Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Will I Live to see 80? ~~~~ something to think about
I recently picked a new primary care doctor. After two visits and exhaustive Lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age. (I just turned 50.)
A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, 'Do you think I'll live to be 80?' He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer or wine?'
'Oh no,' I replied.. 'I'm not doing drugs, either!'
Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?
'I said, 'Not much... My former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!'
'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'
'No, I don't,' I said.
He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?'
'No,' I said.
He looked at me and said,... "Then, why do you even give a shit?"
NASA-- Rocket Launch On Saturday
NASA has scheduled a rocket launch on Saturday from the Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island that will benefit NASA as well as students from several different universities across the nation.
The launch is scheduled between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Backup dates for the launch will be between March 28 and April 2.
According to Rebecca Powell of NASA, if you are in the Wallops area Saturday morning, chances are you will be able to see the rocket launch.
The flight's main goal is to test the Improved Malemute rocket motor. The Terrier-Improved Malemute suborbital sounding rocket will carry two cubesats developed by university students in Kentucky, Moorehead State, the Naval Academy and California, according to a Powell. The cubeseats will eject from the rocket about 72 seconds into the flight and as they fall, they will collect data for research by the students.
The launch will be webcast live by NASA. The link to the webcast can be found below.
More Information Webcast Link
http://www.shoredailynews.com/
~~ 24th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY ~~
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY WISHES GO OUT TODAY TO ---
Robin & Tom
MAY THERE BE MANY MORE...............
Virginia Files Suit Against Health Care Giant Johnson & Johnson
Virginia has filed court papers to join a federal lawsuit claiming that health care giant Johnson & Johnson paid tens of millions of dollars in kickbacks so nursing homes would put patients on its schizophrenia drug.
The filing was confirmed through an online database maintained by the federal courts.
Prosecutors claim the company paid kickbacks to nursing home prescription provider Omnicare Inc. so its pharmacists would recommended that patients with signs of Alzheimers be put on the schizophrenia drug Risperdal, which was later found to increase the risk of death in the elderly.
www.shoredailynews.com
Folks you just can't say it enough! If you have a loved one in any nursing home select a family member to be the spokesperson for the individual under their care. ASK, LOOK, and ASK again what type of medications are being given to your family member. Find out what that medication is for and then for goodness sake DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK and read about the medications. Until YOU take an interest and ASK questions this type of thing will continue.
Daily Entrance Fee To Increase For Wildlife Refuge
CHINCOTEAGUE --The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the daily entrance fee to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge will increase from $5 to $8. The price of the weekly, refuge annual, interagency annual and senior passes will not change. All passes are accepted at both ends of Assateague Island.
According to Refuge Manager Lou Hinds, the refuge projected that the fee increases of 2008 would generate the additional revenues needed to help offset the costs of maintaining the beach parking lots and visitor safety services on Assateague Island as well as other visitor services projects.
"Since the addition of the $5 daily pass, our proceeds have remained the same. The price is too low and we have to change it," Hinds said.
Eighty percent of the fees collected come back to the refuge to fund visitor use and backlog maintenance projects. Hinds noted that this past year, the refuge used some recreation fee dollars for the historic Assateague Lighthouse Restoration Project. Work included restoring the gallery deck, repairing the roof and replacing the glass panels in the Lantern room. Additionally, fee revenues were used for the annual maintenance of roads, trails, beach parking lots, visitor safety services (lifeguards), fee collection and law enforcement support. This year, recreation fee dollars will be used for similar projects.
As required in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004, the refuge will accept public comments on the proposed fee increase until April 30. Comments may be made by e-mail to FW5RW_ CNWR@fws.gov, or write to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 62, Chincoteague, Va., 23336.
Saving Accomack County Money Is A "Good Thing"
POST OFFICE OFFERS RECYCLING
ONANCOCK -- For the first time on the Eastern Shore, citizens have the option of recycling unwanted mail right in the post office lobby. This convenience is due to the thought, time, and efforts of Onancock Postmaster April Hart and Sales Associate Cathy Dawson.
Onancock will be saving the whole county money by keeping mail out of the landfill. For every ton of catalogs, ads, and unwanted mail and paper that gets recycled, citizens save $46. Paper and mail are heavy, and at the post office, it adds up quickly. Just ask Waste Watcher volunteer, Charlie O'Neill, who has been picking up and carting recyclable plastic and non-identifying mail to the convenience centers for the last month.
Hart has long been concerned about the amount of paper that customers threw away rather than recycled. Waste Watchers of the Eastern Shore, a community group that promotes responsible disposal of waste, was worried too. Many people come to the post office, open their mail boxes and sort through it right there in the lobby. Catalogues, unwanted advertising and empty envelopes go straight into the waste basket and from there -- needlessly and expensively --to the landfill.
Last month, Waste Watchers provided the post office with a recycling bin and a weekly pickup service to recycle rather than toss all that paper. Just as Onancock Post Office and Waste Watchers were ready to start the process, Hart learned that recycling of mail by citizens was not allowed because of the possibility of identity theft.
However, USPS does have a recycling system in place called "Read, Respond, and Recycle Your Mail." This program puts locked recycling bins in post office lobbies so people can responsibly dispose of unwanted paper. It has a thin opening to discourage garbage or anything other than paper being added.
After some investigation by both Waste Watchers and Hart, it was discovered that many post offices throughout Virginia enjoyed this service but as so often happens, there was not one on the Eastern Shore. That's when Hart went into action. Figuring there were districts that had more than they needed, she put word out that Onancock wanted just one if anyone had a spare. And after only four weeks, a bin showed up, and Onancock postal customers are happily recycling and saving themselves money.
Jenny O'Neill, of Waste Watchers, said, "The actions of these two civil servants have made a positive difference. Without their focus and efforts, this wouldn't have happened. Next time you go to the Post Office, make sure you thank them." Onancock can now add another green feather to its cap.
I'm going to be keeping an eye out for one of these at the two post offices I use in my area. This is a great start for Accomack County. If you asked me I'd tell you that Accomack County has been a little "slow" on getting with the recycle programs. Those metal cans and plastics (with the exception of plastic bottles) are still going to the landfill. Thankyou April Hart and Cathy Dawson!!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Well,.... I Would Hope So..............
McDonnell Condemns Obama's Healthcare PlanVirginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is calling the newly passed health care overhaul an "unprecedented expansion of federal power" that threatens to bleed states dry.
McDonnell issued a more than 700-word statement Monday saying the bill that passed Sunday would cost Virginia an additional $1.1 billion by 2022, dramatically increase the federal deficit and jeopardize the coverage many already have.
McDonnell says that while every American should have reasonably priced, quality health care, allowing the federal government to exercise control over one-sixth of the economy is "shocking to the American system of federalism."
Earlier in the day, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said he would challenge what he called an unconstitutional overreach of federal authority.
www.shoredailynews.com
HUNTER EDUCATION COURSE
As a reminder, first time hunters and hunters 12 to 15 years of age are required to complete the hunter education course before buying a hunting license and to present the course completion certificate when the license is purchased.
The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will offer a Hunter
Safety Course. The three classes for the course are as follows:
Wednesday, March 31 6:00 PM-9:30 PM
Thursday, April 1 6:00 PM-9:30 PM
Friday, April 2 6:00 PM-9:30 PM
The class will be held at the E.S. Regional Fire Training Center at 28598 Beacon Road, Melfa, VA. There is no fee for the course, however it is required for all persons purchasing a hunting license for the first time as well as youth ages 16 and under.
Participants must attend the entire session to successfully complete the course.
Due to limited class size, you must pre-register as soon as possible. For registration or more information call:
Jim Stern at 757-787-3842 or 757-442-3740
email: buckshot5@verizon.net
Monday, March 22, 2010
Virginia - Cuccinellli Will File Suit
Less than eight hours after Congress passed sweeping health care reforms, Virginia's attorney general announced a legal challenge.
Republican Ken Cuccinelli said early Monday that he will invoke the Virginia Healthcare Freedom Act in challenging what he and other conservatives decry as an unconstitutional overreach of federal authority.
Cuccinelli joins several other conservative state attorneys general from the region promising fast legal pushback after the House of Representatives finished passage of the legislation Sunday night.
Cuccinelli said he would file the action as soon as President Barack Obama signs into law the bill in the U.S. District Court.
Virginia became the first state to enact a law that bucks any effort by the federal government to impose federal health care mandates in the states.
Similar measures were filed or proposed in 34 other state legislatures.
The Virginia law says that no resident of the state can be compelled by the federal law to have health insurance, nor can any Virginian be forced to pay a fine or penalty for refusing health coverage.
While enactment of the Virginia law is complete, it doesn't take effect until July 1.
That doesn't prohibit the attorney general from using it as the basis for his lawsuit, said Cuccinelli's spokesman, Brian Gottstein.
"The courts allow you to take a law into court ahead of time if there is what's called an actual controversy. Even though the law does not take effect until July, we know it will take effect and we know it will conflict with another law, in this case the federal health care law, and it is in the best interest to resolve it sooner rather than later," Gottstein said.
Supporters of the Virginia law say it underscores protections the state should already enjoy under the U.S. Constitution. The 10th Amendment gives states any powers the Constitution doesn't either forbid or reserve for the federal government.
It passed comfortably in the Republican-controlled House and on a 23-17 vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate. In both chambers, Democrats supported the measure.
Opponents called it a vain and partisan effort by Virginia's new Republican leaders to shake a fist at Washington before this year's midterm races for Congress.
www.shoredailynews.com
Something To Think About
"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company."
~ George Washington ~
Woman's Club of Accomack County- Scholarship
The Woman's Club of Accomack County announces that applications are being accepted until March 31st for a $500.00 scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to a student from Accomack or Northampton County who plans to attend a Virginia college or institution in preparation for a career in either health or education.
Applications are available at all high school guidance offices or by calling 787-1979
Completed applications must be postmarked by March 30, 2010.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Landmark Health Care Reform Passes After Fierce Debate
The Demwit Democrats just signed their death sentence. Libtards rejoice, I hope you believe in the 2nd amendment you might need that right now!
Summoned to success by President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled Congress approved historic legislation Sunday night extending health care to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and cracking down on insurance company abuses, a climactic chapter in the century-long quest for near universal coverage.
Widely viewed as dead two months ago, the Senate-passed bill cleared the House on a 219-212 vote, with Republicans unanimous in opposition.
Congressional officials said they expected Obama to sign the bill as early as Tuesday.
A second measure - making changes in the first - was lined up for passage later in the evening. It would then go to the Senate, where Democratic leaders said they had the votes to pass it.
Crowds of protesters outside the Capitol shouted "just vote no" in a futile attempt to stop the inevitable taking place inside a House packed with lawmakers and ringed with spectators in the galleries above.
Across hours of debate, House Democrats predicted the major bill, costing $940 billion over a decade, would rank with other great social legislation of recent decades.
"We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, health care for all Americans, said Speaker Nancy Pelosi, partner to Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in the grueling campaign to pass the legislation.
"This is the civil rights act of the 21st century," added Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the top-ranking black member of the House.
Republicans readily agreed the bill would affect everyone in America, but warned repeatedly of the burden imposed by more than $900 billion in tax increases and Medicare cuts combined.
"We have failed to listen to America," said Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, leader of a party that has vowed to carry the fight into the fall's midterm elections for control of Congress.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the legislation would extend coverage to 32 million Americans who lack it, ban insurers from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions and cut deficits by an estimated $138 billion over a decade. If realized, the expansion of coverage would include 95 percent of all eligible individuals under age 65.
Far beyond the political ramifications - a concern the president repeatedly insisted he paid no mind - were the sweeping changes the bill held in store for millions of individuals, the insurance companies that would come under tougher control and the health care providers, many of whom would face higher taxes.
For the first time, most Americans would be required to purchase insurance, and face penalties if they refused. Much of the money in the bill would be devoted to subsidies to help families at incomes of up to $88,000 a year pay their premiums.
The measure would also usher in a significant expansion of Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for the poor. Coverage would be required for incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, $29,327 a year for a family of four. Childless adults would be covered for the first time, starting in 2014.
The insurance industry, which spent millions on advertising trying to block the bill, would come under new federal regulation. They would be forbidden from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies, from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing conditions and from canceling policies when a policyholder becomes ill.
Parents would be able to keep children up to age 26 on their family insurance plans, three years longer than is now the case.
A new high-risk pool would offer coverage to uninsured people with medical problems until 2014, when the coverage expansion would go into high gear.
The final obstacle to passage was cleared a few hours before the vote, when Obama and Democratic leaders reached a compromise with anti-abortion lawmakers whose rebellion had left the outcome in doubt. The president issued an executive order pledging that no federal funds would be used for elective abortion, satisfying Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan and a handful of like-minded lawmakers.
A spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed skepticism that the presidential order would satisfy the church's objections.
For the president, the events capped an 18-day stretch in which he traveled to four states and lobbied more than 60 wavering lawmakers in person or by phone to secure passage of his signature domestic issue. According to some who met with him, he warned that the bill's demise could cripple his still-young presidency.
After more than a year of political combat, Democrats piled superlative upon superlative across several hours of House debate.
Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York read a message President Franklin Roosevelt sent Congress in 1939 urging lawmakers to address the needs of those without health care, and said Democrat Harry Truman and Republican Richard Nixon had also sought to broaden insurance coverage.
Republicans attacked the bill without let-up, warning it would harm the economy while mandating a government takeover of the health care system.
"The American people know you can't reduce health care costs by spending $1 trillion or raising taxes by more than one-half trillion dollars. The American people know that you cannot cut Medicare by over one-half trillion dollars without hurting seniors," said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich.
"And, the American people know that you can't create an entirely new government entitlement program without exploding spending and the deficit."
Obama has said often that presidents of both parties have tried without success to achieve national health insurance, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt early in the 20th century.
The 44th president's quest to succeed where others have failed seemed at a dead end two months ago, when Republicans won a special election for a Massachusetts Senate seat, and with it, the votes to prevent a final vote.
But the White House, Pelosi and Reid soon came up with a rescue plan that required the House to approve the Senate-passed measure despite opposition to many of its provisions, then have both houses pass a fix-it measure incorporating numerous changes.
To pay for the changes, the legislation includes more than $400 billion in higher taxes over a decade, roughly half of it from a new Medicare payroll tax on individuals with incomes over $200,000 and couples over $250,000. A new excise tax on high-cost insurance policies was significantly scaled back in deference to complaints from organized labor.
In addition, the bills cut more than $500 billion from planned payments to hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and other providers that treat Medicare patients. An estimated $200 billion would reduce planned subsidies to insurance companies that offer a private alternative to traditional Medicare.
The insurance industry warned that seniors would face sharply higher premiums as a result, and the Congressional Budget Office said many would return to traditional Medicare as a result.
The subsidies are higher than those for seniors on traditional Medicare, a difference that critics complain is wasteful, but insurance industry officials argue goes into expanded benefits.
VIA
Summoned to success by President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled Congress approved historic legislation Sunday night extending health care to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and cracking down on insurance company abuses, a climactic chapter in the century-long quest for near universal coverage.
Widely viewed as dead two months ago, the Senate-passed bill cleared the House on a 219-212 vote, with Republicans unanimous in opposition.
Congressional officials said they expected Obama to sign the bill as early as Tuesday.
A second measure - making changes in the first - was lined up for passage later in the evening. It would then go to the Senate, where Democratic leaders said they had the votes to pass it.
Crowds of protesters outside the Capitol shouted "just vote no" in a futile attempt to stop the inevitable taking place inside a House packed with lawmakers and ringed with spectators in the galleries above.
Across hours of debate, House Democrats predicted the major bill, costing $940 billion over a decade, would rank with other great social legislation of recent decades.
"We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, health care for all Americans, said Speaker Nancy Pelosi, partner to Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in the grueling campaign to pass the legislation.
"This is the civil rights act of the 21st century," added Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the top-ranking black member of the House.
Republicans readily agreed the bill would affect everyone in America, but warned repeatedly of the burden imposed by more than $900 billion in tax increases and Medicare cuts combined.
"We have failed to listen to America," said Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, leader of a party that has vowed to carry the fight into the fall's midterm elections for control of Congress.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the legislation would extend coverage to 32 million Americans who lack it, ban insurers from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions and cut deficits by an estimated $138 billion over a decade. If realized, the expansion of coverage would include 95 percent of all eligible individuals under age 65.
Far beyond the political ramifications - a concern the president repeatedly insisted he paid no mind - were the sweeping changes the bill held in store for millions of individuals, the insurance companies that would come under tougher control and the health care providers, many of whom would face higher taxes.
For the first time, most Americans would be required to purchase insurance, and face penalties if they refused. Much of the money in the bill would be devoted to subsidies to help families at incomes of up to $88,000 a year pay their premiums.
The measure would also usher in a significant expansion of Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for the poor. Coverage would be required for incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, $29,327 a year for a family of four. Childless adults would be covered for the first time, starting in 2014.
The insurance industry, which spent millions on advertising trying to block the bill, would come under new federal regulation. They would be forbidden from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies, from denying coverage to children because of pre-existing conditions and from canceling policies when a policyholder becomes ill.
Parents would be able to keep children up to age 26 on their family insurance plans, three years longer than is now the case.
A new high-risk pool would offer coverage to uninsured people with medical problems until 2014, when the coverage expansion would go into high gear.
The final obstacle to passage was cleared a few hours before the vote, when Obama and Democratic leaders reached a compromise with anti-abortion lawmakers whose rebellion had left the outcome in doubt. The president issued an executive order pledging that no federal funds would be used for elective abortion, satisfying Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan and a handful of like-minded lawmakers.
A spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed skepticism that the presidential order would satisfy the church's objections.
For the president, the events capped an 18-day stretch in which he traveled to four states and lobbied more than 60 wavering lawmakers in person or by phone to secure passage of his signature domestic issue. According to some who met with him, he warned that the bill's demise could cripple his still-young presidency.
After more than a year of political combat, Democrats piled superlative upon superlative across several hours of House debate.
Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York read a message President Franklin Roosevelt sent Congress in 1939 urging lawmakers to address the needs of those without health care, and said Democrat Harry Truman and Republican Richard Nixon had also sought to broaden insurance coverage.
Republicans attacked the bill without let-up, warning it would harm the economy while mandating a government takeover of the health care system.
"The American people know you can't reduce health care costs by spending $1 trillion or raising taxes by more than one-half trillion dollars. The American people know that you cannot cut Medicare by over one-half trillion dollars without hurting seniors," said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich.
"And, the American people know that you can't create an entirely new government entitlement program without exploding spending and the deficit."
Obama has said often that presidents of both parties have tried without success to achieve national health insurance, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt early in the 20th century.
The 44th president's quest to succeed where others have failed seemed at a dead end two months ago, when Republicans won a special election for a Massachusetts Senate seat, and with it, the votes to prevent a final vote.
But the White House, Pelosi and Reid soon came up with a rescue plan that required the House to approve the Senate-passed measure despite opposition to many of its provisions, then have both houses pass a fix-it measure incorporating numerous changes.
To pay for the changes, the legislation includes more than $400 billion in higher taxes over a decade, roughly half of it from a new Medicare payroll tax on individuals with incomes over $200,000 and couples over $250,000. A new excise tax on high-cost insurance policies was significantly scaled back in deference to complaints from organized labor.
In addition, the bills cut more than $500 billion from planned payments to hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and other providers that treat Medicare patients. An estimated $200 billion would reduce planned subsidies to insurance companies that offer a private alternative to traditional Medicare.
The insurance industry warned that seniors would face sharply higher premiums as a result, and the Congressional Budget Office said many would return to traditional Medicare as a result.
The subsidies are higher than those for seniors on traditional Medicare, a difference that critics complain is wasteful, but insurance industry officials argue goes into expanded benefits.
VIA
2 Baltimore Police Officers Shot During Traffic Stop
Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III said the officers will survive and are expected to undergo surgery at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. One officer was shot in the right cheek, while the other was shot in the hand. A third officer also shot at the suspect.
The names of the officers and the suspect were not immediately released because some family members had not yet been notified.
The officers had noticed an older model Chevrolet Caprice moving in tandem with another vehicle and became suspicious, Bealefeld said. They found marijuana in the car and were arresting one of two passengers, but the driver hesitated to get out.
"He was reluctant, and now we know why," Bealefeld said.
The man struggled with officers and managed to break away, grabbed a handgun from the car and started shooting. The officers returned fire, killing him. Police recovered a .25-caliber semi-automatic handgun at the scene, the commissioner said.
Bealefeld commended the officers who were shot and other officers who have been working to get guns off the street and make the city safer. He has directed officers to target enforcement efforts toward "bad guys with guns" in the city long plagued by violence.
The city has seen fewer killings in recent years. In 2009, there were 238 homicides and officials have said violent crime has been reduced.
Bealefeld said Sunday that some people may object to him referring to criminals as "idiots and maniacs." However, he said those words weren't strong enough for the families of the officers and other shooting victims.
VIA
Deal Struck On Abortion Picks Up More Votes for Health Care Bill
Boy 'they' sure do think 'we' are stupid! Well lets see how stupid they think we are in November.
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said Sunday he has reached an agreement with the White House to secure an executive order from President Obama specifically stating that no funds from the pending health care bill will be used for abortion services. The agreement clears the way for Democrats to pass their sweeping health care reform package by at least 216 votes.
"I'm pleased to announced that we have an agreement," Stupak said at a Capitol Hill press conference. "With the help of the president and the speaker, we were able to come to an agreement to protect the sanctity of life in health care reform. There will be no public funding of abortion in this legislation."
According to Stupak, President Obama will sign the executive order Sunday declaring that the existing Hyde amendment, which specifically states that no federal funding may be used for abortion services, will apply to any new agency, health center, insurance coverage, or health care services created by the pending legislation.
White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said Obama would issue the order after the passage of the health insurance reform law and that it "will reaffirm its consistency with longstanding restrictions on the use of federal funds for abortion."
"While the legislation as written maintains current law, the executive order provides additional safeguards to ensure that the status quo is upheld and enforced, and that the health care legislation's restrictions against the public funding of abortions cannot be circumvented," Pfeiffer said.
Without language addressing the question of abortion funding in the bill, Stupak and his coalition of pro-life Democrats said they would have voted against the measure when it comes to a vote Sunday night. Although some anti-abortion Democrats had agreed to vote for the House bill before Sunday, it became clear that the remaining hold-outs were enough to bring down the entire $940 billion measure.
"We wanted to see health care reform," Stupak said. "But there was a principle that mattered more to us than anything and that was the sanctity of life."
As recently as Saturday afternoon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had been in negotiations with Stupak to allow him to introduce an amendment to the health care package with specific restrictions on abortion funding in the bill. But Pelosi came out of meetings late in the day to say that no amendments would be offered on any subject. "The bill is the bill,"she said.
Democratic leaders met with members of the abortion rights caucus Sunday afternoon as well as the anti-abortion members, to ensure that both sides would support the language in the executive order. "There's deep interest on the part of everyone," said Rep. Xavier Bacerra (D.), who supports abortion rights and participated in he meetings. "This is big, so it's reasonable to expect everyone to want to have a clear understanding."
House Minority Leader John Boehner said that Obama's executive order "would not be worth the paper it's written on," and accused Democratic leaders of an attempt "to provide political cover for wavering Democrats who profess to be pro-life."
VIA: Politics Daily
"I'm pleased to announced that we have an agreement," Stupak said at a Capitol Hill press conference. "With the help of the president and the speaker, we were able to come to an agreement to protect the sanctity of life in health care reform. There will be no public funding of abortion in this legislation."
According to Stupak, President Obama will sign the executive order Sunday declaring that the existing Hyde amendment, which specifically states that no federal funding may be used for abortion services, will apply to any new agency, health center, insurance coverage, or health care services created by the pending legislation.
White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said Obama would issue the order after the passage of the health insurance reform law and that it "will reaffirm its consistency with longstanding restrictions on the use of federal funds for abortion."
"While the legislation as written maintains current law, the executive order provides additional safeguards to ensure that the status quo is upheld and enforced, and that the health care legislation's restrictions against the public funding of abortions cannot be circumvented," Pfeiffer said.
Without language addressing the question of abortion funding in the bill, Stupak and his coalition of pro-life Democrats said they would have voted against the measure when it comes to a vote Sunday night. Although some anti-abortion Democrats had agreed to vote for the House bill before Sunday, it became clear that the remaining hold-outs were enough to bring down the entire $940 billion measure.
"We wanted to see health care reform," Stupak said. "But there was a principle that mattered more to us than anything and that was the sanctity of life."
As recently as Saturday afternoon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had been in negotiations with Stupak to allow him to introduce an amendment to the health care package with specific restrictions on abortion funding in the bill. But Pelosi came out of meetings late in the day to say that no amendments would be offered on any subject. "The bill is the bill,"
Democratic leaders met with members of the abortion rights caucus Sunday afternoon as well as the anti-abortion members, to ensure that both sides would support the language in the executive order. "There's deep interest on the part of everyone," said Rep. Xavier Bacerra (D.), who supports abortion rights and participated in he meetings. "This is big, so it's reasonable to expect everyone to want to have a clear understanding."
House Minority Leader John Boehner said that Obama's executive order "would not be worth the paper it's written on," and accused Democratic leaders of an attempt "to provide political cover for wavering Democrats who profess to be pro-life."
VIA: Politics Daily
Why is it Ok to be Proud to be Any Color But White?
Chicago Home Sales Dented by Racist 'Yard Art'
It's hard enough to sell a home sitting next to a neighbor who refuses to mow their lawn and patch up a dilapidated roof, or one that plays music with rib-rattling subwoofers turned up to 11 in the wee hours of the night, but what happens when a man living on your block posts racist signs on his garage?
The answer, for the West Beverly, Chicago neighborhood is the affirmation of a long-held reputation along with a fixed ceiling on demand and property values.
"I dont see too many African-American buyers who decide they want to look in that market, and as a result, their market is limited, which does in turn affect property values," said Nike Fasanya, owner, president and CEO of Marvel Ventures Mortgage Inc., based in Chicago.
Fasanya explains that Beverly is split up into four different regional zones, with homes in the racially diverse north and east areas having the best value. Residents here are typically white-collar workers with higher education.
In the western region of Beverly, where the racist incident occurred last week, the population is more homogeneous, predominantly made up of white, blue-collar workers of Irish descent. This zone "is affected by the notoriety of its population, and their open and aggressive form of active racial discrimination," according to Fasanya, whose office is located in Beverly.
"I have had Caucasians call and set up appointments with me, walk into my office, see that I am black, turn around and walk right back out the door," Fasanya said.
She finds it funny that the presidency of Barack Obama has been heralded as a breakthrough in race relations. "I actually see it the other way. Racial hatred is too ingrained and too complex to be overturned by an event, even one as grand as the presidency."
Fasanya added that though she has lived in several other countries and states, "the racial tensions on the South Side of Chicago are unparalleled."
Last Wednesday, Michael Corrigan drew the ire of community activists with his display of crudely posted words proclaiming "SAY NO TO THE GHETTO," "WHITE POWER," and "MT GREENWOOD THE NEXT ENGLEWOOD," next to signs reading "God Bless America" and "White Power World Wide" on his garage, along with a small noose hanging beside the hateful display.
"It's just yard art," Corrigan said.
A pig donning sunglasses and a blue hat, or maybe even a sprinkler in the form of a vomiting man might be considered yard art, but this? Not a chance.
After receiving a good deal of attention from the media, protesters, passersby and law enforcement, Corrigan, 62, decided to cover up the galling signs with a blue tarp and take down the noose.
The display faced an unfortunate three-bedroom, single-family bungalow for sale next to Corrigan, located at 9945 S. Fairfield Ave. in Beverly, listed for $237,000. When reached by phone, the realtor for the listing declined to comment, but we can imagine a well-publicized crazy neighbor wouldn't be a very good selling point.
In January 2008, Frank Rosci wrote about the negative effect bad neighbors have on home values in the Jewish Exponent, though his piece focused on neighbors who failed to upkeep their properties. "Good neighbors" can try to have a heart-to-heart with the offender, but in most cases these situations amount to nothing more than nuisances with no legal recourse, according to the article.
Though Corrigan has expressed his desire to keep his 9900 block of Fairfield Avenue in West Beverly neighborhood as white as possible, Beverly as a whole, is already a very diverse residential district of Chicago. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Beverly is 32.3 percent black, up from 24.2 percent in 1990. Back in 1960, only 0.1 percent of Beverly was "Negro."
The neighborhood, known for its architecture, tree-lined streets and bungalows, has had religious and racial friction in its past. Before opposition to the arrival of black residents, the Ku Klux Clan burned crosses in front of the first Catholic church in Beverly in 1924, when the neighborhood was mostly Protestant.
Today's Beverly is quite different. "Unlike some Chicago communities, Beverly is truly integrated," said a resident interviewed for a profile of the community written by Leslie Mann at the Chicago Tribune. There are always exceptions, of course.
The answer, for the West Beverly, Chicago neighborhood is the affirmation of a long-held reputation along with a fixed ceiling on demand and property values.
"I dont see too many African-American buyers who decide they want to look in that market, and as a result, their market is limited, which does in turn affect property values," said Nike Fasanya, owner, president and CEO of Marvel Ventures Mortgage Inc., based in Chicago.
Fasanya explains that Beverly is split up into four different regional zones, with homes in the racially diverse north and east areas having the best value. Residents here are typically white-collar workers with higher education.
In the western region of Beverly, where the racist incident occurred last week, the population is more homogeneous, predominantly made up of white, blue-collar workers of Irish descent. This zone "is affected by the notoriety of its population, and their open and aggressive form of active racial discrimination," according to Fasanya, whose office is located in Beverly.
"I have had Caucasians call and set up appointments with me, walk into my office, see that I am black, turn around and walk right back out the door," Fasanya said.
She finds it funny that the presidency of Barack Obama has been heralded as a breakthrough in race relations. "I actually see it the other way. Racial hatred is too ingrained and too complex to be overturned by an event, even one as grand as the presidency."
Fasanya added that though she has lived in several other countries and states, "the racial tensions on the South Side of Chicago are unparalleled."
Last Wednesday, Michael Corrigan drew the ire of community activists with his display of crudely posted words proclaiming "SAY NO TO THE GHETTO," "WHITE POWER," and "MT GREENWOOD THE NEXT ENGLEWOOD," next to signs reading "God Bless America" and "White Power World Wide" on his garage, along with a small noose hanging beside the hateful display.
"It's just yard art," Corrigan said.
A pig donning sunglasses and a blue hat, or maybe even a sprinkler in the form of a vomiting man might be considered yard art, but this? Not a chance.
After receiving a good deal of attention from the media, protesters, passersby and law enforcement, Corrigan, 62, decided to cover up the galling signs with a blue tarp and take down the noose.
The display faced an unfortunate three-bedroom, single-family bungalow for sale next to Corrigan, located at 9945 S. Fairfield Ave. in Beverly, listed for $237,000. When reached by phone, the realtor for the listing declined to comment, but we can imagine a well-publicized crazy neighbor wouldn't be a very good selling point.
In January 2008, Frank Rosci wrote about the negative effect bad neighbors have on home values in the Jewish Exponent, though his piece focused on neighbors who failed to upkeep their properties. "Good neighbors" can try to have a heart-to-heart with the offender, but in most cases these situations amount to nothing more than nuisances with no legal recourse, according to the article.
Though Corrigan has expressed his desire to keep his 9900 block of Fairfield Avenue in West Beverly neighborhood as white as possible, Beverly as a whole, is already a very diverse residential district of Chicago. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Beverly is 32.3 percent black, up from 24.2 percent in 1990. Back in 1960, only 0.1 percent of Beverly was "Negro."
The neighborhood, known for its architecture, tree-lined streets and bungalows, has had religious and racial friction in its past. Before opposition to the arrival of black residents, the Ku Klux Clan burned crosses in front of the first Catholic church in Beverly in 1924, when the neighborhood was mostly Protestant.
Today's Beverly is quite different. "Unlike some Chicago communities, Beverly is truly integrated," said a resident interviewed for a profile of the community written by Leslie Mann at the Chicago Tribune. There are always exceptions, of course.
VIA: Housing Watch
Hornblasters
This horn is awesome, I gotta get me one so the next time you hear a train it might just be PPE. Check out their videos HERE it's really, really funny to see the reaction of people when they get "blasted"
This one is my favorite, around 1:25 when the two wanna be gangstas take-off running.
Check out the other videos @ Hornblasters.com yup, I got to get one.
This one is my favorite, around 1:25 when the two wanna be gangstas take-off running.
Check out the other videos @ Hornblasters.com yup, I got to get one.
I just Love Surf Dog; SURF DOG RICOCHET BECOMES AN AMBASSADOR FOR "PAY IT FORWARD DAY"
AND INSPIRES PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO PERFORM GOOD DEEDS, OR
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR OTHERS
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR OTHERS
SAN DIEGO, CA, March 22, 2010… Surf dog Ricochet, the SURFice dog who surfs for fun, competition, and charitable causes, was named an ambassador for Pay It Forward Day, which will be held around the world on April 29, 2010. Ricochet is inspiring people around the globe to perform random acts of kindness on Pay It Forward Day. She'll also be coordinating local good deed activities for members of the San Diego community.
When the organizers of Pay It Forward Day heard about the life changing work Ricochet does through her Surfin' for Paws-abilities program, they thought she'd be the perfect candidate to fill the roll of Ambassador. Pay It Forward Day is a worldwide initiative based on the novel of the same name written by Catherine Ryan Hyde. The premise of story is about a 12 year old boy who did three good deeds for others in need. All he asked in return, was for them to pass on the good deed to three other people, and keep the cycle going.
So, on Pay It Forward Day, people will do one good deed for three others. When recipients ask how they can re-pay the favor, which can be big or small, they'll be instructed to pay it forward to three more people. With each good deed, the cycle of generosity and kindness will ripple across the world, making us all better people.
Pay It Forward Day is about all people, from all walks of life, giving to someone else, and making a positive difference. There are over 15 countries involved, hundreds of schools are participating, and thousands of people will be paying it forward across the world. There is an exclusive Facebook page www.bit.ly/payitforwardday, set up for people to join in preparation for the event. Additional information can be found on the Pay It Forward Day website http://payitforwardday.com.
One of the activities Ricochet is working on for Pay It Forward Day is an surf session hosted by Happy Barrels Surf School, and their Adaptive Surfing Foundation. Owner, Robbie Nelson is Ricochet's surf coach, and she will be paying forward the acts of kindness she's receives from him. Patrick Ivison, the quadriplegic boy Ricochet raised over $10,000 for, and Ian McFarland, the six year old brain injured boy she raised over $6000 for, will be out there paying it forward with her.
An excellent example of how powerful paying it forward can be, is Ricochet's YouTube video "From Service dog to SURFice dog". Each person who watched it was inspired, and wanted to share the inspiration with someone else... so they paid the link forward to others. The cycle continued and the video went viral, touching millions of lives around the world. Ricochet has posted a new video, specifically about paying it forward, and is now inspiring people to get involved on Pay It Forward Day! To watch the new video, go to this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayn0d1yVOHw
Note: For more information, or to get involved, contact Judy Fridono at 707-228-0679 or pawinspired@aol.com.
http://www.surfdogricochet.com. On Facebook & Twitter: "Surf Dog Ricochet"
http://payitforwardday.com
www.bit.ly/payitforwardday Pay It Forward Day on Facebook
http://www.happybarrelssurfschool.com/
YouTube -
OH, Those Maryland TERPS!!
In the last final seconds of the game Michigan State beats the Maryland Terps 85-83 in the most agonizing basketball playoff game I have seen in the last few days!!Just one of those games where in the last few seconds all you can do is close your eyes and pray.
Good game Maryland Terrapins!! even with the loss. Another win would have been very nice but just to have gone this far says great things about the team.
Great game!
Now I need to go make sure that the people I love have all closed their mouths from just standing there in misbelief!
A note to my kids:
Missy, I hope you pulled off to the side of the road in your car to finish listening to the game. And to my son.... you must get up from the floor now and stop yelling NO........NO........!!!
Co-Workers Upset After Gardner's Mom Returns To Job
New pictures 10News obtained are raising questions about John Gardner's mother, Cathy Osborn.
VIDEO: HERE
It has been brought to our attention that this murder case is the 'hot topic' of the west coast much like the case of missing Christine Sheddy the family is taking the heat for what some might believe as a "lifestyle".
This is an older article by 10news.com that states;
We have been summoned to help, Here is the full article with the controversial pictures, also please read the comments to get to the 'meat' of this topic.
VIDEO: HERE
It has been brought to our attention that this murder case is the 'hot topic' of the west coast much like the case of missing Christine Sheddy the family is taking the heat for what some might believe as a "lifestyle".
This is an older article by 10news.com that states;
"Risqué pictures obtained by 10News show Obsorn and a group calling themselves the Hash House Harriers running the hills around Lake Hodges and other trails and engaging in some wild activities. We had to blur the pictures when we showed them on television because of the nudity and nature of the photos. There were even a few we couldn't show. But the pictures are a minor aspect of the tension that's developed at Osborn's workplace."The comments that follow are a grim reminder of what we have seen for the last 2 years only Amped up for no better term.
We have been summoned to help, Here is the full article with the controversial pictures, also please read the comments to get to the 'meat' of this topic.
Drug buyer beaten up by dealer after paying for crack - with Monopoly money
A man discovered bleeding from the head at a routine traffic stop in Witchita, Kansas, told police he was the victim of an angry drug dealer - upset that he paid for a hundred dollars worth of crack cocaine using Monopoly money weeks before, St. Louis' KSDK NewsChannel 5 reported.
"The man from whom he had bought the drugs was upset and invited him over to his house, and upon arrival struck him in the head several times with a handgun, and other people jumped into the fray," Gordon Bassham, a spokesman for the police department, told NBC.
The man's injuries were not life-threatening, and he has since stopped cooperating, but Witchita police are still determined to find the dealer and put him in the big house - without passing go and collecting $200.
"That was not a get out-of-jail-free card," Bassham told NBC.
Read more: HERE
A Message From the Sign Painter
The "Rural Sign Painter" has spoken and must have had the warm weather with loads of sunshine on his mind too.
Stretch your legs and flap your "wings"!! It's been a long winter and these are the days we have waited for!!
Stretch your legs and flap your "wings"!! It's been a long winter and these are the days we have waited for!!
Get outside today and take a stroll......
any way you can..............
CELEBRATE SPRING!!!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
ABC News Paid Casey Anthony $200,000
In journalism, paying sources for interviews is supposed to be a no-no. The promise of money in exchange for information violates the profession's ethical code and can often lead to dubious information.
But ABC News now says it paid $200,000 to Casey Anthony, the Florida woman accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, for exclusive rights to videos and pictures that ran on the network and its Web site.
ABC also conducted interviews with the Anthony family, but said in a statement that it paid only for images, never for interview access.
"In August 2008, we licensed exclusive rights to an extensive library of photos and home videos for use by our broadcast platforms, affiliates and international partners," ABC's statement read. "No use of material was tied to any interview."
The payments were revealed Thursday in an Orange County, Fla., court proceeding, which was concerned with whether Anthony can be declared indigent and thus receive a taxpayer-funded defense.
On Friday, Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland ruled that the state must pay some of the cost for Anthony's defense to ensure that she receives a fair trial. Anthony's defense team, who said they are working pro bono on behalf of their client, told the judge Thursday that Anthony's money from ABC had already been spent.
"Ethically, ABC is on very shaky ground," Fred Brown, vice chair of the ethics committee at the Society of Professional Journalists, told AOL News. "It's essentially paying for news, and any time you do that, you taint the news."
Paying sources for information is the stock and trade of publications like the National Enquirer, which broke the story of John Edwards' affair with Rielle Hunter and also the news that the former presidential candidate was the father of Hunter's daughter, Frances. In many of the Enquirer's stories on Edwards, a source who remained anonymous was paid by the publication.
"Ideally, news should be produced without any money changing hands," Brown said.
VIA; AOL NEWS
But ABC News now says it paid $200,000 to Casey Anthony, the Florida woman accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, for exclusive rights to videos and pictures that ran on the network and its Web site.
ABC also conducted interviews with the Anthony family, but said in a statement that it paid only for images, never for interview access.
"In August 2008, we licensed exclusive rights to an extensive library of photos and home videos for use by our broadcast platforms, affiliates and international partners," ABC's statement read. "No use of material was tied to any interview."
The payments were revealed Thursday in an Orange County, Fla., court proceeding, which was concerned with whether Anthony can be declared indigent and thus receive a taxpayer-funded defense.
On Friday, Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland ruled that the state must pay some of the cost for Anthony's defense to ensure that she receives a fair trial. Anthony's defense team, who said they are working pro bono on behalf of their client, told the judge Thursday that Anthony's money from ABC had already been spent.
"Ethically, ABC is on very shaky ground," Fred Brown, vice chair of the ethics committee at the Society of Professional Journalists, told AOL News. "It's essentially paying for news, and any time you do that, you taint the news."
Paying sources for information is the stock and trade of publications like the National Enquirer, which broke the story of John Edwards' affair with Rielle Hunter and also the news that the former presidential candidate was the father of Hunter's daughter, Frances. In many of the Enquirer's stories on Edwards, a source who remained anonymous was paid by the publication.
"Ideally, news should be produced without any money changing hands," Brown said.
VIA; AOL NEWS
Friday, March 19, 2010
Amazing Animals on Our Planet
Our planet is populated with
plenty of bizarre and
astonishing creatures. Here
are three from the Bat Family
..... Without the need for
resorting to fiction.
^^^Sucker-footed Bat^^^
^^^Red-Winged Fruit Bat^^^
plenty of bizarre and
astonishing creatures. Here
are three from the Bat Family
..... Without the need for
resorting to fiction.
^^^Sucker-footed Bat^^^
^^^Red-Winged Fruit Bat^^^
Annnnnnd.... The Most Amazing of the Bats
^^^The Left-Winged Ding Bat^^^
Hat Tip; Art
A Thought To Brighten Your Day
When you’re down in
the dumps and think
you have real problems,
just remember:
SOMEWHERE IN THIS WORLD,
THERE IS A POOR
BASTARD NAMED:
MR.PELOSI
the dumps and think
you have real problems,
just remember:
SOMEWHERE IN THIS WORLD,
THERE IS A POOR
BASTARD NAMED:
MR.PELOSI
Random Thought for the Day:
I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller or Bud Lites than Kay.
Basket and Vera Bradley BINGO
There will be a Basket and Vera Bradley Bingo sponsored by the Nandua After Prom Committee
Sunday, March 21, 2010 at the Exmore Moose Lodge
Doors open at 12:30 PM and games begin at 2:00 PM
Tickets: $20.00 in advance OR $25.00 at the door
There will be a Chinese Auction and Pick Your Own Prize with Longaberger Baskets and Vera Bradley handbags.
Lots of food available. Also raffles and a silent cake auction.
Please come out and support this event which will greatly aid in planning alcohol and drug-free After-Prom Events.
For tickets in advance or more info contact: Brenda Dize 787-2785
Boo Boo and the Big Man Named "Sir"
Boo Boo and his sister Yogi enjoyed our yard last summer and my husbands undivided attention even though they belong to the neighbors on the other side of the field from us. This brother and sister "team" spent many hot summer days enjoying the cool spray from the garden hose while my husband washed down that mudtruck he
adores. Always under his feet, looking and waiting for good old "doggy affection" my husband had the patience to stop his work to please them.
We all know that over time puppies grow into big dogs. Yogie, the sister, has moved on with her life and Boo Boo remains. Boo Boo, I guess has decided to stay behind to dedicate himself to my husband and we have affectionately been named "Sir" and "Maam".
Last summer turned into autumn and then to winter and Boo Boo has kept a daily routine of guarding the children he lives with until they are seated on the school bus then racing to our yard hoping to be in time to see "Sir" before he leaves for work. Every morning they make the promise to one another to meet back in the same spot later in the afternoon.............and they do.
Sometimes dogs have to make difficult decisions. With the longer days now Boo Boo is faced with the difficult decision of abruptly leaving his yard and playing with his family or visiting "Sir". Some days "Sir" is late but Boo Boo intends to keep his end of the promise made and races down the side of the road to "Sir" who greats him with a smile followed by rubs and pats and yes, doggie treats.
We love this neighbor dog and look forward to seeing his everyday. My husband thoroughly enjoys Boo Boo. They are best friends and have bonded through the year. "Sir" and Boo Boo have learned alot from each other and I have to give my husband credit for teaching that dog some manners and commands. The nice thing about Boo Boo is that he doesn't belong to us............he CAN and WILL go home. I just hate it when my husband looks at me with that "can't we keep him" look in his eye. "Maam" just walks away smiling...............
Meals Tax To Support Public Schools??
Despite the tough economic times we are facing, the Accomack County Board of Supervisors is entertaining the idea of imposing a new meals tax which would add 4% to every purchase of prepared food outside of any incorporated town. Supervisor Wanda Thornton proposed the new tax to be decided by referendum on the ballot this November. For example, if you go to the Royal Farms in Nelsonia and have a sub made, that would cost you 4% more if the referendum passes.Thornton said at the Board of Supervisor's March meeting in Accomac Wednesday night "I think the public will support it" and suggested the language say the money should "perpetually go to schools".
Accomack County Attorney Mark Taylor weighed in saying including the word "perpetually" would make it not legally binding and future Boards could use the money raised from the tax for other reasons.
A number of Supervisors expressed concern about adding another tax on the backs of Accomack's residents. Supervisor Steve Mallette said, "My worry is this will become like the lottery it sounds good but it really doesnt help."
Supervisor Ron Wolff, a restaurateur, said this tax would be paid by locals everyday and it would hurt the economy. Such a tax on top of an sales tax at 5% would equal 9% every time somebody ordered prepared food.
Thornton responded to Wolff stating, "People already pay the 4% meals tax in incorporated towns." This new tax would target the Wal-Mart crowd and gas stations and it would be a great revenue source for the ailing public school system.
The Supervisors made no vote on the matter. There will be a petition circulating to decide whether the tax will be included on the November ballots. Approximately 2,100 signatures are needed on the petition to send the tax to referendum.
http://www.shoredailynews.com/
Why don't you try getting the parents of the "misguided" students and disruptive students to take a firmer stand on their childs actions while at school and maybe the schools will be able to work with less for a while. To add another tax upon the tax payers seems a little much. But when you decide just let us know where to leave our paychecks.
Cyber Crime and the Eastern Shore
The Eastern Shore Real Estate industry has received a little excitement this week. Unfortunately, it is not the kind they wanted.
On Saturday February 28th, Long & Foster Realtor Norman Knight received an email from a Mr. Zing of a prominent Chinese company. Mr. Zing inquired about buying a $675,000 piece of property. Knight worked up a contract for Mr. Zing and sent it back to him. The contract was returned to Knight signed electronically.
What followed was truly unbelievable. Mr. Zing said he wanted to buy the property without even seeing it. The Chinese stranger sent a check for $106,000 to Long & Foster Real Estate when the deposit was only $10,000.
The check was from a real Canadian law firm, with a real bank account, the correct bank account number was on the check, from the correct bank and with the appropriate signatures.
Knight then received instructions to use $10,000 for the deposit and to send the remaining $96,000 to a silent partner in China. The money was to be used to purchase Chinese decorations, appliances and furniture to decorate the house.
Knight knew there was something wrong with this picture. He immediately called his attorney David Rowan in Accomac. Rowan investigated the matter and found the ruse.
The check was fake. It was stolen from Cassels, Brock & Blackwell, one of the largest law firms in Canada. The trick was the real estate company was supposed to deposit the bogus check and the transaction would have gone through. The law firm then would have realized an unauthorized $106,000 check had just been drawn against their accounts. Having only the $10,000 from the deposit and having sent the $96,000 to China, Long & Foster Real Estate would have been liable for $96,000 to Cassels, Brock & Blackwell Law Firm. The check was the 9th identical fake check reported to the law firm that week.
Other Eastern Shore Realty companies that received similar offers from Mr. Zing this week were Mason Davis in Onancock, Coldwell Banker Harbor Realty and Ralph Dodd and Associates. The white collar crime is believed to have originated from Nigeria, which is a known hub for cyber crime.
"This is one of the hazards of computer and the internet," warns Rowan. "At one point they did have a real check, and they have the computer software to manipulate who the check goes to. It is important to remember in any situation like this, if it sounds too good to be true, chances are it is."
www.shoredailynews.com
Thursday, March 18, 2010
~Spaghetti Dinner~
Eastern Shore Railway Museum
Parksley, Virginia
Friday, March 19, 2010 at the Parksley Firehouse Social Hall
Dinner served from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM.
Menu includes: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and dessert
Cost: $7.00 adults $4.00 children under the age of 12
Carry out dinners will also be available.
All money raised will benefit the Eastern Shore Railway Museum
For more info call: 665-5060 or 665-5905
Parksley, Virginia
Friday, March 19, 2010 at the Parksley Firehouse Social Hall
Dinner served from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM.
Menu includes: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and dessert
Cost: $7.00 adults $4.00 children under the age of 12
Carry out dinners will also be available.
All money raised will benefit the Eastern Shore Railway Museum
For more info call: 665-5060 or 665-5905
Random Thought for the Day:
I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
Killer In Virginia To Face Execution Tonight
Paul Warner Powell thought he was smarter than the Prince William County prosecutor.
A jury sentenced Powell to death, but an appeals court said that decision was wrong. The judges said there was no proof Powell sexually assaulted teenager Stacie Reed before killing her. That meant life in prison, not death.
Thinking he was off the hook, Powell wrote a stinging letter to prosecutor Paul Ebert:
[Since]"...The Virginia Supreme Court said that I can't be charged with capital murder again, I figured I would tell you the rest of what happened on January 29, 1999 to show you how stupid all of y'all (expletive) are."
Powell's taunting letter described in detail how he tried to rape Stacie Reed before he stabbed her. He then told how he raped her younger sister Kristie and slashed her throat. Kristie survived and still bears scars. She identified Powell as the attacker.
In the letter, Powell told the prosecutors he was confessing because double jeopardy prevented prosecutors from seeking the death again.
"I no longer have to worry about the death penalty," he wrote. "And y'all are supposed to be so goddamn smart."
It turns out - prosecutors were still smarter. They threw out the original indictment. Another jury sentenced Powell to death, this time based on his own confession.
Double jeopardy applies when a person has been acquitted, but not when a conviction is overturned.
Neither the governor nor the Supreme Court will step in.
Paul Powell will die in the electric chair at 9 p.m. TONIGHT night.
www.wtkr.com
A jury sentenced Powell to death, but an appeals court said that decision was wrong. The judges said there was no proof Powell sexually assaulted teenager Stacie Reed before killing her. That meant life in prison, not death.
Thinking he was off the hook, Powell wrote a stinging letter to prosecutor Paul Ebert:
[Since]"...The Virginia Supreme Court said that I can't be charged with capital murder again, I figured I would tell you the rest of what happened on January 29, 1999 to show you how stupid all of y'all (expletive) are."
Powell's taunting letter described in detail how he tried to rape Stacie Reed before he stabbed her. He then told how he raped her younger sister Kristie and slashed her throat. Kristie survived and still bears scars. She identified Powell as the attacker.
In the letter, Powell told the prosecutors he was confessing because double jeopardy prevented prosecutors from seeking the death again.
"I no longer have to worry about the death penalty," he wrote. "And y'all are supposed to be so goddamn smart."
It turns out - prosecutors were still smarter. They threw out the original indictment. Another jury sentenced Powell to death, this time based on his own confession.
Double jeopardy applies when a person has been acquitted, but not when a conviction is overturned.
Neither the governor nor the Supreme Court will step in.
Paul Powell will die in the electric chair at 9 p.m. TONIGHT night.
www.wtkr.com
Sorry about your bad luck there, buddy! Now society won't have to be concerned with your bad decisions anymore. And our tax dollars won't have to be spent on housing and feeding you.
Agriculture "Hall of Fame Award" for Virginia Farmer
IMAGE INFORMATION: Bruce Holland (center) receives the Hall of Fame Award from Alan Grant (left), dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Kevin Boyle (right), professor and head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, at the annual Alumni Awards Program on March 5, 2010.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences presents Bruce Holland with Hall of Fame Award
Written by Michael Sutphin
Blacksburg, Va., March 16, 2010 -- Bruce Holland of New Church, Va., has been inducted into Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Hall of Fame, which honors those individuals who exemplify career accomplishment and for their service to the college and university.
After graduating from Virginia Tech in 1970, Holland brought his management skills, technical acumen, and dedication back to his family farm in New Church. Today, the 3,000-acre W.T. Holland & Sons farm operation produces corn, soybeans, wheat, white potatoes, sweet corn, and beans.
Bruce has a distinguished record of career achievements, service to Virginia Tech, and recognition from others,” said Kevin Boyle, professor and head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
While growing the farm business, Holland served the agricultural industry in a number of leadership capacities, including chair of the Virginia Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services, treasurer and board chairman of the Virginia Soybean Association, board member of the Virginia Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, and a member of the Virginia Farm Bureau.
An active community leader, Holland is also treasurer of the New Church Volunteer Fire and Rescue, president of the Pocomoke Ruritan Club, treasurer of the Broadwater Academy board, vice president of the Hartley Hall Nursing Home board, and an ordained elder of the Beaver Dam Presbyterian Church.
Holland has also served Virginia Tech in a number of ways. As a member of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors from June 2002 to March 2009, he made numerous trips from the Eastern Shore to Blacksburg to support the university. In addition, he has worked closely with local Virginia Cooperative Extension agents and hosted the annual Accomack Farm Tour Day that brings more than 600 third-graders to the Holland family farm to learn about agriculture. He has also been active in the Eastern Shore chapter of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association.
Throughout his career, Holland has received numerous accolades, including the 2008 Distinguished Service Award of the Virginia Agribusiness Council, the 1998 and 2007 Meritorious Service Award of the Virginia Soybean Association, the 2003 Meritorious Service Award of the Virginia Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, the 2000 Life Member Award of the Virginia Soybean Association, the 1988 Ruritan of the Year Award, and the Century Club Award of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association.
Holland completed a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Virginia Tech in 1970.
At the Mar-Va Theater
Enjoy a night of music by Neil Young sung by artist Jeff Taylor.
7:00 PM
Tickets: $15.00
"Jeff Taylor's love for Neil Young music has inspired him to perform a ton ofSaturday, March 20, 2010
Neil Young songs from 1966 to present day. The only difference between Jeff and
other tribute bands is the fact that Jeff Taylor is not a band at all. Instead,
Jeff shows his homage to Neil Young by performing solo with acoustic guitars,
piano and harmonicas much in the same way as an unplugged concert of Neil
himself."
7:00 PM
Tickets: $15.00
International Space Station (ISS)
Watch the pieces come together as they are
sent up from Earth. This is the International Space Station (ISS)
Assembly diagram, piece by piece. I had no idea the Space Station had grown
to this size.
CLICK HERE
Hat Tip; Kack
sent up from Earth. This is the International Space Station (ISS)
Assembly diagram, piece by piece. I had no idea the Space Station had grown
to this size.
CLICK HERE
Hat Tip; Kack
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Christine Sheddy Official Announcement of Services
Lynn Dodenhoff announces today that a public funeral service has been
scheduled in honor of her daughter Christine Sheddy. Below is a copy
of Christine's obituary and service notification.
Christine Marie Sheddy
Christine was born in Dover, Delaware on December 22, 1980 and was brought home to be with the Lord on November 13, 2007. Christine enjoyed helping with the family business. She loved music, relaxing with her friends and spending time on the computer. Christine was a free spirit, with a desire to help anyone in need. As a kind and caring soul, her family and friends meant the world to her, just as she has for them.
Christine leaves behind three beautiful children: a daughter Haylie Lynch, and two sons, Isaac and Ezekiel Hall, Clair Sheddy her father, Lynn and Steven Dodenhoff her mother and step father. Also left behind include her sister and brother-in-law,Jennifer and Paul Knapp , her brother Jeremy Hunt, Maternal Grandparents Richard and Margaret Keesser, Paternal Grandmother Ingeborg A. Sheddy. Christine also leaves behind many aunts, uncles,cousins, nieces and nephews both in England and the United States. Christine is preceded in death by her brother Michael Keesser, George and Lillian Abel of England, along with her paternal grandfather James R. Sheddy.
Services for Christine will be held at the Milford First Baptist Church on Old Shawnee Road, Milford, Delaware on Saturday March 20, 2010.
Visitation will be from noon until 2:00 p.m. Burial will be at Barratt’s Chapel in Frederica, Delaware.
In lieu of flowers, to help offset costs for the services, the family is requesting donations be made to the Christine Sheddy Memorial Fund through The First National Bank of Wyoming, 7 Commerce Street, Harrington, DE 19952
Please direct media questions to Mandy Albritton 713/299-4980 or Sean Henady 765/714-2333 from the 3View Search Services Foundation.
scheduled in honor of her daughter Christine Sheddy. Below is a copy
of Christine's obituary and service notification.
Christine Marie Sheddy
Christine was born in Dover, Delaware on December 22, 1980 and was brought home to be with the Lord on November 13, 2007. Christine enjoyed helping with the family business. She loved music, relaxing with her friends and spending time on the computer. Christine was a free spirit, with a desire to help anyone in need. As a kind and caring soul, her family and friends meant the world to her, just as she has for them.
Christine leaves behind three beautiful children: a daughter Haylie Lynch, and two sons, Isaac and Ezekiel Hall, Clair Sheddy her father, Lynn and Steven Dodenhoff her mother and step father. Also left behind include her sister and brother-in-law,Jennifer and Paul Knapp , her brother Jeremy Hunt, Maternal Grandparents Richard and Margaret Keesser, Paternal Grandmother Ingeborg A. Sheddy. Christine also leaves behind many aunts, uncles,cousins, nieces and nephews both in England and the United States. Christine is preceded in death by her brother Michael Keesser, George and Lillian Abel of England, along with her paternal grandfather James R. Sheddy.
Services for Christine will be held at the Milford First Baptist Church on Old Shawnee Road, Milford, Delaware on Saturday March 20, 2010.
Visitation will be from noon until 2:00 p.m. Burial will be at Barratt’s Chapel in Frederica, Delaware.
In lieu of flowers, to help offset costs for the services, the family is requesting donations be made to the Christine Sheddy Memorial Fund through The First National Bank of Wyoming, 7 Commerce Street, Harrington, DE 19952
Please direct media questions to Mandy Albritton 713/299-4980 or Sean Henady 765/714-2333 from the 3View Search Services Foundation.
Contribute to 3View Search Services by using the PayPal button below.
Random Thought for the Day:
I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
Surf Dog Says: "TEACH YOUR DOG TO SURF: BEGINNER SURF DOG TRAINING TIPS AND VIDEO LESSONS!"
There have been so many people that have helped me surf, since mom has physical "issues" that keep her from being able to handle me in the water. Other people have very graciously come forth to assist me, especially my surf coach, Robbie Nelson. In the spirit of focusing on what we can do, rather than want we can't, we realized dog training was something we CAN do.
So, to thank all those who have helped me, I'd like to pay it forward... and offer my help to other dogs who are new to surfing, or those who may be having "issues" with it, by providing some surf dog training tips and videos. I figure if these dogs learn to surf, they'll enter surf dog contests, and the organizations that host the contests can raise more funds for their causes, and change more lives!
These tips will take you to the point of surfing in the waves, and then you can contact one of the great organizations that give surf dog lessons in the ocean... Helen Woodward Animal Center's Doggies Surf Clicnics, Su'ruff Camp Program at Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Surf City Surf Dog, and Coronado Surfing Academy.
Because my mom is a certified dog trainer, and believes in foundation training for pretty much anything dog related, I started my training when I was just a wee pup... but, you can start at any age! Our philosophy of training is relationship based, meaning two way communication! Relationship based training creates a very solid human-canine bond, and you'll have fun exploring your dog's mind when you listen to what he/she has to say!
If you saw my inspirational SURFice dog video, you already know that my mom believes in letting dogs choose their path in life. Rather than trying to mold dogs into human expectations, she believes in allowing them to be who they truly are, even if it's something completely opposite of the original goals. I still like to chase birds, and mom gives me plenty of opportunities to do so, but I can control my impulses too. So, if you're just having a problem with distractibility, these tips can help. But, if your dog really doesn't want to surf, don't make them.
The main thing with relationship based training is... you'll be improving your human-canine bond while building confidence, and having fun sharing an activity both in and out of the water, or wherever your dog may lead you! The tips only take a few minutes a day, and most can be performed in the comfort of your own home!
These tips are perfect for those who...
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Are new to dog surfing, and want to build a foundation before hitting the waves.
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Want to do some surf dog training at home, especially in the winter!
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Have encountered "issues" such as jumping off the board, or distractibility.
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Want to foster a stronger human/canine bond that easily transfers to the water.
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Have limited time, and can't get to the beach regularly.
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Want to add surfing to their training repertoire!
Ready? Let's get started. There are videos that go with each lesson, and appear as links under the title. You can read the tips and watch the videos in whatever order you want, but they do go in succession. But, the most important lesson is... HAVE FUN WITH YOUR DOG!!
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