Skateboard Park

Let me say first of all I have nothing against a skateboard park. As a matter of fact I think it is a grand idea to get boarders away from vehicles on the street and pedestrians on sidewalks. However, if your going to promote a park and provide a place for these guys and gals to have fun, at least insist on proper safety equipment. In the photos Albero has provided on his site there is but a handful of riders wearing helmets. None that I saw wearing elbow or knee pads and certainly none wearing wrist guards. One photo shows one person flat on his back. Had he just fallen? One can assume so as it does not seem feasible that he just decided to take a nap.

Falls are inevitable, I understand that. But when noggin meets asphalt or concrete at an accelerated rate---the noggin will lose. Albero now boasts he will build a 13,000 square foot indoor park with pro-shop if enough interest is shown. It will be open 24-7 rain or shine. It's all for the kids. Sure. Are sales and service from the pro-shop going to be enough to maintain the park? How about the wages for someone to work there at the shop, will sales be enough to cover that? Don't forget unemployment insurance for employees even if it's only you. I'll bet you forgot about entertainment tax for your good buddy O'Malley, or maybe your so tight with the Guv he'll waive that for his best bud Albero. If your going to run a venture like this some type of insurance will be needed.

The group involved in the fundraiser are trying to get enough money together to kick off the park project in the hopes the county or city or both could pick up the remainder of the tab and maintain the park in years to come. My bet is Albero see a fast buck to be made and as soon as it becomes old hat he closes down and the kids are back to square one on the public park.

How good is Albero to his word? Only time will tell. My bet is nothing will happen by his hand.

Spaghetti Dinner

A friend asked me to post this for Beaver Run School. It's for a good cause and very inexpensive for a spaghetti dinner. See any Beaver Run parent or contact the school for ticket information.



The PTA at Beaver Run is having a Spaghetti Dinner on Friday 11th April from 5 pm to 7pm. Tickets are 5 dollars in advance and 6 dollars at the door. Children 5 to 8 years old 3 dollars and under 4 free. Carry Out is avaiable. Advanced tickets are this week.You need a ticket to be served. I believe you get a plate a bowl of salad , a drink and a dessert.

MSP Helicopers

I have been reading with interest Alberos posts and comments about the use/mis-use of MSP medivac helicopters. Questions have been asked about whether or not the use of these vehicles is covered by the drivers insurance or not. The answer to that question is simply no. A portion of of automoble registration is used to cover the cost of the choppers much the same way a portion oof your phone bill goes to help offset the cost 911 operation and equipment to provode emergency services to the citizens.

I wonder how many people even realize how the helicopters in the State of Md. came to be. Like so many other amenities enjoyed by the populace the sight of an MSP helicoper overhead has become so common it is taken for granted. That is except for the few that are desirous to continually find fault with those entrusted to allocate the taxes we pay. Obviously those individuls who continually beef about such things have:
1) never had a need for such a luxury as a life saving vehicle or:
2) have never been in the position to help another that needs a lifesaving vehicle.

The history of helicopters and the Maryland EMS system can be credited to one man, Dr. R Adams Cowley. (1917-1991) Dr Cowley while serving in the army during WWII observed that soldiers reaching military hospital with surgeons available with in an hour of sustaining injuries were more apt to survival than those delayed in recieving treatment. Thus was born the theory of the "Golden Hour". Simply put, treatment delayed more than an hour would result in metabolic changes within the body that were irreversable resulting in death hours or even days after the trauma and often times after the person was deemed stable. Dr. Cowley envisioned a system where rapid transport and agressive stabliation efforts in field would save lifes at a rate far better than the system of simple first aid and rapid transport.
Dr. Cowley's dream recieved a boost when a friend of then govennor Marvin Mandel was injuried in an auto accident and was treated and was treated by the good Dr. In 1973, the Governor issued an executive order establishing the Center for the Study of Trauma as the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medicine. The order simultaneously created the Division of Emergency Medical Services. Dr. Cowley was appointed as director. This made Maryland the first State in the union with a statewide EMS system.
After initially being denied the purchase of helicopers, Dr. Cowley returned to the legislature with a plan to share the crafts with the Md. State Police. The state agreed and thus the birth of Marylands Medivac System.

My career with the Salsibury Fire Department began in 1973 and in as much I have seen and experienced the growth of Marylands EMS System. From the surplus UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) to the Bell Ranger, to the Aerospatiale Dauphines currently being used, the growth of Marylands Emergency Medical System has been phenomenal to watch and often a trailblazer for the rest of the country.
Medi-vacs constitute 75% of the use for MSP choppers. Thats a lot of airtime and a lot money saving lives. Waste of money? Overkill" Is it worth it? Ask those who are alive today because of aviation division of MSP. Ask those who work to extricate a victim how glad they are to see a mode of transportation available that will make their efforts more than worth while.

WCSO Command Vehicle

Oh, the disappointment. Now for what it really is, A Mobile Command Unit, it is quite impressive. But after Albero dubbed it the "Urban Assault Command Vehicle" I was hoping to see some grand weaponry with rocket launchers and grenades and such.

Guess I'll just settle for a re-run of "Stripes" with Bill Murray

Another View of Station 16, Advice from Monoblogue

Straight Shooter has a Post up about his visit to Station 16 and the conditions found there. Read what was seen through another pair of eyes and again I extend an offer to visit for yourselves and take a look. I doubt seriously few of the readers to this BLOG have to work in the coditions found there.



Michael over @ "Monoblogue", http://monoblogue.us/?p=894 , has offered som interesting advice for Albero. We can all hope he will heed said advice and share his wisdom elsewhere but I fear this may not happen. Michael's word count for the post was 750. I did not find it at all bombastic and diffuse and grandiloquent and loquacious and talkative or windy.

Equipment, New & Used

Once again Albero wishes to compare apples to oranges concerning the equipment used by the WCSO and the Salisbury Fire Department. What he fails to realize is that in his effort to belittle the SFD administration and it's policy his own words help make the case for their behalf.

The "Urban Assault Command Post Vehicle" as Albero calls it is really a Mobile Command Unit used on scenes where extended operations may or will be needed for scene mitigation or investigation. Albero has provided the dates for 2 such incidents in the last year.
The vehicle was the Wicomico County Book Mobile and became available to the WCSO when a new vehicle was purchased for that use about a year ago. Now I certainly do not begrudge the WCSO a vehicle for such use as I am aware of the importance of such. If Sheriff Lewis had seen fit to request a new vehicle for such an important role with-in his department I doubt many people would have complained about that. The fact Sheriff Lewis decided the used vehicle could provide for the need is also commendable.

In another post Albero shows us a photo of a 1987 Hahn Pumper for sale by a volunteer company. By the photo the piece looks to be well taken care of and seems to be in good shape. However, how do you know? Why would the SFD consider buying a piece of equipment that is already 20+ years old? How much use does it see at Station 40? If it is in such fine piece of equipment as Albero can obviously tell by one picture, why is Station 40 replacing it? I can promise you this piece would see more action in Salisbury in a few months than the WCSO mobile command unit will see in a year and in situations a lot less taxing. I certainly don't envision the command unit running lights and sirens several times a week, or even a month to investigate a homicide. Nor it will not sit for hours on end with the motor at a high RPM pumping water. In general it will not receive the harsh use a fire engine will.

As I said earlier, I do not begrudge the WCSO the unit at all. All I am saying is you can't really compare usage with the fire department. Albero said himself it won't be used that often. If that is indeed the case then a used vehicle may well be the answer for the need. Also, transfering a vehicle from one department to another is certainly a far cry from purchasing what may be somebody elses problem. If used is such a grand idea in the total picture why didn't the library look for a used vehicle to use as a new Book Mobile? Why also did Albero purchase a new 2008 Toyota recently? Isn't there some 20 year pick-ups out there somewhere?

And would somebody please explain to me how is the Sheriff's Department "Getting a return on it's money" with the command unit. I didn't know they were in business to make money.

SFD in the Past

Pictured to the left is the original fire house in Salisbury. I am not sure of the date but I be live this may be in the late 1800's . The equipment pictured is a hand drawn hose reel (left) and a hand operated pumper (right) also hand drawn. The hose reel has a mental tongue with a handle arrangement for two persons as well as a rope wound on a spool. If more people were needed or available to pull the reel the rope would be payed out as a handhold for the extra help.

The pumper would more than likely require the services of at least 6 fireman and probably more to move to a fire scene. Once on the scene the rocker assembly you see on the top of the unit was operated by several men on either side of the pumper. This was done in a see-saw manner which filled and discharged cylinders in the housing. Sometimes these units were capable of drafting, or lifting, their own water and if that were the case it needed to be placed near a water source. Other units had a reservoir that the pump drew water from and if that were the case it was necessary to keep the tank full by bucket brigade or other means if available.

This building, long gone, was located on Humphries Pond. Picture if you will an Earthen Dam at what is now S. Division St. This would be the western boundary of the pond. The width of the pond would have been from Main Street to the Daily Times Building and would run east to what is now Rt 13. I'll try to find out when the dam failed and update this post a little later.

Pictured to left here is a hand drawn hose reel owned by the SFD. I am pretty sure this is the same reel pictured in the photo above. This reel is currently kept in the basement of Station 16 and is not readily available for public display. It will be moved to the Heritage Center in the new Station 16 when that facility opens in a few weeks. Modern style hose now wraps on the reel as the original stuff has long gone to the ages. Still it is a genuine and impressive artifact soon to be appreciated by all those visiting the Heritage Center.

So far as the hand drawn pumper pictured above, it too is lost to the ages. What a wonderful addition it could have made to the center.

Station 16 Today Part 1

In a recent post I extended an invitation to the readers to visit Station 16 Firehouse at 143 S. Division St and take a tour of the building in order to see the conditions at that facility. I'm happy to say one individual took me up on that offer and I met them there on Monday last. I believe that person came a away with a much better understanding of how the men and women of the service live while in quarters and what its like to have to work under the conditions that exist.

I want to share with you some photos of the Station as it is today and ask you to then return to Albero's post of his visit to the new Station 16 and maybe through he eyes of two cameras you can make a more fair assessment of the situation. In this first picture you can plainly see how close to the wall Rescue 16 sits in it's berth at the station. I assure you this is quite true with all the equipment. On the opposite side of the room Ladder 16 sits as close to that wall as does this piece. The equipment sits four abreast across the front of the building and the space between the pieces is about the same as you see here against the walls except for the center aisle which is only about twice the distance. Behind Rescue 16 in this picture is a small work area used for maintenance and repair of tools and equipment. This area is so small and cramped it is often necessary to move apparatus out side in order to have room to work.

The second and third photos are in the basement of the current Station 16. There are four pieces of equipment parked here. Two ambulances, a brush truck, and the Rescue boat. Also you can see here the cramped and crowded situation. In order to back equipment in to the basement one must back down a ramp and make a turn at the same time in order to navigate through a fairly narrow door. As you can see the ceiling is not so high and much of the equipment in the department is unable to fit into this area. Time was when even an engine could be backed in here for maintenance and upkeep but due to the size of the vehicle today that is not possible.
In the third photo is the view from the other side of the ambulance.Again you can see the closeness of the ceiling and equipment to each other. As you can see, any need for the rescue boat, (in the second photo in the back of the room) would require the removal of two pieces of equipment first. Depending on the manpower situation this could take several minutes to accomplish, possibly to long for a victim in need.

Refer now to the large bay in the new Station 16 from Albero's pictures. Spacious, yes it is. But please remember this, 80 years ago when the current Station 16 was built, it too was spacious.

Station 16 Today Part 2

Here you can two pieces of SFD equipment parked to the rear of Station 16. Currently there is no room inside the building(s) to house this equipment. A canopy was put in place a few years ago to offer some protection from the elements but that protection is at best limited. Even with this arrangement the storing of equipment takes on a bit of a challenge. If you will, take note of the curved yellow line on the concrete just behind the tire of the Haz-Mat truck. This line is the guide one must follow in the mirror of any equipment being backed into the basement for storage. For experienced drivers this may not be much of a challenge but I ask all of you, would want to have to do this every time you put a vehicle in a garage? Sometimes this has to be done several time a day.

In the second photo we can see the rescue boat in it's storage berth. At least two pieces of equipment need to be removed before this equipment can be removed from the building. Notice also the workbench and area around it. Depending on the task to be done it may be necessary to remove several pieces of equipment to use this area.


It seems that Albero has taken issue with the workout room in the new Station 16. I would like to introduce you to the current "spa" that is available to the staff. Way back in the corner of the basement tucked in between an ambulance, and antique hand drawn hose cart, an overcrowded storage room and wall lined with lockers is this lovely universal gym. I was standing in the doorway of the storage room to take this photo. Hardly enough room to effect a decent workout unless three pieces of equipment are moved as well as the antique. There's no heat in the basement area so a good sweaty workout in the winter is a real thrill, especially since the showers, such as they are, are on the third floor and that is in a shared restroom the administration offices use. A commenter on Albero's site asked about the YMCA. For the city to pay memberships there is not really cost productive. It would only take a couple of years for the membership cost to override the cost of the workout equipment being placed in the new station and since money seems to be the driving force behind Albero's complaints I would say the workout gym is a much better bargain in the long run. You would think Albero's self proclaimed business savvy would shine through on that issue.

And finally just for the record, I spoke to a member of the volunteer committee that is purchasing the TV's for the new station. Plasma TV's are not in the offering. Flat screens, yes--Plasmas no.

Lexington St & S. Brookdale, Saturday Night

These photos were supplied by Pat Andrews of the Salisbury Fire Department. This house located near Lexington St & Brookdale Dr. burned this past Saturday night.

Often time the public sees the aftermath of a fire but seldom do they get to see what the firefighters see upon arrival of a scene. I do not have a lot of details on this fire other what I can see in these and other photos that Pat sent.

This was a small structure and it appears to me by & large is was one room well involved. With this much fire showing on arrival of the Engine I would imagine there is some extension of the fire into other areas of the structure as well. Not having a solid report on the events my best guess is an aggressive interior attack on the fire was made and knockdown occured fairly quickly. I would also guess an extensive mop-up was in order and all in all it made for a tiring night

Happy Easter

Posting may be slow today if any at all after this one. We plan on spending some quality family time together, reflecting on our many blessings and enjoying a fine Easter dinner with friends and family.

There are so many more important thing in this world than money.

Blessings to all.

Albero's Tour of Station 16

Maybe Albero can explain some of the statements he has made in his recent post concerning the new Station 16. He says very pointedly that: “Gordy mentioned that piece by piece each piece of equipment will be replaced, new.” The question is, so? As the equipment needs to be replaced new equipment will be purchased. What is the problem with that? Is the fire department expected to keep forever what is in its present inventory?

Chief See stated the firefighters would still go the MFRI training center in Princess Anne for life fire training. Albero fails to understand this rationale because of the old training area just up the street. Simply put, the training tower on Isabella Street is not now, nor has it ever been a burn building. It does not even come close to meeting the strict standards to meet the criteria for such. Neither does it have an interior that is conducive to realistic training. There is almost no versatility in the structure. Aside from that live fire training often entails much more than structural firefighting. Flammable liquid burns using water and or chemicals are frequently the order of the day. Even burning Class “A” material for simulated structural burn creates a large amount of smoke. Not something the neighbors are will to tolerate on a regular basis. Flowing large amounts of water from the city system stirs up sediment in the system and causes problems for the citizens and businesses alike. The training center in Princess Anne has a building designed to take the heat of a structural burn. Flammable liquid simulators are in place and provide a controlled environment in which to train with little danger of an exercise going awry. Would Albero have the fire department spend millions more to duplicate what tax money on the state level already provides and at a greater level of safety?

Yes, the public by and large will now have to be “buzzed” to enter the building. Entry will be through the heritage center and than to the administration wing. Many valuable artifacts will be on display in the heritage center and this area should not be simply open to the comings and goings of the public without some type of moderation. The same is true for the administration wing of the department. The offices of the Chief and his staff are of no interest to the general public and there is information contained within that is not public information i.e. medical records, personnel records, budgetary items, etc.
If any of these are legitimately required by the public there are proper procedures to follow and those can be initiated from the lobby.

The $1800.00 for each set of turnout gear truly sounds like an extraordinary figure, but I ask you this, what is the value you are willing to put on a human life. This equipment is designed to give the firefighter every possible chance of survival in the event of a catastrophic event. Sadly, it isn’t always successful as the monument in Emmitsburg Md. clearly attests to. Standards are set and revised constantly and with that there is a cost and a need to remain current. That cost always seems to increase and the need never diminishes. Consider what the gear is protecting and the cost is of little consequence.

The eight cubicles for the bunking areas have no doors. Albero seems to think this is a sin. He says: “God forbid someone wake up at 3:00 AM after a night out and run face first into a door”. What do you mean after a night out? The crews work 24-hour shifts so where are they going to have their night out? Besides, after your brilliant statement of: “trying to keep tabs on who's at their home when they're stuck at the Fire Station.” I would think you would be in favor of no doors, especially with women working in the same building. Why do you think every firefighters wife is having an affair while he is at work? Not only have you said this but also you have allowed comments to the same on other posts. Is it because your favorite mole can’t keep his own home life in order?
Doors on the dormitory cubicles serve no purpose therefore they are non-existent.
The crews did indeed sleep in the cabs of the engine when Chief See came to the SFD. I was there as well. We also slept on the hose beds. Some of the men bought camp cots or army surplus canvass cots to set up in the engine bay, with the diesel & gasoline fumes in a poorly heated area in the winter and building like an oven in the summer. And you wish to begrudge these men and women a cubicle in a climate-controlled area. Maybe you should sleep in a your garage with all your vehicles for a year. Try it for thirty years.

I invite anyone to visit the current station 16 and take a tour of that building. Ask questions, find out what its like to work there year round. See for yourself the cramped quarters and the inadequacies it affords. That building has lasted for eighty years and was outgrown by the department years ago. Look at what is there now and look at what is to come in the new station and tell me it isn’t deserved.

Floor Cracks, Deception, & Adult Living

Before Albero gets a knot in his underoos and jerks a tear from his eyes let me state up front that the photos shown here are borrowed from his site. I promise to return them as soon as I finish this post.

That aside I am not going to comment on the cracked floor at the the new station. First of all I don't recall seeing them when I was there but then again I did not go into the building with the intention of finding fault. Secondly, I am relatively sure the situation has been addressed by those involved in the construction
of the building. I am even more sure Albero was not held privy to the problem before or since he has been made public the existence of said cracks.

What I do find of particular interest with Alberos post is that he has taken three pictures of the same crack and through the mis-use of his camera settings (remember the green pictures earlier this week) or through the clever use of a photo enhancement program he has semi-successfully portrayed this single crack to be a monumental problem throughout the building just by changing the coloration of the photos. It's three photos of the same crack from three different angles.

Clever move, and no doubt convincing to many of his minions. Albero in the past has bragged
about his honesty but it would appear to me that this borders very close to the line of leaving the truth behind.

Finally-I think if one where to check the fire stations nation wide one would find that unisex living in the station is the norm, even in the newest of facilities. These are not school children. Now I am not going to say that privacy is not an issue but as long as everyone understands the system and respects it I don't see a problem. I can assure you the situation in the new station is far better than it has been at the old one. It has been my experience to see more & more unisex facilities in many areas of the public these days. Several medical offices have a single restroom for male & female. It's merely a simple matter of locking the door behind you. If you had siblings while growing up you are more acutely aware of this as an adult. If that is not the case, it only takes one or two embarrassing moments to become well educated. How much more would complete separate ladies facilities cost Albero? Heaven knows you have complained enough about the final figures as it is.

And by the way--The remark about the kitchen being the only place in the building ladies are welcome was just a tad out of line. It insinuates you believe their place is in the kitchen only.

SFD Barn Burning

In an earlier post I had a photo of the 1973 American LaFrance ladder truck when it arrives at the SFD. This photo taken about 10 years later shows the truck with the paint scheme of White over Red that had been adopted in the early eighties. On this day the truck is being used at a controlled burn/training session in which the barn in the background will be systematically burned to the ground. This done by using the natural forces of heat transfer in the building and the use of ventilation to ensure the building comes down inside it's own footprint,
or in other words the debris falls within the foundation of the structure.

The second photo shows the fire well under way with a master stream device in service to help maintain the spread of embers and to possibly cool the fire a little at the time to maintain control.

A friend of mine was on the scene the day this burn occurred and he assured me the building did indeed collapse in on itself successfully.

A reader of this BLOG sent me these photos and was able to tell me this was the last barn inside the city limits of Salisbury and was located in the general area of what is now Crosswind Apartments in the College Ave./Lincoln Ave. area.

It is not easy to get real structures to burn any more. There are plenty of derelict buildings out there but in order to be used for training they must meet certain guidelines for stability and safety and certain environmental requirements must be met as well.

I've Been Un-BLOGGED

This past week I was notified by jcinsby that my link on WMDT had been removed from their site. (thats me in the tan jacket) I received this notification after Albero twice left comments informing me I had been BLOGed. I ask Albero to “man up” and explain what "BLOGed" meant or if he was unable to do that he should not return to post comments again. He has not returned. That speaks for itself.

I e-mailed Ms Kathleen McLain of WMDT and requested to know why my link had been removed. I was unaware of violating any terms of service and was not duly notified of the removal. I also asked her at that time to please look at my site and inform me of any infractions. Ms. McLain assured me she had not been notified of the action and it was not by her hand the link was removed. She also promised to look into it and return an answer as soon as possible.

On March the 15th Ms McLain was able to advise me the “IT Guy” for the station had been out on jury duty and had not been immediately available however he had been told by someone my site contained profanity and was not suitable as a link on WMDT. I think we all know this is a complete prevarication on someone’s part. Ms McLain then advised me that the Soapbox link would be returned forthwith.

In Ms McLain’s e-mail of March 11th she advised me that one of my readers had also contacted her about restoring my link. In the past week it has come to my attention several readers have done the same and for that I would like to publicly say Thank You for your support of my BLOG and Thank You as well for contacting WMDT over this matter. It is gratifying to know I have such loyal supporters.

UPDATE: When Ms. McLain notified me the link was to be restored I thanked her in an e-mail. I have neglected, until now, to thank her on this site. Allow me to do so.

Thank You Ms. McLain for your prompt attention to this matter and the profesional manner in which it was resolved.

I suppose now I am officially---UN-BLOGGED.

SFD 1973

Pictured to the right is Salisbury's brand new 1973 American LaFrance series 1000, "Ladder Chief". Deputy Chief Bill Taylor (left) and Chief of Department Fred Williams (right) accepted delivery of this vehicle in the early months of 1973. This was pretty much a state of the art vehicle for the time and features a 100 foot hydraulic aerial ladder and a full complement of ground ladders and hand tools. It was also fitted with a generator for electricity on the fire ground. In 1973 it was the only aerial truck in Wicomico County and it's service to neighboring departments was not entirely uncommon. The price tag for this truck was $70,000. Just a few months prior to delivery of this truck two matching engines were also delivered. All three vehicles were ordered at the same time but the ladder truck was delivered late due to the complexity of construction.
I don't have a date when D/C Taylor left the department but Chief Williams retired in 1980. Both men are now deceased.

In the second photo Captain George Sullivan puts the new ladder truck through it's paces during a training exercise. Captain Sullivan was later promoted to Assistant Chief and retired from the department in 1983.
He is also deceased.

Friend to Friend---Gettysburg

Located in the cemetery annex at Gettysburg is this monument depicting Confederate General Lewis Armistead and Union Captain Henry Bingham after Armistead fell during Picketts Charge on July 3, 1863. One of the Union Generals opposing Armistead was Union General Winfield Scott Hancock. Hancock and Armistead were great friends and attended West Point together before the war broke out. Armistead, a Virginian, resigned from West Point and accepted a commission in the Confederate Army at the onset of the war. Hancock was from Pennsylvania and elected to serve the Union. Twenty-seven months later the men would meet again but this time as opposing generals of an ill-fated charge that most historians believe was the ultimate turning point of the war.

General Armistead was seriously wounded during Pickets Charge and as he lay on the Battlefield, Captain Henry Brigham came to his aid. Armistead realized how serious his wounds were and asked Captain Bingham if he would kindly give his watch and personal effects to his friend General Hancock. It was at this point that Armistead learned that Hancock himself had been injured but the severities of his wounds were not known. As it was Hancock lay but a few yards from Armistead on the battlefield, a fact not realized by either of them. Captain Bingham relayed the effects of General Armistead to General Hancock and he later returned them to General Armistead’s wife. Armistead died on July 5th 1863 in the field hospital on the Spangler Farm.

More than friends and fellow officers Hancock and Armistead were Masonic Brothers. Armistead was a member of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge # 22 in Alexandria Va. located in the George Washington Masonic Memorial.

General Hancock received his 3 degrees of masonry by special dispensation in Charity Lodge # 190 in Norristown PA.

Captain Bingham, also a Mason was a member of Chartiers Lodge # 292 in Canonsburg PA. He later transferred to Union Lake Lodge # 121 in Philadelphia where he became a life member.

On August 26th, 1893 Captain Bingham was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions and courage during the “Battle of the Wilderness” on May 6th, 1864.

The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania F. & A.M. dedicated the memorial pictured here in August of 1993.

This is a detail from a memorial @ Gettysburg. The entire monument depicts an actual event occuring on July 3rd, 1863.

Anyone care to offer the details?

Never Changes

He that never changes his opinions, never corrects his mistakes,and will never be wiser on the morrow than he is today.

~Tryon Edwards~

I've Been BLOGGED

Albero continues to violate his promise of not visiting two days in a row. It seems he has a particular facination for the "Worthy of a Post" post I made using Historical Wits comment. He has left the following for my perusal:

joealbero said...
Joe Perdue, You may not realize it for a couple of days but rest assure, YOU'VE BEEN BLOGGED. You just remember I was the first to tell you.
March 9, 2008 9:40 PM
joealbero said...
Can't figure it out yet, can you Joe? YOU'VE BEEN BLOGGED!
March 10, 2008 9:27 AM


Frankly, I'm not at all sure what he is talking about. The term BLOGGED does not appear in any dictionary or thesarus in my possesion or even in the on-line editions. If anyone can reliable inform me as to it's meaning please let me know.

Could it possibly mean I will soon recieve the long awaited papers regarding the law suit because "I" passed an opinion in cyberspace?

By the way Albero, in the future if you have something to say please just "man up" and say it. Otherwise I will reject your worthless drviel that wastes my time.

Spanglers Spring

This small monument near the southern end of Culp’s Hill on the Gettysburg Battlefield covers “Spangler’s Spring”, a natural water source. The Union 12th Army Corps who built earthworks nearby to provide an anchor for the Union Lines occupied this area initially. On July 2nd, the corps was repositioned to the “Peach Orchard” to bolster the crumbling lines there and Confederate troops moved into the Spring area and occupied the earthworks left by the Union soldiers. In the early morning hours of July 3rd the Union Troops counter attacked the position and by late morning after an extremely bloody battle the earthworks and the spring were again in Union hands.

Legends abound about impromptu truces being called in order for soldiers from both sides to fill their canteens and water vessels. There is in fact no record of these truces happening and just as factual is that there is no record that it didn’t. It is believed however the legends of such truces came into being years after the war when soldiers from both sides held reunions at the site.

The banks of the spring became trampled and eroded over the years with visitors to the site and the monument seen here was built in 1895 to protect it. A small metal trap door is at the base of the monument and a dipper was provided so visitors could sample the water that was held so dear to both sides during the conflict. The National Park Service sealed the trap door shortly after it assumed responsibility of the battlefield due to the fear of possible groundwater contamination.

Worthy of a Post

Historical Wit left this as a comment. I think it is worthy of a post. Thanks Wit!
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Historical Wit said...
I feel like a Jo Boy rip. Lets see where to begin? ahhh comments = hits = I am somebody. Is that what it boils down to Jo? You need to validate your existence by way of how many people visit your twisted sense of literary stew? You sir are a walking basket case. There is no other way to say that. I beg you to seek professional help. If not, please attend church. No not what you proclaim now, but really go to church to learn something or to connect with a power bigger than yourself. I know you don't think there is much that is bigger and better than you Jo, but there is. God, Mt. Rushmore, Frank Perdue, hell any elected official has done more than you. That included the mayor. Funny seeing you twist in your chair there Jo. But you know I am right, You know deep inside that dark hallow brain mass that you have that for all the bad that comes from our politicians, at least they are doing something for the public. YOU can't say that. The service you try to peddle is grounded in hate and petty, spiteful private vendettas. They intrest a handful of people. And thats only because its your opinions that make people discard you as a joke, no thats harsh, discard you as a petty spiteful individual with an ax to grind. Your views will always come off as a drunken frat boy who never grew up. You know that guy who laughs while hes trying to say something serious? No one likes that, even worse no one respects that. And ultimately that is your problem Jo, no one respects you. You are a bridge. Something for people to walk across to get what they want at the other side. and thats cool with you cause you will let anyone with some clout walk on your back to win preceived favors from them. Think about your relaitonship with Lewis, Ruark, RP, or anyone else you made bed with. So get mad and threaten people. Thats ALL you got. thin and pathetic attempts at bullying because you lack the intelligence to actaully engage your so called enemies with wit or words. You can't even argue a slam dunk of a debate. you end up throwing out some 4th grade response and then yell lawsuit. For those of us who have been watching your antics, your schtick has become like Chris Berman on espn..back, back, back...gone. You are so predictable. so pathetic. Well that was all in reference to your number of hits that you have to generate to keep that ego afloat. Want to know how I know you lie like a dog about your hits? If your site has the numbers you say it does, you would have the daily traffic of the daily kos. You are nowhere near it. Face it, you are a local blogger with local hits. The same loyal 40 to 50 and a bunch of us who laugh at you for the comedic value.

And you passed on this website to Mr. Ruark because you want to get Mr. Perdue in trouble? What are you ? A snitch? See this works you over twice. One, Mr. Ruark now thinks your a snitch and he thinks less of you now. Cause that is what you did. Stop asking dumb questins Jo. Just listen. And second, what is this to you? The fourth grade? I noticed that much of what you do is on par with the mentality of a fourth grader. I guess it is true that you don't really progress past the stage of schoool where you quit. Money or not, rich or not, you do have a serious fundamental flaw in determining what is morally and ethically correct.

THird, have you ever considered therapy for you narcissism? If left unchecked, you could end up completely wrapped up in yourself and leave those that depend on you (your wife, grandchild, immediate family) neglected. No insults there, just stating the fact your family will suffer if you are left to this blogging vendetta you feel only you can carry out against the city or whoever you feel deserves it. Does your family deserve to be the victims of neglect from the supposed father figure in the house because he can't sepatrate the reality of life from the online reality you created? That is what makes you pathetic. In the end the choices a man makes defines him. Alexander conquered the know world, Einstein changed our concepts of space and time, and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Jo Albero? He slung mud, just like a fouth grader.

Albero Doesn't Visit the Soapbox--Again

Albero has left a comment on the "Double Whammy" post.
In true fashion he merely rambles on, offers another veiled threat, and refuses to answer any of the questions posed.

Well worth the chuckle. Enjoy!

Albero's Double Whammy

Albero has given us a double whammy this time with his expertise in accident investigation and in the legal liability concerning the tragic accident involving the Hebron VFD vehicle. This is not to mention the fact he now apparently has at least one other person in his employ as an expert.

joealbero said...
I had an Expert on the scene who reviewed the accident…..

WOW! Albero had the expert. I’ll bet the investigating agencies are breaking down his door to get the information he has obtained.

Albero, in his infinite wisdom and prowess has determined the driver of the FD vehicle is at fault and he did this well before the persons trained to investigate and analyze the situation did so. In his prodigious perception of legality and liability he would now have us to believe that Wicomico County and its taxpayers are to suffer the burden of financial responsibility for this accident.

According to Albero the Town of Hebron has denied responsibility for the accident. This was done for several reasons. First, the Town does not fund the fire dept. Second, the accident occurred beyond the town limits. Third, the accident occurred on a county or state road. Accordingly because of these circumstances Wicomico County will be named in the suit and “common sense” says so.

joealbero said...
It involved a Fire Rescue Vehicle. Someone is liable and if the Town denies liability, the County is next. It's common sense.

I ask you Albero, kindly explain how “common sense” dictates such an edict just because it is a fire rescue vehicle? Where is it written that the county is responsible for vehicles it does not own?
Should the county deny liability would common sense say the State is responsible next? Should the State deny responsibility would that require the U.S. Government to be responsible? Hmmm—where does it go from there?


Now I’m not going to even begin to place myself on the same level as Albero concerning legal issues in this case because I would find it very demeaning to lower myself that far.
However I do believe it is safe to say the Hebron Fire Dept. is a private corporation and in as much neither the Town of Hebron, the County of Wicomico (or it’s taxpayers), or the State of Maryland can be held responsible for this accident. Neither will I say the Hebron Fire Dept. or its corporation is liable or is at fault. That determination is not for me to make any more than it is for Albero and his sycophant commenters. I, unlike Albero, refuse to be the judge, jury and executioner in this case. I am quite content to allow the true experts and proficient investigators on the case present their evidence to the proper judicial forums, and allow justice to be served in true American fashion.

Regardless of the final findings I am confidant that an insurance company has been paid quite handsomely over the years so that this type of unfortunate incident is covered, once again relieving the taxpayer of liability.

The Many Faces of Albero

Not long ago Albero wallowed in the accusations of racism in the SFD. He professed himself pure of such emotions and openly condemned anyone engaging is such practice. Possibly he can explain why he allowed the following comment to his post concerning the petition Jordan Reisman is circulating:


Anonymous said...
Don't you know, most of the public (no)work department are Shanies people. Hell, they would rather steal than work.

What makes this more interesting in that he devotes a later post to the comment sections on his BLOG. He adamantly claims less than 5 people sometimes create “hundreds” of comment using curse words, bashing him, or drawing his family into the fray. Truth be told he, by allowing anonymous comments, brings this misery on himself. At times his language is intolerable, he bashes everyone that disagrees with him, and no one more than he drags his family into the spotlight. Indeed he has no problem using family members of other BLOGers when he feels his ego needs a boost by his insulting mannerism.
He has no idea who the anonymous commenters are but by proclaiming that the sour opinions are created by less than 5 people he attempts to create the illusion of being an all knowing seer and to dispel the fact that he is not loved by the majority of the population.

With so many faces it must be difficult to purchase a decent fitting cap.

Another Albero Threat?

Albero has made the following comment on my last post lampooning the Ruark arrest:

"joealbero said...
You just made a huge mistake."


I have asked him to elaborate.
(that means explain Albero)

Oh, and FYI. Tom Cat has this posted on his site. I merely posted a link to it.

Albero Scooped Again!

Albero has been totaly scooped! Check Tom Cats site for video of Davis Ruark's sobriety test.

http://classyjoealbero.blogspot.com/

A.M.S.A. Sportsmans Show

This past weekend was the A.M.S.A. Sportsman Expo at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center. This event is held every year in March and usually fills up both arenas at the WYCC. This year was no different. Boats, campers, four wheelers and more were on display. Fishing gear is always big at this event has beach season is just around the cornor as well as boating season. I usually attend about every third year or so as little really changes.

However it is a good time to old friends and make new ones as well. It is also a good time to grab beach permits for Assateague Island.

I am always fascinated with the taxidemy displays. This booth was occupied by "Collins Taxidermy" from Powellville MD. The time and attention to detail is phenomenal. The full mount whitetail deer above certainly looked real and the grey fox with the dove dinner was equally realistic. Mr Collins had many other displays up as well and it is quite evident he has an eye for detail. I don't hunt any longer but if I did and had a need for a trophy mount I would surely condsider Mr. Collins for the work.

44th New York Monument @ Little Round Top

Near the summit of "Little Round Top" on the Gettysburg battlefied is a monument to the 44 New York Infantry. The 44 th was located on the Union left on Little Round Top and was central to the fierce fighting that took place there on July 2 1863.

This is one of the larger monuments on Little Round Top. At the base of the silo there is an observation deck which is accessed via a spiral stairway inside the monument. From this deck you can see "Devils Den" ahead and to the left and to the right the "Peach Orchard" & "The Wheatfield" is visible, both of which were also sites of fierce combat.

Devils Den as seen from the 44th New York Infantry Monument.

I have done a fair amount of shooting in my time and I have to say it would be a good shot from Devils Den to the summit of Little Round Top with a modern firearm fitted with a scope in the hands of an average shooter. To think some of the confederate snipers and sharpshooters made effictive shots at this distance with muzzleloaders and open sights is mind boggling. You must remember, so many of the men were merely farmers and merchants and not professional soldiers.

I suppose a dependance on shooting to put meat on the table during peacetime also played a large part in their skills. Still, it is awe inspiring to imagine.