimate than the regime in Washington. The apartheid Israeli regime in Palestine is more legitimate. The Taliban are more legitimate. Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein were more legitimate.

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5 Reasons Mosquitoes Find You So Darn Irresistible

I once had a roommate casually mention that she never got mosquito bites because she wasn’t allergic to the little buggers. Hearing this, while I was grumpily slathering hydrocortisone over seemingly innumerable red itchy skin splotches caused an overwhelming and totally rational jealousy. Why me? Why anyone? Stupid bugs.

Smithsonian Magazine has a few answers if you feel like ending the senseless rage. Perhaps you’re just part of the 20% of our species deemed especially mouthwatering. So congratulations, you’re going to get bitten more often — invest in a big bottle of insect repellant and shut your ears to those never-get-bitten types.

Here are 5 reasons you might be more succulent — check out Smithsonian for more:

1. They vant to suck your blood type: It’s no secret that skeeters are after a feast by way of the red stuff coursing through your veins. And depending on what your blood type is, you might be more tantalizing: One study found mosquitoes landed on folks with Type O blood almost twice as often as those with Type A. Type B fell in the middle.

POLICE STATE GROWS EXPONENTIALLY

There are Over 50,000 SWAT Team Raids Annually in America
Yesterday, Salon published a fantastic interview with Radley Balko, author of a new book, Rise of the Warrior Cop. The interview focused on the fact that the number of SWAT team raids has soared from a few hundred annually in the 1970′s to more than 50,000 per year by 2005. To make matters worse, most of these raids are focused on non-violent crimes. Radley identifies three main forces behind this disturbing trend. The “war on drugs,” the national overreaction to 9/11, and the creation and massive funding behind the Department of Homeland Security. Moreover, once these SWAT teams are in place, the individual police departments feel pressured to use them in order to justify their existence. More fromSalon:
Radley Balko’s new book, “Rise of the Warrior Cop,” details how America’s police forces have grown to look and behave more like soldiers than neighborly Officer Krupkes walking the beat. This new breed of police, frequently equipped with military weapons and decked out in enough armor to satisfy a storm trooper, are redefining law enforcement.

Since 9/11, the newly formed Department of Homeland Security has distributed billions in grants, enabling even some small town police departments to buy armored personnel carriers and field their own SWAT teams.

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Curfew On Soldiers under 21

The military is trying to prove it has zero tolerance for sexual assault. Every branch is trying to crack down on alcohol use, which is deemed to be a major factor. Naval officers now do nightly patrols of bases, checking for heavy drinking or reckless behavior. The Army has a 9 p.m. curfew for soldiers under age 22. Last month, thousands of service members role-played scenarios and watched explicit videos of rape scenes as part of a training program. Some troops grumble -- the military's approach is too simplistic; it treats all soldiers as criminals.

How $ Much Our Government LIKES Facebook

The State Department is not the only one that paid to boost its likes on Facebook. Veterans Affairs spent about $2 million on Facebook advertising to lure new followers. Much of the spending went for VA's "Make the Connection" page, according to NextGov. The page, maintained by the Veterans Health Administration, tries to reach veterans with post traumatic stress disorder. It has more than 1.6 million likes, compared with 300,000 likes for VA's main page and 78,000 likes for the VHA main page.

Exciting News For Delmarva Tennis

The annual Purnell Thomas Memorial Tennis Tournament, which features some of the top ranked pros from around the world, announces the addition of the first Mens Singles Amateur Tennis Tournament for top amateur talent from Maryland and surrounding states. This event will be played at Salisbury University beginning Monday - 5PM, August 12, 2013.

The amateur finals will be Saturday - August 17, 2013 following an exhibition 
with local television celebrities and the top junior players on the Eastern Shore. The Amateur Winner and Runner-up each will receive a free trip to Hawaii to participate in the Annual Mercedes Benz Amateur Championships.

The winners in the Mercedes event in Hawaii will receive an all expense paid 
trip to the US Open.

The finals of the professional tournament, for a share of a thirty thousand 
dollar purse, will be held immediately after on Saturday, August 17, 2013.

The Purnell Thomas Memorial Tennis Tournament has proudly raised over a 
hundred seventy five thousand dollars for Costal Hospice.

Go to our website for tournament details. 
http://amateur.purnell-thomas.org/

Contact: Vaughn Baker.
Email: baronvonbaker@gmail.com
Cell: 410 726 0124

New Taskforce To Help Agencies Use Volunteers To Meet Goals

President Barack Obama announced a new taskforce Monday designed to help agencies achieve their goals by expanding volunteer opportunities.

In a new memorandum, Obama charged the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) with leading the taskforce. The CNCS chief executive and the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council will act as co-chairs. The taskforce will include representatives from 18 government agencies and organizations.

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Zimmerman Charges, DOJ Action Sparked By New Black Panthers Pressure

Like the racially-charged sham prosecution of the Duke lacrosse team, the racially charged prosecution of George Zimmerman was partly triggered by the threats of Malik Zulu Shabazz, the head of the racist and anti-Semitic New Black Panther Party.

The New Black Panther Party was among the first groups to agitate for Zimmerman to be prosecuted, starting with a rally outside the Sanford, Florida police headquarters on March 11, 2012--just three days after the Associated Press had errantly referred to Zimmerman as "white." Al Sharpton, widely credited with fanning the flames, arrived the next day.

As Andrew Breitbart reported in 2011, the New Black Panthers' Shabazz also marched with candidate Obama and shared a podium with him in Selma, Alabama in 2007.

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State Keeps Its AAA Bond Rating, But Firms Warn Of Federal Cuts, Pension Debt

The governor and state treasurer cheered Maryland’s retention of its AAA bond ratings released Friday, and the three New York rating agencies continued their praise of Maryland’s high incomes, diversified economy and strong fiscal management.

But the agencies, which have given their top ratings to Maryland for decades, also sounded what have become routine warnings about the state’s dependence on federal spending in an era of cutbacks and sequestration. They continued to worry about the state’s high pension liabilities, particularly compared to the other eight states that also get AAA ratings.

The rating firms balance that by noting state officials are keeping a close eye on federal reductions, and pension reforms are projected to restore funding for the retirement system over the next decade.

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Is This Still America?

There are no winners in the trial of George Zimmerman. The only question is whether the damage that has been done has been transient or irreparable.

Legally speaking, Zimmerman has won his freedom. But he can still be sued in a civil case, and he will probably never be safe to live his life in peace, as he could have before this case made him the focus of national attention and orchestrated hate.

More important than the fate of George Zimmerman, however, is the fate of the American justice system and of the public’s faith in that system and in their country. People who have increasingly asked, during the lawlessness of the Obama administration, “Is this still America?” may feel some measure of relief.

But the very fact that this case was brought in the first place, in an absence of serious evidence — which became ever more painfully obvious as the prosecution strained to try to come up with anything worthy of a murder trial — will be of limited encouragement as to how long this will remain America.

The political perversion of the criminal justice system began early and at the top, with the President of the United States. Unlike other public officials who decline to comment on criminal cases that have not yet been tried in court, Barack Obama chose to say, “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon.”

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David Craig Announces Lt. Governor Running Mate

Annapolis - Harford County Executive David Craig announced his Lt. Governor running mate today saying she is “capable of being Governor on day one.”

Jeannie Haddaway, who has served as a Delegate representing the Eastern Shore for nearly ten years, brings legislative leadership, committee experience and a wide-ranging policy background to the Craig ticket. She started her own graphic design business in 2003 and held environmental policy positions in the government and non-profit sectors prior to holding elective office. She is a longtime advocate for policies that protect women, children and families.

“The Lt. Governor is too important a position to tell them to go in a corner for eight years and dabble on public policy experiments and
come out to attend press conferences for the cameras," said Craig. "I chose Jeannie because she will actually help me run the government."

Craig, who has extensive experience in local office, also chose Haddaway because she understands rural Maryland and the importance of county and municipal government in an era of unbridled state power affecting land use, public schools and transportation. Characterizing the Eastern Shore as a region that represents a disproportionate amount of “forgotten Marylanders,” Craig has been pushing a theme of getting state government aligned with the aspirations of the vast majority of Marylanders.

Craig will widen the portfolio of the Lt. Governor beyond that seen in any modern Administration, where Haddaway will help rejuvenate the state’s lackluster record on job growth, business retention and recruitment.

"Many have heard me criticize the O’Malley/Brown Administration," said Haddaway. "It is not criticism for the sake of being critical. The
arrogance of power in Annapolis has cost us a great deal, but especially so when it comes to job creation. We must do better."

Haddaway comes from an Eastern Shore family who made their living in agriculture and commercial fishing. Her husband, Joe Riccio, is a real estate broker, and they reside in St. Michaels with their dog Max.

The Election Of A Black President Has Meant Nothing

The greatest hope most Americans — including Republicans — had when Barack Obama was elected president was that the election of a black person as the country’s president would reduce, if not come close to eliminating, the racial tensions that have plagued America for generations.

This has not happened. The election, and even the re-election, of a black man as president, in a country that is 87 percent non-black — a first in human history — has had no impact on what are called “racial tensions.”

In case there was any doubt about this, the reactions to the George Zimmerman trial have made it clear. The talk about “open season” on blacks, about blacks like Trayvon Martin being victims of nothing more than racial profiling and about a racist criminal justice system, has permeated black life and the left-wing mainstream media.

I put quotation marks around the term “racial tensions” because the term is a falsehood. This term is stated as if whites and blacks are equally responsible for these tensions, as if the mistrust is morally and factually equivalent.But this is not at all the case.

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Report: New Details On Saylor Death

FREDERICK, Md. — Police tried to forcibly remove a man with Down syndrome from a Maryland theater with tragic results, despite warnings from his caretaker that her client would "freak out" if they touched or spoke to him, according to her statement contained in an investigative file released Monday.

Robert Ethan Saylor, 26, died of asphyxia minutes later, after three Frederick County Sheriff's deputies handcuffed the flailing, 294-pound man as he screamed, cursed and cried for his mother, witnesses say. Saylor's offense, according to the file documents: He had not purchased a ticket for a repeat viewing of the movie "Zero Dark Thirty."

The 98-page incident report and handwritten statements from 22 witnesses add new details to a case that remains in the spotlight six months after Saylor's death on Jan. 12. Critics continue to call for an independent investigation of the deputies' actions after a grand jury's decision in March not to indict them for what the state medical examiner's office has ruled a homicide.

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It’s Time For President Obama To Live Up To His Race-Uniting Promise

On the heels of the George Zimmerman verdict, when this nation deeply needs a tense situation defused and soothing, reassuring words of racial unity, the president and attorney general give us just the opposite.

We desperately need to strive for racial harmony and unity, but our task is exceedingly more difficult when President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder repeatedly invoke race and stir racial tensions.

Trayvon Martin’s death was terribly tragic, but Obama’s and Holder’s racially charged statements (and sometimes actions) are damaging. Even if Obama hadn’t promised to be a uniter, he’d have a duty, as do all political leaders, not to stir tension between blacks and whites.

When Obama became a serious presidential contender, I was concerned about his apparent attitude toward race. There were the candid admissions in his books, his long attendance at a race-oriented church and certain statements that he had made that indicated that racial bitterness was part of his makeup.

All of this was completely at odds with the public image Obama carefully sought to project and with the promise that he would inaugurate a new era of post-racial politics.

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Possible DHS Pick Martin O’Malley: Conservatives Are Terrorists

Rumors are circulating that Gov. Martin O’Malley (D-Md.) may be nominated to replace outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Those like Napolitano, who think conservatives are terrorists, should be delighted by this development.

O’Malley regards reducing government spending as a terrorist act. He said so on Feb. 8, 2005 when he was mayor of Baltimore.

I was in the room at the National Press Club when O’Malley blasted then-President George W. Bush for daring to propose cutting spending on the truly awful $4.7 billion Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program administered by the worse-than-useless Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). (The Washington Post also reportedthe story at the time.)

CDBG is an out-of-control slush fund politicians use to buy votes. The Bush administration wanted to eliminate CDBG and replace it and 17 other federal community development programs with a new $3.7 billion program.

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Obamacare Could Expose Millions To Fraud & Theft At The Hands Of New ‘Enrollment Counselor

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (TheBlaze/AP) — As California prepares to launch its health care exchange as part of the Affordable Care Act, consumer groups are worried the uninsured may fall victim to fraud, identity theft or other crimes at the hands of some of the very people who are supposed to help them enroll.

The exchange, known as Covered California, recently adopted rules for a network of more than 21,000 “enrollment counselors” who will provide consumers with in-person assistance. In some cases, they will have access to personal and financial information, from ID cards to medical histories.

But the state insurance commissioner and anti-fraud groups say the exchange is falling far short of ensuring that the people hired as counselors are adequately screened and monitored.

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Water Emergency Declared in Prince George’s County

Residents of a large section of Prince George’s County were told Monday night to stockpile water immediately in anticipation of an emergency shut-off of their supply for days during the hottest period so far this summer.

The announcement came after authorities detected signs that part of a major water main, which supplies at least 100,000 people, was about to fail and required immediate replacement.

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, which provides water to the affected area, said the main could be closed down as early as Tuesday afternoon and told people to stock up before then. One spokesman said that once cut, service through the 54-inch main could be out for as long as four days.


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7th Annual Wheels On The Waterfront Cruise-In

07/27/13 – The Crisfield Area Chamber of Commerce and the Wheels That Heal Car Club of Salisbury, Maryland are pleased to invite you to attend the 7th Annual WHEELS ON the WATERFRONT (W.O.W.) Cruise-In held near the foot of West Main Street in Downtown Crisfield. Last year’s event attracted over 175 of Delmarva’s Hottest Hotrods, Coolest Classic Cars and Custom Motorcycles.
Dash Plaques will be given to the first 150 exhibitors registered, courtesy of Tawes Brothers, Inc. Crisfield’s Buick & GMC Truck Dealership. Exhibitors will receive an “Owner Welcome Packet” at the registration tent and will be eligible for Door-Prize Drawings, courtesy of many area businesses.
This charitable event is FREE, for both exhibitors and spectators. It will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The rain date is 08/03/13. Local DJ, Adam Riggin will be playing the “Oldies” for your musical entertainment, courtesy of Tawes Insurance of Crisfield. Food and drinks will be available from on-site vendors and from nearby establishments.
Crisfield’s American Legion, Stanley Cochrane Post #16 is a proud supporter of Wheels On the Waterfront and is helping fund the promotion of this popular event, while Landmark Insurance has provided funding for the thousands of flyers that the Wheels That Heal Car Club members pass out car exhibitors their own events and others throughout Delmarva.
Members of the Wheels That Heal Car Club will be accepting donations and selling 50/50 charity raffle tickets. All proceeds from this year’s event will be given to the Lower Shore Chapter of the American Red Cross. 
Remember, Hurricane Season is here again. Be sure to stop by the Lower Shore Chapter of the American Red Cross display and tour their Disaster Relief Trailer. Sandy dealt us quite a blow, but many organizations including the Lower Shore Chapter of the American Red Cross, came to our aid as soon as the storm had passed. 
Come see the many vehicles on display and check out the progress being made on our City Dock, that was damaged last Fall, during Super Storm Sandy. Our wheels are turning again in Crisfield. We are up and running, thanks to a lot of help from many organizations, from both near and far.
Wheels On the Waterfront, it’s fun, it’s FREE and it’s for all ages. So, load up the whole family and cruise on down to Crisfield for an enjoyable Saturday evening on the waterfront in “Downtown” Crisfield, Maryland. Please be sure to support the Lower Shore Chapter of the American Red Cross.
For more information call: (410) 968-2968 or on the web at www.wheelsonthewaterfront.eventbrite.com , www.crisfieldevents.com or www.wheelsthatheal.com . The photo below was courtesy of Patty Hancock please give her the credit.

Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision Wicomico County 7-16-13

DATE & TIME: 07/16/2013 @ 0434 hrs

LOCATION: Southbound Nanticoke Rd @ Capitola Rd, Wicomico County
BRIEF RESUME: On Tuesday July 16, 2013 at approximately 0434 hours Troopers of the Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack responded to a two vehicle motor vehicle collision in the area of southbound Nanticoke Rd @ Capitola Rd., Bivalve, Wicomico County, Maryland. Upon arrival, investigation revealed a Vehicle #1, a 2012 Ford Focus was traveling southbound Nanticoke Rd. at Capitola Rd. when it crossed the double yellow lane markings and struck vehicle #2, a 2009 GMC Sierra pickup, head on. Vehicle #2 was traveling northbound on Nanticoke Rd. The operator of Vehicle #1, 21 year old Ian Buchanan Gray, of Bivalve, was pronounced deceased. The operator of vehicle #2, 57 year old Keith Barnes, of Tyaskin, was transported to PRMC with NON life threatening injuries.

Coty Cox Branch – REPAIR OF WEST ROAD CULVERT

The City of Salisbury Public Works staff reports that the clog in the West Road Culvert is cleared. Sediment and debris has been removed from the 24-inch culvert pipe under West Road and the culvert pipe is flowing again. TK Construction will continue to work to install a replacement section of pipe and restore the road, inlet, curb and gutter. Temporary pumps will continue to be utilized while the culvert pipe is being replaced. The repair work is estimated to be completed on Tuesday. West Road will be reopened when the work is completed. Staff from Salisbury Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance walked the area of Delaware Avenue today passing out insurance claims that city residents can submit to the local government insurance trust.

“We are extremely relieved that the pipe blockage gave way. Having spend much of the weekend walking Delaware Avenue and exploring the Coty Cox Branch, I am proud of the resiliency of our residents, grateful for the efforts of The Red Cross, and in awe of the work of Salisbury Public Works employees (most especially, Howard Landon) in bringing this weather related event to a conclusion. The fix is on the way in terms of Coty Cox, I hope that the two blockages that we experienced will not happen again until the permanent fix is in place this Fall,” said Mayor James Ireton, Jr.

Should you have any issues regarding the construction, please contact Ron Wells at 410-548-5460.

Wicomico County Executive Announces The Opening Of A Cooling Center

(Salisbury, MD) Extreme heat will be affecting our area this week. According to the National Weather Service, the heat index will exceed 100 degrees today through Friday, with continued high temperatures into the weekend. County Executive Rick Pollitt, with the support of Health Officer Lori Brewster and the Department of Emergency Services, has announced the opening of a cooling center to operate from Wednesday, July 17th through Friday, July 19th. The cooling center will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is located at the Wicomico County Civic Center on500 Glen Avenue Salisbury, Maryland 21804. No pets will be permitted. Residents will need to bring their own food, beverages, and medications.

The MAC Senior Center will also be opened Wednesday through Friday for all individuals over the age of 50 who need shelter from the extreme heat. The MAC Senior Center is located at located at 909 Progress Circle, Suite 200 Salisbury, MD 21804. The center’s hours of operation have been extended until 8:00 p.m. Residents do not need to be affiliated with the MAC Center.

Anyone needing free transportation to the Civic Center or the MAC Senior Center should call Shore Transit at 443-260-2300.


During these extreme heat conditions, health officials are urging residents to be careful, stay cool, and keep hydrated. While temperatures and heat indices rise to record breaking levels, so does the risk for heat related illness.

“During weather like this, it is critical to check in multiple times a day on your neighbors, friends and relatives who may be most at risk. Make sure they are keeping cool and hydrated and get them to an air conditioned place if needed,” says Lori Brewster, Health Officer for Wicomico County. “Infants, young children, young athletes, obese persons, those older than 65 years of age, and those persons with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or a mental illness are at highest risk for heat related illness.”

For local and updated cooling center information, facts on heat related illness, or additional tips on how to stay cool, residents should call 211, or visit the Wicomico County Health Department's website at www.wicomicohealth.org or www.facebook.com/wicomicohealth.