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Thursday, February 27, 2014

Debt Man

Rick Santelli Summarizes The Problem: "It's The Government"

While the guests on Friday's CNBC closing bell were giddy with excitement about earnings, US stocks, and 'the recovery' being "a lot stronger than people give it credit for", Rick Santelli asked a simple question, if it's all so great why is the Fed still printing billions of dollars each month? A disquieted crowd of asset-gatherers attempted a response but made the mistake of uttering the most inflammable 7 words Santelli could hear... "Where would we be without the government?" What ensued is worth the price of admission...

Who is the government (or the Fed) working for?

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50% Hike In Cigarette Tax Gets Hearing

Health care advocates are stoking the tax fires again with legislation that would make Maryland’s tobacco taxes some of the highest in the country.

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee heard testimony Wednesday on SB 589, which would increase the tobacco tax rate from $2 for a pack of cigarettes to $3. The bill also calls for steep hike on all other tobacco products — from 30% to 95% of the wholesale price.

Products affected would include cigars, roll-your-own, and forms of smokeless tobacco.

The bill would give Maryland the fourth highest tobacco tax rates in the nation. No. 1 is New York at $4.35 per pack of cigarettes. (Cigarette smugglers nabbed by comptroller’s agents coming through Maryland from 30 cents-a-pack Virginia are often headed to New York.)
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Why Is Inflammation So Harmful?

Chronic inflammation is a common symptom in most degenerative diseases. These include certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, high cholesterol, chronic obesity, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Inflammation is a natural response of the body to injury. Think of inflammation in relation to the swelling around a sprained ankle. The body handles this injury by sending certain chemicals to the area to start tissue repair. On the surface, this looks like swelling, but underneath the skin, much is going on to repair the damage and restore health to the ankle.

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MUSLIM KILLERS GO BALLISTIC IN COURTROOM


Michael Adebolajo has been sentenced to a "life means life" prison term for the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby while Michael Adebowale was sentenced to life with a minimum of 45 years
The Islamist killers of Drummer Lee Rigby erupted into violence in an Old Bailey courtroom as they were sentenced for murder.

Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, had to be manhandled out of court by security guards after being told by Mr Justice Sweeney that their crime was a “betrayal of Islam”.

Adebolajo screamed at the judge as he was manhandled down the dock stairs in the historic Court No 2 but, in scenes lasting several minutes, his co-defendant was held to the floor and cuffed before being carried downstairs head first.

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British Troops Warned Not To Wear Their Uniforms Off Base In Their Own Country

Counter terror police have warned troops that extremists may try to copy the murder of Lee Rigby.

Soldiers were told to be extra ­vigilant over fears that crazed ­jihadists were plotting an execution like the one in Woolwich when Fusilier Lee, 25, was hacked to death near his base.

Scotland Yard issued the warning at Cavalry Barracks in Hounslow, West London, after learning that fanatics in the area supported the horrific killing. Police, who have stepped up patrols of nearby streets, told Army bosses: “We request that military personnel remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to avoid drawing attention to their status as members of the armed forces.

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LAWMAKERS TARGET GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION, RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS

COLLEGE PARK — With six years left until the state meets its self-imposed deadline for greenhouse gas reduction, projections show the state will miss its target without legislation to promote increased use of renewable energy sources.

The state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, passed in 2009, requires a 25 percent reduction in 2006 greenhouse gas levels by 2020.

James McGarry, chief policy analyst for Chesapeake Climate Action Network, said the state has done a good job of reducing emissions but will need more from policy makers to meet the goal in time.

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California Couple Strikes Gold After Finding $10 Million Of 19th Century Coins Buried On Their Property

A Northern California couple out walking their dog in February 2013 on their Gold Country property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree.

Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them.

Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to about $27,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1million apiece.

'I don't like to say once-in-a-lifetime for anything, but you don't get an opportunity to handle this kind of material, a treasure like this, ever,' said veteran numismatist Don Kagin, who is representing the finders. 'It's like they found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.'

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STATES’ SUPPORT OF CHESAPEAKE LAWSUIT DRAWS THOUSANDS OF PETITION SIGNATURES

Three weeks after 21 states signed on to a lawsuit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay pollution limits, more than 25,000 people have signed a petition condemning the suit.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation petition has garnered an unusually high response from the public in the 23 days since the attorneys general from states such as Florida, Kansas and Alaska filed an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit.

“It’s quite a statement of the public’s interest in this issue,” said Kim Coble, the Bay Foundation’s vice president for environmental protection and restoration.

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Jake's Law Would Create Tougher Penalties For Cell Phone Distracted Driving

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - If you aren't clicking the hang up button before getting in the driver's seat, it could soon cost you. A proposed law creates tougher penalties for crashes resulting in serious injury or death because of cell phone distractions.

"People need to know that there is not a single call or text that is more important that someone else's life," said Susan Yum, mother of the boy whom the law is named after.

Her 5-year-old son, Jake Owen, was killed two years ago after a distracted driver ran into the back of their family's car. Now, Yum is doing all she can to keep this from happening to someone else.
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New Evidence Of 'Gangster Government' Surfaces In S&P Response To Justice Department Lawsuit

Washington Examiner columnist Michael Barone got a lot of coverage in 2009 when he coined the term "Gangster Government" to describe President Obama's Chicago-style approach to governing in the Oval Office.

The phrase isn't heard quite so often these days, but that's not because of a paucity of fresh evidence demonstrating its continued relevance.

The latest evidence is found in a new filing by Standard & Poor's in its response to the Department of Justice lawsuit accusing the Wall Street ratings firm of fraud in its August 2011 downgrade of the U.S. government's credit worthiness.

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McAuliffe, O'Malley, Gray Pledge $75 Million To New Metro Program

Topic number one for the two governors and the mayor: transportation.

On Wednesday, the three pledged $25 million each from Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, which will go towards what has been dubbed the Metro’s “New Momentum Program,” which specifically calls for the installation of larger, eight-car trains to reduce congestion.

“The rail cars are so full today -- we need these eight-car trains," said McAuliffe.

The three committed to working together on a range of issues. Governor McAuliffe led the talks on transportation while Governor O’Malley led the meeting on environmental issues.
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'I Was Given Every Sh!t Job In The World By Obama'

Biden makes astonishing revelations about his relationship with the President as it's claimed he was 'frozen out' by White House over gay gaffe

Vice President Joe Biden has revealed that the President assigned him ‘every sh!t job in the world’ but he still wasn’t able to win Obama’s full support and began being effectively frozen out after one of his infamous gaffes.

The 71-year-old argued that he was happy to do the less glamorous tasks- like handling the at-times petty Senate fights and calming the fears of the infamously paranoid President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai- but only at a price.

‘When the president asked me what portfolio did I want, I said, “Base it on what you want of me to help you govern…But I want to be the last guy in the room on every major decision… You’re president, I’m not, but if it’s my experience you’re lookin’ for, I want to be the last guy to make the case,”’ Biden said in a lengthy Politico profile.

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Hannity Confronts Racist NAACP Official Who Called Clarence Thomas A ‘Prolific Uncle Tom’

GOP Lawmakers Press DOJ About Court Decision Allowing Gang Members To Stay In US

In the wake of an appeals court ruling allowing an illegal immigrant gang member to remain in the country because he renounced his membership, a couple of GOP lawmakers are calling on the Justice Department to appeal.

On Jan. 23 in the matter of Martinez v. Holder, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Julio Martinez, an illegal immigrant MS-13 member from El Salvador, could remain in the U.S. because he renounced his membership and that gang members in El Salvador would kill him if he returns.

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Virginia Republican Rep. Randy Forbes pressed DOJ on next steps, given the grave precedent the ruling set.

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Obamacare: Now Appearing On Your Restaurant Bill

That the bulk of Americans (especially those 4+ million whose insurance policies have recently been cancelled as a result of the ACA) have to pay more for healthcare as a result of Obamacare, is now largely accepted and well-known. But did you know that the cost of Obamacare is slowly metastasizing to other places? Such as your restaurant bill.

Presenting Exhibit A above.

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SFD Calls For Service 2-26-14

  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 17:21:23Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 16:30:12Nature: Heart PatientCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 15:14:54Nature: Unconscious SubjectCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 13:33:27Nature: Difficulty BreathingCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 10:40:01Nature: OverdoseCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 10:34:19Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 1015 Beaglin Park Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 10:03:52Nature: Chest PainCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 07:33:58Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 06:32:49Nature: Subject FallenCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 05:35:12Nature: Difficulty BreathingCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 04:03:21Nature: Sick SubjectCity: Salisbury
  • Wednesday February, 26 2014 @ 03:03:29Nature: Unconscious SubjectCity: Salisbury

Former President Bill Clinton Writes...

From: Bill Clinton democraticparty@democrats.org
To: Joe Albero alberobutzo@wmconnect.com


Joe --

We've never solved one single problem in this country with less democracy. We've never moved forward with less participation.

It's not enough anymore for us to be against voting restrictions; we need to get back on that road forward and work for more and easier voting.

I'm joining with the Democratic Party to help launch our new Voter Expansion Project. If you're committed to expanding voting rights for everyone, will you add your name to mine?

15 Nullification Bills Advance In States Around The Country!

From East to West. From left to right. Bills to nullify march onward!

In just the past week, we've seen at least 15 state bills advance at various stages of the legislative process. And while all of these bills have a long way to go if they are to become law, we've seen more success this year than any in our history at TAC.  

Thanks to the great work and support of you, our Tenther Community - we're getting things done on NSA, gun control, drones, farming, agenda 21, common core and more.

Landmark: Organic Farmer Sues Neighbor For Cross-Contamination

An Australian organic farmer is suing a neighboring grower for GMO contamination of his land.

The first-of-its-kind lawsuit could set a precedent and land a major blow to biotech giant Monsanto, if farmer Steve Marsh wins his case. Farmers have attempted to sue Monsanto and GMO seeds competitor DuPont on GMO contamination or cross-contamination grounds in the United States, but no American farmers have ever successfully done what Marsh hopes to do.

The organic farmer is the first to attempt to make the issue a property rights battle and actually sue the individual who planted and cultivated the genetically engineered crops. Since 1997, Monsanto has filed 145 lawsuits against farmers for reusing its patented genetically modified seeds. According to Daily Finance, Monsanto has fought and won, on average, one lawsuit every three weeks for the past 16 years.

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Trooper 3 Pilot Says His Faith Has Seen Him Through

Being a Maryland State Police Trooper 3 pilot strengthens Russ Zullick's Christian faith every day.

"Going to help, it's kind of what Christianity is supposed to be about," said Zullick, 53. "You know that a fellow human being is in trouble, and you're here to help."

The Arendtsville, Pa., resident has been a state police pilot since 2007 after having spent about 25 years in the military, mostly stationed in Alaska. He said he has been flying helicopters since 1979.
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Historic: First State Calls For Convention Limiting Federal Government

In a landmark move, Georgia’s House and Senate have called for a constitutional convention to limit the size and power of the federal government.

It is the first time that both chambers of a state have supported a conservative- and libertarian-backed movement that would bring together all 50 states to consider amending the US Constitution. The group behind the movement has labeled it a Convention of States and launched awebsite.

“We Georgians boldly took another few steps out of tyranny,” said Jacquie Peterson, the Convention of States Georgia director. “Those of us who were able to attend this historic vote were honored to be there representing hundreds of thousands of other liberty-loving men and women from across our Nation. It is our greatest hope that many of our sister States will join with us to lead the way.”

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GOOD GAL LIVES, BAD GUY DIES: Woman Shoots And Kills Armed Robber With Her Concealed Carry Gun

She had just parked her car in her garage after arriving home when the man appeared seemingly from out of nowhere.

According to the police report, the woman, who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon, shot the suspect seven times.

He got off one shot before he died.

READ MORE HERE

Sen. Hagan Runs From Obamacare Question On Canceled Plans

Driver Charged After Fatal Crash With Bicyclist

Just before 11:30 a.m., troopers were dispatched to a vehicle crash on Route 718 in Onancock involving a bicyclist, according to Sergeant Michelle Anaya with Virginia State Police.

An investigation revealed a 2011 Hyundai Sonata was traveling north when it swerved and struck a 58-year-old man riding a bicycle. He was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, and died hours later. The man has been identified as Franklin Kellam Belote of Onancock.

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Chart Of The Day: JPMorgan's $30 Billion In Legal Fees And Expenses Since 2010 (And Why The New Compliance Officer Just Quit)

The most stunning chart from today's plethora of JPMorgan investor day presentations was this one derived from the expense chart on page 22, listing the firm's various non-corporate and corporate legal expenses, as well as foreclosure related matters: in other words, the amount of money the company pays to continue operations as an implicit criminal enterprise, however without ever having to admit or deny guilt to the US department of justice, and without the resulting incarcerations. Think of it as racketeering money by Uncle Sam to allow JPM to continue operations. The number: since 2010 JPM has paid a mindblowing $29.8 billion in "one-time, non-recurring" legal fees, charges, settlements, and otherwise expenses that in theory at least should not be part of its ongoing business operations.... but are.

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Dr. Ben Carson: Media 'Have Problems With Their Intellect'

The media have "problems with their intellect," according to Dr. Benjamin Carson, retired pediatric neurosurgeon. His remarks were made during Palm Beach GOP's Lincoln Day Dinner held last Friday.

"I get sick of the P.C. [politically correct] police," Dr. Carson said. "A couple of weeks ago I said that the people in Nazi Germany also did not believe in what Hitler was doing. But did they speak up? No, they kept their mouth shut. And you see what happened."

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More Retired NY Firefighters, Cops Arrested In Pension Fraud Probe

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A second wave of retired New York firefighters and police was arrested on Tuesday on disability fraud charges tied to a September 11 pension fraud, said a source involved in the investigation.

A massive ongoing investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's office had, in January, led to disability fraud charges against 106 suspects - 80 of them retired New York cops and firefighters - with some accused of falsely claiming to have been traumatized by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the city.

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US To Sell Nuclear Fuel To Former Foe Vietnam, Will Permit Uranium Enrichment

There was a time when Vietnam was America's staunchest proxy war foe. This is not those times which explains why yesterday the president signed a landmark, controversial and not to mention hypocritical deal with Vietnam in which allows the U.S. to sell nuclear fuel and technology to its former foe, which will then be allowed to further enrich it. Why (because there is always a reason when the US does something so unexpected, and especially when nuclear power is involved)? Simple: as the Hill explains, the US "aims to help guarantee Vietnams' energy independence as China asserts a more prominent role in the region." Of course, the last time the US sought to prevent Vietnam's affiliation with a foreign superpower, the results were quite disastrous. One can only hope this time it's different.

Some more on why Vietnam is not Iran:

“I have determined that the performance of the Agreement will promote, and will not constitute an unreasonable risk to, the common defense and security,” Obama wrote in a memo for the secretaries of State and Energy.

And here is hypocrisy 101: "the deal aims to get Vietnam to import the fuel it needs for its reactors instead of producing it domestically. But it doesn't bar the country from conducting its own uranium enrichment, raising concerns about nuclear proliferation."

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Jim Lange, 'The Dating Game' Host, Dies at 81

SAN FRANCISCO – Jim Lange, the first host of the popular game show "The Dating Game," has died at his home in Mill Valley, Calif. He was 81.

He died Tuesday morning after suffering a heart attack, his wife Nancy told The Associated Press Wednesday.

Though Lange had a successful career in radio, he is best known for his television role on ABC's "The Dating Game," which debuted in 1965 and on which he appeared for more than a decade, charming audiences with his mellifluous voice and wide, easygoing grin.
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Man Assaulted By Maryland Police For Filming Arrest

Police claim man’s First Amendment suspended for legally filming

A young man in Maryland reportedly “lost” his First Amendment right Sunday while attempting to film a police encounter.

In cellphone footage uploaded to Vimeo, a large group of police thought to be from the Baltimore County Police Department can be seen arresting two people as a massive crowd watches from the sidewalk. As the video’s author quietly films, one officer spots the camera and immediately approaches.

“Get out of my face,” the officer bizarrely says after walking up to the camera.

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Black Pastors: Impeach Holder

(CNSNews.com) – A coalition of black pastors announced on Tuesday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. that they are launching a campaign to gather one million signatures on a petition calling for the impeachment of Attorney General Eric Holder for violating his oath of office by trying "to coerce states to fall in line with the same-sex 'marriage' agenda."

"President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have turned their backs on the values the American people hold dear, values particularly cherished in the black community: values like marriage, which should be strengthened and promoted, rather than weakened and undermined," says a statement by the Coalition of African American Pastors that has been posted online with their impeachment petition.

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Speaking Of Flying Under The Radar, News Wise...

There was a story that was published everywhere else around the Country that the local news media didn't pick up, (including Salisbury News) but should be exposed/told.

Back in November Piedmont Airlines had a flight going out of Philly going to Long Island in New York. It should be noted that Piedmont Airlines Corporate Office is right here in Salisbury.

On this flight a blind man had his service dog with him. He was instructed to keep the dog "under the seat" but the plane had been delayed for about an hour. Hence, the dog became somewhat wrestless and extended out from under the seat to where the gentleman's feet were. 

The Airline Stewardess demanded the dog remain under his seat and the blind man became upset because they had been waiting so long. To make a long story short, the blind man was removed from the Plane and ultimately the flight was canceled. 

Some passengers on the flight had a different take of the incident.

"When we, the passengers, realized what was going on, we were, like, 'Why is this happening? He's not a problem. What is going on?'" Frank Ohlhorst told 6ABC.com. "And we all kind of raised our voices and said, 'This is a real problem.' The captain came out of the cockpit and he basically asked us all to leave the aircraft."

For what it's worth, Salisbury News has become aware of other major issues right out of the Salisbury Airport in which the public has never been made aware of. In the near future we will be publishing this extremely important information for YOUR SAFETY. 

One of the reasons this may not have hit the local news was because they said it was a U.S. Airways Flight and not a Piedmont Flight. More to come...

Legislators Try To Tackle College Affordability

Grappling with the issue of affordability in higher education, lawmakers are taking suggestions and drafting legislation to ease the financial burden Maryland college students face.

Members of the Senate Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee and the House Education and Economic Development Subcommittee heard Monday from administrators from institutions across the state as well as representatives from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).

MHEC officials said they hope to alleviate costs and increase retention and graduation rates. A key mission involves catering to low-income students by teaching them about available federal aid.
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Protesters Against Ringling Brothers Circus


Dear Friends,

As you may know, The Ringling Bros Circus will be in your area next week and you will likely see locals protesting there. I’m writing to ask you to consider boycotting anything to do with Ringling Bros Circus because they treat their animal with documented horrific cruelty. Most of these animals are in constant agony. Ringling subjects all their animals to brutal” training,” including their baby elephants. Bears, elephants, tigers, lions and other animals do not voluntarily ride bicycles, stand on their heads, balance on balls, or jump through rings of fire. They don't perform these and other difficult tricks because they want to; they perform them because they're afraid of what will happen if they don't. For animals in Ringling’s circus, there is no such thing as "positive reinforcement"—only varying degrees of punishment and deprivation.

SEE PEACEFUL PROTESTS BELOW

Neither child nor adult should be giving a single dollar to Ringling Bros. because they will use it to buy stun guns, whips, electrical prods and bullhooks to torture their animals with until they comply. For your entertainment. This is nothing less than slavery. I know you wouldn’t want to be part of such horrific treatment of innocent and magnificent animals, nor would you help fund their suffering if you knew that’s what you were money was used for.


LEARN MORE ABOUT RINGLING BROS. CIRCUS CRUELTY:

ORWELLIAN ‘NEWSPEAK’ COMING TO COMMON CORE CLASSROOMS EVERYWHERE

Mayday! Mayday! SOS! All nouns on deck! Man the semantics! Fire up the phrases! Don't shoot till you see the whites of the "I's". You, over there, grab a round of idioms. Load up on similes and, if you do nothing else, save the colloquialisms. The English language is under attack. Yes, the Common Core is lobbing gibberish jargon from every direction: the classroom, the PTA, the Department of Education and more! It's a hostile takeover. Words as we know them are being redefined by the minute. It's a whole new language. It's Core-speak.

Yes, Core-speak, the Common Core Language (CCL), is the newest way bureaucratic educators talk amongst themselves. Core-speak isn’t teacher slang either. It's a precisely crafted world of words that guarantees no parent on earth can possibly understand it.

Anyone who knows pretty much anything about the federally led Common Core State Standards knows it comes with buzzwords and catchphrases that only could have been hatched out of the educational bureaucratic lab by intellectual giants who think these things up every day. Where else would expressions like "flat classrooms" come from, Flat Stanley?

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WCSO Press Release 2-26-14


Arlie James Hammond
David Allen Luffman

 Incident: Theft / Trespass

Date of Incident: 26 February 2014

Location: 35000 block of Easy Street, Powellville, MD

Suspect: 1. David Allen Luffman, 22, Princess Anne, MD
                2. Arlie James Hammond Jr., 33, Salisbury, MD


Narrative: On 26 February 2014 at 4:15 PM a deputy responded to a residence in the 35000 block of Easy Street in Powellville for a reported theft. Upon arrival the deputy learned that the property owner had arrived to this location and caught David Luffman and Arlie Hammond in the process of loading up scrap metal. Neither Luffman nor Hammond had permission to take the items.
The deputy arrested both Luffman and Hammond for the attempted theft and trespassing on private property. After their initial appearance, the District Court Commissioner released both on Personal Recognizance.
 
Charges: Theft less than $1,000.00

Trespassing

Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson Date: 27 February 2014

Delaware State Police Announce 2013 Trooper and Civilian Employee of the Year



NEWS RELEASE
DELAWARE STATE POLICE
Superintendent Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr.
 
Presented by Public Information Officer Master Corporal Gary E. Fournier
P.O. Box 430  |  Dover, DE 19903  |  Cell: 302.535.3706 |  Gary.Fournier@state.de.us
 
 
DSP News Release:   Delaware State Police Announce 2013 Trooper and Civilian Employee of the Year
 
Date and Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2014, at 11:30 a.m.
 
Resume:
Cheswold, DE- At a ceremony at the Delaware State Troopers Association hall today, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr. announced the winners of the annual Trooper of the Year and Civilian of the Year awards.
 
Trooper of the Year
 
Each year the Delaware State Police Executive Staff selects one Trooper for the Trooper of the Year Award.  To be nominated, a Trooper must exceed performance standards and be recognized by his or her peers as one who consistently displays integrity and work ethic.
 

Democrats Declare War Against Obamacare Cancer Patients

Lawyers for Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Gary Peters sent TV stations a letterthreatening that failure to rip down the ad, sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, could result in the revocation of their broadcasting license. The letter, which cites a Washington Post fact-check on the ad that gave it two “Pinocchios,” warned broadcasters, “Failure to prevent the airing of ‘false and misleading advertising’ may be ‘probative of an underlying abdication of licensee responsibility’ that can be cause for the loss of a station’s license.”

Democrats’ attacks on Obamacare victims have escalated in recent weeks, as the unpopular healthcare program has raised Democratic candidates’ fears heading into the November midterm elections. On Sunday, progressive New York Times columnist Paul Krugman published a blog article titled “Health Care Horror Hooey,” wherein Krugman blasted Obamacare victims, stating that “the true losers from Obamacare generally aren’t very sympathetic.”

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Maryland State Police Press Release 02/27/2014

Maryland State Police Press Release
02/27/2014 08:40
SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF QUEEN ANNE’S CO. WOMAN REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION

(STEVENSVILLE, MD) – The suspicious death of a Queen Anne’s County woman almost one year ago remains under investigation as police continue to work to identify a cause of death and determine if that cause of death was the result of a criminal act.

The woman is identified as Robin L. Pope, 51, of Stevensville, Md. Until December 2012, Pope had been residing with her husband, Wayne A. Pope Jr., in the 100-block of Beach Road, Stevensville. The couple separated that month and Robin Pope had been staying at a residence owned by a female friend on Kent Island.

Solutions To Black Education

A fortnight ago, my column focused on how Philadelphia's schoolteachers have joined public-school teachers in cities such as Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Columbus, New York and Washington in changing student scores on academic achievement tests. Teachers have held grade fixing parties, sometimes wearing rubber gloves to hide fingerprints. In some cases, poorly performing students were excused from taking exams to prevent them from dragging down averages.

As a result of investigations, a number of schoolteachers and administrators have been suspended, fired or indicted by states attorneys general.

Most of these cheating scandals have occurred in predominantly black schools across the nation. At one level, it's easy to understand — but by no means condone — the motivation teachers have to cheat. Teachers have families to raise, mortgages, car payments and other financial obligations. Their pay, retention and promotions depend on how well their students perform on standardized tests.

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Chief: Actions "Incorrect, Inappropriate and Unnecessary"

Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson called the actions of an officer, who was recorded on video during an altercation with a man in Towson, "incorrect, inappropriate and unnecessary."

Johnson said Wednesday that the investigation Sunday's incident in Towson that was captured on cellphone will examine the actions of a citizen auxiliary police officer as well as of Baltimore County police officers.

"The words of and demands to cease filming by sworn personnel and citizen volunteer auxiliary officers were incorrect, inappropriate and unnecessary," Johnson said. "They were not helpful in bringing this incident to closure. As we already have stated, all aspects of this encounter are under investigation, and all personnel will be held accountable for their actions."
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Major US Utility: “No Rational Basis” For Smart Meters

Northeast Utilities (NU) operates New England’s largest utility system serving more than 3.6 million electric and natural gas customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

In a written submittal filed with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Northeast Utilities was highly critical of a proposed state plan that would require utilization of “advanced metering” or smart meters within the state of Massachusetts as part of an electrical grid modernization plan. In fact, the comments are quite remarkable in that they appear to reflect reality without undue political spin or bias.

Let us hope that other utilities, public utility commissions, and politicians everywhere can soon come to similar unbiased conclusions that are based upon economic realities and reflect consumers’ and societal best interests.

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Federal Probe Finds McAuliffe’s Commerce Secretary Improperly Lobbied Congress

An internal federal probe has concluded that Maurice Jones, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s new commerce secretary, improperly lobbied Congress while he was in the Obama administration last year.

Mr. Jones, who was a deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, sent an email to more than 1,000 recipients — including 46 people at HUD — asking them to contact senators to “defend against efforts by some Republicans” to prevent a housing bill to come up for a vote, according to the internal probe. The message also asked “friends and supporters” to tell senators to vote “no” on another amendment.

A months-long investigation by the HUD’s office of inspector general concluded that Mr. Jones and four others at HUD appear to have violated anti-lobbying laws, which restrict the use of funds for publicity or propaganda directed at pending legislation before Congress. The probe also concluded that Mr. Jones violated internal HUD policy on lobbying by federal employees.

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Case Shiller Has Second Consecutive Monthly Decline, Warns Of "Bleaker Picture For Housing", Momentum Gone

While the sell-side community urgently continues to pimp Seasonally Adjusted Case Shiller data, despite the Case-Shiller index creators' own wishes that NSA data be used, it is becoming increasingly difficult to mask the fact that home price momentum is fading. This is precisely what one sees when looking at the change in unadjusted prices, which in December posted the second sequential decline in a row, dropping by -0.08%, following a -0.05% drop in November for the 20-City Composite index, and the biggest sequential decline since November 2012. The annual increase of 13.42% was in line with the expected 13.4%, and was the third month in a row of declines in annual house prices, something we have known for a while, and which the 2 month delayed Case Shiler index finally confirmed. Finally, we are grateful to Case Shiller for being the first to admit that it was not all the weather: "Some of the weakness reflects the cold weather in much of the country. However, higher home prices and mortgage rates are taking a toll on affordability." Let's hope there is no rain in the Spring and sun in the summer then as everything else is already bad and getting worse.

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Unbelievable. 55-year Old Widow Fights Against The North Korean Government

Li Mi-Yung just wanted to be free.

This 55-year old widow in North Korea had spent the last 18-months building up an off-grid residential homestead. She was, for the most part, fully independent.

She collected rain as a source of water. She had her own waste disposal. She generated her own electricity from the sun.

Sounds pretty admirable, right? Especially in a place where so few people are independent.

Unfortunately, upon finding out about Ms. Li’s living situation, the local authorities in North Korea dispatched entire teams of government workers to Ms. Li’s home, attempting to evict her and haul her in front of a tribunal.

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'House Of Cards' Trying To Extort Maryland Taxpayers

House of Cards - the critically acclaimed Netflix political drama about the rise of a corrupt South Carolina politician – is taking a page out of its own screenplay, shaking down the taxpayers of Maryland for millions of dollars in additional film incentives.

Or else …

The show’s producers – who have received (or are in line to receive) an estimated $31 million in incentives for the show’s first two seasons – sent a letter to Maryland’s Democratic governor saying they would “break down our stage, sets and offices and set up in another state” if the taxpayer-funded ante isn’t upped.

Filmed on location in Baltimore and Annapolis, House of Cards is gripping drama … of that there is no doubt. The show deserves all of the praise it has received (and then some).

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“Surrender Your Firearms,” Connecticut Tells Unregistered Gun Owners

State orders owners of newly-banned, unregistered firearms to turn them all in

The State of Connecticut is now demanding that gun owners across the state turn in all newly-banned, unregistered firearms and magazines or face felony arrest.

The State Police Special Licensing & Firearms Unit began mailing out notices to gun owners who attempted to register their firearms and accessories with the state but did not do so in time for the Jan. 1 deadline of Connecticut’s newly enacted gun control law.

The law bans the sale of magazines holding over 10 rounds and “assault rifles” manufactured after 1994 and requires that residents who possessed either before the ban to register them with the state.

“We are returning your application for [an] assault rifle certificate and/or [a] large capacity magazine declaration because it was not received or postmarked prior to January 1, 2014 as required by law,” the notice states.

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29 Percent Of All U.S. Adults Under The Age Of 35 Are Living With Their Parents

Why are so many young adults in America living with their parents? According to a stunning Gallup survey that was recently released, nearly three out of every ten adults in the United States under the age of 35 are still living at home with Mom and Dad. This closely lines up with a Pew Research Center analysis of Census data that looked at a younger sample of Americans which found that 36 percent of Americans 18 to 31 years old were still living with their parents. That was the highest level that had ever been recorded. Overall, approximately 25 million U.S. adults are currently living at home with their parents according to Time Magazine. So what is causing all of this? Well, there are certainly a lot of factors. Overwhelming student loan debt, a depressing lack of jobs and the high cost of living are all definitely playing a role. But many would argue that what we are witnessing goes far beyond temporary economic conditions. There are many that believe that we have fundamentally failed our young people and have neglected to equip them with the skills and values that they need to be successful in the real world.

More Americans than ever before seem to be living in a state of "perpetual adolescence". As Gallup noted, one of the keys to adulthood is to be able to establish independence from your parents...

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Video Shows Officer Confronting Man Filming Arrests In Towson

TOWSON, Md. (WJZ)—Controversial confrontation. A man videotaped Baltimore County police as they arrested two people in Towson, but an altercation broke out between the man and officer. Now an investigation is underway.

Meghan McCorkell has more from officials.

County police officials say they are concerned by the video and they’ve launched an investigation.

Early Sunday morning, a man videotaped as Baltimore County police arrested two people in Towson. As the video rolled, he was confronted by an officer.

View video here.

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Jumbo Steamed Shrimp, Orange Crush, The Farmhouse Burger.

The U.S. And Its Allies Had Contact With Bin Laden And The 9/11 Hijackers Many Times Before 9/11

The report that the FBI had a human resource in direct contact with Bin Laden in 1993 - and covered it up and hid it from the 9/11 Commission and Congress - is newsworthy. See this Washington Times report and NBC News coverage.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg:
Top American officials admit that the U.S. armed and supported Bin Laden and the other Mujahadin - which later morphed into Al Qaeda - in the 1970s, in order to fight the Soviets

The mainstream French paper Le Figaro alleged that the CIA met with Bin Laden himself 2 months before 9/11

According to the Congressional Joint Inquiry into 9/11, an FBI informant hosted and rented a room to two hijackers in 2000. And see this Newsweek article and this New York Times report 

According to the large French newspaper Le Monde, the intelligence services of America’s close ally France and of other governments had infiltrated the highest levels of Al-Qaeda’s camps, and actually listened to the hijackers’ debates about which airlines’ planes should be hijacked , and allied intelligence services also intercepted phone conversations between Al-Qaeda members regarding the attacks

An Open Letter To Michelle Obama From A Knucklehead

The 2014 VS Swim Catalog: A Mom's Buying Guide

Get ready all you moms out there. The Victoria’s Secret 2014 Swim Catalog has arrived. In February. I’m sure that whoever was having a good day, is now having a bad day. And whoever was already having a bad day has killed a bottle of wine and a sleeve of thin mints. Yes, Girl Scout cookies and the VS swim catalog arrive in the same month. Or at least they did this year. It’s a conspiracy between peppy little Girl Scouts and ravenously hungry super models. Their goal: world domination. I guess.

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