Mexican Journalist On Drug Lords: "If They're Going To Kill You, They're Going To Kill You'

MIAMI – "If they're going to kill you, they're going to kill you," said Luz del Carmen Sosa, a reporter in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and mother of two, who spends most of her day running from one murder scene to another. "Even if you arrive surrounded by police, security escorts, whoever wants to hurt you will hurt you."

Just 20 miles from Ciudad Juarez, photojournalist Alejandro Hernández Pacheco did get hurt. On July 26, 2010, Hernandez was part of a TV news crew videotaping at a prison in the city of Gomez Palacio when he was kidnapped at gunpoint, along with two colleagues.

"They took us to a place that was covered with dried blood, with teeth and hair stuck to the walls," said Hernandez. He stopped himself from describing the room any further, saying it brings back terrifying memories.

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Proof That War Is Bad For The Economy

Stiglitz wrote [43] in 2003:

War is widely thought to be linked to economic good times. The second world war is often said to have brought the world out of depression, and war has since enhanced its reputation as a spur to economic growth. Some even suggest that capitalism needs wars, that without them, recession would always lurk on the horizon.

Today, we know that this is nonsense. The 1990s boom showed that peace is economically far better than war. The Gulf war of 1991 demonstrated that wars can actually be bad for an economy.

Stiglitz has also said that this decade’s Iraq war has been very bad for the economy. See this [44], this [45] and this [46].

Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan also said in that war is bad for the economy.
In 1991, Greenspan said that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East would hurt the economy [47].

And he made this point again [48] in 1999:

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Happy New Year! Iran War To Start On March 20th?

Iran Is Celebrating the New Year by Ditching the Dollar ... March 20th is a holiday in Iran. It is called NOWRUZ and it's the equivalent of New Year's Day. On the Iranian calendar it ties in with the vernal equinox (the first day of spring). The holiday's roots are based in the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism and it is considered the biggest holiday of the year in the country. Generally the Persian New Year is celebrated by a symbolic purging of the home and spiritual representation of creation and fertility. Families get together and traditional feasts are consumed. This year, though Iran is doing something a little different to celebrate the New Year and the result may be fireworks of a less than celebratory nature. This year Iran is changing it's policy for payment of oil. Iran will no longer accept the US dollar and will be looking for other currencies and commodities instead. – DaisyLutherblogspot.

Dominant Social Theme: Iran is simply out of control. A war would be justified.

Free-Market Analysis: Whoever Daisy Luther is, she (apparently a "she") writes good libertarian-oriented articles. The one we've excerpted, above, clearly states the case as to why Iran might be attacked.

The Iran Oil Bourse, as she points out, "has been actively seeking alternative currencies and commodities in trade for the oil produced there. The Bourse has directly approached Japan, Russia and China to negotiate payments in other currencies."

She also points out that at the same time, in 2005, "George Bush began imposing sanctions on Iran via EXECUTIVE ORDER 13382 - Blocking Property of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and Their Supporters."

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EAST WICOMICO LITTLE LEAGUE REGISTRATION

Ages 4-16
2012 registration will be held at EWLL, located in the board room at
Winterplace Park until try outs.
Registration dates for the 2012 Little League season will be as follows:
Time is Running Out
Saturday February 25th 10am-Noon
Wednesday Feb 29th 6pm-8pm
Scholarships are available!!
Leagues: 4/6 y/o, 7/8 y/o, Minor 9/10, Major 11/12, Junior 13/14,
Senior 15/16
Registration is for all leagues, ages 4-16. Age is determined as of April 30, 2012
East Wicomico Little League is for boys and girls 4-16 living in the following school districts, Beaver
Run, East Salisbury, Glen Avenue, and North Salisbury Home School
For more information call 410.430.8900 or 410.860.2221
www.eteamz.com/eastwicomicoll
www.facebook.com/EastWicomicoLittleLeague

I Tried To Open A Lemonade Stand

Want to open a business in America? It isn’t easy.

In Midway, Ga., a 14-year-old girl and her 10-year-old sister sold lemonade from their front yard. Two police officers bought some. But the next day, different officers ordered them to close their stand.

Their father went to city hall to try to find out why. The clerk laughed and said she didn’t know. Eventually, Police Chief Kelly Morningstar explained, “We were not aware of how the lemonade was made, who made the lemonade and of what the lemonade was made with.”

Give me a break. If she doesn’t know, so what? But kids trying their first experiment with entrepreneurship are being shut down all over America. Officials in Hazelwood, IllinoisIll., ordered little girls to stop selling Girl Scout cookies.

It made me want to try to jump through the legal hoops required to open a simple lemonade stand in New York City. Here’s some of what one has to do:

– Register as sole proprietor with the County Clerk’s Office (must be done in person)

– Apply to the IRS for an Employer Identification Number.

– Complete 15-hr Food Protection Course!

– After the course, register for an exam that takes 1 hour. You must score 70 percent to pass. (Sample question: “What toxins are associated with the puffer fish?”) If you pass, allow three to five weeks for delivery of Food Protection Certificate.

– Register for sales tax Certificate of Authority

– Apply for a Temporary Food Service Establishment Permit. Must bring copies of the previous documents and completed forms to the Consumer Affairs Licensing Center.

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Worst In Open Government

The Justice Department says it's knocking out chunks of its Freedom of Information Act requests backlog. Leaders there say the backlog for initial requests fell by 26 percent in 2011. And the number of pending administrative appeals fell by 41 percent. Still, critics say the department is too secretive. Earlier this month, Justice won the National Security Archive's Rosemary Award for the worst in open government

USPS May Close 200 Processing Centers

The Postal Service might close more than 200 processing centers in a bid to save money. The agency has finished a five-month review of facilities. Leaders there say the plan could mean cutting 35,000 positions, even though some employees might be reassigned. The plan is part of a bigger effort to help the struggling Postal Service save $20 billion over the next three years. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill agree something needs to be done, but they disagree on exactly what. The closure plan is pending proposed revisions to agency service standards.

WikiLeaks Suspect Manning Defers Plea, Court-Martial Begins

Reuters) - U.S. Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning, accused of the largest leak of classified documents in U.S. history, deferred a plea in a military court arraignment on Thursday, marking the first step in a court-martial that could land him in prison for life.

In Thursday's procedure, Manning, 24, was formally charged with 22 counts including aiding the enemy, wrongfully causing intelligence to be published on the Internet and theft of public property. Military prosecutors say Manning downloaded more than 700,000 classified or confidential documents and transferred thousands to WikiLeaks, which promotes leaking government and corporate information.

Manning's plea deferral allows his defense team time to strategize and see the outcome of several motions to be heard before the trial begins, which could be as late as August.

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Live Like An Astronaut

NASA will pay you to live and eat like an astronaut for four months. The space agency is recruiting volunteers to test their tastebuds during a simulated trip to the red planet, reports Forbes. Volunteers will live in a confined space with nothing but packets of astronaut food to eat for four months. The study wants to see whether people can avoid menu fatigue. When that happens, researchers say astronauts eat less and lose body mass, endangering the mission. To qualify for the study you must have a degree in the math or sciences, be a non-smoker and speak English. At the end of the study participants get cooking lessons, a trip to Hawaii and $5,000.

Power Lines Out In Dorchester County

Almost a 3 mile stretch of power lines and poles down in Dorchester County on Rt 331 between north Dorchester High School and Hurlock. There are at least a dozen and a half Delmarva Power vehicles on the scene now working on it.

Former States Attorney Davis Ruark Moving To New Mexico

As found on FB: Davis Ruark It's not yet Monday, but it's time to let all know that I was offered and I've accepted a position as Senior Assistant District Attorney/Experienced Trial Attorney in the 5th Judicial District in New Mexico. They are in need of an experienced prosecutor to handle murder and other serious cases, and I'm anxious to represent the people again in serious cases. The Eastern Shore of Maryland will always be my home, but the offer I received was a great one and the adventure will be exceptional. I will always stay in touch with all. Please stay in touch with me. They need me out there quickly, and I plan to be there quickly to help them out and focus on a new career. Thank you all for your friendship!

USPS Closings Plan to Eliminate Up To 35,000 Jobs

(Reuters) - The U.S. Postal Service announced plans on Thursday to close or consolidate 223 mail processing centers and eliminate up to 35,000 jobs as part of its strategy to cut costs by reducing its network of facilities.

The Postal Service has been losing billions of dollars each year as email chips away at mail volumes and as it faces massive annual payments to the federal government.

Postal officials said in September they would study more than 250 of the 461 processing sites for possible consolidation with other facilities as part of a series of cost-cutting steps. They also announced plans to end next-day delivery to cut back on overnight work.

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If You Have These Symptoms, You May Be Having A Heart Attack

Some people who suffer heart attacks — especially young women — don't realize what's happening because they think they're safe from the deadly ailment and the symptoms aren't what they expected. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, some women tend not to recognize heart attacks because they weren't accompanied by chest pain.

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Maryland State Police host 'Blessing of the Badge'

PIKESVILLE, Md. (AP) - Maryland State Police are hosting a "Blessing of the Badge" ceremony to recognize the courage and dedication of emergency service workers around the world.

The annual breakfast event at the Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company on Friday is presented by the Maryland Chapter of NOBLE, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

At least 15 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and two fire companies will be represented at the event.

Hidden Costs Of Being A Bridesmaid

Maybe the phrase "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride" is less a lament of singledom and more of a complaint about being forced by a succession of friends to make unreasonable financial sacrifices in the name of their big day. Women who are asked to be bridesmaids are forced through a gauntlet of brutal financial and time commitments, and should bear those costs in mind before accepting a request from a bride-to-be.

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2 Baltimore Attorneys Sue Facebook

Two renowned Baltimore plaintiffs’ attorneys have filed a class-action lawsuit against Facebook Inc., claiming that the world’s most popular social networking website has violated federal and California laws designed to protect the privacy of consumers.

William H. “Billy” Murphy Jr. and Peter G. Angelos allege Facebook has surreptitiously used online tracking technology, or “cookies,” to keep tabs on its registered users’ activities, even when they have logged off of the website. Using this technology, Facebook has been able to see what other websites its members visit, Murphy and Angelos claim in the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Northern California at San Jose

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White House Pushing For Companies To Adopt Online Privacy Bill Of Rights

The Obama administration is laying out a voluntary list of guidelines for Internet companies in an attempt to protect consumers' privacy while they're cruising around the Web. But before you get too excited, this online privacy bill of rights is just a polite suggestion, and not an actual piece of legislation.

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Gay Dallas Judge Won't Perform Marriages

Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker says she won't perform marriage ceremonies until gay couples can wed.

During a Feb. 21 meeting, Parker told the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas that while she has the power to perform legal marriage ceremonies in her court, she will not.

“I use it as my opportunity to give them a lesson about marriage inequality in this state because I feel like I have to tell them why I’m turning them away,” Parker said. “So I usually will offer them something along the lines of, ‘I’m sorry. I don’t perform marriage ceremonies because we are in a state that does not have marriage equality, and until it does, I am not going to partially apply the law to one group of people that doesn’t apply to another group of people.’ And it’s kind of oxymoronic for me to perform ceremonies that can’t be performed for me, so I’m not going to do it."

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Beware Of Identity Thieves Filing Fraudulent Tax Returns To Steal Your Refund

So you finally drag yourself to your desk/computer/accountant and get your taxes done. Good job. Now wouldn't it just totally stink if you found out someone had already filed a tax return using your information, and that they'd snagged whatever refund you had coming to you? Yes, it would, which is why the Internal Revenue Service is warning people of just such a scam.

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IRS Still Experiencing Delays In Sending Tax Refunds

Tax preparers said Thursday that the Internal Revenue Service is continuing to have delays in sending federal tax refunds this year, with hundreds of South Floridians complaining they still haven't gotten their check.

"Our phone is ringing off the hook with people saying they should have their refund by now," said Mark Daly, franchise owner of several Jackson-Hewitt Tax Service outlets in South Florida.

"There's no rhyme or reason why some returns are being quickly processed and others not," Daly added. "We've had hundreds and hundreds of complaints."

"The IRS is experiencing delays this year in sending refunds," said H&R spokesman Gene King in a statement sent Thursday to the Sun Sentinel. "Based on current IRS guidance, most refunds are now issued from the IRS in 10 to 21 days."

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