Gay Federal Workers To Get Benefits

Federal benefits extended to same-sex partners
Obama orders extension for workers under existing law

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is extending child care, medical leave and other benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.

Obama on Wednesday directed federal agencies to immediately begin allowing domestic partners and their children some of the same rights available to spouses and children of employees. That includes child-care services and subsidies, expanded family and medical leave and relocation and other benefits.

Obama's memorandum covers only benefits that can be extended under existing law, without congressional action.

GO HERE to read more.

Sarah Silverman's Book Inspires a Rant on Immigration

Sarah Silverman recently authored a book titled, ""The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee." At least a portion of this rag is causing a stir amongst both lefties and righties.

Here is an excerpt:

"Right-wing Americans who appear in mainstream media are not out there calling black people {edit: n-bomb}, or saying, The Klan has good ideas. Instead, they're questioning the legitimacy of Obama's presidency by accusing him of being born in Africa or of being a Muslim. Or they're having tea parties and calling Obama a 'communist' and a 'Nazi.'"

Wow. Just wow. I didn't agree with Ann Coulter calling John Edwards a slur used for gay men that starts with f (trying to keep this post civil) and I certainly cannot agree with what Ms. Silverman wrote in her book. My problem isn't that there aren't racist in the right wing, because there are. Just like there are racists amongst the left. What I loathe about glib pieces like this are their ability to chastise innocent bystanders. The majority of people in America, both right wing and left wing are just folks. They wake up in the morning and go to work, worry about keeping their jobs, their weight, the mortgage or rent, keeping their kids safe, etc... When people use overarching stereotypes to try to erect some sort of monolithic straw man they do us all a disservice.

While I made waves a bit ago by commenting that I do believe President Obama was born in Hawaii and is an American, I certainly would never call those that disagree racists. The people I have met who question his birth place just do not believe in the validity of the paperwork. There is nothing coded or racist about it.

As for immigration, not many people are calling for closing the borders to legitimate immigration. The concern is illegal immigration. I've seen reports on television of 10-15 million people in America are not here legally. I've been to foreign countries where I do not speak the native tongue very well. It is a very vulnerable feeling, but I always prepare for the trips by learning words and phrases like "restroom", "how much?", "taxi", etc... to help ease the language gap. Since I do not wish to meet and have to deal with a foreign police force, whose laws I am probably only vaguely aware of, I obey the law even better than I do at home. I've avoided dirty cops in foreign lands, but have met my share of Americans that have paid bribes to corrupt policemen in Mexico. I have no need for such an adventure in my life and I'm sure most of you feel the same way. Given this, why do people break our immigration laws? What kind of person goes to a foreign country and lives there illegally for years-on-end? What kind of person does that and then participates in public protests waving the flag of their country of origin while a few burn the American flag? I just don't get it. I certainly would not want to make the same mistake Ms. Silverman does and generalize a whole population of people, but I honestly do not understand the attitude or the thought process behind being a criminal and demanding that you be forgiven of your crimes and rewarded. In the comments someone explain it to me.

When I see statements such as Sarah Silverman's and listen to the media lately this is what I see in my mind's eye:

AP Sources: Obama Admin Talked Jobs With Romanoff

The Obama administration dangled the possibility of a government job for former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff last year in hopes he would forgo a challenge to Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, officials said Wednesday, just days after the White House admitted orchestrating a job offer in the Pennsylvania Senate race.

These officials declined to specify the job that was floated or the name of the administration official who approached Romanoff, and said no formal offer was ever made. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not cleared to discuss private conversations.

The new revelation of a possible political trade again called into question President Barack Obama's repeated promises to run an open government that was above back room deals.

The Colorado episode follows a similar controversy in Pennsylvania. An embarrassed White House admitted last Friday that it turned to former President Bill Clinton last year to approach Rep. Joe Sestak about backing out of the primary in favor of an unpaid position on a federal advisory board.

Sestak declined the offer and defeated Sen. Arlen Specter late last month for the Democratic nomination after disclosing the job discussions and highlighting it as evidence of his anti-establishment political credentials. He said last week he rejected Clinton's feeler in less than a minute.

In a two-page report on the Sestak case, the White House counsel said the administration did nothing illegal or unethical.

Unlike Sestak, Romanoff has ducked questions on the subject, and it was not clear how long his discussions with administration officials lasted.

Romanoff had sought appointment to the Senate seat that eventually went to Bennet, publicly griped he had been passed over and then discussed possible appointment possibilities inside the administration, one of the officials said.

More here

[Note: Salisbury News first mentioned this 'offer' on February 24th-- Editor]

Update On Nightly News At 6 PM

So here's the deal Folks. Not only has the City/Police been charging residents a $25.00 fee for the first time residents had their alarm go off, the Salisbury Police Department has NOTHING to do with those charges.

You see, how it works is as follows. The Salisbury Police are required to write the citation that they have been to a particular location on an alarm call. The City, (not the Police) is then expected to keep tabs on how many times the Police have been called to a particular location. After the THIRD time they issue a citation for $25.00. In this case, it was the FIRST time the Police were asked to go to the location and the City just flat out sent this resident a BILL.

Now I've been told the Mayor is now on top of this matter and seems to be somewhat upset that it was even brought up. Mind you, this particular resident did all they could to get this matter resolved but as I mentioned to you earlier in my broadcast, he passed the buck back to the SPD and THEY have NOTHING to do with it at that point.

Now, it gets even better. Salisbury News has been told that the City now requires Alarm Companies trying to peddle business within the City Limits to purchase a Peddlers License. No, they're not selling Hot Dogs but the City seems to be doing everything they can to raise a buck. So if you attempt to market a product within Salisbury you may be required to carry special permits to do so. Perhaps this is why the SPD Dispatcher told this individual their system is not compatible with the SPD, I don't know.

What I do know is, the system worked, the Police went to the home and fortunately because they had an alarm system and it went off the burglars took off and the system paid off. The bigger question is, is the system legal?????

I'm sure this matter isn't going to disappear any time soon and I'm confident some of the language will be changed in the City Charter. In the mean time we'd like to know, has the City of Salisbury been charging YOU when your alarm system goes off?

The next thing I want to check into is if the City has been charging residents for ambulance services that Insurance Companies did't pay for. This could be a whole new can of worms we may be opening. John Pick and Pam Oland know the language and I'm just wondering if people are being billed for something they should NOT be charged for.

Nightly News At 6 PM

Ford Says It Is Scrapping The Mercury Brand

Sales of 72-year-old nameplate peaked in 1978 at more than 580,000 cars

DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford Motor Co. says it will end production of its Mercury brand by the end of this year.

Ford's board of directors approved ending the brand Wednesday morning. Ford plans to make up for the lost sales by expanding its luxury Lincoln brand. Mercury sold just over 92,000 vehicles last year.

Ford has 1,712 dealerships currently selling Mercurys. Some will continue selling Lincolns and Fords and some could be consolidated into existing Ford dealerships.

GO HERE to read more.

Lost Dog In Crisfield

Joe - A home on Old State Road here in Crisfield was gutted by fire this
past Saturday afternoon, May 29, and the owner, Phyllis Saltz is desperate
to find one dog that has not been located. The photo of Hannah is attached,
and she had a pink collar and tags. The other dogs pictured were retrieved,
but she said the firefighters who went through the house have not found
Hannah.

They believe Hannah ran away, and is too timid to come back. The house is
located at 26669 Old State Road, Crisfield, and while there is a reward
indicated, I do not know its value.

The State Fire Marshal valued the damage to the house at $150,000 plus
another $20,000 for the contents, but Ms. Saltz I'm sure would prefer the
dog than the material items. She can be reached at 410-968-0768.

I've posted this info on our company's newszap.com Web site, and told her I
would also send you a copy.

Thanks for whatever you and your readers can do,
Richard

Don't Miss Our 6 PM News Broadcast Tonight

Tonight we bring you a full broadcast with news you won't get anywhere else, including news we've already published on this Blog. I titled this broadcast, "Policing The Police".

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Release

Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 1 June 2010
Location: 34000 block of Main Street, Pittsville, MD
Suspect: Robert G. Wells, 18, Pittsville, MD

Narrative: On 1 June 2010 at 9:34 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office investigated a reported altercation between two subjects. The deputy met with a female who stated that her boyfriend, Robert Wells, grabbed her by the arm and placed a folding knife against her throat and threatened to kill her.

The deputy located Wells and after an investigation took him into custody. Wells was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, Wells was detained by the Commissioner in lieu of $25,000.00 bond.

Charges: Assault 1st degree
Assault 2nd degree

The 10th Annual Wicomico County Underage Substance Use Reduction

The 10th Annual Wicomico County Underage Substance Use Reduction Luncheon was held on May 11, 2010 at the Black Diamond Lodge in Fruitland, MD. The event was sponsored by the Wicomico County Prevention Committee, Cigarette Restitution Fund and the Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration. The event was hosted by Stephanie Willey of the Wicomico Prevention Committee. Several deputies were recognized and awarded for contributions in the following categories:

2009 Underage Drinking Prevention Awards:
Deputy First Class Jeff Chase
Deputy First Class Michael Farmer
Deputy First Class Christian Pecoraro

2009 Underage Tobacco Awards:
Deputy First Class Jeremy Bouchelle
Deputy First Class Michael Bowers
Deputy First Class Aaron Holler
Deputy First Class Christian Pecoraro

The Tobacco Leadership Award was presented to Deputy First Class Carl Kurten

Pictured Left to right are:
Deputy First Class Michael Farmer
Deputy First Class Jeff Chase
Deputy First Class Christian Pecoraro
Deputy First Class Carl Kurten

BREAKING NEWS: Coast Guard Says Saw Is Stuck In New Effort To Fix Oil Spill

BP's bid to stem gusher stalled over stuck saw
Meantime, oil drifts to within 9 miles of Pensacola beaches

PORT FOURCHON, Louisiana - BP's latest effort to stem the oil gusher in the Gulf stalled on Wednesday when a saw become stuck as it was cutting through a pipe on a busted well, Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said.

Allen said the goal was now to free the saw and finish the cut later in the day. This is the second major cut in the effort to contain -- not plug -- the nation's worst spill. Allen said the first cut with giant shears was successful overnight.

Even if it works, the current mission to cut a major pipe and cap it would only reduce the flow, not stop it. If it fails, it could make the largest oil spill in U.S. history even worse. The best hope for sealing the leak, until a permanent fix is possible in August, failed Saturday, when engineers were unable to plug it with heavy mud in a maneuver called a top kill.


GO HERE to read more and see video.

Debt Collection Company Sued Over Racist Voicemails, Must Pay $1.5 Million

Advanced Call Center Technologies tried to collect $200 on a disputed debt from Allen Jones a few years ago. Part of the company's advanced technology is its innovative voicemail strategy, where its employees leave wildly offensive, racist messages for people. Jones sued the company, and last week the jury awarded him $50k for mental anguish and $1.5 million in punitive damages.

More »

Dying Won't Get You Out Of Your Dish Network Contract

Dish Network has extremely loyal to Elizabeth Cordry of Forth Worth, Texas. So loyal that they would let nothing remove her from the ranks of their customers. Including her death. When she died in January at age 85, her son tried to end service, but the company insisted that she had a contract that could only be canceled if her family produced a death certificate. Since she was no longer under a contract, her son refused to produce the certificate.

More »

Maryland Man In Critical Condition After Bar Fight

Trooper Probe Bar Fight that has Left a Maryland Man in Critical Condition after he was Run Down

Location: Parking lot of Peoples Plaza in front of McGlynns Pub, RT 40 and 896, Glasgow, DE
Date of Occurrence: Wednesday June 2, 2010 at 2 a.m.
Suspect:
33 year-old man from North East, MD

Resume:

Delaware State Police are investigating a bar fight that has left a North East, Maryland in critical condition after he was run down by his assailant.

The incident happened early this morning when the victim, 39 year-old man from North East, Maryland, and the suspect were in McGlynn’s Pub. Both men are acquaintances and became involved in a fight in the pub. The fight spilled out into the parking lot and escalated when the suspect entered his vehicle and drove at the victim striking him.

The victim was taken to Christiana Hospital where he was admitted in critical condition with hemorrhaging in the brain.

The suspect was taken to Troop – 2 on RT 40 for further investigation.

No charges have been filed at this time and the investigation is continuing. Troopers are also consulting with the State Attorney General’s Office regarding the matter.

More information will be released when it becomes available.

LILLIPUT FARM BARN BURNS - HELP NEEDED

A good friend and customer has a great loss, her barn burned to the ground on Sunday morning.

Fortunately her horses were out, however she did lose some other animals as well as all of her feed, tack & supplies. Her name is Jennifer Pino from Tyaskin. Believe me, she and her family are very grateful for the community support. She is one of the most selfless people you could ever meet, always taking in stray animals and buying them the best of everything to give them a 2nd chance at a good life.

We have an open account for her at Farmers & Planters Co. (Salisbury, MD) should anyone want to make a donation of any kind or make a purchase for her to get her going again. We have a list of items that she typically purchases.

Also, you can check this web site out for other ways to help, www.lilliputfarmdonations.moonfruit.com.

One Year Ago Today

Today's Survey Question

Who Makes A Better Pet, And Why.

A Dog Or A Cat.

U.S. Selective Service In Obama Cover-Up?

Mysterious Social Security Number now wreaks havoc in online search

Is the U.S. Selective Service System now blocking access to President Barack Obama's online registration records?

Members of the public searching the federal database for the commander in chief's registration are suddenly finding new difficulty, possibly due to the startling revelation of Obama's alleged use of a Connecticut-based Social Security Number.

The Selective Service System, or SSS, collects names of Americans for use by the Department of Defense in the event of a national emergency. On its website, it says it provides the nation "with a structure and a system of guidelines which will provide the most prompt, efficient, and equitable draft possible, if the country should need it."

Regarding President Obama, "He is registered. There is no doubt in our minds that he has, and we're quite prepared to say so," SSS public-affairs specialist Dan Amon told WND.Is the U.S. Selective Service System now blocking access to President Barack Obama's online registration records?

Members of the public searching the federal database for the commander in chief's registration are suddenly finding new difficulty, possibly due to the startling revelation of Obama's alleged use of a Connecticut-based Social Security Number.

The Selective Service System, or SSS, collects names of Americans for use by the Department of Defense in the event of a national emergency. On its website, it says it provides the nation "with a structure and a system of guidelines which will provide the most prompt, efficient, and equitable draft possible, if the country should need it."

Regarding President Obama, "He is registered. There is no doubt in our minds that he has, and we're quite prepared to say so," SSS public-affairs specialist Dan Amon told WND.

GO HERE to read more.

Kagan Has Saudi, Bin Laden Money Ties

In a disturbing revelation for a Supreme Court nominee, Elena Kagan took millions of dollars from the Saudis as dean of Harvard Law School and a chunk of it reportedly came from 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The bin Laden family has donated millions of dollars to the Ivy League university over the years, including generous endowments for the school’s Islamic law program and others to finance scholarships for students from Muslim countries. The family has a fondness for Harvard because Osama bin Laden’s brother, Abdullah, received a master’s degree from the school in the 1990s and a doctorate in 2000.

When Kagan took over as dean of the law school in 2003, she launched an aggressive and unprecedented fundraising campaign that raked in a whopping $476.5 million, the most lucrative in the law school’s history. Renowned as a prolific fundraiser, Kagan was tapped to head the law school after spending a few years as a professor there when her job in the Clinton White House ended. In addition to the $476.5 million generated by the targeted campaign—dubbed "Setting the Standard"—Kagan helped raise an extra $60 million for the Harvard Law School Fund.

A chunk of the cash came from the Saudis—and probably the bin Ladens—who have bankrolled many key programs at the Cambridge Massachusetts school over the years. In fact, Harvard has accepted so much cash from the bin Ladens that the Cambridge City Council passed a resolution calling upon the university to donate compensation money for victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Harvard officials refused.

Kagan’s Saudi/bin Laden money connection probably served as an inspiration in protecting the Saudi kingdom against a lawsuit for financing the 2001 terror attacks. Thousands of family members of 9/11 victims sued Saudi Arabia and several members of its royal family for actively aiding in financing the attacks through front groups posing as charities. As Solicitor General, Kagan blocked the lawsuit, citing the “potentially significant foreign-relations consequences of subjecting another sovereign state to suit."

Here is the rest of this story

Two Videos Showing Israeli Confrontation With Flotilla

See it for yourself-- as CAIR and anti-Israel groups rush to put their spin on Monday's deadly engagement between a supposed "aid" flotilla and the Israeli Defense Force, these two videos show what really happened.

America's largest Muslim group (CAIR) is asking President Obama to condemn the deadly engagement between a supposed 'aid' flotilla attempting to deliver supplies to Gaza and the IDF.

Israeli Naval Forces intercepted the flotilla and five other ships attempting to break the maritime closure of the Gaza Strip, a territory controlled by Hamas.

An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson told WND commandos boarded the ships after numerous warnings from Israel requesting the ships redirect toward the Israeli port of Ashdod, where they would be able to unload their aid supplies, which could then be transferred to the Gaza Strip after undergoing security inspections.

As these two videos show, this flotilla, believed to have links to al-Qaeda, was warned by the Israel Navy repeatedly to conform to normal procedures for aid delivery. The ships refused.

International activists aboard the ships then opened fire on IDF soldiers who boarded the ships to prevent them from breaking the Israeli-imposed sea blockade.

(Source- RightBias)