Should the Clinton Campaign be Quarantined? Part I

By Thornton Crowe

Over the week, it was revealed that Hillary Clinton had Pneumonia after she near collapse at the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on Sunday in New York City. Surrounded by many as she watched the names being called out by loved ones and family of those fallen on 9/11/2001, she began to suffer from what was first reported as heat exhaustion; however, on Monday, evidence was produced that she was in fact sick and would spend the next couple days convalescing in her New York home - a state known from having one of the highest deaths per 100,000 people with the illness as per the CDC study for the 2015/2016 Pneumonia/Influenza Season. (See Map)

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can cause mild to severe illness in people of all ages. -- Center of Disease Control & Prevention  Website   

Map from CDC Website denoting Pneumonia
Influenza for 2015/2016 Season.

While Clinton was on an antibiotic prior to Sunday, she has not been on them long enough at the point where she hugged that little girl on the street in front of Chelsea Clinton's apartment building so soon after getting woozy at the memorial ceremony; hence, it's very likely she was infected with pneumonia and, as any parent knows, children easily carry and spread illnesses which infect their entire family and sometimes their whole classroom of fellow students.

Many remember on Labor Day when she gave a speech in Ohio, she had a severe problem with coughing - this has been a pattern throughout several rallies. Furthermore, she's been around countless amounts of people within her campaign staff, Secret Security detail and the media traveling with her. Hence, given that 15 out of 100,000 people in US with the illness have died, it would be mandatory that everyone in her entourage as well as those whom attended her rallies would have to be tested to determine whether they caught or are carrying the bacteria. Because of the vulnerability of senior citizens, many could be affected by the campaign's staff and/or media.

Where Was Everybody?

By Thornton Crowe

Over the last week, Donald Trump expanded his upper campaign management while sadly, taking the resignation of his trusted advisor, Paul Manafort. This happening on the day when Trump decided to make an impromptu visit to Louisiana, an area that's been ravaged by flooding due to rain.

The loss for the state is staggering with over 100,000 people displaced, 60,000 homes lost and 13 people dead while coffins from disturbed graves, float down the streets of Baton Rouge. Sounds like some post apocalyptic nightmare.

Clearly, this is the biggest catastrophe for the state since Katrina in 2005. However, even with newspapers begging for him to visit and remembering his damning remarks regarding former President Bush's fly over, it seems Obama was too busy vacationing in Martha's Vineyard, hobnobbing with the rich and famous while playing golf, to be worried about doing his 'presidential duty' and Hillary Clinton took the weekend to 'rest' after her big week on the campaign trail. 

Friday morning, along with his VP nominee, Governor Mike Pence, Trump arrived in Louisiana with very little fanfare. In fact, many in the media as well as Clinton spewed he did it for publicity reasons, even though he didn't bring his press core with him and requested no press to be present during much of his visit. Democrat Louisiana governor, John Bel Edwards, stated there would be no photo op moments with him should Trump visit and he was demonstratively absent during the entire visit. However, in his statement, Bel Edwards's office did say he was more than happy to take Trump's money. (What else is new?)

Trump and Pence didn't arrive empty-handed.

What the media largely ignored is the duo came with an 18-wheeler filled with over 70,000 pounds of food, supplies and clothing for the victims in the washed out area, which they personally helped unload and pass out to flood victims - just like two ordinary guys (minus blue jeans.)

THIS is the Donald Trump New Yorkers know, respect and love. The altruistic man of the people who is willing to help when and wherever he can without the media hype.

After they unloaded the truck, Trump and Pence toured many homes as well as a local church and school. The damage was extensive and many lost everything. What few cameras were present were forbidden to go with him as he met privately with many families one on one. And during the tour, both were solemn as they surveyed the damage.

Many people interviewed after the visit were emotionally moved by his visit. In fact, when he arrived, many shouted they were glad to see him and, for a moment, forgot their troubles as he signed autographs and shook hands. What Donald Trump did for them was more than just bringing supplies, he demonstrated to them, he's a man of his word! He follows through. He shows up and physically WORKS!

Since his visit, media still chastises him for his trip, claiming he did it for publicity even there was zero photo ops and pictures of the visit are scarce. Clinton has yet to make an appearance even though we now know her rest includes attending some ritzy fundraiser tonight in Nantucket, hosted by Cher.

Obama now claims he's going down to Louisiana on Tuesday (most likely because of Trump's visit making him look bad) - but for many Louisianians, they say he's too late. And if you think he'll bring anything with him or help unload trucks, you are going to be sadly disappointed.

For Hillary Clinton, her actions only further alienate her from voters as many are re-thinking their vote for her. Like the reputation she's earned in instances like Haiti, it seems she's more concerned about winning an election rather than actual human suffering.

As for Trump, many are saying he became the next President of the United States last Friday! I'd have to say, I completely concur!

UPDATE: Just confirmed, the truckload of loot and truck were paid for by Trump personally and was in no way connected to his campaign or GOP funding.

Massive Collusion?

By Thornton Crowe

If you don't believe it, the proof is in the email. Found in the many emails on WikiLeaks, below shows the collusion between Clinton/DNC/Media that was so prevalent during primaries and now in the general election.

Surprised?

click to enlarge

Looks like the DNC doesn't think Democrat voters really have anything to do with candidate selection! Nice huh?

Daily Times–Where’s the Beef?

Yesterday Salisbury mayoral candidate Joe Albero issued a press release claiming that the Daily Times was planning an “October surprise” for Sunday’s edition.  It appears that the article ran this morning.  For the informed voter, little new information was published; but begs us to ask the leadership of the paper – Where’s the beef?

DT reporter Cox obviously devoted much time to researching about the two mayoral candidates personal lives.  So what?

Imagine the service the Daily Times could have done for voters and the city it CLAIMS to love if the same amount of time had been dedicated examining Albero’s plan to revitalize the local economy or council candidate Jake Day’s plan for the city.  Sadly, the DT doesn’t want informed voters.  The great unwashed asking too many questions would spoil their narrative.

Albero asks the right question:

Who cares that Jake Day has a heavy foot, or that our three District 1 candidates have met with personal financial misfortune, or that both my opponent and I have had some minor brushes with the legal system? Why does the Daily Times think that these things take precedence over my plan to bring jobs to Salisbury, Jim Ireton’s repeated attempts to raise our taxes, or Jake Day’s plan to use our tax dollars to subsidize residential development in the city?

We may be wrong.  Maybe voters do care more about trivia and less about creating jobs or improving the city.  … At least that’s what the Daily Times hopes.

Daily Times Shows SBY Election Bias

The Daily Times seems hell bent on queering this year’s Salisbury mayoral / council elections just like they’ve tried every other time in recent memory.  Will they be successful?  We’ll know next week.

After a series of scandals destroyed what little credibility remained at Salisbury’s Daily Times, new publisher Tom Claybaugh and managing editor Michael Kilian faced a tough choice.  Change the paper’s ways or simply try to move down the same biased path that has cost them subscribers and readers.

All the News That We WANT to Print

To most of us, changing the paper’s ways is obviously the best path.  In an industry that appears to be dying, regaining credibility amongst readers is a good place to start if you want to rebuild.  The Daily Times can claim some good young reporters.  They’ve shown that, when allowed, they can provide good, accurate coverage of local news.  Alas, Claybaugh and Kilian have decided on a darker path.  Rather than report all of the news, the DT seems determined to only run stories which aid their preferred candidates.
How can I make such a claim?  Haven’t they run stories critical of Jim Ireton?  One!  Haven’t they run stories critical of Jake Day?  Less than one.  Who really cares that Day has a heavy foot?  I’m not claiming that the DT has savaged Joe Albero or Debbie Campbell.  They haven’t.  That’s the Daily Times of old.  Besides, like Katherine Crowell four years ago, I don’t believe that Jeremy Cox would allow his name to be put on pieces that are riddled with lies and innuendo.  No, the DT is playing the stealth game.
Where is the story on Joe Albero’s economic development plan?  Where is a thoughtful analysis of Jake Day’s slick manifesto (which you can’t even download from his site anymore)?  Where is an analysis of Jim Ireton’s attempt to raise taxes (more than once) while he claims that he never raised your taxes (technically accurate, but worth at least four Pinnochio’s over at the WaPo)?  Where is the story about Ireton and Day’s lack of basic math skills (how do to add 500 residential units downtown, plus commercial space when you have less than 100 available parking spots (after you have sold off all of the riverfront lots – which has merit – plus Lot 1 between the library and the plaza?).  WHERE is the story about national real estate interests doing a mailing for Jake Day?
They’re no where to be found.  Why?  Mr. Kilian doesn’t want the public to learn too much about the candidates running for office.  If they did, the DT’s favored candidates wouldn’t stand much of a chance.  Unfortunately, things are worse on the op-ed side of the shop thanks to Mr. Claybaugh and op-ed editor Susan Parker.

WE Decide the News, WE Decide YOUR Opinion

Have you bothered to ask yourself why there haven’t been many letters to the editor in support of Joe Albero or Debbie Campbell?  The answer is simple … the Daily Times won’t print them. 
I’ve only been sent letters regarding Mrs. Campbell’s race, but it seems that they are (almost) all too long, too short, too critical of Jim Ireton, too critical of Barrie Tilghman, too critical of other council members, too critical of the weather, printed on the wrong color paper or using the wrong type of ink.  NOW (from Monday’s paper) …

In other words, we will print your letter to editor IF it doesn’t talk about ANY issue other than the issues WE (the DT) deem worthy of having an opinion about.  Now, it’s the op-ed page.  They certainly have a right to print whatever they want.  Just don’t claim to be the voice of the community.
So… here’s what you can expect between now and Friday:

Dear Editor,
I’ve known Jake Day since he was at James M. Bennett HS.  He planted a garden.  He’s a good guy.  He went to some fancy schools.  He’s in the Army.  He’s a nice guy.  He has lots of ideas but I can’t talk about them because Jake doesn’t want the voters asking too many questions about the cost.
Signed – Someone who probably doesn’t live in Salisbury.

Messrs. Claybaugh and Kilian can be very proud of the business they are running into the ground.
G. A. Harrison is a former editor of SBYNews and a regular contributor.  He also writes at the DelMarVa Observer.  This article was excerpted from his Media Monday column.

The Letter the Daily Times DOESN'T Want You to Read

Tomorrow is Salisbury's council primaries.  It's little surprise that the Daily Times has, as in the past, refused to publish some letters in support of incumbent councilwoman Debbie Campbell.  What is (a little) surprising is their refusal to print a letter critical of the Salisbury city council ... unless the letter was critical of councilwomen Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields.

That is exactly what has occurred.  Earlier we published a letter from Salisbury resident Kay Gibson.  Gibson originally submitted her letter to the DT.  Editorial page editor Susan Parker doesn't want you to read it before Tuesday's election.  Her boss, GM Tom Claybaugh agrees.  God forbid that YOU be allowed to make up your own mind:

Mitchell, Shields Stage Destructive Performance

If anyone wants to know the real source of conflict on Salisbury’s city council, they need only look at the two members who complain the loudest about “civility,” Laura Mitchell and Shanie Shields.  Listen to the audio of last Tuesday’s work session on the city’s website, www.ci.salisbury.md.us

Mitchell stationed a tape recorder on the table to capture what was obviously a staged performance.  She and Shields disrupted the meeting for a solid hour or more, shouting, interrupting, berating, accusing and more, even trying to goad the council leadership into fights and into shutting down the meeting.  Neither Terry Cohen nor Debbie Campbell took that bait, and both stayed focused on the work.

Mitchell literally bullied the city attorney, attacked me by name and made misrepresentations about the proposed business disclosure ordinance under discussion.  Later that night at the candidate forum at Salisbury University, candidate Jake Day pretty much parroted what Mitchell said about the proposal.  Was this the purpose of the tape recorder?

Shields admitted that night that she “lost it” at the meeting.  Mitchell’s behavior was just as destructive, done in front of state agency representatives and the general public.  Mitchell’s conduct at the last legislative meeting was thoroughly unprofessional, too.

As a frequent attendee at council meetings, I’ve seen these two be anything but civil for nearly two years.  This was no spirited debate of viewpoints on their part.  It was one of the most disgusting displays of behavior for political purposes I have ever seen.

Mary Kay Gibson
Salisbury, MD

Remember, this letter is only tangentially related to the current city elections.  However, we can't let the hoi polloi find out that councilwoman Laura Mitchell is feeding candidate Jake Day his talking points anymore than we can allow the public to find out that Day doesn't hesitate to take as many different stances on a given issue as there are audiences.  For a more detailed analysis of the DT's actions, see my Media Monday column.

G. A. Harrison is a former editor of SBYNews and a current contributor.  He also writes at the DelMarVa Observer.

Levin Calls for Integration of Obama Vacation Spot

Although a lot has been said about the timing of President Obama’s vacation to Martha’s Vineyard, not much has been said about the spot itself, other than some criticism about the tone-deafness of a president vacationing at a haven for the well-to-do while so many Americans are struggling financially.

On his Friday radio program, Mark Levin took a look at the racial makeup of the Obama vacation spot and likened it to the left-leaning MSNBC cable news network.

“But what about on Martha’s Vineyard?” Levin said. “I’m just asking. Doesn’t Martha’s Vineyard kind of reflect the racial make-up of the hosts on MSNBC, or as we affectionately call them ‘MSLSD’ because they all seem like they’re on some kind of a drug kick? I’m not saying they are. I’m saying they seem like it.”

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Facebook Apologizes for Deleting Arizona Governor’s Post

Facebook issued an apology Saturday for deleting a post by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer that criticized President Obama over his administration's new policy on prioritizing deportations of illegal immigrants.

Brewer's picture and a statement that accompanied it were removed Friday from Facebook, apparently because they "violated Facebook community standards."

"The post was removed in error," Andrew Noyes, Manager of Public Policy Communications at Facebook said in a statement. "We apologize for any inconvenience."

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WBOC Falls Flat On Local Reporting

While WBOC has weathered criticism that it’s too “Delaware-centric” in its coverage, last evening’s story of a “possible” Longhorn Steakhouse coming to Salisbury showed that maybe WBOC needs to keep their coverage north of the Mason-Dixon line.  If this was an example of covering the Maryland portion of DelMarVa, Marylanders clearly need to look elsewhere – like Salisbury News – for their Eastern Shore news.

From the WBOC story:

Chain restaurant or locally-owned business? Longhorn Texas is surveying a site by the Centre at Salisbury Mall for a possible franchise opening.

City officials tell WBOC they approved the preliminary permit along Route 13 about a month-and-a-half ago but the company declined to provide additional details ...

Surveying a site for a possible franchise opening?  Do they have any idea how much money has been spent on that property already for a “possible franchise”?

Over a MONTH ago, Salisbury News published a detailed post as to what was going on at the site and why.  We interviewed several city and county officials to find out why the city and state were allowing a storm water management pond to be reduced in size to accommodate Longhorn.  We even detailed what was being done to mitigate a high water table.

Yet, a month after the fact, the best that WBOC could do was an overpriced helicopter flyover and a quote from a boilerplate company statement?  C’mon guys!  If you had bothered to use Google, you could have found our story and even plans for the project.

The fancy studio is nice (although hardly worth its own 24 / 7 streamcast).  The helicopter is cool (sorta).  However, it seems that the folks over at Draper Holding need to fess up – WBOC has abdicated its claim as “Delmarva’s News Leader”.

Poll: Most Voters See Media as Biased and Unethical

Likely voters hold a dismal view of the news media, generally regarding reporters as biased, unethical and too close to the politicians they purport to cover, according to a new poll for The Hill.

A full 68 percent of voters consider the news media biased, the poll found. Most, 46 percent, believe the media generally favor Democrats, while 22 percent said they believe Republicans are favored, with 28 percent saying the media is reasonably balanced.

The share of voters who believe the media are too friendly with politicians is almost twice as large as those who find their coverage of politicians appropriate. Forty-four percent of voters assert the former; only 24 percent believe the latter.

The picture is not much brighter on the general question of ethics. Fifty-seven percent of voters think of the news media as either somewhat or very unethical, while only 39 percent see them as somewhat or very ethical.

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DNC Releases Spanish Language Ad

The 2012 presidential race will have a Latin flavor.

The Democrat National Committee’s first ad of the election cycle is a Spanish-language spot in Reno, Las Vegas, Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Denver, Albuquerque, and Washington, DC.

The ad, “En Quien Confiar,” first attacks Republicans for their criticism of the president before touting the record of Barack Obama’s middle-class tax cuts, student grants, and health insurance of children. The ad ends with a strong note:

We know who to trust, and who we can’t.  Because it’s our job to protect our families.

According to a DNC official, the ad buy is “many times larger” than the latest spot from the Republican National Committee, which launched it’s “Change Directions” series earlier this month. The RNC’s third and latest spot in the series cost about $7,750, according to Politico’s Ben Smith.

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Liberals Salivate

Could This Be The End of
Rupert Murdoch and FOXNews?

The liberal activist group MoveOn.org says it is launching a campaign “to build unavoidable public pressure for full investigations” into Rupert Murdoch’s U.S. news outlets – including Fox News, a favorite target of liberals.

“Could this be the end of Rupert Murdoch and Fox News?” the group asked in a July 21 email message to supporters.

According to MoveOn.org, “the key is to find out how far Fox and rest of Murdoch’s news outlets went here in the U.S. If they’ve been as corrupt and criminal here as it looks like they’ve been in the U.K., then we might just see Murdoch’s media empire crumble.”

Murdoch and his media empire have come under fire in Britain, following reports that employees at Murdoch’s News Corporation hacked into the phone of a 13-year-old murder victim and bribed police and government officials for information leading to tabloid scoops.

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MSNBC Distorts Reagan Position on Debt Ceiling

Cable network MSNBC has been distorting the late President Ronald Reagan’s position on raising the debt ceiling, in the midst of a current-day political debate over raising that ceiling between President Barack Obama and Republicans on Capitol Hill, says an analysis by the Media Research Center (MRC).

“At least five MSNBC anchors since Tuesday have promoted a cherry-picked House Democratic Caucus video that distorts President Ronald Reagan’s position on the debt ceiling, inaccurately asserting that President Barack Obama is more in line with Reagan than the Republicans,” MRC News Analyst Alex Fitzsimmons reported in a BiasAlert on Wednesday.

The five MSNBC anchors are Chris Matthews, Al Sharpton, Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell and Thomas Roberts. They each played or cited an excerpt from a Reagan speech given on Sept. 26, 1987. In the excerpt,  Reagan expressed the need to raise the debt ceiling.

However, the cable network did not acknowledge that later in that same speech Reagan insisted on a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

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Journalist’s Driver's License Canceled By Washington State

SEATTLE -- Washington state has canceled the driver's license of a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who publicly said he is an illegal immigrant.

Officials opened an investigation after Jose Antonio Vargas' essay about his background was published in the New York Times Magazine in June, Department of Licensing spokeswoman Christine Anthony said Thursday.

Vargas wrote in the essay that he obtained a driver's license in Washington earlier this year after his Oregon license expired.

"We conducted in an investigation and concluded that he wasn't residing at the address he provided us," Anthony said.

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POLITICO Slants Coverage of Debt Ceiling Debate

Read three articles published in three consecutive days, and the conclusion one would draw is clear: It’s the Republican-controlled House of Representatives that is to blame for the debt ceiling negotiation stalemate.

That’s not the view coming from one of the left-leaning talking heads employed at MSNBC. Nor is it something from the New York Times opinion page. Instead, it is coming from Politico, an outlet that claims it has no political leaning. But a closer look indicates otherwise, whether it is intentional or not.

In three separate articles published on July 18, 19 and 20 respectively, Politico reporter David Rogers found fault with congressional Republicans in his reporting on the standoff between the GOP-controlled House of Representatives and the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House. In those stories, he quoted Democrats at a margin of 2-to-1 over Republicans.

In his July 18 report, Rogers was very critical of the Republicans’ efforts in the House of Representatives.

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“Today” Show Plans Changed

The “Today” show will not be broadcasting live from the Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach on Friday, July 22.

Instead, hosts Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb will be filming segments to be aired at a future date. The duo will be signing books at Browseabout Books from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, July 23.

from Ryan Mavity @ the Cape Gazette

Daily Times Endorses Toll Hike

No thoughtful individual will argue that increasing the toll on the Bay Bridge 220% in less than two years will not have a detrimental effect on the economy of the Eastern Shore. Yet, that is just what the editors of Salisbury’s Daily Times have done.

In a Monday op-ed, the Daily Times takes the position that:

“an increase to $5 per trip is not unreasonable, nor should it create undue hardship for most users. The second increase to $8, however, should be revisited before it takes effect. If it's clearly necessary, then it should take effect, but if not, put it on hold until it's needed.”

This is almost word for word the position taken by Del. Norm Conway (D-38B) at last week’s toll hearing. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.

Fortunately for Lower Shore residents not all members of the Lower Shore’s delegation share Conway’s (and the Daily Times’) view. Del. Mike McDermott (R-38B) takes exception with the DT’s view of reasonable:

The Daily Times has given us a new definition for ‘reasonable’. If a 200%+ increase is reasonable, then I’d like to see their definition of ‘unreasonable’.

The DT dismisses, as anecdotal, testimony given by one Shore farmer who cultivates land on both sides of the Bay. They are correct; it is anecdotal. However, the editors of the DT do the exact same thing when trying to argue that the Bay Bridge is only marginally profitable. They cite only four years of revenues vs. expenses. What about the entire lifespan of the Bay Bridge? In addition, the DT neglects to acknowledge that the MD Transportation Authority (MDTA) budgets their capital expenditures in their operating budget. Large capital expenditures that are paid for over time elsewhere in state government are counted as current expenses with the MDTA.

Why? It’s easier to justify toll hikes when you can claim that this bridge or that tunnel simply aren’t taking in enough revenue to cover current expenses. The state goes to the bond market for the money anyway, but now those excess dollars can be put to “better” use along the Baltimore – DC corridor.

The DT admits that “all tolls collected for all facilities go into one pot”. What they neglect to share is that this practice didn’t go into effect until FY 2011. Why? To better justify the massive toll hikes proposed by Gov. Martin O’Malley’s minions on the MDTA board.

The toll hikes WILL harm our local economy. For each tourist coming to the Shore, that is X fewer dollars that will be spent on the Eastern Shore. The increase in transportation costs for food, fuel, and other goods imported from off the Eastern Shore will not cause our cost of living to skyrocket overnight. No, but it WILL increase our cost of living. That is Y fewer dollars that can be spent, saved, or invested here on the Eastern Shore.

For some reason, the Daily Times has chosen to ignore these obvious facts. Why? To provide political cover to Sen. Jim Mathias (D-38) and Conway? We can’t say. We do agree with McDermott that the DT’s approach to this problem is linear and overly simplistic. To argue that we should double the toll now and see what happens 18 months down the road is merely a self-fulfilling prophecy.

With the MDTA throwing all revenue, and expenses, into “one pot”. The numbers will say whatever they want them too. With drivers of the ICC not facing a toll hike, there is no question that the MDTA will argue that the increase from $5 to $8 will “clearly be necessary”.

The Daily Times needs to quit worrying about what is best for Conway or O’Malley. They should be arguing for what is best for the Eastern Shore.

Humane Society Needs to Be Transparent

This morning’s Daily Times op-ed, as usual, attempts to walk a tight rope without offending too many people. While I won’t argue for being offensive, I do wish that our local paper would take a stand!

The chain emails were also directed at county officials, drawing more scrutiny. Acting County Administrator Sharon Morris has scheduled a meeting with Humane Society Director of Development Linda Lugo to get the other side of the story -- something those who sent nasty emails or letters did not bother to do. And the County Council has also expressed interest in meeting with Humane Society leadership.

In the past, both the council and County Executive Rick Pollitt have sought meetings with the Humane Society’s board. In a profanity laced (on Ms. Lugo’s part) meeting with Humane Society Executive Director Linda Lugo, both Pollitt and council members were basically told to pound salt. This incident was recently related again at a council meeting.

Now the Humane Society has little choice but to meet with Pollitt and the county council. The fate of this dog has brought international attention to our little slice of heaven AND the Wicomico County Humane Society. But – one thing the Humane Society seems unwilling to do is meet with our elected officials in public. As we reported Wednesday (and something that has been left out of the DT op-ed), the Humane Society and acting County Administrator Sharon Morris arranged for a meeting that only allows for three members of the council to attend. The only purpose for such a specific arrangement is to not trigger the Maryland Open Meetings Act.

It’s a little disingenuous of the paper to chastise the public for not meeting with the Humane Society when the Humane Society will not meet with the public and is only meeting with (SOME of) our elected officials because of the harsh light recently shined on them by SBYNews.

For the record, I have no dog in this hunt (forgive the pun). I love animals, but have more than enough pets at home. I’ve only met Ms. Lugo once and spoke with her on the phone another time. I have had a bad experience with the Humane Society, but it had nothing to do with animal care. My experience had to do with the mindless bureaucratic attitude I encountered when I was forced to visit the Humane Society. To be fair, this is far too common when dealing with government and non-profits; so I have no reason to have anymore prejudice against them than government in general and half of the non-profits I deal with.

I honestly believe that I am an objective agent in this debate. As such I have a quarrel with what appears to be an attempt by the DT to whitewash this matter:

This incident should be seen as an opportunity for all parties to come together and have an open, honest discussion about what is happening --strengths and weaknesses, needs that are being met and shortfalls. People who are passionate about these animals should focus squarely on helping the Humane Society meet the needs of the animals --and residents -- it serves.

All parties can’t have an open, honest discussion. The discussion to which the DT refers will be held in the proverbial back room. All of our elected officials will not be present. As for asking “people who are passionate about these animals” to focus on helping the Humane Society, why would people volunteer their time, talent, and treasure when this organization refuses to do meet with the public and explain themselves?

Publicly Funded “Journalist” Warns Against Intertwinement of Government and the Press

On Sunday’s broadcast of ABC’s “This Week,” National Public Radio’s legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg spelled out the consequences of the government becoming “intertwined” with the press in response to the scandal Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World publication is embroiled in England.

“Well, tabloids will never go away,” Totenberg said. “They are part of the history of at least a western democracy. But, it does show you when politicians and the news media are completely intertwined, not just get in bed together because they’ve always been in bed together a little bit, but their ownership is intertwined with the power of the press, it can get to be a very dangerous proposition, reading how frightened the leaders were to even challenge Murdoch.”

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Hard Times for Old Time Publishers

Director Andrew Rossi couldn’t predict what he would capture when he was allowed inside the glossy interior of The New York Times building in Manhattan.

“I did know I wanted to be at the right place at the right time,” Rossi says.

As luck would have it, one of the biggest stories in recent memory exploded while his camera was on, one that commandeered the news cycle while underlining the point of his project.

“Page One: Inside the New York Times,” takes audience into the heart of the storied newspaper at a critical time in its existence. Ad revenues are plummeting. Layoffs are bludgeoning the newspaper’s staff. And, all around them, well established competitors are printing their final editions.

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