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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Salisbury News Experiences Its Own Earthquake Today

Thanks to ALL of you for visiting Salisbury News today. We have experienced yet another record breaking day.

Salisbury News was the first source to post information that we were experiencing an earthquake. It didn't take long for Google, (and others) to pick up on our breaking news and hits came in from all over.

Thanks for visiting.

Troopers Investigate Police Impersonation Incident

Location: Foulk Road at US Rt. 202, Wilmington, DE
 
Date of Occurrence:   Monday, August 22, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.
 
Suspect: White male, 35-40 years of age, 5’10”-6’00” tall, 180-200 lbs, with an average build and blonde hair. He was last seen wearing dark blue pants, and a light blue shirt with dark lapels, and was operating a 2009 green Kia hatchback with a Delaware registration.
 
Victim: 
 
-56 year old Aston, PA man
 
Resume
Wilmington- The Delaware State Police are looking for a male who impersonated a police officer early yesterday evening in Wilmington.
 
The incident occurred at approximately 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 22, as a 56 year old Pennsylvania man was operating his vehicle on southbound Foulk Road approaching the intersection of Rt. 202 in Wilmington. The victim advised troopers that as he was driving, his vehicle was almost struck from behind by a subject who was operating a green Kia hatchback. A male subject, who was operating the Kia, then exited his car and approached the victim after they had stopped for a red light at Foulk Road and Rt. 202. The subject, who was dressed in what appeared to be a police uniform, began yelling and cursing at the victim and demanded the victim’s operator’s license. The victim turned over his operator’s license and was then told by the subject to follow him to his police station. The subject then drove off with the victim following him as he was ordered to do. The victim followed the subject to I-95 in the area of the Christiana Mall exit in Newark, where he then lost sight of him. The victim then returned home and contacted 9-1-1. 
 
Troopers are asking anyone who may have any information in reference to this incident to contact Troop 1 at 302-761-6677 ext. 0.  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.
 
The Delaware State Police would like to remind the public that if you are ever approached by someone claiming to be a police officer but you are unsure, ask for identification. Do not assume that if the subject is dressed in a uniform that they are actually police officers. If you are still unsure, roll up your window, lock your doors, and contact 9-1-1 to confirm the subject’s identity.

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY AND LT. GOVERNOR BROWN TO ANNOUNCE SECOND YEAR OF IMPROVEMENT IN MARYLAND’S INFANT MORTALITY RATE

ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 23, 2011) – TOMORROW, Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown will join Baltimore City Mayor Rawlings-Blake and other state and local officials to announce the State’s 2010 infant mortality rate. The new data demonstrate a second year of decline in infant deaths and a new milestone for Maryland.

Infant mortality is a critically important indicator of the overall health of a population over a period of years but year to year variability is common. Maryland’s infant mortality rate has been above the national average. Reducing infant mortality is one of the strategic goals set for the State by the O’Malley-Brown Administration.


WHAT:            Governor O’Malley, Lt. Governor Brown to announce 2010 decrease in Maryland infant
 mortality rate
WHEN:            TOMORROW, Tuesday, August 24, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE:          University of Maryland School of Social Work
                          Atrium
                          525 W. Redwood Street
                          Baltimore, MD

Police Find Colorado Girl Who Allegedly Staged Her Abduction


Authorities say they have found a 15-year-old Colorado girl who allegedly ran away and tried to make her disappearance look like a kidnapping.

Police in the Denver suburb of Aurora said an officer spotted Jasmine Fike outside a fast-food restaurant in Aurora Monday morning and arrested her.
Police said she didn't require medical attention and is being held at a juvenile jail.

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I Warned You About The National Infrastructure Bank

Now a long-time D.C. insider has tipped me off as to how the banksters plan to squeeze the next phase of the budget deal for their own benefit. This insider writes to me:

What hat trick do the “banksters” try next? IMHO, they love to hide their best and biggest tricks in plain sight.

It’s the “national infrastructure bank.” Leading Democrats on the Hill are teeing up a national infrastructure bank to be incorporated into the next budget deal. As an example, Chuck Schumer is proposing using the proceeds from a new, one-year repatriation tax to fund the start up costs of such a national infrastructure bank
Bottom line, the banksters have a key man in place to guide the next budget deal and turn it into a bankster feast. Expect the result to be the National Infrastructure Bank, which will act something like a domestic version of the IMF/World Bank. It will be initially financed via bankster money raising deals (where they will earn huge fees). The actual building of the infrastructure will be done by Obama's union cronies. To make it all work, you, as an average Joe Citizen will play a key role, designed by the National Iinfrastructure Bank, by paying tolls and fees for the use of these government granted monopoly projects.
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Obama Approval Rating Drops To New All Time Low

Following Obama's departure for a much needed vacation the day the market had its most recent 400+ point drop, it was somewhat expected that that the general public will not be too happy with the president. Sure enough, according to Gallup [3]which traditionally has the most representative polls (in this case 1500 random strangers, +/- 3% margin of error) the president's approval rating has just taken out last week's record low of 39% and was at 38% in the past few days. Obviously those disapproving hit an all time high of 54%. We are confident that Obama is well aware of this disturbing trend in popular opinion. What we have no clue about is what he will do to reverse it.

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The Bankster Plan To Scam Obama's Infrastructure Bank

The WSJ Political Diary is reporting on Obama's coming infrastructure push after Labor Day:
President Obama is ginning up an autumn marketing push to persuade Congress to approve new infrastructure spending. But this latest effort at Keynesian stimulus may be even less successful than its 2009 predecessor. That's because the same factors preventing earlier projects from being "shovel-ready" remain, while new funding terms will make big digs less attractive to state and local governments.
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Former Goldman Managing Director: There's A Real Possibility Blankfein Will Do Time

Former Goldman Sachs managing director Nomi Prins considers the news that Lloyd Blankfein has hired a lawyer who  has represented former Enron chief accounting officer Richard Causey (who pleaded out), former Rite Aid vice chairman and chief counsel Franklin Brown (found guilty by a jury on 10 counts of conspiring to falsely inflate his company’s value), and former WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers (convicted on nine felony counts by a jury) and concludes:
You could look at Blankfein hiring external counsel as a normal prudent, legal move. But that’s naive, given the attorney he selected. Hiring a major criminal-defense lawyer is about more than the fear of a $550 million SEC wrist slap for bad documentation in the Abacus CDO. It’s about the real possibility of doing time.
Prins speculation may be a bit ahead of the facts that are public, but Blankfein looks more and more like he may become the poster boy of bankster evil. The hoosegow for Blankfein can not be ruled out. That said, bankster operations will continue unimpeded.

Blankfein would be nothing but a sacrificial lamb.

Source

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON TODAY’S EARTHQUAKE

ANNAPOLIS, MD (August 23, 2011) – Governor Martin O’Malley today released this statement following the reported 5.9 magnitude earthquake this afternoon:

“The earthquake this afternoon was an extremely unusual occurrence for us here on the East Coast.  I have been briefed by members of my cabinet and public safety officials on the status of state facilities and operations. Presently, there are no reports of significant damage or incidents and we will continue to monitor the situation closely, particularly over the next 24 to 48 hours.  We will be paying close attention to our utilities for problems with water mains or gas lines that may not be present immediately following an earthquake. 

“Of course, when the earthquake first hit, our thoughts immediately turned to the safety of our loved ones.  I encourage everyone to check on their family members, friends and neighbors; particularly the elderly to make sure everyone is safe.”

Making Believers While Wasting No Time

This just in from Delmar. As I was passing this Church the Pastor was putting the final words on their sign.

Extreme Makeover Photo Taken Today

Mom Convicted Of Child Abuse In Hot Sauce Case

Prosecutors say she made tape in a calculated move to get on 'Dr. Phil' TV show

An Alaska woman has been convicted of misdemeanor child abuse after squirting hot sauce into the mouth of her adopted Russian son as punishment in what prosecutors said was a calculated move to get on the "Dr. Phil" TV show.

New Jersey Doctor Accused of Poking Girl With Screwdriver

NEWARK, N.J.-- New Jersey regulators have suspended the license of a northern New Jersey physician accused of poking a 13-year-old child more than 100 times with a screwdriver, causing bruises and small cuts.


The state Board of Medical Examiners announced the action Monday against Dr. Sylvia Lee of Emerson, an allergist who practiced in Old Bridge.


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Marriage's 'Dark Side': Spouses Catch Each Other's Bad Behavior

Couples in long-term committed relationships can wreck each other's health

As any single person with married friends can testify, their constant patter about how great marriage is for just about everything (Your heart! Your mood! Your life expectancy !) can be a little annoying. Research supports those pitying glances they shoot in your direction when you defend your singleness; long-term committed relationships like marriage really are good for your health. But, still.

That's all the more reason to embrace University of Cincinnati sociologist Corinne Reczek, who believes that research “has failed to look at the dark side” of coupledom.

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5.9 Earthquake Hits Northern Virginia, Felt As Far Away As Massachusetts


An earthquake rocked Downtown Salisbury just moments ago. Buildings were evacuated and many people I spoke with said their light fixtures were shaking from side to side, blinds were rocking back and forth and my cell phone went off the hook from visitors as far as Washington, DC, Virginia and Caroline County.

We have provided a scale to show where the biggest impact was. Share YOUR experience with Salisbury News.

The largest earthquake we have ever had in the past, (since they started keeping records) was 2.8.

New Posts to fall below this one.


UPDATE: Salisbury News has learned there has only been one call to the Salisbury Fire Department referencing structural damage to the Health Department Building Downtown.

UPDATE #2: Here's what's most interesting about this earthquake that you're not hearing about elsewhere. Get this.....

Most earthquakes recently have been anywhere from 1 mile to 44 miles below the surface. This earthquake today was only 500 FEET below the surface! There are parts of the Chesapeake Bay deeper than that!!!! The quake was felt from Canada to North Carolina.

Our information comes from the USGS android application.

Update #3: At 2:46pm Virginia felt an after shock of 2.8. This was only 500ft below the surface.

Boy Does Lloyd Blankfein Wish He Had Attended Obama's Sitdown In D.C., Instead Of Calling A Fog Audible

The passive-aggressive President appears to still be upset at Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein for failing to show at a President Obama called sit-down in D.C. because of fog, even though JPMorgan's  Jamie Dimon showed at the sit-down by flying in the night before.

Now, this report from Reuters:
Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein has hired high-profile Washington defense attorney Reid Weingarten, according to a government source, as the Justice Department continues to investigate the bank.
Yikes, you don't hire Weingarten to get you out of a speeding ticket. Blankfein is sweating.

Source

Woman Charged With Attempted Murder Of Baby Boy

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Police in Orange, California, have charged a woman with one count of attempted murder for allegedly throwing a seven-month-old baby boy from a children's hospital parking garage Monday night, according to a statement from local authorities.

The infant, who was rushed to a trauma center, remains in critical condition, police said.Sonia Hermosillo, 31, was detained shortly after the incident and remains in custody, Orange police said in a statement Tuesday. No bail has been set, authorities said.

OCEAN CITY POLICE ARREST TWO MEN FOR BURGLARY



On August 11, 2011, at approximately 4 a.m., an Ocean City Police bike patrol officer observed two males in the area of 8th Street and Wilmington Lane acting suspiciously. The officer continued to watch the males and followed them to a residence located in the area of 9th Street and Philadelphia Avenue where the officer observed the males enter and quickly exit a residence. The officer, believing the activity to be very suspicious, stopped the two near the residence. The officer discovered the males to be in possession of several video game discs, which they had not previously been in possession of.

OCPD officers suspected that the two males identified as Dashawn Andre Blake, Jr. 20, of Snow Hill, MD and Rodney Russell Fisher, Jr. 22 of Princess Anne, MD, may have stolen the video games from the residence. During the on-scene investigation the OCPD was contacted by the residents of 902 and 904 Philadelphia Avenue, in reference to burglary complaints. Officers determined that these addresses were in the area Blake and Fisher were observed by police going into and quickly leaving from.

The victims reported numerous items of property stolen from their residences including; two lap top computers, 50 video games, Sony PS3 video gaming system, Samsung flat screen television and an IPAD computer. Based on all the evidence and information obtained during the investigation police arrested Blake and Fisher for 1st Degree Burglary.

Blake and Fisher have been charged with the following:
3 counts - 1st Degree Burglary (felony)
3 counts – Theft over $1,000 under $10,000 (felony)
4 counts – Theft under $1,000 (misdemeanor)

Blake and Fisher were seen by an Ocean City District Court Commissioner and were each held on $50,000 bond. Blake and Fisher were transferred to the Worcester County Jail.

Police are continuing to investigate this crime and are attempting to recover several items of stolen property.

Currently the only items recovered by police were the video game discs. Police are asking anyone with information about these burglaries or the stolen property to contact the Ocean City Police Criminal Investigation Division at: 410-723-6604; you do not have to leave your name.

Dallas Man Charged With Drowning 2 Young Sons

(AP)
DALLAS - A Dallas man accused of drowning his two young sons Monday after abducting them while they were walking to school with their mother was being held on capital murder charges, authorities said.
Naim Muhammad, 32, was held on $2 million bond Monday evening in Dallas County Jail on two counts of capital murder. Online jail records didn't indicate if he has an attorney.
Police identified the boys as 5-year-old Naim and 3-year-old Elijah. They have their father's last name, but police have spelled it differently than court and jail records.
A police report said the 32-year-old Muhammad forced his 3- and 5-year-old sons and their mother into his vehicle Monday morning by threatening her with a brick.

Feds Nix Proposal To Ban Food Stamps For Sodas

(CBS/AP) Are food stamps contributing to America's obesity epidemic? Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City seems to think so - so he proposed a plan to stop people from using the stamps to purchase sugary soft drinks, teas, and sport drinks.

But the Big Apple's top health cop got busted.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture rejected the proposal, saying it would be too big and complicated to implement. In addition, the department had concerns over its "potential viability and effectiveness."

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Has The Tea Party’s Power Peaked?

Host to one of the purest strains of conservatism in the nation (ranked only behind Mississippi and Wyoming by Gallup), Utah is the perfect Tea Party test tube. Its primary system, which relies on a nominating convention where party delegates get a say before candidates go to a popular vote, distills the purest form of activist sentiment.

The state was the site of the first Republican incumbent defeat in 2010, when the brewsters toppled three-term Senator Bob Bennett, a watershed moment in an election cycle that saw not only Mike Lee claim victory over the establishment, but Rand Paul, Sharron Angle, Christine O’Donnell, Carl Paladino, Ken Buck and Joe Miller as well. Utah was ground zero for the whole thing. But on Monday, something surprising happened.

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Public To Get First Glimpse Of King Memorial

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tourists and Washingtonians were about to get their first up-close look Monday at the memorial to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

The site was set to open without fanfare around 11 a.m. to kick off a week of celebrations ahead of Sunday's official dedication.

The memorial sits on the National Mall near the Tidal Basin, between memorials honoring Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. It includes a 30-foot-tall sculpture of King and a 450-foot-long granite wall inscribed with 14 quotations from the civil rights leader.

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White House Set To Ax Hundreds Of Regs

(VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass.) — The White House is revealing plans to save businesses $10 billion by scrapping hundreds of government regulations found to be outdated, unfair or unnecessary.


Administration officials say the savings will be realized over a five-year period. The plan was described Tuesday by Cass Sunstein, administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, in a column in the Wall Street Journal in advance of a formal announcement as President Barack Obama vacations at Martha's Vineyard, Mass.


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Two Nuclear Reactors Taken Offline Near Quake Site In Virginia

DEVELOPING:  An unusually strong magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Virginia Tuesday afternoon, sending tremors along the East Coast of the United States.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was a half a mile deep and struck near Mineral, Va., a city in central Virginia about 83 miles from Washington, D.C. The area is known for its seismic activity, but does not generally produce large earthquakes.

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A Nice Getaway

Each year I am able to break away from Salisbury News and take a mini vacation. Last week we did just that.

This go around we took 4 days to visit Family in Virginia Beach and two long days at Bush Gardens.

I have to be truthful. I haven't been to Bush Gardens for more than 30 years, so I knew it would be a good time. Talk about a complete turn around, (ride wise). There wasn't a single ride I/we didn't enjoy. Rides have become far more comfortable and the thrill of the new rides far exceeds amusement rides of the past.

The image above was taken on the Bay Bridge Tunnel. No other vacation pictures will be posted, I'm sure you know why.

The Relevancy Of Ron Paul vs. The Coming Irrelevancy Of The Status-Quo

On the heels of the Ames Straw Poll results, we find the media doing almost exactly that which Neil Cavuto proposed as a hypothetical situation during his interview with Dr. Paul from the Straw Poll grounds. Namely – what if you do well, and no one reports it? As expected by everyone with even a partial brain, Ron Paul did fantastically well in the Straw Poll. His message of individual liberty, sound money and free trade with all – minus the financial and military entanglements that have helped bring us to the brink of ruin – is resounding so strongly with people everywhere that the two candidates best thought by many to represent the popular freedom message, were able to capture over 9000 votes between them. That they did so in the very heartland of America is an implacable declaration of what people are looking for in their next president. Granted, Ms. Bachman can’t really pass muster as a liberty candidate in most of her actions and votes, but she initially sounds good trying and the media were ecstatic, touting her first place victory from the highest media mountaintops. Ron Paul finished by capturing such a close second place win that 153 more votes would have put him in the lead. Even crickets would have been astounded at the total silence that accompanied Dr. Paul’s achievement. None of the grassroots were too surprised, however. We’ve been watching the media play the same disgusting marginalization games since 2007. We predicted it would happen too, but didn’t waste breath on the idea that it might be “hypothetical”. Regardless, I salute Mr. Cavuto for actually pointing out the possibility that not only might the emperor be waltzing about buck-naked on the morrow, but he’d likely be stinking drunk as well. It’s about time. The media has been complicit in the slow erosion of liberty and the disintegration of our Republic for far, far too long.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY 8-23-11

“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he himself becomes a monster. If you gaze long enough into the abyss, sometimes the abyss gazes back.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

Bernanke May Have To Go For 'Shock And Awe'

"If the Fed really is going to go down the route of another round of unconventional policy making, I think they've got to go in for, what I called, shock and awe," Russell Jones, Global Head of Fixed Income Strategy at Westpac Institutional Bank told CNBC on Monday....The recent stock market rout has already wiped out more than 10 percent from major indices. ... "If we really are in trouble at the end of the week, I think they'll have to respond," Jones said. ... Frankly, Bernanke and the Fed are desperately trying to keep a big secret from the American people. The US has been in a depression since 2009 with the collapse in real estate and the dollar. Only their manipulation of the stock market has kept the American people from seeing, in their portfolio and retirement plan statements, how bad the situation really is. – CNBC

Wall Street Aristocracy Got $1.2 Trillion From The FED

Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's unprecedented effort to keep the economy from plunging into depression included lending banks and other companies as much as $1.2 trillion of public money, about the same amount U.S. homeowners currently owe on 6.5 million delinquent and foreclosed mortgages. ... according to a Bloomberg News compilation of data obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, months of litigation and an act of Congress. "These are all whopping numbers," said Robert Litan, a former Justice Department official who in the 1990s served on a commission probing the causes of the savings and loan crisis. "You're talking about the aristocracy of American finance going down the tubes without the federal money." – Bloomberg

This Just In

A reader from Caroline County just called to say they had an earthquake there as well.

Salisbury Maryland Earthquake?

The courthouse is being evacuated right now. Our Downtown Office just shook like crazy. We'll keep you posted.

The Political Flow Chart

When top level guys look down,
they see only sh!theads;
When bottom level guys look up,
they see only a-holes.
I have never seen a Flow Chart described so clearly.

Founder Of Beads Of Courage Organization To Visit Salisbury August 27

Jean Baruch, a pediatric oncology nurse, was good at hanging IV bags and checking vital signs, but she had a harder time helping her young patients deal with the emotional effects of having cancer. "I wanted to encourage them to express their pain and fear, but I didn't know how," she says. "It was very frustrating."
She discovered a solution while working at one of Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang summer camps.

The camp, which hosts children and families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses, gave Baruch unique insight into how kids play. She noticed that campers of all ages love beading. They spend hours making necklaces and bracelets, then trade or share them with friends and family. "The kids wear the beads for days at a time, even in the shower," she notes. "It seems to make them feel good."

Hoping that beads could cheer up young cancer patients in hospitals the same way they do at camp, Baruch founded Beads of Courage in 2004.

Children who participate in the program receive colored beads that represent milestones, procedures, and acts of bravery. For instance, they get a yellow bead for an overnight hospital stay, a white one for chemotherapy, and a glow-in-the-dark bead for radiation treatment. It's not uncommon for children to amass 10, 20 -- even 35 -- feet of beads. It helps young patients track and celebrate their progress, but it also gives them a way to get through upcoming procedures.

Today the nonprofit organization supports more than 15,000 children in more than 90 hospitals in the United States, Japan, and New Zealand and is funded exclusively by private donations. With the help of participating hospitals, Beads of Courage is also constantly evolving. Baruch and her team have expanded the program to include many conditions and diseases. They also focus on other ways the arts can help families dealing with a serious illness. There is only one participating hospital in MD (Johns Hopkins) and one in Delaware (AI duPont Hospital for Children).

Baruch will be a keynote speaker on Salisbury August 27 at The Holiday Inn for the Salisbury Beads of Courage event (6:30 pm, Aug 27) to support this program and the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology Department. For event information call Steven Rumney (Hill Street Productions) at 410-251-2804.

Denny’s Helps Dominick

Fundraiser supports student’s trip to DC
Salisbury, MD (Aug. 17, 2011) – Denny’s restaurant recently held a community fundraiser for Dominick Jackson to raise money so he can attend the National Young Reader’s conference in Washington D.C. on Sept. 17.
The total amount needed for the sixth grader at Wicomico Middle School was more than $2,000. Denny’s is happy to report they brought in $200 from generous diners.
Dominick was chosen to attend the conference because of his outstanding academic school career. He formerly attended Pinehurst Elementary School and was nominated for the leadership council trip by its school counselors.
Dominick also had the top reading and math scores in his class while at Pinehurst. He was a member of the Chess Club and the Math Club, where he competed in a county-wide event. His elementary school tied with another for first place. He also plays trumpet in the band.
In order for Dominick to receive proceeds of 20 percent of a donor’s food check at Denny’s, he distributed flyers to businesses, friends and family to come out to the restaurant and have a meal.
“We greeted everyone at the door with a smile and asked them to join us for the fundraiser to help him out,” says Julie Stewart, Community Events Coordinator for Rommel’s Holdings in Fruitland.  “He was so cute and polite, and I know that all paid off because he ended up receiving $200!
Dominick is the son of Jennifer Jackson, who is quite proud of his accomplishments. “We raised all of the money,” she says. “But any additional monies he can raise will go toward spending money and other items at the conference.”
Any additional donations to help with Dominick’s trip can be made by calling 443-614-9814.

The Illusion Of Safety

Recent incidents of violence in Norway and London have made us understandably uncomfortable here at home, as many fear that a worsening economy will lead to violence and unrest in American cities. This is why Congress must view the economy as its first priority and a matter of national security: unless and until we get our fiscal house in order to foster economic growth, civil society will continue to deteriorate.

The fundamental lesson every American should learn from these incidents is that government cannot protect us. No matter how many laws we pass, no matter how many police or federal agents we put on the streets, a determined individual or group can still cause great harm. Both Norway and England have strict gun control laws, and London in particular has security cameras monitoring nearly all public areas. But laws and spy cameras are useless in the face of lawless mobs or sick mass killers. Only private individuals on the scene could have prevented or lessened these tragedies. And we should remember that theft, arson, and property damage were not the only criminal acts in London – innocent bystanders were assaulted and killed as well. In those instances deadly force used in self-defense would have been fully justified.

Perhaps the only good that can come from these terrible events is a reinforced understanding that we as individuals are responsible for our safety and the safety of our families. This means, frankly, that we must safely own and use firearms to deter or prevent criminal assaults on our homes and persons. It is absurd to think police or government agents can protect 310 million Americans around the clock.

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Enjoy S’mores, Fishing And Night Hikes At Pemberton Park This September

Summer may be ending as school goes back into session, but the outdoor adventures will continue at Pemberton Historical Park this September.  Three family–friendly programs are on tap next month including a Back to School Campfire, Cane Poles Program and a Full Moon Hike.  Those with a passion for cycling can also ride through 300 years of history this month during the West Wicomico Heritage Ride. 

On Friday, September 2 at 7:30 P.M., Pemberton Historical Park will hold a Back to School Campfire.  Families can re-live the summer with stories, jokes, skits, games and sticky s’mores.  Everyone is invited back to the park on Saturday, September 3 at 1:00 P.M. for a Cane Poles Program.  During this program, a Park Naturalist will teach attendees how to make their own bamboo cane fishing poles.  Afterwards, families can take their finished poles down to the pond to try it out on several species of freshwater fish.  Participants will also learn how to spot a great fishing hole, what bait works best and where the fish hide out.  On Monday, September 12 the park will host a Full Moon Hike at 9:00 P.M.  The moon will be full and high for a hike through the park’s beautiful nature trails.  Guests can take a stroll and search for nocturnal animals such as foxes and flying squirrels on their way!  Advanced registration is not required for any of the above programs.  Each program is $6 per person or $18 for a family of four and is free to members of the park.

September will also see the return of the Annual West Wicomico Heritage Bike Tour, which will take place on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at 7:30 A.M.  This bike tour of western Wicomico County takes riders across 300 years of Maryland History. Riders begin their day at Pemberton Historical Park where Common Grounds Coffee Shop will have breakfast items available for purchase.  From there, participants explore such towns as the scenic riverfront community of Whitehaven, Hebron and Quantico, as well as Bivalve’s beautiful Cedar Hill Marina.  Folks will end their ride back at Pemberton Historical Park with a picnic complete with food, live music from Alex and Shiloh and beer sales (valid ID required).  All proceeds go to support the Whitehaven Heritage Association and Pemberton Historical Park.  The registration fee is $40 for adults and $15 for children 8-18.  To register, please visit www.pembertonpark.org.   

Visualizing How Bank Of America's Reserve Accounting Errors Are One Giant "Subprime CDO "

About a month ago we penned an article titled (and asking) "Is Brian Lin The Next Incarnation Of Joe Cassano [10]?" in which we sought to demonstrate just on what flimsy ground Bank of America has based its litigation reserve assumptions: a topic that since then has become the biggest sticking point in the BAC bull thesis. Considering that since then, Bank of America default risk has exploded by over 150% and the stock price has plummeted by half, at least some have grasped the severity of a situation when incremental flawed assumptions are magnified level after level, until we finally get what, as Manal Mehta terms it, is a Bank of America "Subprime CDO." Since this issue is extremely important to the future of the financial system (a bankruptcy of Bank of America would be hundreds of times more severe than Lehman's), below we present in visual, and thus easy to comprehend, format what we previously explaining in a narrative [10] and which once again brings us to our question: will the man behind the BAC litigation reserve fraud be responsible for the next iteration of an AIG-type implosion?
Here is what we said a month ago:
“As an example, even if just the last assumption were changed from Countrywide and Bank of America having to repurchase all, rather than just 40%, of loans that were both in default and breached Countrywide's representations and warranties, then Mr. Lin's estimate of a reasonable settlement would rise from a range of $8.8 to $11 billion to a range of $22 to $27.5 billion. Modifying any of his other three assumptions would cause that range to rise much more."”
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Number Of Delinquent Mortgages Sneaks Back Up

After several quarters of decreasing mortgage delinquency rates, that number saw a slight uptick in the second quarter of 2011, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's latest survey data.

More »

Anti-Tax Governors Are OK With Commuter Toll Hikes

Starting next month, thousands of commuters who use the EZ Pass system to cross the bridges and tunnels between New Jersey and New York will pay 19 percent more in tolls, or an additional $1.50 for each trip, the governors of the two states have announced.

Further fare increases will be phased in over time, eventually costing EZ Pass users an extra $4.50 for each trip, a 56-percent increase over five years.

Those who pay in cash, meanwhile, will face an immediate 50-percent hike under the plan,
as The New York Times reports. For commuters entering Manhattan via the Holland or Lincoln tunnels, that amounts to $12 for each trip instead of the current $8.

The governors' proposal, which is likely to be ratified today (August 19) by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, is less costly for commuters than the one the transit agency originally proposed. But it nevertheless represents significant toll hikes for drivers and rail passengers, and it underscores the nuanced positions that the two states' chief executives, Republican Chris Christie of New Jersey and Democrat Andrew Cuomo of New York, have taken when it comes to revenues.


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'Weird Laws' In Maryland

Schools Impose New Immigration Checks

IMMIGRATION RULES HIT THE CLASSROOM: A new immigration policy at Georgia’s five most competitive colleges has so far resulted in only one illegal immigrant being turned away after being accepted. A policy adopted by Georgia’s Board of Regents last October requires that students prove legal immigration status before they can enroll at any state college that turned away qualified candidates in the past two years, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. That currently includes the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, Georgia College and State University and Georgia Health Sciences University. Georgia State turned away one student who had been preliminarily accepted, while Georgia Tech canceled the applications for three academically qualified applicants when it learned they were illegal immigrants.

In Alabama, meanwhile, a new immigration law requiring public schools to document the immigration status of their students hasn’t led to reduced Hispanic enrollment,
school officials tell the Associated Press. The law doesn’t bar illegal immigrants from attending schools, but requires school districts to keep track of how many illegal immigrants are enrolled so the state can estimate the cost of educating them. Schools code students differently, based on their immigration status, Education Week previously reported.
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Radio Shack's Hassle-Free Replacement Plan Full Of Hassles, Doesn't Replace Item

While buying headsets at Radio Shack,Orlando let himself be talked into buying the Shack's replacement plan for the item. There's no hassle to using the plan, the salesperson assured him, but he probably should have realized that there is no such thing as "no hassle" at Radio Shack. While the plan replaced a broken headset, there was plenty of hassle, and the plan didn't fully replace the item.

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Fill In The Blank 8-23-11

Mama always told me to_____.

Wicomico County Watershed Implementation Plan Phase II -- Stakeholder Meeting

This is the EPA's latest scam to save the Bay -- TMDL allocations, etc. -- joyously embraced by WET and it cohorts.

Police Stop Man Attempting To Ignite Fireworks From Jeep At National Mall

A Florida man is under arrest after police say he intended to ignite a large amount of fireworks at the National Mall in Washington, MyFoxDC.com reported Tuesday.

The arrested was made Monday night at the Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda, Md.

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BREAKING NEWS: Judge Dismisses Charges Against DSK

A New York Judge has dismissed criminal sexual assault charges against former IMF leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

From Fox News

How To Ease Post-Sunburn Discomfort

Nothing makes you regret spending too much time outside more than waking up the next day with torched, irritated skin from a sunburn. When you're suffering from the condition, there are home remedies aplenty to soothe the pain and help your skin recover quickly.

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Virginia GOP Knocks Maryland’s O’Malley

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) and Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) mostly played nice with one another during a joint appearance on a Sunday talk show. On Monday, the Virginia Republican Party was not similarly restrained.

In a press release, the party quoted a blog item from the National Review Online that contrasted McDonnell’s recently announced $544 million budget surplus in Virginia with O’Malley’s acknowledgment Saturday that Maryland might have to raise taxes to help close a $1 billion budget shortfall.

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A National Institutes of Health Employee Pled Guilty To Using Government Credit Cards For Personal Use

The Justice Department said Jihan Cover, a purchasing agent at the National Cancer Institute, used her government-issued cards to make more than 250 purchases including toys, books and clothes she bought on Amazon. She then had them delivered to her home. She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250-thousand dollar fine.

New Posts Will Fall Below This One For A Few Hours

DOES THE DATA SHOW THAT MARYLAND’S LOWER SHORE IS GOING BUST?


The ongoing recession has impacted the four "lower shore" counties in Maryland to a much greater extent than the rest of the state, and even the counties in the western part of the State that are partly in the depressed Appalachia region. The counties in the central part of the State and in Southern Maryland have not been hit nearly as hard, thanks to the presence of highly paid federal and state employees and defense contractors. In fact, the so-called "metro" counties and those in Southern Maryland have somewhat less unemployment than the statewide average (7.1%), whereas those in Western Maryland and the lower shore average more than 10% with Worcester County having the highest (13.5%) during the first half of 2011.
Some business and economic "experts" such as SU’s Memo Diriker speculate that this is normal – that the lower shore lags behind the general economic trend – but perhaps they should reconsider why things may really be different and much worse this time because of certain longer term trends that are not clearly reflected in the data.

Including Allen Family Foods there now are only five poultry processors on the Delmarva Peninsula, whereas 35 years ago there were more than one dozen. And during that period look at the manufacturing firms that have abandoned Salisbury alone – Dresser-Wayne, Campbells, Comtec, Linens of the Week, to name a few. The effect of this exodus of employers may have been masked until recently by a boom in commercial, institutional and residential construction that has created a glut of unsold and vacant space of all kinds. Unless there is a major change in the broader economy, that condition (and very low growth and development) may continue for longer than just the foreseeable future, especially with the anti-development zoning and other regulations that are planned and being issued by the so-called environmental protectors – EPA, Maryland’s Departments of Planning, Environment, Natural Resources, etc. – and promoted by their acolytes, such as the Wicomico Environmental Trust, that will make future development very costly or impossible to do.

For some years now the poultry industry has been shifting away from Delmarva and expanding in states to the south and west (along with the population). Not only has the consumer market moved, but those who raise or process poultry elsewhere have lower costs of production – and guess who loses every time around in that scenario – as well as much friendlier state regulatory agencies. None of the lower shore counties is among the top twenty producers in the US – Somerset is now the biggest (at 25th) followed by Worcester (26th), Wicomico (36th) and Dorchester (63rd) according to data on DPI’s website. As recently as 1997, Wicomico – then the State’s leader in broilers – was in the top 10 counties in the country, and in 2002, three of the four lower shore counties were among the top 25 in the country. In short, the area is fading fast in its share of the national market and that trend appears irreversible. Were it not for the somewhat greater broiler production in Delaware, primarily Sussex County, there would probably be only a couple poultry processors on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Then there’s the reality that things – taxes, costs, etc. – are better in the states just a few miles away. Even "local" firms like Perdue are now locating/relocating offices in Delaware. In short, Maryland is significantly less attractive as a place to live or to have a business than the neighboring states – another trend that seems irreversible – so the short term picture as well as the longer one is not promising.

Because of special circumstances the central part of Maryland probably will continue to prosper in the long run largely because of its very well-paid governmental work force (state and federal) and quasi governmental employees (defense contractors, major hospitals, etc.) that are a source of greater wealth and growth. Indeed, that aspect of the economy can be seen on the lower shore. The unemployment rate in Wicomico County (8.6%), which has by far the largest governmental presence with both Salisbury University, regional state offices, and some federal offices, as well as the largest health care community, is significantly lower than in Dorchester (10.7%) Somerset (10.3% and Worcester (13.5%) – data from January-June, 2011. Unfortunately, however, the situation in the lower shore counties may be more pervasive and permanent than "experts" such as Dr. Diriker – himself a government employee – would have us believe, especially if government spending by the state is further curtailed. We may have entered uncharted waters – and better sound the foghorn.

How To Talk To Your Landlord

Considering that nearly 35 percent of Americans currently reside in approximately 40 million rental units throughout the country, it’s surprising that few people give much thought to how they communicate with their property manager or landlord. Nearly every one of these landlord-tenant relationships last a minimum of one year and some last many years, even decades.

The relationship that you have with your landlord can directly impact your lifestyle, comfort, image, and financial standing. Establishing a positive and healthy relationship with your landlord can go a long way in helping you live in the best conditions possible, getting you the fastest responses to maintenance requests, as well as keeping your rental rates reasonable. Here are some quick tips to help to maintain and improve landlord-tenant relations:

During your Rental Search
1. Know your expectations before searching for a property. If your requirements aren’t offered at a particular property, then move on. Don’t expect a landlord to add an unreasonable amount of amenities or upgrades to an existing rental. Find another other unit to meet your needs.

2. Submit completely accurate rental applications regardless of your shortcomings. Do not overstate your income or lie about credit problems. Landlords are increasingly open to working with challenged credit, especially if you are able to provide a clear explanation as to why your credit has suffered and expressing your desire to improve the situation. It’s recommended to send a pre-written letter with this information along with the rental application as it shows that some planning and thought went into your process. Lying on an application is almost always grounds for denial or later termination of a lease.

3. Ask good questions. These questions are the ones most important to you. In many cases landlords or agents are not required to disclose information that may be important to you so do your part and ask as many questions as necessary to get a good understanding of the property. It doesn’t help to be shy when searching for a home to rent!

4. Get it in writing. If a landlord has promised repairs, new carpet, new appliances, or anything else that will be done as a condition of your lease, be absolutely sure to get it in writing, preferably on the lease document itself. Anything less opens up the chance for miscommunication and leaves an opening for problems.
Promises don’t get things done. Written agreements do.

5. Read through the lease completely. This is a critical process. You are making legally binding guarantees regarding payments, upkeep, repairs, etc so read it thoroughly before you sign it. If possible ask for a copy the day before signing the lease so that you have enough time to read and think about any potential questions you may have.

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Rural America To Get $103 Million For Broadband Access

Feds are helping rural America get better access to broadband. Telecommunications companies in 16 states will share more than $103 million in federal dollars to help expand broadband Internet access to underserved areas. The Agriculture Department, along with public interest groups, telecom companies and policymakers, hope to bridge the digital divide by providing broadband to the most remote pockets of the U.S. Jonathan Adelstein, USDA's rural utilities service administrator, said part of the challenge is creating a future for young people growing up in those rural communities. He said many feel there's no reason for them to stay if there's no access to broadband Internet services.

A Letter To The Editor 8-23-11

Could O'Malley's latest Growth Plan Imposed on Counties Possibly Spur Secession Move?
Taxation without representation - is at the core issue in O'Malley's latest growth plan. 
People are skeptical of O'Malley - and for good reason.  If the State imposes its will over Counties right to self-determination - Counties have right to secede.
This could very well be the impetus needed to drive such move as the individual Counties have no 'stake at the table' in determining their future.

Defense Secretary Said Military Cuts Won't Impact Current Service Members

No decisions have been made yet. But Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said if any changes come to the military retirement system, they won't impact current service members. The Defense Business Board's draft proposal would replace the current military retirement system with a 401-K-style plan. Veterans would also have to wait until normal retirement age to collect. The plan saves $250 billion over 20 years. It would require Congressional approval. While Panetta said he will not break faith with the current members of the service and retirees, that doesn't mean changes won't come later, for future service members. The Pentagon has said it is looking into the proposal.

Living Well, A Retired War Monger Speaks

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld talked at his ranch on the Big Hole River outside of Twin Bridges, Montana, with the Montana Standard.

Among his words of wisdom, he told the Standard:
Throughout history you’ll find that every time there is a retrenchment in funding for the military, the United States becomes involved in a war.
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Maryland Authorizes Internationally Recognized Green Construction Code

Starting next year, jurisdictions in the state can choose to adopt an internationally accepted green building code for private and public construction. “This will make it easier and cheaper to build green,” said Stuart Kaplow, president of the U.S. Green Building Council of Maryland. The General Assembly passed House Bill 972 this spring, making Maryland the first state in the nation to authorize the voluntary use of the International Green Construction Code.

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Today's Survey Question 8-23-11

Should American Taxpayers stand for the President and his Family flying to the same location 3 hours apart, using two jets, two security details, etc.?

Caption This Photo

The Fed Cannot Stave Off The Inevitable Market Revaluation

The Fed has yet to learn that you can't fool Mother Nature for very long, but it's about to get a punishing lesson.

Did the Federal Reserve's QE2 program last year simply push the inevitable stock market decline forward a few months? It would seem so. In Remind Us Again Why Anyone Should Own Stocks For the Next Two Years (August 3, 2011) and The Junkie in the Pool and False Idols: Faith in Wall Street and The Fed Has Has Eroded (August 10, 2011) I included a chart of the current S&P 500 plotted against the two Great Bear Markets of last century, the Great Depression-era Dow Jones Industrial Average (1929 crash) and the Nikkei stock market from 1989.
 
It certainly looked like all the Fed accomplished with its $600 billion QE2 was stave off the inevitable by a few months:

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Social Security Disability Payments Could Dry Up In 2017

The Social Security disability fund may not be able to make payments come 2017, according to a new analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

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BREAKING NEWS: Rebels Reportedly Enter Qaddafi Compound

Libyan rebels enter Muammar Qaddafi's Tripoli compound, Sky News reports.

From Fox News

Man Gets 5 Life Terms For Md. Police Shootout

BALTIMORE - A Baltimore judge has sentenced a 37-year-old Catonsville man to five life terms, plus 80 years in prison for firing on police officers during a traffic stop.

Judge Edward R.K. Hargadon sentenced Bradrick Green on Monday to five life terms plus 80 years to be served consecutively and six life terms plus 38 years to be served concurrently. The first 65 years are to be served without the possibility of parole.

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Back-Door Amnesty Backfires: Obama’s Approval Hits New Low Of 44% With Hispanics

(CNSNews.com) - In the same week that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that her department was going to review the cases of 300,000 illegal aliens in deportation proceedings and allow “low priority” cases to stay in the country and receive work permits—a move House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith called a “back door amnesty”—President Barack Obama’s approval dropped to an all-time low of 44 percent among Hispanics, according to Gallup polling data released today.

That is a drop of 41 points from the spring of 2009, when Obama’s approval among Hispanic Americans peaked at 85 percent (in the weeks that ended April 26, 2009 and May 17, 2009).

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Murder-For-Hire Trial Begins In Killing Of Blind, Disabled Man

Brothers accused of carrying out killing orchestrated by pastor

Opening statements could come as early as Tuesday in the trial of two brothers accused of carrying out a murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by Baltimore pastor Kevin Pushia, who pleaded guilty to ordering the death of a legally blind and mentally disabled man to fraudulently collect $1.4 million in life insurance.

Brothers James Omar Clea III and Kareem Jamal Clea (pronounced "klee") are each charged with conspiring to kill Lemuel Wallace, a 37-year-old group-home resident who was shot in the head on Feb. 4, 2009, and left to die in a bathroom stall at Leakin Park.

Prosecutors claim that James Clea, 33, introduced Pushia to his brother, who was then paid $50,000 in church funds by the pastor to execute Wallace. Kareem Clea, who turns 28 on Thursday, is also charged with murder and various handgun violations.

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