The place where the world comes together in honesty and mirth. Windmills Tilted, Scared Cows Butchered, Lies Skewered on the Lance of Reality ... or something to that effect.
A developer's proposal to expand a marina in North Carolina's oldest town has stirred up a decades-long debate about whether there should be growth there.
The Daily Reflector of Greenville reports the latest controversy in the town of Bath stems from a plan to widen a boardwalk, add a stairway to the roof and extend three piers at the Quarterdeck Marina.
Opponents say the proposal would increase noise, water pollution and boat congestion in the mostly residential area. Others say it is necessary to improve safety at the only business in the area that provides a public ramp and gas for boaters.
Both sides agree that the plan is the latest issue in a struggle between those who want growth and those who worry about altering the town's image and appeal.
"This is a unique, small town with historical value and it needs to be protected," said Josie Hookway, a resident and former president of the Historic Bath Commission. "There is concern that some of the development in the area might negatively affect that."
John Baldwin has spearheaded development since 2005 for a trio of subdivisions. He also owns several other waterfront lots along Bath Creek and one of the town's last undeveloped commercial properties.
Baldwin, who with his wife owns the Quarterdeck, say they have encountered resistance from residents and town officials who they believe are opposed to any type of growth. But they say they have a petition signed by hundreds who favor the Quarterdeck expansion. Bath has a population of approximately 270.
"There is a core group of people in Bath who do not want this town to grow," Cindy Baldwin said. "They want it exactly the way it is. Our point is we want it to grow tastefully. We want controlled growth and we want to do it by preserving the historic aspect of the town."
Some say the subdivisions and potential commercial development proposed near the historic district might alter the character of the town renowned for being the home of the infamous pirate Blackbeard and some of the oldest structures in the state, one of which dates back to 1734.
Town Commissioner Jay Hardin said a decision regarding proposals for the Quarterdeck is expected Monday during the commission's regular meeting. However, Hardin thinks it is unlikely to end debates between the two factions of the town.
Homeowner and part-time resident Gene Roberts said similar proposals for two marinas and the expansion of what is currently the Quarterdeck were rejected more than 20 years ago by Bath commissioners and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers because of the "fragile" waters.
Bath, created in 1705, is approximately 140 miles east of Raleigh.
A blond decides to go hunting. She buys a rifle and other needed gear and sets off. As she's driving down the road she sees a sign that says "Bear Left" so she turns around and goes home!
They know the damage has been done, that the talk about so-called non-existent death panels has impacted health care reform, so now the repugicans are saying "Mea Culpa." Such is the case of Charles Grassley (retard-Iowa) who championed the idea less than two weeks ago.
One of the most widely accepted arguments against a government medical plan for the middle class is that it would quash competition — just what private insurers seem to be doing themselves in many parts of the U.S.
Glenn Brick returns to Faux News Channel after a vacation (read: rehab) on Monday with fewer companies willing to advertise on his show than when he left, part of the fallout from calling President Barack Obama a racist.
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Put aside those loose ends for now and concentrate on initiating something that's near and dear to your heart. It's a fantastic time to lay the foundations for a project that needs lots of time and TLC. So start drawing up plans, brainstorming and building those castles in the air. Make sure to give yourself plenty of freedom. Think of the sky not as being the limit, but more like a ... guideline.
Guaranty Bank became the second-largest U.S. bank to fail this year after the Texas lender was shut down by regulators and most of its operations sold at a loss of billions of dollars for the U.S. government to a major Spanish bank.
Police in New Haven accused a Wal-Mart worker of beating an assistant manager in a store aisle with an aluminum baseball bat after getting reprimanded for the second time in a few days.
Cartoon versions of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison in “Yellow Submarine.”
More than 40 years after Old Fred fired up the titular vehicle of “Yellow Submarine” and used it to round up four Liverpool lads who would defend Pepperland from the Blue Meanies, Disney is preparing a remake of the Beatles’ 1968 animated movie.
There is no punishment harsh enough for the one(s) who did this ...
A puppy is fighting for her life after she was found in a North Carolina park with burns over much of her body.
The News & Record of Greensboro reports Saturday that a man found the 10-week-old mixed-breed puppy Thursday morning in Greenfield Park in Greensboro.
Authorities say the puppy has second- and third-degree burns on her head, back, stomach, tail and legs. Guilford County Animal Shelter director Marsha Williams says the dog's ears were burned off, and her jaw was broken.
Veterinarians put the dog on pain medicine and sent her home with a shelter volunteer for the weekend. They say she'll have months of treatment.
Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, August 22nd, 2009
Each and every day in this country, Americans are grappling with health care premiums that are growing three times the rate of wages and insurance company policies that limit coverage and raise out-of-pocket costs. Thousands are losing their insurance coverage each day.
Without real reform, the burdens on America’s families and businesses will continue to multiply. We’ve had a vigorous debate about health insurance reform, and rightly so. This is an issue of vital concern to every American, and I’m glad that so many are engaged.
But it also should be an honest debate, not one dominated by willful misrepresentations and outright distortions, spread by the very folks who would benefit the most by keeping things exactly as they are.
So today, I want to spend a few minutes debunking some of the more outrageous myths circulating on the internet, on cable TV, and repeated at some town halls across this country.
Let’s start with the false claim that illegal immigrants will get health insurance under reform. That’s not true. Illegal immigrants would not be covered. That idea has never even been on the table. Some are also saying that coverage for abortions would be mandated under reform. Also false. When it comes to the current ban on using tax dollars for abortions, nothing will change under reform. And as every credible person who has looked into it has said, there are no so-called "death panels" – an offensive notion to me and to the American people. These are phony claims meant to divide us.
And we’ve all heard the charge that reform will somehow bring about a government takeover of health care. I know that sounds scary to many folks. It sounds scary to me, too. But here’s the thing: it’s not true. I no sooner want government to get between you and your doctor than I want insurance companies to make arbitrary decisions about what medical care is best for you, as they do today. As I’ve said from the beginning, under the reform we seek, if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your private health insurance plan, you can keep your plan. Period.
Now, the source of a lot of these fears about government-run health care is confusion over what’s called the public option. This is one idea among many to provide more competition and choice, especially in the many places around the country where just one insurer thoroughly dominates the marketplace. This alternative would have to operate as any other insurer, on the basis of the premiums it collects. And let me repeat – it would be just an option; those who prefer their private insurer would be under no obligation to shift to a public plan.
The insurance companies and their allies don’t like this idea, or any that would promote greater competition. I get that. And I expect there will be a lot of discussion about it when Congress returns.
But this one aspect of the health care debate shouldn’t overshadow the other important steps we can and must take to reduce the increasing burdens families and businesses face.
So let me stress them again: If you don’t have insurance, you will finally have access to quality coverage you can afford. If you do have coverage, you will benefit from more security and more stability when it comes to your insurance. If you move, lose your job, or change jobs, you will not have to worry about losing health coverage. And we will set up tough consumer protections that will hold insurance companies accountable and stop them from exploiting you with unfair practices.
We’ll prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person’s medical history. They will not be able to drop your coverage if you get sick. They will not be able to water down your coverage when you need it most. They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or a lifetime. We’ll place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because no one in America should go broke because they get sick.
And we will require insurance companies to cover routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer on the front end. That makes sense, it saves lives, and it will also save money over the long-run. Taken together, the reforms we’re seeking will help bring down skyrocketing costs, which will mean real savings for families, businesses, and government.
We know what a failure to act would bring: More of the same. More of the same exploding costs. More of the same diminished coverage. If we fail to act, the crisis will grow. More families will go without coverage. More businesses will be forced to drop or water down their plans.
So we can push off the day of reckoning and fail to deal with the flaws in the system, just as Washington has done, year after year, decade after decade. Or we can take steps that will provide every American family and business a measure of security and stability they lack today.
It has never been easy, moving this nation forward. There are always those who oppose it, and those who use fear to block change. But what has always distinguished America is that when all the arguments have been heard, and all the concerns have been voiced, and the time comes to do what must be done, we rise above our differences, grasp each others’ hands, and march forward as one nation and one people, some of us Democrats, some of us Republicans, all of us Americans.
This is our chance to march forward. I cannot promise you that the reforms we seek will be perfect or make a difference overnight. But I can promise you this: if we pass health insurance reform, we will look back many years from now and say, this was the moment we summoned what’s best in each of us to make life better for all of us. This was the moment when we built a health care system worthy of the nation and the people we love. This was the moment we earned our place alongside the greatest generations. And that is what our generation of Americans is called to do right now.
When things get tricky today, it might be easy to let someone else take over the decision-making, but is it in your best interest? You're up for whatever challenges come along, so don't sit on the sidelines. Jump in there and start getting things done -- be more actively involved in what you're doing today. Every challenge is an opportunity to be proud of yourself, so if you let those situations pass you by, or you allow someone else take care of them, you're cheating yourself.
George posted this very good question yesterday over at Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.
Why do republicans hate Americans?
Why do republicans hate Americans? Hate them with a red hot passion they must. Look at how they spend American taxpayer money. When they were in control and had carte blanche they spent trillions on tax cuts that mostly ended up in offshore investments and overseas bank accounts. Now, when they have a chance to help Americans by spending less than $100 billion a year on health care for Americans who will die without health care they are doing everything they can do stop it. Why do republicans hate Americans so?
Now, can we have they answer? How about it, repugicans, can you muster enough fortitude to answer the question?!
Jon Stewart had "death panel" idea originator Betsy McCaughey on his show on Thursday. It should be noted that McCaughey never used the term "death panel" herself, or at least, did not coin that phrase (it came from Alaska, ahem), but she originated the idea that the health care reform bill promoted euthanasia.
Any impulse buys you make on credit today could end up draining your bank account of much-needed funds, so save the shopping until you're feeling more flush and can pay with cash. It's wise to take your time in any buying situation -- after all, what's the big rush? Make sure that you've done all your research before making any purchase, especially when it comes to big-ticket items like automobiles, computers or television sets. A new gadget can be seductive but not worth its price.
A Dutchman and his grandson boarded a flight to Sydney, looking forward to visiting sunny Australia, but ended up in a much chillier Sydney, in Nova Scotia, Canada
Helen Keller — inspiration to generations and inspiration for an entire genre of schoolyard humor — and her teacher and friend Anne Sullivan in a clip from 1930 in which they describe the way in which Helen learned how to speak ... It’s a fascinating little clip which pays homage to a woman who, even beyond her amazing circumstances, was a radical socialist, suffragist, and supporter of birth control, who was friends with the likes of Mark Twain and who worked tirelessly to champion the rights of both the downtrodden and the physically disabled.
The case of Henry Louis Gates and arresting officer Sgt. James Crowley still has legs, it seems. Through a Massachusetts public records request, the Boston Herald has uncovered a number of complaints filed against Crowley in the past.
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It's not usually tough to get along with you. To dear ones, you're downright predictable -- not in a bad way, but because you're so grounded, stable and solid. Those traits won't apply to you now, though, so get ready to shake things up. Once you open your mouth, you'll be anything but predictable. It's kind of nice to surprise the crowd every now and then, though, isn't it?
A material made from muscle proteins that changes its stiffness and elasticity on demand could help regrow body tissues lost to injury or illness.
