This is where the book starts getting interesting, it leaves the description and starts with the city's people, business' happenings etc.
44 History of Pocomoke City
The reader is already aware that this place was called Ware House Landing, and that name continued until 1780 or thereabouts, when it was changed to New Town. There is no record of the fact, why, or by whom the change was made.
I remember about forty years ago, of having an interview with a man by the name of Reville, who said that he gave to this place the name of New Town. Be that as it may, there are some reflections presumptive of the fact. He was at the time of the interview eighty or ninety years old, so that at the time the place was named, he was twenty or twenty-five years old, admitting the fact that he was not a conspicuous man in the community, and that such changes generally take place by men of distinc- tion, yet it will be remembered that the inhabitants of the place were very few, and the surrounding country sparsely settled, so that there is a possibility that his statement is true, though I leave the reader to form his own con- clusions, CHAPTER II. TOWN LIMITS.
We will now proceed to consider the geographical position or town limits of the place. There were no incorporate lines encircling it then as we have now, so that I shall have to prescribe them for the town as it existed as late as 1820. As the Hill or Public Square was the center of the town, the reader will start with me from this place, and go out Front Street as far as the Bridge Causeway, or Colonel Merrill's property, thence Formerly New Town. 45 take a straight course to the corner of Market and Second Streets, thence out Second to Willow Street, thence down Willow to the junction of Willow and Front Streets, thence on Front to the Hill or Public Square.
These limits may be safely considered as the boundary lines of New Town as late as the above date. In order to have a more perfect view of the place, at this date, we will begin with a description of its County Wharf, Public Square, Streets and Houses. The County Wharf lies directly between Messrs. Clark, and Smullen & Brother's granaries, and is twenty-eight feet long. I have tried to find the date when this wharf was built, by having the record of Worcester and Somerset counties both searched, but have failed ; the presumption is, however, that it's date reaches back to 1700, which is the date of the build- ing of the Tobacco Warehouse.
The reader may now stand upon this wharf and contemplate the fact, that sixty years ago there was naught on either side of it, but bramble, tuckahoes and mud flats. It is true there was a shoal or canoe landing at the foot of Willow Street, more in the direction of Fontain's ice house, where we used to fasten our canoes, and also a landing at the old Shipyard : the same place that is used as a shipyard by James T. Young. The Public Square or Hill, as we used to call it, was sixty years ago, a hill of some prominence, but time has leveled it.
It was then, as now, entirely surrounded by houses, though of a different character, while now they are all business houses ; then they were all family resi- 46 History of Pocomoke City, dences, with one or two exceptions, Consequently the hill was the center of the town for business and social life. Here the men and boys would meet in the evenings and have their sports, plays and social pastimes ; here, too, the merchants would pile their lumber, consisting of planks, laths, &c. Here, on this hill, I have witnessed many a hard fight, and many funny scenes. There were four principal streets, which were called roads, namely : Market Street, which was called Virginia road ; Second Street, which was called Cedar Hall Road ; Front Street, winding round into Linden Street and onward, was called the Snow Hill Road ; and lastly, the old Ferry Road, which had its convergence in the Snow Hill Road, leading to the Hill or Public Square. There were two or three other streets, which were of minor importance, only one of which might be recognized as a public thorough-fare, and that was Willow Street.
Within the limits of the town, there. were twenty-eight dwelling houses and seven or eight business houses com- prising stores and mechanical shops. Outside of those limits, there were five houses, occupied by families, which might be considered suburban residences.
The old Methodist Episcopal Church that stood on the site of the present one, which now is in the heart of the town, was then in the suburbs, in full conformity with the old custom to put the Church out of town. The houses were mostly one story high, they were built out of good material, and in workmanlike order, for those days. Some were finished inside with beaut'.ful formerly New Town. 47 jDanel work, others again were lathed and plastered, while many were never finished at all. In order to ascertain the population of the town, we may calculate five to a family, the probabilities of which the reader can determine, as well as myself, we have then 'within its limits one hundred and forty-persons ; if we include the five suburban families, on the same basis, we "have twenty-five more, making the aggregate one hundred and sixty-five persons living in New Town and its precincts • as late as 1820. I have thus given a description of New Town, of its County Wharf, Public Square, Houses, .'Streets, and Town Limits, up to 1820, and shall close this part of the history by saying that the old Tobacco Ware- house, which had served its day during Colonial times, , was, after the independence of the Colonies and the •establishment of the currency of the Republic in dollars -and cents, left to decay, and having stood until about 18 19 •was finally torn down.
CHAPTER III. GROWTH, CHANGE OF NAME, ETC, Of the enlargement and general improvement of the '■town, from 1820 to the present time, (1882.) For the first two decades there was no advancement of ■any extent in this direction. From 1840 to i860, enterprise seemed to lay its hand ^pon New Town and claim it for its subject. New build- ings were erected, of modern taste, comprising store houses, dwelling houses, churches and an academy ; some 48 Ilut-ry of Poco moke City, of them reaching out into the suburbs. For all the- country from the corner of Market and Second Streets, all' around, was unoccupied save a few dwellings which were- scattering. Where the Protestant Episcopal and Methodist Pro- testant Churches now stand, together with all other - houses on the eastern side of Market Street, was a farm,, and the old homestead was where Captain Isaac N. Veasey now lives. All the country on the south-west side of r Market Street, save a few unimportant small dwellings,, was cultivated lots and woods.
All the land from Littleton. Duer's coner, the south-eastern side of Second Street, running to Cedar street, embracing the high school and', beyond, was a field in which I have worked many a day, when a little boy. "hoeing corn." "In 1S65, an act of incorporation was secured, and in it' full power and authority was given the Town Commis- sioners to widen and straighten old streets, and to lay out* and construct new ones, and to perform such other acts* as, in their judgment, might be required to secure the health, happiness and prosperity of the town." " At the first election held under this charter, the people -hose C. C. Lloyd, W. S. C. Polk, Charles Marshall,. Joseph Riley and W. J. Long, for Town Commissioners,, all good and active men, who soon showed, by their acts,, that they were intent on improvements." " They appointed a commission composed of Edward. S. Young, Dr. John L. Hearn, and William S. Dickinson,, to make a survey of the town, and to straighten and widen.- Formerly New Town.
49* the old streets and lay out several new ones.
They per- formed their duty promptly and well, and soon the town' began to assume something like proportion and regularity. No one, unacquainted with New Town at that period, can imagine the vast changes and improvements made by these acts." The above quotations I have taken from Dr. John T. B. McMaster's Centennial Address, delivered before the people of Pocomoke City, on the 4th of July, 1876.
The reader will learn that the above commission extended the limits of New Town about three-fourths of a mile, in every direction, from the Public Square, save from its north-western course, as in that direction it is bounded by the Pocomoke river, upon whose southern side the town lies.
From 1865 down to the present day, progress, unprece- dented by the past, has marked its course, so that now we have in New Town, or Pocomoke City, well laid out- streets, some of which are macadamized and contribute, in no little degree, to the enjoyment of an evening drive.
There are within the limits of the corporation about two- hundred and twenty-five houses, comprising dwellings, store houses, mechanical shops, steam mills, churches, the- Clark house and high-school building, both of which are ornaments to the place. Indeed, the high-school building is of such a character as to call forth, in terms of praise,, the declaration from the Superintendant of Public Schools of Maryland, in an address, delivered before the citizens of New Town, that "it was the finest school building 011 the Eastern Shore of Maryland."
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Dog Logic
My dog is worried about the economy
Because Alpo is up to $3.00 a can.
that's almost $21.00 in dog money.
New Lead Paint Regulations: Do They Go Too Far?
Is a new lead safety law for professional renovators too much government? Or just enough?The new law, issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), goes into effect April 22, 2010. It requires workers to take extra precautions when handling lead-based paint during renovations on houses, child-care facilities and schools built before 1978. The new measures include testing for lead with swabs, sealing off the area inside with plastic sheeting, masks and other protective gear for workers, proper clean-up and proper disposal of the lead-based paint.
So what's wrong with playing it safe? One of the chief complaints is that all these extra precautions could force contractors to drive up the price of home renovations in houses built before 1978. Some detractors say the new standards place too big a burden on professional renovators. If your home was build before 1978, and the contractors you hire don't have the proper certifications, or have not trained their workers, they will not be legally allowed to do the work.
But the process of certifying hundreds of thousands of contractors -- which requires attending an 8-hour class and passing a written test -- and training their workers takes time, and it's lagging far behind. Some contractors critical of the new rules say they will not comply and will simply stop working on older homes, which are more likely to contain lead paint.
Those contractors who do choose to work in older homes will have to charge a lot more for the extra training, certification, materials, and steps involved in testing for lead paint. And that's homeowners' chief criticism of the new regulations: they'll inevitably drive up the costs of home improvement.
Other critics say it's a case of big government going overboard.
And it's not just small contractors who object. The National Association of Home Builders has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to delay the requirements until the certification program gets spiffed up. Their complaints include a lack of qualified trainers and inaccurate test kits for lead paint. And on March 31, U.S. Senate Minority Leader John Boehner sent a letter to EPA head Lisa Jackson asking her to "consider revisiting" the law until benefits are proven to outweigh the costs.
Of course, not everyone is opposed to the new regulations. Supporters of the new law hail the protection it gives to both professional renovation workers and the occupants of the homes and facilities under renovation. According to the EPA, which mandated the protections, "Lead may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children six years old and under are most at risk."
The protections could also affect children of renovation workers who could carry lead-contaminated dust home on their clothing, skin and hair.
The dried paint itself is not hazardous unless it is disturbed by renovation work, and can be ingested through breathing (in dust form) or orally (kids have a tendency to put small objects like paint chips into their mouths).
If you do your own renovations, this new law does not apply to you. However, the dangers of disturbed lead paint to children are well-documented. Homeowners would be wise to follow safety precautions when sanding, cutting into or otherwise disturbing paint that was applied prior to 1978.
Read more about the new law, which is being referred to as RRP for Renovation, Repair and Painting.
VIA: DIYlife
Congressman Nye Calls Healthcare Plan Wrong Approach
Pictured left to right: Accomack County Sheriff Larry Giddens, Pastor Robert Chapman, ESCBA President John T. Williams, Congressman Glen C. Nye III, ES Chamber President Jeff Davis, Joann Molera and Stephan Dolce
Congressman Glen Nye spoke that the Eastern Shore Christian Businessmen's Association Prayer Breakfast this morning. Congressman Nye spoke about the issues facing our country right now.
Nye proclaimed we are all facing a challenging times and he applauds the small businesses on the Eastern Shore who are "on the economic front lines."
The Congressman also boasted of the legislation he added to the American Recovery and Reinvestment act providing tax incentives to small businesses who hire veterans returning home from conflict.
Healthcare also made Congressman Nye's address. Nye said he does support reform to increase healthcare coverage, but he felt President Obama's approach was not the correct way.
"We ought to have been looking at ways to save money and lower costs before we build in all the increases on the issue of coverage," explained Nye. "I think that is a better foundation for reaching the same goal."
Nye promised he would continue to focus on local issues and to represent the wishes of his constituents in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. He promised to keep tax burdens on small businesses low.
Nye faces re-election this November. Currently, 8 Republican challengers are running to challenge Congressman Nye.
Nye proclaimed we are all facing a challenging times and he applauds the small businesses on the Eastern Shore who are "on the economic front lines."
The Congressman also boasted of the legislation he added to the American Recovery and Reinvestment act providing tax incentives to small businesses who hire veterans returning home from conflict.
Healthcare also made Congressman Nye's address. Nye said he does support reform to increase healthcare coverage, but he felt President Obama's approach was not the correct way.
"We ought to have been looking at ways to save money and lower costs before we build in all the increases on the issue of coverage," explained Nye. "I think that is a better foundation for reaching the same goal."
Nye promised he would continue to focus on local issues and to represent the wishes of his constituents in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. He promised to keep tax burdens on small businesses low.
Nye faces re-election this November. Currently, 8 Republican challengers are running to challenge Congressman Nye.
Man Acquitted For Drinking Coffee in Home While Naked
FAIRFAX, Va. - The jury deliberated for less than 20 minutes. They returned to the courtroom and declared Erick Williamson not guilty of indecent exposure.
One juror said she had a hard time not laughing during some of the testimony. Another juror said "it was easy."
But it has not been easy for Williamson. Police entered his Springfield home with guns drawn last October. He has spent months fighting the charge in court. His feeling Wednesday was of "relief, unbelievable, weight off my shoulders after six months."
Williamson acknowledges that he was naked inside his home on the day in question. His accuser, Yvette Dean, says she made eye contact with Williamson while he was standing naked in the doorway. She was walking her son to school. She testified that she gave Williamson the finger and had to shelter her son with her coat so that he could not see Williamson.
The defendant testified he never saw them and was busy drinking coffee and packing to move out of the house.
"I was not interested in exhibiting myself to anybody on the street, but in hindsight, now that that's happened, I won't have an open window in my house," said Williamson.
A judge convicted him in Fairfax County's General District Court. The appeal to county’s circuit court brought with it a jury.
Indecent exposure requires the government to prove intent. One juror said the prosecutor did not do that.
"People from the community are important to sit in judgment of people - not prosecutors, not judges, not police officers because absent these people from the community, he'd have this conviction over his head for the rest of his life," said defense attorney Dickson Young.
Williamson says the charge has created issues in the custody of his daughter and cost him his job. He has been living in Newport News, Va.
He hopes to get the case expunged, so he has a clean record. As for his accuser, she testified in court Wednesday, but has chosen not to talk to the media about the case.
The Cactus Cuties Sing The Battle Hymn of the Republic
Listen at these young ladies rendition of this wonderful song... all I can say is WOW!
Direct Link HERE
Direct Link HERE
Muslim woman strangled by her burkha in freak go-kart accident
A young Muslim woman had died after her burkha became snagged in a go-kart.
The 24-year-old woman, who has not yet been named, died a terrifying death today when a fluttering part of her burkha became caught in the wheels of a go-kart she was driving near the town of Port Stephens, north of Sydney.
The Muslim clothing the woman was wearing flew back as she sped around the track and part of it became entangled in the go-kart's wheels.
She was strangled in a second and crashed the vehicle.
Despite the efforts of paramedics who rushed to her aid, the neck and throat injuries she suffered were so severe that doctors were unable to revive her when she arrived at the John Hunter Hospital in the New South Wales city of Newcastle.
The young woman was riding the go-kart at a popular recreational area known as Bob's Farm, which offers rides of up to 15 minutes at a time.
Her death is being likened to that of American dancer Isadora Duncan, acknowledged as being the creator of modern dance, and who was famous for the flowing silk carves she liked to wear.
But while riding in an open-top car in Nice in 1927, her scarf became entangled in one of the vehicle's spoked wheels and she was strangled.
This is What's Running Our Country
It's really no wonder that our nation is in such bad shape at the moment. This is truly just sad for no better word.
At the end of this video he should look at the camera and say "My name is Hank Johnson and I am NOT smarter than a 2nd grader"
Direct Link HERE
At the end of this video he should look at the camera and say "My name is Hank Johnson and I am NOT smarter than a 2nd grader"
Direct Link HERE
Thursday, April 8, 2010
VIRGINIA CHURCH SERVICE - STIMULUS SERMON
This article is supposedly from a Pastor of a predominantly black church in
VIRGINIA CHURCH SERVICE - STIMULUS SERMON
Genesis 47:13-27
Good morning brothers and sisters; it’s always a delight to see the crowded pews on Sunday morning, and so eager to get into God’s Word. Turn with me in your Bibles, if you will to Genesis 47. 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
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
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. When government rations it, government decides who gets it, the amount, and what kind. If we go along with it, and do it willingly, then we will wind up no differently than the people of
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? Is he 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, we rely on You, and alone. We confess that the government is not our deliverer, and never will be.
We read in the eighth chapter of 1st 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…Amen and Amen.
Hat Tip; Kack
YES, I'M A BAD AMERICAN
I Am the Liberal-Progressive's Worst Nightmare
I am an American.
I am a Master Mason and believe in God.
I ride Harley Davidson Motorcycles, and believe in American products.
I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some liberal governmental functionary, Democratic or Republican!
I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way!
I think owning a gun doesn't make you a killer; it makes you a smart American.
I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything. Get over it!
I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, you should do it in English.
I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.
My heroes are John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Roy Rogers, and Willie G. Davidson, who makes the awesome Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
I don't hate the rich.. I don't pity the poor.
I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it.
I've never owned a slave, or was a slave. I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks, and neither have you!
I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where you came from and change your own country!
This is AMERICA ..We like it the way it is!
If you were born here and don't like it you are free to move to any Socialist country that will have you.
I want to know which church is it, exactly, where the Reverend Jesse Jackson preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part of the problem and not the solution.
Can I get an AMEN on that one?
I also think the cops have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what color you are.
And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my driver's license.
I think it's good.... And I'm proud that 'God' is written on my money.
I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years.
I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me stuff or trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their cause.......Get a Job and do your part!
I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents..
I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers think.
I believe the American flag should be the only one allowed in AMERICA !
If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American.
Hat Tip; Eric
Hat Tip; Eric
Miss and Little Miss Pocomoke
"Miss Pocomoke Pageant"
and
"Little Miss Pocomoke Pageant"
Saturday, April 10, 2010
6:30 PM at the Mar-Va Theater
Don't forget to vote for your favorite for the "People's Choice Award". Ballot boxes for donations are located at Eastern Shore Lanes and Country Blossoms by Lee.
Tickets for the event are being sold at Scher's and County Blossoms by Lee.
The contest is sponsored annually by the Junior Woman's Club to raise funds for the Vi-Byrd and Junior Woman's Club scholarships, which are given to a Pocomoke High School graduating senior.
CAUTION; G-MAIL USERS
More gmail phishing, don't fall for this scam if you have a gmail account. This email is similar to the other phishing emails with a slightly different twist.
Gmail to support
show details 9:32 AM (13 hours ago)
Due to the congestion in our Gmail servers,there would be removal of all unused Gmail Accounts.You will have to confirm if your E-mail is still active by filling out your login info below after clicking the reply button, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons.
Account name:
Password:
DOB:
Country :
Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his or her account within Seven days of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently.
Thank you for using Gmail !
The Gmail Team
Gmail to support
show details 9:32 AM (13 hours ago)
Due to the congestion in our Gmail servers,there would be removal of all unused Gmail Accounts.You will have to confirm if your E-mail is still active by filling out your login info below after clicking the reply button, or your account will be suspended within 24 hours for security reasons.
Account name:
Password:
DOB:
Country :
Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his or her account within Seven days of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently.
Thank you for using Gmail !
The Gmail Team
Trial Could Begin As Early As July
Sheddy Murder Trial -
by - Amber Watson
SNOW HILL, Md. - The State's Attorneys Office in Worcester County is preparing for the trial of the man accused of killing Christine Sheddy.
Justin Hadel was indicted by the Grand Jury last month. Authorities say Hadel killed Sheddy when they both stayed as a guest in a house on Byrd Road in Pocomoke in 2007.
Almost two and a half years later since Sheddy went missing, police found her remains at the River House Inn, a bed and breakfast in Snow Hill.
State's Attorney Joel Todd says the trial could begin as soon as July.
A Happy Ending For This Lucky Dog
DOG TO REUNITE WITH FAMILY CROSS COUNTRY
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A happy homecoming is in the works for a Virginia Beach military family, but it's not what you might think.
Rick Smith and his family lost their dog "Bruno" a year-and-a-half ago when they lived in Washington State.
But just last Friday, the 9-year-old yellow lab appeared outside Kristen Abercrombie's home, covered in mud.
She took Bruno to a veterinarian, who found a microchip with his old vet's phone number. She couldn't believe how far away his family was.
The Smith family arranged for a travel kennel and plane ticket to get Bruno to Virginia. He's set to arrive in Norfolk April 8 on a flight out of Seattle.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A happy homecoming is in the works for a Virginia Beach military family, but it's not what you might think.
Rick Smith and his family lost their dog "Bruno" a year-and-a-half ago when they lived in Washington State.
But just last Friday, the 9-year-old yellow lab appeared outside Kristen Abercrombie's home, covered in mud.
She took Bruno to a veterinarian, who found a microchip with his old vet's phone number. She couldn't believe how far away his family was.
The Smith family arranged for a travel kennel and plane ticket to get Bruno to Virginia. He's set to arrive in Norfolk April 8 on a flight out of Seattle.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Obama's jihad on 'jihad'
Um-Oooookay
President Obama's latest strategic innovation in the war on terrorism is to ignore jihad and maybe it will go away.
President Obama's latest strategic innovation in the war on terrorism is to ignore jihad and maybe it will go away.
The Obama administration is removing terms such as "jihad" and "Islamic extremism" from the U.S. National Security Strategy in an attempt to convince Muslim countries that America doesn't view them solely through the lens of counterterrorism. It's reasonable to look beyond terrorism in developing relationships with Islamic states. Our assistance programs are based on humanitarian motives, for example, so they need not explicitly draw links between promoting good will and hopefully making it less likely that people will fly aircraft into our buildings.
But the National Security Strategy is not some kind of outreach initiative, it is the framing document for America's global safety. The United States cannot effectively combat the root causes of Islamic extremism by ignoring them. The war on terror - rather, the "overseas contingency operation," in O Force terminology - won't be effective if this country overlooks the nature of the enemy and his motives. The U.S. strategic blueprint is not the proper place for a public-relations stunt.
Even the Muslim majority states in question understand the religious component of terrorism as a motivator, recruiting tool and strategic road map. They are threatened by Islamic extremism even more than the United States and have no problem describing the threat by its true nature, which must be understood if it is to be defeated.
The most troubling signal is the one being sent through the bureaucracy that any thoughtful discussion of Islamic radicalism and the global threat it poses will be hazardous to one's career. Analyses of the extremist Muslim threat will be increasingly deleted from briefing papers, assessments and planning documents. Those who continue to spread the alarm will be marginalized and ignored. Such sanitizing may please the White House, but it's likely to put the United States in more danger as threats that should have been detected in advance slip by because officials have been trained not to look for them.
The new development is a disturbing example of Mr. Obama's seeming obsession with all things Muslim. It's reminiscent of the Department of Homeland Security's 2009 draft glossary of domestic extremist groups that listed Christian and Jewish organizations as threats but didn't include any Muslim groups. Or the administration's obstinate unwillingness to describe the Fort Hood massacre as an example of Islamist terrorism, even though the shooter - Nidal Malik Hasan - clearly was wrapped up in that ideology and shouted the traditional jihadist war cry "Allahu Akbar!" before opening fire.
Mr. Obama's Muslim mania increasingly pervades government and has yet to be adequately explained or even addressed. It places America in growing peril.
America No Longer 'Free' Country
How free is "mostly free"?
The Heritage Foundation, a self-described conservative think tank that espouses a free-market, small-government ideology, today released its annual Index of Economic Freedom World Rankings. And by its metrics, America's status has dropped from "free" to "mostly free."
Ranking countries throughout the world in 10 categories, the index concludes that the United States is now the eighth most economically free nation, down two spots from last year. Hong Kong ranked No. 1, while North Korea, which was categorized as "repressed," took the bottom rung.
Only seven countries actually rated as "free" on the index, which was released in conjunction with The Wall Street Journal (owned by conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch, owner of News Corp.).
The largest factor in the Heritage Foundation's demotion of the U.S. is the rise in government spending, especially under the Obama administration.
"The national government's role in the economy, already expanding under President George W. Bush, has grown sharply under the administration of President Barack Obama, who took office in January of 2009," the report read. "Economic growth, which collapsed in 2008, had resumed by the second half of 2009, but legislative proposals for large and expensive new government programs on health care and energy use (climate change) have increased prospects for significant economic disruptions and raised concerns about the long-term health of the economy."
Beating out the United States in terms of economic freedom were, in descending order: Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Switzerland and Canada.
VIA: AolNews
The Heritage Foundation, a self-described conservative think tank that espouses a free-market, small-government ideology, today released its annual Index of Economic Freedom World Rankings. And by its metrics, America's status has dropped from "free" to "mostly free."
Ranking countries throughout the world in 10 categories, the index concludes that the United States is now the eighth most economically free nation, down two spots from last year. Hong Kong ranked No. 1, while North Korea, which was categorized as "repressed," took the bottom rung.
Only seven countries actually rated as "free" on the index, which was released in conjunction with The Wall Street Journal (owned by conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch, owner of News Corp.).
The largest factor in the Heritage Foundation's demotion of the U.S. is the rise in government spending, especially under the Obama administration.
"The national government's role in the economy, already expanding under President George W. Bush, has grown sharply under the administration of President Barack Obama, who took office in January of 2009," the report read. "Economic growth, which collapsed in 2008, had resumed by the second half of 2009, but legislative proposals for large and expensive new government programs on health care and energy use (climate change) have increased prospects for significant economic disruptions and raised concerns about the long-term health of the economy."
Beating out the United States in terms of economic freedom were, in descending order: Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Switzerland and Canada.
VIA: AolNews
PET ADOPTION EVENT
Satuday, April 10, 2010 from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm at Chesapeke Square in Onley, Virginia (Food Lion)
Here's your chance to meet some of the doggies and kitties available for adoption and to help an animal that has fallen upon hard times.
The event is hosted by the SPCA Eastern Shore and Wheeler Real Estate Company. Enjoy activities such as a cake walk and face painting while looking to find your next best animal friend.
At the event will be experienced shelter staff, volunteers and trainers will be on hand to help find the right animal for visitors. The staff will be available to answer questions about any pet considered for adoption.
The adoption fee of $95 includes spray/neuter surgery, microchip, rabies vaccination, heartworm testing for dogs, FeL/FiV test for cats and distemper/parvo vaccination(s), as well as intra-nasal bordetella vaccine for dogs.
A special adoption discount is available for seniors! If you are 60 years old or older the SPCA, partnered with Purina, will drop the normal $90.00 adoption fee $45.00. Purina will pay the $50.00!!!
For more information, call the SPCA Eastern Shore at 757-787-7385 or contact them www.shorespca.com
Here's your chance to meet some of the doggies and kitties available for adoption and to help an animal that has fallen upon hard times.
The event is hosted by the SPCA Eastern Shore and Wheeler Real Estate Company. Enjoy activities such as a cake walk and face painting while looking to find your next best animal friend.
At the event will be experienced shelter staff, volunteers and trainers will be on hand to help find the right animal for visitors. The staff will be available to answer questions about any pet considered for adoption.
The adoption fee of $95 includes spray/neuter surgery, microchip, rabies vaccination, heartworm testing for dogs, FeL/FiV test for cats and distemper/parvo vaccination(s), as well as intra-nasal bordetella vaccine for dogs.
A special adoption discount is available for seniors! If you are 60 years old or older the SPCA, partnered with Purina, will drop the normal $90.00 adoption fee $45.00. Purina will pay the $50.00!!!
For more information, call the SPCA Eastern Shore at 757-787-7385 or contact them www.shorespca.com
April is Confederate Month in Virginia
RICHMOND — Gov. Bob McDonnell has brought Confederate History Month back to Virginia after an eight-year hiatus.
McDonnell becomes the first governor since 2001 to designate April to commemorate the secessionist, slaveholding South. The last governor to do that was fellow Republican Jim Gilmore. Since then, Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine refused to issue the proclamation.
McDonnell’s 368-word declaration doesn’t mention slavery.
"I wasn’t focused on that. I was focused on ... the Civil War history, and the Confederate army and the fact that we’ve got battlefields here, and frankly that this is going to be a very important event here next year that will promote tourism and economic development," he said, noting the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War.
Warner, in his first year as governor in 2002, discontinued the proclamation sought each spring by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Before that, the proclamations were met annually with denunciations from black groups.
Black members of the General Assembly, all Democrats, said McDonnell’s proclamation was "ofensive and offered a disturbing revision of the Civil War and the brutal era that followed."
"Virginia has worked hard to move beyond the very things for which Gov. McDonnell seems nostalgic," said a statement issued by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.
Virginia was home to more of the war’s battles than any other state, and its Capitol in Richmond doubled as the Confederate seat of government.
McDonnell said slavery was not the lone issue contested in the war that ended with Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender in 1865 at Appomattox Court House, about 75 miles west of Richmond.
"There were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states. Obviously it involved slavery, it involved other issues, but I focused on the ones that I thought were most significant for Virginia," McDonnell said.
Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who in 1989 became the nation’s first elected black governor, said no discussion of the Old South or the Confederacy is balanced without mentioning the human bondage it tolerated.
"You have to think back about how it allowed people to be treated as inhuman," Wilder said in an Associated Press interview. "You can’t talk about this nation, its past, without saying that war was a time when many of its people were going through the ravages of hell, quite frankly."
Wilder himself issued a decree noting the Civil War. In 1990, he designated April 7-15 the "Final Chapter of the Civil War Days," recalling "those who sacrificed in this great struggle." His proclamation praised Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, but it also lauded President Abraham Lincoln and Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.
Last year, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a bill designating April as Confederate Heritage and History Month in that state.
McDonnell becomes the first governor since 2001 to designate April to commemorate the secessionist, slaveholding South. The last governor to do that was fellow Republican Jim Gilmore. Since then, Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine refused to issue the proclamation.
McDonnell’s 368-word declaration doesn’t mention slavery.
"I wasn’t focused on that. I was focused on ... the Civil War history, and the Confederate army and the fact that we’ve got battlefields here, and frankly that this is going to be a very important event here next year that will promote tourism and economic development," he said, noting the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War.
Warner, in his first year as governor in 2002, discontinued the proclamation sought each spring by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Before that, the proclamations were met annually with denunciations from black groups.
Black members of the General Assembly, all Democrats, said McDonnell’s proclamation was "ofensive and offered a disturbing revision of the Civil War and the brutal era that followed."
"Virginia has worked hard to move beyond the very things for which Gov. McDonnell seems nostalgic," said a statement issued by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.
Virginia was home to more of the war’s battles than any other state, and its Capitol in Richmond doubled as the Confederate seat of government.
McDonnell said slavery was not the lone issue contested in the war that ended with Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender in 1865 at Appomattox Court House, about 75 miles west of Richmond.
"There were any number of aspects to that conflict between the states. Obviously it involved slavery, it involved other issues, but I focused on the ones that I thought were most significant for Virginia," McDonnell said.
Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who in 1989 became the nation’s first elected black governor, said no discussion of the Old South or the Confederacy is balanced without mentioning the human bondage it tolerated.
"You have to think back about how it allowed people to be treated as inhuman," Wilder said in an Associated Press interview. "You can’t talk about this nation, its past, without saying that war was a time when many of its people were going through the ravages of hell, quite frankly."
Wilder himself issued a decree noting the Civil War. In 1990, he designated April 7-15 the "Final Chapter of the Civil War Days," recalling "those who sacrificed in this great struggle." His proclamation praised Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, but it also lauded President Abraham Lincoln and Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.
Last year, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a bill designating April as Confederate Heritage and History Month in that state.
Arson Suspected At Church in Onancock
ONANCOCK -- The historic Metropolitan United Methodist Church at 21445 Bayside Road may have been saved by the quick response of some young people who happened to be driving by late Easter Sunday when they saw the wooden front doors of the church ablaze.
They quickly stopped their car and began trying to put out the fire while at the same time calling longtime church member Jesse Poulson. Poulson rushed to the church and also called police and Metropolitan's minister, the Rev. Mina Sumpter, who arrived moments later.
Poulson got the phone call about 10 p.m.
Officers from the Accomack County Sheriff's Office and the Onancock Police Department responded to the scene.
Poulson credited one young woman in particular with helping save the church because she remembered her grandmother, who lives nearby, had a fire extinguisher in her house. "She ran and got it. By the time I got there, the fire was out," Poulson said.
The historically African-American church, which dates to 1870, has about 150 members. The congregation had celebrated Easter services earlier that day.
Poulson is stymied as to why someone would want to set the church on fire, but speculated because of the fire's location that the person wanted it to be discovered rather than to actually burn the church down.
The building has three other entrances which are less apparent to passersby than the one where the fire was started. "They wanted it to be seen," he said, adding, "We've never had anything comparable to this in my memory, and I'm 67."
Damage was limited to the front door and items found at the scene indicate the fire was likely intentionally set.
Pocomoke City Election Results
POCOMOKE CITY -- Robert Hawkins and Diane Downing have been elected to serve on the Pocomoke City Council, representing District 1 and District 2, respectively.
"I'm very excited," Downing said after the results were announced. "I'm ready to get to work."
For Downing, a lifelong Pocomoke City resident, her victory represents her first foray into elected politics. Downing -- a former member of the city's Board of Elections and an employee of Worcester County government -- said she planned to clean up Pocomoke's neighborhoods, instituting neighborhood watches and other initiatives to combat local crime.
She said she also plans to create more opportunities for local youth to keep them out of trouble.
Tuesday's election marks only the second time Robert Hawkins has been challenged for the District 1 seat since first running for the position 22 years ago.
The veteran of City Hall first ran after retiring from a job with the federal government and had the time, he said, to attend meetings and represent the town at state and county functions.
"I go to a lot of meetings," Hawkins said, mentioning his position on the Lower Shore Tri-County Council and other local boards. "And I get something out of every one."
In his next term, the councilman said he will focus on updating local infrastructure, bringing more businesses to the historic downtown and encouraging companies to set up shop in the city's industrial park.
"I want to get another grocery store here and other small businesses," Hawkins said after his victory Tuesday. "That's what I'll work for."
Downing and Hawkins will take office at the next meeting of the Pocomoke City mayor and council on April 13.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
OH, NO! MOSQUITOES!!!!
A wet year and a warm weekend could mean swarms of mosquitoes on the Eastern Shore this spring. The season typically runs from March to November, with May to October being the prime months.
With warm weather now upon us, it won't be long before mosquitoes are breeding. That is why it is important for homeowners to check their yards for standing water, buckets and other places water could collect.
If you would like to keep mosquitoes away be sure to use insect repellent when you're outdoors, cover up as much of your skin as possible, eliminate standing water near your home and install or repair screen doors and windows.
Okay. I get that! And all containers have been emptied. My screens and doors stay fixed because if I don't keep them repaired it makes the house look ugly on the outside. The grass has been cut already this year and will get another good mowing before the weekend. Sooooo, I have done ALL I can possibly do to rid my yard of these horrible insects! Please take into consideration when you publish these little bits of info that this is HOT weather with humidity in this area. We have just spent a long cold winter and for some reason being outside and moving around planting flowers, etc. while being COVERED IN LONG SLEEVES AND LONG PANTS is not a happy thought!So, Accomack County and the state of Virginia the best thing YOU can do for the fine tax payers of this county and state is get the VDOT out on the roads in the communities where there are homes and clean the ditches. If you would do YOUR part then maybe MY attempt at keeping these insects at bay wouldn't seem like such a waste of time. Don't you suppose that the green stagnate water sitting in front of our homes might be a breeding ground too?
By the way, you won't have to stop and check the ditch in front of my house or next door. We make the attempt to keep our water flowing. It's the other neighbors that don't care.
Sorority Removed From VaTech Campus
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - Virginia Tech has removed a sorority from campus because of several incidents of alcohol consumption inside the chapter's house.
The university has denied recognition of the Delta Zeta chapter for two years after a pattern of incidents of members drinking in the sorority house, Byron Hughes, assistant director of student conduct, said Monday. Such incidents violated an in-house alcohol ban set by the national sorority as well as the university, Hughes said.
The violations occurred over the last couple years, with the latest incident reported in January. The university informed the sorority the following month of its decision to deny recognition, which means the group cannot use university facilities, recruit members or otherwise operate as a campus organization.
University officials say sorority members living in the house can stay there until the end of the school year. Virginia Tech's campus housing division administers leases for Delta Zeta and the 11 other sorority houses.
A representative of Delta Zeta's national office didn't return a phone message left Monday.
Since the start of the 2009-10 school year, five Virginia Tech fraternities have lost university recognition for alcohol-related violations, Hughes said. The length of such sanctions ranges from two to four semesters, and it depends on the severity of the violations and the group's history of student conduct.
The fraternities are Alpha Epsilon Phi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Phi Kappa Psi and Alpha Tau Omega, he said. The school's club rugby team also lost university recognition.
www.wavy.com
Women March Topless
PORTLAND, Maine– About two dozen women marched topless from Longfellow Square to Tommy's Park this afternoon in an effort to erase what they see as a double standard on male and female nudity.
The women, preceded and followed by several hundred boisterous and mostly male onlookers, many of them carrying cameras, stayed on the sidewalk because they hadn't obtained a demonstration permit to walk in the street. About a thousand people gathered as the march passed through Monument Square, a mix of demonstrators, supporters, onlookers and those just out enjoying a warm and sunny early-spring day.
After the marchers reached Tommy's Park in the Old Port, some turned around and walked back to Longfellow Square, but most stayed and mingled in the park. Some happily posed for pictures.
Police said there were no incidents and no arrests – nudity is illegal in Maine only if genitals are displayed.
The women, preceded and followed by several hundred boisterous and mostly male onlookers, many of them carrying cameras, stayed on the sidewalk because they hadn't obtained a demonstration permit to walk in the street. About a thousand people gathered as the march passed through Monument Square, a mix of demonstrators, supporters, onlookers and those just out enjoying a warm and sunny early-spring day.
After the marchers reached Tommy's Park in the Old Port, some turned around and walked back to Longfellow Square, but most stayed and mingled in the park. Some happily posed for pictures.
Police said there were no incidents and no arrests – nudity is illegal in Maine only if genitals are displayed.
Ty McDowell, who organized the march, said she was "enraged" by the turnout of men attracted to the demonstration. The purpose, she said, was for society to have the same reaction to a woman walking around topless as it does to men without shirts on.
However, McDowell said she plans to organize similar demonstrations in the future and said she would be more "aggressive" in discouraging oglers.
However, McDowell said she plans to organize similar demonstrations in the future and said she would be more "aggressive" in discouraging oglers.
What were they thinking???? Of course men would be attracted to a demonstration of this type!
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping in the desert.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto went camping in the desert. After they got their Tent all set up, both men fell sound asleep.
Some hours later, Tonto wakes the Lone Ranger and says, 'Kemo Sabe, look
Towards sky, what you see? '
'The Lone Ranger replies, 'I see millions of stars.'
'What that tell you?' asked Tonto. The Lone Ranger ponders for a minute then says, 'Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.
Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What's it tell you, Tonto?'
'You dumber than buffalo dung. It means someone stole the tent.'
Last Chance for Baltimore's a-rabs
Though it agreed two weeks ago to return 17 of the a-rab horses it confiscated in November -- without ever establishing that the animals had been mistreated -- it appears that the city has moved closer to erasing one of its important traditions, one of the things that makes Baltimore Baltimore.
Unless something is done by a foundation or a new group of preservation- and business-minded volunteers, we may soon see a-rabbing vanish. There are only a couple of a-rabs still in operation -- due to strut in an Easter parade on Pennsylvania Avenue today -- and there could be more again, but getting anything more from the city than a donation of land for new stables seems like a nonstarter.
The city made a promise nearly three years ago to help the a-rabs after having to evacuate them from a crumbling city-owned stable in West Baltimore. But many of the animals ended up in a ramshackle stabling area in a muddy hollow under a bridge, and the a-rabs took the blame for the lousy conditions there. Last fall, prodded by the Humane Society of the United States, Baltimore health officials took all the horses to an animal rescue farm in Howard County, creating a distinct, made-for-TV impression that the a-rabs had abused their animals.
Since then, it's become clear that claims of mistreatment were greatly overstated.
Now, of course, the city has liberated the animals from their Howard County sanctuary and returned them to their owners in a deal that will have the a-rabs going through patronizing "training" and inspection by the Humane Society, which believes horse-drawn wagons and carriages constitute a "business of cruelty."
The city won't provide a stabling area, and one of the last of Baltimore's a-rabs, Donald Savoy Jr., is on his own to find new accommodations.
Mr. Savoy and his nephew and niece, James and Shawnta Chase, own 15 of the horses that were confiscated. They have lost all income from a-rabbing since November. They have transferred their horses to another farm outside Baltimore, meaning they would have to move them by trailer each time they need them -- an impractical prospect.
Soon there could be only a couple of a-rabs, those one or two still working out of the old Bruce and Carlton street stables.
And, of course, there's the whole question of whether a-rabbing still makes sense. Do we kiss another Charm City tradition goodbye or try to preserve it within the frame of a sustainable business model for 21st-century Baltimore?
The University of Baltimore chapter of Students in Free Enterprise took a look and concluded that a-rabbing won't work as a way to address the problem of food deserts -- places in the city with little or no easy access to grocery stores and supermarkets with fresh produce.
It's a timing problem -- getting fresh fruits and vegetables onto the wagons and into Baltimore's neighborhoods. Jim Kucher, executive director of entrepreneurship programs at UB, says even a decentralized plan -- my idea, with four or five stables and delivery areas in different sectors of the city -- won't work because it requires a produce wholesaler to make too many stops each day. Mr. Kucher believes trucks or vans would be better suited for neighborhood food delivery.
He and his students might be right.
But, given what's at stake -- the loss of another tradition in the old palatinate -- then all concepts deserve a full study.
There is already a group of civic-minded volunteers working on this. They haven't given up. They see a new generation of a-rabs spread throughout the city, maybe working out of stables on the northwest side of town (Pimlico) or over on the east (Clifton Park), and they see them selling things that Baltimoreans want -- coffee beans by the bag, fresh produce for locavores through a connection with small farmers in the region, even Christmas trees and wreathes when it's time. They see the a-rabs as part of both the city's green movement and its heritage tourism -- part of its past, part of its future. This is worth more effort, one last time. If you want to get involved, get in touch.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Unless something is done by a foundation or a new group of preservation- and business-minded volunteers, we may soon see a-rabbing vanish. There are only a couple of a-rabs still in operation -- due to strut in an Easter parade on Pennsylvania Avenue today -- and there could be more again, but getting anything more from the city than a donation of land for new stables seems like a nonstarter.
The city made a promise nearly three years ago to help the a-rabs after having to evacuate them from a crumbling city-owned stable in West Baltimore. But many of the animals ended up in a ramshackle stabling area in a muddy hollow under a bridge, and the a-rabs took the blame for the lousy conditions there. Last fall, prodded by the Humane Society of the United States, Baltimore health officials took all the horses to an animal rescue farm in Howard County, creating a distinct, made-for-TV impression that the a-rabs had abused their animals.
Since then, it's become clear that claims of mistreatment were greatly overstated.
Now, of course, the city has liberated the animals from their Howard County sanctuary and returned them to their owners in a deal that will have the a-rabs going through patronizing "training" and inspection by the Humane Society, which believes horse-drawn wagons and carriages constitute a "business of cruelty."
The city won't provide a stabling area, and one of the last of Baltimore's a-rabs, Donald Savoy Jr., is on his own to find new accommodations.
Mr. Savoy and his nephew and niece, James and Shawnta Chase, own 15 of the horses that were confiscated. They have lost all income from a-rabbing since November. They have transferred their horses to another farm outside Baltimore, meaning they would have to move them by trailer each time they need them -- an impractical prospect.
Soon there could be only a couple of a-rabs, those one or two still working out of the old Bruce and Carlton street stables.
And, of course, there's the whole question of whether a-rabbing still makes sense. Do we kiss another Charm City tradition goodbye or try to preserve it within the frame of a sustainable business model for 21st-century Baltimore?
The University of Baltimore chapter of Students in Free Enterprise took a look and concluded that a-rabbing won't work as a way to address the problem of food deserts -- places in the city with little or no easy access to grocery stores and supermarkets with fresh produce.
It's a timing problem -- getting fresh fruits and vegetables onto the wagons and into Baltimore's neighborhoods. Jim Kucher, executive director of entrepreneurship programs at UB, says even a decentralized plan -- my idea, with four or five stables and delivery areas in different sectors of the city -- won't work because it requires a produce wholesaler to make too many stops each day. Mr. Kucher believes trucks or vans would be better suited for neighborhood food delivery.
He and his students might be right.
But, given what's at stake -- the loss of another tradition in the old palatinate -- then all concepts deserve a full study.
There is already a group of civic-minded volunteers working on this. They haven't given up. They see a new generation of a-rabs spread throughout the city, maybe working out of stables on the northwest side of town (Pimlico) or over on the east (Clifton Park), and they see them selling things that Baltimoreans want -- coffee beans by the bag, fresh produce for locavores through a connection with small farmers in the region, even Christmas trees and wreathes when it's time. They see the a-rabs as part of both the city's green movement and its heritage tourism -- part of its past, part of its future. This is worth more effort, one last time. If you want to get involved, get in touch.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/
I wish Mr. Savoy the best of luck in keeping this wonderful, heartwarming Balitmore tradition alive. What a loss for the city of Baltimore if this tradition is allowed to fade.
US Space Shuttle Nears End of Its Voyage
The U.S. space shuttle program comes to an end this year, and a debate is underway over what should replace it. The retirement of the shuttle fleet could result in massive job losses in Florida.
Thousands of workers protest in Titusville, Florida over plans to cut up to 9,000 jobs at the nearby Kennedy Space Center.
Space shuttle worker Alan Newton expects to lose his job when the shuttle program ends this year. "I'm planning on doing whatever I have to to find another job. As much as I don't look forward to it, I do know that I'm going to have to," he said.
Since NASA put a man on the moon in 1969 Florida has been the hub of American space exploration.
The region around the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral even calls itself The Space Coast.
The U.S. government estimates NASA boosted Florida's economy by around $4billion in 2008, and generated more than 40,000 jobs.
The Dixie Crossroads restaurant in Titusville depends on business from space workers. Its owner, Lauralee Thompson, says she is worried about a future without the space shuttle. "People don't tend to go out and eat a lot when they don't have a lot of money. So, you know, the impending layoffs at the Cape are a major concern for us," she said.
Political and business leaders are scrambling to find ways to soften the economic impact of the layoffs, meeting recently in Orlando to discuss options.
One projection indicates that 23,000 jobs with direct or indirect ties to the space industry, could be lost in Florida within a year.
Mark Nappi from United Space Alliance, NASA's largest shuttle contractor, says job cuts at the Kennedy Space Center could be just the beginning. "For every job that's created by the space program, there are jobs that are affected by that. If I lose my job and I'm not out buying cars, I'm not using the doctor, I'm not going to restaurants. Obviously there's a trickle effect out into the economy so there's a loss of jobs as a result," he said.
Some shuttle workers had hoped to get jobs developing a rocket and capsule to take astronauts back to the Moon by 2020.
But the Obama administration says it wants to scrap the program, known as Constellation, following an independent panel's finding that NASA lacks the resources to see it through.
Instead, the White House favors using private operators to carry astronauts into orbit.
Shuttle worker Jeffrey Bell argues NASA should continue with Constellation. "Let's not have to rely on other countries and private industry. Let's keep the jobs, let's keep the community, and let's move forward," he said.
Space Florida, the agency responsible for developing the state's aerospace sector, says it is trying to attract new industries that use space-based technologies.
President Frank DiBello predicts workers will be able to find jobs once the shuttle program ends. "It's an available pool of skilled labor talent that other industries covet. We want to be able to apply them to new generation space programs, but also we intend to diversify Florida's economy," he said.
Some of these NASA workers claim efforts to redeploy their skills in other areas come too late with just four shuttle missions remaining.
President Obama is set to visit Florida in April to host a conference on his administration's plans for space.
www.voanews.com
Thousands of workers protest in Titusville, Florida over plans to cut up to 9,000 jobs at the nearby Kennedy Space Center.
Space shuttle worker Alan Newton expects to lose his job when the shuttle program ends this year. "I'm planning on doing whatever I have to to find another job. As much as I don't look forward to it, I do know that I'm going to have to," he said.
Since NASA put a man on the moon in 1969 Florida has been the hub of American space exploration.
The region around the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral even calls itself The Space Coast.
The U.S. government estimates NASA boosted Florida's economy by around $4billion in 2008, and generated more than 40,000 jobs.
The Dixie Crossroads restaurant in Titusville depends on business from space workers. Its owner, Lauralee Thompson, says she is worried about a future without the space shuttle. "People don't tend to go out and eat a lot when they don't have a lot of money. So, you know, the impending layoffs at the Cape are a major concern for us," she said.
Political and business leaders are scrambling to find ways to soften the economic impact of the layoffs, meeting recently in Orlando to discuss options.
One projection indicates that 23,000 jobs with direct or indirect ties to the space industry, could be lost in Florida within a year.
Mark Nappi from United Space Alliance, NASA's largest shuttle contractor, says job cuts at the Kennedy Space Center could be just the beginning. "For every job that's created by the space program, there are jobs that are affected by that. If I lose my job and I'm not out buying cars, I'm not using the doctor, I'm not going to restaurants. Obviously there's a trickle effect out into the economy so there's a loss of jobs as a result," he said.
Some shuttle workers had hoped to get jobs developing a rocket and capsule to take astronauts back to the Moon by 2020.
But the Obama administration says it wants to scrap the program, known as Constellation, following an independent panel's finding that NASA lacks the resources to see it through.
Instead, the White House favors using private operators to carry astronauts into orbit.
Shuttle worker Jeffrey Bell argues NASA should continue with Constellation. "Let's not have to rely on other countries and private industry. Let's keep the jobs, let's keep the community, and let's move forward," he said.
Space Florida, the agency responsible for developing the state's aerospace sector, says it is trying to attract new industries that use space-based technologies.
President Frank DiBello predicts workers will be able to find jobs once the shuttle program ends. "It's an available pool of skilled labor talent that other industries covet. We want to be able to apply them to new generation space programs, but also we intend to diversify Florida's economy," he said.
Some of these NASA workers claim efforts to redeploy their skills in other areas come too late with just four shuttle missions remaining.
President Obama is set to visit Florida in April to host a conference on his administration's plans for space.
www.voanews.com
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Dismembered Heads, Limbs Found at Waste Facility
In Kansas last week, a grisly discovery: Seven bodies that should have been cremated were instead found dismembered aboard a truck at a medical waste facility.
The severed heads and torsos were traced back to Bio Care Southwest, a New Mexico company that harvests and sells organs from people who had agreed to donate their bodies to science. The heads were hacked off with some kind of chain saw, according to The Associated Press.
Earlier this week, New Mexico police arrested Bio Care's owner, Paul Montano, and charged him with three counts of fraud. On Thursday, Montano pleaded not guilty.
After scientists returned the organs to Bio Care, the company was supposed to cremate the bodies and send the ashes back to the families at no cost. On its Web site, Bio Care reassures its potential clients, "At Bio Care, you will always be treated with dignity, respect and honesty."
But police say that's not what happened. Instead, at least 12 containers' worth of dismembered heads and limbs from Bio Care turned up at Stericycle, a Kansas City, Kan., medical waste treatment plant, leaving many families in shock and wondering whose ashes they had received.
A Stericycle employee alerted police after finding a partly burned head and torso in a truck at the facility. Stericycle said it routinely processes soft-tissue organs, "but never heads and torsos."
Families were stunned.
"To not give you everything and to have the head shipped someplace else, it's really disturbing," New Mexico resident Chuck Hines told the AP. Hines' 83-year-old father died of a stroke, and his body was donated to Bio Care.
On Thursday, investigators identified another of the bodies as the husband of Darlene Dillard. "What sick people," Dillard told The Kansas City Star. "That is so sick."
The severed heads and torsos were traced back to Bio Care Southwest, a New Mexico company that harvests and sells organs from people who had agreed to donate their bodies to science. The heads were hacked off with some kind of chain saw, according to The Associated Press.
Earlier this week, New Mexico police arrested Bio Care's owner, Paul Montano, and charged him with three counts of fraud. On Thursday, Montano pleaded not guilty.
After scientists returned the organs to Bio Care, the company was supposed to cremate the bodies and send the ashes back to the families at no cost. On its Web site, Bio Care reassures its potential clients, "At Bio Care, you will always be treated with dignity, respect and honesty."
But police say that's not what happened. Instead, at least 12 containers' worth of dismembered heads and limbs from Bio Care turned up at Stericycle, a Kansas City, Kan., medical waste treatment plant, leaving many families in shock and wondering whose ashes they had received.
A Stericycle employee alerted police after finding a partly burned head and torso in a truck at the facility. Stericycle said it routinely processes soft-tissue organs, "but never heads and torsos."
Families were stunned.
"To not give you everything and to have the head shipped someplace else, it's really disturbing," New Mexico resident Chuck Hines told the AP. Hines' 83-year-old father died of a stroke, and his body was donated to Bio Care.
On Thursday, investigators identified another of the bodies as the husband of Darlene Dillard. "What sick people," Dillard told The Kansas City Star. "That is so sick."
Florida Food-Scam Convict Is Too Fat to Jail
Not only are some banks too big to fail. Some convicted criminals are too big to jail.A 600-pound Florida man with a long record of scamming restaurants and convenience stores pleaded no contest this week to five charges that he sought refunds by making false claims, including one that a $50 order of beef jerky from a 7-Eleven was moldy.
The no-contest plea was the best prosecutors in Seminole County could hope for. If they had brought him to trial, the state would have had to pay to transport him to the courthouse from the nursing home where he's been bed-ridden for months. It would have also been obliged to pay for any medical care he might have needed.
So they struck a deal with lawyers for the accused man, George Jolicoeur, 38. If he pleaded no contest to five counts of petty theft, he wouldn't go to jail or serve probation.
"He's in his prison cell," Assistant State Attorney Kyan Ware said, the Orlando Sentinel reported. "He's not getting out of that bed."
The case began in 2007, when the 7-Eleven owner complained to police about Jolicoeur's bogus refund attempt. When Officer Jeff Sabounji went to Jolicoeur's home in Sanford, near Orlando, to arrest him, he heard what sounded like a male voice trying to sound like a female saying Jolicoeur was not home. This was followed by a female voice saying, "George, turn yourself in."
On his way to the police station for questioning, according to the police report, Jolicoeur told the officer, "The beef jerky got me."
Jolicoeur was arrested two months later for a similar scam at another 7-Eleven in which he put a gallon of ice cream on the counter and said he had 10 of them that were damaged, for which he received a false reimbursement of $50.
Since his 2007 crime spree, Jolicoeur became ill. He was eventually transferred from a hospital to a nursing facility, where he breathes with the help of a respirator.
In 2005 he pleaded no contest to five similar crimes.
VIA: AolNews
Teen Suspended Over Revealing Prom Dress
Erica DeRamus ended up all dressed up with nowhere to go -- on her prom night.
The Oxford, Ala., high school student found her perfect prom dress online -- a seafoam green cocktail frock with a jeweled bodice and a tutu-style skirt. Unfortunately for DeRamus, the dress got her kicked out of her prom and suspended for three days for violating her school's dress code.
"I was so excited because it was my senior prom and I'd never been to a senior prom," DeRamus told Alabama's WBRC-TV.
But her excitement didn't last long.
Oxford High School officials said DeRamus's outfit was too low-cut and too short, breaking the rules of the school's dress code -- which stipulates that necklines must not plunge below students' breastbones and skirt hems must not be higher than six inches above the knee.
"It's there for the protection of kids... not for management of kids," Oxford High School Principal Trey Holloday told WBRC.
Even so, DeRamus argued her dress was not that revealing.
"'What cleavage?' That's exactly what I said," DeRamus said. " I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, but that's what I feel."
Of the 352 Oxford High students who attended the prom, officials said 18 violated the dress code. All but DeRamus chose paddling as punishment, with DeRamus opting for a three-day suspension.
"I'm a little too old to get paddled...This is high school, we're seniors," DeRamus told WBRC. "If we're going to act up, give us another option besides being paddled because this isn't the 1940s. We don't take corporal punishment now."
DeRamus's mother, Darrie DeRamus, supported her daughter's decision -- and her choice of dress.
"If I felt like there was too much cleavage on that dress, I wouldn't have purchased the dress," she said. "It would've stayed in the store and I wouldn't have gone on the Internet and paid for it."
VIA: AolNews
The Oxford, Ala., high school student found her perfect prom dress online -- a seafoam green cocktail frock with a jeweled bodice and a tutu-style skirt. Unfortunately for DeRamus, the dress got her kicked out of her prom and suspended for three days for violating her school's dress code.
"I was so excited because it was my senior prom and I'd never been to a senior prom," DeRamus told Alabama's WBRC-TV.
But her excitement didn't last long.
Oxford High School officials said DeRamus's outfit was too low-cut and too short, breaking the rules of the school's dress code -- which stipulates that necklines must not plunge below students' breastbones and skirt hems must not be higher than six inches above the knee.
"It's there for the protection of kids... not for management of kids," Oxford High School Principal Trey Holloday told WBRC.
Even so, DeRamus argued her dress was not that revealing.
"'What cleavage?' That's exactly what I said," DeRamus said. " I wasn't trying to be rude or anything, but that's what I feel."
Of the 352 Oxford High students who attended the prom, officials said 18 violated the dress code. All but DeRamus chose paddling as punishment, with DeRamus opting for a three-day suspension.
"I'm a little too old to get paddled...This is high school, we're seniors," DeRamus told WBRC. "If we're going to act up, give us another option besides being paddled because this isn't the 1940s. We don't take corporal punishment now."
DeRamus's mother, Darrie DeRamus, supported her daughter's decision -- and her choice of dress.
"If I felt like there was too much cleavage on that dress, I wouldn't have purchased the dress," she said. "It would've stayed in the store and I wouldn't have gone on the Internet and paid for it."
VIA: AolNews
Happy Easter!
I hope everyone has a happy, wonderful Easter.
The weather is supposed to be great, perfect for a good Easter-egg hunt for the little'uns.
Great weather for the ladies pastels and big hats, and just about right for us dudes to go fish'n.
The weather is supposed to be great, perfect for a good Easter-egg hunt for the little'uns.
Great weather for the ladies pastels and big hats, and just about right for us dudes to go fish'n.
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