OFFICIALS: WOMAN, 34, ENROLLED IN SCHOOL AS TEEN

LONGVIEW, Texas (AP) — A 34-year-old woman posed as a teenager to enroll as a sophomore at a small private high school in East Texas, officials said Wednesday.

Longview police said Charity Johnson was arrested early Tuesday morning after telling officers she was "Charite Stevens" and was born in November 1997. Police had been called to an apartment when the person Johnson was staying with said she no longer wanted her living there. Police gave Johnson a trespass warning.

Officer Debra Stiles said during the investigation, police determined she had given them a false name and birthdate.
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Jake Tapper Grills White House Chief of Staff Over VA Scandal: ‘How Many Dead Veterans Do You Need?’

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough was grilled by CNN’s Jake Tapper Thursday over embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.

Shinseki, under fire for a scandal where officials fabricated patient wait times which ultimately resulted in the deaths of veterans, testified before Congress Thursday.

After his testimony, Tapper grilled McDonough, asking how President Barack Obama can continue to have confidence in him.
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Larry Sabato: Conditions Not Good for Democrats in November

Adopting meteorological metaphors, Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia Center for Politics predicts a Republican wave — possibly a tidal wave — in November’s midterm elections, Politico reports.

While Democrats "can hope for fearsome-sounding waves that crash loudly but do little structural damage, Republicans … are rooting for an impressive tidal wave, if not a full-fledged historic tsunami," he said.

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President Obama, first lady disclose assets worth between $1.95 million and $7.15 million

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama listed assets worth between $1.95 million and $7.15 million, according to financial disclosure forms released by the White House on Thursday.

The disclosures, required by law, show that the first family holds U.S. Treasury bonds worth between $1 million and $5 million, the largest single portion of their assets. The forms allow public officials to list their holdings in broad ranges. The Obama family's total assets were similar to their 2013 disclosures.
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'If Our Military Has to Fly Coach Then so Should Congress,' says bill

A bipartisan group of Congressman has introduced a bill that would prohibit members of Congress and their staffs from using taxpayer money to fly first class.

The 'If Our Military Has to Fly Coach Then so Should Congress Act' would place the same restrictions on the legislative branch that are already on employees of the executive branch, a press release announcing the bill states.

It is sponsored by Democratic Reps. John Barrow and Raul Ruiz and Republican Reps. Walter Jones and Paul Gosar.

'As representatives of the American people, we in Congress have a responsibility to wisely use the people’s money,' Jones said in a statement. 'Members of the House and Senate should never secure their own luxury travel at taxpayer expense, but they especially should not do so when our nation is buried $17 trillion deep in debt.'

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City Of Dover Losing $300,000 From Grievance Settlements

DOVER — A city already under severe financial strain now has $300,000 less to work with after recently settling grievances with police officers alleging racial discrimination in promotion practices.

Acting Dover Mayor David L. Bonar said administrators are exploring options on how to absorb a bill resulting from an April 4 deputy chief promotion that brought complaints from police Capts. Robert Scott and Tim Stump, Lts. Dan McKeown, J. Eric Richardson and Jason Pires.

City manager Scott Koenig and finance director Donna Mitchell are exploring options on what could be covered by insurance, and how to juggle expenses to pay the debt in Fiscal Year 2015 and/or 2016, Mr. Bonar said.

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Ex-CIA Director Morell Backs Benghazi Probe

Former Central Intelligence Agency acting director Michael Morell has thrown his support behind the special House committee to investigate the Benghazi terror attacks, even though he has serious concerns about Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy heading the panel.

In a speech Monday to a group founded by his former CIA boss Leon Panetta, Morell said he believed the congressional investigation would finally uncover the truth behind the siege on the U.S. mission in Libya that killed four Americans in September 2012, Politico reported.

"It might be surprising for you to hear me say this, but I am a supporter of the creation of this committee because I want all the facts to come together in one place and be presented as one — by one entity, as one thing, so the American people can see all of this," he said at the Panetta Institute in Monterey, Calif.

"I am hopeful that at least getting the facts on the table will be helpful. A lot of people have looked at this, but the polls show that the American people still have questions. I want to make sure that all of those questions are cleared up.

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Woman Accuses DEA Agent of Smashing Her Neck with M-16 Rifle

Woman claims agents disconnected surveillance cameras during raid on smoke shop

A woman in Alpine, Texas has accused a DEA agent of smashing her neck with the butt of an M-16 rifle during a raid on her sister’s smoke shop.

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Animal Groups Agree To Pay Nearly $16M To Ringling

The parent company of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus says it has received a nearly $16 million settlement from the Humane Society of the United States and other animal-rights groups that filed a frivolous lawsuit against them.

The lawsuits in federal court in Washington have dragged on for more than a decade. In 2012, a judge said the case, alleging abusive treatment of elephants, was frivolous and forced the circus' owner, Vienna, Virginia-based Feld Entertainment, to spend millions in legal fees.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals already agreed separately to pay more than $9 million to settle.

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Rand Paul puts Fed secrecy on display

Threatens to hold up nominees unless audit moves forward

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, continuing a campaign launched by his father, Texas Rep. Ron Paul decades ago, is promising to hold up Obama administration nominees to the Federal Reserve unless a program to audit the massive money machine moves forward.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Rand Paul linked the approval of the nominees to his proposed S. 209, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act.

“I am writing to convey my objection to floor consideration of the pending nominations to the Federal Reserve System … without also considering legislation to bring much-needed transparency to the Fed,” Paul wrote.

“As the Senate debates the Federal Reserve Board nominees, there is no more appropriate time to provide Congress with additional oversight and scrutiny of the actions and decisions of the central banks. Therefore, I request that my bipartisan legislation, S. 209, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, be scheduled for an up or down vote concurrently with nominees to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors,” Paul wrote.

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Don't Hold Your Breath

Tom Cotton: Where was Dem Fundraising Outrage on Iraq?

Arkansas Republican Rep. Tom Cotton savaged Democrats Thursday during a debate over the 2012 Benghazi attack, blasting their "fake outrage" over GOP fundraising efforts linked to the tragedy.

Barely hiding his disgust, Cotton strode to the podium on the House floor minutes before a vote to convene a select committee to investigate the White House's handing of the attack in Libya and its aftermath.

Democrats and some Republicans have criticized a National Republican Congressional Committee email referencing an alleged White House cover-up, and seeking political donations.

But Cotton, a former Army vet with combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, jumped all over lawmakers across the aisle, saying they "express great outrage at politicizing this manner," fuming: "When I was leading troops in Iraq in 2006 — men and women who were being shot at and blown up by al-Qaida — where was the outrage as they fundraised endlessly off the Iraq War?"

The stunning blast was aired on C-Span.

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Class of 2014 Faces A Lack Of Job Prospects

The bell tolling at the Georgetown University clock tower is a not-so-subtle reminder to graduates that time is running out to get a job. It is why finance and marketing major Sammy Abdisubhan is suited up today for yet another job interview.

"I think it went well...It was a job interview slash preview day, and it seems like I would get it, but I didn't want to be too certain," the senior says.

With commencement ceremonies taking place on Friday, many Georgetown students are shocked that they are able to walk across that stage without employment waiting for them.

Despite a much-improved economy, the Class of 2014 has found it difficult to land jobs. According to a survey, so far only 17-percent of would-be graduates have jobs lined up. In 2013, 20-percent of grads had jobs already.

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3F THIS Friday! Wheels.

Friday May 16th, 2014 is the next 3rd Friday in Downtown Salisbury, the monthly Arts & Entertainment event, that brings live music, performances, and local art vendors to Main Street Downtown. 3rd Friday's theme this month is Wheels, and we are on a roll with interesting features and interactive fun. From Skateboards, Roller-skates, Bikes of All Types, Pottery Wheel Demos, Fine Art Shows, Drum Circles and More; we've got a well-rounded line-up, pun intended, which is sure to have something for everyone.

3rd Friday doesn't need to re-invent the Wheel for this month's theme, because there so many amazing wheels in motion right here in Salisbury!

Did you know Salisbury Skate Park is on a roll? The dream is now a reality, and after years of hard work, construction on a free public skate park will begin this summer. Phase One has been completely funded, with local support and grants from Community Parks & Playgrounds division of the MD Dept. of Natural Resources, and the Tony Hawk Foundation. Phase One will be a 6,000 sq ft one of a kind, poured in place, artisan built concrete skate park that will include a bowl and various street and transition elements. Phase Two funding is being raised now, and here is the cool part... Phase Two will be an additional 8,000 sq ft course modeled after the China Banks, a legendary skate boarding hot spot in San Francisco, and we can all be a permanent part, with the Salisbury Skate Park's Buy a Brick Fundraiser. Be sure to stop by and congratulate these guys on their amazing success!

Senators Want States To Pay For Health Care Website Failures

Senate Republicans on Wednesday told President Obama’s pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department that they expect the government to recoup millions of dollars in federal grants from states that set up flawed websites under Obamacare.

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Republican, put Sylvia Mathews Burwell on notice during her confirmation hearing before the powerful Senate Finance Committee, saying roughly half of the states that opted to set up their own health care exchanges failed to build successful websites and should pay back the money they received from Washington over the next 10 years.

“One of the greatest challenges facing HHS is shoring up the federal and state-based health insurance exchanges,” Mr. Hatch said. “Ensuring that the exchanges are operating efficiently and effectively will be one of your biggest challenges.”

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Country Dock Party

Md. State University Profs Make More Than National Average

Full-time professors at Maryland public universities earn a salary roughly $16,500 above the national average, but tuition at Maryland public universities has remained lower than the national average, according to data from the American Association of University Professors.

Data from the Maryland Higher Education Commission — the statewide board responsible for establishing policies for Maryland’s public and private colleges — reveals that full-time faculty for Maryland’s public universities have an annual salary of, on average, $105,140. Comparatively, the national average for full-time professors at public universities was $88,648. Full-time professors at private schools were paid $108,653 a year on average.

This pay rate has meant that for the past few years university staff have topped the payroll of Maryland state employees. This year, the top 220 spots on the state payroll were occupied by university employees, and Maryland public university employees made up 70% of the total number of state employees earning over $100,000. 
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Preakness Party

SPD Press Release 5-15-14 (Walmart Bomb Threat)

Martin O'Malley cautioned to ease White House dream and be 'loyal soldier' to Hillary

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has been holding off an announcement on his White House intent: He’s been waiting, along with several other Democratic potential candidates, for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to decide to run and either free up or grab up key campaign contributor dollars.

But now the Maryland Democrat seems to be shrugging off Mrs. Clinton’s shadow and taking actual steps toward the higher office. And at least one Democratic strategist said that’s a mistake — that the governor may be better off waiting on the former first lady and keeping open his chances to be her vice presidential pick.

In April, Mr. O'Malley reportedly held a closed-door meeting with political compadres and told them that he spoke with Mrs. Clinton, and that she gave him the thumbs-up he needed to make his own White House decision, Politico reported. Since, Mr. O'Malley has been seen visiting several crucial primary states, campaigning for fellow Democrats and simultaneously making friends with those who may one day help his career.

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How Much Does Basic Health Insurance Cost Around The World

How does one define most basic health insurance? If one is Deutsche Bank, as follows: "Health insurance annual premium is for a basic policy for a local resident between 25-35 years. Since the definition of a standard package varies between countries, we have tried to stick to an insurance policy which covers inpatient events and no extra covers like dental, etc.... The data has been sourced mainly from local providers of heath insurances, reports of organizations engaged in research of health care and news clippings."

And how much does "most basic health insurance" cost around the world? According to Deutsche Bank the answer, when presented in dollar terms, is as follows:

Clearly what the US, with its highest in the world costs, needs is for the government to step in and really fix the problem.

Source

Families Sought For Md. Prison Pup Training

WESTOVER, Md. (AP) -- The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services says it needs more local families to volunteer as weekend hosts for puppies in training as service dogs for disabled military veterans.

The prison agency and the America's VetDogs organization are putting out a call Wednesday for volunteers in the Westover area.

Spokesman Mark Vernarelli says there's an acute need for weekend hosts there. He says six puppies are being trained by inmates at Eastern Correctional Institution but the prison could take 14 more if enough families step up.
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Some colleges pester vets, provide misleading loan information, GAO says

The Veterans Affairs Department should increase efforts to help veterans in choosing colleges because some institutions are pressuring veterans to enroll and providing them with false information about student debt, a May 13 Government Accountability Office report says.

Almost a quarter of veterans surveyed reported receiving unwanted school contacts and said they felt the contacts they received from schools were excessive.

And about 10 percent of those surveyed reported feeling pressure from a school to enroll, the report says.

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Caddell on Benghazi: Press Has Failed the Country, Facts Will Put Obama in Deep Trouble

Following May's presentation of the New York Meeting on Monday, former Democrat pollster and insider Pat Caddell called Benghazi the "biggest cover-up since Watergate" and said that the key to getting to the bottom of the Benghazi scandal is to "do what we did in Watergate, which is gather the facts … not go out and … hammer a political position."

Caddell claimed that should the recently established select committee on Benghazi do what he had suggested, "This President and the Democrats will be in deep trouble. Democrats can’t afford to stand against the truth."

The "bad guy" in the Benghazi scandal, according to Caddell, is the press, who have "failed the country."

Source

Overall, do you approve or disapprove of President Obama's job performance?

Crime or Scandal?

Here's The Most Surprising Revelation From An Eye-Opening Documentary On NSA Spying

A new PBS documentary called "United States of Secrets" reveals that it was a lawyer for then-Vice President Dick Cheney — not an elected official — who authorized much of the NSA spying that Edward Snowden blew the whistle on.

NPR's "Fresh Air" recently interviewed the movie's director, Michael Kirk, about how the vice president's office came to authorize NSA surveillance of Americans after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

According to Kirk, shortly after the September 11 attacks, the head of the NSA, Air Force General Michael Hayden, visited the Oval Office to meet with the president about an aggressive surveillance program. That surveillance — which became known simply as “The Program” in government circles — would collect internet data and telephone records from Americans, Hayden told Bush.

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GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY DEDICATES PORTION OF US 113 TO DELEGATE K. BENNETT BOZMAN AND ANNOUNCES $49 MILLION TO WIDEN ROAD

Respected Lower Eastern Shore Public Official Worked Tirelessly to Make US 113 Safer

Widening Project Starts Early Next Year

Berlin, Md. – Honoring a lifetime of service to Country and State, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced a 14-mile section of US 113 (Worcester Highway) between Berlin and Snow Hill on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore is being dedicated to the late Delegate K. Bennett Bozman. Serving Worcester and Wicomico counties in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1991 until his death in 2006, Delegate Bozman advocated for the widening of US 113 in Worcester County to a four-lane divided highway. Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown also announced today $49 million in new construction funding to widen US 113 to a four-lane divided highway from north of Five Mile Branch Road to south of Massey Branch, a distance of 3.75 miles.

“As a Delegate and firefighter for the Berlin Fire Company, Bennett fought to make US 113 safer for the families he proudly served,” said Governor O’Malley. “He was a true gentleman who, through kindness and cooperation, was known for his effort to make our roadways safer and our waterways cleaner. Providing the funding to make this roadway safer and dedicating a section of US 113 in Bennett’s honor is a fitting tribute to a man who always put the needs of his constituents first.”

South Carolina man dies after test of bulletproof vest fails

A South Carolina man died Wednesday morning after police say he asked one of his friends to fire a gun into a bulletproof vest he was wearing, Fox Carolina reported.

The bullet reportedly missed the Kevlar vest and hit Blake Wardell, 26, in the chest. Friends performed CPR, but Wardell bled to death in the garage, the report said. The death was classified a homicide. The bulletproof vest was about 10 years old and the weapon was called a small-caliber gun, The State reported.

Taylor Ann Kelly, 18, was reportedly charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting and can face five years in prison.

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Rush Limbaugh: Establishment came after Walter Jones with a million dollars and they failed

Casey Kasem Found In Washington State

Radio icon Casey Kasem has been found in Washington state, a representative for his daughter told CNN late Wednesday night.

"The family has grave concerns about his medical care. The Kasem family will do everything in their power to bring their father home," representative Danny Deraney said in a statement.

But the statement said Kasem's exact location in Washington "is still being determined."

Kasem, 82, is suffering from Lewy body disease -- a common cause of dementia, a spokesman for his daughter told CNN on Tuesday.

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Millsboro Man Charged with Vehicular Assault after Crashing into a General Store near Laurel

Laurel, DE - The Delaware State Police have arrested a Millsboro man for DUI after he crashed his car into a local gas station and injured his passenger.

The incident occurred around 12:00 a.m. last night as Trent L. Hitchens, 22 of Millsboro, was operating a 2014 Ford Mustang southbound on Shiloh Church Road approaching Laurel Road (SR24). Hitchens failed to stop at the posted stop sign and continued in southwesterly direction entering into the parking lot of Sandy Fork General Store located at 12324 West Laurel Road. The Mustang then struck a gas pump in the front of the store before crashing into the front of the business.

Trent Hitchens was contacted at the scene and was taken into custody after a DUI investigation ensued. His passenger, 29 year old Raymond C. Davis of Millsboro, was airlifted from the scene to Christiana Medical Center where he is currently admitted in stable condition.

Hitchens was later charged with Vehicular Assault 1st, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Failure to Have Insurance in Possession, Failure to Have Registration in Possession, Failure to Have a License in Possession, and Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign. He was arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $2,800.00 secured bond. There is no photo available at this time.

Rebellion In The USA - Protesters Attempt To Arrest Albuquerque Police Chief

There is something very, very wrong with the Albuquerque, New Mexico police department, and the citizens have just about had enough. Before I get into the heart of this story, I need to provide you with a little background. The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) is well known for its outrageous and inappropriate use of violence. So much so that it has been under investigation by the Department of Justice, which wrote a letter to the Mayor of Albuquerque on April 10, 2014 condemning the police force. Here’s an excerpt from the letter:

Based on our investigation, we have reasonable cause to believe that APD engages in a pattern or practice of use of excessive force, including deadly force, in violation of the Fourth Amendment and Section 14141. Our investigation included a comprehensive review of APD’s operations and the City’s oversight systems. We have determined that structural and systemic deficiencies—including insufficient oversight, inadequate training, and ineffective policies— contribute to the use of unreasonable force. At the conclusion of this letter, we outline the remedial measures that we believe are necessary to ensure that force is used in accordance with the Constitution. In some instances, these recommendations build on measures and initiatives that are already underway within the department.

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What Happens When America Goes Bankrupt?

Last week in the Land of the Free, I heard a radio campaign ad for a local political candidate while in Texas.

In the ad, he was talking about the debt and excessive government spending. And then he said something along the lines of, “We need to get this under control before America goes bankrupt.”

‘Buddy,’ I remember thinking, ‘America isn’t going bankrupt. It already IS bankrupt.’

Just so that we don’t mince words, my dictionary defines ‘bankrupt’ as “any insolvent debtor,” i.e. a debtor whose liabilities exceeds assets.

That’s the US government, by its own admission.

As we’ve discussed before, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) publishes financial statements each year in which they list all official government assets and liabilities.

The liabilities far exceed the assets. Big time. And the hole is getting deeper each year.

At this point the government’s net worth is roughly NEGATIVE $17 trillion, about 110% of GDP. That’s textbook insolvency.

The only reason the US government is still able to service its debts is because they are borrowing money just to pay interest… and because the Federal Reserve keeps printing money to buy up US debt.

These are hardly sustainable fiscal strategies.

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Jet-set grounded: Turbulence ahead for members of Congress flying first class

A bipartisan group of Congressmen introduced a bill Monday that would stop costly first-class flights by lawmakers at taxpayer expense and force representatives and senators to fly coach.

“As representatives of the American people, we in Congress have a responsibility to wisely use the people’s money,” said Rep. Walter Jones, a North Carolina Republican, in a statement. “Members of the House and Senate should never secure their own luxury travel at taxpayer expense, but they especially should not do so when our nation is buried $17 trillion deep in debt.”

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Martin O’Malley Cautioned To Ease White House Dream And Be ‘Loyal Soldier’ To Hillary

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley has been holding off an announcement on his White House intent: He’s been waiting, along with several other Democratic potential candidates, for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to decide to run and either free up or grab up key campaign contributor dollars.

But now the Maryland Democrat seems to be shrugging off Mrs. Clinton’s shadow and taking actual steps toward the higher office. And at least one Democratic strategist said that’s a mistake — that the governor may be better off waiting on the former first lady and keeping open his chances to be her vice presidential pick.

In April, Mr. O'Malley reportedly held a closed-door meeting with political compadres and told them that he spoke with Mrs. Clinton, and that she gave him the thumbs-up he needed to make his own White House decision, Politico reported. Since, Mr. O'Malley has been seen visiting several crucial primary states, campaigning for fellow Democrats and simultaneously making friends with those who may one day help his career.

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Baby boy's mouth 'was taped shut because it was being too loud'

Parents are outraged after a nurse at a Phillipines hospital reportedly taped their baby's mouth shut because it cried 'too loudly.'

Ryan Noval and Jasmine Badocdoc found their son Yohannes Noval's lips taped shut as he slept - and when they asked a nurse about it, were told it was because 'the baby was crying too loudly and was always asking for milk,' Sun.Star Cebu says.

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Michigan Cops Attack Mentally Ill Man in Disturbing Dash Cam Video

A disturbing dash cam video shows a group of Michigan police officers pouncing on a mentally ill man who was doing nothing more than standing on a residential street try to fix his bicycle chain.

The first Dearborn cop pulls up, steps out of the car and begins donning gloves – a usual indicator he is about to get physical.

And sure enough he does, insisting on patting Ali Baydoun down for weapons, even though he was not doing anything that would have given the cop a reasonable suspicion that he had or was about to commit a crime.

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American Dependency (And The 3rd Day Of The Month Effect)

Having noted America's surging government dependence before [4], the impact of almost 50 million people on food stamps is hard to imagine if you are not in retail food. More

‘Bankrolled’ by Planned Parenthood, McAuliffe pushes looser abortion rules clinic rules

As a candidate, Terry McAuliffe campaigned on a pro-choice platform. As governor, McAuliffe is beginning to transform that platform into policy.

This week, McAuliffe announced he is appointing five new members to the Virginia Board of Health and ordering them to review state regulations that impose the same construction standards for hospitals on first-trimester abortion facilities.

It’s a signal the Democratic governor is ready to wield his executive power to alter yet another socially charged policy.

“I am concerned that the extreme and punitive regulations adopted last year jeopardize the ability of most women’s health centers to keep their doors open and place in jeopardy the health and reproductive rights of Virginia women,” McAuliffe said in a news conference Monday.

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Berlin Is A Small Town With Big Appeal

City slickers, be forewarned. One visit to this picturesque and utterly charming town on Maryland's Eastern Shore, and even devout urbanites may be tempted to pull up roots, pack their bags and change ZIP codes.

That's no exaggeration. Berlin has in recent years welcomed an influx of new residents -- nicknamed "come heres" in the local parlance.

Indeed, those who discover this locale less than 10 miles from Ocean City and Assateague Island's famous ponies will find a destination that's increasingly gaining national buzz.

Budget Travel magazine recently deemed Berlin "America's Coolest Small Town, 2014" after a nationwide contest in which tens of thousands cast votes online. Of hundreds of towns nominated, the magazine narrowed the list to 15 and let the public vote. The result: 40,000 votes (28 percent) for Berlin.

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Karl Rove claiming Hillary would be unstable leader after blood clot

Republican strategist Karl Rove has suggested that Hillary Clinton may be suffering from brain damage as a result of the fall she suffered in December 2012.

Rove raised the issue of the probable 2016 Democratic contender’s health at a conference last Thursday where he was appearing with former Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs and CBS correspondent Dan Raviv.

In 2012, Clinton suffered from a blood clot that temporarily prevented her from testifying about the attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

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Rare hole in clouds over California has social media users crying UFO

Photos that have emerged of a bizarre cloud formation over Northern California are causing social media users to wonder: Is the truth out there?

The strange snapshots have popped up all across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and show a bright, unusual hole in the otherwise undisturbed clouds over Stockton on Friday afternoon.

Now curious-minded folks in California and around the globe are speculating about what caused the phenomenon and some say its weird appearance belies an even weirder cause.

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Balanced offense, strong defense power Sea Gulls past Big Red

SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 2 Salisbury University men's lacrosse team punched its ticket to the NCAA Division III tournament semifinals with a 15-5 victory over No. 4 Denison University on Wednesday night at Sea Gull Stadium in a quarterfinal matchup.

Denison struck first at the 13:55 mark of the first quarter, but Salisbury answered with an 8-0 run that stretched into the third quarter, led by senior midfielder Greg Korvin, senior attackman Luke Phipps, and junior attackman Mike Kane. All three players netted three goals in the game, while Phipps led the Gulls with six points, adding three assists.

Phipps found Kane on the crease with the Sea Gulls' first score to tie the game, 1-1, before Korvin netted two straight to gain a two-goal cushion.

With 7:45 left in the first, Korvin netted a shot from the right wing, before driving right and scoring a high shot just over one minute later.

Phipps closed the quarter, scoring from eight yards on a pass from Korvin to give SU a 4-1 lead.

Two-straight goals on the crease from Kane in the second built Salisbury's lead to 6-1, before assisting Phipps for his second; the Street, Md., native ripped a shot into the top, right corner of the cage as SU went into halftime with a 7-1 advantage.

At the break, the Gulls were outshooting the Big Red, 24-5, and had more ground balls, 15-11. SU also turned the ball over less, with only four to Denison's nine, but Denison had the faceoff advantage, 6-of-10.

Senior attackman Rhett DePol opened the second half with his first score just 12 seconds into the third quarter, taking a pass from Phipps and scoring on the crease.

The Big Red broke its scoring draught, answering with two-straight to cut into the lead, 8-3, but junior Sean Fitzgerald would sandwich a Phipps goal with two of his own to regain a big advantage, 11-3, before the final quarter.

The fourth started with a Denison score in the first five minutes, but Salisbury continued to keep its foot on the gas, outscoring the Big Red, 4-2, in the quarter, with goals from DePol, Korvin, and senior midfielders Donovan Langeand Brandon Kendrick to cap the win.

SU's defense, led by senior long-stick midfielder Zeke Smith and junior defender Austin Kemp with two caused turnovers, each. The unit went head-to-head with the No. 4 scoring offense in the country, allowing only five goals, while senior goalkeeper Alex Taylor earned the win, making nine saves in just over 56 minutes in the cage.

The Sea Gulls now look forward to the semifinal round on Sunday, going up against No. 5 Washington (Md.) College; the time and place are to be announced. Log on to www.suseagulls.com for more information as it becomes available.

Washington College Scores at 0:23 to Upend No. 3 Stevenson

CHESTERTOWN, Md. -- Senior attackman Jim Cusick (Fallston, Md./Calvert Hall) scored five goals, including the game-winner with 22.5 seconds left, as fifth-ranked visiting Washington College knocked off third-ranked Stevenson, 12-11, in a thrilling NCAA Division III quarterfinal game tonight at Mustang Stadium.

The Shoremen improved to 18-1 with their 13th straight win, tying their single-season record for victories, and advanced to the NCAA Division III Semifinals for the first time since 2004. The Mustangs (19-3), who were the defending NCAA Division III National Champions, suffered their first NCAA Tournament at Mustang Stadium in 10 games since the facility opened.

Stevenson opened the scoring 1:34 into the game when Tony Rossi scored. The Shoremen evened things up with 7:06 to go in the first quarter as senior attackman JD Campbell (Baltimore, Md./Mount St. Joseph) scored off an assist from senior midfielder Kodie Englehart (Coronado, Calif./Coronado). Rossi then found Josh Rufolo in transition to give the Mustangs a lead with 5:23 on the clock and Chris Dashiell assisted on a goal by Billy Burgoyne with 3:17 to go in the first to push the lead to 3-1.

EU ruling means you can ask Google to remove personal search results

Internet users have the right to tell Google to hide embarrassing details of their past in search results, European judges ruled yesterday.

Anyone will be able to ask the technology giant and other search engines to block any reference to information about their life.

Although content cannot be removed from the internet altogether, the decision means it can be hidden from search results if it is ‘inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant, or excessive’.

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Six brothers arrested for abuse after sibling tells pastor 'he sinned'

A North Carolina family have been charged over claims that six brothers sexually abused a girl for nearly a decade, while their parents failed to intervene.

The Jackson brothers and their parents, John and Nita, were arrested last Tuesday, after a year-long investigation into the home-schooled family.

The abuse, which allegedly started when the girl was four years old, came to light after one of the brothers confessed to a pastor in 2012 that he had sinned.

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A Viewer Writes: Meteor shower

Don't forget to watch the Camelopardalids meteor shower on May 23rd and 24th.Possibly up to 200 per hour will be visible.Not sure of the exact time,but this may actually be a new (to us) meteor shower.

5 Foods You Should Buy Every Week If You Want To Get Healthier

If you eat to improve your health, here are five foods to put in your supermarket trolley every week. All pack a proven punch in terms of health gains if you have them regularly.

1. Oats

Oats are a wholegrain cereal usually eaten for breakfast as porridge or in muesli. They have more soluble fibre than other grains.

A soluble fibre found in the outer endosperm cell wall of this cereal known as beta-glucan reduces absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine. Eating enough oats so you get around three grams of beta-glucan daily reduces your total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol in both people with high and normal cholesterol.

Half a cup of raw rolled oats (50 grams) contains about two grams of beta-glucan and four grams of fibre. Oat bran is a bit higher with eight to 12 grams of beta-glucan in every 100 grams.

Put another way, three bowls of porridge a week gives you enough soluble fibre and decreases your total cholesterol so much that if everyone started eating rolled oats, then the incidence of heart disease would drop by about 4%.

Clearly, oats for breakfast are a must. And there’s an added bonus – they’re cheap, at $4 to $5 a kilogram.

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Blame It On The... Balmy Spring Weather

Back in February, when January retail sales plunged and every single expert said consumers stayed indoors prevented from spending what money they don't have on goods and services they don't need, we pointed out a tiny little fly in the ointment: Online sales tumbled far more than the headline and core retail sales prints.

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Gun Control In Nazi Germany

There is no shortage of theories or writings related to the rise of the Third Reich and the subsequent Holocaust. Stephen Halbrook’s 2013 book, Gun Control in the Third Reich offers a compelling and important account of the role of gun prohibition in aiding Hitler’s goals of exterminating the Jews and other “enemies of the state.” While much of the early gun prohibition was created with supposedly good intent, Halbrook carefully and meticulously details how a change in political regime facilitated manipulating some well-intentioned gun registration laws and other gun prohibition to be used in inconceivable ways.

Students of history as well as Second Amendment enthusiasts will find this a fascinating book and will find parallels between gun prohibition in pre-Nazi and Nazi Germany, and attempts to prohibit types of gun ownership and implement other forms of gun prohibition in the United States today. The current climate in the United States surrounding gun prohibition combined with a president who uses his office to impose executive order in ways not historically common gives many citizens pause, especially when looking at the era of the Third Reich. While certain states have imposed gun registration laws recently, enforcement of the laws remains unclear.

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Student Loans Soar To Record $1.111 Trillion, Up 12% In Past Year

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First, the good news: courtesy of ZIRP mortgage defaults and discharges tumbled in Q1, resulting in an increase in total mortgage debt balances of $8.17 billion, or an increase of $116 billion in the quarter.

Now, the bad news: the increase in total mortgage balances had nothing to do with a surge in mortgage demand. Quite the contrary, as we have been reporting and as bank mortgage origination bankers have felt first hand, for whatever reason mortgage origination as a business has virtually slammed shut. The Fed confirmed as much when it reported just $332 billion in originations in Q1: well below the $452 billion in Q4, and certainly below the $577 billion a year ago.

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