By Jim Pettit
Maryland is caught in the throes of shrinking tax revenues, unaffordable spending and too little – too late spending cuts, all of which is papered over with federal stimulus dollars and fund transfers which lead to a structural deficit as far as the eye can see.
The Maryland budget has grown from $29 billion in fiscal year 2007 to $32.3 billion in fiscal year 2010, according to the non-partisan Department of Legislative Services. Yet, the Administration claims to have reduced spending by $4.6 billion since taking office. How can this be? The answer is numerous accounting gimmicks. These gimmicks will lead to a post-election year tax increase that restrains Maryland businesses during what will likely be a feeble economic recovery.
The Administration selectively counts "cuts" without regards to the state's entire budget. The $13.8 billion General Fund, or operating budget, is supported mostly by sales and income taxes. The remaining budget components are supported by bonds, real estate and motor vehicle taxes, tolls, other fees and federal funds. Regardless of the differences between the operating budget and other various accounts, state spending is funded through taxes and fees on individuals and businesses.
Federal stimulus funds, intended to build infrastructure and create jobs, are a prime contributor to claims of exaggerated budget reductions. Maryland is expected to receive $4.1 billion in stimulus funds, and $2.3 billion will support existing budgetary commitments, according to DLS. Thanks to federal funds, in fiscal year 2010 General Fund appropriations decrease by $516.8 million, or 3.6%, below fiscal 2009. The Administration counts this as a cut and at first glance it would appear to be one.
However, Legislative Services characterizes the year-over-year change as "misleading" because the half billion is replaced by federal stimulus dollars. Stimulus funds support Medicaid, education, and discretionary state spending. The Medicaid caseload has expanded to cover 36,000 childless adults, so the temporary stimulus is supporting a permanent program expansion. Stimulus funds are used in the place of general funds to sustain state funding through fiscal year 2011. When the funds are no longer available, policy makers will need to either raise taxes or reduce spending.
Another contributing factor of cuts not really being cuts is fund transfers. When one account is reduced, it is counted as a cut, even if money from another account replenishes it at an equal amount. Each year during this Administration some $1 billion in fund transfers take place. An example of this maneuver in FY '10 involves the Department of Natural Resources' Program Open Space where bonds are now issued for land purchases and the unused balance is transferred to the General Fund. The Administration claims a budget reduction of $172.3 million, but puts that same amount back into the General Fund, most of which is with borrowed money.
Further aggravating Maryland's fiscal condition, the General Assembly enacts new programs, known as spending mandates, without a plan to pay for them. An example of mandated spending is the Thornton education aid redistribution formula which costs $1.3 billion annually. And there are entitlements such as Medicaid. According to DLS, 66% of the FY '09 General Fund appropriations is devoured by mandates and entitlements.
Given reliance on the stimulus, fund transfers, mandated and entitlement spending, it's no wonder there is a projected deficit hovering between $2 billion and $2.3 billion until 2015. The bottom line is that spending has grown and taxes will have to be raised yet again absent real budget reductions. Should that be the case, Maryland will be embedded with tax and spend states like California and New Jersey that shrink their tax base by stifling economic activity and forcing employers and individuals to move to more competitive states.
One interest group is clamoring for more taxes to advance their agenda. The Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute, which advocates for government spending, suggests up to $1.7 billion in new annual taxes. These would include continuing the existing .75 percent additional tax on income over $1 million, enacting "combined reporting" of corporate taxes to widen the Maryland tax base to businesses with out of state operations, and increasing alcoholic beverage and fuel tax rates. The organization also believes that Maryland should add consumer services to the sales tax.
The new state tax code in 2007 in the form of higher income, sales, corporate and other taxes isn't enough to support the runaway budget. Revenues have actually declined $3.2 billion since 2007, while the taxes were estimated to generate $1.4 billion in new revenues. From 2007 to 2008, there was a 30% drop in the number of tax filers with incomes of $1 million or more, who were hit with an added tax surcharge in 2007, according to the Comptroller. Raising taxes during a recession has the opposite effect - revenues to the state decline.
Maryland businesses can help the Administration and the General Assembly understand that there is an alternative to ever-increasing taxes. John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan lowered taxes to stave off recession. When Maryland's budget problems are papered over with so-called reductions that aren't reductions, it will only lead to more taxes and fees. Forbes magazine ranks Maryland 42nd in business costs while Virginia is ranked number one overall. Businesses need to remind politicians of the implications of poor fiscal management. After the 2010 elections it will be too late.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
TROOPERS CHARGE 3 SUBJECTS WITH DRUG POSSESSION
On January 19, 2010 at 11:45 pm, A Trooper from the Salisbury Barrack of the Maryland State Police stopped a white Volkswagon at Market Street and Main Street in Willards Maryland for a traffic violation. The Trooper could detect the odor of marihuana coming from within the vehicle. A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed suspected marihuana and heroin inside of the vehicle along with drug paraphernalia. The occupants of the vehicle, Casey Lee Fyffe, 21, of Ocean City, Heather Lee Bowden, 27, of Salisbury, and Kenneth Mearle Larkin, 29, of Baltimore were all arrested and charged with possession of marihuana, possession of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia. All 3 subjects were transported to the Wicomico County Detention Center for a hearing with a commissioner.
While being transported to WCDC, one suspect, Heather Lee Bowden, 27, of Salisbury, became ill in a patrol vehicle and requested to be transported to the hospital. EMS personnel responded to the patrol vehicle on Rt. 50 in the Willards area and transported Bowden, who was pregnant, to PRMC. During an examination at PRMC, hospital personnel located several syringes and suspected baggies of cocaine concealed within her body. Troopers immediately took possession of the items and are awaiting her release from PRMC to transport her to WCDC. She will be charged with additional counts of possession of paraphernalia and possession of cocaine.
The Magical Light
An 89-year-old man goes for a physical. All of his tests come back with normal results.
The doctor says, "George, everything looks great. How are you doing mentally and emotionally ? Are you at peace with God?"
George replies, "God and I are tight. He's taking care of me. He knows I have poor eyesight, so he's fixed it so when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, POOF.... the light goes on. When I'm done, POOF... the light goes off."
"Wow, that's incredible," the doctor says.
A little later in the day, the doctor calls George's wife, Ethel.
"Hello Ethel," the doctor begins. "George is doing fine. But I had to call you because I'm in awe of his relationship with God. Is it true that he gets up during the night and POOF.... the light goes on in the bathroom, and when he's done, POOF..... the light goes off ?"
"Oh Dear God !!" 'Ethel exclaims. "He's pissing in the fridge again !"
The doctor says, "George, everything looks great. How are you doing mentally and emotionally ? Are you at peace with God?"
George replies, "God and I are tight. He's taking care of me. He knows I have poor eyesight, so he's fixed it so when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, POOF.... the light goes on. When I'm done, POOF... the light goes off."
"Wow, that's incredible," the doctor says.
A little later in the day, the doctor calls George's wife, Ethel.
"Hello Ethel," the doctor begins. "George is doing fine. But I had to call you because I'm in awe of his relationship with God. Is it true that he gets up during the night and POOF.... the light goes on in the bathroom, and when he's done, POOF..... the light goes off ?"
"Oh Dear God !!" 'Ethel exclaims. "He's pissing in the fridge again !"
FY11 BUDGET, CLOSES $2 BILLION DEFICIT
GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY OUTLINES FY11 BUDGET, CLOSES $2 BILLION DEFICIT AND PROTECTS KEY PRIORITIES
Proposed budget represents fourth straight year within spending affordability guidelines;
Second consecutive budget to propose negative affordability growth
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley, joined today by Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and Secretary T. Eloise Foster of the Maryland Department of Budget and Management, outlined the FY 2011 budget for the State of Maryland, maintaining fiscal responsibility by remaining within spending affordability guidelines for the fourth straight year. The FY11 budget brings total reductions under the O’Malley-Brown Administration to $5.6 billion and more than 3,500 state positions.
"These have not been easy times for our country, our State, nor for the hardworking people that we represent, but in the face of some very big challenges we’ve been able to make very important progress,” said Governor O’Malley. “By nearly every objective criteria, Maryland is in a stronger position than other States to recover from this recession even stronger – for an economic renewal that will get us back once again to prosperity."
Every year since taking office, Governor O’Malley has submitted – and the General Assembly has passed – a balanced budget under the spending affordability guidelines, and for the first time in at least 40 years, state General Fund spending is lower now than it was four years ago. In fact, the O’Malley-Brown Administration is the first ever to propose negative affordability growth, and has done so in the last two years. The FY11 budget proposes total spending to decline by $249 million, representing the first time in at least 39 years that total operating budget spending has declined since the previous year.
“Because of the choices we’ve made together, with partners in the General Assembly and across the entire state, we have protected progress, improved our public schools and expanded health care to more Marylanders,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “We share a belief that when the times are bad, we must all do our part to be better so when times get better, we can be the best. Governor O’Malley’s leadership and vision during difficult economic times has made Maryland a better state and I am confident that we will pull through these challenging times together more quickly than other states.”
The proposed FY11 budget protects funding for key priority areas, including public education, job creation, public safety, and environmental protection.
· Continues record funding for the nation’s number one public schools, bringing total funding to a record $5.7 billion;
· $20 million dedicated to the Job Creation and Recovery Tax Credit, encouraging businesses to hire unemployed Marylanders this year;
· $3.2 billion in the capital budget will support more than 20,000 construction jobs during next fiscal year;
· Funding for the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund will double over FY10;
· Continue funding for health care coverage for low-income children and adults. Since Governor O’Malley took office, health care coverage has been expanded to more than 200,000 additional Marylanders.
Maryland remains one of only seven states in the nation to maintain a Triple A bond rating, certified by all three credit rating agencies. Maryland’s unemployment rate remains 25 percent lower than the national average, and last year Maryland’s rate of job growth was better than all but two other states. Our state continues to gain jobs in key sectors of our economy, including Computer Systems Design where Maryland experienced the best growth in America last year.
The FY11 budget proposes more than $1 billion in budget reductions, including level funding of most local aid programs, additional state employee compensation actions, and state agency reorganization. More than 3,500 state positions have been eliminated during the O’Malley-Brown Administration, representing a savings of more than $150 million in this budget alone. Maryland state and local governments collectively rank tenth in terms of fewest government employees per capita.
The Governor’s presentation on the FY11 budget is available here.
A briefing document on the FY11 budget key priority areas is available here.
Public Education
Funding for K-12 public education has increased 27 percent under the O’Malley-Brown Administration to a FY11 proposed total of $5.7 billion. School construction funding has increased 52 percent compared to the previous administration.
· The FY11 budget increases direct K-12 funding by $99 million,
· Fully funds teacher and librarian pensions,
· Includes a $2.7 million increase for the SEED School.
· Brings total in-state tuition increases to three percent since FY07, compared to increases of more than 30 percent under the last administration.
o As a result, USM tuition rates decline from sixth highest in the nation to an estimated 21st in FY11.
Job Creation
Governor O’Malley recently announced a public-private partnership at Seagirt Marine Terminal which will generate 5,700 new jobs. Additionally, federal Recovery and Reinvestment funding has allowed Maryland to create or retain more than 14,000 jobs during the first quarter of FY10.
· The proposed FY11 budget includes $20 million for a new Jobs Creation and Recovery Tax Credit, which if fully utilized could bring 6,700 unemployed Marylanders back into the workforce,
· Governor O’Malley proposes reauthorization of the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit ($50 million over three years),
· Proposed capital budget will support more than 20,000 construction jobs,
· Funds for the first time the BRAC Zone Tax Credit at $300,000,
o More than $500 million of capital funding is dedicated to BRAC related infrastructure projects to prepare the State for the arrival of thousands of jobs beginning next fiscal year.
Public Safety
Maryland lost fewer of citizens to homicide than in any year since 1986, including 25 percent fewer juveniles. Our murder rate in 2009 was 26% lower than it was three years ago in 2006, and 11% lower than in 2008.
· Local police aid is funded at $45.4 million in the proposed FY11 budget,
· $20.1 million is allocated for local law enforcement grants,
· Maryland State Police will receive funding for ten additional troopers under the proposed budget
· Funding for juvenile programs such as Operation Safe Kids ($1.3 million) and evidence-based services for juveniles ($7.2 million).
Environmental Protection
Since taking office, the O’Malley-Brown Administration has protected more than 25,700 acres under Program Open Space, compared to less than 4,700 acres under the previous administration. The Governor has been recognized for innovative programs such as GreenPrint and BayStat that provide a new level of transparency to the State’s efforts to improve the quality and health of the Chesapeake Bay.
· The proposed FY11 budget fully funds Program Open Space at $22.7 million for State and $15.3 million for local projects,
· Record funding for the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund ($20 million),
· $17.6 million for the Rural Legacy program, which preserves and protects those precious natural resources which are so essential to our quality of life.
· Agricultural land preservation funded at $25.9 million and nearly $14 million for Cover Crop programs, which help reduce dangerous storm water runoff into the Bay.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
TALE OF A MASSACHUSETTS VICTORY!
9:38 p.m. -- “I have no interest in sugar coating what happened in Massachusetts. There is a lot of anxiety in the country right now. Americans are understandably impatient" -- Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menendez.
“In the days ahead, we will sort through the lessons of Massachusetts: the need to redouble our efforts on the economy, the need to show that our commitment to real change is as powerful as it was in 2008, and the reality that we cannot take a single thing for granted and cannot afford even a second of complacency.
9:13 p.m. -- Coakley has conceded in a call to Scott Brown, according to a Brown aide.
9:09 p.m. -- At least Coakley won her hometown of North Adams, 2,854-965.
9:07 p.m. -- Bad news for Coakley from Woburn: The Brown margin there is wider than the margin for Romney against O'Brien in 2002. More bad news from Fall River, a traditional Democratic stronghold: Coakley wins there but with several thousand fewer votes than in 2002 and 2006.
8:45 p.m. -- A bad omen for Coakley in Boston's western suburbs? Take the town of Ashland, where Brown won 3,467-2,897. That's a turnaround from Democratic Governor Deval Patrick's 3,118-2,329 victory over Kerry Healey in 2006. And similar to Republican Governor Mitt Romney's 3,734-2,295 win over Shannon O'Brien in 2002.
8:33 p.m. -- Brown maintains early lead, 52 percent to 47 percent, with 8 percent of precincts reporting.
8:28 p.m. -- “The discussion outside is worrisome,” said State Representative Peter J. Koutoujian, a Waltham Democrat who was at the Coakley party. But Koutoujian said he had been making phone calls for Coakley earlier in the day and the positive response he had gotten “made me feel better about Martha’s pending victory.”
8:24 p.m. -- Brown jumps to an early lead, 52 percent to 47 percent, but that's just with 4 percent of precincts reporting.
8:22 p.m. -- Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is expecting Brown to win. "He did what I couldn't do. It looks like he's going to win a seat for Massachusetts in the US Senate, and I congratulate him. He's been a strong candidate, run a good campaign, and he has made it very clear that the arrogance in Washington is being rejected by the people of Massachusetts and across the country."
8:14 p.m. -- The mood at the Coakley party is subdued. A few dozen people are snacking on hors d'oeuvres and checking their Blackberries.
8:10 p.m. -- At Coakley’s party in a giant ballroom at Sheraton Boston Hotel, the stage is draped with a huge American flag, Coakley’s name is projected on one wall, and Blue Soul, a rhythm-and-blues band, is playing. Aides said Coakley is in a room at the downtown hotel, awaiting results from the election.
8:07 p.m. -- The mood is upbeat in the packed ballroom where Brown supporters are gathering, with red, white, and blue balloons poised for a triumphant balloon drop in nets on the ceiling. At one table, Brown's daughter, Ayla, a former American Idol contestant, is expected to sign CDs.
8:03 p.m. -- At the Park Plaza ballroom where Brown supporters are gathering, senior Brown adviser Eric Fehrnstrom told NECN that the turning point for Brown was the Dec. 30 "JFK ad" which put the campaign on the map. "After that, it was like riding a rocket ship for 2 ½ to 3 weeks till today," he said.
8:01 p.m. -- Polls are closing around the state in the extraordinary race for US Senate featuring Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Martha Coakley. It's all over but the counting.
Brown Defeats Coakley In Mass. Race For Senate
BOSTON — In an epic upset in liberal Massachusetts, Republican Scott Brown rode a wave of voter anger to defeat Democrat Martha Coakley in a U.S. Senate election today that left President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul in doubt and marred the end of his first year in office.
The loss by the once-favored Coakley for the seat that the late Sen. Edward Kennedy held for nearly half a century signaled big political problems for the president’s party this fall when House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot nationwide.
More immediately, Brown will become the 41st Republican in the 100-member Senate, which could allow the GOP to block the president’s health care legislation and the rest of Obama’s agenda. Democrats needed Coakley to win for a 60th vote to thwart Republican filibusters.
Source
Wicomico County Executive Request New Library Money?
Last night House Bill 99 was filed and showed-up on the Maryland Legislature website. The bill's description describes funding to be used for 'planning and studies' for the Wicomico County library.
From reading the bill one gets the initial impression that Wicomico's County Executive might be seeking funds for the planning and/or feasibility study for a new future library. As an observer at a recent Wicomico County Budget hearing held at the Civic Center, it was obvious that this capital project has drawn considerable consternation among our taxpaying public - especially in light of our sagging local economy.
For those of you who visit this website - I urge you to contact the sponsoring Delegates and let them know how you feel about the proposed project. Sometimes the 'right hand doesn't always know what the left hand is doing' thus it is incumbent upon the taxpayers to relay their sentiments and let their elected State representatives know how they feel about such a large capital expenditure.
From reading the bill one gets the initial impression that Wicomico's County Executive might be seeking funds for the planning and/or feasibility study for a new future library. As an observer at a recent Wicomico County Budget hearing held at the Civic Center, it was obvious that this capital project has drawn considerable consternation among our taxpaying public - especially in light of our sagging local economy.
For those of you who visit this website - I urge you to contact the sponsoring Delegates and let them know how you feel about the proposed project. Sometimes the 'right hand doesn't always know what the left hand is doing' thus it is incumbent upon the taxpayers to relay their sentiments and let their elected State representatives know how they feel about such a large capital expenditure.
How Coakley (Probably) Blew It In Massachusetts
Nine days ago, on Jan. 10, The Boston Globe carried a rather heartening headline for Democrats: “Senate Poll: Coakley Up 15 Points.” Now, on the morning of the Massachusetts special election pitting State Sen. Scott Brown (R) against Bay State Attorney General Martha Coakley (D), the tables have not so much turned as spun wildly out of control, crashed through the windows, burst into flames and exploded, leaving nothing behind but a smoldering heap of post-apocalyptic rubble.
Since last Thursday, eight polls have been released in Massachusetts. One, by Research 2000, shows a tied race. The rest show Brown clobbering Coakley by anywhere from 3 to 15 percentage points. Which means that as voters begin to trickle into the polls this morning, it's looking increasingly likely that Brown will win the seat that liberal icon Teddy Kennedy had occupied since 1962—the bluest seat in one of the bluest states in the Union—and become the first Republican senator from Massachusetts in nearly 40 years. As one veteran political observer put it yesterday, "If Brown wins, and he may, it will be the biggest political upset of my adult life.”
Despite all the Democratic hand-wringing, garment-rending, and finger-pointing already on display in the press, the answer, I think, is actually pretty simple: the Coakley campaign took the voters of Massachusetts for granted. Usually, this wouldn't have been much of a problem; the state is so overwhelmingly Democratic that any candidate with a "D" attached to his or her name is virtually guaranteed victory. Clearly, Coakley was counting on Massachusetts's liberal history to carry her effortlessly across the finish line. But this year, in this political environment, that wasn't enough—and the assumption that it was has turned out to be the very thing that may do her in.
Let's review, shall we? On Dec. 8, 2009, Coakley won the Democratic Senate primary by a whopping 19 percentage points. A normal candidate would've hit the streets, shaken some hands, given some speeches, and taken the fight to her opponent. But Coakley, who was leading Brown in the polls by 31 percent at that point, decided to "go dark" instead. Her logic was simple and seemingly safe: during the holidays, voters aren't paying attention to politics, so why give them an opportunity to turn against me when I can just quietly back into the job? As Globe columnist Brian McGrory wrote earlier this month, she "isn’t doing anything in public—no meetings with voters, no debates, no public appearances. For all we know, she's spending much of her time at home with the shades drawn waiting for Jan. 19, Election Day, to come and go."
GO HERE to read more.
Since last Thursday, eight polls have been released in Massachusetts. One, by Research 2000, shows a tied race. The rest show Brown clobbering Coakley by anywhere from 3 to 15 percentage points. Which means that as voters begin to trickle into the polls this morning, it's looking increasingly likely that Brown will win the seat that liberal icon Teddy Kennedy had occupied since 1962—the bluest seat in one of the bluest states in the Union—and become the first Republican senator from Massachusetts in nearly 40 years. As one veteran political observer put it yesterday, "If Brown wins, and he may, it will be the biggest political upset of my adult life.”
Despite all the Democratic hand-wringing, garment-rending, and finger-pointing already on display in the press, the answer, I think, is actually pretty simple: the Coakley campaign took the voters of Massachusetts for granted. Usually, this wouldn't have been much of a problem; the state is so overwhelmingly Democratic that any candidate with a "D" attached to his or her name is virtually guaranteed victory. Clearly, Coakley was counting on Massachusetts's liberal history to carry her effortlessly across the finish line. But this year, in this political environment, that wasn't enough—and the assumption that it was has turned out to be the very thing that may do her in.
Let's review, shall we? On Dec. 8, 2009, Coakley won the Democratic Senate primary by a whopping 19 percentage points. A normal candidate would've hit the streets, shaken some hands, given some speeches, and taken the fight to her opponent. But Coakley, who was leading Brown in the polls by 31 percent at that point, decided to "go dark" instead. Her logic was simple and seemingly safe: during the holidays, voters aren't paying attention to politics, so why give them an opportunity to turn against me when I can just quietly back into the job? As Globe columnist Brian McGrory wrote earlier this month, she "isn’t doing anything in public—no meetings with voters, no debates, no public appearances. For all we know, she's spending much of her time at home with the shades drawn waiting for Jan. 19, Election Day, to come and go."
GO HERE to read more.
This Just In: Another Bad Accident
Joe: There is a bad accident at Mt. Hermon and Mt. Hermon Church Rd. and it is all blocked off at 4:30. 2 ambulances on the scene and a fire engine.
Maryland State Trooper Involved In A Personal Injury Accident
The Vienna Bridge on Rt. 50 has been closed due to a motor vehicle accident involving a Maryland State Trooper.
We'll try to keep everyone posted as to when they'll reopen the Bridge.
'Weak Tea' Conservative: Tea Party A "Furious Rejectionist Frenzy"
If Republican Scott Brown wins the Massachusetts special election today, the Bay State will have its first GOP senator since the era when disco was king. And Brown will have the much-derided Tea Party legions to thank. They've turned out in force, hoping he'll provide the vote needed to strangle Obamacare.
That ought to give pause to the "reformist" conservatives insisting that Reagan-Goldwater conservatism is dead. Yet the reformists' unofficial leader, former Bush speechwriter David Frum, puts a different spin on what Massachusetts portends.
Brown is no "talk-radio conservative," Frum maintains: As a state senator, he "voted in favor of Mitt Romney's health plan" and supported greenhouse gas curbs. It would be "a travesty" if his victory empowered "anger, paranoia and extremism," which is how Frum characterizes rank-and-file "rejectionism."
But it isn't a desire for Romney-ish RINOism that has Tea Partiers sleeping on couches and getting the vote out for Brown. They're Exhibit A in what Frum recently termed the "furious rejectionist frenzy" motivating the GOP base.
"It's the rank and file who are the problem here!" Frum exclaimed: It has hamstrung GOP leaders by preventing them from cutting deals with President Obama.
Whatever Tuesday's election result, this much is clear: The small-government movement has little to learn from Weak Tea Conservatives like Frum, whose desperate search for relevance blinds them to the facts on the ground.
Read more at the Washington Examiner:
That ought to give pause to the "reformist" conservatives insisting that Reagan-Goldwater conservatism is dead. Yet the reformists' unofficial leader, former Bush speechwriter David Frum, puts a different spin on what Massachusetts portends.
Brown is no "talk-radio conservative," Frum maintains: As a state senator, he "voted in favor of Mitt Romney's health plan" and supported greenhouse gas curbs. It would be "a travesty" if his victory empowered "anger, paranoia and extremism," which is how Frum characterizes rank-and-file "rejectionism."
But it isn't a desire for Romney-ish RINOism that has Tea Partiers sleeping on couches and getting the vote out for Brown. They're Exhibit A in what Frum recently termed the "furious rejectionist frenzy" motivating the GOP base.
"It's the rank and file who are the problem here!" Frum exclaimed: It has hamstrung GOP leaders by preventing them from cutting deals with President Obama.
Whatever Tuesday's election result, this much is clear: The small-government movement has little to learn from Weak Tea Conservatives like Frum, whose desperate search for relevance blinds them to the facts on the ground.
Read more at the Washington Examiner:
OCPD STOPS BURGLARY IN PROGRESS THANKS TO HELP FROM CITIZEN
Once again, the partnership between the Ocean City Police Department and the residents of the community was demonstrated when a citizen called the police while witnessing a burglary at a
neighbor’s residence. On Thursday, January 14, 2010, a citizen advised police that he witnessed three men attempting to break into a house located on the opposite side of the canal from his residence.
As Ocean City Police arrived in the area of incident, they witnessed three men coming from the back porch of a house on Peach Tree Road. After a brief foot pursuit, all three men were apprehended by police, with assistance from an OCPD K-9. The suspects were identified
as James Anthony Haynes, 24, of Willards, Maryland, Frank Allen Dowling, 24, of Pittsville, Maryland and Stephen Marcus Brinson, 28, of Parsonsburg, Maryland. Haynes, Dowling and Brinson were charged with First Degree Burglary, Third Degree Burglary, Fourth Degree Burglary, Theft under $10, 000 and Malicious Destruction of Property. In addition, Brinson was charged with Possession of CDS. Haynes, Dowling and Brinson were seen by a District Court Commissioner, held on $250,000 bond and transferred to Worcester County Jail. The stolen items, which had a value of approximately $2,000, were recovered by police.
The Ocean City Police Department once again expresses it’s gratitude for the partnership with the Ocean City community. The diligent efforts of the residents and the willingness to get involved demonstrates the type of community policing that has continued to create a safe and
enjoyable place for both residents and visitors of Ocean City. The Ocean City Police Department continues to encourage citizens to follow their hunches and call the police if something does not feel or seem right.
MSP Press Release
LOCATION: East Wicomico County-Parsonsburg/Pittsville area
CASE NUMBER: 10-54-000555
CRIME: Theft from Motor vehicle
VICTIM: Numerous
Suspect: Unknown
BRIEF RESUME: On 01-19-10 at 0622 hours Tfc. Perdue was distpatched to the area of Brantly Dr. in Salisbury, Wicomico Co., MD for a theft(s) from a motor vehicle. Afterwards the Salisbury BK received numerous calls in reference to approximately 11 additional vehicles that were also broken into. Some vehicles were unlocked, as for the locked vehicles they appeared to be broken into by way of pry tools (lock pick tools). The main items that were taken were portable electronics GPS, DVD players, and a camera. The investigation led troopers as far East to the town of Pittsville. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Salisbury Barrack @ 410-749-3101.
'Tea Party' Activists Feel Slighted By GOP
Just when the Republican Party appears poised for big pickups in the 2010 midterm elections, a ragtag band of grass-roots conservatives millions strong and fiercely motivated, but with no national leader, threatens to split the Grand Old Party in two.
Leading figures in the burgeoning "tea party" movement complain they are being ignored by the Republican National Committee, despite having already shown their clout in taking down moderate Republicans in a New York special House race and the Florida Republican Party hierarchy.
"I have called into the RNC many times, and they still haven't called me back," said Dale Robertson, head of TeaParty.org, which he claims has upwards of 7 million members. "I've called them, lots of times. I called them this morning. I called them yesterday. It's like they ignore you as they try to figure out a strategy on how to defeat you."
Several other tea party activists talked of a similar lack of communication, despite an NBC-Wall Street Journal survey last month that just 28 percent of voters had a positive view of Republicans, compared with 35 percent for Democrats and 41 percent who report positive feelings about the tea party movement.
"It's important for Republicans to recognize they can only be a majority if they find a way to absorb the tea party movement and absorb the anger against Washington and against big government," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told The Washington Times. "That's the only way the Republicans can prosper in the next few years."
Leading figures in the burgeoning "tea party" movement complain they are being ignored by the Republican National Committee, despite having already shown their clout in taking down moderate Republicans in a New York special House race and the Florida Republican Party hierarchy.
"I have called into the RNC many times, and they still haven't called me back," said Dale Robertson, head of TeaParty.org, which he claims has upwards of 7 million members. "I've called them, lots of times. I called them this morning. I called them yesterday. It's like they ignore you as they try to figure out a strategy on how to defeat you."
Several other tea party activists talked of a similar lack of communication, despite an NBC-Wall Street Journal survey last month that just 28 percent of voters had a positive view of Republicans, compared with 35 percent for Democrats and 41 percent who report positive feelings about the tea party movement.
"It's important for Republicans to recognize they can only be a majority if they find a way to absorb the tea party movement and absorb the anger against Washington and against big government," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told The Washington Times. "That's the only way the Republicans can prosper in the next few years."
Blind Industries Holds First Annual Food Drive In Memory Of Sarah Foxwell
The Cutting Division for Blind Industries and Services of Maryland has made a pledge to help re-stock all food banks on the Eastern Shore. This, being our first annual food drive, will be dedicated to our fellow coworkers’ and family members that have passed away in 2009.
As a special mention, we are also dedicating this years food drive in memory of Sarah H. Foxwell and to all the men and women who have served and died for this great country in our conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If you would like to participate in this years food drive, please contact Andrew Larmore at (410) 749-4305. Below is a list of needed food items that may be dropped off at our location, 1303 Old Ocean City Road, Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM until 2:30 PM.
The Most Needed Food Items are:
Canned meat, ham & chicken, stews & spreads, tuna, sardines, salmon, peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, canned nuts, seeds & dried beans (no glass please).
Canned fruits & juices, vegetables, soup, sauces/salad dressing & applesauce (no glass please).
Baking mixes, muffin & roll mixes, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, rice, rice cakes & pasta
Evaporated milk, powdered milk, infant formula, cheese foods, puddings & custards
We are proud to serve our city, state and country in these tough times and give back to those in need and to all who have lost their jobs this past year due to our present economic situation. Anyone wishing to visit and tour our facility may do so by calling Patrick Tilghman at (410) 749-4305. Thank you for your support.
As a special mention, we are also dedicating this years food drive in memory of Sarah H. Foxwell and to all the men and women who have served and died for this great country in our conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If you would like to participate in this years food drive, please contact Andrew Larmore at (410) 749-4305. Below is a list of needed food items that may be dropped off at our location, 1303 Old Ocean City Road, Monday through Friday from 6:30 AM until 2:30 PM.
The Most Needed Food Items are:
Canned meat, ham & chicken, stews & spreads, tuna, sardines, salmon, peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, canned nuts, seeds & dried beans (no glass please).
Canned fruits & juices, vegetables, soup, sauces/salad dressing & applesauce (no glass please).
Baking mixes, muffin & roll mixes, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, rice, rice cakes & pasta
Evaporated milk, powdered milk, infant formula, cheese foods, puddings & custards
We are proud to serve our city, state and country in these tough times and give back to those in need and to all who have lost their jobs this past year due to our present economic situation. Anyone wishing to visit and tour our facility may do so by calling Patrick Tilghman at (410) 749-4305. Thank you for your support.
Judge Davis Writes Personal Check For Eight, $500.00 Trash Cans
Circuit Court Judge Donald Davis has just informed the County Council he takes full responsibility for the purchase of 8 trash cans. Judge Davis stated, "I think the purchase was a mistake."
Councilwoman Stevie Prettyman stated she did not expect Judge Davis to pay for these trash cans out of his own pocket and wished he would reconsider that. The Council President concurred.
Judge Davis stated he'd leave it up to the Council to decide if they'll accept his check.
Councilwoman Stevie Prettyman stated she did not expect Judge Davis to pay for these trash cans out of his own pocket and wished he would reconsider that. The Council President concurred.
Judge Davis stated he'd leave it up to the Council to decide if they'll accept his check.
Foreign Demand For U.S. Assets Rises
Continued strong demand for U.S. debt is crucial to finance deficits
WASHINGTON - Foreign demand for long-term U.S. financial assets jumped sharply in November, rising to the highest level in more than two years even though China's holdings of Treasury securities fell.
Continued strong demand for U.S. debt is critical to financing America's soaring budget deficits and keeping domestic interest rates low enough to support a sustained economic recovery.
The Treasury Department said Tuesday that foreigners purchased $126.8 billion more in assets than they sold in November, the largest gain since an increase of $128.9 billion in October 2007.
GO HERE to read more.
Obama Tax Prompts Put-Upon Bankers To Break Out The Violins
The industry is loudly protesting the proposed $90 billion levy. But the amount is a pittance, says Bloomberg BusinessWeek columnist Chris Farrell
The keening from the banking industry in response to the Obama Administration's proposal to levy a special $90 billion tax on the largest banks is almost touching. It's unfair. It's punitive. It's vindictive. Worst of all, banks won't pay the fee anyway. Their customers will.
"Using tax policy to punish people is a bad idea," said JPMorgan Chase (JPM) Chief Executive Jamie Dimon in remarks after a Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission hearing in Washington earlier in the week. "All businesses tend to pass their costs on to customers."
What is it that has bankers upset? The Administration wants to charge banks a fee that is expected to raise some $90 billion over 10 years. (The two biggest U.S. banks, Bank of America [BAC] and JPMorgan, will be on the hook for $1.5 billion each, according to a report by Wisco Research analyst Sean Ryan.) The money will go toward defraying the cost of the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), which used taxpayer money to prop up a tottering U.S. banking system at the height of the financial crisis. The tax calculation limits the impact of the fee to larger banks, and it's designed to create an incentive for banks to stay smaller and keep their leverage in check.
"It's not unfair to say that these big institutions that have benefited one way or another have got to carry part of that burden," said Paul Volcker, the former Federal Reserve chairman and Obama Administration adviser in a recent talk before the Economic Club of New York.
GO HERE to read more.
FACEBOOK FULL OF FAKE HAITI FUNDRAISERS
Fake fundraising efforts for the Haiti disaster are spreading like wildfire on Facebook. Dozens of fan pages have been set up, urging users to join and promising a $1 donation for each member. One group this weekend attracted 1.5 million members before it was disabled.
Meanwhile, during the weekend, Facebook officials had to beat back a rumor that the firm had promised a $1 donation for every member that changed their status to include a message about Haiti.
"This status is being tracked, the owners of facebook have confirmed they will send $1 to the rescue fund for the Haiti earthquake disaster for everytime this is cut and paste as a status," read one form of the bogus claim. "You only have to leave it for a minimum of 1 hour. Lets all do our bit to help."
Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said the firm took aggressive steps to quell the rumor. It posted a note on its blog on Saturday warning about the bogus message.
"Beware of scams and hoaxes and ensure that your donations for Haiti get to the right places," the social networking company wrote on its blog. Contrary to a current meme, Facebook is not donating $1 for statuses, however we are sharing reputable resources via the "Other Pages" tab on the Global Disaster Relief on Facebook Page."
GO HERE to read more.
Buried In Haiti Rubble, U.S. Dad Wrote Goodbyes
But with iPhone info, he treated his injuries and was rescued after 65 hours
The words on the pages of the plain black notebook are written in a semi-scrawl, punctuated by smears of blood — stark evidence of the desperation in which they were written.
Sitting with his wife, Christina, in Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital, Dan Woolley showed the notebook to TODAY’s Meredith Vieira via satellite hookup Tuesday. Trapped for 65 hours under tons of wreckage in the lobby of his hotel by Haiti’s Jan. 12 earthquake and knowing he could die, Woolley had written notes to his two young boys and his wife.
“I always wanted to survive, but I knew that was something that I couldn’t control. So I decided if I had to go, I wanted to leave some last notes for them,” Woolley said. Opening the book and fighting his emotions, he read an entry he addressed to his sons, Josh, 6, and Nathan, 3:
“I was in a big accident. Don’t be upset at God. He always provides for his children, even in hard times. I’m still praying that God will get me out, but He may not. But He will always take care of you.”
GO HERE to read more.
The words on the pages of the plain black notebook are written in a semi-scrawl, punctuated by smears of blood — stark evidence of the desperation in which they were written.
Sitting with his wife, Christina, in Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital, Dan Woolley showed the notebook to TODAY’s Meredith Vieira via satellite hookup Tuesday. Trapped for 65 hours under tons of wreckage in the lobby of his hotel by Haiti’s Jan. 12 earthquake and knowing he could die, Woolley had written notes to his two young boys and his wife.
“I always wanted to survive, but I knew that was something that I couldn’t control. So I decided if I had to go, I wanted to leave some last notes for them,” Woolley said. Opening the book and fighting his emotions, he read an entry he addressed to his sons, Josh, 6, and Nathan, 3:
“I was in a big accident. Don’t be upset at God. He always provides for his children, even in hard times. I’m still praying that God will get me out, but He may not. But He will always take care of you.”
GO HERE to read more.
Brooke Mulford Goes Home Today
Brooke was scheduled to be discharged today (Monday) but her blood pressure was low again last night so this morning we decided that staying one more night so that her BP can be monitored would be best. Brooke was thrilled to get to stay another day (sometimes I think she likes it here a little too much!) and I never mind an extra day in our comfort zone of CHOP. It is almost 1am and her last BP was 80/50's so I feel confident that we will go home tomorrow.
Thank you so much for all the prayers and encouragement this past round. I love reading everyone's guestbook messages and scripture verses.
God Bless,
Amy
Wargotz Drops His Own Campaign Agenda For The Moment & Heads To Mass.
Last night I received a call from Eric Wargotz filling me in on the incredible electricity & excitement going on in Massachusetts. I have to admit Folks, I wish I was there myself. Eric explained how he just felt he needed to put his own agenda aside for a few days and get up there to show his support. When they arrived there was 6" of fresh snow on the ground but they had geared up for the elements and were prepared to take on whatever necessary to show their support.
I will be getting regular check in calls from Eric to keep us posted here on Salisbury News as to the freshest information on the campaign trail. I have also been told they'll be sending pictures as well, some time on Wednesday.
Eric is a smart man to use the Blogs as his main resource for news and information and we personally appreciate his keeping all of us posted on current events.
ANOTHER REVOLUTION COULD TAKE FIRE IN MASSACHUSETTS TODAY!
Every school child learns where and how the American Revolution began in April 1775 – the "midnight ride" prelude to the Minutemen, some having been felled by "the shot heard ‘round the world," attacking British troops, thereby putting the fat in the fire that burned until the surrender at Yorktown, Virginia over six years later.
Almost 235 years later, another revolution may ignite in Massachusetts. This one, hopefully, will burn for two plus years and result in the end of the Obama agenda and also the political career of both him and his ilk (Pelosi, Hoyer, Frank, Shumer and Reid, to name a few).
Patriots: keep your fingers crossed and your powder dry.
And now a few words from Mr. Longfellow. . .
Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.
So through the night rode Paul Revere;
And so through the night went his cry of alarm
To every Middlesex village and farm,
A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,
And the midnight message of Paul Revere.
Almost 235 years later, another revolution may ignite in Massachusetts. This one, hopefully, will burn for two plus years and result in the end of the Obama agenda and also the political career of both him and his ilk (Pelosi, Hoyer, Frank, Shumer and Reid, to name a few).
Patriots: keep your fingers crossed and your powder dry.
And now a few words from Mr. Longfellow. . .
Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.
So through the night rode Paul Revere;
And so through the night went his cry of alarm
To every Middlesex village and farm,
A cry of defiance, and not of fear,
A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door,
And a word that shall echo for evermore!
For, borne on the night-wind of the Past,
Through all our history, to the last,
In the hour of darkness and peril and need,
The people will waken and listen to hear
The hurrying hoof-beats of that steed,
And the midnight message of Paul Revere.
IS POLLITT’S PARKING LOT WORTH MORE THAN LAND AT THE CENTRE AT SALISBURY?
Warning: sit down and take a deep breath before reading this!
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock recently or were without Internet access to this blog you know that Rick Pollitt wants Wicomico County to purchase part (5 acres) of the site of the former "Salisbury Mall" for $300,000 per acre, or about $1.5 Million. The site has been unused by its owner since long before the structure was demolished.
Now, hear this: at the Centre at Salisbury, which is the reason why the old mall went belly-up, several lots ("pads") are on the market for $225,000 to 235,000 per acre. That’s significantly less per acre for land that is worth at least twice as much as the 5 acres at the old mall, directly across from the Civic Center, that Pollitt wants to buy with tax dollars. And now he is asking the Council to approve the purchase of another 10 or so acres there.
Frank Kratovil Admits Democrats Lied
This Is How We Help Those In Such Need In Haiti
Answering the Call
When the Uprising Church in Hebron, MD received news that Salisbury natives Beverly and Tom Brumbley were still alive after an earthquake struck their home and the school that they run in Port a Prince Haiti almost a week ago today, they knew they had to answer the call for help.
Within a few days, working alongside the Brumbley’s who still reside in Salisbury, an effort to answer a call for help has turned into a effort to save a school community of children and a family a half a world away.
The Brumbleys, who run a school in Port a Prince and 4 satellite schools around the capital, spoke with Pastor Bill Cropper of the Uprising Church just a few days ago, stating “Please tell people to pray. We have nothing.”
Down to only 5 gallons of water, Pastor Bill Cropper and the Brumbley family here in Salisbury knew something would have to be done, and done fast.
A collaborated effort and an outpour of expedient support led to the delivery of 500 lbs of food and water by small plane to Tom and Bev Brumbley yesterday.
However, the effort to help this family and school of over 900 children in need does not stop here.. The Brumbley Haiti Relief Fund has been established here in Salisbury. With the support of the local Red Cross, PRMC, large corporations, and local businesses, an effort is being made to fill 9 trailers donated by Allied Trucking that are stationed around the Salisbury community with food and medical supplies for the Brumbley family and the school in which they lead. As soon as these trailers are filled, a local corporation has offered to ship 2 50,000 pound containers of those materials at no cost directly to the Brumbley s and their children in Haiti.
Donations have already begun to pour in as stories of young children emptying their piggy banks to purchase supplies in order to make a difference have inspired others. In 3 days the effort has raised over 40,000 dollars. The short term goal is to collect 100,000 lbs of supplies at the drop off spots throughout the area. The long term goal is to raise 500,000 dollars to rebuild these schools and these peoples lives in Haiti.
For a list of supplies and how to make contributions go to http://www.theuprisingchurch.org/ and click on Brumbley Haiti Relief.
Beginning January 19th from 7am to 7pm supplies can be taken to one of these 9 locations
Oakley's Farm Market27466 Ocean GatewayRt. 50 Hebron, MD(Next to Shore Stop)
The Tabernacle ChurchNorth Campus9887 Bi-state Blvd Delmar, MD 21875
East CampusRt. 50 & Morris RdPittsville, MD 21850Hours: M-F 9am-5pm and at Sun morning services
Redmen Lodge103 Clyde AveFruitland, MD 21826
Shorebird Stadium6400 Hobbs Rd.Salisbury, MD 21804
Zia's Italian Grill2408 N. Salisbury Blvd. Salisbury, MD 21801
Barrett Chevrolet, Inc10419 Old Ocean City Blvd.Berlin, MD 21811
Next to ApplebeesOff Rt. 50 in West Ocean City
Dorsey Marshall State Farm Insurance
Princess Anne MD
Pastor Bill Cropper states that another plane will be taking a smaller amount of medical supplies and food as well as local relief responders as early as tomorrow.
Let’s rally as a city, a county and the Eastern Shore and come to the immediate and long term aid of these Salisbury natives and the over 1000 children and their families that they are responsible for in Port A Prince Haiti.
For more information or ways you can help the Brumbley family and the school they lead, please contact http://www.theuprisingchurch.org/
UPDATE: We were just informed that some of the individuals that were supposed to leave Salisbury last night to head to Haiti had their flight cancelled. It turns out another rescue group had flown out there and were murdered for their food & supplies and the rest of the incoming flights were cancelled.
TROOPERS CHARGE MAN AND WOMAN WITH PROSTITUTION CHARGES
On January 19, 2010 at 1:45 am, Troopers from the Salisbury Barrack of the Maryland State Police were patrolling in the area of Poplar Hill Avenue in Salisbury Maryland. In that area they observed a female subject wave down a vehicle that was travelling in the area. The vehicle returned and picked up the female subject. The vehicle was subsequently stopped for a traffic violation. Through further investigation, Troopers learned that the driver of the vehicle, Russell Lee Camper, Jr. 27, of Salisbury picked up the female, Angela Lynn Parkinson, 42, of Princess Anne for the purpose of paying her U. S. currency in exchange for sex. Both were arrested and transported to the Wicomico County Detention Center where Camper was charged with soliciting a prostitute and various traffic violations while Parkinson was charged with prostitution.
Allen West: GOP Should Follow MLK's Principles
Republicans need to follow the example of Martin Luther King Jr. and return to their basic principles if they plan to win big in this year’s midterm elections, says Lt. Col Allen West, a retired Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who is challenging Democratic Rep. Ron Klein in Florida’s 22nd congressional district.
West used King’s birthday as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of the slain civil rights leader’s belief in the importance of character and to critique the mentality that many black leaders have instilled.
“I think we need to be very careful about losing the sense of individualism, and when you look at this collective progressive mentality that has turned the black community into victims and dependent upon the government,” West, who himself is black, told Newsmax TV’s Kathleen Wolter and Ashley Martella.
West says many black clergy hold conservative values such as the need for self-reliance and personal responsibility, and believe in traditional family values even if they don’t self-identify as conservatives.
“It is just a matter of us connecting and getting them to contrast between liberal principles of victimization and conservative principles of empowerment,” he said.
Republicans, he says, can reclaim the trust that many blacks, including Martin Luther King Jr., gave them by emphasizing the heritage of defending their rights going back to that party’s 1854 foundation and not by trying to be all things to all people.
The GOP pioneered civil rights for blacks through the passage of the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. constitution.
“The first congressmen of this country that were black congressmen were congressmen of the Republican Party,” West said. “Then you contrast that with the segregation laws, the Jim Crow laws and the founding of the Ku Klux Klan, which was the terrorist arm of the Democratic Party.”
More from Newsmax..
Michael Savage Talks To Mother Of Army Ranger 1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna
On March 20th, 2009, Army Ranger 1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing Ali Mansur, a known Al Qaeda operative while serving in Iraq.
Salisbury Police Department Press Release
On January 14, 2010 at approximately 3:15 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police Community Action Team were in the area of Maryland Avenue and observed the below listed suspect acting in a suspicious manner. The suspect was hiding behind a fence. The officers approached the suspect on foot and found that the suspect had attempted to discard a plastic bag. The bag was recovered and found to contain a number of smaller bags of suspected marijuana.
ARRESTED: Jaquan Fredrick Cannon, 19 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Possession of marijuana with the intent to
distribute
Possession of marijuana
Possession of CDS/paraphernalia
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000002006
ARRESTED: Jaquan Fredrick Cannon, 19 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Possession of marijuana with the intent to
distribute
Possession of marijuana
Possession of CDS/paraphernalia
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000002006
Are You Dating A Loser? It's Something You Should Know Sooner Than Later
With the recent events occurring in and around the Salisbury area still fresh in our minds, and with others still an unpleasant memory, it seems a good time for each of us to take stock of what's good in our lives, and what isn't so good.Many of us have had the experience of dating or "seeing" or "going out with" a person who was, at least maybe in the beginning, one that seemed to be the answer to a prayer, or from a scene in a happy dream . As many can attest, in the end they were far from what they first seemed.
* * * * * * * * *
Very few relationships start on terms other than sweetness and politeness. In the beginning, “the honeymoon” of the relationship, it’s difficult to determine what type of individual you are dating. Both you and the date are guarded, trying to obtain information about the other as much as possible without seeming like a police detective.
Romantic relationships can be wonderful with the right person. A relationship with the wrong individual however can lead to years of heartache, emotional/social damage, and even physical damage. A damaging adult partner can damage us, damage our loved ones, and even damage the way we feel about love and romance in the future. They can turn what is supposed to be a loving, supporting, and understanding relationship into the “fatal attraction” often described in movies. A variety of “bad choices” may be encountered each week — most of which are easy to identify and avoid. We all know to avoid people that appear insane or abusive and not select them as a dating partner. However, some individuals are better at hiding their personality and behavior abnormalities. In an effort to provide some warning about these very damaging individuals, this paper will outline a type of individual commonly found in the dating scene, a male or female labeled “The Loser”.
“The Loser” is a type of partner that creates much social, emotional and psychological damage in a relationship. “The Loser” has permanent personality characteristics that create this damage. These are characteristics that they accept simply as the way they are and not a problem or psychological difficulty. In one sense, they have always lived with this personality and behavior, and it is often something they learned from their relatives/family. Psychologists usually treat the victims of “The Loser”, women or men who arrive at the office severely depressed with their self-confidence and self-esteem totally destroyed.
The following list is an attempt to outline the characteristics of “The Loser” and provide a manner in which women and men can identify potentially damaging relationships before they are themselves severely damaged emotionally or even physically. If your partner, male or female, possesses even one of these features, there is risk in the relationship. More than three of these indicators and you are involved with “The Loser” in a very high risk relationship that will eventually create damage to you. When a high number of these features are present — it’s not a ‘probably’ or a ‘possibly’. You will be hurt and damaged by this person if you stay in the relationship.
1.Rough Treatment: “The Loser” will hurt you on purpose. If he or she hits you, twists your arm, pulls your hair, kicks you, shoves you, or breaks your personal property EVEN ONCE, drop them. Male losers often begin with behaviors that move you physically or hit the wall. Female losers often slap, kick and even punch their male partners when upset.
2.Quick Attachment and Expression: “The Loser” has very shallow emotions and connections with others. One of the things that might attract you to “The Loser” is how quickly he or she says “I Love You” or wants to marry or commit to you. Typically, in less than a few weeks of dating you’ll hear that you’re the love of their life, they want to be with you forever....
Sound familiar so far? Maybe there's a reason for that.
Finish the list here.
* * * * * * * * *
Very few relationships start on terms other than sweetness and politeness. In the beginning, “the honeymoon” of the relationship, it’s difficult to determine what type of individual you are dating. Both you and the date are guarded, trying to obtain information about the other as much as possible without seeming like a police detective.
Romantic relationships can be wonderful with the right person. A relationship with the wrong individual however can lead to years of heartache, emotional/social damage, and even physical damage. A damaging adult partner can damage us, damage our loved ones, and even damage the way we feel about love and romance in the future. They can turn what is supposed to be a loving, supporting, and understanding relationship into the “fatal attraction” often described in movies. A variety of “bad choices” may be encountered each week — most of which are easy to identify and avoid. We all know to avoid people that appear insane or abusive and not select them as a dating partner. However, some individuals are better at hiding their personality and behavior abnormalities. In an effort to provide some warning about these very damaging individuals, this paper will outline a type of individual commonly found in the dating scene, a male or female labeled “The Loser”.
“The Loser” is a type of partner that creates much social, emotional and psychological damage in a relationship. “The Loser” has permanent personality characteristics that create this damage. These are characteristics that they accept simply as the way they are and not a problem or psychological difficulty. In one sense, they have always lived with this personality and behavior, and it is often something they learned from their relatives/family. Psychologists usually treat the victims of “The Loser”, women or men who arrive at the office severely depressed with their self-confidence and self-esteem totally destroyed.
The following list is an attempt to outline the characteristics of “The Loser” and provide a manner in which women and men can identify potentially damaging relationships before they are themselves severely damaged emotionally or even physically. If your partner, male or female, possesses even one of these features, there is risk in the relationship. More than three of these indicators and you are involved with “The Loser” in a very high risk relationship that will eventually create damage to you. When a high number of these features are present — it’s not a ‘probably’ or a ‘possibly’. You will be hurt and damaged by this person if you stay in the relationship.
1.Rough Treatment: “The Loser” will hurt you on purpose. If he or she hits you, twists your arm, pulls your hair, kicks you, shoves you, or breaks your personal property EVEN ONCE, drop them. Male losers often begin with behaviors that move you physically or hit the wall. Female losers often slap, kick and even punch their male partners when upset.
2.Quick Attachment and Expression: “The Loser” has very shallow emotions and connections with others. One of the things that might attract you to “The Loser” is how quickly he or she says “I Love You” or wants to marry or commit to you. Typically, in less than a few weeks of dating you’ll hear that you’re the love of their life, they want to be with you forever....
Sound familiar so far? Maybe there's a reason for that.
Finish the list here.
The SBYNews PD Theater
Just click on the links for today's lineup.
Today's Cartoons:
Hep Cat Symphony (1949)
Boy Meets Dog (1938)
Our short feature:
Rifle Marksmanship with the M1 Rifle (1942)
Rifle Marksmanship with the M1 Rifle (1942)
U.S. War Department training film,
previously classified Restricted.
Today's Double Feature
Today's Double Feature
Starring Peter Graves.
"A scientist monitoring atomic tests, killed in a plane crash, is revived by aliens so he can spy on the tests and help them conquer the world." (IMDB)
Detour (1945)
"Man is involved in two freakish accidents that make him look like a murderer. Poverty row masterwork that is the most precise elucidation of the noir theme of explicit fatalism." ( film noir expert Spencer Selby)
Disclaimer: All linked films, as far as the poster can determine, are in Public Domain.
Italian Bread
Two old guys,one 80 and one 87, were sitting on their usual park bench one morning.
The 87 year old had just finished his morning jog and wasn't even short of breath.
The 80 year old was amazed at his friend's stamina and asked him what he did to have so much energy.
The 87 year old said, "Well, I eat Italian bread every day. It keeps your energy level high and you'll have great stamina with the ladies."
So, on the way home, the 80 year old stops at the bakery. As he was looking around, the lady asked if he needed any help.
He said, "Do you have any Italian bread "
She said, "Yes, there's a whole shelf of it. Would you like some?"
He said, "I want 5 loaves."
She said, "My goodness, 5 loaves .... by the time you get to the 5th loaf, it'll be hard."
He replied, "I can't believe it, everybody knows about this crap but me."
The 87 year old had just finished his morning jog and wasn't even short of breath.
The 80 year old was amazed at his friend's stamina and asked him what he did to have so much energy.
The 87 year old said, "Well, I eat Italian bread every day. It keeps your energy level high and you'll have great stamina with the ladies."
So, on the way home, the 80 year old stops at the bakery. As he was looking around, the lady asked if he needed any help.
He said, "Do you have any Italian bread "
She said, "Yes, there's a whole shelf of it. Would you like some?"
He said, "I want 5 loaves."
She said, "My goodness, 5 loaves .... by the time you get to the 5th loaf, it'll be hard."
He replied, "I can't believe it, everybody knows about this crap but me."
A Decade Of Decline
A decade of decline
Barbarians inside the gates in 2000-2009
Washington Times
By Jeffrey T. Kuhner
America is going the way of ancient Rome. The past decade will be remembered as the pivotal tipping point where the United States ceased to be a superpower. Like the Roman Empire in its later stages, America's imperial grandeur masked moral rot and economic decay.
The beginning of the 21st century promised continued U.S. global dominance. Our economic might seemed unrivaled; the dot-com boom had not yet gone bust. Washington was still basking in the warm glow of its victory in the Cold War. America bestrode the world like a military and economic colossus.
The Sept. 11, 2001, attacks changed everything. Like Rome and Imperial Britain, the United States embarked upon costly, prolonged wars in far-away countries. The result is that America remains mired in Iraq and Afghanistan. The two wars have cost more than 5,200 dead and $1 trillion with no victory or end in sight.
The fundamental mistake was made by President Bush. Contrary to popular myth, Mr. Bush was not a unilateralist conservative traditionalist; rather, he was a Great Society Republican who championed nation-building abroad and Big Government corporatism at home. Our goal should have been to smash the forces of global jihad through a strategy of total victory through total war - just as in World War II, when every domestic priority was subordinated to defeating the Axis Powers.
Instead, Mr. Bush tried to plant democracy in the sands of Mesopotamia and the stony soil of Afghanistan. He followed a foolish - and ultimately, destructive - policy of seeking to implement social engineering, nation-building projects. The result was imperial overstretch.
Moreover, he also stressed that America could have both guns and butter.
There was no need to choose. Tax cuts, federalizing education, a massive Medicare prescription drug plan, runaway government spending, soaring deficits, huge bank bailouts and expensive stimulus programs - Mr. Bush's brand of corporatist Keynesianism paved the way for socialism and reckless spending.
President Obama is making the same mistake. He is not the antithesis of Mr. Bush, but his culmination. Mr. Obama represents Bushism on steroids. He is seeking to erect a European-style social democracy characterized by a bloated public sector, a burdensome welfare state, economic sclerosis and foreign policy impotence.
Mr. Obama is slowly pushing America toward financial ruin. His $787 billion stimulus failed to regenerate the economy. His health care reform bill will cost taxpayers nearly $2.5 trillion. He has effectively nationalized the automakers, the financial sector and the banking system. His environmental regulations will stifle industry and manufacturing. Unemployment is high. The housing market continues to sag. Inflation is increasing. The dollar is plummeting. The nation's infrastructure is crumbling.
The budget deficit for 2009 was over $1.4 trillion. It is scheduled to be $1.5 trillion in 2010. Under his administration, the national debt is projected to explode by more than $10 trillion in 10 years. He is burying America under a mountain of debt. We are becoming the United States of Argentina.
Mr. Obama's decision to surge 30,000 additional troops into Afghanistan is a dangerous - and reckless - escalation of the war. It will only deepen our military quagmire, draining America of further blood and treasure. Repeating the tragic mistakes of Vietnam, Mr. Obama is sending U.S. troops to die without a clear strategy for victory.
Yet, as Americans are being bled white in the caves and mountains of Afghanistan, terrorists are penetrating our homeland defenses.
The United States is increasingly vulnerable to Islamist attacks: Hezbollah is crossing our porous southern border, the Fort Hood massacre and the attempted suicide bombing of Northwest Airlines flight 253. Similar to Rome in its final days, America is no longer feared or respected. Instead, we are being invaded - and slowly conquered - by barbarians.
Rome collapsed due to moral decline, pervasive corruption and a loss of will. The Roman Empire became plagued by crushing taxation, a ubiquitous bureaucracy, economic stagnation, political factionalism, military adventurism and a lack of civic virtue. Its culture had become so decadent - with its glorification of homosexuality, infanticide, sexual permissiveness and constant entertainment (such as circuses and games in the Coliseum) - that Rome was not only scorned but reviled.
America is repeating the same tragic mistakes. Our sexualized, celebrity-obsessed, libertine culture is despised around the world. Power trumps patriotism. Washington no longer embodies democratic virtue.
If America does not veer course quickly, we, too, like the Romans, will squander our glorious heritage.
Taco Bell Founder Dies At Age 86
Glen W. Bell launched Taco Bell in 1962 in Los Angeles area
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. - Glen W. Bell Jr., an entrepreneur best known as the founder of the Taco Bell chain, has died. He was 86.
Bell died Sunday at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, according to a statement posted Monday on the Taco Bell Web site.
The Irvine-based company did not release a cause of death.
GO HERE to read more.
Salisbury Police Department Press Releases
On January 12, 2010 at approximately 8:50 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Sears Department Store at the Centre at Salisbury for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with store security who advised that store employees had observed the below listed suspect take clothing and jewelry items from the store without making payment. The property was recovered and returned to the store.
ARRESTED: Diana Elaine Griffin, 27 years of age
Pittsville, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (under $ 100)
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000001668
On January 12, 2010 at approximately 10:50 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to a residence on the two hundred (200) block of Washington Street for the report of a domestic type assault. Upon arrival the officers met with an adult female victim who advised that she had been assaulted during a domestic argument.
The victim advised that as a result of the argument, the below listed suspect struck the victim in the facial area with his fists, then with a bottle. The victim had visible injuries and was transported to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center for treatment.
ARRESTED: Garry William Morris, 51 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Second degree assault (2 counts)
Reckless endangerment
Domestic related incident (2 counts)
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000001698
On January 13, 2010 at approximately 12:15 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police received a call to respond to the Sav-A-Lot food store on Cypress Street for the report of a shoplifter. Upon arrival the officers met with store employees who advised the officers that the below listed suspect had been observed taking meat from the store without making payment. The suspect had left the store but was located by the officers several blocks away still in possession of the stolen meat. The meat was recovered and returned to the store.
ARRESTED: Karen Denise Holliday, 46 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: Theft (under $ 100)
DISPOSITION: Released to Central Booking
CC # 201000001796
On January 13, 2010 at approximately 8:59 pm, Officers of the Salisbury Police arrested the below listed suspect for an assault that occurred on January 5, 2010. On that date the suspect responded to the Sports Zone store on North Salisbury Boulevard and became involved in an altercation with a female juvenile. The altercation resulted in the suspect striking the victim in the head area with her fists which contained a metal object.
ARRESTED: Juvenile, 17 years of age
Salisbury, Maryland
CHARGES: First degree assault
Second degree assault
DISPOSITION: Released to Juvenile Justice
CC # 201000000677
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