Maryland relaxes on Mary Jane and Andy Harris sticks his nose in Democracy -else where.

While Congressional District 1, Andy Harris meddles in a voting District that he doesn't represent, the Citizen of Maryland now find the climate for Medical and Recreational Marijuana relax.

• The House and Senate have reached a final agreement on plans to make medical marijuana more widely available.
• New laws reduces the penalty for possessing small amounts of marijuana from 90-days in jail and a $1,000 fine, to a civil fine starting at $100. 

http://www.wbal.com/article/106497/3/lawmakers-wrap-up-session-without-film-tax-credit-deal-minimum-wage-marijuana-bills-pass

If Andy Harris own states is making Marijuana normal how can he keep getting away with arbitrarily interfering in the District of Columbia's legal Democratic voting process.

Rep Andy Harris' needs to check his own office for underage abuse.

So, hopefully by now folks in MARYLAND's 1st DISTRICT are waking up to the fact that your elected official Rep Andy Harris,  has a new colony to look after, it's small area of land known as the District Of Columbia --   You know-- the "Capital of the free world" where citizens are arbitrarily exposed to rules made by folks that don't live in this geographic area ....

Now it's no secret that congress in particular White, old, GOP men love to stick their nose into the affairs of the District of Columbia -- kinda a savior of everything in DC and nothing at home syndrome.

In this case Rep Andy Harris claims that DC citizens are endangering the lives of kids,

"Leading the charge was Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), who said the measure was “bad policy” that would harm children.   BTW this  article by Mike Debonis suggest that Rep Harris interfering in DC might have have just legalized marijuana 

Funny thing about choosing which drug does or doesn't harm kids!  Since it turns out that Rep Harris' Capitol Hill office is a prime example of dangers to kids;  Yet, since it has to do with Alcohol ,which I point out further below is a huge issue in his own District, it's really not a problem....

"Now there is a report of underage drinking in the office of Rep. Andy Harris. Joe Steffen reported that Harris Chief of Staff Kevin Reigurt bought alcohol for a party celebrating the completion of an internship at the end of the summer. The intern who was being honored was not of legal age, per Steffen. In fact, he goes on to write that the intern was kicked out of the internship program early. Reigurt reportedly tried to blame another staffer for the incident. The father of that alleged scapegoat, Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun, is said to have confronted Harris over the phone about it, according to Steffen.
In the Palazzo and Larsen cases, low-level staffers were fired swiftly. In the case of Harris, Steffen questions why Reigurt is still Chief of Staff. The Harris situation is just now breaking, so it remains to be seen what, if anything will be done."  Quintonreport.com

This story was also covered in the Baltimore Sun. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-01-03/news/bal-harris-faces-report-of-underage-drinking-by-intern-20120103_1_underage-drinking-intern-harris

With just a few key strokes further digging reveals that Rep Harris's own District has a real health issue and it's, you guessed it's Alcohol.

Talbot County ranks first in the state for alcohol-related treatment admissions for individuals 21 and under. Talbot County 8th, 10th and 12th graders have among the highest rates of alcohol abuse in Maryland. Nearly 60% of our high school seniors use alcohol on a regular basis. Students as young as 6th grade have reported alcohol use! While alcohol is the drug of choice for Talbot County teens and pre-teens, other drugs including marijuana, cocaine, K2/Spice, ecstasy, heroin and prescription drugs are used by our youth at unacceptably high levels. http://www.easternshoresavvy.com/hot-seat/talbot-county's-new-drug-problem/

To anyone reading tea leaves-- it seems that the good doctors really cares more about making a statement then leading in the area he's elected or in his own words.

 “The Constitution treats the District of Columbia and Maryland differently,” says Harris.

I have to wonder if the voters in Maryland 1st District know they were electing someone to fix DC or to go to work in Washington for their behalf - since there is a difference it might be helpful to know in advance.

i95 fire pictures from Saturday Feb 19th 2001

This is just South of  Balimore MD and it was visable

BTW The smoke was viable before the Harbor Tunnel. 

We could see the i95 South traffic coming to a stop @ 130pm

This is 198 and it is blocked off

All pictures are granted a fair-use exemption for new, school or other community blogs. 

Maryland Congressional leaders are you with us or for them.

This Thursday, the House of Representatives is expected to hand phone companies a get-out-of-jail-free card for illegally turning over your private phone records to the government. I don’t have to tell you how wrong this is.

We have 48 hours to stop them. Tell Rep. Chris Van Hollen that you oppose any effort to cover-up illegal spying on Americans. We will deliver the letter before Thursday's vote.

Tell Rep. Chris Van Hollen: No Cover Up

This is vital to protecting your basic right to make a phone call, send an e-mail or search the Internet without the government monitoring your activity.

After intense lobbying by AT&T, Verizon and the Bush White House, the Senate has already signed off on immunity for these companies. If the House passes the FISA bill this week, more than 40 legitimate lawsuits currently pending against phone companies will disappear before they've begun.

Americans have had their rights violated, and now Congress may pass a bill that gives us no legal remedy. When you are accused of breaking the law, you should have your day in court. Neither the phone companies nor this White House is above the law

Remember how your representatives vote on this it is the difference between US and the large companies......

You can send a letter via FreePress campaign....


Technorati Tags: Van Hollen, FISA, Congress, Phone companies

Arresting a citizen while we keep criminals in office.

I have to ask what County Executive Ike Leggett is going to do about this knowing the man I cannot believe that he finds this acceptable to have Montgomery County resources wasted on arresting someone for free speech. Ike are you with the people on this if not you will not stay in office too long.

Technorati Tags: Kensington, Allen McConnell, Impeach Bush, Arrested for Selling buttons

Chesapeake and global warming who knew????

Warming Poses Threats To Chesapeake, Group Says - washingtonpost.com

Warming Poses Threats To Chesapeake, Group Says

By David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 20, 2007; Page B01

Climate change has already begun to alter the Chesapeake Bay, warming and raising its waters in a way that could unbalance delicate ecosystems and doom low-lying islands, according to a report released yesterday by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The report, citing scientific research from around the bay, sketched a prognosis that was troubling even by the standards of the Chesapeake -- a beautiful but polluted estuary that environmentalists have spent decades trying to save.

Oh wait did not the last Governor of Maryland claim to have made progress on the Chesapeake under this Republican Administration. I guess we can discount that along with just about any thing the GOP claims.

Didn't Al Gore have something to say about this Inconvenient truth?

Technorati Tags: Chesapeake Bay, Climate Change, Al Gore

Forgot to include the Financial's in a HOA disclosures. OPPS

Bail-Out Deadlines by E-Mail - washingtonpost.com

Bail-Out Deadlines by E-Mail

By Elizabeth Razzi
Sunday, July 15, 2007; Page F05

Buying a condominium? A house in a neighborhood run by a homeowners association? You had better stay on top of your e-mail.

A very large and extremely important document could be coming your way. Its arrival starts the clock ticking on a short period during which you can cancel the deal, should you desire to back out of your purchase contract.
New laws that took effect in Virginia on July 1 change the process for distributing the extensive disclosure packages that must be given to anyone buying a home that is part of a condo or homeowners association. While the law directly affects Virginians, buyers in the District and Maryland, where the disclosure requirements are not as detailed as they are in the Old Dominion, may find the effects spilling over as management companies that do business in all three jurisdictions adopt new practices.

If your in the District of Columbia and you happen to live in a Townhouse or Singe Family Homeowner Association you can stop reading this article here.

Why?

Because the leaders of the District have failed for years now at mine and others prodding to establish an HOA Act which is what is the triggering mechanism in this need to disclose. As the District does not have such an Act there is no specific law as is the case in MD or VA to disclose anything about rules and regulations.

Whats more in Maryland the HOA Act does not require that financial information about the community be provided to the buyer. So the budget, pending litigations or special assessments are made available to the new homeowners after they move in. Seem pretty fair to me and you too I bet. Having heard one of the principle in this ruse brag about how they fought to keep this from becoming part of the law. I have to wonder of the community and homeowners share this excitement with them. What I was told is that it would be too hard to provide this information at closing time.

So is there any wonder in what area of the housing market the last foot will fall. If you have been reading this blog you know that I know that HOA and Condo fees are not being paid and thus these communities are running negative budgets. But since the District and Maryland don't disclose this information before settlement those perspective homeowners that are buying may not and have no idea what the status of the communities financial health is or will be in the future until rules, regulations and financial information are fully disclosed.



So I have an idea for Elizabeth why not do a story on why the District has failed to enact such a law or why Maryland does not require the Financial s to be included.

Technorati Tags: Homeowners Associations, Disclosure Laws, HOA Documnets, Rules & regulations