State Of The County Report

The Northampton County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual State of the County Breakfast at Aqua Restaurant in Cape Charles on Wednesday, May 5th.

The morning started off with a report on the state of the Commonwealth with Senator Ralph Northam. Northam reported that 4.2 million dollars has been cut from the budget in areas of Medicaid, k-12 education and law enforcement.

He also stated how the shore needs to concentrate on turning its economy around by getting people back to work. He mentioned the wallops initiative how there are companies coming to the shore that will be hiring. He noted that the Shore needs to make sure it has the ability to train the workforce, concentrating on vocational training.

Delegate Lynwood Lewis addressed the group, giving an overview of what happened during the general assembly session in Richmond. He said Virginia isnt immune to the Economic Challenge. He compared the challenge to a Category 5 storm. Lewis also elaborated on budget cuts. And stated how Virginia has been rated by several agencies the best place in the country to do business since it has a relative low tax and positive business environment.

Sam Long was the first member of the Northampton County Board of Supervisors to speak. He reminded the group that its a tough budget year and the board is having to make very difficult choices. Long voiced how he is disappointed in the lack of funding on Regional Jail, but excited with direction of the Board of Supervisors. He mentioned that they are taking steps toward eco develop-and opportunities are being presented but being kept private at this time.

Spencer Murray, intending to give a satellite view of Northampton County, noted the Northampton County was much like the rest of the world, country and state. He encouraged the county to connect with one another and reminded the group that we are really all in this mess together and we will either sink or we'll swim together. He said if community stops caring about each other, we wont make it.

Supervisor Richard Tankard was up next and focused in on Northampton Countys School System. He believes that the school system should make the same types of changes that have been done at the county level, noting that county employees have been furloughed, positions cut, and savings in many areas. He encouraged the school system to strive for the same so taxes dont have to be raised.

He also reported that through an audit, the school system discovered $377,000 last year that they didnt know they had and over 200,000 the year before. He asked school system to adjust their budget request based on this fact. By changing the base, it would be a big step to having a balanced budget.

Re-elected Mayor Dora Sullivan reported that Cape Charles has 16 millions in government funded projects going on at the same time. She noted how important tourism is to the town and that Cape Charles is Open For Business.

Newly elected Councilman Larry Lemond represented Cheriton reporting that the town has had 4 new businesses open recently, they are working on a boundary adjustment and the waste water system with other towns and the county.

Eastville Town Mayor Jim Sturgis reported that because of budget cutbacks at the state level, that town has re-instated its own police department, water testing is now paid for by the town and VDOT is requiring Eastville to be responsible for street repairs.

Re-elected Exmore Town May Billy Moore stated Exmore is a great town, giving credit to town employees, town manager and police department. He considers Exmore the commercial hub of the county. He noted that the two new hotels seem to be busy, the town is working towards broadband coming, and that the town is working with PSA and towards water and sewage.

www.shoredailynews.com

Obama Wants CLERK for Supreme Court Justice to Sit as Supreme Court Judge

This is unbelievable, Obama and his liberal Marxist democrat friends will do ANYTHING to push their extreme liberal socialist agenda.

Even if it means appointing someone (Elena Kagan) that has absolutely no experience as a judge to sit on the bench as a judge of the highest, most powerful court in the land.

Hey... I stayed at Holiday Inn one night, maybe I should shoot for Secretary of Defense or Attorney General.


President Barack Obama will name Elena Kagan to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court, Politics Daily has learned. Kagan, 50, is currently the solicitor general of the United States and is the former dean of Harvard Law School. If confirmed, she would be the fourth woman to serve on the high court, and the third woman on the current court.

Kagan was on the short list for the last Supreme Court vacancy that Sonia Sotomayor eventually filled. Both President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have interviewed her to fill Stevens' seat on the court.

On Sunday morning, Attorney General Eric Holder hinted that Kagan could be the next member of the high court. "She's done a wonderful job in the Justice Department. I've known her since the Clinton years. And I think she would be a great justice," Holder said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

"I think people will get an understanding who she is, what her judicial philosophy is, if in fact she is the pick," Holder said.

A native of New York City, Kagan attended Princeton University and Oxford University in England, and finished magna cum laude from Harvard Law School.

In addition to having been the dean at Harvard law, she was also a professor there and at the University of Chicago, where Obama was a constitutional law professor. She also clerked for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and was in private law practice in Washington, D.C.

Lawrence Summers, the former Treasury Secretary and current economic adviser to President Obama, named Kagan to be the first woman to be dean of Harvard Law School in 2003.

Although her legal career has included time in private practice, academia and government service, including four years as associate White House counsel in the Clinton White House, she has never served as a judge.

Beyond Kagan's extensive resume, Democrats consider her strongest credential to be the fact that she was confirmed by the Senate in 2009 as the Justice Department's top litigator. The Senate voted then, 61 to 31, to confirm her, with conservatives Tom Coburn, Orrin Hatch and Jon Kyl voting for her. All 31 no votes came from Republicans, including the top GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Jeff Sessions.

If the president formally nominates Kagan on Monday, as expected, her nomination will go to the Senate Judiciary Committee and then the full Senate for consideration. The process will likely last throughout the summer, and if successful, Kagan could be seated as a part of the Court's first day of session in October.

VIA

Mother's Day In The Birds World............

Even in the world of birds a Mothers work is never done.......

She does this over and over all day long..........like a good Mother would.One parent usually stays behind to watch the nest until the other returns.
It was Mother's Day in the Bluebird world!

And much like ours after feeding they spend time together.............relaxed.
And like a good Bluebird dad on Mother's Day he checks in on the little ones as they sleep.
And protects his family from intruders! This black bird sitting on top of their home caused quite alot of commotion today.That's the mother bluebird ruffling her feather behind the dad. After the daddy blue bopped him on the head a few times and the mother bird flew into him with both feet he flew away. But he'll be back tomorrow and they'll be ready.


I hope all of the Mothers out there had a wonderful Mother's Day!

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GM, Treasury lied about bailout repayment

DIRECT VIDEO LINK HERE

From the NYT;

AS we inch closer to a clearer understanding of the products and practices that unleashed the credit crisis of 2008, it’s becoming apparent that those seeking the whole truth are still outnumbered by those aiming to obscure it. This is the case not only on Wall Street but also in Washington.

Truth seekers the nation over, therefore, are indebted to Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, who in recent days uncovered what he called a government-enabled “TARP money shuffle.” It relates to General Motors, which on April 21 paid the balance of its $6.7 billion loan under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

G.M. trumpeted its escape from the program as evidence that it had turned the corner in its operations. “G.M. is able to repay the taxpayers in full, with interest, ahead of schedule, because more customers are buying vehicles like the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse,” boasted Edward E. Whitacre Jr., its chief executive.

G.M. also crowed about its loan repayment in a national television ad and the United States Treasury also marked the moment with a press release: “We are encouraged that G.M. has repaid its debt well ahead of schedule and confident that the company is on a strong path to viability,” said Timothy F. Geithner, the Treasury secretary.

Taxpayers are naturally eager for news about bailout repayments. But what neither G.M. nor the Treasury disclosed was that the company simply used other funds held by the Treasury to pay off its original loan.

Neil M. Barofsky, the inspector general overseeing the troubled asset program, revealed this detail when he spoke before the Senate Finance Committee on April 20.

“So it’s good news in that they’re reducing their debt,” Mr. Barofsky said of G.M. But he went on to note that G.M. was using other taxpayer money to make the loan repayment, according to the transcript of his testimony.

Armed with this information, Mr. Grassley fired off a letter to Mr. Geithner on April 22, asking for details of the transaction. “I am concerned ... that this announcement is not what it seems,” he wrote. “In fact, it appears to be nothing more than an elaborate TARP money shuffle.”

FULL STORY HERE

Hat Tip; Mrs. M

Lifelong BMW fan gets fitting headstone at death

Some cemetery bosses reel in horror at the mere thought of a teddy bear in their graveyard. They consider cuddly toys and trinkets tacky and inappropriate in a sombre setting.

Other managers, it would seem, take a more relaxed approach.

When car fanatic Steve Marsh died last year, aged 51, his family wanted to mark his passing with a big gesture.

And after getting permission from the authorities they came up with this headstone - in the shape of his favourite BMW M3 convertible.

The granite scale model, which had to be imported from the Far East, cost around £50,000 - almost as much as the real thing.

However, eyebrows are already being raised - with locals questioning how it was allowed, and what it could lead to next.

Weighing one ton, the BMW sculpture had to be lowered over Mr Marsh's grave by crane in an operation involving 20 people.

The detailed design includes silver-painted lights, a complete dashboard and tiny BMW logos on the wheels. It even has the personalised number-plate: 'Steve 1'.

Mr Marsh, who was known as 'BMW Steve' because of his love of the cars, died in his sleep last April. He had been suffering heart problems.

His wife Joanne, 51, and children Kerry, 31, and Vincent, 27, from Forest Gate, East London, drew up the designs for the headstone with the help of a stone mason.

After the blueprints were approved by the manager of Manor Park cemetery, they ordered the black granite car from China.

The family unveiled the headstone at a memorial service on the first anniversary of engineer Mr Marsh's death on April 23, which was attended by 50 mourners.

In keeping with his sense of humour, a joke parking ticket was placed under the windscreen wipers for the service.

Mr Marsh's daughter, Kerry, said: 'He was a car enthusiast all his life, he loved cars from a child. When Mum was in labour with me my Dad was outside fixing the nurse's car and got a page when it was time to come inside.

'He always drove BMWs, we've all got them. We couldn't just give him a normal headstone.

'We wanted it to look as realistic as possible. We had a lot of trouble getting it done. We had to order it from China and have it shipped over.

'It weighs about a ton and was made out of one piece of granite. I think my Dad would absolutely love it.'

Some locals, however, are concerned the headstone could open the floodgates to other 'novelty' graves.

A gatekeeper at the cemetery, who did not wish to be named, said: 'I was very surprised they were allowed to have it. They certainly wouldn't allow that at City of London cemetery.

'I said to the manager, "people are going to want all sorts now". I wouldn't be surprised if the next thing people are asking for is a bus. I think it's possible it could be targeted by vandals.'

Local resident Rene Dryden, 33, a mental health therapist, added: 'You have to admit it's totally different to everything else around it.

'It's definitely not my taste. I think some people will say it's tacky and it could end up as a target to be vandalised.

'It could open the floodgates for anything to be built in a cemetery. When I walked past it the other day, though, I have to admit it did make me smile.'

Source

If Moms Earned a Salary, How Much Would They Make?

With Mother's Day upon us, I've been thinking about the "Mom job" and how many different jobs it really is. Can you imagine if moms got paid for all they do? Obviously moms don't take the job for the money, but it does make you wonder what their earning potential would be if they were actually compensated financially for all they do.

Here is a list of all the jobs moms do and their corresponding salaries according to Payscale:

#	Job Title	Hourly	Annual
1	Daycare teacher	$9.94	$26,600
2	Restaurant cook	$10.52	$28,900
3	Medical assistant	$13.84	$30,200
4	Tutor	$16.74	$35,000
5	Van driver	$10.48	$28,300
6	(Mental Health) Counselor	$19.00	$44,700
7	Housekeeper	$11.05	$29,000
8	Sr. administrative assistant	$17.56	$43,900
9	Event coordinator	$16.40	$45,500
10	Drug counselor	$18.18	$39,800
11	Writer (notes, letters)	$19.06	$51,939
12	DJ	$27.41	$42,700
13	Career counselor	$18.19	$50,300

That adds up to over $500,000 a year, a nice little chunk of change! And I've even got a few of my own jobs to add:

• Referee -- for all that sibling rivalry
• Child advocate -- to deal with the abundances of injustices in most school systems
• Costume designer -- think of all those school plays
• Editor -- how many of your kid's research papers have you had to read?
• Fundraiser -- schools always need people to help them raise money
• Tour guide -- what mom among us hasn't chaperoned a class trip?
• Entertainer -- moms know this one needs no explanation

The list goes on and on. The reality, however, is that women don't get paid a dime for parenting and society tends to value paid work over non-paid work. And even though moms who work outside the home may "outsource" some of these jobs, they still have to squeeze most of these duties into the evenings, weekends and days off.

So what's my point? It's that we all need to thank all the stay-at-home moms and working moms -- not just on Sunday but every day. And, although there's no salary, bonus or service awards, for many moms the "benefits package" makes it all worth it. Happy Mother's Day!

VIA

1 Year Anniversary Today 5-9-2010

Today is the one year anniversary of The PPE blog.

When I started this blog I had no idea it would grow as fast as it did in such a short time. This was do to only one thing and that is you the reader for that I would like to thank you.

It's a great amount of work (more than I thought) that goes into a daily updated blog and without the input and encouragement from the readers I would've probably become bored real quick like so many other blogs that just fade away in a couple months, again I thank you.

For the very young age of this blog we get what I think is a great amount of readers, many more than I thought we'd ever get. (over 70,000 in this first year)

I'd also like to thank a few people behind the scenes (you know who you are) ;) I'd also like to thank my contributors, the list of contributors is on the right side column.

And a great big thanks to JMMB for the tireless work they do with articles and administrative chores, JMMB is a BIG asset to "our" blog and helps me keep my cool and stay positive. Again Thank You.

So thanks to all that participate on PPE whether a reader, a contributor, and/or y'all that send me your emails.

Thank You!

Mothers Day

.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!
to all the moms out there

Crocodile Kills NJ Woman

For one New Jersey family, tragedy has struck for a second time.

On April 28, 25-year-old Lauren Failla was snorkeling in the crystalline waters near Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island, one of India's Andaman Islands. She and her boyfriend had decided to take a spur-of-the-moment vacation to the tropical paradise.

Suddenly, as Failla's boyfriend watched from shore, a massive saltwater crocodile surfaced and closed its jaws upon her, dragging her down beneath the surface. Her body was discovered two days later.

For her parents, Frank and Kay Failla of Morristown, the loss was compounded by the fact that it came four years after Lauren's older sister, Emily, was killed at age 24 when she fell 500 feet in a rock-climbing accident in Washington state.

"I'm angry, raging at the universe, that such a thing could not only happen, but that it could happen twice to one family," Anne Yardley, a family friend, told The Star Ledger.


Failla's extended family is demanding to know why tourists are not warned that Havelock Island's beaches lie just 45 miles from a crocodile sanctuary. The world's largest reptile, the saltwater crocodile is known to swim great distances in the open water, and the network of islands that make up the Andamans provides several possible resting places for any wayward swimmer.

According to Indian government statistics, there have been 24 crocodile attacks on humans in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands over the past 25 years, including four fatalities.

"How can this be a safe tourist destination?" Bernice Cook, Failla's aunt, wrote to Andaman Sheekha, an English-language newspaper in the Andamans. "Where are the signs alerting people to the potential dangers? A crocodile sanctuary and tourist destination cannot co-exist. This behavior is inexcusable and irresponsible on the part of the government."

The sanctuary near where Failla died, the Lohabarrack Salt Water Crocodile Sanctuary, was established by the Indian government in 1987, after the species was hunted to near-extinction by poachers. Prized for their multicolored skins, the crocodiles -- which remain an endangered species -- have made a modest comeback since that time.

Failla had recently earned her master's degree from Sotheby's Art Institute in London. Both she and her sister had graduated from Vanderbilt University.

"Such an unnecessary death. If there had been proper warnings and statements that there are in fact man-eating crocodiles nearby, I am sure Lauren would not have risked swimming," Gloria McLean Hiratsuka, Failla's cousin, told the Daily Record. "She thought she was safe. Her father made a point of saying she was not a big risk-taker, always a little reserved, all the more since her sister's untimely death four years ago.

"To me, this is such a big wake-up call to our romantic notions about nature," Hiratsuka said. "Nature gives and she takes away -- rather indifferently. It is human beings that must protect other human beings. "

A memorial is planned for Saturday at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown, where Lauren Failla used to sing in the choir.

VIA

Car accidents claim a life every 15 minutes.

Car accidents are the cost of doing business for a society that can't live without its automobiles. Ever since some not so subtle prodding back in the '60s (Thanks Mr. Nader!), automakers have continued to improve the car's ability to not only protect us when accidents do occur, but also avoid them in the first place. Nevertheless, one-third of all accidental deaths in the U.S. per year still involve cars. In fact, someone in this country dies in a car accident every 15 minutes. Sobering stats for sure, more of which can be found after the jump in our latest infographic.


[Source: Auto Insurance for Autoblog.com]

Detective Apologizes for Racial Epithet

These cops were totally wrong and should be fired....but... watching the video and reading the article I didn't see or hear any "Racial Epithet"

A Seattle police officer offered a tearful apology after being caught on camera kicking an innocent man and using a racial epithet.

The video shows a group of officers standing around three men who are lying on the ground. Seattle Police Detective Shandy Cobane shouts, "I'm going to beat the [expletive] Mexican [expletive] out of you homey! You feel me?"

Cobane later kicks the man in the head and another cop kicks him in the hand.

The detective sobbed as he gave a news conference on Friday to apologize to the Latino community, his colleagues and the city of Seattle, The Seattle Times reported.



"I know my words cut deep and were very hurtful," Cobane said. "Please know that I am truly, truly sorry."

The video was shot by a freelance videographer at around 2 a.m. on April 17.

The incident in question took place as officers were investigating an armed robbery in Seattle's Westlake neighborhood. The 911 call reporting the crime had described the suspects as Hispanic.

The man attacked was not involved in the robbery. After officers let him go, the freelance videographer asked the unidentified man why he had been beaten.

"I don't know. They knocked me down and kicked me in the head," he responded.

Cobane and another officer have been placed on administrative leave. The city's police department is carrying out an internal investigation, according to the Times.

Seattle police learned of the event a few days after the incident, and launched the investigation soon after, according to the AP.

Cobane, a 15-year veteran of the police force, said he never imagined he would "do anything to bring such notoriety to my department. Sadly, I did."

VIA: Aolnews.

Obamonopoly

789 Chevy

-----1957, 1958 & 1959 All Rolled Into One!


This car was built by N2A motors (No Two Alike).
Unbelievable! The company is planning a production run
Of about 100 vehicles.. It sits on a Corvette C6 chassis,
Front styled like a 57 Chevy, side like a 58, rear like a 59.
Hence the designation "789."

Is this a hot looking car, or What !!!

You probably need to be at least 60 yrs

old to really appreciate this!!!

789 Chevy...

Nice Boat

Murder Coviction Reversed By High Court

This guy has filed an appeal "on a variety of issues". Well, gee, let me see........the woman he murdered didn't get to file any appeal! The family of the woman you so brutally beat has to listen once again to your whining and all because you didn't get a fair deal. Well, Mr. Kendall Northam I don't suppose Judy Wojcik got a fair deal either. Did she?

BERLIN – A Worcester County man found guilty on a second-degree murder charge and sentenced to 30 years for his role in the beating death of a woman in a rural area near Pocomoke in January 2008 could get a shot at a new trial after the state’s Court of Special Appeals last week overturned his conviction because his request for a new attorney prior to trial was not considered.

Kendall Irin Northam, now 21, of Pocomoke, was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in September 2008 for his role in the beating death of Judy Wojcik in an apparent sex for drugs deal gone wrong in a rural area near Pocomoke in January 2008. Northam was later sentenced to 30 years in prison at a sentencing hearing in December 2008, but quickly appealed the conviction on a variety of issues.

Northam’s appeal was based on variety of issues, not the least of which was the trial court’s alleged error in not allowing the suspect to change lawyers prior to his trial in September 2008. According to the appeal, Northam first expressed a desire to discharge his public defender in February 2008 in the form of two letters to the court stating he wished to drop his counsel and have another assigned to his case.

Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Theodore Eschenberg acknowledged Northam’s request for a new attorney in March 2008, but “never explicitly ruled on it,” according to the appeal. Instead, the judge told Northam to be patient because it was a long process and his appointed public defender would have plenty of time to discuss his defense, according to the appeal.

Months passed as Northam’s trial neared, but his continued requests for new counsel fell on deaf ears, according to the appeal.

“Northam expressed concern his public defender hadn’t asked him what had happened or heard his side of the story,” the appeal read. “Six months later, and no contact with lawyer with his murder trial three weeks away, Northam again requested his counsel be discharged and a new lawyer be appointed to his case.”

In the days leading up to the trial, Northam submitted a motion for a change of venue, which also included a request for new counsel. On September 11, 2008, Judge Thomas Groton, who was now presiding over the case, denied the motion for a change of venue with a written order, but failed to address Northam’s request for new counsel. Later that month, Northam was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree assault and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. In December 2008, he was sentenced to 30 years in jail.

Northam appealed the conviction with the request for new counsel issue as the centerpiece, but there were also issues with inconsistencies in the statement he gave to police following his arrest, and the statement used during trial. The appeal was heard on April 14 at the University of Maryland School of Law.

Less than two weeks later, the Court of Appeals last Tuesday ruled favorably on Northam’s appeal, reversing the conviction from the September 2008 trial. The Maryland Attorney General’s Office is now reviewing the high court’s opinion before making a decision about remanding the case back to the Circuit Court level for a new trial.

“When the trial court failed to even address Mr. Northam’s third request for a discharge, it blatantly violated the rule,” the appeal read. “The court should have inquired into Mr. Northam’s reasons for the request, including what had transpired, or not transpired, with his attorney during the six months between requests.”

A Worcester County grand jury indicted Northam and his co-defendants, Shawn Treherne, 23, of Bowie, Md., and David K. Justice, 20, of Pocomoke, charging them with first-degree murder and other charges related to the beating death of Wojcik, whose body was found by a trapper in a rural area near Pocomoke.

Early on in the investigation, detectives identified Treherne and Northam as suspects, but it was not until later that they started to believe Justice was involved. Justice was later arrested and charged for his role in the beating death of Wojcik. In his statement included in the appeal, Northam said Treherne and Justice were the aggressors in the attack and that he was essentially just along for the ride in the sex for drugs and money case.

However, according to court records, a concerned witness told detectives he allegedly spoke to Northam shortly after the murder was reported to the police and that Northam said himself, Treherne and another man picked up Wojcik and drove her to a wooded area where she was to perform sex acts for money and drugs. Northam allegedly told the witness a disagreement arose for some reason at which time they beat and kicked Wojcik and left her in the wooded area.

Treherne later entered an Alford plea to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Justice also entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in jail, but five years was suspended from his sentence.

www.md.coastdispatch.com

Governor Abducted By Aliens

You can't make this stuff up, or can you? Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the governor of Russia's Buddhist republic, Kalmykia, claims he was abducted in 1997 from his Moscow apartment by aliens who took him into their spaceship.

Apparently, some in the Russian government aren't scoffing at his story and want President Dmitry Medvedev to interrogate Ilyumzhinov, concerned that he may have spilled official secrets to the alien visitors.

Ilyumzhinov, 48, who is also president of the World Chess Federation, told Channel One Russian television host Vladimir Pozner that he spent several hours with the aliens, writes The Moscow Times.
.
According to his tale, Ilyumzhinov was in bed, falling asleep, and heard a voice call him from his balcony. When he went outside, Ilyumzhinov claims he was met by humanoids dressed in yellow spacesuits, who then whisked him on a tour of their spaceship.

"I would probably have not believed this if there had not been three witnesses -- those were my driver, a minister and my assistant," Ilyumzhinov said. He added that the alleged aliens "spoke" with him telepathically and said they had come to Earth for samples. What kind of samples hasn't been revealed.

Andrei Lebedev, an official with the Liberal Democratic Party, wants the Kremlin to investigate this story and would like Medvedev to determine whether or not Ilyumzhinov offered any official confidential Russian information to the otherworldly travelers.

Bottom line: Should Ilyumzhinov be allowed to continue in his role as governor for possibly giving away state secrets?

My question: What possible top-secret information could Ilyumzhinov have offered to ETs that they would even want -- or be able to use?

Ilyumzhinov is hardly the only political figure to have a close encounter. Last year, Japan's first lady, Miyuki Hatoyama, revealed in her memoir that she had been taken from her bedroom one night 20 years ago by space aliens who traveled to Earth on a triangular-shaped UFO that took her to Venus.

The BBC reports that, in a letter to Medvedev, Lebedev suggested that, if Ilyumzhinov's story wasn't a hoax, then it must be viewed as an historic event and should have been reported to the Kremlin.

Lebedev also inquired if there are government guidelines in case any officials are contacted by extraterrestrials.

With this close encounter hanging over his head, Ilyumzhinov may very well wonder how it will affect Medvedev's decision later this year to reappoint him as Kalmykia's leader.

And, oh yes, it should be noted that Ilyumzhinov has a well-known eccentric personality. No doubt.

VIA

Surf Dog and SO CAL SURF DOGS

SURF DOGS & THEIR OWNERS FORM A NEW RECREATIONAL GROUP OF DOG SURFERS KNOWN AS: "SO CAL SURF DOGS", AND THEY ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN THE FUN!

SAN DIEGO, CA, May 05, 2010…

A pack of Surfing Dogs, who have been surfing for several years in southern California, have formed a new group, the “So Cal Surf Dogs”.

(The So Cal Surf Dogs broke away from a previous group they helped form, the San Diego Dog Surfing Association (SDDSA), to form the new group. The “So Cal Surf Dogs”. The members of So Cal Surf Dogs no longer have any affiliation with the SDDSA and its members or directors due to differences in goals and aspirations.)

The focus of the newly formed “So Cal Surf Dogs” is to have FUN and promote Dog Surfing!

The “So Cal Surf Dogs” is a fun loving group of dog owners who surf with their dogs, affectionately referred to as SurFURS. Currently, while it is a small group of dog owners and SurFURS, the variety of the SurFURS is amazing. They are enthusiastically encouraging anyone who dog surfs, or wants to dog surf, to join the group.

You don’t need to know how to surf to get involved. Only a few members actually surf! Experience isn't necessary, but a FUN attitude is! It's a great activity the whole family can participate in. They encourage all dogs and owners to give it a try, regardless of skill level or ability.

The “So Cal Surf Dogs” promotes safety first with fun a very close second! Each dog has an exciting lifestyle, individual talents, and many unique accomplishments. They've got a good mix of breeds and sizes amongst their SurFURS, and they're eager to meet your dog too! All dogs (and dog Owners) are welcome!

The “So Cal Surf Dogs” participate in southern California surf dog contests, support local animal charities, and get together to practice and help others that need it.

The “So Cal Surf Dogs” have a welcoming attitude, and offers help and support to each other, and to new SurFURS both in and out of the water. They can often be seen hanging around the beach, helping new puppies learn to surf, or showing grandma what their little dog can do! Some of the dog’s tandem surf with each other, and they've gotten as many as five SurFURS on a board at one time. They're going to try for a record of 10 in the next several weeks, so if you're at the beach and see a bunch of dogs on a board, hop on! We don’t bite!

The group shares tips and stories on how to surf with your dog for those new to the activity, or offer suggestions for an issue you may have, such as your dog jumping off the board, or being distracted by a ball. Many dogs surf a few waves, and then play ball, or engage each other in a friendly game of chase. The dogs themselves are often the ones that show their owners what fun is all about!

The “So Cal Surf Dogs” encourages all dog owners to give it a try. If your dog likes water, and knows how to swim... that's about all you need. Lifejackets are mandatory with this group since they advocate water safety. But, there is usually someone offering the use of a lifejacket or surfboard so you can give it a try. A soft top surfboard is recommended and can be purchased at Costco for $99.00 or a used one can be found on Craigslist!

Here's this seasons schedule: (Come check it out!)

Loews Surf Dog Competition coming up on Saturday, May 22, 2010 in Imperial Beach:
http://loewssurfdog.blogspot.com This event really focuses on fun, with dogs dressed in costumes, wearing wigs, and many other surprises

The Purina Incredible Dog Surf Dog Competition will film at Dog Beach in Ocean Beach on Friday, June 11, 2010
Here’s what aired last year on ESPN:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX9lwJHZnUY

Helen Woodward Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon will be held on Sunday, September 12, 2010 at Dog Beach in Del Mar:
http://surfdog.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=345143

Surf City Surf Dog Competition will be held at Dog Beach in Huntington Beach on Sunday, September 19, 2010:
http://web.me.com/jodibook/Surf_Dog/Home.html

Don't forget to get your 2010 Surf Dog Calendars at:
http://www.surfdogscalendar.com

Remember, no experience is necessary, competing isn't necessary, but FUN is!
Join the group today!

For more info: Peter Noll, pgnoll@san.rr.com, (858)735-5901

“So Cal Surf Dogs” website: http://www.socalsurfdogs.com

“So Cal Surf Dogs” Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=124797150867035&ref=ts

“So Cal Surf Dogs” Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiV02LXhlWU

Pocomoke Crime Reports for this week

THEFT

07 May 2010

1 BLOCK CLARKE AVENUE

Distance: 1.02 miles

Identifier: 10-0002983

Time(24h): 13:25
THEFT: LESS $100VALUE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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BREAKING & ENTERING

06 May 2010

600 BLOCK CLARKE AVENUE

Distance: 1.1 miles

Identifier: 10-0002946

Time(24h): 04:47
BURGLARY - FOURTH DEGREE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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BREAKING & ENTERING

06 May 2010

1200 BLOCK MARKET STREET

Distance: 0.34 miles

Identifier: 10-0002953

Time(24h): 10:14
BURGLARY - FIRST DEGREE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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THEFT

01 May 2010

1200 BLOCK MARKET STREET

Distance: 0.34 miles

Identifier: 10-0002822

Time(24h): 08:23
THEFT: LESS $500 VALUE

Agency: Pocomoke Poilce

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VIA: Crimereports.com

Man sentenced in Pocomoke Walmart arson

I can't say that I agree with the judges decision on this, being a good student does not make someone above the law and it's surely not a good reason for such a minor slap on the wrist.

Wal*Mart suffered over $1 million in damages and had to close the store for 2 days yet the article does not mention any restitution coming from the arson.

I'd say this young man should have received at least a year and a much larger fine than the $200.00 fine he received. Maybe that would make him think twice the next time he decides to set fire to another persons property.

THIS is exactly why we have so much crime in today's society, the judges go way to easy on these people.

The article below is from the Daily times

The man accused of setting fire to bags of potato chips in the Pocomoke City Walmart was found guilty Friday but will not serve any further jail time.

Vincent V. Harmon, 20, who has been behind bars since Feb. 12, was sentenced to time served for a single count of conspiracy to commit second-degree arson. The Pocomoke City resident was also given two years unsupervised probation and a $200 fine.

Worcester County District Court Judge Gerald V. Purnell said the sentence was an effort at giving Harmon a second chance.

"I could send you today to 20 years in prison, so you need to keep that in mind," Purnell said. "One bad decision can change your life."

According to Worcester County Assistant State's Attorney Kristin Heiser, on the evening of Feb. 11, Harmon and another man, Lamar Watson, entered the Pocomoke City Walmart, where Harmon used a lighter to set fire to bags of potato chips on the second shelf from the top. When the fire caught, Harmon and Watson quickly left the store.

Nine fire extinguishers were used to put out the blaze. In total, the store sustained $1 million in damage and destroyed merchandise, Heiser said. The supercenter, Pocomoke's only full-service grocery store, had to close for two days.

The incident was caught on surveillance cameras, and employees recognized Harmon, who had previously worked at the store.

The two men were arrested the following day. Watson will face a judge on similar charges at the end of June.

About a dozen of Harmon's family and friends were gathered in the courtroom for the proceedings. Several others, including the principal of Pocomoke High School, which Harmon attended, wrote letters to the judge attesting to his character.

Richard A. Parolski, Harmon's attorney, explained how his client had played basketball at the high school before getting an academic scholarship to a college in South Carolina, which he attended for a year before transferring to University of Maryland Eastern Shore to be closer to home.

"This is a guy you should take a chance on," Parolski said.

VIA: DelmarvaNow.com

"Matter of Trust" Creates Hair-and-Nylon Booms To Help Oil Clean Up In Gulf

Can human hair and pantyhose save the Gulf?

Well, no, it can't. The oil slick spreading from a damaged drilling rig off the coast of Louisiana is already too massive for any quick fix, no matter how well intended. But the environmental calamity has inspired a quirky grass-roots campaign that seeks to use donated hair and animal fur to create oil-absorbing booms.

The idea, promoted by a San Francisco-based nonprofit group called Matter of Trust, is to collect tons of hair and fur to stuff into nylon pouches, in this case used or defective pantyhose. When strung together in sausage-like skeins, the hair booms could be set in the water to collect the encroaching oil.

Hair, as anyone who hasn't shampooed in a while knows, absorbs and holds oily materials well.

Matter of Trust is coordinating the collection of hair and fur through thousands of salons, pet groomers and ranchers. It has collected more than 450,000 pounds of the stuff from people around the world. The organization is storing the raw material in warehouses throughout the Gulf region. Meanwhile, volunteers in the area have hosted 19 "Boom-B-Qs" during which participants stuff hair into the nylon casings.

"We're all growing this natural resource ," says Lisa Gautier, who co-founded Matter of Trust with her husband, Patrice, 12 years ago. "It doesn't get more renewable than this. We think it's a safe, non-toxic way to do the clean-up."

The movement has picked up corporate support, too. Hanes has donated 50,000 pairs of pantyhose, and Petco, the pet-supply and grooming chain, says it will donate as much as a ton of fur clippings per day.

It's not clear how much of a dent in the problem the hair booms can make. Lisa Gautier says it takes about 15 pounds of hair to create a 12-foot boom. If all 450,000 pounds of hair were stuffed and deployed, that would create 360,000 feet of barrier, or about 68 miles' worth.

The joint industry-government task force that is supervising the cleanup effort has more than 150 miles of industrial booms to block and absorb the oil in place around the Gulf.

What's more, Matter of Trust isn't authorized to place booms; only government agencies and volunteers certified by the official joint command are legally permitted to do so.

But there's plenty of need: "We're finding that everyone wants to boom everything," says Mark Proegler, a spokesman for BP, the oil company that is legally responsible for the cleanup. "There's just not sufficient boom to do that. Every parish thinks it's the most important."

BP has had no contact with Matter of Trust, but it appreciates the effort: "We certainly don't want to discourage any of the people who've expressed a willingness to help," Proegler says.

The feel-good aspects of the project aren't lost on Washington salon owner Jacqui Davis, whose 15-store chain, PR at Partners, is participating in the effort. "It's another way to be green and recycle," Davis says. "We're happy to help out. We're telling our clients who want to take just a couple of inches off to cut it shorter and pick up some more oil. It's great to be able to say you contributed in some way."

If everything goes as planned in the great hair boom deployment, it does raise another question: Who cleans up all of that hair?

The booms, Lisa Gautier says, would be BP's responsibility. The company would likely incinerate the booms after picking them up, she says.

www.washingtonpost.com

Mr. Johnny Strand ~ An Inspiration To Everyone

Today is the burial for Mr. Johnny Strand and I am sure those that knew him will be there to say their final goodbyes. I found the posting below in the Eastern Shore News in the Viewpoint section on Wednesday and I have thought about what I read many times since then. It is lengthy and I started to just post half but it's the whole story that makes this man. If you read nothing else for the rest of today please take time to read this. This man had all the qualifications of an angel.

In 36 years of writing stories on local people for this newspaper, no one was ever as grateful or appreciative as Johnny Strand, the popular Pizza Hut manager who was slain last weekend at his Melfa home.

I have received scores of notes and letters from people who I have profiled during my time here, but Johnny's thank you was the most memorable.

Not long after I wrote a profile on Johnny for the "Virginia's Eastern Shore" special section in 2007 -- ironically, that issue appears in today's paper -- Johnny came into the News office in Accomac and called a few employees he knew up front in the lobby, including me.

He then read a hand-written message he had penned on a thank you card. It read:

You wrote articles over the years

To make one happy or shed tears.

It's true what I've heard, you're one of a kind,

You gave Johnny Strand a chance to speak his mind.

With my voice, I spoke of my strife,

with your pen you wrote of my life.

Together, you and I have touched so many,

A smile restored, a broken spirit replenished.

So I thank you so much, for not taking away

From the spirit of a man who had a lot to say.

Thank you Mr. Sterling,

and the rest of the Eastern Shore News family,

Sincerely,

Mr. Johnny Strand

Since that day Johnny thanked me again every time I saw him. Just two weeks ago he was thanking me for the article as if I had written it the previous week.

The truth is Johnny never stopped hearing about the article with the power of the Internet. The story was picked up by the Associated Press and turned up in newspapers and websites all over the country. Johnny said he heard from strangers who just wanted to say they were inspired by his story.

And what a story it was. I knew when I walked away from that interview three years ago, Johnny's story sounded like a movie script that producers would reject because people just wouldn't believe it. But Johnny was the real deal.

The writing had little, if anything, to do with the powerful message Johnny delivered in that interview. Johnny gave me far too much credit in that card that I treasure even more today than when he presented it.

In 1990, Strand was walking along U.S. Route 13 as the Pizza Hut was being built in the Chesapeake Square shopping center in Onley. A man hailed Strand and asked if he wanted to earn some extra money by unloading a truckload of construction materials being used to build the restaurant.

Strand, who had no car and was unemployed at the time, because it was January and he usually worked on area farms, gladly accepted the offer.

The Pizza Hut manager who was checking on the progress of the construction took notice of how Strand hustled back and forth as he was unloading the truck. He called Strand aside and asked him if he wanted a job when the restaurant opened in a few weeks.

So on the first day Pizza Hut opened Strand was a dishwasher.

Strand said in that interview his mission was to be the best dishwasher possible. "I took control of my area. I'm like that. I wanted those dishes to be so clean you could see your face in them."

Strand was soon promoted to assistant cook and then lead cook. When the manager saw how friendly Strand was with people, he made Strand a server. Strand then became a shift manager and eventually assistant manager of the restaurant.

Strand worked for five other managers, and in 2002 when the position was again vacant Strand was asked by Pizza Hut officials to be the manager. He turned them down -- twice, in fact.

Gil Liberty, the district manager for Pizza Hut, came to Strand for a third time. Liberty was present at that 2007 interview because he wanted to impress upon the reporter just how he felt about Strand.

Liberty told Stand, "You are here 55 hours a week anyway. Everyone thinks you are the manager. Why don't you take this position and earn the benefits and the extra money that comes with it?"

Strand explained he was very busy with his church and was a member of a traveling gospel choir at Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church in Bayside, near Onancock.

Liberty promised Strand the job would not interfere with attending church. "I say that because I know you are the right person for the job," Liberty told Strand.

Liberty said at that 2007 interview, "Johnny is the face of Pizza Hut on the Eastern Shore. When you say Pizza Hut around here you think of Johnny Strand. When you say Johnny Strand, you think of Pizza Hut. He has such great people skills, both with the public and the employees. Everyone loves to work for him."

Strand was recognized by the community and Pizza Hut for his contributions. He worked with schools, youth groups, churches, the Foodbank, the DARE program and numerous other groups to help raise funds or provide pizzas as incentives for achievement. It seemed everyone knew Strand and his willingness to help others.

The walls of the restaurant are plastered with drawings from local students and photographs of athletes from every school on the Shore.

Many of his employees are area students, and he often sat down with them and asked about their grades. He told them he was far from a perfect student in high school, but mistakes today can have more impact than when he was at Onancock High School in the 1970s.

"I want to find the good in everyone," said Strand. "I go to the schools and tell students that if they work hard and do a good job, their self-esteem will rise and good things will happen to them," said Strand, who had at the time missed only one day of work in 17 years. He took a day off to go watch Nandua High School play for a state basketball title.

Strand might not have been perfect in high school, but Pizza Hut received rare perfect scores from the Health Department. Pizza Hut's reviews were usually rated "excelling."

Strand's love in high school was music. He was taught by his cousin, Jesse Poulson, also an active member of his church.

He was good enough that he was supposed to go to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and be a member of the college choir. But his mother had a leg amputated due to complications from diabetes two months before he was to graduate from high school in 1978. His father died one month later. As the youngest of 10 children and the only one still at home, it was up to Johnny to care for his mother at their home near White Rabbit.

"I missed a chance to go to college, but I wouldn't change a thing," said Strand, who wiped away a tear at that interview when talking about his mother.

Although he never married, Johnny said he had more than 50 nieces and nephews he followed closely.

His funeral will surely be attended many of the people he touched through the years. His tragic loss from a senseless crime will be felt throughout the community.

But although his life was cut short, the incomparable Johnny Strand will continue to inspire others to be their best, as he always tried to be.

www.easternshorenews.com

Community Event Saturday To Honor Johnny Strand

WACHAPREAGUE — The life of Johnny Strand, the charismatic Onley Pizza Hut manager who was slain May 1, will be celebrated at an outdoors community event at 5 p.m. today at Wachapreague Park.

It will follow Strand’s funeral, which is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Macedonia A.M.E. Church in Accomack.

“Johnny blessed a lot of people,” said the Rev. Robert Garris Jr., who is organizing the event. “This is what needs to be done.”

Everyone is invited.

Strand, 49, who had worked for Pizza Hut since it opened, was found dead in his Melfa home. Police this week arrested an Accomac man on a murder charge in connection with his death.

The celebration of Strand’s life will feature gospel music with intermittent opportunities for attendees to take a microphone and say a few words on how Strand touched their lives.

There also will be hot dogs, hamburgers and Pizza Hut pizza available. Garris is going to local businesses this week to solicit donations of food and beverages.

There also will be a massive reprint of the photograph that Jay Diem, the News’ photographer, took of Strand in 2007 as the manager stood in front of Pizza Hut.

Garris has asked the Parksley Sign Co. to enlarge the photograph “life-sized” so that attendees can bring a camera and have their photo taken with it.

Donations also will be collected for the Johnny Keith Strand Memorial Scholarship, which is being organized by longtime friend Jesse Poulson.

Like many people, Garris, who is pastor at Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in Onancock, has a personal story about how Strand influenced his life.

The event will be a tribute to Strand. Garris credited Accomack County Parks and Recreation Director Bill Allen with coordinating the use of Wachapreague Park for the event.

www.delmarvanow.com

Jolly Rancher lands Fort Bend County third-grader in detention for a week

A weeks detention for a 10 year old for one piece of green Jolly Ranchers candy.

ORCHARD, Texas – A third-grader at Brazos Elementary was given a week’s detention for possessing a Jolly Rancher.

School officials in western Fort Bend County are defending the seemingly harsh sentence. The school’s principal and superintendent said they were simply complying with a state law that limits junk food in schools.

But the girl’s parents say it’s a huge overreaction.

“I think it’s stupid to give a kid a week’s worth of detention for a piece of candy,” said Amber Brazda, the girl’s mother. "The whole thing was just ridiculous to me."

Leighann Adair, 10, was eating lunch Monday when a teacher confiscated the candy. Her parents said she was in tears when she arrived home later that afternoon and handed them the detention notice.

According to the disciplinary referral, she would be separated from other students during lunch and recess through Friday.

Jack Ellis, the superintendent for Brazos Independent School District, declined an on-camera interview. But he said the school was abiding by a state guideline that banned “minimal nutrition” foods.

“Whether or not I agree with the guidelines, we have to follow the rules,” he said.

The state, however, gives each school discretion over how to enforce the policy. Ellis said school officials had decided a stricter punishment was necessary after lesser penalties failed to serve as a deterrent.

Ellis said failing to adhere to the state’s guidelines could put federal funding in jeopardy.

According to the Texas Department of Agriculture’s website, “The Texas Public School Nutrition Policy (TPSNP) explicitly states that it does not restrict what foods or beverages parents may provide for their own children's consumption.”

Brazos Elementary Principal Jeanne Young, said the problem, in this instance, was that the candy was provided by another student – not the girl’s parents.

The girl’s mother said the incident has taught her daughter a lesson, but not the one her teachers intended.

“I told her, ‘Leighann, unfortunately you’re learning very young that life’s not fair,'” Brazda said.

For more information about the state’s policy and its exceptions, click here.

VIA: khou.com