Monday, October 4, 2010

Accused White House Crasher Tareq Salahi Files Bankruptcy

Alleged White House gate crasher Tareq Salahi's polo club has filed for bankruptcy.

The Northern Virginia Daily reported that America's Polo Cup Inc. filed for Chapter 7 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Sept. 13.

The petition says America's Polo Cup grossed more than $400,000 in 2008 and 2009, but just slightly more than $50,000 this year.

It lists $67,000 in assets - all in the form of money owed to the company - and $329,850 in debts, including more than $304,000 for catering that is the subject of a civil lawsuit.

A winery business owned by Salahi filed bankruptcy in 2009.

Salahi and his wife, Michaele, made headlines last year when they allegedly crashed a White House state dinner. Michaele is a cast member on Bravo's reality show "Real Housewives of D.C.

www.nydailynews.com

Verizon Plans Customer Refunds

NEW YORK (AP) - Verizon Wireless could pay out up to $90 million in refunds to cell phone customers who were improperly charged for inadvertent Web access or data usage over the past several years.

The FCC had asked Verizon Wireless last year about $1.99-a-megabyte data access fees that appeared on the bills of customers who didn't have data plans but who accidentally initiated data or Web access by pressing a button on their phones.

In a statement on its website Sunday, Verizon Wireless said most of the 15 million customers affected will receive credits of $2 to $6 on their October or November bills. Some will receive larger sums. Customers no longer with the New York-based carrier will get refund checks.

"Verizon Wireless values our customer relationships and we always want to do the right thing for our customers," said Mary Coyne, deputy general counsel for Verizon Wireless. "The majority of the data sessions involved minor data exchanges caused by software built into their phones; others involved accessing the Web, which should not have incurred charges. We have addressed these issues to avoid unintended data charges in the future."

Verizon has said that it stopped charging such fees when a customer started using a data service but then quickly shut it off.

The FCC confirmed Sunday that it has been investigating the charges after complaints from consumers. It said Verizon itself has reportedly put the amount of overcharges at more than $50 million, dating back two years.

"We're gratified to see Verizon agree to finally repay its customers," FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Michele Ellison said in a statement.

"But questions remain as to why it took Verizon two years to reimburse its customers and why greater disclosure and other corrective actions did not come much, much sooner."

The FCC will continue to look into those issues, including the possibility of additional penalties, Ellison said.

Verizon Wireless, the largest cell phone carrier in the U.S., is a joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. and Britain's Vodafone Group PLC.

www.wtop.com

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Our Judicial System and Nolle prosequi, How Easy is to Easy?



 Seriously, Is Judge Purnell and/or the office of the SA just extremely to liberal? I'd go as far as to say they have become extremest in such a way that it has become so obvious to most of the criminals we have out and about on our streets that they are selling dope, robbing stores, burglarizing homes and they will literally take a life in broad daylight on a busy street and it's not getting better.

Now I completely understand that in some cases a PBJ or Probation with/without a fine is harsh enough for some lesser petty offense but all these aforementioned plus even more a coupled with the ever so popular nolle prosequi by the Judges and SA's office is just way to lenient and I feel that if the SA's office and Purnell has the sitting power to make these repetitive decisions for some if not most of the crimes committed in Worcester County they should do so with judgment and for the best interest of the public not the criminal.

This just goes to show that ours and other law enforcement agencies within the City, County, and State that receive such negativity in most cases do not deserve the slander that they must endure from other people, forums, blogs etc. time and time over again. Now I'm not saying any LEO should not do their job, in fact the good cops will need to do their job better to make sure their evidence is overwhelming, complete and precise. The bad cops? Well they're and always will be just that "bad cops" (you know who you are), we can put them in the same "Pen" with criminals until the good cops (you know who you are) can put them away too. Yeah that sounds harsh I know but until we can force those that apply punishment and demand that the criminals be held accountable for their actions it will never get better. 

I'm not familiar with other cities criminals other than what I read about in the local news and of course, our local criminals just seam to stick out more like Capone does to Chicago or Jesse James does to Bank Robberies, it's the locals names that I/we just keep hearing over and over so in that way we become more familiar and see the repetitious names associated with the same crimes over and over and over and we also become aware that the same names become connected over and over and over. What names might you ask? The local criminal(s) and nolle prosequi.


Most of the following cases were heard in Worcester County District Court in Snow Hill by Judge Gerald V. Purnell on Sept. 3 and Sept. 7, 2010. All can be seen here on Delmarvanow

[Well, well, well here's a familiar name you might want to check the Maryland Case search on this one for priors] Honiss Webster Cane III, 39, of the 100 block of Fourth Street, Pocomoke City, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. Nol pros was entered for both charges.

David Glenn Gambrell, 21, of the 500 block of 37th Street, Philadelphia, Pa., was charged with possession of marijuana. The verdict was probation before judgment.

John Adam Conn, 18, of the 5000 block of Cedar Grove Road, East New Market, Md., was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. The verdict was probation before judgment for both charges.

Daniel Lee Ng, 19, of the 700 block of Generals Highway, Millersville, Md., was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. Nol pros was entered for both charges.

[WHAT??!! REALLY??] Timothy McCoy Wilson, 42, of the 300 block of River Terrace, Toms River, N.J., was charged with controlled dangerous substance: possession with intent to distribute: narcotics , controlled dangerous substance possession - not marijuana and controlled dangerous substance possession with intent - large amount. Nol pros was entered for all charges.

Luis Rafel Ahorrio, 35, of the 100 block of South Conduit Avenue, Jamaica, N.Y., was charged with controlled dangerous substance: possession with intent to distribute: narcotics , controlled dangerous substance possession - not marijuana and controlled dangerous substance possession with intent - large amount. Nol pros was entered for all charges.


Getting ridiculous? Sorry not yet

[Wait! don't we know this name? Why I do believe we do]
Juergen D. Ervin Jr., no date of birth listed, of the 100 block of Fourth Street, Pocomoke City, was charged with assault second degree and malicious destruction of property valued at less than $500. Nol pros was entered for both charges.

Lisa Bergling Kerstetter, 49, of the 9000 block of Pitts Road, Showell, Md., was charged with assault second degree, malicious destruction of property valued at less than $500, resist/interfere with arrest and failure to obey. The verdict was guilty for the third charge. Nol pros was entered for the other charges.

Gregory D. Secon, 48, of the 7000 block of Old Ocean City Road, Whaleyville, was charged with two counts of assault second degree. The verdict was guilty for the first charge. Nol pros was entered for the second charge.

John Spencer Tillman, 22, of the 10 block of Breezeway Lane, Berlin, was charged with assault second degree. Nol pros was entered.

Jarrett Ryan Tillman, 24, of the 10 block of Breezeway Lane, Berlin, was charged with two counts of assault second degree. Nol pros was entered for both charges.

Now keep in mind that the above listing are just a drop in the bucket of the slap on the wrist justice system that we have let our legal system become, and for 2 DAYS ONLY.  Sept. 3 and Sept. 7, 2010
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US Issues Travel Alert For Americans In Europe

The US State Department issued a travel alert on Sunday for American traveling in Europe after Western intelligence agencies last week uncovered an Al Qaeda plot to wage attacks on European cities. The US State Department issued a travel alert Sunday to urge Americans traveling to Europe to use caution and vigilance in the wake of a terrorist plot uncovered last week to attack major European cities.

"Current information suggests that Al Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks," warns the alert. "US citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling."

The alert also warns that terrorists might attack public transportation systems and "tourist infrastructure."

The alert is not a travel warning, which would advise Americans from traveling to Europe. But it underlines how seriously officials are taking the recent Al Qaeda threat against Europe.

The Associated Press reports that the US did not meet strong opposition from European leaders when it informed them of the plan to issue the alert. But the New York Times reports that European officials have been worried about the effect such an action could have on tourism and student travel to Europe.

Al Qaeda plot

A US official told the AP the travel alert is “a cumulative result of information the US has received over an extended period.” But it comes after the revelation last week that Western intelligence agencies had uncovered an Al Qaeda plot to wage attacks on European cities. The Monitor reported that the plan was reportedly to mimic the style of the deadly attack on Mumbai in 2008, with small teams of heavily-armed militants moving in teams to capture and execute Westerners in Britain, France, and Germany.

Al Qaeda militants in Pakistan were reportedly behind the attack, and intelligence agencies have said that Osama bin Laden was possibly involved personally. The plot may have been uncovered when authorities detained a German terror suspect in Afghanistan in July.
Link to drone strikes in Pakistan?


Media reports have linked the plot to US drone strikes in Pakistan. But it is unclear whether the Al Qaeda plot was an attempt to respond to the drone strikes, or whether the strikes were intended to disrupt the plot – or both. The Wall Street Journal reports that the number of reported drone attacks in Pakistan doubled in September, up to 22.

Regardless of the reason for the reported plot to attack Europe, officials appear to be reacting with seriousness.

In addition to the travel alert, Sweden announced Friday that it has raised its terror alert to the highest status, reports The Guardian. France has been hit particularly hard: the Eiffel Tower in Paris was evacuated twice in September after bomb threats and a warning was issued about a female suicide bomber targeting public transit. The Monitor reported that France has been unusually shaken by the recent threats.

The terror warnings have put Europe on alert and caused France, which prides itself in taking something of a phlegmatic view of the threat of terrorism, to increase its terror alert to “red plus” – the second-highest level. France's uncharacteristic cautiousness could signal the seriousness of recent threats, say security analysts, and suggests a new attitude emerging in France toward security.

www.csmonitor.com

Grand Jury Indicts Son In First-Degree Murder Of Mother

SNOW HILL – A Worcester County grand jury this week formally indicted on a first-degree murder charge a Pennsylvania man charged in early September with repeatedly running over his elderly mother on a rural road north of Berlin.

Steven Frederick Molin, 58, of Darby, Pa., was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his mother, Emily Belle Molin, 85, also of Darby, after an incident on Carey Rd. on Aug. 31.

Molin was scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in District Court yesterday, but that hearing was superseded by the grand jury indictment earlier in the week. The case is now set to take place in Worcester County Circuit Court.

Shortly before midnight on Aug. 31, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to a serious motor vehicle accident on Carey Rd. in Berlin. From the beginning, Steven Molin has not denied running over his mother as many as three times, but has claimed the incident was an accident, caused in part by a faulty passenger side door on the 2008 Chevy work truck damaged in a different accident earlier in the day.
However, a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office accident reconstructionist, after reviewing the physical evidence and interviewing Molin, determined the victim had been run over three times despite ample opportunity by the suspect to avoid hitting her after the first collision.


According to police reports, there was substantial physical evidence in the roadway including the victim’s shoes and articles of clothing along with blood and hair evidence with tire impressions through the middle of them. The report also indicates the victim’s shoe impressions were discovered on the back bumper and near the undercarriage and ball hitch of the work truck, suggesting she tried to stick her foot up to avoid being run over.
After reviewing the physical evidence at the scene, detectives determined the incident was not merely a motor vehicle accident, according to police reports.
Detectives at the scene also noted the vehicle had a piece of rope tied to the passenger side door handle along with damage to the passenger side of the vehicle.

When questioned about the rope and the damage, Molin allegedly told police at the scene, “I don’t know how much I should say to you,” before telling the officers he was involved in a different accident earlier in the day.


During an interview hours after the incident, Molin told police he had picked up the victim at a nursing home in Pennsylvania where she lived around 5:20 p.m. that night to take her to dinner. He then drove her to Evergreen Cemetery in Berlin to visit the grave of her late husband and his father, who had died in 1981. After a visit at the cemetery, Molin started driving his mother back to Darby, Pa. along Carey Rd. in northern Worcester County.


Molin told detectives while he was driving on Carey Rd., he thought his mother had fallen out of the vehicle. He told police the door swung open, but he did not see anything. At that point, he allegedly heard a thump and ran over the victim. He told detectives he then backed up and ran over her again. According to police reports, Molin told police he then thought the vehicle was on top of her, so he pulled forward, which is when he ran over the victim a third time.


Information contained in the statement of charges suggests the incident might have been more than an accident, however. According to police reports, Molin and his mother were scheduled to appear for a court hearing the next day, Sept. 1, on two pieces of property that were in his name.

The purpose of the hearing was to transfer ownership of the two properties back into the victim’s name and the victim would then transfer the properties to the nursing home in order to allow her to continue to receive services from the facility, according to police reports.


A Sheriff’s deputy on the scene of the incident reportedly received a call from an employee of the nursing home where the victim lived advising that she had talked to Molin earlier that day and that he intentionally wrecked his truck because he was mad about the pending court issues regarding the two properties.

The nursing home employee also told detectives Molin had allegedly threatened to blow her head off because of an argument she had with him.

CNN's Rick Sanchez Fired

NEW YORK -- CNN fired news anchor Rick Sanchez on Friday, a day after he called Jon Stewart a bigot in a radio show interview where he also questioned whether Jews should be considered a minority.

Sanchez, who was born in Cuba and had worked at CNN since 2004, was host of the two-hour "Rick's List" on CNN's afternoon lineup. He did a prime-time version of that show in recent months, but that ended this week because the time slot is being filled by a new show featuring former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and columnist Kathleen Parker.

Stewart had frequently poked fun of Sanchez on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," most recently for saying on the air that his show had received a tweet from House Republican leader John Boehner. Stewart called it a case of "send a twit a tweet."

"He's upset that someone of my ilk is almost at his level," Sanchez said during a satellite radio interview with Pete Dominick. Details of the interview were posted on the Mediaite website Friday and quickly became a topic of conversation in the media world.

Sanchez said that Stewart is bigoted toward "everybody else that's not like him." He said Stewart "can't relate to what I grew up with," saying his family had been poor and he had seen prejudice directed at his father.

Sanchez dismisses it when Dominick points out that Stewart, who is Jewish, is also a minority.

"I'm telling you that everyone who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart, and a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart, and to imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish, are an oppressed minority?" Sanchez said, adding a sarcastic "yeah."

"I can't see someone not getting a job these days because they're Jewish," he said.

www.foxnews.com

Crisfield Man Dies In House Fire

CRISFIELD — Deputy state fire marshals are investigating the cause of a fire that claimed the life of a Crisfield man early this morning.

Paul Tyler, 74, was found by firefighters inside his two-story home on Johnson Creek Road.

Tyler had discovered the 1:04 a.m. fire and evacuated his wife, then re-entered the house to retrieve personal belongings prior to the arrival of the fire department.

The fire originated in a first floor room that was being used as a bedroom. The cause remains under investigation. Investigators from Maryland State Police are assisting in the case.

Firefighters from Crisfield and Marion brought the blaze under control in an hour. Damages were estimated at $130,000.

www.delmarvanow.com

Adult Novelty Item......Have You Seen These Yet?

MISHAWAKA, Indiana — The name sounds like "lollipops," but the product is a "Lollipipe." It's a fruit-flavored candy that is fully edible, but in the shape of a drug pipe.

The packaging touts how it won't melt, even when the pipe is lit. The product has been sold at some 7-Eleven stores in Mishawaka and South Bend — that is up until Friday afternoon. That's when corporate officials out of 7-Eleven's Dallas office mandated that all Indiana franchisees pull the product.

John Ray owns the Mishawaka store at 601 N. Main Street that stocked it. He says he was unaware the product was even being sold in his store. Upon learning of it, he had store employees remove it, even before the corporate edict came down.

"I'll be honest with you, I tend not to get involved with those, the K2 stuff, Mr. Smiley, that kind of stuff. I turned that one down and never got involved with that one. Obviously, this is something that has slipped by me," Ray said.

The 7-Eleven store on Logan Street and Jefferson in South Bend was out of the product Friday, but an employee said more would be coming in next week. That statement was made prior to the corporate Friday afternoon crackdown.

"We think it harms our image," said Margaret Chabris, corporate spokeswoman for 7-Eleven.

"Franchisees can order products, but they need to be products within the scope of the 7-Eleven image, Chabris added.

Joan Horvath spotted the product about a week ago. She says it was being sold as a point of purchase item at the cash register at the 7-Eleven she frequents.

"The more I look at it, it's a drug paraphernalia item that is candy. I'm afraid of little kids getting their hands on this," Horvath said.

"They took candy cigarettes off the market, but they put out drug paraphernalia for kids to eat?" questions Horvath.

"It appalls me. I can't believe this is in a convenience store. I don't understand why anybody would even make this," Horvath said of the company Kzee Novelty Products, LLC, out of Berkeley, California.

The company behind the Lollipipe maintains a Facebook page in which friends of the site post openly, discussing the use of the product when it comes to drugs. The company's website, www.lollipipe.com, is currently not accessible.

Many in Michiana were unaware the product even existed.

"I haven't seen this. This is new," was the reaction of Lt. Tim Williams, a DARE officer with the Mishawaka Police Department.

"Any kind of candy that would illustrate or be a likeness of anything we're teaching them not to do, like smoking cigarettes or drugs, I'd say something needs to be done about it. This influences our children and what they want to do," said Williams.

Jill Sabo, who is a tobacco education coordinator with St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, says she had not heard of this product before either.

"It looks like something you would smoke hash in," Sabo commented.

"I don't know if they're going to put illegal drugs in here or tobacco, but it really doesn't matter. It is still dangerous," said Sabo, who believes the product's packaging and flavors make it attractive to children.

www.wsbt.com

Letter Carrier Convicted Of Dumping Mail

A substitute postal carrier who was convicted this week of dumping more than 150 pieces of mail that was later discovered in a Bon Air creek now faces an embezzlement charge in the theft of merchandise from his employer at Chesterfield Towne Center.

Timothy N. Myrick, 20, of the 7900 block of Mill River Lane, was arrested Sept. 15 by Chesterfield police on a charge of embezzling about $235 worth of merchandise over a six-month period from Macy's, where he was employed this year, said Chesterfield police Sgt. Michael Hines. The date of the offense is listed as Aug. 28, according to court records.On Monday, Myrick was convicted after a four-hour trial in U.S. District Court here of a single count of obstructing delivery of mail in April. A magistrate judge sentenced Myrick to six months probation and fined him $150.

According to federal court papers, Myrick was working as a substitute letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service's Bon Air branch on April 7 when he intentionally failed to deliver 131 pieces of standard mail and 45 pieces of first-class mail.

Investigators determined Myrick dumped the mail in a storm drain behind a cluster of mailboxes for an apartment complex, and the mail flowed through a culvert into a creek, where it was discovered by a neighborhood resident -- a former police officer -- on April 27.

The neighbor traced the creek and culvert to a location where the mail likely had been dumped and called police. The Bon Air Post Office was contacted, and officials collected the mail, took it back to their facility and dried it before submitting it to internal postal investigators, according to evidence presented Monday.

Another neighbor testified that on April 7, as she was walking her dog, she saw a young man in a postal truck dressed in civilian clothes stop at a cluster of mailboxes and "fiddle with" the back of the them -- but didn't pick up or deliver any mail. The man then moved his vehicle to the next set of mailboxes and repeated the same suspicious activity, according to testimony. The neighbor noted the date and time and called postal authorities.

In further evidence, the manager of the Bon Air Post Office testified that he interviewed all five carriers who split the mail route in question on April 7, and only Myrick could not remember what portion of the route he covered. Postal records showed that he was the carrier on the portion of the route covered by the addresses whose mail had been dumped.

The other four carriers testified that the portion of the route they covered did not include the addresses for the recovered mail.

At the time of the offense, Myrick worked as a substitute postal carrier who filled in where needed, covering routes for carriers on leave or vacation. He had held that position since January, officials said.

Myrick, who is free on bond, is scheduled to appear Nov. 17 on the embezzlement charge in Chesterfield General District Court.

www.timesdispatch.com

10 Weirdest Fear And Phobia Faced By People

We all know the meaning of phobia and how it makes our lives miserable. The fear of darkness, the unknown, heights, water and insects are pretty normal and we might think that these are the only phobias known to man. But like us, you are also in for a surprise. Have a look at the most weirdest phobias actually known to the medical world.


10. Spectrophobia – Fear of mirrors or one’s own reflection.

Spectrophobia or eisoptrophobia is a kind of specific phobia involving a morbid fear of mirrors and the dread of seeing one’s own reflection.

It is attributed to the fear of self-knowledge and fright from exhibitionism. It is an exaggerated or irrational fear of mirrors or one’s own reflection. It is debated that Spectrophobia is related to fear of ghosts or Phasmophobia. But, by definition it is the fear of self-actualization. It may arise as the fear of losing one’s perception of personal beauty, or the fear of accepting anomalies on one’s persona like moles or marks that are a reminder of painful events from one’s past. It could also be termed as a symptom of denial of certain events that have left marks on one’s persona.

In other cases schizophrenia is also coined as a reason for Spectrophobia. But, it is one weird though dreadful disorder as one can not avoid mirrors or reflections in today’s world. It can be easily identified and also treated like other phobias.


9. Ablutophobia – Fear of Bathing


Ablutophobia is the persistent, abnormal and unwarranted fear of bathing, washing, or cleaning. This phobia is a situational specific phobia. Ablutophobia tends to be more common in children and women than in men and especially with those people who are very emotional. Such a phobia makes you feel dejected and lonelier. It might be an impact of an event from the past linking bathing, washing or cleaning to emotional trauma. The original catalyst would be a real-life scare of some kind, the condition can also be triggered by any event seen on Television, films or even witnessing someone else experience trauma.

It is different from fear of water or hydrophobia as the person is not afraid of the water, but the cleaning. He might not care about the water if it’s not being used to clean him/her. Those suffering form Ablutophobia experience – dizziness, breathlessness, excessive sweating, heart palpitations, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, becoming mad or losing control.

The Self-help NLP or Neuro Linguistic programming technique has proved to be an effective treatment for this phobia.


8. Anthophobia – Fear of Flowers

Deviant Art

Anthophobia is a persistent fear of flowers. Though sufferers generally understand that they face no threat from flowers, they invariably experience anxiety at the sight or thought. Any genus or species of flowers can instill fear, as can any flower part, such as a petal or stem. Anthophobia is also referred to as the fear of small harmless things, such as a small torn piece of paper.

Anyone could have this phobia, if you kind of freaked out when your girlfriend brought you flowers, you might have Anthophobia. And if you have never received any flowers like me, you should go buy flowers for yourself just to be sure.


7 Chorophobia – Fear of Dancing

Dancing is a very common part of our lives. It’s an expression of our mood, joy and energy. Asking someone to prom, annual dance or even dancing together at a wedding is a swell way to find a mate. But, what if someone is afraid of the very core of the idea? Chorophobia is an persistent fear of dancing. It might be any form of dancing, couple or even single. Mostly sufferers believe that they don’t feel like dancing, but they don’t realize that they are afraid of it. In most cases people realized this anomaly when they just had to dance like at a club or at prom. In extremities, some have found out about this when they felt anxiety and nausea at the time of their wedding dance.

The treatment for Chorophobia is the same as for other phobias, but it is hard to recognize. Sometimes it is just seen as the reluctance or a part of one’s personality not to indulge in things like dancing.


Deviant Art


6 Genophobia – Fear of Sexual Relations
 Genophobia is the physical or psychological fear of sexual relations or sexual intercourse. The word comes from the Greek terms genos, meaning “offspring,” and phobos, meaning “fear.”

People who suffer from the phobia can be intensely affected by attempted sexual contact or just the thought of it. The extreme fear can lead to trouble in romantic relationships. Those afflicted by Genophobia may stay away from getting involved in relationships to avoid the possibility of intimacy. This can lead to feelings of loneliness. Genophobic people may also feel lonely because they may feel embarrassed or ashamed of their personal fears. This type of phobia can be developed due to any trauma sustained during sex. People that were molested as children are mostly found to be Genophobic.


5 Heliophobia – Fear of Sunlight (Vampire Madness)

Heliophobia is a problem that afflicts hundreds of people, but one that suffers from a lack of true research. The Pacific Health Center suggested that many people have been staying away from the sun because of growing fears about skin cancer. Sufferers of Heliophobia would keep out of the sun and would mostly be just thought of as ‘night owls’. They are terrified at the sight of daylight and tend to keep it as dark as possible. They stay in basements or cellers and spend an abnormal amount of time on in house activities. Television, movies and especially vampire stories have come quite handy in inflicting Heliophobia.

Heliophobia was considered a “telltale sign” of vampires in many cultures. So I guess the new twilight vibe can also inflict Heliophobia.


4 Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia – Fear of the ‘number 666’

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is a Greek word. It literally means “fear of six hundred sixty-six”. It is the fear that originated from the Biblical verse Revelation 13:18 which indicates that the number 666 is the Number of the Beast, linked to Satan or the Anti-Christ.

Outside the Christian faith, the phobia has been further popularized as a motif in various horror films. Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobes will strongly avoid things related to the number 666. A prominent example is Nancy and Ronald Reagan who, in 1989, when moving to their home in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles, had the address of 666 St. Cloud Road changed to 668 St. Cloud Road. Some women also expressed concern on giving birth to a child on June 6, 2006 (abbreviated 6/6/06). The release of ‘The Omen’ on 6/6/06, along with other referrals to this number in films like ‘The number 23’ etc. are an example of Hollywood use of this number.

In 2006, the BBC listed hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia and its definition as fact #64 in its “100 things we didn’t know this time last year”.


3 Nomophobia – Fear of being out of mobile phone contact

Nomophobia is the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. The term, an abbreviation for “no-mobile-phone phobia”, was coined during a study by the UK Post Office who commissioned YouGov, a UK-based research organization to look at anxieties suffered by mobile phone users. The study found that nearly 53 percent of mobile phone users in Britain tend to be anxious when they “lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage”. The study found that about 58 percent of men and 48 percent of women suffer from the phobia, and an additional 9 percent feel stressed when their mobile phones are off.

The study compared stress levels induced by the average case of nomophobia to be on-par with those of “wedding day jitters” and trips to the dentists. More than one in two nomophobes never switch off their mobile phones.


2 Phobophobia – Fear of having a Phobia.

Phobia

Deviant Art

Phobophobia is the fear of phobia(s), and more specifically, of the internal sensations associated with that phobia and anxiety. Phobophobia comes in between the stress the patient might be experiencing and the phobia that the patient has developed as well as the effects on his life, or in other words, it is a bridge between anxiety/panic the patient might be experiencing and the type of phobia he/she fears, creating an intense and extreme predisposition to the feared phobia. Nevertheless, Phobophobia is not necessarily developed as part of other phobias, but can be a important factor for maintaining them. Phobophobia differentiates itself from other kind of phobias by the fact that there is no environmental stimulus per se, but rather internal dreadful sensations similar to psychological symptoms of panic attacks.


1 Telephone phobia – Fear of making or taking phone calls.

Telephone phobia (telephonophobia, telephobia) is reluctance or fear of making or taking phone calls, literally, “fear of telephone”.

Sufferers typically report fear that they would fail to respond appropriately in a telephone conversation, and fear finding nothing to say, which would end in embarrassing silence, stammering, or stuttering. The associated avoidance behavior includes asking others (e.g., relatives at home) to take their phone calls and exclusive use of answering machines. As a result, the sufferers avoid many activities, such as scheduling events or clarifying information.
As it is common with various fears and phobias, there is a wide spectrum of severity of the fear of phone conversations and the corresponding difficulties. In 1993 it was reported that about 2.5 million of people in Great Britain have telephone phobia.

Snatched VIA:

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Hundreds Say Their Goodbyes To Firefighter "Hal" Clark


CHINCOTEAGUE -- At 1:58 p.m. Friday, the final alarm was sounded for volunteer firefighter Hal Clark, 54, who died in the line of duty Sept. 24.

Upward of 450 people, including scores of firefighters and rescue workers from Virginia, Maryland and Delaware and some three dozen American Legion Riders, gathered Friday at Union Baptist Church on Chincoteague for funeral services for Clark, who died at Peninsula Regional Medical Center after taking ill while fighting a raging brush and woods fire near New Church.

His death was the first line of duty death on the Eastern Shore of Virginia in a decade.

Clark was president of Atlantic Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company and was a lifetime member of both Atlantic and Chincoteague volunteer fire companies.

Clark was remembered as one of "a very special breed of people" -- firefighters -- who "charge in where angels fear to tread" in a eulogy given by the Rev. Bob Reese, who officiated along with the Rev. Maurice Enright.

"Hal died liked he lived -- loving, helping others," Reese said.

Enright said Clark will be remembered as "the mechanic, the carpenter, the 'Mr. Fix-it,' the cook -- there was so much he could do and so much he would do" for those in the community, such as the time when he and fellow firefighters built a wheelchair ramp at the house of an Atlantic man who needed one.

Among the many charitable deeds Clark was known for were cooking at the annual Chincoteague Volunteer Firemen's Carnival and transporting drinking water to the Chincoteague ponies when they needed it during the hot summers, Enright said.

Despite his own grief after tragically losing his son, Todd, in an accident 11 years ago, Clark continued to give to the community, both as a firefighter and in many other ways, the minister said.

After the 45-minute service concluded, Clark's flag-draped casket was carried atop Atlantic Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company Engine 4-5, preceded by a single motorcycle rider, in a funeral procession that wound its way 12 miles across the Chincoteague causeway from the church to the John W. Taylor Cemetery in Temperanceville.

The procession -- which included dozens of firetrucks and ambulances draped in black bunting along with police cars, government agency vehicles and private cars -- left Chincoteague Island under an arch created by the crossed ladders of two fire trucks parked at the foot of the drawbridge, one from Chincoteague and one from Salisbury, with a large American flag hanging from the apex.

Fire and rescue departments represented in the procession came from as far away as Greensboro, Md., Ocean City and Dagsboro to the north and Virginia Beach and Hampton to the south.

A crowd including many families with small children and people standing respectfully at attention gathered at the intersection of Chincoteague and Atlantic roads to watch the procession pass by, a process that took some 20 minutes.

Clark was laid to rest at the cemetery with full firefighter honors.

www.delmarvanow.com

American Hot Air Balloonists Disappear Over Adriatic Sea

ROME — Two American balloonists who disappeared in rough weather over the Adriatic Sea during a race likely were either struck by lightning or are waiting to be rescued in their life raft, according to a team member.


U.S. and Croatian search and rescue teams on Thursday joined an expanded Italian coast guard search for Richard Abruzzo and Carol Rymer Davis. The pair were participating in the 54th Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race when race officials lost contact with them Wednesday morning.

The United States offered two Navy aircraft to join in the search and one was put to work Thursday afternoon, Italian Coast Guard Lt. Massimo Maccheroni said.

Their balloon was equipped with a satellite telephone, VHF radios, radar transponder and two mobile telephones. No signal has been detected from the balloon's Emergency Location Transmitter, which should activate on contact with water.

"They could not possibly still be flying," flight director Don Cameron said. "If they are on land, they must be in a very remote place. Otherwise we would have heard from them by now."

Cameron said there were thunderstorms in the area at the time of the Americans' disappearance.

Rob Bayly, a member of the pair's retrieval team, told the BBC that the worst-case scenario involves "a catastrophic explosion in the air where they were caught in the thunderstorms, very, very, violent updraughts and downdraughts."

Bayly added "lightning itself could have struck the balloon which — at many thousands of feet — could have been completely destroyed."

The event's website shows competitors' flight patterns, according to tracking information transmitted from the balloons, on an interactive map. Race officials said the tracker devices are set up to send the balloon's position every 15 minutes.

However, rescuers were hoping for the "good news story," Bayly told the BBC. He said the duo could have "managed a rather desperate water landing, ejected from the balloon and are in a life raft somewhere, yet to be found, and the balloon took off without them with their beacon still on board, therefore not yet triggered."

Abruzzo, 47, of Albuquerque, N.M., and Davis, 65, of Denver, Colo., are experienced balloonists and won the 2004 edition of the Gordon Bennett race from Thionville, France, to Vannas, Sweden.

In the race, teams try to fly the farthest on a maximum of about 35,300 cubic feet of gas.

The other 19 teams in this year's competition "have landed safely and all other pilots are safe and well," organizers said.

Croatian coastal aircraft crews were scouring the area around Croatia's distant, uninhabited islet of Palagruza, said Marina Haluzan, the spokeswoman for the Croatian Ministry of the Sea and Transport.

"There's no news so far about the missing balloon," she said in a statement, adding that Croatian and Italian coastal authorities were in touch and coordinating the search.

Palagruza is located in the middle of the Adriatic Sea, 60 nautical miles from the Croatian coast and 29 nautical miles from Italian coast.

On Thursday, the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center expanded its search to 14 miles off the Italian coast, with five boats, several aircraft and a helicopter involved.

Abruzzo is the son of famed balloonist Ben Abruzzo, who was in 1981 part of the first team to cross the Pacific Ocean by balloon, and who was killed in a small airplane crash in 1985.

'I'm optimistic'
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson successfully arranged for the U.S. military forces to join the search.

"I've been following the search for Richard and Carol all day, and I'm optimistic that they will be located," Richardson said in a statement Thursday. "I've been in contact with the Abruzzo family and have offered any help they need in getting Richard back home to them safely. My thoughts are also with Carol's family as they await word on their loved one."

In the 2005 Gordon Bennett race, Richard Abruzzo and Davis hit a power line in Kansas. Abruzzo fell out, suffering several broken bones. Davis landed the balloon safely, although she suffered bruises when she was dragged along the ground while landing the lightly loaded balloon in 40 knot winds.

Richard Abruzzo and Davis finished third in the 2006 America's Challenge gas balloon race by traveling 1,478 miles from the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Word of their disappearance came on the eve of New Mexico's annual balloon fiesta. Organizers of that event said it would go on as planned.

"They'd come back and kick us in the rear if we didn't have it, so it's one of those things that's in the spirit of what we do as gas balloon pilots," America's Challenge Deputy Director Kevin Knapp told NBC station KOB-TV.

"Richard, he would be saying you've got to go fly, I mean there's no reason that you need to stay on the ground because I'm out here floating around in the ocean," Abruzzo's former flying partner and teacher Troy Bradley added.

www.wtvy.com

Sentence Is Given To Drunk Driver For Cyclist's Death Near OC

SNOW HILL -- A Worcester County District Court judge sentenced a Berlin man to two and a half years in jail for running down two bicyclists while driving drunk, leaving one of them for dead, then fleeing the scene.

Judge Gerald V. Purnell sentenced Daniel Matthew Bren to 12 months for leaving the scene of an accident, the maximum sentence available, followed by 18 months for negligent manslaughter by automobile.

In Snow Hill District Court early Thursday, Bren wore a suit and a heavy expression. His wrists and ankles were shackled. He had been incarcerated since being found guilty in an April 16 plea agreement.

Bren, 35, called it "one of the deepest, darkest moments of my life."

"There's not a day that goes by that this tragedy is forgotten," he said quietly in the hushed courtroom. "I struggle daily with my own demons. I apologize for my poor choice in judgment. I stand before you today a grateful, recovering alcoholic. I promise to continue working as hard as I can every day. All the good I do this day forward will be in honor of your loved one's family."

According to Maryland State Police, bicyclists Maxim Matuzov, 20, and Edward Joseph Zisk, 41, were heading west on the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge at about 2:30 a.m. on June 26, 2009. They were struck from behind by Bren's 2006 Chevrolet Silverado.

Police said Bren fled the scene by taking West Ocean City back roads before returning to westbound Route 50. Prosecutors said a taxi driver saw what happened, called police, and followed Bren's pickup truck.

When State Police pulled him over, they found him glassy-eyed and disoriented behind the wheel. He had an open container of beer in the truck. Later, Bren was found to have a blood-alcohol content of .25.

Matuzov, who police said was a Russian student spending the summer in Ocean City, was hospitalized and recovered. Zisk died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

Kathleen Zisk, the victim's younger sister, gave a victim impact statement before the judge announced his sentence. She called Bren a "coward" for leaving the scene.

"You made one of the worst choices that night," she said, visibly shaking from head to toe. "Why didn't you take a cab? You didn't even stop. You left my brother Eddie like roadkill. Did you see my brother's face when you hit him?"

Judge Purnell sentenced Bren to 10 years for manslaughter and suspended all but 18 months. Bren's sentence also will be credited with 168 days for time already served while awaiting his sentencing hearing.

When he leaves jail, Bren will serve three years' probation, during which he must wear an electronic device that detects, through sweat, if a person has consumed alcohol.

Purnell ordered Bren to serve 250 hours of alcohol-related community service, including speaking appearances at Worcester County's three high schools. He also must pay $2,486 in restitution for funeral costs.

www.delmarvanow.com

Bill Passes In the House To Help 9/11 Responders

Washington (CNN) -- A bill to provide medical benefits and compensation for emergency workers who were first on the scene of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks won approval Wednesday from the U.S. House.

The measure passed on a mostly partisan 268-160 vote. The Senate has yet to take up the issue.

President Barack Obama, who supported the measure, hailed its passage.

"It is a critical step for those who continue to bear the physical scars of those attacks," he said in a statement. "I applaud the House for its support of this bill and for standing up on behalf of these heroes, who served our country in its time of greatest need. I look forward to Congress completing consideration of this legislation so I can sign it into law."

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, called the passage a "long overdue victory."

"To the living heroes and heroines of 9/11, we have very good news," she said. "Help is on the way. We passed your bill in the House of Representatives."

Fellow New York Democrat Jerrold Nadler said he was "extremely emotional" over the win.

"We won a major victory today, and I am overjoyed," he said. "Today, we put aside a little politics and we did a little right and a little good."

Republicans had complained the $7.4 billion price tag was too high, while Democrats said the government had an obligation to help the first responders to the deadliest terrorism attack in U.S. history. But New York Republican Rep. Peter King was a strong backer of the measure and stood by Maloney and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as they celebrated the House win.

"What we did was what we had to do," King said, addressing the dozens of first responders who joined the representatives around the podium. "What you did was what you volunteered to do."

"It took a long time, and I'm sorry for that," he said, adding "you can finally get justice after all these years."

Republicans blocked the bill in July after Democrats suspended the rules to stop the minority party from adding unrelated amendments. The move also meant the bill would require a two-thirds majority to pass, and Republicans used it to their advantage, holding the bill to 255 yes votes -- far fewer than the 291 it needed to pass, though far more than it ordinarily would have needed.

Maloney and the other New Yorkers have been working since for a majority vote.

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health Bill -- named after a deceased New York Police Department detective -- seeks to provide free medical coverage for responders and survivors who were exposed to toxins after the attacks.

A coroner linked Zadroga's death in January 2006 to respiratory failure caused by his work in the toxic plume at ground zero. Zadroga was 34.

www.cnn.com

The Rural Sign Painter


Last weeks rural posting............

Friday, October 1, 2010

The History Of Pocomoke By Murray James (19)

144 History of Pocomoke City, CHAPTER XXI. POST OFFICE.

The postofrice, in the early history of New Town, was a very small affair, so small, indeed, that I have the impression that there was no pay for transmission of the mail from Snow Hill to New Town, as that was, then, the- mall route. I am indorsed in this declaration by the fact that it was transmitted by individual citizens when they would go to Snow Hill, on business, on public days. As early as 1820. Michael Murray, my father, was post- master for New Town. When other means of getting: the- mail would fail, my father would send my two oldest brothers, each one on horseback, to Snow Hill for the mail.

After these two brothers went to Baltimore to learn a trade, this duty at times fell upon my two next older brothers and myself. The mail was due at New Town once a week, and sometimes it would lay in the office at Snow Hill two weeks for the want of a carrier. In such emergencies, my fathers would say to us: "Boys, you must take the canoe," for then we had no horse, ''and go- to Snow Hill for the mail." At that period I do not think I was more than eight years of age. We manned the boat with two oars and a paddle; as I was the- Formerly New Town. 145 youngest, it fell to my lot to be steersman, as that was the easiest part of the work. We would start on the first of the flood tide.

We were going on United States busi- ness, and being little boys, of course we felt the importance of our mission. When the boys would lean back with their oars and make a long pull and a strong pull the canoe, as a thing of life, would dart ahead and seemed to say to me: " If you don't mind I will run from under you." Thus we tugged and sweated until we reached Snow Hill. We went up to the postoffice and got the mail. If the ebb tide had made we started for home. Sometimes we would be in the nieht g'ettin^ home. At such times I would get sleepy and would be afraid I would fall overboard. Incidents like the following have taken place when we have been delayed till the night getting home. A storm cloud would arise, the thunder and lightning would be terrific, the rain coming down seemingly in torrents. We had no covering but the cloud out of which the rain was descending. When we would be getting down near the old ferry, now the bridge, we would begin to halloo at the top of our voices, knowing that our mother would be down at the back of the lot looking up the river to see if we were coming.

Sure enough she would be the first one to meet us when we reached the shore. The reader will learn that my lather's house stood on the same ground where William T. S* Clarke's house now stands. There was no wharf then between the lot and the river. There was nothing but tuckahoes. mud and bramble.

14f> History of Pocomohe City,

When I think of the incident just described with many others in which a mother's love has boen shown, I am constrained to exclaim : " Oh! the thoughts of a precious loving mother : I once had such a mother, and the remembrance of her is like sweet incense poured forth." We arrived safely at home, ate our supper, went to bed and slept soundly. The next morning the mail was opened. The citizens would call for their mail matter. Some of them had friends living in the far West, on the frontiers of civilization, as far away as Ohio and ye Old Kentucky. Oh! what a wonderful sight it was then, to a little bey, to see a man who had come from that far-away country. As I have already stated the New Town mail was very small. There were but few newspapers in the country and I have no knowledge what the postage was on them. Letter postage was regulated by the distance a letter had to go. For instance, the postage on a letter from New Town to Baltimore was ten cents and from New Town to New Orleans it was twenty-five cents.

Anything over half ounce was double postage then as it is now. Forty years ago there was an express arrangement from New Orleans to Baltimore in the form of a flying post ; that is to say, horses on the route would be bridled and saddled already to start at the moment. For instance, the starting point would be at New Orleans, the horse was saddled and bridled and the rider in the saddle ; at the moment the signal to start was given, the rider would go in riving speed to the next station of probably four miles distance, at which another horse would be* all ready, the

Formerly New Town. 147

rider would dismount and mount again and thus pursue the route to Baltimore. A letter by this route cost seventy- five cents from New Orleans to New Town ; if the letter had money in it or over a half ounce the postage was one dollar and fifty cents. How long this express route existed I cannot say, probably not long. In 1827, Michael Murray, my father, resigned the postmastership, having held that position from my earliest recollection. At the period referred to above, there was no mail pouch to put the mail matter in ; indeed, the mail would be so small that it would be tied up with twine and taken in the hand, not larger than any one of the neighborhood mails that go out of Pocomoke City Postoffice at the present day. .

The following is a list of names of postmasters of New Town Postoffice from 1820 to 1882: Michael Murray, Thos. Brittingham, John Burnett, Dr. James B. Horsey, John S. Stevenson, Dr. Joseph L. Adreon, William J. S. Clarke, William H. T. Clarvoe, C. C. Lloyd, James Murray, Dr. John T. B. McMaster, William H. S. Merrill and James H. Vincent, who is the present incumbent. Thus the names of the postmasters of New Town Post- office will be preserved from oblivion to those who do not take the pains to search the official records for such information. I would here state that the postoffice went begging for an appointee as late as 1861.

This was the case when it came into the writers hands at the above date. The mail, in New Town, was semi-weekly and the post master

14s History of Pocomoke City,

received about 80 dollars per year for his services. About 1863, the postoffice became a salaried one. The post master was required to keep a correct account of all mail matter going- through the office during the last quarter of the year and make a return of the same to the postoffice department at Washington, and his salary was based upon the per centage allowed him on all mail matter going through the office that quarter, for two years to come. Thus the salary was fixed every two years.

The postoffice in Pocomoke City, at the present day. pays a salary of S700. It is one to be coveted and one that will induce a political struggle to obtain. As late, probably, as 1S50, we had but one mail a week, now we have three mails a day, and soon the fourth one will be added. The rate of postage, then, was fixed according to the distance a letter had to go. Then a letter from New Town to New Orleans was twenty-five cents, now a letter postage is three cents to any part of the United States..

Formerly New Town. 149 CHAPTER XXII.

PRINTING OFFICES. In 1865, Albert J. Merrill established a printing press in New Town. He edited and published a weekly paper called the Record. This was the first paper ever pub- lished in New Town. It was creditable, neat and highly prized by the people. In 1865, William L. Clarke, a native of Worcester County, who had been living in Wellsvile, Ohio, for several years, and had published a paper there called the Wellsville Patriot, returned to this, his native county, and established a printing press in New Town, and edited and published a paper called the Gazette. This paper, also, was neatly gotten up, and was a credit to its editor, and highly prized by its patrons. These two editors sent out their weekly issues down to 1872, when A. J. Merrill, Esq., bought out William L. Clarke, Esq., and consolidated the two papers into one, called the Record and Gazette, under the editorial man- agement and control of A. J. Merrill, Esq. In 1879, Dr. S. S. Quinn bought one half of the press, and its appurtenances, and had the editorial management of the paper under the firm of A. J. Merrill and S. S. •Quinn, until 1882, when J. Shiles Crocket became one-

150 • History of Pocomoke City,

third owner of the press and paper, and is now the editor and manager of the same, under the firm of Merrill, Ouinn & Crocket.

Formerly New Town. 151 CHAPTER XXIII.

SOCIAL ASPECT, &c. The social aspect of New Town, now Pocomoke City. The reader may be anxious to learn something oi the habits and social bearing - of the citizens during its early history. Well ! to begin, the citizens, with very few excep- tions, would take their toddy ; hence, the common practice which was followed by parents of mixing a glass of toddy before breakfast and handing it to each member of the family, from the oldest to the youngest.

This practice was as common as the days rolled round, when I was a little boy. Again, when friends would visit each other the decan- ter of liquor, glasses, sugar and water would be set out, and an invitation given to come up and help themselves. Again, when citizens and men from the country would congregate, on Saturday, at the stores, (for the stores were the chief places of resort) a pint of liquor would be called for.

The pint cup would be set out with tumblers and pitcher of water, and the invitation given to all present to come up, ''come up gentlemen and help yourselves." Then toasts would be drank, something after the following order, with the glass in hand, addressing the company : "well 1 gentle-

152 History of Pocomoke City,

men ! here is luck and a plenty." Frequently they would get quite mellow over the pint cup before they left it ; and likely enough a few brushes of the fist would follow. Another feature of social life was that of families visiting each other to eat the social meal. At such times they ■would remain after supper with the family until usual bed- time, passing the time in such conversation as would be agreable to all.

The family code at that day was : that children could be seen but must not be heard while the older persons were talking. A little incident occurred one night, on one of those occasions, in relation to myself, which will be somewhat amusing to the reader : Some neighbors had called in to take supper with my father and mother, and staid till after nieht.

The little folks had received orders to sit and listen but must not talk, if they did, the one so offending must march off up stairs to bed. Somehow or other I broke the law, I was discovered talking to the boys, who with myself, with this single exception, were as mute as mice, the result was I had to go to bed. While lying in bed, reviewing my conduct during the day and night, I knew I had been a bad boy. Conscience was supreme and hurled its thunderbolts at me.

I began to cast my thoughts around and contemplate the possibility of Satan's coming after me that night, and if so what should I do. Just at that moment, while under such terrible reflections, the house cat, which by means of the room door being left open, had crept into the room and jumped upon the bed, in doing which it jumped in my face. The reader may, if

Formerly New Town. L53

he ran, imagine my feelings; to me they were beyond description. I grabbed the cat with both hands, and threw it in another part of the room. But, oh! the terror that seized me. I screamed at the top of my voice. As soon as I took hold of the cat I knew what it was, but the fact of its being the cat did not abate my screaming.

1 thought the Devil was about to lay hold of me. My mother was swift to my rescue, and carried me down stairs, and I was once more happy in being seated in the corner with the children listening to the old folks at home. Ao-ain, the social life was exhibited in the various amuse- ments and pastimes of the day. For instance, the game of fives with the trapball was a favorite sport with both men and boys ; the playing ol cards was also frequently prac- ticed in families; shooting at the mark for turkeys, quarters of beef, etc.

Wrestling was much in vogue in the early history of New Town. Men and boys both would engage in it. Boxing was also practiced. I have beheld such sports and have seen men kick each •other like horses. Sometimes death would be the result of such exercises. There were men in New Town and the surrounding county who prided themselves upon their manhood.

Sometimes they would exhibit their strength by lifting the fifty-six pound weights, which were used in the tobacco warehouse for weighing tobacco. The two heaviest lifts were as follows : one lifted eleven the other fourteen fiity-six pound weights, each man aggregating respectively 6 16 pounds and 784 pounds. Query: Are

154 History of Pocomoke Oity,

there two men in Pocomoke City at the present who can come up to this. Those shooting, wrestling' and boxing matches were attended with a spirit of rivalry which would sometimes culminate in a pitched battle. I have seen men strip themselves to the waist and commence their brutal- ity. Those fights would be equal in brutality, if not so scientific, to the prize fights of recent years.

Again, social life would be seen in the cotton pickings, quiltings and dances. After the cotton picking or quilting had been attended to, the plays would commence. For instance, a family had a quilt to be quilted, they would invite the young ladies to come in the afternoon and the gentlemen would go after supper. By supper time the quilt would be finished. After supper the plays would commence by singing those songs that used to be sung on such occa- sions "in the days of yore." Of course they had kissing in the plays, for that was the most enjoyable part of them. On a certain occasion it was the fortune of a certain young man to call out a lady whom it would be his pleasure, as he thought, to kiss. The call was made, the young lady came out upon the floor, she was very tall and he was low of stature, she was aristocratic and was mortified at being called out by him ; he attempted to kiss her, but she held her head well up and snuffed her nose at him, so that he could not succeed, but he was equal to the emergency. " Stop ! stop ! " said he, " let me draw my boots and climb. " The take-off was so good that it raised a great titter in the company and that young lady's pride got a fall that l 

Formerly New Town. 155

night. I have spoken of the songs in those plays, one of which I will mention as illustrative of the character of the rest. "Here we go to Baltimore, Two behind and two before; Round and round and round we go, Where oats, peas, beans And barley grows." From the best information that I can get this is an Irish song.

The word Baltimore was originally spelled " Bailte Mor" and signified a proprietary of a barony or large town. On a certain occasion there was a social gathering at the house of an old gentleman. The young folks were formed in a ring, holding on to each other's hands, and singing the above song. As they were marching round and round, a certain young man was in reach of the old gentleman as he sat in the corner of the hearth-place, when he slapped him on the shoulder, exclaiming: ''Johnnie, honey, don't you love the gals ! " The answer was prompt: "Oh, yes, Uncle Davie!" still singing as they swung around the circle.

Next; 156 History of Pocomcike City, CHAPTER XXIV.

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Man Commits Suicide During Arrest

WESTOVER — A man who was wanted by three police agencies on drug possession and credit card theft shot and killed himself Friday morning as Somerset County deputies tried to take him into custody.

Deputies arrived at the home of Ronald John Melcher, 60, of Marumsco Road, Marion, around 8:30 a.m. and saw Melcher exit the front door and walk toward a vehicle in the driveway, according to Maryland State Police.

Melcher refused to obey the deputy’s verbal commands to stop and he continued toward the vehicle, all the while yelling that he was not going back to jail, police said.

Deputies then used a Tazer on Melcher, who fell into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

As the deputies attempted to take Melcher into custody, they saw him pull a .38-caliber revolver from within vehicle.

A deputy ordered Melcher to put the gun down, but he shot himself in the head and was killed instantly.

None of the Sheriff’s Office personnel at the scene were injured.

Melcher was wanted by Maryland State Police in Salisbury for drug possession, Baltimore City for drug possession and Virginia State Police for credit card theft charges.

He was also a suspect in a criminal investigation being conducted by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

The state police Princess Anne barrack, along with MSP homicide unit, crime scene and IAU personnel, were asked by the sheriff’s office to investigate the case which is continuing.

www.delmarvanow.com

Customs Agents Do Their Job At Dulles- Whatever The Job Might Be

Customs agents at Dulles have probably seen just about everything. And it seems people use their imaginations to smuggle anything they can and want to into our country. Some will even act naive about a smuggling attempt.

Here's a drug-sniffing dog namesDemi who sniffs chocolate.....or maybe drugs. But read below the arrest Customs and Border Protection agents made on September 9.

STERLING, Va. (AP) - Customs and Border Protection says a drug-sniffing dog found 21 pounds of marijuana hidden in packages of chocolate shipped to Washington-Dulles International Airport.

The marijuana was headed to New York. It has an estimated street value of nearly $17,000.

Officials say the dog, named Demi, alerted for a mailbag that arrived from Mexico City. One of five boxes in the sack contained marijuana.

The marijuana will be destroyed.

September 9, 2010
STERLING, Va. - Customs agents see foreigner travelers try to bring a lot of unusual items into the U.S., but one slimy seizure over Labor Day weekend could have been devastating to crops.

A traveler from Ghana tried to bring 14 Giant African Land Snails into the U.S. at Washington-Dulles International Airport Sunday.

The snails, which were as large as a child's fist, are said to be one of the worst invasive species in the world and have caused economic damage to crops.

The snails are known to eat at least 500 different types of plants and to reproduce rapidly. They can grow to be nearly 8 inches by 4 inches big.

The traveler declared the snails, but they had to be destroyed because they are illegal in the U.S.

www.wtop.com

The Final Goodbye

Today family, friends, community and fireman from many departments will say their last goodbyes to the loved, respected and admired "Hal" Clark.

Please keep in mind and be aware that this may cause some delays in your travels. Be aware that funerals for people such as "Hal" always have a large turnout of fireman and fire equipment. Also present today will be a huge gathering of motorcyclists. While fire trucks are easy to see motorcycles sometimes are not.
For the funeral on Friday.....
The company is expecting a large number of firefighters and motorcyclists to gather to pay their respects to Hal Clark. With this large number, we anticipate the procession to the cemetery to be quite lengthy. Roads may be blocked and traffic may be stopped temporarily at various locations on Chincoteague and in the towns of Atlantic and Temperanceville.

Below is an estimated time of arrival at various locations: (please note that times are all approximate)

* Approximately 3:15 p.m. – Depart Union Baptist Church, Chincoteague.

* Approximately 3:45 p.m. – First vehicles arrival at the intersection of Chincoteague Road and Atlantic Road

* Approximately 4:00 p.m.- First vehicles arrive at John W. Taylor Cemetery in Temperanceville

Please note that these times are estimates for the first vehicles arriving to locations. The exact length of the procession is unknown. Expect anything from 10-60 minutes of delay.<>

Senate Votes To Turn Down Volume On TV Commercials

I know commercials can be annoying and loud. I discovered this back in 1976 with the birth of my first daughter and her attraction to them. Back then she wasn't interested in buying any of those products, she had been distracted from her normal routine by the volume of the commercial.

Now, that was over 30 years ago and since that time we have gone from the volume knob (remember those?) to the remote control. Yep, the remote control........the TV addicts best friend!

So now time is being wasted on passing legislation to have advertising companies turn back the volume on their ads. Good grief! How are these companies supposed to sell? Remember, you TV people, you don't have to get your butt up anymore to turn a volumn knob.......just hit mute on the remote!

Besides, even with lower volume on TV ads you still won't be listening or hearing any better when someone is trying to speak to you. You will still answer with "HUH?"

Know what I would like to see abolished from TV? Some TV shows themselves......"The Price Is Right" and "Let's Make A Deal". That's loud........oops, not an annoying commercial.


WASHINGTON (AP) - Legislation to turn down the volume on those loud TV commercials that send couch potatoes diving for their remote controls looks like it'll soon become law.

The Senate unanimously passed a bill late Wednesday to require television stations and cable companies to keep commercials at the same volume as the programs they interrupt.

The House has passed similar legislation. Before it can become law, minor differences between the two versions have to be worked out when Congress returns to Washington after the Nov. 2 election.

Ever since television caught on in the 1950s, the Federal Communication Commission has been getting complaints about blaring commercials. But the FCC concluded in 1984 there was no fair way to write regulations controlling the "apparent loudness" of commercials. So it hasn't been regulating them.

Correcting sound levels is more complicated than using the remote control. The television shows and ads come from a variety of sources, from local businesses to syndicators.

Managing the transition between programs and ads without spoiling the artistic intent of the producers poses technical challenges and may require TV broadcasters to purchase new equipment. To address the issue, an industry organization recently produced guidelines on how to process, measure and transmit audio in a uniform way.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., requires the FCC to adopt those recommendations as regulations within a year and begin enforcing them a year later. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., is the driving force behind the bill in the House.

Its title is the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, or CALM.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., a co-sponsor, said it's time to stop the use of loud commercials to startle viewers into paying attention. "TV viewers should be able to watch their favorite programs without fear of losing their hearing when the show goes to a commercial," he said.

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