Salisbury News

Monday, November 12, 2012

Evidence Shows Power Of East Coast Earthquakes

Earthquake shaking in the eastern United States can travel much farther and cause damage over larger areas than previously thought.

U.S. Geological Survey scientists found that last year's magnitude-5.8 earthquake in Virginia triggered landslides at distances four times farther -- and over an area 20 times larger -- than previous research has shown.

"We used landslides as an example and direct physical evidence to see how far-reaching shaking from East Coast earthquakes could be," said Randall Jibson, USGS scientist and lead author of this study. "Not every earthquake will trigger landslides, but we can use landslide distributions to estimate characteristics of earthquake energy and how far regional ground shaking could occur."

Iran Warns U.S. Over Drone Incident

Iran issued a bellicose warning to the U.S. over the weekend, after American officials disclosed last week that the Islamic republic had tried to shoot down a U.S. drone in international airspace near the Iranian coast on Nov. 1.

“Yes, we opened fire, and it was with warning shots. If they do it again, they can expect an even stronger response,” said Gen. Amir-Ali Hadjizadeh, adding that the drone entered Iranian airspace and “had to turn around because of the immediate reaction by fighters of the Revolutionary Guards.”

The Pentagon disclosed Thursday that two Iranian SU-25 “Frogfoot” fighter jets had fired multiple rounds at an unarmed, unmanned U.S. Predator drone that was flying in international airspace 16 nautical miles off the coast of Iran.

Rising Muslim American Leader In D.C. Speaks For His Generation

Within the span of about a week recently, Haris Tarin spoke at a Washington panel on how the next U.S. president can combat violent Islamic extremism, delivered a guest sermon for Eid in Alexandria, launched an ad campaign on District buses calling for religious tolerance, and hosted an election night party and discussion in Great Falls.

Tarin, the full-time Washington representative of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), seems to be everywhere at once. Yet he also walks a tightrope between American critics who see his group as a diplomatic front for radical Islamists and conservative fellow Muslims who fear it is going too far to accommodate American values, security needs or misperceptions about their faith.

Pot-enomics: The Birth Of The Legal Weed Industry

These are high times in America for recreational marijuana users. On Tuesday night, two states – Colorado and Washington – passed historic measures to legalize using and selling small amounts of pot, effectively challenging the federal law that classifies the drug as an illegal narcotic.

In Colorado, adults 21 and older will now be able to legally buy and possess up to one ounce of cannabis and grow as many as six plants. In Washington, the measure authorized the state liquor control board to regulate and tax the drug.

Baltimore County Police originally reported a that man was assaulted with a hammer in a gang-related incident and taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but the course of their investigation has revealed new details.

According to Corporal John Wachter, spokesperson for the Baltimore County Police Department, officers responded to calls of a fight Sunday afternoon at the North Point Flea Market.

Police now report that a man was hit with a "rubber mallet" in his upper body during the fight.

"He was taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries," said Wachter.

The Coming Boom

Our collective record of predicting what the economy will do next is dreadful. Twelve years ago, few worried about terrorism, many worried about Y2K, and the thought of zero percent interest rates was preposterous. Not a single person knows what the future holds, and so what I'm about to write isn't so much a prediction, but an observation of potential.

After five years of collapse and stagnation, we could be on the cusp of a new economic boom. Not like the mid-1980s or late 1990s, mind you. But the odds that the next five years will be markedly better than the last five years are good, and growing better by the day.

The new boom will be driven by three things: A rebound in housing construction, the rise in domestic energy production, and the end of consumer debt deleveraging.

Start with housing. From 2002 to 2007, a net average of 1.3 million American households were created every year. During that time, almost 2 million new homes were built annually. Today, it's the other way around. In the last year, 1.1 million new households were formed; but, just 700,000 new homes were built.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Want to see how quickly the look and business model of American public universities are changing? Visit a place like Indiana University. Five years ago, there were 87 undergraduates from China on its idyllic campus in Bloomington. This year: 2,224.

New figures out Monday show international enrollment at U.S. colleges and universities grew nearly 6 percent last year, driven by a 23-percent increase from China, even as total enrollment was leveling out. But perhaps more revealing is where much of the growth is concentrated: big, public land-grant colleges, notably in the Midwest in an era of diminished state support.

Of the 25 campuses with the most international students, a dozen have increased international enrollment more than 40 percent in just five years, according to data collected by the Institute of International Education. All but one are public, and a striking number come from the Big Ten: Indiana, Purdue, Michigan State, Ohio State, Minnesota and Illinois. Indiana’s international enrollment now surpasses 6,000, or about 15 percent of the student body.

President Obama Is The Second FDR, Not The Second Carter

I’ve thought a lot over the last few years about the axiom, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes” (often attributed, though not definitively, to Mark Twain). The question to me was whether the presidency of Barack Obama would “rhyme” with that of Jimmy Carter or Franklin Roosevelt. Given Tuesday’s election results, FDR is the more apt precedent.

For a while, it appeared that the 2012 presidential election would parallel the 1980 election between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Like today, in 1980 the economy—and particularly the job market—had been sluggish for years. Then, as now, there was an uneasy sense of American decline on the world stage. Under Carter, the Soviets seemed in the ascendancy; today, militant Islam poses the greatest challenge to our interests. In both cases, the first-term Democratic incumbent seemed tentative and constitutionally incapable of admitting that “the other side” was ruthlessly aggressive and expansionist—a true threat to individual rights and international peace. Carter pulled the rug out from under the Shah and in effect surrendered Iran to control of the mullahs; Obama did essentially the same to Mubarak and left Egypt to the tender mercies of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The now-faded blue gingham dress Judy Garland wore in "The Wizard of Oz" has sold for $480,000.

Auction house Julien's Auctions says the pinafore fetched the highest price of any item during a two-day auction of Hollywood memorabilia that attracted bids from around the world. The auction ended Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Steve McQueen's racing jacket sold for $50,000, as did a purple skirt worn by Marilyn Monroe while filming "River of No Return" in Canada. Julie Andrews' "Sound of Music dress" brought $38,400.

Thousands Of Banks May Disappear

FORTUNE -- Do we need to worry about Too Small to Survive?

Now that President Obama has been re-elected, analysts, consultants and dealmakers have turned from whether Dodd-Frank will be repealed to what it means for banks now that it's likely here to stay. The overwhelming conclusion: Thousands of small banks will soon disappear.

Emmett Daly, a Sandler O'Neill dealmaker who specializes in small banks, predicted at an industry conference put on by Mergermarket on Thursday that the number of banks in the U.S. would shrink to a few hundred. There are currently more than 7,000. Bill Egan, head of financial institutions investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, agreed, but said the weeding out process was likely to take more than a decade.

DNREC Fish & Wildlife Enforcement Blotter Oct. 31-Nov. 7

DOVER (Nov. 9, 2012) – To achieve public compliance through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife Enforcement agents responded to 40 complaints and issued 20 citations between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7. Incidents of note included:

· On Nov. 2, Enforcement agents charged Jeremy K. Colston, 18, of Hebron, Md., with disposal of solid waste at an unapproved location, dumping on a state wildlife area and entering a state wildlife area after hours in connection with an incident in which 35 bags of trash, boxes and loose items were dumped at the Nanticoke Wildlife Area near Bethel. Colston pled guilty to the charges in Justice of the Peace Court 3 in Georgetown and was ordered to pay $765 in fines and court cost, as well as cleaning up the trash and providing a receipt as proof that the trash had been disposed of properly.

Citations issued by violation type included the following, with the number of charges in parentheses:

Wildlife Conservation: Possession of prohibited lead shot while hunting migratory waterfowl (3), and waterfowl hunting without required state stamp (2), New Castle and Kent counties; operating a motor vehicle off an established roadway in a state wildlife area (1), and damaging state property (1), New Castle County; hunting without a license (1), hunting migratory waterfowl without required federal stamp (1), hunting migratory waterfowl without a Harvest Information Program (H.I.P.) number (1), dog training in a prohibited area* (1), Kent County; disposal of solid waste at an unapproved location (1), dumping on a state wildlife area (1), and entering a state wildlife area after hours (1), Sussex County.

*Dog training in some state wildlife areas is prohibited for safety reasons when the area is open to hunting. Please check rules and regulations for each wildlife area as pertain to their use for outdoor recreation.

Boating Safety: Negligent operation of a vessel (1), unregistered motor vessel (1), and operating a vessel without required navigation lights (2), New Castle County.

Public Safety: No trailer lights (1), New Castle County.

Other: Unregistered motor vehicle (1), New Castle County.

Are you AWARE?

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Section reminds deer hunters who do their own butchering that processed deer carcasses are considered household waste and should be properly bagged and disposed of in their regular trash. Deer carcasses shouldnot be dumped along roadways.

Also, the Enforcement Section is sharing details below from a recent incident that illustrates last week’s winter hunting/boating safety tips: On Nov. 2, two duck hunters were rescued from a remote pond on the C&D Canal Wildlife Area after their small aluminum boat capsized. The pair made their way to shore, but became lost in the marsh. Delaware State Police airlifted them to Christiana Medical Center, where they were treated for hypothermia and released. Enforcement’s investigation indicated that the two hunters and their equipment considerably exceeded the weight capacity of their small vessel. The vessel’s owner was cited for negligent operation of a vessel, operation of an unregistered motor vessel, and hunting migratory waterfowl with lead shot.

Citizens are encouraged to report fish and wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Section by calling 302-739-4580.

Criminal Justice Council To Hold First Of Four Public Hearings

WILMINGTON – The Delaware Criminal Justice Council will hold the first of its four annual public hearings on Tuesday, November 13, at Canaan Baptist Church in New Castle. The purpose of these hearings is to give the public an opportunity to present its views on public safety and criminal justice issues to the Criminal Justice Council.

Canaan Baptist Church is located at 3011 New Castle Avenue in New Castle. The other three hearings will be held later this year in the City of Wilmington, Kent County, and Sussex County.

Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn, the chair of the Criminal Justice Council, began holding the Council’s public hearings in neighborhoods affected by crime rather than in traditional state government buildings when he took over as CJC chair.

The Criminal Justice Council is an independent council that is responsible for allocating federal criminal justice funds that come into Delaware and making recommendations for improvements in Delaware’s criminal justice system.

Today's Fill In The Blank 11-12-12

The best decision I ever made was _____.

Karl Rove Has A Lot Of Splaining To Do

The world watched on Tuesday night as Rove desperately tried to deny the math showing President Obama won re-election. That's because he knows he'll have to answer to the millionaires and billionaires he took $300 million from, and to whom he guaranteed a victory for Romney. Rove continued his "explanation tour" in a recently published op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, blaming Obama's re-election on everything from Hurricane Sandy, to New York Times editors, to hotel employees who may have filmed Romney's infamous 47% comments. The one person he didn't blame in the op-ed was himself. Rove thought he could buy the election this year, but, ultimately, organized people overcame organized money. We should all be proud of this – AND acknowledge that when election time comes around again – Rove and the oligarchs will try even harder and spend even more to win one for the billionaires. Which is why we should amend the Constitution to reverse Citizens United. Movetoamend.org.

Good Day And Bad Day

According to new election spending data – Tuesday was a good day for women's rights and a bad day for guns. The Sunlight Foundation is reporting that Planned Parenthood political organizations spent 98% of their money this election cycle on winning candidates. On the other hand, NRA political organizations spent just 1% of their money on winning candidates. However, it's not all bad news for the NRA. With another four years of the Obama presidency, right-wing crazies claiming guns will be confiscated will spur a lot more gun sales. Already, gun manufacturers like Smith and Wesson are seeing their stocks soar. On Wednesday, Smith and Wesson saw it's stock shoot up 9.6% - it's biggest gain since early September. Ironically, in reality, President Obama has expanded gun rights during his first-term in office.

Foxconn Coming To America?

There are reports that the notorious manufacturing company Foxconn, known for abusing workers to produce Apple products in China and Taiwan, is looking to open up factories in the United States. At Foxconn factories overseas, workers endure 12-hour shifts in atrocious factory conditions and are forced to live in crowded dorms with fellow co-workers. Workers routinely fall ill from chemicals, and 17 workers have killed themselves over the past five years. Nets are installed around the factory to catch people who jump out of the windows and off the roof. And now Foxconn may be coming to the United States where Americans are desperate for jobs. While we do have better labor standards than developing nations, Republicans are working to scrap protections for workers, and have declared everything from workplace safety laws to minimum wage laws unconstitutional. If they get their way, then America will be the new home to sweatshop labor.

Today's Advertiser Of The Day 11-12-12

Lost Dog 11-12-12: UPDATE

Hi Joe,

I have heard that you are able to help people find their lost dogs. I have lost my daughter's 5 pound Maltese known as Bella. She escaped around 7 pm Sunday night. She was last seen at the corner of Foxchase Drive and Union Church Road around 9 pm last night. Bella does have a chip. Please call, 410-726-4419 or 410-742-1539

Attention