Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Friday, January 02, 2015

Life in pictures (Part 1 of 5)




U.Va. professor, son want apology to those 'wrongfully punished'

University of Virginia professor Robert F. Turner and his son, Thomas E. Turner, a junior at the university, are calling for U.Va. officials to apologize to the fraternities and students “wrongfully punished” by the administration after the Rolling Stone magazine published a since-discredited story about a fraternity gang-rape at the school.

The Turners, who say they have no connection with Greek life, wrotean op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch asking the university — specifically naming U.Va. President Teresa Sullivan — to publicly apologize for its decision to ban fraternity events without any investigation.

“[W]hat message did Sullivan send about basic fairness and the due process of law?” the Turners asked. “Neither of us has any connection with the Greek system, and we understand that they are not popular with some faculty members and administrators. But it is precisely when the alleged crime is so heinous, and the accused unpopular with those in authority, that we must guard against emotion-driven efforts to bypass fundamental due process.”

More

The Left’s Use of Black People

Back in the day, when hunting was the major source of food, hunters often used stalking horses as a means of sneaking up on their quarry. They would walk on the opposite side of the horse until they were close enough to place a good shot on whatever they were hunting. A stalking horse not only concealed them but also, if their target was an armed man and they were discovered, would take the first shot. That’s what blacks are to liberals and progressives in their efforts to transform America — stalking horses.

Let’s look at some of the ways white liberals use black people. One of the more obvious ways is for liberals to equate any kind of injustices suffered by homosexuals and women to the black struggle for civil rights. But it is just plain nonsense to suggest any kind of equivalency between the problems of homosexuals and women and the centuries of slavery followed by Jim Crow, lynching, systematic racial discrimination and the blood, sweat and tears of the black civil rights movement.

The largest and most powerful labor union in the country is the National Education Association, with well over 3 million members. Teachers benefit enormously from their education monopoly. It yields higher pay and lower accountability. It’s a different story for a large percentage of black people who receive fraudulent education. The NEA’s white liberals — aided by black teachers, politicians and so-called black leaders — cooperate to ensure that black parents who want their children to have a better education have few viable choices.

Whenever there has been a serious push for school choice, educational vouchers, tuition tax credits or even charter schools, the NEA has fought against it. One of the more callous examples of that disregard for black education was New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s cutback on funding for charter schools where black youngsters were succeeding in getting a better education.

That was de Blasio’s way of paying back New York’s teachers union for the political support it gave him in his quest for the mayor’s office.

More

Mom, girls jump from burning home into cops’ arms

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Several police officers formed a human net to catch a woman and her two young daughters as they jumped from their burning home in southern New Jersey.

Camden County police said the fire on Atlantic Avenue in Camden was reported around 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, when residents notified two officers who happened to be on patrol in the area. They told them the woman and her children, ages 4 and 7, were trapped on the home’s second floor.

Two other police officers soon arrived at the home, and all four gained entry by kicking open the front door. They tried to find the family, but thick smoke and heavy flames hampered their efforts.

One officer collapsed and was helped out of the home as another officer shouted for the mother to take her children to a rear window, police said.

More

Justin Amash: 4 questions and answers before GOP takes control of 2015 Congress

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — When U.S. Rep. Justin Amash entered Congress in 2010many saw him as destined for the Beltway fringe, but during his first two terms in office, the Cascade Township Republican has built a libertarian following and worked his way into the national conversation.

The talk has come from his staunch advocacy for civil liberties and establishing a leadership style lauded by independents and others who have often branded him "the next Ron Paul."

But he's also faced harsh criticism by the longest-serving members, including Arizona Sen. John McCain, who famously labeled Amash and others "wacko birds."

Locally, Amash's vote totals continue to show his popularity and his passion, as shown in this primary victory speech aimed at Brian Ellis, for remaking the federal bureaucracy remains high.

He frequently clashes with party-line votes by either going against leadership or simplyvoting "present" as he did in 2013 and 2014 measures to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline. Amash broke away in those votes and others when legislation singles out a particular company or group, something he considers unconstitutional

Amash, in a recent interview, showed that his direction will not change as he enters his third term in the U.S. House.

More

GRAND OLE OPRY MEMBER LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS HAS DIED

Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmy Dickens passed away this afternoon at a Nashville area hospital at the age of 94. Jimmy died of cardiac arrest after suffering a stroke on Christmas Day. He is survived by his wife Mona Dickens, married since 1971, and two daughters, Pamela Detert and Lisa King. Jimmy was the longest running member of the Opry, joining in 1948, and last performed at the Opry on Dec. 20, 2014, singing “Out Behind The Barn” and delivering his trademark comedy. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time however a public visitation and a public service is being planned.

"The Grand Ole Opry did not have a better friend than Little Jimmy Dickens,” shared Pete Fisher, Opry Vice President & General Manager. “He loved the audience and his Opry family, and all of us loved him back. He was a one-of-kind entertainer and a great soul whose spirit will live on for years to come."

In a recent quote, Jimmy expressed his love for the Opry. “I look forward from one weekend to another to get back out on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and try to entertain people who have come from miles and miles and state to state to be entertained with country music. We do our very, very best to give them a good presentation and hope that they enjoy themselves."

More

Carper: Reforming Postal Service should be a top priority for congress

As the 113th Congress ends, Sen. Tom Carper, chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, renewed his call for Congressional action on comprehensive postal reform and called on the incoming 114th Congress to make the issue a top priority:

“More than 200 years after its founding, the Postal Service remains an important part of our lives and economy. But it continues to face financial challenges that threaten its future. For years, the Postal Service has worked hard to compete in the age of the Internet - keeping prices as low as possible, reducing its fixed costs, and innovating where it can. But its leadership can only do so much without new authorities from Congress, and without hurting service quality. Congress needs to free the Postal Service of its financial and legislation constraints and give it the opportunity to modernize and grow through innovation.

“The Postal Reform Act of 2014, which I introduced with Dr. Tom Coburn, offered a comprehensive and bipartisan solution to the Postal Service’s financial challenges that would prevent collapse, protect millions of mailing industry jobs, and allow the institution to adapt to a digital age. Unfortunately, my colleagues and I in the Senate were not able to come to consensus in time to move forward. As a result, in the absence of reform, it’s likely that the Postal Service will shortly be forced to continue to take a number of unpopular measures on its own to cut costs. These are cuts I tried hard to prevent. But because Congress has failed to act, the Postal Service cannot afford to continue with the status quo.

More

Federal Reserve audit push gains momentum with Republican Senate majority

Rand Paul takes up father’s cause; Janet Yellen opposed to stricter oversight

After years of being blocked by Democratic leader Harry Reid, the Senate will finally get a chance next year to vote on legislation to force a broad audit of the Federal Reserve’s decision-making.

Once championed in Congress by former Rep. Ron Paul, the push to force the country’s central bank to undergo a full audit has been picked up by his son, Sen. Rand Paul, and others, and has the backing of the leader of the new Republican majority, Sen. Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, whose office says the legislation will earn a floor vote.

But despite overwhelming support in the House, where the legislation has twice passed, the bill is not a sure thing in the Senate, and the Fed itself is pushing back. Chairwoman Janet L. Yellen said earlier this month the Fed remains opposed to stricter oversight of its monetary policy decisions, and Reuters reported she and other Fed officials are lobbying Capitol Hill to drop the audit push.

More

Mystery Object Removed From Man's Arm After 51 Years

The surgeon had never seen anything like it.

When 75-year-old Arthur Lampitt of Granite City, Illinois, had an operation on Wednesday to remove a metal object that was lodged in his left arm, no one was quite sure what they'd find.

It turned out to be the turn signal from a 1963 Thunderbird that had been embedded in his arm ever since a car accident more than half a century ago.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recounted the story of Lampitt's medical mystery, which began one day in 1963 when he was driving his brand-new Thunderbird to work. Lampitt crashed head-on into a large truck, totaling his car and breaking his hip. He also suffered cuts from flying debris and broken glass.

More

GOP Legislators Thwart Bids to Expand Medicaid

Governors across the political spectrum are hitting a roadblock in their bids to expand Medicaid with federal funds: Republican legislators who adamantly oppose "Obamacare."

While some of these governors themselves have criticized the president's health care law in general, they've come to see one component — Medicaid expansion — as too generous to reject. But they're battling conservative lawmakers who say it's better to turn down billions of federal dollars than to expand Medicaid under the 2010 law.

Partisan politics have driven states' Medicaid decisions ever since the Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that expansion was optional, not mandatory, under the new law. Within months, every Democratic governor agreed to expand Medicaid (although Republican legislatures blocked a few of those efforts).

Only nine states with Republican governors accepted the offer.

More

Average Resort Property Values Increase For First Time In Six Years; Assessment Notices Up 2.2% In OC

OCEAN CITY — When assessment notices for over 32,000 residential and commercial properties in Ocean City hit mailboxes this week, many owners saw their values hold steady or even decline somewhat, but average resort property values increased overall for the first time in nine years.

The State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT) last week sent out property value reassessment notices across Maryland revealing an average increase of just over 8 percent for most in the areas assessed this year. SDAT reassesses property values for roughly one third of the properties in Maryland each year in a repeating cycle. In Worcester County, property values are reassessed each year in three geographic groups and this year most residential and commercial properties in the municipality of Ocean City were reassessed.

The recently completed reassessment of Ocean City revealed an average increase in residential property values of 2.2 percent, ending six years of decline in the resort. After recording off-the-chart increases in the early part of the last decade during a remarkable real estate boom, Ocean City residential property values declined in two straight three-year cycles before turning the corner this year with the 2015 reassessments.

More

22 Brilliant Insights On How To Succeed In Business From T. Boone Pickens

T. Boone Pickens certainly has a way with words and a knack for telling it like it is.

In fact, the 86 year-old energy tycoon/author of "The First Billion Is The Hardest" has a ton of catchy/easy to remember phrases about life and business.

They're affectionately referred to by his family and staff members as "Boone-isms."

We've compiled some of his business Boone-isms in the slides that follow from his website boonepickens.com.

These and other verbal gems are often posted through his Twitter account @BoonePickens

Parents of child with special needs humiliated on United Airlines flight

A New Jersey mother of four accused United Airlines of humiliating her and her family on a recent flight from the Dominican Republic to Newark, New Jersey. Elit Kirschenbaum said a flight attendant refused to allow her 3-year-old daughter, who has special needs, to sit on her lap. Elit and her husband gave CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano an inside look at the ordeal.

"My little baby is sitting there on my lap, not hurting a fly, she can't walk by herself, she can't sit by herself and here is this woman who just is standing behind the law without putting humanity into the situation," Kirschenbaum said. "It was really heartbreaking."

Elit Kirschenbaum sat her 3-year-old daughter Ivy on her lap for their United Airlines flight home as she's done many times before. Ivy suffered a stroke in the womb and even though a seat had been purchased for her, she couldn't sit upright in that seat on her own.

More

Hangover Cure Remains Elusive

Revelers are preparing to ring in the New Year with parties and celebrations, and those whose heads are still ringing will spend their first waking hours of 2015 searching for hangover relief.

Although there are drinks, tablets and home-made remedies, a cure for the throbbing headache, nausea, fatigue and thirst that can follow a night of drinking has remained elusive.

“There are no hangover cures," said Dr. George Koob, director of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Koob said there is evidence that low to moderate drinking can have beneficial health effects, but hangovers are a symptom of a bigger problem: excessive drinking.

"There are no medications that you can take for a hangover," he added in an interview, "and we’re not putting any money into it.”

Along with increased thirst and dizziness, excessive drinking can irritate the stomach, cause blood vessels to dilate and lead to a drop in blood sugar causing general weakness and tiredness.

There is no cure for excessive drinking but there are products ranging from tablets and drinks to IV infusions to relieve hangover symptoms.

Florida Deputy Supervises Father Spanking Daughter

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. —A father said he wanted to discipline his daughter by paddling her, but did not want to break the law, so he called the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office to come supervise.

The man’s 12-year-old daughter got into a heated argument with her sister Monday, and the father wanted to discipline his daughter, according to a deputy’s report. A deputy came over to his house, supervised the discipline, and determined it was within legal bounds and that there was no crime, and left, authorities said.

Although it may sound bizarre to some parents, the sheriff’s office has received several similar requests in the past. Undersheriff Noel Stephen said he has personally supervised approximately 12 spankings.

More

Worcester County Bureau Of Investigation Press Release 1-2-15

BREAKING NEWS: White House sanctions North Korea over Sony attack

The Obama administration on Friday imposed sanctions against the North Korean government in what officials described as a response to the computer hack on Sony Pictures Entertainment.

More

Alaska Governor Warns State's Fiscal Situation "Critical" As Oil Price Drops

Narrative, we have a problem. What is billed day after day as 'unequivocally good' is entirely not good for Alaska (oh and Texas and Pennsylvania and...) as with oil prices dropping, AP reports Alaska Gov. Bill Walker has halted new spending on six high-profile projects, pending further review. With oil taxes and royalties expected to represent nearly 90% of Alaska's unrestricted general fund revenue this year, officials warned,"the state's fiscal situation demands a critical look."

As AP reports,

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker issued an order Friday putting the new spending on hold. He cited the state's $3.5 billion budget deficit, which has increased as oil prices have dropped sharply.

With oil prices now around a five-year low, officials in Alaska and about a half-dozen other states already have begun paring back projections for a continued gusher of revenues. Spending cuts have started in some places, and more could be necessary if oil prices stay at lower levels.

More

Donna Douglas dead at 81: Actress played Elly May Clampett on ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’

Donna Douglas, the Louisiana belle known for her role as Elly May Clampett on “The Beverly Hillbillies,” died Friday at age 81.

Family members tell WAFB-TV that the Pride, La., native passed away Friday morning in nearby Zachary, La.

Born in September 1933, Douglas was married at age 16, had a child and later divorced, all before she moved to New York and earned a role in an acclaimed episode of the “Twilight Zone” in 1959, according to the Internet Movie Database.

More

Diabetes Support and Education in January at PRMC

The new year is a great time for new starts. Have you been hoping to manage your weight, or your diabetes? Peninsula Regional Medical Center has several programs coming up that might help.
Weight Management/Pre-Diabetes:
The Diabetes Education Program at Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) is offering a Weight Management/Pre-Diabetes Program class session on three consecutive Tuesdays on January 20, 27 and February 3, 2015, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Avery W. Hall Educational Center on the Peninsula Regional campus.  The program has been designed to provide participants information on developing healthy eating habits and leading a more active lifestyle.  The program is taught by registered dietitians and registered nurses of the PRMC Diabetes Education Program.  The fee is $50.00. For more information concerning this class session or if you have questions about diabetes, please call the Diabetes Education Program at Peninsula Regional at 410-543-7061.
Kids and Teens Diabetes Support Group:
Children and teenagers with diabetes can kick off the new year with a healthy start and kind support in Peninsula Regional Medical Center’s Kids and Teens Diabetes Support Group. The group will meet on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the CQI room of PRMC’s Avery W. Hall Educational Center. Rita Meadows, MSN, FNP-BC, Medial Staff Director for Camp Possibilities, and Katie Rimel, mom of a camper, will talk about summer diabetes camp options. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Call the PRMC Diabetes Education Program at 410-543-7061 to learn more.
Diabetes Support Group:
The Peninsula Regional Medical Center Diabetes Education Department’s Diabetes Support Group will meet from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday, January 12, in the Avery W. Hall Educational Center on the Peninsula Regional campus. Speaker Robert M. “Mike” Hooper, PhD, LGSW, will talk on the topic of “Managing the Cards We Are Dealt.” For more information about the support group meetings or if you have questions about diabetes, please call the Diabetes Education Program at Peninsula Regional at 410-543-7061.

MSP Daily Activity Report 1-1-15 (Salisbury Barrack)

Pension Crisis Pushes Illinois Towards Default

In the world of investment, Illinois’ credit rating is equal to the African nation of Botswana, where the per capita income is around $15,000. This comparison, though, is unfair to Botswana, which unlike Illinois enjoys a growing economy. After decades of Democratic rule led by public sector unions, Illinois is the dead-beat uncle of America’s states.

Illinois’ current credit rating is A-, the lowest of any state in the union, one notch about junk bond status. This dismal rating is driven largely by the state’s enormous pension costs. Currently, one in four tax dollars collected by the state go to plug its pension hole. This is more than the state spends on elementary education. The great wave of baby boomer retirements is only beginning, though.

Except for a couple years in the 1990s, Democrats have controlled the Illinois House for decades, acting as the personal legislative arm of Speaker Mike Madigan, who, in addition to running the state Democrat party is the father of the state Attorney General. In the state Senate, the Democrats have a supermajority.

More

Take 2 Minutes To Watch This Video

Clay Christensen on Religious Freedom

 

Hillary Clinton Reminds Everyone That Jim Webb is as Bad as Her

Senator James Webb’s Born Fighting PAC is dedicated to supporting “candidates and entities” who support economic fairness, “reorienting our national security posture,” and developing greater accountability in government. However, Federal Election Commission reports show the committee, which received nearly $1 million in donations, gave a relatively small portion of that money to political candidates and groups. At the same time, nearly 10% of the contributions received by the PAC went to Webb’s family.

Records show Born Fighting PAC has received $961,515.34 in contributions from individuals, politicians, progressive groups, businesses, unions, and Democratic party organizations since it launched at the end of 2006. Of this money, $91,999.91 went to Webb’s daughter, Amy Webb Hogan, and wife, Hong Le Webb.


Since Webb is really the only non-Clinton candidate currently in the race, some are suggesting that Hillary’s people are paranoid enough to go after him.

But then again you know whose daughter works for a name brand non-profit created by her parents?

More

SFD Calls For Service 12-1-15

  • Thursday January, 1 2015 @ 23:41Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Thursday January, 1 2015 @ 23:41Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Thursday January, 1 2015 @ 20:11Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Thursday January, 1 2015 @ 19:48Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Thursday January, 1 2015 @ 16:15 Nature: Citizen AssistAddress: 1415 University Ter Salisbury, MD 21801

Law Enforcement Motivation

2015 Resolutions


Gruber In 2009: Obamacare Will NOT Be Affordable

President Obama’s health care adviser Jonathan Gruber said that the Affordable Care Act would definitely not be affordable while he was writing the bill with the White House.

As Gruber continues to withhold documents while he awaits a call-back for more testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in the new year, more shocking information is coming to light detailing the deceptions that went into the writing of the health-care law. (RELATED: Daily Caller Publishes First Video Of Gruber Calling The American People ‘Stupid’).

Gruber said that Obamacare had no cost controls in it and would not be affordable in an October 2009 policy brief, presented here exclusively by TheDC. At the time, Gruber had already personally counseledObama in the Oval Office and served on Obama’s presidential transition team. Obama, meanwhile, told the American people that their premiums would go down dramatically.

More

NY Times: To Heck With What The Law Says About Subsidies

There’s an old saying about America being a Nation of Law, not of Men, which derives from John Adams’ 7th Letter To Novanglus, which came further from the ancient Greeks, in which he mentioned a “government of law, and not of men”. He goes on to mention that a Republic should be “bound by fixed laws which the people have a voice in making, and a right to defend.” Of course, in Liberal World, laws are flexible, and the written text should be ignored if it doesn’t help the narrative

A new report from the Obama administration highlights the very high stakes for a challenge to the Affordable Care Act before theSupreme Court. The subsidies that the court may eradicate are helping a large majority of HealthCare.gov customers pay for their health insurance.

The report is the first time that the Department of Health and Human Services has delivered some numbers on exactly who is signing up for health insurance for 2015, since the open enrollment period began in mid-November. (snip)

Over all, it found, customers who were using HealthCare.gov to pick insurance plans — some new customers, and some renewing customers — were overwhelmingly likely to qualify for federal subsidies to help them pay their premiums. On average, the report found that 87 percent of these customers were eligible for subsidies, with higher percentages in some states — up to a high of 95 percent in Mississippi.

But, see, there’s a sticky wicket, the actual text of Obamacare, namely that citizens are only eligible for subsidies in Exchanges run by states, not the federal government.

More

Hundreds turn out for Polar Bear Plunge

WASHINGTON — Some people like to extend the New Year’s Eve craziness into New Year’s Day, and that explains a southern Maryland tradition: The annual North Beach Polar Bear Plunge into the Chesapeake Bay.

Hundreds came out for this year’s event and spectators lined up along the boardwalk to watch.

The water temperature was just above freezing — 33 degrees — for the 1 p.m. plunge.

“It was cold, and fun,” said 12-year-old Alex after he emerged from his very first plunge.

More

Illegal Immigrant is Accused of Choking Woman, Tying Her Up With an Extension Cord, and Kidnapping Her Baby

Illegal immigrants sure do give a lot to this country — like massive increases of crime and disease, for example. One illegal alien is a shining example of what they contribute to the United States, by assaulting a woman and kidnapping her baby.

A Mexican man who is in the U.S. illegally remains behind bars and stands accused of assaulting his girlfriend and kidnapping her baby.

Edinburg Police arrested 23-year-old Victor Soriano on the charge of kidnapping, and assault/family violence, information released by Edinburg Police to Breitbart Texas shows.

While a municipal judge set bond for Soriano, he remains behind bars on an immigration detainer.

Soriano had been shopping with his girlfriend when he allegedly assaulted her following an argument. Soriano is accused of choking the woman until she passed out and then tying her up with an extension cord before driving off with the woman’s 1-year-old baby boy.

When the victim woke up she was able to free herself and call authorities giving them a description of the vehicle. Police were able to locate Soriano and rescue the child unharmed.

Who wants to bet that this guy will be released from jail with just a slap on the wrist, and then not deported? After all, illegal immigrants are only committing the crimes that Americans won’t commit.

Source

United Airlines and Orbitz sue 22-year-old who found a way to get cheap plane tickets

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) – A young computer whiz from New York City has launched a site to help people buy cheap plane tickets. But an airline company and its travel partner want to shut him down.

United Airlines and Orbitz filed a civil lawsuit last month against 22-year-old Aktarer Zaman, who founded the website Skiplagged.com last year.

The site helps travelers find cheap flights by using a strategy called “hidden city” ticketing.

The idea is that you buy an airline ticket that has a layover at your actual destination. Say you want to fly from New York to San Francisco — you actually book a flight from New York to Lake Tahoe with a layover in San Francisco and get off there, without bothering to take the last leg of the flight.

This travel strategy only works if you book a one-way flight with no checked bags (they would have landed in Lake Tahoe).

It’s not like these tickets are the cheapest all the time, but they often are.

More

"Fragile" Real Estate Market Is "Not A Good Investment"

Why Is The Fed Hiring An "Emergency Preparedness Specialist Familiar With DHS Directives"

A few weeks ago, we reported  that for some still unexplained reason, the US Treasury is ordering "survival kits" to its employees overseeing the federal banking system. To wit:

The Department of Treasury is spending $200,000 on survival kits for all of its employees who oversee the federal banking system, according to a new solicitation. As FreeBeacon reports, survival kits will be delivered to every major bank in the United States and includes a solar blanket, food bar, water-purification tablets, and dust mask (among other things). The question, obviously, is just what do they know that the rest of us don't?

We still don't know why. But what makes things even more surprising, and confusing, is that two days before the survival kit RFP soliciation became public on December 4, 2014, a just as curious notice was blasted by the Fed's recruiting Twitter account:

#Hiring an emergency preparedness specialist familiar w/ Department of Homeland Security directives. #Job ID:10185 http://t.co/ji0ci42qb8

— Fed Careers (@Fed_Careers) December 2, 2014

So the Fed is hiring not just any "emergency preparedness specialist" but one familiar with DHS directives? Here are the details of the position located in Washington, DC:

More

Missing Dog 1-2-15: UPDATE

I live in the Holly Center/Bennett area of Salisbury. My 7 year old chihuahua went missing around 12:30 AM on New Year's Day. I  can be reached at 631-745-8290 with any news.

With decision on 2016 White House run coming, Jeb Bush resigns board memberships

WASHINGTON (AP) - Jeb Bush has resigned all of his board memberships - both nonprofit and business - in a move that helps clear a path toward a 2016 presidential campaign.

The former Florida governor stepped down from his remaining board memberships on Wednesday, the last day of the year, an aide said Wednesday night. It's a continuation of a process that began earlier in the month when Bush announced plans to actively explore a White House bid.

Spokesman Kristy Campbell called Bush's review of his business interests "a natural next step as he turns his focus to gauging whether there is support for a potential candidacy."

More

Old Notecards Reprinted To Mark Assateague Island Anniversary

BERLIN – Fans of Assateague Island National Seashore will have a chance to show their support in 2015 through the purchase of vintage notecards reprinted in honor of the park’s 50thanniversary.

In January, vintage notecards featuring scenes from throughout the island will go on sale to benefit the national park, which was established in 1965. The cards are reprints of those sent out decades ago by Mabel and Churchill Hungerford, owners of one of the last active homes on the island.

“We thought people would be as enamored with the images as we were,” said Ashlie Kozlowski, outreach coordinator for Assateague Island Alliance (AIA). “They’re special.”

More

What is courage?

What is courage? In Valor, his book of the tales of grace under pressure that have been ignored, suppressed and largely omitted from the recognized history of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by a press that prefers to focus on traitors and victims, Washington lawyer Mark Lee Greenblatt hits on a number of things: an innate or learned ability to be calm under fire; the impact of training, which builds in some responses until some reactions become automatic; and a sense of attachment to cause and to comrades that crowds out all concerns for the self.

"If you reflect on the anecdotes of anyone who has faced death and lived to tell you about it, there is almost a universal response," a psychiatrist told Greenblatt. "They did what they had to do. They never felt it was heroic, and never even felt it was a choice." When Marine Corps infantryman James Hassell volunteered to carry a wounded man in full battle gear — a 260-pound burden — to a medevac 100 yards down a narrow street with snipers firing from the windows above him, there were no second thoughts: "I had a choice: … You can stay here ... and you’ll probably live … but would I even want to live if I could just sit here and watch a Marine die without even trying? What kind of life would I have?"

Army Pvt. Steven Sanford gave CPR to a friend who was bleeding to death under enemy fire. "He knew bullets were hitting him," but “it was completely disregarded” … he was trying to save Chris’ life, and everything else … was secondary. "'I’ve got better things to do than worry about pieces of metal sticking out of my vest."'

"At the end of the day you are doing it because of the camaraderie," said Marine Gunnery Sgt. Buck Doyle. "[I]f you individually excel … you will be able to contribute to a four-to-six-man team and be unstoppable. … It’s hard to define it, it’s hard to explain … but it’s phenomenal. It’s a high like no other. I tell my wife … if there wasn’t a certain need from a woman, I would probably just stay in the Marines with a bunch of guys."

More

Why DOES white wine send women crazy?

There was a time when an evening with friends was synonymous with a nice, chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (or four).

But as the years have rolled by, that crisp, glass of gooseberry-flavoured nectar has fallen out of favour.

'No white wine for me - it sends me mental,' is how it started. 'Nor me,' said another friend, and on it went.

In fact, over the last few years, nearly a dozen of my female friends have declared they can no longer drink what used to be our favourite tipple.

One was almost arrested, another broke her wrist and another very nearly got run over.

There are countless other tales of tears, tantrums and Tube journeys going disastrously wrong.

But what is it about the drink of choice for so many women that sends them doolally - or 'psychotic', as one friend confessed?

Is there something in the wine itself or is it the way we consume it that wreaks such havoc?

Firstly, different people react to alcohol in very different ways, Dr Sarah Jarvis, medical adviser to the charity Drinkaware.

'Women react more quickly to alcohol,' she explained. 'If you’re a sturdy woman, you might think you can drink any scrawny man under the table - but don’t be fooled.

'Even if a woman is the same size as a man, she will have more body fat and less body water.

'Since alcohol is only distributed in body water, you’ll have a higher proportion of it in your bloodstream.’

This, she says, may be why women tend to suffer from worse hangovers.

Indeed, researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbi found that not only do women get drunk faster, but their hangover symptoms were more severe - even though they drank the same amount as the men.

Then there's eating on on an empty (or at least emptier than many a man's) stomach, which one study likened to taking alcohol intravenously.

More

New Laws for 2015

Soon, more Americans will be able to legally light a joint. Workers across the country will see a higher minimum wage. And states will crack down on everything from pet tattoos to cramped hen cages to selfies with tigers.

The new year will usher in thousands of new laws, covering these areas and much, much more.

Grabbing the headlines lately have been the marijuana legalization measures approved on Election Day in Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia.

Though marijuana is still considered illegal by the federal government, the two states and D.C. follow Colorado and Washington state in allowing it locally.

But residents there should stick to champagne to celebrate New Year's -- the Alaska measure isn't expected to take effect until February, and the Oregon measure doesn't green-light possession until July 2015. And the Washington, D.C., measure already is getting caught in the congressional grinder, as lawmakers try and block implementation.

On another front, a number of cities and roughly 20 states are raising their minimum wage next year.

The highest is in Oakland, Calif., which raised its citywide wage to $12.25 beginning in March, setting an increase every January based on cost-of-living adjustments. Similarly, San Francisco passed its own incremental hike, starting with a raise to $11.05 on Jan. 1.

More

WBOC and FOX 21 off DISH as of New Year’s Day

WBOC and FOX 21, the local CBS and FOX affiliates found on channels 16 and 21, have announced that despite prolonged negotiations, it appears that DISH is unwilling to carry the stations past the end of its current contract. As a result, both WBOC and FOX 21 will no longer be seen on DISH as of Jan. 1, 2015.

“We are simply seeking a fair deal, which adequately values our number-one-rated and award-winning news, sports, entertainment, and weather programming that is paramount to our local viewers,” said Craig Jahelka, WBOC’s and FOX 21’s vice president and general manager. “In fact, for both of our stations, we are asking for far less than what DISH pays for other channels. And we cannot in good conscience offer DISH our signals for free, knowing that they charge their customers for them,” continued Jahelka.

WBOC’s and FOX 21’s long-term agreement with DISH expires on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Unfortunately, WBOC and FOX 21 cannot force DISH to strike a deal to keep the stations’ programming on its channel lineup after that deadline.

More

Finial Tally: Taxpayers Auto Bailout Loss $9.3B

Taxpayers lost $9.26 billion on the U.S. government's automotive industry rescue program, according to a final tally released by U.S. Treasury this week.

The government said it recovered $70.42 billion of the $79.68 billion it gave to General Motors, Chrysler, Ally Financial, Chrysler Financial and automotive suppliers through the federal Auto Industry Financing Program. The program was part of the larger Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP.

The government lost money, but far less than initially expected when the program was launched in 2009. What's more, the program prevented GM and Chrysler from going out of business — an event most economists and automotive analysts said would have caused the entire industry to collapse and thrown the Midwest into a deep depression.

At the time, some critics argued GM and Chrysler should be allowed to fail and that government should not be interfering with the natural course of the market.

"This program was a crucial part of the Obama administration's effort to stop the financial crisis and protect the economy from slipping into a second Great Depression," U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said on Dec. 19.

More

Troopers Seek Public’s Assistance To Prevent Crime

In light of the recent violence and continued threat against police officers nationwide, and to help inform law enforcement, the Delaware State Police is requesting any information concerning potential or current threats towards law enforcement within the State of Delaware.

Anyone with knowledge of threat information directed against law enforcement with any connection to Delaware (discovered or received via social media or any other medium) is asked to report the activity to the Delaware Anti-Terrorism Tip Line 1-800-FORCE-1-2 (1-800-367-2312). If the activity appears to be suspicious or happening now, please call 911 immediately.

At this time, there are no known threats directed towards law enforcement in the State of Delaware. The Delaware State Police recommends constant watchfulness and awareness related to suspicious activity, and to be conscious of the possibility for violence and any potential danger to Law Enforcement Officers.

The goal is to quickly detect, evaluate, and mitigate potential threats against law enforcement. As such, we ask that all calls come in through the Delaware Anti-Terrorism Tip Line (1-800-FORCE-1-2).

Thanks for your assistance.

When Facts Are Obsolete

Juries in Ferguson and elsewhere could not ignore them — unlike mobs and the media.

Some of us, who are old enough to remember the old television police series Dragnet may remember Sergeant Joe Friday saying, “Just the facts, ma’am.” But that would be completely out of place today. Facts are becoming obsolete, as recent events have demonstrated.

What matters today is how well you can concoct a story that fits people’s preconceptions and arouses their emotions. Politicians like New York mayor Bill de Blasio, professional demagogues like Al Sharpton, and innumerable irresponsible people in the media have shown that they have great talent in promoting a lynch-mob atmosphere toward the police.

Grand juries that examine hard facts live in a different world from mobs who listen to rhetoric and politicians who cater to the mobs.

During the controversy over the death of Trayvon Martin, for example, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus said that George Zimmerman had tracked Trayvon Martin down and shot him like a dog. The fact is that Zimmerman did not have to track down Trayvon Martin, who was sitting right on top of him, punching him till his face was bloody.

After the death of Michael Brown, members of the Congressional Black Caucus stood up in Congress, with their hands held up, saying, “Don’t shoot.” Although there were some who claimed that this is what Michael Brown said and did, there were other witnesses — all black, by the way — who said that Brown was charging toward the policeman when he was shot.

What was decisive was not what either set of witnesses said but what the autopsy revealed, an investigation involving three sets of forensic experts, including one representing Michael Brown’s family. Witnesses can lie but the physical facts don’t lie, even if politicians, mobs, and the media prefer to take lies seriously.

More

US Ally, Saudi Arabia Beheads 87 In 2014, Up Over 10% From 2013

It was a good year for those long 'beheadings'. After a solid 79 head-removals in 2013, 2014 surged 10% higher with a recent record 87 beheadings overall (following a surge since August for crimes such as "drug smuggling, witchcraft, or sorcery"). The 'State' responsible for all these executions... not ISIS, but US ally, Saudi Arabia...

As BNO News reports,

A Pakistani man convicted of smuggling a large amount of heroin has been decapitated by sword in Saudi Arabia, the government reported on Wednesday, disregarding concerns raised by human rights activists and raising the number of people executed there this year to 87.

“The Interior Ministry reminds the public that the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud) – may Allah protect him – continues the fight against drugs of all kinds as it inflicts serious harm on the individual and society,” the ministry said in its statement. “The most severe penalties on the perpetrators are derived from the righteous approach of Sharia law.”

Wednesday’s beheading adds to a surge in executions that began in August, angering human rights organizations because many of those killed were convicted of non-lethal crimes. “Any execution is appalling, but executions for crimes such as drug smuggling or sorcery that result in no loss of life are particularly egregious,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, of Human Rights Watch, earlier this year.

More

Salisbury City Council Meeting Agenda and Packet For 1-5-15

IMMIGRATION TIME BOMB ABOUT TO EXPLODE ON GOP

Census report headlines overlook why foreign-born favor the left

WASHINGTON –
A creeping revolution is underway that’s stealthily altering the very core of America and the ideals for which its ancestors fought and died in freedom’s cause.

The phenomenon is leading the country toward embracing the very thing President Thomas Jefferson abhorred: ever-bigger government.

And it’s coming from a seemingly harmless policy many Americans embrace.

Legal immigration.

The numbers don’t lie. The U.S. is experiencing an immigration explosion never before seen in its history:

According to U.S. Census numbers, immigration averaged only 195,000 per year from 1921 through 1970.

With the change in immigration law in 1965, immigration levels skyrocketed from an average of 250,000 to one million a year.

The number of foreign-born persons in the U.S. has doubled from 1990 to 2010, almost tripled since 1980, and quadrupled since 1970.

As of the last census in 2010, 40 million immigrants were in the U.S.

Most estimates are that at least 11-to-12 million of those are illegal immigrants. However, some estimates put that figure as high as 38 million.

Forty-million immigrants is about 13-percent of the total U.S. population of 320,009,000 the Census Bureau estimated on Jan 1, 2014.

A recent report from the Congressional Research Service indicated the foreign-born population may increase by another 27.4 million people by 2022, climbing from 40.8 million in 2012 to 58.3 million after ten years.

Republicans have been up in arms over President Obama’s executive action to provide amnesty for five million illegal immigrants. But mostly overlooked have been the even greater changes to the country caused by an unprecedented and decades-long spike in legal immigration, compounded by illegal immigration.

More

Fells Point bartender wins big on 'The Price Is Right'


Dana Ness, a bartender at Ale Mary’s in Fells Point, was the big winner on Wednesday’s “The Price Is Right,” walking away from the CBS game show with an iPhone 6, a hot tub, a margarita maker, a home gym and a boat.

Dozens of her best friends crowded into the bar Wednesday morning to watch her appearance. Ness had been careful not to reveal what happened in advance, said fellow bartender Beth Cermak. By the time it was all over and she had won the final showcase (which included the boat and home gym), Ale Mary’s was one deliriously happy bar.

More
 

Why Holder Is So Ticked Off


Thinking Out Of The Box In Salisbury


Bodies found in truck after W. Va. officers wounded in traffic stop

(CNN) -- Two West Virginia officers were shot and wounded Thursday in a traffic stop on Interstate 64 that led to the discovery of two bodies.

According to state police Lt. Michael Baylous, two police officers from the town of Lewisburg pulled over a white Chevrolet SUV with North Carolina plates after learning it had been reported stolen.

As the officers were conducting the traffic stop, a red Chevrolet truck pulled alongside them and the driver "pulled a handgun and shot at both officers," Baylous said.

The drivers of both Chevrolets then fled: the red truck "went over the hillside and was eventually taken into custody," while the other motorist "drove behind a guardrail on the interstate and hid for a short amount of time," according to Baylous.

More

WOMEN!


What It Feels Like When You Go To A Ball Game/Movies And The Guy In Front Of You Is Wearing A Hat


How You Can Get Crabs In Your Own Bathroom


Santa On December 26th


No One Ever Said UPS Drivers Have To Listen, Right?