Popping Corn on the Cob

I saw this on a morning talk show the other day and had no idea there was such a thing.

Today I did some reading on the internet and for goodness sakes this kind of popping corn has been around for some time now.

According to one website the corn gets planted in late April and in October the ears get hand picked and stored in mesh bags and placed on pallets to air dry. Once they reach a certain moisture level the ears are hand sorted, placed in a vacuum bag, and ready to be sold. All you do is place the ear in the bag provided and place into the microwave for the required amount of time and presto you have a bag of large and fluffy kernals of popped corn. No preservatives and all you need to do is add salt or butter.


I've seen popping corn on the cob and have even used a popcorn popper to make it. But I have never seen it in it's microwavable form.

KFC Pulls Australian TV Ad Amid Cries of Racism

Puhleeeze!! The PC police are always on the scene.

KFC has been forced to yank one of its commercials from Australian television after it sparked cries of racism for showing a lone white man handing out fried chicken to dancing black people.

The sketch is about cricket, a sport popular in both Australia and the West Indies, where the characters in the ad are meant to be from. It depicts a white Australian cricket fan in the opposing team's stands, surrounded by excited dark-skinned West Indies supporters.

"Need a tip when you're stuck in an awkward situation?" he says. Then it shows the man sharing a bucket of fried chicken with the crowd.



It was designed for the Australian market but got attention in America after someone posted it on YouTube.

BET, the African-American TV network, gave its take on the ad and asked readers to comment on its Web site:

"Are you a lone white man, who's sweating bullets because you're surrounded by a horde of black folks who are dancing and playing jungle rhythms? Worry not ... Kentucky Fried Chicken has the solution: Pass around a bucket of chicken.

"Does the content of this KFC ad, which is now playing on Australian TV, sound racist?"

It did to enough people that KFC was forced to discontinue the commercial Thursday.

READ MORE HERE

What Type of Oil Should You Put In Your Car?

You Don't Need To Change Your Oil Type In The Winter

Dear Tom,

I just bought a 2009 KIA Optima. The owner’s manual says I should use 5W20 oil in the engine. My dad used to fix cars and he said that this oil is too thin and that I should use “Straight 30 weight” in the winter and the 5W20 in the summer. Is he right?

Sandy from Salt Lake City, UT

Sandy

Gently tell your dad to stifle himself. Use the 5W20 oil in your KIA. The carmaker selected this oil because the engine operates under tight operating tolerances. If you put heavier oil in it then you’ll damage the engine, not to mention void your warranty should the need arise to make a claim. Years ago dad’s advice might have been acceptable, but now it’s way outdated.

Tom

Several years ago a woman called my radio show with the same question. However, she had already followed her husband’s advice and the engine in her new Ford seized due to lack of lubrication. She had to buy a new engine on a car that had only 25,000 miles. Too bad. Here are some things you should know.

What Type Of Oil Do I Use?

The answer to this question is in your owner’s manual under the maintenance schedule. The carmaker outlines what weight (viscosity) to use. If it says 5W20, use it. Carmakers make engine oil recommendations based on extensive lab testing, road testing, and research done in conjunction with petroleum companies. You can rely on the recommendation because it’s based on a lot of research.

Should I Change The Weight Of The Oil Based On Time Of Year/Temperature?

No. Multi-viscosity oils are designed to adjust their rate of flow (weight) based on outside and inside engine operating temperatures. When you read an oilcan that has a viscosity rating of 5W20 it means that the winter flow rate of the oil is 5 (thinner) than the summer flow rate (thicker). Multi-viscosity oils thicken up in the summer when the temps are hot and oil tends to thin out. When it gets cold they thin out in order to maintain optimum flow rate in all temperatures.

What About Synthetic Oil? Can I Use It?

In most cases you can switch over to synthetic oil. However, consult your owner’s manual before switching to make sure there are no caveats. I like synthetic oil because it is chemically fortified to withstand the rigors of the internal combustion engine environment. While it is not impervious to, it is highly resistant to viscosity breakdown from heat, friction, and chemical contamination. Synthetic oil flows better in winter and provides superior lubrication and protection in the summer when most oils break down under intense heat. If you switch over, just make sure you use the viscosity recommended by your carmaker.

How Often Should I Change The Oil?

When using good quality synthetic oil, change it every 5 - 7 thousand miles or six months, whichever comes first; and make sure to change the filter. When using petroleum-based oil, change it every 3 - 5 thousand miles or three months. As with synthetic, change the oil filter with a high quality filter every time you change the oil. Why the longer drain intervals with synthetic oil? It’s tougher, therefore you can go longer between drain intervals. Based on my research of synthetic engine oil, AMSOIL is number one and Mobil One is number two.

This Post is sponsored by Still Joe's Auto/Truck Repair and Custom Exhaust 125 Cleemwood St. Salisbury Md. (410) 677-1022 for all your vehicle needs at low low prices.

VIA

Explain This to IRS: Tax Agency Is $32 Billion Short

If you call the IRS don't expect them to answer the phone

The Internal Revenue Service suddenly reduced the amount of revenue it reported from delinquent collections by $32 billion, or about 27 percent, providing little information about what happened to the money, according to a report released Wednesday morning.

"There is an astonishing lack of transparency as to what is included in these revenue figures and how they are computed," said National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson as part of her annual report to Congress. "The failure to highlight and explain revisions of such magnitude erodes confidence in IRS's data reporting."

The IRS reported more than $121 billion in delinquent tax collection revenues from 2005 to 2007. But in its 2008 IRS Data Book, it quietly revised the number downward to less than $89 billion. Olson's report said that was part of a larger picture of the IRS now having a handle on what type of collection activities really bring in revenue.

IRS spokeswoman Michelle Eldridge said the IRS will explain the discrepancy this spring in its next Data Book. The $32 billion was taken off the revenue total because some of it involved double counting, she said. For instance, if four officers of a firm owed $1,000 for not paying payroll taxes and one of them paid the bill, it might be accidentally credited as $1,000 in revenue multiplied by all four officers.

Pete Sepp, vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, said the IRS appeared to be "obfuscating" whether additional funding for collecting delinquent taxes had actually yielded any results. "It's either a terrible deception or a terrible oversight. One way or another, Congress should get an answer."

A taxpayer could call and ask. But don't count on the phone being answered.

According to Olson's report, the IRS only plans to answer 71 percent of the calls it gets this year. That's barely above the 69 percent level in 1998 when Congress got so fed up with complaints about taxpayer service that it reformed the agency. And the numbers have gone down in recent years – during the 2009 tax filing season, only 64 percent of callers got through.

"It's a terrible indictment in this day and age that an agency can't even answer its phones," Sepp said. "That's setting the bar awfully low and would probably bankrupt any customer-service-oriented business."

When the call does go through, the IRS estimates that the taxpayers will be on hold for almost 12 minutes.

"This level of service is unacceptable," said Olson, whose office is part of the IRS but is charged with protecting the interests of taxpayers.

Eldridge said that although the percentage is down, the total number of calls answered was up – from 34 million in 2007 to 40 million in 2008 and 39 million last year. The past two years involved more callers with questions because of the rebate and other changes made in economic stimulus legislation.

And many of the calls that weren't answered were because taxpayers were redirected to IRS.gov, which could help them track their coming refund or answer questions. "While they are waiting on the phone lines, we are giving them other options," Eldridge said.

Olson also rapped the IRS for ramping up its filing of liens against taxpayers. She said a study has shown the lien increases have not brought in more revenue. Filing liens against people with little or no property ends up damaging their credit and making it harder for them to pay taxes in the future. The IRS should look at their ability to pay, including their other debts like credit cards, before deciding on a lien, she proposed.

Eldridge said studies other than the one cited by the taxpayer advocate office show the liens are an effective tool.

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said the IRS seems more interested in helping big banks getting bailouts than small businesses.

"The placement of liens on the little guys shouldn't be automatic and computer-generated while the big banks get the benefit of agency discretion and concern in the executive offices. One, it's unfair, and two, it's bad for the economy," he said.

"The IRS has to use its discretion to determine when liens are the best course to improve tax collection and when they're just a knee-jerk enforcement tactic that will do more harm than good."

Grassley sought answers Wednesday, including the whereabouts of the $32 billion.

"This single data point seems to indicate that not only does the IRS have a problem in knowing who owes what, the agency apparently also isn't able to properly track the taxes that have been collected," Grassley said. "The problem deserves the attention of IRS top management, as well as policy-makers who are intent on giving the IRS more and more responsibilities."

Democrats in Congress are considering a health care bill that would make the IRS involved in enforcing a new requirement that people carry health insurance.

Howard Gleckman, a tax policy expert at the Urban Institute, said the concern is valid.

"It is absolutely true we are asking the IRS to take on a huge rule when it is having a hard time doing the job it is there to do," he said. "On the other hand, if someone in the government is going to do this, the IRS is probably the best place. The IRS already has contact with almost every American."

Redneck Fire Detector

The Darwin's are out!!!!

Yes, it's that magical time of year again when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us.

Here is the glorious winner:

1. When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach , California would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

And now, the honorable mentions:

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies.. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer... $15. [If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?]

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly.. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti , Michigan at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast... The man, frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for.. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.

Taking The Back Roads

 I needed to go to Lowe's to pick up some wood & stain for frames. So I decided to take the back roads and check out the beautiful snow we were blessed with today. Who says you cann't turn work into playtime. Maybe a few of these will wind up in a new frame. So here are a few shots of Swan Gut & Byrd Rd.

Hope you enjoyed the the views and have a happy safe weekend.

All images are copyrighted so please don't copy.

http://www.shorethingphotography.com/

Snow Day......

Take your time this morning and use patience! The highways seem to be clear but the backroads are very snowy and slippery. Great snow fall to build a snow man or for making nicely packed snowballs!

Have a great day!

VOTE TO KEEP ONE STATION LEGIT & PRESENTING OPPOSING POINTS OF VIEW

Fox News is losing in an NPR poll, but with the power of the Internet we can turn
that around in a few hours.

If you haven't heard this, the White
House is accusing Fox News of not being a legitimate source of news,
calling them biased, etc. They have tried to block Fox reporters
from news conferences, etc., NPR has put a survey online for us to voice
our opinion.


If Fox loses this poll you can bet Obama will
mention it as support for his attack on Fox.

Let's show them how we
feel about honest conservative news reporting.


In White House Vs. Fox News War Of Words, Who Gets Your Vote?

The stories about what the Obama White House has to say about Fox News Channel keep coming.

There was White House communications director saying telling Howard Kurtz of The Washington Post and CNN "let's not pretend they're a news network the way CNN is."

Also last week it was NPR's David Folkenflik reporting that "the White House is taking direct aim at Fox News, the news organization that is the home to the most potent collection of its conservative critics."

This week it's ABC News' Jake Tapper asking why the Obama team was treating one of the "sister organizations" so badly -- and the news that the White House had tried to block a Fox News reporter from interviewing the so-called pay czar. (After all the networks objected, the White House relented.)

It seems like time for a survey:

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Posted by request.

HAT TIP: R.C.

Texas Hold'Em Poker

This looks like fun and for a worthy cause.

Texas Hold'Em Poker is returning to the Parksley Volunteer Fire Company on Friday, January 8th at 7:30 PM.

1st Prize is a $150 Visa Gift Card
2nd Prize is a $100 Visa Gift Card
3rd Prize is a $75 Visa Gift Card
4th through 6th FREE BUY IN

$15 buy in $10 add on $10 rebuys

This is the start of the 2010 Poker Championship Series. Come out and register. The championship will be held in December for eligible players The prize will be a winner take all $1000 Visa Gift Card.

Al players are welcome. This is a great event to learn to play Texas Hold'em Poker.

Call (757) 665-6977 or (757) 710-4655 for more information.

All proceeds benefit the Parksley Volunteer Fire Company.

No Need For Ebay or Craigs List

Sign of the week....................

Don't laugh. It's free advertisement.

The Mayor, the Man and the Alford Plea

On Wednesday, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon resigned as Mayor after accepting a plea deal with prosecutors. Dixons resignation takes effect February 4 with the current City Council President, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake taking over. Dixon has been Mayor of Baltimore for nearly three years. She became the first female mayor for Baltimore in January of 2007 when Martin O'Malley was elected govenor of Maryland. Prior to being mayor, Ms. Dixon had been on the City council since 1987 and was City Council president in 1997.

　

Dixon's first of two trials was in November for charges of stealing gift cards of nearly $500.00 that had been donate to the city and to be given to the needy. The theft occured while Dixon was still the president of the City Council. Her second trial WAS scheduled for March for two counts of perjury. It was claimed the the Baltimore mayor accepted gifts of furs, travel, money, etc. from a developer by the name of Ron Lipscomb. Lipscomb, in return received tax breaks from the city. Dixon and Lipscomb dated in 2003 and 2004.

So, on Wednesday Mayor Sheila Dixon entered an Alford plea to a charge of perjury. Now, this means the Ms. Dixon admits that there is enough evidence to convict her of charges but does not, however, acknowledge the guiltiness For all of this Dixon received probation before judgement. IF she follows the conditions set before her, Dixon will do no jail time. She was also given 4 years of probation, 500 hours of community service, plus she makes a charitable donation of $45,000.00. Some of her furs will be sold. She will pay her own legal fees and cannot seek employment in the city or state for two years. However, she will keep her pension of $83,000 She returns to court on February 4 to oficially accept her probation before judgement.

WOW!

And on Monday, on the good old easter shore, the famous Billy Burke, owner of the Pocomoke Tattler, went to trial for taping a conversation with the mayor of Pocomoke City on the steps of city hall. He faced felony wiretapping charges but accepted the Alford plea resulting in lesser charges. For years Mr. Burke has tried to prove corruption and other types of wrong doings within Pocomoke's city hall. His fashion of "pounding the pulpit", to convince the citizens of Pocomoke that there is actually corruption in Pocomoke City, has resulted in NO proof of corruption in that town even after months and months of his "preachings" that (according to Burke) it is indeed there.

　

What a twist. Here we have a "big town" mayor going to trial for being a thief by taking from the citizens of Baltimore and at the same time accepting wonderous gifts for the exchange of tax breaks. It has been proven that this occurred.

Then we have the "small town" citizen being drug into court by the towns mayor for a taped recording. But the "small town" citizen, Billy Burke, did try to get his message across about corruption in city hall the day of his trial with the playing of the tape (recorded that day) in which Mayor admitted and laughed about the city manager destroying public government documents. It has NEVER been proven that this occurred. Further more, it has never been proven that anything Mr. Burke "preaches" about ever occurred.

Just seems to me that if Mr. Burke wants to take the mayor serious and move, that Baltimore might be the place to go. If it's corruption, true corruption, you're still looking for I'd say that might be the place.

Y'all ever seen one of these?

My Paw gave me this many, many years ago. I just came across it while going through some packed-up junk, I had thought it to be lost forever.

Can you guess what it is?

Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck Rise from the Dead

Top-rated talk radio host Rush Limbaugh lives once again — and to paraphrase Mark Twain, “reports of his death are greatly exaggerated.”

Rush’s Web site announced that he would return to his show on Wednesday, Jan. 6, one week after he was hospitalized with chest pains during a vacation in Hawaii. Medical personnel at a Honolulu hospital found no signs of heart disease afflicting the 58-year-old conservative icon, clearing him to resume entertaining and informing the faithful listeners he calls “dittoheads.”

But Limbaugh’s critics were apparently crestfallen about his good health news, after postings over the blogoshere this past weekend took glee in his possible heart attack, with some wishing or even reporting that Limbaugh had died from cardiac arrest.

For example, shortly after news broke that Limbaugh was hospitalized, the online encyclopedia Wikipedia updated his page and pronounced him dead:
“Rush Hudson Limbaugh III (born January 12, 1951, died December 30, 2009) is an American radio host and conservative political commentator. He is the host of The Rush Limbaugh Show, the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United States.”

The lie was quickly removed from the Web site. But that didn’t stop liberal bloggers from expressing disappointment that Rush did not in fact have heart disease — or from wishing him ill or even dead.

A number of posts on the left-wing site Daily Kos spewed venom against Limbaugh, with offerings such as:

“If he gets well, so be it. If he gets worse, be it paralyzed, comatose, or dead, he’s earned it.”

“I hope he dies and I’m glad he’s sick.”

“I’ll never apologize for hating Rush. Or wishing death and illness on him.”

A post on redstates.com read: “Dear Heavenly Father, Jesus, please take Rush Limbaugh for the sake of the country.”

And this vile offering appeared on TMZ.com: “Oh, please let him die! Preferably quickly and very painfully.”

News that Limbaugh did not in fact pass away may have left some in bad humor, but Rush has the last laugh — he’s alive and well.

Ironically, soon after reports of Limbaugh’s hospitalization circulated, word surfaced that another vacationing conservative media voice had died — Glenn Beck.

“While I was not in the hospital for any heart-related issues at all, and Rush Limbaugh was,” Beck said on his Monday radio program, “the day that I was writing Rush and saying, ‘Hey man, thoughts and prayers are with you,’ was the day that I got a phone call from my business partners that said: ‘You are alive, right?’”

Beck said a “major news organization” called his business partner and said “we’d just like a statement on the fatal plane crash of Glenn Beck . . . Apparently he was in a fatal plane crash and we just wanted a statement from you.”

Beck added: “Needless to say, I am not dead.”

Fans of the Rush and Beck online have hit back at the false and mean-spirited reports against Limbaugh and Beck, noting that if conservatives had posted such unseemly comments about Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and other liberal icons, the major media story would have expressed outrage.

HAT TIP: Tom

Scott Rigell Addresses Blogs United

Congressional candidate Scott Rigell addresses bloggers and others at the Blogs United conference at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia

Scott Rigell (R) announces candidacy for House seat

According to WAVY news 10, Founder of Freedom Automotive Scott Rigell announced Tuesday his intent run for the 2nd Congressional district of Virginia as a Republican.

At the campaign kick-off event, held at the Westin Hotel in Virginia Beach, Rigell spoke about issues such as energy, jobs and health care.

"At a time when one out of ten Americans are out of work and countless others are struggling to pay their bills, we need leaders who have the know-how and entrepreneurial spirit to create jobs in America again," said Rigell, who employs more than 240 people in his car dealerships.

Rigell said he's careful not to mix his business with politics, and is running against Democrat Glenn Nye whom he says won his Congressional seat on the coattails of Mark Warner and President Obama.

But it could prove challenging to Rigell. For his part, Nye has spent the past year crossing the district, and holding small business workshops to help the small business community. Political experts say Nye has spent the last year becoming the most conservative type Democrat you can be, and voted against his own party and his President on health care.

"People are interested in reforming the healthcare system, but they are interested in doing it in a way to increase access to health care but also to keep costs down. That is where this bill failed...it cost too much, and that why I voted no to that one," Nye said.

"There is a great need for accountability in Washington, and my campaign kick-off is the launch of a conversation with voters in Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore on getting America back on track," said Rigell.

http://www.scottrigell.com/

Other GOP candidates for the 2nd district seat:
Kenny Golden
Ben Loyola
Ed Maulbeck
Bert Mizusawa
Scott Taylor

Nye says this about his potential opponent, "Until they have decided who their candidate is I have to focus on my job...I have a lot of work to do for the district."

Source: WESR

Pelosi Takes a Dig at Obama

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Tuesday defended the transparency of health care reform deliberations so far, and said no decision has been made about whether to skip a formal conference committee process to combine the House and Senate versions of the bills, which differ significantly.

"We don't know what route we will take," she said during a press conference on Capitol Hill. "We will take the route that does the job for the American people."

Pelosi was pressed about whether she would open the negotiations to C-SPAN cameras, as the cable network requested in a letter to her Tuesday morning.

One reporter noted that during his campaign, President Obama had advocated for airing the health reform deliberations. "Really?" Pelosi responded. "There are a number of things he was for on the campaign trail."



After her slight dig at Obama, Pelosi referred the matter to Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a junior member of her leadership team. "Mr. Van Hollen, would you like to respond?"

Van Hollen argued that the health reform process has been transparent, but he did not commit to opening future negotiations. "There will obviously be discussions between members of the House and Senate and we will continue to keep the American people informed as we have on the earlier stages of this legislation," he said.

Pelosi agreed. "There has never been a more open process for any legislation in anyone who serves here's experience."

Several senior House Democrats, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, balked before the Christmas break at the notion of foregoing a conference committee to preserve the votes of moderate senators, who warned they would not support a future bill that is significantly different than the one passed by the Senate passed on Christmas Eve.

But Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York said pointedly today, "The Senate should know that we need 218 votes over here."

Democratic leaders from the House and Senate will meet at the White House with President Obama this evening to begin negotiations on the bills and to discuss the process to be used to move legislation through the chambers for final passage.

CRISFIELD: Page Elmore to host town hall meeting tonight

Del. Page Elmore, R-38A, will hold a town hall meeting tonight in Crisfield to discuss issues facing the Maryland General Assembly in the upcoming session.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 319 W. Main St.

The public is invited to discuss any concerns they have.

Elmore also has two more meetings scheduled: Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Somerset County Office Complex in Princess Anne and Monday at 7 p.m. at Fruitland City Hall.

The 2010 session of the General Assembly begins Jan. 13 in Annapolis.

VIA

WTH: Women under age 55 please sign-in before you pee

I was in a Doctors office today and they had several signs concerning the restroom. The signs were on the entrance door at eye level, beside the toilet and one in another place. These signs were bright florescent in color so they couldn't be missed.

The signs read;

"All women that are under 55 years old and are patients please see the desk before using the bathroom"

As many Dr's offices that I've been in I have never seen a warning for women under 55 to consult the desk before using the restroom. WTH?

Anyone know what this is about?

Golden Retriever Saves Boy from Cougar

Dog is man's and boy's best friend.

CBC News reports that on Saturday night, 11-year-old Austin Forman was gathering firewood in his Boston Bar, B.C. backyard when his 18-month-old golden retriever ran towards him, jumping over a lawn mower and right into the path of a charging cougar.

"I knew at that moment that I would have to go get help, otherwise [Angel] wouldn't have any hope," Austin told CBC News.

Austin ran into the house, where he and his mother called 911. When Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrived at the scene, they found Angel under the back porch with the cougar's jaws gripped around her neck. Constable Chad Gravelle shot two rounds into the cougar's rear end, but it continued to attack Angel. Gravelle then got closer to the cougar and shot again, instantly killing the cougar, who still had Angel's face clenched within its jaws, CTV.ca reports.

"I feel very, very lucky. If it wasn't for my dog, I don't think I would be here," Austin told CBC News.

The dog came out of the ordeal with some extensive injuries, including a fractured skull, according to NBC's "Today." She has undergone surgery to repair the damage, and her vets hope for a full recovery.

"She was my best friend, but now she's more than a best friend," Austin told CBC News. "She's like my guardian now."

VIA

Is this the weirdest moment in Wheel of Fortune history?

Wheel of Fortune has been on over a quarter of a century, so there have been a lot of mess-ups and weird moments on the show. But there are few as weird as last night, when none of the contestants could get "Regis Philbin & Kelly Ripa," even AFTER the entire puzzle had been revealed!

Teen Girl Killed by Amtrak Train

MIDDLE RIVER, Md. (Jan. 5) – Amtrak says it expects a normal rush hour after a fatal accident near Baltimore caused delays along the Northeast corridor for much of the day.

Amtrak spokeswoman Karina Romero says delays continued for several hours after the 9 a.m. Tuesday accident, and some midday trains were canceled. Maryland's commuter train service was also affected.

Baltimore County police say the 14-year-old victim was struck and killed by a southbound train that hit her from behind as she walked along the tracks on the way to school. Friends and relatives of the victim, Ann Marie Stickel of Middle River, placed a plastic foam cross with a picture of her near the scene of the accident Tuesday afternoon.

A friend walking with Stickel was not injured.

Michael Steele Uses Slur in Hannity Interview

I mean seriously... who in their right mind would be offended by this? But then again they were, so obviously not in their right mind. And they have the gall to call it a "slur"??? libs... geeze

In an interview with Sean Hannity, GOP chairman Michael Steele said that the Republican Party platform is "one of the best political documents that's been written in the past 25 years -- Honest Injun on that."

The term "Injun," an intentional mispronunciation of the word "Indian," is widely seen as a derogatory way to refer to Native Americans. In 2006, Democratic congressional candidate Steve Kagen apologized for using the term during a public appearance.

Virginia Church Service

How quickly we forget. I think the mentality today is take,take,take..........

Another "Must read for everyone".

Genesis 47:13-27

I would love to give the preacher of this predominantly black church in Virginia a hug and a high five. This guy is obviously a leader and not one of the sheep. Perhaps we should each decide who our real leader is..... It is amazing to see that very little has changed in 4,000 years.

Good morning, brothers and sisters; it's always a delight to see the pews crowded on Sunday morning, and so eager to get into God's Word. Turn with me in your Bibles, if you will, to the 47th chapter of Genesis, we'll begin our reading at verse 13, and go through verse 27.

Brother Ray, would you stand and read that great passage for us?

....(reading)...

Thank you for that fine reading, Brother Ray... So we see that economic hard times fell upon Egypt, and the people turned to the government of Pharaoh to deal with this for them. And Pharaoh nationalized the grain harvest, and placed the grain in great storehouses that he had built. So the people brought their money to Pharaoh, like a great tax increase, and gave it all to him willingly in return for grain.

And this went on until their money ran out, and they were hungry again. So when they went to Pharaoh after that, they brought their livestock -their cattle, their horses, their sheep, and their donkey - to barter for grain, and verse 17 says that only took them through the end of that year..

But the famine wasn't over, was it? So the next year, the people came before Pharaoh and admitted they had nothing left, except their land and their own lives. "There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our land. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land?

Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be servants to Pharaoh." So they surrendered their homes, their land, and their real estate to Pharaoh's government, and then sold themselves into slavery to him, in return for grain. What can we learn from this, brothers and sisters?

That turning to the government instead of to God to be our provider in hard times only leads to slavery? Yes. That the only reason government wants to be our provider is to also become our master?
Yes.

But look how that passage ends, brothers and sisters!

Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen.. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly." God provided for His people, just as He always has! They didn't end up giving all their possessions to government, no, it says they gained possessions! But I also tell you a great truth today, and an ominous one. We see the same thing happening today - the government today wants to "share the wealth "once again, to take it from us and redistribute it back to us. It wants to take control of healthcare, just as it has taken control of education, and ration it back to us, and when government rations it, then government decides who gets it, and how much, and what kind.

And if we go along with it, and do it willingly, then we will wind up no differently than the people of Egypt did four thousand years ago - as slaves to the government, and as slaves to our leaders.

What Mr. Obama's government is doing now is no different from what Pharaoh's government did then, and it will end the same. And a lot of people like to call Mr. Obama a "Messiah," don't they? Is he a Messiah?

A savior? Didn't the Egyptians say, after Pharaoh made them his slaves,

"You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh"?

Well, I tell you this - I know the Messiah; the Messiah is a friend of mine; and Mr. Obama is no Messiah! No, brothers and sisters, if Mr. Obama is a character from the Bible, then he is Pharaoh.

Bow with me in prayer, if you will.

Lord, You alone are worthy to be served, and we rely on You, and You alone.

We confess that the government is not our deliverer, and never rightly will be.

We read in the eighth chapter of 1 Samuel, when Samuel warned the people of what a ruler would do, where it says "And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day." And Lord, we acknowledge that day has come. We cry out to you because of the ruler that we have chosen for ourselves as a nation. Lord, we pray for this nation. We pray for revival, and we pray for deliverance from those who would be our masters.

Give us hearts to seek You and hands to serve You, and protect Your people from the atrocities of Pharaoh's government.
In God We Trust...

Pocomoke Blogger Billy Burke found guilty of illegally taping mayor

Billy (William) Burke, Publisher of The Pocomoke Tattler a Pocomoke City resident who went on trial today on charges that he illegally recorded a heated conversation with his town's mayor, made a plea agreement and was sentenced to probation before judgment.

Burke entered an Alford plea this afternoon, conceding that prosecutors had enough evidence to obtain a conviction without admitting guilt.

A Circuit Court judge pronounced Burke guilty of a misdemeanor wiretapping charge and sentenced him to probation, but did not hand down any jail time.

Burke stood accused of violating state wiretapping laws by recording a conversation with mayor Mike McDermott just before spring elections in 2009 without telling McDermott he was being taped. Burke's wife, Stephanie Burke, was a candidate for city council at the time.

Burke, who runs the pocomoketattler.com blog, had asserted his innocence in a blog posting this morning, saying the Bill of Rights and free-speech laws ought to protect him in the matter.

Bill of Rights/Free Speech and all that

Local Blogger; Wiretapping Trial

Well today is the day we find out the results of local blogger Billy Burke publisher of the Pocomoke Tattler wiretapping charges.

While the trial has been put-off and postponed several times Mr. Burke will today finally know his fate.

The trial was finally set to be a jury trial after the state bussed in a out-of-town judge that would hear the case.

On the Maryland Judicial Case search site Mr Burke's trial again has changed from a "Criminal Jury Trial", to a "Criminal Non-Jury Trial" holding the same date.

Event Type:	Criminal Jury TrialNotice Date:
Event Date:	11/02/2009Event Time:09:30 AM
Result:	Postponed/ResetResult Date:10/22/2009

---

Event Type:	Criminal Non-Jury TrialNotice Date:
Event Date:	01/05/2010Event Time:09:30 AM
Result:	Result Date:

Mr. Burke was accused of "illegally recording" the Mayor of Pocomoke during the time that Mrs. Burke had been running for a council seat in Pocomoke and after publishing an out of context clip (posted below for you to hear) of the recording on his blog The Pocomoke Tattler.



The events that followed turned their life upside-down including a "raid" of their home where the PCPD collected most anything electronic that the Burke's owned and possesed, computers, cameras, recording devises, etc.

Charge and Disposition Information

(Each Charge is listed separately. The disposition is listed below the Charge)

Charge No:

1CJIS Code:1 5705Statute Code:CJ.10.402

Charge Description:

Wiretapping

Offense Date From:	03/27/2009To: 03/27/2009
Arrest Tracking No:	08-1002-04545-6Citation:
Charge Amend No:	0Sentence Version:0Charge Class:

Disposition

Plea:	Plea Date:
Disposition:	Disposition Date:

This case surely lacks in any prosecution;
1st the recording was made in a public place. (hearsay)
2nd Mr. Burke (IMHO) did not receive a "speedy trial" while the state (for whatever reason) was looking to find an out-of-town robe.

Now of course I'm not an attorney, but I did study and make many phone calls on Mr Burke's behalf in relation to Marylands "wiretapping" laws and if all accounts are accurate he will be acquitted today. (and I did stay at Holiday Inn)

Yes it is immoral, unethical, and just not a nice thing to do while your 'mark' is unaware they are being recorded in what 'they' think to be a private conversation no matter where that conversation takes place. BUT... is it illegal?

We shall see.

America Rising

The vote fraud specialists at ACORN have their work cut out for them if Democrats are going to avoid a reckoning in November:

Actually, a lot of us never trusted them to begin with. But by now, no one does except brainwashed zombies and spittle-spewing moonbats — who still constitute a minority, despite the best efforts of the media and education establishments.

Hat Tip; MoonBattery

POCOMOKE CITY -- John Franklin Grove

of Pocomoke City died from injuries sustained from being hit by a car while on a bicycle, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010.

Born March 6, 1986, in Chattanoogna, Tenn., he was the son of John Franklin Grove III of Salisbury and Elizabeth Jones Grove of Pocomoke City.

John loved all styles of music, reading and helping others.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by a brother, Kevin M. Grove and his fiancee, Cristin M. Carlton, both of Pocomoke City; grandmother, Virginia M. Grove of Hagerstown; future mother-in-law, Linda G. Carlton of Hallwood, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Holloway Funeral Home in Pocomoke City, where family and friends may call one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Luray, Va.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan Shelter, PO Box 661, Pocomoke City, Md.

Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home, 107 Vine St. in Pocomoke City.

To send condolences to the family visit www.hollowayfh.com.

Be Prepared For the Artic Air

The new year seems to have brought a blast of artic air into our area. With "warming" forcasted for the middle of the week and then dipping colder again please take extra precautions. (Just a couple degrees warmer)

　

Beware that ice that melts during the day on our highways and backroads will refreeze at night causing slippery conditions for the morning drivers. Please use caution and take your time.

Walking on ice can be dangerous. I know all of us know that yet people do it anyway and slip to the ground causing a broken leg, ankle or even a hip. Why tempt fate?

Remember that the areas of water in our area are NOT frozen solid! They rarely ever do. If you have children please, please keep an eye on them if they play outside. Children seem to be drawn to water and ice and this can be dangerous. It only takes a split second for a child to fall through the ice and drown. However, allowing them to tap on the ice is your yard or driveway is good for them. I suggest you allow them this experience as long as you keep them away from the deeper area of water.

If you use portable heaters always allow 3 feet from combustable materials. Never leave them in the same room with a child or leave the heaters without someone to monitor them. You know this yet every year children are burned and so are houses.

If you have livestock or animals that must live outside please be sure they have fresh unfrozen water at all times. Make sure they have warm bedding. I have found that straw works best. Do NOT assume your animal will be alright! He might not. And if you carry that attitude about your pet(s) perhaps you'd prefer to sleep outside with them.

Check on your neighbors especially if they live alone. You know why. Be sure they have food and above all else be sure they have heat. Only takes a minute. And it might brighten their day.

By now you should have done the necessary winter maintenance on your vehicles. Wipers antifreeze, battery, just to name a few, should have been tended to earlier. If you haven't done it then be sure you do.

Dress warm. Wear layered clothes. A cap on your head keeps the heat in your body.

If you have pipes in your home that tend to freeze leave the faucet running in a trickle.

Be sure your chimney is clean.

At least try to keep thermostats turned back a little. After all it is winter and yes, you may have to put on extra clothes in the house. And keep something on your feet!

　

These are just common sense things. These are things that will only take a few minutes of your time. Better to be safe than sorry.

Remember..........Cold artic air is forcasted to be around through next week so it doesn't look like we'll be thawing out and warming up anytime soon.

Stay warm.

Parents Tattoo Juvenile Children

SUMMERVILLE, Ga. - A northwest Georgia couple was arrested for tattooing six of their children.

WAGA-TV reports that PattyJo Marsh and her husband 34-year-old Jacob Edwards of Chattooga County tattooed themselves and six children using a plastic pen body with a needle made from a guitar string connected to an electric motor.

Five children got a cross-like tattoo on their hands and a sixth had "mom and dad" inked on his arm.

The pair were arrested after the biological mother of two of the children complained the tattoos wouldn't wash off.

Marsh tells WAGA that they did it because the children asked them to.

Marsh and Edwards are charged with three counts each of illegal tattooing, second degree child cruelty and reckless conduct. Both bonded out of jail Friday evening.



I just can't imagine where the minds were of these parents! These are very young children and the mother says they did nothing wrong!!

http://www.wkrg.com/

Obama effigy hanged in Jimmy Carter's home town

The US Secret Service says it is investigating after an effigy of Barack Obama was found hanging in the home town of former President Jimmy Carter.

TV footage showed the doll hanging by a noose in front of a red, white and blue sign that reads "Plains, Georgia. Home of Jimmy Carter, our 39th President".

Witnesses said the effigy had President Obama's name on it.

Plains Mayor LE Godwin III said the fire department had been called to take it down.

In Washington, US Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan confirmed that the agency was investigating the case.

Footage on local television station, WALB, showed a large black doll hanging over the sign, which is located above a shop on the main street in the rural town.

Residents who saw it thought the effigy must have put in place during the night, WALB reports.

One Plains resident said the Secret Service had already interviewed local people.

"We wish it hadn't happened. It's not the kind of publicity the town of Plains likes," Jan Williams, who runs a hotel, was quoted as saying by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

She described Plains, which has a population of fewer than 700 people, as a "nice, quiet town".

Eastern Shore Wedding Expo

Sunday January 31, 2010
Free admission 12:00PM to 3:00 PM
Bridal fashion show at 2:00PM

Eastern Shore Community College
Workforce Development Center
29300 Lankford Highway, Melfa, Virginia
Info: Linda Baylis Spence, Events Coordinator (757) 789-5927

Everything you need for your wedding day. Caterers, Florists, Bakeries, Reception Facilities, Hair & Makeup Consultants, Honeymoon Destinations, Wedding Supplies & Rentals, Photographers & Videographers, Gowns and Tuxes.

Stop in and checkout our booth It's A Shore Thing Photography & Imaging. Receive a 10% discount by booking your event that day. Looking forward to seeing you there! http://www.shorethingphotography.com/

Tax Dollars at Work: New York City-Funded Guide Teaches How to Shoot Heroin Safely

How stupid can the liberal government be?
"That's all I have to say bout that"

A New York City-funded guidebook for heroin users offers information on how to prepare drugs carefully and care for veins to avoid infection.

The state's top official with the Drug Enforcement Administration calls the "Take Charge Take Care" guide a "step-by-step instruction on how to inject a poison." DEA special agent-in-charge John Gilbride says the handout is disturbing.

The city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene printed about 70,000 copies.

A health official says the goal is to promote health and save lives. Assistant Commissioner Daliah Heller says instructions on how to perform injections were included because there's "a less harmful way to inject."

The illustrated guidebook offers information on HIV testing and the dangers of sharing needles.

Maryland Named in Wrongful Death Lawsuit from Fatal 2008 Truck Crash on Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Based on recent news stories the state of Maryland has been named in a $7 million wrongful death suit in regard to a fatal car-truck accident that occurred on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in August 2008. Dozens of people are killed or injured every year in tractor-trailer accidents across Maryland; some of these victims are actually semi drivers themselves who have been killed or critically injured due to another person's negligence.

As trucking accident attorneys, the legal professionals at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC have the knowledge and experience to represent victims and their families in cases not unlike the one reported here. This time, according to news articles, the state of Maryland has been named as one of the defendants in a lawsuit growing out of a deadly traffic accident.

According to reports, a trucker died during the accident in question, which was allegedly caused by a 19-year-old woman who fell asleep while driving across the Bay Bridge. News articles at the time said that Candy Baldwin had been to a wedding earlier and apparently fell asleep while passing across the bridge. This caused a truck driver to swerve his rig to avoid crashing into the young woman’s car.

The family of the deceased truck driver, 57-year-old John Short of Willards, MD, to crash into a concrete barrier on the bridge. However the barrier could not stop the truck from leaving the bridge’s roadway and falling into the water where Short reportedly died.

The lawsuit, which was originally filed last June naming Baldwin as the responsible party, was amended earlier in December to add the state and the Maryland Transportation Authority. The suit cites deficiencies in the maintenance and the inspection of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge as significant factors in the death of Short.

According to news accounts, Baldwin was only charged with traffic violations; police determined the teen's blood alcohol level as 0.03 percent, which is below the legal limit in Maryland, however that measurement was taken hours after the crash, according to the civil suit against the teen. The trucker's family claims the young woman was drunk.

The suit also claims two-way traffic on the bridge at the time of the crash was inherently dangerous and had already led to numerous other fatalities. Since the accident, the state has reportedly spent $3 million inspecting and making repairs to the sidewalls of the bridge.

VIA

PPE NOTE: I beg to differ with the results of this woman NOT being "legally" drunk. Yes, she was absolutely driving illegally and should be held totally and solely accountable, not the tax payers of Md.

Newark terminal locked down; search continues for man

(CNN) -- Hours after a security breach forced the closure of a terminal at the Newark, New Jersey, airport Sunday, authorities were still searching for a man who went the wrong way through a checkpoint exit.

The incident happened at about 5:20 p.m. at Terminal C, when an individual walked from the public side to the secure "sterile" side for passengers who had cleared screening, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

No flights were allowed to leave from Terminal C Sunday evening and thousands of other travelers who had reached the sterile area after going through checkpoints were moved back to the public area to be re-screened, the TSA said.

Authorities are reviewing video from airport cameras. They are not sure whether the man was once on the sterile side and went back, or if he never went through screening, TSA spokeswoman Anne Davis said.

Watch more about the situation in Newark

The incident caused arrival delays and mainly affected Continental Airlines, which is the airport's largest tenant.

CNN's Alina Cho, who arrived at the airport Saturday night on a flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, described the hectic scene: "For the people who are hoping to fly out of Newark this evening, there is not a lot of movement."

She said many passengers who had already boarded outgoing flights had to get off planes to be re-screened.

"I just saw one woman pleading with a gate agent, saying that she had two small children and a heart condition -- that she simply could not take this," Cho said. "But of course, there will be no exceptions."

Flying Continental? Important company notice

Newark Liberty International Airport, which is about 15 miles from Manhattan, is the second-largest hub for Continental.

The airport handles about 35 million passengers a year.

VIA

Accident @ US 13 and Stockton Rd.

Again...

Doesn't sound as if anyone was seriously injured. The driver of one vehicle Pamela Marshall (Va) suspended.

Winter Weather

This afternoon my husband suggested we come out of hibernation and take a short ride, get some fresh air.

The twenty-two ounce Yankee Candle titled Beach Vacation that I had gotten from my "Secret Santa" just wasn't reminding me of the hot summer days anymore, so I agreed.

For those of us that think these past few days have been cold here is a look at how cold it can be on the water. Taken just around 2:30 this afternoon one can only imagine what these places will look like in the morning. Only in the distance could you see any white caps.

The Hammocks.........

Holden's Creek.....

Marsh Market Road....

And here's a reminder: If any of our readers have pets that must stay outside PLEASE, PLEASE be sure they have something to wrap themselves into. Straw works best. Even though they have fur they still become cold. Imagine yourself sleeping outside tonight!

Pocomoke: Fatal Accident @ US 13 and Linden Ave.

Last night a young man on a bike crossing US 13 at the intersection of Linden Ave. was fatally injured by a vehicle traveling on US 13.

I don't have all the details so I will withhold the names at this point in respect for the family.

I do know that this was a fine young man from a good family of Pocomoke and very saddened by this shocking news.

I would like to send my sincere condolences to the family of this lost loved-one.

If we may be of any assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mayor Mike McDermott; Monitoring is key to protecting our children

Following the recent abduction and murder of Sarah Foxwell, I have been asked by several folks "what is the best way to deal with sex offenders once they are released from prison?"

I have also seen the finger of blame pointed at light sentences handed out by judges and a failure of legislators to craft tougher laws.

The current system in place as crafted by our legislators is, ironically, an "honor"-based system. Sex offender registrants are required to report in person every six months to their local sheriff's office to verify their registration. They are required to report any address changes within seven days. The same is true for their place of employment.

Once information is provided, the sheriff's office will physically verify their address and contact their employer for confirmation.

This all sounds fairly strict, and it is a far cry from what we did 20 years ago (no monitoring), but in no way are we currently "tracking" registrants.

While we have the technology to perform 24/7 monitoring of child sex offenders for the rest of their lives, we also have liberal legislators who would rather protect the bad guys at the expense of our most precious and vulnerable citizens.

Those registrants classified as child sex offenders and predators should be required to wear GPS tracking equipment with the option of having a chip installed subcutaneously. This is not altogether different than the technology utilized for in-home detention (often utilized with juvenile offenders). Unauthorized removal or tampering with the system would be classified as a felony carrying a mandatory five-year sentence.

Built-in alerts in the mapping software could be established around schools and other locations where children are known to congregate or where the registrant is otherwise not allowed.

Equipment expenses would be the responsibility of the offender, and Maryland should be the first state in the union to make it a reality. Offender locations could be known in real time, and when a child is missing, every second is critical.

I am tired of hearing excuses from lawmakers. If we are serious about protecting our kids, this is the place to start. Lengthy mandatory sentences are OK, but they do nothing to help once the offender is released from prison. You can physically see an offender once a day for an hour, but you still won't know where he is for the remaining 23 hours without GPS tracking. A western shore child predator who takes a weekend trip to Ocean City is not a blip on our radar, but that could change under these provisions.

I predict that, once implemented, Maryland would see a mass exodus of sex offender registrants to states with fewer restrictions. What could be bad about that? Let's at least start with the predators and repeat offenders; then expand the program over the next few years.

There are those who will think this type of monitoring is unduly harsh and intrusive. I simply ask you to go to the final resting place of Sarah Foxwell and tell it to her. She will never be able to cast a vote for this type of change, but, to those who remain, it is our duty to get the job done.

Mike McDermott is a veteran law enforcement officer, former chief of police for the town of Snow Hill and currently serving a second term as mayor of Pocomoke City. He is a candidate for the Md. House of Delegates seat representing District 38-B.

FETCHED: DelMarVaNow.com

5 year old Solei will be laid to rest.

if you have not kept up with the story of the little Solei Watson that lost her fight to cancer in her 5th year of life it is a tragic and angering one, but a heart felt wonderful ending.

Solei had no life insurance, She was prepared to depart by the Benny Smith Funeral Home. The Benny Smith Funeral Home would not complete arrangements for little Solei Watson without money in hand.

Solei's family members sought advise VIA a local blog in which a couple more from my understanding picked up Solei's story.

I didn't post anything about the goings on because I didn't have a contact to get permission. Yesterday I found contact info to Solei's Aunt and advised her we would help in any way we could with the families go-ahead.

The Aunt contacted me this morning with the joyous news that an anonymous person has donated the monies for Solei's burial.

The wonderful people of the Eastern Shore come through once again.

A great-big Thank You to the anonymous contributor that gave Solei and this family closure.

Blessings to Solei's family and friends.

Our View: A life cut short, a fitting tribute

A reader sent this in and requested it to be posted.

'Sarah's Law' should focus on protecting innocent children

A heinous crime -- the kidnapping and murder of an 11-year-old Salisbury girl mere days before Christmas -- has sparked an outcry from Lower Shore residents. The suspect charged with abducting Sarah Haley Foxwell is a registered sex offender, which has prompted at least two petitions demanding tightening of Maryland's sex offender laws --dubbed "Sarah's Law" -- to circulate on Facebook. State legislators who represent Lower Shore districts are being inundated with requests from constituents to change the laws to better protect children.

There is little doubt that this discussion will surface early in the 2010 legislative session in Annapolis. Lower Shore residents are fired up and demanding swift action.

While changes in the state's laws are apparently needed, it would be wise to at least take time to research the subject and find out what works --and what might sound good and make people feel better without actually making our children any safer. Maryland passed its own version of "Jessica's Law" in 2006 during an emergency session. This law, in addition to creating a statewide sex offender registry, also dictates minimum sentences for various offenses. That same year, the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 was signed into law, nationalizing a set of similar guidelines and mandates. Both laws include provisions for monitoring and reporting on registered offenders.

What we need is a law that zeroes in on the offenders who do, in fact, pose a severe risk --who, given the opportunity, will prey on children in their own family or the offspring of their friends, neighbors or anyone else.

Sentencing guidelines must strive to keep the highest-risk offenders off the streets and out of our communities for the duration of their natural lives. The rules for evidence at trials should be made flexible enough to allow a defendant's history of sex offenses to be introduced so that a pattern of sexual offenses against children, or of escalating violence, is known to the judge and jury. The registry must be manageable, strictly enforced and well-publicized -- but it should only contain the names of high-risk offenders who truly pose a threat to children, not individuals who had consensual teenage sex and got caught and prosecuted for it.

"Sarah's Law" should focus on keeping children safe at any cost, not on revenge or punishment -- as satisfying as that might seem. A law that creates a wide and unbroken gulf between child sexual molesters and their potential victims would be a fitting tribute to the little girl who galvanized our community this Christmas.

FETCHED: DelMarVaNOW.com

What’s so special about today? It’s a palindrome

Well, it was yesterday but still interesting.

Thoreau never had one during his lifetime. Neither did George Washington nor Albert Einstein. Today in the United States, which uses the month/day/year format for dates, there is a rare chance to celebrate a palindrome date - 01/02/2010 - which reads the same forward as it does backward.

Jan. 2, 2010, is the second such date out of 36 that occurs this millennium. The first was 10/02/2001.

Aziz Inan, a University of Portland electrical engineering professor, has been studying this phenomenon and speaks with great enthusiasm as he describes the history of palindrome dates.

Before 2001, he excitedly pointed out in an interview yesterday, the most recent was in 1380, since days of the month never exceed 31. The next date comes next year: 11/02/2011.

In much of the rest of the world, today’s date appears as day/month/year, or 02/01/2010. But for inhabitants of these countries, rest assured that there will be plenty of opportunities to celebrate even more than our paltry 36: they will get 60 between 2001 and 3000, Inan says.

“Once you put the day in front of the month, everything changes for the rest of the world,’’ said Inan, who is working on academic papers on the subject.

VIA

R.D. Mercer calls Navy Recruiter

Oldie but a goodie

It's Coooold Outside Brrrrrrrrrrrrr

I read recently that the North Pole is moving but I didn't think it would take-up residency in Pocomoke.

It's sooo cold that I broke-off a piece of frozen fire and stuck in my pocket, when it thawed, it burned a hole in my new coat.

I also saw two lawyers today and they had their hands in their OWN pockets.....

People... IT'S COLD!!