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Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Welcome To The 21st Century


Detroit Emergency Manager "Freezes" Pension Fund

So far, city employees of bankrupt Detroit have stoically withstood all direct and indirect eliminations of their entitlements and retirement benefits, which was to be expected: after all as per a recent finding, they are merely an unsecured claim in an insolvent entity. However, following the latest shot across the bow from Detroit's emergency manager Kevyn Orr, which freezes pension plans for all non-uniform employees, said stoicism will likely be acutely tested.

As Detroit News reports,

Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr has frozen the city’s pension plans for all non-uniform employees, closing the General Retirement System effective Jan. 1.

Orr’s Dec. 30 action freezes earned pension benefits for employees in the General Retirement System and creates a new 401(k)-style defined contribution retirement plan for existing and future city workers, according to a copy of the emergency manager’s order obtained by The Detroit News.

As part of the order, Orr also eliminated the pension “escalator,” effectively eliminating any future cost-of-living increases for all retired city employees in the General Retirement System.

The emergency manager’s order also closes the pension system’s Annuity Savings Fund, an added benefit for some municipal workers.

City employees who were not already vested in the retirement system “shall not be entitled” to pension benefits, according to the order.

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OC Shooting Suspect Enters Alford Plea; Court Hearing Reveals Incident Details

SNOW HILL — A Reading, Pa. man charged with attempted murder and assault following last summer’s shooting in Ocean City was found guilty this morning and now awaits his fate pending the outcome of a pre-sentence investigation.

Elvin Mendez-Espada appeared in Circuit Court in Snow Hill on Tuesday to face multiple charges, including attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault for his role in an altercation in downtown Ocean City on June 29 when he shot and wounded two men and fired other shots at a third man. Mendez-Espada entered an Alford Plea on Tuesday to one count of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault and one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. In an Alford Plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges the state has enough evidence to prosecute the case.

In this particular case, however, the entry of an Alford plea to the four counts was somewhat unconventional because there appeared to be differing versions of the statement of facts read into the record. After a plea is entered, prosecutors read into the record the agreed-upon statement of facts, and the judge then rules on the case and proceeds to the sentencing phase.
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Detroit Police Chief: More Legally Armed Citizens Deter Crime

Detroit Police Chief James Craig praised the benefits of an armed citizenry and explained how his views about concealed carry have evolved during a press conference Thursday.

The Detroit News reports that Craig recounted his experience when he became police chief in Portland, Maine in 2009, after 28 years on the Los Angeles police force.

“Coming from California, where it takes an act of Congress to get a concealed weapon permit, I got to Maine, where they give out lots of CCWs [carrying concealed weapon permits], and I had a stack of CCW permits I was denying; that was my orientation,” he said according to the Detroit News report.

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Salon Writer Tops Harris-Perry In Comments About Romney’s Black Grandchild

If you think the “jokes” by MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry and a panel of fellow knuckle-draggersin re former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney’s black grandchild are hard to top, think again. A 1,000-word “analysis” by Salon’s Brittney Cooper out-stupids anything Harris-Perry et. al. said, partly by dint of its attempt at coming off as a “serious” reflection.

The problem with this quasi-cerebral look at the complex issue of race in 21st-century America may trace its roots to Cooper’s skin color (black), her ideology (liberal), or some combination thereof. The title, “White supremacy wins again: Melissa Harris Perry and the racial false equivalence,” prepares the reader only slightly for the victimist claptrap that follows.

The essay, if it can fairly be called that, is neatly compartmentalized in terms of its ideas, all of which are as tired as they are predictable. First comes the de rigueur accusation that the GOP (blanket term for conservatives as a whole) is dishonest on questions of race and “averse at the policy level to the social and political condition of African-Americans, and this has been demonstrated in everything from attempts to disenfranchise black voters to the wholesale turn to obstructionism as a primary governing strategy.”
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The Real Father Of Universal Healthcare – Adolf Hitler

Otto von Bismarck, the authoritarian Chancellor of Germany, started socialized healthcare in 1883 with the “Reichsversicherungsverordnung” (Reich Insurance Act). However, only certain segments of the society were insured at that time, such as government workers and the elderly. It was Adolf Hitler, who actually completed the process and imposed socialized healthcare on the entire German population, as a part of nazification of the healthcare industry. The mass murders of the Holocaust began and the methods of mass killing were perfected in the hospitals of the German universal healthcare system, implemented by the Führer, Adolf Hitler.

For that reason, Adolf Hitler should rightly be called the *real* father of universal healthcare, at least, in the western world. He was the first to regulate the healthcare industry for the entire population in Germany. Of course, the Soviet Union had a universal healthcare system already by 1921, but they were communist, the entire system was socialized. The abuse of the Soviet universal healthcare system, for example, to diagnose political dissidents as insane and confine them in hospitals, is yet another horror story of universal healthcare, when the Government dictates healthcare policy.

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Now That's Cold!



Terror Chief Dubbed Russia's Osama Bin Laden 'Will Target Britons At Olympics'

Athletes and spectators from Britain will be the target of ‘Russia’s Osama Bin Laden’ at next month’s Winter Olympics, a secret intelligence report warns.

The document, drawn up by Canadian counterterrorism agencies and shared with British intelligence, says Doku Umarov poses the greatest terror threat for the Games at Sochi in southern Russia.

Umarov, 49, is the Chechen jihadist leader blamed for the two suicide bombings in Volgograd in Russia over Christmas.

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Church Fire Victim Released From Hospital; Community Plans Benefit Friday

OCEAN CITY – The woman battling back from injuries sustained in last year’s St. Paul’s by the Sea Episcopal Church fire was released from the hospital over the weekend and the community is planning to come together for a fundraiser this Friday.

The benefit for Dana Truitt will be held Jan. 10, from 5-9 p.m. at Seacrets on 49th Street. The event will include lite dinner fare, beer and wine, live music, a silent auction and 50/50 raffle.

Marianne Buas, owner of the Buckingham Motel, along with her husband, Spiro, are spearheading the fundraiser as Truitt and her fiancé have been long-time employees of the hotel.
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Md. Superintendent Cyberbullied Over Opening Schools

Some tweets were funny; others were threatening to superintendent and his family

The superintendent of schools in Montgomery County, Md., became the target of cyber bullies for the second time in less than a month after deciding to keep the county's schools open during Tuesday's record low temperatures.

Following news that an arctic blast would bring record-breaking temperatures and wind chills near minus 20 degrees to the area, many school districts in the area canceled classes for Tuesday. But D.C. Public Schools and Montgomery County Schools announced classes would be in session.

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Doctor: You Don't Have ADHD. No One Does

Self Diagnoses Skyrocketing With Patients Seeking Stimulant Drugs

Do you take Adderall or Ritalin to deal with your inability to concentrate? Do you often proclaim that you, or your child perhaps, can’t sit still? You can’t concentrate or focus on tasks? Have you been diagnosed with ADHD? Well a new book written by neurologist Richard Saul is something you might want to pay your scant attention to.

The new book is titled “ADHD Does Not Exist: The Truth About Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder” and it’s likely to cause some people to actually pay attention. After his long career of treating patients, many self diagnosed, with short attention spans, Saul believes that ADHD is actually a collection of symptoms, not a disease. He doesn’t believe that it should be listed in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

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How Under Armour and Nike play ball with UMd., UVa. and Virginia Tech

A big component of the argument surrounding the way colleges and universities treat their student-athletes is based on the amount of money big-time college football programs collect for their schools. Programs take in money by the millions, often propping up the rest of a school’s athletic department. But how does that money come into the program and where does it go?

Recently, our sister publication in Portland ran an exhaustive look at how apparel companies fit into this equation. What staff reporter Matt Kish found was a system that “raises serious questions about ethics, possible conflicts of interests and the increasing influence of money on college campuses.” The Portland Business Journal also published a database of every apparel contract they were given after a public records request. Three high-profile football programs tied to the D.C.-area — the University of Maryland, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech University — submitted apparel contracts to Portland’s database. We decided to take a deep dive into those deals, which show only a fraction of how much money goes into university athletic programs.

Anyone who casually follows Maryland athletics knows that Under Armour outfits the team. CEO and founder Kevin Plank is a Maryland alum, but the company pays at least two other schools — the University of South Carolina and 2013 BCS championship participant Auburn University — more than it pays Maryland.

Under the deal, Under Armour Inc. supplies Maryland with $1.9 million in equipment and apparel, along with $1.475 million in cash.

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Colonial Williamsburg Historian To Speak At Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Area Annual Meeting

Salisbury, MD – The Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council will hold its Annual Luncheon Meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. Dr. Carl Lounsbury, author and senior architectural historian for Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, is slated to be the Keynote Speaker and will be speaking on his recent bookChesapeake House. The event is open to the public with advance paid registration.

Dr. Lounsbury is an active member of the Architectural Research Department at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation since 1982 and has been responsible for long term research, historic projects. He is a consultant in design and architectural research for museums and historical societies and state agencies. Designs include 17th century church for Jamestown Settlement, report on rowhouses for Jamestown Rediscovery, courtroom fittings for Prince William County, Va., jail investigations for Currituck Co., NC Historic Society and investigation of several houses for the Historic Charleston Foundation. In addition to research, Dr. Lounsbury is author to several books and has taught at University of Mary Washington, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia. He is currently coordinator of the NIAHD program at Colonial Williamsburg and is a Associate Professor at William and Mary College.

The event includes talk by Dr. Lounsbury, full luncheon, silent auction fundraiser and Heritage Awards presentation. Advance cost is $25 per person by Friday, Jan. 10. After that, $30 in advance. Deadline for paid registration is Monday, Jan. 20. Cash or check only. For more information and to make your advance paid reservation for this exciting event, email leshc1@aol.com or call 410-677-4706.

Baywater Animal Rescue Have A Heart Event Going to the Dogs & Cats

Cambridge, MD -- Baywater Animal Rescue has put a new twist on their Have A Heart event this year by choosing pets to run for King & Queen. “We think this will be a very exciting part of our event this year when the dog or cat who has been selected King & Queen comes out wearing their crown,” states Suzette Stitely executive director of the rescue. “One dollar equals one vote and the pet who raises the most money will be crowned.” Baywater’s Have A Heart event will be held Saturday, February 15, 2014 from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge. A VIP reception for sponsors will be held from 6:00-6:30 pm. Hors d’oeuvres and small plates will accompany a cash bar. Music will be provided by DJ Erik Higgins and a silent and live auction will round out the evening. Tickets for the event are $75.00/person and may be purchased at www.baywaterhaveaheart.org or by mailing your check to 4930 Bucktown Rd. Cambridge, MD 21613. Baywater Animal Rescue is still seeking sponors and silent auction items. Please call the shelter at 410-228-3090 if you would like to donate. Baywater Animal Rescue is the Mid-Shore’s Premiere No Kill shelter and rescues over 300 pets annually.

Boom For Guns Likely To Trigger Rush On Ammo

Gun records checks, fueled by a post-Newtown boom of gun sales, hit a new high in 2013, and industry analysts expect ammunition to be the big seller this year as consumers catch up to all of those firearms purchases.

More than 21 million applications were run through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System last year, marking nearly an 8 percent increase and the 11th straight year that the number has risen.

Background checks serve as a proxy for the number of gun sales, which soared in the months immediately after the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. But NICS checks plummeted in November and December compared with a year earlier, suggesting that the boom may be over.
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Welcome To Medicaid For All

Obamacare’s expansion of poor care, dependency, and insolvency is not a recipe for success.

The Washington Post’s Ezra Klein has found what he thinks is a bright spot amid the gloomy Obamacare news. When you hear what he’s enthusiastic about, you’ll perhaps understand why I wonder if there is any common ground at all between liberals and conservatives. Klein reports that Obamacare’s “biggest success” is that 4 million new enrollees signed up for Medicaid as of November and the number should be even higher when December’s statistics are tallied. “If the point of health-care reform is covering people who need health insurance, the expansion of Medicaid should be a huge win.”

Sorry, but the expansion of dependence on government is never cause for rejoicing. Conservatives acknowledge that a safety net is necessary for the poor, but we regard only the number of people leaving a government program like Medicaid as cause for celebration, not adding to the numbers who receive benefits. Klein is hardly alone. Nancy Pelosi described unemployment benefits as the greatest possible “stimulus” to the economy. By that logic, we should put everyone on unemployment, right?

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Mount St. Mary's Seeks Recognition As Religious To Avoid Obamacare Contraception Mandate

Mount St. Mary’s University is following what happens since Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor stalled the contraceptive mandate proscribed in the Affordable Care Act as it applies to religious groups’ health insurance policies.

The university’s position hangs on the definition of religious, Mount St. Mary’s President Thomas Powell said in a telephone interview.

Although the university does not mandate religious education and sacraments, it operates one of the nation’s largest seminary for Catholic priests and was founded by a Catholic who fled religious persecution in France, Powell said.
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Candidate For Best Comment Of The Year

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Survived By Wife":

My wife spent $200 at the beauty shop the other day, and that was just for an estimate.

Democrats Peddle Bogus Rationale For Obamacare Even After Study Debunks It

"More bad news for Obamacare and its proponents. A new study from Oregon" published in the journal Science found that expanded Medicaid coverage "increased-rather than decreased-both the number of folks crowding emergency rooms and" the number seeking emergency "care for conditions that clearly were not emergencies. Many . . . who supported the Affordable Care Act had predicted the opposite outcome," reported Scientific American. Obamacare subsidizes a vast expansion of Medicaid through billions more in government spending.

"Obamacare supporters, including the president himself, predicted that the Affordable Care Act would reduce the number of trips to expensive hospital emergency rooms, but as The New York Times reported on Friday, that may not be the case," notes CNS News. "An experiment in Oregon found that newly insured people went to the emergency room 'a good deal more often' than those without insurance." "Those who gained coverage made 40 percent more visits to the emergency room than their uninsured counterparts . . .The findings cast doubt on the hope that expanded insurance coverage will help rein in emergency room costs . . . And they go against one of the central arguments of the law's supporters, that extending insurance to large numbers of Americans would reduce emergency room use, and eventually save money."

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As Cohabitation Gains Favor, Shotgun Weddings Fade

No longer taboo, living together has become a more common arrangement for America's couples who become pregnant while dating.

Soon-to-be-released government figures show a major cultural shift since the days of "shotgun weddings" aimed at avoiding family embarrassment. With marriage on the decline, the shift is helping redefine the traditional notion of family.

"The emergence of cohabitation as an acceptable context for childbearing has changed the family-formation landscape," said Christina Gibson-Davis, a sociology professor at Duke University. "Individuals still value the idea of a two-parent family but no longer consider it necessary for the parents to be married."
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Ten Obamacare Predictions For 2014

It’s not going to be a good year for the law.

To kick off 2014, Kathleen Sebelius is reportedly papering the country with op-eds about the wonders of the “Affordable” Care Act. But her PR campaign aside, things will continue to deteriorate for Obamacare in 2014. Here are ten ways it’ll happen:

1. Many won’t pay: A sizeable share of the 2 million people who selected a private insurance plan before the 2013 deadline will not pay their share of the premiums and therefore won’t be covered by the plans in which the White House says they “enrolled.” Enrolling, by the White House definition, is actually just selecting a plan — the same as putting an item in the shopping basket at Amazon. Until you pay, you don’t own it. Early reports from Washington State and Nevada show that only half of those selecting a plan had paid their first month’s premium before the deadline.

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Seven Minimum Wage Facts That Have Democrats Worried

With the midterm elections just over 300 days away, nervous Democrats reeling from the Obamacare debacle are hoping a big push to raise the minimum wage will be the silver bullet that will spare them from the historic losses they suffered in 2010.

Democrats and unions are busy working to get minimum wage initiatives on state ballots in the hopes of creating an electoral “minimum wage magnet” to attract low-income, minority, and union voters to the polls.

Seven minimum wage facts, however, may diminish Democrats' high hopes.

1. Just 2.8% of American workers earn at or below the minimum wage.

The U.S. Department of Labor says 1.6 million people make the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Another 2 million earn below that rate, such as restaurant servers who make tips in addition to a lower base hourly wage which, according to U.S. News and World Report, "in many cases actually puts them significantly above the minimum wage in reality, if not officially." That means in a nation of 317 million people, just 3.6 million (1.1%) make at or below the minimum wage. As a share of the U.S. workforce, just 2.8% of people working make minimum wage.

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WCSO Press Releases 1/7/2014

Date of Incident: 6 January 2014

Location: Salisbury, MD

On 6 Jan 2014 at 7:40 PM a deputy arrested Markeeta Waters, 18 of Salisbury, in the 8000 block of Burnt Branch Drive on an outstanding Circuit Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Waters violated the terms of her probation after being convicted of the Unauthorized Removal of Property. Waters was detained without bond in the Detention Center.
Markeeta Waters
Markeeta Waters


On 6 Jan 2014 at 4:33 PM a deputy arrested Carolyn Doris Williams, 65 of Salisbury, in the 800 block of Cornish Street on an outstanding District Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after Williams failed to appear for a case involving a concealed weapon and CDS Possession. Williams was detained on a bond of $1,000.00.
Carolyn Williams
Carolyn Williams


Date of Incident: 6 January 2014

Location: 6000 block of Diamondback Drive, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Troy Curtis Conners, 48,Salisbury, MD
                                 
Narrative: On 6 January 2014 at 3:30 PM, a deputy arrested Troy Conners in connection with the theft of copper from an unoccupied residence in the 6000 block of Diamondback Drive in Salisbury. During the investigation it was learned that a subject, later identified as Troy Conner, opened up the crawl space at the house and then entered that area without permission and cut off sections of copper pipe from underneath the residence.

During the investigation,the vehicle Conners operated was identified and he was also found to have sold the copper in question to a local recycling center.

The investigating deputy applied for and obtained a warrant for the arrest of Conners. Upon arrest he was processed at the Central Booking Unit and brought in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Conners in the Detention Center in lieu of $30,000.00 bond.

Charges: Burglary 1stDegree
                Malicious Destruction of Property
                Theft under $1,000.00
Troy Conners
Troy Conners


Date of Incident: 4 January 2014

Location: 200 block of N. Main Street, Hebron, MD

Suspect: Christina Louise Bragg, 49,Salisbury, MD
                                 
Narrative: On 4 January 2014 at 9:44 PM, a deputy responded to investigate a disturbance in the 200 block of N. Main Street in Hebron. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a female victim who advised she had been struck in the face by a suspect she identified as Christina Bragg. Upon interviewing Bragg, the deputy observed that she appeared to be intoxicated and needed assistance to stand up.

The deputy placed Bragg under arrest and transported her to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Bragg in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond.
  
Charges: Assault 2ndDegree
                 Disorderly Conduct
Christina Bragg
Christina Bragg

Date of Incident: 3 January 2014

Location: 100 block of SE Railroad Avenue, Hebron, MD

Suspect: Richard Nathaniel Armstrong,45, Hebron, MD
                                 
Narrative: On 3 January 2014 at 11:30 PM, a deputy located Richard Armstrong at a residence in Hebron, MD and arrested him on two outstanding Child Support Bench Warrants. While taking Armstrong into custody,the deputy detected the odor of marijuana emanating from within the residence.When asked Armstrong admitted that he had smoked marijuana earlier in the day for medicinal purposes but there was no more. While glancing around the residence, the deputy observed what he recognized as marijuana, a smoking device and other related paraphernalia in plain view on top of a dresser.Inside the dresser the deputy recovered more marijuana after Armstrong stated more could be found there.

Upon leaving the residence, the deputy picked up a coat for Armstrong due to the cold temperature and discovered multiple individually wrapped baggies of what was recognized as marijuana in the coat.

The deputy transported Armstrong to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Armstrong in the Detention Center in lieu of $20,000.00bond.
  
Charges: Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Distribute
                Possession of Marijuana in excess of 10 grams
                Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Richard Armstrong
Richard Armstrong


Date of Incident: 3 January 2014

Location: Wicomico County

Suspect: William Clifford Webster, 42,Fruitland, MD
                                 
Narrative: On 3 January 2014 at 10:30 PM, William Webster was arrested on an outstanding arrest warrant after being located in Delmar. Back in October 2013, Webster arrived at the Sheriff’s Office to register as a sex offender as required due to a 2009 conviction and provided a home address at that time. Over the course of the next few weeks, the Wicomico Sheriff’s Office attempted to visit Webster at the home address he provided to ensure his compliance with the requirements of his sex offender registration. Not only could Webster not be located at the address he provided, it was learned that Webster did not in fact reside there.

After the futile attempts to locate Webster, a warrant for his arrest was obtained back in November 2013.

Upon arrest, Webster was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Webster in the Detention Center without bond.  
  
Charges: Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
William Webster
William Webster


Date of Incident: 2 January 2014

Location: 30800 block of Johnson Road, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Ronald James Lovette, 20,Salisbury, MD
                                 
Narrative: On 2 January 2014 at 5:33 PM, a deputy arrested Ronald Lovette in connection with the theft of a container of quarters from a residence. During the investigation, Lovette was identified as the suspect in the theft which is believed to have amounted to almost $200.00 worth of change.

The investigating deputy applied for and received a warrant for the arrest of Lovette. Upon arrest he was processed and brought in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Lovette in the Detention Center in lieu of $15,000.00 bond.

Charges: Theft under $1,000.00
Ronald Lovette
Ronald Lovette


Date of Incident: 2 January 2014

Location: Giles Lane, Quantico, MD

Suspect: Terry A. Milbourne, 44,Salisbury, MD
                                 
Narrative: On 2 January 2014 at 3:15 PM, a deputy arrested Terry Milbourne in connection with an assault. It is alleged that during an altercation Milbourne struck another individual in the face knocking out a tooth.

After an appearance in front of a District Court Commissioner, Milbourne was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $45,000.00 bond.
  
Charges: Assault 2ndDegree
Terry Milbourne
Terry Milbourne


Date of Incident: 1 January 2014

Location: 8000 block of Jersey Road, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Tevin Deshawn Mumford, 21,Salisbury, MD
                                 
Narrative: On 1 January 2014 at 3:38 PM, a deputy arrested Tevin Mumford in connection with the theft of a Yamaha dirt bike after stopping Mumford for operating the dirt bike at an excessive speed on a residential street. During the encounter the dirt bike was identified as being reported stolen.

Mumford was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance,the Commissioner detained Mumford in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00bond.

Charges: Theft $1,000.00 to$10,000.00
 Tevin Mumford
Tevin Mumford
                         
                                                                          
Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson        Date: 7 January 2014

In Midst Of The Big Freeze, Obama To Exert Presidential Powers On ‘Global Warming’

Faster, weaker than Congress

With a divided Congress unlikely to move any controversial climate change legislation, the hopes of environmentalists this year once again will be pinned on the executive authority of President Obama.

Seeking to build his legacy on a core issue for many in the Democratic Party, the president and his deputies in the Environmental Protection Agency and elsewhere will take several key actions over the next 12 months as part of the federal government’s larger effort to combat climate change, specialists say.

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The Biggest Terrorism Scaremongers Are THEMSELVES The Ones Promoting Terrorism

In response to the revelation that the NSA spies on Congress, Congressman Peter King says that the NSA should spy on Congress, to make sure congress members don’t call Al Qaeda.

King is a fine one to talk … he supported the Irish Republican Army for decades, even though the IRA was designated as a terrorist group.

The heads of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees – Diane Feinstein and Mike Rogers – are always yelling ooga booga … saying that the terrorists will get us if we don’t let the NSA spy on all Americans.

Feinstein and Rogers both support Al Qaeda terrorists in Syria. Rogers supports torture, which has been recognized for thousands of years as a form of terrorism (torture also creates new terrorists.) And Rogers supports the widespread drone war, even though indiscriminate drone strikes are war crimes – more here and here – oh, and they create more terrorists.

Another leading scaremonger is former NSA and CIA director Michael Hayden, who has compared privacy advocates with terrorists. Hayden was one of the main supporters of the torture program, and of the “signature strike” drone assassination program, where strikes are launched purely on the behavior of ground vehicles, with no further evidence of connection to terrorism. Hayden also supported the MEK terrorist group (more on MEK below).

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General Assembly Races: January Update On Candidates, Filings

District 37: Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico (Colburn filed)

Filed for Senate: Democrat Cheryl Everman and Republican incumbent Sen. Richard Colburn.

37A: One delegate (Cane filed), Wicomico County Councilwoman Sheree Sample-Hughes, a Democrat, is running for delegate.

District 37B: Two delegates (one open seat), Talbot, Dorchester, Caroline, Wicomico

(Colburn, Eckardt filed, Haddaway-Riccio runs for lieutenant governor)

Attorney Philip Cronan dropped out of the race for delegate because his father has a worsening health condition, reports Josh Bollinger in the Easton Star-Democrat.

Still running are St. Michael’s resident Johnny Mautz, a Republican, and Wicomico County businessman Christopher T. Adams, a Republican.

And recently announced candidates in December include Dorchester County Economic Development Director Keasha Haythe, a Democrat, and southern Eastern Shore cardiologist Dr. Rene Desmarais, a Republican, reports Josh Bollinger in the Easton Star-Democrat. Desmarais focused on health policy in his interview, saying that the General Assembly needs more doctors to help shape the major policy changes that are to come in healthcare. Haythe, the granddaughter of an Eastern Shore waterman, said she would be an advocate for business in the region.

District 38: Somerset, Worcester (Mathias, Otto filed, McDermott filed for Senate)

Del. Mike McDermott, a Republican, filed Sept. 16 for District 38 Senate after being drawn into the same district as another Republican, Del. Charles Otto.

Sen. Jim Mathias is running for re-election and plans to run on a record of helping improve roads and schools and sponsoring bills such as one to help reduce the estate tax for farms, reports Jennifer Shutt in the Salisbury Daily Times. He filed Dec. 11.

District 38A: One delegate Del. Charles James Otto filed July 16 to run in the new single-member District 38A.

District 38B: One delegate, Wicomico (Conway filed)

Delmar Mayor Carl Anderton has announced he will challenge Del. Norman Conway. Anderton, a Republican, is president of the Maryland Municipal League and wants to represent the urban core of Wicomico County, reports Jennifer Shutt in the Salisbury Daily Times.

Conway filed on Dec. 20.

38C: One delegate, Worcester Filed: Democrat Mike Hindi and Republican Mary Beth Carozza.

Judy Davis, a Democrat, filed Nov. 12.

Click HERE to see the rest of the list

SEN. RON JOHNSON TO SUE TO STOP OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES FOR CONGRESS

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) plans to file a lawsuit against the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) because OPM approves giving Obamacare subsidies to congressmen, senators, and their staff members. Johnson heads a group that asserts that OPM’s policy is not authorized by Obamacare.

For Johnson to have legitimate standing to file the lawsuit, he must prove he is personally damaged by the OPM policy. One of Johnson’s aides told Politico that he plans to prove this with three accusations: the law forces him to accept the subsidies, and they are illegal; the policy gives him special treatment not afforded to his constituents, thus alienating them; and the policy forces him to figure out which of his employees are “official” office employees who must get health coverage by using the new Obamacare exchanges rather than remaining on their old federal health plan.

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The Minimum Wage Forces Low-Skill Workers To Compete With Higher-Skill Workers

The efforts underway by the Service Employees International Union, and its political and media allies, to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour would, if successful, cause major unemployment among low-skilled workers, who are the supposed beneficiaries of those efforts.

The reason is not only the fact that higher wages serve to raise costs of production and thus prices, which in turn serves to reduce physical sales volume and thus the number of workers needed. There is also another equally, if not more important reason in this case, and it is a reason which is only very inadequately described by reference to the substitution of machinery or automation [7] for the direct labor of workers when wages are increased.

This is the fact that a low wage constitutes a competitive advantage for less-skilled workers that serves to protect them from competition from more-skilled workers. In other words, a wage of $7.25 per hour for fast-food workers serves to protect those workers from competition from workers able to earn $8 to $15 per hour in other lines of work. The workers able to earn these higher wage rates are not interested in seeking employment at the lower wage rates of the fast-food workers.

But if the wage of the fast-food workers, and all other workers presently earning less than $15 per hour, is raised to $15 per hour, then these more capable workers can now earn as much as fast-food workers as they can in any of the occupations in which they had been working up to now.

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O’MALLEY CRONIES PICK CASINO OPERATOR TOO ‘MOBBED UP’ FOR NEW JERSEY

A casino operator is thrown out of New Jersey because of its ties to organized crime.

So who does a group of Maryland Democratic and O’Malley insiders select for a casino license that has been described as one of the most lucrative to be awarded in the past decade? They pick the very same company that was too mobbed up even for New Jersey, MGM.

In decision worthy of a Sopranos or the Wire plot, last month the Maryland “Video Lottery Facility Location Commission” picked MGM, and their National Harbor location from among three applicants for a Prince Georges County casino license.

In doing so, Maryland ignored a New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement report that details MGM’s intimate financial relationship with Pansy Ho, the daughter of Macau gambling magnate Stanley Ho. The report finds: “MGM pursued partnerships with persons that it knew were associated with those aspects of gaming in Macau most heavily penetrated by organized crime.”

According New Jersey’s MGM report: “Numerous governmental and regulatory agencies have referenced Stanley Ho’s association with criminal enterprises, including permitting organized crime to operate and thrive within his casinos.”

MGM’s own private-investigation firm report concluded that: “Stanley Ho was ‘linked closely’ to 14K and Sun Yee On, two major Macau triads, or organized crime groups, and also had links to Russian organized crime and North Korean authorities.” However: “They partnered with Ho anyway.” (NJ MGM Report )

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On The Coldest Day In America In 20 Years, Here Are Al Gore’s Stupidest Global Warming Quotes

America could actually use some global warming right about now. It is being projected that low temperatures across the Midwest could be 30 to 50 degrees below average on Monday morning.

On Sunday, fans that attempted to tailgate before the playoff game between the 49ers and the Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin were discovering that their beers were actually turning to icebefore they could drink them. That is cold. But things are going to get really chilly when nightfall arrives. In fact, it is being projected that much of the nation will experience wind chill temperatures of more than 40 degrees below zero, and wind chill temperatures of more than 50 degrees below zero are expected in parts of North Dakota and Minnesota. The weather is expected to be so cold that the governor of Minnesota has actually decided to close public schools statewide on Monday. The last time that happened was back in 1997. The reason why the governor of Minnesota did this is because when temperatures get this low they can literally be life threatening. When wind chill temperatures get down to about 50 below zero, if your skin is exposed you can literally develop frostbite in about five minutes. This is being called the coldest day in America in 20 years, and these cold temperatures have many Americans wondering what ever happened to all of that “global warming” that Al Gore and other “climate scientists” have been warning us about for so many years.

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Survived By Wife

Comedian Alan King delivers his funny monologue about how men die younger than women and offers up the phrase from obituaries “Survived By Wife” as proof. Alan died in 2004 at the age of 76 and he was survived by his wife of 57 years, Jeanette. It appears he was correct after all as he was “Survived By Wife”. If you enjoyed this you might also like to watch Till Death Do Us Apart.

Wicomico County Crime Stats December 2013


Salisbury, Allen,
Deer Harbour, Fruitland,
Fox Chase
Parsonsburg, Delmar
Delmar, Reservation,
Booth/West Rd.
Nanticoke, Waterview,
White Haven, Tyaskin
Booth Street, Reservation
Hebron, Mardela Springs,
Sharptown
Pittsville, Willards,
Powellville

Jobless Benefits Bill Clears Key Senate Hurdle

Senate Democrats win key test vote on bill to extend jobless benefits over Republican objections that the $6 billion measure is not paid for.

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The Federal Reserve Is Hiring Lots Of New Armed Police Officers

Mirroring a trend seen across the federal government, the Federal Reserve is hiring a raft of new police officers and security guards, developments that some see as preparation for civil unrest.

Despite only being as “federal” as Federal Express, the Federal Reserve central banking system has its own law enforcement arm, officers belonging to which are lawfully allowed to be armed both on and off duty, including with semi-automatic pistols, assault rifles and submachine guns.

Ads posted on job websites catering for the Federal Reserve suggest that demand for law enforcement personnel and protection officers is increasing.

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Group Run By al Qaeda Terrorist Invited To Brief Dems On Drone Policy

Reps. Grayson, Lee invited al Qaeda sympathizer for drone briefing

The representative of a human rights group headed by a designated al Qaeda terrorist was denied a visa by the State Department after being invited by congressional Democrats to discuss drone strikes.

Mohammad Al Ahmady, the Yemen director for Geneva-based NGO Al Karama, was expected to brief Reps. Alan Grayson (D., Fla.), Barbara Lee (D., Calif.), and Jan Schakowsky (D., Ill.) the morning of the Nov. 19, according to press release from Grayson’s office.

Ahmady, who also serves as a top official in an al Qaeda-linked Yemeni political party, did not attend because of visa issues. The State Department said it could not comment on visa matters.

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Global Warming vs Global Cooling Hysteria Of The Past

Here's a tale of two global climate theories and hysteria. This story blames the present freeze on GLOBAL WARMING!!! 


Mikulski Pushes For Unemployment Extension

The U.S. Senate has delayed a key procedural vote on the issue of unemployment extensions, mainly because many lawmakers are stuck around the country due to the bad weather.

The Senate will vote on extending long-term unemployment insurance that affects about 1.3 million Americans.

"We have thousands of Marylanders and several hundred thousand Americans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski.
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DMV: Most Fail Test For Driver Authorization Card

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles officials have advice for immigrants seeking a driver authorization card: study.

They estimate 75 percent of applicants have failed the written test needed for the card under a new law that made the state the 11th nationally to offer driving privileges to people in the country illegally. The cards became available Thursday.

Applicants must correctly answer 80 percent of 50 questions to pass the test. They also are required to pass a driving exam to receive cards. The failure rate on the driving test was not immediately available.

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Liberals Choices


GENERAL CEMENTS PLAN TO END OBAMA'S REIGN

Working in Washington now to implement radical solution

What to do about the alleged unconstitutional and unlawful actions of President Barack Obama?

Some have proposed marches. Others hearings. Some have demanded the president’s resignation. Some have called for impeachment, even though a Democrat-controlled Senate would be unlikely to oust their party’s leader.

Polls show Americans of all parties are upset with the direction of the country, but what can they actually do to make a difference?

Retired Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely, as chairman of Stand Up America, has been at the forefront of many of these rallying cries, encouraging Americans to take action in a number of ways.

But now the former deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army in the Pacific has settled upon a battle plan he believes could actually work: a House-led, parliamentary style vote of “no confidence” in Obama’s administration.

“I have already achieved a level of ‘no confidence’ in Obama as a leader, but now I urge you to examine this concept,” Vallely wrote in an email to supporters obtained by WND. “If you agree with me that all confidence is lost, I urge you to then ask yourself what is in the realm of the possible. I implore you to push aside the urge to try and fix everything in one fell swoop.

“Now is the time for something a dear friend calls ‘conviction without eviction,’ an end that can be brought on through a vote of no confidence, locally, statewide and nationally,” Vallely claims. “This is just a first step in what can only be repaired over time, but it is achievable in the short term and starts to remove Obama’s ability to continue his ruinous ways now.”

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2 Congressmen Viewed Shocking 9-11 Report – Saudi Arabia & Israel May Be Connected To Use Of Directed Energy Weapon On 9-11

Since 9-11, the U.S. Government has always known about who was involved in perpetrating 9-11. An investigation has reportedly revealed that Saudi Arabia and Israel may have been directly involved.

Additionally, since 2007, the federal government has in their possession a forensic investigation detailing critical evidence which confirmed the existence of free energy technology, as well as proof of it’s use on 9-11. In April 2007, Dr. Judy Wood with the help of Attorney Jerry Leaphart filed a case against contractors employed by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) for fraud and deception in covering up 9-11 evidence.

Based on Dr. Judy Wood’s extensive and conclusive investigation, we now have irrefutable evidence that a directed energy weapon was used to turn 1.5 million tons of WTC towers into dust in mid air.

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Exposed: Hillary Clinton’s Sex Scandals

SPD Press Releases 1-7-14




OUTRAGE! Obama Administration Is Secretly Declaring Thousands Of US Veterans Incompetent

Then Taking Away Their Second Amendment Rights

US veterans started receiving letters from the government last year informing them that they are disabled and not allowed to own, purchase or possess a firearm. If the veteran does decide to purchase a firearm he will by fined, imprisoned or both.

This comes on page 2 of the VA letter.
va guns
Here is the full copy of the letter-

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Kickboxer vs U.S. Marine

What Marijuana Does To Your Brain And Body

Recently legalized in Washington and Colorado, marijuana has medical and recreational uses but can also be damaging to our bodies and minds.

The high you get from marijuana comes from a chemical called Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, which is found in varying potency.

Most of THC's effects happen in the brain, where the chemical interacts with receptors on brain cells called cannibinoid receptors. Our bodies actually make chemicals very similar to THC, which are used in normal brain function and development. THC co-opts these natural pathways to produce most of its effects.

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Deaths Classified As Double Suicide In Blackbird State Forest, Smyrna

Location: Blackbird State Forest, 500 block of Blackbird Forest Road, Smyrna, DE

Date of Occurrence: Thursday, January 2, 2104 at 1:10 p.m.

Victims:
23 year old female from Clayton, DE
32 year old male from Clayton, DE

Resume:
Smyrna-The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has classified the deaths of the 32 year old male and 23 year old female as a double suicide.

Troopers continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident. No further details to be released.

NEARLY TWO THIRDS OF 2013 GOVERNMENT WASTE, FRAUD CAME FROM HHS

The estimated amount of taxpayer-funded payments that the federal government doled out through fraud, waste, and errors slightly decreased in 2013 to $106 billion from $108 billion the previous year, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

On Dec. 31, FederalTimes.com reported the estimated government-wide improper payments dollar figure for fiscal 2013, citing Frank Benenati, an OMB spokesman as the source.

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SFD Calls For Service 1-6-14

  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 23:20:13Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 22:04:00Nature: InjuryCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 19:39:12Nature: Chest PainCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 18:41:27Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 133 Village Oak Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 15:57:19Nature: InjuryCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 14:19:27Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 316 Martin St Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 13:51:12Nature: SeizureCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 12:17:39Nature: Difficulty BreathingCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 12:13:13Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 12:02:32Nature: Abdominal PainCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 11:24:45Nature: Delayed AmbulanceAddress: 2336 Goddard Pkwy Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 10:40:58Nature: Pi AccidentAddress: 101 Naylor Mill Rd Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 10:36:26Nature: Abdominal PainCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 10:32:26Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 09:02:36Nature: General WeaknessCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 08:48:57Nature: General WeaknessCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 08:02:09Nature: Difficulty BreathingCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 07:37:17Nature: Pi AccidentCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 07:37:16Nature: Pi AccidentAddress: 208 Pryor Ave Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 06:15:16Nature: Non BreathingAddress: 1030 S Schumaker Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 06:15:16Nature: Non BreathingCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 04:40:25Nature: Abdominal PainCity: Salisbury
  • Monday January, 6 2014 @ 04:01:28Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury

Change Maryland Press Release

Change Maryland Releases Findings on Investigation of Unethical Relationship Between O’Malley-Brown Administration and State Contractors

ANNAPOLIS – Change Maryland today released the final report on their independent investigation into allegations of unethical relationships between state contractors and the O’Malley-Brown administration during the Governor’s leadership of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA).

Change Maryland identified over five million dollars worth of questionable donations to the DGA from 28 state contractors in multiple industries including healthcare, energy, gambling, transportation, and communications between 2011 and 2013. It was during this time that Governor O'Malley led the fundraising efforts of the national political organization.

"Our research reveals a disturbing pattern from this administration that is at the very least unethical and inappropriate," said Larry Hogan, founder and Chairman of Change Maryland. "The people of Maryland deserve to know the truth about these donations and the state decisions that may have been influenced. Did the Governor solicit large contributions to help further his national aspirations and reward those donors with huge state contracts and favorable decisions?”

Recognizing the inappropriate and unethical nature of these relationships, state law prohibits state contractors from making contributions to an elected officials campaign account. The evidence in this report indicates the possibility of a deliberate, coordinated effort by this administration to to circumvent the intent of the law by soliciting unlimited contributions to a federal, rather than state account.

"Allowing a 'pay-to-play' culture of corruption to take a stronghold in our state government threatens every business and individual in Maryland," Hogan said. "Even the perception of this practice prevents an honest and fair bidding process for all job creators who may wish to contract with the state. It allows complicit politicians to hijack millions, and even billions in taxpayer dollars that could serve a greater purpose, both in the government and in the wallets of struggling Maryland families.”

“Unfortunately, this culture of corruption is enabled when you have a political monopoly with no checks and balances," Hogan continued. "For almost eight years, this administration has run amuck without any accountability, and it's Maryland's working families who have paid the price. This is just the tip of the iceberg – we believe these allegations seriously warrant further investigation."

Change Maryland was founded by Hogan in 2011 to advocate for fiscally responsible government and provide an opportunity for average Marylanders to hold their elected officials accountable. The organization gained national recognition in 2012 for its Tax Migration Study that showed 31,000 Marylanders leaving the state following the O’Malley-Brown administration’s historic tax increases. The group has released several other investigative studies detailing the economic decline in Maryland, including a comprehensive report of 40 consecutive tax increases, 6,500 lost small businesses, and a 100% increase in unemployment.

A New Power In Conservative Media

A player in Christian and talk radio stations is buying up popular conservative websites — moves that could make Salem Communications the next big thing in right-wing media.

The California-based company has recently gobbled up sites that reach millions of readers, like Michelle Malkin’s Twitchy.com, the Eagle Publishing group which is home to RedState.com, HumanEvents.com and the conservative publishing house Regnery. The Salem empire already includes more than 100 Christian and conservative talk-radio stations and several Christian-themed websites, as well as HotAir.com and TownHall.com.

Though Salem doesn’t appear to be planning major changes to the sites, media experts say the move represents a bid to consolidate the huge conservative market and power up the company’s effort to reach beyond its core conservative Christian devotees to possibly become more of a powerful political force on the right. The consolidation Salem is undertaking is unlike anything seen on the left, where media efforts are generally much more individualized.

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