Mayor Ireton Removes Blight Properties From City Website

Even though this was one of the TOP platform items Jim Ireton ran on to get elected as Mayor of Salisbury, all of a sudden the Mayor has pulled the blight property of the week. Now let me see here. Didn't Jim just hold a meeting with Tilghman, Dunn, Cathcart and other SAPOA members?

All of a sudden the Mayor has flip flopped. All of a sudden the DT's is attacking City Council Members again, like it used to be before Ireton was elected. All of a sudden Ireton removes the blight property and we're right back to where we used to be before Ireton was elected. In fact, here's some of the verbiage Ireton spoke of soon after he was elected...

To the members of SAPOA: this city desires your help, but it will not wait for it. It is a shared responsibility we have to keep the citizens of this city, both renter and homeowner, safe. We, as a city government, do our best to provide police protection, fire protection, emergency medical assistance, parks, playgrounds, clean streets and working street lights.

But property owners must do their part to keep houses in our neighborhoods safe and in good standing with the city’s requirements. Clean streets aren’t enough – properties must be maintained by their owners. Houses with dozens of calls for service for our police department and code enforcement office, houses with too many people in too small a space, houses illegally being used with too many units help create as unsafe a neighborhood as any broken street light.

The city’s government and the mayor’s office have been criticized by many in the rental community in the past year. Yet, I say to the renters and homeowners that elected me that my stance has not changed. I will say again: Police your own, and the city of Salisbury won’t have to. If rental owners, homeowners, and renters follow the law, they won’t be subject to its consequences. But there will be no negotiations with those who fail to follow the law.

The vast majority of rental owners in this city provide safe, affordable housing to many of our city’s residents. But we will continue to strive for every house, apartment, townhome and living space in this city to be in good standing with this updated code. And if they’re not, this city will not shy away from its responsibilities and the city will take action. The legislation announced today will make the city’s housing code clearer and its consequences appropriate for the conditions our neighborhoods face today.

More on this topic HERE.

Signing that petition gets more interesting by the second. Be careful what you ask for Folks.

Congress’ Approval Problem In One Chart

It’s no secret that people don’t like — ok, loathe — Congress.

The latest Gallup monthly survey pegged Congressional approval at just 13 percent, the second straight month it has hit that all-time low.

“The 2011 average is on track to be the lowest annual rating of Congress in Gallup’s history,” wrote Gallup’s Frank Newport in a memo on the results.

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Police charge Mother In Death Of Missouri Tot

AFFTON, Mo. — A suburban St. Louis woman who claimed her 13-month-old son had vanished from his crib was charged Wednesday with murdering him, after prosecutors say she admitted beating him because he wouldn't stop crying.

Shelby Dasher, 20, was arrested less than 16 hours after she reported her son, Tyler, was missing. People walking their dog found Tyler Dasher's body on Tuesday near a cemetery about a mile from his home.

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More Americans Expecting To Retire In Their 80s

DES MOINES, Iowa — Workers are growing to accept the idea that they may be working long after they've become eligible for senior discounts. Yet rather than fixate on their target retirement age, they're increasingly focused on how much money they'll need to retire, according to a new national survey by Wells Fargo & Co.

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Mississippi Sorority Sisters Placed on Probation After Dressing in Blackface

Hey, college students: Just so you know, blackface hasn’t been “in” for a while.

But that didn’t stop a few members from the Phi Mu sorority at the University of Southern Mississippi from doing it. The six students, who since have been placed on probation, were attending a 1980s-themed party as the Huxtables from The Cosby Show. (Okay, even NewsFeed must admit Bill Cosby is pretty cool, but seriously?)


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Today's Weather- 11/17/11

Salisbury,Maryland

Today

High
48°F

Precip
70%

Tonight

Overnight Low
32°F

Precip
0%

Weather Channel

Salvation Army Bell Ringers Will Accept Credit Card Payments With Their Smart Phones

The Salvation Army has announced that they are testing Square, a service that allows a smart phone to accept credit card payments. The test will take place at 40 locations in Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago and New York. Previous attempts at accepting credit cards weren't successful, but the Army is feeling optimistic that consumers will adopt this new way of paying.

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Lessons Learned From A DUI

Although those who are pulled over for driving drunk seldom realize it at the time, they're incredibly lucky. A fine along with a possible license suspension and jail time are preferable to suffering a car wreck or being charged with aggravated assault or worse for crashing into an innocent victim.

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Refinancing Homeowners Are Ditching Variable-Rate Mortgages

With mortgage rates close to record lows, 95% of refinancing homeowners are going with fixed-rate loans, according to Freddie Mac. More borrowers are also opting for shorter mortgages, with 40% of those who paid off a 30-year loan switching to a 15- or 20-year mortgage, the highest percentage since 2003.

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White House Wants Your Car To Get 54.5 MPG By 2025

Earlier today, the White House — along with the EPA and DOT — formally announced their proposal to improve fuel economy over the next decade and a half, with the goal of achieving fuel efficiencies equivalent to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.

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Smiling Makes You Look Younger

Go ahead and smile. It may be Mother Nature's way of giving you a youthful appearance.

A new study showed that when people looked at photos of happy faces, they guessed the age of the person in the photo as younger than in photos of the same person with a neutral or angry expression.

Researchers say it's the first study to show that facial expressions have a major impact on the accuracy and bias of age estimates.

The study is published in Psychology and Aging.

"Although age estimates can often be based on multiple cues, there are many situations in which a picture of a person's face is the only information that is immediately available," researcher Manuel C. Voelkle of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, and colleagues write.

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Clean Car Showcase Celebrates The Millions Marylanders Could Save By 2030

Environment Maryland Celebrates the Millions Marylanders Could Save by 2030
with a Clean Car Showcase

COLLEGE PARK– Today, as the Obama Administration announces a historic new clean car standard, Environment Maryland joined State Senator Jim Rosapepe, Dr. David Kirsch, professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, and Charlie Garlow from the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater DC to showcase the newest and cleanest cars putting Maryland on the path to an oil-free future.

“Clean cars can enable Marylanders to drive straight past the gas station and into a future that’s free from oil,” said Sarah Bucci, Federal Field Organizer with Environment Maryland. “Thanks in part to new standards being developed by the Obama administration, the cars of tomorrow will help protect Maryland’s air and water and save their owners money.”

At the event, Environment Maryland reported new data showing that fuel efficiency and emissions standards, recently outlined by President Obama, could save Maryland 484 million gallons of fuel and each Maryland family could save about $365 each year by 2030.

“It’s exciting to see these new hybrid and electric cars coming off the assembly line,” said Senator Jim Rosapepe, District 21. “Maryland helped pave the way by passing a clean car standard and the models we have here today show that we can put these cars on the road—now let’s follow through and make every car and truck in Maryland a cleaner one. We have everything to gain from a strong, federal clean cars standard."

The Obama administration today officially proposed this new clean car standards that represent the biggest step the U.S. has ever taken to get off oil and tackle global warming. The standards would require cars and light trucks in model years 2017-2025 to meet a fleet-wide average global warming pollution standard equivalent to 54.5 miles per gallon. These standards built on state-level standards adopted earlier in Maryland.

To celebrate these benefits, Environment Maryland held an event to showcase some of the clean cars that are already coming off the assembly line today, such as the Chevy Volts and the Nissan Leaf on display today.

Bucci said President Obama’s proposed standard will spur manufacturers into producing cars and trucks that will allow you to go from filling up at the pump a couple of times a week to once every two weeks—or none at all if you choose an electric car, which can already take you over 100 miles on a single charge.

“Our addiction to oil is holding us back from a healthier future. More fuel efficient vehicles, and electric vehicles that use no gasoline at all, will cut our addiction to oil, save money for individuals, and cut down on global warming pollution," said Charlie Garlow, Vice President of the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater DC. "Electricity as fuel is cheaper than filling up at the gas station; it's about the equivalent of 75 cents per gallon. Plus, electric vehicles are fun to drive!"

“Current clean vehicles standards covering vehicles through 2016 helped manufacturers across the country put 150,000 people to work producing clean and efficient vehicle technologies,” said Bucci. “President Obama’s proposal for model years 2017 to 2025 is projected to create about 600,000 new jobs nationwide as manufacturers get to work bringing you the cars and trucks of the future.”

“The models we have here today show that we can put cleaner cars on the road,” said Dr. David Kirsch, associate professor at University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. “The strong standard can make sure drivers have more options to choose from and more opportunities to save fuel when they come to the dealership.”

“We look forward to working with the Administration to make sure that the cars here today are the first of many to come, and that by 2025, the cars and trucks rolling from the dealership to Marylanders’ homes meet a strong, 54.5 miles-per-gallon standard,” concluded Bucci.

Nepal Villagers Convicted Over 'Himalayan Viagra' Murders

KATMANDU, Nepal — A court in northwestern Nepal has convicted 19 villagers for the beating deaths of seven people from a rival community in a dispute over foraging for a rare fungus known as 'Himalayan Viagra.'

The Manang district court, in a remote area of the country, said six of the defendants were sentenced to 20 years in prison, while the remaining 13 were sentenced to two years.

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Oil Rises Above $100 in New York On Announced Reversal Of Seaway Pipeline

Oil in New York climbed above $100 a barrel to a five-month high as Enbridge Inc. said it will reverse the direction of the Seaway pipeline, adding an outlet for crude from the central U.S. and Canada.

Futures rose as much as 3.1 percent after Enbridge agreed to acquire ConocoPhillips (COP)’s share of the pipeline that runs between Cushing, Oklahoma, and the Gulf Coast and announced the reversal. The change may alleviate a bottleneck at the Cushing storage hub that has lowered the price of West Texas Intermediate, the grade traded in New York, against other oils.

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Google Earth Uncovers Mysterious White Lines In Chinese Desert

If crop circles are too 20th century for you, how about some large white lines—laid out in an odd grid-like pattern—strewn across the Chinese desert?

Thanks to Google Maps satellite imagery, online map enthusiasts have discovered a few odd-looking formations in China. And with the discovery of the white lines stretching over one mile long and 3,000 feet wide, you can be certain folks will continue searching for more interesting Chinese designs.


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OCCUPY PISSES OFF EVERYONE

The editorial below was in my paper yesterday. It really grabbed my attention. It was from Dale McFeatters of the Scripps News Service. They are a liberal leaning organization. Their editorials skew to the left. They are sick and tired of Occupy Wall Street. They say it is time to go home and work through the existing establishment rules, regulations and captured party system.

Mayor Bloomberg is an Independent. He is sick and tired of Occupy Wall Street. He destroyed their encampment site yesterday and is fed up with their tactics. He also happens to be a multi-billionaire whose wealth was created from selling his product to Wall Street.

The Mayor of Phila is an ultra-liberal who just won re-election in this bastion of Democratic politics with 75% of the vote. He went on TV this week and said he is fed up with Occupy Phila and their refusal to move when his City Hall construction project begins.

The Mayor of Oakland makes the Mayor of Phila look like a conservative. She ordered an all out attack on the Occupy Oakland encampment.

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In Latin America, Looking At The Positive Side Of Child Labor

Victor Chipani started working when he was 10 years old — a few hours each day, rounding up passengers to fill public minibuses in his impoverished city of El Alto, Bolivia, outside the capital, La Paz. Now, at 15, he does the job from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, earning less than a dollar an hour. His meager wage helps feed his eight siblings and covers his supplies for night school. But the small-framed teenager, who hopes to attend college and even medical school, doesn't want anyone's pity. He can defend himself, he insists — through his union. "United," he says, sounding like a seasoned adult laborite, "we as child workers can achieve anything."

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WHY EUROPE MATTERS TO YOU

European Debt Crisis Threatens the Dollar
by Ron Paul

The global economic situation is becoming more dire every day. Approximately half of all US banks have significant exposure to the debt crisis in Europe. Much more dangerous for the US taxpayer is the dollar’s status as reserve currency for the world, and the US Federal Reserve’s status as the lender of last resort. As we’ve learned in recent disclosures, this has not only benefitted companies like AIG, the auto industry and various US banks, but multiple foreign central banks as they have run into trouble. Nothing has been solved, however, by offering up the productivity of Americans as a sacrificial lamb. Greece is set to be the first domino to fall in the string of European economies at risk. Rather than learning from Greece’s terrible example of an over-consuming public sector and drowning private sector, what is more likely from our politicians is an eventual bailout of European investors.

The US has a relatively small exposure to overwhelmed Greek banks, but much larger economies in Europe are set to follow and that will have serious implications for US banks. Greece is technically small enough to bail out. Italy is not. Germany is not. France is not. It is estimated that US banks have over a trillion dollars tied up in at-risk German and French banks. Because the urge to paper over the debt with more credit is so strong, the collapse of the Euro is imminent. Will the Fed be held responsible if the Euro brings the US dollar down with it?

The most disingenuous aspect of the narrative about the European sovereign debt crisis is that entire economies will collapse if more resources are not bilked from productive people around the world. This is untrue. Tough times are coming for the banks, to be sure, but free people always find a way back to prosperity if the politicians leave them alone. Communities within Greece are coming together and forming barter systems because they know the Euro is becoming unstable. Greeks are learning how to engage in commerce with each other, without the use of fiat currency controlled by central banks. In other words, they are rediscovering what money really is, and they are trading with each other in ways that cannot be controlled, manipulated, squandered, inflated away and generally ruined by corrupt bankers and the politicians that enable them. Farmers will still grow food, mechanics will still fix cars, people will still make things and exchange them with each other. No banker, no politician can stop that by destroying one medium of exchange. People will find or create another medium of exchange.

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Study Finds 'Chemo Fog' In Breast-Cancer Patients Is Real

Many cancer survivors report feeling they've lost some mental sharpness following treatment. This common phenomenon has come to be known as "chemo brain" or "chemo fog," which is somewhat misleading because it also occurs in people who have not undergone chemotherapy.

Although recent studies have shown that up to 75% of cancer survivors do indeed experience altered mental function — and that these changes can last for five years or longer — doctors often downplay complaints about chemo fog, says Shelli R. Kesler of the Stanford Cancer Center in Palo Alto, Calif.


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QUOTE OF THE DAY 11-16-11

“And when the last law was cut down, and the Devil turned round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country’s planted thick with laws from coast to coast, man’s laws, not God’s, and if you cut them down, and you’re just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?”
Thomas More

Police Find $500G Of Atlanta-Bound Cocaine In Horse Saddle

Atlanta – Police uncovered $500,000 of Atlanta-bound cocaine inside a horse saddle Tuesday.
Federal agents said they discovered the saddle as it crossed the Mexican-U.S. border through the post. They immediately launched "Operation Urban Cowboy" and tracked it as it made its way to a Georgian store.

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An Insight Into Tim Geithner's Respect For Law And Constitutions

At yesterday's WSJ CEO Council participants got to see what Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner really thinks about constitutions and the law.

While being questioned by Rupert Murdoch's top lieutenant, Robert Thomson, the topic of the Eurozone crisis came up and the need, in Geithner's view, that the European Central Bank should step in and buy Eurozone bonds whenever required. The problem with this is that it is against the ECB constitution that was approved by the EZ members when the ECB was formed.

So does Geithner see a problem with this constitutional limitation? Not really.

He said, in a somewhat irritated fashion, that "there are ways to get around these things". So much for constitutions. Then he added. "It's not rocket science [to get around these things]".

And there you have Geithner's view on laws, agreements and constitutions. There are ways to get around them.

Source

Europe Bans X-Ray Body Scanners Used at U.S. Airports

A small number of cancer cases would result from scanning hundreds of millions of passengers a year. For some, that's a health issue

The European Union on Monday prohibited the use of X-ray body scanners [1] in European airports, parting ways with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, which has deployed hundreds of the scanners as a way to screen millions of airline passengers for explosives hidden under clothing.

The European Commission, which enforces common policies of the EU's 27 member countries, adopted the rule “in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety.”

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CBO Report - "We should subsidize more mortgages"

The Congressional Budget Office reports are worth looking at as they often give clues on future economic policy and legislation. The CBO is supposed to be non-partisan. I’m not sure I understand what that means. In one way or another everything in D.C. is partisan. It has been my observation that the CBO attempts to steer the direction of policy in their reports. They push their own agenda. What motivates them is not clear to me.

CBO recommends steps that could be taken. It also estimates the consequences of any economic policy action. They forecast (guess at) both the number of new jobs that would be created and for how long those jobs might last.

The recent CBO report [4] evaluates a range of stimulus options. The following two slides are from the 2/10 and the 11/15 reports. They are similar, but there is one very important new policy option in the most recent analysis:

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Ohio Executes Man Who Killed 3 Sleeping Sons

Ohio could execute at least seven condemned killers next year now that an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment has ended in the state and numerous inmates exhaust decades old appeals.

A federal judge's examination of the state's execution procedures and an unrelated decision by Gov. John Kasich to spare two prisoners halted executions for six months beginning in May.

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Lew Rockwell Warned Us About Gingrich

Under his skirt, Newt Gingrich is revealed to be a bankster operative.

Gingrich made between $1.6 million and $1.8 million in consulting fees from two contracts with Freddie Mac, Bloomberg is reporting.

Bloomberg continues:

The total amount is significantly larger than the $300,000 payment from Freddie Mac that Gingrich was asked about during a Republican presidential debate on Nov. 9 sponsored by CNBC, and more than was disclosed in the middle of congressional investigations into the housing industry collapse.

Gingrich’s business relationship with Freddie Mac spanned a period of eight years. When asked at the debate what he did to earn a $300,000 payment in 2006, the former speaker said he “offered them advice on precisely what they didn’t do,” and warned the company that its lending practices were “insane.” Former Freddie Mac executives who worked with Gingrich dispute that account.
Bottom line: Lew Rockwell told us all we need to know about Newt, when he recently wrote:

Some years ago, I was invited to speak at a National Review conference in the government capital. In my talk, I praised our predecessors in the Old Right, who came together in opposition to FDR's domestic fascism and drive to war. Afterwards, in the question period, up pops a furious Newt Gingrich to say, at length, that conservatives must love Roosevelt--he was Reagan's hero, after all--and to criticize Franklin or his policies was to risk being written out of the conservative movement. I responded that this is what's wrong with contemporary conservatism: its corporatism and militarism. I never saw Newt again, and I was not invited back.

Newt is a neocon, i.e., a champion of the corporate state and perpetual war, and a corrupt DC lobbyist of the worst sort. He may talk a good game, once in a while, with Obama in power, but it is all just a partisan trick.

Source

BREAKING NEWS: Gingrich, Romney Top Latest Fox News Poll

Fox News poll shows Newt Gingrich surging into lead in GOP presidential race, with Mitt Romney holding steady and Herman Cain falling back.

From Fox News

$18,000 In Scholarships Available Through MidAtlantic Farm Credit

MidAtlantic Farm Credit has announced the availability of 12 scholarships totaling over $18,000 for members or children of members who plan to attend or are continuing their education at a two- or four-year college or a technical school on a full-time basis.

Applications are available at any of MidAtlantic’s office or apply online by visiting mafc.com. Applications must be received by Jan. 13, 2012. Winners will be selected by Feb. 24. Winners will be recognized at MidAtlantic’s annual stockholder meetings in April.

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American Pie .. Made In China

Here We Go Again

Another accident just happened on Beaglin Park and College Lane.

Sussex Council Weighs Options During Phillips' Absence

GEORGETOWN — With one member of Sussex County Council on extended convalescence, council has been forced to take a look at how they will conduct business over the next few months with only four members.

The council has five members for a reason; a tie vote is the same thing as a no vote under council’s policies and procedures. Councilman Vance Phillips, R-Laurel, was injured Oct. 30 in a sports plane crash near Lynchburg, Va., and is currently hospitalized at University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Va. There is no definitive timeline for when Phillips will return to council chambers.

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Another Accident

Crash on Nanticoke Rd at Old Quantico Rd.

Nothing Going On Here

The Solar thing just got a little more interesting.......REALLY!

The Tonopah Solar company in Harry Reid's Nevada is getting a $737 million loan from Obama's DOE.

The project will produce a 110 megawatt power system and employ 45 permanent workers. That's costing us just $16 million per job.

One of the investment partners in this endeavor is Pacific Corporate Group (PCG).· The PCG executive director is Ron Pelosi who is the brother to Nancy 's husband.

Just move along folks.....nuthin goin on here.

Obama: U.S. To Expand Military In Australia

AP) CANBERRA, Australia - President Obama announced an agreement Wednesday to expand the U.S. military presence in Australia, underscoring concerns in the region over an increasingly assertive China.
The agreement, formally unveiled by Obama during a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, will allow up to 250 U.S. Marines to be stationed in northern Australia beginning next year.

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Um, Do I Actually Need To Buy Winter Tires?

Ah yes, winter tires. That's what you need right now. You want to buy an expensive set of tires just for one season. Is it even necessary? Can't you just get all season tires and be done with it? Maybe! But the answer really depends on where you live and what type of surface you'll be driving on.

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Traffic Alert

Traffic Advisory Only: broken down tractor-trailer on Zion Rd near Brown Rd. It IS in the roadway.

Bill Filed To Prohibit Congressional Insider Trading

Washington (CNN) -- Members of Congress and their staffs would be prohibited from using insider legislative information for investment purposes under legislation filed Tuesday in the wake of a CBS News "60 Minutes" report.

On Sunday, "60 Minutes" aired a report highlighting instances in which congressional officials reportedly bought stocks around the same time Congress was discussing legislation affecting those companies or industries.

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Walmart Eating Cost Increases On Food So You Can, Well... Eat

Walmart is absorbing some price increases on products like food, rather than passing them along to consumers. The chain plans to continue keeping its prices down across the board to goose sales, executives told investors earlier today.

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Mississippi Woman Receives Three Year Prison Sentence For Feeding Her Family

Last week, a federal court in Mississippi sentenced a key figure in a $3 million mortgage fraud scheme to two and a half years in federal prison. Just a few days earlier, however, a Mississippi federal judge imposed a significantly harsher sentence on a woman who lied on her benefits applications in order to receive just $4,367 in food stamps to help feed her family:

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Accidents Everywhere

School bus scene on Dagsboro and Brown Rds.

Crash on 13 in front of Wendys near Salis Univ. I think north bound.

Another crash at Carroll St and Waverly. No injuries.

Another crash involving school bus at Dagsboro Rd and Brown Rd.

Crash. 13 at Center Rd.

Update: Jersey Rd is now open.

Update: on earlier school bus accident: NO INJURIES. WCBOE requires fire and ems due to airbag deployment. Fire dept has already left the scene.

Look At What Has Arrived At The GOB

The Stop Online Piracy Act Goes Too Far & Could Hurt Consumers

In advance of Wednesday's House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Stop Online Piracy Act, a coalition of national consumer groups has reached out to the committee to urge them to stop this legislation, which they believe is too far-reaching and could end up hurting the consumers it intends to protect.

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Surprise, Homeland Security Coordinates #OWS Crackdowns

Remember when people were freaking out over the Patriot Act and Homeland Security and all this other conveniently ready-to-go post-9/11 police state stuff, because it would obviously be just a matter of time before the whole apparatus was turned against non-Muslim Americans when they started getting complain-y about the social injustice and economic injustice and income inequality and endless recession and permanent unemployment? That day is now, and has been for some time. But it’s also now confirmed that it’s now, as some Justice Department official screwed up and admitted that the Department of Homeland Security coordinated the riot-cop raids on a dozen major #Occupy Wall Street demonstration camps nationwide yesterday and today. (Oh, and tonight, too: Seattle is being busted up by the riot cops right now, so be careful out there.)

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Speed Dating Sessions For The Feds?

Federal Chief Human Capital Officers will hold speed dating sessions to match experienced HR people with newbies. Kathryn Medina is executive director of the CHCO Council. She says the mentor-protege matching technique has already worked once in a session hosted by Treasury and NASA. Now the council wants to hold four of them next year. In the matchmaking rounds, the mentors meet with potential proteges for a few minutes. Each side gets to meet a dozen people before deciding who to team up with. Medina says it's all aimed at building a better HR workforce through mentoring.

Another Accident, This Time Involving A School Bus With Injuries

There's been an accident involving a school bus on College Ave and Eastern Shore Drive. More to come.

UPDATE: Bus #63, We have no update on injuries but do not believe any students were hurt.

Congress Pushes Back On Healthier School Lunches

WASHINGTON (AP) — Who needs leafy greens and carrots when pizza and french fries will do?

In an effort many 9-year-olds will cheer, Congress wants pizza and french fries to stay on school lunch lines and is fighting the Obama administration's efforts to take unhealthy foods out of schools.

The final version of a spending bill released late Monday would unravel school lunch standards the Agriculture Department proposed earlier this year. These include limiting the use of potatoes on the lunch line, putting new restrictions on sodium and boosting the use of whole grains. The legislation would block or delay all of those efforts.

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Astronauts Dock Early At International Space Station

The space shuttle program may be over, but that hasn't stopped astronauts from traveling to the International Space Station, the Associated Press reported. The Soyuz TMA-22 with NASA astronaut Dan Burbank and two Russian cosmonauts onboard docked with the station several minutes ahead of schedule. The mission's launch had been delayed for two months because of the crash of an unmanned cargo ship in August. American Michael Fossum, along with one Russian and a Japanese astronaut have been onboard since June and should return to Earth next week.

Head On Collision On Rt. 13. & Cherry Street South Bound Rt. 13 Shut Down; UPDATE: They Have Reopened 13

On top of this accident, another vehicle struck the traffic signal box on S. Division Street and Milford Street. There is no operational traffic light at this intersection.

Mom Faults Authorities In Suicide Of Daughter Who Tweeted About Abuse

(CNN) -- The mother of a Texas teen who killed herself after reportedly sending more than 140 tweets detailing years of sexual abuse spoke out on Tuesday, faulting law enforcement for failing her daughter.

Before 18-year-old Ashley Billasano took her life last week, she poured her heart out on Twitter.
She reportedly sent 144 messages in six hours, touching on allegations of sexual abuse, the pain it caused and her long struggle for justice. According to one tweet, the final straw for Billasano was a phone call telling her it was unlikely her alleged abuser would ever be prosecuted, according to the Houston Chronicle.

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Is The Obama Administration Really Saving Money?

The Government Accountability Office is throwing ice water on the administration's claims of savings through contracting reforms. The White House reported savings of $15 billion last year. It says they came from using fewer time-and-material and cost-plus contracts. But GAO says those savings can't be verified. It reports, much of the claimed reduction can be traced to budget cuts at the Defense Department, not better contracting. Procurement chief Dan Gordon disputes GAO's findings. He says auditors took too narrow a view of how to calculate contract savings.

BREAKING NEWS: Arrest In Probe Of Bullet Fired At White House

Suspect is in custody in probe of bullet that hit White House window.

From Fox News

Hypocrisy, You Be The Judge

Laura Mitchell's petition drive efforts against the charter amendment (to have the city attorney who drafts the laws report to the council members who make the laws, crazy idea, I know) are being well promoted by the Daily Times, unlike the position they took against the late Bob Caldwell's nearly-successful petition drive against the charter amendment to hike city taxes by double-digits.

Here's what's puzzling me, folks, and I welcome your thoughts on it. Since Mitchell can't make a good logical argument against the substance of the charter amendment on the city attorney (IMHO), she's really been pumping this "decision made in haste" mantra, even though the amendment got discussed, with each and every single member of the council having the opportunity to make their view known right there on TV. Members of the audience gave comment and the reading of Jim Ireton's letter against it was given the last word.

Mitchell has even compared this situation to the health insurance charter amendment where Louise Smith, Gary Comegys and Shanie Shields held a special meeting in the middle of the day with less than 24-hour public notice so they could get the amendment to take effect a couple days before the new council would be sworn in (and after the election).

Louise Smith, you will recall I'm sure, also passed the tax-hike charter amendment Barrie Tilghman wanted without having really read the proposed budget first.

Although Mitchell spoke against the Smith-Comegys-Shields haste and method on the health insurance amendment earlier this year, she wasn't so worried about that haste or the public's rights that she ran a petition drive. She didn't do anything about the tax-hike amendment either, didn't even sign the Bob Caldwell's petition in 2007, as far as I know, to protest on the same lofty principles.

Yet here Laura Mitchell is, teamed up with the same Louise Smith who oversaw passage of two hasty (truly hasty, not just sort-of-quickly, imho) charter amendments, in order to collect signatures on a referendum petition because she says the amendment was done in "haste."

Therefore, I just wanted to ask you, the reading public, if you think these actions by Laura Mitchell seem hypocritical to you or not? I can't wait to read your thoughts.

New Posts to fall below.

Rollover Accident On N. West Road Near Log Cabin Road

Jersey Road Accident Update

Side note: they requested TWO dump truck loads of dirt for the Jersey Road crash.

$18 Billion In Improper Payment Reduction This Year?

The administration is claiming an $18 billion reduction in improper payments in fiscal 2011. That took the rate of improper payments down to 4.7 percent, compared to 5.3 percent a year earlier. Most of the savings came in the Medicare, Medicaid, Pell Grants and food assistance programs. The White House also unveiled new steps to prevent the government from paying money to the wrong people. It's asking agencies to appoint a senior official responsible for contractor suspensions and debarments. The goal is to make sure the government does business only with reputable companies.

Suspect Hunted After Bullet Hits Ballistic Glass Window At White House, Secret Service Says

The Secret Service has discovered that bullets hit the exterior of the White House but one was deflected by protective ballistic glass, NBC Washington reported on Wednesday.

U.S. Park Police were looking for a man believed to be linked to reports of shots fired near the White House on Friday, but the Secret Service had not conclusively connected the incident with the bullets found on White House grounds, NBC said.

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Energy Spends Too Much Money

Energy spends too much money operating more than a dozen far-flung laboratories. That's what Energy's Inspector General finds in a new report. The IG is calling for a wholesale restructuring of how the labs are run. The report finds $13 billion was spent on the 16 labs, but 49 percent of that cash went to overhead instead of research. The IG wants energy to create an independent panel to consolidate the labs. The IG also warns Energy workers to brace themselves for painful staff reductions that are certain to come with deep federal budget cuts from Congress.

TRAFFIC ALERT- Serious Accident On Jersey Rd

A logging truck has hit a Jeep at the intersection of Jersey Road and Adkins Road. We are being told that Jersey Road is shut until far notice. The operator of the Jeep is in serious condition. Picture to follow...

'Wizard Of Oz' Munchkin Karl Slover Dies At 93

Karl Slover, one of the last surviving actors who played Munchkins in the 1939 classic film, "The Wizard of Oz," has died. He was 93.

The 4-foot-5 Slover died of cardiopulmonary arrest Tuesday afternoon in a central Georgia hospital, said Laurens County Deputy Coroner Nathan Stanley. According to friends, as recently as last weekend, Slover appeared at events in the suburban Chicago area.

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A Comment Worthy Of A Post 11-16-11

"Is this MD or DE? Mr. Albero, do you live in MD or DE and how do you feel about this election?"

Let me start by start by saying I live in Delaware. Mind you, my property is directly on Rt. 54 and on the south side of 54. However, there's a hump in Rt. 54 that allows my property to be in Delaware. A stones throw away, (believe it or not) is Salisbury.

This race was a Maryland race for Mayor and Commissioners.

How do I feel about this election and the end results, absolutely fantastic. The residents of Delmar have NO CLUE what lies ahead of them. Because I have been asked by certain people, (none candidates) to keep quiet about what the future holds for Delmar, I have done so and will continue to do so. However, I can tell you there's a great future ahead in Delmar and the right people needed to be in Office in order to move forward with such progress.

What you will see is every single one of the candidates that I supported will in fact be in Office. Tom "Bunky" Luffman will be appointed to Carl's former commissioner's seat.

The fact that there was a record turn out in voters says a lot about the community. There's a select few, (ONE) people who once again did everything they could to stir the pot, making false claims on the Internet about the candidates I supported and once again they failed. In fact, some Bloggers came out last night, acting like they liked my candidates all of a sudden. The writing was on the wall and they got smacked in the face once again.

Its unfortunate these anti bloggers only do what they do because its the opposite of whatever Joe Albero says. If we say the sky is blue they'll call me a liar, say its green and then slam my Wife or Family along the way.

More importantly, once again, we have proven they are insignificant anyway because people know they are liars. The landslide results for Mayor clearly prove my point. Come on now, Carl Anderton got 118 and Hitchens got 39. HELLO! AND Hitchens is a nice guy to boot.

Tom McGuire HURT Hitchens in a very BIG way, just as Taylor has hurt candidates like Joel Todd and others.

Now, all that being said, Anderton, Gibb and Luffman ran a perfectly clean race, even with certain Bloggers personally attacking them. Heck Folks, these Bloggers were telling them their children were going to get beat up in school, their wives would be called whores and they might even get their homes burned down and this is the truth.

Rather than being "reactive" they remained proactive and ignored these Bloggers. In the end they won and did so in a very big way. Therefore I am very proud of all of them. Salisbury continues to set a very poor example of how politics shouldn't be. Barrie Tilghman was a bully along with her former administration. Unfortunately nothing much has changed. Delmar, (on the other hand) has proven they are first class citizens who agree to disagree at times and the newly elected officials will continue to work with the Delaware side and the citizens.

Great things are about to happen and I look forward to covering it from either my home in Delmar or my office in Salisbury.

The Postal Service Says It Lost $5.1 Billion Last Year

It's less than the $10 billion in losses previously estimated. But that's only because an annual payment of $5.5 billion the post office owed the federal government was deferred. It's now due this Friday, and postal leaders say they may still not be able to make the payment. A weak economy and increased use of the Internet has driven down mail volume. Postal officials called the financial situation "dire." Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has warned of a postal shutdown next year unless there is congressional action to help the agency's long-term money problems.

Publishers Notes: SHUT IT DOWN! If it were ANY other private business losing that kind of money they would have shut down long ago.

Why The Old Media Ignore Ron Paul

More than thirty years ago University of Rochester economists William Meckling and Michael Jensen authored a thought-provoking article on the sources of "liberal bias" in the media. Being Chicago School-style economists, their thesis was based, naturally, on a rigorous exploration of how the media best pursue their own self-interest, coupled with an analysis of the role of government in shaping that self-interest. In short, their thesis was that government had by that time become so big and pervasive that your average journalist – even local news reporters – relied on government itself and all of its politicians and bureaucrats for most of the information that they "report." If one is an environmental reporter, for example, one must cultivate relationships with EPA bureaucrats who are the source of the latest news about environmental policy. If one is a labor reporter, one must cultivate relationships with U.S. Department of Labor bureaucrats who are the source of the latest news about labor policy, and so on.

Consequently, any news reporter who is too critical of the government agencies that he is reporting about risks being cut off from his information sources, the lifeblood of his career, which will then be ruined. (A glaring example of this phenomenon is how former Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich ordered all of his appointees to refuse to talk to anyone associated with the Baltimore Sun, which had been hyper-critical of him and his administration).

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Fill In The Blank 11-16-11

My favorite vacation spot is _____.

A Letter To The Editor About WCDC

Joe,

WCDC is full of favoritism. This is proved by the hire of relatives and some are in a supervisor position with control over their relative. There is Major Elliott and Officer Elliott, Major Moore and Lt. Moore, Sgt. Stevenson and Two Officer Stevensons, Two Officer Kellams, Two Officer Cottmans, Officer Bowling and Officer Tull, Two Officer Andertons, Officer Purnell and Officer Briddell, Lt. Dickerson, Sgt. Dickerson and Officer Dickerson, Two Officer Garrisons, Two Officer Passwaters, Two Officer Sullivans.

This is a violation of the Wicomico County Personnel Manual Chapter 7. The cover ups and unfair promotions, the unfair treatment of employees who are on the outside and left to fend for themselves. No one knows what to do about all the issues at wcdc because if you speak up about anything, your life will be made miserable by the command staff.

The command staff controls your vacation time, time clock, and what post you work. WCDC is a job made miserable by favoritism, power trips, and cover ups to name a few. Working here is like Survivor, choose your alliances carefully or you will be voted off the island.

PlanMaryland Part 3: How It Would Work Is Still Unclear

Most of the draft PlanMaryland document focuses on statistics that show how Maryland has grown and changed in the last several decades, and why a comprehensive development plan is needed. It spends less time going through the nuts and bolts of how land use planning would be done if the plan were put into place – the most significant part of the plan.

Continue Reading...

Gingrich Said To Be Paid $1.6M By Freddie Mac

Newt Gingrich made between $1.6 million and $1.8 million in consulting fees from two contracts with mortgage company Freddie Mac, according to two people familiar with the arrangement.

The total amount is significantly larger than the $300,000 payment from Freddie Mac that Gingrich was asked about during a Republican presidential debate on Nov. 9 sponsored by CNBC, and more than was disclosed in the middle of congressional investigations into the housing industry collapse.

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2nd Annual Shoppers Fair

Ohio Barber Willing To Negotiate On Price Of Haircut

The owner of the Old School Barber Shop in Canton, OH, knows that times are tough. In fact, there's a sign out front of the building that says as much. That sign also lets customers know that the $12 price for a haircut is negotiable.

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Charles Manson's 'Right-Hand Man' Seeks Parole

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The self-described right-hand man of cult leader Charles Manson, who was convicted of orchestrating the Tate-LaBianca slayings 42 years ago, has his latest parole hearing scheduled Wednesday in a California prison.

Charles "Tex" Watson, 65, has been denied parole 13 times but will try again during a hearing at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, in the Sierra foothills 50 miles southeast of Sacramento.

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UK Doctors Call For Ban On Smoking In Cars

LONDON (AP) - The British Medical Association is calling on the government to ban smoking at all times in cars, a step that would go beyond regulations elsewhere.

In research released on Wednesday, the group that represents U.K. doctors said the confined environment in cars exposes drivers and passengers to 23 times more toxins than a smoky bar. Children are particularly vulnerable to second-hand smoke since they absorb more pollutants. Smoke can linger in cars long after cigarettes have been smoked.

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There's Always One In The Crowd

Yesterday, someone called the election board to complain a candidates car was too close to the building, they were wrong, of course.

Its been rumored that call originated from Tom McGuire. Nevertheless, the vehicle was 130 feet from the building and was deemed perfectly legal.

McGuire has a disclaimer at the top of his "Swingers Blog" that states the following below. Mind you, does this guy really think any one is going to ever take him seriously. He also says the same at the bottom of most articles because he flat out lies and makes things up just to stir the pot and wants to protect himself from lawsuits.

"I make no claim as to the accuracy, validity of any information found in this blog. I will not be responsible for the consequences of any action that is based upon information found here. Most of the information is comprised largely of opinion/commentary and as such is protected under the constitution of the U.S.A."

Today's Survey Question 11-16-11

Should the FDA limit nicotine in cigarettes to a level where they would not be addictive?

Ten Things To Know About The Coming Defense Cuts

If you haven't been paying attention, this is where we stand on the Pentagon budget battle:
1. The Pentagon has already agreed to cut $450 billion over the coming decade from the roughly $7 trillion it had planned on getting. "These cuts are difficult and will require us to take some risks, but they are manageable," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wrote lawmakers this week. Likely targets are military health care and retirement accounts, cuts in the number of troops on active duty, and a reduction in the Pentagon's planned $350 billion buy of more than 2,400 F-35 fighters.


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State Grant Helps Baltimore County University Expand

A $3 million grant from the state’s Sellinger Grant Program enabled Stevenson University on Tuesdat to purchase a 28-acre tract of land to add to its Baltimore County campus.

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Should The Teacher Be Fired?

University Of Maryland May Cut Several Sports Teams

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) — Cutting popular sports. That’s the proposal at the University of Maryland College Park to solve some serious budget problems. As Weijia Jiang explains, students and alumni are not going down without a fight.

If these proposed cuts go through, eight varsity Terrapins teams will be completely slashed, upsetting many students and alumni.

“Students aren’t happy about it,” said Staci Armezzani.

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Tucson Shooting Survivors Lobby Lawmakers For Stricter Gun Laws

WASHINGTON – A dozen survivors of the January shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz., that severely wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) lobbied federal lawmakers Tuesday to broaden federal background checks on potential gun owners.

The effort marked the first time since the shooting, which killed six and wounded 13, including Giffords, that a large group of Tucson survivors have banded together to weigh in on the politically charged issue.

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Local Man Travels To Europe For Life-Saving Operation

Experimental Cancer Surgery Performed In Sweden

BALTIMORE -- Christopher Lyles is heading to Stockholm, Sweden for a groundbreaking surgery -- still considered experimental -- that is the only medical intervention that will help him.

The 30-year-old Harford County engineer has a cancerous tumor in his trachea. Lyles said radiation and chemotherapy helped shrink, but not eradicate, the tumor.

“They told me the tumor was too large. Every thoracic surgeon I went to told me it was too large to take out," he said.

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Customers Upset With Daily Times This Morning

Joe,

This mornings DT which is supposed to include inserts for Super Giant and Food Lion instead had inserts for Super Fresh in OC and Harris Teeter in Delaware. We called the paper and after ten minutes are still waiting for them to answer.

The Storage Center

Detectives Probe Millsboro Strong Arm Robbery

Location: Residence in the 26000 block of Autumn Road, Long Neck, Millsboro, DE

Date of Occurrence: Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 9:15 p.m.

Suspects:

-Black male (no further details)
-Black female (no further details)

Victim:

-60 year old Millsboro, DE man (resident)

Resume:
Millsboro, DE- Delaware State Police are currently investigating the strong arm robbery of a Millsboro, DE man that occurred at his residence yesterday evening.

The incident happened at approximately 9:15 p.m. last night as an unknown black male suspect knocked on the door of a residence located in the 26000 block of Autumn Road in Millsboro. After the 60 year old homeowner answered the door, the suspect asked if a second male subject was in the house. When the suspect was told that there was nobody there by the name he had asked for, the suspect asked the victim for a light. As the victim pulled a lighter out of his pocket, a bottle of prescription medication fell to the ground. The suspect and the victim then began to wrestle over the bottle of pills. It was at this point that a female suspect joined in the altercation and assisted the male suspect in taking control of the pill bottle. The suspects were then chased from the home by the victim and several of his friends who were inside at the time. The suspects then fled in a maroon colored sport utility vehicle, possibly a Chevrolet Trail Blazer or a Chevrolet Tahoe.

The male victim was slightly injured during the incident; however, he refused medical treatment.


The Delaware State Police are asking anyone who may have any information in reference to this incident to contact Detective Timothy Shockley at Troop 4 at 302-856-5850. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Pentagon Spending Cuts: Dangerous Or Just Overdue?

WASHINGTON (AP) - What are taxpayers supposed to think? The Pentagon says threatened budget cuts will invite aggression, endanger national security and devastate its operations.

Though that view has plenty of adherents, there also are plenty of naysayers who call the Defense Department's predictions a scare tactic by bureaucrats desperate to protect their turf.

"This is palpable nonsense ... the idea that somehow or another this is going to be Armageddon," said Lawrence Korb, a former assistant defense secretary who is a senior fellow at the left-leaning Center for American Progress.

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Missing Missouri Toddler Found Dead

AFFTON, Mo. - A small body found Tuesday near a St. Louis County cemetery is that of a 1-year-old boy reported missing hours earlier from his home, police said.

But the medical examiner who confirmed the body as that of Tyler Dasher did not immediately determine the cause of death, county police spokesman Rick Eckhard said. Police did not plan to release any more information until Wednesday morning.

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Once Upon A Facebook Relationship

Years ago, there was the class ring and the letterman jacket to signify you were in a relationship. Today, it's not unusual to see the entire course of a relationship play out over social media.

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I'll Buy You A Beer If You'll Sign My Petition, (LOL)

Former Director of Urban Salisbury and the Urban Salisbury Staff were present last night at MoJo's. Bruce Patterson was present with his pad in hand trying to get signatures for Laura Mitchell. Why is it I can picture this guy at a funeral with a pad in hand?

Art Show At Vernon Powell Building Today

MoJo's Is A Blast!

Little Brooke Mulford painted the above image for MoJo's. On the other side, their menu. Last night we took the time to hang out in Salisbury's newest Pub and the place was packed. Yes, we were their very first customers, which was kind of cool.

Nevertheless, we called in the troops to help support this soft opening and quite a few showed up, showing their support. The food was awesome and the beer was served with a frosted glass.

If you have the time, stop in and see the new digs. The prices can't be matched and the food is fantastic.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Change in Meeting Location

The Salisbury Zoo Commission’s November 16, 2011 meeting will be held in the Administration Building instead of the Education Building as originally scheduled. The meeting begins at noon.

IAEA Report is a New Step On The Road To The Next War: Against Iran

Iran is once again finding itself at the top of the agenda. Pressure is being stepped up on all of the parties involved. This is a new step on the road to the next war - this one against Iran.

These are the facts: first there was the Iranian plot to commit murder on American soil. It was a plot that was quickly debunked, but which still managed to stir up some controversy. Then there was the leak revealing that the British were preparing to lend military support to the U.S. in the event of an attack on Iran. The message: With the fight for Libya winding down, and with the sooner than expected exit from Afghanistan and the final pull-out from Iraq, Iran now finds itself at the top of the list of countries that need to be dealt with. This will also be concluded from the International Atomic Energy Agency report due to be released on Wednesday.

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Europe Bans X-Ray Body Scanners Used At U.S. Airports

The European Union on Monday prohibited the use of X-ray body scanners [1] in European airports, parting ways with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, which has deployed hundreds of the scanners as a way to screen millions of airline passengers for explosives hidden under clothing.

The European Commission, which enforces common policies of the EU's 27 member countries, adopted the rule “in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety.”

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Just How Much Can The State Restrict A Peaceful Protest?

As protests supporting Occupy Wall Street have swelled in recent weeks, hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested across the U.S. This weekend, nearly 100 people were arrested in New York [2] and 175 in Chicago [3]. More than 100 protesters [4] were arrested in Boston last week; a few weeks ago, 700 were arrested [5] on the Brooklyn Bridge.

So, if the First Amendment guarantees the right to peaceable assembly, why do peaceful protestors keep getting arrested — and sometimes pepper-sprayed and beaten up?

We take a closer look at the laws governing protests and how the government can limit them.

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OCEAN CITY POLICE GARNER TOP MARKSMANSHIP HONORS

Four Ocean City Police Department members won high honors for marksmanship during the 2011 Maryland State Police Pistol Combat competition in Frederick, Maryland. Team Captain Sgt. Mark L. Paddack, Cpl. Greg DeGiovanni, Pfc. Daniel Jacobs and Retired Lt. Mark Doyle received the honors.

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Today's Weather- 11/16/11

Salisbury,Maryland

Today

High
67°F

Precip
80%

Tonight

Overnight Low
45°F

Precip
70%

Weather Channel