Enjoy a short stack for a tall cause.
You're invited to an Applebee's Flapjack Fundraiser Breakfast to support Church of God & Saints of Christ (http://cogasoc.org) 7th Tabernacle in Salisbury, Maryland.
$7.00 per person {All you can eat pancakes and sausage with unlimited drink}
Tickets can be purchased prior to the event or at the door.
If you would like to donate towards the event, you can do so in the form of cash or credit card.
For More Information, please contact (443) 735-9374.
https://www.facebook.com/events/298851046922580/
When Sun Sep 1, 2013 8am – 10am Eastern Time
Where Applebee's - Salisbury MD (map)
Calendar alberobutzo@wmconnect.com
Who (Guest list is too large to display)
Going? Yes - Maybe - No more options »
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Meet “BOSS”: The Department Of Homeland Security’s Facial Scanning Program
Ever heard of BOSS? Didn’t think so.
BOSS stands for Biometric Optical Surveillance System, and it is a crowd-scanning program that has been in development by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for almost three years now.
Did you catch that? This is the DHS, the ridiculously dangerous, cancerous, gargantuan waste of money our “leaders” foolishly created after 9/11 to prevent “terrorism.” Whereas in the beginning most people actually believed the DHS was there to stop cave dwellers with terroristic tendencies, it is now completely clear that its primary mission is to protect the oligarchs and political criminals from domestic dissent. For example, the New York Times notes that:
In a sign of how the use of such technologies can be developed for one use but then expanded to another, the BOSS research began as an effort to help the military detect potential suicide bombers and other terrorists overseas at “outdoor polling places in Afghanistan and Iraq,” among other sites, the documents show.But in 2010, the effort was transferred to the Department of Homeland Security to be developed for use instead by the police in the United States.
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BOSS stands for Biometric Optical Surveillance System, and it is a crowd-scanning program that has been in development by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for almost three years now.
Did you catch that? This is the DHS, the ridiculously dangerous, cancerous, gargantuan waste of money our “leaders” foolishly created after 9/11 to prevent “terrorism.” Whereas in the beginning most people actually believed the DHS was there to stop cave dwellers with terroristic tendencies, it is now completely clear that its primary mission is to protect the oligarchs and political criminals from domestic dissent. For example, the New York Times notes that:
In a sign of how the use of such technologies can be developed for one use but then expanded to another, the BOSS research began as an effort to help the military detect potential suicide bombers and other terrorists overseas at “outdoor polling places in Afghanistan and Iraq,” among other sites, the documents show.But in 2010, the effort was transferred to the Department of Homeland Security to be developed for use instead by the police in the United States.
More
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY HIGHLIGHTS EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN THE MIDDLE CLASS BY CREATING JOBS
First policy forum in a series that focuses on the Administration’s strategic goals
BALTIMORE, MD (August 28, 2013) — Governor Martin O’Malley today hosted the “Better Choices, Better Results Forum - Jobs & the Economy” — the first in a series of statewide forums aimed at fostering an ongoing, collaborative dialogue on the O’Malley-Brown Administration's efforts to strengthen the middle class by pursuing its strategic goals. During the event, stakeholders from across the state engaged in a roundtable discussion about the better choices we’ve made together, measuring progress, and delivering results to strengthen and grow Maryland’s middle class.
“There is no progress without jobs. From the first days of our administration, strengthening Maryland’s middle class has been our number one priority,” said Governor O’Malley. “Through better choices, we've invested in education, innovation, and rebuilding our infrastructure in order to create more jobs and expand opportunity for our State's hardworking families. And our work is not yet done. Together, we can build a better Maryland for our children.”
The forum highlighted key economic initiatives, tracked progress on job creation and recovery, and fostered an ongoing dialogue about how best to bolster Maryland’s Innovation Economy in the future.
This year, we took meaningful steps to create jobs and expand opportunity. In 2013, Maryland has created 17,800 new jobs posting job gains in five out of seven months. Over the past 12 months, we’ve created 39,000 new jobs. Our dynamic private is leading our job growth creating 9 out of every 10 new jobs at a rate nearly 20% faster than our neighbors in Virginia. Working together, we’ve recovered 94% of the jobs lost in the national recession.
One of our key initiatives now is focusing on creating jobs in key growth sectors like cybersecurity, life sciences, and space and aerospace. In fact, our budget this year invests $56 million to spur investment and create jobs in some of these key sectors. The budget includes a 25% increase in the biotechnology tax credit over last year, a 33% increase in the research and development tax credit over last year, and a brand new cybersecurity tax credit to ensure we remain a national leader in that growing field.
We are also focused on job training, and so we passed the EARN bill.
“The Governor and Legislature have enacted a critical piece of legislation in the EARN bill. This funding will grow middle class manufacturing jobs in Maryland by enabling industry-directed training opportunities for manufacturing and cyber security technicians,” said Mark Rice, P.E., President of Maritime Applied Physics Corporation and a panelist at today’s forum. “These men and women will implement world-class automation in the new world of manufacturing where low cost labor is no longer the only key to profitability. These jobs will be well paid, have clear career pathways to higher paying jobs, and will provide the income levels needed to grow a vibrant middle class. We thank the Governor and Legislature for this forward-looking piece of legislation.”
Maryland’s thriving economy has not gone unnoticed. In April, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ranked Maryland #1 for entrepreneurship and innovation for the second year in a row and among the top ten states for economic performance for the fourth year in a row. The Milken Institute ranks our State #1 in research and development per capita and #2 for science and technology assets. The nonpartisan group The States Project says we’re #2 for economic opportunity and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation ranks us among the five states best positioned to succeed in the new economy. Last year, entrepreneurial Marylanders made our State fourth in the nation for startups per capita according to a study by Fast Company. And recently, the Pew Center on the States named Maryland one of the Top Three states for economic mobility based on workers ability to move up the corporate ladder.
BALTIMORE, MD (August 28, 2013) — Governor Martin O’Malley today hosted the “Better Choices, Better Results Forum - Jobs & the Economy” — the first in a series of statewide forums aimed at fostering an ongoing, collaborative dialogue on the O’Malley-Brown Administration's efforts to strengthen the middle class by pursuing its strategic goals. During the event, stakeholders from across the state engaged in a roundtable discussion about the better choices we’ve made together, measuring progress, and delivering results to strengthen and grow Maryland’s middle class.
“There is no progress without jobs. From the first days of our administration, strengthening Maryland’s middle class has been our number one priority,” said Governor O’Malley. “Through better choices, we've invested in education, innovation, and rebuilding our infrastructure in order to create more jobs and expand opportunity for our State's hardworking families. And our work is not yet done. Together, we can build a better Maryland for our children.”
The forum highlighted key economic initiatives, tracked progress on job creation and recovery, and fostered an ongoing dialogue about how best to bolster Maryland’s Innovation Economy in the future.
This year, we took meaningful steps to create jobs and expand opportunity. In 2013, Maryland has created 17,800 new jobs posting job gains in five out of seven months. Over the past 12 months, we’ve created 39,000 new jobs. Our dynamic private is leading our job growth creating 9 out of every 10 new jobs at a rate nearly 20% faster than our neighbors in Virginia. Working together, we’ve recovered 94% of the jobs lost in the national recession.
One of our key initiatives now is focusing on creating jobs in key growth sectors like cybersecurity, life sciences, and space and aerospace. In fact, our budget this year invests $56 million to spur investment and create jobs in some of these key sectors. The budget includes a 25% increase in the biotechnology tax credit over last year, a 33% increase in the research and development tax credit over last year, and a brand new cybersecurity tax credit to ensure we remain a national leader in that growing field.
We are also focused on job training, and so we passed the EARN bill.
“The Governor and Legislature have enacted a critical piece of legislation in the EARN bill. This funding will grow middle class manufacturing jobs in Maryland by enabling industry-directed training opportunities for manufacturing and cyber security technicians,” said Mark Rice, P.E., President of Maritime Applied Physics Corporation and a panelist at today’s forum. “These men and women will implement world-class automation in the new world of manufacturing where low cost labor is no longer the only key to profitability. These jobs will be well paid, have clear career pathways to higher paying jobs, and will provide the income levels needed to grow a vibrant middle class. We thank the Governor and Legislature for this forward-looking piece of legislation.”
Maryland’s thriving economy has not gone unnoticed. In April, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ranked Maryland #1 for entrepreneurship and innovation for the second year in a row and among the top ten states for economic performance for the fourth year in a row. The Milken Institute ranks our State #1 in research and development per capita and #2 for science and technology assets. The nonpartisan group The States Project says we’re #2 for economic opportunity and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation ranks us among the five states best positioned to succeed in the new economy. Last year, entrepreneurial Marylanders made our State fourth in the nation for startups per capita according to a study by Fast Company. And recently, the Pew Center on the States named Maryland one of the Top Three states for economic mobility based on workers ability to move up the corporate ladder.
Jeannie Haddaway On O'Malley - Brown Administration's 'Better Results' Political Event
Lt. Governor candidate and state Delegate Jeannie Haddaway released the following statement regarding the O'Malley - Brown Administration's "Better Results Forum" held in Baltimore this morning.
"The O'Malley - Brown Administration is once again holding a political marketing event intended to try and persuade voters that job growth is not as bad as the numbers say there are. One number that won't be discussed among the political spin today is Maryland's 7.1% unemployment rate as compared to Virginia's 5.7%. The difference in these unemployment rates is the highest it has been in over ten years. An effective use of time would be for Martin O'Malley and Anthony Brown to drive to Richmond and learn about the better choices our neighbor has made on policies that foster economic development and job growth."
"The O'Malley - Brown Administration is once again holding a political marketing event intended to try and persuade voters that job growth is not as bad as the numbers say there are. One number that won't be discussed among the political spin today is Maryland's 7.1% unemployment rate as compared to Virginia's 5.7%. The difference in these unemployment rates is the highest it has been in over ten years. An effective use of time would be for Martin O'Malley and Anthony Brown to drive to Richmond and learn about the better choices our neighbor has made on policies that foster economic development and job growth."
Incomes Have Dropped Twice As Much During The 'Recovery' As During The Recession
President Obama likes to talk about income inequality, but what matters far more is the actual income of the typical American. And how has the typical American household income fared on Obama's watch? Well, the economic "recovery" has now spanned an Olympiad, and during that time the typical American household income has not only dropped—it has dropped more than twice as much as it did during the recession.
New estimates derived from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey by Sentier Research indicate that the real (inflation-adjusted) median annual household income in America has fallen by 4.4 percent during the "recovery," after having fallen by 1.8 during the recession. During the recession, the median American household income fell by $1,002 (from $55,480 to $54,478). During the recovery—that is, from the officially defined end of the recession (in June 2009) to the most recent month for which figures are available (June 2013)—the median American household income has fallen by $2,380 (from $54,478 to $52,098). So the typical American household is making almost $2,400 less per year (in constant 2013 dollars) than it was four years ago, when the Obama "recovery" began.
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New estimates derived from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey by Sentier Research indicate that the real (inflation-adjusted) median annual household income in America has fallen by 4.4 percent during the "recovery," after having fallen by 1.8 during the recession. During the recession, the median American household income fell by $1,002 (from $55,480 to $54,478). During the recovery—that is, from the officially defined end of the recession (in June 2009) to the most recent month for which figures are available (June 2013)—the median American household income has fallen by $2,380 (from $54,478 to $52,098). So the typical American household is making almost $2,400 less per year (in constant 2013 dollars) than it was four years ago, when the Obama "recovery" began.
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Don’t Leave Choice For Pipkin Seat To Democratic Governor, Republicans Say
Del. Mike Smigiel, one of the two nominees, is asking the four county central committees to jointly interview him and Del. Steve Hershey to help break the tie avoid leaving the choice to O’Malley.
“It is regretful that the members of the Queen Anne’s County Republican Central Committee voted this evening to create a tie in this process and send the decision to Governor O’Malley,” said Caroline Republican Central Committee Chair Rob Willoughby in a statement late Tuesday. “Now, a decision that should have been made here in the 36th District will be made instead in Annapolis by a Democratic Governor.”
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Stray Dog
Running Out Of Money
Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew has told Congress the government will run out of moneysometime in mid-October. That is, unless lawmakers vote to raise the nation's borrowing limit, which now stands at $16.7 trillion. Lew's letter went to House Speaker John Boehner. It says the Treasury is running out of accounting gimmicks. The letter says the government will be down to $50 billion in cash, not enough to cover Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
POWER OUT IN SALISBURY
Some 3,000 residents in Salisbury have lost power. We are told they can expect it to be turned on around 8 PM this evening.
Ron Paul: No "Middle Road" On Health Care
The ever-expanding role of government in healthcare provides an excellent example of Ludwig von Mises’ warning that “The Middle of the Road Leads to Socialism.” Beginning in the 1940s, government policies distorted the health care market, causing prices to rise and denying many Americans access to quality care. Congress reacted to the problems caused by their prior interventions with new interventions, such as the HMO Act, ERISA, EMTLA, and various federal entitlement programs. Each new federal intervention not only failed to fix the problems it was supposedly created to solve, it created new problems, leading to calls for even more new federal interventions. This process culminated in 2010, when Congress passed Obamacare.
Contrary to the claims of some of its opponents, Obamacare is not socialized medicine. It is corporatized medicine. After all, the central feature of Obamacare is the mandate that all Americans buy health insurance from private health insurance companies. And, as with previous government interventions in the marketplace, Obamacare is not only failing to correct the problems caused by prior federal laws, it is creating new problems.
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Contrary to the claims of some of its opponents, Obamacare is not socialized medicine. It is corporatized medicine. After all, the central feature of Obamacare is the mandate that all Americans buy health insurance from private health insurance companies. And, as with previous government interventions in the marketplace, Obamacare is not only failing to correct the problems caused by prior federal laws, it is creating new problems.
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SHOCK: HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER SENTENCED TO JUST 30 DAYS FOR RAPE OF STUDENT WHO KILLED HERSELF
The sentence was handed down on Monday by Judge G. Todd Baugh to Stacey Dean Rambold, 54, who admitted to having sexual relations with Cherice Morales, a then 14-year-old student.
Baugh reportedly sentenced Rambold to 15 years prison for nonconsensual sexual intercourse, but suspended all except 31 days. The judge then gave the former teacher credit for one day served, reducing his total jail sentence to just 30 days.
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REPORTER GRILLS STATE DEPT. SPOKESWOMAN AFTER SHE REFUSES TO EXPLAIN WHERE SAMANTHA POWER WAS DURING EMERGENCY U.N. MTG ON SYRIA
Reporter James Rosen grilled State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Thursday over why newly-instated United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power missed an emergency U.N. meeting on the crisis in Syria the day before.
Psaki said only that Power had a “previously-arranged trip” but was in “constant contact” with her U.N. staff and the White House. A deputy participated in the U.N. meeting in Power’s place.
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Psaki said only that Power had a “previously-arranged trip” but was in “constant contact” with her U.N. staff and the White House. A deputy participated in the U.N. meeting in Power’s place.
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Ruling Soon On Inmate’s Sex-Change Request
ROANOKE, Va. — A transsexual Virginia prison inmate should find out soon whether she will be evaluated for sex-change surgery.
U.S. District Court Judge James C. Turk in Roanoke told lawyers for Ophelia De’Lonta on Monday that he would rule promptly.
Born Michael A. Stokes, De’Lonta has been in prison for 30 years serving a 73-year sentence for bank robbery.
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U.S. District Court Judge James C. Turk in Roanoke told lawyers for Ophelia De’Lonta on Monday that he would rule promptly.
Born Michael A. Stokes, De’Lonta has been in prison for 30 years serving a 73-year sentence for bank robbery.
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Attorney Toensing: GOP 'Chicken' On Seeking Benghazi Answers
Republican lawmakers are "chicken" about getting to the bottom of the Benghazi attack and need to toughen up to get answers, Washington, D.C. attorney Victoria Toensing says.
"Let's get the House Republican leadership to start pressuring," Toensing told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
"They need to put this out there that they're going to fight and they're going to be serious about it ... The White House knows that they're being chicken about it and they're just playing on it.
Story continues below.
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"Let's get the House Republican leadership to start pressuring," Toensing told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
"They need to put this out there that they're going to fight and they're going to be serious about it ... The White House knows that they're being chicken about it and they're just playing on it.
Story continues below.
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Obama Picks Cass Sunstein (America’s Goebbels?) To Serve On NSA Oversight Panel
“It is the absolute right of the state to supervise the formation of public opinion.”
“We shall go down in history as the greatest statesmen of all time, or as the greatest criminals”
- Joseph Goebbels, Head of Hitler’s Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
Only under the Obama Presidency, in which every appointment, minor or major, is handed only to the most corrupt, devious crony to be found, can a man like Cass Sunstein be appointed to serve on the NSA oversight panel. Cass is a noted propagandist, who has advocated that government agents should infiltrate groups and discussions that push “conspiracy theories” (read my article on how to know if you are a conspiracy theorist) in order to delegitimize them. But don’t take my word for it. The Washington Post wrote the following a couple of days ago:
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“We shall go down in history as the greatest statesmen of all time, or as the greatest criminals”
- Joseph Goebbels, Head of Hitler’s Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
Only under the Obama Presidency, in which every appointment, minor or major, is handed only to the most corrupt, devious crony to be found, can a man like Cass Sunstein be appointed to serve on the NSA oversight panel. Cass is a noted propagandist, who has advocated that government agents should infiltrate groups and discussions that push “conspiracy theories” (read my article on how to know if you are a conspiracy theorist) in order to delegitimize them. But don’t take my word for it. The Washington Post wrote the following a couple of days ago:
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About That Violent Gang, The 'Obama Boyz'
Obama Boyz?
Is this related to President Barack Obama’s comment when he implied he was taking sides in the Trayvon Martin shooting case in Florida that, “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon?”
Or maybe it has more to do with a comment from WND columnist Jack Cashill about two thugs who allegedly shot and killed an athlete in Oklahoma, for fun.
Read more
'Til Death Do Us Part: Couple Married for 65 Years Die Hours Apart
Jeff Simon, 20, shared his grandparents' love story on Fox and Friends this morning, saying that Ruth, 89, and Harold “Doc” Knapke, 91, met in the third grade and were rarely seen without the other, dying just hours apart on August 11.
"They knew each other their whole lives and were devout Catholics their whole lives ...and I think their relationship with God really strengthened their own relationship, and you really saw it until the end," Simon said.
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WWII Vet Delbert Belton's Fatal Beating Keeps Race In Spotlight
One teenage boy has been arrested and another is still being sought by police for the murder of 88-year-old Delbert "Shorty" Belton, a World War II vet who was beaten to death Wednesday night outside his favorite hangout: the Eagles Lodge in Spokane, Wash.
The teenage suspect has been charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree murder, according to CNN.
He was picked up around 10 p.m. Thursday, reports The Los Angeles Times. Images of two black suspects, taken by surveillance cameras mounted at local businesses, were released by Spokane police after Belton was found inside his car, unconscious and with severe head injuries, the Times said. Belton died Thursday morning from the beating.
The Eagles Lodge is a popular bar where Belton often played pool.
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The teenage suspect has been charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree murder, according to CNN.
He was picked up around 10 p.m. Thursday, reports The Los Angeles Times. Images of two black suspects, taken by surveillance cameras mounted at local businesses, were released by Spokane police after Belton was found inside his car, unconscious and with severe head injuries, the Times said. Belton died Thursday morning from the beating.
The Eagles Lodge is a popular bar where Belton often played pool.
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HARVARD STUDY: NO CORRELATION BETWEEN GUN CONTROL AND LESS VIOLENT CRIME
A Harvard Study titled "Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide?" looks at figures for "intentional deaths" throughout continental Europe and juxtaposes them with the U.S. to show that more gun control does not necessarily lead to lower death rates or violent crime.
Because the findings so clearly demonstrate that more gun laws may in fact increase death rates, the study says that "the mantra that more guns mean more deaths and that fewer guns, therefore, mean fewer deaths" is wrong.
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Because the findings so clearly demonstrate that more gun laws may in fact increase death rates, the study says that "the mantra that more guns mean more deaths and that fewer guns, therefore, mean fewer deaths" is wrong.
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HOW OBAMACARE IS BEING USED TO CREATE A PERMANENT DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY
To a remarkable degree, liberalism has been institutionalized as an official ideology, funded by your tax dollars. This editorial in Investors Business Daily explains, in shocking detail, how Obamacare is being used to fund Democratic Party operatives and drive Democratic Party enrollment:
The Obama administration granted a whopping $910 million to California to set up its insurance exchange. That money is not for bandages, surgery, nurses and doctors to care for the sick. …
Shockingly, the $910 million is slated for bureaucracy, including rich compensation packages for exchange employees ($360,000 a year for the executive director) and contracts for computer equipment, public relations and “outreach.”
Outreach is the largest expenditure and where the real monkey business occurs.
The Obama administration granted a whopping $910 million to California to set up its insurance exchange. That money is not for bandages, surgery, nurses and doctors to care for the sick. …
Shockingly, the $910 million is slated for bureaucracy, including rich compensation packages for exchange employees ($360,000 a year for the executive director) and contracts for computer equipment, public relations and “outreach.”
Outreach is the largest expenditure and where the real monkey business occurs.
PRESIDENT REAGAN'S SON MICHAEL CALLS 'THE BUTLER' 'A BUNCH OF LIES'
Michael Reagan, son of 40th President Ronald Reagan, is callingLee Daniels' The Butler a "bunch of lies."
The film, which purports to reflect the true story of a black butler who worked in eight presidential administrations, has already been shredded by Reagan historians for incorrectly painting the conservative icon as racially insensitive.
The inspiration for the film, Eugene Allen, appeared to have no malice toward the Reagans given his statements and choice of wall decor. The real Allen proudly displayed a photograph of the Reagans in his living room.
Now, it's the president's son's turn to shred the film's narrative.
Reagan lashes out at The Butler for distorting so much of Allen's life for cheap dramatic effect but saves plenty of energy for attacking its dishonest portrayal of his father.
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The film, which purports to reflect the true story of a black butler who worked in eight presidential administrations, has already been shredded by Reagan historians for incorrectly painting the conservative icon as racially insensitive.
The inspiration for the film, Eugene Allen, appeared to have no malice toward the Reagans given his statements and choice of wall decor. The real Allen proudly displayed a photograph of the Reagans in his living room.
Now, it's the president's son's turn to shred the film's narrative.
Reagan lashes out at The Butler for distorting so much of Allen's life for cheap dramatic effect but saves plenty of energy for attacking its dishonest portrayal of his father.
More
Md. Public Defenders Weighing Appeals In DNA Cases
The Daily Record of Baltimore reports the chief of the office's forensics division, Stephen B. Mercer, says the office is considering the appeals.
According to officials, one case involves Orville Cooper, who was convicted of a 2006 rape. The other case involves Norman Bruce Derr, who was convicted of a 1984 rape. In both cases, witnesses cited DNA reports but the analysts never testified. One or both cases could be appealed.
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CARSON: MLK Would Be Alarmed By Black-On-Black Violence, Lack Of Family Values
It is hard to believe that 50 years have elapsed since the famous “I have a dream speech” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the Mall in Washington. I was an 11-year-old child in Detroit languishing in the midst of poverty, but very interested in the strides that were being made in the civil rights movement. I was the only black kid in my seventh-grade class and over the previous two years had risen from the bottom of the class to the top. My mother had forced us to read, which had a profound positive effect on both my brother Curtis and myself. I was quite optimistic that things were getting better for black people in America.
If King could be resurrected and see what was going on in America today, I suspect he would be extraordinarily pleased by many of the things he observed and disappointed by others. He, like almost everyone else, would be thrilled to know that there was a two-term black president of the United States of America and a black attorney general, as well as many other high government officials, business executives and university presidents.
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If King could be resurrected and see what was going on in America today, I suspect he would be extraordinarily pleased by many of the things he observed and disappointed by others. He, like almost everyone else, would be thrilled to know that there was a two-term black president of the United States of America and a black attorney general, as well as many other high government officials, business executives and university presidents.
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How A $1 Bag Of Salt Water Becomes A $546 Bill At Hospitals
Much like every other aspect of the U.S. ponzi economy, the healthcare system is one gigantic centralized oligopolistic racket. The New York Times has done some excellent coverage on this topic as of late, most recently in an article I highlighted earlier this month about how Americans are now finding themselves forced to travel overseas for surgery.
That article demonstrated how the medical industry is simply one huge convoluted racket, in which contracts are secret and no one has any clue about anything except for a small group of players involved. In fact, it reminds me of an incredible article from 1982 that explains how diamonds are actually basically worthless, and that the whole market is a gigantic con. You take something that is essentially free, and then charge a fortune for it through middleman markups.
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That article demonstrated how the medical industry is simply one huge convoluted racket, in which contracts are secret and no one has any clue about anything except for a small group of players involved. In fact, it reminds me of an incredible article from 1982 that explains how diamonds are actually basically worthless, and that the whole market is a gigantic con. You take something that is essentially free, and then charge a fortune for it through middleman markups.
More
The Federal Government's Catfish Scam
The federal government has spent $20 million over the last five years on dueling catfish inspection offices – but between them the agencies haven’t inspected a single fish. Even worse, the entire effort is nothing but a special interest sop to a wealthy Mississippi catfish producer – a taxpayer-funded bailout secured by a “Republican” U.S. Senator from the Magnolia State.
These and other revelations are the focus of an ABC News exclusive report which delves into the costly politics behind the federal government’s expanded “catfish monitoring” programs.
“This was essentially a lobby that said ‘what can we do to help protect the domestic catfish business,’” a former government official told ABC’s David Kerley.
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These and other revelations are the focus of an ABC News exclusive report which delves into the costly politics behind the federal government’s expanded “catfish monitoring” programs.
“This was essentially a lobby that said ‘what can we do to help protect the domestic catfish business,’” a former government official told ABC’s David Kerley.
More
More Than One-Third Of Louisiana Unemployment Payments Are "Improper"
Louisiana tops the nation's list of "improper" payments for unemployment insurance with a 3-year rate of 38.67%. Of course, this is the "improper" payments they know about (as only 29.7% of overpayments have been recovered). A stunning 28% of Louisanans who claimed benefits did so even after returning to work. However, while the Louisiana data points are bad, they are not alone. As the chart below shows... 16 states have "improper" payment rates of over 14%. One wonders why the world doesn't trust the US so much anymore?
The data below - from the Department of Labor [5], is from estimates based on results of State Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) survey (random audits) of paid and denied claims in three major UI programs: State UI, Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees, and Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members.
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The data below - from the Department of Labor [5], is from estimates based on results of State Benefit Accuracy Measurement (BAM) survey (random audits) of paid and denied claims in three major UI programs: State UI, Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees, and Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members.
More
NOAA: Virus Likely Causing Dolphin Deaths Along Eastern Shore
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says 333 dolphins have been stranded between New York and North Carolina since July 1st. That's more than nine times the historical average for the region during July and August.
Earlier this month, NOAA declared an unusual mortality event to provide additional resources to study what's causing the deaths.
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TRYING TO STAY SANE IN AN INSANE WORLD – PART 3
In Part 1 of this article I documented the insane remedies prescribed by the mad banker scientists presiding over this preposterous fiat experiment since they blew up the lab in 2008. In Part 2 I tried to articulate why the country has allowed itself to be brought to the brink of catastrophe. There is no turning back time. The choices we’ve made and avoided making over the last one hundred years are going to come home to roost over the next fifteen years. We are in the midst of a great Crisis that will not be resolved until the mid-2020s. The propagandists supporting the vested interests continue to assure the voluntarily oblivious populace the economy is improving, jobs are plentiful, inflation is under control, and housing is recovering. Bernanke and his band of merry money manipulators, Obama and his gaggle of government apparatchiks, and their mendacious mainstream media mouthpieces have enacted radical measures in the last five years that reek of desperation in their effort to give the appearance of revival to a failing economic system. Stimulating the net worth of bankers and connected corporate cronies through engineered stock market gains has not trickled down to the peasants. Our owners try to convince us it’s raining, but we know they’re pissing down our backs. Our Crisis mood is congealing.
“But as the Crisis mood congeals, people will come to the jarring realization that they have grown helplessly dependent on a teetering edifice of anonymous transactions and paper guarantees. Many Americans won’t know where their savings are, who their employer is, what their pension is, or how their government works. The era will have left the financial world arbitraged and tentacled: Debtors won’t know who holds their notes, homeowners who owns their mortgages, and shareholders who runs their equities – and vice versa.” - The Fourth Turning – Strauss & Howe – 1997
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“But as the Crisis mood congeals, people will come to the jarring realization that they have grown helplessly dependent on a teetering edifice of anonymous transactions and paper guarantees. Many Americans won’t know where their savings are, who their employer is, what their pension is, or how their government works. The era will have left the financial world arbitraged and tentacled: Debtors won’t know who holds their notes, homeowners who owns their mortgages, and shareholders who runs their equities – and vice versa.” - The Fourth Turning – Strauss & Howe – 1997
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Dem Bill Would Trigger Huge New Taxes On Guns, Ammo
A pair of Democratic lawmakers are proposing steep new taxes on handguns and ammunition, and tying the revenues to programs aimed at preventing gun violence.
Called the “Gun Violence Prevention and Safe Communities Act," the bill sponsored by William Pascrell, D-N.J., and Danny Davis, D-Ill., would nearly double the current 11 percent tax on handguns, while raising the levy on bullets and cartridges from 11 percent to 50 percent.
"This bill represents a major investment in the protection of our children and our communities, and reflects the long-term societal costs of gun and ammunition purchases in our country,” Pascrell said.
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Called the “Gun Violence Prevention and Safe Communities Act," the bill sponsored by William Pascrell, D-N.J., and Danny Davis, D-Ill., would nearly double the current 11 percent tax on handguns, while raising the levy on bullets and cartridges from 11 percent to 50 percent.
"This bill represents a major investment in the protection of our children and our communities, and reflects the long-term societal costs of gun and ammunition purchases in our country,” Pascrell said.
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Pastor: Man Accused Of Killing Baby In Ga. Shot Me 10 Days Before The Child's Death
MARIETTA, Ga. – A pastor testified Tuesday that a man accused of fatally shooting a baby in coastal Georgia shot him in the arm 10 days before the child's death.
Wilfredo Calix Flores, pastor of a Hispanic church in Brunswick, said De'Marquise (deh-mahr-KEES') Elkins demanded money from him on March 11 and shot him when he said he didn't have any.
Elkins also is charged with murder in the March 21 killing of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago in Brunswick. That charge has been the main focus of the hearing.
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Wilfredo Calix Flores, pastor of a Hispanic church in Brunswick, said De'Marquise (deh-mahr-KEES') Elkins demanded money from him on March 11 and shot him when he said he didn't have any.
Elkins also is charged with murder in the March 21 killing of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago in Brunswick. That charge has been the main focus of the hearing.
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Ga. Mother Testifies Against Accused Baby Shooter
The mother of a baby who was fatally shot in his stroller in coastal Georgia testified at a man's murder trial that she threw her arms across her baby, trying to save him.
Sherry West told jurors Tuesday that two teenagers approached her as she walked home from the Brunswick post office March 21. She said the older one demanded money, tried to take her purse and threatened to kill her baby. She said the teen fired a warning shot, shot her in the leg and then shot the baby.
Asked if the shooter was in the courtroom, West said he was. She pointed at De'Marquise (deh-mahr-KEES') Elkins, who sat at the defense table and showed no emotion.
Elkins is charged with murder in the killing of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago.
Source
Sherry West told jurors Tuesday that two teenagers approached her as she walked home from the Brunswick post office March 21. She said the older one demanded money, tried to take her purse and threatened to kill her baby. She said the teen fired a warning shot, shot her in the leg and then shot the baby.
Asked if the shooter was in the courtroom, West said he was. She pointed at De'Marquise (deh-mahr-KEES') Elkins, who sat at the defense table and showed no emotion.
Elkins is charged with murder in the killing of 13-month-old Antonio Santiago.
Source
PA MAN CHARGED FOR ARMED CARJACKING OF TAXI
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| Ian Edward Keim |
During the investigation, the taxi driver, who is not being identified at this time, stated that he was then able to stop the taxi in the area of 91st Street and exit the vehicle. Keim then got into the driver’s seat of the taxi and began driving north on Coastal Highway. A nearby off-duty Clarkstown, NY police officer who witnessed the incident then stopped and allowed the taxi driver to enter his vehicle and followed Keim north on Coastal Highway.
Keim stopped the taxi in the area of 118th Street and Assawoman Drive and then fled on foot toward the beach. Officers located Keim in the surf on the beach at 119th Street where he was placed under arrest.
Keim has been charged by Ocean City police with armed robbery and armed carjacking. Keim was seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner and has been transferred to the Worcester County Jail on $100,000 bond.
Final Obamacare "Individual Mandate" Rules Released: This Is What You Will Pay
With president Obama taking his role as Warmonger-In-Chief ever more seriously, it is easy to forget that the only important function before the greatest presidential teleprompter reader in history, is that of Socialized Healthcare Provider-in-Comrade. And so today, in the fog of pre-war, the Obama administration released the final rules on the "Individual Mandate" component of Obamacare, which requires most Americans to buy health insurance starting in 2014 or be fined. Specifically, the rules list lay out the amount of penalties that Americans will face if they opt out of socialized healthcare.
The WSJ was kind enough to read the Treasury Department release and summarize it as follows:
Most Americans will be required to have health insurance starting in 2014 and will have to report whether they had coverage on their 2015 tax returns. An individual who opts against carrying insurance will be subject to a fine of $95 next year or 1% of income above a certain threshold, which is ever greater. The penalty increases to $695 per person in 2016 and beyond – or 2.5% of taxable annual income – with the amount rising by inflation.
There are exceptions in the law for people with incomes below the threshold that’s required to file an income tax return, which is about $10,000 for an individual in 2013. People with certain religious exemptions and those who are members of Indian tribes are exempt from requirements under the health law. People who lack insurance coverage for less than three months in a given year also won’t be penalized.
People who obtain health insurance through an employer, or are on Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older, qualify as having insurance and won’t be subject to any penalties. The federal government and states are setting up online exchanges or marketplaces where people can purchase health insurance starting Oct. 1. Many people are expected to qualify for tax credits to offset the cost of monthly insurance premiums.
In a statement posted on Treasury Department’s website, the agency said the requirement for individuals to carry health insurance is “integral to delivering the Affordable Care Act’s consumer protections at an affordable cost.”
Or, said otherwise, Obamacare will only be affordable, if every unemployed person pays.
In retrospect, it is probably impressive that with foreign policy mirroring such domestic brilliance, that the whole world isn't one big mushroom cloud yet.
Source
The WSJ was kind enough to read the Treasury Department release and summarize it as follows:
Most Americans will be required to have health insurance starting in 2014 and will have to report whether they had coverage on their 2015 tax returns. An individual who opts against carrying insurance will be subject to a fine of $95 next year or 1% of income above a certain threshold, which is ever greater. The penalty increases to $695 per person in 2016 and beyond – or 2.5% of taxable annual income – with the amount rising by inflation.
There are exceptions in the law for people with incomes below the threshold that’s required to file an income tax return, which is about $10,000 for an individual in 2013. People with certain religious exemptions and those who are members of Indian tribes are exempt from requirements under the health law. People who lack insurance coverage for less than three months in a given year also won’t be penalized.
People who obtain health insurance through an employer, or are on Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older, qualify as having insurance and won’t be subject to any penalties. The federal government and states are setting up online exchanges or marketplaces where people can purchase health insurance starting Oct. 1. Many people are expected to qualify for tax credits to offset the cost of monthly insurance premiums.
In a statement posted on Treasury Department’s website, the agency said the requirement for individuals to carry health insurance is “integral to delivering the Affordable Care Act’s consumer protections at an affordable cost.”
Or, said otherwise, Obamacare will only be affordable, if every unemployed person pays.
In retrospect, it is probably impressive that with foreign policy mirroring such domestic brilliance, that the whole world isn't one big mushroom cloud yet.
Source
‘Lawless White House’ Has Made A ‘Clear Attempt’ To ‘Aid & Abet Voter Fraud,’ Says GOP Rep
A Republican Texas Congressman issued a blistering statement on Friday, accusing President Obama of intentionally working to encourage voter fraud.
Congressman Steve Stockman made the comments following Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement that he will take legal action to block a Texas law that requires voters to show a valid form of identification.
“This is a clear attempt by a lawless White House to aid and abet voter fraud,” said Stockman, in a statement.
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Congressman Steve Stockman made the comments following Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement that he will take legal action to block a Texas law that requires voters to show a valid form of identification.
“This is a clear attempt by a lawless White House to aid and abet voter fraud,” said Stockman, in a statement.
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Congress Should Veto Obama’s war
“Congress doesn’t have a whole lot of core responsibilities,” said Barack Obama last week in an astonishing remark.
For in the Constitution, Congress appears as the first branch of government. And among its enumerated powers are the power to tax, coin money, create courts, provide for the common defense, raise and support an army, maintain a navy and declare war.
But, then, perhaps Obama’s contempt is justified.
For consider Congress’ broad assent to news that Obama has decided to attack Syria, a nation that has not attacked us and against which Congress has never authorized a war.
Why is Obama making plans to launch cruise missiles on Syria?
According to a “senior administration official … who insisted on anonymity,” President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on his own people last week in the two-year-old Syrian civil war.
But who deputized the United States to walk the streets of the world pistol-whipping bad actors? Where does our imperial president come off drawing “red lines” and ordering nations not to cross them?
Neither the Security Council nor Congress nor NATO nor the Arab League has authorized war on Syria.
Who made Barack Obama the Wyatt Earp of the Global Village?
Moreover, where is the evidence that WMDs were used and that it had to be Assad who ordered them? Such an attack makes no sense.
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Pentagon Prepping For 'Large Scale Economic Breakdown'
High level government documents reveal that the Pentagon is preparing in full force for ‘large scale economic meltdown’ and massive revolt via the US public — exactly what we are criticized for doing.
You see the Pentagon and agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD) are in full scale emergency readiness in their own words for ‘cataclysmic’ events that are believed to ultimately ignite riots in the face of chaos and economic collapse, and it’s all out in the open. And it’s one of the reasons that we’re seeing such a massive amount of spying on activists of all kinds, alternative news writers and personalities, and basically anyone preparing for themselves.
The US government is dedicated to logging such information into a major database in order to ‘prepare’ for the coming collapse that they are predicting in their own documents for all to see. Collapse predictions that have turned into ‘war games’ by the Pentagon, which in 2010 were orchestrated to prepare for what the Pentagon dubbed ‘large scale economic breakdown’ and the disappearance of essential services like food.
In this same ‘war games’ exercise dedicated to domestic response, exercises were ran in order to prepare for ‘domestic order amid civil unrest’.
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You see the Pentagon and agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD) are in full scale emergency readiness in their own words for ‘cataclysmic’ events that are believed to ultimately ignite riots in the face of chaos and economic collapse, and it’s all out in the open. And it’s one of the reasons that we’re seeing such a massive amount of spying on activists of all kinds, alternative news writers and personalities, and basically anyone preparing for themselves.
The US government is dedicated to logging such information into a major database in order to ‘prepare’ for the coming collapse that they are predicting in their own documents for all to see. Collapse predictions that have turned into ‘war games’ by the Pentagon, which in 2010 were orchestrated to prepare for what the Pentagon dubbed ‘large scale economic breakdown’ and the disappearance of essential services like food.
In this same ‘war games’ exercise dedicated to domestic response, exercises were ran in order to prepare for ‘domestic order amid civil unrest’.
More
SFD Calls For Service 8-27-13
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 23:48:59 Nature: Sick Subject City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 23:44:37 Nature: Injury City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 22:14:49 Nature: Sick Subject City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 21:19:25 Nature: Diabetic Difficulty City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 21:13:30 Nature: Medical Assist Address: 200 Civic Ave Salisbury, MD 21801
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 21:13:27 Nature: Abdominal Pain City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 21:00:27 Nature: Subject Fallen City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 18:37:56 Nature: Chest Pain City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 17:45:28 Nature: Sick Subject City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 17:23:48 Nature: Pro Qa Ems City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 16:19:56 Nature: Sick Subject City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 12:46:34 Nature: Sick Subject City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 12:30:58 Nature: Subject Fallen City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 11:35:24 Nature: Chest Pain City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 05:51:29 Nature: Chest Pain City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 05:26:58 Nature: Seizure City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 03:47:30 Nature: Sick Subject City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 02:28:53 Nature: Difficulty Breathing City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 00:54:33 Nature: Subject Fallen City: Salisbury
- Tuesday August, 27 2013 @ 00:12:31 Nature: Odor Investigation Address: 30171 Southampton Bridge Rd Salisbury, MD 21801
FACTS ARE STUBBORN THINGS
Detroitification — It’s The Government, Stupid
By Monty Pelerin on August 25, 2013
Facts are stubborn things.
No matter how hard the Washington crowd tries to sell an economic recovery, inconvenient and contrary facts keep rearing up to shatter their mythmaking. Few people any longer believe the claims of declining unemployment or low inflation at least based on purchases they make.
The fable of a housing recovery is now crumbling: New Home Sales Plunge 13.4% in July, June Revised Lower; Blame Rising Mortgage Rates; Starts 896,000 – Sales 394,000. Two weeks ago, the same author (Mish) provided this article: Mortgage Applications Decline 13th Time in 15 Weeks; Are Mortgage Rates Cheap? What’s Next For Housing?
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By Monty Pelerin on August 25, 2013
Facts are stubborn things.
No matter how hard the Washington crowd tries to sell an economic recovery, inconvenient and contrary facts keep rearing up to shatter their mythmaking. Few people any longer believe the claims of declining unemployment or low inflation at least based on purchases they make.
The fable of a housing recovery is now crumbling: New Home Sales Plunge 13.4% in July, June Revised Lower; Blame Rising Mortgage Rates; Starts 896,000 – Sales 394,000. Two weeks ago, the same author (Mish) provided this article: Mortgage Applications Decline 13th Time in 15 Weeks; Are Mortgage Rates Cheap? What’s Next For Housing?
More