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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The Funniest Video I've Ever Seen

Folks, I just couldn't resist using this video from Jonathan Taylor. The first thing that came to mind was, with all that government subsidies your sucking on Jonathan, don't you think you can sponge a little more to get some of those teeth replaced! I mean, you can fit a Thanksgiving turkey in-between the gap in your front teeth alone.

Then the image of filming yourself from the chin, up! OMG, thank God I'm on a carpeted floor because watching the walls and ceiling with this HUGE head speaking was just over the top. Then there's the content.

You talked about me lying. Do everyone a favor here Jonathan and do tell everyone ONE single lie I made. You can't Jonathan, because I never once lied to anyone.

You took the mask and gloves off. Do everyone a favor, (especially yourself) put it back on. Oh, go into a much larger room so you can widen the lens, if at all possible. Might I suggest the Civic Center. LMAO

Nightly News At 6 PM

Thank God Crown Vic Parts Are A Dime A Dozen & No One Was Hurt

This morning a Wicomico County School Bus was driving backwards on Old Ocean City Road and backed directly into a Sheriff's Cruiser.

JUST KIDDING!

This is an update of this morning's Post where a School Bus was in an accident and through comments we quickly learned it involved a Sheriff's Deputy.

We have not received a Press Release from the Sheriff's Office in reference to the details of the accident but no one can deny, the Sheriff's Department has seen its unusually high share of accidents over the past few years.

Rumor has it that Sheriff Lewis is considering Bicycle Patrol for his Staff if they can't stay clear of BIG YELLOW BUSES!

Ehrlich Will Run Against O'Malley


Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Anne Kramer and the Associated Press


Former Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich says he will challenge Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley in November's election.

Ehrlich told reporters on Tuesday that he'll run for his old job.

His announcement sets up a rematch between Maryland's two biggest political foes.

Ehrlich, 52, says he arrived at the decision within the last two months after an awful lot of thought.

In 2002, he became Maryland's first Republican governor in a generation when he defeated then-Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

In Maryland's 2006 governor's race, Ehrlich lost his re-election bid with 46 percent of the vote to 53 percent for O'Malley, who was then mayor of Baltimore

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Flooding In Tyaskin

Audit: Former Del. School Administrator Took $151K


DOVER, Del. (AP/WBOC)- A state audit has found that the Laurel School District's former finance director fraudulently boosted his own pay by more than $151,000 over an 8-year period.

The audit follows the admission of former finance director William Hitch Jr., who resigned in December, that he had found a payroll system flaw allowing him to adjust his pay.

The audit released Tuesday also found shoddy record keeping and accounting practices. Auditors determined that six administrators were underpaid a total of about $41,000 for the 2009-2010 school year, and that employees who did not have sufficient sick leave accrued to cover their leaves of absence owe the district more than $39,000.

The allegations regarding Hitch have been referred to the attorney general's office.

Source-WBOC

Tennis Anyone?

Joe, again I know that this doesn't belong here, but my emails to you bounce back.

I was over on Onley Road earlier today and decided to check out the new Bennett High School. I noticed that they went a little overboard on building the tennis courts over there. Now I understand that a high school needs tennis courts, but they don't need to rival Wimbledon! They erected 6 athletic lighting poles with 10 lamp fixtures each to illuminate the 6 courts they built! Is that really necessary?

I did a little bit of research on what it cost to build these tennis courts:

$17,100 - (60) 1500 Watt Fixtures
$1,200 - (60) Lamp Reflector Visors
$1,170 - (6) Tennis Court Nets
$168,000 - (6) Asphalt Surfaces
$12,000 - (6) Aluminum Light Poles
$33,000 - 10' Fencing
----------------------
$232,470

Now granted, I got these prices off the internet, but I can't imagine that it would be must less; if anything it would have cost more. Plus you have to figure in labor! Regardless, the tax payers of Wicomico County just spent almost a quarter million on TENNIS COURTS! Salisbury University's tennis courts aren't even this nice!!

Now here's my big problem with these courts. Tennis is a Spring Sport-what is the need for lighting on these courts? There is plenty of daylight in the spring for practices and matches and when I was in high school, sports started promptly at 3:30 or earlier! There was absolutely NO NEED for lighting, but the BOE splurged with our tax dollars. This economy doesn't support this kind of spending-if they wanted lights then I would suggest that they run the wire and MAYBE install them when times are better or the school raises money for such an expense. I can only imagine what the football and baseball fields are going to look like! None of the other schools in the County have facilities like this, what makes Bennett High so special; because it's new? I don't think so!

People, listen! It is time to step up and get control of the County's spending; especially over at the BOE! They do things like this at their own discretions all the time. Just imagine all the frivolous spending that happens behind the scenes that we don't see. I can't believe that we actually let them get away with this stuff!

Toyota Safety Probe Taps Rocket Scientists

WASHINGTON/TOKYO (Reuters) – U.S. auto safety regulators said on Tuesday they will tap the expertise of the country's top space and aeronautics experts to analyze Toyota Motor Corp's electronic throttles to see if they are behind the reports of unintended acceleration that have hounded the automaker.

The news that NASA scientists will join the probe came as Toyota, reeling from a recall crisis sparked by the acceleration reports, launched a task force aimed at regaining consumer trust and pledged to give its regional operations more clout to speed up decisions on quality issues.

"We are determined to get to the bottom of unintended acceleration," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in an interview with Reuters.

The Transportation Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is just beginning its review of Toyota's electronic throttles, which have come under heightened scrutiny following the recall of millions of Toyota and Lexus vehicles over the past six months for unintended acceleration.

GO HERE to read more.

Pro-Life Democrats Who Switched Vote For Health Bill Request Billions In Earmarks

The 11 House Democrats led by Rep. Bart Stupak who dropped their opposition to health care reform mere hours before the final vote have requested $3.4 billion in earmarks -- and one watchdog group wants to know whether the money represents business as usual, or a political payoff.

The 11 House Democrats led by Rep. Bart Stupak who dropped their opposition to health care reform legislation mere hours before the final vote have requested $3.4 billion in earmarks -- and one watchdog group wants to know whether the money represents business as usual or political payoffs.

The Sunlight Foundation says it plans to track the earmark requests, which were put in one day after health care reform cleared Congress, to see whether they're approved and whether it appears lawmakers are being rewarded for their vote.

GO HERE to read more from FOX News.

My Facebook Friends Continues To Grow Every Day

I have commented in the past how my Facebook Page has more beautiful women than any other person I know, it's true. In fact, ever since I made the Post about Jennifer Foxwell yesterday, even more beautiful woman have asked to become friends and the list continues to grow.

I'm not really up on the real advantages of Facebook but clearly there's a LOT of people using it. GO HERE and check out who's on my Facebook Page. There are 312 people on there and it just keeps growing.

That being said, what do you feel are the biggest advantages of Facebook?

Supreme Court Restricts Whistleblower Lawsuits

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday placed new limits on whistleblower lawsuits claiming that local governments misused federal money.

The court voted 7-2 to hold that a technical, though important aspect of the federal False Claims Act applies to local governments. One section of the law prohibits whistleblower lawsuits when public disclosure of the alleged fraud occurs through a court hearing, a news report or congressional or administrative audit.

In an opinion by Justice John Paul Stevens, the court ruled that the language on administrative audits refers to a report prepared by any government, not just a federal government document. The question had divided federal appeals courts.

GO HERE to read more.

Maryland Lawmakers Need To Stop Coddling Drunk Drivers

MARYLAND'S GENERAL Assembly, which has coddled drunk drivers for decades, is once again busy gutting legislation that would end the policy of forgiveness for those who get sloshed before getting behind the wheel. This is no great surprise given the overweening power of the alcohol industry and its lawmaker pals in Annapolis, many of whom hold day jobs that include defending drunk drivers in court. What's more surprising is that for once, there is serious pushback from those who are serious about getting tough with drunk drivers.

What's at issue this year is legislation that would require the installation of a device in the cars of convicted drunk drivers. The device, called an ignition interlock, would block drivers from starting their car until they blow into a mouthpiece that analyzes blood alchohol level to determine whether a driver is sober. If he is, the car will start (and the driver will be retested randomly as he drives); if not, the information will be stored and be accessible to the authorities.

GO HERE to read more from the Washington Post.

How To Make Easy Contact With Your Maryland Leaders

Civic Action eMail SystemThis system will enable you to:

Send an Email message to any or ALL of the Maryland State Senator(s)
Send an Email message to any or ALL of the Maryland State Delegate(s)
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Contact Your Elected Representatives Today by Choosing a Link Below!
Maryland General Assembly
Senators: Click HERE
Delegates: Click HERE
Committees
Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee: Click HERE
Senate Education, Health & Environmental Affairs Committee: Click HERE
House Judiciary Committee: Click HERE
House Environmental Matters Committee: Click HERE
Prince Georges County Council
Contact Prince Georges County Council Members concerning TDR's: Click HERE

The Tan Tax And Government Power

One of the more outlandish provisions of the health care legislation is the 10 percent tax on indoor tanning. When it was introduced into the Senate health care bill in December, it injected a bit of humor into the political and policy debate. But to a segment of small businesses across the country, it's no laughing matter.

A local news station in Seattle has spoken to Mark Willard of a salon called Desert Sun Tanning. "Families, you know, these are people that have invested their life savings into these businesses and that's how they make their living," he said. "Unfortunately, now, that tax is going to be passed onto them...It could be very detrimental to their business, and certainly our customers that are going to bear the brunt of this tax."

Another station in Indiana finds Fun Tan, which employs "a total of 40 people and the owner says they will likely have to let some people go from the salon."

Dan Skwarcan, the owner, said, "“It’s huge. Think about the total revenue and having to write a check for ten percent of everything you make and give it to the federal government. That is tough.. plus on top of all of the taxes we are already paying today.”

People might dismiss stories like this that are being replicated throughout the country because a tax on indoor tanning only affects a relatively small segment of the population. Yet the point is that this is a perfect example of the arbitrary nature of government power. Indoor tanning has absolutely nothing to do with health care. But in December, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was scrambling to find ways to raise revenue to pay for a massive new government entitlement. An earlier tax on cosmetic surgery was dropped under protest from the Botox Lobby. And poof, just like that, families who depend on indoor tanning for their livelihood are forced to pony up for the greater good. Liberals always like to portray themselves as more compassionate. But remember, liberal compassion is rooted in a willingness to take other people's money and have government spend it for them.

Source

RSC Update

From the Chairman

Many on the Left seem to think the public debate over health care should end now that the Democrats’ plan has become law. They could not be more wrong. The need for reforms that put patients in charge is now greater than ever. As we look to the future, members of the RSC will be leading the way with a common sense strategy to put individuals back in control of their health care and protect our economy:

1) Highlight the Real World Consequences – This law will impact Americans’ access to care and place huge financial burdens on employers. Already, companies like AT&T, Caterpillar, 3M, Verizon, Valero Energy, John Deere, and others are predicting they will be hit with higher taxes and could very likely change or drop some of the health insurance plans they currently offer.

2) Repeal and Replace to Empower Patients – We will work for a full repeal of ObamaCare and replace it with patient-centered solutions like H.R. 3400, the Empowering Patients First Act.

3) Support Legal Challenges – There are legitimate constitutional concerns about the individual mandate and other aspects of this law. While working to repeal this takeover of health care, conservatives should also support the efforts of governors, state legislatures and attorneys general who seek to block or overturn it.

4) Restore the Consent of the Governed – No governing majority can last in our Republic if it lacks the consent of the governed. Democrats have flagrantly ignored the will of the American people, and conservatives stand ready to restore your voice to its rightful place in our system of government.

The Democrats’ health care takeover is unconstitutional, bad for patients, and bad for the economy. Let’s fight to repeal it and start over with patient-centered reforms.

Judicial Elections Bill Stalled In Committees

Judicial elections bill stalled in committees

A group of black lawmakers appears to have blocked Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler's effort to end voters' ability to choose Circuit Court judges.

Gansler's proposal, which aimed to replace contested elections with retention elections every 10 years, is languishing in key committees in the House of Delegates and the Senate. The chairmen of both said Monday that the Legislative Black Caucus' strong opposition has doomed Gansler's bill.

"That spelled its demise," said Sen. Brian E. Frosh, a Montgomery County Democrat and chairman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, who does not plan to forward the legislation to the full Senate.

Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr., a Prince George's and Calvert County Democrat who leads the House Judiciary Committee, said he would not bring the proposal up for a vote because "there's just not support for it."

If lawmakers do change course and approve the plan in the final two weeks of the legislative session, it would be put before voters this fall because it involves a change to the Maryland Constitution.

Currently, the governor appoints Circuit Court judges, who preside over jury trials. To win their full 15-year terms, their names must appear on the ballot for the next general election. Attorneys practicing for more than five years can also run in those elections.

GO HERE to read more from the Baltimore Sun.

Analysis: Is Maryland’s Attorney General An Unimpeachable Source?

Will the House of Delegates impeach Attorney General Doug Gansler?

That’s the question Del. Don Dwyer has promised to ask the House to consider Wednesday. Dwyer, a socially conservative Republican from Anne Arundel County, believes Gansler broke the law with his February opinion that Maryland courts would likely recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, despite their prohibition in Maryland law.

The question that has stymied Dwyer, and will likely derail his attempt tomorrow is: Can the House of Delegates impeach an attorney general?

The answer so far is no. Who says so? The Attorney General’s office, which acts as counsel to the legislature.

You can understand why Dwyer might not have full confidence in the three different opinions the legislature’s lawyers, who work for Gansler, have issued in the past month.

They give House Speaker Michael Busch little choice in ruling Dwyer out of order when he moves to impeach.

GO HERE to read more from the MarylandReporter.

Senate Approves Self-Defense Bill

ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Senate has endorsed a measure that would protect people from lawsuits if they use deadly force to defend themselves at home or work in certain circumstances.

Senators voted 45-2 Monday in favor of the bill. The legislation says a person must “reasonably” believe the lethal force is necessary to fend off the attack. It also stipulates that the amount and nature of the force must be “reasonable.”

Current law in Maryland says a person must not use deadly force unless they believe they are in danger of serious bodily injury.

The bill now moves to the House of Delegates for consideration.

Source

Team Harris Lower Shore Organizational Meeting

Are you TIRED of Nancy Pelosi controlling Congress
and your family’s future?

Are you TIRED of Congress stripping away America’s Identity?

If so, it’s time to take action!!!

It’s time to invest in your future by becoming an active volunteer for
State Senator Andy Harris
Say NO to Nancy Pelosi by saying YES to Dr. Andy Harris for Congress!

Come Join
Harris for Congress Campaign Chairman
The Honorable Ellen R. Sauerbrey
Saturday, April 10th to see how you can help Andy WIN back the 1st Congressional District seat and take back our Congress!

Who: Lower Shore Volunteers

What: Grassroots Meeting

When: Sat April 10 @ 11:00am

Where: Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce
144 E. Main Street
Salisbury, MD 21801
RSVP: Pat Daly 240-925-7462 / pat@andyharris.com

HELP!!!

Someone dial 911, I'm being mauled by a troll!

Jennifer Foxwell's Message

This is a screen shot of the actual Facebook message I received yesterday from Jennifer Foxwell. I have received messages questioning whether or not the information I posted yesterday was actually from Jennifer. This should clarify that it is.

Two Years Ago Today





Dough Rollers in Ocean City was completely destroyed.

Last Nights Broadcast Gets Close To 1,000 Views Already


If you didn't get the chance to watch our 6 PM Broadcast last night you may want to take the time, (perhaps at lunch) to view what we offered yesterday.

I want to thank so many of you for your support and understanding on the matters we provided last night. I have received quite a bit of e-mail from others who seem to have been victimized by these very same people and while it's very unusual for us to receive so many visits, many came to learn the truth and understand as to why I chose to provide the information we did in this Broadcast.

We'll see you again tonight at 6 PM.

Caption This Photo


Arizona Rancher's Slaying Spurs Calls For More Border Aid

The apparent slaying of a prominent Arizona rancher on his property near the Mexican border has inflamed tensions over illegal immigration and intensified calls for the federal government to ramp up protection along the increasingly perilous southern border.

Robert Krentz, 58, was found fatally shot Saturday. A helicopter crew with the Cochise County Sheriff's Office discovered his body inside his Polaris all-terrain vehicle along with his dog, which also had been shot and critically wounded.

Authorities say on the day of his death, Mr. Krentz sent his brother a message via radio phone, but his brother could only understand the words "illegal alien" and "hurt." Mr. Krentz is thought to have fled from the site of the shooting, eventually coming to a halt about 1,000 feet away.

Search teams from the sheriff's office, the Border Patrol and state Department of Corrections followed foot tracks from the site for about 20 miles in the direction of the border but failed to capture any suspects. Mexican authorities have been notified and are cooperating with the search, said Cochise County spokeswoman Carol Capas.

"It's a big deal. It's something that could be a turning point here," said Ms. Capas following a Monday press conference by Sheriff Larry Dever in Bisbee, Ariz. "People in the area are on heightened alert. They're grief-stricken, saddened, and they're extremely angry."

Speculation was rampant that the killer was connected with Mexico's violent drug cartels, which have laid siege to communities south of the border. The drug lords may have used the remote 35,000-acre Krentz Ranch to ferry drugs into the United States.

The day before the shooting, Mr. Krentz's brother found eight illegal aliens on the ranch. They were taken into custody by Border Patrol, along with several hundred pounds of marijuana, said Ms. Capas.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Arizona Democrat, whose district includes the Krentz Ranch, called on the Obama administration to heighten enforcement along the border.

"If, as suspected, this tragedy was connected to smugglers or drug cartels, the federal government must respond appropriately," Mrs. Giffords said. "All options should be on the table, including sending more Border Patrol agents to the area and deploying the National Guard."

Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, who's challenging Arizona Sen. John McCain for the Republican nomination, issued a statement calling for a greater federal role in protecting the border. Mr. Hayworth, a border-security hawk, has made illegal immigration a major issue in the primary campaign.

Here's more

Border-Guarding Minutemen Disband

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, which posted hundreds of civilian volunteers along the U.S.-Mexico border over the past five years, has disbanded, citing what it called "rising aggression" in the country and decisions by lawmakers in Washington who have "pushed amnesty down our throats."

"The mental attitude of many Americans is turning meaner … and we are concerned that this could cause problems," MCDC President Carmen Mercer told The Washington Times on Monday. "You see aggression surfacing even at the tea party marches. We just did not want to deal with the liability anymore.

"We have to protect the ranchers as well as the volunteers," Ms. Mercer said, noting the killing on Saturday of Robert Krentz, a prominent Douglas, Ariz., rancher who was shot along with his dog on his ranch by a suspected illegal immigrant who fled into Mexico and remains a fugitive.

Born in April 2005, the MCDC — originally known as the Minuteman Project — called for the U.S. military to be assigned to protect the southwestern border from terrorists, illegal immigrants and drug smugglers; sought increased manpower for the U.S. Border Patrol; and opposed the granting of amnesty to the millions of illegals who already have entered the country.

The MCDC vowed to fight a proposal by President Obama to try to get a bipartisan immigration bill passed this year that would establish a path to legal status for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the country.

At one point, the organization had a roster of about 12,000 members. In May 2005, then-U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert C. Bonner praised the Minuteman movement, saying it was aiding the effort to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the country by reducing the flow of illegal immigrants and disrupting smuggling operations.

Mr. Bonner said the volunteers brought significant press attention to the issue of illegal immigration and proposed that the government work with the Minutemen in patrolling the border.

Within days, the Department of Homeland Security rejected the proposal outright, saying it wasn't going to happen.

The MCDC announcement that it was dissolving came as a surprise to many in the movement, particularly in light of pronouncements by Ms. Mercer earlier this month that the organization was looking for more volunteers this year to show up on the border "locked and loaded."

More
More

Small County Jail In Upstate New York Has Big Problem With Suicides

At the 680-bed Erie County Holding Facility, a small jail on the shores of Lake Erie in Buffalo, N.Y., six inmates have committed suicide in the past five years, as many as at Rikers Island, the sprawling New York City jail that typically houses about 14,000 inmates.


In 2007, an Erie inmate killed himself by diving off a 15-foot railing in full view of sheriff's deputies. That same year, an inmate took his life after officials removed him from 24-hour suicide watch and put him with the other inmates. In 2008, two detainees used bed sheets to hang themselves from air vents, raising to 15 the number of inmates who had committed suicide this way, or tried to, since 2002.


County jails, most of them originally designed to hold low-level offenders, now serve, to some degree, as de facto psychiatric wards. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca famously referred to the jails he oversees as “the largest mental health institution in the country.”

Read More…

Postal Service Edges Toward Cutting Saturday Delivery

Washington (CNN) -- Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night may stay the nation's letter carriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds, but e-mail and the recession may stop their Saturday deliveries.

Under a plan to be delivered Tuesday to its regulator, the U.S. Postal Service announced Monday it would cut Saturday delivery beginning in the first half of next year.

"If the Postal Service takes no action, it could face a cumulative $238 billion shortfall by the year 2020," the service said in plans given to reporters.

GO HERE to read more.

Losing Their Religion? Catholicism In Turmoil

Sex abuse scandal prompts soul-searching across the globe

WARSAW, Poland - An Austrian priest avoids mention of Pope Benedict XVI in his Masses. A Philadelphia woman stops going to confession, saying she now sees priests as more flawed than herself. British protesters call for the pontiff to resign.

As the faithful fill churches this Holy Week, many Roman Catholics around the world are finding their relationship to the church painfully tested by new revelations of clerical abuse and suggestions Benedict himself may have helped cover up cases in Germany and the U.S.

There are fears that for those whose commitment is already wavering, the scandal could be the final blow, and a growing chorus is clamoring for the church to embrace full transparency, take a hard line against pedophiles, and reconsider the rule of priestly celibacy.

GO HERE to read more.

Caught The Liberals Cheating BIG TIME


A volunteer cleans up the broken glass Tuesday at the state Democratic Party headquarters south of downtown. (John Sunderland, The Denver Post)

One of two people suspected of shattering 11 windows Tuesday morning at the state Democratic Party headquarters has an arrest record and a history of helping a Democratic political candidate, public records show.

Police said that about 2:20 a.m., 24-year-old Maurice Schwenkler, now in custody, and an at-large accomplice took a hammer to the picture windows displaying posters touting President Barack Obama and his health care reform efforts.

Early Tuesday, Democratic Party chairwoman Pat Waak said the damage to her building in Denver's art district was a consequence of "an effort on the other side to stir up hate." She tempered her statement after Schwenkler's political history was revealed.

"What I've been saying is there is a lot of rhetoric out there from both sides of the spectrum," Waak said. "That's what's been disturbing to me. People are saying a lot of things not appropriate for civil discourse."

For weeks, people on both sides of the health care debate have rallied across the country.

Schwenkler is charged with criminal mischief and is to make his first appearance in Denver County Court today.

He is accused of doing an estimated $11,000 in damage and could face a felony conviction.


On the last day of the 2008 Republican National Convention, he was charged with misdemeanor unlawful assembly in St. Paul, Minn.

Court records provided through the St. Paul Pioneer Press show he was jailed about 2 a.m.

Schwenkler received $500 in November 2008 to walk door-to-door in support of Democrat Mollie Cullom, who lost her race to Republican state Rep. David Balmer of Centennial.

Waak, who was not involved with the group that paid Schwenkler, said she's never heard of the suspect and pointed out that just because he canvassed "doesn't mean he's a good Democrat."

Schwenkler was one of dozens of paid canvassers bankrolled by the Colorado Citizens' Coalition, a political 527 committee Schwenkler has worked for Democratic causes. funded by labor groups and well-known, wealthy liberal donors.

In those disclosures, Schwenkler's address is listed as Derailer Bicycle Cooperative, a free community bicycle collective that operates just around the corner from the Democratic headquarters. Multiple volunteers at the collective declined to discuss Schwenkler, though they said he was affiliated with the group.
Balmer said he suspects the vandalism might have been aimed at making the GOP look bad.

"This sounds like the type of Democratic tactic from the left fringe trying to make Republicans look mean-spirited," Balmer said. "In this case, it blew up in their face. He was caught red-handed."

Schwenkler allegedly tried to conceal his identity while committing the crime by wearing a shirt over his face, a hooded sweat shirt and latex gloves, according to police descriptions.

When a Denver police officer on patrol spotted two people smashing windows, the suspects fled on bicycles.

Schwenkler was arrested after a short foot pursuit, but the other suspect sped away, police Detective Vicki Ferrari said.

She declined to release further details.

Staff writers Joey Bunch and Felisa Cardona contributed to this report. Jessica Fender: 303

GO HERE to read more.

Shirley: Tea Party Now More Important Than GOP

Grass-roots tea party activists are on the verge of triggering another "Reagan revolution," and have actually begun to overshadow the GOP in importance, according to conservative historian and author Craig Shirley.

"The incredible explosion of government and the concentration of power in Washington, the money and the lobbyists, should give alarm to any traditional conservative, whether its Barry Goldwater or Bill Buckley or Ronald Reagan," Shirley says during an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV's Kathleen Walter.

Shirley says eight years of governance by Republicans who veered away from conservative principles set the stage for Reagan's emergence. And during the George W. Bush years, Shirley says, the GOP repeated its mistake of transforming itself into "the second big-government party in America."

The public relations expert who worked in the Reagan campaign says he sees many parallels between the modern tea party movement and the forces that brought Reagan to power.

"That came about because conservatives were so dismayed at what had happened to the Republican Party," Shirley says of the Reagan years. "We have a natural outgrowth again with the tea party movement of populist, optimistic conservatives who have become very concerned about both political parties."

Shirley says that in many ways the tea party movement "has overtaken the Republican Party." As evidence, he cites the grass-roots organizations' ability to draw hundreds of thousands of rally-goers to the Nation's Capital.

"You have to ask yourself one question: Could the Republican Party turn those numbers out on the Mall here in Washington? The answer, I think everybody would agree, is no," Shirley concludes. "So right now, in many ways, the tea party movement is more formidable, and more important, than the Republican Party establishment is itself."

Shirley says the GOP should focus "on mending relations with the tea party, and making amends for the mistakes of the last eight years."

Read more

Steele Takes Fire For RNC Sex Club, High-End Expenses

The Republican National Committee spent $1,946 last month at a sex-themed Hollywood club that features topless dancers and bondage outfits. Now the GOP wants its money back.

Listed in a monthly financial report, the amount is itemized as expenses for meals at Voyeur West Hollywood.

RNC spokesman Doug Heye said Monday the committee doesn't know the details of how the money was spent, all who may have attended or the nature of the outing, except to say it was an unauthorized event and that the expenditure was inappropriate.

The RNC will be reimbursed by Erik Brown of Orange, Calif., the donor-vendor who billed the committee for the club visit, Heye said.

Brown did not respond to an e-mail and phone message seeking comment.

Since November, the RNC has paid Brown's company, Dynamic Marketing Inc., about $19,000 for printing and direct-mail services, campaign spending reports show. He has contributed several thousand dollars to the party.

The most recent financial disclosure report said the RNC spent more than $17,000 for private planes in February and nearly $13,000 for car services. Heye said such services are used only when needed.

The $1,946 for meals at Voyeur West Hollywood was the most eye-catching item in the monthly report. RNC Chairman Michael Steele, whose spending decisions have angered some donors in this midterm election year, had nothing to do with the nightclub expenditure, Heye said.

The conservative group Concerned Women for America said the RNC should disclose more about the episode.

Much of the most lavish spending by the major political parties is associated with fundraisers, which often target wealthy people.

More from Newsmax

33 of Obama's Broken Promises

Eighteen from his first 100 days:

1. "As President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide."

2. "I will make sure that we renegotiate [NAFTA]."

3. Opposed a Colombian Free Trade Agreement because advocates ignore that "labor leaders have been targeted for assassination on a fairly consistent basis."

4. "Now, what I’ve done throughout this campaign is to propose a net spending cut."

5. "If we see money being misspent, we're going to put a stop to it, and we will call it out and we will publicize it."

6. "Yesterday, Jim, the head of Caterpillar, said that if Congress passes our plan, this company will be able to rehire some of the folks who were just laid off."

7. "I want to go line by line through every item in the Federal budget and eliminate programs that don't work, and make sure that those that do work work better and cheaper."

8. "[My plan] will not help speculators who took risky bets on a rising market and bought homes not to live in but to sell."

9. "Instead of allowing lobbyists to slip big corporate tax breaks into bills during the dead of night, we will make sure every single tax break and earmark is available to every American online."

10. "We can no longer accept a process that doles out earmarks based on a member of Congress's seniority, rather than the merit of the project."

11. "If your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat: not one single dime."

12. "Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe the United States has to be frank with the Chinese about such failings and will press them to respect human rights."

13. "We must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights."

14. "Lobbyists won’t work in my White House!"

15. "The real gamble in this election is playing the same Washington game with the same Washington players and expecting a different result."

16. "I'll make oil companies like Exxon pay a tax on their windfall profits, and we'll use the money to help families pay for their skyrocketing energy costs and other bills."

17. "Obama will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days." (Obama is 1-for-11 on this promise so far.)

18. A special one on the 100th day, "the first thing I'd do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing I'd do."

There are many more here (in detail)

DOOMED FROM THE START

Home Invasion Leads To Deadly Shooting

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. -- Police continued Monday to investigate a deadly shooting in Perry Hall and have released the names of the homeowner and the man who was shot.

Marvin Cook Jr., 29, died in the Sunday morning incident, police said.

Officers responded at about 5:45 a.m. Sunday to a home in the 4200 block of Chapel Road.

Detectives discovered that the homeowner, William Bozman Sr., 68, was asleep when he was awakened by a suspect who entered his bedroom.

Cook pointed a handgun at Bozman and demanded money, police said.

Bozman retrieved a handgun he had nearby and pointed it at Cook, ordering him to drop his gun, according to police.

Cook then advanced toward Bozman, who fired several shots, police said.

Cook was taken to Franklin Square Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

GO HERE to read more.

Democrats Threaten Companies Hit Hard By Obamacare

Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, has summoned some of the nation's top executives to Capitol Hill to defend their assessment that the new national health care reform law will cost their companies hundreds of millions of dollars in health insurance expenses.

Waxman is also demanding that the executives give lawmakers internal company documents related to health care finances -- a move one committee Republican describes as "an attempt to intimidate and silence opponents of the Democrats' flawed health care reform legislation."

On Thursday and Friday, the companies -- so far, they include AT&T, Verizon, Caterpillar, Deere, Valero Energy, AK Steel and 3M -- said a tax provision in the new health care law will make it far more expensive to provide prescription drug coverage to their retired employees. Now, both retirees and current employees of those companies are wondering whether the new law could mean reduced or canceled benefits for them in the future.

The news is an embarrassment for Democrats. As President Obama and congressional leaders tout the purported benefits of the new health care law, some of the nation's biggest companies are saying it will mean higher costs and fewer benefits -- not exactly what Democrats want to hear in the days after their historic victory.

So Waxman has ordered the executives to explain themselves at an April 21 hearing before the Energy and Commerce Committee's investigative subcommittee. That subcommittee just happens to be chaired by Rep. Bart Stupak, the Michigan Democrat who held out his vote on health care reform until a few hours before final passage on March 21, giving the bill's opponents the unfounded hope that he might vote against it.

More here

Supreme Court May Weigh Coverage Mandate

The same Supreme Court justices whom President Obama blasted during his State of the Union address this year may ultimately decide the fate of his crowning achievement as more than a dozen states have called on the courts to strike down the health insurance mandate of Democrats' health care overhaul - a move that would threaten the entire law.

Two major constitutional challenges have been levied against the new law, one by the state of Virginia, which enacted a law exempting its citizens from the federal health insurance mandate, and another by Florida and 12 other states. Legal scholars are divided on the merits of the cases, and even Congress - through its research service and its budget scorekeeper - has said it's an open question whether the provision could pass constitutional muster.

At issue is the scope of the federal government's power over states and individuals. Critics of the law say the requirement that all Americans buy insurance or pay a fine, if allowed, would mean that Congress has virtually boundless authority to compel actions. Proponents argue that legal precedents support an expansive reading of the legislative branch's license to regulate such activity.

"This is one of the most consequential lawsuits in our generation," said Baker Hostetler lawyer David B. Rivkin Jr., who is serving as outside counsel to the 13 states that have filed suit. "The fact you have so many different state attorneys general, Republicans and Democrats, from a variety of states coming together to do this just underscores how strongly they feel that the act infringes core constitutional interests of their respective states."

Both of the state lawsuits challenge the federal government's authority under the Commerce Clause, which grants Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states. The Florida case also cites a violation of the 10th Amendment, which reserves those powers not spelled out under the federal government in the Constitution to the state governments, and argues that the health care law's expansion of state Medicaid programs threatens state sovereignty.

Among the arguments against the law is that because it does not allow for purchasing insurance across state lines - the insurance exchanges are state-based - the buying of health insurance does not constitute interstate commerce. In addition, the plaintiffs say, not purchasing health insurance does not constitute an economic activity.

"Thus far in our history, it has never been held that the Commerce Clause, even when aided by the Necessary and Proper Clause, can be used to require citizens to buy goods or services," Virginia Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II argues in his state's lawsuit. "To depart from that history to permit the national government to require the purchase of goods or services would ... create powers indistinguishable from a general police power in total derogation of our constitutional scheme of enumerated powers."

Read more here

Today's Wildlife Photo By Scott Phoebus

TWO WICOMICO COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE "ARRESTED" THIS WEEK


On Thursday (April Fools’ Day) both Sheree Sample-Hughes and Joe Holloway are voluntarily surrendering to "enforcement" personnel for Camp ESPA’s Third Annual Lock Up Day Fundraiser.

Word is that they must raise bail of $1,000 each to gain release.

Let’s help them do that -- contact them now to arrange to donate --

Sheree Sample-Hughes: Office: 410-548-4696, Home: 410-677-3388, Fax: 420-860-1258, Email: ssamplehughes@wicomicocounty.org

Joe Holloway: Office: 410-548-4696, Home: 410-749-4010, Fax: 410-860-1256, Email: jholloway@wicomicocounty.org

Camp ESPA which is owned and operated by The Eastern Shore Police Association to assure that many of the underprivileged and at risk children of the Eastern Shore have an opportunity to spend part of their summer learning new things, while at the same time having a good time. At Camp ESPA there is riverfront for boating, a pier for fishing, a swimming pool, several acres of land, and a fully equipped clubhouse, which features sleeping quarters for 30 with full bathrooms and showers.


The Eastern Shore Police Association of Maryland was organized by local police officers in 1958. The purpose of the Association is to bring all divisions of Law Enforcement together so they can meet and discuss the ever-changing procedures, which affect our patterns of work on the Eastern Shore. It is the intent of the Association to unite the efforts of Law Enforcement personnel.

Weird Tricks With Spelling

Did you know?

· That the words race car spelled backward says race car.

· That eat is the only word that if you take the 1st letter and move it to the last, it spells it's past tense, ate.

And Have you noticed that if you rearrange the letters in "illegal immigrants, "and add just a few more letters, it spells out: "Go home you free-loading, benefit grabbing, kid-producing, violent, non-English speaking assholes and take those other hairy-faced , sandal wearing, bomb making, goat loving, raggedy bastards with you."

How weird is that?

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases


Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 26 March 2010
Location: 300 block of Glen Avenue, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Christina S. Williams, 29, Salisbury, MD


Narrative: On 26 March 2010
at 7:46 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded for a reported altercation that had been occurring inside a residence in the 300 block of Glen Avenue. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a male subject who advised that he had been involved in a verbal altercation with Christina Williams over his cell phone that turned physical. The male victim advised that Williams punched him and slapped him on both sides of his face. The deputy observed signs of injury that corroborated his account.


The investigating deputy placed Williams under arrest for the assault and transported her to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Williams in the Detention Center in lieu of $15,000.00 bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd degree


Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Date of Incident: 26 March 2010
Location: Snow Hill Road at Toadvine Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Lindsey Nicole Sutphin, 24, Salisbury, MD


Narrative: On 26 March 2010
at 10:09 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle operated by Lindsey Sutphin for speeding on Snow Hill Road. Upon stopping the vehicle and making contact with Sutphin, the deputy detected an odor of alcohol emanating from within the vehicle. The deputy administered road side field sobriety tests and made a determination that Sutphin was under the influence of alcohol.


Sutphin was placed under arrest and transported to the Maryland State Police barrack where a breath sample was obtained. The deputy released Sutphin upon her signing citations and agreeing to come to court when notified.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se
Driving While Impaired by Alcohol


Incident: Possession of Marijuana
Date of Incident: 28 March 2010
Location: Ocean Highway at Connelly Mill Road, Delmar, MD
Suspect: Nathan J. Hargett, 32, Salisbury, MD


Narrative: On 28 March 2010
at 9:16 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle operated by Nathan Hargett for erratic driving. Upon making contact with Hargett, the deputy detected the odor of marijuana emanating from him. The deputy searched Hargett and located a baggie of marijuana in his sock.


The deputy placed Hargett under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of a District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Hargett on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Possession of Marijuana
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia


Incident: Possession of Crack Cocaine
Date of Incident: 28 March 2010
Location: Salisbury Blvd. at Hampshire Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Virginia M. Kolper, 44, Delmar, MD


Narrative: On 28 March 2010 at 10:30 PM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle operated by Virginia Kolper for speeding on S/B Salisbury Blvd. While the deputy was completing his paperwork from the stop, he observed that Kolper was moving furtively around the interior of her vehicle. Based on his observation, the deputy requested that a WCSO drug K9 team respond and scan the vehicle for the presence of the odor of illegal drugs, during which the K9 alerted positively to that odor. Based on the alert, the deputy searched the vehicle and located a glass smoking tube that still contained the remnant of what the deputy recognized as crack cocaine.


The deputy placed Kolper under arrest and transported her to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released her on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Possession of Crack Cocaine
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

2,000 House Staffers Make Six Figures

Nearly 2,000 House of Representatives staffers pulled down six-figure salaries in 2009, including 43 staffers who earned the maximum $172,500 — or more than three times the median U.S. household income.

Starting salaries on Capitol Hill are still low — many entry-level congressional jobs pay less than $30,000 a year. And many of the most highly paid staffers could make several times the maximum by jumping to lobbying and consulting jobs in the private sector.

But the salary data, compiled for POLITICO by LegiStorm.com, show that it’s possible to make an enviable living in Congress, even without winning an election.

The 43 staffers who maxed out at $172,500 — the salary cap for leadership and committee staffers — include John Lawrence, chief of staff to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Paula Nowakowski, the late chief of staff to House Minority Leader John Boehner; and House Parliamentarian John Sullivan. They earned only slightly less than rank-and-file members of Congress, who make $174,000.

All the salary data are part of the public record and are culled from congressional office disbursement reports.

Most of the staffers at the top salary level serve on upper-level committee and leadership office staffs as staff directors, policy advisers and legislative counsels — positions that have often had direct input on the formation of major legislation, such as health care. Many of those staffers also have law degrees.

GO HERE to read more.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THERE WILL BE NO TRASH REMOVAL ON FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2010

DUE TO THE GOOD FRIDAY HOLIDAY.

REGULARLY SCHEDULED FRIDAY PICK UP WILL BE DONE ON

MONDAY, APRIL 5, 2010.

BULK PICK UP AND LEAF PICKUP WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS CHANGE.

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL THE CITY YARD

AT 410-548-3177

House Approves Stormwater Legislation In Effort To Put Compromise Into Law

Concerned that a compromise over new stormwater regulations is in jeopardy, the House of Delegates voted over the weekend to impose the compromise through legislation.

The compromise — reached earlier this month through difficult negotiations among environmentalists, lawmakers, builders and county officials — is currently locked in a joint General Assembly committee, and the committee chairman is threatening to block the compromise because he believes environmentalists gave up too much.

Under the stormwater regulations that are currently set to go into effect in May, builders have been concerned that projects that are underway — but do not yet have final permits — could be forced to go back to comply with new, stricter regulations, potentially costing millions of dollars. Many county officials have also been critical of the stricter regulations, warning that the rules could undermine their Smart Growth redevelopment efforts by making it prohibitively expensive to launch projects in older existing neighborhoods.

The compromise extends deadlines for complying with the new stormwater regulations and outlines alternatives for builders. Some environmental groups, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, have supported the compromise, but others have opposed it.

The ultimate goal of the stormwater regulations is to help the state reach a federally-mandated deadline of 2020 for cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay. The stormwater regulations would significantly curtail the amount of nitrogen pouring into the Bay, according to state environmental officials.

GO HERE to read more.

Delmarva Tech Expo 2010: April 22

Delmarva's Premier Business Technology Event
For the past three years, we've brought together the largest names in the technology industry to Delmarva to offer a day of education and demonstrations for our local businesses.

The day will begin with a keynote speaker from Cisco Systems. Then we'll offer vendor booths in an Expo-style floor setting and special breakout sessions highlighting key technologies that Delmarva businesses are using to cut operational costs, make their employees more efficient, and create more business value from their Internet marketing efforts.

Attend the Delmarva Tech Expo and learn about:

· Computer Networking

· Business Telephone Systems

· Internet Marketing

· Document Management

New breakout sessions for this year include:

Virtualization Solutions
Killer Apps for IP Office
Take Control of your Print Environment
Office 2010 Sneak Preview
Using Google Analytics to Track Website Performance
You can see them all on our Breakout Session Description Page.

The Fountains Wedding & Conference Center
Salisbury, MD
April 22, 2010
10AM - 4PM

As always, the event is free, but you must register at www.delmarvatechexpo.com

More DHS Raids Reported

Joe,

Just received an alert from a member of the militia network located off the radar in Canada that there are 2 more raids on militia groups currently taking place. One in Harding, Michigan, and one in Washinton Parish, Louisiana. The notification was as follows:

[4:52:33 PM] alarm and muster just activated again. FBI are hitting another group in harding MI and in washington parrish LA

[4:52:53 PM] MI Militia have answered and activated to support this group

[4:53:26 PM] apparently the small group that is being hit, got word, sent out a call for assistance, and MI Militia is answering

[4:53:41 PM] DHS involved

It was received by the canadian supporter and was re-broadcasted by Maine militia, Georgia militia, NC militia and others.

Things are tight lipped. This info came from within the militia itself - not some news organization.

Kindergarten/Prekindergarten Registration Now Open For 2010-11 School Year In Wicomico Schools

Parents and guardians may now register children on any school day for prekindergarten and kindergarten for the 2010-2011 school year in Wicomico County Public Schools.

Wicomico County elementary schools with primary grades are now enrolling children who will start prekindergarten or kindergarten next year, and children not in public kindergarten who will be enrolled in the first grade for the 2010-2011 school year.

Parents or guardians will need to bring immunization records (please see a doctor or the health department to ensure that the child’s vaccination record is complete), birth certificate and proof of residency for each child. Income verification is needed for prekindergarten registration ONLY.

The flier on prekindergarten/kindergarten registration and the table of state vaccination requirements may be downloaded from the Wicomico County Public Schools Web site at www.wcboe.org, under Quick Links.

The next school year will begin Aug. 30, 2010. The approved calendar for the 2010-2011 may be viewed and downloaded from the Board home page at www.wcboe.org, under Quick Links.

Call 410-677-4580 for any additional information, including early entrance into prekindergarten or kindergarten. The Board policy on early admission to kindergarten and prekindergarten is on the web site at www.wcboe.org; Look for Board of Education in Quick Links and click to go to Policies.

Kindergarten is mandatory for all 5-year-old Maryland children unless the parents or guardians have completed a Kindergarten-Level of Maturity Waiver Form. Forms are available at the schools or the Board website. Completed forms should be forwarded to the attention of Mrs. Susan Jones, Director of Elementary Education. Children must be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2010.

Prekindergarten is not mandatory, and is offered to qualified children who will be 4 by Sept. 1, 2010. Maryland and Delmar, Del., neighborhood children who come from low-income or at-risk situations, have prior participation in Head Start or who experience challenges like emergency or health problems, limited English proficiency, homelessness, or other home or family circumstances, will be given priority admission to prekindergarten. Children may also be recommended for the program by government or court referral. Parents or guardians whose child does not meet those criteria can put the child’s name on a waiting list, which will be used to fill any remaining slots. Documentation must be submitted prior to a child’s acceptance into the program.

AUDIT THE FEDERAL RESERVE: HR.1207 & S. 604

ASK SENATOR MIKULSKI TO C0-SPONSOR S. 604.

While Senator Cardin and Congressman Kratovil have co-sponsored this legislation, Senator Mikulski's support is glaringly absent.
Why does Senator Mikulski not support an audit of the Federal Reserve?

The Federal Reserve is the chief culprit behind the economic crisis. Its unlimited power to create money out of thin air brought us the boom and bust cycle and causes one financial bubble after another. By recklessly inflating the money supply the Fed intentionally distorts interest rates and erodes the value of the dollar.

Transparency and accountability is needed at the Fed. HR 1207, the bill to audit the Federal Reserve, passed as an amendment in the House Services Committee and in the House itself.
Opponents don't want their secrets exposed and at this very moment, they are working frantically behind the scenes to quietly derail all efforts to open up the Federal Reserve to independent scrutiny.

Currently, a handful of senators are rewriting the Financial Reform Bill to strip out AUDIT THE FED Amendment and actually expand the Fed's power over banks, lending and money.

WE MUST DEMAND THAT THEY:

1. Stand with nearly 80% of Americans who support a FULL audit of the Federal Reserve.
2. Withdraw their support for ANY effort to strip the bill of the Audit.
3. Opppose all efforts to grant the Fed more power under the guise of so-called 'reform'.

For too long, The Federal Reserve has been unaccountable to Congress and Congress unaccountable to the people.
WE DEMAND that Congress finally get tough with the renegade Federal Reserve.
Unlike the Federal Reserve, we cannot just print money out of thin air. We earn our money.

Senator Mikulski DC office: ( 202) 224-4654 Not yet a co-sponsor Salis (410) 546-7711

Senator Cardin (202) 224-4524 Salis. (410) 546-4250
Rep. Kratovil (202) 225-5311 Salis (410) 334-3072

School Bus Accident

A School Bus was rear ended on Old Ocean City Road near the United Methodist Church. No injuries reported.

STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON PASSOVER

ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Martin O’Malley issued the following statement recognizing Passover:

“On behalf of my family, I want to extend warm wishes to Maryland's Jewish community on this first night of Passover, as families across the state participate in the age old holiday tradition of the Passover Seder.”