Good Morning!

Another beautiful sunrise from West Ocean City overlooking Ocean City. Moday's always suck but I hope this helps get the day started right.

Daily Times Hires Color Blind Production Manager

Was it just me, or did everyone else get a black and white Comic Section today? You know they print these things way in advance, right?

Today's Wildlife Photo

Foal Rescue (click on any picture to enlarge)

I've stated this in the past and I'll state it once again. There are only a hand full of unbelievable moments and or things you can easily say were the very best moments of your life. My first would be the birth of my children, WOW!

The second in my lifetime was the experience Jennifer and I had last year traveling around the Country rescuing foals that were headed to slaughter.

So everyone is aware, the Thoroughbred Industry has a law in which you must have live contact breeding and no, (AI) artificial insemination. When a very expensive mare has her foal she goes back into heat again within 7 days. This means they separate the mother and foal usually within 48 hours and a nurse mare is brought in to take over nursing this new and very expensive foal. There's also usually an agreement that while this nurse mare foal is nursing the new foal, they allow it to breed once again with another stud there at the farm, which is usually another very expensive horse.

Ultimately the nurse mare is delivering a perfectly healthy and fine foal but that foal is actually considered a "junk foal." These foals are usually brought to slaughter as the Italians, the French and the Canadians enjoy foal meat similar to American's enjoying veal. So these foals are sold to slaughter houses and even the Garment Industry gets involved and they buy the hide. Especially a paint horse hide. They'll actually pay some $50.00 more for the colored hide and they use them for shoes and or purses.

When Jennifer and I learned of this we immediately bought a brand new truck and a new horse trailer and started traveling to wherever these foals were located and we started buying them up by thew dozen. With Jennifer's background as a Vet. Tech. at the Salisbury Zoo for so many years, this was a perfect way to make good use of our new Ranch in Delmar. So we bought a ton of foals paying $50.00 more than the meat market would pay and we brought these little guys home.

As you can see from the pictures, they were anywhere from 1 day old to 2 months old and completely helpless. I'll tell you as well, it would cost us around $150.00 a day in mares milk formula alone just to keep these guys fed properly and healthy. It was the best money I had ever spent in my entire life!

When you see the photos of our horses, these are rescue foals. We adopted out some 35 foals last year and if we receive calls again from any of the farms we purchased from last year we'll be right back in business getting more foals. I'll close this story on this note. Although we have no proof, we believe Jim Rapp and or Employees of the Salisbury Zoo called the State of Delaware on us trying to cease what we were doing, claiming we didn't have proper health certificates to take these animals from State to State and or into the State of Delaware. If you know me well enough, I told the State to go to hell and sue me. They never did.

I have received a ton of e-mail messages asking me to please produce more horse pictures, so here they are.

More Fond Memories

Two Ways To Cool Off

Little Big Man and Ghost use the pond to cool off from all this heat. The post below is another way to cool off.

Only 4 More Months Away!

Not that long ago Ghost was wondering where the heater was.

Mike Lewis

With all this hoopla going on about the Sheriffs Race I have been trying to get together with what I felt the front runners are to get to know them better. To my great pleasure I have not only met some wonderful and new people, I am convinced that the people I have in fact met so far are extremely dedicated to their goals and they have the proper backgrounds to be in this race.

What I'm about to say is my own personal opinion but I wanted to share it with everyone to see how they felt about my idea. I have met Mike Lewis personally and I watched him recently speak at the NAACP meeting the other night. He is a VERY convincing man with a fabulous career and the state of Maryland had been very fortunate to have such a professional Trooper keeping us safe, especially in the drug enforcement area. I have come to learn in person that Mike has an almost hypnotic kind of personality, which is very rare these days. I say this in a positive fashion.

However, I tend to wonder if he isn't truly missing his calling? Mike is a NO BS kind of guy, (which I like very much) and he's actually the man they need desperately in the City of Salisbury as Chief of Police. The crime is in the City of Salisbury, (in my opinion) and they have young Officers that are in desperate need of the right kind of man that can lead these young men into becoming unbelievable Officers. So call it selfish but I really wish Mike could have been able to take over Chief Websters place rather than the County Sheriff because I personally think he'd be wasting 90% of what he's so good at.

They need to get the drugs off the street in the City folks. They need to clean up the neighborhoods where everyone knows the drugs are severe. We don't need TOUGH Sheriff's Deputies, we need TOUGH City Police Officers and Webster just isn't cutting it.

I'm NOT at all stating Mike Lewis wouldn't make a good Sheriff, so don't even go there. My point here is to simply say, what a shame the Mayor isn't begging Mike to come on board as Chief of Police for the City of Salisbury where Mike could put his gifts to great use where it actually belongs rather than only getting 10% of that action in the Sheriffs Department. This is purely selfish, I know.

Salisbury Outback

I have been a long time fan of Outback ever since they opened in the USA I'm a huge fan of their layered cheesy fries and I used to love ordering the prime rib with horse radish. Their burgers at one time were the best anywhere too. Over the last few months there's been a major change in the Salisbury Outback though.

We get together with friends once a week and we're considered one of Outback's biggest regulars. I have always felt "you can't change something you're not aware of," so whenever I have an issue with what I've ordered I let them know as politely as I can so no one spits in my food. (LOL)

Well there comes a time when enough is enough. I don't know about all of you but recently every meal is coming out with either 1/2 the portions or everything is burned. I love my prime rib rare, (Pittsburgh Style). Tonight they delivered my steak very well done and our waitress knew immediately it wasn't right. She took it back and came out with the manager and this time the steak was cooked even more so than the first time and I guess the manager was there to convince me this time they had done a better job. I simply looked at her and said, show me one portion of this steak that is rare? It had fat everywhere and get this, it wasn't more than 1/4 inch thick to boot. It should be told that I had ordered their largest 16 oz. prime rib too!

So what happened to the old Outback we used to know? Remember the old Bloomin Onions that were HUGE? You watch one table get cheesy fries and they're flowing over the sides and dripping on the floor on the way to the table and then you see the next order come out with next to nothing on the plate. They try to tell you they're measured and all the same, NOT! So I made a decision tonight to simply say I've had enough. Our friends enjoy the Alice Spring Chicken and I found out why their chicken was always so moist. The chicken is bought locally every day and it's simply fresh. Lately each piece of chicken has again either been burned and or there's no more moisture. Considering we've been telling them things just aren't right for quite some time now and nothing is changing, it's time to stop going to Outback.

It's a real shame to see such a great place fall apart like that but they've taken my money for the last time and I'm sick of walking out of there feeling cheated rather than full. I bring this up because I'm curious if everyone else who frequents Outback has been experiencing the same problems?

Today's Wildlife Photo

Num, Num!

Ocean City On Fire!

This photo goes out to all my old friends and neighbors in Captain's Hill in West Ocean City. Not a day goes by I don't miss the beautiful sunrises over the Bay. Then in another 30 minutes all the tourons would show up in their boats by the hundreds and screw it all up. ;-)

Flower Basket?

Shouldn't this sign say, "Sanford & Son?" Does anyone happen to have a clue what their business hours are as well because the last three times I have been by here they have not been open for business?

The Sky Is Falling!

At around 5:00 this evening a storm started rolling in and I heard within a few short minutes one farmer had an inch of rain. I just happened to catch this shot as it was rolling in.

What's More Crooked?

A). The Street Light Pole?

B). The Jaycees Sign?

C). The City of Salisbury?

D). All of the above?

Pittsville is Booming!

This is visual proof the Town of Pittsville has outgrown their own facility and have busted out the curb in order to make additional parking for City Hall. To your left will be, oh, 5 or 6 additional spaces for parking. If Paul Wilber gets his way there'll be parking meters in these spaces in no time, just like Salisbury.

Pittsville Fire Station 7 Restaurant

Out with the old and in with the new! Todd & Carol Wampler are plugging away in the hopes of having the new Restaurant open by September.

Don't miss their new website @ www.station7restaurant.com

Do you know where YOUR property line is? (Updated)

It seems everywhere I turn I see the Ron Alessi sign on State Property. Then they come mow that area, probably take away the sign and the next thing you know there's another one up on the opposite corner.

This one was taken on Rt. 50 right after the Bypass heading West. Last week it was on the same side, just across the street on the other West corner. I have driven down roads where there are no people living in homes and there were 3 Ron Alessi signs on the property on a 1/4 acre lot!

Are there laws for this? Can you post a sign on State property? I even saw his sign on a commercial property on Main Street and thought, don't you need a permit for "any" sign for commercial property in the City Limits?

Maybe I'll just keep riding around and snap picture of these illegal signs?

Maryland Department of the Environment

Sydney Blake has retired!

Another dissatisfied customer! After 30+ years with the MDE the gentleman to your left has retired. I personally want to thank Mr. Blake for his professional services. Mr. Blake didn't know me from Adam when I first called but he "immediately" came to my home to review pictures I had taken of the WWTP and called in ALL the dogs that day to make an emergency trip to the WWTP and spent three days there writing violation after violation.

When I came to learn about the illegal pipes running directly into the river at the Zoo as well as the overflow of raw sewage in the Bison exhibit and then into the river, he once again showed up that day and took care of business. I have praised these guys since day one because they did what they said they were going to do and we can all only hope they find someone just as professional as he was, but I doubt that very seriously. It is my understanding they have been trying to find a replacement for Mr. Blake for the past 3 months and have had no luck whatsoever. What do we do now?

Debbie Campbell's Letter

Growth planning must be accessible to residents
It is obvious from testimony, polls, letters and conversations that most Salisbury residents are dissatisfied with growth management and many recent decisions regarding development. Their reasons are also obvious. Increasing numbers of residents are also dissatisfied with the process by which planning occurs and zoning is done.
Many residents feel this process takes place in secret until decisions have been made and announced — in part because there is little media coverage. By then, it’s too late to participate in a meaningful manner. Those who do participate are often displeased by what they experience and feel developers are usually favored at the expense of the public.
One reason for this is the difficulty the average person faces to participate, which begins with obtaining adequate information in a timely and convenient manner. It is surprising so little information is made available on the Internet.
Starting as soon as possible, each meeting agenda, as well as staff reports, recommendations and other significant material, should be posted on the city Web site at the earliest possible time. Details about specific requests for zoning action should be posted shortly after receipt. Other jurisdictions already do this. It is an easy way to make information readily available to the public so the process will be more transparent.
Another factor that has resulted in criticism is the manner in which those who participate are often received and sometimes treated. Since becoming a member of the Salisbury City Council, I have come to appreciate the basis for that criticism, and hope it will cease immediately.The primary reason the public is dissatisfied is the nature of growth and development that has been approved in recent years. After several decades that resulted in overcrowded roads and schools, a number of larger projects have been proposed and, in some cases, approved with little or no consideration of impact on existing neighborhoods, subsidies such as TIFs or quality of life.Additional regulation, such as required by HB 1141, will do little to change the situation unless more attention is paid to residents and growth is better managed, so existing neighborhoods are protected and residents are not harmed by new development. In Salisbury, the mayor recently indicated her administration is working on a revision of the city’s comprehensive plan. The first step should be to ask residents about what they desire. Hopefully, in the next several weeks the City Council will conduct a public hearing so residents can speak directly to the council before a draft plan is prepared.Once drafted, there should be additional hearings before the council takes action.

Deborah CampbellSalisbury