News, Views and Random Concerns: Citizen Journalism for the Good of Talbot County

Craigslist Buyer Beware

Craigslist is a great service but if you deal with people you aren’t meeting face to face you risk getting scammed. Craigslist is a great resource for selling things, finding apartments, locating services and meeting people. Most of the time transactions go smoothly and both seller and buyer are satisfied with the Craigslist experience.

Danger awaits the unwary buyer or seller on Craigslist. Most these scams follow the same pattern you see on eBay and other online auction sites. Try posting that you have a piece of jewelry or some other easily-mailed valuable item for sale and the first response you get will probably be someone trying scam you.

More from PC Mag & Fraudguides

If you are selling any items on craigslist, and you believe you have received a fake check, please take a look here to see how you can verify that for sure and what to do:

How To Shop Safely Online

Online shopping is wonderfully convenient, but if you’re not careful you can fall victim to frauds, scams, or identity theft. Follow these tips to stay safe while shopping online.

 

Shopping online is so much more pleasant than going out to the mall. You don’t have to change out of your pajamas, don’t have to fight traffic, and don’t have to wrangle with other shoppers at the sale table. Be careful, though, or you might become a commodity for sale. Here are some tips to keep your online shopping worry-free.
More from PC Mag

How to Benefit from Google’s Search Plus

As Google continues to adjust  the integration of more authoritative search results based on social content, businesses wishing to compete with the first page search results will need to seriously consider how to integrate Google+ into their internet marketing strategies.

The integration of social search data is nothing new for Google, but with the release of Google’s new Search Plus Your World (SPYW and also known as Search+) search engine experts and journalists have been raising alarms over privacy and search relevance. Are there new factors for businesses to take into account now that Search+ has become the default search setting for Google?

“Local SEO may take the biggest hit with Google’s Search+, as personal results take up the top search spots, crowding out local results in some tests. This means that businesses that rely on local search results need to build local connections on Google+ in order to remain on the radar of Search+ results.”

By Guest Writer Lior Levin on behalf of Pandia Search news

What We Already Know about Google and Google Plus

Google+ has been an important part of helping content rank higher in a Google search long before the controversy over Search+. According to Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Land, “Social Search results have, since October 2009, allowed content from people you know to rank higher, if you’re logged in.”

With the rising popularity of Google+, a presence on Google+ can help you rank higher in search results. If customers A and B are friends, but only customer B is following you on Google+, you could appear higher in customer A’s search results because of your common connection with customer B.

Sullivan adds in his article, “Google has previously said that gaining +1s can help improve your ranking for those who have directly +1ed your content, as well as for those they are connected to. In addition, it can show even those who aren’t connected or using +1 an overall count for your page, should it appear for them naturally.” This integration of social search …..MORE

Pandia Search news

News Center hosts signing event for “Elf on the Shelf”

The News Center at Talbot Town will hosts special signing event with the author of the Best-Selling Children’s Storybook, The Elf on the Shelf, Tuesday November 10th from 10-12pm.
                                      

Selling over 1.5 million copies since 2005, The Elf on the Shelf® was written by mother/daughter team, Carol V. Aebersold and Chanda A. Bell, Illustrated by Coë Steinwart. The Elf on the Shelf comes in a keepsake box with an illustrated watercolor board book and a special elf from the North Pole tucked inside. The book tells the story of the scout elves sent by Santa with a mission to keep watch over children during the holiday season. When an elf is adopted by a family and given a name, it receives its Christmas magic. The magic is critical, granting the elf the power to observe all the family fun each day during the holiday season and then fly back to Santa’s workshop with a report each night. When children wake up the next morning, they race to see where their elf has decided to sit for the day ahead – creating a hide-and-seek game throughout the holiday season for the whole family to enjoy.
            Inspired by their family’s own pixie elf, Fisbee, who appeared each holiday season, Aebersold and Bell decided to share their family tradition with other in 2005. They joined forces with Christa Pitts, Bell’s twin sister, and the three women started their own publishing company, CCA and B, from scratch. What began with 5,000 copies and 18 retail partners in 2005 is now well over 10,000 and there are no signs of slowing down.

The News Center 410-822-7212

Hurricane Irene Advisory Update – August 27, 2011 7:00 A.M.

Thanks to Clay and everyone at Talbot CountyDES for continuing these important updates.

At 9:29 am we are starting to see some of the first rain bands and a good steady wind out of the north.

Hurricane Irene Advisory Update – August 27, 2011

by Talbot County Emergency Services (DES)
 Threat – Talbot County
remains under a Hurricane Warning and a Flood Watch from this afternoon through

Sunday. Hurricane Irene continues to be a threat to Talbot County and this

region for this afternoon into Sunday morning with winds of 40-50 mph, wind gusts up to

65 mph and up to 6-10 inches of rain with moderate tidal flooding.  *A Hurricane Warningis an announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds over 74 mph) are expected

within the specified area within 36 hours and a Flood Watchmeans

there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

Forcast storm Track for Saturday through Monday by NHC.


 
Public Recommendations -

Use the next few hours to complete preparations for a possible Category 1

hurricane moving into our area. Talbot County has initiated an evacuation of

all areas west of the Oak Creek Bridge on Md. Route 33, Oxford, and low lying

areas prone to flooding from the effects of a Category 1 Hurricane. Consider

staying with friends or relatives, and if needed a Shelter is open at the

Easton High School located at 720 Mecklenburg Avenue in Easton.
 
Individuals who decide to remain in their homes should

ensure they have provisions to last 48 to 72 hours without electricity or

assistance. A full range of preparedness recommendations can be found at www.ready.gov the www.talbotdes.org

web sites, by calling 410-770-8160, or by stopping by the Operations Center

located at 605 Port Street in Easton.
 
Forecast Remarks –

Hurricane Irene remains a strong storm and is rapidly approaching the east coast of the

United States.  It is currently located 35 miles south of Cape Look Out

North Carolina and 95 miles southwest of Cape Hatteras North Carolina and is

moving north at 14 MPH.   A Hurricane Warning has been issued from

Little River Inlet North Carolina northward to Sagamore Beach Massachusetts

including the Chesapeake Bay as far north as Drum Point. Further watches and

warning will be issued as needed.  Heavy rain and tropical storm force

winds are forecast for our area later this afternoon through Sunday

morning.  The first bands of rain appear to be moving into the area in the

next few hours according to radar.  Rain totals are expected to reach 6 to

10 inches.
 
Regional Coordination

– Agencies/Organizations should be completing actions at this time to prepare

for the forecasted storm… EOC meetings continue regularly with a current

activation to level 3.  A full activation will take place as the storm

approaches the region later today.
 
Winds and Tides – NWS

Marine Forecast –  TODAY Tropical Storm conditions

expected  NE winds 20-25 knots with gusts to 30 knots…increasing to

25-35 knots in the afternoon. Waves building to 4 feet…TONIGHT…North

winds 40 to 50 knots with gusts up to 70 knots. Waves 6 feet Tropical

Storm conditions expected.  SUNDAY…Northwest wind 25 to 35 knots

with gusts to 50 knots, diminishing to 25 to 30 knots with gusts to 40 in the

afternoon. Waves 3 feet subsiding to 2 feet in the afternoon Tides:  High

Tide at Easton Point, TODAY 2:44 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. SUNDAY 3:30

a.m. and 3:52 p.m. MONDAY 4:15 a.m. and 4:44 p.m. Oxford TODAY

2:38 a.m. and 2:54 p.m. SUNDAY 3:24 a.m. and 3:46 p.m. MONDAY

4:09 a.m. and 4:38 p.m. St. Michaels TODAY 2:44 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. SUNDAY

3:30 a.m. and 3:52 p.m. MONDAY 4:15 a.m. and 4:44 p.m.
 
Local Sheltering Issues

–  A local shelter is now OPEN at Easton High School located

at 720 Mecklenburg Avenue, Easton, MD
 
Local Evacuation Issues

– Talbot County has initiated an evacuation of all areas west of the Oak Creek

Bridge on Md. Route 33, Oxford, and low lying areas prone to flooding from the

effects of a Category 1 Hurricane…  Evacuations should be completed by

noon today if at all possible.  All jurisdictions on Maryland Eastern

Shore have initiated evacuations at this time.

Talbot DES Hurricane Irene Advisory Update

Talbot DES Hurricane Irene Advisory Update – August 25, 2011 2300 hours

Threat – A Tropical Storm Watch and Flood Watch are in place for our area…Hurricane Irene continues to be a serious threat to Talbot County and this region for Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning with winds of 35-50 mph, up to 10-12 inches of rain, and moderate to severe tidal flooding. *A Tropical Storm Watch is an announcement that tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the specified area within 48 hours and a Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

Public Recommendations – Use the next 36 hours to prepare for a possible Tropical Storm or Category 1 hurricane moving into our area. Persons in known low lying areas prone to flooding should prepare to move out of the area prior to Saturday afternoon, and if possible go to friends or relatives on higher ground. Persons who decide to remain in their homes should ensure they have provisions to last 48 to 72 hours without electricity or assistance. A full range of preparedness recommendations can be found at www.ready.gov the www.talbotdes.org web sites, by calling 410-770-8160, or by stopping by the Operations Center located at 605 Port Street in Easton.

Forecast Remarks – Hurricane Irene remains a dangerous storm and is moving towards the east coast of the United States. It is currently located 490 miles south-southwest of Cape Hatteras North Carolina and is moving north at 14 MPH. Talbot County has been placed under a Tropical Storm Watch as well as a Flood Watch for Saturday afternoon into Sunday. A Hurricane Watch has been issued from the North Carolina/Virginia border northward to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Further watches and warning will be issued as needed. Heavy rain and tropical storm force winds are forecast for our area Saturday night through Sunday morning. Rain totals are expected to reach 6 to 10 inches.

Regional Coordination – Agencies/Organizations should take necessary actions at this time to prepare for the forecasted storm… EOC meetings continue regularly with a current activation to level 3. A full activation is expected to take place as the storm approaches the region Saturday.

Winds and Tides – NWS Marine Forecast – Saturday – Tropical Storm conditions possible E winds 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 knots…increasing to 25-30 knots in the afternoon. Waves building to 1 ft in the afternoon…Saturday Night…Northeast winds 30 to 40 knots increasing to 45-55 knots after midnight. Waves 4 feet heavy rain . Sunday…Tropical Storm conditions possible Tides: High Tide at Easton Point, Saturday 2:44 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sunday 3:30 a.m. and 3:52 p.m. Monday 4:15 a.m. and 4:44 p.m. Oxford Saturday 2:38 a.m. and 2:54 p.m. Sunday 3:24 a.m. and 3:46 p.m. Monday 4:09 a.m. and 4:38 p.m. St. Michaels Saturday 2:44 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sunday 3:30 a.m. and 3:52 p.m. Monday 4:15 a.m. and 4:44 p.m.

Local Sheltering Issues – Pending/ August 26-27, 2011

Local Evacuation Issues – Persons in known low lying areas prone to tidal flooding in Talbot County should make preparations to relocate if it becomes necessary (Maps can be viewed on the www.talbotdes.org web site that highlights “Known Low Lying Areas prone to flooding.” (Category 1 Surge) Further information will be provided with any recommendations to relocate

Communications – Current – Primary updates to key personnel by email and by EOC Briefings

Public Communications – Public media outlets directly from the National Weather Service and advisories issued by the Talbot County Department of Emergency Services local and regional media, social media Facebook search – Talbot County Emergency Services and Twitter search – Talbotdes…

The Talbot County Department of Emergency Services will issue the next update at 0800 hours

Irene to Impact the Delmarva this Weekend

by Frank Roylance
http://weblogs.marylandweather.com/

Hurricane Irene is continuing its march toward the East Coast. The Category 3 storm strengthened Wednesday, and its top sustained winds are near 115 miles per hour, and even more power is expected today and tonight, the National Weather Service said in an advisory this morning.

Right now, the storm’s hurricane-force winds extend 70 miles from the center, the NWS said, and the tropical storm-force winds swell out 255 miles.

As the storm moves over the Bahamas, it’s expected to drop 6 to 12 inches of rain in addition to its life-threatening rip currents and waves, the NWS said.

But for Maryland, wind may not be our biggest worry as Irene approaches. Forecast models are predicting a potential for tremendous rain as the storm moves up the coast – as much as 11 or 12 inches of rain is predicted to fall this weekend just off the coast. It would take only a slight shift in the storm track to bring that kind of rain onshore.

And even if the computer’s prediction proves accurate, the rain totals forecast for the Delmarva Peninsula still come in at 8 or 9 inches. And for the Western Shore, totals come to 4 to 5 inches.

 

 

For all of us here in Talbot County, there are resourses to keep us aware of the situation as it becomes more intense. We Will all try to keep the very latest information on this very strong storm.

 Here’s a preparedness guide from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency.

Mr.Clay Stamp, Director of Emergency Services for Talbot County has a rather good Facebook page that’s constantly updated.

Delmarva Power Outage Map

Storm Pulse Tracking

National Hurricane Center

 

What Does the Heat Index really tell us?

During the busy hot summer months here in the Mid-Atlantic, we must also be aware of when the weather becomes severe. One of those conditions is extreme heat. Be careful out there.

The National Weather Service devised the “Heat Index” (HI) which is the “apparent temperature” for a hot humid day. It is given in degrees Fahrenheit and is an accurate measure of how hot it really feels. Since HI values were devised for shady, light wind conditions, exposure to full sunshine can increase HI values by up to 15°F. My friend Jono, had many theories about this, so I’m helping him out.

This calculator computes the heat index based on temperature and relative humidity using a formula developed by the National Weather Service.

T = temperature in degrees Fahrenheit [°F]
RH = relative humidity in percent [%]
The effects of high heat index values are given in the following table provided by the NWS: Category  Classification  HI [°F]  General Affect on People at High Risk 
I  Extremely Hot  130°F or Higher  Heat or Sunstroke highly likely with continued exposure 
II  Very Hot  105°F – 130°F  Sunstroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion likely, and heatstroke possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity 
III  Hot  90°F – 105°F  Sunstroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity 
IV  Very Warm  80°F – 90°F  Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity

More on this: http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/heat.php

Thanks, Noaa, NWS , wikipedia

Bannon judges Md. 1st District Art Competition

Art Judge

Maureen Bannon, a seasoned artist and judge from Stevensville, chose “A Homeless Patriot in Washington D.C.,” by Haylee Scarborough of Millersville on April 29 to represent Maryland’s First Congressional District in the 2011 Congressional Art Competition.

By SHAUNA THOMPSON Staff Writer The Star Democrat
CHESTER Maureen Bannon of Stevensville received the honor of choosing one piece of student art to represent Maryland’s Congressional 1st District in the national Congressional Art Competition, judged on April 29 at the Kent Island District office of U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.-1st.

Bannon was the perfect nonbiased judge for Maryland’s 1st as no artwork from her hometown, Kent Island, or the entire Eastern Shore was submitted.

She chose “A Homeless Patriot in Washington D.C.,” a watercolor painting by Haylee Scarborough of Rockbridge Academy in Millersville.

An accomplished painter, photographer and workshop leader in the Baltimore-Washington area, Bannon said she was impressed with the artist’s positioning of the subject, a homeless person wrapped in an American flag, between two different sized cars.

“I look for horizontals and verticals. She connected the horizontals and verticals,” said Bannon. “It’s beautifully executed. The artist draws the viewer into the piece.”

Scarborough will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony this month before her painting is installed along with artwork from, potentially 434, other congressional districts across the country. The student exhibition will hang in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., for the next year.

Haylee is the daughter of Vince and Virginia Scarborough of Millersville.

The contest is sponsored by the members of the U.S. House of Representatives and is open to high school students, grades nine through 12 with some exceptions made for students attending schools with non-standard structures. It is intended to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents, say administrators. Since its conception in 1982, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

High school art teachers are encouraged to note this program on their calendar for 2012.

For more information, go to www.house.gov/house/ArtGuidelines.shtml.

Eastern Shore of Md. in Need of More Doctors

by Brian Spyros WBOC
EASTON, Md.- Some state lawmakers say there are not enough doctors on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to handle the increasing population. The growth is putting pressure on many of the existing doctors in the area.

“As the community is growing the physicians are expanding beyond their ability,” said Dr. Walter Gianelle of “Your Doc’s In” in Easton.

Gianelle said a shortage in physicians has been an issue since 1993. Many say low compensation and the inability to keep doctors on the Eastern Shore plays a part in the low number of doctors.

Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury is now in talks with the University of Maryland Eastern Shore to build a medical school at its campus in Princess Anne. PRMC officials said that right now it is just in the exploratory phase but noted a medical school could attract future doctors to the area.

“I think what has traditionally worked is when you recruit people who live in that area to go to that med school, then they have a reason to stay,” Gianelle said.

http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=14298977